The Elder Scrolls franchise is teeming with a wide variety of humanoid life forms that populate the world of Tamriel. These have been broken down into five racial categories, each with multiple sub-races that sometimes pose vast differences between one another despite the nature of their origins.
To date, only 10 of these sub-races have been available during the character creation process, and they've only represented three of the racial categories within the world. Here's what you should know about Tamriel's races.
Man
Men, or humankind, is one of the predominant races in Tamriel. Their numbers are vast and, at times, overwhelming to the other races who populate the regions they occupy. The origins of humankind are unknown, as there is no specific region of Nirn men came from. Lorekeepers among the Mer do not detail their origins, and men themselves have no record of their own origins.
Men come in a variety of sizes, shapes and skin tones, often dependent upon the region they hail from. For example, the men of Skyrim tend to be relatively pale-skinned, while the Redguards of Hammerfell are dark-skinned. One of the most significant differences men seem to possess is a shorter lifespan than most Mer, as they don't often live beyond 100 years. Men are said to be able to interbreed with Merfolk, but whether or not they are able to breed with Beastfolk is unconfirmed.
Of the sub-races of men, there are 17 known distinctions: Al-gemha, Al-hared, Bretons, Duraki, Horwalli, Imperials, Keptu, Kothringi, Men-of-ge, Nedes, Nords, Orma, Perena, Reachmen, Redguards, Rontha and Yespest. Only four of the sub-races of men have been offered as playable characters in the Elder Scrolls games; Bretons, Imperials, Nords and Reguards have all been available to players.
Mer
Sometimes called Elvenkind, the Mer enjoy significantly longer lifespans than Men or Beastfolk, living for several hundred years. Due to their longevity, their fertility rates are lower, their bodies only compensating when they endure heavy losses. Due to this, they are rarely prompted to start wars over territory because they don't experience the same overpopulation problems other races often face.
Much like humankind, Mer tend to vary in skin tone, from dark ashen grey to pale yellow or gold. It is believed that all Elves came from a race known as the Aldmer, which is now extinct. There are 11 known sub-races of Mer, and among them are the Aldmer, Altmer, Ayleid, Bosmer, Chimer, Dunmer, Dwemer, Falmer, Maomer, Orsimer and Sinistral Mer.
The Dwemer and Orsimer are quite different than the rest of their race. Dwemer, which most people believe to be extinct, are more like dwarves than stereotypical fantasy elves, while the Orsimer are more commonly known as orcs. Of the eleven sub-races, only four have been offered as playable characters: Altmer, Bosmer, Dunmer and Orsimer.
Beastfolk
Unlike Men and Mer, the Beastfolk (or Beastmen) do not share common ancestry among their sub-races. Their physiology and metabolism set them apart from the other races, and their cultural differences are also quite severe by comparison. There are 18 sub-races of Beastfolk, and though there are rumors of interbreeding with other races (and even within their sub-races), none of these rumors have ever been proven.
Among the sub-races are Argonians, Birdmen, Centaur, Dreugh, Frost Giants, Giants, Goblins, Grummite, Harpies, Imga, Khajiit, Lamia, Lilmothiit, Lizard Bull, Minotaur, Nereid, Nymph and Sload. Of these, only two have been playable characters: the Argonians and Khajiit.
Akaviri
Akaviri are a mysterious race from the continent of Akavir. Not much is known about them, as they are said to be extinct, but some believe they shared a common ancestor with the Atmora. Akaviri share such a similar physiology to humankind that those with Akaviri ancestry are indistinguishable from a full-blooded human. There are seven sub-races of Akaviri: Akaviri, Ka Po 'Tun, Kamal, Tang Mo, Tsaesci, Rat People and Canine Folk. The Akaviri have never been a playable race in the franchise.
Et'Ada
The Et'Ada are also known as the Original Spirits, and they are often viewed by the mortals of Tamriel as gods or god-like beings. Some of the Et'Ada took part in the creation of Mundus, while others chose not to participate and instead created their own realms within the plane of Oblivion.
Among the Et'Ada, there are five sub-races. The Aedra, which created Mundus, are often referred to as "our ancestors" among the people of Nirn. The Daedra, who created realms in Oblivion, are referred to as "not our ancestors. Dragons, or Dov, are powerful creatures with their own culture and language. There are also Ehlnofey and Magne-Ge. Of these five sub-races, none have been offered as playable characters. However, many have been encountered across The Elder Scrolls games and within the lore.
As Bethesda continues to expand and explore The Elder Scrolls franchise, one can only hope the lesser-explored races become available for players looking to experience something different from the standard offerings. While we don't know what The Elder Scrolls VI will bring, it would be interesting to have the chance to delve deeper into the lore of races like the Akaviri.