Master of Lore is no more.
On February 6th, 2019 ZeniMax’s ESO Lore Master, Lawrence Schick, has stepped down from his position. The Lore Master is the title given to the lead lore writer and manipulator of the elder scrolls online series. Schick stepped down from the position due to “family reasons.” He never specified the exact reasons, be it positive or negative. The ESO team asked him to write about his time at ESO and his time working on the lore in a farewell letter. Instead he decided to discuss how the players add to and affected the lore of ESO. Here’s a small excerpt from his farewell letter.
“Tamriel is a world where all history, past and future, is described in the ever-shifting texts of the mysterious Elder Scrolls, which tell always of what might be rather than of what is. And this is a uniquely suitable setting for a multiplayer online game that hosts players of many cultures and backgrounds. What could be better for characters in a role-playing game than an expansive world of many different cultures, each with its own history and myths, so you can be whoever you want to be? That sounds great—but what should your character believe is really true? Since all the stories of this world come from characters in the setting itself, and you can listen to them and read their books, you can decide that for yourself. And whatever that is, it’s as right as any other character’s beliefs, player or non-player, because your character lives in the same world they do.”
In closing, Lore Master Schick will be missed. He was a genius who could spin a tale of nothing into a living breathing world. Goodbye Lawrence Schick may your stories live on forever. You can find the whole letter here: