Elder Scrolls 6 has the opportunity to bring back one of most beloved Daedra in the series: Sheogorath. As the Prince of Madness, Sheogorath is known for causing chaos and inviting players on journeys of destructive whimsy. Though the details of Skyrim's sequel have yet to be unveiled, the Daedric Prince should make another appearance and could do so in a substantial way.
Indeed, Sheogorath has taken more of a front seat in past Elder Scrolls games' lore and questlines. In Morrowind, Sheogorath is the Fourth Corner of the House of Troubles according to the Tribunal Temple, highlighting the conflicts of Dunmer faith in that game. Even in Bethesda's second Elder Scrolls installment Daggerfall, Sheogorath goes as far as helping players retrieve the Mantella. But by Skyrim, Sheogorath has become more of a novelty. His side quest - though one of the best in the game due to its Alice and Wonderland references - is small and unrelated to the major questlines of Skyrim. He sojourns in the mind of Pelagius Septim III, an already dead man whose influence on Tamriel was minimal even during his life and was even less important in Skyrim.
In Elder Scrolls 6, Sheogorath's quest design in Skyrim should be merged with his more important roles in Daggerfall and Morrowind. Bringing the Prince of Madness back into the spotlight while making his missions as memorable as the Mad Hatter tea party of Skyrim would give players an opportunity to interact with a favorite Daedric Prince and Bethesda a chance to expand on his lore. How the developer could pull this off depends on where Elder Scrolls 6 takes place.
How Sheogorath Could Return In Elder Scrolls 6
One of the possibilities for Elder Scrolls 6's setting is Elsweyr, the desert landscape the Khajiit call home. Elsweyr would provide an interesting take on Sheogorath's back story and really all Elder Scrolls lore. The Khajiit have an alternative to the creation of the universe and the gods. Sheogorath - known as Sheggorath to the Khajiit - is actually worshipped in Elsweyr despite being seen as controversial or evil in other countries. The Khajiit more specifically see Sheogorath as an inherent and important obstacle they must face in the Path (aka the path to an enlightened life). Getting to see Sheogorath in a different light would refresh the character and allow players to better appreciate the oddities he brings to the Elder Scrolls experience.
Alternatively, Elder Scrolls 6 could take place in Hammerfell, the home of the Redguards. This seems to be the most likely of the game's settings because of Elder Scrolls' tweet about Elder Scrolls 6 and the game's teaser showing a mountainous landscape for its setting - not a desert. Sheogorath is not in the Redguard's Pantheon of Gods, nor does he have an equivalent like in the Khajiit's. Being the Prince of Madness, this will likely not stop him from coming into the game, as being out of context fits into Sheogorath's overall design.
Given that this would stop him from being a major player in the happenings of Elder Scrolls 6's story, though, a Sheogorath side mission could do well by emulating Oblivion's Prince of Madness quest. In that game, players get to go to Sheogorath's Plane of Oblivion known as the Shivering Isles. Not only would getting to revisit this area in much better graphics be exciting, but the Shivering Isles take the shape of Sheogorath's desires. This means that Elder Scrolls 6 could bring an entirely new take to the Plane of Oblivion and Sheogorath if Bethesda chooses to bring the Daedric Prince into the game.
Sources:ElderScrolls/Twitter
