Bethesda Shows Off Skyrim's Dark Elves

[SextusMaximus]

CAN'T. F-ING. WAIT.

Although I'll be going with the Orcs!

 

[ms_sunlight]

Cool. This confirms my choice of race for my first playthrough.

Wood elf?

Ha. Ha. Ha. No.
My favorite playthrough of Oblivion was as a Dark Elf, I'll go with them again. Then Argonian if they still look cool.
[small]Wood elves suck anyway.[/small]

You're a big meanie! Every Elder Scrolls race is eminently playable

One of my favourite playthroughs of Morrowind was as a wood elf. Rose to head of House Telvanni. Would sap all your attributes then carve you up as soon as look as you!

 

[Saelune]

Didnt even think about the eyes. Wonder how they will be. In Morrowind they were just full on red, but in Oblivion, they were more normal (lamer) looking.

 

[Sightless Wisdom]

I've always thought the Dunmer were the lamest of dark elves. Hopefully the character creator will allow me to change their skin to purple and their hair white. That way I can just pretend their Drow... Regardless my first playthrough will probably be on a high-elf mage as usual.

 

[Dr.Nick]

Hmm this is the first time I've seen an Elf with facial hair. Did all dark elf males have facial hair in the elder scrolls series?

 

[Ammutseba]

Fear not whiners, I'm sure you'll be able to edit your character's skin tone, nose, mouth, jaw, chin, forehead, arms, legs, schlong, boobies, fingers, toes, hair, ears, nipples and breath.

 

[Braedan]

Dunmer were so cute in Oblivion!
Lets hope they go back to being thin, grumpy, raspy voiced pricks again.

 

[manythings]

He kind of looks Arabian.

I was thinking Mr. T.

Spoiler: I was thinking Toshiro Mifune.

Also, does anyone else notice that there appears to be Aurora Borealis in the sky behind him? Because that is awesome.

It is the frozen north so it makes sense to have an aurora.

 

[Gottesstrafe]

Looks like their design in Morrowind, actually. Having not seen any of the other elves, I can't really say this for sure. But if they're making the different races actually look unique and not small differences like a palette swap or a rounder/more gaunt face, then I'm definitely for this. I love the new Dunmer look.

Makes sense. Skyrim and Morrowind share a border and have a history of sending raiding parties into the other, so it'd make sense that the Dunmer there retain characteristics closer to their homeland. I've always felt that the Dunmer in Oblivion were a little too "native" for me, far too separated from their original immigrant generation to the point that they shared the Imperials' round faces and soft voices. I mean, sure the Dunmer from Morrowind were all dicks, but I feel Oblivion compensated for that too much in the other direction. Let's hope they bring back the scars and tattoos from Morrowind to the character generator too.

He kind of looks Arabian.
Also did anyone else notice that there's what appears to be the top half of a mushroom cloud in the distance.

Really? I always pictured them as a little chinese... well, not modern chinese anyway. Something a little like this:

Spoiler: Han dynasty Chinese general

 

[JokerboyJordan]

He looks like Rasputin! D:
Meh, I'd rather they show Argonians, though I'm not really an Elder Scrolls buff.

 

[Techno Destructo]

Boy won't it be fun to freeze our Argonians to death in the chilling mountains of Skyrim? Didn't see a single one in Bruma, so that tells me that the only Argonian will end up being the player when they choose their race LOL.

 

[ReiverCorrupter]

He kind of looks Arabian.
Also did anyone else notice that there's what appears to be the top half of a mushroom cloud in the distance.

I'm not big on being pc, but out of curiosity isn't the proper term 'semetic'? Arabian just strikes me as too nineteenth century to be considered unoffensive. Maybe it's "of Arabian decent".

And what about "dark elves"? That can't be PC. Maybe they prefer to be called Elvish Americans of Color. Somebody call the Tamriel version of the ACLU so we can get this sorted out...

 

[Nurb]

HE'S ALL DARK AND GRITTY LIKE A BADASS CUZ HE HAS A NIFE AND THATS SO COOL

 

[BBQ Platypus]

Cool. Now give them back their gruff voices from Morrowind.

 

[Scars Unseen]

Cue fans either bitching about or blindly praising Bethesda for this image. I can't really decide whether I like the character model or not till I see it animated, but I won't be playing as a Dunmer regardless (Argonians FTW!).

So you're predicting that fans would either like or dislike the image? What other option could you expect?

Personally, I see this as a good sign since with features like those, we're bound to have more customization options than Oblivion gave us. Also, I'm digging the apparent return to the Morrowind aesthetic.

 

[triggrhappy94]

He kind of looks Arabian.
Also did anyone else notice that there's what appears to be the top half of a mushroom cloud in the distance.

I'm not big on being pc, but out of curiosity isn't the proper term 'semetic'? Arabian just strikes me as too nineteenth century to be considered unoffensive. Maybe it's "of Arabian decent".

And what about "dark elves"? That can't be PC. Maybe they prefer to be called Elvish Americans of Color. Somebody call the Tamriel version of the ACLU so we can get this sorted out...

Yeah I know what you mean, but he is what he is, you know. If he looked Asian I'd say he looked Asian. Its not like its coming from a place of hate.

And, yeah there's no way "Dark Elves" isnt offensive. I think that'd be a great racial advancement to add in the series. Like how between Morrowind and Oblivion the slavery of Kajits (however you spell it) and Argonians was obolished, but there was still a lot of racisism towards them.

 

[Necrofudge]

I hope the voice acting will be similar to the third Elder Scrolls game... They were made to sound like pansies in Oblivion and it broke my heart.

 

[OdyCay]

that dark elf doesnt realy look real/life like the oblivion one seem better

 

[Jabberwock King]

Morrowind's Dunmer felt much more distinct from the other races than they did in Oblivion. The 1st thing that this picture tells me about Skyrim's rendering of the Dunmer is that they are going to have that perpetual grim and irritated face where they are constantly aware of someone having just farted. That inherently cold and formal nature is exactly what gave you a sense of accomplishment when you convinced them to like you.
"Under sun and sky, we welcome you outlander."
They said in a nice raspy voice, with a smile, and looking at me approvingly with those nice red eyes.