It might be a direct sequel, but Bethesda normally try to make each new TES a completely different game, with slightly different game mechanics etc instead of just going for the typical sequel of more of the same.

I'm hoping Skyrim will be quite different to Oblivion in the way Obilvion was quite different to Morrowind.

you know they could pull a Mass Effect 2 ... killing the main character, in this case the champion of cyrodill... and "rebuild" it
but this would be cheap and not original, so as they always do, you'll start as a nobody, probably coming from jail...

In many ways I can understand why a "direct" sequel would be completely out of the question. The Infernal city like most are bringing up is a good reason why we wouldn't see a "direct" sequel. However I am not one to try and second guess Bethesda and say it won't be. There is way too much in the trailer that currently could lead many to believe in it being a direct sequel. We are also going off the assumption that DLC is going to trump major story arch. At no one point in time has Bethesda said Shivering Isle is 100% canon. For all we know Bethesda is going off the of main story arch the orginial one released with the core game minus the DLC updates. All DLC has ever been is an addition of content to the original game but doesn't mean its 100% canon. Another reason a direct sequel is possible is because of an interesting thread i read earlier in lore that Bethesda has made a couple of little changes before in the transitional story being told between 2 games my example comes from rumors in morrowind.

The rumors in Morrowind suggest that Uriel was going to die of his illness, but instead the writers invented a new death: assassination by the Mythic Dawn.
The rumors in Morrowind suggest that his sons were going to be killed because of the suspicion that they were Tharn's doppelgangers, but instead the writers invented a new death: assassination by the Mythic Dawn.
(Provided by RBNobody)

With Morrowind and Oblivion being only 6 years apart its a pretty big change in story for how things really played out when oblivion was released. This shows that if Bethesda wants the hero to come back and find the "Dragonborn" they could.

Also I think that the Infernal city could be rendered irrelevant is in the sense that skyrim takes place closer to the oblivion storyline than the infernal city does. Even then irrelevant is a bad way to explain it, it just makes it means that Skyrim happend first. I mean 40 years is a long time last time i checked lol. But as i said it may or may not be a direct sequel, there is a lot of info that goes between views that could show each one is a possibility. Either way neither one could be 100% ruled out at this point.

Just my 2 cents :flamethrower:

We will definitely be experiencing our first moments in a jail cell. I can guarantee that.
More than likely we will be a new protagonist that we create, but we really don't know when this game will take place. What we do know is that the Empire is still crumbling, and that Oblivion is somehow responsible for this return of dragons to Skyrim.

what i am hoping for is that it is set into the future. With no emporer the empire would break up into clanish states allowing for more factions, more choice and consequence and more vaired localized wepons and armor
just a thought

No TES game has ever been a literally direct sequel to another one.

Its not going to happen.

I just want the second book so I can see where we are with all of this. :shrug: Until then I don't know anything about when it will take place.

Direct sequel as in same protagonist? Having a new protagonist has been the tradition that Bethesda has maintained, yes. However, who is to say that you wouldn't be the Champion of Cyrodill again? This game will obviously be a chronological sequel to Oblivion, and as pointed above, Morrowind was 6 years before the events of Oblivion. Will you be the Champion of Cyrodill in Skyrim? Probably not? However, it could also happen. Even if you did start out as the Champion of Cyrodill, it wouldn't lessen or hinder character creation in any way, because the player would be starting out new and in jail again anyways. It's also true that regardless of the player and their actions, there is only one ending to Oblivion, so realistically it could be done. This game could take place after the Infernal City, but it also is just as likely to take place a few years after Oblivion.

I'm quite sure it will take place after the events of the Infernal City.

That is your opinion and you are definitely entitled to it. This is obviously something that will not be answered until probably the game itself is released.

And I think it's safe to say that The dev's will not try to justify us playing as a 60+ year old man who should be the Daedric Prince Sheogorath running around in Skyrim.

The thing is, Bethesda makes the Elder Scrolls in such a way that you can be whatever and whoever you want. Who you are is only limited by your creativity. If you want, your player character can be the CoC, you can create an elaborate backstory as to how he retreated from madness, escaped the mantling process, whatever. One of the biggest things that makes the Elder Scrolls the Elder Scrolls is that you can be whoever and do whatever you want.

I'd definately say it is, but it's possible that Skyrim will take place before Infernal City, in which case, obviously, the events of it would have no bearing on the game.

But as to whether Skyrim will be a direct sequel to Oblivion, my guess is no. I certainly wouldn't expect to play as the same protagonist, and a direct sequel usually implies hat what happens followes directly from the previous game, and you'd have a hard time understanding the story if you were not familiar with Oblivion. The Elder Scrolls has avoided this sort of thing in the past and I see no reason why it would start happening now. But it seems pretty obvious that it will be a sequel, indeed, the trailer seems to indicate that the events of Oblivion will somehow lead up to those of Skyrim, considering the mention of the Oblivion Crisis, but I'm guessing this will be similar to how Morrowind sort of led into Oblivion, and not in a everything that happens now is a direct concequence of the last game sort of way. But of course, I could be mistaken, considering that all we know of Skyrim's story so far is what has been hinted at in the story.

Don't get me wrong, I completely understand that. I have been playing TES since 2002 and that was the main draw for me. You could be whoever you wanted and do whatever you wanted. However, we still know that Oblivion has affected the events of Skyrim in some shape or form. With the returning of the dragons to Skyrim, I'm personally under the impression it is because there is no true heir to the throne. With the dragonfires not lit, and the end of the Septim blood line, I think this is having serious consequences on the great empire of Tamriel. Civil war is also breaking out in Skyrim more than likely because of the crumbling Empire. At least from what the teaser trailer has specifically stated, it appears Skyrim will be a close direct sequel (Oblivion was 6 years after Morrowind). It could be a few years after Oblivion, or it could be after The Infernal City. However, I don't think the creation of a novel is going to dictate when Bethesda can place a game into a time line (One has to remember The Infernal City came out last year and that Skyrim has been in development for years).

The Infernal City is canon, and as such included in the lore. Bethesda isn't going to write off a large portion of history. Tamriel works in many ways like a real universe, and you can't just cross off bits of history because you feel like changing that part. Bethesda wouldn't do it.

Also, there is no way the protagonist in the game is going to be the Champion of Cyrodiil. The Elder Scrolls games are all disconnected in that way, and Bethesda would never force upon us a mantle that we feel our character didn't have. It's a role-playing game to the very essence of the word "role-play". You will be able to define your own character. I'm confident about this. Just as Bethesda would never make the Elder Scrolls V something other than a sandbox game, they'll never define your character for you.

ALso, Skyrim happening before the Infernal City would have been a big part of recent history during the time the INfernal city takes place. The Books would have to be retconned to explain why it was never mentioned. I don't think Beth is going to write itself into a retcon like that.

I realize that The Infernal City is canon. Let me try and word this differently. Considering what the teaser trailer has suggested, it's clear Oblivion has had a direct impact on Skyrim. Hence why it is a direct/chronological sequel. What I'm saying is that means Skyrim could take place 6 years after Oblivion (Oblivion took place 6 years after Morrowind). Which would by default make The Infernal City irrelevant because it wouldn't have happened yet. Makes sense now? Also I have explained the second part above. Obviously from tradition, being the Champion of Cyrodill probably wouldn't happen. But I wouldn't say it's impossible either. Regardless of who you are, we are going to start in a jail and have nothing as usual.

Posted by Nordic Warrior earlier:
The rumors in Morrowind suggest that Uriel was going to die of his illness, but instead the writers invented a new death: assassination by the Mythic Dawn.
The rumors in Morrowind suggest that his sons were going to be killed because of the suspicion that they were Tharn's doppelgangers, but instead the writers invented a new death: assassination by the Mythic Dawn.
(Provided by RBNobody)

These two obvious retcons alone show that Bethesda isn't shy of retconning lore to fit the next installment. Could the books be written to specifically address the events between Oblivion and Skyrim? Yes. Is this also an assumption? Yes.

As more evidence to changes being made to story over a 6 year period names more than often also get changed even though they are released and made into canon events.


The book "Words and Philosophy" in Morrowind tells us that Uriel already has an illegitimate son named Calaxes. But the writers invented a new illegitimate son: Marti-- I mean, that that-guy-whose-name-isn't-as-cool-as-Calaxes.
(provided by RBNobody)


bliviongate: :flamethrower: :cryvaultboy:

Thsoe aren't retcons. That's called "not all foreshadowing is true."

But the books themselves give absolutely no hint that skyrim happened, which so far is a blow against your idea.

Edit1: It's implied Calaxes is dead.

The fact it was stated in Morrowind at the time would lead one to believe that is what is established. Bethesda obviously changed that with Oblivion and those concepts became "foreshadowing that is not true" as you put it.

Also who says that the events in TES:V Skyrim would need to be in The Infernal City? For all we know, the events of Skyrim could be mentioned in the next book coming out. Maybe they just aren't necessary to mention (The Infernal City is the pressing issue). The author of the books has no connection to TES whatsoever, aside from writing these two books about events taking place after Oblivion. We could assume he knows about TES:V Skyrim, but it's also quite likely he doesn't. All I am stating is just because this isn't mentioned in a novel doesn't mean it has to come after because of it. Skyrim may come after, but it's clear the events in Oblivion are directly affecting the events in Skyrim.

IN both expansions to Morrowind, there are prophecies relating to TES IV.

And Dragons attacking in Skyrim, when most people haven't even seen them, wouldn't in some way color how people talk? Under your idea it would be recent history for the people during the INfernal city, it would be a part of the collective consciousness. Like how we talk about Hitler as an example of ultimate evil, the recent past would effect the present. There is NO EVIDENCE that this has occured in the Infernal City.

The Infernal City is the prevalent and current issue the citizens who are affected by it are worried about (Why would you talk about something that happened in the past when you have a floating city turning your inhabitants into zombies?). It's also likely Skyrim will be solely in the province of Skyrim, and may not actually affect any other part of the empire. Has Skyrim even been affected in The Infernal City? I personally haven't read it, but there are more than enough reasons for why it wouldn't be mentioned.

-A more pressing issue is happening at the moment
-The author (no prior connection to TES) is merely writing two sequels for Oblivion and does not know the events or details of TESV: Skyrim

I think it's highly unlikely Bethesda would just let someone publish lore of their (copyrighted!) world. They must have at least approved The Infernal City, if not told the author what they want to happen in the book.

The Infernal City and rumors in Morrowind are really different. The Infernal City is purposefully written to expand on Tamriel's history, and the rumors in Morrowind are just that - rumors.

As long as I'm not supposed to use the same character or see a camo of the champion of cyrodil (i don't care if I hear about him/her so much, though) I'm fine.