In the First Era, Cyrodiil was home to the Heartland High Elves, also known as the Ayleids. The elves lived mostly in underground cities and controlled central Tamriel with an iron fist. Each city contained a Great Welkynd Stone, precious and extremely valuable artifacts that were almost all plundered by the end of the Third Era. The last stone was discovered by the Hero of Kvatch in the final year of the Third Era. The stone was an essential item to create a ritual to send the Hero of Kvatch to Paradise, where the hero would recover the Amulet of Kings from Mankar Camoran and end the Oblivion Crisis.