Hi,

So we know that in the upcoming expansion/DLC, Dawnguard, there will be a choice between two groups: The Dawnguard, and the Vampires, where you side with and do quests for one or the other. We also know that the vampire's eventual goal is to unleash some sort of magic, or cataclysm which destroys/blocks the sun for forever, making it so vampires never have to fear the sun. Now I assume that if you side with the vampires, you will help them succeed in blocking out the sun. Will this mean that from then on, will it always be night-time on that character?

First, just think of the environmental concerns. No sun means no crops, which also means the world's food supply is dramatically cut. There is no photosynthesis, how will the trees survive, and then conversely how will humans survive without something to filter carbon dioxide into oxygen? I guess Bethesda will kind of say that Earth physics/realities don't necessarily apply to Nirn, but it will seem really odd if it's constantly night time and I see farmers ploughing their fields, with crops growing.

Secondly, and more importantly, is Bethesda really prepared to fully support game-world changes that would assuredly occur as a result of the world being plunged into an unending night? For one, random NPC's forgetting about the Civil War, their usual dialogue, and everything else they talk about and saying 'Oh wow, the sun went out...' rather than pretending it didn't happen? What about vampire attacks, populations becoming afraid of a 'vampiric rising' that comes about as a result of no sun? Will we see more vampire NPCs? Quests, or even political leaders forgetting their priorities and saying 'oh crap, we need to figure out how to turn the sun back on!'? If you're like me, then you have a big, fat 'I doubt it', and expect the world to progress completely, 100% as it was before the Dawnguard DLC, just with crossbows, mounted combat, and a darker shade to everything on account of the everlasting nighttime. And that would be quite a shame.

I've learned that the fanbase is unpleaseable. Bethesda could create the most breathtaking story ever yet the fans would always find some flaw with it. Bethesda has thought it through so wait.

Look on the bright side... more torchbugs.

Rather hard to judge when it is not even out, aside the info we have.

Maybe...the vampires can't actually block out the sun? It's not out yet, let's hold a moment...

The only way to find out is either wait for E3 or when Dawnguard comes out.

Considering the amount of support they have put in the game, and mini mods being put in evey update now and in the future, Im sure they will have no problem.

Oh boy, my collection grows!

I will wait and criticize the story if it needs it after I play it.
Then only then will I criticize or praise the story until we play it its all just speculation at best.

We can all go down to Blackreach and eat mushrooms with the Falmer.

Well, I'm glad everyone seems (relatively) optimistic. Hopefully things will all work out.

I think they're not going to seal the sun, just change it so it does not harm them.

One could argue that since the sun is actually a hole ripped in the edge of this plain and not a ball of gas, the plants on Nirn get their nutrients via magic that comes from the sun rather than it's rays and photosynthisis. AKA, the "this is fantasy not SiFi" arguement. Sometimes it's best of we don't stop to explain everything like that.

Also, dlc by bethesda is usually written in such a way that no matter what choice is made, either of them could be cannon. Did the Champion of Cyrodiil ever go to the Shivering Isles, or do the Knights of the Nine? And what of the Nerevarine? What faction did they join? Where did s/he go? No one in the world really knows for sure, and it isn't spelled out for the player. That's why, at least I believe, that TES games always have weaker writing. Because they have to account for almost every possible action the player can make being cannon. That's why I get the feeling, based on past patterns, that the dlc will end with the world largely being uneffected.

Is that good? Well, it's just how TES has been handled. I'd be suprised if they'd change now, making one choice non-cannon and another cannon.

Also, as a side note, blocking out the sun could just be something vampires would see. To the rest of the world, everything would be fine, just vampires and others attuned with the magic of Nirn would notice.

they will find plants that grow in the dark and will put garlic everywhere to stop the vampires.

I have faith in Bethesda. I remember when Undead Nightmare for Red Dead Redemption was being released, and I was skeptical. And boy, did Rockstar blow me away, and I felt foolish for doubting them. I just hope the faith I'm putting in Bethesda is well deserved. I'm not a huge fan of Vampires, so here's hoping they pull out all the stops with this DLC.

I suppose they could switch to farming crimson Nirnroots. Or maybe the sun is just optional in Tamriel.

Perhaps instead of blocking out the sun permanently, they're going for the ability to use elder scrolls to make a temporary bubble of night at will? Although I guess you wouldn't expect people to be like "oh, must be another one of those localized flash eclipses, nothing to worry about" and keep going about their business.

Or they could have it so that if you join the vampires, instead of stopping them from bringing endless night you're stopping the hunters from causing endless daytime.

so are you saying skyrim had the most breathtaking story ever? what are you basing this on?

Well, you can fix almost anything with magic I suppose, right? Maybe the same magic they use to block out the sun can also make everything that needs the sun not need it any longer?

I would assume they wouldn't destroy the sun but, use the elder scrolls to make the sun rays not affect Vampires. If you watch the trailer the sun isn't destroyed but, blocked by red smog of some sort.

I think it looks amazing cant wait to try it out looks like a much darker story bethesda is so awesome!

Sorry, just had to.

"Magic, *snort* *snort*"

This.

DING DING DING DING DING DING

I see what you're saying here, and I've been giving it a bit of thought. Here's where I'm at so far:

Basically, the trailer shows the sun being blotted out by a red smog. So there's a pretty good chance that that happens during the storyline, regardless of which faction you choose. Maybe it happens early on before you choose a side, or maybe you get to play the event from different perspectives depending on your faction - Dawnguard trying to restore the sun, vampires trying to keep it blotted out. And we can pretty safely assume that by Elder Scrolls VI, the sun will be back to normal. So maybe in that game, the history books will say something like "in 4E201, the Volkihar vampires in Skyrim succeeded in using an Elder Scroll to temporarily obscure the sun. Reports are unclear as to how long this crisis lasted, but sources agree that by the beginning of the fourth century, normal conditions had been restored." So the sun being covered becomes part of the lore, while also incorporating the player's choice as to whether they want to reverse it or keep it that way.

I would assume that they'll just cast some sort of magic on the sun so that it's rays no longer harm vamps. The cinematic we see is probably just during the initial change, not permanent, and afterwards the sun works the same.


Although you do make good points about the consequences of such a world where vampires hunt freely. You'd think they'd run wild, and yet we'll probably see communities doing perfectly fine.
Don't forget though: Broken Steel. It reduced "exterminating humankind in the Capital Wasteland save for the pure strains" to "it gave everyone really bad tummy aches." So it wouldn't be the first time they made a game that didn't deliver on the consequences.