Given the groundbreaking success of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, the upcoming sequel to the game is under intense pressure to deliver fans the incredible freedom of choice that they've come to love with an open world that rivals modern RPGS. While there is very little information about where The Elder Scrolls 6 will take place - though fans are betting on Hammerfell or High Rock as settings - it will be difficult for the game to compete with some of the iconic locations featured in Skyrim.
One of these places was the Soul Cairn, a location that was only accessible through the vampire storyline in Dawnguard. The plane of Oblivion deserves to be further expanded and explored in The Elder Scrolls 6 because it is packed with mystery and intrigue, the fuel needed for Elder Scrolls games to remain compelling to seasoned adventurers. From the mysterious Daedric ruler in charge of the realm to the fate of the souls trapped there, the Soul Cairn has enormous potential for future gameplay that cleverly connects back to the lore and setting of Skyrim.
The Soul Cairn Has Implications On Post-Skyrim Tamriel
The Skyrim: Dawnguard DLC was an incredible expansion to Skyrim, as it allowed players to experience the eternal war between vampires and werewolves. The Last Dragonborn is pulled into the lives of powerful supernatural creatures who need their help to survive in a world as battle-charged as Skyrim. One of these characters is the vampire Serana, a now iconic NPC who must access the Soul Cairn to find her mother. The portal to the plane can be opened from the depths of Castle Volkihar and is the player's first glimpse at a plane of Oblivion in Skyrim. Exploring the Soul Cairn leaves more questions for The Elder Scrolls 6 to answer, though.
Skyrim's Soul Cairn is an oasis of strange phenomena, littered with enormous black stone structures and alien flora. Players can meet souls trapped on the plane, their life force used as energy. The entire area is running on soul energy, lighting attractors, and soul husks, having been connected to the magic used frequently in Soul Gems throughout the series. It is gradually revealed that the Soul Cairn is ruled by beings called "Ideal Masters" who are using Black Soul Gem-trapped souls as payment to a mysterious entity. The identity of this being is never revealed, creating huge implications for the future of Tamriel depending on the morality of this higher creature.
How The Soul Cairn Could Impact The Elder Scrolls 6
The Elder Scrolls 6 would benefit significantly from involving the Soul Cairn in the game's plot. Not only is the environment stunning, but the Soul Cairn has a ton of secrets to explore, all tied into the mystery behind the "Ideal Masters" and their overlord. For instance, players can encounter the undead frost dragon Durneviir in the Soul Cairn, an immortal being doomed to guard Serana's mother, an immortal vampire. Durneviir was actually part of the ancient Dragon War in the Merethic Era in The Elder Scrolls, and wanted to use necromancy to rule over Tamriel. As such, seeing The Elder Scrolls 6 use Durneviir to demonstrate the dangers of Soul Gem magic would be incredible.
There are other aspects of the Soul Cairn that could impact the next Elder Scrolls game. For instance, it would be a delightful surprise to actually get a glimpse at the "Ideal Masters" in the game, especially if they represent threats that have never been encountered before. Given that the moral consequences of Elder Scrolls' Soul Gems have seldom been explored in Skyrim, there are ways for Bethesda to use the Soul Cairn as a means to explore this issue in a way that has tangible consequences. This could come in the form of Black Soul Gem magic corrupting Tamriel or the appearance of odd reaper Soul Gems and other strange power sources.
The Soul Cairn Could Foreshadow The Return of Molag Bal In Future Games
Some players may be unaware that the origin of Soul Gem magic goes back to the Daedric prince Molag Bal, a frequent antagonist in the franchise, including The Elder Scrolls Online's launch campaign. In fact, Molag Bal used the Oblivion plane Coldharbour to fine-tune the Black Soul Gems his power created. While the Soul Cairn's potential ties to Molag Bal have yet to be explored, the powerful entity employing the "Ideal Masters" for mysterious plans might very well be him. After all, Molag Bal has a known penchant for necromancy, the magic rampant in the Soul Cairn. It would be cool to see players make a deal with the "Ideal Masters" in exchange for tapping into the power of the Soul Cairn.
Molag Bal has made appearances in almost every Elder Scrolls game, which might be a reason why he should be benched in future titles. Even so, the Soul Cairn might be fueling the prince's eventual return to Tamriel. This would be an incredible twist of events, especially since the Last Dragonborn in Skyrim would have explored the Soul Cairn while being utterly unaware of the implications. Players could also potentially encounter undead enemies that are similar to those in the Soul Cairn or may be able to create their own powerful Soul Gems using the odd arcane science that powers the plane of Oblivion.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development.