Trying to get a better understanding on the origins of the races and Nirn in general, and I've read the origin of the Orcs. Now, before Trinimac tried to stop the exodus of Chimer and before they were the 'orcs' we know now, were they a part of the greater Aldmer race? Or were they slightly different? I can't find much information on their status before the whole Trinimac/Boethiah debacle.

Probably similar to the Altmer and Chimer.

They were Altmer before Boethiah did what he did to Trinimac-now-Malacath. So naturally, they looked like Altmer.

Okay, thank you that makes sense. I was just a bit confused by the whole "Trinimac was turned into Malacath and his followers turned into the Orcs we know today" Made me think there were seperate races, similar to how there are Altmer, Bosmer, Dunmer and Orsimer today. Basically it was just all Almder worshipping different deities? (Xarxes, Auri-El, etc)