With the upcoming Blackwood chapter, we will have the opportunity to explore a significant part of the Nibenay geographical region. While the eastern half of the worldspace will obviously be an opportunity to experience plenty of Argonian stuff, the western half will be part of the core area anciently belonging to the Nibenese. The history of the area is overshadowed by the domination by heartland elves of the Nedes.

Lawrence Schick, speaking in character as Abnur Tharn in an old "Loremaster's Archive" article, expresses the belief that the Nibenese are the inheritors of the ancient nedic spirit:

In Nibenay alone do we find the kind of continuity that sheds light on original Nedic culture, for only here were the great, old traditions maintained in any fidelity. Thus, when you look at a Nibenese, you see the closest thing to a pure-bred Nede still remaining on this continent.

. Note, that he is speaking in present tense.

While we've seen this area in a previous title, and Zenimax likes to stick close to established geography, they also express a desire to put their own stamp on things. Amongst the shortcomings of TES4: Oblivion's lore was it's lack of development or distinction of this idea of Nibenese people. If they come from Nedic roots, surely somewhere, the remains of these roots must still exist? For the Ayleids to conquer them, there must have been something to conquer?

In my opinion, ESO's depiction of a Nedic culture and society was one of the more substantial and organic contributions to TES lore. They were lifted out of the PGEs and given shape and tone that we have never seen before. They managed to do this, while still weaving them into the lore framework that was already established. We haven't seen anything since then. Yet theoretically, the nedic culture(s) constitute a horizon over which all the other cultures of continental Tamriel have built, and like Craglorn, Nibenay must have been an important centre, or at least the exciting theatre for one of Tamriel's most significant periods.

Thoughts?