The Elder Scrolls 6is one of the most anticipated games of the coming decade. However, with little news from Bethesda since the release of the game’s teaser trailer in 2018, theSkyrimsequel will need to deliver a huge world to explore that feels as rich and original asSkyrimdid almost ten years ago.
The Elder Scrolls 6is rumored to take place at least partially in the province of Hammerfell, home to the Redguards. As with Skyrim, however, the country has a long history and has been in conflict with many different races throughout the years. The Sinistral Elves, AKA the Lefthanded Elves, were enemies of the Redguards' forebearers for thousands of years until they were driven to extinction. Many players will be hoping to find out more about these ancient Mer and their civilization, but there’s one big problem Bethesda could face introducing them to the game.
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The Lefthanded Elves
The Lefthanded Elves came from the western continent of Yokuda, the same place that theRedguardsthemselves originally hailed from before their swift conquest of Hammerfell. Unlike the Redguarsw, the Lefthanded Elves never made it to Tamriel, but the echoes of their constant warring remains an important culture memory for the Redguards, and has driven many of their actions on Tamriel.
The Yokudan-Sinistral War ended in decisive defeat for the Elves, and the few of them that survived are implied to have died when the continent sank into the sea after the Redguard arrived onTamriel. The Yokudans, the forebears to the Redguards, exterminated all of the Elven settlements in Hammerfell upon arriving, committing atrocities that led their descendants to stop speaking of them entirely.
This history could have very interesting implications forThe Elder Scrolls 6.Skyrimsaw the encroach of theThird Aldmeri Dominioninto Skyrim, but Hammerfell had it even worse in Tamriel’s recent history. The southern part of the province was given to the Dominion and the Redguard, who felt abandoned by the Empire, fought a bloody guerrilla war. It is likely that some Redguards’ old hatred of the Elves will have been revitalized by the Altmer, while others will be fearful to repeat the mistakes of the past.
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The Extinct Elves of The Elder Scrolls
However, there’s one big problem with Bethesda putting players in a province where, under the surface, they can learn about an extinct race of Elves – it’s been done before. The Dwemer and theSnow Elveswere both Elven races in Skyrim where the player learned about their history through their environment and exploring ruins. This kind of environmental storytelling works very well inThe Elder Scrollsseries.
However, for the Sinistral Elves to be yet another lost sub-race of elf, and the fact that they are seemingly only physically distinguished from the others by being lefthanded could mean that afocus on them inThe Elder Scrolls 6would feel too similar toSkyrimto provide the fresh and exciting experience that many new fans of the series felt exploring the Nord homeland for the first time back in 2011.
The Elder Scrolls 6has huge shoes to fill, and will need to walk the line between satisfying player expectations and becoming too predictable. The Lefthanded Elves, however, are just one interesting facet ofHammerfelland its history, and fans will be excited to see what else the province has in store if it is confirmed as the setting forThe Elder Scrolls 6.
