That being said, the next title within the Fallout series could do well to borrow some popular elements from the equally well-received Elder Scrolls franchise, which is also developed by Bethesda. In terms of factions, the sinister Dark Brotherhood that often features in The Elder Scrolls titles could provide huge inspiration to a similar group being introduced in Fallout 5.
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The Elder Scrolls’ Dark Brotherhood Faction
Of all the many factions that players can immerse themselves in within an Elder Scrolls playthrough, the Dark Brotherhood is considered by many to be one of the most memorable and exciting. Appearing in its most well known iterations in Oblivion and Skyrim, the Dark Brotherhood has become a staple of The Elder Scrolls as a franchise.
The Dark Brotherhood are an ancient legion of assassins that operate all across the continent of Tamriel, in which The Elder Scrolls is set. The organization essentially acts as a business and cult simultaneously, orchestrating assassinations both big and small in the name of divine intervention and political manipulation.
The Brotherhood were arguably at their peak during the events of Oblivion, in which they were feared far and wide as a truly powerful and mysterious hidden faction with the capabilities of silencing even the most influential of voices. Although their power had waned, the faction appeared in Skyrim in a more haphazard and low-ranking manner, still operating as a malicious cult but on a much smaller scale.
How the Dark Brotherhood Could Be Adapted To Fallout 5
With Bethesda adopting the same rough RPG framework for both the Fallout and Elder Scrolls franchises, both IPs are known for their unique faction-based storylines that compliment the core gameplay of any franchise title. While The Elder Scrolls has the likes of the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood, Fallout allows players to immerse themselves in factions such as the Brotherhood of Steel and the Railroad.
Despite the fair variety of factions that feature within the Fallout franchise, none quite have the same overtly nefarious and sinister reputation as The Elder Scrolls’ Dark Brotherhood. There is therefore a gap waiting to be filled within the apocalyptic franchise, and Fallout 5 is the perfect opportunity to do so.
Given the dystopian setting of Fallout, the titles are no stranger to showcasing cult-like and deranged organizations, so the introduction of one that players could actively participate in wouldn’t be far-fetched at all. The faction could essentially operate near enough exactly in the same way the Dark Brotherhood does, using its worship to a higher-power to identify and justify killings that the player could then carry out. Rising up the ranks of said organization, the player could then become involved in the inner conflicts and uncomfortable truths of the faction, in what would surely be a fascinating quest-line.
With RPGs such as the Fallout games priding themselves on allowing the player to dictate their own morality, a plainly evil organization akin to the Dark Brotherhood would be a fantastic way to push the boundaries of player engagement even further. With just how popular the Dark Brotherhood has become within The Elder Scrolls, a similar faction within Fallout 5 would surely be a hit with fans.
Fallout 5 has been announced.
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