In a short teaser video, there were first glimpses for 2022 in the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online. The video mainly shows ships in stormy seas. It is not yet known where exactly it is going. MeinMMO author MiezeMelli took a look at the ESO map to find out more.
Currently, a video offers a first glimpse of the new chapter of the upcoming DLC. On January 27, starting at 9 PM, you can join the teased reveal event from Bethesda live (via Twitch). But silent waiting is hardly possible in the ESO community.
What hints are already available
Speculations are already circulating on reddit that the new chapter will particularly highlight the Bretons. You can read more about this in the article ESO: New teaser gives first insight into the contents of 2022 – Likely focuses on Bretons.
After watching our first article about the teaser video, I first asked myself: “How exactly do they come to the Bretons?” This is mainly justified by the architecture of buildings and the armor of the person at the end of the video.
The armor could show a Breton craftsmanship style. Thus, the players from reddit might actually be right. But Breton architecture? That sounds a little far-fetched to me for the few buildings visible in the trailer.
Here you can watch the video for yourself on Youtube:
1. Unknown areas on the Tamriel map provide clues
But perhaps we can find clues in the game itself about what we can expect in the coming year. For this, I took a closer look at our well-known map of Tamriel. There are still some areas we cannot enter yet. Somewhere there should lead us the next chapter.
One clue we definitely have: The area is located on the coast. This can be clearly recognized from the stormy sea in the video and the waiting character who is looking out to sea.
Considering this hint and aligning it with the speculation of some players that the Breton style is visible in the video, the following area comes into focus:
Below the areas of the Daggerfall Covenant, between the Alik’r Desert and Hews Bane. This area borders the area of the alliance to which the Bretons belong and has a notably long stretch along the coast on the western side. Or does the next chapter take us out of Tamriel?
What does out of Tamriel mean? Some areas are not in Tamriel and are outside Nirn. So, in a way, outside the world in ESO. There are already regions that apply to this as well. These include:
- Artaeum
- Kalthafen
- City of Clockwork
- Fargrave
- The Deadlands
These areas are located in the so-called Aurbis. This is the term for the area not belonging to Nirn and Tamriel. However, it is difficult to find hints that a new chapter area will be added there in 2022.
2. Scribbles of the game designers or well-thought-out hint on the map?
One thing I am also very sure about: The ships or sea travel itself have a special significance in the video. If we focus specifically on this and take another look at the map, something else becomes noticeable.
In the ocean, you can find a few scribbles repeatedly. Are they just for embellishing the map to make the empty ocean more lively, or are they perhaps more?
Little Ship No. 1
In the north-west, at the corner of the map, you can see a drawing of a ship. The surrounding areas are known to us. There lies the Daggerfall Covenant.
Little Ship No. 2
South of Little Ship No. 1, also on the far west of the map, there is another ship drawing. The next area, which is still undiscovered, is the area between the Alik’r Desert and Hews Bane. Does this confirm my suspicion?
Little Ship No. 3
A third little ship can be found in the north-east, also at the corner of the map. It looks almost as if it is not quite intact and is partly underwater. Perhaps the cause was a stormy sea? Below the ship drawing lies a large unknown area.
East of Vvardenfell and bordering Deshaan and Stonefalls is a strip of land that we do not yet know. North-east of this area, there are also unknown islands: a larger island surrounded by two small islands.
Little Ship No. 4
The last little ship is located south of the third ship. The next unknown areas are above the area next to Vvardenfell, which we already mentioned at Little Ship No. 3. But there is also another unknown area near the ship.
This area borders Deshaan, Shadowfen, as well as Darkshade and Murkmire. The part of the area at the height of the little ship also has a notable stretch along the coast.
3. Expedition at sea?
What I personally find very interesting is the beginning of the video. The first shot shows a table with a ship model. This scene strongly resembles how strategies or battles are modeled in advance. The image then transitions into another scene and the model ship “transforms” into a real ship at sea.
Could this perhaps be an allusion to an expedition? At least the scene suggests this. Furthermore, the ship is oriented towards an island, moving towards it. What mysterious island is it?
An important hint is that the island is covered in snow, so it can be assumed that we are in the north of Tamriel. An island that has not yet been mentioned lies north of Eastmarch and is also unknown to us.
Will the new chapter really bring one of these areas? Or does it maybe not take place on the mainland at all? What is your guess? Did you see any detail that we might have missed? Feel free to write it in the comments, we are curious!
If you can hardly wait, then our article 9 things that the MMORPG ESO must urgently bring in 2022 might give you an opportunity to distract yourself. And maybe you’ll find wishes for the newly started year that apply to you.
