The Redguards are a pivotal piece in the Elder Scrolls games. But there’s still so much people don’t know! One of the best things about the Elder Scrolls series is its rich lore and the huge history behind each race. However, the Redguards seem to have a history that’s shrouded in mystery. They’re strong, well-organized, and pretty stuck in their ways. But all this doesn’t actually reveal the reasons for their actions.
Most of their history and actions can be found in books dotted around Tamriel as well as by talking to the Redguards around Hammerfell but even with all that searching, there’s still so much these people are hiding! Ultimately, learning the wonderful lore in this amazing game series is extremely rewarding, so here are some facts you may have never heard about the Redguards.
10 They’re Not From Hammerfell
Just like most races in Tamriel, the Redguards haven’t lived in Hammerfell forever. This race actually comes from a continent to the west named Yokuda. A huge battle between the Yokudans and a group of Ansei resulted in most of Yokuda sinking into the ocean, forcing the surviving Yokudans to flee to the east and settle in Hammerfell.
Their past is filled with pain and huge battles but similarly to most of the other races, the Redguards fled to better places.
9 They Wiped Out Most Threats In Their Land
It’s no secret that the Redguards are a powerful race, but these hardy people have tackled some serious threats in their time, especially when it comes to making their homeland safe.
When the Redguards came into Hammerfell in the 800s of the 1st era they found the deserts to be filled with horrific beasts ranging from deadly fauna to giant scorpions! Due to their sheer numbers and power, the Redguards ended up significantly reducing the presence of these creatures. Just goes to show how useful, and strong the Redguards can be!
8 They’re Resistant To Poison
The Redguards don’t have tails and look pretty human-like compared to the Khajiit and Argonians. And while the Nords may deal with the cold pretty well, the Redguards seem to have been blessed with something a little more useful, especially in combat.
The Redguards are blessed with a hefty constitution that means they are actually resistant to poison! So keep that in mind any time you want to destroy some Redguards, poison isn’t the best way.
7 Redguard Isn’t Their Original Name
Since the Regduards came from Yokuda, it’s pretty obvious that they weren’t always called Redguards. The Yokudans who first left their home and traveled to Hammerfell were named “Ra Gada” and were well known as the first wave before the royalty came in.
The Ra Gada drove off the Orsimer and were really Tameriel’s introduction to this specific race. Because of that the residents and locals began referring to the Ra Gada as Redguard. Makes sense really.
6 There Was A Civil War
As it would be with a society moving into a new area, there was a considerable amount of tension which eventually led to a civil war. The Redguards were split into two factions, the Crowns who followed, Na-Totambu, and the Forebears who were descendants of the Ra Gada. Both wanted different futures for themselves and argued between holding onto the traditional Yokudan culture and moving through Tamriel in support of commerce and politics.
It resulted in the death of the king which allowed the Imperial-backed Forebears to succeed. Even with the end of the war, their society remained split. The northern parts of Hammerfell are the Crowns and the southern seems to be Forebear.
5 They Believe Spellcasting Is Weak
Art by u/hidden_heathen
When speaking to Trayvond the Redguard in Hammerfell you’ll quickly learn that the Redguards despise spellcasters. They primarily use swords and bows so feel like spells are a sign of weakness. To them, Wizards will steal your soul and mess with your mind, any spellcaster is untrustworthy.
They hate conjuration magic and often relate it to necromancy and illusion because it messes with your mind. However, they are a little more understanding about destruction magic.
4 They All Know How To Fight
Since the Redguards don’t like using magic in their battles, they are insanely good at sword fighting. Speaking to many of the people in Hammerfell will reveal just how many of its citizens can actually wield a sword!
Every man, woman, and child is taught the art of combat and knows a considerable amount of information about war tactics. It’s exactly what makes them such formidable foes to the rest of Tamriel.
3 They Won’t Be Defeated
If every man, woman, and child can fight to the level of an expert by the time they turn 10 it should come as no surprise that the Redguards have never been completely defeated by any forces. Tiber Septim, the Emperor of Tamriel got pretty close and was able to absorb Hammerfell into the empire but during that time the Redguards were in their own civil war so were a little distracted.
However, Septim backed the Forebears and helped them win. Make no mistake, however, because the Redgueards would go on to fight the entire Dominion to a standstill, pushing them out of Hammerfell.
2 They Won’t Kill The Undead
Their hatred for magic is probably aided by their high respect for the dead. They hate necromancy because they respect the dead so much, even to the point that they won’t fight any undead, no matter how threatening.
A group named Ash’abah was created for the purpose of traveling around Hammerfell to cleanse the mausoleums and kill any undead that threatens their safety. Unfortunately, they are shunned by the other Redguards but it’s undeniable that they are incredibly appreciative of this group.
1 Some Come From A Different Time
One of the most unknown but most interesting aspects of information regarding the Redguards is that they actually come from a different timeline! It’s known that there are time periods that are known as Kalpa Cycles. These repeat over and over again, with Satakal ending the world and bringing a new one.
In one of the books from Elder Scrolls Online, The Hunger of Sep, it’s explained that some of the first Redguards crossed through their own afterlife to avoid the end of one of the timelines. They then crossed into Hammerfell, therefore explaining that they are, in fact, from a completely different timeline!
NEXT: Elder Scrolls: The Most Confusing Aspects Of The Timeline, Ranked
