Elder Scrolls Lore » Discussions


Mer Life Span

  • Member
    September 29, 2014

    Does anyone know the actual life span of Mer races in TES? Looking around the internet I have found some that say 300 years, and others that say 1000 or so. However after playing the DG quest line again, I have to wonder if mer are not immortal. For instance Gelebor states he has seen many attempt the trek, but few succeed. According to my source at the Imperial library the fall of the Snow Prince happened 668ME. This is also about the same time the Dwemer enslave the remaining Snow Elves. So I did the math between that year and the events of Skyrim. They are separated by 5117 years. So if Gelebor oversaw the Chantry, and worked his way up the ranks, is it not a safe assumption he would have done so prior to the devestation of his race? So this would mean that Gelebor is over 5000 years old. Thoughts?

  • Member
    September 29, 2014

    Hello Domanik, thanks for posing such intersesting questions  

    The developer interviews prior to ESO's release had this to say about the lifespans of mer:

    Can you tell us the life expectancy of the Elven races?
    Elves live two to three times as long as humans and the “beast-races” (Orcs, Khajiiti, Argonians). A 200-year-old Elf is old; a 300-year-old Elf is very, very old indeed. Anyone older than that has prolonged his or her lifespan through powerful magic. (Source)

    As for Gelebor, I believe he falls into that latter category, his long life the result of Auriel's intervention.

  • Member
    September 29, 2014
    Meaning Orcs, Khajiit and Argonians have lifespans on par with humans?
  • Member
    September 29, 2014

    That may make sense, as Divayth Fyr from Morrowind was 4000, and was a Telvanni and also the only person in the game that could cure Corpus. However using him as an example would mean that you could somehow wield this magic.. What I mean is Divayth Fyr was not overly religious, that we know of. Which then leads me to think that someone could wield this magic, themselves. So if that is the case why do we not see more and more elves, or maybe even men live these long lives? What type of magic is that? Who else has a long life like this... M'aiq the Liar. He has been in multiple games, a Kahjit that has lived for hundreds of years.

  • Tom
    Member
    September 29, 2014

    Telvanni are always the exception to the rule. Most of their greatest and oldest members are undead or use some manner of unnatural magic to extend their lives, mostly likely vampirism or lichdom.

    I think most life extending magics inevitably lead to some form of necromancy or undeath-related curse. I think it'd explain why we don't see as many Altmer or Bosmer living that long, who culturally shy away from it, and by extension most Men.

    I mean, when I think of the oldest beings on Nirn, I'm either thinking of a Telvanni wizard lord, a living god, or vampires.

    Maiq the Liar is an exception as well, since he is the Godhead. I'm super serial.

  • Member
    September 29, 2014
    There are quite a few high elves that are close to a thousand though....
  • Member
    September 29, 2014

    Since you mention living god. Think of the Tribunal who used the heart of Lorkhan to become that way. So I think perhaps given those who can wield this magic are either very wise, or immensely powerful. Another interesting point is the Altmer have recently made the claim they have rediscovered Dawn Magics.  could this power lie somewhere in this specter?

  • Tom
    Member
    September 29, 2014

    I was referring to the Tribunal, indeed.

    As for the Altmer, the simple answer is no one knows. There is only the claim of rediscovering Dawn Magics. If I recall, it's pertaining to the moons disappearing and the Thalmor "predicting" their return. It isn't proof of anything and I'm not inclined to believe them.

  • Member
    September 29, 2014

    I have an idea for a build, but the lore to make it work is going to be tricky. That I think would be an amazing RP, but it would require some serious lore backing. The more I have thought about it, I really don't think this near "immortality" is you typical lichdom. Or rooted in necromancy at all. As for claims made by the Thalmor about the dawn magics, lore does support the idea that the Altmer, more specifically the Psijics have type of magic no other race demonstrates. Divination, Teleportation, and the ability to freeze time, for everyone around him except himself, and those of his choosing. I do not like the Altmer much but in magical issues they seem to have more knowledge than most of the other races. Maybe they really have stumbled across these old magics, maybe the Telvanni know them as well. Or would it be possible to achieve this in other ways? I ask this because the Altmer and Dunmer socially, and spiritually are very different. Maybe there are multiple ways to achieve this. So the intervention of the divine beings, the ability to wield Dawn Magics possibly, the heart of a god, and some other secret sorcery.

  • Tom
    Member
    September 30, 2014

    I'm somewhat lost on your first point. What are you referring to with lichdom?

    Again, we simply don't know. There has been almost no information from Alinor since they left the Empire, and the Psijics are even more reclusive. If anyone has discovered dawn magics, its the latter, and I won't believe it until I see evidence.