The Elder Scrolls: Hammerfell

The Elder Scrolls: Hammerfell is a single-player role-playing video game set in the open world action/adventure RPG fantasy world of The Elder Scrolls video game series.

Taking place in the harsh arid province of Hammerfell the latest installment of The Elder Scrolls series takes the player on a fantastic journey through a land caught in the grips of tempest, turmoil and war as part of an epic desert odyssey.



ABOUT
Time is against you Seeker, it yawns at your heels.

''You must be wiser than the divided house. Swifter than the shadow of dominion. One wrong step and we are lost. I know the hand that fate will deal, but not how the cards will be played. The only certainty is Blood and Steel, Tears and Fire. And the deep threat long forgotten. Time is against you. You must be Kai'Arwan. Find the truth.. ''

STORY
Over a hundred years have passed since the events of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and it is now 4E 316.

The land of Hammerfell is in a weakened state after having cut ties with the Empire. Increased hostilities between The Crowns and The Forebears, the leading factions of Hammerfell, has left them open to invasion by the Thalmor starting the Second Great War. In the midst of this chaos the Dwemer, a long lost race, have seemingly returned to Tameriel with monstrous constructs of flesh and steel at their command. Hammerfell must unify if it is to survive these dire threats.

The player starts the game in a dark prison mine. You are befriended by an fellow inmate named Ketch Varkas, who listens to your creation story and gives you the run down on the prison. Ketch tasks you with helping plan a prison riot to mask your escape. During the madness, Ketch betrays you to make his escape leaving you and other fellow conspirators to be captured. You are sentenced to death and taken into the badlands on a sand barge. During the trek to your final destination the convoy is shaken when a colossal Dwemer construct suddenly erupts out of the ground and lays waste the convoy. Your cage is sent flying into a ravine and smashed against the rock. The player dies watching the Colossus disappear into a sand storm. The player awakens in a shadowy realm where they are met by mysterious Wraith who claims they are now banished from death and told to "Find the Path". The player resurrects next to the broken cage, their body healed. Making their way out of the wreckage and navigating the labyrinthine ravine they eventually find a remote village where people take you in to recover. Impressed with your efforts they award you the title of Arwan - a Pathfinder.

The world is now yours to explore at will and the three major story threads of Hammerfell, the truth of your immortality, the outcome of the Second Great War, and the return of the Dwemer are ready to be investigated but the tide of fate will define your life in ways you could never have foreseen.

SETTING
This installment of The Elder Scrolls takes place in the new region of Hammerfell

Hammerfell, also known as Volenfell in Dwemeris, Hegathe in Aldmeris, and Deathland in Nedic, is a vast province in the west of Tamriel, bordered by High Rock to the north, Skyrim to the northeast and Cyrodiil to the east and southeast. It is the homeland of the Redguards. Once a province of the Tamrielic Empire until the Great War, Hammerfell became a sovereign nation in 4E 175 after its rejection of the White-Gold Concordat.

Hammerfell is a massive region, covered by vast mountain ranges, grasslands, and deserts. The desolate Alik'r Desert is one of Hammerfell's most well-known regions, taking up a large fraction of the province.

Hammerfell is especially notable for being the home of the Redguards, a race of men known for being cunning warriors and skilled swordsmen. Though many skirmishes followed upon the invasion of Yokuda, the land remained Redguard territory. Before the Redguards, however, the Dwemer once occupied Hammerfell.

Hammerfell is a completely new kind of landscape to explore in The Elder Scrolls series. A harsh, arid but beautiful land with unique cultures, characters and locations. The 8 major cities are the most well realized in the series and they are complemented with smaller townships, ruins and dungeons dotted through the land with huge swaths of wilderness separating them all.

Hammerfell is divided up into 10 regions with unique but complementary biomes, geography and settlements. The Alik'r Desert, Totambu Forrest, Dragontail Mountains, Western Reach, Colovain Highlands, Helkori Plains, Dak'Fron Badlands, Goldmoor Coast, Hew's Bane and The Abecean Isles.

Alik'r Desert
The Alik'r Desert takes up all of the western region of Hammerfell, and is widely regarded as the most inhospitable region in all of Tamriel. The Alik'r Desert is home to the ruins of countless civilizations that had perished beneath its sands. Its blazing heat, ferocious sandstorms, and lack of water, makes it nearly impossible to survive in the Alik'r Desert. The Desert is populated by monstrous beasts, including giant scorpions and Dunerippers and is inhabited only by the nomadic Dune Dweller Redguards. The Sands of the Alik'r stretch for miles and miles, where one can easily get lost. This presents an interesting gameplay mechanic where depending on the time or the day, the shifting sands could hide or reveal the entrances to particular dungeons.

A large settlement in this region is the ancient city of Hegathe.

The Alik'r Desert has a similar landscape as the Sahara Desert.

Totambu Forrest
Totambu Forrest is a small tropical region on the North of Hammerfell between the Dragontail Mountains and Illiac Bay. The Totambu Forrest is a hot and humid jungle where mountain streams flow from rocky waterfalls to deep cool freshwater pools. A royal family dwell in a city with the same name and the region is policed by the Order of the Scarab. Totambu Forrest shares its largest city and Capital of Hammerfell with the Alik'r Desert; Sentinel - The Jewel of the Desert. Sentinel is bay far the largest city in the game an operates as a port and center of all trade and knowledge.

The landscape of Totambu is similar to Kakadu in Australia and Sentinel is based on Constantinople in its prime

Helkori Plains
Dak'Fron Badlands

Goldmoor
Goldmoor is a vast land of grassy hills, monolithic tors, and coastal inlets located in the south of Hammerfell

Hew's Bane

Exploration
Hammerfell retains the traditional open-world gameplay found in The Elder Scrolls series. The vast landscape can be freely roamed through an immersive first person perspective. Hammerfell is played in a fixed first erson perspective to add immersion, this view is only changed to a cinematic thrisd person perstived during cinematics and character conversations. Hammerfell give their own personal horse for the entirity of the game along with new mounts and vehicles such as wild camels and sail boats.

When new locations are discovered, they are added to the map and there after can be fast-traveled to.

Combat
Combat has undergone a significant overhaul from previous installments of the series.

Endurance
Hammerfell introduces new survivability conditions to the game series....

Exposure

Food

Resources

Campsite

SKILLS
Unlike previous Elder Scroll games, there are no fixed classes in Hammerfell. Instead you have a selection of talents that conform to the Warrior, Mage and Rogue class archetypes. The Warrior class for example focuses on direct combat and skills that aid in survival. Each of this archetypes that have seven unique talents that can be leveled as you play. By investing levels into any of these talents it is possible to create any class you like. Each talent has four related skills the level up as you gain experience from Novice (lv1) to Master (lv5). These levels increase that skills effectiveness as well as offering unique perks to aid in gameplay.

For example: Warrior (Class) has a talent named Fast Attack (Talent). Within that talent there are 4 skills to upgrade (Muscle Memory, Precision Blows, Critical Strikes Whirl) and each skill has associated perks.
 * Class
 * Talent
 * Skill
 * Perk

WARRIOR
The Warrior Class use their might and iron will to overcome all foes. Their talents are combat focused and enhance direct damage and survival. Their talents are as follows

Fast Attack
Preform fast melee attack

1) Muscle Memory: 5% damage increase for Fast Attacks per level 2) Precision Blows: 2% crit chance per level 3) Whirl: Spinning attack that uses stamina to attack all foes. 10% stamina decrease per level 4) Crippling Strikes: Apply bleeding effect. Enemies lose 25 Vitality per second per level
 * Perk 1: Quick Draw - Quickly draw a sheathed weapon with a chance to deal critical damage on strike
 * Perk 2: Light Finishers - Final attack may cause an execution animation
 * Perks 1: Instant Kill - 2% chance to instantly kill an enemy with a single blow
 * Perk 2: Two-Handed Finesse - Reduce dual wield stamina consumption
 * Perk 1: Onslaught - Whirl damage increases over time
 * Perk 2: Dual Flurry - Perform whirl with two weapons
 * Perk 1: Concussion - Enemy is stunned for 5 seconds
 * Perk 2: Paralyzing Strike - Permanently cripple enemy attack or movement

Strong Attack
Preform strong melee attacks that ignore armour

1) Strength Training: 5% damage increase per level 2) Crushing Blows: 2% crit chance and 15% crti damage per level 3) Rend: Increase damage proportional to Stamina consumed 4) Sunder Armour: Reduce enemy damage resistance by 5% per level
 * Conditioning - Heavy armour no longer effects stamina while sprinting
 * Steel Fist - Unarmed attacks do increased damage
 * Charge - While sprinting preform a leaping high damage attack
 * Dual Aggression - Dual wielding does increased damage against low health enemies
 * Perks: Decimate - Strong finisher my cause dismemberment execution animation
 * Dual Savagery - Dual wielding does 20% more damage
 * Perks: Cleave - Permanently shatter defenses
 * Juggernaut - Sprint into enemies while wearing heavy armour to preform a shoulder charge

Defense
Defensive techniques

1) Guard: Reduce stamina reduction to blocked attacks by 20% per level 2) Fleet Footed: 20% damage reduction while dodging per level 3) Counter Attack: 30% damage increase after parried attacks per level 4) Deflection: Deflect projectile attacks with reduced damage
 * Spartan - Sprint while blocking
 * Iron Tower - 10% stagger reduction wearing light armour, 25% in medium armour, 50% in heavy armour
 * Combat Roll - Double tap dodge in combat to preform a combat roll
 * Cushioned - Halve fall damage
 * Reversal - Restore stamina with counter attack
 * Riposte - Instant counter attack
 * Resend - Reflect projectiles back at enemies
 * Reflect - Reduce magic damage by 50%

Marksman
Projectile attacks

1) Reflexes: Increase firing and reloading speed 2) Cold Blooded: Time slows by 10% per level 3) Anatomical Knowledge: Increase projectile crit chance by 5% per level 4) Crippling Shot: 10% chance to paralyze target per level
 * Ranger - Move faster while aiming
 * Trick Shot - Fire twice before reloading
 * Eagle Eye - Zoom in while aiming
 * Steady Hands - Damage increase over distance
 * Snipe - Head shots deal 20% extra damage
 * Pierce - Bypass armour rating
 * Immobilize - Targeted shots to legs pin targer
 * Kinetic - Stagger all but the largest opponents 50% of the time

Survivalist
Wilderness survival skills

1)Hunter: Gain resources from hunting animals in the wild. 2) Gatherer: Increase resource gathering % 3) Provisions: Cook more complex recipes 4) Wanderer: Increase resistance to negative effects of exposure in the wild.
 * Big Game - Increased resources from animals
 * Keen Senses - Detect items and animals at greater distances
 * Horder - Reduce carry weight of resources
 * Prospector - Increased resources from harvesting and mining
 * Master Chef - Increase number of servings of cooked meals
 * Gourmand - Increase restoration and buff rates after consuming meals
 * Swagman - Gain rested status from sleeping at Campsites
 * Adaption - Standing still prevents exposure from rising above 60%

Smith
Forge Weapons, Armour, Jewelry, Mechanism

1) Weapons: Raise weapons forging ability 2) Armour: Raise level of Light, Medium and Heavy armour 3) Jewelry: Raise level of crafted 4) Mechanism: Raise level of crafted mechanisms
 * Honed - Improved items statuses last longer
 * Fortified - Improved weapon durability
 * Matching Set - 25% bonus if wearing complete set of armour
 * Custom Fit - 5% bonus to each hand crafted armour piece
 * Exquisite - Increased value of crafted jewelry
 * Imitation - Create knock of jewelry using lower quality materials
 * Engineered - Stat boost to crafted mechanism
 * Lucky Strike - Stack chance that crafted items have increased stats

Battle Trance
Skills that provide passive boosts to all the other talents

1) Resolve: When taking damage, reduce damage by 2% and stamina loss by 10% per level 2) Unyielding: When vitality reaches 0, consuming stamina to extend life. Additional second per level 3) Flood of Anger: Increase damage dealt by 2% per level 4) Razor Focus: Increase stamina regeneration in battle by 10% per level
 * Survival Instinct - Increase maximum health by 500
 * Retaliation - After receiving critical damage your next attack deals 20% extra damage.
 * Reprisal - Critical damage increases as health decreases
 * Wraith - Kill an enemy while dying to gain health
 * Brutalize - Finishers or excutions cause terror
 * Vendetta - Consume health when stamina depleted to continue fighting
 * Peak Condition - Increased damage at full health
 * Combatant - Chain consecutive hits without blocking or taking damage to slow time

MAGE
The Mage Class use their intelligence and mystical skill to overpower all foes. Their talents are magic focused and enhance magic pool and effectiveness. Magic spells are are ranked into 5 Tiers reflecting your level of proficiency. Higher tiers take longer to charge but deal more damage. The talents are as follows

Elemental
Manipulate the destructive forces of nature

1) Pyromancy: Increase pyromancy effect per level. Can cause panic 2) Cryomancy: Increase cyromancy effect per level. Can cause frozen 3) Geomancy: Increase geomancy effect per level. Can cause stagger 4) Aeromancy: Increase aeromancy effect per level. Can cause stun
 * Spells: Flame, Ignite, Fireball, Incinerate, Inferno
 * Fire Starter - Chance for burning to explode
 * Scorched Earth - Burning effects last longer
 * Spells: Frost, Freeze, Icicle, Glacier, Blizzard
 * Chilled - Frozen enemies explode on death
 * North Wind - Increase frozen effect chance
 * Spells: Sand, Bolder, Tremor, Fissure, Meteor
 * Quick Sand - Stagger effects last longer
 * After Shock - Secondary shock wave at no mana cost
 * Spells: Spark, Electrocute, Lightning, Thunderbolt, Lightning Storm
 * Energized - Speed boost from each enemy hit
 * Chain Lightning - Chance for shock effect to chain to other enemies

Mental
Manipulate the mind

1) Illusion: Distraction and confusion causing spells 2) Divination: Reveal knowledge through supernatural means. Change spell effect per level 3) Domination: Control the minds of others 4) Meditation: Mantras that aid you and allies
 * Spells: Blind, Silence, Hypnotise, Invisibility, Hysteria
 * Mesmerize - Illusions last longer
 * Prestige - Increased area of effect
 * Spells: Clairvoyance, Second Sight, Scry, Void Gaze, Possession
 * Seer - Increase range of effect
 * Precognition - Chance for enemy attacks to miss
 * Spells: Calm, Command, Frenzy, Courage, Mayhem
 * Rally - Improve stats on dominated characters
 * Master Mind - Spell effects last longer
 * Spells: Haste, Enhance, Fortify, Serenity, Vortex
 * Unity - Allies get same buffs as player
 * Synergy - Chance to deal additional damage with next magic spell after receiving magic damage

Spiritual
Manipulate internal energy forces

1) Wards: Cast protective barrier strength increases with level. 2) Glyphs: Magical traps. Increase glyph intensity 3) Shapeshift: transform into new beasts with each level 4) Restoration: Recovery Spells
 * Spells: Barrier, Unity, Mirror, Force-field, Agies,
 * Exploding Shield - Knock back enemies when shield breaks
 * Hunger - Convert a small % of magic attack against you into player mana pool
 * Spells: Block, Detonate, Pin, Antagonize, Curse
 * Sustained Glyphs - Glyph last longer before disapating
 * Supercharged - Increased effect
 * Spells: Gazelle, Hawk, Lion, Crocodile, Dragon
 * Natural Order - Decrease rate of mana pool drain when transformed
 * Bestial Rage - Increase attack damage when transformed
 * Spells: Heal, Cure, Healing Rift, Rejuvenate, Revival
 * Starlight - Increase health regen during the day and mana regen at night
 * Avoid Death - Once a day receive 250 health when health falls below 10%

Dimensional
Manipulate external energy forces

1) Bound Weapons: Summon unique spiritual weapons per level 2) Necromancy: Reanimate the dead to fight for you 3) Theomancy: Summon extra dimensional spirits to fight for you 4) Chronomancy: Control the flow of time
 * Spells: Sword, Dagger, Great Axe, Bow, Simulcrum
 * Mystic Binding - Bound weapons deal more damage
 * Soul Stealer - Bound weapons can cast soul trap
 * Spells: Raise Zombie, Boneman, Revenant, Thrall, Dread Corpse
 * Grim - Increase enemy chance to be effected by curse
 * Risen Dead - Undead have more health
 * Spells: Soul Trap, Conjure Familar, Antronch, Wraith, Dremora Lord
 * Summoner - Summon being twice as far away
 * Conjurer - Summoned being linger longer
 * Spells: Slow, Stasis, Time Bubble, Flux, Calamity
 * Exploit - Small damage buff to slowed enemies
 * Time Bomb - Cause damage on effected enemies when chronomacy spell ends

Arcana
Advanced understanding of the Magic Realm

1) Siphon: Absorb soul energy from surrounding area 2) Banish: Remove lingering spell effects from area. 3) Coven: At rest, commune with your chosen Divine to receive blessings. Boon increase per level 4) Teleport: Teleport to any fast travel marker outside of combat.
 * Drain Essence - 20% increase on soul energy
 * Vampire - Drain health and magic from enemies in close proximity
 * Explode Corpse - Corpses or Undead explode causing damge
 * Exorcist - Magical entities receive damage if they are not banished
 * Piety - Commune twice a day
 * Preacher - grant Divine boon to allies
 * Forethought - Reduce teleport casting time
 * Blink - Teleport short distances by holding dodge while in combat

Enchantment
Create magical artifacts

1) Potions: Increase effectiveness of brewed potions per level 2) Runes: Raise level of applied stat upgrades and buffs to Weapons and Armour 3) Relics: Raise level of constructed magical items 4) Spellcraft: Combine spells from different talents to create new spells. higher levels result more complex spells
 * Refreshment - Heal a % of max health with every potion
 * Delayed Recovery - Potion effects last 20% longer
 * Insightful - Enchantments on weapons are 25% stronger
 * Runewright - Health, Magic and Stamina enchantments on armor 25% stronger
 * Soul Squeezer - Soul energy of relic last longer
 * Artificer - Increase value of constructed relic
 * Spells: 20 unique spells to discover,
 * Acolyte - Decrease to total mana cost
 * Second Wind - Mana regenerates faster

Mystisicism
Skills that provide passive boosts to all other talents

1) Destructive Force: Increase spell intensity by 5% per level

2) Prodigy: Spells consume 2% less mana per level 3) Indomitable: Consume health to cast magic and mana reaches 0. Additional second per level 4) Attuned: Increase mana regen by 2% per level
 * Blood magic - Gain health from critical damage cause by spells
 * Audacity - Casting destructive magic in close proximity to enemies increases their effectivness
 * Dual Cast - Cast the same low level spell a second time at a reduce mana cost
 * Evocation - Spells charge faster
 * Unwavering - Gain magic resistance while standing still
 * Forceful - Consuming all mana with final spell causes them to be supercharged
 * Harmony - Mana regens faster outside of combat
 * Druid - Beast less likely to attack

ROGUE
The Rogue Class use their cunning and agility to overwhelm all foes. Their talents a tactically focused and enhance movement and strategy. Their talents are as follows

Stealth
Skills that aid in stealth mode

1) Shadow: Reduce range of detection in darkness 2) Silence: Reduce noise while moving 3) Evasion: Increase swoop distance while in stealth mode. Press dodge to swoop 4) Swift: Increase speed while in stealth mode per level
 * Night Owl - Increase visual clarity in darkness
 * Stalker - Shadow cling to you when moving into the light
 * Soft Landing - Land quietly while wearing light and medium armour
 * Ninja - Silent sprint
 * After Image - Leave a shadow to attack enemies to your last know location
 * Flank - Swoop and attack an enemy for increased damage
 * Pounce - Brief window of slow down when detected
 * Light Foot - Do not set off traps when walking over them

Steal
Act of stealing objects

1) Pickpocket: Steal items from NPC. Increase chance by 20% per level 2) Lockpick: Level of locks you to attempt to crack increase per level 3) Seize: Increase speed of Stealing motions 4) Deceit: Reduce chance of being detected by 5% per level
 * Hidden Pockets - Increase carry capacity by 100
 * Cut Purse - 50% bonus gold when stealing
 * Wax Key - Create a copy of a picked lock if it has matching one
 * Insight - Visualize the inner workings of a lock mechanisms
 * Snatch - Chance to pluck a projectile out of the air preventing damage
 * Midas Touch - auto loot gold from NPC you kill
 * Infiltrate - Wearing a full set of enemies clothes prevents detection
 * Kleptomaniac - stealing gives you a minor health regen

Sabotage
Incapacitate enemies

1) Disable: Increase effectiveness of Bombs, Oils and Traps by 10% per level 2) Disarm: Disarm and recover higher level traps. Increase chance to disarm opponent by 10% per level. Block while unarmed. 3) Takedown: Perfrom lethal and no lethal takedowns on higher level enemies.
 * Shell Shock -Status effects last longer
 * Vulnerable - Disabled enemies take 20% extra damage for 8 seconds
 * Spotter - Notice traps while focusing
 * Opportunist - quickly steal and attack opponent with their own weapon
 * Non-Lethal (fast attack button), Lethal (strong attack button)

4) Incapacitate: Disabled enemies take 15% more damage per level
 * Chain Throw - Takedown an enemy and throw a weapon at a second target
 * Aerial Takedown - Drop onto an enemy from above for an instant takedown
 * Overrun - Disabling an enemy with a critical hit regenerates stamina
 * Set Up - 5% bonus party critical hit chance

Traversal
Assist in moving around the world

1) Horsemanship: Increase mount gallop stamina and handling 2) Seamanship: Increase vessel speed and durability per level 3) Mountaineer: increase grip stamina 4) Orienteer: Increase distance player can run or swim before becoming fatigued
 * Pack Horse - Greatly increase carrying capacity
 * War Horse - Increase damage dealt on horseback
 * Deep Breath - Increase lung capacity
 * Ramming Speed - Cause greater damage when crashing into other vessels
 * Daredevil - Increase climbing speed
 * Cliffhanger - Slow down stamina drain when climbing but not moving
 * Marathon - Increase sprint speed and slow stamina drain
 * Olympian - Armour weight does not affect stamina drain

Alchemy
Create Medicines, Oils, Bombs and Traps

1) Bombs: Craft higher level hand held bombs which can be thrown at targets. Increase number by 1 per level. 2) Medicines: Create medical supplies, cures and other drugs 3) Oils: Higher level blade oils. 4) Traps: Craft higher level traps. Increase number by 1 per level
 * Pyrotechnics - Bombs that don't usually cause damage deal 30 damage per level
 * Cluster Bomb - Bombs fragment upon detonation
 * Stimulant - Time slows when using medicine at full health
 * Medic - Healing medicines are much more effective
 * Fixative - Oils contain 50% more charges
 * Venom - Oil effect deals more damage per level
 * Trip Wire - Increase trap radius
 * Fail-safe - Traps trigger a second time with a reduce effect)

Persuasion
Conversation increasing skills that open additional dialogue options.

1) Charm: Charm NPC's into helping you. Additional dialogue options 2) Intimidate: Scare NPC's into helping you. Additional dialogue options 3) Barter: Directly effect the prices paid when buying and selling to merchants 4) Leadership: Increase the health management of Settlements
 * Beast Master - Command creatures into helping you
 * Good Company - When travelling with a companion you do 25% more damage
 * Inspire - Command humanoids into joining you
 * Highwayman - Demand payment from travelers
 * Trader - Sell any type of item to any kind of merchant
 * Investor - Invest money into a merchant
 * Inspirational - Your companions do more damage
 * Commander - Create supply lines between settlements

Intuition
Skills that provide passive boosts to all other talents

1) Luck: Find more gold in chests per level 2) Perception - Highlight loot, interactive items and enemies at 5m increments per level 3) Reflex - 5% increase to all resistance while sprinting per level 4) Preperation
 * Discerning Eye - Increase chance of finding rarer items
 * Favored - 2% increase on all chance based actions
 * Awareness - Time slows while aiming
 * Savant - XP bonus on all actions
 * Adrenaline - Speed boost at low health
 * Acrobatic - Health regen when you dodge an attack
 * Body Guard - Chance that a companion will save you from a killing blow
 * Second Chance - Once a day, drop a flash bang to confuse foes while you get a 40% health regen