Despite how busy Bethesda’s IPs have been with remasters and shows of late, there is still no new information aboutThe Elder Scrolls 6since the initial reveal trailer all the way back in 2018. Seven years have passed since that trailer, yet Bethesda is yet to officially reveal the location, the plot, or even the release window. It’s safe to assume the game will come out anywhere from 2027 to the end of time, and there are many places the series can go afterSkyrim, given the political turmoil of Tamriel after the series' fifth entry.
The Empire is on its knees, countries are going back to being independent, and the Third Aldmeri Dominion is reaching the peak of its powers, with the Thalmor preparing for a continental conquest.There’s a lot going on inThe Elder Scrollsand the sixth installment could have a hard time revealing what direction it wants to go inwith all the expectations for it, yet it could choose to borrow a concept from its predecessor that didn’t make the cutting room floor.Skyrimhas many unused concepts, yet the one for its main plot is the most interesting of all.
Todd Howard Discussed This In A 2019 Interview
In an interview forUESPat Pax East 2019, Todd Howard, Bethesda’s legendary Game Director, talked about the original plot forSkyrim, before Aldiun was eventually chosen as the big bad.The original plot involved the return of the Septims via Uriel Septim V,the seventeenth ruler of Cyrodil’s Empire and a monarch known for his ambitious conquests, widely regarded as the greatest warrior ruler since Tiber Septim (Talos). His rule ended after a large-scale invasion of Akavir, a continent east of Tamriel, where he was slain two years into the invasion in the official lore.
While Uriel Septim V was the seventeenth ruler, Uriel Septim VII (the one inOblivion) was the twenty-first ruler, followed by the short reign of his illegitimate son, Martin Septim.
In the original drafts forSkyrim,Uriel Septim wasn’t killed. Instead,he would return centuries later with an army of Dragons (which would have come from Akavir instead) to invade Tamrieland take back the empire for the Septim Dynasty, starting with Skyrim. The Last Dragonborn would be forced to take on this Dragonborn and stop the invasion before Uriel’s dragons devastated the continent. The idea was scrapped, however, with Todd Howard stating that Bethesda wished to keep Akavir mysterious, although its involvement with the Dragonborn can still be seen throughout the game, specifically through the Blades.
The Blades are an organization based on Akaviri culture, being founded by Reman Cyrodil, a founding emperor whose likeness is seen at the door of Sky Haven Temple. This is likely a left-over concept from the original plot, considering thatReman became Emperor by stopping an Akaviri Invasion and the player would have had to follow suit by stopping Uriel Septim V. The idea of fighting a prior Dragonborn was transferred to Miraak in Solstheim, andwhileES6won’t make players face a Dragonbornagain, an Akaviri Invasion should be on the cards.
Elder Scrolls 6 Could Make The Akaviri Invasion Its Plot
But Leave The Dragons In Skyrim
ES6could use the idea of an Akaviri Invasion for its plot, especially because Hammerfell and the Summerset Isles are front-runners for possiblelocations thatES6could use. In the first invasion,Akavir attacked the Iliac Bay region of Tamriel, the area between Hammerfell and High Rock thatDaggerfallwas based in. With Hammerfell and the Summerset Isles both being on the western coastline of the continent, like the Iliac Bay, it would be reasonable for another Akaviri Invasion to begin here from a geographical point of view.
The first Akaviri Invasion ended in north Cyrodil in the Battle of the Pale Pass, where the Akaviri forces learned that Reman was Dragonborn.
Of course, revisiting dragons again would be redundant, but Akavir is known for its many strange beasts and creatures, which were known to be a part of the first invasion. While Hammerfell and the Summerset Isles are safe locations for the nextElder Scrolls, as far as generic fantasy is concerned,Akavir’s involvement could make the game much stranger, preventing the sterile and stale designthat contributed toStarfield’s lack of staying power. It will also help to give Akavir as a whole more context without physically leaving Tamriel, keeping the land mysterious while doing more with it.
From what is known about the Akaviri, there are a lot offun elements that can be implemented intoThe Elder Scrolls 6, like the Tang Mo, a monkey-like beast folk that could introduce a new playable race to the series. There are also the Tsaesci, a race of serpent people, one of which actually ruled Tamriel toward the end of the second empire, once Reman Cyrodil’s bloodline had ended. The Kamal could make decent enemies, known as snow demons, that would contrast the deserts and jungles of Hammerfell and give the series even more enemy variety.
Akavir Has Remained A Mystery For Too Long
And Its Far Eastern Influence Could Make ES6 Feel Completely Different
If Hammerfell is the next location forThe Elder Scrolls 6with its Middle Eastern and North African influences, an invasion from a force heavily inspired by the Far East could helpES6deviate from the European comfort zoneit has stayed in sinceOblivion. Sure, it won’t be as alien or bizarre asMorrowindand won’t use Tamriel’s more odd areas, like Valenwood and Black Marsh,but the fusion of Hammerfell and Avakir could culminate in an area that feels as unique asMorrowinddid without being quite as psychedelic.
Akavir in general feels like it could lend a lot to Tamriel via an invasion, and as a main plot goes, it does add a sense of urgency with it possibly deciding the fate of all of Tamriel. While Todd Howard is right about Tamriel still having plenty to explore in his interview, places like Valenwood and Black Marsh probably won’t get explored because of their strangeness unless they are both toned down significantly. AnAkaviri Invasion is the perfect way to give players more context without actually taking them to Akavir, giving them a taste rather than a full meal.
More importantly, the plot will be simple and less likely to be world-breaking.Skyrim’s plot isn’t exactly praised with its strange time-traveling and generically evil dragon villain that needed a lot of lore retconning, so having a simple yeteffective plot hook forThe Elder Scrolls 6, like an Akaviri Invasion, could be a good change of pace.Uriel Septim V could even be an antagonist again, although it would probably be best for a new villain to take the reins, like an Akaviri warlord seeking to conquer Tamriel in its currently war-torn state.
