The Elder Scrollshas been consistent with its openings, where the player character is an unknown prisoner, and it’s likely thatThe Elder Scrolls 6will be no different. ForOblivionandSkyrimin particular, the player character begins as a nobody with no remarkable features, and it is during the events of the game that their actions earn them their reputation. This works well for Bethesda RPGs in particular, as it allows players to build a new character from a blank slate, but there are advantages to having some kind of background for a player character.
Avowed’s player character is recognized as an envoy from the Aedyr Empire. This is a set background but is vague enough to not be limiting as an RPG player character. Some limitations on player characters can actually help when developing characters on a creative level, and having a set background can serve as guidance for players when roleplaying inThe Elder Scrolls 6.
The Elder Scrolls' Approach to Its Protagonists
The Elder Scrolls Has a History of Blank Slate Protagonists
The player takes control ofOblivion’s protagonist, the Hero of Kvatch, when they’re imprisoned in the Imperial City Prison. They’re freed when the secret escape route for the Emperor happens to lead through the prisoner’s cell.Skyrim’s protagonist, the Last Dragonborn, is introduced as a prisoner who was captured by getting caught in the crossfire between the Stormcloaks and Imperial soldiers on Skyrim’s border.
Avowedreleases on February 18, and takes a very different approach to its player character. Rather than a character who is unknown to the other characters of the game, the protagonist has been chosen by Aedyr’s emperor to be his envoy in the Living Lands. The player is assigned to discover the source of the Dream Scourge, a plague that has been devastating the Living Lands, although there are different opinions on how Aedyr’s envoy should address it.
How The Elder Scrolls 6 Can Adapt
Taking Cues from Avowed Could Be in The Elder Scrolls 6’s Best Interest
An approach like this forThe Elder Scrolls 6’s protagonistcould be an interesting twist onThe Elder Scrolls' formula.The Elder Scrolls 6’s protagonist could still be a prisoner, but the story could be altered somewhat so that the character could be renowned for the life they had before the events of the game. While this would be a massive departure for Bethesda, and more akin to games such asMass Effectwhere the character has an established past, it could still be open-ended enough through dialogue options to lean into RPG systems and to give players the opportunity to roleplay.
This wouldn’t be entirely new forThe Elder Scrolls. For example,The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind’s protagonistwas deliberately pardoned by the Emperor and sent to a Blades agent, who already knew them. With some minor tweaking, this role could be used inThe Elder Scrolls 6. A role such as this could also serve to inform players of the lore and current world state of Tamriel, such as the role of the Emperor and the player character’s place in society.
This kind of background for player characters can help players create different and interesting characters. Often, developing a player character from a blank slate in an RPG can be more difficult than developing one with some kind of backstory, and even a small amount of structure can make a world of difference. Giving players a role right at the start, rather than several missions into the main questline ofThe Elder Scrolls 6, could make a world of difference for some players.
