Reviving Tamriel: Ambitious Modders Bring Morrowind to Life with Mission Tamriel Project

At this point, most people and their grandmother has played Skyrim, but fewer of you might have gone back to the earlier titles in the series like Oblivion and Morrowind. Fortunately, a group of modders is working to change that by recreating legendary locations in Tamriel using the Morrowind engine.

Project Tamriel is the moniker under which these modders operate, and they have just unveiled a playable version of their latest component, Project Cyrodiil: Abecean Shores. This initial release of Project Cyrodiil brings “the sunny landscapes of the Strident Coast, the azure waters of the Abecean Sea, and the rainforests of Dasek Marsh.”

With over 160 quests available, it includes storylines for the Thieves Guild (my personal favorite quest line from Skyrim), the Fighters Guild, and the Mages of Cyrodiil, along with two new factions: the Kingdom of Anvil and the Itinerant Priests.

The mod’s trailer looks absolutely stunning, far exceeding the quality of any game that was originally released in 2002. My former housemate’s favorite Elder Scrolls title was Morrowind, but many players find the combat somewhat challenging. It almost functions like a D&D-style dice roll, where your hit chance relies on various hidden modifiers.

No updates regarding combat modifications are available on the official site, but it does highlight that the mods are designed to “enhance role-playing and choice, immersing players into the world and culture of [Cyrodiil’s] inhabitants.”

The overall project aims to recreate the regions of Tamriel “within the timeframe and worldspace of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.” Even if you haven’t experienced the original game, I would recommend it, as it provides a fascinating glimpse into the history of the series. If you enjoy it, Project Tamriel will continue to expand the game, as it currently includes quests for Skyrim, High Rock, and Elsweyr. Personally, I often play as a Khajiit, so this is the one I’m most excited about.

In the meantime, you might want to check out our ranking of the top Elder Scrolls titles.