The Elder Scrolls 6 is rumored to be set in Hammerfell, High Rock, and parts of the believed-lost western continent of Yokuda, where the people who settled in Hammerfell and became the Regards originated.
Assuming the game doesn’t take another big leap forward in time, like the difference between The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and Skyrim, this choice of setting has some big implications for the factions that will very likely be at play in the next Elder Scrolls game. Some are more likely to be involved than others, so here are the factions that will most likely be at play in The Elder Scrolls 6.
The Aldmeri Dominion
The Aldmeri Dominion is the dominant military force in Tamriel by the time Skyrim is set, in the 4th Era. They have particular relevance in the west of the continent, where the next game is rumored to be set as well. After the Great War between the Dominion and the fledgling Mede dynasty, the southern part of Hammerfell was made a part of the Dominion, much to the fury of the Redguards.
When the Redguards continued to fight back against the Aldmeri Dominion's forces, the Empire was forced to release the province from its control in order to avoid war breaking out once again. The Emperor Titus Mede II released Hammerfell but also rendered the Imperial legionaries stationed in the area “invalid,” essentially allowing them to continue to fight with the resources they already had while avoiding a diplomatic incident.
The Redguards were able to take back the south eventually, but it is very likely the Aldmeri Dominion’s looming shadow and military might will be heavily present in the next game. The Thalmor were operating as far north as Skyrim in the last game, so it is very likely that they will have a strong presence in a province so close to their home in the Summerset Isles as well.
The Lost Legionaries
One criticism of The Elder Scrolls' lore is that, by and large, very little changes over huge periods of time. The Elder Scrolls Online, for example, is set around a millennium before Skyrim and takes place in the 2nd Era, but is technologically almost identical to the time of The Elder Scrolls 5. The increasingly waning strength of the Empire, however, was a great change introduced in Skyrim after the Septim dynasty dominated the political scene in the series up until that point.
The legionaries left behind after the Empire gave up Hammerfell will likely be a part of TES6, though depending on how long after they were rendered invalid the next game takes place, the former Imperial soldiers could have forged their own identity in the region as an anti-Dominion group, or may have been integrated into another faction. The lost legionaries are a fascinating detail in the lore and one many players will be hoping to see make an appearance in The Elder Scrolls 6.
They could even have connections to the Forebears or the Crowns, two factions that appear in The Elder Scrolls: Redguard as Imperialists and Redguard nationalists respectively, depending on whether the legionaries kept their loyalty to the empire or felt abandoned by the Medes and turned against them.
Nova Orsinium
The capital of the Elder Scrolls Orcs rests in the mountains that run between High Rock, Skyrim, and Hammerfell. The great city of Orsinium has been sacked by its neighbors and rebuilt by the Orcs many times in its history, and it has been established that Orsinium was rebuilt in the Dragontail Mountains after the old city was sacked by joint Redguard and Breton forces in the early 4th Era.
The new city, Nova Orsinium, could be the base for the Orcs who are out for revenge, or simply protecting themselves against their neighbors’ aggression as they try to rebuild their society. It could also add a great moral twist when it comes to the conflict between the humans and the elves by demonstrating the ways that the otherwise more sympathetic Redguards and Bretons have also oppressed people under their rule, especially since Elder Scrolls Orcs are technically Elves.
The Lefthanded Elves
If Yokuda is involved at all the return of the Lefthanded Elves, also known as the Sinistral Elves, is very likely. However, the inclusion of Yokuda at all could be less likely than other locations, as the games have been primarily set anywhere other than Tamriel before, and most of the continent is claimed to have mysteriously disappeared around the time the Redguards left.
If the continent of Yokuda is involved, however, the Lefthanded Elves likely won’t be far behind. They were the enemies of the Redguards' forbearers for years, and their bloody conflict was said to have led to the extinction of the Sinistral Elves, but the rumored return of Yokuda could see the survivors return with it. When the Redguard arrived in Hammerfell they wiped out the Elven settlements there, so the Sinistral Elves could be sympathetic to the Aldmeri Dominion and serve as a reminder that the conflict between the humans and elves is not as black and white as the Inquisition-style Thalmor made it appear in Skyrim.
The Iron Wheel
The Iron Wheel is a Hammerfell faction introduced in The Elder Scrolls Online. Known for zealous brutality, the Iron Wheel earns most of its income transporting prisoners to Taneth. They are essentially deputized Sheriffs, and could add a totally original and unique flare to the region, similar to Skyrim’s Companions guild replacing the Fighter’s Guild in the northern province. In the 2nd Era, the Iron Wheel attempted to hunt down the Thieves Guild in the region and could be tied to the guild, if they also make a return in the next Elder Scrolls game.
The Restless League
The Restless League is a group of pirates who operate out of the island of Stros M’Kai. In Redguard, their piracy is focused upon the Empire with the aim of restoring Hammerfell’s independence. With the province’s independence very much up in the air in the 4th Era and the potential need for ships to explore what remains of Yokuda, it is very likely that the pirates will make a return in The Elder Scrolls 6 and will help make the setting feel very distinct from the previous game.
For now, however, fans of the franchise will have to wait for more news from Bethesda. There has been little news about The Elder Scrolls 6 since the teaser trailer was released back in 2018. Nonetheless, there is plenty of available information about The Elder Scrolls lore that fans can continue to look towards to gain possible insight into The Elder Scrolls 6.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is in development.