In My Time of Need: a linguistic analysis to find the truth. (Minor Spoilers)

[Ptah Hotep]

One of my all-time favorite quests in the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the quest titled, In My Time of Need. For those unfamiliar with this quest, it is one of the only quest involving an all Redguard cast, and a brief glance into the politics of Hammerfell and the aftermath of the Great War with the Thalmor. You are ultimately faced with the choice to side with the damsel in destress, a political refugee Iman( who also goes by the alas Saadia), or the group of Redguards mercenaries from the Alik’r desert who claim she is partially responsible for the destruction of a Redguard city during the war. Iman pleads to you that she is wanted for her outspokenness against the Thalmor, whilst the character Kematu who leads the Alik’r mercenaries claims that she is in fact associated with the Thalmor.

Unlike many quest there is no clear answer to who is telling the truth nor is there any evidence to be found to prove their stories. Instead the player is faced with either succumbing to chivalrous urges, or sacrificing a woman for what could be “the greater good”. However with a critical analysis of Hammerfell culture we may be able to find who we really should have our faith.

Hammerfell is a desolate land, for the most part, occupied by the dark skinned people known as the Redguards. Developers and public forums, indicate that Hammerfell and its people are based on the North African people, the Moors. The Moors encompasses many different groups of people some like the Taureg (a name that is oddly close to the murdered High King of Skyrim) are a people more in African appearance, while there are other people in North Africa whose ancestors descend from Arabia. In Hammerfell there are two groups as well, the Crowns and the Forbearers. Crowns are often depicted more “African” with dark skin and tight curls. The Forbearers on the other hand have a lighter complexion and often have straight hair, not unlike “Arab” people. Hammerfell is a nation which influenced by many cultures and is often depicted with grand Islamic architecture, such as wide arches.

Though much these qualities would point to a Moorish or North African point of influence, this is not conclusive. For the East African coast also exhibits qualities depicted in Hammerfell society, and in some cases even more so than North African. East Africa’s coast was heavily influenced by Omani Arabs, and an international Indian Ocean trade scene. The hub of this trade was the island of Zanzibar, and island of great importance, not unlike the island of Stros M’kai, featured in Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard. To add East Africa, like Hammerfell, was home to a multitude of city states which were nested on the coast line. North Africa did have city states, however at the height of Islamic influence North Africa was divided between Islamic empires, not the oligarchies or monarchies of a single city.

East Africa is also home to the largest spoken African language in the word, Kiswahili, which originated from the island of Zanzibar. From the literature provided in the Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, there are no linguistic ques that the Redguards spoke a language related to Kiswahili, or any real language. Therefore what follows is mere speculation, based on the assumption that Hammerfell is really based on East Africa not North Africa. Iman the Redguard noble of House Suda, in both her real name and her alas Saadia, give us subtle clues to this mystery of this quest. First when we meet Iman she is known as Saadia. In Kiswahili there is a term saidia, which simply means to help or assist. When you first meet Saadia, she directly asks you for your help an indicator of her name. Once her real name and possible history is described by Kematu we know her as Iman. Imani, is the term for faith and is also a popular East African name amongst girls. You are presented with this choice between Iman or Kematu, this choice is based completely on faith that your choice is right. Iman’s name literally is faith, where Kematu means nothing, which is exactly what you have to go off his story, nothing.

[Dangman]

Well done.