I never really got why and when slavery was abolished in the elvish countries. Finding out whether and when the remaining Ayleids had to stop surely is going to be easy, but I have absolutely no clue how Summerset and Valenwood come into play here.

The only thing I still have in mind is some random dialogue option from Morrowind where it was said that both abandoned keeping slaves long before they became part of the (3rd?) empire.

But why? When exactly? And what about it now? Maybe things might have changed in today's Alinor? I faintly recall something about Goblin slaves, but I might mix stuff up here...


Many thanks in advance and long live the empire.

Goblins, I think, were bred as Altmer pets. From what I know about the Altmer psyche, though, I imagine the abolition of slavery had less to do with any moral altruism and more to do with the idea that 'inferior' races are not qualified to perform the tasks of the High Elves. Would you want a rat to handle your food?

If the quests in Tribunal was the traditionnal way, the Altmer use goblins as troops. Seems logical given the lifespan (and subsequent lower natality) of the mer.

If he could.

The slaves they kept weren't considered slaves. It's not like goblins are intelligent or anything, right?

Like the oger slaves quest in Cyrodiil. I was shocked it was legal.

I can't imagine the Bosmer actually having much use for slaves, except perhaps as food, since they are all supposed to be hunters.

Regarding the Altmer: well, slavery in Tamriel is always racialised when it occurs. (or I should say, 'speciesised', which is a bit different) As others have said, goblins and ogres apparently don't count as sentient beings in polite society (neither did Orsimer, once); for all we know, the Altmer use a menagerie of subject species bred for servitude, but think of them as animals rather than people.

I imagine the end of human slavery in Alinor had something to do with polite suggestions from heavily armed mainland humans, but this is speculation. Then again, maybe goblins were human.

Goblin slaves are probably cheaper, and are probably considered more like beasts of burden. Humans, however, have no business being on Summerset (unless they are there to trade, which IIRC was usually allowed). Also, maybe no one really relied on it like some of the Houses, and it may have fell out of style because they were too expensive compared to goblins.


Not amongst the Dunmer, at least. Several quests involve the purchasing of Dunmer slaves, usually so they can be someone's wife.

Fair point, though I seem to recall that there was a heavy prejudice against the beast races that went hand-in-hand with their frequent use as slaves. Do Altmer then keep Altmer slaves? It seems possible.

I always sort of assumed that goblins were degenerated Altmer.

I'm pretty sure that only happened once, in order to placate a rather stupid Zainab Ashkhan. The point is solid though, the dunmer do enslave their own, although dunmer seem to be a minority among the slave population.

An option for populating your House settlement includes buying slaves for the same reason. At least for House Redoran.

Beast races are easier to acquire than other people. Even if Nords are animals, one isn't going to conduct raids in Eastmarch. Or another Dunmeri settlement. Slavers also have preferences based on which races work more efficiently. Argonians are better suited for paddy fields than Altmer, but the latter would be preferable for a role in the manorhouse which involves actually speaking to his master, his family and guests on a regular basis.

One must wonder what they've done in Valenwood. They've got Wood Elves, Orcs, Imga, centaurs, etc. Some of them must have been recruited in the Aldmeri Dominions. There were centaurs guarding the palaces in Wayrest too. That might not be down to mutually agreed arrangements.

I wouldn't be surprised if every province (and groups within provinces) has done the "conquest slavery" routine, where conquered peoples are enslaved. We beat you, you build us. I think that slavery based on race is a Merrish concept, but I could be mistaken in this.

Tiber sold some Breton POWs into slavery.

I dunno. We know that Cyrodiil doesn't broker in slaves because of its history; Yet...


Maybe to Morrowind? Perhaps through Symmachus?

I don't know if post-Alessia Cyrod has used slaves to build its own system, but I definitely remember reading that Tiber Septim sold conquered Breton slaves.

Most likely. Considering it was only mentioned in the Heresy, though, I'd imagine it was done under the table in order to boost his funds. I can't imagine Cyrodiil liking the idea of someone who deals in slavery ruling them. Then again, Second Era Cyrodiils were not the friendliest people.

Yes, thats a favorite theory of mine as well.
We know the elven form in general is rather fluid, they seem to change from one species to the next at the drop of a hat.
Altmer are said to have extensive breeding laws and a value racial purity greatly.
Perhaps this is because if they do not practice these things they will follow the fate of the Aldmer and change into something else.

I always thought the goblins of Cyrodiil were what was left of the Ayleid.
With their civilisation destroyed and them driven away or underground they would not have their genealogy records anymore and likely times were just too harsh to care about more than basic survival.
Altmer were close to Ayleid. I think they were sometimes called the heartland High Elves.

I agree with the idea that slavery in Summurset could still exist, only the Altmer dont see it as slavery, much like we dont think of a horse or oxen as enslaved.

Problem is that the Ayleids survived at least for some time after the uprising Alessia, and when they were eventually completely defeated in Cyrodiil they simply left for High Rock and Valenwood to be absorbed in the Elven population there.

http://www.imperial-library.info/content/last-king-ayleids so it seems unlikely to me that the Ayleids turned into the Goblins they had plenty of time to leave.

Yes, but that does not have to mean all of them left.
I imagine it took some time for an entire race to vanish from the heartlands.
Likely some survived even until the third era, posing as Altmer. Umbacano at least could lay claim to a particular Ayleid throne.
Conceivably like the Falmer some Ayleid retreated into cave systems after the fall of their city-state.

Most may have left Cyrodiil to eventually interbreed into other elven races, but some may have stayed, in caves or hiding in plain sight.

In any case, I like the theory of Altmer/ Ayleid degenerating into goblins.
It explains their obsession with racial purity.
I really dont want it to be 'because they are evil', seems so cliche.

If having pointy ears is a sign of Aldmeric decent, Goblins, Ogres, and Rieklings were at one time probably Elfhony. Falmer may just be the most recent strain to fall to beasthood.

Racial purity does not necessarily have to be evil, it usually is here on earth but that's because there are no real mayor differences between races. A society that favors magic that uses magic a lot all the time would be less prosperous if a large portion of the country suddenly started losing some if not all of their magical abilities. The same goes for the Bosmer, it would serve little purpose for them to have Orcs in Valenwood, they would be useless in that area. So racial purity can pretty much be a practical thing enforced rather harshly.

The idea of the Altmer deteriating completely into Goblins also seems somewhat unlikely if you look at the Bretons. Many generations of Altmer inbreeding created a new race but it's nothing like the Goblins.

But Bretons are a result of man - mer interbreeding, not degeneration due to not following proper genealogy/ adapting to a subterranean environment.

I want to believe goblin are degenerate mer.
Cant help it, as I said, it a pet theory of mine

Bosmer haven't become goblins, and they don't appear to follow any racial purity rules.