

Yeah, the base premise is very solid, I am not going to argue. I think there could be additional creatures later on, like the ogres (as alternative to trolls from Niben) or whatnot, but what you said, Saint_Jiub, is pretty accurate. And I do like this approach, we do need to narrow it down to more general theme.Does this sound agreeable, at least as a starting point? I feel that this gives us a baseline for designing new creatures within a consistent/logical ecology.
This is exactly what we needed: a solid, plausible base to start from, and one that can believable merge into a more subtropic climate to the east. One thing i would propose is move the inspiration for the southern regions closer to the Mediterranean steppe, forests and dry woodlands. The area is not tropical yet, but it should be warmer than the northern regions. We should also see to it that the theme doesn't interest with the Shotn's ice age ecology.Saint_Jiub wrote:Does this sound agreeable, at least as a starting point? I feel that this gives us a baseline for designing new creatures within a consistent/logical ecology.
Yes, in an ideal world, you would probably have everything that is referenced somewhere in text of even just names, to have the gameworld full and consistent. Maybe, one day...Ted wrote:I'am not an expert, but i think Cyrodiil or Skyrim need wolverine (you know, Wolverine Hall etc.)
Wolverines are probably more of a Skyrim thing, since Cyrodill's climate is unsuitable for them.Ted wrote:I'am not an expert, but i think Cyrodiil or Skyrim need wolverine (you know, Wolverine Hall etc.)
...or Barenziah.Saint_Jiub wrote:Regarding liches......
Setting aside the concept art that I drew a while back for a moment, what do people think of using Barilzar as a base for our Nibenese liches? His name rings of First Era Cyrod (Barilzar vs. Belharza?)
It's actually very similar to the Royal Guard armor, with couple unique details.and his armor is kind of an interesting fusion of Roman and Japanese that doesn't really fit anywhere else on Tamriel
I can get behind this.Infragris wrote:Another idea was to have the undead wrapped in veils and cloaks, since the "civilized" Imperials consider it unnerving to have bones on display.
That is exactly what I mean! The use of incense and silk further enhances the Nibenese connection.There's this concept from the Beyond Skyrim's Morrowind forum:
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but seeing that Dunmer have absolutely no problems with displaying bones and corpses and so on, it can be better used for Cyrodiil.
The Royal Guard armor is almost certainly an Imperial-inspired, if not outright Imperial, design. Its closest visual analogue is the Legion armor from Daggerfall and Oblivion, and chainmail and steel plate is very out of place for a Dunmeri design.R-Zero wrote:...or Barenziah.Saint_Jiub wrote:Regarding liches......
Setting aside the concept art that I drew a while back for a moment, what do people think of using Barilzar as a base for our Nibenese liches? His name rings of First Era Cyrod (Barilzar vs. Belharza?)It's actually very similar to the Royal Guard armor, with couple unique details.and his armor is kind of an interesting fusion of Roman and Japanese that doesn't really fit anywhere else on Tamriel
I can get behind this.Infragris wrote:Another idea was to have the undead wrapped in veils and cloaks, since the "civilized" Imperials consider it unnerving to have bones on display.
There's this concept from the Beyond Skyrim's Morrowind forum:
but seeing that Dunmer have absolutely no problems with displaying bones and corpses and so on, it can be better used for Cyrodiil.
I also threw together an Oblivion-inspired Lich model last September:
**Dead Link**
Nice idea! Don't know about an incarnation of some certain God or Prince - this must be closely tied to a quest, but I too see unicorns as more of spirits than a physical creature - in the same vein as dragons (or, as it was proposed, tigers). Some type of lesser Aedra?TerrifyingDaedricFoe wrote:I think it'd be interesting to explore the unicorn being some sort of physical incarnation of an aedric/daedric/other spiritual/metaphysical being. Like how in vanilla Morrowind there's the incarnations of (I think) Zenithar, Mara and Talos.
I don't really want to utilize the kirin, just because it's so immediately recognizable as a Chinese legend. That said, I don't really want to just go with a white horse with a horn stuck on either.Summoned by prey. The hare crouches before the fox's muzzle. Perhaps I shall task you, mortal. Set you to hunt for my amusement. In Harcane Grove is a quarry worthy of the chase. First named, last tamed, the unicorn runs wild there. Bring me this creature's horn, mortal. If you dare.
Potential inspiration image?The Maran Knights represent the military strength of Mara, who represents love and peace. She and Her Benevolence recognize that, as hypocritical as it sounds, military strength is often needed to beget this peace. They are a controversial knightly order. Some clerics within the Temple would prefer that the knights disband, but they are in the minority, and most citizens respect the knight's skill and loyalty.
I can see Unicorns being associated with all or any of the three female goddesses.Saint_Jiub wrote:My thoughts on incorporating unicorns into our lore is that they should be spirits associated with Mara, the same way that Spriggans are with Kynareth. The way they fly off the handle in Oblivion when anyone around them draws a weapon reminds me of the description of the Maran Knights in Daggerfall
"Indrik" could work as a colovian name too.Infragris wrote:If we were to have such a creature, I would prefer to call it a Monoceros or Monocerote, the classical roman name for a unicorn.
The problem with that, for me, is that it doesn't really hold up to what we already see in-game. Nobody questions that spriggans are servants of Kynareth, nor are dragons thought by anyone to be descended from Stendarr, etc.Infragris wrote:If we were to have such a creature, I would prefer to call it a Monoceros or Monocerote, the classical roman name for a unicorn.
I still have my reservations regarding "magical" creatures, but I suppose there's no harm if there are lots of normal creatures to balance it out.
About creature lore: it's good to have a clear view of what the creature signifies and to which spirits it is bound, but in the interest of immersion and cultural specifics I would advice making them more subjective and less limiting. An example would be to not say that unicorns are Aedric spirits bound to Mara, but to say that the Maratic cults believe this to be so, and that other cults or folklore have their own view on them.
The Skaal, for example, believe Spriggans are trees touched by the breath of the All-Maker when he brought life to the creatures. I don't mean that you would have ten different interpretations on these creatures, just that some people might go "Oh yes, the majestic unicorn, servant of Mara", and others be like "Them horned jungle goats are good eatings, they is." Not everybody is going to believe in the magical nature of the unicorn, and not everyone is going to care. This ties into the ambiguous nature of TES lore: the unicorn is a servant of Mara, but from within the world there is no way of ascertaining this since there is no voice of absolute authority. It's about presentation, not definition.Nobody questions that spriggans are servants of Kynareth
The smug look on his face is pricelessSaint_Jiub wrote: With that said, this discussion did remind me of a concept I drew months ago, I never actually finished it and kinda lost interest but I'll post it here - it's supposed to be a Daedric servant of Sanguine- I had a few ideas for playing with the "only virgins may approach it" myth that never really panned out in my imagination. I did have a notion that one of its idle animations would involve playing with/stroking its horn (this is Sanguine, after all)
Once a common sight in Cyrodiil's Great Forest, the red Sylvan Nixad is now most often encountered in the glades and meadows of the Gold Coast. Once tamed, they make charming companions, loyal and easy to care for. But they like their food highly seasoned, so when cooking, don't leave them alone in the kitchen near the spice rack.
Looks like just a rehashed Imp, to be honest.Saint_Jiub wrote:![]()