Racism in Skyrim?

[F4LL3N]

I don't believe there's any talk of rape in the game; correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Mr Banana Chips Man]

When I reached Whiterun the first thing that I encountered was a squatter camp filled with Khajiit. I went closer and over heard two of them talking about how the Nords would not let them into Whiterun because they think all Khajiit are rapists and theives. They then went on to say that all they are trying to do is raise a family.

Wait...

When I entered Whiterun I saw a group of Redguards being herassed by Whiterun guards. The guards where going on about how the Redguards only wanted to come in to rape children and abduct woman to sell into slavery. When I went up to one of the Redguards, he said that they where just looking for a friend and if I could help.

...what?

This... this is not what happened. You are either just making shit up and therefore trollin and somehow no one here has yet noticed, or your translation of the game is very different from the english one and Bethesda needs to sit down and have a long talk with whoever did your regional translating.

The Khajiit were never accused of being rapists, nor were they trying to raise a family. They are a roving caravan of traders.

The redguards were not coming in to rape children, nor were they ever accused of that. In fact it is never explicitly stated why they were being kicked out, but one can infer from the dialogue that it was because they broke the law somehow. And they were in fact looking to "abduct" a woman, though depending on who you believe in the game, "arrest" may be a more accurate term. And they never claimed the person they were looking for was a "friend," either.

In fact that entire quest is completely ambiguous, since neither Saadia nor the Alik'r warriors actually give you any proof to suggest which of them is telling the truth. It's just Saadia's word against that of the Alik'r. You have to guess.

 

[Zabeen]

I thought the racism was because of the war how the other races didn't want to get involved and didn't help which pissed the Nords off.

 

[RatRace123]

Well, you are in the Nord homeland, it makes sense that they'd be all about their own superiority. Besides, racism between the different playable races isn't new in an Elder Scrolls game.

 

[Fredrikorex]

Try doing a run where you kill everyone who is racist towards you, it gets messy after a while.

 

[Smeggs]

-snip-

"Best part" was when you get to Windhelm-where Ulfric Stormcloak rules-you get to listen to the Argonians tell you how they're only paid 1/10th the pay of "a proper Nord worker," because apparently they're only worth 1/10th the work of a proper Nord.

And then you ge to see some drunken Nords harrassing and threatening a Dunmer woman in the middle of the street.

 

[kouriichi]

Raj find their Racism funny.

So what in im not nord? Raj happy to be khajiit.

Whats that? You ask if i want bowl of milk? Actually yes. Raj would love bowl of milk right now. Very thirsty after killing dragon that wanted to destroy you homes.

Oh what? Raj would make fine rug? Thank you! Always think i would. And skyrim has many nice rugs, so it is great compliment!

Sure, they may be bit of butthole, but it does not effect Raj. Just wait till they sleep, teabag few times. Who has last laugh now?!

Khajiit does, thats who!

 

[Beryl77]

Isn't this kind of racism normal in these games? Just look at Dragon Age or The Witcher. Devs seem to like to use it.

 

[Sandernista]

The high elves that think they are so superior that humans and other mortals need wiped out. The one that want the civil war dragged out as long as possible to maximize human casualties and increase the odds of destroying them utterly and completely.
Fucks sake visit an Orc stronghold. They hate everyone. Thalmor patrols want to kidnap you and torture you so you will confess to something you did not do; they hate humans as an inferior species THAT FUCKING MUCH!

While I love the racism (that sounds wrong) in the elder scrolls series, I actually think that here, they could have done even more involving your character.
I've got a (female) high-elf, but am a bit dissapointed by how less the Imperial care. Wouldn't the legion question it when a high-elf joins their ranks? I could be a spy afterall. What sort of really dissapointed my was that the Thalmor do not seem to care either that I'm 'one of them'. During the embassy mission I was wearing an elven armour, but the guards attacked me on sight anyways. Shouldn't my character be able to pass as one of the many guards? Of course, this was made for the sake of having balanced gameplay and not giving high-elf players an advantage in that mission, but I would have actually prefered if they would less care about balance and more about role-play, which would mean making it possible to disguise as a guard and recieve recognition during the party.
When I entered Windhelm, I witnessed two Nord harrasing a dark-elf for just living in Skyrim, but nobody minded an high-elf that joined the imperial legion jumping around Ulfric's throne room while he and his advisors where talking about secret battle plans.

I just have the feeling that, while the atmosphere the racism in Skyrim creates is great, it is too much of an NPC based aspect and your character is not affected by it.

The Thalmor believe any High Elf not born in Alinor, and not a member of the Thalmor to be dirty blood traitors.

The Thalmor probably mark themselves with some sort of magical thingamabob.

 

[Therumancer]

I first realised this just after I picked a race. I chose to play as a Nord which immediately brought the guard with the check list great joy. He was also very taken aback when after he gave his "Norse power" speech the front woman still ordered me to my death. This made me realsise that this game might have a slight Norse supiriourity thing going.

After surviving the dragon onsluaght I was sent to Riverwood, where another man sent me to Whiterun. When I reached Whiterun the first thing that I encountered was a squatter camp filled with Khajiit. I went closer and over heard two of them talking about how the Nords would not let them into Whiterun because they think all Khajiit are rapists and theives. They then went on to say that all they are trying to do is raise a family.

When I entered Whiterun I saw a group of Redguards being herassed by Whiterun guards. The guards where going on about how the Redguards only wanted to come in to rape children and abduct woman to sell into slavery. When I went up to one of the Redguards, he said that they where just looking for a friend and if I could help.

Things like this kept happening throughout the game, and I didn't make a post about it earlier because I thought Yatshee would bring it up in his review of Skyrim but he didn't. So I want to know if I am the only one who has experienced this racism, and if you have, share your tales of witnessed racist actions within Skrim.

It's been commented on before. I think the problem is a lot of people immediatly jump on the bandwagon that rebels are good, and ruthless empires are evil, and want to pitch in with the apparent underdog, when actually things are the opposite in this game.

The Nords *ARE* racist, they have this whole "chosen people" thing going, and are a group of conquering warmongers who believe they have the right to rule over everyone else. Not surprising given that they are Viking/Germanic in theme and the whole Aryan superiority thing is a big part of the culture. Honestly some people have even gone so far as to show some pretty interesting parallels to the events in Skyrim including the treaty with the Thalmar, and what happened with Germany between World War I and going into World War II with Ulfric as a general analogy to Hitler when he first got moving, but wasn't in a position to really go off the deep end. If it seems like you could see the Nords rounding up all the non-Nords and executing them you wouldn't be alone in thinking it could come to that and might be intentional.

One thing you have to understand is that The Empire are actually the good guys, and have been pretty much since the beginning. "Arena" revolved around saving the emperor who had been imprisoned by a renegade battle mage, and "Daggerfall" revolved around basically uniting Tamriel, with The Empire being the least evil of the various factions who were all murdering each other, the empire might be ruthless but at least provided the possibility for co-existance, where any of the other factions would have exterminated everyone else outright. The end of "Daggerfall" basically being you playing king-maker with a super weapon and deciding which faction should get it. The Empire being the official answer and the "good" ending so to speak. We also see what the death of The Emperor set in motion (and what his existance was sort of standing off) in Oblivion.

Basically, if The Empire falls or loses control, things go back to the way they were before and everyone starts killing each other again. The Nords being vikings are arguably one of the less nice groups out there as you can guess just by the theme. For all the comments about self rule and all of that, I think through the Nords are a good example of why such high flown principles are naive since not all cultures are worthy of that. The Nords are quite blunt about what they want to do with their freedom, and that generally means going to war with "lesser" races in the pursuit of blood and glory, and a lot of them are pretty blunt about it... pining over the old days of raiding and so on.

Of course RP wise, your character is predisposed to not like The Empire because they were going to cut your head off. Unlike other games (and contrary to Yahtzee's review) they explain why your in that situation... you were crossing the border in a place that just happened to coincide with them picking up Ulfric. They wanted to control the whole situation and that meant anyone associated with it who could provide a witness. It's bloody ruthless and not fair to you, but when you look at the whole situation it's easy to see why they were being that way. Even if your on the receiving end of something that is unfair you can see the greater good arguements that can be made given the information the guys doing the execution actually had. You'll notice Ulfric is hardly very receptive to you from that experience (as Yahtzee points out) and like any three dimensional group there are plenty of good people in The Stormcloaks, but overall the rebellion doesn't serve anyone's best interests, including The Nords. Ulfric himself seems to mostly just want to be a conquering Warlord. What will his free Skyrim do? Well I think it starts with a holocaust, and moves on to armies raiding other nations like the old days, if not outright invading them (or trying to).

 

[Muspelheim]

"Rajh'khan likes Skyrim. He also likes some Nords. But he knows that you can like some Nords all of the time and like all Nords some of the time, but you can't like all Nords all of the time. And Rajh'khan believes there are many Nords who do not like him all of the time... Very sad, for Rajh'khan knows he is in foreign lands, and attempt to behave himself like a good visitor.

But Rajh'khan believes Jarl Stormcork is taking it too far... Skyrim for the Nords? It will weaken them. You cannot survive in the desert all on your own... Maybe Rajh'khan should toss his staff in for the Legion after all. There are good Nords. With cindereyes and warm embrace. They deserve better than the Stormboats. Even a humble guest such as Rajh'khan sees it..."



Really, well-managed fantastical racism makes for a nice spice!

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Aisha is called milk drinker, but Aisha is confused.

Aisha drinks milk in secret milk drinking place that nobody know about. Stop other milk drinkers from stealing Aisha's milk.

If Nords know about secret milk drinking place, Aisha must find new place to drink milk.

Aisha is unhappy now. Skyrim lack prime milk drinking realestate.

 

[Lord Honk]

Racism? In my fantasy RPG?!

All joking aside... I've got nothing. This is just a joke. I've had enough with "videogame controversies". Just leave me to my basement god damn it.

 

[RamirezDoEverything]

I play as a khajiit, I noticed the racism when I was referred to as, "The Cat" at the beginning of the game.

I like it, the developers are trying something new..

 

[Smeggs]

Raj find their Racism funny.

So what in im not nord? Raj happy to be khajiit.

Whats that? You ask if i want bowl of milk? Actually yes. Raj would love bowl of milk right now. Very thirsty after killing dragon that wanted to destroy you homes.

Oh what? Raj would make fine rug? Thank you! Always think i would. And skyrim has many nice rugs, so it is great compliment!

Sure, they may be bit of butthole, but it does not effect Raj. Just wait till they sleep, teabag few times. Who has last laugh now?!

Khajiit does, thats who!

Raj teabags?

Hmm, Sarram steals their valuables and sometimes leaves dead body in bed with them.

Raj's method very different from Sarram's.

 

[Denariax]

A Lord of the Rings-esque fantasy game where everyone is the stereotypical equivalent of a medieval New Jersey is racist? Call the government, guys, this stuff's world-news.

 

[Muspelheim]

Rajh'khan simply note them down in his tome of grudges. When he is a truly mighty wizard, weaving the secrets of magic like cobweb to his will, then it will be time for payback...

According to his calculations, Rajh'khan will have to level about half of Windhelm...

 

[Justanewguy]

I don't believe there's any talk of rape in the game; correct me if I'm wrong.

You are, but it's not as blatant as what has been thrown around before. Thieves Guild spoiler coming up:

Spoiler

Sapphire, one of the thieves from the thieves guild, has a discussion with the player after he/she becomes guild master in which she explains that the reason she is so bitter is because her family was killed by raiders who proceeded to "use" her. She doesn't out and out say she was "raped" but the obvious intent of the words is there, there's really no mistaking what she means.