The Elder Scrolls 6 will feature a character designed to honor Loranna Pyrel, a beloved community member whose early 2000s roleplay campaigns were so influential that elements actually made it into official Elder Scrolls lore. After a remarkable charity effort that raised over $85,000 for Make-A-Wish, the team behind The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages just finished designing the memorial NPC with Bethesda, and they’re extremely excited for what’s in store.
The Charity Auction That Started It All
Earlier in 2025, Bethesda organized a silent auction for Make-A-Wish that would allow the winner to create a character for The Elder Scrolls 6. The final winning bid reached an impressive $85,450 from an anonymous donor. The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP), the fan-run wiki that’s been documenting Elder Scrolls lore since 1995, tried to win the auction specifically to create a memorial for Loranna Pyrel.
UESP was narrowly outbid at the last moment. The team was understandably disappointed, having hoped to use the opportunity to honor a community member whose contributions to Elder Scrolls lore and fan culture were immeasurable. But they weren’t about to give up.
Bethesda’s Unexpected Offer
In a move that showcases exactly the kind of community support that builds lifelong fans, Bethesda reached out to UESP with an unexpected proposal. If UESP could match the auction’s winning bid of $85,450 through their own fundraising campaign for Make-A-Wish, Bethesda would grant them the same privilege to design a character.
This wasn’t just a standard marketing move. Bethesda recognized UESP’s decades of dedication to the Elder Scrolls community and wanted to find a way to make the memorial happen despite the auction loss. The offer demonstrated genuine appreciation for the passionate fans who’ve kept Elder Scrolls lore alive and accessible for three decades.
The Fundraising Campaign
What started as an offhand comment about possibly teaming up grew into a massive group effort. UESP partnered with The Imperial Library, another major Elder Scrolls fan resource, along with numerous Elder Scrolls content creators and community members. The timing couldn’t have been better, as increased ad revenue from the Oblivion remaster announcement gave the campaign an additional boost.
Against the odds, they matched the full $85,450. The community came together to honor one of their own while supporting Make-A-Wish, turning what could have been a disappointing loss into a triumphant victory.
Who Was Loranna Pyrel
For those unfamiliar with Elder Scrolls community history, Loranna Pyrel was a major participant in the early 2000s Elder Scrolls fan community. She’s best known for running an extensive forum-based roleplay campaign series on the old Bethesda forums that was directly inspired by the games themselves.
Roleplay That Influenced Official Lore
What made Pyrel’s work truly special was its quality and depth. Her roleplay campaigns were so well-crafted and lore-consistent that they caught the attention of Ted Peterson, one of The Elder Scrolls series’ principal writers. Peterson was so impressed that elements from Pyrel’s fan roleplays actually inspired official in-game content that appeared in subsequent Elder Scrolls titles.
This represents an incredibly rare achievement in gaming communities. Most fan fiction and roleplay exists in a parallel universe to official canon. For a fan’s creative work to be so exceptional that it influences the actual developers and becomes part of the official lore is remarkable. It speaks to both Pyrel’s talent and the Elder Scrolls community’s creative vitality.
A Much-Missed Community Member
Pyrel was a longtime UESP member whose contributions extended beyond her famous roleplay campaigns. She participated actively in lore discussions, helped document game information, and fostered the collaborative spirit that makes Elder Scrolls community spaces special. Her passing left a significant hole in the community that her friends and fellow fans wanted to honor appropriately.
Designing the Memorial Character
On October 9th, 2025, UESP posted an exciting update to social media. The team had just finished a meeting with Bethesda where they designed the character for The Elder Scrolls 6. The post included UESP’s updated logo and expressed genuine excitement.
“Honestly, a lot of us went into the meeting pretty nervous and even reserved,” UESP wrote on X, “but now we’re all extremely excited for what’s in store.”
Details Remain Under Wraps
Specific details about the character’s design, role in the game, and how exactly it will honor Loranna Pyrel remain confidential for now. Bethesda and UESP are clearly keeping the information close to avoid spoiling surprises for when The Elder Scrolls 6 eventually launches.
What we do know is that UESP had significant creative input into the character’s design during the meeting. This wasn’t a situation where Bethesda simply slapped a name on a generic NPC. The collaborative design process suggests the memorial will be meaningful and appropriate to Pyrel’s legacy.
| Milestone | Details |
|---|---|
| Original Auction | Bethesda charity auction for Make-A-Wish, winning bid: $85,450 |
| UESP’s Bid | Narrowly outbid by anonymous donor at last moment |
| Bethesda’s Offer | Match winning bid through fundraising, get character slot |
| Fundraising Partners | UESP, The Imperial Library, Elder Scrolls creators, community |
| Amount Raised | $85,450+ for Make-A-Wish Foundation |
| Design Meeting | October 9, 2025 – Character designed with Bethesda |
Community Reaction and Support
The Elder Scrolls community rallied around this effort in remarkable fashion. Reddit threads discussing the memorial received hundreds of upvotes and overwhelmingly positive comments. Many users who admitted they typically skip articles or drop cynical remarks about Bethesda and TES6 development timelines took time to express genuine appreciation for this story.
One highly upvoted Reddit comment summarized the situation perfectly for those who didn’t read the full article, explaining how UESP’s longstanding dedication to the community earned them this second chance and how the character honors someone whose creative work influenced actual game lore.
Why This Matters
In an industry often criticized for treating fans as mere consumers, this story represents something different. Bethesda recognized that UESP’s 30 years of volunteer work documenting Elder Scrolls lore deserved special consideration. The community proved willing to donate substantial money to charity for the chance to honor one of their own. And it all comes together to create a permanent memorial in a game that millions will eventually play.
UESP’s own statement captures it best: “We couldn’t think of a more appropriate way to honor Loranna’s contributions to both The Elder Scrolls community and the lore than a community charity fundraising effort like this while simultaneously making an addition to the lore proper.”
Other Memorial NPCs in Elder Scrolls 6
Loranna Pyrel won’t be the only community member immortalized in The Elder Scrolls 6. Bethesda previously announced that Shirley Curry, affectionately known as Skyrim Grandma, will appear as an NPC in the game. Curry became a beloved figure in the Elder Scrolls community through her wholesome Skyrim gameplay videos on YouTube.
A fan petition gathered 49,322 signatures requesting that Bethesda include Curry in The Elder Scrolls 6, and the studio agreed during The Elder Scrolls 25th anniversary stream. Curry herself expressed concern years ago that the game might not release in time for her to play it, given her age and the extended development timeline.
These memorial NPCs demonstrate Bethesda’s awareness that Elder Scrolls isn’t just a product, it’s a community. The people who’ve dedicated years to playing, documenting, and celebrating these games deserve recognition within the virtual worlds they’ve helped keep alive.
When Will We See This Character
That’s the million-dollar question, or perhaps more accurately, the $85,450 question. The Elder Scrolls 6 was officially announced at E3 2018, now over seven years ago. Bethesda confirmed the game entered early development in August 2023, with early builds playable by March 2024.
Court documents from the Microsoft versus FTC hearing suggest a 2026 release date at the earliest for PC and Xbox Series X/S. However, many industry watchers consider that optimistic given Bethesda’s typical development timelines and the scope of their open-world RPGs.
Even Todd Howard paused to acknowledge the wait during the six-year anniversary of the announcement in June 2024, saying “oh wow, that has been a while.” Former Skyrim lead designer Bruce Nesmith predicts we won’t hear much about the game until roughly six months before release, whenever that might be.
The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages Legacy
UESP’s involvement in this memorial is particularly appropriate given their unmatched dedication to Elder Scrolls documentation. Founded in 1995, the wiki predates even Morrowind by seven years. For three decades, volunteers have meticulously cataloged every quest, item, character, location, and lore detail across the entire Elder Scrolls series.
Unlike corporate wikis maintained by gaming media companies, UESP remains fan-run and community-focused. Their commitment to accuracy, completeness, and accessibility has made them the definitive Elder Scrolls reference for millions of players. That Bethesda chose to work with UESP specifically on this memorial acknowledges their irreplaceable role in the community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Loranna Pyrel?
Loranna Pyrel was a beloved Elder Scrolls community member who ran influential forum-based roleplay campaigns in the early 2000s. Her work was so exceptional that it inspired official in-game lore created by series writer Ted Peterson.
How much did the Elder Scrolls community raise for the memorial character?
The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages, The Imperial Library, and Elder Scrolls creators raised $85,450 for Make-A-Wish to match the original auction’s winning bid and earn the right to design a memorial character.
What is UESP?
The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP) is a fan-run wiki founded in 1995 that documents all Elder Scrolls games. It’s maintained by volunteers and serves as the definitive Elder Scrolls lore and gameplay reference.
Will there be other memorial characters in Elder Scrolls 6?
Yes, Skyrim Grandma (Shirley Curry) will also appear as an NPC in The Elder Scrolls 6 after a fan petition with nearly 50,000 signatures convinced Bethesda to include her.
When does The Elder Scrolls 6 release?
No official release date has been announced. Court documents suggest 2026 at the earliest for PC and Xbox Series X/S, though many expect it will take longer given Bethesda’s development timelines.
What will the Loranna Pyrel memorial character be like?
Specific details remain confidential. UESP met with Bethesda on October 9, 2025 to design the character but hasn’t revealed information about their role, appearance, or how exactly they’ll honor Pyrel’s legacy.
Can players still donate to support this cause?
The fundraising campaign has concluded after successfully raising the required $85,450. However, donations to Make-A-Wish are always welcome through their official website.
Conclusion
In an industry dominated by microtransactions and corporate cynicism, the story of Loranna Pyrel’s memorial character stands out as genuinely heartwarming. A community member whose creative work was so exceptional it influenced official game lore will be permanently honored in The Elder Scrolls 6 thanks to passionate fans willing to donate over $85,000 to charity. Bethesda deserves credit for recognizing UESP’s decades of volunteer service and offering them a second chance after the auction loss. The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages, The Imperial Library, and countless community members deserve praise for coming together to make this memorial happen. And Loranna Pyrel’s legacy serves as a reminder that fan communities aren’t just consumers, they’re creative forces that can shape and enrich the fictional worlds we love. When The Elder Scrolls 6 finally launches, whenever that may be, players will encounter an NPC that represents the best of what gaming communities can be. Not just people who play games, but people who contribute to lore, foster creative roleplay, document every detail for future generations, and honor their own with charity and compassion. That’s a far more powerful memorial than any statue or plaque could ever be.