Dunmeri Nightblades

rune476 · December 2017

So ive been trying to figure out exactly what a nightblade is, and the answer ive come to is that they are a mostly breton thing, and popular around high rock. The issue is, i play i dunmer and try to stay as lore prevalent as possible (as in as few headcanon explanations as possible)

Is there any specific lore for Dunmer nightblades or have i made a wrongful decision. I have put 160+ hours into the game by now and it would really bum me out to have to racechange/start over.

ListerJMC · December 2017

I don't believe it is confined to Bretons, in fact there are NPCs of all races (including many dunmer) which are classed as Nightblades in both Oblivion and Morrowind. The only lorebooks I could find other than in-game descriptions that mention the class are:

1. Mystery of Talara IV (en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Mystery_of_Talara#Part_IV) has an Empire-serving nightblade character named 'Proseccus' which sounds Imperial to me, not Breton.

2. Pocket Guide to the Empire, First Edition: Cyrodiil (en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Pocket_Guide_to_the_Empire,_1st_Edition/Cyrodiil) says that a nightblade from part of High Rock killed an Emperor, which I'm assuming is where you've gotten the idea it's a Breton thing.

Nightblade skill specialisations have changed a bit with each game, but basically they use a combination of assassin and mage skills in combat. Your character possibly doesn't even think of themselves as a nightblade, they've just found that they gain the most success fighting that way. Dunmer have natural bonuses to both magic and agility, which works well with that combination.

I could have missed something but as far as I can see it's not lore breaking at all. I hope that helps!

ArchMikem · December 2017

A Nightblade isn't specific to a Race, it's more a fighting style. Common to Thieve's and Assassins. Just like Templars can be any Race who use their worship of Stendarr to fight.

Konstant_Tel_Necris · December 2017

Yes there was dunmer nightblades in Lore, in Poison Song one of them work on Baynarah
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/morrowind-poison-song-book-vi

Another example
It was in this battle that the Sentinel Warlord K'avar received his disfiguring injury, the result of a fireball cast by a Dark Elf mercenary nightblade
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/daggerfall-narrative

House Telvanni frequently employ nightblades for their service

Another example is Nightingale from Real Barenziah, they are named as Nightingales in the book and Skyrim made them elite guards of Twilight Sepulcher and agents of Nocturnal, but they are nightblades in core, there also mentioned such nighblades work for Ebonheart, rival city for Mournhold.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/real-barenziah
"The Nightingale's of Ebonheart, of the Ra'athim Clan - House Hlaalu, the House of Mora in particular, I'll be bound. That house has had human blood in it since her time. Ebonheart was jealous that the Staff was laid here when Tiber Septim took the Horn of Summoning from us"

Also, you need to know that's bretons can be decedent of dunmers as well, not only altmers of Direnni clan from High Rock can be bretons, but decedents of Clan Ra'athim and nords can be them as well.

Ratzkifal · December 2017

When I think of nightblades I think more of Dunmer than Bretons for the exact reasons ListerJMC stated. Also here is a source of Dunmer Nightblades existing from Elder Scrolls Legends

uGGo7 · December 2017

"Nightblade" is more of a magic using thief/rogue type character. It isn't really restricted to race, altough you could say that races that have natural aptitude for magic are more pulled towards that fighting style (Bretons, Altmers, Dunmers for example)

This is from the in-game description of Nighblade in TES III: Morrowind

"Nightblades are spellcasters who use their magics to enhance mobility, concealment, and stealthy close combat. They have a sinister reputation, since many nightblades are thieves, enforcers, assassins, or covert agents."

Gilvoth · December 2017

from morrowind all the assassins were dark elf.

Xvorg · January 2018

dwemer_paleologist wrote: »

from morrowind all the assassins were dark elf.

Not sure about the ones in the DB. But Morag Tong had plenty of other races. Even Huleeya was a Morag Tong thrall in TES 3. Perhaps an assasin not born under the Shadow?

The Elder Scrolls Online

Dunmeri Nightblades

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