General:Council of Wisdom

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The Council of Wisdom were a group of beta testers for Arena,[1] Daggerfall,[2] Battlespire[3] and possibly Redguard.[4] They were fans of the games that organized on a private bulletin board system, and Bethesda would send them copies of the latest builds to test and give feedback.[5] Thanks to their contributions on the original games of the franchise, they have often had a hand in laying the groundwork that makes up the core foundations for the entire series.

Immortalization[edit]

At the time of the games' development, Bethesda didn't have the resources to pay them for their services, so in return for their help, the developers immortalized the testers' names and characters in the canon of the setting, and encouraged them to write their own stories about the setting, which the developers edited together and then included in the final game as readable novels.[6][5]

Besides the various books written by the Council that were added to Daggerfall, the names of some of the testers were used for the names of the Eight Divines. Six of the Eight Divines were named after beta testers (The exception, Kynareth, had previously appeared in Arena. Julianos was also named in Daggerfall, but he was named after Julian Lefay, the project leader for the game).

  • Akatosh was named after beta tester Lawrence Szydlowski, who liked to sign "also known as the old Smaug himself" (the first letter of each word forming the letters "Akatosh").
  • Arkay was named after one of the original beta testers, R.K. Deutsch.
  • Dibella was named after beta tester Mary Jo DiBella.
  • Mara was named after beta tester Marilyn Wasserman.
  • Stendarr was named after beta tester Daniel Starr.
  • Zenithar was named after Stephen Zepp, an Arena beta tester.

Other minor deities and characters also have names derived from testers:

  • Aliera from King Edward was named for Anne Jindra's screenname.
  • Baan Dar, earlier known as Bajdit or the Bandit God, was named after Barry "Bandit" Boland.
  • Ebonarm is the alter ego of beta tester Raymond Whit Crowley, who wrote The Ebon Arm.
  • Ephen or Phen or S'ephen were possibly named after beta testers Stephen Korejwo or Stephen Wilkinson.
  • Gyron Vardengroet was named after beta tester Gary Vandegrift.
  • Jephre or Jeh Free was named after beta tester Jeff Greulich.
  • Jhim Sei was named after Jim Seyfer's screenname.
  • Jone and Jode, the moons on Tamriel, are named for testers Judy Weller and Joan McKeown. Joan and Judy = Jone and Jode.
  • Q'Olwen was named after beta tester Larry W. Olson.
  • Raen was the screenname of John Alcock.
  • Vigryl was named after Virgil Rochowansky.

Texts Authored[edit]

This list is non-exhaustive and includes only texts of which the Council are known to be a primary author. Note that all of the books written by them were also edited by Bethesda writers before appearing in game.

Daggerfall[edit]

Out-of-game[edit]

Members[edit]

Arena[edit]

  • Adrian "Crez" Creswell
  • Anne Jindra
  • Barry "Bandit" Boland
  • David Bogley
  • David Land
  • Doug Roderick
  • Ed Paquette
  • Gary "Sage" Vandegrift
  • James Bussell
  • Jim Seyfer
  • Joan McKeown
  • John "Raen" Alcock
  • Joni Bubluski
  • Judy Weller
  • Lawrence "Smaug" Szydlowski
  • Marilyn "Mara" Wasserman
  • Mary Jo DiBella
  • Melissa Bogley
  • Michael Boutin
  • Oliver Wenzel
  • Peter Sutton
  • Richard Gunter
  • Richard Rodway
  • Robert "Arkay" Deutsch
  • Steffen "Cyborg" Reinhart
  • Stephen "Zen" Zepp
  • Steve Cotelesse
  • Virgil Rochowansky
  • Whit "Barak Halfhand" Crowley

Daggerfall[edit]

  • Andrew J. Helterbran
  • Barry T. Boland
  • Daniel Starr
  • David C. Land
  • David Sebring
  • Edward Paquette
  • Erik Rutins
  • Gary Vandegrift
  • Gerry P. Lewis
  • Graham Tinsley
  • Greg Coleman
  • Jeff Greulich
  • Kathy Shaw
  • Kevin Miller
  • Laralyn McWilliams
  • Larry Sudlow
  • Larry W. Olson
  • Lawrence G. Szydlowski
  • Marc Bridger
  • Marilyn Wasserman
  • Mary Jo DiBella
  • Michael Boutin
  • Michael G. Wilkins
  • Oliver Wenzel
  • Patty White
  • Paul Jackson
  • Rejean Gravel
  • Richard Gunter
  • Robert Deutsch
  • Sonia P. Brown
  • Steffen Reinhart
  • Stephen Korejwo
  • Stephen Wilkinson
  • Steve Hicks
  • Steve Pusztai
  • Steven Cotellesse
  • Suzanne T. Weiss
  • Wendy Shaffer

Battlespire[edit]

  • Anahid Avakian
  • Barry Boland
  • Bill Waldheim
  • Bob Deutsch
  • Charles Waugh
  • Chris Boucher
  • Gary Vandegrift
  • Graham Tinsley
  • Gregory Hedges
  • Jack Labout
  • James Sablatura
  • Jim Pedicord
  • Jim Scarletta
  • Kurt Kemmling
  • Kyle Okula
  • LaRae Wilkins
  • Larry Sudlow
  • Lawrence Szydlowski
  • Mara Wasserman
  • Marc Bridger
  • Mary Barzee
  • Mary Jo DiBella
  • Michael Boutin
  • Michael Wilkins
  • Nick Boughen
  • Pam Humphreys
  • Paul Gittins
  • Pierre d'Albertis
  • Rod Springer
  • Russell Roach
  • Stephen Korejwo
  • Stephen Wilkinson
  • Steve Berra
  • Steve Pusztai
  • Suzanne Weiss
  • Timothy Verpoorten
  • Vickie Boughen
  • Warren Gunther

Notes[edit]

References[edit]