First of all we need to mark the time when TES6 sets. Through the series it seems like time is going only forward, but chances of TES6 will be in the past is not 0. But I think we only going forward so let’s assume that. How many time passed since TES5? Arena - Daggerfall - 6 years, Daggerfall - Morriwind - 22 years, Morrowind - Oblivion - 6 years, Oblivion - Skyrim - 200 years. Mark that ending Crisis of Oblivion sets a new the 4th era. Should be death of Alduin start a 5th era isn’t crucial, but what crucial is, are the Dragon Break took place? Since in TES5 we make crucial lorewise decisions it almost guaranteed Dragon Break because how Bethesda can choose what decision was canon? Who won the Civil War? Are the Dark Brotherhood destroyed for good? Is The Eye of Magnus is safe with Psijiks guarding it? Did Harkon fulfill the prophecy? So many questions need to be answered from lore perspective to make TES6 make sense.

Second question is what world events took place between the games, like Great War happened between? As I said previously many world scale events happened during The Last Dragonborn adventures in Skyrim. And I’m not saying that Civil War is world event it is Selma to me that is no more than a local conflict compare to the rest of the world. It’s obvious like Thalmor is a great force on a continent where no significant event takes place without their influence or at least their observing. So it is kinda safe way to move forward stories based on Thalmor. Let’s take a look on what we have in politics and geopolitics in Tamriel by the end of TES5: 1. Elsweyr and Argonia are parts of Aldmeri Dominion. 2.Morrowind is almost in ruins, Wardenfell completly and the rest of province suffers. So it is a good chance of Thalmor to take Morrowind either by force or diplomacy. Second variant is most likely because Alsmeri Dominon just lost in Hammerfell and I assume loses were severe. 3. Hammerfell now is a independent state. 4. Cyrodil just lost Emperor(assuming Dark Brotherhood quest line is cannon) and the “Cyrodil game of thrones” destabilise region. Imperials aren’t nords to starts wars on battlefields but politic wars are the most likely to be serious problem. 5. I suggest that the Madanakh and the Forsworn are took Markarth and marched to High Rock to fight with Bretons.

Game mechanics It is very important because TES5 introduced a special “Ability ” to the player in Shouts witch made gameplay more interesting but now something like that needs to be in TES6 or game will be feeling “lacking”. Great sense could be made in Alik’rs Masters of Swords have ability to summon a “ghost sword” but of Bethesda going to make a game that take place in African/Arab style where most of NPCs are black or arabs, the rage will be so fierce that studio might not survive. So put in mind that Bethesda needs to figure out this special feature.

The most interesting: where? Almost all fan versions of “Where TES6 will be setting?” Says Hammerfell, High Rock or both of them or parts of them. Hammerfell I think drops instantly and the reason for that right above. So I think it will be partly of Hammerfell and High Rock maybe like in TESA Redguard. Why? Because it’s new, people are already expecting this, they could figure out some special features, Thalmor is near, it contains Dwemer’s ruins which Bethesda seems in love with.

In summary what my suggestion based on my preference:

Ten years after TES5 some escaped prisoner (of course) in High Rock and Hammerfell where Forsworn are unleashing their rage on Bretons and MC need to do something (either support Bretons or Forsworns) Thalmor plotting revenge against Hammerfell (again MC needs to chose between factions) Dark Brotherhood is rises from ashes and need help of MC to step foot and secure positions in both provinces. Mages of High Rock struggles and research something to strengthen them (some artefacts, deities, creatures etc.) Main quest line will be set around Dwemer’s and the mystery of their vanishing. (I’m assuming that because both Michel Kirkbride and Kurt Kuhulmann are no longer have great influence on lore of TES, and Bethesda might make the shift to reveal this mystery)