Dwemer

*"A race of stonecutters, artisans, and engineers. They invented machines and built elaborate underground cities where they researched powers to rival the gods themselves. And then, at a time we are still not sure when, they disappeared. The whole people, all at once. Leaving behind only their works."*
―Calcelmo[src]

Os **Dwemer** (/dwɛ.məɹ/ ***dwem**-mer*, /dweɪ.məɹ/ ***dway**-mer* ou /dwiː.məɹ/ ***dwee**-mer*), the "people of the deep", are a fabled "Lost Race"[1] of Mer from Dwemereth, which mostly consisted of modern-day Morrowind, where they are believed to have been the most prolific, though they also had a strong presence in Hammerfell, High Rock, and Skyrim.[2][3] The races of Mer use the term "Dwemer", which translates to "Deep-Elves"[2] or "Deep Folk".[4][5] Men commonly refer to them as **Dwarves**.[3] The early history of the Dwemer is still clouded in mystery. There is no known story of their dissociation from the Aldmer, which must have occurred very early in Tamrielic history, as their society bore few correlations with that of the Altmer besides some similar legal principles.[6][7][8] According to legend, the Dwemer originated from the same group as the Dunmer, and were treated as another tribe, and later, as a secular Great House.[9][oog 1][oog 2] The Dwemer built elaborate underground cities near and beneath mountain ranges, including the Velothi Mountains and Red Mountain, and in the mountains of the isle Stros M'Kai. Many misconceptions about them have abounded for centuries: scholars long thought that most Dwemer ruins which dotted Tamriel outside Morrowind were mere outposts and that there were few significant Dwemer settlements elsewhere until 1E 420.[2] The presentation of the Dwemer in fictitious but popular novels like the *Ancient Tales of the Dwemer* has also lodged an inaccurate impression of them in the popular consciousness, painting them as familiar, comfortable characters very similar to humans.[10] In reality, they are better described as having been fearsome, unfathomable, and even cruel, though also careful, intelligent, and industrious.[11][12][13] Their society consisted of free-thinking yet reclusive clans devoted to the secrets of science, engineering, and the arcane until they mysteriously disappeared around 1E 700.[2]

## Fisiologia

*"Give it, quickly. Extraordinary. I see it now. The sealing structure interlocks in the tiniest fractals. Dwemer blood can loose the hooks, but none alive remain to bear it. A panoply of their brethren could gather to form a facsimile. A trick. Something they didn't anticipate, no, not even them. The blood of Altmer, Bosmer, Dunmer, Falmer, and Orsimer. The elves still living provide the key. Bear you hence this extractor. It will drink the fresh blood of elves. Come when its set is complete."*
―Septimus Signus[src]
Essays, stories, legends, and tales have generally described the appearance and personality of the Dwemer race in general, but not of individuals. In appearance, the Dwemer were believed to be sized similarly to the average elf or human, though occasionally likened to large children with beards.[12] Other supporting evidence includes visual sculptures and Dwarven Spectres that roam the halls within their ruined dwellings, which indicate that the Dwemer preferred heavy metal armors and robes, most of which are made out of either armored shells of ancient mechanical men or mismatched pieces from various devices.[13]

As the Dwemer were a race of Mer, their blood was closely related to that of the other Mer races. In the Fourth Era, when the Last Dragonborn helped Septimus Signus in a quest to open a Dwemer lockbox using Dwemer blood, Septimus Signus revealed that the blood of five Mer races could be collected and mixed by using an Essence Extractor to produce a close enough approximation to open the lockbox.[14] Similarly to the members of the Psijic Order, the Dwemer race also possessed the ability known as "The Calling," to telepathically communicate with each other.[15][16]

Contrary to many legends, archaeological evidence of known Dwemer ruins leads one to believe that they were about the same size as the typical human or elf, evidenced by the fact that all existing Dwarven armor is average sized (although some claim that "Dwarven armor" is either the outer shells of machines or mismatched pieces from various devices).[35] It's speculated that the moniker "dwarf" may have been given long ago by the giants of the Velothi Mountains, who would have perceived them to be unusually small and thus deemed them to be "Dwarves". Imperial excavation of Dwemer ruins supports the Dlyxexic theory that the translation of Dwemer as Deep Elves might also be read as Smart Elves. Indeed, perhaps the brilliant students of the Ehlnofey mentioned in The Anuad are the Dwarves themselves.[19] Purported descriptions of the last living Dwemer cannot be relied upon, as he was admittedly bloated and deformed by Corprus, and the only other visual examples come from sculptures and Dwarven Spectres found in their ruined dwellings. It can be deduced, however, that long beards were popular among the lost elves, and they preferred heavy metal armors and robes. Their remaining features could be described similarly to that of the other elven races, as no specific information exists.

## História

Little is known of the history of the Dwemer and the early history and origins of their civilization. Conflicts with other races were very frequent, as was infighting. As such, the timeline is not entirely accurate for many of these events.[6]

Recorded history dates the beginning of the Dwemer to the Merethic Era, though it could be said that the earliest known history of the Dwemer was when the Aedra created Mundus, the mortal realm, and with it, all of the mortal races.

### Era do Alvorecer

During the Dawn Era, Lorkhan convinced some of the Et'Ada to create a mortal realm, which would be called Mundus. As Mundus was forming, it was revealed that many of the Et'Ada would be forced to give up much of their power. Due to this, the Et'Ada met at the Adamantine Tower during an event known as the Convention, and ultimately decided that Lorkhan had to be punished for his trickery, which was eventually carried out. With the creation of Mundus, some of the Et'Ada went to Nirn to live there. Magnus tore a hole into Aetherius, which became Nirn's sun. Many other Et'Ada followed and became the Magna Ge, tearing smaller holes into Aetherius, which became the stars.[17][18][19]

The Aedra who walked on Mundus, specifically Nirn, created the Ehlnofey. The Ehlnofey of Tamriel became the Mer, and many different races of Mer came about. The Dwemer were one of the descendants of the Ehlnofey.[3]

At some time after their creation, the Tonal Architects started to research the divine powers of the Ehlnofey, or the Earth Bones. The Dwemer were devising a plan to attempt to re-create the divine power of immortality. Most of the Dwemer wished to ascend to the same level of divine power that the Gods had, including the capability of being immortal.[OOG 1]

### Era Merethica

By the Late Middle Merethic Era, the Dwemer had established themselves on Morrowind and within the Velothi Mountains, a Mountain range located between Morrowind and Skyrim. The Chimer had established themselves on Morrowind, then known as Resdayn. The two civilizations had very different societies and cultures. These differences, as well as disputes over territory and resources, caused conflicts between the two civilizations.[19]

The earliest Dwemer Freehold colonies date from the Late Merethic Era.[19]

### Primeira Era

#### Guerra de Aetherium

Sometime after 1E 221, the Dwemer discovered a new raw mineral while mining in FahlZhardum Din, more commonly known as Blackreach. They named this new mineral Aetherium.[20][21] An alliance was formed between Blackreach, Arkngthamz, Raldbthar, Mzulft and Bthar-zel, now known as Deep Folk Crossing. The responsibilities of this project were spread between the cities; Arkngthamz served as the main command center and the primary research facility, while Raldbthar, which was the primary source of Aetherium, was given the role of dealing with mining operations. Mzulft was used as a storage site, and it is unknown what role Bthar-zel was assigned. The Aetherium Forge was constructed deep beneath the city of Bthalft, where the Aetherial artifacts would be constructed under precisely controlled conditions.[21]

In a short amount of time, each of the four city-states that were a part of the project eventually attempted to take control of the forge themselves, which evidently led to a civil war erupting at the core of the Dwemer empire, known as the Aetherium Wars. Decades passed as the war raged throughout Skyrim, and over time the war had begun to weaken the Dwemer city-states in Skyrim and crumble the Dwemer empire.[20] Eventually, High King Gellir of Skyrim decided that it was time to crush the weakened Dwemer city-states and led his armies across Skyrim in a campaign of rapid dominance. He and his armies spread across Skyrim, conquering the land and taking over many Dwemer cities in only three years.[20]

A century later, around 1E 324, the Dwemer empire in Skyrim recovered, and would eventually reclaim and reunite most of the cities and territory they had previously lost during the war. With no evidence to support otherwise, it is assumed that the project itself was abandoned, the risks being far too great.[20]

#### Guerra do Penhasco

During the War of the Crag in the early First Era, the Snow Elves, cousins to the Dwemer, were being beaten by the Atmorans, who had by that time launched a war against them after the Night of Tears. The Battle of the Moesring was the turning point for the Nords during that war, who began to achieve more victories against them. The remaining Snow Elves were forced into hiding, many seeking help and refuge among the Dwemer.[22][23]The Dwemer would agree to their request, but only if the Snow Elves complied in consuming a toxic fungus.[24] Eventually the Dwemer betrayed and enslaved the Snow Elves, indirectly causing the devolution of the Falmer over many decades. However, at some point, the Falmer rose up against the Dwemer in revolt, resulting in the "War of the Crag," which ended when the entire Dwemer race mysteriously vanished.[22]

#### Fundação do Primeiro Concelho e as Conquistas de Skyrim

There was constant feuding and conflict between the Chimer and Dwemer, mostly over issues of religion, magic and enchantment practices, and other cultural differences. This continued until the creation of the First Council in 1E 416. The First Council was the "first pan-Dunmer governing body," and was created when the Dwemer and Chimer united to expel the Nords from Morrowind.[11][25] However, the Rourken Clan refused to make peace with the Chimer. Their patriarch instead threw his ceremonial warhammer, Volendrung, across Tamriel, proclaiming that his clan would settle where it landed. They eventually settled in modern-day Hammerfell, later the home of the Redguards.[26] On the journey to modern-day Hammerfell, they encountered a powerful mage known as Shalidor, who fought against them. This would come be known as the Battle of Rourken-Shalidor. King Rourken was said to have used his shield, Spellbreaker, during the battle.[27]

The First Council was hugely successful, and both civilizations benefited from the alliance. The combined military forces of the Chimer and the Dwemer successfully removed the Nords from Morrowind. The Chimer and Dwemer forces annihilated the Nordic forces, leaving them "humbled" as they left Morrowind.[6][28][25]

#### Guerra do Primeiro Concelho

At an unknown time, Dwemer miners discovered a powerful artifact deep beneath Red Mountain. Kagrenac, Chief Tonal Architect and High Priest of the Dwemer, identified the artifact as the Heart of Lorkhan. He forged three artifacts, Keening, Sunder, and Wraithguard,[29] to allow him and the other Tonal Architects to tap into the Heart of the Lorkhan and use it to power the Numidium, a massive artificial god. News of the Dwemer plan reached the Chimer Great Houses of Morrowind. The leaders of the Great Houses were baffled, and called for war against the Dwemer. Nerevarrallied the Great Houses, and prepared their armies for war. In 1E 668,[30][31][32] the War of the First Council erupted. When the First Council collapsed, the alliance between the Chimer and the Dwemer shut down.

### Batalha da Montanha Vermelha

According to legend, after Lorkhan tricked or convinced the Aedra to create the mortal realm, they tore out his divine heart and threw it down to Nirn, to be hidden forever. Tensions had begun to flare between the Chimer and Dwemer once again when Kagrenac—the Chief Tonal Architect of the Dwemer—prompted the discovery of a mythological artifact known as the Heart of Lorkhan, deep within the mountain. When the Chimer heard of this, they believed the Dwemer were mocking their cultural beliefs; as a result, a second Battle of Red Mountain erupted in 1E 700. Kagrenac devised a set of tools, Sunder, Keening, and Wraithguard,[33] to manipulate the Heart to instill divinity in his people, in order to make them immortal. However, the spell seems to have backfired, causing all known Dwemer to vanish in a manner similar to a Dragon Break.[11][34]

Since 1E 700, no word has been heard of the Dwemer, with the notable exception of Yagrum Bagarn, who resided in the Corprusarium of Tel Fyr. Apparently, he was absent from the Mortal Plane at the time of the disappearance, visiting an Outer Realm, an alternate dimension. His three thousand years of exploration and five hundred years of investigation have yielded no indication of the presence of his people on Mundus or any other plane of existence currently known.[35]

### Segunda Era

During Tiber Septim's conquest in 2E 864, the Emperor took an interest in Dwemer artifacts. In an attempt to understand the inner workings of the remains of the race's work, Septim ordered Amiel Richton to commence research on the Dwemer machinery at Stros M'kai. Richton appointed Erasmo, an elderly Bosmer, to research the observatory and animatronics within.[36]

When Richton attempted to escape the island from the Restless League uprising, he used a working Dwemer airship to fly off. However, Cyrus managed to climb onto the airship and destroyed it, cutting the fragile cloth keeping it afloat.[36] During this time some people were convinced that the secrets of the Dwemer would soon be mastered, and that their technology would be integrated into modern day use. Predictions included inventions of personal flying machines and new steam-powered appliances.[37]

### Terceira Era

*"You wonder where the Dwemer have gone? Perhaps better to wonder why one remains."*
―Sotha Sil[src]
In 3E 427, the Nerevarine met with Yagrum Bagarn, the last known living Dwemer. Bagarn was visiting an outer realm during the activation of the Numidium and had contracted Corprus years later, which caused his body to deform and bloat. During this time, Dagoth Ur had his plan set in motion for the future of Morrowind and Vvardenfell and began his work on the Akulakhan, the second Numidium.[35]

The Nerevarine also managed to obtain all three of Kagrenac's tools: Keening, Sunder, and Wraithguard. They used these tools to destroy the Heart of Lorkhan. This stopped Dagoth Ur's plans, killing him in the process, and destroyed the Akulakhan as well.[35]

Soon after, the Nerevarine was tasked with reforging Indoril Nerevar's sword, Trueflame. After finding all the pieces, they sought the help of Radac Stungnthumz, a Dwemer ghost. Radac enchanted and modified Trueflame for the Nerevarine.[38]

### Quarta Era

In 4E 201, Arniel Gane, a mage of the College of Winterhold, was working on a project to reenact a scenario of Kagrenac's workings on the Heart of Lorkhan by using Keening on a warped soul gem. With the help of the Dragonborn, who was unaware of his intentions, Arniel collected the necessary ten Dwemer Cogs. Next, Arniel requested that the Dragonborn talk to Enthir about finding a warped soul gem. After a discussion with Enthir, the Dragonborn went in search of the Staff of Tandil, returning it to Enthir as payment for the warped soul gem. The next phase of the project involved a Dwemer Convector. Since Arniel's own model had been destroyed, he sent the Dragonborn to find a Dwemer Convector to heat up the warped soul gem, using a novice destruction spell created by Arniel. The Dragonborn heated the warped soul gem at a Dwemer Convector site and returned it to Arniel.

When sent to inquire of Enthir as to the whereabouts of a package, the Dragonborn was advised to search for the courier, and directed to the location of the package. The Dragonborn returned to Arniel with the package, which contained a unique dagger. Arniel then explained the project to the Dragonborn: he was going to use Keening on the warped soul gem to recreate the scenario in which Kagrenac tapped into the Heart of Lorkhan. As Arniel was using Keening on the warped soul gem, he disappeared instantly; this strengthens the much-disputed theory that the Dwemer race disappeared instantly.[39]

Sometime during the Fourth Era, Taron Dreth published a book called *The Aetherium Wars*.[20] Searching for the famed and legendary Aetherium Forge, he stole his former teacher Katria's research and published it under his own name.[21] Katria took her remaining research and went to Arkngthamz, but was killed when an earthquake destroyed the ruin.[40] Her ghost remained, however, and met with the Last Dragonborn, who helped her find the four Aetherium Shards and the Aetherium Forge deep within the Ruins of Bthalft, unlocking the mystery of the Aetherium Forge itself.[41]

Many expeditions have been made to various Dwemer Ruins in Tamriel. During the Fourth Era, the Synod made an expedition to Mzulft in Skyrim, where they researched and studied Dwemer technology, hoping to use the knowledge to consolidate Imperial political power.[42] An expedition was made to Avanchnzel by four adventurers (Watches-The-Roots, Drennen, Breya, and From-Deepest-Fathoms), who were attempting to steal a Dwarven Lexicon.[43]

During the Fourth Era, Sulla Trebatius led an expedition to Alftand, accompanied by Umana, Endrast, Valie, Yag gra-Gortwog, J'darr, and J'zhar.[44]When the group arrived at Alftand, they set up a small camp outside and a catwalk leading into the glacier. At some point, a storm came in and the group was forced to take refuge inside the ruined Dwemer city.[45][46] Valie, Endrast, and Yag gra-Gortwog were taken captive by the Falmer, who were living inside the ruin, while they were asleep. Valie was taken to the torture room and killed, while Endrast and Yag were taken into prison cells. Endrast and Yagak were able to escape using lockpicks, but the Falmer noticed their escape. Yagak attempted unsuccessfully to buy time for Endrast to get away, but both were killed during their escape.[47]

### ahgs

The history of the Dwemer is mostly a record of their conflicts with other races and each other, and the timeline is imprecise for many of these events. They purportedly settled along the coasts of Morrowind and founded Dwemereth.[6] They became involved in clashes with the newly-arrived Chimer in the Late Middle Merethic Era over land, resources, and religion.[14] The Dwemer also inhabited modern-day Skyrim during the earlier centuries of the First Era, and had numerous clashes with the Nords who lived there.[15]

While King Harald is credited with driving the last of the "elves" out of Skyrim before the end of his reign in 1E 221, this is mostly likely referring to conflicts with the Snow Elves and possibly other elves, as the Dwemer kept inhabiting a number of city-states stretching from the Velothi Mountains as far west as Markarth in what is now the Reach.[3][15] The city-states burrowed deep underground, masking their true size, and several of them were linked by the gargantuan cavern known as Blackreach (or "FalZhardum Din" to the Dwemer).[16] They clashed often with the Nords, but were never seriously threatened until the third century of the First Era, several decades after Harald's reign, when the Nordic armies under High King Gellir experienced unusual success in conquering Dwemeri cities. Scholars believe that several decades before, an alliance emerged between four city-states led by Arkngthamz, a Dwemeri research center, to develop technology to harness the power of the Aetherium crystal, but the alliance became a victim of its success and crumbled quickly. All of the city-states in Skyrim are thought to have entered into a crippling war over the Aetherium crystal and the means of harnessing it. After decades of this underground war, the Nords were able to sweep the weakened Dwemer out of their city-states and hold them for a century before the Dwemer could muster the strength to reclaim them.[15]

The Snow Elves, meanwhile, had not actually been driven out of Skyrim by Harald, either; many of them sought sanctuary with the Dwemer. Although they agreed to provide them safe haven in their underground realm, the distrustful Dwemer rendered them blind by forcing them to consume toxic fungi once found growing deep underground. The Snow Elves became servants of the Dwemer, and then, after several generations, into their corrupted slaves, the Falmer.[17]

Clashes continued with the Chimer in Morrowind, and the two races apparently disliked each other greatly. Dwemeri culture was agnostic and preferred reason to faith, while the Chimer were staunch Daedra-worshippers.[6] However, the Nordic invasion and conquering of present-day Morrowind under High King Vrage around 1E 240 brought a common enemy the Chimer and Dwemer could unite against.[6][18] Dumac Dwarfking and Indoril Nerevar forged an alliance which ultimately succeeded in repelling the invaders in 1E 416, leading to the First Council of newly-named Resdayn.[6]

In 1E 420, the militaristic Rourken clan opposed the accord with the Chimer and chose self-exile.[19][20] Their chieftain is said to have thrown the Volendrung Hammer across Tamriel and led his clan to wherever the hammer fell, an image which has been depicted in a number of ruins in Hammerfell. The Rourken named the land "Volenfell," which later was somewhat mistranslated to "Hammerfell".[19]

Meanwhile, in Skyrim, after generations of subjugation, the Falmer rebelled, leading to the War of the Crag, another massive Dwemeri war which was waged far below the surface while the Nords above remained oblivious. The war lasted decades, and only ended when the Dwemer did.[17]

The Dwemer inexplicably disappeared during the Battle of Red Mountain, the biggest and final battle of the War of the First Council.[6] This purportedly came about due to the efforts of Lord Kagrenac, who was the Chief Tonal Architect of the Dwemer responsible for designing the great freeholds of their Second Empire.[21][nb 1] Kagrenac constructed Kagrenac's Tools to harness the powers of the Heart of Lorkhan, which the Dwemer had discovered beneath Red Mountain. When the Chimer found out, they considered this aim blasphemous and sought to stop it. Kagrenac's exact goal remains unclear, but it is believed he sought to heighten his race to Anumidum.[22] The disappearance of a whole race in an instant sparked many theories,[6] but is generally thought to have followed this attempt to use the tools on the Heart,[23][21] and simply coincided with the war.[24] It appears that the Dwemer were conflicted on their use of the Heart. Some opposed its use, warning that massive side effects were likely, while the majority of the Tonal Architects, including Kagrenac, and Bthuand Mzahnch (who wrote *The Egg of Time* which downplayed the risks of tampering with the Heart of Lorkhan) wished to proceed.[21]

It appears all members of the Dwemer race were simply removed from the world. When the previously untouched Dwemer ruins of Bamz-Amschend in Mournhold were rediscovered, numerous piles of ashes were present next to weapons and armor, on chairs, and in beds, suggesting the Dwemer's bodies were suddenly reduced to ash in some way. In 4E 201, Arniel Gane, a researcher at the College of Winterhold in Skyrim, attempted to recreate the circumstances of the Dwemer's disappearance after obtaining Keening, one of Kagrenac's Tools, but vanished suddenly in the process, strengthening the theory that Kagrenac's use of the tools was the cause of the disappearance. Some scholars still resist the notion that the Dwemer disappeared all at once.[13]

A theory also exists that their sudden extinction was caused by their reversal of the usual processes involved in the Earth Bones, the laws of nature. Rather than creating the profane by commanding the sacred, such as in Conjurationmagic or Daedra worship, they sought to create Anumidium, their own sacred, from the "deaths of the profane".[24] Vivec, the warrior-poet god of the Dunmer, similarly believed that the disappearance of the Dwemer is in some way owed to their "divine sin"—attempting to create a god for their own purposes from the remains of the god Lorkhan.[25] Whether their use of Kagrenac's Tools in this process or simply their intentions resulted in their extinction remains unclear in this theory.

The Dwemer purportedly possessed an ability that was known as "The Calling", which seems to have been similar to telepathy.[26][27] It allowed the Dwemer to communicate with each other over great distances. It has been suggested that, in the last moments before they disappeared, Lord Kagrenac used The Calling to summon all of the Dwemer people and rally them to carry out his plans to transcend the Mortal Plane.[26] Whether this was related to their demise or not is uncertain.

A few theories about the Dwemers' disappearance emerged from the popular *Ancient Tales of the Dwemer* books, such as the idea that the Aedra and Daedra, offended by the Dwemers' religious skepticism, played a part in the disappearance[28], or that the Dwemer, frightened by Azura, whose nature they couldn't understand nor control, hid from her sight by adopting Altmeri or Chimeri cultures and would still be alive in modern days.[29] However, these books are in fact fiction adapted from various non-Dwemer tales with little historical accuracy, written by Gor Felim under his pseudonym Marobar Sul.