Concept art of an Echmer male.
The Echmer (/EK-MER/Ech-mer), also known as the Bat-Elves, Echo Folk, and the People of Echoes, are a race of bat-like beastfolk that dwell on the islands known collectively as Yneslea. A major misconception (as well as a matter of much debate) is that the Echmer are literally elves; this is not true, at least not in the conventional sense. A naturally shy, prideful, loyal, factual, and intelligent race, they frown down on foreigners as they see them as intruders and meddlers in their domain. Well-versed in science and academics, it is of importance to note that the Echmer as a whole frown down upon the use of the arcane arts, and prefer using their ‘echolalia fantasia ’ instead. Echolalia Fantasia is actually a specialized form of ancient Dwemeri tonal architecture, also known as acoustineering. The Echmer know more about the Deep Folk than anyone – even the Chimer – as they were created accidentally by Dwemer themselves.
Etymology of the Echmer[]
Echmer is the merish name the race chose for themselves through the studying of the original Aldmeri and Dwemer language, which they eventually used to create their own language known as Echi. In Aldmeri, Ech means ‘echo’, ‘mirror’, or ‘trace’. Thus, some translations can be ‘Echo Folk’, ‘Mirror Folk’, or ‘Trace Folk’, but Echo Folk is the most symbolic and chosen translation, because in a sense the Echmer are an echo of the Dwemer.
When the Tamrielics brought the islands of Yneslea under Imperial rule, Echmer began to be wrongly translated into ‘Bat Folk’. Although the Echmer are descended from the primitive bats that dwelled underneath the island, they frown down upon this mistranslation. Because of this, the Aldmeri word known as ‘Ech’ has become synonymous with the word ‘bat’ in the Empire, even amongst actual mer (except for the Altmer, who are trying to keep the Aldmeri language uncorrupted).
Physiology and Anatomy[]
A sketch of an Protoechi by an Echmer researcher.
The Echmer are unique compared to the rest of the other races on Nirn in terms of body structure due to their unique origins. Their entire race began as bats altered by the Dwemer Noraken Clan’s tonal architecture, resulting in them gaining black souls and increasing their intelligence and natural growth immensely. Because of this they can be considered on of the few races that have truly evolved on Nirn, going from a bestial form to a now merish form through arcane means.
Echmer generally stand at a height of five to six feet, weighing around one-hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds. They are naturally slim and well-muscled, with greater strength than the actual Mer races except for the Orsimer. The skin of an Echmer is usually a dark caramel tone, but is covered with light fur ranging in various shades of brown, grey, white, and black. Echmer do not have hair in the normal sense, but do stylize and dye their fur to express their individuality. An Echmer’s head still resembles the head of a bat, slightly protruding forwards. Their ears are merish, but larger and closer in both shape, appearance, and function to the ears of a bat. This allows them to hear exceptionally well, picking up sound frequencies that the other races can’t even hear. They have four-fingered hands with opposable thumbs and four claws on each foot along with a back claw that allows them to hang from the ceiling (but they are still capable of sleeping in regular beds).
The Echmer are capable of seeing through the use of their natural eyes and by the use of echolocation (their ‘reflected sounds’). Their natural eyes are well-adjusted to darkness due to naturally living underground, but grow more accustomed to sunlight the longer they stay on the service. With echolocation they are able to see things through the use of sending out mental noise in an area and receiving a black and white after image in case they enter an area of extreme darkness. Because of this, it is often considered impossible to truly blind an Echmer.
The most remarkable physical detail of the Echo People is their wings. They are joined to their forearms and sides like the wings of a regular bat, and although they are incapable of sustained flight they are able to glide very well.
The Echo People give birth to live young after nine months like the other merish races, with one offspring at one time, although twins are common and triplets extremely rare. An Echmer female can have about four children in her lifetime. The typical elf lives to about one-hundred and fifty years of age, with their fur becoming more silky the older they get, but a very healthy individual can live to see the age of two-hundred.
Echmeri Subspecies[]
The main populace of Echmer as a race consists of four subspecies of their kind, with each eating only a specific type of food. The Hemaechi drink blood for nourishment. The Entoechi hunt and kill insects for nourishment. The Pomiechi gather and consume fruit for nourishment. The Lactechi harvest Yak milk for nourishment.
Notes on Echmer Subspecies[]
The species of Tamriel are divided into many subgroups. The Argonians have the Naga, Sarpa, and more. The Reachmen are an offshoot of Bretons. And the Khajiit have over 24 different physical forms depending on the phases of the moon. Similar to those races, the Echmer are compromised of subspecies as well, four to be exact. These different groups have the general Echmeri body makeup, but have substantial anatomical differences that set them apart from each other.
The main reason these groups exist is because of the tonal architecture used by the Dwemer affected all the different types of bats, not just one particular species of them. As they took on more humanoid shapes and became more intelligent, these species would eventually mingle (resulting in the modern Echmeri form) but largely remain unaltered from each other: the subgroups are the Hemaechi, the Entoechi, the Pomiechi, and the Lactechi.
The Hemaechi, which means ‘the blood echoes’ (or in Tamriel, ‘the blood bats’) are generally the largest of the Echmer race in terms of both size and muscle. They are descended from ancient vampire bats, and because of this their main source of nourishment is blood. They drink it, creating interesting wines out of the substance, or create morsels of blood in the form of gelatin. Hemaechi can drink the blood of most creatures (they refrain from drinking the blood of Daedra and the blood of other Echmer), mainly the Yak, which is the prized herd animal of the Echmeri race.
The Entoechi, which means ‘the insect echoes’ (or in Tamriel, ‘the insect bats’) are generally the most athletic and perceptive of the Echmer race. Their eyes are more adjusted to natural light than others of their kind. They are descended from ancient insect-eating bats, resulting in their present diet consisting of the creatures that make up the insectoid family (because of this, they were also somewhat responsible for the Hyu-Ket dying off due to their insect-like physiology). Their favorite delicacy are large mites that live in the Dweech.
The Pomiechi, which means ‘the fruit echoes’ (or in Tamriel, ‘the fruit bats’) are generally the most limber and flexible of the Echmer race. They are descended from ancient fruit bats, and naturally their main source of food is fruit. They are known for adding fruit into multiple dishes and beverages, as well as making absurdly sweet types of wine that are actually made from fruit other than grapes, or at least contain very little of their flavor (for they think that ‘ordinary’ wine is boring in terms of taste).
The Lactechi, which means ‘the milk echoes’ (or in Tamriel, ‘the milk bats’) are generally the most hardy and enduring of the Echmer race. They are descended from ancient milk-drinking bats, and continue the practice in the present by consuming dairy products as their main forms of substance. They eat yogurt, cheese, and mainly cream, making interesting flavors for each of them. According to their own records, they have created over a hundred different types of milk alone. The legendary Echmeri delicacy of ice cream was also created by the Lactechi.
History[]
Because the Echmer didn’t exist as an actual race until the First Aeon (First Era), their history is much shorter than those of the other races due to technically being the youngest race on Nirn.
Aeon Zero[]
The Echmer are descended from the Ehlnofey, the Earthbones, that walked the whole of Nirn during Aeon Zero (the Dawn Era). Some of these Earthbones eventually became the different species of bats that resided within the massive cavern systems beneath the islands in the Ynesleaic archipelago. Because of this, the Echmer acknowledge their relationship with nature rather than ponder upon their relationship with the immortal divinities, seeing themselves separate from them in many ways.
First Aeon[]
In 1A 508, the Noraken, a Dwemeri Clan, split off from their brethren on Vvardenfell over matters of research study and sailed eastward across the Padomaic Ocean so they could conduct their experiments at their leisure. They eventually made landfall on the islands that would eventually become modern day Yneslea. As the Noraken began to construct their factories and underground fortresses, they discovered species of bats within the caverns. Not viewing them as anything particularly interesting, the Dwemer continued with their constructions.
These bats, however, were very attuned to the vibrations of sound and became attracted to the Dwemer and their use of tonal architecture, as well as the noise created by their machinery. As the years went by, these bats found themselves slowly becoming something…different. The Dwemer noticed this change, and immediately began rounding up as many of the bats that they could find and started to examine them. They found this ‘evolution’ to be fascinating, and sought to see if these bats could be considered sentient because of their newfound metamorphosis.
Staging them as Trials, the Dwemer began to teach these evolved bats how to read and write, use arithmetic practically, and the fundamentals of the universe. The bats became wiser through these Trials and their bodies continued evolving until they appeared more merish than bat. The Noraken began to use them as a workforce, teaching them how to maintain their machinery while they themselves focused on more important endeavors. As final proof of their sentience, the Noraken told the former bats to come up with a name for themselves. Using Aldmeri words, they named themselves ‘Echmer’, meaning the ‘Echo Folk’.
The mer-bats (unbeknownst to themselves) were the pseudo-slaves of the Dwemer, but were also their students as the Deep Elves taught them more complex ideals. However, the Echmer found themselves at a crossroads over many of the things that the Dwemer were teaching them as they began to think deeper about it. Like their masters, they believed that the gods were not untouchable or all-powerful but at the same time believed that they could at least be respected on a minimal level. They thought that ones ancestors should be placed in positions of highest honor. They also believed that transcending the mortal plane was a feat impossible and foolish at the time. Despite these misgivings, the Echmeri continued doing the tasks of their masters.
But then the Disappearance of the Dwarves occurred in 1A 700, and Dwemer everywhere vanished due to the events at the Battle of Red Mountain. The Echmeri continued doing their daily duties, wondering if their masters had simply traveled to another part of the caverns for some new experiment without informing them. And they waited. And they continued waiting. Not even present day Echmeri historians know how long their people waited for the Dwemer to return, but eventually their leaders revealed that they believed that their masters had abandoned them. The leaders decided that now the Echmer would be the masters, and they will create their own works and produce their own experiments. As a people, they decided they would no longer be in the Dwemer’s shadows; now, the Dwemer would be in theirs.
However, the Echo Folk soon dissolved into a civil war when they couldn’t decide who would lead their now independent nation. In 1A 704, the Council of Dull Chimes emerged from the chaos and was established as the technocratic government of the Echmeri people, with originally only three members residing on the council. One year later in 705 the Penta Wards were founded as ‘independent extensions’ of the Council, and were comprised of the Coalescent Efflux, the Shattering Fusion, the Hidden Perception, the Neglectful Acceptance, and the Confined Abyss. The heads of these respected Wards were incorporated into the Council of Dull Chimes, creating the now permanent eight-member seat.
The Echmer soon began their first excursions to the surface in 1A 707 after the government was officially secured over the populace, and started what is known as The Fourteen Years of Progress as they began to spread their influence throughout their islands. During these years, the Echmer discovered the two things that would cement their power over Yneslea: a strong silver metal ore known as solarite (which they would use to reverse-engineer Dwemeri technology and build their own cities and automatons), and the Yak. An indigenous herd animal of the islands, the Echmer would eventually use its milk to create the cream they would become famous for.
During these years, they also came across the goblins known as the Hyu-Ket. The Echo Folk saw them as primitive and only semi-sentient, and eventually decided to enslave them to work on the construction of their underground homes. The enslavement would eventually end sometime in the early Third Era, when the Council of Dull Chimes deemed the practice unbefitting and immoral. The Echmer continued constructing their underground cities until official completion in 1A 728.
Hrahndeyl, the Echmer who would apotheosize to become the god-hero known as HRAHNDEYL, was born in the year 1E 738 under mysterious circumstances. Accounts vary on his time as a mortal, although confirmed facts are that he was banished from his home in 747 and wandered Nirn for twenty-years before returning to Yneslea to speak of the new things he had discovered. To display his new knowledge, he achieved permanence in the fabric of reality by building the Pleonastic Spire to pierce through the Black-Welkin, becoming an ATEDA and marking the first and only time an Echmer has ascended into godhood. This event caused a slight reformation amongst the Echmer, with them now focusing on religious beliefs as well as scholarly pursuits.
The next several centuries went by in a blur and were largely forgettable until 1A 2920, when the Kamal unleashed a terrifying blizzard on the Ynesleaic archipelago for an entire year, known as the First Annum of Cold Death. Thousands above and belowground perished when famine and disease rocketed the islands, installing an intense hatred and rage for the Snow Demons of Akavir. This first meeting with an outside race marked the end of the First Aeon.
Second Aeon[]
The Second Aeon was declared when the Kamal unleashed a terrifying blizzard on the Ynesleaic archipelago for an entire year, known as the First Annum of Cold Death. Thousands above and belowground perished when famine and disease rocketed the islands, installing an intense hatred and rage for the Snow Demons of Akavir.
It wasn’t until 2A 35 that the Kamal of Akavir set foot on any island of Yneslea for the first time. They invaded both Yne and Slea at the same time, the former by way of the Hae’macrin Mountains and the latter by way of Urroal. Echmeri records say the fleet was led by General Tala’Faal Yir-Kamal, who was attempting to annex the archipelago under his king. Through superior battle tactics and deployment of their automatons – which the Kamal had never encountered before – the Echmer were able to drive back the invaders. This resulted in a bitter resentment towards foreigners to manifest within the Echo Folk, which would not be helped by the Kamal continuing invasions that they would repeatedly repel
The Echmer charged out for the first time in their lives against an unfamiliar race and foe, emerging victorious and successfully driving the Kamal back to Akavir. This marked the first of dozens of attempts by the Kamal to conquer the Ynesleaic Archipelago, which was frequent during the Second Aeon.
The Echmer took an interest in the moons Masser and Secunda at the beginning of the Second Era, creating the colony of Chiroptera on the surface of Masser in 2A 59. Their transliminal craft, known as nullbarques, soon became the standard vessel for travel into the Outer Realms for the entire race.
A chance encounter with the Tsaesci resulted in the Echmer creating a trading route with the Akaviri race in 2E 128, trading spices for cream and lore books with a Tsaesci Ambassador showing up once every fifty years to speak with the Council of Dull Chimes. Many villains also arose to plague the islands of Yneslea, ranging from homicidal Echmer sorcerers, vile necromancers, and goblin revolts. The End of the Second Aeon was marked by two events: A false return of mythical Spirit Chief of the Hyu-Ket people resulted in Echmer interference in a civil war amongst the race, as well as all contact with Chiroptera going completely dark and seemingly disappearing from Masser.
Third Aeon[]
Because of the crisis with the Hyu-Ket along with the general public and several members of the Council of Dull Chimes deeming the practice of forced labor unbefitting and immoral the act of slavery was eventually abolished entirely in 3A 4. The Hyu-Ket returned to their simple existence, but were fewer and number as well as changed from the centuries of working for the Echmer.
The Echmer would live (relatively) in peace for thousands of years, braving assaults from the Kamal, Tsaesci, and internal strife until the Third Era. During Uriel Septim V’s Akaviri Campaign, the Ynesleaic islands found themselves being stormed by the Tamrielics which started the Twelvemonth War in 3E 27A. Arrogant of their winnings against the Kamal in the past, the Echmer went out to face their new foe only to be surprised to find a force to be reckoned with waiting for them. Despite fighting valiantly, the Echmer were forced to surrender and signed a treaty with the Emperor, who met with the Council of Dull Chimes (and also the god-hero HRAHNDEYL according to legend) and annexed the islands as a Tamrielic territory in 3A 279 with the infamous Truce In The East.
After the Akaviri Campaign ultimately failed, the legions largely redrew from the islands. The Echmeri traded their cream with the Empire – which the Tamrielics absolutely adored – along with other supplies for Tamrielic books, scrolls, and animal/plant specimens for study. An Echmer Embassy was built in Cyrodiil and an Echmeri Consul was given a seat on the Elder Council. Echmer technology was also secretly sent to Tamriel at the haste of the Emperor, resulting in faster improvements to Tamrielic devices. Many note that the Kamal Invasions remarkably stopping during this time, possibly owing to the fact that Yneslea was now a part of the Tamrielic Empire.
Yneslea remained largely uninhabited by Tamrielics until 3A 425, when the Council of Dull Chimes begrudgingly agreed to foreign settlement of their lands. In 3A 433 the Echmer were also affected by the Oblivion Crisis, with secret Mythic Dawn cultists on Yneslea opening Oblivion Gates on the islands. The Echmer were however able to successfully close the gates with their superior technology and tonal architecture, but suffered heavy losses as well. The End of the Third Aeon was marked by the death of Martin Septim and the dissolution of the entire Septim Dynasty.
Fourth Aeon[]
With the Septim Empire now gone and all of the government’s it had affected now trying to make sense of the chaos, the Council of Dull Chimes decided it was time to secede. However, this soon was postponed when the volcano of Red Mountain erupted in 4A 5 on the island of Vvardenfell in Morrowind. Thousands died and the entire Morrowind province was heavily damaged.
Then Echmer Consul Sirius immediately sent word to the Council of Dull Chimes to send as many supplies as they could to the refugees. In the first time in recorded history, Echmer ships traveled to mainland Tamriel not for trading or for Empire business, but to help. They made landfall near Blacklight, where they provided crates of medical aid and supplies before sailing back to their homeland for more. The Echmer were not present during the Second Arnesian War, but the provisions they sent were a key component to House Redoran’s victory over the Argonians in Black Marsh.
The Echmer eventually seceded the entirety of Yneslea from the Empire in 4A 10, but remained trading partners with the whole of Tamriel in the process. The islands would remain neutral in their dealings with the Empire and the rising Aldmeri Dominion, not inciting favoritism with either party.
In the year 4A 18 the Echmer faced the first Kamal invasion force in centuries since the early Third Era, sinking the fleet with ease but being effected by a mysterious fog in the process for several months. Many Echmer scholars report that they could hear voices coming from the fog, and those that went into it never returned or came back gibbering nonsense.
The Bleakrock-Yneslea Concord of 4A 20 struck up a trading deal and route between Yneslea and Bleakrock Isle, now under the control of Great House Redoran of the Dunmer people. An Echmeri Exul village was also established on the island, cementing the growing friendship between the Dark Elves and Bat Elves.
When the Void Nights occurred between 4A 98-100 the Echmer mysteriously regained contact with the moon colony of Chiroptera after a thousand years, the surviving colonists sending a message about the ‘Dead Moon’ and ‘Lost Legions from the Underworld’. The message then abruptly ended, disturbing the Council of Dull Chimes and the entire Echmer race in general. A service party was immediately sent to rediscover Masser and Secunda, only for the moons of Nirn to reappear in the sky shortly afterwards with Chiroptera still not found.
The Echmer didn’t participate during the Great War between the Mede Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion in 4A 171-175, although they were pressured to by both sides. Because of this they were exempted from the effects of the war, although they have been forced to have Empire and Thalmor Embassies (as well as an Echmer Embassy in Summerset Isles) erected immediately.
Society[]
WIP
Culture[]
Traditional (Dweech) Echmer Culture[]
An Echmer that lives in the Dweech.
While the Echmer are not actually descended from the Aldmer like the actual merish races, their society is heavily influenced by the mer that created them: the Dwemer. The Deep Elves themselves shared several concepts with Aldmeri culture, which was ancient, complex, and sophisticated. Because of this, the Echo People are heavily influenced by Dwemeri, and to a lesser degree, Aldmeri society. Native Echmer have strong competitive, empirical, and technocratic traditions, which can be observed in their unique form of ancestor worship, the Council of Dull Chimes, and the Collective of ATEDA.
The Echmer live in strong familial units known as Sects that consist of their direct blood-relations and value great respect and loyalty to one another. Sects can marry into other Sects, and new Sects can be authorized for formation by the Council. The Penta Wards were founded alongside the Council of Dull Chimes, existing as cosmopolitan sects consisting of family sects that undertake their own personal endeavors of metaphysical nature. Each Ward is led by a High Hypothesian and has its own personal Urb in the Dweech, and the leaders make up the five other seats on the eight-seat Council of Dull Chimes. This government setup has lasted and remained stable since its conception, ironic compared to the feuding nature of the actual merish races, and keeps the Law (a series of permanent codes of honor and conduct that semi-bind the Echmeri race) intact and functional.
These are the ancient Penta Wards of Yneslea: the Coalescent Efflux, the Shattering Fusion, the Hidden Perception, the Neglectful Acceptance, and the Confined Abyss. They can easily be identified by their emblems: a flowing star (Coalescent Efflux), a starburst (Shattering Fusion), an eye with a star in it (Hidden Perception), a hand sprinkled with stardust (Neglectful Acceptance), and a hole filled with falling stars (Confined Abyss). Membership within the Penta Wards is largely determined by birth and marriage, but a lone Echmer can attempt to join one of them on their own, but must undergo a series of physical and mental tests in order to be deemed worthy.
Exul Culture[]
Exul is the Echmeri term for members of their own kind that dwell on the surface instead of underground. This can be for a variety of reasons: self-exile, a fondness for the sun, crimes against the Echmeri populace, or individual pursuits into open or forbidden researches. Because of this, their lifestyle is more ‘primitive’ than that of their underground cousins, living in simple but elaborately constructed settlements of natural materials and herding the native animals. Some violent Exul choose to live in ancient Dwemer and Protoechi ruins scattered across the island, acting as brigands towards travelers.
The ‘Surface’ Echmer choose to live in more communal villages, allowing Echmer and (more recently) foreigners of all stripes to live amongst them. At first, it would appear that they do not have access to the more advanced technology of the Dweech; this is in fact wrong and inaccurate assumption. They have access to and are in possession of many of the technologies their underground brethren uses on a daily basis. Each village is led by a Suzerain, who is officially elected every five years. In essence, however, the villagers are autonomous. Every four years all of the Suzerains travel to the Council of Dull Chimes for the general Echmeri consensus.
As far as relations with the Empire has gone, the Exul are welcoming to the Empire far more than their subterranean kin. They allow foreigners to live and trade amongst them, and have even migrated to Imperial cities. Some Exul have even joined the Legions, and are currently advancing through the ranks.
Architecture[]
Dweech Urb Style[]
Echmer Urbs are built literally out of the caverns and made out of a strange, silver metal that the Echmer mine both underground and on the surface. Buildings jut out of the ground and build upwards into the rock walls and sometimes into the ceilings with intricate walkways, ladders, and thermal-makers allow the Echmer to travel between them with ease. Natural underground river rapids and waterfalls flow in the Urbs constantly, with green lamps lighting certain dark areas. They are constructed in an elaborate three section style, with each section in the shape of a circle surrounding the next section until the last.
Metropolitan Style is the Outlying Section and is where the populace lives. The buildings here are smaller than those of the other sections and feature high-walled outer courtyards and halls. Domiciles – the respected manors of Echmeri sects – are built like aristocratic strongholds that command love and respect. Places of trade can also be found here like forges and other civilian utilities.
Academic Style is the Middle Section, which focuses on the education of youths, the pursuit of research of many facets, and hosts all intuitional places such as libraries and orreries. The buildings here are sleek and towering, joined together but have enough space to pass through them freely by walkway or the Aerogrid.
Doctrinal Style is the Inner Section and is dedicated to our ancestors. Grand multi-tiered blocks are arranged alongside streets of perfectly tiered gardens and rivers. High bridges lead across the canals to smaller shrines and tabernacles, and statues of our Ancestors adorn the streets. The main point of prestige here is the Shul, which is connected to all other buildings within the section.’
Exul Village Style[]
The Exul village style harnesses is both simple yet interestingly complex. Huts are built of local materials, with organic curves and camouflaged exteriors to match the landscape and shield the villagers from natural predators. Fences wrap the settlements in a rectangular barrier, where settlement guards walk around the perimeter at all times of the day. Similar to the Urb Style, the places of living are arranged in a circle outside the buildings of learning, which is arranged as a circle around the Shul.
Language[]
See main article ‘Echi ’ for more information.
The Echmer language is universally known as Echi. All Merish languages share similar forms due to their common origin the Aldmeri, which in turn descended from the ancient tongue known as Ehlnofex. From these derivations soon followed from the earliest languages, for example Chimeris was eventually transformed into Dunmeris after Azura’s curse. And while the Echmer aren’t as connected to the other merish races through blood, their language is derived from both ancient Dwemeris, Aldmeris, and Ehlnofex.
The verbal form of Echi is a watered down version of bat echolocation combined with alternating sounds and influenced by Dwemeri words and phrasing. It was created in the early days of the Echmer’s evolution by the Dwemeri tonal architecture, expanded upon further by the Noraken Clan so they could better understand the still evolving Echmer. Due to its convenience for both the Dwemer and Echmer it saw widespread until the Dwarves vanished from the face of Tamriel at the Battle of Red Mountain. The Echmer were left alone to refine the language, resulting in the permanent form of modern day Echi.
The written form of Echi is heavily influenced by and resembles written the Dwemer runes found on Stros M’kai as well as on Vvardenfell, with only a few alterations to certain letters. However, anyone who understands Dwemeri writings should without a doubt be able to transcribe Echmeri texts with few to no errors.
Philosophy and Religion[]
The Echmer do not have a religion, at least not in the common sense of the word. They do have an Collective of ATEDA, but it is not a pantheon in the conventional form due to incorporating an infinite amount of spirits. The Echmer inherited a lot of their philosophical and religious views from their creators the Dwemer, but have generated their own alterations to the point where their views are unique compared to the views of the rest of the races on Nirn.
Echmer Ancestor Worship is also drastically different than that of Aldmeri Ancestor Worship. Where the races of real mer worship the actual spirits of their ancestors, the Echmer instead follow the teachings their ancestors left behind so they can make their time in the Mundus safer and easier. Ancestral swords, armors, and other weapons or items are highly respected and often passed on from generation to generation.
Like the Dwemer, they prefer machinery, tools, tonal architecture, and facts over the use of magicka (to the point where the entire race can be described as being magnephobic, or having a strong dislike/fear for magicka). Also like their creators they believe that all immortal/divine beings are on the same level as mortals, with their seemingly unlimited power actually being false. Unlike the Dwemer, however, the Echmer believe that the ATEDA should be at least respected and not openly mocked. From a first glance it would appear to a foreigner that the ATEDA are merely the Echmeri version of Aedra, Daedra, and other divines spirits; this is in fact wrong. The ATEDA are literally the core ideas of aurbical concepts – the Echmer don’t recognize Hermaeus Mora (a face of knowledge), but MORRAH instead (literal Knowledge). The Echmer absolutely refuse to worship Tamrielic avatars as they cannot be proven to exist, while the actual spheres of the ATEDA can be proven to exist. Avatars are simply forms a particular ATEDA has chosen to take to converse with mortals.
In order for the Echmer to believe in something, they must have proof that this something in fact exists. The ATEDA are facts, and therefore exist because they can be proven to exist. The Echmer are facts, and therefore exist because they can proven to exist. If it can’t be proven, it is not important to an Echmer; opinions and unfounded statements are laughed at in Echmeri society. Because of this mindset, lies (unless the lie is told for a good reason) and wishes are also frowned down upon heavily in Echmeri culture. They also treat promises extremely seriously; if one is made the person who swore the oath must do as they said as they would or face banishment or even death if the one promised does not receive a result.
Echmer can be described to be pessimists due to the fact that they view the entire Aurbis as a prison built around suffering. In the end, life is recycled in an endless cycle of rebirth into pain. Life is a misery for the Echmer. They even view all forms of the afterlife, especially Aetherius, as a form of suffering. Which is why they view themselves and the gods on the same level; the immortals are suffering alongside the mortals so there’s really no difference between them. One’s just more powerful than the other in terms of strength and abilities. Because of this the Echmer believe in and crave true and utter nothingness, what they refer to as the ‘Black-Welkin’ or the Void.
However, when Hrahndeyl ascended into godhood as HRAHNDEYL the Echmer philosophy changed. The Sound ATEDA bounded the souls of his entire race to the Void, resulting in their souls dissolving upon death. This resulted in the Echmer viewing death as a true escape, but also knowing that the memories of the deceased remained on Nirn in the form of water (for that is what mortal memory becomes upon death). The Echmer highly respect water as a result, using it in special ways when they forge weaponry or honoring the dead during funerals. HRAHNDEYL teaches that there is a true way to fully escape the cycle of suffering and reincarnation, involving strange teachings revolving around the Four Honorable Troths and the Eight Virtuous Paths of Enlightenment.
Another thing of note is that Echmer prefer to be nonviolent in hostile situations, preferring to talk over matters rather than brawl. Despite this, they are often forced to raise armies to defend their borders and themselves from invaders.
Economy[]
Yneslea has always been an industrious but agriculture-centered technocracy, with focus on the production of cream, machinery, clothing, and other useful items. The Echmer do not have a form of currency and do not believe in it; instead, they choose to trade things of equal or greater value instead. When the Empire assimilated them into Tamriel and attempted to get the Echmer to use septims, the bat elves outright refused and have remained defenders of their economic traditions.
Government[]
WIP