The nation of Samarkand supposedly lies to the west of Albion. Although no Fable game takes place in Samarkand, its influence is felt on the games, as the nation is a major trading partner with Albion. Bits of lore and dubiously canon information in the Fable family of fiction suggest that Samarkand is a pretty rich and fascinating nation, but there’s a lot left to learn about it. If Playground Games decides to work with Fable’s original universe instead of introducing its own, then it could put Samarkand in the spotlight for once. That could be the breath of fresh air that Fable needs.
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Samarkand’s Significance in Fable
Samarkand borrows its name from one of the largest cities in Uzbekistan; the real-life Samarkand has a rich history as a stop on the Silk Road, the route that enabled trade between Europe and Asia in ancient and medieval times. In Fable, Samarkand’s role is heavily inspired by these trade aspects. Lore indicates that katanas come from Samarkand, as well as gunpowder, a crucial innovation that enabled the Fable franchise’s steady integration of guns into its fantasy world. Aside from rich trade, Samarkand notably features an ancient library where Theresa studied between the events of Fable and Fable 2.
Although Fable fans have never seen Samarkand in-game, stories describe it as an arid desert nation. It was represented this way in Fable: Edge of the World, a novel taking place ten years after Fable 3 in which the king of Albion travels to Samarkand to save the nation from the encroaching Darkness. According to Fable: Edge of the World, Samarkand’s settlements are few and far between, mostly built on oases. The capital city of Zahadar sits on a river that feeds the city. Edge of the World also indicates that, while Samarkand is ruled by an Empress, the nation is filled with disparate tribes, potentially diluting the Empress’ power.
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Samarkand’s Potential Future in Fable
Not much is known about Samarkand beyond this. Again, the Fable franchise historically concerns itself chiefly with Albion, even though the games also make it clear that there are a lot of other nations in the world aside from Albion. While it serves an interesting role as a fictional version of Central Asia and the Silk Road, there’s clearly a lot of details about Samarkand that Fable never filled in. If Playground Games decides to keep working with the original Fable setting, it would be a great opportunity to flesh out Samarkand by visiting it in-game.
The Fable 4 reveal trailer suggests that the game takes place in a forested medieval nation akin to Albion in the first Fable game. Even if Albion is the heart of the game, though, there could be room for a visit to Samarkand. Video game technology has come far since the original Fable trilogy was released, so Fable 4 could have a big enough map to include some or all of Samarkand. Even if Samarkand doesn’t show up, if the next Fable game is a success, then maybe Playground Games will decide to set Fable 5 in Samarkand to mix things up. Regardless of what Playground decides to do with Albion and Samarkland now, the nation will remain an interesting part of the original Fable games’ lore.
Fable is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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