Ganondork
goo
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2010
Greetings. I've decided to create yet another thread, this time in a Wiki format. With that being said, I will separate each section through Headings and Subheadings to make it easier to find a specific topic for this specific thread. Despite its length, I do hope most Skyrim fans will find this to be a good read.
All who have played Skyrim have run into two things during their adventures; Dwarven Ruins and a curious race; the Falmer. A blind species, the Falmer have an acute sense of hearing - so acute that any form of noise will attract their attention, and engage the intruder in combat immediately. Very little is said about this species that appear in Dwarven Ruins and other caves - but they once were a very prominent race, according to my theory I shall present.
With that being said, there's more to the concept of the Falmer occupying the Dwarven Ruins; I have reason to believe that the Falmer are in fact what's left of the Dwarves. In the coming paragraphs, I will present evidence of this possibly outlandish claim.
Little in-game evidence has proven such a claim, but a mixture of a number of factors have greatly led me to this conclusion.
A minor source of proper evidence - given the fact that its location was in the game's strategy guide - a rather interesting point was brought up concerning the Falmer,
Perhaps a meaningless tidbit at first glance, but you have to wonder if they originally looked the way they do when Dovahkin gets acquainted with them. Were they originally a blind species that live in Dwarven Ruins - the destroyed civilization of a race long lost - with their Chaurus pets? Doubtful.
For such a creature in such a pitiful state to carry on would be near impossible - domesticating the poisonous Chaurus even harder without proper eyesight. This would no doubt mean that the Chaurus were trained by a Falmer civilization that had the sense of sight.
The only reason for a species such as the Falmer to go blind is for a lack of a need for it. Fish that live deep underwater lack eyes, but they no doubt had eyes prior to their ecosystem being in such a dark environment. The Falmer are no doubt exactly like these eyeless fish. They most likely lived outside of caves, exactly like the elves that arrived in Skyrim many years later.
I am yet to have come across very much information on the Falmer, and their relation to the Dwarves - their names really being the Dwemer, or "Deep Elf" - except for one piece of information: the Dwemer are elves. Aside from this, I have only obtained information through watching their patterns, and settlements during my trek through their territory - the Dwarven Ruins.
The Dwemer are clearly a long-gone race of elves, replaced by above ground-dwelling Elven races. It can't be coincidental that the Falmer also live in the same ruins that the Dwemer went through so much trouble to build. How did they make it past all of the security measures that Dovahkin has to avoid? The Falmer clearly don't have the ability to; one can easily run the Falmer into the Dwemer's traps.
With all of that kept in mind, you also have to consider the Falmer's primitive nature, and yet they seem to have a form of organization that could fit nearly a level of government. This can only be explained by an instinct that has been retained for a long time - prior to their downgrading to the point that they are now. Simply the names show you who are on the top of the proverbial hierarchy; Falmer at the bottom, Falmer Skulker next, the Falmer Gloomlurker following, then Falmer Shadowmaster, and finally ending at Falmer Shaman. This is far too advanced for a species that can neither see, nor work any of the machinery that they are surrounded by - forcing them to reside in settlements that are enclosed by huts that act as houses.
With all of this compiled information, one can conclude that devolution is the only possible explanation for the Falmer being at the point that they are; surrounded by advanced technology that others yearn to find, and yet unable to use any of it. There is no other explanation other than that their ancestors - formerly called the Dwemer - built these technological spectacles.
Elder Scrolls - as far as I know - is not a series to take after the events that have occurred in the real world's history, but the Dwemer's seem almost too similar to the Mayans. A ridiculous claim, perhaps, but the evidence is entirely here; a civilization with an enormous amount of advanced technology and wisdom suddenly disappears without a trace. And yet, the Mayans still have descendants. Perhaps exactly like the Dwemer.
It should be fairly obvious what I'm getting at; the Falmer. The Dwemer had technology that the Nords and Imperials are yet to even fathom how to invent, and yet were so deep underground that it wouldn't be possible for them to be hunted down into extinction. Between the enormous length of the Dwarven Cities, and the Dwarven security systems, any intruder would never make it to kill any Dwemer.
And yet, they still managed to disappear without a trace one day. How is that possible? To leave such a large empire untouched by enemy hands, and yet to still disappear is a mystery. And yet, in their place are the Falmer. The Falmer - a race that take the lives of those who embark on expeditions through these ruins - take the place of the great Dwemer. Surely this isn't a coincidence.
If you put all of that together, then you come to the conclusion that the Dwemer - like the Mayans - still leave behind descendants, even when they are gone; they simply go by another name. The Falmer are what became of the Dwemer.
Once technology is perfected to a point where the manual labor of its creator is no longer required, the organism soon begins to devolve. This is no doubt the fate of the Dwemer. Using the picture on the right - a Dwemer - I will show how they degenerated to the state that they inevitably became; the Falmer.
The Dwemer have a gray skin tone, however, after a very long time without exposure to sunlight, the Dwemer no doubt became far more pale. A change in diet - which no doubt changed with the mass migration to an underground society - could also have an effect on the Dwemer's skin tone.
Despite the Dwemer having foods such as bread - which apparently are able to perpetually avoid staleness - they no doubt required protein. Perhaps their protein source needed to be found using hearing rather than sight. This could no doubt be due to fast creatures that lurk in the dark that the Dwemer have decided to call their home. Honing their hearing, they soon lost all need for eyesight - their technology no doubt operated automatically, and their security would more than likely recognize them as non-threats.
With this kept in mind, the Dwemer no doubt did not lose their eyesight entirely due to the need to search for prey using eyesight. The lack of need for it was also attributed to the darkness that loomed over a large portion of the caves that they resided in. This no doubt hid their prey further, requiring even better hearing. And then the cycle continues, until complete blindness is traded for hearing that can pick up on the slightest sound from meters away.
A now blinded race, unable to use the technology it created, is left in a prison of its own devices. With the security keeping them in, the blind Falmer continue to live in an organized society. As the generations continue, they revert to a primitive state - their only concern being survival, and the continuation of their race.
Viewing all intruders - outside of each other and their Chaurus pets - as enemies, the Falmer defend their territory like any wild animal would. After generations of this mentality, the Dwemer Culture is long forgotten and lost, leaving the Falmer that Dovahkin meets in his journeys.
I am not sure if this theory has been presented before - whether with similar reasons or not - for I am not a part of any Elder Scrolls communities, but I do feel that most of this could make canonical sense. What matters most is what you think; so tell me in the comments. Do you agree with this theory?
Introduction
All who have played Skyrim have run into two things during their adventures; Dwarven Ruins and a curious race; the Falmer. A blind species, the Falmer have an acute sense of hearing - so acute that any form of noise will attract their attention, and engage the intruder in combat immediately. Very little is said about this species that appear in Dwarven Ruins and other caves - but they once were a very prominent race, according to my theory I shall present.
With that being said, there's more to the concept of the Falmer occupying the Dwarven Ruins; I have reason to believe that the Falmer are in fact what's left of the Dwarves. In the coming paragraphs, I will present evidence of this possibly outlandish claim.
Evidence
Little in-game evidence has proven such a claim, but a mixture of a number of factors have greatly led me to this conclusion.
Skyrim Bestiary
A minor source of proper evidence - given the fact that its location was in the game's strategy guide - a rather interesting point was brought up concerning the Falmer,
Skyrim Bestiary said:
For such a creature in such a pitiful state to carry on would be near impossible - domesticating the poisonous Chaurus even harder without proper eyesight. This would no doubt mean that the Chaurus were trained by a Falmer civilization that had the sense of sight.
The only reason for a species such as the Falmer to go blind is for a lack of a need for it. Fish that live deep underwater lack eyes, but they no doubt had eyes prior to their ecosystem being in such a dark environment. The Falmer are no doubt exactly like these eyeless fish. They most likely lived outside of caves, exactly like the elves that arrived in Skyrim many years later.
In-Game
The Dwemer are clearly a long-gone race of elves, replaced by above ground-dwelling Elven races. It can't be coincidental that the Falmer also live in the same ruins that the Dwemer went through so much trouble to build. How did they make it past all of the security measures that Dovahkin has to avoid? The Falmer clearly don't have the ability to; one can easily run the Falmer into the Dwemer's traps.
With all of that kept in mind, you also have to consider the Falmer's primitive nature, and yet they seem to have a form of organization that could fit nearly a level of government. This can only be explained by an instinct that has been retained for a long time - prior to their downgrading to the point that they are now. Simply the names show you who are on the top of the proverbial hierarchy; Falmer at the bottom, Falmer Skulker next, the Falmer Gloomlurker following, then Falmer Shadowmaster, and finally ending at Falmer Shaman. This is far too advanced for a species that can neither see, nor work any of the machinery that they are surrounded by - forcing them to reside in settlements that are enclosed by huts that act as houses.
With all of this compiled information, one can conclude that devolution is the only possible explanation for the Falmer being at the point that they are; surrounded by advanced technology that others yearn to find, and yet unable to use any of it. There is no other explanation other than that their ancestors - formerly called the Dwemer - built these technological spectacles.
Possible Real World History
It should be fairly obvious what I'm getting at; the Falmer. The Dwemer had technology that the Nords and Imperials are yet to even fathom how to invent, and yet were so deep underground that it wouldn't be possible for them to be hunted down into extinction. Between the enormous length of the Dwarven Cities, and the Dwarven security systems, any intruder would never make it to kill any Dwemer.
And yet, they still managed to disappear without a trace one day. How is that possible? To leave such a large empire untouched by enemy hands, and yet to still disappear is a mystery. And yet, in their place are the Falmer. The Falmer - a race that take the lives of those who embark on expeditions through these ruins - take the place of the great Dwemer. Surely this isn't a coincidence.
If you put all of that together, then you come to the conclusion that the Dwemer - like the Mayans - still leave behind descendants, even when they are gone; they simply go by another name. The Falmer are what became of the Dwemer.
Why the Dwemer Became the Falmer
The Skin Tone
The Dwemer have a gray skin tone, however, after a very long time without exposure to sunlight, the Dwemer no doubt became far more pale. A change in diet - which no doubt changed with the mass migration to an underground society - could also have an effect on the Dwemer's skin tone.
Blindness and Acute Hearing
Despite the Dwemer having foods such as bread - which apparently are able to perpetually avoid staleness - they no doubt required protein. Perhaps their protein source needed to be found using hearing rather than sight. This could no doubt be due to fast creatures that lurk in the dark that the Dwemer have decided to call their home. Honing their hearing, they soon lost all need for eyesight - their technology no doubt operated automatically, and their security would more than likely recognize them as non-threats.
With this kept in mind, the Dwemer no doubt did not lose their eyesight entirely due to the need to search for prey using eyesight. The lack of need for it was also attributed to the darkness that loomed over a large portion of the caves that they resided in. This no doubt hid their prey further, requiring even better hearing. And then the cycle continues, until complete blindness is traded for hearing that can pick up on the slightest sound from meters away.
Savagery Sets In
A now blinded race, unable to use the technology it created, is left in a prison of its own devices. With the security keeping them in, the blind Falmer continue to live in an organized society. As the generations continue, they revert to a primitive state - their only concern being survival, and the continuation of their race.
Viewing all intruders - outside of each other and their Chaurus pets - as enemies, the Falmer defend their territory like any wild animal would. After generations of this mentality, the Dwemer Culture is long forgotten and lost, leaving the Falmer that Dovahkin meets in his journeys.
Closing Thoughts
I am not sure if this theory has been presented before - whether with similar reasons or not - for I am not a part of any Elder Scrolls communities, but I do feel that most of this could make canonical sense. What matters most is what you think; so tell me in the comments. Do you agree with this theory?
