Interesting, I see some similarities with Oblivion

You are completely misunderstanding my point. I want a story--I simply want the stakes of that story to be something less than the end of the world. It's not that there's no place for apocalyptic stories, but after three games of playing oneupsmanship with the apocalypse, I'd like to see something on a smaller scale.

I understand what you're saying, Its like they use "end of world" like a stamp for the players purpose in the game. It would be interesting if the players purpose in the game was more intertwined and shrouded in mystery with an ending that made you say ah ha! NOW I GET IT!

This is what I would want -- no story at all, just like Seinfeld. But plenty of back story, lore and an interesting world with competing individuals and factions and player choice whether to help any of them or not. Leave the "story" to the books and movies. I play video games to have fun creating my own stories through the medium of the game, not to act out someone else's story.

If we had to have a story, then this is how I would want it to be -- something where the stakes are not the end of the world for a change -- maybe something more personal and fighting for control of a town, region or province to keep it from falling into enemy hands and where the sides weren't so black and white, like trying to stop angry Argonians invading Morrowind (or deciding to help them), or something like that.

I am not going to respond to every post, since this this thread is growing fast, but I generally agree with what Zaarin and Huleed are saying.

Did you think the threat was castrated in Die Hard? Bruce Willis was an ordinary guy who rose to the occasion. I prefer self made heroes, heroes who are ordinary people who do heroic things because they are thrust into events that require someone to step up and be a hero. Those sorts of stories are way more interesting to me than a story about a prophesy of a great evil that says not to worry because a chosen one would step in and stop the evil.

I detest the chosen one trope because its so predetermined. Why even bother? Where is the urgency and suspense if you know there is this one chosen hero guy who has been prophesied to defeat the bad guy using his "special power"? Getting rid of the prophesy and just letting the story unfold is better in my opinion than relying on the trope of a prophesy/chosen one.

However, if there must be some kind of prophesy, why must it be the only prophesy on the subject? Tamriel is not a world with a single monotheistic god. Why not competing prophesies from different gods with different outcomes? Why not prophesies that are more vague and could be interpreted multiple ways? That sort of stuff is way more interesting to me than a single unambiguous prophesy of a great evil who will be defeated by a special chosen one using some type of special power that others don't possess. That type of story telling is unoriginal and way overused in fantasy settings.

That's what I'm saying too, with All the Daedric Princes each having a Warrior to fight for them you choose which one to fight for. Each one has a different perspective on the story. With opposing ultimate warriors each representing that daedric god you can fight.

Not main plot related but I would love to see a zealous religious order rise up and gain prominent influence like the Allesian Order from the First era (I believe). I was hoping for that with the Vigilants but that faction felt like wasted potential.

I also would love to see religious factions make a return. The Tribunal was my favorite faction in Morrowind, and I was disappointed by the lack of anything similar in Oblivion and Skyrim.

I too enjoyed the Tribunal faction, largely because of the way the religion was presented which seemed to have more of a focus on spirituality and mysticism (with a small "m") than dogma.

Indeed. Something about the Imperial cult felt like a religion designed by a non-religious person--a stereotype of religion, if you will--while the Tribunal felt more authentic. That was my impression, anyway.

Oh no! Queen Barenziah demands to be served her favorite confectionery treat, Netch Pie! Its up to the best gourmet in Tamriel to wow aristocrats all across the continent with a amazing display of culinary wonders!

...A Tamrielic Cooking Mama, basically.

You start as the leader of a mercenary band/privateer ship in the city of Senechal in Elsweyr.

You receive a contract from a mysterious employer with a VERY high reward.

Gasp in shock as you discover that the contract involves eliminating Thalmor and their vassals within the region.

Take the contract and later find out that you are acting as a proxy for a foreign power (let's say, the Maormer) to establish a foothold in the region.

Or, contract your services to the local Khajiiti authorities and foil this plot lest the elves intervene themselves.

Yeah, I loved the Tribunal. Especially the Ordinators which enforced their laws. Definitely my favorite aspect of Morrowind.


The Vigil had potential in that regard but instead it seems like the faction was cut or never finished before launch.

...That actually sounds like a great game.

I haven't really thought about specific plots, but one start for a game could be as a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjmbgZ2wZvk. If it's an Imperial galley, it could be used to show the decay of the Empire, as they're using prisoners like slaves.

Of course, at some point (https://youtu.be/AjmbgZ2wZvk?t=1m25s) is yelled, climixing* in https://youtu.be/-OjdG01CbPc?t=1m37s. In the end, the player ends up on the shores of the game's province, where he can begin anew.

*Somehow the word 'climix' sounds a bit dirty in the context of sweaty men in loincloths.

Even then, I'd prefer there was somekind of a twist to it. Like:

Thalmor: "The X! It's not doing what you said it would do!"

Mephala: "Oh, that's because I lied."

Thalmor: "AUDIBLE GASP!"

It would be nice to see the Prince of Plots and Prince of Lies doing a little more plotting and lying...

Mephala finally reveals herself to the The Night Mother, and has been trolling the Dark Brotherhood for centuries.

That would explain why they're a bunch of murder clowns.

1. A noble in High Rock who rose to such a position they were awarded the title of lord of a minor fiefdom, using their love of adventuring they eventually turn their newly acquired fiefdom into a large city and center of trade between Wayrest, Daggerfall and the Redguard cities to the south
2. A refugee who helped repel the invading Argonians to eventually raise to the position of head of one of the houses and leads Morrowind into a new age
Either one of those.

I like the idea of a Tribunal type faction coming to power. I would also like to see them tied to the MQ, meaning the player would have to actively seek out the faction/factions and move through the ranks before they even get a hint of the mq. No more chosen one world ending from level 1 mq's please.

I escape from prison and get told I need to find someone or something of great importance then goes on to Tamriel to explore and join the Fighter's Guild then goes on an expedition and completely forgets what I was set out to do in the first place .