Race

Tamriel is the home of ten main sentient races, each occupying a different portion of the continent. The races and their home province are listed below;


 * Altmer (High Elf) – Summerset Isles
 * Argonian – Black Marsh
 * Bosmer (Wood Elf) – Valenwood
 * Breton – High Rock
 * Dunmer (Dark Elf) – Morrowind
 * Imperial – Cyrodiil
 * Khajiit – Elsweyr
 * Nord – Skyrim
 * Orsimer (Orc) – High Rock and Orsinium
 * Redguard – Hammerfell

Etymology

 * Men - Bretons, Imperials, Nords, and Redguards
 * Mer - Altmer, Bosmer, Dunmer, and Orsimer
 * Beastfolk - Argonians and Khajiit

Altmer
Altmer are the light-skinned and tall Elves of the Summerset Isles. In the Empire, the name "High Elves" is given to the Altmer, with the word "High" being used to describe the Altmer as tall, proud, and culturally snobbish. The Altmer consider themselves the perfect race. Altmer are the most gifted in the arcane arts of all the races.

The Altmer consider themselves the most civilized culture of Tamriel, a claim which holds some merit. The common tongue of the Empire of Tamriel; Tamrielic, is based on their speech and writing. Most of the crafts, arts, and sciences used in the Empire are derived from Altmeri tradition.

Argonians
Argonians or Saxhleel are an oviparous race of reptilian people native to the large and marshy province of Tamriel known as Black Marsh. They can be found in smaller numbers throughout the continent. Argonians are one of the few races completely unrelated to men and mer, who think of themselves as coming from, and ultimately returning to, the Hist.

Enigmatic and intelligent, the Argonians are experts of guerrilla tactics, and their natural abilities suit their swampy homeland. They have developed immunities to diseases that have plagued many would-be explorers in the region, and they are capable of easily exploring underwater locations due to their ability to breathe water.

Argonians have gills on their necks and are covered in scales. This gives Argonians the ability to breathe underwater, which has proven to be an advantage in combat with other races, especially in the swamps of Black Marsh. Argonians have very sharp reptilian teeth lining their mouths, which, if they are unarmed, can be used as an effective weapon. Argonians have a wide variety of cranial features such as fins, feathers, ridges, spines, spikes, or horns.

Bosmer
Bosmer (Aldmeris, "green/forest/tree sap mer"), or Wood Elves, hail from the province of Valenwood. Rejecting the formalities of the civilized world, the Bosmer discarded lavish living for a life in the wilderness, among nature, the trees, and animals. In fact, their major cities are actually located in giant walking trees that roam the forest province of Valenwood.

They decorate their bodies to resemble their forest surroundings. Because of this, many view them as barbarians. Despite their infamy, they are known to be extremely agile and quick. Their nimbleness serves them best in any art involving thievery. Many are well respected archers, due to their inherent mastery of the bow.

The Bosmer are one of the smallest races in Tamriel with males being smaller than females. They are born with skin colors ranging from light brown to pale tan to light green. Some Bosmer also may have horns. Biologically, the Bosmer are cousins of the Dunmer, or Dark Elves, Orsimer, or Orcs, and the Altmer, or High Elves.

Bretons
Bretons (from the Ehlnofex "beratu," or "half") are the Human descendants who hail from the province of High Rock. They are descended from the Nedic and Aldmeri, making them half man, half mer (Elves). The Bretons are sometimes called 'Manmeri' because of this.

Their physical features resemble their Nedic ancestors, including their pale skin tone and the obvious physical resemblance to Imperials/Nords, but some still inherit the frail, sharp appearance of the elves, some do have slight points in their ears. Although their Aldmeri ancestry is shadowed by their appearance, they still inherit the magical affinity of their elven blood.

Dunmer
The Dunmer, more commonly referred to as Dark Elves in the rest of Tamriel, are the dark skinned Mer originating from the province of Morrowind. Known to be strong, intelligent, quick, aloof, and reserved, but considered by some to be ill-fated. Dunmer mostly keep to themselves, most Dunmer natives of Morrowind harbor a bitter distrust and disdain for other races, considering themselves superior.

Most Dunmer have red, glowing eyes with skin tones varying from somewhat greenish and the more common gray to the occasional light blue. Both male and female Dunmer have a height similar to most of the human races. This means that they are generally taller than their Bosmer cousins and shorter than the Altmer.

Imperials
Imperials, also known as Cyrodilics or Cyrodiils, are a race of Men from Cyrodiil, the province in the center of Tamriel. Members of the Imperial race are some of the most well-educated, wealthy, and well-spoken people in Tamriel. Natives of the civilized cosmopolitan province of Cyrodiil, they have proved to be shrewd diplomats, traders, and tacticians.

Imperials can be differentiated from Bretons and Nords by their fair to swarthy skin, as opposed to the typically fairer complexion of Bretons and Nords. However, Imperial skin tone is not as dark as that of Redguards. Imperials also have slightly sharper faces than other races of men. They are descendants of the native Nedic and other Proto-Cyrod peoples that were enslaved by the Ayleids.

Khajiit
Khajiit are cat-like people from their home province of Elsweyr. They are known for their natural agility, stealth, and their production of moon sugar, which can be refined into skooma. These traits make them very good thieves and acrobats, but Khajiit are also fearsome warriors. However, they are rarely known to be mages. Khajiit mostly stay on land, but piracy and Skooma trade does draw some to work as sailors.

Khajiit anatomy differs greatly from both men and elves, not only because of their fur, tail, and sometimes toe-walking stance, but also their digestive system and metabolism. Khajiit have a lifespan similar to that of humans. There are 17 distinct breeds of Khajiit known to inhabit Tamriel; however, the most common is the Cathay. Each breed is born due to the influences of Nirn's two moons, Masser and Secunda. The foreign appearance and behavior of Khajiit make them common targets of racial discrimination due to their common stereotype of being thieves and assassins. Many Khajiit are known to talk about themselves and others in the third person.

Nords
Nords, also known as Sons of Snow, are a race of Men from the province of Skyrim. The Nords have a natural resistance to the frost, which evolved due to their settlement in the northern, colder reaches of Nirn, and are known for their prowess as warriors. Eager to augment their martial skills beyond the traditional methods of Skyrim, they excel in all manner of traditional warfare. Nord culture centers on the quest for honor and glory, with emphasis also on the family and community.

The Nords are a race of Men who typically are regarded as light-skinned, fair-haired which is often braided, and imposing in size and build. They are the direct descendants of the Atmorans, who in ancient days sailed to Tamriel from the frozen northern continent of Atmora, and to a lesser extent of the Nedic peoples, who were human natives of Tamriel that gradually interbred with the Atmorans over the centuries.

Orsimer
The Orsimer (Aldmeris for Cursed Folk or Pariah Folk), commonly known as Orcs, are considered to be barbarian people by most of the other races on Nirn and are from the mountainous regions of western Tamriel. They are centrally located in Orsinium, the City of Orcs, but are common in other locations in Tamriel. Orsimer are of Elven blood, but this heritage is either not recognized or is forgotten by many in Tamriel.

With skin tones ranging from light green to dark brown, a heavily muscular frame, and considerable stature the Orsimer stand apart amongst Mer and Men. They also are the only race in Tamriel to display tusks; however, like their Mer cousins, have pointed ears. Born without the magical affinity of their Mer cousins, and following in the footsteps of their revered Trinimac, the Orcs have developed a strong warrior culture that makes them highly valuable in hand-to-hand combat. They often excel as adventurers and legionnaires in the Imperial Legion.

Redguards
The Redguards are a race of Human who hail from the lost sunken continent of Yokuda and now reside primarily in the province of Hammerfell. While officially Yokudans, they acquired their current name through the corruption of the native Yokudan term "Ra Gada," which (loosely translated) means "warrior wave." Due to their swift and decisive conquest of Hammerfell, the Redguards are renowned as the most naturally gifted warriors in Tamriel.

The Redguards' innate agility and high level of endurance allows them to excel in any activity that demands sustained effort. Most notably in combat. They are largely average in height, with a well muscled and sturdy physique. In appearance, the Redguards' skin tone can range from light brown to black and their hair texture ranges from thick and wavy to tightly curled and wiry.