Ok I've got a bit of a question on the Deadric Ruins in Morrowind. Is the style some dunmer architecture, considering that they worship the deadra or is it some deadric style?


Ghost

The architecture is quite distinct from both Velothi architecture (those ashland buildings youll often find Telvanni mages in) and the Dunmer fortresses, which both come from similar ancient timeframes. So either the Dunmer used an unique architecture in building shrines, or Daedra directly contributed to the shrines being built, resulting in such an architecture. In any case, it probably never was a typical Dunmer architecture.

I believe them to be built by Dunmer, possibly using the guidelines for 'responsible architecture' provided to them by Boethiah.

I think it was speculated in the past that the ruins are Lovecraftian -- constructed in weird angles and shapes to show that they're the product of alien thought processes. It didn't occur to me that the Dunmer built them, but I guess it's possible.

"Now and then, individuals can, by accident or carelessness, catch a glimpse of, or even confront the ancient extraterrestrial entities that the mythology centers around, usually with fatal consequences. Other times, they are represented by their non-human worshippers, whose existence shatters the worldview of those who stumble across them. Human followers exist as well. Because of the limitations of the human mind, these deities appear as so overwhelming that they can often drive a person insane. They are portrayed as neither good nor evil; within the Mythos these are concepts invented by our species as a way to explain intentions and actions which may otherwise seem inexplicable."
-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthulhu_Mythos

They're older than the Dunmer, probably. The people of what is now Morrowind probably built them when they were Chimer, under the guidance of Boethiah as you said.

Right, right, I meant the Chimer, doh.

Was it some new style gamesas came up with or was it in some way or another influenced by something from IRL?

As far as I can tell, thre's no real world architecture influences in there, but defintively some from fantastic/sci-fi descriptions of 'otherwordy' places with weird angles, oddly-shaped doors and the like (plenty of examples in 1920-30 texts, Lovecraft among others).

My take would be Bethesda design with literary/arts influences. Thye didn't deisgn that in a vacuum.

It can't be Lovecraftian, there are http://www.google.com/search?q=%22that+nighted%2C+penguin-fringed+abyss%22.

As everyone knows, unspeakable horrors from beyond the physical dimensions are indissociable from http://images.google.com/images?q=%22baby%20penguins%22.

Outside, some Hindu Indian and Maya, Inca, a hint of religious islamic with a splash of unearthly topology.

Inside, islamic from the Mahgreb (ceiling treatment and horseshoe arches, not to mention the censers).
The asymetrical "spiderweb" doors might be some Subsaharan African design with a liberal gush of Late Evil Overlord.



Everybody knows that http://www.pingu.net/uk/index.htm are bent on world-domination and have been running Europe from Switserland ever since 1986.

But GWAR will immediately stop the penguin attack, and then turn their attention on us by enslaving and destroy Earth!
(would link, but it's nsfw)

GOR GOR...difrent song but still bad ass

It looks to me like Bethesda tried to create something that would feel otherworldly, and give a foreboding sort of feeling, something that would make you know something evil lives there as soon as you stepped in, as to where the style comes from, in world terms, the theory about it being built by Chimer with guidelines laid down by Daedra seems to make sense. In any case, the archetecture seems like it's certainly unique to Daedric shrines.