Summary
The long-runningElder Scrollsseries is filled with colorful characters, from the godlike Aedra and demonic Daedra to smug shopkeepers and world-destroying dragons. Naturally, some NPCs draw the ire of players for various reasons. The likes of the Adoring Fan inOblivionorSkyrim’s religious zealot, Heimskr, often taste the protagonist’s blade as a result of their irritating behavior. That’s not to mention Nazeem’svexatious and arrogant attitude.
However, the focus of this list is not those who dare to annoy players, but those who are particularly despised within their game worlds and across the entire series in some cases. Here are the most hateableElder Scrollscharacters, ranked based on just how despicable their actions are and how loathed they are within theElder Scrollsuniverse.
The hidden main antagonist ofThe Elder Scrolls III: Tribunal, the first ofMorrowind’s expansions,Almalexiaappears to have good intentions, even improving the lives of the Dunmer drastically. One ofthe three living Godsthat make up the eponymous Tribunal, she seems to do the majority of the work while her colleagues, Sotha Sil and Vivec, only care about their own interests.
She gradually becomes more twisted and paranoid as the game progresses, losing the faith of her people as her powers diminish, as does her trust in the other gods, seeking all the power for herself. The loss of the Heart of Lorkhan tips Almalexia over the edge toward megalomania, and her scheme to take absolute power has to be stopped by the Nerevarine.
Like Almalexia,Cicerocould be considered a tragic figure. While he appears to be an insane jester who has a disturbing relationship with the corpse of the Night Mother, Cicero’s journals reveal a traumatic past and a gradual descent into madness, brought about by thecountless deaths of those around him.
Many players find his high-pitched and erratic ramblings quite annoying, but that’s nothing compared toSkyrim’s chapter of the Dark Brotherhood who are looking for any excuse to kill him. When first encountered north of Whiterun, he was also reviled by the people nearby, being deemed troublesome and untrustworthy. His jealousy of the Dragonborn, along with the actions of the leader Astrid, bring about the downfall of the Dark Brotherhood in the province.
A notable author of a popular series of city guides inOblivion,Alessia Ottusappears to be perfectly nice when conversing with her in person, regardless of the player-character’s race. Her many books show a more bigoted side, holding views about the non-human races of Cyrodiil being inferior, and believing that non-Imperial humans are unclean and undesirable. She even gives beggars a hard time.
Not only does she hold these prejudiced viewpoints about different races, but she also shows great ignorance about the Mages Guild. Her main source of disdain comes from the practice of necromancy, something that is very clearly outlawed by the guild during this time. Alessia’s religious zealotry is also pretty clear, since she’s displeased with the inclusion of the statue of Talos in the Imperial City’s Arboretum.
Thefinal boss and primary antagonistofArena,Jagar Tharnis a powerful and feared mage who usurped the throne and caused untold damage to Tamriel during his ten-year reign. Using the Staff of Chaos to trap Uriel Septim VII in the Planes of Oblivion, he then utilized illusion magic to pose as the emperor, instilling fear in those who questioned his power.
Causing untold damage to Tamriel, including splitting the land, Jagar Tharn punished anyone who posed a threat to his plans with death or banishment to Oblivion. It’s only when the Eternal Champion intervenes that the damage can be undone, causing the powerful mage to disintegrate and returning the true emperor to his rightful place on the throne.
A polarizing character in the northern province,Ulfric Stormcloakis viewed as a hero to many Nords inSkyrim, but a complete villain to countless others as the High King’s assassin. Even his biggest critics agree that some of his points are valid, such as his opposition to the outlaw of worshipping Talos, and the Empire’s perceived weakness to the Aldmeri Dominion.
None of this can justify the Stormcloak faction’streatment of other races, especially those of Elven blood. The Dunmer of Windhelm are forced to live in the slum-like Gray Quarters, while Argonians are not permitted to live within the city walls at all and must remain on the docks. His disdain for the Thalmor is not without justification, but that should not give him permission to mistreat Elven citizens, especially in the city where he holds power.
The primary antagonist of the Mages Guild questline inOblivion,Mannimarcois among the oldest characters in theElder Scrollsseries. Thought to already be thousands of years old during the events ofOnlineand still lingering around inDaggerfallandOblivionhundreds of years later, he and his Worm Cult amassed quite a following throughout these centuries.
His goal inOblivionis to overthrow the leadership of the Mages Guild and reinstate the practice of Necromancy with the help of his followers. He even cruelly uses the corpse of Vanus Galerion as a thrall. Obviously, this does not sit well with the Mages and the wider population of Cyrodiil and requires the intervention of the Hero of Kvatch to put an end to these evil misdeeds.
Having mounted several invasions on Tamriel and being hellbent on destroying all mortals, it’s understandable thatMehrunes Dagonis such a reviled figure by most people. Despite this, there are still those who worship him and seek to assist in his goals, most notably the Mythic Dawn.
His many atrocities, including the total destruction of Mournhold and the entire Oblivion Crisis, caused many to fear Mehrunes Dagon, but also hate him and those who follow him. Said to be the God of Destruction, he is often associated with events that cause great hardship, such as earthquakes, fires, and floods, testing the mettle of those who live through these volatile natural disasters.
In a game featuring Dagoth Ur, one of the best villains in video games,Orvas Drenmanages to rise above him as a completely detestable figure. Asone of the darkest characters in the series, he possesses almost no redeeming qualities. Brother of the Duke of Vvardenfell, influence over the Council of Hlaalu, drug dealer, and slave owner, he is one of the most notable and despicable figures inMorrowind.
As the leader of the Camonna Tong criminal organization, Orvas Dren inflicts untold misery on the people of Morrowind and essentially controls both the Fighters Guild and Thieves Guild. His ultimate goals are to rid the province of all non-Dunmer and rid the area of any imperial influence, but his lust for power even includes a plot to assassinate his own brother and become the new Duke.
