Meh, mostly minor skirmishes before Gellir's time. Nords tend to do that with everyone around them.

Exactly. My point is that, outside a war or two with England (and even in that context), the primary activity of the US Military up to the Civil War, and then afterward, was killing Natives to make room for whites. Some early military commanders (for example, Andrew Jackson, who rode his fame all the way to the Oval Office) gained their reputations as "Indian Fighters". This doesn't mean institutions have to end for times to change.

The Companions may have been the vanguard of Nordic expansion at Elvish expense, but that doesn't mean today's Companions has to be anti-elvish in nature. Indeed, given how the necessities of military action often act to undermine historically rooted prejudice (as warriors fighting alongside traditional enemies come to identify with them), the Companions could well be, today, the Vanguard of Nordic tolerance.

Good good, I just wanted to make sure it was clear. Anyway I think some players see these things in more absolutist terms than people in Tamriel do. I mean, it's fine to roleplay a proud Dunmer who takes every single slight against elves personally, or someone who's out to get vengeance for the fate of a race no one remembers, but that's hardly the only lore-appropriate stance to take. If we're talking about conflicts, the Mer have fought amongst themselves almost as long and as much as they've fought Men. Lest anyone forget that even the Falmer waged decades of war against the Dwemer in Blackreach before the latter hitched a Numidium out.

You're right. Why would an elf join them in the first place?

Never mind.

There's a Dunmer member of the Companions, there was at least one elven Harbinger, and the only elven race the Companions were directly opposed to, historically, were the Falmer. I could definitely see the Bosmer and Orsimer joining the Companions, as they seem to have cultures that are somewhat similar to Nords, with heavy emphasis on being a warrior or hunter, respectively. I'd go so far as to argue that the Bosmer and Orsimer are the races most similar to the Nords, actually.

Read the thread.

My Bosmer sure did. But then again, he isn't your typical agile archer Bosmer.

Already have. So?

Orcs, yes.

The Bosmer and Nords have nothing in common. Saying they do[like hunting] is like saying Mammoths are similar to Humans because they both happen to scavenge for food.

For my non roleplaying Dark Elf, who gives a [censored]! My Dark elf is a do-everything type character. I made him so I can get all achievements and unlock everything with him. If you're roleplaying, then it would be kind of weird, but you could also make it so that his joining to the companions was a breakthrough in history

Not sure of the thinking on that, true. It's the Dunmer who have similarities.

There's no absolute reason why an elf wouldn't join. It's a rather narrow roleplaying perspective to think there is. Presuming your elf is in Skyrim, but somehow can't stand Nords...?

I don't see why an elf would not want to join. I mean just because he/she is an elf does not mean they don't have ambitions to be a fighter or some sort of honorable merc. Its not like EVERY elf would possibly know the founding history of the Skyforge and Jorrvaskr. Just like not every nord does. And not everyone in there is a nord. We have other races.

And even if the elf did know the history, its not like the place is killing elves because their founding forefather did.

I can see an easy reason to RP a character such as an elf into joining. Call it... simply interested.

Well, obviously the Companions don't treat elves the way they did in the days of Ysgramor, if elves are even allowed to join, but some elves wouldn't feel exactly comfortable if they know the history of the Companions. And the Companions having fragments of Wuuthrad hanging on the wall.

I don't see why anyone would want to join a bunch of shameless beasts.

And those elves really should probably svck it up move on. The quest line is not for everyone. My "true Nord" refused to participate in

but see that's the point (although I disagree with them being shameless beasts, The Companions are my favorite guild) You may see them as shameless beasts. But how exactly from an RP perspective does your character?

Athis is an elf and a Companion, let's ask him why he joined. "Fortune and glory, friend. Fortune and glory."

The Companion's aren't just about Nordic tradition, really they're just mercenaries.