daedra

Molag Bal, whose sphere is the domination and enslavement of mortals; whose desire is the harvest the souls of mortals and to bring mortals souls within his sway by spreading seeds of strife and discord in the mortal realms.

Molag Bal (God of Schemes, King of Rape): Daedric power of much importance in Morrowind. There, he is always the archenemy of Boethiah, the Prince of Plots. He is the main source of the obstacles to the Dunmer (and preceding Chimer) people. In the legends, Molag Bal always tries to upset the bloodlines of Houses or otherwise ruin Dunmeri 'purity'. A race of supermonsters, said to live in Molag Amur, are the result of his seduction of Vivec during the previous era.
- Varieties of Faith in the Empire

As recorded in "The Doors of Oblivion", Molag Bal maintains the realm called Coldharbour. A freezing realm with a burning sky and muddy ground, desolate, barren and filled with suffering.

The summoning date of Molag Bal is 20th of Evening Star. Molag Bal can also be summoned in his shrine by offering a lion pelt.

Molag Bal is also one of the Dunmeri Four Corners of the House of Troubles. Four Corner of the House of Trouble consists of Molag Bal, Mehrunes Dagon, Malacath and Sheogorath. These Daedric Princes rebelled against the counsel and admonition of the Tribunal, causing great kin strife and confusion among the clans and Great Houses. They are holy in that they serve the role of obstacles during the Testing. Through time they have sometimes become associated with local enemies, like the Nords, Akaviri, or Mountain Orcs. As written in the "The House of Troubles", Molag Bal tries to upset the bloodlines of Houses and otherwise ruin the Dunmer gene pool. A race of monsters, said to live in Molag Amur, are the result of his seduction of Vivec during the previous era. The detail of this gross Dunmeri Temple doctrine is recorded in "The Thirty-Six Lessons of Vivec."

According to "Darkest Darkness", the crocodile-headed humanoid Daedra called the Daedroth is a servant of Molag Bal.

In 1E 2920, Molag Bal under the summon of King Dro'Zel of Senchal, destroyed the city of Gilverdale. All the inhabitants were killed in a bright red mist. This Daedric massacre forced Sotha Sil to make a journey to Coldharbour, dealing with some of the prominent Daedric Princes in order to avoid the fate of Gilverdale to befallen to other cities in Tamriel, considering that Morrowind was still fighting in the war against Cyrodiil.

From the Dunmeri Temple's doctrine, "Vampires of Vvardenfell, Volume II", states that The Daedric Prince Molag Bal is the father of Vampires. He spawned the first vampire upon the corpse of a defeated foe. On a side note, Galur Rithari, one of the Bouyant Armiger was cured from Vampirism by Molag Bal. It is recorded in his "Private Papers of Galur Rithari, Buoyant Armiger". Somehow, the Dunmeri Temple keeps this record from the world, with no clear reason.

Molag Bal as the father of Vampirism is also recorded in the book called "Opusculus Lamae Bal ta Mezzamortie." The book tells a story of Molag Bal, in his hatred towards Arkay, corrupted a body of a Nedic female, Lamae Beolfag. Lamae later is known as Lamae Bal and she is also known as the Blood Matron and the First Vampire.

Which record is correct? We cannot be sure on that, but as all other information we got from Tamriel, it is relative to the person who recorded the information. But one thing for sure, Molag Bal is indeed the creator of Vampirism.

Vampirism is evolving throughout the millenia. They evolved into a lots of Bloodlines or clans. From Iliac Bay, which separated the provinces of Hammerfell and High Rock, the scholars recorded about nine clans. They are Lysrezi, Anthosis, Vraseth, Khulari, Thrafey, Haarvenu, Garlythi, Selenu and Montalion. Each of their blood has different traits, like Selenu for instance; they have the abilities to resist the power of cold, fire or shock. Vvardenfell region of Morrowind has different bloodlines: Aundae, Berne and Quarra. Aundae blood increase arcane abilities, while Quarra blood boost the physical prowess, and Berne blood bestow increased power in the stealth area. According to "Manifesto Cyrodiil Vampyrum," Black Marsh has its own share of Bloodlines, the Whet-Fang, which apparently has more power in arcane skills.

While they are split into numerous clans or bloodlines, but they have the same vampiric traits: their attributes (like strength and speed) are increased, immune to all disease and normal weapons, but they have disadvantages. Normal folks will not deal with vampire; the Vampires are usually exiled to tombs or wilderness. Other disadvantage is sunburn. They cannot walk during daytime without their skin burned.

The Vampires of Iliac Bay and Vvardenfell are easily recognized by the common folks, but this is not entirely true for Cyrodiilic Vampires. It's obvious the Cyrodiil have different blood. They have three states of vampire form; this all depends on the time of feeding. When the Cyrodiilic Vampires are well fed, they are hardly recognized by the common folks and can even walk on daylight. When they are starving, all the vampire traits are showed up and they cannot fool the common folks anymore as their face are changed. This unique trait of Cyrodiilic Vampires, according to "Manifesto Cyrodiil Vampyrum," was a gift from Clavicus Vile. Therefore the Cyrodiilic Vampires worship Molag Bal as well as Clavicus Vile.

Sometime Vampires are called diseased folks; while others (including all the common literatures) say that they are undead. One thing for sure it starts with a disease. "Porphyric Hemophilia" is a minor disease that one may receive when fighting a vampire. The minor disease drains fatigue over time but this hardly recognized since the number it drains is very minor. At this step, the disease can be cured by standard cure-disease potion. When the disease was not cured for three days, the infected person transforms into a vampire. The transformation involves death where all the life signs are disappeared. When eventually the person awakes, he or she is fully Vampire and the hunger for blood usually cannot be ignored.

Somehow the legend says that the Nerevarine had also been cured from the Vampirism. Molag Bal himself cured the Nerevarine - obviously after a deed done by the Nerevarine (the detail is here), but the Prince said some interesting lines when he was curing the Nerevarine.

"I see you have done as I asked, little vampire. It was not easy for me to obtain the cure, but I was able to pry it from Vaermina after some...discussion. You have earned it. Now I have eternity to punish my daughter for her defiance. Your curse is lifted. Yet...I wonder, will you miss the taste of blood on your lips? When you sleep, will you taste the salt and copper flowing over your tongue? Go, mortal. Bask in your precious sunlight."

Vaernima? What did the Prince of Dreams and Nightmares do with Vampirism? Did she alter the Bloodlines of Vvardenfell Vampires just like Clavicus Vile did with Cyrodiilic Vampires? Perhaps she did something with the dreams or nightmares that Vampires receive? Lots of questions, no answer just yet.

While talking about Vampirism cure, some claim that Bretony witches in High Rock, are able to cure this Vampirism, as well as Lycanthropy. The recent report more or less proves this information. The Champion of Cyrodiil was also infected with the Vampirism. In order to cure himself, he spoke with a Breton witch named Melisande in Nibenay, and she asked six cloves of Garlic, five Nightshade leaves, and two shoots of Bloodgrass. She also needed the blood of an Argonian, and the ashes of a powerful vampire. Not easy tasks, but eventually those ingredients were collected, and then the champion received two doses of Vampire Cure potions.

Molag Bal was summoned by the Champion of Cyrodiil. He wished for the champion to corrupt Melus Petilius, by forcing him to kill with the Cursed Mace. The champion was able to enrage Petilius and this made him to grab the Cursed Mace and used it to kill the champion. Right before the final blow, Molag Bal transported the champion back to his shrine and pleased of job well done. He gave the Mace of Molag Bal. The same artifact was given also by Molag Bal to the Hero of Daggerfall some decades earlier. Detail conversation of the event can be read here.

The "Vampire's Mace", the other name of the Mace of Molag Bal, was also given to the Nerevarine. Molag Bal was summoned by the Nerevarine in his shrine of Yansirramus. Molag Bal tasked the Nerevarine to slay the Daedroth Monarch named Menta Na. The Nerevarine was eventually rewarded with the mace. Detail conversation of the event can be read here.

Meridia, whose sphere is also obscured to mortals; who is associated with the energies of living things.

Meridia's holdings in Oblivion are collectively known as "The Colored Rooms". Another Prince whose origins may not entirely be outside of the aetherial, Meridia has at several times been linked to Magnus the Sun. The most famous account of this association is the Tract of Merid-nunda, which overtly casts Meridia in the role of a wayward solar daughter, cast from the heavens for consorting with illicit spectra.

The summoning date of Meridia is 13th of Morning Star. Meridia can also be summoned in her shrine, if the summoner offered something from the corpse of an undead creature at the statue.

Meridia, also known as the Lady of Infinite Energies, hates the undead and the people who practice Necromancy. Somewhere in 3E 433, Meridia was summoned by the Champion of Cyrodiil. Meridia wanted the champion to clean certain cave from Necromancers and their undead. She rewarded the champion her Ring of Khajiit. The same artifact was given by Meridia to the hero of Daggerfall, obviously after the hero finished certain quest from her.

The Ring of the Khajiit is an ancient relic, hundreds of years older than Rajhin, the thief that made the Ring famous. It was Rajhin who used the Ring's powers to make himself invisible and as quick as the breath of wind. Using the Ring, he became the most successful burglar in Elsweyr's history. Rajhin's eventual fate is a mystery, but according to legend, the Ring rebelled against such constant use and disappeared, leaving Rajhin helpless before his enemies.

Mephala, whose sphere is obscured to mortals; known by the names Webspinner, Spinner, and Spider; whose only consistent theme seems to be interference in the affairs of mortals for her amusement.

Mephala (Androgyne): Mephala is the Webspinner, or the Spider God. In Morrowind, he/she was the ancestor that taught the Chimer the skills they would need to evade their enemies or to kill them with secret murder. Enemies were numerous in those days since the Chimer were a small faction. He/she, along with Boethiah, organized the clan systems that eventually became the basis for the Great Houses. He/she founded the Morag Tong. Also called the Anticipation of Vivec. - Varieties of Faith in the Empire

The summoning date of Mephala is 13th of Frost Fall. Mephala can also be summoned in her shrine, if the summoner offered Nightshade at her statue between midnight and dawn.

According to "Darkest Darkness", Spider Daedra are the servants of Mephala, taking the form of spider-humanoid centaurs, with a naked upper head, torso, and arms of human proportions, mounted on the eight legs and armored carapace of a giant spider. Unfortunately, these Daedra are so fierce and irrational that they cannot be trusted to heed the commands of the Spinner. As a consequence, few sorcerers are willing to either summon or bind such creatures in Morrowind. However before the Oblivion Crisis, some conjurers had found a way to bind and summon this chaotic Daedra.

Mephala also another strange Prince, sometime the Prince appears female, while other appears male. In fact, Mephala has both male and female genitalia (hermaphroditic), and both are grossly exaggerated in the idols, drawings, and carvings that depict it.

As mentioned above, Mephala is one of the three Good Daedra of the Dunmer. The Good Daedra are Azura, Boethiah and Mephala. They were mostly worshipped by the Chimer prior to the apotheosis of the Tribunal, and their changing to Dunmer. The Dunmeri Temple acknowledges them as the anticipations of the Tribunal. Azura is the anticipation of Sotha Sil, Boethiah is the anticipation of Almalexia and Mephala is the anticipation of Vivec.

Back in the Merethic Era, Boethiah "illuminated" the Prophet Veloth and his Chimer followers to renounce all ties to the Aldmer and found a new nation based on Daedric principles (it is Morrowind today). Azura taught the Chimer the mysteries needed to be different than the Altmer. Mephala taught the Chimer the skills they would need to evade their enemies or to kill them with secret murder. Enemies were numerous in those days since the Chimer was a small faction. Mephala, along with Boethiah, organized the clan systems that eventually became the basis for the Great Houses of the Dunmer. Mephala created an assassin guild, Morag Tong.

Artisa Arelas, one of the Savants of Morrowind, explains "The Morag Tong is an assassins guild sanctioned by the Empire to provide three varieties of execution: public executions, private executions, and House Wars executions. Constrained by ancient traditions and rigid codes of conduct, the Morag Tong only recruits candidates of proven skill and honor. Morag Tong only accepts legally approved contracts called 'writs,' but rumor hints at the execution of secret extralegal 'grey writs.' The Morag Tong is the sworn enemy of the Dark Brotherhood."

Some members of the Morag Tong want to do more than religious assassination; they want profit. In an unknown year in the Second Era, another guild of assassins was established, the Dark Brotherhood. Morag Tong regards this new guild as a depraved perversion of the ancient law-abiding order of the Morag Tong. This makes the Dark Brotherhood to be the sworn enemy of the Morag Tong.

Although it is said that the Dark Brotherhood values coins than religion, but they religiously worship one primordial state of chaos, Sithis. Sithis talks only to the Night Mother, then the Night Mother brings the information (usually the murderous contract) to the listener, and continues until the information reached the murderer, the lowest member of the Dark Brotherhood who should perform the killing.

There are so many controversies about the entity called the Night Mother. Carlovac Townway in his famous historical series "2920, The Last Year of the First Era", portrays the Night Mother as a sexy dark woman, which lead the Morag Tong. And this is argued by Ynir Gorming in his book titled, "Fire and Darkness: The Brotherhoods of Death." Gorming speculates that Night Mother is Mephala herself. Another account by Enric Milnes which titled "Sacred Witness: A True History of the Night Mother" says that Night Mother is just an elder female mortal. Lots of contradictions and no one knows who exactly the Night Mother is.

The "Black Hands" Mephala is worshipped mostly by Morag Tong, while other worship to the Good Daedra ceased to exist in the Dunmer society. Usually there is a shrine of Mephala in the Morag Tong base. The Nerevarine once has dealt with Mephala in the Morag Tong headquarter in Vivec city. Easily to guess, the Daedric Prince requested for someone to be emilinated for an exchange of an artifact, in this case the Ring of Khajiit.

There is a record of Mephala dealing with another Daedric Prince, Sanguine. Mephala made a deal with Sanguine for twenty-seven tokens she could give to her devoted followers. The Dark Brotherhood stole these tokens from the Morag Tong. According to Morag Tong member, Mephala eventually arranged for them to return to the guild. It was called the Thread of the Webspinner. The Nerevarine systemically killed the member of the Dark Brotherhood one-by-one, including the Dark Brotherhood Night Mother in the ruin of Ald Sotha, and retrieved back the tokens. It rather contradicts the information above that Night Mother is Mephala. Something for sure, these assassins guilds are not an open book, and information about them is obscured to public.

Before this event however, the Nerevarine was rewarded by Ring of Khajiit by Mephala after he slew a rogue assassin in Balmora. Detail conversation of the event can be read here.

The Champion of Cyrodiil is also reported dealing with Mephala. She asked the champion to go to the settlement of Bleaker's Way, which consisted of two families. She ordered the champion to kill the leaders of the two families, and leave evidence that the murders were done by the other family. Eventually this brought chaos to the peaceful settlement, the members of the two families killed each other. Mephala was pleased seeing this and rewarded the champion the Ebony Blade. Detail conversation of the event can be read here. The Ebony Blade was also rewarded to the Hero of Daggerfall sometime after the War of Betony. The blade was around, since the time of the Eternal Champion. It is also believed that the Eternal Champion himself once wielded the blade.

The Ebony Blade is indeed dark. The legend says, "The Ebony Blade, sometimes called the Vampire or the Leech, resembles an ebony katana, and its power is very dark indeed. Every time the Ebony Blade strikes an opponent, part of the damage inflicted flows into the wielder as raw power. The Blade itself may not be any more evil than those who have used it, but at some point in its history, a charm was cast on it so it would not remain with any one bladesman for long. The wizard who cast this charm sought to save the souls of any too infatuated by the Blade, and perhaps he was right to do so."

Mehrunes Dagon, whose sphere is destruction, change, revolution, energy, and ambition.

Mehrunes Dagon (God of Destruction): Popular Daedric power. He is associated with natural dangers like fire, earthquakes, and floods. In some cultures, though, Dagon is merely a god of bloodshed and betrayal. He is an especially important deity in Morrowind, where he represents its near-inhospitable terrain.
- Varieties of Faith in the Empire

Mehrunes Dagon maintains realms called Deadlands. According to the "Doors of Oblivion", the realms are stormy with dark twisted trees, howling spirits and billowing mist. But from the records during the Oblivion Crisis the realms of Mehrunes Dagon are masses of small fiery realms with lava as sea and fire as the sky. Complete with twisted plants like Blood Grass, poisoned Spiddal Stick and bloodthirsty Harrada Root. The inhabitants are mostly Dremora with some lesser Daedra as their slaves.

The summoning date of Mehrunes Dagon is 20th of Sun's Dusk.

According to "Darkest Darkness", three lesser Daedra are associated with Mehrunes Dagon: the agile and pesky Scamp, the ferocious and beast-like Clannfear, and the noble and deadly Dremora. We will talk later in detail about Dremora.

Mehrunes Dagon is also one of the Dunmeri Four Corners of the House of Troubles. Four Corner of the House of Trouble consists of Molag Bal, Mehrunes Dagon, Malacath and Sheogorath. These Daedric Princes rebelled against the counsel and admonition of the Tribunal, causing great kin strife and confusion among the clans and Great Houses. They are holy in that they serve the role of obstacles during the Testing. Through time they have sometimes become associated with local enemies, like the Nords, Akaviri, or Mountain Orcs. As written in the "The House of Troubles", Mehrunes Dagon is the god of destruction. He is associated with natural dangers like fire, earthquakes, and floods. To some he represents the inhospitable land of Morrowind. He tests the Dunmer will to survive and persevere.

In the series of books titled "2920, The Last Year of the First Era", Lord Sotha Sil visited Coldharbour, following the destruction of the city of Gilverdale in Valenwood by Molag Bal. He made a deal with eight of the more prominent Daedric Princes. Azura, Boethiah, Herma-Mora, Hircine, Malacath, Mehrunes Dagon, Molag Bal and Sheogorath. The term of the deal is that during the war between Morrowind and Cyrodiil, the Daedric Princes should not accept any summon by mortal, unless it was done by witches or sorcerers.

However, a former spymaster of Vivec managed to summon Mehrunes Dagon by fueling the rage of a witch of the Skeffington Coven in High Rock. The witch wanted to take revenge upon the Duke of Morrowind, while the spymaster just wanted to see Morrowind suffered after what Vivec had done to him. Mehrunes Dagon overdid and destroyed the capital of Morrowind, Mournhold. The invasion of the city of Mournhold by Mehrunes Dagon is one of the most terrible destructions ever recorded by the historians. Although Mehrunes Dagon was eventually banished back to Oblivion by a joined effort of Almalexia and Sotha Sil, Mournhold had been totally destroyed, and the Duke of Morrowind was slain. A new city is constructed right atop the ruins of the destroyed Mournhold.

During the Imperial Simulacrum, Jagar Tharn dealt with Mehrunes Dagon. Mehrunes Dagon then assaulted the Battlespire, a proving ground and bastion of the Imperial Battlemages. Tharn had to destroy the Imperial Battlemages to smoothen his rule over Tamriel on Uriel Septim VII seat. However, the Prince of Destruction had a hidden agenda - he wanted to invade Tamriel. Since the Prince and his Daedric army cannot cross the realities directly, he conquered and used multiple pocket dimensions and the Battlespire (the final gateway) as the steps to the mortal realm. One of the invaded realms is Shade Perilous, one of the realms of Daedric Prince Nocturnal. Two Nocturnal's lieutenants, Deyanira Katrece and Jaciel Morgen were severely suffered by the invasion of Mehrunes Dagon.

Although the Battlespire had fallen; but an unknown hero managed to banish Mehrunes Dagon to Oblivion. The hero used Mehrunes Dagon's protonymic and neonymic; and then hit the Prince with the Daedric Broadsword of the Moon Reiver. The Broadsword of Moon Reiver is an artifact of great power that was personally forged from Mehrunes Dagon's own essence. With this action, Mehrunes Dagon's anchor to the mortal realm was severed and he was banished to Oblivion. The Battlespire itself was destroyed after the banishment of Mehrunes Dagon, due to the magicka anchors that supporting the floating citadel were also severed. More information on this issue can be found in The Story of Battlespire.

Another artifact that worth noted in this period of chaos is the Daedric Crescent Blade. These blades were used in the invasion of Battlespire by Mehrunes Dagon's army. After the event though, the Septim Dynasty declares this weapon illegal, and thus makes the blade highly prized among the collectors.

Other famous artifact of Mehrunes Dagon is Mehrunes' Razor. This mythical artifact is capable of slaying any creature instantly. This blade is highly prized among the assassins. The Hero of Daggerfall once was rewarded by Mehrunes Dagon after his service of eliminating a troublesome Frost Daedra. Decades later, the blade was recovered in the bad condition by the Nerevarine, and then Mehrunes Dagon in his shrine of Yasamiddan, restored the blade to its former glory. Detail conversation of the event can be read here.

In the south Cyrodiil, there exists the Nefarivigum, a foul construct of Mehrunes Dagon, was erected to be ever watchful for the pilgrim who would approach it and best an unknown trial of worth. It is said that such a pilgrim would be rewarded with the blessing of Mehrunes Razor. It seems that the construct is able to retrieve the razor from its current owner, and give it to the pilgrim that finished the trial. The Ayleids tried to prevent the blade to be released; therefore they erected Varsa Baalim, a city that surrounded the Nefarivigum. After so many years the city stood strong, some unfortunate events occurred, and the city were destroyed and lost from the history.

Some decades after the destruction of Battlespire, in 3E 433, Mythic Dawn, a cult of Mehrunes Dagon worshipper, managed to assassinate the Emperor Uriel Septim VII and the royal family of the Septim Dynasty. This started the event called the Oblivion Crisis. It is a period of time when the force of Oblivion under the lead of Mehrunes Dagon invaded Tamriel, with the assistance of the Mythic Dawn cult. The Gates of Oblivion appeared everywhere throughout Tamriel.

Brother Martin, a monk under the service of Akatosh in Kvatch, which is in fact a direct descendant of Uriel Septim VII, after being convinced by the Champion of Cyrodiil tried to prevent the fall of the mortal realm to Mehrunes Dagon. The Champion of Cyrodiil helped him recovering the Amulet of Kings and slain Mankar Camoran, the leader of the Mythic Dawn cult. However, when Martin was in his way to relight the Dragonfire to reseal the covenant made by Queen Alessia back in the First Era, Mehrunes Dagon and his minions had managed to cross the border between realities and invaded the Imperial City. Martin sacrificed himself while breaking the Amulet of Kings. This action summoned Akatosh. The Chief of the Aedra and the Daedra of Destruction clashed!

The titanic battle ended when Akatosh defeated and banished the Prince of Destruction back to Oblivion. Then Akatosh sealed the barrier between realities so that the Daedra will not be able to invade anymore. Alas, the last descendant of the Septim is no more; the Cyrodiil Empire has no Emperor. The future for the third Empire of Men is bleak.

Sometime during the Oblivion Crisis, Frathen Drothan, a rogue Telvanni tried to retrieve the blade in order to support his rebellion against the Imperial. He found the ruin of Varsa Baalim, and eventually he reached Nefarivigum, however the Champion of Cyrodiil thwarted his evil and retrieved the blade for himself.

Malacath, whose sphere is the patronage of the spurned and ostracized, and the sworn oath, and the bloody curse.

Malacath (God of Curses): Malacath is the reanimated dung that was Trinimac. A somewhat weak but vengeful Daedra, the Dark Elves say he is also Malak, the god-king of the orcs. He always tests the Dunmer for physical weakness.
- Varieties of Faith in the Empire

As recorded in "The Doors of Oblivion", Malacath maintains a realm called Ashpit; an ash-grayed realm without sky or ground, only particles or ashes that floating, falling and whirling, it is where anguish, betrayal, and broken promises like ash filled the bitter air.

The summoning date of Malacath is 8th of Frost Fall. Malacath can also be summoned in his shrine, if the summoner offered Troll Fat.

According to "Darkest Darkness", the giant but dim-witted Ogrim is a servant of Malacath. And recently we noted that Ogre is also one of Malacath's creatures.

During the exodus of the Chimer in the Merethic Era, one of the most powerful Aldmeri heroes, Trinimac, tried to stop the movement. Daedric Prince Boethiah as the mastermind behind of the movement confronted Trinimac. It was a legendary battle. It is said that Trinimac was eaten by Boethiah, then Boethiah spoke with Trinimac's voice, in order to increase the morale of the Chimer while in the same time mocking the opposed Aldmer. The remain of Trinimac was transformed to Daedric Prince Malacath, and Trinimac's followers were changed as well. They are now known as the Orcs, and they worship Malacath as their god. This is recorded in the "Changed Ones."

This information is also written in "The True Nature of Orcs": 

"Orcs were born during the latter days of the Dawn Era. History has mislabeled them beastfolk, related to the goblin races, but the Orcs are actually the children of Trinimac, strongest of the Altmeri ancestor spirits. When Trinimac was eaten by the Daedroth Prince Boethiah, and transformed in that foul god's insides, the Orcs were transformed as well. The ancient name for the Orcs is 'Orsimer,' which means 'The Pariah Folk.' They now follow Malauch, the remains of Trinimac."

Malacath is also one of the Dunmeri Four Corners of the House of Troubles. Four Corner of the House of Trouble consists of Molag Bal, Mehrunes Dagon, Malacath and Sheogorath. These Daedric Princes rebelled against the counsel and admonition of the Tribunal, causing great kin strife and confusion among the clans and Great Houses. They are holy in that they serve the role of obstacles during the Testing. Through time they have sometimes become associated with local enemies, like the Nords, Akaviri, or Mountain Orcs. As written in the "The House of Troubles" and "Varieties of Faith in the Empire", Malacath is the reanimated dung that was Trinimac, Malacath is a weak but vengeful god. The Dunmer say he is Malak, the god-king of the orcs. He tests the Dunmer for physical weakness.

An interesting record in the "Varieties of Faith in the Empire" says:

"Mauloch (Malacath): An Orcish god, Mauloch troubled the heirs of King Harald for a long time. Fled east after his defeat at the Battle of Dragon Wall, ca. 1E660. His rage was said to fill the sky with his sulphurous hatred, later called the "Year of Winter in Summer"."

We know the year is the time when the Red Mountain erupted that brought disasters throughout Tamriel, so I think the claim that says that his rage fill the sky with sulphurous hatred is rather exaggerated.

During the time of the Nerevarine, Malacath was summoned by the Nerevarine in his shrine of Assurdirapal. The Prince of Curses asked the Nerevarine to track and kill the last of the Oreyn Bearclaw family line. He was upset that Oreyn Bearclaw took all the glory to be a hero while in fact all the deeds were done by Kharag gro-Khar, Oreyn's Orcish companion. The target person was finally killed by the Nerevarine and Malacath rewarded the Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw. However Malacath was wrong believing that the Oreyn Bearclaw's family line has ended, while in fact one of the family members is still alive. This person, named Modryn Oreyn, became a rather important person in the Fighters Guild after his role in the quest to eliminate the dangerous competitor of the guild, the Blackwood Company. Detail conversation of the event in Morrowind can be read here.

Malacath is also reported quite upset when certain minor lord enslaved some Ogres. It seems that the Ogres are one of his creations. He calls the Ogre as "little brother." Malacath tasked the Champion of Cyrodiil to free the Ogres and punish the minor lord. The champion did as he asked and Malacath was pleased. He rewarded the champion the famous dwarven hammer, Volendrung. Detail conversation of the event can be read here. On the side note, Volendrung was also rewarded by Malacath to the hero of Daggerfall. It is unknown to us, why the famous hammer of the Rourken Clan came to Malacath's possession.

Rourken Clan is one of the Dwemer factions that refused to peace with the Chimer. They decided to exile themselves out of Resdayn (now Morrowind). The chief of Rourken Clan was said threw his hammer Volendrung and then he and his fellow clan members took a long march following the hammer's flight. Where it landed, the Rourken would create a new kingdom. It was landed in Hammerfell.

The Hero of Daggerfall received this hammer, decades before, after he did a service for Malacath, which had asked the Hero of Daggerfall to slay a troublesome Daedra Seducer. After wandering throughout Tamriel, the hammer returned to Morrowind and came to be in the possesion of Yagrum Bagarn, the Last Living Dwarf, who had the hammer in his closet. At that time all the enchantment of the hammer vanished, with no apparent reason. It was just a mundane hammer. However, in 3E 433 the hammer came into the possession of Malacath again, and all its powerful enchantment returned. As written above, it was eventually rewarded to the Champion of Cyrodiil. Volendrung is best known for the paralyzing and strength leeching effects it has when hit an enemy.

There is a less well-known artifact of Malacath, named Scourge. The "Requisite Book of Daedra" (under the heading of Malacath) says:

"...yet though Malacath blessed Scourge to be potent against his daedra kin, he thought not that it should fall into daedric hands, then to serve as a tool for private war among caitiff and forsaken. Thus did Malacath curse the device such that should any dark kin seek to invoke its powers, that a voidhole should open and swallow that daedra, and purge him into Oblivion's voidstreams, from thence to pathfind back to the Real and Unreal Worlds in the full order of time."

and "Legendary Scourge" states:

"EXPLICATION: The mace Scourge, Blessed of Malacath, Macckan's legendary weapon, forged from sacred ebony in the Fountains of Fickleire, has ever been the bane of the Dark Kin, and many a black spirit has been hurled back into Oblivion with a single blow of this bold defender of the friendless."

This mace was found in the Battlespire by the unnamed hero of the Battlespire. It changed owners, and finally the mace came to the possession of the Telvanni lord, Divayth Fyr. As any Fyr's artifacts, it was free for the thieves to steal - if they could. Most likely it is in the possession of the Nerevarine today.

Hircine, whose sphere is the hunt, the sports of Daedra, the greatest game, the chase and sacrifice of mortals; known by the names The Huntsman of The Princes, and The Father of Manbeasts.

The summoning date of Hircine is 5th of Mid Year. Hircine can also be summoned in his shrine, if the summoner has offered a wolf or bear pelt. Hircine always accepts summon from the witches of the Glenmoril Wyrd Coven of High Rock, at anytime.

Circa 3E 430, Daedric Prince Hircine showed up in Solstheim, a disputed island between Morrowind and Skyrim. Roughly every a thousand years, Hircine comes to the island to perform a hunting game, known as Bloodmoon among the Skaal (a local Nordic tribe). His coming is always preceded by three signs: "Fire From the Eye of Glass", "Tide of Woe" and "Bloodmoon", when the young moon itself runs red.

As written above, Hircine is also known as the Father of Manbeasts, the Lycanthropes. The most common types of the Lycanthropes are Werewolf and Wereboar. The book authored by Varnard Karessen titled "On Lycanthropy" says:

In Black Marsh and southern Morrowind, werecrocodiles stalk the swamps. Black Marsh also shares with the Imperial Province and the wetter parts of Elsweyr the vile presence of werelions. Valenwood's werevultures are not found in any other province. The wereboar has found both the climates of High Rock and Hammerfell amenable. As I mentioned before, the werebear is the most common lycanthrope in Skyrim, and is also found in the northern parts of High Rock, the Imperial Province, and Morrowind. The werewolf can be found in every province. The seventh lycanthrope, which I have never seen but my trusted peers have assured me exists, is a wereshark that roams the oceans around Tamriel.

The hunger or the Bloodlust of the Lycanthropes is legendary. Unlike Vampires, who can survive without blood for a period of time, the Lycanthropes cannot. They have to kill once they have turned to beast form otherwise they would die. Certain artifact can suppress this Bloodlust, but the artifact is very rare and difficult to retrieve.

Lycanthropy is a disease but it starts with another disease, a minor one, called "Sanies Lupinus" that usually transferred by another Lycanthrope. At this point, a standard cure-disease potion will remove the disease easily. The disease only drains a small number of fatigue, and is hardly recognized. After three days without a cure, the disease evolves to Lycanthropy, the people turned to beast form and starts the Bloodlust.

When in beast form, the person's attributes (like strength, speed and endurance) are increased and his/her claws are deadly. The person also has total resistance to disease whether in human form or in beast form. In Iliac Bay, the Lycanthropes turn to beast form once per month, meaning they have to kill once per month. But in Solstheim, during the Bloodmoon, the transformation daily, perhaps due to the presence of Hircine himself.

During the Bloodmoon, Werewolves known as Hircine's Hounds acted as the hunters, while the inhabitants of the Solstheim were their prey. The most powerful person that can defeat the hounds is honored and would receive favors from the Prince himself, eventually being granted the right to face Hircine's aspect in one-on-one battle. Being honored to be the prey of the Prince himself. Very few survived this battle.

The Ring of Hircine is a unique artifact that grants a person - lycan or not - the power to control lycanthropy. Sometime before the Warp of the West, this ring was reported resurfaced in the Iliac Bay. The ring makes the Lycanthrope wielder to turn to beast form or vice versa at will, while being able to suppress the hunger. During the Bloodmoon in Solstheim, the enchantment was altered somewhat. The ring can make any person to turn to beast form at will but does not eliminate the blood lust in lycanthropes.

The witches of the witches of the Glenmoril Wyrd Coven of High Rock and Soltheim are known as Hircine worshipers, and can perform a summoning for anyone that can pay the price. The witches are also able to cure anyone of Lycanthropy.

The infected person, with the assistance of the witches, must perform a ritual called The Rite of the Wolf Giver. It is a complex ritual of dark magicka, requiring the sacrifice of both flesh and innocence. Petals of a wolfsbane flower and one bunch of ripened belladonna berries are needed by the witches to concoct a potion for the rite. Next, the infected must kill an innocent at a special altar, take her heart, and give it to the assisting witch. The witch then pours the potion on the heart, and with a long, shrieking series of arcane words the heart starts to pulse. The infected person must put back the heart into the innocent. The innocent will turn to Lycanthrope and the person must once again kill her. When the innocent dies in a second time, the infected person is infected no more. For more information please read The Story of Morrowind - Bloodmoon subsection.

There is a secret guarded heavily by the witches, a secret to cure Lycanthropy without the Rite of Wolf Giver. It uses a certain scroll or potion. But the witches will never offer this curing method to anyone. Most likely this brings Hircine's disfavor.

Another famous artifact of Hircine is the Armor of Saviour Hide. Legend has it that Hircine rewarded his peeled hide to the first mortal to have ever escaped his hunting grounds. This unknown mortal had the hide tailored into this magical armor for his future adventures. The armor was resurfaced in the Battlespire, during Mehrunes Dagon's invasion. One must wear a full set of the armor in order to wield the Spear of Bitter Mercy, a special spear that is needed to slay a certain Daedric leader. After the event, the armor pieces were scattered, leaving only the cuirass in the hands of mortals.

Divayth Fyr, an ancient Telvanni wizard and artifact collector, was the owner of the Cuirass of Saviour's Hide in the late 3E 420s. As with all his artifacts, he offered it freely to any adventurer brave enough to take it. 

Some time during Oblivion Crisis, Hircine was summoned by the Champion of Cyrodiil. He desired the horn of the only Unicorn in Cyrodiil. According some records, the champion finally brought the horn to Hircine, and Hircine rewarded the champion with the Cuirass of Saviour Hide. Detail conversation of the event can be read here.

Hermaeus (or Hoermius or Hormaius or Herma) Mora, whose sphere is scrying of the tides of fate, of the past and future as read in the stars and heaven, and in whose dominion are the treasures of knowledge and memory.

Herma-Mora (The Woodland Man): Ancient Atmoran demon who, at one time, nearly seduced the Nords into becoming Aldmer. Most Ysgramor myths are about escaping the wiles of old Herma-Mora. Also called the Demon of Knowledge, he is vaguely related to the cult origins of the Morag Tong ('Foresters Guild'), if only by association with his brother/sister, Mephala.
- Varieties of Faith in the Empire

As recorded in "The Doors of Oblivion", Hermaeus Mora maintains a realm called Apocrypha, where all forbidden knowledge can be found. It is an endless library, shelves stretching on every direction, stacks on top of stacks. Pages floated on a mystical wind that he could not feel. Every book had a black cover with no title. Masses of ghosts moving through the stacks, rifling through books, ever searching.

The summoning date of Hermaeus Mora is 5th of First Seed.

Hermaeus Mora is always associated with the Oghma Infinium, a tome of power that can increase the attributes of the reader instantly. The knowledge given by Hermaeus Mora himself was penned in the tome by the Ageless One, the wizard-sage Xarses.

This obscured Daedric Prince sometime cannot be summoned as "easily" as other Daedric Princes. During the Oblivion Crisis, after the Champion of Cyrodiil finished all the quests from other Daedric Princes, the Champion of Cyrodiil was summoned instead of the champion summoned the Prince. Hermaeus Mora asked the champion to get souls, one of each of the sentient races. An evil contract, the champion finished the contract anyway. Hermaeus Mora then rewarded the champion the Oghma Infinium. Detail conversation of the event can be read here.

The Eternal Champion, back in the time of Jagar Tharn was able to retrieve the tomb in the deep frozen wastes of Skyrim; at that time Hermaues Mora did not interfere. Then the Hero of Daggerfall is recorded as the wielder of the tome, sometime after the War of Betony. The hero summoned Hermaeus Mora, and he was asked to slay certain patrician who had aroused Daedric Prince's displeasure. Upon finishing the quest, the Hero of Daggerfall was rewarded with the legendary tome.

Clavicus Vile, whose sphere is the granting of power and wishes through ritual invocations and pact.

The summoning date of Clavicus Vile is 1st of Morning Star. Clavicus Vile can also be summoned in his shrine, if the summoner offered 500 gold.

Circa 2E 896, Clavicus Vile is recorded dealing with N'Gasta, the Sload Necromancer of Stros M'Kai. N'Gasta created "Soulsnare", which gathered lost souls. The Daedric Prince Clavicus Vile granted N'Gasta favors with every soul sent to him. Cyrus the Redguard hero, in his desperate quest to find his sister, managed to destroy N'Gasta by using the Flask of Lillandril. Using the N'Gasta's Necromancy Book, he performed a ritual to transport himself to Clavicus Vile's realm in Oblivion.

The detail of the ritual is following. In order to make a gate to Oblivion appear, Cyrus had to mix Orc's blood with Amber (jacinth - rising sun), mix the Unicorn's horn with Hist Sap (snow - grass), mix the Daedra's heart with Ectoplasm (night - mid-day sky) and then poured the mixtures on the symbol in the center of the N'Gasta's room, in that order. Then a gate appeared. Cyrus went through the gate and was taken to Clavicus Vile's realm.

Then he dealt with Clavicus Vile, who was the holder of his sister's soul. Expecting to give back his sister's soul, Cyrus gave the Flask of Lillandril, but instead Clavicus Vile returned with a riddle. If Cyrus could answer it he might get back her sister's soul, but if he failed Cyrus' own soul would be Clavicus Vile's. Eventually, the wit of Cyrus served him well. The detail of the event can be read in The Story of Redguard.

Circa 3E 430, the scholars recorded a Necromantic threat in Dagon Fel, Morrowind. A Necromancer by the name of Sorkvild the Raven terrorized the area. He somehow had acquired the Masque of Clavicus Vile after an unknown deal with Clavicus Vile. Sorkvild met his doom in the hand of an agent of the Imperial Legion, which is also the Nerevarine.

About the masque, the "Tamrielic Artifacts" says:

Ever the vain one, Clavicus Vile made a masque suited to his own personality. The bearer of the masque is more likely to get a positive response from the people of Tamriel. The higher his personality, the larger the bonus. The best known story of the masque tells the tale of Avalea, a noblewoman of some renown. As a young girl, she was grossly disfigured by a spiteful servant. Avalea made a dark deal with Clavicus Vile and received the masque in return. Though the masque did not change her looks, suddenly she had the respect and admiration of everyone. A year and a day after her marriage to a well connected baron, Clavicus reclaimed his masque. Although pregnant with his child, Avalea was banished from the baron's household. Twenty one years and one day later, Avalea's daughter claimed her vengeance by slaying the baron.

The masque was owned by the Hero of Daggerfall as well, sometime around the year 3E 410. Obviously after dealing with Clavicus Vile. The Prince asked the hero to slay certain werewolf. After the deed was done, the hero was rewarded with the masque.

A worth-checked fiction, written by Waughin Jarth, tells a story of a scribe and his enchanted quill, "Feyfolken." In fact the quill was a gift by Clavicus Vile. The quill gave a great benefit to the owner, but sooner or later the owner was doomed to always use the quill and could not be separated. When that finally happened, Clavicus Vile took the quill back from the owner and also his soul. This is the typical characteristic of Clavicus Vile's gifts.

Circa 3E 433, the Champion of Cyrodiil approached the Shrine of Clavicus Vile and managed to deal with the Prince. Clavicus Vile asked the champion to procure Umbra. An evil sword that has the power to capture the soul of its victim; however after long uses the sword usually consumes the wielder. The sword will possess the wielder. The sword somehow has the characteristic of the Clavicus Vile's artifacts. The "Tamrielic Artifacts" says: 

"The Umbra Sword was enchanted by the ancient witch Naenra Waerr, and its sole purpose was the entrapment of souls. Used in conjunction with a soul gem, the Sword allows the wielder the opportunity to imprison an enemy's soul in the gem. Naenra was executed for her evil creation, but not before she was able to hide the Sword. The Umbra Sword is very choosy when it comes to owners and therefore remains hidden until a worthy one is found."

The main purpose of Umbra is "entrapment of souls." Calvicus Vile said that the sword contains the soul of Umbra, a hero he had been dealing sometime before and wanted to finish it. Learning from the history, where Clavicus Vile was interested on the N'Gasta's work and also Sorkvild's, which is Necromancy, probably Naenra Waerr had also a Necromancer and had dealt with Clavicus Vile for something. This raised some speculations but it is not in the scope of this guide to explore. For procuring Umbra, Clavicus Vile offered his Masque to the champion.

The weird thing happened, the hound statue of Clavicus Vile jumped in to the champion's bag, and it introduced itself as Barbas. Further it said that it would be best if Clavicus Vile not to retrieve the sword at all. Somehow returning the Umbra Sword to Clavicus Vile is a mistake, likely to cause great ruin to Clavicus Vile's domain. It is unknown whether the champion followed the instruction of Barbas or not, but most likely the champion would follow Barbas' instruction. This "sword causes great ruin to Clavicus Vile's domain" is indeed bring more speculations. Detail conversation of the event can be read here.

Apparently Clavicus Vile managed to retrieve the Umbra sword. The events following this deal can be read in the lengthy tome called The Infernal City. Here is a brief synopsis.

From the "Manifesto Cyrodiil Vampyrum," we can take a note that Clavicus Vile altered the Vampire blood of Cyrodiilic Vampires, made them be able to walk during daylight and most importantly can deal among the common folks as another commoner - if they were well fed. This actually a great gift for the Vampires. What Clavicus Vile's asking for the payment of the great service is unknown.

Boethiah, whose sphere is deceit and conspiracy, and the secret plots of murder, assasination, treason, and unlawful overthrow of authority.

Boethiah (Prince of Plots): Heralded by the Prophet Veloth, Boethiah is the original god-ancestor of the Dark Elves. Through his illuminations, the eventual 'Chimer', or Changed Folk, renounced all ties to the Aldmer and founded a new nation based on Daedric principles. All manner of Dark Elven cultural 'advances' are attributed to Boethiah, from philosophy to magic to 'responsible' architecture. Ancient Velothi allegories are uniformly heroic successes of Boethiah over enemies of every type, foundation stories of Chimeri struggle. Also known as the Anticipation of Almalexia.
- Varieties of Faith in the Empire

The summoning date of Boethiah is the 2nd of Sun's Dusk. Boethiah can also be summoned in his shrine, if the summoner offered a daedra heart.

According to "Darkest Darkness", the Hunger is a powerful and violent lesser Daedra that is associated with Boethiah. A sinuous, long-limbed, long-tailed creature with a beast-skulled head, noted for its paralyzing touch and its ability to disintegrate weapons and armor.

As mentioned above, Boethiah is one of the three Good Daedra of the Dunmer. The Good Daedra are Azura, Boethiah and Mephala. They were mostly worshipped by the Chimer prior to the apotheosis of the Tribunal, and their changing to Dunmer. The Dunmeri Temple acknowledges them as the anticipations of the Tribunal. Azura is the anticipation of Sotha Sil, Boethiah is the anticipation of Almalexia and Mephala is the anticipation of Vivec.

Back in the Merethic Era, Boethiah "illuminated" the Prophet Veloth and his Chimer followers to renounce all ties to the Aldmer and found a new nation based on Daedric principles (it is Morrowind today). Azura taught the Chimer the mysteries needed to be different than the Altmer. Mephala taught the Chimer the skills they would need to evade their enemies or to kill them with secret murder. Enemies were numerous in those days since the Chimer were a small faction. Mephala, along with Boethiah, organized the clan systems that eventually became the basis for the Great Houses of the Dunmer.

Lord Boethiah to the exodus: "Divide ye like your enemies, in Houses, and lay your laws in set sequence from the center, again like the enemy Corners of the House of Troubles, and see yourself thence as timber, or mud-slats, or sheets of resin. Then do not divide, for yet is the stride of Sithis quicker than the rush of enemies, and He will sunder the whole for the sake of a shingle."

During the exodus of the Chimer in the Merethic Era, one of the most powerful Aldmeri heroes, Trinimac, tried to stop the movement. Boethiah confronted Trinimac. It was a legendary battle. It is said that Boethiah ate Trinimac, then Boethiah spoke with Trinimac's voice, in order to increase the morale of the Chimer while in the same time mocking the opposed Aldmer. Escaping from Boethiah, Trinimac then transformed to Daedric Prince Malacath. Read "Changed Ones" and "The True Nature of Orcs" for more information.

Boethiah sometimes appears as female, while other times as male. In the older accounts, Boethiah is acknowledged as a goddess, while in the records that chronicled the recent events of Morrowind and Cyrodiil state that Boethiah is male. One thing for sure, Daedra can choose whatever form he/she wanted, and it's beyond our capabilities to measure the gender of the Daedra.

After the apotheosis of the Tribunal, Boethiah is "forgotten" by the Dunmer. His shrine in the northwest of Hla Oad, Vvardenfell is in the worse shape, even it was under water. Boethiah asked the Nerevarine to create a new shrine. The Nerevarine asked Duma gro-Lag, a famous sculptor of Caldera. Using the sketch in the book "Boethiah's Glory", the orcish sculptor built a new shrine for Boethiah over at Karthag Point, Vvardenfell, Morrowind. After the new shrine was finished, the Nerevarine was rewarded with Goldbrand. Detail conversation of the event in Morrowind can be read here. The Champion of Cyrodiil was also rewarded with this Goldbrand after he finished Boethiah's test - The Tournament of Ten Bloods - a test of combat skill, where the Champion of Cyrodiil must defeat ten Boethiah's champions. Detail conversation of the event in Oblivion can be read here.

Other than Goldbrand, Boethiah is associated with artifacts Ebony Mail and Fearstruck. The Ebony Mail can still be found these days though difficult. The reports show that the latest wielder was the Nerevarine which found the mail in the Mount Assarnibibi. The Fearstruck on the other hand according to "The Story of Lysirius", was destroyed in the Akaviri raid, circa 1E 2703.

Ebony Mail is one of the most powerful cuirasses. If judged worthy, its power grants the wearer invulnerability to all common magical attacks that drain talents and health. Eternal Champion was one of the owners of the mail. It was hidden in Black Marsh after the previous owner, a warrior named Helath Stormbinder lose the favors of Boethiah. Following a strange map, the Eternal Champion eventually found the resting place of the mail and retrieved it for his war against Jagar Tharn. Later on, Boethiah also rewarded the Ebony Mail to the Hero of Daggerfall, after he finished a simple elimination job.

Azura, whose sphere is dusk and dawn, the magic inbetween realms of twilight; known by the names The Daedric Prince of Moonshadow, Mother of the Rose, and Queen of the Night Sky.

Azura maintains the domain of Moonshadow, a twilight country of shades and half-thoughts. Visitors to this isle have historically come mainly from the Dunmer of eastern Morrowind (as Azura is one of the Dunmeri three Good Daedra) and the catfolk of Elsweyr, whose people both hold a great affection for the mother of immanence, though by separate roads.

According "The Doors of Oblivion", Moonshadow is a very beautiful place. Flowers, waterfalls, majestic trees, and a city of silver decorate the realm, but it is all a blur. The colors run like water. It's damp from the rainy weather while the wind smells like perfume.

The summoning date of Azura is 21st of First Seed (also known as Hogithum). Azura can also be summoned in her shrine, if the summoner offered glow dust, while the time was at dawn or dusk.

According to "Darkest Darkness", the Winged Twilight is a messenger of Azura, Goddess of Dusk and Dawn. Winged twilights resemble the feral harpies of the West, though the feminine aspects of the winged twilights are more ravishing, and their long, sharp, hooked tails are immeasurably more deadly.

As mentioned above, Azura is one of the three Good Daedra of the Dunmer. The Good Daedra are Azura, Boethiah and Mephala. They were mostly worshipped by the Chimer prior to the apotheosis of the Tribunal, and their changing to Dunmer. The Dunmeri Temple acknowledges them as the anticipations of the Tribunal. Azura is the anticipation of Sotha Sil, Boethiah is the anticipation of Almalexia and Mephala is the anticipation of Vivec.

Back in the Merethic Era, Boethiah "illuminated" the Prophet Veloth and his Chimer followers to renounce all ties to the Aldmer and found a new nation based on Daedric principles (it is Morrowind today). Azura taught the Chimer the mysteries needed to be different than the Altmer. Mephala taught the Chimer the skills they would need to evade their enemies or to kill them with secret murder. Enemies were numerous in those days since the Chimer was a small faction. Mephala, along with Boethiah, organized the clan systems that eventually became the basis for the Great Houses of the Dunmer.

"Azura (Goddess of Dusk and Dawn): Azura was the god-ancestor that taught the Chimer the mysteries needed to be different than the Altmer. Some of her more conventional teachings are sometimes attributed to Boethiah. In the stories, Azura is often more a communal cosmic force for the race as a whole than an ancestor or a god. Also known as the Anticipation of Sotha Sil. In Elsweyr, Azurah is nearly a wholly separate entity, yet she is still tied into the origins of Khajiiti out of Altmeri stock."
- Varieties of Faith in the Empire

In 1E 415 Indoril Nerevar and Dumac Dwarfking united their people, the Chimer and the Dwemer, into one powerful nation called Resdayn. However the principal differences between Chimer and Dwemer were too numerous. The construction of the Numidium by Kagrenac and utilization of the Heart of Lorkhan for fueling the Numidium made the two Elven races finally clashed in the War of the First Council.

The Dwemer were nigh invulnerable due to their connection with the Heart. However, a clever trick done by Nerevar made him and his small troop able to infiltrate the headquarters of the Dwemer, bested the leaders of the Dwemer, and snatched Kagrenac's Tools. They are the tools used by Kagrenac to tap the divine power of Lorkhan's Heart. According to "Nerevar at Red Mountain", Nerevar summoned Azura, asking what to do with Kagrenac's Tools. She told Nerevar how to use the tools to separate the power of the Heart from the Dwemer people. When Nerevar used the tools, all the Dwemer vanished from mortal world. There are many controversies on this issue, though, and it is not the scope of this section to discuss it. What is important here is according to "Nerevar at Red Mountain" Azura is responsible for the disappearance of the Dwemer.

After the War of the First Council and the death of Indoril Nerevar, the Tribunal used the tools to tap the divine power of Lorkhan and emerged as gods. The Tribunal broke all ties with the three Daedric Princes. Furious by this action, Azura cursed the Tribunal and the rest of the Chimer race. Their skin changed from golden-hue to ash-color, and their eyes turned to the color of fire. From that moment on, they were known as the Dunmer. Azura prophesized that Nerevar would come back to punish the Tribunal - The Nerevarine Prophecies.

Although the Dunmer broke all ties with the three Good Daedra, they still accommodate the ancient worship of the Daedra by stating that the three Good Daedra are the anticipations of the Tribunal. As mentioned above, Azura is the anticipation of Sotha Sil, Boethiah is the anticipation of Almalexia and Mephala is the anticipation of Vivec. Please note that, the term Anticipation is just the political/doctrine term that is used by the Dunmer, as is the term of "Good Daedra". There is no absolute good or evil in the world of The Elder Scrolls.

The book "Azura and the Box" tells of how Azura was tricked by a Dwemer in simple test of "what is in the box?" Being a goddess she knew exactly that there was flower with red petals inside the box; but when the box was opened, there was nothing inside. Azura was furious and according to some this triggered her hatred toward the race.

Here's what Ted "Tedders" Peterson has to say about this text:

"The tale may not have even happened, but if it did, here are the salient points:
1.Azura was right
2.She thought she was wrong
To the Dwemer, this meant that though the Daedra were omnipotent and omniscient, they had doubts. There was a crack in their armor. There exists a possibility, even slight, even infinitesimally small, that they can be wrong.
This is extreme heresy."

According to "Words of Clan Mother Ahnissi to her Favored Daughter", Azura is also responsible for the creation of the Khajiit race as she was given the three secrets of creation. When Nirn was so sad that her children (the forest people) did not have shape, Azura helped her. She takes the forest people and changes them to Khajiit.

"And Azurah came to her and said, "Poor Nirni, stop your tears. Azurah makes for you a gift of a new people." And Nirni stopped weeping, and Azurah spoke the First Secret to the Moons and they parted and let Azurah pass. And Azurah took the forest people who were torn between man and beast, and she placed them in the best desserts and forests on Nirni. And Azurah in her wisdom made them of many shapes, one for every purpose. And Azurah named them Khajiit and told them her Second Secret and taught them the value of secrets. And Azurah left and spoke the Third Secret to the Lunar Lattice and bound the Khajiit to the Lattice, as is proper for Nirni's secret defenders. Then Azurah spoke the Third Secret again, and the Moons shone down on the marshes and their light became sugar."

In 3E 427, the Emperor Uriel Septim VII released a slave with uncertain parents and born on a certain sign, to uncover the prophecies of the Nerevarine. Somehow, Azura blessed this slave and guided his path. After a long perilous journey in Vvardenfell, the slave was acknowledged as the Nerevarine by four Ashlander Tribes and selected as Hortator by Houses Redoran, Hlaalu and Telvanni. With the help of Vivec, he eventually fulfilled the Nerevarine prophecies by destroying Dagoth Ur, the patriarch of resurfacing ancient House Dagoth. The Nerevarine severed Dagoth Ur's connection with the Heart of Lorkhan, effectively destroyed him and the new construct called Akulakhan. With this action, he also removed the blight that had been haunting Vvardenfell settlements for centuries, through the use of Kagrenac's Tools. Unfortunately, severing Dagoth Ur's connection to the heart also severed the connection of the Tribunal to the heart, thus leading to the undoing of their godhood. Azura showed up and congratulated the Nerevarine. More of this is told in the Story of Morrowind.

Shaken by the changing of power in Morrowind and mostly the loss of her godhood, Almalexia loses her sanity kills Sotha Sil. She lured the Nerevarine to the Clockwork City of Sotha Sil in order to finish him there and return as the only god to be able to unite the Dunmer. But, she failed and was killed by the Nerevarine. Azura showed up again after this event, and congratulated the Nerevarine. Some scholars believe that Azura was the mastermind of this undoing of the Tribunal, while the Nerevarine was just a puppet. More of this is told in the Story of Morrowind - Tribunal subsection.

Recently there has been news that the Daedric realm of Azura, Moonshadow is inaccessible. Whether this has to do with the unlawful incidents at Hogithum Hall in the Capital City or mere whim of Azura herself, no one can say. For more information about this unlawful incident please read the Trial of Vivec.

During the Oblivion crisis, Azura was summoned by the Champion of Cyrodiil in her shrine north of Cheydinhal. She asked the champion to help her end the suffering of her followers that were infected by Vampirism. By slaying these Vampires, Azura expressed her gratitude and rewarded the champion Azura's Star. A powerful artifact that can be used to store soul and may be used multiple time, unlike standard soul gems. Detail conversation of the event can be read here.

She once gave the same artifact to the hero of Daggerfall, after slaying a priest who offended her. She also rewarded it to the Nerevarine. At that time Azura and Sheogorath placed a bet that for 100 years, one of Azura's priestess could live in solitude without madness. When the time had almost passed, Sheogorath cheated. He sent his Golden Saint named Staada and her host of Daedric creatures to break the solitude. The Nerevarine killed the Golden Saint and took her ring as a proof for Azura to confront Sheogorath. Detail conversation of the event can be read here.