Now that the dunmer have been forced onto Solsthiem by invasion and natural disaster, will a vast majority of them migrate to Skyrim? Could you guys see this happening and how do you think they would be received by the Nords? What is the Nordic attitude towards immigrants/foriegnors?

MK posted a while back that the Nords would surprisingly be quite accommodating to the Dunmer people, considering their history of bloodshed. But that was just one opinion by one dev, and he hasn't posted in a while.


I think I'm inclined to agree with him though. The Nords didn't so much hate the Dunmer PEOPLE as much as the fact they were occupying land the Nords thought was rightfully theirs.

And from the Loveletter from the Fifth Era:

And as someone pointed out on the forums, "worm" is another word for "Dragon", so it probably means they made peace with the believers in Akatosh and the rest of the Nine.

I was a little surprised when MK said the Nords didn't react with xenophobia, but I like the idea that they would show hospitality to the refugees. When you think about it, a lot of traditional cultures in our world also have a great regard for hospitality.

Why? It is only Breton Witches that steal Nord pants and then run off with them that Nords really hate ... however if the witches hung around and played the Nords would love them to bits

Basically the Nords are not bullies so much as confident in their strength. And that's a fine point about land being a Nord thing

Look at writings of the ancient Viking peoples (the word Viking being those people's word for raiders) writings and you will see looong lists of boundaries and disputes over such going back generations. Reason for that is in the far North - especially Norway where there are more mountains than Plains land is precious and it is very hard to get enough to farm effectively and survive. Also look at the Normans (called 'northmen' originally by the French in Normandy) who invaded England in 1066AD - William the First, aka the Conquerer created the Doomsday Book which was a survey of every property in England - including farm animals, buildings, trees, streams and rivers etc. That is how they felt about land and what was on it.

Well, it does make sense, I guess. If the Nords prise glory in battle, kicking their ancient enemies while they're down would be considered reprehensible. Not too great a leap in logic to figure that once these ancient worthy opponents had been knocked off their high horse once and for all, the Nords would extend a helping hand out of respect for their bygone power.

I was the one that pointed out the worm part, but it was not because of Akatosh and the Nine, far from it, that's Cyrodiilic beliefs. I was more inclined to say it was making peace with Shor-through-the-nords, because the nords, while sharing similar gods in Skyrim, do not worship nine. Instead, they worship Shor (Lorkhan) and believe Alduin (Akathosh) is a stark raving mad devourer but also a creator.

However, the Dunmer are not fleeing to Skyrim, only Solstheim and the Skaal (the local nords of Solstheim) have a different belief system. They do not really revere Shor, as he is the Greedy Man in their myths. Instead, they worship a version of Anuiel as the All-Maker.

I'd go further, but I have stuff to do

Interesting points. Thanks for setting me straight on this.

I think construction of these cities (Vivec/Almalexia/Clockwork, City of the New North[!], Kvatch[?], Sarthaal, Ehlnofey) which have been destroyed are significant parts of creation the Leaper's hidden. They sort of phase out of existance through cataclysms which are distinguished in their thoroughness, but then back into existance. When they do phase back in, they reorient the people around them as living images of the cities themselves. When they're lost, the people lose that relationship with the city and abandon who they were.

Also to add, the Greedy Man is an aspect of the Adversary , who is constantly against the All-Maker. Another aspect of the Adversary is the nord version of Alduin as Thartaag the World-Devourer. Which is interesting, because Lorkhan and Akathosh have been explored to being one and the same, only a pretty schizo thing. This only adds to idea, I find with the Skaal beliefs, that Akatosh and Lorkhan are the same being, only of different minds you could say. Both of the same coin, different faces as an anology

This also presents the Nords with a unique opportunity; if they were to help the Dunmer retake Morrowind, they would be able to lay claim to their share of the spoils of conquest; in our case, land.

Not all Nords have to agree about having Dark Elves living in Skyrim. Either way, they need someone to cut their lawns and offer them day labor outside of Home Depot.

Too bad Skyrim is actually Solstheim, so it's not like they're living with the traditional we-hate-all-elves-love-shor nords, but the we-love-nature-but-hate-tree-cutters nords

They are hippies, and the other nords in Morrowind are nudists. I think the nords in Skyrin are less 60's, either that or we get to listen to some good music (but that just wouldn't be TES with rock)

Psychedelic rock in TES? Well, I guess they had to do something with all the Amanita caps the COC picked up in the Imperial City

Oh, yes. I was getting around to that. "Worm" or "wyrm" is an archaic term for a dragon. This could be interpreted several ways but the most logical is that they make peace with the nations of man and their religion. Which makes sense, as we're told in Oblivion the Dunmer Temple has all but collapsed and the Imperial religion is growing in Morrowind. Having Akatosh actually appear at the Imperial City with multiple eye witnesses wouldn't hurt either, as missionaries would bring this news to Morrowind.

It makes me wonder what sort of religion will evolve among the Dunmer people due to these events and mingling with Nords and other men. It's implied in the Loveletter that they still fly the banners of the Tribunal, but perhaps the religion has changed to include more elements of traditional pantheons? Like perhaps in the future the Tribunal are revered, in a sort of historical revisionism, as Saints of the Divines or something?

http://www.imperial-library.info/obscure_text/5th_era_loveletter.shtml

If you read the loveletter the author says " I AM AND I ARE ALL WE" So, he has AE CHIM NU-MANTIA (chim.) However, the Digitals (perhaps the perfected version of Sotha Sil's Fabricants? tell him his family is from a different star, and as such they are "under the banner of Vehk and VEHK" Perhaps the loveletter was written by a Vivecerine

Perhaps there are/will be other planes in the void of Oblivion that mortals inhabit. We already have the Shivering Isles.

If they are migrating to Skyrim then I hope that will be part of TES 5, it sounds quite interesting and political.

So far, they only migrated to Solstheim, not Skyrim.