History

The history of the Dunmer begins with the Chimer—a race of elves with pale gold skin who followed the prophet Veloth from Summerset Isle to Resdayn (present-day Morrowind) seeking religious freedom. Their Aldmer predecessors came to Tamriel with deep-rooted traditions of ancestor worship. As Aldmer society grew more stratified, the class divide became a prominent aspect of society and bled into religious beliefs. The ancestor spirits of the upper castes grew in popularity, and in time, they were converted into gods. Where once Auri-El had been an ancestor spirit of the nobility, all the Altmer would eventually claim Auri-El as a common ancestor.

​

Those who would become the Psijic Order were among the mer who vocally disapproved of these societal changes. The Keepers of the Old Ways of Aldmeris believed that all divine forces are driven by ancestor spirits; even the Aedra and Daedra are just the spirits of exceptional mortals who attained power in the afterlife. The Psijics' defiant settling of Artaeum was the first of many departures from what is now the home of the High Elves, and a mass exodus of the lower classes soon occurred. The Chimer, who are also referred to as "the Velothi people", a moniker later upheld by the Ashlanders, were among those who fled.

​

The Dunmer were born from the ashes of the Battle of Red Mountain. The infamous confrontation around 1E 700 led to the death of an ancient and respected war leader known as Lord Indoril Nerevar, the destruction of the Sixth House, the disappearance of the entire Dwemer race then present on Nirn, and the ascension into godhood of four of Nerevar's councilors and closest friends, culminating in a curse from Azura, the Goddess of Dusk and Dawn and the patron of Nerevar, that transformed the Dunmer into their present appearance.

​

Azura's curse was motivated in response to Nerevar's councilors, the general Vivec, the sorcerer Sotha Sil, and his wife Almalexia, breaking an oath they had sworn to Nerevar and Azura by stealing the divine power of the Heart of Lorkhan for themselves. When this Tribunal of new living gods showed no remorse to Azura, she cursed them and all Chimer, tying the fate of the Dunmer and Tribunal together until the end of time.

​

The House Dunmer came to worship the Tribunal as their new gods, following their teachings and supplanting the Daedric patrons of the Chimer, which were relegated to Anticipations of the new Triunes. The nomadic Ashlander Tribes, on the other hand, decried the Tribunal as false gods, and continued the Chimer traditions, especially those of Daedra worship. As a result, the Ashlanders would subsequently spend over three millennia ostracized from House Dunmer society and driven to the margins of Morrowind.

​

For thousands of years, the divine Tribunal used their power and leadership to protect the Dunmer from foreign invasion and, later, from Dagoth Ur, their ancient archenemy and the devil incarnate for the Dunmer (for he, too, had stolen divine power).

​

The Dunmer of Morrowind came into conflict with the Alessian Empire over the Ayleid complex that would one day be the city of Stormhold during Empress Hestra's reign. The conflict occurred during or prior to the eleventh century of the First Era. This 'War for Silyanorn' included the naval Battle of Tear Harbor, wherein the House Indoril fleet was defeated by the Imperial fleet offshore of the House Dres capital city. Though the Imperials claimed the Indoril flagship after the battle, the war's outcome appears to have been in the Dunmer's favor, as Stormhold was under Dunmer rule as late as 2E 572.

​

Centuries later, the Dunmer butted heads with the Reman Empire. Seeking to conquer the land of the Dark Elves, Reman II initiated an invasion of Morrowind in 1E 2840. For the next eighty years, war raged between the Empire and Morrowind as the former attempted to subdue the latter. Even after Reman II's death at Dunmeri hands, his successors Brazollus Dor and Reman III continued the war. By the final year of the First Era in 1E 2920, both sides were nearing exhaustion. After a disastrous Imperial defeat at Bodrum, and the Dunmer's catastrophic defeat at Ald Marak, both sides entered peace talks. The assassination of Reman III and his heir by the Morag Tong brought the war to an abrupt end. Reman III's successor, Potentate Versidue-Shaie, signed the Cervant Truce with the Dunmer, ending the Imperial invasion with a de facto victory for Morrowind and making it the only nation of Tamriel to never be controlled by the Second Empire.

​

Second Era

Following the collapse of the Second Empire, Morrowind maintained its independence and struggled to rebuild. The Dunmer faced numerous challenges, including invasions from Akaviri forces, conflicts with the Nords of Skyrim, and internal struggles for power among the Great Houses. During this era, the Tribunal's power began to wane, and their influence over the Dunmer diminished.

​

In 2E 572, a significant event occurred known as the Red Year. The eruption of the Red Mountain resulted in widespread devastation across Morrowind, with ash storms, earthquakes, and the emergence of powerful creatures known as the Blight. The city of Vivec was partially destroyed, and the once-great House Dagoth was revived as House Dagoth-Ur, posing a new threat to the Dunmer.

​

The aftermath of the Red Year brought significant changes to Morrowind. Refugees fled the devastated areas and sought shelter in other parts of Tamriel. The Argonian invasion further destabilized the region, as the lizardfolk took advantage of Morrowind's weakened state. It was a challenging time for the Dunmer, as they struggled to rebuild their shattered homeland and adapt to the new realities.

​

Despite these hardships, the Dunmer maintained their resilience and cultural identity. They continued to revere the ancestral spirits and the teachings of the Tribunal, albeit with diminishing faith in their godlike status. The Great Houses regained their influence, and the Ashlander Tribes played a vital role in preserving traditional Dunmer customs and beliefs.

​

As the Second Era drew to a close, the Dunmer found themselves in a changing world. The rise of the Ebonheart Pact, an alliance formed with the Nords and Argonians, brought a new era of cooperation and stability. The Dunmer, known for their resilience and adaptability, embraced these alliances while striving to preserve their unique cultural heritage.

The history of the Dunmer is one of struggle, adversity, and resilience. From their origins as the Chimer to the challenges faced in the First and Second Eras, the Dunmer have endured and maintained their distinct identity in the ever-changing landscape of Tamriel. Their story continues to unfold, as they navigate the complexities of politics, religion, and survival in the land of Morrowind.

SOCIETY

Dark Elven culture is divided between the nomadic Ashlanders and the settled Great Houses.

Some Dark Elves keep nix-hounds as pets. While usually vicious predators, nixes are well-known to be affectionate, attentive, and faithful pets that will follow their owners around. They are also commonly used as trackers, watch-hounds, and netch-deflators. Nix-Hounds were used as war dogs in the House Dagoth chap'thil. Ashlanders use nix-hound parts in a variety of their tribal customs. Pony guar are also popular pets.

​

Taxidermied cliff racers are traditionally stuffed with scrib jelly and suspended from a rope for children to beat up on. Some dollmakers produce fancy wax dolls clothed in hand-crafted garments, which can be posed with the careful application of heat.

​

Dark Elven taverns are called "cornerclubs".

​

Under the rule of the Tribunal and the Council system of government, the House Dunmer of Morrowind were educated free of charge by the Temple, which provided education as well as shelter and healthcare. For these reasons, beggars were considered rare enough that some citizens claimed no beggars could be found within Morrowind as late as the closing years of the Third Era.

​

Certain Dunmer have their skin covered in magic script seen as white tattoos called glyphs of warding, which protect against undead like vengeful ancestor ghosts.

​

The Dunmer have been defined by their environment. Red Mountain looms as large in their collective thought as it does on the horizon. Its ash and lava sculpted the attitudes of Vvardenfell residents. One does not have to travel far outside of many cities to find a giant Foyada cutting through the land like a scar. Native-born Dunmer tended to look down on "outlanders", which include both other races and Dunmer born outside of Morrowind, though the intensity of this ethnocentrism varies. For thousands of years under the Tribunal, Dunmer society was structured much like the Chimer society had been: domestic Great Houses governed by Ruling Councils competed against each other for power and territory, while nomadic groups eschewed relative modernity for ancient tribal practices.

​

Houses tend to rise and fall; many have faded to extinction over the years or sprouted up to challenge others. At the close of the Third Era, the five most important houses were Hlaalu, Redoran, Telvanni, Dres and Indoril, each which had existed for thousands of years, since at least the War of the First Council. While the details are limited, it is known that each of the Houses survived the cataclysms following the fall of the Tribunal Temple - with the exception of House Hlaalu, which lost its position to the previously-unknown House Sadras. In the most recent two centuries, House Redoran has become the most powerful of the Great Houses, taking the mantle the Hlaalu had held prior, and the Indoril before them. Historically, Indoril has been so heavily involved with the Temple itself that it is hard to distinguish the two. Following the collapse of the Tribunal Temple, House Indoril and the New Temple became regarded as one in the same. In the Ashlands, native tribes ruled without laws or government and lived strictly by codes, rituals, and ancient traditions usually dictated by a wise woman or seer and implemented by a clan leader. They lived in the deserts and plains of the Ashlands and Grazelands.

​

The "peaceful" status quo for Dunmer was considered quite 'savage' by westerners, even when led by living gods. Political machinations are constant. Assassinations are common; with the legally established Morag Tong providing services. A huge amount of black market activity thrives along Morrowind's extensive coastlines. Dissidents to the Temple and other subversives over the years have been hunted and persecuted. Slavery used to be commonplace. Mostly Khajiit or Argonian slaves were trafficked, although many men and mer were also enslaved. Goblins were also seen as a significant slave "resource". The Third Empire of Tiber Septim had banned slavery, but Dunmer were allowed to keep their own sacred and traditional laws in their entrance to the Empire. Despite these claims that owning slaves is their right, many Dunmer still found the practice abhorrent and immoral, and abolitionist groups continued to crop up within Dunmeri society. By the end of the Third Era, the abolitionists had won, and King Helseth officially abolished slavery. Necromancy is also practiced openly by some Dunmer, though never with Dunmer corpses.

​

The Great Houses generally followed the established Tribunal Temple, which preached faith for the Tribunal, respect for the "Good Daedra" who recognized the Tribunal, and veneration of ancestors. There was some practicality to this: ancestral remains are used to power ghost fences to ward off spirits, notably the one created by the Tribunal at the closing of the Second Era that surrounded Red Mountain for hundreds of years to keep Dagoth Ur and his minions at bay. Historically, the Dunmer have resisted worshipping the Aedra of the Nine Divines, whom they viewed as heretical apostasies whose worshippers were on occasion punished severely. The Dunmer were swift in re-establishing the traditions of ancestor and Daedra worship that Ashlanders had kept alive as the New Temple.