Like, if anything, Elder Scrolls fans love long-hitting, lore-deep quotes that stick with you way more than accidentally fus-roh-dah-ing Lydia off a cliff, and Uriel Septim VII had uttered one of the most real lines in the history of Tamriel: “I’ve served the Nine all my days, and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens.” Chills, seriously.
The quote is not overtly flashy in the view of PosterPosse’s artists, who have just released some madly fine art of the last Emperor before the old dragon had its, well, you-know-what. The piece features Uriel looking as regal as heck mere seconds before the Mythic Dawn nerds spoiled the day. The colors? Immaculate. The composition? Chef’s kiss. That beautiful Elder Scrolls aesthetic? Just on point.
This tweet is so random, it just sends the whole TES community into fits. Like, we’re talking full-blown nostalgia trips back to the year 2006 when you first heard on your CRT TVs about the presence of a disembodied voice by Patrick Stewart. People reminisce here about their first character (who for most of us is probably a stealth archer, let’s be real) and how mind-blowing it was to actually see Uriel get merked in the sewer during the opening sequence. Good times.
Random thought-it kind of looks like it’s the kind of stuff you would find within the confines of one of those limited-edition collector’s boxes-the $200 kind, which packs in a plastic statue sprawled somewhere for a week or so before being boxed up forever. But free to look, which is always a plus in our book. PosterPosse gave a nod to the classic fantasy oil painting vibes, keeping it fresh and modern. One look at it and you could hear the Oblivion theme swelling in the background.
And may we mention how every other Elder Scrolls player almost is described by Uriel’s quote in this case? Served the Nine (or Eight, depending on your thoughts about Talos)? Check. Charting courses by celestial bodies because the in-game maps kind of sucked as a pre-Skyrim feature? Double check. This dude was speaking facts before facts were cool.
Random thought-remember when we all thought Uriel was going to be a big player? Then boom-done in like 10 minutes? Classic Bethesda would say right there. Set up this wise, powerful figure and just pull the rug from under him and make you deal with the consequences. It still stings.
A little late for this kind of art to drop, especially with the Elder Scrolls 6 rumor mill working overtime (still no sign of a release date, thanks Todd). Must feel like the fandom is thirsty as hell for any scrap of content, even if it’s about a character dead in the canon for about 200 years according to Skyrim’s timeline. Now that just shows how deep love for the series runs.
Honestly, we need more of this-more dope fan art, more obscure references to deep lore, and more love for those moments that made these games iconic. Because at the end of the day, it isn’t just about the dragons or the shouts that do your bidding, or even every single wheel of cheese you can steal in Whiterun-it’s about the characters and the stories that imprint on you for years.
So big thanks go out to PosterPosse for catching that magic. Now if you’ll excuse us, we really gotta play Oblivion again for the 50th time, crying ugly tears to the soundstand with Uriel’s “I go now to my rest” just like the totally unstable TES nerds we are. The Nine guide you, friends.
