Some of the most beautiful locations in Tamriel can be found in the Summerset Isles. That level of beauty, however, is matched only by its mystery. According to The Elder Scrolls lore, not just anyone is granted entry to the land of the High Elves. The Altmer are highly selective in who they allow into their realm.
The Elder Scrolls Online was the first game that really allowed players to explore this wonderous land in great detail. Books and various in-game characters from across multiple titles have filled in many of the blanks. However, there are invariably interesting tidbits that can get lost in the shuffle. With a realm as mysterious as the Summerset Isles, there's always something new to be learned.
7 Ancient Beginnings
Present-day Altmer, which can be encountered in games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, possess quite a unique lineage. Often referred to as the Ancients, the first elven settlers of Summerset Isles was a group called the Aldmer. The wild beasts and indigenous natives were slaughtered as the Aldmer colonized the land.
Certain sources claim the Aldmer had the ability to sculpt the very land itself in any manner to their liking through the use of magic. They established their first city, appropriately known as Firsthold, not far from their original landing site. Throughout the succeeding centuries, the Aldmer evolved into the modern-day Altmer, aka High Elves.
6 The Sload & The Goblins Once Held Sway
The Aldmer, for all their stunning achievements, were not the original inhabitants of Summerset Isles and its environs. There were once many creatures who roamed the land before the arrival of the newcomers. The most important of these were the Sload and the goblins.
The goblins were eventually enslaved by the elves, but the Sload proved to be the more troublesome. Evidence of their settlements in the form of coral structures suggests these mysterious sea slugs once held some degree of power in Summerset Isles. Sload attempts to reclaim the land from the High Elves would periodically be made throughout the centuries.
5 Site Of The Crystal Tower
Tamriel's landscape is dotted with several ancient and very powerful structures. One of the most impressive pieces of architecture in existence is the Crystal Tower, located on the northern tip of the Isle. It was built by the Aldmer shortly after their landing on Summerset Isles as a means of venerating their ancestors.
The Tower's true purpose, however, is to help keep Mundus anchored to the physical plane. Its magical capabilities transcend the normal laws of physics and reality, existing in multiple dimensions simultaneously. The Crystal Tower was destroyed by the Daedra during the Oblivion Crisis, although some scholars speculate whether or not the structure's true magical essence has been snuffed out permanently.
4 Artaeum Often Disappears Without Warning
Artaeum is one of the more prominent islands that compose the Summerset archipelago. It's described as a land of calm woodlands, orchards, and pastures. Most famously, the island is home to the Psijic Order of monks as well as Mannimarco, the infamous King of Worms.
Artaeum is unique in that it's often known to disappear without any prior warning. How this feat is achieved isn't explained in any great depth. The only detail that can be gleaned is that the island can exist in a sort of pocket dimension for decades before finally reappearing.
3 Last To Join The Empire
The Empire is undoubtedly one of Tamriel's most dominant political entities. One by one, the vast majority of Tamriel's disparate regions were absorbed into the Third Empire under Tiber Septim, becoming Imperial provinces in the process. The last to do so was the Summerset Isles.
The High Elves represented the toughest challenge for Tiber Septim. Rather than risk a naval landing, Septim chose to unleash the Numidium, a massive Dwemer golem that could annihilate nearly anything standing in its way. The Altmer sued for peace after coming to terms with the hopelessness of their situation.
2 Eyevea Was Once Lost To The Shivering Isles
Although nominally a part of the Summerset Isles, Eyevea was actually claimed by the Arch-Mage Shalidor in the First Era. Mages often traveled to the island to study and hone their craft. However, in an ill-advised bargain with Sheogorath, Shalidor traded the island away in return for a valuable book containing heaps of magical knowledge.
As such, Eyevea was considered part of the Daedric realm of the Shivering Isles for centuries. During the events of The Elder Scrolls Online, the player can assist in returning Eyevea to its proper place in the Abecean Sea. The presence of the odd mushroom trees still bears witness to the island's long tenure as a former part of the Shivering Isles.
1 Renamed Alinor By The Thalmor
The Oblivion Crisis drastically upset the established order in Tamriel. The Summerset Isles were no exception. The land itself was devastated by the Daedric hordes and even the vaunted Crystal Tower was destroyed, despite the elves' best efforts. The dissolution of the Septim dynasty opened a power vacuum, a situation the Thalmor exploited.
The old Altmeri monarchy was overthrown and in its place was established the Third Aldmeri Dominion. One of the first things the Thalmor accomplished after seizing power was changing the name from the Summerset Isles to Alinor. Alinor is also the name of the High Elven capital city. The alteration to the name served to signify the new change in leadership.