Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-31082174-20170329222809/@comment-24144336-20190322152301

A mortal is eligible for entry into Sovngarde only if they're linked by ancestry to the Wandering Ehlnofey who fought at Shor's side at the end of the Dawn Era. It's the descendants of these Ehlnofey who Shor made his divine accord of Sovngarde with. The first of these were the Atmoran people: direct offspring of Wandering Elhnofey who had shown heroic bravery when they made a last stand against the Aldmeri Pantheon alongside Shor.

Ages later, the Nords emerged as a distinct group due to the Atmorans interbreeding with the Nedes of Skyrim--the same Nedic people which the Atmorans liberated from the dominion of the Snow Elves during The Return. With Nords able to gain entry to Sovngarde as their Atmoran forefathers did, the likely explanation is that access to the Nordic afterlife continues to be available across both time & interbreeding to all those who can trace their ancestry, or bloodline, directly from father's side to Shor's champion Elhofey.

Should the Nords, in turn, give rise to a new lineage & culture through interbreeding as the Atmorans had before them, individuals who belong to this "3rd generation" in the Northern lineage will have access to Sovngarde just as the Atmorans & Nords had. There are two criteria that must be met for mortals to find themselves in Sovngarde: 1) their paternal ancestry must traces back to Shor's champion Ehlnofey in unbroken manner, and 2) they must have died a brave & defiant death, echoing the heroic courage of their ancient ancestors.

If both are met in full, then Shor will see them, and he will know them; and they too have earned the right to join in the "blessed feasting".