The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimboasts arguably one of the largest reserves of mysteries found in any game. Around every corner and under every rock, there is something to be found and said about the world of Nirn that reveals a bit more of its true form. Few other secrets define Nirn as much as the one about the existence of the Nordic god, Shor.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim’sNords share an unquestionable and undying love for this god in particular. While they know him as Shor, the rest of Tamriel knows him by other names, with the most popular one being Lorkhan. Thanks in part to that, he is arguably one of the most mysterious gods in the franchise.
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Shor’s Identity is Up In The Air
Shor is known to be a god favored among the races of man, and for good reason. The Nords remember Shor as being the bloodthirsty warrior god that lead them on a path of freedom from their Elven oppressors.Skyrim’s hardiest Nordscan even supposedly meet Shor in their afterlife, Sovngarde. However, upon the player’s arrival in Sovngarde during the events ofSkyrim’s main quest, Shor is nowhere to be found. Even more peculiarly, many of the individuals found in Sovngarde say they were told by Shor not to fight Alduin. This is incredibly strange, as Shor is supposedly the Nordic version of Lorkhan. However, Lorkhan is supposed to be dead.
Lorkhan supposedly tricked the other gods who would become to be known as Divines into putting a portion of their power to create Nirn. In retaliation, the other gods killed Lorkhan, casting his heart far into the sea. This heart is even physically seen inThe Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind. But according to individuals found in Sovngarde, he is essentially still alive. There are even events that record his continued existence, such as the Battle of Red Mountain. What’s odd about this occurrence is that it surroundedThe Elder Scrolls' infamous Dwemer, and their finding of Lorkhan’s heart.
One possible theory is that Shor is indeed Lorkhan, but not in the way most would think. Every race ofThe Elder Scrollshas their own interpretation of the gods, and they all often manage to retain a modicum of truth despite their differences. Shor may be Lorkhan in the same way that Auri-El is Akatosh. Rather than existing as a single, coherent form, they exist based on the way they are perceived by the race that worships them. One example that may somewhat prove this isThe Middle Dawn dragon break. This dragon break was caused by a fanatical sect of the Alessian Order attempting to remove Elven aspects from Akatosh they didn’t approve of, as if Akatosh was more of a concept than a god.
Another, more simple explanation is that gods don’t die the same way mortals do. The Nordic god Tsun was said to have died defending Shor, but he is found inSkyrim’s Sovngarde. It could be surmised that Shor’s lack of appearance is simply for reasons not known to the player. After all,The Elder Scrolls' divinesoften work in ways that the player may not expect. However, there is one more answer to this question that is somewhat disappointing.
Michael Kirkbride, a former writer from Bethesda, said on a Reddit post inquiring about the same question that, “Someone felt uncomfortable having a portrayal of a god in the game.” However, he also says that the in-world explanation is up to the player. For that exact reason,The Elder Scrollsuniverse contains some of the best mysteriesand speculation in all gaming.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis available now on PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
