Skip navigation
Library

tribunal

Worshiping the Illogical

Author: 
Proctor Nevyn

By Proctor Nevyn, Apostle of Sotha Sil

The Clockwork Apostles dedicate their lives to many things. The words of our Sermons, laid before us by the ever-faithful Deldrise Morvayn, Fourth Tourbillon. The will of our god Lord Seht, the Mainspring Ever-Wound, the Divine Metronome. The driving forces of inspiration, of innovation, of discovery in all forms, magical, technological, spiritual. But we often forget, in our pursuit to unravel the mysterious of our world, that we are also subjects of the Tribunal.

I have found throughout my long tenure that many of my pupils have a hard time grasping the threefold nature of our belief within the Tribunal. Still, despite the repetition of these questions, I never rebuff this curiosity. Rather, I try to encourage it, for there is an abundance of contradictions within our piety towards Lady Amalexia and Lord Vivec. After all, the worship of these deities seem to almost challenge the beliefs we hold so true within our order.

Why are we told to worship these often puzzling deities alongside our sound and steady Clockwork God? Why must we follow not one god, but three?

Yet even this seemingly simple fact is but a misconception, for in this sequence we have found truth. ALMSIVI is but one entity, not the fractured creation that many perceive it as. It only appears fractured in the forms our gods have taken, but rather than separate deities they are all one portion of a welded whole. Regulated in their irregularities. Lady Amalexia and Lord Vivec, who are only consistent in their inconsistency, still create the order of our truths. They are the tock within our Lord Seht's tick, the wheel that forever goes forward but only to circle itself.

They are the truths of our chaotic present, the irregular oscillations that we must weld together. Within them we find the aspects of our humanity, the soul which merges with the machine, ambition which merges with beneficence. The act of faith itself seems contradictory to the importance we hold on evidential certainty. But not one among us is completely machine, cold and logical without the emotions which bind us together. No, we are welded beings, as varied and complex as our three gods. Fractured parts which have come together to create our individuality.

How does one devote themselves to such aspects? To these traits of Nirn which are not logic and order, our guiding principles? The Sermons tell us to understand their limitations. To pay heed, but know the boundaries of their scale. Know that these are the principals needed for our current world, Nirn-Prior, and shall be but an addition to the whole which is Nirn-Ensuing.

Hold tight their words, their laws and limits. Know that they are the echoes of a fractured selves, welded whole. Know that the Sublime Piston gives and takes in equal measures, sundering the Named pursuits of lesser mer. We must tear apart that which will be welded whole once more. Beliefs, structures, laws, one day outdated and unneeded.

And so we pay our respects to these aspects of our deities. Without faith towards ALMSIVI we ourselves become sundered from the truth. Speak the names of Lady Amalexia and Lord Vivec with respect, with piety. Listen to their words and heed their laws when necessary. They are the broken cogs that reflect ourselves, to be as venerated as the truths that we honor.

A Brief History of Ald Sotha

Author: 
Varlinsi Arandu

By Varlinsi Arandu, Apostle of Sotha Sil

To follow Sotha Sil is to listen to the winding of the gears, to think of the unlimited possibilities of what can be, not simply what is, or what was. I know this, but so too do I know what truths our past may hold. My devotion to the Father of Mysteries has been unyielding, spring-loaded I've even been told, but for so long incomplete. I began to ask questions, and was surprised so few knew. Where did our Lord come from? I received a name, but not an answer.

Ald Sotha.

I was quick to find my own answers, not within the cautious words of others but in the honest pages of books. My first discovery is that all information I would find was of the Ald Sotha that was, for the town was destroyed long ago. It was the homestead of the minor House Sotha, and how strange to write the word minor with any regard to my Lord's name! But from all my research I can only conclude such, as they are known for no great deeds or any particular skill. An unremarkable town belonging to an unremarkable family, yet somehow the birthplace of the very Father of Mysteries.

Ald Sotha was destroyed sometime within the First Era by the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon. There's very little speculation as to why the Prince of Destruction wished to eradicate this town, and I don't believe there needs to be. Why try to piece together the reasoning behind a being of chaos? The result is still the same, and that is the death of everyone living within Ald Sotha. Everyone, that is, but Lord Seht, rescued by Lord Vivec before either of them had obtained true godhood.

Vivec's rescue is worth further insight, however. How did Lord Seht survive through the attack? There is no mention of a battle, and from what I have analyzed I can only assume that it was after Dagon's destruction that our Lord Seht was rescued. I can only speculate in that end. If the Tribunal wished for others to know, they would have shared the tale. And you certainly won't see me tugging at one of their sleeves, asking such trivial questions!

And, once again, the end result is the same. Lord Seht was rescued, raised by Lord Vivec, and eventually ascended to his rightful place as our Clockwork God. Whatever manner he was saved by Dagon's wrath, it was the fate of the divine gears which move us for him to live, and guide us to reclaim our lost heritage, Tamriel Final.

Ordinators: A Comprehensive Guide

Author: 
Archcanon Tarvus

By Tarvus, Archcanon of Vivec

Holy guards and warrior-priests, the Ordinators dedicate themselves to serving the Tribunal Temple and the Living Gods worshiped therein. Organized into four specific orders, the Ordinators extend the will of the Tribunal throughout Morrowind and are characterized by their distinctive gold armor and face masks. Used as protective covering, the expressionless face masks hide the identity of the guard inside and also exude an intimidating aura that helps add an air of mystery and menace to the Ordinators.

The Ordinators are divided into four orders that determine their mandates throughout Tribunal territory: the Order of the Watch, the Order of Doctrine and Ordination, the Order of Inquisition, and the Order of War.

The Order of the Watch provides protection for the Tribunal's temples and shrines, as well as stationing guards at Tribunal towns and cities, including Vivec City. In addition to policing Tribunal settlements and guarding Tribunal holy sites, Ordinators of the Watch enforce Temple law. These Ordinators are the most visible of all the orders, interacting with the populace on a regular basis.

Militant scholars comprise the Order of Doctrine and Ordination, vigorously studying the words of the Living Gods and supporting the will of the Tribunal. They serve as arbiters of the reigning doctrine and oppose false and dangerous views, such as those held by the Nerevarine Prophecies and other dissident teachings.

The Order of Inquisition seeks out and actively suppresses heresy among Temple priests and Dark Elf citizens alike. Serving as both an investigative body and judge and executor, members of this order place heretics on trial and then deal out whatever punishment is deemed appropriate for the crime against the Tribunal.

Finally, the Order of War battles the enemies of the Temple in all its forms, including hostile cults and Daedra worshipers operating in Dunmer territory. The holy soldiers are among the finest, most-dedicated, and best-trained warriors in all of Morrowind, blessed by the Tribunal itself and charged with defending its will.

I suppose there's another arm of the Ordinators, though there are so few of them that they don't qualify as an order unto themselves. Selected personally from among the most skilled warriors in the Tribunal Temple to serve as Almalexia's elite agents in the world, the Hands of Almalexia, the living goddess herself fortifies them with divine magic and enchants their fearsome armor and weapons.

House Indoril, always orthodox and strident supporters of the Tribunal Temple, provides the majority of the Dark Elves that take up the armor of the Ordinators. In fact, the house's influence can be seen in the distinctive style of the Ordinator armor, and its sons and daughters proudly serve the Triune with dedication and reverence. Of course, the Ordinators don't have a monopoly on service to the Living Gods. Take, for example, Lord Vivec's Buoyant Armigers. I shall cover them in a subsequent volume.

A Guide to Liturgical Vestments

Author: 
High Ordinator Vermethys

An Ordinator's every action must reflect the divinity of the Tribunal. Every thought, word, and gesture, no matter how trivial, must glorify the Three. Our appearance, too, must bring honor to ALMSIVI. Herein you shall find a guide to liturgical vestment.

At the beginning of the vesting, an Ordinator must wash herself thoroughly, using mineral water from one of Red Mountain's sacred hot springs and a volcanic pumice. This act has profound spiritual significance. In washing the body, the Ordinator also washes the soul - removing residual sin and any nagging doubts that might interfere with the merciless application of Tribunal law.

Once the washing is complete, the proper vesting can begin.

The Ordinator begins with the rathith - triangular linen small clothes, dyed a deep blue and fastened with brass pins. The rathith is further secured by the arnith, the golden "underbelt" which is also secured using brass pins. Daughters of ALMSIVI are also permitted to wear the alrathith, a second garment tailored to support the breasts.

With the rathith and alrathith secured, the Ordinator is free to move on to the llananor, or "second garment." This long shirt must be washed in sacred mineral water before the sun rises, and pressed thrice over a hot stone. When donning the llananor, the Ordinator must also recite the Litany of Three Virtues. If the Ordinator completes the litany before the shirt is fully donned, they are obliged to repeat the litany twice more before moving on to the next step of the vesting.

The Ordinator's pants, or felassani, must also be washed and thrice pressed before wearing. Ordinators should put on these trousers starting with the left foot and must fasten them using a blue, rope-like belt called a nosa. The slippers must likewise be worn starting with the left foot, and laced with gold ribbon.

Finally, the Ordinator must drape a crimson wool stole, or duleso, about the neck and shoulders thrice, and fasten it with a triangular golden reliquary clasp - a neleviso. This ends the first vesting, or llanathro'lani, and prepares the Ordinator for armor-suiting.

Before the holy armor can be donned, the Ordinator must recite the Forty-Six Canticles of Supplication, and appeal to St. Nerevar the Captain, patron of warriors and defender of Dunmeri society, for protection. After receiving Nerevar's blessing, the Ordinator begins armor inspection.

The Armor of Triune Faith must be free of any nicks, dents, stains, corrosion, or other aesthetic imperfections. Even minor blemishes are affronts to ALMSIVI's divine persons. Ordinators found wearing imperfect armor shall be subject to severe sanction.

The polish should be thorough and uniform, but not garish. The chitinous undervest must be rubbed with an oiled cloth and flexed to prevent aging and distress. Furthermore, the Ordinator should oil all joints, and treat all leather with a firm brushing and a liberal application of kwama-wax armor dressing. At this point, the Ordinator should signal an initiate to prepare for armor fitting.

The initiate begins with the sabatons and greaves (starting with the left) while reciting a prayer to St. Rilms, patron of pilgrims. Once this devotional is complete, the initiate proceeds to the cuisses, reciting another prayer to St. Meris, patron of laborers. At this point, the Ordinator must anoint the breastplate with sacred mineral oil and recite another prayer of supplication to blessed St. Nerevar before handing it over to the initiate. After fastening the cuirass, the initiate moves on to the rerebraces and couters, reciting another devotional to St. Aralor the Penitent. After securing and lacing the pauldrons, the inititate should glove the Ordinator, starting with the left gauntlet, all the while reciting a prayer to St. Delyn the Wise. Finally, the initiate must drape the blue prayer stole, or retheles, over the warrior's shoulders, reciting a final prayer to St. Felms the Bold. This accomplished, the assistant is permitted to retreat to the chapel for post-vesting prayer.

Final armor preparations are left to the Ordinator herself. Using the left hand, the Ordinator must tuck a sprig of bittergreen beneath her right pauldron. Using the right hand, the Ordinator must trace the sign of the Tribunal on her chest - gnashing her teeth and hissing thrice, at each point of the triune to summon up the wrath of the Tribunal. The tinder of faith thus kindled, the Ordinator anoints the Golden Mask of Devotion with mineral oil, presses her forehead to the helm to likewise anoint herself, then dons the helm. Ordinators may now arm themselves with any weapon, so long as it is thoroughly cleaned, and thrice blessed before use.

At this point, any action of the Ordinator is protected by divine mandate. So long as she wears the mask, the Ordinator is considered a faultless hand of the Three, and is authorized to commit any martial action deemed necessary to protect the True Faith. Hands of Almalexia and other specialized members of the order may have additional vestments to wear, but any servant of the Three thus vested is considered a full Ordinator.

Keep to this guide, stay earnest in your prayers, and you will bring naught but glory to ALMSIVI.

Victory for the Three.

Ordinator Edicts

Author: 
Inquisitor Nivos Uveran

Let it be known:

The Order of Inquisition has received reports of outsiders wearing the holy Ordinator's Regalia, to wit, the Golden Mask of Devotion and Robes of Triune Faith. This is a clear breach of the Seventeenth Dictum of Piety. Any member of the Dunmer laity who wears the Regalia shall be subject to swift and merciless sanction. Any non-Dunmer seen wearing the Regalia shall be killed on sight. Such is the price of blasphemy.

You are hereby warned.

Victory for the Three,

Inquisitor Nivos Uveran

Let it be known:

Heterodox religious practice is hereby banned within the city limits of Vivec. This includes, but is not limited to, veneration of the Eight Apostasies, Hist sap or moon-sugar rituals, devotional Malacathian bloodsport, and Daedric rites of communion. Any citizen who takes part in such ceremonies shall be jailed and subjected to corporal reeducation. Any non-citizen who takes part in such ceremonies shall be banished or executed, depending on the severity of the infraction and the judgment of the attending Ordinator. In either case, all devotional materials and literature shall be seized and burned in the Pyres of Purification. Such is the price of blasphemy.

Keep to the Tribunal or keep silent.

Victory for the Three,

Inquisitor Nivos Uveran

Let it be known:

Creatures cataloged in the Sacred Register of Unclean Beasts are not permitted within city limits. This list includes many milk-producing beasts, owls, tailless apes, dreugh larvae, and egg-laden crustaceans. A comprehensive list of all banned animals is available in the Tribunal Temple's Library of Doctrine.

All meat intended for sale in the marketplace must be inspected by a Temple-appointed Dreni'urolan, or Deputy Curate of Triune Permissions, in accordance with the thirty-fourth Dictum of Piety. Failure to submit meat for inspection shall result in the forfeiture of any Writs of Divine Sanction, fines, and possible corporal reeducation. Such is the price of blasphemy.

Victory for the Three,

Inquisitor Nivos Uveran

Let it be known:

All bardic song and verse intended for public performance must first be approved by the Ministry of Doctrine and Ordination. Any work that is deemed heretical shall be confiscated and destroyed in the Pyres of Purification. Failure to submit said work for inspection shall result in fines and possible corporal reeducation. Such is the price of blasphemy.

Victory for the Three,

Inquisitor Nivos Uveran

Let it be known:

Destroying, moving, or otherwise vandalizing Temple property is a grievous sin. Temple icons and structures serve as extensions of the Tribunal's divine authority. Any assault on said icons and structures is considered an assault on the Tribunal's divine personages. Such an assault carries a penalty of death, followed by Rites of Forgetting and disposal of remains in the Pyres of Purification. Behold the price of blasphemy.

Victory for the Three,

Inquisitor Nivos Uveran

Tribunal - Living Lies

Author: 
"Disordinator"

Have you ever noticed how you never see Vivec and Almalexia in the same place? Or how the water the Temple priests serve smells just a little … off? I have. And I've been on the run trying to spread the word about what I know ever since. The Temple doesn't like me, and there's a damn good reason why. The Tribunal are going to eat our souls.

They aren't the benevolent guardians the Temple wants us to think they are. I've read all the texts, the 36 Lessons, seen the patterns in the numbers. They aren't three loving gods. They are one giant monster from beyond the Void, and they're going to harvest souls for their true master. Think about it! The alliance with the Nords and Argonians, of all people? A war to conquer Cyrodiil? And we know that leads to trying to conquer all of Tamriel; the idea of a "war to protect our homeland" is ludicrous. It all adds up, just a means to gather more and more souls for the big day. Open your eyes!

It's everywhere. All around us. Every day they are getting into your head. Think that guard is looking at you? He is. Ever had a bee fly too close to your ear? That's their work, too. It's the pollen—magical. Lets them hear your thoughts. Lets them find people like me who are trying to get the truth out there! The evening chants you can hear across the city? Mind control spells. Keeps the people quiet.

All I can say is I'm not drinking any of the well-water in Mournhold anymore. Don't take it from me. Think for yourself. The signs are everywhere, and know that you know how to look, you won't be able to ignore what's right in front of your nose.

Darkest Darkness

Author: 
Anonymous

In Morrowind, both worshipers and sorcerers summon lesser Daedra and bound Daedra as servants and instruments.

Most Daedric servants can be summoned by sorcerers for very brief periods within the most fragile and tenuous frameworks of command and binding. This fortunately limits their capacity for mischief, although in a few minutes, most of these servants can do terrible harm to their summoners, as well as their enemies.

Worshipers may bind other Daedric servants to this plane through rituals and pacts. Such arrangements result in the Daedric servant remaining on this plane indefinitely, or at least until their bodily manifestations on this plane are destroyed, precipitating the return of their supernatural essences to Oblivion. Whenever Daedra are encountered at Daedric ruins or in tombs, they are almost invariably long-term visitors to our plane.

Likewise, lesser entities bound by their Daedra Lords into weapons and armor may be summoned for brief periods, or they may persist indefinitely, so long as they are not destroyed and banished. The class of bound weapons and bound armors summoned by Temple followers and conjurers are examples of short-term bindings. Daedric artifacts like Mehrunes' Razor and the Masque of Clavicus Vile are examples of long-term bindings.

The Tribunal Temple of Morrowind has incorporated the veneration of Daedra as lesser spirits subservient to the immortal Almsivi, the Triune godhead of Almalexia, Sotha Sil, and Vivec. These subordinate Daedra are divided into the Good Daedra and the Bad Daedra. The Good Daedra have willingly submitted to the authority of Almsivi. The Bad Daedra are rebels who defy Almsivi, treacherous kin who are more often adversaries than allies.

The Good Daedra are Boethiah, Azura, and Mephala. The hunger is a powerful and violent lesser Daedra associated with Boethiah, Father of Plots—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. 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. 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.

The Bad Daedra are Mehrunes Dagon, Malacath, Sheogorath, and Molag Bal. 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. The crocodile-headed humanoid Daedra called the daedroth is a servant of Molag Bal, while the giant but dim-witted ogrim is a servant of Malacath. Sheogorath's lesser Daedra, the golden saint, a half-clothed human female in appearance, is highly resistant to magic and a dangerous spellcaster.

Another type of lesser Daedra often encountered in Morrowind is the atronach, or Elemental Daedra. Atronachs have no binding kinship or alignments with the Daedra Lords, serving one realm or another at whim, shifting sides according to seduction, compulsion, or opportunity.

A Request for Your Support

Author: 
Magistrix Vox

To the Honorable Tidyn Arthalen,

I want to first thank you for your service on the council that sat in judgment of my son. I will never forget your continued support of Meram and your insistence that death was too harsh a punishment for the crimes leveled against him.

A great moment is coming, Sera Arthalen. The Tribunal has abused its authority. Almalexia has set herself up as our dictator. This is surely obvious to anyone with a clear heart and sharp mind. Her crimes cannot be allowed to continue. When the moment comes, I hope I can continue to rely on your support. Your support, and that of your preisthood and township, Selfora.

Yours in mourning,
Magistrix Vox

Varieties of Faith: The Dark Elves

Author: 
Brother Mikhael Karkuxor of the Imperial College

The Dunmer are descended from the Chimer, who were apostates of the Aldmeri's Aedra worship. As the Alessian Reforms never took hold in Morrowind, their pantheon bears little resemblance to the rest of Tamriel. The Dark Elves' original religion was worship of several Daedric Princes, the so-called "Good Daedra," but that has been largely superseded by reverence for the "Living Gods" of the Tribunal.

The Tribunal
Almalexia (Mother Morrowind):
Most traces of Auri-El disappeared from ancient Chimer legends during their so-called "exodus," primarily due to that god's association and esteem with the Altmeri. However, most aspects of Auri-El that seem so important to the mortal races—namely immortality, historicity, and genealogy—have conveniently resurfaced in Almalexia, the most popular of Morrowind's divine Tribunal.

Vivec (Master of Morrowind):
Warrior-poet god of the Dunmer. Vivec is the invisible keeper of the holy land, ever vigilant against the dark gods of the Volcano. He/she has saved the Dunmeri people from certain death on numerous occasions.

Sotha Sil (Mystery of Morrowind):
God of the Dunmer, Sotha Sil is the least known of the divine Tribunal. He is said to be reshaping the world from his hidden, clockwork city.

The "Good" Daedra

Boethiah (Prince of Plots):
Heralded by the Prophet Veloth, Boethiah is the original god-ancestor of the Dark Elves. Through his/her 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, serving as foundation stories of Chimeri struggle. Also known as the Anticipation of Almalexia.

Mephala (Androgyne):
Mephala is the Webspinner or Spider God. In Morrowind, he/she was the ancestor who taught the Chimer the skills they would need to evade their enemies or murder them in secret. 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.

Azura (Goddess of Dusk and Dawn):
Azura was the god-ancestor who 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.

The Missing God

Lorkhan (The Missing God):
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. This upset the status quo, much like his father, Padomay, who introduced instability into the universe in the Beginning Place. After the world is materialized, Lorkhan is separated from his divine center, sometimes involuntarily, and eventually wanders the creation of the et'Ada. He and his metaphysical placement in the "scheme of things" is interpreted a variety of ways. In Morrowind, he is a being related to the Psijic Endeavor, a process by which mortals are charged with transcending the gods that created them.

Four Corners of the House of Troubles, "Testing Gods"

Enemy gods, more to be placated and appeased than worshiped.

Molag Bal (God of Schemes, Lord of Brutality):
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 legends, Molag Bal always tries to upset the bloodlines of Great 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.

Malacath (God of Curses):
In Dunmer myth, Boethiah swallowed Aldmer hero-god Trinimac and excreted him as Malacath. 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.

Sheogorath (The Mad God):
The fearful obeisance of Sheogorath is widespread, and it is found in most Tamrielic quarters. Contemporary sources indicate that his roots are in Aldmeri creation stories; therein, he is "born" when Lorkhan's divine spark is removed. One crucial myth calls him the "Sithis-shaped hole" of the world. He tests the Dunmer for mental weakness and tempts the Great Houses into treachery against each other.

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

The Living Gods

Author: 
Durillis the Theologian

No other religion in all of Nirn can claim what the Dark Elves know as absolute truth: their gods rule over them and walk among them, as real and as present as any other resident of Morrowind. From their seat of power in Mournhold's Tribunal Temple, the Living Gods of the Tribunal guard and counsel their people. When necessary, they punish sin and error, but they also share their bounty with the greatest and least among us, each according to their needs.

But who are the Living Gods? They are powerful Dark Elves who achieved divine status through superhuman discipline and virtue, and supernatural wisdom and insight. As the three God-Kings of Morrowind, they form the divine leadership of the Dunmer nation. The Three—Lord, Mother, and Wizard—are described below.

Vivec, the warrior-poet god and Master of Morrowind, is perhaps the most popular of the Three. He also tends to be the most public, and the people love him. His visage appears both beautiful and bloody at the same time, and he has made violence into an art form. Vivec the warrior-poet has darker aspects associated with primitive, ruthless impulses, such as lust and murder.

Almalexia, also known as Mother Morrowind, is the patron of healers and teachers. She is the Healing Mother, the source of compassion and sympathy, the protector of the poor and the weak. Almalexia embodies the best of Dunmeri culture and purpose. She exemplifies mercy, and her wisdom guides the Dark Elves in all their daily affairs.

Sotha Sil, God of the World-Mechanism, is the least known and most hidden of the Tribunal gods. Sometimes referred to as the Mystery of Morrowind, he is a Magus and the patron of artificers and wizards. Perhaps the mightiest wizard in the land and certainly the wisest, he is considered to be the Light of Knowledge and the inspiration behind craft and sorcery.

Together, the Living Gods are the pillars of the Tribunal Temple. They represent the power and discipline of the Dunmeri people, and rule with a combination of compassion and strict adherence to law and protocol.