Overlook
Skyrim is a vast region set in the northern part of Tamriel. It is the home of the Nords, large and hardy men and women who have a strong resistance to frost, both natural and magical. It is bordered by Morrowind to the east, Cyrodiil to the south, Hammerfell to the southwest, and High Rock to the west. The island of Solstheim lies to the northeast of Skyrim.

History
Skyrim, also known as the Old Kingdom or the Fatherland is the home of the Nords and the setting for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

During the Merethic Era, Nedes called the land Mereth, in recognition of the vast number of Mer that lived there. It was the first region of Tamriel to be settled by humans, who migrated there from the land of Atmora in the far north, across the Sea of Ghosts. The date of this migration is unknown, although it was before the full flourishing of Elvish civilization. According to legend, Ysgramor landed first at Hsaarik Head, at the extreme northern tip of Skyrim's Broken Cape. It is said that he and his companions were fleeing the civil war in Atmora, which at that time had a sizable population. They named the land Mereth, after the many elves that roamed the virgin forests of Tamriel.

For a long while, relations between the Snow Elves and men were relatively peaceful. However, the Snow Elves saw that the Nords, with their considerably shorter life expectancy, fast rates of physical maturation and expedient (by Elvish standards) reproductive cycle, would eventually overtake them if left unchecked. At the time, men were viewed by Snow Elves as being primitive and animal-like, and it was seen as no great moral remission to stop the spread of a potentially disastrous invasive species, who would destabilize the Tamrielic ecosystem. Thus, Elvish pogroms razed the city of Saarthal on what became known as the Night of Tears. Only Ysgramor and his two sons escaped back to Atmora, and, seeing the tenuous peace which had developed between the various factions, recognized the opportunity to turn their plight into a uniting force for the human race. Within a few years, Ysgramor returned to Skyrim with an army known as the "Five Hundred Companions", composed of the heroes of the Atmoran Civil War who, without much resistance, drove the Snow Elves out and were knighted in the foundations for the First Empire.

Snow Elves persisted within the borders of Skyrim until the reign of the Thirteenth of the Ysgramor Dynasty, King Harald, at the beginning of the First Era. King Harald was the first to relinquish all holdings in Atmora (until that time, the Nords of Atmora and Skyrim had been considered the same group), proclaiming that the people of Skyrim were an independent people.

Vrage the Gifted started the expansion that would eventually lead to the First Empire of Men. Within fifty years of his reign, the Nords ruled all of Skyrim as well as parts of High Rock, Cyrodiil, and the Dunmer lands of Morrowind. The acquisition of Morrowind was particularly bloody, still remembered in Morrowind. The purpose of the formation of the Chimer-Dwemer kingdom of Resdayn was to expel the Nords.

The system which chose the successors to the Empire eventually proved to be its undoing. For a great while the Moot, a gathering of the lords of the many different Holds, chose the successor to the Empire. This lasted well until the death of King Borgas.

Geography
Skyrim features many different terrain types, including tundra plains, forests, highlands and mountainous regions. It is the most rugged region on the continent; not only containing five of the highest peaks in Tamriel, but also very snowy and cold. Only in the western reaches are there some measure of flat land, where most of the population resides. The rest of Skyrim is vertical; mountains, cliffs, and deep valleys. A variety of crops are raised in Skyrim, from wheat to the hardy snowberry. Of note is that the particular climate of Skyrim makes it the only region in Tamriel, outside of the most northern reaches of High Rock and Morrowind, suitable for the brewing of the infamous alcoholic beverage Nordic Mead, also known simply as "Rotgut". This is because that, in addition to the local availability of certain ingredients, several times during the distillation process, the substance must be subjected to extreme cold temperatures, so that it may freeze and refreeze. The drink is noted for the distinct "cold" taste, similar to extraordinarily strong mint, which persists as a feeling of ice in the stomach, as well as for the very deleterious nature of its content. Nordic Ale is illegal throughout the Empire, but this does not stop many proprietors from stocking smuggled bottles for those brave enough to try a mug.

Economy
Skyrim is a wealthy and powerful province; the hold of Solitude has always been one of the richest and most influential regions. Recently, Solitude has grown ever more powerful, controlling much of the northern coastline following King Thian's alliance by marriage with Macalla, the Queen of Dawnstar It has sought to expand its influence further by annexing several former Imperial fiefs, such as the island of Roscrea, ruled directly by the Emperor since Uriel V conquered it in the 271st year. There are also influences from Morrowind because refugees from Morrowind escape there, bringing new ideas, cultures, and stimulating the economy. In some cities, a citizen becomes a part of the economy by either logging or blacksmithing. In the fourth era, Skyrim was politically unified until the outbreak of civil war, which pitted the Eastern Holds against the Western Holds. Though this, coupled with the Great Collapse, has caused some damage to Skyrim's economy, the city of Riften has become a industrial powerhouse, producing mead and fish. This has led to some political corruption, however, but on the whole, Skyrim is one of the more powerful and wealthy nations on Tamriel.

Religion
The pantheon of Skyrim consists of various deities. Most notably, the Nine Divines are worshiped. Specific deities venerated by Skyrim and her people include: Alduin, Dibella, Orkey, Tsun, Mara, Stuhn, Kyne, Jhunal, Shor, Ysmir, Herma-Mora, Maloch.

Shor is considered the father deity of the providence, as opposed to Akatosh, the chief Divine of Cyrodiil. Some scholars report that Akatosh and Alduin are the same deity, while others disagree.

Daedra worship is rare in Skyrim. The main pantheon consists of Herma-Mora, an Atmorian demon who some claim is the incarnation of Daedric Prince, Hermaeus Mora. Mephala, the Daedric Princess and webspinner, is Herma's sister, supporting claims that he is a Daedric Prince. Maloch, an incarnation of Malacath is the patron of the ostracized. This Daedric Prince was brought to Skyrim by the Orcs. Other Daedric Princes worshiped in Skyrim include Azura -- whose followers fled Morrowind after receiving spiritual dreams from their liege; Nocturnal -- worshiped by the Nightingales; Namira -- worshiped by a cult of cannibals; and Hircine, largely patronized by lycanthropes.
Talos Worship
Because Tiber Septim liberated Skyrim from the elves, many consider his divine apothesized form, Talos, as worthy of veneration. Worship was Talos was prevalent in Skyrim until the Thalmor and the Elder Council signed the White-Gold Concordat as a treaty to the Great War conflict. Within the document contained explicit demands by the Second Aldmeri Dominion to uproot the worship of Talos in Cyrodiil and its territories. Skyrim, at the time, was a territory of the Empire of Tamriel, its High King being a member of the Elder Council. Loyalists supported the efforts of Imperial Legion and the Thalmor to eradicate Talos worship in Skyrim, although rebellious groups such as the Stormcloaks refused to relinquish these beliefs. Popular insurgents included the Jarls Elisif the Fair (of Solitude) and Ulfric Stormcloak (of Windhelm). Sometime after the Concordant was signed into law, the shrine of Talos in the Temple of the Divines was vandalized and removed.