Nord Nords , also known as Sons of Snow ( Dovahzul : " Kul - Do - Od " , " Sons - Of - Snow " ) are a race of men from the province of Skyrim . The Nords have a natural resistance to the frost , which evolved due to their settlement in the northern , colder reaches of Nirn . Eager to augment their martial skills beyond the traditional methods of Skyrim , they excel in all manner of traditional warfare . Nord culture centers on the quest for honor and glory , with emphasis also on the family and community . Skyrim . Skyrim is the northernmost landmass of the continent of Tamriel , and is the site of one of the earliest civilizations founded and governed by Men during the Merethic Era , many thousands of years ago . These early Men arrived on Tamriel by sailing south from the ancient continent of Atmora , the northern - most pinnacle of the world . In present day , Skyrim is home mainly to the direct descendants of these Atmorans , a people known as the Nords ; large , hardy men and women who are notorious for their militancy and innate resistance to frost and frost magic , both a consequence of the cold , harsh climate of their homelands . Bordered by Morrowind to the east , Cyrodiil to the south , Hammerfell to the southwest , and High Rock to the west , Skyrim forms the uppermost province of the continent of Tamriel . To the northeast , the Sea of Ghosts borders the Holds of Winterhold , and far northeast lies the island of Solstheim . Skyrim has nine Holds , each is governed by a Jarl , who keeps civility and order in their designated Hold . Jarls are largely independent , but swear fealty to Skyrim ' s High King . Physiology . The Nords are a race of Men who typically are regarded as light - skinned , fair - haired , and imposing in size and build . They are the direct descendants of the Atmoran s , who in ancient days sailed to Tamriel from the frozen continent of Atmora , and to a lesser extent of the Nedic peoples , who were human natives of Tamriel that gradually interbred with the Atmorans over the centuries . The Nords , along with the Redguard s and Orc s , are on average more muscular and larger of size than the other races of Nirn . They are known to have an innate resistance to the freezing cold as well as a fierce and uncompromising mindset in the face of adversity ; physiological and psychological traits that are likely a consequence of countless generations having successfully endured the harsh , overcast northern climates of Atmora and Skyrim . History . Merethic Era . The Nords were first known as the Atmorans , of the northern continent known as Atmora . It is unknown if the climate of Atmora was ever temperate enough to sustain anything other than a hunter - gatherer population , though there are some references to " distant green summers " and " chilling green shores " in literature . At some point in Atmoran history , there was a great civil war . In the midst of this , Ysgramor , a revered Nordic hero , gathered all who would follow him and sailed south . They eventually came ashore at the northernmost point of Skyrim , at a place now known as Hsaarik Head . As there was already an Elven , or Mer , population on the continent , the immigrants had dubbed it " Mereth . " Contrary to popular belief , Ysgramor was not the first human to create a settlement in Tamriel ; he and his colonists were simply the latest of a long line of immigrants from Atmora . There was , in fact , already an indigenous human population upon their arrival . In the early days , mer and men lived in relative peace with one another . Over time , racial tensions arose as the Snow Elves realized that the settlers would soon surpass their own numbers if left unchecked . The decision was made to halt the expansion of the human settlers , using any means necessary . This culminated in the Night of Tears , when a Snow Elf army fell upon the unsuspecting human city of Saarthal and razed the settlement to the ground . The only remnants of the city in the Fourth Era are the ruins found south of Winterhold . It has also been speculated that the Snow Elves had an alternative motive to their actions . When the city was originally built , the Atmorans uncovered a source of great power underneath Saarthal and attempted to keep it buried . The elves learned of this and coveted it for themselves . Only Ysgramor and his two sons , Ylgar and Yngol , escaped the slaughter and returned to Atmora , vowing to avenge their people . Ysgramor returned to Skyrim , bringing with him the famous Five Hundred Companions , a name later adopted by a group of mercenaries in Whiterun . Upon their return to Tamriel , they slaughtered the Snow Elves living there and began a program to completely eliminate the Snow Elf population . After horrific losses to Ysgramor and his Companions , the Snow Elves retreated to their last haven on Solstheim . Led by the Snow Prince , the Snow Elves took a final stand against the Nords . The conflict between them ended at the Battle of the Moesring , in which the Snow Prince was unexpectedly killed by a twelve - year - old girl . This death shattered the spirit of the remaining Snow Elf warriors . Many fled , and those that remained on the battlefield were killed . First Era . In the year 1E 113 , King Harald , of the Ysgramor dynasty , was the first man to unify Skyrim , and in 1E 143 the last of the elves ( Snow Elves and Ayleids ) were driven out of the province . After the 78 - year reign of King Harald , a Moot was created to establish the next High King from the royal family . This Moot was different from the Moots of Skyrim in the Fourth Era , as this Moot acquired power for itself , which was its ultimate downfall . In 1E 240 , King Harald ' s son , King Vrage the Gifted , started the Skyrim Conquests . He carved out the First Empire of the Nords and by 1E 290 ruled all the northern regions of Tamriel . These regions included Morrowind , most of High Rock , and some northern reaches of Cyrodiil . The capital of the Empire was Windhelm , a city built by Ysgramor after the his conquest of the elves . His keep , the Palace of the Kings , still stands , housing the Jarl of Eastmarch . It´s one of the few structures still intact from the First Era . But after the rein of King Borgas in 1E 369 , who was killed during the Wild Hunt , the First Empire began to crumble . As there was no heir to the throne , the now ineffective Moot was unable to establish a new High King of Skyrim , beginning the War of Succession . The Empire lost all lands beyond Skyrim , and was never able to regain these provinces . The War of Succession ended in 1E 420 with the Pact of Chieftains , which stated that a Moot would only be held when the High King died with no living heirs . After this , Skyrim ' s successions would not be disputed on the battlefield until the Civil War of 4E 201 . In the Late First Era , there was an invasion from Akavir . These men , who came from the North , were the Akaviri Dragonguard , from whom the Blades claim origin . The Nords , the warriors they were , were the first to challenge these invaders . However , the Nords were defeated and the Dragonguard carved a path through Skyrim . The Nords joined Reman Cyrodiil at the Battle of Pale Pass . Accounts on the battle vary , but was ultimately a victory secured against the Akaviri , who swore loyalty to Reman Cyrodiil . " Second Era . The dawn of the Second Era saw even more conflict for the Nords . Led by the general Hjalti Early - Beard , the Nordic Holds were locked in conflict with the Reachmen of High Rock over territory within Skyrim . Allying himself with the Colovian king Cuhlecain , Hjalti was able to push the Reachmen back into the nearly impregnable fortress at Old Hrol ' dan . The two forces seemed at an impasse until the intervention of a Nord King specter , Ysmir . Ysmir came to Hjalti in the night , and taught him the Way of the Voice . When the morning came , Hjalti led his army to the gates of the fortress and shouted down its walls , achieving victory . Hjalti was then given the name Talos , meaning Stormcrown . However , the Nordic people resented the fact that Cuhlecain and Hjalti sought to reforge the old Empire . In the year 2E 852 , shortly after the two generals traveled to Cyrodiil , an allied force of Nords and Bretons marched south and conquered all major passes and settlements in the Jerall Mountains . Staging their forces at Sancre Tor for the winter , the allied invaders dared Talos to face them . Talos could only amass a small army to stand before the walls , so he resorted to subterfuge . Though the fort was surrounded by unscalable terrain , a Breton traitor showed the general a small mountain trail that would lead his forces into Sancre Tor from the rear . The Nord - Breton alliance only saw that the general had left a severely weakened force in the field and , leaving a small force to man the walls , they sallied forth to take the field . Meanwhile , Talos reclaimed the Amulet of Kings and led his forces from within the walls of Sancre Tor . Using his army and his Thu ' um , he swept aside the defenders and took the keep . Seeing this , the Nords abandoned their alliance and swore fealty to Talos , claiming him heir to the Empire . Soon after , Hjalti took the name Tiber Septim , and declared a new Empire , which now included the Nords of Skyrim . Skyrim itself , however , still had to be conqeured . Though there aren ' t many details regarding the invasion , it is known that the of warchiefs of Danstrar fought against Imperial forces . It is also known that Skyrims conquest was a " ballet " compared to the conquest of Hammerfell . Third Era . The Third Era began with a royal wedding in Skyrim , between Mantiarco of Solitude and young Potema Septim , later called the Wolf Queen . The already - widower Mantiarco married the young Septim daughter by accident of custom , as she stole the Promise of Marriage actually meant for her mother . However , the marriage proceeded and Mantiarco came to love Potema . She went on to bear him a son , Uriel Septim III . Soon after , it was discovered that Mantiarco ' s first son , Bathorgh , was actually the love child of his first wife and his warchief Lord Thone . In his grief , Mantiarco expelled his son from the realm , never to be heard from again . Whether or not Bathorgh was actually born of this affair is still a matter of debate . In 3E 121 the War of the Red Diamond was fought with the Wolf Queen ' s son , Uriel Septim III , who claimed Kintyra II was a bastard and her claim to the throne was therefore false . With the help of this mother , Uriel Septim gathered forces from High Rock , northern Morrowind , and Skyrim . With these , he was able to conquer enough of Tamriel to proclaim himself Emperor . But during the Battle of Ichidag his army was defeated by Cephorus Septim , and Uriel himself was captured . He was on route to the Imperial City when the caravan was attacked by vigilantes , killing Uriel . The war ended when Potema Septim was killed in the last siege of Solitude . During the Imperial Simulacrum , when Jagar Tharn , a battlemage , posed as Emperor Uriel Septim VII old animosities between Skyrim and their neighbors in Hammerfell and High Rock were reignited , setting off the War of Bend ' r - Mahk . One of but many wars occurring during the Simulacrum , the conflict saw the reclamation of territory Nords had not claimed since the 1 Era . Peace was finally restored when Uriel VII wrested the throne from his impersonator . Fourth Era . After the Oblivion Crisis , Skyrim appeared relatively unscathed , moreover , its economy and society profited from the turmoil that occurred in Cyrodiil . More than a century later , in the year 4E 171 , a war broke out between the Aldmeri Dominion and the Empire of Tamriel . This war was extremely devastating and both sides suffered heavy losses , a treaty was formed between both parties , and was known as the White - Gold Concordat . This agreement included many conditions , some of the main terms that ' affected the Nords ' were the outlawing of the Talos worship and the disbandment of the Blades . This enabled the Thalmor to move freely throughout the entire Empire , thus allowing them to hunt down any Talos worshipers and slaughter the last of the Blades . As a result , many Nords began to favor Skyrim ' s secession from the Empire . Eventually Ulfric Stormcloak , the Jarl of Windhelm , organized these rebels into the Stormcloaks . Soon after , Ulfric challenged the High King of Skyrim to a duel . Ulfric slew him with the legendary Thu ' um which sparked the Civil War between Ulfric ' s supporters and the citizens of Skyrim that stayed loyal to the Empire . The latter were backed by numerous outposts of the Imperial Legion across Skyrim . Society and culture . The Nords had a diverse culture that spread across multiple aspects , such as music , food , the arts , education , festivals and holidays , architecture and infrastructure , and religion . A spiritual relationship between the Nords and the life - force of breathing , which is associated with the Sky Goddess Kynareth , is integral to Nordic society and culture . While the art of speech was usually associated with the goddess Dibella , the art of breathing and the use of the Thu ' um , or Storm Voice , was associated with Kynareth . Kynareth was the goddess who gave Men the ability to speak . Breath and the voice were the vital essence of a Nord . Almost all Nords had the ability to speak , but some had the ability to use the Thu ' um , or Storm Voice . The power of those Nords could be articulated into a Shout . Wind was fundamental to the Nords the expression " " Wind guide you " " was a common expression in Nordic culture . The use of the Thu ' um as a weapon has not only been lost , but is forbidden by the Empire . Apart from the students of the discredited School of Thu ' um in the Imperial City , Ulfric Stormcloak was reputedly the last man to wield this power . However , the ancient Greybeards still sit atop the many steps leading to the peak of High Hrothgar , where the Nordic race was born , meditating on the known Shouts . Like all Tamrielic races ( Dunmer excluded ) , the religion of Skyrim is focused on the Aedra and their old ally , Lorkhan . Kyne is notably more assertive and warlike than the nature - loving Kynareth . Although Mara is present in her role as a mother goddess , it was Kyne who is the mother of the Nords . She is also credited with sending her son Morihaus ( and perhaps Pelinal Whitestrake ) to the aid of the Cyro - Nordic slaves in their uprising . The chief of the pantheon of Skyrim is Lorkhan , known to them as Shor . The Nords know Shor as the king of the gods , a champion of men in their struggles against the elves . He was treacherously slain by elves , yet continues to bestow favor on his people by aiding them with immortal champions such as Ysmir , another member of the Nordic pantheon . Today , Ysmir is the name by which Nords recognize the divinity of Talos . Certain Daedra , such as Hermaeus Mora , can also be found in the Nordic pantheon . An isolated tribe living on the island of Solstheim known as the Skaal follow a different form of faith from their mainland brethren . Instead of having regular religious worship , they venerate nature . They believe that certain parts of nature , such as the winds , the trees , and the sun , were given to them by the All - Maker , a benevolent , unknowable creator - deity . In this regard , wolves and bears are especially sacred to this small tribe . They believe all aspects of nature must constantly be in harmony , for this is what gives the Skaal their shamanic powers . Further research into their oral traditions has led to the conclusion that the All - Maker is their version of Alduin . The Skaal also tell tales of the Adversary , the enemy of mankind , and his lieutenant , the Greedy Man . As other tales show , the Greedy Man is none other than another incarnation of Lorkhan in a Nordic pantheon , yet cast in this case as a demon . In view of this , the Adversary is none other than Padomay / Sithis of the north , who gives birth to Lorkhan in elven tales . Indeed , in this regard the faith of the Skaal is nearly the reverse of the pantheon of Skyrim . Although they do not worship them , the Skaal are also aware of the existence of the Daedric Princes .