If Bethesda decides to go the human route, my vote would be 100% Hammerfell. Here’s why:
Climate and Environment
A desert setting would be a nice contrast to the cold, mountainous Skyrim. And before you go thinking “desert=boring”, you need to think: this will be a next-gen game. The possibilities of creating a diverse and dynamic arid environment will be much more than the technology available with say Fallout NV (which is what most think of when they hear “desert”) Sandstorms, dust devils, quicksand – all these thing could be very significant obstacles when traversing the Alik’r. Features like canyons, ravines, and rock formations could be made epic (Fang Lair anyone?). And whether they include it or someone makes a mod, an overheating mechanic (similar to cold in Frostfall) would make a welcome addition. But besides desert, almost a third of Hammerfell has a fertile coastline, a milder climate to the north near High Rock and Skyrim, as well as the numerous oases scattered throughout the desert. The cities range from cosmopolitan trade centers around the coastline, as well as nomadic tribes and settlements inland. Also, to see how life evolved (flora, fauna, and monsters) in the arid climate would be very interesting to see. I would trust Bethesda to craft a world worthy of an Elder Scrolls title.
Society and Politics
The people of Hammerfell, the Redguards, have very distinct groups of citizens. Its population is split between the Crowns (who support the more traditional Yokudan way of life/dress), the Forebears (who hail from the first Ra’Gada warriors, and are more assimilated with the Empire), and the Lhutonics, a sort of mixture of both. The wide range of political views would make for some very engaging storylines, as well as the opportunity to join a certain faction. For instance, depending on the time period, the Thalmor conflict could easily continue. After the signing of the White-Gold Concordant, Hammerfell refused to agree to the terms, giving up it’s status as a province of the Empire. When the elves came to attack, the Redguards were so bada** that they beat the Thalmor back and became an independent state. The political setting now is just ripe for expanding upon the Empire/Thalmor conflict, as well as the inevitable internal struggles between factions in Hammerfell about what the next steps should be.
Culture and Religion
Redguards have a rich culture steeped in history. First off, they do not share a common ancestry with any other race of man, giving them their own unique identity. Second, they hail from a now sunken continent called Yokuda, where they first sailed to Hammerfell from. The culture seems very similar to real-world Arabia, and to see that style represented in the world of Tamriel would be fantastic. Towering minarets, gleaming domes, colorful clothing, snake charmers, hookahs, camel mounts, all with a fantasy twist – I think the art style could be breathtaking. As far as religion, though many redguards worship the standard Aedra, the Yokudan pantheon is far more captivating. I won’t go much into it but there is a wealth of information on the various wikis if you’re interested to read the lore, and it’s very interesting. Plus, the PGE mentions that zealot worshippers of the serpent god Satakal like to strip naked and slither across the sands and bite the heels of travelers (am I the only one who would love to see this in game?) All this in comparison to the culture and religion of Skyrim make the nords seem rather mundane, don’t you think?
The Way of the Sword, or “Sword Singers”
There is an elite and rare group of warriors in Hammerfell called the Ansei, who excel in the ancient practice of “Sword singing”. These warriors have mastered the incredibly difficult task of forming a weapon entirely from their own spirit. The art has been lost for many centuries, and only the Ansei were the last known to master it and pass its teachings down. It is said that at higher levels, the sword-singer can create weapons of “unstoppable might”. This “spirit weapon” is called a Shehai, and the study of it is called “The Way of the Sword”. Sounds familiar, right? This could be the “fourth option” to use in combat, much like the shouts in Skyrim. Different swords could be “sung” into existence and used for different things, with the same range of abilities you had with the Thu’um in Skyrim.
Memory Stones
There are artifacts in Hammerfell called “Memory Stones” that hold the memories of ancient Reguards. The reason I mention these is because they could be portals into the past, allowing the player to see Hammerfell at different points in history, perhaps utilizing this feature in order to further the story along. Or maybe even a memory stone that holds memories of the long lost Yokuda, giving players a chance to see the ancient continent in all it’s glory. The opportunities available are numerous, and I think it could be a very useful plot device.
Naval Combat (!!!)
Okay okay, this may be because I just finished Assasins Creed 3, but this idea has been screaming at me for a while. Redguards are known for their exquisite navy and shipbuilding skills. They first arrived in Hammerfell by ship. The Battle of Hunding Bay was a major naval battle remembered by Redguards and imperials alike. Stros M’kai has been featured before and is a major port in the Abecean Sea. This being a next-gen game and all, I think a naval aspect would be absolutely groundbreaking for an ES title. I may be a bit ambitious with these thoughts but it doesn’t hurt to dream right? I understand the whole point of building your skills and role-playing would be lost if every character had the same ship with the same weapons and same combat strategies, but maybe it doesn’t have to be a player controlled ship. You could be sailing with a crew and be intercepted by another ship, (Thalmor/pirates/etc) and be boarded, which results in close combat. There is a huge amount of potential here, what with all the small islands off the coast of Hammerfell to explore. It could be the “second half” of Hammerfell, and would avoid being labeled as “just a bunch of desert”. If something like this were implemented it could set this chapter apart from all the rest, as well as moving the series forward in a big direction.
So basically you can tell I’m a Hammerfell/Redguard fan. Of course, no matter where they set the next game, I’m obviously going to buy it and (hopefully) love it. But I am very passionate about these ideas and really think that a game set in Hammerfell would offer much, much more than meets the eye. *crosses fingers*
Written by grod4L
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