Dunmer

Biology

Fertility

Dunmer, like other elven races, have a low fertility rate, rarely having more than two children over their long lifetimes. They also tend to first be able to bear young at much later times than their human counterparts, in their early-to-mid twenties, up to a decade after they first awaken sexually.

When pairing with the races of men, they experience a temporary quickening and increased fertility or virility, a strange but well-documented phenomenon in cultural eras such as the Direnni Hegemony's reign in High Rock, and the First Empire of the Nords' occupation of Morrowind.

Skin

Dunmer are highly vulnerable to all manners of skin illnesses,4 a trait that some have attributed to the nature of the curse Azura used to transform the chimer into dunmer. Others claim that Morrowind's unique climate, combining the abrasive nature of Red Mountain's frequent ashstorms and the cold briny winds of the Sea of Ghosts, naturally weakens the skin's defenses and allows maladies to prosper without rigorous hygiene.

Whatever the reason, dunmer are more affected by skin blights, natural and magical, and must take greater precautions. Healers commonly recommend pure food and drink, healthy diets, frequent bathing, and wearing clean clothes.

Culture

Tribunal Prayer Cards - A set of hand-painted prayer cards based on the Homilies of Blessed Almalexia.

Society

Houses, Tribes & Clans

Hortators

Names

Dunmeri, and El-Velothi and House Chimeri names before them, uses the still-little-understood system of Aldmeri numerology to name their children. This is generally the reason why Dunmeri names seem to be "nonsense" if attempted to be translated, a trait shared with their ancestor-races and with the Altmer. Save for usage of common elven words, they are essentially a series of numbers related to auspicious signs present during pregnancy and birth, or traits wished for the offspring to have.

Ashlander, or Velothi names, use Velothis, the only known mortal language to be based on Daedric dialects, to craft names during a Naming ceremony. Before, they are all called "Nammu", or "Nameless", and may even retain that name if they are frail or weak. Ashlanders will typically name their children after traits they show before they are Named. The observant scholar will notice that such a custom is also present in Orcish cultures, and might be a tradition from the Aldmeri Cult of Trinimac that both Chimer and Orsimer originated from.

The order and length of Dark Elf names may seem unintuitive, but in fact is much easier to decypher than the ancient Aldmeri numerology system. Firstly, social and academic ranks are to be used only in formal correspondence, or in respectful fashion, in combination with either full name or family surname, or on its own. Next will be the House that the individual is bound to, by oath or marriage, typically a Great House or a powerful and influential Minor House. As Ashlanders see no purpose in the Houses, this step is omitted for them. The Grandmaster of a newly-established house, and their direct blood relatives, will also place their House name before their given name. Third comes a Dunmer's given name. Lastly is the House, Clan, or family they are born to, with the notable exception for the founding Grandmaster of a new House and their relatives.

Should a Dunmer be an orphan, or disowned, or not have a surname due to other circumstances, one can use "of no House" on official documentation, but in speech should simply omit mentioning a family name. To verbally call out that one does not have a House or Clan is considered highly offensive, and punishable by corporeal re-education, in accordance with Temple Law.

Gender & Gender Roles

Dunmer society has strictly codified gender roles, much like High Velothi society before, and the Aldmeri society that it splintered from.

However, Chimeri society has always rejected the Aldmeri doctrines that the mortal body can be restored to divinity through blood purity, and that the divine flame and mortal vessel are two halves of a whole and made perfectly matched at creation. It is due to that theological difference, as well as the examples of the Three Good Daedra, that the Chimer believed that a soul could be mismatched to its mortal vessel.

This phenomenon is understood to be a harrowing experience, and is known in Morrowind as a shape-rift. The treatment for it is deceptively simple; one afflicted by a shape-rift is taught the intricacies of the gender role their soul feels drawn to, and garb themselves as that newly-learned role. Some Dunmer also make use of artifice and potions to better fit their new role, and a few even go as far as to alter their bodies through the services of a fleshcrafter or Alteration mage.

There was a dark period in the Third Era where, due to Imperial influence and ignorance, the custom of determining one as male, female or hermaphrodite based on their clothing and behavior was highly suppressed, and frequent only in Indoril, Redoran and Ashlander territories. During that time, one's gender became determined by the physical features of one's mortal body, much like in Imperial and Altmeri societies, and the existence of hermaphrodites was completely erased. The legitimacy of shape-rift was heavily doubted by Imperial scholars, and even outright denied and claimed as a form of madness. The return to older traditions marked by the early years of the Fourth Era brought about the return of the Dunmer gender roles and determining custom, to the relief of many citizens of Morrowind.5

Marriage

As a matriarchal and heavily hierarchical society, Dunmer believe that the power in a marriage lies with the womer, who chooses who to marry, usually from several hopeful applicants. Her status and the protection of her Ancestors is bestowed upon her husband, who becomes a protective extension of her will. At any time in the marriage, she has the ability to sever her husband's ties to her and cast him out of her House or Tribe, if he joined it by being granted her hand.

In rare cases, two womer may be allowed by the Temple to undergo the sacred ceremonial rites and have their union divinely recognized. In these cases, the womer who is the more powerful warrior will join the other's family, and serve as her protectrix. Unlike a husband, the protectrix can contest the decision to be severed from her wife, and will not be cast out of her former wife's House.

The Guild uses the official Tamrielic translation of "SHEHUSBAND" provided by the Temple here. A common informal translation for it is "she-consort".

There have been no known instances of two mer being allowed to marry in the Dunmeri tradition, but House Dunmer society has recognized Nordic marriages since the Second Era in the years of the Ebonheart Pact, as well as Imperial marriages since the early Third Era. As of the 24th year of the Fourth Era, Morrowind has also allowed both traditional and modern Nordic marriage ceremonies officiated by priests of Mara for their citizens, allowing for official marriages between two mer.

Due to recognizing traditional Nordic marriages as lawful, Morrowind is also the third nation of Tamriel to affirm the legitimacy of marriages between three individuals, after Skyrim and Elsweyr.

Death

Funeral Rites

Ancestor Worship

Dunmer practice a peculiar form of ancestral veneration entwined with ritualistic, religious necromancy, which gives rise to powerful "adacan", or "spirit magic". Through blood, ritual and worship, a living Dunmer can gain access to the wisdom, protection and power of their ancestors, and through love and duty, the spirit of a Dunmer can cross back into the realm of the living to serve their kin again.

This form of magic is powerful, if mysterious, and all Dunmer can wield it to form a defensive ghost-fire ward, or an offensive magical fire shield. Most Dunmer with magical talent can also call an Ancestor Ghost directly to their aid as a mystic would normally conjure an Atronach guardian, though this ability is used sparingly so as to not irk the spirit with repeated summons.

Ancestor spirits are able to scry information obscured to the living, and are thus a source of valuable counsel, often summoned in their family tombs by their descendants for information that is otherwise challenging to obtain. Greater Dunmeri mystics are able to draw the spirits into their own body in a form of temporary willing possession, foregoing the need for the ancestor's remains to act as a conduit, or for the spirit to expend energy in manifesting itself in a spectral form. Very importantly, an ancestral spirit summoned in these fashions assists its kin out of love and familial duty, which is where all the difference rests between Dunmeri necromancy and sorcerous necromancy.

The ancestral family shrine is called the Waiting Door, and it forms a link between the living and their departed kin, a representation of a door to the afterlife. In most houses, this shrine is little more than a small shelf, hearth or alcove, in which family relics are displayed. In wealthier clans, it generally takes the shape of a holy room or even an entire complex, called an Ancestor Tomb, set aside for the ancestors' use, and can also house bones, or even entire bodies, of ancestors especially dear to the family.

Worship at the Waiting Door takes the form of prayers and oaths sworn to duty, as well as gifts, not only in the form of material offerings but of news, both personal and of the family affairs, of travels, joys and ordeals. In return, ancestors offer knowledge, training, blessings and protection.

Many of the Dunmer living outside of the Morrowind mainland have foregone the tradition of a Waiting Door or Ancestral Tomb for Ancestor worship at local Temple tombs or city crypts, as have older Dunmer who lived in the Third Era and remember the period of Imperial reign.

For a spirit to be bound and enslaved is seen as outrageous, revolting and beyond cruel to the Dunmer, and punishable by death in accordance to Temple Law, with only one exception: Bonewalkers. The reason for this is that to the departed, the mortal realm is unpleasant and perhaps even downright painful to dwell in, cold, bitter, and full of loss and pain. Only the areas where they can draw strength and comfort from other spirits, and from the love and veneration of their descendants, are truly suitable for them. If a spirit is bound to the mortal realm against their will, through a necromancer's ill intent, a powerful emotional bond, or terrible death, they are liable to go mad from the pain and cause hauntings, turning into a malevolent undead.

Bonewalkers are venerated and feared as guardians of family shrines and ancestral tombs. They are spirits magically bound to gruesome constructs of fire-and-ash purified remains, using bone and metal pins, as punishment for failing to faithfully serve their family in life. Though ritually prevented from harming mortals of their clan, they are still very much able of mischievous or peevish behavior toward them, and often turn their exceedingly dangerous anger and malevolence onto intruders.

As the creation of bonewalkers is overseen and sanctioned by the Temple, it is against Temple Law to harm or destroy these flesh revenants, just as it is forbidden to banish or soul-trap ancestor spirits unless under direct order from a Canon or Archcanon of the Temple.

History

Timeline of Morrowind

Dawn Era

The era of Dawn only contains small pockets of pseudo-linear time and intermittent relativity, thanks to the spirits of Time, Space, Memory and Limit congealing into being and fumbling with their self-concepts. Any temporal or spatial order given here is approximated by subjective perception of events, based on fragments of ancient Chimeri, Dwemeri, Orcish and Nordic accounts dating back to the Merethic. As the Elder Scrolls cannot record the Dawn, the words of witnesses shall have to suffice, contradictory though they may seen from a fully linear perspective.

Dissident Velothi Movement

The Chimer began as an Aldmeri counter-culture movement, who believed that the Profanity of Creation had allowed the least of spirits the ability to grow and unlock the Divine within all. A follower and attendant of Trinimac, Veloth, was especially drawn toward the idea that orthodox Aldmeri wisdom, which was that the Profane required removal in order to ascend back to Godhood, was fundamentally wrong and full of hubris.

Veloth instead adhered to the idea that the coalescing ideas and limitations, and the conflict between IS and IS NOT, formed ways to ascend to Divinity that could only be achieved by those who overcame limitations, through discipline, creativity and love.

Exodus of Veloth and the Chimer

High Velothi Culture

Decline to Tribal Cultures

Merethic Era

Losing Wars Against the Dwemer

Formation of the Great Houses

First Era

Occupation by the First Empire of the Nords

Revolt Against the Nords and Formation of Resdayn

War of the First Council

Battle of Red Mountain and Year of Sun's Death

Golden Years of the Tribunal Era

Second Era

Akaviri Invasion and Formation of the Ebonheart Pact

Third Era

Fourth Era

Fifth Era

AI AE-MANTIA NU-NEREVAR AI AE HERMA PADHOME ALTADOON VA AKHAT

AI GHARTOK SITHISIT HYAET AE HOOM AL MNEM AH RHKET

The Loveletter of the House of We was stricken from existence. The deci-shehai of Undawn fractalized the motions of pankratosword to the number of fingers arranged as wings, and sundered Landfall from everywhere and everywhen. Anuvanna'si rests in the center and the doubled sigil of Vel no longer lives in a Provisional House bound in Fate with the guts of Coincidence.

The beginning of a new story is CHIM-EL AMARANTH

The Essayists' Guild is unsure what the above section is due to mythopoeic denial; we would like to apologize about its accidental inclusion into the Atlas Tamrielica. We would however also like to excitedly point out the writing that shifts before your eyes is Ehlnofex, the language of Dawn. Having a stable (enough) sample of this writing within our collection of works is incredible and will be preserved in future revisions.

Famous Individuals

Famous Chimer

Veloth

Indoril Nerevar Mora

Indoril Nerevar Mora, better known as Nerevar Moon-And-Star by the ashlanders and most of Tamriel, and Nerevar Godkiller by the Nords, was instrumental in the liberation of Resdayn, anon Morrowind, from its occupation by the First Empire of the Nords. He united not only the Great Houses and ashlander Velothi Tribes of Morrowind, but forged an alliance with the dwemer as well, uniting many disparate peoples under his leadership.
Please don't standardize "Resdayn" to "Morrowind" in this case, Nakjeen.1

During the time of the First Council of Resdayn, lasting from 416 to 668 of the First Era, Nerevar worked diligently with King Dumac of the Dwemer, to maintain a tenuous peace between their peoples. Not all approved of the alliance, with several dwemer Clans self-exiling from Morrowind, and Great Houses Dres and Redoran, along with many of the ashlander Tribes, refusing to honor the truce Nerevar negotiated, remaining hostile to Dwemer within their territories. Despite tensions, both Chimer and Dwemer prospered and flourished, until Kagrenac's plot to use the Heart of Lorkhan was discovered and ignited the War of the First Council.

How Nerevar died was a major source of contention between a great many factions, both within Morrowind and outside, and it even now is a subject of heated and vehement scholarly debates. This conflict stems from the fact that all known accounts seem to disagree over both the time and manner of his death, and some accounts even manage to be internally inconsistent. Vivec's own official account notoriously passes over the "where" and "how" of Nerevar's death, only confirming that it happened at some point during or soon after the Battle of Red Mountain.2
Needs stronger language there. Seen literal fights break out over that topic, and at least one scholar murdered with a thick hardback book.2

He was canonized after the pseudo-apotheosis of the Tribunal Saints, becoming Saint Nerevar the Captain, whose sphere is the warriors, statesmen, and House Redoran. His imagery as a Saint portrays his bonewalker, head bowed in contemplation and crowned by the symbol of the Gate of the Triune Way, variously wearing the bonemold helm of high-ranking Redoran and the boiled netch leather helm common to Morrowind caravaners. Followers of the Old Tribunal Temple still call him the Herald of the Triune Way, a title that the Tribunal Saints bestowed on him when he was raised as a bonewalker to guard the Necrom Catacombs.

Almalexia Indoril

Vivec

1

Famous Dunmer

Saints of Morrowind

Sotha Sil

Mora Moraelyn Ra'athim

King Moraelyn of Clan Ra'athim, the Witch-King of Ebonheart, was a first-era Morrowind hero and a widely-renowned fighter and mage. His legends captured the imaginations of people all across Tamriel, earning him the title of Champion of Tamriel.

His bonewalker was destroyed.

Divayth Fyr

Redoran Revaryl

Redoran Revaryl, more widely known as the Nerevarine, served as the Hortator of Morrowind in the Third Era, in 328 and the first half of 329. In that time, he defeated the Sharmat Dagoth Ur and his forces on Vvardenfell, repelled an invasion of clockwork monsters from Mournhold, and exterminated the blight creatures on the mainland caused by the Camonna Tong's smuggling activities.

After vanquishing the blight, the Nerevarine attempted to use his political foothold as Hortator to give the various tribes of mainland and Vvardenfell ashlanders a voice on the Great Council. He was met with predictable opposition from King Hlaalu Helseth, supported by Houses Hlaalu and Dres, and the indifference of Houses Redoran, Indoril and Telvanni. He resigned from his position as Hortator soon afterward, and joined the Empire's expedition to Akavir.

Conflicting reports as to his fate claim that he either died defending the retreat of the expedition's survivors from tsaesci forces, or that he came back through some unknown means to assist the improvised Redoran-led army in defending southern Morrowind in the Oblivion Crisis. Those accounts also contradict each other on Redoran Revaryl's fate, some alleging that he was left trapped in Mehrunes Dagon's deadlands when the gates were shut by Martin Septim, while others maintain that he either fled or was exiled from Morrowind following confrontation by the survivors.

Minor persons of interest

Dedres Dreloth was a master hypnotist and skilled mage, and became well-known on Vvardenfell for a spell of his own design that, with a mere glance, could tame any beast.

Didala Drath was a clever spy who became known for her ability to seduce and cajole all into doing her bidding. Her legend lives on in Ald'ruhn, in the name of the spell she inspired.

Drathis Senim was a fearsome warlock, known to be as great at spellwork as he was dark in temperament. He was known to invent hexes so potent that the suffering they caused could permanently damage one's soul, even once the curse was lifted, and there are rumors that he used magic to ensure the complete loyalty and obedience of his underlings.

Hlendrisa Seleth was a Telvanni enchantress and master forger, whose talent laid in perfect reproduction of enchanted scrolls. The Nerevarine allegedly requested her services several times and apprenticed under her for a few months, but she remained largely unknown until her death. In the year 139 of the Fourth Era, her successful duplication of a dwemeri imbuing plate prompted her honorable assassination by the Morag Tong.

Kylia Thando was a famous farmer-naturalist of the Second Era. She had humble beginnings as a kwama egg miner, and quickly distinguished herself by her observational skills. She became known for her kwama expertise, and her advocacy for sustainable farming practices and concern for Vvardenfell's natural ecosystem. It is rumored that her honorable assassination by the Morag Tong was sponsored by an influential saltrice baron of House Dres, but this is unconfirmed.

Raw Stats

Arena

Modifiers Strength Intelligence Willpower Agility Speed Endurance Personality Luck
Male +10 +10 -10 +10 +10 X X X
Female X +10 -10 X X X X X

Bonus to hit & damage with any weapon (Level divided by 4).

Daggerfall

Modifiers Positive Negative
Male +10 Strength +10 Intelligence -10 Willpower -10 Personality
Female +10 Intelligence -10 Willpower

"Versatile in all manners of skills."

Battlespire

Major Bonuses Minor Bonuses
+10 Long Blade +10 Short Blade +5 Alteration +5 Thaumaturgy +5 Restoration
+5 Mysticism +5 Illusion

"Strong, intelligent, and quick-footed."

Morrowind

Modifiers Strength Intelligence Willpower Agility Speed Endurance Personality Luck Height Weight
Male X X -10 X +10 X -10 X 1.0 1.0
Female X X -10 X +10 -10 X X 1.0 0.9
Skills
+5 Athletics +10 Destruction +5 Light
Armor
+5 Long Blade +5 Marksman +5 Mysticism +10 Short Blade
Abilities
Ancestor Guardian
Sanctuary, 50pts on self, Power
75% Resist Fire

Shadowkey

Racial Skill
Shadowed Path
Increases stealth. Small bonus to attack.

Oblivion

Modifiers Strength Intelligence Willpower Agility Speed Endurance Personality Height Weight
Male -10 +10 -10 1.0 0.95
Female -10 +10 -10 1.0 0.9
Skills
+5 Athletics +10 Blade +5 Blunt +10 Destruction +5 Light Armor
+5 Marksman +5 Mysticism
Abilities
Ancestor Guardian
Greater Power
Summon Ancestor Guardian for 60 sec
Fire Resistance
75% Resist Fire
Reactions
Altmer Argonian Bosmer Breton Dunmer Imperial Khajiit Nord Orc Redguard
-10 -10 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5
Fellow Dunmer "my Dunmer brother/sister"
"muthsera/sera"
Disposition under 30 "ashborn"
Sources
5. Brygerd Vesnia; The Stain of The Dragon, vol. 4
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