There are ten races of Tamriel. These ten and the Ayleids, Dwemer, Falmer, and Snow Elves will be discussed on this page.
The Altmer, or High Elves, are a race of elves that inhabit parts of the Summerset Isles. They are one of the ten default playable races, primarily known for their enhanced magical abilities. As a race, the Altmer strive to maintain the appearance of their ancestor race, the Aldmer, primarily through highly selective traditions surrounding marriage and reproduction.
The Altmer are one of the oldest races on Tamriel, one of the earliest descendants of the original mer race of Aldmer, and from there, through the Ehlnofey to the divine et’Ada themselves. As a race, they are extremely proud of their Aldmeri heritage and make a concerted effort to maintain their genetic lineage. Their name translates from the Aldmeri language as High Ones or Cultured Ones; a name which is often interpreted to mean "tall", or more often, "snobbish". For their part, the Altmer argue that they are the first true culture on Tamriel and still the most civilized race; an argument that even human scholars find difficult to refute.
The Altmer primarily live in the province of Summerset Isle, a large island off the southwest coast of Tamriel, which shares a border with Valenwood. According to their histories, their Aldmeri ancestors arrived on Summerset Isle due to mysterious reasons from the continent of Aldmeris. From here, splinter groups of Aldmer spread throughout Tamriel, but the Altmer remained on the Isles, acting as the nominal head of the empire of Altmeri nations on Tamriel. For most of the Mythic Era, the other races of elves on Tamriel acknowledged the Altmeri king as their own ruler, a practice which persisted until the founding of the Camoran Dynasty in Valenwood which marked the start of the First Era and the beginning of the decline of Altmer-dominated Tamriel. Their influence is still felt across the continent, however, as their culture forms the basis for the religion, language, and even architecture of the Cyrodilic Empire.
Altmer can also live to be over one thousand years old!
Shortly after the ancestors of all elves arrived in the Summerset Isles, they sent explorers to explor the continent of Tamriel. One of the most notable explorers is Topal the Pilot. Some of the elves setteled in what is now Cyrodiil and called themselves the Ayleids. Others went to pre-modern day Valenwood and became the Bosmer, and some went to Morrowind and became the Chimer.The ones who stayed in Summerset later became the Aldmer. The Ayleids settled in what is now Cyrodiil. Amoung their structures, the White-Gold Tower is the most impressive. The Tower, and the city surrounding it, makes up the Imperial City, the capital city of the Tamrielic Empire. The White-Gold Tower was originally used for worship. The Ayleids kept human slaves to do the building of their cities.
About a century into the First Era, a slave woman was born to the humans living on Ayleid-controlled Niben. This slave, who eventually ended up at the now-sacred Ayleid site of Sancre Tor (Golden Hill), would receive divine inspiration, and direct divine help, to rouse her fellow slaves and revolt against their masters. She became known to her people as Alessia, the Slave Queen. In 1E 242, the revolution began. The rebellion coincided with a period of civil war within the Ayleid empire. Alessia and the Nedes were given some help from the Nords and, due to the Ayleid civil war, help from some of the more radical Ayleid nobles. Many battles took place, including the Duel at Sancre Tor, Duel at Ninendava, Battle of Ceyatatar, the Battle of Narlemae, Battle of Celediil, Battle of Vahtacen, Battle of Sedor, the First Pogrom and the Battle at the Bridge of Heldon.
The revolution eventually came to an end with the Fall of the White-Gold Tower in 1E 243. During the battle, Pelinal Whitestrake, one of the leading generals of the Nedic army, fought Umaril the Unfeathered. Both were killed in the fight. With Alessia leading the Nedes, and with the help of the Nords and some of the more radical Ayleid nobles, they defeated the Ayleids and overthrew their kingdoms. They conquered the land in the name of the new Cyrodiilic Empire. The war ended in 1E 243. As the newly formed Alessian Order began to eliminate the remains of the Ayleid empire, one famous battle that occurred was the Battle of Bravil. After the second era, no one has seen an ayleid, so we presume their extinction.
The Argonians, or saxhleel in their own tongue, are a reptilian people from Agrgonia (also known as Black Marsh). They have the ability to breathe underwater and have a heightened immunity to diseases an poisons. The Argonians have perfectly adapted to the swampy environment of Argonia with the afformentioned gills and immunity to disease and poisons. Their tails are used for balance, making them useful for certain combat scenarios. Argonians make great explorers, due to their resistance to diseases and poisons and their ability to breathe underwater.
They also make great thieves because of their superb sneaking and lockpicking skills. Argonians are also skilled at guerrilla warfare, making them great warriors and archers. Their skill in guerrilla warfare has been proven when Dunmer slavers take Argonians to Morrowind as slaves. The lucky ones are skilled guerrilla fighters, and combat the slavers.
Bosmer, or Wood Elves, hail from the province of Valenwood (South-West part of Tamriel). Rejecting the formalities of the civilized world, the Bosmer discarded lavish living for a life in the wilderness, among nature, the trees, and animals. In fact, their major cities are actually located in giant walking trees that roam the forest province of Valenwood. They decorate their bodies to resemble their forest surroundings. Because of this, many view them as barbarians. Despite their infamy, they are known to be extremely agile and quick. Their nimbleness serves them best in any art involving thievery. Many are well respected archers, due to their inherent mastery of the bow. The Wood Elves are the various barbarian Elven clanfolk of the Western Valenwood forests. Collectively, they are known as the "Wood Elves", but Bosmer or Tree Sap People are synonymous terms for this group of people. Tree Sap suggests the wild vitality and youthful energy of the Wood Elves, in contrast with their more dour cousins, the Altmer and Dunmer. In the Aldmeri Language "bos" means "forest" and "mer" means "people", so "Bosmer" translates to "Forest People".
Writings describe the Bosmer’s settling on the shores of Valenwood in a different way than most historical records describe. It says that the Bosmer (or Aldmer/Altmer) of the time wanted to be free of the main-stream way of life on Alinor (or the Summerset Isles) and instead wanted to live a life of simplicity in the forest and, because of this, left their home of their own accord. However, lore articles and in-game tomes describe the Aldmer/Altmer landing on the shores of the province in ancient times and leaving some of their own people behind so that they would have ties to the Tamrielic mainland when in a time of need (this would explain the supposed pact of old that they made which gave the Thalmor the right to annex Valenwood at the beginning of the Aldmeri Dominion’s revival).
It is also worth noting the Greem Pact. The Bosmer, long ago, made a pact with the goddess of the forest. They agreed to never harm a plant and always use the corpses of the hunted within three days of its death. This means that the Bosmer use animal bones to make bows and other traditionally wooden items. This also means that the Bosmer must eat whatever it has killed, even people, within three days of killing it. The Green Pact bans them from foresting, but they can still trade for wooden objects the have not made. Bosmer observing the Green Pact are fascinated with wooden trinkets, and can sometimes be seen wearing a bucket as a helmet or a wooden wagon wheel as a shield.
The bretons are a proud race of elven-human hybrids hailing from High Rock. Sometimes called "manmer" because of their mixed blood, they are half man and half elf(mer). Their blood is a mix of Atmoran blood and Aldmeri blood. According to other sources, such as A Third Pocket Guide to the Empire, the bretons descended from Nedic and Aldmeri blood. After the Alyeids lost the White-Gold Tower in St. Alessia’s Slave Revolt, they decided to make a new race with their "elder" blood by mixing it with other races.
Bretons have a natural resistance to magika and have more of it. They make very skilled conjourers and politicians. What they lack in physical ability, they compensate with magic ability. Even though they are united in culture and language, the bretons are divided politcally. High Rock is littered with small kingdoms. The bretons worship the Eight Divines, as well as three elven dieties: Magnus, Y’ffre, and Phynaster. They aslo worship Sheor, who is probably an offshoot of Shor, a nordic diety.
The Dunmer, or dark elves, are a race of elves native to Morrowind. Their skin is the color of ash from the Red Mountain, the largest volcano in Tamriel. The Dunmer were created after the Daedric Prince Boethia convinced a group of Altmer to leave the Summerset Isles. This group, calling themselves the chimer, followed Veloth settled in what is now Dwemereth. The chimer settled and flourished. They created and followed a culture called "Velothi High Culture."
Velothi High Culture centered around the worship of the good Daedra and respect of the House of Troubles. The good Daedra are Boethia, Mephala, and Azura. Sometime around the rise of the First Empire of the Nords in Skyrim, the Velothi civilization broke down into a relatively primitive collection of clans and tribal warfare. Because of the slave revolt, many Strongholds went into opposition to hide and protect Vvardenfell’s borders from the Early Nord Skirmish squads. The so-called Dunmer Strongholds of Morrowind were most likely built at this time, for defense against Nordic raiders and other Chimer too, who did not seek exile with the rest at the time of exodus. Such disunity allowed Skyrim to conquer Morrowind. The Nords ruled Morrowind, now called Resdayn, under the reign of semi-corrupt Nord Tyrants for many years, until fighting of their own (the War of Succession) allowed the Chimer and Dwemer to form an alliance against the vulnerable and rebellious Nords, and oust the occupiers.
This was the era of the First Council, when the modern Great House system was in productions form but already developing, with Indoril Nerevar Moon-and-Star and his three advisors (the Tribunal; Almsivi) at the fore. This included Almalexia, Vivec the warrior-poet, and Sotha Sil. As every student of eastern history knows, the union did not last long. Around the time the Dwemer dissappeared, these 3 Chimer advisors used the Heart of Lorkhan under Red Mountain to become immortal. At this time the Daedric prince Azura laid her curse upon the already-exiled Chimer for the advisors’ sacrilege. The supposed murder of Indoril Nerevar Moon-and-Star by the summoning ritual made by the Tribunal, Azura appeared, with Indoril dead, and her words hissed: "May the eyes of the Changed Ones be turned as red as this volcanic ash, and may their skin be as blackened as their hearts. The accursed drawn, blood from the master spilled, and a curse shown in the race of these folk, forever-more". This led to the hiding of Vivec in the Ministry of Truth and the recession of the cultures of the now accursed Chimer. Azura withdrew from the mountain, and there upon the now-Dunmer lay with ashen souls, and would reflect change in the Eras to come.
The average Dunmer can live to be ~250 years old!
The Dwemer (or deep elves) are an advanced race of elves. Not much is known about the mysterious race, but we do know that they were the most technologially advanced racein all of Tamriel. They built steam automatons that still function today. They built elaborate underground cities. Anything else that is known about them can be found in records of their conflicts with other civilizations, like the nords or Dunmer. The Dwemer formed underground city states and settled in the northern part of Tamriel, from Morrowind to High Rock.
In the Velothi Mountains, bordering Morrowind and Skyrim, a new raw material was found in FahlZhardum Din (Blackreach). The resouce was called Aetherium. An alliance was formed between Blackreach, Arkngthamz, Raldbthar, Mzulft and Bthar-zel, now known as Deep Folk Crossing. Each member the Deep Folk Crossing had its own job. Though it is unknown what role Bthar-zel was assigned, we do know that Arkngthamz served as the main command center and the primary research facility, while Raldbthar, which was the primary source of Aetherium, was given the role of dealing with mining operations. Mzulft was used as a storage site for Aetherium. Deep under Bthalft, the Aetherium Forge was created to refine Aetherium under precise conditions. Eventually, the members of the Deep Folk Crossing fought in what is known as the Aetherium Wars for the Forge.
Seeing the weakened states in the Dwemer Empire, High King Gellir of Skyrim moved to crush the Dwemer. In three short years, most of the Dwemer cities in Skyrim had been conquered. Around 1E 324, the Dwemer reclaimed most of their lost land. It is also worth noting that the Dwemer were responsible for the enslavement of the Falmer.
During their war with the Dunmer, the Dwemer decided to use the Heart of Lorkhan to become immortal. The spell backfired, however, resulting ing the total disappearance of the Dwemer. The only surviving Dwemer is Yagrum Bagarn, who resided in the Corprusarium of Tel Fyr, in Morrowind. Apparently, he was absent from the Mortal Plane at the time of the disappearance, visiting an Outer Realm, an alternate dimension.
The falmer are a hideous race of twisted elves. The modern-day falmer are blinded and primative. They generally live underground, usually in Dwemer ruins or caves. Sometime in the First Era, the nords went to war with the snow elves, resulting in a massive loss for the elves. Faced with almost certain extinction, the snow elves agreed to be enslaved by the Dwemer for protection. The Dwemer forced the snow elves to eat a mushroom from Blackreack, resulting in their blindness. The falmer were rendered into a pale, blind, and primitive, enslaved race. The day the Dwemer disappeared, the falmer were going to throw a slave revolt, but when the falmer charged, they were met with empty suits of armour.
Nowadays, the falmer keep to themselves in their caves and ruins. They farm the chaurus for their chitin and eggs. Once in a while, however, the falmer leave their underground lairs, and they raid villages and farms.
Imperials can be differentiated from Bretons and Nords by their fair to swarthy skin, as opposed to the typically fairer complexion of Bretons and Nords. However, Imperial skin tone is not as dark as that of Redguards. Imperials also have slightly sharper faces than other races of men. They are descend from the native Nedic and Cyro-Nordic peoples that were enslaved by the Ayleids.
The phrase "Imperial Race" is a bit of a misnomer. The people of Cyrodiil are divided into two ethno-cultural groups: Nibeneans and Colovians. Both descend from the native Nedic and Cyro-Nordic peoples that were enslaved by the Ayleids, but diverged a bit after consecutive invasions and interactions with other races. Colovian Imperials in Western Cyrodiil are more Nordic, sharing similar beliefs such as a heavy martial and seafaring tradition. Nibeneans have an Akaviri and, to a lesser degree, elven heritage. They have a greater appreciation for magic, art, commerce, and spirituality, in spite of being staunchly loyal to Alessian traditions. Both groups reflect the Empire’s culture: a hybrid of Nordic, Aldmeri, and Akaviri culture.
The Khajiit are a feline race native to Elsweyr. Like the Argonians, the Khajiit are a beast race who lived in Tamriel long before man and mer migrated to Tamriel from Atmora and Aldmeris, respectively. When the Ayleids arrived in Cyrodiil, Topal the Pilot reported seeing a race of cat people living around Lake Rumare. The humans and elves eventually drove the Khajiit out of Cyrodiil, and into the harsh Southern region of Tamriel.
The Khajiit religion, while quite different from that of men and mer, is still clearly derived from the old Aldmeri pantheon. The Khajiit creation myth includes references to powerful ancestor cats with strikingly familiar names. Their legends start with the original litter mates, Ahnurr and Fadomai (Anu and Padomay). These two gave birth to all of the great spiritual children, including Alkosh the first cat (Akatosh), Khenarthi (Kynareth), Magrus (Magnus), Mara, and S’rendarr (Stendarr). A second litter of children soon followed, including Merrunz (Mehrunes Dagon), Mafala (Mephala), and Sangiin (Sanguine), among others. Ahnurr did not want further children, but Fadomai was persuaded by her elder children to birth one more litter, this final group containing Azurah, Nirni, and the moons. At this, Ahnurr became angry at Fadomai, who fled to the void, and birthed one last child, Lorkhaj. Fadomai knew she was dying, her life having been drained by her birth, but she gave to Nirni a gift, that she would birth children of her own. Nirni went to Lorkhaj, asking him to form a dwelling place for her children. This he did, but he tricked his siblings, forming the mortal plane and trapping many of them there with him. Most of Fadomai’s first litter were trapped, while her second litter saw the danger and fled. Into this dwelling, Nirni birthed many children, the various human and mer races of Tamriel. However, one of Fadomai’s children, Azurah, had also been given a gift by their mother. She was given permission to take one of Nirni’s children, and reshape them to her own liking, so long as she made them the fastest, cleverest, and most beautiful of all creatures. Azurah chose a group of forest dwellers among Nirni’s children, and from them, she formed the Khajiit. Nirni was furious at this, and asked her sibling Y’ffer to punish the Khajiit. He did this by turning their grasslands into a dry desert, and their forests into poisonous marshes. The Khajiit, however, were protected by Azurah, who taught them the secret of the moons (the Lunar Lattice in Khajiiti terms), and how to change their shapes to survive. Those forest dwellers who stayed true to their mother, Nirni, were turned into the Bosmer, and given the lush forests of Valenwood as their home.
The Nords are a proud race of men, hailing from the province of Skyrim. In the Merethic Era, Atmorans sailed to what is now Skyrim. The Nords are a race of Men who typically are regarded as light-skinned, fair-haired and imposing in size and build. They are the direct descendants of the Atmorans, who in ancient days sailed to Tamriel from the frozen continent of Atmora, and to a lesser extent of the Nedic peoples, who were human natives of Tamriel that gradually interbred with the Atmorans over the centuries. The Nords, along with the Redguards and Orcs, are on average more muscular and larger of size than the other races of Nirn. They are known to have an innate resistance to the freezing cold as well as a fierce and uncompromising mindset in the face of adversity; physiological and psychological traits that are likely a consequence of countless generations having successfully endured the harsh, overcast northern climates of Atmora and Skyrim.
After settling Skyrim, the brutish Nords did stuff that is bad. We Dunmer (the best race) do not like Nords due to their hatred of their elven overlords and superiors.
The Orsimer, commonly known as Orcs, are considered to be barbarian people by most of the other races on Nirn - despite being a type of Mer -, and are from the mountainous regions of western Tamriel. They are centrally located in Orsinium, the City of Orcs, but are common in other locations in Tamriel.
In the middle of the Merethic Era, a group of Altmer and their leader Trinimac attempted to halt the movement of the prophet Veloth and the Chimer. The Daedric Prince Boethiah ate Trinimac, corrupting his body and spirit, and he emerged as the Daedric Prince Malacath. As a result, his followers, later known as the Orsimer, or "Pariah Folk", were also changed, becoming Orcs. The early Orcish people followed a tribal and independent lifestyle. Instead of claiming one area, they would instead settle in multiple provinces that suited their lives and needs, forming small, tightly knit villages. Many of these provinces were located in modern Skyrim and High Rock.
Redguards are a race of humans who hail from the lost continent of Yokuda and now reside primarily in the province of Hammerfell. Their name is derived from the corruption of the native Yokudan term "Ra Gada", which (translated loosely) means, "warrior wave". Due to their swift and decisive conquering of the province of Hammerfell, the Redguards are renowned as arguably the most fierce, versatile and naturally gifted warriors in all of Tamriel. Their ferocity and versatility is also manifested in their personality, which lends itself to why they are most effective as scouts and in small units as opposed to being deployed as rank and file soldiers
Reguards are former inhabitants of the continent to the west, Yokuda. Around 1E 792, Yokuda sank into the ocean after a group of Ansei called the Hiradirge sought revenge on the land after their defeat in battle.[4] The surviving Yokudans sailed to the east and settled in Volenfell (the Dwemer name for the region), what would later be known as Hammerfell. Most of these refugees would stay on the island of Herne, but a group of warrior Yokudans known as the Ra Gada traveled to the mainland in 1E 808 and swept across the country to claim as much land as they could, slaughtering or enslaving the local beastfolk and Nedic tribes.[3] Eventually, Yokudan royalty known as Na-Totambu left the island of Herne and made their place in Hammerfell after the Ra Gada drove off the Orsimer. The name "Redguard" originates from "Ra Gada."
The Snow Elves, occasionally referred to as Ice Elves, are an endangered race of Mer that were once the main inhabitants of Skyrim long before Merethic Era. It is commonly believed that centuries of underground living and Dwemer slavery twisted the race into the blind, merciless Falmer. Amongst the few known remaining Snow Elf survivors, they prefer the name Snow Elf over their original name of Falmer, as that name tends to refer to their now degenerated brethren, which after the Dwemer betrayed the Snow Elves and enslaved them, they call "The Betrayed".