Lore:Merethic Era

Dawn Era — Merethic Era — First Era — Second Era — Third Era — Fourth Era

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All Events | Only Major Events

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Note: The Merethic Era, also known as the Merethic Age, Mythic Age, Mythic Era, Mythic Times, the Era of Myths, and the Days of Myth is a period with few known, exact dates, and some of the events below may be misplaced in the general narrative. The era is dated backwards from Year Zero of the First Era (the traditional Nordic Merethic dating), which is marked by the founding of the Camoran Dynasty. The Dwemer had a method of Merethic dating, abbreviated P.D., but how it relates to the Nordic method is unknown. The Akaviri Dragonguard recognized a Merethic dating system in the Old Calendar. Yokuda also had an old way of reckoning which included the Merethic Era.

Early Merethic Era

ME 2500 — Direnni Tower constructed

• The latest archaeological study of the Direnni Tower on the Isle of Balfiera in High Rock has dated its construction to around ME 2500, the earliest known date in Aldmeri and Nordic history, making it the oldest known structure in Tamriel.
• The et'Ada hold their Convention at this tower, setting the laws of Mundus and ending the Dawn Era.

The days of the beastfolk

• Aboriginal beastpeoples (ancestors of the Khajiit, Argonian, Orcs and other beastfolk) live in preliterate communities throughout Tamriel. Each have their own accounts of this time period. Scholars later surmise that, at this time, the Khajiit have the predominant culture in southern Tamriel.

Early Kothringi culture

• Later findings date the first Kothringi metalwork and cultural exchange with the Argonians of Shadowfen in this time, making them the first known human culture of Tamriel.

The arrival of the elves on the Summerset Isles

• The Aldmer leave doomed and now-lost Aldmeris (also known as 'Old Ehlnofey') and settle on the isle Auridon. According to legend, the Aldmer folk hero High Lord Torinaan 'the Foresailor' arrives at the location now known as Nine-Prow Landing and founds the city of Firsthold south of it.

The earliest known depictions of Clavicus Vile

• Crude, hand-carved idols and ancient cave paintings depict Clavicus Vile, his mask, and Barbas.

Middle Merethic Era

The search for Aldmeris

• Aldmeri explorers, notably Topal the Pilot, explore and chart Tamriel's sea-lanes. From Summerset, Topal sails north around Tamriel, then up the River Niben deep into central Cyrodiil, where he acquires the Eight Islands (the site of the White-Gold Tower) from the native taloned "Bird men" as gifts for giving them the secret of literacy.
• Aldmeri explorers map the coasts of Vvardenfell, building the First Era High Elven wizard towers at Ald Redaynia, Bal Fell, Tel Aruhn, and Tel Mora in Morrowind.
• The Adamantine Tower is rediscovered by Direnni Cygnus, progenitor of the Direnni, an Aldmeri clan that rose to prominence in the early First Era.

The Aldmeri Colonies on Tamriel

• First colonies are distributed primarily on the Summerset Isles and widely along the entire coast of Tamriel. Later, inland settlements are founded primarily in fertile lowlands in southwest and central Tamriel. According to Vingalmo's 'Treatise on the Altmer Antecedent' the early Aldmer and Dwemer are significantly more sophisticated than other cultures, displaying power beyond what could be expected of the time.
• The Aldmeri settlers of Cyrodiil would later become the first Ayleids and remain subservient to the King of Alinor until at least 1E 1, when the White-Gold Tower is established as an independent city-state.
• The literate and technologically advanced Aldmeri cultures drive the relatively primitive beastfolk into the jungles, marshes, mountains, and wastelands.

The Crystal Tower

• The Crystal Tower is built in Summerset Isle.

Rise of the Ayleids

• The feathered men of central Cyrodiil disappear from history, only to be replaced by the Ayleids (who are quite fond of adorning themselves in feathers). These Wild Elves, also known as the Heartland High Elves, preserve the Dawn Era magicks and language of the Ehlnofey. Ostensibly a tribute-land to the High King of Alinor, Cyrodiil is very isolated from the Altmeri leadership.

The White-Gold Tower

• The White-Gold Tower is built in Cyrodiil.

Late Middle Merethic Era

The Dwemer expand

• The Dwemer, a free-thinking, reclusive Elven clan devoted to the secrets of science, engineering, and alchemy, establish underground cities and communities in the mountain range separating modern Skyrim and modern-day Morrowind (later known as the Velothi Mountains).

The Transformation of Trinimac

• According to Altmeri tradition, a great battle occurs between Trinimac and Boethiah as a result of the Velothi dissident movement. Trinimac is consumed, and returns later as Malacath. His followers become the Orcs. The followers of Veloth and Boethiah become the Chimer, who migrate to their promised land of Resdayn. Some traditions trace these events back to the Dawn Era.

High Velothi Culture

• High Velothi Culture thrives in Resdayn. The Chimer become dynamic, ambitious, long-lived Elven clans devoted to fundamentalist ancestor worship. Despising the secular culture and profane practices of the Dwemer, the Chimer also covet their lands and resources, and for centuries provoke them with minor raids and territorial disputes.

Late Merethic Era

Fall of High Velothi Culture

• Velothi high culture disappears on Vvardenfell. The earliest known Dwemer Freehold colonies are constructed. The Velothi degenerate into tribal cultures, which, in time, evolve into the modern Great Houses of Morrowind, or persist as the Ashlander tribes. The only surviving traces of this tribal culture are scattered Velothi towers and Ashlander nomads on Vvardenfell Island.

Altmeri abandonment

• The original First Era High Elven wizard towers along the coasts of Tamriel are abandoned around this time.

ME 1000 - 800 — Traces of the earliest human settlements on Tamriel

• Archaeologists later trace the earliest known human settlements in High Rock, Hammerfell and Cyrodiil to around this time. For centuries, raiders cross the Sea of Ghosts to invade and settle in Tamriel. Men are soon predominant along the northern coasts.

Earliest known interbreeding between High Rock's Nedes and Aldmer

• Some speculate that interbreeding between the Nedes and Aldmer had been happening for centuries by the time the Merethic Era ended. Khosey's 'Tamrilean Tractates', written in the third century of the First Era, is more restrictive on the timeline. According to it, a Nordic hunting party discovered the early Bretons who have been a product of interbreeding over ten generations between Nede and Aldmer.
• Whether Man or Mer came to High Rock first is debated in scholarly circles: some believe that Nedic civilization and their Druid King were already established in the province when the Aldmer arrived, while others claim that the Nedes arrived in High Rock afterwards, and encountered the elves gradually with a variety of reactions and outcomes.

Manmer, the earliest Bretons

• Asterie Bedel is perhaps the earliest recorded Breton, who was recorded to have created the artifact Chrysamere in the late Merethic Era.
• The earliest Bretons were known as the Manmer and were more elven in appearance than their modern counterparts.
• "Druid" as a distinct identity was fully realized shortly after the first Bretons came about. Druidic spellcraft is said to be the first truly Breton creation.

Fundamental changes in Iron Orc civilization occur

• After continued aggression from the Nedes of Craglorn, the once peaceful and shamanistic society of the Iron Orcs changes into one of barbarism. Choosing Warriors, Miners and Smiths over their former peaceful jobs they now defended their homes and places of worship through almost bestial ways of warfare.

The Return

• The proto-Nords in the final migrations from Atmora settle in northern Tamriel. Nordic hero Ysgramor, leader of a great colonizing fleet to Tamriel, develops a runic transcription of Nordic speech based on elvish principles, and is the first human historian. Ysgramor's fleet lands at Hsaarik Head at the extreme northern tip of Skyrim's Broken Cape and builds Saarthal nearby. The elves drive the Men away during the Night of Tears, but Ysgramor soon returns with his Five Hundred Companions and establishes human dominance in modern-day Skyrim.

The wandering hero

• An immortal hero, warrior, sorceror, and king variously known as Pelinal Whitestrake, Harrald Hairy Breeks, Ysmir, Hans the Fox, etc., wanders Tamriel, gathering armies, conquering lands, ruling, then abandoning his kingdoms to wander again.

The Doom Stones of Skyrim

• Scholars later assume the Doom Stones of Skyrim are placed throughout the land during this time.

Kaalgrontiid and his dragons conquer Elsweyr

• Believed by some to originate from Alduin's rage in Atmora and Skyrim, Kaalgrontiid and his dragon horde travel to Elsweyr then divided into sixteen kingdoms which they conquer. The dragons were later tricked into imprisonment in the Halls of Colossus by the Khajiit hero Khunzar-ri and his companions, Nurarion the Perfect, Flinthild Demon-Hunter, Anequina Sharp-Tongue, and Cadwell the Betrayer.

Dreams of Sovngarde

• Earliest known writings and stories emerge among the proto-Nords of a hidden, timeless place of eternal life known as Sovngarde, a magnificent Hall of Valor built by Shor to honor the departed who prove their mettle in battle.

The Dragon War

• At this time, the dragons under Alduin had claimed dominion over all Mundus, and presided over man in Atmora and then Tamriel. The Nords worship them as gods and build many temples dedicated to them. Dragon Priests, servants of their dragon overlords, become increasingly tyrannical, eventually causing men to rebel. Thousands of men die until a few dragons join their fight, when the tide turns in their favor. Alduin is banished and the Dragon Priests are overthrown. The remaining dragons are scattered, their population decimated.

The Narfinsel Schism

• A centuries long civil war between the more conservative Aedra-worshiping Ayleid clans and the more decadent, vigorous clans that had adopted Daedra-worship begins. It will reach its climax in 1E 198 at the Scouring of Wendelbek.

ME 1

• Events in Valenwood culminate in the founding of the Camoran Dynasty, Year Zero of the First Era.

Miscellaneous Events

The Towers

• The other Towers are built, including Orichalc, Green-Sap, and Snow Throat (also called the Snow Tower).

Magic from the sky

• Travelers gather celestial minerals which are used to build many things, including the great Orrery at Firsthold.

Wars of Yokuda

• The Na-Totambu, the royalty of the Yokudans (ancient Redguards), fight to a standstill among themselves to decide who will lead the charge against the Lefthanded Elves. Leki intervenes and a victor emerges. Diagna, an avatar of the HoonDing, brings orichalc weapons to the Yokudans, which prove instrumental in defeating the elves.

The Bosmer hunt down the Oddoak

• Tasked by Y'ffre, the Bosmer hunt the shape-shifting beasts known as the Oddoaks.

Aldmer try to reach Aetherius via Sunbirds

• An Aldmeri Order tries to pierce the veil between Mundus and Aetherius to reach the latter. It is unknown if they succeeded.

Notes

• ^

  In TES V: Skyrim, Kodlak Whitemane says the Companions are "nearly 5000 years old", which would indicate that the Return occurred sometime in the last six centuries of the Merethic Era. Similarly, the memorial plaque for High King Harald in Windhelm proclaims him as 13th in the line of Ysgramor, which if referring to generations, would indicate Ysgramor being alive around the second century before the end of the Merethic era.

• ^

  The 'Tamrilean Tractates' state that these Manmeri have been found around the time of High King Vrages coronation, which the 'Daggerfall Chronicles' date to 1E 222. The Tractates then state that one of Vrages first actions as king was to start liberating their kinsmen in High Rock and that the Manmeri the hunting party has found was the product of ten generations of elven intermingling. Ten Generations would be around 250-300 years, placing the first known intermingling into the very late Merethic Era.

See Also

• The Annotated Anuad — Early religious book providing a simplified version of The Anuad creation myth from the Mythic Era
• Before the Ages of Man by Aicantar of Shimerene — Chronicles the major events of the Dawn and Merethic Eras
• Frontier, Conquest by the University of Gwylim Press, 3E 344 — Details the presence of humans in Tamriel before the original Nordic conquests thought to bring humans to Tamriel
• Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition: All the Eras of Man, A Comprehensive History of our History by the Imperial Geographical Society

References

Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.