One of the most easily hateable characters in Skyrim provides a surprisingly good example of how deep The Elder Scrolls 6's character relationships could go. The world of Skyrim is driven by conflict, whether it be the bandits that roam the roads between the cities, or the war between the Imperials and Stormcloaks that has divided the land. Of course, there are a lot of other, smaller feuds in the world as well, such as that between the Battle-Borns and Greymanes in Whiterun. Of course, friendships are possible as well, and the player will see many examples of both throughout Skyrim.
Even by series standards, the amount of memorable NPCs in Skyrim is staggering. Every hold that the player can visit has an impressive amount of characters to interact with. Some are little more than filler, milling about with little to no possible interaction with the player. However, many of these characters have at least some interaction with at least one of the game's many quests, even if they aren't specifically aligned with any of the game's notable factions. That goes a long way towards making the world of Skyrim feel alive, and The Elder Scrolls 6 can potentially take it to the next level.
One of Skyrim's Most Hateable NPCs Could Be Useful For Elder Scrolls 6
Erikur of Solitude seems to exist solely to prove that becoming a Thane in Skyrim does not automatically make someone a good person. Despite his position, Erikur is sleazy, crude, and casually cruel for no reason other than his own amusement. In fact, almost every interaction that he has is dripping in his own awful personality. He'll even be rude to the Dragonborn, who could outstrip him in power several times over by the first time that they meet. However, the most annoying thing about Erikur may be that, until two specific quests are completed, he is essential, and therefore cannot die.
Even though, at first glance, Erikur seems to be little more than the worst that Skyrim has to offer, he represents something that The Elder Scrolls 6 would benefit from expanding from. Erikur has some notable relationships that can play out in various ways. He has a sister, who he constantly insults and treats poorly. If Erikur dies, the player will actually get a thank-you letter from Gisli for doing the deed, since she hates him that much. Likewise, Erikur despises fellow Thane Bryling for refusing to entertain his arrogance, leading to him sending the Dragonborn a thank-you note if Bryling dies.
While Erikur's only real relationships are forged of hatred, The Elder Scrolls 6 could expand on similar relationship webs. The Elder Scrolls 6's sense of scale could be emphasized with more characters that have relationships with one another. NPCs could have rivalries, friendships, even romantic connections with others from their city and beyond. Such a web of relationships could have several consequences for the actions that a character takes. Helping someone could also gain some favor with their friends, while killing or stealing from them would turn those friends into the player's new enemies if discovered, requiring a lot of thoughtful strategy.
Not every character should be like Erikur, but The Elder Scrolls 6 could use his connections as a base for its own NPC dynamics. While The Elder Scrolls 6's release is far away, many of the tools that can make it better than its predecessors already exist. While Skyrim did a good job of making its NPCs interesting, The Elder Scrolls 6 can go further and make them a more cohesive community within the game. Inspiring more NPC relationships in The Elder Scrolls 6 could be Erikur's only positive contribution as a member of Skyrim's cast.
Skyrim is available now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
