“Mer” refers to all Elven races throughout Tamrielic culture in The Elder Scrolls series. Known for sharper features and a much longer lifespan than humans, there are a variety of diversified mer races seen or talked about throughout the games - all of which are explained here.
The term “mer” is analogous to how humans use “man.” Generally speaking, mer are less muscular than humans, with an array of skin tones, pointy ears, and typically tall stature, although there are exceptions. They are also more prone to magic than men. They tend to be conditionally fertile, only breeding when mer populations are low.
Mer folk arrived in Tamriel during the Middle Merethic Era (or “Era of Elves”). The First Era immediately followed the prehistoric Merethic Era, and both are referenced throughout this article. Below are all known Elven races in The Elder Scrolls, starting with the original. These descriptions include current and ancient Elven races, a couple derivative ones, and some rarely talked about mer folk. Much of this information and all photos come from the Elder Scrolls Wiki.
Ancient Elder Scrolls Elves: Aldmer
The Aldmer, or “First/Elder Folk” is the race every mer descended from, which is why all Elves can be considered “Aldmeri.” They came to Tamriel from the mythic continent of Aldmeris and vanished sometime during the middle Merethic Era. They are believed to be one of two offshoots of the Ehlnofey - the first people to set foot on the mortal plane of Nirn - and the Aldmer claim to be direct descendants of the immortal Aedra in The Elder Scrolls mythology. The other descendants of the Ehlnofey were the Nedes, from which man derived.
Playable Elder Scrolls Elves: Altmer
The tall and golden-skinned Altmer, or “High Elves,” believe themselves to be the perfect race and direct descendants of the Aldmer. They’re known for their proficiency with magic, martial glories, reverence for honor, and pure bloodlines. Much of the Empire’s culture derives from refined Altmeri traditions, though many see them as snobbish. An hierarchy places “The Wise” (teachers and priests) at the societal apex, as the Altmer value knowledge and secrets above all else. Next, from the highest to lowest classes are: artists, princes, warriors, landowners, merchants, workers, and beasts (such as enslaved Goblins).
Playable Elder Scrolls Elves: Bosmer
The Wood Elves or “Tree Sap People” originate from the forest province of Valenwood in the Elder Scrolls series. Bosmer were once considered Altmer but preferred a simpler life in nature, renouncing the formalities of the civilized world. They’re known for adorning their light brown or light green bodies to match their forest surroundings, and some have horns. Typically smaller than humans, female Bosmer are often taller than the males.
The Bosmer made an oath to the forest god Y’ffre, known as the Green Pact, in which they swore to never kill, injure, or eat any vegetation in the forest of which they lived. This has tremendously affected their way of life, causing them to import plant-based goods and making them strict carnivores who practice fasting before war so they may devour their kills completely. Considered barbarians by many, the Bosmer are known for their agility, making them proficient thieves and archers in The Elder Scrolls games like Skyrim. As part of the Green Pact, the shaman Bosmer of Valenwood have a unique ritual known as the "Wild Hunt," which transforms participants into mindless, blood-thirsty creatures who consume all enemies and then themselves as a last resort to protect Valenwood.
Playable Elder Scrolls Elves: Dunmer
Dark Elves hail from the province of Morrowind, but after the eruption of Red Mountain destroyed much of it, many fled to Skyrim as refugees. They’re commonly found on the island of Solstheim and Windhelm’s Gray Quarter. Intelligent and aloof, they are often xenophobic towards others - and vice versa, with other races considering them "ill-fated." Most have glowing red eyes and dark, ashen skin tones. The Dunmer are descendants of the golden-skinned Chimer, which many believed were cursed by the Daedric Prince Azura in The Elder Scrolls series and transformed into the Dunmer as seen today.
Playable Elder Scrolls "Elves": Orsimer
Commonly known as Orcs, Orsimer are centrally located in Orsinium but are found throughout other parts of Tamriel. Known as “Cursed” or “Pariah” Folk, Orsimer are of Elven blood, though many other races either do not recognize or have forgotten this. Orsimer have muscular builds, tusks, and aren’t typically prone to magic, making them a strong warrior culture. Their god Trinimac was devoured by the Daedric Prince Boethiah during the middle Merethic Era. Trinimac’s remains transformed into the Daedric Prince Malacath, which resulted in the Orsimer losing their Elvish features. Most Orcs still hold the “Code of Malacath” as both a religious doctrine and a code of law as seen in their Skyrim strongholds.
Ancient Elder Scrolls Elves: Dwemer
This ancient “Lost Race” of mer - also known as "Dwarves," "Deep-Elves," and "People of the Deep" - were known for their revolutionary developments in technology, science, and their civilization as a whole. Dwemer origins are as mysterious as the disappearance of their entire race.
Dwemer were thought to be the size of humans, with many having beards. They were reclusive people who lived in Morrowind, High Rock, Hammerfell, and Skyrim. Sections of their vast underground cities were interconnected via great halls and long passageways. During the First Era, it’s believed that Dwemer Chief Kagrenac prompted Red Mountain miners to find the Heart of Lorkhan (according to Morrowind lore) - a mythical artifact thought to grant immortality. In Kagrenac’s attempt to use the Heart to endow divinity, all Dwemer mysteriously vanished.
Ancient Elder Scrolls Elves: Chimer
These ancestors of the Dunmer and descendants of the Aldmer are also known as the "Changed Folk" or "Velothi" as they followed the Prophet Veloth out of the Summerset Isles to settle in what is now Morrowind. They did this to freely worship the Daedra, whom they thought were more powerful (thus more worthy of worship) than the Aedra. The Chimer had many disputes with the logic-favoring Dwemer over religious beliefs. After the Dwemer disappeared in an attempt to use the Heart of Lorkhan to obtain divinity, Sotha Sil convinced two fellow Chimeri Elves- Vivec and Almalexia - to use the Heart to become gods with him. They're known as the Tribunal in The Elder Scrolls series. The Daedric Prince Azura saw this as a betrayal, turning the entire Chimeri race into the ashy-skinned, red-eyed Dunmer race that fans can play as today.
Ancient/Derivative Elder Scrolls Elves: Falmer
Once the main inhabitants of Skyrim during the Merethic Era, the Falmer or "Snow Elves" had a very advanced society and an affinity for ice magic. The Falmer eventually became at constant war with men settling in Tamriel from the continent of Atmora. The Atmoran warrior Ysgramor and his army of Companions vowed to wipe out the Falmer after the Snow Elves destroyed the capital city of Saarthal, which Ysgramor founded. Over time, most Falmer were eradicated with the remaining few seeking refuge with the Dwemer.
Not fully trusting the Falmer, the Dwemer forced them to eat a toxic, Blackreach fungus and eventually turned the once proud Snow Elves into their slaves. This lifestyle eventually made the Falmer race weak, blind, and consumed with madness. Some Elder Scrolls theorists believe the Dwemer purposely blinded them to hide their technological secrets. After the Dwemer disappeared, the Falmer dispersed throughout Blackreach, raiding their surfaces as primitive creatures. The few remaining Snow Elves now refer to the degenerative Falmer race as “The Betrayed.”
Ancient Elder Scrolls Elves: Ayleids
A derivative of the Aldmer, Ayleids, or “Wild Elves” occupied much of Tamriel, most notably Cyrodiil, where they settled to escape the banning of Daedra worship in Summerset during the First Era. Although they also worshiped the Aedra, their pacts with the Daedra - which gave them their power - would also be their ruin.
Ayleids used their forces to enslave human Nedes, who they treated harshly. Their Daedric cults went into conflict with each other, which the Nedes exploited under Saint Alessia’s revolt (according to Elder Scrolls lore). The Ayleids were gradually eliminated or forced out of their empire. Many fled to Valenwood where they adopted the customs of their Bosmer cousins, eventually breeding their race out of existence.
Playable Derivative Elder Scrolls "Elves": Bretons
Though technically a race of humans, Bretons - or “Manmer'' by the Aldmer, have some Elven ancestry. This is mostly because of human concubines captured by the Aldmer during their First Era conquest of Skyrim. Manmer were treated as lower-class citizens until the Nords took over Skyrim. They eventually migrated to High Rock where they became known as Bretons. They have subtle Elvish features, and modern Bretons are considered more man than mer, despite their magical affinity in the Elder Scrolls franchise.
Lesser Known Elder Scrolls Elves
The Maormer, a race of "Sea Elves," inhabit a group of tropical islands south of the Summerset Isles known as Pyandonea. They are believed to have chameleon-like skin and practice a form of “snake” magic. Another race known as the Lefthanded Elves or "Sinistral Elves" were thought to have once lived in the Redguard homeland, Yokuda. They are said to have been entirely wiped out by the Redguards. Finally, the Cantemiric Velothi were a race of mer that inhabited Black Marsh. Hardly anything is known about them, but they were believed to have gone extinct due to the Knahaten Flu in 2E 560, according to some lore from The Elder Scrolls.
Source: Elder Srolls Wiki