Next years storyline theme, and year long theme speculation thread, The Year of Akatosh.

Thevampirenight

Last Years Markarth pts we got somewhat of an Idea, given the datamine, that Mehrunes Dagon would be this years theme Hence last years thread the Year of Dagon. Now it seems like we don't have much to go on with next years major theme. But the new pts cosmetics and event theme when it comes to the pet morph mechanic seems to suggest a year long Akatosh theme in the same way this years theme was based around the Deadlands and Dagon. Meaning the entire year of 2022 could be themed around Akatosh and the concept of Time.

For those that don't know much about Akatosh, here is the lore page. https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Akatosh

Now for those that want the gist of who Akatosh is , he this very powerful force, in the TES reality, he is like the most powerful of the Aedra, to the elves he is Auriel. For him to play a major role, could potentially mean, that next year will be the Colovian Estates/Hammerfell. As Akatosh is a major Imperial deity and would likely have an Imperial focus if they were to do him as the Theme.

Now those that don't know very much about Akatosh, and don't want to read the lore article he is the reason why the whole Amulet of Kings exist, and the reason the Dragonborns exist. He is the father of all Dragon kind, and basically doesn't want Nirn to end. He is the one who seals barriers preventing Daedric invasions if a Dragonborn uses the amulet of kings and is Emperor. He is a major protective force for Nirn itself. For him to have a year focused on him. Would be very interesting, as we would likely get to know a lot more about this deity and possibly the other Divines as well. So what do you think? What do you think the theme will be?

Will the year long theme be Akatosh or will it be something else? As right now strong evidence points towards it being related to the God of Time Akatosh.

merpins

Well every major DLC, the ones you have to buy in order to play when they come out unlike the chapters that you can play by getting membership, have been related to one of the major races in ES. Wrothgar (Osimer), Marrowind (dunmer), Summerset (altmer), Blackwood (argonian and imperial to some extent), Elsweyr (Khajiit), Skyrim (Nords)... With the track record, we can probably expect an area that has to do with one of the major races that haven't been done yet, namely Reguard, Bosmer, Breton... They knocked out Argonians and Imperials in one (kinda), and there's a large area that is jointly controlled by reguard and breton that isn't an area in eso yet. And if Bethesda is planning on releasing TES 6 in that area, it stands to reason that they'd want ZoS to do this area beforehand, both to hype up that game and to not draw attention away from it after its release. Obviously that game is a ways off still; they could very well hold back on this area until a year out from TES 6's release (at this point, 2024-2026 seems more likely for TES 6), so they have a lot of time here.

I'd expect something related to Bosmer, or an entire focus on Imperials as a whole since they relate to Akatosh to some extent as well, and the previous major DLC didn't have them as the main focus.

TX12001rwb17_ESO

Im sick and tired of these year long themes.

Faulgor

I hope Akatosh summons his Jills to eat all the buggy pieces of Nirn.

Thevampirenight

Faulgor wrote: »

I hope Akatosh summons his Jills to eat all the buggy pieces of Nirn.

I hope we will get actual lore on the Jills, that is made official if they do a Akatosh related year.
As there is very good deep unofficial lore related to the Jills and how they fix the Dragonbreaks.

RaddlemanNumber7

My first thought is concern. Akatosh is pretty fundamental stuff as far as the Lore goes. We don't need resolution and certainty in fundamental areas of Lore where there is currently mystery and ambiguity. That would kill off a lot of player-written narratives. We don't need no theory-busting discoveries here, thank you.

Dark_Lord_Kuro

MovesLikeJaguar wrote: »

Well every major DLC, the ones you have to buy in order to play when they come out unlike the chapters that you can play by getting membership, .

I think you got it mixed up
Chapter need to be paid to access and dlc are accessible through membership

TelvanniWizard

Akatosh? I really hope we don´t get more "end of the world" scenarios... They are so stale at this point. What I´d love is a chapter based around new concepts and lower power levels, like pyandonean politics or dwemer archaeology.

lillybit

https://gamerant.com/elder-scrolls-online-next-expansion-dlc-2022/amp/

When asked plainly if he could tell Game Rant anything about upcoming content in 2022, Lambert said it will be "something nobody is expecting" and responded with a rhetorical question: what happens when the map is filled? He then went on to say that "Oblivion is nearly infinite in size and scope,"

I found this interview which I think is a pretty big clue, especially taken together with the question about Fargrave on the last stream - the gist was if it would be a hub for other daedric realms in the future; they laughed and wouldn't answer!

Jaimeh

The year of the dragon was sort of related to Akatosh as well. Regardless of next year's theme, I hope it won't be based on the previous games, both the greymoor and blackwood chapters were poorer in quality compared to the previous chapters. Yes, there was the pandemic happening, but also, I think trying to base material on older concepts made for less creative content. As for speculation, I think the side-quest in Blackwood where we meet Hermaeus Mora's disciple is the second time we deal with this prince, even indirectly (the first was a quest in Craglorn, iirc, and there might be more that I forgot), so maybe his realm will be somewhere down the line.

WhyMustItBe

Jaimeh wrote: »

As for speculation, I think the side-quest in Blackwood where we meet Hermaeus Mora's disciple is the second time we deal with this prince, even indirectly (the first was a quest in Craglorn, iirc, and there might be more that I forgot), so maybe his realm will be somewhere down the line.

Khenarthi's Roost (burn the book burn the book burn the book!), the public delve in Reaper's March, and the library in Coldharbour are still etched in memory.

If we do end up with a dragon/time theme I REALLY hope we get a new/expanded skill tree to go with it. This game needs more Illusion magic and it feels like time magic could potentially fit that theme if crafted cleverly.

Thevampirenight

WhyMustItBe wrote: »

Jaimeh wrote: »

As for speculation, I think the side-quest in Blackwood where we meet Hermaeus Mora's disciple is the second time we deal with this prince, even indirectly (the first was a quest in Craglorn, iirc, and there might be more that I forgot), so maybe his realm will be somewhere down the line.

Khenarthi's Roost (burn the book burn the book burn the book!), the public delve in Reaper's March, and the library in Coldharbour are still etched in memory.

If we do end up with a dragon/time theme I REALLY hope we get a new/expanded skill tree to go with it. This game needs more Illusion magic and it feels like time magic could potentially fit that theme if crafted cleverly.

The Psijjic Order skilline focuses on time magic, and the Dragonknight class is a class focused on fire and draconic type magic stuff. So I doubt they will give us a new skill line focused on those two elements as we already have them.

BomblePants

Shouts? Very much tied in with a possible Dragon theme….

arun_rajputb16_ESO

TX12001rwb17_ESO wrote: »

Im sick and tired of these year long themes.

I quite like them.

VaranisArano

Whelp, I have to wonder who our friendly recurring NPC guide will be this time.

The Prophet?
The Drake of Blades?

I mean, Lyris and Sai Sahan have come back from worse, so who knows?

robwolf666

Well, I'm pretty sure Varen is the only Companion that hasn't returned yet, so I want something that will involve him coming back.

colossalvoids

Eso's take on mythic dawn nostalgia was a major letdown so I'd just hope it's not another comical cult story about some prince trying mantling Akatosh or something, would probably be embarrassing.

But yeah, a pet resembling avatar of Akatosh, golden scales skin etc. makes us wonder what areas could it fit, colovia and hammerfell, throat of the world area seems like a good fit but possible oblivion adventures might be also as viable option there.

GreenhaloX

I, for one, don't care much about new DLC dungeons as part of the yearlong feature. Fine, one of two new dungeons for those dungeon fans. However, I would prefer adding in a new overland map area (or two) as the DLCs with the yearlong fiesta. It would be great if such does occur with the next yearlong feature; not just another round of a chapter with all new dungeons as follow-on DLCs.

MaisonNaevius

I want to believe it. I want to believe in Colovia ...

However another clue, similar to Crown Crate: Potentate (6.2.0) is Crown Crate: Celestial (7.2.0) in addition to the redguard trend...
Also seen on Costume: Grisly Mummy Wrap are some redguard stuff that we haven't seen yet.
With the year of Elsweyr, the trend was Imperial but ultimately Nordic. With Greymoor, the trend was redguard but ultimately imperial. With a lag.

Thevampirenight

MaisonNaevius wrote: »

I want to believe it. I want to believe in Colovia ...

However another clue, similar to Crown Crate: Potentate (6.2.0) is Crown Crate: Celestial (7.2.0) in addition to the redguard trend...
Also seen on Costume: Grisly Mummy Wrap are some redguard stuff that we haven't seen yet.
With the year of Elsweyr, the trend was Imperial but ultimately Nordic. With Greymoor, the trend was redguard but ultimately imperial. With a lag.

Yeah I do think we might see more celestial stuff potentially, if they go back to Hammerfell, we didn't get to see all of the Celestials with Craglorn, and there is still plenty of them they could add in for content related to that. Its possible the next year event theme isn't related to the actual story content, but I suspect it is because this years event content stuff and morphing process centered around the Deadlands and Dagon the main theme of the year. Hence why there is a higher chance of maybe Colovia, or a Hammerfell/Colovia combination if the storyline does in fact center around the Aedra Akatosh. But we won't know anything until they release more hints or at least until they reveal the next teaser. Then we will have a better sense of what might be happening next year. Either way its bound to be interesting.

Dark_Lord_Kuro

Jaimeh wrote: »

The year of the dragon was sort of related to Akatosh as well. Regardless of next year's theme, I hope it won't be based on the previous games, both the greymoor and blackwood chapters were poorer in quality compared to the previous chapters. Yes, there was the pandemic happening, but also, I think trying to base material on older concepts made for less creative content. As for speculation, I think the side-quest in Blackwood where we meet Hermaeus Mora's disciple is the second time we deal with this prince, even indirectly (the first was a quest in Craglorn, iirc, and there might be more that I forgot), so maybe his realm will be somewhere down the line.

There is also a public dungeon if im not mistaken
Rivenspire maybe? Or was it reapers march? Not sure anymore

BoloBoffin

MovesLikeJaguar wrote: »

Well every major DLC, the ones you have to buy in order to play when they come out unlike the chapters that you can play by getting membership, have been related to one of the major races in ES. Wrothgar (Osimer), Marrowind (dunmer), Summerset (altmer), Blackwood (argonian and imperial to some extent), Elsweyr (Khajiit), Skyrim (Nords)... With the track record, we can probably expect an area that has to do with one of the major races that haven't been done yet, namely Reguard, Bosmer, Breton... They knocked out Argonians and Imperials in one (kinda), and there's a large area that is jointly controlled by reguard and breton that isn't an area in eso yet. And if Bethesda is planning on releasing TES 6 in that area, it stands to reason that they'd want ZoS to do this area beforehand, both to hype up that game and to not draw attention away from it after its release. Obviously that game is a ways off still; they could very well hold back on this area until a year out from TES 6's release (at this point, 2024-2026 seems more likely for TES 6), so they have a lot of time here.

I'd expect something related to Bosmer, or an entire focus on Imperials as a whole since they relate to Akatosh to some extent as well, and the previous major DLC didn't have them as the main focus.

I would actually expect Bethesda to block Zenimax from going to the location of Elder Scrolls 6 so they could do it first. So if you are thinking it's Hammerfell, we may not see ESO there for years.

The best chapter zone available for the Bosmer is discovering a path to Falensti. Unless that is a permanent unknowable like the fate of the Dwemer, that's what I would expect to see this year or the next.

But my money right now is on Akavir next year.

MaisonNaevius

I think a lot of a Chapter taking place in the eastern part of Hammerfel and a piece of Colovia. But such a card would exclude Skingrad.. Skingrad which is highly anticipated due to its popularity in TES IV.

As a fan of the Imperials.. I was extremely disappointed with Blackwood's announcement. The region is of a much better quality than in TES IV. But it is not an region that I liked. My only satisfaction was meeting Lovidicus and believing in Itinia's survival.
But since the base game, Colovia and Skingrad sell me dreams. Exactly what you would expect as an Imperial. The count is a true Colovian, not a nice hidden vampire.

I still haven't recovered from the disillusionment of Colovia absence.

gariondavey

They might turn away from the year long adventure business. I kind of got that vibe in that one feedback thread with zos_kevin

LittlePinkDot

Are the celestials Magna Ge???

ealdwin

LittlePinkDot wrote: »

Are the celestials Magna Ge???

Uncertain. What exactly the Celestials are is not entirely known. They could be Magna Ge, but could just as likely not be.

BloodyStigmata

RaddlemanNumber7 wrote: »

My first thought is concern. Akatosh is pretty fundamental stuff as far as the Lore goes. We don't need resolution and certainty in fundamental areas of Lore where there is currently mystery and ambiguity. That would kill off a lot of player-written narratives. We don't need no theory-busting discoveries here, thank you.

Players can amend and re-write their head-cannons then to better fit the cannon lore. You can't just leave EVERYTHING ambiguous and be afraid to try new things just because your fanbase has been writing their own fanfics since 1996.

colossalvoids

gariondavey wrote: »

They might turn away from the year long adventure business. I kind of got that vibe in that one feedback thread with zos_kevin

Pretty sure Rich himself said that they like year long approach from makers perspective and players feedback (apparently someone liked it, ikr) and it's here to stay for awhile at least.

Elsonso

gariondavey wrote: »

They might turn away from the year long adventure business. I kind of got that vibe in that one feedback thread with zos_kevin

My feeling is that they would have to replace it with something that moves the stick forward. I doubt they would take a step back and do discrete DLC, like they used to do.

One thing they could do is a 2 year arc rather than a 1 year arc and have the second year feed off of the first year. So, the 2022 story line could be an extension of Gates of Oblivion. I would not normally expect them to do this, but it has been noticed that this new city in Deadlands is the perfect hub for extra-Nirn travel. It is a distinct possibility that ZOS doubles down on Oblivion plane exploration next year.

That could lend validation to Xynode's assertion that the next destination is Shivering Isles. ZOS could introduce a battle between the Prince of Madness and the Prince of Destruction.

Dragonlord573

lillybit wrote: »

https://gamerant.com/elder-scrolls-online-next-expansion-dlc-2022/amp/

When asked plainly if he could tell Game Rant anything about upcoming content in 2022, Lambert said it will be "something nobody is expecting" and responded with a rhetorical question: what happens when the map is filled? He then went on to say that "Oblivion is nearly infinite in size and scope,"

I found this interview which I think is a pretty big clue, especially taken together with the question about Fargrave on the last stream - the gist was if it would be a hub for other daedric realms in the future; they laughed and wouldn't answer!

That's concerning because earlier this year they said once the map is filled they're going to revisit base game locations. New quests, enemies, the works.

Blood_again

VaranisArano wrote: »

Whelp, I have to wonder who our friendly recurring NPC guide will be this time.

The Prophet?
The Drake of Blades?

I mean, Lyris and Sai Sahan have come back from worse, so who knows?

I bet on Lady Clarisse Laurent and Stibbons. At least they could guide us in one of new group dungeons. They worth it no less then Lyranth if you ask me.