Tes 6 elsweyr: The Elder Scrolls 6 May Be Doing Elsweyr and Black Marsh a Disservice

The Elder Scrolls 6 May Be Doing Elsweyr and Black Marsh a Disservice

By
Joshua Duckworth

Earlier this summer, Bethesda itself seemingly teased the location of The Elder Scrolls 6, but it might be doing Elsweyr and Black Marsh a disservice.

Although The Elder Scrolls 6 was officially confirmed over three years ago, fans still have a long wait ahead of them. It is perhaps the earliest case of a game ever being revealed too soon, as news about it won’t come out until after Starfield releases at the end of 2022. Now, fans also know that Fable is set to release before The Elder Scrolls 6, really putting the game into a mid-to-late 2020s release at least.

Still, The Elder Scrolls 6 is in the works at Bethesda and one of the most interesting prospects right now for many is where the game will be set. Tamriel has quite a few unexplored locations (at least in the mainline single player games), and there’s quite a few hints that it’ll take place in Western Tamriel. However, there’s a strong case that hopefully it pivots toward either Elsweyr or Black Marsh instead.

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Perhaps surprisingly enough, the Starfield trailer gave fans their first clue to the location of The Elder Scrolls 6. The above image on the left was spotted in it, with many noticing similarities between it and the locations of Hammerfell and High Rock. As such, it stands to reason the game may take place across both these countries, but there are quite a few differences too. This would suggest a large time gap or some cataclysmic event that terraforms the area, but either way, many have used this trailer to suggest this area as the location.

Much as Morrowind is home to the Dark Elves, Skyrim to the Nords, and Cyrodiil to the Imperials, Hamerfell is home to the Redguards who left Yokuda and came to Tamriel. The country is incredibly arid, with one of its main features being the Great Alik’r Desert. There are a few forests on the coasts and borders, with the Dragontail Mountains bordering Skyrim. In comparison, High Rock belong to the Bretons, whose clans and houses have warred against each other for thousands of years on its rolling hills, plateaus, and more. Perhaps its most notable feature is the Adamantine Tower in Iliac Bay.

With the wide swath of climates and potential conflict, it’s easy to see how Hammerfell and High Rock would make for an excellent The Elder Scrolls 6, especially if some event terraformed the countries. However, there is a big problem which is more of a case of the who than the where.

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In Tamriel, there is a big umbrella for the Mer (elven folk), Men, and Beastfolk. Aside from Morrowind, which took place in a land of Mer, every major mainline game (assuming this one, if the tease is accurate) has taken place in the land of Men. Oblivion was related to the Imperials, Skyrim to the Nords (and their war), and, in this case, The Elder Scrolls 6 to the Bretons and Redguards. Not only does it ignore the Mer who have only received one game, it leaves the Beastfolk without a game to call their own.

Elsweyr and Black Marsh are close enough that one game could take place in them, with a little bit of Cyrodiil between them, or it could just take place in one or the other. Both offer as intriguing climates. Black Marsh, or Argonia, is hard to travel through and has never been invaded as a result of its marshes, rainforests, waterways, and huge forests. Elsweyr, much like Hammerfell, is a desert land, yet complete with dunes, planes, thick forest. The locality is as interesting if not more so than Hammerfell or High Rock, but it has the more interesting who.

As beastfolk, Argonians and Khajiit in Skyrim, Morrowind, and more are often treated as outsiders and simple beasts. It would make for a compelling game to see them in their homeland instead, even if that makes for a more alien game. The emphasis on the human races of Tamriel likely come from an aversion to the «alien,» perhaps on the players’ part equally to those developing it, but it’s not like familiarity is truly necessary in a game like this. Players could still play a variety of races, they could still be exposed to some major plot (perhaps a war breaking out between southern Cyrodiil with the Khajiit and Argonians on both side), and the alien nature of the lands would truly make for some interesting gameplay.

Perhaps understandably so, many may be turned off at first by the alien nature of a foreign land, with players encountering more Argonians and Khajiit than ever before in a game. That’s a possibility Bethesda may be trying to avoid it, as neither the Starfield teaser or the original 2018 teaser quite look like either place. Either appearing in The Elder Scrolls 6 is unlikely based on those an this alien factor, but if there’s a franchise that wouldn’t have to worry about becoming too «alien,» it’s The Elder Scrolls. With name alone, it has drummed up unimaginable hype, but it will also likely limit the Beastfolk to being simple outsiders once more, no matter where it takes place if it is in the land of men.

The Elder Scrolls 6 is in development.

MORE: The Elder Scrolls 6: High Rock and Hammerfell Enemies That Could Replace Skyrim’s Dragons

The Case for an Elsweyr Setting

By
Jared Carvalho

There are a number of regions Bethesda can explore for The Elder Scrolls 6, but one that could really use the Skyrim treatment is Elsweyr.

There are quite a few locations from the lore of Bethesda’s fantasy open-world where The Elder Scrolls 6 can take place, though the developer has continued to be tight lipped about confirming the setting. While many players have their sights set on exploring Hammerfell in the next installment, some of the other lands might open up for an exotic new land unlike anything else the other main series entries have attempted.

One of these possible locations could be Elsweyr, the homeland of the cat-like Khajit that in the most recent lore of The Elder Scrolls is under the rule of the Aldmeri Dominion. Not only could this give the Khajit a chance to be more than a mascot or gimmick for the series and give players a stronger storyline to follow in their lands, but it could also use an already present threat as a focal point.

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The Khajit as a People

When looking at the possibility of expanding the main series into Elsweyr in a separate way that Elder Scrolls Online explores new locations, these settings can shine a brighter light on the culture and attitudes of the people. For instance, there’s the way Skyrim took the Nords, who had simply been hulking, brutish humans with a taste for mead in earlier titles, and gave them a fleshed out government and history through closer examination. The same can be done for the Khajit in a close, intimate look at Elsweyr through the lens of a full title that doesn’t amount to an expansion of a grander, ongoing experience.

As far as the average Elder Scrolls player is concerned, the Khajit are big cats that real life cats hate and get turned into memes through their repetitive dialogue and limited exposure throughout the series. All most players have seen so far, outside of those that have visited Elsweyr in Elder Scrolls Online, is that the Khajit are a nomad race that usually work as merchants, thieves, and swindlers. However, that isn’t necessarily the case for the Khajit that remain in their homeland and are currently living under the occupation of the Aldmeri Dominion.

Elsweyr’s Dynamic Landscape

Another benefit to taking a new story to Elsweyr comes from the fact that of all the regions of Tamriel, this is one of the most dynamic to choose from. With a large desert to the north, leading into the dense jungles to the south that can offer a massive contrast between different locations as the player travels around the open-world. In fact, working with this type of map in Elder Scrolls 6 likely wouldn’t only be as much of a joy to explore through as Skyrim was when it first launched, but could be an even more interesting project for Bethesda to make.

It’s already been claimed before that Bethesda’s Creation Engine is capable of creating massive sandboxes in less time than most other game engines. So, Elsweyr might be exactly the type of terrain that can flex the viability of that claim, with drastically different landscapes having to exist on the same map from one end to the other. The result of pushing the newly overhauled engine with this type of design could be exactly what The Elder Scrolls 6 needs in order to step well out of Skyrim‘s shadow.

Distance itself from Skyrim

There are still plenty of reasons to play Skyrim in 2021, from the mods that are now available on PC as well as the PS4 and Xbox One special editions of the game, to trying out a new build to get through the game. So, if The Elder Scrolls 6 is going to stand out, it’s going to first have to prove that it is not only the definitive choice over Skyrim, but that it can offer an experience unlike anything previous games have ever shown. In that case, there are few ways that Bethesda can distance this new title better than by to place the player in an area controlled by the Aldmeri Dominion and with biomes that could never exist in the frozen north.

While the idea of adding a desert to the next game might lend credence to speculation of a Hammerfell setting in Elder Scrolls 6, putting a dense jungle on top of that would add a complexity to the map that Skyrim never had. The unique topography of Elsweyr is then one of the best ways for this upcoming title to set itself apart from its predecessor and begin stepping out of its shadow. Then when it comes to trying to succeed where Skyrim failed, an Elsweyr setting can also set up for an even better use of the Third Empire than its previous outing in the Civil War against the Stormcloaks.

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Further Expansion of the Third Empire

The Imperial Legion that players have the option to join in Skyrim in the Civil War against the native Stormcloaks are only a part of the larger Third Empire of Tamriel, centered in Cyrodiil. In Skyrim, players were given a uniquely nuanced look at the Third Empire, not as the definitive heroes of the world like they had been in Oblivion, but as an invading force with good intentions and brutal tactics. This can again be explored in Elsweyr, with another Imperial Legion attempting to make a foothold in a region that is currently under the control of the Aldmeri Dominion.

Depending on how Bethesda approaches this situation, players can be given another nuanced look at the Third Empire, where they appear to a people that might welcome them to a degree. It’s clear from what’s been shown in previous games, as well as from the more recent history of Elsweyr, that the Khajit aren’t entirely fond of being under imperial rule, but it could still be a better situation than the current ruling class. So, while the Imperial Legion once again wouldn’t be the default «good guys» in another Elder Scrolls Civil War, but they could be the lesser of two evils when compared to their opponents.

Revolution from the Aldmeri Dominion

Fans of Skyrim specifically might better recognize the Aldmeri Dominion by their ruling class of Thalmor, high elves with a merciless appetite for control over Tamriel. These enemies are often treated as a boogeyman within the grander Elder Scrolls lore, who send spies across the world and manipulate governments into joining their almost objectively evil causes. If the Third Empire is meant to represent the Elder Scrolls‘ version of the Brotherhood of Steel from Fallout, then the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion are Caesar’s Legion.

So, while previous titles have been more interested in supernatural foes, like Mehrunes Dagon in Oblivion or Alduin in Skyrim, the next game could take a more political leaning for its main quest. It isn’t uncommon at this point for Bethesda to put the player in charge of making huge decisions for the state of the world by the time the credits roll already. In this case, giving the player a part in a revolution for the Khajit against the Aldmeri Dominion could make for a strong narrative to extend through The Elder Scrolls 6‘s new setting.

The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development by Bethesda.

MORE: Industry Insider Claims The Elder Scrolls 6 Won’t Arrive Until 2026

The main secret of The Elder Scrolls 6 — where the action of the new part of the legendary series will unfold

This material was written by a site visitor and rewarded for it.

The Elder Scrolls 6 was announced in 2018, but absolutely nothing is known about the game so far. Bethesda is in no hurry with a full-fledged announcement: before the sixth part of TES, the developers are scheduled to release a large-scale sci-fi RPG Starfield, which also still exists in the form of a short and mysterious teaser. And until Bethesda Game Studios finishes Starfield, we probably won’t see any news on The Elder Scrolls 6. nine0004

However, work on the game is definitely going on. Even considering that it is now in pre-production, the developers have already decided on the location of the new part of the «Scrolls». Director of Bethesda Game Studios Todd Howard stated this back in 2018:

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» Yes, we chose the region where TES 6 will take place. The world is the first thing we start development with, so we had to deal with it right away y».

So, what are the most likely regions for the sixth part? Let’s discard the most implausible options: it is unlikely that the studio will return to Morrowind, Skyrim or Cyrodiil from Oblivion. Fans are waiting for something new, not a reskin of the past three parts. There remain Black Marsh, Elsweyr, the Summerset Isles, Hammerfell and Valenwood — these regions of Tamriel have not yet been fully shown by Bethesda Game Studios in the series (TES Online does not count — it is being handled by another team).

There was also a rumor about Akavir, the mysterious continent where the Nerevarine, the hero of TES 3, sailed to. It is adjacent to Tamriel, but there is very little information about these lands in the annals of the game. In the word AkaVIr, Roman sixes are perfectly visible, and this, according to some sources, was supposed to be part of a marketing campaign. However, Pete Hines, Vice President of PR and Marketing for Bethesda, denied these rumors and emphasized that The Elder Scrolls series about Tamriel, and the sixth part, is no exception. nine0004

As for the above regions, they can be considered in more detail. Valenwood is the lands of the Bosmer, they are also the Wood Elves. These people live in impenetrable forests, and their houses are often located right on the trees. There are legends that entire cities of the Bosmer are able to move. The climate in the region is tropical, there are many swamps and jungles.

Elsweyr is inhabited by the Khajiit, a cat-like beast people. Elsweyr is known for its dangerous outlaw gangs and the legendary drug Moon Sugar. Desert and barren lands in Elsweyr are adjacent to subtropical forests. The people of the province live mostly in tribes in small villages. nine0004

Reptilian Argonians live in Black Marsh or Argonia. This is a marshy region with many rivers and swamps, so the population has to move mainly by boat. Many inhabitants of the Empire call Argonia the cesspool of all Tamriel, largely because separatists and simple bandits hide here.

The legendary Crystal Tower stands in the Summerset Isles. Summerset is the homeland of the High Elves and the cradle of the magic of Tamriel, where several magical orders are active at once. Thanks to the fertile lands, agriculture is developed here. Summerset is separated from the mainland by a strait. The climate of this region is tropical. nine0004

However, today the main rumors around TES 6 are reduced to the western province of Hammerfell and High Rock bordering it, which we visited back in The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. According to insiders, in the new part, Bethesda will provide players with two of these regions at once. High Rock has a temperate climate and is generally similar to Cyrodiil, while Hammerfell is almost entirely desert. Militant Redguards live here, whose culture and architecture can be compared with the real Persia.

By the way, Todd Howard was asked about Hammerfell:

— The Elder Scrolls 6 will be set in Hammerfell?

— (laughs) I won’t tell you anything.

Who would doubt.

Also rumors say that TES 6 will be subtitled Redfall. ZeniMax registered this trademark quite a long time ago. According to various reports, Bethesda Game Studios plans that the game will have almost no loading screens, which will greatly help the capabilities of the new generation of consoles — Xbox Series X and PS5. On the current generation of consoles, the game, of course, will not appear. nine0004

There are some gameplay details about TES 6, but it’s too early to consider them seriously. They say the game won’t be released until 2025, and that’s pretty much true given Bethesda’s slowness. I would like to believe that such a long break between Skyrim and the new part will be justified. That we will get a large-scale, deep and well-developed project in which we can spend many tens or even hundreds of hours. The gaming world misses The Elder Scrolls.

This material was written by a site visitor and has been rewarded. nine0004