Lore:Skeever

Skeevers
	A Skeever (Skyrim)
Type	Beast (Mammal)
Range	Tamriel
Appears in	Skyrim, ESO, Legends, Blades, Castles

The Skeever is a large rat-like creature that is commonly found in Skyrim,^[1] but can be found all throughout Tamriel. Unlike the common rat, the skeever is more feral and are prone to carry more diseases, such as Ataxia. But while they are known as pests, the skeever is actually one of the largest-known food sources for predatory animals in the entire continent. It is a popular prey for larger creatures but it is very common to find cooked skeever in a campfire.^[2] The skeever is the namesake of the Skeevera order, a classification for rodents in Tamriel. Other known members of this category include the common rat and the rabbit.^[2]

Range and Behavior[edit]

Healthy and diseased skeevers

Although the skeever are more common in Skyrim, they can be found as far as the Southern Sea and Khenarthi's Roost. This is because traders from the far north travel across the continent, inadvertently bringing skeevers with them. They tend to live in a variety of places.^[3] Most of them can be found out in the wilderness, where they will build nests deep in the forests,^[2] but they can also be found in Nordic Ruins.^[4] However, they can also burrow in beaches, and when the tide rolls in, so do the burrowed skeevers. They are often found in packs, roaming the area and when provoked, they can jump like small senche-tigers and the catch the unprepared off guard.^[1]

Uses[edit]

The skeever's tail is a common alchemical recipe for poisons, all the while, a charred skeever's hide provides all sorts of solutions for a potion, such as the ability to cure diseases. While the hide is used for alchemical purposes, it can be used in other practical ways. For example, rendered skeever skins can be used to make adhesive glue.^[5] One of the most well-known ways to trap a skeever is with the iconic mousetrap, by simply putting a block of refined cheese on the contraption.^[6] It is said that the Second Era King, Ranser of Shornhelm carried a lucky skeever's foot with him during his civil war against the Daggerfall Covenant. It was in circulation through Tamriel's criminal underground sometime around 2E 582.^[7]

There have been times where the skeever can be house-trained and kept as pets, but over time, they eventually became too large to warrant such an idea.^[8]

In Nordic mythology, it is believed that the Goddess of Storms, Kyne relinquishes the spirits of skeevers to the Daedric Prince of Pestilence, Peryite, after they have been killed.^[9] Peryite can often manifest himself in the form of several skeevers, as they are vermin that spread disease en masse.^[10]