The Nature-Loving Mer of Tamriel’s South

First off, this post isn’t claiming that there was a completely different form of Mer in Tamriel, it’s just a point at which Bosmer and Khajiit can trace their lineage back to together, like how the Orsimer can trace themselves back to the Aldmer who worshipped Trinimac/served in the army.

We all know about the Aldmer, the mer from which all other elves come from, but the I’m going to focus on a particular sect of mer.

These mer were nature lovers. They loved trees, animals, plants, birds, bugs, just everything about nature. When they left from Aldmeris they settled in the southern forests where they always reveled in the beauty of Tamriel’s flora and fauna.

The Mer had spent such a long time in the forests with the animals they were often confused as to whether they were mer or beast. If they got along so well with nature like the beasts, how could they say they were not beasts? But of course they weren’t like any other beasts, they knew they were mer just like the others who went to the islands nearby. Beast or Mer was confusing and they would often consider them one in the same; after all, they saw the men from the north turning into beast and plant and man again.

These mer were called the Moramer. Mora meaning forests/woods.

They could acknowledge the gift Y’ffre gave men and mer though, giving them definite shape to stop the chaos of changing forms. However, soon enough the Moramer would be found in the middle of a conflict between gods.

Azurah called out to Nirni from beyond Jone and Jode, telling her to not be sad over her favourite people, the Moramer not knowing whether they were children of Aldmeris or beast of Tamriel. Azurah spoke her first secret and passed by Jone and Jode, taking some of the Moramer and placing them into the best forests and deserts on all of Nirni. From there she made Khajiit and bound them to the lunar lattice.

But Y’ffre overheard the first secret and snuck behind Azurah, watching her taking and placing some of the Moramer where she deemed fit and changing them. Y’ffre couldn’t stand what he witnessed and ran off to Nirni telling her about Azurah’s deeds. Nirni and Y’ffre were quite frankly pissed and negotiated a deal.

Nirni would make life as hard as possible for the new form, Khajiit, by making her sands biting hot and her jungles filled with poison; but she would spare the remaining Moramer whom Y’ffre was allowed to change and as such she would spare the Moramer land which Azurah deemed not good enough for Khajiit. The land of Khajiit was to be ruined, but Y’ffre negotiated with Nirni so that some of the forests could still be beautiful and harmonious. From then Y’ffre left and Azurah was despised by Nirni. Y’ffre then went to the Moramer of the remaining forests and changed their form and made sure they knew they were mer and not beast, unless the gift of Nirni’s deal were to in danger. Y’ffre didn’t have the knowledge Azurah had, however, and thus could not make the new mer keep their shape if they had to change into beast. Y’ffre called them Bosmer and from that point, Khajiit and Bosmer were no longer considered related. The Bosmer and Khajiit had their own beliefs now, the Bosmer possessing a mixed pantheon of Men and Mer gods, the Khajiit keeping a more simple and familiar pantheon.

Y’ffre was not done, though. Thinking he could have the upper hand on Azurah, stood up and yelled out the first secret for all to hear. Again, Y’ffre didn’t have a foolproof plan, but Azurah swiftly acted where she was needed and blocked the ears of Lorkhaj and Ahnurr to ensure they would never hear the first secret. This was the first of times the children of Anu and Padomay could walk upon Nirni freely, this would not last forever though. The Dragon would interrupt that, but that’s a story for another time.