The campaign begins during the Late Merethic Era, when Tamriel is dominated by powerful but divided civilizations and several of the events later remembered as ancient history have not yet occurred. The First Era has not begun, the Camoran Dynasty has not been founded, and many later political identities do not yet exist.
The world is old, heavily populated, and already filled with ruins, kingdoms, religions, and competing historical traditions.
Northern Tamriel remains primarily a Falmer world.
Snow Elf kingdoms control many valleys, mountains, roads, sacred sites, and settlements. Giants, Orsimer, Goblins, Nedic communities, Dwemer holdings, and other peoples occupy neighboring territories.
Atmoran migration across the Sea of Ghosts is increasing, but no unified Nordic kingdom exists.
The destruction of Saarthal and the later wars between Atmorans and Falmer have not yet occurred.
Atmora is still inhabited.
Its clans, rulers, settlements, and Dragon Cult territories remain active, though worsening cold, warfare, and political instability are encouraging migration south.
Dragons still possess direct religious and political authority.
The Dragon Cult has not yet fallen.
The Heartland is dominated by Ayleid city-states and kingdoms.
White-Gold Tower remains an active center of Ayleid power, and Ayleidoon is a living language.
Human communities exist under many different conditions, ranging from independent settlements and tributaries to enslaved populations.
There is no Alessian Empire, and the great human uprising against Ayleid rule remains in the future.
The Direnni are among the strongest powers of High Rock, centered on Balfiera and Adamantine Tower.
Nedic communities, emerging mixed populations, Orsimer strongholds, Goblin territories, and smaller rulers share the region.
Later Breton kingdoms do not yet exist.
Farther south and west, the lands later known as Hammerfell contain Nedic peoples, Orcs, Goblins, Dwemer holdings, and independent settlements.
There is no Redguard state.
Summerset is a powerful and stable Altmeri homeland centered on ancient institutions and the Crystal Tower.
The Altmer retain great confidence in their continuity with Aldmeri civilization.
Valenwood is politically fragmented among Bosmeri clans, local rulers, sacred communities, and other inhabitants such as the Imga.
The Camoran Dynasty has not yet been established.
Khajiiti societies occupy the lands later called Elsweyr.
There is no unified Elsweyr Confederacy. Regional kingdoms, clans, temples, and caravan networks dominate political life.
Black Marsh remains decentralized and deeply connected to the Hist.
Saxhleel communities control waterways, swamps, and settlements according to local traditions rather than a single central government.
The eastern land is properly known as Resdayn.
The Chimer and Dwemer are both powerful and living civilizations.
Chimer society is divided among clans, ancestor lineages, settlements, religious communities, and emerging noble powers. The Great Houses have not yet reached their later form.
Dwemer city-states remain active and independent.
There are no Dunmer and no Tribunal.
The Orsimer are established throughout western and northern Tamriel but remain politically fragmented.
Their strongholds and clans govern themselves according to local custom.
A permanent unified Orsinium does not yet dominate Orcish politics.
Pyandonea remains an active Maormer power and a major rival of Summerset.
Akavir is known only imperfectly through rumor, artifacts, rare travelers, and distant contact.
The seas remain dangerous frontiers.
Atmora is declining but alive, and long-distance travel still connects civilizations that often understand one another poorly.
Magic is widespread enough to shape warfare, religion, trade, healing, and construction.
Ayleid star magic, Dwemer tonal engineering, Falmer sacred craft, Chimer ancestor rites, and Dragon Cult traditions are all active.
Daedric Princes can communicate with mortals.
Ancestors can answer.
Dragons rule.
The Hist remember.
The supernatural is part of the world's political reality rather than something confined to legend.
Several defining events of later Tamrielic history remain in the future:
the First Era has not begun;
the Camoran Dynasty has not been founded;
Saarthal has not been destroyed;
the Night of Tears has not occurred;
Falmer civilization has not collapsed;
the Dwemer have not disappeared;
the Chimer have not become Dunmer;
the Tribunal has not risen;
the Alessian rebellion has not occurred;
Nordic domination of Skyrim has not been established;
later Breton kingdoms have not formed;
Redguard settlement has not transformed western Tamriel.
These are possibilities and future pressures, not completed history.
The Age of Myth begins in a world where the future is still undecided.
The Falmer still expect to rule the north.
The Dwemer still expect their cities to endure.
The Chimer still follow Veloth without knowing what their descendants will become.
Ayleid rulers still command living cities beneath White-Gold.
Atmoran settlers are only beginning to change northern Tamriel.
Later historians know what follows.
The people living in the campaign do not.