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Pseudo-Lore: The Towers and Tower Stones

  • Member
    July 2, 2014

    Disclaimer: This is an article of our former member, renown Loremaster Vix, acknowledged by Bethesda themselves. It ended up being deleted and I'm merely reposting it.

    First and Foremost:

    With the conspiracy theories going around and the usual conversations in 'deeper' Elder Scrolls lore I guess it's about time we look at the question of the metaphysical 'towers'. I had been exceptionally hesitant to even reference them because, as the title says, it's mostly pseudo-lore written solely by the talented Micahel Kirkbride. It has basis as his word and works, but he's not the sole writer and only several times are 'towers' ever mentioned in the actual game; most notably the reference is found in The Book of the Dragonborn, though this could easily just be allegory. The importance of them, as well as their relationship to each other are enormously speculative and could mean any number of things. Likewise, it could easily alter an opinion about various races, yet very little of this is based on fact found in game. As such you've been warned, this is often material utilized by the fan-base but has been mostly hand-waved by the larger writing staff at Bethesda. Nevertheless, for sake of discussion and completeness for the community at large I figured it was worth a mention even if its validity is in a state of flux. At worst, it may be simply the ramblings of those that adhere to the Psijiic order's teachings.

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    Metaphysics: The First Tower and the Wheel

    First of all we have to define Metaphysics: it is the study of primary causes regarding the foundation of the world with regards to cosmology and existence, thus thought and reality are its primary domains.

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    The Towers of the Elder Scrolls universe are explained in a text called “ Vehk's teachings” by Kirkbride. It reasons that in the beginning there were the two primal forces of the world, Anu (order) and Padhome (chaos), both living in separate ways. However, in one instance these two entities overlap like a venn diagram (remember math class?) in which is creates a neutral void in a stated called Aurbis.

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    The first two Et'Ada were Akatosh and Sithis, further extensions of Anu and Padhome. Each spirit wanted their own rule over Aurbis. Now, within Aurbis was created a 'wheel' at the center. The importance of the wheel was not immediately recognized when other et'ada populated the expanse. To think of the wheel image an actual wheel, it has eight spokes and sixteen dark expanses within it. This is the domains of the eight divines and sixteen voids of Oblivion (this is one of the principle reasons that makes Talos an odd figure for a divine, and there are more than sixteen voids we know of not to mention seventeen Daedric princes). In the center of that wheel is a meeting of all aspects which was called the 'hub' which would become Mundus.

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    When Mundus was created a large number of et'ada left. One of the greatest of which was Magnus. He was the god of magic and the architect who planned Mundus (Lorkhan was used to create the physical Mundus but he didn't do any of the actual preliminary ground work). Magnus grew uneasy about it and 'left', in doing so his departure tore a hole in Aetherius which became the sun which is still known as Magnus. Soon after many other spirits left, they were called the Magna Ge and left other smaller holes which are the stars. From those holes magic seeps into Mundus where as before there would have been none. It was during this time Lorkhan saw the 'wheel' on its side and said it was not just a wheel, rather it was a tower (cross section looks like an I). This was the first tower realized, the expanse of Mundus is the first tower.

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    Towers and Stones

    Magnus left which led to a convening of the Divines. They created a single physical tower called the Adamantine tower which is on the island of Balfiera between Hammerfell and High Rock. It was infused with the power of creation by a single 'stone' which powered it; this was called the Zero stone. There were still the eight Divines and when realizing what Lorkhan had done they punished him which infused Nirn with divine power which had Lorkhan's heart torn out and thrown into Red Mountain. This became the Red Tower and its stone was that of Lorkhan's heart. This impregnation of Nirn by the Heart of Lorkhan allowed the Divines to leave Nirn without it becoming unraveled while the Zero stone provided linearity of existence.

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    Each tower has a founding stone that provides the focus and power. Where as the first two were divinely inspired in creation and divinity which allowed for a linear time and mortal existence, the others were created by the Aldmeri to mimic the others. The stones are imbued with creatia magic not from Oblivion, but from a place outside Oblivion, Aetherius (It can be easy to think of the towers much in the same respect as what sigil stones were to Daedric realms in Oblivion). The rest of these were build by the Aldmeri in imitation of the first tower and used to bring stability as the Aldmeri understood it.

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    • Adamantine Tower: also called the Ur-tower is the first tower that the Divines created and held a meeting in. It is on the island of Balfiera between Hammerfell and High Rock and takes the image of a single metal cylinder extending upwards and downwards into the ground. It is considered an active tower with its stone being called the Zero-stone, which is the aspect of creation.

    • Red Tower: the Red tower is Red Mountain in Vvardenfell. Its stone was the Heart of Lorkhan. It was inactive following the events of Morrowind and destroyed in the eruption early in the forth era.

    • White Gold Tower: The White gold tower dominates the Imperial city on the isle and was built by the Ayleids. It was said to have the stone Chim-el Adabal, the central crystal in the amulet of Kings that was meant for refocusing the powers of creation to 'reach' the divines and not let the power of magic disseminate. Thus while others bind magic and bleed it the white gold tower harnessed the power of creation; in this manner it is said to be the unique 'wheel within a wheel'.

    • Crystal-like-law: The Crystal tower, much like the Adamantine and White-gold tower is a physical tower in Alinor within the Summerset Isles. It was said to be the foremost place of magical research after the arcane university and was destroyed during the Oblivion crisis.

    • Green-Sap: We have no idea what the Green-Sap tower is for sure, but conventional theory points to it being the walking city of Falenesti in Valenwood. It's stone is not known but it became inactive sometime prior to the events of Oblivion and after Tiber Septim's conquest of Valenwood and the writing of the First Edition of the Pocket Guide to the Epire.

    • Orichalc: Tower is unknown, and the stone is unknown. If what was said to be correct regarding the towers created by the Aldmeri, then it's possible that the tower and stone may be with the Maormer. This seems to fit with the Nu-Mantia mantra that all life originated on Tamriel and spread out from there.

    • Walk-Brass: Tower is unknown, and the stone is unknown. While there is speculation that this is Numidium the Chimer followed the prophet Veloth away from the Aldmer and towards it. However, Numidium is shall we say, fickle with time. Thus it may very well be a dragon break that made them wander towards it before the machine was even built by Kagranac the Dwarf. It's stone is said to be destruction or more specifically 'dis-creation'.

    • Snow Throat: The Snow Throat tower is usually interpreted as the Throat of the World atop High Hrothgar in Skyrim. The stone is unknown but the peak was called 'half-here' (for those who have finished the primary story there is an important tie in for this).

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    Speculation on Disintegration:

    So what happens if the towers all collapse? It's never expressly stated but the destruction of each seems to indicate that the world will come apart. The eight towers provide pillars of support for the world and without those it would tear itself apart and return to its original state of being. This isn't to say that it is death; it could be the elven ideal of returning to Aetherius. The prevailing notion of thought is that upon death on Nirn people may return to Aetherius, where they are caught before time in a 'dream sleeve', subjected to amnesiac traumas, and returned to Nirn as a reincarnation.It's a decidedly dystopian method of thought in that regard.

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    Yet it was the Aldmeri who created the six remaining towers and as such brought stability to the world. If all the towers were undone then that eternal cycle of death would cease and Mundus would vanish back into the primordial state of being devoid of pain and unbound by the laws of physics and reality; time and space would have no meaning, neither would despair or discord. In essence, it could very well be a free ticket to heaven.

  • Member
    July 17, 2014

    I'm not sure why this is considered non-canon. Surely the references to the Towers in the Prophecy of the Last Dragonborn in Skyrim legitimise the Towers and the Wheel?

  • Member
    July 17, 2014

    There are mentions of towers in games, true, but there is nothing to indicate that their destruction will bring the end of the world, and there is no reference to them acting as stabilizers for Nirn.

  • Member
    July 17, 2014
    They mention "The Wheel turning upon the Last Dragonborn", so, yeah Phil, the Wheel is most likely canon. While it could just be a reference, I don't think so.
  • Member
    July 17, 2014

    Does it need to be stated outright? I would think their importance is self evident from the little we do get: In most cases whenever a Tower falls the gods send a Hero to sort out the mess. Why? Because without their intervention the world is doomed.

    When misrule takes its place at the eight corners of the world

    When the Brass Tower walks and Time is Reshaped

    When the Thrice-Blessed fail and the Red Tower trembles

    When the Dragonborn Ruler loses his throne, and the White Tower falls

    When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding

    The World-Eater wakes, and the Wheel turns upon the Last Dragonborn.

  • Tom
    Member
    July 17, 2014

    From my own research across multiple sites were TES Lore is discussed, this seems to be the most prevailing discussion.

    I'm fascinated by it, but at the same time I don't necessarily like it because of the implications for Nirn.

  • Member
    July 17, 2014

    Yes, it needs to be, because there can be a lot of theories based on this. One can say that all towers can't be destroyed and they rebuild themselves with time. Or that when all the towers are destroyed new tower is built by the divines. Or that Talos descends from heavens and dances rumba on the Throat of the World. Really, one can make all kinds of theories from this and there is no reason to think the destruction of the world is the right one. Their importance is self-evident, no one denies that but it can be interpreted in a lot of different ways

  • Member
    July 17, 2014

    Where's the fun in being explicitly told? There'd be no need for discussion then

    As Vix says above It's never expressly stated but the destruction of each seems to indicate that the world will come apart. Just because we haven't been given an answer yet doesn't mean that which we do know shouldn't be considered canon. Towers = fact but purpose/ramifications = unknown. Vix is merely speculating upon a canon topic so the tag should be changed. 

    I need to do more research but there's something going on and a pattern should be evident from the games. But it seems the Hero is averting disaster each time by bending the rules or making a Tower unnecessary.

  • Member
    July 17, 2014

    I had been exceptionally hesitant to even reference them because, as the title says, it's mostly pseudo-lore written solely by the talented Micahel Kirkbride. It has basis as his word and works, but he's not the sole writer and only several times are 'towers' ever mentioned in the actual game; most notably the reference is found inThe Book of the Dragonborn, though this could easily just be allegory. The importance of them, as well as their relationship to each other are enormously speculative and could mean any number of things.

    The whole article is based on Nu-Mantia texts if I understand this correctly, it's not Vix theorizing about the tower concept introduced in Book of the Dragonborn. Thus non-canon tag.

  • July 17, 2014

    Doesn't dawnstar have a tower? Tower of the Dawn was it?