Spoiler Skyrim Story Inspirations, Reminders?

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Meesh

An Unlikely Orc
Anyone ever wonder where some of the stories in Skyrim are inspired or derived from?


I ask because I've been in cahoots with the Dark Brotherhood lately, and it reminds me of the Alfred Hitchcock movie Psycho (for reference: wiki, famous scenes here and here). Do you think the developers may have been inspired by Norman's story to create the Night Mother?


Are there any other stories in Skyrim that remind you of other popular or significant novels, movies, etc?
 

Sah

Well-Known Member
1. Blackreach could have been inspired on Mexico or Arizona...the buildings & topography sorta fits...change the giant mushrooms with cactus...and replace the Falmer with Indians...:cowboy:

and hello Meesh :)
 

Meesh

An Unlikely Orc
Anyone ever wonder where some of the stories in Skyrim are inspired or derived from?


I ask because I've been in cahoots with the Dark Brotherhood lately, and it reminds me of the Alfred Hitchcock movie Psycho (for reference: wiki, famous scenes here and here). Do you think the developers may have been inspired by Norman's story to create the Night Mother?


Are there any other stories in Skyrim that remind you of other popular or significant novels, movies, etc?

Also, has anyone wondered if the Night Mother is actually talking to you, or if you actually are just crazy?
 

Kohlar the Unkilled

Time for some ale
There are many references, some quite obscure. One of my favorites being the Redguard Harbinger 'Cirroc the Lofty,' which has to be a reference to Deep Space Nine's Jake Sisco, played by Cirroc Lofton. I have no idea the purpose or intent of the reference, and yet... there it is.
 

Meesh

An Unlikely Orc
A lot of Skyrim was inspired by George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.

I see that. I just acquired a sword called "Dawnbreaker" which reminds me of the ASOIAF's "Lightbringer" sword. Dawnbreaker glows and sets people on fire.
 

Bipolar Nord

Just another fanatical gamer
Not hearing the voice of the Night Mother drove poor Cicero crazy
 

Manmangler

Well-Known Member
There are many references, some quite obscure. One of my favorites being the Redguard Harbinger 'Cirroc the Lofty,' which has to be a reference to Deep Space Nine's Jake Sisco, played by Cirroc Lofton. I have no idea the purpose or intent of the reference, and yet... there it is.
How about Temba Wide Arm http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Darmok_(episode)

Actually there is much to find
Finntroll, Nydstroms diary, Notched Pickaxe etc

Spoiler alerts these links
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Easter_Eggs
http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Easter_Eggs_(Skyrim)
 

Kohlar the Unkilled

Time for some ale
th
 

DrunkenMage

Intoxicated Arch-Mage
Doesn't remind me of the Night Mother, but more this fellow who keeps his mother's head and talks to it. http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Mathieu_Bellamont

A lot of Skyrim was inspired by George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.

In which way? I wouldn't say a lot was inspired. Besides Dragons and a war for the throne of Skyrim, there isn't any real major connection between them.

Bethesda was actually offered the gaming licence and asked to make A Song of Ice and Fire official games by GRRM and his agent in a meeting when they approached Bethesda because they thought they would be best to create the books into a game.

So imagine that for a second, a TES/Fallout-esque, probably open world ASoIAF game series we could have had. Instead Bethesda turned it down cause they were busy with making Skyrim itself, and now you get that crappy GoT game.
 
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DrunkenMage

Intoxicated Arch-Mage
There are many references, some quite obscure. One of my favorites being the Redguard Harbinger 'Cirroc the Lofty,' which has to be a reference to Deep Space Nine's Jake Sisco, played by Cirroc Lofton. I have no idea the purpose or intent of the reference, and yet... there it is.

Cause the folks at Bethesda are Nerds and laugh at those little things.
 

Meesh

An Unlikely Orc
Doesn't remind me of the Night Mother, but more this fellow who keeps his mother's head and talks to it. http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Mathieu_Bellamont

A lot of Skyrim was inspired by George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.

In which way? I wouldn't say a lot was inspired. Besides Dragons and a war for the throne of Skyrim, there isn't any real major connection between them.

Bethesda was actually offered the gaming licence and asked to make A Song of Ice and Fire official games by GRRM and his agent in a meeting when they approached Bethesda because they thought they would be best to create the books into a game.

So imagine that for a second, a TES/Fallout-esque, probably open world ASoIAF game series we could have had. Instead Bethesda turned it down cause they were busy with making Skyrim itself, and now you get that crappy GoT game.

Video games and movies have a terrible relationship. Of course GoT is not a movie, but it seems that any video game adaptation from a movie seem to be mediocre at best (and usually vice-versa). Not to disparage Bethesda, but I imagine their GoT game would be the same. I'm glad they stuck with Skyrim because then they could exercise their own creative freedom rather than be handcuffed to the lore of GoT and ASOIAF, as much as I love the show and the books.
 

Kohlar the Unkilled

Time for some ale
And in a conversation with my brother today, we were discussing the similarities in the appearances of some of the Orcs and Elves in the Hobbit movie trilogy to those of Skyrim, namely their armor styles.

th

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Kohlar the Unkilled

Time for some ale
Who influenced who? Or are similarities coincidental?

th
th


Yes, that is the Jamie Lannister action figure, but it was the best illustration I could find for my purposes. :beermug:
 

DrunkenMage

Intoxicated Arch-Mage
Video games and movies have a terrible relationship. Of course GoT is not a movie, but it seems that any video game adaptation from a movie seem to be mediocre at best (and usually vice-versa). Not to disparage Bethesda, but I imagine their GoT game would be the same. I'm glad they stuck with Skyrim because then they could exercise their own creative freedom rather than be handcuffed to the lore of GoT and ASOIAF, as much as I love the show and the books.

Which is one of the reasons they rejected, they wanted their own world to play with.
 

imaginepageant

Slytherin Alumni
In which way? I wouldn't say a lot was inspired. Besides Dragons and a war for the throne of Skyrim, there isn't any real major connection between them.

Bethesda was actually offered the gaming licence and asked to make A Song of Ice and Fire official games by GRRM and his agent in a meeting when they approached Bethesda because they thought they would be best to create the books into a game.

Yes, and from what I've read, that's where the game that eventually became Skyrim began. According to Skyrim's executive director, Todd Howard, "People in our studio liked [A Song of Ice and Fire], and it seeped in a bit to what we were doing."

I'd say it seeped in more than just a bit. It's hard to believe that the similarities between Skyrim and A Song of Ice and Fire are coincidental since Bethesda started developing Skyrim right around the same time they were considering adapting A Song of Ice and Fire.

- Dragons being extinct for a long time and suddenly coming back into existence.
- A messianic figure who has "the blood of the dragon."
- A prophecy that a hero will arise to vanquish the evil threatening to end the world.
- Assassination of a king.
- Debate over the succession of the throne.
- Civil war.
- Rebellion against the crown/empire.
- Attempted secession of regions of a kingdom/empire.
- A continent split into nine regions, the northernmost being the source of the civil war, political strife, and rebellion in the present day story.
- Religious controversy and debate about false gods.
- A magical bloodline's belief of their superiority and right to rule others.
- The dead coming back to life with glowing blue eyes.
- Swords created by gods to purge the unholy with fire.
- Weapons of a rare and high-quality steel that cannot actually be forged.
- A secret society of assassins, which includes a female child assassin.
- A barbarian culture's attempts to reclaim what they feel is "their" land.
- A creepy and mentally unhinged jester who speaks in riddles.
 

DrunkenMage

Intoxicated Arch-Mage
Yes, and from what I've read, that's where the game that eventually became Skyrim began. According to Skyrim's executive director, Todd Howard, "People in our studio liked [A Song of Ice and Fire], and it seeped in a bit to what we were doing."

I'd say it seeped in more than just a bit. It's hard to believe that the similarities between Skyrim and A Song of Ice and Fire are coincidental since Bethesda started developing Skyrim right around the same time they were considering adapting A Song of Ice and Fire.

Skyrim started early development in 2006, after Oblivion and during the Fallout series. The similarities aren't that unique to ASoIAF, and are quite part of fantasy in general. There are a few small things, nothing major. TES is very different to ASoIAF, and if you tried you could probably find some similarities in Fallout New Vegas too.

- Dragons being extinct for a long time and suddenly coming back into existence.

Skyrim isn't the only TES game to have a Dragon, though Dragons returning isn't unique to ASoIAF.

- A messianic figure who has "the blood of the dragon."

That was established in previous games, well before any sort of meeting with GRRM's people.

- A prophecy that a hero will arise to vanquish the evil threatening to end the world.

Kind of the theme for most of TES games, starting in 1994.

- Assassination of a king.

We've had three of those already.

- Debate over the succession of the throne.

There are no heirs, though there have been a few wars for succession in history.

- Civil war.
- Rebellion against the crown/empire.
- Attempted secession of regions of a kingdom/empire.

Roman history.

- A continent split into nine regions, the northernmost being the source of the civil war, political strife, and rebellion in the present day story.

Tamriel's nine regions were created in 1994, prior to ASoIAF's first book. Though my memory of ASoIAF isn't the entire realm in Civil War with Five Kings? Not just the northern part.

- Religious controversy and debate about false gods.

That goes back to Dragonlance and Dungeons & Dragons, even in our own history.

- A magical bloodline's belief of their superiority and right to rule others.

In other words a High Elf? Quite common in fantasy to see High Elves believing themselves superior and others inferior.

- The dead coming back to life with glowing blue eyes.

Draugr are based from Norse myth, the blue eyes could be something they got from GRRM.

- Swords created by gods to purge the unholy with fire.

What fantasy doesn't have those?

- Weapons of a rare and high-quality steel that cannot actually be forged.

Except they can be forged, just not by you. Just like Silver Swords, Dawnguard weapons etc.

- A secret society of assassins, which includes a female child assassin.

The secret society of Assassins came about in Daggerfall, released the same month as GRRM's first novel. Hardly enough time to steal the idea back then.

Female child assassin who is an Easter Egg for Interview with the Vampire. Babette being the name of the protagonist's first love interest. The body of a young girl, is a reference to Claudia, the protagonist's "daughter".

- A barbarian culture's attempts to reclaim what they feel is "their" land.

That is not unique to ASoIAF.

- A creepy and mentally unhinged jester who speaks in riddles.

They probably did steal him, I'll admit. Though he is also an Easter Egg for those who know Roman history, being the name of one of Caesar's assassinators.

You're looking for anything remotely similar, themes and regions. Fantasy is fantasy, and you can see the same themes many times over. Skyrim and Westeros are two completely different worlds who draw from the same sources of inspiration.

As much as I love ASoIAF, which is more than TES. The similarities are merely fantasy in general.
 
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imaginepageant

Slytherin Alumni
You're looking for anything remotely similar, themes and regions. Fantasy is fantasy, and you can see the same themes many times over. Skyrim and Westeros are two completely different worlds who draw from the same sources of inspiration.
That's likely so in some of the cases (I am aware that pretty much every fantasy story has a prophecy about a hero, and that dragons are nothing new). And if it was just one or two similarities, that's all I'd chalk it up to. But that many similarities, some of which are pretty specific, added to the fact that they were considering making an ASOIAF game right before they started Skyrim, seems like more than a coincidence to me.

Though my memory of ASoIAF isn't the entire realm in Civil War with Five Kings? Not just the northern part.
Yes, but the source of the war was the North. The Starks were largely responsible for it. And I believe Robb was the first to declare himself King, and definitely the first to attempt to make his kingdom independent from the crown (as Ulfric declared himself King and attempted to make his province independent from the Empire).
 
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DrunkenMage

Intoxicated Arch-Mage
That's likely so in some of the cases (I am aware that pretty much every fantasy story has a prophecy about a hero, and that dragons are nothing new). And if it was just one or two similarities, that's all I'd chalk it up to. But that many similarities, some of which are pretty specific, added to the fact that they were considering making an ASOIAF game right before they started Skyrim, seems like more than a coincidence to me.

Succession and rebellions aren't anything new to fantasy stories with kingdoms. They were considering doing ASoIAF, however it was the Fallout series they were doing at the time.

You can see many similarities in Fallout New Vegas, several factions warring for control. One who seeks independence, one seeks control, and another seeks to take over because it is their right and must. You can also screw over the major factions and take over everything yourself (Sounds like a certain character in the series). Making and breaking alliances between various minor factions. A threat from an enemy from beyond the "wall" of the Divide.

Yes, but the source of the war was the North. The Starks were largely responsible for it. And I believe Robb was the first to declare himself King, and definitely the first to attempt to make his kingdom independent from the crown (as Ulfric declared himself King and attempted to make his province independent from the Empire).

Ulfric doesn't declare himself King, never does. He couldn't unless he was disregarding Nordic tradition and political customs, the Moot can only name a High King.

Though Wars of the Roses seem to be a major inspiration for ASoIAF.

Anyway we all know that the Starks are crap, Stannis is where it is at. :p Sucks they keep screwing him up in the TV series.
 

Mighty Pecan Pie

The secret American
Doesn't remind me of the Night Mother, but more this fellow who keeps his mother's head and talks to it. http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Mathieu_Bellamont

A lot of Skyrim was inspired by George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.

In which way? I wouldn't say a lot was inspired. Besides Dragons and a war for the throne of Skyrim, there isn't any real major connection between them.

Bethesda was actually offered the gaming licence and asked to make A Song of Ice and Fire official games by GRRM and his agent in a meeting when they approached Bethesda because they thought they would be best to create the books into a game.

So imagine that for a second, a TES/Fallout-esque, probably open world ASoIAF game series we could have had. Instead Bethesda turned it down cause they were busy with making Skyrim itself, and now you get that crappy GoT game.

An open-world like that would be amazing!
 

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