Summary
The Elder Scrollshas no shortage of strange and mysterious characters. FromMorrowind’sForstaag the Sweltering, toOblivion’s Adoring Fan andSkyrim’s Chicken Necromancer, the vast lands of Tamriel are populated with all manner of peculiar NPCs. But, for many gamers, it’s one recurring Khajiit that just might be the weirdest character of all.
First introduced inThe Elder Scrolls’third entry,Morrowind, M’aiq the Liar was originally intended as little more than a fun Easter egg for players to find—a noble Khajiit who would savagely tear through the fourth-wall, commenting on theElder Scrollsgames and fan reactions to previous games. Despite his extremely minor role inMorrowind, M’aiq became an immediate favorite ofElder Scrollsfans and developers, and all subsequent games would go on to feature their own version of the enigmatic Khajiit.
There has been some debate among fans whetherthe various iterations of M’aiq the Liarare the same character or if “M’aiq the Liar” is an inherited name, passed down from father to son. Lore and developer comments exist in favor of both hypotheses.
M’aiq’s Lies May Have Some Truth to Them
Despite his name, many of M’aiq’s lies seem more like otherworldly intuition than outright falsehoods. While each game’s version of M’aiq may have been driven mad by his insights, the Khajiit can often seem all too sane when it comes to the workings of his universe. When asked about M’aiq’s lore, Michael Kirkbride (lead writer onDaggerfall,Morrowind, andOblivion) described the character as an entity analogous to Marvel’s Celestials—later describing M’aiq as a kind of radio-tower for cosmic energies, a fulcrum around which the universe rotates to orient itself and anchor the forces of reality. Outside the lore, M’aiq is simply a fun way for Bethesda to engage in a bit of in-universe meta-commentary.
Withinthe lore of Elder Scrolls, ‘CHIM’ is a state of complete awareness that gives one godlike powers and total control over reality. While the lore only officially supports two characters having achieved CHIM, some fans theorize that many of the Elder Scrolls’ more inexplicable characters—such as M’aiq the Liar—have achieved this state. Comments from developers have reinforced these theories.
Morrowind’s M’aiq
Wearing an expensive shirt, extravagant pants, and a Colovian Fur Helm, the first iteration of the mysterious Khajiit is also the most dapper. While much of M’aiq’s dialogue is simply nonsensical—such as claiming that dragons are still around, but invisible—other dialogue implies an encyclopedic knowledge of previousElder Scrollsgames. An explicit mouthpiece for the game’s development team,Morrowind’s M’aiq mocks the player for no longer having access to many ofDaggerfall’s more open-ended gameplay systems. Among other things, the character laments the loss of climbing ropes, horses, certain lore elements, and nudity.
Oblivion’s M’aiq
In a radical departure fromMorrowind’s M’aiq,Oblivion’s iteration of the character is clad in a tattered robe and hood. WhileMorrowind’s M’aiq was more subtle about his fourth wall breaking,Oblivion’s M’aiq is more direct in responding to development troubles and fan discourse on theElder Scrollsforums. In one particularly on-the-nose reference to theElder Scrollsforums,Oblivion’s M’aiq expresses dismay at not being able to give the player a fishy stick—a reference to an image of a pirate holding a ‘fishy stick’ which people on theElder Scrollsforums would use to greet new members. Though he is the fastest NPC in the game—able to outrun all butOblivion’s fastest horses—players can use calipers to stop M’aiq in his tracks. For some unknown reason,Oblivion’s M’aiq is obsessed with this basic blacksmithing tool.
Skyrim’s M’aiq
The final M’aiq in the mainline games,Skyrim’s M’aiq claims to be the descendant of the M’aiqs inMorrorwindandOblivion. Dressed again in a simple robe and carrying threebottles of skooma,Skyrim’s M’aiq focuses less on player complaints and more on the improvementsSkyrimmade over previous games, such as dual casting and improved character models. M’aiq also references his two previous appearences, informing the player that he is always in search of calipers—though this item is not present inSkyrim—and explaining that ‘‘dragons were never gone. They were just invisible and very, very quiet.’’
M’aiq’s appearence inSkyrimhas long divided fans; while some believeSkyrim’s M’aiq represents the tragic end of a once noble Khajit family, others believe the character’s madness, skooma and claims of lineage are a facade—a way for an immortal and impossibly powerful Khajit to hide in plain sight by pretending to be a skooma addicted vagrant.
M’aiq the Liar is One of Elder Scrolls’ Most Enigmatic Characters
With his most recent iteration appearing in Elder Scrolls Online, M’aiq shows no signs of going anywhere any time soon. Though his in-game origin and history remain a mystery, M’aiq the Liar’s position as a developer mouthpiece—and the strange in-universe awareness this implies—has helped to make the character a fan favorite fixture of the franchise. With news thatThe Elder Scrolls 6is currently in development, it’s only a matter of time until players get the chance to meet M’aiq all over again.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
WHERE TO PLAY
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