I have to admit this: The past 1 month or so wasn't me at my best. Events like "WTO is this?", "WTO is that?", and "WTO is Netflix doing?" tempted me to do a post about Elder Scrolls Online as a response. After all, ESO is a game where you can be either a klepto, psychopath, or someone more towards the Emiya Kiritsugu spectrum where doing the wrong things merely means you actually know what you're doing and you choose not to be a liar about it. There are things which are clearly wrong in the game, but at least ZeniMax Online made no lies about it. That's why ESRB rated it as M. In an era where madness without the need for Sheogorath's existence is everpresent, at least ESRB did the right thing. Of course, this is not to say everything in this world is wrong. There are still good things and the correct things, just that they should be seen as a means to make life more bearable.
I wouldn't be surprised if I'm going to write a post about my ESO gameplay experience. In fact, I actually decided to emulate the stereotypical Catalan genius by messing around with the idea of a medium armour dual-wielding Breton stamina build sorcerer. I know that's a mouthful, but you can sum it up in one phrase: Either madness or an actual stroke of strategic genius. Not that I'd be the first to emulate the stereotypical Catalan genius. I'm sure there are already gamers who did that before me.
Source of inspiration for the stereotypical Catalan genius idea? This.
For now, this post will be about random observations and songs which are clearly either ESO or ES minus the O. But first, allow me to endorse a foreign talent free of charge.
And now for the songs made in Nirn, O or no O.
Random observation: I find using the symbols of the three Alliances as a three-headed Ouroboros design to be interesting. Instead of a single reptile eating its own tail, the design showed clearly what the world of Tamriel is all about: War and warfare. Each faction wanted to rule an Empire in a state clearly ten times worse off than the first American presidential debate. The Daggerfall Covenant believed the system should be reformed instead of supplanted (i.e. Make Empire Great Again aka #MEGA). The Aldmeri Dominion believed the so-called "them" to be too dumb to rule the world properly without messing things up (i.e. Seriously, benevolent racism and positive eugenics? Go take a trip through Shadowfen, please). As for the Ebonheart Pact, they just wanted to defend their freedom while establishing a law and order state. Never mind the fact once this goal is achieved, the Nords, Dunmer, and Argonians would just go back hammering each other again.
Random observation: This was the first ESO song I came across. In fact, Morrowind was the first chapter I played instead of hunting down that Elfomarco after scoundrel absconded with my soul. Well, that's not exactly true because his boss Molag Bal was the one holding the hostages. The main quest wouldn't trigger until you step foot onto any of the Alliance main base. In fact, helping the morally flawed Dunmer and an equally flawed Vivec was to be the first main plot questline I've completed (Barbas remains the hardest boss I've fought although that's not saying much due to a global-sized world map covering even the spiritual and mechanical). The second one was Glenumbra where I just dumbly followed the Lion Guard after Provost Piper decided it a good idea to sic me against Angof. Indeed, I didn't disappoint Mr Piper. Angof the Gravesinger sang his final song.
Random observation: How do you play God? It's actually much easier than playing the madman. All you need is the self-conviction that you're the solution to the problem. But there's a problem. Those who try to fix things this way are bound to become the problem itself. The Nerevarine theme of a messianic champion is interesting because it reflected every person's desire to see things set right. Okay, not every one of us but you get the drift. In ESO, you don't know the real deal would be someone no different from a bastard (that's not a joke because no one knew who were the real Nerevarine's mom and dad). I played the Morrowind main storyline quest and instead of giving me the typical Hitler-Stalin character, the pretender, in the end, was more of a tragic failure like those before him. It's not that he wanted nothing but Oblivion in Vvardenfell. This was a tyrant whose beginning had a name called righteousness, a world where none of his fellow Ashlanders would have to grief and suffer. I've seen many contemptible characters in my life of fiction browsing (e.g. Enrico Maxwell from Hellsing has to be one of the worst), but the latest failure wasn't one of them. The worst part of the situation? Blame Clavicus Vile (Spoiler: It's implied that Barbas being able to impersonate Archcanon Tarvus was due to the latter assassinated in his sleep. No prizes for guessing who).
Our hero, our hero, claims a warrior's heart
I tell you, I tell you, the Dragonborn comes
With a voice wielding power of the ancient Nord arts
Believe, believe, the Dragonborn comes
It's an end to the evil of all Skyrim's foes
Beware, beware, the Dragonborn comes
For the darkness has passed, and the legend yet grows
You'll know, you'll know, the Dragonborn's come
Dovahkiin, dovahkiin naal ok zin los vahriin
Wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal
Ahrk fin norok paal graan fod nust hon zindro zaan
Dovahkiin, fah hin kogaan mu draal
Huzrah nu, kul do od
Wah aan bok lingrah vod
Ahrk fin tey, boziik fun
Do fin gein
Nuz aan sul, fent…
Credit: musixmatch.com
Random observation: Above are the lyrics for this song. I really like it. In a very real sense, they relayed what I truly wish. I don't know about you, but there were moments where I noticed a Seigi no Mikata inside me. This is the Japanese term for an ally of justice. It's like Emiya Kiritsugu when he was still a child. It's like Emiya Shirou when he's... well, still a child. And it's like Archer even unto the bitter end in Unlimited Blade Works. Granted this is an unattainable dream, but why the presence of such a dream in the first place? I believe it's like what Emiya Shirou actually knew during the original visual novel version, that a world where no one has to cry is every person's ideal. It doesn't matter whether you're a victim of violence, wrongful imprisonment, or just someone enraged by the hypocrisy all around you. Again, it's unattainable and it'd be way better for me to stay between Unlimited Blade Works and Heaven's Feel so as to speak. Interestingly, the story of Skyrim began via the Last Dragonborn ending up as condemned criminal in the same way I've always been a condemned soul before the education system. Just don't ask me whether Pritam Singh reminds me of Ulfric Stormcloak. That'd be a stupid question.
Note: Don't bother searching which foreign language you're reading in the final third of the lyrics. They're written in Nord and there's a reason why ESO remains as fiction.
Next up: The why and how behind the strategic insanity defined by a medium armoured dual-wielding Breton spellsword, a surreal episode involving one world boss and five sorcerers, plus how on Nirn can a made-by-gaijin game be surprisingly popular in a nation so insular, fax machines actually remain over-relevant.
P.S: I really need to up this. Seriously, how did the foreign talent bloke train himself to be so manly?
