Transcripts of Tamriel: Elder Scrolls Online Roleplay Database
Three years in the making, this database was built from the ground up to document and preserve a living archive of player-driven narratives from The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO). Every entry, structure, and editorial pass reflects obsessive attention to both research utility and narrative integrity. This database comprises transcripts of collaboratively created narratives from over 1,100 roleplaying (RP) sessions in ESO, recorded between July 2018 and August 2023, encompassing nearly 3,000 hours of active roleplay. It offers a rare dataset from an otherwise inaccessible population, as participation typically requires in-game presence. Intended for game studies and interdisciplinary research, the database provides insight into live roleplaying dynamics within a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG). The content spans various genres, from wholesome and adventurous to romantic and horror-themed, occasionally addressing controversial topics.
Unlike tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) such as Dungeons & Dragons, these transcripts adopt a narrative, novel-like format rather than a series of character action statements. Transcripts were collected with full transparency and player awareness as well as player participation in the collection and editing of transcripts. All identifying info and account names have been removed. Created expressly for scholarly research, this archive is supported by institutional oversight and exists solely for research and preservation. No money is made from this work; any recognition received is strictly academic. Transcripts of Tamriel was created using TiddlyWiki, an open source wiki software originally created by Jeremy Ruston and maintained by a community of volunteers.
Downloadable File (Current build: Beta 0.1.0.0)
The Transcripts of Tamriel: Elder Scrolls Online Roleplay Database is provided as a downloadable HTML file (compressed to 14 MB in a zip folder to reduce the file size; full size is 40 MB).
- The link will take you to the Google Drive file. Click the "download" icon to download and save to your computer. (Google Drive will say it cannot scan the file - this is fine and due to file size. Click "Download anyway".)
- Extract the file by right-clicking on the saved ZIP folder and selecting "Extract here"
- Double click the file to launch it in your default web browser (Google Chrome is recommended) or right click and select "Open with..." to choose the browser.
Instructions for navigating and searching the database are provided both within the database itself and also in the left-hand navigation of this LibGuide.
This database is a curated archive of over 1,100 live roleplaying transcripts from The Elder Scrolls Online (2018–2023), compiled and edited for scholarly use across game studies, digital humanities, narrative analysis, and related fields. It is free to download, use, and adapt for non-commercial, academic, or personal purposes, as long as proper credit is given to the creator and no modifications are made to transcript text. Any adapted or expanded versions must be shared under the same license (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), ensuring continued access and openness. Commercial use is prohibited. See Attribution & Licensing for full license and restrictions.
Limitations of Beta 0.1.0.0
- Split posts may be encountered (where a character post continues in a later post; denoted by "+")
- Numerous typographic errors are present; some denoted by single "*"; corrections are ongoing
- Orientation transcripts (sessions that introduced new members) are mostly excluded at this time, but will be added in a future update; sessions have partial metadata
- Character metadata is incomplete
- Transcripts may require renumbering due to additions/removals/split sessions
There are a few considerations to keep in mind due to the unique nature of the medium:
- In the transcripts, each post begins with the timestamp and speaking character’s name, a feature of pChat’s recording method. Exceptions occur in sessions sourced from non-game mediums, such as short stories or reports posted on the group’s Discord server.
- Most transcripts include timestamps, but as participants were globally dispersed, they reflect individual local times as well as individual, in-game settings and may vary significantly. A transcript might start at [20:01], continue to [23:17], and end at [11:51] or [21:51] if different individuals recorded and submitted sections. Timestamps were retained to align separately submitted portions and ensure easy location of individual posts which can be identified by indicating the timestamp and character name. Transcripts include "Minutes: ###" tags to track duration in roughly 30-minute intervals.
Redactions and Retcons
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Redactions: One player requested the redaction of all their character posts from 2018 and 2019; this resulted in approximately 50 transcripts with redactions tagged with "Redacted". Redactions are noted where appropriate.
- Retcons: A very small number of transcripts in the database have been given the "Retconned" tag due to either narrative inconsistency or out-of-game interference. Explanatory notes are provided at the beginning of these transcripts.
Roleplaying Group Composition
The transcripts capture largely linear, collaborative writing from a continuously evolving roleplaying group. Session participation varied from two to two dozen, with hundreds of individuals contributing over time. Participants ranged from experienced roleplayers to novices with no prior creative writing experience and represented diverse backgrounds. Among those who disclosed personal details, members included:
- ages 18 to 70+
- nationalities from five continents
- a wide range of socio-economic/political positions
- a large variety of occupations
- all sexes and genders
- every level of education
- varying degrees of health and/or mental health challenges
Sessions by year:
- 2018: 42
- 2019: 221
- 2020: 290
- 2021: 252
- 2022: 214
- 2023: 123