“Why do we use the term dark as a proxy for evil, while we also do the same for human beings?” they add.Īnother instance of this can be seen with NPC Khajiits, or the cat race of Tamriel, whose merchants and their caravans are barred from the cities due to being coded as sellers of illicit goods. “ Why do we use the term dark as a proxy for evil, while we also do the same for human beings?”

The evident colorism that divides these races also can be related to the experience of primarily darker-skinned Black folk. Ashley Gerhardt, an events and projects coordinator, points out that the Dunmer “even highlight the political drama in the game that mirrors political drama that happens in our real life.” The Altmer, or “High Elves,” are both the antithesis of and hateful towards other Elven races such as the Dunmer and the Falmer, being that they are lighter-skinned, rich, and have a goal to be the dominant race of all elves. For instance, the Dunmer, a race of elves referred to as “Dark Elves” because they were created from elves “ cursed with dark skin,” are perceived as criminals and are mistreated by the Stormcloaks of Windhelm due to their refugee status.īut the oppression doesn’t stop there. BethesdaĮven the interactions between Nords and non-Nord characters are oppressive and racially charged. “For me, this moment was reminiscent of our experiences with the current judicial system.”Ĭoncept art of Skyrim’s Dark Elves. “ are often considered criminals and damned from birth, and the game starts with you as a prisoner on the way to the execution site,” he adds. An example of a connection between Blackness and Skyrim “is when you are sentenced to death immediately after creating your character,” he says.

The parallelsĪlthough I have a personal connection to the game, I wanted to explore if there was a deeper, more profound connection between my identity as a Black person and Skyrim.Īccording to DEI communication specialist and host of The Unapologetically Black Gaming Podcast Cortez Washington, the parallels between the struggles of Black people and the game itself can be derived from very early on in the storyline and isn’t above critique. The autonomous gameplay that the sandbox RPG has long been applauded for has given me so much peace.

I created my character as a Redguard assassin/mage type, while retaining opportunities to explore other skill sets and fighting styles. A game with an open world, pretty solid character-customization options, and an expansive list of main and side quests, the fifth installment of the Elder Scrolls franchise gave me a chance to exist in the ways that my waking life did not allow.

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