Map of Tamriel Tamriel is the continent which serves as the primary setting for all of games . It consists of nine territories called provinces . Cyrodiil . Cyrodiil is the home of one of the four races of Men : the Imperial s . It is located in the heart of the continent . It serves as the capital of the many Empires since the First Era . Cyrodiil is covered largely by forests in the interior ; humid marshes south of the Lower Niben ; vineyards and farmsteads surrounding County Skingrad ; the rolling amber hills of the Gold Coast to the west ; and jagged highlands and tundra of the Jerall and Valus Mountains to the north and east . The capital city , the Imperial City and White - Gold Tower , is located on the City Isle in the middle of Lake Rumare . It is the heart of the Imperial Empire and the seat of the Emperor ' s power and the Elder Council . Morrowind . Formerly Resdayn , Morrowind is the home of the Dunmer ( Dark Elves ) and is located in the north - east corner of Tamriel . It consists of Mainland Morrowind , where the capital city of Mournhold is located , as well as the ruling political body therein , and the large isle of Vvardenfell where the volcano Red Mountain dominates the landscape . Vvardenfell in particular has a very diverse topography ranging from the marshes of the Sheogorad region and the dense tropical mushroom forests of the Ascadian Isles to the rolling , golden plains of the Grazelands and the choking dust , harsh winds , and ash storms of the volcanic Ashlands region which dominates the center of the island . Morrowind as a whole is famous for its unusual flora and fauna , in particular the giant insectoid and arthropodan life and towering fungal growths . Skyrim . The original home of Men in Tamriel , Skyrim is located in the frigid north of Tamriel , between Morrowind and High Rock , and is the home of the oldest race of men , the Nord s . Skyrim is a rugged , harsh , and unforgiving place of snow - capped , jagged mountains and wind - blasted ice fields standing in contrast to the verdant forests of the Rift and Falkreath Hold . The Fourth Era saw a dramatic change to Skyrim ' s northern coast during The Great Collapse of Winterhold when the glacier on which the capital city was built shattered and fell into the sea , taking much of the city with it . The College of Winterhold was unharmed however , and this has fostered a great deal of anger , suspicion , and resentment between the local Nords and the College Mages who insist they had nothing to do with the Collapse . The fact that the Nords have continued to dwell here is testament to their resilience and fortitude . Black Marsh . Called Argonia by its inhabitants , Black Marsh is home to the reptilian race of the Argonian s . It is located in the south - eastern corner of Tamriel and is covered by vast , festering marshes , rainforests , waterways , and immense , impenetrable forests of Hist and mangrove trees . Due to the topography of the land , travel of any distance is difficult for seemingly anyone that isn ' t Argonian which is a definite factor as to why Black Marsh has never been successfully invaded or mapped . Many cities of Black Marsh , such as Gideon , were originally founded by the Ayleid s . Little else is known about this mysterious and ill - documented place . Elsweyr . Elsweyr is the home of the feline race of the Khajiit and is located in the south of Tamriel , between the Provinces of Cyrodiil and Valenwood . Elsweyr is , for the most part , a desert land with majestic , rolling dunescapes and sun - drenched dust plains in the interior and thick forests and jungle surrounding it along its borders with Cyrodiil and Valenwood , with the Tenmar Forest covering a large area in the south of the Province . Valenwood . The ancestral homeland of the Bosmer ( Wood Elves ) . It is located in the south - western corner of Tamriel , west of Elsweyr . Valenwood , as its name suggests , is a land covered , for the most part , by forests . The topography is hilly and the west coast is choked by seemingly endless mangrove forests and tropical rainforests . The largest Bosmer villages and cities are built high in the boughs of ancient migratory trees which have the ability to move the settlements , in their entirety , wherever they venture . Summerset Isles . Located in the Abecean Sea , the Isles are the home of the Altmer ( High Elves ) . The main Isle , called Summerset and home of the capital city of Alinor , and the smaller Isle of Auridon are verdant landscapes dotted with towns and cities of ancient mansions and enchanted towers , similar to those of the Telvanni mages of Vvardenfell , Morrowind . The Isles also include the island of Artaeum , home of the Psijic Order , and are also home to the Crystal Tower . Hammerfell . Hammerfell is the home of the Redguard s , the fourth race of Men , who came to Tamriel after leaving their original homeland of Yokuda . Hammerfell has an arid climate and much of the Province is desert , namely the great Alik ' r Desert in the west , with a few forests on the coast and provincial borders with grasslands dominating the south around the Cyrodiil border , and the Dragontail Mountains located along the border with Skyrim . One of the most notable cities in Hammerfell is Stros M ' kai . Stros M ' kai is famous for its orrery , which is the only known fully functional orrery outside the Imperial City , in Cyrodiil . High Rock . Located in the north - west corner of the continent , west of Skyrim , the homeland of the third race of Men , the Breton s . High Rock is a land with a cool , calm climate and rolling hills covered in heather which flow to the foothills of the Wrothgarian Mountains and the plateaus of North Kambria . High Rock is a land that is no stranger to battle . The warlords of various Breton clans and houses have been at war on and off for thousands of years . Notable cities include Daggerfall and Wayrest . The Adamantine Tower sits on an island called Balfiera in Iliac Bay . Orsinium . The home of Orsimer , more commonly called " Orcs " , officially a territory or city - province and not currently recognized as an independent nation and therefore not shown on any modern official map , encompasses a small area in the Wrothgarian Mountains and Dragontail Mountains within the province of High Rock . A difficult environment to thrive in as much of the landscape lies above the tree line , there are few abundant resources aside from rock and metals that require mining . Its geography , however , make it a place easy to defend against skirmishes and invading armies . This is fitting as Orsinium is no stranger to conflict and bloodshed : this is exemplified in the ancient conflict which resulted in Orsinium ' s " birth " and the ascension of the Orsimer ' s king Gortwog gro - Nagorm in the Third Era who rediscovered the ancient location and reclaimed it for the Orcs of Tamriel .