Pelinal Whitestrake Respect Thread
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Respect Pelinal Whitestrake
Pelinal Whitestrake is a lesser known character from the Elder Scrolls universe, and is featured as one of the core characters in the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion DLC, Knights of the Nine. In order to create this respect thread, I primarily drew on the Imperial Library as a resource, which is the most comprehensive and accurate database of Elder Scrolls lore on the internet. It is so reliable the author of official Elder Scrolls novels, Greg Keyes, used it while doing research for said novels. I will also be referencing Michael Kirkbride, one of the most prominent writers at Bethesda who has had a large influence in the lore and story of all the major games in the series. I recommend reading The Song of Pelinal if you would like to read a full account of his origins and exploits.
Who, and what, is Pelinal Whitestrake?
His name, in Elvish, means "Glorious Knight." He is a scourge on the race of Elves. He is best known for the innumerable, bloody battles he waged against the armies of the Ayleid Elves during the Alessian revolt.
That he took the name "Pelinal" was passing strange, no matter his later sobriquets, which were many. That was an Elvish name, and Pelinal was a scourge on that race, and not much given to irony. Pelinal was much too grim for that; even in youth he wore white hair, and trouble followed him. Perhaps his enemies named Pelinal of their own in their tongue, but that is doubtful, for it means "glorious knight", and he was neither to them.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-1-his-name
Pelinel was sent to aid Perrif in the war against the Ayleid (Wild Elves). His name means "Star-Made Knight" and he is arrayed in armor from the future.
"And this thing I have thought of, I have named it, and I call it freedom. Which I think is just another word for Shezarr Who Goes Missing... [You] made the first rain at his sundering [and that] is what I ask now for our alien masters... [that] we might sunder them fully and repay their cruelty [by] dispersing them to drown in the Topal. Morihaus, your son, mighty and snorting, gore-horned, winged, when next he flies down, let him bring us anger." ... [And then] Kyne granted Perrif another symbol, a diamond soaked red with the blood of elves, [whose] facets could [un-sector and form] into a man whose every angle could cut her jailers and a name: PELIN-EL [which is] "The Star-Made Knight" [and he] was arrayed in armor [from the future time].
Perrif prays to the Goddess Kynareth to send Pelinel to her
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-2-his-coming
His other names include Pelinal the Bloody, the Insurgent, In Triumph among others.
...he was Pelinal the Bloody, for he [drank] it in victory; he was Pelinal Insurgent, because he gave the crusades a face; he was Pelinal In Triumph, as the words eventually became synonymous, and men-at-arms gave thanks to the Eight when they saw his banner coming through war. . .
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-1-his-name
Pelinal is the Uncle of the Demigod, Morihaus, and he refers to himself and Morihaus as "Ada", meaning Gods or Spirits. Pelinal also refers to himself as a Demigod.
It is a solid truth that Morihaus was the son of Kyne, but whether or not Pelinal was indeed the Shezarrine is best left unsaid (for once Plontinu, who favored the short sword, said it, and that night he was smothered by moths). It is famous, though, that the two talked of each other as family, with Morihaus as the lesser, and that Pelinal loved him and called him nephew, but these could be merely the fancies of immortals. Never did Pelinal counsel Morihaus in time of war, for the man-bull fought magnificently, and led men well, and never resorted to Madness
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-5-his-love-morihaus
Pelinal: “What now? It is unwise to upset a Demigod.”
https://youtu.be/N6Gjmq6pA7w?t=17m51s
As for what Pelinal is, exactly: he is some form of robot or cyborg from the future, Godly in nature, immortal, and clad in armor from the future. He was sent back in time by the God of Time, Akatosh/Alkosh, because he was reaping too much destruction in his own time. He has no heart, but instead a red diamond inside his chest, and his left hand is a magical energy projector, dubbed a "killing light."
Certainly, many others added to that name during his days in Tamriel: he was Pelinal the Whitestrake because of his left hand, made of a killing light...
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-1-his-name
...PELIN-EL [which is] "The Star-Made Knight" [and he] was arrayed in armor [from the future time].
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-2-his-coming
[And it is] said that he emerged into the world like a Padomaic, that is, borne by Sithis and all the forces of change therein. Still others, like Fifd of New Teed, say that beneath the Pelinal's star-armor was a chest that gaped open to show no heart, only a red rage shaped diamond-fashion, singing like a mindless dragon, and that this was proof that he was a myth-echo, and that where he trod were shapes of the first urging.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-6-his-madness
Michael Kirkbride clarifies that he is a robot Demigod, and that the way his mind works is akin to a religious (Christianity-influenced) Elf killing machine who believes he is absolved of all sins providing he keeps to his faith. He also clarifies that the God of time sent him back in time.
Fan:
“That said, is Pelinal actually a robot/cyborg?”
“Why are so many robots traveling back in time (Pelinal, KINMUNE)?”
Michael Kirkbride:
“Pelinal: yes, he is. Love that guy.”
“They come back to 'fix' the future. The Jills have to work overtime.”
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/michael-kirkbride-reddit-ama
MK On the nature of Pelinal (09/23/07):
"Re: Pelinal, his closest mythical model would be Gilgamesh, with a dash of a T-800 thrown in, and a full-serving of brain-fracture slaughterhouse antinomial (Kill)3 functions stuck in his hand or head. We tend to forgive those heroes.
"And thousands of years of Good Coming From Bad, and/or whitewash, ignorance, shame, his Song being read by the Knights merely as fancy rather than right record, etc, might explain the Order's reluctance to villify or apologize for him. Plus, no one wants to gets smothered in their sleep by moths.That said, I sure would like to read the story of Alkosh whooping Pelinal's ass back to Cyrod when the Whitestrake's pogroms strayed too far into the Dragon-Cat's land."
MK On Pelinal, again (04/01/08):
"Pelinal was and is an insane collective swarmfoam war-fractal from the future, you betcha."
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/forum-archives-michael-kirkbride
It is very possible that Pelinal has the power of the Thu'um, or Voice, or Tongue, or Dragon Shouts, which for those who don't know, is the power the Dragonborn from Skyrim can use to project his voice into powerful spells. My reasoning for this is that Pelinal's nephew, Morihaus, was granted this power by Kynareth, the same Goddess who summoned Pelinal to fight alongside Morihaus.
"I am Morihaus, the First Breath of Man. I was granted the Nordic powers of Thu'um by Kynareth and sent here to aid in the liberation of humanity."
https://youtu.be/N6Gjmq6pA7w?t=17m11s
In addition, he is referred to as "singing like a mindless dragon", singing and dragons being references to Dragon Shouting, the mindless part, and "Padomaic" being references to the states of Madness he would enter.
[And it is] said that he emerged into the world like a Padomaic, that is, borne by Sithis and all the forces of change therein. Still others, like Fifd of New Teed, say that beneath the Pelinal's star-armor was a chest that gaped open to show no heart, only a red rage shaped diamond-fashion, singing like a mindless dragon, and that this was proof that he was a myth-echo, and that where he trod were shapes of the first urging.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-6-his-madness
Finally, regarding Pelinal's armor from the future; not only is it from the future, it could not be damaged by any contemporary weaponry during the Alessian rebellion, and could not be replicated due to it's futuristic origin. It was granted to him by the Eight Divines, the primary deities in the Cyrodillic/Nordic pantheons.
For a time, no weapon of the Ayleids could pierce his armor, which Pelinal admitted was unlike any crafted by men, but would say no more even when pressed.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-3-his-enemy
Champion of Cyrodiil: "What are the Crusader's Relics?"
The Prophet: "The weapons and armor of Pelinal Whitestrake, Alessia's comrade, granted to him by the Eight Divines."
https://youtu.be/P1aKexODCDU?t=6m34s
Morihaus: "Pelinal is always boasting that his armour and weapons are from the future and can't be recreated."
https://youtu.be/N6Gjmq6pA7w?t=16m44s
Pelinal Whitestrake's Feats
When Pelinal was summoned by Kynareth to aid in the Alessian Rebellion, his first act was to walk into the jungles of Cyrodiil and kill scores of Elves. He entered Perrif's camp holding a sword and mace, both covered with the gore of Elves and pieces of armor and jewellery. He killed all of the eastern chieftains.
And he walked into the jungles of Cyrod already killing, Morihaus stamping at his side froth-bloody and bellowing from excitement because the Pelinal was come... [and Pelinal] came to Perrif's camp of rebels holding a sword and mace, both encrusted with the smashed viscera of elven faces, feathers and magic beads, which were the markings of the Ayleidoon, stuck to the redness that hung from his weapons, and he lifted them, saying: "These were their eastern chieftains, no longer full of their talking."
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-2-his-coming
Pelinal, early in the war, had pre-arranged duels with the Ayleid Sorcerer-Kings, and slayed many of them.
Pelinal Whitestrake was the enemy of all elfkind that lived in Cyrod in those days. Mainly, though, he took it upon himself to slay the sorcerer-kings of the Ayleids in pre-arranged open combats rather than at war; the fields of rebellion he left to the growing armies of the Paravania and his bull nephew.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-3-his-enemy
He defeated Haromir of Copper and Tea, and "ate his neck-veins while screaming praise to Reman."
Pelinal called out Haromir of Copper and Tea into a duel at the Tor, and ate his neck-veins while screaming praise to Reman, a name that no one knew yet.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-3-his-enemy
He defeated Gordhaur the Shaper, smashing his head upon an alter, and then cursing him to never return.
Gordhaur the Shaper's head was smashed upon the goat-faced altar of Ninendava, and in his wisdom Pelinal said a small plague spell to keep that evil from reforming by welkynd-magic.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-3-his-enemy
He defeated Hadhuul the Fire King, who had never been defeated prior.
Later that season, Pelinal slew Hadhuul on the granite steps of Ceya-Tar, the Fire King's spears knowing their first refute.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-3-his-enemy
Pelinal entered his first "Madness" when Huna, a soldier he loved, was killed by an Elf. He "erased" many lands from the maps of Elves and Men, and all things in them, destroying many cities. This act of destruction disgusted the Gods, who threatened to leave the earth because of this. Note: "erased" should be taken pretty much literally here, as will be expounded on shortly.
When Huna, whom Pelinal raised from grain-slave to hoplite and loved well, took death from an arrowhead made from the beak of Celethelel the Singer, the Whitestrake went on his first Madness. He wrought destruction from Narlemae all the way to Celediil, and erased those lands from the maps of Elves and Men, and all things in them, and Perrif was forced to make sacrifice to the Gods to keep them from leaving the earth in their disgust.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-3-his-enemy
The Ayleids made a pact with the Auroran Daedra worshippers of Meridia in a bid to defeat Pelinal, and thus the Elves appointed the immortal Demigod Umaril the Unfeathered as their champion.
And then came the storming of White-Gold, where the Ayleids had made pact with the Aurorans of Meridia, and summoned them, and appointed the terrible and golden-hued "half-Elf" Umaril the Unfeathered as their champion… and, for the first time since his coming, it was Pelinal who was called out to battle by another, for Umaril had the blood of the 'ada and would never know death.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-3-his-enemy
Pelinal claimed all of the eastern lands of Cyrodiil, driving entire armies of sorcerers across the Niben river. He killed so many of them that Kynareth had to wash their blood out of villages and fortresses because there was no space for Alessia's armies to make camp...
[Pelinal] drove the sorcerer armies past the Niben, claiming all the eastern lands for the rebellion of the Paravania, and Kyne had to send her rain to wash the blood from the villages and forts that no longer flew Ayleid banners, for the armies of Men needed to make camps of them as they went forward.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-4-his-deeds
Pelinal liberated one thousand prisoners from the armies of the Ayleids. The fight was described as a "Pogrom", that is to mean, "an organised massacre of a particular ethnic group", and Pelinal's white hair had turned brown from Elf blood.
[and] he broke the doors open for the prisoners of the Vahtache with the Slave-Queen flying on Morihaus above them, and Men called her Al-Esh for the first time. He entered the Gate at ... to win back the hands of the Thousand-Strong of Sedor (a tribe now unknown but famous in those days), which the Ayleids had stolen in the night, two thousand hands that he brought back in a wagon made of demon-bone, whose wheels trailed the sound of women when ill at heart... [Text lost]... [And after] the first Pogrom, which consolidated the northern holdings for the men-of-'kreath, he stood with white hair gone brown with elfblood at the Bridge of Heldon
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-4-his-deeds
Pelinal crushed raiding parties/armies of Thundernachs, a reference to Umaril's Aurorans, and carried Morihaus who had seemingly fallen to these Aurorans in battle.
His mace crushed the Thundernachs that Umaril sent as harriers on the rebellion's long march back south and east, and carried Morihaus-Breath-of-Kyne to Zuathas the Clever-Cutting Man (a nede with a keptu name) for healing when the bull had fallen to a volley of bird beaks.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-4-his-deeds
Pelinal, when falling into a Madness, would devour whole swaths of lands in his divine rampage, rendering them "Void", which refers to the literal deity of nothingness. Alessia would have to pray to the Gods to soothe Pelinal's mind, otherwise he would "kill the earth in whole." This is no mere reference to him killing armies of Ayleids: Pelinal was destroying entire cities and erasing large portions of land during these bouts of Madness, and was only stopped by divine intervention. He likely used his "killing light" to cause such mass destruction, as his only other weapons were his sword and mace, or as hypothesised earlier, the power of the Thu'um.
Pelinal cared for none of this and killed any who would speak god-logic, except for fair Perrif, who he said, "enacts, rather than talks, as language without exertion is dead witness." When those soldiers who heard him say this stared blankly, he laughed and swung his sword, running into the rain of Kyne to slaughter their Ayleid captives, screaming, "O Aka, for our shared madness I do this! I watch you watching me watching back! Umaril dares call us out, for that is how we made him!" [And it was during] these fits of anger and nonsense that Pelinal would fall into the Madness, where whole swaths of lands were devoured in divine rampage to become Void, and Alessia would have to pray to the Gods for their succor, and they would reach down as one mind and soothe the Whitestrake until he no longer had the will to kill the earth in whole. And Garid of the men-of-ge once saw such a Madness from afar and maneuvered, after it had abated, to drink together with Pelinal, and he asked what such an affliction felt like, to which Pelinal could only answer, "Like when the dream no longer needs its dreamer."
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/song-pelinal-volume-6-his-madness
After slaughtering the armies of the Ayleids and many of their Sorcerer-Kings, they were eventually driven into the White-Gold tower, where a final battle would ensue. Inside the Tower were the remaining armies of the Ayleids and Aurorans, the remaining Kings and their Demons, and Umaril the Unfeathered.
The armies of Alessia were "shook with fear" at the prospect of storming the Tower, and the war council delayed assaulting it. This made Pelinal furious, so after insulting the Elves and his own army for being cowards, he stormed the Tower single handed.
And, of course, at the Council of Skiffs, where all of the Paravania's armies and all of the Nords shook with fear at the storming of White-Gold, so much so that the Al-Esh herself counseled delay, Pelinal grew furious, and made names of Umaril, and made names of what cowards he thought he saw around him, and then made for the Tower by himself, for Pelinal often acted without thought.
Pelinal battled through Umaril's armies, until he reached the throne room. The corpses of the Aurorans "lay like candlelight", meaning their light-shaded armour covered the entire floor of the throne room as if a light was being spilled across the room, that is to say, he killed at least hundreds of them. Pelinal then cracked the floor with his mace, scaring the Ayleid Kings into retreating, and then Pelinal commanded that Umaril face him in open combat.
[And so after many battles with] Umaril's allies, where dead Aurorans lay like candlelight around the throne, the Pelinal became surrounded by the last Ayleid sorcerer-kings and their demons, each one heavy with varliance. The Whitestrake cracked the floor with his mace and they withdrew, and he said, "Bring me Umaril that called me out!" ...
Instead of facing him fairly, Umaril sent more of his soldiers to die against Pelinal, but their weapons were wrought with "varliance", which is a reference to starlight, a magical, divine material fallen from the stars themselves. With these new weapons they pierced Pelinal's armor.
[And] while mighty in his aspect and wicked, deathless-golden Umaril favored ruin-from-afar over close combat and so he tarried in the shadows of the white tower before coming forth. More soldiers were sent against Pelinal to die, and yet they managed to pierce his armor with axes and arrows, for Umaril had wrought each one by long varliance, which he had been hoarding since his first issue [of challenge.]...
Varliance:
Pelinal was breathing heavily and bleeding from his prior injuries by the time Umaril the Unfeathered appeared. Despite this, Pelinal dented Umaril's helm, and cut off the unfeathered wings of his armor, all while laughing, frothing and insulting Umaril's ancestry and the ancestry of all Elves. He defeated Umaril, seemingly with ease, which caused the remaining Ayleid Kings to enter their own Madness. Using their starlight-enhanced weapons, they cut Pelinal into eight pieces and decapitated him, meanwhile he roared in confusion so loudly the armies outside could hear him. Morihaus shook the entire White-Gold Tower by bashing it with his head, and when the armies entered the Tower, all of the Elven soldiers were already dead, apart from the remaining Kings who were fleeing.
[Presently] the half-Elf [showed himself] bathed in [Meridian light] ... and he listed his bloodline in the Ayleidoon and spoke of his father, a god of the [previous kalpa's] World-River and taking great delight in the heavy-breathing of Pelinal who had finally bled... [Text lost] ... [And] Umaril was laid low, the angel face of his helm dented into an ugliness which made Pelinal laugh, [and his] unfeathered wings broken off with sword strokes delivered while Pelinal stood [frothing]... above him insulting his ancestry and anyone else that took ship from Old Ehlnofey, [which] angered the other Elvish kings and drove them to a madness of their own... [and they] fell on him [speaking] to their weapons... cutting the Pelinal into eighths while he roared in confusion [which even] the Council of Skiffs [could hear]... [Text lost] ...ran when Mor shook the whole of the tower with mighty bashing from his horns [the next morning], and some were slain-in-overabundance in the Taking, and Men looked for more Ayleids to kill but Pelinal had left none save those kings and demons that had already begun to flee...
“Has Umaril the Accursed found a way back? The foulest of a foul race. A thousand curses upon his unholy name! I thought I'd won. But I should have known. The Slavemasters are a cunning breed.”
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/pilgrimage
The Prophet: “His daedric nature allows his spirit to escape into Oblivion after death. This is what Pelinal learned upon defeating Umaril the first time.”
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: Knights of the Nine
“The weapons and armor of Pelinal Whitestrake, Alessia's comrade, granted to him by the Eight Divines. He went alone into the White Gold Tower, challenged the Ayleid sorceror-king Umaril to single combat, and slew him. Alas, Umaril was not truly slain, but only cast beyond the bounds of Nirn.”
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/attack-chapel-anvil
Proving his immortality, Pelinal speaks to Morihaus as nothing but a head once the battle is over.
And in the blood-floored throne room of White-Gold, the severed head of Pelinal spoke to the winged-bull, Morihaus, demigod lover of Al-Esh, saying, "Our enemies have undone me, and spread my body into hiding. In mockery of divine purpose, the Ayleids cut me into eighths, for they are obsessed with this number."
And Morihaus, confused, snorted through his ring, saying, "Your crusades went beyond her counsel, Whitestrake, but I am a bull, and therefore reckless in my wit. I think I would go and gore our prisoners if you had left any alive. You are blood-made-glorious, uncle, and will come again, as fox animal or light. Cyrod is still ours."
Then Pelinal spoke again for the last time: "Beware, Morihaus, beware! With the foresight of death I know now that my foe yet lives, bitter knowledge to take to my grave. Better that I had died believing myself the victor. Although cast beyond the doors of night, he will return. Be vigilant! I can no longer shield the host of Men from Umaril's retribution."
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/adabal
Comparing The Champion of Cyrodiil To Pelinal Whitestrake
The Champion of Cyrodiil, or the Hero of Kvatch, is the protagonist and player character of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, a legendary hero of the Oblivion Crisis. The Prophet of the Knights of the Nine claims that no deed the Champion has accomplished up until this point compares to what he has become; that is to say, now that the Champion is wearing Pelinal's old armor and using his weapons, he is far more than what he used to be.
In addition, the Prophet explains that the Champion is a warrior the likes of which have not been seen in millennia, and that only now that he has Pelinal's arms, is he ready to face Umaril, like Pelinal did before him. The Prophet warns that it is absolutely no use trying to fight Umaril without wearing Pelinal's arms, as Umaril can strike down the mightiest warrior in a single stroke, and the Gods fashioned Pelinal's arms to withstand Umaril's power.
All of this meaning, Pelinal is vastly superior to the protagonist from Oblivion prior to them donning his armor.
The Prophet:
“You have stepped from the humble shadows of obscurity and into legend. No feat you have accomplished in your life compares to what you have become. You are an embodiment of Pelinal Whitestrake, the bane of Umaril the Unfeathered.”
https://youtu.be/4rMYOT3hDFs?t=1m8s
[...]
The Prophet: “As a proven guardian of this realm and a warrior the likes of which have not been seen in millennia, Talos grants you his sacred blessing. With the ancient gifts of the Eight, and the new gift of the One, you are ready to face Umaril.
[...]
You must first kill his living body. While beyond the power of most mortals, this is only the lesser of your two tasks.”
https://youtu.be/4rMYOT3hDFs?t=2m45s
CoC: “What kind of a foe is Umaril?”
The Prophet: “Umaril cannot be bested in his physical form by any normal means. His blows can strike down the mightiest of warriors in a single stroke. The Eight created the relics to withstand Umaril’s fell power. Do not attempt to face him without this divine protection.”
https://youtu.be/Dk5Xs4Jq884?t=4m7s
Pelinal's Reputation
The important thing to understand about Pelinal's reputation is that the Elder Scrolls is a world where myth and legend unfolds before the very eyes of the NPCs who live in the world. They are used to incredible displays of magic and catastrophic destruction.
Despite this, Pelinal's exploits were regarded as so out of proportion they must have been hyperbolic, which we know isn't true from the Knights of the Nine DLC.
When a few men are discussing the greatest warrior in history, many are brought up and debated, however when Pelinal was brought up, their only refutation was that his feats must have been myths.
"Pelinal Whitestrake supposedly conquered all of Tamriel by himself," interrupted Xiomara.
"That was before the First Era," said Garaz. "It's probably mostly myth. But there are all sorts of great warriors of the modern eras. The Camoran Usurper? The unknown hero who brought together the Staff of Chaos and defeated Jagar Tharn?"
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/hallgerds-tale
Abnur Tharn, an incredibly powerful and knowledgeable mage, believed his exploits must have been hyperbolic.
Another critical factor in the dissolution of Ayleid rule was the indomitable will of the oppressed. We have all read accounts of heroic deeds executed by the likes of Alessia, Morihaus, and Pelinal Whitestrake. While it’s obvious to anyone with a modicum of intellect that these tales are a bit hyperbolic, it is quite clear that exceptional individuals made the establishment of the First Empire possible.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/slave-rebellion-mans-triumph
The same few men from before compared Pelinal to Ysgramor as examples of a great champion, Ysgramor being one of the Nords greatest warrior heroes in all of history.
"Murdering a small town mayor isn't going to put you in famous company, you know. What you need is a great champion to defeat. Someone like Ysgramor or Pelinal Whitestrake or--" she stared at the figure emerging from the forest. "That fellow!"
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/vernaccus-and-bourlor
The Power of the Ayleids
Now, if all of that wasn't enough, I thought it would be important to put into perspective the power of the Ayleids themselves. This is not an exhaustive documentation of the power of Magic in Elder Scrolls: that deserves it's own thread. Below I have simply included the most pertinent and extreme examples of power we can attribute to the Ayleids, to get the point across that these Elves, their armies and their kings, wielded insane levels of power from all schools of magic.
The Ayleids are among the most advanced Elven Mages in the history of Tamriel, with access to "Dawn Magic", and "Starlight", aka Varliance. These are powerful magics closely related to the stars themselves, dating back to a time where the first Gods became mortals (Ehlnofey). The Ehlnofey, for perspective, were around while the God of Magic himself, Magnus, walked the earth, which meant reality itself was incredibly magical and unstable, meaning their grasp of magic is divine in origin and far more advanced than anything in more recent times.
The Gods (et'Ada) formed. Lorkhan convinced -- or tricked -- the Gods into creating the mortal plane, Nirn. The mortal plane was at this point highly magical and dangerous. As the Gods walked, the physical make-up of the mortal plane and even the timeless continuity of existence itself became unstable.
When Magic (Magnus), architect of the plans for the mortal world, decided to terminate the project, the Gods convened at the Adamantine Tower [Direnni Tower, the oldest known structure in Tamriel] and decided what to do. Most left when Magic did. Others sacrificed themselves into other forms so that they might Stay (the Ehlnofey).
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/ages-man
This immense level of magical power and knowledge was preserved by the Ayleids and was largely forgotten by the other races of Elves.
Wild Elves [Ayleid], also known as the Heartland High Elves, preserved the Dawn Era magics and language of the Ehlnofey.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/ages-man
From the Ayleids, the ancient runes and dawn-magic even the elves had begun to forget.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/ahzidals-descent
Ayleids were capable of levitation and water breathing, and developed what is known in more modern times as the School of Alteration, which to quickly sum up deals with altering physical reality itself. They were also shapeshifters.
The Ayleids, it seemed, had taken two routes to hide themselves. Some had levitated up to the walls and hidden themselves high above, and others had slipped into the river, where they were able to breathe underwater. It was a relatively easy task once the strange elves' even stranger hiding holes had been discovered to rout them out, and see to it that there were no more midnight assassinations of the Empress's troops.
It may seem beyond belief that an entire community could be so skilled in these spells hundreds and hundreds of years before the Mages Guild was formed to teach the ways of magicka to the common folk. There does, however, appear to be evidence that, just as the Psijics on the Isle of Artaeum developed Mysticism long before there was a name for it, the even more obscure Ayleids of southern Cyrodiil had developed what was to be known as the school of Alteration. It is not, after all, much of a stretch when one considers that other Ayleids at the time of Bravil's conquering and even later were shapeshifters. The community of pre-Bravil could not turn into beasts and monsters, but they could alter their bodies to hide themselves away. A related and useful skill, to be sure. But not so effective to save themselves in the end.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/daughter-niben
The Ayleids also obtained power from the Daedric Prince Meridia and other Princes.
As evidenced by the ruins found throughout Tamriel, the Ayleids were an incredible force. The source of their prodigious might, however, was also the catalyst of their decline. Deals with Daedric Princes granted them the power they sought.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/slave-rebellion-mans-triumph
Dwemer or Chimer Sorcerers, during the battle of Red Mountain in the First Era, threw the Red Mountain on top of the ghost of Shor.
"As soon as Shor's army had got to Red Mountain, all the Devils and Dwarves fell upon them. Their sorcerers lifted the mountain and threw it onto Shor, trapping him underneath Red Mountain until the end of time."
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/skyrim-five-songs-king-wulfharth
The Thalmor, 4th Era High Elf Mages, made the Moons disappear for two years in an experiment to see if this would have an affect on the cat-race of Khajiits. Khajiit species varies based on moon alignment at the time of birth. This "Eugenics experiment" is confirmed by Michael Kirkbride, despite the scepticism of modern scholars.
In 4E 98, the two moons, Masser and Secunda vanished. Within most of the Empire, this was viewed with trepidation and fear. In Elsweyr it was far worse. Culturally the moons are much more influential to the Khajiit. After two years of the Void Nights, the moons returned. The Thalmor announced that they had restored the moons using previously unknown Dawn Magicks, but it is unclear if they truly restored the moons or just took advantage of foreknowledge that they would return.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/great-war
What were the Void Nights? (03/02/12)
Michael Kirkbride: "Eugenics experiment. With a side dish of "don't [censored] with us.""
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/forum-archives-michael-kirkbride