Summerset DLC Hopes and Speculation Thread!

dodgehopper_ESO

Faulgor wrote: »

Yeah, the most important thing that has to happen if ZOS takes us to Summerset is an aesthetic and cultural re-imagining of the Altmer we currently have in the game. The whole "You can't make buildings out of poetry!" thing from launch has to be acknowledged as uninspired and thrown out.

psychotrip wrote: »

Oh yeah, I forgot to add this image. This was designed by one of the main people who wrote the lore for The Elder Scrolls, and in particular came up with a lot of the basic lore on elves in The Elder Scrolls universe. This is how he imagines an altmer High Queen (specifically Ayrenn):



Notice the abstract, vaguely sea-shell shoulder-guards. I always thought the altmer aesthetic should have more aquatic themes to them. For a race that lives on an island and has arguably the most powerful navy in the world, I think it would fit them. If dunmer get bugs, and bosmer get leather and bone, the altmer's theme should be birds, and sea-creatures. I want to see coral weapons, seashell jewelry, feathered head-dresses, semi-organic, multicolored, giant bird-creatures used for shipping and transportation.

The last chapter, Morrowind, added 6 new armor styles (Morag Tong, Ashlander, Buoyant Armiger, Hlaalu, Redoran, Telvanni - possibly 7 with the Clockwork style from HoF). They better find a way squeeze in some really weird stuff for Summerset, like a Coral Kingdom of Cloudrest style. The only thing we got for Altmer since launch was the Aldmeri Dominion style, and I think that already went in a good direction.

Oh, and weird hairstyles, please.

I've been begging for the Icecream Soft-serve Swirl haircut since Beta... I wish they'd listen to me.

psychotrip

dodgehopper_ESO wrote: »

psychotrip wrote: »

Oh yeah, I forgot to add this image. This was designed by one of the main people who wrote the lore for The Elder Scrolls, and in particular came up with a lot of the basic lore on elves in The Elder Scrolls universe. This is how he imagines an altmer High Queen (specifically Ayrenn):



Notice the abstract, vaguely sea-shell shoulder-guards. I always thought the altmer aesthetic should have more aquatic themes to them. For a race that lives on an island and has arguably the most powerful navy in the world, I think it would fit them. If dunmer get bugs, and bosmer get leather and bone, the altmer's theme should be birds, and sea-creatures. I want to see coral weapons, seashell jewelry, feathered head-dresses, semi-organic, multicolored, giant bird-creatures used for shipping and transportation.

Edit: just wanna be clear that I know this isn't in any way canon, but I thought it was worth showing because it illustrates the vision of the original creator.

I have a feeling Redguards represent a more dangerous navy. The Ra Gada 'warrior wave' was nigh unstoppable. If they were in touch with their old shehai magic I have a feeling Altmer would be in big trouble. I like the elves but I always feel their weakness is their alien mind and esoteric nature. What makes Humans a present danger to the elves at all times is their practicality... at least that is my general view of the series. This is in part because elves in general rely so heavily on a magical crutch that they might fail to look at some obvious flaws in their defenses. I think a great example of this in general is how an Altmer 'fort' looks when compared to the Breton one. I'm not saying this to knock them but I get the sense that Altmers are like the Greeks in the Roman empire, intellectual and influential, but not a military might worth speaking of.

That's why I said arguably (wait, did I? It's early morning and I'm on mobile). The altmer navy is said to be insanely powerful, and considering the disputed seas between Hammerfell and Summerset I'd say it makes sense for them
to go toe to toe quite often. Also worth noting that the altmer defeated the redguards at sea during the great war and annexed southern Hammerfell. Remember that Altmer are at constant war with two aquatic races. Their navy is nigh-unstoppable out of sheer necessity.

Read up on the Morrowind-era lore and you'll see examples of this. Before Summerset was conquered, Imperials would mock the altmer and bosmer soldiers on land, calling them "Old Maries", but the situation at sea was very different. This is also represented in ESO, where a good deal of the military strength we see from the altmer comes from their navy. Altmer in general tend to love the sea and sailing, and I'd love to see this incoporated more heavily into their culture and aesthetic.

For example, I'd love to see them make clothing out of sea-silk, which is a real material by the way. I'd imagine the ES version being some mystical, rare, super strong cloth material that's woven into robes and elegent finery.

Real Sea-Silk. I imagine altmer wearing it in bright colors with swirling patterns vaguely reminiscent of crashing waves.



This beautiful stuff comes from this awesomely ugly mussel.

The whole concept is so "elven" I love it.

dodgehopper_ESO wrote: »

Elves need to be alien. I've always had a love-hate feeling toward the elves in part because they are so alien, and I LOVE That about them in the old games. Elves are meant to be uniquely interesting yet totally repulsive to the human mind, at least that's my experience in previous games. Humans are knowable, beast races are less knowable, and elves are straight up aliens.

Exactly this. This is the whole point of elves in TES. They don't need to necessarily be gross (I personally find all the images I found on them quite beautiful) but the entire point of elves in this series is that their culture, worldview, and morality are completely incompatible with our own. The dunmer weren't intended to be an anomaly among the elves, they were just a different flavor of crazy. They're vastly different from their altmeri ancestors, but they're still elves at the end of the day, and elves in ES are alien in appearance, culture, and morality.

In regards to altmer, their version of weird should come from their beauty. The KINMUNE image I linked is a good example of this. It's a beautiful piece, but you get the sense there's something off about it, something a little too clean and pristine. You almost feel a dark edge beneath the beauty.

Every elven race seems to have a base visual theme to its "alieness" except for the altmer.

Dwemer: pipes and gears
Dunmer: bugs and mushrooms
Bosmer: bone and leather
Altmer: ???

They've got nothing right now. So let's create a theme for them.

Like I said in another post I think it should be birds, crystals and sea-creatures. Coral weapons, crystalline magicka-generators at the heart of each city, partially organic, multicolored bird-machines used for transport and shipping. This is what I want.

TheNuminous1 wrote: »

psychotrip wrote: »

TheNuminous1 wrote: »

i just love

ArchMikem wrote: »

psychotrip wrote: »

Many of you know there's some buzz about the next expansion being set in the Summerset Isles.

Going to assume it's all Fan buzz, since I don't recall hearing a word about it from ZOS. While at the same time they've had concept art for the zone of Murkmire ever since the game's launch. Granted it's been years and still no Murkmire, but off the Concept Art and ZOS openly talking about it alone means we're going to get Argonia before Alinor, or at least that's the logical assumption. I dunno anything for sure.

And...well frankly I won't shed a tear if we don't get more Elves.

Sunmerset is the sequence of the words.


and on a side note i see alot alot alot of people wanting the altmer to be thing strange alien race. and I agree it should have a big hulking touch of magic abundant in their culture.

but the aldmer were the first. and all other elves diverged from that. all those alien qualities from the dunmer were forged from a tamriellic life.

aldmer stayed and became altmer. they were the first society. the first culture. all human concept of culture bra ched from them language class high society. it all is based off what the elves were at the exodus of old aldmeris.

so in spirit it is alien and unique. it is weird because there was nothing like it on all of tamriel when they came. using silverware. farming building. all these things they brought to the nedic races.

if an aldmer showed a nedic barbarian a fork it would have been the freakiest thing that nede had ever heard of.

so in elder scrolls lore we expect all this crazy magical babble when just the act of walking and talking reading and writing was the craziness that altmer brought to tamriel.

I said on the last page but it bears repeating:

If you ever get a chance to talk to, or see conversations with some of the old writers from the time of Morrowind, you may be surprised to find out that elves in general were supposed to be just as weird and alien as the dunmer, albeit in different ways. I'm not implying the altmer should be weird in the same ways (though that early concept art shows they may have been intended to wear bug armor as well) but what we got is just so far removed from what was originally described. They've become exactly the kind of elves I hate in fantasy: pointy eared, fancy humans.

I really hope Zenimax brings their A game when and if they show the summerset mainland. Altmer could really use some love.

i suppose its a matter of opinion on how eso has portrayed the altmer as to if you enjoy it or not.

for me I like how they are. fancy, formal, etiquette following people. the idea that when the mundus was formed man was this child race that knew nothing and mer where already a fully fledged peoples and society.

one thing elder scrolls does a bit i feel is keep it mystical and fantasy without going to far over the top. even just the whisp of slight superiority from the altmer knowing where they came from is enough for me.

another thought is they were so advanced snd evolved when they landed on summerset.

in the merithic era

all the other mer went on to change and evolve while the altmer stayed the same.

so maybe back when time started that was the pinnacle of the aldmer and it never changed over thousands of years.

while the ayleid chimer dwemer maormer bosmer falmer all went on to change so it sppears that they are far more fantasy and unusual then the altmer will ever be. cause they stay the same

Fancy is one thing, but you need to go beyond just that. And I really think zenimax visually dropped the ball on that as well. Have you seen the ugly stitching in their clothes? Their grey, dark, stone hovels that look more at home in Solitude than Summerset?

Khenarthi

Where's the source for the rumours? I was hoping the next big territory would be Elsweyr...

psychotrip

Khenarthi wrote: »

Where's the source for the rumours? I was hoping the next big territory would be Elsweyr...

They all but say it directly in the Clockwork City. I don't want to spoil it but they literally, directly say the words Summerset Isle. It's as close as you can get to confirming the next location without turning to the camera and breaking the fourth wall.

GoodFella146

Best thread on the forum!

Khenarthi

psychotrip wrote: »

Khenarthi wrote: »

Where's the source for the rumours? I was hoping the next big territory would be Elsweyr...

They all but say it directly in the Clockwork City. I don't want to spoil it but they literally, directly say the words Summerset Isle. It's as close as you can get to confirming the next location without turning to the camera and breaking the fourth wall.

Well... take it with a pinch of salt then. The end of Wrothgar/Orsinium all but said we'd be rescuing Darien, but he's still missing. I have not done the CWC quests yet, I'm waiting to do them on the Live server rather than PTS, but previous DLC also hinted at a major war between Daedric Princes and so far this has not materialised.

dodgehopper_ESO

psychotrip wrote: »

Faulgor wrote: »

Yeah, the most important thing that has to happen if ZOS takes us to Summerset is an aesthetic and cultural re-imagining of the Altmer we currently have in the game. The whole "You can't make buildings out of poetry!" thing from launch has to be acknowledged as uninspired and thrown out.

psychotrip wrote: »

Oh yeah, I forgot to add this image. This was designed by one of the main people who wrote the lore for The Elder Scrolls, and in particular came up with a lot of the basic lore on elves in The Elder Scrolls universe. This is how he imagines an altmer High Queen (specifically Ayrenn):



Notice the abstract, vaguely sea-shell shoulder-guards. I always thought the altmer aesthetic should have more aquatic themes to them. For a race that lives on an island and has arguably the most powerful navy in the world, I think it would fit them. If dunmer get bugs, and bosmer get leather and bone, the altmer's theme should be birds, and sea-creatures. I want to see coral weapons, seashell jewelry, feathered head-dresses, semi-organic, multicolored, giant bird-creatures used for shipping and transportation.

The last chapter, Morrowind, added 6 new armor styles (Morag Tong, Ashlander, Buoyant Armiger, Hlaalu, Redoran, Telvanni - possibly 7 with the Clockwork style from HoF). They better find a way squeeze in some really weird stuff for Summerset, like a Coral Kingdom of Cloudrest style. The only thing we got for Altmer since launch was the Aldmeri Dominion style, and I think that already went in a good direction.

Oh, and weird hairstyles, please.

The AD style was definitely a step in the right direction, but even that wasn't purely altmer. I'm not sure altmer have gotten anything in any form since launch, save for that pig and I think a pretty boring looking dress?

Edit: couldn't find the dress. So yeah, just a pig. There's something darkly poetic about that, but I'm not smart enough to figure it out

I took the pig to be more Direnni... and frankly the children of the Direnni are the Bretons. (Yes I know its a Psijic pig)

psychotrip

Khenarthi wrote: »

psychotrip wrote: »

Khenarthi wrote: »

Where's the source for the rumours? I was hoping the next big territory would be Elsweyr...

They all but say it directly in the Clockwork City. I don't want to spoil it but they literally, directly say the words Summerset Isle. It's as close as you can get to confirming the next location without turning to the camera and breaking the fourth wall.

Well... take it with a pinch of salt then. The end of Wrothgar/Orsinium all but said we'd be rescuing Darien, but he's still missing. I have not done the CWC quests yet, I'm waiting to do them on the Live server rather than PTS, but previous DLC also hinted at a major war between Daedric Princes and so far this has not materialised.

You're really making this hard not to spoil. You mentioned a war between daedric princes...you unwittingly just confirmed things further based on what was said in Clockwork City.

Okay so yeah there's a ton of dialogue in main quests and side quests about specifically the Summerset Isle. One of the main characters apparently goes there by the end of the story. Apparently the end of the main quest makes specific mention of it, and then there's these comments by the Grand Prognosticator at the end of a different quest


So yeah, the entirety of clockwork city is hammering references to Summerset in your face, as well as some sort of daedric conflict brewing there.

Khenarthi

psychotrip wrote: »

Khenarthi wrote: »

psychotrip wrote: »

Khenarthi wrote: »

Where's the source for the rumours? I was hoping the next big territory would be Elsweyr...

They all but say it directly in the Clockwork City. I don't want to spoil it but they literally, directly say the words Summerset Isle. It's as close as you can get to confirming the next location without turning to the camera and breaking the fourth wall.

Well... take it with a pinch of salt then. The end of Wrothgar/Orsinium all but said we'd be rescuing Darien, but he's still missing. I have not done the CWC quests yet, I'm waiting to do them on the Live server rather than PTS, but previous DLC also hinted at a major war between Daedric Princes and so far this has not materialised.

You're really making this hard not to spoil. You mentioned a war between daedric princes...you unwittingly just confirmed things further based on what was said in Clockwork City.

Okay so yeah there's a ton of dialogue in main quests and side quests about specifically the Summerset Isle. One of the main characters apparently goes there by the end of the story. Apparently the end of the main quest makes specific mention of it, and then there's these comments by the Grand Prognosticator at the end of a different quest


So yeah, the entirety of clockwork city is hammering references to Summerset in your face, as well as some sort of daedric conflict brewing there.

I'll remain spoiler free for as far as i can, so I'll take your word for it

If it is Artaeum or Sumerset, that's all fine by me. The Altmer are very intriguing and under-explored (unlike the Dunmer). Maybe now we will finally see those fantastic buildings... and get new fancy clothings.

psychotrip

I added some additional images. I really hope Zenimax incorporates these ideas into the altmer. They need some extra weirdness and beauty to really make them stand out beyond being "traditional" high elves:

Altmer and Sload ruins



ESO artwork for Auridon. I'd love to see this sort of jungle-like density and the dark, rich colors.

Loves_guars

Altmers, meh.

If it comes with some Razum-Dar though, now we are talking.

psychotrip

cecibergesnrb18_ESO wrote: »

Altmers, meh.

If it comes with some Razum-Dar though, now we are talking.

Well apparently

Razum leaves for Summerset by the end of the Clockwork City questline, so if you want to see more of him it'll have to be there

WhiteCoatSyndrome

psychotrip wrote: »

He particularly can't stand Ayrenn. I think he compared her to a character from an airport bookstore.

This is slightly off-topic but if the airport books he's reading have characters that are intelligent, forward-thinking, polite and at the same time get into the sort of wacky hijinx Raz and the Queen BOTH hint at while fighting off demons and assassins...I would badly like to know who wrote those books, because I need some new authors.

TheNuminous1 wrote: »

so in spirit it is alien and unique. it is weird because there was nothing like it on all of tamriel when they came. using silverware. farming building. all these things they brought to the nedic races.

if an aldmer showed a nedic barbarian a fork it would have been the freakiest thing that nede had ever heard of.

Somebody didn't play through the Craglorn quests. The Nedes (or at least some of them...there were multiple tribes) were quite advanced, and actually responsible for

putting the constellations in the sky.

The bit about them being barbarians was the Altmer doing what they do best: denying what actually happened and re-writing history after the fact.

What I think is odd is that they chose that particular re-write.

As self-centered as their culture is, I'd have thought the Altmer would hold it up as a point of pride that they beat down another advanced civilization. And as it seems by the time Nedic civilization collapsed they were mostly Daedra worshipers and followers of other malevolent entities like Nereids, the Altmer could have legitimately taken the moral high ground: "Those people were corrupt and decadent and deserved the beating they got!"

Instead they're claiming they won a glorious victory over people armed with sticks and rocks, trivializing their own achievement. It's odd. Like their entire culture has an inferiority complex. Maybe it's a tie-in with the Psijic beliefs...humiliate evil people instead of kill them so other people don't want to be evil?

MythicEmperor

FluffyReachWitch wrote: »

TESV depicted the Thalmor, a totalitarian government that rose to prominence in the aftermath of the Oblivion Crisis. They're objectively evil and bad for the Dominion as a whole, being suspected of causing massive problems and known to purge dissidents, hunting refugees across Tamriel.

How are the Thalmor of TES V "objectively evil?" Morality is the most petty and subjective of concepts, and I, for one, admire their ruthless efficiency.

Does the world truly care about what society deems as "good" or "evil?" Both terms exist, and that is testiment to Nirn's indifference. This brand of Thalmor knows exactly what it wants. It knows how to achieve this goal and will do so no matter the cost. This is where other societies have failed: They care too much about morality. It is such a fickle concept that the hypocrites and Aedric priests parade around to suit their agendas. Power comes not from the worship of these divines or of the Daedra. It comes, rather, from the pursuit of knowledge which acts as an enabler for power. The lesser peasants cling to their morality and ideals as they know nothing else. Knowledge frees the mind to an intoxicating world of limitless ability.

dodgehopper_ESO

TheNuminous1 wrote: »

psychotrip wrote: »

TheNuminous1 wrote: »

i just love

ArchMikem wrote: »

psychotrip wrote: »

Many of you know there's some buzz about the next expansion being set in the Summerset Isles.

Going to assume it's all Fan buzz, since I don't recall hearing a word about it from ZOS. While at the same time they've had concept art for the zone of Murkmire ever since the game's launch. Granted it's been years and still no Murkmire, but off the Concept Art and ZOS openly talking about it alone means we're going to get Argonia before Alinor, or at least that's the logical assumption. I dunno anything for sure.

And...well frankly I won't shed a tear if we don't get more Elves.

Sunmerset is the sequence of the words.


and on a side note i see alot alot alot of people wanting the altmer to be thing strange alien race. and I agree it should have a big hulking touch of magic abundant in their culture.

but the aldmer were the first. and all other elves diverged from that. all those alien qualities from the dunmer were forged from a tamriellic life.

aldmer stayed and became altmer. they were the first society. the first culture. all human concept of culture bra ched from them language class high society. it all is based off what the elves were at the exodus of old aldmeris.

so in spirit it is alien and unique. it is weird because there was nothing like it on all of tamriel when they came. using silverware. farming building. all these things they brought to the nedic races.

if an aldmer showed a nedic barbarian a fork it would have been the freakiest thing that nede had ever heard of.

so in elder scrolls lore we expect all this crazy magical babble when just the act of walking and talking reading and writing was the craziness that altmer brought to tamriel.

I said on the last page but it bears repeating:

If you ever get a chance to talk to, or see conversations with some of the old writers from the time of Morrowind, you may be surprised to find out that elves in general were supposed to be just as weird and alien as the dunmer, albeit in different ways. I'm not implying the altmer should be weird in the same ways (though that early concept art shows they may have been intended to wear bug armor as well) but what we got is just so far removed from what was originally described. They've become exactly the kind of elves I hate in fantasy: pointy eared, fancy humans.

I really hope Zenimax brings their A game when and if they show the summerset mainland. Altmer could really use some love.

i suppose its a matter of opinion on how eso has portrayed the altmer as to if you enjoy it or not.

for me I like how they are. fancy, formal, etiquette following people. the idea that when the mundus was formed man was this child race that knew nothing and mer where already a fully fledged peoples and society.

one thing elder scrolls does a bit i feel is keep it mystical and fantasy without going to far over the top. even just the whisp of slight superiority from the altmer knowing where they came from is enough for me.

another thought is they were so advanced snd evolved when they landed on summerset.

in the merithic era

all the other mer went on to change and evolve while the altmer stayed the same.

so maybe back when time started that was the pinnacle of the aldmer and it never changed over thousands of years.

while the ayleid chimer dwemer maormer bosmer falmer all went on to change so it sppears that they are far more fantasy and unusual then the altmer will ever be. cause they stay the same

That really is not the lore. Humans were just as long lived as the Mer originally, according to lore. When Shor gets smacked down to size it also shortened their lives, and for some reason this spilled over onto the races such as the Orsimer. In the first Era you have Human civilizations with magic that would be unfathomable to the Mer. I wouldn't presume that the elves were some superior race in the dawn era, they are just different.

psychotrip

WhiteCoatSyndrome wrote: »

psychotrip wrote: »

He particularly can't stand Ayrenn. I think he compared her to a character from an airport bookstore.

This is slightly off-topic but if the airport books he's reading have characters that are intelligent, forward-thinking, polite and at the same time get into the sort of wacky hijinx Raz and the Queen BOTH hint at while fighting off demons and assassins...I would badly like to know who wrote those books, because I need some new authors.

TheNuminous1 wrote: »

so in spirit it is alien and unique. it is weird because there was nothing like it on all of tamriel when they came. using silverware. farming building. all these things they brought to the nedic races.

if an aldmer showed a nedic barbarian a fork it would have been the freakiest thing that nede had ever heard of.

Somebody didn't play through the Craglorn quests. The Nedes (or at least some of them...there were multiple tribes) were quite advanced, and actually responsible for

putting the constellations in the sky.

The bit about them being barbarians was the Altmer doing what they do best: denying what actually happened and re-writing history after the fact.

What I think is odd is that they chose that particular re-write.

As self-centered as their culture is, I'd have thought the Altmer would hold it up as a point of pride that they beat down another advanced civilization. And as it seems by the time Nedic civilization collapsed they were mostly Daedra worshipers and followers of other malevolent entities like Nereids, the Altmer could have legitimately taken the moral high ground: "Those people were corrupt and decadent and deserved the beating they got!"

Instead they're claiming they won a glorious victory over people armed with sticks and rocks, trivializing their own achievement. It's odd. Like their entire culture has an inferiority complex. Maybe it's a tie-in with the Psijic beliefs...humiliate evil people instead of kill them so other people don't want to be evil?

On the subject of Ayrenn: I know a lot of people like her so I'll explain why some don't in the nicest way possible...

When I was 11 or 12 playing World of Warcraft, I made a blood elf character that was, almost word for word, exactly like her. Take out the princess aspect and they're indistinguishable in their personality and backstory. I look back on those days with a shivering cringe.

For me, she's just not an original character. She's too "normal" to be a queen of the altmer in my opinion. I was expecting the high queen of a super advanced and ancient race, even if she's just starting out, to be a bit more mystical, magical, even a bit scary. Think Galadriel from LOTR. Ayrenn feels a lot like a first-draft rp character, and is a bit of a Mary Sue. She's elegent and poised, but she can also drink nords under the tabl. She vanished from Summerset as a young princess and travelled the world to find herself. None of the mean old nobles believe in her, but she's gonna prove them all wrong. It's just...not that well written or interesting in my mind. I get that they wanted Ayrenn to be a young, progressive force within the Dominion and I love that idea, but you can do that without taking away the strangeness, the mystery, and the sheer power I would expect to come from an altmer queen.

dodgehopper_ESO

@psychotrip I like what you have said about the esthetics of the Altmer. I like the oddity of the structures we see in Auridon but I'm truly hopeful that we will see some structures more alien if we go to Artaeum or Summerset. The Crystal tower in particular should be unusual. I definitely think the magic of crystals should play a part with the Altmer and I'm intrigued by the naval connection as well (although it was always my understanding that the Maormer were the better sailors, perhaps that is my error). One might argue that the Maormer are just another mutated form of Altmer. I for one would like to see more exploration of both societies in the game.

Thannazzar

Fantastic were going to the SS Islands. Just let me grab my blade of woe. Now we are going there to free the enslaved daedra from the elven scum right.....

psychotrip

dodgehopper_ESO wrote: »

@psychotrip I like what you have said about the esthetics of the Altmer. I like the oddity of the structures we see in Auridon but I'm truly hopeful that we will see some structures more alien if we go to Artaeum or Summerset. The Crystal tower in particular should be unusual. I definitely think the magic of crystals should play a part with the Altmer and I'm intrigued by the naval connection as well (although it was always my understanding that the Maormer were the better sailors, perhaps that is my error). One might argue that the Maormer are just another mutated form of Altmer. I for one would like to see more exploration of both societies in the game.

I would say the best sailors in the known world are the maormer and altmer. Remember, the altmer have been fighting maormer at sea since the dawn of recorded history. The altmer would have been exterminated long ago if their navy wasn't unfathomably powerful, as is described in the lore. You don't screw with an altmer at sea.

I'm glad you like my ideas for an altmer racial aesthetic. Like I said, every other elven race has a clear visual theme that illustrates their stark difference from humanity. All except the altmer. It's just a little sad when you put it in perspective like that.

ProfesseurFreder

Much coolness, OP!

I too hope that we get a Summerset expansion -- my main character is Altmer. yet I know next to nothing about his cultural background beyond what's in the main game (as a Mac user, I've never been able to play any other Elder Scrolls games).

I'm not obsessed with lore or minutiae, but a glimpse of that background and history would be most welcome!

I know that they're working on an Argonian-based DLC, but imho we already have enough swamplands in the game. If I could cast my vote, it would be for Summerset!!

psychotrip

boggo wrote: »

Wow, nice artwork!

Reminds me a lot of belgian artist Moebius:
https://www.google.ch/search?q=moebius&client=firefox-b&dcr=0&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwixp6PCm9zWAhVmDMAKHfPFCgUQ_AUICigB&biw=1219&bih=1119

I'd be totally in for a Moebius like rendition of Summerset Isles. 8)

Dude so much yes. Moebius is like my science-fantasy inspiration. You're right that a lot of the images are reminiscent of his work and I wouldn't surprised if the writers were influenced by Moebius when designing them initially.

AlwaysOnFire

MythicEmperor wrote: »

Does the world truly care about what society deems as "good" or "evil?" Both terms exist, and that is testiment to Nirn's indifference. This brand of Thalmor knows exactly what it wants. It knows how to achieve this goal and will do so no matter the cost. This is where other societies have failed: They care too much about morality. It is such a fickle concept that the hypocrites and Aedric priests parade around to suit their agendas. Power comes not from the worship of these divines or of the Daedra. It comes, rather, from the pursuit of knowledge which acts as an enabler for power. The lesser peasants cling to their morality and ideals as they know nothing else. Knowledge frees the mind to an intoxicating world of limitless ability.

N0TPLAYER2

Was gonna post tl dr as a joke then I kept scrolling and holy crap tl dr!!!

MLGProPlayer

Altmer are the best race in Tamriel. It's not even debatable.

- They have tall, sexy bodies with golden skin.

- They are the strongest wizards in all the land. Where the Dunmer need a false god to hold up a rock up over their heads, an Altmer school child could achieve the same feat.

- They have the oldest and most developed culture in the world, being that they are pure descendants of the oldest race in Tamriel.

MLGProPlayer

TheNuminous1 wrote: »

all the other mer went on to change and evolve while the altmer stayed the same.

More like devolved.

Dwarves? Extinct
Snow elves? Extinct
Lefthanded Elves? Extinct
Ayleids? Extinct
Dunmer? Almost extinct
Maomer? Insignificant in world politics
Bosmer? Savages

Nemesis7884

High Elves are dumb

psychotrip

N0TPLAYER2 wrote: »

Was gonna post tl dr as a joke then I kept scrolling and holy crap tl dr!!!

...But you took the time to write a comment about how you couldn't read the whole post. Huh. Never understood this mindset.

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

TheNuminous1 wrote: »

all the other mer went on to change and evolve while the altmer stayed the same.

More like devolved.

Dwarves? Extinct
Snow elves? Extinct
Lefthanded Elves? Extinct
Ayleids? Extinct
Dunmer? Almost extinct
Maomer? Insignificant in world politics
Bosmer? Savages

Don't go insulting our lesser cousins. I won't look down on them too much until Zenimax delivers, because right now altmer haven't lived up to the hype. Hopefully this DLC fixes that.

MLGProPlayer

psychotrip wrote: »

N0TPLAYER2 wrote: »

Was gonna post tl dr as a joke then I kept scrolling and holy crap tl dr!!!

...But you took the time to write a comment about how you couldn't read the whole post. Huh. Never understood this mindset.

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

TheNuminous1 wrote: »

all the other mer went on to change and evolve while the altmer stayed the same.

More like devolved.

Dwarves? Extinct
Snow elves? Extinct
Lefthanded Elves? Extinct
Ayleids? Extinct
Dunmer? Almost extinct
Maomer? Insignificant in world politics
Bosmer? Savages

Don't go insulting our lesser cousins. I won't look down on them too much until Zenimax delivers, because right now altmer haven't lived up to the hype. Hopefully this DLC fixes that.

I just call it like it is.

dodgehopper_ESO

psychotrip wrote: »

dodgehopper_ESO wrote: »

@psychotrip I like what you have said about the esthetics of the Altmer. I like the oddity of the structures we see in Auridon but I'm truly hopeful that we will see some structures more alien if we go to Artaeum or Summerset. The Crystal tower in particular should be unusual. I definitely think the magic of crystals should play a part with the Altmer and I'm intrigued by the naval connection as well (although it was always my understanding that the Maormer were the better sailors, perhaps that is my error). One might argue that the Maormer are just another mutated form of Altmer. I for one would like to see more exploration of both societies in the game.

I would say the best sailors in the known world are the maormer and altmer. Remember, the altmer have been fighting maormer at sea since the dawn of recorded history. The altmer would have been exterminated long ago if their navy wasn't unfathomably powerful, as is described in the lore. You don't screw with an altmer at sea.

I'm glad you like my ideas for an altmer racial aesthetic. Like I said, every other elven race has a clear visual theme that illustrates their stark difference from humanity. All except the altmer. It's just a little sad when you put it in perspective like that.

I think that the more they can flesh out the different races of the series to the degree they did in the original Morrowind with Dunmer, they will grow those races in popularity. I certainly think that making the different Kinships (houses) of the Altmer a political importance would go a long way toward conveying these feelings about the Altmer people. At present the Altmer culture is a rather nebulous thing.

There is another point I'd like to just suggest. Someone earlier mentioned a ES II lorebook which spoke of living tree-houses that the Altmer developed. I see no reason why a House/Kin association would not be more natural in its leanings and origin, and could indeed by the progenitors of the Wilderking/Wilderqueen perhaps in that story in Greenshade.

dodgehopper_ESO

ProfesseurFreder wrote: »

Much coolness, OP!

I too hope that we get a Summerset expansion -- my main character is Altmer. yet I know next to nothing about his cultural background beyond what's in the main game (as a Mac user, I've never been able to play any other Elder Scrolls games).

I'm not obsessed with lore or minutiae, but a glimpse of that background and history would be most welcome!

I know that they're working on an Argonian-based DLC, but imho we already have enough swamplands in the game. If I could cast my vote, it would be for Summerset!!

No way - I really hope they give us Black Marsh in all its glory some day. The argonians are as of yet one of the most mysterious and interesting races of Tamriel.