The Elder Scrolls Online's Morrowind province is easily one the most otherworldly locations to visit in Tamriel, so it's quite appropriate for the newly revealed chapter, Necrom. First appearing in The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, the region aimed to be something absolutely bizarre and strange, making it one of the most unique locations to explore. Mushroom wizard towers, alien-looking fauna, and the cryptic culture of the region made Morrowind what it is today.
The Elder Scrolls Online appeared at the Xbox Developer Direct, where it gave fans a sneak peek at the next chapter, Necrom, which takes places in the Telvanni peninsula part of Morrowind and uses Hermaeus Mora to bring Lovecraftian elements into the MMO. This location has not been seen since The Elder Scrolls: Arena back in 1994. There is no better option than this location for a chapter about cosmic horror and secrets that could unravel reality.
What Makes Morrowind The Perfect Choice for ESO: Necrom
When Morrowind was released in 2002, players were introduced to a world in which the architecture and people were somewhat familiar, but there was a distinct style that many locations had which made the player feel like they were exploring something totally otherworldly. Giant buildings made of giant crabs, wizards who lived in mushroom towers they grew themselves, and city built around a living god were just a few of its unique aspects. This makes it the perfect setting for a story about exploring the unknown and facing horrors beyond human comprehension.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom heavily involves Hermaeus Mora, and its realm of Apocrypha which is just as strange as Morrowind, if not stranger. Seas of ink and tentacle monsters litter the domain, with a strong Lovecraftian horror feel permeating throughout every nook and cranny. The realm is described to be the physical manifestation of knowledge, though not leaning towards any sense of morality. The realm exists as knowledge in its purest form, which often corrupts would-be students of the realm by eventually transforming them into tentacle creatures such as the seekers. It is where a secret remains hidden, one that could possibly unravel all of reality.
Cosmic horror is a sense of dread induced by higher powers that are beyond human comprehension. It is fueled by a sense of inevitability, but most of all, a sense of being completely alien to the world as most know it. No location in Tamriel has demonstrated this better than Morrowind. It is not just the fact that the location is strange, but the fact that it is foreign and not fully understood. Many strange cultures dwell within the region, and even greater secrets lie under the earth, like the disappearance of the Dwemer, which took place in Vvardenfell.
No other location could accomplish in complimenting the cosmic horror theme like the region of Morrowind could. The chapter even takes place in a city not seen for nearly three decades. Necrom is known for being the city of the dead, which means there will be an underlying theme of death found throughout the chapter. Death itself is complimentary to cosmic horror, as it is something not really understood by most mortals in Elder Scrolls.
Morrowind's use for The Elder Scrolls: Necrom almost seems like an inevitability when thinking about which region could represent cosmic horror the best. While fans won't get to visit the location until June, it's safe to say that the perfect location has been chosen to represent the underlying themes of Necrom. Hermaeus Mora and Morrowind come together to create a perfect fusion of exploring strange lands and concepts to induce cosmic horror. The story of The Elder Scrolls Online will continue to be fleshed out and expanded upon in ways previously not seen.
The Elder Scrolls Online is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
