Creation of Dunmer Houses

Malyore · January 2025

Is there any info on how exactly a new Dunmer lineage/House comes to be?
Since my Dunmer is an outlander and an orphan (no clue who my game parents are supposed to be haha), I'm wanting to know how I can roleplay to create my own lesser house.

Also, I imagine most families who marry will carry the name of the house with the highest prestige. So how do houses avoid total assimilation over time?

brylars · February 2025

I never really understood the "carrying the name of the house with the greatest prestige " thing. I don't recall there being anything that says that. If that was the case, over many centuries, certain house names would disappear. After a millennia, There would only be a few names. Great Houses would have just the house name, but that is not the case. They have many surnames. I do not believe the spouse takes on the other's name in every case either. So it may depend on wealth and prestige or it just may be one of those things that are inconsistent in the lore.

LootAllTheStuff · February 2025

According to the info on this page: https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Great_Houses

It looks like since the 3rd era there have been only 5 great houses, with one declining and another arising in place between the 3rd and 4th eras? For the minor houses going back to the 1st era listed at the bottom of that page, absorption or attrition through war seem to be the main causes of loss.

Malyore · February 2025

LootAllTheStuff wrote: »

For the minor houses going back to the 1st era listed at the bottom of that page, absorption or attrition through war seem to be the main causes of loss.

I thought the tribunal banned open warfare between houses, which is why the morag tong came to be?

brylars wrote: »

I never really understood the "carrying the name of the house with the greatest prestige " thing. I don't recall there being anything that says that.

I'm not sure if it specifically says that the name with the most weight gets carried over. I just assumed with how political the dunmeri people are, that they would choose the name that would present them the most opportunities.

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Is there any info on how a new House begins? Or is everything we see just left over from the velothi movement?

LootAllTheStuff · February 2025

Malyore wrote: »

LootAllTheStuff wrote: »

For the minor houses going back to the 1st era listed at the bottom of that page, absorption or attrition through war seem to be the main causes of loss.

I thought the tribunal banned open warfare between houses, which is why the morag tong came to be?

Between major houses, yes, but there were other wars as well in different eras:

There was a civil war between houses in the first era (pre-Tribunal) leading to the extinction of one house.
Long slow decline of one house during the 2nd-3rd eras (including assassinations and suicides)
Red Mountain eruption and war with the Argonians in the fourth era

A couple of the minor houses similarly disappeared during prolonged warfare, either with the Chimer of the forces of Mehrunes Dagon.

In the second era, things seem to have been *mostly* stable as far as the major houses go. But there was obviously a lot oof discontent within the period, particularly that covered by ESO, including outright internecine warfare. Mirri's companion quest is among a number of side quests that reflect more individual choices and how important the concept of their House was. (I think that includes at least one inter-racial marriage if I remember it right?)

GloatingSwine · February 2025

Is this how you honour the sixth house, and the tribe unmourned?

The five Great Houses trace their foundings back to the Merethic or early First Era and the pilgrimmage of Saint Veloth. There was once a sixth, until the war with and subsequent disappearance of the Dwemer after which that one was pronounced traitor and dissolved (allegedly).

They were originally clan groupings formed of a number of families who came together over common goals and interests. By the second era the time of the houses being formed of and led by blood relations has been over for some time, and they are mostly political entities.