Hammerfell Hammerfell , also known as Volenfell in Dwemeris , Hegathe in Aldmeris , and Deathland in Nedic , is a vast province in the west of Tamriel , bordered by High Rock to the north , Skyrim to the northeast and Cyrodiil to the east and southeast . It is the homeland of the Redguard s . Once a province of the Tamrielic Empire until the Great War , Hammerfell became a sovereign nation in 4E 175 after its rejection of the White - Gold Concordat . Hammerfell is a massive region , covered by vast mountain ranges , grasslands , and deserts . The desolate Alik ' r Desert is one of Hammerfell ' s most well - known regions , taking up a large fraction of the province . Hammerfell is especially notable for being the home of the Redguards , a race of men known for being cunning warriors and skilled swordsmen . Though many skirmishes followed upon the invasion of Yokuda , the land remained Redguard territory . Before the Redguards , however , the Dwemer once occupied Hammerfell . History . First Era . The history of Hammerfell began long before the arrival of the Redguards upon its shores . The land between the Iliac Bay and the Gold Coast of Cyrodiil was called Hegathe , roughly meaning " Death Lands , " in the tongue of the Aldmer peoples . The Ayleid elves set up coastal settlements in the southern portion of what is now Hammerfell , though none survived into the Third Era . The northern Elves , and their Breton descendants , also set up coastal settlements , which became , after the Ra Gada conquest , the cities of Sentinel and Lainlyn . The Dwemer became the first to fully settle Hammerfell in the year 1E 420 . The Rourken Clan of Dwemer left their Morrowind brethren after the formation of the First Council alliance between the Dwemer and the Chimer . Legend has it that the leader of the Rourken threw his hammer , Volendrung , and built Volenfell , the capital of the Western Dwemer , where it landed . Other famous Dwemer cities include the citadel on the island of Stros M ' kai and Fang Lair in the Dragontail Mountains . After the Battle of Red Mountain and the disappearance of the Dwemer in the year 1E 700 , their fantastical cities were lost to looters , professional expedition groups , the Falmer and the elements of nature . Savage beasts that had once been kept at bay by the Dwemer returned to Hammerfell once more . The arrival of the Ra Gada ( Warrior Wave ) in the year 1E 808 , marked the beginning of a modern era for Hammerfell . Leaving their homeland of Yokuda following its decimation in the early eight hundreds , the Ra Gada first landed on the isles of Herne , and then continued onto the other eastern isles and to the mainland by way of the Hew ' s Bane peninsula . The Redguards — as the Ra Gada came to be called — were a fierce and warlike people , and easily conquered the Breton and Imperial peoples along with the savage beasts and beast - folk of the province . The Redguards , due to their warrior prowess , managed to subdue all of Hammerfell in a few battles . They quickly built cities atop the ruins of newly conquered cities and ancient ones alike , and within a matter of years the province was theirs . The Imperial , Nord , and Breton peoples did not forgive the Redguard conquest of their lands , and skirmishes continued along the borders for the rest of the century . Only when the Orsimer nation of Orsinium appeared to challenge their dominance did the Redguards join forces with the Bretons . An alliance of the Sword Singer Order of Diagna , led by Gaiden Shinji ; the kingdom of Daggerfall , led by King Joile ; and the armies of Sentinel , began an epic siege of Orsinium in the year 950 . After thirty years of constant warfare , the Orc kingdom proved to be too much for the alliance . This shared battle led to improved diplomacy between the Redguards and their neighbors . The Redguards opened their borders for trade and to assist other nations in their own wars — such as the alliance with Bendu Olo of the Cyrodilic kingdom of Anvil against the Sload . Bringing in experience from their native Yokuda , the Redguards were able to tame the harsh land and thrive where others perished . Their culture , religion , and even government were transplanted whole to the new land and their civilization flourished . The new environment did however bring about change . The Yoku language was replaced with the common tongue of Tamriel to better trade with their neighbors , and some of the Ra Gada gods , minor deities in particular , began to take on more Tamrielic aspects . Many of the lower class Yoku and the Ra Gada wanted to adapt and assimilate to the ways of their new land , while the upper class and the Na - Totambu , or ruling class , wanted to keep their traditional ways . Cities along the border , such as Sentinel in the north and Rihad in the south , adapted particularly fast to the new Tamrielic culture . Trade and cultural interaction encouraged assimilation , and the peoples in those areas became increasingly Imperial . Over time , their views and customs differed enough from that of the traditional Redguards for them to separate into a wholly new sociopolitical faction : The Forebears . Tension between the factions continued to build for the next two thousand years . Second Era . In the year 862 of the Second Era , High King Thassad II died of natural causes and the province plunged into a bloody civil war between the Crowns and the Forebears . Prince A ' Tor , heir to the throne of Hammerfell , led the Crown forces against the Forebears . Just as the Crown victory appeared certain , the Forebears made a pact with Tiber Septim , who agreed to send his forces into Hammerfell to defeat A ' Tor in exchange for Hammerfell ' s allegiance to the Septim Empire . Tiber crushed the weakened Crown forces and took mainland Hammerfell . A ' Tor and the loyal Crown forces were forced to flee to Stros M ' kai , an island fortress in the south of Hammerfell . At the Battle of Hunding Bay , A ' Tor met the forces of Tiber Septim in a magnificent naval battle . Just as the Crown forces were about to defeat the Imperial Navy , Dram , a famous Dunmer assassin , shot Prince A ' Tor with a poisoned arrow . The Dragon Nafaalilagus , thrall of the Empire , burned down the remaining Redguard forces — and with them , the hopes of Hammerfell ' s sovereignty . Tiber Septim garrisoned Imperial forces in each of Hammerfell ' s cities and installed Imperial governors to rule the province . Shortly after , in the year 2E 864 , rebellion again arose on Stros M ' kai . Cyrus , a Redguard mercenary , defeated first Nafaalilagus and then Governor Amiel Richton , forcing Tiber Septim to sue for peace with Hammerfell . The Empire conceded to let Hammerfell keep many of their traditions and government , and removed the Imperial garrisons and governors from the provinces . Cyrus , Sura in the Yoku tongue , was the center of many legends . Many Redguard considered him an incarnation of the HoonDing — the Yokudan god of Make Way and Perseverance over Infidels — due to his defeat of the Empire at Stros M ' kai . Additionally , there were legends of him battling the Dunmer god Vivec among the wreckage of Yokuda . Third Era . The coming of the Empire only widened the rift between the Crowns and Forebears however . When the Camoran Usurper marched on Hammerfell , the Crowns refused assistance to their Forebear brethren in Rihad and Taneth , leading to their defeat and the fall of southern Hammerfell in the Battle of Dragontooth in 3E 253 . The Camoran Usurper decimated much of western Hammerfell until he was finally defeated by the navy of High Rock . Neither did the Forebears come to the assistance of the Crowns in 3E 396 , when the Nords attacked Hammerfell in what was known in the Third Era as the War of Bend ' r - Mahk . That division left Hammerfell weakened , allowing the Nords to capture significant parts of eastern Hammerfell , including the cities of Elinhir , and Dragonstar . Dragonstar became divided into two distinct cities , its eastern half controlled by Skyrim and its western half controlled by Hammerfell . That division remained into the Fourth Era . War came again to Hammerfell in the year 3E 402 , when the kingdoms of Sentinel and Daggerfall went to war over who was to control Betony Island in the Iliac Bay . Priest Vanech of Daggerfall considered the island a holy realm of Kynareth and refused to cede it to Hammerfell . The High Rock city - state Reich Gradkeep agreed to meditate between Lysandus of Daggerfall and Camaron of Sentinel . At those negotiations , Vanech submitted a fake treaty which upset Camaron and eventually plunged the city - state into chaos . Total war erupted between Daggerfall and Sentinel . The war reached its climax at the Battle of Cryngaine Field . King Lysandus was slain on the field of battle , and his son , Gothryd , was crowned King of Daggerfall . King Camaron was likewise slain , and Lord Oresme surrendered to High Rock . In an attempt to cement peace between the rival states of Sentinel and Daggerfall , King Gothryd of Daggerfall was married to Princess Aubk - I of Sentinel . In the year 3E 417 conflict again plagued the Iliac Bay region as the kingdoms of Sentinel , Daggerfall , Wayrest , and Orsinium , as well as the Blades , the Underking , and the Order of the Black Worm , vied over the control of the Numidium , a powerful Dwemer golem used by Tiber Septim to conquer the continent . The Mantella , a device needed to power the Numidium , was in the hands of the Hero of Daggerfall . In the end , it was not known who received control of the Numidium . It was said that the various squabbling factions destroyed each other , bringing about the mysterious event known as the Dragonbreak , or , in that case , the Miracle of Peace . The Miracle of Peace redefined politics in the Iliac Bay . High Rock , once a realm of over a hundred squabbling city - states , consisted of only three after the Miracle of Peace : Daggerfall , Wayrest , and Nova Orsinium . Mannimarco , the King of Worms and the leader of the Order of the Black Worm , ascended into godhood and the Underking was able to die a mortal death after the Mantella , which was made from his life - force , was returned to him . Finally , there was peace between High Rock , Hammerfell , and Orsinium . Following the Miracle of Peace , the Forebear kingdom of Sentinel grew to encompass the entirety of the northern coast of Hammerfell , for Abibon - Gora in the west to Satakalaam in the east , at the mouth of the Bjoulsae River . As most of the formerly independent lands in this northern area were Crown in sympathy , King Lhotun was continually involved in military , diplomatic , and even religious missions to keep them under his wing . Lhotun was forced to create what some considered a third party , one with reverence for the Yokudan past but respect for the Imperial ways which , appropriately enough , came to be called the Lhotunic . Unsurprisingly , the moderate Lhotunics attracted nothing but contempt from the Crown and Forebear kingdoms alike . Clavilla , the Queen of Taneth , tried without success to have the charters of the independent guilds revoked from all sentinel lands , saying that the accepted worship of Satakal was grounds enough for heresy against the Empire . Ayaan - si , High Prophet of Elinhir , called upon the True Crowns of the north to rebel against Lhotun , and financed a number of forays against the borders in Bergama and Dak ' fron . His one success was significant . The land of Totambu , named in ancient days after the Na - Totambu of Yokuda , the progenitors of the Crowns , returned to his fold and declared independence from Sentinel . As Lhotun ' s kingdom surrounded Totambu on all four sides , it was questionable how much longer it could have afforded to assert itself , but nonetheless , its people held their resistance . Eastern Hammerfell , less concerned with Sentinel , continued its efforts to take back the lands conquered by Skyrim in the War of Bend ' r - Mahk . There was no question that Redguards , while lacking the cohesiveness as a society to form effective armies , were once and still remain , excellent warriors and unmatched in guerrilla warfare . Still , little ground was regained , for the Nords too were renowned warriors . Fourth Era . The Fourth Era made the Empire even more of a shadow of its former glory . Valenwood and Elsweyr had been ceded to the Thalmor , Black Marsh had been lost to Imperial rule since the Oblivion Crisis , Morrowind had yet to fully recover from the eruption of Red Mountain , and Hammerfell was plagued by infighting between the Crowns and Forebears factions . Only Skyrim , High Rock and Cyrodiil remained prosperous . 4E 171 — The Great War begins with armies from the Aldmeri Dominion invading the Imperial provinces of Hammerfell and Cyrodiil . After Titus II rejects an ultimatum to make massive concessions to the Thalmor , Aldmeri armies invade . An army led by Thalmor general Lord Naarifin emerges from hidden camps in northern Elsweyr and assaults southern Cyrodiil , flanking Imperial defenses along the Valenwood border . Leyawiin falls to the invaders , and Bravil is surrounded and besieged . Simultaneously , an army under Lady Arannelya crosses western Cyrodiil , bypassing Anvil and Kvatch and entering Hammerfell . This army is joined by smaller forces landing on Hammerfell ' s coast . Imperial troops are overrun and forced into retreat across the Alik ' r Desert in what is known as the March of Thirst . 4E 172 — In Hammerfell , the Thalmor consolidated their gains as they took control of the whole southern coastline . Of the southern cities , only Hegathe still held out . The survivors of the March of Thirst regrouped in northern Hammerfell , joined by reinforcements from High Rock . 4E 173 — A Forebear army from Sentinel broke the siege of Hegathe ( a Crown city ) , leading to the reconciliation of the two factions . Despite this , Lady Arannelya ' s main army succeeded in crossing the Alik ' r Desert . The Imperial Legions under General Decianus met them outside Skaven in a bloody and indecisive clash . Decianus withdrew and left Arannelya in possession of Skaven , but the Aldmeri were too weakened to continue their advance . 4E 174 — The Imperial City is sacked by Aldmeri forces . Titus II flees north from the city , smashing through the surrounding Aldmeri forces with his main army and linking up with reinforcements heading south from Skyrim under General Jonna . The Imperial City falls to the invaders . The Imperial Palace is burned , White - Gold Tower is looted , and the Aldmeri commit many atrocities against the defenseless populace . In Hammerfell , General Decianus was preparing to drive the Aldmeri back from Skaven when he was ordered to march for Cyrodiil . Unwilling to abandon Hammerfell completely , he allowed a great number of " invalids " to be discharged from the Legions before they marched east . These veterans formed the core of the army that eventually drove Lady Arannelya ' s forces back across the Alik ' r late in 174 , taking heavy losses on their retreat from harassing attacks by the Alik ' r warriors . 4E 175 — The Battle of the Red Ring results in the complete destruction of the Aldmeri army in Cyrodiil , a victory for the Empire precipitating the end of the Great War . The Imperial City is retaken and Titus II ' s decision to withdraw from it the previous year is vindicated . Despite this resounding victory , however , the Empire is exhausted and unable to continue the war . Realizing this , Titus II seeks to negotiate with the Aldmeri Dominion to end the war . The Great War ends with the White - Gold Concordat . The Concordat is a peace treaty between the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion . The terms of treaty gave the Thalmor free reign to stamp out the worship of Talos throughout the Empire , and ceded a large section of southern Hammerfell . Critics note that these terms are almost identical to the ultimatum that Titus Mede II rejected at the start of the war . Hammerfell leaves the Empire after rejecting the White - Gold Concordat . Titus II renounces Hammerfell as a province of the Empire to preserve the treaty after the Redguards oppose ceding their lands . The Redguards see this as a betrayal , and a lasting bitterness between Hammerfell and the Empire is sown to the delight of the Thalmor . Hammerfell continues to war with the Aldmeri Dominion for the next five years and left southern Hammerfell devastated . 4E 180 — The Second Treaty of Stros M ' kai is signed . Having been fought to a standstill by the Redguards , the Aldmeri Dominion completely withdraws from Hammerfell . Also , through the cooperation between Forebearers and Crowns , the civil war in Hammerfell ends . Despite the signing of the Treaty of Stros M ' kai , Kematu claims that the resistance against the Aldmeri Dominion is alive and well in Hammerfell . Religion . The main religion of Hammerfell is a combination of the traditional Yokudan pantheon and ancestor worship . Geography . Hammerfell is an arid land consisting mostly of deserts , mountains , and grasslands . The few forests of Hammerfell are found mainly along the coasts and along the borders between Hammerfell , High Rock , and Skyrim . The rugged Dragontail Mountains line northern Hammerfell ' s border with Skyrim . The Colovian Highlands make up part of Hammerfell ' s southern border with Cyrodiil . The southeastern region of Hammerfell is occupied by grasslands similar to those found in the Gold Coast region of Cyrodiil . The Dak ' fron Desert , a region of rocky desert in the northern region of Hammerfell , borders the Dragontail Mountains and is perhaps the most prominent geographical feature of Hammerfell — the Alik ' r Desert . The Alik ' r Desert takes up all of the western region of Hammerfell , and is widely regarded as the most inhospitable region in all of Tamriel . Until the coming of the Ra Gada in the eight hundreds of the First Era , the deserts were populated only by monstrous beasts , including giant scorpions . While the fauna of the Alik ' r Desert remained deadly into the Third Era , the Redguards have managed to significantly reduce the presence and threat of those creatures . The Alik ' r Desert also is home to the ruins of countless civilizations that had perished beneath its sands . Its blazing heat , ferocious sandstorms , and lack of water , makes it nearly impossible to survive in the Alik ' r Desert . The Desert is inhabited only by the nomadic Dune Dweller Redguards . Major cities . The Alik ' r Desert is a region of northern Hammerfell within the Iliac Bay region . The Alik ' r Desert also completely surrounds the province of Bergama . The provincial seat is the city of Alik ' r . During the Warp in the West , the Alik ' r Desert region became a part of the city - state of Sentinel . Dragonstar is a city just south of the border with High Rock and Skyrim . Elinhir is a city in eastern Hammerfell , close to the border with both Skyrim and Cyrodiil . It is close to the Skyrim city of Falkreath . Gilane is a city in southern Hammerfell lying west of Taneth and southeast of Sentinel . The ruins of the capital city of the Rourken Clan can be found nearby . Hegathe is a large city in southwestern Hammerfell , to the south of Sentinel . In the Merethic Era , ' Hegathe ' was the name given to Hammerfell by the Aldmer . Rihad is a port city at the southern edge of Hammerfell , just north of its border with Cyrodiil . Rihad is located on the coast of the Abecean Sea , on the main road between Anvil and Taneth . The Brena River flows into the Abecean Sea just south of the city . The city is an eclectic mix of Redguard Forebears , survivors of the Yokuda Ra Gada , followers of Satakal , a few Breton s , and warriors - in - training from all over Tamriel . Buildings in the city with their flying domes , flying dew sails , and the mosaic colophons were constructed over the ruins of past civilizations . In 3E 253 , armies of Taneth and Rihad were defeated in the Battle of Dragontooth by the Camoran Usurper , which led to the fall of southern Hammerfell . The city was the birthplace of the well - known historian Destri Melarg . Judging by its location , the Kingdom of Sentinel is nothing other than a merchant power : it is situated on the rocky , infertile northern hills of Hammerfell overlooking the Iliac Bay . It is bordered by Myrkwasa and the Alik ' r Desert to the south , and by Antiphyllos and Ayasofya to the east . The uninhabited isle of Cybiades lies off the coast to the north . It was built in the time of the first Redguard colonization of Hammerfell , to serve as a base for their battles against the Bretons , but has since been expanded by the Third Era . The main city streets of Sentinel are a great market leading from the docks to the front gates . Sentinel is an exotic retreat for the nobility of Daggerfall and Wayrest , who take delight in the exotic cooking , craftsmanship , and bizarre plays . Skaven is a city in north - central Hammerfell . Once the home of Crown Prince A ' Tor , Stros M ' kai is an important mountainous island off the southern coast of Hammerfell near the Cape of the Blue Divide . Stros M ' kai is renown for its completely steam - powered Dwemer ruins , including the marvelous observatory known as the Orrery . Taneth is a city in southern Hammerfell on the Abecean Sea lying northwest of Rihad and east of Gilane .