Players begin their journey in the Wailing Prison in Coldharbour, the only zone located outside of Tamriel, or Firemoth Island just off the coast of Vvardenfell. Once this tutorial is completed, you move into your starting zone, which is dependent upon the chosen faction. The tutorial can be skipped with subsequent characters. You return to Coldharbour later in the game.
Tamriel’s nine Imperial Provinces are split into multiple zones, with the contested province of Cyrodiil sitting in the middle.
The Zones of Tamriel
| Province | Faction | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Black Marsh | Ebonheart Pact | Shadowfen |
| Cyrodiil | Neutral | Cyrodiil |
| Cyrodiil | Neutral | Gold Coast |
| Elsweyr | Aldmeri Dominion | Khenarthi’s Roost (Starting Zone) |
| Elsweyr | Aldmeri Dominion | Reaper’s March |
| Hammerfell | Daggerfall Covenant | Alik’r Desert |
| Hammerfell | Daggerfall Covenant | Bangkorai |
| Hammerfell | Daggerfall Covenant | Stros M’Kai (Starting Zone) |
| Hammerfell | Neutral | Craglorn |
| Hammerfell | Neutral | Hew’s Bane |
| High Rock | Daggerfall Covenant | Betnikh |
| High Rock | Daggerfall Covenant | Glenumbra |
| High Rock | Daggerfall Covenant | Rivenspire |
| High Rock | Daggerfall Covenant | Stormhaven |
| High Rock | Neutral | Wrothgar |
| Morrowind | Ebonheart Pact | Bal Foyen |
| Morrowind | Ebonheart Pact | Bleakrock Isle (Starting Zone) |
| Morrowind | Ebonheart Pact | Deshaan |
| Morrowind | Ebonheart Pact | Stonefalls |
| Morrowind | Neutral | Vvardenfell |
| Skyrim | Ebonheart Pact | Eastmarch |
| Skyrim | Ebonheart Pact | The Rift |
| Summerset Isles | Aldmeri Dominion | Auridon |
| Valenwood | Aldmeri Dominion | Grahtwood |
| Valenwood | Aldmeri Dominion | Greenshade |
| Valenwood | Aldmeri Dominion | Malabal Tor |
| Valenwood | Aldmeri Dominion | Reaper’s March |