Auroran Crisis

"By the eternal power of Umaril, the mortal gods shall be cast down."

- Ayleid Runes

The Auroran Crisis was a significant conflict that occured shortly after the Oblivion Crisis. It was fought primarily between the Knights of the Nine and the Auroran Forces of Umaril. The Crisis was the work of the ancient, evil Ayleid Sorceror-King, Umaril the Unfeathered who, after centuries of imprisonment, was released from the Waters of Oblivion to wreak his unholy vengeance on the gods that had masterminded his first downfall at the hands of the Divine Crusader, Pelinal Whitestrake.

Using his servants, the Daedric warriors of Meridia known as Aurorans, Umaril launched an all out attack on the established Church of the Nine Divines in Cyrodiil. The Aurorans' attacks consisted of entering one of Cyrodiil's Great Chapel's killing the staff, and desecrating the altars with bloody runes written in Ayleidoon. This began at Anvil.

The Attack on Chapel Anvil drew attention from all around Cyrodiil, and eventually drew the Hero of Kvatch, Champion of Cyrodiil and hero of the Oblivion Crisis. Guided by the words of a mysterious Prophet, the Hero set out on a quest to recover the lost Crusader's Relics of Pelinal Whitestrake. During the course of this quest, the Hero would revive a knightly order dedicated to the Nine Divines, the Knights of the Nine. These Knights, led by the new Divine Crusader, were eventually able to defeat Umaril once and for all.

History
In the First Era of Tamriel, Umaril the Unfeathered was one of the Ayleid Sorceror-Kings of ancient Cyrodiil. During this time, the Ayleids' human slaves rebelled, led by the legendary Slave-Queen, Alessia. Alessia's Rebellion pitted the humans against their cruel Ayleid masters in a bloody conflict that would span many years. Into this fray came Pelinal Whitestrake, who pledged himself to Alessia's cause and, wielding armor and weapons crafted by the gods themselves, led the humans to victory after victory against the Ayleids.

When it was apparent that Pelinal was a truly worthy foe, Umaril called him out to fight. Pelinal answered the call, and the rebels converged on White Gold Tower, capital of the Ayleid kingdom. During the great Siege of White Gold Tower, Pelinal entered the throne room and challenged Umaril. There they fought, and Pelinal succeded in defeating the great king, denting his helm into ugliness and cutting off his unfeathered wings. In a rage, the other Ayleid kings fell upon Pelinal and cut him into eighths before being killed themselves. Pelinal's head was still alive when it was found, and he foretold the return of Umaril, for though the Crusader's Relics had defeated Umaril's physical form, his Daedric spirit lived on, sustained by the power of the Daedric Prince Meridia. With that, Pelinal died; Alessia's rebellion was successful, and the world forgot the Whitestrake's final prophecy.