Despite being over a decade old, *The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim* continues to captivate gamers of all ages. Its enduring popularity stems from exceptional replayability and high-value DLC expansions. Dawnguard and Dragonborn delivered epic adventures filled with eldritch horrors, vampires, and lost civilizations. While two expansions are common for AAA RPGs, *Skyrim’s* rich lore suggests a compelling opportunity for a third, focusing on the province’s historical depths.
The *Elder Scrolls* games typically focus on individual provinces. *Skyrim*, set amidst icy mountains and valleys, boasts a diverse history beyond its Nord population. Originally home to Snow Elves and Dunmer, the province holds secrets of their disappearance, some hinted at in the Forgotten Vale region, introduced in the Dawnguard DLC. This area’s rich lore and potential warrants a standalone expansion.
The Forgotten Vale, a secluded location north of Markarth, is primarily inhabited by Falmer, Frost Giants, and Frost Trolls. Players encounter it during Dawnguard’s “Touching the Sky” questline, uncovering the tragic history of the Snow Elves and the origins of vampires in Nirn. While expansive, this questline serves primarily as a side story to Dawnguard’s main plot, leaving the rich history of the Snow Elves largely unexplored.
Within the Vale, players meet Knight-Paladin Gelebor, who requests the Dragonborn slay his corrupted brother, Vythur. Through dialogue with Gelebor, the player learns the Snow Elves and the Falmer are one and the same. Forced into servitude by the Dwemer after losing a war with the Nords, the Snow Elves were subjected to a blinding toxin, leading to their transformation into the Falmer we see today. This transformation, coupled with the Dwemer’s disappearance, left the Falmer to roam the ruins.
While some Snow Elves, like Gelebor and Vythur, escaped enslavement, their numbers dwindled. Their story, largely confined to dialogue, deserves further exploration. An expansion could provide an interactive quest line, allowing players to witness firsthand the war against the Nords, the Falmer’s blinding, and the escape of the survivors. This expansion could offer a chance for players to engage with the Falmer, perhaps even assisting them in finding peace, rather than simply slaying them. Failing that, *The Elder Scrolls VI* could offer a Snow Elf-centric DLC to finally give them the justice their story demands.