Chapter Proposal: 3rd Akaviri Invasion

Mascen

The short version:
An Akaviri armada comes back for a 3rd time to Tamriel looking for the enigmatic ordained receptacle, but are blown off course. Fight off the invaders and unravel the mystery of their return.

The long version:
The idea is for a chapter thats on a bigger scale than High Isle but below fate of the world tier that fleshes out the Akaviri more. Naturally this would be set within the Ebonheart Pact, and while I was originally thinking it could be set on the Telvanni Peninsula with Necrom as the zone hub, a guildmate I told this idea about suggested that it could be done in eastern Black Marsh around Archon and essentially make it an Elder Scrolls Vietnam.

The other half of it is to flesh out the Akaviri more beyond the usual Japanese inspired Tsascei stereotypes and expand upon the Kamal and the monkeyfolk with Chinese, Korean, Mongolian and other Asian influences in armor, weapons, mounts and furnishings.

Meanwhile the new gimmick per se would be the introduction of polearms which would be divided into glaives, spears and halberds to mimic the sword-axe-mace trio.

Feel free to give me your two cents on the matter.

rexagamemnon

It would be friggin epic😍

Drammanoth

sadly, ZOS has their own idea - they need to deal with U 35 and the rest of the High Isle waning hype.

How I wish they hadn't done what they did. I'd still like to play ESO.

jcaceresw

Instead of releasing new chapters I prefer they update the older vanilla and DLC contents. Fix bugs, define a standard number of guild traders on each chapter (High Isle have a lot less number of them compared to Morrowind and Summerset), add one way shrine on each big zone and move some others for more accessible way to go to specific areas. Implement new quality of life features like fishing tracker, class change token, ability to buy more guild bank spaces, maybe add two new levels to the bank space to make it to 500 instead of 480 (with ESO+), armor mannequins and a lot more of things I can think off.

Faulgor

That's what Elsweyr should have been.

From the 1st Pocket Guide to the Empire:

Rimmen
Though ostensibly its own kingdom, Rimmen still pays tribute to the Mane of Elsweyr, from whose realm it seceded in CE812 during the Interregnum. Earlier, Akaviri refugees had fled persecution when the warlord Attrebus briefly aspired to the Imperial Throne. Attrebus, though he lasted no longer than most of the pretender kings of that period, thought he might rid Cyrodiil of the foreigners who had ruled it for the first half of the Common Era, and he drove the Akaviris past the Empire's borders into Elsweyr. The khajiit granted them asylum in the hills and steppes of northwestern Elsweyr, where they dwelt in relative seclusion until remnants of the Dir-Kamal resurfaced in Cyrodiil, seizing the Throne from Attrebus' successors. The Rimmen (literally, the "Rim Men," as the khajiit called them) joined their brothers to try to rebuild the Empire. This effort was doomed to failure, but not before the khajiit attempted to reclaim their lands in a series of bloody border wars. Currently, since the ascension of Tiber Septim, the hapless Rimmen have once again submitted to the protection of the Mane, with a renewed tribute paying for the Cat Lord's guarantee of their independence, a truly weak reed upon which to lean.

Long story short, there should be "remnants" of the 2nd Akaviri invasion (Dir-Kamal) in Cyrodiil, who, teaming up with the Akaviri (Tsaesci) in Rimmen, try to rebuild the Empire. Precisely around the time ESO is set. So where is it?

psychotrip

Faulgor wrote: »

That's what Elsweyr should have been.

From the 1st Pocket Guide to the Empire:

Rimmen
Though ostensibly its own kingdom, Rimmen still pays tribute to the Mane of Elsweyr, from whose realm it seceded in CE812 during the Interregnum. Earlier, Akaviri refugees had fled persecution when the warlord Attrebus briefly aspired to the Imperial Throne. Attrebus, though he lasted no longer than most of the pretender kings of that period, thought he might rid Cyrodiil of the foreigners who had ruled it for the first half of the Common Era, and he drove the Akaviris past the Empire's borders into Elsweyr. The khajiit granted them asylum in the hills and steppes of northwestern Elsweyr, where they dwelt in relative seclusion until remnants of the Dir-Kamal resurfaced in Cyrodiil, seizing the Throne from Attrebus' successors. The Rimmen (literally, the "Rim Men," as the khajiit called them) joined their brothers to try to rebuild the Empire. This effort was doomed to failure, but not before the khajiit attempted to reclaim their lands in a series of bloody border wars. Currently, since the ascension of Tiber Septim, the hapless Rimmen have once again submitted to the protection of the Mane, with a renewed tribute paying for the Cat Lord's guarantee of their independence, a truly weak reed upon which to lean.

Long story short, there should be "remnants" of the 2nd Akaviri invasion (Dir-Kamal) in Cyrodiil, who, teaming up with the Akaviri (Tsaesci) in Rimmen, try to rebuild the Empire. Precisely around the time ESO is set. So where is it?

First pocket guide has been retconned for the most part. Just read the sections on Cyrodiil and Summerset!

ESO did...something...with Rimmen right? Didnt they change it so its just vaguely asian imperials distantly related to the akaviri? Lol.

They wont show Akavir though, or any large akaviri force. Unless they make their lore more "grounded" and "realistic" than previous descruptions. Again, just like Cyrodiil and Summerset. If we see Kamal, they'll probably just be like...nords but asian or something.

Faulgor

psychotrip wrote: »

Faulgor wrote: »

That's what Elsweyr should have been.

From the 1st Pocket Guide to the Empire:

Rimmen
Though ostensibly its own kingdom, Rimmen still pays tribute to the Mane of Elsweyr, from whose realm it seceded in CE812 during the Interregnum. Earlier, Akaviri refugees had fled persecution when the warlord Attrebus briefly aspired to the Imperial Throne. Attrebus, though he lasted no longer than most of the pretender kings of that period, thought he might rid Cyrodiil of the foreigners who had ruled it for the first half of the Common Era, and he drove the Akaviris past the Empire's borders into Elsweyr. The khajiit granted them asylum in the hills and steppes of northwestern Elsweyr, where they dwelt in relative seclusion until remnants of the Dir-Kamal resurfaced in Cyrodiil, seizing the Throne from Attrebus' successors. The Rimmen (literally, the "Rim Men," as the khajiit called them) joined their brothers to try to rebuild the Empire. This effort was doomed to failure, but not before the khajiit attempted to reclaim their lands in a series of bloody border wars. Currently, since the ascension of Tiber Septim, the hapless Rimmen have once again submitted to the protection of the Mane, with a renewed tribute paying for the Cat Lord's guarantee of their independence, a truly weak reed upon which to lean.

Long story short, there should be "remnants" of the 2nd Akaviri invasion (Dir-Kamal) in Cyrodiil, who, teaming up with the Akaviri (Tsaesci) in Rimmen, try to rebuild the Empire. Precisely around the time ESO is set. So where is it?

First pocket guide has been retconned for the most part. Just read the sections on Cyrodiil and Summerset!

ESO did...something...with Rimmen right? Didnt they change it so its just vaguely asian imperials distantly related to the akaviri? Lol.

They wont show Akavir though, or any large akaviri force. Unless they make their lore more "grounded" and "realistic" than previous descruptions. Again, just like Cyrodiil and Summerset. If we see Kamal, they'll probably just be like...nords but asian or something.

Screw "retcons", the Pocket Guides paint the more interesting picture of Tamriel. If they don't want to follow it, they should add areas that are not mentioned.

The "Rim-men" in ESO you find in Hakoshae for example are Imperials with Akaviri ancestry, yeah. All the proper Akaviri locked themselves in a shrine in Rimmen, which is such a stupid cop out - they shouldn't have added Rimmen in the first place if they didn't want to feature Akaviri, they basically build the place and are supposed to live there at this time.
Strangely there is an Akaviri world boss to the west of Rimmen, just some humanoid in Tsaesci armor. IIRC, there were some Akaviri ghosts in TES4 as well, and they look pretty much like Imperials.

Most likely explanation is they don't want to feature Akaviri on Bethesda's orders, because they - just like the Dwemer - are supposed to remain alien and mysterious. Which is fine with me. I just don't understand why they couldn't just leave Rimmen out of it then. It's supposed to be a more or less independent kingdom anyway, certainly not the capital of Anequina.

Elsweyr is a really beautiful zone, but the lore of the place is mucked up.

Mascen

Faulgor wrote: »

psychotrip wrote: »

Faulgor wrote: »

That's what Elsweyr should have been.

From the 1st Pocket Guide to the Empire:

Rimmen
Though ostensibly its own kingdom, Rimmen still pays tribute to the Mane of Elsweyr, from whose realm it seceded in CE812 during the Interregnum. Earlier, Akaviri refugees had fled persecution when the warlord Attrebus briefly aspired to the Imperial Throne. Attrebus, though he lasted no longer than most of the pretender kings of that period, thought he might rid Cyrodiil of the foreigners who had ruled it for the first half of the Common Era, and he drove the Akaviris past the Empire's borders into Elsweyr. The khajiit granted them asylum in the hills and steppes of northwestern Elsweyr, where they dwelt in relative seclusion until remnants of the Dir-Kamal resurfaced in Cyrodiil, seizing the Throne from Attrebus' successors. The Rimmen (literally, the "Rim Men," as the khajiit called them) joined their brothers to try to rebuild the Empire. This effort was doomed to failure, but not before the khajiit attempted to reclaim their lands in a series of bloody border wars. Currently, since the ascension of Tiber Septim, the hapless Rimmen have once again submitted to the protection of the Mane, with a renewed tribute paying for the Cat Lord's guarantee of their independence, a truly weak reed upon which to lean.

Long story short, there should be "remnants" of the 2nd Akaviri invasion (Dir-Kamal) in Cyrodiil, who, teaming up with the Akaviri (Tsaesci) in Rimmen, try to rebuild the Empire. Precisely around the time ESO is set. So where is it?

First pocket guide has been retconned for the most part. Just read the sections on Cyrodiil and Summerset!

ESO did...something...with Rimmen right? Didnt they change it so its just vaguely asian imperials distantly related to the akaviri? Lol.

They wont show Akavir though, or any large akaviri force. Unless they make their lore more "grounded" and "realistic" than previous descruptions. Again, just like Cyrodiil and Summerset. If we see Kamal, they'll probably just be like...nords but asian or something.

Screw "retcons", the Pocket Guides paint the more interesting picture of Tamriel. If they don't want to follow it, they should add areas that are not mentioned.

The "Rim-men" in ESO you find in Hakoshae for example are Imperials with Akaviri ancestry, yeah. All the proper Akaviri locked themselves in a shrine in Rimmen, which is such a stupid cop out - they shouldn't have added Rimmen in the first place if they didn't want to feature Akaviri, they basically build the place and are supposed to live there at this time.
Strangely there is an Akaviri world boss to the west of Rimmen, just some humanoid in Tsaesci armor. IIRC, there were some Akaviri ghosts in TES4 as well, and they look pretty much like Imperials.

Most likely explanation is they don't want to feature Akaviri on Bethesda's orders, because they - just like the Dwemer - are supposed to remain alien and mysterious. Which is fine with me. I just don't understand why they couldn't just leave Rimmen out of it then. It's supposed to be a more or less independent kingdom anyway, certainly not the capital of Anequina.

Elsweyr is a really beautiful zone, but the lore of the place is mucked up.

Yeah I agree its kinda messed up, and that's just the lore, the terrain differences between Anequina, Pelletine and Reapers March is staggering. Skyrim kept things relatively similar to one another.

Overall 2 key noted things in Elsweyr; 1 the style is heavily influenced by India and SEA, 2 Rimmen existed before the Akaviri diaspora, but the diaspora largely overtook the previous culture in dominance.

The point of the proposal is to give ZOS something to work with. While a telvanni peninsula expansion with an invasion would be nice, Eastern Black Marsh would benefit from it more given that Murkmire was such a flop ZOS eventually gave it away as a monthly reward. Argonian weapons, armor and furnishings are constantly among the least used/popular in the game so combining it with an Akaviri invasion would make it more memorable. Furthermore from an IRL perspective, much inspiration could be drawn from the Mongol invasions of Vietnam.