Why do the Falmer have Servants?

[Wishmaker1234]

So I was in Blackreach when I noticed that there were servants consising of Redgaurd, Khajiit, Nord, and I think Argonian. I was hoping I could set them free, but when i went to attack the servants attacked me as well, and I was forced too kill them. Why would anyone willingly serve the Falmer? Is there any lore to support this?

 

[Start Dale]

I do remember reading one of the in game Skyrim books that spoke of the Falmer taking slaves from captured groups. My guess is that the slaves become indoctrined to rely so heavily on the Falmer that they will fight for them. Like a severe form Stockholm syndrome found in kidnap victims.

Or could it be a living thrall spell thing like with the vampires. It doesn't explain more than what it states in the book about them taking slaves though so it may be conjecture. It is something that I may want to add into my fanfic then. Thanks

 

[Wishmaker1234]

I do remember reading one of the in game Skyrim books that spoke of the Falmer taking slaves from captured groups. My guess is that the slaves become indoctrined to rely so heavily on the Falmer that they will fight for them. Like a severe form Stockholm syndrome found in kidnap victims.

Or could it be a living thrall spell thing like with the vampires. It doesn't explain more than what it states in the book about them taking slaves though so it may be conjecture. It is something that I may want to add into my fanfic then. Thanks

Thanks, that actually makes since I looked it up earlier, and no one had any good theories.

 

[SauronTheDeceiver]

As far as I know there's no lore other than the fact that the Falmer have been making more and more organized raids on the surface. My guess is that during said raids these people were abducted by the Falmer and are now more slaves than they are servants, especially considering how they're dressed (ragged robes, etc.) The fact that they attack you leads me to believe they have no choice (attack or risk punishment) or they've become feral like the Falmer.

 

[Start Dale]

As far as I know there's no lore other than the fact that the Falmer have been making more and more organized raids on the surface. My guess is that during said raids these people were abducted by the Falmer and are now more slaves than they are servants, especially considering how they're dressed (ragged robes, etc.) The fact that they attack you leads me to believe they have no choice (attack or risk punishment) or they've become feral like the Falmer.

That sounds like another workable idea.

 

[Wishmaker1234]

Just thought about it, but the falmer were stricken blind an made slaves after being fed a special mushrooms by the Dwemer. Maybe they fed these Mushrooms to there captives turning them into there slaves. Although I do not think these servants are blind.

 

[Majir-Dar]

Just thought about it, but the falmer were stricken blind an made slaves after being fed a special mushrooms by the Dwemer. Maybe they fed these Mushrooms to there captives turning them into there slaves. Although I do not think these servants are blind.

The fungi the Dwemer used on the Falmer has gone extinct, so they aren't blind.

 

[Wishmaker1234]

Just thought about it, but the falmer were stricken blind an made slaves after being fed a special mushrooms by the Dwemer. Maybe they fed these Mushrooms to there captives turning them into there slaves. Although I do not think these servants are blind.

The fungi the Dwemer used on the Falmer has gone extinct, so they aren't blind.

Ah thank you for clearing that up then.

 

[Mr Forz]

I'd say broken captives, it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[AS88]

As far as I know there's no lore other than the fact that the Falmer have been making more and more organized raids on the surface. My guess is that during said raids these people were abducted by the Falmer and are now more slaves than they are servants, especially considering how they're dressed (ragged robes, etc.) The fact that they attack you leads me to believe they have no choice (attack or risk punishment) or they've become feral like the Falmer.

I'm almost certain that I read somewhere that the Falmer kidnap children, and thus become their masters. I almost always try to RP an attempt at conversation with them, surely they remember something of their previous life? That they're people? Some stand far enough away for me to skirt around them, but unfortunately some either don't want to believe, or can't understand and funnel their confusion into rage. My characters always feel bad afterwards, though.

 

[Thorn]

Why wouldn't they take servants...what type of elves don't want servants?

 

[AS88]

http://uesp.net/wiki/Lore:The_Falmer:_A_Study

Here, at the end of the third-to-last paragraph. "Steal babes from their cribs."

I know it's not conclusive, I just can't remember where else I saw it..... Maybe I just made it up from that

 

[TonyRockaroni]

So I was in Blackreach when I noticed that there were servants consising of Redgaurd, Khajiit, Nord, and I think Argonian. I was hoping I could set them free, but when i went to attack the servants attacked me as well, and I was forced too kill them. Why would anyone willingly serve the Falmer? Is there any lore to support this?

Argonian? I have played through the game completely numerous amount of times, been to Blackreach well over 30 times, and the only race that i have never, ever seen as a Falmer Servant is an Argonian. These are the percentages I've seen for the races of Falmer Servants (or at least the roughest averages and estimates):

Nords: 42%
Orcs: 18%
Redguards: 15%
Khajiit: 10%
Bretons: 7%
Imperials: 4%
Dunmer: 2%
Bosmer: 1%
Altmer: 1%
Argonians: 0%

As for why would anyone want to willingly serve the Falmer, I think it's one of three things, and regardless of which one may be correct, they all stay true to the fact that those individuals were kidnapped by the Falmer; either they were captured and forced into slavery and must do their bidding or else risk being killed; they were captured by the Falmer and were raised in a way that just made them mentally unstable, driving them completely insane, possibly even believing that they themselves are Falmer; or, the Falmer are more intelligent than they appeared, and whatever the Dwemer used to try and enslave the Falmer, perhaps the Falmer perfected what the Dwemer could not and figured out a way to truly make others their slaves without repercussion.

 

[Daelon DuLac]

Just thought about it, but the falmer were stricken blind an made slaves after being fed a special mushrooms by the Dwemer. Maybe they fed these Mushrooms to there captives turning them into there slaves. Although I do not think these servants are blind.

I would assume that blindness was a long term side-affect. Perhaps the servant/slaves have not been on the 'shrooms for that long.

 

[LotusEater]

Personally, I can't imagine why they wouldn't take servants. I know I would if I were highly evil and blind. How else would I find my toothbrush?

 

[shadowkitty]

So they steal babies, raise them as slaves. The children grow up knowing no other life. Why wouldn't they defend their captors? Maybe the falmer see them as their seeing eyes? Maybe they get them to go up to the surface to gather things for them periodically? It's kind of like a symbiotic relationship. One can defend the other, both mutually benefiting from the arrangement.
It's like a big groper fish that lets the small fish clean inside it's mouth. The groper could eat it if it wanted to, but it is getting something way more beneficial from the arrangement so it doesn't.
Science Geek out

 

[DrunkenMage]

They attack you when Falmer are nearby, but will just warn you when the Falmer aren't around. The Servants seem to do things that require sight. I remember seeing several of them in a pumping station, working the equipment.

My guess judging by their actions when Falmer are and aren't around, they fear the Falmer more than they do you. Fear is an effective tool of management.