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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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