Mythic Era
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The Mythic Era, also known as the Merethic Era and colloqially as the Age of the Mer, is the roughly 2500 year log period of Tamriel's past that immediately precedes the First Era. It marks the start of recorded elvish history, and ends with the founding of the Camoran Dynasty and the start of human history.
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[edit] The Beginning
The earliest recorded date in elvish history is ME 2500, which is given as the date of construction of the Adamantine Tower (Direnni Tower), in High Rock. This structure was built as a meeting place for the Aedra who were constructing Nirn, either by the Aedra themselves or explicitly for their use, and is the oldest structure on Nirn. The Aedra convened here to decide the fate of Lorkhan, after Magnus and many of the other Aedra had abandoned the project to create a mortal plane. It was during this meeting that Lorkhan's Heart was cast down to Tamriel, the Aedra who would become the Ehlnofey gave up their divinity, and the rest of the Aedra left Nirn for their own planes.
While the divines were physically present on Nirn, their supernatural natures causes time itself to remain in a state of flux. The presence of Akatosh kept time moving in a generally forward direction, but it was not until the gods left Tamriel that time settled into the consistent, linear, stable force that allowed recorded history to begin.
During the early Mythic Era, the mortal beings of Nirn developed from the proto-race, the Ehlnofey. This era was dominated by the Mer, and it was not uncommon for Aedra and Daedra to reappear briefly among the mortals. Early in this age, man and mer both evacuate Tamriel, leaving the continent to the beast folk who would evolve into the modern Argonian, Khajiit, and other, less intelligent races. The mer primarily inhabit the continent of Aldmeris, or Old Ehlnofey, while men primarily develop on the continents of Yokuda and Atmora. The Akaviri continent produces a variety of races, at initially including men, but little of its history is conclusively known.
[edit] Arrival of the Elves
During the middle period of the Mythic Era, the mer fled from their home continent of Aldmeris, which reportedly sank into the seas, and arrive in southwest Tamriel. They initially settle in the Summerset Isles, but also leave scattered colonies all along the coasts. The elves soon begin to spread across the continent, including a notable expedition by Torval the Pilot up the Niben River, where he acquires the entire region around Lake Rumare for the elves. The elves slowly take over continent, starting with the southwesterns forests and grasslands and speading north. The indigant populations of beast races, early Agronians and Khajiit, are forced southeast into the barely habitable jungles and swamplands. The elves build some of the most famous and long-lasting structures on the planet, including the Crystal Tower in Summerset, and White Gold Tower in the center of what was then the city-state of Cyrod.
It was during this period that the Altmer prophet Veloth, following the advice of Boethiah and other Daedra, took his people north to modern-day Morrowind. Another spliter group of elves, the Dwemer were already inhabiting the caverns under the Velothi Mountains, and the two jointly formed the nation of Resdayn. During his attempts to halt the Chimer expedition, Trinimac is destroyed by Boethiah, being reformed as Malacath, and his followers are turned into the Orsimer, or Orc, race.
[edit] Arrival of the Humans
In the later years of the Mythic Era, the social structure of the elves begins to deteriorate. Summerset Isles struggles to maintain Aldmeri culture, but in other regions they are less successful. Velothi culture in Morrowind degenerates into primitive tribal bands, which eventually formed the modern Houses of Morrowind. Elves across the continent begin to differentiate themselves from the Altmer, abandoning the High Elven towers and structures, and evolving to fit the lands they have made home.
Humans arrive back on Tamriel in this period, mostly from the northern continent of Atmora, and begin settling in the Jerall Mountains. Initially there is little conflict between the races, with the exception of occasional Nord/Dwemer/Chimer skirmishes along the Skyrim border with Morrowind. However, as humans spread south into Cyrod and High Rock, they begin to mix with the mer society, usually in ways that go poorly for the humans. Interbreeding with the elves in High Rock spawn a half-breed race of "Manmer", which would ultimately take over the province and become the Bretons. At this point, however, humans are mostly outcasts or lower class citizens. In Cyrod, the Ayleid rulers enslave almost the entire human population, collecting them into slave camps across the forests in central Tamriel.
It is during the end of this period that the demi-god hero Pelinal Whitestrake first appears. Early on, he simply wandered across Tamriel, conquering then abandoning small populations of elves and men. It is not until much later that Alessia was able to focus his energy towards a single, common goal.
[edit] End of the Era
The event that marks the end of the Mythic Era represents the official end to Altmeri dominance on Tamriel. For the bulk of the Mythic Era, all of the elven communities on Tamriel pled at least token fealty to the king on Summerset. By the end of the era, however, the provinces had mostly split off, and generally ignored events from other regions.
The situation came to a permanent conclusion in the last year of the Mythic Era, when a Bosmer in Valenwood, Eplear, declares himself the first king of the Camoran Dynasty. Valenwood officially declares itself independant from Summerset. With a buffer between themselves and the island kingdom, the Ayleid of Cyrod also declare themselves independant city states, and the Mythic Era officially ends.
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