Skyrim Trailer Breakdown

Post » Fri May 27, 2011 1:05 am

First off: lets keep this thread solely for discussion about the contents of the trailer. "OMG ITS ANNOUNCED" posts go in the official thread. I want to see what we can piece together based on this minute of cinematic goodness.

Scene 1: a carved stone wall. In the bottom center, a mage/priest figure with a long beard is holding his arms up, in his right is some sort of scepter. To his left is a warrior in heavy armor, to his right is another warrior with what appears to be long hair. The background has many other figures, though the 3 take central importance. Most of the wall is taken up by a colossal, coiled dragon.
VO, black ground: "You should have acted."

Scene 2: close up of the left section of sn1, including what was previously off-camera. Shows several dragons spewing fire onto the cliffs while tiny people run away. Cliffs appear to have buildings carved into them, and a large rectangular structure with 4 half-arches (temple?) is also featured. Zoom into this structure.

Scene 3: close up of two dragons from previous scene, panning towards top-right. cliff-buildings clearly visible.
VO: "They're already here. The Elder Scrolls told of their return."

Scene 4: close up of secondary figures on wall - people running, cowering, looking upwards. Some are on horses. Panning right.

Scene 5: Close up of 3 primary figures, panning out an up.
VO: "Their defeat was merely a delay."

Scene 6: Another wall detail - helmeted warrior on the left, stylized Oblivion gate on the right. Slow zoom towards the gate.
VO: "Their defeat was merely delay. Til the time after Oblivion opened. "

Scene 7: close up of right side of stella. Armored men fighting. The people on the right wear pretty solid armor, slit skirt things, and horned helmets. Those on the left have shorted, full skirts with slits and segmented armor, appearing more Imperial. Area below is segmented (some sort of platform?) and littered with what appear to be bodies. Slashing swords heard in background.
VO: "When the sons of Skyrim would spill their own blood. But no-one wanted to believe."

Scene 8: Same stone as the stella, but more relief. Slow pan down, revealing claw, wing, and eventually face of dragon, coming alive from within the stone. Dragon opens eye dramatically.
VO: "Believe they even existed.And when the truth finally dawns: It dawns in fire."

Scene 9: Dragon comes alive, fully 3D, out of a cliff. Apparently not part of the stella. It stretches and breathes stylized stone 'fire' onto the stella. Little skeletal men are seen burning (think medieval manuscript illustrations of hell). Slow pan to an armored hand.
VO: "But..."

Scene 10: Armored leg, pan up.
VO: "There's one they fear."

Scene 11: Torso of an armored figure, standing in profile, a sword in his right hand and his left held in a fist in front of his head. He has a long mustache. His armor appears to be Lorical Segmentata, suggesting Imperial origin. It is very similar to the Oblivion Blades armor. The fire wavers in front of him, not touching his person.
VO: "In their tongue, he's [Dovahkiin]" (exact transcription cannot be determined)

Scene 12: Zoom in on guy's face.
VO: "Dragon Born!"

Scene 13: Skyrim logo, on black. The traditional TES theme (head in both MW and OB) plays in the background, this time with a male chanting choir.


Who are "they?"
Most obviously, dragons. However, this is not exactly a satisfactory explanation. The Tamrielic dragons, like Nafalilaargus in Redguard, were not defeated and nothing in lore suggests that they would be coming back in a dramatic, dangerous fashion. We also have no historical record of them ever terrorizing Tamriel. If they really are just strait up dragons, it could be a retcon or a gap in our lore knowledge. Other possibilities include the more metaphorical:

Tsaesci/Akaviri - they have been defeated in the past, and their coming back would be dangerous and dramatic. Dragons are also said to originate from Akavir. However, Akavir is not exactly near Skyrim. I am also unsure as to why the Akaviri (well acquainted with Dragons, Immortal Vampire Snakemen, and God-Tiger-Dragons) would be afraid of the Dragonborn. Their existence is not exactly disputed, either.

Akatosh - the Dragon Lord of Time, and Nordic Alduin, that is "World Eater." He is the destroyer of worlds, and perhaps the Nord's biggest 'enemy' (as much as a Shiva-like god can be an enemy). "They" being multiple makes this less plausible, though it could refer to his multitude of underlings (including the Jills, or time-mending lady dragons). I doubt that the Nords don't believe he existed.

The Empire - dragons are their symbol, and they were defeated, and are set to come back. The sheer amount of gravitas granted to this event makes this an unlikely explanation. Again, their existence is not disputed. However, the nature of their divine right to rule (their dragon status) probably is.

It could of course be some sort of combination of these, like an Akaviri Emperor who is mantling Talos. Or It could be someone we've never heard of before.

Who is the Dragon Born?
"Dragon Born" is used to refer to the Cyrodil Emperors, due to their being 'born' from the Alessian covenant with Akatosh. While the Septim empire has fallen, we know that at least one (that of Titus Mede) has taken its place since. The Imperial armor on the man makes Imperial origin almost certain. Dragons are also associated with Akavir and with time, so "Dragon Born" could could be Akaviri or an avatar/embodiment/child of Akatosh (like a Shezarine, but with Akatosh).

Tiber Septim (anon Talos, anon Ysmir) is the emperor most often associated with the dragon sigil. He is also the patron of empire and conquest.

His being shown strongly suggests that the player will once again take a supporting role in TESV, since the hero (the Dragon Born) is established as male and mustachio'd.
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Cody Banks
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 3:50 am

Reading scene 7 sounds like the main quest will involve some sort of civil war.
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April
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 12:39 am

Ysmir. That's what I'm bettin' on.
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Hayley O'Gara
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 3:20 am

The voice over was done by Max von Snydow. :thumbsup:
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Peter lopez
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 1:37 am

Your anolytical skills are consistently sharp, Lady Nerevar.
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Alba Casas
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 1:03 pm

First off: lets keep this thread solely for discussion about the contents of the trailer. "OMG ITS ANNOUNCED" posts go in the official thread. I want to see what we can piece together based on this minute of cinematic goodness.



Nice work getting that prepared for everyone
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lolly13
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 9:30 am

I like to entertain the thought that the hooded guys standing around Todd Howard were Greybeards. Where their beards are, I don't know.
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cassy
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 1:17 am

I like to entertain the thought that the hooded guys standing around Todd Howard were Greybeards. Where their beards are, I don't know.

If only I knew anything about Skyrim's lore...

Who are the Greybeards?
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Pete Schmitzer
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 2:14 am

The picture you describe of warrior mage, dragon./serpent and I'm guessing the 3rd long haired person is the thief.

I think its portraying the four main birth signs while also showing some 'prophecy'.


I LOOOOVED the Voice over. Awesome, Max Von Smydow! Thx for the name roadrunner.
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Lucky Girl
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 6:37 am

I'm thinking Alduin may make an appearance. It's a mostly Nordic legend, I believe. (Greedy Man)

Perhaps he takes dragon form? Perhaps those dargons are his minions? Perhaps I just love the story and I'm finding evidence where none exists?

But "Dragon Born"... Isn't that a reference to the Septim bloodline? I hope we aren't playing as the next emporer, tbh. And I hope we aren't another sidekick...
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Beast Attire
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 12:59 am

If only I knew anything about Skyrim's lore...

Who are the Greybeards?

From the Imperial Library:

The Throat of the World
This is the highest mountain in Skyrim, and the highest in Tamriel aside from Vvardenfell in Morrowind. The Nords believe men were formed on this mountain when the sky breathed onto the land. Hence the Song of Return refers not only to Ysgramor's return to Tamriel after the destruction of Saarthal, but to the Nords' return to what they believe was their original homeland. Pilgrims travel from across Skyrim to climb the Seven Thousand Steps to High Hrothgar, where the most ancient and honored Greybeards dwell in absolute silence in their quest to become ever more attuned to the voice of the sky.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


No doubt they will have a very important part in the game.
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KRistina Karlsson
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 8:49 am

Could that dragon have been Akatosh?
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Tamara Dost
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 7:38 am

If only I knew anything about Skyrim's lore...

Who are the Greybeards?

Master of the Thu'um. And are so powerful they have to be gagged.

Ysmir was the first person to be able to listen to them without getting blown up, so to speak.

But "Dragon Born"... Isn't that a reference to the Spetim bloodline? I hope we aren't playing as the next emporer, tbh.

I'm kinda hoping we get to pal around with Ysmir.
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x_JeNnY_x
 
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Post » Thu May 26, 2011 11:38 pm

I'm sensing an Akaviri invasion of Skyrim as well as some sort of civil war going on...
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Mark Hepworth
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 8:59 am

The first post is still being worked on, I'll incorporate some of your guy's theories.

So far I've covered the possibilities of the identity/nature of the dragons.

[edit] Gstaff's avatar scares me poop-less D:
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Kat Lehmann
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 3:35 am

I think it's hinting at a second Akaviri (or, very unlikely, atmoran) invasion. Oblivion, by not featuring dragons anywhere in cyrodiil, more or less established that dragons are extinct or hiding in tamriel, whereas Akavir is teeming with them. The other thing running through my mind is that, by dragon-born, do they mean a new and competing imperial/divine bloodline will emerge from Skyrim like Tiber did ages ago? With how vague the trailer is, all I can know for sure is that i'm going to be scanning for news about this game every day for the rest of the year.
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carla
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 2:11 pm

The picture you describe of warrior mage, dragon./serpent and I'm guessing the 3rd long haired person is the thief.

I think its portraying the four main birth signs while also showing some 'prophecy'.


I LOOOOVED the Voice over. Awesome, Max Von Smydow! Thx for the name roadrunner.


I didn't think of that lol
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Nicole Mark
 
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Post » Thu May 26, 2011 10:52 pm

The neverine was a dragon born and a rumor put him in akaviri connection or no?
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Mark Churchman
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 9:00 am

One of the guys in the carving is riding a unicorn, not a horse. Not sure if that's relevant to anything or not.
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kirsty williams
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 4:49 am

Since Infernal City mentioned something along the lines of Skyrim rebelling, I get the idea that Skyrim did indeed secede from the Empire, and subsequently got involved in a civil war. Traditional Nords against Imperial Nords?
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phil walsh
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 9:53 am

The neverine was a dragon born and a rumor put him in akaviri connection or no?

Well, for the Nerevarine, Dragon Born meant he wasn't from Morrowind. But from the West. And dragons probably wound't call the Nerevarine their king. Ysmir/Talos/Tiber/Whatever is the only guy I can think of that fits the "dragon born" theme as king of dragons.

Or it could be some random dude we've never heard of before.
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Isaiah Burdeau
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 2:45 am

I agree. The rebelling and civil war would be a perfect distraction to allow the Akavir to invade.
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Leonie Connor
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 1:34 am

Something to consider: Who will be the major powers in the world, assuming the Empire has crumbled?

I'm thinking the Aldmeri dominion may rise up. Perhaps not majorly, but I can see a few settlements dotted about. I'm not sure of who else feels the need to spread an empire, tbh.

PS. I knew the 200 years thing was gonna be false. :disguise:
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John N
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 6:47 am

Since Infernal City mentioned something along the lines of Skyrim rebelling,

Care to source? I don't recall anything relating to rebellion in IFC, just that spy work in Skyrim is considered a crappy job.

Speculation on identity of the Dragon Born is up.

The problem is that Akavir is 4000 miles from the eastern coast of Tamriel, and Skyrim is well north-west of that. I suppose they could come through Morrowind or sail around to the north shore, but its not the most logical place to invade. On the other hand, they did somehow end up on the Skyrim side of Palepass...
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Lauren Dale
 
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Post » Fri May 27, 2011 7:46 am

Well, for the Nerevarine, Dragon Born meant he wasn't from Morrowind. But from the West. And dragons probably wound't call the Nerevarine their king. Ysmir/Talos/Tiber/Whatever is the only guy I can think of that fits the "dragon born" theme as king of dragons.

Or it could be some random dude we've never heard of before.



the trailer said the dragon feared the dragon born. Maybe all the hero's are dragon born and maybe they are incarnations of talos?
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Elizabeth Falvey
 
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