I'm far from a lore expert, so if I've missed where the nature of this sort of event is clarified, I apologise.

So, Alduin will return to "devour Tamriel." Loremasters, how literal can an event this apocalyptic be? A few possibilities occur to me initially:

1) Metaphorical world-eating
Alduin need not devour anyone or anything, but need only remove any form of resistance or risk to his presence in order to bring about this change. The "devouring" might represent some kind of terraforming that would result in a completely changed or renewed world.

2) Literal world-eating
Alduin will quite literally break the physical world as it is currently known, and slay or consume every living thing on it. This might be achieved over a period of time extending far beyond the point where civilisations of man and mer are no more. The literal "world breaking" might be a reduction of it to an utterly barren state, or a release of some kind of hostile energy related to Alduin and the Aedra/Deadra.

Am I trying to oversimplify the possible outcomes? Have I totally misinterpreted the devouring of a world by a hostile or apocalyptic spirit in the TES setting, or are there many more possibilities I haven't considered?

I think that his 'devouring' is a devouring of all life on Tamriel, rendering it a barren wasteland (or probably Nirn the planet) rather than actually eating the rock and magma of the planet itself, i'm far from the most qualified loremaster though, so don't quote me

How about both at the same time?



But really, I think you're over-thinking this. It is simply The End Of The World As We Know It, in whichever way imaginable.

You're probably right. I was just curious if there were previous examples of similar abilities being used in lore (ie, something difficult to quantify in physical terms). Like many things, it's probably better left open to interpretation in any case.

Thanks for the replies!

Preferably with ketchup, over several days. Like Thanksgiving leftovers. A Dragon God might burst apart at the seams otherwise.

Heck, he almost did when he tried eating all at once already. He then cursed MD and Shor was stuck in-between worlds.

/\ ya. Shor jumped to a part of the mountain that had already been eaten before he was eaten and thus got stuck.

Possible ending to Skyrim? you get stuck on the top half of Hrothgaar and it just looks like a giant glitch until the game starts over but now you are just re-watching everything u did the first time?

Oh wow. That'd be awesome. The collective confusion of the masses would be epic.

How does one eat the World? Put your jaws around the Throat of it.

eh, computer virus infecting and or deleting files kind of thing? maybe? i don't know, how accurate would such a comparison be?

check the World Eating 101 thread for more info: http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/921446-world-eating-101/page__hl__world+eating+101

not guaranteed to answer all questions but it might help to get started

Thanks for that link!

looks complicated. Lore for Dummies version available?

apparently it is simple for supraliminal genii with twin-cored brains and metaphysically enhanced instincts who just stomp all over it with bloody grreat boots - us mere mortals must be glad to receive the crumbs or just do it for fun ^^

You need BBQ sauce, I think. And a soda.

But really, it's probly in every way possible. Interestingly, it's like post-Christianized Ragnarok, where the old world is wiped out completely, then somehow the world itself reappears to be reseeded by life. I would assume that consuming the world does mean all of it, even beyond what a human would think. Earth, stone, tree, flesh, math and color will all be destroyed and made in new ways. which is why Tamriel doesn't have thermodynamics. Probably did hell to Anduin's digestive tract.

I'd say its metaphorical. Mortals can't really handle that though (see: stars), so to us it manifests as literal fire and dragons destruction.

Dragons are MMS of the process of destruction/recreation? I like it. Then again, I like most ideas involving mortal mental stress.

Not aware of any lore that states ESV has to be set a long time before the end of the world ... so it could be we might experience that ending ^^

The more stuff we're getting, the more it's pointing that the end-of-the-cycle is triggering and the Dragon-born averts it (for the time being).

Hans-the-too-bloody-clever-for-his-age Magnusson: "Dad, how does one eat the world?".

Magnus: "The same way one finishes his wasabi dinner, one bite at a time. Now keeping eating son".

Well, that too.

You open wide.

When you consider a place like Tamriel, sometimes it's best to take titles literally. Alduin is the World-Eater. It's not going to be "the end of all *life* as we know it," leaving a barren wasteland of Earthbone dirt... it's going to be the whole of Nirn inside his mighty gullet.

"None shall survive" has been a calling card for awhile, but that was only a hint to the more extensive "Nothing will survive."

Unless, of course, there's a loophole. Say, something like the someone called the Dovakhiin happening to show up..."born under uncertain stars to uncertain parents." (An aside for extra credit: what in the Aurbis makes the Prisoner such a powerful mythic figure?)

The Eight Limbs (and their Missing Ninth) have always, always made sure there was a loophole. Sometimes to their detriment, sure, but more often a hedged bet to ensure the survival of the current kalpa.

Then again:

Alduin's shadow was cast like carpetflame on east, west, south, and north...[he was] epoch eater. For as far as any man's eyes, only High Hrothgar remained above the churning coils of dragon stop.

And Alduin said, "Ho ha ho."

It's obviously happened before, so sabers sharp, and may your varliance shine bright.

Then the next question must be asked, what kinds of condiments would Alduin like?

"Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum, I smell the blood of a Kirkbride."