Writing in Games: The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard

Before I begin, I want to say that if you are interested in playing The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, I will be revealing some spoilers, but only because it provides context for the reason behind the article that I'm posting today.  So if you have not yet played and want to, you may want to skip this post.

Okay, now continuing.

Last night while getting back into TESA:R (After trudging through the Dwemer ruins southwest of Port Hunding for most of the day), I returned to the Yokudan camp outside of the city to the north and set up the stones (after some online assistance, because I am apparently not smart enough to know how this astrological chart,

translates to placing two rocks in the following locations on an astrological map drawn in the sand):

I'm getting away from my intent, but after this rigamarol happens, I was greeted with a nearly eight minute cut scene, which also contained some of the best written dialogue for a stereotypical "rousing" speech that I have ever heard in a video game of recent memory.

The context leading up to this Shakespearean-esque speech is that Cyrus the Redguard is trying to restore Prince A'tor's soul (which has been imprisoned in a soul gem) to his body.  Prince A'tor will then lead The Restless League, (which are the remnants of the Crowns on Stros M'Kai who rebelled against Tiber Septim's annexation and ruling of Hammerfell) against the Imperial occupation of Stros M'Kai.  Cyrus calls the remaining Restless League to the Temple of Arkay (which is where the cut scene starts) while he brings the Gypsy-esque Yokudans for the transferring of Prince A'tor's soul.  After the soul transfer takes place, it is observed that the soul transfer failed, which presumably means that Prince A'tor's soul is forever lost, which is observed by the Restless League who then become discouraged at Cyrus having failed them in their long running goal.  That's when Cyrus starts with his speech when he realizes that the soul did not enter the body, but became one with the sword.

I am not sure which of the three principal writers for TESA:R, (Todd Howard, Michael Kirkbride, and Kurt Kuhlmann) was behind this speech, but damn they did a great job.  Granted Cyrus does not speak with such eloquence at any other part during the game, but it is just so damn good that I do not care that it seems a little bit out of character, or at least a character who we are introduced to during the events leading up to and during his time on Stros M'Kai; in-game time it is only a couple of days.

This is basically it for today's post.  I just wanted to talk about, what I thought was amazing writing on the parts of Howard, Kirkbride, and Kuhlmann, as well as voice acting by Michael Mack.  I was very much impressed and knew that I had to write about it, so that is what I did.  Now it is onto finishing the game as I appear to be very close to finishing.

~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian

And Many More Of Us Shall Die



P.S.  All of the screenshots I took from Vazz's walkthrough of TESA:R since I've been unable to take screenshots while playing on GOG's Galaxy client.  I also used Vazz's assistance to help me through some of the more confusing parts/puzzles in this game so far (see the above puzzle using constellations and rocks).  The videos linked are Vazz's walkthough that I used.  I will also be using pictures from his playthough when I write my full article after I finish playing because there is just oo much taken from this game that is used in the later Elder Scrolls games and I want people to know about it too.  Just wanted to let everyone know.