Reflections on the Plot

It is no secret that in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, as we assume the role of yet another chosen one, we will have to save yet another province or even the entire continent. Many already believe that the plot in the new installment of the famous series will be simple and linear, but personally, I have hope that Bethesda can surprise its loyal fans. However, before I outline my assumptions regarding the possible plot, I would like to first shed light on the situation on the continent at the beginning of the Fourth Era.

THE BEGINNING OF THE FOURTH ERA

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion ends when Martin, the last offspring of the imperial dynasty, perishes in a battle against Mehrunes Dagon. Yes, at the cost of his life, he was able to defeat the Daedric Lord and restore the barrier between dimensions, but after his death, the line of descendants of Tiber Septim, who ruled Tamriel for over four centuries, came to an abrupt end. The Elder Council, led by Chancellor Ocato, attempted to hold the Empire together but could not prevent the inevitable. Thus ended the Third Era.

The Fourth Era began with the collapse of the state. Soon after the victory over the Daedra in Cyrodiil, turmoil ensued, allowing Titus Mede, a warlord from Colovia, who began his career as a simple soldier in the rebel army, to seize the throne. His contingent, numbering fewer than a thousand warriors, stormed the capital. Declaring himself emperor, he wasted no time in quickly defeating the other rebels, thereby uniting the entire central province under his rule. However, it was beyond his power to reclaim the now-independent lands and recreate the once-great state.

Morrowind faced a catastrophe in the early years of the new era - the Ministry of Truth, no longer supported by the missing Vivec, fell upon Vvardenfell. A monstrous blow and the resulting eruption of the Red Mountain destroyed half of the island. Soon after, the dark elves were attacked by Argonians, seeking to avenge the long centuries of shameful slavery of their kin. The inhabitants of the wetlands, the first to withdraw from the Empire, seized much of their northern neighbors' lands and forced them to flee to the island of Solstheim.

In Elsweyr, around the same time, the leader Griw was killed, leading to chaos in the province. In the north, lawlessness reigns, and in the south, a war rages between the Khajiiti kingdoms.

The fall of the Empire led to the unification of Summerset and Valenwood under the rule of the Thalmor, thus resurrecting the Aldmeri Dominion. Their main goal is the restoration of the balance of power that existed during the Merethic Era.

With the demise of the state, some organizations also vanished. The Mages Guild ceased to exist - it was replaced by the College of Whispers and the Synod. The Blades were succeeded by the Scions, who engage in espionage, investigations, and covert operations.

Thus, in just five years, Argonia, Elsweyr, Morrowind, Valenwood, and Summerset withdrew from the Empire. There are no reports about the situation in Skyrim, High Rock, and Hammerfell.

ABOUT THE PLOT OF SKYRIM

We know that the events in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim unfold two hundred years after the end of the Third Era. The king of Skyrim has been killed, a civil war rages in the province between the Empire's supporters from Solitude and its opponents from Windhelm, and the last representative of the ancient dragonborn line is being led to execution. He will be saved by Esbern, one of the few survivors of the dark times of the Blades, after which the hero will venture to the summit of the Throat of the World to meet the Greybeards - ancient northern sages. Unfortunately, the further fate of the god-chosen remains shrouded in mystery. We know he must stop the awakened dragons, but he can only guess what role he will play in the fate of the northern province and the entire continent.

Reflecting on this, I have outlined three possible scenarios for the plot's development:

• In the first case, the least appealing, we will be destined for a predetermined fate. Esbern and the Greybeards will brief us and explain whose side we need to take and what to do. The last of the dragonborn, closely following the received instructions, will stop the dragons, end the civil war, and place a specific person on the throne. For example, one of the king's relatives, who has the most legitimate claim to the throne. Ultimately, we will have an entirely linear and uninteresting story about yet another world-saving.
• In the second case, which offers a bit more variety, we will be given the opportunity to make choices. That is, we will be able to independently decide whom to support and who to place on the throne. Yes, the options are limited - either the supporters or the opponents of the Empire, but they exist and imply a branching storyline with different quests.
• Finally, in the third case, the most interesting and appealing, we will not be another nameless hero or agent who will do his job and depart, but rather a second Tiber Septim. The last dragonborn, although not of the line of the legendary warrior turned god, has every chance to give rise to a new state. If this scenario turns out to be true, we will have to unite the warring clans and become the king of Skyrim, thereby starting the recreation of the Empire from the northern province.

All of this is merely speculation based on a small number of facts related to the game's plot in one way or another. No one knows what awaits the hero, but Todd Howard's refusal to give a definitive answer regarding the presence of multiple endings in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim already instills a small hope that the narrative will be interesting and unconventional.

Part of the material is taken from tes.ag.ru and elderscrolls.net.

Maps are taken from The Imperial Library.

Some translations of names were assisted by Surt.