Races of The Elder Scrolls

The Elder Scrolls series of role-playing video games are populated with a number of fantasy races, ten of which are playable. Generally, these races fall into one of three distinct archetypes, namely, humans, elvenkind, and beastfolk. Within the lore of the Elder Scrolls universe, men and elves alike were descended from an ancestral race known as the "Ehlnofey", and are capable of interbreeding. It is uncertain if beastfolk share the same lineage, as much of the existing lore presents conflicting information.

Playable Races

Human

Humans in The Elder Scrolls is a generic term and does not necessarily indicate a shared ancestry among the races it applies to. The Imperials and Nords are of Nedic ancestry and the Nedes in turn trace their lineage back to the continent of Atmora. The Bretons are of mixed Nedic and Elven heritage, whereas the Redguards originated on the continent of Yokuda. Humans, for the most part, descend from the "Wandering Ehlnofey", the half of the mythic race that accepted Nirn and wished to live on it.

Breton

The Bretons are half-elves, with more human than elvish blood, and populate the province of High Rock, where the second game of the series, Daggerfall, takes place.

Imperial

The Imperials are natives of the province of Cyrodiil. Though less physically imposing than the other races, the Imperials are shrewd diplomats and traders. These traits, along with their remarkable skill and training as light infantry, have enabled them to subdue all the other provinces of Tamriel and unite them under the banner of their prosperous empire.

Imperials were not a playable race in Daggerfall, and "the Imperial Province" (that is, Cyrodiil), was declared to have "no indigenous race". The Imperial race is playable in Morrowind as well as Oblivion and Skyrim.

Nord

The Nords inhabit the northern province of Skyrim, which is the setting for the latest installment of the series: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. When designing the Nordic people and culture, Bethesda Softworks took inspiration from a combination of real-world historical sources, as seen with the Nord ability of woad, a warpaint used by North European Celtic peoples of the Iron and Dark ages. It is also worth noting that Nords closely resemble Scandinavian Vikings, as shown in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, by the housing design, fence design, ships, weapons, important figures, and even some bed designs.

Redguard

The Redguards are from the province of Hammerfell in western Tamriel.

Elf/Mer Races

Altmer

The Altmer, also called High Elves, live in the Summerset Isle. They are taller than the other races and have a golden skin color. They tend to be proud and consider themselves the most civilized race.

Their depiction has changed throughout the series to reflect changing times. In 'A Pocket Guide to the Empire,' which shipped with the game Redguard, they were initially portrayed as arrogant in their superiority and heartless to the point of inhumanity, suggesting that they euthanize nine out of ten children in their quest for racial 'perfection'. A new edition of the same fictional 'guide' was shipped with Oblivion which contained a much more favorable view of the Altmer, mentioning deep class and social struggles in which the young were rebelling against the notion of their race's superiority in general and the superiority of the Altmeri nobility in particular with many even abandoning worship of the traditional Altmeri pantheon of gods altogether.

Bosmer

The Bosmer, also called Wood Elves, they inhabit the province of Valenwood. They are among the shortest races, and they are remarkable thieves and archers, due to their superior dexterity and agility, presumably because they spend their time living in trees. They are also religiously carnivorous and cannibalistic as a result of the Green Pact, a central portion of the Bosmer faith.

Dunmer

Dunmer, also called Dark Elves, hail from Morrowind. They are the Elder Scrolls variation of dark elves, a popular fictional race in role-playing games and fantasy literature.

Orsimer

The Orsimer, or simply Orcs are descended from a group of Aldmer that worshiped a god named Trinimac. Orsimer were the former inhabitants of the province of Hammerfell, but lost their land to the armies of Redguards.The Orcs now reside in a small mountain kingdom known as Orsinium. The kingdom has been sacked and rebuilt numerous times, and is located near the Breton homeland of High Rock.

Beast Races

Argonians

Argonians are a beast race of reptilian humanoids, consistently portrayed throughout the Elder Scrolls series of games as intelligent, quick and agile, tending towards the in-game character classes of the mage and the thief. Within the ES world, Argonians inhabit the swampy region of Black Marsh. Years of defending their homeland has made them masters of warfare. They can breath underwater and are resistant to poison and diseases, but sadly have little resistance to ice.

Khajiit

The Khajiit are an anthropomorphic feline race hailing from the province of Elsweyr. Remarkably quiet and agile, they are excellent thieves and assassins. A small group of Khajiit take to selling illegal drink called Skooma, a reference to the real world's Moon Shine, one possible reference being the Moon Sugar that is the main ingredient in the drink. This has sullied the Khajiit's reputation to being lowly bandits and penny pinchers.

Elves (or Mer)

Aldmer

In Elder Scrolls lore, the Aldmer, translated as the First or Elder Folk, are thought to be the first race to appear in the world, Nirn. The Oblivion in-game book "Before the Ages of Man" is the most comprehensive source of their history. It traces their origins first to the mythic continent of Aldmeris, noting the alternate rendering of Old Elhofney for the place. Certain maps are cautious enough to exclude the mythic continent from their mappings of Nirn, while others place it to the south of Tamriel. As is often the case with Elder Scrolls lore, many contradictory accounts concerning Aldmeris exist, with some suggesting it to be entirely mythological. Beyond Aldmeris, their first known settlements were in southwestern Tamriel, from which they eventually moved on to settle the entire continent. By the beginning of recorded history, they had already branched off into a number of distinct populations, among them the present-day Altmer. The term "Aldmer" is sometimes used to describe the entire Elven race, as in the "Aldmeri Dominion", or in common Elven usage, as evidenced by the entry for "Aldmer" in the Elder Scrolls of Treasury. Although the Aldmer no longer exist as a distinct race, their culture lives on throughout the Empire, forming the basis of Tamrielic Language and Religion.

Dwemer

Dwemer, meaning "Deep Elves", are a lost race that lived primarily in the region of Vvardenfell and in Hammerfell. They are often referred to as "Dwarves" in western cultures, although they were no shorter than a human and the name seems to have been derived from a supposed encounter with Giants who saw the Dwemer as short. They were a reclusive, independent race, dedicated to the principles of Science, Alchemy, Magic, and Engineering.

Falmer

It is thought that the Falmer ("Snow Elves") were the original elven inhabitants of Skyrim, the northernmost province of the continent of Tamriel, and were defeated and displaced by the Nords. The Pocket Guide to the Empire in the chapter on Skyrim mentions the Snow Elves as a local superstition, with Nord villagers blaming them for a number of random misfortunes and scant physical evidence of their existence.

It is revealed in the latest game, Skyrim, that upon losing to the Nords the Falmer were slaughtered by the thousands. Due to this, the Falmer fled to protection with the Dwemer underground. The Dwemer betrayed the Falmer, by feeding them poisonous mushrooms that blinded them. After an unknown amount of years, the Falmer revolted. One day, however, when preparing to enter another battle the Falmer found that their enemies had mysteriously vanished.

The Falmer have now degenerated into a hideous breed of subterranean monsters the player character will often face within Dwemer ruins or in caves. Due to their long existence underground, they have become hunched and are no longer very elven; however, they have gained keen hearing and hunt their prey using this ability.

Wild Races

Dovah (Dragons)

Dragons are large reptilian creatures with wings, and one of the oldest sentient races. Though they are believed by some to be beasts, dragons are highly intelligent, though they hold a strong hatred for almost all other living creatures. They have their own language, which includes a power known as the thu'um; by speaking certain words in a certain pattern, dragons are able to unleash a powerful magical attack from their mouths. The dragons have gone through a variety of events which have led to the race becoming almost extinct. In Skyrim, Alduin, a dragon god, is the final boss of the storyline quest and serves as the antagonist.

Giant

Giants are massive people who can be found throughout northern Tamriel. They resemble huge, bearded, muscular humans. Giant civilization is basic, revolving around herding mammoths and occasionally moving to a different camp, and little else. It is rare for any more than two giants to live in the same place. Giants are not particularly hostile, only attacking strangers who stray too close after several warnings, and are not hostile unless provoked to those who can speak their language.

Goblin

Goblins are a small race of beings, typically green, gray or blue skinned, and can be found all across Tamriel. Goblin villages are typically located inside caves, and can contain a variety of structures, from prison cells to religious centres, though most of these "buildings" are usually ordinary patches of cave, separated from the rest by some wooden planks or fencing, with a few chairs and chests scattered about the place. Goblins seem to exist in a merit based society in which the strongest earn the right to lead. Goblin tribes are usually led by a shaman, who carries the tribe's totem staff and seems to be their religious leader, and a warchief, a rank which seems to belong to the ultimate leader of the tribe. Goblins are the primary race of the group known as "Goblin-ken", and obviously the namesake.

Troll

A three-eyed, hairy, ape-like creature that the player encounters randomly in the wilderness and in dungeons. Their fur color varies depending on which kind of environment they live in. Trolls show very little signs of intelligence. There are no known troll villages or groups, but there are a few indications that trolls are more than mindless beasts. Trolls have been described as being sent to guard locations by mages, and one troll has been known to have had the ability to write. In Skyrim, the Vampire hunters known as the Dawnguard have developed the ability to tame wild trolls, as well as equip them with armor in order to do the Dawnguard's bidding.

Lycanthropes

Lycanthrope is an umbrella term used to refer to various transformations forced upon people by the disease, Lycanthropy. Lycanthropes have appeared in The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. According to game lore, Lycanthropes are the servants to the Daedric Lord Hircine, and will serve him for eternity in his Hunting Ground upon their death.

Vampire

Vampirism, which produces vampires is inflicted with either of the diseases Sanguinare Vampiris or Porphyric Hemophilia. A higher class of vampire, the Vampire Lord, is granted by Lord Molag Bal.

Aedra and Daedra

The various people of Tamriel worship a variety of deities and otherworldly powers. The principal among these are the Aedra and Daedra. Aedra, translated from Aldmeri to "Our Ancestors", include the "Nine Divines" of the Imperial cult. The Aedra are rarely reported as taking an active hand in the affairs of mortals except for certain extreme circumstances, such as the end of Oblivion. The Daedra, translated as "Not Our Ancestors", are viewed as far less benevolent by most in The Elder Scrolls, embodying the more menacing aspects of human existence.

Aedra

The Aedra consist of nine important figures.

The chief diety, Akatosh, who is the god of time and depicted as a dragon. Akatosh created the dragon blood of Saint Alessia and is thus creator of the dragonborn. In Oblivion, Martin Septim shatters the Amulet of Kings and becomes the host of Akatosh. In the process he becomes a golden dragon, and when Mehrunes Dagon is defeated he turns to stone.

The mortal turned aedra, Talos, was originally the first emperor of the Septim bloodline, Tiber Septim. He passed unexpectedly into godhood in Daggerfall. His worship is banned by the Aldmeri Dominion in Skyrim. Despite this, many nords still worship him, especially the Stormcloaks who attempt to overthrow the Empire and destroy the Dominion. Talos was the first dragonborn to be summoned to High Hrothgar by the Greybeards and was gifted in the voice.

The other Aedra of the Nine Divines are Mara, Dibella, Stendarr, Kynareth, Arkay, Julianos and Zenithar.

Daedra

The Daedra are creatures native to the realm of Oblivion, typically split into Daedric Princes and Lesser Daedra, though the latter is split into even further categorization. They are viewed as "evil" by Aedric worshipers. There are 17 Daedric Princes, each one controlling a plane of Oblivion, modeled to whatever the Prince wills it to be. The Daedra each are associated with different things, like the Aedra. The Deadric Princes will often have sects of dedicated followers, sworn to carry out their commands and wishes. The Daedric Prince of destruction, Mehrunes Dagon, appears as the main antagonist in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion where he attempts to expand his realm beyond the plane of Oblivion.

References

• Jonric (2006-04-18). "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Team Q&A #2". IGN. Retrieved 2007-05-27.