With E3 looming fast, fans are hoping for a last-minute announcement by Bethesda for another Elder Scrolls. But with most of Tamriel now explored, where would a new chapter even begin? Although the previous three games have crossed Cyrodil, Morrowind, and Skyrim off the list, there are still plenty of places left to explore in the world of Nirn.
Akavir
A landmass off to the east of Tamriel, Akavir is similar in size and still undiscovered in Elder Scrolls mythology. Also known as the “Dragon Land,” it could be that the Dovah still roam the skies as Snow Demons, Serpent Men and Monkey People (all canon) prowl the land. According to Skyrim lore, Akavir is also the birthplace of the Blades, the Emperor’s elite bodyguards and later dragon hunters. In any case, Tamriel has been the basis for all the Elder Scrolls games thus far. An entire series of games could still be based in Akavir. Although few examples of Akavir influence exist in Tamriel, Sky Haven Temple is based on their architecture methods.
Summerset Isles
Home of the Altmer, or High Elves, the Summerset Isles have yet to be explored (except for a brief appearance in Elder Scrolls Online) but is an enticing location for the next game. The Altmer are probably the most egotistical and xenophobic of all the Tamriel races. It would be interesting to see how the High Elves live and work in their own environment. The Summerset Isles are also the location of the Thalmor uprising which could be incorporated into unique items, quests, and lore. At the very least, the oldest living culture in Tamriel deserves a look in the future. As a race of mages, players who prefer magical classes could finally get the edge they deserve.
Oblivion
Although it appeared in segments in Elder Scrolls IV, Oblivion hasn’t yet been featured as an interconnected land. The parts of Oblivion that we have seen so far featured pits of fire and towers of pain. Crossing such an environment with the mechanics of the “Hearthfire” add-on for Skyrim, and allowing the player to build their own realm would be amazing. Skyrim had werewolf and vampire skill trees and abilities. Who wouldn’t love the idea of playing as a Daedra Lord? Maybe have a unique one-use forge to create a Daedric artifact?
Morrowind
The third and — to this writer — the most amazing Elder Scrolls game came out way back in 2002. Whilst I’m not usually a fan of re-releases, seeing a Morrowind reboot or sequel with modern graphics on a new console would be amazing. Also, the original game suffered from vast amounts of planned content being cancelled. There’s a project called Tamriel Rebuilt that is attempting to create much of the cancelled content, but official involvement from Bethesda would be the quickest way to go back to some of this content. With much of the lore already there, books could just be copied across with new textures and we could see how the characters have progressed in the 15 years that we have been away. In addition to Tamriel Rebuilt, the Skywind project is a work of wonder that attempts to integrate the works of Morrowind into the Skyrim engine and world. The team behind Skywind is also working on Skyblivion to bring Oblivion into the action as well. Like Solstheim, Morrowind and Oblivion will be accessed by fast-travel markings on the world-map.
Elsweyr
The homeland of the cat-people is one of the few places left to explore in Tamriel. Elsweyr has some interesting geography. The northern half is desert and the south is full of swamps and jungle. Both would produce amazing new dungeons and creatures. The Khajiit have played a minor role in the Elder Scrolls so far. Other than a few traders, one college mage and a single follower of a plague Daedra, I can’t remember any in Skyrim. I really want to see the mysterious and awesome Khajiit in their homeland. Unfortunately, that means my allegedly adult brother will probably spend several months opening every conversation with “Khajiit has wares” if Elder Scrolls VI is based there.
Somewhere New
Although Tamriel and Akavir are the biggest known continents on Nirn, there are mentions of others. Even creating an entirely new land isn’t beyond the scope of imagination. With the potential for entirely new races, wildlife and magic styles, it would be like rediscovering the Elder Scrolls again and set the game apart from the rest of the series. Nothing could be expected with nowhere else having referenced the new lands.
Somewhere (Really) Old
Little is known of the Dwemer except that they were the most technologically advanced race and they disappeared long ago. Because of the time difference, a Dwemer-orientated game would take place way before the other games. Setting an Elder Scrolls game in the past would allow the players to view key moments of history and could also allow for endless possibilities. Players could view the original Dragonborn, watch the founding of an Empire or flee from the incident at the Mage’s College. Maybe quests could revolve around the transition of mortal to god for Vivec, Almalexia and Sotha Sil. Obviously, the Dwemer would have to be a playable race and possibly have the ability to craft their own robots. Instead of followers, Dwemer players could sacrifice a set percentage of stamina/Magicka/health to keep each going.