TES Lore: Contradictions, Mysteries, and Unclear Facts
TES: Daedric Ruins
Time of Analysis: End of the Third Era
Many TES players may have wondered when the Daedric structures were erected. And above all, by whom. Because it certainly was not the Daedra.
This investigation focuses on the partially dilapidated ruins of (so-called) Daedric shrines, which can mostly be found in Morrowind. They all have proper names (e.g., Ashurnibibi or Zaintiraris), so it can be assumed that they have always been important and well-known places of worship. (In TES4, Daedra worshippers can only pay homage in front of outdoor statues; there are no architectural structures. The 9 Daedra shrines in TES5 are either outdoor or were erected inside existing structures and caves.)
Inside most of them is a large statue of the Daedric deity to whom the shrine was dedicated. Some Daedric structures contain statues of different Daedra (e.g., Ald Daedroth). Most Daedric structures are both above and below ground, but there are also purely underground ones (e.g., Shrine of Azura on Vvardenfell).
Information about their appearance can also be gathered from conversations with the locals: "- Some places are well known — Ald Sotha and Bal Fell, for example. Their architecture and the stone used are unmistakable. Large, dark, grey-green stone ruins, strange angles, markings and patterns in the stone, and peculiar oval doors are sure signs of Daedric architecture."
Except for the color of the stones, this description is correct. They are all built in the same style and always from the same material.
Therefore, they could all originate from the same time period.
But how old are these ruins?
I know of no description or dating of their completion in the in-game books. It is always simply mentioned that the structures are there. (However, since the Adamantine Tower in High Rock is considered the oldest structure in Tamriel, the Daedric shrines cannot be older than 6,700 years.)
One would have to travel back in time to obtain at least a few clues. An indication of their age could be the sunken Shrine of Boethiah in the sea. Presumably, an earthquake was not responsible for its sinking, because another shrine stands on the shore (Ashurnibibi) that is just as well-preserved as all the others further inland. 750 years earlier, it still partially protruded from the water, placing it almost at shore level. Therefore, it is also not a rising sea level that caused its flooding, especially since the Yasammidan shrine located further to the northwest, only subsided by a few meters over the last millennium. Thus, a local subsidence of the land or the seabed is responsible for the flooding of the Boethiah shrine. Around 1,000 years ago, it was still on dry land and could be reached by foot. Yet, this does not seem realistic as the time of construction — the Daedric structures are much older than the city of Vivec.
The Daedric shrine site Ashalmimilkala in 2E 585.
Another approach could be the underground (buried?) ruin of Norenen-Dur beneath Mournhold.
As we know from the book series "2920", Mournhold was destroyed 1,300 years ago (and later rebuilt on top of the ruins). This means that everything located beneath Mournhold is at least 1,300 years old. In the Morrowind expansion "Tribunal", one can experience how a passage opens up beneath the Brindisi Dorom Plaza in Mournhold into the depths below the city. This leads to Bamz-Amschend — an underground Dwemer stronghold where Dwemer used to live. However, as is well known, the Dwemer disappeared 3,500 years ago, and they constructed underground settlements until about 4,800 years ago (building above ground later on). This means that Bamz-Amschend is at least 4,800 years old.
Yet, beneath Bamz-Amschend lies another ruin, namely the Daedric Norenen-Dur. Inside, this ruin does not look destroyed,
but merely dilapidated. How long does it take for a massive structure to be swallowed by the earth to such an extent that one can build on top of it again? Hundreds of years? Or thousands? Therefore, Norenen-Dur is at least 5,000 years old.
Who could the builders have been? Who back then was even capable of erecting such constructions?
The Ayleids began building their cities about 6,000 years ago. Looking at the Ayleid ruins today, one must admit that these Elves would certainly have been capable of erecting the Daedric structures. However, they had a completely different architectural style and used the white stone so typical of them. Furthermore, they never reached the northeastern regions of Tamriel; at least, there are no reports or evidence of it.
Who else was there during this time, 5,000 years ago? The Dwemer. But it could not have been them, because they did not practice Daedra worship. Furthermore, they had their own typical architectural style and established their cities underground during that period.
This leaves the Chimer, who followed the Prophet Veloth into the territories of modern-day Morrowind about 5,400 years ago. The high culture of the Chimer, which produced the many Velothi towers
at the peak of their architectural skill, dates back to this very time. Centuries later, this culture degenerated more and more. The Dunmer strongholds and the island cities of Vivec and Molag Mar originate from a much later period.
Thus, it can be assumed that these monumental Daedric structures were erected by the early Chimer at the peak of their architecture and craftsmanship as shrines for their Daedra worship. They were there, they possessed the capability, and they had a reason or rather a need to build such structures. Looking at the modern Dunmer, it is hard to believe what their ancestors were capable of.
Or was it, in the end, the High Elves of Summerset who were the first to explore the coasts of Tamriel? In the somewhat chaotic TES4 book "Before the Ages of Man", there is a bizarre sentence: "During the Middle Merethic Era, Aldmeri explorers mapped the coasts of Vvardenfel, building the First Era High Elven wizard towers at Ald Redaynia, Bal Fell, Tel Aruhn, and Tel Mora in Morrowind."
What are High Elven wizard towers?
Why "of the First Era" if it took place in the Merethic Era?
Ald Redaynia consists of the ruins of a Velothi tower.
Bal Fell is an extensive Daedric ruin.
Tel Aruhn and Tel Mora are Telvanni settlements, which certainly did not exist back then, and the name Morrowind was only introduced millennia later.
No, this book is no longer credible because of this sentence alone. An example of a useless and redundant book.
This investigation focuses on the partially dilapidated ruins of (so-called) Daedric shrines, which can mostly be found in Morrowind. They all have proper names (e.g., Ashurnibibi or Zaintiraris), so it can be assumed that they have always been important and well-known places of worship. (In TES4, Daedra worshippers can only pay homage in front of outdoor statues; there are no architectural structures. The 9 Daedra shrines in TES5 are either outdoor or were erected inside existing structures and caves.)
of the Daedric deity to whom the shrine was dedicated. Some Daedric structures contain statues of different Daedra (e.g., Ald Daedroth). Most Daedric structures are both above and below ground, but there are also purely underground ones (e.g., Shrine of Azura on Vvardenfell).
Therefore, they could all originate from the same time period.
in High Rock is considered the oldest structure
in Tamriel, the Daedric shrines cannot be older than 6,700 years.)
) that is just as well-preserved as all the others further inland. 750 years earlier, it still partially protruded
from the water, placing it almost at shore level. Therefore, it is also not a rising sea level that caused its flooding, especially since the Yasammidan shrine
located further to the northwest, only subsided by a few meters over the last millennium. Thus, a local subsidence of the land or the seabed is responsible for the flooding of the Boethiah shrine. Around 1,000 years ago, it was still on dry land and could be reached by foot. Yet, this does not seem realistic as the time of construction — the Daedric structures are much older than the city of Vivec.
beneath Mournhold.
but merely dilapidated
. How long does it take for a massive structure to be swallowed by the earth to such an extent that one can build on top of it again? Hundreds of years? Or thousands? Therefore, Norenen-Dur is at least 5,000 years old.
today, one must admit that these Elves would certainly have been capable of erecting the Daedric structures. However, they had a completely different architectural style
and used the white stone
so typical of them. Furthermore, they never reached the northeastern regions of Tamriel; at least, there are no reports or evidence of it.
and established their cities underground during that period.
at the peak of their architectural skill, dates back to this very time. Centuries later, this culture degenerated more and more. The Dunmer strongholds and the island cities of Vivec and Molag Mar originate from a much later period.
This investigation focuses on the partially dilapidated ruins of (so-called) Daedric shrines, which can mostly be found in Morrowind. They all have proper names (e.g., Ashurnibibi or Zaintiraris), so it can be assumed that they have always been important and well-known places of worship. (In TES4, Daedra worshippers can only pay homage in front of outdoor statues; there are no architectural structures. The 9 Daedra shrines in TES5 are either outdoor or were erected inside existing structures and caves.)
of the Daedric deity to whom the shrine was dedicated. Some Daedric structures contain statues of different Daedra (e.g., Ald Daedroth). Most Daedric structures are both above and below ground, but there are also purely underground ones (e.g., Shrine of Azura on Vvardenfell).
Therefore, they could all originate from the same time period.
in High Rock is considered the oldest structure
in Tamriel, the Daedric shrines cannot be older than 6,700 years.)
) that is just as well-preserved as all the others further inland. 750 years earlier, it still partially protruded
from the water, placing it almost at shore level. Therefore, it is also not a rising sea level that caused its flooding, especially since the Yasammidan shrine
located further to the northwest, only subsided by a few meters over the last millennium. Thus, a local subsidence of the land or the seabed is responsible for the flooding of the Boethiah shrine. Around 1,000 years ago, it was still on dry land and could be reached by foot. Yet, this does not seem realistic as the time of construction — the Daedric structures are much older than the city of Vivec.
beneath Mournhold.
but merely dilapidated
. How long does it take for a massive structure to be swallowed by the earth to such an extent that one can build on top of it again? Hundreds of years? Or thousands? Therefore, Norenen-Dur is at least 5,000 years old.
today, one must admit that these Elves would certainly have been capable of erecting the Daedric structures. However, they had a completely different architectural style
and used the white stone
so typical of them. Furthermore, they never reached the northeastern regions of Tamriel; at least, there are no reports or evidence of it.
and established their cities underground during that period.
at the peak of their architectural skill, dates back to this very time. Centuries later, this culture degenerated more and more. The Dunmer strongholds and the island cities of Vivec and Molag Mar originate from a much later period.