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The Imperial City

Author: 
Xan

Imperial City

Description

The Imperial City in the heartland of Tamriel is the ancient seat of power and the capital of the Empire of Tamriel. From the First Era until now, the White Gold Tower is the central of the Tamriel cultures and the beacon of the Imperial authorities.

The White Gold Tower was once the Ayleid city with its gleaming white architecture and magnificent statues. Below the city, there is a complex underground sewer, structures and labyrinths; and still exist to these days. Only small number of these labyrinths and sewers are mapped, maintained and controlled by the Imperial. Some large parts are not, and one needs extra hands and securities venturing these locations.

The Imperial City

The Imperial City

Above ground, the gleaming Imperial City is clearly seen from miles. The city is walled in circle shape. Inside the city there are seven districts, Green Emperor Way or the Palace District, Market District, Arena, Arboretum, Talos Plaza, Elven Gardens and Temple District. There are two other smaller walled districts outside the city, Arcane University in the southeast and the Imperial Legion in the northeast. The last district is the harbor, the Imperial Waterfront, in the southwest.

The Green Emperor Way, is the central district with the Imperial Palace, the White Gold Tower, is located. The Emperor Uriel Septim VII with the Elder Council controls and rules the provinces of Tamriel from the Imperial Palace. Inside this White Gold Tower is also stored the Elder Scrolls, powerful tools of prophecy and divination, guarded with fanatical devotion by the blind Moth priests and the Imperial Legion.

A cemetery of the nobles and important persons surrounds the Imperial Palace. From this district six gates lead to other districts in the city.

The Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace

Council Chamber

Council Chamber

The Elder Scrolls Library

The Elder Scrolls Library

Elven Gardens District

Elven Gardens District

Start from the northwest, the district of Elven Gardens, is the pleasant residential area, supported with two well-known inns, Luther Broad's Boarding House and The King and Queen Tavern.

Talos Plaza in the west part of the city is an exclusive residential area and the main gate of the city. The district is supported with an exclusive inn. The Tiber Septim Hotel is an expensive hotel for prosperous and important visitors of the city. In the center of the district, stands a statue of Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time, in his dragon aspect. A famous spot for chattering and meeting. One of the famous people who live in this district is the artifact collector Umbacano. His manor just across the street of the statue of Akatosh.

Akatosh Statue at Talos Plaza

Statue of Akatosh of Talos Plaza District

Temple District

Temple District

Temple District is the location of the great and ancient Temple of the One. The temple is nearly as old as the White Gold Tower and was created back in the First Era, after the Queen Alessia established the Empire of Men from the ruins of the Ayleid. Inside the temple is where the Dragonfire burn. It is said, "...So long as you and your descendants shall wear the Amulet of Kings, then shall this Dragonfire burn -- an eternal flame -- as a sign to all men and gods of our faithfulness. But should the Dragonfires fail, and should no heir of our joined blood wear the Amulet of Kings, then shall the Empire descend into darkness..."

In the Temple District, an inn called The All-Saints Inn opens its door for visitors and pilgrims alike. The gateway in the southwest leads to the Waterfront district.

Arboretum is the garden in the southeast of the city. In this area, stand the statues of Nine Divines: Akatosh, Kynareth, Zenithar, Julianos, Stendarr, Mara, Dibella, Arkay, and Talos or Tiber Septim in the middle, encircled by other statues of Gods. The gateway in the southeast leads to the Arcane University.

Arboretum

Arboretum

The Arena

The Arena

Statue of Alessia

Statue of Alessia

Statue of Morihaus

Statue of Morihaus

Next is the Arena district. This is location of the Arena, the place of gladiator combat. Two groups fight in scheduled time, the blue team and the yellow team. Visitors must bet on a match before they can enter the Arena to enjoy the show; or join one of the groups as a combatant. The business is handled professionally in the basement of the Arena, called the Bloodworks.

Two statues landmarks the district, the statue of Queen Alessia in the south part of the district and the statue of Morihaus in the north. Queen Alessia is the first ruler of Cyrodiil Empire and the founder of the Nine Divines; while Morihaus is depicted as a pit fighter who led Alessia's armies in the taking of White Gold Tower to end the Ayleid Hegemonies.

Market District is the most busy district of the Imperial City. All kind of people and races from throughout of Tamriel can be seen here. All kind of items are traded here, from weapons and armors to the alchemy ingredients and books. The merchants here are officially regulated by the Office of Imperial Commerce. Aside from the official regulator, the merchants formed their own group to control the price and the economic balance; the group is named as the Society of Concerned Merchants.

Market District

Market District and statue of Pelagius I

Market District

Market District and statue of Uriel III

Various merchants and stores that can be found here are:

  • Weapons and Armors: Slash 'N Smash, The Best Defense, A Fighting Chance, and Stonewall Shields.
  • General Traders: Jensine's "Good as New" Merchandise, The Copious Coinpurse, and Three Brothers Trade Goods.
  • Bookstore: First Edition.
  • Alchemy Ingredients: The Gilded Carafe and The Main Ingredient.
  • Traders: Spell and Magic Items Traders: Mystic Emporium, Edgar's Discount Spells, and Rindir's Staffs.
  • Clothing and Luxuries: Divine Elegance, and Red Diamond Jewelry.
  • Inns: The Feed Bag, and The Merchants Inn.

An Imperial sponsored publicity office is located here. The Black Horse Courier is run by a group of Khajiit who hunt for news and delivers them to various cities in Cyrodiil.

There are two statues in the Market District, the statue of Uriel Septim III near the gateway to Elven Gardens, and the statue of Pelagius I, the son of Tiber Septim, near the gateway to Arena. The gateway in the northeast leads to the Imperial Legion compound.

The Imperial Legion

The Imperial Legion

The Imperial Legion compound is located separated in the northeast. Here is the Headquarter of the Imperial Legion as well as the armory and the prison. The troublemakers and various prisoners are locked in this prison. Not many know that the prison is connected to the ancient Ayleid labyrinth. The Legion knows this and the area is sealed.

The Imperial Legion leader is Adamus Phillida. He is known for so long fighting the Dark Brotherhood. As this guide is written, he has led the Legion for about 40 years, surviving many attempts from the assassin guild to claim his life.

The Arcane University is the place where all aspiring mages wish to enter. It is the headquarters of the Mages Guild. The area is closed to non-members and low level recruits. To enter, an aspiring mage needs a recommendation letters from various guilds in the land. The Mages Guild is currently led by Archmage Hannibal Traven, a powerful anti-Necromancy mage. During his rule, Necromancy was banned from the Mages Guild, an action that was regretted by some high-ranking mages.

A special Imperial Legion; called Imperial Battlemages are guarding the university. They are quite handy with spells as well as the blade and armor.

The Arcane University contains various pavilions of magical studies, such as the Lustratorium (for Alchemy study), Chironasium (for Enchanting study), Praxographical Center (Spellmaking Center) and the Mystic Archives (the arcane library). In the center of the circular compound is the Arch-Mage's Tower.

The Arch-Mage's Tower consists of a Lobby, the Council Chambers, the Arch-Mage's Quarter and the Imperial Orrery in the basement. This is the seat of power of the Mages Guild. The Arch-Mage and the Council members control and manage the whole Mages Guild throughout Tamriel.

The Imperial Orrery is the second contraption in Tamriel that study the celestial bodies. The first one was created by Dwemer thousands years ago in the island of Stros M'Kai of Hammerfell. Sadly the lack of spare parts made this complicated contraption in disrepair.

Arcane University

Arcane University

Waterfront District

Waterfront District

Waterfront is the harbor of the Imperial City, located in the southwest outside of the city. This is the area where the ships from throughout of Tamriel come for trading, transporting goods and other economical businesses. An underground route connects the Waterfront to the Temple district.

Waterfront inhabitants are mostly the lowest classes of the Imperial City society. Beggars and ruffians are common views in this district. Thieves Guild is widely known operates in this area, yet the Imperial Authorities has difficulties to capture the guild's main leaders or the number one leader of the guild, the Grey Fox. The beggars here are quite protective to any inquiries about this Grey Fox, it is obvious that a symbiotic relation is maintained by the guild and the beggars. It is even said that the beggars are under the personal protection of the Grey Fox.

Recent Events

The Emperor Uriel Septim VII and the Imperial family were assassinated by a Daedric Cult known as the Mythic Dawn. During the attack the Emperor and the Blades tried to escape through the Imperial Legion prison to the Ayleid labyrinth beneath the prison. A young prisoner was entangled in the event, and entrusted the Amulet of Kings by the Emperor right before his demise. He was tasked to deliver the Amulet to the leader of the Blades. This starts the series of events that later is known as the Oblivion Crisis. The young prisoner turned hero later is known as the Champion of Cyrodiil.

In the end of Oblivion Crisis, the force of Oblivion led by Mehrunes Dagon himself finally invaded the Imperial City. Throughout the city, Oblivion gates opened and the Imperial Legion fought a losing battle against the invading Daedra. In the Temple District, Mehrunes Dagon set foot on the mortal realm and easily wiped the defending Legion.

Martin Septim accompanied with the Blades and the Champion of Cyrodiil also defended the Imperial City. In desperation, Martin Septim rushed into the Temple of the One. He crushed the Amulet of Kings, and merged it with his blood and soul. The sacrifice of Martin Septim let Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time, materialized in the mortal realm as a fiery dragon. The epic battle between Akatosh and Mehrunes Dagon on the mortal realm is legendary.

Eventually, the Daedric Prince of Destruction was defeated, and the Dragon released all its remaining power to seal the broken barrier between realms, and in the end the Dragon turned to stone. The mortal realm was saved. The magnificent Dragon statue now stands on a broken Temple of the One. It is reported that whoever touch the statue will receive the blessing of Akatosh.

Statue of Akatosh

Statue of Akatosh

Not long after the epic battle between Mehrunes Dagon and Akatosh, another epic battle shocked and stunned the citizens of the Imperial City. It was the battle between the Divine Crusader and the ancient Ayleid king Umaril the Unfeathered. The battle took place in the sky, above the Imperial City. Eventually the Divine Crusader defeated Umaril, however, after the Ayleid king slain, the Divine Crusader himself vanished. Yet from time-to-time, people reported that they saw the Divine Crusader walked among them.

Other notable events during this period are:

Adamus Phillida, the Imperial Legion commander was retired, and succeeded by Giovanni Civello. This retirement however, brought a disaster to Adamus Phillida. In Leyawiin, he was murdered by the Dark Brotherhood. Giovanni Civello vowed a vengeance to this assassination, and he will continue fighting the Dark Brotherhood.

In war between the Mages Guild and the Necromancer, Hannibal Traven, the Archmage of the Mages Guild decided to a take a drastic method in order to defeat Mannimarco, the leader of the Necromancer. The Archmage Hannibal Traven sacrificed his soul into a soulgem in order to weaken the near immortal Mannimarco. His sacrifice is proven effective, in the final showdown in the Echo Cave, Mannimarco was eventually killed by the new Archmage.

Also, The Orrery of Arcane University was repaired during this period, now the scholars and the mages can study the celestial bodies extensively. However, the future of the Orrery is still in question as it is dependent on the Dwemer relics from Morrowind or Hammerfell.

The Imperial Orrery

The Imperial Orrery

Despite of the strict guarding of the Imperial Legion and Moth priests, one of high-ranking and very skilled thieves of the Thieves Guild managed to enter the Imperial Palace and stole one of the Elder Scrolls. It is unknown what the Thieves Guild did to the scroll, one thing for sure that the activities of Thieves Guild in Waterfront District are increasing, and the Imperial Watch has difficulties facing this guild.

Prior to the stealing of the Elder Scrolls, the Imperial Watch led by its captain, Hieronymus Lex, sacked the Waterfront District for the leader of the Thieves Guild, the Gray Fox. However, he failed, Gray Fox escaped. Eventually, Hieronimus Lex was transferred to Anvil. It is rumored that the Gray Fox was behind this transfer.

The collector Umbacano of the Talos Plaza reported his discovery of the ten of ancient Ayleid statues. These statues are highly prized by the collectors and archeologists alike. Sadly, following the event he disappeared in the expedition to the Ayleid ruins of Nenalata.

Agronak gro-Malog, the Imperial Arena Grand Champion was defeated. It is rumored that there is a dark secret behind his fall. Nothing comes out from the Arena Bloodworks though.

There was a dispute among the merchants in the Market District as one of the merchants sold with intolerable discount prices. Upon extensive investigation, it was revealed that the trader of The Copious Coinpurse retrieved the goods from a gravedigger. He was shocked to know this and vowed not to deal again with the gravedigger. He later joined the merchants group of the Society of Concerned Merchants, and the balance of economic was restored.

The vampire hunter companion of the Order of the Virtuous Blood was reformed after one of the founders was known to be actually a vampire. The order is based in the Temple District, collecting any information about vampire, helps any vampire hunter and rewards anyone who showed them vampire dust as a prove that a vampire was killed.

The City of Kvatch

Author: 
Xan

Kvatch

Description

Kvatch is located in West Weald, near the border of Gold Coast. The exact date of the founding of Kvatch is unknown, but we know the city has been around for more than thousand of years. The historian recorded that back in the First Era, along with Skingard and other Colovia kingdoms, Kvatch resisted the hegemony of the Alessian Order. Soon this movement was supported and followed by the Direnni clan of High Rock and King Wulfharth of Skyrim.

The kingdom of Kvatch is the only city in Cyrodiil that has an arena. The Chapel of Akatosh, the only chapel in the city, worships the Dragon God of Time more than other Nine Divines.

During the third century of the Third Era, Camoran Usurper from Valenwood launched his conquest north to Hammerfell and High Rock. Kvatch and Colovia were in the way. Antus Pinder led a hopeless defense against a superior force. Despite a grave defeat, his statue stands in Kvatch to honor his courage and spirit.

Sadly, when the time of this guide is written, the great city of Kvatch has been destroyed by the Daedric horde from Oblivion. Kvatch's ruler, Count Ormellius Goldwine and the rest of his family are killed in the assault. The only high-ranking officer that survived the assault is Savlian Matius. Together with Champion of Cyrodiil and the remaining of his troops, Savlian Matius managed to cleanse the city from Daedra. He then stayed in the ruined castle, and vowed to rebuild the city. The remaining force of Kvatch also valiantly defended Bruma in the strategic Battle of Bruma.

Trials of St. Alessia

Author: 
Anonymous

[from the Trials of St. Alessia]

Akatosh made a covenant with Alessia in those days so long ago. He gathered the tangled skeins of Oblivion, and knit them fast with the bloody sinews of his Heart, and gave them to Alessia, saying, 'This shall be my token to you, that so long as your blood and oath hold true, yet so shall my blood and oath be true to you. This token shall be the Amulet of Kings, and the Covenant shall be made between us, for I am the King of Spirits, and you are the Queen of Mortals. As you shall stand witness for all Mortal Flesh, so shall I stand witness for all Immortal Spirits.'

And Akatosh drew from his breast a burning handful of his Heart's blood, and he gave it into Alessia's hand, saying, 'This shall also be a token to you of our joined blood and pledged faith. So long as you and your descendants shall wear the Amulet of Kings, then shall this dragonfire burn -- an eternal flame -- as a sign to all men and gods of our faithfulness. So long as the dragonfires shall burn, to you, and to all generations, I swear that my Heart's blood shall hold fast the Gates of Oblivion.

So long as the Blood of the Dragon runs strong in her rulers, the glory of the Empire shall extend in unbroken years. But should the dragonfires fail, and should no heir of our joined blood wear the Amulet of Kings, then shall the Empire descend into darkness, and the Demon Lords of Misrule shall govern the land.'

-- from the liturgy of the Re-Kindling of the Dragonfires

 

et'Ada, Eight Aedra, Eat the Dreamer

Author: 
Michael Kirkbride

[Transcribed from a spore-dream of an unidentified, evaporating Moth Priest that reached zero sum.]

The Aedroth Aka, who goes by so many names as to perhaps already suggest what I'm about to commit to memospore, is completely insane. His mind broke when his "perch from Eternity allowed the day" and we of all the Aurbis live on through its fragments, ensnared in the temporal writings and erasures of the acausal whim that he begat by saying "I AM". In the aetheric thunder of self-applause that followed (nay, rippled until convention, that is, amnesia), is it any wonder that the Time God would hate the same-twin on the other end of the aurbrilical cord, the Space God? That any Creation would become so utterly dangerous because of that singular fear of a singular word's addition: "I AM NOT"?

That all the Interplay is one flea of assertion on a wolf of naught, and that every experience (that is, everything) born from that primal wail would cascade unto the echo-need of hologram, each slice the same except for scale, and all the magic that would need to spring forth just to hold it together at living, divine cross-purpose, support struts made from the need to exist (axial, along its two-headed fighting rays, each refusing their origin point, that is, Tower), terrestons versus chronocules, and in the end (an end that ever refuses to hold) it all becomes a lobotomized (for what is not lobal if not the dracochoreography made flesh?), reptilian (coiled), and massive map-god (holding a compass, holding a timepiece), drooling (the water from which we dragged ourselves out of to say, mirror-like, autochthonic, automatic, "WE ARE, TOO") on his countless knees, dementia given dimension, dimension dementia...

[At this point all transcription becomes impossible, except by way of sheet music, an orchestration of which was attempted during the reign of [NUMINIT], who, along with everyone else in the symphony's radial madness, was vaporized by adjacentia. The requisite adachimelic holding-tendrils activated, preventing Imperial collapse. Imposthumously, the Amulet of Kings granted to the "Coccoon Council" that the spore-dream "et'Ada, Eight Aedra, Eat the Dreamer" be immediately stored in the one thousand and eight Cyrodilic weapons of rapture.]

 

Akatosh

Author: 
B

Oblivion Description

Akatosh Window

Akatosh

Akatosh Oblivion Symbol

The Dragon God of Time

Description Wayshrine Locations

Akatosh is the chief deity of the Nine Divines (the prescribed religious cults of Cyrodiil and its provinces), and one of two deities found in every Tamrielic religion (the other is Lorkhan). He is generally considered to be the first of the Gods to form in the Beginning Place; after his establishment, other spirits found the process of being easier and the various pantheons of the world emerged. He is the ultimate God of the Cyrodilic Empire, where he embodies the qualities of endurance, invincibility, and everlasting legitimacy.

  1. Southeast of Skingrad and east of the Silorn
  2. East of Anvil and just north of Fort Strand
  3. South of Bruma, north of the Orange Road
  4. Just outside of the south wall of Cheydinhal
Blessing Chapel Location
Magicka and Speed Kvatch
Statue of Akatosh and Akatosh - Dragon Form

Morrowind Description

Akatosh Morrowind Symbol

Akatosh

The Dragon God of Time

Akatosh is the chief deity of the Nine Divines (the prescribed religious cults of Cyrodiil and its provinces), and one of two deities found in every Tamrielic religion (the other is Lorkhan). He is generally considered to be the first of the Gods to form in the Beginning Place; after his establishment, other spirits found the process of being easier and the various pantheons of the world emerged. He is the ultimate God of the Cyrodilic Empire, where he embodies the qualities of endurance, invincibility, and everlasting legitimacy.

Akatosh Morrowind Symbol

Daggerfall Temple Descriptions

Akatosh
Akatosh Daggerfall Symbol
Temple Description by Outsiders Temple Descripton by Members
The Akatosh Chantry is one of the temples dedicated to the Dragon, the God of Time, Akatosh. The priests of Akatosh always call their temples chantries. I suppose it's because they do a lot of singing there. The Akatosh Chantry is devoted to the worship of Akatosh, the Great Dragon. Akatosh is the most constant of gods, for his sphere is time itself. Perhaps, if you are in need of a blessing of time and are willing to make an appreciable donation, Akatosh might smile upon you and grant you time: time to heal your injuries, perhaps, or time to shorten your voyages. Our priests and priestess here have a variety of other skills and services available for members of the Akatosh Chantry. Naturally, one has to be judged worthy before one is sheltered under the Great Wings of Akatosh.
Blessing
You will find that for the next few days Akatosh has blessed your time for traveling.
Knightly Order Description by Outsiders Knightly Order Description by Members
The Order of the Hour is the group of knights sworn to Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time. They work to further His cause and protect His Chantries. We are the military arm of the Akatosh Chantry, the Order of the Hour, charged with the protection of the Chantry. Our knights are devoted to the Great Dragon, and dedicated to the promise of stability and permanence He represents. Our duties are varied indeed, and our honors bountiful. An initiate in our Order have the same rights and honors of an initiate in the Chantry.

 

The Monomyth

Author: 
Anonymous

"In Mundus, conflict and disparity are what bring change, and change is the most sacred of the Eleven Forces. Change is the force without focus or origin."-Oegnithr, Taheritae, Order of PSJJJJ

Simply put, the schism in the Human/Aldmeri worldview is the mortal's relationship to the divine. Humans take the humble path that they were created by the immortal forces, while the Aldmer claim descent from them. It doesn't seem like much, but it is a distinction that colors the rest of their diverging mythologies.

All Tamrielic religions begin the same. Man or mer, things begin with the dualism of Anu and His Other. These twin forces go by many names: Anu-Padomay, Anuiel-Sithis, Ak-El, Satak-Akel, Is-Is Not. Anuiel is the Everlasting Ineffable Light, Sithis is the Corrupting Inexpressible Action. In the middle is the Gray Maybe ('Nirn' in the Ehlnofex).

In most cultures, Anuiel is honored for his part of the interplay that creates the world, but Sithis is held in highest esteem because he's the one that causes the reaction. Sithis is thus the Original Creator, an entity who intrinsically causes change without design. Even the hist acknowledge this being.

Anuiel is also perceived of as Order, opposed to the Sithis-Chaos. Perhaps it is easier for mortals to envision change than perfect stasis, for often Anuiel is relegated to the mythic background of Sithis' fancies. In Yokudan folk-tales, which are among the most vivid in the world, Satak is only referred to a handful of times, as "the Hum"; he is a force so prevalent as to be not really there at all.

In any case, from these two beings spring the et'Ada, or Original Spirits. To humans these et'Ada are the Gods and Demons; to the Aldmer, the Aedra/Daedra, or the 'Ancestors'. All of the Tamrielic pantheons fill their rosters from these et'Ada, though divine membership often differs from culture to culture. Like Anu and Padomay, though, every one of these pantheons contains the archetypes of the Dragon God and the Missing God.

The Dragon God and the Missing God

The Dragon God is always related to Time, and is universally revered as the "First God." He is often called Akatosh, "whose perch from Eternity allowed the day." He is the central God of the Cyrodilic Empire.

The Missing God is always related to the Mortal Plane, and is a key figure in the Human/Aldmeri schism. The 'missing' refers to either his palpable absence from the pantheon (another mental distress that is interpreted a variety of ways), or the removal of his 'divine spark' by the other immortals. He is often called Lorkhan, and his epitaphs are many, equally damnable and devout.

Note that Tamriel and the Mortal Plane do not exist yet. The Gray Maybe is still the playground of the Original Spirits. Some are more bound to Anu's light, others to the unknowable void. Their constant flux and interplay increase their number, and their personalities take long to congeal. When Akatosh forms, Time begins, and it becomes easier for some spirits to realize themselves as beings with a past and a future. The strongest of the recognizable spirits crystallize: Mephala, Arkay, Y'ffre, Magnus, Rupgta, etc., etc. Others remain as concepts, ideas, or emotions. One of the strongest of these, a barely formed urge that the others call Lorkhan, details a plan to create Mundus, the Mortal Plane.

Humans, with the exception of the Redguards, see this act as a divine mercy, an enlightenment whereby lesser creatures can reach immortality. Aldmer, with the exception of the Dark Elves, see this act as a cruel deception, a trick that sundered their connection to the spirit plane. 

Lorkhan

This Creator-Trickster-Tester deity is in every Tamrielic mythic tradition. His most popular name is the Aldmeri "Lorkhan," or Doom Drum. He convinced or contrived the Original Spirits to bring about the creation of the Mortal Plane, upsetting the status quo much like his father Padomay had introduced instability into the universe in the Beginning Place. After the world is materialized, Lorkhan is separated from his divine center, sometimes involuntarily, and wanders the creation of the et'Ada. Interpretations of these events differ widely by culture. Below are some of the better known:

Subtitled "The Psijiic Compensation," "Mythic Aurbis" was an attempt by Artaeum apologists to explain the basics of Aldmeri religion to Uriel V in the early, glorious part of his reign. It quietly avoided any blame or bias against the Lorkhan-concept, which was still held in esteem by the Cyrodiils as "Shezarr", the missing sibling of the Divines. Despite this, the Psijiici still give a nice summary of the Elder view, and it will serve our purposes here. This version comes from the archives of the Imperial Seminary from the handwritten notes of an unknown scribe.
 

 

Mythic Aurbis exists, and has existed from time without measure, as a fanciful Unnatural Realm.

'Aurbis' is used to connote the imperceptible Penumbra, the Gray Center between the IS/IS NOT of Anu and Padomay. It contains the multitude realms of Aetherius and Oblivion, as well as other, less structured forms.

The magical beings of Mythic Aurbis live for a long time and have complex narrative lives, creating the patterns of myth.

These are spirits made from bits of the immortal polarity. The first of these was Akatosh the Time Dragon, whose formation made it easier for other spirits to structure themselves. Gods and demons form and reform and procreate.

Finally, the magical beings of Mythic Aurbis told the ultimate story -- that of their own death. For some this was an artistic transfiguration into the concrete, non-magical substance of the world. For others, this was a war in which all were slain, their bodies becoming the substance of the world. For yet others, this was a romantic marriage and parenthood, with the parent spirits naturally having to die and give way to the succeeding mortal races.

The agent of this communal decision was Lorkhan, whom most early myths vilify as a trickster or deceiver. More sympathetic versions of this story point out Lorkhan as being the reason the mortal plane exists at all.

The magical beings created the races of the mortal Aurbis in their own image, either consciously as artists and craftsmen, or as the fecund rotting matter out of which the mortals sprung forth, or in a variety of other analogical senses.

The magical beings, then, having died, became the et'Ada. The et'Ada are the things perceived and revered by the mortals as gods, spirits, or geniuses of Aurbis. Through their deaths, these magical beings separated themselves in nature from the other magical beings of the Unnatural realms.

The Daedra were created at this time also, being spirits and Gods more attuned to Oblivion, or that realm closer to the Void of Padomay. This act is the dawn of the Mythic (Merethic) Era. It has been perceived by the earliest mortals many different ways, either as a joyous 'second creation', or (especially by the Elves) as a painful fracturing from the divine. The originator of the event is always Lorkhan.

Note: This part was known as the Yokudan (Redguard) Creation Myth.

"Satak was First Serpent, the Snake who came Before, and all the worlds to come rested in the glimmer of its scales. But it was so big there was nothing but, and thus it was coiled around and around itself, and the worlds to come slid across each other but none had room to breathe or even be. And so the worlds called to something to save them, to let them out, but of course there was nothing outside the First Serpent, so aid had to come from inside it; this was Akel, the Hungry Stomach. Akel made itself known, and Satak could only think about what it was, and it was the best hunger, so it ate and ate. Soon there was enough room to live in the worlds and things began. These things were new and they often made mistakes, for there was hardly time to practice being things before. So most things ended quickly or were not good or gave up on themselves. Some things were about to start, but they were eaten up as Satak got to that part of its body. This was a violent time.

"Pretty soon Akel caused Satak to bite its own heart and that was the end. The hunger, though, refused to stop, even in death, and so the First Serpent shed its skin to begin anew. As the old world died, Satakal began, and when things realized this pattern so did they realize what their part in it was. They began to take names, like Ruptga or Tuwhacca, and they strode about looking for their kin. As Satakal ate itself over and over, the strongest spirits learned to bypass the cycle by moving at strange angles. They called this process the Walkabout, a way of striding between the worldskins. Ruptga was so big that he was able to place the stars in the sky so that weaker spirits might find their way easier. This practice became so easy for the spirits that it became a place, called the Far Shores, a time of waiting until the next skin.

"Ruptga was able to sire many children through the cycles and so he became known as the Tall Papa. He continued to place stars to map out the void for others, but after so many cycles there were almost too many spirits to help out. He made himself a helper from the detritus of past skins and this was Sep, or Second Serpent. Sep had much of the Hungry Stomach still left in him, multiple hungers from multiple skins. He was so hungry he could not think straight. Sometimes he would just eat the spirits he was supposed to help, but Tall Papa would always reach in and take them back out. Finally, tired of helping Tall Papa, Sep went and gathered the rest of the old skins and balled them up, tricking spirits to help him, promising them this was how you reached the new world, by making one out of the old. These spirits loved this way of living, as it was easier. No more jumping from place to place. Many spirits joined in, believing this was good thinking. Tall Papa just shook his head.

"Pretty soon the spirits on the skin-ball started to die, because they were very far from the real world of Satakal. And they found that it was too far to jump into the Far Shores now. The spirits that were left pleaded with Tall Papa to take them back. But grim Ruptga would not, and he told the spirits that they must learn new ways to follow the stars to the Far Shores now. If they could not, then they must live on through their children, which was not the same as before. Sep, however, needed more punishment, and so Tall Papa squashed the Snake with a big stick. The hunger fell out of Sep's dead mouth and was the only thing left of the Second Serpent. While the rest of the new world was allowed to strive back to godhood, Sep could only slink around in a dead skin, or swim about in the sky, a hungry void that jealously tried to eat the stars."

Note: This part was known as the Cyrodiilic Creation Myth.

"This was a new thing that Shezarr described to the Gods, becoming mothers and fathers, being responsible, and making great sacrifices, with no guarantee of success, but Shezarr spoke beautifully to them, and moved them beyond mystery and tears. Thus the Aedra gave free birth to the world, the beasts, and the beings, making these things from parts of themselves. This free birth was very painful, and afterwards the Aedra were no longer young, and strong, and powerful, as they had been from the beginning of days.

"Some Aedra were disappointed and bitter in their loss, and angry with Shezarr, and with all creation, for they felt Shezarr had lied and tricked them. These Aedra, the Gods of the Aldmer, led by Auri-El, were disgusted by their enfeebled selves, and by what they had created. 'Everything is spoiled, for now, and for all time, and the most we can do is teach the Elven Races to suffer nobly, with dignity, and chastise ourselves for our folly, and avenge ourselves upon Shezarr and his allies.' Thus are the Gods of the Elves dark and brooding, and thus are the Elves ever dissatisfied with mortality, and always proud and stoic despite the harshness of this cruel and indifferent world.

"Other Aedra looked upon creation, and were well pleased. These Aedra, the Gods of Men and Beast Folk, led by Akatosh, praised and cherished their wards, the Mortal Races. 'We have suffered, and are diminished, for all time, but the mortal world we have made is glorious, filling our hearts and spirits with hope. Let us teach the Mortal Races to live well, to cherish beauty and honor, and to love one another as we love them.' Thus are the Gods of Men tender and patient, and thus are Men and Beast Folk great in heart for joy or suffering, and ambitious for greater wisdom and a better world.

"Now when the Daedra Lords heard Shezarr, they mocked him, and the other Aedra. 'Cut parts of ourselves off? And lose them? Forever? That's stupid! You'll be sorry! We are far smarter than you, for we will create a new world out of ourselves, but we will not cut it off, or let it mock us, but we will make this world within ourselves, forever ours, and under our complete control.'

"So the Daedra Lords created the Daedric Realms, and all the ranks of Lesser Daedra, great and small. And, for the most part, the Daedra Lords were well pleased with this arrangement, for they always had worshippers and servants and playthings close to hand. But, at the same time, they sometimes looked with envy upon the Mortal Realms, for though mortals were foul and feeble and contemptible, their passions and ambitions were also far more surprising and entertaining than the antics of the Lesser Daedra. Thus do the Daedra Lords court and seduce certain amusing specimens of the Mortal Races, especially the passionate and powerful. It gives the Daedra Lords special pleasure to steal away from Shezarr and the Aedra the greatest and most ambitious mortals. 'Not only are you fools to mutilate yourselves,' gloat the Daedra Lords, 'But you cannot even keep the best pieces, which prefer the glory and power of the Daedra Lords to the feeble vulgarity of the mush-minded Aedra.'"

Note: This part was known as the High Elven (Altmeri) Creation Myth.

"Anu encompassed, and encompasses, all things. So that he might know himself he created Anuiel, his soul and the soul of all things. Anuiel, as all souls, was given to self-reflection, and for this he needed to differentiate between his forms, attributes, and intellects. Thus was born Sithis, who was the sum of all the limitations Anuiel would utilize to ponder himself. Anuiel, who was the soul of all things, therefore became many things, and this interplay was and is the Aurbis.

"At first the Aurbis was turbulent and confusing, as Anuiel's ruminations went on without design. Aspects of the Aurbis then asked for a schedule to follow or procedures whereby they might enjoy themselves a little longer outside of perfect knowledge. So that he might know himself this way, too, Anu created Auriel, the soul of his soul. Auriel bled through the Aurbis as a new force, called time. With time, various aspects of the Aurbis began to understand their natures and limitations. They took names, like Magnus or Mara or Xen. One of these, Lorkhan, was more of a limit than a nature, so he could never last long anywhere.

"As he entered every aspect of Anuiel, Lorkhan would plant an idea that was almost wholly based on limitation. He outlined a plan to create a soul for the Aurbis, a place where the aspects of aspects might even be allowed to self-reflect. He gained many followers; even Auriel, when told he would become the king of the new world, agreed to help Lorkhan. So they created the Mundus, where their own aspects might live, and became the et'Ada.

"But this was a trick. As Lorkhan knew, this world contained more limitations than not and was therefore hardly a thing of Anu at all. Mundus was the House of Sithis. As their aspects began to die off, many of the et'Ada vanished completely. Some escaped, like Magnus, and that is why there are no limitations to magic. Others, like Y'ffre, transformed themselves into the Ehlnofey, the Earthbones, so that the whole world might not die. Some had to marry and make children just to last. Each generation was weaker than the last, and soon there were Aldmer. Darkness caved in. Lorkhan made armies out of the weakest souls and named them Men, and they brought Sithis into every quarter.

"Auriel pleaded with Anu to take them back, but he had already filled their places with something else. But his soul was gentler and granted Auriel his Bow and Shield, so that he might save the Aldmer from the hordes of Men. Some had already fallen, like the Chimer, who listened to tainted et'Ada, and others, like the Bosmer, had soiled Time's line by taking Mannish wives.

"Auriel could not save Altmora, the Elder Wood, and it was lost to Men. They were chased south and east to Old Ehlnofey, and Lorkhan was close behind. He shattered that land into many. Finally Trinimac, Auriel's greatest knight, knocked Lorkhan down in front of his army and reached in with more than hands to take his Heart. He was undone. The Men dragged Lorkhan's body away and swore blood vengeance on the heirs of Auriel for all time.

"But when Trinimac and Auriel tried to destroy the Heart of Lorkhan it laughed at them. It said, "This Heart is the heart of the world, for one was made to satisfy the other." So Auriel fastened the thing to an arrow and let it fly long into the sea, where no aspect of the new world may ever find it."