The Maormer, also known as the Sea Elves, of Pyandonea are a mysterious race in the world of The Elder Scrolls. Many hardcore fans have known about their existence, but know little about them. When encountered in The Elder Scrolls Online, most of the Maormer come off as very rude and defensive. The other races of Tamriel prefer not to deal with them if possible.
They haven't appeared much in The Elder Scrolls series, but their appearance in The Elder Scrolls Online has made them memorable. Here are some must-know facts about these island-dwelling elves.
10 They Were Exiled From Their Homeland
The Maormer are believed to have originated from Aldmeris, the lost original homeland of all Mer races. According to legend, King Orgnum was a very wealthy Aldmer that launched a rebellion against the powers of the land.
Orgnum and his followers were banished from Aldmeris and forced to live on an island that would become their home, Pyandonea. The island was separated from Aldmeris by an almost impenetrable mist. Because of this, Orgnum and his followers never disturbed the Aldmeri people again.
9 They Really Hate The Altmer
While Altmer, better known as the High Elves, are not the most well-liked race, the Maormer hate them with a great passion. Throughout the First and Second Eras, the Maormer launched relentless attacks against Summerset. There was hardly a year during this time when they didn't attack. All of their attacks ended in failure, showing just how powerful the Altmer are. The Maormer haven't attacked any other races on Tamriel as much as they have the High Elves.
It is believed they hate the High Elves so much because the High Elves are the closest relatives to the Aldmer. The Aldmer is the original race from which all Mer races are believed to have descended from. Since the Aldmer banished King Orgnum and his followers, it is believed the present-day Maormer hate the High Elves because of this.
8 They Can Control The Sea Serpents Of Pyandonea
The island of Pyandonea is known for being surrounded by sea serpents capable of standing 64 feet above the water. The Maormer employ magic to tame them and can use them as steeds. They are also used as warbeasts to help support the Pyandonean navies.
The Maormer also utilize serpent iconography in their weapons, armor, banners, and totems. They also use serpent hide and teeth to craft their gear.
7 Going To Their Homeland Can Be A Hard Task
Pyandonea is described as having dense rain forests and being a habitat for water spirits. It is also considered to be marshy and full of insects living on the island. Very few will attack Pyandonea because very few have made it out alive.
During the Second Era, King Hidellith of Alinor ordered his navy to attack the island. All but one ship were destroyed. It was described as a sea jungle with massive plateaus and tendrils of kelp surrounding the island.
6 They Can Conjure Up Storms
The Sea Elves are known at being adept at storm magic and they can conjure up a hurricane to take down any enemy ships at sea. They can also harness the power of water, air, and lightning. When summoning Storm Atronachs, they can change the forms of it and make the Atronachs look like animals.
Summoning large hurricanes requires using life energy and practicing blood sacrifices. To do this, the Sea Elves employ totems to form the storms or channel the energy into a Storm Atronach until they are ready to use the spell.
5 Their King Is "Immortal"
Pyandonea is ruled by a seemingly "deathless wizard" named Orgnum. King Orgnum is rumored to have been alive during the time where all Mer lived on Aldmeris before the Merethic Era. However, the existence of Aldmeris is still up for debate among the Tamrielic races except for the High Elves and Sea Elves. After his failed rebellion in Aldmeris and being banished, King Orgnum established himself as king of Pyandonea.
Not much is known about Orgnum or how he gets younger every century. He is known to be able to control the sea serpents of Pyandonea and uses them as his guards and mounts. He's been alive for a long time as he is confirmed to be alive during the Second Era.
4 No One Has Seen The Maormer Since The Third Era
Surprisingly, no one has really heard from the Maormer since the Third Era. During this period, the War of the Isle was fought between the Maormer and the High Elves. The Maormer tried to invade the Summerset Isles and got very close to conquering the Altmer's homeland. The High Elves asked for the Empire to help them repel the Sea Elves back, in turn, the Empire supposedly asked for the Psijic Order's assistance.
With their combined navies and the Psijic Order's powerful magic, they were able to defeat King Orgnum and his fleet. It was written that he wasn't able to ever muster up enough for another attack and retreated back to Pyandonea.
3 They Ruled Over A Small Khajiit Island For A Short Time
During the events of The Elder Scrolls Online, the Maormer managed to conquer the island of Khenarthi's Roost, a small island inhabited by the Khajiit. To prevent unnecessary bloodshed, the Khajiit of Khenarthi's Roost and the Sea Elves signed a treaty to maintain peace. The Maormer would rule over the island and let the Khajiit live there so long as they obeyed them. During the Three Banners War, the Maormer attacked the Aldmeri Dominion fleet that came to negotiate with them.
The Silvenar of Valenwood and Dominion ambassador, Edhelorn, was sent to try and negotiate with them after this. The Maormer assassinated him not too long after his arrival. The Dominion was able to fight the Maormer off the island and claim Khenarthi's Roost as part of their land.
2 Their Appearance Is A Little Different Than Their Mer Brethren
One topic that is commonly discussed about the Sea Elves is their appearances. At first glance, the Sea Elves look like any other Mer race and are built very similarly to the High Elves. Upon closer look, there are some small details that make them quite different. Their ears are longer and shaped like fins. Some Sea Elves have scales like fish. Their eyes can either be blank or be a pale blue that it makes it hard to see their iris. It has also been noted that their skin texture looks like a translucent white jelly and is chameleon-like.
It is unknown how their appearance changed. Some speculate that they were cursed by the Aldmer, while others believe it was a Daedric Prince's doing. Alternatively, they might have evolved over the centuries to acclimate better to the Pyandonean environment.
1 They Have Mastered A Unique And Terrifying Magic
The Maormer are known for their prowess in using snake magic, being able to control the sea serpents. With this magic, they have created something that is truly terrifying. In the book The Scaled Elves, the author writes about his encounter with a different type of Sea Elf called a Leviathan. The Leviathans are created by snake magic and are the magical coupling of sea serpents and the Maormer.
The Leviathans look like a stronger and taller version of the Maormer, but they are more beast-like in demeanor. They are very strong and tower over even the tallest Nord. They move as if unused to using their legs on land, and their movements are more like a slither. The Leviathans are also able to stretch their jaws out of place to swallow their prey.