Treatise on the Lifespan of Elves | Vol I | The Bosmer

By Salvius Aurrius, Synod Scholar of Elvenkind

4E 193

Foreword

In this series of texts, I, Salvius Aurrius, will attempt to document, archive, and hopefully provide insight on the lifespans of elves. These findings were obtained through elven writings, previous studies, and interviews with elves themselves.

While this series should be mostly accurate, certain aspects are the result of conjecture of not only myself, but also of my esteemed fellow researchers.

In this particular volume, I'll be focusing on the Bosmer; the proud, nature loving, and often aloof, denizens of Valenwood.

As common with all elves, or mer (as the elves refer to themselves), the Bosmer live substantially longer than men. While an Imperial man of eighty may be nearing the end of his life, a typical wood elf will only be nearing middle age. In numeric terms, it appears an 28-30 year old human could be considered the biological equivalent of an 80 year old Bosmer.

However, interestingly enough, the period which we consider childhood is remarkably similar. It appears that only after reaching sexual maturity between the ages of 16-20 does the aging process slow. In addition, this applies to all elves, rather than being exclusive to Bosmer.

Once the rapid growing of childhood ends, the aging process slows dramatically. Because of this, it isn't uncommon to hear of wood elves living in excess of three centuries. Although, due to things such as lifestyle, diet, and magical aptitude, the Bosmeri lifespan can vary. While a simple peasant may die before their second century, a wealthy, magically talented noble could very well see five hundred years.

Through the study of several tomes, one of which dating back to the late first era, and an interview with a somewhat reluctant Bosmer elder, I've determined the rough aging rate of the wood elves. It appears they age at a rate of roughly one biological year for every four years that pass (excluding childhood of course). For instance, the Bosmer equivalent of an eighty year old Imperial would be 266. However, as explained earlier, attempting to reliably predict lifespans is complicated, and this serves as merely a basic formula.

In the next volume, I'll be focusing on the dark-skinned cousins of the Bosmer, the Dunmer of Morrowind.

Author's Note

I hope this text proves useful to you, whether in an academic sense, or merely as entertainment. I wish you luck in all endeavors, and may the eight guide you.

-Salvius Aurrius