Forums » Elder Scrolls

Lifespan Of Elves?

    • 127 posts
    February 27, 2014 1:35 PM EST

    Enlighten me, please.

    Can elves live up to 1000 years?

    "I think Straw will be a very old man before 'someday' comes, Berry. Elves live for a very long time." Katisha's face briefly wore the envious, wistful look humans got when contemplating the thousand-year lifespan Elves had been granted by the gods. True, few ever actually lived that long as disease and violence took their respective tolls. But they could. And one or two of them actually did." - The Real Barenziah

    • 194 posts
    February 27, 2014 1:41 PM EST

    Only high elves at this point, if I'm not mistaken. I forget if wood elves can live that long, but I don't think they are equal to high elves. Dark elves can as well, but again, not as long as high elves. I think they were supposed to have lost some of their lifetime length through the change from the chimer or something. And the Orcs apparently live about as long as most men. From their cursed creation or something.

    I don't have concrete evidence to point to sorry, you'll have to find a loremaster... Also, khajiit and argonian are said to be nearly the same as men in lifetime.

    • 966 posts
    February 27, 2014 1:42 PM EST

    Like it says in the Real Barenziah, they can, but most don't. One could prolong it further with magic, but Humans could probably do that too (without turning into a lich).

    • 661 posts
    February 27, 2014 1:43 PM EST
    High Elevs in TES may live that long. However Bosmer are the exception. They seem to grow in human years as well. The Dunmer live typically to be about 300-600 years. Orsimer I have no clue... Snow Elves however live to be forever it would seem.
    • 184 posts
    February 28, 2014 9:42 AM EST

    Ah! This dreaded question. I only know officially how long the Dunmer live, from an interview with Alvur Relds... I'll scrounge it up on the UESP. Here it is! It's the second last question.

    My headcanon still states that Bosmer and Altmer live longer than that (Altmer the longest due to their magicka and possible life-prolonging potions/spells; Bosmer not quite as long because that much meat can't be good for anyone, even if Y'ffre blessed them or something; and Dunmer the shortest out of the three because of... um... lung cancer?? Azura's curse??). As for Orsimer or Falmer or Dwemer, I got no ideas.

    • 184 posts
    February 28, 2014 12:05 PM EST

    Yeah I like to believe what I want. I even made my own lists of elven years. I do consider the Dunmer thing to be true for Dunmeri commoners, however. I mean, it does say "official lore" at the top and I am a young and gullible child.

    • 661 posts
    February 28, 2014 12:18 PM EST
    I know for sure Bosmer grow in 'human years'. There was an empereor who had a Bosmeri bodyguard, and she said that she left Valenwood at a young of 19. Altmer would need to be at 70 before leaving Summerset. So idk prove me wrong if you like.
    • 184 posts
    February 28, 2014 12:28 PM EST

    I don't usually think it works like that. I often think elves grow into children relatively fast. Humans develop from babies into kids and then into teens and onward in such a short time, while afterwards it slows down a lot. I apply that principle to elves as well, though the stages do still take longer... So, looking at my list, a seventy-year-old Altmer would be in his/her prime (like mid thirties in human years), while an Altmer with the appearance of a fifteen-year-old would be around twenty. I hope that makes some sense, but that's how I think of it anyhow.

    • 966 posts
    February 28, 2014 12:39 PM EST

    He only became 4000 years old by being one of the most powerful wizards in Tamrielic history. :p

    • 661 posts
    February 28, 2014 12:45 PM EST
    Yeah... Whatever. I know what I read :รพ

    Anywho I know you are wrong because I thought that exact same thing. I was totally beat down over it. Maybe Bosmer live to be a 1000 years, but from what I read more likely just 80. They may however mature faster than other Mer races why they are fully grown by the time they are about 19-20. Who is to say really? An Altmer at fifteen is merely a baby yet. Or so I was told. 70 = 20 or so I was scolded about.
    • 184 posts
    February 28, 2014 12:52 PM EST

    Dah people get so defensive about lore, don't they? I think you can think whatever you like. If it's false, whatever. You don't need to be 100% right about a video game. I don't think there's any official lore for any of the years. Besides, Bethesda could make up anything off the top of their heads to answer our questions -- maybe it's better if we just use our own imaginations.

    • 661 posts
    February 28, 2014 12:54 PM EST
    Makes sense, also those people who do get defensive about lore tended to be the worst Roleplayers ever. Too condescending, and just sticking out their asses in general. So I agree with you, individuality within a game brings the best of it out.