Factions are a staple in any Elder Scrolls game. In fact, three organizations were present across all the titles, at least until Skyrim. These were the Fighters Guild, the Mages Guild, and the Thieves Guild. After Oblivion, the first two were replaced with the Companions and the College of Winterhold, respectively. That said, it could be worth reintroducing the old factions to The Elder Scrolls 6.
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Old Factions, New Elder Scrolls Game
Lore-wise, the Fighters Guild has a good chance of appearing in The Elder Scrolls 6 assuming it takes place in Hammerfell. This is because the guild is spread across most of the in-game universe. Perhaps the only reason The Fighters Guild isn’t in Skyrim is because the Companions won over it in terms of power and influence. Additionally, since Redguards are generally seen as some of the best warriors in Tamriel, it would make sense for the Fighters Guild to return.
Reintroducing the Fighters Guild to The Elder Scrolls 6 could entail having guild halls in every main city of the game. This was how Oblivion handled the Fighters Guild of Cyrodiil, and it had a non-linear questline wherein the player completed tasks for specific guild halls. Many in the community have expressed their desire to see the guild halls return, as it made the organization feel bigger and more influential, especially when compared to the Companions of Skyrim.
Reintroducing the Mages Guild, on the other hand, is a trickier endeavor as the organization was disbanded immediately after the Oblivion Crisis. This is why they had no presence in Skyrim. Moreover, Redguards tend to have a strong dislike of magic, arguably more so than the Nords. Thus, that would make it difficult to justify a revival of the Mages Guild in Hammerfell. However, if The Elder Scrolls 6 includes the region of High Rock, then that could be where a revival of the Mages Guild could take place.
High Rock is home to many Bretons in The Elder Scrolls, a race with a strong affinity for magic. This makes it more believable for the people of High Rock to allow for a revival of the Mages Guild. Assuming The Elder Scrolls 6 takes place in the Fifth Era, then centuries would have passed since the Oblivion Crisis, which is plenty of time for mages and arcane scholars to argue for the reinstatement of the guild.
Like the Fighters Guild, the Mages Guild in The Elder Scrolls 6 could have multiple guild halls in different cities. This opens the door to more far-reaching questlines. It could even introduce conflicts between factions or rising tensions among the general populace. For example, if the Mages Guild were to attempt to expand to Hammerfell, that would no doubt be a cause for concern among magic-wary Redguards.
Overall, extending the reach of these iconic factions in The Elder Scrolls 6 allows for longer, much grander questlines. This is something that was lacking in the Companions and College of Winterhold questlines of Skyrim. Thus, it’s no surprise many players are hoping for the return of guild halls and ranking systems within factions. Though whether these features are set to make a comeback in the next Elder Scrolls installment remains to be seen.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently in development.
MORE: The Elder Scrolls 6: The History of Hammerfell
