The Elder Scrolls Cyrodiil A 'Much Weirder Place' in Original Lore
A long-time Bethesda worker shared that the Cyrodiil in original Elder Scrolls stories was a "much weirder place" than seen in the game Oblivion. This area in the game is known for its classic Imperial ways, but it was first thought up as a stranger spot.
In the game’s heart, Cyrodiil lies The Imperial City.
A Lore Pro’s View on a Less Wild Cyrodiil
Kurt Kuhlmann, who has been with Bethesda for nearly 30 years and helped shape the Elder Scrolls stories, talked about the world in the game. Kuhlmann had left after the launch of Morrowind and got back just before Oblivion was done. When he got back, he felt that Cyrodiil was not as he had dreamt it up.
"I was not part of the first team making Oblivion," Kuhlmann said. "When I joined, everything was set. What I saw, well, it didn’t look like what you'd expect from an Imperial guide... Cyrodiil was meant to be much weirder."
Selling Points vs. Odd Stories
Kuhlmann thinks he gets why the team changed it. He guesses the need to fit the big hit of "The Lord of the Rings" at that time pushed them.
"I get why they went another way. Maybe Todd [Howard] wasn’t into all that weirdness," Kuhlmann noted. "If I was there from the start, I would have pushed for those odd bits. But the team had to think about sales... I'm not sure if those odd parts would have made Oblivion sell better."
He added, "Looking at it from this side, the choice makes sense... But I'm a fan of the strange stuff."
What’s Next for The Elder Scrolls
Right now, Bethesda is working on The Elder Scrolls VI. The news hints that a more detailed trailer for the new game could be shown soon.