How Does One Eat the World? : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Tue Mar 01, 2011 2:12 pm

Ah, so my literal interpretation may not have been literal enough! Thanks for the gloriously written insight.

Edit: Aha, you are Michael Kirkbride. It's great that you contribute to this forum.

» Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:57 pm

(An aside for extra credit: what in the Aurbis makes the Prisoner such a powerful mythic figure?)

Nothing to lose, everything to gain, automatically qualifies him for Rebel-status, poor record keeping makes for anonymity, which is one of the most potent forces in the Aurbis. Because?

Take your pick.

» Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:56 am

(An aside for extra credit: what in the Aurbis makes the Prisoner such a powerful mythic figure?)

The first thing that popped into my head when looking at the word prisoner was Lorkhan.

edit: I cannot recall for the life of me what book I read where Lorkhan tries to hide from Alduin but hides in a place that Alduin has already eaten and gets trapped under a mountain I believe. Somebody through a link out there please. Thanks.

edit 2: http://www.imperial-library.info/content/seven-fights-aldudagga

» Tue Mar 01, 2011 7:12 pm

The first thing that popped into my head when looking at the word prisoner was Lorkhan.

edit: I cannot recall for the life of me what book I read where Lorkhan tries to hide from Alduin but hides in a place that Alduin has already eaten and gets trapped under a mountain I believe. Somebody through a link out there please. Thanks.

edit 2: http://www.imperial-library.info/content/seven-fights-aldudagga

The first thing I thought of was the sign of the Tower, and then Lorkhan. I have no idea why though. One shouldn't post after long periods of sleeplessness, it really destroys cogency.
Incidentally, it took me a while to realize that The Greedy Man in the Aludagga was Lorkhan. I was too used to the common archetype of Lorhkan creation-myths to identify him in this destruction-myth.
I'm incredibly excited for TESV so that we can see more lore from the nordic perspective; what we've gotten so far as been top-notch.

» Tue Mar 01, 2011 11:10 am

(An aside for extra credit: what in the Aurbis makes the Prisoner such a powerful mythic figure?)

The Prisoner is the wild card.

The Rebel and the King perpetuate a cycle [Rebel->King->Rebel->etc.]. The Prisoner is the one who has the power (due to his anonymity: lack of a name) to disrupt that cycle.

I can't correlate this entirely with the previous Prisoners: Eternal Champion, Nerevarine, Oblivion Champion. But I believe they could be linked with altering this cycle in some way. And my current assumption is that Dovahkiin is going to disrupt the King/Rebel cycle of Alduin/Shor. Dramatically. But that's just an assumption.

» Tue Mar 01, 2011 5:33 pm

When you consider a place like Tamriel, sometimes it's best to take titles literally. Alduin is the World-Eater. It's not going to be "the end of all *life* as we know it," leaving a barren wasteland of Earthbone dirt... it's going to be the whole of Nirn inside his mighty gullet.

"None shall survive" has been a calling card for awhile, but that was only a hint to the more extensive "Nothing will survive."

Unless, of course, there's a loophole. Say, something like the someone called the Dovakhiin happening to show up..."born under uncertain stars to uncertain parents." (An aside for extra credit: what in the Aurbis makes the Prisoner such a powerful mythic figure?)

The Eight Limbs (and their Missing Ninth) have always, always made sure there was a loophole. Sometimes to their detriment, sure, but more often a hedged bet to ensure the survival of the current kalpa.

Then again:

Alduin's shadow was cast like carpetflame on east, west, south, and north...[he was] epoch eater. For as far as any man's eyes, only High Hrothgar remained above the churning coils of dragon stop.

And Alduin said, "Ho ha ho."

It's obviously happened before, so sabers sharp, and may your varliance shine bright.

Sounding suspiciously like the Nerevarine returned ... could be a Nerevarine type character - does that mean the hero's job is to ensure that some/something does survive? Will the player be that Dovakiiin? As usually happens. Or is there another role involved?

Do we get to experience the end of one kalpa, the moments/non-moments in between kalpas and the start of the new kalpa? That sounds like there might be a whole new landscape - if the dodgy man and his jumpy pal interfere again and put it all back in the wrong places - oops sorry, nice dragon, was trying to retrieve the bits and got mixed up type stuff ^^

Scary thought the hero might be the dodgy man and his jumpy pal :whistling: