If web sleuths and Elder Scrolls lore specialists are proper, then Excessive Rock (and presumably Hammerfell) goes to be the setting for The Elder Scrolls 6. We haven’t bought a ton of stuff to go on, however some astute dissections of the (now four-year-old) trailer, in addition to analyses of that unusual mark in final 12 months’s Starfield reveal trailer make for some compelling proof that the subsequent Elder Scrolls recreation will certainly be set within the northwestern areas of Tamriel.
So in preparation for a recreation that needs to be with us throughout the subsequent, say, 20 years, we’ve determined to delve into its possible setting of Excessive Rock – a land of numerous terrain, advanced politics, and a historical past that’s as outdated as Tamriel itself.
Word that almost all of this data relies on the occasions of earlier video games within the collection, which all happen chronologically all through the Third and Fourth Eras – 3E and 4E – aside from The Elder Scrolls On-line, which is ready through the Second Period (2E). The mainline collection, The Elder Scrolls 1-5, has at all times progressed chronologically with every successive entry, so assuming that The Elder Scrolls 6 will proceed within the chronology, it’s more likely to happen a while after the occasions of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – possibly even a few hundred years.
Clearly, lots can occur in a few hundred years, and it’s very attainable that the state of Excessive Rock can be fairly a bit totally different to once we final heard of it.
With that in thoughts, right here’s an summary of the Excessive Rock area.
Geography and Areas
Excessive Rock is located within the northwestern nook of Tamriel, with the arid desert area of Hammerfell to the south and Skyrim to the east. Regardless of a lot of it being at the same latitude to Skyrim, it’s not a snow-covered area, and if the Elder Scrolls On-line map is something to go by, solely its mountains and north-easternmost corners are completely blanketed by snow.
Most of Excessive Rock wraps itself across the northern and jap shores of Iliac Bay (with Hammerfell on the opposite aspect of the bay). Within the centre of the bay is the Direnni Tower (or Adamantine Tower), believed to have been constructed by the immortal Aedra race within the Merethic Period, which might make it the oldest constructing in Tamriel.
Excessive Rock is split into 5 main areas, that are as follows:
Wrothgar
A chilly mountainous area on the northeastern edges of Iliac Bay, and former house of the Orcs, who as soon as resided right here within the city-state of Orsinium. With the town having been sacked a number of occasions over, the orcish maintain over the area is more likely to be closely diminished. Wrothgar has additionally been house to the Lyrezi vampire bloodline, Riekr ice goblins, and Reachfolk – a hardy race that, just like the Bretons, is descended from the Aldmeri and Nedes.
Stormhaven
An prosperous and temperate area in central Excessive Rock. The capital metropolis is Wayrest, an city hub and as soon as a rival to the opposite nice Excessive Rock metropolis of Daggerfall. Town was sacked in 4E 188 by a corsair fleet, who conspired with the town’s personal king, Barynia, to allow them to into the town given that they worn out its Darkish Brotherhood chapter, which was conspiring to kill him. The corsair accomplished their job, sacked the town, and Wayrest’s standing as of this occasion stays unknown.
Within the western components of the area is Alcaire, the place the dominant vampire bloodline is Lyrezi. The metropolis of Alcaire (also referred to as Alcaire Citadel), in the meantime, rests on the high of a waterfall that pours right into a river main out to the Iliac Bay.
Glenumbra
The peninsula protruding over the westernmost aspect of Excessive Rock. An unlimited land of woods and swamps, the south of this area hosts the city-kingdom of Daggerfall, a bustling hub that offers in every thing from worldwide commerce to skooma smuggling. Within the centre is one other kingdom-city, Camlorn, a rich metropolis within the Cambray Hills area and rival to Daggerfall.
Traditionally, the forests of Glenumbra have been house to werewolves and Bretonian witch covens, the Beldama Wyrd and the Glenmoril Wyrd. Whereas the previous congregates round an enormous oak tree often known as the Beldama Wyrd Tree, the latter are Daedra worshippers.
Bangkorai
Within the southeast of Excessive Rock, bordering Hammerfell, the forested uplands of Bangkorai home the Bangkorai Garrison, which has for a very long time been defending the area from raiders coming in from the Fallen Wastes to the south. The regional capital is the city-kingdom of Evermore, which borders Hammerfell and is house to a palace constructed from granite imported from the Skyrim metropolis of Markarth.
The southernmost components of Bangkorai are badlands often known as the Fallen Wastes. This space marks the beginning of the Alik’r Desert, which stretches all the way in which into the guts of Hammerfell.
Protecting the northwest of Excessive Rock is Rivenspire, house to the Nice Breton homes of Dorell, Tamrith and Montclair. The area is understood for its excessive vampiric presence, and round 2E 582 (when Elder Scrolls On-line is ready) was battling a scourge of feral vampires referred to as Bloodfiends. With its hostile panorama, towering castles and tumultuous historical past of scourges, it’s often known as one thing of a tough backwater of Excessive Rock.
Rivenspire
Its northernmost space of Boralis is house to the Kingdom of Northpoint, which has the one port within the area, permitting the dominion to unfold its affect throughout the ocean. The opposite main metropolis of Ravenspire is Shornhelm, nestled within the robust panorama of the Kurallian Mountains. Town is the previous seat of energy within the area, and within the absence of a king, was most lately run by a triumvirate of Rivenspire’s three Breton homes.
Historical past
Excessive Rock is house to the Bretons, a human race with excessive intelligence and powerful magical affinities. One thing that’s been largely suppressed by historical past is the truth that the Bretons are descended from Elves, or extra particularly the Aldmeri – the ancestor race of all elven races in Tamriel – who intermingled with the Nedes, a human precursor race.
Excessive Rock is named the ‘birthplace of Tamriel.’ Right here, on the Isle of Balfiera within the centre of the Iliac Bay, stands the Direnni Tower (or Adamantine Tower), believed to have been constructed by the immortal Aedra race within the Merethic Period, which might make it the oldest constructing in Tamriel. It predates the arrival of the Aldmer, the primary recognized settlers of the area, who have been later joined by the Nedes.
The area ultimately grew to become populated by Orcs, who based the city-state of Orsinium. The Nords moved in from Skyrim, Redguard from Hammerfell within the south, and Excessive Rock ultimately grew to become house to a number of vampire bloodlines too. The First and Second Eras have been stuffed with strife, as dozens of kingdoms fought for energy. The Bretons rose as much as develop into the dominant race within the area all through this time, extending their attain by commerce and comfortable energy to slowly overcome the rival Nordic presence.
In 3E 417, the Warp within the West reshaped the topography and energy politics of Excessive Rock. A number of main kingdoms of Excessive Rock contested over an artefact referred to as Numidium, which might consolidate the ability of their kingdom. By means of a mysterious disruption in linear time often known as a Dragon Break, believed to be the work of Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time, someway 4 of the contesting factions, Wayrest, Daggerfall, Orsinium, and The Emperor all procured Numidium.
Subsequently, a collection of cataclysmic occasions occurred throughout Excessive Rock, wiping out swathes of the inhabitants and lowering the variety of kingdoms from 44 to only the 4 above. Regardless of the near-apocalyptic ranges of destruction throughout Excessive Rock, the Warp within the West later grew to become often known as the Miracle of Peace for the relative stability it established within the area from that time on, and the next prosperity it introduced the 4 remaining factions.
The Miracle of Peace didn’t simply profit the kingdoms who bought their arms on Numidium. Within the latter years of the Third Period, the Kingdoms of Northpoint and Evermore took benefit of the ability vacuums surrounding them to increase their attain.
In the meantime, Orsinium was sacked and rebuilt a number of occasions over the eras. Its final sacking got here within the early years of the Fourth Period by the hands of a mixed pressure of Redguard and Bretons. The final we heard of it, Orsinium not existed as a serious kingdom in Excessive Rock.
By the center of the Fourth Period, there have been solely 5 main kingdoms in Excessive Rock – Daggerfall, Wayrest, Camlorn, Northpoint, and Evermore. The precise standing of those within the time interval Elder Scrolls 6 is more likely to happen stays one thing of a thriller, however they’re the most probably kingdoms to stay extant on the time the sport will happen.
