Elder Scrolls HOT TAKES | The Elder Scrolls Podcast #83

[@madbeetle4470]

The chad Drew: "you should conjure a gf" That had me in stitches, Drew's sense of humor is one of the things I'm going to miss most about him as a part of this channel.

[@the_teymur_]

When it comes to the, “Talos is a Daedric Prince”, take, I think what they were referring to is the fact that Talos did not give up some of his power to create Nirn like other Aedra. So, in essence he is more similar to a Daedric Prince than an Aedric Divine.

[@InquisitorThomas]

I mean the problem is that Daedric Prince is a very ill-defined term since the typical definitions are really fully encompassing: “A Daedric Prince is an entity that didn’t give up their power at the creation of Mundus” except Trinamac/Malakith did give up his power in the creation of Mundus, and Dagon and Myridia weren’t even around for creation. “A Daedric Prince rules over a realm of Oblivion” there are realms of Oblivion that either aren’t ruled by a Daedric Prince and is instead the collective home of a type of Daedra like the Atronachs, or there are small realms ruled by very power Dremora that aren’t quite prince level, also Jygalag is presumably still a prince but lost his Realm. “Daedric Princes are Padomeic Beings who typically rule over chaotic aspects of the world” Is Azura’s domain of Twilight really more chaotic then Kynereth’s domain of air and the sky or Zenithar’s domain of craft and commerce?

[@the_teymur_]

@@InquisitorThomas Fascinating, thank you for sharing.

[@worbak]

Depends, if Talos was mortal, he was at one point a being that did give up power to create Nirn if you follow the Altmer story. Since all beings in Nirn were once spirits.

[@NieroshaiTheSable]

I think the problem is the Alessian/Elven narrative that a spiritual being HAS to either be one of the creator deities or a fiercely independent pagan god. There is no reason, none whatsoever, that the creators can't have divine allies or that one of the creators can't be selfish and obsessed with power.

[@worbak]

@@NieroshaiTheSable Yeah, it is weird. The Altmer see the Gods as just ancestors, but for some reason, can't comprehend the idea of a Human ancestor god. If they followed a more fundamental version of their faith, then anything/everything on Nirn is Aedric and anything that isn't is Daedric. Hence the origins of the name, but then they applied further qualities that they just liked to form some moral high ground.

[@Thrash666Wolf]

Hot take: ESO is canon, however with the "unreliable narrator" in mind. If the Elder Scrolls lore is considered to be "told" in a sense, ESO is being told with extreme exaggerations, like by a drunk Nord in a bar.

[@Dorgpoop]

Yeah that's a good idea. Maybe because it's set so long before the other games it could be like how ancient history is so exaggerated into legends

[@cloroxusthestainlessone4324]

Talos shitfaced in sovenguard , telling the "I shit you not" stories

[@brooklyn6279]

This isn't really a hot take considering bethesda considers ESO canon

[@raidermayham3671]

I like that idea like a guy in a bar saying how his great ancestor chad dingle nuts held the throne of cyrodil for 30 minutes

[@aysseralwan]

@@Dorgpoop it's not ancient history at least to the elves it isn't. Keep in mind they get several hundreds years old for them 1000 years are 2-4 generations and while that's still like a good amount of time it wouldn't be enough time for becoming legendary and myth. I'd say 1000 yrs for the elves are like 100 years for humans. So the perceived distance is like our distance to WWI

[@loupoprocky3417]

“The community is way too horny” - Drew 2022

[@arby327]

Have you even seen TrueSTL?

[@Subject_Keter]

Bikini Armor and CE body model

[@GrayCompany1974]

It's true lol

[@kitshaffer363]

He's not wrong 🤣🤣

[@Playaplaya18]

Dibella has unsubscribed from Fudgemuppet

[@jmell458]

Re: if Scott were trying to talk someone down from a ledge using grapes - some research has shown that focusing on weird concrete details like that actually decreases the chances of the person jumping. The best line of questioning so far appears to be "Oh, you're gonna jump? Can I have your wallet?" which takes their thinking down to a concrete, more rational level. So Scott's "You might wanna eat grapes tomorrow" could unironically work 👀

[@oliveradams2786]

Nice metaphor

[@alemirdikson]

I have no problem with The Ebonheart Pact in principle. I love the idea of the Nords, Dunmer, and Argonians teaming up. They're some of my favorite races and they have such history with one another. It feels poetically correct to have such ancient enemies forced to work together. I just need much, much better justification for it, than, "Hey let's get involved in politics because funsies I guess"

[@PyrusFlameborn]

A real "we hate each other but we all hate this other guy more"-situation

[@graysonofthewood3747]

Totally agree, I think that’s exactly the issue. The fact they hate each other so much makes their pact all the more spicy… but it NEEDS good justification to be believable.

[@loganzabkowicz7295]

Ur silly then

[@17kpk]

Hot Take: The Code of Malacath concerning the succession of the son killing the father isn't limited to Chief's alone, but to Malacath as well. Malacath is the "Orc father", and his code is secretly telling the Orcs that by challenging him and killing him they could become the new Malauch through mantling him. In fact, perhaps the reason he wants his Orcs to be strong is because he wants to be succeeded: perhaps by his death and the mantling of a new Malacath the Orc curse could be broken, as it is tied to him.

[@BR-bn1mz]

I’ve always assumed the code was made to create 1 perfect orc to mantle him rather then a successful orc society. If he really wanted them to be successful as a people he would of sent them to make an Orsinium and not a tribalist Darwinist circle jerk

[@memeshort7189]

More of a theory, but, one of the coolest I've heard.

[@YourWaywardDestiny]

Yeah, not a take, but I really love that you put this out there. That's a great theory, and I will now take that into my own personal head cannon. Even his personality and back story fit nicely into this. It's so easy to see that he might be looking to just go die (and probably always has) but he's still **just** compassionate enough to those who didn't drop him like a nasty piece of trash to not want to leave the orcs high and dry.

[@GlobTheDabGlob]

I actually kind of enjoy this take! Good food for thought lol. Imagine TLD killing malacath and becoming an orc god?

[@dzwadziescia]

YES!

[@rileygoddard7181]

Orsinium is always doomed to fail, not because the idea is unsound, but because orcs always must be outcasts. They can't ever have a place where they aren't outcasts, or else they'll be betraying Malacath. Therefore, any place intrinsically designed to make orcs anything other than outcasts is doomed to fail by the will of Malacath.

[@jamiemckell34]

Hot take 6: The Mage, Warrior and Thief types in the Elder Scrolls represent the three dead gods.. Magnus, Trinimac & Lorkhan. That's who you see in the background clouds and stars when levelling up.

[@Awoken0]

Not a take, but a theory.

[@Kshthymyla]

@@Awoken0 Theories are takes too

[@Awoken0]

@@Kshthymyla not really and definitely not what they're looking for. They specified in this very video and previously as well.

[@jeambeam3173]

​@@Kshthymylanot necessarily that hot

[@jeambeam3173]

​@@Kshthymylalike theres nothing you can say that would make sense in terms of whta you could say to go against your take so its not a hot take

[@ShadowFerretofD00m]

Hot take: the Nerevarinne’s canon race should be a khajiit, Azura’s other favored race, sent to humble the dunmer by having one of the races they look down on most as the reincarnation of their greatest hero.

[@bugenjoyer2187]

I love this

[@lazilycatharticone4191]

@Sanguine well, you do buy a slave for an ashlander to marry in Morrowind, under the false impression she's a Telvanni princess. Don't know if that actually counts tho?

[@UnBotCualquiera1]

@Sanguine one of the wise woman of the ashlander says that they dont use khaajit as slaves because their agility makes them hard to keep and eye to, other example is in the mages guild, when sink, an argonian wants to have an interview with a wise woman, she instead sends his apprentice who has the dutie of "charm" an ancestral spirit as pubishment for having compation to a escapee slave

[@johnwhittington2998]

It should be argonian to piss off every dark elf

[@UnBotCualquiera1]

@@johnwhittington2998 [This comment was censored by order of the Temple]

[@elgringobandito7118]

Here's my hot take: The recommendation part of the mages guild quest in Oblivion are the best quests of the game. I feel that these quests do a great job of giving the player a sense of belonging in the world through getting to talk to the people of and meet this large Mage's guild organization, of exploring the province of Cyrodill through all the guild halls across the country, and by equipping the player with a wide amount of the tools they need. By keeping the stakes low, it keeps the player better engaged, with the small scale of everything leading to a more, well, normal world. Meeting funny students, getting involved in drama, dealing with shitty bosses, but at the end of the day having the world go on, with no cataclysmic or seemingly life changing event happening makes the world feel so much real, and like the player is a part of it. Having a player become the "Hero of the world" or whatever other elevated status doesn't lend someone to being able to relate to an experience, none of us playing TES have a life that revolves completely around us. A world that goes on every day, and has small scale ways you impact, feels much more like reality. Also, you get cool spells and what's better in a fantasy game?

[@MatthewShute]

I think that's a really good take. Some of my best memories of playing Oblivion were those Mage's guild quests, roleplaying as a pure mage character. The recommendation quests work brilliantly as a build up to finally getting into the Arcane University, which then feels all the more special. A very different feeling compared to the Mage's guild in Skyrim, where you can just wander in to the College of Winterhold after casting one spell.

[@denmark_2172]

Salt Factory does a great dissection of the Oblivion side quests, but basically, yes. The main Guild quest line ends up being more “we’re so helpless, thank heavens you showed up!” The other guilds do that to a degree, but the Mages Guild is *only* that. The opening is easily their strongest part

[@sylph4252]

For the "Smash or Pass" episode you must get Camel

[@pippogriffthegreat7003]

By Azura... YES

[@whispro4646]

Yes agreed

[@adamxei9073]

They got heavy burns.

[@adamr.5544]

Hot take: Helseth is a visionary, who could've saved Morrowind, but was too late. He arranged for House Dres to abandon slavery and join his abolitionist movement, and then defeated the other houses in a war to end slavery. Sure, he did it to strengthen the Empire's hold on the province and in turn solidify his power, but it would've been for a good cause. Argonians would've been freed. They wouldn't have to seek revenge. If he had more time, and less catastrophes (Oblivion Crisis, Red Year), he could've finalized his vision and made peace with Argonia. And somehow, he is almost universally hated among fans. I don't get it. "He's destroying Dunmer culture!" Really? He's an agent of change, with his machinations and assassinations. That's a pretty Dunmer thing to do.

[@luizmachioni4741]

this dude straight up preaching over here

[@lolihitler4198]

unironically yes helseth isnt a traitor hes a devotee of mephala

[@colinedgar6742]

Not a bad point! Kind of amazing given that many Dunmer basically leapt on their swords rather than change at all, even when Vivec commanded them to.

[@placeholdername3818]

@@colinedgar6742 Elves gonna Elf. They hate change.

[@The_Sharktocrab]

Theories aren't hot takes

[@ravenechoseven9726]

Not gonna lie... half my hot take was to get Scott riled up... mission accomplished. Love ya though Scott!

[@gelonvia8525]

Based

[@T1ttyLedz]

At first I read that as "to get scot retired" 🤣

[@SuperDarkstarkiller]

I think you did it 😂

[@WHITEDIRTProductions]

Hey everyone they read my take and I want everyone to know because I’m a simp for the boyz

[@futurewario9591]

HOT TAKE 🌶️🔥🥵🔥: The Speech Check MiniGames in OBLIVION is actually fun, exciting and very immersive & Personality in OBLIVION & MORROWIND is the best attribute.

[@DoctorTardis100]

Hot Take: Enchantment should be WEAKER than Spells, and Spell crafting not being in Skyrim weakens the genre of fantasy. Magic in its raw casted form should be inherently more powerful than if its applied to armor or weapons. There should be a transmutation cost incurred to the effects that are applied with diminishing returns for additional enchanted effects. By being able to craft "Death Ultimate Fork" with metaphorically thousands of enchantment effects, it weakens the value of receiving any Daedric Prince Artifacts.

[@echoecho3155]

This is a pretty good take, actually.

[@therandomizedassasin]

Hot take: Elder scrolls games should allow characters to parkour similar to dying light. Add verticality to the game with wood elves being able to climb etc.

[@vivi-wr8nm]

bethesda still can't figure out latters so idk

[@NieroshaiTheSable]

The physics would need to not be janky first.

[@cmelton6796]

@@NieroshaiTheSable I'm playing Daggerfall. A Monk killed my character by hitting him from the other side of a dungeon wall. TES games have been a glitchy mess for a long time.

[@Brandelwyn]

There's a mod for skyrim that allows you to climb stuff

[@riffdenbow9055]

The thing about Boethiah's underwater ruined shrine in Morrowind is vanilla. Finding it is how you start the Boethiah quest.

[@sarahmeike95]

Reposting because this is my only hot take I feel super strongly about: Hot take: Dagoth Ur had the right idea, and if we had been able to join him, Red Mountain wouldn't have started destabilizing after the battle, and Voryn at full power wouldn't have let Baar Dau hit Vivec anyway. The Nerevarine could have become a god alongside Voryn, convinced him to keep the power of the heart between themselves (as in, no more putting holes in peoples faces as a "gift") and Morrowind would still be thriving with a non-exploding volcano. Tldr: killing Voryn Dagoth was a mistake. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk 😂

[@NieroshaiTheSable]

But Dagoth Ur was mad, maniacal, and unswayable. Not being his pawn means destroying him, so agreeing with his cause but still wanting to win would mean becoming as he was.

[@sarahmeike95]

@@NieroshaiTheSable well yes, but actually no. 😂 With sunder, wraithguard and keening, the Nerevarine wouldn't have to use the heart in the same way as Dagoth Ur, instead the way the Tribunal did. Which kept them more or less sane. And I think he would have been swayable, to an extent, for his only true friend. Just wasn't in game because that would have broken the nice clean linear story lol.

[@dstinnettmusic]

I think the point of the godhead is that it is your dream. The player is the godhead. You create the dragonbreaks. Your choice to exploit the game mechanics and rules of the game world gives you a god-like ability to transcend the limits of other characters in the world. You can debate if that is good or bad writing, but I can see the purpose and the immersion it creates.

[@lynxfangr]

I was just explaining Chim to my girlfriend the other day and had the idea that console commands were achieving Chim! It's powers beyond all imagination achieved when you break your own immersion and admit that its just a game.

[@jasonfilipe452]

This is facts

[@dstinnettmusic]

@@lynxfangr and for some people, that is exactly the moment they stop playing. For others that is where the fun truly begins. Which is the Dwemer vs Talos,

[@vivecthepoet36]

Skyrim's Civil War storyline and the Alduin/Dragonborn storyline should not have been simultaneously events, they should have been the early game main quest and late game main quest respectively

[@CQchaos7474]

I agree. With the threat of a literal world ending dragon a constant from the beginning it feels like if you do anything besides rush the main quest line you're just wasting time. I would have also like to see the thalmer attack after the civil war is over since their goal is to weaken the empire for the next war. I think it would have made it clear just who the real enemies are.

[@colt9836]

​@@CQchaos7474 But Alduin wasn't there to to end the world; it is still the same Alduin that held absolute authority over mortals and his kin, instead of destroying the Kalpa. The reason why he destroys Helgan is because he's super fucking pissed that the Tongues defeated him lol. The LD wasn't sent to delay the end, they were sent to ensure it. But cutting Alduin down, Aka was able to reabsorb the Black Dragon and hit the reset button when needed.

[@RKGrizz]

Hot Take: Scott's hatred for Sheogorath stems from him not playing Shivering Isles in over a decade. He is so engaged with the internet meme culture that he has forgotten how well written and voiced Sheogorath was in game.

[@virginiastatesman4672]

I am playing through it rn and i agree

[@thomaswienenga2378]

He’s kind of an elder scrolls hipster, he doesn’t like anything that everyone else likes

[@Subject_Keter]

Sheogorath is very interesting in Shivering Isles, it like a magic act where 4 people live in a guy head and they seamless switch roles midtalk to confuse you but all going down the set goal.

[@Bleachigo162]

Could be wrong but I don’t think Scott hates the original sheogorath he just hates what the hero has become because he is just a weird meme and has practically no writing

[@experiment35]

Hot Take; There are NO romantic relationships to be had in Skyrim/The Elder Scrolls. The player character has more chemistry/romance with Brynwolf and Karliah than ANY of the 2D inconsequential side characters you can actually marry. This is BAD writing, a detriment to role playing and makes the games feel less human. I think it's also the reason people end up simping for randos as a substitute. Romantic entanglements are fun and juicy, and leaving them out is just the result of an immature and reductive attitude towards relationships which sees them as functional (marriage in game or the game as porn) rather than the complex, essential and motivating story components that they really are.

[@jeambeam3173]

Not a hot take i think anyone would agree with this. It's partially why so many people mod there skyrim with custom romance options

[@iffyphoenix1747]

Hot Theory: The Elder Scrolls universe isn’t so much a literal dream as it is a figurative one. The dream is an idea that is contributed to by the Godhead, which is the collective community, game devs, and writers who help to expand the universe and improve upon it.

[@Daniel_Lancelin]

I think that's just the actual meta reason for stuff like the Godhead, but then it's kinda implied that the influence of the devs/writers and the playerbase is an actual in-universe metaphysical force.

[@dairydregone7146]

Hot Take: You know, the Thalmor's ultimate plan is to "deactivate the world towers" to end Nirn and they seem to think all of the "world towers" are on Tamriel. I got to say that's unlikely because if these "world towers" are what holds up the world or something, then there got to be some on Akaviri or Atmora. I don't think the Gods would forget to put the "world towers" on those lands.

[@RylovesCher23]

It is stated that the Coral Tower was on the island the Sload inhabit. So they are "kinda" spread out even now, but I think it plays into the Aldmeris was a Pangea type continent that broke apart. Because them being mostly around Tamriel fits the kinda heart of the world thing, if it was the center of Aldmeris. Personally I wouldn't mind seeing that the fall of Yokuda came from the sword technique effected a Tower on the continent and that's what the cataclysm was.

[@nothingnobody1454]

Tamriel is the great arena tho.

[@dhindaravrel8712]

Don't limit player options because you think it's a more fun way to play for some people. If you don't want to reload a save but deal with the consequences instead, just do that. Don't force that playstyle on everybody. That's the beauty of the single player experience: flexibility in how you want to do things.

[@Subject_Keter]

This 100%! I hate when people want to nerf this or that while their workhorses are A okie!

[@NoLifeKing_0]

I agree but when it comes to certain things, like fast travel, the developers design the game around that aspect. So if you don’t like fast travel then sure you don’t have to use it, but if the game is designed with the intent that the player will use fast travel, it isn’t going to be fun for those who don’t want to use it.

[@NoLifeKing_0]

@MomPickMeUpImScared …yes, I know. What’s YOUR point? I never said there weren’t things to find. If you mean in terms of exploration between objectives, I disagree. There’s nothing new to be found climbing high hrothgar for the tenth time, nor travelling from whiterun to solitude over and over, through the same roads and mountains.

[@MoarteaLunii]

​@@NoLifeKing_0got a point

[@iansavard4489]

Hot take : Bethesda retconning half-breeds is actually a good thing. Imagine how chaotic things would be with actual half-breeds.

[@NieroshaiTheSable]

Hmm, sounds like D&D, which handles it just fine...

[@iansavard4489]

@@NieroshaiTheSable D&D is a board game

[@denmark_2172]

I gotta agree. I love the idea, but imagine a game with 100 combinations of BASE character types, 200 of you include genders. I love the idea, but I think the game would be a little too loud with that much going on.

[@nothingnobody1454]

@@NieroshaiTheSable adding half argonians just isn't worth it. No new players are going to join us over that

[@alpharius2omegaboogaloo384]

@@nothingnobody1454 Nonsense! The “WIDER AUDIENCE” will always buy anything like hot cakes with one simple change! And then another, and then another…

[@worbak]

Hot take: Breton lore was done dirty. Arthurian Legend and Fey stuff as well as Reach stuff could all be cool. Especially with some internal politics with the natural Breton ambition. Plus they have both Anu and Pady influence being the bridge of both Man and Mer.

[@chelvo56]

Hot Take: The fact that Argonians apparently have Political Parties is a pretty big hint that there is something else going on in the heart of blackmarch. Like, the tribes is something we know of, but who knows what truly lies in the swamps? Honestly there should be some game where that gets explored one day. Also the Argonians completely wrecked the Dunmer in the War and what Redoran Defeated were mostly unorganised raiders, with the main army already having returned, their war goals of the reconquest of northern blackmarch and revenge completely fulfilled. Anyone who claims that this somehow is a Dunmer victory is just coping.

[@ThibautVDP]

i blame myself for ensuring the ministry of truth would crash and the mountain would go boom.

[@Priceluked]

Sure the Argonians won but only after the Dunmer's Gods and entire way of life was destroyed and then had one of their major cities destroyed and then they got fucked by Umbriel and then fucked by Mehrunes Dagon.

[@futurewario9591]

HOT TAKE 🌶️🔥🥵🔥: The Speech Check MiniGames in OBLIVION is actually fun, exciting and very immersive & Personality in OBLIVION & MORROWIND is the best attribute.

[@The_Sharktocrab]

Not a hot take

[@user-oz1ny]

@@Priceluked cope

[@JH-fb3mp]

The Godhead theory is based in actual ancient philosophy and spirituality. Kirkbride was heavily inspired by Hinduism and Buddhism

[@KorporateKotoo]

Oblivion is super goofy looking, it's the only reason it's not my favorite elder scrolls game. Faces, races, hair, armor/weapons, voices, and gameplay can be pretty immersion breaking.

[@bennusmagnus5277]

Hot Take: The two books titled The Infernal City and Lord of Souls are severely underrated stories, and they need more references in the games other than the sleeping tree camp near whiterun in skyrim. A huge floating city that is raising an undead army that threatens the whole of Nirn and there are no in game books that talk about it.

[@PyrusFlameborn]

How is the Sleeping Tree camp related to the novels? I read them a long time ago but I guess I forgot this detail.

[@bennusmagnus5277]

@@PyrusFlameborn That tree the sap comes from is a corrupted hist tree that grew from a spore that fell from the island.

[@insaincaldo]

@@bennusmagnus5277 Not by any actual in lore sources, barely even a theory.

[@lazilycatharticone4191]

@@insaincaldo in game Ysolda straight up tells you she heard that the tree "grew from a sport that fell off a floating island in the sky" but claims is sounds like nonsense. It happens if you've found the Orc she sent to collect the sap in the cave within the Sleeping tree camp. Return to her and she'll tell you a bit about the tree. Its a loose connection/reference, but a connection none the less. Is it a Daedric Hist tree, or just a Daedric Tree? Who knows.

[@insaincaldo]

@@lazilycatharticone4191 Exactly, it's a reference to out of game none lore, just like Heimskr's speech.

[@DMIwriter]

Theory: Harpies are the descendants of the birdmen mentioned by Topal the Pilot. We know from both Daggerfall and ESO that harpies are more than mere creatures. They can speak and some adorn themselves with bangles, necklaces, and other jewelry - often beaded. This speaks to some level of civilization, albeit primitive. Likewise, Topal's birdmen were feathered, had taloned feet, and rudimentary culture. Perhaps the reason they are now found mainly in Hammerfell and Highrock is because they were driven out of Cyrodiil by the Ayleids. Either the harpies today are exactly like the birdmen of Topal's time, or perhaps they underwent some sort of degenerative process like the Falmer

[@antonakesson]

With Bethesda's track record of stability for their games I would hate it if manual saving was removed. That could just lead into a borked save and now you have to restart. Better to just have it for a separate mode like Survival or have it be an option in the options menu but as default I would hate it.

[@MikeHitSnooze]

Hot take: The civil war in Skyrim was impossible to win. People argue over which side was the right side but looking at all the evidence, there is no good guy. No matter who wins, it dooms Skyrim. Therefore the gossip in elder scrolls 6 when hearing about other provinces will be about Skyrim collapsing and being taken over by someone else. I can't guess who that will be though.

[@Subject_Keter]

Considering the Thamlor superwin if they are distracted, best to win the war now and prepare for oblivion

[@FreshwaterSquid77]

I don't know. When I side with the Imperials at the end of the questline I find myself thinking: "Good. All is right with the world." However when I side with the Stormcloaks at the end I think: "Oh, no, what have we done?"

[@lolihitler4198]

@@FreshwaterSquid77 i have the exact opposite feeling whenever i win as imperials i think: "one more death rattle for a dying nation" but whenever i win as stormcloaks i think: "alright time to march west until we make Hoag Merkiller look like Hoag Merlover"

[@Subject_Keter]

@@FreshwaterSquid77 For me, both of them basically say "Good thing we got that done, now we must rebuild and prepare for the true threat." It would be suicidal for either side to march on so they would rally forces, hone their craft and get ready for the most brutal war they will see.

[@iScAre1]

Because of how black and white the choices with Skyrim's endgame is like, Bethesda will HAVE to address who won in the end. If the last dragonborn chooses to ignore the civil war while doing the man quest, both sides will be at a ceasefire. And it's bc of this that I hope this neutrality stands, both sides fight together to end the thalmer threat. Or at least just keep it neutral until Skyrim is whole again.

[@calebcarney1933]

The college of winter hold is an accurate depiction of college. They give you one lesson and then ask the word of you. They only respect people who are already good at topics they are supposed to learn via the mastery quests. They insentivise independent study. The teachers are bad and the friends (followers) you meet are cool... dreams unfulfilled, graduate unskilled (became arch mage with no magic)

[@HickoryDickory86]

Oblivion's Dwemer armor was gorgeous. I actually wish Skyrim's Dwemer armor looked like that, or at least a variant of it that did.

[@mr.chimichanga6947]

I understand the aversion to the crazy mounts, but eso is an age of absolutely legendary characters. The vestige(obviously), abnur tharn, sai sahan, lyris, rada al saran, darien gautier, vanus galerion, then there's the cataclysmic dungeons that you clear with 3 other people of similar power as the vestige. So on one hand, "everyone" has a wild mount, but at the same time, everyone is a god tier hero. You may consider that a bad thing, but that is the reality of the era. I really appreciate how eso makes the in-game world match the craziness of the lore bc until eso, gameplay hasn't really matched what the lore describes.

[@starwarzfan49]

Eh. Personally I think all the wacky mounts are zos attempting to appeal to wow players who switched over. Same as the skins.

[@mr.chimichanga6947]

@@starwarzfan49 Ofc. Mmos gotta make money, but as far as the in-game explanation, I think it’s there

[@NamelessKing1597]

Theory: The Heart of Lorkhan forces anyone who tampers with it to repeat the events that led to it being ripped out. The Dwemer represent the Magna Ge, the Tribunal represent the Aedra, Nerevar represents Lorkhan and Dagoth Ur represents Mehrunes Dagon.

[@HappyBuffalo347]

The underwater Boethia statue in Morrowind is vanilla. You get Boethia's daedric quest here.

[@ryrynoel]

Hot take: Jyggalag will be revealed as the main villain in ES VI, using the Thalmor for his own ends, and the Hero of Kvatch can be to blame for letting him escape the Greymarch.

[@neotronextrem]

Could be a very cool way to introduce deeper determinism/causality concepts to the mainstream via a fantasy narrative

[@PersonOfRandomnesss]

40:10 "On a lot of different forums, people will just say... things, as if they're... true" The internet in a nutshell

[@Mary_Beth_Reimer]

Isn't that the truth!

[@lidular]

Hot take: There is basically no canon in the elderscrolls. We only have represetations of how things might be. The events of the games are semi canon in the way that most of them happens but not necessarily by the people we experience or in the way we experience. Cities are only a representaion a do not look the way they do in the games. This combined with the unreliable narrator and the build in retcon mechanisms and the elderscrolls deus ex machina/macguffin makes that we can never really say that anything is actually canon except the major overview of event most core events.

[@purevampiretsukune]

Sheogorath had some dark moments in eso as well, driving Valaste insane, uncle leo, things like that.

[@kisassa]

Him, as the Skooma Cat, driving some Kajit Monks so mad that they belived they had to jump of a building during the Elsweyer DLC was pretty dark too.

[@stellabee2026]

most interactions in eso are pretty dark, not just he Mage’s guild line, look at Southpoint or that monastery in Elsweyr

[@alexanderstilianov]

Hot take: That humorous Vivec thumbnail art will haunt me and my next reincarnation.

[@YourWaywardDestiny]

HOT TAKE: Kajiit don't actually have wares even if you have coins. That one's specifically for you, Michael.

[@Galimeer5]

Regarding the incest thing, I would say Elder Scrolls is a fantasy setting with medieval elements, not a medieval fantasy. While "medieval" and "fantasy" often overlap, they are different. In Tamriel, homosexuality is normalized, women aren't property to be bought and traded, no one bats an eye at interracial relationships, slavery was abolished, and a minor battlefield injury won't result in a life-ending infection. The same goes for incest among nobility: it's an antiquated practice that no longer has place in a socially enlightened society, and I would say Tamriel _is_ a socially enlightened society.

[@BR-bn1mz]

*ScI-fI

[@dragonslayr5653]

@Prey R as of the 4th era I believe it has been abolished

[@holdenrohloff3778]

Hot Take: The Aedra need more content and lore before the deadra get anymore attention. It seems odd that that there is more information on the Deadra than the Aedra, especially when the Aedra gave up much of their power to create Mundus. Also, if the Aedra tried to keep the Daedra out, why aren't there more artifacts that would have been bestowed to the mortals to push out the hordes of hellish demons. I would love to see more godly rivalries like we see between Stendarr and Molag Bal. As an example, I could see Dibella taking on Mephala as a rival because Mephala represents a perversion of Dibella's spheres (love and passion). She could also come into conflict with Namira as she represents the grotesque and reviled, the very antithesis of beauty.

[@taimasplash]

I know this comment is super old by now, but I have some insight from the lore for rebuttal to your take: in canon lore, the Aedra are mostly figurative at this point, since the main portions of their powers and abilities were lost in the creation of Nirn. they are unable to do much, and big events like Akatosh fusing with Martin Septim in Oblivion are very rare, once-in-a-millennia type of things. the Daedra, on the other hand, are very powerful and (in many cases) much more powerful and expanded upon because they didn't give anything up. they are the true gods, in that they have all of their powers intact, and they can physically interact with the world, even in casual terms. the Aedra are often referred to in the deeper lore as hibernating planets. they are out of touch with the real world, but their ideas and their purpose still lives on in Mundus because of the sheer amount of themselves that went into Nirn. Daedra are able to be very clear on who they are and what they are like, whereas Aedra are the opposite. take their general forms, for example. there are very few circumstances of Daedric princes being misconstrued by a society, while the Aedric divines have many, many different versions and spheres because of how little they can prove about themselves. TL;DR the Aedra are silent figureheads in modern Tamriel, while the Daedra are physical, fathomable beings with sway over the land. that is why the Daedric Princes are more expanded-upon than the Divines.

[@dustinhatfield8373]

A good reason for the dunmer to join the ebonheart pact: the two races they hate the most are now dying for their cause for them. How does that not work for you scott?

[@Daniel_Lancelin]

It just occurred to me that it's theoretically possible to summon Daedric tanks and attack helicopters.

[@genegeorge7198]

I’ve been loving theses discussions! Sorry it’s too late for more takes, but early in this video you are having talking about ocean/water exploring. I thought it was a huge missed opportunity in Skyrim not having any underwater ruins to explore from the Winterhold collapse.

[@nothingnobody1454]

Oh yeah good point

[@dstinnettmusic]

Kirkbride is the Team Four Star of Elder Scrolls. He changes the series and perception of the original property in a way that can make the “true” canon frustratingly complicated, but the community would be worse off without the contribution.

[@cadenwhite2764]

Hot take: Drew carries the elder scrolls podcast. Scott and Michael are great too, but Drew makes it something to behold.

[@futurewario9591]

Wanna see my HOT TAKE 🌶️🔥🥵🔥?

[@toneloke38]

HOT TAKE: I work in sales; one of my favorite aspects of TES: Oblivion was that the Mercantile skill had real world mechanics e.g. the disposition game / barter skill (especially the barter skill). I understand that most people had negative opinions about these two aspects, however from an immersion perspective, negotiation is one of the most real life mechanics a game could introduce. When dealing with customers and earning commission there is nothing more intimidating that negotiating price. I would agree that the old barter mechanic wasn’t the most fleshed out thing, however bringing that back for TES: 6 would introduce a completely new dynamic to the game that would not only reflect the reality of the game, bring meaning to the mercantilism/speechcraft skill but would also allow players to live out the desired Merchant play-through. Without it, it money has little value and the speechcraft skill or any archetype that requires it is “dead” for lack of fun.

[@dxk65]

Hot take: The Elder Scrolls Online has provided more and often better lore for the series in the past 8 years alone than every entry before it and dismissal of it just because it's an mmo is some top tier denial.

[@lynxfangr]

ESO really fleshed out the khajiit from "haha funny catguy steals things" to a real race with culture

[@KeeseGaming]

I totally agree. Consider it an alternate universe like Fallout is to the 1950s. The lore is worth enjoying

[@CQchaos7474]

I would say that it's much easier to flesh out lore in a game that's being continually updated and whose scope encompasses more than just one region like the main games do.

[@nicolaspetrus3861]

Thats nuclear hot; its the story of oblivion but with molag bal and mannimarco, all of its lore is based from pre exsisting lore, and if you have to proclaim your poorly received worldbuilding as canon, then thats the only real cope happening here

[@adamxei9073]

In Morrowind and Oblivion you really did work to be Godlike, you didn't just deliver the amulet of kings and then have a rechargeable daedra blast. Your "power" didn't come from outside help.

[@Dan-B]

I’m a simp for M’aiq personally. International cat of mystery.

[@RainwaterPearls]

Potential Hot Take: The existence of werebears makes more logical sense for the culture and terrain of Skyrim opposed to a werewolf. It's almost like it's own Norse mythos for Skyrim specifically, and the idea of a werewolf being a thing when there are so many aspects revolving around bears (Stormcloaks and surnames with "-Bear" for example) make it seem like werebears were a wasted opportunity in favor of a more widely accepted love of werewolf aesthetic.

[@monfe5532]

I always treat the kirkbride stuff as a schrodinger's cat kind of deal. It's both canon and non canon until there's confirmation one way or the other

[@leoskiii5860]

Hot Take: I want the next elder scrolls game to be completely done with the empire vs dominion. I want a conclusive and complete ending to be in place already in the lore. I also want more Recognition for the player actions and choices in Skyrim but I do not want the story to be continued I want it to be over and onto the new adventure. Its been years Iets move on.

[@leoskiii5860]

Agreed 100%

[@jt2749]

thalmor vs hammerfell would be a seriously retarded storyline. This literally already happened and the redguards won

[@virginiastatesman4672]

I agree but I think instead of being done with the conflict, the game is in a tamriel ruled by the dominion with chaos in in the human kingdoms.

[@NieroshaiTheSable]

I want an RTS, maybe farmed out to a studio famous for making them, that lets you fight out the war without needing a 1st person player protagonist. THEN we can move on after the canon outcome of that game. Boom, you now deal with the AFTERMATH of a magical world war instead of enacting an underwhelming version of it as a single soldier.

[@virginiastatesman4672]

@@NieroshaiTheSable Try elder kings. Elder Kings 2 is coming out soon and looks great.

[@MrDelferi123]

Theory: Azura is actually the hidden fifth corner of the House of Troubles. According to the Psijic Endeavor, mortals should strive to transcend their gods. Now which god is the hardest to transcend, one that challenges you or fights you, or the one that loves you and cares for you for as long as you simp for them? Abandoning Azura's love and killing her is the final obstacle in the Psijic Endeavor.

[@thedankboyo2460]

I agree, except instead of her being a corner she would be the door. 4 corners where the walls connect and Azura is the door you must get through to leave the house and therefore troubles behind.

[@josephkracht8065]

Scott is killing the let’s play of Skyrim. I would love to see Michael do an Oblivion let’s play, I would also really like to see Drew do a let’s play of either Skyrim or Oblivion, Drew’s grizzled old man character in either game would be a treat to watch. Michael’s let’s plan would be insightful and also extremely entertaining. AND THE CHEESE, OH THE CHEESE!

[@graysonofthewood3747]

It took me a year but I have finally watched all the Elder Scrolls Podcasts and am caught up. Super stoked for this one, I hope there are some real spicy takes!

[@InfectedChris]

Kinda did that too. I watched a lot of the other videos but got caught up when I had extra free time.

[@domagojprtenjaca4302]

Holy shit, now that's what I call commitment, props to you for doing so!

[@graysonofthewood3747]

Yeah, it was definitely only possible because of all the time I had to listen on my commutes to work. Otherwise I’d have been hard pressed to do it for sure!

[@theweirdofengland]

Getting rid of saving would ruin the Elder Scrolls. There are so many times when I’ve made a particular decision in a questline, only for it to result in a situation that I didn’t think was right for my character for roleplay reasons. So I load a previous save and choose the other option.

[@Brandelwyn]

Not to mention that real life exists and we don't have as much free time as we had before, so saving anywhere is a must have option

[@ryancier]

Okay so the Hot Take =/= Theory was heartbreaking, 'cuz I'm basically a theory commenter (a thankless job), lmao, so... here's 2 attempts at shortstock takes. 1.) Skyrim's guild-quests were bigbeats-wise the same. Here's a guild --> Here are the quests --> Quests get a little harder --> Oh crap there's a traitor in the midst! --> Become a GOD of the guild once you kill the traitor. (thieve's, dark brotherood, companion's... to just name three) 2.) **spoiler** Emperor Titus Mede II's scene at the end where you find out he sought to hire an assassin against himself, on the Katariah, is such an Andrew Ryan Lite scene from Bioshock. It's an orchestrator-character proving how much sway they have over you by getting you to kill them.

[@tykjpelk]

Lore opinion: Not only is the godhead not particularly cool, chim isn't either. And zero summing is the cheeziest of all, I hope Bethesda in-canon refutes it. Why isn't history full of mystics who researched, communed with daedra or meditated themselves to either chim or zero summing?

[@carniiliar590]

Hot Take: Dwemer(&Ruins) are over used. In Skyrim they kept involving them into Artifacts and storylines.

[@wizardswine]

The thu'um being portrayed as the language of dragons is absolutely a good thing. It not only adds and interesting facet to dragon's and their culture (such as there being little to no distinction between heated conversation and combat) but also keeps in the original intention of The Voice being a gift from Kyne, a divine language originating from the gods given to the nords as a tool of liberation. I actually think the re-introduction of the dragons and the emergence of the dragon born is just what the lore needs to reestablish The Voice as a staple of Nordic culture and warfare by the time of the Elder Scrolls 6.

[@MinedPolecat34]

Not a very 'hot' take, Bethesda are afraid of losing their milk cow Elder scrolls, that's why they haven't changed anything significant about their 'go fetch this' quests and in-game technological advancements from the first era until the forth era. Also; love these podcasts and the other content you keep creating in this time between TES 5 & 6, keep up to good work!

[@zodinaurum]

Hot Take: everything in all the main five elder scrolls games is present in a single player adventure across tamriel with the exception of quests

[@necrogoblicon8946]

Hot Take: The so-called “Saint” Jiub is emblematic of the failure of the late Tribunal and Reclamation temples. To be venerated for the eradication of a kind of creature is suspect enough, but is obviously not out of the norm for Tamriel (Ysgramor, Pelinal, etc) but a creature as noble as the cliff racer!? Cliff Racers are obviously important members of the Morrowind ecosystem, and protected the region from the influence of the obviously malevolent dragons. Though cliff racers were viewed as pests by the Dunmer people, this is a failing of the degenerated public that was given the support of the cowardly temples. The public only deemed Jiub a saint because they forget the importance of the Cliff Racers in Morrowind, and just because they get annoyed by the provinces apex-predator doesnt mean they should enshrine the man who vanquished these most-noble of beasts as a saint.

[@Jordan-zk2wd]

It would be pretty amusing if at some point the dragons came to Morrowind and then they died because of lack of cliff racers to protect them. IIRC Kirkbride had this idea about cliff racers keeping dragons out or something?

[@necrogoblicon8946]

@@Jordan-zk2wd”The cliffracers grew in numbers (just as they appear to do in MW, since they seem to pop up behind you every 8 seconds). At first, this was not a problem for dragons. They were actually pretty good eating. But, just as a praying mantis is a big king of bugs, 1000 ants can easily take him. Thus, the dragons found themselves in a losing battle over the territory. Food sources and dwellings became overrun and the dragons simply packed their bags and moved on. The cliffracers plagued Red Mountain and in the end, drove the dragons out.”

[@bugenjoyer2187]

Hot take: it’s not necessarily a bad thing when lore is retconned as long as the new lore is better than the old. Morrowind overwriting everything from Daggerfall and arena was good because the new lore was better. Skyrim overwrote the old skyrim lore and replaced it with worse lore. Hopefully, redfall will give us some cooler redguard lore though I remain dubious.

[@rodrigoagustin7625]

I dont remember old Skyrim lore. What was different? Im just curious

[@theace8502]

@@rodrigoagustin7625 well, the dragon war for one. It was basically just ham fisted into Nordic lore. Which also changed the nature of the thu'um. Then there was the old Skyrim Pantheon, which is replaced in Skyrim with the imperial nine divines. Along the same vein is the Nords revering Talos the most of all the gods, when in actuality their chief god is Shor, or Lorkhan.

[@wanderingshade8383]

This really feels like a very mild take. Most people agree with this, I think.

[@vexili]

“Redfall” lol

[@HovektheArtist]

Here's a hot take, morrowind made a mess of the lore adding too many concepts that couldn't possibly be followed up on properly

[@strawberrylion548]

*Sheogorath* is just *Willy Wonka* without the chocolate factory.

[@IAmDdie1]

Hot take: people don't join up with the storm cloaks, they just want to fight the thalmor

[@BuddhaJube]

Hot take: The fact that many events in the game wait for you to be there is immersion breaking. Events should happen at specific dates and if you aren't there to do anything the game moves the plot and side quests forward. You would hear about events happening from NPCs and be able to try to prevent them your next playthrough or by loading an earlier save. The game as it is does not feel like a living world, but more like one where nothing happens unless you are there to see it.

[@daedaluswriting9350]

Sounds like Majora's Mask

[@jigglypuff3311]

You played Daggerfall?

[@soggy11]

I pressed on consider yourself hired for marcurio when Michael said “marcurio the mage for hire” that’s crazy but he’s my favorite follower in the game he was my first ever follower

[@JHS270694]

Nooooooo! Micheal! Your beard man! It's gone! :( Hot take: Ysmir's beard was the true source of Ysmir's strength, enabling him to achieve the godlike feats he did. It's why it's revered and invoked by Skyrim guards when a player unexplainably kills someone in front of their very eyes (godlike skill or console commands).

[@aidenlewis5705]

Hot Take: the biggest thing I’m excited about for Elder Scrolls 6 has nothing to do with the actual game. I just want Young Scrolls to have more voice lines to make lyrics from.

[@milanthechosen]

🔥Hot take: I hate how my character is bombarded with quests and sidetracking. Basically you are doing your main quest but are distracted by convos, couriers, notes and events around you which sidetrack you and after you get sidetracked, you get sidetracked even more with more events, convos and couriers.

[@barachiel212]

Being a Dragonborn isn't a godlike power. It's an impressive power, but its not godlike. It means two things: 1) You can use Shout naturally w/o training and 2) when you kill a dragon, you eat its soul like the fucking Highlander, and use it gain more Shouts. To use the voice, we have to find word walls, eat dragon souls, and level it up. We can GET godlike power, yes, but its earned in game. Just because you're acknowledged as Dragonborn doesn't mean the entire world falls before your feat. All you've got to do to justify doing the menial tasks is put off the Main Quest. Don't go hunt up new Words, dont' spend your dragon souls. And this is assuming pure vanilla, and not using an Alternate Start mod that can delay it for you. I think you're mixing up being high level with an obscene number of perk points with being a Dragonborn. You even use the phrase about getting "all these Shouts superquick." Um, not unless you're running a mod that just gives 'em all to you. Again, go hunt up word walls, and kill dragons to activate them. That's not super quick for the average player.

[@lazilycatharticone4191]

Nah its definitely still a god like power. The gift of the voice itself is already rare by the 4th Era and takes years for a mortal to achieve mastery. This alone doesn't make it godlike, true. You as Dragonborn, are given that gift directly by Akatosh himself, and "learn it, almost without effort" as stated by the master of the Greybeards, Areingir himself. Its Demigod status in lore, how they implement its gameplay mechanics isn't really a factor here. If the devs were to turn off the shout cool-down like they do for Miraak, Ulfric, and the Greybeards, the Dragonborn would be insanely OP at level one. Spamming unrelenting force and fire shouts until the enemies are dead. In lore that power is godlike.

[@CyrodiilCome]

Thuum allows one to bend reality with his voice. Thuum is a form of tonal architecture. Shit is mad b powerful

[@nothingnobody1454]

I mean you eat souls to enhance your ability to alter reality with your voice. Sounds like a demigod to me, and the end of that path could easily lead to true ascension no?

[@Spike2276]

I like how Drew's beard is slightly longer while Michael shaved, maintaining the perfect balance of Fudgemuppet beard intact Btw as you guys started talking about the Dwemer being overrated, i thought you should do a "ranking the ancient races" podcast

[@lukewhite8930]

Talos as a Daedra makes total, utter, complete sense. The argue for is way stronger and way more convincing than the one against it. Then again I believe you could reasonably argue Azura as an ancestor to the dark elves. Life is merely a game of iteration and who’s the most convincing

[@alphasword5541]

From what I can tell the deeper you go into the lore, the more arbitrary the "Aedra and Daedra" definiton becomes.

[@vivi-wr8nm]

@@alphasword5541 always has been.

[@Droseer]

AHAHA this is the best podcast so far all the banter had me giggling in bed. Love you guys keep it up!!! brb getting some grapes

[@Quothmorgan]

Hot take: Mannimarco has some of the most influential and fleshed out lore in the whole franchise and is perhaps the most genuinely powerful characters. Compare him to Talos, who was actually 3 separate people whose accomplishments were attributed to one name. Talos required 3 people to become a godlike figure, while Mannimarco by himself manipulated Molag Bal, the hero from Daggerfall, tens of thousands of cultists, and possibly the Vestige from ESO to ascend to godhood. Mannimarco alone accomplished more than 3 separate people as Talos.

[@Nero_Karel]

About the save system: I think it could be really cool to have restricted saving options not only for interesting alternative endings to quests or general adventuring but also for the added sense of risk on its own. When the worst thing that can happen to you is being set back in time a few minutes going through a dungeon full of monsters and enemies of indeterminate strength just feels a lot less threatening than it should. A good way to solve the issue of freedom and flexibility would probably to give the player a toggle to determine how much and where it should allow them to save on their journey at the start of the game, kinda like an additional difficulty setting

[@futurewario9591]

HOT TAKE 🌶️🔥🥵🔥: The Speech Check MiniGames in OBLIVION is actually fun and exciting and very immersive & personality in OBLIVION & MORROWIND is the best attribute ever.

[@ronronnie7175]

ALL THREEE OF YOU NEED TO DO YOUR OWN LETS PLAY, i would watch them all and it would be amazing seeing you all do a different play through💚💚💚💚

[@kipsouffle]

Hot Fact: Fudgemuppet is like a family. Scott the nihilistic but positive child; Michael the caring mother who holds the reigns; and drew the thought sunken dad who is either as likely to chime in with both wisdom or banter. I will not discuss this. Don''t add me.

[@CalebCrosby-s1c]

The mechanics yall described around the end with potentially getting captured by Bandits or picked up by a random healer and you save at beds and get your best gear to go adventure with is the exact premise if another game called Outward. It's honestly a very fun game that uses very simular mechanics. I feel you all, and Scott specifically would really enjoy allot of what was put into that game.

[@unfoldingspace8]

*Hot Take* (maybe/possibly not) Dragon Breaks are meant to be incomprehensible to us, as mortal human beings. Like infinity. And a good comparable is actually Dragon Rend (the shout), which is incomprehensible to dragons (I believe Paarthurnax even says their minds can not comprehend it). Those two are like two sides of a coin and parallel to the mortal mind and dragon/time mind. Dragons being beings of time kinda lies in the name Dragon Break, because of Akatosh. Which we, as mortals, are not meant to comprehend, and neither IRL or in-game. But to dragons it’s no biggie, like the concept of Dragon Rend is to the user, but impossible to even attempt to grasp for a dragon, due to their understanding of time. It’s literally injecting the concepts/understanding of one into the other but it simply cannot work.

[@firestarten]

Very late, but anytime I don't play a Breton alchemist I regret it.

[@trueheywood3668]

Hot take: Khajiit and Argonians are way more interesting than Men or Mer but people don't choose them because of how armor looks on the characters

[@nothingnobody1454]

They don't have the best stats. No play style relies on their racial advantages and dark vision and water breathing are easy to reproduce on any class. Only real reason to choose cats or lizards is for personal fun or lore reasons. For stats reasons you would always choose a man or mer.

[@FreshwaterSquid77]

Regarding the "incest" thing; is it just my imagination, or at one point was it part of the lore that the Altmer were having problems as a race due to inbreeding in an attempt to keep the race "pure."

[@jeambeam3173]

While this is mentioned it might be something where as in real life medieval nobles the incest thing is only an issue in the top echelon of Aldmeri society or only in the most radical members of society

[@BellaNoxInk]

I literally paused the video at 19:30 cause I just wanted to tease Scott for his "other-beast" mount comment. Dude, your issue with having a camel is that it's not efficient? Like have you done grade-school research on them, camels are incredible efficient and kinda cool. Regardless, what other mount would you like? A crocodile headed-lion body - tentacle tailed mount? Do you want to rid around on a three headed squid-like creatures (which I will point out is not okay for TES and is bound to lead to some dark places)? What creatures are you imaging Scott? What would you like hundreds of people riding around on? (/jk) In all seriousness, I think the major problem with ESO mounts is: 1. they are locked behind the cash shop, 2. they aren't rare enough to be special (like a certain mount that won't ever drop from a certain boss in WoW for me) and so the two points combine together to make it feel like the world is overwhelmed with these mounts that aren't uniquely "cool" enough to be tied to the lore of the games. In the end their just skins on old models, with "lore" attached to them. If there was a quest line or story, where you as the character learn how to summon and create your mount (maybe even pick what creature they can look like {{NOT A 3 HEADED SQUID-CREATURE SCOTT}} it'd feel better. But it's not. You get them off the store or sometimes in trials. So yeah... *shrug*

[@TheDecree93]

Jesus I love the hot takes videos. I hope it stays as a regular topic

[@Aurilaushe]

Anyone: "The Ebonheart Pact isn't bad." Scott: "...and I took that personally."

[@ComicAcolyte]

ELECTRIFYING TAKE: ELECTRIC CHAIRS EXIST IN TAMRIEL YOU JUST SUMMON A THUNDER ATRONACH AND SHAPE IT INTO A CHAIR

[@henriktucker63]

Hot Take: We should learn explicitly about how the Dwarves disappeared in Elder Scrolls 6 (or 7) because it would be so cool to have that as a big payoff for being a long-term fan. It would be even better if there was a long and good questline to discover why. But ofc it would totally suck if the explanation sucks then I would take back this hot take.

[@timclaridge8458]

Hot take: retcons are lore friendly and show that the Godhead forgets details or thinks of ideas it likes more than what it previously thought, like perhaps after it thought of Cyrodil as a jungle, it liked the more generic fantasy setting to help ground Tamriel. Or that it forgot a good amount of Skyrim's lore and thus started making up dragon cult stuff.

[@blakedavison2171]

(If it’s not abysmally late) hot take: Skyrim should continue to be re-released before ES6. If they can find ways to reimagine the game into different forms before the next game, Bethesda should absolutely do it.

[@sephiroticempires]

Hot take: Helseth's banning of slavery in league with House Dres doesn't make sense. My headcanon is that the slavery wasn't banned until after the Argonian invasion, which began as an attempt by An-Xileel to take back land, and snowballed into a massive slave revolt, where the Argonian forces sacked cities and grew their army by freeing slaves along the way. After the war, the Argonian slave trade was banned and the border more fiercely patrolled to prevent slave raids from happening ever again.

[@CyrodiilCome]

But its confirmed slavery came back after the invasion

[@sephiroticempires]

@@CyrodiilCome source? Though I def see it still happening whether or not its illegal

[@CyrodiilCome]

@@sephiroticempires the ruling family of morrowind and the Empire were overthrown. The ashlanders culture and view points were made the mainstay of Morrowind. Ashlanders kept slaves.

[@sephiroticempires]

@@CyrodiilCome that's a good point. Without imperial presence, it'd be hard to enforce such a law if it even passed. on the other hand, the ruling house is House Redoran, who isn't big on slavery in the first place, and ashlanders do keep slaves but many wanted all outlanders out of morrowind, including slaves. something like banning importing any more slaves seems reasonable though, especially with a more politically organized Argonia

[@CyrodiilCome]

@@sephiroticempires Redoran are hard-core tradionalist and even fought on the side of the slavers in the anti slavery morrowind war