IfStarfield’s E3 2021 trailer is to be believed,The Elder Scrolls 6is likely to be set around the Iliac Bay, Tamriel’s rough stand-in for the Mediterranean Sea that separates the petty kingdoms of High Rock from the desert cities of Hammerfell.Starfield’s trailer contained a small symbol that many Bethesda fans noticed looked similar to an outline of the Iliac Bay region of Tamriel’s map, supporting long-held beliefs that western Tamriel was the top candidate for the next game’s setting.
Exploring the Iliac Bay is Bethesda’s best chance to add pirate elements toThe Elder Scrolls 6, just asSkyrimforged a unique identity for itself as a Viking-inspired addition to the franchise. Here’s why the region could work so well for the introduction of sailing and piracy mechanics, the lore it connects to, what may have inspired that lore, and why Bethesda should take advantage of the opportunity to add new mechanics to the famous RPG franchise.
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Piracy In The Iliac Bay
With the steadydecline of the Empire of Tamrielas seen throughoutSkyrim’s Civil War and Dark Brotherhood questlines, it’s reasonable to assume that piracy likely increased around Hammerfell in the Fourth Era. The Empire even released Hammerfell as an Imperial Province betweenOblivionandSkyrimdue to the Redguards continuing to fight the Aldmeri Dominion after a peace accord had been reached.
The Empire’s retreat and the presence of the Aldmeri Dominion sets up a pirate-themed game very well. With the Empire’s exit, Hammerfell becomes something of a frontier again. The ships ofthe Aldmeri Dominionto the south offer some villainous targets that make pirates seem benevolent in comparison, while the ships leaving Hammerfell’s prosperous northern neighbor are equally tempting targets.
A pirate group makes sense as at least one ofThe Elder Scrolls 6’s major factions, but there are some vastly different ways piracy could work in the upcoming game.The Elder Scrollswould likely need to introduce ship mechanics that have yet to be seen in the series but were well fleshed out in games likeAssassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag. There would need to be a variety of ship types with different stats like speed and durability, and players could even have the option to customize their ships.
Ship Mechanics And Starfield
Figuring out exactly how to pull of ship mechanics inThe Elder Scrolls 6will be no easy task, but Bethesda has the perfect opportunity to experiment with ship exploration, customization, and ships as a new form of player base inStarfield. Bethesda’s upcoming sci-fi game may be set in space, but creating a system for spaceship customization and exploration could teach Bethesda plenty of valuable lessons when creating a similar system forThe Elder Scrolls 6.
Proper sailing and piracy mechanics could be a great way forThe Elder Scrolls 6to step out from underSkyrim’s shadow, forging a new and instantly recognizable identity for itself.Bethesdawill need to strike a careful balance, introducing exciting new features while still leaving the game recognizable as anElder ScrollsRPG. As long as piracy and ship mechanics in general remain largely optional and don’t take away from the player’s freedom on land, they could be an interesting addition to a series that needs to spice things up after nearly a decade ofSkyrimre-releases.
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Ships, Travel, And Companions
Back at Brighton Digital 2020, Todd Howard suggested thatThe Elder Scrolls 6would make use of greater procedural generation than previous games to make a larger world. Whether or not this is true and to what extent has yet to be seen, but ifThe Elder Scrolls 6does have alarger world thanSkyrim, ships could become particularly useful. Having a movable base that players can bring with them across multiple coastal cities – of which the Iliac Bay has plenty – could strike a rare balance as both immersive and convenient.
Players could even put together a crew of their companions.Skyrimhad dozens of potential followers, but with the game only allowing the player to have one humanoid follower at a time, they rarely had the opportunity for any character development or to interact with other NPCs. Building a crew could create an opportunity to change that, with a smaller cast of well-developed companion characters that, even if the player isn’t bringing them along for a particular adventure, can still be found back on the ship in the style ofFallout: New Vegas’ Lucky 38 presidential suite.
One of the biggest challenges will be making the seas themselves an interesting place to explore instead of just feeling like a repetitive expanse. Plenty ofpirate gameshave made that work, however, and if Bethesda commits to building a sailing and ship system that learns fromStarfield,The Elder Scrolls 6could stand out against both its RPG competition and previous games in the series.
