Men

 as a collective term, encompasses beings of the human race in Tamrielic culture. Male humans, as a group, are referred to as "men" while female humans are "women". A combination of male and female persons are called "men".

Drastically different culturally and physiologically from mer and beastfolk, humans are genetically capable of interbreeding with the former, while rumors of interbreeding with the latter exist, but are unproven.

Humans come in an array of skin tones and pigments depending on race, with Nords and Bretons being the palest and Redguards being the darkest. Of the human race, there are four subraces currently existing on the Tamrielic continent. These include, Imperials, Nords, Bretons, and Redguards. The Nedes are an extinct human race from which most of these men sprang, the exception to this are the Redguard.

Several men came from Akavir during the reign of Reman Cyrodiil. These men formed The Blades. It is unknown whether humans still exist on the Akaviri continent.

Etymology and usage
The term "Men" originated from human language. It is used to mean "them" or "us" - group of people. The term is analogous to the word "Mer" in ancient Aldmeri tongue. Both of the racial groups have come to calling each other by the names and don't find it offensive in any way. They have been seen to be referring to their own kind by the term as well. This is probably, due to the fact that both groups share certain distrust for each other and arrogance to consider themselves better.

Origins
Unlike Mer, there is no known continent or a region in Nirn Men originated from. There are no known elven records on this subject and men invented writing relatively late, meaning that there are no early records written anywhere.

Earliest records mentioning human races date mid-Merethic Era when Atmorans, a human race native to now frozen Atmora, began migrating to northern Tamriel, a region later named Skyrim. Most of the human races now inhabiting Tamriel are known to be their descendants.

However, records of Atmoran  sea voyages in late Merethic Era tell stories of "Entire kingdoms of men beyond their recognition, skin charred like overcooked meat." This means that previously mentioned Atmora wasn't the only place of origin for humankind. This voyage likely found Yokuda, the ancestral home of the Redguard people, given that the people are described with 'skin like overcooked meat'.

It also seems that some humans were aboriginal inhabitants of Tamriel known as nedes and were native to Cyrodiil and Black marsh.

Moreover, there are stories of humans on the mysterious continent of Akavir.

Some Imperial scholars believe that Men could've shared the elven homeland of Ehlnofay and have evolved from Aldmer like modern elven races. However, that theory is highly unlikely since men and mer have many differences.

Physiology
"Humans are all short-lived. Ephemeral, as we of the Elder Races say. They come and go as the seasons -- but the families of the powerful ones live on for a time. Their cities and dominions bloom like spring flowers, only to wither and die in the summer sun. But the Elves endure. We are as a year to their hour, a decade to their day."

- Drelliane to Queen Barenziah

The most significant difference among men and mer is their lifespan. Unlike the centuries-old elves, human races cannot live more than one hundred years naturally; most die when they turn sixty to eighty years old.

It is very easy to tell men from mer visually as men are more muscular than most elves and have fewer shades of skin color. Another easily noticeable feature of Elven kind is their pointy ears, which men do not have and the fact that most elves, even the women, stand at twelve inches or more over most men. Some exceptions to this rule are the Orsimer, whom are very different from other elven races. They resemble other beast-like races such as Goblins and the Bosmer (Wood Elves), who are shorter than most humans.

Another difference worth mentioning is that humans rely mostly on non-magical warfare, as they don't have the magical potency of elves.The only exception for this would be the mix of human and elven races - Bretons. Although magicka is used, in one form or another, by all races of Tamriel, direct magicka, i.e. casting spells of destruction or enchanting (etc.), is considered weak and/ or heretical by men.

Nords


The Nords are a tall and fair-haired people from Skyrim who are known for their incredible resistance to cold and even magical frost. They are enthusiastic warriors, and act as soldiers and mercenaries all over Tamriel. Eager to augment their martial skills beyond the traditional methods of Skyrim, they excel in all manner of warfare. They are direct descendants of Nedes, who migrated to Tamriel in the time period known as the Return. They lead and crew the merchant fleets of many regions, and may be found all along Tamriel's coasts.

Imperials


Natives of the civilized, cosmopolitan province of Cyrodiil, the Imperials are well-educated and well-spoken. Imperials are also known for the discipline and training of their citizen armies. With this they were able to fight off the Redguard and control most of Tamriel. Imperials have proven to be shrewd diplomats and traders, and these traits, along with their remarkable skill and training as light infantry, have enabled them to subdue all the other nations and races, and to have erected the monument to peace and prosperity that comprises the glorious Empire. The Imperials control most ports in Tamriel and are similar in appearance to Bretons albeit have darker skin color.

Redguards


Redguards hail from the province of Hammerfell. They are a race that is known to be extremely quick and agile. They are excellent in all arts concerning blade and shield. They are descended from a long line of warriors and mystic seers.

The most naturally talented warriors in Tamriel, the dark-skinned, wiry haired Redguards of Hammerfell seem born to battle, though their pride and fierce independence of spirit makes them more suitable as scouts or skirmishers, or as free ranging heroes and adventurers, than as rank and file soldiers. In addition to their cultural affinities for many weapon and armor styles, Redguards are also blessed with hardy constitutions and quickness of foot.

Redguards view use of magic unfavorably, particularly Conjuration and Illusion, because of the ability to Soul Trap and tamper with the minds of others. Generally, they consider wizards weak or cowardly. However, it is known that Redguards were fond of Destruction spells - suiting their warlike culture well.

Although Redguards are human, they do not share the same blood as Nords, Bretons, and Imperials because of their origin in Yokuda.

Bretons


Bretons are the human descendants who hail from the province of High Rock. They have descended from the people of Nede and Aldmer. The Aldmer thought of making a superior race with their own "Elder", or "Superior", blood, by mating with other races. The Bretons are sometimes called "Manmeri" because of this.

They are pure spell weavers and are advanced in all the arcane arts. While lacking in physical skill, they make up for it in their ability to resist and cast spells that overwhelm most people. They are united in culture and language, but are divided politically. Their origins can be traced to the First Era of Tamriel's history, when the Aldmer intermingled extensively with the Nedic people. This mostly happened during the period in the first Era when Mer held Men as slaves, which lead to masters impregnating their female captives. Bretons are short, dark haired people. They are highly intelligent, willful, and have an outgoing personality. It is said that Bretons are weaned on magic, for it seems to infuse their very being. Intermingling with Elven blood has given Bretons an affinity for magic, though hardiness is also part of their heritage. Breton culture operates under the feudal system, and their society is agrarian and hierarchical.

Atmorans
Atmorans were humans native to now frozen continent of Atmora far north of Tamriel. It is known that they resembled modern Nords. Some of them, however, had different features than others. This was dependent on the area on Atmora where they lived.

Early Atmorans did not have any means of writing and due to that there isn't much known about their history. Earliest records of Atmorans date to the mid-Merethic Era when they started migrating to Tamriel. The reason of migration was an ongoing civil war on Atmora. Over time more and more Atmorans migrated to Northern Tamriel, which is now modern day Skyrim.

Local elves, known as Snow Elves were not happy about the huge population increase of humans and slaughtered them in the event known as the Night of Tears. As a result Ysgramor gathered an army known as the Five Hundred Companions and launched an assault against them. This time period is knows as the Return. After the Return no other Atmorans came from Atmora.

Those who stayed on their homeland are believed to have died as Atmora froze and changed beyond recognition. The Atmorans that left became modern Nords, those who went west interbred with elves and became Bretons, and those who went south migrated with the Nede and became Imperials.

Orma
The Orma are a tribe dating from the First Era. They are native to Black Marsh. There is an elevated occurrence of congenital blindness in the tribe, more specifically completely lacking eyes, and such individuals are said to be masters of their other senses. This makes them appear to be something close to elven Falmer. Which means that Orma could have been a result of local Dwemer experiments, however, that is purely a speculation.

They are believed to be extinct due to the outbreak of the Knahaten Flu in Second Era, which benefited Argonians so much as they proven to be immune.

Kothringi
Kothringi were a race of men mentioned in only a few in-game books hailing from Black Marsh. They were said to look like men only with metallic skin and were quite common in Black Marsh during the Second Era. They were eventually wiped out by the Thrassian Plague before the start of the Third Era.

Their origin is unknown. Some say they are the result of Nedes and Argonians interbreeding, others say that they were simply Nedic settlers that adapted to life in Black Marsh.

Akaviri
Akaviri are race of men native to mysterious continent of Akavir. Despite their involvement in many historical events very little is known about them. They are believed to have an Oriental culture.

Some stories tell that Akaviri are now extinct, that they were "eaten" by the native vampiric race of serpent-men known as Tsaesci. Others believe that Akaviri are Tsaesci themselves and stories of serpent-men are just fictional, result of corruption over years.

Last records of Akaviri/Tsaesci date early First Era when they tried to invade Tamriel but were stopped.