Throughout The Elder Scrolls saga, players learn of a mysterious race of lost people known as the Dwemer. They left behind technological marvels that, in many cases, leave the scholars of Tamriel with more questions than answers. The Dwemer built an advanced civilization, using steam, soundwaves, and magic thousands of years ahead of any other race of people. Then one day, they vanished without a trace.
The Dwemer took with them countless secrets of their history, culture, and technologies. However, as players venture into the lost depths of Dwemer cities and scour through scholarly writings from Tamriel's top archeologists, they uncover small kernels of information. Some truth may be skewed or even theoretical, but over the years, these discoveries offered greater insight into the world of the Dwemer.
10 Faced Extinction Before Their Disappearance
Scholars and archeologists of Tamriel know little of Dwemer civilization, but the evidence that remains suggests life wasn't easy near the end. During the First Era, the under folk came upon a mysterious mineral that they named Aetherium. It possessed magical qualities they wanted to use, but they couldn't melt it down until they built the Aetherium Forge.
The items crafted at the Aetherium Forge contained such power that the Dwemer city-states involved with the Aetherium Project grew power-hungry. Each state sought to take full control of the forge, ultimately leading to the bloody Aetherium Wars. Battles raged across Skyrim for decades, severely weakening the city-states. Nordic High King Gellir took advantage of this, destroying the remnants of the Dwemer and taking territory in Skyrim.
9 Utilized Soundwaves
Dungeon-delving players of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim may remember coming across several Dwemer ruins with resonance puzzles. The ruins of Arkngthamz housed one of the largest ones. These puzzles are made of technological devices known as tonal resonators. This mysterious and alien technology is most often found surrounding a locked gateway.
Tonal resonators spin when activated, creating a unique sound. When resonator harmonics hit a particular frequency or produce a certain harmony, they activate, unlocking doors and other mechanisms. It sparked a profession as well known as Tonal Architecture which they used to dig new tunnels and create monumental structures.
8 Communicated Long Distance
In The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, while delving into Dwemer ruins, players discover a device known as a Coherer. Corresponding quests and texts suggest the device could pick up radio waves, possibly using the same technology as their tonal resonators. However, overall knowledge of this technology is limited.
Additionally, within the games exist a series of books called the Ancient Tales of the Dwemer. Part six of this series mentions an ability used by the Dwemer referred to as The Calling. The book suggests that this ability was similar to telepathy, allowing them to communicate with each other over great distances. A prevailing theory claims The Calling was used by Tonal Architect Kagrenac moments before the race's mass disappearance. Whatever he saw or did, may have been communicated to the rest of them at the same time, resulting in the mass vanishing.
7 Passionate Agnostics
One of the most interesting facts about the Dwemer is their attitude toward religion and gods. They remain the only race who turned away from gods, putting their faith within themselves and their work. The Dwemer were not atheists, however, as they were known to use magical means to connect with Daedra.
In the demi-god Vivec's account of The Battle of Red Mountain, he explains how there may have been some form of trade between the Daedra and the Dwemer. The race wanted powerful artifacts from the planes of Oblivion to study and gave something in exchange.
6 Possibly Unrelated To Other Mer
While it's widely believed that the Dwemer were one of the splintered groups from the Summerset Isles, evidence suggests they were long-established in Morrowind before the Chimer (later known as the Dunmer or Dark Elves) settled. When the Chimer followed Velothi north, leaving their homelands for religious freedom, they encountered the Dwemer who already had vast underground cities.
The next great historical account from the region explains hostility between the two peoples. It was based on a fundamental disagreement of religion in which the Dwemer mocked the Chimer's belief system. This further supports the idea that the Dwemer were not a split sect of Chimer, but a race that had long lived in Morrowind and already established their own civilization and culture.
5 Created Their Own God
Using the Heart of Lorkhan, a powerful Aedric artifact, Chief Tonal Architect Kagrenac set out to create a god for the Dwemer. They still teetered on the rim of agnosticism but wanted to build their greatest creation as a testament to their civilization. Kagrenac called it The Numidium or the Brass God. It was a massive, humanoid automaton first used during the Battle of Red Mountain.
During the battle, enemy forces stormed into the Heart Chamber, where Kagrenac and Dumac worked on the Numidium. They slew Dumac, but what happened next is unclear. An unknown event occurred within the chamber at this moment that led to the mass disappearance of the Dwemer.
4 The Legend Of The Hammer
The province of Hammerfell is traditionally known as the new homeland of the Redguards. However, they weren't the first to settle here. During the First Era, the Rourken Clan of the Dwemer left Morrowind after the formation of an alliance between the Dwemer and the Chimer. According to an ancient legend, the leader of this clan threw his hammer, followed it, and settled where it fell.
The clan leader's hammer was called Volendrung. He threw it westward from Morrowind, and where it fell, he named the land Volenfell, later translated as Hammerfell.
3 Opportunistic Slavers
In the Dawnguard DLC of Skyrim, players learned a great deal about the Snow Elves. This once lost and mysterious race actually had a prosperous nation in the north that rivaled Summerset. However, when the Atmorans arrived in Tamriel, conflict arose between the two civilizations. The Atmoran leader returned to his homeland and built a greater army in an effort to eradicate the Snow Elves.
Desperately seeking asylum from the Atmoran attackers, surviving Snow Elves sought the aid of the Dwemer. The under folk accepted them, feeding the elves toxic plants that rendered them blind. As generations passed, the Dwemer molded them into obedient servants.
2 Given The Name Of Dwarves By Others
According to historical accounts such as Dwarves, v1 by Calcelmo, the under folk only knew of themselves by the name of Dwemer. In modern times, however, many refer to them as dwarves even though they were similar in stature to modern elves. It's believed that the term first came from the men who settled in the north.
Nords are generally taller and more muscular than most elves. Upon first meeting in the north, the Dwemer may have been the first significantly shorter race of people the Nords or Atmorans came into contact with. They dwarfed the Dwemer in size, thus earning the name. It may also stem from ancient fables of giants and men.
1 May Still Be Alive
In The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, players discover a living Dwemer known as Yagrum Bagarn. He explains that he was in the midst of traveling the Oblivion planes during the Battle of Red Mountain. When he returned, his people had vanished. Extremely ill from the Corprus Disease, he spends his time researching what may have happened to the rest of the Dwemer. As of the events of Skyrim, his current status is unknown.
Years later, in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, players come across a man known as Falion. He's a Redguard conjuror in Morthal with significant experience in traveling the planes. He claims to have come across beings of all types, including Dwemer. If this is true, the Dwemer may still be alive, stranded on one of the planes of Oblivion. It's not a farfetched idea considering they had dealings with the Daedra.