Men or Mer? Who was first?

[-The Ice Queen-]

Some of us might have heard one story or another about who were the original habitants of Skyrim. Some say that Mer set foot in the province before the modern day Nords, while Nordic legend states that the Nordic peoples began their existence on the Throat of the World, before adventuring to Atmora.

I'm curious; who do think was first?

 

[Athilea]

I think it was the Elves. They seem to be the oldest race in the Elder Scrolls, at least if you don't include the demons or Gods or whatever you want to call them.

 

[Mighty Pecan Pie]

I believe it was Mer. I found this: "The Aldmer (meaning "First Folk" or "Elder Folk") were the original Merethic Era proto-mer who settled Summerset Isle and most of mainland Tamriel. They are often said to have been the first technologically sophisticated inhabitants of Nirn" on the UESP site.

It also mentions that the Beast ancestors from the Khajiit and Argonians were already present.

I also found something about Nedes, the oldest human race:

"Although the origins of the Nedic peoples are hotly debated, the most widely accepted theory is that they came from Atmora in many waves, and after arriving in what is now Skyrim they soon began to spread throughout much of Tamriel. While their beginnings are murky, the earliest known traces of human presence in Tamriel have been dated to the mid-Merethic Era circa ME 1000."

However, using this page: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Merethic_Era

it says at ME 1000 — Men appear on Tamriel. That's in the late Meretic Era, while in the Middle Meretic Era this pops up: Return of the Elves, followed by this:

"The Aldmer leave doomed and now-lost Aldmeris (also known as 'Old Ehlnofey') and settle in 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. They are significantly more sophisticated than other cultures, displaying power beyond what could be expected of the time. The literate and technologically advanced Aldmeri cultures drive the relatively primitive beastfolk into the jungles, marshes, mountains, and wastelands. The Adamantine Tower is rediscovered and captured by the Direnni, a prominent and powerful Aldmeri clan."

So it seems that the elves were first in Tamriel, and thus also Skyrim.

 

[hershangames]

Couldn't it have been the dwarven?
They're ancient to the point of extinction and almost none of their history has been discovered and they were there long enough as to be able to make the snow elves into something as different as the calmer.

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[Dradin]

Couldn't it have been the dwarven?
They're ancient to the point of extinction and almost none of their history has been discovered and they were there long enough as to be able to make the snow elves into something as different as the calmer.

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Dwarves are mer. (Dwemer).

Screw the frilly elves. A true Nord will never let the elves lay claim to Tamriel so they can crush it under their boot.

 

[hershangames]

Oh, sorry for the mistake, then definitely met.
And Nords can't crush plops, they die in all fights.

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[-The Ice Queen-]

Couldn't it have been the dwarven?
They're ancient to the point of extinction and almost none of their history has been discovered and they were there long enough as to be able to make the snow elves into something as different as the calmer.

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

Dwarves are mer. (Dwemer).

Screw the frilly elves. A true Nord will never let the elves lay claim to Tamriel so they can crush it under their boot.

But oh, how I love those frilly cakes...

 

[The Honorable Gidian Diva of Sass]

Might've put your question over the poll so that I knew it was a "who was there first" question and not a popularity poll...

 

[The Honorable Gidian Diva of Sass]

Oh, sorry for the mistake, then definitely met.
And Nords can't crush pl***, they die in all fights.

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Nevermind that men created the Empire, which ruled Tamriel for ages.

 

[-The Ice Queen-]

Might've put your question over the poll so that I knew it was a "who was there first" question and not a popularity poll...

Sorry about that, I'm notorious for being ambiguous.

 

[DrunkenMage]

Elves would have been first in Skyrim, other provinces it gets more tricky due to there being "native men".

 

[Mighty Pecan Pie]

Elves would have been first in Skyrim, other provinces it gets more tricky due to there being "native men".

In the link: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Merethic_Era, it clearly says at ME1000 men appear at Tamriel.

Earlier than that, it speaks of the return of the elves, so my guess it that Elves were earlier at Tamriel than men, also outside of Skyrim. It also shows that the Beastfolk was easily driven away by the Aldmer. That makes it Beastfolk ---> Mer ---> Men.

 

[DrunkenMage]

Elves would have been first in Skyrim, other provinces it gets more tricky due to there being "native men".

In the link: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Merethic_Era, it clearly says at ME1000 men appear at Tamriel.

Earlier than that, it speaks of the return of the elves, so my guess it that Elves were earlier at Tamriel than men, also outside of Skyrim. It also shows that the Beastfolk was easily driven away by the Aldmer. That makes it Beastfolk ---> Mer ---> Men.

There were also the feathered men earlier than that. Not everyone came from Atmora, there were native tribes of Cyrodiil that inter-bred with the Nords and there were the strange man tribes of Black Marsh.

Later it mentions the return of men, where the proto-nords sailed to northern Tamriel. Lore is quite vague on this subject and it is hard to get a clear picture, always get conflicting accounts.

 

[Mighty Pecan Pie]

Elves would have been first in Skyrim, other provinces it gets more tricky due to there being "native men".

In the link: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Merethic_Era, it clearly says at ME1000 men appear at Tamriel.

Earlier than that, it speaks of the return of the elves, so my guess it that Elves were earlier at Tamriel than men, also outside of Skyrim. It also shows that the Beastfolk was easily driven away by the Aldmer. That makes it Beastfolk ---> Mer ---> Men.

There were also the feathered men earlier than that. Not everyone came from Atmora, there were native tribes of Cyrodiil that inter-bred with the Nords and there were the strange man tribes of Black Marsh.

Later it mentions the return of men, where the proto-nords sailed to northern Tamriel. Lore is quite vague on this subject and it is hard to get a clear picture, always get conflicting accounts.

Hmm, that makes it hard indeed, I came across this: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Kothringi

It somewhere mentions the following: "The Kothringi (or Lustrous Folk) are a silver-skinned tribal people indigenous to Black Marsh. Once considered the only humans native to Tamriel."

 

[DrunkenMage]

Hmm, that makes it hard indeed, I came across this: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Kothringi

It somewhere mentions the following: "The Kothringi (or Lustrous Folk) are a silver-skinned tribal people indigenous to Black Marsh. Once considered the only humans native to Tamriel."

It gets even moreso confusing now that Nedes are considered a completely different race of men possibly native to Tamriel, while "Atmorans" are now the Nords/Proto-Nords.

 

[DrunkenMage]

They way I see it, in why it mentions "the return" for both men and elves. Is that they were both native to Tamriel, since all races are descended from the Elnofey. Men were descended from the "Wanderers" who were scattered throughout Nirn, while the elven races came from the Elnofey who remained put.

 

[Samu Zadori]

I think it was the Mer. If I had to guess, the Nords were trying to justify their territorial claims over Skyrim with a legend. But of course, we'll never know, unless we get a "The Elder Scrolls: Altmora" game, which would be awesome by the way.

 

[-The Ice Queen-]

I think it was the Mer. If I had to guess, the Nords were trying to justify their territorial claims over Skyrim with a legend. But of course, we'll never know, unless we get a "The Elder Scrolls: Altmora" game, which would be awesome by the way.

I was starting to wonder whether or not folks forgot about the Nordic legend, or forgot to take it into account. I tend to agree with you though, as there is no real evidence to support that the Nords happened to be in Skyrim before the Elves, at least that I know of.

 

[Kohlar the Unkilled]

I like to imagine that the humanoids of Nirn, (and many of the animals as well), come from Earth. They arrived on a multi-generational ship, an "arc" that departed from Earth during a time of colonial expansion. The event is so distant in their past, all that remains is lore and myth.

 

[Mighty Pecan Pie]

I like to imagine that the humanoids of Nirn, (and many of the animals as well), come from Earth. They arrived on a multi-generational ship, an "arc" that departed from Earth during a time of colonial expansion. The event is so distant in their past, all that remains is lore and myth.

Where would the Elves be coming from then? Another planet or are they native from Nirn?

I like the idea, as the Nords call themselves Children from the Skies.