Despite the rich history of The Elder Scrolls, a lot of mysteries remain in the world of Bethesda’s hit fantasy franchise. Thankfully, books and dialogue scattered around Tamriel help give insights to some of the continent’s most intriguing aspects. However, as games such as Skyrim have revealed, Tamriel has yet to share all of its secrets. In fact, players have yet to see what’s truly happened to the fabled Falmer – the Snow Elves who once lived in Skyrim.
Fans who try to explore Skyrim to the fullest will see remnants of Falmer civilization almost anywhere in the province. These come in the form of stories, legends, and even “corrupted” descendants all over Skyrim.
9 An Aptitude For Ice & Magic
Denizens of Tamriel who first hear about the Falmer or the Snow Elves would easily remember their appearance. According to legend, they have a sheer aptitude for magic and ice. Some say their resistance to frost has allowed them to live in the harshest of cold environments, such as ice caverns.
Due to their ancient nature, they resemble the Altmer or the High Elves. However, instead of the warm skin of the Altmer, the Falmer have paler skin. Aside from these traits, it seems it’s nigh impossible to distinguish the Snow Elf from their more modern cousins.
8 The First Mer In Skyrim
Evidence suggests that Falmer have existed in Skyrim as its first Mer civilization, even before the Altmer have made their migration from the Summerset Isles. In fact, remnants of their structures around Skyrim suggest that the Falmer had an ancient civilization that rivaled that of the Ayleids.
According to scholars, it seems the Falmer have enjoyed vast prosperity, wealth, and expansion during the Merethic Era. Even accounts from the Nords in Skyrim indicate that “the elves” have existed even before the Nedes had migrated from Atmora.
7 Notable Culture & Society
Scholars lucky enough to acquire rare artifacts and remnants of Snow Elf civilization might also find their ancient society quite interesting. For instance, the Snow Elves have an ancient language so unique to them that even the best scholars couldn’t recognize its alphabet. They were also known to have specialized in breeding a unique species of snow-cedar that can survive in glaciers.
Perhaps more interesting would be the overlapping pantheons of ancient Falmer and ancient Altmer. Both civilizations worship Aedra such as Phynaster, Jephre, Syrabane, and Trinimac, albeit in their own unique form. However, both civilizations do seem to revere Auri-El as the sovereign, the most supreme of the gods. Interestingly, of the two civilizations, it’s the Falmer that seem to possess more notable religious iconography and structures – including their fabled Chantry of Auri-El.
6 The Horrific Night Of Tears
Unfortunately, the Falmer’s stay in Skyrim didn’t remain peaceful given the migration of the proto-Nedes from Atmora. However, their relationship became nonexistent when the Falmer slaughtered the human capital of Saarthal. This night, called the Night of Tears, also heralded the downfall of the Falmer.
Unfortunately, not even scholars know the true origins of the Night of Tears. Others indicate reasons such as military provocations, religious and territorial disputes, or even the fear of a new culture. Some state that the Falmer have become interested in the Eye of Magnus, an ancient power the Nedes have acquired.
5 Fall Of The Falmer
After the Night of Tears, only the Nedic ruler Ysgramor and his sons lived to escape back to Atmora. It’s there that they gathered the Five Hundred Companions that slaughtered the Falmer in vengeance.
According to legend, Ysgramor and the Companions would kill and raze every Snow Elf village they would see. In only a few years, the Falmer’s kingdom would fall and a few of them would scatter to different locations. Some who resisted tried doing so in vast fortresses, such as what would be known in Windhelm. Despite being built by Snow Elves, the fortress was no match for Ysgramor’s assault.
4 The Forgotten Vale & The Chantry Of Auri-El
The Falmer’s history with Skyrim allowed them to explore the region’s vast environments prior to the arrival of the Nedes. In turn, Falmer even discovered hidden locales hidden right within the heart of the Druadach Mountains. Known as the Forgotten Vale, this secluded area served as home to a frozen lake, icy crevices, forests, and a glacial valley. It’s still largely forgotten by most of modern Tamriel, and even Snow Elves of the past had to navigate the treacherous Darkfall Cave in order to access it.
As a result, the Forgotten Vale served as home to the remnants of Snow Elf architecture in the entirety of Tamriel. Moreover, it served as home to the Chantry of Auri-El, a shrine dedicated to Auri-El who served as the center of the religious worship of their civilization. When the Nedes attacked the Snow Elves, some of Falmer successfully made it to the Chantry and hid in isolation. Other survivors turned to the Dwemer.
3 Suspected Invasion
Locals in Skyrim went to high alert when rumors of Falmer sightings became more apparent during the Fourth Age. Those who venture into Skyrim’s various underground caves would often encounter the Falmer and their now-vicious nature. Soon, it became common knowledge that what’s left of the Falmer now “rule” the caves as vile and vicious beasts. Moreover, others even think that their “increase” in activity heralded an invasion above ground.
Additionally, it’s interesting to note that the Falmer’s small appearances above ground seem to indicate that the Falmer have begun developing advances in their intellect beyond the degradation from the Dwemer fungus.
2 Scattered Descendants
Those who seek to meet one of the ancient Snow Elves may simply look for a nearby Mer. Others suspect that the Snow Elves have “persisted” through the ages due to interbreeding with other Mer. As fans may recall, Snow Elves were forced out of Skyrim and into hiding, courtesy of the Nedes. In turn, it’s not an impossibility for the Snow Elves to interbreed with other elves in the process.
Others even speculate that Snow Elf descendants come in the form of other creatures. For instance, the Skaal were once convinced that the Solstheim’s rieklings were Snow Elf kin, much to the objection of scholars who said they were simply snow goblins. Moreover, the Glacier Crawl’s Ice Warriors also got associated with Snow Elves due to their mystery. Others even suggest that the Wispmothers served as the last remaining signs of the Snow Elves in Tamriel.
1 The Falmer Blood Elixir Is A Scam
Interestingly, such is the legend of the Snow Elves that even con-men try to profit off the ambiguity and mystery surrounding the ancient civilization. In Skyrim, con-men sell a fake product called the “Falmer Blood Elixir.” According to them, the Falmer Blood Elixir has various magical qualities. Some versions of the Elixir claim to extend a person’s lifespan for thousands of years. Other iterations of the product include those that can learn knowledge from a library’s worth of tomes, gain access to telepathy, or even grow back limbs.
Despite the unfortunate circumstances of the fake Elixir, it does grow testament to the awe people associate with the Falmer. Due to their intimate connection with magic, it’s not beyond possibility for the rumored descendants of all Mer to have such powerful potions.
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