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The story of how the Falmer became what they are is an interesting and ancient tale, where the Nordic-Falmer War saw an entire race brought to extinction. The Falmer are husks of the intelligent beings they used to be, and it’s all thanks to the Nords’ involvement.
8 It Took Place In The Merethic Era
The timeline of The Elder Scrolls is a complicated one, as sections of roughly 800-1000 years are separated in “Eras”. These are generally numbered, for example, Skyrim takes place in the Fourth Era. The Merethic Era, also known as the Mythic Era, came directly before the First Era and chronicles the beginning of civilization in Tamriel.
The term “Merethic” comes from the term “Mer”, which is a collective name for all the Elvish races in Tamriel, who are native to the continent. This can be seen when using the official names for all the Elvish races, Bosmer are Wood Elves, Altmer are High Elves, and Falmer used to be Snow Elves.
7 Fought Between Snow Elves And Nords
As the name of the war suggests, the Nordic-Falmer war saw the Falmer come into direct conflict with the Nords. However, the Falmer were not the same race they are depicted as in Skyrim. The cave-dwelling, blind and savage creatures the Falmer became used to be very different.
The Famer was once a race known as the Snow Elves, which is almost extinct now. Like most of the Elvish races, they were shaped by their environment, and in their case, Skyrim’s frigid, sometimes arctic climate saw them become white-skinned and very resistant to the cold.
6 The Nords Were Not Native To Skyrim
Although, by the time of Skyrim, the land is full of Nords willing to fight and die for their “homeland,” it is worth pointing out that it was actually the Snow Elves who were originally native to Skyrim. The Nords used to be known as the Atmorans.
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Atmora is a continent north of Tamriel and is said to be even more frozen and arctic than Skyrim. In the Merethic Era, the Atmorans lived in peace with the Snow Elves, and many traveled down to Skyrim and settled on the land there. Cities like Dawnstar and Winterhold are said to have grown from these first Atmoran settlements.
5 The Snow Elves Struck First
Although the Snow Elves are generally looked upon as the victim of the Nordic-Falmer war due to their tragic fate, it was they who started the war. Why exactly they did so is unclear, as there are conflicting reports amongst various sources.
Some claim that the Atmoran population was growing far too quickly in Skyrim. This threatened to upset the balance that the two races had established, so the Snow Elves looked to cull them. Meanwhile, other sources claim that the Snow Elves discovered a powerful artifact, possibly the Eye of Magnus, and that power drove them to war.
4 Ysgramor Led The Nords Into Battle
Ysgramor is a near-mythical figure in Skyrim’s history, and players are most likely to know him as the founder of the Companions faction. This faction is relatively small in the time Skyrim is set, and consists of do-gooder warriors from all over the place.
This was not how it used to be, though, as the organization was founded in this war. First known as the Five Hundred Companions, this army was led by Ysgramor when the Atmorans returned to Skyrim to get their vengeance on the Snow Elves, and eventually succeeded.
3 The Snow Elves Became Slaves To The Dwemer
The Nords succeeded in taking Skyrim from the Snow Elves, and it became clear that even after the war was won, the Nords were intent on eradicating the Snow Elves. They decided to flee and sought refuge with a neutral race that was still thriving at the time: the Dwemer.
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The Dwemer lived in vast cities and strongholds underground, and the Snow Elves begged them for refuge, which the Dwemers agreed to. Unfortunately, it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, as the Snow Elves were quickly enslaved by the ancient race, and would never see the sun again.
2 The Snow Elves Devolved Into The Falmer
Being treated like slaves and savages deep underground with no hope of escape eventually took its toll on the Snow Elves. After countless generations, the race eventually began to devolve. They became blinded by their work in the darkness, and eventually even lost higher brain functions.
Even after overthrowing the Dwemer during the First Era, the Falmer were too far gone to return to what they once were. Instead, they formed basic and savage civilizations for themselves underground, and amongst the Dwarven ruins.
1 This Began Anti-Elvish Sentiment Among Nords
When talking to just about any Nord in the time of Skyrim, it is clear that they have a long-standing disdain for any and all kinds of elves. Those who live in Windhelm’s Gray Quarter are constantly subject to racism from the local Nords, and their refusal to submit to the Thalmor is one of the key reasons the Civil War began.
Whether justified or not, this hatred for elves that seems to be installed in Nordic culture can be traced back to the Nordic-Falmer war, which saw the Snow Elves slaughter their people. Whether the attempted genocide was a fair response to this crime is up for debate, but its impact can still be felt in Tamriel four eras later.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition is available on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X/S.
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