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Modern Heretics

Author: 
Haderus of Gottlesfont

Modern Heretics: a Study of Daedra Worship in the Empire

by Haderus of Gottlesfont

 

Daedra worship is not prohibited by law in Cyrodiil. Primarily this is a result of the Imperial Charter granted the Mages Guild permitting the summoning of Daedra. Nonetheless, chapel and public opinion is so strongly against Daedra worship that those who practice Daedric rituals do so in secret.

However, opinions about Daedra worship differ widely in other provinces. Even in Cyrodiil, traditional opinions have changed greatly over the years, and some communities survive which worship Daedra. Some more traditional Daedra-worshippers are motivated by piety and personal conviction; many modern Daedra-worshippers are motivated by a lust for arcane power. In particular, questing heroes of all stripes seek after the fabled Daedric artifacts for their potent combat and magical benefits.

I personally have discovered one community worshipping the Daedra Lord Azura, Queen of Dawn and Dusk. A researcher curious about Daedra worship might research in several ways: through a study of the literature, through exploration and discovery of ancient daedric shrines, through questioning local informants, and through questioning worshippers themselves. I used all these means to discover the shrine of Azura.

First I read books. References like this one may provide a helpful general background concerning Daedric shrines. For example, my researches led me to understand that, in Cyrodiil, Daedric shrines are generally represented by statues of Daedra Lords, are generally situated in wilderness locations far from settlements, that each shrine generally has associated with it a community of worshippers, often referred to as a 'coven', that shrines have associated with them a particular time -- often a day of the week -- when a Daedra lord might be solicited, that Daedra Lord often will not deign to respond unless they regard a petitioner of sufficient prowess or strength of character, that they will only respond if given the proper offering [the secret of which offering often known only to the community of worshippers], and that, in return for the completion of some task or service, the Daedra Lords will often undertake to offer an artifact of power to a successful quester.

Then I questioned locals with an intimate knowledge of the wilderness. Two classes of informants I found especially useful -- well-traveled hunters and adventurers [who might come across shrines in their travels], and scholars of the Mages Guild. In the case of the Shrine of Azura, both sources were profitable. I discovered a Cheydinhal hunter who had chanced across a strange epic statue in his travels. The statue was of a woman with outstretched arms; in one hand she held a star; in the other hand, she held a crescent moon. He had shunned the statue out of superstitious fear, but had marked the location in memory --far north of Cheydinhal, northwest of Lake Arrius, high in the Jerall Mountains. Then, proceeding to the local Mages Guild with a description of the statue, I was able to confirm from its description the identity of the Daedra Lord worshipped.

Having discovered the location of the shrine, I visited it, and discovered there the community of worshippers. Because of the strength of opinion against Daedra worship, the worshippers were, at first, reluctant to admit their identity. But once I had won their trust, they were willing to divulge to me the secrets of the times when Azura would hear petitions [from dusk to dawn], and that the offering required by Azura was glow dust, a substance obtained from the will-o-the-wisp.

I am, of course, nothing more than a chapelman and scholar, so it did not lie within my power to find a will-o-the-wisp to obtain glow dust; nor am I certain that Azura would have found me worthy to make such an offering, even had I proffered it. But I was assured that if I had been able to make such an offering, and if it had been accepted, Azura would have given me some sort of quest, which, if completed, might have earned me the reward of Azura's Star, a Daedric artifact of legendary magical powers.

I have since heard rumors of the existence in Cyrodiil of several other Daedric shrines, of the Daedric Lords to which they are dedicated, and the Daedric artifacts that might be won by questing heroes. Hircine the Huntsman, for example, is linked in legend to the Savior's Hide, a powerful enchanted armor. The sword Volendrung is associated with Malacath, Lord of Monsters, and the eponymously named Mace of Molag Bal is also thought to be the object of Daedra worship. Other Daedra Lords, their shrines and worshippers, remain to be discovered in Cyrodiil by earnest and persistent researchers. 

Daedric Alphabet

Author: 
Qwerty
Ayem Ayem Bedt Bedt Cess Cess Doht Doht
Ekem Ekem Hefhed Hefhed Geth Geth Hekem Hekem
Iya Iya Jeb Jeb Koht Koht Lyr Lyr
Meht Meht Neht Neht Oht Oht Payem Payem
Quam Quam Roht Roht Seht Seht Tayem Tayem
Yoodt Yoodt Vehk Vehk Web Web Xayah Xayah
Yahkem Yahkem Zyr Zyr

History

This set of letters has first appeared in TESL: Battlespire, circa 1997. In Battlespire, it was a major gameplay feature and possibly a copy protection device, too. Since the celestial academy of Battlespire was taken over by Daedra, the font was dubbed "Daedric" in the Battlespire manual. However, in TES: Morrowind this font is widely used throughout the game by locals (Dark Elves, that is) - it's not exclusively Daedric anymore. In TESA: Redguard there was (to my knowledge) only one instance of Daedric usage, in the spellbook in N'Gasta the necromancer's laboratory.

The Daedric font for Windows (in TrueType format) was put together by Scribe of Black Marsh. This font is also available on the Morrowind CD, and on numerous Morrowind sites as well.

Download the Daedric font

Another set of fonts for this script has been composed recently by a fan called Dongle, and it's called "Oblivion". It comes in several versions, features the "X" and "Y" letter, and contains punctuation marks, unlike the "Daedric" font.

Download the Oblivion font pack in TrueType format
Download the Oblivion Script font pack in TrueType format
View the Oblivion font pack readme file
Visit Dongle's page

Pronunciation

Despite fancy letter names, the writings in this script should be pronounced as if the letters were Latin and the writing was in English. For example, the word "Doht-Oht-Geth" means "dog" and not "dohtohtgeht". I'm making this clear because I did receive an e-mail from a confused fan once.

The pattern for the letter names might have been inspired by the letter names in the Hebrew alphabet.

It's not "Daedric language"

While the letters looks strange and outlandish, they are used to write down plain English words. The language remains the same, no matter what the font is.

It's not "Daedric runes"

Real runes were designed by nations who had no knowledge of paper. They were meant to be carved on stone or wood, not written. As a result, the runes:

  • had to contain only straight lines - no curves, no loops
  • contained no horizontal lines, so that the wood is not split accidentally while carving
  • had small number of strokes.

It's pretty apparent that the Daedric alphabet fits neither requirement.

It might be worth noting that Prof. Tolkien's Cirth (and Angerthas) follows these rules precisely. See the inscription on Balin's tomb in "The Fellowship of the Ring" for an example.

Vehk, Ayem and Seht?

Exactly. The three alternative names of the Three Tribunes of Morrowind, as found in Lessons of Vivec and elsewhere are, in fact, their mere initials.

The "XY" saga

The story is complicated here. The Battlespire manual didn't have these two letters. The "Daedric Runes" font, consequently, did not feature these two either. In the initial version of this very page, "X" and "Y" were omitted as well, with an appropriate disclaimer. Ken Rolston of Bethesda once said: "The missing 'x' and 'y' were, I think, a mistake we decided to perpetuate."

Bethesda's internal version of the Daedric font contains both "X" and "Y", apparently. It's just that they've decided to include the fan-made font on the Morrowind CD instead. No one knows if the internal font will ever be released as it is. After some research, Qwerty (and not only him) have divined the look of "Y" from the game, from the banner that hangs outside the tower of Tel Fyr:

Tel Fyr banner

To the best of my knowledge, there are no instances of "X" usage in either of the Elder Scrolls games.

Help came from Gary "GT" Noonan of Bethesda. He sent Dongle the Fontwright an image with the whole Daedric alphabet, X and Y included. There was one little issue though. The alphabet was somewhat incompatible with the version of the letters that was formerly deemed official. For example, the new "D" was a mirror image of the old one, "H" lacked a prominent stroke on the right, "J" was a mirror image, too, and lacked its flat top, and the letter "Y" looked nowhere like the one on the Tel Fyr banner. Despite these discrepancies, Dongle went ahead and updated his "Oblivion" font with the newfound "X", and Tel Fyr version of "Y". This is what we feature here, in the chart above.

We tried to contact Dongle with this issue, and here his reply:


"Yep, I did all those changes on purpose.

For my original Oblivion I based it solely off the banners in Vvardenfell. You may consider it a regional writing style, if you like. One of the devs even explained it as such. In Morrowind it's a publicly known lettering style, vs the secret cipher used in Battlespire. Adam Pyle's font was based on the cipher, mine's based on the Vvardenfell style. Note that neither are related to the Daedra Princes, so calling it Daedric is probably just tradition.

I literally spent weeks collecting every banner texture, or anything I could find with lettering, from the game CD. The letters "D" and "J" on the island of Vvardenfell are always a mirror image of the Battlespire ones. "H" is always missing that middle extension, "U" is always more rounded at the bottom. I reproduced that faithfully in my font.

Here's a couple of banners to illustrate what I mean:

Vvardenfell letter variations

Those four letters are consistently that same shape for every banner I found. Multiple examples of each.

The "Y" in Oblivion is an exact match for the Tel Fyr banner. It also appears several places in Vivec, and once in Mournhold.

Now, Oblivion Script is a very different style. It's much more slanted, and hand-drawn looking. But, "D, J, H, & U" have the same elements I describe above. That backs up my decision to go with those shapes. I have no clue what lettering style this is, it's not used in-game anywhere at all. I decided to simply reproduce WormGod's graphic exactly, as it's the only complete alphabet we've ever seen.

Original graphic, as sent from WormGod:
« click here »

Alphabet comparison:
« click here »

The "Y" is very different than the "Tel Fyr" one in Wormgod's graphic, and so it is in Oblivion Script too. The original Oblivion remained the "Fyr" style.

Since we've only ever seen one "X" I'm using that in both the Oblivions. If we learn more I can do an update. It may or may not be the correct Vvardefell "X", but if that offends anyone's sensibilities they can simply refrain from typing one."


Interesting don't you think so? Many thanks to Dongle for everything that he has given to the Elder Scrolls community. And the name of "X" and "Y" which are Xayah and Yahkem respectively, are easily found in the Battlespire TXT.BSA. As far as I know, all the text in the Battlespire are archieved in the TXT.BSA. For sure this file holds many secrets.

Guide to the Daedra

Author: 
Xan

"Mortals are short-lived, ignorant, and feeble by contrast with the Daedra. But you mortals are also potent engines of change and innovation, of desperate and reckless improvisation and industry. Thus do we so prize the fruits of your mundane and arcane engineering. Thus do we bargain and plunder and steal to gain these treasures. We have lived too long, and grow dull and complacent. You live too short, and so are wonderfully sharp and inventive. Does that make sense?"
- Imago Storm

This guide is dedicated to Morian Zenas, the greatest Oblivion Explorer that was lost somewhere in the Daedric Realms some years ago.



Description

One unique characteristic of the Elder Scrolls world is the existence of powerful beings (et'Ada) known as Daedra. From the book of Morian Zenas, "On Oblivion", Daedra is an old Aldmeri/Elvish word for strange and powerful creatures of uncertain motivation that came from the dimension of Oblivion. This is roughly correct, although the exact translation of the word Daedra is "not our ancestors." While we are talking about Daedra, we cannot overlook the Aedra. Aedra in this case means "ancestors." Most of the time Daedra are looked as the opposite of Aedra. Aedra are often called as gods, while Daedra are called as demons.

Contrary to popular belief, the words "Daedra" and "Aedra" are plural. It was initially meant to denote the whole kind, not a single creature. The singular form of "Daedra" would be "Daedroth", but very few known texts ever use it. In the written tradition, the word "Daedra" has somehow evolved to mean "a single specimen". I will not break this tradition here for clarity's sake, but one amendment has to be made. The word "Daedras" is essentially wrong, and I will never use it. Instead, here I will use "Daedra" for both singular and plural. You will have to do some guessing by the context. Thank you for not corrupting the Aldmeris (Elven) language!



Creation Myth

If you read "The Monomyth", "The Anuad Paraphrased" or "Sithis", most of these myths are conflicting each other. Thanks to our resident loremaster, Proweler, for helping me drawing a straight line of those myths. So here is roughly what happened during the Dawn Era.

In the beginning there was only void, a vast nothingness. This is Sithis, a state of nothingness and constant mutation. The Aldmer called the void "Anu." In fact, Anu and Padomay (Is - Is Not) are part of the void. The interplay of Anu and Padomay created the Aurbis. It is the Gray Center between Is and Is Not of Anu and Padomay. It contains the realms of Aetherius and Oblivion, as well as others in less structured forms. The Aldmer see the Aurbis as Anuiel, the Soul of Anu the Void.

At first the Aurbis was turbulent, and things did not last. This is because Anuiel was using Sithis to ponder himself in every possibility. In any case, from Anuiel and Sithis sprang the et'Ada, or the Original Spirits. The et'Ada did not align to anything yet, they moved towards the light or the dark, and then returned in the opposite direction without their own notice, dissolving when they hit the perfect gray again. The first et'Ada 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. This was a violent time.

Akatosh, (known as Auriel by the Aldmer) one of the et'Ada, discovered how to avoid this process or was given the knowledge by Anuiel. The knowledge was Time. Soon the et'Ada filled the Aurbis until the Aurbis was full and separated in two groups. Those who align to Anu reside in Aetherius and those who align to Padomay reside in Oblivion.

Lorkhan aligned to Padomay, but preferred the state of Sithis rather than the separation. Lorkhan brought a concept of a world, of becoming mothers and fathers, of being responsible, and making great sacrifices, but with no guarantee of success to all of the et'Ada. The et'Ada were split into two factions. One faction was excited and immediately started the project. Magnus (et'Ada of Magic) participated as the architect on the creation of the world. Kynareth (et'Ada of Air) provided the space for the world in the void. Akatosh, Y'ffre, Zenithar, Julianos and many others were part of this faction that is now known as the Aedra. The other faction of et'Ada who did not want to participate on the project is now known as the Daedra.

Then, the Mortal Realm, or Mundus was created, being a mix of both Anu and Padomay aligned et'Ada, and it is close to Sithis. (After all, things are born, procreate and die over and over again without ever really getting anything that lasts forever). The process of creation was painful and left most of the Aedra weak, no longer young, strong, and powerful, as they had been from the beginning of days. As their aspects began to die off, many of the Aedra vanished completely.

The remaining Aedra realized that they were tricked, but it was too late. Magnus decided to abandon the project and left to Aetherius. The rest of the Aedra came together in the Adamantine Tower and conducted a meeting. Yet, the meeting was unfruitful. Most of the Aedra left, went back to Aetherius following Magnus. Some were decided to stay in order to preserve what they had done. This group transformed themselves into Ehlnofey (the Earthbones). Y'ffre was among this group, he was the first to transform to Ehlnofey and then the laws of nature were established. The last eight Aedra (Akatosh, Julianos, Arkay, Mara, Dibella, Zenithar, Stendarr and Kynareth) exist as the gods.

According to the Aldmeri legend, there was a great war between Auriel (Akatosh) and Lorkhan. Auriel's greatest knight, Trinimac knocked down Lorkhan and took his Heart. Lorkhan was said undone, dead. But when Trinimac and Auriel wanted to destroy the Heart, it laughed at them and said, "This Heart is the heart of the world, for one was made to satisfy the other." So Auriel fastened the Heart to an arrow and cast it from the Adamantine Tower. The Heart landed on the eastern part of Tamriel and a great Volcano formed, a Volcano now known as Vvardenfell.

The Daedra are still strong and "incorruptible." They created the Daedric Realms in Oblivion, with all the inhabitants, the lesser Daedra. The Daedra were pleased of what they had done, but sometimes they looked with envy over the Mortal Realm. They found that the ambitions and the passions of mortals are sometimes entertaining and beyond their expectation. The actions and thoughts of mortals are different than the minions they created. Thus do the Daedra court and seduce certain amusing specimens of the Mortal Races, especially the passionate and powerful. It was also another satisfaction for the Daedra to steal or corrupt anything that the Aedra had created.

After Magnus left, the Mundus was stabilized and Aldmeri history began. This was the end of the Dawn Era and the start of the Merethic Era (ME2500).



Banishment

Following the Creation Myth above, "Aedra and Daedra" explains:

"Aedra are associated with stasis. Daedra represent change. Aedra created the mortal world and are bound to the Earth Bones. Daedra, who cannot create, have the power to change. As part of the divine contract of creation, the Aedra can be killed. Witness Lorkhan and the moons. The protean Daedra, for whom the rules do not apply, can only be banished."

As written, the Daedra cannot be killed, but can only be banished back to Oblivion. In order to banish a Daedra, its mortal body must be destroyed. Sometimes, this is not an option since some of the Daedra are terribly powerful in arcane and martial arts. Some knowledgeable persons learn the existence of protonymic. By using this protonymic, one can banish the Daedra almost "effortless". The incantation of the protonymic drains the vital force from the Daedra, forcing it to follow that force into Oblivion. There one abides until the vital force is replenished. The experience is somewhat analogous to sleep for mortals. However, sleep is a normal experience for mortals. It is not a normal experience for an immortal. Suffice it to say that it is as close to the terror and despair of death as an immortal can come. Naturally the banished Daedra will return to its Daedric Realm, however its personality is somehow changed, as well as its protonymic. Usually the protonymic is extended with neonymic; obviously this means that a Daedra cannot be banished with the same protonymic twice.



Daedra Evil?

Daedra are always seen as evil and immoral. But this point of view is not entirely correct. They are not evil. They are not good either. They are neither. Sheikizza Icemane, a scholar studying the Elder Scrolls lore brought more explanation about this good and evil Daedra.

'Good' and 'Bad' are relative terms and thus rather useless overall, in my opinion. Even among the many cultures of Tamriel, there is no agreement on which Daedra (or Aedra for that matter) are 'good' and which 'bad'...it just depends on your culture, sub-culture and background.

Before the Tribunal came along and tried to 'discourage' the natural Daedra worship of the Chimeri/Dunmeri peoples, the Dark Elven ancestors had considered most Daedra to be 'good'...different from us, alien and with motivations we did not always understand, but good...much in the same way as the ancient Israelites considered Yahweh to be a 'good' deity despite the fact that they often did not understand what he was doing and why, and despite his punishments when they didn't.

The Tribunal Temple tried to do away with the ancient Daedra worship, but failed utterly as such attempts at religious suppression usually do. Many Daedra worshippers merely went underground and others became quieter in their faith. I would hazard to guess we may see a great resurgence of Daedric religious institutions in Morrowind again now that the Tribunal is gone...but that is aside from the point.

Many Mer, other than the Dunmer, do not consider the Daedra to be worthy of worship, considering themselves to be the blood decendents of the Aedra. However, many non-Dunmeri peoples still revere certain Daedra like Azura. Many non-Dunmeri merely have a 'respect' for these Daedra, rather than worshipping them as such.

Which are 'good' and which 'bad' depends on your background and your goals. Obviously many would see Mephala as a 'bad' Daedra as she encourages plots, intrigues, and ritual assassinations...however, the Dunmer and the Morag Tong (and those who employ them like the Empire) see her a 'good' Daedra because she encourages ritual assassinations for obtaining 'justice'...not merely for mayhem. Likewise, many a mage of any culture has sought the great book of knowledge held by Hermaeus Mora, the Daedra of knowledge. Is he a good or bad Daedra? Depends on your personal view...

In truth, I feel that all the Daedra are neither good nor bad...but they are utterly different from us. These are the original beings that existed long before we, Nirn, or the Mundus had been created, and we cannot fathom their motivations. From what I have seen of them, and the Aedra, they are a mixed lot with actions of every sort. Some seem quite noble and others seem rather demonic. However, I feel this is merely my limited mer mind ascribing attributes to them that they would laugh at.

I feel that in the end, we are free to think of them what we wish, as they could care less. Their actions and designs have meaning, but to them alone and I fear we in Nirn will only discover what their true purposes have been when that day comes that the gates of Oblivion are opened and they come for us... 

Also, here is a statement from Mark Nelson (BlueDev) regarding this 'Good' and 'Evil'.

On Daedra as Good or Evil: As some have said, they are neither. Some are certainly more aggressive than others. Some have a greater tolerance for mortals. But, I wouldn't say that any are good or evil. Some people think of Azura as a "good" Daedra. That could end up being a very dangerous misconception in the Elder Scrolls world.


Daedric Appearance

Regarding the gender of the Daedra. Many scholars are still debating about this. Some scholars state that they do not have gender and take form as what they like for their manifestation to the mortal world. Just a note here, the Daedric Prince Boethiah is recorded as female in Daggerfall and Battlespire, consequent with "her" name with the -ah suffix as some female Dunmer (like Katariah, Barenziah, and many others). However in Morrowind we know that Boethiah is male with a heavy male voice. Mephala, on the other hand, is female according to the records in Daggerfall. However, in Morrowind, the Webspinner Daedric Prince is recorded as both male and female, although "she" has a female voice.

Furthermore, Ted Peterson (Tedders) talks about the appearance of Daedra:

A God's preferred appearance (which is how I'd characterize the archetypes most associated with each Daedra and Tribunal member - the Aedra do not have physical appearances associated with them), a God's personality (which is a strange word to use for an entity which is not a person, but it's hard to find a better term), and a God's sphere each should considered on its own.

Sometimes their appearance does convey their intent and sphere.

Example: Mehrunes Dagon. His sphere is destruction. His personality is simple straightforwardness. He does not attempt to obfuscate, but appears as one might expect - demonic and savage.

Sometimes their appearance does not.

Example: Sheogorath. His sphere is madness. His personality alternates between the jester and the homicidal maniac. He does not appear frightening, because he wants to seduce people down the Golden Road.

That is what is tricky about the Daedra, especially those whose sphere is obscured to mortals. You cannot look at the innocent looking Meridia or the fearsome looking Mephala, and surmise the nature of their power. They may be trying to mislead.

 


 

Daedric Princes

The top level of Daedric society is occupied by Daedric Princes (some call them, Daedra Princes or Daedra Lords). A Daedric Realm is ruled by a certain Daedric Prince. As previously stated, there are lots of Daedric Realms. Some of the known realms are Coldharbour, Quagmire, The Colored Rooms, and Moonshadow. The book "On Oblivion" records the Daedric Princes' names. They are Azura, Boethiah, Clavicus Vile, Hermaeus Mora, Hircine, Malacath, Mehrunes Dagon, Mephala, Jyggalag, Molag Bal, Namira, Nocturnal, Peryite, Sanguine, Sheogorath, and Vaernima.

Please take note while reading "On Oblivion", a certain Daedric Prince named Meridia is not recorded in the book. On the other hand, the book mentioned name "Jyggalag" that cannot be found in other records. Scribe mistakes? Some speculate that Jyggalag is Meridia, but Mark Nelson (BlueDev) stated that: "Jyggalag is not Meridia. Meridia is Meridia. Who, exactly, Jyggalag is remains to be seen. It's something I've been thinking about a lot recently, and I'd certainly like to explore it in the future."

The mystery of Jyggalag is revealed in the Shivering Isles. Jyggalag, the Daedric Prince of Order, is in fact the previous incarnation of Sheogorath. Jyggalag was cursed by other Daedric Princes who were concerned about his power, the power of order. Read the detail of this Sheogorath - Jyggalag in the Sheogorath subsection.

Some interesting tidbit about semantics, Ted Peterson (Tedders) in his interview, states that the right words to call the mighty rulers of Oblivion is "Daedric Princes".

Ah, the world of semantics. Short answer: Daedra is plural, Daedroth is singular. Long answer: Almost no one uses these terms correctly in Tamriel. Why? Because, just like in our own world, words change meanings out of popular usage. There is a creature simply called a Daedroth, after all: those big, bipedal, reptilian beasts that are the terror of the four corners of Tamriel. Somehow, in ages past, they were given this confusing name, probably by someone who, when asked what that creature was, gave a generic answer which was taken to be a specific one.

This isn't as stange as it seems. If you look up the origin of just about any word, it evolves from the general to the particular. It has come to time in Tamriel where no one, except for a few snooty academics, would say "Daedroth".

As for Daedra Princes/Daedroth Princes, neither is actually correct. Most people would say "Daedra Princes" because, as above, that is the traditional phrase. However, it should be adjective/noun, and therefore "Daedric Princes."

In short, proper grammar and long held traditions seldom meet, in Tamriel or on Earth.

Interesting... people tend to make mistake, but here in this document, I should use the right terms. And from various sources I record the detail of the sixteen Daedric Princes.

The topic is that always interesting is the summoning of the Daedric Prince. Often, the people of Tamriel seek help from the Daedric Princes for their troubles. The Princes usually agree to help in exchange for a service. Morian Zenas wrote "Summoning Daedra is not a difficult proposition, but it is usual an expensive one. Most Mages Guilds have a summoning room, but this is most often reserved for the highest echelon of guildmembers. Witches covens are much less class sensitive, and the Necromancers, the Dark Brotherhood, and many secretive kings and queens of Tamriel have private summoning rooms."

Further, Haderus of Gottlesfont in his book "Modern Heretics: a Study of Daedra Worship in the Empire" states:

"However, opinions about Daedra worship differ widely in other provinces. Even in Cyrodiil, traditional opinions have changed greatly over the years, and some communities survive which worship Daedra. Some more traditional Daedra-worshippers are motivated by piety and personal conviction; many modern Daedra-worshippers are motivated by a lust for arcane power. In particular, questing heroes of all stripes seek after the fabled Daedric artifacts for their potent combat and magical benefits."

Each Daedric Prince has a specific day for him/her to be summoned. For example, the Daedric Prince Namira accepts any summoning on 9th of Second Seed. While Sheogorath always accepts any summoning when the area is under a thunderstorm, although he has his own summoning date. A tricky Prince; often he oversteps other Daedric Prince, when the particular Prince is summoned during a thunderstorm. The Daedric Prince Hircine always answers any summoning from Glenmoril Wyrd Coven in the Iliac Bay area, even when the summoning is not performed on Hircine's summoning date.

Somehow this traditional summoning date is neglected in the recent days. The summoning can be of any date; a person can successfully summon the Daedric Prince if he or she gave certain offerings, and in certain circumstances. Just an example, Azura will accept summoning if the summoner offers glow dust (obtained from a will-o-the-wisp) and the summoning time is at dawn or dusk.

Before I revealed all the known Daedric Princes, I want to give you an interesting quote by a follower of Hermaeus Mora.

"The ultimate purpose of the Daedra Lords is to instruct and improve the generally deplorable character of mortals."

I will let you to interpret the meaning of the quote. And now, a time for detailing all the known Daedric Princes.

 

Famed Artifacts of Tamriel

Author: 
Anonymous

Listed below are some of the more storied items found throughout Tamrielic lore. The existence of some has been proven, while others may simply be the stuff of legend. Regardless, these items have found their way into the tales we tell our children, and our children will tell their children, and are inextricably linked to the

Lord's Mail

Sometimes called the Armor of Morihaus or the gift of Kynareth, this is an ancient cuirass of unsurpassable quality. It grants the wearer power to absorb health, resist the effects of spells, and cure oneself of poison when used. It is said that whenever Kynareth deigns the wearer unworthy, the Lord's Mail will be taken away and hidden for the next chosen one.

Ebony Mail

The Ebony Mail is a breastplate created before recorded history by the Dark Elven goddess Boethiah. It is she who determines who should possess the Ebony Mail and for how long a time. If judged worthy, its power grants the wearer added resistance of fire, magicka, and grants a magical shield. It is Boethiah alone who determines when a person is ineligible to bear the Ebony Mail any longer, and the goddess can be very capricious.

Spell Breaker

Spell Breaker, superficially a Dwemer tower shield, is one of the most ancient relics of Tamriel. Aside from its historical importance in the Battle of Rourken-Shalidor, the Spell Breaker protects its wielder almost completely from any spell caster, either by reflecting magicks or silencing any mage about to cast a spell. It is said that Spell Breaker still searches for its original owner, and will not remain the property of anyone else for long. For most, possessing Spell Breaker for any length of time is power enough.

Chrysamere

The Paladin's Blade is an ancient claymore with offensive capabilities surpassed only by its own defenses. It lends the wielder health, protects him or her from fire, and reflects any spells cast against the wielder back to the caster. Seldom has Chrysamere been wielded by any bladesman for any length of time, for it chooses not to favor one champion.

Staff of Magnus

The Staff of Magnus, one of the elder artifacts of Tamriel, was a metaphysical battery of sorts for its creator, Magnus. When used, it absorbs an enemy's health and mystical energy. In time, the Staff will abandon the mage who wields it before he becomes too powerful and upsets the mystical balance it is sworn to protect.

Warlock's Ring

The Warlock's Ring of the Archmage Syrabane is one of the most popular relics of myth and fable. In Tamriel's ancient history, Syrabane saved all of the continent by judicious use of his Ring, and ever since, it has helped adventurers with less lofty goals. It is best known for its ability to reflect spells cast at its wearer and to improve his or her speed and to restore health. No adventurer can wear the Warlock's Ring for long, for it is said that the Ring is Syrabane's alone to command.

Ring of Phynaster

The Ring of Phynaster was made hundreds of years ago by a man who needed good defenses to survive his adventurous life. Thanks to the Ring, Phynaster lived for hundreds of years, and since then it has passed from person to person. The Ring improves its wearer's overall resistance to poison, magicka, and shock. Still, Phynaster was cunning and cursed the ring so that it eventually disappears from its holder's possessions and returns to another resting place, discontent to stay anywhere but with Phynaster himself.

Ring of Khajiit

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.

Mace of Molag Bal

Also known as the Vampire's Mace, the Mace of Molag Bal drains its victims of magicka and gives it to the bearer. It also has the ability to transfer an enemy's strength to its wielder. Molag Bal has been quite free with his artifact. There are many legends about the Mace. It seems to be a favorite for vanquishing wizards.

Masque of Clavicus Vile

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 Vile reclaimed the 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.

Mehrunes Razor

The Dark Brotherhood has coveted this ebony dagger for generations. This mythical artifact is capable of slaying any creature instantly. History does not record any bearers of Mehrune's Razor. However, the Dark Brotherhood was once decimated by a vicious internal power struggle. It is suspected that the Razor was involved.

Cuirass of the Savior's Hide

Another of Hircine's artifacts was the Cuirass of the Savior's Hide. The Cuirass has the special ability to resist magicka. Legend has it that Hircine rewarded his peeled hide to the first and only mortal to have ever escaped his hunting grounds. This unknown mortal had the hide tailored into this magical Cuirass for his future adventures. The Savior's Hide has a tendency to travel from hero to hero as though it has a mind of its own.

Spear of Bitter Mercy

One of the more mysterious artifacts is the Spear of Bitter Mercy. Little to nothing is known about the Spear. There are no recorded histories but many believe it to be of Daedric origin. The only known legend about it is its use by a mighty hero during the fall of the Battlespire. The hero was aided by the Spear in the defeat of Mehrunes Dagon and the recapturing of the Battlespire. Since that time, the Spear of Bitter Mercy has made few appearances within Tamriel.

Daedric Scourge

The Daedric Scourge is a mighty mace forged from sacred ebony in the Fires of Fickledire. The legendary weapon of Mackkan, it was once a fierce weapon used to send spirits of black back into Oblivion. The weapon lhas the ability to summon creatures from Oblivion, Once a tool used against the Daedric Lords in the Battlespire, it now roams the land with adventurers.

Bow of Shadows

Legend has it that the Bow of Shadows was forged by the Daedra Nocturnal. The legendary ranger, Raerlas Ghile, was granted the Bow for a secret mission that failed, and the Bow was lost. Raerlas did not go down without a hearty fight and is said to have, with the aid of the Bow, taken scores of his foes with him. The Bow grants the user the ability of invisibility and increased speed. Many sightings of the Bow of Shadows have been reported, and it is even said that the sinister Dark Elf assassin of the Second Era, Dram, once wielded this bow.

Fists of Randagulf

Randagulf of Clan Begalin goes down in Tamrielic history as one of the mightiest warriors from Skyrim. He was known for his courage and ferocity in battle and was a factor in many battles. He finally met his fate when King Harald conquered Skyrim. King Harald respected this great hero and took Randagulf's gauntlets for his own. After King Harald died, the gauntlets disappeared. The King claimed that the Fists granted the bearer added strength.

Ice Blade of the Monarch

The Ice Blade of the Monarch is truly one of Tamriel's most prized artifacts. Legend has it that the Evil Archmage Almion Celmo enchanted the claymore of a great warrior with the soul of a Frost Monarch, a stronger form of the more common Frost Atronach. The warrior, Thurgnarr Assi, was to play a part in the assassination of a great king in a far off land, and become the new leader. The assassination failed and the Archmage was imprisoned. The Ice Blade freezes all who feel its blade. The Blade circulates from owner to owner, never settling in one place for long.

Ring of Surroundings

Little is known of this prize but it is said that it lends the wearer the ability to blend in with their surroundings.

Boots of the Apostle

The Boots of the Apostle are a true mystery. The wearer of the boots is rumored to be able to levitate, though nobody has ever seen them used.

The Mentor's Ring

This ring is a prized possession for any apprentice to magic. It lends the wearer the ability to increase their intelligence and wisdom, thus making their use of magic more efficient. The High Wizard Carni Asron is said to be the creator of the Ring. It was a construct for his young apprentices while studying under his guidance. After Asron's death, the Ring and several other possessions vanished and have been circulated throughout Tamriel.

Ring of the Wind

No facts are known about this Ring, but the title and the few rumors lend one to think it grants the wearer added speed.

Vampiric Ring

One of the more deadly and rare artifacts in Tamriel is the Vampiric Ring. It is said that the Ring has the power to steal its victim's health and grant it to the wearer. The exact nature and origin of the Ring is wholly unknown, but many elders speak of its evil creation in Morrowind long, long ago by a cult of Vampire followers. The Vampiric Ring is an extremely rare artifact and is only seen every few hundred cycles of the moons.

Eleidon's Ward

Eleidon was a holy knight of legend in Breton history. He was a sought after man for his courage and determination to set all wrongs right. In one story, it is said that he rescued a Baron's daughter from sure death at the hands of an evil warlord. For his reward, the Baron spent all of his riches to have an enchanted shield built for Eidelon. The Shield granted Eleidon the opportunity to heal his wounds.

Staff of Hasedoki

Hasedoki was said to have been a very competitive wizard. He wandered the land in search for a wizard who was greater than he. To the best of all knowledge, he never found a wizard who could meet up to his challenge. It is said that he felt so lonely and isolated because so many feared his power, that he bonded his life-force into his very own staff, where his soul remains to this very day. Magic users all over Tamriel have been searching for this magical staff. Granting its wielder a protection of magicka, it is a sure prize for any magic user.

Bloodworm Helm

The King of Worms was said to have left behind one of his prized possessions, the Bloodworm Helm. The Helm is a construct of magically formed bone. The Helm allows the user to summon skeletons and control the undead. It would be a prized artifact to a necromancer.

Dragonbone Mail

This cuirass is one of the greatest artifacts any collector or hero could own. It is constructed of real dragon bone and was enchanted by the first Imperial Battlemage, Zurin Arctus, in the early years of the Third Era. It is a truly exquisite piece of work and many have sought to possess it. The properties of the Cuirass allow the wearer to be resist fire, and to damage an enemy with a blast of fire. Little is known about the involvement of Zurin Arctus with the enchantment of the Cuirass, but an old tale speaks of a debt that he owed to a traveling warrior. Like the warrior, the Dragonbone Mail never stays put for long.

Skull Crusher

The Skull Crusher is an amazingly large, and powerful weapon. The Warhammer was created in a fire, magically fueled by the Wizard, Dorach Gusal, and was forged by the great weaponsmith, Hilbongard Rolamus. The steel is magically hardened and the weight of the weapon is amazingly light, which makes for more powerful swings and deadly blows. The Warhammer was to be put on display for a festival, but thieves got it first. The Skull Crusher still travels Tamriel in search of its creators.

Goldbrand

This magical Sword is almost a complete mystery. Thieves tell tales about its golden make and how it was actually forged by ancient dragons of the North. Their tales claim that it was given to a great knight who was sworn to protect the dragons. The Sword lends its wielder the ability to do fire damage on an enemy. Goldbrand has not been sighted in recent history and is said to be awaiting a worthy hero.

Fang of Haynekhtnamet

Black Marsh was once known to be inhabited with what the Argonians called the Wamasus. Northern men considered them to be intelligent dragons with lightning for blood. One such mighty beast, Haynekhtnamet, was slain by the Northern men, though it took 7 days and nights, and a score of men. One of the surviving men took a fang home as a trophy. The fang was carved down into a blade and fashioned into a small dagger. The Dagger mysteriously houses some of the beast's magical properties and grants the user the ability to do shock damage on an opponent. This unique Dagger is seen occasionally by traveling heroes.

Umbra Sword

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.

Denstagmer's Ring

All that is known of this Ring is that it may grant the user protection from certain elements. Even the name Denstagmer is a mystery.

Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw

One of Valenwood's legendary heroes is Oreyn Bearclaw. Son of King Faume Toad-Eye, he was a respected clan hunter and a future leader. Wood Elven legend claims Oreyn single handedly defeated Glenhwyfaunva, the witch-serpent of the Elven wood, forever bringing peace to his clan. Oreyn would go on to accomplish numerous other deeds, eventually losing his life to the Knahaten Flu. His Helm stood as a monument of his stature for future generations to remember. The Helm was lost eventually, as the Clan split, and is now a treasured artifact for adventurers. The Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw is rumored to improve the wearers agility and endurance.

Daedric Crescent Blade

Probably the most rare and even outlawed item of all the great prizes is the Daedric Crescent Blade. The Blade was used by Mehrunes Dagon's Daedric forces in the capture of the Imperial Battlespire. These extremely unique Blades were gathered up and destroyed after the Battlespire was recaptured by the Empire. All but one it seems. Though the Empire believes them all to be destroyed, it is rumored that one still remains in existence, somewhere in Tamriel, though none have ever seen it. The Blade lends it's weilder the ability to do great damage on an enemy and allows him to paralyze and put heavy wear on his enemy's armor. Quite the prize for any mighty warrior, if it does indeed exist.

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."

Letters From The Dremora

Author: 
Anonymous

We the Dremora are true to our word.

This place is closed to us, and the help we can provide is limited.

You are now in the place of the Hunt.

To leave this realm you must enter the gate in the great horned temple, in the walled city to the East.

You will require six keys to enter the temple. If the Hunt were fair, you would find them abroad in the island.

The Hunt is not fair.

The hunter has taken one to prevent your escape. The touch of his spear is death, and no mortal weapon can harm him.

Your plight is utterly hopeless and impossible.

Therefore we assume that you may be somewhat delayed.

The old man in the lonely cottage knows what you need. He will test your patience, but persist and the reward will be great.

Farewell, strange mortal. Enjoy the Hunt.

Upon the central island is Lord Dagon's Hunting Lodge. Those who pledged their immortal spirits in return for services are bound here for Dagon's sport. These miserable wraiths are mad and malevolent, but in life each was proud and powerful. Seek their treasures: the Longbow of Heaven's Hail, the Boots of Peace, the Gauntlets of the Poor, and the Helmet of the Light Within. The Longbow casts arrows and spells with deadly accuracy. The Boots, once worn by a famed mortal warrior who had renounced the use of weapons, confer great skill in unarmed combat and feats of physical daring. The Gauntlets render the wearer resistant to magic, while the Helmet draws power from an opposing spellcaster and lends that power to its wearer. Some of these items are carried by the wraiths who possessed them in life; other items are hidden where the diligent might find them.

A Dark Seducer, Lord Dagon's personal bodyguard and current paramour, carries the Sword of the Moon Reiver, a unique sword forged from Dagon's own substance. No other weapon has such power to do him harm. Seek her, vanquish her, and seize her sword, or your errand is hopeless.

Entry to the Lodge is blocked by three great Sigil Wards. The Amulets of Entry for these Sigils are carried by Dagon's greatest lieutenants. They are terrible in skill and power, and protected from many weapons and magics -- But you need these amulets to approach Dagon.

Do not hope for aid from us in this place. This message is all we can provide. All else is arrayed against you in this place. Trust no one.

Your friend is held in Lord Dagon's Hunting Lodge. Lord Dagon himself stands guard. Beware of a trap. Lord Dagon is well-served by many spies. And if you would have a chance against him, you must not fail of these things:
 

  • Gird yourself with the Armor of the Savior's Hide.
  • Arm yourself with the Sword of the Moon Reiver.
  • Trust in the power of secret names, and the aid of absent friends.
  • Put your hope in the shock of surprise, and the swiftness of desperate action.

The obstacles you face seem insurmountable. Thus will Lord Dagon be wonderfully dismayed when you succeed.

Beyond all hope, weigh daring against the odds, and courage against despair.

Imago's Notes About Neonymics

Author: 
Imago Storm

Dagon’s incantory neonymic is Djehkeleho-dehbe-effehezepeh. The Daedric characters are Djeh Koh Leh Oh -- Deh Beh -- Feh Ee Zeh Peh, or, in Tamrielic, JKLO-DB-FEZP.

 

Xivilai’s neonymic is Wegerohseh-chehkohieu. The Daedric characters are Weh Geh Roh Seh -- Cheh Koh Eiu, or, in Tamrielic, WGRS-CKU.

 

Faydra’s Neonymic is Nepehkweh-kodo. The Daedric characters are Neh Peh Kweh -- Koh Doh, or, in Tamrielic, NPK-KD.

Harvest's End, 3E 172

Author: 
Chimere Graegyn

[[The book contains many pages of close, tightly-written scribbling. The earliest entry is marked "Harvest's End, 3E 172." Only the first few pages make sense. Later entries are incoherent and illegible. In the first few pages you learn the basic story of Chimere, Master Sorcerer, Summoner, and Direnni retainer, and how he treated with Lord Dagon, tricked him, and paid the price of his victory.

 

Chimere Graegyn was a retainer of the ambitious Direnni clan. The Direnni derived the bulk of their power from their traffickings with Daedra, a very profitable but risky path to success. Chimere was perhaps the cleverest and most ambitious of the Direnni summoners. He dared to scheme against Lord Dagon, and won. When his trick succeeded, Dagon was cast into Oblivion. However, in the instant of his betrayal, Dagon struck out against the mortal who tricked him. Chimere's pact assured that he would live forever in his home town among the happy voices of his friends and countrymen. Twisting the literal words of Chimere's pact, Dagon scooped up tiny Caecilly Island (a small island off the coast of Northmoor) and hurled in into the void. All Chimere's friends and countrymen were instantly killed, though the sounds of their voices remained to torment Chimere's memory. Chimere was condemned to live forever, to grow progressively old and crippled with arthritis, and to contemplate the tragic consequences of his defiance of fate and fortune in cheating a Daedra Lord.

 

In the earlier, more lucid sections of the journal, you also find other information of relevance to your current plight.

Searching for details of Chimere's successful defeat of Dagon, you find the following:

The Armor of the Saviour's Hide: Created by the Daedra Lord Malacath, this armor has the marvelous property of turning the blow of an oathbreaker. Chimere tricked Dagon into swearing an oath against the Powers which he had no intention of keeping. The Hide of the Savior turned Dagon's titanic fury long enough for Chimere to deliver his own attack -- an incantation invoked upon Dagon's "Protonymic" (i.e., Incantory True Name). Unfortunately, like many of Malacath's gifts, the armor is a mixed blessing. It also makes its wearer exceptionally vulnerable to magical attacks, so one should only wear it for particular occasions.

Dagon's Protonymic: Chimere used Dagon's Protonymic in an incantation to invoke a sorcery that would gradually drain all of Dagon's power into the void. Chimere miscalculated, however, not realizing that Dagon's resistance could slow the draining of his power, even if it could not stop it. As a result, Dagon had the time to curse Chimere with a literal fulfillment of the terms of his bargain with Chimere. Rather than let his power drain into the void, Dagon cast it all into his curse. As a result, Caecilly Island was cast into the void, all its citizens were horribly slain, and Chimere was condemned to live forever among the ruins of his greatest ambition.

 

You also find the following details concerning the Rituals of the Hunt:

The Chapel of the Innocent Quarry: Chimere believes that Dagon had Caecilly Island established as the site of the Chapel of the Innocent Quarry to personally mock and torment Chimere. The green crystal structure was created by enchantments, and is the only building on the island erected since it was ripped from Tamriel and loosed in the void.

The Spear: Supposedly the Spear of Bitter Mercy used in the Wild Hunts could not be handled by any mortal or immortal save the ones sanctified to the Hunt and bound by its strictures. However, Chimere has determined that though the Spear's power is great, it is not unlimited, and that certain enchanted items -- for instance, the Armor of the Savior's Hide, forged by Malacath -- are sufficient to protect a mortal or immortal bearer from its maleficent energies.]]

The Posting of the Hunt

Author: 
Anonymous

[[The writing on the parchment appears to be a hasty transcription, perhaps from dictation, or copied from a longer work.]

 

The Posting of the Hunt

Let no man say before a witness that the Hunt has not been called, nor the Rites declared, or the Ancient Offices observed.

 

The Ritual of the Innocent Quarry, also called the Wild Hunt, is an ancient rite drawing magical energy from the powerful magica stream that engulfs this realm. The creators and times of the rituals are long forgotten. But followed properly, the rite brings great power and prestige to the Huntsman.

The ritual pits the all-powerful Huntsmen and their Greater and Lesser Dogs against the pitiful and doomed Innocent Quarry, called by tradition the Hare, after the mortal creature of human hunts. At once, the Huntsman is transported by the exquisite thrill and glory of his might and dominion over his helpless prey, and at the same time touched by the tragic, noble, and ultimately futile plight of the Innocent Quarry. In the highest aesthetic realization of the ritual, the ecstatic rapture of the kill is balanced by the Huntsman's identification with the sadness and despair of the Innocent Quarry. As in pieces the body of the innocent Hare is torn, the Huntsman reflects on the tragic imbalances of power and the cruel injustices of the world.

As the Hunt begins, the Lesser Dogs assemble before the green crystal reflections of the Chapel of the Innocent Quarry. Inside the Chapel, the Huntsmen, the Greater Dogs, and the Master of the Hunt perform the rites that initiate and sanctify the Huntsmen, the Hunt, and the Innocent Quarry. Then the Huntsman emerges from the Chapel, displays the Spear of Bitter Mercy, and recites the Offices of the Hunt. The Offices describe explains the laws and conditions of the four stages of the Hunt: the Drag, the Chase, the Call, and the View to the Kill.

Stage One -- The Drag, in which the Lesser Dogs drag the ground to flush out the Hare.

Stage Two -- The Chase, in which the Greater Hounds drive the Hare before them.

Stage Three -- The Call, in which the Greater Hounds trap the Hare and summon the Huntsmen for the kill.

Stage Four -- The View, in which the Huntsman makes the kill with the ritual Spear of Bitter Mercy, and calls upon the Master of the Hunt to view the kill by ringing the town bell. The Master of the Hunt then bestows the Bounty upon the Huntsman Bold who has wielded the Spear of Bitter Mercy in the kill. The Master of the Hunt also calls upon the Huntsman Bold to name the next Hare for the next Hunt (though the Huntsman Bold himself may not participate in the next Hunt).

The Offices of the Hunt, which the Huntsmen, Master, and Hounds are solemnly sworn to honor, detail the practices and conditions of the Hunt. These practices and conditions, also known as the Law, strictly define all details of the Hunt, such as how many Hounds of each sort may participate, how the Spear of Bitter Mercy may be wielded, and so forth. In addition, the Law states that the Hare must have a genuine chance to escape the Hunt, no matter how slim. In practice, this condition has been defined as the availability of six keys, which, if gathered together in the Temple of Daedric Rites, permit the Hare to teleport away from the Hunt, and so elude the Huntsman and his Spear. It is inconceivable, of course, that the Hare might actually discover the keys and escape, but the forms must be observed, and tampering with the keys or cheating the Hare of a genuine chance of finding or using the keys is a shameful and unforgivable betrayal of the Law of the Hunt.

The Ritual of the Hunt grants the Huntsmen protection from all forms of attack, including mortal and immortal weapons, and sorceries of all schools. Huntsmen are cautioned, however, that the ritual does not protect the Huntsman from the potent energies of his own Spear, and cautions against reckless wielding of the Spear in close melee, darkness, or other dangerous circumstances, for a single touch of the Spear of Bitter Mercy means instant and certain death for innocent Hare or fellow Huntsman alike.

The right to name a Wild Hunt is a grand and grave right indeed, as all but the High Daedra Lords are vulnerable to the potent sorceries of the Spear of Bitter Mercy. The Spear itself is therefore a terrible weapon, and it is forbidden to remove it from the Grounds of the Ritual Hunt.

On Oblivion

Author: 
Morian Zenas

It is improper, though common, to refer to the denizens of the dimension of Oblivion as demons. This practice must probably dates to the Alessian Doctrines of the prophet Marukh which, rather amusingly, forbade traffic with "daimons," and then neglected to explain what demons are. It is most probable that "daimon" is a mispelling of "daedra," the old Elvish word for the strange, powerful creatures of uncertain motivation who come from the dimension of Oblivion. In later tractates by King Hale the Pious of Skyrim, almost a thousand years after the publication of the original Doctrines, the evil of his political enemies is compared to "the wickedness of the demons of Oblivion ... their depravity equals that of Sanguine itself, they are cruel as Boethiah, calculating as Molag Bal, and mad as Sheogorath."

Hale the Pious thus longwindedly introduced four of the daedra lords to the written record.

The written record is not, after all, the best way to research Oblivion and the daedra that inhabit it. Those who, in the words of the Alessian Doctrine, "traffic with daimons" seldom wish it to be a matter of public record. Nevertheless, scattered throughout the literature of the first era, are diaries, journals, notices for witch burnings, and guides for daedra-slayers which contain only a few contradictions. These I have used as my primary source material.

They are at least as trustworthy as the daedra lords I have actually summoned and spoken with at length.

Oblivion is a place composed of many lands, thus the many names for which Oblivion is synonymous: Coldharbour, Quagmire, Moonshadow, and others. It may be supposed that each land of Oblivion is ruled by one prince. The princes whose name appears over and over (though this is not a sure test of their authenticity, to be sure) are the aforementioned Sanguine, Boethiah, Molag Bal, Sheogorath, and Azura, Mephala, Clavicus Vil, Vaernima, Malacath, Hoermius (or Hermaeus or Hormaius, there is no consistant spelling) Mora, Namira, Jyggalag, Nocturnal, Mehrunes Dagon, and Peryite.

From my experience, Daedra are a very mixed lot. It is almost impossible to categorize them as a whole except for their immense power and their penchant for extremism.

Mehrunes Dagon, Molag Bal, Peryite, Boethiah, and Vaernima are among the most consistently "demonic" of the Daedra, in the sense that their spheres seem to be destructive in nature. The other daedra can, of course, be very dangerous, but seldom purely for the sake of destruction, as these five can.

Nor are those five aforementioned daedra identical in their destruction. Mehrunes Dagon seems to prefer natural disasters, earthquakes and volcanos, to vent his spleen. Molag Bal prefers employing actual daedralings, and Boethiah inspires the arms of mortal warriors. Peryite sphere seems to be pestilence, and Vaernima's torture.

Summoning daedra is not a difficult proposition, but it is usual an expensive one. Most Mages Guilds have a summoning room, but this is most often reserved for the highest echelon of guildmembers. Witches covens are much less class sensitive, and the Necromancers, the Dark Brotherhood, and many secretive kings and queens of Tamriel have private summoning rooms. Daedra princes usually demand some sort of service of those who summon them, though I am fortunate enough to have good relations with some and need not perform.

In preparation for the second chapter of this series, I will be investigating two matters that have intrigued me since I began my career as a daedra researcher. The first is on one particular Daedra Prince, referred to in multiple articles of incunabula as Hircine. Hircine has been called "the huntsman of the Princes" and "the father of manbeasts," but I have yet to find anyone who can summon him.

The other, and more doubtful goal I have for the next chapter is to find a practical means for mortal man to pass through to Oblivion. It has always been my philosophy that we only need fear that which we do not understand, and with that thought in mind, I pursue my goal.