Just a brief foreword - this was an post for April Fool's Day 2020. Nonetheless I hope you enjoy!
Hey all, Ponty here! I haven’t been much of a lore scholar in the past, but I suppose there’s a first time for everything. What I’ve uncovered here in my studies simply has to be shared, and I don’t think there’s a better way to revitalise the lore group. Without further ado, I present:
A Report on the Smolmer
The Smolmer (smol meaning little in Old Aldmeris), are a subrace of the High Elves defined by their short but stout stature. Standing at between 3 and 4 feet in height, these elves are most commonly seen in their homeland of Alinor, or the Summerset Isles. Here they are more commonly known as ‘little elves’, simply ‘smols’, or the more offensive term ‘low elves'. In other lands, they are commonly mistaken for Altmeri children, much to their chagrin. Many of the Smolmer are hundreds of years old, as I will cover later in my report. They still possess the magical talents of their progenitors, and despite their small size many of them have determinedly proven themselves fearsome warriors and adventurers. Living amongst the Altmer, they still remain part of Altmer society, with all its traditions and formalities, though typically possess a lighter heart - both physically and mentally.
Smolmer are a relatively new phenomenon, only appearing on Tamriel at the beginning of the Fourth Era. None of the Smolmer remember a time before the beginning of this era, leading many scholars to believe they were forged in the fires of the Oblivion Crisis. The current prevailing theory is that the Smolmer are the changed forms of the refugees who survived the collapse of the Crystal Tower at the hands of the invading Daedra. As many of my fellow scholars will know, the Crystal Tower is one of the eight Towers which stabilise time and space within the Mundus. However, as the Crystal-Like-Law’s structure fell in upon itself, the rippling collapse of space-time within the Tower also compressed the structure of the Altmer refugees inside. The survivors who emerged from the wreckage had strange, compacted forms which we know today as the Smolmer.
Despite the efforts of the Thalmor to suppress knowledge of their existence, the intrepid Smolmer have found their way across the Isles, Tamriel and into our hearts. Some amongst the Thalmor believe that the Smolmer’s ‘deformed’ bodies tarnish the superior appearance of the High Elves in the eyes of the rest of Tamriel, while others propose that they should be disowned and exiled altogether. Many on the Isles, however, see the Smolmer as aspects of the Altmeri hero-god Phynaster. As my fellow academics may recall, Phynaster taught the High Elves to live a longer life by shortening their stride. The stride of a Smolmer is short indeed, and the little elves appear to age much more slowly than their taller counterparts. The Smolmer, like Phynaster, are an adventurous lot, and can often be found on long pilgrimages on and off the Isles.
If you made it to the end thank you very much for reading! I’d be interested to hear of your knowledge and and theories of the Smolmer in the comments below!
Comments
Thank you for sharing this forgotten, attempted-hidden lore. As a High Elf Activist, I appreciate the Altmer in all forms, especially the smol-est subrace of Smolmer.
Important question though: These Smolmer cannot ride normal mounts, so what is it that they take on long treks? My first assumption would miniature ponies or even large war-dogs, but I'm not satisfied until I hear from a fellow scholar.
Thank you for your interest, fellow scholar! As with many of the peoples of Tamriel, the Smolmer will often use mounts which suit the convenience of the regions they are travelling in. However due to their small size, I have seen them travelling in many unconventional configurations atop both conventional and unconventional mounts! Smaller pack animals, such as ponies and guars, are the most common, though I have once witnessed a trio of Smolmer adventurers riding in a specialised saddle on a single powerful horse! As you have surmised I have also encountered battle-ready Smolmer mounted upon larger working dog breeds and even black bears.
Perhaps the most interesting however was a dynamic duo I encountered travelling across the sands of Elsweyr, of a Smolmer pilgrim joined by a Senche-raht companion, serving as both a mount and traveling companion. I certainly hope to encounter them again someday and ask of their journey!
so they are high elf hobbits?
Nice report though :)
I suppose it's a somewhat valid comparison at least physically, my fellow scholar. However, unlike Tolkien's Hobbits, the Smolmer have a real penchant for adventure and travel! As I mentioned in the report they're also still quite ingrained in Altmeri culture and traditions, at least for the time being. Perhaps in future eras we may see the Smolmer develop their own culture - if that is the case I truly look forward to studying them in more detail!
Wouldnt a smolmer just be a bosmer?
Hi Curse, and thanks for your interest, fellow scholar! As you may have noticed from the above images, the Smols are in fact a distinctly different species. The Bosmer, despite being the shortest of the common races, still stand at least head and shoulders above even the tallest Smolmer. The Smolmer also have much stouter physiology compared to the typically lean Bosmer.
Could the appearance of the smolmer be tied to the disappearance of the Dwemer?
Definitely an interesting theory, fellow scholar! Given that the Dwemer dissappeared while attempting to use the power of Lorkhan's Heart, the Tower Stone of Red Mountain, it may be related to the events that transpired in the Crystal Tower during the Oblivion Crisis. However, despite persistent rumors to the contrary, the Dwemer themselves were actually of similar height and build to many of their cousins which are still around today.