Why The Elder Scrolls' Take on Elves Stands Out in the Fantasy Genre

Elves have been a staple of the folklore and mythology of many cultures for centuries. Over time, they developed into the version that audiences are familiar with today. As a staple in fantasy video games, elves show up a lot in many video game franchises, and often with different types of elves within the same video game world, such as high elves and wood elves. The Elder Scrolls is no different in this respect, but it takes this a step further and has far more kinds of elves than most other franchises.

While many of these elven cultures may seem interchangeable, The Elder Scrolls‘ elves are all geographically and culturally isolated. Four playable elven races exist alongside many more elven races that are extinct and are referenced through ancient ruins, artifacts, magic, and books. This creates the story of a world that’s been continuously inhabited by many different people in different places.

Rather than just two or three at most, The Elder Scrolls has four elf variants who are playable, as well as the Bretons, who are elf-blooded. In addition to the playable elf variants, there are several other kinds of elves who are either non-playable, such as the Falmer, or extinct, such as the Ayleids or the Dwemer. Each elf race in The Elder Scrolls has an incredibly distinctive culture and history that sets them apart from the other elves, moreso than in other fantasy games where elves may only have some tenuous differences, such as living in cities versus living in the wilderness.

The ruins of the different extinct cultures of elves can be found across Tamriel, most notably the Ayleid ruins in Cyrodiil and Dwemer ruins across the continent. The extinction of the Ayleids plays a role in the Oblivion expansion pack Knights of the Nine, which explores the Ayleid warlord Umaril, while The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind hints at the fate of the Dwemer. Morrowind also expounded on the history of the Chimer, the ancestors of the Dunmer. Skyrim provided insight into the fate and culture of the Snow Elves, giving players the chance to actually meet one in Dawnguard.

One of the most creative interpretations of the elves is of the Dunmer, or the Dark Elves of Morrowind. Descended from the Chimer, the Dunmer are essentially The Elder Scrolls‘ take on the drow from Dungeons and Dragons, but to call them identical would be misleading, as their culture is completely different. Set against the volcanic landscape of Tamriel’s Morrowind, the Dunmer’s history, religion, and way of life are incredibly creative. The Bosmer of Valenwood are another twist on a classic elven archetype as the “wood elves” of The Elder Scrolls, but their home province of Valenwood is notoriously inaccessible, and the Bosmer themselves are known to practice cannibalism.

One race that’s not often regarded as elven are the Orsimer, or orcs. According to The Elder Scrolls lore, orcs are considered to be elves. Their patron deity, the Daedric Prince Malacath, is largely responsible for their smithing and warrior culture, as well as their current appearance. The orcs of The Elder Scrolls exist as a subversion of what both elves and orcs are expected to be in fantasy narratives, but they’re considered to be elven just as much as Altmer in Tamriel.

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Released

November 11, 2011

ESRB

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M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol

Developer(s)

Bethesda Game Studios

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Publisher(s)

Bethesda Softworks

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