The Falmer inThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimare a strange bunch of elves with a tragic history. After a fall from grace that happened thousands of years prior to the events of the main game, much of their culture has been diminished and forgotten. However, apparently not all is lost in the eyes of the Falmer.
InThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, players can find signs that the Falmer continue to worship a mysterious god. This is odd considering the god in question seems to go by a name not previously seen in Bethesda’s franchise. Players are left to question who the Falmer’s god really is, and what purpose they may serve, but there are some hints to work through.
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The Identity of the Falmer’s Mysterious God in Skyrim
InSkyrim, the player can find two locations that refer to the mysterious entity worshiped by the Falmer. They are both found close to one ofSkyrim’s many Dwemer ruins, one being called the “Temple of Xrib” and the other called the “Altar of Xrib.” Both locations lack any relevant details as to who or what Xrib actually is. All that is known about Xrib is that it is some kind of entity the Falmer worship, which may be particularly concerning considering how hellbent the Falmer are on spiting the surface world.
One idea that comes to mind is that Xrib may have been a god worshiped by the Dwemer given both locations are completely constructed by Dwemer hands. However, according tothe lore behindThe Elder Scrolls' Dwemer, they didn’t believe any sort of deity was worthy of worship. It’s not that the Dwemer didn’t believe the gods were real, they simply believed their own ingenuity and technology could outpace the potential of the gods. It is possible that some Dwemer used certain magic or Daedric rituals in order to gain power in locations such as the Altar of Xrib, but it is unlikely these interactions were anything more than exchanges.
Another possibility is that players already know who Xrib already is, as one important aspect ofThe Elder Scrollsfranchise is that gods can take on various forms and identities. For example,Skyrim’s god of mankind, Shor, is known as Lorkhan and Lorkhaj by other cultures. Xrib could be a variation of one of the existing Divines or Daedric Princes. One possibility could be that the Falmer worship Namira, the Daedric Prince of Darkness who is also often associated with insects. Given the Falmer are blind and also keep Chaurus around at all times, Namira would be a sensible candidate.
One more possibility is that Xrib could simply be an unseenDaedric Prince waiting to be revealed inThe Elder Scrolls. Other Daedric Princes are out there that players don’t know everything about. Xrib may very well be a Daedric Prince who choses to finally reveal themselves by reaching out to the Falmer. Whoever Xrib may be, hopefullyThe Elder Scrolls 6follows up on this mystery. Considering the state of the Falmer inSkyrim, they may very well be on their way to the surface world sometime soon. If this Xrib has any ill intentions, this may spell disaster for the people of Skyrim.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - Anniversary Editionis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
