preDunmer

The term preDunmer refers to the ancestral population of Dark Elves that inhabited Morrowind before their transformation into the Dunmer. These early inhabitants were a collection of proto-Dark Elf tribes, many of whom were descendants of the Aldmer who first settled Tamriel. Their culture and society were significantly different from the Dunmer of later eras, characterized by a more primitive and less sophisticated way of life.

These ancient peoples were deeply spiritual and often engaged in animistic worship, revering spirits of nature and their ancestors. They were skilled hunters and gatherers, and their settlements were generally less permanent than those of their descendants. During this period, these proto-Dunmer tribes were largely nomadic, moving across the Vvardenfell landscape in search of resources.

The exact timeline of the preDunmer period is not precisely defined, but it is understood to encompass the eras following the Aldmer arrival and preceding the rise of the Chimer prophet, Indoril Nerevar, and the subsequent events that led to the formation of the Dunmer. Key historical developments, such as the interactions with the Dwemer and the early Nordic settlers, would have shaped the preDunmer tribes. Their eventual evolution into the Dunmer is a complex narrative involving religious schisms, magical interventions, and significant cultural shifts, but the preDunmer era represents the foundational stage of Dark Elf civilization in Morrowind.