'Skyrim' DLC to Include Snow Elves & Crossbows?

Game Rant

By John Jacques

Published Apr 27, 2012

While Bethesda is set to reveal information on the upcoming 'Skyrim' DLC - users have gone and uncovered in-game files which seem to hint at what we can expect from the content pack, Snow Elves & crossbows.

Just yesterday Bethesda said there would be news of upcoming Elder Scrolls: Skyrim DLC and intrepid fans of the game have already discovered that the yet-to-be-announced DLC seems to include two things: snow elves, and crossbows.

While there's also a bunch of mysterious animations with the acronym 'RF', this is a near-affirmative confirmation of what the Skyrim DLC will likely entail.

Looking through the game files of the latest patch update, a user on the Bethesda forums discovered the revealingly-titled animation codes.

Here's a select example of the tasty tidbits:

Animations\[b]DLC01\Chair_SnowElfPrinceDialogueA.HKX[/b]
Animations\[b]DLC01\Chair_SnowElfPrinceDialogueB.HKX[/b]
Animations\[b]DLC01\Chair_SnowElfPrinceDialogueC.HKX[/b]
Animations\[b]DLC01\Chair_SnowElfPrinceDialogueD.HKX[/b]
Animations\[b]DLC01[/b]\Chair_SnowElfPrinceDialogueE.HKX
Animations\[b]DLC01[/b]\Chair_SnowElfPrinceFireBall.HKX
Animations\[b]DLC01[/b]\Chair_SnowElfPrinceSitIdle.HKX
Animations[b]\DLC01\SnowElfPrinceAscensionBurning.HKX[/b]
crossbow_direction_behavior.hkx
Animations\CrossBow_1stP_Run.hkx
Animations\CrossBow_1stP_Walk.hkx
Animations\CrossBow_Aim.hkx
Animations\CrossBow_Equip.hkx
Animations\CrossBow_IdleDrawn.hkx
Animations\CrossBow_IdleHeld.hkx
Animations\CrossBow_Release.hkx

Fans of archery will certainly be happy at the idea of a new long-range bow to work with, but simply everyone who plays Skyrim should be excited about the idea of a new species making their mark in the series. Not only do we get to see the Snow Elf Prince at the very minimum, but Bethesda has an opportunity to craft out (or at least introduce) the plight of the snow elves as an in-game element.

As one of the loading screens in Skyrim loves to inform us, the snow elves were once a proud race of elves until the Nords drove them from Skyrim. They turned to the Dwemer for help, who promptly poisoned them blind - literally. Today, they have 'devolved' into the Falmer, the blind creepy elven subspecies which don't even give you a proper soul gem. They've dropped a long way since their downfall, and perhaps the DLC will show us a glimpse of some real, proper snow elves.

According to Skyrim Lore, the Snow Prince himself was a mighty warrior who killed many Nord fighters in battle with his adept skills at magic and spearing. In the midst of the battle, he was struck down by a twelve-year-old girl who had just witnessed the death of her Mother. The Nords gave him a burial in a crypt called Jolgeirr Barrow out of respect for his skills in combat. While you can visit the cypt itself in the Morrowind expansion Bloodmoon, we have no idea how the Snow Elf Prince will have apparently transitioned from The Island of Solstheim over to the lands of Skyrim. Either way, we're excited to find out. Maybe Cicero carried more than one casket!

What do you think about Snow Elves in Skyrim? Do you think they would make for a good quest?

Skyrim is out now for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. We'll provide an update as soon as we get official word on the forthcoming DLC.

Feel free to follow me on Twitter @Makelevi.

Source: Ripten