Let's Analyze the Map of Skyrim!

[SilentPsycho]

there appears to be a rather large island in the lake just east of markarth side. also, judging by what little good knowledge i have of maps, it looks like the island is a mountain. im probably wrong but that makes me think volcano for some reason, probably not though.

on a side note i would love to see more lava outside of oblivion realms. like a volcano. i am not big into lore so there might be some volcano type regions in the world of nirn. anyone know?

Morrowind.

[OblivionDuruza]

Red Mountain and its various Foyadas to be more specific. Found on the island of Vvardenfell.

[Norroen Dyrd]

Russian Collector's edition "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" includes:
The disc with the game (DVD-box);
User's Guide;
Map of the game world;
Game soundtrack;
Dragon-shaped keychain.

[OblivionDuruza]

Three translations of the map:

• Our very own Norroen Dyrd's version
• lexmirnov's version
• http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/im ... rimmap.jpg

I have noticed that the second and the third links point to the same map version.
Incidentally, this is the screencap from a video with Todd Howard giving a tour around Bethesda. I believe that some extra names may be discerned there, but the map is obviously a WIP draft.
http://dorkshelf.com/wordpress/wp-conte ... m20map.jpg

Interesting, nice pick up. It seems that one of the two used the other's work, or a very odd coincidence .

[Norroen Dyrd]

Three translations of the map:

• Our very own Norroen Dyrd's version
• lexmirnov's version
• http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/im ... rimmap.jpg

I have noticed that the second and the third links point to the same map version.
Incidentally, this is the screencap from a video with Todd Howard giving a tour around Bethesda. I believe that some extra names may be discerned there, but the map is obviously a WIP draft.
http://dorkshelf.com/wordpress/wp-conte ... m20map.jpg

Interesting, nice pick up. It seems that one of the two used the other's work, or a very odd coincidence .

The maps are absolutely identical, being based on the same scanned image with seams and creases. Moreover, they are signed with one name (in the bottom left corner); I suppose that the map has started a journey around the Internet.

[Knight]

I think I have a nice idea of where the game will begin. We know that Riverwood's the first town the player will (most likely) go to: So, it must be near Riverwood, yes? Look at that little mountain south of Riverwood. The road turns twisting and starts going east for a little while on the mountain. This probably means that there's a location on it. Also, there's a Guardian Stone just northwest of the mountain, probably to introduce the player to them.

Long story short, I believe the game begins on that little mountain just south of Riverwood. Just a suspicion, though.

[MathiasFlynnias]

That russian CE has made me depressed. I want a keychain

[SilentPsycho]

My theory is that those small red crosses are either important ruins or forts. At Eurogamer, I watched someone enter a half-submerged ruin/fort that if I remember corrected was named after the lake that small red cross is in.

[Duderino Abides]

I think Morfal is supposed to be Morthal. I remember seeing Morthal on the in-game map in a video or screencrap.

And I wonder if they changed the Pale to the Pale Shore, because it just says "The Pale" on the map from the tour of BGS.

[Duderino Abides]

My theory is that those small red crosses are either important ruins or forts. At Eurogamer, I watched someone enter a half-submerged ruin/fort that if I remember corrected was named after the lake that small red cross is in.

I think they're just points of interests in general. Forts, dungeons, daedric shrines, standing stones, word walls, whatever the case may be.

[Argonanza]

Yup, Morfal is Morthal. Near end of video.

[The Silent Striker]

Well the symbol for kvatach is a wolf, and the symbol for solidute is a wolf? Conincidence? Probably.

[Assassin540]

You can see the city of Solitude in the backround of the Dunmer thief picture in pre released content

[Senipul]

A pretty clear Fanmade map:
http://img.elderscrolls(DOT)net/news/skyrim-map-hd.jpg

[Duderino Abides]

Well the symbol for kvatach is a wolf, and the symbol for solidute is a wolf? Conincidence? Probably.

Is it a wolf? I couldn't figure it out.

Sigils:

Falkreath: Stag
Markarth: Ram Skull(?)
Windhelm: Werewolf(?)
Winterhold: Castle(?)
Dawnstar: Star (lol)
Riften: Swords crossed over... something
Whiterun: Horse
Morthal: WTF?
Solitude: Wolf(?)

Any other opinions?

[RedDeadFred]

Well the symbol for kvatach is a wolf, and the symbol for solidute is a wolf? Conincidence? Probably.

Is it a wolf? I couldn't figure it out.

Sigils:

Falkreath: Stag
Markarth: Ram Skull(?)
Windhelm: Werewolf(?)
Winterhold: Castle(?)
Dawnstar: Star (lol)
Riften: Swords crossed over... something
Whiterun: Horse
Morthal: WTF?
Solitude: Wolf(?)

Any other opinions?

I kind of thought Windhelm looked like a Bear.

[La-Paloma]

Yes clueless of what symbol Morthal is meant to be, some magic symbol or nature symbol perhaps.

[Duderino Abides]

A pretty clear Fanmade map:
http://img.elderscrolls(DOT)net/news/skyrim-map-hd.jpg

Oooh, perty. My favorite so far.

[Norroen Dyrd]

I think Morfal is supposed to be Morthal. I remember seeing Morthal on the in-game map in a video or screencrap.

And I wonder if they changed the Pale to the Pale Shore, because it just says "The Pale" on the map from the tour of BGS.

Oh well, the name of this city is unknown to me from TES lore. That's why I followed what was written in the Russian map. According to the map, the city is called "Морфал". I will write it in transcription: /morfal/; this corresponds to either Morphal or Morfal in English.
Morthal be it then.
As for The Pale, in my view "The Pale" is the right name, but we can't ignore what is written in the Russian map - "Белый берег", which is literally translated as "White Shore". That's why I added the word "Shore" to the word "Pale", just in case. Although it might be just an addition made by those who translated the map from English into Russian (the staff of the company which is going to distribute Skyrim in Russia). I took a look at Bethesda's draft of the map, and was able to discern the word "Shore" next to the word "Pale".
In conclusion I'd like to say that in the Russian map some words are actually translated from English into Russian, while the others are just transliterated, that is, written in Russian letters the way they are in English.
In any case, this is the temporary map. You are soon going to have the real, official English map from Bethesda, where all the names will be absolutely, totally correct.

A pretty clear Fanmade map:
http://img.elderscrolls(DOT)net/news/skyrim-map-hd.jpg

Heh, this map is based on lexmirnov's translation. Take note of the spelling of the name which is well-known in the lore - the Jerall mountains (in the map they are Jerral Mountains ). What's more, The Pale is called Whiteshore; if taken as a literal translation from Russian "Белый берег", it is correct, but it doesn't correspond to the lore.
In the Russian map there is a lake that is called "Гейр" /geir/, and a river called "Грева" /greva/ - in this map, they have been rendered as "Tear" and "Treva" respectively.
One more thing: The renowned Pale Pass has been miraculously transformed into "White Pass".
There is another minor detail: Markarth Side is marked as just Markarth; this corresponds to the Russian map; however, we know that the city's lore name is Markarth Side.

[Knight]

Here's a map with writing and theories all over it, I thought you'd find it interesting!

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/6933/mapanw.jpg

The map itself is weird, it has cities and towns I've never seen before. Maybe it's just a fan product..

[OblivionDuruza]

Well the symbol for kvatach is a wolf, and the symbol for solidute is a wolf? Conincidence? Probably.

Is it a wolf? I couldn't figure it out.

Sigils:

Falkreath: Stag
Markarth: Ram Skull(?)
Windhelm: Werewolf(?)
Winterhold: Castle(?)
Dawnstar: Star (lol)
Riften: Swords crossed over... something
Whiterun: Horse
Morthal: WTF?
Solitude: Wolf(?)

Any other opinions?

From a few days a ago, my thoughts:

Map has cities located in the same spots as other maps at (including crests - bold for the 5 coloured and enlarged names):
Winterhold (possibly Three pine trees), Windhelm (A bear with a single v below), Riften (Crossed swords over layed on a single vertical stripe), Falkreath (Some kind of Elk), Markath Side (A Ram/Mountain Goat), Solitude (possibly a Wolf), Stonehill [not exact] (A three pronged swirl), Dawnstar (A star), Whiterun (A horse with a single horizontal line below).

On closer inspection the crests of Winterhold and Riften may actually be a Castle and crossed spear points, respectively, rather than pine trees and crossed swords. I think I was pretty close with the others though .

[SilentPsycho]

The map itself is weird, it has cities and towns I've never seen before. Maybe it's just a fan product..

It could be, especially as the Throat of the World seems to be in the wrong place. When I played at Eurogamer, I could have sworn it was to the east of Riverwood...

It's also using Oblivion-style markers for the towns/villages/forts/etc.

[Bonfy]

Here's a map with writing and theories all over it, I thought you'd find it interesting!

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/6933/mapanw.jpg

The map itself is weird, it has cities and towns I've never seen before. Maybe it's just a fan product..

It IS a fanmade map. It was out since uhm 2008 i guess or maybe even before.

[Knight]

Yeah, I was pretty sure that it's not a real deal, since it looked so weird.

[wouter215]

any idea as to what the X's stand for?

shrine locations? treasure? distractions? forts?