Developer and publisher Bethesda Softworks is taking its fantasy universe The Elder Scrolls beyond games, signing a two-book deal with Random House imprint Del Rey Books.



"We're not talking about the next game, but it doesn't mean we're not doing anything with the franchise," said PR and marketing VP Pete Hines, during a Gamasutra-attended event in London.



The studio has enlisted fantasy author Gregory Keyes, author of several Star Wars-set books as well as his own series The Age of Unreason and The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone -- the latter of which Hines said "a bunch of us" at Bethesda enjoyed.



While Keyes will be writing the novels themselves, he will collaborate with Bethesda design director Bruce Nesmith and senior game designer Kurt Kuhlman to accurately portray The Elder Scrolls' lore. Nesmith and Kuhlman both worked on Bethesda's 1996 title The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall, before leaving the studio and eventually returning for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Kuhlmann was responsible for much of Oblivion's main quest writing.



"Those who know The Elder Scrolls know we love our lore," said Hines. "We certainly love our books -- you can spend hours and hours reading books [in the games]."



The first of the two books, The Infernal City, will take place in the world of Tamriel following the events of Oblivion.



Said the Bethesda exec of Keyes and his work so far, "He's already given us the first half of the manuscript, and it's fantastic."