EWHy do people hate all the Mer so much? : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Sun May 29, 2011 1:05 am

I have started to notice that everyone seems to hate the Mer (Elves). Why is this? I can understand hating the Bosmer, I hate them too and I sort of understand the hatred of the Altmer, but why do people hate the Dunmer that are not from Oblivion? Could someone please explain and why is it that ALL of the Dunmer are hated? I mean, Morgiah is a great character that people hate simply for being a Mer. (Elf) Why is this?

Ignore the extra E in the title at the beginning please.

» Sun May 29, 2011 1:33 am

lol

» Sat May 28, 2011 1:22 pm

^ great post

...But are you even talking about in-game or on the forum?

In the games, probably because many of them are scheming, cruel, ambitious, and thoroughly convinced of their own superiority. The Ayleids enslaved the people of Cyrodiil in ancient times, and were overthrown in violent revolt. The Altmer lead an alliance that opposed to rising empire of Tiber Septim. The Dunmer heralded the collapse of the ancient Nordic empire. The Khajiit and Bosmer have been fighting off and on for who knows how long. There's a lot of historical enmity between the Mer and most other races.

As for us, probably because they're snooty and effete.

» Sat May 28, 2011 11:42 pm

Could someone please explain and why is it that ALL of the Dunmer are hated?

Because they're arrogant & xenophobic? How many times have you been called "outlander" in Morrowind, even after becoming Nerevarine? Over one billion times?

» Sat May 28, 2011 10:00 am

Because I'm in league with Shor, and he demands all elves be squished.

» Sun May 29, 2011 2:15 am

Because they're arrogant & xenophobic? How many times have you been called "outlander" in Morrowind, even after becoming Nerevarine? Over one billion times?

Morgiah's not arrogant or xenophobic, just smart and the Altmer aren't that bad, also I LOVE the Morrowind Dunmer. (As characters)

» Sat May 28, 2011 2:48 pm

morgiah grew up in highrock, so she is more of a breton than a dunmer. she still has the scheming [censored] dunmer racial though...

altmer kill their kiddies, have elaborate procedures for everything, and exile anyone who doesnt agree with them. they also think that they are better than everyone and wanting to destroy tamriel is part of their religion. i think thats cool, but most people dont.

» Sat May 28, 2011 2:33 pm

^ great post

...But are you even talking about in-game or on the forum?

In the games, probably because many of them are scheming, cruel, ambitious, and thoroughly convinced of their own superiority. The Ayleids enslaved the people of Cyrodiil in ancient times, and were overthrown in violent revolt. The Altmer lead an alliance that opposed to rising empire of Tiber Septim. The Dunmer heralded the collapse of the ancient Nordic empire. The Khajiit and Bosmer have been fighting off and on for who knows how long. There's a lot of historical enmity between the Mer and most other races.

As for us, probably because they're snooty and effete.

Why are the races of Man any better? Are they not also scheming, cruel, ambitious, and convinced of their own superiority?

» Sat May 28, 2011 12:28 pm

morgiah grew up in highrock, so she is more of a breton than a dunmer. she still has the scheming [censored] dunmer racial though...

altmer kill their kiddies, have elaborate procedures for everything, and exile anyone who doesnt agree with them. they also think that they are better than everyone and wanting to destroy tamriel is part of their religion. i think thats cool, but most people dont.

Elysana is even worse then Morgiah when it comes to scheming and the Countess of Leyawiin is racist. So, no the human races aren't always better.

» Sat May 28, 2011 7:23 pm

Elysana is even worse then Morgiah when it comes to scheming and the Countess of Leyawiin is racist. So, no the human races aren't always better.

i wasnt saying they were :shrug: this isnt forgotten realms, races dont have the same alignment. each race will have annoying members, xenophobic members, scheming members...

» Sat May 28, 2011 10:05 am

Why are the races of Man any better? Are they not also scheming, cruel, ambitious, and convinced of their own superiority?

They arent'. In fact, I hate the imperials and bretons more than the elves for those exact reasons. (probably just because they remind me most of the English and I came from a very Irish background)

» Sun May 29, 2011 1:11 am

i wasnt saying they were :shrug: this isnt forgotten realms, races dont have the same alignment. each race will have annoying members, xenophobic members, scheming members...

I hate the annoying members but I really like the scheming and xenophobic members. My point was that almost everyone hates every Mer in the game for being a Mer. Not just the annoying ones, or the scheming ones, or the xenophobic ones etc. Of course, the Bosmer are a different case altogether since all of them seem to be annoying except one.

» Sun May 29, 2011 12:39 am

i havent seen everyone hating all elves. part of it is just gameplay mechanics: its easier to set up dialog on a racial basis than it is to account for each NPC individually. some races just have a bad history with elves: the nords fought them for hundreds of years and the imperials were inslaved by them. so even if the person never directly suffered at the hands of the elves the racial tension remains (see Stivesie89's dislike of Eglish based on his Irish heritage)

» Sun May 29, 2011 12:12 am

i havent seen everyone hating all elves. part of it is just gameplay mechanics: its easier to set up dialog on a racial basis than it is to account for each NPC individually. some races just have a bad history with elves: the nords fought them for hundreds of years and the imperials were inslaved by them. so even if the person never directly suffered at the hands of the elves the racial tension remains (see Stivesie89's dislike of Eglish based on his Irish heritage)

I'm talking about the players. It never made sense as to why so many hate the Mer so much. I don't have a problem with it. I was just wondering since it made no since to me.

» Sat May 28, 2011 8:34 pm

The Altmer believe themselves to be superior to all other races.

The Dunmer believe all other races are inferior to them.

The Bosmer are just annoying.

» Sat May 28, 2011 8:40 pm

The Altmer believe themselves to be superior to all other races.

The Dunmer believe all other races are inferior to them.

The Bosmer are just annoying.

The Imperials fit each of those descriptions, they just don't do it officially. Look at the popularity of the Biography of Barenziah books and anything written by Alessia Ottus and compare it to other, less biased accounts.

Sometimes the Imperials do it officially, and when they do they are almost always more violent than the Dunmer. The Dunmer just let outlanders walk around in separate areas, the Imperials throw them out with brute force. Speaking to an Imperial resident of Leyawiin will show you that, and then to the countess...

» Sat May 28, 2011 1:46 pm

Like everyone else said, players hate the elves because they are racist a**holes. Sure, other characters are racist but none other than elves are so racist against the player in particular. Even in Oblivion, there was Valen Dreth. And in Morrowind... you can only avoid that crap if you play as a Dunmer, IIRC. And not everyone plays as Dunmer, apparently.

» Sat May 28, 2011 6:18 pm

The Imperials fit each of those descriptions, they just don't do it officially. Look at the popularity of the Biography of Barenziah books and anything written by Alessia Ottus and compare it to other, less biased accounts.

Sometimes the Imperials do it officially, and when they do they are almost always more violent than the Dunmer. The Dunmer just let outlanders walk around in separate areas, the Imperials throw them out with brute force. Speaking to an Imperial resident of Leyawiin will show you that, and then to the countess...

Leyawiin was nothing compared to Sadrith Mora. And those books don't really have any competition, aside from The Real Barenziah.

» Sun May 29, 2011 1:56 am

Like everyone else said, players hate the elves because they are racist a**holes. Sure, other characters are racist but none other than elves are so racist against the player in particular. Even in Oblivion, there was Valen Dreth. And in Morrowind... you can only avoid that crap if you play as a Dunmer, IIRC. And not everyone plays as Dunmer, apparently.

Like the Imperials aren't heavily biased and racist? Have you read any books by Alessia Otis since she has to be the most biased, racist, character I have ever me and don't get me started on the Countess of Leyawiin and Valen Dreth hates everyone, even Dunmer. The truth is, all of the races have racists so don't single out the elves specifically and besides, Morgiah is not racist. Oh and have you met the Argonian that has the joke about Khajiits in Leyawiin. Yep, he is racist to.

» Sun May 29, 2011 12:27 am

well, the dunmer are usualy [cencored] holes, the altemer are all "high and mighty", even though they'd lose a fight agenst a master of destruction (a mage charicter should not have weaknesses to all types of magic), and the bosmer are not only short, but short-tempered. other than that, the aelid (or however u spell)thing before. oh, and the dwemer were dumb enough to get themselves all incinerated. (exept a sevrely obiese one, what's-his-face in the corprusarim, again, however you spell it). also, the place is ruled by imperials, which means that the men are supposidly "dominant" over the mer.

» Sat May 28, 2011 9:59 pm

what im wondering is whats up with your love of Morgiah? :huh:

» Sat May 28, 2011 8:58 pm

I don't hate any of the ES races, and have played as Redguards, an Argonian, a Breton, and a Bosmer. I haven't played as a Dunmer only because for "Morrowind" it was too expected of me, somehow.

But we shouldn't make sweeping generalizations about the races -- the Bosmer Hasathil (in "Oblivion") wasn't annoying, for example. I get the feeling from the TES series that neither the humans nor the elves (nor the so-called Beast Races) have all of the truth -- they each have part of the truth when it comes to the nature of reality and the future for mortals.

» Sat May 28, 2011 2:13 pm

what im wondering is whats up with your love of Morgiah? :huh:

Whats up with others and their love of Crassius Curio? I will answer though. Besides the fact that she is a Dunmer, she is incredibly clever, isn't racist (Unlike quite a few characters), is very sane, makes deals with Necromancers, and is an interesting character that clearly isn't bugged to reveal the truth about some situations.

well, the dunmer are usualy [cencored] holes, the altemer are all "high and mighty", even though they'd lose a fight agenst a master of destruction (a mage charicter should not have weaknesses to all types of magic), and the bosmer are not only short, but short-tempered.

I'd much rather deal with them instead of Alessia Ottus or the Countess of Leyawiin.

other than that, the aelid (Aylied) (or however u spell)thing before.

yes, what about the Aylieds?

oh, and the dwemer were dumb enough to get themselves all incinerated. (exept a sevrely obiese one, what's-his-face in the corprusarim, again, however you spell it).

No they were not.

Spoiler

What happened was that they became the Golden Skin of their God, the Numidum. Besides they are not stupid. They are the only people who can divide by 0.

also, the place is ruled by imperials, which means that the men are supposidly "dominant" over the mer.

Ok, so all the Imperials are racist then?

» Sat May 28, 2011 6:19 pm

Like the Imperials aren't heavily biased and racist? Have you read any books by Alessia Otis since she has to be the most biased, racist, character I have ever me and don't get me started on the Countess of Leyawiin and Valen Dreth hates everyone, even Dunmer. The truth is, all of the races have racists so don't single out the elves specifically and besides, Morgiah is not racist. Oh and have you met the Argonian that has the joke about Khajiits in Leyawiin. Yep, he is racist to.

Her nagging doesn't stop at other races, she hates anything that isn't a faithful Nine Divines worshipping Chapel-goer. And really, between the Dunmer nobility and the Dunmer Temple clergy, they've got like a million of her.

» Sat May 28, 2011 4:30 pm

Like the Imperials aren't heavily biased and racist? Have you read any books by Alessia Otis since she has to be the most biased, racist, character I have ever me and don't get me started on the Countess of Leyawiin and Valen Dreth hates everyone, even Dunmer. The truth is, all of the races have racists so don't single out the elves specifically and besides, Morgiah is not racist. Oh and have you met the Argonian that has the joke about Khajiits in Leyawiin. Yep, he is racist to.

One, the OP was asking why players hate the elves. Two, Alessia isn't mean to you. Three, Valen doesn't hate Dunmers, you can look up his dialogue if you want. He was being nasty to you if you were a dunmer, like everyone else, but his dunmer taunts weren't race-based like the others. Anyways, Valen wasn't as annoying as the dudes in Balmora and other places yelling, "N'wah! Fetcher! Outlander!' Really, those guys hurt my feelings.