General:Skyrim - Secrets Of The Wall

In a now offline batch of articles (Article #1, Article #2, and Article #3) from January 12th 2011, using commentary from Bethesda, gameinformer.com breaks down the story behind Alduin's Wall, first seen in the game's teaser trailer released in December 2010...

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Last week, we revealed how the back cover of Game Informer's February issue held the keys to understanding the teaser trailer. But what about the incredibly detailed wall over which the camera pans in that video?

The zoomed-in glimpses you see within the trailer are more than they may first appear to be. The carved images are part of Alduin's Wall, named after the powerful dragon that serves as Skyrim's central antagonist. Alduin's Wall is an actual structure within the game world of Skyrim, and it plays a key part in the story of the game. It depicts a prophecy heralding the return Alduin to the world of the Elder Scrolls, as well as the history of the dragons and their interaction with humanity. Each section of the wall tells a different part of the story, and we'll explain every area in detail. Each of the previous games in the Elder Scrolls series play a part in the prophecy.

Later this month, we'll be digging in to reveal more about the in-game mechanics, combat, and technical features that make Skyrim shine. But today we dedicate the following feature to the role-playing and story lovers.

Alduin's Wall

Hidden deep in Skyrim stands the ancient Sky Haven Temple, a last refuge for the dwindling forces of the Blades. There sits an ancient structure – Alduin’s Wall, named for the devastating dragon depicted upon its carved surface. Across the Wall is inscribed a history and a prophecy that speaks to one of the great legends of Tamriel – the story of Alduin.

Explore the image for yourself, and learn what the hero of Skyrim, the Dragonborn, will be forced to uncover as he examines it for clues. The dragons were once driven from the world. Now, they have returned.

Devastation

Thousands of years ago, lost in the uncounted centuries that came before recorded history, the dragons ravaged the countryside, waging war against humankind and driving them before their might. The humans could not stand against such a force. Some of these humans would come to worship the dragons, but all feared them. For the first of three times, we see depicted Alduin, the World Eater. This awesome and terrifying creature will one day return to devour Tamriel. That day has come.

Alduin’s Defeat

This cryptic image tells of Alduin’s fall to humanity’s ingenuity and bravery, but more than that is not known. This piece of the puzzle would be incredibly important to understand for someone new who might hope to defeat the dragons once again. Who are the individuals standing against Alduin? How did they expel the dreaded beast from the world? Perhaps the re-emergent Dragonborn will uncover the answers.

The Staff of Chaos

The prophecy of Alduin’s Wall depicts several events that would preface the return of Alduin after his expulsion from the world. The first is the shattering of the Staff of Chaos, an event depicted in The Elder Scrolls: Arena. The Staff was an incredibly powerful relic that could open gateways to other worlds and obliterate living beings. Imperial Battlemage Jagar Tharn used the Staff of Chaos to imprison Emperor Uriel Septim VII within the realm of Oblivion, after which he broke the staff into pieces to assure the artifact could never be used against him. Arena’s hero reassembled those pieces and defeated Jagar Tharn.

Numidium

The return of Numidium is another part of the prophecy heralding the return of Alduin. The massive brass golem called Numidium was reassembled during the events of The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. The branching choices that determined who would control Numidium resulted in the Warp in the West, a strange occurrence that paradoxically allowed all choices to happen simultaneously, dramatically altering the world.

The Red Mountain

The mountain once known as Vvaardenfell served a central role in the events of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. In that installment, the villain Dagoth Ur maintained his stronghold within, until the hero of that game infiltrated the Red Mountain and destroyed him.

The Oblivion Gates

The death of Emperor Uriel Septim VII at the beginning of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion allowed the Alduin’s return. A previously unknown heir named Martin Septim, along with the help of Oblivion’s hero, were able to shut the gates once again, but Martin was lost in the process. The end of the Septim dynasty of emperors also brought the end of Tamriel’s third era.

The Sons of Skyrim

With the Fourth Era begun, the sons of Skyrim “spill their own blood”, as described by the Blade named Esbern within the recent trailer. This final terrible event heralds Alduin’s ultimate arrival. As The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim begins, the high king of Skyrim has been murdered. Many within the northern country wish to secede from the crumbling empire, which has been on the decline for 200 years since the fall of the Septim Dynasty. Other Skyrim citizens insist the Empire is still worth fighting for. Conflict between the two sides seems inevitable.

Hope

The prophecy depicted on Alduin’s Wall is dire, but it is not without hope. A single individual, gifted with the same incredible powers held by the dragons themselves, may rise to fight against Alduin and assure the world’s survival. The Akaviri armor worn by the Blades in this image originates from another continent beyond Tamriel. The Blades shown in the image bow before the Dragonborn. They’ve protected the line of the Dragonborn for generations in anticipation of this moment, when a Dragonborn would rise to face Alduin upon his return. 200 years ago, with the closing of the Oblivion gates, the line of Dragonborn heirs was lost with the last of the Septims. As Skyrim begins, a lone prisoner begins to learn that he may hold a similar power…

The Throat of the World

A great mountain rises above the tundra and forests of Skyrim. The Throat of the World houses High Hrothgar, the home of the Greybeards, who will play a key part in the Dragonborn’s story. 7,000 steps must be climbed to reach the remote retreat. Here on Alduin’s Wall, we see the mountain cleft in two, symbolizes the way Skyrim is tearing itself apart as the game begins.