{{Lore History Trail}}{{Lore History|evtsw=yes|botline=yes}}__NOTOC__'''Note:''' The {{Lore Link|Merethic Era}}, also known as the '''Mythic Era''',{{ref|name=TAA|{{Cite book|The Annotated Anuad}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite book|The Monomyth}}}}{{ref|name=PGE3All|{{Cite book|PGE|3|All the Eras of Man}}}} 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 {{Lore Link|First Era}} (the traditional {{Lore Link|Nord}}ic Merethic dating), which is marked by the founding of the {{Lore Link|Camoran Dynasty}}.{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}==Early Merethic Era=={{History Entry|ME 2500|{{Lore Link|Direnni Tower}} constructed|The latest archaeological study of the Direnni Tower on the Isle of {{Lore Link|Balfiera}} in {{Lore Link|High Rock}} has dated its construction to around ME 2500, the earliest known date in {{Lore Link|Aldmer}}i and {{Lore Link|Nord}}ic history, making it the oldest known structure in {{Lore Link|Tamriel}}.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=PGE1High|{{Cite book|PGE|1|High Rock}}}}* The {{Lore Link|et'Ada}} hold their Convention at this tower, setting the laws of {{Lore Link|Mundus}} and ending the {{Lore Link|Dawn Era}}.{{ref|name=TM}}}}{{History Entry|The days of the {{Lore Link|beastfolk}}||Aboriginal beastpeoples (ancestors of the #REDIRECT [[Lore:Khajiit|Khajiit]], [[Lore:Argonian|Argonian]], and other beastfolk) live in preliterate communities throughout {{Lore Link|Tamriel}}.{{ref|name=BTAOM}} Each have their own accounts of this time period.{{ref|name=MWArtisa|[[Morrowind:Artisa Arelas|Artisa Arelas]]' dialogue in [[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]].}} Scholars later surmise that, at this time, the {{Lore Link|Khajiit}} have the predominant culture in southern Tamriel.{{ref|name=PGE3Sug|{{Cite book|PGE|3|Sugar and Blood}}}}|minor=yes}}==Middle Merethic Era=={{History Entry|The return of the [[Lore:Mer|elvesMerética]]||The [[Lore:Aldmer|Aldmer]] leave doomed and now-lost [[Lore:Aldmeris|Aldmeris]] (also known as 'Old Ehlnofey') and settle in {{Lore Link|Tamriel}}. First colonies are distributed widely along the entire coast of Tamriel. Later, inland settlements are founded primarily in fertile lowlands in southwest and central Tamriel.{{ref|name=BTAOM}} They are significantly more sophisticated than other cultures, displaying power beyond what could be expected of the time.{{ref|name=NOT|{{Cite book|Night of Tears (book)}}}} The literate and technologically advanced Aldmeri cultures drive the relatively primitive {{Lore Link|beastfolk}} into the jungles, marshes, mountains, and wastelands. The {{Lore Link|Adamantine Tower}} is rediscovered and captured by the [[Lore:Direnni Hegemony|Direnni]], a prominent and powerful Aldmeri clan.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}}}{{History Entry|The {{Lore Link|Crystal Tower}}||The Crystal Tower is built in [[Lore:Summerset Isle|Summerset Isle]].{{ref|name=BTAOM}}}}{{History Entry|The search for {{Lore Link|Aldmeris}}||Aldmeri explorers, notably [[Lore:Torval the Pilot|Torval the Pilot]], explore and chart Tamriel's sea-lanes. From Summerset, Torval sails north around Tamriel, then up the {{Lore Link|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.{{ref|name=FOTN|{{Cite book|Father Of The Niben}}}}* Aldmeri explorers map the coasts of [[Lore:Vvardenfell|Vvardenfell]], building the {{Lore Link|First Era}} High Elven wizard towers at {{Lore Link|Ald Redaynia}}, {{Lore Link|Bal Fell}}, {{Lore Link|Tel Aruhn}}, and {{Lore Link|Tel Mora}} in [[Lore:Morrowind|Morrowind]].{{ref|name=BTAOM}}}}{{History Entry|Rise of the {{Lore Link|Ayleids}}||The feathered men of central {{Lore Link|Cyrodiil}} disappear from history,{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=FOTN}} only to be replaced by the [[Lore:Ayleids|Ayleids]] (who are quite fond of adorning themselves in feathers{{ref|name=TSOP|{{Cite book|The Song of Pelinal}}}}).{{ref|name=TLKOTA|{{Cite book|The Last King of the Ayleids}}}} These Wild Elves, also known as the Heartland High Elves, preserve the {{Lore Link|Dawn Era}} {{Lore Link|magic}}ks and [[Lore:Ehlnofex Languages|language of the Ehlnofey]]. Ostensibly a tribute-land to the High King of [[Lore:Alinor (city)|Alinor]], Cyrodiil is very isolated from the {{Lore Link|Altmer}}i leadership.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}}}{{History Entry|The {{Lore Link|White-Gold Tower}}||The White-Gold Tower is built in [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]].{{ref|name=BTAOM}}}}==Late Middle Merethic Era=={{History Entry|The Dwemer expand||The [[Lore:Dwemer|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 [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]] and modern-day [[Lore:Morrowind|Morrowind]] (later known as the [[Lore:Velothi Mountains|Velothi Mountains]]).{{ref|name=BTAOM}}}}{{History Entry|The Transformation of Trinimac||According to {{Lore Link|Altmer}}i tradition, a great battle occurs between {{Lore Link|Trinimac}} and {{Lore Link|Boethiah}} as a result of the {{Lore Link|Veloth}}i dissident movement. Trinimac is consumed, and returns later as {{Lore Link|Malacath}}. His followers become the {{Lore Link|Orc}}s. The followers of Veloth and Boethiah become the {{Lore Link|Chimer}}, who migrate to their promised land of {{Lore Link|Resdayn}}.{{ref|name=FOTN}}{{ref|name=TCO|{{Cite book|The Changed Ones}}}} Some traditions trace these events back to the {{Lore Link|Dawn Era}}.{{ref|name=TA|{{Cite book|The Anticipations}}}}{{ref|name=TTNOO|{{Cite book|The True Nature of Orcs}}}}}}{{History Entry|High {{Lore Link|Veloth}}i Culture||High Velothi Culture thrives in {{Lore Link|Resdayn}}. The [[Lore:Chimer|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.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}}}==Late Merethic Era=={{History Entry|Fall of High {{Lore Link|Veloth}}i Culture||Velothi high culture disappears on {{Lore Link|Vvardenfell}}. The earliest known {{Lore Link|Dwemer}} Freehold colonies are constructed. The Velothi degenerate into tribal cultures, which, in time, evolve into the modern [[Lore:Great Houses|Great Houses]] of [[Lore:Morrowind|Morrowind]], or persist as the [[Lore:Ashlanders|Ashlander tribes]]. The only surviving traces of this tribal culture are scattered Velothi towers and Ashlander nomads on Vvardenfell Island.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}}}{{History Entry|{{Lore Link|Altmer}}i abandonment||The original {{Lore Link|First Era}} High Elven wizard towers along the coasts of {{Lore Link|Tamriel}} are abandoned around this time.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}|minor=yes}}{{History Entry|ME 1000|{{Lore Link|Man|Men}} appear on {{Lore Link|Tamriel}}|Archaeologists later trace the earliest known human settlements in {{Lore Link|High Rock}}, {{Lore Link|Hammerfell}} and {{Lore Link|Cyrodiil}} to around this time.{{ref|name=FC|{{Cite book|Frontier, Conquest}}}} For centuries, raiders cross the {{Lore Link|Sea of Ghosts}} to invade and settle in Tamriel.{{ref|name=PGE3Other|{{Cite book|PGE|3|Other Lands}}}} Men are soon predominant along the northern coasts.{{ref|name=TAA}}{{ref|name=PGE3All}}}}{{History Entry|The Return||The proto-{{Lore Link|Nord}}s in the final migrations from [[Lore:Atmora|Atmora]] settle in northern Tamriel. Nordic hero [[Lore:Ysgramor|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 [[Lore:Hsaarik Head|Hsaarik Head]] at the extreme northern tip of [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]]'s Broken Cape and builds {{Lore Link|Saarthal}} nearby.{{ref|name=BTAOM}} The elves drive the Men away during the [[Lore:Night of Tears|Night of Tears]], but Ysgramor soon returns with his [[Lore:Companions|Five Hundred Companions]] and establishes human dominance in modern-day Skyrim.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=NOT}}{{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}}}}{{History Entry|The wandering hero||An immortal hero, warrior, sorceror, and king variously known as [[Lore:Pelinal Whitestrake|Pelinal Whitestrake]], Harrald Hairy Breeks, [[Lore:Wulfharth|Ysmir]], Hans the Fox, etc., wanders Tamriel, gathering armies, conquering lands, ruling, then abandoning his kingdoms to wander again.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}|minor=yes}}{{History Entry|The {{Lore Link|Doom Stones}} of [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]]||Scholars later assume the Doom Stones of Skyrim are placed throughout the land during this time.{{ref|name=SRDrevis|[[Skyrim:Drevis Neloren|Drevis Neloren]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]].}}|minor=yes}}{{History Entry|Dreams of {{Lore Link|Sovngarde}}||Earliest known writings and stories emerge amongst the proto-{{Lore Link|Nord}}s of a hidden, timeless place of eternal life known as Sovngarde, a magnificent Hall of Valor built by {{Lore Link|Shor}} to honor the departed who prove their mettle in battle.{{ref|name=SAR|{{Cite book|Sovngarde, a Reexamination}}}}|minor=yes}}{{History Entry|The {{Lore Link|Dragon War}}||At this time, the {{Lore Link|dragons}} under {{Lore Link|Alduin}} had claimed dominion over all {{Lore Link|Mundus}}, and presided over {{Lore Link|man}} in {{Lore Link|Atmora}} and then {{Lore Link|Tamriel}}.{{ref|name=Hrothgar|[[Skyrim:High Hrothgar#Etched Tablets|The Etched Tablets of High Hrothgar.]]}} The {{Lore Link|Nord}}s worship them as gods and build many temples dedicated to them.{{ref|name=SRFarengar|[[Skyrim:Farengar Secret-Fire|Farengar Secret-Fire]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]].}} {{Lore Link|Dragon Priest}}s, 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,{{ref|name=TDW|{{Cite book|The Dragon War}}}} their population decimated.{{ref|name=TBD|{{Cite book|There Be Dragons}}}}}}{{History Entry|ME 1||Events in {{Lore Link|Valenwood}} culminate in the founding of the {{Lore Link|Camoran Dynasty}}, {{Year|1E O|Year Zero of the First Era}}.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}}}<noinclude>==Miscellaneous Events=={{History Entry|{{Lore Link|The Towers}}||The other towers of {{Lore Link|Tamriel}} are built, including Orichalc, Green-Sap, Walk-Brass (or the Brass Tower{{ref|name=TBOTD|{{Cite book|The Book of the Dragonborn}}}}), and Snow Throat (also called the Snow Tower{{ref|name=TBOTD}}).{{ref|group=OOG|{{TIL|The Nu-Mantia Intercept|numantia}}, The Imperial Library}}}}{{History Entry|Magic from the sky||Travelers gather celestial minerals which are used to build many things, including the great Orrery at {{Lore Link|Firsthold}}.{{ref|name=PGE3Arena|{{Cite book|PGE|3|Arena Supermundus}}}}{{ref|name=MFTS|{{Cite book|Magic from the Sky}}}}|minor=yes}}{{History Entry|Wars of {{Lore Link|Yokuda}}||The Na-Totambu, the royalty of the Yokudans (ancient {{Lore Link|Redguard}}s), fight to a standstill among themselves to decide who will lead the charge against the {{Lore Link|Lefthanded Elves}}. {{Lore Link|Leki}} intervenes and a victor emerges. {{Lore Link|Diagna}}, an avatar of the {{Lore Link|HoonDing}}, brings {{Lore Link|Orichalcum|orichalc}} weapons to the Yokudans, which prove instrumental in defeating the elves.{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}}}==Notes==*{{LNote|nb1|^|In ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|TES V: Skyrim]]'', [[Skyrim:Kodlak Whitemane|Kodlak Whitemane]] says the Companions are "nearly 5000 years old", which would indicate that the Return occurred sometime in the last five centuries of the Merethic Era.}}==See Also==* {{Book Link|The Annotated Anuad}}* {{Book Link|Before the Ages of Man}}* {{Book Link|Frontier, Conquest}}* {{Book Link|Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition/All the Eras of Man}}==References==<references/>{{OOG}}<references group=OOG/></noinclude>