Plate Tectonics and continental drift on Nirn?

Post » Thu May 03, 2012 10:05 am

Are there plate tectonics on Nirn? I was thinking that Nirn at one time could have been a Pangaea or super continent. And then over
time the plate tectonics caused the continent to split and slowly drift apart much like what happened (and is happening) on Earth.

The only map I could find of Nirn [img]http://www.uesp.net/wiki/File:Tam-Maps-West_Tamriel.jpg[/img] shows some signs of this phenomenon

Just something I found that I thought was pretty interesting. Perhaps Beth did this on purpose to make a more believable world or
it just happened coincidentally either way I thought it was cool and am curious about what you guys thing of all of this.
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Janine Rose
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 5:30 am

I'm pretty sure it was mentioned that Tamriel was one super-continent, and then it was blasted apart during the Ehlnofex Wars.
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Alexandra Louise Taylor
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 7:35 am

I'm pretty sure it was mentioned that Tamriel was one super-continent, and then it was blasted apart during the Ehlnofex Wars.
source please?
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Smokey
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 12:51 am

Ah, and soon enough we shall be discussing molecules in the Elder Scrolls universe.
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Kari Depp
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 3:47 am

source please?
The Annotated Anuad.
Eventually, the wandering Ehlnofey found the hidden land of Old Ehlnofey, and were amazed and joyful to find their kin living amid the splendor of ages past. The wandering Ehlnofey expected to be welcomed into the peaceful realm, but the Old Ehlnofey looked on them as degenerates, fallen from their former glory. For whatever reason, war broke out, and raged across the whole of Nirn. The Old Ehlnofey retained their ancient power and knowledge, but the Wanderers were more numerous, and toughened by their long struggle to survive on Nirn. This war reshaped the face of Nirn, sinking much of the land beneath new oceans, and leaving the lands as we know them (Tamriel, http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Akavir, http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Atmora, and http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Yokuda). The Old Ehlnofey realm, although ruined, became Tamriel. The remnants of the Wanderers were left divided on the other 3 continents.
As for your question about plate tectonics, Nirn only has, what, 6,000 years of history? If there is such a thing, there simply hasn't been enough time to measurably observe it's effects.
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DAVId MArtInez
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 5:48 am

Tam Rugh is a magical place, ergo, requires magical thinking to understand it.

As such, major geological events are precipitated by strife in the heavens, c.f. Red Mountain.
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JD bernal
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 2:16 am

Ah, and soon enough we shall be discussing molecules in the Elder Scrolls universe.
Wait and see.
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Daniel Lozano
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 8:15 am

http://www.imperial-library.info/content/itermerels-notes. The possibilities are endless.
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lucile davignon
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 5:47 am

We don't even know if the continents are on tectonic plates. Nirn is only a round, spherical planet to limited eyes. It is also a plane or dimension and at least one major volcano is explicitly magical. The geography all makes sense, but nature, in Tamriel, is gods blowing crap up and that causing things to happen.
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Eoh
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 9:49 pm

Ah, and soon enough we shall be discussing molecules in the Elder Scrolls universe.
Creatia is made out of two types of Atomos particles: Positively charged Anutron and negatively charged Daedrons. Anutrons naturally decay into Daedrons as entropy takes it's effect on particles. Restoration spells simply work by converting Daedrons into Anutrons. Without a constant influx of Magicka radiation from Aetherius, the Mundus will collapse as all matter begins Daedron Decay.
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Chenae Butler
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 9:10 am

Wait and see.

http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1352446-dwemer-alloy-is-made-of/page__view__findpost__p__20391109

The Annotated Anuad.

As for your question about plate tectonics, Nirn only has, what, 6,000 years of history? If there is such a thing, there simply hasn't been enough time to measurably observe it's effects.

It only has a short linear history, but it was presumably still in existence before time solidified. As far as I can see, that's essentially limitless 'time' for tectonics to occur (in the strange non-linear sense that we can't explain).
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Shelby McDonald
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 1:56 am


It only has a short linear history, but it was presumably still in existence before time solidified. As far as I can see, that's essentially limitless 'time' for tectonics to occur (in the strange non-linear sense that we can't explain).
Tectonic activity in non-linear time would probably produce meaningless geographic and geologic babble. I wouldn't swear to tectonic plate theory on Nirn just because the Summerset Isles looks like it could fit into Tamriel.
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Francesca
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 5:24 am

We don't even know if the continents are on tectonic plates. Nirn is only a round, spherical planet to limited eyes. It is also a plane or dimension and at least one major volcano is explicitly magical. The geography all makes sense, but nature, in Tamriel, is gods blowing crap up and that causing things to happen.
Good point, I was thinking the same thing. But at the same time, we can't simply say with certainty that Nirn is a magic ball of grass and leave it at that. The inhabitants of Nirn have postulated that the two moons are infinite planes that our mortal minds perceive as circles floating in the sky - but what if they're wrong? They might be just as confused as we were before people like Galileo started coming along.
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*Chloe*
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 7:40 am

Good point, I was thinking the same thing. But at the same time, we can't simply say with certainty that Nirn is a magic ball of grass and leave it at that. The inhabitants of Nirn have postulated that the two moons are infinite planes that our mortal minds perceive as circles floating in the sky - but what if they're wrong? They might be just as confused as we were before people like Galileo started coming along.

Because they've been on the moons. That's the difference between Tamriel and pre-Galilleo Earth astronomy. While they may use swords and horses, the cultures of Tamriel are quite advanced and most of them have at one time or another had the ability to travel through Oblivion freely between realms.
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gandalf
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 12:39 am

Because they've been on the moons.
When did anyone on Tamriel go specifically to the moons?

I understand they've traveled to many other plane(t)s in Oblivion, but the moons?
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Shelby McDonald
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 5:26 am

Creatia is made out of two types of Atomos particles: Positively charged Anutron and negatively charged Daedrons. Anutrons naturally decay into Daedrons as entropy takes it's effect on particles. Restoration spells simply work by converting Daedrons into Anutrons. Without a constant influx of Magicka radiation from Aetherius, the Mundus will collapse as all matter begins Daedron Decay.
Yep. Pretty much correct. And we learn something new everyday. Thanks ;)
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Laura Cartwright
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 2:18 am

When did anyone on Tamriel go specifically to the moons?

I understand they've traveled to many other plane(t)s in Oblivion, but the moons?

http://www.imperial-library.info/content/pocket-guide-empire-third-edition-magic-aetherius speaks of mananauts.
Then there is of course the Battlespire, of the similarly named game and there is no reason to assume it was the only Battlespire.
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Shirley BEltran
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 6:51 pm

http://www.imperial-library.info/content/pocket-guide-empire-third-edition-magic-aetherius speaks of mananauts.
Which are... presumably the TES equivalent of real-world astronauts?

But neither of your examples really answer my question.
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Brandon Wilson
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 3:56 am

Good point, I was thinking the same thing. But at the same time, we can't simply say with certainty that Nirn is a magic ball of grass and leave it at that. The inhabitants of Nirn have postulated that the two moons are infinite planes that our mortal minds perceive as circles floating in the sky - but what if they're wrong? They might be just as confused as we were before people like Galileo started coming along.

There is simply no evidence to suggest anything contrary.
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My blood
 
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Post » Wed May 02, 2012 7:38 pm

Good point, I was thinking the same thing. But at the same time, we can't simply say with certainty that Nirn is a magic ball of grass and leave it at that. The inhabitants of Nirn have postulated that the two moons are infinite planes that our mortal minds perceive as circles floating in the sky - but what if they're wrong? They might be just as confused as we were before people like Galileo started coming along.

what if they're big [censored] bubbles made of divine liquid?let's not get ahead here..
so much of tes lore is really..conjecture that has to be taken as is until its time has come to bloom forth unto the pages of history
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Tarka
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 2:59 am

When did anyone on Tamriel go specifically to the moons?

I understand they've traveled to many other plane(t)s in Oblivion, but the moons?
Tiber Septim's Sword-Meeting with Cyrus the Restless. The whole idea is that they're fighting in/on a magical moon base of the Empire.

And yah, the mananauts are basically the people who tried to get physically to Aetherius to go steal some pure magic. It didn't work, but they did manage to get a good look at the stuff floating around in Oblivion.
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Shae Munro
 
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Post » Thu May 03, 2012 3:59 am

There is simply no evidence to suggest anything contrary.
I wasn't suggesting we should believe anything else. I'm just pointing out the potential fallibility of what we believe now.

At any rate, Tengen's evidence is good enough for me... for now.
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An Lor
 
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