Lore:Gremlin

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Gremlins
RG-render-Gremlin.jpg
A Gremlin
Type Race (Goblin-ken)
Range High Rock, Stros M'Kai
Appears in

Redguard

Gremlins (also derogatorily called Orc-rats or Squeakers)[1][2] are small, harmless creatures related to goblins, whom they can often be found living alongside.[3][4] Gremlins have a distinct appearance with large feet, and tiny arms incapable of using any man-sized tools.[5] While seen as unpleasant by most, they usually aren't met with violence like most goblin-ken. Instead, they are typically shooed away or otherwise dismissed, though some show them kindness.[6][7] They are known to occasionally beg for food.[8]

A number of gremlins and other goblin-ken lived in certain iterations of the city of Orsinium.[3] Gremlins were also known to live in the Goblin Caverns of Stros M'Kai.[4] Many believe that the goblin-ken of Stros M'Kai were banished beneath the earth thanks to Frandar Hunding.[1][9] Some Redguards who lived there would warn goblin-ken such as gremlins to return to their caves, lest Hunding turn them into stone.[1][7] Gremlins have been used as slaves by the Altmer and as familiars by some wizards in the Mages Guild,[3][10] they may sometimes be kept in jars.[11]

Gremlins have their own language, known as gremlin tongue, which is not usually understood by other races, though some words in it are coincidentally similar to other words in Tamrielic.[5][6] There exists a transmogrification spell capable of transforming someone into a gremlin.[6] This spell was a favorite trick of Jaganvir, the Archmage of the Mages Guild on Stros M'Kai circa 2E 864.[12]

History[edit]

Cyrus, transformed into a gremlin. Note the red vest. (Redguard)

During the Camoran Dynasty of the First Era, hundreds of gremlins, orcs, ogres, goblins and other beastfolk were set free by the rulers of the Summerset Isles, and allowed to settle lands north of Valenwood. They chose to settle in an uninhabited mountain region close to Old Hroldan in High Rock, as the Orcish tribes were dependent on rare, shaggy, giant centipede herd-beasts that can only survive at high altitudes. Here, they would found the first city of Orsinium.[3] The exact dating of this event is unclear, but various pieces of evidence place the founding of Orsinium in the ninth or tenth century of the First Era.[13][14][15]

Circa 2E 864, gremlins were known to still inhabit Orsinium,[3] as well as the Goblin Caverns of Stros M'Kai.[4] During this year, Cyrus the Redguard was once transformed into a gremlin by Archmage Jaganvir of Stros M'Kai.[6] While transformed, Cyrus could only speak in gremlin tongue. Such a spell was a form of "eastern magic", not known to Yokudans, so he was unable to receive help from the witchmother Saban.[16] After stringing together enough gremlin utterances to ask for help,[5] he was transformed back to normal by the Khajiit mage Joto.[6]

Known Gremlin Words and Phrases[edit]

Gallery[edit]

See Also[edit]

References[edit]