History TheElderScrolls / TheElderScrollsRaceTropes

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This list of tropes has been moved to the more appropriate Characters namespace: Characters/TheElderScrollsRaces
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Here are lists of tropes applying to various races in ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls''.

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[[folder: The Races of Men]]

The races of Men (humans) of Nirn.

!! General Tropes applying to the Races of Men

* BadassArmy: Just about any large army of Men qualifies. Specific examples can be found in the individual races below.
* FantasticRacism: Though it was more subdued during the Septim Empire, the races of Men have traditionally been very distrustful of the elves. The elves generally throw this right back at the races of Men.
* HumanityIsSuperior: Something the races of Men obviously believe, and given their successes in dominating the continent, this claim has some validity. Humans have conquered large portions (and in one case, ''all'') of Tamriel ''four'' times throughout history (once by the Nordic Empire and thrice by the Imperials) despite their inherent disadvantages in terms of natural magical ability and shorter lifespans compared to the races of Mer. Three times, in fact, a race of Men has driven a race of Mer to [[FinalSolution virtual extinction]]. (The Atmorans/Nords to the Falmer, the Nedes/Imperials to the Ayleids, and the Yokudans/Redguard to the Sinistral Mer/Left-handed Elves.)
* HumansAreBastards: To the races of Mer, ''especially'' the Altmer. They see Men as having pitifully short lives filled with violence and savagery who disrupt everything the elves try to achieve. According to Altmeri religious beliefs, Men were created by Lorkhan to ''specifically'' be bastards, with him having created mankind from the weakest souls to "spread Sithis (chaos) into every corner."
* HumansAreSpecial: The Divines are said to "belove" the races of Men in particular, who find "strength-in-weakness" in their mortal forms (as opposed to most of the Elves who feel that the mortal world is a prison) and who live with passion and hope despite always being doomed to death in the end. Lorkhan certainly seems to agree, as he (in his Shezarrine forms) has aided the races of men repeatedly in their struggles against the elves throughout history.
* HumansAreWarriors: Each race of Men has strong martial traditions. Nords and Redguards are mighty independent warriors while Imperials have a greater focus on discipline and excelling in group combat. Even the Bretons have a strong chivalric tradition with various knightly orders and make for excellent [[MagicKnight battlemages]].
* HumansAreWhite: Played straight for all but the Redguards and Men of Akavir. By ''Skyrim'', there are finally a few AmbiguouslyBrown [=NPCs=] of the other races of Men, but the vast majority of Imperials, Nords, and Bretons are all white.
* MultipleChoicePast:
** Sources conflict greatly on the early history of the races of Men. The most popular theory, espoused most prominently by the propaganda of the Septim Empire, is that all of the races of Men (save for the Yokudan Redguards) descend from the Nedes, who originally hailed from the northernmost continent of Atmora. However, other sources indicate that the Nedes were among Tamriel's many indigenous human tribes (or may have been the collective name for these tribes) from whom the Imperials and Bretons get their human ancestry while the actual Atmorans were a distinct race of Men who came over in the early 1st Era and settled in Skyrim, interbreeding with the Nedes to create the modern Nords. In either case, there is evidence of habitation by humanity in Tamriel which predates the earliest known dates of Atmoran migration.
** Even the creation of the races of Men is unclear. The most prominent theory is that the Ehlnofey who would become the races of Mer and the Ehlnofey who would become the races of Men ("Wanderers") split very early in world history following a great war between the two factions. However, Altmeri religious beliefs (dating back to the ancient Aldmer) state that Men were created by Lorkhan out of the "weakest souls" to spread chaos throughout all corners of creation.
* OrderVersusChaos: According to Altmeri religious beliefs, mankind was specifically created by Lorkhan to be the "chaos" to the "order" of the elves (who believe that they descend from the order-leaning Aedra).
* {{Precursors}}: All but the Redguards are believed to be descended at least in part from the Nedes. According to Septim propaganda, the Nedes came over from Atmora, but other sources indicate that they were among Tamriel's many native human populations.
* ProudWarriorRace: All but the Bretons tend to have pride in their race's abilities in combat and warfare.
* RealMenLoveJesus: Each race of Men tends to be highly religious in addition to being badass warriors, diplomats, etc.
* ScrewYouElves: Most of Tamriellic history can be summed up as "Elves and Men fighting." More often than not, the Men have come out on top, leading to plenty of this trope.
* WeAreAsMayflies: Compared to the LongLived races of Mer, the races of Men, on average, have lifespans similar to those of real-life humans.

!! Atmorans

-> ''"When at last the rightful claim of Saarthal had been retaken, driving the murderous elves back to their lofty cities, did great Ysgramor turn and let loose the fearsome war cry that echoed across all the oceans. The Five Hundred who yet stood joined in the ovation for the victory and the lament for their fallen peers. It was said to be heard on the distant and chilling green shores of Atmora, and the ancestors knew their time had come to cross the seas."''
-->-- '''''Songs of the Return'''''

The Atmorans were the human inhabitants of Atmora ("Elder Wood" in Old Ehlnofex), the northernmost continent of Nirn. Early in the 1st Era, they began migrating to the northern shores of Tamriel, settling in what would become modern day Skyrim. They came into conflict with the Falmer (Snow Elves), who the Atmorans nearly drove to extinction. They are said to be the ancestors of the Nords, and possibly all races of Men in Tamriel. Following a period of gradual freezing known as the "Frost Fall," Atmora became too cold to support life and it is believed that those who did not migrate to Tamriel have died off. Many modern Nordic customs were inherited from the Atmorans, and their culture has been highly influential on Tamriel overall.

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* ArchEnemy: The Falmer, at least until Ysgramor and his companions drove them to near-extinction.
* BadassArmy: Ysgramor and his 500 Companions. They managed to destroy the entire Falmer civilization in Skyrim and nearly drove them to extinction as a race.
* BadassBeard: Depictions and descriptions almost always include massive, glorious beards. (A trait which their Nord descendants have adopted with gusto.)
* BarbarianHero: Their aesthetic and how they are viewed by their Nord descendants, who inherited much from the Atmorans culturally.
* BarbarianTribe: It is said that they had no knowledge of agriculture and survived off of hunting, a way of life which likely encouraged their ceaseless warfare. They also did not have a written language, only developing one after arriving in Tamriel (which they borrowed from the Mer while adding Atmoran linguistic principles).
* BornUnderTheSail: Despite never developing a written language or even agriculture, the Atmorans were master ship-builders and sailors. Their most famous shipyard was Jylkurfyk, from which Ysgramor commissioned ships for he and his companions to invade Tamriel.
* CivilWar: It is said that the first Atmoran migrants to Tamriel came over to escape the civil wars plaguing Atmora.
* DoomedHometown: Atmora itself succumbed to the "Frost Fall," a period of gradual freezing through the Merethic and 1st Eras. Since the 2nd Era, it has completely frozen over and can no longer support life.
* DragonsAreDivine: At the height of the Dragon Cult's influence, before the Dragon War, the Dragon Priests held as much power as kings, ruling in the stead of the aloof dragons they worshiped. In Atmora, the priests demanded tribute and set down laws and codes of living that kept peace between dragons and men.
* HornyVikings: An aesthetic they passed on to their Nord descendants.
* HumansAreWarriors: It took an army of a mere 500 of them to bring down the Falmer civilization. Their descendants would forge the first empire of Men in Tamriel, spanning all across northern Tamriel.
* HumanPopsicle: Expeditions to Atmora in the 2nd and 3rd Eras found it to be nothing more than a frozen wasteland with no signs of intelligent life. According to the Dunmeri PhysicalGod Vivec in his ''Lessons'' book series, he traveled there with [[FounderOfTheKingdom Lord Nerevar]] and "found nothing but frozen bearded kings".
* GrimUpNorth: Even before the "Frost Fall," Atmora was said to be a very cold (though still green) place to live. From the perspective of the Mer in Tamriel, this was definitely the case for Atmora, as waves of elf-hating Atmorans poured into northern Tamriel throughout the 1st Era, supplementing the manpower of the races of Men in Tamriel.
* LargeAndInCharge: Ysgramor, the most famous Atmoran, led the 500 companions and would become the first King of Skyrim. When his spirit is met [[spoiler:in Sovngarde]] in ''Skyrim'', he stands at least 8 feet tall. Other sources infer that this may have been the case for all Atmorans, with their average height being much taller than modern men.
* LastOfHisKind: In official Imperial dogma, Tiber Septim (as Talos Stormcrown) is said to have been the last person to cross from Atmora to Tamriel before Atmora became uninhabitable. Given that Tiber Septim didn't come along until thousands of years after Atmora's "Frost Fall," this ''probably'' isn't the reality of the situation. (Though if the MergerOfSouls option in the deity Talos' MultipleChoicePast is true, it's possible that Wulfharth Ash-King was the last, and he became part of the ''deity'' Talos, bringing some truth to the claim in a very {{Mind Screw}}y fashion.)
* OurGodsAreDifferent: They were known to venerate the Dragons of Atmora. They also deified many animals, including the hawk, wolf, snake, moth, owl, whale, bear, and fox. Many of their beliefs would form part of the Old Nordic pantheon, which would in turn influence the Imperial religion of the Eight/Nine Divines. Additionally, they were known to loathe Hermaeus Mora as the foul demon "the Woodland Man."
* {{Precursors}}: To the Nords, at least in part, and (according to Septim propaganda) possibly to all races of Men in Tamriel.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: After the Falmer slaughtered and burnt the (supposedly peaceful) Atmoran city of Saarthal, Ysgramor and his sons returned to Atmora to raise an army. Gathering 500 of Atmora's greatest warriors, they returned and nearly drove the Falmer to extinction.
* WarriorHeaven: Sovngarde, an idea they passed on to their Nord descendants.

!! Bretons

->''"Its various peoples are called Bretons for the sake of convenience only, as the endless multitude of city-states, principalities, baronies, duchies, and kingdoms that make up High Rock has, until recently, resisted all attempts at centralization into a single culture or government."''
-->-- '''''Pocket Guide to the Empire and its Environs, First Edition'''''

The Bretons are the human descendants of the Aldmeri-Nedic "Manmer" and the current inhabitants of High Rock. Pale-skinned and slight of build, the Bretons may be somewhat frail compared to the other humans of Tamriel, but they do benefit greatly from the elven blood flowing in their veins as they have higher natural aptitudes for magic; many Bretons retain faint signs of their elven ancestry, such as high cheekbones, lean eyebrows and even slight points to their ears (especially among their nobility). Intelligent, eccentric, passionate, flamboyant, witty and resourceful, the Bretons are inventive craftsmen, shrewd merchants, creative artists, exquisite chefs, and exceptional wizards and battlemages.

For tropes relating to the "Reachmen" (who are racially Breton but not culturally), see their entry below.
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* AdventureFriendlyWorld: High Rock in general. Rising in class by performing quests and services to curry favor with various rulers is considered the best way, which has created a cultural "quest obsession" among young Bretons.
* AntiMagic: Magic runs so much in their bloodline that they have an innate resistance to it in all forms. Combined with racial powers and certain birthsigns, this can be enhanced to outright (but temporary) ''immunity'' to magic.
* ArchEnemy: They have a long and heated rivalry with the Orcs, dating back to the very beginnings of each race. They also do not have much love for their Redguard neighbors in Hammerfell, with the [[GreatOffscreenWar War of Bettony]] having been a tipping point.
* BrainsAndBrawn: They are physically the weakest of the races of Men, but are the most skilled with magic.
* BreedingSlave: The Bretons' are the result of selecting breeding high-ranking Direnni Altmer men with their Nedic concubines.
* CloakAndDagger: Bretons tend to be extremely talented in pursuits of espionage. Breton [[DoubleAgent double agents]], [[MurderInc assassins]], and [[TheMole spies]] have turned the tide of wars throughout recorded history. It was in fact a Breton assassin who killed the Colovian Petty King Cuhlecain leading to the ascension of Cuhlecain's General as his replacement. That General's name? ''Tiber Septim''.
* CultureChopSuey: Politically, they resemble medieval England and France along with elements of Renaissance Italy (dozens of smaller city states instead of large kingdoms, minor nobles with private armies duking it out, moderately more technologically and artistically advanced than their contemporaries, some clothing and building aesthetics, etc.), with elements of various Celtic cultures present as well.[[note]]"Breton" is the real-life French word for the inhabitants of Brittany[[/note]]
* DeadlyDecadentCourt: Their political intrigue is more cutthroat than is typical elsewhere in Tamriel. This has been mitigated somewhat after the Warp in The West, but still prevalent.
* DeadpanSnarker: A cultural trait common among the Bretons. They tend to be highly skeptical to the point of being {{Jerkass}}es, but can warm up to become more of a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.
* FantasticNamingConvention: Have mostly Anglo-Franc first and last names, fitting in with their various counterpart cultures.
* GuileHero: Many great Breton heroes, both real and in stories, tend to rely on their wits and resourcefulness to succeed. Even when they fail, such as in ''How Orsinium Passed to the Orcs'', these skills allow them to fail gracefully.
* HumansAreWarriors: Downplayed compared to their counterparts in mankind, but the Bretons still make for fantastic battlemages and their culture has a strong chivalric tradition.
* InSeriesNickname: Sometimes called 'Manmer' because of their mixed ancestry.
* KnightInShiningArmor: Outside of High Rock they're more known for their magical potential, but the Bretons actually have a strong chivalric tradition and most city states have their own knightly order to that end. Due to High Rock's cutthroat politics, how noble these knights actually are can vary wildly.
* MageKiller: Bretons are ''very'' magic-resistant, bordering on immunity with their racial power. They are especially strong against the Altmer, who bias towards Destruction Magic.
* MagicKnight: Bretons are particularly adept at being Battlemages, blending their skills as mages with the strong chivalric tradition of their culture.
* MagicStaff: Staffs are favored weapons of the Bretons.
* OurGodsAreDifferent: Unlike the other races of Men who tend to have RealMenLoveJesus beliefs, the Bretons are not disposed to "excessive religion." They do recognize the Nine Divines, as well as some non-traditional gods such as Phynaster and Magnus, and do build temples dedicated to them within their lands, but religion plays a much less prominent role in their society. Additionally, they are one of the few races of Men who does not see Lorkhan (who they call Sheor) as a truly benevolent being. Rather, they see him as "the Bad Man" and the source of all strife.
* PointedEars: Some elite noble Breton families still have a slight point to their ears, hinting at their Mer ancestry.
* ProudScholarRace: Bretons generally enjoy intellectual and scholarly pursuits of all sorts. The study of magic, history, and technology (particularly that of the extinct Dwemer) are all common pursuits of the Bretons. They also make up a large portion of membership in the Mages Guild, which doubles as a guild for scholars.
* TheOrder: Most of High Rock's city states have their own knightly orders. For example, Daggerfall has the Knights of the Dragon, while Wayrest has the Knights of the Rose.
* SquishyWizard: They are the most physically frail of the races of Men and are also the most naturally gifted with magic. Notice that says "physically frail," as the Bretons have the highest resistance to magical attacks of any race - Man, Mer, or Beast.
* StealthExpert: Bretons make for some of the best Nightblades in all of Tamriel, blending their skills with magic (particularly the Illusion school) with their skills in espionage.
* SummonMagic: Bretons tend to get large bonuses to the Conjuration school of magic throughout the series, making them excellent summoners.
* SupremeChef: The best cooks in Tamriel are said to come from High Rock. If you play as a Breton in ''Skyrim'', [[spoiler:when you have to impersonate "the Gourmet"]], someone even mentions that having the Gourmet be a Breton is "too obvious". Combine this trope and the aforementioned {{Jerkass}} tendencies of Bretons and you get the ''Elder Scrolls'' equivalent of a FrenchJerk.
* UnevenHybrid: The result of an ancient Aldmeri eugenics program which mated Nedes with the Direnni Altmer of High Rock. They are occasionally referred to as the 'Manmer', a name which acknowledges their elf/human ancestry. The word "Breton" itself is derived from the Ehlnofex word "beratu," or "half." Despite this, modern Bretons are still ''far'' more Man than Mer.
* WitchSpecies: The most naturally magically inclined race of Men, and not far behind the Altmer for all races.

!! Imperials

->''"Cyrodiil, Dragon Empire, Starry Heart of Nirn, and Seat of Sundered Kings... Indeed, if the history of the Nords is the history of humans on Tamriel, then Cyrodiil is the throne from which they will decide their destiny."''
-->-- '''''Pocket Guide to the Empire and its Environs, First Edition'''''

The human inhabitants of Cyrodiil, sometimes referred to as "Cyrodiils" or "Cyrodilics." The Imperials are split into two distinct sub-groups - the Colovians and the Nibenese. The Colovians (aka "Cyro-Nords") mainly occupy western and northern Cyrodiil and are a hearty highland folk who may have more in common culturally with Nords than with the Nibenese. The Nibenese are cosmopolitan heartlanders who live mainly in central and southern Cyrodiil, including the Imperial City, around the Niben River system, and are the closest living race to the ancient Nedes. Imperials are renowned across the continent as diplomats, statesmen, and traders. While they don't have the same raw physical strength or pure prowess in combat as their Nord or Redguard relatives, they still make for highly disciplined and reliable soldiers. Indeed, their legions have forged no fewer than three empires spanning most or all of Tamriel at different points in history.
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* AltumVidetur: Their culture (initially the Colovians but later all Imperials) is heavily influenced by AncientRome. Most have Latin-sounding names and Latin sounding words (real or otherwise) permeate through their culture.
* AnimalMotifs: Dragons, dating back to St. Alessia of the first empire who was "blessed" by Akatosh, the Dragon-God of Time. Later, Tiber Septim employed a dragon by the name of Nafaalilargus to aid in the conquest of Tamriel, further driving the connection home.
* ArchEnemy: To the Races of Mer in general, who obviously do not accept subjugation to a race of Men very well. ''Especially'' the case for the Aldmeri Dominion, as they've been the main antagonist to the various Cyrodiilic Empires throughout history.
* BadassArmy: Imperials make up for their lack of individual strength by having a more regimented and collective martial prowess. Cyrodiilic armies managed to forge ''three'' empires spanning most or all of Tamriel.
* BadassNormal: They lack the cool abilities, strengths, and powers of many of the other races, but through their disciplined armies as well as their skills at diplomacy and mercantilism, they've forged three empires.
* BoringButPractical: Not great at magic, not great at stealth, not great at combat, yet these guys have managed to conquer most or all of Tamriel several times.
* BornLucky: In ''Skyrim'', the Imperial Luck trait allows them to find more gold when searching containers.
* CallThatAFormation: Averted. While individually inferior warriors compared to the Nords or Redguards, the Imperial Legions have a focus on tactics and collective martial prowess that has allowed them to take over the continent.
* CharmPerson: Their Voice of the Emperor racial power lets them calm enemies for a while.
* CivilWar: A major falling out between the Colovians and Nibenese was a major contributor to the demise of the First Empire (though it had been in decline long before that).
* CompellingVoice: They are well known for their talents in diplomacy, which is represented in-game by bonuses to Speechcraft and/or a racial ability that acts as a temporary Calm or Command spell.
* TheConqueror: They've had several leaders who fit throughout history, with the most famous being Tiber Septim.
* CoolStarship: The Mothships, which were built during the Second Empire (Reman Dynasty) in a space-race (to Aetherius) with the Altmer, and left them the Royal Imperial [[SomethingNauts Mananauts]]. [[http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1327177-tatterdemalion-the-lunar-province-of-secunda/ Yes, really.]]
* CourtMage: The office of Imperial Battlemage was created to serve as this to the Emperors of Tamriel. In addition to being a master sorcerer, the Imperial Battlemage also advises the Emperor on all matters of magic.
* CultureChopSuey: Earlier games gave them ''two'' cultures with different influences. The Colovians were primarily based on Rome (especially their martial traditions as well as military equipment and strategy), while the Nibenese had Chinese, Japanese, and Mesoamerican influence. This was all but dropped by ''Oblivion''. Since then, they've been Medieval Europe meets Rome. By ''Skyrim'', they're based on Rome, with a smattering of Italy.
* CulturalPosturing: They are prone to espousing the virtues of their various glorious empires to those they've subjugated. As they conquer new lands, they have traditionally enforced their rather liberal Imperial values, including a heavy focus on mercantilism and trade as well as significant religious tolerance, believing them to be superior to the "barbaric" cultures they are replacing and leading to plenty of CultureClash. (Given that a lot of the cultures they have replaced were rife with racism, classism, and every other negative "-ism" you can think of, they aren't entirely unjustified in this belief.)
* CurbStompBattle: They dished one out to the Aldmeri Dominion in the late 2nd Era. Led by Tiber Septim using the [[HumongousMecha Numidium]], they decimated the Dominion's military and sacked their capital city in ''less than an hour'' of fighting to create the first truly pan-Tamriellic Empire in history.
* TheCycleOfEmpires: Each of their Empires has gone through this. In general, each has started out with a legendary leader who founds the Empire, that leader passes on and his/her descendants expand the Empire further (or at least keep it in-tact) for a few centuries, then something happens to cause the decline of the Empire.
* TheEmpire: While they have created three empires spanning most or all of Tamriel at different points in history, they technically subvert (or even outright avert) the trope. Their empires are much closer to TheKingdom, or at least TheFederation, generally being a benevolent BigGood (especially the Third Empire) while protecting Tamriel from greater threats. They enforce rather liberal values in their conquered provinces, such as religious and racial tolerance, while establishing strong mercantilism and trade ties. Still, the terminology sticks. To note:
** The First (Alessian) and Second (Reman) most closely match a RisingEmpire. Though both failed to conquer all of Tamriel, they built the foundation for Cyrodiil's eventual dominance of Tamriel.
** The Third Empire, founded by the Septim Dynasty, was the first to unify all of Tamriel for the first time in history, taking the form of a HegemonicEmpire. While initially founded by the iron fists of the Imperial Legions under the leadership of [[FounderOfTheKingdom Tiber Septim]], it quickly shifted to a (mostly) benevolent force of good, espousing generally liberal values like religious and racial tolerance while establishing strong diplomatic and mercantile ties between the provinces, reducing the need to keep the empire together through force.
** The state of the Third Empire in the 4th era is that of a VestigialEmpire under the leadership of the Mede dynasty, as most of the provinces of the Third Era Empire have been lost, and those that remain are in a ''very'' fragile place.
* FacialMarkings: Before the late 3rd Era, Nibenese Cyrodiils would often tattoo themselves.
* FantasticNamingConvention: Typically have [[CanisLatinicus Latin sounding first and last names]]. As of the 4th Era, some Italian sounding names are getting mixed in, reflecting the real-life evolution of language.
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: They've done this to a number of their great historical heroes including Pelinal Whitestrake, Reman Cyrodiil, and Tiber Septim. They downplay (or completely whitewash) their (sometimes extreme) negative traits while holding them up as beacons of mankind's greatness.
* HitSoHardTheCalendarFeltIt: The foundation or collapse of a new Cyrodiilic Empire has begun or ended each of the last three "Eras" of Tamriellic History. The 1st Era ended when the last of the Reman Dynasty (Second Empire) was assassinated. The 3rd Era began when Tiber Septim completed his conquest of all of Tamriel, forging the Third Empire. When the last of Septim's line died following the Oblivion Crisis, the 3rd Era came to an end, ushering in the 4th Era.
* HumansAreAverage: They fit this trope moreso than the other races of men, being neither prodigious mages like the Bretons, or warriors on the level of the Nords and Redguards, but being fairly competent at whatever role they're given.
* HumansAreDiplomats: While the strength of their legions obviously played a large part in ''forging'' their empires, it is their ability as diplomats that has ''kept'' these empires together.
* HumansAreLeaders: Imperials have been at the epicenter of Tamrielic politics since St. Alessia, and have founded three empires (under the Alessian, Reman, and Septim dynasties) from their home of Cyrodiil.
* HumansAreWarriors: They are most famous for their skills as diplomats and leaders, but have a great "warrior" history all the same. While they lack the individual strength of the Nords and Redguards, they make up for it by having a more regimented and collective martial prowess, essentially the "soldier" to the Nord/Redguard "warrior" in the SoldierVersusWarrior debate. There is a good reason that the Imperial Legions have been so successful throughout history. It also makes their 4th Era clash with the Nords rather ironic, as they are NotSoDifferent. They (or at least their ancestors) are both, for example, responsible for the destruction of an entire race of elves (Falmer for Nords; Ayleids for Imperials).
* JackOfAllStats: Shows up in how Imperials are built in the series. The are outclassed in just about every skill category by at least 2-3 other races each, however, they also lack the ''deficiencies'' of those races as well, making them a very diverse and accessible race to play as. Their bonuses make them good diplomat-style characters who can back that up with solid cross-class combat ability. These combine to make them a strong fit for cross-class builds and are in competition with the Dunmer for the most balanced of all.
* MilitaryMage: Imperial Battlemages have been an important asset to the Imperial Legion dating back to the First Empire. They act variously in support roles (namely healing and protection spells), gathering military intelligence (using Illusion-class spells to scout enemy forces), artillery (with high powered Destruction-class spells), as summoners (using Conjuration-spells) and as just plain {{Magic Knight}}s who combine magical abilities with plate armor and melee weapons.
* NationalWeapon: [[CoolSword Imperial Swords]], modeled after the Roman Gladius. (Though in practice and appearance, they come closer in function to the Roman Spatha instead.) They are the primary weapon the Imperial Legions and have come to be identified with the Imperial race in general.
* PromotedToPlayable: In ''Morrowind''. Before that, the series lacked an "Imperial" race, with the Empire considered a "melting pot" of all races. (Technically, they were defined as a distinct race in the spinoff game ''Redguard'', but were not actually playable.)
* ProudMerchantRace: They get bonuses to Speechcraft. The Nibenese were also famous for this, with the Imperial City and eastern Cyrodiil being famous for their merchant-nobility, but this died out by the end of the Septim Empire. In general, the various Cyrodiilic Empires have long established strong mercantile and trade ties between provinces, helping to bind them together without use of force while allowing the Empires themselves to partake in the tax money the arrangement creates.
* ProudWarriorRace: Though not to the extent of the Nords, Redguards, or Orcs, the Imperials fit (though the might be closer to a "[[SoldierVersusWarrior Proud Soldier Race]]"). Their focus is on collective martial prowess, ala the legions of the Roman Empire, and it has allowed them to conquer most or all of Tamriel thrice. In particular are the Colovians, who make up the bulk of the Legions, and who highly respect martial values and discipline.
* RealMenLoveJesus: The religion of the Eight (later Nine) Divines was codified in the founding of the First Empire. Akatosh remains the most prominent deity in Imperial religion, but the other Divines are well represented as well. Talos quickly became beloved by the Empire following his apotheosis as well.
* SigilSpam: The Imperial army have a tendency to display the Red Diamond or the Imperial Dragon on most of their equipment.
* SoldierVsWarrior: They're the soldiers to the Nord and Redguard warriors, being highly disciplined and specializing in group combat, while Nords and Redguards are individually superior warriors. Imperials also focus less on the glories of the combat itself, and more on the glories ''achieved'' through combat (such as building their Empires).
* TheTower: The White-Gold Tower in the Imperial City, which serves as the palace of the Emperor, a meeting place for the Elder Council, and a repository for all known Elder Scrolls. It is also a Tower in a mythic sense, one of the [[CosmicKeystone nexuses of mythic power]] on Nirn. Originally constructed by the Ayleids using the "Chim-el-Adabal" (said to have been created from the crystallized blood of Lorkhan, collected as it traveled across Tamriel to its resting place in Morrowind) as their "Stone." Following the Alessian Revolt, Akatosh gave to Alessia and her descendants the Amulet of Kings (whose centerpiece was the Chim-el Adabal), as well as the Dragonfires of the Imperial City. So long as the Empire maintained its worship of Akatosh and his kin, and [[BarrierMaiden so long as Alessia's heirs bore the Amulet of Kings]], Akatosh and his divine kin would maintain a strong barrier protecting Mundus. This, of course, came to an end during the Oblivion Crisis when Martin Septim, last in Alessia's metaphysical line, shattered the Amulet of Kings and sacrificed himself to end the Crisis. Like Red Tower before it, White-Gold was left without its stone.

!! Men of Akavir

The Men of Akavir (also known as the Akaviri) were a race of mysterious humans who lived in Akavir. They died out millennia ago, but what happened to them is a mystery (theories that they intermingled with other men, were eaten by the Tsaesci, or may have been the ancestors of the Tsaesci).
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* KatanasAreJustBetter: Their katanas came with them when they invaded Tamriel, and are still in use by their modern descendants, the Blades.
* {{Precursors}}: If the theory that they were culturally absorbed by the Tsaesci, rather than literally devoured, is the case. Given that there is evidence of the Tsaesci having offspring with the Tamriellic races, it's quite possible they also interbred with the Men of Akavir, leaving their imprint on the modern Tsaesci.
* MetaphoricallyTrue: One theory on their ultimate fate is that saying they were "eaten by the Tsaesci" is just a colorful way of saying that they were culturally absorbed into Tsaesci (as opposed to ''[[ImAHumanitarian literally devoured]]'', which is a different theory). The former theory is backed up by some texts indicating that the Tsaesci "devoured" the red dragons, which turned out to mean that the dragons were enslaved, and a diary from an Akaviri soldier confirming that the troops who had invaded Tamriel had legs.
* {{Wutai}}: Like the Tsaesci they're Japanese-based, and the few descriptions of their physical appearance match that of East Asians.

!! Nedes

->''"Perrif's original tribe is unknown, but she grew up in Sard, anon Sardarvar Leed, where the Ayleids herded in men from across all the Niben: kothri, nede, al-gemha, men-of-'kreath (though these were later known to be imported from the North), keptu, men-of-ge (who were eventually destroyed when the Flower King Nilichi made great sacrifice to an insect god named [lost]), al-hared, men-of-ket, others; but this was Cyrod, the heart of the imperatum saliache, where men knew no freedom, even to keep family, or choice of name except in secret, and so to their alien masters all of these designations were irrelevant.''"
-->-- '''''The Adabal-a'''''

According to early propaganda of the Septim Empire, the Nedes are the human ancestors of the Bretons, Imperials, and Nords. According to Septim's scholars, they hail from Atmora, though other accounts suggest that they were among Tamriel's many indigenous human tribes (or may have been the collective name for these tribes). The Nibenese Imperials are believed to be their closest living relatives.

During the Merethic and early 1st Eras, the Nedes of Cyrodiil were enslaved by Ayleids. They would revolt and overthrow the Ayleids, establishing the First Cyrodiilic Empire of Men under the leadership of St. Alessia, the "Slave Queen."
----

* TheAlliance: While Nedes made up the primary forces during the Alessian Revolt, they received significant aid from [[TokenHeroicOrc rebel Ayleid lords]] and the Nordic Empire to their north. (Not to mention the [[HumansAreSpecial Divines themselves]].)
* CultureChopSuey: Elements of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures along with elements of the early Chinese Empire. (These elements survived in their Nibenese Imperial descendants at least until the 3rd Era.)
* TheDogBitesBack: They ended up driving the Ayleids to extinction as a unique race. That may seem harsh, but the Ayleids were so needlessly vile in their [[KickTheDog dog kicking]] that it's hard to blame them.
* HaveYouSeenMyGod: The last remaining group of Nedes in Hammerfell started to turn away from their traditional worship of the stars and Celestials due to the decline of their race.
* HornyVikings: According to Septim propaganda. It's been suggested that their relationship to the Nords has been exaggerated in order to make the Nords supportive of the empire.
* HumansAreSpecial: The Divines sided with Alessia and the Nedes in their revolt against the Daedra-worshiping Ayleids. Their support was instrumental in the success of the revolt.
* {{Precursors}}: To Bretons, Imperials, and possibly Nords. Culturally, they had some influence on the Redguards after they arrived in Tamriel. (The Redguards merged some of the Nedes' religious beliefs, customs, and parts of their language into their Yokudan traditions.)
* RacialRemnant: The last group that identified as "Nedes" survived deep into the First Era in the deserts of modern day Hammerfell. They were wiped out when the Redguards invaded and claimed the land.
* ScrewYouElves: While the Atmorans/Nords had been battling Mer (Elves) in Skyrim for centuries before, it was the victory of Alessia and the Nedes over the Ayleids that was the tipping point in the continental power struggle between Men and Mer ever since.
* SlaveRace: To the Ayleids.
* SlaveRevolt: Against the Ayleids under Alessia, with the support of the Divines and the Nordic Empire. They went on to found the first empire of men out of Cyrodiil, the Alessian.
* StarPower: Study and worship of the stars and constellations were a major part of their culture. They also worshiped beings known as "celestials." Exactly who or what they were is not known. (Theories posit that early forms of the Aedra, Magnus and the Magna Ge, or some other unknown set of divine beings are all possibilities.)
* TheTower: Captured the White-Gold Tower from the Ayleids during the Alessian Revolt.
* WrittenByTheWinners: Propaganda from the early Septim empire, written centuries after the Nedes went extinct as a unique race, played up their relationship to the Nords in order to make the Nords more supportive of Septim's empire.

!! Nords

->''"Nords consider themselves to be the children of the sky. They call Skyrim the Throat of the World, because it is where the sky''
->''exhaled on the land and formed them."''
-->-- '''''Children of the Sky'''''

The human inhabitants of Skyrim, Tamriel's frigid and untamed northernmost territory, the Nords are a tall, fair, and hardy people known for their inborn resistance to natural and magical frost as well as for being fierce warriors, unruly mercenaries, and great sailors. This only tells half the story, however, as the Nords are far more than the bloodthirsty barbarians the rest of Tamriel (especially the Elves) claim them to be. The Nords are lovers of battle, true, but they are also lovers of music and mead, fine weaponsmiths and armorers, and are a deeply spiritual and traditional people with a strong sense of honor. Modern Nords are believed to be the descendants of the ancient Atmorans interbreeding with Tamriel's native Nedes. Nords possess some of the strongest physiques of the races of Tamriel along with exceptional natural ability to utilize a variety of weapon types, making them some of the greatest pure warriors in all of Tamriel.


----

* AerithAndBob: While the Nords typically take their names from their Scandinavian [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Counterpart Culture]], this comes into play with the real world time periods the names are drawn from. You can see Nords with perfectly modern names like Jon and Harold living side by side with Nords who have more classic medieval Norse names like Ulfgar and Ragnar.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Jarls and Thanes are ''expected'' to be this, but how many actually ''are'' varies as realistically as it would in any other Tamrielic culture. Nords also have a tradition that if a their High King is challenged in combat and slain, the victorious warrior would be crowned King. This is an old tradition, however, and centuries of Imperial culture slowly filtering into Skyrim has somewhat caused it to be forgotten among the Western portion of Skyrim (where the Empire has most of its influence), to the point that actually ''invoking'' it is highly contentious by the 4th Era. (As Ulfric Stormcloak and his supporters found out when he invoked it and slew High King Torygg, kickstarting the Skyrim Civil War.)
* AnAxeToGrind: A very popular weapon among the Nords. Axes also have a great cultural significance - if you send a Nord your axe, [[WithUsOrAgainstUs how he responds]] will determine if you have business to address.
* AwesomeMcCoolName: Their first names are typically pulled from medieval Norse while they have badass sounding clan names or sobriquets, leading to this - Ulfric Stormcloak, Arkming the Flayer, Ulfgar the Unending, Else God-Hater, Falk Firebeard, Frofnir Trollsbane, Aldi Winterblade, Ulfberth War-Bear, Galmar Stone-Fist, Torbjorn Shatter-Shield, Idolaf Battle-Born, Mjoll the Lioness, Aela the Huntress, Oengul War-Anvil, Hermir Strong-Heart, Bolgeir Bearclaw... The list goes on and on and on... They are also known to subvert it with some rather lame sounding names mixed in, still in this fashion, such as [[WhoNamesTheirKidDude Vekel the Man]], Nils the Bland, Horstar Home-Wrecker, Geilir the Mumbling...
* BraidsOfBarbarism: Braids are popular in Nord culture, among both men (including their beards) and women. Nords are also considered to have one of Tamriel's most "barbaric" cultures, at least to outsiders. Nords will even use braid styles in their [[SigilSpam Hold symbols]], such as in the horse's mane in the Whiterun symbol and in the crown of the Winterhold symbol.
* BrainsAndBrawn: The brawniest race of Men in Tamriel, in contrast to the Imperial [[HumansAreDiplomats diplomatic "brains"]] and the Breton [[WitchSpecies magical "brains"]].
* BadassArmy: Just about any army of Nords qualifies, but a few deserve special mention:
** Ysgramor and his 500 Companions. They managed to destroy the entire Falmer civilization in Skyrim and nearly drove them to extinction as a race. (They were technically still Atmorans, but are held up as great heroes of Nord history nonetheless.)
** The ancient Nord armies led by masters of the Thu'um. They first managed to defeat and nearly wipe out the ''dragons'', then they carved out an empire spanning from High Rock and Hammerfell in the west, across Skyrim and northern Cyrodiil, to Morrowind in the east. It took a coalition of Dwemer and Chimer forces to finally bring them to a halt.
** During the Skyrim Civil War, the Stormcloaks are a faction comprised mostly of Nord warriors fighting for Skyrim's independence. They can go toe-to-toe with the Imperial [=IVth=] Legion, one of the branches of the Imperial Military that's in the best shape since the Great War, and while they're not as regimented or as well-trained as the Legion, they make up for it by being individually superior fighters. Their initiation rite to join is to swim to an iceberg in the middle of freezing ocean and kill an ''undead ice wraith''.
* BadassBeard: Nords are serious about their beards, and make for one of the most badass warrior races on Tamriel. Some of their greatest ancient heroes are always depicted with beards, including Talos, Ysgramor, and old Shor himself.
* BadassNormal: The least magically inclined people on Tamriel, and yet these guys are basically the reason why Mankind even exists on Tamriel. They established the first empire of Men in Tamriel, which was only torn apart due to a succession crisis.
* BarbarianHero: A common depiction of Nords by their allies, and something the Nords will play up for the purposes of honor and intimidation. This was also the case for the ancient Atmorans, who seem to have passed it on to the modern Nords.
* BarbarianTribe: Along with TheHorde, this is a common depiction of them by Elves (who have been in conflict with them for generations) as well as the Imperials by the 4th Era. The Nords themselves don't seem particularly [[InsultBackfire offended by this image]].
* BattleCry:
** Their Battle Cry racial ability causes enemies to temporarily flee battle.
** Nords were the first (mortal) race in Tamriel to master the Thu'um, the [[LanguageOfMagic language of the Dragons]], which takes this trope to its logical conclusion by having the battle cry be capable of [[MakeMeWannaShout directly inflicting harm]] to opponents.
* BerserkButton: It's not a good idea to call a Nord a "milk-drinker," or really ''anything'' that questions a Nord's honor.
* TheBigGuy: Nord soldiers have filled this role in the Imperial Legion for centuries, along with (more recently) the Orcs.
* BoisterousBruiser: Nords love to battle, are exceptionally good at it, and then love to brag about their accomplishments in said battle. They are also big fans for feasting, drinking, and celebrating.
* BloodKnight: Nords excel in all forms of combat and are some of the finest warriors in Tamriel. Testing their abilities against the most powerful opponents they can find brings with it great honor.
* CatchPhrase: The Nords have quite a few cultural ones, including "By Shor's bones..." and "By Ysmir's beard..."
* CivilWar: Skyrim is experiencing a brutal one in the 4th Era between the Imperial Loyalists and the secessionist Stormcloaks. There is a ton of GrayAndGreyMorality present, with both sides having negative aspects and neither side being painted as wholly "right." (The Skyrim Civil War is, of course, [[BiggerBad fully supported]] by the [[AntiHumanAlliance Aldmeri Dominion]], who would love to see each side bleed the other dry.)
* CourtMage: Despite their cultural inherent dislike of magic, most Jarls still keep a Court Wizard on hand to advise in matters of magic.
* CultureChopSuey: While modern Nord culture is [[FantasyCounterpartCulture firmly rooted in Norse with Celtic and Germanic undertones]], their ancient culture is quite the blend. They believe (or at least used to, before adopting the Imperial religion) in cyclic time (called kalpas), which is loosely inspired by Hinduism. Their names and aesthetic comes from the Medieval Norse. But they used to mummify their dead much like ancient Egypt, and their religion is heavily influenced by both Norse pagan and Egyptian traditions, though this has fallen out of practice by the 3rd and 4th Eras.
* DoesNotLikeMagic: Modern Nords, as a rule of thumb, have an inherent distrust of magic and those who practice it, though they will make an exception for practitioners of Restoration (since more healers is always good), Enchanting (using magic to make weapons and armor more useful), and the [[MakeMeWannaShout Thu'um]] ([[LanguageOfMagic The Magic of the Voice]], of which early Nords were the first human practitioners). Averted in Ancient Nordic culture; magic was known as the "Clever Craft" and held in high regard, and several prominent Nordic heroes of legend were {{Magic Knight}}s. Countless wars against the various magic-using races of Mer (Elves) soured the Nords to magic over time, and more recent events, such as the collapse of much of the city of Winterhold being blamed on the local [[WizardingSchool College of Winterhold]], have only made things worse. Despite this, most of the Jarls of Skyrim still retain the services of [[CourtMage Court Wizards]] who advise them in matters of magic, though they are still rather disrespected.
* EmpoweredBadassNormal: The Ancient Nords were the first (mortal) race in Tamriel to master the Thu'um, which they used to drive the Dragons into near-extinction and carve out an empire for themselves during the late Merethic/early 1st Era.
* FacialMarkings: Nord warriors are known to adorn themselves with warpaint.
* FantasticNamingConvention: The typically have a Norse or Germanic sounding first name followed by a clan name, or sometimes a first name and a nickname. You can tell the difference by the presence or absence of the "the" article; if there is one, it's a nickname. For example "Sild the Warlock" is a nickname. If there's no "the", it's a clan name, for example "Lars Battle-Born".
* FantasticRacism: Though at least generally ''tolerant'' to outsiders within Skyrim, Nords don't go out of their way to make outsiders feel welcome. Nords are historically stubborn to accept other races at best and nationalist bigots at worst. This is ''especially'' true toward any Elves ever since the war between Ysgramor and the Falmer. The Great War and the conflict between the Empire and Aldmeri Dominion has only exacerbated these feelings, with the Nords making little distinction between the actual enemy [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Thalmor]] and Elves caught in the middle, such as the Bosmer, Dunmer, and non-Thalmor Altmer.
* FrontlineGeneral: This is the ''expectation'' for Nord leaders. Usually justified, given the typically [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority badass nature of Nord leaders]]. Many great Nord leaders, including Ysgramor, Wulfharth, and Talos, gained great renown as both warriors and generals.
* HadToBeSharp: This is part of the reason why Nords are so hardy. Skyrim is [[EverythingIsTryingToKillYou filled to the brim]] with dangerous predators such as wolves, bears, sabretooth cats, and frostbite spiders. Giants wander the wilderness occasionally attacking settlements looking for goodies, werewolves lurk in the night-time forests, and the honored dead are restless. As if that wasn't enough already, the climate is freezing cold and unpredictable, especially in the northern holds of Winterhold and The Pale. Even to ''claim'' Skyrim during the Merethic Era, the Ancient proto-Nords/Atmorans who settled there had to contend with Falmer (Snow Elves) and ''Dragons''; the former native to the land and the latter who maintained their base of power and cults there.
* HonorBeforeReason: While the Nords place a high value on honor in their culture, it can also lead to these issues. For instance, one of the core causes of the 4th Era Skyrim Civil war is that the secessionist Stormcloaks believe that the Empire sacrificed their honor and dignity by accepting the terms of the White-Gold Concordant with the Aldmeri Dominion, particularly the provision outlawing Talos worship. (Talos is one of the most popular deities in modern Nord religion.) On the other hand, Imperial loyalists among the Nords accept that the Empire (which was ''founded'' by Talos) has fallen on hard times, but believe that ''real'' honor means never abandoning an ally just because the going's gotten tough. Additionally, the Empire hasn't really bothered to even ''enforce'' those bans. Further, the Stormcloaks are painted as short-sighted in starting the Civil War, as both sides recognize that a second Great War with the Dominion is inevitable. Loyalists believe that a united Skyrim backing the Empire gives them the best chance of victory, while the Stormcloaks feel that a united Skyrim on its own has the best chance without being bogged down by the declining Empire.
* HornyVikings: As a brawny ProudWarriorRace of skilled sea-farers and craftsmen who love to battle, feast, and drink mead, the Nords are very much the Viking [[{{expy}} expies]] of Tamriel. However, they subvert and deconstruct this trope as often as they play it straight. To note:
** To the other races of Tamriel, especially the races of Mer (Elves) who have warred with the Nords since time immemorial, the Nords play the trope entirely straight. They are viewed as uncultured, often drunken, brute-strength warriors who [[DoesNotLikeMagic Do Not Like Magic]] and gleefully RapePillageAndBurn whenever they get the chance. It is not unheard of for the Nords to play up this image when dealing with other races for the sake of intimidation. Additionally, the Nords themselves have BloodKnight tendencies, will put HonorBeforeReason to a fault, and seek to enter [[WarriorHeaven Sovngarde]] (a Valhalla expy) when they die. Aesthetically, the Nords also play this trope straight, complete with the famous Viking horned helmets present in various fashions.
** Despite this, the Nords also Downplay, Subvert, and Deconstruct the trope with elements of their culture. ''Skyrim'' in particular, with it being set in the Nordic homeland, is quite dedicated to showing that the Nords do not play this trope straight. It shows them to be a thoroughly civilized and proud race with [[RealMenLoveJesus great reverence for their gods]] (and is in fact the main catalyst for the Skyrim Civil War), who have a strong [[WarriorPoet bardic element]] with feasting, family, and tradition just as important to their culture as fighting. Those Nords who do play the trope straight are shown to be criminal elements on the fringes of their society and are actively loathed by their kinsmen for giving Nords a bad name to outsiders.
* HumansAreWarriors: A lesson they've lectured the races of Mer (Elves) on time and time again. Their proficiency as warriors is a large part of why Mankind has come to dominate Tamriel, with their ancestors first establishing a foothold on the continent by wiping out the Falmer, then by being major contributors to the various Empires of Men throughout history. Unlike many examples of the trope, the Nords actually are the physical superiors of their non-human adversaries and the more skilled individual fighters.
* InSeriesNickname: In ''Oblivion'', other races [[FantasticRacism derogatorily refer]] to Nords as "Snow-men". "Sons of Skyrim" and "Sons of the Snow" are also used.
* LightningBruiser: Nords are the ''physical'' Lightning Bruiser race of Tamriel. Throughout the series, they get some of the best skill bonuses for two-handed weaponry (including [[{{BFS}} Claymores]], [[AnAxeToGrind Battle Axes]], and [[DropTheHammer Warhammers]]), which allows them to hit very hard. They also get skill bonuses toward Light Armor (fur, leather, light chainmail, etc.) which offers them protection while allowing them to move quickly around the battlefield. Finally, their natural physical endurance is among the best of any of the races. The only thing keeping them from being overpowered (and preserving a semblance of balance among the playable races) is that they are least ''magically'' inclined race in Tamriel and even have a [[DoesNotLikeMagic cultural aversion]] to it.
* MakeMeWannaShout: In the ancient past, the Dragons and their Dragon Cults took over much of Skyrim. Seeking a way to defeat the Dragons and their Cults, the ancient Nords prayed to the Divines for aid. Their prayers were answered and they were taught how to use the LanguageOfMagic of the Dragons, which they called the Thu'um (or the "Voice"). Led by the Tongues, masters of the Thu'um, the ancient Nord armies vanquished the Dragons and their Cults, then forged an Empire that covered nearly all of north Tamriel. A succession crisis would eventually tear it apart, and then the use of the Thu'um as a weapon of war dropped dramatically after their defeat at the Battle of Red Mountain, following which one of those Tongues (Jurgen Windcaller) [[HeelFaithTurn founded the "Way of the Voice" to use the Thu'um only honor the gods]]. As of the 4th Era, only the Greybeards of High Hrothgar still practice the Thu'um, following Windcaller's "Way of the Voice."
* NorseByNorsewest: Their modern culture and physical appearance (tall, muscular, fair-haired, pale-skinned) are firmly fantasy northern European. (Their ancient culture, as mentioned in CultureChopSuey, contains elements of other cultures as well.)
* NotSoDifferent: The Nords and the Altmer have some shocking similarities despite their rivalries, especially by the time of ''Skyrim''. Both races follow the mainstream Nine Divines but there is a huge minority of their original religion present as well, both of them have a very haughty attitude towards any professions they frown upon (magic in the Nord's case) as well as any other races (Mer for the Nords although ''Skyrim'' has shown that they are starting to look down upon their fellow Men as well) to the point of showing overt racism, and finally, both believe that they are the rightful heirs to Tamriel.
* OddFriendship: Oddly enough with the [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orsimer]], who the Nords get along with surprisingly well for a race of Mer. While the Nords typically despise all races of Mer (Elves), they've bonded somewhat with the Orcs over their mutual respect for strong leaders, affinity for smithing, and love of fighting. Following the sack of Orsinium, the (short-lived) Orc home province between High Rock and Hammerfell, Orcs have set up numerous strongholds dotting Skyrim where they are allowed to live in relative peace by the Nords.
* PetTheDog: Despite their tempestuous relationship with Elves, when the Dunmer were driven from Morrowind after the destruction of Red Mountain, the High King of Skyrim formally offered them the island of Solstheim to resettle on. Subverted, however, as a [[Literature/TheElderScrolls rather cynical old Dunmer]] once noted, Solstheim was always a barren rock that no one has ever particularly cared about outside its ebony and stalhrim deposits, and was theoretically already claimed by Morrowind even if no one there wanted it. Refugees were already pouring in after the Red Year; the Nords would have had a hard fight against desperate people on their hands if they wanted to keep the island. To quote from the declaration:
-->''"Untithed to any thane or hold, and self-governed, with free worship, with no compensation to Skyrim or the Empire except as writ in the armistice of old wheresoever those might still apply, and henceforth let no man or mer say that the Sons and Daughters of Kyne are without mercy or honor."''
* TheParagon: [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Talos]], [[FounderOfTheKingdom Ysgramor]], and [[PhysicalGod the Dragonborn]] are often held up as the ultimate examples of what a Nord should aspire to be.
* ProudWarriorRace: They're the fiercest warriors in Tamriel and exemplify the very idea that HumansAreWarriors. It took an army of a mere 500 of their ancestors to bring down the Falmer (Snow Elf) civilization and conquer Skyrim. Being a great warrior is even at the heart of their religion, where only those who die a glorious death in combat get into their ideal WarriorHeaven afterlife, Sovngarde (modeled after the real life Valhalla). While most Nords follow the main religion of most of Tamriel (the Nine Divines), many hold Talos, the ascended god form of Emperor Tiber Septim and God of War, as the chief deity of the pantheon.
* RealMenLoveJesus: The Nords have a good case to make that they are the most badass race out of Nirn's WorldOfBadass, but they are also highly religious. While they have a long history as some of the greatest supporters of the Empire, they still practice elements of their old religion in which the chief deity is Shor ([[IHaveManyNames aka Lorkhan, Shezarr, Shep, etc.]]), the [[GodIsDead "dead" creator god]] of the ES universe. Any Nord worth their salt hopes to die in glorious battle so their soul can spend eternity in Shor's hall in [[WarriorHeaven Sovngarde]]. Following his apotheosis, the Ninth Divine and WarGod, Talos, shot to the top of the Nordic pantheon. The Nords deeply venerate Talos as a national hero, one of the legendary Dragonborn and for founding the Empire that conquered Tamriel. Out of all the races of Tamriel, they were the most upset when the White-Gold Concordat between the Aldmeri Dominion and the Empire outlawed the worship of Talos as a god, becoming one of the major causes of the 4th Era Skyrim Civil War.
* RebelliousRebel: During the Skyrim Civil War. While there are Nords in Skyrim who genuinely support the Empire, many other Imperial-aligned Nords suggest that this is done out of a sense of tradition, a belief that independence would be disastrous for their homeland, and outright distrust for the nationalistic and HumanityIsSuperior attitude held by Jarl Ulfric and his Stormcloak army.
* ShockingDefeatLegacy: For all of their many victories, it was a Nord ''defeat'' that had perhaps the most profound impact on Tamriellic history. After centuries of domination and expansion out of Skyrim, their army, led by the Tongues (masters of the Thu'um), was annihilated at Red Mountain in Morrowind by a coalition of Dwemer and Chimer forces. This marked the farthest expanse of the Nordic Empire and led to a drop-off in the use of the Thu'um as a weapon after Jurgen Windcaller, one of the defeated Tongues, [[HeelFaithTurn created the Way of the Voice to use the Thu'um only to honor the gods]]. The after effects of the loss at Red Mountain could still be felt in the storylines to both ''Morrowind'' and ''Skyrim.''
* SoldierVsWarrior: They and the Redguards are generally the "warrior" to the "soldier" of the Imperials, being superior individual combatants compared to the regimented nature of Imperial Legions, along with possessing a strong warrior ethos. Imperialized Nords lean more towards the Soldier side, however.
* TheTower: "Snow Throat" (aka the Throat of the World) is the Tower of Skyrim, and is also the tallest mountain in all of Tamriel. It's stone is said to be "a cave," but beyond that, little is known. It originally attracted the Falmer (Snow Elves) to Skyrim but it would fall into the hands of the Nords after their ancestors (the Atmorans) nearly drove the Falmer to extinction. Despite already being the tallest mountain on Tamriel, Snow Throat's apex is said to only be "half there." Atop the mountain sits High Hrothgar, the monastery home of the Greybeards, who study the Thu'um, the Language of Magic of the dragons. It is also home to the "Time Wound," created when ancient Nord heroes used the power of an Elder Scroll to banish Alduin in an age long past. According to the Old Nordic mythology, it was here that "the sky exhaled" and created the Nords.
* WarriorHeaven: Sovngarde, the realm of Aetherius where the Nords after death, is open to any warrior who dies in battle and then proves strong enough to best the warrior god-guardian Tsun, thus being allowed to enter the Hall of Heroes, where they can spend eternity drinking, eating, and fighting with other warriors. Those who cannot best Tsun are condemned to walk the misty hills beyond until they are strong enough to prove worthy of entry.
* WarriorPoet: They have a great respect for their Skalds and have a strong bardic element present in their culture.
* WeAreAsMayflies: The reason that Arkay ("Orkey" or "Old Knocker" in the old Nordic pantheon) is despised by the Nords. The Nords hate that he gave them shorter lives compared to the LongLived elves.

!! Reachmen

->''"Thus was stolen by the foreign invaders: his land, his people, his very name. In the years that followed, Red Eagle became known as the untamed spirit of the Reach, unbowed, unbroken, stained by the blood of his foes. He gathered loyal Reachmen to himself, those who clung to the old ways, who yearned for freedom, and forged a new nation. Together, they fell upon the occupiers and the traitors by night, disappearing into the cliffs and caves each morn, evading capture."''
-->-- '''''The Legend of Red Eagle'''''

Also known as "Witchmen," Reachmen inhabit the area along the border of High Rock and Skyrim known as "The Reach." Though primarily Breton in in terms of race, they do not consider themselves culturally Breton. They are a primitive and tribal people, led by shamans, who practice elements of nature and Daedra worship, primarily Hircine. They also revere Hagravens as "matrons." From the time of the Alessian Empire to the 4th Era, they've maintained an insurgency, warring against any outside conquerors attempting to claim the Reach for themselves. Their greatest success came during the 2nd Era Interregnum, when the Reachmen were actually able to capture the Ruby Throne of Cyrodiil. These rulers became known as the "Longhouse Emperors" and ruled the remnants of the Second Cyrodiilic Empire for several decades until they were overthrown. In the 4th Era, following the decline of the Third Empire, the Reachmen successfully captured the Nord city of Markarth in the Reach and held it for two years until a Nord militia forced them out. The survivors of this group fled into the wilds of the Reach and have become known as the "Forsworn," continuing to wage their war.
----

* AntiMagic: Though they do not consider themselves culturally Breton, they still benefit from the anti-magic properties of their (mostly) Breton blood.
* BarbarianTribe: A group primitive in dress and technology who practices the closest thing to a "pagan" religion in Tamriel and is violently hostile to outsiders.
* DarkAgeEurope: Their greatest successes and largest impacts on Tamriellic history came during Tamriel's equivalent of the Dark Ages, the roughly 500-year 2nd Era Interregnum between the fall of the Akaviri Potentates and the rise of Tiber Septim:
** Under the leadership of Durcorach the Black Drake, Reachmen forces were able to capture the Ruby Throne of Cyrodiil. Durcorach's dynasty ruled [[VestigialEmpire the remnants]] of the Second Cyrodiilic Empire for several decades until they were overthrown. Regarded as "eccentric" and "alien" while leading raids on neighboring provinces, these rulers are obviously not fondly remembered in Tamriellic history.
** The [[TheAlliance Daggerfall Covenant]] was initially [[EnemyMine formed by the long-time rival]] Bretons, Redguards, and Orcs in response to the growing threat of the Reachmen during this time.
* DeadlyUpgrade: Their warriors may choose to become "Briarhearts." A Hagraven will remove the warrior's heart and replace it with a Briar Heart, a magical organic object which looks something like a pine cone. The Briarhearts receive a massive power upgrade at the cost of free will and thought. They also pick up the WeaksauceWeakness that if the Briar Heart is stolen (say, by a skilled pickpocket) or damaged (say, by a skilled archer), they will fall dead instantly.
* {{Druid}}: Their "hedge magic" is in this vein, such possessing herbology-like Alchemical skills to create potions and poisons, communing with [[HarpingOnAboutHarpies Hagravens]] to upgrade their warriors with organic-magical implements, and primarily worshiping Hircine, the Daedric Prince of the Hunt.
* FacialMarkings: Common among their people. In ''Skyrim'', they even sport some unique ones which cannot be used by the PlayerCharacter (without mods).
* FantasticRacism: An extreme case toward ''any'' non-Reachman attempting to settle in the Reach.
* FantasyCounterpartCulture: The Celts of the classical through medieval eras, with the Imperials, Bretons, and Nords in the roles of the Romans, Anglo-Normans, and Vikings toward them, respectively.
* FantasticNamingConvention: Typically have a single Celtic sounding name, in line with their counterpart culture.
* FurBikini: Both men and women wear relatively little clothing, and what they do wear is primarily fur or hide, crossing over with PeltsOfTheBarbarian.
* TheMole: They have agents living among the population of major cities within or near the Reach who act as spies and assassins.
* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch: Some Reachmen, such as Ainethach (the owner of the mines of Karthwasten) and Bothela (the owner of the Hag's Cure alchemy shop), lament that so many of their friends and relatives are dying over what they deem a "lost cause." Non-Forsworn Reachmen are constantly accused by the Forsworn and the Nords of supporting the opposing side, leaving them stuck in the middle.
* OccupiersOutOfOurCountry: No matter what foreign occupier attempts to claim the reach and no matter how powerful they are, the Reachmen will resist.
* RebelLeader: Red Eagle was the first to unify the people of the Reach during the era of the Alessian Empire. He was also the first to ally the Reachmen with the Hagravens, as well as the first to become a Briarheart. Durcorach the Black Drake was arguably the most successful leader of the Reachmen, even capturing the Ruby Throne of Cyrodiil for a time during the 2nd Era Interregnum. Madanach, the "King in Rags," is the leader of the 4th era "Forsworn" group of Reachmen.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: They have no reservations about using open warfare and public murder of civilians to get what they want. They've been known to sack caravans, leaving no survivors but also taking no loot, in order to send a message.
* RockBeatsLaser: They eschew metal in their weapons and armor, favoring wood, stone, [[FurBikini fur]], [[PeltsOfTheBarbarian hide]], feathers, [[SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset bone, and antler]]. Despite this, they are able fight evenly against better equipped adversaries through use of guerilla tactics and their druidic "hedge magic."
* SparkOfTheRebellion: During the 3rd Era Septim Empire and into the early 4th Era, they begrudgingly accepted Nord rule rather than risk the wrath of the Empire. When the [[VestigialEmpire crumbling Empire]] was preoccupied with the Great War, the Reachmen rose up and captured the city of Markarth. Though the Nords would drive them out, they reformed as the Forsworn and hold strong in the countryside of the Reach with their numbers swelling.
* YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters: They see themselves as fighting for the freedom of their ancestral homeland. Those they fight against see them as savages.

!! Redguards (a.k.a. Ra'Gada or Ra Gada)

->''"The Yokudans left their continent following a cataclysm, arriving in Tamriel in an invading fleet called the Ra Gada. The disorganized Orcs fell to them quickly, as did all the infestations of monster and beast further inland. The Redguards, as the Ra Gada came to be called, made no concession to the Breton settlements along the coasts, slashing through the southern Iliac Bay, winning the entire area that is now the Province of Hammerfell in only a few major battles. "''
-->-- '''''The Pocket Guide to the Empire - 3rd Edition'''''

The human inhabitants of Hammerfell, Tamriel's western desert territory. The Redguards are a dark-skinned and wiry-haired race with gaunt frames and lean muscle tone. Unlike the other races of Men who descend from the Nedes and/or Atmorans, the Redguards come from the continent of Yokuda, to the west of Tamriel. Redguards are famed across Tamriel as athletic warriors with a particular cultural affinity for swordplay, as well as for being excellent seafarers. The Redguards make for one of the most formidable fighting forces in Tamriel, though their fierce, independent spirits make them more suitable as free-ranging adventurers and mercenaries than as rank-and-file soldiers.
----

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation : In-universe with Sep, the Yokudan version of Lorkhan. Unlike the other races of Men who typically view Lorkhan (aka Shezarr or Shor) as a great champion god of mankind, the Redguards view him as a "crazy merchant god" who convinced the other gods to create the mortal world to make it easier for more spirits to survive Satakal's inevitable onslaught. Except it didn't make it easier; rather, the mortal plane acts as a trap which makes [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence apotheosis]] even harder. In this way, the Redguard view of creation has more in common with the Aldmeri tradition than that of other Men, who view the mortal plane as a blessing.
* ArchEnemy:
** Historically, to their Yokudan ancestors, it was the Sinistral Mer (Left-Handed Elves) of Yokuda. The two races fought a devastating war which left the Sinistral Mer extinct, and even to this day, the Redguards refuse to speak about them.
** The modern Redguards have a long rivalry with their neighboring races in High Rock, including both the Bretons and Orcs. Though they have formed an EnemyMine with each in the past when circumstances required it, they've spent far more time battling against them.
* {{Atlantis}}: Yokuda. It once had one of the most advanced societies of its time, but the entire continent sank beneath the sea for mysterious reasons. Although, in this case, there are hints that some islands from the old continent still remain. For example, most of [[https://www.imperial-library.info/content/lord-vivecs-sword-meeting-cyrus-restless Lord Vivec's Sword-Meeting With Cyrus the Restless]] takes place on the remains of Yokuda.
* BadassArmy: Like the Nords, being one of the most badass warrior races in Tamriel means that just about any army of Redguards qualifies, but a few deserve special mention:
** The "Warrior Wave" of Yokudans (Ra'Gada) who cleared Hammerfell for the resettlement of their people after Yokuda sank beneath the sea. After only a few brutal months, Hammerfell was cleansed of any Men, Mer, or beast to make it safe for settlement. This even included Orcs and giant goblins.
** As part of the White-Gold Concordat to end the Great War between the [[VestigialEmpire Vestigial Third Empire]] and the [[AntiHumanAlliance Aldmeri Dominion]], the Empire ceded vast tracks of land in Hammerfell to the Dominion. The Redguards refused to abandon the land and declared independence from the Empire. Despite standing completely on their own, the Redguards of Hammerfell successfully repulsed the Dominion. (Their success is used by supporters of the Stormcloak rebellion in Skyrim as proof that Skyrim is better off without the Empire, since if the Redguards could defeat the Dominion on their own, the Nords could as well.)
* BanOnMagic: While the Redguards have a cultural dislike of magic in general, it generally stops short of an outright ban. One exception is for necromancy, as Redguard religion forbids their warriors from raising arms against the honored dead. They do have a specialized order known as Ash'abah dedicated to fighting the undead, but they are shunned despite the necessity of their role and mostly wander the Alik'r desert as exiles until needed.
* BeastOfTheApocalypse: Satakal, the Yokudan "God of Everything." Suffering from a great hunger, Satakal consumes the world in order to create another, leaving behind "worldskins" as he does. Ruptga, the "Tall Papa" and [[TopGod chief deity]] of the Yokudan pantheon, was the first spirit to survive this process and helped to teach others how to survive as well. Those who do typically become additional deities in the Yokudan pantheon. "Weaker" spirits, like those of the mortals within Mundus, hope to make it to the "Far Shores," a safe haven from Satakal.
* BornUnderTheSail: While Redguards are primarily known for being warriors, they are secondarily famous for being masters of sail, to the point that Hammerfell itself is referred to as "the Land of Sword and Sail".
* BothSidesHaveAPoint: Redguard society has traditionally been divided into two sociopolitical groups: The Crowns, descended from Redguard nobility, hold Yokudan tradition in high regard and dislike foreigners, while the Forebears, descended from the warriors who conquered Hammerfell, are more comfortable with incorporating aspects of other Tamriellic cultures (especially Breton and Imperial cultures) into their way of life. A third political movement, the Lhotunics, emerged after the [[TimeCrash Warp in the West]], who espouse both the cosmopolitan values of the Forebears and the sense of tradition and respect for the past of the Crowns, but [[NeutralityBacklash are generally held in contempt by both sides]]...
* CivilWar:
** Immediately before migrating from Yokuda to Tamriel, Yokuda was, according to legend, badly damaged in a devastating civil war between the forces of Yokudan Emperor Hira and a "greatly outnumbered" force of Ansei, led by the legendary Sword Saint Frandar Hunding. The Ansei were victorious, but were considered "red with blood" by the citizens and chose to self-exile to Tamriel. Later events would see Yokuda itself sunk beneath the sea, forcing the remaining surviving Yokudans to migrate to Tamriel as well.
** In the late 2nd Era, Hammerfell erupted in a civil war fought between two Redguard factions: the Crowns, descended from Yokudan nobility, and the Forebears, descended from the "Warrior Wave" of Ra'Gada (including the Ansei) who secured Hammerfell for the migrating Yokudan people. The civil war left both sides weak and allowed Tiber Septim to easily capture Hammerfell for his new Empire.
* {{Conscription}}: An usual case, as the Redguards traditionally do not have a standing army. Instead, ''every'' adult Redguard is expected to have a grasp of basic weaponry and combat to act in defense of their homeland if needed. Those who show exceptional skill are then accepted into Hammerfell's various knightly orders, which act as Hammerfell's first line of defense.
* CoolHorse: The Yokudan Charger is the favored breed of horse to the Redguards. It came over with them during the migration from Yokuda, is well adapated to Hammerfell's desert climate, and is said to make for one of the best war steeds in Tamriel.
* CoolSword:
** Swords have a significant value in Redguard culture, and as such, they have many "cool" swords to choose from. Come the 4th Era, they are most famous for their curved scimitars.
-->'''[[WelcomeToCorneria Every guard in Skyrim]]''': ''Did you see those warriors from Hammerfell? They've got curved swords. [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Curved. Swords.]]''
** The [[SpontaneousWeaponCreation Shehai "Spirit Swords"]] of their ancient Ansei "Sword Saint" warriors were epic weapons. The Shehai were described as typically pale, misty, insubstantial, and as if they were "made of light." Described as an "unstoppable weapon of great might" that could cut down foes like "a scythe through wheat", disarming such an Ansei could only be done by severing their head or taking their mind. (However, there was some evidence to suggest the Shehai of an Ansei could be shattered, leaving behind only its essence.)
* CultureChopSuey: They primarily draw from [[ArabianNightsDays the Middle East]], particularly the Moors, with their naming conventions somewhat reminiscent of Arabic. However, the value they place on skill in battle and their tradition of a noble caste of warriors idraws from the samurai of feudal Japan.
* TheDarkArts: Virtually all schools of magic are considered this in Redguard society, with the exception of Destruction magic because dealing more damage is always good and because it is considered to have fewer of the nasty effects of the other schools. Conjuration magic, which includes raising the dead and summoning "demons" from Oblivion, is especially frowned upon. Mysticism and Alteration/Illusion are also disliked due to their associations with [[YourSoulIsMine soul stealing]] and altering reality (literally or perceptions of it), respectively.
* DoesNotLikeMagic: Similar to the Nords, Redguard culture holds that magic is for the weak and the wicked, while their children are taught cautionary stories of mages who steal souls and tamper with minds. Necromancy is especially frowned upon, as the Redguards' religion leaves their warriors forbidden to raise arms against the honored dead. (There is a specialized order dedicated to fighting the undead, the Ash'abah, but they are shunned despite the necessity of their role and mostly wander the Alik'r desert as exiles.) Any warrior who uses magic is considered not a ''true'' warrior in Redguard culture. The one exception is for Destruction magic, which isn't believed to have the nastier effects of other schools of magic and because dealing more damage is always appreciated in Redguard culture.
* DoomedHometown: Their original homeland, the continent of Yokuda, was mostly "sunk beneath the sea" in the 1st Era. There are many stories as to why it happened, ranging from the natural (earthquake, tsunami) to the fantastic (a rogue group of Ansei using their DangerousForbiddenTechnique) with the truth likely lost to history.
* FantasticNamingConvention: Typically draw from a mix of Arabic and Persian sounding names. Through ''Oblivion'', they also had the occasional GhettoName mixed in, like Trayvond, or names that have become very popular in the African-American community (Roderick, Alonzo, Rasheda, etc.) though this has been dropped by ''Skyrim'' in favor of purely Middle Eastern/North African sounding names. In all cases, they have [[OnlyOneName Only One Given Name]], with a region of birth and titles sometimes (rarely) added. (For example, take Frandar do Hunding Hel Ansei No Shira. Frandar is the only "given" part of his name: "Hunding" is the name of the region of his birth; "No Shira" means person of noble birth and "Hel Ansei" is his title of [[TheOrder Sword Sainthood]] in the language of [[{{Precursors}} Yokuda]].)
* FantasticNuke: Using the Pankratosword, the very best of their warriors could "cut the atomos." They claim this is how Yokuda sank, and it is dangerous enough that even [[PhysicalGod Vivec]] backed down when Cyrus threatened to use it[[note]]This was a bluff, and Cyrus did not know how to do it.[[/note]]. [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique This technique is now forbidden]], and quite possibly lost to history as a result.
* FantasticRacism: The Crowns, a conservative sociopolitical group of Redguards descended from ancient Yokudan nobility, hold Yokudan tradition in high regard and hate all foreigners. The resist, often violently, any outside cultural influences on Redguard culture.
* FragileSpeedster: Of the races of Men, they typically have the greatest natural athleticism and a preference for lighter armors which allow them to keep this advantage (and are simply more practical in their desert homeland). They are, however, typically more "fragile" physically than Imperials or Nords and are certainly more "fragile" magically than the Bretons. Those who excel exceptionally in swordsmanship can add the punch of a GlassCannon as well, essentially making them 2/3 of a physical LightningBruiser.
* FrontlineGeneral: Like the other {{Proud Warrior Race}}s of Tamriel, this is typically the case for Redguard leaders, including the legendary Ansei Frandar Hunding and the 1st Era leader of the Order of Diagna, Gaiden Shinji.
* GhostMemory: Ancient Yokudan memory-stones enabled those who used them to [[InstantExpert master complex sword techniques overnight]], although the user needed to have some knowledge already to understand what was being taught and many of the maneuvers required extensive physical training to actually ''use'' them in battle.
* GodInHumanForm: The Hoon Ding, the Yokudan "Make Way God," is said to manifest as a great leader whenever the Redguards need to "make way" for their people. There are believed to be three confirmed instances of this happening.
* HumansAreWarriors: As those who stood in their way, past and present, have found out. They are a ProudWarriorRace of athletic swordsmen, whose ancestors drove the Sinistral Mer (Left-Handed Elves) of Yokuda to extinction, successfully invaded Tamriel and chose to settle in one of its most inhospitable regions, and repelled an invasion from the 4th Era [[AntiHumanAlliance Aldmeri Dominion]] ''on their own'' after the Empire abandoned them to their fate.
* MagicKnight: The one exception they make in their cultural disdain for magic is for Destruction magic, as doing more damage is always a good thing in Redguard culture. Given their cultural affinity for swordsmanship and various knightly orders, any Redguard who practices Destruction magic typically automatically becomes one of these. Additionally, their ancient Ansei were so skilled with their [[SpontaneousWeaponCreation Shehai "Spirit Swords"]] that they were often mistaken as mages by other races due to the feats they could accomplish (right up to using their Shehai as {{Fantastic Nuke}}s).
* MasterSwordsman: The Redguard hat is that they're, as a whole, acknowledged as the most skilled swordsmen in Tamriel, and in Yokuda swords were such an essential part of their lifestyle that the sword-saints conducted traditional greetings with sword-dances and performances. Their SacredScripture is a treatise on ''sword techniques'' and most of their greatest heroes were swordsmen of legendary skill.
* NoTrueScotsman: They have a cultural belief that no "true" Redguard would "stoop to using magic."
* OddJobGods: They have a few. One particularly interesting one is Hoon Ding, the "Make Way" god. He is said to manifest himself as a great leader whenever the Redguards need to "make way" for their people. Cyrus the Restless, hero of ''The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard'', is said to be one such manifestation.
* TheOrder:
** The Ansei, also known as "Sword Saints," were an order made up of the greatest "sword singers," Yokudan warriors who follow "The Way of the Sword," a martial philosophy on blade mastery. So great was their mastery of the blade that they could manifest a sword from their very soul, known as a Shehai or "Spirit Sword." To become an Ansei of the first-rank, a sword-singer had to demonstrate an ability to form the Shehai. These Shehai were described as typically pale, misty, insubstantial and as if it was made of light. Sometimes its shape wouldn't even be particularly sword-like, and would be of no use as an actual weapon. Ansei wishing to earn the elite title of first-rank were required to give up their most treasured weapons and war materiel before undertaking a grueling initiation ritual. If they succeeded, they would no longer need conventional weapons. Ansei of the second-rank and above were known to have the ability to not only form the Shehai, but wield it as a weapon in battle. Their Shehai shined brighter and was much deadlier. Described as an "unstoppable weapon of great might" that could cut down foes like "a scythe through wheat", disarming such an Ansei could only be done by severing their head or taking their mind. (However, there was some evidence to suggest the Shehai of an Ansei could be shattered, leaving behind only its essence.) While the Ansei came with the Redguards to Tamriel, their numbers dwindled over time. There hasn't been a known Ansei warrior since the 2nd Era, and by the 4th Era, they are considered a myth.
** As Hammerfell has no traditional standing army, various knightly orders fill the role as the Redguards first line of defense. Perhaps the most famous is the Order of Diagna, a group of warriors dedicated to Diagna, the Yokudan "God of the Sideways Blade." Their most famous leader was Gaiden Shinji, founder of the Imperial City Arena and legendary warrior in his own right. Every year, new initiates to the order play the Orcs in a reenactment of the Siege of Orsinium, in which Shinji dueled the Orc warchief but was betrayed by his Breton allies who opened fire on them both.
** As Redguard religion forbids their warriors from raising arms against the honored dead, a specialized order known as the Ash'abah is called in when there is need to put the dead back to rest. Despite the necessity of their role, they are shunned by Redguard society and mostly wander the Alik'r Desert as exiles until they are called upon.
* PowerNullifier: Redguards have the highest natural resistance to poison out of the races of Men.
* ProudWarriorRace: The Redguards make for some of the greatest warriors in Tamriel, and are perhaps ''the'' most skilled individual warriors. Swords and swordsmanship hold a high value in Redguard culture, to the point where the most SacredScripture of their race is a treatise on ''sword techniques''. In the late 2nd Era, it was believed that a Redguard uprising was the greatest threat to Tiber Septim's RisingEmpire. Come the 4th Era, they are once again considered one of the only groups who could stand up to a full-blown [[AntiHumanAlliance Aldmeri Dominion]] assault, something they have already repelled once after the Empire ceded much of Hammerfell to the Dominion and the Redguards refused to accept it.
* RacialRemnant: The modern Redguards of Hammerfell are the survivors of the calamity that destroyed Yokuda. Even into the 4th Era, they are said to be few in number relative to the other races of Tamriel.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: The Stros M'Kai uprising saw a group of Redguards capture the strategically important island of Stros M'Kai from Imperial forces while slaying the (admittedly corrupt) Imperial Governor. The Septim Empire was forced to make several concessions to Hammerfell in order to regain the island and restore order.
* SacredScripture: The Book of Circles, written by Frandar Hunding, a great ancient hero and spiritual leader of the Redguards. He wrote it to pass along his insights and to be a treatise on on blade mastery. It is said to include "thirty-eight grips, seven hundred and fifty offensive and eighteen hundred defensive positions, and nearly nine thousand moves essential to sword mastery". Every household in Hammerfell contains an alcove above their hearth to store and display the book.
* ScaryBlackMan: As a race, they are viewed as this by the other races of Tamriel. Dark-skinned with wiry-hair and athletic builds, they are one of Tamriel's {{Proud Warrior Race}}s with a particular cultural affinity to swords and swordsmanship. After their ancient homeland of Yokuda sunk beneath the sea, the survivors sailed to Tamriel and chose to settle in the deserts of Hammerfell, one of Tamriel's most inhospitable environments. After only a few brutal months, Hammerfell was cleansed of any Men, Mer, or beast to make it safe for settlement. This even included [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orcs]] and giant goblins. It took being weakened during a brutal CivilWar for [[FounderOfTheKingdom Tiber Septim]] to claim Hammerfell for his RisingEmpire, and a Redguard uprising was considered one of the greatest threats to the Septim Empire for centuries after. Later, in the 4th Era, as part of the White-Gold Concordat to end the Great War between the [[VestigialEmpire Vestigial Third Empire]] and the [[AntiHumanAlliance Aldmeri Dominion]], the Empire ceded vast tracks of land in Hammerfell to the Dominion. The Redguards refused to abandon the land and declared independence from the Empire. Despite standing completely on their own, the Redguards of Hammerfell successfully repulsed the Dominion. Now, they are considered one of the only groups who could stand up to a another full-blown Dominion assault.
* SelfImposedChallenge: The Redguards who arrived in Tamriel made a conscious decision to settle Hammerfell in the Alik'r Desert, one of the most inhospitable environments Tamriel had to offer, because in Redguard culture, anything that can be obtained without effort is not worth obtaining in the first place.
* SoldierVsWarrior: They and the Nords are warriors to the Imperial soldier, as they tend to be the superior individual combatants, while Imperials are more disciplined.
* SpontaneousWeaponCreation: The Ansei, an ancient order of elite Yokudan warriors, were said to be able to create swords from their very souls known as "Shehai". Their highest ranks were able to use these their Shehai as actual weapons, where they were said to be an "unstoppable weapon of great might." The numbers of Ansei faded after the Redguards arrived in Tamriel, and by the 4th Era, they (and their Shehai) are considered to be myths.
* TakingYouWithMe: According to one story, the destruction of Yokuda was a result of the actions of the Hiradirge, a defeated band of Ansei. In revenge for their defeat, they used the Pankratosword technique to destroy Yokuda and caused it to sink beneath the sea.
* TheTower: The Orichalc Tower, believed to have been in Yokuda, is thought to have been captured by the ancient Yokudans after winning their war with the Sinestral Mer. Like Yokuda itself, it is now believed to have sank beneath the sea.
* WarriorHeaven: Redguards have their own version known as the Far Shores. According to Yokudan myth, Satakal, the serpentine "God of Everything", eats itself over and over, periodically consuming all of creation. By "moving at strange angles" to stride between "worldskins", a process known as the "Walkabout", the strongest of the spirits learned to bypass this cycle of destruction. Following the guidance of Ruptga, or "Tall Papa," the [[TopGod chief deity]] of the Yokudan pantheon, weaker spirits (like those of Men) are able to perform the Walkabout to the Far Shores as well. There, they are safe until Satakal has passed and a new worldskin has emerged. In the Far Shores, there is no hunger or thirst, and there are plenty of martial challenges to keep Redguard warrior spirits engaged and entertained.

!! Skaal

->''"In appearance, the Skaal are clearly of Nord ancestry. However, they are culturally distinct in several significant ways, the most notable of which is their faith. Having never adopted the pantheon of the Empire, the Skaal recognize only a single deity whom they call the All-Maker. For the Skaal, the All-Maker is the source of all life and creation. When a creature dies, its spirit returns to the All-Maker, who shapes it into something new and returns it to Mundus. The concept of death as an ending to life is unknown to the Skaal. Rather, death is seen as simply the beginning of the next stage of an endless journey."''
-->-- '''''Children of the All-Maker'''''

The Skaal are a tribe related to the Nords, residing on the island of Solstheim. They worship the All-Maker and seek to live in harmony with nature.
----

* BadassNative: While every other group who has attempted to settle Solstheim has struggled with its inhospitable climate and savage wildlife, the Skaal have flourished.
* CultureChopSuey: Aside from those they share with the Nords, they have some Inuit and other Native American influences as well, such as living in harmony with nature, taking only what is needed, and they are led by elders and shaman.
* GrimUpNorth: Already living on the inhospitable, frozen island of Solstheim, their village is located in the northeastern-most part of the island.
* InHarmonyWithNature: The path of the All-Maker. Whatever that is taken from the All-Maker must be repaid somehow. For example, their hunters only kill when absolutely necessary as part of the cycle of life, and never for sport. They only harvest firewood from fallen trees, never cutting down live trees for it.
* MagicalNativeAmerican: They have much in common culturally with various Native American and Inuit tribes, including their speech patterns. Their magic is of a Shamanic[=/=]{{Druid}}ic nature.
* NobleSavage: "Savage" from the point of view of other Nords, as well as the Imperials and Dunmer who have inhabited Solstheim at different times. They seek to live in harmony with nature and generally prefer to be left alone, but if a respectful outsider comes along, they are willing to communicate and barter.
* WarriorPoet: Like their Nord cousins, but taken even farther. Epic, primarily oral poetry is a big part of their culture.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Races of Mer (Elves)]]

The Elven races (or Mer in their language) of Nirn.

!! General Tropes applying to the races of Mer

* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Altmer (and presumably the ancient Aldmer) are gold skinned, Bosmer are reddish-brown skinned, Dunmer are ash-gray skinned, Orsimer are green skinned, Falmer used to be snow-white skinned, the Dwemer were pasty off-white skinned, and Maormer are chameleon skinned.
* {{Atlantis}}: They have their own version called Aldmeris. It is said to be the continent the {{Precursors}} of the modern Mer races, the Aldmer, came from. It is said that Aldmeris came under an unknown threat in the Merethic Era and the Aldmer were forced to flee. It is said to be "lost," and whether it still exists (or ever existed at all, as other theories claim that Aldmeris was simply Tamriel before the races of Men arrived) is unknown.
* BlingOfWar: Most races of Mer have an iconic armor type which fits. The Altmer have the popular Elven armor, which is gold in color. The Dunmer have the high quality Glass armor, which is emerald green in color. "Dwarven" armor originally worn by the Dwemer is bronze/gold in color. The ancient Falmer wore platinum colored armor. Orcs are masters at crafting with Orichalcum, which, while a dull gray in color, they craft into intimidating looking heavy armor. The Bosmer avert it by specializing in light armor or no armor at all.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Each race of Mer has traits, beliefs, and practices which come across as very alien to a human observer. Ranges from being played completely straight with some races of Mer who are utterly alien (Dwemer, some Altmer beliefs) to downplayed with others (Dunmer, Bosmer) but is extant throughout. Specific examples for each race can be found in their entries below.
* ClassicalTongue: Aldmeris, the language of the Aldmer, is the Tamriellic equivalent.
* DemiHuman: While primarily humanoid in size and shape, each race of Mer shares at least a few features outside the range of normal humans including unusual skin tones, classic pointed ears, and elongated skulls of varying degrees.
* ImmortalityBeginsAtTwenty: Implied to be the case from a few examples in the lore. Mer children seem to age similarly to human children until they reach adulthood, at which point their aging slows down considerably.
* ImmortalProcreationClause: While longer lived than the the races of Men, Mer pairings are less likely to produce offspring. It is also implied that there may even be a cap in the total amount of children a Mer woman can have, with few ever having more than three.
* LongLived: The races of Mer are implied to have longer natural lifespans than the races of Men, who have lifespans along the lines of real life humans. Exactly how much longer is unclear, however, and [[HandWaved largely inconsistent]]. Even without counting the [[WizardsLiveLonger magically enhanced lifespans]] of certain specific Mer, there are examples living naturally for centuries. Barenziah is approaching 500 in her appearance in ''Tribunal'', and though noticeably aged, she is appears no worse for the wear than a 60 or so year old human. In the backstory, Nerevar is in his 200s by the time of The Battle of Red Mountain and still acting as a FrontlineGeneral. Several Altmer and Dunmer characters in ''Skyrim'' mention having been present for events like the Red Year (200 years prior to ''Skyrim'') or mention having served in the military for 150 years, but none look any older than middle-aged.
* OrderVersusChaos: According to Altmeri religious beliefs, the races of Mer are descended from the order-leaning Aedra. These beliefs state that mankind was specifically created by Lorkhan (who was 'begat' by Sithis to disrupt the order ("stasis") of pre-creation) from the weakest souls to be the "chaos" to the "order" of the elves.
* OurElvesAreBetter: They sure seem to think so, ''especially'' the Altmer. Overall, the races of Mer consider ''all'' Mer to certainly be "better" than the races of Men.
* OurElvesAreDifferent: Starting with having the endonym of Mer. Gets more specific as you get into the individual races, detailed in their entries below.
* OurGodsAreDifferent: The primary reason the races of Mer split apart was because of religion.
* PointyEars: Each race of Mer has the classic standard "Elf" variant.
* {{Precursors}}: The Aldmer, the "First Elves" who came to Tamriel from Aldmeris, are the common ancestor of all the races of Mer in Tamriel. The Altmer are their closet living relative.
* ScrewYouElves: Virtually all races of Mer get this treatment at least some of the time from the races of Men, to the point where much of Tamriel's history can be summed up as "elves and men fighting," or sometimes "elves fighting other elves."
* SuperiorSpecies: Each race of Mer certainly ''believes'' this about themselves, toward both the other races of Mer and ''especially'' the races of Men. The truth is obviously less clear.
* TheTower: During the earliest days following creation, the ancient Aldmer discovered a means to construct their own metaphysical Towers at the "joint-points" of reality. By building their own Tower, each group could create their own narrative, distinct but equal to those around it.

!! Altmer

->''"As he entered every aspect of Anuiel, Lorkhan would plant an idea that was almost wholly based on limitation. He outlined a plan to create a soul for the Aurbis, a place where the aspects of aspects might even be allowed to self-reflect. He gained many followers;'' ''even Auriel, when told he would become the king of the new world, agreed to help Lorkhan. So they created the Mundus, where their own aspects might live, and became the et'Ada.''
->''But this was a trick. As Lorkhan knew, this world contained more limitations than not and was therefore hardly a thing of Anu at all.''
->''Mundus was the House of Sithis. As their aspects began to die off, many of the et'Ada vanished completely. Some escaped, like Magnus, and that is why there are no limitations to magic. Others, like Y'ffre, transformed themselves into the Ehlnofey, the Earthbones, so that the whole world might not die.'' ''Some had to marry and make children just to last. Each generation was weaker than the last,'' ''and soon there were Aldmer.''
->''Darkness caved in. Lorkhan made armies out of the weakest souls and named them Men, and they brought Sithis into every quarter."''
-->-- '''''The Monomyth'''''

The tall, golden-skinned High Elves of the Summerset Isles. They are the primary descendants of the Aldmer, the first race of Mer, and determining when Aldmer history ended and where Altmer history began is nigh impossible. Though non-Altmer scholars are loathe to admit, the truth is that Tamriel owes much of its art, science, philosophy, language and religion to the Altmer, who are also the most magically-gifted of all races. However, they are often viewed as haughty and snobbish, looking down on the other races of Mer as "degenerates" and believing the races of Men to be even worse.

For centuries, they led a mighty empire known as the Aldmeri Dominion. In the late 2nd Era, their empire was crushed by Tiber Septim and the Numidium, forcing them to join an Empire of Men by conquest for the first time in history. During the reign of the Septim Empire, they quietly bode their time and rebuilt their shattered nation. When the Septim Dynasty ended as a result of the Oblivion Crisis, the Dominion rose once again, this time led by the religious extremist (and even more fantastically racist) Thalmor.
----

* AnimalMotifs: Eagles, based off of Auri-El, the golden eagle god off whom Akatosh was based in the Imperial pantheon.
* ArchEnemy: Several, to the point that their enemies probably look like a RoguesGallery to the Altmer. They warred with the Sload of Thras at various points in their history, and (as the leaders of the Aldmeri Dominion) have been the main opposition to each of the Cyrodiilic Empires. They also have a long rivalry dating back to their time as the Aldmer in Aldmeris with the Maormer of Pyandonia.
* BlatantLies: The Thalmor took credit for ending the Oblivion Crisis within their homeland, garnering them enough political support to take over the Altmeri government and reestablish the ancient Aldmeri Dominion. Later, they took credit for restoring the moons to the sky which gained them great favor with the Khajiit, getting them to join the Dominion peacefully as vassals.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Like most of the races of Mer, some of their beliefs are utterly alien to the human mind.
** A major part of their religious belief system (which traces back to the Aldmer and has passed through to some of the other races of Mer) is that the creation of the mortal world was a cruel trick which forced their divine ancestors to experience mortal suffering and death, and seeking to ''[[OmnicidalManiac undo creation]]'' is a noble cause. The religious extremest Thalmor really play up this belief and are actively attempting to carry it out.
** Killing undesirable progeny is also perfectly acceptable, as they believe it releases that being's soul to potentially be reincarnated in a better form. This isn't an act of cruelty or evil to them, they see it as a ''mercy''.
* BreakTheHaughty: The Altmer were delivered a massive blow to their collective ego when Tiber Septim used [[RealityWarper The]] [[HumongousMecha Numidium]] to destroy their armies and sack their capital city of Alinor in ''[[CurbStompBattle less than one hour]]'' of fighting. This was the first time in their thousands of years of history that the Altmer had been conquered by an outside force.[[note]] Reman Cyrodiil got the Altmer to join his 2nd Empire, but through a treaty with incredibly favorable terms to the Altmer rather than by conquest.[[/note]] Severely weakened, many of the most extremist Altmer groups (including the Thalmor) were content to wait out Septim's 3rd Empire and then rose again once it fell completely apart.
* CrystalSpiresAndTogas: With the extinction of the Dwemer, the Altmer as the most advanced and magically-gifted race in Tamriel, with Tamriel owing much of its art, science, philosophy, language, and religion to the Altmer. Their buildings are frequently made of [[ShiningCity glass or crystal]] (said to refract light into a rainbow "insect wing" like appearance), with [[{{Arcology}} tall towers]], vine-like buildings, and swirling walls. Gold tends to be the primary color in the items they craft, including weapons and armor.
* CulturalPosturing: They take the cake as the haughtiest culture in Tamriel. They are indeed responsible for much of Tamriel's art, science, philosophy, language and religion, and ([[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch while there are exceptions]]) they have no issue letting the other races know just how superior they believe they are. They are the direct descendants of the Aldmer and consider the other races of Mer as a result of "degeneration" over the ages. (And don't even bother trying to bring up the races of Men...) Their religious beliefs state that they are the true descendants of the Aedra, and the 4th Era ascension of [[ANaziByAnyOtherName the Thalmor]] into positions of Altmeri leadership has only exacerbated their posturing.
* CurbStompBattle: They were handed one by Tiber Septim's legions with the aid of [[RealityWarper The]] [[HumongousMecha Numidium]]. Their army was crushed and their capital city was sacked in less than an hour, bringing the Altmer under the rule of men by conquest for the first time in history. This only exacerbated their hatred of humanity and, when the opportunity arose following the Oblivion Crisis, they struck back hard under the leadership of the Thalmor.
* TheExile: For most of Altmeri history, those who dissented with traditional Altmer beliefs simply ''left'' to resettle elsewhere and practice their unorthodox beliefs. The Dwemer, Chimer, and Ayleids are several prominent examples of this. This has left them, as a culture, rather unaccustomed to dealing with dissidents in their homeland. With most of Tamriel claimed and populated, the number of dissidents in the Summerset Isles swelled in the 3rd and 4th Eras, leading to a rise in extremism and domestic terrorism.
* FantasticCasteSystem: The Altmer have an extremely rigid caste system, as noted in the Third Pocket Guide:
--> ''"A hierarchy of classes began to form, which is still largely enforced in Summerset to this day. At the top are the Wise, teachers and priests, followed by the Artists, Princes, Warriors, Landowners, Merchants, and Workers."''
* FantasticNamingConvention: Their names are heavily inspired by [[Creator/JRRTolkien Tolkien]]'s "Quenya" ConLang, tending to be very vowel heavy with lots of "-il," "-ar," and the like suffixes. Reading a [[http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Altmer_Names list of Altmer names]] will sound very similar to reading ''Literature/TheSilmarillion''.
* FeelingOppressedByTheirExistence: According to Altmer religious beliefs, the creation of Mundus was seen as an act of malevolence as it forced them to experience mortal suffering, loss, and death while removing them from a place of pre-creation divinity. While most are content to toil in this mortal "prison" with "more limitations than not," some extremists, like the Thalmor, actively seek to ''undo creation'' to return to that state of pre-creation divinity. However, they believe that not just the existence of mankind, but the existence of the ''possibility'' of mankind keeps them trapped in Mundus. (According to their beliefs, mankind were made up from the "weakest souls" by Lorkhan to spread Sithis (chaos) "into every corner," ensuring that there could never be the "stasis" of pre-creation again.) Essentially, the Altmer are oppressed not just by the existence of mankind, but the ''possibility'' of mankind's existence.
* HumanityIsInfectious: Meta. During ''Morrowind'' development, it was suggested that Altmer be written as completely incomprehensible to humans. There are theories that the Thalmor are, or want to be, and consider the fact that the Altmer are not as evidence of this trope.
* KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect: While primarily known for their sorcery and magical prowess, they do employ armed-and-armored soldiers as well. However, these soldiers are openly disrespected by the mages, who are typically upper-class. In their FantasticCasteSystem, "warriors" come in around the middle, just above merchants and common workers. In ''Skyrim'', one can overhear [[EnemyChatter a conversation between two Thalmor guards]] where one of them says that "he hopes that a dragon eats all of their wizards," showing that this dislike goes in the opposite direction as well.
* LightIsNotGood: Altmer crafted items, including weapons and armor, tend to feature lots of shiny gold while their homeland is full of [[ShiningCity Shining Cities]] with heavy use of crystal and glass. That said, they are historically one of the greatest antagonists of the races of Men and under more extremist leadership, such as the Thalmor, they tend to be outright villainous.
* MagicKnight: While primarily known for their sorcery and magical prowess, they do employ armed-and-armored soldiers as well. Each and every one of these soldiers uses magic as a supplement in combat.
* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch: Many Non-Thalmor Altmer are disgusted by the Thalmor, especially the Psijic Order and Imperial Archmage (later Potentate) Ocato. Unsurprisingly, the Thalmor do not consider them [[NoTrueScotsman true Altmer]].
* NotSoDifferent: The Nords and the Altmer have some shocking similarities despite their rivalries, especially by the time of ''Skyrim''. Both races follow the mainstream Nine Divines but there is a huge minority of their original religion as well, both of them have a very haughty attitude towards any professions they frown upon (soldiers, especially those that don't practice magic in the Altmer's case) as well as any other races (Men for the Altmer although they have looked down on their Bosmer, Dunmer, and Orc cousins from time to time) to the point of showing overt racism, and finally, both believe that they are the rightful heirs to Tamriel.
* OddFriendship: Downplayed with the Khajiit. For all their "I'm better than you" attitude towards just about every other race on Tamriel, the Altmer have historically had a more benevolent relationship with the Khajiit. Both the ancient Aldmeri Dominion and the modern version have preferred to get the Khajiit to join as vassals by aiding them to develop trust rather than through conquest. Of course, there are self-serving aspects for the Altmer with this arrangement, and in the modern version of the Dominion at least, they either exaggerated or blatantly lied about certain accomplishments in order to appeal to the Khajiit. Additionally, how much of the friendship is benevolence on the part of the Altmer and how much is the Altmer wanting to avoid the wrath of a race widely considered the CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass of Tamriel is up for reasonable debate.
* OurElvesAreBetter: Something the Thalmor repeatedly emphasise, and there is some truth to it. The Altmer laid the foundation down for all of the races who followed them, they are the only people in Tamriel who come anywhere close to rivalling the ancient Dwemer in terms of advancement, and they do still take the lead in most cultural and scientific pursuits. They don't have to be dicks about it, though.
* OurGodsAreDifferent: The primary reasons the other Elvish races split from the Altmer were over worship, with the Altmer worshipping the Aedra. Their religious pantheon would be used as part of the basis for Nine Divines pantheon, though with some names and roles changed. (Most notably, and most disturbingly to the Altmer, the golden-eagle god Auri-El was changed into the draconic Akatosh in the Imperial pantheon.) They are also known to worship other divine beings who do not neatly fit into the categories of Aedra or Daedra, such as Trinimac, [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Syrabane, Phynaster]], and Magnus.
* ProudScholarRace: They best fit the "mystical" side of the trope, being the most naturally magically gifted race with nearly all of Tamriel's science, philosophy, and religion being based off of theirs. Altmer scholars are frequently among the greatest experts in their fields and benefit greatly from [[LongLived longer lifespans]] which allow more time to study.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: While the Altmer are already long-lived, there are said to be "Mage Lords" in the Summerset Isles in excess of 4000 years old. They've almost certainly enhanced their lives with magic.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: "The Beautiful", a terrorist organization comprised of young Altmer, which uses public assassinations and general mayhem as a means to promote modernity and [[BlackAndGrayMorality oppose]] the ''other'' branch of Altmer extremism represented by the Thalmor.
* ShiningCity: Most of their cities within the Summerset Isles qualify, but their capital, Alinor, takes it UpToEleven. Impossibly tall vine-line buildings with swirling architecture [[{{Arcology}} rise high into the sky]], where their glass/crystalline structures refract light to create rainbows in a manner reminiscent of "insect wings."
* SlaveRace: They are known to train and use goblins as slave labor and cannon fodder in battle.
* TheSocialDarwinist: They have this as an active belief, particularly when under more extremist leadership like the Thalmor. They believe that they descend from the gods, and that the diversity of all other Elven races is the result of "degeneration". They actively try to breed themselves back into their ideal, including killing undesirable progeny. And don't even try to bring up the races of men around them...
* SquishyWizard: They are the most physically frail race on average, but also have the highest natural talents for magic.
* StopBeingStereotypical: Non-Thalmor Altmer to the Thalmor, who are essentially an extreme walking Altmer stereotype.
* StrongerWithAge: Inverted, in terms of their religious philosophy. They believe that the other "lesser" races of Mer are the result of "degeneration" over the ages, with each generation being weaker than the last as they are one more removed from their Aedric/Ehlnofey ancestors. The Altmer actively try to breed themselves back into their ideal, which includes killing undesirable progeny. (In their minds, they are releasing the soul so it has a chance to be reincarnated in a better form.) And don't even get them ''started'' on [[FeelingOppressedByTheirExistence the races of Men]]...
* TookALevelInJerkass: Many Altmer were always haughty, but the Thalmor take this to outright racism. Many non-Thalmor Altmer are disgusted by the Thalmor.
* TheTower: The Altmer would construct the Crystal Tower ("Crystal-Like-Law") in the Summerset Isles in direct emulation of the Aedric Adamantine Tower. Little is known of the "Stone" of the Crystal Tower, but it is said that it [[WasOnceAMan was once a person]]. During the Oblivion Crisis, the forces of the Daedra managed to destroy the Crystal Tower. At least, in Mundus (the mortal plane). Per the Altmer, the Crystal Tower continues to exist in planes other than Mundus.
* WitchSpecies: The most magically inclined of all the races of Mer, and arguably over most magical of ''any'' race (although the Bretons might disagree). Two of the most famous mages in history, Vanus Galerion and Mannimarco, were Altmer.
* WizardsLiveLonger: They are most magically inclined race of Mer and are also the most naturally LongLived out of the already long-lived Mer races.
* VillainousRescue: From their perspective, this was the case in the 3rd Era's War of the Isle. Maormer forces were overrunning the Summerset Isles, forcing the Altmer to request aid from the hated Empire.
* YouAreNumberSix: ''The Pocket Guide to The Empire'' (a work of [[UnreliableNarrator debatable accuracy]]) suggests that Altmer in Summerset don't bother to give themselves names. When they greet, they address one another with a long combination of numbers that ''sounds'' like a name if you aren't fluent in their language.

!!Ayleids

->''"In the caverns of lore, ugly and obscure, shines the gold of truth."''
-->-- '''''Ayleid Transcriptions and Their Translations'''''

The Wild Elves of Cyrodiil (also known as the "Heartland High Elves"), who were close relatives of the Altmer. The broke away from the Aedra-worshiping leadership of the Summerset Isles to found their own kingdom in which they could worship other entities, primarily the Daedra. This led their mighty nation down dark paths, which included the enslavement and vile torture of the Nedes, precursors to most of the later races of Men. When these slaves rose up in the Alessian Revolt in the 1st Era, the Ayleid kingdom was devastated. A few Ayleid lords who sided with the revolting slaves were permitted to keep their lands, but about a century later, even they were decimated when a rabidly anti-Elven religious doctrine took over the Alessian Empire. What few Ayleids remained mixed into the other races of Mer, while their cultural identity, relics, and writings were destroyed wherever they could be found. The Ayleids are now considered extinct as a unique race, although unconfirmed sightings in the remote wilderness areas of Tamriel continued to occur into the 3rd Era.

Like the Altmer, they had tall but lean frames with elongated skulls and angular facial features. They had a grayish skin tone darker than that of the Altmer, but still much lighter than that of the Dunmer.
----

* AbusivePrecursors: They kept humans as slaves, and some of their more horrific mistreatment of their slaves included forcing them all to work naked, force-feeding them hallucinogenic drugs and watching their reactions, creating sculptures out of their bones and gardens out of their entrails, and setting human children on fire and setting hungry animals on them. The humans eventually rose up against their masters, overthrew them, ruled over Cyrodiil (with a few Ayleid lords that had joined the human rebellion being left in place) and then a while later picked up crazy religion and ruthlessly hunted down all vestiges of the Ayleid civilisation, exterminating the ones who didn't flee Cyrodiil.
* AnimalMotifs: Birds. Many of their writings (and writings about them) are heavy with bird metaphors. They were said to have adorned themselves with feathers. Their armor was designed with feather patterns and their helmets with "beaks." A great example is the [[http://images.uesp.net//thumb/2/2c/ON-npc-King_Laloriaran_Dynar.jpg/600px-ON-npc-King_Laloriaran_Dynar.jpg armor of Laloriaran Dynar]] in ''Online''.
* AthensAndSparta: There are lorebooks in ''Online'' which talk about the Alyied city states of Delodiil and Abagarlas. Delodiil was progressive and populated by artists and scholors, and its people worshipped [[BigGood Meridia]]. Abagarlas was a military state whose people worshipped [[BigBad Molag Bal]]. Abgarlas's King was so jealous of Delodiil that he planned on sacking it and sacrificing every one of its citizens to Molag Bal, but by the time he and his army arrived, Delodiil had vanished, and Abgarlas had been sacked. [[spoiler: The Coldharbour arc reveals that Delodiil was absorbed into Coldharbour, Molag Bal's realm, and becomes the main trade hub during the Coldharbour quests. Abgarlas is explorable as a dungeon]]
* ConLang: They have their own, known as "[[http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Ayleidoon Ayleidoon]]."
* TheEmpire: They are credited with forming the first empire in Tamriel, dominating all of Cyrodiil ("Cyrod" as they called it) and founded what would later become the Imperial City.
* FolkHero: The Last King of the Ayleids, Laloriaran Dynar, who died at the Battle of Glenumbra Moors alongside the Direnni of High Rock is considered one by many modern Mer who long for the time when Tamriel was dominated by the races of Mer.
* GhostMemory: Like their Welkynd and Varla stones, the Ayleids possessed crystals which could release memories directly to the user. Overuse of these crystals was said to cause a "problem of capacity" for mortal minds.
* HumanSacrifice: They were known to practice it, sacrificing their human slaves to appease their various deities.
* IgnoredExpert: The "moth-eyed" (Moth Priests), who study the [[TomeOfEldritchLore Elder Scrolls]], warned them that their hubris would "bear bitter fruit." The Ayleids ignored this, and their hubris would indeed lead to their downfall.
* KickTheDog: Their actions toward their Nedic slaves included but were not limited to: forcing all slaves to be naked, creating sculptures out of their bones, creating gardens out of their entrails, setting their children on fire and then siccing wild animals on them (which they refer to as "Tiger Sport"), and skinning runaways alive then making their skin into blankets for their children and babies.
* LookOnMyWorksYeMightyAndDespair: In their hubris, they believed that they would last forever. They tortured their human slaves in unimaginably cruel ways, leading to those slaves rising up and destroying the entire Ayleid culture. Those who weren't killed were forced to intermingle with the other races of Mer, effectively leading to their extinction as a unique race.
* LostTechnology:
** The Ayleids created many useful magical items during the golden years of their Empire, none of which have been replicated by the time of the games, forcing players to search Ayleid ruins in order to get their hands on them. Their magic items included Welkynd Stones and Wells which restore lost magicka, as well as Varla stones which can restore enchantments to weapons. The catch? The stones disappear after being used, and the wells need time to recharge. So powerful were these items, particularly those of the Varla stones (or "varliance"), that Umaril the Unfeathered "wrought" weapons from which were able to make Pelinal Whitestrake bleed.
** According to some theories, the Ayleids themselves didn't "create" these items, but preserved them from the "Dawn Era magicks of the Ehlnofey", meaning they were a form of lost technology even to the Ayleids.
* {{Magitek}}: Much of their technology fits, with their technologically advanced (relative the extant races of Tamriel) cities powered by Magicka-recharging Welkynd stones and Enchantment-recharging Varla stones.
* MalevolentArchitecture: Their ruins (formerly Ayleid cities) are notorious for their death traps, many of which are implausible and seem more dangerous to the denizens of the city than any invaders. One theory states that the Ayelids didn't always have such traps in their cities, and started constructing them as defensive measures during the Alessian Revolt, potentially justifying it. They make full use of {{Pressure Plate}}s and SmashingHallwayTrapsOfDoom.
* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch:
** There were a number of Ayleids who refused to worship the Daedra, instead continuing to worship the Aedra. These two groups eventually went to war, but the Aedra-worshiping Ayleids were defeated and the survivors forced to flee Cyrodiil. The most famous of these groups were the Barsaebic Ayleids, who settled in Black Marsh.
** Likewise, many Ayleids were disgusted by the atrocities committed against the Nedic slaves. A number of these Ayleids sided with the slaves during the revolt, and were allowed to keep their lands as vassals of the new Cyrodiilic Empire as a result.
* NumerologicalMotif: They were said to be "obsessed" with the number 8, considering it divine.
* OddNameOut: The only elven race, whose elven name does not end with "mer".
* OurElvesAreDifferent: They're {{Jerkass}}es who enslaved and tormented humans.
* OurGodsAreDifferent:
** Their split with the Altmer was to get around the Aedra-worshiping Altmer's laws against Daedra worship. Many Ayleids actually worshipped both the Aedra and Daedra because both granted them powerful magic. This ended up contributing to their downfall since, unlike the Chimer, the Ayleids worship included some of the traditionally "evil" Daedric Princes. This led to some of the darker practices elsewhere on this list, which led to a loss of divine favor with the Aedra who supported the slave uprising against the Ayleids.
** While most (in)famous for their Daedra worship, the Ayleids also worshiped other beings who seem to have been forgotten in the eons since. One such example, from the ''Adabal-a'', is a "Insect God" whose name has been lost to whom an Ayleid king sacrificed all of his human slaves.
* RacialRemnant: Possibly. It is rumored that Ayleids still live in the untamed wilds across Tamriel, but the odd unconfirmed sighting is the only evidence for it. By the Fourth Era, centuries have gone by without a reliable sighting.
* ScrewYouElves: A combination of major political infighting, loss of divine favor, a slave revolt, and predations of their northern neighbors in collusion with the revolting slaves spelled the end of the Ayleids.
* StarPower: They believed that starlight was the most "sublime" form of magic, and venerated anything which fell from the heavens, particularly [[MagicMeteor meteorite iron]], which they would craft into their "Ayleid Wells" which channeled and restored magicka.
* TokenHeroicOrc: Rebel Ayleid lords were amongst Alessia's most important supporters and were allowed to keep their lands as vassals of her empire. Or, at least until the monkey prophet Marukh took over and made the First Empire become rabidly anti-elven.
* ThunderboltIron: Their Ayleid Wells, which (though an unknown means) channel magicka from the stars and can restore it to mages, were said to be crafted from [[MagicMeteor meteorite iron]].
* TheTower: Constructed the White-Gold Tower on an island in the heart of Cyrodiili, using the "Chim-el-Adabal" (said to have been created from the crystallized blood of Lorkhan, collected as it traveled across Tamriel to its resting place in Morrowind) as their "Stone." Following the Alessian Revolt, the tower would be taken by the Nedes.
* {{Unperson}}: The Alessian Order, under the leadership of the monkey prophet Maruhk, attempted to completely erase all trace of the Ayleids from history. While they obviously weren't completely successful, they did enough damage that the Ayleids are left shrouded in the mists of history while their magics and technologies are lost.
* UtilityMagic: They are credited with developing the Alteration school of magic, which includes a number of "utility" spells including levitation, water walking, night eye, light spells, and offensive paralysis.
* WarRefugees: Many Ayleid clans fled the Alessian Revolt in Cyrodiil, but few found safe havens. Only two groups are known to have survived. The first were those who fled to the Direnni Altmer in High Rock, where they were welcomed and formed the "last" kingdom of the Ayleids ruled by Laloriaran Dynar, which survived for a few more centuries. The second were those clans who fled into Valenwood, where they were welcomed by the Bosmer. The Valenwood Ayleids would end up being fully absorbed by Bosmeri culture, leading to their extinction as a unique race.
* WrittenByTheWinners: They are the "losers" in this case to Alessia and the Imperial's "winners." While there is plenty of evidence that the Ayleids committed atrocities against their human slaves, there has almost certainly been some exaggeration of the centuries since. Even though several rebel Ayleid lords supported Alessia and were permitted to keep their lands and culture after the war, even they would be demonized once the monkey prophet Maruhk came to power. In addition to the persecution of any elves within the empire, he also [[BookBurning destroyed any records]] and cultural artifacts of the Ayleids that could be found. Eventually, only the (almost certainly heavily biased) Imperial records of the Alessian Revolt remained.

!! Bosmer

->''"Once, there was nothing but formlessness. The land held no shape, the trees did not harden into timber and bark, and the Elves'' ''themselves shifted from form to form. This formlessness was called the Ooze.''

->''But Y'ffre took the Ooze and ordered it. First, she told of the Green, the forest and all the plant life in it. She gave the Green the''
->''power to shape itself as it willed, for it was her first tale.''

->''The Elves were Y'ffre's second tale. As Y'ffre spun the story, the Elves took the form they have today. Y'ffre gave them the power''
->''to tell stories, but warned them against trying to shape themselves or the Green. Shifting and the destruction of the forest were''
->''forbidden."''
-->-- '''''The Ooze: A Fable'''''

The Wood Elves of Valenwood, also known as the "Boiche" or "Tree-Sap People". Their ancestors rejected the formal traditions of Aldmeri culture, splitting off to live simple lives more in tune with nature. They struck an agreement with Y'ffre, the Forest God of Valenwood and the first et'Ada to transform into the Ehlnofey, known as the Green Pact; in exchange for Y'ffre's patronage, they have sworn never to harm any plantlife in Valenwood (though they can import timber from other regions of Tamriel when necessary), and must live on an almost exclusively carnivorous diet. They are the shortest race in Tamriel and possess darker reddish/brown skin than their Altmeri cousins. They are nimble and quick as a race, making for excellent scouts, thieves, and hunters. The Bosmer are considered the finest archers in all Tamriel, with it even being said that they were inventors of the bow.

They have been assimilated or subjugated by every incarnation of the Aldmeri Dominion, in which they are treated as second-class citizens (at best) to the Altmer. They are led by the "Silvenar," who is a literal representation of the Bosmer people. (Changing in both body and mind to match the current state of the Bosmeri people.)
----

* AlienLunch: Various forms of insect make up a portion of their diet due to the restrictions of the Green Pact. Additionally, they are known to ''smoke'' certain insects in their bone pipes, as smoking plant matter within Valenwood would violate the Pact.
* ArcherArchetype: The Bosmer are hailed as the best archers in Tamriel. By the age of 14, all Bosmer children are expected to be proficient enough with a bow to join hunting parties. Their very best archers are known as "Jaqspurs," able to snatch an arrow, draw their bow, and fire in one continuous motion. Both the Aldmeri Dominion and the Septim Empire have employed the Bosmer as specialist archer troops.
* TheBeastmaster: Can calm hostile animals using their Beast Tongue ability.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Like many of the races of Mer, they have some cultural practices and beliefs which are quite alien.
** Preservation and protection of Valenwood comes above all else. The Green Pact dictates that they must ''consume'' the flesh of fallen invaders as it is not allowed to rot within Valenwood.
** The "Mourning Wars" are a Bosmeri tradition which has been practiced since their pre-history. When a member of one tribe is slain by a another tribe, he or she is replaced by a hostage-taking raid on the offending tribe. The hostage is tortured "to test their worthiness," and if they pass, they are welcomed into the new tribe. When the slain tribe member is someone very important, several hostages may be taken to make up for the victim. Traditionally, the hostage(s) is given the possessions, rank, and rights of the slain, but this is said to be rarely practiced in modern times.
** The Rite of Theft is a Bosmer tradition which states that if a person steals from another, then returns the item, the item's rightful owner must pay the thief commiserate with the item's worth. This tradition is understandably frowned upon by non-Bosmer, and has even been used ''against'' the Bosmer by outsiders.
* EnslavedElves: While it may not be full blown slavery, the Bosmer are treated as second-class citizens to the Altmer under the Aldmeri Dominion. Things became even worse when the Thalmor rose to power, as they even treat other Altmer as beneath them if those Altmer do not subscribe to the beliefs of the Thalmor.
* FantasticNamingConvention: Their names are heavily inspired by [[Creator/JRRTolkien Tolkien]]'s "Sindarin" ConLang. They use a lot of "th" sounds, plus plenty of "d's, f's and g's" surrounded by soft vowels. The end result are a lot of names like Glarthir, Fargoth, and Enthir.
* GargleBlaster: Since the Green Pact limits their ability to produce alcohol from fruit or grain, they've invented alternatives. Jagga is fermented pig's milk, similar to real life Mongolian Airag (replacing horses with pigs). There is also Rotmeth, created from fermented meat rubbed with the organs of Thunderbugs, which takes years to brew. It is an essential drink to have at all Bosmer weddings.
* HalfHumanHybrid: The Monomyth suggests that early in their history the Aldmer who became the Bosmer "soiled Time's line" by "taking Mannish wives", making them a more-Elven version of the Breton's {{Uneven Hybrid}}ization. It is worth noting that out of all the races of Mer, the Bosmer are the ones who look closest to humans and have the most human-like skin tones.
* HornedHumanoid: ''Online'' and ''Legends'' depicts some Bosmer as having deer-like antlers.
* ImAHumanitarian: Bosmer are required by the Green Pact to consume fallen enemies, so that their bodies are not allowed to rot within Valenwood. Bosmer warriors are known to starve themselves for days before battle so that they can eat the remains of whatever enemies they kill (though, as with many other Green Pact rules, this is relaxed for Bosmer outside of Valenwood). Additionally, this practice is said to have faded during the 2nd and 3rd Eras, and is now rarely practiced outside of a few remote villages.
* LoopholeAbuse: Bosmer use a range of options for getting around the restrictions of the Green Pact. For example, the Green Pact says that one cannot harm ''living'' plants, and cannot eat food ''made from'' plants. However, some Bosmer eat raw fruit that has fallen from trees and they are able to eat mushrooms, which do not count as plants. It's also acceptable to eat insects, honey, and dairy products. Additionally, while ''they'' may not harm the plant-life of Valenwood, certain outsiders are allowed to, and the Bosmer have been known to purchase lumber from outsiders who cut the trees. They are also known to import wood from other regions into Valenwood when necessary.
* TheLostWoods: Their sacred homeland of Valenwood. Massive dense forests stretch as far as the eye can see and most Bosmeri settlements are connected only by narrow footpaths. Some of the trees there are even migratory, traveling to different regions of Valenwood depending on the season.
* NobleSavage: They're seen as an extremely barbaric form of Mer, particularly in comparison to their Altmer cousins/neighbors. However, they are seen as generally good and well-meaning people.
* OurElvesAreDifferent: Bosmer are cannibals who live in cities composed of ''walking trees'' and, within Valenwood, are not allowed to consume plant matter.
* ReallyGetsAround: Out of all the races of Mer, the Bosmer are known as the most amorous. As a result, they're also the most numerous race of Mer on Tamriel.
* RockBeatsLaser: Due to the Green Pact, forges are extremely uncommon in Valenwood. As a result, metal weapons and armor have never gained popularity amongst the Bosmer. Their weaponry tends to be made of natural ingredients, such as bone for clubs and obsidian blades. They are known to make composite horn bows which are said to be some of the best in Tamriel. For armor, they either forgo it completely or use light natural materials such as leather and hide.
* ScaryTeeth: Some Bosmer have been known to sharpen their teeth into points.
* ShapeshifterModeLock: All Bosmer possess the innate ability to transform into nightmarish beasts as [[GodzillaThreshold a final desperate act of defense]] against invaders, known as "the Wild Hunt." However, there is no known way to reverse this transformation, leaving them permanently stuck as these monsters.
* TinyGuyHugeGirl: Until ''Skyrim'', Bosmer women were a full head taller than Bosmer men. ''Skyrim'' reduced the discrepancy significantly (women are still taller, but only slightly,) Downplaying the trope.
* TheTower: They ''grew'' a Tower rather than construct one, known as the Green-Sap, grown from the Perchance Acorn (their Stone). According to the Bosmer, [[MultipleChoicePast every story of the Green-Sap is true]], with none "truer" than any other. The Green-Sap had the ability to "walk" throughout their forest homeland of Valenwood. However, the mage Anumaril used a "fangled" magic staff created in emulation of each Tower to turn the Perchance Acorn into a Definite Acorn, giving the Green-Sap a "true ending" and freezing it in place, never to "walk" again. So, while the ending to the story of Green-Sap is determined, that ending still remains a mystery. The Green-Sap still stands in Valenwood's Elden Grove.
* UglyGuyHotWife: Bosmer [[http://www.daryam.com/michael/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Bosmer.jpg were originally designed]] so that all of the women would be beautiful while all the men would be {{gonk}}. While the women were still quite attractive, the men were made less ugly in ''Oblivion'' and this has been almost completely forgotten by the time of ''Skyrim''.
* UnevenHybrid: It is said that the Bosmer came to be when the Aldmer who settled in Valenwood began taking "Mannish wives." In the exact opposite of the Bretons, the Bosmer are still almost entirely Mer.
* WarRefugees: Over the millennia, they've been welcoming to all those who seek refuge within Valenwood so long as they agree to follow certain aspects of the Green Pact and do not harm the forest itself. In particular, they were known to take in huge numbers of Ayleids fleeing Cyrodiil during the Alessian Revolt who would eventually be fully absorbed by Bosmeri culture.
* TheWildHunt: In Tamriel, the phrase 'Wild Hunt' refers to a ritual in which a number of Bosmer transform themselves into nightmarish beasts, and then rampage through Valenwood destroying their enemies. Because there is no known way to reverse the transformation, the ritual is considered a taboo subject by Bosmer and is [[GodzillaThreshold sanctioned for use only in dire circumstances]].

!! Dunmer

->''"Resdaynia was no more. It had been redeemed of all the iniquities of the foolish. The ALMSIVI drew nets from the Beginning Place''
->''and captured the ash of Red Mountain, which they knew was the Blight of the Dwemer and that would serve only to infect the whole of the middle world, and ate it. ALTADOON DUNMERI!''"
-->-- '''''The Thirty-Six Lessons of Vivec'''''

The Dark Elves of Morrowind. They were originally the Chimer, close relatives of the Altmer with pale gold skin, but were led by the prophet Veloth to become the Velothi people and worship their ancestors and Daedra rather than the Divines. They were later unified under Nerevar to create the nation of Resdaynia and become known as the Resdayn people.

Early in the First Era, their alliance with the Dwemer (originally formed to defeat the invading Nords) fell apart when the Chimer learned that the Dwemer had found the Heart of Lorkhan (the dead creator god) and were planning to tap into it. Seeing this as blasphemy toward their gods (the Daedra), the Chimer attacked the Dwemer stronghold at Red Mountain. [[TheRashomon Exactly what happened next is recounted differently by all those involved]], but the Dwemer vanished, three of Nerevar's closest allies (as well as a former ally turned enemy) became demi-gods, Nerevar died, and the Chimer became ash-skinned with glowing red eyes, and Azura told them that it was their fault (or Vivec's fault). Thusly, they became the Dunmer people.

Most rallied around the new demi-gods, the Tribunal (Vivec, Almalexia, and Sotha Sil). Several tribes clung to the old ways in the ashy barrens of Vvardenfell and became known as the Ashlanders. For 4000 years, this was the way of life for the Dunmer. When Tiber Septim came to conquer Morrowind, Vivec allowed Morrowind to become a VoluntaryVassal and traded to the Emperor the (Dwemer-crafted, Dunmer-seized) Numidium in exchange for special privileges (such as continuing to allow slavery). After the Oblivion Crisis, the Ministry of Truth crashed down and Red Mountain erupted. The Argonians then came to conquer what was left of South Morrowind. Now, the Dunmer people are scattered, with many of them settling in Solstheim and Skyrim.

The Dunmer possess both strong physiques and keen intellects, which make them highly adaptable and equally skilled as warriors or sorcerers, but Dunmer tend to be grim, aloof and disdainful of other races.
----

* AntiMagic: They have an innate resistance to fire and fire-based magic.
* BadassNormal: As the Chimer. Despite lacking the magical might of the Altmer, the technological skill of the Dwemer, and pure brute force of the Nords, they managed to hold their own in conflicts against each thanks to their JackOfAllStats balance. They stopped qualifying after the Battle of Red Mountain, when they became the Dunmer and gained three [[PhysicalGod Physical Gods]] who helped to defend Morrowind from outside threats for nearly 4000 years.
* BanOnMagic: They have a strong cultural dislike for necromancy, and considered it punishable by death under the Tribunal Temple. This is rooted in their religious beliefs which include significant ancestor worship.
* {{Bizarrchitecture}}: Their traditional dwellings range from hollowed-out giant crab shells to magically grown mushroom towers. The ancient Daedric ruins built by the ancient Chimer are also designed in [[AlienGeometries some truly impossible ways]]. One of their holy sites was the Ministry of Truth, a hollowed out moon which they turned into TheAlcatraz for heretics and blasphemers.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Like many of the other races of Mer, many aspects of Dunmer culture can appear barbaric or plain alien to an outside observer. While downplayed compared to the utterly alien Dwemer and some of the more extreme Altmer beliefs, the Dunmer have no qualms about, for instance, siccing legal assassins on their opponents and have allowed the theocratic elements of their unique religion to permeate through the everyday life of their people. They consider it a sacred act to raise the bodies and spirits of their ancestors for protection (an act they consider blasphemous necromancy otherwise). Additionally, they contributed the [[PoweredByAForsakenChild bones and souls]] of their deceased to power the Ghostfence (which contained the Blight around Red Mountain) once the Tribunal were no longer powerful enough to power it on their own.
* BreakTheHaughty: For thousands of years, they were a highly xenophobic, arrogant, slave-holding race. Following the events of ''Morrowind'', their culture went into a sharp decline and was dealt a devastating blow between ''Oblivion'' and ''Skyrim'', when the Ministry of Truth crashed down causing Red Mountain to errupt which destroyed most of Vvardenfell and rendered much of Morrowind uninhabitable due to choking ash. Then, one of their former slave races (the Argonians) invaded and captured much of what was left of habitable Morrowind. The Dunmer have paid for their hubris and then some, now scattered with many of them settling on the frozen, barren island of Solstheim and in Skyrim, where they are treated as second-class citizens (at best) by the native Nords. Luckily, they seem to have learned a little well-deserved humility in the process. As one Dunmer puts it to a Dunmer Dragonborn in ''Skyrim'': "We're all Ashlanders now."
* ChurchMilitant: At the height of Tribunal worship, the Tribunal Temple was a powerful military force. Special mention to the Buoyant Armigers, elite special forces hand-picked by Vivec himself, often decked out in high quality glass armor, who primarily operated [[{{Mordor}} inside the Ghostfence]].
* ChurchPolice: The Ordinators are this for the Tribunal Temple. They serve as inquisitors, guards for Temple holdings and holy sites, and hunt down unholy threats like Daedra worshippers, vampires, necromancers, [[DisproportionateRetribution and people who wear their holy armor]]. Because of this, they also make for a ''shining'' example of [[KnightTemplar Knights Templar]]. There are also the Buoyant Armigers, elite special forces hand-picked by [[PhysicalGod Tribunal deity]] Vivec himself, often decked out in high quality [[FantasyMetals Glass]] armor, who primarily operate inside the [[{{Mordor}} Ghostfence]]. There's also the High Ordinators, who are under the rule of Almalexia, another Tribunal deity, and then the elites of those, known as the Hands of Almalexia: Six warriors with equipment enchanted by the goddess herself. Each of whom are said to be some of the most powerful warriors in Tamriel.
* TheClan: The Great Houses. Originally family based, they are now a combination of blood relatives and adopted members. They've expanded over time to allow outsiders to join freely, though few ever rise to the highest ranks. Those with ties to the original families are considered the equivalent of Dunmer nobility, and are fast-tracked for leadership positions.
* ColonyDrop: Sheogorath attempted this by hurling the rogue moon Baar Dau at Vivec City. Vivec, the Tribunal deity, froze it in place above the city. It would later be hollowed out for use by the Tribunal Temple as the Ministry of Truth. Vivec tells his followers that it is held in place by his people's love for him, and that should they stop loving him, it would fall. [[spoiler:As a result of the Nerevarine's actions, Vivec disappears following the events of the game. The stop-gap measure implemented by the Temple to keep it in orbit is destroyed, so the moon resumes its fall as though it had never stopped. Vivec (the city) is destroyed, Red Mountain erupts, the mainland of Morrowind is devastated by tsunamis, and, even some 200 years later, the crater/bay that lies where Vivec used to be still has its waters boiling]].
* CorruptChurch: What the Tribunal Temple had become around the time of ''Morrowind''. Curiously, in the early days when the Tribunal gods consistently lived and worked among their people, it was much better. [[spoiler:Since they retreated into their own seclusion thanks to no longer being able to replenish their divine power with the Heart of Lorkhan and instead having to conserve their power (by the time of the player's arrival, Vivec has been maintaining the entire Ghostfence on his own for centuries) to protect Tamriel from Dagoth Ur.]] It was only after mortals took over the running of things that everything started to go to hell. Now, most of its members are stuck-up, elitist jerkasses, especially the high ranking officials, and the Ordinators have become condescending fanatical bigots who consider even ''speaking'' of the Nerevarine or ''wearing their armor'' to be capitol offenses. It seems to have gotten better by the time of ''Skyrim'' — the dissidents who said 'aren't you guys taking things too far?' to the aforementioned excesses were validated by the events of ''Morrowind'', and then ended up coming up on top the chaos of Vivec's disappearance and the Red Year, forming the much less corrupt "New Temple."
* CulturalPosturing: They were one of the haughtiest cultures in all of Tamriel. They were an extremely xenophobic race who hated outlanders within their homeland of Morrowind, but had no issue with raiding other provinces (particularly Black Marsh and Elsweyr) for slaves. The corrupt Tribunal Temple did nothing but reinforce the cultural superiority of the Dunmer while hypocrisy was rampant. [[spoiler:The events of ''Morrowind'', ''Tribunal'', the Oblivion Crisis, the Red Year, and finally the Argonian invasion seem to have humbled them by the time of ''Skyrim'', however.]]
* CultureChopSuey: Where to start...
** Biblical Israelites/Hebrews/Jews: Led to Morrowind via mass exodus by the prophet Veloth, who shares aspects of Abraham and Moses. Practice a comparitively unusual religion for the setting (Tribunal/Ancestor worship vs. the worship of the Divines,) similar to the Israelite's monotheism vs. the polytheism popular in the region at the time. Struggling against a powerful foreign empire occupying their homeland (Cyrodiilic Empire, Roman Empire.) Had a long rivalry with the Dwemer, who have some appropriately Babylonian influences.
** Ancient Mesopotamia: Particularly the ancient Chimer. The names of many people and places sound like they're straight out of ''Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh''.
** Mongolia: The Ashlanders combine this with Mesopotamia mentioned above. Nomadic and "barbaric" (at least from the point of view of the Great House Dunmer.)
** Japan/China: Building aesthetics, especially House Hlaalu and Indoril styles.
* CultureClash: Strikingly in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]''. They are a very alien people and culture, which does not make progressing as an outlander easy.
* DarkIsNotEvil: They may have a (not undeserved) cultural reputation for being dour and suspicious, and their dark skin and red eyes are indicative of a curse, but the Dunmer are no more inclined to outright ''villainy'' than any of Tamriel's other races.
* DevilButNoGod: The Dunmer have an interesting take on this. In general, they acknowledge that the Daedric Princes that they do revere - Azura, Boethiah, and Mephala - are actually ruthless, vicious and brutal entities; even Azura, the most benevolent of those Princes, still cursed the whole species for the actions of the Tribunal. At the same time, the Dunmer view ''everyone else'', Aedra and Daedra alike, as either [[TricksterGod lying tricksters]], [[GodIsInept ineffectually weak]], or [[GodOfEvil uselessly malicious]]. (By comparison, Boethiah and Mephala are [[TrainingFromHell usefully]] malicious, as they [[HadToBeSharp taught the Dunmer how to survive in a harsh environment through their maliciousness]].) It's not really surprising that the only gods they truly revered as benevolent were [[DeityOfHumanOrigin ALMSIVI]].
* EndOfAnAge: The Tribunal exerted great influence over the affairs of the Dunmer for some 4000 years. That all comes to an end following the events of ''Morrowind'', ''Tribunal'', the Oblivion Crisis, the Red Year, and the Argonian invasion. It leaves the Dunmer way of life shattered with their people cast from their ancestral homeland and searching for their place in the world, both literally and figuratively.
* EvilSorcerer: House Telvanni. You don't have to be ''evil'' to join, but they tend to thrive within the house as it is a [[TheMagocracy Magocracy]] where MightMakesRight and KlingonPromotion are official policies.
* FantasticHonorifics: A slight variation on the gender-neutral "ser" version: The Dunmer use "sera", "muthsera" and "serjo", in increasing order of politeness. They also use (far less prominently) the honorifics of "Sedura" (which appears to be associated with wealth) and "Kena" (which appears to be associated with scholars or wizards). They can stack, too — one play refers to a character as "Sedura Kena Telvanni Hordalf Xyr" (Hordalf Xyr being the character's name, and Telvanni being his House) by another character pretending to be his servant.
* FantasticNamingConvention: They typically have a first name and a last name with a characteristic "Dunmerish" sound (for example, Falanu Hlaalu, Nels Llendo, Hlireni Indavel). The Dunmer nobility also uses the name of their Houses as prefix to their names (for example, Redoran Hlaren Ramoran). The Telvanni Masters use one name only (Mistress Dratha, Master Neloth). The Ashlanders (and many ancient Chimeri names) draw heavily from ancient Mesopotamia, leading to them sounding like they're straight out of ''Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh''.
* FantasticRacism: Are famously xenophopic, especially against the beast races. By ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', they've had the tables turned on them, but have at least learned a little humility from the experience.
* FantasticSlurs: They are known to use three: s'wit, fetcher, and n'wah. The first two are used similarly to "shit/idiot" and the "f" word while also being an offensive term for a slave, respectively. The last is a highly offensive word for "outlander" with similar negative connotations as the Japanese "gaijin" and/or the real life "N" word.
* FounderOfTheKingdom: Lord Indoril Nerevar is treated as this by the Dunmer people as the great unificator of Morrowind. The Tribunal rule in his name ([[TheRashomon even though they very likely may be responsible for his death]]) and he is revered as a saint in the Tribunal Temple.
* FungusHumongous: Tree-sized mushrooms are a common sight in Morrowind. Telvanni settlements consist almost exclusively of mushroom houses, and many homes (there and elsewhere) have potted mushrooms as decoration.
* GodEmperor: While they don't legally count themselves as the emperors, the Dunmer worship the Tribunal, a trio of living, flesh and blood gods. They exert great influence, and each has a royal title, but they aren't officially the government - there's a separate King of Morrowind, who reports to the Emperor. Additionally, the Great Houses retain much of their autonomy as a result of favorable terms in the armistice signed between Morrowind and the Empire.
* GreatOffscreenWar: Much of what made the Dunmer what they are can be traced back to the War of the First Council detailed on the trope page.
* GutturalGrowler: Male Dunmer in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' all speak in a very low and gravelly voice. In contrast to the guards in ''Oblivion'' and ''Skyrim'', Dunmer guards in ''Morrowind'' actually sound quite intimidating.
* {{Hypocrite}}: They used to be. They were xenophobic and didn't like outlanders settling to Morrowind, but they had no problem invading other nations in order to kidnap ''their'' inhabitants as slaves. Additionally, the Tribunal Temple outlawed necromancy and made it punishable by death despite it being legal (with certain limitations) elsewhere in the empire. However, the Temple faithful would summon the spirits of their ancestors or reanimate their corpses to serve as guards for their tombs and other holy sites. This was considered a holy act in reverence of their ancestors, with any other forms of necromancy being a sacrilege.
* JackOfAllStats: Of the Mer races, and in competition with the Imperials for the most balanced overall. They are equally proficient in various Combat, Magic, and Stealth classes. They are highly adaptable and make for good cross-class builds as well, especially offensively oriented ones. With efficient leveling, they can reach MasterOfAll territory.
* LivingGasbag: Netch are a giant, leathery, jellyfish-looking creature native to Morrowind that the Dunmer farm for their hides.
* TheMigration:
** Originally, as the Chimer, they were led to Morrowind in a mass migration from the Summerset Isles by the prophet Veloth.
** Following the events of the Red Year, the Dunmer people were forced to flee Morrowind. Many poured into Solstheim, which by the 4th Era wasn't much more than a frozen rock and site of a failed Imperial mining colony. Others fled to mainland Skyrim, settling in the poorer areas of eastern Skyrim where they are treated as little better than second class citizens to the Nords.
* MurderInc: The Morag Tong is a guild of assassins officially sanctioned by the Dunmer government. To put it lightly, the Dunmer Great Houses don't get along very well, and since open warring between the Great Houses would weaken the Dunmer overall, the Morag Tong was sanctioned as the solution. Whenever someone with a enough wealth to hire the Morag Tong wants someone dead, an "Honorable Writ of Execution" will be created for that person and a Tong assassin will be dispatched to kill them.
* NobleSavage: Played straight by the more peaceful Ashlander tribes. Averted by the Erabenimsum tribe under it's "war" leadership and the various "rogue" Ashlanders.
* OopNorth: In ''Skyrim'' they tend towards Northern English accents, presumably due to the connotations of cynicism and general working-class-ness, although there are a few Cockney voice actors in there for the same reason. Taken to a surreal extreme with Raven Rock's Lancastrian guard captain.
* OurElvesAreDifferent: They have dark skin and red eyes. They also differ from most depictions from "dark elves," particularly [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons the Drow]], primarily by being NOT AlwaysChaoticEvil. They do share some elements such as FantasticRacism, a propensity for slavery, their Great Houses as the form of government, and their appearance being the (probable) result of a divine curse, so they do have a few parallels with drow. However, they do not live under ground, aren't particularly matriarchal, and, as mentioned, aren't always evil.
* OurGodsAreDifferent: Part of their split with the Altmer was because they preferred ancestor and Daedra worship. Later, they come to worship the Tribunal. Following the disappearance of the Tribunal and the events of the Red Year, the "New Temple" reformed and returned to their traditional ancestor worship and veneration of the "three good Daedra:" Azura, Boethiah, and Mephala. They also revere the Tribunal as saints rather than gods.
* PardonMyKlingon: They have a fondness of calling those they dislike S'wits, Fetchers or N'wahs. N'wah appears to be a highly racist way of saying "foreigner", but the others are unexplained. For all intents and purposes, those three words correlate in that they are, respectively, the S-word, F-word, and N-word of Dunmeri culture.
* PhysicalGod: They worshiped the Tribunal, three mortals (Vivec, Almalexia, and Sotha Sil) who ascended to godhood by tapping into the Heart of Lorkhan.
* ProudMerchantRace: House Hlaalu. It is the most "imperialized" house, with strong ties to the Empire, and thus all of the trade opportunities that provides. CorruptCorporateExecutive-type leaders thrive in the house and [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Chronic Backstabbing]] is common.
* ProudWarriorRace: House Redoran. They aren't called the "Warrior House" for nothing. They are the Dunmer's first line of defense and even the Imperial Legions recognize the Redorans as a BadassArmy. In the backstory, when Tiber Septim was threatening to invade Morrowind, House Redoran was preparing to defend Morrowind ''on their own'' while the other Great Houses chose to remain neutral or to accommodate the empire before the armistice was signed.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: They play with it, just like with DarkIsNotEvil above. They do have bright red eyes, and they are generally seen as dour and cynical as a race, but they aren't prone to outright evil or villainy any more than members of any other race. However, they are supposedly indicative of a curse placed upon them by Azura.
* ReligiousBruiser: House Indoril and the Ordinators particularly so, all of them very religious and capable of kicking your ass.
* TheRemnant: Dunmer-ruled Morrowind is reduced to this following the Red Year and the subsequent Argonian invasion.
* RomanticismVersusEnlightenment: The core of their conflict thousands of years ago with the Dwemer boils down to this. The Dwemer are certainly aware of the existence of the Daedra the Chimer worship, but are steadfast in their belief that the Daedra are not gods; so much so that Vivec facetiously commented that the Dwemer instead worshiped "their Gods of Reason and Logic."
* RuthlessForeignGangsters: Inverted by the native Camonna Tong, which is essentially the Dunmer mafia. They are extremely brutal as they run Morrowind's illegal drug, slave, and smuggling industries.
* ScaryImpracticalArmor: Quite a few of the native Dunmer styles of armor fit such as Chitin, Glass, Bonemold, Dreugh, and Indoril. Each possess [[SpikesOfVillainy spikes]] and [[ShouldersOfDoom oversized shoulders]].
* SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset: Bonemold is an iconic armor type of the Dunmer people. Exactly what type of bones it is molded from is never made clear. Additionally, Chitin is a type of light armor crafted from the shells of Morrowind's giant insects and favored by the Ashlanders, though "civilized" Dunmer will use it as well.
* SlaveLiberation: This is the goal of the Twin Lamps, an organization (led by the daughter of the Duke of Vvardenfell) dedicated to freeing slaves and returning them to their homelands. Some time after the events of ''Morrowind'', it happens on a national scale which upsets quite a few traditionalist Dunmer. Any remaining illegal slaves are finally freed when the Argonians invade.
* TheTheocracy: House Indoril and the Tribunal Temple held significant influence over the affairs of the Dunmer, even after the Empire took over. Downplayed after the Red Year, though the "New Temple" is still prominent in the lives of the surviving Dunmer.
* TheTower: The Chimer would claim Red Mountain in Morrowind where Lorkhan's heart fell (known as Red Tower). After the Dwemer discovered the Heart beneath the mountain and disappeared mysteriously while attempting to use its power, three Chimer would successfully use it to become the {{Physical God}}s known as the Tribunal. Unbeknownst to them, [[FaceHeelTurn their former ally]], Voryn Dagoth, also used the Heart before he was slain and coalesced in the millennia the Tribunal ruled. He returned and cut them off from the Heart, preventing them from recharging their divinity. Following the events of ''Morrowind'', the Dwemer enchantments on the Heart would be severed, killing Dagoth and stripping the Tribunal of their divinity permanently. This also stripped Red Tower of its "Stone," depriving it forever of its [[RealityWarper reality altering powers]]. (Later events would see Red Mountain violently erupt, erasing it almost entirely from the world.)
* ValuesDissonance: An In-Universe case. Most Tamriellic cultures, especially those heavily influenced by the [[SaintlyChurch religion of the Nine Divines]], view the Daedric Princes with suspicion at best and consider them outright evil entities at worst (though acknowledge that some are more benevolent toward mortals than others). The Dunmer religion casts Azura, Boethiah, and Mephala as "good" Daedra and Malacath, Mehrunes Dagon, Molag Bal, and Sheogorath, as "bad" Daedra. To note:
** Traditionally across Tamriel, Boethiah and Mephala are considered evil entities, but the Dunmer revere them because the belief that Mephala's deceptions and Boethiah's MightMakesRight philosophy both serve to make the Dunmer stronger. While everyone else views Mephala as a force of destructive and secret plots, the Dunmer view her plotting as a way to make them more clever and wary. Boethiah's constant tests of strength and ruthlessness make the other peoples of Tamriel view him as a brutish, treacherous killer, the Dunmer see him as [[YouAreBetterthanYouThinkYouAre pushing them to become ever stronger and better as a people.]]
** Malacath is viewed as an "evil" entity by the Dunmer, while the rest of Tamriel views him as more neutral force. Malacath, being an enemy of Boethiah, is naturally cast as an enemy of the Dunmer, not to mention the fact that Malacath's sphere involves the outcast, spurned, and downtrodden, so it's entirely understandable why a culture that spurns outsiders and outcasts and practices large-scale slavery wouldn't be positively inclined toward him.
** Interestingly, the Dunmer are probably the only elves who don't share the other elves' distaste for Lorkhan, instead viewing him as the god who exposed the lies and deceptions of the Aedra.
* VoluntaryVassal: How Morrowind came to join the Septim Empire. Vivec, having recently lost two of the tools Kagrenac to Dagoth Ur and thus, the ability for the Tribunal to recharge their divinity, negotiated this status with Tiber Septim when Septim's forces threatened to invade. Vivec also offered the Numidium in trade, allowing Morrowind to keep many of its pre-Imperial privileges (including slavery, which was illegal elsewhere in the Empire).

!! Dwemer

->''"A Dwemer of eight can create a golem, but an eight of Dwemer can become one."''
-->-- '''''Nchmarthurnidamz'''''

The Deep Elves (also known as "Dwarves") of all of North Tamriel, whose civilization ("Dwemereth") once spanned from Hammerfell across Skyrim to Morrowind, where the epicenter of their culture was built in and around Red Mountain. Unlike the other races of Mer, there is no known record of their disassociation with the Aldmer, which is believed to have happened in very early Tamriellic history. They were an industrious, highly intelligent, and extremely technologically advanced people, but were also known to be cruel, arrogant, and dogmatic. Contemporary accounts describe them as "unfathomable" and "unknowable", with truly alien belief systems unlike anyone else in Tamriel. While they mostly wanted to be left alone, they came into conflict with every other race that encountered them, usually over religious differences (the Dwemer were known to be extreme atheists, refuting that any known "divine" beings were truly "gods" worth worshiping).

The entire race mysteriously vanished during the 1st Era, around the time of the Battle of Red Mountain. Only the ruins of their civilization remain, though these are still protected by deadly traps and mechanical guardians, making them very dangerous places to visit.
----

* AbusivePrecursors: They came into conflict with just about every other race they encountered and left behind ruins filled with deathtraps and highly advanced (but often dangerous) technology. These facts alone would make them closer to NeglectfulPrecursors, but the Skyrim Dwemer's treatment of the Falmer puts them squarely in the "abusive" category. With their former empire decimated by the invading Nords, the Dwemer offered to take in their displaced Snow Elf cousins. The Dwemer then enslaved and mutated them, twisting them into the bestial modern Falmer.
* AdvancedAncientAcropolis: Their more massive ruins qualify. Most have various steam/enchantment powered machinery still running and mecha-mooks still on patrol despite the Dwemer having vanished thousands of years ago.
* AGodAmI: Of a sort. They were {{Naytheist}}s who did not believe that the known divine entities were truly "gods." In fact, it was "unfashionable" amongst the Dwemer to view their own "golden spirits" as anything less than the those of the "divine."
* AIIsACrapshoot: Exactly what powers and controls their various "[[MechaMooks animunculi]]" remains a mystery, but they must be programmed with some sort of rudimentary A.I. It is said that some of these machines are capable of interpreting the actions of people around them and responding accordingly. Various attempts to control the mechas have been made in the millennia since the Dwemer vanished, often ending with the machines going berserk.
* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: This is apparently what the Dwemer race was ''trying'' to do in one form or another when they disappeared. One theory for their disappearance is that their efforts to do this actually ''worked'', and that they are now on said "higher plane."
* BadassBeard: They were known to have lengthy and sometimes elaborate beards, and were known to bend the natural laws of the world to create advanced technology, robot armies, and even HumongousMecha, vouching for their badassery.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: According to contemporary sources, the Dwemer's personality and culture were utterly ''alien'' by human and even other mer understanding. A major part of their outlook was the idea of refuting everything as real, whether it be something they sensed, something that was actually there, or even the Divines themselves. To quote former dev/writer Michael Kirkbride:
-->''"That's why the Dwemer are the weirdest race in Tamriel and, frankly, also the scariest. They look(ed) like us, they sometimes act(ed) like us, but when you really put them under the magnifying glass you see nothing but vessels that house an intelligence and value system that is by all accounts Beyond Human Comprehension. (...) There isn't even a word to describe the Dwarven view on divinity. They were atheists on a world where gods exist."''
* CessationOfExistence: Whatever happened to them, Dunmeri PhysicalGod Vivec states that he cannot sense them on any known plane of existence.
* ConLang: [[http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Dwemer_Alphabet Dwemeris]].
* CultureChopSuey: While the most distinctive aspect of their culture is their heavy use of {{Steampunk}} and {{Magitek}}, the Dwemer themselves dressed and wore their beards in a manner akin to Mesopotamian cultures, such as the Babylonians. In ''Skyrim'', their armor and weaponry tend to have a very Bronze Age Mediterranean influence.
* TheDreaded: They were so alien and so advanced that they were said to be feared by the Nords, the Chimer, and even the gods themselves.
* DugTooDeep: They discovered the still-beating heart of the dead god Lorkhan digging deep beneath Red Mountain. Whatever it is they tried to do with the heart, it would cause their entire race to disappear from all known planes of existence.
* ElaborateUndergroundBase: Almost all of their cities were dug deep into the ground, and some get extremely elaborate.
* ElvesVersusDwarves: Even though the Dwemer were a sub-race of elves, they didn't much care for the other elven races. They were frequently at war with the Chimer, the ancestors of the Dunmer, over religious differences (though they did form an EnemyMine alliance with them when both races were threatened by the Nords), and were distrustful of the Falmer even after the latter swore fealty to them (see KickTheDog below).
* EnemyMine: Formed one with their longtime rival Chimer when both races were threatened by the invading Nords. The coalition was successful as the Nord army was decimated at Red Mountain.
* EternalEngine: Much of their machinery is still up and running even some 4000+ years after their disappearance. It helps that they were known to [[RealityWarper bend the laws of nature]] to [[RagnarokProofing Ragnark-proof]] their creations, Justifying the trope.
* FantasticNamingConvention: They seem to have used to build names by mashing hard-sounding consonants together, although it's unclear whether that was actually the case or just a transliteration issue (since Dwemer language and alphabet varied wildly from Tamriel's lingua franca of the day, Aldmeris). Names known from modern sources contain vowels, such as Yagrum Bagarn (although he could've taken up the name for convenient interaction with his hosts at Tel Fyr), Kagrenac, or Dahrk Mezalf. Names mentioned in books - not necessarily (Bluthanch, Nchunak, Nblthd).
* FlatEarthAtheist:
** Specifically, the "refusal to accept their divinity" part. The conflict with the Chimer was over religion and magic versus science and reason, with the Chimer choosing the former and the Dwemer choosing the latter. They were said to summon Daedra in order to put their divinity to the test.
** It's implied that their refusal to accept anything as real is a core element of how their technology functions. They devised technology that [[RealityWarper ignored the laws of reality or outright manipulated the tonal architecture of the Earth-Bones]] simply through [[{{Determinator}} sheer refusal to accept physical and magical limitations.]]
* ForScience: The Dwemer were a very science-focused race. They summoned Daedra just to [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu test their divinity]], were capable of creating complex mechanisms, and even created scientific devices to safely read Elder Scrolls. They were also ruthless, amoral and arrogant, often hostile to any other race they encountered and not at all above using living beings for experimentation and slave labor.
* GeniusBruiser: The most technologically advanced race known to have ever walked Tamriel. It's said that even the dullest of their kind was still a genius compared to a clever man, and that even a Dwemer child was capable of building a mechanical golem. The only military force in history that really challenged them was a [[ProudWarriorRace Nord army]] led by masters of the [[MakeMeWannaShout Thu'um]], and even then, the Dwemer crushed them after [[EnemyMine joining forces]] with the Chimer.
* GodzillaThreshold: According to [[TheRashomon one telling]] of their final days, Kagrenac only enacted his plan on the Heart of Lorkhan when the Chimer successfully infiltrated the Red Mountain stronghold.
* GreatOffscreenWar: They were heavily involved with the War of the First Council and the Battle of Red Mountain thousands of years ago, leading up to their disappearance. The impacts of these events are felt in the plots for ''Morrowind'' and ''Skyrim''.
* HumongousMecha: They seemed to enjoy creating them. The Numidium is the most famous example, and the parts of unfinished giant mechas can be found in various ruins. On the smaller end of the scale but still qualifying are their Steam Centurions, which tower over normal-sized people and pack quite the punch.
* KickTheDog: When Falmer refugees begged the Skyrim-Dwemer to save their race from genocide, the Dwemer forced them to blind themselves, made them into servants (eventually slaves), and probably caused them to mutate into the beasts they are today.
* LastOfHisKind: [[spoiler:One surviving Dwemer is encountered during the main quest of ''Morrowind''. He was in an undescribed "outer realm" outside of time when the calamity that that wiped out his people occurred and returned to find them gone. He caught the Corprus disease soon after and ended up in the Corprusarium. His body is badly bloated from the disease and it's clear his mind is not what it once was either.]]
* LightIsNotGood: Their architecture, machinery, weapons, and armor typically include a lot of gold and bronze colors. It doesn't change that they were generally incomprehensible and cruel to other races.
* LookOnMyWorksYeMightyAndDespair: Haughty, egotistic and very cruel at times, they made mechanical devices, metaphysical theorem and buildings using technologies and materials centuries more advanced than anything seen since. They went so far as to try and make themselves Gods, and managed to vanish completely, the whole race, every one of them. Now all that is left are their machines and ruins picked clean by centuries of looters.
* LoopholeAbuse: In this case, loopholes in the laws of physics, nature, reality itself... they even devised a means to read an Elder Scroll without all of the nasty side effects (blindness, madness, etc.) Notably, the core of the Dwemer's magical technology involved machines and tools designed to manipulate "tonal architecture" or the sounds and vibrations created by the "Earth Bones," which were the parts of the Aedra that were used to create and define the laws of the world. In effect, they completely bypassed "normal" magic (which involves using the magicka that flows into the world from the sun and the stars) and instead [[RealityWarper hijacked the fundamental laws of the world and used them for their own ends]].
* LostSuperweapon: The Numidium, a 1000ft tall HumongousMecha designed by the Dwemer to be powered by the heart of a dead god, and possibly to become a ''new god''. It fell into the hands of the Dunmer following the disappearance of the Dwemer, who considered anything of Dwemeri construction to be blasphemous, and thus never used it. Later, when Tiber Septim was threatening to invade, the Dunmeri PhysicalGod Vivec offered it to Septim in exchange for granting Morrowind special privileges as a VoluntaryVassal to the Empire. Septim would order his mages to find a way to power and control it. Once they did, he used to crush the Aldmeri Dominion and capture their capital city in ''[[CurbStompBattle less than an hour]]'' of fighting.
* LostTechnology: Almost everything they created is now this. No other group has come even close to the technological accomplishments of the Dwemer in the thousands of years since they vanished.
* MadScientist: Many of their craftsmen and enchanters could quality. Most notable was Kagrenac, the Chief Tonal Architect who devised a method and created the tools needed to tap into the divine power of the Heart of Lorkhan.
* MagicMusic: Of a sort. Their [[RealityWarper reality warping]] was done by altering the "tonal architecture" of the Earth Bones.
* {{Magitek}}: Along with SteamPunk and ClockPunk, many of their creations were made with judicious use of magical enchantments. They were said to be the most skilled enchanters in all of Tamriel during their time.
* MechaMooks: Created all manner of them, known as "Animunculi", including [[SpiderMech spider centurion]] workers, sphere centurion soldiers (who [[RollingAttack roll around as metal balls]] before unfolding into blade and/or crossbow armed humanoid robots), and massive [[HumongousMecha Steam Centurion]] golems. As these creations were made with the same RagnarokProofing as their other creations and are designed to repair themselves, many are still up and running in their ruins thousands of years after their disappearance.
* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch:
** The Rourken clan of Dwemer was so opposed to an alliance with the Chimer that they chose to self-exile themselves to Hammerfell. Their chieftain is said to have thrown the [[LegendaryWeapon Volendrung]] hammer across Tamriel and led his clan to "wherever the hammer fell", giving the region its name.
** In the final days of their known existence, it's said that many Dwemer didn't agree with the general idea to unmake themselves and then reforge themselves into immortal godlike beings. Not because it was blasphemous or anything like that, just because they thought it would end poorly for every Dwemer on Nirn. Which it probably did.
* NayTheist: There is no denying the existence of god-like beings in the Aedra and Daedra, but the Dwemer held them in no special regard. They were said to especially despise the Daedra, mocking and scorning the "foolish" rituals of their followers (primarily the Chimer). They would even summon Daedra specifically to test their divinity.
* NeverFoundTheBody: The Dwemer vanished millennia ago. No one knows what happened to them.
* NoisyRobots: Their various animunculi are all quite noisy, with steam powered gears and clanking metal sounds as they move.
* NonindicativeName: They weren't any smaller than other races. The term "dwarf" was given to them by the giants of the Velothi Mountains and stuck as an archeological misnomer after it was picked up by the Nords and other races of Men.
* NotSoDifferent: According to former writer/developer Gary Noonan, the Dwemer were originally one of the clans of the Chimer. This has seemingly been [[RetCon RetConned]] and has not appeared in any in-game source since.
* OlderIsBetter: Despite its age, their weapons and armor are still better than the majority of modern equivalents. Justified given the RagnarokProofing and [[RealityWarper Reality Warping]] that went into the items' creation.
* OurDwarvesAreDifferent: Played with. To note:
** Playing the trope straight, the Dwemer did build technologically advanced cities, typically deep into the ground, complete with gold/bronze architecture.. They warred with just about every other race they came into contact with, ''particularly'' other races of Mer, in classic ElvesVersusDwarves fashion. They were known to have glorious beards and were master craftsmen, with their equipment still being among the best and most sought after in Tamriel even thousands of years after their mysterious disappearance, in some way related to them digging too deep, a classic fantasy Dwarf problem.
** On the "aversion" side, the Dwemer were as sub-race of Mer (Elves), with their name meaning the "Deep Elves" or "Deep Ones," referring to their philosophical depth. They were of average size compared to the other races of Tamriel and the term "dwarf" is an archeological misnomer. They were the first "normal sized" race to encounter the Giants of the Velothi Mountains, who referred to them as "dwarves" in size comparison to themselves. Later, the Nords (and through them, the other races of Men) picked up the term and it stuck. They weren't known to have any stereotypical "Dwarvish" accents, with the only [[LastOfHisKind Dwemer spoken to in the series to date]] having a nasally, ''nerdy'' voice of all things. While the Dwemer did create all manner of extremely advanced technology, much of it was magically derived in one form or another, with it being said that they were also master enchanters.
* OurGodsAreDifferent: They did not consider any known divine beings to truly be "gods." This obviously put them into frequent conflict with the other, more religious races around them.
* PoorCommunicationKills: According to [[TheRashomon some tellings]] of their final days, Dumac, the Dwemer king, did not know what Kagrenac was planning to do with the Heart of Lorkhan, and had he known, would have stopped Kagrenac.
* ProudScholarRace: They blend the "mystical" and "scientific" aspects, though to them, the two are [[SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic one in the same]]. Even though they've been gone for thousands of years, none of the extant races have even come close to the scholarly achievements of the Dwemer.
* RagnarokProofing: Dwemer artifacts are still up and running thousands of years later. They were known to [[RealityWarper alter the "Earth Bones"]], essentially the laws of physics and nature, in order to ensure that their creations would last. Additionally, their MechaMooks are designed to repair their constructs (and each other).
* RiddleForTheAges:
** No one has definitively figured out what happened to the Dwemer. Their fate is one of the largest running mysteries in the entire series, alongside the various mysteries of the Elder Scrolls themselves.
** In-Universe, the mystery deepened by the time of ''Skyrim'' since much of what was known about the Dwemer was again lost in the 200 years following the Oblivion Crisis and the eruption of Red Mountain (which wiped away a great number of Dwemeri ruins in Vvardenfell, the epicenter of Dwemer culture prior to their disappearance). Even one of the greatest experts on the Dwemer, Calcelmo, knows less about the Dwemer than some amateur archeologists in Vvardenfell during the time of ''Morrowind''.
* RomanticismVersusEnlightenment: The core of their conflict thousands of years ago with the Chimer boils down to this. The Dwemer are certainly aware of the existence of the Daedra the Chimer worship, but are steadfast in their belief that the Daedra are not gods; so much so that Vivec facetiously commented that the Dwemer instead worshiped "their Gods of Reason and Logic."
* SchizoTech: One of [[UnreliableNarrator Marobar Sul]]'s "Ancient Tales of the Dwemer" claims that the Dwemer invented their famous [[MechaMook automatons]], and perfected them as weapons of war, before they had the idea to dress their flesh-and-blood soldiers in platemail armor. (The Publisher's Note says that this was possibly a misunderstanding by the Chimer, who wouldn't have been used to seeing full platemail armor as it was rare among the races of Mer, and may have mistaken armored Dwemer soldiers for machines all the long.)
* SufficientlyAdvancedAliens: They are the fantasy equivalent. The [[LostTechnology tools and technologies]] they left behind are still used by the more clever denizens of Tamriel to accomplish feats that conventional technologies and magics cannot match. Some examples include creating the tools necessary to tap into the divine powers of the heart of a dead god, machinery capable of safely reading an [[TomeOfEldritchLore Elder Scroll]] without the nasty side effects, a [[RealityWarper reality-warping]] HumongousMecha in working order, and a fully-functional WeatherControlMachine.
* SuperiorSpecies: They certainly considered themselves as such, with every other race (Men, Mer, or otherwise) being beneath them. A big part of their [[{{Naytheist}} Naytheism]] came from their belief that even the supposed "gods" were not truly superior to them. Arguably Justified, as their advancements (technological, metaphysical, and more) were (and still are) far, ''far'' beyond what any other race in Tamriel is capable of.
* TechnicolorBlade: Their weapons all have a goldish/bronze appearance.
* {{Telepathy}}: The Dwemer were said to have an ability known as "The Calling" which allowed them a "silent and magickal" means of communicating with one another, even over vast distances.
* TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow: Or rather, mer. One theory about the vanishing of the Dwemer states that they started trying to [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence elevate themselves to a higher plane]], [[AGodAmI up to becoming gods]]. It backfired, causing the entire Dwemer race to just vanish, across Tamriel, all in one day. They were also evidently capable of creating technological devices capable of reading Elder Scrolls, which are practically a form of TomeOfEldritchLore.
* TimeAbyss: Likely not the individual Dwemer themselves (though with [[RealityWarper their abilities]], it isn't out of the realm of possibility), but for the Dwemer as a whole. It is said that, during the [[TheTimeOfMyths Dawn Era]] (an era before linear time existed while the mortal plane was still settling post-creation), they studied the "death of the Earth Bones" to find ways to manipulate them.
* TheTower: The Dwemer attempted to use the Heart of Lorkhan to construct their own Tower, as well as to become a new god - Anumidium (or "Walk-Brass"). They intended to use it to transcend mortality, but something went awry, causing the entire Dwemer race to disappear from all known planes of existence in a single instant. The Dunmeri Tribunal would then claim the machine, now know as Numidium, and would later trade it to the Emperor Tiber Septim in exchange for special privileges when Morrowind joined Septim's Empire as a VoluntaryVassal. Septim would then use it to complete his conquest of all of Tamriel. However, as a result of the events of ''Daggerfall'', the Numidium would be destroyed along with its makeshift Stone, the Mantella (an immensely powerful soul gem said to contain the soul of a Shezarrine).
* {{Transhuman}}: Another possible theory is that, rather than [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascending]] successfully, the Dwemer instead attempted to manipulate the "Earthbones", the fallen remnants of the Aedra, to break themselves down into the base elements and then reforge themselves. Naturally [[GoneHorriblyWrong they got the reforging step of the process wrong]].
* UndergroundCity: Famous for building these. Their ruins in modern Tamriel were all formerly these.
* VolcanoLair: The heart of their ancient civilization was set up in and around the Red Mountain volcano. Many of their other cites famously tapped into lava underground for geothermal power.
* WeatherControlMachine: They built one (known as the Karstangz-Beharn) in their city of Bamz-Amschend, now buried beneath modern-day Mournhold. As shown in ''Tribunal'', it's still fully functional given a proper power source.
* WrittenByTheWinners: Following their disappearance, the only groups in positions to know much about the Dwemer were the Dunmer (having been turned from the Chimer) and the Nords, both of whom warred with the Dwemer and wouldn't have had any reason to say anything good about them. In the years that followed, the Dwemer would be demonized by the Dunmer and popularized by ahistorical tales like [[UnreliableNarrator Marobar Sul's]] ''Ancient Tales of the Dwemer'' series. Not helping matters is that their language was quickly lost after their disappearance, making it impossible for anyone to read the Dwemer's own records. (A means of translation was discovered around the time of ''Morrowind'', but was apparently lost again by the time of ''Skyrim'' 200 years later.)

!! Falmer

->''Torn from their home of ice and frost,\\
Thrown into the pitch black dread of night.\\
Living in fear as their minds become lost,\\
As their eyes begin dimming the light.\\
Chained and enslaved,\\
What once was light turned to blackness.\\
Alone and betrayed,\\
Sinking deeper into madness.''
-->--'''The Betrayed'''

The Snow Elves, whose Merethic Era empire spanned throughout Skyrim and Solstheim, and who once had a civilization rivaling that of the Altmer. Unlike the other races of Mer elsewhere in Tamriel, they lived peacefully along side the races of Men for at least several centuries. However, an event known as the "Night of Tears" saw them slaughter and burn the Atmoran/Nord city of Saarthal. In revenge, Ysgramor recruited an army of 500 Atmorans and invaded Skyrim, nearly driving the Falmer to extinction. The survivors were taken in by their Dwemeri cousins, who enslaved and mutated them into blind, debased, and feral creatures little better than Goblins who dwell underground.

Physically, the pre-mutation Falmer resembled the Altmer, being tall with lean frames, angular facial features, and elongated skulls. However, they had pale white skin and hair. Following the mutation, the Falmer appear as hunched-over grayish-skinned humanoids without noses (instead having long nostril slits) and skin having grown over their blind eyes.
----

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Exactly ''one'' Falmer has been seen in the entire series who isn't a barbaric scrounger. [[spoiler:And that's only because he wasn't affected by the corruption that afflicts the rest of the race. He says there were more like him before, but his brother, a Vampire, destroyed their order.]] They are also showing signs of moving away from this. According to [[spoiler:the last surviving non-mutated Snow Elf]], they are slowly (over hundreds of years) regaining their sentience and may be able to communicate in several hundred more years.
* ArtificialScript: They have [[http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Falmer_Alphabet their own]]. Like Daedric, it is a simply cypher for the Latin alphabet.
* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: Those ancient Falmer who survived the journey and trials of the Chantry of Auri-El could "become one with" Auri-El, their chief deity. After succeeding, they "ascended, bathed in light, a look of relief and contentment on their face."
* BeneathTheEarth: They are now almost exclusively a subterranean race, having taken over many Dwemer ruins in Skyrim as well as many natural caves.
* BigCreepyCrawlies: They are known to farm Chaurus, a large insectoid species protected by hard chitin and who can spew corrosive acid. They use the Chaurus chitin to craft their weapons and armor, and use Chaurus eggs as a food source and in their potion-making.
* BodyHorror: They've been twisted from [[http://en.uesp.net/wiki/File:SR-npc-Knight-Paladin_Gelebor.jpg this]] to ''[[http://en.uesp.net/wiki/File:SR-creature-Falmer.jpg this]]'', now possessing claws, fangs, nostril slits instead of noses, and have skin grown over their blind eyes.
* BornUnlucky: According to one story, the ancient Falmer were visited by Sai, the God of Luck in the Iliac Bay, but they treated him poorly. He never returned to them, depriving them of his ability to bring supernatural good luck.
* ConLang: They have their own "forgotten" one, Falmeris. Finding a translator for it is a side quest plot point in ''Skyrim''.
* CreateYourOwnVillain: To the Nords, with a bit of LaserGuidedKarma. Their ancestors once nearly drove the Falmer to extinction, and in their desperation, the surviving Falmer fled to their Dwemer cousins, who twisted and mutated them into goblin-esque monsters. The Falmer of the 4th era are now growing more bold, venturing above ground to kidnap surface dwellers while their numbers swell beneath ground. They also seem to be regaining some of their lost sentience, forging better weapons and armor from farmed Chaurus chitin and practicing crude alchemy to create poisons from the plentiful mushrooms that grow in their underground lairs. The author of one in-game book in ''Skyrim'' even believes that the Falmer may be preparing to wage war on their surface dwelling ancestral enemies, which would be bad news for the already war-torn Skyrim.
* CrystalSpiresAndTogas: At one point, they had a society on par with the Altmer.
* DoesNotLikeShoes: Despite being shown to create armor and clothing, very few Falmer are seen wearing anything on their feet. Possibly justified, as it is speculated that, due to their blindness, the Falmer use other means of detecting threats. This may include feeling vibrations in the ground with their feet.
* EnslavedElves: To the Dwemer after nearly being driven to extinction. Taking it to another level, the Dwemer forced the Falmer to blind themselves and twisted them into barely-sapient creatures along the lines of Goblins.
* ElaborateUndergroundBase: While they've taken over many Dwemer ruins, they've also been shown to be capable of constructing elaborate networks of suspended bridges and platforms.
* EyelessFace: Though they still technically have eyes, the Falmer now have a layer of skin covering their eyes after centuries of living underground. This has gameplay connotations as well: They are completely incapable of light-based detection against sneakers, but have keen sound-based detection. You could walk right in front of them if silent enough.
* FinalSolution: How Ysgramor chose to deal with them. He very nearly succeeded in wiping all of them out, save for those who fled to the Dwemer and [[spoiler:a small population who hid at a single remote chantry]].
* FreudianExcuse: Being betrayed by the Dwemer and abused for years has instilled the Falmer with a [[AbsoluteXenophobe xenophobic hatred of all civilized races]]. However, in ''Dawnguard'' [[spoiler:Knight-Paladin Gelebor, one of the few pure Snow Elves, explains that the Falmer chose to blind themselves to avoid extinction and submitted to the Dwemer by their own volition, and that how they devolved into the Falmer of today didn't happen because of that but for other reasons.]]
* FuturePrimitive: The Falmer have degenerated from graceful Snow Elves with a culture rivaling the Altmer into a race of blind, subterranean Morlock-like beasts with a primitive, xenophobic tribal culture. The Dwemer, who took the surviving Falmer in after their annihilation by the Nords, forced the Falmer to blind themselves with poisonous mushrooms in exchange. The Dwemer used them as servants and slaves, and may have performed experiments on them that caused them to further mutate into their present form.
* HeavilyArmoredMook: Some modern Falmer outfit themselves in full suits of Chaurus-chitin armor.
* ImprobableAimingSkills: They are quite skilled with their bows despite being completely ''blind''.
* InsistentTerminology: In ''Dawnguard'', [[spoiler:Knight-Paladin Gelebor prefers to be called a Snow-Elf, since the name Falmer has become stigmatised due to the actions of their debased kin, who he refers to as "The Betrayed".]]
* ItCanThink: Though they give the impression of mindless monsters, they clearly have ''some'' semblance of intelligence. They corral and breed chaurus, craft weapons and armor, brew crude poisons from fungi, and in ''Dawnguard'' they've built impressive networks of bridges and ledges throughout the Forgotten Vale to host their settlements on. According to some scholars [[spoiler:and Knight-Paladin Gelebor]], they're beginning to venture above ground, and demonstrate cunning and deductive reasoning in their battle tactics.
* LastOfHisKind: [[spoiler: One unmutated Snow Elf yet lives in the 4th Era, Knight-Paladin Gelebor. He survived along with a small population of other unmutated Snow Elves at a remote chantry. However, his brother, who became a vampire, wiped out every other surviving Snow Elf, leaving only him]].
* NothingIsScarier: Their lairs tend to be very dimly lit and claustrophobic, leading to this.
* TheMorlocks: Formerly a graceful and advanced race of Mer, they were nearly exterminated and most of the survivors were forced to be blinded and corrupted by the Dwemer in exchange for their shelter. They now live as creatures little better than goblins beneath the earth, attacking any surface dwellers on sight. They also are known to torture their captives, and feed them to their pet Chaurus, judging by the number of human remains in Chaurus pens. If Alftand is anything to go by, they also skin surface dwellers and make leather from them. About the only Morlock trait they don't have confirmed is [[ImAHumanitarian eating the surface dwellers]]...but sometimes, when you kill one, you find 'Human Flesh' in its inventory... and human remains in their refuse heaps...
* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch: [[spoiler:In ''Dawnguard'', there is ''one'' still uncorrupted Falmer. He pities the Falmer (referring to them as "the Betrayed") and uses the above InsistentTerminology to distinguish himself from them.]]
* OurElvesAreDifferent: Formerly had a civilization to rival the Altmer, with snow-white skin and hair, and they preferred to leave in Tamriel's coldest climates. They've been corrupted to the point that they are not even ''sentient'' anymore. In a lot of ways, they're closer to [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Tolkien's original orcs]].
* OurGodsAreDifferent: While their pantheon overlaps significantly with the Altmer, the ancient Falmer had a desire to "become one with" Auri-El, their chief deity, in a way the Altmer do not demonstrate.
* OrganicTechnology: Almost everything they create is made from Chaurus chitin, the hard shells of the giant insectoid Chaurus creatures they farm.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Knight-Paladin Gelebor, [[spoiler:the last surviving uncorrupted Snow Elf]], has been alive since the fall of the Falmer civilization some 4000+ years prior. Though the races of Mer are known to be naturally LongLived, this is extreme. (Gelebor heavily implies that he believes [[DivineIntervention Auriel (Akatosh) himself]] is keeping him alive.)
* SadisticChoice: Either die at the hands of Nords and face extinction, or blind yourselves and become subservient to the Dwemer.
* SlaveRace: Became one to the Dwemer after Ysgramor and his companions slaughtered the majority of their population.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Their weapons, armor, chests, and huts are all very spiky. Justified in that they are made with Chaurus chitin, which is spiky to begin with.
* TakeAThirdOption: [[spoiler:The Chantry of Auri-El was isolated enough that its presence remained unknown to the Nords, so the Snow Elves living there were able to survive without the Dwemer's "aid".]]
* TheTower: "Snow Throat" (aka the Throat of the World), the Tower of Skyrim, is believed to have played a part in originally attracting the Falmer to the region. After their near extinction, it would fall into the hands of the Atmorans/Nords.
* WasOnceAMan: Whatever happened to the Falmer, it caused them to possess white souls. In other words ''souls of animals''. That's right, the Falmer are no longer even sentient.
* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Whatever the Dwemer did to them, it changed their very souls from (sapient) black souls to white "creature" souls.
* WitchSpecies: Like the Altmer, the pre-mutation Falmer had exceptional natural aptitudes for magic.
* WorthyOpponent: Despite nearly driving the Falmer to extinction, Ysgramor and the Atmorans/Nords respected their leader, the Snow Prince, so they gave him a proper burial and guarded his tomb from grave robbers.
* WrittenByTheWinners: They are losers to Ysgramor and the Nords. As part of destroying all traces of the Falmer culture in Skyrim that he could find, he also destroyed any evidence of anything that happened other than what ''his'' official histories record. For instance, he claims that the Falmer attack on Saarthal was unprovoked. However, surviving records of the Elves claim that the attack was in response to repeated "provocations and blasphemies" committed by the early Nords.

!! Lefthanded Elves

-> "''We speak no more of the Left-Handed Elves (may curses follow them into the Eight Abysses), for to recall their abominations but darkens our days...''"
-->-- '''''The Unveiled Azadiyeh'''''

The elven inhabitants of Yokuda, also known as the Sinistral Mer, who fought a devastating war against the Yokudans that rendered them extinct. It is suggested that they may have some sort of connection to the Maormer.

----

* ArchEnemy: To the Yokudans, who rendered them extinct.
* OurElvesAreDifferent: Their hat was that at least the majority, if not all, of their species was left-handed.
* MeaningfulName: As the Sinistral Mer. "Sinistra" is Latin for "left."
* TheSouthpaw: Their entire race was said to be left-handed.
* TheTower: Believed to be connected to the Orichalc Tower of Yokuda. After being driven to extinction at the hands of the ancient Yokudans, the Tower is believed to have plunged into the sea with the rest of Yokuda.
* {{Unperson}}: The Redguards do not speak about them for talking about them tends to "darken their days."

!! Maormer

->"''Suffice to say that the arch-mage known as "King" Orgnum has long led the outcasts of the shrouded isle. He uses foul spells, rituals and sacrifices to continually renew his youth and vigor. Other rumors you have heard are true, as well. The rituals of Orgnum allow the Maormer to control sea serpents. Some have mastered the art of riding the beasts among the waves, while larger and less docile beasts swim in support of their largest fleets."''
-->-- '''''Fang of the Sea Vipers'''''

The Sea Elves of Pyandonea, a jungle continent to the south of Tamriel. They have battled with the Altmer for centuries, control sea serpents, and are said to be led by the "undying wizard king," Orgnum.

* AnimalMotif: Serpents, particularly vipers.
* ArchEnemy: To the Altmer, and one of their oldest. Throughout the 1st and 2nd Eras, Maormer forces personally led by Orgnum were said to "ravage" the coastlines of the Summerset Isles.
* TheBeastmaster: They practice a powerful form of "snake magic," which allows them to command and ride sea beasts.
* ChameleonCamouflage: They are said to possess this ability. It is so powerful that they can disappear by walking into the shade of a single tree.
* CunningLinguist: When Orgnum met with Queen Potema to forge their alliance in the 3rd Era, he was said to have a translator who was fluent in all the languages of Tamriel, Pyandonea, Atmora, and Akavir.
* CurbStompBattle: After thousands of years of raiding the coasts of southern Tamriel, especially the Summerset Isles, they allied with the "Wolf Queen" Potema in her bid to usurp the throne of the Septim Empire. The Maormer brought a massive fleet, but it was swallowed whole when the [[OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness Psijic Order]] created a [[WeatherManipulation magical storm]]. The Maormer were so devastated that it is said they will never again be able to serious threaten Tamriel.
* {{Immortality}}: Their leader Orgnum is known as an "undying wizard king", though the exact kind he has is unknown. The Altmer claim that he is not immortal at all, but [[FountainOfYouth uses all sorts of foul magics to remain youthful]].
* OurElvesAreDifferent: According to lore they have blank eyes and chameleon-like skin, can tame sea serpents, and are lead by an undying wizard.
* TheUnseen: They have not yet appeared in a main series game. (They do make an appearance in ''Online''.)
* YouCantGoHomeAgain: Altmeri legend holds that they were banished from and forbidden to return to Aldmeris after they attempted a rebellion. There is said to be a literal veil of mist that they cannot penetrate surrounding their former home.

!! Orsimer

->"''We know not how Trinimac had been defeated, but it is said that after his defeat Boethiah had consumed him and tortured his spirit in'' ''her belly. When Boethiah grew bored of Trinimac's torture, she released him from his prison and later exiled him to a plane of choking ash. This torture and dishonor left Trinimac twisted and enraged. Trinimac faded and was reborn as Mauloch, the God of Curses.'' ''With'' ''his mind bent on revenge, his most devout followers changed to match him and became the Orsimer, cursed to wander in exile, a people without a place.''
-->-- '''''The Fall of Trinimac'''''

The Pariah Elves of the Wrothgarian and Dragontail mountains on the border of High Rock and Hammerfell, commonly known as Orcs. They possess strong, muscular builds and green skin. They are known for their ferocity and courage in battle, as well as their skill as armorers and smiths (especially with the rare metal Orichalcum), making them some of the finest heavy infantry on all of Nirn.

The first Orcs were created when the Daedric Prince Boethiah devoured and later excreted the Aldmeri spirit Trinimac. Trinimac's remains became the Daedric Prince Malacath, while his Aldmeri followers were transformed into the Orcs. Malacath is the central figure and patron deity in Orcish religion. Most outsiders see Orcs as savages; that their lives are short and filled with violence and misery. Several times, they've attempted to form their own city/state, Orsinium, literally "Orc Town". However, Orsinium has been razed and rebuilt several times - having been razed once again in the 4th Era - leaving many Orcs to eke out a living in destitute, dilapidated "strongholds" on the edges of society.
----

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Malacath encourages tribal behavior within Orc communities, ensuring that the best warriors within a tribe are acting as chieftains. As shown by his quest in ''Skyrim'', Malacath isn't above taking a more hands on approach when a weak Orc chieftain goes unchallenged by his tribe. [[spoiler:(He sends Giants to attack their stronghold. Either the weak chief mans up and defeats them, another warrior steps up to overthrow the weak chief, or the tribe gets wiped out.)]]
* {{Beastess}}: While technically a sub-race of Mer, Orc females fit.
* TheBlacksmith: From a young age they are taught to mine and smith, and are masters of the craft. Their heavy armors are some of the most sought after in Tamriel.
* TheBerserker: Orcs are natural berserkers, with an innate ability to trigger an UnstoppableRage that significantly increases their abilities in melee combat.
* BloodKnight: Due to their strong warrior culture, Orcs generally live for battle. To them, if something isn't worth fighting for, it isn't worthy anything at all.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Downplayed. Like most races of Mer, they have practices and beliefs which, while not completely alien to normal human morality, are certainly within a different system of values. For example, when an Orc is becoming old and weak, he is encouraged to seek out a worthy foe to end his life. Likewise, if one sees that his chieftain is no longer fit to lead, it is considered his ''responsibility'' to challenge and defeat the chieftain in combat for his position, ensuring that the strongest Orc in a tribe serves as the leader.
* ButtMonkey: The Orcs have long suffered this as a race. Their bestial appearance and "barbaric" culture (as it is perceived by the other races of Tamriel) make them frequent victims of FantasticRacism. Several times the Orcs have tried to unite and create their own city-state known as Orsinium, but each time, their neighboring nations (the Bretons of High Rock and Redguards of Hammerfell) have forced them to abandon it. By the 4th Era, the Orcs were forced at swordpoint by the Bretons to officially renounce the kingdom of Orsinium and assimilate into High Rock as slaves in all but name. Only a few Orc tribes still live independently in destitute, scattered "strongholds", scorned by all.
** IronButtMonkey: They do take all their trials in stride, though, as Malacath teaches "strength through adversity".
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness Originally]], the Orcs were simple "hurr durr smash hoomies" Tolkein-style Orcs with nothing particularly noteworthy about them (they weren't even playable in ''Arena'' or ''Daggerfall''). Beginning with ''Morrowind'', however, their characterization has shifted massively. Rather than just being dumb, they'd been severely marginalized for ages - even their god reflected this. The Imperial Legion of Uriel VII's time, among other things, however, helped them to begin to properly integrate into the Empire better - thus making them playable.
* CultureChopSuey: They have a culture reminiscent of the Mongols, with a social structure reminiscent of Slavic tribes (small non-nomadic strongholds that are run by a single large family with the patriarch at the head). As of the 4th Era, they seem to have become fantasy counterpart Native Americans. A once tribal people, who had their land stolen from them under threats of violence, and now live on compounds remarkably similar to reservations.
* DeathSeeker: Similar to the Nords, Orc culture sees glory in dying in battle. Unlike Nord culture though, dying in battle isn't just seen as a nice thing to have happen, but something an Orc is actively encouraged to seek out. Once an Orc elder feels that he is starting to weaken with age, they will often seek out someone (either within the tribe or outside of it) worthy enough to kill them in combat. Most Orc chieftains hope to die by the hands of a stronger successor, rather than old age (see KlingonPromotion below).
* FaceDesignShield: Along with RageHelm, this is the case for Orcish armor in ''Morrowind''.
* FantasticNamingConvention: They have traditionally Orcish sounding first names and surnames, and the surname gets the prefix "gro-" for male orcs, "gra-" for females. E.g. Yadba gro-Khash, Borba gra-Uzgash.
* FantasticRacism: While they've been canonically established as a subrace of Mer, non-Orcs would rather believe they're one of the beastman races due to their perceived savagery. Strangely, this attitude has worked out in the Orc's favor; the rise of the Thalmor has led to an increase in general anti-Mer prejudice throughout Tamriel, but Orcs are generally exempt from it and no worse off than they would be otherwise.
* FightingForAHomeland: Unlike other playable races, they don't have a lasting homeland. Orsinium was destroyed ''twice'' by Bretons and Redguards.
* IAmXSonOfY: Traditional Orc names follow this structure, with the prefixes "gro" and "gra" meaning "son of" and "daughter of", respectively; when referring to a parent, a male orc will use his father's name as his last name, and a female will use her mother's. However it's not uncommon for them to use their place of birth as a last name in place of a parent's.
* KlingonPromotion: A Orc becomes chieftain by killing the current chieftain in ritual combat. This isn't primarily due to [[AmbitionIsEvil evil ambition]], though. Orcs are encouraged to kill their chieftain if he is too old or too weak to continue to lead, thus ensuring that whoever leads is stronger than the leader he replaces and strong enough to lead the tribe.
* MartyrdomCulture: Many Orcs actively look for ways to die in battle. They feel that it pleases their patron deity, Malacath, for them to die in battle.
* OddFriendship: Oddly enough with the Nords, as of the 4th Era. While the Nords typically despise all races of Mer (Elves), they've bonded somewhat with the Orcs over their mutual respect for strong leaders, affinity for smithing, and love of fighting. Following the sack of Orsinium, the (short-lived) Orc home province between High Rock and Hammerfell, Orcs have set up numerous strongholds dotting Skyrim where they are allowed to live in relative peace by the Nords.
* OurOrcsAreDifferent: Leans toward the Blizzard Orc archetype since they are still a subrace of Mer. Due to their Mer heritage despite their brutish appearance and tribal customs, in term of brute strength the Nords are still physically stronger than Orcs (Though Orcs are more durable and can enter a berserker rage, doubling their strength). However, the Orcs make up for it with being an incredibly skilled weapon/armor crafter (they gain bonuses for Smithing and Enchanting skills).
* PigMan: The Orcs are derogatorily referred to as "Pig Children" by the other races. Aside from their bestial features and tusks, they have no relation to actual pigs.
* PromotedToPlayable: In ''Morrowind''. Before that, they were generic enemies in ''Arena'' and, while they got some characterization that pushed them toward "[[OurOrcsAreDifferent Blizzard Orcs]]" in ''Daggerfall'', they were not yet playable.
* ProudWarriorRace: Something that makes them NotSoDifferent from Nords and Redguards. Falling in combat to a superior opponent to end one's life is not only encouraged, but ''expected''.
* StoneWall: Not as physically strong as the Nords or as skilled with large weapons, but the Orcs are without doubt the best users of heavy armor in the setting and get the highest bonuses to their heavy armor skill. Thus, they are able to endure a level of punishment that would have killed anyone else dozens of times over. The Septim Empire specifically recruited Orcs to serve as elite heavy infantry in their Legions, and their success in this role helped them to become more accepted throughout the empire.
* UnstoppableRage: They have an innate ability to trigger a berserker rage, increasing their skill in melee combat.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Beast Races]]

The beast races (collectively known as Betmer) of Nirn that are neither Men or Mer.

!!General Tropes applying to the Beast Races

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Like the races of Mer, each Beast Race has traits, beliefs, and practices which come across as very alien to a human observer. Specific examples for each race can be found in their entries below.
* DemiHuman: While primarily humanoid in size and shape, each Beast Race has numerous features outside the range of normal humans, crossing over with PettingZooPeople.
* FantasticRacism: While the races of Men and Mer frequently display this toward one another, the Beast Races get hit with it from both sides. It ranges from being downplayed (such as Argonians and Khajiit being barred from some cities due to distrust) to being played dangerously straight (enslavement by the other races at various points in history and, in the case of the Sload, sometimes being ''killed on sight'').
* PettingZooPeople: Each has animalistic features on otherwise humanoid frames.
* RockBeatsLaser: Averted when the Aldmer came to settle Tamriel. Tamriel was said to have already been inhabited by the Beast Races, but they were aboriginal and primitive, making them "easily displaced" by the more magically and technologically advanced Aldmer.

!!Argonians

->''"The Hist were many, and they were one. Their roots buried deep beneath the black soul and soft white stone of Black Marsh,'' ''connecting them all, and thus connecting all Saxhleel, all Argonians. The Hist gave his people life, form, purpose."''
-->-- '''''The Infernal City'''''

The Argonians are the reptilian natives of the Black Marsh (which they call Argonia) in southeastern Tamriel. While primarily reptilian in appearance, which includes possessing scales, elongated faces and jaws, claws, tails, and being cold-blooded, they also possess some traits of amphibians (small gills that allow them to breathe underwater similar to tadpoles) and birds (with some, particularly females, naturally growing feathers). The Argonians are slow to trust and hard to know, but incredibly loyal to those they call friends, as well as cunning and resourceful fighters. Argonians are highly resistant to disease and are famed throughout Tamriel as masters of guerilla style warfare, especially when exploiting the swampy terrain of their homeland. In fact, Black Marsh has never been wholly occupied by an invading force. (Even Tiber Septim merely captured several border cities, where non-Argonians can live somewhat comfortably, and declared Black Marsh "conquered.") They are also unfortunately (perhaps along with the Orcs) the most vilified and misunderstood of all the races, and for much of their history the Argonians were slaves to the Dunmer.

The Argonians refer to themselves as the "Saxhleel" in their own tongue (known as "Jel"). "Saxhleel" translates to "the people of the root" in Jel, a name which reflects the bond they feel with the sentient and ancient Hist trees which are also native to Black Marsh. Argonians believe that their souls were given to them by the Hist, and they drink the sap of the Hist to communicate with them and to grow. Most Argonians are able to feel the presence of the Hist in their minds at all times, but the further they travel from Black Marsh the weaker the connection gets. Additionally, the Hist are said to "acknowledge" Sithis as the true creator of the universe, and thus offer Argonians born under the sign of the Shadow (known as "Shadowscales") at birth to the Dark Brotherhood (which serves Sithis) to be trained in the arts of stealth and assassination.
----

* AcquiredPoisonImmunity: Living in the Black Marsh with so many poisonous and toxic lifeforms has made the Argonians almost totally immune to natural and magical poisons.
* AlienHair: Being the most "alien" playable race, the Argonians have just about everything ''but'' hair treated like hair. Horns, spikes (both flexible and rigid), scales, fins, feathers (particularly females), etc.
* BadassArmy: As of the 4th Era, the Argonians have proven to be one of the strongest fighting forces on ''all of Nirn''. Usually depicted as being at the very least marginally CloudCuckoolander in their tendencies, they have proven to be an [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass exceptionally "hidden badass" fighting force]]. Following the Oblivion Crisis, their race TookALevelInBadass when the Hist, whose sap the Argonians drink to grow, began to change the Argonians, making them stronger and more aggressive to prepare for the coming chaos and wars following the Crisis. Offscreen events recorded in the in-game books make it clear they're masters of Viet Cong style guerilla warfare, and their invasion of Morrowind (and, therefore, its rich ebony deposits) is speculated to have made them one of the only nations still capable of standing against the Aldmeri Dominion. They were also the only force in all of Tamriel that not only held off the Dremora in the Oblivion Crisis, but actually forced the Dremora to close their gates because ''the Argonians were invading Oblivion''.
* {{Beastess}}: Some Argonian females display traits along these lines, with their bestial appearances while being the equal of Argonian males in combat.
* BigDamnHeroes: During the invasion of Tamriel by the Akaviri race of "Snow Demons" known as the Kamal, the Nords and Dunmer managed to fend them off, but were under threat of Kamal reinforcements. That ended when the Argonians joined the fight, helped to break the Kamal lines, and then slaughtered them all in a decisive final battle.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Comes with the territory of being a humanoid tree-worshipping lizard, although this does vary wildly depending on the individual and how long they've been living out of Black Marsh.
* ConLang: Their native "Jel" language. Unlike the other languages of Men and Mer, it does not descend from Ehlnofex, but rather comes from the Hist. It is unique in that it has no past tense or future tense verbs, only present tense.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Usually depicted as being at the very least marginally CloudCuckoolander in their tendencies. Seemingly named after unique traits they display while still hatchlings, so you get Argonians walking around called things like Hides-His-Eyes, Scouts-Many-Marshes, and Nine-Toes. Offscreen events recorded in the in-game books make it clear they're masters of Viet Cong style guerilla warfare, and their invasion of Morrowind (and, therefore, its rich ebony deposits) is speculated to have made them one of the only nations still capable of standing against the Aldmeri Dominion. They were also the only force in all of Tamriel that not only held off the Dremora in the Oblivion Crisis, but actually forced the Dremora to close their gates because ''[[MuggingTheMonster the Argonians were invading Oblivion!]]''
* CultureChopSuey: They combine elements of Meso-American cultures (in the {{Mayincatec}} fashion) along with native cultures of Southeast Asia. Their ancient cultures built [[PyramidPower grandiose pyramid structures]] called "xanmeers" while Argonian art makes use of bright colors, feathers, and hides of all kinds. A succession of conquerors has long prevented the Argonians from growing past the "tribal" stage of society, while the Argonians are also masters of Viet Cong style guerilla warfare.
* DeathWorld: Most of the Black Marsh is full of dangerous flora/fauna, extremely difficult to navigate, and flat out ''toxic'' to non-Argonians.
* TheDogBitesBack: For thousands of years, the Argonians were slaves to the Dunmer. Following the events of the Oblivion Crisis and the infamous "Red Year" (both of which severely weakened the Dunmer), the Argonians took the opportunity to invade Morrowind, the Dunmer homeland. They captured most of the still-habitable portions, along with Morrowind's rich ebony deposits.
* EasilyForgiven: A cultural tic, at least toward fellow Argonians. Culturally, Argonians live in the "now," preferring not to dwell in the past or look ahead to the future. Additionally, hating each other is the same as hating themselves because they "are all people of the root."
* EnemyMine: Despite their long-time animosity, the Argonians formed one under the Ebonhart Pact with the Dunmer and the Nords, first to drive out the Akaviri Kamal invaders, and then to focus on wiping away the rashness of Imperial rule as well as ending mortal scheming with higher powers from beyond Nirn during the Interregnum.
* EvolutionaryRetCon: The appearance of the Argonians has changed drastically over the course of the series, though, interestingly, this change has been given an in-universe justification. ''Arena'' displayed them as gray-skinned humanoids. Two games later, ''Morrowind'' turned them into bird-legged, iguana-looking people. ''Oblivion'' returned them to more traditionally bipedal lizard people. Finally, ''Skyrim'' has them looking like ''velociraptor''-looking people (they use the same model as other races, apart from the reptilian head and tail). Essentially, with each game, the Argonians have gotten a more aggressive "predatory" look. This evolution is ostensibly justified in-universe by the fact the Argonians worship the "Hist," a race of sentient trees in their homeland of Argonia (or "Black Marsh"). Hatchling Argonians drink the sap from the Hist that changes them physically. After the events of the Oblivion Crisis, it is believed that the Hist have been strengthening the Argonians, turning them into more formidable warriors over time.
* ExploitedImmunity: The Argonians have a racial ability which allows them to breathe underwater. They also have a reputation for being skilled at guerrilla warfare, constructing underwater camps (which are naturally hard for non-Argonians to assault) and one of their favorite tactics is to ambush their victims, grab them, drag them underwater, and keep them there until they drown.
* FaceHeelTurn: As a race during the 4th Era, if one considers the Empire as the "face" side of things and the Aldmeri Dominion as the "heel." (Which, while the Empire has its flaws, is still very much the [[BlackAndGrayMorality "gray" to the "black"]] of the [[ANaziByAnyOtherName outright fascist]] Dominion.) After Red Mountain's eruption, the Aldmeri Dominion influenced the Argonians to attack Morrowind and get revenge over millennia of slavery and to free the remaining illegal slaves there, as well as to capture Morrowind's valuable [[FantasyMetals Ebony deposits]]. The Dominion profited in further weakening the Empire by tearing away two more provinces (Argonia seceding and then capturing what was left of Morrowind).
* FantasticDrug: If an Argonian licks the sap of Hist trees, the Hist can communicate with them through visions. If a non-Argonian tries this, or if the sap is somehow tainted, it can result in extreme hallucinations and intense bloodlust.
* FantasticNamingConvention: The Argonians are seemingly named (in Jel, the language of the Argonians) after unique traits they display while still hatchlings and, if they have frequent dealings with non-Argonians, get those names translated into Tamriellic. "Haj-Ei" becomes "Hides-His-Eyes," for example. In other cases, their name in Tamriellic is based on their profession. For example, "Quill-Weave" is a writer, "Makes-One-Soup" is a chef, and "Lights-Sparks" is a mage.
* GenderBender: According to some (potentially [[UnreliableExpositor unreliable]]) sources, Argonians are said to be sequential hermaphrodites, meaning they can switch genders. The time spent as either male or female is called a "life-phase".
* HealingFactor: Their Histskin ability allows them to improve their restoration spells, and they have a much stronger natural resistance to diseases than most other races.
* HiveMind: Downplayed, but extant. Argonians are said to be able to "feel" the Hist inside of them at all times, connecting them with the Hist and to each other. It is said that the farther an Argonian travels from Black Marsh, the weaker this connection gets. Sensing the upcoming Oblivion Crisis, the Hist were able to use this ability to recall most of the Argonians in Tamriel to Black Marsh in preparation for the trials to come.
* HotSkittyOnWailordAction: Averted in terms of producing offspring, as the only confirmed Tamriellic playable race to not be able to interbreed with the race of Men and Mer.[[note]]The Khajiit may be an exception like the Argonians, as there are no known Man/Mer and Khajiit pairings in the lore to date.[[/note]] Being an egg-laying species and not (being known to have) descended from the same common ancestors makes this aversion rather understandable. However, that doesn't preclude ''sex'' from happening. ''The Lusty Argonian Maid'' and its sequels treat the subject from an IKEAErotica standpoint.
* IdealIllnessImmunity: Downplayed in that it's not truly "ideal," but the Argonians are naturally highly resistant to most forms of disease. This actually may have hurt their reputation during the deadly Knahaten Flu outbreak in the 2nd Era, which crippled much of Tamriel. As the Argonians were immune to the disease, they were blamed as the creators (or at least as carriers) of the disease, souring their relations with many of the other races of Tamriel.
* InSeriesNickname:
** The Argonians get several of these from the other races, most of them derogatory, such as Lizard Men and just plain "Lizards." The word "filthy" often precedes them.
** The Argonians themselves often refer to the other races as "landstriders" (more politely) or "prey" (in a more negative sense).
* LanguageEqualsThought: Their language, Jel, has no past or future tense verbs. As such, Argonians tend to live "in the now," [[EasilyForgiven easily forgetting and forgiving]] past offenses while paying little mind to the future. (The possibly {{Omniscient}} Hist seem to do that for them, as seen with them foretelling and preparing the Argonians for the Oblivion Crisis and turmoils of the 4th Era.)
* LastOfHisKind: As of the 4th Era, there is only one known Shadowscale remaining, serving in the Skyrim branch of the Dark Brotherhood. The practice of sending Shadowscales apparently died out sometime after the Oblivion Crisis.
* LizardFolk:
** They are a species of humanoid reptilians with scales, elongated snouts, claws, and tails. They are known to reproduce via laying eggs and are said to be cold-blooded (but can survive in colder climates as adults thanks to "concentrated magicka" within the Hist sap that they drink). They also have some traits in common with some amphibians, including the ability to breathe in and out of water, and they are said to go through "life phases" in which their physical forms can change drastically, including, per some sources, changing sexes.
** In ''Arena'', there is an enemy type called Lizard Men, hostile reptilian troglodytes described as "once thought to be distant cousins of the argonians [...] whose use of language stretches only far enough to communicate the location of their prey to the rest of their hunting party, which then move to attack and feed". Interestingly, it resembles the modern Argonian design much more than Arena's version.
* MasterPoisoner: The Kota-Vimleel tribe are esteemed alchemists known for creating the most deadly poisons in all of Tamriel.
* NonMammalMammaries: Female Argonians are depicted with them inconsistently throughout the series.
* TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness: The An-Xileel, a political party with close ties to the Hist, rule Argonia during the 4th Era and appear to be this. It is speculated that their close ties to the {{omniscient}} Hist give them foresight into upcoming events and allow them to act with this advance knowledge. They rose to power during the Oblivion Crisis, during which it is said the actions of the An-Xileel are the sole reason Black Marsh remained unconquered by the forces of Mehrunes Dagon. They are strong anti-Imperialists and successfully pushed for Argonia's secession in the early years of the 4th Era.
* OurGodsAreDifferent: While some more-Imperialized Argonians recognize the Aedra and some of the Daedra, their race primarily worships the Hist - a race of [[WiseTree sentient]], [[TimeAbyss ancient]][[note]] "ancient" as in "they have existed on the planet before linear time was conceived of"[[/note]], and possibly {{Omniscient}} spore-reproducing trees. They can communicate with each other via deep, interconnected root systems and can communicate with the Argonians via visions transmitted in their sap, which the Argonians drink to learn and grow.
* TheQuisling: The Archein tribe. During the 3rd Era, they made fortunes by selling other Argonians into slavery. They also served as the advisors of the Imperial governors in Black Marsh, while being allowed to more directly rule over the more rural areas. When the 3rd Empire fell, they quickly went bankrupt and were hunted by other Argonians as traitors.
* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: Despite being no worse than the other playable races in general, the Argonians are long-standing victims of FantasticRacism with this being a major reason for it.
* TheSavageSouth: Black Marsh (aka Argonia) itself. It is one of Tamriel's southernmost mainland provinces (along with Elsweyr) and is full of diseases, poisonous life forms, sentient trees, man-eating plants, and vicious wildlife. Even Tiber Septim didn't bother conquering Black Marsh completely, just capturing a few border towns (where non-Argonians could actually live) and calling it a win.
* ScrewYouElves: After being victimized by the Dunmer for thousands of years with other outside forces (including the Septim Empire) doing very little to stop it, the Argonians fought back ''hard'' following the [[ChekhovsVolcano Red Year]]. They invaded what was left of habitable Morrowind, drove the Dunmer out, and claimed it (and its valuable Ebony deposits) for themselves.
* ServantRace: To the Hist, who may have created the Argonians specifically to be this. The Argonians hold a deep reverence for the Hist, as it is said the Hist gave them their souls. Argonians will serve and defend the Hist with their very lives if needed.
* SlaveRace: For thousands of years to the Dunmer, who would raid Black Marsh from neighboring Morrowind to capture Argonians as slaves. Even under the otherwise progressive Septim Empire (which outlawed slavery everywhere else), Morrowind was allowed to continue this practice as one of their special privileges (for trading the Numdium to Tiber Septim). With Morrowind greatly weakened by the Red Year, the Argonians invaded in revenge.
* TheStoic: Subverted. Other races ''believe'' Argonians to be this, assuming them to have no emotions or feelings. This is largely attributed to their lack of facial muscles needed to display human-like facial expressions. Anyone who pays attention to their voices can quickly deduce this is simply not true. Even those who barely understand the languages of Men and Mer can have strong emotion in their voices.
* SuperNotDrowningSkills: Argonians can breathe water just as easily as air. They are known to use this as a guerrilla tactic, dragging their foes underwater and drowning them.
* SwampsAreEvil: Black Marsh to all non-Argonians, being full of dangerous lifeforms and diseases. Obviously averted by the Argonians themselves.
* TookALevelInBadass: The entire race following the Oblivion Crisis. The Hist, whose sap the Argonians drink to grow, began to change the Argonians, making them stronger and more aggressive to prepare for the coming chaos and wars following the crisis. It also serves to justify their changing appearance throughout the series. Further, it has been implied that the new An-Xileel regime in charge of Argonia at the time of ''Skyrim'' is one of the only two remaining factions that are capable of fending off a Dominion invasion (the other faction being Hammerfell).
* TykeBomb: Shadowscales, who are Argonians born under the Shadow Sign and trained from childhood in assassination by the Dark Brotherhood. Some Argonian tribes take their duty of producing Shadowscales to such a degree that they have created potions which allow females to synchronize their egg-laying cycle with the Shadow constellation. By the 4th Era, only one Shadowscale remains.
* UnusualEuphemism: "Landstrider" to non-Argonian races.
* VerbalTic: The Argonians tend to refer to other races as 'prey', going so far as to greet them by saying things like "the prey approaches."
* WhenTreesAttack: The Hist can incite the Argonians to attack on their behalf, making them this trope indirectly.
* WiseTree: Argonians worship the Hist
* ZanyScheme: Argonians have a cultural knack for coming up with these. It is likely linked to their BlueAndOrangeMorality (what is "zany" to a human may not be to a tree-worshiping lizard) and their [[LanguageEqualsThought unusual thought processes]].

!! Imga

->"''The Great Apes, or Imga, are native beastfolk of Valenwood. They see the High Elves as their lords and masters, and as a portrait of an ideal, civilized society."''
-->-- '''''Pocket Guide to the Empire and its Environs, First Edition'''''

The Great Apes of Valenwood. They are known for their reverence of the Altmer.
----

* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: They're ape people.
* FantasticRacism:
** Consider humans to be beneath them and pretend to find their smell offensive.
** Though ironically, the most famous Imga was Marukh, the founder of the Alessian Order--a human-supremacist theocratic order that took over the First Empire via coup and carried out the genocide of all the remaining elves in Cyrodiil.
* GutturalGrowler: The Imga are described as speaking with very gravelly, baritone voices.
* PimpedOutCape: Wear fancy capes in an attempt to [[JustForPun ape]] the Altmer.
* TheUnseen: Haven't actually appeared in any of the games.
** Though one of the better lore-friendly mods for ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'', ''Moonpath to Elsweyr'', takes you to Elsweyr and has the Imga working as Thalmor {{Giant Mook}}s.

!!Khajiit

->''"And Fadomai said, "When Nirni is filled with her children, take one of them and change them. Make the fastest, cleverest, most''
->''beautiful people, and call them Khajiit."''
-->-- '''''Words of Clan Mother Ahnissi to Her Favored Daughter'''''

The feline race of Elsweyr. There are 17 different sub-species of Khajiit, and what sub-species a Khajiit cub will grow into is decided by the alignment of Tamriel's moons at the time of its birth. Most of these species are humanoid with feline features, but they can vary wildly, from the Alfiq, which are almost indistinguishable from housecats but possess great intelligence and are rumoured to be formidable spellcasters, to the Pahmar, which are similar in size and appearance to a tiger.

The variety most commonly seen in the games, the Suthay-raht, are excellent thieves and acrobats, but their attraction to piracy and skooma often see them becoming sailors. Khajiit are fond of cakes, puddings and candies of all kinds, stemming from their love of the highly addictive Moon Sugar. Khajiit are also deadly in unarmed combat due to their excellent reflexes and retractable claws. Their foreign appearance and unusual behaviour makes them common targets for racism.
----

* AcquiredPoisonImmunity: Khajiit as a whole are far less susceptible to the effects of moon sugar thanks to the fact that nearly all of their food uses it in some form or another, hardening their bodies to it. Still, overeating the sweetest of Khajiit foods can overwhelm even their resistance.
* AmbiguousSituation: While Masser and Secunda's two year abscence (aka: the "Void Nights") has been stated to have caused understandable unrest and panic among the Khajiit, nothing has been said as to whether or not the Khajiit reproductive cycle was affected, and if so, in what way. This has been subject to some WildMassGuessing, and caused a few EpilepticTrees to take root.
* ArrogantKungFuGuy: Khajiit typically come across as incredibly self-confident in their abilities.
* BareFistedMonk: Their [[NaturalWeapon claws]] give them an edge over the other races in bare-handed martial arts.
* BeastOfBattle: Member of the Senche and Senche-raht subspecies will allow their kinsmen to use them as steeds in times of war. This has led to Imperial soldiers who have faced them in battle giving them the nickname 'battlecats.'
* CatchPhrase: "May your road lead you to warm sands."
* CatFolk: To different degrees in each game. Justified by the phases of the moons deciding which subrace a Khajiit grows up to be, from resembling tigers (Pahmar) to ''almost'' looking like a Bosmer (Ohmes). There are even Khajiit known as Alfiq who are very similar to house cats, but are capable of understanding language and casting spells.
* CatNinja: Khajiit are naturally inclined toward stealth, and can often be found as assassins, spies, and thieves in other provinces.
* CombatPragmatist: The Khajiit [[LanguageEqualsThought don't even have a word for "rules"]]; the closest concept is "foolish thoughts." Unsurprisingly, this extends to their methods in battle. They have no qualms with deception, trickery, and even outright fleeing battle if things don't go their way. They are more than willing to abandon their allies (after all, a smart ally would do the same!) or flee a fight if it means that they can turn around and come back later to stab their enemies in the back, raid their vulnerable supplies, or cut their throats while they sleep. As long as you ''win'', anything goes.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Khajiit have a reputation for being simple, but are very effective warriors.
** This could be a case of the series' famous intentionally contradictory lore. Most sources indicate that Khajiit are no less intelligent than any other race. To support this, most Khajiit you meet in most of the games or literature are actually quite clever, just more... morally ambiguous and, as MostWritersAreHuman, don’t get as much characterization as the more human-looking races in-universe. Much of the “dim-witted” stereotype comes from their drug use, fantastic racism regarding their bestial appearance, and being third-person people. There are several high ranking Khajiit in the Mages Guild and the (Morrowind) Thieves Guild.
* CultureClash: Khajiit culture has a somewhat ''loose'' view of what constitutes personal property. Naturally, this leads to conflicts outside of Elsweyr where this behavior constitutes "theft."
* DeadpanSnarker: Name one Khajiit you ever meet without his\her moments.
* ExoticEquipment: The genitals of male Suthay-Raht and Cathay-Raht Khajiit are covered in tiny barbs, similar to those of real-life cats.
* FantasticDrug: Moon Sugar, which is a key ingredient to Skooma, is a prized delicacy in Elsweyr.
* FantasticFightingstyle: Are said to have many forms with colorful names like Goutfang, Whispering Claw, Two-Moons-Dance, and Rawlith Khaj (translated as "Raining Sand").
* FantasticNamingConvention: They have single names with prefixes and a PunctuationShaker, for example Ra'Virr, Dro'Zel. Sometimes no prefixes.
* FantasyCounterpartCulture: Their caravans, nomadic lifestyle, and propensity for stealth recall medieval views of the UsefulNotes/{{Roma|ni}}. Like the Redguard, they also take a lot of cues from various north African and Middle-Eastern cultures.
* HotSkittyOnWailordAction: Each of their 17 different subspecies is implied to be able to breed with one another. To review, they can supposedly range in size from house cats, through a number of variations of humanoid CatFolk, to outright tigers large enough to be ridden as steeds in battle. Additionally, the offspring any pairing produces has nothing to do with the parent subspecies, but rather, the phases of the moons under which they are born.
* ImpossibleTheft: Rajhin, a thief-God of Khajiit culture, was said to have stolen a tattoo clean off the neck of the Empress Kintyra and used his knife to cut off a merchant's shadow.
* LanguageEqualsThought: Ta'agra, the language of the Khajiit, has no word for "rules". The closest equivalent translates to "foolish concepts".
* LittleBitBeastly: The Ohmes and Ohmes-Raht subspecies have light fur and a tail, but are otherwise completely humanoid. So much so that they're often mistaken for Bosmer.
* {{Motifs}}: Moons. Specifically, the two moons Masser and Secunda which will, depending on their phases, affect what subspecies a Khajiit will be when they are born, and are an integral part of the Khajiit religion. While Khajiit culture is scratched at in the main games compared to some of the other playable races, VideoGame/TheElderScrollsOnline shows that a lot of Khajiit style armor is adorned with symbols of the moons in different phases[[note]]With many of them being that of a crescent moon[[/note]], as well as the Khajiit style weapons,[[labelnote:Example]] Battle axes: Ones of iron and steel invoke the image of a half moon, the individual blades of Orichalc and dwarven ones each invoke the image of a crescent moon, and Ebon to Voidsteel ones invoke the image of a full moon, with the two bladed parts of the weapon resembling half moons on their own.[[/labelnote]] to the point where an armory filled with high-end Khajiit style gear would border on SigilSpam. In addition to the above, their biggest export is '''moon'''sugar, which has religious and cultural significance to the Khajiit, who believe it to be "crystallized moonlight", the Temples of '''Two-Moons''' Dance are places for philosophical study and martial training, etc.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: They seem stupid and simple at first glance, but once you meet enough, they are clearly a very intelligent species. Makes you wonder why they fell for the Thalmor's tricks and joined them...
* ProudMerchantRace: The Khajiit are well known for their cross-continental traveling caravans.
* TheRival: Species-wide example with the Argonians.
* SweetTooth: Somewhat amusingly, the entire species has a known sweet tooth, even though RealLife felines can't taste sugar at all.
* ThirdPersonPerson: When speaking in Tamrielic.

!! Lilmothiit

An extinct race of fox people that once inhabited the Black Marsh. They may have a relation with the ancient city of Lilmoth.
----

* ArchEnemy: To the Argonians, possibly. They are rumored to have been driven out of Black Marsh by the Argonians, but it is far from confirmed.
* NobleSavage: Not much is known about them, but we ''do'' know that they were a primitive, tribal society. If they were more "noble" or more "savage" remains unknown, however.
* PettingZooPeople: Just like the Khajiit and, to a lesser degree, the Argonians.
* TheUnseen: They are mentioned a couple times in the games, but you never actually see them. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], as they are heavily implied to have been driven into extinction either by the Argonians or by a deadly disease known as the Knahaten Flu during the Second Era.

!! Sload

->''"Cautious. They have no word in their language for adventure. The closest equivalent means 'tragic disaster'. All their heroic myths''
->''are about individuals who sit around and think for years and years, consulting cautiously with wise Sload, until finally they act -''
->''always deliberately, always successfully. All their mythic villains act quickly, and always fail."''
-->-- '''''Pocket Guide to the Empire and its Environs, First Edition'''''

The slugmen of Thras, the coral kingdom off the coast of Summerset Isle in the Abecean Sea. They are ancient enemies of the Altmer, though their attacks on the Altmer have sometimes spread to all of Tamriel.
----

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Always described as evil, and the only Sload to have appeared within a TES game was a villain.
* ArchEnemy: To the Altmer, and to all Tamriel in general, to the point that Sload are often killed on sight.
* TheChessmaster: Sload culture holds those representing this trope in high regard. All Sload heroes spend years planning and consulting with other Sload before acting against their adversaries, whereas their villains are [[LeeroyJenkins rash]] and always fail as a result.
* EscapeRope: All adult Sload have knowledge of the Recall spell in order to get themselves back home.
* FatBastard: As they grow, Sload become more and more corpulent, to the point that only being supported by magic or water prevents them from being crushed under their own weight.
* GracefulLoser: Sload are known to express cheerful affinity toward anyone that does manage to defeat or outwit them.
* LackOfEmpathy: Sload are described as not feeling the same emotions other races do, but are capable of acting like they do.
* NayTheist: Are generally non-religious, though they have no problem making pacts with Daedric Princes if it suits them.
* {{Necromancer}}: The Sload are well known for their knowledge of necromancy.
* PhotographicMemory: They have perfect recall of everything they see or hear.
* TheUnfettered: Are utterly ruthless in the pursuit of their goals, with even genocide being on the table if it helps them achieve their ends.

[[/folder]]


[[folder:Akaviri Races]]
A collective name for the races that hail from the land of Akavir, also known as "Dragon Land", far to the east of Tamriel.

!! Akaviri Races in General

* NamedAfterTheirPlanet: Or region, in this case. Each race is simply named after their homeland and whatever they may call themselves is unknown. (Notable because this isn't the case for any of the races of Tamriel.[[note]]Even if you refer to Black Marsh as Argonia, the Argonians refer to themselves as the Saxhleel.[[/note]])
* UnreliableExpositor: Much of what is known about the races other than the Tsaesci comes from ''Mysterious Akavir'', a book that, even if it were accurate when written (which is not a given), is over two-hundred years out of date by the time of ''Skyrim''.
* TheUnseen: To date, none of the Akaviri races have made an appearance in-the-flesh in the series.
* {{Wutai}}: Akavir itself has considerable Asian influences, and seems to play the role of Asia to Tamriel's Europe.
* YellowPeril: Given that Akavir is rooted in East Asian cultures, most of their interaction with Tamriel in the west has been as deadly, mysterious, and frightening invaders. A few Akaviri have settled in the West, but even they are often mysterious and crafty antagonists.

!! Kamal

The Kamal (meaning "Snow Hell") are a race of "snow demons" hailing from the frigid northern part of Akavir. Every year, they freeze during the winter and thaw out in the spring, at which point they attack the Tang Mo (and one time, Tamriel).
----

* EvilIsDeathlyCold: They are referred to as "snow demons", freeze every winter, and their home is referred to as "Snow Hell."
* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: Not even once have they succeeded in defeating Tang Mo. The one time they broke that cycle was to attack Tamriel, and that also failed.
* FantasyCounterpartCulture: Implied to be of the Mongols. "Savage" invaders from the north who attempt to raid and pillage their more peaceful neighbors.
* GrimUpNorth: Their home is literally called "Snow Hell" and it is located in the north of Akavir.
* HumanPopsicle: They freeze and thaw every year.
* ViciousCycle: Freeze, thaw out, attack the Tang Mo, freeze, thaw out... The one time it was broken was to attack Tamriel instead, and it also failed.

!! Ka Po' Tun

The Ka Po' Tun (meaning "Tiger-Dragon's Empire", originally just Po' Tun) are a race of "tiger-folk" and are said to be the most powerful empire in Akavir. They highly revere dragons and it is the goal of their race to ''become'' dragons.
----

* AchillesHeel: While they have become the strongest empire in Akavir, their greatest weakness is [[CatsHateWater sea warfare]].
* ArchEnemy: To the Tsaesci, who attempted to "eat" the dragons which the Ka Po' Tun highly revere. Tosh Raka intends to exterminate them.
* CatFolk: They're purely tiger-folk.
* EnemyMine: They have recently (relative to when ''Mysterious Akavir'' was written) allied with the Tang Mo, who were former enemies.
* FantasyCounterpartCulture: Implied to be of China. Tosh Raka has a number of similarities to [[UsefulNotes/RedChina Mao Zedong]] especially.
* GodEmperor: Tosh Raka, the Tiger-Dragon. He has become the largest dragon on Nirn and is covered with orange and black scales. (Other sources claim this story to be metaphorical at best.)
* PyrrhicVictory: Their war with the Tsaesci left them as the strongest empire on Akavir, but the war was very costly to both sides and left all of Akavir's dragons dead.
* ScaledUp: To become a dragon is the ultimate goal of the Ka Po' Tun. The current emperor, Tosh Raka the Tiger-Dragon, is the only one known to have attained this goal.

!! Tang Mo

The Tang Mo (meaning "Thousand Monkey Isles") are a race of "monkey-folk" consisting of many breeds. Described as kind and brave, but also simple and mad, they are bitter enemies of the Kamal and Tsaesci, but have allied themselves with their former enemy in the Ka Po' Tun.
----

* BewareTheSillyOnes: Though described as simple and mad, they've successfully defended themselves time after time against all of the neighboring races.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Described as very simple and mad, but have successfully defended themselves from their neighbor races, particularly the Kamal.
* EnemyMine: They have recently (relative to when ''Mysterious Akavir'' was written) allied with the Ka Po' Tun, who were former enemies.
* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: They're monkeyfolk.
* FantasyCounterpartCulture: Possibly of Korea and/or India, facing constant attacks from their aggressive neighbors.
* IdiotHero: They are kind and brave, but also very simple.
* UnderdogsNeverLose: They always come up on top against their far more powerful enemies.

!! Tsaesci

The Tsaesci (meaning "Snake Palace") are a race of vampiric "snake-folk" (though conflicting sources state that they are men little different from those in Tamriel). They were formerly the most powerful empire of Akavir and notably influenced the Cyrodiilic Empire after their failed invasion of Tamriel in the late 1st Era, particularly the creation of the Blades.
----

* AntiMagic: The Imperial Battlemages who accompanied Uriel V during his failed invasion of Akavir claim to have been "abnormally weak" while there. It is speculated that the Tsaesci had something to do with it.
* ArchEnemy: Dragons, which also leads to the Ka Po' Tun. Their hatred for dragons has led to them attempting wipe all dragons from the face of Nirn (which at least partially motivated their 1st Era invasion of Tamriel). The Ka Po' Tun revere the dragons and are attempting to wipe out the Tsaesci in return.
* CadreOfForeignBodyguards: Their Dragonguard served as this initially to Reman Cyrodiil and his descendants. They inspired the Blades who came after them.
* DefeatMeansFriendship: After Reman Cyrodiil used [[MakeMeWannaShout the Thu'um]] against them in battle during their invasion of Tamriel, they recognized him as Dragonborn, who the Tsaesci believe to be the ultimate dragon slayers. He incorporated the surviving Tsaesci into his armies, where they served him as bodyguards, dragon hunters, and would be the precursors to the Blades. They also became a great cultural influence within the empire.
* DualWielding: As they have a cultural aversion to shields (detailed below), they are known to wield a katana in their dominant hand and a wakizashi in their off-hand as a favored fighting style.
* FantasyCounterpartCulture: Possibly of Japan, where the weapons and armor attributed to them are very Japanese in design. Their Dragonguard (which would inspire the Blades) also has elements of Samurai culture.
* ImAHumanitarian: If the theory that they ''literally'' ate the Men of Akavir is true. (As opposed to "devoured" simply being a metaphor for enslavement and/or cultural absorption.)
* KatanasAreJustBetter: They have a number of Japanese-style weapons associated with them, particularly the katana. They introduced it to Tamriel when they invaded, and it became the iconic weapon of the Blades who drew inspiration from their Dragonguard.
* MultipleChoicePast: Sources radically conflict over whether the Tsaesci are serpentine at all.
** On the "human-like" side: Several in-game books outright state that they are humans little different from those in Tamriel. One account specifically mentions a Tsaesci soldier with an injured leg. The most recent (and probably most reliable) account, Uriel V's campaign report from the 3rd Era, does not describe them as snake-like at all. It also mentions them having "mounted raiders," which would be a difficult task for a species without legs. The Akaviri ghosts and skeletons who appear at a few points in the series are completely humanoid in appearance.
** On the "serpentine" side: ''Mysterious Akavir'', a work of [[UnreliableExpositor admittedly dubious accuracy]], supports this side. Additionally, the [[InGameNovel in-universe historical fiction]] (loosely based on in-universe historical events) ''2920, The Last Year of the First Era'' also describes them as having serpentine lower bodies. Other chronicles, such as "History of the Fighter's Guild" indicate that the Tsaesci couldn't wear human armor at all, indicating a non-humanoid shape. ''Online'' has an item, an Akaviri Silver Mask, which depicts a reptilian-looking appearance.
** The TakeAThirdOption[=-=]option: Since the "races" of Akavir [[NamedAfterTheirPlanet share their names with the name of their nation]], it's possible that they aren't one single "race," but multiple races living within those nations. The "Tsaesci" could include serpentine snake vampires as well as the former Men of Akavir and/or their cross bred descendants.
* LongLived: While descriptions vary from "men just like those found in Tamriel" to "snake vampires," they are apparently longer lived than that typical men of Tamriel. The two Akaviri Potentates, who ruled Tamriel in a continuation of the Reman Empire early in the 2nd Era, ruled for 323 years and 106 years, respectively.
* OurVampiresAreDifferent: They are serpentine for one.
* {{Precursors}}: Their Dragonguard spawned and heavily influenced the Blades.
* ShieldsAreUseless: Tsaesci have a cultural aversion to shields, and are confused by human warriors who rely on a 'sword-and-board' fighting style. In Tsaesci martial arts, if you don't want your opponent to hit you, ''you get out of the way''.
* SlaveRace: They are known to keep the goblins of Akavir as slaves. They are used for labor, food, and as CannonFodder in battle. They also at one point enslaved Akavir's red dragons and possibly the Men of Akavir as well.
* SnakePeople: They are supposedly very snake-like, right down to having serpentine lower bodies, but some accounts suggest a more humanoid appearance.
* VampiresAreSexGods: Along with YouSexyBeast. Serpentine or not, they did leave descendants who are considered "beautiful, if frightening". [[{{Squick}} Best not to delve too much into that.]]
* WeatherManipulation: Uriel V's invasion of Akavir was absolutely plagued by seemingly supernatural bad weather. The Akaviri winter was far longer and more intense than his intelligence reports indicated it would be. Further, it was plagued by a sudden and mysterious drought. Finally, severe storms along the oceanic supply lines sank many of his ships traveling between Akavir and Tamriel. Magical manipulation by the Tsaesci is speculated to be the cause in all cases.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Other Races]]

Those races who do not belong to Men, Mer, Beast, Daedra or Akaviri.

!! Dragons

The ''Dov'' (singular ''Dovah'') are beasts originally hailing from Akavir (though other sources point to Atmora as well) and are descended from Akatosh. They have mastery over the ''Thu'um'', the ability to channel magical energy into words.
----

* TheAgeless: Though their physical forms still experience wear and tear (as can be seen with Paarthurnax), they never effectively die of old age, and in most cases, get StrongerWithAge.
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Within each Dragon is the desire to dominate and destroy others.
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Dragons strongly believe this. If there's a question of pecking order, a fight ensues until one dragon either wins, submits, or dies.
* BreathWeapon: Subverted. While it might look like they have the ability to breathe fire and ice, they're actually using [[MakeMeWannaShout Thu'um]] to [[RealityWarper conjure fire and ice into existence]].
* DeaderThanDead: To fully kill a dragon, you must first destroy its body and then absorb its soul. While anyone of sufficient ability can do the former, only another dragon (or a dragonborn) is capable of the latter.
* DeathIsCheap: If a Dragon is killed by a mortal, it is entirely possible for another Dragon to resurrect it at a later point. The only way to permanently kill a dragon is to absorb its soul. Akatosh created the Dovahkiin to serve as a [[AlwaysABiggerFish natural predator]] for the Dragons.
* DeathOfAThousandCuts: Historically, Dragons never had much of a presence in Morrowind. Why? Because they were driven away by ''Cliff Racers'' - [[GodDamnBats small, weak and hideously annoying]] native creatures - through sheer [[ZergRush numbers and persistence]].
* DragonsAreDemonic: Dragons are creatures of aggression and domination, and it's in their blood to be cruel and contemptuous. Even the protagonist, the Dragonborn, is a mortal with a dragon's soul and is no exception. However, they can fight against their baser nature as seen by [[spoiler:Paarthurnax.]]
* DragonsAreDivine: Since they descend from Akatosh, they are considered lesser Aedra and therefore divine by default.
* HeelFaceTurn: They can however suppress their desire and ally themselves with mortals, like Nafaalilargus and [[spoiler:Paarthurnax]].
* HonorBeforeReason: Dragons have a strong sense of honor which influences the actions they take. For example, when in a fight and faced with overwhelming odds, a dragon is expected to FaceDeathWithDignity and will almost never consider retreat.
* TheHunterBecomesTheHunted: When they attack the Dovahkiin.
* IFightForTheStrongestSide: A staple of Dragon culture.
* IKnowYourTrueName: Downplayed. Shouting a dragon's true name does not place it under your control, but it will treat it as a challenge and will usually seek out whoever made the shout, due to a combination of curiosity and honor.
* LanguageEqualsThought: In the Draconic language, no distinction is made between "debating" and "fighting" - two dragons breathing fire at each other are just having a particularly heated argument. Furthermore, dragons' thoughts when voiced are able to alter reality, so when they Shout they are not merely casting a spell, but ''willing'' fire into existence with a word. Language equals Thought Equals Being, in other words.
* LanguageOfMagic: Draconic, when spoken by a Dragon or one trained in the Thu'um, allows forces and elements to be ''willed'' into existence.
* LukeNounverber: Their names, when translated from Draconic, sound this way.
* MightMakesRight: To the draconic way of thinking, being right and being powerful are one and the same.
* MundaneMadeAwesome: Language is so intrinsic to the Dragons that a fight between two Dov... is actually a deadly verbal debate.
* [[NoTrueScotsman No True Dovah]]: Dialogue with certain Dragons imply they view the Dragonborn as an ''[[HumanoidAbomination abomination]]'' for their ability to [[YourSoulIsMine devour Dragon-souls]] and are deeply insulted that the Dragonborn has the audacity to call itself a "Dovah".
** [[spoiler:Odahviing]] expresses this opinion of Alduin after he flees from a battle with the Dragonborn. Even if they know they are outmatched, a ''real'' Dragon would continue fighting [[FaceDeathWithDignity until the bitter end!]]
** So much so that when [[spoiler:Alduin [[DirtyCoward runs away after being defeated other dragons realize he is no longer fit to lead.]]]] There is no respect lost if you submit to your better, but to turn tail and flee shows you are no true dov.
* [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Our Dov Are Different]]: In this case, quasi-angelic beings with immortal Aedric souls who use their language, the Thu'um, to [[RealityWarper warp reality]].
* PoirotSpeak: Dragons frequently slip back into Draconic when talking.
* {{Pride}}: Repeatedly demonstrated to be their FatalFlaw.
* RealityWarper: Due to the Thu'um, which they can use to literally command things into existence.
* RiseFromYourGrave: The Dragons aren't just coming back to Skyrim. They're coming back to life.
* SoulEating: Dragons and those with dragon souls can consume other dragon souls to a) boost their own souls' power and b) destroy the other soul permanently (the only way to destroy the otherwise immortal dragons).
* TookALevelInJerkass: The Dragons and their Dragon Cult originated in Atmora, homeland of the proto-Nords. There, the men worshipped the Dragons, and the priests demanded tribute, as well as set down laws so Dragons and men could live together peacefully. The Cult in Tamriel was not nearly as benevolent, ruling men with an iron fist, eventually enslaving them. No one really knows why the Cult changed, though it is hinted that is was the result of Alduin's desire to rule the world instead of end it.
* AWizardDidIt: How are they able to fly in spite of their bulk and unaerodynamic shape? How are they able to speak despite not having lips? Magic.

!! Giants

The Giants of Skyrim and High Rock. They tend to the colder regions, and are known to herd mammoths. According to ''Online'', they can breed with humans.
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* CarryABigStick: That can [[GoodBadBugs send you into low orbit]] with one hit.
* EnemyMine: In ''Skyrim'', Giants can join the Dragonborn in fighting errant Dragons if their herd's been threatened. Or potentially escalate into a MeleeATrois between some of Skyrim's heaviest hitters.
* GentleGiant: So long as you keep your distance, and don't touch their mammoths, they're perfectly content to leave you be. Wandering giants kick it up a notch in ''Skyrim'', and will only fight if attacked first; you can get within arm's length and they'll keep walking. Usually.
* HeroicNeutral: On the whole, if you leave them alone, they leave you alone. If you attack them or their mammoths, well, be prepared to fight it out. Though exceptions do exist; in the Rift, Giants are seen attacking an orc stronghold without provocation, and they likewise overran the local shrine to Malacath, driving the orcs out there. However, this is heavily implied to be due to divine intervention -- Malacath considered the current chieftan a coward and the crisis would either wipe out the tribe or force him to man up and protect his people.
* KillItWithFire: At some of their camps you can see the charred remains of a humanoid tied to a spit over the campfire. Whether this was just their method of killing the poor sod or [[ToServeMan dinner preparations]] is unclear.
* OffScreenVillainy: We're told they raid farms and apparently they're enough of a threat for the Jarls to put bounties out on them at times. Aside from their attacks on the orc stronghold of Largashbur and one attacking a farm defended by the Companions outside Whiterun, we don't see any overt hostilities from them so long as they're allowed respectable breathing space.
* OurGiantsAreBigger: And stand at ten feet on average.

!! Goblins

A type of green-skinned, primitive, and violent humanoid found across Tamriel and Akavir. They have a primitive language and social system, and worship a god called "Muluk," who is theorized to be Malacath.
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* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Unless they're being controlled by more intelligent masters.
* DomesticatedDinosaurs: They train Durzogs, a sort of reptilian dog, for combat and protection.
* GiantMook: Giant Goblins inhabited Hammerfell before the Redguards came to the area and drove them to extinction.
* OurGoblinsAreDifferent: Pretty much follow the standard fantasy version to a "T."
* ReducedToRatburgers: They are known to farm Tamriel's RodentsOfUnusualSize as a food source.
* SlaveMook: Various cultures in Tamriel have enslaved Goblins from time to time throughout history. The Tsaesci of Akavir reportedly brought goblins along during their invasion of Tamriel as servants and CannonFodder. The Altmer similarly employ Goblins in this fashion.
* YouNoTakeCandle: Those that do speak words in Tamriellic tend to do so in this fashion.
* ZergRush: Most are not adept fighters on their own, but they make up for it by attacking in greater numbers.

!! Hagravens

A group of bestial, bird like witches. Formerly mortal women, they became Hagravens to gain great power. Where ever that magic comes from, it is the same source that is worshiped by the Forsworn, and the two are frequently allied with each other.
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* ArchEnemy: Spriggans, given that their lairs are frequently dotted with Spriggan heads.
* DealWithTheDevil:
** They'll occasionally make a deal with a Forsworn warrior by [[LiteralChangeOfHeart replacing their heart]] with a briar heart, making the warrior much stronger but basically destroying his free will.
** A coven of Hagravens called the Glenmoril Witches were also responsible for forming a pact between the Daedra Prince Hircine and [[spoiler:The Companions of Whiterun]], giving the latter the ability to voluntarily shapeshift into werewolves in exchange for Hircine claiming their souls after death.
* EnemyToAllLivingThings: Except the Forsworn.
* EvilMatriarch: Forsworn camps will often refer to a Hagraven as their Matriarch.
* EvilMentor: To Witches, who eventually become Hagravens themselves.
* FeatheredFiend: Hagravens are villainous bird people.
* FemmeFatalons: Have literal bird talons for fingers.
* HarpingOnAboutHarpies: A flightless varient of this trope.
* HumanSacrifice: Part of the ritual of becoming a Hagraven requires sacrificing someone, though they're not so picky as demanding an actual human (Elves or Beast folk will suffice).
* [[WasOnceAMan Was Once A Woman]]

!! The Hist

-> ''"The Hist tree is the main form of worship among the scaled peoples of these dark swales. Others have hypothesized that the trees are apperceptive, with a deep knowledge and unfathomable secrets from the times before all the races of Man and Mer."''
--> ''Myths and Legends of the Hist''

The Hist are a race of ancient, sentient, giant spore-trees native to Black Marsh. They are worshiped by the Argonians who drink the sap of the Hist to grow, and can communicate with the Hist via visions transmitted in the sap.
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* TheOmniscient: Through an unknown means, they are able to see into the future. Sensing the upcoming Oblivion Crisis and the trials that would follow, they recalled most of the Argonians in Tamriel to the Black Marsh to combat these threats and, through their sap, changed the Argonians physically to better prepare them as weapons of war.
* PowerOfTheVoid: They are said to "acknowledge" Sithis as the original creator of the universe. This would also help explain the Shadowscales, Argonians born under the sign of the Shadow who are given to the Dark Brotherhood to train as assassins, since the Brotherhood operates in direct service to Sithis.
* TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow: They are believed to possess "unfathomable" knowledge from the Dawn Era, before the time of Men and Mer.
* TimeAbyss: Said to be the oldest beings on Tamriel, older than any Man or Mer, and were around to see the wars of the Ehlnofey during the Dawn Era, before linear time had even been conceived of as a concept.
* WhenTreesAttack: Subverted. Though sentient and capable of communicating with each other and the Argonians, they are otherwise entirely tree-like - stationary and defenseless on their own. However, they can incite the Argonians to attack on their behalf.
* WiseTree: They are believed to have some sort of prophetic knowledge of things to come, and communicate with each other via connected roots and with the Argonians by having them drink their sap. The An-Xileel are a chamber of the government in Argonia who hold almost absolute power simply because they consult with the Hist; through the visions of the Hist, they managed to recall almost all Argonians in Tamriel because the Hist foresaw the events of the Oblivion Crisis, and managed to force Mehrunes Dagon into a retreat from Black Marsh, and then to entirely wipe out the Empire's presence in the province as they declared independence.


!! Nymphs

A type of nature spirit that appears in the form of a beautiful naked, long-haired young woman. They're capable of draining stamina and can only be harmed by silver and other magical weaponry.
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* AnythingThatMoves: Subverted, while nymphs are often stereotyped in-universe as being little more than "beautiful, naked women who skip along tra-la-la and like to have indisciminate sex", they are actually quite shy.
* FullFrontalAssault: They attack while stark naked.
* NippleAndDimed: Averted, nymph sprites have very distinct nipples.

!! Rieklings

A species of blue-skinned humanoid creatures native to Solstheim, somewhat resembling ice goblins.
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* ArtEvolution: A major case from ''Bloodmoon'', where they more closely resemble small blue humans to ''Dragonborn'', where they are much more primitive and bestial looking.
* BladeOnAStick: Spears are a favored weapon of theirs.
* CargoCult: They can be seen worshipping some of their [[TrashOfTheTitans detritus]] in ''Dragonborn''.
* HorseOfADifferentColor: They ride Tusked Bristlebacks (wild boars) as mounts.
* TrashOfTheTitans: They are known to hoard random items, from useless VendorTrash to weapons and armor.
* YouNoTakeCandle: They have a primitive language and those who speak do so in this fashion. The Riekling Chief is one exception.
* ZergRush: They are rarely found alone and tend to attack in groups.

!! Spriggans

A mysterious, plant like race which is found in secluded groves, and will attack any who trespass on their domain.
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* ArchEnemy: Hagravens, given that the Hagravens will frequently dot their lairs with Spriggan heads.
* TheBeastmaster: Spriggans can control animals to attack you with.
* BeeAfraid: Some Spriggans will attack you with a swarm of bees.
* CallAPegasusAHippogriff: Spriggans are a type of goblin with SizeShifter powers in Cornish folklore. These Spriggans are more akin to violent Dryads.
* ExtraLives:
** In earlier games, they would have to be killed three times before they stopped coming back to fight you some more. They haven't done this since ''Bloodmoon'', however.
** In ''Skyrim'', Spriggans instead have a rapid HealingFactor when their health drops to critically low levels.
* GaiasVengeance: They're frequently referred to as "Nature's Guardian".
* KillItWithFire: They're very vulnerable to fire.
* NatureIsNotNice: Spriggans are generally an unfriendly group of nature spirits.
* PlantPeople: Particularly in ''Skyrim'', where they have an even more tree-like appearance than previous depictions.

[[/folder]]

* NonMammalMammaries: Female Argonians are depicted with them in every game through ''Oblivion''. ''Skyrim'' would be the first in the series to drop this trait.
* TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness: The An-Xileel, who rule Argonia by the time of Skyrim appear to be this.
* OurGodsAreDifferent: While some more-Imperialized Argonians recognize the Aedra and some of the Daedra, their race primarily worships the Hist - a race of [[WiseTree sentient]], [[TimeAbyss ancient]][[note]] "ancient" as in "they have existed on the planet before linear time was conceived of"[[/note]], and possibly {{Omniscient}} spore-reproducing trees. The can communicate with each other via deep, interconnected root systems and can communicate with the Argonians via visions transmitted in their sap, which the Argonians drink to learn and grow.