Tales of Tamriel
Bosmer
"Heavy-bearded Y'ffre, speak through me. Tell us of the time before time. Let the story grow in me. Let my heart echo to the pounding of your feet along the story-lines, the bones of the world. I will walk Your steps, and know Your story."
The Bosmer, also known as Wood Elves, are the Elven clan-folk of Valenwood, a forested province in southwestern Tamriel. They reject the formal traditions of Aldmeri high culture in favor of a more spartan, harmonious existence with the land.
Agile and quick, they excel as scouts and thieves, but also engage in scholarly pursuits and trading. With a longer lifespan than humans, they have a large population and are known for their exceptional archery skills.
They possess unique abilities, such as commanding creatures and blending into forested areas. Some Bosmer follow the Green Pact, practicing religious carnivorous cannibalism while preserving the vegetation of Valenwood.
To effectively roleplay as a Bosmer in The Elder Scrolls, embrace their connection to nature and wild, unpredictable spirit.
Create a character hailing from Valenwood, their lush forested homeland, and choose a name that reflects their Wood Elf heritage. Physically embody a Bosmer with a lean and agile frame, often adorned with earthy tones and natural accents in attire.
As a Bosmer, tap into their unique ability to command animals and blend seamlessly with their surroundings. Embrace archery as a primary combat style, utilizing their natural proficiency with bows.
Consider specializing in stealth and survival skills, such as sneaking, pickpocketing, and alchemy, to enhance your roleplaying experience.
Immerse yourself in Bosmer culture and lore, emphasizing their reverence for the Green Pact, which mandates strict restrictions on harming plant life. Engage in quests that emphasize their adaptability, resourcefulness, and close bond with the natural world.
Explore their myths and legends, such as the Wild Hunt, Green Lady, and Silvenar story.
HEIGHT LIMIT: 155-167 (Female), 153-165 (Male)
LANGUAGES: Tamrielic, Bosmeris
Racial Traits
Master Archers
Bosmer gain a +2 to their ranged skill.
Bosmer gain a natural +2 to their Athletics and a +2 to their Initiative.
Immunity
Bosmer have built up an immunity to poisons.
Description
The Bosmer, commonly known as Wood Elves, have a distinct and captivating appearance reflecting their close connection to the natural world. Standing at an average height of 53 to 165 for males and 155-167 for females, their stature exudes agility and nimbleness. Their bodies are finely tuned for traversing the dense forests of Valenwood, enabling them to navigate through the foliage with precision and grace effortlessly.
The skin tones of the Bosmer span a range of earthy hues, echoing the colors found in their woodland homeland. Their complexions can vary from fair earthly tans to warm and olive-toned, evoking a sense of harmony with nature. Some Bosmer may even possess a subtle greenish tint to their skin, a testament to their deep connection to the verdant world.
A hallmark of the Bosmer's appearance is their diverse and vibrant array of hair colors. From rich browns and auburns to fiery reds and even mossy greens, their locks mirror the natural elements of their environment. Bosmer hairstyles are often untamed and wild, reflecting the free-spirited nature of their woodland existence. Flowing tresses, intricate braids, or arrangements adorned with leaves and flowers are common among males and females, further embodying their connection to the forest.
Striking features that sets certain Bosmer apart is the black sclera and sometimes presencent antlers atop their heads. These delicate and ornate antlers, unique to Bosmer culture, may be small and subtle or more prominent and elaborate in their growth but never larger then the ears. Seen as a mark of beauty and connection to the natural world, these antlers add a touch of ethereal elegance to the Bosmer's overall appearance. They serve as a visual representation of their deep bond with the forest and the wildlife that inhabits it.
Bosmer exhibit a range of body types, reflecting their society's diverse lifestyles and activities. Some possess slender and lithe frames, their bodies honed for agility and stealth in the forests. These individuals excel in archery and guerrilla tactics, moving with unparalleled grace and swiftness. Others boast more muscular builds forged through physical pursuits such as hunting and survival in the wild. These individuals possess the strength and endurance necessary to thrive in their woodland environment. The varying body types within the Bosmer population highlight their adaptability and versatility.
In summary, the Bosmer's appearance is a testament to their deep connection with nature. Their heights, skin tones, hair colors, and body types reflect their agile and nimble nature. The diverse range of hair colors and styles adds an element of natural beauty to their overall appearance. The presence of antlers among specific Bosmer individuals is a captivating and symbolic feature, emphasizing their connection to the forest and its inhabitants.
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L O R E
History
The earliest days of the Bosmer are lost in legend. Some speak of the Ooze, the shapeshifting formlessness from which they came before the Green Pact with Y'ffre. The forest was flourishing and primordial still, making shapeshifting a necessity. More obscure legends suggest that not all Bosmer agreed to the Green Pact, and others wished to keep their shapeshifting abilities. According to legend, Y'ffre turned the Ooze into a kind of purgatory state for these individuals, where they would be stricken from Y'ffre's story upon death and unable to interact with any world or afterlife. Eventually, these dissenters were overcome by the other Bosmer faithful to Y'ffre. These "Oathbreakers" were then buried in Ouze to be imprisoned and protected until renewal. Others, however, managed to live on outside the Ouze and became known as changelings.
The Khajiiti origin story shares similarities, discussing shapeless beings that Y'ffer gave shape. The Khajiiti origin story tells of Azurah taking some of Nirni's shapeless children and turning them into Khajiit. Y'ffer learns of this and tells Nirni of what Azurah had done. Seeking retribution for her changed and now lost children, Nirni made the land of the Khajiit inhospitable. To separate her beloved children from those of Azurah, she allowed Y'ffer to change those who remained so that they would always be of the mer and never beasts and named them Bosmer.
Valenwood, the land of the Bosmer Another tale speaks that Aldmer settlers purportedly arrived in Valenwood long before the First Era. They are remembered as some of the first of the Aldmer to leave Old Ehlnofey. These settlers found the forests of Valenwood, or the Green (though this term can mean more than just Valenwood), so dense and so inhabited by beasts that they could not hope to tame it, so they had to fight and adapt just to become predators instead of prey. Their adaption to life in Valenwood is believed to have led to the creation of the Bosmer.
It wasn't just Aldmer finding a home in Valenwood, as there's some suggestion that early Bosmer were known for intermarrying with humans. Similarly, another legend is that the Boiche Elves, made from the Earthbones that followed Jephre, grew the first great Graht-oak out of the Perchance Acorn, which would become the Tower of Green-Sap. Due to the nature of the Acorn being, perchance, elsewhere, many different Green-Saps sprung in many other forms, forming the walking Graht-Oak forests of the Valenwood. Each one told its own stories of the Green, the forest home of the "Boiche-become-Bosmer." Around the time of the Alessian Slave Rebellion circa 1E 243, the Ayleid sorcerer Anumaril converted the Perchance Acorn of the Elden Root Graht-Oak into a Definite Acorn, which prevented Elden Root from walking and finally gave a Green-Sap a single, definite form. He would further attempt to convert this Green-Sap into a new, singular White Gold, but he would never succeed due to the Perchance nature of the Bosmeri Tower.
Anumaril was one of many Ayleid refugees who fled to Valenwood during the "Ayleid Diaspora," which coincided with the end of the slave revolt. However, Ayleids had been migrating to Valenwood even before that. These migrants agreed to adopt aspects of the Green Pact and refrain from harming the forest (unlike Anumaril, of course). The establishment of the White-Gold Tower by the Ayleids in the Middle Merethic Era brought increased trade to the Bosmer, and cities like Woodhearth, Haven, and Silvenar flourished. The ancient Ayleid site of Hectahame is home to the Heart of Valenwood, a magnificent tree of immense power that stands as the physical symbol of the soul of Valenwood. However, around the time when the Ayleids first came to Valenwood, a necromancer twisted the power of the Heart. It used it to raise an undead army, forcing the Ayleids to seal off Hectahame and the Heart to contain the horde. Ayleids and Bosmer, during these early days, had to fend off numerous savage attacks upon Valenwood by the Maormer. Though they found sanctuary in Valenwood, the Ayleids who migrated there seemed to fade from history. For reasons scholars still debate, they had little lasting impact on Bosmeri culture beyond imparting some stonework and masonry techniques.
It is said that the city of Arenthia is named after their first King.
SOCIETY
The elves of Valenwood have always stood ready to defend themselves against aggression and have done so on many occasions. They often rely on their forest-coupling skills to make use of guerrilla tactics. The title of their most famous poem, the Meh Ayleidion, means "The One Thousand Benefits of Hiding." However, the Bosmer seem to be the most pacifistic of all the modern races on Tamriel, as they have never instigated a war with other nations (leading some more militant cultures to criticize them as cowards), though they have been accused of needlessly escalating some conflicts. They have never found a tried and true ally in any other Tamrielic nation. Mistrust has been engendered by the ritual cannibalism they practice, and it's often difficult for them to adjust their lifestyles to the expectations of other races and cultures.
Nevertheless, the Bosmer heavily depended on good relations and trade with other races, as the Green Pact forces them to import the timber needed to make their homes, arrows, and other wooden instruments. Their resources for trade include hides, river pearls, and finger-bone charms made from the magically charged hands of their dead wizards. When they are at odds with Colovia or other trading allies, they are said to rely on piracy or banditry to get what they need. They have attempted to accommodate other races in Valenwood throughout history, though many remained wary of outlander encroachments into their home. To this day, they have little more than footpaths connecting their tiny settlements in Valenwood's sparsely populated forests. Some Bosmer practice cannibalism upon their enemies.
The Bosmer greatly value diversity. Their respect for life's facets is inherent in many of their old sayings, like "One man's miracle is another man's accident." Other races are generally welcomed in most of Valenwood, though most foreigners stay in large cities. Travelers are encouraged to take care when imbibing drinks of fermented milk, which are popular among the Bosmer, as non-Bosmer may have adverse reactions.
At the clan level, Bosmeri society is matrilineal. Circa 2E 582, most known treethanes were women.
Greenspeakers are mages dedicated to working in and alongside the Green. They use their spells to guide and enhance the growth of trees and plants and can create furniture and housing for their people in doing so.
For more information and lore on the Bosmer, click HERE.