Tamriel Tamriel , also known as Dawn ' s Beauty in Aldmeris , Starry Heart in Ehlnofex , Starry Heart of Dawn ' s Beauty , Taazokaan ( Dovahzul : ) , and the Arena , is one of several continents located on Nirn , and has for much of its history been divided into the nine provinces of Black Marsh , Cyrodiil , Elsweyr , Hammerfell , High Rock , Morrowind , Skyrim , the Summerset Isles , and Valenwood . All of games to date have focused on the continent of Tamriel . History . Recorded Tamrielic history is divided into six distinct eras : the Dawn Era , the Merethic Era , the First Era , the Second Era , the Third Era , and the Fourth Era . The Eras are typically marked with by the founding or ending of a dynasty . Dawn Era . The Dawn Era began with the creation of Mundus ; it is an era that is known mostly through myth and legend , which are different in different cultures , however most scholars agree on what events led up to the start of recorded history . Time did not exist and when it was created it was not linear , like during a Dragon Break . The Convention took place at the " end " of this era , at the imposition of linear time . Merethic Era . The Merethic Era , otherwise known as the Mythic Era , was the era between the start of linear time and recorded history . The Atmoran s came to Tamriel from Atmora ; after they arrived , they began to spread throughout mainland Skyrim . When the Aldmer first arrived in Tamriel they initially settled in the Summerset Isles , and then spread eastward into the mainland of Tamriel . As the Aldmer settled Tamriel , they changed culturally in relation to their new environment . The ones who stayed in Summerset Isles became the Altmer ; those in Valenwood , the Bosmer ; in Morrowind , the Chimer and the Dwemer ; in Cyrodiil , the Ayleid ; and in High Rock , a mix between the Aldmer and the Nede s birthed the Breton s . It was a time when all manner of mythological occurrences are said to have taken place . The era was commonly considered to be outside of verifiable history , as humanity did not possess a written language to speak of until the end of the Mythic Era . Aldmeri records , on the other hand , date back to the beginning of Merethic Era . First Era . The First Era began with an expansion of both man and mer peoples , with varying degrees of conflict and accommodation . The Nord s were particularly warlike , conquering not only Skyrim but areas of High Rock and Morrowind as well . The First Empire of the Nords ultimately falls to a combined force of Chimer and Dwemer to found Resdayn , but in time they turn against each other , resulting in the disappearance of the Dwemer and the ascendancy of the Tribunal in the governance of the province . The apparently cordial relations between Ayleid and men in Cyrodiil ultimately breaks down , and Alessia leads a slave revolt to liberate men in the province , having received a blessing and the Amulet of Kings from Akatosh , the latter of which was to serve as a symbol of Imperial power for most of Tamriel ' s history . After a period of relative stability , this empire eradicates the remaining Ayleids under the direction of the Alessian Order . The order itself fell during the War of Righteousness , which wiped out both the Order and the Empire . The Second Empire was founded in 1E 2703 , when Reman Cyrodiil unified the province to fight off an Akaviri invasion . Victory in this battle brought both the Dragonguard and the Akaviri Potentate to Tamriel . Reman and his descendents then went on to conquer all of Tamriel except Morrowind , founding the Second Empire , which some call a golden age . Reman II began the Four - Score War with Morrowind , which ended the same year Reman III was assassinated by the Morag Tong , 1E 2920 . Leaving no heirs , the Potentate Versidue - Shaie ruled in his place , and declared the end of the First Era . Second Era . The Second Era started after the Akaviri Potentate Versidue Shaie assassinated the last of the Cyrodiil line in 1E 2920 . Facing rebellious nobles building up their own sizeable forces , he used his remaining legions to crush all independent armies and instituted what would become the Fighters Guild as a place to hire mercenaries . He also affirmed the charter to found the Mages Guild , begun by Vanus Galerion in Firsthold on the Summerset Isles in 2E 230 . Both Shaei and his son were in turn assassinated by the Morag Tong , ending the Second Empire centuries after the death of the last Reman . This began the Interregnum , which lasted for centuries and saw many petty kings attempt to take the throne of Cyrodiil , and other provinces become their own network of independent kingdoms and alliances , if they were not already . The kingdom of Elseweyr was created in 2E 309 , when the Khajiit kingdoms of Pellitine and Anequina reconciled their historical differences and the ruling families married . There was a second invasion from Akavir in 2E 572 , landing in Skyrim . It was repelled either by a joint force of Argonian s , Dunmer and Nords , or by Vivec flooding the land . In 2E 578 , Molag Bal launched an invasion on Tamriel known as the Planemeld , in an attempt to drag Nirn out of Mundus and into his realm of Coldharbour . Molag Bal was doing this by using devices known as Dark Anchors , but a hero known as the Vestige led an army into Coldharbour and put an end to his scheme . Also in this era was the Three Banners War between the Ebonheart Pact , the Daggerfall Covenant , and the First Aldmeri Dominion , during which the three factions struggled to gain control over Cyrodiil and the rest of Tamriel . The Interregnum ended after Tiber Septim conquered Tamriel , declaring a new era in 2E 896 to mark the completion of his conquest . Third Era . The Third Era was the time of the Septim Dynasty . The early years were mostly peaceful , barring the assassination of Pelagius I . The first major upheaval of the era was the War of the Red Diamond , where Potema Septim tried to claim the Ruby Throne for herself and her son Uriel . This involved parts of Skyrim and Morrowind turning against the Empire , and only ended in 3E 137 , after the Empress Kintyra , Uriel Septim III and Potema were all dead . The later years of the Third Era show in increasing level of political instability across Tamriel . The Camoran Usurper arose in Valenwood around 3E 253 , and conquered Valenwood and Hammerfell with an army of daedra , before being stopped at High Rock in 3E 267 . The imprisonment of Uriel Septim VII and the time of the Imperial Simulacrum brought many more small wars across the Empire as Tharn ' s governance faltered . Ultimately Tharn was defeated by the Eternal Champion , and Uriel Septim returned to the throne of the Empire . The Iliac Bay area of High Rock witnessed the reactivation of the Numidium and reorganization of the High Rock political landscape in 3E 417 , known as the Warp in the West . A few years later Morrowind was changed by the apparent reincarnation of Indoril Nerevar , and the downfall of the Tribunal . The Oblivion Crisis arose six years later when Mehrunes Dagon , attempted to invade Nirn . This caused widespread devastation , including the destruction of the Crystal Tower . At the beginning of this the current emperor , Uriel Septim VII was assassinated along with all his heirs , save one illegitimate son , Martin Septim . Ultimately Martin destroyed the Amulet of Kings and sacrificed himself to defeat Dagon , bringing the Septim line of emperors to an end . Fourth Era . In 4E 5 , Lie Rock fell upon Vivec City in Morrowind , causing Red Mountain to erupt . The dual cataclysm caused widespread destruction across the province , reducing many cities to rubble . In the wake of the eruption , the province was invaded by the Argonians , taking revenge for years of systematic enslavement by the Dunmer . The Fourth Era saw the general decline of the Mages Guild , due to magic ' s reputation of having started the Oblivion Crisis . Many splinter groups were subsequently formed in many provinces , such as the Synod and College of Whispers . In 4E 22 , the Thalmor resurrected the Third Aldmeri Dominion in the Summerset Isles . In 4E 29 , the Third Aldmeri Dominion invaded Valenwood , overthrew the government and allied themselves with the Bosmer there . In 4E 98 , the two moons , Masser and Secunda , mysteriously disappeared , an incident known as the Void Nights . After two years , the two moons finally returned . The Thalmor immediately announced that they had restored the moons using previously unknown Dawn magicks , so the Khajiit credited the Thalmor as their saviors . The Third Aldmeri Dominion was now composed of the Summerset Isles , Valenwood and Elsweyr . In 4E 171 , the Aldmeri Dominion sent their ambassadors to the Imperial City with an ultimatum . The list of demands included tributes , disbandment of the Blades , outlawing the worship of Talos and the ceding of large sections of Hammerfell to the Dominion . The Emperor rejected the ultimatum , and the Great War began . After a bloody war fought across Hammerfell and Cyrodiil , the Dominion were defeated at Battle of the Red Ring . Following this battle , the current Emperor , Titus Mede II , signed the White - Gold Concordat with the Dominion in 4E 175 , which was largely similar to the terms initially rejected . Hammerfell , however , continued to fight , and was ultimately renounced by the Empire , and forced the Dominion to withdraw from the province in 4E 180 . Civil war broke out in Skyrim during the Third Century of the Fourth Era , with conflict worsening following the killing of High King of Skyrim Torygg by Ulfric Stormcloak . Alduin , Nordic God of Destruction and Firstborn of Akatosh , also returned , bringing with him the reappearance of the dragons to Skyrim . However , the Dragonborn ultimately defeated Alduin , averting Tamriel ' s destruction . Geography . Tamriel is typically divided into nine provinces , outlined below . These have fluctuated throughout Tamriel ' s history , but these are the most usual form of reference . Provinces of the Fourth Era . In the 200 years before , the Empire had lost much of its territory . By 4E 22 , The Summerset Isles belonged to the Thalmor faction . By 4E 115 , the Third Aldmeri Dominion had been formed , comprising the Summerset Isles ( now renamed " Alinor " ) and Valenwood , which had been seized by Thalmor sympathizers during a coup . Around 4E 5 – 6 , Red Mountain erupted in Vvardenfell , destroying the island and much of northern Morrowind . With Morrowind severely weakened , the Argonians ( who had seceded from the Empire ) invaded , conquering the Dunmer . Also , due to the Great War and the White - Gold Concordat that followed , Hammerfell fought a war of independence and now belongs to neither the Empire or the Dominion . As of 4E 201 , Skyrim is in a state of civil war and , while nominally still part of the Empire , its future status is uncertain . Below are a list of all provinces and their affiliation : < nowiki > * < / nowiki > – state of civil war < nowiki > * * < / nowiki > – divided into two client states of the Aldmeri Dominion , Anequina and Pelletine < nowiki > * * * < / nowiki > – An - Xileel occupies southern Morrowind . Governments . Tamrielic Empire . Since the Second Era , Tamriel has been governed by the Tamrielic Empire that , until the Oblivion Crisis , was led by an Emperor of the Septim Dynasty . The center of the Empire was Cyrodiil , which was the home of both the Emperor and the Elder Council , which serves administrative functions and as an interim government during times of instability . Upon the death of the Emperor , the new Emperor is usually the oldest legitimate child ( preferably a son ) of the dead Emperor . However , spouses , younger children , siblings and on at least one occasion , an illegitimate child have taken the throne . After the death of the last of the Septim Emperor and the disappearance of the last Septim heir , the head of the Elder Council and " de facto " head of state was Imperial High Chancellor , Grand Battle - Mage Ocato . Following the Stormcrown Interregnum at the beginning of the Fourth Era , the Colovian Imperial Mede Dynasty is the ruling family of the Tamrielic Empire and retained the Elder Council which is now a council of solely Imperial , Nord and Breton noble s . Each province has its own form of government which sees to the affairs of that province . This can vary between being kingdoms , councils or provincial governors , depending on the province in question . There may also be a degree of direct Imperial administration in some places , with an Imperial bureaucracy in place , but the degree to which this is commonplace is unclear . Aldmeri Dominion . The Aldmeri Dominion is an powerful empire that has repeatedly occurred between the Altmer of Summerset Isles , the Bosmer of Valenwood , and the Khajiit of the Elsweyr Confederacy ( or the kingdoms of Anequina and Pelletine ) . The Dominion of the Second Era was the most stable power in Tamriel until the coming of Tiber Septim , and at the end of the Interregnum , Tamriel was divided between the Empire and the Dominion . The Dominion ' s ruling body , the Thalmor , is a congress of Bosmeri chieftains and Altmeri diplomats , and its armies were responsible for repelling the Colovian invasions of Valenwood , and Thalmor Justiciars also helped to remove every Blades spy in Summerset and Valenwood . At the end of the Second Era , the King of Alinor and the Imperial Battlemage , Zurin Arctus , were to strike a peace treaty between the Empire and the Dominion . However , Tiber Septim instead decided to use the Brass God , Numidium , to conquer the Summerset Isles , an event that is still remembered by many living Altmer with horror . In the early Fourth Era , the Aldmeri Dominion was re - established after over four hundred years . An - Xileel . The An - Xileel is a political faction that rules over the Black Marsh which rose during the Oblivion Crisis . And were largely responsible for it departing the Empire of Tamriel and for the Argonian Invasion , and subsequent occupation , of southern Morrowind . They stopped their advance in Morrowind decades ago after being driven back by House Redoran , and haven ’ t showed the slightest interest in doing anything since then . They have , however , prevented the Empire from reclaiming their territory . Culture . Religion . Many different gods are worshiped across Tamriel , with each culture having its own pantheon of gods . A complete list of these can be found in the book Varieties of Faith in the Empire . However , many of these pantheons represent the same deities , which can broadly be split into two groups : Note that even where the pantheons appear to venerate the same deities , there is some variance in how they are worshiped and which other deities are worshiped . Each culture has a different interpretation of the gods and their actions , which impacts their beliefs . Demographics . The main races of Tamriel are the Breton s , Redguard s , Imperial s , Argonian s , Khajiit , Altmer ( High Elves ) , Dunmer ( Dark Elves ) , Bosmer ( Wood Elves ) , Orcs and Nord s . Other races in Tamriel include the following : Other continents . Although Tamriel is the most well - known and important place in the world , it is not the only one . Far to the north of Tamriel lies Atmora , from which the Atmorans came to conquer Tamriel . Atmora , in the Elvish language , means " Elder Wood . " To the west of Tamriel lies the sunken continent of Yokuda , from which the people that are now called the Redguards came to take over Hammerfell , in the year 808 of the First Era . The people who became the modern - day Redguards came to Tamriel because the region was largely rendered uninhabitable , but the cause of its sinking it is debated . To the east of Tamriel lies the continent of Akavir , which means " Dragon Land . " Akavir is home to four major groups : Kamal , Tsaesci , Tang Mo , and Ka Po ' Tun . It was once home to the Akaviri , a race of Man and , most notably , the dragons , but the Tsaesci may have driven the dragons and men to extinction , and it is unknown what happened to the Akaviri . Before the Akaviri allegedly became extinct , they had launched multiple invasions on Tamriel in the past . Below Summerset Isles , just to the south of Tamriel , lies Pyandonea , the tropical home of the Maormer or Tropical Elves . The Coral Kingdoms of Thras , an archipelago southwest of Tamriel , is the homeland of the Sload , a conservative amphibious sluglike race . The Thrassian Plague devastated Tamriel around 1E 2200 , after which a united Tamrielic navy ravaged and sank Thras into the sea . It has since recovered .