Bosmeri lore

Aendruu

I'm looking for lore regarding the Bosmer. However, it's pretty difficult to correlate all the info on USEP and the Imperial Library etc. and the only compilations of Bosmer lore I've found are from 2013 and 2014.

I wondered if these two sources are still accurate, or if there's perhaps a more recent collection that I've not found?

Thank you kindly.

HappyTheCamper

Yea I imagine. I would also check YouTube for some lore videos. For example, the channel Written In Uncertainty by Aramithius always cites his sources, which could help you find books that way, assuming you strictly want texts.

Besides that, he’s really good at explaining lore! He’s also on Apple podcasts and even has Bosmer videos!

Edit: you may have an easier time finding his Bosmer episode on Apple Podcasts.

Aendruu

@HappyTheCamper This is an extremely interesting series. Thank you for the recommendation.

* Edited to add that I found his Bosmer podcast here (for anyone else looking for it), together with an excellent article.

kaushad

That ESO-RP compilation is very good. Bear in mind that Bosmer haven't had much development since 2014, outside stolen good introduced with Thieves Guild. A more recent compilation that doesn't just repeat that or UESP would be one that includes the likes of comments from contexts that don't obviously pertain to Bosmer. Like if Eveli said something about Valenwood or some fiction partially set there. Or it would speculate heavily.

Aendruu

@kaushad While it's a bit disappointing that Bosmer lore hasn't expanded since the ESO-RP page was written, it's good to know that what I've found so far is pretty much up to date. Much obliged!

TheNuminous1

Worse yet is they KNOW we want it

Aendruu

@TheNuminous1 In his Studio Director’s Letter Matt Firor said ZOS was going to:

... tell a traditional "Elder Scrolls" story of political intrigue and factional infighting, concentrating on one of ESO’s playable races that has not yet had a full cultural and historical deep dive.

But I suppose it's best not to get our hopes up!

HappyTheCamper

Aendruu wrote: »

@TheNuminous1 In his Studio Director’s Letter Matt Firor said ZOS was going to:

... tell a traditional "Elder Scrolls" story of political intrigue and factional infighting, concentrating on one of ESO’s playable races that has not yet had a full cultural and historical deep dive.

But I suppose it's best not to get our hopes up!

I’d say Bosmer are 3rd on the list of possible choices. Based on Matt’s description it sounds almost 100% to be Breton, with maybe Redguard as 2nd choice.

It would be cool though at some point to get a Bosmer chapter where we visit Falinesti in a Oblivion pocket realm. Maybe get some Imga too.

Aendruu

HappyTheCamper wrote: »

I’d say Bosmer are 3rd on the list of possible choices. Based on Matt’s description it sounds almost 100% to be Breton, with maybe Redguard as 2nd choice.

It would be cool though at some point to get a Bosmer chapter where we visit Falinesti in a Oblivion pocket realm. Maybe get some Imga too.

Hear, hear!

TheNuminous1

HappyTheCamper wrote: »

Aendruu wrote: »

@TheNuminous1 In his Studio Director’s Letter Matt Firor said ZOS was going to:

... tell a traditional "Elder Scrolls" story of political intrigue and factional infighting, concentrating on one of ESO’s playable races that has not yet had a full cultural and historical deep dive.

But I suppose it's best not to get our hopes up!

I’d say Bosmer are 3rd on the list of possible choices. Based on Matt’s description it sounds almost 100% to be Breton, with maybe Redguard as 2nd choice.

It would be cool though at some point to get a Bosmer chapter where we visit Falinesti in a Oblivion pocket realm. Maybe get some Imga too.

I think between hews bane and craglorn redguards have seen enough. They have new style assets for their furnishings. Multiple mansions and redguard style homes and motifs.

It's gunna be between bretons and bosmer and with the way they did the last zone I'm guessing it's gunna be split again. A medium breton zone with rajhin dars realm holding falinesti as an artaeum style smaller zone attached. Idk how they will fit a Breton zone in. Maybe it too will be in a pocket realm. No idea.

TheNuminous1

And I'm super hoping for spinner/wyrd crossover

ealdwin

TheNuminous1 wrote: »

HappyTheCamper wrote: »

Aendruu wrote: »

@TheNuminous1 In his Studio Director’s Letter Matt Firor said ZOS was going to:

... tell a traditional "Elder Scrolls" story of political intrigue and factional infighting, concentrating on one of ESO’s playable races that has not yet had a full cultural and historical deep dive.

But I suppose it's best not to get our hopes up!

I’d say Bosmer are 3rd on the list of possible choices. Based on Matt’s description it sounds almost 100% to be Breton, with maybe Redguard as 2nd choice.

It would be cool though at some point to get a Bosmer chapter where we visit Falinesti in a Oblivion pocket realm. Maybe get some Imga too.

I think between hews bane and craglorn redguards have seen enough. They have new style assets for their furnishings. Multiple mansions and redguard style homes and motifs.

It's gunna be between bretons and bosmer and with the way they did the last zone I'm guessing it's gunna be split again. A medium breton zone with rajhin dars realm holding falinesti as an artaeum style smaller zone attached. Idk how they will fit a Breton zone in. Maybe it too will be in a pocket realm. No idea.

The SYS/HI codename that was datamined a while back (heard about it on forums, not sure of source) would potentially suggest a more island based expansion with the Systres and High Isle being the focus (High Isle was mentioned in a book in Deadlands).

There's also that sliver of land between Wrothgar and Western Skyrim isn't large but would be a decent enough size, especially if verticality is played with in any manner. It sits right on the lore-location of the Breton city of Jehanna, so it's a location rife with possibilities.

That being said, I kind of doubt a 50/50 split. The year-end letter seemed to lean more towards one of the playable races getting a focus. The mention of politics factions leans more towards Bretons (magic and politics are their bread and butter) or the Redguards (the Crowns/Forebears split has been touched on, but only lightly).

Not saying Bosmer shouldn't get a focus. It's just that the hints so far don't seem to lean that way. If Falinesti is a future location, that deserves a full focus. It's much easier to do an Illiac Bay split focus than it is a Redguard/Bosmer or a Breton/Bosmer.

TheNuminous1

ealdwin wrote: »

TheNuminous1 wrote: »

HappyTheCamper wrote: »

Aendruu wrote: »

@TheNuminous1 In his Studio Director’s Letter Matt Firor said ZOS was going to:

... tell a traditional "Elder Scrolls" story of political intrigue and factional infighting, concentrating on one of ESO’s playable races that has not yet had a full cultural and historical deep dive.

But I suppose it's best not to get our hopes up!

I’d say Bosmer are 3rd on the list of possible choices. Based on Matt’s description it sounds almost 100% to be Breton, with maybe Redguard as 2nd choice.

It would be cool though at some point to get a Bosmer chapter where we visit Falinesti in a Oblivion pocket realm. Maybe get some Imga too.

I think between hews bane and craglorn redguards have seen enough. They have new style assets for their furnishings. Multiple mansions and redguard style homes and motifs.

It's gunna be between bretons and bosmer and with the way they did the last zone I'm guessing it's gunna be split again. A medium breton zone with rajhin dars realm holding falinesti as an artaeum style smaller zone attached. Idk how they will fit a Breton zone in. Maybe it too will be in a pocket realm. No idea.

The SYS/HI codename that was datamined a while back (heard about it on forums, not sure of source) would potentially suggest a more island based expansion with the Systres and High Isle being the focus (High Isle was mentioned in a book in Deadlands).

There's also that sliver of land between Wrothgar and Western Skyrim isn't large but would be a decent enough size, especially if verticality is played with in any manner. It sits right on the lore-location of the Breton city of Jehanna, so it's a location rife with possibilities.

That being said, I kind of doubt a 50/50 split. The year-end letter seemed to lean more towards one of the playable races getting a focus. The mention of politics factions leans more towards Bretons (magic and politics are their bread and butter) or the Redguards (the Crowns/Forebears split has been touched on, but only lightly).

Not saying Bosmer shouldn't get a focus. It's just that the hints so far don't seem to lean that way. If Falinesti is a future location, that deserves a full focus. It's much easier to do an Illiac Bay split focus than it is a Redguard/Bosmer or a Breton/Bosmer.

Alas I cling to much to the thin connection between the wyrd and the spinners

Fizzyapple

Lady of Scrolls has about 45 yt videos and a few are on the Bosmer. She's pretty thorough and I have enjoyed them immensely. Some are more of a primer but all of them are fantastic. It's presented like a history documentary so if you like those old Civil War Ken Burns type of things this might be your jam.

https://youtube.com/channel/UCs4YqYIe-FtpQsAzdn47Vig/videos

The Wyrd Sisters and Bosmer connection is something I have been thinking on for sometime now. It's a match made in the stars but I'm not entirely convinced that its a good omen. They are too similar to the Wayward Sisters (Weird Sisters) of Shakespeare's Macbeth who were clearly the most dangerous characters in the play imo. I would totally love to see the two form some kind of alliance regardless.

What about this. We don't know exactly how Ayrenn dies but we do know that the 1st Dominion ends if only because of the rise of the 2nd Dominion around 2E 830. We also know that the Bosmer were split during that time, half in favor of joining the 2nd Dominion the other half in favor of the Colovians.

The Greenshade Tribes follow the Wilderqueen/king and the Wilderking Court is right outside of Marbruk. The construction of Marbruk was seen as a crime against the forest by all who live there. I totally believe that the tribes will eventually point their arrows towards Marbruk.. and rightfully so. There's only one rule that one should never break in the Vale.

Even if none of that happens, I'm still 100% convinced that Queen Ayrenn dies at the hands of a Wilding Bosmer. It just makes the most sense.

Cundu_Ertur

I just want the game to actually have some Bosmer in it at this point. Right now, we don't have that.

Average archers who have absolutely NO bonus to stealth, but who instead have a moderate boost to all weapons and a big boost to detecting hidden players*? That ain't Bosmer. Has never been Bosmer. Will never be Bosmer.

Who cares about a 'deep dive' into Bosmeri lore when the big obvious bits about Bosmeri lore have been completely disregarded when it hasn't been directly contradicted.

*since over 99.9% of NPCs never hide at all, ever.

Aendruu

@Fizzyapple Thanks very much for the link to the Lady of Scrolls channel. I'm afraid I know nothing about the Wyrd Sisters (although I suspect that at least one of ZOS' writers reads Terry Pratchett!)... I haven't gotten very far in ESO.

@Cundu_Ertur Wow... I've just read skimmed the 89 page-long discussion linked in your signature. I was puzzled about that Bosmer sneak-detection skill, but just didn't waste any skill points in it; I had no idea that it was such a contentious issue, and that ZOS has yet to address it. It's a shame when lore gets disregarded in ESO.

Nevertheless, this is my first time playing a Bosmer, and I'm determined to have fun with him!

HappyTheCamper

Cundu_Ertur wrote: »

I just want the game to actually have some Bosmer in it at this point. Right now, we don't have that.

Yea I noticed even when some people make build guides on YouTube or the internet for stamina stuff they’ll leave off Bosmer. Like one was a PvE solo bow/bow build and even if they’re not BIs it was just sad to see that.

So both in the RP and lore community and the competitive end game community they’re being over shadowed.

NotaDaedraWorshipper

A thing that is easy to miss as lore goes is the contraband in ESO. These things are littered with small interesting lore tidbits and do have a bunch of bosmer themed ones!

Aendruu

Thanks, @NotaDaedraWorshipper, that's an excellent tip! The list is long, so there's bound be be some interesting lore to be found.

NotaDaedraWorshipper

Aendruu wrote: »

Thanks, @NotaDaedraWorshipper, that's an excellent tip! The list is long, so there's bound be be some interesting lore to be found.

Indeed. Sometimes it can be easier to just do some stealing in Valenwood to find some. But searching for wood elf/elves or bosmer on each category works quite well, but there are some bosmer themed items that don't have that in their name or flavour text. Such as: Tanglehaven Scalp-on-a-Stick, Tattooed Mammoth-Ball Trophy, Bone Orchard Memorial Arrow, Meerschaum Sweetgnat Kiseru, Set of Monkeybone Bug Tweezers, and more.

There are so many interesting items that gives some small info of more mundane things we don't get to see or read about. I always find the wardrobe accessories ones interesting. Feathery Finery Shawl and Parrot-Feather Shawl would be interesting to see.

Fizzyapple

Do you guys think that the Wyrd Tree is connected in some way to the Vale? Maybe a rooted Graht-oak?

https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Wyrd_Tree
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Graht-oak

The spirits the Wyrd sisters commune with sound suspiciously similar to the forest spirit that the Bosmer refer to and might even be connected to Y’ffre.

A great writeup on the Bosmer:

https://www.eso-rp.com/forum/m/9324623/viewthread/14169109-bosmer-lore-online

Aendruu

Sorry for the necro, but now that the Enjin Website Builder has shut down I wondered if eso-rp.com has relocated?

* Edit * P.S. Extremely belated thanks, @Fizzyapple, for the link way back when; it was a very useful resource and it'd be a terrible shame if it was forever lost.

Aliyavana

Fizzyapple wrote: »

Do you guys think that the Wyrd Tree is connected in some way to the Vale? Maybe a rooted Graht-oak?

https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Wyrd_Tree
https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Graht-oak

The spirits the Wyrd sisters commune with sound suspiciously similar to the forest spirit that the Bosmer refer to and might even be connected to Y’ffre.

A great writeup on the Bosmer:

https://www.eso-rp.com/forum/m/9324623/viewthread/14169109-bosmer-lore-online

The Wyrd Tree is a nature spirit so yes, it’d be connected to y’ffre through the green. The Beldama Wyrd also worship Jephre. I dont think the Wyrd tree resembles a Graht Oak however.

TheNuminous1

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

Aendruu wrote: »

Thanks, @NotaDaedraWorshipper, that's an excellent tip! The list is long, so there's bound be be some interesting lore to be found.

Indeed. Sometimes it can be easier to just do some stealing in Valenwood to find some. But searching for wood elf/elves or bosmer on each category works quite well, but there are some bosmer themed items that don't have that in their name or flavour text. Such as: Tanglehaven Scalp-on-a-Stick, Tattooed Mammoth-Ball Trophy, Bone Orchard Memorial Arrow, Meerschaum Sweetgnat Kiseru, Set of Monkeybone Bug Tweezers, and more.

There are so many interesting items that gives some small info of more mundane things we don't get to see or read about. I always find the wardrobe accessories ones interesting. Feathery Finery Shawl and Parrot-Feather Shawl would be interesting to see.

I keep a full set of lore appropriate items on my altmer. Pearl filet knives, coral goblets, knapkins that send boogers to thras 🤣🤣