Elves, the Dragon War, and Skyrim in the Late Merethic

[Norva]

Hopefully this isn't a dumb thread, but I have a few questions about the Late Merethic Era in Skyrim. A lot of the lore in TESV centers around this particular era in Skyrim's history, and it is a fascinating if not busy period. However I have some confusion around the exact timeline as well as other questions about that era I can't seem to find the answers too.

First of all, when exactly did the Dragon War take place? During this period we know Skyrim was inhabited by the newly arrived Nedes, as well as the Falmer and Dwemer who were already there. The Falmer of course being a civilization at the time and not what we see in TESV. We know the Nedes brought with them Dragon Worship from Atmora, so we know the Dragon Cult during it's worse took place alongside the Dwemer and the Falmer. Do we know when exactly the Dragon War happened, and in relation to the Night of Tears and the Man vs Falmer conflicts, the arrival of Ysgramor etc?

Also, the books on the Dragon War as well as the Shrines along the path up the High Hrothgar describe a pretty bleak situation for man against the subjugation of the Dragon Priests, and thousands died in the uprising. However, I can't find anything on how the Falmer or Dwemer viewed the conflict, or how/if the Dragon Cult affected their lives.

I can assume the Dwemer with their underground cities and technological advancement probably just stayed well away from everything, the Falmer were at war constantly with men anyway so maybe it didn't change much, but I wonder if there is any lore on the Mer during the Dragon War?

[CBR JGWRR]

Unless there was something added on the subject in ESO, there is nothing on the subject of the Dwemer and Falmer...

[Dark Spark]

My take is that the ancient men used dragon worship to help them in the fight against the elves in the same way the elves used daedra to combat men much later on. With the advantage of whatever gifts the dragons bestowed on men, they were able to drive the elves back in order to claim Skyrim. Then the Dragon Cult exacted the full measure of their bloody bargain upon men and began a reign of tyranny which led the Nords to revolt, starting the Dragon War.

[legoless]

Don't forget that the Atmorans weren't necessarily Nedes. That's just one theory.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

The term "Nede" is incredibly poorly defined, and each new piece of evidence adds to the confusion. Probably part of their design document at Bethesda, come to think of it. Pretty sure they have entire folders of lore that amount to "be as confusing/vague as possible if you must elaborate."

What I've managed to scrape together from multiple play-throughs of Skyrim is that the Nords were definitely still part of the Dragon Cult when they warred with the Falmer. Both the war against the Falmer and the slightly later war against the Dragons took place in the Late Merethic. We have abundant references to the first Nordic kingdoms already being established in Skyrim during the time of the Dragon uprising, as well as references to Dragon Priests existing after the Falmer's defeat, such as Ahzidal.

It's also telling that the Dragons have words for "Elf", "Dwarf", "Orc" and "Goblin" in their tongue. This implies they interacted with these types of creatures in the past in some capacity. Maybe only Men directly worshiped Dragons, but the Dwemer, Falmer and even Orsimer crossed paths with them. What the nature of these interactions was is never elaborated on in any detail. It's simply not the focus of the important narratives.

I tend to think the Dragon Cult ruled in the Old Holds of Skyrim for maybe a century or two between the sundering of the Falmer and the Dragon War. Remnants of the Cult survived into the early First Era, as evidenced by the lore surrounding Rahgot. Dragon Priests and militant Tongues of the Dragon Cult would have been involved in the Nord/Falmer conflict, which is directly supported by dialogue and books in-game. The rebellion against the Priests and the Cult Tongues happened later. The lore that Paarthurnax taught the first Humans the Thu'um is likely false, as it's contradicted by numerous accounts of the Dragon Priests being masters of Shouting, as well as the design choice to let powerful Draugr shout. Instead, I prefer to think he's the first Dragon to teach the enemies of the Cult to Shout. Common Nord men and women who fight for freedom rather than tyranny.

[Dark Spark]

...
It's also telling that the Dragons have words for "Elf", "Dwarf", "Orc" and "Goblin" in their tongue. This implies they interacted with these types of creatures in the past in some capacity. Maybe only Men directly worshiped Dragons, but the Dwemer, Falmer and even Orsimer crossed paths with them. What the nature of these interactions was is never elaborated on in any detail. It's simply not the focus of the important narratives. ...

Those are probably words that mean "food". It's telling to know that the Dragon word for 'blood' sounds like 'sauce'.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

I'd forgotten, but looking over the list, they have a word for "Khajiit", too. I'm starting to wonder if they, being fragments of Time, were created with words that signify things that didn't necessarily have to exist yet at the time. Since language is intrinsic to their being, it's possible they simply have a word for all concepts past, present and future.


Also, their word for "Akavir" is "Dovahnor", which I'm fairly confident means "DragonLand" literally.

[legoless]

Also, their word for "Akavir" is "Dovahnor", which I'm fairly confident means "DragonLand" literally.

That's actually fanfic.

[all_freed]

i got a idea on the falmer and dwemer status in the dragon war

okay since in the Forgotten vale in the dawnguard dlc you can find two dragons inside the frozen lake and the vale is the secret homes of the falmer we might assume that the dragons on alduin's side was working with the falmer or at least they made deals with each other event if they didn't combine their forces to fight the humans.

for the dwemer since there is no mention of dragons in their journals whenever you got o any of the dwemer ruins that must mean that they are like any other dwarves in other fantasy stories. they are extroverted and prefer to remain distant from surface events

but these are just guesses

[Pilaf The Defiler]

Also, their word for "Akavir" is "Dovahnor", which I'm fairly confident means "DragonLand" literally.

That's actually fanfic.

Then you should probably ask some questions to whomever added it to your site's wiki. Mistah fancy man. Mistah fancy pants man. Mistah.... Doyen.

Also, I know it's "whoever" but I'm a Defiler and I enjoy being irritating.

i got a idea on the falmer and dwemer status in the dragon war

okay since in the Forgotten vale in the dawnguard dlc you can find two dragons inside the frozen lake and the vale is the secret homes of the falmer we might assume that the dragons on alduin's side was working with the falmer or at least they made deals with each other event if they didn't combine their forces to fight the humans.

But that makes absolutely no sense, since we know the Dragon Priests were Nords, and the Nords at the time were anti-Falmer. Maybe the two dudes in the lake were rebels who decided they were tired submitting to Alduin's authority, or maybe they found the Vale and hid out there much later, after the Falmer devolved already. It's all just guesses. I think it's unlikely the Dragons and their Cult sided with the Snow Elves, though. It would fly in the fact of all the other lore on the subject.

[legoless]

Also, their word for "Akavir" is "Dovahnor", which I'm fairly confident means "DragonLand" literally.

That's actually fanfic.

Then you should probably ask some questions to whomever added it to your site's wiki. Mistah fancy man. Mistah fancy pants man. Mistah.... Doyen.

Oh dear.. snip. Wonder how long that's been there.