Mer Mer ( also called Elvenkind or just Elves , or rarely Elfs ) as a collective term , encompasses beings of the elven race in Tamriel ic culture . Drastically different culturally and physiologically from men and beastfolk , Mer are genetically capable of interbreeding with the former , and while rumors of the latter exist , they are unproven . Mer are also conditionally fertile , which means that they only conceive when population pressure is low , so expanding populations do not force them to explore or war with other neighbors . During the early adult years of Barenziah , the races of Mer were a lot less fertile than man and beastfolk , with female mer usually becoming fertile around 18 – 19 years of age . Their lower fertility is , however , compensated by their lifespans , with the lifespan of an average mer being between the 200 to 300 years . With 200 years being old and 300 years being very old . Mer come in an array of colors , from dark grey , to light green to pale yellow . Of the mer race , there are multiple subraces currently existing on the Tamrielic continent . These include , Altmer , Bosmer , Dunmer , Orsimer , Dwemer , Chimer , Snow Elf , and Ayleid . The Aldmer are an extinct mer race from which these mer sprang . There are a few other mer , such as the Maormer , that are believed to be related to these races of mer as well . Etymology and usage . The term " Mer " can have one of two meanings : Mer is the word used in the ancient Aldmer i tongue to mean " person " or " us " . The term is analogous to the way humans use the word man . Speakers of the Imperial tongue often substitute " elf " for " mer " , especially in adjective form , as " elven " seems to sound better than the more correct term , " meri " . Most mer seem to accept " elf " as a suitable synonym , though they still usually refer to each other as " mer " . When referring to individual members of the elven races , mer can be both singular ( " I ' ve seen that mer in the Arena . " ) and plural ( " A dozen well - armed mer just went into that house ! " ) When used in combination with other words from the Aldmeri tongue , it simply means " a type of people " , and is translated into common as " elf " , or sometimes as " ones " ( e . g . , " first ones " ) . Origins . Generally speaking , the mer believe themselves to be direct descendants of the Aedra , having been tricked by Lorkhan into giving up their immortality to create the world . Their opinions on their mortality differs from race to race , but none , save for the Dunmer , consider it a " gift " in the way humans do . Rather , opinions range from lamenting the loss of their birthright , to enduring the suffering as a test of character . The first mer came from the continent of Aldmeris , arriving on Tamriel from the southwest during the Middle Merethic Era . Though all modern - day mer descend from a single proto - race , they have diversified significantly in the thousands of years since the Mythic Era , into various mer races . Lifespan . Mer are capable of living for a thousand years , although few ever actually live that long due to disease and violence . Altmer are far more resistant to disease than the other races of Tamriel , due to their sublime physical natures and often being gifted in the arcane arts . The Altmer were also taught how to naturally live another hundred years by Phynaster , the Hero - god of the Summerset Isles . At the time of the publication of the Pocket Guide to the Empire , Third Edition in 3E 432 , many living Altmer still remembered Tiber Septim ' s conquest of Summerset , thus putting them at an age of over 400 years . According to Uupse Fyr , there may be some Altmer / Aldmer on Summerset Isles who are over 4000 years old . Nurelion , an Altmer alchemist , was known to have died from old age . The earliest mention of the Aldmer Iachesis , Rite Master of the Psijics , is from 1E 20 , and the latest exact date with mention of Iachesis is 1E 2920 , when he met with Sotha Sil and Almalexia on Artaeum . This means that Iachesis was over 2900 years old before his disappearance . According to Alfe Fyr , the Dunmer Divayth Fyr is a " 4000 - year - old wizard . " Uupse Fyr claims that " he ' s probably the oldest and most powerful wizard alive . Not counting lich es , or divine sorcerers like Vivec " . Divayth Fyr has likely extended his life for over 4000 years using magic . The Orsimer mage and librarian , Urag gro - Shub , states that if he didn ' t take his work seriously , most books in The Arcanaeum " " would ' ve been burned to ashes or dissolved to nothing before the Third Era . " " This puts him at an age of over 600 years . The Dunmeri Councilor of Raven Rock , Lleril Morvayn , succeeded his mother as Councilor of the town in 4E 65 , and his rule continues to the present . If the Dunmeri aging process is relatable to that of Men , his complexion suggests that he is approximately of late - middle - age . His ascension was over 130 years prior to the events of , so a lower approximation of his age may be placed reasonably at 150 – 160 years old . Queen Mother Barenziah in is approximately 432 years old , having been born in 2E 893 . In comparison to humans she looks to be in her late 60s , meaning she is in her elder years . Knight - Paladin Gelebor is a Snow Elf who has lived over 4 , 000 years . Whether this is from the natural lifespan of his subspecies , a direct life extension from Auri - El or a life extension done by his own knowledge is unknown . All other known Snow Elves are deceased so how long they may live cannot be determined . Arch - Curate Vyrthur is also a Snow Elf known to have lived as long as Gelebor , but since he is a vampire it may be the cause of his long lifespan . Physiology . It is very easy to tell mer from men based on appearance , as mer are less muscular than most men , but have a greater variety of skin tones . Another easily noticeable feature of mer is that they have pointy ears that men do not have ( apart from the odd Breton , whom only have very slightly pointed ears ) . Furthermore , most mer , even females , are taller than most men . There are exceptions to this as the Orsimer are around the same size as men and the Bosmer , who are shorter . Another small difference worth mentioning is that mer rely heavily on magical warfare as they have a higher affinity for nature and magic , where Men tend to be less potent magically . The only exception to this of course are the Bretons as they are a mix of both the Altmer and the Nede s . Tamrielic elven races . Most of the present - day elves live on the continent of Tamriel . For the most part , these elven races have integrated successfully with the Cyrodilic Empire , though some racial tension still exists in parts of the continent . Altmer . Altmer , in the ancient Aldmeri tongue , means " High One " , though the Altmer themselves would say " Cultured One " . They are a race that hails from the mysterious Summerset Isle . The Altmer consider themselves the most civilized people on Tamriel , a statement which is difficult to refute outright . Of the modern elven races , Altmer are likely the closest in appearance and behavior to the ancient Aldmer , due to a conscious effort of selective breeding . Of particular interest is the fact that two of the members of the Dunmer Tribunal , Vivec and Almalexia , appear much more like Altmer than Dunmer . This likely means the Chimer resembled Altmer before the change , and these two were able to maintain that appearance through their stolen divine power . According to the " Pocket Guide to the Empire , First Edition " , selective breeding and infanticide was practiced in order to help purify their race , though this information may be biased against Altmer . Bosmer . Bosmer translates most directly into Imperial speech as Tree - Sap People , though they are much more commonly called Wood Elves . As the name suggests , the Bosmer inhabit the wooded areas in southwest Tamriel , particularly the Valenwood . Bosmer as a group are less haughty and cultured than Altmer , and more attuned to nature . They are particularly well suited to hunting and ranging activities in the deep forests . Dunmer . The Dunmer , or Dark Elves , are a somewhat isolationist race of mer populating the northeast portion of the continent , Morrowind , and in particular the huge volcanic island of Vvardenfell . They are ancient enemies of the Nord s , who often try to invade their homeland . Dunmer culture is quite different from that of other mer , most notably in their rejection of the Aedra and worship of Daedra or their living gods , the Tribunal . The word " dark " ostensibly describes the ash - colored skin , but can also be interpreted as gloomy or sinister . According to legend , the Dunmer are the remnants of the elven race the Chimer , changed into Dunmer by the Daedric Prince Azura as punishment for the crimes of their leaders . Dunmer culture is much more cutthroat and aggressive than other Tamrielic cultures . Slavery was legal until just a few years prior to the end of the Third Era , and there is still an active , legally sanctioned assassins guild , the Morag Tong , which is permitted to kill with impunity under certain circumstances . Orsimer . The closest translation available for Orsimer is Orc ( c . f . Orsinium , " Orc - Town " ) . The Orsimer , like the Dwemer and Chimer , were originally an offshoot of the Aldmer , who chiefly worshiped the Aedra Trinimac . When the Daedric Prince Boethiah was trying to convince the future Chimer to abandon their Aedra worship and follow him , he " ate " Trinimac ( how figurative this was is up for debate ) , who had been trying to stop the Velothi from moving to Resdayn , and assumed his form . When he was finished , he left Trinimac behind , who then changed into a Daedric Prince , Malacath . Trinimac ' s Orsimer followers were also changed , into the basic form seen today . The Orcish culture and society revolves around tightly knit tribes . Every Orc has a specific job and is obligated to perform it . Every man , woman , and child in the fort or Stronghold is also trained from birth to defend it . Only the chiefs are allowed to have wives , and due to this , they often have several . This method is to ensure that the strongest Orc becomes chief , contributing his genes to the next generation of orcs who in theory should be stronger than the last . Orcs in strongholds follow their own law called " The Code of Malacath . " The will of Malacath is clarified by the stronghold ' s resident wise woman . The rules of the Code are simple : don ' t kill , don ' t steal , and don ' t attack people without reason . They do not have jails ; instead , offenders are forced to pay a " blood price , " in which the criminal bleeds until the victim is satisfied . In cases where the victim was murdered , the chief is consulted to convey an appropriate sentence . The Orsimer , or Orcs , are far larger in size than any other mer ethnicity . Although shorter than the Altmer , the Orsimer have a heavier build and possess great upper - body strength . This results in a quite masculine , or even beast - like appearance . This is likely due to their brutish and savage warrior lifestyle , a result of the conditioning they put upon themselves to follow the ways of Malacath . Ancient elven races . Aldmer . The Aldmer , or First Ones , were the ancestral Elven race , and are the direct descendants of the Ehlnofey ( besides the Hist , the only ancient race of Nirn to survive its early days ) . Modern scholars believe that all of the Ehlnofey on Tamriel became the Aldmer , while those on the other three continents became men ( Nord s , Redguard , and Tsaesci ) . By the time recorded history begins , the Aldmer had diverged into various other races . The Altmer are believed to be the closest to original Aldmer in look and behavior . The Daedric Princes occasionally interfered in Aldmeri life to create other derivatives ( notably the Dunmer and Orcs ) . The term Aldmeri is sometimes used , incorrectly , to refer to all elves , especially by Imperial speakers who are unaware of the history of the race . Ayleid . The Ayleid , also known as the Wild Elves , or Heartland High Elves , were an offshoot of the Aldmer that inhabited the highlands of central Tamriel . They lived primarily in what is now northern Cyrodiil , during the Mythic and early First Eras . Much like the Dwemer in Morrowind , Ayleid culture is known primarily for the complex and intricate architecture they created , much of which still exists . Underground Ayleid ruins still contain remnants of their magic ( including the increasingly rare Varla Stone s ) , as well as the occasional artifacts . The Ayleid were also responsible for building the White Gold Tower , which today stands at the heart of the Imperial City . After a revolt by their human slaves approximately 200 years into the First Era , the bulk of the Ayleid were eventually driven south , to the Summerset Isles , where they were assimilated into the Altmer . While civilized mer claiming to be Ayleid still appear in Tamrielic history until well into the Second Era , most scholars believe the race has either died out , or at best consists of scattered , primitive tribes hiding deep within the Cyrodilic forests . The exact translation of " Ayleid " is not certain , as they spoke a language which has been mostly lost to history . A traditional Bosmer poem , " Meh Ayleidion , " means " One Thousand Benefits of Hiding , " so " Ayleid " may translate into " Hidden Ones " . Chimer . The Chimer , or Changed Ones , were a splinter group of Aldmer who rejected almost all of the traditional religious teachings of their parent race . These mer instead chose to worship Daedric Princes , specifically Azura , Boethiah and Mephala , and place a much stronger emphasis on ancestor spirit worship . The three Daedra convinced the Chimer to reject Aedra worship as a lie , and look down on their Aldmeri brothers as weak . The Chimer were led , by a mer prophet named Veloth , from the Summerset Isles to the large island to the east of mainland Tamriel , which they initially named Veloth , but was soon known as Resdayn . The Chimer lived in Resdayn with another group of elves , the Dwemer , in alternating periods of peace and warfare , with both the Dwemer and the Nords to the north , until the middle of the Second Era . At that point , a catastrophic battle between the two elvish races caused the entire Chimer race to change , into the modern day Dunmer , and their homeland became known as Morrowind . Dwemer . The Dwemer , which translates roughly as Deep Ones , were a scientifically advanced group of mer who rejected much of the traditional Aldmer teachings to emphasize science and mage - craft over god worship . Their name derives from their habit of building vast structures , both as dwellings and as workshops , deep in the mountains of Vvardenfell . The Dwemer , along with the Chimer , were traditional enemies of the Nords , and often were at odds with the Chimer themselves . At some point , possibly after their disappearance in 1E 700 , their name was corrupted in the Imperial speech into " dwarf , " although the Dwemer did not appear to resemble traditional dwarves in any meaningful way . They were basically the same size and shape as any other mer of the time , though unlike other mer , were often depicted with full beards . They are believed to be the only race of mer on Tamriel that did not descend from the original Aldmeri inhabitants , but instead branched off from the Aldmer before their arrival and immigrated to Tamriel independently . The only known Dwemer still alive on Tamriel is Yagrum Bagarn , and due to an infection with the deforming corprus disease , his current appearance is quite different from that of a healthy adult Dwemer . He did not disappear as he was in the realm of Oblivion at the time . Snow Elves . The Snow Elves were a race of Mer who inhabited Skyrim long before the Nord s . It is commonly believed that centuries of underground living and Dwemer slavery twisted the race into the blind merciless Falmer . Amongst the few Snow Elf survivors , they prefer the name Snow Elf over their original name of Falmer , as it tends to refer to their now degenerated brethren , which the survivors call The Betrayed . The surviving Snow Elves escaped the genocide bestowed on them by the Nord s and Dwemer slavery by hiding in religious sanctuaries like the Chantry of Auri - El . There may be pockets of surviving Snow Elves left , or there may be only one ; Knight - Paladin Gelebor . Derivative elven races . Certain races of people on Tamriel are indirectly descended from the elves , though they are not considered mer in the strictest sense . Breton . The Bretons are a race of humans who interbred with elves , mostly through Nordic concubines captured in the conquest of Skyrim during the First Era . Originally termed Manmer by the Aldmer , they were treated as lower - class citizens until the Nords took control of Skyrim . At this point , the Manmer mingled in with the human population , and eventually migrated en masse to High Rock to become Bretons . The Bretons are considered primarily human , but inherit the magical affinity of their elvish blood . Their appearance looks mostly of man , but they do appear , on average , to have more angled cheek , jaw , and chin bones not unlike the Altmer or Dunmer . They are slightly more frail in appearance than other " men " , if they can be considered as such , just like the elven races . However , it is unknown which genes are more prominent and dominant in the Breton people , whether it be mer or man , however , given the more man - like appearance of Bretons , with the fact that most of Tamriel ' s populace consider them men , would lead one to assume that Bretons are more man than mer . Also , historically , the man / mer hybrids that were the Bretons ' ancestors mingled with the human population after the humans regained control of Skyrim , meaning that they ' d have more men than elven blood in them . Falmer . The Falmer , known as the Betrayed by the few remaining Snow Elves , are a race of Mer who have devolved into primitive creatures inhabiting the dark underground and remote areas of Skyrim . Centuries of life underground have caused the Falmer to adapt to their harsh environment . While physically similar to other Mer , the Falmer have changed noticeably . Their skin is a pale grayish tone and they move with a hunched posture . Their most notable feature is their blindness ; the Falmer lack eyes . However , their other senses have become extremely sensitive as a result , and unwary adventurers learn quickly that the Falmers ' blindness is no handicap in combat . Other Elven races . Maormer . The Maormer , or Sea Elves , also known as Tropical Elves , are a race of exotic elves that inhabit the tropical land of Pyandonea , a group of islands well to the south the Summerset Isles . The most recent " " debunks a commonly - made claim that the Maormer were evicted by the Altmer . Instead , they broke off from the ancient Aldmer when their immortal wizard - king , Orgnum , began a revolt . What little is known about the Maormer includes their strange skin , rumored to have chameleon - like properties , and their practice of a style of snake magic . Lefthand Elves . Only briefly mentioned in a few in - game books , the Lefthand Elves supposedly lived in the Redguard homeland of Yokuda . It is implied they were entirely destroyed by the Redguards in a war between the two . The rest of them died with Yokuda . Cantemiric Velothi . The Cantemiric Velothi were a race of Mer that inhabited Black Marsh . Not much is known about them at all . They are believed to be extinct due to the Knahaten Flu in 2E 560 .