The Elder Scrolls Wiki:Style and Formatting/Characters

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Each character in each The Elder Scrolls game deserves their own article. Authors will have much to say about certain characters and little to say about others. This is okay, so long as the essential information is included in the correct way.

Key points

Each character article needs an infobox
Each character article needs at least one image of that character, ideally viewed from the front
Articles should NEVER be written using the words "you" or "I." Instead, the character's name should be used as frequently as possible, as well as the name of the hero of the game in which that character appears, such as the Hero of Kvatch or the Dragonborn.
The words "NPC" should be abandoned in favor of the words "character" or the specific name of the individuals in question.
Trivia and bugs sections should only be included if the information directly relates to them, is verifiable and easily observable. Bugs, in particular, should revolve around the characters, their AI, and their physical appearance. If part of a quest involves them, and their role in the quest is bugged, that bug should likely be added to the page concerning that quest.
For an example of what every character page should strive to be, see Neloth (Dragonborn).

Templates

Each game has its own infobox specially for characters. These include:

{{ArenaCharacters}} – for Arena
{{DaggerfallCharacters}} – for Daggerfall
{{TravelsCharacters}} – for characters in the TES:Travels games
{{MorrowindCharacters}} – for Morrowind
- {{BloodmoonCharacters}} – for Bloodmoon
- {{TribunalCharacters}} – for Tribunal
{{OblivionCharacters}} – for Oblivion
- {{ShiveringIslesCharacters}} – for Shivering Isles
{{SkyrimCharacters}} – for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- {{DawnguardCharacters}} – for Dawnguard
- {{DragonbornCharacters}} – for Dragonborn
{{OnlineCharacters}} – for Online
{{LegendsCards}} – for Legends cards as they appear in-game
- {{LegendsCharacters}} – for Legends characters themselves, if necessary

Lore articles use the infobox {{Character Infobox}}. Special infoboxes are used for deities and Daedric Princes. You can find a full list of infoboxes here: Category:Infobox Templates

If a character appears across multiple games, consider setting up a disambiguation page. Otherwise, use the infobox that reflects their most recent appearance. For example, if a character appears in both Oblivion and Skyrim, use the Skyrim character infobox.

Hostile NPCs

Most hostile NPCs should use the above templates. In some cases, these NPCs are simply named enemies and should be treated as Creatures. Follow the creatures style and formatting for these articles, using the creature templates, such as {{SkyrimCreatures}} or {{ShiveringIslesCreatures}}.

Quotes

Quotes can be added to character articles for flavor. A quote that illustrates who the character is as person or what the person is known for should be selected. The quote does not need to be said by the subject of the article. To add a quote, use the {{quote}} template and place it directly under the infobox and before the first sentence of the article.

Headers

Appropriate headers for character articles.

{{Infobox}} 

'''{{subst:PAGENAME}}''' a short lead summarizing this character, including their race, location and anything they are notable for. Spoilers should generally be avoided in this introductory paragraph or "lead." The character's gender is not necessary in the lead, but should still be recorded in the infobox and in categories.

==Background==
Things that happened to this character before the events of the game. Text under this head may need to be sourced, using <ref></ref> templates and reliable sources such as in-game books or excerpts of dialogue. If this section is exceptionally lengthy, consider adding sub-headers using ===on both sides of the header name===.

==Personality==
(Optional) Describe this person's interests, how they act toward the player or other players, their physical appearance, etc. Be wary of biases here. Always remember to read our policy on Neutral point of view before adding text to articles.

==Interactions==
===Quest name===
What role this character plays in this quest.

===Quest name===
What role this character plays in this quest also.

===Other meaningful header name===
This character can be married, become a follower, or otherwise interactions with the Hero of Kvatch in this way.

<!-- Below are optional. Omit if unneeded-->

==Services==
*If this character is a merchant, list the types of items or the exact names of the items they sell. If they sell spells, follow the same format.

==Combat==
How this character behaves in combat, if applicable.

===Spells and perks===
Table list of all known spells and perks.

==Dialogue==
Lost of dialogue options between the character and the player. Differentiate quests, etc. through a semicolon instead of an H3 header.

==Conversations==
List of conversations with one or more characters. Differentiate the other speaker through a semicolon instead of an H3 header.

==Quotes==
Various quotes the character says in general, such as during combat.

==Trivia==
*Use this section sparingly. Only important or interesting trivia should be added. If you are concerned about whether your trivia is welcome on the page, talk about it on the article's talk page or consult a staff member on the wiki.
*Names of voice actors.
*Almost all trivia points need to be sourced.
*Do not include workarounds for killing this character here.
*"Note" that "Notes" is not an acceptable replacement header for this. Nor should "Notes" EVER be used on ANY articles anywhere on the wiki. This is lazy and clutters up the page. Instead, consider adding the information under a new header.

==Bugs==
{{Bugs}}
*Use this section sparingly.
*{{PC}} Always remember to include the template for the game console in which the bug appears.
*Never add "Confirmed" or "unconfirmed" to the end of a bug.
**If the bug is fixed, include the [[Patches (Oblivion)|Path 1.1]] number and say the bug was fixed, using two bullet points, directly under the fixed bug.
**If a solution has been discovered, list it using the same format as described in the previous bullet point.
<!-- Above are optional. Omit if unneeded-->

==Appearances==
*{{Skyrim}}

{{Refs}}

Miscellaneous notes

The "level" field of the infobox of a character, when applicable, should be formatted along the lines of "PC×1 (25–60)" if the character's level scales to that of the player, with PC referring to the player's level and "25–60" referring to the range inside which the character's level can change. Note the multiplication sign and the endash, rather than a lowercase "X" and a hyphen. Characters in The Elder Scrolls Online no longer have levels, following Update 12.
The "class" field of the infobox of a character in Online should be left empty if it is simply not known. However, if the character actually lacks a class (many characters, including merchants, do not have classes), "N/A" should be written in that field. If the character has a class, the name of said class should be recorded both in that field and in the lead, unless it proves too cumbersome for use in the lead.

Style and Formatting
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