In The Elder Scrolls, the Nords of Skyrim are proud humans that have earned a reputation for being fearsome warriors. Compared to the High Elves, they might come off as simpletons that enjoy combat and fighting mindlessly. They love a good fight and violence is part of everyday life for them.
But there is more to this race of man than just fighting for honor and glory. They have fought for their right to live in Tamriel. What are some must-know facts about these proud, hearty warriors in The Elder Scrolls lore?
Update on March 24, 2023, by Sarah Prado: It’s been over a decade since The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim was released, but it’s not running out of steam any time soon. With the Anniversary Edition released last year, players received new things to experience in the game. Being in the homeland of the Nords has made fans curious to learn a little more about them other than their love of mead and battle. The Nords are a proud warrior people, but there’s more to them than just being good in battle. Even longtime fans might find out something new about them when playing the game. Here are some things about the Nords in The Elder Scrolls lore that some might find surprising.
12 They Used To Be Slaves To Dragons
The Dragons used to rule over humans in Tamriel during the Late Merethic Era. The Atmorans worshipped animal spirits and considered the Dragons to be the strongest. The Dragons embraced their roles as god-like beings and had temples built to honor them. Alduin the World-Eater was the leader of the Dragons and claimed himself to be a god.
The Nords of Skyrim decided to rebel and were defeated at first. Kyne, the Nord Goddess of Storms, asked the dragon Paarthurnax, Alduin's brother, to help men learn the power of the Thu'um. He taught them the Thu'um and the Nords were able to fight back and gain their freedom. A small group of Nord heroes were able to banish Alduin until the Fourth Era when he would be defeated by them and the Last Dragonborn.
11 They Nearly Wiped Out The Snow Elves
When the Atmorans first landed in Skyrim, the land was already home to the Snow Elves. Both groups agreed to live in peace at first, but it didn't last too long. Fearing man's power and numbers, the Snow Elves attacked the settlement of Saarthal and killed almost everyone that lived there. Ysgramor and his two sons were the only survivors and sailed back to their homeland of Atmora to gather warriors and get revenge. Ysgramor created the 500 Companions and sailed back to Skyrim and the war with the Snow Elves began.
The Nords would come out victorious in the end, killing a large number of Snow Elves in the process. The few remaining Snow Elves fled underground to the Dwemer and became their slaves. Now, the Snow Elves have become more beast-like and feral, and are now called the Falmer.
10 Some Live On An Island Outside Of Skyrim
Skyrim is the predominant home of the Nords, but there is a small group of them that live on the island of Solstheim. This island is just outside Skyrim and Vvardenfell, home to the Dark Elves. The Nords on Solstheim are called the Skaal and have a different lifestyle than their brethren who live in Skyrim.
Unlike the Nords, the Skaal believe in one god called the All-Maker, hunt when necessary and not for sport, and live more peacefully. The Skaal don't believe in violence unless it's in self-defense and will avoid fights if possible. Though the two groups have different beliefs, they are similar in a lot of ways and have respect for each other.
9 They Love The Arts Almost As Much As Fighting
While the Nords love a good fight, they also love the arts like music, writing, and poetry. They value the art of speechcraft and become bards to sing at taverns and inns. Some become skalds who write their own songs about their travels and adventures to entertain their audience.
Even blacksmithing is considered an art of sorts. Being able to create weapons and armor is just as important to the Nords as wielding the weapons and donning the armor.
8 There Is No Fighters' Guild In Their Homeland
The Fighters Guild has a lot of guildhalls throughout Tamriel, and they even had a few guildhalls in Skyrim back in the Second Era. Now, they are no longer in Skyrim and the Companions have taken over their work. A few hundred years after Ysgramor's death, the Companions became soldiers for hire.
They essentially have taken over the work the Fighters Guild provides services for, only their roots can be traced back to Ysgramor's 500 Companions. Ysgramor is considered one of the greatest Nord heroes of all time and most of Skyrim highly respect the present-day Companions.
7 They're Wary Of Magic Even Though They Have A School For It
Similar to the Redguards, the Nords are a bit skittish of those who practice magic. While they don't ban it from being used, they frown upon those who do use it, with priests and priestesses that serve the Nine Divines being exceptions. They do have a higher tolerance for Nords that use magic than those who aren't. Their dislike for magic mostly stems from their great dislike of elves, mostly the Altmer.
Another reason why they're wary of magic is because of the Great Collapse in Winterhold. This event was a series of storms that hit the city of Winterhold hard and wiped out most of it. The College of Winterhold, a college dedicated to teaching magic, was left mostly unharmed by this and made many Nords suspicious of mages.
6 They Hold Honor In High Regard
Honor is very important to the average Nord. They have a reputation as fierce and proud warriors and insulting their honor will result in a fight. Every Nord is expected to learn the basics of fighting and very rarely will there be one without a weapon. Even the priest and priestesses of the Divines that are Nords will have a weapon on them. The Nords look down on anyone that shows cowardice and no honor. They judge by not how a Nord lives their life, but how they die.
They will even hold their enemies in high regard if they show honor and strength in the end. Such is the case of the Snow Prince, the leader of the Snow Elves. When the Snow Prince died, the living Nords didn't burn him along with his fallen soldiers. They believed he deserved to be buried in a freshly dug barrow. His weapons and armor were put on a pedestal along with treasures worthy of royalty. The Nords believed that he fought valiantly and deserved to be honored even in death.
5 They're Very Superstitious
For being considered a warrior race, the Nords are very superstitious. Nordic names are chosen by omens and given during a special ceremony when a child is young. Most Nords that live in Skyrim believe that any misfortune that falls on them can be blamed on the Falmer. In the book, The Falmer: A Study, it is implied that the Falmer come out at night and steal babies from their homes.
Most Nords know about Alduin the World-Eater and that his appearance marks the end of the world. The Greybeards of High Hrothgar believe that no matter how many times Alduin is defeated, he will ultimately end the world so a new one can be born.
4 They Conquered Most of Northern Tamriel At One Time
After the wars with the Snow Elves and the Dragons, the Nords sought to conquer the surrounding lands. The jarls of Skyrim agreed that Harald, a descendent of Ysgramor, would be the first High King of Skyrim. He would relinquish all holdings in Atmora, the ancient Nord's homeland. King Harald's son, Vrage the Gifted, believed that the Nords weren't just meant to rule over Skyrim, but all of Tamriel. He began an aggressive and bloody conquest known as the Skyrim Conquests.
Within 50 years, Ysgramor's descendants would conquer and rule over most of northern Tamriel including most of High Rock and all of Vvardenfell. It was only after Ysgramor's line died that the elves of Tamriel were able to take back their lands.
3 A Nord Child Ended The War With The Snow Elves
During the war with the Snow Elves, it seemed like the Nords would lose the final battle. The Snow Prince, the ruler of the Snow Elves, fought in the battle and slew many Nord warriors. One of the warriors was named Jofrior and she was slain in front of her daughter, Finna. Finna was a squire to her mother and was 12 years old at the time of the war. Seeing her mother killed in front of her, Finna picked up her fallen mother's sword and threw it at the Snow Prince. It is documented in the book Fall of the Snow Prince that the battlefield went silent and all eyes were on the Snow Prince with Jofrior's sword lodged in his chest. He fell from his horse and died, shocking everyone.
This was the turning point in the fight. Some of the Snow Elves fled the battle and others were slain by the Nords. Ysgramor and the Companions came out victorious and drove the living Snow Elves into hiding.
2 They Are Masters Of Architecture
The Nords are known for creating some of the sturdiest architecture in the world. Whether it’s made of wood or stone, Nord architecture can hold for thousands of years as proven by the barrows found throughout Skyrim. Their woodworking alone shows just how talented they are. Dragonsreach is a huge wooden longhouse that was built to be a prison for a dragon back when Olaf One-Eye was the High King of Skyrim.
Their buildings have stood the test of time and many back from ancient times are still up and running today. This is pretty impressive considering the harsh weather conditions that Skyrim is known for. Even the Skaal’s buildings have made it through the even harsher cold winds of Solstheim, showing just how talented Nords are when it comes to living in a harsh environment.
1 They Have Two Different Origin Stories
The most popular origin story of the Nords (that’s confirmed to be true) is that they hail from the land of Atmora. The Atmorans left the continent as a civil war was going on and they would go on to become the Nords of Skyrim after Ysgramor and his 500 Companions won the war against the Snow Elves. As far as they’re concerned, the Nords have left Atmora behind, but acknowledge that they’re Atmoran descended.
Another origin story that some Nords believe is that they’re created by Kyne at the Throat of the World along with other races of man. Though this sounds more like a myth, the Nords still proudly claim themselves as the Sons and Daughters of Kyne or Children of the Sky.