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Lore:Apotheosis

2026-05-14T02:32:36Z

Minor Edits: m - don't know if Oghma Infinium should be italicized; left it alone

<noinclude>{{Trail|Appendices/Magic}}{{TOCleft}}[[File:DF-misc-King of Worms Ending.jpg|thumb|right|The apotheosis of Mannimarco]]{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none; margin-left:0|''How do you think I learned my mystery? The Maruhkati Selectives showed us all the glories of the Dawn so that we might learn, simply: as above, so below.''|[[Lore:Mannimarco|Mannimarco]] as quoted in ''[[Lore:Where Were You ... Dragon Broke|Where Were You When The Dragon Broke?]]''}}
'''Apotheosis''',{{Ref|name=OBProphet|[[OB:The Prophet|The Prophet]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]: [[Oblivion:Knights of the Nine|Knights of the Nine]]''}}{{ref|name=LOTE|{{Cite Book|Lives of the Emperors}}}} also known as '''mantling''' or '''mantle-taking''',{{ref|name=CHAYQ|{{Cite Book|Chamberlain Haskill Answers Your Questions}}}}{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}} is the process of divine ascension through the use of one or more of the esoteric methods known as the [[Lore:Walking Ways|Walking Ways]], which results in the state of [[Lore:Gods|godhood]] wherein the ascended mortal may depart for [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]] or [[Lore:Oblivion|Oblivion]], or remain on Nirn and enter the state of '''[[Lore:CHIM|chim]]''' (meaning 'royalty', 'starlight', and 'high splendor' in the [[Lore:Ehlnofex|Ehlnofex]]).{{ref|name=36L6|{{cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 6}}}}{{ref|name=36L32}}{{ref|name=NHOTSIT|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Nu-Hatta of the Sphinxmoth Inquiry Tree|ns_base=General}}}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Thief Goes to Cyrodiil|ns_base=GEN}}}} [[Lore:Mythopoeia|Mythopoeia]], the manipulation of divine forces,{{ref|name=MWYagrum|[[MW:Yagrum Bagarn|Yagrum Bagarn]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} is the basis for the concept of mantling, which entails a reenactment of mythic patterns established by the et'Ada through myths and stories until their power is surrendered to the mantler.{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}}{{Ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}} When successful, the mortal and the [[Lore:Gods|deity]] whose patterns are being followed become metaphysically synonymous with one another, allowing the mortal to claim the office and sphere of the mantled deity for themselves, reshaping them in the process.{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}} This pattern is sometimes described as "walk like them until they must walk like you".{{ref|name=NHOTSIT|group=UOL}} Mantling is explicitly juxtaposed with [[Lore:Reincarnation|Incarnation]], another kind of apotheosis where the mortal is born with an existing divine mantle (as opposed to lacking one){{ref|name=MDC1|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 1}}}} and knowingly or unknowingly acts in the manner of the god they embody.{{ref|name=NHOTSIT|group=UOL|}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=DGFP|{{Cite Book|Douglas Goodall's Posts|ns_base=GEN}}}}

According to the teachings of [[Lore:Vivec|Vivec]], those who reach chim through successful mantling achieve a state of transcendence and freedom from all known laws and mortal limitations of [[Lore:Convention|Convention]] created by the [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]], as well as the corruptions of the black sea of [[Lore:Oblivion|Oblivion]].{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} This is described as a return to a state of pure [[Lore:Aurbis|Aurbis]], the possibility brought by the first interaction between [[Lore:Anu|Anu]] and [[Lore:Padomay|Padomay]],{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} and is likened to the divine power the gods held during the [[Lore:Dawn Era|Dawn Era]] prior to Convention.{{ref|name=36L6}}{{ref|name=36L18|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 18}}}}{{ref|name=WWYDB|{{Cite Book|Where Were You ... Dragon Broke}}}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=Trial|group=UOL|[[General:Michael Kirkbride|Michael Kirkbride]]'s posts in [[General:Trial of Vivec|''The Trial of Vivec'']]}}{{ref|name=WWYDB2|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=GEN|Where Were You When the Dragon Broke?}}}} However, the state of chim allows one to hold that same 'dawning' together on Nirn without the disaster that troubled the gods, whose mere presence destabilized the physical make-up of the mortal plane and its timeless continuity as they walked the world in their excess.{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=NuMantia|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Nu-Mantia Intercept|ns_base=GEN}}}}

The process of apotheosis is built on the metaphysical ideal of "[[Lore:The Towers|the Tower]]",{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}} which symbolizes the existence of a given mortal's "True Self" (divine mantle) within the "Universal Self" of the [[Lore:Godhead|Godhead]].{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} As such, some groups believe all the Gods and Daedric Princes to have once been mortal,{{ref|name=OldWays|{{Cite Book|The Old Ways}}}} and apotheosis itself to be a re-acquisition of divinity that the mortal's spirit already formerly possessed.{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}}{{ref|name=36L6}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} The [[Lore:Psijic Endeavor|Psijic Endeavor]] thus defines Divinity as "attaining the Tower",{{ref|name=VoF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} and further suggests the end goal of divine ascension to be mantling the Godhead itself.{{ref|name=BBWD|{{Cite Book|Black Book: Waking Dreams}}}}{{ref|name=36L37|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 37}}}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}
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==Acquisition==
For some cultures, reaching Aetherius alone is enough to be considered reaching godhood. The acquisition of divinity on Nirn, however, inherently requires grappling with certain divine truths about the world and one's place in it.

===The Wheel and The Tower===
[[File:LG-quest-Prologue 01.jpg|thumb|left|A cosmic mass within or encompassing the Aurbis]]
[[File:LG-quest-Mecinar Triumphant 02.jpg|Mecinar obtaining divine power|thumb|right]]
Apotheosis on Nirn in all of its forms is acquired through symbolic interaction with the Tower, a metaphorical absolute which represents existence beyond duplexity and antithesis, and contains the secret of how mortals may ascend to godhood, and how gods may descend to mortality.{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} One who achieves apotheosis is therefore symbolized by the Thief, which represents the "taking" of the Tower and its secret.{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}

The Tower is directly built on another metaphorical symbol, "the Wheel", which is a structural model of the [[Lore:Aurbis|Aurbis]] which describes it as being made up of a [[Lore:Aetherius|rim]], [[Lore:Planets|spokes]], and a [[Lore:Mundus|hub]].{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} According to Vivec, both the Tower and the Wheel were created when Anu and Padomay, two infinitely vast realms sitting in the Void, intersected and thereby created a perfect circle of pattern and possibility from which everything else sprang forth. That circle is the Wheel of the Aurbis which, when viewed from the side, transforms into an "I" - the shape of the Tower's ideal and its secret.{{ref|name=36L21|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 21}}}}{{ref|name=OTD|{{Cite Book|On the Detachment of the Sheath}}}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} According to [[Lore:Vivec|Vivec]], the first to discover this ideal was [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]], whose curiosity and desire for change drove him to the rim of the Wheel, where he looked back at the Aurbis sideways and first witnessed the Tower.{{ref|[[Online:The Dark Descent|The Dark Descent]] loading screen in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Markarth (DLC)|Markarth]]''}}{{ref|name=TNC|{{Cite Book|The Nine Coruscations}}}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} Lorkhan then convinced, tricked, forced, or contrived the [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]] to join him in building the Mundus, a hub at the center of the Wheel created in its image, in a venture to help others come to this realization.{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=SONGOM|{{Cite Book|Spirit of Nirn, God of Mortals}}}}{{Ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}{{ref|name=WOCMA|{{Cite Book|Words of Clan Mother Ahnissi}}}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}{{NewRight}}

===The Tri-Angled Truth===
[[File:SR-book-Oghma Infinium 2.png|left|thumb|The Triangular Gate as depicted in the Oghma Infinium]]{{Quote Box|''The secret Tower within the Tower is the shape of the only name of God, I.''|''[[Lore:36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 21|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 21]]''}}[[File:OB-book-Mysterium Xarxes 02.jpg|The Triangular Gate as depicted in ''Mysterium Xarxes''|thumb|right]]
As a reflection of the Wheel, the Mundus offers mortals the same opportunity to discover the Tower for themselves, only the border to this smaller Wheel is much easier to see.{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} The act of doing so is termed "Right-Reaching" by various sources{{ref|name=TIOD|{{Cite Book|The Illusion of Death}}}}{{ref|name=36L21}}{{ref|name=OTD|{{Cite Book|On the Detachment of the Sheath}}}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=VBOH|{{Cite Book|Vehk's Book of Hours|ns_base=GEN}}}} and is visually represented by the Tri-Angled Truth, a metaphysical pattern describing the interaction of Anu and Padomay that originally created the Wheel, which must be enacted to re-create the primordial explosion of surplus possibility from which all divinity is sourced, and seize godhood from within.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=36L35|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 35}}}}{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=IRC|group=UOL|{{TIL|''Michael Kirkbride IRC Quotes''|michael-kirkbride-irc-quotes}}, The Imperial Library}} It is said that the Heart of Lorkhan itself holds the Tri-Angled Truth within it in the form of the Secret Triangular Gate (otherwise known as "the Secret Door"{{ref|name=36L19|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 19}}}} or "the Invisible Gate"){{ref|name=36L29|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 29}}}} by which mortals may perform a Right-Reaching and experience the pure possibility of the Dawn first-hand, as the gods once did.{{ref|name=TIOD}}{{ref|name=36L13|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 13}}}}{{ref|name=36L21}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} Several [[Lore:Daedric Prince|daedra]] are known to have taught this pattern to their followers as well,{{ref|name=TCO|{{Cite Book|The Changed Ones}}}}{{ref|name=MX|{{Cite Book|Mysterium Xarxes (book)}}}}{{ref|name=OghmaPages| Physical appearance of [[SR:Oghma Infinium|Oghma Infinium]]'s pages in [[SR:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}}{{ref|name=OghmaESO|[[Online:Contraband I#Illegible Page From the Oghma Infinium|Illegible Page From the Oghma Infinium]] item in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} although other sources suggest that the gods—be they Aedra or Daedra—are generally disinclined from teaching the mortals the secret for apotheosis, and may even actively conceal it from them so that their authority may not be challenged.{{ref|name=MDC3}}{{ref|[[Online:Ithelia|Ithelia]]'s dialogue during [[Online:The Many Paths|The Many Paths]] in [[ESO:ESO|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=LAFNJTR|{{Cite Book|Lord Fa-Nuit-Hen and Tutor Riparius Answer Your Questions}}}}

Over time, mortals have developed various formulae for applying the Tri-Angled Truth known as the [[Lore:Walking Ways|Walking Ways]], all of which are ultimately models and representations of the Tower, and thus possess an innate and constant aspect of transformation inherent to it.{{ref|name=36L6}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} Regardless of the model utilized to do so, all Walking Ways ultimately lead to the same result: the imitation of an established mythic pattern allows the mortal to seize its power for themselves and results in a momentary return to the primordial flux of the [[Lore:Dawn Era|Dawn Era]], where stasis and change created possibility and with it, the Wheel.{{ref|name=36L6}}{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=MDC3}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} Vivec describes this process as "turning the triangle upon its side" to pierce the "heart" of the [[Lore:Aetherius|Beginning Place]], the birthplace of all spirits.{{ref|name=36L13}}{{ref|name=36L21}} Upon recreating this chaos in miniature, the individual witnesses the Wheel turn upon its side and discovers the ultimate secret hidden within the Tower: that its shape—the "I"—is the only true name of God, which contextually refers to the [[Lore:Godhead|Godhead]], [[Lore:Anu|Anu]].{{ref|name=36L21}}{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}

As the nature of God encompasses all things,{{ref|name=TM}} perceiving the universe in such a manner is extremely dangerous.{{ref|name=36L11|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 11}}}}{{ref|name=36L32|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 32}}}}{{ref|name=36L35|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 35}}}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}{{ref|[[Skyrim:Septimus Signus|Septimus Signus]]'s dialogue during [[Skyrim:Discerning the Transmundane|Discerning the Transmundane]] in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}} Vivec describes the sensation as "the relentless alien terror of God", where the individual is submerged into the raw chaos of the Aurbis and experiences with all their senses both the boundless being of the Godhead and their own place within it, which is everywhere and therefore nowhere.{{ref|name=36L11}}{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} This realization typically leads to the total dissolution of one's individuality into the flux of Aurbis, achieving a state called "zero-sum" and erasing that individual from that point onward as their physical body disintegrates into vapor or ash.{{ref|name=36L32}}{{ref|name=MDC3}}{{ref|name=Suitors|{{Cite Book|The Four Suitors of Benitah}}}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=EEATD|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Et'Ada, Eight Aedra, Eat the Dreamer|ns_base=GEN}}}} However, one who would submerge themselves into this state and remain whole of mind becomes able to refute this conclusion and assert their individuality in spite of it, achieving the state of chim and becoming a god.{{ref|name=36L32}}{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}

''→ For additional information on the patterns that are followed to reach godhood, see '''[[Lore:Walking Ways|Walking Ways]]'''.
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==Divine Metaphysics==
The nature of godhood is strongly connected with the concept of Untime,{{ref|name=OTD}} also called Unbound Time,{{ref|name=TNC|{{Cite Book|The Nine Coruscations}}}} a state of the universe from before the invention of linear time. As all godhood is sourced from the Dawn, most gods experience the world in the same non-linear manner, able to change not only the future with their actions but also the past,{{ref|name=SchickMyth|group=UOL|{{TIL|''ESO Live Episode 15 – Lore-time with Lawrence Schick (2015)''|eso-live-episode-15-lore-time-lawrence-schick}}, The Imperial Library}} and the process of apotheosis necessarily requires adopting the same perspective.
===The Divine Dreamworld===
[[File:ON-place-Spilled Sand 06.jpg|"The Dragon dreams, but the Hero gleams in his eye."|right|thumb]]
{{Quote Box|''It is a bit like being at once awake and asleep. Awake, I am here with you, thinking and talking. Asleep, I am very, very busy. Perhaps for other gods, the completely immortal ones, it is only like that being asleep. Out of time.''|[[Lore:Vivec|Vivec]]'s musings on divinity{{ref|name=MWVehk|[[MW:Vivec (god)|Vivec]]'s dialogue in [[Morrowind:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']]}}}}
Several sources describe mortal and divine perspectives on time through the metaphor of dream, separating the universe into the "waking" world of mortal (or linear) time and the "sleeping" world (or "divine dreamworld") of the gods.{{ref|name=MWVehk}}{{ref|name=DUDialogue|[[Morrowind:Dagoth Ur|Dagoth Ur]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}{{ref|name=DRDialogue|[[Morrowind:Dagoth Reler|Dagoth Reler]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}{{ref|name=36L6}}{{ref|name=OblivionPel|[[Oblivion:Pelinal Whitestrake|Pelinal Whitestrake]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]: [[Oblivion:Knights of the Nine|Knights of the Nine]]''}}{{ref|name=TSOP6|{{Cite Book|The Song of Pelinal, v 6}}}}{{ref|name=OBStone|[[Oblivion:Magical Stones#Dragon Stone|Dragon Stone]] message in ''[[OB:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}{{ref|name=NuMantia|group=UOL}} This so-called "god place" is the divine and atemporal existence of the Dawn Era that predates the creation of mortal time, and exists eternally and concurrently with the manifold timelines of Nirn.{{ref|name=TNC}}{{ref|name=ESOJadarri|[[Online:Ja'darri|Ja'darri]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Dragonhold|Dragonhold]]''}}{{ref|name=ESOVanos|[[Online:Raynor Vanos|Raynor Vanos]]'s dialogue during [[Online:The Tones of the Deep|The Tones of the Deep]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Greymoor|Greymoor]]''}} Unlike in the waking world, where time progresses in an organized linear manner, time in the sleeping world is described as completely lacking in causality and duration, instead happening "all at once",{{ref|name=MWVehk}}{{ref|name=Theodor|[[BL:Theodor Gorlash|Theodor Gorlash]]'s dialogue in ''[[Blades:Blades|Blades]]''}}{{ref|name=WWYDB}}{{ref|name=OTD}} and so a god may choose to deliberately wait an eternity in the dreamworld yet find that no time at all has passed in the waking world.{{ref|name=MWVehk}} In this dreamworld, the gods are said to be "asleep" yet "very busy", moving the invisible strings in the Mundus through their divine spheres.{{ref|name=MWVehk}}{{ref|name=OldWays|{{Cite Book|The Old Ways}}}} However, direct interaction with mortals requires them to adopt the trappings of linearity,{{Ref|name=LAFNJTR}}{{Ref|name=LAFNJTR2|{{Cite Book|Lord Fa-Nuit-Hen and Tutor Riparius Answer Your Questions 2}}}}{{ref|name=CHAYQ}} and the subsequent loss of divine perspective is frequently likened to the amnesia one experiences upon waking up from a dream, with physical incarnations of the gods sometimes not even being aware of their own being such.{{ref|name=36L11}}{{ref|name=TSOP8|{{Cite Book|The Song of Pelinal, v 8}}}}{{ref|name=OblivionPel}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=DGFP}}

The creation of linear time occurred at Convention, when the Time God "layered" linearity atop infinite possibility through the use of the Adamantine Tower, "cleaving" and organizing the raw chaos of Dawn into discrete individual branching paths, or timeline "sheaths" contained within the broader "integument" of the Aurbis.{{ref|name=TNC}}{{ref|name=OTD}}{{ref|name=AurbicEnigma|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}}{{ref|name=NuMantia|group=UOL}} This same action established Convention as an impossible moment that would last outside of time, ensuring that all action undertaken by the spirits present at Dawn would become recorded and last for "a period unassailable" regardless of what would befall the spirits themselves afterward.{{ref|name=AurbicEnigma}}{{ref|name=NuMantia|group=UOL}} This act laid the foundation for the known reality as dictated to and by the [[Lore:Earthbones|Earthbones]], and was later imitated by mortals who constructed similar "dawnmaker" structures called Towers, allowing them to modify local reality by imposing new myths and narratives unto the Dawn, which it could support regardless of contradiction due to its inherent lack of causality.{{ref|name=36L21}}{{ref|name=AurbicEnigma}}{{ref|name=Farandor|[[ON:Farandor|Farandor]]'s dialogue during [[ON:A Novel Idea|A Novel Idea]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=TLL|{{Cite Book|The Lunar Lorkhan}}}}{{ref|name=ONDOL|[[Online:Den of Lorkhaj|Den of Lorkhaj]] loading screen text in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=NuMantia|group=UOL}}

Owing to the mythopoeic forces at play, each successful act of apotheosis achieves the same "dawnmaking" effect.{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=MDC3}} By imitating the mythic patterns established by the gods in the Dawn, the mantle-taker blurs the line between the waking and dreaming worlds, which culminates in an instant of "pure Aurbis" as an eruption of Dawn is brought forth by their actions and the myth surrenders its power to the mantle-taker.{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=MDC3}}{{ref|name=Trial|group=UOL}} This phenomenon where linear time collapses and the world returns to the acausal "untimes" of the Dawn is called a [[Lore:Dragon Break|Dragon Break]]. This collapse is always heralded by the emergence of the reclusive Blue Star, [[Lore:Mnemo-Li|Mnemo-Li]], who is said to be the Keeper of the Elder Scrolls,{{ref|name=IRC|group=UOL}} and appears above Nirn every untime to record the newly established divine myths within their contents.{{ref|name=MDC3}}{{ref|name=OTD}}{{ref|name=TNC}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=VBOH}}{{ref|name=IRC|group=UOL}}

===Rewritten Narratives===
[[File:ON-place-Serpent's Image.jpg|thumb|right|A vision of a primordial Cyrodiil]]
{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none|''Is it not humorous to live in a world where even history can change? Even history of future! It makes Pacrooti's head hurt sometimes.''|Pacrooti{{Ref|name=MAMAPAYQ|{{Cite Book|Master Assistant Materials Acquirer Pacrooti Answers Your Questions}}}}}}
Due to the atemporal nature of the Untime, the actions the mortal undertakes as part of their apotheosis become absent of duration,{{ref|name=OTD}} with their newborn myth becoming a constant of the Dawn that stretches infinitely into the past and future alike.{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=WWYDB}}{{ref|name=Farandor}}{{ref|name=Trial|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} Consequently, a newly-ascended deity is treated as though they have always been a god,{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=Minutes|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Minutes of the Lusty Argonian Historical Society, Second Seed, 3E 433|ns_base=General}}}} as their divine existence in the Dawn now predates their own birth and ascension as a mortal.{{ref|name=Trial|group=UOL}}{{Ref|name=ILSA|group=UOL|[https://www.imperial-library.info/content/lawrence-schick-and-phrastus-altmer-culture-0 Interview with Lawrence Schick and Phrastus on Altmer Culture (2021/2023)]}} This leads some sources to reframe apotheosis not as an ascension to godhood, but rather as re-acquisition of divinity that the mortal already possessed as they "reunite" with their divine self at the moment of apotheosis - even if it is still generally understood that the apotheosis itself happened.{{ref|name=36L6}}{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=MDC3}}{{ref|name=WWYDB}}

After the Dragon Break expires and linearity is restored, the now-recorded actions of the ascendant mortal echo forward from the Dawn into the waking world, and the resulting timeline is revised to accommodate their now-eternal divine self existing outside of time,{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=MDC3}}{{ref|name=Trial|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} although fragments and recollections of the original timeline(s) still persist through records and eyewitness accounts.{{ref|name=Trial|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=Heartland|{{Cite Book|The Heartland of Cyrodiil}}}}{{ref|name=Heimskr|[[Skyrim:Heimskr|Heimskr]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{ref|name=TMHT|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|From The Many-Headed Talos|ns_base=GEN}}}} One famous example of this phenomenon is the [[Lore:Warp in the West|Warp in the West]], wherein the various leaders of High Rock are all reported to remember a different course of history prior to the Miracle of Peace, yet none of which coincide with the apparent state of the world after its conclusion.{{ref|name=TWITW|{{Cite Book|The Warp in the West}}}}{{ref|name=WWYDB}}{{ref|name=LOTE}} Similarly, Vivec's accounts allude to the idea the murder of [[Lore:Nerevar|Indoril Nerevar]] at the hands of the Tribunal happened "in the death of the last universe", yet never occurred in a revised timeline where the ALMSIVI were divine from birth, though the Tribunal and certain others appear to remember both versions of events regardless.{{ref|name=36L18}}{{ref|name=36L29}}{{ref|name=Trial|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}

===Divine Hypnagogia===
[[File:LG-cardart-Ascended Sleeper.jpg|thumb|left|"You think what you do has meaning? You think you slay me, and I am dead? It is just dream and waking over and over, one appearance after another, nothing real. What you do here means nothing. Why do we waste our breath on you?" - [[Morrowind:Dagoth Reler|Dagoth Reler]], an Ascended Sleeper]]
{{Quote Box|''What a fool you are. I'm a god. How can you kill a god? What a grand and intoxicating innocence.''|[[Lore:Dagoth Ur|Dagoth Ur]] taunting the [[Lore:Nerevarine|Nerevarine]]'s efforts to kill him{{ref|name=DUDialogue}}}}
Should a mantle-taker experience all of the above and return to the mortal world upon the restoration of linear time, they will have achieved the state of chim and become a "ruling king".{{ref|name=36L31|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 31}}}}{{ref|name=36L32}}{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=MDC3}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} This unique state of living godhood, sometimes called "divine hypnagogia" after the transitory state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep and likened to lucid dreaming,{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} is described as existence in which one is simultaneously "awake", present in the world of mortal time, and "asleep", present in the divine world outside of time.{{ref|name=MWVehk}}{{ref|name=DRDialogue|[[Morrowind:Dagoth Reler|Dagoth Reler]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}{{ref|name=36L11}} As a result, the state of chim provides the essence needed to hold onto the "dawning" of the sleeping world without the disastrous consequences that plagued the gods in the Dawn, and allows the mantle-taker to exercise their divinity in the waking world by drawing upon the power of their own myth.{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=MDC3}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}

The powers derived from godhood are highly varied and impossible to fully quantify, as they ultimately draw upon the raw possibilities of the Dawn, which is the foundation of all magic.{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=MDC3}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} All ascended individuals display the capability to perform improbable feats, sometimes described as "mini-miracles",{{ref|name=36L23|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 23}}}} though to the outside eye these may be explained as mere displays of exceptional skill, elaborate sorcery, or even sheer luck.{{ref|name=36L4|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 4}}}}{{ref|name=S0Affair|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Sermon Zero Affair|ns_base=GEN}}}} Thus, the exact nature of these miracles is ultimately situational and highly dependent on the mantle-taker and the mythic pattern they invoke.{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=MDC3}}

One feature shared between living and immortal gods is the possession of a realm that acts as their physical dominion, analogous to the [[Lore:Planes of Existence|planetary god-bodies]] of the Aedra and Daedra.{{Ref|name=Cosmology|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Cosmology|ns_base=GEN}}}}{{ref|name=LAFNJTR}}{{ref|name=LAFNJTR2}} Those who have attained godhood may manipulate the land and weather of their realm, and in turn, their well-being is directly connected to that of the land and its people.{{ref|name=36L11}}{{ref|name=MDC3}}{{ref|name=SIHaskill|[[Shivering:Haskill|Haskill]]'s dialogue in ''[[Shivering:Shivering Isles|Shivering Isles]]''}} Most famously, Tiber Septim is attested to have exercised his power over his domain of Cyrodiil, reshaping the land from endless jungle into a more temperate environment to better suit the needs of his people,{{ref|name=MDC3}}{{ref|name=Heimskr|[[Skyrim:Heimskr|Heimskr]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{ref|name=TMHT|group=UOL}} and it is said that the whole of Tamriel rained for a fortnight upon his passing.{{ref|name=BHotE1|{{Cite Book|Brief History of the Empire v 1}}}} The Tribunal similarly constructed city-bodies within Morrowind, named after themselves and acting as centers of their power and influence,{{Ref|name=PGE1M|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Morrowind}}}}{{ref|name=36L25|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 25}}}} and it was observed that Red Mountain began to quake and erupt in response to Vivec’s divine power being drained with the Sunna'rah.{{Ref|name=DDis|[[Online:Divine Disaster|Divine Disaster]] quest in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: [[Online:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']]}}

Another universal feature of godhood on Nirn is immortality. Due to the living god’s simultaneous existence in the divine dreamworld and the waking world, death in the latter becomes inconsequential, as all they have to do is merely choose to "wake up" again.{{ref|name=MWVehk}}{{ref|name=DUDialogue|[[Morrowind:Dagoth Ur|Dagoth Ur]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}{{ref|name=DRDialogue|[[Morrowind:Dagoth Reler|Dagoth Reler]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} This can manifest either as the living god physically rising up after being slain, or feigning death and materializing in a new body afterward.{{ref|name=MWDagothFight|[[Morrowind:The Citadels of the Sixth House|The Citadels of the Sixth House]] quest in [[Morrowind:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']]}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} However, this immortality does not mean total invincibility, as the living god may still be permanently slain in the mortal world if their access to the god place is severed, rendering them "fully asleep",{{ref|name=MWDagothFight}}{{ref|name=MWAyemFight|Events of [[Tribunal:The Mad God|The Mad God]] quest in [[Tribunal:Tribunal|Tribunal]]}}{{ref|name=MWVehk}} or even completely destroyed if their spirit is followed to the spirit plane and slain there.{{ref|name=OBProphet}}{{ref|name=KOTNUmaril|[[Oblivion:Umaril the Unfeathered (quest)|Umaril the Unfeathered]] quest in [[OB:Knights of the Nine|''Oblivion: Knights of the Nine'']]}}

The same access to the divine dreamworld grants living gods a perspective on time like that of other "fully immortal" deities, allowing them a degree of precognition.{{ref|name=MWVehk}}{{ref|name=WWYDB}} Vivec's sermons speak of him foretelling the coming of Tiber Septim to Morrowind,{{ref|name=36L19}} and in one tale he was able to foresee the destiny of Cyrus the Restless, including his death and the fate of his soul after it.{{ref|name=VivecMeeting|group=UOL}} Sotha Sil was known to possess extremely precise foresight, using it to prepare contingencies for divine threats centuries in advance.{{ref|name=ESOSeht|[[Online:Sotha Sil|Sotha Sil]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: [[Online:Clockwork City|''Clockwork City'']]}}{{ref|name=ESOAios|[[Online:Aios|Aios]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Where Shadows Lie|Where Shadows Lie]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: [[Online:Clockwork City|''Clockwork City'']]}}{{ref|name=LucianaJournal|{{Cite Book|Proctor Luciana's Journal}}}} According to the ''[[Lore:2920, The Last Year of the First Era|2920, The Last Year of the First Era]]'' historical fiction series, Almalexia was known to have foreseen the Oblivion Crisis in her dreams.{{ref|name=2920Book|{{Cite Book|2920, The Last Year of the First Era}}}} Additionally, it is possible for living gods to grant others access to the god place, such as when Vivec briefly took the Nerevarine out of time to expedite the painful process of learning how to use Wraithguard.{{ref|name=MWVehkWraithguard|[[Morrowind:Vivec (god)|Vivec]]'s dialogue during [[Morrowind:Hortator and Nerevarine|Hortator and Nerevarine]] in [[Morrowind:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']]}}

However, the state of chim is ultimately temporary, and purportedly difficult to retain due to the inherent "violence" of the process,{{ref|name=36L11}}{{ref|name=36L35}}{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} though cases exist of ascendant individuals prolonging their divinity on Nirn by procuring the required energy through artificial means,{{ref|name=MWDagothFight}}{{ref|name=ESOVehk|[[ON:Vivec|Vivec]]'s dialogue in [[ESO:ESO|ESO]]}} or even re-acquiring their divine state after previously losing it through another mythic reenactment.{{ref|name=Trial|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=VivecMeeting|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Lord Vivec's Sword-Meeting With Cyrus the Restless}}}}{{ref|name=TiberMeeting|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Tiber Septim's Sword-Meeting with Cyrus the Restless}}}} As such, many deities opt not to return to Nirn at all, and instead simply ascend to Aetherius where their divinity is truly everlasting,{{ref|name=VoF}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=Sithis|{{Cite Book|Sithis (book)}}}}{{ref|name=36L37}} or join the ranks of Oblivion at the cost of requiring some external source of energy to sustain them.{{ref|name=DGMannimarco|King of Worms [[Daggerfall:Journey to Aetherius#The End|ending]] in ''[[DF:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}}{{ref|name=BSIdeal|[[Battlespire:Ideal Master#Dialogue|Ideal Masters' dialogue]] in ''[[Battlespire:Battlespire|Battlespire]]''}}{{ref|name=LAFNJTR|{{Cite Book|Lord Fa-Nuit-Hen and Tutor Riparius Answer Your Questions}}}}

==Cultural Beliefs==
{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none; margin-left:0|''Really, [ma'am/sir], you'll need to start thinking for yourself. It is one of the basic requirements of godhood.''|[[Lore:Haskill|Haskill]]{{ref|name=SIHaskill}}}}
It is claimed all mortal souls understand subconsciously that they came from somewhere else and that Nirn itself is only a cruel and crucial step to what comes next.{{ref|name=SONGOM}}{{ref|name=AncandD|{{Cite Book|Ancestors and the Dunmer}}}} As such, most cultures of Tamriel hold apotheosis in high regard, and consider it a spiritual goal of their people.{{ref|name=SONGOM}} Most elven cultures, with the exception of Dunmer, view Nirn as a prison that sundered their connection to the spirit plane, and regard apotheosis as an avenue of escape to Aetherius and a return to their lost godhood.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=SONGOM}} Others believe that Aetherius was already a prison, and that Nirn was created as a testing ground for transcendence, which makes true escape finally possible.{{ref|name=SONGOM}} All cultures of Tamriel incorporate the gods, heroes, demons and saints who successfully achieved apotheosis into their belief systems.{{ref|name=VoF}} However, the specifics of these beliefs often differ from culture to culture, showcasing a divergence in method and purpose of reaching transcendence in the first place. Below are some of the better-known permutations.

===Mer===
[[File:LO-people-Auri-El and Crystal Tower.jpg|An Altmeri depiction of Auri-El, the first Elf to ascend to Godhood|thumb|right]]
The belief in apotheosis as an inherent birthright of elvenkind is a cornerstone of Elvish religion and metaphysics.{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}{{Ref|name=PGE3S|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Summerset}}}} The word "[[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]]" can literally be understood to mean "Our Ancestor(s)", and is used to refer to the gods who created the world,{{ref|name=A&D|{{Cite Book|Aedra and Daedra}}}} whom Elves claim to descend from,{{Ref|name=TM}} and make a point of including Elven likenesses in their shrines to further reinforce their familial connections to the Divines.{{ref|name=FoAuriel|[[ON:Font of Auri-El|Font of Auri-El]] antiquity codex entries in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} This conceit of parentage is used to justify the belief that they can, in certain miraculous circumstances, apotheosize and re-ascend to godly status.{{ref|name=TAX|{{Cite Book|Tu'whacca, Arkay, Xarxes}}}}

In addition, the earliest Elves were widely known for the erection or manipulation of their various Towers across Tamriel in emulation of the Adamantine Tower and Convention of the et'Ada, acting as focus points for reversing the spiritual bleed caused by the Convention and (re-)reaching the divine.{{ref|name=AurbicEnigma}}{{ref|name=ToA|{{Cite Book|Tower of Adamant}}}}{{ref|name=NuMantia|group=UOL}} This practice, known as "Variorum Architecture" (which can be understood as an application of the third walking way, the Prolix Tower),{{ref|name=Girnalin}} allowed the various tribes of elves to write new narratives into the Dawn, thereby altering the world around them and potentially allowing them to create new deities altogether.{{ref|name=AurbicEnigma}}{{ref|name=NuMantia|group=UOL}} These Towers frequently doubled as centers of ancestor worship - for example, the White-Gold Tower in Cyrodiil was formerly known as the Temple of the Ancestors,{{ref|name=Umbacano|[[OB:Umbacano|Umbacano]]'s dialogue in [[OB:Oblivion|''Oblivion'']]}} while Crystal-Like-Law in Alinor was known to house the graves of the early Aldmeri settlers of the Summerset Isles.{{Ref|name=PGE3S}}

====Altmeri and Falmeri====
[[File:SR-place-Inner Sanctum (Vale).jpg|A statue of Auri-El at the Chantry of Auri-El|thumb|left]]
According to the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]], the mortal world was created when the et'Ada were tricked by Lorkhan to split themselves from the spirit plane, forcing them to take on mortal aspects and survive by passing down their souls to their progeny, creating the Aldmer.{{ref|name=TM}} Generations later, [[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]] - now the demigod king of the Aldmer - ascended to heaven in full observance of his followers so that they might learn the steps needed to escape the mortal plane, laying the foundations of modern elven doctrine.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=VoF}}{{ref|name=ArenaBow|[[Arena:Auriel's Bow|Auriel's]] [[Daggerfall:Auriel's Bow|Bow]] artifact description in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]'' and ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}}

The [[Lore:Forgotten Vale|Chantry of Auri-El]] was the epicenter of ancient Falmeri worship, constructed near the beginning of the First Era as a retreat for those who wished to become enlightened.{{ref|name=Gelebor|[[SR:Gelebor|Gelebor]]'s dialogue in [[SR:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}} The most dedicated Chantry Initiates were tasked with performing a pilgrimage to the chantry's inner sanctum, testing the Initiate's faith and loyalty and symbolizing their own journey towards enlightenment.{{ref|name=Gelebor|[[SR:Gelebor|Gelebor]]'s dialogue in [[SR:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}}{{ref|name=TtS|{{Cite Book|Touching the Sky}}}} Those few who completed the pilgrimage were said to reach the inner sanctum as "mere shells" of the people they formerly were;{{ref|name=TtS}} however, it is said that every pilgrim would go on to ''"become one with Auri-El"'' and ascend, bathed in light, with a look of relief and contentment upon their face.{{ref|name=TtS}}{{Ref|name=TESVSPOGG|{{Cite Book|The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Prima Official Game Guide|ns_base=BK}}}}

Auri-El’s teachings can be compared to the Altmeri practice of the Path to Alaxon (also known as "the path to perfection"){{ref|name=Tanorian|[[ON:Justiciar Tanorian|Justiciar Tanorian]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: [[ON:Summerset (Chapter)|''Summerset'']]}} in Summerset, described as the approach taken to achieve ''"the state of perfection that every High Elf strives for."''{{ref|name=Olnewil|[[ON:Olnewil|Olnewil]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Alaxon is considered a matter of both religious and cultural law. Artisans can petition to be given an Alaxon sphere, provided they can demonstrate having achieved a state of perfection in their craft, but they can just as well be forced to smash it as punishment for having fallen far from their past level of perfection.{{ref|name=CotDP|{{Cite Book|Cases of the Divine Prosecution}}}} The concept of Alaxon is also present on Solstice, where it is associated with Meridia by the clergy of the Corelanyan Altmer.{{ref|name=IotTQ|{{Cite Book|Invocation to the Three Queens}}}}{{ref|name=Rolmedil|[[ON:Lector Rolmedil|Lector Rolmedil]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

Although Auri-El is recognized as the first to ascend,{{ref|name=VoF}}{{ref|name=WWYDB}} the Altmer believe all of their deities to be ascended ancestors one way or another.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=A&D}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} Xarxes, the god of ancestry and secret knowledge often compared to Arkay and Tu'whacca in the human pantheons, has multiple conflicting origins, with the two most common ones portraying him either as an original spirit and Auri-El's scribe from the beginning of time, counting among the spirits tricked into becoming mortal by Lorkhan, or as a mortal Aldmer priest of Auri-El from the Merethic Era, elevated to godhood by his deity.{{ref|name=TAX}}{{ref|name=TM}} Gods like Syrabane and Phynaster have been portrayed as heroes who achieved greatness and apotheosis.{{ref|name=VoF}}{{ref|name=WarlockARtifact}}{{ref|name=MinutesSyrabane|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Minutes of the Lusty Argonian Historical Society, Mid Year, 3E 433|ns_base=General}}}}{{Ref|name=ILSA|group=UOL|[https://www.imperial-library.info/content/lawrence-schick-and-phrastus-altmer-culture-0 Interview with Lawrence Schick and Phrastus on Altmer Culture (2021/2023)]}}

====Psijic Order====
[[File:ON-prerelease-Psijic Scrying Talisman.jpg|Thumb|A Psijic scrying|thumb|right]]
The philosophy of the [[Lore:Psijic Order|Psijic Order]] has a unique view on apotheosis, interpreting it through a lens of Aldmeri ancestor worship and mythic genealogy taken to the extreme.{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} According to their Old Ways, all gods and daedra worshipped by mortals are nothing more than their own mortal ancestors, whose power and passion in life granted them greater influence in the afterworld compared to most. These ancestors, in turn, were bewildered by the spirits of their own ancestors, and their ancestors with theirs, and so on all the way back to the original Acharyai, the Aldmer.{{ref|name=OldWays}}{{ref|name=POM|{{Cite Book|ns_base=GEN|People of Morrowind}}}}

Due to their fundamental belief that ascension is the consequence of amassing power and influence in life, the Psijics consider it their sacred duty to provide "grave and faithful counsel" to combat spiritual and material degradation of the mortals.{{ref|name=OldWays}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} The Psijic Order recognizes that acts of great evil on Nirn directly empower the daedra in the otherworld, and men of exceptional malevolence may go on to rule in Oblivion, inspiring other villains to do the same.{{ref|name=OldWays}} As such, they believe it their utmost obligation to ensure that good men are endowed with power and powerful men are made good, while tyrants and despots are to be disempowered and humiliated, although usually without direct interference to minimize the risk of collateral damage to uninvolved innocents.{{ref|name=OldWays}} Should a Psijic choose to ally themselves with a lord, they take great pains to ensure the choice is wisely made lest the Psijic ends up bringing oegnithr ("bad change") into the world, with failure to comply with the Old Ways being considered a shame worse than death.{{ref|name=OldWays}}

While the Psijic Order shares a namesake with the Psijic Endeavor in the term "Psijic", a derivative of Padomay's Ehlnofex name "PSJJJJ", the Order has no interest in the idea of the Endeavor at all, regarding it as wrong-headed from the start.{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} Instead, they devote themselves to divining Padomay's ever-changing mystery, and take it upon themselves to dilute change where it would bring ignorance and cruelty, and encourage it where it brings happiness and enlightenment.{{ref|name=OldWays}}{{ref|name=SourceChaos|group=UOL}}

====Bosmeri====
[[File:ON-misc-The Handfast.jpg|thumb|right|The Handfasting of Gwaering the Green Lady and Indaenir the Silvenar]]
In [[Lore:Valenwood|Valenwood]], change and power are notions inherently tied to stories, which through their tellings and retellings can shape the world around them, and so it follows that the [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmeri]] notion of apotheosis is rooted in narrative rules, repetition, and reenactment.{{ref|name=Shandi|[[ON:Shandi|Shandi]]’s dialogue during [[ON:A Tale Forever Told|A Tale Forever Told]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Elilor|[[ON:Elilor|Elilor]]’s dialogue during [[ON:A Tale Forever Told|A Tale Forever Told]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Appropriately, Bosmer priests, called [[Lore:Spinners|Spinners]], are also storytellers, and they spend their entire life telling stories of past and future events{{ref|name=SaS|{{Cite Book|Spinning a Story}}}} and discoursing on the [[Lore:Walking Ways|six ways]] in which change is wrought on Nirn.{{ref|name=Girnalin|[[ON:Girnalin|Girnalin]]’s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} This quality of their magic is best embodied by their Tower, Green-Sap, under which all is perchance. Unlike the neighbouring Towers of Adamantine, Crystal and White-Gold, which are diamond-hard, crystal-clear and definite, Green Sap is manifold and several, and each incarnation could walk and dance unto itself.{{ref|name=AurbicEnigma}} By interpreting the songs of the [[Lore:Earthbones|Earthbones]] as Y'ffre himself interpreted the law of Time,{{ref|name=Girnalin}} the Bosmer can speak new stories into the song-tapestry of the world, divining the future with prescient precision{{ref|name=SaS}} or changing the present by speaking new narratives into the past.{{ref|name=Shandi}}

The [[Lore:Wilderking|Wilderking]] is one such example. The Wilderking is a deity born of an Altmer named [[Lore:Ostion|Ostion]], who was sent to use his land shaping powers to conquer [[Lore:Valenwood|Valenwood]]. Valenwood resisted, however, and the two struggled against each other until they forgot all about themselves and their people. Only when Ostion saw the death their fighting had caused did he remember who he was and asked the land for help rather than command it, and so Ostion and Valenwood joined together, becoming the Wilderking.{{ref|name=SB}} Later in history, an Altmer woman named [[Lore:Aranias|Aranias]] born with similar powers to Ostion's was sent by the [[Lore:Veiled Heritance|Veiled Heritance]] to defeat the Wilderking and conquer the [[Lore:Greenshade|Greenshade]] region. However, the [[Lore:The Vestige|Soulless One]] was able to enter her story with the help of a Spinner and showed her another path outside of the Veiled Heritance's manipulations, which led her to realize her true role in this story: to replace the dying Wilderking by assuming his mantle and becoming the Wilderqueen, as it had been done several times before.{{ref|name=Maruin|[[ON:Spinner Maruin|Spinner Maruin]]’s dialogue during [[ON:The Witch of Silatar|The Witch of Silatar]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ONHen}}

In addition to the Wilderking, the [[Lore:The Silvenar|Silvenar]] and the [[Lore:Green Lady|Green Lady]] are another pair of mythic figures that embody the pact between the people and the land, spiritually representing Valenwood in its aspects.{{ref|name=TVotP|{{Cite Book|The Voice of the People}}}}{{ref|name=Lanwaen|[[ON:Lanwaen|Lanwaen]]'s dialogues in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Among the Bosmer, the Silvenar is considered to be the spirit of the people and the incarnation of their history, speaking in their name and representing their needs, desires, and aspirations,{{ref|name=TVotP|{{Cite Book|The Voice of the People}}}}{{ref|name=Elilor}}{{ref|name=ADiF6|{{Cite Book|A Dance in Fire, Chapter 6}}}} whereas the Green Lady embodies the primal ferocity, strength, and pure physicality of the Bosmer, as well as the song-story of the Green itself.{{ref|name=LoG|{{Cite Book|Ladies of Green}}}} The spirits of the Silvenar and the Green Lady are connected to one another with a wedding ritual called the [[Lore:Marriage#Bosmer|Handfast]], said to be created by the first Silvenar and representing the connection between the Bosmer and Valenwood itself.{{ref|name=Elilor}} Each time either of the two dies, the other soon follows, and so once every generation a new Silvenar and Green Lady are chosen from among the Bosmer to renew the Handfast, reforging the [[Lore:Green Pact|Green Pact]] as they assume their respective mantles, and binding their own spirits together anew.{{ref|name=TVotP|{{Cite Book|The Voice of the People}}}}{{ref|name=Lanwaen|[[ON:Lanwaen|Lanwaen]]'s dialogues in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

====Dunmeri====
[[File:LG-cardart-Power of the Almsivi 02.png|Almsivi, one of the most famous examples of apotheosis|thumb|left]]
[[File:GEN-misc-Boethiah memospore.jpg|Sketch of Boethiah guarding the Triangular Gate|thumb|right]]
Apotheosis is a foundational concept for Velothi culture, both during the times of [[Lore:Chimer|Chimer]] and later for the [[Lore:Dunmer|Dunmer]], acting as a core spiritual goal for their people and the penultimate milestone of the [[Lore:Psijic Endeavor|Psijic Endeavor]].

The conception of Velothi culture took place when the [[Lore:Veloth|Prophet Veloth]], a resident of Alinor, had begun to receive dreams and visions from the Daedric Prince [[Lore:Boethiah|Boethiah]], who inspired him to preach a new philosophy that proclaimed mortals could ascend to godhood and transcend the laws and aedric measures of Convention.{{ref|name=VoF}}{{Ref|name=TFoT|{{Cite Book|The Fall of Trinimac}}}}{{ref|name=NuMantia|group=UOL}} This movement was declared blasphemous by Trinimac priests, who threatened its followers with exile should they not abandon Veloth's teachings.{{Ref|name=TFoT}}{{ref|name=HistoryCorelanya|{{Cite Book|History of Clan Corelanya}}}} These tensions culminated in a confrontation between [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] himself and Boethiah, who bested Trinimac (sometimes with aid from [[Lore:Mephala|Mephala]]),{{ref|name=MaulochFather|{{Cite Book|Mauloch, Orc-Father}}}} using his defeat to show the masses the Tri-Angled Truth, and, alongside Mephala, taught Veloth and his followers the rules of the Psijic Endeavor - a method by which mortals could achieve apotheosis and surpass the gods who created them.{{ref|name=VoF}}{{ref|name=TCO|{{Cite Book|The Changed Ones}}}} Afterwards, Boethiah guided Veloth and his followers in their Exodus from the Summerset Isles.{{Ref|name=TCO|{{Cite Book|The Changed Ones}}}}{{Ref|name=FETE|{{Cite Book|From Exile to Exodus}}}}

The Psijic Endeavor is the basis for all Velothi doctrine that informs modern Dunmeri culture, founded in the religious tutelage of Boethiah, Mephala, [[Lore:Azura|Azura]], Trinimac, and, of course, [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]], through that lord's association with [[Lore:Padomay|Padomay]] (whose original pre-elven name is PSJJJJ, giving the process its namesake).{{ref|name=VoF}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=SourceChaos|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Source of Chaos|ns_base=GEN}}}} The Prophet Veloth described the Psijic Endeavor as a process of glorious apotheosis, where time itself is bent inward and outward into 'a shape that is always new'. Those who can attain this state, called chim, experience an ineffable sense of the godhead, and escape the strictures of the world-egg.{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}

Escape from the Aurbis is the ultimate goal of the Psijic Endeavor, as the Dunmer regard [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]], the spirit plane, to be just another prison comprised of countless "realms of everlasting imperfection", where all of existence is enslaved by the Aedric false gods. They believe Lorkhan to have been sent by Padomay to free the slaves of the Aedra by creating Nirn, a testing ground for transcendence where true escape is made possible.{{ref|name=Sithis}}{{ref|name=36L10|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 10}}}}{{ref|name=SONGOM}} This escape has come to be known as "Amaranth" in various sources, although none have yet achieved this state.{{ref|name=BBWD|{{Cite Book|Black Book: Waking Dreams}}}}{{ref|name=36L37}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}

Under the rule of the [[Lore:Tribunal Temple|Tribunal]], official temple doctrine held that it was possible for Dunmer to achieve miraculous apotheosis through acts of questing, virtue, knowledge, testing, and battling with Evil.{{ref|name=ProgressTruth|{{Cite Book|Progress of Truth}}}} Temple doctrine further asserts that the Tribunal themselves achieved apotheosis this way, having received their divine powers and immortality through communal judgment by the Dunmer ancestors, which included the Good Daedra as well as the saints Veloth and Nerevar.{{ref|name=ProgressTruth}} During their rule, the ALMSIVI themselves have bestowed sainthood upon several Dunmer in such a manner, although whether they achieved true apotheosis as a result is debatable.{{ref|name=LivesSaints|{{Cite Book|Lives of the Saints}}}}{{ref|name=AsylumSanctorium|Events of [[Online:Saints' Mercy|Saints' Mercy]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: [[Online:Clockwork City|''Clockwork City'']]}} Some traditional Dunmer myths portray Saints as nigh-divine, guiding and granting blessings to modern day Dunmer.{{ref|name=PoB|{{Cite Book|The Prayers of Baranat}}}}

In his more obscure writings, the Dunmer God [[Lore:Vivec|Vivec]] discusses at length the subject of divinity, as well as the Psijic Endeavor and its many permutations, the [[Lore:Walking Ways|Walking Ways]], seemingly with the intent of instructing others to follow in his footsteps.{{ref|name=36L6}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} Likewise, [[Lore:Sotha Sil|Sotha Sil]]'s followers, the [[Lore:Clockwork Apostles|Clockwork Apostles]], were known to possess their own doctrine regarding the ultimate fate and purpose of Nirn, although with notable differences from wider Temple orthodoxy.{{ref|name=TruthInSequence|{{Cite Book|The Truth in Sequence}}}}

===Men===
While most races of Elves place heavy cultural emphasis on apotheosis as a means of escaping from the mortal world, humans (with the exception of Redguards) are said to see the creation of Nirn as an act of divine mercy, allowing lesser creatures to reach immortality.{{Ref|name=TM}} As such, they generally do not vest as much interest in the concept of achieving godhood, instead emphasizing cultural heroes, saints, and legendary figures that challenge the gods, display godlike feats of power, or echo existing divine motifs in ways generally associated with apotheosis.

In the [[Lore:Fourth Era|Fourth Era]], within the [[Lore:Third_Empire|Third Empire]] as well as the [[Lore:Aldmeri Dominion|Third Aldmeri Dominion]], the belief that Men can ascend to godhood and the right to worship Men is outlawed under the [[Lore:White-Gold Concordat|White-Gold Concordat]].{{ref|name=TTM|{{Cite Book|The Talos Mistake}}}}{{ref|name=TBoM|{{Cite Book|The Bear of Markarth}}}}{{Ref|name=J|[[Skyrim:Thalmor#Dialogue|Thalmor Justiciar]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}

====Nordic====
[[File:SR-concept-Shrine Of Talos.jpg|Talos Stormcrown, a famous example of a mortal man who achieved apotheosis|thumb|right]]
While the [[Lore:Nord|Nords]] do not envision godhood as their spiritual mandate in everyday life and culture, their tradition holds that the world and its gods are both cyclical in nature, with new deities arising over the course of each [[Lore:Kalpa|Kalpa]] to bring about the next cycle.{{ref|name=DATN|{{Cite Book|Divines and the Nords}}}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=TNTR|{{Cite Book|ns_base=GEN|The Nords' Totemic Religion}}}} These "Twilight Gods" are said to need no temples, for there will be no reason to build or use them when they come, as their arrival will usher in the Last War where the Nords will show their final worth.{{ref|name=SRHS|[[Skyrim:Hero of Sovngarde|Hero of Sovngarde]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{ref|name=SSCSS|[[Skyrim:Stormcloak Soldier (Sovngarde)|Stormcloak Soldier]]'s dialogue during [[Skyrim:Sovngarde (quest)|Sovngarde]] in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=TNTR}} Thus far the only recognized Twilight Gods to emerge are [[Lore:Alduin|Alduin]], the Dragon Totem, and [[Lore:Talos|Talos]], the Dragonborn Totem.{{ref|name=DATN}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=TNTR}} The ascension of Talos has inspired many Nords, as well as many humans across the Empire, into the belief that they too, can become gods.{{ref|name="TTM"}} However, this belief, alongside the belief that Talos became a god, has been declared illegal in the Fourth Era by the terms of the [[Lore:White-Gold Concordat|White-Gold Concordat]].{{ref|name="TTM"}}{{ref|name=TBoM}}{{Ref|name=J}} Public opinion on Talos' nature as a god also became especially split as a result.{{ref|name=CastlesTalosDia|[[Castles:Dialogue#Talos|Dialogue regarding Talos]] in ''[[Castles:Castles|Castles]]''}}

Additionally, while not formally recognized as gods, Nordic folklore boasts a large amount of stories featuring heroes and legendary figures who challenge the gods, perform godlike feats of power, and may sometimes journey across time and space when called upon for aid.{{ref|name=CallofValor|[[Skyrim:Call of Valor|Call of Valor]]'s description in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]}} The most prominent of these heroes is [[Lore:Ysgramor|Ysgramor]], whose legendary deeds describe him contending with the Demon of Knowledge, Herma-Mora, as well as many mortal adversaries, spanning an impossible length of time for a single human being.{{ref|name=VoF}}{{ref|name=FAHM|{{Cite Book|Fragmentae Abyssum Hermaeus Morus}}}}{{ref|name=PGE1Sk|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Skyrim}}}}{{ref|name=YsgramorDragon|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Dragon War, documented|ns_base=GEN}}}} The Merethic Era hero [[Lore:Hakon One-Eye|Hakon One-Eye]] is said to have led the Nords against their dragon masters in the [[Lore:Dragon War|Dragon War]], creating a Shout capable of forcing dragons to experience mortality, and culminating in the banishment of [[Lore:Alduin|Alduin]] that is said to have [[Lore:Dragon Break|shattered]] time itself.{{ref|name=AlduinsBane|Events of [[Skyrim:Alduin's Bane|Alduin's Bane]] in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{ref|name=GrandpaWarcrimes|[[Skyrim:Paarthurnax (dragon)|Paarthurnax]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} Similarly, the First Era hero-king [[Lore:Wulfharth|Wulfharth]] is the protagonist of several myths featuring the gods of the Nordic pantheon.{{ref|name=FSKW}} One of these myths describes him contending with the adversarial god [[Lore:Orkey|Orkey]] after he had stolen the lifespans of the Nords, using his powers of the Voice to defeat the deity and restore the Nords to their proper age at the cost of his own life,{{ref|name=FSKW}} a feat sometimes ascribed to the Missing God, [[Lore:Shor|Shor]].{{ref|name=VoF}}

====Cyrodiilic====
[[File:ON-furnishing-Saint's Wrath Tapestry, Large 02.jpg|Saint Alessia's wrath|thumb|left]]
Due to cultural circumstance, [[Lore:Imperial|Imperial]] religion enjoys significant heterodoxy compared to other systems of belief in Tamriel.{{ref|name=VoF}}{{ref|name=PGE1C|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Cyrodiil}}}} While not placing significant emphasis on apotheosis as a cultural goal, the pantheons of the Imperial City boast a vast host of saints and holy spirits, with particular emphasis placed on Emperor worship.{{ref|name=VoF}} Prior to the destruction of the [[Lore:Amulet of Kings|Amulet of Kings]], it was believed that each Emperor to take up the mantle would ascend to Aetherius upon death, with their spirit joining the Oversoul of Emperors, which was known to be capable of communicating with certain individuals through the Amulet.{{ref|name=Martin|[[Oblivion:Brother Martin|Martin Septim]]'s dialogue during [[Oblivion:Light the Dragonfires|Light the Dragonfires]] in [[Oblivion:Oblivion|''Oblivion'']]}}{{ref|name=OBProphet}}{{ref|name=WWYDB}}{{ref|name=ManualArena|''[[Books:Arena Player's Guide/Introduction#English Introduction|Arena Player's Guide]]''}}{{rp|2}}

The founder of the First Empire, [[Lore:Alessia|Saint Alessia]], is widely believed to have ascended to godhood upon her deathbed,{{ref|name=COTF|{{Cite Book|Cleansing of the Fane}}}} uplifted (by various accounts) either by Akatosh{{ref|name=TOSA|{{Cite Book|Trials of St. Alessia}}}} or by Shezarr{{ref|name=TSOP8}} upon forging the Covenant and receiving (or sometimes becoming) the Amulet of Kings.{{ref|name=TAOK|{{Cite Book|The Amulet of Kings}}}}{{ref|name=1EraTL|group=UOL|{{TIL|First Era Timeline|first-era}}}} Many traditions in Cyrodiil came to believe she had become the spirit of the land itself,{{Ref|name=OBProphet}}{{ref|name=Remanada|{{Cite Book|Remanada}}}} with the Alessian Order founded in her name believing she had persisted past her death to bestow her wisdom upon the Prophet [[Lore:Marukh|Marukh]], who they suggest experienced apotheosis himself thanks to her teachings.{{ref|name=TIOD}} Some sources also suggest that the Imperial pantheon of the Eight Divines may have been brought into existence by Saint Alessia using the White-Gold Tower's dawnmaking properties, though she may not have been aware of this fact herself.{{ref|name=AurbicEnigma}}

The [[Lore:Marukhati Selective|Marukhati Selectives]] were an elite fanatical sect within the [[Lore:Alessian Order|Alessian Order]] responsible for the Middle Dawn, the longest recorded Dragon Break in history.{{ref|name=WWYDB2|group=UOL}} The Selectives venerated the Tower as a symbol of unitary essence and believed all duplexity to be "the protean substrate of Aldmeri Taint",{{ref|name=EM|{{Cite Book|The Exclusionary Mandates}}}} which could be expunged through a ritual of monothought employing the [[Lore:Staff of Towers|Staff of Towers]] that would "reverse the error" of Saint Alessia and "restore Ak-at-Osh to humanadic purity" by purging Tamriel of all elven principles.{{ref|name=VDB|{{Cite Book|Vindication for the Dragon Break}}}}{{ref|name=PL3C|{{Cite Book|Proper-Life: Three Chants}}}}{{ref|name=WWYDB2|group=UOL}} The ritual induced a catastrophic Dragon Break spanning all of Tamriel and estimated to have lasted for one thousand and eight years, though even that measure is considered unreliable due to the nature of Untime.{{ref|name=WWYDB2|group=UOL}}

[[Lore:Reman|Reman Cyrodiil]] was a cultural hero-god of the Empire, widely credited with establishing the mystical rites of becoming Emperor which included a ritual geas with the Amulet of Kings that would link the [[Lore:Dragonfires|Dragonfires]] with the Emperor's soul and bestow upon them the [[Lore:Dragonborn|blessing of Akatosh]].{{ref|name=VoF}} By mythic account, Reman himself was said to have been born from the union of King Hrol and the spirit of Saint Alessia, representing the land of Cyrodiil.{{ref|name=Remanada}}{{ref|name=OBProphet}} An obscure myth suggests that his connection to the Amulet and the Dragonfires granted him inborn immortality, which he unknowingly maintained by ritually consuming bread containing his own "[[Lore:Sex|essence]]", baked in secret by Dibellan priestesses charged with his care on direct instruction from Akatosh.{{ref|name=ShonniEtta|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Shonni-etta|ns_base=GEN}}}}

Other individuals have attempted to link with the Dragonfires using the Amulet to achieve apotheosis. Colovian warlord [[Lore:Varen Aquilarios|Varen Aquilarios]] famously attempted to make himself Dragonborn by performing a ritual that would reforge the Covenant with Akatosh, but was tricked by [[Lore:Mannimarco|Mannimarco]] to instead tear down Nirn's protections further in an event known as the [[Lore:Soulburst|Soulburst]].{{ref|name=ESOVaren|[[Online:The Prophet|The Prophet]]'s dialogue in ''[[Online:Online|ESO]]''}}{{ref|name=CotFC|{{Cite Book|Chronicles of the Five Companions}}}} [[Lore:The Vestige|The Soulless One]] later enacted the same ritual with [[Online:Abnur Tharn|Abnur Tharn]]'s help and received a fragment of Akatosh's power to aid their fight against [[Lore:Molag Bal|Molag Bal]].{{ref|name=ESOMQ|[[Online:God of Schemes|God of Schemes]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ESOAbnur|[[Online:Abnur Tharn|Abnur Tharn]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Around the same time, a [[Lore:Dragonguard|Dragonguard]] operative known as the [[Lore:Drake of Blades|Drake of Blades]] had discovered the [[Lore:Sublime Brazier|Sublime Brazier]] in the ancient ruins beneath the Imperial City, and linked with the Dragonfires at their source to protect them from the encroaching daedra, becoming the Brazier's eternal guardian in the process.{{ref|name=ESODrakeofBlades|[[Online:Drake of Blades|Drake of Blades]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: [[Online:Imperial City (DLC)|''Imperial City'']]}}{{ref|name=ESOICEnding|[[Online:The Sublime Brazier|The Sublime Brazier]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: [[Online:Imperial City (DLC)|''Imperial City'']]}}

[[Lore:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]] is one of the most famous examples of apotheosis, regarded as the most important hero-god of Mankind.{{ref|name=VoF}} He is believed to have ascended to Aetherius upon death, transforming the Eight Divines into the Nine and becoming the god Talos,{{ref|name=TTM}}{{ref|name=Maborel|[[OB:Prior Maborel|Prior Maborel]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} though other sources suggest his apotheosis happened much earlier in life and that his later years were spent as a living god.{{ref|name=ArcturianHeresy|{{Cite Book|The Arcturian Heresy}}}}{{ref|name=POM|{{Cite Book|ns_base=GEN|People of Morrowind}}}}{{ref|name=Heimskr|[[Skyrim:Heimskr|Heimskr]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{ref|name=TMHT|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=TiberMeeting|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=PIWV|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Partial Interview With Vivec|ns_base=GEN}}}} Consequently, each Septim Emperor is believed to be a mortal avatar or incarnation of the divine Talos on earth,{{ref|name=Jauffre|[[Oblivion:Jauffre|Jauffre]]'s dialogue in [[Oblivion:Oblivion|''Oblivion'']]}}{{ref|name=DUP|{{Cite Book|Dagoth Ur's Plans}}}}{{ref|name=36L29}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} though he is known to have appeared in other guises as well.{{ref|name=MWWulf|[[Morrowind:Wulf|Wulf]]'s appearance during [[Morrowind:A Lucky Coin|A Lucky Coin]] quest in [[Morrowind:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']]}}{{ref|name=LegendsRebirth|[[Legends:Heroic Rebirth|Heroic Rebirth]] card appearance in [[Legends:Legends|Legends]]}} The ascension of Tiber Septim has inspired many Cyrodiils for the first time since Alessia and Marukh, as well as many humans across the Empire, into the belief that they too, can become Gods.{{ref|name=TTM}} However, this belief, alongside the belief that Tiber Septim became a God, became illegal during the Fourth Era due to the [[Lore:White-Gold Concordat|White-Gold Concordat]].{{ref|name=TTM}}{{ref|name=TBoM}} How the ban of Tiber Septim has impacted the worship of other human ascendant deities in Cyrodiil is unknown.

====Redguard====
[[File:RG-scene-Sword of Crown 08.jpg|Cyrus and the Soul Sword, believed to be part of a HoonDing manifestation|thumb|right]]
In [[Lore:Yokuda|Yokudan]] belief, godhood is tied to a practice called Walkabout, wherein a spirit existing in "the real world of Satakal" is able to reach the Far Shores and stride between the worldskins of Satakal, transcending the universal cycle of life and death. The Yokudans believe that the mortal world created by Sep is "very far from the real world of Satakal", rendering the spirits on it trapped and unable to leap to the Far Shores on their own. Upon pleading Ruptga to take them back to their previous spiritual existence, he refused, and told them they must find new ways to follow the stars to the Far Shores, and if they could not, they must live on through their children.{{Ref|name=TM}}

Thus, in the belief of the [[Lore:Redguard|Redguards]], seeking Far Shores is equivalent to "striving for Godhood".{{Ref|name=TM}} Their belief system is characterized by the presence of many obscure gods and heroes, some of which are supposedly mortal incarnates of existing deities that have individualized through their own actions. A famous example of this is [[Lore:Diagna|Diagna]], a mortal avatar of Hoon Ding who gained permanence and is now regarded as his own deity.{{ref|name=VoF}} However, the Keeper of the Hall, a mysterious figure charged with maintaining the Hall of Heroes containing passage to the Far Shores, claims that much fewer souls actually reach the Far Shores in modern times, musing that "there just aren't as many heroes anymore".{{Ref|name=KOTH|[[Online:Keeper of the Hall|Keeper of the Hall]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
{{NewLine}}

==Examples of Apotheosis==
{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none; margin-left:0|''The {{Lore Link|The Towers|Tower}} touches all the mantles of Heaven, brother-noviates, and by its apex one can be as he will. More: be as he was and yet changed for all else on that path for those that walk after. This is the third key of Nu-mantia and the secret of how [[Lore:Walking Ways|mortals become makers]], and [[Lore:Convention|makers back to mortals]]. The [[Lore:Eight Divines|Bones of the Wheel]] need their flesh, and that is mankind's heirloom.''|''[[Lore:Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3, "CHIM"]]''}}
Owing to the nature of apotheosis as an Untime phenomenon, the subject of ascension is rife with contention and controversy regarding the nature of the ascended deities: mortals who ascend to godhood may be retroactively interpreted as destined incarnations of the gods they mantled, while true avatars may fail to achieve mythic prominence and thus not be recognized as mantle-takers at all. As either scenario results in the mortal possessing a divine mantle, whether acquired by action or by birth, present below are examples of both:

===The Dragon God===
[[File:LG-cardart-Avatar of Akatosh 02.jpg|Martin Septim as the Avatar of Akatosh|thumb|right]]
The [[Lore:Akatosh|Dragon God]] possesses numerous ties to mantling and apotheosis, having been mantled several times throughout history, as well as being known to bestow his power unto mortals to uplift them to divine status.

*The Elven Time God [[Lore:Auri-El|Auriel]] was said to be the king of the et’Ada who agreed to participate in Lorkhan’s plan, binding themselves to the Mundus and unwittingly becoming mortal after their connection to [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]] was sundered, and forced to have mortal progeny in order to survive. Many generations later, Auri-El (now termed a demigod by some sources) was said to have pleaded with Anu to take him back to Aetherius but was refused, as his place was already taken by something else. It is therefore possible that the Auri-El spoken of in the myth was a mortal king descended from the original god, who perished in the Creation, and mantled his divine ancestor by leading the Aldmer to war against Lorkhan’s armies before ascending in full observance of his followers so that they might learn the steps needed to escape the mortal plane.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=VoF}} In one source, [[Lore:Mannimarco|Mannimarco]] claims that the "King of Alinor" was the first one to [[Lore:Dragon Break|break the dragon]] in known history.{{ref|name=WWYDB}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=VBOH}}{{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}}

*The World-Eater [[Lore:Alduin|Alduin]] is contentiously described as the Nordic counterpart to the Imperial Akatosh,{{ref|name=VoF}} with some sources calling him Akatosh's "mirror-brother of the Nords", suggesting that he may be a potential mantler of the Dragon God.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} Traditionally, the Nords are said to believe that the world and its gods are both cyclical,{{ref|name=DATN}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=TNTR}} with Alduin as we know him being the son of the previous cycle’s Time God, known variously as Aka-Tusk or as simply “Ald, father of Ald”, from whom Alduin was shed at Convention “by heaven itself” in accordance with the prolix laws of the universe.{{ref|name=SI|{{Cite Book|Shalidor's Insights}}}}{{ref|name=VonosJournal|{{Cite Book|Vonos' Journal}}}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}{{Ref|name=SSOS|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=GEN|Shor Son of Shor}}}}{{ref|name=7F|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Seven Fights of The Aldudagga|ns_base=GEN}}}} [[Lore:Paarthurnax|Paarthurnax]] claims that Alduin tried to claim the lordship that properly belongs to Akatosh, believing it to be his destiny, and Alduin himself describes himself as the firstborn of Akatosh.{{Ref|name=GrandpaWarcrimes}}{{Ref|name=TDW|{{Cite Book|The Dragon War}}}} Similarly, Khajiit myth portrays Alduin as [[Lore:Alkhan|Alkhan]], the firstborn son of [[Lore:Akha|Akha]] that ever hungers for the crown of his enemy, the Dragon King [[Lore:Alkosh|Alkosh]], who was granted rule over the myriad kingdoms of their father after Akha vanished in the South.{{Ref|name=TWaS|{{Cite Book|The Wandering Spirits}}}}
*The [[Lore:Ka Po' Tun (race)|Ka Po' Tun]] Emperor [[Lore:Tosh Raka|Tosh Raka]] managed to transform himself into a [[Lore:Dragon|Dragon]], supposedly the largest one in the [[Lore:Nirn|world]].{{Ref|name=MA|{{Cite Book|Mysterious Akavir}}}} Some sources suggest this process actually involved Tosh Raka mantling Akatosh and becoming his rival mirror-brother of [[Lore:Akavir|Akavir]].{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|}}
*Followers of the immortal [[Lore:Maormer|Maormer]] [[Lore:Orgnum|King Orgnum]] identify him as the Yokudan Serpent God, [[Lore:Satakal|Satakal]].{{ref|name=PGE1W|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|The Wild Region}}}}

====The Dragonfires====
[[File:LG-cardart-Divine Fervor Alt.png|The Drake of Blades, imbued with the power of Akatosh|thumb|right]]
*The [[Lore:Dragonfires|Dragonfires of Akatosh]], variously called the "eternal flame"{{ref|name=TOSA}} or the "immortal flame",{{ref|name=ShonniEtta|group=UOL}} are one of the symbols of the divine Covenant between the Dragon God and the Empire, and have been used multiple times to ascend or bestow divine powers upon mortal individuals, with the role of "Emperor" itself being acknowledged as a mantle of great power and mythic importance:{{ref|name=DUP}}
**The founder of the First Empire, [[Lore:Alessia|Saint Alessia]], is widely believed to have ascended to godhood upon her deathbed,{{ref|name=COTF}} uplifted (by various accounts) either by Akatosh{{ref|name=TOSA}} or by Shezarr{{ref|name=TSOP8}} upon forging the Covenant and receiving (or sometimes becoming) the Amulet of Kings.{{ref|name=TAOK}}{{ref|name=1EraTL|group=UOL}} Many traditions in Cyrodiil came to believe she had become the spirit of the land itself,{{Ref|name=OBProphet}}{{ref|name=Remanada}} with the Alessian Order founded in her name believing she had persisted past her death to bestow her wisdom upon the [[Lore:Marukh|Prophet Marukh]], who they suggest experienced apotheosis himself thanks to her teachings.{{ref|name=TIOD}} She is later described as having appeared to King Hrol bearing the Amulet of Kings in her right hand and the Dragonfires in her left while a wound upon her chest spilled Void upon her mangled feet, a description which echoes several motifs associated with the Missing God.{{ref|name=Remanada}}
**[[Lore:Reman|Reman Cyrodiil]] was a cultural hero-god of the Empire, known as the Worldly God and the greatest hero of the First Akaviri Invasion.{{ref|name=VoF}} By mythic account, Reman himself was said to have been born from the union of King Hrol and the spirit of Saint Alessia, representing the land of Cyrodiil, and possessed the Amulet of Kings embedded in his forehead from birth.{{ref|name=Remanada}}{{ref|name=OBProphet}} An obscure myth suggests that his connection to the Amulet and the Dragonfires granted him inborn immortality, which he unknowingly maintained by ritually consuming bread containing his own "[[Lore:Sex|essence]]", baked in secret by Dibellan priestesses charged with his care on direct instruction from Akatosh.{{ref|name=ShonniEtta|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Shonni-etta|ns_base=GEN}}}}
**During the events of the [[Lore:Planemeld|Planemeld]], the [[Lore:The Vestige|Soulless One]] had performed a ritual to link themselves to the Amulet of Kings with the help of [[Lore:Abnur Tharn|Abnur Tharn]], sacrificing one of their allies to receive the divine power of Akatosh and defeat [[Lore:Molag Bal|Molag Bal]].{{ref|name=ESOMQ|[[Online:God of Schemes|God of Schemes]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ESOAbnur|[[Online:Abnur Tharn|Abnur Tharn]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} In the process, they manifested an ethereal suit of [[Lore:Imperial Dragon Armor|Imperial Dragon Armor]], normally worn by the Dragonborn Emperors, which vanished after the blessing expired.{{ref|name=ESOMQ}}{{ref|name=OBOcato|[[Oblivion:High Chancellor Ocato|High Chancellor Ocato]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}
**The [[Lore:Drake of Blades|Drake of Blades]] was a [[Lore:Dragonguard|Dragonguard]] operative investigating the [[Lore:Worm Cult|Worm Cult]]’s activities in the Imperial City during the Planemeld.{{ref|name=ESOIC|Events of [[Online:Online|ESO]]: [[Online:Imperial City (DLC)|''Imperial City'']]}} With the help of the Vestige, she discovered the Dragonfire Cathedral, an ancient structure deep in the ancient ruins beneath the Imperial City containing the Sublime Brazier, the wellspring from which the Dragonfires in the Temple of the One are lit.{{ref|name=ESOICEnding|[[Online:The Sublime Brazier|The Sublime Brazier]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: [[Online:Imperial City (DLC)|''Imperial City'']]}} As Molag Bal’s servants planned to destroy the Sublime Brazier to permanently extinguish the Dragonfires, the Drake of Blades volunteered herself for a ritual that would permanently bind her to the Dragonfires, bestowing upon her divine powers and immortality at the cost of becoming the Sublime Brazier’s eternal guardian.{{ref|name=ESODrakeofBlades|[[Online:Drake of Blades|Drake of Blades]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: [[Online:Imperial City (DLC)|''Imperial City'']]}}{{ref|name=ESOICEnding|[[Online:The Sublime Brazier|The Sublime Brazier]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: [[Online:Imperial City (DLC)|''Imperial City'']]}}
**The last to interact with the Dragonfires was [[Lore:Martin Septim|Martin Septim]], who shattered the [[Lore:Amulet of Kings|Amulet of Kings]] to end the [[Lore:Oblivion Crisis|Oblivion Crisis]].{{ref|name=OBLight|[[Oblivion:Light the Dragonfires|Light the Dragonfires]] quest in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} While his initial plan was to merely rekindle the Dragonfires and halt the daedric invasion, the physical appearance of the Daedric Prince [[Lore:Mehrunes Dagon|Mehrunes Dagon]] led him to conclude it was too late.{{ref|name=OBLight|[[Oblivion:Light the Dragonfires|Light the Dragonfires]] quest in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} At his request, the Hero of Kvatch then delivered Martin to the Dragonfires in the Temple of the One, where he shattered the Amulet of Kings and became an avatar of Akatosh on Nirn,{{ref|name=OBLight|[[Oblivion:Light the Dragonfires|Light the Dragonfires]] quest in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} an act said to be a mantling of the Dragon God.{{ref|name=GIKurtKuhlmann|group=UOL|[[General:Kurt Kuhlmann|Kurt Kuhlmann]]'s comments on ''[[General:Decrypting the Elder Scrolls|Decrypting The Elder Scrolls]]'' — [[Wikipedia:Game Informer|Game Informer]] article}}{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} This granted Martin the power to banish Mehrunes Dagon from Nirn and shut the jaws of Oblivion forever, rendering the Dragonfires’ protection unneeded as his petrified body became an eternal reminder of his sacrifice, while his spirit joined with his ancestors in Aetherius.{{ref|name=OBLight|[[Oblivion:Light the Dragonfires|Light the Dragonfires]] quest in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}{{ref|name=Jauffre}} Due to their opinion of the Dragon God, some Nords believe that it was not Akatosh but Talos who aided Martin instead.{{ref|group=UOL|name=TNTR}}

===The Missing God===
[[File:ON-tribute-alessia-Pelinal Whitestrake (crop).png|thumb|right|Pelinal Whitestrake, who was identified as potentially being the Shezarrine]]
The Missing God [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] and his various aspects have a strong association with mortal apotheosis, tying back to the narrative that the Mundus was created as a means of transcending the divine.{{ref|name=VoF}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}

*Nearly all Tamrielic cultures acknowledge the Missing God’s tendency to incarnate through mortal avatars, traveling the world and aiding Mankind in its various undertakings, with some of these incarnations becoming prominent mythic figures in their own right.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=VoF}} [[Lore:Ysmir|Ysmir]], [[Lore:Pelinal Whitestrake|Pelinal]], Hans the Fox and Harrald Hairy-Breeks are recognized as some of his more notable avatars, sometimes believed to be merely different names for a single immortal "composite" hero, with the "Throne" being their sole connection.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=IRC|group=UOL}} Occasionally, [[Lore:Arnand the Fox|Arnand the Fox]] is included in the list, with scholars noting similarities between the trickster-hero and Lorkhan.{{ref|name=WWYDB}}{{ref|name=Minutes|group=UOL}} Nedic folklore prominently features the "[[Lore:Shezarrine|Shezarrine]]" as a term for an incarnation of Shezarr or Shor, who may come in the guise of a teacher, advisor, alliance-maker, or warrior-knight to aid the humans time and time again against their Aldmeri oppressors.{{ref|name=VoF}}{{ref|name=TSOP5}}{{ref|name=TheFootstepsofShezarr|{{Cite Book|The Footsteps of Shezarr}}}} The Reachman god Lorkh is similarly believed to still wander among the mortals, appearing once in a great while to aid the Reachfolk in times of need, with the [[Lore:Briarheart|briarheart ritual]] believed to be a form of myth-echo inspired by his sacrifice.{{ref|name=GSR5|{{Cite Book|Great Spirits of the Reach: Volume 5}}}}

*[[Lore:Pelinal Whitestrake|Pelinal Whitestrake]] was an [[Lore:Ada|Ada]] with heavy ties to Lorkhan, believed to have been born by [[Lore:Sithis|Sithis]] as a myth-echo of the Missing God himself, possessing a gaping wound in his chest which bore [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|no heart]] as proof of the relation.{{ref|name=TSOP6}} One of the sobriquets Pelinal received from others was Pelinal the Third, believed to be either because he was the third incarnation of a god who had walked among mortals twice before, or because he was the third vision received by Saint Alessia before his arrival.{{ref|name=TSOP1|{{Cite Book|The Song of Pelinal, v 1}}}} He was famously referred to as the [[Lore:Shezarrine|Shezarrine]], though acknowledging him as such was considered dangerous (with one individual being smothered by moths after confronting him directly).{{ref|name=TSOP5|{{Cite Book|The Song of Pelinal, v 5}}}} One song describes Pelinal after the First Pogrom where, upon seeing him with his white hair stained brown with elven blood, the witnessing Nords declared that Shor had returned, although Pelinal himself denied the claim.{{ref|name=TSOP4|{{Cite Book|The Song of Pelinal, v 4}}}} Interestingly, the oldest known text in ''The Song of Pelinal'' describes him being present at Alessia’s deathbed several decades after his supposed death at the hands of the Ayleid Kings, where he refers to Akatosh as his “other half”.{{ref|name=TSOP8}} Other documents attest it was Shezarr himself who was present instead, suggesting Pelinal may have mantled the god.{{ref|name=1EraTL|group=UOL}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}
**The [[Lore:Hero of Kvatch|Hero of Kvatch]], also known as the Divine Crusader, went on to mantle Pelinal Whitestrake by collecting the [[Lore:Crusader's Relics|relics of the Divine Crusader]], with a mysterious Prophet in Cyrodiil declaring them Pelinal reborn.{{ref|name=OBProphet}} After meeting with Pelinal's spirit and acquiring the blessing of Talos that Pelinal himself lacked, the Hero of Kvatch would finish what Pelinal could not and follow [[Lore:Umaril|Umaril the Unfeathered]] into the spirit realm after his death, destroying him completely.{{ref|name=KOTNUmaril}} Many began to view the Hero's actions as those of Pelinal Whitestrake himself, with rumors crediting Pelinal for their feats.{{ref|name=OblivionPel}} The return of Pelinal to defeat Umaril was said to be prophesied by [[Lore:Morihaus|Morihaus]], who predicted that Pelinal would come again "as [[Lore:Shor|fox animal]] or light."{{ref|name=TA|{{Cite Book|The Adabal-a}}}}

*[[Lore:Ysmir|Ysmir, Dragon of the North]] is the Nordic name of kings which has been bestowed upon several individuals in history, and is considered by some sources to be a mantle of mythic significance tied to the Third Walking Way.{{ref|name=36L9|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 9}}}}{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} Ysmir was counted by [[Lore:Mannimarco|Mannimarco]] as among the few individuals capable of telling where they were in a [[Lore:Dragon Break|Dragon Break]].{{ref|name=WWYDB}} Several individuals have borne the mantle, typically bestowed upon them by the [[Lore:Greybeards|Greybeards]], most notably the Emperor [[Lore:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]] and the [[Lore:Last Dragonborn|Last Dragonborn]].{{Ref|name=PGE1C}}{{ref|name=VoF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}{{ref|name=SRArngeir|[[Skyrim:Arngeir|Arngeir]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{ref|name=SkyrimYsmir|[[Skyrim:The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller|The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller]] quest in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} After Tiber Septim's apotheosis, Ysmir came to be considered the Nordic aspect of the Dragonborn God.{{ref|name=VoF}}
**Certain sources identify the title with Ysmir the Forefather, a legendary king of men and dragons who had ruled the peoples for over a thousand years in the time before history, and was believed to have ascended to the stars upon death, passing through or becoming the [[Lore:The Warrior (constellation)|Warrior]] constellation.{{ref|name=YtF|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=Online|Ysmir the Forefather, Volume IV}}}}{{ref|name=HACBAYQ|{{Cite Book|High Astrologer Caecilus Bursio Answers Your Questions}}}}
**[[Lore:Ysgramor|Ysgramor]], the first Nordic King and the leader of the legendary [[Lore:Companions|Five Hundred Companions]], is a semi-mythical figure in Nordic culture whose legendary deeds describe him leading the Nords against several historical adversaries spanning an impossible length of time for a single human being, as well as contending with the Demon of Knowledge, [[Lore:Hermaeus Mora|Herma-Mora]].{{ref|name=SOTR|{{Cite Book|Songs of the Return}}}}{{ref|name=FAHM}}{{ref|name=FSKW}}{{ref|name=PGE1Sk}}{{ref|name=DWD|group=UOL}} A mythic account of the [[Lore:The Return|Return]] claims that Ysgramor wept [[Lore:Ebony|ebony]], the crystallized blood of the Missing God, as he watched the city of [[Lore:Saarthal|Saarthal]] burn in the [[Lore:Night of Tears|Night of Tears]],{{ref|name=SOTR5|{{Cite Book|Songs of the Return, Volume 5}}}}{{Ref|name=CM22T|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 22: Trinimac Style}}}} a feat Ysgramor himself later corroborated.{{ref|name=ONYsgramor|[[Online:Ysgramor|Ysgramor]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} His son Yngol would go on to forge that ebony into the legendary axe, [[Lore:Wuuthrad|Wuuthrad]], meaning "Storm's Tears" in the Atmoran language.{{ref|name=SOTR5}} Although never explicitly titled "Dragon of the North", Ysgramor himself was said to be a [[Lore:Dragon|dragon]] in some sources,{{ref|name=DWD|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Dragon War, documented|ns_base=General}}}} with one oral telling of the Five Hundred's names and exploits identifying his dragon form as Ysmaalithax, the Northerly Dragon, alongside several other figures from Nord mythology.{{Ref|name=T500MC|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Five Hundred Mighty Companions or Thereabouts of Ysgramor the Returned|ns_base=GEN}}}}
**One figure most commonly associated with the title of Ysmir is King [[Lore:Wulfharth|Wulfharth]], a legendary [[Lore:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]{{ref|name=Balgruuf|[[Skyrim:Balgruuf the Greater|Balgruuf the Greater]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} hero-king in Nord culture who appears in several significant myths,{{ref|name=FSKW}} some of which conflate him with the Nordic god Shor.{{ref|name=VoF}} Stories describe Wulfharth as a [[Lore:Thu'um|Tongue]] of innumerable powers, capable of controlling the weather, changing the phase of the moons, and possessing a Voice so powerful he could not speak without causing cataclysms or upheaving entire villages.{{ref|name=FSKW}}{{ref|name=36L9}} He is believed to have returned several times after death.{{ref|name=FSKW}}{{ref|name=ArcturianHeresy}}{{ref|name=JorunnPropaganda|{{Cite Book|Jorunn the Skald-King (book)}}}} According to heretical sources, his final incarnation met its end at the hands of [[Lore:Zurin Arctus|Zurin Arctus]], who used his soul as a [[Lore:Mantella|replacement]] for the Heart of Lorkhan to power the Brass God [[Lore:Numidium|Numidium]] - an event sometimes considered an enactment of the First Walking Way.{{ref|name=ArcturianHeresy}}{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}
**The [[Lore:Last Dragonborn|Last Dragonborn]], also known as "Dovahkiin" in [[Lore:Dragon Language|dragon language]], was a divine being active during the [[Lore:Dragon Crisis|Dragon Crisis]], with one source naming them a secret god.{{ref|name=ToddGod|group=UOL|{{TIL|''Todd Howard’s Skyrim Notes''|todd-howards-skyrim-notes}}, The Imperial Library}} They withstood the Voices of the [[Lore:Greybeards|Greybeards]] at High Hrothgar, receiving from them the titles of Ysmir and Stormcrown, as Talos had before them.{{ref|name=SRArngeir}}{{ref|name=VoF}} The Last Dragonborn famously went on to battle the Nord Dragon God, [[Lore:Alduin|Alduin the World-Eater]], eventually defeating the deity in [[Lore:Sovngarde|Sovngarde]], the realm of Shor.{{ref|name=Skyrim|Events of ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} A ghost who had known the god Talos before his ascension once confused the Last Dragonborn for his friend.{{ref|name=ArcturianHeresy}}{{ref|name=GoOH|[[SR:Ghost of Old Hroldan|Ghost of Old Hroldan]]'s dialogue in ''[[SR:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}
*[[Lore:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]] is one of the most famous examples of apotheosis, regarded as the most important hero-god of Mankind.{{ref|name=VoF}} He is believed to have ascended to [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]] upon death, transforming the Eight Divines into the Nine and becoming the god [[Lore:Talos|Talos]],{{ref|name=TTM}}{{ref|name=Maborel|[[OB:Prior Maborel|Prior Maborel]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} though other sources suggest his apotheosis happened much earlier in life and that his later years were spent as a living god.{{ref|name=ArcturianHeresy}}{{ref|name=POM|{{Cite Book|ns_base=GEN|People of Morrowind}}}}{{ref|name=Heimskr|[[Skyrim:Heimskr|Heimskr]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{ref|name=TMHT|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=TiberMeeting|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=PIWV|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Partial Interview With Vivec|ns_base=GEN}}}} Imperial orthodoxy claims that his divinity was granted to him by the Divines for his acts in life,{{ref|name=TTM}}{{ref|name=OBMD|''[[Obmobile:Oblivion Mobile|Oblivion Mobile]]'' [[OBMobile:Narrative|dialogue]]}} however other sources detail that Talos achieved his apotheosis by mantling Lorkhan through the Fourth Walking Way,{{ref|name=NHOTSIT|group=UOL}} or even through all six,{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} reenacting Lorkhan's creation of the Mundus through his own creation of the Empire, and subsequently becoming the first true Emperor of all of Tamriel.{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}{{ref|name=TMHT|group=UOL}} Consequently, each Septim Emperor is believed to be a mortal avatar or incarnation of the divine Talos on earth,{{ref|name=Jauffre|[[Oblivion:Jauffre|Jauffre]]'s dialogue in [[Oblivion:Oblivion|''Oblivion'']]}}{{ref|name=DUP}}{{ref|name=36L29}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} though he is known to have appeared in other guises as well.{{ref|name=MWWulf|[[Morrowind:Wulf|Wulf]]'s appearance during [[Morrowind:A Lucky Coin|A Lucky Coin]] quest in [[Morrowind:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']]}}{{ref|name=LegendsRebirth|[[Legends:Heroic Rebirth|Heroic Rebirth]] card appearance in [[Legends:Legends|Legends]]}}
{{NewLeft}}

====The Heart of Lorkhan====
[[File:MW-creature-Heart of Lorkhan.jpg|right|thumb|The Heart of Lorkhan]][[File:LG-quest-The Heart, Revealed 02.jpg|thumb|right|Dagoth Ur, renewed by the Heart of Lorkhan's power]]
*The [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart of Lorkhan]], variously called the "Heart of the World"{{ref|name=TM}} or the "Heart-Bone",{{ref|name=36L11}} is the sundered divine spark of Lorkhan himself and is said to sustain Nirn with its energies, providing the mortal realm its own kind of divinity.{{ref|name=NuMantia|group=UOL}} In his writings, Vivec claims it contains the Tri-Angled Truth by which mortals may perform a Right-Reaching and achieve apotheosis,{{ref|name=36L13}}{{ref|name=36L19}}{{ref|name=36L21}} and several mortals have used it to that end:
**The legendary Chimeri king and warlord [[Lore:Nerevar|Indoril Nerevar]] was often regarded as more than mortal in his lifetime, with some sources describing him as a deity,{{ref|group=UOL|1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU9CcCscgRM Reliving the Opening of Skyrim with the Creators from BGS], 12:46}} referring to him as “the Godkiller” and patron saint of warriors and statesmen.{{ref|name=VoF}} Nord myth identifies him as the Son of [[Lore:Boethiah|Boethiah]], one of the strongest Padomaics, and goes on to describe Nerevar facing off and ultimately slaying Lorkhan himself, although perishing in the process.{{ref|name=FSKW|{{Cite Book|Five Songs of King Wulfharth}}}} Nerevar himself was often likened to Lorkhan in myth, with the Dunmer Creation Myth ''Sithis'' directly comparing his reincarnation, the [[Lore:Nerevarine|Nerevarine]], to the infamous Missing God, while urging him to cast down the Sharmat [[Lore:Dagoth Ur|Dagoth Ur]] the same way Lorkhan did with [[Lore:Anuiel|Anuiel]] and the Aedra.{{ref|name=Sithis}} ''The Thirty-Six Lessons of Vivec'' make numerous claims regarding Nerevar's godhood, referring to him as a "master" and a "ruling king" who would hold command over the land of Morrowind.{{ref|name=36L11}}{{ref|name=36L13}}{{ref|name=36L15}}{{ref|name=36L16|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 16}}}}{{ref|name=36L33}} The thirty-third sermon describes a meeting between Nerevar and Lorkhan wherein Nerevar compares himself to the god, asking which of them is out of place, to which Lorkhan replies both.{{ref|name=36L33|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 33}}}} While the sermon does not say what was spoken between the two masters, Vivec's numerology explains that the thirty-third sermon teaches the nature of Anticipations.{{ref|name=36L29}} Further, Vivec’s sermons claimed Nerevar performed the Second Walking Way in his lifetime, having "taken what he needed" from the [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart of Lorkhan]] in his first life and prophesied to return again to reclaim his position.{{ref|name=36L11}}
***After death, Nerevar was alleged to have incarnated numerous times through figures known as “Failed Incarnates” to the Ashlanders, or "False Incarnates" to the Temple,{{ref|[[MW:Huleeya|Huleeya]]'s dialogue in ''[[MW:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} though Vivec and Dagoth Ur appear to have considered them true incarnations regardless.{{ref|name=MWVehk}}{{ref|name=DUDialogue}} Nerevar’s most famous alleged Incarnation, the [[Lore:Nerevarine|Nerevarine]], was said to have borne the same [[Lore:Corprus|Divine Disease]] derived from the Heart of Lorkhan which granted [[Lore:Dagoth Ur|Dagoth Ur]] and the [[Lore:House Dagoth|Sixth House]] their godhood, apparently making the Nerevarine unaging while granting them superhuman strength and endurance,{{ref|name=MWEvents|Events of [[MW:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']]}}{{ref|name=MWCurse|[[MW:Sixth House Base|Sixth House Base]] quest in [[MW:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']]}}{{ref|name=MWDivayth|[[MW:Divayth Fyr|Divayth Fyr]]'s dialogue in [[MW:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']]}} with some sources claiming the Nerevarine to have become a god that achieved "pantheon through incarnation".{{ref|name=NHOTSIT|group=UOL}} In his 36 Lessons, Vivec notably advised the Nerevarine to seek the [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart of Lorkhan]] and attain CHIM, the Fourth Walking Way, to wield as a word of power against Dagoth Ur,{{ref|name=36L15|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 15}}}} and claimed to have killed his previous incarnations until one emerged with "the proper tendencies of the [[Lore:Hero|hero]]", capable of destroying the Sharmat and replacing the ALMSIVI as the ruling king of Morrowind.{{ref|name=36L6}}{{ref|name=36L13}}
**The Brass God [[Lore:Numidium|Numidium]], also known as the Anumidium (lit. “Wearing Anu”),{{ref|name=SVEOT|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Six Views of the Egg of Time|ns_base=General}}}} the divine skin, and the Prime Gestalt,{{ref|name=POM}} was an artificial new god secretly created by the Dwemeri Tonal Architect [[Lore:Kagrenac|Kagrenac]], despite apparent controversy from his peers.{{ref|name=DivineMetaphysics|{{Cite Book|Divine Metaphysics}}}}{{ref|name=MWYagrum}} The reasons for this invention are the subject of scholarly debate, with the leading theories being either refutation or transcendence of the Aurbis.{{ref|name=Baladas|[[MW:Baladas Demnevanni|Baladas Demnevanni]]'s dialogue in ''[[MW:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}{{ref|name=POM}}{{ref|name=NuMantia|group=UOL}} Designed to harness the mythopoeic forces of the Heart of Lorkhan through specially constructed [[Lore:Kagrenac's Tools|tools]], the Numidium was intended to be powered with a Mantella, a Crux of Transcendence crafted using the Heart’s energies,{{ref|name=POM}} which some writings claim have been long in use by the Dwemer to make themselves immortal.{{ref|name=NRM|{{Cite Book|Nerevar at Red Mountain}}}} Its premature discovery by [[Lore:House Dagoth|House Dagoth]] is often considered the event that sparked the [[Lore:War of the First Council|War of the First Council]], which culminated in the infamous [[Lore:Battle of Red Mountain|Battle of Red Mountain]].{{ref|name=NRM}}{{ref|name=TBORM|{{Cite Book|The Battle of Red Mountain}}}} By some accounts, the Numidium was first activated here when Lord Kagrenac struck the Heart with his Tools, potentially sacrificing the "golden souls" of the Dwemer race to create the Numidium’s golden skin in the process, after which they were removed from this world.{{ref|name=WWYDB}}{{ref|name=POM}} Notably, the Nordic account of the Battle makes no mention of the Numidium, instead speaking of [[Lore:Shor|Shor]] reclaiming his Heart from Red Mountain before being struck down by Nerevar and his allies,{{ref|name=FSKW}} with one obscure text further identifying the Numidium as "Lorkhan's ebbing revenge equal to none".{{ref|group=UOL|name=Nchulem|{{Cite Book|Nchulem|ns_base=General}}}} In the last of Vivec’s lessons, Numidium is described as a walking star that emerged from Red Mountain after Nerevar ventured too deep inside, seeking the Sharmat, and the Numidium was subsequently destroyed by the ALMSIVI in a demonstration of the Sixth Walking Way.{{ref|name=36L36|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 36}}}} Several sources describe this event as being the site of a Dragon Break by the name of the Red Moment.{{ref|name=FSKW}}{{ref|name=WWYDB}}{{ref|name=36L37}}{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}
***A number of sources connect Tiber Septim’s apotheosis with his use of the [[Lore:Numidium|Numidium]], which the Empire secretly received from [[Lore:Vivec|Vivec]] as part of the [[Lore:Armistice|Armistice]].{{ref|name=ArcturianHeresy}}{{ref|name=POM}} [[Lore:Zurin Arctus|Zurin Arctus]] was tasked with research and reconstruction of the Brass God, working off partial plans and stories of Red Mountain, which informed him of its true potential.{{ref|name=DFMantella|[[Daggerfall:The Mantella Revealed|The Mantella Revealed]] quest in ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}}{{ref|name=ArcturianHeresy}}{{ref|name=POM}} His work culminated in the creation of the Mantella, a Crux of Transcendence imitating the Heart of Lorkhan and said to be the Heart of Tiber Septim himself,{{ref|name=DFDust|[[Daggerfall:Dust of Restful Death|Dust of Restful Death]] quest in ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}}{{ref|name=POM}} containing by various accounts either the soul of the Emperor,{{ref|name=DFChron|{{Cite Book|The Daggerfall Chronicles|ns_base=BK}}}}{{rp|205}} Zurin Arctus,{{ref|name=DFMantella}} Ysmir Wulfharth,{{ref|name=ArcturianHeresy}} or the combined oversoul of the Emperor and Battlemage who joined as one to complete the project.{{ref|name=POM}}{{ref|name=OBProphet}} Regardless of its origin, the Mantella was subsequently used to activate the Numidium in the [[Lore:Halls of Colossus|Halls of Colossus]] near [[Lore:Rimmen|Rimmen]],{{ref|name=WWYDB}} reportedly causing a [[Lore:Dragon Break|Dragon Break]] that displaced the Halls across time and space,{{ref|name=AFFAHouse|{{Cite Book|The House of the Big Walker|ns_base=general}}}} and concluded with the Siege of [[Lore:Summerset Isles|Alinor]] which allegedly lasted a single hour as the Numidium "created an Empire of Evil to house the [[Lore:Talos|malignant half of its soul]]".{{ref|name=POM}}{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} Shortly afterwards, the Numidium was destroyed by Zurin Arctus himself, now as the [[Lore:Underking|Underking]], and the Mantella fell into the sea, thought to be lost from this world forever.{{ref|name=ArcturianHeresy}}{{ref|name=DFMantella}} The Numidium would later be rebuilt on orders from [[Lore:Uriel VII|Uriel VII]], with the Mantella recovered from Aetherius by an [[Lore:The Agent|Agent of the Blades]].{{ref|name=DFJourney|[[Daggerfall:Journey to Aetherius|Journey to Aetherius]] quest in ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}} Who received the Mantella is ultimately unknown, but the incident culminated in another Dragon Break known variously as the [[Lore:Warp in the West|Warp in the West]] or the Miracle of Peace, resulting in the final disappearance of the Mantella and the Numidium, the apotheosis of Mannimarco, the death of the Agent, and the reorganization of the [[Lore:Iliac Bay|Iliac Bay]] in the revised timeline.{{ref|name=WWYDB}}{{ref|name=TWITW}}{{ref|name=LOTE}}
**Following the Battle of Red Mountain, various accounts describe the [[Lore:Kagrenac's Tools|Tools of Kagrenac]] and the [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart of Lorkhan]] ending up in possession of Nerevar and his allies.{{ref|name=NRM}}{{ref|name=TBORM}} The first to use them was [[Lore:Dagoth Ur|Voryn Dagoth]], tasked with protecting and studying the tools while Nerevar consulted his allies on their ultimate fate, leading to his apotheosis as the Sharmat Dagoth Ur.{{ref|name=TBORM}} Afterwards, Dagoth Ur refused to hand over the tools and was either killed or driven off from the Heart chamber by the [[Lore:Tribunal|Tribunal]], who reclaimed the tools and used them on the Heart to ascend to godhood as the ALMSIVI.{{ref|name=NRM}}{{ref|name=TBORM}} The Tribunal would go on to rule Morrowind as living gods, performing annual pilgrimages to Red Mountain in order to prolong their divinity by drawing on the Heart’s energies with the tools.{{ref|name=DUP}} During one such pilgrimage, the Tribunal were ambushed by Dagoth Ur and his ash vampires, who reawakened beneath Red Mountain sometime prior and re-linked themselves with the Heart in a ritual of Dagoth Ur’s devising.{{ref|name=DUP}} A series of failed campaigns to drive out the Sixth House led to the Tribunal losing the Tools of Kagrenac, while Dagoth Ur would begin using dreams and visions to recruit new members into the Sixth House, sharing the Heart of Lorkhan’s energy with them in the form of the Divine Disease, spread through ash storms and infected creatures, and granting the afflicted immortality and access to the divine dreamworld.{{ref|name=DUP}}{{ref|name=DUDialogue}} Dagoth Ur’s ultimate project was later revealed to be the construction of the Akulakhan, the Second Numidium designed using Kagrenac’s plans, which acted as the primary vector for spreading the Divine Disease and was planned to be used as a weapon for liberating Morrowind from Imperial occupation and subsequent conquest of the rest of Tamriel.{{ref|name=DUP}}{{ref|name=DUDialogue}} These plans would later be foiled by the Nerevarine, who used the Tools of Kagrenac to destroy the enchantments Kagrenac had placed upon the Heart to keep it bound in physical form, thereby severing Dagoth Ur’s and the Tribunal’s connection to it and rendering them mortal again.{{ref|name=DUDialogue}}{{ref|name=DUP}}{{ref|name=MWDagothFight}}{{ref|name=MWVehk}}{{ref|name=PTDDU|{{Cite Book|Plan to Defeat Dagoth Ur}}}}

===Aedra and Divines===
[[File:CT-Celebrations-Obituary 1.png|A statue of Arkay|thumb|right]]
*The God of Life and Death [[Lore:Arkay|Arkay]] is tied to both apotheosis and incarnation in several of his aspects:
**According to High Rock myth, the god Arkay was originally a shopkeeper by the name of Ark'ay, who is said to have discovered a tome detailing the secrets of life, death, and the purpose of existence. After devoting his life to studying it, he ascended to godhood on his deathbed as Arkay, the God of Life and Death.{{ref|{{Cite Book|Ark'ay The God}}}} This myth is corroborated by Runil, an Arkayn priest in the Fourth Era who teaches that Arkay was once mortal and gave up that existence that mortals might better understand the vagaries of life and death.{{ref|[[Skyrim:Runil|Runil]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} Another source suggests that the mortal Ark'ay was really a mortal incarnation of the divine Arkay, who descended to mortality to experience his own sphere first-hand before retaking his rightful place.{{ref|name=MadeUpWord|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Made Up Word Round Up|ns_base=GEN}}}}
**The Altmeri god of ancestry [[Lore:Xarxes|Xarxes]] was initially among the et'Ada who unwittingly sacrificed themselves to create the Mundus, sundering themselves from the [[Lore:Aetherius|spirit plane]] and forced to have mortal progeny in order to survive.{{ref|name=TM}} A popular myth speaks of an Aldmeri priest named Xarxes, who lived in the Merethic Era and was later elevated to godhood for his service to Auri-El, suggesting he may have been a mortal descendant of the original Xarxes who mantled his divine ancestor.{{ref|name=TAX}}{{ref|name=TM}} Xarxes was known to have a wife, [[Lore:Oghma|Oghma]], whom he had made from his favorite moments in history.{{ref|name=VoF}} Notably, [[Lore:Hermaeus Mora|Hermaeus Mora]] possesses an artifact called the [[Lore:Oghma Infinium|Oghma Infinium]], an esoteric tome which he claims to contain the knowledge he formerly revealed to Xarxes, whom he calls his "loyal servant".{{ref|name=OBMora|[[OB:Hermaeus Mora|Hermaeus Mora]]'s dialogue in ''[[OB:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}{{ref|name=SKMora|[[SR:Hermaeus Mora|Hermaeus Mora]]'s dialogue during [[SR:Discerning the Transmundane|Discerning the Transmundane]] in ''[[SK:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} Given that the tome is known to hold "near-godlike" knowledge regarding the universe and the nature of godhood,{{ref|name=OghmaPages}}{{ref|name=OghmaESO}}{{ref|name=OnTractsPerilous|{{Cite Book|On Tracts Perilous}}}} it is possible the Daedric Prince had a hand in Xarxes' ascension.
*[[Lore:Syrabane|Syrabane]] is one of the god-ancestors of the Altmer, the "youngest of the eight", and a hero of the [[Lore:All Flags Navy|All Flags Navy]] and the Thrassian War of the 23rd century of the First Era.{{ref|name=VoF}}{{ref|{{Cite Book|The Tale of Syrabane}}}}{{ref|{{Cite Book|Systres History: Volume 3}}}} He is described as being an Arch-Mage or Arch-Warlock in his life,{{ref|name=WarlockARtifact|[[Arena:Artifact Quests#Warlock's Ring|Warlock's Ring Artifact Quest]] dialogue in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]''}} and sometimes identified as a student, protégé, or "facet" of Magnus.{{ref|name=ILSA|group=UOL}} Despite his documented history, Syrabane was nonetheless already worshipped as a deity of the ancient Falmer in various temples across and during the height of their vast Empire,{{ref|name=Gelebor}} which lasted from the Merethic Era to the year 1E 221 at the latest.{{ref|name=PGE1Sk}} This may suggest that the First Era warlock was a mantler or an incarnation of the deity, although devout Altmer nonetheless consider Syrabane just as mythically "present" as the other gods regardless, given that the atemporal nature of Aetherius dictates that once an ancestor ascends to godhood, they have always been a god.{{ref|name=Minutes|group=UOL}}{{Ref|name=ILSA|group=UOL|[https://www.imperial-library.info/content/lawrence-schick-and-phrastus-altmer-culture-0 Interview with Lawrence Schick and Phrastus on Altmer Culture (2021/2023)]}} Certain Altmer admirers of Syrabane were known to pay their respect to a statue of the deity under the guise of an Elven woman, and to refer to them as a "hero-sorceress", possibly indicating that Syrabane has incarnated as or been mantled by multiple individuals of different genders.{{ref|[[ON:Arocil|Arocil]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}
*[[Lore:Phynaster|Phynaster]], an Altmer hero-god, has often been portrayed as having been formerly mortal.{{ref|name=VoF}} It is claimed that there have been multiple mortal Phynasters,{{ref|name=MinutesPhynaster|group=UOL}} one of whom died at the hands of a criminal group known as the [[Lore:Wharf Rats|Wharf Rats]].{{ref|name=RingPhyn|[[Arena:Ring of Phynaster|Ring of Phynaster]] dialogue in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]''}} Some doctrines argue that these were incarnations of Phynaster assuming mortal form to help guide their descendants before re-ascending to godhood.{{ref|name=MinutesPhynaster|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Minutes of the Lusty Argonian Historical Society, Morning Star, 3E 433|ns_base=General}}}}
*In Cyrodiilic Legend, it is believed [[Lore:Magnus|Magnus]], the god of light and magic, would at times lend his power to great mages by inhabiting their bodies, with Zurin Arctus being one such prominent mage.{{ref|name=VoF}} Other accounts of Magnus in mortal form exist, such as a [[Lore:Magnus (sorceror-king)|legendary arch-mage]] who shared the god's name and wielded his staff, entrusting its final location to the Blades before his death.{{ref|name=MagnusARtifact|[[Arena:Artifact Quests#Staff of Magnus|Staff of Magnus Artifact Quest]] dialogue in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]''}} Some Altmeri texts similarly refer to Syrabane as either a protégé, student, or "facet" of Magnus, suggesting a similar association.{{ref|name=ILSA|group=UOL}}
*The [[Lore:Immortal Eight|Immortal Eight]] was a group of immortal loyalist [[Lore:Imperial Legion|legion]] soldiers led by Captain [[Lore:Anatolius Caudex|Anatolius Caudex]], who protected the Nobles District of the [[Lore:Imperial City|Imperial City]] during the [[Lore:Planemeld|Planemeld]].{{ref|name=ImmortalEight|[[ON:The Imperial Standard|The Imperial Standard]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Imperial City (DLC)|Imperial City]]''}} Originally far more numerous, the legionaries had established a makeshift garrison in the old forum at the center of the district, using it to defend against the forces of [[Lore:Molag Bal|Molag Bal]] and [[Lore:Legion Zero|Legion Zero]] for several months until only eight soldiers remained.{{ref|name=ICZenithar|[[ON:Zelanus Equitius|Zelanus Equitius]]' dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Imperial City (DLC)|Imperial City]]''}}{{ref|name=ICAkatosh|[[ON:Captain Caudex|Captain Caudex]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Imperial City (DLC)|Imperial City]]''}} These Immortal Eight got their name from their inability to permanently die - whenever they did, they would simply wake up again, feeling a little less like themselves.{{ref|name=ICAkatosh}} Their immortality was theorized to be sourced from an ancient scroll, potentially connected to Arkay,{{ref|name=ICArkay|[[ON:Arrianus Capius|Arrianus Capius]]' dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Imperial City (DLC)|Imperial City]]''}} unearthed by a group of priests claiming it dated back to the times of St. Alessia.{{ref|name=ICAkatosh}} The scroll was believed to have granted the soldiers immortality so long as they fought to protect the garrison,{{ref|name=ICAkatosh}} and was later entrusted to the [[Lore:Soulless One|Soulless One]] and the [[Lore:Drake of Blades|Drake of Blades]], who used it to bind herself to the [[Lore:Dragonfires|Sublime Brazier]].{{ref|name=ESOICEnding}} Each of the Immortal Eight notably possessed a strong resemblance to one of the [[Lore:Aedra|Eight Divines]], potentially suggesting that they were actually avatars of the Divines themselves, as it is unknown if they had lost their immortality after the scroll was taken away, and one of the soldiers hypothesized that they weren’t ''"alive at all, but dreaming everything"''.{{ref|name=ICJulianos|[[ON:Justianas Gratus|Justianas Gratus]]' dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Imperial City (DLC)|Imperial City]]''}}

===Daedra===
[[File:SR-npc-Sheogorath.jpg|Sheogorath, a deity who has been mantled by multiple individuals|thumb|right]]
*[[Lore:Sheogorath|Sheogorath]] is a [[Lore:Daedric Prince|Daedric Prince]] with many associations with the concept of mantling. He himself speaks to the concept of different individuals encompassing his godhood.{{ref|name=SISheogorath|[[Shivering:Sheogorath|Sheogorath]]'s dialogue in [[Shivering:Shivering Isles|''Oblivion: Shivering Isles'']]}}{{ref|name=SRSheogorath|[[Skyrim:Sheogorath|Sheogorath]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}} The [[Lore:Khajiit|Khajiit]] interpret these events as Sheogorath being a dead god who has been replaced by something Other.{{ref|name=TAS|{{Cite Book|The Adversarial Spirits}}}}
**The Mad God's chamberlain [[Lore:Haskill|Haskill]] once claimed to be a [[Lore:Vestige (creature)|Vestige]] of a [[Lore:Breton|Breton]] man who mantled Sheogorath in the past, although his memory of the event is fragmentary.{{ref|name=CHAYQ}} However, he also claimed to have been in Sheogorath's service since the "beginning".{{Ref|name=IWTDSI|{{Cite Book|Interview With Two Denizens of the Shivering Isles|ns_base=GEN}}}}
**[[Lore:Arden-Sul|Arden-Sul]] was a Prophet who resided in the [[Lore:Shivering Isles|Shivering Isles]]. He was considered the personification of Sheogorath's mortality by some denizens of the Isles (particularly [[Lore:Zealots|Zealots]]), seemingly attesting to Arden-Sul as one of his past mantlers.{{ref|name=Z|{{Cite Book|Zealotry}}}}
**The [[Lore:Hero of Kvatch|Hero of Kvatch]] entered the Shivering Isles and became the champion of Sheogorath during the [[Lore:Greymarch|Greymarch]] at the end of the [[Lore:Third Era|Third Era]].{{ref|name=SIDoor|[[Shivering:A Door in Niben Bay|A Door in Niben Bay]] quest in [[Shivering:Shivering Isles|''Oblivion: Shivering Isles'']]}} Sheogorath had planned to guide the Hero to mantle him as the Prince of Madness in hopes of averting the disaster before it happened, but was unable to give the Hero [[Lore:Staff of Sheogorath|his staff]] before he transformed into [[Lore:Jyggalag|Jyggalag]]. Ultimately, the Hero was able to create a new staff with the assistance of Haskill and [[Lore:Dyus|Dyus]], and mantled the Madgod.{{ref|name=SISymbols|[[Shivering:Symbols of Office|Symbols of Office]] quest in [[Shivering:Shivering Isles|''Oblivion: Shivering Isles'']]}} The Hero of Kvatch also achieved something that other participants in the prior [[Lore:Greymarch|Greymarches]] had not: they defeated [[Lore:Jyggalag|Jyggalag]] in combat and ended the Greymarch cycle, fully separating Jyggalag and Sheogorath from one another.{{ref|name=SIEnd|[[Shivering:The End of Order|The End of Order]] quest in [[Shivering:Shivering Isles|''Oblivion: Shivering Isles'']]}}{{ref|name=SIJyggalag|[[Shivering:Jyggalag|Jyggalag]]'s dialogue in [[Shivering:Shivering Isles|''Oblivion: Shivering Isles'']]}}
*Although the [[Lore:Almsivi|Tribunal]]'s usage of the Heart of Lorkhan is well-attested, it is additionally suggested that their apotheosis included them mantling their respective [[Lore:Good Daedra|Anticipations]], with the ALMSIVI variously described as their successors or even reincarnations.{{ref|name=36L6}}{{ref|name=Trial|group=UOL}} [[Lore:Vivec|Vivec]] himself described the Three Good Daedra as "fore-images" of the Tribunal whom they supplanted in the minds of their [[Lore:Chimer|people]], likening their replacement to the manner in which Tiber Septim replaced Lorkhan in the [[Lore:Cyrodiil|west]].{{ref|name=36L18}}{{ref|name=Trial|group=UOL}} Vivec further suggested that the Three Good Daedra did not fully merge with the Tribunal because, as Daedra, they are adverse to change and were reluctant to give up their spheres entirely.{{ref|name=Trial|group=UOL}} However, his more personal writings suggest this sentiment may have been mutual, with Sermon 2 describing Vivec merging with [[Lore:Mephala|Mephala]] in his mother's womb but "leaving some secrets behind" to prevent the world from unraveling,{{ref|name=36L2|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2}}}} and in Sermon 18 further expressing doubt whether the Tribunal were truly an improvement on the Good Daedra's example or merely related deities that happened to be more needed at the time.{{ref|name=36L18}}
*[[Lore:Molag Bal|Molag Bal]] is a [[Lore:Daedric Prince|Daedric Prince]] suggested by numerous sources to once have been a chief of the [[Lore:Dreugh|dreughs]] in the world of [[Lore:Lyg|Lyg]].{{ref|name=36L28|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 28}}}}{{ref|name=MDC4|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 4}}}} Like their other chieftains in those times, Molag Bal was said to be "akin to the [[Lore:Dragon|time-totems]] of old", possessing a spiny and armored red carapace better suited for the sea, and ruled over Lyg as a tyrant who enslaved all the oceans of the [[Lore:Nirn|Mundex Terrene]].{{ref|name=MDC4}}{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} Molag eventually met his defeat at the hands of Mehrunes Dagon, created by the Magna-Ge to free Lyg from his tyranny.{{ref|name=MDC4}} At some point later, he became known as the Daedric Prince Molag Bal.{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} How he ascended to this role is not detailed, but in Khajiit myth it is suggested that Lorkhan taught him the secrets of "dark fire".{{ref|name=BSOB|{{Cite Book|The Bladesongs of Boethra}}}} Later, Molag Bal would go on to share the secret syllable of royalty, CHIM, with the Dunmeri god [[Lore:Vivec|Vivec]], teaching him the Fourth Walking Way in an event later known as the Pomegranate Banquet.{{ref|name=36L12|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 12}}}}{{ref|name=36L14|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 14}}}}
**Molag Bal's encounter with Vivec is said to have resulted in the birth of several [[Lore:Monster Children|divine monsters]], one of whom was an old image of Molag Bal from his time as a chief of the dreugh.{{ref|name=36L14}}{{ref|name=36L28}} This dead carapace came to be known as the Ruddy Man, and only became a monster when worn. The Sermons describe the Ruddy Man coming into being at least twice, turning the people that wore it into mighty killers, until Vivec defeated the monster and entrusted its remains to the mystics of the Number Room.{{ref|name=36L28}}

===Other Deities===
[[File:ON-npc-Wilderqueen.jpg|thumb|right|The Wilderqueen who mantled the Wilderking]]
*The [[Lore:Wilderking|Wilderking]] was a deity residing in the [[Lore:Greenshade|Greenshade]] region of [[Lore:Valenwood|Valenwood]], presiding over the local Bosmeri tribes from their [[Lore:Wilderking Court|court]]. There are said to have been many Wilderkings and Wilderqueens over the course of Valenwood's history,{{Ref|name=ONHen|[[ON:Henodras|Henodras]]' dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} though only two are known:{{Ref|name=ONMar|[[ON:Maruin|Maruin]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
**[[Lore:Wilderking|Ostion]] was an [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]] who had the power to shape the land ever since he was a young boy. Powerful individuals in his homeland of [[Lore:Summerset Isles|Summerset]] learned of his unique abilities and sent him to [[Lore:Valenwood|Valenwood]]. At first, Ostion and Valenwood struggled against each other, as Ostion commanded the land and it would reject him time and time again, until they forgot all about themselves and their people. Only when Ostion saw the death their fighting had caused did he remember who he was, and asked the land for help rather than command it. Thus did Ostion and Valenwood join together as one, becoming the Wilderking.{{Ref|name=SB|{{Cite Book|Sumiril's Book}}}}{{Ref|name=ONSumiril|[[ON:Sumiril|Sumiril]]'s dialogue in [[Online:A Tangled Knot|ESO]]}}
**[[Lore:Aranias|Aranias]] was an Altmer who, much like Ostion, displayed tremendous power over the land at a young age, and was recruited by the [[Lore:Veiled Heritance|Veiled Heritance]] for her abilities as part of a contingency to assassinate the Wilderking and conquer the Greenshade region.{{ref|name=TWOS|Events of [[ON:The Witch of Silatar|The Witch of Silatar]] in [[ESO:Online|ESO]]}} The [[Lore:The Vestige|Soulless One]] would go on to enter her story with the help of a Spinner, showing her another path outside of the Veiled Heritance's manipulations and leading her to realize her true role in this story: to replace the dying Wilderking by assuming his mantle and becoming the Wilderqueen.{{ref|name=TOTWK|Events of [[ON:Throne of the Wilderking|Throne of the Wilderking]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
*The [[Lore:The Silvenar|Silvenar]] and the [[Lore:Green Lady|Green Lady]] are a pair of divine entities that embody the [[Lore:Green Pact|pact]] between the land of [[Lore:Valenwood|Valenwood]] and its people, spiritually representing [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmer]] in all their aspects.{{ref|name=TVotP|{{Cite Book|The Voice of the People}}}}{{ref|name=Lanwaen|[[ON:Lanwaen|Lanwaen]]'s dialogues in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Their mantles are passed down from generation to generation, when a pair of Bosmer are chosen to be married in a ritual known as the Handfast, which binds their spirits together and reforges the connection between the Bosmer and Valenwood itself.{{ref|name=TVotP|{{Cite Book|The Voice of the People}}}}{{ref|name=Lanwaen|[[ON:Lanwaen|Lanwaen]]'s dialogues in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Elilor}} Among the Bosmer, the Silvenar is considered to be the spirit of the people and the incarnation of their history.{{ref|name=TVotP|{{Cite Book|The Voice of the People}}}} They reside in the city of [[Lore:Silvenar|Silvenar]] and act as the voice of the Bosmeri people, speaking in their name to represent their needs and aspirations,{{ref|name=Elilor}} and their gender, physical appearance, and disposition all bend to represent the Bosmer at the time.{{ref|name=ADiF6}} By contrast, the Green Lady - sometimes described as a demigod - embodies the primal ferocity, strength, and pure physicality of the Bosmer, as well as the song-story of the Green itself.{{ref|name=LoG|{{Cite Book|Ladies of Green}}}} The Silvenar acts as a stabilizing presence for the Green Lady, sustaining her and acting as her anchor - should they die, the Green Lady will go on a suicidal rampage to avenge her beloved and inevitably perish, with her soul coming to rest among the other former vessels in the Treehenge, allowing for the next Silvenar and Green Lady to emerge and take their place.{{ref|name=WotG|{{Cite Book|Wardens of the Green}}}}{{ref|name=Finoriell|[[ON:Finoriell|Finoriell]]'s dialogues in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Lara|[[ON:Hengekeeper Lara|Hengekeeper Lara]]'s dialogue during [[ON:Awakening|Awakening]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} The exact process by which the successors are chosen is unknown, although most Green Ladies appear to originate from [[Lore:Deepwoods|Deepwoods]], a settlement in [[Lore:Malabal Tor|Malabal Tor]] where a shrine to the Green Lady (a great tree in the shape of a woman) is said to either be the grave of the first Green Lady or the first Green Lady herself.{{ref|name=Oraneth|[[ON:Oraneth|Oraneth]]’s dialogue during [[ON:The Tale of the Green Lady|The Tale of the Green Lady]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}
**The first Silvenar is said to have been ''"first of the wild children with eyes open."''{{ref|name |[[ON:Spinner Indraseth|Spinner Indraseth]]'s dialogues during [[ON:A Tale Forever Told|A Tale Forever Told]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} He and the first Green Lady were champions of Y'ffre who battled against legions of shapeshifters and Oathbreakers at a time when Y'ffre worship was largely forgotten.{{ref|name=HotH|{{Cite Book|History of the Handfast}}}} This conflict, sometimes described as a civil war,{{ref|name=OoO|{{Cite Book|Oathbreakers of Ouze}}}} led to the condemnation of the Oathbreakers to the tar pits of Ouze,{{ref|name=VoiceofOuze|[[ON:Voice of Ouze]]'s dialogue during [[ON:Back to Rest|Back to Rest]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=SiO|{{Cite Book|Sunk into Ouze}}}}{{ref|name=OsR|{{Cite Book|Oathbreakers' Rest}}}} the first Handfast and the creation of the Green Pact,{{ref|name=DDTH|{{Cite Book|Diplomacy during the Handfasting}}}} all of which enshrined Y'ffre as the central deity of the remaining chosen people of Valenwood.{{ref|name=HotH}} Another tale of the first Silvenar and Green Lady is that they were the first pilgrims to visit [[Lore:The Eldest|the Eldest]], a plant that is as old as the Valenwood itself, and as they were childless, they tended to it as their own offspring, taking on their roles that way.{{ref|name=TEAPT|{{Cite Book|The Eldest: A Pilgrim's Tale}}}}
**During the [[Lore:Planemeld|Planemeld]] in the Second Era, the acting Silvenar and Green Lady were [[Lore:Edhelorn|Edhelorn]] and [[Lore:Finoriell|Finoriell]], with the former being a practiced diplomat who was instrumental to the formation of the first [[Lore:Aldmeri Dominion|Aldmeri Dominion]].{{ref|name=Edhelorn|[[ON:Edhelorn|Edhelorn]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} While it is unknown how and when Edhelorn was chosen to be Silvenar, it is said Finoriell became Green Lady later than customary,{{ref|name=TGLA|{{Cite Book|The Green Ladies' Abode}}}} and saw potential in her niece Gwaering to act as her successor.{{ref|name=Oraneth}}
**Once Finoriell died following her assault on [[Lore:Pyandonea|Pyandonea]] as revenge for some Maormer killing [[Lore:Edhelorn|her Silvenar]], the Spinners journeyed to the Deepwoods to pray to its shrine in search of the next Green Lady. Finoriell's niece, [[Lore:Gwaering|Gwaering]], joined them in prayer when the shrine suddenly began to glow and Gwaering was lifted into the air, marking her for the assembled faithful as the successor they had been looking for.{{ref|name=Oraneth}} Her Silvenar, a young Bosmer named [[Lore:Indaenir|Indaenir]], was chosen after helping the [[Lore:The Vestige|Soulless One]] defeat [[Lore:Naemon|a lich]] that attempted to corrupt the [[Lore:Heart of Valenwood|Heart of Valenwood]], an ancient tree in the ruins of [[Lore:Hectahame|Hectahame]] that represents the soul and lifeblood of the forest itself.{{ref|name=HoV|{{Cite Book|Heart of Valenwood (book)}}}} The lich sought to desecrate it and corrupt the Green in order to create a new realm, the [[Lore:Shadow Wood|Shadow Wood]], in which the souls who violated the Green Pact would exert their revenge on its followers.{{ref|name=SkullGuy|[[ON:Skull of Thraul|Skull of Thraul]]’s dialogue during [[ON:Retaking the Pass|Retaking the Pass]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Though the two managed to defeat the lich, Indaenir was forced to take the entirety of the corruption into himself in order to purify the Valenheart and save the Green at the cost of his life, but was resurrected afterwards seemingly by Valenwood itself.{{ref|name=SatHquest|[[ON:Striking at the Heart|Striking at the Heart]] quest in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Those who witnessed the resurrection declared this as proof of Y'ffre's will that he had been chosen to be the new Silvenar,{{ref|name=Cariel|[[ON:Cariel|Cariel]]'s dialogues during [[ON:Striking at the Heart|Striking at the Heart]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} while Indaenir claimed it was the Green which had reached out to him to pick him back up.{{ref|name=Indaenir|[[ON:Indaenir|Indaenir]]'s dialogues in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}
*The Necromancer God [[Lore:Mannimarco|Mannimarco]] has attempted mantling twice:
**Mannimarco made a failed attempt to use the Amulet of Kings to soul trap [[Lore:Molag Bal|Molag Bal]] so he could mantle his station and take his place among the gods.{{ref|name=MannSoST|[[Online:Mannimarco|Mannimarco]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Shadow of Sancre Tor|Shadow of Sancre Tor]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} This plot proved successful in an [[Lore:Many Paths|alternative fate]] where Mannimarco took the mantle of the God of Schemes, ruling Nirn from a throne of bone and souls.{{ref|{{Cite Book|Traitor's Vault Temporal Tome}}}}
**Mannimarco later made his final successful attempt at apotheosis in this lifetime near the closing of the Third Era.{{ref|name=DGMannimarco|King of Worms [[Daggerfall:Journey to Aetherius#The End|ending]] in ''[[DF:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}} Using the properties of the Second Numidian effect, as well as the power of the [[Lore:Mantella|Mantella]], Mannimarco ascended to godhood during the events of the [[Lore:Warp in the West|Warp in the West]] (potentially causing said Warp in the event he claimed the Totem before Time had broken).{{ref|name=DGMannimarco|King of Worms [[Daggerfall:Journey to Aetherius#The End|ending]] in ''[[DF:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}}{{ref|name=WWYDB}} Mannimarco would later go on to say that it was the glories of the Dawn the Marukhati first demonstrated that taught Mannimarco how he could "discover his mystery", with the Worm God emphasizing the nature of mantling: "as above, so below".{{ref|name=WWYDB}} In his scripture written for the [[Lore:Worm Cult|Worm Cult]] later on, Mannimarco spoke of how it astonished him how similar his life was to that of [[Lore:Arkay|Arkay]], and went on to express ambitions of striking Arkay from worship and record so that Mannimarco alone would hold mastery over the sphere of life and death.{{ref|name=ArkayTheEnemy|{{Cite Book|Arkay the Enemy}}}} As a god, Mannimarco became known as the Revenant, residing in his divine realm of the [[Lore:The Revenant|Necromancer's Moon]], which is said to eclipse Arkay’s planet at regular intervals and allow necromancers on Nirn to create black soul gems.{{ref|name=RevenantShade|[[OB:Shade of the Revenant|Shade of the Revenant]] in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} Writings by the Worm Cult further suggest his appearance during the Oblivion Crisis was a prophesied incarnation, suggesting that Mannimarco was a mortal avatar aiding his worshipers.{{ref|name=NecromancerMoon|{{Cite Book|Necromancer's Moon}}}}
*The Yokudan Make-Way God [[Lore:HoonDing|HoonDing]] is known to incarnate through mortal avatars, with some of them rising to prominence as independent deities:{{ref|name=VoF}}
**[[Lore:Diagna|Diagna]] is the Orichalc God of the Sideways Blade of the Redguards, an incarnation of the HoonDing that arose during the Twenty Seven Snake Folk Slaughter in [[Lore:Yokuda|Yokuda]] and later gained permanence as one of their deities.{{ref|name=VoF}} It is said that he brought [[Lore:Orichalcum|orichalc]] weapons to the Yokudan people, which proved instrumental in their war against the [[Lore:Left-Handed Elves|Left-Handed Elves]], and later led a group of warriors known as the [[Lore:Order of Diagna|Order of Diagna]] against the orcs of Orsinium at the height of their power before fading into obscurity.{{ref|name=VoF}}
**[[Lore:Frandar Hunding|Frandar Hunding]] is known to be the first manifestation of the Make Way God in Tamriel.{{ref|name=VoF}}{{ref|name=ContraHoon|[[Online:Treasures H#Hoonding's Prayer Stone|Hoonding's Prayer Stone]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ContHoon|[[Online:Treasures H#Hoonding's Golden Quill|Hoonding's Golden Quill]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} He led the first of the Ra Gada wave into what later became known as Hammerfell.{{ref|name=VoF}}{{ref|name=ONTKF|[[Online:Throne Keeper Farvad|Throne Keeper Farvad]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The actions of Frandar Hunding and his son [[Lore:Divad Hunding|Divad]] are sometimes conflated under the shared name of "Hunding".{{ref|name=RGCompanion|{{Cite Book|The Redguard Companion|ns_base=Books}}}}{{rp|62}} "Hunding" is also said to be one of Tall Papa's children.{{ref|name=PGE1H|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Hammerfell}}}}
**A notable manifestation of the HoonDing took place during the [[Lore:Tiber War|Tiber War]], described as taking the form of either a [[Lore:Crowns|crown]] or a [[Lore:Soul Sword|sword]] or both.{{ref|name=VoF}} This refers to the hero [[Lore:Cyrus|Cyrus]] and the soul of [[Lore:A'tor|Prince A'tor]] respectively. Cyrus the Restless was a Redguard hero who led the [[Lore:Stros M'Kai|Stros M'Kai]] uprising against the [[Lore:Third Empire|Third Empire]]'s occupying forces in the closing years of the [[Lore:Second Era|Second Era]].{{ref|name=Redguard|Events of ''[[Redguard:Redguard|Redguard]]''}} Later myths and accounts speak of Cyrus specifically taking the role of the HoonDing.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} One such dubious tale describes Cyrus journeying to Yokuda with his crew to loot a temple to [[Lore:Vivec|Ansu-Gurleht]], during which he met with Yokudan [[Lore:Sword-singers|swordmasters]] who acknowledged his previous victory and lent him a [[Lore:Memory Stone|memory stone]] containing their knowledge of swordsmanship, yet claimed "the HoonDing will not manifest in him in this fight", suggesting his divinity had expired after his former exploits. Despite the claim, Cyrus would awaken holding the blade in his left hand rather than his right and go on to confront Vivec, who would concede the fight with the phrase "I make way", potentially implying Cyrus re-acquired the mantle in their confrontation.{{ref|name=VivecMeeting|group=UOL}}
*[[Lore:Leki|Leki]] is the Yokudan Goddess of aberrant swordsmanship, also known as the Saint of the Spirit Sword.{{ref|name=VoF}} She is considered one of the most popular gods in [[Lore:Hammerfell|Hammerfell]], as well as one of Tall Papa's children.{{ref|name=PGE1H}} She possesses ties to several prominent Redguard swordmasters:
**[[Lore:Makela Leki|Makela Leki]] was a Yokudan hero and [[Lore:Sword-singers|sword-singer]] who lived in the [[Lore:First Era|First Era]], best known for her sacrifice at the Battle of [[Lore:Bangkorai Pass|Bangkorai Pass]]. Makela was one of the few sword-singers capable of summoning the [[Lore:Shehai|Shehai]], or "spirit sword", an ability she possessed since birth and which earned her the title of Sword Saint (Ansei) at the age of eleven.{{ref|name=FTMSOML|{{Cite Book|From The Memory Stone of Makela Leki}}}} Though her connection with the Yokudan Leki isn't known, it is possible she was an incarnation of the goddess, her descendant, or a mortal who mantled her.
**[[Lore:Sai Sahan|Sai Sahan]], a Redguard swordmaster who lived during the 2nd Era, was a member of the [[Lore:Five Companions|Five Companions]] in service of Emperor [[Lore:Varen Aquilarios|Varen Aquilarios]] and hero of several conflicts during the [[Lore:Interregnum|Interregnum]]. Sai Sahan came from a long line of Redguard swordmaster nobles claiming descent from the Yokudan sword-saint Leki herself, and was described as "something more than a mortal man".{{ref|name=ESOVaren}} He dedicated his life to reviving the lost Yokudan art of sword-singing,{{ref|name=CotFC}} and was the first sword-singer since the First Era to awaken the Shehai,{{ref|name=SaiShehai|[[Online:Red Eagle's Song|Red Eagle's Song]] quest in ''[[ON:Online|ESO]]''}} a feat thought impossible or even fictional by his contemporaries.{{ref|name=HirelingAbnab|[[Online:Hireling (Enchanting)/Correspondence|Correspondence]] with [[Online:Abnab|Abnab al-Babnab]]}}{{ref|name=EGTHammerfell|{{Cite Book|EGT|Hammerfell}}}}
*[[Lore:Sai|Sai]] is the God of Luck. He was born a mortal and had the talent to spread luck to others, but not to himself. He became a soldier, but he was killed in his first battle just as it was won. [[Lore:Ebonarm|Ebonarm]] appeared to him, and offered him immortality if he agreed to spread his luck around. He said the gods were overworked seeing to events, and thought that Sai's inborn talent would balance things out. He readily agreed, and he was told that he could keep his body for a time before it began to fade.{{ref|name=PIX|{{Cite Book|King Edward, Part IX}}}}
*[[Lore:Mecinar|Mecinar]] was a [[Lore:Clockwork Apostle|Clockwork Apostle]] of [[Lore:Sotha Sil|Sotha Sil]] who was banished by the Clockwork God for his cruel ambition. In the Fourth Era, he returned to the [[Lore:Clockwork City|Clockwork City]] to claim godhood for himself by tapping into the power of the [[Lore:Mechanical Heart|Mechanical Heart]],{{ref|name=MerTri|[[Legends:Mecinar (character)|Mecinar]]'s dialogue during [[Legends:Mecinar Triumphant|Mecinar Triumphant]] in ''[[Legends:Legends|Legends]]: [[Legends:Return to Clockwork City|Return to Clockwork City]]''}} a backup imitation of the Heart of Lorkhan created by Sotha Sil to sustain the city after the original had been lost to [[Lore:Dagoth Ur|Dagoth Ur]].{{ref|[[Legends:Sotha Sil (character)|Sotha Sil]]'s dialogue in the mission [[Legends:The Red Mountain|The Red Mountain]] in ''[[Legends:Legends|Legends]]: [[Legends:Return to Clockwork City|Return to Clockwork City]]''}} Mecinar was said to have successfully achieved his goal, briefly acquiring the godhood he desired by tapping into the Heart with imitation versions of the [[Lore:Kagrenac's Tools|Tools of Kagrenac]].{{ref|name=MerTri}}
**An individual known as the [[Lore:Forgotten Hero|Forgotten Hero]] was said to have defeated Mecinar, though the versions of how this may have happened differ wildly. In one telling, the Hero was able to cut off Mecinar's power by destroying the Mechanical Heart.{{ref|[[Legends:Kellen|Kellen]]'s dialogue during [[Legends:The City Falls|The City Falls]] in ''[[Legends:Legends|Legends]]: [[Legends:Return to Clockwork City|Return to Clockwork City]]''}} In another, the Hero tapped into the Heart using the imitation Tools themselves, challenging Mecinar as a fellow god. In this version, it said the Hero's physical form perished after killing Mecinar, but their consciousness was thought to have lived on in the Clockwork City itself.{{ref|[[Legends:Galyn|Galynl]]'s dialogue in the mission [[Legends:Chamber of Lorkhan|Chamber of Lorkhan]] in ''[[Legends:Legends|Legends]]: [[Legends:Return to Clockwork City|Return to Clockwork City]]''}}{{ref|[[Legends:Kellen|Kellen]]'s dialogue during [[Legends:Journey's End|Journey's End]] in ''[[Legends:Legends|Legends]]: [[Legends:Return to Clockwork City|Return to Clockwork City]]''}}
*[[Lore:Rajhin|Rajhin the Purring Liar]] is the Thief god of the Khajiiti people.{{ref|name=TSSR|{{Cite Book|The Seven Shadows of Rajhin, Pt. 1}}}} As a mortal, Rajhin stole the Ring of Khajiiti from [[Lore:Mephala|Mafala]] after he seduced the Daedra by appealing to her vanity and taking her to bed. Rajhin used the Ring of Khajiiti's powers to grasp the spark of godhood and become a deity.{{ref|name=ESOTGT|{{Cite Book|The Thief God's Treasures}}}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:LG-quest-Journey's End 01.jpg|The Forgotten Hero as a God
File:ON-npc-Indaenir 04.jpg|The Silvenar being resurrected
File:GEN-misc-Reman Cyrodiil.jpg|A sketch of Reman Cyrodiil
File:MW-book-Egg Of Time p4.jpg|An illustration from ''The Egg of Time''
File:SR-npc-Septimus Signus 03.jpg|Septimus ascending... before turning to dust
File:ON-memento-Discourse Amaranthine.jpg|A vision of Hermaeus Mora summoned by reading "Discourse Amaranthine"
</gallery>

==Notes==
*{{LNote|nb1|^1|In his statement in ''Where Were You When the Dragon Broke?'', Mannimarco speaks on several historical Dragon Breaks as though they were one continuous event happening in the Untimes, making references to individual figures whom he claimed were in the Dragon Break with him but could not have been physically present within the Middle Dawn.{{ref|name=WWYDB}} He goes on to claim that the one to break the Dragon in the first place was the "High King of Alinor" - an allusion to Auriel, sometimes termed "the Alinor Dragon",{{ref|group=UOL|name=VBOH}} who is attested to have ruled Alinor during the Middle Merethic Era, coinciding with events such as the Velothi Exodus.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=AurbicEnigma}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=1EraTL|group=UOL}} Given that the earliest attested Untime event referenced in the text was the Red Moment, happening nearly a thousand years later in 1E 667, it is possible that Auriel was responsible for the first Dragon Break in history.}}
* In a response to a question about ''The Elder Scrolls'' franchise being "all a dream", former Bethesda developer [[General:Michael Kirkbride|Michael Kirkbride]] said that treating the universe as simply somebody's dream was missing the point. He likened achieving CHIM to lucid dreaming. Kirkbride said to "consider your lucid dreams", and called CHIM "Divine Hypnagogia".{{ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} Lucid dreaming is when somebody realizes they are in a dream and is commonly related with the ability to control the dream in some way. Hypnagogia is described as the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep, during which lucid dreams may occur. This is also how Vivec, as well as Dagoth Ur and Ascended Sleepers, describes their divinity to the Nerevarine.{{ref|name=MWVehk}}
*The phrase "As Above, So Below" is often used by various sources to describe mantling and the duality of mortals and gods as a whole.{{ref|name=WWYDB}}{{Ref|name=36L6}}{{ref|name=CM|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 41: Celestial Style}}}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|}} This quote is a paraphrase of a [[wikipedia:As above, so below|lengthier verse from the Emerald Tablet]], a real-world esoteric text which describes the principles of hermetic alchemy, with the second verse in particular explicating the connection between the microcosm and the macrocosm.

==See Also==
===Books===
* {{Book Link|The 36 Lessons of Vivec}}
* {{Book Link|The Monomyth}}
* {{Book Link|Mythic Dawn Commentaries}}
* {{Book Link|Spirit of Nirn, God of Mortals}}
* {{Book Link|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}
* {{Book Link|The Illusion of Death}}
* {{Book Link|The Song of Pelinal}}
* {{Book Link|Remanada}}
* {{Book Link|The Egg of Time}}
* {{Book Link|Divine Metaphysics}}
* {{Book Link|Ark'ay The God}}
* {{Book Link|Varieties of Faith...}}
* {{Book Link|Arcturian Heresy}}
* {{Book Link|The Talos Mistake}}

==References==
<references/>
{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>
{{Lore Appendices}}</noinclude>

Lore:The Towers

2026-02-07T05:14:26Z

Minor Edits: /* White-Gold */ .

<noinclude>{{Trail|Appendices/Magic}}[[Category:Lore-All Terms]][[File:OBR-place-White Gold Tower.jpg|thumb|right|White-Gold, one of the Towers]]{{About|the metaphysical structures|the constellation|[[Lore:The Tower|The Tower]]}}{{TOCright}}</noinclude>
{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none; margin-left:0|''Well, some think that the White-Gold Tower—and some other towers around Tamriel—help, well, hold the world up, or something like that. Others believe that before the Dragon broke, the tower helped protect us from invasion from Oblivion'' [...] ''They help keep Mundus—the World—from dissolving back into Oblivion. Or something like that. Anyway, everyone seems to agree it has power, but no one knows exactly what kind.''|Prince [[Lore:Attrebus Mede|Attrebus Mede]], ''[[Books:The Infernal City|The Infernal City]]''}}
'''The Towers''' are ancient structures on [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]] which date back to as early as the end of the [[Lore:Dawn Era|Dawn Era]]. They are immensely powerful, and are responsible for the stabilization of [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]] as well as a wide array of other fantastical functions. The Towers are capable of causing extreme alterations in reality that can result in [[Lore:Dragon Break|Dragon Breaks]].{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}}
<noinclude>
==The Metaphysical Tower==
The Towers of Nirn are magical and physical echoes of [[#Ada-Mantia|Ada-Mantia]] which are believed to strengthen and reinforce the structures of Mundus.{{ref|name=TIC|{{Cite Book|The Infernal City}}}} The Towers are said to be idols modeled off of the metaphysical Tower,{{ref|name=36L21|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 21}}}} and understanding both is necessary to understand either.{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}}

===The Wheel===
The Wheel is the structure of the [[Lore:Aurbis|Aurbis]]. The Spokes are "eight components of chaos", believed to be referring to the [[Lore:Divines|Divines]] and the Aurbis. They are the "[[Lore:Planets|lent bones]]" (i.e. [[Lore:Ehlnofey|Earth Bones]]) of the [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]], those who formed the earth upon which mortals tread and gave them the blending of the primordial forces of [[Lore:Anu|Anu]] and Padomay: "static change" or [[Lore:Akatosh|Time]]. Outside the spokes is the Aurbis,{{ref|name=36L21|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 21}}}} though this is probably better understood in context as [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]], the spirit realm, the rim of the Wheel.

The spaces between the Spokes are [[Lore:Oblivion|Oblivion]], the realms of the [[Lore:Daedric Princes|Daedric Princes]]. Mundus is the Wheel's hub.{{ref|name=36L21}}

===The Secret===
The Tower represents an objective view of reality, and those trying to follow [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan's]] path attempt to achieve this view without sacrificing their own sense of agency and personhood. If a mortal is successful in observing the Tower, they can achieve [[Lore:CHIM|CHIM]].{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Thief Goes to Cyrodiil|ns_base=GEN}}}}

The [[Lore:Aurbis|Aurbis]] is often depicted in the form of the Wheel. Turned on its side, it can be viewed as a Tower.{{ref|name=36L21|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 21}}}} At the center of the Wheel of Aurbis, lies a smaller circle, [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]], or "Nirn", which is considered the heart of all creation. The Secret, when viewed from the side, is revealed to be a Tower as well.{{ref|name=OTDOTS|{{Cite Book|On the Detachment of the Sheath}}}} This is known as the "I", or the "Secret Tower". The [[Lore:White-Gold Tower|White-Gold Tower]] and all others are built to emulate this "Tower" depiction of the Aurbis.{{ref|name=36L21|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 21}}}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Thief Goes to Cyrodiil|ns_base=GEN}}}} Mundus is a reflection of the Wheel as a whole, being its hub (The Center). Mortals, living within this 'hub', are able to perceive the Tower within Mundus without leaving the 'Wheel'.

Those who reach a true understanding on the nature of the universe, the nature of the Tower, are sometimes said to know a "Right Reaching".{{ref|name=OTDOTS}}{{ref|name=36L21}}{{ref|name=TIOD|{{Cite Book|The Illusion of Death}}}} [[Lore:Vivec|Vivec]] also wrote of the "secret triangular gate" of the [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart of Lorkhan]] through which mortals could perceive the secret Tower.{{ref|name=36L21}}

Those who take a favorable view of the creation of the mortal plane assert that Lorkhan came up with this idea so that others could find what he did.{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}} Lorkhan's motivations for this have been heavily disputed throughout history.{{ref|name=SONGOM|{{Cite Book|Spirit of Nirn, God of Mortals}}}} All agree that he failed,{{ref|name=TM}} but some assert that he sabotaged his experiment with the Tower intentionally so that others would know how to avoid doing so.{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL}}

==The Towers of Nirn==
{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none; margin-left:0|''The Aldmeri or Merethic Elves were singular of purpose only so long as it took them to realize that other Towers, with their own Stones, could tell different stories'' [...]|''[[Lore:Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree]]''}}

According to legend, when the Aedra undertook the creation of Mundus, the physical flesh of [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]] was hung on a skeleton of joints, which are known as the Earth Bones. Each of them radiated a palpable reality. The Adamantine Tower was erected for Convention atop one of these joint-points.{{ref|name=SCAS}}

During the Merethic Era, the Aldmeri devised a way for "{{Lore Link|Variorum Architects}}" to inscribe rules for new Towers. They self-refracted, with different groups following different Towers and Stones, resulting in the proliferation of the Towers which are known today,{{ref|name=AE4TET|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}} each of them built on other "joint-points".{{ref|name=SCAS}} These legends suggest that while time was linear in the Merethic Era, it was not singular: by building their own Tower, each group could create their own narrative, distinct but equal to those around it. And so, the Towers did their "Dance",{{ref|name=AE4TET}} each harnessing their own reality and making it conform to their desires. It is speculated that the Towers will conform their spheres of reality according to the desires of whomever claims them; this is offered as a possible explanation for an apparent climate change in [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]].{{ref|name=SCAS}}

The Towers exist apart from ordinary space and time.{{ref|name=ESOCelarus|[[ON:Loremaster Celarus|Loremaster Celarus]]' dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|Summerset]]''}} Each Tower has, for the most part, its own unique appearance and abilities. Some Towers are meticulously crafted reflections of Ada-Mantia, as is the case with White-Gold.{{ref|name=BOTZ}} Others, like Crystal-Like-Law, took a more liberal approach to their designs. Some Towers are even natural formations, such as Snow Throat.{{ref|Appearance of the Throat of the World in ''[[SR:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} Some, though echoes of Ada-Mantia, are considered refutations of that Tower, at least one ([[#Walk-Brass|Walk-Brass]]) to such a great degree that it apparently refuted itself into nonexistence.{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}}

Every Tower has its Stone.{{ref|name=AE4TET}} They are magical and physical echoes of Ada-Mantia's Zero Stone, by which a Tower might focus its energy to mold creation.{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}} While Aetherius is the source of "creatia", accessing the spirit realm is difficult and requires great expenditures.{{ref|name=PGE3Arena|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Arena Supermundus}}}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}} Therefore, the general rule is that Stones cultivate creatia indirectly, borrowing surplus creatia which has washed into Oblivion from Aetherius. The Stones then graft this creatia to the terrestrial domain of their respective Towers.{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}}

"Tower Lore" is notoriously riddled with scholarly disagreement and controversy.{{ref|name=SCAS|{{Cite Book|Subtropical Cyrodiil: A Speculation}}}} Much of the lore surrounding the subject is thought to be muddled by lies and misinterpretations.{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}} Below are the most well-known of the Towers of Nirn, though it's possible others may exist. In some instances, a Tower's physical avatar within Mundus has been inferred.{{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}}

[[File:ON-place-Isle of Balfiera.jpg|thumb|right|The Adamantine Tower]]
===Ada-Mantia===
{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none; margin-left:0|''[A]s the world congealed into reality, the Gods made a great tower to discuss how best to proceed with the making of Mundus. The physical, temporal, spiritual, and magical elements of Nirn were set at this Convention, and the tower itself remained behind even as some of the Gods disappeared into Aetherius. Today it is the Adamantine Tower on the little island of Balfiera between High Rock and Hammerfell in the Iliac Bay. That such a humanoid structure remains the sole footprint of the Aedra speaks perhaps of the essentially mortal nature of our world.''|''[[Lore:Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition/All the Eras of Man|Pocket Guide to the Empire, Third Edition]]''}}

The tower on the [[Lore:Balfiera|Isle of Balfiera]] is known by many names: Tower Zero,{{ref|name=BOTZ|[[Online:Beacon of Tower Zero|Beacon of Tower Zero]] furnishing name, appearance and Codex entries in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Adamantine, Ada-Mantia,{{ref|name=AE4TET}} Direnni,{{ref|name=TOA|{{Cite Book|Tower of Adamant}}}} and the Ur-Tower{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}} are but a few. It was the site of [[Lore:Convention|Convention]], and is the single oldest building in all the known world.{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}} Legend holds that linear time began around the tower - which defined the structure of reality within its vicinity{{ref|name=AE4TET}} - and spread from there in a stepped fashion.{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}} It was this tower which would be emulated across Tamriel.{{ref|name=AE4TET}} Architects have noted that building a tower to its proportions should not be possible.{{ref|name=TOA}}

Ada-Mantia's Stone is the Zero Stone, which is still within the Foundation Vault of the tower.{{ref|name=AE4TET}} It is undoubtedly filled with immense power, but has remained inert and immutable throughout history despite attempts by some of the greatest mages in history to unravel its secrets.{{ref|name=Once|{{Cite Book|Once}}}} It was through this Stone that the powers of Ada-Mantia at Convention determined the spread of creation and their parts in it.{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}}

Convention consisted of two known decisions: the judgment of Lorkhan, and the decision of the et'Ada to either leave Mundus or stay.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}} The apex of Ada-Mantia is where [[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]] is said to have slain Lorkhan, impaled his Heart on an arrow, and launched it across the world.{{ref|name=TOA}}{{ref|name=TM}} The [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]] elected to make their exit from mortal affairs, "leaving the terrestrial sphere in their excess, for its own good", due to the danger their continued presence posed to the mortal world, which was rendered highly unstable, and even to the timeless continuity of existence. With the departure of [[Lore:Magic|magic]] in the mythic sense, linear history could finally begin, and the Dawn Era ended.{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}} Even after the Aedra departed, Ada-Mantia continued to dictate reality in its vicinity, bringing unrelenting order to the chaos of the Dawn.{{ref|name=AE4TET}}

A different view of the events of Convention is present in the beliefs of the [[Lore:Mythic Dawn|Mythic Dawn]]. According to them, the mortal world was actually the Oblivion [[Lore:Planes of Existence|plane]] of Lorkhan, who was actually a [[Lore:Daedric Prince|Daedric Prince]]. Per this belief, the Aedra, the gods mortals generally worship, were actually Lorkhan's betrayers, who stole the realm from its true deity and intentionally split Lorkhan's progeny from their divine sparks, so that they themselves would be viewed as the sole exit from the current world. [[Lore:Mankar Camoran|Mankar Camoran]] names this the "First Tower Dictate", which he describes as ''"render the mutant bound where he may do no more harm. As God of the Mundus, alike shall be his progeny, split from their divine sparks. We are Eight time eight Exarchs. Let the home of Padomay see us as sole exit"''.{{ref|name=Camoran|[[Oblivion:Mankar Camoran|Mankar Camoran]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}{{Ref|name=Commentaries|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries}}}}{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}}{{ref|name=MDC3}}

The façade has changed over the years, but the core of the tower has remained entirely the same: a single great, seamless, impregnable spire of ageless metal which is at least half-embedded in the ground.{{ref|name=PGE1High|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|High Rock}}}} It is entirely smooth, except for one point known as the Argent Aperture which is thought to be a door. Adjacent to the Zero Stone, this door has a lock of thirteen slowly counter-rotating rings. It has never been opened.{{ref|name=Once}}

[[File:ON-place-Red Mountain.jpg|thumb|right|The Red Tower of Vvardenfell]]

===Red Tower===
{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none; margin-left:0|''The vast Volcano of Tamriel, this giant mountain dominates the north of Morrowind. It is a small continent all to itself, riven from the rest of Morrowind by the remains of a colossal crater'' [...] ''Legend attributes its birth to the fall of a god to earth'' [...]|''[[Lore:Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition/Morrowind|Pocket Guide to the Empire, First Edition]]''}}
When the Merethic elves took their own paths, the [[Lore:Chimer|Chimer]] followed Red-Heart.{{ref|name=AE4TET}} When the Heart of Lorkhan fell to the ground in what is modern-day [[Lore:Morrowind|Morrowind]], [[Lore:Red Mountain|Red Mountain]] (also known as the Red Tower) rose around it, the second of the Towers whose creation can be directly attributed to the Aedra themselves.{{ref|name=TM}}

Auri-El launched the Heart of Lorkhan across the world because he could not destroy it. It is the Heart of the World, and merely laughed at his efforts. As the Aedra sought to leave the world for its own good at [[Lore:Convention|Convention]], the raw power of the Heart was essential in order for the world to survive in their absence.{{ref|name=TM}} The Dwemer found the Heart buried deep beneath the mountain, and High Craftlord [[Lore:Kagrenac|Kagrenac]] sought to harness its power in the building of a mechanical god for the Dwemer.{{ref|name=TBORM|{{Cite Book|The Battle of Red Mountain}}}} This is where the story of the Tower of [[#Walk-Brass|Walk-Brass]] begins.

Using Kagrenac's achievements, four Chimer eventually tapped into the power of the Heart: the [[Lore:Tribunal|Tribunal]] of [[Lore:Almalexia|Almalexia]], [[Lore:Sotha Sil|Sotha Sil]], and Vivec wielded the divine power of the Heart for thousands of years for the benefit of their people.{{ref|name=TBORM}} Their former compatriot, [[Lore:Dagoth Ur|Dagoth Ur]], awoke beneath the mountain circa {{Year|2E 882}}. Dagoth Ur would eventually succeed in hoarding the power of the Heart of Lorkhan for himself, and the Tribunal would lose access to the stone of Red Mountain entirely.{{ref|name=DAP|{{Cite Book|Dagoth Ur's Plans}}}}

However, with the fulfillment of the [[Lore:Nerevarine|Nerevarine Prophecies]] in {{Year|3E 427}}, Kagrenac's bindings upon the Heart were destroyed: the Heart of the World was set free. All who had stolen power from it lost their divine spark, and the threat Dagoth Ur posed to Tamriel was quickly eliminated.{{ref|name=Morrowind|Events of ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}

===White-Gold===
[[File:OBR-place-White Gold Tower.jpg|thumb|right|The White-Gold Tower]]
{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none; margin-left:0|''But of all the Prismatic Mer, none were more presumptuous than the Ayleids of the Heartland. They built their tower in open emulation of Ada-Mantia, using as Founding-Stone the great red diamond they had uncovered: Chim-el-Adabal'' [...]|''[[Lore:Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree]]''}}

The [[Lore:Ayleid|Ayleid]]s built their [[Lore:White Gold Tower|White Gold Tower]] to reflect Tower Zero, [[#Ada-Mantia|Ada-Mantia]], in the center of Tamriel, in order to best echo and even amplify Ada-Mantia's mystical properties.{{ref|name=SCAS}} They used the [[Lore:Amulet of Kings|Chim-el-Adabal]] as their Stone, as it was purportedly the crystallized blood from the Heart of Lorkhan which fell to the ground as the Heart sailed over the [[Lore:Heartlands|Heartlands]]. Through their powerful machinations, their tower of White-Gold became Tower One (though history records that [[#Crystal-Like-Law|Crystal-Like-Law]] was erected before the White Gold Tower).{{ref|name=AE4TET}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}} It has also been called simply the '''White Tower'''.{{ref|name=TBOTD}} The Ayleids' purpose in building their Tower was to counteract the spiritual bleeding from Mundus caused by the [[Lore:Convention|Convention]] at Ada-Mantia, to make a focus point for reuniting the mortal realm with the divine. To this end, they entered into a pact with the Daedric Princes to harvest castaway creatia from the Void.{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}}

It is noteworthy that the Ayleids built more than just the central tower: with eight lesser towers forming a ring around White-Gold, the Ayleids had built their own Wheel, which apparently gave the Tower of White-Gold a power over creatia unlike any other Tower. This special power also made White-Gold especially dangerous, for if the Ayleids succeeded in making their own Wheel, their own microcosm within a microcosm, then if and when it was meddled with, the consequences could prove absolutely disastrous.{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}} Indeed, some scholars believe that, were enough [[Lore:Tel Var Stones|Tel Var Stones]], used by the Ayleids as substitutes for the Zero Stone, to be removed from the Tower's walls, Creation could be undone and the Mundus could dissolve into Oblivion.{{ref|name=ONPhrastus|[[Online:Phrastus of Elinhir|Phrastus of Elinhir]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The Tower's role as a focus of mystical power meant that it being pulled into Oblivion during the [[Lore:Planemeld|Planemeld]], could have resulted in the rest of Tamriel being pulled in with it.{{ref|name=WhiteGold|[[Online:White-Gold Tower|White-Gold Tower]] loading scren in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

Thus the [[Lore:Empire|Imperial]] Throne Room at the base of the White-Gold Tower is one of the most important metaphysical foci in all of Mundus, so much so it could almost be said to exist adjacent to all time and space in Aedric creation.{{ref|name=TimeLost|[[ON:Time-Lost Throne Room|Time-Lost Throne Room]] loading screen in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} The White-Gold Tower itself is said to exist on a level beyond the physical, existing apart or detached from time.{{ref|name=ESOCelarus|[[ON:Loremaster Celarus|Loremaster Celarus]]' dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|Summerset]]''}} The nature of the Tower and its Time-Lost Throne Room allows it to serve as a catalyst for the use of powerful [[Lore:Time Magic|Time Magic]], with the Ayleids having invented a ritual that could rewrite time through the use of the [[Lore:Staff of Towers|Staff of Towers]] in conjuction with the Tower throne room. The ritual is highly dangerous, as it has the potential to create an "impossibly dense Aurbic gyre" of power that could create a new [[Lore:Dragon Break|Dragon Break]], or a catastrophe even worse than that.{{ref|name=ESOCelarus|[[ON:Loremaster Celarus|Loremaster Celarus]]' dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|Summerset]]''}}{{ref|name=ESOJosajeh|[[Online:Josajeh|Josajeh]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Summerset (Chapter)|Summerset]]''.}}{{ref|name=Augur of the Obscure|[[ON:Augur of the Obscure|Augur of the Obscure]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=TowersFall|Events of [[ON:The Towers' Fall|The Towers' Fall]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

In {{Year|1E 243}}, the [[Lore:Alessian Slave Rebellion|Alessian Slave Rebellion]] came to a head, and the armies of man, led by [[Lore:Morihaus|Morihaus]], took the White Gold Tower.{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}{{ref|name=PGE3All|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|All the Eras of Man}}}} Though the Ayleids lost their Tower, it did not fall. Rather, the legend of Saint [[Lore:Alessia|Alessia]] and her new Covenant with [[Lore:Akatosh|Akatosh]] began. It is said that her rebellion was blessed by Akatosh, who looked with pity upon the plight of her people. He drew his own blood and blessed Alessia with it, forging their pact: so long as Alessia's generations were true to the [[Lore:Dragonborn|dragon blood]], Akatosh would endeavor to seal tight the {{Lore Link|Oblivion Gates|Gates of Oblivion}} and deny the armies of Daedra and undead to their enemies. In token of this Covenant, Akatosh gave to Alessia and her descendants the [[Lore:Amulet of Kings|Amulet of Kings]] (whose centerpiece was the Chim-el Adabal), as well as the [[Lore:Dragonfires|Dragonfires]] of the [[Lore:Imperial City|Imperial City]]. So long as the [[Lore:Empire|Empire]] maintained its worship of Akatosh and his kin, and so long as Alessia's heirs bore the Amulet of Kings, Akatosh and his divine kin would maintain a strong barrier protecting the mortal plane.{{ref|name=TAOK|{{Cite Book|The Amulet of Kings}}}}

Mortals did not always prove capable of holding to this Covenant. During the [[Lore:Interregnum|Interregnum]] in the [[Lore:Second Era|Second Era]], the Amulet of Kings had no master, with devastating results for all of Tamriel.{{ref|name=ESO|Events of [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Around {{Year|2E 582}}, servants of [[Lore:Molag Bal|Molag Bal]] removed many [[Lore:Tel Var Stones|Tel Var Stones]] from the Tower, weakening it, before their Prince's attack on Tamriel could be thwarted.{{ref|[[Online:Phrastus of Elinhir|Phrastus of Elinhir]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} But an age later, servants of a different Prince, [[Lore:Mehrunes Dagon|Mehrunes Dagon]], brought about the [[Lore:Oblivion Crisis|Oblivion Crisis]] by slaying the Emperor and any other who could lay claim to the Amulet, until all that was left was [[Lore:Martin Septim|Martin Septim]], the slain Emperor's bastard son. As Dagon and his armies rained devastation down upon the Imperial City to thwart his coronation, Martin ended the Crisis by forging a new agreement between mortals and the gods, again written in blood — this time, his own. He shattered the Amulet of Kings, transforming himself into an avatar of Akatosh and vanquishing Dagon, jettisoning the Prince of Destruction back into Oblivion.{{ref|name=LTD|Events of [[Oblivion:Light the Dragonfires|Light the Dragonfires]] in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} With the Amulet gone, the Dragonfires quenched, and the last Dragonblood Emperor dead, the barrier to Oblivion is sealed forever.{{ref|name=TOC|{{Cite Book|The Oblivion Crisis}}}} At the cost of his own life, Martin ensured that the [[Lore:Daedric Princes|Daedric Princes]] would never again tread upon the mortal realm.{{ref|name=OBInterview|group=UOL|[[Oblivion:Fan Interview IV|Interview with Todd Howard]]}}

===Crystal-Like-Law===
[[File:ON-place-Crystal Tower.jpg|thumb|right|Crystal-Like Law]]{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none; margin-left:0|''I stood transfixed as the heart of my homeland was torn as if from my own breast. The unthinkable, the incomprehensible... the tower of Crystal-Like-Law cast to the ground, with all the dignity of a beggar meeting an iron-clad fist. An eternity I watched, trying to reconcile what I knew with what I saw.''|''[[Lore:Rising Threat|Rising Threat]]''}}
The [[Lore:Crystal Tower|Crystal Tower]] was one of the first towers erected in emulation of [[#Ada-Mantia|Ada-Mantia]], possibly the very first.{{ref|name=BTAOM}} In erecting Crystal-Like-Law, the elves of [[Lore:Summerset Isle|Summerset Isle]] sought to focus on "dracochrysalis", or keeping elder magic bound before it could change into something lesser (an act which, ironically, required aetherial surplus).{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}} The Crystal Tower was a manifestation of ancient magic and a symbol for the Altmer. It protected Summerset, and connected every reality by existing in every planar realm at the same time. [[Lore:Sotha Sil|Sotha Sil]] theorized that it functioned as a doorway or watchtower, and described it as the "key to omnipresence".{{ref|name=SothaNA|[[Online:Sotha Sil|Sotha Sil]]'s dialogue during [[Online:A Necessary Alliance|A Necessary Alliance]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The [[Lore:Sapiarchs|Sapiarchs]], Summerset's greatest sages, served as the Tower's curators.{{ref|name=ESOIachesisTS|[[Online:Ritemaster Iachesis|Ritemaster Iachesis]]' dialogue during [[Online:The Tower Sentinels|The Tower Sentinels]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

The white interior of the tower was said to radiate light.{{ref|name=KE|{{Cite Book|King Edward}}}} The Stone of Crystal-Like-Law is [[Lore:Transparent Law|Transparent Law]], a large red crystal which sits at the top of the Tower and serves as the source of its power, anchoring the Tower to other realities.{{ref|name=SothaNA}} Transparent law was theorized by one of the Sapiarchs to be a fragment of divinity given physical substance. It was thought to absorb the "drive for perfection that marks the Altmer" and reflect it back thus "driving away any imperfections that would weaken or endanger the island". {{ref|name=tCotT|{{Cite Book|The Crystal of the Tower}}}} Embedded within Transparent Law is a smaller gem called the Heart of Transparent Law, which is said to awaken a dark urge to seize it for themselves in those who look upon it.{{ref|name=replica|[[Online:Replica of The Heart of Transparent Law|Replica of the Heart of Transparent Law]] description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}. If the Heart of Transparent Law is removed from the crystal, the protection provided by the Tower slowly weakens. At some point in the early Second Era, the Psijic Ritemaster [[Lore:Iachesis|Iachesis]] was compelled to steal the Heart from the Crystal Tower.{{ref|name=ESOIachesisBM|[[Online:Ritemaster Iachesis|Ritemaster Iachesis]]' dialogue during [[Online:Buried Memories|Buried Memories]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} An [[Lore:The Vestige|outsider]] used the divine power of the Dawnbreaker to reforge it in {{Year|2E 582}}.{{ref|name=ESOTCT|Events of [[Online:The Crystal Tower|The Crystal Tower]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} For the people of Summerset, the tower was the heart of their homeland, a heart which was ripped out during the Oblivion Crisis. Before Martin Septim could close shut the jaws of Oblivion, the hordes of [[Lore:Daedra|Daedra]] attacking the homeland of the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]] were able to use magic to topple their tower. Crystal-Like-Law had fallen.{{ref|name=RT|{{Cite Book|Rising Threat}}}} However, appearances may be deceiving, for this bastion of sorcery seemingly transcended normal conceptions, existing in many [[Lore:Planes of Existence|planes]] other than Mundus.{{ref|name=ESOIachesisBM}}{{ref|name=ESOTCT}}{{ref|The [[Arena:Crystal Tower|Crystal Tower]] loading screen in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]''}}

===Snow Throat===
[[File:SR-place-Throat of the World.jpg|thumb|right|Snow Throat]]{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none; margin-left:0|''This is the highest mountain in Skyrim, and the highest in Tamriel aside from Vvardenfell in Morrowind. The Nords believe men were formed on this mountain when the sky breathed onto the land. Hence the Song of Return refers not only to Ysgramor's return to Tamriel after the destruction of Saarthal, but to the Nords' return to what they believe was their original homeland.''|''[[Lore:Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition/Skyrim|Pocket Guide to the Empire, First Edition]]''}}
Snow Throat, or the Snow Tower,{{ref|name=TBOTD|{{Cite Book|The Book of the Dragonborn}}}} is represented in the [[Lore:Throat of the World|Throat of the World]]. Its apex is said to be only "half here",{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}} and its Stone is thought to be a cave.{{ref|name=MKIRC|group=UOL}} It was here that many significant historical and mythical events for the Nordic people took place, not the least of which is [[Lore:Kyne|Kyne]] purportedly creating mankind at its summit.{{Ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}

In the late Merethic Era, the [[Lore:Dragon War|Dragon War]] was ended atop the Throat of the World when three proto-Nordic warriors utilized an [[Lore:Elder Scrolls|Elder Scroll]] atop Snow-Throat to cast the dragon god [[Lore:Alduin|Alduin]] out of the world.{{ref|name=Skyrim|Events of ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} This action resulted in the creation of a Time Wound, or "Tiid-Ahraan", at the peak, which the turncoat dragon [[Lore:Paarthurnax|Paarthurnax]] guarded against for when Alduin inevitably returned.{{Ref|name=Paarthurnax|[[SR:Paarthurnax (dragon)|Paarthurnax]]'s dialogue in ''[[SR:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} Eventually, [[Lore:Jurgen Windcaller|Jurgen Windcaller]] would come to the summit in the early First Era and built [[Lore:High Hrothgar|High Hrothgar]], a monastery for individuals to contemplate the nature of the universe and peacefully master their [[Lore:Thu'um|thu'um's]].{{ref|name=PGE1S|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Skyrim}}}}

"[[Lore:The Book of the Dragonborn|The Prophecy of the Dragonborn]]", which is usually attributed to the [[Lore:Elder Scrolls|Elder Scrolls]] (though it's sometimes called an [[Lore:Akavir|Akavir]]i prophecy), mentions several other Towers while holding a special significance for Snow Throat:

:''When misrule takes its place at the eight corners of the world 
:''When the [[#Walk-Brass|Brass Tower]] walks and [[Lore:Warp in the West|Time is reshaped]] 
:''When the [[Lore:Tribunal|thrice-blessed]] [[Lore:Nerevarine|fail]] and the [[#Red Tower|Red Tower]] trembles 
:''When the [[Lore:Septim Dynasty|Dragonborn Ruler]] loses his throne, and the [[#White-Gold|White Tower]] falls 
:''When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding 
:''The [[Lore:Alduin|World-Eater]] wakes, and [[#The Wheel|the Wheel]] turns upon the [[Lore:Hero|Last Dragonborn]].

This prophecy is shown on the right-hand side of [[Lore:Sky Haven Temple#Alduin's Wall|Alduin's Wall]] in Sky Haven Temple, where the Snow Tower is depicted as a cracked mountain.

The Prophecy's reference to the Snow Tower has been widely construed as referring to the plight of [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]] during the [[Lore:Stormcloak Rebellion|Stormcloak Rebellion]], wherein High King [[Lore:Torygg|Torygg]] was killed and the province was launched into a bitter civil war. Following this event, Alduin was at last able to re-emerge from the Time Wound and began the process of rebuilding his dragon army. The [[Lore:Last Dragonborn|Last Dragonborn]] would climb the Throat of the World and learn the thu'um the ancient Atmorans used to weaken him through the use of the Time Wound and another Elder Scroll.{{ref|name=Skyrim}}

===Green-Sap===
[[File:ON-place-Elden Root.jpg|thumb|right|The Elden Tree, one of the great Graht Oaks]]{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none; margin-left:0|''As for the Osseous Orrery: can anyone really claim to comprehend the full intentions of Anumaril in his metamorphosis to instrumentality? Do we even know how many axes of circumpenetration its arms rotate through?''|[[Lore:Morian Zenas|Morian Zenas]], ''Commentaries on Beredalmo''{{ref|name=OrreryLoad|[[Online:The Orrery|The Orrery]] [[Online:Loading Screens|loading screen]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}}}
The [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmer]] did not build a Tower; they grew it, a great [[Lore:Graht-oak|graht-oak]] whose roots sprang from a Perchance Acorn. This was their Stone. And because the Acorn might perchance have been elsewhere, thus was Green-Sap manifold and several. Each could walk, and sing their own songs. From the interplay of the manifold Green-Sap, the Bosmer learned the songs which "made the trees dance", and which dances they desired to perform.{{ref|name=AE4TET}} In other words, each Green-Sap was able to sing their own song, tell their own story — create their own reality. And the Bosmer took joy in this, and in picking the song which appealed to them, as it was a reflection of their own nature.

Each Green-Sap was also every Green-Sap. Within each were told all the stories of the Green, with every ending true, though none any truer than another. When the [[Lore:Alessian Slave Rebellion|Alessian Slave Rebellion]] caused the Ayleids to flee Cyrodiil, many of them were welcomed by the Bosmer of [[Lore:Valenwood|Valenwood]], so long as their cousins agreed not to dissonate the greensong of Green-Sap. All agreed to this, save the arch-mage Anumaril.{{ref|name=AE4TET}}

Before the taking of the [[#White-Gold|White Gold Tower]] by [[Lore:Morihaus|Morihaus]] during the [[Lore:Alessian Slave Rebellion|Alessian Slave Rebellion]] in {{Year|1E 243}},{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=PGE3All}} Anumaril created the [[Lore:Staff of Towers|Staff of Towers]], which was composed of eight segments, each one a semblance of a Tower in its Dance. {{Lore Link|White-Gold Knights}} took seven of these segments and carried them off to hide them in distant Fold-Places. Anumaril left with the eighth, disguised as a femur - this was Segment One, a semblance of Tower One, and thus also a reflection of Tower Zero.{{ref|name=AE4TET}}

[[File:ON-place-Heart of Valenwood.jpg|thumb|left|The Valenheart in Hectahame]]
[[File:ON-interior-The Orrery.jpg|thumb|right|The Orrery of Elden Root]]
When Anumaril fled to Valenwood, he still carried with him Segment One. He asked the Great [[Lore:Camoran|Camoran]] to show him Green-Sap, and was brought to one that by happenstance stood then in [[Lore:Elden Root|Elden Root]]. There, he found a Perchance Acorn. To this golden nut, Anumaril showed the segment. For the first time, the greensong knew only one ending. And so, that ending became definite, and the Perchance Acorn became a Definite Acorn. That [[Lore:Elden Tree|Elden Tree]] would not walk again.{{ref|name=AE4TET}} This tree, also called the First Tree, or the Great Tree, is found in the [[Lore:Elden Grove|Elden Grove]]. Life itself seems to be stronger around it,{{ref|name=TBOTGT|{{Cite Book|The Book of the Great Tree}}}} and it is believed to be the tree that seeded all of Valenwood.{{ref|name=ACOV|{{Cite Book|Ayleid Cities of Valenwood}}}} As written in an Ayleid prophecy, "All things to the Tree. From the Tree, all things".{{ref|name=TBOTGT}}

Using his dentition as tonal instruments, Anumaril dismantled his bones and built of them a Mundus-machine that mirrored Nirn and its planets. And when he had used all his substance in fangling this orrery, the Orrery of Elden Root, he placed the segment-sceptre within, hiding it between the Moons. Through these efforts, he had hoped to convert Green-Sap into White-Gold, and thereby remake the Ayleids' realm. But Anumaril's plan went awry for reasons he could not have anticipated. His Ayleid magic was concerned with "Will, and Shall, and Must—but under Green-Sap, all is Perchance".{{ref|name=AE4TET}}

According to legend, if any person stepped into the center of this orrery when it was activated, it would reveal their inner self. Prince [[Lore:Naemon|Naemon]], younger brother to Queen [[Lore:Ayrenn|Ayrenn]] of the [[Lore:Aldmeri Dominion|Aldmeri Dominion]], learned this lesson well shortly before his death circa {{Year|2E 582}}. After betraying his sister and entering the orrery, he briefly glimpsed a vision of the White Gold Tower, and then found himself painfully transformed into a large [[Lore:Ogrim|ogrim]]. He flew into a rage and was quickly killed.{{ref|name=ESO}}

Anumaril's plan did not necessarily fail, as his machinations presumably continue. So, while the ending to the story of Green-Sap is determined, that ending still remains a mystery.{{ref|name=AE4TET}}

===Orichalc===
Orichalc is one of the most mysterious of the Towers; little is known beyond the name.{{ref|name=AOD}} Some Redguards venerate [[Lore:Diagna|Diagna]], the "Orichalc God of the Sideways Blade", an avatar of the [[Lore:HoonDing|HoonDing]] which managed to "achieve permanence" and thus entered into the pantheon of the [[Lore:Crowns|Crowns]].{{ref|name=VOFCR|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith, Crown Redguards}}}} The Stone of Orichalc is said to be a sword.{{ref|name=MKIRC|group=UOL}} According to a story, Diagna crashed his fist against The HoonDing Gong and swords fell from the walls of the Orichalc Tower like needles from a dry pine.{{ref|name=LAB|[[Online:Lefthander's Aegis Belt|Lefthander's Aegis Belt]] codex entry in {{g|ESO|highisle}}}} It is suspected that Orichalc was found in [[Lore:Yokuda|Yokuda]], and may have been related to the [[Lore:Lefthanded Elves|Lefthanded Elves]]. With Yokuda thought to have gone underwater, Orichalc is supposedly sunken along with it.{{ref|name=AOD}}

Circa {{Year|2E 582}}, while aiding the [[Lore:Psijic Order|Psijic Order]] in restoring the [[Lore:Staff of Towers|Staff of Towers]], the [[Lore:Augur of the Obscure|Augur of the Obscure]] described it as an "ugly, sunken, long-forgotten [thing]" when the [[Lore:The Vestige|Vestige]] found the fragment associated with this Tower.{{ref|name=AOD|[[Online:Augur of the Obscure|Augur of the Obscure]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} This commentary lends credence to the theory that it sank with Yokuda, although the Augur was regarded by the Psijics as a notorious liar when it was not being asked a direct question.{{ref|[[ON:Josajeh|Josajeh]]'s dialogue during [[Online:The Psijics' Calling|The Psijics' Calling]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

===Walk-Brass===
[[File:MW-book-Divine Metaphysics p3.jpg|thumb|right|Sketch of Walk-Brass]]
In Walk-Brass, also called the Brass Tower and the Brass God, the Dwemer sought to make their own god. Their ambulatory, usually anthropomorphic Tower is better known to most as the [[Lore:Numidium|Numidium]] or Anumidium.{{ref|name=TBOTD}} The book ''[[Lore:Divine Metaphysics|Divine Metaphysics]]'' is an explanation of how the Dwemer planned to make this new god using [[Lore:Kagrenac's Tools|Kagrenac's tools]] and the sacred tones of the Heart of Lorkhan.{{ref|name=MWBaladas|[[Morrowind:Baladas Demnevanni (person)|Baladas Demnevanni]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}

It is thought that Anumidium was meant to be used many times to transcend Nirn. High Craftlord Kagrenac conceived its construction, which required that Dwemer sacrifice their souls to create its body, with the intention of leading them to transcendence and salvation.{{ref|name=PoM|{{Cite Book|People of Morrowind|ns_base=GEN}}}} Kagrenac's plan was interrupted by Dagoth Ur's discovery of his intentions, which led to the [[Lore:Battle of Red Mountain|Battle of Red Mountain]] circa {{Year|1E 700}} wherein all Dwemer on Nirn disappeared.{{ref|name=TBORM}} Misuse of the golem they left behind (which, historically, has proven to be ''every'' known use) is believed to have terrible long-term metaphysical consequences.{{ref|name=WWYDB|{{Cite Book|Where Were You ... Dragon Broke}}}} Some believe that the Numidium is intrinsically evil: a ranking [[Lore:Clockwork Apostles|Clockwork Apostle]] refers to it as the "most profane" of the Dwemer's creations, a "walking horror", the "Antipodal-God-Thing that reigns on the darkest pole of the sacred Nirn-Sphere", and the "welded knot at the center of [[Lore:Anu|Anu]] that must be untied". The Apostles considered the Numidium the greatest threat to [[Lore:Sotha Sil|Sotha Sil]]'s goals of bringing about
the Nirn-Ensuing and the Anuic convergence of Anuvanna'si. Indeed, in the [[Lore:Second Era|Second Era]], the [[Lore:Clockwork City|Clockwork City's]] supervising Factotum, Aios, would name Numidium first among the existential threats to the City.{{ref|name=Aios|[[Online:Aios|Aios]]' dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=TiS5}}

Pieces of the golem, called Numidium, fell into the hands of the Tribunal, who eventually traded them to [[Lore:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]] as part of their [[Lore:Armistice|Armistice]] with the latter's [[Lore:Third Empire|Empire]] in {{Year|2E 896}}. In the town of [[Lore:Rimmen|Rimmen]] in [[Lore:Elsweyr|Elsweyr]], it was slowly reassembled and finally activated.{{ref|name=WWYDB}} Though it was meant to be infused with the Heart of Lorkhan, Tiber's Battlemage [[Lore:Zurin Arctus|Zurin Arctus]] devised a way to create the [[Lore:Mantella|Mantella]] to function as the Numidium's heart.{{ref|name=TAH|{{Cite Book|The Arcturian Heresy}}}} Tiber was able to conquer the whole continent using the Numidium, becoming the first Emperor of Tamriel and ending the Second Era.{{ref|name=TAH}}{{ref|name=MWDarius|[[Morrowind:Darius|Darius]]' dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} The Numidium was used again in {{Year|3E 417}} to bring about the [[Lore:Miracle of Peace|Miracle of Peace]] in the [[Lore:Iliac Bay|Iliac Bay]] region,{{ref|name=Daggerfall|Events of ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}} but it was apparently destroyed in the process.{{ref|name=MWJanand|[[Morrowind:Janand Maulinie|Janand Maulinie]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}

These successes served as inspiration for a new golem, known as [[Lore:Akulakhan|Akulakhan]] or the Second Numidium, which Dagoth Ur was building beneath Red Mountain as part of his plan to drive the foreigners out of Morrowind and then conquer Tamriel. Like Anumidium, Akulakhan was to be powered by the Heart of Lorkhan.{{ref|name=DAP}} When the Nerevarine freed the Heart from Kagrenac's bindings in 3E 427, this Second Numidium was destroyed.{{ref|name=Morrowind}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:MER-Jewelry-Amulet of Kings.jpg|The Chim-el Adabal, the Stone of White-Gold
File:MW-creature-Heart of Lorkhan.jpg|The Heart of Lorkhan, the First Stone
File:ON-place-Crystal Tower 07.jpg|Transparent Law, the Stone of the Crystal Tower
File:ON-place-The Doomcrag 03.jpg|The Doomcrag, a failed Tower, prior to its destruction
File:ON-place-Coral Tower.jpg|The reconstructed [[Lore:Coral Tower (Coldharbour)|Coral Tower]] in Coldharbour
</gallery>

==Notes==
*{{LNote|nb1|^|Due to gaps in the source material and the abstruse nature of the subject, much of the above is based on little more than educated guesswork, notably the Snow Tower's association with the Throat of the World and Orichalc's association with Yokuda.}}
*The [[Lore:Doomcrag|Doomcrag]] in [[Lore:Rivenspire|Rivenspire]] is believed to have been a failed imitation of a Tower.{{ref|name=DoomcragLoad|[[Online:The Doomcrag|The Doomcrag]]'s [[Online:Loading Screens|loading screen]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Telenger|{{Cite Book|Telenger the Artificer Answers Your Questions 2}}}}
*It is unknown whether the [[Lore:Coral Tower (Thras)|Coral Tower]] of [[Lore:Thras|Thras]], destroyed during the invasion of the [[Lore:All-Flags Navy|All-Flags Navy]], was a functional Tower or a failed imitation like the Doomcrag.{{ref|name=FNotS|{{Cite Book|Further Notes on the Sload}}}}
*It is unknown if [[Lore:The Tower|The Tower]], a [[Lore:Constellations|constellation]], is related to the Towers. One source, however, states that it protects Mundus from chaotic, Padomaic influences.{{ref|name=SVotEoT3|group=UOL|[[GEN:Six Views of the Egg of Time, V. III|''Six Views of the Egg of Time, V. III]]''}}
*Shortly after describing Numidium as the "Brass Tower of Vanity",{{ref|name=TiS5|{{Cite Book|The Truth in Sequence: Volume 5}}}} a disciple of [[Lore:Sotha Sil|Sotha Sil]] terms the [[Lore:Clockwork City|Clockwork City]] "Brass-Throat" and the "Oil-Slick Tower of Seamless Assembly" in ''[[Lore:The Truth in Sequence|The Truth in Sequence]]''.{{ref|name=TiS6|{{Cite Book|The Truth in Sequence: Volume 6}}}} Another book by a Clockwork Apostle terms the City "the center of the wheel for Nirn-Ensuing".{{ref|name=TUP|{{Cite Book|The Unseen Potential of Clockwork}}}} Mephala's servant, the former Psijic Earl Leythen, describes the Clockwork City as a "place of power", similar to the Crystal Tower, that can "change the rules of reality and remake the world".{{ref|name=ESOLeythen|[[Online:Earl Leythen|Earl Leythen]]'s dialogue during [[ON:A Necessary Alliance|A Necessary Alliance]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}
* A disciple of the Daedric Prince [[Lore:Mephala|Mephala]] asserts that her Pillar Palace, "whose true name is too awful to be uttered", is a Tower. "Like Nirn", it is said to stand at the center of [[Lore:Spiral Skein|her realm]] surrounded by eight strands that are like spokes.{{ref|name=RotSS|{{Cite Book|Rumors of the Spiral Skein}}}}
* When asked about the Stone of [[Lore:Falinesti|Falinesti]], [[General:Michael Kirkbride|Michael Kirkbride]] said it was "a fruit".{{ref|name=MKIRC|group=UOL|{{TIL|Michael Kirkbride interview|michael-kirkbride-irc-quotes}}, The Imperial Library}}

==See Also==
* {{Book Link|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 21}}
* {{Book Link|The Amulet of Kings}}
* {{Book Link|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}
* {{Book Link|The Book of the Dragonborn}}
* {{Book Link|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}
* {{Book Link|Subtropical Cyrodiil: A Speculation}}
* {{Book Link|Tower of Adamant}}

==References==
<references/>
{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>{{Lore Appendices}}</noinclude>

Skyrim:Elemental Burst

2025-12-05T02:01:28Z

Minor Edits: /* Bugs */

{{CC Header|Arcane Accessories}}[[Category:Skyrim-Arcane Accessories]][[Category:Skyrim-Creation Club-Magic]]{{Spell Summary
|icon=SR-icon-spell-Fire.png
|tomeicon=SR-icon-book-SpellTomeDestruction 02.png
|image=SR-spell-Elemental.jpg
|imgdesc=The projectile and subsequent explosion of an elemental spell
|desc=An elemental explosion for '''30''' points of fire damage, '''30''' points of shock damage, and half as much damage to stamina.
|mod=Arcane Accessories
|school=Destruction
|diff=Adept
|type=Offensive
|cast=Fire and Forget
|delivery=Aimed
|equip=Either Hand
|spellid=FExxx85B
|editorid=ccBGSSSE014_Oblivion_Elemental03Burst
|barter=350 {{Value Icon}}
|tomeid=FExxx864
|cost=96
|charge=0.5 seconds
|duration=0+2 seconds
|area=15 feet
|speed=117.1875 ft/s
|life=4 seconds
|magnitude=30 points
|range=468.75 feet
|found=*[[Skyrim:Hob's Fall Cave|Hob's Fall Cave]]
|purchase=<table class=hiddentable width=100%><tr style="vertical-align:top"><td width=50%>
*[[Skyrim:Enthir|Enthir]]
*[[Skyrim:Faralda|Faralda]]
*[[Skyrim:Farengar Secret-Fire|Farengar Secret-Fire]]
</td><td width=50%>
*[[Skyrim:Madena|Madena]]
*[[Skyrim:Talvas Fathryon|Talvas Fathryon]]
*[[Skyrim:Wuunferth the Unliving|Wuunferth the Unliving]]
</td></tr></table>
}}
'''Elemental Burst''' is an adept level [[Skyrim:Destruction|Destruction]] spell that deals [[Skyrim:Fire Damage|fire]] and [[Skyrim:Shock Damage|shock]] damage, with half as much magic damage being dealt to [[Skyrim:Stamina|stamina]] and half as much shock damage being dealt to [[Skyrim:Magicka|magicka]], over an area, upon projectile impact. The projectile deals fire and stamina damage, and burns targets, dealing 20% of the immediate fire damage and half as much stamina damage over 2 seconds, while the resulting explosion deals shock and magicka damage over 1 second.
{{NewLeft}}
==Effects==
*''[[Skyrim:Elemental Flare (effect)|Elemental Flare]]'', deals 30 points of magic damage (see [[#Bugs|Bugs]]) and 15 points of stamina damage in 15 feet; targets receive a burning effect that lingers, dealing an additional 6 magic damage and 3 stamina damage for 2 seconds.
*''Shock'' (<code>{{ID|FExxx860}}</code>; <code>ccBGSSSE014_HazardShockSpell01</code>), deals 15 points of shock damage and 7.5 points of magicka damage for 1 second.
*Shock damage explosion [[Skyrim:Enchanting Effects|enchantment]] (<code>{{ID|FExxx83F}}</code>; <code>ccBGSSSE014_EnchShockDamageExplosion01</code>), deals 26 points of shock damage and 13 points of magicka damage for 1 second.
With the associated perks unlocked:
*''[[Skyrim:Paralyze (effect)|Deep Freeze Paralyze]]'', paralyzes targets for 3 seconds; if the ''[[Skyrim:Deep Freeze|Deep Freeze]]'' perk has been unlocked.
*''Disintegrate'', deals 200 points of shock damage for 1 second; if the ''[[Skyrim:Disintegrate|Disintegrate]]'' perk has been unlocked.
*''[[Skyrim:Fear (effect)|Intense Flames Rout]]'', demoralizes targets up to level 99 in 15 feet for 15 seconds; if the ''[[Skyrim:Intense Flames|Intense Flames]]'' perk has been unlocked.
*''[[Skyrim:Stagger|Perk Impact Stagger]]'', staggers targets for 0.25 points, upon [[Skyrim:Magic Overview#Dual-Casting|dual-casting]]; if the ''[[Skyrim:Impact|Impact]]'' perk has been unlocked.

==Perks==
*''[[Skyrim:Adept Destruction|Adept Destruction]]'', reduces the spell cost by 50%.
*''[[Skyrim:Aspect of Terror|Aspect of Terror]]'', raises the level that targets can be demoralized to level 109; if both the ''Aspect of Terror'' and ''Intense Flames'' perks have been unlocked.
*''[[Skyrim:Augmented Flames|Augmented Flames]]'' (Rank I), raises the damage dealt by the ''Elemental Flare'' effect to 37.5 points of magic damage and 18.75 points of stamina damage, with 7.5 points of magic damage and 3.75 points of stamina damage being dealt as additional damage for 2 seconds.
*''Augmented Flames'' (Rank II), raises the damage dealt by the ''Elemental Flare'' effect to 45 points of magic damage and 22.5 points of stamina damage, with 9 points of magic damage and 4.5 points of stamina damage being dealt as additional damage for 2 seconds.
*''[[Skyrim:Augmented Frost|Augmented Frost]]'' (Rank I), raises the damage dealt by the ''Elemental Flare'' effect to 37.5 points of magic damage and 18.75 points of stamina damage, with 7.5 points of magic damage and 3.75 points of stamina damage being dealt as additional damage for 2 seconds.
*''Augmented Frost'' (Rank II), raises the damage dealt by the ''Elemental Flare'' effect to 45 points of magic damage and 22.5 points of stamina damage, with 9 points of magic damage and 4.5 points of stamina damage being dealt as additional damage for 2 seconds.
*''[[Skyrim:Augmented Shock|Augmented Shock]]'' (Rank I), raises the damage dealt by the ''Elemental Flare'' effect to 37.5 points of magic damage and 18.75 points of stamina damage, with 7.5 points of magic damage and 3.75 points of stamina damage being dealt as additional damage for 2 seconds. This perk also raises the damage dealt by the ''Shock'' hazard to 18.75 points of shock damage and 9.375 points of magicka damage for 1 second. Moreover, it raises the damage dealt by the shock damage explosion enchantment to 32.5 points of shock damage and 16.25 points of magicka damage for 1 second. In addition, this perk raises the damage dealt by ''Disintegrate'' to 250 points of shock damage for 1 second; if the ''Disintegrate'' perk has been unlocked.
*''Augmented Shock'' (Rank II), raises the damage dealt by the ''Elemental Flare'' effect to 45 points of magic damage and 22.5 points of stamina damage, with 9 points of magic damage and 4.5 points of stamina damage being dealt as additional damage for 2 seconds. This perk also raises the damage dealt by the ''Shock'' hazard to 22.5 points of shock damage and 11.25 points of magicka damage for 1 second. Moreover, it raises the damage dealt by the shock damage explosion enchantment to 39 points of shock damage and 19.5 points of magicka damage for 1 second. In addition, this perk raises the damage dealt by ''Disintegrate'' to 300 points of shock damage for 1 second; if the ''Disintegrate'' perk has been unlocked.
*''[[Skyrim:Destruction Dual Casting|Destruction Dual Casting]]'', increases the spell effectiveness by 2.2x and increases the spell cost by 2.8x; if dual-casted. This raises the damage dealt by the ''Elemental Flare'' effect to 66 points of magic damage and 33 points of stamina damage, with 13.2 points of magic damage and 6.6 points of stamina damage being dealt as additional damage for 2 seconds.

==Notes==
*This is a very powerful spell at adept level. It is essentially a ''Fireball'' that deals 50% more damage, costs much less magicka to cast, and bypasses fire resistance (see [[#Bugs|Bugs]]). It is also affected by all elemental perks, making it far more effective than any spell in the base game and second only to ''Elemental Blast''. Check the damage calculation on the [[Skyrim:Elemental Blast|Elemental Blast]] page.
*Elemental Burst will damage both friend or foe in its area of effect, although, it will not damage the caster. With this in mind, take care when using the spell in the company of [[Skyrim:Followers|followers]] who tend to fight at close range, as even [[Skyrim:Protected NPCs|protected NPCs]] can be killed in this manner.
*For ''Deep Freeze Paralyze'', ''Disintegrate'', and ''Perk Impact Stagger'' to take effect, the spell projectile must hit the target, not just the explosion alone.
*It is sometimes recommended to aim at a target's feet, instead of their body, so that dealing damage from the explosion effect is almost guaranteed. This also avoids the situation of missing a direct hit and dealing no damage whatsoever.
*Like most Destruction spells, it can be used to detonate [[Skyrim:Rune (effect)|runes]] or [[Skyrim:Oil Slicks|oil slicks]] from a safe distance. Also, casting the spell, or merely having it ready to cast in an area with [[Skyrim:Flammable Gas|flammable gas]] will result in the ignition of the gas and a subsequent explosion.
*This spell also [[Oblivion:Spell Tomes#Elemental Burst|appeared]] in the [[Oblivion:Spell Tomes|Spell Tomes]] [[Oblivion:Downloads|official add-on]] for ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion]]''.

==Bugs==
{{Bug|This spell actually deals magic damage, not fire damage, despite what the description states. While it looks like fire and is affected by '' Augmented Flames'', it ignores fire resistance (and weakness) and can only be countered by magic resistance, wards, and spell absorption. The shock damage component is properly affected by shock resistance.|dlc=CC}}
{{Bug|The listed damage is only correct for the fire (magic) damage component. The shock damage component is a separate enchantment that may deal a different amount of damage, and there is an unaccounted for 15 damage shock hazard as well.|dlc=CC}}
{{Bug|The spell does not deal frost damage but still scales with frost perks.|dlc=CC}}
{{Bug|Like all explosive spells in the game, the explosion uses line of sight (LoS) rules to calculate which targets in the blast radius are hit. Targets can be shaded from the explosion by even small terrain or other enemies, resulting in no damage.|dlc=CC}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:SR-spell-Elemental 02.jpg|The spell projectile possesses qualities of the three elements; fire, frost, and shock.
File:SR-spell-Elemental 03.jpg|The effect of an elemental spell on a [[Skyrim:Bandit#Two-Handed Melee Bandit Chiefs|Bandit Thug]]
</gallery>

{{Skyrim Destruction Spells}}

Lore:Auri-El

2025-11-26T17:31:15Z

Minor Edits: /* Worship */

<noinclude>{{Lore Gods Trail}}__NOTOC__ [[File:ON-statue-Auriel.jpg|thumb|right|A High Elf statue of Auri-El]]
:''"Anuiel, who was the soul [of Anu and] 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."'' — ''[[Lore:The Monomyth|The Monomyth]]'', "The Heart of the World"

</noinclude>[[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]] (or '''Auriel'''),{{ref|name=AR/DF}}{{ref|name=TA|{{Cite Book|The Anticipations}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}} also known as the '''King of the [[Lore:Aldmer|Aldmer]]'''{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} and the '''Fixed Center''',{{ref|name=COTF}} is the [[Lore:Mer|elven]] analogue to [[Lore:Akatosh|Akatosh]]{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TAAD|{{Cite Book|The Alduin/Akatosh Dichotomy}}}} and the chief deity of most Aldmeri pantheons.{{ref|name=VOF}} He is the soul of [[Lore:Anuiel|Anui-El]], who is the soul of [[Lore:Anu|Anu the Everything]], and it is said time began with his existence.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=VOF}}

Most [[Lore:Altmer|Altmeri]] and [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmeri]] claim to be direct descendants of Auri-El. In [[Lore:Valenwood|Valenwood]], he is known as '''Auri-El Time Dragon''', king of the gods.{{ref|name=VOF}} [[Lore:Snow Elf|Snow Elves]] and [[Lore:Ayleids|Ayleids]] also worshipped Auri-El.{{Ref|name=SRGelebor|[[Skyrim:Knight-Paladin Gelebor|Knight-Paladin Gelebor]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}}{{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}} In the early days of Aldmeri society, which was highly stratified, Auri-El was regarded as an ancestor spirit of the upper castes. However, his worship gradually spread among the lower castes, who sought to emulate their social superiors. Over time, Auri-El came to be revered as the common progenitor of Aldmeri society as a whole.{{ref|name=PGE3Sum|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Summerset}}}} While generally represented as a [[Lore:Dragon|dragon]], most Altmeri societies also depict him as or alongside an [[Lore:Eagle|eagle]].{{ref|name=ContDriftwood|[[ON:Contraband D|Driftwood Idol contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ContWingedAuriel|[[ON:Contraband W|Winged Auri-El contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=COTF|{{Cite Book|Coils of the Father}}}}

While generally being considered one of the [[Lore:Et'Ada|original spirits]],{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} some sources such as the [[Lore:Codex Scientia|Codex Scientia]] portray Auriel as a "great Elvish [[Lore:Demi-God|demi-god]]" or a "quasi-mythical Elvish deity," downplaying his divinity.{{ref|name=AR/DF|[[Arena:Auriel's Bow|Auriel's]] [[Daggerfall:Auriel's Bow|Bow]] artifact description in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]''}}{{Ref|name=ARShield|[[Arena:Artifacts#Auriel's Shield|Auriel's Shield]] description in [[Arena:Arena|''Arena'']]}} In contrast, [[Lore:Breton|Bretic]] myth describes the rise of the new '''[[Lore:Altmer#Religion and Cosmology|Aurielian gods]]''', who usurped Akatosh and the race of dragons in Tamriel’s earliest eras.{{ref|name=KE|{{Cite Book|King Edward}}}} The [[Lore:Alessian Order|Alessian Order]] unsuccessfully attempted to sever the association between Auri-El and Akatosh, and in doing so, were held responsible for the sullied events of the [[Lore:Middle Dawn|Middle Dawn]].{{Ref|name=SOT|{{Cite Book|Staff of Towers (book)}}}}{{ref|name=Bladesongs|{{Cite Book|The Bladesongs of Boethra, Volume V}}}} All but the most dogmatic of theologians tend to agree that the Imperial Akatosh and the Elven Auri-El are one and the same.{{ref|name=AYQ|{{Cite Book|Artorius Ponticus Answers Your Questions}}}}<noinclude>
{{NewLeft}}

==Mythology==
[[File:ON-statue-Auri-El.jpg|thumb|left|An Ayleid statue of Auri-El]][[File:SR-place-Inner Sanctum (Vale).jpg|thumb|right|A Snow Elf statue of Auri-El]]

===Altmer-Heart of the World===

:''"[E]ven Auriel, when told he would become the king of the new world, agreed to help Lorkhan."'' — The Heart of the World

The Altmer believe that existence began with Anu the Everything, who encompassed and encompasses all things. Seeking to know himself Anu created his soul, Anui-El, who, also given to self-reflection, went on to create [[Lore:Sithis|Sithis]] as the sum of all limitation via which he'd differentiate between his myriad attributes and ponder himself. An interplay which is the [[Lore:Aurbis|Aurbis]].{{ref|name=TM}}

The primordial Aurbis was a place of chaos, as Anui-El ruminated without design. Seeking an escape, the [[Lore:Gods|Aspects of Aurbis]] asked Anu for a schedule they could follow to exist outside perfect knowledge. In response Anu created Auri-El, the soul of Anui-El, who spread through Aurbis as the force called Time, allowing the Aurbic aspects to understand themselves and take names.{{ref|name=TM}}

One of the aspects was [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]], more of a limit than a nature, he wandered Aurbis planting new ideas based on restriction and outlined a plan to create a new world where even the aspects of aspects would be allowed to self-reflect, the [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]]. Many chose to follow, and even Auri-El was swayed by the promise of becoming king of this new world.{{ref|name=TM}} But Lorkhan had tricked the other spirits, as Mundus was a place composed almost wholly of limitation. Many of the [[Lore:Gods|et'Ada]] vanished completely, most of those left followed the flight of [[Lore:Magnus|Magnus]], becoming the [[Lore:Magna Ge|Magna-Ge]], but some of those present chose instead to stay after he departed keep working in the new world in order to keep it viable.{{ref|name=BtaoM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} Among those Et'Ada who stayed, some would follow the example of [[Lore:Y'ffre|Y'ffre]], giving themselves to the Mundus fully to stabilize it and form the foundation of its natural law, and would typically be referred to from that point on as "Earthbones" or "Earth Bones". Others would choose not to give themselves fully but to populate Nirn instead, having to "make children just to last", these spirits would from that point typically be referred to as the [[Lore:Ehlnofey|"Ehlnofey"]].{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}} The offspring of the Aedra would exhibit a gradual change however, each consecutive generation was weaker than the one prior, more removed from their progenitors in stature and might.{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}

Through this generational phenomenon of diminishment the offspring of the Ehlnofey would would eventually give away and the first [[Lore: Aldmer|Aldmer]] would arise, while the "weakest souls" that resulted from it would be formed by [[Lore: Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] into armies he named "Men".{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}

This participation, an event the Altmer would name the Sundering,{{ref|name=Folly|{{Cite Book|Folly of Man}}}} would be considered Auri-El's only known moment of weakness, an act which forever sundered the elves from the spirit worlds of eternity.{{ref|name=VOF}} Auri-El and the other gods of the Aldmer were disgusted by their enfeebled selves and what they had created, and insisted that everything was permanently spoiled, and all they would be able to do would be to teach the elves to suffer with dignity.{{ref|name=TM}}

To make up for his error, Auri-El led the original Aldmer against the armies of [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] in mythic times, vanquishing him and establishing the first kingdoms of the Aldmer, [[Lore:Atmora|Atmora]] and [[Lore:Old Ehlnofey|Old Ehlnofey]].{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TM}} During this conflict Auri-El begged Anu to take them back but Anu refused as he'd already created something to replace them. The more merciful Anui-El created [[Lore:Auriel's Bow|Auriel's Bow]] and [[Lore:Auriel's Shield|Auriel's Shield]] to be used by Auri-El against Lorkhan's hordes. Though Atmora was retaken by men and Old Ehlnofey was sundered, Auri-El's greatest [[Lore:Knight|knight]], [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] (who, in some places, was even more popular than Auri-El{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TTNOO|{{Cite Book|The True Nature of Orcs}}}}), succeeded in defeating Lorkhan, and Auri-El hid his [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart]] by attaching it to an arrow and sending it far into the sea.{{ref|name=TM}}. After [[Lore:Convention|Convention]] was held by the victors and the laws which would govern the mortal world were decided on,{{ref|name=Enigma|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}}, the Aedra departed the world as their direct presence destabilized reality and time.{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}} Auri-El ascended to heaven in full observance of his followers so that they might learn the steps needed to escape the mortal plane.{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TM}}With this event the gods and magic in the mythic sense exited the world and history, finally linear, began.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=BtaoM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}

Auri-El is believed to currently reside in [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]] alongside the other elven gods.{{Ref|name=SRSerana|[[Skyrim:Serana|Serana]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}}

===Dunmer===
According to [[Lore:Vivec|Vivec]], Stasis and Change, Anu and [[Lore:Padomay|Padomay]], are infinite forces and realms residing in the infinite [[Lore:Void|Void]], the latter infinity paradoxically enclosing the others in a manner akin to an encircling sphere. At the intersection of the two forces, where they touch, lies a "perfect circle of pattern and possibility", the Wheel, and inside that Wheel lies the Aurbis which is its foundation. Vivec claims that outside the Wheel exists the Void, which cannot truly be named and is bereft of anything. The Void is said to have more aspects than just Stasis and Change, but they cannot be named as they are outside of true language. Vivec claims Anu and Padomay "awakened" during the process of sub-creation caused by their intersection as "to see your antithesis is to finally awaken". It is said that in reaction to this "each gave birth to their souls", Auri-El and Sithis. Each of these souls regarded the Aurbis in their own part, and from that came the et'Ada, the "original patterns".{{ref|name=TTGtC|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Thief Goes to Cyrodiil|ns_base=GEN}}}} Some sources claim that, rather than being a single wheel, the Aurbis, the intersection of Anu and Padomay, is instead more akin to "a telescope that stretches all the way back to the eye of Anui-El, with Padomaics innumerable along its infinite walls".{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}

==Worship==
:''"Penitent, give thanks and praise to the soul of Anu the Everything, father to us all. The scales and fangs and flame of the creator envelop all of the people. Always.

:''"To complete your venerations here, intone: "By the Fixed Center and his hand in our lives, we are all made safe. Auri-El, grant me the stability of the Divine. Be always at my side."'' — Coils of the Father

Many Snow Elves had one great desire: to become one with Auri-El. They built the [[Lore:Chantry of Auri-El|Chantry of Auri-El]] in the western mountains of modern-day [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]] so that they could pursue a pilgrimage of spiritual discovery and ascend into the heavens.{{ref|name=TTS|{{Cite Book|Touching the Sky}}}} They would recite the mantras of Auri-El at several wayshrines, meditating on their lessons, before journeying to the Inner Sanctum to ostensibly become one with their god, purportedly vanishing with a look of bliss on their face upon their meeting with the Arch-Prelate.{{ref|name=Dawnguard|Events of ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]: [[Skyrim:Dawnguard|Dawnguard]]''}}

The Altmer use the eagle both in association with Auri-El himself,{{ref|name=ContDriftwood|[[ON:Contraband D|Driftwood Idol contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ContWingedAuriel|[[ON:Contraband W|Winged Auri-El contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}} and as a symbol representing the [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]], their ancestors, who descended from Aetherius and became trapped in physical form by the creation of [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]].{{Ref|name=ESOKB|{{Cite Book|Elder Scrolls Online - Knowledge Base|ns_base=GEN}}}} Altmeri prayers reference Auri-El as the Fixed Center of existence who always envelops all people with his "scales and fangs and flame", and invoke him to grant his followers stability.{{ref|name=COTF|{{Cite Book|Coils of the Father}}}}

Bosmer perform acts of veneration, primarily at the beginning of each year, which involve charitable work overlooked in the previous months. However, they hold little affection for him.{{Ref|name=TIGTT|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/Valenwood}}}} There have been cases of Bosmer undertaking [[Lore:Knight|knighthood]] as a form of devotion to Auri-El.{{Ref|name=OBBrellin|[[Oblivion:Brellin|Brellin]]'s dialogue in [[Oblivion:Oblivion|''Oblivion'']]}}

The [[Lore:Khajiit|Khajiit]] acknowledge both Auri-El and Akatosh as aspects of [[Lore:Alkosh|Alkosh]].{{Ref|name=Natrada|[[Online:Natrada|Natrada]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Elsweyr|Elsweyr]]''}}

==Artifacts==

===Auriel's Bow===
[[File:SR-item-Auriel's Bow.jpg|Auriel's Bow|right|thumb]]
{{Lore:Auriel's Bow}}
{{NewLine}}
===Auriel's Shield===
[[File:SR-item-Auriel's Shield.jpg|Auriel's Shield|right|thumb]]
{{Lore:Auriel's Shield}}
{{NewLine}}
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:OB-place-Silorn 02.jpg|A ruined Ayleid statue of Auri-El (''Oblivion'')
File:SR-icon-construction-Shrine of Auriel.png|Shrine of Auriel (''Skyrim'')
File:SR-interior-Darkfall Cave Auriel Shrine.jpg|Shrine to Auriel
File:LO-people-Auri-El.jpg|Altmeri depiction of Auri-El
File:ON-place-Shrine_to_Auriel.jpg|Shrine of Auriel (ESO)
File:ON-creature-Aurielic Quasigriff.jpg|Aurielic Quasigriff (ESO)
</gallery>

==Notes==
*{{LNote|nb1|^|Auri-El was evidently a prominent figure in the [[Lore:Ayleids#Religion|Ayleid religion]]. In the ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]'' quest [[Oblivion:Secrets of the Ayleids|Secrets of the Ayleids]], the Altmer [[Oblivion:Umbacano|Umbacano]] gains access to an Ayleid throne by reciting "Av Auri-El ye Tamri-El dellevoy an Arpen Aran tarnabye!", which means "By Auriel and Tamriel, grant [imperative] [the] Noble [i.e. True] King passage."}}
*In the [[Skyrim:Dawnguard|Dawnguard]] add-on for ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]'', [[Skyrim:Serana|Serana]] notes that the statue of Auri-El outside the [[Skyrim:Inner Sanctum (Vale)|Inner Sanctum]] of the Chantry of Auri-El incorporates the "older signs" of his power.
*To the Snow Elves, Auri-El was strongly associated with the sun, and the Chantry of Auri-El features sun-shaped decorations throughout. The sun is described by Snow Elves as how Auri-El influences the world{{Ref|name=SRVyrthur|[[Skyrim:Arch-Curate Vyrthur|Arch-Curate Vyrthur]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}} and the channel through which Auriel's Bow draws its power from Aetherius.{{ref|name=SRGelebor}}
*Legends say Auri-El despises [[Lore:Orc|Orc]]s,{{ref|name=TTNOO}} and that his scribe was [[Lore:Xarxes (god)|Xarxes]].{{ref|name=VOF}}
*Saint [[Lore:Alessia|Alessia]] is sometimes referred to as Auri-El's wife.{{ref|name=Remanada|{{Cite Book|Remanada}}}}
*[[Lore:Quasigriff|Aurielic Quasigriffs]] are considered sacred by some worshipers of Auri-El.{{ref|name=AQ|[[Online:Aurielic Quasigriff|Aurielic Quasigriff]] description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

==See Also==
* For related information, see entries for [[Lore:Akatosh|Akatosh]], [[Lore:Alkosh|Alkosh]], [[Lore:Alduin|Alduin]], and [[Lore:The One|the One]].

===Books===
* {{Book Link|The Monomyth}}
* {{Book Link|Touching the Sky}}
* {{Book Link|Varieties of Faith...}}

==References==
<references/>{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>
{{Lore Altmer Religion}}
{{Lore Ayleid Religion}}
{{Lore Bosmer Religion}}
{{Lore Snow Elf Religion}}
</noinclude>

Oblivion:Vampire Dust

2025-11-25T17:47:23Z

Minor Edits:

{{Ingredient Summary
|id=00009182
|value=50
|weight=0.2
|eff1=Silence
|type1=neg
|eff2=Resist Disease
|eff3=Frost Damage
|type3=neg
|eff4=Invisibility
|nsamples=0
|creature=[[Oblivion:Vampire|Vampires]]
|icon=OB-icon-ingredient-Vampire Dust.png
|image=OB-npc-Vampire Thief Male.jpg
|imgdesc=Vampire Thief
}}__NOTOC__
You can collect '''Vampire Dust''' from the corpses of [[Oblivion:Vampire|vampires]] that you have killed. It is a valuable [[Oblivion:Alchemy|Alchemy]] ingredient. Vampire Dust is even more valuable if you complete the [[Oblivion:Order of the Virtuous Blood (quest)|Order of the Virtuous Blood]] quest, which enables you to sell Vampire Dust to the [[OB:Order of the Virtuous Blood (faction)|Order]] for 250 gold.

There are actually three different types of Vampire Dust in the game: standard Vampire Dust, which is dropped by most vampires; a [[Oblivion:Information at a Price|quest-specific]] Vampire Dust, which is dropped by [[Oblivion:Bloodcrust Vampire|Bloodcrust Vampires]]; and the [[Oblivion:Vampire Cure|quest-specific]] [[#Ashes of Hindaril|Ashes of Hindaril]]. The first two types appear identical and are both identified simply as "Vampire Dust". If you are carrying both types you will see two different stacks of Vampire Dust in your inventory; both may be used together in the [[Oblivion:Alchemy|Alchemy]] menu to make some interesting potions. The Ashes of Hindaril are only dropped by [[Oblivion:Hindaril|one vampire]] and are identified by name.

==Standard Vampire Dust==
Standard Vampire Dust (EditorID: <code>VampireDust</code>, FormID: <code>00009182</code>) is found on the corpses of all vampires you kill ''except'':
* the vampires in [[Oblivion:Bloodcrust Cavern|Bloodcrust Cavern]] during the [[Oblivion:Mages Guild|Mages Guild]] quest [[Oblivion:Information at a Price|Information at a Price]],
* the vampire [[Oblivion:Hindaril|Hindaril]] in [[Oblivion:Redwater Slough|Redwater Slough]],
* [[OB:Jakben, Earl of Imbel|Jakben, Earl of Imbel]], [[OB:Lord Lovidicus|Lord Lovidicus]], the [[Oblivion:Pale Lady|Pale Lady]], [[OB:Seridur|Seridur]] and [[OB:Vicente Valtieri|Vicente Valtieri]].
[[Oblivion:Vampire Dungeons|Vampire Dungeons]] provides a complete list of all the places in Tamriel where vampires can be found. Vampires can be found in these dungeons at all levels, and in most cases (red circles on map), vampires are also guaranteed to be present.

Vampire Dust cannot be purchased from merchants, nor are there any guaranteed pre-harvested samples. The only other way to find it is randomly in some [[Oblivion:Necromancer Dungeons|Necromancer]] and [[Oblivion:Vampire Dungeons|Vampire]] loot chests (starting at level 9).

If you are [[Oblivion:Mages Guild Suspension|suspended from the Mages Guild]] for murdering a fellow guild member, you will need to collect twenty samples of Vampire Dust (as well as twenty [[Oblivion:Daedra Heart|Daedra Hearts]]) to be reinstated.

Standard Vampire Dust can be duplicated in the Arch-Mage's [[Oblivion:Enchanted Chest|Enchanted Chest]]; you will end up with 11 samples of standard Vampire Dust. All 11 can be sold to the [[OB:Order of the Virtuous Blood (faction)|Order of the Virtuous Blood]] for 250 gold each. If you are the Arch-Mage and strapped for cash, this is an easy way to make a lot of money.

In most cases, it is necessary to kill the vampire before Vampire Dust appears on the corpse. However, the [[OB:Afflicted Brethren|Afflicted Brethren]] found in [[Oblivion:Gutted Mine|Gutted Mine]] as part of [[Oblivion:Azura|Azura]]'s quest always have Vampire Dust in their inventory and can theoretically be pickpocketed (although to complete the quest you still need to kill them). No additional Vampire Dust appears if you pickpocket one of the Afflicted Brethren and then kill him.

[[File:OB-Map-VampireDust.jpg|thumb|left|500 px|Locations of Vampires]]

==Bloodcrust Vampire Dust==
Bloodcrust Vampire Dust (EditorID: <code>MG13VampireDust</code>, FormID: <code>0004872C</code>) is found only on the vampires in [[Oblivion:Bloodcrust Cavern|Bloodcrust Cavern]] during the [[Oblivion:Mages Guild|Mages Guild]] quest [[Oblivion:Information at a Price|Information at a Price]]. The Vampire Dust is always present in the vampires' inventory and can theoretically be pickpocketed. Its name, effects and appearance are identical to regular Vampire Dust; the only noticeable difference is that its weight is 0.1 instead of 0.2.

Bloodcrust Vampire Dust cannot be sold for the 250 gold bounty to the Order of the Virtuous Blood. Similarly, it cannot be used to pay the toll in the Mages Guild Suspension quest.

If you leave Bloodcrust Vampire Dust in the Arch-Mage's Enchanted Chest, it will be changed into standard Vampire Dust: you will end up with 11 samples of standard Vampire Dust.

==Ashes of Hindaril==
The Ashes of Hindaril (EditorID: <code>MS40VampireDust</code>, FormID: <code>000977DD</code>) are the third type of Vampire Dust, and are only found on the corpse of a single vampire, [[Oblivion:Hindaril|Hindaril]], who lives in [[Oblivion:Redwater Slough|Redwater Slough]]. You must kill Hindaril before the ashes will appear.

Technically, these ashes have the same alchemical properties as standard Vampire Dust. However, since they are a quest item for the [[Oblivion:Vampire Cure|Vampire Cure]] quest, they cannot be used for alchemy, sold, or otherwise removed from your inventory. The only way to get rid of them is to complete the quest, during which [[Oblivion:Melisande|Melisande]] will take them from you. Even if you could somehow put them into the Arch-Mage's Enchanted Chest, these ashes would not be duplicated.

{{NewLeft}}
==Notes==
* The [[Oblivion Mod:Unofficial Oblivion Patch|Unofficial Oblivion Patch]] fixes several of the issues related to Vampire Dust:
** Jakben, Earl of Imbel, Lord Lovidicus, the Pale Lady, Seridur and Vicente Valtieri will now have Vampire Dust on their corpses when they are killed.
** The Afflicted Brethren in the Gutted Mine will no longer carry Vampire Dust in their inventory, but will drop it upon death, the same as other vampires.
** The Vampire Dust collected from Bloodcrust Vampires can now be sold to the Order of the Virtuous Blood, and Raminus Polus will accept it for the Mages Guild Suspension quest.

Lore:Factions V

2025-11-24T05:18:12Z

Minor Edits: +Veloise

{{Lore Factions Trail}}
==Vanquished Clan==
{{Lore:Vanquished Clan}}

==Vateshrans==
{{Lore:Vateshrans‎}}

==Veiled Heritance‎==
{{Lore:Veiled Heritance‎}}

==Velas==
{{Lore:Velas}}

==Veloise==
{{Lore:Veloise}}

==Veloth==
{{Lore:Veloth (family)}}

==Vereansu Tribe==
{{Lore:Vereansu Tribe}}

==Vigil of Stendarr==
{{Lore:Vigil of Stendarr}}

==Vinedusk Rangers==
{{Lore:Vinedusk Rangers}}

==Vintners Guild==
{{Lore:Vintners Guild}}

==Vlindrel==
{{Lore:Vlindrel}}

==Volkihar==
{{Lore:Volkihar}}

==Vosh Rakh==
{{Lore:Vosh Rakh}}

==Vraseth==
{{Lore:Vraseth}}

Lore:Veloise

2025-11-24T05:17:57Z

Minor Edits: noinclude

<noinclude>{{Lore Factions Trail}}__NOTOC__</noinclude>
The [[Lore:Veloise|Veloise]] family is a minor [[Lore:Breton|Breton]] noble house{{Ref|name=ONHCP|[[General:High Isle Chapter Preview|High Isle Chapter Preview]]|group=UOL}} hailing from the [[Lore:Systres|Systres Archipelago]]. It is specifically a merchant family synonymous with the Veloise Mercantile Trading Consortium, their family business. Their goods circulate from the Systres Archipelago to [[Lore:Vvardenfell|Vvardenfell]] and back again.{{ref|{{Cite Book|Meet the Character - Isobel Veloise}}}}<noinclude>{{NewLine}}

==References==
<references/>
{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>{{Lore Breton Culture}}
{{Stub}}</noinclude>

Lore:Argonian

2025-06-29T09:17:27Z

Minor Edits: /* Cultural Mindset */ fix

<noinclude>{{Featured Article}}{{Trail|Races}}[[Category:Lore-All Terms]]{{About|redirect=Saxhleel|the race|the month|Sun's Dusk}}{{TOCleft|limit=2}}</noinclude>{{{image|[[File:LO-race-Argonian.png|frame|right|Illustration of a typical Argonian male]]}}}
[[Lore:Argonian|Argonians]] ('''Saxhleel''',{{ref|name=SKMadesiname|[[Skyrim:Madesi|Madesi]]'s dialogue regarding his name and the term "Saxhleel" in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} or '''People of the Root'''{{ref|name=MWGen|[[Morrowind:Generic Dialogue A#Argonian|Generic dialogue]] on the topic of "Argonians" in ''[[MW:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}{{ref|name=ESOXukasGather|[[Online:Xukas#Gathering Hut|Xukas]]' dialogue at the Gathering Hut during [[Online:Sunken Treasure|Sunken Treasure]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} in their native language of [[Lore:Jel|Jel]]) are the reptilian natives of [[Lore:Black Marsh|Black Marsh]], a vast swampland province in southeastern [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]]. The other races often refer to them as '''lizards''' or the '''Lizard Folk''' instead, especially when meaning to be derogatory. They are known as the foremost experts in guerrilla warfare throughout Tamriel, a reputation brought upon them by defending their borders from enemies for countless centuries.{{ref|[[General:The Elder Scrolls: Legends – Exploring the Races|The Elder Scrolls: Legends – Exploring the Races]]}}{{ref|[[General:Ebonheart Pact|Ebonheart Pact]] page on the official ESO website}} They have a connection to the [[Lore:Hist|Hist]], a race of sapient spore trees.{{ref|name=PGE3|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Argonia}}}}

Agile and cunning,{{ref|In-game description for the [[Shadowkey:Argonian|Argonian]] race in ''[[Shadowkey|Shadowkey]]''}} they possess natural immunity to poison and disease, a trait that serves them well in their treacherous homeland.{{ref|name=MWdesc|In-game description for the [[Morrowind:Argonian#In-Game Description|Argonian]] race in ''[[MW:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} Argonians are swift swimmers{{ref|In-game description for the [[Online:Argonian|Argonian]] race in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} and can breathe underwater.{{ref|In-game description for the [[Oblivion:Argonian#In-Game Description|Argonian]] race in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} They are also naturally adept spellcasters{{ref|name=MWGen}} and excel in the art of stealth.{{ref|In-game description for the [[Daggerfall:Argonian#In-Game Description|Argonian]] race in ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}}

Foreign racial categorization labels them as "[[Lore:Beastfolk|beasts]]", or "Betmeri", as opposed to the humanoid races of [[Lore:Mer|Mer]] and [[Lore:Men|Men]].{{ref|name=NRP|{{Cite Book|Notes on Racial Phylogeny}}}} The Argonians' alien nature is often commented on; they are called strange,{{ref|name=DaggerfallManual|[[DF:Argonian|Argonian]] race description on page 11 of the [[Books:Daggerfall User's Guide|Daggerfall User's Guide]]}} expressionless, reserved peoples, slow to trust and hard to know.{{ref|name=ESCodex|"Argonian" race description in the ''[[Books:Codex Scientia|Codex Scientia]]''}} This is a sentiment shared even by lukiul, or "assimilated" Argonians, who were raised far away from the Hist and often have significant trouble fully understanding the emotions, body language, or motivations of their estranged brethren.{{ref|name=tSCoJR|{{Cite Book|The Strange Case of Ja-Reet}}}}

While most of Tamriel refers to them as the "Argonians", many Argonians prefer the term "Saxhleel" when referring to their kind;{{ref|name=LoS}}{{rp|58}}{{ref|name=EGT|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/Black Marsh}}}} "Argonian" is an Imperial term.{{ref|name=ESOJela|[[Online:Jela|Jela]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Idol Threats|Idol Threats]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Blackwood (Chapter)|Blackwood]]''}} Some Argonians opt to take on a more Cyrodiilicized name outside of Black Marsh.{{ref|name=SKMadesiname}} Taking on Imperial dress, name, and customs makes things easier for Argonians in Cyrodiil.{{ref|name=KassandraWITW}}

According to the {{Lore Link|First Era}} Scholar Brendan the Persistent, ''"The Argonian people have, throughout Tamrielic history, been perhaps the most misunderstood, vilified, and reviled of all the sentient races. Yet, those who have taken the time to experience Argonian culture have gained a greater appreciation for this noble and beautiful people."''{{ref|name=EGT}}{{ref|name=PGE3}}{{FMI}}<noinclude>{{NewLine}}

==History==
{{Quote Box|''"We are all connected at the root. It is a connection that can be severed, but also made whole once more. A root mended by they who are chosen."''|[[Online:Tsixotl|Tsixotl]]}}
The Argonians were given life, form, and purpose by the Hist. Their roots run deep beneath the soil and soft white limestone of Black Marsh, connecting them all, and thus connecting the Saxhleel. As the Hist are all connected at the roots, they have a collective consciousness, and can communicate with each other.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|34}} Ancient cave paintings depict half-tree, half-Argonian figures—some of which appear to be more tree-like than Argonian.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|54}}

===Stone-Nest Period===
[[File:ON-place-Hissmir.jpg|thumb|left|A Xanmeer]]
Long ago, Argonians lived in giant stone [[Lore:Xanmeer|pyramids]] (called xanmeers){{ref|name=EGT}} that extended all across Black Marsh. This era is known to scholars as the "stone-nest period".{{ref|[[ON:Murkmire Antiquities#Nisswo's Soul Tender|Nisswo's Soul Tender]] antiquity codex entries in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} During this time, Argonian society was ruled by influential priest-kings.{{ref|name=Xukas|[[ON:Xukas|Xukas]]' dialogue in Xul-Thuxis during [[Online:The Swamp and the Serpent|The Swamp and the Serpent]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}
:''→ See the main article: '''[[Lore:Nisswo|Nisswo]]'''''
The ancient Argonians (sometimes referred to as "the Old Ones" by the Saxhleel){{ref|name=KeshuBeyond3|{{Cite Book|Keshu: Travels Beyond the Village, Part 3}}}} were capable of great feats, creating magical defenses that remained both functional and effective well into the Second Era.{{ref|name=DfrH|[[Online:Dreams From the Hist|Dreams From the Hist]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} It is theorized ancient Argonian society was more advanced and unified prior to Duskfall. However, a competing theory has been proposed that the ancient Argonians' trade connections simply reached farther than what was previously believed. The ancient Argonians were adept at metalworking and often used volcanic glass in their weaponry, the latter of which suggests they frequently ventured into what is now Morrowind. Some of their work was possibly even inspired by [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] designs.{{ref|name=CMEA}} The ancient Argonians used [[Lore:Vakka Stone|vakka stones]] to power some of their relics and devices.{{ref|name=KassandraWITW}}
[[File:ON-concept-Elder Argonian Style.jpg|Pre-Duskfall era Argonian armor and weapons (ESO)|thumb|left]]
The ancient Argonians viewed [[Lore:Sithis|Sithis]] as a destroyer. They feared change and Sithis' destructive force. As a representation of this ideology, they built vast stone pyramids, known as [[Lore:xanmeer|xanmeers]], to withstand the test of time. Fearing Sithis to this extent could explain why the old priests of Sithis were able to retain a position of power in Argonian society in the pre-Duskfall period.{{ref|name=NX|[[ON:Nisswo Xode|Nisswo Xode]]'s dialogue during [[Online:She Who Eats the Light|She Who Eats the Light]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} Sithis had a more central role in this old society, and the ceremonies dedicated to Sithis were also different, including blood sacrifices.{{ref|name=CMEA}}{{ref|[[ON:Contraband S#Sacrificial Sithis Dagger|Sacrificial Sithis Dagger]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Unsurprisingly, there was resistance to Duskfall among the priesthood, with some of them taking extreme measures to halt the approaching change. One priestess named [[Lore:Shuxaltsei|Shuxaltsei]] managed to return briefly in {{Year|2E 582}} and attempted to reclaim her temple in [[Lore:Murkmire|Murkmire]].{{ref|name=SWEtL|[[ON:She Who Eats the Light|She Who Eats the Light]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
[[File:ON-misc-Xal Irasotl Carving.jpg|An ancient carving with arboreal and Saxhleel features|thumb|right]]
The ruins within {{Lore Link|Tsofeer Cavern}}, the {{Lore Link|Tomb of Many Spears}}, the [[Lore:Xinchei-Konu Monument|Xinchei-Konu Monument]] and the {{Lore Link|Teeth of Sithis}} are examples of buildings from the pre-Duskfall era. The Xinchei-Konu was an ancient calendar that shows how the Argonians viewed time and tried to fight against change by manipulating the weather. The Teeth of Sithis is one of the largest known temples of Sithis.{{ref|name=JWV}}{{ref|name=NX}}{{ref|name=NU|[[ON:Nisswo Uaxal|Nisswo Uaxal]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Modern Argonians consider their ancestors' construction of the stone xanmeers and fearful devotion to Sithis a result of a flawed belief system, as they only saw Sithis as a destroyer and not a creator.{{ref|name=NX}} Eventually, this society collapsed in a period known as [[Lore:Duskfall|Duskfall]].
{{NewLeft}}
===Duskfall===
[[File:ON-interior-Xul Thuxis.jpg|An Argonian temple to Sithis|thumb|left]]
By the mid-Second Era, the mysterious event known as Duskfall was considered ancient history, seemingly passed on as a morality tale about straying from the Hist. Sources largely describe it poetically, saying ''"[t]he Hist led the way"'' and ''"the Hist revealed the true path"''.{{ref|name=CM|[[ON:Concordia Mercius|Concordia Mercius]]' dialogue in during [[Online:Ruthless Competition|Ruthless Competition]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=NX}} Details of what exactly transpired are either lost or closely guarded secrets.{{Ref|name=IWTAS|{{Cite Book|Interview with Three Argonians in Shadowfen|ns_base=GEN}}}} The Hist seemed to have some forewarning of a cataclysm, and not all were in agreement on how to handle it. At least one Hist tree sought to keep their tribe safe by forming a pact with [[Lore:Molag Bal|Molag Bal]] to wait out Duskfall within [[Lore:Coldharbour|Coldharbour]] and preserve its people's traditions.{{ref|name=HWCTC|{{Cite Book|How We Came to Coldharbour}}}} The [[Lore:Tsono-Xuhil|Hist tree]] of [[Lore:Mazzatun|Mazzatun]] disagreed with its brethren, and instructed its children to build a sprawling city of stone forever instead of teaching them to adapt to the changes.{{ref|name=MazzCJ}}

The Hist trees that remained ceased all communication with the Argonian people for an indeterminate amount of time following Duskfall. It wasn't until the Argonian Jaraleet rediscovered a method of communication that communion between the Argonians and the Hist finally resumed.{{ref|name=TLC|{{Cite Book|The Lost Communion}}}} Whatever had occurred had resulted in a paradigm shift in Argonian culture. The Saxhleel started to recognize Sithis not only as destruction, but also change. Simultaneously, they adapted a more cyclical view of time. The Argonians believed that the fear of death and impermanence, called "shunatei", is the reason both the ancient Argonians and the other civilizations favored giant stone cities.{{ref|name=ESOXukasGather}} Modern Argonians believe that by building impermanent structures, they conquer shunatei and become one with Change, or Sithis.{{ref|name=MazzCJ}}{{ref|{{Cite Book|Na-Kesh's Journal|ns_base=Online}}}}

Exactly when and how this ancient society collapsed is unknown, but they were already living in established preliterate tribal communities around the time the [[Lore:Aldmer|Aldmer]] first began exploring Tamriel.{{ref|name=FoN|{{Cite Book|Father of the Niben}}}}{{ref|name=PGE3}}{{ref|name=BtAoM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}} The ancient Argonians were swiftly displaced by the more technologically and magically advanced Elder Folk, and were driven back into the swamplands.{{ref|name=BtAoM}}
:''→ See the main article: '''[[Lore:Duskfall|Duskfall]]'''''
{{NewLeft}}
===First Era===
[[File:LO-map-Black Marsh (Anthology).jpg|right|thumb|[[Lore:Black Marsh|Black Marsh]], the land of the Argonians]]
Black Marsh has harbored a great diversity of races, including the [[Lore:Cantemiric Velothi|Cantemiric Velothi]], [[Lore:Barsaebic Ayleids|Barsaebic Ayleids]], the vulpine [[Lore:Lilmothiit|Lilmothiit]], and tribes of men like the [[Lore:Kothringi|Kothringi]], but has played home to the Lizard Folk in an almost mythic sense. For some, the Saxhleel were wandering curiosities. For others, they were heroes that nobly saved non-reptilian inhabitants from the horrors of the marsh. For others still, they were terrifying savages. Argonians only occasionally left their homeland during the early years of the First Era. There are accounts of individuals being found in other parts of Tamriel during that time, but they mostly assimilated into the local cultures and offered few insights to others on Argonian society.{{ref|name=PGE3}}
[[File:LG-cardart-Red Bramman.jpg|left|thumb|Red Bramman the Bandit King]]
Black Marsh had troubled relations with its neighbors. The ancient [[Lore:Chimer|Chimer]], who had longstanding border disputes with the Lizard Folk, took many of them as slaves.{{ref|[[Online:Ix-Utha|Ix-Utha]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Enslaved in Death|Enslaved in Death]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=DUP|{{Cite Book|Dagoth Ur's Plans}}}} Pirates and other criminals often exploited Black Marsh's treacherous landscape to evade [[Lore:Empire|Imperial]] law. Finally, in {{Year|1E 1033}}, Empress [[Lore:Hestra|Hestra]] ordered for the head of a notorious pirate based in Black Marsh.{{ref|name=PGE3}} The Imperial Navy entered Argonia through Topal Bay and navigated their way through the swamps until they found and beheaded their quarry near the modern city of [[Lore:Blackrose|Blackrose]].{{ref|name=EGT}} For the first time, outsiders began to learn a great deal about the Argonian way of life. One of the things they learned is that the Argonians resented their presence, drawing little if any distinction between Hestra's Imperial forces and the cutthroats who had long terrorized Argonian territory. With their goal accomplished, the Navy quickly departed, and exploration decreased as the First Empire's influence waned.{{ref|name=PGE3}}{{ref|name=EGT}}

Despite this bitterness, the Argonians still allied with and aided the Empire when the deadly [[Lore:Thrassian Plague|Thrassian Plague]] ravaged Tamriel in {{Year|1E 2200}}. Argonian freebooters joined alongside [[Lore:Redguard|Redguard]] corsairs, [[Lore:Colovia|Colovian]] galleys, [[Lore:Breton|Breton]] warships, and even Aldmeri cutters to form the [[Lore:All Flags Navy|All Flags Navy]]—the greatest allied naval force in Tamriel history—to enact revenge against the [[Lore:Sload|Sload]], a species hated by all the races of Tamriel. The Tamrielics succeeded in their mission, sinking [[Lore:Thras|Thras]] to the bottom of the [[Lore:Sea of Pearls|Sea of Pearls]] (although it would later rise again), but a great number of their ships were unfortunately pulled into [[Lore:Coldharbour|Coldharbour]] by a magical whirlpool.{{ref|name=JoTE|{{Cite Book|Journal of Tsona-Ei}}}}{{ref|[[Online:Tsona-Ei|Tsona-Ei]]'s dialogue during [[Online:A Graveyard of Ships|A Graveyard of Ships]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

The Saxhleel were never conquered by the Alessian Empire. The [[Lore:Reman Dynasty|Reman Dynasty]], on the other hand, took great interest in incorporating Black Marsh as a province during their reign. In {{Year|1E 2811}} the last army of the Lizard Folk was defeated by the armies of [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]], but Black Marsh itself continued to lay largely outside of Imperial control.{{ref|name=PGE3}} When [[Lore:Reman II|Reman II]] ascended to the Ruby Throne, the unconquered territories of [[Lore:Morrowind|Morrowind]] and Black Marsh weighed heavily on his mind. He rashly decided to conquer Argonia in {{Year|1E 2830}}, and nearly lost as many men from the swamps as he did from the Argonians that resisted him.{{ref|name=R2LoA|{{Cite Book|Reman II: The Limits of Ambition}}}}

In {{Year|1E 2828}}, the [[Lore:Blackwater War|Blackwater War]] was in full swing. One of General Sardecus's most trusted legates ordered a troop of sappers to set fire to a peat bog just outside Stormhold, unwary of the fact it was part of a larger underground network. This act was the catalyst for the Great Burn of 1E 2828. Months later, random fires were noticed as far as Soulrest and Gideon. The entire swamp was on fire, and it raged underfoot for over three years. The Legion was forced to stand down, as choking fumes and vents of burning swamp gas began erupting from the earth below. As the gas below the surface burned, it would eventually explode. Black Marsh was nigh-uninhabitable, even for the Argonians. Entire tribes were lost, and countless species of native flora and fauna were driven to extinction.{{ref|{{Cite Book|The Blackwater War, Volume 6}}}}
[[File:ON-load-Blackrose Prison.jpg|right|thumb|The infamous Blackrose Prison, located in Murkmire]]
The war suddenly and inexplicably seemed to end in {{Year|1E 2836}}, when the Argonians stopped fighting and went to living life in the swamps.{{ref|name=BWW7|{{Cite Book|The Blackwater War, Volume 7}}}} Reman II eventually gained control of the northern and eastern sections of the territory, and declared those parts the Imperial Province of Black Marsh in {{Year|1E 2837}}.{{ref|name=R2LoA}}{{ref|name=PGE1|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|The Wild Region}}}}{{ref|name=TBW|{{Cite Book|The Blackwater War}}}} Imperial scholars are unsure of why Argonian hostility ceased, but they speculated that it had something to do with their Hist worship.{{ref|name=BWW7}} Unsure of how to make use of the region's resources, the Imperials built several prisons in Black Marsh, thinking it was a good place for prisoners to be sent to and be forgotten.{{ref|name=WRPls|[[Online:White Rose Prison|White Rose Prison]] [[Online:Loading Screens|loading screen]] text in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Criminals not trusted in conventional dungeons and anyone deemed a political enemy by the Imperial government{{ref|name=AHoBP|{{Cite Book|A History of Blackrose Prison}}}} could be relocated to one of several prisons, such as White Rose Prison and [[Lore:Blackrose Prison|Blackrose Prison]].{{ref|name=PGE1}}{{ref|name=AaU|{{Cite Book|Argonians Among Us}}}}

===Second Era===

The Dunmer continued raiding Black Marsh for thousands of years, not just for slave labor, but for anything valuable, including livestock.{{ref|name=LMAM|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive: Murkmire Q&A}}}} Entire tribes were dragged off in chains to [[Lore:Stonefalls|Stonefalls]], [[Lore:Vvardenfell|Vvardenfell]], and [[Lore:Deshaan|Deshaan]].{{ref|name=AaU}}{{ref|name=PGE3}} At some point in history, [[Lore:Thalthil Dres|Thalthil Dres]], leader of [[Lore:Dres|House Dres]], conducted a slave-raid on the city of [[Lore:Thorn|Thorn]] which was so successful that it made the Dres the primary providers for the slave trade in their homeland and catapulted them into the ranks of the Dunmeri Great Houses.{{ref|name=ESOitem|[[Online:Contraband D#Dres Grandmaster Memorial Medal|Dres Grandmaster Memorial Medal]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=UHD|{{Cite Book|Understanding House Dres}}}}{{ref|name=PGE1M|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Morrowind}}}} While some Dark Elves saw the enslavement of the Argonians as a great uplifting and betterment for the race in general, the Lizard Folk themselves detested and resisted their so-called masters.{{ref|name=AaU}}{{ref|name=PGE3}}

The Argonians are rumored to be the creators of the deadly [[Lore:Knahaten Flu|Knahaten Flu]] in {{Year|2E 560}}, which originated in the city of [[Lore:Stormhold|Stormhold]] and then spread throughout Tamriel like wildfire.{{ref|name=SCoS|{{Cite Book|Stormhold, City of Shadowfen}}}} This claim has never been proven, but since Argonians were immune to it, the other races quickly came to believe that an Argonian shaman manipulated their [[Lore:Hist|Hist]] tree into creating the plague in retaliation for the constant oppression of their people by the other races (specifically the Dunmer).{{ref|name=PGE3}}{{ref|name=OKF|{{Cite Book|On the Knahaten Flu}}}} This soured Tamrielic opinion of Argonians, who were thought to be carriers of the disease.{{ref|name=AaU}}{{ref|[[ON:Keeaz|Keeaz]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Elsweyr|Elsweyr]]''}}
[[File:ON-npc-Black Fin Frost Mage.jpg|thumb|right|A mage from the Black Fin Legion]]
The Second Era saw the rise of Keshu the Black Fin, an individual from the village of {{Lore Link|Seekhat-Yol}} in the greater marsh.{{ref|name=KeshuBeyond1|{{Cite Book|Keshu: Travels Beyond the Village, Part 1}}}} When she matured, she went on to befriend Prince Jorunn of Skyrim in Stormhold before returning home.{{ref|name=KeshuBeyond3}} Witnessing Dark Elven slavery had a profound effect on her, so she gathered many volunteers from the greater marsh to form an army, which came to be known as the [[Lore:Black Fin Legion|Black Fin Legion]].{{ref|name=KeshuWar1}} With them, Keshu waged war against the slavers of House Dres. As her victories mounted, her reputation and militia grew.{{ref|name=KeshuWar2|{{Cite Book|Keshu: The Black Fin Goes to War, Part 2}}}}

====The Akaviri Invasion and the Formation of the Ebonheart Pact====
Perhaps the greatest—and most surprising—historical event the Argonians took part in during the Second Era was the [[Lore:Liberation War|Liberation War]], better remembered as the Second Akaviri Invasion. In {{Year|2E 572}}, a strong [[Lore:Akaviri|Akaviri]] force led by [[Lore:Ada'Soom Dir-Kamal|Ada'Soom Dir-Kamal]] attacked [[Lore:Windhelm|Windhelm]] in Eastern [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]], killing Queen [[Lore:Mabjaarn Flame-Hair|Mabjaarn Flame-Hair]] and Princess [[Lore:Nurnhilde|Nurnhilde]]. Leaving the ruined city behind, the eastern army continued on their way to [[Lore:Riften|Riften]] but found it heavily fortified by the [[Lore:Nord|Nords]], who were led by [[Lore:Jorunn|Jorunn]] the Skald-Prince and [[Lore:Wulfharth|Wulfharth]] the Ash-King, the latter of whom was called back to [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]] from [[Lore:Sovngarde|Sovngarde]] by the [[Lore:Greybeards|Greybeards]].{{ref|name=JtSK|{{Cite Book|Jorunn the Skald-King (book)}}}}{{ref|{{Cite Book|The Second Akaviri Invasion}}}}

[[File:ON-quest-Songs of Sovngarde.jpg|The Ebonheart Pact is sealed|thumb|left]]
The invaders decided to bypass the Nordic city and entered Morrowind instead, where the Dunmeri army led by [[Lore:Almalexia|Almalexia]] fought hard, but were forced to retreat into Stonefalls (although it is rumored that Mother Morrowind and the Skald-Prince collaborated with one another to set this up despite their races' ancient enmity).{{ref|name=AtS|{{Cite Book|Against the Snakes}}}} With their backs towards the Inner Sea, the Akaviri fought viciously against the combined Nord-Dunmer force, but with the rest of the Akaviri fleet on the horizon it seemed that the Tamrielics would be overrun and slaughtered.{{ref|name=AtS}}{{ref|name=UA|{{Cite Book|Unexpected Allies}}}}

Sometime prior to the initial invasion, an Argonian slave named [[Lore:Heita-Meen|Heita-Meen]] escaped from a Dres plantation with several compatriots, but was captured by the Dunmer-aligned {{Link If Exists|Lore:Archein|Archein tribe}} and taken back to their village. During her captivity, she received a vision from the Archein Hist tree, which showed the Nords and Dunmer dying at the hands of the Akaviri. In this, she saw an opportunity. When she was taken back to Thorn, she killed her slavemaster and took control of the Archein guards by way of duel. She headed to Stormhold, where she was able to gain the support of a majority of the {{Link If Exists|Lore:Shellbacks|Shellbacks}} there, then made haste to aid the Dunmer and Nords in Stonefalls.{{ref|name=FAtS|{{Cite Book|From Argonian to Saxhleel}}}} Jorunn sent a call for help to Keshu after Windhelm fell, and the Black Fin Legion assisted in driving the Akaviri from Morrowind.{{ref|name=KeshuWar2}}

[[File:ON-quest-The Dream of the Hist.jpg|thumb|right|Vicecanon Heita-Meen in Loriasel with the Mnemic Egg]]
At first, the Dark Elves were alarmed to see a force of armed Argonians heading towards them; some even attacked the Argonians out of fear.{{ref|name=AtS}} However, the three races were able to get over their mutual animosity, and resoundingly drove the invaders into the Sea to drown. At that moment, the [[Lore:Ebonheart Pact|Ebonheart Pact]] was formed and would continue to exist all the way through the [[Lore:Planemeld|Planemeld]] ten years later in {{Year|2E 582}}. Unlike the other three factions in the [[Lore:Three Banners War|Three Banners War]], the Ebonheart Pact focused largely on wiping away the rashness of Imperial rule as well as ending mortal scheming with higher powers from beyond Nirn.{{ref|name=TToTEP|{{Cite Book|The Time of the Ebonheart Pact}}}}

As a show of thanks for the Argonians' timely intervention, the Dunmer formally ended their enslavement. Despite this, the practice of slavery did not end.{{ref|name=GttEP|{{Cite Book|Guide to the Ebonheart Pact}}}} Some Dunmer refused to accept these terms and withdrew from the Pact, notably [[Lore:House Telvanni|House Telvanni]]. Likewise, many Argonians felt that the Dunmer deserved retribution for their crimes,{{ref|name=AFAM|{{Cite Book|A Free Argonian's Manifesto}}}} and only the Black Marsh regions of [[Lore:Shadowfen|Shadowfen]], [[Lore:Thornmarsh|Thornmarsh]], and Murkmire joined the Pact.{{ref|name=FAtS}} Some Argonians left their homeland entirely and settled in other provinces.{{ref|[[Online:Uta-Tei|Uta-Tei]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Scars Never Fade|Scars Never Fade]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|[[Online:No-Fingers|No-Fingers]]' dialogue during [[Online:Scars Never Fade|Scars Never Fade]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Eventually, the Great Moot that ruled over Morrowind, Black Marsh, and Skyrim consolidated their provinces into a single nation.{{ref|Occurrence of the Great Moot at Skuldafn at the end of [[Online:Songs of Sovngarde|Songs of Sovngarde]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

During the [[Lore:Three Banners War|Three Banners War]], an anomaly came to the attention of the Pact's leaders known as the [[Lore:Mnemic Egg|Mnemic Egg]]: a physical manifestation of the Argonian-Hist link which, if severed, can prove fatal to both. The Egg fell into the interests of the [[Lore:Aldmeri Dominion|First Aldmeri Dominion]], who attempted to sever the link, but were thwarted by Vicecanon Heita-Meen and the [[Lore:The Vestige|Vestige]].{{ref|name=KUE|[[Online:Keeper Uxith-Ei|Keeper Uxith-Ei]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Keepers of the Shell|Keepers of the Shell]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|Events of [[Online:The Dream of the Hist|The Dream of the Hist]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|[[Online:Vicecanon Heita-Meen|Vicecanon Heita-Meen]]'s dialogue when deciding [[ON:Kazdi|Kazdi]]'s fate, and after [[Online:Ruuvitar|Ruuvitar]]'s defeat during [[Online:The Dream of the Hist|The Dream of the Hist]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

It is unknown what became of the Ebonheart Pact, but by the time of the [[Lore:Tiber War|Tiber War]] it no longer existed, and the Argonians were once again the sole authority in Black Marsh. Saxhleel slavery was revitalized by the Dunmer at some point, and despite the fear of the Knahaten Flu, House Dres continued sending slavers into the north of Black Marsh.{{ref|name=PGE3}} It is said that even [[Lore:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]] thought twice before attacking Black Marsh in his conquests.{{ref|name=ASHoM|{{Cite Book|A Short History of Morrowind}}}} Ultimately, the borders of their province fell quite easily to his forces, but he avoided the almost impenetrable inner swamps.{{ref|name=PGE3}} The Argonian homeland was assimilated into Tiber's growing Empire sometime after the [[Lore:First Treaty of Stros M'Kai|First Treaty of Stros M'Kai]].{{ref|name=RGDreekius|[[Redguard:Dreekius|Dreekius]]' dialogue in ''[[Redguard:Redguard|Redguard]]''}}

===Third Era===
[[File:LG-cardart-An-Xileel Invader.png|An An-Xileel soldier during the invasion of Morrowind|thumb|150px|right]]
During the Third Empire, the homeland of the Argonians continued to function mostly as a prison state, and the Emperors were content with holding on to the strategic regions on the coastline and borders. The heart of the province remained de facto independent, outside of Imperial governance.{{ref|name=PGE3}}

In {{Year|3E 396}}, during the [[Lore:Imperial Simulacrum|Imperial Simulacrum]], a slave revolt escalated into the [[Lore:Arnesian War|Arnesian War]]. Black Marsh was defeated by Morrowind, which took a significant amount of territory (and undoubtedly many new slaves).{{ref|name=PGE3}}{{ref|name=LotS|{{Cite Book|Lives of the Saints}}}} Although the enslavement of any civilized race was illegal in the rest of the Empire, the Dark Elves were allowed to continue the practice due to the favorable conditions of the [[Lore:Armistice|Armistice]] under which Morrowind joined the [[Lore:Septim Dynasty|Septim Dynasty]], which allowed the Dunmer to follow their ancient traditions and maintain great autonomy in their domestic affairs. King [[Lore:Helseth|Helseth]] eventually abolished slavery in Morrowind for a wide variety of reasons.{{ref|name=PGE3M|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Morrowind}}}}{{ref|name=OBRumors|[[Oblivion:Radiant Conversations#Locations|Rumors]] in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} The Argonians' relationship with the Dunmer dramatically improved, although violent attempts to reclaim disputed territory continued.{{ref|name=PGE3}} While Imperial governors ruled over the coastal cities in the province, many of them had Argonian advisors from the Archein tribe (whom other Argonians regarded as "pompous, assimilated slaver kleptocrats").{{ref|name=TAA4|{{Cite Book|The Argonian Account, Book 4}}}} The Archeins, in turn, ruled over the rural areas that made up most of Black Marsh.{{ref|name=PGE3}}

When [[Lore:Mehrunes Dagon|Mehrunes Dagon]] attempted to invade Tamriel during the [[Lore:Oblivion Crisis|Oblivion Crisis]] in {{Year|3E 433}}, the [[Lore:Hist|Hist]] foresaw his coming and called many Argonians back to defend their homeland.{{ref|name=OBRumors}} The Argonians were altered by the Hist in order to combat the [[Lore:Daedra|Daedra]], becoming faster, stronger, and able to endure harsher punishment.{{ref|name=LoS}}{{rp|59}} When the Oblivion Gates opened in Black Marsh, the Lizard Folk charged into them so viciously that the Daedra themselves were forced to close them in order to avoid being overrun. Because of this, the Argonians emerged from the Oblivion Crisis more united and stronger than ever before compared to others in Tamriel, who were devastated by Dagon's plot.{{ref|name=TIC|Keyes, Greg. ''[[Books:The Infernal City|The Infernal City]]''. Del Rey Books, 2009.}}{{rp|19}}

===Fourth Era===
The Argonians were among the first of the races to secede from the weakening Empire, alongside the [[Lore:Khajiit|Khajiit]] of [[Lore:Elsweyr|Elsweyr]].{{ref|name=TIC}} Shortly after the eruption of [[Lore:Red Mountain|Red Mountain]] devastated Vvardenfell, the Argonians attacked Morrowind, instigating the [[Lore:Fourth Era Wars|Accession War]]. Sources vary on why it was started. Some claim that it was incited by the [[Lore:Thalmor|Thalmor]].{{ref|name=RT34|{{Cite Book|Rising Threat, Vol. IV}}}} Others say that it was retribution for years of slavery or simply for expansion.{{ref|name=DBAdril|[[Skyrim:Adril Arano|Adril Arano]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]: [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}}

[[File:BK-Umbriel.jpg|Umbriel|thumb|left]]
Whatever the case may be, Argonians had early success in southern Morrowind, sacking many cities (including [[Lore:Mournhold|Mournhold]]) and advancing as far as the ruins of Vivec City.{{ref|name=TIC}} However, the Argonians were eventually stopped by the army of [[Lore:House Redoran|House Redoran]].{{ref|name=TIC}}{{ref|name=DBAdril}} Though Mournhold was reclaimed by Morrowind and is presently undergoing restoration efforts, the status of all lands invaded by the Argonians remains ambiguous.{{ref|name=TMFN|{{Cite Book|To Milore from Nilara}}}} The Argonians are known to have patrols as far north as Skyrim's border,{{ref|name=DMallory|[[Skyrim:Delvin Mallory|Delvin Mallory]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} and control areas as far inland as the mainland portion of the [[Lore:Scathing Bay|Scathing Bay]],{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|259}} bringing House Redoran's claim of total victory into question.{{ref|name=HoRRV1|{{Cite Book|History of Raven Rock}}}} Some Argonian tribes hold territory in regions that border Black Marsh.{{ref|[[Skyrim:Dreyla Alor|Dreyla Alor]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]: [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}}

{{Quote Box|''"The tree. It was talking to me, filling me up. I couldn't hear anything else... I've never felt like that. There were a lot of us, all walking in the same direction, all with the same mind."''|Mere-Glim{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|59}}}}
Sometime in the early Fourth Era the Argonians came to be governed by a political party known as the [[Lore:An-Xileel|An-Xileel]], whose views were completely nationalistic. In 4E 48, the An-Xileel were able to use the rogue Hist of Lilmoth to summon the floating city of [[Lore:Umbriel|Umbriel]] from [[Lore:Clavicus Vile|Clavicus Vile]]'s realm in [[Lore:Oblivion|Oblivion]] in order to exterminate all foreign taint in Black Marsh.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|36}} The An-Xileel and the Wild Ones went away, intending to come back when the ordeal was all over and the Imperial taint had been scrubbed from the province.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|62}} When Umbriel finally arrived in Black Marsh, the rogue city tree reached out to all Argonians within range of the floating city, compelling them to walk beneath it and relent to the undead horde it controlled, giving their souls to fuel the Ingenium.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|59}}

The city did this for them, but soon began following its own agenda after the An-Xileel lost control over it. Umbriel started on a northwestern path towards [[Lore:White-Gold Tower|White-Gold Tower]] in the Imperial City, moving through Black Marsh and Morrowind in the process; those slain by the floating city were resurrected as an invincible undead horde to aid the city's dark goal. The Argonian cities of Stormhold and Gideon were overrun by the undead army of Umbriel despite not being beneath Umbriel's shadow. It was through the efforts of the Breton girl Annaïg Hoïnart, an Argonian named Mere-Glim, Prince [[Lore:Attrebus Mede|Attrebus Mede]] and the Dunmer mage Sul (along with a few others) that Umbriel was finally destroyed and its threat to Tamriel eliminated.{{ref|name=LoS|Keyes, Greg. ''[[Books:Lord of Souls|Lord of Souls]]''. Del Rey Books, 2011.}}

In {{Year|4E 150}}, a small force of Argonian raiders landed on [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]] to stir up trouble, but were repelled by the Redoran of [[Lore:Raven Rock|Raven Rock]].{{ref|name=HoRRV1}} Smugglers in Skyrim's southernmost hold, [[Lore:The Rift|the Rift]], regularly complain about Argonian patrols along the border to Morrowind, implying Argonians have retained some land up north.{{ref|name=DMallory}}{{ref|name=SmugTN|{{Cite Book|Smuggler's Trade Notes|ns_base=SR}}}} In spite of these patrols, the Dunmer have since managed to reclaim the area surrounding Mournhold.{{ref|name=TMFN}} Argonians continue living inside Morrowind,{{ref|[[Skyrim:Keerava|Keerava]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{ref|[[Skyrim:Talen-Jei|Talen-Jei]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} though it's unclear how well they get along with their neighbors.

==Culture==
[[File:BK-misc-Argonian Warrior.jpeg|right|thumb|An Argonian warrior]]
Marsh-born Argonians enjoy wallowing in cool mud{{ref|[[Online:Six-Spike Tail Trim|Six-Spike Tail Trim]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} and water{{ref|[[Online:Veek-Gai Gold-Tail|Veek-Gai Gold-Tail]]'s dialogue towards non-Pact soldiers in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|[[Online:Neeti-Ra|Neeti-Ra]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}{{ref|name=NN|{{Cite Book|Neelo's Notes|ns_base=Online}}}}{{ref|[[Online:Drops-No-Glass|Drops-No-Glass]]'s Stage 3 furnisher dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} and basking in the sun.{{ref|[[Online:Runs-in-Wild|Runs-in-Wild]]'s dialogue after helping Captain Rana at the docks during [[Online:Breaking the Tide|Breaking the Tide]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|[[Online:Short-Scales|Short-Scales]]' dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Some Argonians appear as though they're sleeping when they bask.{{ref|{{Cite Book|Lost Tales of the Famed Explorer: Fragment II}}}} Contrary to what some foreign scholars believe, Argonians do not worship the sun. Rather, they enjoy its warmth{{ref|[[Online:Plays-In-Puddles|Plays-In-Puddles]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Dark Brotherhood (DLC)|Dark Brotherhood]]''}} and bask in its light.{{ref|name=TSTAJP}} Wallowing helps to cool their scales and keep them from drying out on hot, sunny days.{{ref|[[Online:Tar-Makka|Tar-Makka]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Summerset (Chapter)|Summerset]]''}}{{ref|[[Online:Deed-Tei|Deed-Tei]]'s dialogue after finding the seed-doll during [[Online:Unsuitable Suitors|Unsuitable Suitors]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} When they wallow, one might find an Argonian with their nose barely poking out of the mud.{{ref|name=CMAS}} Black Marsh has just the right climate to suit their scales: the dampness of the marsh keeps it from being too dry, there are plenty of trees to provide shade, and it's not too open.{{ref|[[Online:Walks-in-Ash#Restoring Order|Walks-in-Ash]]'s dialogue at [[Online:Ebonheart|Ebonheart]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

Argonians hatched in places outside Black Marsh cannot hear the Hist.{{ref|name=EokiHOAT|[[ON:Eoki|Eoki]]'s dialogue during [[ON:The Heart of a Telvanni|The Heart of a Telvanni]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}{{ref|name=KassandraWITW|[[ON:Kassandra|Kassandra]]'s dialogue during [[ON:Whispers in the Wood|Whispers in the Wood]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} These individuals are referred to as ''lukiul'', or ''assimilated'' people. The term is used to describe Argonians that have assimilated into a non-Argonian culture.{{ref|name=TSTAJP}} Argonians who leave the swamp to live among non-Argonians are also considered lukiul.{{ref|name=ESOCTG|[[ON:Claws-the-Ghosts|Claws-the-Ghosts]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} An Argonian born as a slave on [[Lore:Vvardenfell|Vvardenfell]] would be considered lukiul, and would have no connection to the Hist.{{ref|name=EokiHOAT}}{{ref|name=KassandraWITW}} Lukiul have difficulty understanding the body language of marsh-born Argonians,{{ref|name=tSCoJR}} and they are often treated as outsiders by the natives of Black Marsh.{{ref|name=TSTAJP}}

Traditional Black Marsh inhabitants refer to themselves as the Saxhleel, and they are suspicious of visitors.{{ref|name=EGT}}{{ref|[[Online:Harbormaster Ahkur|Harbormaster Ahkur]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} Despite the distrust shown by the locals, lukiul are more or less left well alone. Those who've never left the swamp pity the lukiul, as they cannot imagine a life away from the Hist. Those who leave Black Marsh and return may feel greater longing for the Hist than when they left.{{ref|name=ESOCTG}}

===Cultural Mindset===
Argonians possess the most alien personalities in all of Tamriel from a human or meric perspective. They tend to speak with a certain detachment that might seem particularly strange to individuals with a formal upbringing centered around manners. Argonians do not facially express their emotions as much as men and mer do, though anger is fairly easy to detect through bared teeth and narrowed eyes.{{ref|name=EGT}} Argonians are fiercely loyal and will fight to the death for those they have named as friends. Their allies have long since learned that there is always a reason for everything they do.{{ref|name=GttEP}}

[[File:ON-render-Murkmire Q&A.jpg|thumb|left|A jekka-wass changing the weather with the Xinchei-Konu]]
Slights committed between Argonian tribes are forgiven relatively easily. This is due in part to their belief in reincarnation. A [[Lore:Bright-Throat Tribe|Bright-Throat]] may be reincarnated as a Black-Tongue after death, a Miredancer may return as one of the Root-House People, and so on. For the Argonians, to hate each other is to hate themselves because they are all people of the root: it is better to forget and move on.{{ref|name=TOMTC}} The Saxhleel, like the [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmer]], prefer to live in the [[Lore:Aurbis|Aurbic]] Now—not dwelling on the past or the future, but simply the present.{{ref|name=RM11AE|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 11: Ancient Elf Style}}}} The concepts of "past" and "future" are foreign to them.{{ref|name=FamiaST|[[ON:Famia Mercius|Famia Mercius]]' dialogue during [[ON:Sunken Treasure|Sunken Treasure]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} They pay little heed to the passing of days.{{ref|name=MazzCJ|{{Cite Book|Captive's Journal|ns_base=Online}}}}

Argonians care little about the relics within the ancient xanmeers dotting the marsh. Some xanmeers contain powerful relics or cursed antiquities, and the Argonians would prefer not to have objects such as those floating around, but they have no use for the more benign trinkets found within the ruins, considering them relatively impractical. They would prefer fresh slugs to feed themselves, and sturdy tools to hunt [[Lore:Hackwing|hackwing]]s or repair their reed houses.{{ref|name=ESOXukasGather}} Resurrecting the advanced Saxhleel society of old is an uncommon, but not unheard of, aspiration. Ultimately, to Argonians, if someone succeeds in their goals, then those plans were meant to come to fruition. Those who fail disappear into the marsh, never to be heard from again. That is the way things are in Black Marsh.{{ref|name=KeshuWar1|{{Cite Book|Keshu: The Black Fin Goes to War, Part 1}}}} Change, or "vastei", is perhaps the greatest driving force behind the Saxhleel's motivation. To the Saxhleel, defying change is the greatest folly.{{ref|name=TSTAJP|{{Cite Book|The Sharper Tongue: A Jel Primer}}}}

As detailed in ''[[Lore:The Seasons of Argonia|The Seasons of Argonia]]'', the passage of time is not totally meaningless to the Saxhleel. The Saxhleel recognize that the passage of days and months is an inevitable, perpetual cycle, and marking the progression of that cycle is sacred.{{ref|name=TSOA|{{Cite Book|The Seasons of Argonia}}}} Argonians who pay heed to the passage of time are called ''jekka-wats''.{{ref|name=MazzCJ}} A jekka-wass is assigned to be the keeper of an ancient Argonian monument known as the [[Lore:Xinchei-Konu|Xinchei-Konu]], a giant stone calendar located in [[Lore:Murkmire|Murkmire]]. The Xinchei-Konu is not just a calendar, it is a catalyst of change; it can be used to change the weather.{{ref|name=JWV|[[ON:Jekka-Wass Vozei|Jekka-Wass Vozei]]'s dialogue during [[ON:Monument of Change|Monument of Change]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}

====Calendar====
[[File:ON-quest-Ritual of Change.jpg|The Argonian calendar, read clockwise, with Vakka at the top|thumb|right]]
The Argonians have different names for the months of the year than the rest of Tamriel. The following is a synopsis of the months and their meaning, in chronological order:
:'''Vakka:''' The first month represents origins. Tribes are encouraged to show respect to their elders during this time.

:'''Xeech:''' A month of planting, hopeful, but also melancholy. The First Mourning (out of three) occurs during Xeech: once a thing it is planted, it is hidden and gone. What emerges will not be something new: the nut is lost forever.

:'''Sisei:''' Celebrates youth and possibility. Sports, competitions, and hatchling festivals take place during Sisei. Strength, speed, and willpower are also celebrated. This season is a time for romance and renewal. Bright colors are typically worn this time of year.{{ref|[[Online:Sisei Flowering Dress|Sisei Flowering Dress]] [[Online:costumes|costume]] description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

:'''Hist-Deek:''' A month dedicated to challenging authority. Injustices are brought to light, conflict between tribes occurs, and individuals reflect on their agency as well as their bond with the Hist.

:'''Hist-Dooka:''' Family, tradition, and obligation are celebrated. Youngsters are given more responsibility, and many adolescents undergo their Chukka-Sei. The month typically ends in celebration.

:'''Hist-Tsoko:''' The holiest month of the year, dedicated to the ideas of knowledge, wisdom, and fullness of potential. Gatherings are often solemn. Hist-Tsoko represents the Second Mourning: the Hist has stopped growing, and its full potential has been reached.

:'''Thtithil-Gah:''' Wonder and simple joy are celebrated. Traveling entertainers make most of their money during this month, and festivals and feasts are constant.

:'''Thtithil:''' Associated with anticipation, mystery, and finality. Thtithil is a time when many tribes begin laying eggs.

:'''Nushmeeko:''' This month celebrates hard, thankless, everyday work. The entire tribe labors near-constantly during this month, doing whatever needs to be done around the village.

:'''Shaja-Nushmeeko:''' Another month of mystery and debate. Unifying concepts such as change, becoming, and shifting values are all contemplated. Adolescent gatherings often happen during this time, and many young ones dip their tails in romance.

:'''Saxhleel:''' Tribe members are free to pursue their creative passions, such as pottery and woodcarving. In many tribes, a large gathering of elders is held to prepare them and the community for the impending deaths to come. Saxhleel encompasses a sense of things coming to a close, as it's the second to last month of the year.

:'''Xulomaht:''' Xulomaht is associated with the Third Mourning, which is the most significant of the three given the end of the year. Communities reflect on the past year and mourn its passing. They also look forward to the next year. Festivals are held to remember those who have died.


===Death===
[[File:ON-place-Grave-Stake Memorial.jpg|A grave-stake memorial site|thumb|left]][[File:ON-npc-Jaxsik-Orrn 03.jpg|thumb|right|A Naga-Kur kaal attempting to read a grave-stake with the aid of a grave-singer]]
{{#lst:Lore:Death/Argonian|LoreArgonian}}
{{NewLine}}

====[[Lore:Souls#Mortal Souls|Argonian Souls]]====
[[File:ON-npc-Dust-On-Scales 02.jpg|An Argonian's soul being torn from his body as he dies|thumb|right]]
Argonian [[Lore:Souls|souls]] are different from those of other races due to their connection to the Hist.{{ref|[[Online:Haj Uxith|Haj Uxith Corridors]] loading screen text in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Argonian souls return to the Hist after death because of this connection. A Hist tree's sap is its soul. When an Argonian is created, the Hist's sap becomes the Argonian's blood, essence, and soul. Argonian spirits are made from the essence of their Hist tree, which is the sap. If a Hist tree were drained of its sap, the souls of the tree's tribe will have nowhere to go after death. They may linger in the world of the living, trapped in madness. If the sap were to be boiled or distilled by whoever took it, the Hist would be in great anguish, an unbearable sensation that the souls of its tribe would feel. If the tribe's tree-minder possesses a relic gifted to the tribe by the Hist, such as a staff made from one of its branches, the relic can be used to call the tribe's spirits and the tree's sap back to the Hist. In that case, the souls would pass on, and the tree would survive.{{ref|name=ESODeyapa|[[Online:Tree-Minder Deyapa|Tree-Minder Deyapa]]'s dialogue during [[Online:The Tree-Minder's Fate|The Tree-Minder's Fate]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

{{#lst:Lore:Death/Argonian|LoreArgonian2}}

===Art and Architecture===
[[File:ON-place-Ianix's Hut.jpg|thumb|left|A mud hut, which can be easily rebuilt if destroyed]]
Long ago, the Lizard Folk built and lived in grandiose pyramid structures they referred to as xanmeers and had [[Lore:Wayshrines|wayshrines]] dedicated to the stars.{{ref|name=KoL|{{Cite Book|Keystones of Loriasel}}}}{{ref|name=SP|{{Cite Book|Sacred Places}}}} However, these were abandoned following Duskfall, and the Saxhleel themselves do not recall much about life in those times.{{ref|name=SP}} During the Second Era, the Argonians of Shadowfen lived in huts made from mud,{{ref|name=EGT}} while those in Murkmire constructed settlements woven from reeds.{{ref|name=ESOHeemJas|[[Online:Heem-Jas (Ruins of Mazzatun)|Heem-Jas]]' dialogue during [[Online:Sap and Stone|Sap and Stone]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Shadows of the Hist|Shadows of the Hist]]''}}{{ref|Appearance of reed houses in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} Because of this alarming change, some scholars doubt that the xanmeers were built by the Argonians, who in their opinion merely claimed ownership of them. Feathers, bright colors, and lizard hides decorate the majority of their buildings and works of art.{{ref|name=EGT}}
[[File:ON-prerelease-Murkmire 04.jpg|An Argonian Village comprised of reed houses|thumb|right]]
Reptilian symbolism is prevalent in Argonian art. [[Lore:Turtle|Turtle]]s, lizards, crocodiles, and other scaly creatures are often the subject of artistic expression.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Ancient Saxhleel Statue|Ancient Saxhleel Statue]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Turtle shells are often used to craft dishes, such as platters{{ref|[[Online:Contraband P#Pejureel's Party Platter|Pejureel's Party Platter]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} or mugs. Particularly fancy products might be inlaid with mother-of-pearl.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband F#Fancy "I Hate Morndas" Kaveh Mug|Fancy "I Hate Morndas" Kaveh Mug]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Argonians use hide from giant snakes to protect delicate textiles.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband A#Ample Serpent Garment Wrap|Ample Serpent Garment Wrap]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

[[File:ON-concept-Murkmire Architecture.jpg|Some of Murkmire's Architecture|thumb|left]]
Modern Argonian architecture is shaped by the concept of conquering shunatei: "the pain caused by holding on too tightly to that which has come to pass", also described as the "Fear of Death and Forgetting". Argonians feel that building stone structures is foolish, instead building structures that are intended to be temporary.{{ref|name=ONTalen|[[Online:Talen-Jush|Talen-Jush]]'s dialogue in ''[[Online:Online|ESO]] [[Online:Murkmire|Murkmire]]''}} Argonians are said to be masters of crafting jewelry.{{ref|name=Madesijewelry|[[Skyrim:Madesi|Madesi]]'s dialogue during [[Skyrim:Ringmaker|Ringmaker]] in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} The Argonians also apparently possess sophisticated understanding of alchemy; their alchemists in Black Marsh have long held that the moon phases dictate the precise positioning of calcinators.{{ref|name=CT|{{Cite Book|Calcinator Treatise}}}}

Ceramic art, usually made from clay, is commonplace in Black Marsh.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband A#Argonian Spice Shaker|Argonian Spice Shaker]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Glass and bone are also used in Argonian crafts,{{ref|[[ON:Contraband A#Argonian Reading Glass|Argonian Reading Glass]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} and although wood is destined to rot in the humid swamps, Argonians don't shy away from it.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband A#Argonian Fruit Bowl|Argonian Fruit Bowl]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|[[ON:Contraband A#Argonian Darkwood Tabletop|Argonian Darkwood Tabletop]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|[[ON:Contraband A#Argonian Alchemist Rack|Argonian Alchemist Rack]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Argonians are known for their sturdy weaving of grass and other fibers, secrets which they guard closely.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband S#Stout Grass Rope|Stout Grass Rope]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Specialized bronze tools called "bone-workers" are used to carve bone, horn, and chitin for Argonian art, acting like a knife, pick, or chisel.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband S#Scrimshaw Bone-Worker|Scrimshaw Bone-Worker]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

In Murkmire, some of the locals use razor-sharp pieces of volcanic glass to skin their beasts.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband S#Skinning Stone|Skinning Stone]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} The inhabitants of Xal-Ithix use barbed, four-tined spears with double-hinged folding hafts made of bamboo to hunt frogs.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband F#Frog Gig with Folding Haft|Frog Gig with Folding Haft]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}
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===Fashion===
[[File:ON-concept-Nobles' Fashionable Attire 04.jpg|Interregnum fashion trends|thumb|left]]
Argonians occasionally dress up their tails, whether they have a practical reason to do so or not. A colorful band of leather makes for a simple accent on the tail, and some Argonians spruce it up by attaching bells or other decorative elements to such garments.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Argonian Tail Band|Argonian Tail Band]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Specialized stockings with pockets to place hot stones in can be worn on the tail to keep it warm.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Argonian Tail Stocking|Argonian Tail Stocking]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

Argonians often decorate themselves with spines and plumes.{{ref|[[ON:Feathered Headdress|Feathered Headdress]] hair style description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|[[ON:Sabre Cat Brow Spike|Sabre Cat Brow Spike]] adornment description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Horn adornments are also common: copper horn caps were popular during the "capping" trend of the Second Era.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband C#Copper Horn Caps|Copper Horn Caps]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} In the Second Era, lukiul started a trend of using fashionable silver clips to hold their frills in place.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband F#Frill Clips|Frill Clips]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Naheesh elders are often adorned with feathers from the [[Lore:Birds#Betva-Hen|betva-hen]].{{ref|[[Online:Gaze of Sithis#Preserved Wraxu Feathers|Preserved Wraxu Feathers]] [[Online:Antiquities|Antiquity]] Codex entries in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
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===Entertainment===
[[File:ON-crown store-Kick Ball.jpg|An Argonian sport|thumb|right]]
Argonians have invented several sports, some of which involve the use of a ball, or "teeba".

*'''Teeba-Hatsei:''' {{Lore:Teeba-Hatsei (sport)}}
*'''Teeba-Enoo:''' {{Lore:Teeba-Enoo}}

There are also several Argonian board games, such as Shells and Stones,{{ref|name=TMM}} which is played on a small, flat reed mat with strange markings on it.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband S#Shells and Stones Board|Shells and Stones Board]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

===Music===
[[File:ON-npc-Tar-Lurash.jpg|A vossa-satl player|thumb|left]]
The Argonians have invented an instrument called the vossa-satl (also called "frog pipes"). The instrument resembles a polished wooden clam shell with a series of valves along the top. Each "segment" of the shell is a small, hollow compartment with a mouth like a bugle; each chamber is a different size and produces a different tone. The musician places a live frog into each compartment. There are many kinds of vossa-satls: some are as small as a jaw harp, and some are as large as a pipe organ.{{ref|name=OPTF|{{Cite Book|On Playing the Frogs|ns_base=Online}}}} To tune their instrument, the vossa-satl player twists a tuning key to alter the size of the frog containment chambers.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband V#Vossa-Satl Tuning Key|Vossa-Satl Tuning Key]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Tuning a vossa-satl requires a good deal of patience, especially when the frogs are in mating season.{{ref|[[ON:Chelni|Chelni]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} Musicians wear pouches full of wriggling frog treats on a cord around their neck.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband V#Vossa-Satl Frog Treats Pouch|Vossa-Satl Frog Treats Pouch]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} There are nests in each of the frog compartments, and the frogs are kept happy and well-fed so they sing at their best.{{ref|[[Online:Nesh-Deeka|Nesh-Deeka]]'s dialogue during [[ON:The Sounds of Home|The Sounds of Home]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} The happier the frogs are, the better the music is.{{ref|[[ON:Hokatsei|Hokatsei]]'s dialogue during [[ON:In Need of a Bath|In Need of a Bath]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Blackwood (Chapter)|Blackwood]]''}}

Before each performance, the musician squirts a few drops of frog musk into each compartment to goad the frogs into singing. By pushing the valves on the instrument's neck, the musician muffles some chambers while leaving others open. The pipes produce a sound of their own, which is supplemented by the frogs' croaking.{{ref|name=OPTF}} The vossa-satl is one of the most difficult instruments for foreign musicians to master.{{ref|{{Cite Book|Shriek-of-Silk}}}} Instrument crafters go out and catch frogs that produce pleasing tones for their vossa-satls.{{ref|{{Cite Book|Deet-Loh's Notes|ns_base=Online}}}}{{ref|{{Cite Book|A Guide to Gathering Frogs|ns_base=Online}}}}

The Fredas Night Stingaree is a tradition in Stormhold. Some participants wear fancy, lacquered wasp thoraxes on their tails,{{ref|[[ON:Contraband S#Stormhold "Stingaree" Tail Prosthesis|Stormhold "Stingaree" Tail Prosthesis]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} while a musician plays "Dancing on Eggs", a traditional jig, on a uniquely styled slide flute. These flutes are usually made of silver.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband S#Stormhold-Style Silver Slide-Flute|Stormhold-Style Silver Slide-Flute]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
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===Language===
:''"Much of the nuance of Argonian conversation blooms from heavy metaphor and subtle body movements."'' – Lights-the-Way, Mystic of the Mages Guild{{ref|name=TSTAJP|{{Cite Book|The Sharper Tongue: A Jel Primer}}}}
[[Lore:Jel|Jel]] is the language of the Argonian people, and is unique among the other Tamrielic races, as it came from the Hist, and is unrelated to ancient [[Lore:Ehlnofex|Ehlnofex]]. It has no past or future tense verbs, only present tense. There is less emphasis on past and future, and more emphasis on the now, the recent past and the close future. Aside from the purely verbal communication, Argonians also utilize body movements to express their attitude to the subject they're speaking about.{{ref|name=ESOJO|[[Online:Jaxsik-Orrn|Jaxsik-Orrn]]'s dialogue and mannerisms in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}

[[File:ON-prerelease-Murkmire 07.jpg|Argonians spear fishing|thumb|left]]
While many Argonians can speak other languages, even the most skilled linguists from other races struggle to gain even a basic grasp of Jel. With its use of hisses and other noises, it is described by some as impossible to be spoken correctly by other races, though it is still advised that visitors learn at least a few key phrases.{{ref|name=TSTAJP}} The throats of non-Argonians can't make all the proper sounds.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|33}} Jel can be described as "the closest speech to real thought". Some Argonians feel that languages comprised merely of words only serve to limit the expression of thought{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|33}}—true thought is close to the [[Lore:Hist#Ancient Trees|root]].{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|34}} Some of the more isolated tribes of Black Marsh will commonly speak in this manner, with phrases such as "I bare my teeth" or "I roll my eyes" being commonplace during discussions.{{ref|name=ESOJO}}

Jel is occasionally referred to as the swamp-tongue{{ref|name=ESOXukasGather}} or the root's tongue by native speakers. People who do not speak Jel are referred to as "ojel", literally meaning "Not of Argonian Tongue" or "Non-Speaker of Jel". It is often used to refer to outsiders, but isn't a derogatory term.{{ref|name=XukasAlten}}

"Wamasu scale treatment" is a euphemism used to refer to an impossible task.{{ref|name=ESOFirilanya|[[Online:Madam Firilanya|Madam Firilanya]]'s correspondence in [[Online:ESO|ESO]]}}
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===Medicine and Grooming===
In Murkmire, pickled frogs eyes are used to settle a sour stomach. Some tribes consider them a delicacy.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband J#Jar of Pickled Frog Eyes|Jar of Pickled Frog Eyes]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} Dried tree bark may be chewed to relieve headaches or minor aches and pains.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband C#Chewbark Headache Remedy|Chewbark Headache Remedy]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}

Argonians have many products used for moisturizing scales and frills. Soothing balms derived from palm oil can be used to keep spines healthy and moist.{{ref|name=ESOPalmOil|[[Online:Contraband P#Palm Oil Spine Balm|Palm Oil Spine Balm]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Polish can keep the spines looking suave.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband S#Spine Polish|Spine Polish]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Clay lotion may be used to soften thick, rough scales,{{ref|[[Online:Contraband C#Clay Face Lotion|Clay Face Lotion]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} and some lacquer their scales to improve their luster.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband D#Deepmurk Scale Lacquer|Deepmurk Scale Lacquer]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Creams derived from substances like kwama wax can be applied to the scales to keep them shiny and moist.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband K#Kwama Wax Scale Cream|Kwama Wax Scale Cream]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Herbal moisturizers intended for Argonian scales are known to irritate the skin of every other race.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband H#Herbal Moisturizer|Herbal Moisturizer]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Some oils intended for use on leather can be used to keep Argonians scales smooth and shiny.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband R#Ranic's Leather Oil|Ranic's Leather Oil]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Argonian ladies may carry a parasol to keep their scales from drying out in the hot sun.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband P#Panther Skin Sun Parasol|Panther Skin Sun Parasol]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

Argonians use small specialized metal blades to clean their bodies, scraping mites, dirt, and residual buildup off their scales.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Argonian Scale Scraper|Argonian Scale Scraper]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Brushes with rigid bristles serve a similar purpose underneath the scales.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband D#Deep Scaling Brush|Deep Scaling Brush]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Clam shell claw files can help the discerning Argonian dull or sharpen their claws.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband C#Clam-Shell File|Clam-Shell File]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Thin, elongated whetstones are ideal for sharpening horns.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband H#Horn Sharpener|Horn Sharpener]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Cylindrical sharpening stones with a hollow center are used to sharpen the teeth for defensive or cosmetic purposes.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Argonian Tooth Sharpener|Argonian Tooth Sharpener]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Argonians of high status keep Corimont Mouth-Plovers (a kind of bird) to clean their fangs after meals.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband C#Corimont Mouth-Plover Cage|Corimont Mouth-Plover Cage]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} A mixture of ground, ultra-hard bug shells can also be used to clean debris out from between one's fangs.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband B#Bug Shell Fang Cleaner|Bug Shell Fang Cleaner]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

Smooth, waxy fin polish is used to enhance the health and appearance of one's fins.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband F#Fin Polish|Fin Polish]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Some Argonians use ridge liner in an attempt to elongate the apparent size or depth of their facial and head ridges. This is comparable to the purpose of contouring or mascara in makeup used by men and mer: the gel is supposed to make their ridges seem more pronounced.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband G#Gee-Lo's Ridge Liner|Gee-Lo's Ridge Liner]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Argonians can make use of specialized polish for their horns. Expensive varieties can be made from valuable reagents, such as gold.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband H#Healer Jaxit's Gold Horn Polish|Healer Jaxit's Gold Horn Polish]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Cosmetic fragrances developed by the Saxhleel tend to follow trends that may seem odd at first glance, such as the bladder-aged "snake sweat" perfume.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband V#Vintage Snake Sweat Perfume|Vintage Snake Sweat Perfume]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Some Argonian colognes smell so strong that only the Saxhleel could find them alluring.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Argonian Cologne|Argonian Cologne]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

Argonians moult, shedding their scales occasionally to make way for new ones.{{ref|name=ESOMoult|[[Online:Walks-Softly|Walks-Softly]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Shell Game|Shell Game]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Thieves Guild (DLC)|Thieves Guild]]''}} Sometimes they have difficulty losing their old scales, {{ref|[[Online:Chukka-Li|Chukka-Li]]'s dialogue during a brawl in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Dark Brotherhood (DLC)|Dark Brotherhood]]''}} and must use thick brushes to remove them.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband S#Scale Scrubber|Scale Scrubber]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

===Food===
[[File:ON-render-Xukas 02.jpg|A meeting with traditional fare on the table, including bowls of grubs and guts|thumb|right]]
:''→ See the main article: '''[[Lore:Argonian Cuisine|Argonian Cuisine]]'''''
{{Lore:Argonian Cuisine}}
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===Drugs===
[[Lore:Daril|Daril]], literally meaning "seeing everything in ecstasy" in Jel, is derived from moon adder venom. This venom is instantaneously fatal to others, and is transformed by an agent in Argonian blood. Those who use daril can see sounds, hear tastes, and smell sights. Daril unfolds in stages, each unlike the last, and confuses the senses.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|131}} It cannot be safely taken by non-Argonians.{{ref|name=ESOLAD}}{{ref|[[Online:Bandit Dialogue|Argonian bandit dialogue]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''"The dryskin fool saw me taking daril, so I gave him some. It's poison to their kind! Ha!"''}}{{ref|{{Cite Book|Grida's Note to Dralof|ns_base=Online}}}} Daril is very difficult to acquire; the venom is usually fermented in a swamp jelly gas bladder.{{ref|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive: Murkmire Q&A Part 2}}}} Some Argonian users coat tiny quills in daril and insert them into the skin around their eyes for an intense sensory experience.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband D#Daril Spines|Daril Spines]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The use of daril dates back thousands of years. In ancient times, stone mortars were used in the process of fabricating the drug.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband A#Ancient Daril Mortar|Ancient Daril Mortar]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} It is very powerful, very dangerous, and very expensive.{{ref|name=ESOLAD|[[Online:Laughs-at-Danger|Laughs-at-Danger]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Bath Time|Bath Time]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

The Argonians' natural resistance to poison also makes them resistant to the effects of drugs like [[Lore:Alcohol|alcohol]], requiring higher doses than other races for the effects to kick in.{{ref|[[Online:Fallen-Knives|Fallen-Knives]]' dialogue during [[Online:Faded Scarlets|Faded Scarlets]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} However, some Argonians, especially Bright-Throat elders, enjoy smoking dried marshweed.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband P#Pouch of Dried Marshweed|Pouch of Dried Marshweed]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

===Miscellaneous===
The following is a list of miscellaneous aspects of Argonian culture:
* Some Argonians fill their pillows with live [[Lore:Centipede|centipedes]] because they enjoy the pleasant wriggling sensation.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband C#Crawling Night Pillow|Crawling Night Pillow]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
* A sentimental Argonian may press and preserve a leaf from their Hist tree to remind them of their tribe and family.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband P#Pressed Hist Leaf|Pressed Hist Leaf]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
* Heavy, inlaid wooden boards set in a series of octagonal patterns may be used in meditative exercises.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Argonian Affirmation Board|Argonian Affirmation Board]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
* Argonian effigies reported to ward off nightmares are sold to people in other provinces by foreign traders.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Argonian Nightmare Trap|Argonian Nightmare Trap]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
* Enterprising scam artists sell imitation Hist seeds to gullible foreigners seeking their reputed fertile properties.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband S#Sacred Seeds of Black Marsh|Sacred Seeds of Black Marsh]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
* An Argonian tradition said to bring someone good luck is to douse them in a concoction made from {{Lore Link|toxicodor}} petals, [[Lore:Death Hopper|death hopper]] bile, and [[Lore:Bog Dog|bog dog]] dung.{{ref|[[Online:Deetum-Jas|Deetum-Jas]]' dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}<noinclude>

==Society==
[[File:ON-place-Hatching Pools.jpg|thumb|right|A Hist]]
Most if not all Argonian tribes revere and build their lives around a [[Lore:Hist|Hist]] tree. They ingest its sap during rituals, lay their eggs among its roots, and often live according to the Hist's will. Tribes that build their lives around a Hist often do so literally, constructing their settlements around it.{{ref|name=DTGO|{{Cite Book|Dominion Troops General Order 719a}}}}{{ref|Appearance of the [[Online:Bright-Throat Village|Bright-Throat]], [[Online:Root-Whisper Village|Root-Whisper]] and [[Online:Dead-Water Village|Dead-Water]] Hist trees in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}{{ref|Appearance of the [[Online:Hatching Pools|Hatching Pools]] and [[Online:Forsaken Hamlet|Forsaken Hamlet]] Hist trees in [[Online:Shadowfen|Shadowfen]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The Hist guides them, and its people serve it in kind.{{ref|name=ESOXukasGather}}

The Argonian way of solving disputes differs from that of the Imperial province. Murkmire, for instance, doesn't have the traditional laws most outsiders expect. Small disputes are handled by an arbitrator of both parties' choosing. This can be anyone, though it tends to be the tribe's tree-minder.{{ref|name=Chuxu}}

===Tribal Leaders===
[[File:LG-cardart-Tree Minder Alt.png|A tree-minder caring for the Hist|thumb|left]]
Argonian leaders known as tree-minders tend to the tribe's Hist and seek its wisdom. On rare occasions, the Hist may speak directly with an individual, though most tree-minders can interpret their signs.{{ref|name=ESOPavu|[[Online:Tree-Minder Pavu|Tree-Minder Pavu]]'s dialogue during in [[Online:Empty Nest|Empty Nest]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} Tree-minders can feel when something is wrong with their tree, whether something is physically harming the Hist, such as a sapthief beetle infestation, or something more profound.{{ref|{{Cite Book|From the records of Ah-Tee, Tree Minder}}}} If something is wrong with the eggs in the uxith or the Hist senses an issue with members of the tribe, the tree-minder will feel it.{{ref|name=ESOPavu}} The tree-minder interprets the Hist's will so the tribe may carry it out.{{ref|name=ESOTseedasi|[[ON:Tseedasi|Tseedasi]]'s dialogue during in [[Online:Empty Nest|Empty Nest]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}

Some tribes possess a sap-speaker, who is a direct intermediary with the Hist. The sap-speaker will spend days or weeks at a time among the roots and canopy of the Hist, ingesting sap, eating the otherwise forbidden fruit of the tree, and meditating for many hours a day. The sap-speaker emerges from their solitude with the knowledge they've acquired from the Hist during their long bouts of study.{{ref|name=TMM|{{Cite Book|Tribes of Murkmire: Miredancers}}}} Sap-speakers have been described by Argonians as "Saxhleel blessed by the Hist with second-eyes and second-ears".{{ref|name=XukasSwampBeg|[[Online:Xukas#The Swamp and the Serpent|Xukas]]' dialogue at the beginning of [[Online:The Swamp and the Serpent|The Swamp and the Serpent]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}

Many tribes have an individual known as a root-herald, who works to protect their interests. While some tribesmen hunt for [[Lore:Wamasu|wamasu]], the root-herald hunts for information and fruitful relationships.{{ref|name=ESOXukasGather}} They foster relationships that benefit their tribe, such as negotiating trade agreements.{{ref|name=MTCX|{{Cite Book|Meet the Character - Xukas}}}} They also gather information from townsfolk and associates. Some outsiders may liken their behavior to that of a spy, but such a concept is foreign to the Saxhleel. A root-herald cannot serve their tribe without gathering stories and rumors. Their purpose lies not in subterfuge or espionage. Rather, the root-herald's purpose is closer to that of an ambassador, or someone who brings in news to the tribe from the outside world.{{ref|name=ESOXukasGather}}

Life in the perilous swamp warrants the existence of kaal—war-captains.{{ref|name=XukasStock|[[Online:Xukas#Dragonstar Stockade|Xukas]]' dialogue outside the Dragonstar Stockade during [[Online:Missing in Murkmire|Missing in Murkmire]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}{{ref|name=JaxsikCaravan|[[Online:Jaxsik-Orrn#Blackguard Caravan|Jaxsik-Orrn]]'s dialogue at the Blackguard Caravan during [[Online:Missing in Murkmire|Missing in Murkmire]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} The more war-like the tribe, the more this title is revered.{{ref|name=TSTAJP}} Some tribes also have a raj-kaal, or war-chief.{{ref|name=JaxsikCaravan}}{{ref|name=ESOKishi|[[Online:Kishi|Kishi]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Death Among the Dead-Water|Death Among the Dead-Water]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} The name is self-explanatory: the raj-kaal is a war leader. Tribes that value their warriors may have a ka-deelith, or war-teacher, who trains novices to become full-fledged fighters.{{ref|name=ESOKishi}} Argonian tribes also place great emphasis on their naheesh—tribal elders. They are the wisest members of the tribe, who carry the Root Talk and know all the sacred croaks and Chukka-Sei naming secrets.{{ref|name=ESOHeemJas}} The Root Talk is a solemn affair that usually occurs during the month of Hist-Tsoko, a time dedicated to wisdom and knowledge. During Root Talk, the tribal elders recite the history of the Saxhleel.{{ref|name=TSOA}} Though the naheesh are greatly respected, their title does not indicate that they are in a position of power. Another honorable title is that of the deelith: one who passes wisdom to another.{{ref|name=TSTAJP}} There is also the raj-nassa, or elder leader, and raj-deelith, or elder teacher. A tribe's elder leaders may determine what young Argonians must do to complete their rites of maturity, and the raj-deelith prepares the hatchlings for the rite.{{ref|name=KeshuMat1}}{{ref|name=KeshuEgg}}
[[File:ON-prerelease-Murkmire 06.jpg|Naga-Kur warriors, who wear the skins and bones of the fallen to protect themselves|thumb|right]]
===Warfare===
Argonian arms and armor differ between tribes, and designs have changed with the passage of time. Before Duskfall, Argonians used volcanic glass, elaborately layered cloth, leather, bone, and bronze to arm and protect themselves. Their weapons and armor were often adorned with feathers, dyed yarns, jewels, bronze emblems, and gold. The use of metal is almost unheard of in many post-Duskfall aspects of Argonian craftsmanship.{{ref|name=CMEA|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 70: Elder Argonian Style}}}}
[[File:ON-concept-Mazzatun Style.jpg|Xit-Xaht tribe armaments, modeled by a human|thumb|left]]
The Naga-Kur of Murkmire craft weapons and armor from the bodies of their deceased. Scales, hide and bones from their dead are fashioned to protect the living. Frills and spines from the deceased may serve as decoration, while bones often make up the handles and business-ends of Dead-Water weapons.{{ref|name=CMDW|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 69: Dead-Water Style}}}}

The Xit-Xaht of Mazzatun crafted lightweight armor that relied on sturdy leather and bone to protect the flesh of the wearer. Armor and weapons were designed to allow the Xit-Xaht to move swiftly in the marsh and hit their targets hard. Layers of bone are constructed to deflect blows, though Mazzatun craftwork often leaves the midriff exposed. Plumes, avian and reptilian skulls, and the spiraling path sigil of the city of Mazzatun often adorn the Xit-Xaht's arms and armor, making them easily identifiable from other tribes.{{ref|name=CMM|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 45: Mazzatun Style}}}} Argonian armor from the Shadowfen region, dated to the Second Era, often utilized bones, tortoise shell, shells and snakeskin to protect the wearer. Feathers, jagged teeth, turquoise, and jade often made up the adornments on crafted pieces, with spiral and geometric designs featuring prominently in ornamentation.{{ref|name=CMAS|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 9: Argonian Style}}}}

The heavy infantry of the Argonians are known as Shellbacks.{{ref|name=EGT}} Kaals may rally their own units of elite shellback warriors.{{ref|[[Online:Raj-Kaal Druxith|Raj-Kaal Druxith]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Death and Dreaming|Death and Dreaming]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} Argonian shields are sometimes made from turtle shells. If not the entire shield, a turtle shell may instead serve as a decorative boss for one.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband C#Cracked Argonian Shell Boss|Cracked Argonian Shell Boss]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Argonian blacksmiths make use of vises composed of hard shells and metal.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Argonian Shell Vise|Argonian Shell Vise]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
{{NewLeft}}

==Religion==
{{Quote Box|''It was merely exciting at first, but after a few moments, he began to feel the trees, their own joy in their existence, in the process of merely being, and he felt himself gently tugged into a state of pure thought, where no words existed to constrain his feelings, where no logic tried to make sense and order of the world, and there was only color, smell, touch, motion.''{{ref|name=LoS}}{{rp|108}}}}
Except for the more deeply assimilated, the Argonians do not formally recognize or worship any type of Tamrielic deity.{{ref|name=VoF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith}}}} They revere their creators, the Hist.{{ref|name=ESODeyapa}} Marsh-born Argonians can hear the Hist—when they place their hands on its bark or rest beneath its boughs, they hear whispers or songs, and can perceive faint smells or soothing tones.{{ref|name=ESOXukasGather}}

This relationship is not one of bondage, but rather a bond—the Hist care for the Saxhleel,{{ref|name=ESOXukasGather}} and they in turn care for the Hist. The Argonians have agency apart from the Hist; their servitude is voluntary.{{ref|name=TSOA}} Marsh-born Argonians are capable of wielding [[Lore:Hist-magic|Hist-magic]], which doesn't operate on the same rules as conventional spellcraft.{{ref|name=SISRTR|[[ON:Sun-in-Shadow|Sun-in-Shadow]]'s dialogue during [[ON:Rising to Retainer|Rising to Retainer]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} Practicioners can summon a cloud of spores to incapacitate a target.{{ref|name=EGT}}

The Argonians do revere [[Lore:Sithis|Sithis]], a being that even the Hist acknowledges.{{ref|name=OA}} The [[Lore:Nisswo|Clutch of Nisswo]] is a group of priests dedicated to Sithis who wander across Murkmire to collect the 'many truths' of each tribe and share each tribes beliefs with other tribes.{{ref|name=ESOUaxal|[[ON:Nisswo Uaxal|Nisswo Uaxal]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Art of the Nisswo|Art of the Nisswo]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}{{ref|name=AoN|[[Online:Art of the Nisswo|Art of the Nisswo]] quest in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} [[Lore:Z'en|Z'en]], the [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmeri]] God of Toil, is thought to have originated in Argonian and Akaviri mythologies before being introduced to [[Lore:Valenwood|Valenwood]] by [[Lore:Kothringi|Kothringi]] sailors.{{ref|name=KoL}}{{ref|name=SP}}
[[File:LG-cardart-Shadowfen Priest Alt.png|thumb|right|An Argonian priest collecting Hist sap]]
A religious practice Argonians share across many tribes involves entering the dream-wallow, which is said to be between the lines of a vision and reality,{{ref|name=ESOMMSSK|[[Online:Sap-Speaker Kuzei|Sap-Speaker Kuzei]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Death and Dreaming|Death and Dreaming]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} and is capable of physically manifesting objects into the physical world.{{ref|The Rootmender's Staff appearing in the physical world after the dream-wallow during [[Online:Death and Dreaming|Death and Dreaming]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} The methods involved to enter the dream-wallow and what it consists of differ. It typically involves a period of isolation and exposure to potent mind-altering herbs so the participant may see beyond the physical realm.{{ref|name=ESOMMFM|[[Online:Famia Mercius|Famia Mercius]]' dialogue during [[Online:Death and Dreaming|Death and Dreaming]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} Dream-wallows take a toll on the mind and are hard on the stomach.{{ref|name=ESOXukasDream}}

[[File:ON-quest-Death and Dreaming 02.jpg|A pool of deep sap|thumb|left]]
Members of the Bright-Throat Tribe enter the dream-wallow by ingesting deep sap, hist sap collected from deep beneath the ground. One Bright-Throat reported seeing in his vision a clam challenging him to a game of riddles, where all the words turned to orange mud, and in the end the clam was feasted on.{{ref|name=ESOXukasDream|[[Online:Xukas|Xukas]]' dialogue during [[Online:Death and Dreaming|Death and Dreaming]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} The [[Lore:Naga-Kur|Naga-Kur]] paint their faces red and inhale the fumes from burning [[Lore:Starblossom|Starblossoms]]. Inside the dream-wallow, they face a kaju, a dream-beast chosen by their chief that must be killed unassisted. Tree-minders and naheesh dream-talkers are consulted for questions regarding the dream-wallow.{{ref|name=ESOMMJO|[[Online:Jaxsik-Orrn|Jaxsik-Orrn]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Death and Dreaming|Death and Dreaming]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}

A heresy relating to [[Lore:Y'ffre|Y'ffre]] emerged among the refugees who fled to Valenwood from [[Lore:Black Marsh|Black Marsh]] after the creation of the [[Lore:Ebonheart Pact|Ebonheart Pact]]. Having severed their ties to the [[Lore:Hist|Hist]], many of these Argonians turned to Y'ffre and the trees of Valenwood in the hope that he could allow them to reproduce. This heresy was potentially ended in {{Year|2E 582}} when ex-[[Lore:Shadowscale|Shadowscale]] refugees assassinated those responsible for abandoning the Hist.{{ref|name=ESOSNF|[[ON:Scars Never Fade|Scars Never Fade]] quest in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

===Creation Myth===
The Adzi-Kostleel tribe of Argonians believe that the world was created in a struggle between two spirits. Originally, there was [[Lore:Akatosh|Atak]], the [[Lore:Anu|Great Root]]. As Atak grew, its roots "formed new roots, and those roots took names, and they wanted space of their own to grow." Soon, it discovered the serpent spirit, [[Lore:Lorkhan|Kota]], who had been born from the [[Lore:Padomay|Nothing]] and hungered. Atak and Kota fought and ate at each other until they became something new and indistinguishable, Atakota. They shed their [[Lore:Sithis|skin and Shadow]] and went to sleep. The Shadow ate the [[Lore:Et'Ada|roots]] and was changed by them, keeping them safe and telling them the secrets before releasing them instead of devouring them, letting itself sleep as well. The secrets changed the roots, making them realize they were now temporary and could change.

Many of the spirits learned to fear this change, calling it Death. The chaos that ensued awoke Atakota and split them once more, leading to Atak and Kota and their roots going to war over the existence of Death. Some of the roots drank of Atakota's blood and sap until [[Lore:Dragon|they grew scales, fangs, and wings]]. [[Lore:Ehlnofey|Other roots]] were protected by a [[Lore:Y'ffre|Forest Spirit]], singing with her and becoming one with the forest. In the chaos of the war, the Shadow awoke and ate both Atak and Kota, shedding the skin of Atakota and covering all of the roots, promising to keep them safe.{{ref|name=ChoR|{{Cite Book|Children of the Root}}}}

===Shadowscales===
[[File:LG-cardart-Stalking Shadowscale.png|thumb|A Shadowscale]]
The [[Lore:Shadowscales|Shadowscales]] are a longstanding monastic order of Argonian assassins that worship [[Lore:Sithis|Sithis]], the [[Lore:Void|Void]], and consists of Saxhleel born underneath the sign of [[Lore:The Shadow|The Shadow]]. According to some sources, the downfall of the ancient Argonians was because their "scales were darkened" by the touch of Sithis. Shadowscales also serve as a type of law enforcement in Black Marsh, bringing down "swamp law" on unruly foreigners and natives alike. They are offered at birth to the [[Lore:Dark Brotherhood|Dark Brotherhood]], a guild of assassins that also follows Sithis, to be trained in stealth and assassination. A lone Shadowscale located in Skyrim stated that their order was no longer a fully functioning group by {{Year|4E 201}}.{{ref|name=SRVeezara|[[Skyrim:Veezara|Veezara]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}

Shadowscales are referred to as "ku-vastei": that which brings necessary change. They believe death is not just an end. Death is a form of change, and can be a beginning: "a cycle turned again". As assassins, they are called upon to spark change by bringing death,{{ref|[[Online:Sulahkeesh|Sulahkeesh]]'s dialogue during [[Online:The Assassin's Arbitration|The Assassin's Arbitration]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} but Shadowscales serve Black Marsh in many ways. Shadowscales who are fortunate enough to live to an advanced age learn to serve as ku-vastei beyond killing, such as sharing their wisdom with Black Marsh's inhabitants. The people of Murkmire believe the Shadowscales keep the natural order of things.{{ref|name=Chuxu|[[Online:Chuxu|Chuxu]]'s dialogue during [[Online:The Assassin's Arbitration|The Assassin's Arbitration]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}

===Daedra Worship===
A few tribes (such as the Sul-Xan) worship [[Lore:Daedra|Daedra]], but Argonian society at large does not partake in the veneration of powers from Oblivion. In fact, there are no Jel words to describe any of the Daedra. As explained by a native speaker during the Interregnum, the Argonians do not "taint their language with words for abominations from Oblivion". Instead, they use common words from other more widely-spoken languages to refer to the beasts.{{ref|name=KCAHC|[[Books:Kyne's Challenge: A Hunter's Companion|Kyne's Challenge: A Hunter's Companion]]: Black Marsh, Daedroth}}

==Appearance and Physiology==
[[File:ON-pet-Helstrom Ancestor Lizard.jpg|thumb|right|The Ancestor Lizard, the reptile that Argonians are allegedly descended from]]
The Argonian allegory known as the Parable of Becoming states that the Hist found the humanoid forms of Men and Mer useful, molding the form of the swamp's lizards after them to create Argonians.{{Ref|name=LAMQA2|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive: Murkmire Q&A Part 2}}}} Some scholars believe that the [[Lore:Ancestor Lizard|Ancestor Lizards]] are what Argonians were uplifted from.{{ref|[[Online:Helstrom Ancestor Lizard|Helstrom Ancestor Lizard]] pet description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|[[ON:Lilmoth Ancestor Lizard|Lilmoth Ancestor Lizard]] pet description in [[ESO:Online|ESO]]}} Adding to this theory, the Argonian Mere-Glim had a vision while on Umbriel; in this vision, Mere-Glim experienced the life of a lizard every day until the root and the taste of Hist sap came, transforming both his body and mind.{{ref|name=LoS}}{{rp|266-267}} Similarly, theories exist that state that the Hist also mimicked the forms of the mounts of both [[Lore:Men|men]] and [[Lore:Mer|mer]], creating [[Lore:Lizard-Steed|lizard-steeds]] for the purpose of being used by Argonians to ride long distances through the Marsh.{{Ref|name=SSOBM|{{Cite Book|Scaly Steeds of Black Marsh}}}}

[[File:ON-facial hair-Four-Spike Wattle 02.jpg|thumb|left|An Argonian with a spiked wattle]]
===Physical Traits===
Although Argonians appear reptilian in nature at first glance, and moult like reptiles, they also exhibit qualities of fish, amphibians, and even birds: they are able to breathe underwater through gills,{{Ref|name=Shahvee|[[Skyrim:Shahvee|Shahvee]]'s dialogue in {{g|Skyrim}}}}{{ref|name=Justino|[[ON:Justino|Justino]]'s dialogue in {{g|ESO|orsinium}}}} some swim using the same method as that of a tadpole or eel by moving their tail side-to-side to propel through the water,{{ref|Argonian swimming animation in ''[[MW:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} and they are capable of growing feathers.{{ref|[[Online:Feathered Headdress|Feathered Headdress]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Some Argonians have webbed hands{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|35}} and feet,{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|34}} which serve to propel them through the water while swimming.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|93}} The membranes that connect these individuals' fingers are translucent.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|12}} Argonians don't sweat.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|196}} Because of their gills, Saxhleel cannot drown.{{ref|name=XukasAlten|[[Online:Xukas#Alten Meerhleel|Xukas]]' dialogue at Alten Meerhleel during [[Online:Missing in Murkmire|Missing in Murkmire]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} Argonians have tough snake-like skin, though it is not as strong as [[Lore:Alligator|alligator]] skin or armor.{{Ref|name=MNP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Mark Nelson's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}

Horns and fins are examples of cosmetic traits that are endemic to Saxhleel anatomy.{{ref|[[Online:Dead-Water Jaw-Fin Fringe|Dead-Water Jaw-Fin Fringe]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Their fins can vibrate, and make a low humming sound if they move fast enough. Argonians put on a threatening display by expanding their fins and hissing.{{ref|name=LTFE|{{Cite Book|Lost Tales of the Famed Explorer: Fragment III}}}} Their fins can be drawn back tight to reduce their visibility to hostile entities, allowing for more effective sneaking.{{ref|name=ESOHeemJas}} Some fins assist the individual in swift swimming.{{ref|[[Online:Walks-Softly|Walks-Softly]]'s joke about finned underwear during [[Online:Forever Hold Your Peace|Forever Hold Your Peace]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Thieves Guild (DLC)|Thieves Guild]]''}} The Saxhleel have spines above their brow, which they raise to express various emotions.{{ref|name=CMAS}}{{ref|name=ESOPalmOil}}
[[File:ON-npc-Chime-Maker Shuvu.jpg|thumb|right|An elderly Argonian from the Bright-Throat tribe]]
Sensory organs are another aspect of Argonian anatomy that differs from that of Tamriel's other inhabitants. Some Argonians have membranes with which they use to blink, as opposed to using eyelids.{{ref|name=LoS}}{{rp|115}} Argonians secrete pheromones whose scent can indicate their mood.{{ref|name=LoS}}{{rp|85}} For instance, one who is incited to anger may emit a sharp, sulfurous scent that raises the heart rate of those in close proximity.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|19}} When tickled under the chin, they will reflexively open their jaws.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|56}} Argonians have a crop from which they can regurgitate food hours after consumption.{{ref|name=ESOJotepLiurz|[[Online:Jotep-Liurz|Jotep-Liurz]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}

[[File:MW-race-Argonian.png|thumb|left|Female Argonian life-phase]]
====Aging====
Argonians have a lifespan similar to that of [[Lore:Men|humans]].{{ref|Official [[Online:Online|ESO]] website: [[General:Ask Us Anything: Variety Pack 4|Ask Us Anything: Variety Pack 4]]}} Exceedingly old Argonians will find patches of their scales becoming translucent.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|46}} They also develop wrinkles when they grow old, not unlike other sapient races.{{ref|name=TIC}}{{rp|49}} As they age, their snouts turn grey; very old Argonians have white noses.{{ref|Appearance of Argonians on the "elderly" end of the character creator's age slider in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|[[Online:Wuleen-Weska|Wuleen-Weska]]'s appearance in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} Argonian voices tend to be gravelly, and some speak slowly. Particularly old individuals may speak with a voice like creaking leather.{{ref|name=CMAS}}

====Gender====
Saxhleel genders are sometimes referred to as life-phases. The female "life-phase" is described as highly intelligent, and gifted in the magical arts. The allegedly more aggressive male "phase" reportedly embodies the traits of a hunter: stealth, speed, and agility.{{ref|name=MWdesc}} It can be difficult for people of other races to discern the gender of their Argonian cohorts.{{ref|[[Online:Othvild|Othvild]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|[[Online:Contraband E#Erotic Argonian Etchings|Erotic Argonian Etchings]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

{{Quote Box|''"Have you never undergone such a transformation, egg-sibling?'' 
''The Hist, in all its endless gifts, allows us to change many aspects of ourselves. Our gender is but one. I highly recommend such a change, should you ever get the chance."''|Chal-Maht{{Ref|name=ChalMaht}}}}
It is said that upon exiting the juvenile stage of life, an Argonian will lick [[Lore:Hist Sap|Hist sap]] from the tree's bole in order to stimulate the hormonal glands, which will cause them to sprout sexual organs.{{ref|name=EGT}} However, this is unconfirmed,{{ref|name=MaLotH|{{Cite Book|Myths and Legends of the Hist}}}} and Argonian hatchlings may apparently be of any gender.{{ref|name=MWTNW|[[Morrowind:Travelling-New-Woman|Travelling-New-Woman]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} Argonians can ask their Hist Tree to change their gender, which is typically followed by a celebratory ceremony.{{Ref|name=AGT|{{Cite Book|A Grand Transformation}}}}{{Ref|name=SurvivalG|{{Cite Book|The Elder Scrolls: The Official Survival Guide to Tamriel|ns_base=Books}}}} Female Argonians can have protrusions that resemble mammalian breasts, but at the same time are able to lay eggs.{{ref|name=MoEB|{{Cite Book|Mark of Egg-Births}}}}{{ref|[[Online:Veesk-Olan#193|Veesk-Olan]]'s 193rd hireling correspondence in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Argonians do not have nipples,{{ref|Physical appearance of shirtless Argonian NPCs and player characters in ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]'', ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]'' and [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} but do possess cloacas.{{Ref|name=UDM|[[Online:Ux-Deelith Mezatil#The Rite of Renewal|Ux-Deelith Mezatil]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Something About Stibbons|Something About Stibbons]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}

===Gloor-Specific Traits===
Argonian appearances range from reptilian to almost human. This is caused by the Hist sap they ingest as hatchlings, an event which ceremonially takes place on their Naming Day.{{ref|name=MWTNW}}{{ref|name=LoS}}{{rp|58}} An Argonians' appearance and physiology is almost solely determined by their Hist. This leads to some Argonian tribes differing widely in appearance from their neighbors. For example, the Bright-Throats of Murkmire have brightly colored scales of many hues. Their neighbors, the Naga-Kur, have dark, sometimes iridescent scales and red eyes. Additionally, the Naga-Kur Tribe consists of [[Lore:Naga|Naga]], a subspecies of Argonian with elongated heads and large mouths.{{ref|Appearance of the [[ON:Bright-Throat Tribe|Bright-Throat]] and [[ON:Dead-Water Tribe|Dead-Water]] tribesmen in ''[[ON:DLC#Murkmire|ESO: Murkmire]]''}}

[[File:ON-creature-Xal-Nur the Slaver.jpg|An Argonian Behemoth|thumb|left]]
Argonians are adaptable-by-induction to their Hist's gloor—the pervasive will/desire/need of the Hist to engender multiple inevitabilities.{{ref|name=LMAM}} Though an Argonian can have ancestry from a wildly different tribe, they will always display the characteristics of the tribe that they were born into. An example that illustrates adaptability-by-induction can be found in the Ghost People tribe, known in Jel as the [[Lore:Veeskhleel|Veeskhleel]]. All Veeskhleel are impotent and cannot have children of their own,{{ref|name=ETJ}} but by stealing eggs and hatching them under their own Hist Tree, all Veeskhleel display the same traits.{{ref|name=TOMGP|{{Cite Book|Tribes of Murkmire: Ghost People}}}}{{ref|name=EN|[[Online:Empty Nest|Empty Nest]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} Certain traits (such as the bright colors on a Bright-Throat's wattle) may fade the further an Argonian is from their respective Hist, though they will also come back once the Argonian returns to their tribe.{{ref|name=LMAM}} Reclusive Argonians that live in places away from sunlight (such as subterranean caverns) will lose the color in their scales.{{ref|name=ONMarshmistPaleskin|[[Online:Marshmist Palescale|Marshmist Palescale]] skin description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

Though the Saxhleel seem to generally be cold-blooded, they can apparently regulate their body temperatures just as effectively as their mammalian counterparts. Thanks to this, they can be found wandering the cold environments of [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]] and [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]] without any negative repercussions. Some scholars believe this is possible because of the powerful magicks that lie within Hist sap, which the reptilian race ingests throughout their lives.{{ref|name=OA|{{Cite Book|On Argonians}}}}

''→ See also: '''[[Lore:Xal-Krona|Xal-Krona]]'''
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{{Quote Box|''"They are sentient trees, and we are—connected to them. They are many and they are one, all attached at the root, and we, too, are joined at that root. Some say we were created by the Hist, to see for them the world where they cannot walk. They can call us or send us away. When we are named, we take of the sap of the Hist, and we are changed—sometimes a little, sometimes very much."''|Mere-Glim{{ref|name=LoS}}{{rp|58}}}}
====Morphology====
Argonian physical traits differ from tribe to tribe, but some of these starkly different traits are shared across tribal borders. There are different general body shapes Argonians can take on. [[Lore:Agacephs|Agacephs]], [[Lore:Hapsleet|Hapsleet]], [[Lore:Mihuitleel|Mihuitleel]], [[Lore:Naga|Nagas]], [[Lore:Naka-Desh|Naka-Desh]], [[Lore:Paatru|Paatru]], and [[Lore:Sarpa|Sarpa]] are breeds of Argonian described as being physiologically distinct.{{ref|name=ToBR}} Certain argonians are said to resemble alligators, while others resemble gray-spotted [[Lore:Gecko|geckos]].{{Ref|name=TPTheBlueDawn|group=UOL|[[General:Ted Peterson|Ted Peterson]]'s posts in [[General:Loranna's RP/The Blue Dawn|''The Blue Dawn'']]}} Some Argonians draw a distinction between the Saxhleel and the Naga. Nagas tend to be taller and have wider faces than the Saxhleel.{{ref|name=ESOJela}} Described as having "huge mouths filled with dripping needle-like fangs", they reside within the inner regions of Argonia and are usually seven to eight feet tall. They have beady eyes,{{ref|name=XukasCara|[[Online:Xukas#Blackguard Encampment|Xukas]]' dialogue after finding Jaxsik-Orrn at the Blackguard Encampment during [[Online:Missing in Murkmire|Missing in Murkmire]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} are not friendly towards outsiders,{{ref|name=TAA4}} and tend to be more inclined to engage in violence and warfare.{{ref|name=ESOJela}} The majority of the native brigands and highwaymen are tribeless Naga.{{ref|name=PGE3}}

The Nagas' proclivity for cruelty does not make them "evil", nor are they universally reviled by the rest of the Argonians because of it.{{ref|[[Online:Xukas#The Swamp and the Serpent|Xukas]]' dialogue in response to asking about where [[Online:Whiptail|Whiptail]] went at the beginning of [[Online:The Swamp and the Serpent|The Swamp and the Serpent]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}{{ref|name=JaxsikCares|[[Online:Xukas#Hall of Memories|Xukas]]' dialogue in the Hall of Memories during [[Online:The Swamp and the Serpent|The Swamp and the Serpent]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} The Naga-Kur of Murkmire may be rather unfriendly to foreigners, but for the most part, they remain at peace with the rest of Murkmire, and do not go out of their way to destroy other tribes.{{ref|name=TSDS|{{Cite Book|The Strangeness of Dryskins}}}} There are indeed cruel tribes of Naga, such as the Sul-Xan, who are more than willing to harm their fellow Argonian for one reason or another,{{ref|name=ESOJela}} but the Nagas are not a monolith.

===Reproduction and Child-Rearing===
[[File:ON-quest-Empty Nest.jpg|thumb|right|A nest of Argonian eggs]]
Argonian life begins with a clutch of eggs [[Lore:Sex|conceived]] by a mated pair. The tribes of Black Marsh all have their own customs for choosing mates. Some pick each other out of love{{ref|[[Online:Kasa-Jeen|Kasa-Jeen]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Death and Dreaming|Death and Dreaming]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} or attraction,{{Ref|name=ChalMaht|[[Online:Chal-Maht|Chal-Maht]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Frog Totem Turnaround|Frog Totem Turnaround]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} and some, like the Bright-Throat tribe, bond with members of other tribes to improve tribal relations.{{ref|[[Online:Tseedasi|Tseedasi]] and [[Online:Tree-Minder Pavu|Tree-Minder Pavu]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Empty Nest|Empty Nest]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} The concept of procreational partnership varies from tribe to tribe. Each group's pattern of affection sharing and egg-quickening depend on the will of their Hist. Uvastuxith (nest-becoming), tumjum (allegorical house-weaving), and thtithatei (egg-stomach) are all examples of such concepts and practices.{{Ref|name=LAMQA2}} Argonians can display ovoviviparity and due to their humanoid structure, they can have live births where the eggs hatch internally.{{Ref|name=PHP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Pete Hines' Posts|ns_base=General}}}}{{Ref|name=DGP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Douglas Goodall's Posts|ns_base=General}}}} Argonians born in cold foreign provinces or to small nomadic tribes tend to have live births without the use of egg nests, while those in warmer climates with established, stable, and permanent communities would likely see a great number of eggs.{{Ref|name=MNP|group=UOL}}

In any case, eggs are laid and transferred to an uxith (or "nest"), where they are tended to by midwives until they hatch. While the Argonians take care of their eggs, the Hist guides their development and determines what shape the hatchlings will take.{{ref|name=ESOMimme|[[ON:Mimme|Mimme]]'s dialogue during [[ON:Empty Nest|Empty Nest]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} Argonians are born with an egg-tooth, which the newborns use to hatch from their eggs. A cracked egg-tooth on a newborn Argonian is seen as a good omen.{{ref|name=MoEB}} For some tribes, much of the egg-laying happens during the month of Thtithil.{{ref|name=TSOA}}

The Bright-Throat tribe from Murkmire has egg-tenders (or "egg-nurses"){{ref|name=WotT|{{Cite Book|Wisdom of the Tides}}}} who perform this task. On top of attending the needs of the eggs and discerning which ones are fertile and which ones are not destined to hatch, the tenders also read nursery rhymes and play the flute for their eggs.{{ref|name=Meena|[[Online:Egg-Tender Meena|Egg-Tender Meena]]'s dialogue and schedule in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}{{ref|name=RC|{{Cite Book|Rhymes and Chimes}}}} Those who tend the eggs beneath the Hist at the Hatching Pools in [[Lore:Shadowfen|Shadowfen]] are known as the Keepers of the Shell.{{ref|[[Online:Keepers of the Shell|Keepers of the Shell]] quest name and the usage of the moniker "keeper" by tenders such as [[Online:Keeper Uxith-Ei|Keeper Uxith-Ei]]}} The Keepers keep meticulous record of every egg that enters the uxith; the pairs they were born to, how many hatchlings emerge, when the eggs hatch and which star signs the hatchlings are born under are just some of the things recorded in their logs.{{ref|name=KEIP|[[Online:Contraband K#Keeper's Everfount Inkplume|Keeper's Everfount Inkplume]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=MoEB}} They perform the usual tasks one would expect from someone who tends and protects eggs, such as monitoring the eggs and crushing biting bugs that may harm them.{{ref|{{Cite Book|Book of Thoughts|ns_base=ON}}}} There are signs to look for in an unhealthy egg, including dry shells, lack of luster, a thin membrane, and an empty shadow. If an Argonian egg is not destined to hatch, it returns to the Hist, sinking into the roots and fading away.{{ref|name=ESOMimme}} The Tide-Born of Solstice refer to their egg-nurses as shoal-tenders.{{ref|name=WotT}}

[[File:ON-prerelease-Bright-Throat Uxith.jpg|An uxith, where Argonian children are born|thumb|left]]
Unlike the children of other races, who must be constantly cared for by their parents in order to survive, Argonian hatchlings are born with the ability to walk.{{ref|name=TSDS}} Hatchlings are fed licorice worms,{{ref|[[Online:Contraband K#Keeper's Licorice Worm Dowsing Rod|Keeper's Licorice Worm Dowsing Rod]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} and those who are teething are given pacifiers made of hardened Hist sap to chew.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Amber Plasm Pacifier|Amber Plasm Pacifier]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Some parents carry their small hatchlings arround on their backs in swaddle-skins.{{ref|name=ESOKloxu|[[Online:Kloxu|Kloxu]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Death and Dreaming|Death and Dreaming]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}} Eventually, their Naming Day comes. The hatchling licks the Hist and is granted a name.{{ref|name=KeshuEgg|{{Cite Book|Keshu: From Egg to Adolescence}}}}

Unlike Imperial children, Argonian hatchlings from the greater marsh don't generally play with rag dolls.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Argonian Ragamuffin Doll|Argonian Ragamuffin Doll]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} However, figurines shaped like animals and Argonians are often carved for children.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Argonian Seed Toys|Argonian Seed Toys]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Argonian moppet dolls also exist, and they are quite a rare sight outside of Murkmire.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband S#Sap-Speaker Moppet Doll|Sap-Speaker Moppet Doll]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Hatchlings can be easily amused by frog-shaped squeaky toys.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband S#Squeaky Tsonashap|Squeaky Tsonashap]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Another example of a toy created for Argonian children is that of a wooden box which launches a spring-loaded snake when opened.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband S#Spring-Loaded Thuxis|Spring-Loaded Thuxis]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

When a hatchling comes of age, they undergo their Chukka-Sei, a trial of maturity, in order to prove themselves worthy of being called an adult.{{ref|name=ESOKloxu}} These trials are typically designed to test one's skill and bravery, and may be conducted over the course of several days. Some of these tests are set, and used throughout the greater marsh, though there are innumerable local customs. Some of these rites change depending on the location, time of season, or the raj-nassa's preference,{{ref|name=KeshuMat1|{{Cite Book|Keshu: The Rites of Maturity, Part 1}}}} and some tests are catered to the individual.{{ref|name=ESOKloxu}} Those who pass the trials gain full tribal membership. These trials typically occur during the month of Hist-Dooka, which usually ends with a great celebration.{{ref|name=TSOA}} Some wear special clothing during their trials, such as crocodile tooth necklaces.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband C#Chukka Sei Necklace|Chukka Sei Necklace]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The tribe's neiweets and root-nurses may prepare a feast for when the trial-goer completes their maturation rite.{{ref|[[Online:Weegam|Weegam]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Death and Dreaming|Death and Dreaming]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}

==Tribes==
Argonians usually live in tribes, each having their own customs as well as differing appearances. In fact, the name "Argonian" itself seems to be more of a catch-all term that refers to all the different tribes of lizard folk that dwell within Black Marsh.{{ref|name=PGE1}} There are a number of known tribes.

{{Highlight Box|
;Adzi-Kostleel: The tribe of Murkmire that claimed to be the bearer of an oral tradition of the Argonian creation myth, collected by researcher Solis Aduro.{{ref|name=ChoR}}
;[[Lore:Agacephs|Agacephs]]: Most have needle-like faces and vary in color from bright green to orange. They reside in inner Argonia, near the Hist.{{ref|name=TAA4}}
;[[Lore:Archein|Archeins]]: During the time when other races tried to put plantations in Black Marsh, Archeins were very powerful and made fortunes by selling other Argonians into slavery at the expense of being branded as traitors.{{ref|name=FAtS}} They also served as the advisors of Imperial governors in Black Marsh, and were in charge of the more rural districts as well. Since other races have realized that Argonia is unfit for plantations, they have gone bankrupt.{{ref|name=TAA4}}{{ref|name=PGE1}}
;Ca-Uxith: A tribe native to Blackwood. They take care of the xanmeer at Krona-Konu (known to outsiders as "Rockgrove"), which comes with the advantage of the structure's stone walls providing protection for the tribe.{{ref|[[Online:Im-Makka|Im-Makka]]'s dialogue during [[ON:A Plea from the Flames|A Plea from the Flames]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Blackwood (Chapter)|Blackwood]]''}} Most of the tribe lives in a village just outside the xanmeer. Krona-Konu stands upon a network of steam vents, which can damage the xanmeer's foundation when they erupt. The Ca-Uxith maintain the ruin's structural integrity. The tribe also has a stone-talker: one who serves as conduit between the Hist and Rockgrove's xanmeer. The stone-talker knows much about the ancient city's secrets.{{ref|[[Online:Malosza|Malosza]]'s dialogue during [[ON:A Plea from the Flames|A Plea from the Flames]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Blackwood (Chapter)|Blackwood]]''}}
;Copper-Eyes: A tribe native to Murkmire, they fell victim to the depredations of [[Lore:Mazzatun|Mazzatun]].{{ref|name=BGT|[[Online:Bond-Guru Topeth|Bond-Guru Topeth]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Unsuitable Suitors|Unsuitable Suitors]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[ON:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}
;Eki-Xaht: A tribe that makes frog-leather feedbags that are watertight, allowing their livestock to eat without any spillage.{{Ref|name=ONTreasuresEki|[[Online:Treasures E#Eki-Xaht Feedbag|Eki-Xaht Feedbag]] treasure text in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
;Gee-Rusleel''' or '''Miredancers: An introspective and pious tribe. They have a deep connection to the Hist, naming a "Sap-Speaker" who is said to work as a direct intermediary between the Hist and the Argonian people. They are also obsessed with games and inveterate gamblers.{{ref|name=TMM}}
;[[Lore:Hapsleet|Hapsleet]]: Described as being physiologically different from other tribes such as the Sarpa, Nagas, and Paatru.{{ref|name=ToBR|{{Cite Book|Tribes of Blackwood: Riverbacks}}}}
[[File:ON-npc-Deed-Tei.jpg|A Moss-Skin|thumb|right]]
;[[Lore:Hee-Tepsleel|Hee-Tepsleel]]: A tribe that raises crops which the Black-Tongues use in their alchemical brews.{{ref|name=TOMTC|{{Cite Book|Tribes of Murkmire: Tribal Connections}}}}
;Hutsleel''' or '''Red-Dream People: A tribe native to Blackwood. They partake in sap rituals and "dream" over historical artifacts to learn their stories, and repurpose these objects for daily use in creative ways. {{ref|name=ToBRDP|{{Cite Book|Tribes of Blackwood: Red-Dream People}}}}
;Izta-Ahuak''' or '''Tide-Born: A tribe native to the island of [[Lore:Solstice|Solstice]]. They revere the tide and cannot hear the Hist.{{ref|name=KeshuTH|[[Online:Keshu the Black Fin|Keshu the Black Fin]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Tides of the Heart|Tides of the Heart]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Seasons of the Worm Cult|Seasons of the Worm Cult]]''}}
;Kota-Vimleel''' or '''Black-Tongues: A tribe native to Murkmire. They are accomplished alchemists and ardent Sithis worshippers, able to modify the hatching time of their eggs so that most hatch under the sign of the Shadow, providing a large amount of Shadowscales.{{ref|{{Cite Book|Tribes of Murkmire: Black-Tongues}}}}
;Lut-Eileel'''{{ref|[[Online:Drowaj|Drowaj]]'s dialogue prior to the completion of [[Online:The Rising Winds|The Rising Winds]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Blackwood (Chapter)|Blackwood]]''}} or '''Sharp-Eyed People: A petty tribe that preys and leeches off of other tribes to survive.{{ref|name=Nuxul|[[ON:Nuxul|Nuxul]]'s dialogue during [[Online:The Rising Winds|The Rising Winds]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Blackwood (Chapter)|Blackwood]]''}}
;Moss-Skin: A tribe native to Murkmire and long-time allies of the Bright-Throats.{{ref|name=BGT}} They have a tendency to follow the path of least resistance.{{ref|name=DT|[[ON:Deed-Tei|Deed-Tei]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Unsuitable Suitors|Unsuitable Suitors]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}
[[File:ON-npc-Raj-Kaal Seelan.jpg|thumb|right|A Naga-Kur war-chief]]
;[[Lore:Naga-Kur|Naga-Kur]] '''or''' Dead-Water: A warlike tribe of Nagas native to Murkmire. They use the bones of their fallen in weapons and armor.{{ref|name=Bolu|[[ON:Bolu|Bolu]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Grave Mementos|Grave Mementos]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}
;[[Lore:Naka-Desh|Naka-Desh]]''' or '''Riverbacks: A tribe native to Blackwood, described as having "wide faces, large eyes, and broad webs adorning their forearms and throats". Outsiders perceive them as secretive and mysterious, but this is a misconception caused by the Naka-Desh seeing little benefit in traveling beyond the boundaries of their Hist's roots. These Argonians aren't curious, and don't care for cultural exchange, with the exception of riddles.{{ref|name=ToBR}}
;[[Lore:Paatru|Paatru]]: Described as "toad-like", they live in the inner regions of Argonia and are hostile to outsiders.{{ref|name=TAA4}}
;[[Lore:Root-Whisper Tribe|Root-Whisper Tribe]]: A tribe native to Murkmire and responsible for the creation of the [[Lore:Remnant of Argon|Remnant of Argon]]. They were nearly wiped out by the Barsaebic Ayleids, but their Hist sacrificed itself in order to save the tribe by preserving their souls in the Remnant.{{ref|[[Online:Death and Dreaming|Death and Dreaming]] quest in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} In the [[Lore:Second Era|Second Era]], [[Lore:The Vestige|the Rootmender]] helped to restore the tribe by freeing the souls from the artifact.{{ref|name=BRaR}}
;Shoss-kaleel: A tribe that fought on the Empire's side during the Blackwater War.{{ref|name=TBW}}
[[File:ON-npc-Veeskhleel Shadecaller.jpg|A Veeskhleel|thumb|right]]
;[[Lore:Sarpa|Sarpa]]: A tribe of winged Argonians that is hostile to outsiders. They live in the interior of Black Marsh.{{ref|name=TAA4}}
;Stone-Nest: A tribe native to Solstice. They live on the eastern half of Solstice, where the island's only Hist tree resides.{{ref|name=WotT}} They revere the stone.{{ref|name=VoFS|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith: Solstice}}}}
;Stone-Pile People: A tribe native to Murkmire. They never participate in the Bright-Throats' bonding ritual.{{ref|name=BGT}}
;Su-Zahleel: A peaceful tribe from Shadowfen that were abducted and pressed into slavery by the Xit-Xaht tribe.{{ref|name=SaS|[[Online:Sap and Stone|Sap and Stone]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Shadows of the Hist|Shadows of the Hist]]''}}
;Sul-Xan: A tribe of Naga native to Blackwood that worships [[Lore:Mehrunes Dagon|Mehrunes Dagon]].{{ref|[[General:Blackwood Preview—Rockgrove Trial|Blackwood Preview—Rockgrove Trial]] on the official ESO website}} They perform ritual sacrifices with the intent to bring about the end of the world.{{ref|name=ESOJela}} Sul-Xan warlords with a romantic interest in someone may resort to drastic measures to propose their union, such as kidnapping the object of their affection and offering the heads of that person's neighbors as a dowry.{{ref|[[Online:Tertia Falto|Tertia Falto]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Dog Days|Dog Days]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Blackwood (Chapter)|Blackwood]]''}}
;Three Waters Tribe: Native to [[Lore:Shadowfen|Shadowfen]], this tribe possesses knowledge of [[Lore:Soul Magic|soul magic]].{{ref|[[ON:Dimik-ei|Dimik-ei]]'s dialogue in [[ESO:Online|ESO]]}}
;[[Lore:Tum-Taleel|Tum-Taleel]]''' or '''Root-House People: A tribe native to Murkmire. They do not create anything on their own, relying solely on other tribes to provide for their needs.{{ref|{{Cite Book|Tribes of Murkmire: Root-House People}}}} This even applies to residence, leading them to often raze entire towns for themselves. They destroy what they no longer need to keep the other tribes creating things.{{ref|name=ESOBeehuna|[[Online:Beehuna|Beehuna]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Unsuitable Suitors|Unsuitable Suitors]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Murkmire (DLC)|Murkmire]]''}}
;Veeskhleel''' or '''[[Lore:Ghost People Tribe|Ghost People]]: A tribe native to Murkmire. They have pale white scales, and are known to steal the dead of other tribes and perform necromantic rituals on them.{{ref|name=TOMGP}} They are unable to lay eggs themselves, and are forced to steal them from other tribes.{{ref|name=ETJ|{{Cite Book|Egg-Tender's Journal}}}}
;Wasseek-haleel''' or '''[[Lore:Bright-Throat Tribe|Bright-Throats]]: A tribe native to Murkmire. Their tribe is composed of cheerful artisans who have enjoyed a fruitful relationship with both outsiders and deep-swamp Argonians. The Bright-Throats are famous for their rich music and dance tradition, as well as their preternatural talent as woodcarvers.{{ref|{{Cite Book|Tribes of Murkmire: Bright-Throats}}}}
;[[Lore:Xit-Xaht|Xit-Xaht]]: A tribe of warrior fanatics in Shadowfen that were driven mad by their [[Lore:Tsono-Xuhil|Hist]].{{ref|name=SaS}} They wield magic to manipulate stones{{ref|Abilities of [[Online:Xit-Xaht Stoneshaper|Xit-Xaht Stoneshapers]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Shadows of the Hist|Shadows of the Hist]]''}} and roots.{{ref|Abilities of [[Online:Xit-Xaht Root-Mason|Xit-Xaht Root-Masons]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Shadows of the Hist|Shadows of the Hist]]''}}{{ref|[[Online:Tree-Minder Na-Kesh|Tree-Minder Na-Kesh]]'s abilities in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Shadows of the Hist|Shadows of the Hist]]'': Root Slam, Lashing Vines, and Thorn Scourge}}
;[[Lore:Xuat-Matun|Xuat-Matun]]: A long gone tribe of Murkmire that used to inhabit the Blight Bog Sump.{{ref|name=BBS|[[Online:Blight Bog Sump|Blight Bog Sump]] [[Online:Loading Screens|loading screen]] text in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
;Zaman-Tla: A tribe native to a small island near Solstice.{{ref|name=ESOAkech|[[Online:Akech-Chun|Akech-Chun]]'s dialogue during [[Online:Secrets in the Sand|Secrets in the Sand]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Seasons of the Worm Cult|Seasons of the Worm Cult]]''}} They split from the Tide-Born to escape the [[Lore:Corelanya Clan|Corelanyan]] High Elves during a time when the clan still endorsed necromancy.{{ref|{{Cite Book|Deem-Ra's Diary}}}}
}}

==Artifacts==
===={{Lore Link|Eye of Argonia}}====
{{Lore:Eye of Argonia}}
{{NewLeft}}
[[File:SR-item-Fang of Haynekhtnamet.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Fang of Haynekhtnamet]]
===={{Lore Link|Fang of Haynekhtnamet}}====
{{Lore:Fang of Haynekhtnamet}}
{{NewLeft}}
===={{Lore Link|Fangs of Sithis}}====
{{Lore:Fangs of Sithis}}
{{NewLeft}}
====Fenmender====
Fenmender is a legendary [[Lore:Argonian|Argonian]] staff with the ability to reverse the effects of decay.{{ref|name=HRGazetteer|[[Betrayal:Betrayal of the Second Era|Betrayal of the Second Era]] ''High Rock Gazetteer''}}{{rp|21,28}} It was at one point plundered by Orc warriors that raided [[Lore:Black Marsh|Black Marsh]]. Centuries later during the Interregnum, it would become a source of conflict between the [[Lore:Cyrodilic Collections|Cyrodilic Collections]], who sought the return of Argonian antiquities to their rightful owners, and the House of Orsimer Glories, who considered the staff a piece of Orcish history and sought to store it in their museum.{{ref|name=HRGazetteer}}{{rp|21}} It was also one of the powerful items desired for the [[Lore:Soldiers of the Void|Soldiers of the Void]]'s collection checklist that have some type of resurrection capability, which they wanted to utilize to raise an undead army in the [[Lore:Glenumbra Moors|Glenumbra Moors]], the site of [[Lore:Battle of Glenumbra Moors|great battle]] where one is "just as likely to stumble upon a corpse as a shrub".{{ref|name=HRGazetteer}}{{rp|48,50}}
{{NewLeft}}
[[File:ON-item-Gaze of Sithis 04.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Gaze of Sithis]]
===={{Lore Link|Gaze of Sithis}}====
{{Lore:Gaze of Sithis}}
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[[File:ON-furnishing-Replica Mnemic Egg.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Mnemic Egg Replica]]
===={{Lore Link|Mnemic Egg}}====
{{Lore:Mnemic Egg}}
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[[File:ON-item-Remnant of Argon.jpg|The Remnant of Argon in a vision showing its creation|thumb|right|150px]]
===={{Lore Link|Remnant of Argon}}====
{{Lore:Remnant of Argon}}

The souls trapped within the remnant were eventually released by a hero known as the Rootmender with the aid of a Bright-Throat root-herald and a Naga-Kur warrior, one of whom sacrificed their lives to guide the souls of the Root-Whisper Tribe back to the Hist. With this act, the dreaming Hist of the Root-Whisper was awakened, and the remaining Saxhleel envoy went on to lead the new tribe.{{ref|name=BRaR|[[Online:By River and Root|By River and Root]] quest in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}
{{NewLeft}}

==Gallery==
===Appearances===
<gallery>
File:AR-race-Argonian Males.gif|Male (Arena)
File:AR-race-Argonian Females.gif|Female (Arena)
File:DF-pc-Argonian (male).jpg|Male (Daggerfall)
File:DF-pc-Argonian (female).jpg|Female (Daggerfall)
File:RG-render-Dreekius.png|Male (Redguard)
File:MW-npc-Neetinei.jpg|Male (Morrowind)
File:MW-npc-Travelling-New-Woman.jpg|Female (Morrowind)
File:SK-race-Argonian.jpg|Male and female (Shadowkey)
File:OB-npc-Amusei.jpg|Male (Oblivion)
File:OB-npc-Dar-Ma.jpg|Female (Oblivion)
File:OBR-npc-Deeh the Scalawag.jpg|Male (Oblivion Remastered)
File:OBR-npc-On-Staya Sundew 02.jpg|Female (Oblivion Remastered)
File:SR-npc-Madesi.jpg|Male (Skyrim)
File:SR-npc-Shahvee.jpg|Female (Skyrim)
File:ON-npc-Okan-Shah.jpg|Male (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Blue-Bird.jpg|Female (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Guhcin.jpg|Male Naga (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Beel-Ranu.jpg|Female Naga (ESO)
File:LG-avatar-Argonian Male 2.png|Male (Legends)
File:LG-avatar-Argonian Female 1.png|Female (Legends)
File:BL-npc-Wanum.jpg|Male (Blades)
File:BL-npc-Aleen.jpg|Female (Blades)
File:CT-npc-Talen-Jei.jpg|Male (Castles)
File:CT-npc-Ocheeva.png|Female (Castles)
File:BT-concept-Male Argonian 1.webp|Male (Betrayal of the Second Era)
File:BT-concept-Female Argonian 3.webp|Female (Betrayal of the Second Era)
</gallery>

===Miscellaneous===
<gallery>
File:ON-npc-Xukas.jpg|A Bright-Throat Root-Herald (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Grave-Singer Xi-At.jpg|A Naga-Kur Grave-Singer (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Sap-Speaker Kuzei.jpg|A Root-Whisper Sap-Speaker (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Egg Tender Bun-Hei.jpg|A Tide-Born Egg Tender (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Tree-Minder Na-Kesh 08.jpg|A Xit-Xaht Tree-Minder (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Nisswo Paraxeeh.jpg|ON-npc-Nisswo Paraxeeh.jpg|A Nisswo (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Jekka-Wass Vozei.jpg|A Jekka-Wass (ESO)
File:LG-cardart-Archein Guerrilla.png|An Archein (Legends)
File:LG-cardart-Thorn Histmage.png|A Histmage (Legends)
File:LG-cardart-Invoker of the Hist.png|An Argonian mage (Legends)
File:LG-cardart-Leafwater Blessing.jpg|An Argonian priest administering a blessing to a warrior (Legends)
File:ON-npc-Pact Soldier 06.jpg|A soldier of the Ebonheart Pact in Argonian-style leather armor (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Ahdan (Argonian).jpg|An Argonian wearing a reed-fiber kilt: fashionable during the Interregnum (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Olik.jpg|An Argonian wearing traditional garb usually suited for a bonding ritual (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Bog Blight.jpg|An undead bog blight (ESO)
File:ON-quest-Grave Circumstances.jpg|A bog blight walks free (ESO)
File:ON-creature-Senche-Lizard Steed.jpg|Lizard Steed (ESO)
File:ON-place-Percolating Mire 02.jpg|A graveyard in Shadowfen (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Argonian Wrangler 02.jpg|A Xit-Xaht wamasu wrangler (ESO)
File:RG-comic-Page 13-Tear Swamp.jpg|An Argonian in Thornmarsh (The Origin of Cyrus!)
File:MW-interior-The Lizard's Head 03.jpg|Mounted Argonian Head (Morrowind)
File:CT-UI-Avatar05.png|A Baby Argonian, not fully hatched (Castles)
File:OBR-icon-race-Argonian.png|Character Creation artwork (Oblivion Remastered)
</gallery>

===Concept Art===
<gallery>
File:LO-misc-ArgonianPGE1.jpg|A sketch of an Argonian by '[[Lore:¥R|¥R]]'
File:LO-misc-Argonian Healer.png|Argonian healer concept art
File:SR-concept-6877468311.jpg|Facial concept art (Skyrim)
File:SR-concept-6877468519.jpg|Male concept art (Skyrim)
File:SR-concept-6877468391.jpg|Female concept art (Skyrim)
File:ON-concept-Argonian Armors.jpg|Argonian armor (ESO)
File:ON-concept-Kassandra Remnant of Argon Miregaunt.jpg|Concept art for ''ESO: Murkmire''
File:ON-concept-Berserker.jpg|An Argonian behemoth (ESO)
File:ON-concept-Argonian Maces.jpg|Argonian maces (ESO)
File:BT-concept-Argonian Stalker.webp|Argonian concept (Betrayal of the Second Era)
</gallery>

==Notes==
* [[Lore:Lizard Man|Lizard Men]] were once thought to be distant cousins of Argonians but only appeared in the game where Argonians were depicted as being more humanoid.{{ref|name=ArenaManual|[[Arena:Lizard Man|Lizard Men]] bestiary description on page 79 of the [[Books:Arena Player's Guide|Arena Player's Guide]]}} In later games, lizard men is sometimes a term synonymous with Argonians.{{ref|name=PGE1}}{{ref|name=Ts|{{Cite Book|The Seed}}}}{{ref|name=OMaM|{{Cite Book|Of Men and Mer}}}}
* The [[Lore:Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition/The Wild Region|Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition]] incorrectly describes the [[Lore:Hist|Hist]] as a "relatively intelligent strain of Argonian".{{ref|name=PGE1}}
* The egg (thtithil) is a very important part of Saxhleel culture.{{ref|name=TSTAJP}} Some Argonians inscribe the shells of their hatched eggs with sentimental verses.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Argonian Shell Verse|Argonian Shell Verse]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
* When the Dark Elves were not allied with the Argonians, they often made use of Argonian parts in crafts, such as plates made of Argonian scales.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband A#Argonian Scale Beetle Cheese Plate|Argonian Scale Beetle Cheese Plate]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Fashion-forward Dunmer were finding ways to use Argonian horns to enhance their own appearance. One such use for extracted horns was bone blush, an ivory powder applied to the face. It was especially popular at the height of the Argonian-horn fashion trend of the Second Era, but became much rarer after the Ebonheart Pact was formed.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband B#Bone Blush|Bone Blush]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
* The Game Director of ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]'', [[General:Vijay Lakshman|Vijay Lakshman]], explains the origins of the Argonian race: "I used to love the old [[wikipedia:The_7th_Voyage_of_Sinbad|Sinbad movies]] and fondly recalled some of the [https://gwangipedia.fandom.com/wiki/Dragon#:~:text=The%20Dragon%20is%20a%20large,iconic%20creatures%20of%20the%20film stop-motion creatures] they would fight. For some reason, the word Argonian stuck with me from ''[[wikipedia:Jason_and_the_Argonauts_(1963_film)|Jason and the Argonauts]]'' and I equated that to exploration. What's at the farthest reach of your mind and the world? In my mind, there be dragons, hence the Argonians being reptilian."{{ref|name=VijayMakingOf|group=UOL|''[[General:The Making of The Elder Scrolls Arena|The Making of The Elder Scrolls Arena]]'' — Vijay Lakshman}}

==See Also==
* [[Lore:Argonian Names|Argonian Names]]
* For a list of notable Argonians, see [[:Category:Lore-People-Argonian|here]].
* For more information regarding ancient Argonian society, see [[Lore:Duskfall|here]].
* {{GSI|Arena:Argonian|Daggerfall:Argonian|Morrowind:Argonian|Shadowkey:Argonian|Oblivion:Argonian|Skyrim:Argonian|Online:Argonian|Legends:Argonian|Blades:Argonian}} Also see the [[:Category:Redguard-Argonian|''Redguard'' category]].

===Books===
* {{Book Link|The Sharper Tongue: A Jel Primer}}
* {{Book Link|The Argonian Account}}
* {{Book Link|Argonians Among Us}}
* {{Book Link|The Argonian Maid—An Oral Tradition}}
* {{Book Link|The Argonian Mating Ritual}}
* {{Book Link|Children of the Root}}
* {{Book Link|Crafting Motif 9: Argonian Style}}
* {{Book Link|Crafting Motif 45: Mazzatun Style}}
* {{Book Link|Crafting Motif 69: Dead-Water Style}}
* {{Book Link|Crafting Motif 70: Elder Argonian Style}}
* {{Book Link|Fair Argonian Maiden}}
* {{Book Link|From Wrothgar to Lilmoth: A Smith's Tale}}
* {{Book Link|Ku-Vastei: The Needed Change}}
* {{Book Link|Letters from the War: Windhelm|ns_base=Online}}
* {{Book Link|On Playing the Frogs|ns_base=Online}}
* {{Book Link|Remember Me}}
* {{Book Link|Rhymes and Chimes}}
* {{Book Link|Teeba-Hatsei}}
* {{Book Link|The Lusty Argonian Maid}}
* {{Book Link|The Lusty Argonian Maid, A Song}}
* {{Book Link|The Horror of Castle Xyr}}
* {{Book Link|The Strangeness of Dryskins}}
* {{Book Link|Tribes of Murkmire}}
* {{Book Link|On Argonians}}
* '''{{Cite Book|PGE|1|The Wild Region}}'''
* '''{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Argonia}}'''
* {{Book Link|Varieties of Faith: The Argonians}}

==References==
<references/>
{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>
{{Lore Races}}[[Category:Lore-Creatures-Reptiles]]

[[fr:Lore:Argonien]]
</noinclude>

Lore:Moesring Mountains

2025-06-19T23:43:55Z

Minor Edits: okay, done

<noinclude>[[Category:Lore-Places-Tamriel-Mountains]]
{{cleanup-lpp}}{{cleanup|Needs more fact-checking/description - the tallest peaks, the passes, Fourth Era transitions, general corrections}}{{Lore Places Trail}}{{Lore Place Summary
|continent=Tamriel
|province=Morrowind
|region=Solstheim
|type=Mountain Range
|name=Moesring Mountains
|image=SR-place-Moesring Pass.jpg
|imgdesc=Moesring Pass
|appears=[[BM:Moesring Mountains|Bloodmoon]], [[Skyrim:Moesring Pass|Dragonborn]]}}{{TOCright}}
</noinclude>The [[Lore:Moesring Mountains|Moesring Mountains]] region of northwestern [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]] is a barren frozen wasteland mostly composed of the eponymous mountain range. The northern and western borders are white coastlines along the [[Lore:Sea of Ghosts|Sea of Ghosts]], while to the south are the [[Lore:Isinfier Plains|Isinfier Plains]]. To the east, the [[Lore:Harstrad River|Harstrad River]] traditionally separated the Moesring from the northern reaches of the [[Lore:Felsaad Coast|Felsaad Coast]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon|Geography of Solstheim in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} In the [[Lore:Fourth Era|Fourth Era]], the delta of the Harstrad shifted northwest, one of several transformations likely wrought by the [[Lore:Red Year|Red Year]].{{ref|name=Dragonborn|Geography of Solstheim in''[[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}}<noinclude>{{NewLeft}}
==Geography==
[[File:Solstheim map Bloodmoon.jpg|thumb|right|A map of Solstheim showing the Moesring Mountains]]
The Moesring Mountains rise steeply along their south and east perimeter, turning all of northwestern Solstheim into a natural fortress. Treacherous mountain climbing can be avoided thanks to several mountain passes, which help create something of a road system connecting the Moesring with the rest of Solstheim. However, a number of threats may arise along these narrow passes, including [[Lore:Riekling|Riekling]] barricades and encampments.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} Ancient [[Lore:Nord|Nord]]ic and [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] ruins dot the range.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} Castle Karstaag was a mysterious ice fortress which dominated the northern reaches of the mountains. In the late [[Lore:Third Era|Third Era]], some locals doubted it even existed. Those who knew better understood the castle was home to the [[Lore:Frost Giant|frost giant]] [[Lore:Karstaag|Karstaag]],{{ref|[[Morrowind:Generic Dialogue C|Generic Castle Karstaag dialogue]] in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} who ruled over his Riekling servants and many [[Lore:Grahl|grahl]] from an enormous ice throne.{{ref|[[Bloodmoon:Castle Karstaag|Castle Karstaag]] in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}}

Despite the unforgiving climate, mining opportunities draw some to the Moesring. The region is rich in [[Lore:Sapphire|sapphire]] deposits, hosts some [[Lore:Ebony|ebony]] and [[Lore:Orichalcum|orichalcum]] ore veins, and the Fourth Era would see the emergence of [[Lore:Heart Stone|heart stone]] mines even in the northwest of the island (although deep mines tend to become home to Rieklings).{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} The rare magical ice [[Lore:Stalhrim|stalhrim]] can still be plundered from Nordic barrows, if one has the tools.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

One mountain pass begins southwest of Hvitkald Peak, which anchors the southern end of the range.{{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}}{{ref|name=BMFallaise|[[Bloodmoon:Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd|Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} A northern pass traverses the northern slopes of the range.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} In the middle of the range, west of the Wind Stone obelisk held sacred by the [[Lore:Skaal|Skaal]], is Moesring Pass.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} This leads to [[Lore:Hrothmund's Bane|Hrothmund's Bane]], a massive wolf petroform presumably constructed by the residents of [[Lore:Thirsk|Thirsk]] in honor of their first chieftain, [[Lore:Hrothmund the Red|Hrothmund the Red]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}{{ref|name=TARH|{{Cite Book|Thirsk, A Revised History}}}}

==History==
In the distant past, the Moesring Mountains were home to many, including [[Lore:Snow Elves|Snow Elves]] and [[Lore:Frost Giant|frost giants]]. It was in the white plains and slopes of this region where the [[Lore:Battle of the Moesring|Battle of the Moesring]] took place, where the Nords claimed victory over the Snow Elves,{{Ref|name=FOTSP|{{Cite Book|Fall of the Snow Prince}}}} and claimed the island for themselves.{{ref|name=TFAS|{{Cite Book|The Falmer: A Study}}}} The Dwemer of Solstheim, who built the stronghold of Fahlbtharz north of Hvitkald Peak, presumably also disappeared circa {{Year|1E 700}} like the rest of their race,{{ref|name=DI|{{Cite Book|Dwemer Inquiries}}}} leaving Nords to dominate the island for thousands of years. They built barrows and temples of the [[Lore:Dragon Priest|Dragon Priests]], but if the Nords formed any towns in the barren mountains, none have survived. Scattered mountain folk long made their homes in the Moesring,{{ref|name=TARH}} such as [[Lore:Fryse Hags|Fryse Hags]], witches dedicated to the Nordic goddess [[Lore:Kyne|Kyne]], who could be found in secluded ice caves into the late Third Era.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|[[BM:Reinhardt Red-Spear|Reinhardt Red-Spear]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} However, if any remain, they are elusive; the only continuous inhabitants in modernity one is likely to find are the Rieklings.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

The Skaal tribe, which resides across the river east of the mountains, held an uneasy truce with the frost giant Karstaag for many years.{{ref|name=BMFalx|[[Bloodmoon:Captain Falx Carius|Captain Falx Carius]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} They heard nothing of him for some time before he was killed in {{Year|3E 327}},{{ref|name=BM|[[Bloodmoon:Korst Wind-Eye|Korst Wind-Eye]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} leaving Rieklings to occupy the castle.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}
[[File:SR-place-Mortrag Peak.jpg|thumb|left|Mortrag Peak]]
The massive [[Lore:Mortrag Glacier|Mortrag Glacier]] had encompassed the northwestern tip of Solstheim since time immemorial.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} However, in {{Year|3E 427}}, following the fulfillment of what the Skaal called the [[Lore:Bloodmoon Prophecy|Bloodmoon Prophecy]], the glacier collapsed into a jagged ice field.{{ref|name=BMHircine|Events of [[Bloodmoon:Hircine's Hunt|Hircine's Hunt]] in [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|''Bloodmoon'']]}} The Fourth Era, which brought the cataclysms of the [[Lore:Red Year|Red Year]] of {{Year|4E 5}},{{ref|name=HORR|{{Cite Book|History of Raven Rock}}}} would see the range literally reshaped.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

Hvitkald Peak, once the tallest mountain on the island, became only one of several very tall peaks in the range, including Mortrag Peak, Frykte Peak, and Mount Moesring. The once-massive Mortrag ice field diminished into a series of jagged icebergs off of Solstheim's now-exposed northwestern shoreline. The Harstrad River no longer joined with the Isild River; instead the two reached separate deltas in the northern bay. The Harstrad's headwaters also shifted and became inhabited by [[Lore:Spriggan|spriggan]]s. Castle Karstaag was reduced to icy rubble. Another river cascaded down the western slopes of the range and into the sea near the Water Stone. One thing that did not change was the climate, as the Moesring Mountains remain a fortress of ice and snow.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}
{{NewLeft}}[[File:BM-creature-Snow Wolf.jpg|thumb|right|A Snow Wolf]]

==Flora and Fauna==
The pine forests of Solstheim quickly dwindle into nothing as one enters the frozen hills around the base of the Moesring Mountains. The region is almost devoid of plantlife. However, in the Third Era, the summit of Hvitkald Peak was known as the only place on the island where the [[Lore:Wolfsbane|Wolfsbane]] flower naturally grew.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} In the Fourth Era, the Isinfier Plains were devastated, and only a thin swathe of grass and pines still clung to life between the [[Lore:Solstheim Ashlands|southern ashlands]] and the rocky mountains to the north, with the ash almost reaching the Moesring region to the southeast.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

The mountains are home only to the hardiest of creatures. Almost nothing else survives in the frozen mountains of Solstheim apart from the animated [[Lore:Ghost|spirits of the dead]]. Only a few people, notably smugglers, mercenaries, and the Skaal tend to travel here. Perils of the Moesring include [[Lore:Tusked Bristleback|tusked bristleback]], [[Lore:Horker|horkers]], and perhaps most famously, [[Lore:Wolf|wolves]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} In particular, it is said the large, elusive [[Lore:Snow Wolf|snow wolf]] is best hunted in the Moesring, where their thick fur makes them well-adapted to the cold. Ancient stories say these creatures descend from Ondjage, the Fell Wolf who killed Hrothmund the Red, and they can freeze flesh with their attacks.{{ref|name=Brynjolfr|[[Bloodmoon:Brynjolfr|Brynjolfr]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} Their pelts are highly sought after to make fur armor.{{ref|name=CFAPL|{{Cite Book|Custom Fur Armor Price List|ns_base=BM}}}}

==Notes==
{{note|nb1|^|In ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]'', the Hvitkald Peak location is technically assigned to the Isinfier Plains region, though it is described by [[Bloodmoon:Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd|Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd]] as being at "the southern end of the Moesring Mountains".}}

==See Also==
*{{GSI|Bloodmoon:Moesring Mountains|Skyrim:Moesring Pass}}

==References==
<references/></noinclude>

Lore:Moesring Mountains

2025-06-19T23:42:47Z

Minor Edits: sea of ghosts, not inner sea.

<noinclude>[[Category:Lore-Places-Tamriel-Mountains]]
{{cleanup-lpp}}{{cleanup|Needs more fact-checking/description - the tallest peaks, the passes, Fourth Era transitions, general corrections}}{{Lore Places Trail}}{{Lore Place Summary
|continent=Tamriel
|province=Morrowind
|region=Solstheim
|type=Mountain Range
|name=Moesring Mountains
|image=SR-place-Moesring Pass.jpg
|imgdesc=Moesring Pass
|appears=[[BM:Moesring Mountains|Bloodmoon]], [[Skyrim:Moesring Pass|Dragonborn]]}}{{TOCright}}
</noinclude>The [[Lore:Moesring Mountains|Moesring Mountains]] region of northwestern [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]] is a barren frozen wasteland mostly composed of the eponymous mountain range. The northern and western borders are the white coasts of the [[Lore:Sea of Ghosts|Sea of Ghosts]], while to the south are the [[Lore:Isinfier Plains|Isinfier Plains]]. To the east, the [[Lore:Harstrad River|Harstrad River]] traditionally separated the Moesring from the northern reaches of the [[Lore:Felsaad Coast|Felsaad Coast]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon|Geography of Solstheim in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} In the [[Lore:Fourth Era|Fourth Era]], the delta of the Harstrad shifted northwest, one of several transformations likely wrought by the [[Lore:Red Year|Red Year]].{{ref|name=Dragonborn|Geography of Solstheim in''[[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}}<noinclude>{{NewLeft}}
==Geography==
[[File:Solstheim map Bloodmoon.jpg|thumb|right|A map of Solstheim showing the Moesring Mountains]]
The Moesring Mountains rise steeply along their south and east perimeter, turning all of northwestern Solstheim into a natural fortress. Treacherous mountain climbing can be avoided thanks to several mountain passes, which help create something of a road system connecting the Moesring with the rest of Solstheim. However, a number of threats may arise along these narrow passes, including [[Lore:Riekling|Riekling]] barricades and encampments.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} Ancient [[Lore:Nord|Nord]]ic and [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] ruins dot the range.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} Castle Karstaag was a mysterious ice fortress which dominated the northern reaches of the mountains. In the late [[Lore:Third Era|Third Era]], some locals doubted it even existed. Those who knew better understood the castle was home to the [[Lore:Frost Giant|frost giant]] [[Lore:Karstaag|Karstaag]],{{ref|[[Morrowind:Generic Dialogue C|Generic Castle Karstaag dialogue]] in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} who ruled over his Riekling servants and many [[Lore:Grahl|grahl]] from an enormous ice throne.{{ref|[[Bloodmoon:Castle Karstaag|Castle Karstaag]] in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}}

Despite the unforgiving climate, mining opportunities draw some to the Moesring. The region is rich in [[Lore:Sapphire|sapphire]] deposits, hosts some [[Lore:Ebony|ebony]] and [[Lore:Orichalcum|orichalcum]] ore veins, and the Fourth Era would see the emergence of [[Lore:Heart Stone|heart stone]] mines even in the northwest of the island (although deep mines tend to become home to Rieklings).{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} The rare magical ice [[Lore:Stalhrim|stalhrim]] can still be plundered from Nordic barrows, if one has the tools.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

One mountain pass begins southwest of Hvitkald Peak, which anchors the southern end of the range.{{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}}{{ref|name=BMFallaise|[[Bloodmoon:Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd|Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} A northern pass traverses the northern slopes of the range.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} In the middle of the range, west of the Wind Stone obelisk held sacred by the [[Lore:Skaal|Skaal]], is Moesring Pass.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} This leads to [[Lore:Hrothmund's Bane|Hrothmund's Bane]], a massive wolf petroform presumably constructed by the residents of [[Lore:Thirsk|Thirsk]] in honor of their first chieftain, [[Lore:Hrothmund the Red|Hrothmund the Red]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}{{ref|name=TARH|{{Cite Book|Thirsk, A Revised History}}}}

==History==
In the distant past, the Moesring Mountains were home to many, including [[Lore:Snow Elves|Snow Elves]] and [[Lore:Frost Giant|frost giants]]. It was in the white plains and slopes of this region where the [[Lore:Battle of the Moesring|Battle of the Moesring]] took place, where the Nords claimed victory over the Snow Elves,{{Ref|name=FOTSP|{{Cite Book|Fall of the Snow Prince}}}} and claimed the island for themselves.{{ref|name=TFAS|{{Cite Book|The Falmer: A Study}}}} The Dwemer of Solstheim, who built the stronghold of Fahlbtharz north of Hvitkald Peak, presumably also disappeared circa {{Year|1E 700}} like the rest of their race,{{ref|name=DI|{{Cite Book|Dwemer Inquiries}}}} leaving Nords to dominate the island for thousands of years. They built barrows and temples of the [[Lore:Dragon Priest|Dragon Priests]], but if the Nords formed any towns in the barren mountains, none have survived. Scattered mountain folk long made their homes in the Moesring,{{ref|name=TARH}} such as [[Lore:Fryse Hags|Fryse Hags]], witches dedicated to the Nordic goddess [[Lore:Kyne|Kyne]], who could be found in secluded ice caves into the late Third Era.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|[[BM:Reinhardt Red-Spear|Reinhardt Red-Spear]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} However, if any remain, they are elusive; the only continuous inhabitants in modernity one is likely to find are the Rieklings.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

The Skaal tribe, which resides across the river east of the mountains, held an uneasy truce with the frost giant Karstaag for many years.{{ref|name=BMFalx|[[Bloodmoon:Captain Falx Carius|Captain Falx Carius]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} They heard nothing of him for some time before he was killed in {{Year|3E 327}},{{ref|name=BM|[[Bloodmoon:Korst Wind-Eye|Korst Wind-Eye]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} leaving Rieklings to occupy the castle.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}
[[File:SR-place-Mortrag Peak.jpg|thumb|left|Mortrag Peak]]
The massive [[Lore:Mortrag Glacier|Mortrag Glacier]] had encompassed the northwestern tip of Solstheim since time immemorial.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} However, in {{Year|3E 427}}, following the fulfillment of what the Skaal called the [[Lore:Bloodmoon Prophecy|Bloodmoon Prophecy]], the glacier collapsed into a jagged ice field.{{ref|name=BMHircine|Events of [[Bloodmoon:Hircine's Hunt|Hircine's Hunt]] in [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|''Bloodmoon'']]}} The Fourth Era, which brought the cataclysms of the [[Lore:Red Year|Red Year]] of {{Year|4E 5}},{{ref|name=HORR|{{Cite Book|History of Raven Rock}}}} would see the range literally reshaped.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

Hvitkald Peak, once the tallest mountain on the island, became only one of several very tall peaks in the range, including Mortrag Peak, Frykte Peak, and Mount Moesring. The once-massive Mortrag ice field diminished into a series of jagged icebergs off of Solstheim's now-exposed northwestern shoreline. The Harstrad River no longer joined with the Isild River; instead the two reached separate deltas in the northern bay. The Harstrad's headwaters also shifted and became inhabited by [[Lore:Spriggan|spriggan]]s. Castle Karstaag was reduced to icy rubble. Another river cascaded down the western slopes of the range and into the sea near the Water Stone. One thing that did not change was the climate, as the Moesring Mountains remain a fortress of ice and snow.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}
{{NewLeft}}[[File:BM-creature-Snow Wolf.jpg|thumb|right|A Snow Wolf]]

==Flora and Fauna==
The pine forests of Solstheim quickly dwindle into nothing as one enters the frozen hills around the base of the Moesring Mountains. The region is almost devoid of plantlife. However, in the Third Era, the summit of Hvitkald Peak was known as the only place on the island where the [[Lore:Wolfsbane|Wolfsbane]] flower naturally grew.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} In the Fourth Era, the Isinfier Plains were devastated, and only a thin swathe of grass and pines still clung to life between the [[Lore:Solstheim Ashlands|southern ashlands]] and the rocky mountains to the north, with the ash almost reaching the Moesring region to the southeast.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

The mountains are home only to the hardiest of creatures. Almost nothing else survives in the frozen mountains of Solstheim apart from the animated [[Lore:Ghost|spirits of the dead]]. Only a few people, notably smugglers, mercenaries, and the Skaal tend to travel here. Perils of the Moesring include [[Lore:Tusked Bristleback|tusked bristleback]], [[Lore:Horker|horkers]], and perhaps most famously, [[Lore:Wolf|wolves]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} In particular, it is said the large, elusive [[Lore:Snow Wolf|snow wolf]] is best hunted in the Moesring, where their thick fur makes them well-adapted to the cold. Ancient stories say these creatures descend from Ondjage, the Fell Wolf who killed Hrothmund the Red, and they can freeze flesh with their attacks.{{ref|name=Brynjolfr|[[Bloodmoon:Brynjolfr|Brynjolfr]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} Their pelts are highly sought after to make fur armor.{{ref|name=CFAPL|{{Cite Book|Custom Fur Armor Price List|ns_base=BM}}}}

==Notes==
{{note|nb1|^|In ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]'', the Hvitkald Peak location is technically assigned to the Isinfier Plains region, though it is described by [[Bloodmoon:Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd|Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd]] as being at "the southern end of the Moesring Mountains".}}

==See Also==
*{{GSI|Bloodmoon:Moesring Mountains|Skyrim:Moesring Pass}}

==References==
<references/></noinclude>

Lore:Malada

2025-06-19T23:39:32Z

Minor Edits: moved noinclude

<noinclude>{{Lore Places Trail}}{{Lore Place Summary
|continent=Tamriel
|province=Cyrodiil
|region=Nibenay Basin
|type=Ruin
|name=Malada
|image=OB-place-Malada.jpg
|imgdesc=Ruins of Malada
|appears=[[Oblivion:Malada|Oblivion]]
}}[[File:OB-scroll-UmbacanoSketch.jpg|300px|right]]</noinclude>
[[Lore:Malada|Malada]] (or the '''High Fane''' in [[Lore:Ayleidoon|Ayleidoon]]) was an [[Lore:Ayleid|Ayleid]] temple found in the [[Lore:Nibenay Basin|Nibenay Basin]] of [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]], north of [[Lore:Lake Canulus|Lake Canulus]]. The ruins are known for their distinctive exterior pillar.<noinclude>
{{NewLeft}}
==History==
Malada survived the {{Lore Link|Alessian Rebellion}} and continued to be inhabited for over one hundred years after the race's downfall. The Ayleids of Malada were said to afflict the land "such that no man could plow, or reap, or seed". On the 5th of First Seed, {{Year|1E 393}}, the sun darkened, and the dismayed [[Lore:Nede|Nede]]s declared that a great event should come about in its wake. They appealed to the [[Lore:Alessian Order|Alessian Order]] for aid against the "devils" of the High Fane, and Abbot Cosmas led an assault on the temple, cleansing it with holy flame. The Ayleids within were burned along with their relics and books. The Cleansing of the Fane was later attributed for many years of peace.{{ref|{{Cite Book|Cleansing of the Fane}}}} The temple later fell into ruin and became infested with undead.{{ref|name=OB|Events of ''[[OB:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}

In {{Year|3E 433}}, an [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]] named [[Lore:Umbacano|Umbacano]] recruited treasure hunters to locate the High Fane, the Ayleid name of which had been lost to common knowledge. Although posing as a simple antique collector, Umbacano was an Ayleid Revivalist and sought to recover a specific carving from the ruins in order to gain access to the throne room at [[Lore:Nenalata|Nenalata]]. Although competition between the rival hunters proved to be an issue, Malada was located and the carved tablet was successfully recovered. Removing it from its resting place caused a small collapse, opening up Malada's Aldmerisel (or "Ancestor's Hall").{{ref|name=OB}}
{{NewLeft}}
==See Also==
*{{GSI|Oblivion:Malada}}

==References==
<references/></noinclude>

Lore:Moesring Mountains

2025-06-19T23:29:31Z

Minor Edits: fix

<noinclude>[[Category:Lore-Places-Tamriel-Mountains]]
{{cleanup-lpp}}{{cleanup|Needs more fact-checking/description - the tallest peaks, the passes, Fourth Era transitions, general corrections}}{{Lore Places Trail}}{{Lore Place Summary
|continent=Tamriel
|province=Morrowind
|region=Solstheim
|type=Mountain Range
|name=Moesring Mountains
|image=SR-place-Moesring Pass.jpg
|imgdesc=Moesring Pass
|appears=[[BM:Moesring Mountains|Bloodmoon]], [[Skyrim:Moesring Pass|Dragonborn]]}}{{TOCright}}
</noinclude>The [[Lore:Moesring Mountains|Moesring Mountains]] region of northwestern [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]] is a barren frozen wasteland mostly composed of the eponymous mountain range. The northern and western borders are the white coasts of the [[Lore:Inner Sea|Inner Sea]], while to the south are the [[Lore:Isinfier Plains|Isinfier Plains]]. To the east, the [[Lore:Harstrad River|Harstrad River]] traditionally separated the Moesring from the northern reaches of the [[Lore:Felsaad Coast|Felsaad Coast]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon|Geography of Solstheim in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} In the [[Lore:Fourth Era|Fourth Era]], the delta of the Harstrad shifted northwest, one of several transformations likely wrought by the [[Lore:Red Year|Red Year]].{{ref|name=Dragonborn|Geography of Solstheim in''[[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}}<noinclude>{{NewLeft}}
==Geography==
[[File:Solstheim map Bloodmoon.jpg|thumb|right|A map of Solstheim showing the Moesring Mountains]]
The Moesring Mountains rise steeply along their south and east perimeter, turning all of northwestern Solstheim into a natural fortress. Treacherous mountain climbing can be avoided thanks to several mountain passes, which help create something of a road system connecting the Moesring with the rest of Solstheim. However, a number of threats may arise along these narrow passes, including [[Lore:Riekling|Riekling]] barricades and encampments.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} Ancient [[Lore:Nord|Nord]]ic and [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] ruins dot the range.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} Castle Karstaag was a mysterious ice fortress which dominated the northern reaches of the mountains. In the late [[Lore:Third Era|Third Era]], some locals doubted it even existed. Those who knew better understood the castle was home to the [[Lore:Frost Giant|frost giant]] [[Lore:Karstaag|Karstaag]],{{ref|[[Morrowind:Generic Dialogue C|Generic Castle Karstaag dialogue]] in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} who ruled over his Riekling servants and many [[Lore:Grahl|grahl]] from an enormous ice throne.{{ref|[[Bloodmoon:Castle Karstaag|Castle Karstaag]] in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}}

Despite the unforgiving climate, mining opportunities draw some to the Moesring. The region is rich in [[Lore:Sapphire|sapphire]] deposits, hosts some [[Lore:Ebony|ebony]] and [[Lore:Orichalcum|orichalcum]] ore veins, and the Fourth Era would see the emergence of [[Lore:Heart Stone|heart stone]] mines even in the northwest of the island (although deep mines tend to become home to Rieklings).{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} The rare magical ice [[Lore:Stalhrim|stalhrim]] can still be plundered from Nordic barrows, if one has the tools.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

One mountain pass begins southwest of Hvitkald Peak, which anchors the southern end of the range.{{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}}{{ref|name=BMFallaise|[[Bloodmoon:Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd|Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} A northern pass traverses the northern slopes of the range.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} In the middle of the range, west of the Wind Stone obelisk held sacred by the [[Lore:Skaal|Skaal]], is Moesring Pass.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} This leads to [[Lore:Hrothmund's Bane|Hrothmund's Bane]], a massive wolf petroform presumably constructed by the residents of [[Lore:Thirsk|Thirsk]] in honor of their first chieftain, [[Lore:Hrothmund the Red|Hrothmund the Red]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}{{ref|name=TARH|{{Cite Book|Thirsk, A Revised History}}}}

==History==
In the distant past, the Moesring Mountains were home to many, including [[Lore:Snow Elves|Snow Elves]] and [[Lore:Frost Giant|frost giants]]. It was in the white plains and slopes of this region where the [[Lore:Battle of the Moesring|Battle of the Moesring]] took place, where the Nords claimed victory over the Snow Elves,{{Ref|name=FOTSP|{{Cite Book|Fall of the Snow Prince}}}} and claimed the island for themselves.{{ref|name=TFAS|{{Cite Book|The Falmer: A Study}}}} The Dwemer of Solstheim, who built the stronghold of Fahlbtharz north of Hvitkald Peak, presumably also disappeared circa {{Year|1E 700}} like the rest of their race,{{ref|name=DI|{{Cite Book|Dwemer Inquiries}}}} leaving Nords to dominate the island for thousands of years. They built barrows and temples of the [[Lore:Dragon Priest|Dragon Priests]], but if the Nords formed any towns in the barren mountains, none have survived. Scattered mountain folk long made their homes in the Moesring,{{ref|name=TARH}} such as [[Lore:Fryse Hags|Fryse Hags]], witches dedicated to the Nordic goddess [[Lore:Kyne|Kyne]], who could be found in secluded ice caves into the late Third Era.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|[[BM:Reinhardt Red-Spear|Reinhardt Red-Spear]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} However, if any remain, they are elusive; the only continuous inhabitants in modernity one is likely to find are the Rieklings.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

The Skaal tribe, which resides across the river east of the mountains, held an uneasy truce with the frost giant Karstaag for many years.{{ref|name=BMFalx|[[Bloodmoon:Captain Falx Carius|Captain Falx Carius]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} They heard nothing of him for some time before he was killed in {{Year|3E 327}},{{ref|name=BM|[[Bloodmoon:Korst Wind-Eye|Korst Wind-Eye]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} leaving Rieklings to occupy the castle.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}
[[File:SR-place-Mortrag Peak.jpg|thumb|left|Mortrag Peak]]
The massive [[Lore:Mortrag Glacier|Mortrag Glacier]] had encompassed the northwestern tip of Solstheim since time immemorial.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} However, in {{Year|3E 427}}, following the fulfillment of what the Skaal called the [[Lore:Bloodmoon Prophecy|Bloodmoon Prophecy]], the glacier collapsed into a jagged ice field.{{ref|name=BMHircine|Events of [[Bloodmoon:Hircine's Hunt|Hircine's Hunt]] in [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|''Bloodmoon'']]}} The Fourth Era, which brought the cataclysms of the [[Lore:Red Year|Red Year]] of {{Year|4E 5}},{{ref|name=HORR|{{Cite Book|History of Raven Rock}}}} would see the range literally reshaped.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

Hvitkald Peak, once the tallest mountain on the island, became only one of several very tall peaks in the range, including Mortrag Peak, Frykte Peak, and Mount Moesring. The once-massive Mortrag ice field diminished into a series of jagged icebergs off of Solstheim's now-exposed northwestern shoreline. The Harstrad River no longer joined with the Isild River; instead the two reached separate deltas in the northern bay. The Harstrad's headwaters also shifted and became inhabited by [[Lore:Spriggan|spriggan]]s. Castle Karstaag was reduced to icy rubble. Another river cascaded down the western slopes of the range and into the sea near the Water Stone. One thing that did not change was the climate, as the Moesring Mountains remain a fortress of ice and snow.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}
{{NewLeft}}[[File:BM-creature-Snow Wolf.jpg|thumb|right|A Snow Wolf]]

==Flora and Fauna==
The pine forests of Solstheim quickly dwindle into nothing as one enters the frozen hills around the base of the Moesring Mountains. The region is almost devoid of plantlife. However, in the Third Era, the summit of Hvitkald Peak was known as the only place on the island where the [[Lore:Wolfsbane|Wolfsbane]] flower naturally grew.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} In the Fourth Era, the Isinfier Plains were devastated, and only a thin swathe of grass and pines still clung to life between the [[Lore:Solstheim Ashlands|southern ashlands]] and the rocky mountains to the north, with the ash almost reaching the Moesring region to the southeast.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

The mountains are home only to the hardiest of creatures. Almost nothing else survives in the frozen mountains of Solstheim apart from the animated [[Lore:Ghost|spirits of the dead]]. Only a few people, notably smugglers, mercenaries, and the Skaal tend to travel here. Perils of the Moesring include [[Lore:Tusked Bristleback|tusked bristleback]], [[Lore:Horker|horkers]], and perhaps most famously, [[Lore:Wolf|wolves]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} In particular, it is said the large, elusive [[Lore:Snow Wolf|snow wolf]] is best hunted in the Moesring, where their thick fur makes them well-adapted to the cold. Ancient stories say these creatures descend from Ondjage, the Fell Wolf who killed Hrothmund the Red, and they can freeze flesh with their attacks.{{ref|name=Brynjolfr|[[Bloodmoon:Brynjolfr|Brynjolfr]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} Their pelts are highly sought after to make fur armor.{{ref|name=CFAPL|{{Cite Book|Custom Fur Armor Price List|ns_base=BM}}}}

==Notes==
{{note|nb1|^|In ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]'', the Hvitkald Peak location is technically assigned to the Isinfier Plains region, though it is described by [[Bloodmoon:Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd|Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd]] as being at "the southern end of the Moesring Mountains".}}

==See Also==
*{{GSI|Bloodmoon:Moesring Mountains|Skyrim:Moesring Pass}}

==References==
<references/></noinclude>

Lore:Moesring Mountains

2025-06-19T23:28:06Z

Minor Edits: /* History */ m

<noinclude>[[Category:Lore-Places-Tamriel-Mountains]]
{{cleanup-lpp}}{{cleanup|Needs more fact-checking/description - the tallest peaks, the passes, Fourth Era transitions, general corrections}}{{Lore Places Trail}}{{Lore Place Summary
|continent=Tamriel
|province=Morrowind
|region=Solstheim
|type=Mountain Range
|name=Moesring Mountains
|image=SR-place-Moesring Pass.jpg
|imgdesc=Moesring Pass
|appears=[[BM:Moesring Mountains|Bloodmoon]], [[Skyrim:Moesring Pass|Dragonborn]]}}{{TOCright}}
</noinclude>The [[Lore:Moesring Mountains|Moesring Mountains]] region of northwestern [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]] is a barren frozen wasteland mostly composed of the eponymous mountain range. The northern and western borders are the white coasts of the [[Lore:Inner Sea|Inner Sea]], while to the south are the [[Lore:Isinfier Plains|Isinfier Plains]]. To the east, the [[Lore:Harstrad River|Harstrad River]] traditionally separated the Moesring from the northern reaches of the [[Lore:Felsaad Coast|Felsaad Coast]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon|Geography of Solstheim in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} In the [[Lore:Fourth Era|Fourth Era]], the delta of the Harstrad shifted northwest, one of several transformations likely wrought by the [[Lore:Red Year|Red Year]].{{ref|name=Dragonborn|Geography of Solstheim in''[[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}}<noinclude>{{NewLeft}}
==Geography==
[[File:Solstheim map Bloodmoon.jpg|thumb|right|A map of Solstheim showing the Moesring Mountains]]
The Moesring Mountains rise steeply along their south and east perimeter, turning all of northwestern Solstheim into a natural fortress. Treacherous mountain climbing can be avoided thanks to several mountain passes, which help create something of a road system connecting the Moesring with the rest of Solstheim. However, a number of threats may arise along these narrow passes, including [[Lore:Riekling|Riekling]] barricades and encampments.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} Ancient [[Lore:Nord|Nord]]ic and [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] ruins dot the range.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} Castle Karstaag was a mysterious ice fortress which dominated the northern reaches of the mountains. In the late [[Lore:Third Era|Third Era]], some locals doubted it even existed. Those who knew better understood the castle was home to the [[Lore:Frost Giant|frost giant]] [[Lore:Karstaag|Karstaag]],{{ref|[[Morrowind:Generic Dialogue C|Generic Castle Karstaag dialogue]] in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} who ruled over his Riekling servants and many [[Lore:Grahl|grahl]] from an enormous ice throne.{{ref|[[Bloodmoon:Castle Karstaag|Castle Karstaag]] in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}}

Despite the unforgiving climate, mining opportunities draw some to the Moesring. The region is rich in [[Lore:Sapphire|sapphire]] deposits, hosts some [[Lore:Ebony|ebony]] and [[Lore:Orichalcum|orichalcum]] ore veins, and the Fourth Era would see the emergence of [[Lore:Heart Stone|heart stone]] mines even in the northwest of the island (although deep mines tend to become home to Rieklings).{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} The rare magical ice [[Lore:Stalhrim|stalhrim]] can still be plundered from Nordic barrows, if one has the tools.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

One mountain pass begins southwest of Hvitkald Peak, which anchors the southern end of the range.{{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}}{{ref|name=BMFallaise|[[Bloodmoon:Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd|Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} A northern pass traverses the northern slopes of the range.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} In the middle of the range, west of the Wind Stone obelisk held sacred by the [[Lore:Skaal|Skaal]], is Moesring Pass.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} This leads to [[Lore:Hrothmund's Bane|Hrothmund's Bane]], a massive wolf petroform presumably constructed by the residents of [[Lore:Thirsk|Thirsk]] in honor of their first chieftain, [[Lore:Hrothmund the Red|Hrothmund the Red]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}{{ref|name=TARH|{{Cite Book|Thirsk, A Revised History}}}}

==History==
In the distant past, the Moesring Mountains were home to many, including [[Lore:Snow Elves|Snow Elves]] and [[Lore:Frost Giant|frost giants]]. It was in the white plains and slopes of this region where the [[Lore:Battle of the Moesring|Battle of the Moesring]] took place, where the Nords claimed victory over the Snow Elves,{{Ref|name=FOTSP|{{Cite Book|Fall of the Snow Prince}}}} and claimed the island for themselves.{{ref|name=TFAS|{{Cite Book|The Falmer: A Study}}}} The Dwemer of Solstheim, who built the stronghold of Fahlbtharz north of Hvitkald Peak, presumably also disappeared circa {{Year|1E 700}} like the rest of their race,{{ref|name=DI|{{Cite Book|Dwemer Inquiries}}}} leaving Nords to dominate the island for thousands of years. They built barrows and temples of the [[Lore:Dragon Priest|Dragon Priests]], but if the Nords formed any towns in the barren mountains, none have survived. Scattered mountain folk long made their homes in the Moesring,{{ref|name=TARH}} such as [[Lore:Fryse Hags|Fryse Hags]], witches dedicated to the Nordic goddess [[Lore:Kyne|Kyne]], who could be found in secluded ice caves into the late Third Era.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|[[BM:Reinhardt Red-Spear|Reinhardt Red-Spear]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} However, if any remain, they are elusive; the only continuous inhabitants in modernity one is likely to find are the Rieklings.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

The Skaal tribe, which resides across the river east of the mountains, held an uneasy truce with the frost giant Karstaag for many years.{{ref|name=BMFalx|[[Bloodmoon:Captain Falx Carius|Captain Falx Carius]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} They heard nothing of him for some time before he was killed in {{Year|3E 327}},{{ref|name=BM|[[Bloodmoon:Korst Wind-Eye|Korst Wind-Eye]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} leaving Rieklings to occupy the castle.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}
[[File:SR-place-Mortrag Peak.jpg|thumb|left|Mortrag Peak]]
The massive [[Lore:Mortrag Glacier|Mortrag Glacier]] had encompassed the northwestern tip of Solstheim since time immemorial.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} However, in {{Year|3E 427}}, following the fulfillment of what the Skaal called the [[Lore:Bloodmoon Prophecy|Bloodmoon Prophecy]], the glacier collapsed into a jagged ice field.{{ref|name=BMHircine|Events of [[Bloodmoon:Hircine's Hunt|Hircine's Hunt]] in [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|''Bloodmoon'']]}} The Fourth Era, which brought the cataclysms of the [[Lore:Red Year|Red Year]] of {{Year|4E 5}},{{ref|name=HORR|{{Cite Book|History of Raven Rock}}}} would see the range literally reshaped.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

Hvitkald Peak, once the tallest mountain on the island, became only one of several very tall peaks in the range, including Mortrag Peak, Frykte Peak, and Mount Moesring. The once-massive Mortrag ice field diminished into a series of jagged icebergs off of Solstheim's now-exposed northwestern shoreline. The Harstrad River no longer joined with the Isild River; instead the two reached separate deltas in the northern bay. The Harstrad's headwaters also shifted and became inhabited by [[Lore:Spriggan|spriggan]]s. Castle Karstaag was reduced to icy rubble. Another river cascaded down the western slopes of the range and into the sea near the Water Stone. One thing that did not change was the climate, as the Moesring Mountains remain a fortress of ice and snow.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}
{{NewLeft}}[[File:BM-creature-Snow Wolf.jpg|thumb|right|A Snow Wolf]]

==Flora and Fauna==
The pine forests of Solstheim quickly dwindle into nothing as one enters the frozen hills around the base of the Moesring Mountains. The region is almost devoid of plantlife. However, in the Third Era, the summit of Hvitkald Peak was known as the only place on the island where the [[Lore:Wolfsbane|Wolfsbane]] flower naturally grew.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} In the Fourth Era, the Inisfier Plains were devastated, and only a thin swathe of grass and pines still clung to life between the [[Lore:Solstheim Ashlands|southern ashlands]] and the rocky mountains to the north, with the ash almost reaching the Moesring region to the southeast.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

The mountains are home only to the hardiest of creatures. Almost nothing else survives in the frozen mountains of Solstheim apart from the animated [[Lore:Ghost|spirits of the dead]]. Only a few people, notably smugglers, mercenaries, and the Skaal tend to travel here. Perils of the Moesring include [[Lore:Tusked Bristleback|tusked bristleback]], [[Lore:Horker|horkers]], and perhaps most famously, [[Lore:Wolf|wolves]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} In particular, it is said the large, elusive [[Lore:Snow Wolf|snow wolf]] is best hunted in the Moesring, where their thick fur makes them well-adapted to the cold. Ancient stories say these creatures descend from Ondjage, the Fell Wolf who killed Hrothmund the Red, and they can freeze flesh with their attacks.{{ref|name=Brynjolfr|[[Bloodmoon:Brynjolfr|Brynjolfr]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} Their pelts are highly sought after to make fur armor.{{ref|name=CFAPL|{{Cite Book|Custom Fur Armor Price List|ns_base=BM}}}}

==Notes==
{{note|nb1|^|In ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]'', the Hvitkald Peak location is technically assigned to the Isinfier Plains region, though it is described by [[Bloodmoon:Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd|Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd]] as being at "the southern end of the Moesring Mountains".}}

==See Also==
*{{GSI|Bloodmoon:Moesring Mountains|Skyrim:Moesring Pass}}

==References==
<references/></noinclude>

Lore:Moesring Mountains

2025-06-19T23:10:34Z

Minor Edits: Page had dubious info; more review is needed. Quest Available: Meander the Moesrings. Identify the tallest peaks. Generally describe them across time. (Optional) Find better images. Reward: it comes after a ward or something, idk I don't use Restoration

<noinclude>[[Category:Lore-Places-Tamriel-Mountains]]
{{cleanup-lpp}}{{cleanup|Needs more fact-checking/description - the tallest peaks, the passes, Fourth Era transitions, general corrections}}{{Lore Places Trail}}{{Lore Place Summary
|continent=Tamriel
|province=Morrowind
|region=Solstheim
|type=Mountain Range
|name=Moesring Mountains
|image=SR-place-Moesring Pass.jpg
|imgdesc=Moesring Pass
|appears=[[BM:Moesring Mountains|Bloodmoon]], [[Skyrim:Moesring Pass|Dragonborn]]}}{{TOCright}}
</noinclude>The [[Lore:Moesring Mountains|Moesring Mountains]] region of northwestern [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]] is a barren frozen wasteland mostly composed of the eponymous mountain range. The northern and western borders are the white coasts of the [[Lore:Inner Sea|Inner Sea]], while to the south are the [[Lore:Isinfier Plains|Isinfier Plains]]. To the east, the [[Lore:Harstrad River|Harstrad River]] traditionally separated the Moesring from the northern reaches of the [[Lore:Felsaad Coast|Felsaad Coast]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon|Geography of Solstheim in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} In the [[Lore:Fourth Era|Fourth Era]], the delta of the Harstrad shifted northwest, one of several transformations likely wrought by the [[Lore:Red Year|Red Year]].{{ref|name=Dragonborn|Geography of Solstheim in''[[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}}<noinclude>{{NewLeft}}
==Geography==
[[File:Solstheim map Bloodmoon.jpg|thumb|right|A map of Solstheim showing the Moesring Mountains]]
The Moesring Mountains rise steeply along their south and east perimeter, turning all of northwestern Solstheim into a natural fortress. Treacherous mountain climbing can be avoided thanks to several mountain passes, which help create something of a road system connecting the Moesring with the rest of Solstheim. However, a number of threats may arise along these narrow passes, including [[Lore:Riekling|Riekling]] barricades and encampments.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} Ancient [[Lore:Nord|Nord]]ic and [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] ruins dot the range.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} Castle Karstaag was a mysterious ice fortress which dominated the northern reaches of the mountains. In the late [[Lore:Third Era|Third Era]], some locals doubted it even existed. Those who knew better understood the castle was home to the [[Lore:Frost Giant|frost giant]] [[Lore:Karstaag|Karstaag]],{{ref|[[Morrowind:Generic Dialogue C|Generic Castle Karstaag dialogue]] in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} who ruled over his Riekling servants and many [[Lore:Grahl|grahl]] from an enormous ice throne.{{ref|[[Bloodmoon:Castle Karstaag|Castle Karstaag]] in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}}

Despite the unforgiving climate, mining opportunities draw some to the Moesring. The region is rich in [[Lore:Sapphire|sapphire]] deposits, hosts some [[Lore:Ebony|ebony]] and [[Lore:Orichalcum|orichalcum]] ore veins, and the Fourth Era would see the emergence of [[Lore:Heart Stone|heart stone]] mines even in the northwest of the island (although deep mines tend to become home to Rieklings).{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} The rare magical ice [[Lore:Stalhrim|stalhrim]] can still be plundered from Nordic barrows, if one has the tools.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

One mountain pass begins southwest of Hvitkald Peak, which anchors the southern end of the range.{{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}}{{ref|name=BMFallaise|[[Bloodmoon:Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd|Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} A northern pass traverses the northern slopes of the range.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} In the middle of the range, west of the Wind Stone obelisk held sacred by the [[Lore:Skaal|Skaal]], is Moesring Pass.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} This leads to [[Lore:Hrothmund's Bane|Hrothmund's Bane]], a massive wolf petroform presumably constructed by the residents of [[Lore:Thirsk|Thirsk]] in honor of their first chieftain, [[Lore:Hrothmund the Red|Hrothmund the Red]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}{{ref|name=TARH|{{Cite Book|Thirsk, A Revised History}}}}

==History==
In the distant past, the Moesring Mountains were home to many, including [[Lore:Snow Elves|Snow Elves]] and [[Lore:Frost Giant|frost giants]]. It was in the white plains and slopes of this region where the [[Lore:Battle of the Moesring|Battle of the Moesring]] took place, where the Nords claimed victory over the Snow Elves,{{Ref|name=FOTSP|{{Cite Book|Fall of the Snow Prince}}}} and claimed the island for themselves.{{ref|name=TFAS|{{Cite Book|The Falmer: A Study}}}} The Dwemer of Solstheim, who built the stronghold of Fahlbtharz north of Hvitkald Peak, presumably also disappeared circa {{Year|1E 700}} like the rest of their race,{{ref|name=DI|{{Cite Book|Dwemer Inquiries}}}} leaving Nords to dominate the island for thousands of years. They built barrows and temples of the [[Lore:Dragon Priest|Dragon Priests]], but if the Nords formed any towns in the barren mountains, none have survived. Scattered mountain folk long made their homes in the Moesring,{{ref|name=TARH}} such as [[Lore:Fryse Hags|Fryse Hags]], witches dedicated to the Nordic goddess [[Lore:Kyne|Kyne]], who could be found in secluded ice caves into the late Third Era.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|[[BM:Reinhardt Red-Spear|Reinhardt Red-Spear]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} However, if any remain, they are elusive; the only continuous inhabitants in modernity one is likely to find are the Rieklings.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

The Skaal tribe, which resides across the river east of the mountains, held an uneasy truce with the frost giant Karstaag for many years.{{ref|name=BMFalx|[[Bloodmoon:Captain Falx Carius|Captain Falx Carius]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} They heard nothing of him for some time before he was killed in {{Year|3E 327}},{{ref|name=BM|[[Bloodmoon:Korst Wind-Eye|Korst Wind-Eye]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} leaving Rieklings to occupy the castle.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}
[[File:SR-place-Mortrag Peak.jpg|thumb|left|Mortrag Peak]]
The massive [[Lore:Mortrag Glacier|Mortrag Glacier]] had encompassed the northwestern tip of Solstheim since time immemorial.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} However, in {{Year|3E 427}}, following the fulfillment of what the Skaal called the [[Lore:Bloodmoon Prophecy|Bloodmoon Prophecy]], the glacier collapsed into a jagged ice field.{{ref|name=BMHircine|Events of [[Bloodmoon:Hircine's Hunt|Hircine's Hunt]] in [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|''Bloodmoon'']]}} The Fourth Era, which brought the cataclysms of the [[Lore:Red Year|Red Year]] of {{Year|4E 5}},{{ref|name=HORR|{{Cite Book|History of Raven Rock}}}} would see the range literally reshaped.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

Hvitkald Peak, once the tallest mountain on the island, became only one of several very tall peaks in the range, including Mortrag Peak, Frykte Peak, and Mount Moesring. The once-massive Mortrag ice field diminished into a series of jagged icebergs off of Solstheim's now-exposed northwestern shoreline. The Harstrad River no longer joined with the Isild River, instead the two reached separate deltas in the northern bay. The Harstrad's headwaters also shifted and became inhabited by [[Lore:Spriggan|spriggan]]s. Castle Karstaag was reduced to icy rubble. Another river cascaded down the western slopes of the range and into the sea near the Water Stone. One thing that did not change was the climate, as the Moesring Mountains remain a fortress of ice and snow.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}
{{NewLeft}}[[File:BM-creature-Snow Wolf.jpg|thumb|right|A Snow Wolf]]
==Flora and Fauna==
The pine forests of Solstheim quickly dwindle into nothing as one enters the frozen hills around the base of the Moesring Mountains. The region is almost devoid of plantlife. However, in the Third Era, the summit of Hvitkald Peak was known as the only place on the island where the [[Lore:Wolfsbane|Wolfsbane]] flower naturally grew.{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}} In the Fourth Era, the Inisfier Plains were devastated, and only a thin swathe of grass and pines still clung to life between the [[Lore:Solstheim Ashlands|southern ashlands]] and the rocky mountains to the north, with the ash almost reaching the Moesring region to the southeast.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

The mountains are home only to the hardiest of creatures. Almost nothing else survives in the frozen mountains of Solstheim apart from the animated [[Lore:Ghost|spirits of the dead]]. Only a few people, notably smugglers, mercenaries, and the Skaal tend to travel here. Perils of the Moesring include [[Lore:Tusked Bristleback|tusked bristleback]], [[Lore:Horker|horkers]], and perhaps most famously, [[Lore:Wolf|wolves]].{{ref|name=Bloodmoon}}{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} In particular, it is said the large, elusive [[Lore:Snow Wolf|snow wolf]] is best hunted in the Moesring, where their thick fur makes them well-adapted to the cold. Ancient stories say these creatures descend from Ondjage, the Fell Wolf who killed Hrothmund the Red, and they can freeze flesh with their attacks.{{ref|name=Brynjolfr|[[Bloodmoon:Brynjolfr|Brynjolfr]]'s dialogue in ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}} Their pelts are highly sought after to make fur armor.{{ref|name=CFAPL|{{Cite Book|Custom Fur Armor Price List|ns_base=BM}}}}

==Notes==
{{note|nb1|^|In ''[[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]'', the Hvitkald Peak location is technically assigned to the Isinfier Plains region, though it is described by [[Bloodmoon:Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd|Fallaise of Glenmoril Wyrd]] as being at "the southern end of the Moesring Mountains".}}

==See Also==
*{{GSI|Bloodmoon:Moesring Mountains|Skyrim:Moesring Pass}}

==References==
<references/></noinclude>

Bloodmoon:Moesring Mountains

2025-06-18T02:49:31Z

Minor Edits: Tweaks. Couldn't find the names of the mountain passes in game data; don't appear to be proper names.

{{Trail|Places}}
''Note: The Moesring Mountains refers to two different geographical landmarks. The Moesring Mountains generally refer to the mountain range that forms a border between the Isinfier Plains and the cold northwestern region of the island. However, when specified (for example, the Moesring Mountains '''region''') the Moesring Mountains region covers the entire expanse of the northwestern tip of Solstheim. The meaning will also greatly depend on the context in which it is in.''

----
{| style="float:left"
|{{Weather|align=left|width=75|region=Moesring Mountains|color=#00E1FF
|clear=10
|cloudy=10
|overcast=20
|snow=20
|blizzard=40
}}
|-
|[[File:BM-place-Water Stone.jpg|thumb|left|The Water Stone]]
|-
|{{TOCleft}}
|}
[[File:BM-place-Isild River Bridge.jpg|right|thumb|Bridge across the Isild river between two regions: [[BM:Felsaad Coast|Felsaad Coast]] and Moesring Mountains]]
[[File:BM-quest-The Cursed Captain.jpg|thumb|right|Thormoor's Watch]]
[[File:BM-creature-Tusked Bristleback.jpg|thumb|A Tusked Bristleback on an ice field]]
The '''Moesring Mountains''' region covers the frozen wastelands in northwestern tip of [[Bloodmoon:Places|Solstheim]]. The northern and western borders are the white coasts of the Inner Sea while to the south are the [[Bloodmoon:Isinfier Plains|Isinfier Plains]]. To the east is the Isild river and beyond that is the northern sector of the [[Bloodmoon:Felsaad Coast|Felsaad Coast]]. When approaching by land, several mountain passes may be used to avoid treacherous climbs on the sides of the mountain range. One is at [[Bloodmoon:Thormoor's Watch|Thormoor's Watch]], at the southern end of the Moesring Mountains. A pass near the middle of the range begins close to the [[Bloodmoon:Wind Stone|Wind Stone]] and leads west towards [[Bloodmoon:Hrothmund's Bane|Hrothmund's Bane]]. Finally, a northern pass east of [[Bloodmoon:Castle Karstaag|Castle Karstaag]] goes along the northern slopes of the Moesring Mountains.

[[Bloodmoon:Hvitkald Peak|Hvitkald Peak]], the highest mountain on Solstheim, is situated at the southern end of the Moesring Mountains. It is here, and only here, where the Wolfsbane flower naturally grows on the island. On the southern side of the mountain is the [[Bloodmoon:Water Stone|Water Stone]], a relic held sacred by the [[Bloodmoon:Skaal|Skaal]] for its importance to [[Bloodmoon:The Skaal Test of Loyalty|The Skaal Test of Loyalty]] and therefore Solstheim itself. One of the other stones, the Wind Stone, is located on the shores of the [[Bloodmoon:Harstrad River|Harstrad River]], at the eastern side of Hrothmund's Pass.

Thormoor's Watch is the white and hilly area at the feet of Hvitkald Peak and the mountains at the southern end of the range. At the very most northwestern tip of Solstheim, is the [[Bloodmoon:Mortrag Glacier|Mortrag Glacier]]. East of this is Castle Karstaag, the ancient dwelling of the frost giant Karstaag. The castle (under a different name) may have been a stronghold of the long gone race of [[Lore:Falmer|Falmer]], or Snow Elves. South of the castle is the rock formation of Hrothmund's Bane, the final resting place of one of [[Bloodmoon:Thirsk|Thirsk]]'s, if not Solstheim's, greatest heroes.

However, it is not the wonder of the halls of Castle Karstaag or the sheer size of Hvitkald Peak that makes the Moesring Mountains region famous and revered by the inhabitants of Solstheim. The white plains of the region were the site of the final and epic battle of Falmer and [[Morrowind:Nord|Nords]]. The battle is partly described by Lokheim in his book, ''[[Bloodmoon:Fall of the Snow Prince|The Fall of the Snow Prince]]''. The start of the battle saw the Nords gain the upper hand over the Falmer possibly due to sheer numbers (Nords produce children faster due to elves only producing children slowly unless there is a significant decrease in population) and the Falmer were obviously dismayed at fighting a losing battle. It was then, when all hope seemed lost, that the Snow Prince, entered the battle riding a white steed. His appearance sent fear and wonder into the hearts of the Nords and gave renewed hope and courage among his kinsmen. Riding into battle with the Falmer army behind him, the Snow Prince crushed his enemies. How many he killed is not known, but to come so close to turning the tide of such a battle, the Snow Prince would have needed to have killed hundreds, possibly thousands. Lokheim describes how, with victory within his grasp, the Snow Prince was killed by the most unlikely of foes: a girl of only twelve years, driven mad by rage and sorrow of the death of her only parent, killed the Snow Prince. With the death of their leader, the Falmer fled from the battle. The battle saw countless numbers of Falmer and Nords lying dead on the battlefield, now red with their blood. It is revealed, contrary to Nordic myth, that the Rieklings are not the ancient and proud race of the Falmer but are different entirely. The Falmer themselves are believed to have left Solstheim and became mixed with the other races of the elves, thus vanishing as an independent race from Tamriel. More is told of this in the [[Bloodmoon:Miscellaneous Quests|In Search of the Falmer]] quest.

The Moesring Mountains are home only to [[Bloodmoon:Creatures|species of hardy nature]]: Tusked Bristleback, Rieklings, Horkers, Common wolves and Snow Wolves; almost nothing else survives in the freezing white north of Solstheim apart from the animated spirits of the dead (which are dead anyway) like skeletons. Although few and far between, there are some humans that live (or operate) in the region like smugglers or mercenaries ([[Bloodmoon:Miscellaneous Quests|The Patchwork Airship quest]]).

Travel in and around the cold wastes of the region is restricted to foot. Travel by foot is further restricted to the plains and occasional gentle slopes on some mountains. Potions or amulets of levitation are highly recommended when undertaking a journey anywhere in the region. Blizzards and even minor snowstorms will seriously decrease visibility, especially at night, so setting out in the early hours of the morning is recommended.
{{NewLeft}}

==Places==
===Barrows & Tombs===
*{{Place Link|Hrothmund's Barrow}}

===Caves===
*{{Place Link|Benkongerike}}
*{{Place Link|Domme}}
*{{Place Link|Frykte}}
*{{Place Link|Legge}}
*{{Place Link|Stahlman's Gorge}}
*{{Place Link|Varstaad Caves}}
===Landmarks===
*{{Place Link|Castle Karstaag}}
*{{Place Link|Harstrad River}}
*{{Place Link|Hrothmund's Bane}}
*{{Place Link|Hvitkald Peak}}
*{{Place Link|Mortrag Glacier}}
*{{Place Link|Water Stone}}
*{{Place Link|Wind Stone}}

Bloodmoon:Hrothmund's Bane

2025-06-18T02:25:36Z

Minor Edits: technical name

<noinclude>{{Cleanup-mwop-place
|writtenBy=
|checkedBy=
|interior=[[User:WoahBro|WoahBro]] (none)
|interiorChecked=Dillonn241
|exterior=Jeancey
|exteriorChecked=Chezburgar
|notes=
}}</noinclude>{{Place Summary
|type=Landmark
|locationcode=Solstheim, Hrothmund's Bane
|region=Moesring Mountains
|location=South of [[Bloodmoon:Castle Karstaag|Castle Karstaag]], west of the [[Bloodmoon:Wind Stone|Wind Stone]]
|coords=[-24,25]
|image=BM-place-Hrothmund's Bane.jpg
|imgdesc=Hrothmund's Bane, as seen from the southeast
|mapname=Hrothmund's Bane
|description=A large [[Morrowind:Nord|Nordic]] petroform presumably built by the inhabitants of [[Bloodmoon:Thirsk|Thirsk]] to memorialize their first chieftain, [[Lore:Hrothmund the Red|Hrothmund the Red]].
}}
The memorial is located in the [[Bloodmoon:Moesring Mountains|Moesring Mountains]] region of Solstheim, south of Castle Karstaag and west of the [[Bloodmoon:Wind Stone|Wind Stone]] and situated on a hill slightly higher than the immediate surrounding area (with the exception of the mountains themselves).

In about 3E 347, Hrothmund the Red, chieftain of Thirsk, heard news of a "giant bloodthirsty [[Bloodmoon:Snow Wolf|white wolf]] terrorizing travelers in the Moesring Mountains" (''[[Bloodmoon:Bereditte Jastal|Jastal, Bereditte]]; [[Bloodmoon:Thirsk, a History|Thirsk, a History]]''), and he set out to slay the beast alone. In the ensuing battle, Hrothmund managed to cut off one of the wolf's legs but at the cost of his own life. When news of Hrothmund's death reached the inhabitants of Thirsk, they set out to exact revenge on the Fell Wolf, known as Ondjage. Shortly afterward, Ondjage was slain and the inhabitants of Thirsk fed upon its flesh as a family. As Ondjage had devoured Hrothmund's corpse (leaving only his mighty Battleaxe), there was no way of providing a tomb for the great hero of Solstheim; it can be assumed that the people of Thirsk built a memorial for Hrothmund on the site of his final battle. The memorial was built in the likeliness of Ondjage and was a home for the spirit of Hrothmund the Red, who would determine who the next chieftain of Thirsk would be. As Hrothmund was buried with the few possessions extracted from the stomach of Ondjage, the inner memorial is guarded by the spirit of the Fell Wolf and only allows access to those who know its proper name.

Hrothmund's Bane is a large part of two miscellaneous quests that require access to the inner memorial where the spirits of Ondjage and Hrothmund dwell. When the spirit of the Fell Wolf asks what its real name is, the answer is "Ondjage". Any other answer will result in the inner memorial being permanently closed to you, making the completion of these quests impossible.
{{NewLeft}}
==Related Quests==
===[[Bloodmoon:Miscellaneous Quests|Miscellaneous Quests]]===
* {{Quest Link|The Mead Hall Massacre}}
* {{Quest Link|The Patchwork Airship}}

Lore:Uriel VII

2025-06-17T05:29:01Z

Minor Edits: typo

<noinclude>{{Lore People Summary
|race=Imperial
|gender=Male
|name=Uriel Septim VII
|title=Emperor
|birth=3E 346
|death=3E 433
|deathLoc=Imperial City Prison
|loc=Imperial City
|ReignType1=Emperor of Tamriel
|reignStart1=3E 368
|reignEnd1=3E 389
|prev1=Pelagius Septim IV
|next1=Jagar Tharn
|ReignType2=Restoration to Emperor
|reignStart2=3E 399
|reignEnd2=3E 433
|prev2=Jagar Tharn
|next2=Martin Septim
|appears=[[Arena:Uriel Septim VII|Arena]], [[Daggerfall:Main Quest#Secret Meeting|Daggerfall]], [[Oblivion:Emperor Uriel Septim|Oblivion]], [[OBMobile:Escape From Prison|Oblivion Mobile]], {{Card|The Crisis Begins|Legends}}
|image=OBR-cinematic-Uriel Septim02.png
|imgdesc=ruminating in his final hours
}}{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none; margin-left:0|''I've served the Nine all my days, and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens. The skies are marked with numberless sparks, each a fire, and every one a sign.''|Uriel Septim VII, the Emperor of Tamriel}}</noinclude>
[[Lore:Uriel VII|Uriel Septim VII]] ({{IPA|ˈ|j|ʊəɹ|i|ə|l| |ˈ|s|ɛ|p|t|ɪ|m|}} {{pronunciation|YER|iel septm}}{{Ab|LO-audio-word-Uriel Septim.ogg}}) was the twenty-first [[Lore:Dragonborn|Dragonborn Emperor]] of the [[Lore:Third Empire|Third Empire]] and the [[Lore:Septim Dynasty|Septim Dynasty]],{{ref|name=TBOTD|{{Cite Book|The Book of the Dragonborn}}}}{{Ref|name=CHotE4}}{{Ref|name=DUG|{{Cite Book|Daggerfall User's Guide|ns_base=BK}}}}{{rp|3}} though some described him as the twenty-fourth of the Septim line.{{Ref|name=MorrowindDialogueU}}{{intnote|Placement|[nb 1]}} He succeeded to the throne in {{Year|3E 368}} after the passing of his father, [[Lore:Pelagius Septim IV|Pelagius Septim IV]]. Uriel VII's 65-year reign was interrupted for a decade by the [[Lore:Imperial Simulacrum|Imperial Simulacrum]], during which he was trapped in another [[Lore:Planes of Existence|plane of existence]] while the impostor [[Lore:Jagar Tharn|Jagar Tharn]] ruled in his name.{{Ref|name=CHotE4|{{Cite Book|Brief History of the Empire v 4}}}} After being restored to the throne, his reign saw the [[Lore:Miracle of Peace|Miracle of Peace]] in [[Lore:High Rock|High Rock]] and the fulfillment of the [[Lore:Nerevarine Prophecy|Nerevarine Prophecy]] in [[Lore:Morrowind|Morrowind]].{{ref|name=DF|[[DF:Main Quest|Main Quest]] of {{g|Daggerfall}}}}{{ref|name=MW|[[MW:Main Quest|Main Quest]] of {{g|Morrowind}}}} Uriel VII was assassinated in the [[Lore:Imperial City|Imperial City]] in {{Year|3E 433}}, ushering in the [[Lore:Oblivion Crisis|Oblivion Crisis]].{{Ref|name=CHotE4}}{{ref|name=ObMQ|[[OB:Main Quest|Main Quest]] of {{g|Oblivion}}}}<noinclude>

While the inheritance of the Dragon Blood is not strictly based upon bloodlines,{{Ref|[[Oblivion:Loading Screens|Loading screens]] in ''[[OB:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}{{ref|name=KKPosts|group=UOL|[[General:Kurt Kuhlmann's Posts#On Martin and the Amulet of Kings|''Kurt Kuhlmann's Posts'']]}}{{ref|name=Reman1|group=UOL|[[General:Reman I|''Reman I'']] — [[General:Kurt Kuhlmann|Kurt Kuhlmann]]}} Uriel's birthright was such that he could don the [[Lore:Amulet of Kings|Amulet of Kings]].{{ref|name=Reman1|group=UOL}} And it is said that the Dragon Blood which flowed through the veins of the Septims allowed them to "see more than lesser men", and only a true heir of the Blood could wear the Amulet.{{ref|name=BauIV|[[Oblivion:Baurus|Baurus]]'s dialogue in [[Oblivion:Oblivion|''Oblivion'']]}}

During his rule, Uriel VII wed Princess [[Lore:Caula Voria|Caula Voria]], and sired at least four legitimate heirs: [[Lore:Ariella Septim|Ariella]], [[Lore:Geldall Septim|Geldall]], [[Lore:Enman Septim|Enman]] and [[Lore:Ebel Septim|Ebel]]. Names of other people claiming to be princes include [[Lore:Pelagius V|Pelagius]], [[Lore:Cephorus III|Cephorus]], [[Lore:Uriel VIII|Uriel]], [[Lore:Cassynder II|Cassynder]], [[Lore:Voragiel|Voragiel]], and [[Lore:Trabbatus|Trabbatus]].{{ref|name=ARMIS|French version of [[Arena:Manual Intro Story#French Version Translated|''Arena Player's Guide'' Intro Story]]}}{{Ref|name=Assas|{{Cite Book|Assassination!}}}}{{ref|name=HistpryDF}}{{intnote|Heirs|[nb 2]}} Uriel VII fathered at least two children outside of wedlock: [[Lore:Calaxes Septim|Calaxes]] (who was publicly acknowledged and participated in family affairs) and [[Lore:Martin Septim|Martin]] (whose true lineage was hidden, even to him, until the Oblivion Crisis).{{Ref|name=WAP|{{Cite Book|Words and Philosophy}}}}{{ref|name=ObMQ}} Additional unknown family members were around during this time,{{ref|name=HistpryDF}} and Uriel was said to have some nephews as well (such as Pythus Angelicus).{{ref|name=RFM|group=UOL|[[General:Redguard Forum Madness|''Redguard Forum Madness'']]}}{{Ref|name=Loranna|group=UOL|[[General:Ted Peterson|Ted Peterson]]'s posts in [[General:Loranna's RP/Playing Houses|''Playing Houses'']]}} Regardless, when Uriel VII was assassinated, any suitable heirs known to the public were assassinated at nearly the same time, leaving only Martin to claim the Ruby Throne.{{ref|name=ObMQ}}

==Biography==
===Early Life===
Shortly after Uriel's father, [[Lore:Pelagius Septim IV|Pelagius IV]], was crowned Emperor of [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]], Queen [[Lore:Barenziah|Barenziah]] and Prime Minister [[Lore:Symmachus|Symmachus]] of Morrowind attended a dinner with the Septim Royal Family. At that youthful age, Uriel insisted that a place be set at every meal for his imaginary female playmate, Justin. Of course, Uriel would soon grow out this. However, it would inspire a long running joke between Symmachus and Uriel throughout the monarch's reign; Symmachus would inquire into Justin's health whenever he met with the Emperor, and Uriel would respond mock-seriously on every occasion. One time Uriel elaborately explained to Symmachus that Justin had met an adventurous, though incorrigible, [[Lore:Khajiit|Khajiit]] youth, married him, and settled down in [[Lore:Lilandril|Lilandril]] to raise [[Lore:Fire Fern|fire ferns]] and [[Lore:Mugwort|mugworts]].{{Ref|name=TRB|{{Cite Book|The Real Barenziah}}}}

===Emperor of Tamriel===
When Emperor Pelagius IV died and Uriel VII took in {{Year|3E 368}} after an astonishing twenty-nine year reign, Tamriel was closer to unity than it had been since the days of [[Lore:Uriel Septim I|Uriel I]]. According to historians, Uriel VII had the diligence of his grand-aunt [[Lore:Morihatha|Morihatha]], the political skill of his grand-uncle [[Lore:Uriel Septim VI|Uriel VI]], and the military prowess of his great-grandfather [[Lore:Uriel Septim V|Uriel V]]. For sixty-five years he reigned and brought justice and order to Tamriel.{{Ref|name=CHotE4}}

===Imperial Simulacrum===
[[File:AR-npc-Uriel Septim-Deluxe.png|thumb|left|Emperor Uriel during the Simulacrum]]
In {{Year|3E 389}}, Uriel VII was betrayed by [[Lore:Imperial Battlemage of Tamriel|Imperial Battlemage]] [[Lore:Jagar Tharn|Jagar Tharn]], who imprisoned him in an [[Lore:Oblivion|Oblivion]] plane of his own creation.{{Ref|name=LoUSVII|{{Cite Book|A Life of Uriel Septim VII}}}}{{Ref|name=CHotE4|{{Cite Book|Brief History of the Empire v 4}}}} Tharn then used [[Lore:Illusion|illusion magic]] to assume the Emperor's visage. Tharn held Uriel VII in a dimension where time ran slower, ensuring it would take centuries for him to die (at which point, the [[Lore:Amulet of Kings|Amulet of Kings]] would somehow warn the [[Lore:Elder Council|Elder Council]] of the Emperor's passing).<ref name=ArenaManual>{{Cite Book|Arena Player's Guide|ns_base=Books}}</ref> For the next ten years, Tharn pursued his own agenda, not continuing Uriel VII's schedule of reconquest. It is not entirely known what Tharn's goals and personal accomplishments were during this time.<ref name=CHotE4/>

Tharn was eventually defeated in {{year|3E 399}} by the [[Lore:Eternal Champion|Eternal Champion]], who freed Uriel VII from his other-dimensional cell.{{Ref|name=EA|Events of ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]''}} After his release, Uriel VII worked diligently to heal and reunite Tamriel. Tharn's interference broke the momentum, but the following years proved that the lauded golden age of [[Lore:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]] could return to Tamriel once more.
{{NewLeft}}
===Secret Meeting===
In {{Year|3E 405}}, Uriel VII and his new Imperial Battlemage, [[Lore:Ocato of Firsthold|Ocato of Firsthold]], met in the audience chamber of the [[Lore:White-Gold Tower|Imperial Palace]] with an [[Lore:The Agent|agent]] of the [[Lore:Blades|Blades]]. Uriel dispatched this agent to the [[Lore:Iliac Bay|Iliac Bay]] to investigate the restless [[Lore:Ghost|ghost]] of King [[Lore:Lysandus|Lysandus]] of [[Lore:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]], as well as to find and destroy a letter the Emperor sent to Queen [[Lore:Mynisera|Mynisera]] of Daggerfall.{{ref|name=DUG}}{{ref|name=DfIS|[[Daggerfall:Main Quest#Introduction Scene|''Daggerfall Introduction Scene'']]}} In {{Year|3E 417}}, this agent's choices would lead the many squabbling principalities of northwestern Tamriel to be magically reforged into four kingdoms. Those who celebrate the historic calm this event brought to the region remember it as the [[Lore:Miracle of Peace|Miracle of Peace]]. Those who recall the massive amounts of death, destruction, and fear wrought by the event itself would more likely refer to it as the Warp in the West.{{ref|name=TWINT|{{Cite book|Lore:The Warp in the West}}}}

===Later Life===
[[File:OBR-npc-Emperor Uriel Septim 04.jpg|Uriel Septim VII in the Imperial City Prison|thumb|left]][[File:LG-cardart-The Crisis Begins.png|thumb|right|The Emperor is assassinated]]
By {{Year|3E 427}}, Uriel VII was dogged by rumors of age and illness, and that Ocato was making the real decisions of the Empire.{{ref|name=MSHH|[[Morrowind:Sjoring Hard-Heart|Sjoring Hard-Heart]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} In {{Year|3E 433}}, a member of the Blades wrote in a private letter that High Chancellor Ocato and the Elder Council had been running the Empire for fifteen years (i.e., since shortly after the Miracle of Peace).{{ref|name=LtM|{{Cite Book|Letter to Mother|ns_base=Oblivion}}}}

Uriel took considerable personal interest in the Nerevarine Prophecy of the [[Lore:Dunmer|Dunmer]], and in {{Year|3E 427}}, he dispatched [[Lore:Nerevarine|an agent]] of obscure origins to [[Lore:Vvardenfell|Vvardenfell]] with designs to fulfill the legend, an apparently successful venture.{{Ref|name=LoUSVII}}{{ref|name=DP|''[[Morrowind:Decoded package|Decoded package]]'' — Glabrio Bellienus, Personal Secretary to the Emperor}}

Uriel VII was troubled all his life by dreams that showed him [[Lore:Sight|visions of the future]], including his assassination and the ensuing Oblivion Crisis.{{ref|[[OB:Emperor Uriel Septim|Emperor Uriel Septim]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} On the 27th of Last Seed, {{year|3E 433}}, his premonitions came to pass: his heirs were assassinated by a Daedric Cult called the [[Lore:Mythic Dawn|Mythic Dawn]] during Crown Prince [[Lore:Geldall Septim|Geldall Septim's]] Engagement Ball. After midnight on the 27th, as Uriel VII was attempting to escape through the tunnels beneath the [[Lore:Imperial City Prison|Imperial City Prison]], the Mythic Dawn found and assassinated him.{{Ref|name=Assas}}{{Ref|name=TOC|{{Cite Book|The Oblivion Crisis}}}}{{ref|name=TPWaroftheWormgod|group=UOL|[[General:Ted Peterson|Ted Peterson]]'s posts in [[General:Loranna's RP#Campaign 13: War of the Wormgod|''War of the Wormgod'']]}} This left only the secret son, Martin Septim, to claim the throne and save Tamriel from Oblivion.{{Ref|name=TOC}}

{{NewLine}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:AR-scene-Intro 05.jpg‎|Uriel Septim VII stands with General Talin Warhaft (Arena)
File:AR-scene-Intro 07.jpg|Betrayed by Jagar Tharn and entrapped within Oblivion (Arena)
File:AR-scene-Uriel Septim Sprite.jpg|Rescued from his dimensional prison (Arena)
File:AR-npc-Uriel Septim VII 02.png|Moments after Tharn's demise (Arena)
File:AR-endcut4-Deluxe.png|Rescued from his dimensional prison (Arena Deluxe Edition)
File:AR-misc-Uriel Septim.jpg|Portrait of Uriel Septim ([[Arena:Deluxe Edition|Arena Deluxe Edition]] box art)
File:DF-misc-Uriel Septim VII.jpg|Uriel Septim VII sending the Agent on his mission (Daggerfall)
File:LO-people-Uriel Septim VII.png|An engraving of Uriel Septim VII ([[Lore:Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition|Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition]])
File:OB-scene-Introduction (Uriel Septim crop).jpg|Uriel Septim VII shortly before his death (Oblivion)
File:LO-misc-Uriel Septim VII.png|Standing atop the White-Gold Tower (Oblivion Trailer)
File:OB-npc-Emperor Uriel Septim.jpg|Uriel Septim VII shortly before his death (Oblivion)
File:OM-creature-Champion.gif|Uriel Septim VII (Oblivion Mobile)
File:OBR-cinematic-Uriel Septim03.png|Uriel Septim VII ruminating at the Temple of the One (Oblivion Remastered)
File:OBR-npc-Emperor Uriel Septim.jpg|Uriel Septim VII shortly before his death (Oblivion Remastered)
File:OB-misc-Anniversary Art.jpg|Uriel Septim VII (middle right)
File:OBR-misc-Oblivion Remastered Poster.jpg|Artwork featuring Uriel Septim VII (middle top) (Oblivion Remastered art)
</gallery>

==Notes==
*{{LNote|Placement|^1.|Sources from ''Daggerfall'' state that Uriel VII is the "twenty-first Emperor of Tamriel", which is consistent with the number of prior Septim Emperors presented in ''Daggerfall''{{'}}s [[Lore:Brief History of the Empire (Daggerfall)|Brief History of the Empire]].{{ref|name=BHotE|{{Cite Book|Brief History of the Empire}}}}{{Ref|name=DUG|{{Cite Book|Daggerfall User's Guide|ns_base=BK}}}}{{rp|3}} However, ''Morrowind'' sources states that Uriel VII is the "24th in the Septim line".{{Ref|name=MorrowindDialogueU|[[Morrowind:Generic Dialogue U#Uriel Septim|Uriel Septim topic]] during ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} Whether or not this number was used in error or was altered intentionally is unknown.}}
**Additionally, some ''Morrowind'' sources (a new edit of ''[[Lore:Brief History of the Empire v 1|Brief History of the Empire]]'' and the new book ''[[Lore:The Arcturian Heresy|The Arcturian Heresy]]'') seemingly retconned that [[Lore:Pelagius I|Pelagius I]] was the grandson of Emperor [[LorE:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]] rather than being Tiber Septim's son as ''Daggerfall'' indicated. Additionally, some instances of "Tiber Septim" were changed to "Tiber Septim I"{{ref|name=TRB|}}{{ref|name=BOQB|{{Cite Book|Biography of Queen Barenziah}}}}, which may have impacted the count.
*{{LNote|Heirs|^2.|In ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]'', the player character is given a personal [[Daggerfall:Background History#Notes|Background History]] which they may read in their character menu, determined by their chosen class. In certain scenarios—such as those for the Bard or Rogue—the player character encounters a male heir of Emperor Uriel VII. There are 6 possible names assigned to this prince, chosen from a unique pre-designed list specifically created for this single use in the Background History: Pelagius, Cephorus, Uriel, Cassynder, Voragiel, and Trabbatus (in that order). In the Ranger background, the prince you met mentions that he has brothers that are also on the run; the plural use of "brothers" indicates the existence of multiple other princes. The number of possible names could logically indicate 6 in total. These figures precede the later introduction of Geldall, Enman, and Ebel, the Emperor's sons coined in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''. Ultimately, no information on the other names for princes given in ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]'' is available, as they are not referenced in subsequent games.{{ref|name=HistpryDF|''[[Daggerfall:Background History|Player Background History]]'' in ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}}}}
* The name "Septim" as originally coined for ''[[Arena:Arena|The Elder Scroll: Arena]]'' presumably comes from the Latin "Septimus", meaning "Seventh".{{ref|name=Septimus|group=LANG|1=[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Septimus ''Wikitionary.org: Septimus'']}} This would mean that Uriel Septim VII means Uriel the Seventh the Seventh, and/or that "Septim" is a synonym for the Seventh.
* According to dialogue from ''Arena'', Uriel VII's real birthday is not on the 30th of [[Lore:Frostfall|Frostfall]] as the holiday description for [[Lore:Emperor's Day|Emperor's Day]] implies. Instead, Emperor's Day represents a symbolic celebration of the [[Lore:Emperor|Emperor]].{{Ref|name=ArenaHoli|[[Arena:Holidays|''Arena'' Holiday Descriptions and Related Rumors]]}} The ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]'' intro implies that Uriel VII's true birthday is sometime prior to the 1st of [[Lore:Hearthfire|Hearthfire]] (the date the game begins).{{ref|name=ArenaIntro|[[Arena:Main Quest#Gallery|''Arena'' Introduction Sequence]]}}
* During his reign as Emperor, Uriel VII had two known secretaries. The earliest known secretary was {{Lore Link|Lomegan Mariel}}, who was also the Emperor's personal liaison to the [[Lore:Battlespire|Battlespire]] prior to its destruction.{{Ref|name=BSPaxti|[[Battlespire:Paxti Bittor|Paxti Bittor]]'s dialogue in ''[[Battlespire:Battlespire|Battlespire]]''}} The next was {{Lore Link|Glabrio Bellienus}}, who sent correspondence to the [[Lore:Blades|Blades]] Spymaster on Vvardenfell, [[Lore:Caius Cosades|Caius Cosades]], about his task on the island.{{Ref|name=DP}}
* The voice actor for Uriel in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]'' is unknown, although [[General:Ted Peterson|Ted Peterson]] believes he was a local acting student. The actor for Uriel in ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]'' was John Gilbert. The voice actor for Uriel in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]'' was [[wikipedia:Patrick Stewart|Patrick Stewart]]. In [[Oblivion:Oblivion Remastered|''Oblivion Remastered'']], Uriel's face is more heavily modeled after Patrick Stewart's likeness.
** Lead Designer [[General:Ken Rolston|Ken Rolston]] had this to say about Uriel VII's portrayal in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]'': "[Patrick Stewart] was selling the product like a reverend... standing in front of his flock... which is exactly the tone I wanted." According to Todd Howard, Rolston had "written a bunch of notes for Patrick Stewart on the character—very, very long, referencing things Stewart had done before. I thought it was embarrassingly long, actually."{{ref|name=OblivionMakingOf|1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvm0CN3tQFI ''The Making of Oblivion'' documentary]}}
* Uriel's five appearances make him tied with [[Lore:Staada|Staada]] for the character with the most [[General:Recurring Characters|appearances]] in the series, excepting [[Lore:Daedric Princes|Daedric Princes]].

==See Also==
* {{GSI|Oblivion:Emperor Uriel Septim|Legends:The Crisis Begins}}

===Books===
* {{Book Link|A Life of Uriel Septim VII}}
* {{Book Link|Assassination!}}
* {{Book Link|Biography of Queen Barenziah}}
* {{Book Link|Brief History of the Empire}}
* {{Book Link|Guide to the Imperial City}}
* '''{{Cite Book|PGE|3|All the Eras of Man}}'''
* '''{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Cyrodiil}}'''
* {{Book Link|The Oblivion Crisis}}

==References==
<references/>
{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>
'''Note:''' The following references are derived from fan translations of terms and phrases in ''[[General:The Elder Scrolls|The Elder Scrolls]]'' which are seemingly derived from real world languages, and thus are entirely unauthoritative in nature.
<references group=LANG/>

[[fr:Lore:Uriel Septim VII]]
[[Category:Lore-People-Dragonborn]]</noinclude>

Lore:Miraak

2025-06-16T04:32:15Z

Minor Edits: /* Biography */ comma

<noinclude>{{Lore People Summary
|race=[[Lore:Nord|Proto-Nord]]{{Intnote|race}}
|racecat=Nord
|gender=Male
|title=First Servant
|birth=Merethic Era
|death=4E 201
|deathLoc=Apocrypha
|loc=Solstheim
|loc2=Apocrypha
|reignStart=Merethic Era
|reignEnd=
|appears=[[Skyrim:Miraak (person)|Dragonborn]], {{Card|Miraak, Dragonborn|Legends}}
|image=SR-concept-Dragonborn Miraak.jpg
|imgdesc=
}}[[Category:Lore-People-Atmoran]][[Category:Lore-People-Dragonborn]]
{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none|''Here in his shrine, that they have forgotten. Here do we toil, that we might remember. By night we reclaim, what by day was stolen. Far from ourselves, he grows ever near to us. Our eyes once were blinded, now through him do we see. Our hands once were idle, now through them does he speak. And when the world shall listen, and when the world shall see, and when the world remembers, that world will cease to be.''|Miraak's Chant{{ref|name=Dragonborn|Events of [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|''Skyrim: Dragonborn'']]}}}}</noinclude>
[[Lore:Miraak|Miraak]] (meaning ''Allegiance Guide'' in the [[Lore:Dragon Language|dragon language]]), also known as the '''First Servant''',{{ref|[[Online:Cipher Agrushna|Cipher Agrushna]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Necrom (Chapter)|Necrom]]''}} was originally a [[Lore:Dragon Priest|Dragon Priest]] in the [[Lore:Merethic Era|Merethic Era]]. He is the '''First [[Lore:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''',{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} although that term would not become used until after the time of [[Lore:Alessia|St. Alessia]], the first Dragonborn recorded in history.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}{{ref|name=TBOTD|{{Cite Book|The Book of the Dragonborn}}}} He ruled over the island of [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]], where a large temple was dedicated to him.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}<noinclude>

==Biography==
[[File:MER-art-Sahrotaar And Miraak.webp|Sahrotaar and Miraak|left|thumb|150px]][[File:LG-cardart-32.png|Cultist of Miraak|left|thumb]][[File:SR-place-Temple of Miraak.jpg|The Temple of Miraak under construction on Solstheim|right|thumb]]

Miraak served as a leader of the [[Lore:Dragon Cult|Dragon Cult]]{{ref|name=Firstblade|[[ON:Firstblade Style|Firstblade Style]] bundle description in [[ESO:Online|ESO]]}} and possessed an [[Lore:Dragon Priest Masks|Dragon Priest Mask]], also called [[Lore:Dragon Priest Masks#Miraak|Miraak]], given to him by the [[Lore:Dragon|dragons]]. At some point, he sought out [[Lore:Black Books|the teachings]] of [[Lore:Hermaeus Mora|Hermaeus Mora]], the Demon of Knowledge, and became his champion. Hermaeus Mora taught him the power to bend the will of dragons.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}{{ref|name=Mora|[[Skyrim:Hermaeus Mora|Hermaeus Mora]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|''Skyrim: Dragonborn'']]}} Using this knowledge and his innate ability to devour the souls of dragonkind, he turned on his winged overlords and killed a great number of them.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} Three Dragon Priests, [[Lore:Ahzidal|Ahzidal]], [[Lore:Dukaan (creature)|Dukaan]], and [[Lore:Zahkriisos (creature)|Zahkriisos]], joined him and became his three most powerful servants, called the "Acolyte Priests".{{ref|[[Books:The_Elder_Scrolls_V:_Skyrim:_Prima_Official_Game_Guide|The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Prima Official Game Guide]]}}

During the [[Lore:Dragon War|Dragon War]], [[Lore:Hakon One-Eye|Hakon One-Eye]] and others sought Miraak out, desperate for a strong ally in their fight against [[Lore:Alduin|Alduin]]. Though apparently confident that he could defeat Alduin if he so chose, he refused to help, leaving mankind to their own fate.{{ref|name=Miraak|[[Skyrim:Miraak (person)|Miraak]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|''Skyrim: Dragonborn'']]}}

[[Lore:Skaal|Skaal]] legend remembers Miraak as "the Traitor", and recounts how he plotted against the dragons with Hermaeus Mora. Another Dragon Priest, [[Lore:Vahlok the Jailor|Vahlok the Jailor]] (known as "the Guardian" to the native Skaal), uncovered this deception, and the two engaged in a duel so vicious and destructive that the modern island of Solstheim was allegedly ripped from the mainland of [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]].{{ref|name=TGATT|{{Cite Book|The Guardian and the Traitor}}}}{{ref|name=Tharstan|[[Skyrim:Tharstan|Tharstan]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|''Skyrim: Dragonborn'']]}} Vahlok defeated Miraak, but just as he prepared to deliver the killing blow, Hermaeus Mora snatched away and saved his champion.{{ref|name=TGATT}} Following this, the dragons razed his temple to ashes,{{ref|name=Frea|[[Skyrim:Frea|Frea]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|''Skyrim: Dragonborn'']]}} <includeonly>For more information, see the [[Lore:Miraak|lore article]].</includeonly><noinclude> and tasked Vahlok the duty of watching Solstheim for signs of Miraak's return.

Miraak was not seen or heard from again for many ages;{{ref|name=TGATT}} he evidently spent all this time in [[Lore:Apocrypha|Apocrypha]], Hermaeus Mora's realm. Though he essentially became imprisoned there, Miraak spent his time gathering knowledge and power with the goal of freeing himself from Hermaeus Mora's service.{{ref|name=Miraak}}

Some time during the [[Lore:Second Era|Second Era]], Miraak tricked one of Hermaeus Mora's mortal servants, a [[Lore:Ciphers of the Eye|Cipher of the Eye]], to smuggle cursed scrolls into the scriptorium of Apocrypha, Quires Wind. The scrolls caused many of the Ciphers to turn into Hushed, and made the scriptorium's Daedric guardians go mad and feral.{{ref|name=CSA|{{Cite Book|Cipher Sabinius's Apology|ns_base=ESO}}}}

It wasn't until {{Year|4E 201}} that Miraak was able to use arcane [[Lore:Magic|magical]] powers to overtly influence the people of Solstheim, making them unknowingly work for him around the island, such as by rebuilding his temple, while they slept. They also worked on building arches around the [[Lore:Standing Stones|Stones of Power]] on the island, which were apparently meant to assist in his return by harnessing the energy of the stones. Others came to worship Miraak more consciously, and formed a cult dedicated to him.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

Miraak's plan became threatened by the advent of the [[Lore:Hero|Last Dragonborn]], and cultists were sent to track down and kill this "False Dragonborn".{{ref|name=CO|{{Cite Book|Cultists' Orders|ns_base=Skyrim}}}} The Last Dragonborn responded to this antagonism by journeying to Solstheim, where the hero sought out and used the hidden knowledge of Hermaeus Mora to thwart Miraak's efforts on [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]], journey into Apocrypha, and confront him in battle. When it was clear that Miraak would lose, Mora dealt him a fatal blow, killing the First Dragonborn and allowing the Last Dragonborn to claim his soul.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}
{{NewLeft}}

==Artifacts==
===Mask===
[[File:SR-item-Miraak.jpg|right|thumb|Miraak's mask|150px]]
[[File:ON-hat-Tusked Dragon Priest Mask.jpg|left|thumb|Tusked Dragon Priest Mask|150px]]
Prior to his betrayal of his Dragon overlords, they had granted Miraak a [[Lore:Dragon Priest Masks#Miraak|mask]] that had the ability to significantly fortify the wearer's magicka. The mask bears a striking resemblence to the so-called "Tusked Dragon Priest Mask", though with the addition of tentacle-like motifs.{{Ref|name=MM|[[Skyrim:Miraak (item)|Miraak]] item appearance in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]: [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}}{{Ref|name=TDPM|[[ON:Tusked Dragon Priest Mask|Tusked Dragon Priest Mask]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
{{NewLine}}

===Firstblade===
[[File:SR-item-Miraak's Sword.jpg|right|thumb|Firstblade|150px]]
{{Lore:Firstblade}}
===Miraak's Staff===
[[File:SR-item-Miraak's Staff.jpg|right|thumb|Miraak's Staff|150px]]
{{Lore:Miraak's Staff}}
{{NewLine}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
SR-npc-Miraak 03.jpg|Miraak in Apocrypha
File:SR-concept-Dragonborn Miraak 02.jpg|Concept art
File:LG-cardart-Miraak, Dragonborn.png|Legends
File:SR-quest-At the Summit of Apocrypha 02.jpg|The death of Miraak
File:SR-npc-Miraak 05.jpg|Miraak's skeleton after his soul was absorbed by the Last Dragonborn
</gallery>

==Notes==
*{{LNote|race|†|The inhabitants of Skyrim during the Dragon War were variously labeled Nords{{ref|name=Paarthurnax|[[SR:Paarthurnax (dragon)|Paarthrunax]]'s dialogue in ''[[SR:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} and Atmorans.{{ref|name=FSL2|{{Cite Book|First Servant's Letter, Page 2|ns_base=ESO}}}} The truth may lie somewhere in-between; while the two are considered distinct races,{{ref|name=TOoC|{{Cite Book|The Origin of Cyrus!|ns_base=Books}}}} the men living in the transition period between the terms' respective usage have been considered 'proto-Nords'.{{ref|name=FC|{{Cite Book|Frontier, Conquest}}}}{{ref|name=EGTS|{{Cite Book|EGT|Skyrim}}}}{{ref|name=HighKingSunstone|[[ESO:Bleakrock Isle Antiquities#High King Sunstone|High King Sunstone]] antiquity codex entry in [[ESO:Online|ESO]]}}}}
*By some accounts Miraak wrote a stage-play version of ''[[General:Shor Son of Shor|Shor Son of Shor]]''.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}

==See Also==
*{{GSI|Skyrim:Miraak (person)|Legends:Miraak, Dragonborn}}

==References==
<references/>{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>{{Lore Antagonists}}</noinclude>

Lore:Miraak

2025-06-16T04:31:35Z

Minor Edits: tweaks

<noinclude>{{Lore People Summary
|race=[[Lore:Nord|Proto-Nord]]{{Intnote|race}}
|racecat=Nord
|gender=Male
|title=First Servant
|birth=Merethic Era
|death=4E 201
|deathLoc=Apocrypha
|loc=Solstheim
|loc2=Apocrypha
|reignStart=Merethic Era
|reignEnd=
|appears=[[Skyrim:Miraak (person)|Dragonborn]], {{Card|Miraak, Dragonborn|Legends}}
|image=SR-concept-Dragonborn Miraak.jpg
|imgdesc=
}}[[Category:Lore-People-Atmoran]][[Category:Lore-People-Dragonborn]]
{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none|''Here in his shrine, that they have forgotten. Here do we toil, that we might remember. By night we reclaim, what by day was stolen. Far from ourselves, he grows ever near to us. Our eyes once were blinded, now through him do we see. Our hands once were idle, now through them does he speak. And when the world shall listen, and when the world shall see, and when the world remembers, that world will cease to be.''|Miraak's Chant{{ref|name=Dragonborn|Events of [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|''Skyrim: Dragonborn'']]}}}}</noinclude>
[[Lore:Miraak|Miraak]] (meaning ''Allegiance Guide'' in the [[Lore:Dragon Language|dragon language]]), also known as the '''First Servant''',{{ref|[[Online:Cipher Agrushna|Cipher Agrushna]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Necrom (Chapter)|Necrom]]''}} was originally a [[Lore:Dragon Priest|Dragon Priest]] in the [[Lore:Merethic Era|Merethic Era]]. He is the '''First [[Lore:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''',{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} although that term would not become used until after the time of [[Lore:Alessia|St. Alessia]], the first Dragonborn recorded in history.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}{{ref|name=TBOTD|{{Cite Book|The Book of the Dragonborn}}}} He ruled over the island of [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]], where a large temple was dedicated to him.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}<noinclude>

==Biography==
[[File:MER-art-Sahrotaar And Miraak.webp|Sahrotaar and Miraak|left|thumb|150px]][[File:LG-cardart-32.png|Cultist of Miraak|left|thumb]][[File:SR-place-Temple of Miraak.jpg|The Temple of Miraak under construction on Solstheim|right|thumb]]

Miraak served as a leader of the [[Lore:Dragon Cult|Dragon Cult]]{{ref|name=Firstblade|[[ON:Firstblade Style|Firstblade Style]] bundle description in [[ESO:Online|ESO]]}} and possessed an [[Lore:Dragon Priest Masks|Dragon Priest Mask]], also called [[Lore:Dragon Priest Masks#Miraak|Miraak]], given to him by the [[Lore:Dragon|dragons]]. At some point, he sought out [[Lore:Black Books|the teachings]] of [[Lore:Hermaeus Mora|Hermaeus Mora]], the Demon of Knowledge, and became his champion. Hermaeus Mora taught him the power to bend the will of dragons.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}{{ref|name=Mora|[[Skyrim:Hermaeus Mora|Hermaeus Mora]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|''Skyrim: Dragonborn'']]}} Using this knowledge and his innate ability to devour the souls of dragonkind, he turned on his winged overlords and killed a great number of them.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}} Three Dragon Priests, [[Lore:Ahzidal|Ahzidal]], [[Lore:Dukaan (creature)|Dukaan]] and [[Lore:Zahkriisos (creature)|Zahkriisos]], joined him and became his three most powerful servants, called the "Acolyte Priests".{{ref|[[Books:The_Elder_Scrolls_V:_Skyrim:_Prima_Official_Game_Guide|The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Prima Official Game Guide]]}}

During the [[Lore:Dragon War|Dragon War]], [[Lore:Hakon One-Eye|Hakon One-Eye]] and others sought Miraak out, desperate for a strong ally in their fight against [[Lore:Alduin|Alduin]]. Though apparently confident that he could defeat Alduin if he so chose, he refused to help, leaving mankind to their own fate.{{ref|name=Miraak|[[Skyrim:Miraak (person)|Miraak]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|''Skyrim: Dragonborn'']]}}

[[Lore:Skaal|Skaal]] legend remembers Miraak as "the Traitor", and recounts how he plotted against the dragons with Hermaeus Mora. Another Dragon Priest, [[Lore:Vahlok the Jailor|Vahlok the Jailor]] (known as "the Guardian" to the native Skaal), uncovered this deception, and the two engaged in a duel so vicious and destructive that the modern island of Solstheim was allegedly ripped from the mainland of [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]].{{ref|name=TGATT|{{Cite Book|The Guardian and the Traitor}}}}{{ref|name=Tharstan|[[Skyrim:Tharstan|Tharstan]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|''Skyrim: Dragonborn'']]}} Vahlok defeated Miraak, but just as he prepared to deliver the killing blow, Hermaeus Mora snatched away and saved his champion.{{ref|name=TGATT}} Following this, the dragons razed his temple to ashes,{{ref|name=Frea|[[Skyrim:Frea|Frea]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|''Skyrim: Dragonborn'']]}} <includeonly>For more information, see the [[Lore:Miraak|lore article]].</includeonly><noinclude> and tasked Vahlok the duty of watching Solstheim for signs of Miraak's return.

Miraak was not seen or heard from again for many ages;{{ref|name=TGATT}} he evidently spent all this time in [[Lore:Apocrypha|Apocrypha]], Hermaeus Mora's realm. Though he essentially became imprisoned there, Miraak spent his time gathering knowledge and power with the goal of freeing himself from Hermaeus Mora's service.{{ref|name=Miraak}}

Some time during the [[Lore:Second Era|Second Era]], Miraak tricked one of Hermaeus Mora's mortal servants, a [[Lore:Ciphers of the Eye|Cipher of the Eye]], to smuggle cursed scrolls into the scriptorium of Apocrypha, Quires Wind. The scrolls caused many of the Ciphers to turn into Hushed, and made the scriptorium's Daedric guardians go mad and feral.{{ref|name=CSA|{{Cite Book|Cipher Sabinius's Apology|ns_base=ESO}}}}

It wasn't until {{Year|4E 201}} that Miraak was able to use arcane [[Lore:Magic|magical]] powers to overtly influence the people of Solstheim, making them unknowingly work for him around the island, such as by rebuilding his temple, while they slept. They also worked on building arches around the [[Lore:Standing Stones|Stones of Power]] on the island, which were apparently meant to assist in his return by harnessing the energy of the stones. Others came to worship Miraak more consciously, and formed a cult dedicated to him.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}

Miraak's plan became threatened by the advent of the [[Lore:Hero|Last Dragonborn]], and cultists were sent to track down and kill this "False Dragonborn".{{ref|name=CO|{{Cite Book|Cultists' Orders|ns_base=Skyrim}}}} The Last Dragonborn responded to this antagonism by journeying to Solstheim, where the hero sought out and used the hidden knowledge of Hermaeus Mora to thwart Miraak's efforts on [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]], journey into Apocrypha, and confront him in battle. When it was clear that Miraak would lose, Mora dealt him a fatal blow, killing the First Dragonborn and allowing the Last Dragonborn to claim his soul.{{ref|name=Dragonborn}}
{{NewLeft}}
==Artifacts==
===Mask===
[[File:SR-item-Miraak.jpg|right|thumb|Miraak's mask|150px]]
[[File:ON-hat-Tusked Dragon Priest Mask.jpg|left|thumb|Tusked Dragon Priest Mask|150px]]
Prior to his betrayal of his Dragon overlords, they had granted Miraak a [[Lore:Dragon Priest Masks#Miraak|mask]] that had the ability to significantly fortify the wearer's magicka. The mask bears a striking resemblence to the so-called "Tusked Dragon Priest Mask", though with the addition of tentacle-like motifs.{{Ref|name=MM|[[Skyrim:Miraak (item)|Miraak]] item appearance in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]: [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}}{{Ref|name=TDPM|[[ON:Tusked Dragon Priest Mask|Tusked Dragon Priest Mask]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
{{NewLine}}

===Firstblade===
[[File:SR-item-Miraak's Sword.jpg|right|thumb|Firstblade|150px]]
{{Lore:Firstblade}}
===Miraak's Staff===
[[File:SR-item-Miraak's Staff.jpg|right|thumb|Miraak's Staff|150px]]
{{Lore:Miraak's Staff}}
{{NewLine}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
SR-npc-Miraak 03.jpg|Miraak in Apocrypha
File:SR-concept-Dragonborn Miraak 02.jpg|Concept art
File:LG-cardart-Miraak, Dragonborn.png|Legends
File:SR-quest-At the Summit of Apocrypha 02.jpg|The death of Miraak
File:SR-npc-Miraak 05.jpg|Miraak's skeleton after his soul was absorbed by the Last Dragonborn
</gallery>

==Notes==
*{{LNote|race|†|The inhabitants of Skyrim during the Dragon War were variously labeled Nords{{ref|name=Paarthurnax|[[SR:Paarthurnax (dragon)|Paarthrunax]]'s dialogue in ''[[SR:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} and Atmorans.{{ref|name=FSL2|{{Cite Book|First Servant's Letter, Page 2|ns_base=ESO}}}} The truth may lie somewhere in-between; while the two are considered distinct races,{{ref|name=TOoC|{{Cite Book|The Origin of Cyrus!|ns_base=Books}}}} the men living in the transition period between the terms' respective usage have been considered 'proto-Nords'.{{ref|name=FC|{{Cite Book|Frontier, Conquest}}}}{{ref|name=EGTS|{{Cite Book|EGT|Skyrim}}}}{{ref|name=HighKingSunstone|[[ESO:Bleakrock Isle Antiquities#High King Sunstone|High King Sunstone]] antiquity codex entry in [[ESO:Online|ESO]]}}}}
*By some accounts Miraak wrote a stage-play version of ''[[General:Shor Son of Shor|Shor Son of Shor]]''.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}

==See Also==
*{{GSI|Skyrim:Miraak (person)|Legends:Miraak, Dragonborn}}

==References==
<references/>{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>{{Lore Antagonists}}</noinclude>

Lore talk:Ehlnofey

2025-06-16T04:13:18Z

Minor Edits: /* Mystery of Artaeum and Annotated Anuad phrasing nitpick */ r

== Are the Aedra Considered Ehlnofey? ==
First of all, ARE the Aedra considered Ehlnofey? I'm not sure, but I'm leaning towards no. Need to look it up. And second, we might as well just dispense with the categories and write it all out, or maybe at least get text on the page before trying to format it.[[User:Temple-Zero|Temple-Zero]] 20:42, 6 August 2008 (EDT)
:Heh, half of what is there came from our dictionary entry. Again, I thought this needs more then the three lines that were <nowiki>[[Lore:Dictionary_E#Ehlnofey|here]]</nowiki>. Don't feel constrained by the categorization, by all means write it out. I don't know enough about the subject to do so myself ;) --[[User:Benould|Benould]]•[[User_Talk:Benould|T]]•[[Special:Contributions/Benould|C]] 20:50, 6 August 2008 (EDT)

::The sources I've read indicate the Aedra and Daedra are classified as a type of being known as et'Ada, and the Ehlnofey are the offspring of the Aedra. They're the step between Aedra and mortal races. I'm not sure where beings like the Hist or Dragons fit into this tree of life, though. Many questions remain unaddressed. - Pilaf the Defiler {{uns|64.253.223.247|03:09, 9 November 2012‎}}

== Not a race, why? ==
I don't know how to fix it, but this page should be in the Races category. [[User:Phoenix Neko|Phoenix Neko]] ([[User talk:Phoenix Neko|talk]]) 17:30, 5 December 2016 (UTC)

== Expansion and separation per belief system ==

I'd like to propose that the article be separated into sections corresponding to the different beliefs/narratives we have on the Ehlnofey, each going into detail on the particular origin.

The Ehlnofey from the Annuad and the 12 Worlds are distinct from the Ehlnofey from Heart of the World or Before the Ages of Man despite sharing a name. The Ehlnofey of the Annuad (as inhabitants of one of the 12 Worlds preceding it) predate a Nirn formed directly by Anu, the formation of which leads to the "god and demons" of the world also forming after it, birthed from the blood of the brothers (Anu, Padomay) when it is spilled.

The Ehlnofey of Heart of the World and Before the Ages of Man are a sub-group of the original Et'Ada which create Nirn themselves.

Also perhaps some additional info on the exact mechanisms of the believed origin and the gradual progression it describes:

In Heart of the World we are told that:

"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."

And Varieties of Faith and the PGE 3: Blessed Isle define the members of the merish pantheons as among their believed genealogical ancestors, the former mentions how the Altmer and Bosmer claim "direct descent from Auri-El", and the latter names Auri-El, Trinimac, Phynaster and Syrabane as elvish ancestors (in the literal sense).

In Onus of the Oghma which quotes the "Aldmeriad" the "earliest origin saga of the elves", we have Xarxes address the Aldmer as "true children of the Et'Ada" and other elvish texts claims of the the Altmer that "Our genetic lineage can be traced to the original Aldmer race, through the Ehlnofey to the divine et'Ada themselves."

And Aedra themselves are variously described as the "mortal gods" (The Prophet and Umaril) or the "dead gods" (Vastarie) who "told the tale of their own deaths" (Psijic Compromise) and have Mundus "serve as their cemetery" (Lyranth's 2nd LM Archive) who can be "killed per the contract of creation" (Aedra and Daedra book). Akatosh himself has been described as a "dragon ghost" (Glorious Upheaval).

While a number of the sources might be superfluous to mention and (much like the Annuad and Heart of the World) might reflect different beliefs, overall the elvish perspective would be: The Aedra created the world and we are their descendants that resulted over time through a phenomenon of diminishment of each consecutive generation compared to the last (Ehlnofey-Aldmer-Altmer and so on as distinct stages each). So you get from Dringoth the giant to more modern elves/men/so on.

Given half the elven pantheon is named as ancestors personally I'd also question what meaningful distinction we can drawn from "Aedra" at all, in the text Ehlnofey are just "those who made children to last" and the elven gods fit the description. To state such directly in the absence of a direct statement I'm not sure about, but regardless I would argue that the description of minor spirits that degenerated into mortals (from the related Aedra article) be adjusted/elaborated upon.

Normally I'd just attempt to edit myself and wait for feedback but, given how nebulous the topic of the Ehlnofey is in general, I thought it best to ask for opinions/suggestions before attempting any changes.

Apologies if I was too longwinded, going to wait for feedback now.

--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 20:08, 2 February 2024 (UTC)

:The entire topic is hard to tackle that I think separating it in some capacity would be great.[[User:Analeah Oaksong|Analeah Oaksong]] ([[User talk:Analeah Oaksong|talk]]) 20:10, 2 February 2024 (UTC)

::I completely agree, there's a near identical separation on [[Lore:Nede]] regarding their origins. This case could be much the same, separating the two theories (aboriginal beings vs. ascended spirits) into a split box. Even MK officially condoned this theory, search "Correct." in [[GEN:Michael Kirkbride's Posts|here]] to see that. [[User:Mindtrait0r|Mindtrait0r]] ([[User talk:Mindtrait0r|talk]]) 21:57, 2 February 2024 (UTC)

::: Thank you both for the feedback, I'll start on a version with separate sections for each origin as soon as I can. --[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 03:27, 3 February 2024 (UTC)

== Trinimac identified as an Ehlnofey in Lord of Souls ? ==

Been going over the starting chapters of Lord of Souls and noticed something interesting. In page 9, where Attrebus is recounting the tales he heard of Malacath as a child to Silhansa/disguised Malacath, he says the following:

I don’t tell it as well as she did,” he admitted, “but I remember the tale.” He paused for a moment, remembering Helna’s
singsong voice. He closed his eyes and pictured his bed, and her
sitting there, hands folded. For just an instant he felt the shadow
of the comfort he’d known then, the innocence that had protected
him from the world.

'''“In the bygone- by,” he began, “there was a hero named Trinimac, the greatest knight of the Ehlnofey, '''champion of the
Dragon of Time''

The tale identifies Trinimac directly as the "greatest knight of the Ehlnofey, champion of the Dragon of Time", as such, should he be added as a notable member of the group ? Normally I'd be hesitant to name any deity directly given how nebulous the concept is, but in this case at least we've Trinimac being named as one directly (in at least some beliefs).--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 19:09, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

:It's worth mentioning it for a significant deity like him.[[User:Analeah Oaksong|Analeah Oaksong]] ([[User talk:Analeah Oaksong|talk]]) 20:08, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

::I would be careful, since in English that phrase can just mean that he's the knight/champion who serves the Ehlnofey, not neccesarily that the is one themselves. Like someone being referenced as the "greatest knight of the Kings of England, Champion of King Richard", you wouldn't assume that person IS a king of england themselves. [[User:Jeancey|Jeancey]] ([[User talk:Jeancey|talk]]) 20:45, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

::: Yeah,though, I'm not sure what else he could be ? The only definition we get for Ehlnofey, in the context of elven myth and not the Annuad at least, is that they:a) stayed after Magnus left and b) "made children to last", and Trinimac fits both descriptors (since the PGE names him as an elven ancestor in the genealogical sense).In that context I think Attrebus' description being "the greatest knight among the Ehlnofey" flows more naturally. Add it as a note rather than an outright statement of membership with the exact wording to account for every reading, perhaps ?Like "Trinimac has been called the greatest knight of the Ehlnofey in certain Cyrodiilic tales ?" or such ?--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 21:43, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

:::: That works, keeps it vague and accurate to the source. [[User:Mindtrait0r|Mindtrait0r]] ([[User talk:Mindtrait0r|talk]]) 21:55, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

:::::I agree, a note works. It definitely could be read either way, which makes a note the best method. We might want to spell out something like "This could mean that Trinimac was an Ehlnofey, or simply served the Ehlnofey" [[User:Jeancey|Jeancey]] ([[User talk:Jeancey|talk]]) 22:50, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

::::::Yeah, plus that way implicit statements about anyone else can be avoided (if Trinimac alone is named directly). I added it as a note that he was described in that manner in certain Cyrodiilic folktales, with the exact wording Attrebus used. Thought of mentioning it as a 4E belief in particular, but there's no mention of how far back the tale goes exactly, so left it as is.--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 23:03, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

:::::::I think the note we now have on the page looks good 👍 [[User:The Rim of the Sky|The Rim of the Sky]] ([[User talk:The Rim of the Sky|talk]]) 00:06, 10 February 2024 (UTC)

== Aedra and Ehlnofey as overlapping terms ==

Going to rip the bandaid off, I think a discussion on whether "Aedra" and "Ehlnofey" ought to be treated as overlapping terms is somewhat overdue. This will be rather long by necessity. Given how opaque the sources regarding this topic are I thought it best to start a discussion and see how others view the topic in question before making any edits or such ,different readings, some source I might've missed, anything really. More than that, I think there needs to be a discussion on the topic overall as its clear there are a number of different readings on it.

The manner in which the group is defined in elvish mythic sources is as follows:

In Heart of the World/Monomyth:

'''"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.'''

In Before the Ages of Man:

'''When Magic (Magnus), architect of the plans for the mortal world, decided to terminate the project, the Gods convened at the Adamantine Tower [Direnni Tower, the oldest known structure in Tamriel] and decided what to do. Most left when Magic did. Others sacrificed themselves into other forms so that they might Stay (the Ehlnofey). Lorkhan was condemned by the Gods to exile in the mortal realms, and his heart was torn out and cast from the Tower. Where it landed, a Volcano formed. With Magic (in the Mythic Sense) gone, the Cosmos stabilized. Elven history, finally linear, began (ME2500).

'''
The texts describe the "Ehlnofey" as those spirits (et'Ada specifically) who chose to stay past the departure or Magnus and the Magna-Ge, some like Y'ffre becoming the "Ehlnofey, the Earthbones" or laws of nature and some "having to make children just to last" with their lines gradually giving rise to mortals as we know them after generations underwent increasing diminishment compared to each preceding one.

This is further clarified by some of MK's texts and posts:

'''The term Earth Bone can refer to a few different types of mythical entities. The Ehlnofex term for "Earth Bone" is Ehlnofey. The Ehlnofey were a race of pre-Convention spirits who wrote in Ehlnofex script. Some Ehlnofey sacrificed themselves entirely into Nirn and became the bones of the earth, as eternal laws of nature. Others chose not to completely sacrifice themselves, but they were doomed to live on through their children instead of living eternally. These children became the ancestors of mer and men. Generally, when people say Earth Bones they're referring to the laws of nature, and when people say Ehlnofey, they're referring to the spirits who didn't sacrifice themselves.'''
'''MK:Correct.'''

From Nu-Mantia Intercept:

'''The Jills did not have their full powers; rather, I should say, all the mundex spirits had every power at every time amendment at every ordering, which is to say none of them could ever fully express; our world was young and so were its architect gods.

'''The next is known to all of us in different ways, and the impossibility of the Dawn lends all of these memories credence. I speak of the Ur-Tower, Adamantine, anon Direnni, and of its creation and purpose.

'''Auriel-that-is-Akatosh returned to Mundex Arena from his dominion planet, signaling all Aedra to convene at a static meeting that would last outside of aurbic time. His sleek and silver vessel became a spike into the changing earth and the glimmerwinds of its impact warned any spirit that entered aura with it would become recorded-- that by consent of presence their actions here would last of a period unassailable, and would be so whatever might come later to these spirits, even if they rejoined the aether or succumbed willingly or by treachery to a sithite erasure. Thus could the Aedra and their cohorts truly covene in realness
'''
'''The outcome of the Convention was to leave the terrestrial sphere in their excess, for its own good, but that it should last after their departure as in the semblance of the Ada-mantia. Mundus was given its second Tower, the Red, whose First Stone was the Heart of the World, "as in the image."'''

'''By these words I intone the many-headed language of the Ehlnofey. The phrase-meanings can be both "as in the image of the kings become the hearts of their shadows" and "the shadows in kingly hearts are images of as", where "as" is meant in the sheathe of an ur word.
'''
'''Time began to last in stepped-fashion. Those spirits that remained, lesser and greater, involuntary or eventual earthbone, surrendered all definite hold on divinity. Aldmeris bore witness and built the remaining towers during the Merethic: White-Gold, Crystal-like-Law, Orichalc, Green-Sap, Walk-Brass, Snow Throat, and on and on, "aad semblio impera."'''''''''

Here MK agrees to define Ehlnofey as "pre-Convention spirits" who, as in Heart of the World, either gave themselves entirely to become the laws of nature, or didn't and had children who than went on to become the ancestors to mortals etc. The term "Earthbone" being often used for the former group and "Ehlnofey" for the latter (but not always).

Nu-Mantia Intercept (an in universe text) places the Aedra as a term within that same timeframe (Auriel calls the Aedra to convene at Ada-Mantia). It is also said that "all Mundex spirits' have "every power at every time amendment at every ordering" within the Dawn, and that all spirits that remained "involuntary or eventual Earthbone, surrendered all definite hold on divinity".

Here one might think to institute a distinction of some sort from well known deities, but looking at a few more sources paints a rather different picture. As mentioned above, "Ehlnofey" is a term generally used for those spirits that became progenitors to mortals. And these spirits, these ancestors are named, at least for some of them.

From Varieties of Faith:

'''Auri-El (King of the Aldmer): The Elven Akatosh is Auri-El. Auri-El is the soul of Anui-El, who, in turn, is the soul of Anu the Everything. He is the chief of most Aldmeri pantheons. Most Altmeri and Bosmeri claim direct descent from Auri-El.'''

From the PGE 3 section on Summerset:

'''Early Aldmer society was agricultural and politically egalitarian. A system of ancestor worship had been exported whole from Aldmeris, and it brought with it a communal spirit that served the early settlers of Summerset well. When the Aldmer came together as a people to create the Crystal Tower, it was not a monument to any king or god, but rather to the spirit of the elven people, living and dead.

'''The religion of the people also changed because of this change in society: no longer did the Aldmer worship their own ancestors, but the ancestors of their "betters." Auriel, Trinimac, Syrabane, and Phynaster are among the many ancestor spirits who became Gods. A group of elders rebelled against this trend, calling themselves the Psijics, the keepers of the Old Ways of Aldmeris.
'''

From Elder Scrolls Online Knowledge Base:

'''The Aldmeri Dominion has adopted as its symbol the eagle sigil of the High Elves of Summerset. For the Altmer, the high-soaring eagle represents their ancestors the Aedra, who came from the heavens and were trapped in physical form by the creation of Nirn.'''

Here we see two things, that figures like Auriel and Trinimac are specifically considered ancestor spirits and progenitors to mortals, with modern Altmer and Bosmer claiming they are direct descendants of Auri-El himself in particular (making it clear he is not divorced from those who "had to make children to last" as a group as framed in the elven myth (being considered ''the'' chief ancestor of the elves in a literal genealogical sense even). And also that the elven pantheon does not consist of the figures it does because of some reason such as them being considered a different and more exalted class of being or such, but rather because as part of a political shift in Summerset the nobility enacted a religious change which saw their own progenitors being elevated above the rest to be viewed as "gods" in regards to their place in the faith (this being considered a betrayal and corruption by some Aldmeri elders who departed and founded the Psijic Order).

A direct connection is also drawn by some sources for Trinimac, who is identified in folktales communicated to young Attrebus Mede by his caretaker, Helna, as follows, from page 9 of Lord of Souls:

''''''I don’t tell it as well as she did,” he admitted, “but I remember the tale.” He paused for a moment, remembering Helna’s singsong voice. He closed his eyes and pictured his bed, and her sitting there, hands folded. For just an instant he felt the shadow of the comfort he’d known then, the innocence that had protected him from the world.

'''“In the bygone- by,” he began, “there was a hero named Trinimac, the greatest knight of the Ehlnofey, champion of the Dragon of Time'''''''''

Here, Trinimac is named as "the greatest knight of the Ehlnofey", importantly this is in a post Convention context as well (unless one places the Velothi schism in Dawn). The tale concerns the Velothi Schism and is a variation of the "transformation of Trinimac" theme. Notable also that Trinimac has been identified also as "Aedra" by other sources such as Madam Whim in her Loremaster's Archive.

If not a pre-existing distinction, here one might be tempted to institute based one on the "cost" of creation, after all major Aedra are in no sense "mortal", surely ? Not so the theme of mortality and death is very pronounced in sources describing the Aedra, even the most major of deities among them.

From Aedra and Daedra:
'''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.''''''

From Myth of Aurbis/Monomyth:

'''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.'''''''''

From Vastarie (a former Psijic):
'''Why do you worship Azura instead of the Divines?
''''''"Love. With Azura, everything begins with love. A love that is fierce, possessive, even cruel—but always true, and impossibly deep.
'''I mean no offense, but worshiping the dead gods always struck me as a fantastically dull and unfulfilling tradition."''''''
''''''

From Umaril the Unfeathered (a demigod):
'''As balangua, Ehlnada racuvar!" ("By my power, the mortal gods shall be cast down!")

From Lyranth's second LM Archive:
'''Rather than pondering the stars' alleged role in Dagon's birth, you might consider their other failures. Is there anything so low as a Magna Ge? Say what you will about Mundus's creators—at least they displayed conviction. What greater exercise of will exists than to die in pursuit of an impossible goal?''''''

And from her first LM Archive:
'''Second, you make the common mortal error of conflating the craven et'Ada who fled creation to Aetherius with the foolish et'Ada who sacrificed their power to create the Mundus, that theater that serves as their cemetery. But foolish or no, the so-called Divines who created the mortal theater undoubtedly wrought order from chaos through a great act of will, which is a brutal coercion we Daedra must admire. They cannot have achieved what they were aiming at, for you mortals and your 'world' are quite ridiculous, but the folly was a noble one."'''

From Glorious Upheaval:
'''Reject the Eyeless Aedra, rotting in Aetherius, that prison realm where flaccid souls languish, useless and drained. Deny their commands and revel in combat, speak heresies as black as the Void, and laugh in the face of the Dragon Ghost Akatosh and his crumbling kin.'''

The theme is present across sources, the Psijics, Vastarie, Lyranth, the cult of Boethiah, Umaril. The spirits that created Mundus are described as having died in the process with that world being their cemetery, it is their death that separated them in nature from other spirits and in so doing, in ''dying'', they "became the et'Ada" that mortals revere (granted this being something of a variation regarding understanding of the term et'Ada specifically). They are the "Dead Gods" the "Mortal Gods" subject to death per the contract of creation, Akatosh himself a "ghost".

Note that only Auri-El is ever described as having "ascended" to Aetherius, the others "departed from worldly affairs" and are said to reside in Aetherius (per Serana's description in Dawnguard) but we're not told the manner in which this occured. And what is Aetherius anyway ? The afterlife.

This wording is also used for the Earthbones, who are said to have become the laws of nature through death. From Baladas in Morrowind:

'''"It was unfashionable among the Dwemer to view their spirits as synthetic constructs three, four, or forty creational gradients below the divine. During the Dawn Era they researched the death of the Earth Bones, what we call now the laws of nature, dissecting the process of the sacred willing itself into the profane. I believe their mechanists and tonal architects discovered systematic regression techniques to perform the reverse -- that is, to create the sacred from the deaths of the profane.'''

This whole thing is also contextualized by an important quote of MK regarding events:
'''Is it just me, or are the Convention and the Ehlnofex Wars the same events, told in different ways? (2009-01-13)
It's not just you.'''

'''What was the cause of their war? MKirkbride: That was the Dawn. Wars then were ideologies given skin.'''

Here MK clarifies that "Convention" is the "Ehlnofex Wars" just "told in different ways". A "war" in the context of Dawn is "ideology given skin". To be at the "war" places one at Convention and vice versa.

In terms of etymology, "Aedra" means/is defined based on the following.

From Aedra and Daedra:

'''"Aedra" and "Daedra" are not relative terms. They are Elvish and exact. Azura is a Daedra both in Skyrim and Morrowind. "Aedra" is usually translated as "ancestor," which is as close as Cyrodilic can come to this Elven concept. "Daedra" means, roughly, "not our ancestors." This distinction was crucial to the Dunmer, whose fundamental split in ideology is represented in their mythical genealogy.

From Praise Be (Ancestor Song):
'''Clap hands in praise
'''Exalt the Divines!'''
'''Clap hands and praise'''
'''Our ancestral lines!''''''

And from Primate Artorius' LM Archive:

''''''I would like to hear your opinion of why she is considered a Daedric Prince: is it because she created a realm in Oblivion out of the Sun's light instead of returning to Aetherius? Also is Magnus considered a Daedra as well? He did, like Meridia, not give his powers up when Nirn was being formed."'''
'''
'''– Melanion, Templar of Stendarr and Meridia
'''"As regards Magnus, he is not considered one of the Eight Divines, for though he gave much, he did not give all. When he withdrew from the Mundus, he left mortals the gift of magic, a dubious contribution that does the world at least as much ill as good—however, there is no doubt as to his Aedric nature. But I invite you to come to Kvatch, Melanion, that we may discuss these matters further, and clear up your many misconceptions."''''''

''''''

Aedra" is not a relative term, it is "elvish and exact" and represents the mythical genealogy of the elves as they perceive it. It means "ancestor" because the spirits defined as such are perceived as being at the source of the elves' "ancestral lines" (the song in particular names Xarxes, Y'ffre, Auriel, Trinimac and Mara). Even regarding Magnus there is "no doubt as to his Aedric nature" as he gave of himself for Mundus, he is simply not considered a Divine by the Cyrodiilics because he gave less than the rest and thus is not as highly revered (an Aedra is defined, by the Imperial Cult at least, as such because of their sacrifice and held in higher esteem the greater the cost they endured for the sake of creation).

"Ehlno" means "mortal" in the Ayleid language. The term Umaril corresponding to the "Mortal Gods" term used by Umaril is "Ehlnada" (literally mortal spirits/gods). And Ehlnofey ? Its in all likelihood a synonymous term. Ehlno-Fey. Fey also being a name used regarding the Faerie a type of spirit existing in a system which some theories claim includes the gods.

Now, of course, there are sources which draw a direct distinction between terms. The Anuad, and Mystery of Artaeum.

In the Anuad the text is actually referring to a different creation narrative entirely however, the Ehlnofey predate the Aedra/Daedra/Magna-Ge and are brought to Nirn alongside part of a prior world after ''Anu'' creates it. The Aedra and Daedra and such are born well after per the narrative from Anu and Padomay's blood directly.

And from Mystery of Artaeum:
'''The Psijic monks follow the "Old Ways," combining mysticism, the Eleven Forces, and the divine laws that bind and define the nature of reality into a philosophy and way of life. They are said to have a deep understanding of the Ehlnofey, also known as the Earth Bones, the descendants of the Aedra who once walked Tamriel and gave rise to the races of man and mer. Much of the ritual-based magic the order employs utilizes this understanding, supposedly granting them influence over time and weather.'''

This text defines Ehlonfey as the original/early "descendants of the Aedra who walked Tamriel and gave rise to the races of man and mer" in particular. However, this text contrasts the description given in HotW placing the classification prior to the point the descendants appear or Nu-Mantia Intercept claiming Auriel called "Aedra" at Convention (as Ehlnofex Wars and Convention are the same event told differently per MK). As such this might represent a third narrative/variation, a later development in Altmeri faith compared to the core religious texts.

And I won't go on further. I think that's literally all relevant sources anyway.

TLDR: There is a rather prevalent theme that affliction with (some form of) mortality, being genealogical ancestors to the life of Nirn and even having experienced a form of death, being traits that apply to the Aedra. In light of that, how it precisely matches the descriptions we have for the term "Ehlnofey", and how we've figures named among both groups (Trinimac, arguably Y'ffre who is identified as a "Divine"), related articles should reflect this apparent overlap/link (alongside alternative narratives like the Anuad or the variation introduced by texts like mystery of course). "Aedra" and "Ehlnofey" being not two cleanly separate classes of being but rather terms used to refer to the various groups of spirits that underwent creation in full in specific capacities/stages.

I know this is a really long read (apologies) but felt it was necessary for the discussion to present all relevant sources.

: Excellent coverage of sources on the matter, I'd largely be in agreement. The Ehlnofey and Aedra are far from cleanly separated classes, and seem to encompass each other largely outside of Mystery of Artaeums third perspective, and Anuads unique case all around. Perhaps the page can be revamped to further focus on Ehlnofey as Earth bones (their most consistent tie by far), and the coverage of Aedra and other relevant spiris under that? With Artaeum's passage mentioned as a single out third pov, aside from that, and the 12 Worlds/Anuad one? Or would you propose further that Ehlnofey be merged into Aedra? There definitely needs to be changes to the page as is with the current exaggerated separation highlighted. [[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 00:12, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

::Thank you, I'd be on board with either, personally. Merging the articles makes the overlap more clear, but the same result could be achieved by separate articles as well depending on how one words them. Personally I'd lean a bit more towards merging and than explaining the situation in detail in a single page (relevant information once in one place, resolves any issues of what information to include in each page), but I could definitely see the merit in retaining a page that focuses on the "laws of nature" part (how they can be manipulated, their role in the Dwemer's research, so on) with and has less "general" information as well. Either way I don't feel that strongly about it as long as the core idea is communicated. Or perhaps in the form of a main page regarding the Aedra with a second page focusing primarily on the function of the Earthbones as laws of nature as a sub-section of that ? In a similar style as the Daedra page having Daedric Princes as a sub-section, somewhat ?--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 01:03, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

:::I would agree that the Aedra and Ehlnofey are roughly speaking about the same kind of spirits. I have argued (ish) before about the Ehlnofey War being the same as the war between Auri-El and Lorkhan, though I think the metaphors manifested differently. I agree with the core idea that there isn't a clean divide and their similitude should be mentioned. However, I strongly oppose a merge between the two pages because they emphasize different things entirely and I feel they are not exactly the same. As described, the Aedra seem to be the spirits that gave their all yet still remained divine in power. For example, the Covenant with Akatosh with St. Alessia, his avatar in TES IV: Oblivion, the blessings and shrines they give, as well as '''their distinct planets'''. The Ehlnofey seem to give their all and become semi-mortal '''on Nirn'''. The idea that the Aedra are Ehlnofey makes perfect sense to the elves, but humans believe themselves created by the Divines. I would argue "Kevin" the random Old Ehlnofey warrior of the Dawn Era wouldn't be classified as an Aedra, while the Aedra would all be Ehlnofey that have retained a level of power to still be seen as gods. (I hope my point of all non-Magna-Ge Aedra being Ehlnofey but not all Ehlnofey being Aedra makes sense, I'm quite tired atm). But all of that is besides my main point, which is the emphasis of each. The Aedra essentially refer to the '''gods''', who are themselves mainly original spirits like Auri-El but also some mortals of later eras like Syrabane and Phynaster. This should be the emphasis that their page has for them; their divine role in the religions of mortals and their actions in the Dawn Era before Convention. The Ehlnofey are closer to the '''laws of nature''', with Y'ffre as the only real "god" explicitly among them (while Auri-El and Trinimac were leaders of the Ehlnofey, Y'ffre is explicitly mentioned as a law-of-nature-defining Ehlnofey). They make Nirn what Nirn is rather than looking over Nirn as the gods do. Moreover, they are '''seen more than believed'''. Dringoth and the Bone Orchard are Ehlnofey afaik, as well as the Guardian spirits in Glenumbra, and they have a language that descends from them. In general, their lore is very different than that of the Aedra after Convention. While I think the concepts of the Ehlnofey War and war of the Aedra should be noted as likely being the same (sorry MindTrait0r), and they both represent similar (if not the same) spirits that took part in the foundation of the Mundus, there is too much lore outside and after that that should be emphasized separately in distinct pages. [[User:BananaKing5|BananaKing5]] ([[User talk:BananaKing5|talk]]) 09:57, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

::::The part about "Aedra" being "greater" spirits that remain gods while "Ehlnofey" are "lesser" spirits that become semi-mortal on Nirn in particular is not really a framing I agree with. A distinction based on such a criterion is not really one made in the texts pertaining to Dawn (or generally) as far as I can tell, spirits and the effect on them are never really split by such a trait or said to have been affected differently due to it. Moreover the core traits that define the Ehlnofey (a form of mortality/vulnerability to death, progenitorship) are generally said to apply to both definitions as mentioned above (thus all the references to even the Divines specifically as 'mortal" or "dead"), and we have members named among both groups. To frame the Ehlnofey as "lesser" spirits in particular would be in contradiction of how the elves view them, which is that their gods themselves were trapped in physical form of Nirn by creation and are their ancestors, as in ESO knowledge base: '''The Aldmeri Dominion has adopted as its symbol the eagle sigil of the High Elves of Summerset. For the Altmer, the high-soaring eagle represents their ancestors the Aedra, who came from the heavens and were trapped in physical form by the creation of Nirn.''' or how Auriel had to beg Anuiel to "take them back" and was rebuffed during the war/Convention per HotW. Most modern Altmer and Bosmer claim "direct descent" from Auriel, they exalt Trinimac and Mara and whatnot as the origin of their "ancestral lines", the concept of Ehlnofey, the ancestors of mortals can't really be separated from that of "Aedra" , at least in the context of elven belief, as ehlnofic descent is at the same time the reason "Aedra" are Aedra, ancestors, and the definition given for Ehlnofey (those who "had to make children to last" per HotW). Power isn't really a criterion for classification here, just like how a Daedra Prince, a Daedra Lord with or without a realm, and a normal Daedra are all Daedric. Auriel and the pantheon did end up becoming more revered but that in itself was a later development, leader or not he only came to occupy a greater place/supplant the place of the rest in elvish faith after a political shift. Trinimac too is called an Ehlnofey by some sources and is active in Nirn post-Convention. Imperial faith also doesn't really appear to link the concept to power, the more one gave the more revered one is, Magnus having sacrificed less makes him be seen as less revered and not eligible for Divine status compared to those who gave more, per Artorius. Dringoth and the Orchard group its important to note are a bit of a special case because they are outright trapped via Bosmeri magic, and they can't die and make the transition to Aetherius to exist outside Nirn because of that (their circumstances are more of an exception rather than representative of the circumstances of the group more broadly), while the Guardians themselves are Earth Bones (laws) and claim they are Y'ffre himself in some sense (or aspects thereof).

::::As to the overall point/page question, personally I'd be on board with having two pages with different emphasis provided the connection/overlap is explained, but in that case they need to be worded such as not to suggest a clean separation of nature/role that isn't there (avoiding implying such and which information should be repeated or go where being the tricky part with two pages). An approach similar to the one used for the Daedra page and its sub-headers might be a way to split the difference here, I think. Having a main page that focuses on the Aedra as a more broadly and than a sub-header for the Ehlnofey defining them as an overlapping concept under the lens of certain beliefs, perhaps.--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 12:06, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

:::::I think it's important to note the human perspective as well. While "Aedra" is an elven term, it has been used by humans as well for their gods. For instance, Bishop Artorius says "Father Akatosh might be considered the most 'active' Aedra of all". The connection between all Aedra being Ehlnofey and all Ehlnofey being Aedra is one that perfectly fits the Elven views, but ignores the human (specifically Nordic and Nede [I think], and not Yokudan) views which believe they were created on the Throat of the World. The distinction between "greater" and "lesser" spirits is one that explains this difference as the Aedra are gods to the humans while the Ehlnofey aren't (except Jephre). Even among Elves, they used to worship all ancestors (Aedra and Ehlnofey being the exact same to them), but then they began only worshipping the greatest ones (now the Aedra as we know them are described while the other Ehlnofey disappear). It can be argued who is right and who is wrong, but that's a whole other discussion. Or maybe the Psijics are right in the Ehlnofey being descendants of the Aedra, as Mystery of Artaeum points out. There's also the fact that the Aedric gods having distinct planets (AKHAT, RHET, KYNRT, etc) and parts of Aetherius (Sovngarde for Shor, the Forest of Dreams for Kyne, the Spilled Sands for Alkosh) while the Ehlnofey are specifically the Earth Bones and tied to Nirn specifically. And the Earth Bones can be manipulated by Dwemer technology and Alteration magic, while Aedric gods can't (except for the Marukhati Selective I guess). Overall, '''there is strong similarity in nature between the Aedra and Ehlnofey''', but it could be argued they're '''not exactly equal'''. However, this distinction is more so my understanding of things than anything concrete, and is not a hill I'm willing to die on. Maybe the distinction is merely the inexact nature of beliefs, and in truth they're identical.

::::: But it also wasn't meant to be my main point for their separation. My main point was that after Convention, the Aedra are only really talked about in terms of religion and Aetherius while the Ehlnofey are mainly talked about as nature spirits and ancient semi-mortal ancestors (kind of existing between fully divine Aedra and mortal Elven). I felt this should warrant unique pages to show the different emphasis on each group. Regardless of ontological congruence as pre-Convention ancestor spirits, the cultural descriptions of them differ slightly before Convention and rather drastically after it. However, currently '''I feel like this distinction may be possible to make in a single page if done right'''. Perhaps as Gleaming Veil said, the Aedra page could broadly introduce the pre-Convention spirits, then most of the page discusses the religious significance of the Aedra and the idea of "Aedric" entities of Aetherius, then there is a separate header discussing the Ehlnofey in a not-so in-depth way (but not merely brief). The Ehlnofey page would go in depth on the Earth Bones and their role as the laws of nature, the fact they have a language, and perhaps the Wandering vs Old distinction, while still pointing to their Aedric nature. So I think I mostly agree with Gleaming Veil on a broader Aedra page with sub-headers, but with two distinct pages describing the different emphasis placed on each group. [[User:BananaKing5|BananaKing5]] ([[User talk:BananaKing5|talk]]) 19:09, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

:::::: Ehlnofey/Earthbones are Aedric in nature, but the concepts are far from synonymous enough to ever merge. Just because the Aedra are *bound* to the Bones of the Earth, does not mean they themselves are Bones of the Earth. Y'ffre and his ilk are completely inactive spirits that gave themselves fully to lay the foundation of Nirn itself. Akatosh and his ilk are mostly inactive spirits that gave up most of their agency over creation, but unlike Y'ffre and crew reside off of Nirn on their celestial namesake planets. In general, page merges only need to be done in the event concepts this important are fully inseparable from one another, which isn’t the case in this instance. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 21:04, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

::::::: Also take the book that says Aedra and Daedra are exact terms, with as big of a grain of salt possible. Different cultures have completely different understandings of what category of beings are considered ancestors and not. From the pro Aedric pantheons of the Altmer and Imperials, to the pro Daedric pantheon of the Dunmer, to the mixed bag of Aedra, Daedra, Earthbone, and Magna Ge alike that make up the shared ancestor pantheon of the Khajiit. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 21:08, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

::::::::To expound a bit more on the elvish perspective, I think its important to note that both "Ehlnofey" and "Aedra" as terms apply to a pre-Convention timeframe. Ehlnofey are "pre-Convention spirits" per MK's quote, and Akatosh called "the Aedra" to Convention, which perk MK ''is'' the Ehlnofex War told differently. Both terms are used in the pre-Convention frame and their defining characteristics also came about prior to that point per HotW. In addition, per Phrastus of Elinhhir: '''"Minor Aedric spirits definitely exist, but they are rarely encountered, as Mundus is considered off-limits since Magnus withdrew from it at the moment of creation. I know of no successful attempts to contact such spirits, probably because Aedric entities simply do not respond to mortals—at least not since the ages of myth." '''''' ''So it is at least thought by the elves both that minor Aedric spirits (for a certain value of "minor", not gods at least) exist and qualify as Aedra, they're just comparatively rare to encounter in a personal sense. A "lesser" nature compared to true greater spirits like Akatosh or such does not disqualify one as being an Aedra. And if we were to focus on the mortality/progenitorship aspect, that is directly mentioned to apply to the Divines in particular as well in a number of sources as mentioned above (Ehlnofey is itself an umbrella term of sorts denoting both spirits that gave themselves fully to become the laws of nature following the example of Y'ffre and spirits that didn't do so and became progenitors to mortals, per elven belief, the second sub-group being where named ancestors of the elves like Auri-El would fall). As such, while not all spirits would have realms or be as divorced from the ability of mortals to influence to the same degree, that wouldn't divorce them from the "Aedra" definition, just like how a Dremora or an Ogrim or a Scamp are not divorced from the "Daedra" definition despite not being Daedric Princes or Daedra Lords. Being a god and being an "Aedra" are not the same thing, just like how being a "Daedra" and being a god are not the same thing (being different parameters). The same applies to an approach in faith, that different spirits are not all revered to the exact same degree wouldn't really impact that base definition.

::::::::As to the human perspective, as BananaKing mentioned, that has its differences and should definitely be noted in any associated page alongside other cultural understandings. This, however, I think is its own matter. Human faiths hold mortal life to be created by the Aedra rather than descended from them (barring the Yokudans which more parallel elvish views) and generally hold the concept of Aedric descent to be "elven conceit" (as per the "Tu'whacca, Arkay, Xarxes" text). Because of this there is no direct genealogical link for them between mortals and either Aedra or Ehlnofey (regardless of how one defines either term). In addition human religious texts or sources generally don't expound upon terms like "Ehlnofey" or "Earth Bone" like elven ones do, with the few that do mention them, as a namedrop at that, generally mentioned as referencing other perspectives (eg Altmeri), and in any case not providing any additional contrasting definitions aside from the others already mentioned (Mystery, Anuad) or impacting elven perspectives. Human beliefs (barring Yokudan) fall more along the lines of a different narrative like the Anuad in this regard, Nords have no known creation myth, for Bretons we only have "The Light and Dark" which has Aedra and Daedra as having an entirely different origin (being born from the energies of the Light and Dark through the beliefs of the "people of Et'Ada") and Imperials directly split elven gods and human gods (Auriel is not Akatosh). None of the associated myths themselves mentions the term Ehlnofey/Earthbones.

::::::::Overall different cultural views would stand on their own in parallel to each other in the pages they show up in. Further nuance regarding circumstances, such as for example how Dringoth and the Orchard group became trapped due to Bosmeri magic or shifts in faith across time would emerge through the wording within the page itself.

::::::::Either way, most of this is probably a side topic. Personally I'm not particularly concerned with whether its one or two pages as long as the core information comes across that, depending on cultural lens and applicable to that worldview at least, Aedra and Ehlnofey are not cleanly separate terms denoting different classes of being, but rather overlapping definitions. The other cultural lenses likewise being present with their own definitions (eg Anuad Aedra and Ehlnofey are not the same as Altmeri Aedra and Ehlnofey, mortals in the human view are not Aedric descendants but creations and so on). I think the overall result can be achieved just the same with either one or two pages, provided careful wording and separation of different views. Overall I think a model of two pages and a sub-header alongside another page that goes on further detail in less broad information/focuses on different lore aspects while mentioning the link works fine, its the wording itself that's more important. So I think me, BananaKing and The Entity are broadly in agreement this model working here.--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 21:15, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

:::::::::Agreed. I kind of envision the Lore:Aedra page as roughly 40% about what Aedric spirits are (including the Ehlnofey), 40% about the cultural views of them (mostly pertaining to all the religion stuff and the Aedric gods), and 20% about the Ehlnofey either by introducing them or just using <nowiki>{{Lore:Ehlnofey}}</nowiki>. Then the Lore:Ehlnofey page goes in depth on their law-of-nature role, their language, the Wandering and Old Ehlnofey split, etc., with the introductory area describing their nature as Aedric pre-Convention ancestor spirits. [[User:BananaKing5|BananaKing5]] ([[User talk:BananaKing5|talk]]) 23:38, 26 October 2024 (UTC)
::::::::::I like it, I think the proposed layout works quite well.--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 23:57, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

== Mystery of Artaeum and Annotated Anuad phrasing nitpick ==

:"A direct correlation between the concepts of Ehlnofey and Aedra is not universal among sources. In some accounts, the terms "Ehlnofey" and "Earth Bones" are both described as referring exclusively to the early offspring of the Aedra rather than to those spirits themselves, who were told to populate the world and live on through their children, leading to the gradual emergence of the various races of man and mer.[The Mystery of Artaeum][Kirkbride told us] In others the Ehlnofey are described instead as a group of beings who predate the Aedra and Daedra as survivors of a prior world, fragment of which Anu used to create Nirn, whereas the Aedra and Daedra are formed of Anu and Padomay's blood after Nirn's formation and the establishment of the Ehlnofey there, with all groups distinct from the start.[The Annotated Anuad] The concept of descent from the ancestor spirits is generally viewed as "elven conceit" by the religions of Men who, with the exception of the Redguards, view themselves as creations of those spirits rather than their descendants.[buncha sources]"

Since there was a discussion to add this language, I thought I should bring it up before revising it. I completely agree with the sentiment, but I'm concerned that the paragraph ''requires'' the Mystery of Artaeum and the Annotated Anuad to be read in conflict with each other in order to prove the thesis statement. Due to ambiguity in the Anuad's language and its nature as a simplified monomyth, there are several arguments one might make to dispute that, and instead read the books in harmony. Not ones I really agree with, but valid ones I can't disprove. I think it would be more foolproof like this:

:"Different peoples harbor different understandings of Ehlnofey's relation to Aedra. In some accounts, both "Ehlnofey" and "Earth Bones" are described as referring exclusively to the early offspring of the Aedra rather than to the Aedra themselves, who were told to populate the world and live on through their children, leading to the gradual emergence of the various races of man and mer.[The Mystery of Artaeum][Kirkbride told us] The concept of descent from the ancestor spirits is generally viewed as "elven conceit" by the religions of men who, with the exception of the Redguards, view themselves as creations of those spirits rather than their descendants.[buncha sources] ''The Annotated Anuad'' implies the Aedra originated from a "long and furious" battle between Anu and Padomay, and the Ehlnofey come from a world which existed before this battle began, suggesting the Ehlnofey may have a separate origin predating the Aedra."

This gets the key points across to the reader while leaving the UESP editorialization basically indisputable. It doesn't matter how one ultimately chooses to interpret the Anuad; we're just relaying facts and their undeniable implications. [[User:Minor Edits|Insignificant Revisions]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 08:13, 15 June 2025 (UTC)

::I agree with this phrasing. Personally I'd just add "from the blood spilled" before "from a long and furious battle between Anu and Padomay" to have the intro mention the circumstances of the creation.--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 09:08, 15 June 2025 (UTC)

:::Part of my concern is that a pedant may argue the Anuad can be construed episodically: Anu's story > the Aedra/Daedra story > the Ehlnofey story > the mortal races. In which case, it's plausible the creation of the D/Aedra was happening concurrently within the overall narrative of the Anu/Padomay story, rather than only during and/or after the second battle as the narrative suggests. I.e., the D/Aedra could've initially started forming in the first battle rather than the second. I don't know how to tell that pedant they're wrong. Maybe there are ESO sources which can be brought to bear here? But the ''suggestion'' they formed as a result of the second battle is clearly present regardless, so they would have no leg to stand on if the last sentence were something like this: The Annotated Anuad describes how the Aedra originated from the intermingling blood of Anu and Padomay, and how the Ehlnofey come from a world shattered before Anu and Padomay's second "long and furious" battle began, suggesting, per said account, the Ehlnofey may have a separate origin predating the Aedra. [[User:Minor Edits|Insignificant Revisions]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 21:37, 15 June 2025 (UTC)
::::That wording also works. Edited accordingly.--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 21:58, 15 June 2025 (UTC)
:::::Thanks! Just thought I should add, you've been doing excellent work. I'm learning a lot from you! It's always a careful and faithful analysis, and it's greatly appreciated! [[User:Minor Edits|Insignificant Revisions]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 04:13, 16 June 2025 (UTC)

Lore:Ehlnofey

2025-06-16T04:05:15Z

Minor Edits: link tweak

<noinclude>{{Lore Gods Trail}}{{#addtotrail:Races|separator=' / '}}__NOTOC__[[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Water 02.jpg|The Guardian of the Water, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-creature-Nirenan.jpg|Remains of Nirenan, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]</noinclude>
The [[Lore:Ehlnofey|Ehlnofey]] (sometimes spelled '''Elhnofey'''){{ref|name=PGE1Sky|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Skyrim}}}} of the [[Lore:Dawn Era|Dawn Era]] are generally believed to be a group of [[Lore:Aedra|Aedric]] pre-[[Lore:Convention|Convention]] spirits who, along with the [[Lore:Hist|Hist]], are counted among the original inhabitants of [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]], and are widely considered to be the progenitors of the mortal races.{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}} The word "Ehlnofey" translates to '''Earthbones''' (or '''Earth Bone''') in [[Lore:Ehlnofex Languages|Ehlnofex]]. The terms "Earthbone" or "Ehlnofey" are used to denote more than one type of mythical entity. The term "Ehlnofey" is typically used to refer to the spirits that didn't sacrifice themselves, from whom the various mortal races would descend, whereas "Earthbone" typically connotes those Ehlnofey who, like [[Lore:Y'ffre|Y'ffre]], would at some point sacrifice themselves to form the rules of nature.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} The nature of the spirits the term pertains to can vary depending on account.

The concept of the Ehlnofey is of paramount importance within the beliefs of the [[Lore:Mer|elves]], particularly the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]] and [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmer]], where the term is used to represent their cultural understanding of the Aedra as ancestor spirits. According to elven myth, the Ehlnofey are considered to be the Aedric spirits who stayed in Nirn after [[Lore:Magnus|Magnus]] and the [[Lore:Magna Ge|Magna Ge]] departed in order to keep working on the new world so it'd remain viable. Among those spirits, some, typically referred to from that point on as "Earthbones", are thought to have followed the example of Y'ffre, giving themselves to the Mundus fully to stabilize it and form the foundation of its natural law as the "bones of the earth", eternal laws of nature. While others, typically referred to from that point on as "Ehlnofey", are thought to have chosen not to give themselves fully but to populate Nirn instead, thus becoming the progenitors to mortal life, which arose from their lines and took on its current form due to a phenomenon of gradual diminishment, of each consecutive generation becoming weaker and more removed than its progenitors in stature and might.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=Mystery}}{{ref|name=TAA|{{Cite Book|The Annotated Anuad}}}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} This understanding forms the basis of the originally elvish term "Aedra" or "ancestor", denoting those spirits which they perceive as being part of their mythic genealogy, including figures such as [[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]], who most modern Altmer and Bosmer claim direct descent from, [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] the "greatest knight of the Ehlnofey", [[Lore:Syrabane|Syrabane]], and [[Lore:Phynaster|Phynaster]].{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=PGE3Sum|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Summerset}}}} Thus elven religious iconography depicts the Ehlnofey as vaguely elven in shape, but featureless, reflecting the fading memory of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=EES|[[Online:Contraband/Statues#Elusive Ehlnofey Statuette|Elusive Ehlnofey Statuette]]}}

The Aedra or Ehlnofey are thought to have remained within the world until they vanished.{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}} They are thought to primarily reside in [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]],{{Ref|name=Serana|[[Skyrim:Serana|Serana]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} having been bound to the Earth Bones{{ref|name=AAD|{{Cite Book|Aedra and Daedra}}}}{{ref|name=TOA|{{Cite Book|Tower of Adamant}}}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=VOF}} as the cornerstones of the Mundus.{{ref|name=PGE3Arena|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Arena Supermundus}}}} The terms "spokes", "eight components of [[Lore:Aurbis|chaos]]", "lent bones of the Aedra", "Bones of the Wheel", "et'Ada-gears" and [[Lore:Planets|"Eight gift-limbs"]] have also been used to refer to them in this capacity, after having transformed into the framework of reality.{{ref|name=LOV6|{{cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 6}}}}{{ref|name=LL|{{cite Book|The Lunar Lorkhan}}}}{{ref|name=TTIS|{{Cite Book|The Truth in Sequence}}}}{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}} Some sources present a more negative view of the circumstances of these spirits and their residence in Aetherius, naming the Mundus as their "cemetery", calling them "spent ghosts", alleging them to have died as part of the creation of the world, having "died in pursuit of an impossible goal", or to have burial crypts.{{ref|name=Lyranth2|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Mehrunes Dagon & Daedra in the Second Era}}}}{{Ref|name=GU|{{Cite Book|Glorious Upheaval}}}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{Ref|name=ARLordsMail|[[Arena:Lord's Mail|Lord's Mail]] quest in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]''}} Thus the Aedra are sometimes called the "dead gods" or the "mortal gods", sometimes disparagingly, owing to them having become bound to the laws of mortality.{{Ref|name=Vastarie|[[Online:Vastarie|Vastarie]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=Prophet|[[Oblivion:The Prophet|The Prophet]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}

Different peoples harbor different understandings of Ehlnofey's relation to Aedra. In some accounts, both "Ehlnofey" and "Earth Bones" are described as referring exclusively to the early offspring of the Aedra rather than to the Aedra themselves, who were told to populate the world and live on through their children, leading to the gradual emergence of the various races of man and mer.{{ref|name=Mystery}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} The concept of descent from the ancestor spirits is generally viewed as "elven conceit" by the religions of [[Lore:Men|Men]] who, with the exception of the [[Lore:Redguards|Redguards]], view themselves as creations of those spirits rather than their descendants.{{ref|name=TAA}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=TAX|{{Cite Book|Tu'whacca, Arkay, Xarxes}}}} ''[[Lore:The Annotated Anuad|The Annotated Anuad]]'' describes how the Aedra originated from the intermingling blood of [[Lore:Anu|Anu]] and [[Lore:Padomay|Padomay]], and how the Ehlnofey come from a world shattered by Padomay before Anu and Padomay's second "long and furious" battle began, suggesting, per said account, the Ehlnofey may have a separate origin predating the Aedra.{{ref|name=TAA}}

Perhaps because of their association with the land itself, "Old Ehlnofey" became another name for [[Lore:Aldmeris|Aldmeris]], the mystical homeland of the elves.{{ref|name=PGE3Sum}}{{ref|name=PGE3All|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|All the Eras of Man}}}} The language or languages of the Ehlnofey became known as Ehlnofex.{{ref|name=TM}} It has been found that the "Earth Bones", the laws of nature, can be manipulated to some extent.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=MWBaladas|[[MW:Baladas Demnevanni (person)|Baladas Demnevanni]]'s dialogue in [[MW:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']].}}<noinclude>

For more information on the Aedra and their role in [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]]'s religions more broadly, see the entry on [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]].

==Origin==
The exact nature of the Ehlnofey is a matter shrouded in much ambiguity; some sources describe them as great beings which once walked Nirn whose true origins none can truly say.{{ref|name=Last}} There are two major origins that are presented: one that describes the Ehlnofey as survivors of a previous world that settled Nirn after its creation, and another claiming them to be Aedric spirits who were party to Nirn's construction and chose to remain in the world they'd crafted to stabilize it after the departure of Magnus and the Magna-Ge.

===Survivors of the Twelve Worlds===
According to the [[Lore:Anuad|Anuad]], when Anu formed Nirn following the shattering of the Twelve Worlds by Padomay, two surviving races from what Padomay had sundered were brought to the new world alongside the fragments of their realms which had been used to form it, the Ehlnofey and the Hist.

A group of Ehlnofey, those that would eventually become the progenitors of the Mer, arrived in the new world together alongside a relatively intact fragment of their former home, and attempted to live on as they had before, in their land which would come to be known as Old Ehlnofey. Another group, those who would become the progenitors to Men, were scattered across the new world, and had to wander and find each other over time.

When the wandering Ehlnofey came across Old Ehlnofey, they were overjoyed to find their kin living among the splendor of ages past, but rather than welcoming them, the inhabitants of Old Ehlnofey viewed them as degenerates, fallen and corrupted from their experiences on Nirn. In the end and for whatever reason, war broke out between those of Old Ehlnofey, mightier but fewer, and those that wandered, weaker but more numerous and hardened by survival. This destructive war would reshape the face of Nirn, sinking much of the land beneath new oceans, destroying much of the original realm of the Hist and creating the continents of [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]], [[Lore:Akavir|Akavir]], [[Lore:Atmora|Atmora]] and [[Lore:Yokuda|Yokuda.]]

The remains of Old Ehlnofey would become Tamriel while the wandering Ehlnofey would scatter to the newly formed continents. Eventually, over time and the passage of generations, the descendants of the two factions of Ehlnofey would gradually give rise to the various groups of Men and Mer. At some point prior to their disappearance, the Ehlnofey are said to have taken on "brilliant students". These students have been theorized to be the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]], who were thus given the sobriquet "Dwarves" by their titanic masters. The events of this tutelage under the Ehlnofey are described in more detail in the full text of the Anuad myth.{{ref|name=PGE1Ham|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Hammerfell}}}}

While this struggle occurred, the "gods and demons" of the world—the Aedra, [[Lore:Daedra|Daedra]] and Magna-Ge—would form out of Anu and Padomay's spilled blood, as distinct groups from the Ehlnofey and from each other.{{ref|name=TAA}}

===Aedric Progenitors===
According to the Altmeri creation myth, when Magnus departed the Mundus, the et'Ada that took part in its creation broke into groups, most would follow the flight of the God of Magic to become the Magna-Ge, but some of those present chose instead to stay after he departed and keep working on the new world in order to keep it viable.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=VOF}}

Among those et'Ada who stayed, some would follow the example of Y'ffre, giving themselves to the Mundus fully to stabilize it and form the foundation of its natural law, and would typically be referred to as "Earthbones" or "Earth Bones". Others, who would come to be known as Aedra, would choose not to give themselves fully but to populate Nirn instead, having to "make children just to last". This group of spirits would from that point typically be referred to as the "Ehlnofey".{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} The offspring of the Aedra would exhibit a gradual change however, each consecutive generation was weaker than the one prior, more removed from their progenitors in stature and might.{{ref|name=TM}}

Through this generational phenomenon of diminishment, the offspring of the Ehlnofey would also differentiate. The Ehlnofey would eventually give away and the first [[Lore: Aldmer|Aldmer]] would arise, while the "weakest souls" would be formed by [[Lore: Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] into armies he named "Men".{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TM}}

Altmeri myth holds that [[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]] and Lorkhan and their respective followers would then war with one another, leading to the shattering of [[Lore:Atmora|Altmora]], the "Elder Wood" and one of the first kingdoms established by Auri-El alongside Old Ehlnofey, at Lorkhan's hands, and culminating in Lorkhan's defeat and the removal of his [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart]]. During this conflict and prior to Lorkhan's defeat, Auri-El begged Anu to take them back, but Anu refused, as he'd already created something to replace them. The more merciful [[Lore:Anui-El|Anui-El]] created [[Lore:Auriel's Bow|Auriel's Bow]] and [[Lore:Auriel's Shield|Auriel's Shield]] to be used by Auri-El against Lorkhan's hordes.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=VOF}}

Following the defeat of Lorkhan, the Aedra would convene at the [[Lore:Adamantine Tower|Adamantine Tower]] to decide the fate of the new world. Lorkhan's Heart would be removed and the laws and roles of all spirits in the new world would be determined. After this meeting, the Convention, the Aedra would depart the world in their excess for its own sake, as their direct presence rendered both it and the timeless continuity of existence itself unstable.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}}{{ref|name=AU4TET|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}}

At some point following the events of the war, the [[Lore:Aldmer|Aldmer]] descendants of the Ehlnofey, described as the strongest of the lesser spirits that remained in the world after Convention, are said to have left their doomed and ruined continent of Aldmeris and colonized southwest Tamriel in the Middle [[Lore:Merethic Era|Merethic Era]],{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=PGE3All}} only to spend many centuries fruitlessly searching for their old homeland.{{ref|name=FOTN|{{Cite Book|Father Of The Niben}}}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}}

==Legacy==
{{Quote Box|''"We are the echoes of old voices, remnants of a time long ago. Still, a few of us remain. We were the Y'ffre. Then we became the Ehlnofey, the Earth Bones. … "''|Guardian of the Earth}}

The fracturing of the Aldmer along cultural and racial lines is called the Sundering of Aldmeris, an event during which the Aldmer splintered into the groups that would become the Dwemer (Deep Ones), the [[Lore:Chimer|Chimer]] (Changed Ones), the [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmer]] (Green or Forest Ones), the [[Lore:Falmer|Falmer]] (Snow Ones), the [[Lore:Maormer|Maormer]] (Sea or Tropical Ones) of [[Lore:Pyandonea|Pyandonea]], the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]] (Elder or High Ones), and the [[Lore:Lefthanded Elves|Sinistral Mer]] (Left-handed Ones) of Yokuda. The progeny of the Wanderers (Wandering Ehlnofey) became the races of men, eventually splitting into many different racial groups, including the [[Lore:Nede|Nede]]s, the [[Lore:Nord|Atmoran]]s of Atmora, the [[Lore:Redguard|Yokudan]]s of Yokuda, and possibly the [[Lore:Tsaesci (race)|Tsaesci]] of [[Lore:Akavir|Akavir]], and other aboriginal groups ([[Lore:Proto-Breton|Proto-Breton]]s).{{ref|name=TAA}}

Though the protean race is apparently gone, said by some sources to have faded and vanished after journeying to the lost corners of the world,{{ref|name=Last}} the Ehlnofey are not entirely forgotten. They are thought to have taken on students before they disappeared, passing their knowledge on to emerging races such as the Dwemer, or the [[Lore:Psijic Order|Psijic Order]], to whom they are said to have taught the Elder Way.{{ref|name=PGE1Ham}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview|[[General:Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion|Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion]]}} Knowledge of most individuals has been lost to time, but prominent members still appear in some form in the [[Lore:Gods|pantheons]] of the various races. The [[Lore:Ayleids|Ayleids]] of [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]] are said to have preserved the Ehlnofey's Dawn Era magics and language to a greater extent than other Mer.{{ref|name=BTAOM}} The theories of the Dwemer High Craftlord [[Lore:Kagrenac|Kagrenac]] involved using sacred tones on the Heart of Lorkhan and bending the Earth Bones, commanding the "obedience" of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=MWBaladas}} According to legend, the [[Lore:Sun Birds of Alinor|Sun Birds of Alinor]], a mythical order of Aldmeri explorers from the Merethic Era, managed to pierce the veil between the [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]] and Aetherius and journey to the Immortal Plane by using the raw magic of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=FurnSunbird|[[Online:Prismatic Sunbird Feather|Prismatic Sunbird Feather]] antiquity codex entry in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

Nirn is said to be imbued with a wellspring of primordial energy which flows in a network via lines within the ground, described as the manner in which [[Lore:Druids|Druids]] visualize the Earthbones, the laws of nature, places where these "[[Lore:Bonelines|bonelines]]" intersect are said to possess great power and have an effect on both magic and prayer performed there.{{ref|name=ONSWC|[[Online:Stormweaver's Cavort|Stormweaver's Cavort]] codex entries in {{g|on|firesong}}}}{{ref|name=ONPE|[[Online:Pearls of Ehlnofey|Pearls of Ehlnofey]] codex entries in {{g|on|markarth}}}}{{ref|name=VGTYC|{{Cite Book|Visitor's Guide to Y'ffre's Cauldron}}}} According to some sources, the reason Nirn is filled with natural caverns is that in primordial times they formed a network that functioned like nodes or capillaries for the divine essence of the Aedra that created it.{{ref|name=Wind|[[Online:Weeping Wind Cave|Weeping Wind Cave]] loading screen in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

The laws that govern Nirn and the Mundus and determine the role of all spirits within them, are believed to have been set in place at and through the Adamantine Tower by its creators, defining the roles and nature of the Earthbones within the confines of the "[[Lore:Akatosh|Dragon's]] timebound tale" and thus the framework of the natural world. The Adamantine Tower itself is described as a "sleek silver vessel", which became attached to the changing earth at one of the joint-points where the Earthbones on which the physical flesh on Nirn was hung met, with each such point radiating a "palpable reality".{{ref|name-SCAS|{{Cite Book|Subtropical Cyrodiil: A Speculation}}}}{{ref|name=AU4TET}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}}

According to some Daedric accounts, the Mundus is defined by a degree of malleability which generally doesn't exist within the realms of Oblivion. Whereas Oblivion realms are fundamentally shaped and curated by the will of their creators, the Mundus and its constituent realms submit simultaneously to the ordered influence of the Earthbones and the stubborn caprice of Lorkhan. Thus the Mundus is "doughy", things within it can be destroyed, but they never remain gone and instances of them inevitably spring up again.{{ref|name=Lyranth2}}

The earliest martial discipline of Nirn was the "Prismatic Vector Dance of the Ehlnofey", which was recorded and studied by the Demiprince [[Lore:Fa-Nuit-Hen|Fa-Nuit-Hen]].{{ref|name=Maelstrom|{{Cite Book|Lord Fa-Nuit-Hen and Tutor Riparius Answer Your Questions 2}}}}

==Lingering Ehlnofey==
===The "Old Bones"===
[[File:ON-npc-Dringoth 02.jpg|Dringoth, a supposed Ehlnofey possessing the skeletal corpse of a Bosmer (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-npc-Goradir 02.jpg|Resting place of Goradir, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]
In the [[Lore:Second Era|Second Era]], what seemed to be lingering Ehlnofey spirits were still present in the Bone Orchard of southern [[Lore:Grahtwood|Grahtwood]].{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Originally a group of "Old Bones" that wandered the lands, the travels of these gigantic beings unintentionally caused untold suffering in the lands they'd travel through, making them decide to seek a true death by being completely forgotten since, for as long as they were remembered by the world, they could not truly die and leave it.{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} The last of this group, Dringoth, would continue to wander by himself, and so became feared by the Bosmer as a terrible destroyer who would absentmindedly trample their cities and hills under his feet while wandering through, his approach felt through the ground quaking days in advance of his arrival. It is said homes burst and hills turned to slurry under his gait. The fearful Bosmer tricked and magically sealed Dringoth in slumber and, worried the restless remains of the other Old Bones might rise to wander again, brought them to the Bone Orchard, where the magic that ensnared Dringoth would imprison them as well.{{ref|name=Last}}{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Research|{{Cite Book|Bone Orchard Research}}}} As the site became a graveyard and shrine to Y'ffre tended by the [[Lore:Spinners|Spinners]] , the Old Bones interred there could not be forgotten and so could not truly die. Some of the Orchard spirits would inhabit elven [[Lore:Skeleton|skeletons]] to move around, while others preferred to stay resting in their own massive and monstrous appearing bones. The Bone Orchard itself was constructed around the "hill" that was Dringoth's skull, and which the great Barrowbough tree that sealed him was planted on.This group would help foil an attempt by the [[Lore:Worm Cult|Worm Cult]] to reanimate them into an army of giants by possessing the bones of the Bosmer buried in the Orchard and fighting alongside the [[Lore:The Vestige|Vestige]], who used the power of a piece of Dringoth's rib to control or destroy the cult's undead, thus preventing the threat their reanimation would have posed to Tamriel. During these events the Orchard Ehlnofey decided on whether to allow Dringoth to keep residing within the Bosmer skeleton he was possessing, or to destroy his vessel and forcibly bind his soul to his own bones so, with his body still sealed by the Barrowbough, he'd never wander again.{{ref|name=ONKOB|Events of [[Online:Keeper of Bones|Keeper of Bones]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}}{{ref|name=Rib|[[ON:Grahtwood Quest Items|Dringoth's Rib]] effect in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

===The Guardians===
[[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Earth.jpg|The Guardian of the Earth, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Air 02.jpg|The Guardian of the Air, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]
The [[Lore:Beldama Wyrd|Beldama Wyrd]] are a witch coven attuned to nature. They venerate the Breton interpretation of Y'ffre, Jephre.{{Ref|name=WCoNHR|{{Cite Book|Witch Cults of Northern High Rock}}}} They are guided by [[Lore:Nature Spirit|elemental spirits]] known as the Guardians,{{Ref|name=ESOWI|[[Online:Wyress Ileana|Wyress Ileana]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} which are among the extinct Ehlnofey who claim they were once Y'ffre.{{Ref|name=ESOGE|[[Online:Guardian of the Earth|Guardian of the Earth]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The Guardians are said to have been present since the dawn of Tamriel,{{Ref|name=ESOWI}} nurturing and protecting the land and serving as guides to the Wyrd. They are linked to the [[Lore:Wyrd Tree|Wyrd Tree]], a nature spirit older than [[Lore:Men|Men]] and [[Lore:Mer|Mer]] that takes the form of a gargantuan oak tree that emits an unnatural glow.{{Ref|name=WCoNHR}}{{ref|name=ESOWH|[[ON:Wyress Helene|Wyress Helene]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} It gives life to the land and strength to the Wyrd, and conceals secrets from when time began, its roots stretching all across Nirn and touching everything, even the "bones of the world".{{ref|name=TIEGTT|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/High Rock}}}}{{ref|name=ESOWJ|[[ON:Wyress Jehanne|Wyress Jehanne]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ONWTV|{{Cite Book|Wyrd Tree verse}}}}{{ref|name=CBSABS|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 93: Ancestral Breton Style}}}} The Guardians aided the Vestige in cleansing the corruption of [[Lore:Angof|Angof the Gravesinger]] from the Wyrd Tree, using their power to provide protection from the power of the elemental [[Lore:Wraith|wraiths]] called forth by Angof, whose magic would have otherwise been fatal. They repudiated Angof and his [[Lore:Bloodthorn Cult|Bloodthorn Cult]] for their pacts with the Daedra, claiming that their deeds "mocked the Aedra, the Ehlnofey" and polluted the land with dark magic.{{Ref|name=ESOGE}}{{Ref|name=ESOGW|[[Online:Guardian of the Water|Guardian of the Water]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=ESOGA|[[Online:Guardian of the Air|Guardian of the Air]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=Corruption|[[Online:Corruption of the Tree|Corruption of the Tree]]'s encounter in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
{{NewLine}}
===Other===
Some sources speak of sea-dwelling Ehlnofey with hearts made of [[Lore:Pearl|pearl]] residing in old places of primordial energy, rivers and reefs where the Earthbones never quieted down.{{ref|name=ONSWC}}{{ref|name=ONPE}}

Some claim that the Dwemer and those who would become Bosmer learned how to defy natural laws, the Earthbones, by witnessing Ehlnofey control laws of nature, such as that governing decay or the [[Lore:Portals|passage]] between [[Lore:Planes of Existence|realms]]. Through observing the passing of Y'ffre, who was the first of the Ehlnofey to give of themselves to the [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]] fully and become an Earthbone, Bosmer learned to defy the Earthbone he established to govern the physical form of things. It is said that this is the knowledge modern Bosmer invoke to enact a [[Lore:Wild Hunt|Wild Hunt]], reverting to what life truly is beneath Y'ffre's imposed law. The reason for the seemingly undying nature of such Hunt creatures is said to be that in severing themselves from the control of one Earthbone, others also lose their power to impose their own laws on them, thus leading to the Earthbone governing lifespan also losing its power.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} Some sources claim that the Psijics were not the original practicioners of the Elder Way, but instead learned it from the original inhabitants of Nirn, the Ehlnofey.{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview}}

==Characteristics==
[[File:ON-furnishing-Prismatic Sunbird Feather.jpg|thumb|left|A Prismatic Sunbird Feather, said to channel the raw magic of the Ehlnofey]][[File:ON-icon-armor-Pearls of Ehlnofey.png|thumb|right|Pearls of Ehlnofey, an Aldmer amulet incorporating materials of alleged Ehlnofey origin]]
According to descriptions by seeming Ehlnofey, beings like them can't die and depart from the world unless they are completely forgotten. Fearful that, because of this, the colossal "Old Bones"would rise to wander the lands again, and inflict untold suffering in their wake, the Bosmer used the magic of the Barrowbough to seal them into eternal slumber.{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}}{{ref|name=Last}}

Bones originally belonging to or possessed by the Ehlnofey are said to glow with great [[Lore:Magic|Magicka]]. Despite appearances, such remains have no traces of [[Lore:Necromancy|necromancy]], and even exhibit a degree of resistance to necromantic interference, making it impossible for necromancers to dispel Ehlnofey possession of bodies.{{ref|name=Research}} Legends surrounding the Bone Orchard describe the beings interred there as having had bodies "made entirely of bone", even while they still wandered the world prior to their confinement by the Bosmer. Indeed the "Old Bones" themselves describe their physical forms during their travels as composed of bone, or as having always been skeletal in nature as far back as they can remember. This might mean being comprised of bone is simply an aspect of their physical form as opposed to their bodies having changed to that state.{{ref|name=Last}}{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}} Other sources describe aquatic Ehlnofey with hearts made of pearl residing in bodies of water filled with primordial energy.{{ref|name=ONPE}}

Ehlnofey spirits have exhibited the ability to possess and reanimate other bodies, and to return and bind souls to their original vessels. Fragments of bone from their bodies possess a power to control or destroy the undead.{{ref|name=ONKOB}}{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}}{{ref|name=Rib}} It is said that the Ehlnofey possess the power to control natural laws such as those governing decay or the passage between realms, and that the Dwemer learned how to defy the hold of such natural laws, the Earthbones, through observing the Ehlnofey.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}

The moods of the Ehlnofey appear to have an effect on the earth around them. In the Bone Orchard, whenever an Ehlnofey residing within its own bones speaks in anger, the ground will quake in response, and the Old Bone Goradir claimed that his mirth upon learning that the Bosmer body Dringoth was possessing had been taken apart shifted the earth of his barrow. The way into the Heart of the Barrowbough could only be opened by Nirenan, one of the Old Bones, who could be invoked through the use of a horn crafted from her own massive tooth.{{ref|name=ONKOB}}{{ref|name=Goradir|[[ON:Goradir|Goradir]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}}{{ref|name=Amariel|[[ON:Spinner Amariel|Spinner Amariel]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Horn|[[ON:Grahtwood Quest Items|Nirenan's Horn]] description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

The ancient Aldmer incorporated magically potent [[Lore:Coral|coral]], pearl, and all manner of watery stones in their arcane talismans. Such materials can only be found in places of wild and primordial magic where the Earthbones never quieted down and are collectively termed as "Pearls of the Ehlnofey". Pearls from the Nilumin River in particular are known as "Tears of the Ehlnofey" and were sought by Aldmer divers, who considered them valuable in both healing and enhancing physical and magical ability, incorporating them in both talismans and [[Lore:Alchemy|alchemy]]. Legend ties the origin of such materials to sea-dwelling Ehlnofey with hearts of pearl, it is theorized that they have a special connection to physical laws, granting them real Aurbic power, and that the Ehlnofey themselves favor them. Whatever the case, Aldmeri talismans incorporating these "Pearls of Ehlnofey" are said to be far more powerful than their modern successors crafted by modern Altmer.{{ref|name=ONPE}} Myth claims that Aldmer explorers, the Sunbirds of Alinor, also used such raw Ehlnofic magic to pierce the veil between the Mundus and Aetherius and journey to the Immortal Plane.{{ref|name=FurnSunbird}}

While slumbering, Ehlnofey are said to be able to dream; the Spinners overseeing the Bone Orchard would tell the Old Bones stories of the Bosmer whose bodies were also buried there to give them something new to dream about.{{ref|name=Amariel}}

Some sources describe the Altmer as having the "blood of Ehlnofey", also called the "Old Blood", which is believed to be valuable in [[Lore:Blood Magic|Blood Magic]].{{ref|name=Gharakul|[[ON:Gharakul's Journal|Gharakul's Journal]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

==Behavior and Culture==
[[File:ON-npc-Olphras 02.jpg|The remains of Olphras, who acted as leader of the supposed Ehlnofey at the Bone Orchard|thumb|left]][[File:ON-quest-Keeper of Bones.jpg|thumb|right|The "Old Bones", supposed Ehlnofey, possessing Bosmer skeletons to stand in judgment of Dringoth]]
The "Old Bones" consider each other distant "family" due to so few of them still remaining within the world.{{ref|name=Dringoth}} They refer to others as "mortals" and, of those encountered, most view their inability to die as long as they're remembered in a negative manner, describing it as "the doom of endlessness". All but one of these beings are said to have journeyed far to remote places of the world where they could be fully forgotten and so could die, prior to becoming trapped as a result of Dringoth's actions.{{ref|name=Olphras}} This comports with Bosmer myth, which claims the Ehlnofey generally faded and vanished after journeying to the lost corners of the world.{{ref|name=Last}}

The language of the Ehlnofey, [[Lore:Ehlnofex Languages|Ehlnofex]], has been described as a dangerous "many-headed" language with characters that constantly distort as one looks at them.{{Ref|name=Thief|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|More on the Psijic Endeavor|ns_base=General}}}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}} The Ayleids are said to have preserved the Dawn Era magics and runes of the Ehlnofey to a greater extent than other elves, suggesting comparatively greater similarity in their magical tradition.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}
{{NewLine}}
==Cultural Significance==
[[File:LO-people-Jephre.jpg|thumb|left|Jephre, as depicted by the Altmer]]
Altmer view themselves as "true children of the et'Ada", descendants of the Aldmer and the Ehlnofey, the Aedra or "Divines", that preceded them, in an "unbroken line" dating back to Nirn's creation.{{ref|name=Oghma|{{Cite Book|The Onus of the Oghma}}}}{{ref|name=Ayrenn|{{Cite Book|Ayrenn: The Unforeseen Queen}}}}{{ref|name=Rejection|{{Cite Book|A Rejection of Open Borders}}}} This belief was central to the ancestor worship of the Aldmer that eventually gave way to the Altmeri pantheon when the religion shifted from the worship of one's own ancestors to the worship of the ancestors of one's "betters", the most influential in their society.{{ref|name=PGE3Sum}} Most Altmer and Bosmer claim direct descent from Auri-El himself.{{ref|name=VOF}} Altmer also count deities like [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]], [[Lore:Syrabane|Syrabane]] and [[Lore:Phynaster|Phynaster]] among their ancestors.{{ref|name=PGE3Sum}} Due to this perceived origin, the Altmer believe that within each of them is housed the "divine spark", and thus they've an obligation to keep an Oghma, an "everscriven scroll" in which they memorialize the events of their lives in honor of their divine ancestors.{{ref|name=Oghma}} The Altmer use the eagle both in association with Auri-El,{{ref|name=ContDriftwood|[[ON:Contraband D|Driftwood Idol contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ContWingedAuriel|[[ON:Contraband W|Winged Auri-El contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}} and as a symbol representing the Aedra, their ancestors, who descended from Aetherius and became trapped in physical form by the creation of Nirn, as a whole.{{Ref|name=ESOKB|{{Cite Book|Elder Scrolls Online - Knowledge Base|ns_base=GEN}}}} This belief is also reflected in their stylistic motifs in which circles, arcs, and tendrils, abound, symbolizing the elven ancestors, the Aedra, being constrained by the creation of the Mundus.{{ref|name=AncientElf|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 11: Ancient Elf Style}}}} Altmeri prayers reference Auri-El as the Fixed Center of existence who always envelops all people and invoke him to grant his followers stability.{{ref|name=COTF|{{Cite Book|Coils of the Father}}}} Their prayers often emphasize their believed ancestral connection with the Aedra, urging the faithful to give praise to the Divines and thus to their own ancestral lines, and describing the Altmer as always having the gods in their lives. It is said that the body of the divine wills the Altmer into being, and that they are one with the gods, their ancestors, and so should venerate them as one.{{ref|name=Praise|{{Cite Book|Praise Be (Ancestor Song)}}}}{{ref|name=Mirnor|[[Online:Mirnor of Auri-El|Mirnor of Auri-El]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Owing to their perceived divine lineage, the Altmer believe it is possible for them to achieve apotheosis under certain conditions, and so they hope to one day rejoin their divine ancestors in the stars.{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=ESOVairabrian|[[ON:Vairabrian|Vairabrian]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=TAX}}

[[File:ON-misc-Wild Hunt Transform Cropped.jpg|A Wild Hunt transformation (ESO)|thumb|right]]
Bosmer are known to worship Y'ffre. A vital part of the Bosmeri pantheon, Y'ffre's Ehlnofey, or "Earthbones," were created from his corporeal form to establish safety and the laws of nature. These laws took the shape of stories, and there is great debate between tribes competing to interpret Y'ffre's ways and knowledge of the times of chaos, before Y'ffre arrived on the mortal plane.{{ref|name=GTEV|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/Valenwood}}}} Some legends claim that the Boiche Elves, originating from the Earthbones that followed Jephre, grew the first great [[Lore:Graht-oak|Graht-oak]] the out of the Perchance Acorn, which would become [[Lore:The_Towers#Green-Sap|Tower of Green-Sap]]. Due to the nature of the Acorn being, perchance, elsewhere, many different Green-Saps sprung in many different forms, forming the walking Graht-Oak forests of the Valenwood. Each one told its own stories of the Green, the forest home of the "Boiche-become-Bosmer".{{ref|name=AU4TET}} Some of the Bosmeri [[Lore:Spinners|Spinners]] are connected to the Earthbones, although the exact nature of this connection is unknown.{{ref|name=LES|[[Legends:Earthbone Spinner|Earthbone Spinner]] in ''[[Legends:Legends|Legends]]''}}

Altmer and Bosmer myth describes how during the Dawn Era, life and even the land itself were formless and constantly shifted between shapes until Y'ffre's Naming gave all things in Nirn an enduring form.{{ref|name=TOAF|{{Cite Book|The Ooze: A Fable}}}}{{ref|name=ONWildHuntCrate|[[Online:Wild Hunt Crate|Wild Hunt Crate]] descriptions in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} This event, the establishment of shape, is considered a core element of the [[Lore:Green Pact|Green Pact]]. In certain circumstances, such as a Wild Hunt, which is enacted in accordance with what the Pact allows, creatures can be made to "forget their Y'ffre taught shapes", causing the bonds of the Naming to unravel, and return to this original formless state.{{Ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=ONWildHuntCrate}}{{ref|name=ONWildHuntHorse|[[Online:Wild Hunt Horse|Wild Hunt Horse]] mount description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Within Bosmer belief, Y'ffre created day, night, and the places between through the manner in which he interpreted the laws of time established by [[Lore:Anui-El|Anui-El]] and applied them to Nirn. He is also believed to be responsible for the movements of the stars, which dance and sway to his compelling song.{{Ref|name=GESOD|[[Online:Girnalin#Dialogue|Girnalin]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} [[Lore:Dunmer|Dunmer]] faith also acknowledges Y'ffre as the deity responsible for the movements of the stars.{{Ref|name=Jephre|{{Cite Book|Of Jephre}}}}{{Ref|name=WCoNHR}}

Ancient Aldmer were known to utilize magic associated with Ehlnofey in their arcane craftsmanship.{{ref|name=ONPE}} According to the legend of the [[Lore:Viridian Sentinel|Viridian Sentinel]], long ago the [[Lore:Direnni|Direnni]] forged a covenant with the Earth Bones to protect their settlements from the wild. The [[Lore:Breton|Bretons]], who displaced the Direnni, had no such arrangement, and as a result, their farms in [[Lore:Bangkorai|Bangkorai]] were gradually overrun by the wilderness. The people were pushed to the brink of starvation, causing a young boy [[Lore:Greenward|Greenward]] to pray to [[Lore:Stendarr|Stendarr]] for salvation. Stendarr taught him to forge a new pact with the forest, giving him the power to restrain the natural creatures within. He thus became the first Viridian Sentinel.{{ref|name=TVS|{{Cite Book|The Viridian Sentinel}}}}

[[Lore:Reachmen|Reachfolk]] honor a diverse array of [[Lore:Nature Spirits|nature spirits]], incarnations of nature birthed from [[Lore:The Green|the Green]], the lifeforce of Nirn's natural world, created in the Dawn Era by the sacrifice of Y'ffre and the Earthbones.{{ref|name=Frii|[[Online:Frii|Frii]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Ooze|{{Cite Book|The Ooze: A Fable}}}}{{ref|name=Gauntlets|[[Online:Psijic Style|Psijic Style]] description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Audrine|[[Online:Druid Audrine|Druid Audrine]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Laurel|[[Online:Druid Laurel|Druid Laurel]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The spirits honored by the Reachfolk can have distinct characteristics, such as the spirits associated with springs, trees or sacred animals.{{ref|name=GSOTER2|{{Cite Book|Great Spirits of the Reach: Volume 2}}}}{{Ref|name=Malug|[[ON:Malug|Malug]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]<nowiki>:</nowiki> ''[[Online:Markarth (DLC)|Markarth]]''}} Their [[Lore:Reachman Shamans|shamans]] occasionally utilize calming spirits that may inhabit their [[Lore:Staves|staves]].{{ref|name=SOTSW|{{Item Link|name=Staff of the Spirit Within|itemid=167400|quality=Fine|summary=1|Staff of the Spirit Within}}}} Expressing gratitude to nature spirits, they make it a practice to thank them before felling trees and replace them by planting new ones.{{Ref|name=Malug}}

Y'ffre and the Earthbones play a central role in the beliefs of both [[Lore:Druids|Druids]] and [[Lore:Wyrd|Wyrd]].{{ref|name=Wyrd|{{Cite Book|Wyrd and Druid}}}}.The Druids commune with the voices of Y'ffre and the Earthbones for guidance and tap into their power through their magic.{{ref|name=Audrine}}{{ref|name=Legacy|{{Cite Book|Legacy of the Bretons}}}} The Wyresses believe that during Y'ffre's Naming, the act which gave all life on Nirn its shape,{{ref|name=ESOWHC|[[Online:Wild Hunt Crate|Wild Hunt Crown Crate]] season description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} the deity tasked the Earthbones to choose those who would become the guardians of nature,{{ref|name=Wyresses|{{Cite Book|Wyresses: The Name-Daughters}}}} a task ultimately given to the Wyresses, the Name-Daughters, who are descendants of the Ehlnofey themselves.{{Ref|name=WCoNHR}} Like the Druids, the Wyresses draw upon the power of the Earthbones through their magic.{{ref|name=GalerionVeil|[[Online:Vanus Galerion | Vanus Galerion's ]] dialogue during [[Online:Through a Veil Darkly|Through a Veil Darkly]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

The "Old Ways" of the [[Lore:Psijic Order|Psijic Order]] are said to combine [[Lore:Mysticism|mysticism]], the Eleven Forces and the divine laws that define reality into a philosophy and way of life which boasts a deep understanding of the Ehlnofey, from whose lines the races of Man and Mer arose.{{ref|name=Mystery}} Indeed, some sources claim that the Psijics were originally taught the "Old Ways" by the Ehlnofey themselves.{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview}}

According to the [[Lore:Cult of the Ancestor Moth|Order of the Ancestor Moth]], mortal [[Lore:Souls|souls]] are the Aedric essence at the core of every mortal's existence.{{Ref|name=TDS|{{Cite Book|The Distributed Soul}}}} Souls have also been described as the piece of every mortal which comes from Aetherius, the realm of pure light and magic, and a "tiny [[Lore:Stars|star"]] which flares into a [[Lore:Sun|"sun"]] when magic is invoked.{{Ref|name=LOS|{{Cite Book|Lord of Souls|}}}}{{rp|52}}

The existence and nature of the spirits involved in the creation of the Mundus has been subject of commentary by some of the Daedra, though even among them various views exist. The [[Lore:Dremora|Dremora]] [[Lore:Lyranth|Lyranth]] described the Mundus as the "cemetery" of the Aedra, claiming that their original hopes for their mortal descendants, and their world, were ultimately not achieved due to the mortal's foolishness. Nonetheless, though the creators of the Mundus are said to have "died in pursuit of an impossible goal", they are praised for their immense conviction and admired for having wrought order out of chaos, a "brutal coercion" which even Daedra must deem impressive. By contrast, Magnus and the Magna-Ge are viewed as cowards, no other spirits being as low, who fled when things turned dire, thus making it impossible to ever know what could've been achieved had they chosen to stay and keep helping to the end.{{ref|name=Lyranth2}} Contrasting Lyranth's view, the [[Lore:Mazken|Mazken]] information broker Madam Whim claimed that no living being existed which could explain the true relationship between the Aedra and the [[Lore:Daedric Princes|Daedric Princes]], and that no information she'd ever come across in her long life indicated the Aedra were anything more than a story mortals told themselves to feel safer in their beds at night.{{Ref|name=Whim|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Malacath and Maelstrom}}}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:ON-npc-Goradir.jpg|The remains of Goradir, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Skeletons (Bone Orchard).jpg|Ehlnofey spirits possessing Bosmer skeletons (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Olphras.jpg|Olphras, leader of the "Old Bones", possessing a Bosmer skeleton (ESO)
File:ON-object-Spirit (Bone Orchard).jpg|One of the Bone Orchard spirits prior to possessing a body (ESO)
File:ON-place-Bone Orchard.jpg|The Bone Orchard (ESO)
File:ON-item-armor-Earthbone Ayleid (female).jpg|"Earthbone Ayleid" style armor (ESO)
File:ON-crown store-Earthbone Ayleid Style.jpg|"Earthbone Ayleid" style weapons (ESO)
File:LG-cardart-Earthbone Spinner.png|Earthbone Spinner (Legends)
File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Water.jpg|Guardian of the Water (pre-ESO patch)
File:ON-npc-Olphras (old).jpg|The remains of Olphras, a supposed Ehlnofey (pre-ESO patch)
</gallery>

==Notes==
[[File:ON-creature-Tzirzhalir.jpg|Tzirzhalir|thumb|right]]
* The war between the Ehlnofey described in ''[[Lore:The Annotated Anuad|The Annotated Anuad]]'' bears many striking parallels with the war between Lorkhan and [[Lore:Auriel|Auriel]] described in ''[[Lore:The Monomyth|The Monomyth]]'', and the texts are likely summarizing the same events from different historiographical perspectives.
*The Ehlnofex war has been described by some sources as being the same event as [[Lore:Convention|Convention]] told in a different manner.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}
*[[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] has been described as the ''"greatest knight of the Ehlnofey, champion of the Dragon of Time"'' in certain [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiilic]] folktales.{{Ref|name=LOS}}{{Ref|name=Whim}}
*The common practice of Dunmer and Altmer to dress in a manner resembling that of the ancient Aldmer, or that of other cultures that resemble the Aldmeri style, such as the ancient Ayleids and Chimer, elves of the [[Lore:Merethic Era|Merethic Era]], which is often viewed by the Mer as their golden age, is called "draping Ehlnofic". Bosmer, who like [[Lore:Argonian|Argonians]] prefer to live in the "Aurbic Now", are said to generally not share the practice.{{ref|name=AncientElf}}
*The "Old Bones" being ancient gargantuan creatures of bone bares some resemblance to another gigantic skeletal being that existed since ancient times known as [[Lore:Tzirzhalir|Tzirzhalir]].{{Ref|name=Tzirzhalir|[[ON:Tzirzhalir|Tzirzhalir]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Harrowstorm|Harrowstorm]]''}}{{Ref|name=KRN|{{Cite Book|Kjalnar's Research Notes}}}} A similar looking creature to Tzirhalir, called Mzrelnir, was found in the Lucent Citadel in [[Lore:Fargrave|Fargrave]].{{ref|name=LC|[[ON:Lucent Citadel|Lucent Citadel]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Gold Road|Gold Road]]''}} Some similarity also existed between the names of these beings, and those of some of the "Old Bones" such as Goradir or Fildenir.{{ref|name=ONGoradir|[[Online:Goradir|Goradir]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ONFildenir|[[Online:Fildenir|Fildenir]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

==See Also==
* {{GSI|Online:Ehlnofey}}
===Books===
* {{Book Link|The Annotated Anuad}}
* {{Book Link|Before the Ages of Man}}
* {{Book Link|The Monomyth}}

==References==
<references/>{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>
{{Lore Races}}{{Lore Altmer Religion}}{{Lore Bosmer Religion}}{{Lore Breton Religion}}{{Lore Reachman Religion}}
</noinclude>

Lore:Ehlnofey

2025-06-16T03:18:22Z

Minor Edits: hit save changes by accident; one last thing

<noinclude>{{Lore Gods Trail}}{{#addtotrail:Races|separator=' / '}}__NOTOC__[[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Water 02.jpg|The Guardian of the Water, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-creature-Nirenan.jpg|Remains of Nirenan, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]</noinclude>
The [[Lore:Ehlnofey|Ehlnofey]] (sometimes spelled '''Elhnofey'''){{ref|name=PGE1Sky|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Skyrim}}}} of the [[Lore:Dawn Era|Dawn Era]] are generally believed to be a group of [[Lore:Aedra|Aedric]] pre-[[Lore:Convention|Convention]] spirits who, along with the [[Lore:Hist|Hist]], are counted among the original inhabitants of [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]], and are widely considered to be the progenitors of the mortal races.{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}} The word "Ehlnofey" translates to '''Earthbones''' (or '''Earth Bone''') in [[Lore:Ehlnofex Languages|Ehlnofex]]. The terms "Earthbone" or "Ehlnofey" are used to denote more than one type of mythical entity. The term "Ehlnofey" is typically used to refer to the spirits that didn't sacrifice themselves, from whom the various mortal races would descend, whereas "Earthbone" typically connotes those Ehlnofey who, like [[Lore:Y'ffre|Y'ffre]], would at some point sacrifice themselves to form the rules of nature.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} The nature of the spirits the term pertains to can vary depending on account.

The concept of the Ehlnofey is of paramount importance within the beliefs of the [[Lore:Mer|elves]], particularly the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]] and [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmer]], where the term is used to represent their cultural understanding of the Aedra as ancestor spirits. According to elven myth, the Ehlnofey are considered to be the Aedric spirits who stayed in Nirn after [[Lore:Magnus|Magnus]] and the [[Lore:Magna Ge|Magna Ge]] departed in order to keep working on the new world so it'd remain viable. Among those spirits, some, typically referred to from that point on as "Earthbones", are thought to have followed the example of Y'ffre, giving themselves to the Mundus fully to stabilize it and form the foundation of its natural law as the "bones of the earth", eternal laws of nature. While others, typically referred to from that point on as "Ehlnofey", are thought to have chosen not to give themselves fully but to populate Nirn instead, thus becoming the progenitors to mortal life, which arose from their lines and took on its current form due to a phenomenon of gradual diminishment, of each consecutive generation becoming weaker and more removed than its progenitors in stature and might.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=Mystery}}{{ref|name=TAA|{{Cite Book|The Annotated Anuad}}}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} This understanding forms the basis of the originally elvish term "Aedra" or "ancestor", denoting those spirits which they perceive as being part of their mythic genealogy, including figures such as [[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]], who most modern Altmer and Bosmer claim direct descent from, [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] the "greatest knight of the Ehlnofey", [[Lore:Syrabane|Syrabane]], and [[Lore:Phynaster|Phynaster]].{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=PGE3Sum|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Summerset}}}} Thus elven religious iconography depicts the Ehlnofey as vaguely elven in shape, but featureless, reflecting the fading memory of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=EES|[[Online:Contraband/Statues#Elusive Ehlnofey Statuette|Elusive Ehlnofey Statuette]]}}

The Aedra or Ehlnofey are thought to have remained within the world until they vanished.{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}} They are thought to primarily reside in [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]],{{Ref|name=Serana|[[Skyrim:Serana|Serana]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} having been bound to the Earth Bones{{ref|name=AAD|{{Cite Book|Aedra and Daedra}}}}{{ref|name=TOA|{{Cite Book|Tower of Adamant}}}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=VOF}} as the cornerstones of the Mundus.{{ref|name=PGE3Arena|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Arena Supermundus}}}} The terms "spokes", "eight components of [[Lore:Aurbis|chaos]]", "lent bones of the Aedra", "Bones of the Wheel", "et'Ada-gears" and [[Lore:Planets|"Eight gift-limbs"]] have also been used to refer to them in this capacity, after having transformed into the framework of reality.{{ref|name=LOV6|{{cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 6}}}}{{ref|name=LL|{{cite Book|The Lunar Lorkhan}}}}{{ref|name=TTIS|{{Cite Book|The Truth in Sequence}}}}{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}} Some sources present a more negative view of the circumstances of these spirits and their residence in Aetherius, naming the Mundus as their "cemetery", calling them "spent ghosts", alleging them to have died as part of the creation of the world, having "died in pursuit of an impossible goal", or to have burial crypts.{{ref|name=Lyranth2|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Mehrunes Dagon & Daedra in the Second Era}}}}{{Ref|name=GU|{{Cite Book|Glorious Upheaval}}}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{Ref|name=ARLordsMail|[[Arena:Lord's Mail|Lord's Mail]] quest in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]''}} Thus the Aedra are sometimes called the "dead gods" or the "mortal gods", sometimes disparagingly, owing to them having become bound to the laws of mortality.{{Ref|name=Vastarie|[[Online:Vastarie|Vastarie]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=Prophet|[[Oblivion:The Prophet|The Prophet]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}

Different peoples harbor different understandings of Ehlnofey's relation to Aedra. In some accounts, both "Ehlnofey" and "Earth Bones" are described as referring exclusively to the early offspring of the Aedra rather than to the Aedra themselves, who were told to populate the world and live on through their children, leading to the gradual emergence of the various races of man and mer.{{ref|name=Mystery}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} The concept of descent from the ancestor spirits is generally viewed as "elven conceit" by the religions of [[Lore:Men|Men]] who, with the exception of the [[Lore:Redguards|Redguards]], view themselves as creations of those spirits rather than their descendants.{{ref|name=TAA}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=TAX|{{Cite Book|Tu'whacca, Arkay, Xarxes}}}} The Annotated Anuad describes how the Aedra originated from the intermingling blood of Anu and Padomay, and how the Ehlnofey come from a world shattered by Padomay before Anu and Padomay's second "long and furious" battle began, suggesting, per said account, the Ehlnofey may have a separate origin predating the Aedra.{{ref|name=TAA}}

Perhaps because of their association with the land itself, "Old Ehlnofey" became another name for [[Lore:Aldmeris|Aldmeris]], the mystical homeland of the elves.{{ref|name=PGE3Sum}}{{ref|name=PGE3All|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|All the Eras of Man}}}} The language or languages of the Ehlnofey became known as Ehlnofex.{{ref|name=TM}} It has been found that the "Earth Bones", the laws of nature, can be manipulated to some extent.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=MWBaladas|[[MW:Baladas Demnevanni (person)|Baladas Demnevanni]]'s dialogue in [[MW:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']].}}<noinclude>

For more information on the Aedra and their role in [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]]'s religions more broadly, see the entry on [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]].

==Origin==
The exact nature of the Ehlnofey is a matter shrouded in much ambiguity; some sources describe them as great beings which once walked Nirn whose true origins none can truly say.{{ref|name=Last}} There are two major origins that are presented: one that describes the Ehlnofey as survivors of a previous world that settled Nirn after its creation, and another claiming them to be Aedric spirits who were party to Nirn's construction and chose to remain in the world they'd crafted to stabilize it after the departure of Magnus and the Magna-Ge.

===Survivors of the Twelve Worlds===
According to the [[Lore:Anuad|Anuad]], when [[Lore:Anu|Anu]] formed Nirn following the shattering of the Twelve Worlds by [[Lore:Padomay|Padomay]], two surviving races from what Padomay had sundered were brought to the new world alongside the fragments of their realms which had been used to form it, the Ehlnofey and the Hist.

A group of Ehlnofey, those that would eventually become the progenitors of the Mer, arrived in the new world together alongside a relatively intact fragment of their former home, and attempted to live on as they had before, in their land which would come to be known as Old Ehlnofey. Another group, those who would become the progenitors to Men, were scattered across the new world, and had to wander and find each other over time.

When the wandering Ehlnofey came across Old Ehlnofey, they were overjoyed to find their kin living among the splendor of ages past, but rather than welcoming them, the inhabitants of Old Ehlnofey viewed them as degenerates, fallen and corrupted from their experiences on Nirn. In the end and for whatever reason, war broke out between those of Old Ehlnofey, mightier but fewer, and those that wandered, weaker but more numerous and hardened by survival. This destructive war would reshape the face of Nirn, sinking much of the land beneath new oceans, destroying much of the original realm of the Hist and creating the continents of [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]], [[Lore:Akavir|Akavir]], [[Lore:Atmora|Atmora]] and [[Lore:Yokuda|Yokuda.]]

The remains of Old Ehlnofey would become Tamriel while the wandering Ehlnofey would scatter to the newly formed continents. Eventually, over time and the passage of generations, the descendants of the two factions of Ehlnofey would gradually give rise to the various groups of Men and Mer. At some point prior to their disappearance, the Ehlnofey are said to have taken on "brilliant students". These students have been theorized to be the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]], who were thus given the sobriquet "Dwarves" by their titanic masters. The events of this tutelage under the Ehlnofey are described in more detail in the full text of the Anuad myth.{{ref|name=PGE1Ham|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Hammerfell}}}}

While this struggle occurred, the "gods and demons" of the world—the Aedra, [[Lore:Daedra|Daedra]] and Magna-Ge—would form out of Anu and Padomay's spilled blood, as distinct groups from the Ehlnofey and from each other.{{ref|name=TAA}}

===Aedric Progenitors===
According to the Altmeri creation myth, when Magnus departed the Mundus, the et'Ada that took part in its creation broke into groups, most would follow the flight of the God of Magic to become the Magna-Ge, but some of those present chose instead to stay after he departed and keep working on the new world in order to keep it viable.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=VOF}}

Among those et'Ada who stayed, some would follow the example of Y'ffre, giving themselves to the Mundus fully to stabilize it and form the foundation of its natural law, and would typically be referred to as "Earthbones" or "Earth Bones". Others, who would come to be known as Aedra, would choose not to give themselves fully but to populate Nirn instead, having to "make children just to last". This group of spirits would from that point typically be referred to as the "Ehlnofey".{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} The offspring of the Aedra would exhibit a gradual change however, each consecutive generation was weaker than the one prior, more removed from their progenitors in stature and might.{{ref|name=TM}}

Through this generational phenomenon of diminishment, the offspring of the Ehlnofey would also differentiate. The Ehlnofey would eventually give away and the first [[Lore: Aldmer|Aldmer]] would arise, while the "weakest souls" would be formed by [[Lore: Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] into armies he named "Men".{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TM}}

Altmeri myth holds that [[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]] and Lorkhan and their respective followers would then war with one another, leading to the shattering of [[Lore:Atmora|Altmora]], the "Elder Wood" and one of the first kingdoms established by Auri-El alongside Old Ehlnofey, at Lorkhan's hands, and culminating in Lorkhan's defeat and the removal of his [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart]]. During this conflict and prior to Lorkhan's defeat, Auri-El begged Anu to take them back, but Anu refused, as he'd already created something to replace them. The more merciful [[Lore:Anui-El|Anui-El]] created [[Lore:Auriel's Bow|Auriel's Bow]] and [[Lore:Auriel's Shield|Auriel's Shield]] to be used by Auri-El against Lorkhan's hordes.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=VOF}}

Following the defeat of Lorkhan, the Aedra would convene at the [[Lore:Adamantine Tower|Adamantine Tower]] to decide the fate of the new world. Lorkhan's Heart would be removed and the laws and roles of all spirits in the new world would be determined. After this meeting, the Convention, the Aedra would depart the world in their excess for its own sake, as their direct presence rendered both it and the timeless continuity of existence itself unstable.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}}{{ref|name=AU4TET|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}}

At some point following the events of the war, the [[Lore:Aldmer|Aldmer]] descendants of the Ehlnofey, described as the strongest of the lesser spirits that remained in the world after Convention, are said to have left their doomed and ruined continent of Aldmeris and colonized southwest Tamriel in the Middle [[Lore:Merethic Era|Merethic Era]],{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=PGE3All}} only to spend many centuries fruitlessly searching for their old homeland.{{ref|name=FOTN|{{Cite Book|Father Of The Niben}}}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}}

==Legacy==
{{Quote Box|''"We are the echoes of old voices, remnants of a time long ago. Still, a few of us remain. We were the Y'ffre. Then we became the Ehlnofey, the Earth Bones. … "''|Guardian of the Earth}}

The fracturing of the Aldmer along cultural and racial lines is called the Sundering of Aldmeris, an event during which the Aldmer splintered into the groups that would become the Dwemer (Deep Ones), the [[Lore:Chimer|Chimer]] (Changed Ones), the [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmer]] (Green or Forest Ones), the [[Lore:Falmer|Falmer]] (Snow Ones), the [[Lore:Maormer|Maormer]] (Sea or Tropical Ones) of [[Lore:Pyandonea|Pyandonea]], the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]] (Elder or High Ones), and the [[Lore:Lefthanded Elves|Sinistral Mer]] (Left-handed Ones) of Yokuda. The progeny of the Wanderers (Wandering Ehlnofey) became the races of men, eventually splitting into many different racial groups, including the [[Lore:Nede|Nede]]s, the [[Lore:Nord|Atmoran]]s of Atmora, the [[Lore:Redguard|Yokudan]]s of Yokuda, and possibly the [[Lore:Tsaesci (race)|Tsaesci]] of [[Lore:Akavir|Akavir]], and other aboriginal groups ([[Lore:Proto-Breton|Proto-Breton]]s).{{ref|name=TAA}}

Though the protean race is apparently gone, said by some sources to have faded and vanished after journeying to the lost corners of the world,{{ref|name=Last}} the Ehlnofey are not entirely forgotten. They are thought to have taken on students before they disappeared, passing their knowledge on to emerging races such as the Dwemer, or the [[Lore:Psijic Order|Psijic Order]], to whom they are said to have taught the Elder Way.{{ref|name=PGE1Ham}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview|[[General:Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion|Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion]]}} Knowledge of most individuals has been lost to time, but prominent members still appear in some form in the [[Lore:Gods|pantheons]] of the various races. The [[Lore:Ayleids|Ayleids]] of [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]] are said to have preserved the Ehlnofey's Dawn Era magics and language to a greater extent than other Mer.{{ref|name=BTAOM}} The theories of the Dwemer High Craftlord [[Lore:Kagrenac|Kagrenac]] involved using sacred tones on the Heart of Lorkhan and bending the Earth Bones, commanding the "obedience" of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=MWBaladas}} According to legend, the [[Lore:Sun Birds of Alinor|Sun Birds of Alinor]], a mythical order of Aldmeri explorers from the Merethic Era, managed to pierce the veil between the [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]] and Aetherius and journey to the Immortal Plane by using the raw magic of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=FurnSunbird|[[Online:Prismatic Sunbird Feather|Prismatic Sunbird Feather]] antiquity codex entry in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

Nirn is said to be imbued with a wellspring of primordial energy which flows in a network via lines within the ground, described as the manner in which [[Lore:Druids|Druids]] visualize the Earthbones, the laws of nature, places where these "[[Lore:Bonelines|bonelines]]" intersect are said to possess great power and have an effect on both magic and prayer performed there.{{ref|name=ONSWC|[[Online:Stormweaver's Cavort|Stormweaver's Cavort]] codex entries in {{g|on|firesong}}}}{{ref|name=ONPE|[[Online:Pearls of Ehlnofey|Pearls of Ehlnofey]] codex entries in {{g|on|markarth}}}}{{ref|name=VGTYC|{{Cite Book|Visitor's Guide to Y'ffre's Cauldron}}}} According to some sources, the reason Nirn is filled with natural caverns is that in primordial times they formed a network that functioned like nodes or capillaries for the divine essence of the Aedra that created it.{{ref|name=Wind|[[Online:Weeping Wind Cave|Weeping Wind Cave]] loading screen in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

The laws that govern Nirn and the Mundus and determine the role of all spirits within them, are believed to have been set in place at and through the Adamantine Tower by its creators, defining the roles and nature of the Earthbones within the confines of the "[[Lore:Akatosh|Dragon's]] timebound tale" and thus the framework of the natural world. The Adamantine Tower itself is described as a "sleek silver vessel", which became attached to the changing earth at one of the joint-points where the Earthbones on which the physical flesh on Nirn was hung met, with each such point radiating a "palpable reality".{{ref|name-SCAS|{{Cite Book|Subtropical Cyrodiil: A Speculation}}}}{{ref|name=AU4TET}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}}

According to some Daedric accounts, the Mundus is defined by a degree of malleability which generally doesn't exist within the realms of Oblivion. Whereas Oblivion realms are fundamentally shaped and curated by the will of their creators, the Mundus and its constituent realms submit simultaneously to the ordered influence of the Earthbones and the stubborn caprice of Lorkhan. Thus the Mundus is "doughy", things within it can be destroyed, but they never remain gone and instances of them inevitably spring up again.{{ref|name=Lyranth2}}

The earliest martial discipline of Nirn was the "Prismatic Vector Dance of the Ehlnofey", which was recorded and studied by the Demiprince [[Lore:Fa-Nuit-Hen|Fa-Nuit-Hen]].{{ref|name=Maelstrom|{{Cite Book|Lord Fa-Nuit-Hen and Tutor Riparius Answer Your Questions 2}}}}

==Lingering Ehlnofey==
===The "Old Bones"===
[[File:ON-npc-Dringoth 02.jpg|Dringoth, a supposed Ehlnofey possessing the skeletal corpse of a Bosmer (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-npc-Goradir 02.jpg|Resting place of Goradir, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]
In the [[Lore:Second Era|Second Era]], what seemed to be lingering Ehlnofey spirits were still present in the Bone Orchard of southern [[Lore:Grahtwood|Grahtwood]].{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Originally a group of "Old Bones" that wandered the lands, the travels of these gigantic beings unintentionally caused untold suffering in the lands they'd travel through, making them decide to seek a true death by being completely forgotten since, for as long as they were remembered by the world, they could not truly die and leave it.{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} The last of this group, Dringoth, would continue to wander by himself, and so became feared by the Bosmer as a terrible destroyer who would absentmindedly trample their cities and hills under his feet while wandering through, his approach felt through the ground quaking days in advance of his arrival. It is said homes burst and hills turned to slurry under his gait. The fearful Bosmer tricked and magically sealed Dringoth in slumber and, worried the restless remains of the other Old Bones might rise to wander again, brought them to the Bone Orchard, where the magic that ensnared Dringoth would imprison them as well.{{ref|name=Last}}{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Research|{{Cite Book|Bone Orchard Research}}}} As the site became a graveyard and shrine to Y'ffre tended by the [[Lore:Spinners|Spinners]] , the Old Bones interred there could not be forgotten and so could not truly die. Some of the Orchard spirits would inhabit elven [[Lore:Skeleton|skeletons]] to move around, while others preferred to stay resting in their own massive and monstrous appearing bones. The Bone Orchard itself was constructed around the "hill" that was Dringoth's skull, and which the great Barrowbough tree that sealed him was planted on.This group would help foil an attempt by the [[Lore:Worm Cult|Worm Cult]] to reanimate them into an army of giants by possessing the bones of the Bosmer buried in the Orchard and fighting alongside the [[Lore:The Vestige|Vestige]], who used the power of a piece of Dringoth's rib to control or destroy the cult's undead, thus preventing the threat their reanimation would have posed to Tamriel. During these events the Orchard Ehlnofey decided on whether to allow Dringoth to keep residing within the Bosmer skeleton he was possessing, or to destroy his vessel and forcibly bind his soul to his own bones so, with his body still sealed by the Barrowbough, he'd never wander again.{{ref|name=ONKOB|Events of [[Online:Keeper of Bones|Keeper of Bones]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}}{{ref|name=Rib|[[ON:Grahtwood Quest Items|Dringoth's Rib]] effect in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

===The Guardians===
[[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Earth.jpg|The Guardian of the Earth, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Air 02.jpg|The Guardian of the Air, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]
The [[Lore:Beldama Wyrd|Beldama Wyrd]] are a witch coven attuned to nature. They venerate the Breton interpretation of Y'ffre, Jephre.{{Ref|name=WCoNHR|{{Cite Book|Witch Cults of Northern High Rock}}}} They are guided by [[Lore:Nature Spirit|elemental spirits]] known as the Guardians,{{Ref|name=ESOWI|[[Online:Wyress Ileana|Wyress Ileana]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} which are among the extinct Ehlnofey who claim they were once Y'ffre.{{Ref|name=ESOGE|[[Online:Guardian of the Earth|Guardian of the Earth]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The Guardians are said to have been present since the dawn of Tamriel,{{Ref|name=ESOWI}} nurturing and protecting the land and serving as guides to the Wyrd. They are linked to the [[Lore:Wyrd Tree|Wyrd Tree]], a nature spirit older than [[Lore:Men|Men]] and [[Lore:Mer|Mer]] that takes the form of a gargantuan oak tree that emits an unnatural glow.{{Ref|name=WCoNHR}}{{ref|name=ESOWH|[[ON:Wyress Helene|Wyress Helene]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} It gives life to the land and strength to the Wyrd, and conceals secrets from when time began, its roots stretching all across Nirn and touching everything, even the "bones of the world".{{ref|name=TIEGTT|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/High Rock}}}}{{ref|name=ESOWJ|[[ON:Wyress Jehanne|Wyress Jehanne]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ONWTV|{{Cite Book|Wyrd Tree verse}}}}{{ref|name=CBSABS|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 93: Ancestral Breton Style}}}} The Guardians aided the Vestige in cleansing the corruption of [[Lore:Angof|Angof the Gravesinger]] from the Wyrd Tree, using their power to provide protection from the power of the elemental [[Lore:Wraith|wraiths]] called forth by Angof, whose magic would have otherwise been fatal. They repudiated Angof and his [[Lore:Bloodthorn Cult|Bloodthorn Cult]] for their pacts with the Daedra, claiming that their deeds "mocked the Aedra, the Ehlnofey" and polluted the land with dark magic.{{Ref|name=ESOGE}}{{Ref|name=ESOGW|[[Online:Guardian of the Water|Guardian of the Water]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=ESOGA|[[Online:Guardian of the Air|Guardian of the Air]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=Corruption|[[Online:Corruption of the Tree|Corruption of the Tree]]'s encounter in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
{{NewLine}}
===Other===
Some sources speak of sea-dwelling Ehlnofey with hearts made of [[Lore:Pearl|pearl]] residing in old places of primordial energy, rivers and reefs where the Earthbones never quieted down.{{ref|name=ONSWC}}{{ref|name=ONPE}}

Some claim that the Dwemer and those who would become Bosmer learned how to defy natural laws, the Earthbones, by witnessing Ehlnofey control laws of nature, such as that governing decay or the [[Lore:Portals|passage]] between [[Lore:Planes of Existence|realms]]. Through observing the passing of Y'ffre, who was the first of the Ehlnofey to give of themselves to the [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]] fully and become an Earthbone, Bosmer learned to defy the Earthbone he established to govern the physical form of things. It is said that this is the knowledge modern Bosmer invoke to enact a [[Lore:Wild Hunt|Wild Hunt]], reverting to what life truly is beneath Y'ffre's imposed law. The reason for the seemingly undying nature of such Hunt creatures is said to be that in severing themselves from the control of one Earthbone, others also lose their power to impose their own laws on them, thus leading to the Earthbone governing lifespan also losing its power.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} Some sources claim that the Psijics were not the original practicioners of the Elder Way, but instead learned it from the original inhabitants of Nirn, the Ehlnofey.{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview}}

==Characteristics==
[[File:ON-furnishing-Prismatic Sunbird Feather.jpg|thumb|left|A Prismatic Sunbird Feather, said to channel the raw magic of the Ehlnofey]][[File:ON-icon-armor-Pearls of Ehlnofey.png|thumb|right|Pearls of Ehlnofey, an Aldmer amulet incorporating materials of alleged Ehlnofey origin]]
According to descriptions by seeming Ehlnofey, beings like them can't die and depart from the world unless they are completely forgotten. Fearful that, because of this, the colossal "Old Bones"would rise to wander the lands again, and inflict untold suffering in their wake, the Bosmer used the magic of the Barrowbough to seal them into eternal slumber.{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}}{{ref|name=Last}}

Bones originally belonging to or possessed by the Ehlnofey are said to glow with great [[Lore:Magic|Magicka]]. Despite appearances, such remains have no traces of [[Lore:Necromancy|necromancy]], and even exhibit a degree of resistance to necromantic interference, making it impossible for necromancers to dispel Ehlnofey possession of bodies.{{ref|name=Research}} Legends surrounding the Bone Orchard describe the beings interred there as having had bodies "made entirely of bone", even while they still wandered the world prior to their confinement by the Bosmer. Indeed the "Old Bones" themselves describe their physical forms during their travels as composed of bone, or as having always been skeletal in nature as far back as they can remember. This might mean being comprised of bone is simply an aspect of their physical form as opposed to their bodies having changed to that state.{{ref|name=Last}}{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}} Other sources describe aquatic Ehlnofey with hearts made of pearl residing in bodies of water filled with primordial energy.{{ref|name=ONPE}}

Ehlnofey spirits have exhibited the ability to possess and reanimate other bodies, and to return and bind souls to their original vessels. Fragments of bone from their bodies possess a power to control or destroy the undead.{{ref|name=ONKOB}}{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}}{{ref|name=Rib}} It is said that the Ehlnofey possess the power to control natural laws such as those governing decay or the passage between realms, and that the Dwemer learned how to defy the hold of such natural laws, the Earthbones, through observing the Ehlnofey.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}

The moods of the Ehlnofey appear to have an effect on the earth around them. In the Bone Orchard, whenever an Ehlnofey residing within its own bones speaks in anger, the ground will quake in response, and the Old Bone Goradir claimed that his mirth upon learning that the Bosmer body Dringoth was possessing had been taken apart shifted the earth of his barrow. The way into the Heart of the Barrowbough could only be opened by Nirenan, one of the Old Bones, who could be invoked through the use of a horn crafted from her own massive tooth.{{ref|name=ONKOB}}{{ref|name=Goradir|[[ON:Goradir|Goradir]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}}{{ref|name=Amariel|[[ON:Spinner Amariel|Spinner Amariel]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Horn|[[ON:Grahtwood Quest Items|Nirenan's Horn]] description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

The ancient Aldmer incorporated magically potent [[Lore:Coral|coral]], pearl, and all manner of watery stones in their arcane talismans. Such materials can only be found in places of wild and primordial magic where the Earthbones never quieted down and are collectively termed as "Pearls of the Ehlnofey". Pearls from the Nilumin River in particular are known as "Tears of the Ehlnofey" and were sought by Aldmer divers, who considered them valuable in both healing and enhancing physical and magical ability, incorporating them in both talismans and [[Lore:Alchemy|alchemy]]. Legend ties the origin of such materials to sea-dwelling Ehlnofey with hearts of pearl, it is theorized that they have a special connection to physical laws, granting them real Aurbic power, and that the Ehlnofey themselves favor them. Whatever the case, Aldmeri talismans incorporating these "Pearls of Ehlnofey" are said to be far more powerful than their modern successors crafted by modern Altmer.{{ref|name=ONPE}} Myth claims that Aldmer explorers, the Sunbirds of Alinor, also used such raw Ehlnofic magic to pierce the veil between the Mundus and Aetherius and journey to the Immortal Plane.{{ref|name=FurnSunbird}}

While slumbering, Ehlnofey are said to be able to dream; the Spinners overseeing the Bone Orchard would tell the Old Bones stories of the Bosmer whose bodies were also buried there to give them something new to dream about.{{ref|name=Amariel}}

Some sources describe the Altmer as having the "blood of Ehlnofey", also called the "Old Blood", which is believed to be valuable in [[Lore:Blood Magic|Blood Magic]].{{ref|name=Gharakul|[[ON:Gharakul's Journal|Gharakul's Journal]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

==Behavior and Culture==
[[File:ON-npc-Olphras 02.jpg|The remains of Olphras, who acted as leader of the supposed Ehlnofey at the Bone Orchard|thumb|left]][[File:ON-quest-Keeper of Bones.jpg|thumb|right|The "Old Bones", supposed Ehlnofey, possessing Bosmer skeletons to stand in judgment of Dringoth]]
The "Old Bones" consider each other distant "family" due to so few of them still remaining within the world.{{ref|name=Dringoth}} They refer to others as "mortals" and, of those encountered, most view their inability to die as long as they're remembered in a negative manner, describing it as "the doom of endlessness". All but one of these beings are said to have journeyed far to remote places of the world where they could be fully forgotten and so could die, prior to becoming trapped as a result of Dringoth's actions.{{ref|name=Olphras}} This comports with Bosmer myth, which claims the Ehlnofey generally faded and vanished after journeying to the lost corners of the world.{{ref|name=Last}}

The language of the Ehlnofey, [[Lore:Ehlnofex Languages|Ehlnofex]], has been described as a dangerous "many-headed" language with characters that constantly distort as one looks at them.{{Ref|name=Thief|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|More on the Psijic Endeavor|ns_base=General}}}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}} The Ayleids are said to have preserved the Dawn Era magics and runes of the Ehlnofey to a greater extent than other elves, suggesting comparatively greater similarity in their magical tradition.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}
{{NewLine}}
==Cultural Significance==
[[File:LO-people-Jephre.jpg|thumb|left|Jephre, as depicted by the Altmer]]
Altmer view themselves as "true children of the et'Ada", descendants of the Aldmer and the Ehlnofey, the Aedra or "Divines", that preceded them, in an "unbroken line" dating back to Nirn's creation.{{ref|name=Oghma|{{Cite Book|The Onus of the Oghma}}}}{{ref|name=Ayrenn|{{Cite Book|Ayrenn: The Unforeseen Queen}}}}{{ref|name=Rejection|{{Cite Book|A Rejection of Open Borders}}}} This belief was central to the ancestor worship of the Aldmer that eventually gave way to the Altmeri pantheon when the religion shifted from the worship of one's own ancestors to the worship of the ancestors of one's "betters", the most influential in their society.{{ref|name=PGE3Sum}} Most Altmer and Bosmer claim direct descent from Auri-El himself.{{ref|name=VOF}} Altmer also count deities like [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]], [[Lore:Syrabane|Syrabane]] and [[Lore:Phynaster|Phynaster]] among their ancestors.{{ref|name=PGE3Sum}} Due to this perceived origin, the Altmer believe that within each of them is housed the "divine spark", and thus they've an obligation to keep an Oghma, an "everscriven scroll" in which they memorialize the events of their lives in honor of their divine ancestors.{{ref|name=Oghma}} The Altmer use the eagle both in association with Auri-El,{{ref|name=ContDriftwood|[[ON:Contraband D|Driftwood Idol contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ContWingedAuriel|[[ON:Contraband W|Winged Auri-El contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}} and as a symbol representing the Aedra, their ancestors, who descended from Aetherius and became trapped in physical form by the creation of Nirn, as a whole.{{Ref|name=ESOKB|{{Cite Book|Elder Scrolls Online - Knowledge Base|ns_base=GEN}}}} This belief is also reflected in their stylistic motifs in which circles, arcs, and tendrils, abound, symbolizing the elven ancestors, the Aedra, being constrained by the creation of the Mundus.{{ref|name=AncientElf|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 11: Ancient Elf Style}}}} Altmeri prayers reference Auri-El as the Fixed Center of existence who always envelops all people and invoke him to grant his followers stability.{{ref|name=COTF|{{Cite Book|Coils of the Father}}}} Their prayers often emphasize their believed ancestral connection with the Aedra, urging the faithful to give praise to the Divines and thus to their own ancestral lines, and describing the Altmer as always having the gods in their lives. It is said that the body of the divine wills the Altmer into being, and that they are one with the gods, their ancestors, and so should venerate them as one.{{ref|name=Praise|{{Cite Book|Praise Be (Ancestor Song)}}}}{{ref|name=Mirnor|[[Online:Mirnor of Auri-El|Mirnor of Auri-El]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Owing to their perceived divine lineage, the Altmer believe it is possible for them to achieve apotheosis under certain conditions, and so they hope to one day rejoin their divine ancestors in the stars.{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=ESOVairabrian|[[ON:Vairabrian|Vairabrian]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=TAX}}

[[File:ON-misc-Wild Hunt Transform Cropped.jpg|A Wild Hunt transformation (ESO)|thumb|right]]
Bosmer are known to worship Y'ffre. A vital part of the Bosmeri pantheon, Y'ffre's Ehlnofey, or "Earthbones," were created from his corporeal form to establish safety and the laws of nature. These laws took the shape of stories, and there is great debate between tribes competing to interpret Y'ffre's ways and knowledge of the times of chaos, before Y'ffre arrived on the mortal plane.{{ref|name=GTEV|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/Valenwood}}}} Some legends claim that the Boiche Elves, originating from the Earthbones that followed Jephre, grew the first great [[Lore:Graht-oak|Graht-oak]] the out of the Perchance Acorn, which would become [[Lore:The_Towers#Green-Sap|Tower of Green-Sap]]. Due to the nature of the Acorn being, perchance, elsewhere, many different Green-Saps sprung in many different forms, forming the walking Graht-Oak forests of the Valenwood. Each one told its own stories of the Green, the forest home of the "Boiche-become-Bosmer".{{ref|name=AU4TET}} Some of the Bosmeri [[Lore:Spinners|Spinners]] are connected to the Earthbones, although the exact nature of this connection is unknown.{{ref|name=LES|[[Legends:Earthbone Spinner|Earthbone Spinner]] in ''[[Legends:Legends|Legends]]''}}

Altmer and Bosmer myth describes how during the Dawn Era, life and even the land itself were formless and constantly shifted between shapes until Y'ffre's Naming gave all things in Nirn an enduring form.{{ref|name=TOAF|{{Cite Book|The Ooze: A Fable}}}}{{ref|name=ONWildHuntCrate|[[Online:Wild Hunt Crate|Wild Hunt Crate]] descriptions in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} This event, the establishment of shape, is considered a core element of the [[Lore:Green Pact|Green Pact]]. In certain circumstances, such as a Wild Hunt, which is enacted in accordance with what the Pact allows, creatures can be made to "forget their Y'ffre taught shapes", causing the bonds of the Naming to unravel, and return to this original formless state.{{Ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=ONWildHuntCrate}}{{ref|name=ONWildHuntHorse|[[Online:Wild Hunt Horse|Wild Hunt Horse]] mount description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Within Bosmer belief, Y'ffre created day, night, and the places between through the manner in which he interpreted the laws of time established by [[Lore:Anui-El|Anui-El]] and applied them to Nirn. He is also believed to be responsible for the movements of the stars, which dance and sway to his compelling song.{{Ref|name=GESOD|[[Online:Girnalin#Dialogue|Girnalin]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} [[Lore:Dunmer|Dunmer]] faith also acknowledges Y'ffre as the deity responsible for the movements of the stars.{{Ref|name=Jephre|{{Cite Book|Of Jephre}}}}{{Ref|name=WCoNHR}}

Ancient Aldmer were known to utilize magic associated with Ehlnofey in their arcane craftsmanship.{{ref|name=ONPE}} According to the legend of the [[Lore:Viridian Sentinel|Viridian Sentinel]], long ago the [[Lore:Direnni|Direnni]] forged a covenant with the Earth Bones to protect their settlements from the wild. The [[Lore:Breton|Bretons]], who displaced the Direnni, had no such arrangement, and as a result, their farms in [[Lore:Bangkorai|Bangkorai]] were gradually overrun by the wilderness. The people were pushed to the brink of starvation, causing a young boy [[Lore:Greenward|Greenward]] to pray to [[Lore:Stendarr|Stendarr]] for salvation. Stendarr taught him to forge a new pact with the forest, giving him the power to restrain the natural creatures within. He thus became the first Viridian Sentinel.{{ref|name=TVS|{{Cite Book|The Viridian Sentinel}}}}

[[Lore:Reachmen|Reachfolk]] honor a diverse array of [[Lore:Nature Spirits|nature spirits]], incarnations of nature birthed from [[Lore:The Green|the Green]], the lifeforce of Nirn's natural world, created in the Dawn Era by the sacrifice of Y'ffre and the Earthbones.{{ref|name=Frii|[[Online:Frii|Frii]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Ooze|{{Cite Book|The Ooze: A Fable}}}}{{ref|name=Gauntlets|[[Online:Psijic Style|Psijic Style]] description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Audrine|[[Online:Druid Audrine|Druid Audrine]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Laurel|[[Online:Druid Laurel|Druid Laurel]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The spirits honored by the Reachfolk can have distinct characteristics, such as the spirits associated with springs, trees or sacred animals.{{ref|name=GSOTER2|{{Cite Book|Great Spirits of the Reach: Volume 2}}}}{{Ref|name=Malug|[[ON:Malug|Malug]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]<nowiki>:</nowiki> ''[[Online:Markarth (DLC)|Markarth]]''}} Their [[Lore:Reachman Shamans|shamans]] occasionally utilize calming spirits that may inhabit their [[Lore:Staves|staves]].{{ref|name=SOTSW|{{Item Link|name=Staff of the Spirit Within|itemid=167400|quality=Fine|summary=1|Staff of the Spirit Within}}}} Expressing gratitude to nature spirits, they make it a practice to thank them before felling trees and replace them by planting new ones.{{Ref|name=Malug}}

Y'ffre and the Earthbones play a central role in the beliefs of both [[Lore:Druids|Druids]] and [[Lore:Wyrd|Wyrd]].{{ref|name=Wyrd|{{Cite Book|Wyrd and Druid}}}}.The Druids commune with the voices of Y'ffre and the Earthbones for guidance and tap into their power through their magic.{{ref|name=Audrine}}{{ref|name=Legacy|{{Cite Book|Legacy of the Bretons}}}} The Wyresses believe that during Y'ffre's Naming, the act which gave all life on Nirn its shape,{{ref|name=ESOWHC|[[Online:Wild Hunt Crate|Wild Hunt Crown Crate]] season description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} the deity tasked the Earthbones to choose those who would become the guardians of nature,{{ref|name=Wyresses|{{Cite Book|Wyresses: The Name-Daughters}}}} a task ultimately given to the Wyresses, the Name-Daughters, who are descendants of the Ehlnofey themselves.{{Ref|name=WCoNHR}} Like the Druids, the Wyresses draw upon the power of the Earthbones through their magic.{{ref|name=GalerionVeil|[[Online:Vanus Galerion | Vanus Galerion's ]] dialogue during [[Online:Through a Veil Darkly|Through a Veil Darkly]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

The "Old Ways" of the [[Lore:Psijic Order|Psijic Order]] are said to combine [[Lore:Mysticism|mysticism]], the Eleven Forces and the divine laws that define reality into a philosophy and way of life which boasts a deep understanding of the Ehlnofey, from whose lines the races of Man and Mer arose.{{ref|name=Mystery}} Indeed, some sources claim that the Psijics were originally taught the "Old Ways" by the Ehlnofey themselves.{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview}}

According to the [[Lore:Cult of the Ancestor Moth|Order of the Ancestor Moth]], mortal [[Lore:Souls|souls]] are the Aedric essence at the core of every mortal's existence.{{Ref|name=TDS|{{Cite Book|The Distributed Soul}}}} Souls have also been described as the piece of every mortal which comes from Aetherius, the realm of pure light and magic, and a "tiny [[Lore:Stars|star"]] which flares into a [[Lore:Sun|"sun"]] when magic is invoked.{{Ref|name=LOS|{{Cite Book|Lord of Souls|}}}}{{rp|52}}

The existence and nature of the spirits involved in the creation of the Mundus has been subject of commentary by some of the Daedra, though even among them various views exist. The [[Lore:Dremora|Dremora]] [[Lore:Lyranth|Lyranth]] described the Mundus as the "cemetery" of the Aedra, claiming that their original hopes for their mortal descendants, and their world, were ultimately not achieved due to the mortal's foolishness. Nonetheless, though the creators of the Mundus are said to have "died in pursuit of an impossible goal", they are praised for their immense conviction and admired for having wrought order out of chaos, a "brutal coercion" which even Daedra must deem impressive. By contrast, Magnus and the Magna-Ge are viewed as cowards, no other spirits being as low, who fled when things turned dire, thus making it impossible to ever know what could've been achieved had they chosen to stay and keep helping to the end.{{ref|name=Lyranth2}} Contrasting Lyranth's view, the [[Lore:Mazken|Mazken]] information broker Madam Whim claimed that no living being existed which could explain the true relationship between the Aedra and the [[Lore:Daedric Princes|Daedric Princes]], and that no information she'd ever come across in her long life indicated the Aedra were anything more than a story mortals told themselves to feel safer in their beds at night.{{Ref|name=Whim|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Malacath and Maelstrom}}}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:ON-npc-Goradir.jpg|The remains of Goradir, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Skeletons (Bone Orchard).jpg|Ehlnofey spirits possessing Bosmer skeletons (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Olphras.jpg|Olphras, leader of the "Old Bones", possessing a Bosmer skeleton (ESO)
File:ON-object-Spirit (Bone Orchard).jpg|One of the Bone Orchard spirits prior to possessing a body (ESO)
File:ON-place-Bone Orchard.jpg|The Bone Orchard (ESO)
File:ON-item-armor-Earthbone Ayleid (female).jpg|"Earthbone Ayleid" style armor (ESO)
File:ON-crown store-Earthbone Ayleid Style.jpg|"Earthbone Ayleid" style weapons (ESO)
File:LG-cardart-Earthbone Spinner.png|Earthbone Spinner (Legends)
File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Water.jpg|Guardian of the Water (pre-ESO patch)
File:ON-npc-Olphras (old).jpg|The remains of Olphras, a supposed Ehlnofey (pre-ESO patch)
</gallery>

==Notes==
[[File:ON-creature-Tzirzhalir.jpg|Tzirzhalir|thumb|right]]
* The war between the Ehlnofey described in ''[[Lore:The Annotated Anuad|The Annotated Anuad]]'' bears many striking parallels with the war between Lorkhan and [[Lore:Auriel|Auriel]] described in ''[[Lore:The Monomyth|The Monomyth]]'', and the texts are likely summarizing the same events from different historiographical perspectives.
*The Ehlnofex war has been described by some sources as being the same event as [[Lore:Convention|Convention]] told in a different manner.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}
*[[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] has been described as the ''"greatest knight of the Ehlnofey, champion of the Dragon of Time"'' in certain [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiilic]] folktales.{{Ref|name=LOS}}{{Ref|name=Whim}}
*The common practice of Dunmer and Altmer to dress in a manner resembling that of the ancient Aldmer, or that of other cultures that resemble the Aldmeri style, such as the ancient Ayleids and Chimer, elves of the [[Lore:Merethic Era|Merethic Era]], which is often viewed by the Mer as their golden age, is called "draping Ehlnofic". Bosmer, who like [[Lore:Argonian|Argonians]] prefer to live in the "Aurbic Now", are said to generally not share the practice.{{ref|name=AncientElf}}
*The "Old Bones" being ancient gargantuan creatures of bone bares some resemblance to another gigantic skeletal being that existed since ancient times known as [[Lore:Tzirzhalir|Tzirzhalir]].{{Ref|name=Tzirzhalir|[[ON:Tzirzhalir|Tzirzhalir]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Harrowstorm|Harrowstorm]]''}}{{Ref|name=KRN|{{Cite Book|Kjalnar's Research Notes}}}} A similar looking creature to Tzirhalir, called Mzrelnir, was found in the Lucent Citadel in [[Lore:Fargrave|Fargrave]].{{ref|name=LC|[[ON:Lucent Citadel|Lucent Citadel]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Gold Road|Gold Road]]''}} Some similarity also existed between the names of these beings, and those of some of the "Old Bones" such as Goradir or Fildenir.{{ref|name=ONGoradir|[[Online:Goradir|Goradir]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ONFildenir|[[Online:Fildenir|Fildenir]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

==See Also==
* {{GSI|Online:Ehlnofey}}
===Books===
* {{Book Link|The Annotated Anuad}}
* {{Book Link|Before the Ages of Man}}
* {{Book Link|The Monomyth}}

==References==
<references/>{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>
{{Lore Races}}{{Lore Altmer Religion}}{{Lore Bosmer Religion}}{{Lore Breton Religion}}{{Lore Reachman Religion}}
</noinclude>

Lore:Ehlnofey

2025-06-16T03:08:21Z

Minor Edits: most refs, links, and grammar. Chopped a paragraph about the Dwemer in "Other", since it's covered in both Origins and implied in Legacy,

<noinclude>{{Lore Gods Trail}}{{#addtotrail:Races|separator=' / '}}__NOTOC__[[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Water 02.jpg|The Guardian of the Water, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-creature-Nirenan.jpg|Remains of Nirenan, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]</noinclude>
The [[Lore:Ehlnofey|Ehlnofey]] (sometimes spelled '''Elhnofey'''){{ref|name=PGE1Sky|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Skyrim}}}} of the [[Lore:Dawn Era|Dawn Era]] are generally believed to be a group of [[Lore:Aedra|Aedric]] pre-[[Lore:Convention|Convention]] spirits who, along with the [[Lore:Hist|Hist]], are counted among the original inhabitants of [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]], and are widely considered to be the progenitors of the mortal races.{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}} The word "Ehlnofey" translates to '''Earthbones''' (or '''Earth Bone''') in [[Lore:Ehlnofex Languages|Ehlnofex]]. The terms "Earthbone" or "Ehlnofey" are used to denote more than one type of mythical entity. The term "Ehlnofey" is typically used to refer to the spirits that didn't sacrifice themselves, from whom the various mortal races would descend, whereas "Earthbone" typically connotes those Ehlnofey who, like [[Lore:Y'ffre|Y'ffre]], would at some point sacrifice themselves to form the rules of nature.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} The nature of the spirits the term pertains to can vary depending on account.

The concept of the Ehlnofey is of paramount importance within the beliefs of the [[Lore:Mer|elves]], particularly the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]] and [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmer]], where the term is used to represent their cultural understanding of the Aedra as ancestor spirits. According to elven myth, the Ehlnofey are considered to be the Aedric spirits who stayed in Nirn after [[Lore:Magnus|Magnus]] and the [[Lore:Magna Ge|Magna Ge]] departed in order to keep working on the new world so it'd remain viable. Among those spirits, some, typically referred to from that point on as "Earthbones", are thought to have followed the example of Y'ffre, giving themselves to the Mundus fully to stabilize it and form the foundation of its natural law as the "bones of the earth", eternal laws of nature. While others, typically referred to from that point on as "Ehlnofey", are thought to have chosen not to give themselves fully but to populate Nirn instead, thus becoming the progenitors to mortal life, which arose from their lines and took on its current form due to a phenomenon of gradual diminishment, of each consecutive generation becoming weaker and more removed than its progenitors in stature and might.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=Mystery}}{{ref|name=TAA|{{Cite Book|The Annotated Anuad}}}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} This understanding forms the basis of the originally elvish term "Aedra" or "ancestor", denoting those spirits which they perceive as being part of their mythic genealogy, including figures such as [[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]], who most modern Altmer and Bosmer claim direct descent from, [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] the "greatest knight of the Ehlnofey", [[Lore:Syrabane|Syrabane]], and [[Lore:Phynaster|Phynaster]].{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=PGE3Sum|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Summerset}}}} Thus elven religious iconography depicts the Ehlnofey as vaguely elven in shape, but featureless, reflecting the fading memory of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=EES|[[Online:Contraband/Statues#Elusive Ehlnofey Statuette|Elusive Ehlnofey Statuette]]}}

The Aedra or Ehlnofey are thought to have remained within the world until they vanished.{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}} They are thought to primarily reside in [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]],{{Ref|name=Serana|[[Skyrim:Serana|Serana]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} having been bound to the Earth Bones{{ref|name=AAD|{{Cite Book|Aedra and Daedra}}}}{{ref|name=TOA|{{Cite Book|Tower of Adamant}}}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=VOF}} as the cornerstones of the Mundus.{{ref|name=PGE3Arena|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Arena Supermundus}}}} The terms "spokes", "eight components of [[Lore:Aurbis|chaos]]", "lent bones of the Aedra", "Bones of the Wheel", "et'Ada-gears" and [[Lore:Planets|"Eight gift-limbs"]] have also been used to refer to them in this capacity, after having transformed into the framework of reality.{{ref|name=LOV6|{{cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 6}}}}{{ref|name=LL|{{cite Book|The Lunar Lorkhan}}}}{{ref|name=TTIS|{{Cite Book|The Truth in Sequence}}}}{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}} Some sources present a more negative view of the circumstances of these spirits and their residence in Aetherius, naming the Mundus as their "cemetery", calling them "spent ghosts", alleging them to have died as part of the creation of the world, having "died in pursuit of an impossible goal", or to have burial crypts.{{ref|name=Lyranth2|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Mehrunes Dagon & Daedra in the Second Era}}}}{{Ref|name=GU|{{Cite Book|Glorious Upheaval}}}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{Ref|name=ARLordsMail|[[Arena:Lord's Mail|Lord's Mail]] quest in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]''}} Thus the Aedra are sometimes called the "dead gods" or the "mortal gods", sometimes disparagingly, owing to them having become bound to the laws of mortality.{{Ref|name=Vastarie|[[Online:Vastarie|Vastarie]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=Prophet|[[Oblivion:The Prophet|The Prophet]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}

Different peoples harbor different understandings of Ehlnofey's relation to Aedra. In some accounts, both "Ehlnofey" and "Earth Bones" are described as referring exclusively to the early offspring of the Aedra rather than to the Aedra themselves, who were told to populate the world and live on through their children, leading to the gradual emergence of the various races of man and mer.{{ref|name=Mystery}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} The concept of descent from the ancestor spirits is generally viewed as "elven conceit" by the religions of [[Lore:Men|Men]] who, with the exception of the [[Lore:Redguards|Redguards]], view themselves as creations of those spirits rather than their descendants.{{ref|name=TAA}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=TAX|{{Cite Book|Tu'whacca, Arkay, Xarxes}}}} The Annotated Anuad describes how the Aedra originated from the intermingling blood of Anu and Padomay, and how the Ehlnofey come from a world shattered by Padomay before Anu and Padomay's second "long and furious" battle began, suggesting, per said account, the Ehlnofey may have a separate origin predating the Aedra.{{ref|name=TAA}}

Perhaps because of their association with the land itself, "Old Ehlnofey" became another name for [[Lore:Aldmeris|Aldmeris]], the mystical homeland of the elves.{{ref|name=PGE3Sum}}{{ref|name=PGE3All|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|All the Eras of Man}}}} The language or languages of the Ehlnofey became known as Ehlnofex.{{ref|name=TM}} It has been found that the "Earth Bones", the laws of nature, can be manipulated to some extent.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=MWBaladas|[[MW:Baladas Demnevanni (person)|Baladas Demnevanni]]'s dialogue in [[MW:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']].}}<noinclude>

For more information on the Aedra and their role in [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]]'s religions more broadly, see the entry on [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]].

==Origin==
The exact nature of the Ehlnofey is a matter shrouded in much ambiguity; some sources describe them as great beings which once walked Nirn whose true origins none can truly say.{{ref|name=Last}} There are two major origins that are presented: one that describes the Ehlnofey as survivors of a previous world that settled Nirn after its creation, and another claiming them to be Aedric spirits who were party to Nirn's construction and chose to remain in the world they'd crafted to stabilize it after the departure of Magnus and the Magna-Ge.

===Survivors of the Twelve Worlds===
According to the [[Lore:Anuad|Anuad]], when [[Lore:Anu|Anu]] formed Nirn following the shattering of the Twelve Worlds by [[Lore:Padomay|Padomay]], two surviving races from what Padomay had sundered were brought to the new world alongside the fragments of their realms which had been used to form it, the Ehlnofey and the Hist.

A group of Ehlnofey, those that would eventually become the progenitors of the Mer, arrived in the new world together alongside a relatively intact fragment of their former home, and attempted to live on as they had before, in their land which would come to be known as Old Ehlnofey. Another group, those who would become the progenitors to Men, were scattered across the new world, and had to wander and find each other over time.

When the wandering Ehlnofey came across Old Ehlnofey, they were overjoyed to find their kin living among the splendor of ages past, but rather than welcoming them, the inhabitants of Old Ehlnofey viewed them as degenerates, fallen and corrupted from their experiences on Nirn. In the end and for whatever reason, war broke out between those of Old Ehlnofey, mightier but fewer, and those that wandered, weaker but more numerous and hardened by survival. This destructive war would reshape the face of Nirn, sinking much of the land beneath new oceans, destroying much of the original realm of the Hist and creating the continents of [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]], [[Lore:Akavir|Akavir]], [[Lore:Atmora|Atmora]] and [[Lore:Yokuda|Yokuda.]]

The remains of Old Ehlnofey would become Tamriel while the wandering Ehlnofey would scatter to the newly formed continents. Eventually, over time and the passage of generations, the descendants of the two factions of Ehlnofey would gradually give rise to the various groups of Men and Mer. At some point prior to their disappearance, the Ehlnofey are said to have taken on "brilliant students". These students have been theorized to be the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]], who were thus given the sobriquet "Dwarves" by their titanic masters. The events of this tutelage under the Ehlnofey are described in more detail in the full text of the Anuad myth.{{ref|name=PGE1Ham|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Hammerfell}}}}

While this struggle occurred, the "gods and demons" of the world—the Aedra, [[Lore:Daedra|Daedra]] and Magna-Ge—would form out of Anu and Padomay's spilled blood, as distinct groups from the Ehlnofey and from each other.{{ref|name=TAA}}

===Aedric Progenitors===
According to the Altmeri creation myth, when Magnus departed the Mundus, the et'Ada that took part in its creation broke into groups, most would follow the flight of the God of Magic to become the Magna-Ge, but some of those present chose instead to stay after he departed and keep working on the new world in order to keep it viable.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=VOF}}

Among those et'Ada who stayed, some would follow the example of Y'ffre, giving themselves to the Mundus fully to stabilize it and form the foundation of its natural law, and would typically be referred to as "Earthbones" or "Earth Bones". Others, who would come to be known as Aedra, would choose not to give themselves fully but to populate Nirn instead, having to "make children just to last". This group of spirits would from that point typically be referred to as the "Ehlnofey".{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} The offspring of the Aedra would exhibit a gradual change however, each consecutive generation was weaker than the one prior, more removed from their progenitors in stature and might.{{ref|name=TM}}

Through this generational phenomenon of diminishment, the offspring of the Ehlnofey would also differentiate. The Ehlnofey would eventually give away and the first [[Lore: Aldmer|Aldmer]] would arise, while the "weakest souls" would be formed by [[Lore: Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] into armies he named "Men".{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TM}}

Altmeri myth holds that [[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]] and Lorkhan and their respective followers would then war with one another, leading to the shattering of [[Lore:Atmora|Altmora]], the "Elder Wood" and one of the first kingdoms established by Auri-El alongside Old Ehlnofey, at Lorkhan's hands, and culminating in Lorkhan's defeat and the removal of his [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart]]. During this conflict and prior to Lorkhan's defeat, Auri-El begged Anu to take them back, but Anu refused, as he'd already created something to replace them. The more merciful [[Lore:Anui-El|Anui-El]] created [[Lore:Auriel's Bow|Auriel's Bow]] and [[Lore:Auriel's Shield|Auriel's Shield]] to be used by Auri-El against Lorkhan's hordes.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=VOF}}

Following the defeat of Lorkhan, the Aedra would convene at the [[Lore:Adamantine Tower|Adamantine Tower]] to decide the fate of the new world. Lorkhan's Heart would be removed and the laws and roles of all spirits in the new world would be determined. After this meeting, the Convention, the Aedra would depart the world in their excess for its own sake, as their direct presence rendered both it and the timeless continuity of existence itself unstable.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}}{{ref|name=AU4TET|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}}

At some point following the events of the war, the [[Lore:Aldmer|Aldmer]] descendants of the Ehlnofey, described as the strongest of the lesser spirits that remained in the world after Convention, are said to have left their doomed and ruined continent of Aldmeris and colonized southwest Tamriel in the Middle [[Lore:Merethic Era|Merethic Era]],{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=PGE3All}} only to spend many centuries fruitlessly searching for their old homeland.{{ref|name=FOTN|{{Cite Book|Father Of The Niben}}}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}}

==Legacy==
{{Quote Box|''"We are the echoes of old voices, remnants of a time long ago. Still, a few of us remain. We were the Y'ffre. Then we became the Ehlnofey, the Earth Bones. … "''|Guardian of the Earth}}

The fracturing of the Aldmer along cultural and racial lines is called the Sundering of Aldmeris, an event during which the Aldmer splintered into the groups that would become the Dwemer (Deep Ones), the [[Lore:Chimer|Chimer]] (Changed Ones), the [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmer]] (Green or Forest Ones), the [[Lore:Falmer|Falmer]] (Snow Ones), the [[Lore:Maormer|Maormer]] (Sea or Tropical Ones) of [[Lore:Pyandonea|Pyandonea]], the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]] (Elder or High Ones), and the [[Lore:Lefthanded Elves|Sinistral Mer]] (Left-handed Ones) of Yokuda. The progeny of the Wanderers (Wandering Ehlnofey) became the races of men, eventually splitting into many different racial groups, including the [[Lore:Nede|Nede]]s, the [[Lore:Nord|Atmoran]]s of Atmora, the [[Lore:Redguard|Yokudan]]s of Yokuda, and possibly the [[Lore:Tsaesci (race)|Tsaesci]] of [[Lore:Akavir|Akavir]], and other aboriginal groups ([[Lore:Proto-Breton|Proto-Breton]]s).{{ref|name=TAA}}

Though the protean race is apparently gone, said by some sources to have faded and vanished after journeying to the lost corners of the world,{{ref|name=Last}} the Ehlnofey are not entirely forgotten. They are thought to have taken on students before they disappeared, passing their knowledge on to emerging races such as the Dwemer, or the [[Lore:Psijic Order|Psijic Order]], to whom they are said to have taught the Elder Way.{{ref|name=PGE1Ham}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview|[[General:Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion|Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion]]}} Knowledge of most individuals has been lost to time, but prominent members still appear in some form in the [[Lore:Gods|pantheons]] of the various races. The [[Lore:Ayleids|Ayleids]] of [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]] are said to have preserved the Ehlnofey's Dawn Era magics and language to a greater extent than other Mer.{{ref|name=BTAOM}} The theories of the Dwemer High Craftlord [[Lore:Kagrenac|Kagrenac]] involved using sacred tones on the Heart of Lorkhan and bending the Earth Bones, commanding the "obedience" of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=MWBaladas}} According to legend, the [[Lore:Sun Birds of Alinor|Sun Birds of Alinor]], a mythical order of Aldmeri explorers from the Merethic Era, managed to pierce the veil between the [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]] and Aetherius and journey to the Immortal Plane by using the raw magic of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=FurnSunbird|[[Online:Prismatic Sunbird Feather|Prismatic Sunbird Feather]] antiquity codex entry in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

Nirn is said to be imbued with a wellspring of primordial energy which flows in a network via lines within the ground, described as the manner in which [[Lore:Druids|Druids]] visualize the Earthbones, the laws of nature, places where these "[[Lore:Bonelines|bonelines]]" intersect are said to possess great power and have an effect on both magic and prayer performed there.{{ref|name=ONSWC|[[Online:Stormweaver's Cavort|Stormweaver's Cavort]] codex entries in {{g|on|firesong}}}}{{ref|name=ONPE|[[Online:Pearls of Ehlnofey|Pearls of Ehlnofey]] codex entries in {{g|on|markarth}}}}{{ref|name=VGTYC|{{Cite Book|Visitor's Guide to Y'ffre's Cauldron}}}} According to some sources, the reason Nirn is filled with natural caverns is that in primordial times they formed a network that functioned like nodes or capillaries for the divine essence of the Aedra that created it.{{ref|name=Wind|[[Online:Weeping Wind Cave|Weeping Wind Cave]] loading screen in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

The laws that govern Nirn and the Mundus and determine the role of all spirits within them, are believed to have been set in place at and through the Adamantine Tower by its creators, defining the roles and nature of the Earthbones within the confines of the "[[Lore:Akatosh|Dragon's]] timebound tale" and thus the framework of the natural world. The Adamantine Tower itself is described as a "sleek silver vessel", which became attached to the changing earth at one of the joint-points where the Earthbones on which the physical flesh on Nirn was hung met, with each such point radiating a "palpable reality".{{ref|name-SCAS|{{Cite Book|Subtropical Cyrodiil: A Speculation}}}}{{ref|name=AU4TET}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}}

According to some Daedric accounts, the Mundus is defined by a degree of malleability which generally doesn't exist within the realms of Oblivion. Whereas Oblivion realms are fundamentally shaped and curated by the will of their creators, the Mundus and its constituent realms submit simultaneously to the ordered influence of the Earthbones and the stubborn caprice of Lorkhan. Thus the Mundus is "doughy", things within it can be destroyed, but they never remain gone and instances of them inevitably spring up again.{{ref|name=Lyranth2}}

The earliest martial discipline of Nirn was the "Prismatic Vector Dance of the Ehlnofey", which was recorded and studied by the Demiprince [[Lore:Fa-Nuit-Hen|Fa-Nuit-Hen]].{{ref|name=Maelstrom|{{Cite Book|Lord Fa-Nuit-Hen and Tutor Riparius Answer Your Questions 2}}}}

==Lingering Ehlnofey==
===The "Old Bones"===
[[File:ON-npc-Dringoth 02.jpg|Dringoth, a supposed Ehlnofey possessing the skeletal corpse of a Bosmer (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-npc-Goradir 02.jpg|Resting place of Goradir, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]
In the [[Lore:Second Era|Second Era]], what seemed to be lingering Ehlnofey spirits were still present in the Bone Orchard of southern [[Lore:Grahtwood|Grahtwood]].{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Originally a group of "Old Bones" that wandered the lands, the travels of these gigantic beings unintentionally caused untold suffering in the lands they'd travel through, making them decide to seek a true death by being completely forgotten since, for as long as they were remembered by the world, they could not truly die and leave it.{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} The last of this group, Dringoth, would continue to wander by himself, and so became feared by the Bosmer as a terrible destroyer who would absentmindedly trample their cities and hills under his feet while wandering through, his approach felt through the ground quaking days in advance of his arrival. It is said homes burst and hills turned to slurry under his gait. The fearful Bosmer tricked and magically sealed Dringoth in slumber and, worried the restless remains of the other Old Bones might rise to wander again, brought them to the Bone Orchard, where the magic that ensnared Dringoth would imprison them as well.{{ref|name=Last}}{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Research|{{Cite Book|Bone Orchard Research}}}} As the site became a graveyard and shrine to Y'ffre tended by the [[Lore:Spinners|Spinners]] , the Old Bones interred there could not be forgotten and so could not truly die. Some of the Orchard spirits would inhabit elven [[Lore:Skeleton|skeletons]] to move around, while others preferred to stay resting in their own massive and monstrous appearing bones. The Bone Orchard itself was constructed around the "hill" that was Dringoth's skull, and which the great Barrowbough tree that sealed him was planted on.This group would help foil an attempt by the [[Lore:Worm Cult|Worm Cult]] to reanimate them into an army of giants by possessing the bones of the Bosmer buried in the Orchard and fighting alongside the [[Lore:The Vestige|Vestige]], who used the power of a piece of Dringoth's rib to control or destroy the cult's undead, thus preventing the threat their reanimation would have posed to Tamriel. During these events the Orchard Ehlnofey decided on whether to allow Dringoth to keep residing within the Bosmer skeleton he was possessing, or to destroy his vessel and forcibly bind his soul to his own bones so, with his body still sealed by the Barrowbough, he'd never wander again.{{ref|name=ONKOB|Events of [[Online:Keeper of Bones|Keeper of Bones]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}}{{ref|name=Rib|[[ON:Grahtwood Quest Items|Dringoth's Rib]] effect in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

===The Guardians===
[[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Earth.jpg|The Guardian of the Earth, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Air 02.jpg|The Guardian of the Air, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]
The [[Lore:Beldama Wyrd|Beldama Wyrd]] are a witch coven attuned to nature. They venerate the Breton interpretation of Y'ffre, Jephre.{{Ref|name=WCoNHR|{{Cite Book|Witch Cults of Northern High Rock}}}} They are guided by [[Lore:Nature Spirit|elemental spirits]] known as the Guardians,{{Ref|name=ESOWI|[[Online:Wyress Ileana|Wyress Ileana]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} which are among the extinct Ehlnofey who claim they were once Y'ffre.{{Ref|name=ESOGE|[[Online:Guardian of the Earth|Guardian of the Earth]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The Guardians are said to have been present since the dawn of Tamriel,{{Ref|name=ESOWI}} nurturing and protecting the land and serving as guides to the Wyrd. They are linked to the [[Lore:Wyrd Tree|Wyrd Tree]], a nature spirit older than [[Lore:Men|Men]] and [[Lore:Mer|Mer]] that takes the form of a gargantuan oak tree that emits an unnatural glow.{{Ref|name=WCoNHR}}{{ref|name=ESOWH|[[ON:Wyress Helene|Wyress Helene]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} It gives life to the land and strength to the Wyrd, and conceals secrets from when time began, its roots stretching all across Nirn and touching everything, even the "bones of the world".{{ref|name=TIEGTT|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/High Rock}}}}{{ref|name=ESOWJ|[[ON:Wyress Jehanne|Wyress Jehanne]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ONWTV|{{Cite Book|Wyrd Tree verse}}}}{{ref|name=CBSABS|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 93: Ancestral Breton Style}}}} The Guardians aided the Vestige in cleansing the corruption of [[Lore:Angof|Angof the Gravesinger]] from the Wyrd Tree, using their power to provide protection from the power of the elemental [[Lore:Wraith|wraiths]] called forth by Angof, whose magic would have otherwise been fatal. They repudiated Angof and his [[Lore:Bloodthorn Cult|Bloodthorn Cult]] for their pacts with the Daedra, claiming that their deeds "mocked the Aedra, the Ehlnofey" and polluted the land with dark magic.{{Ref|name=ESOGE}}{{Ref|name=ESOGW|[[Online:Guardian of the Water|Guardian of the Water]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=ESOGA|[[Online:Guardian of the Air|Guardian of the Air]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=Corruption|[[Online:Corruption of the Tree|Corruption of the Tree]]'s encounter in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
{{NewLine}}
===Other===
Some sources speak of sea-dwelling Ehlnofey with hearts made of [[Lore:Pearl|pearl]] residing in old places of primordial energy, rivers and reefs where the Earthbones never quieted down.{{ref|name=ONSWC}}{{ref|name=ONPE}}

Some claim that the Dwemer and those who would become Bosmer learned how to defy natural laws, the Earthbones, by witnessing Ehlnofey control laws of nature, such as that governing decay or the [[Lore:Portals|passage]] between [[Lore:Planes of Existence|realms]]. Through observing the passing of Y'ffre, who was the first of the Ehlnofey to give of themselves to the [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]] fully and become an Earthbone, Bosmer learned to defy the Earthbone he established to govern the physical form of things. It is said that this is the knowledge modern Bosmer invoke to enact a [[Lore:Wild Hunt|Wild Hunt]], reverting to what life truly is beneath Y'ffre's imposed law. The reason for the seemingly undying nature of such Hunt creatures is said to be that in severing themselves from the control of one Earthbone, others also lose their power to impose their own laws on them, thus leading to the Earthbone governing lifespan also losing its power.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} Some sources claim that the Psijics were not the original practicioners of the Elder Way, but instead learned it from the original inhabitants of Nirn, the Ehlnofey.{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview}}

==Characteristics==
[[File:ON-furnishing-Prismatic Sunbird Feather.jpg|thumb|left|A Prismatic Sunbird Feather, said to channel the raw magic of the Ehlnofey]][[File:ON-icon-armor-Pearls of Ehlnofey.png|thumb|right|Pearls of Ehlnofey, an Aldmer amulet incorporating materials of alleged Ehlnofey origin]]
According to descriptions by seeming Ehlnofey, beings like them can't die and depart from the world unless they are completely forgotten. Fearful that, because of this, the colossal "Old Bones"would rise to wander the lands again, and inflict untold suffering in their wake, the Bosmer used the magic of the Barrowbough to seal them into eternal slumber.{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}}{{ref|name=Last}}

Bones originally belonging to or possessed by the Ehlnofey are said to glow with great [[Lore:Magic|Magicka]]. Despite appearances, such remains have no traces of [[Lore:Necromancy|necromancy]], and even exhibit a degree of resistance to necromantic interference, making it impossible for necromancers to dispel Ehlnofey possession of bodies.{{ref|name=Research}} Legends surrounding the Bone Orchard describe the beings interred there as having had bodies "made entirely of bone", even while they still wandered the world prior to their confinement by the Bosmer. Indeed the "Old Bones" themselves describe their physical forms during their travels as composed of bone, or as having always been skeletal in nature as far back as they can remember. This might mean being comprised of bone is simply an aspect of their physical form as opposed to their bodies having changed to that state.{{ref|name=Last}}{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}} Other sources describe aquatic Ehlnofey with hearts made of pearl residing in bodies of water filled with primordial energy.{{ref|name=ONPE}}

Ehlnofey spirits have exhibited the ability to possess and reanimate other bodies, and to return and bind souls to their original vessels. Fragments of bone from their bodies possess a power to control or destroy the undead.{{ref|name=ONKOB}}{{ref|name=Olphras}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}}{{ref|name=Rib}} It is said that the Ehlnofey possess the power to control natural laws such as those governing decay or the passage between realms, and that the Dwemer learned how to defy the hold of such natural laws, the Earthbones, through observing the Ehlnofey.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}

The moods of the Ehlnofey appear to have an effect on the earth around them. In the Bone Orchard, whenever an Ehlnofey residing within its own bones speaks in anger, the ground will quake in response, and the Old Bone Goradir claimed that his mirth upon learning that the Bosmer body Dringoth was possessing had been taken apart shifted the earth of his barrow. The way into the Heart of the Barrowbough could only be opened by Nirenan, one of the Old Bones, who could be invoked through the use of a horn crafted from her own massive tooth.{{ref|name=ONKOB}}{{ref|name=Goradir|[[ON:Goradir|Goradir]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Dringoth}}{{ref|name=Amariel|[[ON:Spinner Amariel|Spinner Amariel]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Horn|[[ON:Grahtwood Quest Items|Nirenan's Horn]] description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

The ancient Aldmer incorporated magically potent [[Lore:Coral|coral]], pearl, and all manner of watery stones in their arcane talismans. Such materials can only be found in places of wild and primordial magic where the Earthbones never quieted down and are collectively termed as "Pearls of the Ehlnofey". Pearls from the Nilumin River in particular are known as "Tears of the Ehlnofey" and were sought by Aldmer divers, who considered them valuable in both healing and enhancing physical and magical ability, incorporating them in both talismans and [[Lore:Alchemy|alchemy]]. Legend ties the origin of such materials to sea-dwelling Ehlnofey with hearts of pearl, it is theorized that they have a special connection to physical laws, granting them real Aurbic power, and that the Ehlnofey themselves favor them. Whatever the case, Aldmeri talismans incorporating these "Pearls of Ehlnofey" are said to be far more powerful than their modern successors crafted by modern Altmer.{{ref|name=ONPE}} Myth claims that Aldmer explorers, the Sunbirds of Alinor, also used such raw Ehlnofic magic to pierce the veil between the Mundus and Aetherius and journey to the Immortal Plane.{{ref|name=FurnSunbird}}

While slumbering, Ehlnofey are said to be able to dream; the Spinners overseeing the Bone Orchard would tell the Old Bones stories of the Bosmer whose bodies were also buried there to give them something new to dream about.{{ref|name=Amariel}}

Some sources describe the Altmer as having the "blood of Ehlnofey", also called the "Old Blood", which is believed to be valuable in [[Lore:Blood Magic|Blood Magic]].{{ref|name=Gharakul|[[ON:Gharakul's Journal|Gharakul's Journal]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

==Behavior and Culture==
[[File:ON-npc-Olphras 02.jpg|The remains of Olphras, who acted as leader of the supposed Ehlnofey at the Bone Orchard|thumb|left]][[File:ON-quest-Keeper of Bones.jpg|thumb|right|The "Old Bones", supposed Ehlnofey, possessing Bosmer skeletons to stand in judgment of Dringoth]]
The "Old Bones" consider each other distant "family" due to so few of them still remaining within the world.{{ref|name=Dringoth}} They refer to others as "mortals" and, of those encountered, most view their inability to die as long as they're remembered in a negative manner, describing it as "the doom of endlessness". All but one of these beings are said to have journeyed far to remote places of the world where they could be fully forgotten and so could die, prior to becoming trapped as a result of Dringoth's actions.{{ref|name=Olphras}} This comports with Bosmer myth, which claims the Ehlnofey generally faded and vanished after journeying to the lost corners of the world.{{ref|name=Last}}

The language of the Ehlnofey, [[Lore:Ehlnofex Languages|Ehlnofex]], has been described as a dangerous "many-headed" language with characters that constantly distort as one looks at them.{{Ref|name=Thief|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|More on the Psijic Endeavor|ns_base=General}}}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL}} The Ayleids are said to have preserved the Dawn Era magics and runes of the Ehlnofey to a greater extent than other elves, suggesting comparatively greater similarity in their magical tradition.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}
{{NewLine}}
==Cultural Significance==
[[File:LO-people-Jephre.jpg|thumb|left|Jephre, as depicted by the Altmer]]
Altmer view themselves as "true children of the et'Ada", descendants of the Aldmer and the Ehlnofey, the Aedra or "Divines", that preceded them, in an "unbroken line" dating back to Nirn's creation.{{ref|name=Oghma|{{Cite Book|The Onus of the Oghma}}}}{{ref|name=Ayrenn|{{Cite Book|Ayrenn: The Unforeseen Queen}}}}{{ref|name=Rejection|{{Cite Book|A Rejection of Open Borders}}}} This belief was central to the ancestor worship of the Aldmer that eventually gave way to the Altmeri pantheon when the religion shifted from the worship of one's own ancestors to the worship of the ancestors of one's "betters", the most influential in their society.{{ref|name=PGE3Sum}} Most Altmer and Bosmer claim direct descent from Auri-El himself.{{ref|name=VOF}} Altmer also count deities like [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]], [[Lore:Syrabane|Syrabane]] and [[Lore:Phynaster|Phynaster]] among their ancestors.{{ref|name=PGE3Sum}} Due to this perceived origin, the Altmer believe that within each of them is housed the "divine spark", and thus they've an obligation to keep an Oghma, an "everscriven scroll" in which they memorialize the events of their lives in honor of their divine ancestors.{{ref|name=Oghma}} The Altmer use the eagle both in association with Auri-El,{{ref|name=ContDriftwood|[[ON:Contraband D|Driftwood Idol contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ContWingedAuriel|[[ON:Contraband W|Winged Auri-El contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}} and as a symbol representing the Aedra, their ancestors, who descended from Aetherius and became trapped in physical form by the creation of Nirn, as a whole.{{Ref|name=ESOKB|{{Cite Book|Elder Scrolls Online - Knowledge Base|ns_base=GEN}}}} This belief is also reflected in their stylistic motifs in which circles, arcs, and tendrils, abound, symbolizing the elven ancestors, the Aedra, being constrained by the creation of the Mundus.{{ref|name=AncientElf|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 11: Ancient Elf Style}}}} Altmeri prayers reference Auri-El as the Fixed Center of existence who always envelops all people and invoke him to grant his followers stability.{{ref|name=COTF|{{Cite Book|Coils of the Father}}}} Their prayers often emphasize their believed ancestral connection with the Aedra, urging the faithful to give praise to the Divines and thus to their own ancestral lines, and describing the Altmer as always having the gods in their lives. It is said that the body of the divine wills the Altmer into being, and that they are one with the gods, their ancestors, and so should venerate them as one.{{ref|name=Praise|{{Cite Book|Praise Be (Ancestor Song)}}}}{{ref|name=Mirnor|[[Online:Mirnor of Auri-El|Mirnor of Auri-El]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Owing to their perceived divine lineage, the Altmer believe it is possible for them to achieve apotheosis under certain conditions, and so they hope to one day rejoin their divine ancestors in the stars.{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=ESOVairabrian|[[ON:Vairabrian|Vairabrian]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=TAX}}

[[File:ON-misc-Wild Hunt Transform Cropped.jpg|A Wild Hunt transformation (ESO)|thumb|right]]
Bosmer are known to worship Y'ffre. A vital part of the Bosmeri pantheon, Y'ffre's Ehlnofey, or "Earthbones," were created from his corporeal form to establish safety and the laws of nature. These laws took the shape of stories, and there is great debate between tribes competing to interpret Y'ffre's ways and knowledge of the times of chaos, before Y'ffre arrived on the mortal plane.{{ref|name=GTEV|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/Valenwood}}}} Some legends claim that the Boiche Elves, originating from the Earthbones that followed Jephre, grew the first great [[Lore:Graht-oak|Graht-oak]] the out of the Perchance Acorn, which would become [[Lore:The_Towers#Green-Sap|Tower of Green-Sap]]. Due to the nature of the Acorn being, perchance, elsewhere, many different Green-Saps sprung in many different forms, forming the walking Graht-Oak forests of the Valenwood. Each one told its own stories of the Green, the forest home of the "Boiche-become-Bosmer".{{ref|name=AU4TET}} Some of the Bosmeri [[Lore:Spinners|Spinners]] are connected to the Earthbones, although the exact nature of this connection is unknown.{{ref|name=LES|[[Legends:Earthbone Spinner|Earthbone Spinner]] in ''[[Legends:Legends|Legends]]''}}

Altmer and Bosmer myth describes how during the Dawn Era, life and even the land itself were formless and constantly shifted between shapes until Y'ffre's Naming gave all things in Nirn an enduring form.{{ref|name=TOAF|{{Cite Book|The Ooze: A Fable}}}}{{ref|name=ONWildHuntCrate|[[Online:Wild Hunt Crate|Wild Hunt Crate]] descriptions in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} This event, the establishment of shape, is considered a core element of the [[Lore:Green Pact|Green Pact]]. In certain circumstances, such as a Wild Hunt, which is enacted in accordance with what the Pact allows, creatures can be made to "forget their Y'ffre taught shapes", causing the bonds of the Naming to unravel, and return to this original formless state.{{Ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=ONWildHuntCrate}}{{ref|name=ONWildHuntHorse|[[Online:Wild Hunt Horse|Wild Hunt Horse]] mount description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Within Bosmer belief, Y'ffre created day, night, and the places between through the manner in which he interpreted the laws of time established by [[Lore:Anui-El|Anui-El]] and applied them to Nirn. He is also believed to be responsible for the movements of the stars, which dance and sway to his compelling song.{{Ref|name=GESOD|[[Online:Girnalin#Dialogue|Girnalin]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} [[Lore:Dunmer|Dunmer]] faith also acknowledges Y'ffre as the deity responsible for the movements of the stars.{{Ref|name=Jephre|{{Cite Book|Of Jephre}}}}{{Ref|name=WCoNHR}}

Ancient Aldmer were known to utilize magic associated with Ehlnofey in their arcane craftsmanship.{{ref|name=ONPE}} According to the legend of the [[Lore:Viridian Sentinel|Viridian Sentinel]], long ago the [[Lore:Direnni|Direnni]] forged a covenant with the Earth Bones to protect their settlements from the wild. The [[Lore:Breton|Bretons]], who displaced the Direnni, had no such arrangement, and as a result, their farms in [[Lore:Bangkorai|Bangkorai]] were gradually overrun by the wilderness. The people were pushed to the brink of starvation, causing a young boy [[Lore:Greenward|Greenward]] to pray to [[Lore:Stendarr|Stendarr]] for salvation. Stendarr taught him to forge a new pact with the forest, giving him the power to restrain the natural creatures within. He thus became the first Viridian Sentinel.{{ref|name=TVS|{{Cite Book|The Viridian Sentinel}}}}

[[Lore:Reachmen|Reachfolk]] honor a diverse array of [[Lore:Nature Spirits|nature spirits]], incarnations of nature birthed from [[Lore:The Green|the Green]], the lifeforce of Nirn's natural world, created in the Dawn Era by the sacrifice of Y'ffre and the Earthbones.{{ref|name=Frii|[[Online:Frii|Frii]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Ooze|{{Cite Book|The Ooze: A Fable}}}}{{ref|name=Gauntlets|[[Online:Psijic Style|Psijic Style]] description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Audrine|[[Online:Druid Audrine|Druid Audrine]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Laurel|[[Online:Druid Laurel|Druid Laurel]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The spirits honored by the Reachfolk can have distinct characteristics, such as the spirits associated with springs, trees or sacred animals.{{ref|name=GSOTER2|{{Cite Book|Great Spirits of the Reach: Volume 2}}}}{{Ref|name=Malug|[[ON:Malug|Malug]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]<nowiki>:</nowiki> ''[[Online:Markarth (DLC)|Markarth]]''}} Their [[Lore:Reachman Shamans|shamans]] occasionally utilize calming spirits that may inhabit their [[Lore:Staves|staves]].{{ref|name=SOTSW|{{Item Link|name=Staff of the Spirit Within|itemid=167400|quality=Fine|summary=1|Staff of the Spirit Within}}}} Expressing gratitude to nature spirits, they make it a practice to thank them before felling trees and replace them by planting new ones.{{Ref|name=Malug}}

Y'ffre and the Earthbones play a central role in the beliefs of both [[Lore:Druids|Druids]] and [[Lore:Wyrd|Wyrd]].{{ref|name=Wyrd|{{Cite Book|Wyrd and Druid}}}}.The Druids commune with the voices of Y'ffre and the Earthbones for guidance and tap into their power through their magic.{{ref|name=Audrine}}{{ref|name=Legacy|{{Cite Book|Legacy of the Bretons}}}} The Wyresses believe that during Y'ffre's Naming, the act which gave all life on Nirn its shape,{{ref|name=ESOWHC|[[Online:Wild Hunt Crate|Wild Hunt Crown Crate]] season description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} the deity tasked the Earthbones to choose those who would become the guardians of nature,{{ref|name=Wyresses|{{Cite Book|Wyresses: The Name-Daughters}}}} a task ultimately given to the Wyresses, the Name-Daughters, who are descendants of the Ehlnofey themselves.{{Ref|name=WCoNHR}} Like the Druids, the Wyresses draw upon the power of the Earthbones through their magic.{{ref|name=GalerionVeil|[[Online:Vanus Galerion | Vanus Galerion's ]] dialogue during [[Online:Through a Veil Darkly|Through a Veil Darkly]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

The "Old Ways" of the [[Lore:Psijic Order|Psijic Order]] are said to combine [[Lore:Mysticism|mysticism]], the Eleven Forces and the divine laws that define reality into a philosophy and way of life which boasts a deep understanding of the Ehlnofey, from whose lines the races of Man and Mer arose.{{ref|name=Mystery}} Indeed, some sources claim that the Psijics were originally taught the "Old Ways" by the Ehlnofey themselves.{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview}}

According to the [[Lore:Cult of the Ancestor Moth|Order of the Ancestor Moth]], mortal [[Lore:Souls|souls]] are the Aedric essence at the core of every mortal's existence.{{Ref|name=TDS|{{Cite Book|The Distributed Soul}}}} Souls have also been described as the piece of every mortal which comes from Aetherius, the realm of pure light and magic, and a "tiny [[Lore:Stars|star"]] which flares into a [[Lore:Sun|"sun"]] when magic is invoked.{{Ref|name=LOS|{{Cite Book|Lord of Souls|}}}}{{rp|52}}

The existence and nature of the spirits involved in the creation of the Mundus has been subject of commentary by some of the Daedra, though even among them various views exist. The [[Lore:Dremora|Dremora]] [[Lore:Lyranth|Lyranth]] described the Mundus as the "cemetery" of the Aedra, claiming that their original hopes for their mortal descendants, and their world, were ultimately not achieved due to the mortal's foolishness. Nonetheless, though the creators of the Mundus are said to have "died in pursuit of an impossible goal", they are praised for their immense conviction and admired for having wrought order out of chaos, a "brutal coercion" which even Daedra must deem impressive. By contrast, Magnus and the Magna-Ge are viewed as cowards, no other spirits being as low, who fled when things turned dire, thus making it impossible to ever know what could've been achieved had they chosen to stay and keep helping to the end.{{ref|name=Lyranth2}} Contrasting Lyranth's view, the [[Lore:Mazken|Mazken]] information broker Madam Whim claimed that no living being existed which could explain the true relationship between the Aedra and the [[Lore:Daedric Princes|Daedric Princes]], and that no information she'd ever come across in her long life indicated the Aedra were anything more than a story mortals told themselves to feel safer in their beds at night.{{Ref|name=Whim|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Malacath and Maelstrom}}}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:ON-npc-Goradir.jpg|The remains of Goradir, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Skeletons (Bone Orchard).jpg|Ehlnofey spirits possessing Bosmer skeletons (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Olphras.jpg|Olphras, leader of the "Old Bones", possessing a Bosmer skeleton (ESO)
File:ON-object-Spirit (Bone Orchard).jpg|One of the Bone Orchard spirits prior to possessing a body (ESO)
File:ON-place-Bone Orchard.jpg|The Bone Orchard (ESO)
File:ON-item-armor-Earthbone Ayleid (female).jpg|"Earthbone Ayleid" style armor (ESO)
File:ON-crown store-Earthbone Ayleid Style.jpg|"Earthbone Ayleid" style weapons (ESO)
File:LG-cardart-Earthbone Spinner.png|Earthbone Spinner (Legends)
File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Water.jpg|Guardian of the Water (pre-ESO patch)
File:ON-npc-Olphras (old).jpg|The remains of Olphras, a supposed Ehlnofey (pre-ESO patch)
</gallery>

==Notes==
[[File:ON-creature-Tzirzhalir.jpg|Tzirzhalir|thumb|right]]
* The war between the Ehlnofey described in ''[[Lore:The Annotated Anuad|The Annotated Anuad]]'' bears many striking parallels with the war between Lorkhan and [[Lore:Auriel|Auriel]] described in ''[[Lore:The Monomyth|The Monomyth]]'', and the texts are likely summarizing the same events from different historiographical perspectives.
*The Ehlnofex war has been described by some sources as being the same event as [[Lore:Convention|Convention]] told in a different manner.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}}
*[[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] has been described as the ''"greatest knight of the Ehlnofey, champion of the Dragon of Time"'' in certain [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiilic]] folktales.{{Ref|name=LOS}}.{{Ref|name=Whim}}
*The common practice of Dunmer and Altmer to dress in a manner resembling that of the ancient Aldmer, or that of other cultures that resemble the Aldmeri style, such as the ancient Ayleids and Chimer, elves of the [[Lore:Merethic Era|Merethic Era]], which is often viewed by the Mer as their golden age, is called "draping Ehlnofic". Bosmer, who like [[Lore:Argonian|Argonians]] prefer to live in the "Aurbic Now", are said to generally not share the practice.{{ref|name=AncientElf}}
*The "Old Bones" being ancient gargantuan creatures of bone bares some resemblance to another gigantic skeletal being that existed since ancient times known as [[Lore:Tzirzhalir|Tzirzhalir]].{{Ref|name=Tzirzhalir|[[ON:Tzirzhalir|Tzirzhalir]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Harrowstorm|Harrowstorm]]''}}{{Ref|name=KRN|{{Cite Book|Kjalnar's Research Notes}}}} A similar looking creature to Tzirhalir, called Mzrelnir, was found in the Lucent Citadel in [[Lore:Fargrave|Fargrave]].{{ref|name=LC|[[ON:Lucent Citadel|Lucent Citadel]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Gold Road|Gold Road]]''}} Some similarity also existed between the names of these beings, and those of some of the "Old Bones" such as Goradir or Fildenir.{{ref|name=ONGoradir|[[Online:Goradir|Goradir]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ONFildenir|[[Online:Fildenir|Fildenir]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

==See Also==
* {{GSI|Online:Ehlnofey}}
===Books===
* {{Book Link|The Annotated Anuad}}
* {{Book Link|Before the Ages of Man}}
* {{Book Link|The Monomyth}}

==References==
<references/>{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>
{{Lore Races}}{{Lore Altmer Religion}}{{Lore Bosmer Religion}}{{Lore Breton Religion}}{{Lore Reachman Religion}}
</noinclude>

Lore talk:Ehlnofey

2025-06-15T21:37:11Z

Minor Edits: /* Mystery of Artaeum and Annotated Anuad phrasing nitpick */ r

Lore:Martin Septim

2025-06-15T20:44:01Z

Minor Edits: tweaks, quote boxes

<noinclude>__NOTOC__{{Lore People Summary
|race=Imperial
|gender=Male
|birth=Third Era
|death=3E 433
|deathLoc=Temple of the One
|reignStart=3E 433
|reignEnd=3E 433
|prev=Uriel Septim VII
|next=Ocato of Firsthold
|loc=[[Lore:Kvatch|Kvatch]], [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]]
|appears=[[Oblivion:Brother Martin|Oblivion]], [[Legends:Martin Septim|Legends]]
|image=OBR-npc-Brother Martin 11.jpg
|imgdesc=wearing the Amulet of Kings
}}{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none|''Unbeknownst even to himself, Martin was the bastard son of Uriel Septim VII, and the last heir to the Ruby Throne. He alone could use the Amulet of Kings to light the Dragonfires that wards the barrier between Tamriel and Oblivion, and save the world from the Mythic Dawn plot.|[[Lore:The Oblivion Crisis|The Oblivion Crisis]]''}}
</noinclude>[[Lore:Martin Septim|Martin Septim]] was the illegitimate son of [[Lore:Uriel Septim VII|Uriel Septim VII]] and a mysterious mother.{{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}} Martin was spirited away as an infant by [[Lore:Jauffre|Jauffre]], the Grandmaster of the Blades.{{ref|name=OBJauffre|[[Oblivion:Jauffre|Jauffre]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} Martin grew up knowing nothing of this, and eventually became a Priest of [[Lore:Akatosh|Akatosh]] in the city of [[Lore:Kvatch|Kvatch]]. That was where he found himself when his father and half-brothers were assassinated by the [[Lore:Mythic Dawn|Mythic Dawn]], leaving him as the unwitting sole heir to the Ruby Throne at the onset of the [[Lore:Oblivion Crisis|Oblivion Crisis]]. [[Lore:Blades|Blades]] agents were able to find Martin and keep him safe until the end of the crisis, when the uncrowned Emperor of [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]] was forced to sacrifice himself to stop [[Lore:Mehrunes Dagon|Mehrunes Dagon]].{{ref|name=TOC|{{Cite Book|The Oblivion Crisis}}}}<noinclude>

==History==
Uriel VII asked Jauffre for updates on Martin's progress from time to time,{{ref|name=OBJauffre}} but that was the extent of the Emperor's relationship with his son. That is, until the 27th of Last Seed, the year of Akatosh 433, when the Emperor gave his final instructions to a [[Lore:Hero of Kvatch|prisoner]] he had just met: to find his son, and close shut the jaws of [[Lore:Oblivion|Oblivion]].{{ref|name=OBURiel|[[Oblivion:Emperor Uriel Septim|Emperor Uriel Septim]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}

===Rude Awakenings===
{{Quote Box|style=float:none; max-width:none|''We threw ourselves into the riddles of daedric magic. We hungered for forbidden secrets. Knowledge and power were our gods. You can guess the rest. We got in over our heads. People died. My friends died. I've put those days behind me. But the bitter wisdom that one has been a fool is not without value.''}}

[[File:OB-npc-Martin 05.jpg|Martin fighting a member of the Mythic Dawn|thumb|left]]
Martin grew up thinking his father was a farmer. As a young man, Martin was an apprentice of the [[Lore:Mages Guild|Mages Guild]], but like many of his fellow peers he grew impatient with its restrictions. As knowledge and power were their "gods", he and his friends turned to worshipping [[Lore:Sanguine|Sanguine]], learning much about the riddles of the [[Lore:Magic|magic]] of [[Lore:Daedra|Daedra]]. At one point, he briefly possessed the [[Lore:Sanguine Rose|Sanguine Rose]].{{intnote|nb2|[nb 2]}} Martin eventually turned away from Daedra worship after a tragedy befell him which involved the deaths of several friends, which he attributed to getting in over his head, hungering for forbidden secrets. He rededicated himself to the [[Lore:Nine Divines|Nine Divines]] and became Brother Martin, a Priest of Akatosh at Kvatch's Chapel of Akatosh.{{ref|name=OBMartin|[[Oblivion:Brother Martin|Martin]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} When the Daedra attacked Kvatch, he joined others in barricading themselves inside the Chapel, and he reportedly saved many lives.{{ref|name=OBTierra|[[Oblivion:Tierra|Tierra]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} The prisoner Uriel VII had trusted, newly minted as the "Hero of Kvatch" for closing the {{Lore Link|Oblivion Gate}} at the city, persuaded Martin to come with them to see Jauffre.{{ref|name=OBBreaking|[[Oblivion:Breaking the Siege of Kvatch|Breaking the Siege of Kvatch]] quest in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}

Martin and the hero found their way to [[Lore:Weynon Priory|Weynon Priory]] only to discover it was being sacked by the Mythic Dawn. They arrived just in time to save Jauffre, but the damage was done: the Dawn found and stole the [[Lore:Amulet of Kings|Amulet of Kings]]. Jauffre led Martin to the safety of [[Lore:Cloud Ruler Temple|Cloud Ruler Temple]], the most secure fortress of the Blades in all of [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]], where they hailed him as [[Lore:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]].{{ref|name=OBWeynon|[[Oblivion:Weynon Priory (quest)|Weynon Priory]] quest in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}
{{NewLeft}}
===Fighting the Dawn===
From Cloud Ruler Temple, Martin led the effort to unravel the Mythic Dawn's plans and reacquire the Amulet of Kings. Though unsure of himself, he ironically found great strength in his darkest demons, as his experiences with Daedric magic had made him well-educated on the nature of the crisis they faced.{{ref|name=OBPath|[[Oblivion:The Path of Dawn|The Path of Dawn]] quest in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}} He proved quite adept at assessing the threat and working out plans to turn the tables on their enemy. When the Hero of Kvatch brought him the [[Lore:Mysterium Xarxes|Mysterium Xarxes]], he was able to protect himself from its evil magic and learned enough from it to devise a plan to track down [[Lore:Mankar Camoran|Mankar Camoran]] and take back the Amulet of Kings.{{ref|name=Oblivion|Events of ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}

Eventually, at Martin's request, Countess [[Lore:Narina Carvain|Narina Carvain]] of [[Lore:Bruma|Bruma]] allowed a Great Gate to be opened outside her city, and Martin led the defense of the city himself while his champion, the Hero of Kvatch, entered the gate to recover the materials they needed to reach Mankar and the Amulet. When the hero emerged from the closing gate, it was as the Savior of Bruma. Martin opened a portal to Mankar Camoran's realm of [[Lore:Paradise|Paradise]], and the Savior of Bruma entered to reclaim the Amulet. As always, Uriel VII's chosen messenger got back to Martin victorious.{{ref|name=Oblivion}}
===Emperor Martin Septim I===
[[File:LG-cardart-Avatar of Akatosh 02.jpg|Martin as the Avatar of Akatosh|thumb|right]]
With the Amulet in hand, Brother Martin was proclaimed Emperor Martin Septim I by [[Lore:Ocato of Firsthold|High Chancellor Ocato]], but before he could actually take the throne or be crowned, Mehrunes Dagon launched a last-ditch attack upon the [[Lore:Imperial City|Imperial City]] to stop him, opening Oblivion Gates all over the city and manifesting personally as a red, four-armed, colossal giant. The veil of Oblivion was torn, the [[Lore:Dragonfires|Dragonfires]] rendered useless, and Dagon himself stood in the heart of Tamriel, intent on its destruction. But his plan would prove fruitless, for once again, Martin had a better one.{{ref|name=OBLight|[[Oblivion:Light the Dragonfires|Light the Dragonfires]] quest in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}

Martin and his escort fought their way from the [[Lore:White-Gold Tower|White-Gold Tower]] to the [[Lore:Temple of the One|Temple of the One]], where Martin shattered the Amulet of Kings, transforming himself into an avatar of Akatosh (and thereby [[Lore:Mantling|mantling]] Akatosh and achieving [[Lore:Apotheosis|apotheosis]], according to some).{{ref|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=gen}}}}{{ref|name=GIKurtKuhlmann|group=UOL|[[General:Kurt Kuhlmann|Kurt Kuhlmann]]'s comments on ''[[General:Decrypting the Elder Scrolls|Decrypting The Elder Scrolls]]'' — [[Wikipedia:Game Informer|Game Informer]] article}} Dagon was defeated, after which the avatar turned into a statue at the center of the ruined temple. The enormous feat cost Martin's life to perform, but his sacrifice "sealed the gates of Oblivion forever", and ensured that the Daedra could never again threaten the people of Tamriel. The new [[Lore:Liminal Barriers|barrier]] was noted to be too powerful for even a [[Lore:Sigil Stone|Sigil Stone]], an object in the presence of which it was said even "a thousand [[Lore:Soul Gem|soul gems]] would likely dissolve", to breach for more than fleeting moments.{{ref|name=OBLight}}{{ref|name=Excavation|[[Skyrim:Excavation Leader's Journal|Excavation Leader's Journal]] in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{ref|name=OBMartin}}{{ref|name=VonosJournal|{{Cite Book|Vonos' Journal}}}} Of course, conjecture about what actually happened is rampant across Tamriel;{{ref|name=TOC}} the [[Lore:Nord|Nord]]s have passed down stories believing Martin turned into the spirit of Akatosh and "killed" Mehrunes Dagon,{{ref|name=AlduinIsreal|{{Cite Book|Alduin is Real}}}} while the [[Lore:Thalmor|Thalmor]] have tried to take credit for ending the crisis.{{ref|name=RT|{{Cite Book|Rising Threat}}}} Despite this, Martin Septim is still generally, and rightfully, acclaimed as the true savior of Tamriel.{{ref|name=TOC}}{{ref|name=RT}}{{ref|name=SRSheogorath|[[Skyrim:Sheogorath|Sheogorath]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} The Hero of Kvatch would also ruminate on Martin's sacrifice, speculating whether he was dead, or whether he might've ascended to join his ancestor [[Lore:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]] as a [[Lore:Gods|god]].{{ref|name=OBLightLogs|Quest logs during [[Oblivion:Light the Dragonfires|Light the Dragonfires]] in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:OB-npc-Martin.jpg|Brother Martin (Oblivion)
File:OBR-npc-Brother Martin.jpg|Brother Martin (Oblivion Remastered)
File:OB-npc-Martin Armored.png|In Imperial Dragon armor (Oblivion)
File:OBR-npc-Brother Martin 09.jpg|In Imperial Dragon Armor (Oblivion Remastered)
File:OBR-npc-Brother Martin 07.jpg|In a full set of Imperial Dragon armor (Oblivion Remastered)
File:OBR-npc-Brother Martin 08.jpg|In Imperial Dragon armor, close-up (Oblivion Remastered)
File:OBR-npc-Brother Martin 10.jpg|Emperor Martin Septim (Oblivion Remastered)
File:OB-quest-Light the Dragonfires 02.jpg|Martin as the avatar of Akatosh (Oblivion)
LG-cardart-Martin Septim.png|Martin Septim (Legends)
File:OBR-misc-Oblivion Remastered Poster.jpg|Martin in an Oblivion Remastered poster (left)
</gallery>

==Notes==
*{{LNote|nb1|1.|Martin's mother is not known, but [[Lore:Caius Cosades|Caius Cosades]] suspected it was "that Gemile girl" that Uriel VII had "put out of the way" right after the [[Lore:Warp in the West|Warp in the West]].{{ref|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Caius Cosades' Visit to Uriel VII's Tomb|ns_base=gen}}}}}}
*{{LNote|nb2|2.|That Martin worshipped Sanguine specifically is inferred from his remarks that he was part of a Daedric cult in his youth and that he once briefly possessed Sanguine's Rose.}}
*An early design document for the Atmoran Pantheon in ''[[SR:Skyrim|Skyrim]]'' stated that [[Lore:Nord|Nord]]s believed that it was [[Lore:Talos|Talos]] (Martin's forefather) lending his aid instead of Akatosh, but this idea was ultimately scrapped when the totemic religion was discarded in favor of using the Imperial [[Lore:Divines|Nine Divines]].{{ref|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Nords' Totemic Religion|ns_base=GEN}}}}
*In {{Year|4E 201}}, the [[Lore:Daedric Prince|Daedric Prince]] [[Lore:Sheogorath|Sheogorath]], who had been the Hero of Kvatch, described Martin as "the best Septim that's ever ruled", but also noted that Martin had "turned into a dragon god", which was "hardly sporting" towards the other Septims.{{ref|name=Skyrim|[[SR:Sheogorath|Sheogorath]]'s dialogue in {{g|skyrim}}}}

==See Also==
*{{GSI|Oblivion:Brother Martin|Legends:Martin Septim}}

==References==
<references/>
{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>
[[Category:Lore-People-Dragonborn]]

[[fr:Lore:Martin Septim]]
</noinclude>

Lore talk:Akatosh

2025-06-15T20:37:08Z

Minor Edits: /* Capitalization: avatar or Avatar? */ fix

== Akatosh IS NOT the One ==

The One was a religious concept invented by Alessia to supplement the worship of the Eight Divines (which INCLUDED Akatosh!) and was the faith of the Alessian Doctrines of monotheism. The One is basically an appropriation of the Nordic Allmaker, and represents a fusion of Anu and Padomay, the Godhead totality the universe sprang from. Oblivion's sloppiness in the placement of the dragonfires (not to mention the irrelevance and misleading nature of the dragonfires in the first place) is responsible for this confusion. Do not revert the article until you have made your case. {{unsigned| 24.31.156.165|27 July 2008}}
:Matches what i've read, although a few references and maybe a note about the disparity in Oblivion would be helpful. --[[User:Benould|Benould]]•[[User_Talk:Benould|T]]•[[Special:Contributions/Benould|C]] 20:32, 26 July 2008 (EDT)

::It's not disparity since Oblivion never says anything different. Oblivion just portrays stuff that doesn't make sense and doesn't give a crap about who the One is. Details would be more helpful in the Temple of the One article. {{unsigned|Temple-Zero|27 July 2008}}

:::Like it or not, Oblivion is part of Elder Scrolls lore, and to simply state that Oblivion is wrong about certain lore elements is a fallacy, because Oblivion IS part of the lore. If statements made in Oblivion are contradictory towards statements found elsewhere in the lore, this does not necessarily invalidate one or the other version of the lore. It simply means that there is a discrepency which should be discussed from ''both'' sides. There is not necessarily one and only one interpretation for what is seen in the lore, and not just because this is a fictional universe. (There are similar contradictory myths if you look at any real-world mythological source as well, or even at supposed historical events. Sometimes we just don't know what really happened.) This is why we prefer that statements made pertaining to lore be linked to in-game (or at least Bethesda-originated) sources, allowing the readers to see and decide for themselves which version of the lore they choose to believe. --[[User:TheRealLurlock|TheRealLurlock]] [[User_talk:TheRealLurlock|Talk]] 23:35, 26 July 2008 (EDT)

::::You don't understand. Oblivion did not present an alternate version of the One. Oblivion merely used old information presented in a confusing way. Nothing has changed with the One in TES IV. And I just gave you an entire page of sources and more. There are not two sides to this, so please don't lecture me without cause.{{unsigned|Temple-Zero|27 July 2008}}

:::::I thought that the one was [[Lore:Talos|Talos]]. [[User:83.59.146.119|83.59.146.119]] 14:35, 20 January 2009 (EST)

::::::The One was the god of the Alessian Order, which is like Constantine declaring Christianity the official religion of Rome, banning all other religions, music, and dancing, and then leading crusades for a while until the new church broke up and everyone went back to worshiping Saturn and Mars and the rest, but kept the old temples because the stone looked nice.[[User:Temple-Zero|Temple-Zero]] 15:05, 20 January 2009 (EST)

::::::: I can see why it can be confusing seeing as Oblivion doesn't mention anything about two different religions. If that's the case then I agree that all information should be in Lore section of the Temple of One. That page could use some attention anyway. ([[User:Gadianzero|Gadianzero]] 18:34, 20 January 2009 (EST))
:::::::: We have an Alessian Order page, though it is even more stubbish.[[User:Temple-Zero|Temple-Zero]] 18:47, 20 January 2009 (EST)

:::::::: If the information intermingles too much with each other then I think they should be merged into one large article with one redirected into another. I can't say I know too much about this area though. ([[User:Gadianzero|Gadianzero]] 01:56, 21 January 2009 (EST))

::::::::: I Think you are getting to into it. If you think about it on a standpoint saying that its possible that the people of the empire worship Akatosh and not Anu or Padomay possible do to a mistake in worship that happened in some untold point of the elder scrolls universe timeline.So there is another quite possible answer. I also appreciate even if it was unplanned that there are different ways for the lore to be taken so you can keep a good conversation going.

== I Think The Oblivion Lore Of Akatosh Should Be On Featured Articles And Heres Why! ==

Well I Think Akatosh Is An Important Charecter Considering He Is The One To Save All Of tamriel in theory So i ask for a new featured Article[[User:Darkakaviri666|Darkakaviri666]] 12:29, 5 July 2010 (UTC)

: The criteria for giving an article "featured" status don't include importance. To quote from [[UESPWiki:Featured Articles]]: ''"Featured articles are ... of the highest quality and should be held up as an example for other articles. Articles are ... review[ed] ... for content, style, completeness, and overall quality"'' I'm afraid this article doesn't come close. It needs more detail along with references before it can be considered. It's better than a lot of our Lore articles, but that's not saying much. [[User:Rpeh|rpeh]] •[[User_Talk:Rpeh|T]]•[[Special:Contributions/Rpeh|C]]•[[Special:Emailuser/Rpeh|E]]• 13:53, 5 July 2010 (UTC)

== Someone less lazy than me want to add something? ==
Should the story of Moraelyn getting his ebon blade from Akatosh or any of the other Akatosh related stuff from the Biography of King Edward be included? [[Special:Contributions/209.136.161.135|209.136.161.135]] 16:12, 27 August 2010 (UTC)

== Auriel's Bow ==

Does Auriel's Bow and shield count as his artifact([[User:Vvardfell|Vvardfell]] 13:00, 28 November 2010 (UTC))

== Akatosh/Auriel/Alduin ==

Alduin and Auriel is the nordic and aldmeri aspects of Akatosh. I've tried to figure out which one is the "correct" one. I've come to the conclution that Auriel and Akatosh is one and the same, only worshipped in different ways, while Alduin might be a different existing god. If we look at Akatosh and Alduin, we see that they share many similarities in terms of personality, their role in the mythology, and other things. Also, as stated in "Shezarr and the Divines", Akatosh IS Auriel, chosen by Alessia as the head of the Imperial pantheon so that the needs that up untill then had worshipped the aldmeri pantheon would relate to it easier, while her nord allies could also relate to him as Alduin. But there are key differences as well; while both Akatosh and Auriel is the god of time, Auriel was an Aldmeri god-king, and only associated with a dragon, while akatosh IS a dragon, a similarity shared with the nordic Alduin. This might be explained by the possibility that Auriel might not have been a dragon while he walked the earth in the dawn era, but later prefered to appear as a dragon after his ascension. Alduin however, is the god of time in another way, he is more of a doomsday god, who destroys the old world and creates the new one. So in terms of what they are god of, which I think is the most important, we can see that all of them share similarities, but Alduin governs the aspect of "time" in a very different way. I would therefor conclude that all of these three are two different divine beings, Akatosh/Auriel, and Alduin. [[Special:Contributions/2.150.139.201|2.150.139.201]] 16:14, 10 July 2011 (UTC)

: Alduin's relation to the other two will likely be expanded for Skyrim. Until more information comes to light, it has to be assumed that they are all one in the same. Ruptga, head of the Yokudan pantheon, is likely to be another aspect of Akatosh, yet he shares almost no similarities with the Tamrielic versions. In comparison, Alduin shares many traits with the other two. The gods seem to be purposefully mysterious and abstract, so its doubtful that Bethesda will clear up the differences between each cultural version of the God of Time. --[[User:Legoless|Legoless]] 16:57, 10 July 2011 (UTC)

:: What I think is interesting is the fact that different religions in the elder scrolls lore contradict with each other, much like the major religions in our world. But the question remains if this is intended by Bethesda, or simply accidental, as if they forget to check their own lore before creating new material. A possible explenation of the contradiction could be that many of the religions or at least bits of them are actually fictional, but unlike in our world, there is actually evidence of divinities in the elder scrolls, like the Heart of Lorkhan and the avatar of Akatosh in Oblivion, which creates the question: Which form of the different aspects of these gods (Lorkhan, Akatosh, Auriel, Shezarr, Shor...) is the one closest to that gods actual nature? [[User:Jyggorath|Jyggorath]] 14:46, 11 July 2011 (UTC)

:::Isn't Alduin the Dragon God that wakes up again to destroy the world in TESV: Skyrim? If so should this be in the Akatosh article? Or is there already an Alduin article? And.. so from what I've read they are one in the same? Does this mean you actually have to defeat a God in Skyrim? --[[User:D. Gemini|D. Gemini]] 03:30, 12 September 2011 (UTC)
::::Wait...In Oblivion, it is specifically stated that the Nine Divines, unlike the Daedra, do not manifest themselves physically (that is why you had to retrieve the cuiras of Tiber Septim). However, Alduin very clearly has a physical manifestation, as indicated by both the record on Alduin's wall and the various refrences so far given concerning the plot of the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. If this is true, then Alduin cannot be Akatosh. Plus, the Dovahkiin are blessed by the gods (as specifically stated by Tod Howard himself) and Akatosh is one of the gods (and in fact the most likely to be able to bless one as a Dragon Born) so it would be illogical to think that he is Alduin as that would mean he blessed the player with the ability to kill him. {{uns|158.158.240.230|00:21, 2 October 2011 (GMT)}}

::::: Alduin isn't a part of the Nine Divines. In Oblivion, it's stated that the Nine don't create artifacts, not that they don't manifest themselves in an avatar. --[[User:Legoless|Legoless]] 00:09, 2 October 2011 (UTC)

::::::Yes, but the importance of the artifacts in the first place was that Deadric and (in theory) Divine artifacts contained the blood of their creators. My point is that, as stated by Martin in Oblivion, the Nine Divines don't have physical forms of any kind from which to get blood. Deadra do, so you could use any deadric artifact you wished. But in order to get the blood of a Divine, you had to get the blood of Tiber Septim, because he later ascended to become Talos, thus making his blood divine. Alduin is not, as far as we can tell, an avatar (a projection of existance) like Martin became, but in fact a very real dragon. And that is where my point lies: if it is true, as stated in Oblivion, that the Nine do not manifest themselves in true physical forms, and Alduin has a true physical form (as the indications show), then Alduin cannot possibly be Akatosh. Of course, we cannot be sure of this until Skyrim comes out. {{uns|174.252.177.125|21:04, 2 October 2011 (GMT)}}

::::::: Stating that Alduin has a physical form has no basis. The big black dragon could be just as much an avatar as Akatosh's appearance in Oblivion, or the various members of the Nine Divines who appeared as mortals in Morrowind. Of course Alduin isn't Akatosh; Akatosh is the Imperial version of the Time Dragon, while Alduin in the Nordic version. Unless you have references to back up your claims, they're as good as speculation. --[[User:Legoless|Legoless]] 20:10, 2 October 2011 (UTC)

:::::::: Now that Skyrim has been released, and that I personally have seen him crush the wall of a tower (a physical object) with his metalic, ornamental face, I find it safe to assume that Alduin is actualy physical, and therefor not Akatosh nor an aspect of him. What he is however will need research, But as of now, he has been confirmed to not be Alduin, by Bethesda through the words of Maiq the Lair, that Akatosh is not Alduin. ~ (Unsigned, due to formatting error)

== Daggerfall references & Pic ==

There's some info currently on the page that only comes from Daggerfall. I couldn't figure out the best way to cite to it; don't know enough about Daggerfall. "Dialogue before the Warp in the West" or something like that might be appropriate; if anyone knows what NPC(s) actually communicate this info in Daggerfall, even better.

I moved the stained-glass image of Akatosh a little down the page because I thought it looked better than cramming the text directly between the two images. But, meh; fiddle as you see fit. [[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]] 23:52, 13 July 2011 (UTC)

: "''Events of [[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''" is usually fine for the reference if you can't find an exact source. --[[User:Legoless|Legoless]] 23:57, 13 July 2011 (UTC)

== Found in every pantheon? ==

This article says that Akatosh is "one of two deities found in every [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamrielic]] religion" however he is not represented in the Dunmeri religion, as stated on our article on the different Pantheons of Tamriel. Should this not be revised to be brought in line with our other article, and changed to something like this: "one of two deities found in every [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamrielic]] religion, bar the Tribunal Temple? --[[User:OblivionDuruza|OblivionDuruza]] 06:17, 27 August 2011 (UTC)

:The article already notes this exception.[[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]] 08:15, 27 August 2011 (UTC)

::Hmm, that's odd, I was given the impression that it didn't, while the others did, by a user over on the Forums. May have been referring to a different page. I'll double check. (Could also have been me brining it up on the wrong page by mistake)--[[User:OblivionDuruza|OblivionDuruza]] 13:00, 29 August 2011 (UTC)

:::isnt auriel in dunmer religion, and auriel is akatosh, right? ("From Fear to Eternity- [[User:Eddie the head|Eddie The Head]] 13:02, 29 August 2011 (UTC))

:::: Auriel is the Aldmeri variation of Akatosh yes, but the Dunmer don't worship the Nine.--[[User:OblivionDuruza|OblivionDuruza]] 10:50, 1 September 2011 (UTC)

==Firstborn of Akatosh==
This is not a line that can be taken at face value. It is loaded with implications and half truths, given that it refers to past universes.

Being a son of Akatosh in a methaphysical sense does not rule out being an aspect of Akatosh. Just look at Jesus. Furthermore, the way Alduin would have become the son of Akatosh would be by mantling in the last kalpa, which would make him a former aspect of Akatosh. Lastly, Varieties of Faith still identifies Alduin as the Nordic version of Akatosh (although this means that he is an independent being), so we can expect that this is what the citizens of Tamriel believe, while only the player character heard Alduin's shouts. This is all a little beyond the scope of the article, so let's let it be. Akatosh himself was invented by Alessia, remember.[[Special:Contributions/132.162.73.252|132.162.73.252]] 05:36, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

:From what I've concluded through playing the game, it seems to me that Alduin and Akatosh are completely separate entities. Akatosh is, first and foremost, one of the Aedra; fundamentally "good" as far as we can use the term in context, divine, and, rightfully, a god. Alduin, however, is simply the first of Akatosh's dragon progeny; while this grants him additional powers that make him more powerful than most other dragons, this does not in any way make him a god, or even an aspect of Akatosh. In-game dialogue from Paarthurnax, who we can assume to be Alduin's immediately younger sibling, seems to show that Alduin is far more mortal than is believed by men; his reservation of the "right" to hunt in Sovngarde implies that other dragons could very well do so if Alduin did not prevent them, and the fact that the other dragons were becoming curious as to whether Alduin was strong enough to lead seems to imply that Alduin was not a God, but simply the "alpha male" of dragonkind. If Alduin was indeed a facet of Akatosh or a God in his own right, then his strength would not be questioned by his dragon siblings.

:This isn't to say, however, that Alduin is a completely mortal creature. Given his unique "death" sequence in Sovngarde after being "killed" by the Dragonborn player, and the fact that his soul is ''not'' absorbed by the Dragonborn, it can be assumed that, similarly to the Daedra, he cannot be permanently killed, as opposed to other dragons, which are more or less mortal creatures.

:This is, at least, what I got from playing through the storyline.

:--[[User:Lee 95|Lee 95]] 04:55, 26 January 2012 (UTC)

::Long story short, this article should at least note the connection with Alduin. Basically everything Lee said is well-settled at this point. Varieties of Faith is from Morrowind, and I think it's safe to say it has been retconned. I don't mean necessarily that the "real" concept of Alduin was not already conceived at that point, but it's certain that from a lore perspective, falsehoods presented in previous times have since been rebutted by new, more reliable sources in subsequent games. Varieties of Faith pertains to the theories of the various pantheons ''from an Imperial perspective'', like [[Lore:The Alduin/Akatosh Dichotomy|The Alduin/Akatosh Dichotomy]], and we know that Imperial scholars were prone to perpetuate the misconception that Alduin and Akatosh were the same thing, despite the [[Lore:Alduin is Real|objections]] of the people who best understood their own beliefs.

::The accuracy of the title "Firstborn of Akatosh" as applied to Alduin is not relevant here. Whether he is Akatosh, his Firstborn, an avatar of him, or none or all of the above at various times, the only thing that really matters is that readers would expect us to mention all the relevant facts, and the fact that Alduin is referred to as "Firstborn of Akatosh" in the game seems entirely relevant to me. Whether the implications it brings are misguided or not is best left to be ironed out on the forums. [[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]] 06:25, 26 January 2012 (UTC)

== Warp in the West ==

The current line on the Warp in the West is wrong and misleading. It only refers to the Imperial cover story of the Miracle of Peace, which players and educated scholars are supposed to know is false. Akatosh did not play a benevolent role, he simply lost control of time momentarily. That's failure, not benevolence. I'm putting this here because I can't edit the article. Some sort of 'lost session data' error. If someone else could restore the edit, that would be great.[[User:Temple-Zero|Temple-Zero]] 22:11, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
:I changed the language; hopefully that will suffice. [[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 23:57, 26 February 2012 (UTC)

== Akatosh didn't create Auriel's artifacts ==

Auriel is the Altmeri name for Akatosh, but Cyrodilic and Altmeri views on Akatosh are mutually exclusive. Akatosh is a dragon that guards creation. Auriel is a man or eagle that would like to see his followers destroy it and follow him to immortality. They are, for all intents and purposes, separate beings, although both are aspects of the God of Time. So it is wrong to say that Akatosh created Auriel's artifacts.[[User:Temple-Zero|Temple-Zero]] 22:11, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
:Cites?[[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 23:21, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
::Citations? Elaborating this issue would require the content of a dozen articles. But I think UESP should bow to the logic of the situation. The Thalmor worship Auriel, and they loathe man's very existence. The Empire's Akatosh actively defends the interests of Cyrodiil and the Empire. They are diametrically opposed beings. See the lore on the creation of the Nine Divines Pantheon and the Marukhati Selective as well. And also, in the end, we are told that the Nine do not create artifacts. Currently a search for Auriel directs to Auriel's own separate page, rather than this article, so this is not really a change.[[Special:Contributions/132.162.133.58|132.162.133.58]] 04:29, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
:::I assume this is Temple-Zero? I liked your work on the Dragon Break page. I assume by what your wrote there, that Fal Droon could not explain away all the inconsistencies, that you agree with the orthodox explanation of the Middle Dawn: the Selective tried, and presumably failed, to exorcise Elven Auriel from Imperial Akatosh and instigated a Dragon Break. Which implies that they believe the two entities are, in fact, different representations of the same entity. So even if the Thalmor and Empire both loathe the idea, the Imperials, at least, more or less acknowledge this belief. So it follows that it's not false to say that Akatosh is ''accredited'' with creating those artifacts, if that underlying assumption that they are thought to be named for their creator is true. [[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 04:41, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
:::So ... cites? [[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 04:42, 27 February 2012 (UTC)

::::Since this seems to be a topic of dispute, I have put forth a compromise, putting forth both sides of the story (with The Monomyth as my source): ''"In the elven tradition, Auriel is accredited with creating Auriel's Shield and Auriel's Bow, and used the latter to fire the Heart of Lorkhan into what is today Red Mountain.[1] However, the cyrodiilic traditions of man do not mention these artifacts as part of their stories of Akatosh and creation, and do not provide any explanation to their existance or origins.[1]"'' [[Special:Contributions/78.69.121.150|78.69.121.150]] 19:29, 12 September 2012 (GMT)

:::::I'm fine with that general approach, but I'm not quite sure on the best way to interpret The Monomyth. It seems like it can be construed a number of ways. "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." It could be read to mean that Anu created the artifacts and gave them to Auriel, for example, thus it would be wrong to say that Auriel is accredited with creating them. It would probably be safer to go with explicit ambiguity ("It is unknown ..."), or silence. [[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]] ([[User talk:Minor Edits|talk]]) 22:04, 12 September 2012 (GMT)

::::::Anuiel gave the artifacts to Auri-el to battle Lorkhan. It was in a book somewhere. {{uns|109.102.64.10|18:20, 27 October 2013}}

== Almalexia/Akatosh connection ==

The main article mentions needing a Citation for the Akatosh traits in Almalexia. This is directly from Varieties of Faith in the Empire. It's worth noting that this same work implies Alduin and Akatosh are two versions of the same entity, a piece of trivia disputed by some statements in Skyrim, so its veracity and impartiality are in question but it's still a belief some people have, so it's a valid section of the article. {{unsigned|64.253.223.247|10 August 2012}}
:That bit of the book is just Imperial colonialist propaganda, a condescending view that surely theirs is the one true faith and that the Dunmer just have a corrupted deviation from it. Almalexia was her own deity, distinct from Akatosh. Bear in mind that just because it's in the game's lore doesn't mean it's accurate. Plenty of people are incorrect ingame.--[[Special:Contributions/68.230.66.230|68.230.66.230]] 04:40, 11 February 2013 (GMT)

== Akatosh's role in Skyrim ==

I'm new to the TES lore, so sorry, if the answer to my question is obvious. I played Skyrim fully and a bit of Oblivion. As far as I understood, Akatosh is the "(god)father" of the dragons. Then why does he take no role in Skyrim, a game that is all about dragons, especially about Akatosh's son Alduin? --[[Special:Contributions/91.41.140.188|91.41.140.188]] 08:31, 17 January 2014 (GMT)
:Actually, Akatosh IS Alduin, in terms of gods in different pantheons. In the nordic pantheon, there is no Akatosh, which is why he isn't very prominent. Instead, Alduin holds the same role. Since gods in TES are real, it isn't really possible to say that they are ACTUALLY the same, but that's why Akatosh doesn't play a bigger role. [[User:Jeancey|Jeancey]] ([[User talk:Jeancey|talk]]) 08:41, 17 January 2014 (GMT)

:: So, is "Gods" and "Worship" in TES working like in Black and White, for example? If someone starts to believes in a yet unexisting god (meaning: "invent" a superior being within his imagination), this god will eventually start existing and claim a physical representation - and after it started existing this way it had existed forever already, because gods are outside of space-time? --[[Special:Contributions/91.41.140.188|91.41.140.188]] 08:50, 17 January 2014 (GMT)
:::They existed first. They were created first out of the void, then they, some of them more specifically than others, created everything else, including the mortal races. [[User:Jeancey|Jeancey]] ([[User talk:Jeancey|talk]]) 09:17, 17 January 2014 (GMT)

:::: But how can Akatosh be Alduin, and at the same time be not him? If they exist as separate beings and in a causal, linear-time manner then, of course, Akatosh must exist in the nordic culture. Gods can be everywhere, they are gods - no matter if people know/worship him or not. So, I'm still confused how Akatosh, as being THE dragon god, doesn't play any role in Skyrim. Or is Alduin just another name for the ''exact same entity'' as Akatosh (like a "translation")? If so, then this should belong in the article. --[[Special:Contributions/91.41.140.188|91.41.140.188]] 10:46, 17 January 2014 (GMT)
:::: Or ist it in the "nature" of Akatosh to not care for Skyrim, does he have no "power" outside Cyrodiil? And is it in the nature of Alduin to not care for non-Skyrim parts? --[[Special:Contributions/91.41.140.188|91.41.140.188]] 10:48, 17 January 2014 (GMT)
::::: Technically, Akatosh and Alduin are separate. Both are sub gradients or shards of the father of all time gods (Alduin, Alkosh, Auri-El, Akatosh etc) who is known as Aka-Tusk. In the game, Parthy calls Akatosh "Bormah", which means father and Alduin calls himself the firstborn of Akatosh - they are actually referring to Aka-Tusk, the original time god who all dragons descend from. Akatosh (technically) came about in the First Era - after the Marukhati Selective discarded the Elven aspects of Auri-El and the result was Akatosh - a schizophrenic deity. However, being a time god, Akatosh has always existed. Its confusing. This is lore that is most based on out of game texts from the former dev/writer Michael Kirkbride. The forums might be a better place to discuss this further.--[[User:Jimeee|Jimeee]] ([[User talk:Jimeee|talk]]) 11:07, 17 January 2014 (GMT)

== Akatosh and Satakal/Atakota ==

Reasoning for removal of Satakal and Atakota from Akatosh's page? Akatosh is directly called the equivalent of Satakal within the original bethesda teaser for the Monomyth prior to Morrowinds' release. and this remains so in the official release of the Monomyth in the French Translations of the text, lasting from Morrowind onto ESO.

To add, Satakal and Atakota both fulfill identical roles to Akatosh across every mythos, being the first to form, being time, and allowing other spirits to form. Anu and Padomay coming together to allow Time to start has remarkable precedent. Atakota is explicitly connected to Time being existing specifically. On top of this Satakal and Atakota has the unique connection and tie to Sep and The Shadow, Yokudan and Argonian Lorkhan. The two Dragon God and Missing God being present in every myth is a constant even acknowledged by the Monomyth.

:''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,'' [Monomyth]

:''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.'' [Monomyth]

:''But now Atakota was not in conflict, and things had time to begin and end.'' [Children of the Root]

:''The Cosmos formed from the Aurbis [chaos, or totality] by Anu and Padomay. Akatosh (Auriel) formed and Time began. The Gods (et'Ada) formed.'' [Ages before man]

The direct citation stating they are one:
"Satakal the Worldskin"
(Anu as Satak, Padomay as Akel, Akatosh as Satakal, Lorkhan as Sep.)

Why should Satakal and Atakota possibly being alternative names to Akatosh be outright removed?

[[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 19:09, 14 August 2023 (UTC)

:No official source conflates Satakal with Akatosh, rather Satakal is stated to be a fusion of the concepts of Anu and Padaomay. Absolutely nothing whatsoever official or otherwise conflated Atakota with Akatosh. This speculation doesn’t belong on this page. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 20:21, 14 August 2023 (UTC)

:: I cited one UOL source, which is enough to get an addition to the page as uesp accepts UOL, and I added an official source, the French translation of the Monomyth has a directly comparison of Satakal to Akatosh. This has remained true since Monomyth's addition to Morrowind all the way to ESO. This is an official in game source.
::More on Satakal, you're presuming that the combination fo Anu and Padomay isn't what Akatosh is

::From the Anuad:

::The first ones were brothers: Anu and Padomay. They came into the Void, and Time began.
::[[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 20:25, 14 August 2023 (UTC)

::: Uol is definitely allowed however there’s [[Lore talk:Battle of Red Mountain|precedent]] for not allowing cut content of this nature into main bodies of articles. Not sure what exactly the French translation of the Monomyth states although if it clearly states that Satakal and Akatosh are one and the same I see no issue with citing that on the page as an alternative name, none of this applies to Atakota however who indeed has similarities to Satakal but stating anything beyond that based on such tentative connections and weak sources would be quite dubious imo. Ultimately both Satakal and Atakota are clearly something very different to what we are commonly told Akatosh is in other myths. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 20:38, 14 August 2023 (UTC)

::::Here is what [https://cslist.uesp.net/index.php?game=mwfr&edid=bk_manyfacesmissinggod Le Monomythe] says: "Anu en tant que Satak, Padomay en tant que Akel, Akatosh en tant que Satakal, Lorkhan en tant que Sep."
::::This translates to "Anu as Satak, Padomay as Akel, Akatosh as Satakal, Lorkhan as Sep". --[[User:Alpha Kenny Buddy|AKB]] [[User_talk:Alpha_Kenny_Buddy|Talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Alpha Kenny Buddy|Cont]] [[Special:Emailuser/Alpha Kenny Buddy|Mail]] 20:44, 14 August 2023 (UTC)

::::: Satakal should definitely be kept. On the topic of Atakota, Atakota is very clearly a spin on Satakal. We have [[Lore:Children of the Root|precedent]] of this nature with edits made on Children of the Root's page to ensure Atakota hyperlinked to Satakal. However as you say it's never explicitly stated, but is inference not enough here? After all Atak and Anu are never directly correlated, yet they are understood to hold the place of the Stasis idea Anu and is accepted. Should Atakota/Satakal/Akatosh not be afforded the same connection?

:::::On Akatosh's similarities to Atakota specific, Atakota is directly credited with the commencing of the flow of time, and things to form. This is the universal constant of the Time Dragon; (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."). (The first of these was Akatosh the Time Dragon, whose formation made it easier for other spirits to structure themselves.)

:::::Alongside this, the direct mimicry to Satakal's tale, another alternative name to Akatosh. We could also simply witness the ethymologically familiar name of Atakota in comparison to others like Akatosh or Alkosh.
:::::Is this together not enough to afford Atakota a place on Akatosh's page?

:::::At least perhaps, a line saying "Atakota shares similarity to the common understanding of Akatosh, as well as Satakal [[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 21:09, 14 August 2023 (UTC)

::::::Ultimately my views are mostly that there is a degree of nuance when dealing with gods who have "mirror aspects" such as Akatosh in this instance. For example I’m not a major fan of the recent edits that mention Auriel's artifacts on this page because the artifacts are always tied specifically to the Auriel aspect and while it is true that Auriel and Akatosh as deities are often times conflated, certain [[Lore:The Monomyth|key sources]] go as far as to place them as leaders of opposing sides of people and principles. All this is to say I don’t mind listing off Satakal as a potential alternative name for Akatosh but doing so in a devoid of context manner makes it seem like these deities are just different names for the exact same ideals which I feel is a bit off. Ruptga arguably has more parallels with Akatosh than Satakal tbh. One instance of us applying this nuance and context on this page is not listing Alduin as an alternative name for Akatosh but rather listing him as his son, even though that’s a can of worms in its own right as this page which covers more or less the Imperial pantheon deity known as Akatosh isn’t necessarily the "Akatosh Time Dragon" who is conceptually the father of all dragons including Alduin as attested by some out of game works and the Amun Dro Khajiit books. This is a superrrrr long winded way of saying I’d prefer we put less emphasis on cross contaminating individual lore pages with information that belongs to a different culture’s interpretation of that deity and solely focus on making each page for each respective god aspect as laser focused as possible, otherwise it makes it come across like there’s a "right" and "wrong" version of these figures. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 00:58, 15 August 2023 (UTC)

:::::::Satakal is unique in that he's meant to be a fusion of Anu and Padomay, and Atakota is meant to be a mirror aspect of Satakal. While there is undoubtable phonetic similarity both these names with Akatosh, Atakota ''is not'' Akatosh; Atakota is a fusion of Atak and Kota, and Atak ''is'' a mirror aspect of Anu (and possibly be extension, Anui-El and Akatosh), while Kota is an aspect of Padomay/Sithis. I do think Satakal should be noted in some way, but he should not be listed as an alt name cuz this is more of a case of enantiomorph of multiple deities rather than being equivalent to just one aedra. Satakal itself is implied to be more linked to Alduin as a being that only appears at the end of time to end the kalpa and create a new one. Satakal's relationship to Akatosh should be kept to the notes or so on. [[User:The Rim of the Sky|The Rim of the Sky]] ([[User talk:The Rim of the Sky|talk]]) 01:30, 15 August 2023 (UTC)

::::::::To Dcking, I would contend however that the very idea of deities having mirror aspects is a faulty one. The vast majority of mortals agree for example, Auriel and Akatosh are the same deity, whose differences is colored by mortal bias, as we hear from [[Lore:The Alduin/Akatosh Dichotomy | numerous]] [[Skyrim:Knight-Paladin Gelebor | sources]] [[Lore: Artorius Ponticus Answers Your Questions | again and again]]. Even the [[Lore:The Exclusionary Mandates | Mahrukati acknowledged this internally]]. They attempted rituals to prove they are distinct deities and [[General:Where Were You When the Dragon Broke? | found only harder evidence that Auriel was in fact Akatosh]]. This is why they tried to erase the Elven aspects from the Time Dragon entirely. An action that is contended to have not worked, [[Lore:Where Were You ... Dragon Broke | "don't think you solved what you accomplished by it"]]. Because of this I would also contend that Shezarr's song is in fact an Alessian Order text, when the hatred of all things elven colored their faith and their view of the Time Dragon. I would also add it is mentioned in Imperial texts that [[Lore:Shezarr and the Divines | Akatosh was outright plucked from the Elven Religion]], and it has been stated [[Lore:The Chim-el Adabal | Akatosh tore out Lorkhan's heart in Cyrodilic bard songs.]] So perhaps the idea that Akatosh had opposing views to Auriel, is not so accurate.

::::::::The Mirror brother idea is one based on some comments from MK, but largely one I find unfounded within actual lore, OOG texts or otherwise, which I imagine is why it's largely absent from uesp. From how most writers aside from MK, and thus most mortals in the world of Tamriel, treat deities, it appears that the differences between cultural interpretations of deities begin and there, as cultural interpretations, and is not reflected as actual new divinities who mirror each other. I will comment in particular though, that MK's full mirror-brother comment states that the time dragons different faces is influenced by mythopoeic forces of his mantlers, so cultural interpretation isn't a factor even there, but mantling is.

::::::::On Alduin, Alduin himself states he is the Son of Akatosh, and lore was added to supplement this within Skyrim itself. IRL wise, this is a clear retcon. This is then doubled down in the Amun Dro books, where Alkosh takes the place of Akha, and Alkhan is a demon enemy of Alkosh, Khenarthi and Lorkhaj. Alduin is not a mirror-brother aspect of Akatosh in the way MK once suggested on r/teslore, but his, adopted in this case, son.

::::::::On the topic of Ruptha vs. Satakal as the Yokudan Akatosh parallel, I lean Satakal for quite a few reasons, beyond the outright confirmation within certain versions of Monomyth. The number one constant about the Time Dragon is three, that he is the first spirit after the primal Anu and Padomay forces, that he is what allows other spirits to form, and that he is tied to Lorkhan somehow. Consider the following to extend to Atakota as well. Satakal is the first spirit, he is the First serpent, his existence is then what allows spirits to finally actualize and take names, and then Sep (Lorkhan) is born of leftovers of Satakal, as the Second serpent, giving the two a unique relationship. In Ruptga I find these fundamentals of the common theme of the Time Dragon absent, in fact the only similarity I find is the opposition to Lorkhan, sundering his heart, and being Chief of the Divinities. Opposing Lorkhan is hardly a unique position, in fact every divinity within Yokudan myth opposes him, sundering his heart is not unique to the Time Dragon, Trinimac is most known for it, and being chief of the divines goes to numerous deities across pantheons, Kyne most notably.

::::::::It's fitting for Akatosh's page to cover his alternative names, primarily because Akatosh is the most popular depiction of the Time Dragon. Essentially he functions as the hub from which you can research any interpretation of the Time Dragon further. A similar situation can be found with Lorkhan's page, which is sensible as Lorkhan is the most popular depiction of the Missing God. [[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 02:47, 15 August 2023 (UTC)

::::::::To Rim of the Sky, I'd contest this, why do you assume that Akatosh himself, [[General:Concerning the Psijic Order and the Psijic Endeavor | is not formed from Padomay's influence on Anu?]] Akatosh, or Time rather, has been called [[Morrowind:36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 21 | static change for a reason]]. Time is born of the combination of Anu and Padomay. As I cited above in the Anuad this is stated clearly. "The first ones were brothers: Anu and Padomay. They came into the Void, and Time began.", an elven passage, and to the elves Time is onstensibly, Auriel. Why can we not say Atakota is Akatosh when he clearly is, but then confidently declare Atak as Anu, neither is stated outright yes, but both are informed conclusions based of the common archetype the two display in the mythic. And on Enantiomorphs... where do you pull the idea that Enantiomorphs are involved in with Satakal? [[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 02:47, 15 August 2023 (UTC)

:::::::::I’ll be honest, you did some great research into this and have made me look at this alot deeper than I ever have, for one this argument has made me notice that in the original Varieties of Faith, Akatosh or one of his aspects is listed as the first deity of each culture, the Yokudan one listing none other than Satakal. Also at the time of Morrowind Alduin was seen as an Akatosh aspect through and through so comparing Satakal to Alduin was fitting of this bill at that time. Now that said, there’s some stuff you missed with the Ruptga connections there’s a little bit more to it, one of which is [[Lore:Varieties of Faith in Tamriel]] which outright conflates the two, in the Crown mythos Zeht is the son of Ruptga, to the Forebears, the son of Akatosh. There’s also [[Lore:A Betrayal of Our Heritage]] that seems to possibly conflate both Satakal and Ruptga with Akatosh? Another matter, this original idea of Satakal being an avatar of Akatosh, who most closely resembles Alduin as an eater of the world, if Alduins origins as a mirror aspect was clearly retconned could we not say the same about Satakal? It all just feels a tad shaky to me and none of it is very explicit, I’m sort of with Rim that it might be cleaner to put all this in the notes, but if we don’t for consistency we likely need to put Alduin, the One, and possibly even Ruptga in the alternative names bit as well. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 03:41, 15 August 2023 (UTC)

::::::::::Yeah Alduin was soundly Akatosh prior to Skyrim's release. Honestly if Skyrim simply had left that depiction of the Time Dragon alone, it would have saved the entire lore community years of confusion. With Ruptga, those are good citations I honestly missed, so I believe we should add Ruptga in addition to Satakal as potential Yoku Akatosh parallels, since there are indications for them. Both are the father of Zeht, and in an [[Lore:The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/Hammerfell | Imperial text]], both are called "Tall Papa". Maybe add a section noting their differences? While it's interesting that the Betrayal text shuffles both for Akatosh, Akatosh is never seen as a star deity by other culture, which is most of what Ruptga is.

::::::::::On the other end of the comparison, Ruptga is neither a god of time nor a reptile (whereas even the Altmer, who like to think of their gods as looking like themselves, [[Online:Shrines | do often refer to Auriel as reptilian,]] or use the term "dragon" when referring to time, [[Lore:Exegesis of Merid-Nunda | same with the Ayleids ]]). He is directly compared in some Antiquarian comments, saying that "Ruptga without stars is like Akatosh without a Dragon", and we never see either with attributes of the other. While with Satakal, he's a Serpent/Wyrm/Reptile-enough, even called the First Wyrm or [[Online:Priestess Sermenh | First Serpent]] in Hammerfell, and responsible for the creation of Time in the Yoku mythos, both as the concept of duration (whereby spirits get to exist), but also as the time between universal creation and destruction, which marches onward like a serpent eating itself. There's also one obscure comment that indicates that Yokudans might understand dragons (those spirits who experience hunger and a desire for domination) as the [[Online:Hayazzin | "Spawn of Satakal" ]].

::::::::::Alduin, I believe we can safely keep as is. Satakal hasn't been demoted in the way Alduin has (and as you said, at the time Akatosh=Satakal because Akatosh=Alduin and Alduin=Satakal was clearly the authorial intent when Morrowind released), and while his Worldskin Cycle is in some question due to Alduins' demotion, Satakal has kept his significance in the mythic (as responsible for the resurrection of the universe) where Alduin has only suffered. Perhaps a note mentioning Satakal's similarity to Alduin, and how that could be interpreted within the context at the time of writing? On "The One", he is rather soundly established as the Alessian Order's view of Akatosh as a result of their attempt at Monotheism.

::::::::::What I am curious about is your current thoughts on Atakota now, though, and his addition as a parallel. To add what I have mentioned before, there is the entire line in the text where Dragons as a whole are born off of him, which we know to be a fact beyond the cultural. Dragons being related to Akatosh/Alkosh/Bormahu/The Great Dragon is a metaphysical fact that even the Dragons themselves are eager to admit. And even more than that, the event of the creation of dragons, where the synthesis, Atakota, is attacked and unmade by lesser spirits who then become dragons, is eerily similar too the overthrow of Alkosh, where the "children of Akha" (clearly dragons) scatter the Time God and another deity has to put him back together (and they collectively realize that something needs to be done about these spirits, which neatly connects into the Divines' intervention during the Dragon War in Nordic history, with the First Dragonborn, the gift of the Thu'um and Paarthurnax's change of allegiances as attempts to undermine the Dragon Cult).

::::::::::I don't really understand why it'd be an issue to acknowledge a reasonable degree of comparative mythology when there are many instances of precedents of this being done on the UESP. We did not know for a fact that Khenarthi was Kynareth until the addition of the Antiquarians in the ESO:Greymoor chapter (prior there was never an actual 1:1 comparison between the two), yet this has been treated as fact since the release of Morrowind, and rightfully so, because the authorial intent was pretty transparent. I think Atakota is one such example where refusal to acknowledge the comparison becomes a statement in and off itself, whereas the authorial intent seems pretty clear that he was supposed to be the Dragon analogue, especially given that Akatosh and Lorkhan are supposed to be the gods that can most easily be found across every culture. Were we to not acknowledge Atakota in some capacity, then we'd be ignoring the one absolute established by Monomyth, as that leaves this Argonian Mythos without a Dragon and Missing God. [[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 16:40, 15 August 2023 (UTC)

:::::::::::So here’s my ultimate train of thought here, the parallels between Atakota and Satakal are unmistakable so that is (imo) a settled matter. Satakal, and by extension Atakota *definitely* appears to have a close tether to the time dragon, but in this instance it’s specifically the Dragon God of (the end of) Time, Alduin. That Alduin is still very much established in lore to hold dominion over the end of time and being the world eater, but also retconned to be demoted to a non mirror aspect son of Akatosh makes the connection with Satakal and Atakota much more tentative here. In essence, Satakal and Atakota seem to be the Yoku and Argonian mirrors of Akatosh only insofar as Alduin is still very much the Nordic mirror of Akatosh. Because no matter how we slice it (if we are going off of the Skyrim retcon of them being two separate deities) end of time and world eating is the domain of Alduin, not Akatosh. To add more fun to the mix, [[Lore:The Guardian and the Traitor|some sources]] tie Alduin to the All-Maker of the Skaal, while [[Lore:The Story of Aevar Stone-Singer|other sources]] go in the complete opposite direction and have an Alduin mirror as an aspect of the Skaal's Adversary. That makes [[Lore:Alduin|Alduin]], [[Lore:Satakal|Satakal]], [[Lore:Atakota|Atakota]], [[Lore:Alkhan|Alkhan]], [[Lore:All-Maker|All-Maker]], and [[Lore:Thartaag|Thartaag]] who can all be wrapped up in the Alduin world eater umbrella. All of whom *should* be able to be tied into the Akatosh chief deity of time umbrella but Skyrim decided to be Skyrim and call that all into major question, now our job is to figure out how to try and explain all this on lore articles, my opinion is we need something more in depth and nuanced than just slapping alternative names in the opening bio. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 00:30, 16 August 2023 (UTC)

{{od}}Based on the above comments, I worked on adding a section to discuss these different variants, which also had some of the content that was already present on the page moved into it. Further expansion to explore the above about the All-Maker, Alkhan, Thartaag is still necessary. Also a brief mention of Orgnum, who has some ties to Satakal. --[[User:Alpha Kenny Buddy|AKB]] [[User_talk:Alpha_Kenny_Buddy|Talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Alpha Kenny Buddy|Cont]] [[Special:Emailuser/Alpha Kenny Buddy|Mail]] 15:37, 16 August 2023 (UTC)

:: I like the new additions, they're great AKB! I think settles the matter . [[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 16:27, 16 August 2023 (UTC)

::: Need to add Tall Papa stuff to since a few texts conflate Akatosh with this deity as well. Might not be a bad idea to take all the alternative deity names out of the opening blurb and let the in depth sections below do all the talking as these do a better job of demonstrating that there’s comparisons to be made between these different deities, but not necessarily are they 1:1 with one another. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 00:03, 28 August 2023 (UTC)

== Name origin? ==

What is Akatosh's name origin? I heard from a person who was a beta tester her father's moniker is Akatosh (beta tester for Arena)[[User:TheSeldomConsistentEditor|TheSeldomConsitentEditor]] ([[User talk:TheSeldomConsistentEditor|talk]])
:[[General:Council of Wisdom]]--[[User:ErfXploded|ErfXploded]] ([[User talk:ErfXploded|talk]]) 00:41, 18 August 2024 (UTC)

== The Four Suitors of Benitah ==

Please stop making reference to this text as though it says anything deep or intelligent about the nature of the Divines. It's a tall tale. It's fiction within fiction. Please stop linking it to the Akatosh and Aedra pages. Some reading comprehension, please.

== Akatosh is arkay's father ==

according to "varieties of faith..." akatosh is arkay's father. That is mentioned on arkay's page, should that also be mentioned on akatosh's? Are there other children of akatosh not mentioned on his lore page? If that should be added, could someone who knows more about what they're doing than i do please add those details. [[User:Firaro|Firaro]] ([[User talk:Firaro|talk]]) 23:29, 24 January 2025 (UTC)
:"varieties of faith, the forebears" implies akatosh is zeht's father. It also indicates that zeht corresponds to zenithar. Making akatosh zenithar's father? I wasnt sure if i should just edit this into my first post or it was better to add it on as a response, i figured the response option was the safer default. I am again uncertain if that is lore worthy of the lore page. [[User:Firaro|Firaro]] ([[User talk:Firaro|talk]]) 23:51, 24 January 2025 (UTC)

== Capitalization: avatar or Avatar? ==

Hello. Just wondering if anyone had thoughts about a lorespace standard on whether to capitalize "avatar" when referring to a specific avatar?

Currently, [[Lore:Oblivion Crisis]] and [[Lore:Imperial City]] capitalize Martin's "Avatar of Akatosh", [[Lore:Martin Septim]] and [[Lore:Caius Cosades]] do not, and so on. Some pages, like this one currently, seem a little internally inconsistent. I could go either way, but consistency across the lorespace would look better. Maybe we can get a note onto [[UESPWiki:Spelling]]? [[User:Minor Edits|Insignificant Revisions]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 20:36, 15 June 2025 (UTC)

Lore talk:Akatosh

2025-06-15T20:36:04Z

Minor Edits: /* Capitalization: avatar or Avatar? */ new section

== Akatosh IS NOT the One ==

The One was a religious concept invented by Alessia to supplement the worship of the Eight Divines (which INCLUDED Akatosh!) and was the faith of the Alessian Doctrines of monotheism. The One is basically an appropriation of the Nordic Allmaker, and represents a fusion of Anu and Padomay, the Godhead totality the universe sprang from. Oblivion's sloppiness in the placement of the dragonfires (not to mention the irrelevance and misleading nature of the dragonfires in the first place) is responsible for this confusion. Do not revert the article until you have made your case. {{unsigned| 24.31.156.165|27 July 2008}}
:Matches what i've read, although a few references and maybe a note about the disparity in Oblivion would be helpful. --[[User:Benould|Benould]]•[[User_Talk:Benould|T]]•[[Special:Contributions/Benould|C]] 20:32, 26 July 2008 (EDT)

::It's not disparity since Oblivion never says anything different. Oblivion just portrays stuff that doesn't make sense and doesn't give a crap about who the One is. Details would be more helpful in the Temple of the One article. {{unsigned|Temple-Zero|27 July 2008}}

:::Like it or not, Oblivion is part of Elder Scrolls lore, and to simply state that Oblivion is wrong about certain lore elements is a fallacy, because Oblivion IS part of the lore. If statements made in Oblivion are contradictory towards statements found elsewhere in the lore, this does not necessarily invalidate one or the other version of the lore. It simply means that there is a discrepency which should be discussed from ''both'' sides. There is not necessarily one and only one interpretation for what is seen in the lore, and not just because this is a fictional universe. (There are similar contradictory myths if you look at any real-world mythological source as well, or even at supposed historical events. Sometimes we just don't know what really happened.) This is why we prefer that statements made pertaining to lore be linked to in-game (or at least Bethesda-originated) sources, allowing the readers to see and decide for themselves which version of the lore they choose to believe. --[[User:TheRealLurlock|TheRealLurlock]] [[User_talk:TheRealLurlock|Talk]] 23:35, 26 July 2008 (EDT)

::::You don't understand. Oblivion did not present an alternate version of the One. Oblivion merely used old information presented in a confusing way. Nothing has changed with the One in TES IV. And I just gave you an entire page of sources and more. There are not two sides to this, so please don't lecture me without cause.{{unsigned|Temple-Zero|27 July 2008}}

:::::I thought that the one was [[Lore:Talos|Talos]]. [[User:83.59.146.119|83.59.146.119]] 14:35, 20 January 2009 (EST)

::::::The One was the god of the Alessian Order, which is like Constantine declaring Christianity the official religion of Rome, banning all other religions, music, and dancing, and then leading crusades for a while until the new church broke up and everyone went back to worshiping Saturn and Mars and the rest, but kept the old temples because the stone looked nice.[[User:Temple-Zero|Temple-Zero]] 15:05, 20 January 2009 (EST)

::::::: I can see why it can be confusing seeing as Oblivion doesn't mention anything about two different religions. If that's the case then I agree that all information should be in Lore section of the Temple of One. That page could use some attention anyway. ([[User:Gadianzero|Gadianzero]] 18:34, 20 January 2009 (EST))
:::::::: We have an Alessian Order page, though it is even more stubbish.[[User:Temple-Zero|Temple-Zero]] 18:47, 20 January 2009 (EST)

:::::::: If the information intermingles too much with each other then I think they should be merged into one large article with one redirected into another. I can't say I know too much about this area though. ([[User:Gadianzero|Gadianzero]] 01:56, 21 January 2009 (EST))

::::::::: I Think you are getting to into it. If you think about it on a standpoint saying that its possible that the people of the empire worship Akatosh and not Anu or Padomay possible do to a mistake in worship that happened in some untold point of the elder scrolls universe timeline.So there is another quite possible answer. I also appreciate even if it was unplanned that there are different ways for the lore to be taken so you can keep a good conversation going.

== I Think The Oblivion Lore Of Akatosh Should Be On Featured Articles And Heres Why! ==

Well I Think Akatosh Is An Important Charecter Considering He Is The One To Save All Of tamriel in theory So i ask for a new featured Article[[User:Darkakaviri666|Darkakaviri666]] 12:29, 5 July 2010 (UTC)

: The criteria for giving an article "featured" status don't include importance. To quote from [[UESPWiki:Featured Articles]]: ''"Featured articles are ... of the highest quality and should be held up as an example for other articles. Articles are ... review[ed] ... for content, style, completeness, and overall quality"'' I'm afraid this article doesn't come close. It needs more detail along with references before it can be considered. It's better than a lot of our Lore articles, but that's not saying much. [[User:Rpeh|rpeh]] •[[User_Talk:Rpeh|T]]•[[Special:Contributions/Rpeh|C]]•[[Special:Emailuser/Rpeh|E]]• 13:53, 5 July 2010 (UTC)

== Someone less lazy than me want to add something? ==
Should the story of Moraelyn getting his ebon blade from Akatosh or any of the other Akatosh related stuff from the Biography of King Edward be included? [[Special:Contributions/209.136.161.135|209.136.161.135]] 16:12, 27 August 2010 (UTC)

== Auriel's Bow ==

Does Auriel's Bow and shield count as his artifact([[User:Vvardfell|Vvardfell]] 13:00, 28 November 2010 (UTC))

== Akatosh/Auriel/Alduin ==

Alduin and Auriel is the nordic and aldmeri aspects of Akatosh. I've tried to figure out which one is the "correct" one. I've come to the conclution that Auriel and Akatosh is one and the same, only worshipped in different ways, while Alduin might be a different existing god. If we look at Akatosh and Alduin, we see that they share many similarities in terms of personality, their role in the mythology, and other things. Also, as stated in "Shezarr and the Divines", Akatosh IS Auriel, chosen by Alessia as the head of the Imperial pantheon so that the needs that up untill then had worshipped the aldmeri pantheon would relate to it easier, while her nord allies could also relate to him as Alduin. But there are key differences as well; while both Akatosh and Auriel is the god of time, Auriel was an Aldmeri god-king, and only associated with a dragon, while akatosh IS a dragon, a similarity shared with the nordic Alduin. This might be explained by the possibility that Auriel might not have been a dragon while he walked the earth in the dawn era, but later prefered to appear as a dragon after his ascension. Alduin however, is the god of time in another way, he is more of a doomsday god, who destroys the old world and creates the new one. So in terms of what they are god of, which I think is the most important, we can see that all of them share similarities, but Alduin governs the aspect of "time" in a very different way. I would therefor conclude that all of these three are two different divine beings, Akatosh/Auriel, and Alduin. [[Special:Contributions/2.150.139.201|2.150.139.201]] 16:14, 10 July 2011 (UTC)

: Alduin's relation to the other two will likely be expanded for Skyrim. Until more information comes to light, it has to be assumed that they are all one in the same. Ruptga, head of the Yokudan pantheon, is likely to be another aspect of Akatosh, yet he shares almost no similarities with the Tamrielic versions. In comparison, Alduin shares many traits with the other two. The gods seem to be purposefully mysterious and abstract, so its doubtful that Bethesda will clear up the differences between each cultural version of the God of Time. --[[User:Legoless|Legoless]] 16:57, 10 July 2011 (UTC)

:: What I think is interesting is the fact that different religions in the elder scrolls lore contradict with each other, much like the major religions in our world. But the question remains if this is intended by Bethesda, or simply accidental, as if they forget to check their own lore before creating new material. A possible explenation of the contradiction could be that many of the religions or at least bits of them are actually fictional, but unlike in our world, there is actually evidence of divinities in the elder scrolls, like the Heart of Lorkhan and the avatar of Akatosh in Oblivion, which creates the question: Which form of the different aspects of these gods (Lorkhan, Akatosh, Auriel, Shezarr, Shor...) is the one closest to that gods actual nature? [[User:Jyggorath|Jyggorath]] 14:46, 11 July 2011 (UTC)

:::Isn't Alduin the Dragon God that wakes up again to destroy the world in TESV: Skyrim? If so should this be in the Akatosh article? Or is there already an Alduin article? And.. so from what I've read they are one in the same? Does this mean you actually have to defeat a God in Skyrim? --[[User:D. Gemini|D. Gemini]] 03:30, 12 September 2011 (UTC)
::::Wait...In Oblivion, it is specifically stated that the Nine Divines, unlike the Daedra, do not manifest themselves physically (that is why you had to retrieve the cuiras of Tiber Septim). However, Alduin very clearly has a physical manifestation, as indicated by both the record on Alduin's wall and the various refrences so far given concerning the plot of the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. If this is true, then Alduin cannot be Akatosh. Plus, the Dovahkiin are blessed by the gods (as specifically stated by Tod Howard himself) and Akatosh is one of the gods (and in fact the most likely to be able to bless one as a Dragon Born) so it would be illogical to think that he is Alduin as that would mean he blessed the player with the ability to kill him. {{uns|158.158.240.230|00:21, 2 October 2011 (GMT)}}

::::: Alduin isn't a part of the Nine Divines. In Oblivion, it's stated that the Nine don't create artifacts, not that they don't manifest themselves in an avatar. --[[User:Legoless|Legoless]] 00:09, 2 October 2011 (UTC)

::::::Yes, but the importance of the artifacts in the first place was that Deadric and (in theory) Divine artifacts contained the blood of their creators. My point is that, as stated by Martin in Oblivion, the Nine Divines don't have physical forms of any kind from which to get blood. Deadra do, so you could use any deadric artifact you wished. But in order to get the blood of a Divine, you had to get the blood of Tiber Septim, because he later ascended to become Talos, thus making his blood divine. Alduin is not, as far as we can tell, an avatar (a projection of existance) like Martin became, but in fact a very real dragon. And that is where my point lies: if it is true, as stated in Oblivion, that the Nine do not manifest themselves in true physical forms, and Alduin has a true physical form (as the indications show), then Alduin cannot possibly be Akatosh. Of course, we cannot be sure of this until Skyrim comes out. {{uns|174.252.177.125|21:04, 2 October 2011 (GMT)}}

::::::: Stating that Alduin has a physical form has no basis. The big black dragon could be just as much an avatar as Akatosh's appearance in Oblivion, or the various members of the Nine Divines who appeared as mortals in Morrowind. Of course Alduin isn't Akatosh; Akatosh is the Imperial version of the Time Dragon, while Alduin in the Nordic version. Unless you have references to back up your claims, they're as good as speculation. --[[User:Legoless|Legoless]] 20:10, 2 October 2011 (UTC)

:::::::: Now that Skyrim has been released, and that I personally have seen him crush the wall of a tower (a physical object) with his metalic, ornamental face, I find it safe to assume that Alduin is actualy physical, and therefor not Akatosh nor an aspect of him. What he is however will need research, But as of now, he has been confirmed to not be Alduin, by Bethesda through the words of Maiq the Lair, that Akatosh is not Alduin. ~ (Unsigned, due to formatting error)

== Daggerfall references & Pic ==

There's some info currently on the page that only comes from Daggerfall. I couldn't figure out the best way to cite to it; don't know enough about Daggerfall. "Dialogue before the Warp in the West" or something like that might be appropriate; if anyone knows what NPC(s) actually communicate this info in Daggerfall, even better.

I moved the stained-glass image of Akatosh a little down the page because I thought it looked better than cramming the text directly between the two images. But, meh; fiddle as you see fit. [[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]] 23:52, 13 July 2011 (UTC)

: "''Events of [[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''" is usually fine for the reference if you can't find an exact source. --[[User:Legoless|Legoless]] 23:57, 13 July 2011 (UTC)

== Found in every pantheon? ==

This article says that Akatosh is "one of two deities found in every [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamrielic]] religion" however he is not represented in the Dunmeri religion, as stated on our article on the different Pantheons of Tamriel. Should this not be revised to be brought in line with our other article, and changed to something like this: "one of two deities found in every [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamrielic]] religion, bar the Tribunal Temple? --[[User:OblivionDuruza|OblivionDuruza]] 06:17, 27 August 2011 (UTC)

:The article already notes this exception.[[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]] 08:15, 27 August 2011 (UTC)

::Hmm, that's odd, I was given the impression that it didn't, while the others did, by a user over on the Forums. May have been referring to a different page. I'll double check. (Could also have been me brining it up on the wrong page by mistake)--[[User:OblivionDuruza|OblivionDuruza]] 13:00, 29 August 2011 (UTC)

:::isnt auriel in dunmer religion, and auriel is akatosh, right? ("From Fear to Eternity- [[User:Eddie the head|Eddie The Head]] 13:02, 29 August 2011 (UTC))

:::: Auriel is the Aldmeri variation of Akatosh yes, but the Dunmer don't worship the Nine.--[[User:OblivionDuruza|OblivionDuruza]] 10:50, 1 September 2011 (UTC)

==Firstborn of Akatosh==
This is not a line that can be taken at face value. It is loaded with implications and half truths, given that it refers to past universes.

Being a son of Akatosh in a methaphysical sense does not rule out being an aspect of Akatosh. Just look at Jesus. Furthermore, the way Alduin would have become the son of Akatosh would be by mantling in the last kalpa, which would make him a former aspect of Akatosh. Lastly, Varieties of Faith still identifies Alduin as the Nordic version of Akatosh (although this means that he is an independent being), so we can expect that this is what the citizens of Tamriel believe, while only the player character heard Alduin's shouts. This is all a little beyond the scope of the article, so let's let it be. Akatosh himself was invented by Alessia, remember.[[Special:Contributions/132.162.73.252|132.162.73.252]] 05:36, 20 November 2011 (UTC)

:From what I've concluded through playing the game, it seems to me that Alduin and Akatosh are completely separate entities. Akatosh is, first and foremost, one of the Aedra; fundamentally "good" as far as we can use the term in context, divine, and, rightfully, a god. Alduin, however, is simply the first of Akatosh's dragon progeny; while this grants him additional powers that make him more powerful than most other dragons, this does not in any way make him a god, or even an aspect of Akatosh. In-game dialogue from Paarthurnax, who we can assume to be Alduin's immediately younger sibling, seems to show that Alduin is far more mortal than is believed by men; his reservation of the "right" to hunt in Sovngarde implies that other dragons could very well do so if Alduin did not prevent them, and the fact that the other dragons were becoming curious as to whether Alduin was strong enough to lead seems to imply that Alduin was not a God, but simply the "alpha male" of dragonkind. If Alduin was indeed a facet of Akatosh or a God in his own right, then his strength would not be questioned by his dragon siblings.

:This isn't to say, however, that Alduin is a completely mortal creature. Given his unique "death" sequence in Sovngarde after being "killed" by the Dragonborn player, and the fact that his soul is ''not'' absorbed by the Dragonborn, it can be assumed that, similarly to the Daedra, he cannot be permanently killed, as opposed to other dragons, which are more or less mortal creatures.

:This is, at least, what I got from playing through the storyline.

:--[[User:Lee 95|Lee 95]] 04:55, 26 January 2012 (UTC)

::Long story short, this article should at least note the connection with Alduin. Basically everything Lee said is well-settled at this point. Varieties of Faith is from Morrowind, and I think it's safe to say it has been retconned. I don't mean necessarily that the "real" concept of Alduin was not already conceived at that point, but it's certain that from a lore perspective, falsehoods presented in previous times have since been rebutted by new, more reliable sources in subsequent games. Varieties of Faith pertains to the theories of the various pantheons ''from an Imperial perspective'', like [[Lore:The Alduin/Akatosh Dichotomy|The Alduin/Akatosh Dichotomy]], and we know that Imperial scholars were prone to perpetuate the misconception that Alduin and Akatosh were the same thing, despite the [[Lore:Alduin is Real|objections]] of the people who best understood their own beliefs.

::The accuracy of the title "Firstborn of Akatosh" as applied to Alduin is not relevant here. Whether he is Akatosh, his Firstborn, an avatar of him, or none or all of the above at various times, the only thing that really matters is that readers would expect us to mention all the relevant facts, and the fact that Alduin is referred to as "Firstborn of Akatosh" in the game seems entirely relevant to me. Whether the implications it brings are misguided or not is best left to be ironed out on the forums. [[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]] 06:25, 26 January 2012 (UTC)

== Warp in the West ==

The current line on the Warp in the West is wrong and misleading. It only refers to the Imperial cover story of the Miracle of Peace, which players and educated scholars are supposed to know is false. Akatosh did not play a benevolent role, he simply lost control of time momentarily. That's failure, not benevolence. I'm putting this here because I can't edit the article. Some sort of 'lost session data' error. If someone else could restore the edit, that would be great.[[User:Temple-Zero|Temple-Zero]] 22:11, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
:I changed the language; hopefully that will suffice. [[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 23:57, 26 February 2012 (UTC)

== Akatosh didn't create Auriel's artifacts ==

Auriel is the Altmeri name for Akatosh, but Cyrodilic and Altmeri views on Akatosh are mutually exclusive. Akatosh is a dragon that guards creation. Auriel is a man or eagle that would like to see his followers destroy it and follow him to immortality. They are, for all intents and purposes, separate beings, although both are aspects of the God of Time. So it is wrong to say that Akatosh created Auriel's artifacts.[[User:Temple-Zero|Temple-Zero]] 22:11, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
:Cites?[[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 23:21, 26 February 2012 (UTC)
::Citations? Elaborating this issue would require the content of a dozen articles. But I think UESP should bow to the logic of the situation. The Thalmor worship Auriel, and they loathe man's very existence. The Empire's Akatosh actively defends the interests of Cyrodiil and the Empire. They are diametrically opposed beings. See the lore on the creation of the Nine Divines Pantheon and the Marukhati Selective as well. And also, in the end, we are told that the Nine do not create artifacts. Currently a search for Auriel directs to Auriel's own separate page, rather than this article, so this is not really a change.[[Special:Contributions/132.162.133.58|132.162.133.58]] 04:29, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
:::I assume this is Temple-Zero? I liked your work on the Dragon Break page. I assume by what your wrote there, that Fal Droon could not explain away all the inconsistencies, that you agree with the orthodox explanation of the Middle Dawn: the Selective tried, and presumably failed, to exorcise Elven Auriel from Imperial Akatosh and instigated a Dragon Break. Which implies that they believe the two entities are, in fact, different representations of the same entity. So even if the Thalmor and Empire both loathe the idea, the Imperials, at least, more or less acknowledge this belief. So it follows that it's not false to say that Akatosh is ''accredited'' with creating those artifacts, if that underlying assumption that they are thought to be named for their creator is true. [[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 04:41, 27 February 2012 (UTC)
:::So ... cites? [[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 04:42, 27 February 2012 (UTC)

::::Since this seems to be a topic of dispute, I have put forth a compromise, putting forth both sides of the story (with The Monomyth as my source): ''"In the elven tradition, Auriel is accredited with creating Auriel's Shield and Auriel's Bow, and used the latter to fire the Heart of Lorkhan into what is today Red Mountain.[1] However, the cyrodiilic traditions of man do not mention these artifacts as part of their stories of Akatosh and creation, and do not provide any explanation to their existance or origins.[1]"'' [[Special:Contributions/78.69.121.150|78.69.121.150]] 19:29, 12 September 2012 (GMT)

:::::I'm fine with that general approach, but I'm not quite sure on the best way to interpret The Monomyth. It seems like it can be construed a number of ways. "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." It could be read to mean that Anu created the artifacts and gave them to Auriel, for example, thus it would be wrong to say that Auriel is accredited with creating them. It would probably be safer to go with explicit ambiguity ("It is unknown ..."), or silence. [[User:Minor Edits|Minor Edits]] ([[User talk:Minor Edits|talk]]) 22:04, 12 September 2012 (GMT)

::::::Anuiel gave the artifacts to Auri-el to battle Lorkhan. It was in a book somewhere. {{uns|109.102.64.10|18:20, 27 October 2013}}

== Almalexia/Akatosh connection ==

The main article mentions needing a Citation for the Akatosh traits in Almalexia. This is directly from Varieties of Faith in the Empire. It's worth noting that this same work implies Alduin and Akatosh are two versions of the same entity, a piece of trivia disputed by some statements in Skyrim, so its veracity and impartiality are in question but it's still a belief some people have, so it's a valid section of the article. {{unsigned|64.253.223.247|10 August 2012}}
:That bit of the book is just Imperial colonialist propaganda, a condescending view that surely theirs is the one true faith and that the Dunmer just have a corrupted deviation from it. Almalexia was her own deity, distinct from Akatosh. Bear in mind that just because it's in the game's lore doesn't mean it's accurate. Plenty of people are incorrect ingame.--[[Special:Contributions/68.230.66.230|68.230.66.230]] 04:40, 11 February 2013 (GMT)

== Akatosh's role in Skyrim ==

I'm new to the TES lore, so sorry, if the answer to my question is obvious. I played Skyrim fully and a bit of Oblivion. As far as I understood, Akatosh is the "(god)father" of the dragons. Then why does he take no role in Skyrim, a game that is all about dragons, especially about Akatosh's son Alduin? --[[Special:Contributions/91.41.140.188|91.41.140.188]] 08:31, 17 January 2014 (GMT)
:Actually, Akatosh IS Alduin, in terms of gods in different pantheons. In the nordic pantheon, there is no Akatosh, which is why he isn't very prominent. Instead, Alduin holds the same role. Since gods in TES are real, it isn't really possible to say that they are ACTUALLY the same, but that's why Akatosh doesn't play a bigger role. [[User:Jeancey|Jeancey]] ([[User talk:Jeancey|talk]]) 08:41, 17 January 2014 (GMT)

:: So, is "Gods" and "Worship" in TES working like in Black and White, for example? If someone starts to believes in a yet unexisting god (meaning: "invent" a superior being within his imagination), this god will eventually start existing and claim a physical representation - and after it started existing this way it had existed forever already, because gods are outside of space-time? --[[Special:Contributions/91.41.140.188|91.41.140.188]] 08:50, 17 January 2014 (GMT)
:::They existed first. They were created first out of the void, then they, some of them more specifically than others, created everything else, including the mortal races. [[User:Jeancey|Jeancey]] ([[User talk:Jeancey|talk]]) 09:17, 17 January 2014 (GMT)

:::: But how can Akatosh be Alduin, and at the same time be not him? If they exist as separate beings and in a causal, linear-time manner then, of course, Akatosh must exist in the nordic culture. Gods can be everywhere, they are gods - no matter if people know/worship him or not. So, I'm still confused how Akatosh, as being THE dragon god, doesn't play any role in Skyrim. Or is Alduin just another name for the ''exact same entity'' as Akatosh (like a "translation")? If so, then this should belong in the article. --[[Special:Contributions/91.41.140.188|91.41.140.188]] 10:46, 17 January 2014 (GMT)
:::: Or ist it in the "nature" of Akatosh to not care for Skyrim, does he have no "power" outside Cyrodiil? And is it in the nature of Alduin to not care for non-Skyrim parts? --[[Special:Contributions/91.41.140.188|91.41.140.188]] 10:48, 17 January 2014 (GMT)
::::: Technically, Akatosh and Alduin are separate. Both are sub gradients or shards of the father of all time gods (Alduin, Alkosh, Auri-El, Akatosh etc) who is known as Aka-Tusk. In the game, Parthy calls Akatosh "Bormah", which means father and Alduin calls himself the firstborn of Akatosh - they are actually referring to Aka-Tusk, the original time god who all dragons descend from. Akatosh (technically) came about in the First Era - after the Marukhati Selective discarded the Elven aspects of Auri-El and the result was Akatosh - a schizophrenic deity. However, being a time god, Akatosh has always existed. Its confusing. This is lore that is most based on out of game texts from the former dev/writer Michael Kirkbride. The forums might be a better place to discuss this further.--[[User:Jimeee|Jimeee]] ([[User talk:Jimeee|talk]]) 11:07, 17 January 2014 (GMT)

== Akatosh and Satakal/Atakota ==

Reasoning for removal of Satakal and Atakota from Akatosh's page? Akatosh is directly called the equivalent of Satakal within the original bethesda teaser for the Monomyth prior to Morrowinds' release. and this remains so in the official release of the Monomyth in the French Translations of the text, lasting from Morrowind onto ESO.

To add, Satakal and Atakota both fulfill identical roles to Akatosh across every mythos, being the first to form, being time, and allowing other spirits to form. Anu and Padomay coming together to allow Time to start has remarkable precedent. Atakota is explicitly connected to Time being existing specifically. On top of this Satakal and Atakota has the unique connection and tie to Sep and The Shadow, Yokudan and Argonian Lorkhan. The two Dragon God and Missing God being present in every myth is a constant even acknowledged by the Monomyth.

:''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,'' [Monomyth]

:''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.'' [Monomyth]

:''But now Atakota was not in conflict, and things had time to begin and end.'' [Children of the Root]

:''The Cosmos formed from the Aurbis [chaos, or totality] by Anu and Padomay. Akatosh (Auriel) formed and Time began. The Gods (et'Ada) formed.'' [Ages before man]

The direct citation stating they are one:
"Satakal the Worldskin"
(Anu as Satak, Padomay as Akel, Akatosh as Satakal, Lorkhan as Sep.)

Why should Satakal and Atakota possibly being alternative names to Akatosh be outright removed?

[[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 19:09, 14 August 2023 (UTC)

:No official source conflates Satakal with Akatosh, rather Satakal is stated to be a fusion of the concepts of Anu and Padaomay. Absolutely nothing whatsoever official or otherwise conflated Atakota with Akatosh. This speculation doesn’t belong on this page. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 20:21, 14 August 2023 (UTC)

:: I cited one UOL source, which is enough to get an addition to the page as uesp accepts UOL, and I added an official source, the French translation of the Monomyth has a directly comparison of Satakal to Akatosh. This has remained true since Monomyth's addition to Morrowind all the way to ESO. This is an official in game source.
::More on Satakal, you're presuming that the combination fo Anu and Padomay isn't what Akatosh is

::From the Anuad:

::The first ones were brothers: Anu and Padomay. They came into the Void, and Time began.
::[[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 20:25, 14 August 2023 (UTC)

::: Uol is definitely allowed however there’s [[Lore talk:Battle of Red Mountain|precedent]] for not allowing cut content of this nature into main bodies of articles. Not sure what exactly the French translation of the Monomyth states although if it clearly states that Satakal and Akatosh are one and the same I see no issue with citing that on the page as an alternative name, none of this applies to Atakota however who indeed has similarities to Satakal but stating anything beyond that based on such tentative connections and weak sources would be quite dubious imo. Ultimately both Satakal and Atakota are clearly something very different to what we are commonly told Akatosh is in other myths. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 20:38, 14 August 2023 (UTC)

::::Here is what [https://cslist.uesp.net/index.php?game=mwfr&edid=bk_manyfacesmissinggod Le Monomythe] says: "Anu en tant que Satak, Padomay en tant que Akel, Akatosh en tant que Satakal, Lorkhan en tant que Sep."
::::This translates to "Anu as Satak, Padomay as Akel, Akatosh as Satakal, Lorkhan as Sep". --[[User:Alpha Kenny Buddy|AKB]] [[User_talk:Alpha_Kenny_Buddy|Talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Alpha Kenny Buddy|Cont]] [[Special:Emailuser/Alpha Kenny Buddy|Mail]] 20:44, 14 August 2023 (UTC)

::::: Satakal should definitely be kept. On the topic of Atakota, Atakota is very clearly a spin on Satakal. We have [[Lore:Children of the Root|precedent]] of this nature with edits made on Children of the Root's page to ensure Atakota hyperlinked to Satakal. However as you say it's never explicitly stated, but is inference not enough here? After all Atak and Anu are never directly correlated, yet they are understood to hold the place of the Stasis idea Anu and is accepted. Should Atakota/Satakal/Akatosh not be afforded the same connection?

:::::On Akatosh's similarities to Atakota specific, Atakota is directly credited with the commencing of the flow of time, and things to form. This is the universal constant of the Time Dragon; (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."). (The first of these was Akatosh the Time Dragon, whose formation made it easier for other spirits to structure themselves.)

:::::Alongside this, the direct mimicry to Satakal's tale, another alternative name to Akatosh. We could also simply witness the ethymologically familiar name of Atakota in comparison to others like Akatosh or Alkosh.
:::::Is this together not enough to afford Atakota a place on Akatosh's page?

:::::At least perhaps, a line saying "Atakota shares similarity to the common understanding of Akatosh, as well as Satakal [[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 21:09, 14 August 2023 (UTC)

::::::Ultimately my views are mostly that there is a degree of nuance when dealing with gods who have "mirror aspects" such as Akatosh in this instance. For example I’m not a major fan of the recent edits that mention Auriel's artifacts on this page because the artifacts are always tied specifically to the Auriel aspect and while it is true that Auriel and Akatosh as deities are often times conflated, certain [[Lore:The Monomyth|key sources]] go as far as to place them as leaders of opposing sides of people and principles. All this is to say I don’t mind listing off Satakal as a potential alternative name for Akatosh but doing so in a devoid of context manner makes it seem like these deities are just different names for the exact same ideals which I feel is a bit off. Ruptga arguably has more parallels with Akatosh than Satakal tbh. One instance of us applying this nuance and context on this page is not listing Alduin as an alternative name for Akatosh but rather listing him as his son, even though that’s a can of worms in its own right as this page which covers more or less the Imperial pantheon deity known as Akatosh isn’t necessarily the "Akatosh Time Dragon" who is conceptually the father of all dragons including Alduin as attested by some out of game works and the Amun Dro Khajiit books. This is a superrrrr long winded way of saying I’d prefer we put less emphasis on cross contaminating individual lore pages with information that belongs to a different culture’s interpretation of that deity and solely focus on making each page for each respective god aspect as laser focused as possible, otherwise it makes it come across like there’s a "right" and "wrong" version of these figures. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 00:58, 15 August 2023 (UTC)

:::::::Satakal is unique in that he's meant to be a fusion of Anu and Padomay, and Atakota is meant to be a mirror aspect of Satakal. While there is undoubtable phonetic similarity both these names with Akatosh, Atakota ''is not'' Akatosh; Atakota is a fusion of Atak and Kota, and Atak ''is'' a mirror aspect of Anu (and possibly be extension, Anui-El and Akatosh), while Kota is an aspect of Padomay/Sithis. I do think Satakal should be noted in some way, but he should not be listed as an alt name cuz this is more of a case of enantiomorph of multiple deities rather than being equivalent to just one aedra. Satakal itself is implied to be more linked to Alduin as a being that only appears at the end of time to end the kalpa and create a new one. Satakal's relationship to Akatosh should be kept to the notes or so on. [[User:The Rim of the Sky|The Rim of the Sky]] ([[User talk:The Rim of the Sky|talk]]) 01:30, 15 August 2023 (UTC)

::::::::To Dcking, I would contend however that the very idea of deities having mirror aspects is a faulty one. The vast majority of mortals agree for example, Auriel and Akatosh are the same deity, whose differences is colored by mortal bias, as we hear from [[Lore:The Alduin/Akatosh Dichotomy | numerous]] [[Skyrim:Knight-Paladin Gelebor | sources]] [[Lore: Artorius Ponticus Answers Your Questions | again and again]]. Even the [[Lore:The Exclusionary Mandates | Mahrukati acknowledged this internally]]. They attempted rituals to prove they are distinct deities and [[General:Where Were You When the Dragon Broke? | found only harder evidence that Auriel was in fact Akatosh]]. This is why they tried to erase the Elven aspects from the Time Dragon entirely. An action that is contended to have not worked, [[Lore:Where Were You ... Dragon Broke | "don't think you solved what you accomplished by it"]]. Because of this I would also contend that Shezarr's song is in fact an Alessian Order text, when the hatred of all things elven colored their faith and their view of the Time Dragon. I would also add it is mentioned in Imperial texts that [[Lore:Shezarr and the Divines | Akatosh was outright plucked from the Elven Religion]], and it has been stated [[Lore:The Chim-el Adabal | Akatosh tore out Lorkhan's heart in Cyrodilic bard songs.]] So perhaps the idea that Akatosh had opposing views to Auriel, is not so accurate.

::::::::The Mirror brother idea is one based on some comments from MK, but largely one I find unfounded within actual lore, OOG texts or otherwise, which I imagine is why it's largely absent from uesp. From how most writers aside from MK, and thus most mortals in the world of Tamriel, treat deities, it appears that the differences between cultural interpretations of deities begin and there, as cultural interpretations, and is not reflected as actual new divinities who mirror each other. I will comment in particular though, that MK's full mirror-brother comment states that the time dragons different faces is influenced by mythopoeic forces of his mantlers, so cultural interpretation isn't a factor even there, but mantling is.

::::::::On Alduin, Alduin himself states he is the Son of Akatosh, and lore was added to supplement this within Skyrim itself. IRL wise, this is a clear retcon. This is then doubled down in the Amun Dro books, where Alkosh takes the place of Akha, and Alkhan is a demon enemy of Alkosh, Khenarthi and Lorkhaj. Alduin is not a mirror-brother aspect of Akatosh in the way MK once suggested on r/teslore, but his, adopted in this case, son.

::::::::On the topic of Ruptha vs. Satakal as the Yokudan Akatosh parallel, I lean Satakal for quite a few reasons, beyond the outright confirmation within certain versions of Monomyth. The number one constant about the Time Dragon is three, that he is the first spirit after the primal Anu and Padomay forces, that he is what allows other spirits to form, and that he is tied to Lorkhan somehow. Consider the following to extend to Atakota as well. Satakal is the first spirit, he is the First serpent, his existence is then what allows spirits to finally actualize and take names, and then Sep (Lorkhan) is born of leftovers of Satakal, as the Second serpent, giving the two a unique relationship. In Ruptga I find these fundamentals of the common theme of the Time Dragon absent, in fact the only similarity I find is the opposition to Lorkhan, sundering his heart, and being Chief of the Divinities. Opposing Lorkhan is hardly a unique position, in fact every divinity within Yokudan myth opposes him, sundering his heart is not unique to the Time Dragon, Trinimac is most known for it, and being chief of the divines goes to numerous deities across pantheons, Kyne most notably.

::::::::It's fitting for Akatosh's page to cover his alternative names, primarily because Akatosh is the most popular depiction of the Time Dragon. Essentially he functions as the hub from which you can research any interpretation of the Time Dragon further. A similar situation can be found with Lorkhan's page, which is sensible as Lorkhan is the most popular depiction of the Missing God. [[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 02:47, 15 August 2023 (UTC)

::::::::To Rim of the Sky, I'd contest this, why do you assume that Akatosh himself, [[General:Concerning the Psijic Order and the Psijic Endeavor | is not formed from Padomay's influence on Anu?]] Akatosh, or Time rather, has been called [[Morrowind:36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 21 | static change for a reason]]. Time is born of the combination of Anu and Padomay. As I cited above in the Anuad this is stated clearly. "The first ones were brothers: Anu and Padomay. They came into the Void, and Time began.", an elven passage, and to the elves Time is onstensibly, Auriel. Why can we not say Atakota is Akatosh when he clearly is, but then confidently declare Atak as Anu, neither is stated outright yes, but both are informed conclusions based of the common archetype the two display in the mythic. And on Enantiomorphs... where do you pull the idea that Enantiomorphs are involved in with Satakal? [[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 02:47, 15 August 2023 (UTC)

:::::::::I’ll be honest, you did some great research into this and have made me look at this alot deeper than I ever have, for one this argument has made me notice that in the original Varieties of Faith, Akatosh or one of his aspects is listed as the first deity of each culture, the Yokudan one listing none other than Satakal. Also at the time of Morrowind Alduin was seen as an Akatosh aspect through and through so comparing Satakal to Alduin was fitting of this bill at that time. Now that said, there’s some stuff you missed with the Ruptga connections there’s a little bit more to it, one of which is [[Lore:Varieties of Faith in Tamriel]] which outright conflates the two, in the Crown mythos Zeht is the son of Ruptga, to the Forebears, the son of Akatosh. There’s also [[Lore:A Betrayal of Our Heritage]] that seems to possibly conflate both Satakal and Ruptga with Akatosh? Another matter, this original idea of Satakal being an avatar of Akatosh, who most closely resembles Alduin as an eater of the world, if Alduins origins as a mirror aspect was clearly retconned could we not say the same about Satakal? It all just feels a tad shaky to me and none of it is very explicit, I’m sort of with Rim that it might be cleaner to put all this in the notes, but if we don’t for consistency we likely need to put Alduin, the One, and possibly even Ruptga in the alternative names bit as well. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 03:41, 15 August 2023 (UTC)

::::::::::Yeah Alduin was soundly Akatosh prior to Skyrim's release. Honestly if Skyrim simply had left that depiction of the Time Dragon alone, it would have saved the entire lore community years of confusion. With Ruptga, those are good citations I honestly missed, so I believe we should add Ruptga in addition to Satakal as potential Yoku Akatosh parallels, since there are indications for them. Both are the father of Zeht, and in an [[Lore:The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/Hammerfell | Imperial text]], both are called "Tall Papa". Maybe add a section noting their differences? While it's interesting that the Betrayal text shuffles both for Akatosh, Akatosh is never seen as a star deity by other culture, which is most of what Ruptga is.

::::::::::On the other end of the comparison, Ruptga is neither a god of time nor a reptile (whereas even the Altmer, who like to think of their gods as looking like themselves, [[Online:Shrines | do often refer to Auriel as reptilian,]] or use the term "dragon" when referring to time, [[Lore:Exegesis of Merid-Nunda | same with the Ayleids ]]). He is directly compared in some Antiquarian comments, saying that "Ruptga without stars is like Akatosh without a Dragon", and we never see either with attributes of the other. While with Satakal, he's a Serpent/Wyrm/Reptile-enough, even called the First Wyrm or [[Online:Priestess Sermenh | First Serpent]] in Hammerfell, and responsible for the creation of Time in the Yoku mythos, both as the concept of duration (whereby spirits get to exist), but also as the time between universal creation and destruction, which marches onward like a serpent eating itself. There's also one obscure comment that indicates that Yokudans might understand dragons (those spirits who experience hunger and a desire for domination) as the [[Online:Hayazzin | "Spawn of Satakal" ]].

::::::::::Alduin, I believe we can safely keep as is. Satakal hasn't been demoted in the way Alduin has (and as you said, at the time Akatosh=Satakal because Akatosh=Alduin and Alduin=Satakal was clearly the authorial intent when Morrowind released), and while his Worldskin Cycle is in some question due to Alduins' demotion, Satakal has kept his significance in the mythic (as responsible for the resurrection of the universe) where Alduin has only suffered. Perhaps a note mentioning Satakal's similarity to Alduin, and how that could be interpreted within the context at the time of writing? On "The One", he is rather soundly established as the Alessian Order's view of Akatosh as a result of their attempt at Monotheism.

::::::::::What I am curious about is your current thoughts on Atakota now, though, and his addition as a parallel. To add what I have mentioned before, there is the entire line in the text where Dragons as a whole are born off of him, which we know to be a fact beyond the cultural. Dragons being related to Akatosh/Alkosh/Bormahu/The Great Dragon is a metaphysical fact that even the Dragons themselves are eager to admit. And even more than that, the event of the creation of dragons, where the synthesis, Atakota, is attacked and unmade by lesser spirits who then become dragons, is eerily similar too the overthrow of Alkosh, where the "children of Akha" (clearly dragons) scatter the Time God and another deity has to put him back together (and they collectively realize that something needs to be done about these spirits, which neatly connects into the Divines' intervention during the Dragon War in Nordic history, with the First Dragonborn, the gift of the Thu'um and Paarthurnax's change of allegiances as attempts to undermine the Dragon Cult).

::::::::::I don't really understand why it'd be an issue to acknowledge a reasonable degree of comparative mythology when there are many instances of precedents of this being done on the UESP. We did not know for a fact that Khenarthi was Kynareth until the addition of the Antiquarians in the ESO:Greymoor chapter (prior there was never an actual 1:1 comparison between the two), yet this has been treated as fact since the release of Morrowind, and rightfully so, because the authorial intent was pretty transparent. I think Atakota is one such example where refusal to acknowledge the comparison becomes a statement in and off itself, whereas the authorial intent seems pretty clear that he was supposed to be the Dragon analogue, especially given that Akatosh and Lorkhan are supposed to be the gods that can most easily be found across every culture. Were we to not acknowledge Atakota in some capacity, then we'd be ignoring the one absolute established by Monomyth, as that leaves this Argonian Mythos without a Dragon and Missing God. [[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 16:40, 15 August 2023 (UTC)

:::::::::::So here’s my ultimate train of thought here, the parallels between Atakota and Satakal are unmistakable so that is (imo) a settled matter. Satakal, and by extension Atakota *definitely* appears to have a close tether to the time dragon, but in this instance it’s specifically the Dragon God of (the end of) Time, Alduin. That Alduin is still very much established in lore to hold dominion over the end of time and being the world eater, but also retconned to be demoted to a non mirror aspect son of Akatosh makes the connection with Satakal and Atakota much more tentative here. In essence, Satakal and Atakota seem to be the Yoku and Argonian mirrors of Akatosh only insofar as Alduin is still very much the Nordic mirror of Akatosh. Because no matter how we slice it (if we are going off of the Skyrim retcon of them being two separate deities) end of time and world eating is the domain of Alduin, not Akatosh. To add more fun to the mix, [[Lore:The Guardian and the Traitor|some sources]] tie Alduin to the All-Maker of the Skaal, while [[Lore:The Story of Aevar Stone-Singer|other sources]] go in the complete opposite direction and have an Alduin mirror as an aspect of the Skaal's Adversary. That makes [[Lore:Alduin|Alduin]], [[Lore:Satakal|Satakal]], [[Lore:Atakota|Atakota]], [[Lore:Alkhan|Alkhan]], [[Lore:All-Maker|All-Maker]], and [[Lore:Thartaag|Thartaag]] who can all be wrapped up in the Alduin world eater umbrella. All of whom *should* be able to be tied into the Akatosh chief deity of time umbrella but Skyrim decided to be Skyrim and call that all into major question, now our job is to figure out how to try and explain all this on lore articles, my opinion is we need something more in depth and nuanced than just slapping alternative names in the opening bio. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 00:30, 16 August 2023 (UTC)

{{od}}Based on the above comments, I worked on adding a section to discuss these different variants, which also had some of the content that was already present on the page moved into it. Further expansion to explore the above about the All-Maker, Alkhan, Thartaag is still necessary. Also a brief mention of Orgnum, who has some ties to Satakal. --[[User:Alpha Kenny Buddy|AKB]] [[User_talk:Alpha_Kenny_Buddy|Talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Alpha Kenny Buddy|Cont]] [[Special:Emailuser/Alpha Kenny Buddy|Mail]] 15:37, 16 August 2023 (UTC)

:: I like the new additions, they're great AKB! I think settles the matter . [[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 16:27, 16 August 2023 (UTC)

::: Need to add Tall Papa stuff to since a few texts conflate Akatosh with this deity as well. Might not be a bad idea to take all the alternative deity names out of the opening blurb and let the in depth sections below do all the talking as these do a better job of demonstrating that there’s comparisons to be made between these different deities, but not necessarily are they 1:1 with one another. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 00:03, 28 August 2023 (UTC)

== Name origin? ==

What is Akatosh's name origin? I heard from a person who was a beta tester her father's moniker is Akatosh (beta tester for Arena)[[User:TheSeldomConsistentEditor|TheSeldomConsitentEditor]] ([[User talk:TheSeldomConsistentEditor|talk]])
:[[General:Council of Wisdom]]--[[User:ErfXploded|ErfXploded]] ([[User talk:ErfXploded|talk]]) 00:41, 18 August 2024 (UTC)

== The Four Suitors of Benitah ==

Please stop making reference to this text as though it says anything deep or intelligent about the nature of the Divines. It's a tall tale. It's fiction within fiction. Please stop linking it to the Akatosh and Aedra pages. Some reading comprehension, please.

== Akatosh is arkay's father ==

according to "varieties of faith..." akatosh is arkay's father. That is mentioned on arkay's page, should that also be mentioned on akatosh's? Are there other children of akatosh not mentioned on his lore page? If that should be added, could someone who knows more about what they're doing than i do please add those details. [[User:Firaro|Firaro]] ([[User talk:Firaro|talk]]) 23:29, 24 January 2025 (UTC)
:"varieties of faith, the forebears" implies akatosh is zeht's father. It also indicates that zeht corresponds to zenithar. Making akatosh zenithar's father? I wasnt sure if i should just edit this into my first post or it was better to add it on as a response, i figured the response option was the safer default. I am again uncertain if that is lore worthy of the lore page. [[User:Firaro|Firaro]] ([[User talk:Firaro|talk]]) 23:51, 24 January 2025 (UTC)

== Capitalization: avatar or Avatar? ==

Hello. Just wondering if anyone had thoughts about a lorespace standard on whether to capitalize "avatar" when referring to a specific avatar?

Currently, [[Lore:Oblivion]] and [[Lore:Imperial City]] capitalize Martin's "Avatar of Akatosh", [[Lore:Martin Septim]] and [[Lore:Caius Cosades]] do not, and so on. Some pages, like this one currently, seem a little internally inconsistent. I could go either way, but consistency across the lorespace would look better. Maybe we can get a note onto [[UESPWiki:Spelling]]? [[User:Minor Edits|Insignificant Revisions]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 20:36, 15 June 2025 (UTC)

Lore talk:Ehlnofey

2025-06-15T08:18:56Z

Minor Edits: /* Mystery of Artaeum and Annotated Anuad phrasing nitpick */

Lore talk:Ehlnofey

2025-06-15T08:13:02Z

Minor Edits: /* Mystery of Artaeum and Annotated Anuad phrasing nitpick */ new section

== Are the Aedra Considered Ehlnofey? ==
First of all, ARE the Aedra considered Ehlnofey? I'm not sure, but I'm leaning towards no. Need to look it up. And second, we might as well just dispense with the categories and write it all out, or maybe at least get text on the page before trying to format it.[[User:Temple-Zero|Temple-Zero]] 20:42, 6 August 2008 (EDT)
:Heh, half of what is there came from our dictionary entry. Again, I thought this needs more then the three lines that were <nowiki>[[Lore:Dictionary_E#Ehlnofey|here]]</nowiki>. Don't feel constrained by the categorization, by all means write it out. I don't know enough about the subject to do so myself ;) --[[User:Benould|Benould]]•[[User_Talk:Benould|T]]•[[Special:Contributions/Benould|C]] 20:50, 6 August 2008 (EDT)

::The sources I've read indicate the Aedra and Daedra are classified as a type of being known as et'Ada, and the Ehlnofey are the offspring of the Aedra. They're the step between Aedra and mortal races. I'm not sure where beings like the Hist or Dragons fit into this tree of life, though. Many questions remain unaddressed. - Pilaf the Defiler {{uns|64.253.223.247|03:09, 9 November 2012‎}}

== Not a race, why? ==
I don't know how to fix it, but this page should be in the Races category. [[User:Phoenix Neko|Phoenix Neko]] ([[User talk:Phoenix Neko|talk]]) 17:30, 5 December 2016 (UTC)

== Expansion and separation per belief system ==

I'd like to propose that the article be separated into sections corresponding to the different beliefs/narratives we have on the Ehlnofey, each going into detail on the particular origin.

The Ehlnofey from the Annuad and the 12 Worlds are distinct from the Ehlnofey from Heart of the World or Before the Ages of Man despite sharing a name. The Ehlnofey of the Annuad (as inhabitants of one of the 12 Worlds preceding it) predate a Nirn formed directly by Anu, the formation of which leads to the "god and demons" of the world also forming after it, birthed from the blood of the brothers (Anu, Padomay) when it is spilled.

The Ehlnofey of Heart of the World and Before the Ages of Man are a sub-group of the original Et'Ada which create Nirn themselves.

Also perhaps some additional info on the exact mechanisms of the believed origin and the gradual progression it describes:

In Heart of the World we are told that:

"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."

And Varieties of Faith and the PGE 3: Blessed Isle define the members of the merish pantheons as among their believed genealogical ancestors, the former mentions how the Altmer and Bosmer claim "direct descent from Auri-El", and the latter names Auri-El, Trinimac, Phynaster and Syrabane as elvish ancestors (in the literal sense).

In Onus of the Oghma which quotes the "Aldmeriad" the "earliest origin saga of the elves", we have Xarxes address the Aldmer as "true children of the Et'Ada" and other elvish texts claims of the the Altmer that "Our genetic lineage can be traced to the original Aldmer race, through the Ehlnofey to the divine et'Ada themselves."

And Aedra themselves are variously described as the "mortal gods" (The Prophet and Umaril) or the "dead gods" (Vastarie) who "told the tale of their own deaths" (Psijic Compromise) and have Mundus "serve as their cemetery" (Lyranth's 2nd LM Archive) who can be "killed per the contract of creation" (Aedra and Daedra book). Akatosh himself has been described as a "dragon ghost" (Glorious Upheaval).

While a number of the sources might be superfluous to mention and (much like the Annuad and Heart of the World) might reflect different beliefs, overall the elvish perspective would be: The Aedra created the world and we are their descendants that resulted over time through a phenomenon of diminishment of each consecutive generation compared to the last (Ehlnofey-Aldmer-Altmer and so on as distinct stages each). So you get from Dringoth the giant to more modern elves/men/so on.

Given half the elven pantheon is named as ancestors personally I'd also question what meaningful distinction we can drawn from "Aedra" at all, in the text Ehlnofey are just "those who made children to last" and the elven gods fit the description. To state such directly in the absence of a direct statement I'm not sure about, but regardless I would argue that the description of minor spirits that degenerated into mortals (from the related Aedra article) be adjusted/elaborated upon.

Normally I'd just attempt to edit myself and wait for feedback but, given how nebulous the topic of the Ehlnofey is in general, I thought it best to ask for opinions/suggestions before attempting any changes.

Apologies if I was too longwinded, going to wait for feedback now.

--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 20:08, 2 February 2024 (UTC)

:The entire topic is hard to tackle that I think separating it in some capacity would be great.[[User:Analeah Oaksong|Analeah Oaksong]] ([[User talk:Analeah Oaksong|talk]]) 20:10, 2 February 2024 (UTC)

::I completely agree, there's a near identical separation on [[Lore:Nede]] regarding their origins. This case could be much the same, separating the two theories (aboriginal beings vs. ascended spirits) into a split box. Even MK officially condoned this theory, search "Correct." in [[GEN:Michael Kirkbride's Posts|here]] to see that. [[User:Mindtrait0r|Mindtrait0r]] ([[User talk:Mindtrait0r|talk]]) 21:57, 2 February 2024 (UTC)

::: Thank you both for the feedback, I'll start on a version with separate sections for each origin as soon as I can. --[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 03:27, 3 February 2024 (UTC)

== Trinimac identified as an Ehlnofey in Lord of Souls ? ==

Been going over the starting chapters of Lord of Souls and noticed something interesting. In page 9, where Attrebus is recounting the tales he heard of Malacath as a child to Silhansa/disguised Malacath, he says the following:

I don’t tell it as well as she did,” he admitted, “but I remember the tale.” He paused for a moment, remembering Helna’s
singsong voice. He closed his eyes and pictured his bed, and her
sitting there, hands folded. For just an instant he felt the shadow
of the comfort he’d known then, the innocence that had protected
him from the world.

'''“In the bygone- by,” he began, “there was a hero named Trinimac, the greatest knight of the Ehlnofey, '''champion of the
Dragon of Time''

The tale identifies Trinimac directly as the "greatest knight of the Ehlnofey, champion of the Dragon of Time", as such, should he be added as a notable member of the group ? Normally I'd be hesitant to name any deity directly given how nebulous the concept is, but in this case at least we've Trinimac being named as one directly (in at least some beliefs).--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 19:09, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

:It's worth mentioning it for a significant deity like him.[[User:Analeah Oaksong|Analeah Oaksong]] ([[User talk:Analeah Oaksong|talk]]) 20:08, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

::I would be careful, since in English that phrase can just mean that he's the knight/champion who serves the Ehlnofey, not neccesarily that the is one themselves. Like someone being referenced as the "greatest knight of the Kings of England, Champion of King Richard", you wouldn't assume that person IS a king of england themselves. [[User:Jeancey|Jeancey]] ([[User talk:Jeancey|talk]]) 20:45, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

::: Yeah,though, I'm not sure what else he could be ? The only definition we get for Ehlnofey, in the context of elven myth and not the Annuad at least, is that they:a) stayed after Magnus left and b) "made children to last", and Trinimac fits both descriptors (since the PGE names him as an elven ancestor in the genealogical sense).In that context I think Attrebus' description being "the greatest knight among the Ehlnofey" flows more naturally. Add it as a note rather than an outright statement of membership with the exact wording to account for every reading, perhaps ?Like "Trinimac has been called the greatest knight of the Ehlnofey in certain Cyrodiilic tales ?" or such ?--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 21:43, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

:::: That works, keeps it vague and accurate to the source. [[User:Mindtrait0r|Mindtrait0r]] ([[User talk:Mindtrait0r|talk]]) 21:55, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

:::::I agree, a note works. It definitely could be read either way, which makes a note the best method. We might want to spell out something like "This could mean that Trinimac was an Ehlnofey, or simply served the Ehlnofey" [[User:Jeancey|Jeancey]] ([[User talk:Jeancey|talk]]) 22:50, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

::::::Yeah, plus that way implicit statements about anyone else can be avoided (if Trinimac alone is named directly). I added it as a note that he was described in that manner in certain Cyrodiilic folktales, with the exact wording Attrebus used. Thought of mentioning it as a 4E belief in particular, but there's no mention of how far back the tale goes exactly, so left it as is.--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 23:03, 9 February 2024 (UTC)

:::::::I think the note we now have on the page looks good 👍 [[User:The Rim of the Sky|The Rim of the Sky]] ([[User talk:The Rim of the Sky|talk]]) 00:06, 10 February 2024 (UTC)

== Aedra and Ehlnofey as overlapping terms ==

Going to rip the bandaid off, I think a discussion on whether "Aedra" and "Ehlnofey" ought to be treated as overlapping terms is somewhat overdue. This will be rather long by necessity. Given how opaque the sources regarding this topic are I thought it best to start a discussion and see how others view the topic in question before making any edits or such ,different readings, some source I might've missed, anything really. More than that, I think there needs to be a discussion on the topic overall as its clear there are a number of different readings on it.

The manner in which the group is defined in elvish mythic sources is as follows:

In Heart of the World/Monomyth:

'''"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.'''

In Before the Ages of Man:

'''When Magic (Magnus), architect of the plans for the mortal world, decided to terminate the project, the Gods convened at the Adamantine Tower [Direnni Tower, the oldest known structure in Tamriel] and decided what to do. Most left when Magic did. Others sacrificed themselves into other forms so that they might Stay (the Ehlnofey). Lorkhan was condemned by the Gods to exile in the mortal realms, and his heart was torn out and cast from the Tower. Where it landed, a Volcano formed. With Magic (in the Mythic Sense) gone, the Cosmos stabilized. Elven history, finally linear, began (ME2500).

'''
The texts describe the "Ehlnofey" as those spirits (et'Ada specifically) who chose to stay past the departure or Magnus and the Magna-Ge, some like Y'ffre becoming the "Ehlnofey, the Earthbones" or laws of nature and some "having to make children just to last" with their lines gradually giving rise to mortals as we know them after generations underwent increasing diminishment compared to each preceding one.

This is further clarified by some of MK's texts and posts:

'''The term Earth Bone can refer to a few different types of mythical entities. The Ehlnofex term for "Earth Bone" is Ehlnofey. The Ehlnofey were a race of pre-Convention spirits who wrote in Ehlnofex script. Some Ehlnofey sacrificed themselves entirely into Nirn and became the bones of the earth, as eternal laws of nature. Others chose not to completely sacrifice themselves, but they were doomed to live on through their children instead of living eternally. These children became the ancestors of mer and men. Generally, when people say Earth Bones they're referring to the laws of nature, and when people say Ehlnofey, they're referring to the spirits who didn't sacrifice themselves.'''
'''MK:Correct.'''

From Nu-Mantia Intercept:

'''The Jills did not have their full powers; rather, I should say, all the mundex spirits had every power at every time amendment at every ordering, which is to say none of them could ever fully express; our world was young and so were its architect gods.

'''The next is known to all of us in different ways, and the impossibility of the Dawn lends all of these memories credence. I speak of the Ur-Tower, Adamantine, anon Direnni, and of its creation and purpose.

'''Auriel-that-is-Akatosh returned to Mundex Arena from his dominion planet, signaling all Aedra to convene at a static meeting that would last outside of aurbic time. His sleek and silver vessel became a spike into the changing earth and the glimmerwinds of its impact warned any spirit that entered aura with it would become recorded-- that by consent of presence their actions here would last of a period unassailable, and would be so whatever might come later to these spirits, even if they rejoined the aether or succumbed willingly or by treachery to a sithite erasure. Thus could the Aedra and their cohorts truly covene in realness
'''
'''The outcome of the Convention was to leave the terrestrial sphere in their excess, for its own good, but that it should last after their departure as in the semblance of the Ada-mantia. Mundus was given its second Tower, the Red, whose First Stone was the Heart of the World, "as in the image."'''

'''By these words I intone the many-headed language of the Ehlnofey. The phrase-meanings can be both "as in the image of the kings become the hearts of their shadows" and "the shadows in kingly hearts are images of as", where "as" is meant in the sheathe of an ur word.
'''
'''Time began to last in stepped-fashion. Those spirits that remained, lesser and greater, involuntary or eventual earthbone, surrendered all definite hold on divinity. Aldmeris bore witness and built the remaining towers during the Merethic: White-Gold, Crystal-like-Law, Orichalc, Green-Sap, Walk-Brass, Snow Throat, and on and on, "aad semblio impera."'''''''''

Here MK agrees to define Ehlnofey as "pre-Convention spirits" who, as in Heart of the World, either gave themselves entirely to become the laws of nature, or didn't and had children who than went on to become the ancestors to mortals etc. The term "Earthbone" being often used for the former group and "Ehlnofey" for the latter (but not always).

Nu-Mantia Intercept (an in universe text) places the Aedra as a term within that same timeframe (Auriel calls the Aedra to convene at Ada-Mantia). It is also said that "all Mundex spirits' have "every power at every time amendment at every ordering" within the Dawn, and that all spirits that remained "involuntary or eventual Earthbone, surrendered all definite hold on divinity".

Here one might think to institute a distinction of some sort from well known deities, but looking at a few more sources paints a rather different picture. As mentioned above, "Ehlnofey" is a term generally used for those spirits that became progenitors to mortals. And these spirits, these ancestors are named, at least for some of them.

From Varieties of Faith:

'''Auri-El (King of the Aldmer): The Elven Akatosh is Auri-El. Auri-El is the soul of Anui-El, who, in turn, is the soul of Anu the Everything. He is the chief of most Aldmeri pantheons. Most Altmeri and Bosmeri claim direct descent from Auri-El.'''

From the PGE 3 section on Summerset:

'''Early Aldmer society was agricultural and politically egalitarian. A system of ancestor worship had been exported whole from Aldmeris, and it brought with it a communal spirit that served the early settlers of Summerset well. When the Aldmer came together as a people to create the Crystal Tower, it was not a monument to any king or god, but rather to the spirit of the elven people, living and dead.

'''The religion of the people also changed because of this change in society: no longer did the Aldmer worship their own ancestors, but the ancestors of their "betters." Auriel, Trinimac, Syrabane, and Phynaster are among the many ancestor spirits who became Gods. A group of elders rebelled against this trend, calling themselves the Psijics, the keepers of the Old Ways of Aldmeris.
'''

From Elder Scrolls Online Knowledge Base:

'''The Aldmeri Dominion has adopted as its symbol the eagle sigil of the High Elves of Summerset. For the Altmer, the high-soaring eagle represents their ancestors the Aedra, who came from the heavens and were trapped in physical form by the creation of Nirn.'''

Here we see two things, that figures like Auriel and Trinimac are specifically considered ancestor spirits and progenitors to mortals, with modern Altmer and Bosmer claiming they are direct descendants of Auri-El himself in particular (making it clear he is not divorced from those who "had to make children to last" as a group as framed in the elven myth (being considered ''the'' chief ancestor of the elves in a literal genealogical sense even). And also that the elven pantheon does not consist of the figures it does because of some reason such as them being considered a different and more exalted class of being or such, but rather because as part of a political shift in Summerset the nobility enacted a religious change which saw their own progenitors being elevated above the rest to be viewed as "gods" in regards to their place in the faith (this being considered a betrayal and corruption by some Aldmeri elders who departed and founded the Psijic Order).

A direct connection is also drawn by some sources for Trinimac, who is identified in folktales communicated to young Attrebus Mede by his caretaker, Helna, as follows, from page 9 of Lord of Souls:

''''''I don’t tell it as well as she did,” he admitted, “but I remember the tale.” He paused for a moment, remembering Helna’s singsong voice. He closed his eyes and pictured his bed, and her sitting there, hands folded. For just an instant he felt the shadow of the comfort he’d known then, the innocence that had protected him from the world.

'''“In the bygone- by,” he began, “there was a hero named Trinimac, the greatest knight of the Ehlnofey, champion of the Dragon of Time'''''''''

Here, Trinimac is named as "the greatest knight of the Ehlnofey", importantly this is in a post Convention context as well (unless one places the Velothi schism in Dawn). The tale concerns the Velothi Schism and is a variation of the "transformation of Trinimac" theme. Notable also that Trinimac has been identified also as "Aedra" by other sources such as Madam Whim in her Loremaster's Archive.

If not a pre-existing distinction, here one might be tempted to institute based one on the "cost" of creation, after all major Aedra are in no sense "mortal", surely ? Not so the theme of mortality and death is very pronounced in sources describing the Aedra, even the most major of deities among them.

From Aedra and Daedra:
'''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.''''''

From Myth of Aurbis/Monomyth:

'''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.'''''''''

From Vastarie (a former Psijic):
'''Why do you worship Azura instead of the Divines?
''''''"Love. With Azura, everything begins with love. A love that is fierce, possessive, even cruel—but always true, and impossibly deep.
'''I mean no offense, but worshiping the dead gods always struck me as a fantastically dull and unfulfilling tradition."''''''
''''''

From Umaril the Unfeathered (a demigod):
'''As balangua, Ehlnada racuvar!" ("By my power, the mortal gods shall be cast down!")

From Lyranth's second LM Archive:
'''Rather than pondering the stars' alleged role in Dagon's birth, you might consider their other failures. Is there anything so low as a Magna Ge? Say what you will about Mundus's creators—at least they displayed conviction. What greater exercise of will exists than to die in pursuit of an impossible goal?''''''

And from her first LM Archive:
'''Second, you make the common mortal error of conflating the craven et'Ada who fled creation to Aetherius with the foolish et'Ada who sacrificed their power to create the Mundus, that theater that serves as their cemetery. But foolish or no, the so-called Divines who created the mortal theater undoubtedly wrought order from chaos through a great act of will, which is a brutal coercion we Daedra must admire. They cannot have achieved what they were aiming at, for you mortals and your 'world' are quite ridiculous, but the folly was a noble one."'''

From Glorious Upheaval:
'''Reject the Eyeless Aedra, rotting in Aetherius, that prison realm where flaccid souls languish, useless and drained. Deny their commands and revel in combat, speak heresies as black as the Void, and laugh in the face of the Dragon Ghost Akatosh and his crumbling kin.'''

The theme is present across sources, the Psijics, Vastarie, Lyranth, the cult of Boethiah, Umaril. The spirits that created Mundus are described as having died in the process with that world being their cemetery, it is their death that separated them in nature from other spirits and in so doing, in ''dying'', they "became the et'Ada" that mortals revere (granted this being something of a variation regarding understanding of the term et'Ada specifically). They are the "Dead Gods" the "Mortal Gods" subject to death per the contract of creation, Akatosh himself a "ghost".

Note that only Auri-El is ever described as having "ascended" to Aetherius, the others "departed from worldly affairs" and are said to reside in Aetherius (per Serana's description in Dawnguard) but we're not told the manner in which this occured. And what is Aetherius anyway ? The afterlife.

This wording is also used for the Earthbones, who are said to have become the laws of nature through death. From Baladas in Morrowind:

'''"It was unfashionable among the Dwemer to view their spirits as synthetic constructs three, four, or forty creational gradients below the divine. During the Dawn Era they researched the death of the Earth Bones, what we call now the laws of nature, dissecting the process of the sacred willing itself into the profane. I believe their mechanists and tonal architects discovered systematic regression techniques to perform the reverse -- that is, to create the sacred from the deaths of the profane.'''

This whole thing is also contextualized by an important quote of MK regarding events:
'''Is it just me, or are the Convention and the Ehlnofex Wars the same events, told in different ways? (2009-01-13)
It's not just you.'''

'''What was the cause of their war? MKirkbride: That was the Dawn. Wars then were ideologies given skin.'''

Here MK clarifies that "Convention" is the "Ehlnofex Wars" just "told in different ways". A "war" in the context of Dawn is "ideology given skin". To be at the "war" places one at Convention and vice versa.

In terms of etymology, "Aedra" means/is defined based on the following.

From Aedra and Daedra:

'''"Aedra" and "Daedra" are not relative terms. They are Elvish and exact. Azura is a Daedra both in Skyrim and Morrowind. "Aedra" is usually translated as "ancestor," which is as close as Cyrodilic can come to this Elven concept. "Daedra" means, roughly, "not our ancestors." This distinction was crucial to the Dunmer, whose fundamental split in ideology is represented in their mythical genealogy.

From Praise Be (Ancestor Song):
'''Clap hands in praise
'''Exalt the Divines!'''
'''Clap hands and praise'''
'''Our ancestral lines!''''''

And from Primate Artorius' LM Archive:

''''''I would like to hear your opinion of why she is considered a Daedric Prince: is it because she created a realm in Oblivion out of the Sun's light instead of returning to Aetherius? Also is Magnus considered a Daedra as well? He did, like Meridia, not give his powers up when Nirn was being formed."'''
'''
'''– Melanion, Templar of Stendarr and Meridia
'''"As regards Magnus, he is not considered one of the Eight Divines, for though he gave much, he did not give all. When he withdrew from the Mundus, he left mortals the gift of magic, a dubious contribution that does the world at least as much ill as good—however, there is no doubt as to his Aedric nature. But I invite you to come to Kvatch, Melanion, that we may discuss these matters further, and clear up your many misconceptions."''''''

''''''

Aedra" is not a relative term, it is "elvish and exact" and represents the mythical genealogy of the elves as they perceive it. It means "ancestor" because the spirits defined as such are perceived as being at the source of the elves' "ancestral lines" (the song in particular names Xarxes, Y'ffre, Auriel, Trinimac and Mara). Even regarding Magnus there is "no doubt as to his Aedric nature" as he gave of himself for Mundus, he is simply not considered a Divine by the Cyrodiilics because he gave less than the rest and thus is not as highly revered (an Aedra is defined, by the Imperial Cult at least, as such because of their sacrifice and held in higher esteem the greater the cost they endured for the sake of creation).

"Ehlno" means "mortal" in the Ayleid language. The term Umaril corresponding to the "Mortal Gods" term used by Umaril is "Ehlnada" (literally mortal spirits/gods). And Ehlnofey ? Its in all likelihood a synonymous term. Ehlno-Fey. Fey also being a name used regarding the Faerie a type of spirit existing in a system which some theories claim includes the gods.

Now, of course, there are sources which draw a direct distinction between terms. The Anuad, and Mystery of Artaeum.

In the Anuad the text is actually referring to a different creation narrative entirely however, the Ehlnofey predate the Aedra/Daedra/Magna-Ge and are brought to Nirn alongside part of a prior world after ''Anu'' creates it. The Aedra and Daedra and such are born well after per the narrative from Anu and Padomay's blood directly.

And from Mystery of Artaeum:
'''The Psijic monks follow the "Old Ways," combining mysticism, the Eleven Forces, and the divine laws that bind and define the nature of reality into a philosophy and way of life. They are said to have a deep understanding of the Ehlnofey, also known as the Earth Bones, the descendants of the Aedra who once walked Tamriel and gave rise to the races of man and mer. Much of the ritual-based magic the order employs utilizes this understanding, supposedly granting them influence over time and weather.'''

This text defines Ehlonfey as the original/early "descendants of the Aedra who walked Tamriel and gave rise to the races of man and mer" in particular. However, this text contrasts the description given in HotW placing the classification prior to the point the descendants appear or Nu-Mantia Intercept claiming Auriel called "Aedra" at Convention (as Ehlnofex Wars and Convention are the same event told differently per MK). As such this might represent a third narrative/variation, a later development in Altmeri faith compared to the core religious texts.

And I won't go on further. I think that's literally all relevant sources anyway.

TLDR: There is a rather prevalent theme that affliction with (some form of) mortality, being genealogical ancestors to the life of Nirn and even having experienced a form of death, being traits that apply to the Aedra. In light of that, how it precisely matches the descriptions we have for the term "Ehlnofey", and how we've figures named among both groups (Trinimac, arguably Y'ffre who is identified as a "Divine"), related articles should reflect this apparent overlap/link (alongside alternative narratives like the Anuad or the variation introduced by texts like mystery of course). "Aedra" and "Ehlnofey" being not two cleanly separate classes of being but rather terms used to refer to the various groups of spirits that underwent creation in full in specific capacities/stages.

I know this is a really long read (apologies) but felt it was necessary for the discussion to present all relevant sources.

: Excellent coverage of sources on the matter, I'd largely be in agreement. The Ehlnofey and Aedra are far from cleanly separated classes, and seem to encompass each other largely outside of Mystery of Artaeums third perspective, and Anuads unique case all around. Perhaps the page can be revamped to further focus on Ehlnofey as Earth bones (their most consistent tie by far), and the coverage of Aedra and other relevant spiris under that? With Artaeum's passage mentioned as a single out third pov, aside from that, and the 12 Worlds/Anuad one? Or would you propose further that Ehlnofey be merged into Aedra? There definitely needs to be changes to the page as is with the current exaggerated separation highlighted. [[User:The Entity|The Entity]] ([[User talk:The Entity|talk]]) 00:12, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

::Thank you, I'd be on board with either, personally. Merging the articles makes the overlap more clear, but the same result could be achieved by separate articles as well depending on how one words them. Personally I'd lean a bit more towards merging and than explaining the situation in detail in a single page (relevant information once in one place, resolves any issues of what information to include in each page), but I could definitely see the merit in retaining a page that focuses on the "laws of nature" part (how they can be manipulated, their role in the Dwemer's research, so on) with and has less "general" information as well. Either way I don't feel that strongly about it as long as the core idea is communicated. Or perhaps in the form of a main page regarding the Aedra with a second page focusing primarily on the function of the Earthbones as laws of nature as a sub-section of that ? In a similar style as the Daedra page having Daedric Princes as a sub-section, somewhat ?--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 01:03, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

:::I would agree that the Aedra and Ehlnofey are roughly speaking about the same kind of spirits. I have argued (ish) before about the Ehlnofey War being the same as the war between Auri-El and Lorkhan, though I think the metaphors manifested differently. I agree with the core idea that there isn't a clean divide and their similitude should be mentioned. However, I strongly oppose a merge between the two pages because they emphasize different things entirely and I feel they are not exactly the same. As described, the Aedra seem to be the spirits that gave their all yet still remained divine in power. For example, the Covenant with Akatosh with St. Alessia, his avatar in TES IV: Oblivion, the blessings and shrines they give, as well as '''their distinct planets'''. The Ehlnofey seem to give their all and become semi-mortal '''on Nirn'''. The idea that the Aedra are Ehlnofey makes perfect sense to the elves, but humans believe themselves created by the Divines. I would argue "Kevin" the random Old Ehlnofey warrior of the Dawn Era wouldn't be classified as an Aedra, while the Aedra would all be Ehlnofey that have retained a level of power to still be seen as gods. (I hope my point of all non-Magna-Ge Aedra being Ehlnofey but not all Ehlnofey being Aedra makes sense, I'm quite tired atm). But all of that is besides my main point, which is the emphasis of each. The Aedra essentially refer to the '''gods''', who are themselves mainly original spirits like Auri-El but also some mortals of later eras like Syrabane and Phynaster. This should be the emphasis that their page has for them; their divine role in the religions of mortals and their actions in the Dawn Era before Convention. The Ehlnofey are closer to the '''laws of nature''', with Y'ffre as the only real "god" explicitly among them (while Auri-El and Trinimac were leaders of the Ehlnofey, Y'ffre is explicitly mentioned as a law-of-nature-defining Ehlnofey). They make Nirn what Nirn is rather than looking over Nirn as the gods do. Moreover, they are '''seen more than believed'''. Dringoth and the Bone Orchard are Ehlnofey afaik, as well as the Guardian spirits in Glenumbra, and they have a language that descends from them. In general, their lore is very different than that of the Aedra after Convention. While I think the concepts of the Ehlnofey War and war of the Aedra should be noted as likely being the same (sorry MindTrait0r), and they both represent similar (if not the same) spirits that took part in the foundation of the Mundus, there is too much lore outside and after that that should be emphasized separately in distinct pages. [[User:BananaKing5|BananaKing5]] ([[User talk:BananaKing5|talk]]) 09:57, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

::::The part about "Aedra" being "greater" spirits that remain gods while "Ehlnofey" are "lesser" spirits that become semi-mortal on Nirn in particular is not really a framing I agree with. A distinction based on such a criterion is not really one made in the texts pertaining to Dawn (or generally) as far as I can tell, spirits and the effect on them are never really split by such a trait or said to have been affected differently due to it. Moreover the core traits that define the Ehlnofey (a form of mortality/vulnerability to death, progenitorship) are generally said to apply to both definitions as mentioned above (thus all the references to even the Divines specifically as 'mortal" or "dead"), and we have members named among both groups. To frame the Ehlnofey as "lesser" spirits in particular would be in contradiction of how the elves view them, which is that their gods themselves were trapped in physical form of Nirn by creation and are their ancestors, as in ESO knowledge base: '''The Aldmeri Dominion has adopted as its symbol the eagle sigil of the High Elves of Summerset. For the Altmer, the high-soaring eagle represents their ancestors the Aedra, who came from the heavens and were trapped in physical form by the creation of Nirn.''' or how Auriel had to beg Anuiel to "take them back" and was rebuffed during the war/Convention per HotW. Most modern Altmer and Bosmer claim "direct descent" from Auriel, they exalt Trinimac and Mara and whatnot as the origin of their "ancestral lines", the concept of Ehlnofey, the ancestors of mortals can't really be separated from that of "Aedra" , at least in the context of elven belief, as ehlnofic descent is at the same time the reason "Aedra" are Aedra, ancestors, and the definition given for Ehlnofey (those who "had to make children to last" per HotW). Power isn't really a criterion for classification here, just like how a Daedra Prince, a Daedra Lord with or without a realm, and a normal Daedra are all Daedric. Auriel and the pantheon did end up becoming more revered but that in itself was a later development, leader or not he only came to occupy a greater place/supplant the place of the rest in elvish faith after a political shift. Trinimac too is called an Ehlnofey by some sources and is active in Nirn post-Convention. Imperial faith also doesn't really appear to link the concept to power, the more one gave the more revered one is, Magnus having sacrificed less makes him be seen as less revered and not eligible for Divine status compared to those who gave more, per Artorius. Dringoth and the Orchard group its important to note are a bit of a special case because they are outright trapped via Bosmeri magic, and they can't die and make the transition to Aetherius to exist outside Nirn because of that (their circumstances are more of an exception rather than representative of the circumstances of the group more broadly), while the Guardians themselves are Earth Bones (laws) and claim they are Y'ffre himself in some sense (or aspects thereof).

::::As to the overall point/page question, personally I'd be on board with having two pages with different emphasis provided the connection/overlap is explained, but in that case they need to be worded such as not to suggest a clean separation of nature/role that isn't there (avoiding implying such and which information should be repeated or go where being the tricky part with two pages). An approach similar to the one used for the Daedra page and its sub-headers might be a way to split the difference here, I think. Having a main page that focuses on the Aedra as a more broadly and than a sub-header for the Ehlnofey defining them as an overlapping concept under the lens of certain beliefs, perhaps.--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 12:06, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

:::::I think it's important to note the human perspective as well. While "Aedra" is an elven term, it has been used by humans as well for their gods. For instance, Bishop Artorius says "Father Akatosh might be considered the most 'active' Aedra of all". The connection between all Aedra being Ehlnofey and all Ehlnofey being Aedra is one that perfectly fits the Elven views, but ignores the human (specifically Nordic and Nede [I think], and not Yokudan) views which believe they were created on the Throat of the World. The distinction between "greater" and "lesser" spirits is one that explains this difference as the Aedra are gods to the humans while the Ehlnofey aren't (except Jephre). Even among Elves, they used to worship all ancestors (Aedra and Ehlnofey being the exact same to them), but then they began only worshipping the greatest ones (now the Aedra as we know them are described while the other Ehlnofey disappear). It can be argued who is right and who is wrong, but that's a whole other discussion. Or maybe the Psijics are right in the Ehlnofey being descendants of the Aedra, as Mystery of Artaeum points out. There's also the fact that the Aedric gods having distinct planets (AKHAT, RHET, KYNRT, etc) and parts of Aetherius (Sovngarde for Shor, the Forest of Dreams for Kyne, the Spilled Sands for Alkosh) while the Ehlnofey are specifically the Earth Bones and tied to Nirn specifically. And the Earth Bones can be manipulated by Dwemer technology and Alteration magic, while Aedric gods can't (except for the Marukhati Selective I guess). Overall, '''there is strong similarity in nature between the Aedra and Ehlnofey''', but it could be argued they're '''not exactly equal'''. However, this distinction is more so my understanding of things than anything concrete, and is not a hill I'm willing to die on. Maybe the distinction is merely the inexact nature of beliefs, and in truth they're identical.

::::: But it also wasn't meant to be my main point for their separation. My main point was that after Convention, the Aedra are only really talked about in terms of religion and Aetherius while the Ehlnofey are mainly talked about as nature spirits and ancient semi-mortal ancestors (kind of existing between fully divine Aedra and mortal Elven). I felt this should warrant unique pages to show the different emphasis on each group. Regardless of ontological congruence as pre-Convention ancestor spirits, the cultural descriptions of them differ slightly before Convention and rather drastically after it. However, currently '''I feel like this distinction may be possible to make in a single page if done right'''. Perhaps as Gleaming Veil said, the Aedra page could broadly introduce the pre-Convention spirits, then most of the page discusses the religious significance of the Aedra and the idea of "Aedric" entities of Aetherius, then there is a separate header discussing the Ehlnofey in a not-so in-depth way (but not merely brief). The Ehlnofey page would go in depth on the Earth Bones and their role as the laws of nature, the fact they have a language, and perhaps the Wandering vs Old distinction, while still pointing to their Aedric nature. So I think I mostly agree with Gleaming Veil on a broader Aedra page with sub-headers, but with two distinct pages describing the different emphasis placed on each group. [[User:BananaKing5|BananaKing5]] ([[User talk:BananaKing5|talk]]) 19:09, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

:::::: Ehlnofey/Earthbones are Aedric in nature, but the concepts are far from synonymous enough to ever merge. Just because the Aedra are *bound* to the Bones of the Earth, does not mean they themselves are Bones of the Earth. Y'ffre and his ilk are completely inactive spirits that gave themselves fully to lay the foundation of Nirn itself. Akatosh and his ilk are mostly inactive spirits that gave up most of their agency over creation, but unlike Y'ffre and crew reside off of Nirn on their celestial namesake planets. In general, page merges only need to be done in the event concepts this important are fully inseparable from one another, which isn’t the case in this instance. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 21:04, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

::::::: Also take the book that says Aedra and Daedra are exact terms, with as big of a grain of salt possible. Different cultures have completely different understandings of what category of beings are considered ancestors and not. From the pro Aedric pantheons of the Altmer and Imperials, to the pro Daedric pantheon of the Dunmer, to the mixed bag of Aedra, Daedra, Earthbone, and Magna Ge alike that make up the shared ancestor pantheon of the Khajiit. [[User:Dcking20|Dcking20]] ([[User talk:Dcking20|talk]]) 21:08, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

::::::::To expound a bit more on the elvish perspective, I think its important to note that both "Ehlnofey" and "Aedra" as terms apply to a pre-Convention timeframe. Ehlnofey are "pre-Convention spirits" per MK's quote, and Akatosh called "the Aedra" to Convention, which perk MK ''is'' the Ehlnofex War told differently. Both terms are used in the pre-Convention frame and their defining characteristics also came about prior to that point per HotW. In addition, per Phrastus of Elinhhir: '''"Minor Aedric spirits definitely exist, but they are rarely encountered, as Mundus is considered off-limits since Magnus withdrew from it at the moment of creation. I know of no successful attempts to contact such spirits, probably because Aedric entities simply do not respond to mortals—at least not since the ages of myth." '''''' ''So it is at least thought by the elves both that minor Aedric spirits (for a certain value of "minor", not gods at least) exist and qualify as Aedra, they're just comparatively rare to encounter in a personal sense. A "lesser" nature compared to true greater spirits like Akatosh or such does not disqualify one as being an Aedra. And if we were to focus on the mortality/progenitorship aspect, that is directly mentioned to apply to the Divines in particular as well in a number of sources as mentioned above (Ehlnofey is itself an umbrella term of sorts denoting both spirits that gave themselves fully to become the laws of nature following the example of Y'ffre and spirits that didn't do so and became progenitors to mortals, per elven belief, the second sub-group being where named ancestors of the elves like Auri-El would fall). As such, while not all spirits would have realms or be as divorced from the ability of mortals to influence to the same degree, that wouldn't divorce them from the "Aedra" definition, just like how a Dremora or an Ogrim or a Scamp are not divorced from the "Daedra" definition despite not being Daedric Princes or Daedra Lords. Being a god and being an "Aedra" are not the same thing, just like how being a "Daedra" and being a god are not the same thing (being different parameters). The same applies to an approach in faith, that different spirits are not all revered to the exact same degree wouldn't really impact that base definition.

::::::::As to the human perspective, as BananaKing mentioned, that has its differences and should definitely be noted in any associated page alongside other cultural understandings. This, however, I think is its own matter. Human faiths hold mortal life to be created by the Aedra rather than descended from them (barring the Yokudans which more parallel elvish views) and generally hold the concept of Aedric descent to be "elven conceit" (as per the "Tu'whacca, Arkay, Xarxes" text). Because of this there is no direct genealogical link for them between mortals and either Aedra or Ehlnofey (regardless of how one defines either term). In addition human religious texts or sources generally don't expound upon terms like "Ehlnofey" or "Earth Bone" like elven ones do, with the few that do mention them, as a namedrop at that, generally mentioned as referencing other perspectives (eg Altmeri), and in any case not providing any additional contrasting definitions aside from the others already mentioned (Mystery, Anuad) or impacting elven perspectives. Human beliefs (barring Yokudan) fall more along the lines of a different narrative like the Anuad in this regard, Nords have no known creation myth, for Bretons we only have "The Light and Dark" which has Aedra and Daedra as having an entirely different origin (being born from the energies of the Light and Dark through the beliefs of the "people of Et'Ada") and Imperials directly split elven gods and human gods (Auriel is not Akatosh). None of the associated myths themselves mentions the term Ehlnofey/Earthbones.

::::::::Overall different cultural views would stand on their own in parallel to each other in the pages they show up in. Further nuance regarding circumstances, such as for example how Dringoth and the Orchard group became trapped due to Bosmeri magic or shifts in faith across time would emerge through the wording within the page itself.

::::::::Either way, most of this is probably a side topic. Personally I'm not particularly concerned with whether its one or two pages as long as the core information comes across that, depending on cultural lens and applicable to that worldview at least, Aedra and Ehlnofey are not cleanly separate terms denoting different classes of being, but rather overlapping definitions. The other cultural lenses likewise being present with their own definitions (eg Anuad Aedra and Ehlnofey are not the same as Altmeri Aedra and Ehlnofey, mortals in the human view are not Aedric descendants but creations and so on). I think the overall result can be achieved just the same with either one or two pages, provided careful wording and separation of different views. Overall I think a model of two pages and a sub-header alongside another page that goes on further detail in less broad information/focuses on different lore aspects while mentioning the link works fine, its the wording itself that's more important. So I think me, BananaKing and The Entity are broadly in agreement this model working here.--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 21:15, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

:::::::::Agreed. I kind of envision the Lore:Aedra page as roughly 40% about what Aedric spirits are (including the Ehlnofey), 40% about the cultural views of them (mostly pertaining to all the religion stuff and the Aedric gods), and 20% about the Ehlnofey either by introducing them or just using <nowiki>{{Lore:Ehlnofey}}</nowiki>. Then the Lore:Ehlnofey page goes in depth on their law-of-nature role, their language, the Wandering and Old Ehlnofey split, etc., with the introductory area describing their nature as Aedric pre-Convention ancestor spirits. [[User:BananaKing5|BananaKing5]] ([[User talk:BananaKing5|talk]]) 23:38, 26 October 2024 (UTC)
::::::::::I like it, I think the proposed layout works quite well.--[[User:Gleaming Veil|Gleaming Veil]] ([[User talk:Gleaming Veil|talk]]) 23:57, 26 October 2024 (UTC)

== Mystery of Artaeum and Annotated Anuad phrasing nitpick ==

:"A direct correlation between the concepts of Ehlnofey and Aedra is not universal among sources. In some accounts, the terms "Ehlnofey" and "Earth Bones" are both described as referring exclusively to the early offspring of the Aedra rather than to those spirits themselves, who were told to populate the world and live on through their children, leading to the gradual emergence of the various races of man and mer.[The Mystery of Artaeum][Kirkbride told us] In others the Ehlnofey are described instead as a group of beings who predate the Aedra and Daedra as survivors of a prior world, fragment of which Anu used to create Nirn, whereas the Aedra and Daedra are formed of Anu and Padomay's blood after Nirn's formation and the establishment of the Ehlnofey there, with all groups distinct from the start.[The Annotated Anuad] The concept of descent from the ancestor spirits is generally viewed as "elven conceit" by the religions of Men who, with the exception of the Redguards, view themselves as creations of those spirits rather than their descendants.[buncha sources]"

Since there was a discussion to add this language, I thought I should bring it up before revising it. I completely agree with the sentiment, but I'm concerned that the paragraph ''requires'' the Mystery of Artaeum and the Annotated Anuad to be read in conflict with each other in order to prove the thesis statement. Due to ambiguity in the Anuad's language and it's nature as a simplified monomyth, there are several arguments one might make to dispute that, and instead read the books in harmony. Not ones I really agree with, but valid ones I can't disprove. I think it would be more foolproof like this:

:"Different peoples harbor different understandings of Ehlnofey's relation to Aedra. In some accounts, both "Ehlnofey" and "Earth Bones" are described as referring exclusively to the early offspring of the Aedra rather than to the Aedra themselves, who were told to populate the world and live on through their children, leading to the gradual emergence of the various races of man and mer.[The Mystery of Artaeum][Kirkbride told us] The concept of descent from the ancestor spirits is generally viewed as "elven conceit" by the religions of men who, with the exception of the Redguards, view themselves as creations of those spirits rather than their descendants.[buncha sources] ''The Annotated Anuad'' implies the Aedra originated from a "long and furious" battle between Anu and Padomay, and the Ehlnofey come from a world which existed before this battle began, suggesting the Ehlnofey may have a separate origin predating the Aedra."

This gets the key points across to the reader while leaving the UESP editorialization basically indisputable. It doesn't matter how one ultimately chooses to interpret the Anuad; we're just relaying facts and their undeniable implications. [[User:Minor Edits|Insignificant Revisions]][[User_talk:Minor Edits|Threats]]•[[Special:Contributions/Minor Edits|Evidence]] 08:13, 15 June 2025 (UTC)

Lore:Ehlnofey

2025-06-15T06:46:44Z

Minor Edits: Gotcha, but I think this can be boiled down in one sentence

<noinclude>{{Lore Gods Trail}}{{#addtotrail:Races|separator=' / '}}__NOTOC__[[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Water 02.jpg|The Guardian of the Water, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-creature-Nirenan.jpg|Remains of Nirenan, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]</noinclude>
The [[Lore:Ehlnofey|Ehlnofey]] (sometimes spelled '''Elhnofey'''){{ref|name=PGE1Sky|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Skyrim}}}} of the [[Lore:Dawn Era|Dawn Era]] are generally believed to be a group of [[Lore:Aedra|Aedric]] pre-[[Lore:Convention|Convention]] spirits who, along with the [[Lore:Hist|Hist]], are counted among the original inhabitants of [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]], and are widely considered to be the progenitors of the mortal races.{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}} The word "Ehlnofey" translates to '''Earthbones''' (or '''Earth Bone''') in [[Lore:Ehlnofex Languages|Ehlnofex]]. The terms "Earthbone" or "Ehlnofey" are used to denote more than one type of mythical entity. The term "Ehlnofey" is typically used to refer to the spirits that didn't sacrifice themselves, from whom the various mortal races would descend, whereas "Earthbone" typically connotes those Ehlnofey who, like [[Lore:Y'ffre|Y'ffre]], would at some point sacrifice themselves to form the rules of nature.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} The nature of the spirits the term pertains to can vary depending on account.

The concept of the Ehlnofey is of paramount importance within the beliefs of the [[Lore:Mer|elves]], particularly the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]] and [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmer]], where the term is used to represent their cultural understanding of the Aedra as ancestor spirits. According to elven myth, the Ehlnofey are considered to be the Aedric spirits who stayed in Nirn after [[Lore:Magnus|Magnus]] and the [[Lore:Magna Ge|Magna Ge]] departed in order to keep working on the new world so it'd remain viable. Among those spirits, some, typically referred to from that point on as "Earthbones", are thought to have followed the example of [[Lore:Y'ffre|Y'ffre]], giving themselves to the Mundus fully to stabilize it and form the foundation of its natural law as the "bones of the earth", eternal laws of nature. While others, typically referred to from that point on as "Ehlnofey", are thought to have chosen not to give themselves fully but to populate Nirn instead, thus becoming the progenitors to mortal life, which arose from their lines and took on its current form due to a phenomenon of gradual diminishment, of each consecutive generation becoming weaker and more removed than its progenitors in stature and might.{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}}{{ref|name=TAA|{{Cite Book|The Annotated Anuad}}}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}} This understanding forms the basis of the originally elvish term "Aedra" or "ancestor", denoting those spirits which they perceive as being part of their mythic genealogy, including figures such as [[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]], who most modern Altmer and Bosmer claim direct descent from, [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] the "greatest knight of the Ehlnofey", [[Lore:Syrabane|Syrabane]], and [[Lore:Phynaster|Phynaster]].{{ref|name=PGE3Sum|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Summerset}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} Thus elven religious iconography depicts the Ehlnofey as vaguely [[Lore:Mer|elven]] in shape, but featureless, reflecting the fading memory of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=EES|[[Online:Contraband/Statues#Elusive Ehlnofey Statuette|Elusive Ehlnofey Statuette]]}}

The Aedra or Ehlnofey are thought to have remained within the world until they vanished.{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}} They are thought to primarily reside in [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]],{{Ref|name=Serana|[[Skyrim:Serana|Serana]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} having been bound to the Earth Bones{{ref|name=AAD|{{Cite Book|Aedra and Daedra}}}}{{ref|name=TOA|{{Cite Book|Tower of Adamant}}}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} as the cornerstones of the Mundus.{{ref|name=PGE3Arena|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Arena Supermundus}}}} The terms "spokes", "eight components of [[Lore:Aurbis|chaos]]", "lent bones of the Aedra", "Bones of the Wheel", "et'Ada-gears" and [[Lore:Planets|"Eight gift-limbs"]] have also been used to refer to them in this capacity, after having transformed into the framework of reality.{{ref|name=LOV6|{{cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 6}}}}{{ref|name=LL|{{cite Book|The Lunar Lorkhan}}}}{{ref|name=TTIS|{{Cite Book|The Truth in Sequence}}}}{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}} Some sources present a more negative view of the circumstances of these spirits and their residence in Aetherius, naming Mundus as their "cemetery", calling them "spent ghosts", or even alleging them to have died as part of the creation of the world, having "died in pursuit of an impossible goal".{{ref|name=Lyranth2|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Mehrunes Dagon & Daedra in the Second Era}}}}{{Ref|name=GU|{{Cite Book|Glorious Upheaval}}}}{{ref|name=TM}} Thus the Aedra are sometimes called the "dead gods" or the "mortal gods", sometimes disparagingly, owing to them having become bound to the laws of mortality.{{Ref|name=Vastarie|[[Online:Vastarie|Vastarie]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=Prophet|[[Oblivion:The Prophet|The Prophet]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}

A direct correlation between the concepts of Ehlnofey and Aedra is not universal among sources. In some accounts, the terms "Ehlnofey" and "Earth Bones" are both described as referring exclusively to the early offspring of the Aedra rather than to those spirits themselves, who were told to populate the world and live on through their children, leading to the gradual emergence of the various races of man and mer.{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} In others the Ehlnofey are described instead as a group of beings who predate the Aedra and Daedra as survivors of a prior world, fragment of which [[Lore:Anu|Anu]] used to create Nirn, whereas the Aedra and Daedra are formed of Anu and [[Lore:Padomay|Padomay]]'s blood after Nirn's formation and the establishment of the Ehlnofey there, with all groups distinct from the start.{{ref|name=TAA|{{Cite Book|The Annotated Anuad}}}} The concept of descent from the ancestor spirits is generally viewed as "elven conceit" by the religions of [[Lore:Men|Men]] who, with the exception of the [[Lore:Redguards|Redguards]], view themselves as creations of those spirits rather than their descendants.{{ref|name=TAA|{{Cite Book|The Annotated Anuad}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}{{ref|name=TAX|{{Cite Book|Tu'whacca, Arkay, Xarxes}}}}

Perhaps because of their association with the land itself, "Old Ehlnofey" became another name for [[Lore:Aldmeris|Aldmeris]], the mystical homeland of the elves.{{ref|name=PGE3Sum|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Summerset}}}}{{ref|name=PGE3All|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|All the Eras of Man}}}} The language or languages of the Ehlnofey became known as [[Lore:Ehlnofex Languages|Ehlnofex]].{{ref|name=TM}} It has been found that the "Earth Bones", the laws of nature, can be manipulated to some extent.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=MWBaladas|[[MW:Baladas Demnevanni (person)|Baladas Demnevanni]]'s dialogue in [[MW:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']].}}<noinclude>

For more information on the Aedra and their role in [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]]'s religions more broadly, see the entry on [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]].

==Origin==
The exact nature of the Ehlnofey is a matter shrouded in much ambiguity, indeed some sources describe them as great beings which once walked Nirn whose true origins none can truly say.{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}} There are two major origins that are presented: one that describes the Ehlnofey as survivors of a previous world that settled Nirn after its creation, and another claiming them to be [[Lore:Aedra|Aedric spirits]] who were party to Nirn's construction and chose to remain in the world they'd crafted to stabilize it after the departure of [[Lore:Magnus|Magnus]] and the [[Lore:Magna Ge|Magna-Ge]].

===Survivors of the Twelve Worlds===
According to the [[Lore:Anuad|Anuad]], when [[Lore:Anu|Anu]] formed Nirn following the shattering of the Twelve Worlds by [[Lore:Padomay|Padomay]], two surviving races originating from what Padomay had sundered were brought to the new world alongside the fragments of their realms which had been used to form it, the Ehlnofey and the Hist.

A group of Ehlnofey, those that would eventually become the progenitors of the [[Lore:Mer|Mer]], arrived in the new world together alongside a relatively intact fragment of their former home, and attempted to live on as they had before, in their land which would come to be known as Old Ehlnofey. Another group, those who would become the progenitors to [[Lore:Men|Men]], were scattered across the new world, and had to wander and find each other over time.

When the wandering Ehlnofey came across Old Ehlnofey, they were overjoyed to find their kin living among the splendor of ages past, but rather than welcoming them the inhabitants of Old Ehlnofey viewed them as degenerates, fallen and corrupted from their experiences in Nirn. In the end and for whatever reason, war broke out between those of Old Ehlnofey, mightier but fewer, and those that wandered, weaker but more numerous and hardened by survival. This destructive war would reshape the face of Nirn, sinking much of the land beneath new oceans, destroying much of the original realm of the Hist and creating the continents of [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]], [[Lore:Akavir|Akavir]], [[Lore:Atmora|Atmora]] and [[Lore:Yokuda|Yokuda.]]

The remains of Old Ehlnofey would become Tamriel while the wandering Ehlnofey would scatter to the newly formed continents. Eventually, over time and the passage of generations, the descendants of the two factions of Ehlnofey would gradually give rise to the various groups of Men and Mer. At some point prior to their disappearance, the Ehlnofey are said to have taken on "brilliant students". These students have been theorized to be the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]], who were thus given the sobriquet "Dwarves" by their titanic masters. The events of this tutelage under the Ehlnofey are described in more detail in the full text of the Anuad myth.{{ref|name=PGE1Ham|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Hammerfell}}}}

While this struggle occurred, the "gods and demons" of the world, the [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]], [[Lore:Daedra|Daedra]] and [[Lore:Magna Ge|Magna-Ge]] would form out of Anu and Padomay's spilled blood, as distinct groups from the Ehlnofey and from each other.{{ref|name=TAA|{{Cite Book|The Annotated Anuad}}}}

===Aedric Progenitors===
According to the Altmeri creation myth, when [[Lore:Magnus|Magnus]] departed the Mundus, the et'Ada that took part in its creation broke into groups, most would follow the flight of the God of Magic to become the Magna-Ge, but some of those present chose instead to stay after he departed and keep working on the new world in order to keep it viable.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}

Among those Et'Ada who stayed, some would follow the example of [[Lore:Y'ffre|Y'ffre]], giving themselves to the Mundus fully to stabilize it and form the foundation of its natural law, and would typically be referred to from that point on as "Earthbones" or "Earth Bones". Others, who would come to be known as Aedra, would choose not to give themselves fully but to populate Nirn instead, having to "make children just to last". This group of spirits would from that point typically be referred to as the "Ehlnofey".{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}} The offspring of the Aedra would exhibit a gradual change however, each consecutive generation was weaker than the one prior, more removed from their progenitors in stature and might.{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}

Through this generational phenomenon of diminishment the offspring of the Ehlnofey would also differentiate, the Ehlnofey too would eventually give away and the first [[Lore: Aldmer|Aldmer]] would arise, while the "weakest souls" that resulted from it would be formed by [[Lore: Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] into armies he named "Men".{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}

Altmeri myth holds that [[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]] and [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] and their respective followers would than war with one another, leading to the shattering of [[Lore:Atmora|Altmora]], the "Elder Wood" and one of the first kingdoms established by Auri-El alongside Old Ehlnofey, at Lorkhan's hands, and culminating in the removal of [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Lorkhan's Heart]] following his defeat. During this conflict and prior to Lorkhan's defeat, Auri-El begged Anu to take them back but Anu refused as he'd already created something to replace them. The more merciful [[Lore:Anui-El|Anui-El]] created [[Lore:Auriel's Bow|Auriel's Bow]] and [[Lore:Auriel's Shield|Auriel's Shield]] to be used by Auri-El against Lorkhan's hordes.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}

Following the defeat of Lorkhan the Aedra would convene at the [[Lore:Adamantine Tower|Adamantine Tower]] in order to decide the fate of the new world. Lorkhan's [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart]] would be removed and the laws and roles of all spirits in the new world would be determined. After this meeting, the [[Lore:Convention|Convention]], the Aedra would depart the world in their excess for its own sake, as their direct presence rendered both it and the timeless continuity of existence itself unstable.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}}{{ref|name=AU4TET|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}}

At some point following the events of the war that occurred, the [[Lore:Aldmer|Aldmer]], descendants of the Ehlnofey who are described as the strongest of the lesser spirits that remained in the world after Convention, are said to have left their doomed and ruined continent of [[Lore:Aldmeris|Aldmeris]] and colonized southwest Tamriel in the Middle [[Lore:Merethic Era|Merethic Era]],{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=PGE3All}} only to spend many centuries fruitlessly searching for their old homeland.{{ref|name=FOTN|{{Cite Book|Father Of The Niben}}}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}}

==Legacy==
{{Quote Box|''"We are the echoes of old voices, remnants of a time long ago. Still, a few of us remain. We were the Y'ffre. Then we became the Ehlnofey, the Earth Bones. … "''|Guardian of the Earth}}

The fracturing of the Aldmer along cultural and racial lines is called the Sundering of Aldmeris, an event during which the [[Lore:Aldmer|Aldmer]] splintered into the groups that would become the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] (Deep Ones), the [[Lore:Chimer|Chimer]] (Changed Ones), the [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmer]] (Green or Forest Ones), the [[Lore:Falmer|Falmer]] (Snow Ones), the [[Lore:Maormer|Maormer]] (Sea or Tropical Ones) of [[Lore:Pyandonea|Pyandonea]], the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]] (Elder or High Ones), and the [[Lore:Lefthanded Elves|Sinistral Mer]] (Left-handed Ones) of [[Lore:Yokuda|Yokuda]]. The progeny of the Wanderers (Wandering Ehlnofey) became the races of men, eventually splitting into many different racial groups, including the [[Lore:Nede|Nede]]s, the [[Lore:Nord|Atmoran]]s of [[Lore:Atmora|Atmora]], the [[Lore:Redguard|Yokudan]]s of [[Lore:Yokuda|Yokuda]], and possibly the [[Lore:Tsaesci (race)|Tsaesci]] of [[Lore:Akavir|Akavir]], and other aboriginal groups ([[Lore:Proto-Breton|Proto-Breton]]s).{{ref|name=TAA}}

Though the protean race is apparently gone, said by some sources to have faded and vanished after journeying to the lost corners of the world,{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}} the Ehlnofey are not entirely forgotten. They are thought to have taken on students before they disappeared, passing their knowledge on to emerging races such as the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]], or the [[Lore:Psijic Order|Psijic Order]], to whom they are said to have taught the Elder Way.{{ref|name=PGE1Ham|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Hammerfell}}}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview|[[General:Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion|Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion]]}} Knowledge of most individuals has been lost to time, but prominent members still appear in some form in the [[Lore:Gods|pantheons]] of the various races. The [[Lore:Ayleids|Ayleids]] of [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]] are said to have preserved the Ehlnofey's Dawn Era magics and language to a greater extent than other Mer.{{ref|name=BTAOM}} The theories of the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] High Craftlord [[Lore:Kagrenac|Kagrenac]] involved using sacred tones on the [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart of Lorkhan]] and bending the Earth Bones, commanding the "obedience" of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=MWBaladas}} According to legend, the [[Lore:Sun Birds of Alinor|Sun Birds of Alinor]], a mythical order of Aldmeri explorers from the Merethic Era, managed to pierce the veil between [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]] and [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]] and journey to the Immortal Plane by using the raw magic of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=FurnSunbird|[[Online:Prismatic Sunbird Feather|Prismatic Sunbird Feather]] antiquity codex entry in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

Nirn is said to be imbued with a wellspring of primordial energy which flows in a network via lines within the ground, described as the manner in which [[Lore:Druids|Druids]] visualize the Earthbones, the laws of nature, places where these "[[Lore:Bonelines|bonelines]]" intersect are said to possess great power and have an effect on both magic and prayer performed there.{{ref|name=ONSWC|[[Online:Stormweaver's Cavort|Stormweaver's Cavort]] codex entries in {{g|on|firesong}}}}{{ref|name=ONPE|[[Online:Pearls of Ehlnofey|Pearls of Ehlnofey]] codex entries in {{g|on|markarth}}}} {{ref|{{Cite Book|Visitor's Guide to Y'ffre's Cauldron}}}} According to some sources, the reason Nirn is filled with natural caverns is that in primordial times they formed a network that functioned like nodes or capillaries for the divine essence of the [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]] that created it. {{ref|name=Wind|[[Online:Weeping Wind Cave|Weeping Wind Cave]] loading screen in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

The laws that govern Nirn and Mundus and determine the role of all spirits within them, are believed to have been set in place at and through the [[Lore:Adamantine Tower|Adamantine Tower]] by its creators, defining the roles and nature of the Earthbones within the confines of the "[[Lore:Akatosh|Dragon's]] timebound tale" and thus the framework of the natural world. The Adamantine Tower itself is described as a "sleek silver vessel", which became attached to the changing earth at one of the joint-points where the Earthbones on which the physical flesh on Nirn was hung met, with each such point radiating a "palpable reality".{{ref|{{Cite Book|Subtropical Cyrodiil: A Speculation}}}}{{ref|name=AU4TET|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}}

According to some Daedric accounts, Mundus is defined by a degree of malleability which generally doesn't exist within the realms of Oblivion. Whereas Oblivion realms are fundamentally shaped and curated by the will of their creators, Mundus and it's constituent realms submit simultaneously to the ordered influence of the Earthbones and the stubborn caprice of Lorkhan. Thus Mundus is "doughy", things within it can be destroyed, but they never remain gone and instances of them inevitably spring up again.{{ref|name=Lyranth2|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Mehrunes Dagon & Daedra in the Second Era}}}}

The earliest martial discipline of Nirn was the "Prismatic Vector Dance of the Ehlnofey", which was recorded and studied by the Demiprince [[Lore:Fa-Nuit-Hen|Fa-Nuit-Hen]].{{ref|name=Maelstrom|{{Cite Book|Lord Fa-Nuit-Hen and Tutor Riparius Answer Your Questions 2}}}}

==Lingering Ehlnofey==
===The "Old Bones"===
[[File:ON-npc-Dringoth 02.jpg|Dringoth, a supposed Ehlnofey possessing the skeletal corpse of a Bosmer (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-npc-Goradir 02.jpg|Resting place of Goradir, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]
In the [[Lore:Second Era|Second Era]], what seemed to be lingering Ehlnofey spirits were still present in the Bone Orchard of southern [[Lore:Grahtwood|Grahtwood]].{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Originally a group of "Old Bones" that wandered the lands, the travels of these gigantic beings unintentionally caused untold suffering in the lands they'd travel through, making them decide to seek a true death by being completely forgotten since, as long as they were remembered by the world, they could not truly die and leave it.{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} The last of this group, Dringoth, would continue to wander by himself, and so became feared by the Bosmer as a terrible destroyer who would absentmindedly trample their cities and hills under his feet while wandering through, his approach felt through the ground quaking days in advance of his arrival, it is said homes burst and hills turned to slurry under his gait. The fearful Bosmer tricked and magically sealed Dringoth in slumber and, worried the restless remains of the other Old Bones might rise to wander again, brought them to the Bone Orchard, where the magic that ensnared Dringoth would imprison them as well.{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}}{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Research|{{Cite Book|Bone Orchard Research}}}} As the site became a graveyard and shrine to Y'ffre tended by the [[Lore:Spinners|Spinners]] , the Old Bones interred there could not be forgotten and so could not truly die. Some of the Orchard spirits would inhabit elven [[Lore:Skeleton|skeletons]] to move around, while others preferred to stay resting in their own massive and monstrous appearing bones. The Bone Orchard itself was constructed around the "hill" that was Dringoth's skull, and which the great Barrowbough tree that sealed him was planted on.This group would help foil an attempt by the [[Lore:Worm Cult|Worm Cult]] to reanimate them into an army of giants by possessing the bones of the Bosmer buried in the Orchard and fighting alongside the [[Lore:The Vestige|Vestige]], who used the power of a piece of Dringoth's rib to control or destroy the cult's undead, thus preventing the threat their reanimation would have posed to Tamriel. During these events the Orchard Ehlnofey decided on whether to allow Dringoth to keep residing within the Bosmer skeleton he was possessing, or to destroy his vessel and forcibly bind his soul to his own bones so, with his body still sealed by the Barrowbough, he'd never wander again.{{ref|name=ONKOB|Events of [[Online:Keeper of Bones|Keeper of Bones]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Rib|[[ON:Grahtwood Quest Items|Dringoth's Rib]] effect in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

===The Guardians===
[[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Earth.jpg|The Guardian of the Earth, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Air 02.jpg|The Guardian of the Air, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]
The [[Lore:Beldama Wyrd|Beldama Wyrd]] are a witch coven attuned to nature. They venerate the Breton interpretation of Y'ffre, Jephre.{{Ref|name=WCoNHR|{{Cite Book|Witch Cults of Northern High Rock}}}} They are guided by [[Lore:Nature Spirit|elemental spirits]] known as the Guardians,{{Ref|name=ESOWI|[[Online:Wyress Ileana|Wyress Ileana]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} which are among the extinct Ehlnofey who claim they were once Y'ffre.{{Ref|name=ESOGE|[[Online:Guardian of the Earth|Guardian of the Earth]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The Guardians are said to have been present since the dawn of Tamriel{{Ref|name=ESOWI|[[Online:Wyress Ileana|Wyress Ileana]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}, nurturing and protecting the land and serving as guides to the Wyrd. They are linked to the [[Lore:Wyrd Tree|Wyrd Tree]], a [[Lore:Nature Spirit|nature spirit]] older than [[Lore:Men|Men]] and [[Lore:Mer|Mer]] that takes the form of a gargantuan oak tree that emits an unnatural glow, it gives life to the land and strength to the Wyrd, and conceals secrets from when time began, its roots stretching all across Nirn and touching everything, even the "bones of the world".{{ref|name=ESOWH|[[ON:Wyress Helene|Wyress Helene]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=TIEGTT|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/High Rock}}}}{{Ref|name=WCoNHR|{{Cite Book|Witch Cults of Northern High Rock}}}}{{ref|name=ESOWJ|[[ON:Wyress Jehanne|Wyress Jehanne]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ONWTV|{{Cite Book|Wyrd Tree verse}}}}{{ref|name=CBSABS|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 93: Ancestral Breton Style}}}} The Guardians aided the Vestige in cleansing the corruption of [[Lore:Angof|Angof the Gravesinger]] from the Wyrd Tree, using their power to provide protection from the power of the elemental [[Lore:Wraith|wraiths]] called forth by Angof, whose magic would have otherwise been fatal. They repudiated Angof and his [[Lore:Bloodthorn Cult|Bloodthorn Cult]] for their pacts with the Daedra, claiming that their deeds "mocked the Aedra, the Ehlnofey" and polluted the land with dark magic.{{Ref|name=ESOGE|[[Online:Guardian of the Earth|Guardian of the Earth]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=ESOGW|[[Online:Guardian of the Water|Guardian of the Water]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=ESOGA|[[Online:Guardian of the Air|Guardian of the Air]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=Corruption|[[Online:Corruption of the Tree|Corruption of the Tree]]'s encounter in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
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===Other===
Some sources speak of sea-dwelling Ehlnofey with hearts made of pearl residing in old places of primordial energy, rivers and reefs where the Earthbones never quieted down.{{ref|name=ONSWC|[[Online:Stormweaver's Cavort|Stormweaver's Cavort]] codex entries in {{g|on|firesong}}}}{{ref|name=ONPE|[[Online:Pearls of Ehlnofey|Pearls of Ehlnofey]] codex entries in {{g|on|markarth}}}}

The Ehlnofey are thought to have taken on students before they disappeared, passing their knowledge on to emerging races. Some theories propose that the use of the term "Dwarves" to refer to the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] originates from ancient times when they were the "brilliant students" of the Ehlnofey with the sobriquet having been given to them by their titanic masters. The events of the Dwemer's tutelage under the Ehlnofey are described in more detail in the full text of the Anuad myth.{{ref|name=PGE1Ham|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Hammerfell}}}}

Some sources claim that the Dwemer learned much from observing the Ehlnofey, learning how to defy natural laws, the Earthbones, by witnessing Ehlnofey control laws of nature such as that governing decay or the [[Lore:Portals|passage]] between [[Lore:Planes of Existence|realms]]. Those same sources claim that the tribe of Aldmer from which the Bosmer eventually originated likewise observed the passing of Y'ffre, who was the first of the Ehlnofey to give of themselves to [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]] fully and become an Earthbone, learning how to defy the Earthbone he established to govern the physical form of things through observing him. It is said that this is the knowledge modern Bosmer invoke to enact a [[Lore:Wild Hunt|Wild Hunt]], reverting to what life truly is beneath Y'ffre's imposed law. The reason for the seemingly undying nature of such Hunt creatures is said to be that in severing themselves from the control of one Earthbone, others also lose their power to impose their own laws on them, thus leading to the Earthbone governing lifespan also losing its power.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}} Some sources claim that the Psijics were not the original practicioners of the Elder Way, but instead learned it from the original inhabitants of Nirn, the Ehlnofey.{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview|[[General:Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion|Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion]]}}

==Characteristics==
[[File:ON-furnishing-Prismatic Sunbird Feather.jpg|thumb|left|A Prismatic Sunbird Feather, said to channel the raw magic of the Ehlnofey]][[File:ON-icon-armor-Pearls of Ehlnofey.png|thumb|right|Pearls of Ehlnofey, an Aldmer amulet incorporating materials of alleged Ehlnofey origin]]
According to descriptions by seeming Ehlnofey, beings like them can't die and depart from the world unless they are completely forgotten. Fearful that, because of this, the colossal "Old Bones"would rise to wander the lands again, and inflict untold suffering in their wake, the Bosmer used the magic of the Barrowbough to seal them into eternal slumber.{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}}

Bones originally belonging to or possessed by the Ehlnofey are said to glow with great [[Lore:Magic|Magicka]], despite appearances such remains have no traces of [[Lore:Necromancy|necromancy]] and even exhibit a degree of resistance to necromantic interference, making it impossible for necromancers to dispel Ehlnofey possession of bodies.{{ref|name=Research|{{Cite Book|Bone Orchard Research}}}} Legends surrounding the Bone Orchard describe the beings interred there as having had bodies "made entirely of bone", even while they still wandered the world prior to their confinement by the Bosmer. Indeed the "Old Bones" themselves describe their physical forms during their travels as composed of bone, or as having always been skeletal in nature as far back as they can remember. This might mean being comprised of bone is simply an aspect of their physical form as opposed to their bodies having changed to that state.{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}}{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Other sources describe aquatic Ehlnofey with hearts made of pearl residing in bodies of water filled with primordial energy.{{ref|name=ONPE|[[Online:Pearls of Ehlnofey|Pearls of Ehlnofey]] codex entries in {{g|on|markarth}}}}

Ehlnofey spirits have exhibited the ability to possess and reanimate other bodies, and to return and bind souls to their original vessels. Fragments of bone from their bodies possess a power to control or destroy the undead.{{ref|name=ONKOB|Events of [[Online:Keeper of Bones|Keeper of Bones]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Rib|[[ON:Grahtwood Quest Items|Dringoth's Rib]] effect in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} It is said that the Ehlnofey possess the power to control natural laws such as those governing decay or the passage between realms, and that the Dwemer learned how to defy the hold of such natural laws, the Earthbones, through observing the Ehlnofey.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}

The moods of the Ehlofey appear to have an effect on the earth around them. In the Bone Orchard, whenever an Ehlnofey residing within its own bones speaks in anger, the ground will quake in response, and the Old Bone Goradir claims that his mirth upon learning that the Bosmer body Dringoth was possessing had been taken apart shifted the earth of his barrow. The way into the Heart of the Barrowbough could only be opened by Nirenan, one of the Old Bones, who could be invoked through the use of a horn crafted from her own massive tooth.{{ref|name=ONKOB|Events of [[Online:Keeper of Bones|Keeper of Bones]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Goradir|[[ON:Goradir|Goradir]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Amariel|[[ON:Spinner Amariel|Spinner Amariel]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Amariel|[[ON:Spinner Amariel|Spinner Amariel]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Horn|[[ON:Grahtwood Quest Items|Nirenan's Horn]] description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

The ancient Aldmer incorporated magically potent coral, pearl, and all manner of watery stones in their arcane talismans. Such materials can only be found in places of wild and primordial magic where the Earthbones never quieted down and are collectively termed as "Pearls of the Ehlnofey". Pearls from the Nilumin River in particular are known as "Tears of the Ehlnofey" and were sought by Aldmer divers, who considered them valuable in both healing and enhancing physical and magical ability, incorporating them in both talismans and alchemy. Legend ties the origin of such materials to sea-dwelling Ehlnofey with hearts of pearl, it is theorized that they have a special connection to physical laws, granting them real Aurbic power, and that the Ehlnofey themselves favor them. Whatever the case, Aldmeri talismans incorporating these "Pearls of Ehlnofey" are said to be far more powerful than their modern successors crafted by modern Altmer.{{ref|name=ONPE|[[Online:Pearls of Ehlnofey|Pearls of Ehlnofey]] codex entries in {{g|on|markarth}}}} Myth claims that Aldmer explorers, the Sunbirds of Alinor, also used such raw Ehlnofic magic to pierce the veil between Mundus and Aetherius and journey to the Immortal Plane.{{ref|name=FurnSunbird|[[Online:Prismatic Sunbird Feather|Prismatic Sunbird Feather]] antiquity codex entry in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

While slumbering, Ehlnofey are said to be able to dream, the Spinners overseeing the Bone Orchard would tell the Old Bones stories of the Bosmer whose bodies were also buried there to give them something new to dream about.{{ref|name=Amariel|[[ON:Spinner Amariel|Spinner Amariel]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

Some sources describe the Altmer as having the "blood of Ehlnofey", also called the "Old Blood", which is believed to be valuable in [[Lore:Blood Magic|Blood Magic]].{{ref|name=Gharakul|[[ON:Gharakul's Journal|Gharakul's Journal]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

==Behavior and Culture==
[[File:ON-npc-Olphras 02.jpg|The remains of Olphras, who acted as leader of the supposed Ehlnofey at the Bone Orchard|thumb|left]][[File:ON-quest-Keeper of Bones.jpg|thumb|right|The "Old Bones", supposed Ehlnofey, possessing Bosmer skeletons to stand in judgment of Dringoth]]
The "Old Bones" consider each other distant "family" due to so few of them still remaining within the world.{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} They refer to others as "mortals" and, of those encountered, most view their inability to die as long as they're remembered in a negative manner, describing it as "the doom of endlessness". All but one of these beings are said to have journeyed far to remote places of the world where they could be fully forgotten and so could die, prior to becoming trapped as a result of Dringoth's actions.{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Indeed Bosmer myth claims that the Ehlnofey generally faded and vanished after journeying to the lost corners of the world,{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}}

The language of the Ehlnofey, Ehlnofex, has been described as a dangerous "many-headed" language with characters that constantly distort as one looks at them.{{Ref|name=Thief|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|More on the Psijic Endeavor|ns_base=General}}}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}} The Ayleids are said to have preserved the Dawn Era magics and runes of the Ehlnofey to a greater extent than other elves, suggesting comparatively greater similarity in their magical tradition.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}
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==Cultural Significance==
[[File:LO-people-Jephre.jpg|thumb|left|Jephre, as depicted by the Altmer]]
Altmer view themselves as "true children of the Et'Ada", descendants of the Aldmer and the Ehlnofey, the Aedra or "Divines", that preceded them, in an "unbroken line" dating back to Nirn's creation. This belief was central to the ancestor worship of the Aldmer that eventually gave way to the Altmeri pantheon when the religion shifted from the worship of one's own ancestors to the worship of the ancestors of one's "betters", the most influential in their society. Most Altmer and Bosmer claim direct descent from Auri-El himself. Altmer also count deities like [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]], [[Lore:Syrabane|Syrabane]] and [[Lore:Phynaster|Phynaster]] among their ancestors. Due to this perceived origin, the Altmer believe that within each of them is housed the "divine spark" and thus they've an obligation to keep an Oghma, an "everscriven scroll" in which they memorialize the events of their lives in honor of their divine ancestors. {{ref|name=Oghma|{{Cite Book|The Onus of the Oghma}}}}{{ref|name=PGE3Sum|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Summerset}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=Rejection|{{Cite Book|A Rejection of Open Borders}}}}{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}}{{ref|name=Ayrenn|{{Cite Book|Ayrenn: The Unforeseen Queen}}}}{{ref|name=AncientElf|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 11: Ancient Elf Style}}}} The Altmer use the eagle both in association with Auri-El, from whom they claim direct descent, himself{{ref|name=ContDriftwood|[[ON:Contraband D|Driftwood Idol contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ContWingedAuriel|[[ON:Contraband W|Winged Auri-El contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}, and as a symbol representing the Aedra, their ancestors, who descended from Aetherius and became trapped in physical form by the creation of [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]], as a whole.{{Ref|name=ESOKB|{{Cite Book|Elder Scrolls Online - Knowledge Base|ns_base=GEN}}}}. This belief is also reflected in their stylistic motifs in which circles, arcs, and tendrils, abound, symbolizing the elven ancestors, the Aedra, being constrained by the creation of Mundus.{{ref|name=AncientElf}} Altmeri prayers reference Auri-El as the Fixed Center of existence who always envelops all people and invoke him to grant his followers stability.{{ref|name=COTF|{{Cite Book|Coils of the Father}}}} Their prayers often emphasize their believed ancestral connection with the Aedra, urging the faithful to give praise to the Divines and thus to their own ancestral lines, and describing the Altmer as always having the gods in their lives. It is said that the body of the divine wills the Altmer into being, and that they are one with the gods, their ancestors, and so should venerate them as one.{{ref|name=Praise|{{Cite Book|Praise Be (Ancestor Song)}}}}{{ref|name=Mirnor|[[Online:Mirnor of Auri-El|Mirnor of Auri-El]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Owing to their perceived divine lineage, the Altmer believe it is possible for them to achieve apotheosis under certain conditions, and so they hope to one day rejoin their divine ancestors in the stars.{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=ESOVairabrian|[[ON:Vairabrian|Vairabrian]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=TAX|{{Cite Book|Tu'whacca, Arkay, Xarxes}}}}

[[File:ON-misc-Wild Hunt Transform Cropped.jpg|A Wild Hunt transformation (ESO)|thumb|right]]
Bosmer are known to worship Y'ffre. A vital part of the Bosmeri pantheon, Y'ffre's Ehlnofey, or "Earthbones," were created from his corporeal form to establish safety and the laws of nature. These laws took the shape of stories, and there is great debate between tribes competing to interpret Y'ffre's ways and knowledge of the times of chaos, before Y'ffre arrived on the mortal plane.{{ref|name=GTEV|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/Valenwood}}}} Some legends claim that the Boiche Elves, originating from the [[Lore:Earthbones|Earthbones]] that followed Jephre, grew the first great [[Lore:Graht-oak|Graht-oak]] the out of the Perchance Acorn, which would become [[Lore:The_Towers#Green-Sap|Tower of Green-Sap]]. Due to the nature of the Acorn being, perchance, elsewhere, many different Green-Saps sprung in many different forms, forming the walking Graht-Oak forests of the Valenwood. Each one told its own stories of the Green, the forest home of the "Boiche-become-Bosmer".{{ref|name=AU4TET|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}} Some of the Bosmeri [[Lore:Spinners|Spinners]] are connected to the Earthbones, although the exact nature of this connection is unknown.{{ref|name=LES|[[Legends:Earthbone Spinner|Earthbone Spinner]] in ''[[Legends:Legends|Legends]]''}} Altmer and Bosmer myth describes how during the Dawn Era, both all life, and even the land itself, were formless and constantly shifted between shapes, until Y'ffre's Naming gave all things in Nirn an enduring form. This event, the establishment of shape, is considered a core element of the [[Lore:Green Pact|Green Pact]]. In certain circumstances such as the enactment of a [[Lore:Wild Hunt|Wild Hunt]], which is enacted in accordance with what the Pact allows, creatures can be made to "forget their Y'ffre taught shapes", causing the bonds of the Naming to unravel, and return to this original formless state.{{ref|name=TOAF|{{Cite Book|The Ooze: A Fable}}}}{{ref|name=Aldarch|[[ON:Brief Letter to an Aldarch|Brief Letter to an Aldarch]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ONWildHuntHorse|[[Online:Wild Hunt Horse|Wild Hunt Horse]] mount description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ONWildHuntCrate|[[Online:Wild Hunt Crate|Wild Hunt Crate]] descriptions in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=VoF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith in the Empire}}}} Within Bosmer belief Y'ffre is believed to have created day, night, and the places between through the manner in which he interpreted the laws of time established by [[Lore:Anui-El|Anui-El]] and applied them to Nirn, he is also believed to be responsible for the movements of the stars, as to this day the realms they're windows to sway and wink to his song.{{Ref|name=GESOD|[[Online:Girnalin#Dialogue|Girnalin]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} [[Lore:Dunmer|Dunmer]] faith also acknowledges Y'ffre in this capacity of being the deity responsible for the movements of the stars.{{Ref|name=Jephre|{{Cite Book|Of Jephre}}}}{{Ref|name=WCoNHR|{{Cite Book|Witch Cults of Northern High Rock}}}}

Ancient Aldmer were known to utilize magic associated with Ehlnofey in their arcane craftsmanship.{{ref|name=ONPE|[[Online:Pearls of Ehlnofey|Pearls of Ehlnofey]] codex entries in {{g|on|markarth}}}} According to the legend of the Viridian Sentinel, long ago the [[Lore:Direnni|Direnni]] forged a covenant with the Earth Bones to protect their settlements from the wild. The [[Lore:Breton|Bretons]], who displaced the Direnni, had no such arrangement, and as a result, their farms in Bangkorai were gradually overrun by the wilderness. The people were pushed to the brink of starvation, causing a young boy [[Lore:Greenward|Greenward]] to pray to [[Lore:Stendarr|Stendarr]] for salvation. Stendarr taught him to forge a new pact with the forest, giving him the power to restrain the natural creatures within. He thus became the first [[Lore:Viridian Sentinel|Viridian Sentinel]].{{ref|name=TVS|{{Cite Book|The Viridian Sentinel}}}}

[[Lore:Reachmen|Reachfolk]] honor a diverse array of [[Lore:Nature Spirits|nature spirits]], incarnations of nature birthed from [[Lore:The Green|the Green]], the lifeforce of Nirn's natural world, created in the Dawn Era by the sacrifice of Y'ffre and the Earthbones.{{ref|name=Frii|[[Online:Frii|Frii]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Ooze|{{Cite Book|The Ooze: A Fable}}}}{{ref|name=Gauntlets|[[Online:Psijic Style|Psijic Style]] description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Audrine|[[Online:Druid Audrine|Druid Audrine]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Laurel|[[Online:Druid Laurel|Druid Laurel]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The spirits honored by the Reachfolk can have distinct characteristics, such as the spirits associated with springs, trees or sacred animals.{{ref|name=GSOTER2|{{Cite Book|Great Spirits of the Reach: Volume 2}}}}{{Ref|name=Malug|[[ON:Malug|Malug]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]<nowiki>:</nowiki> ''[[Online:Markarth (DLC)|Markarth]]''}} Their [[Lore:Reachman Shamans|shamans]] occasionally utilize calming spirits that may inhabit their [[Lore:Staves|staves]].{{ref|name=SOTSW|{{Item Link|name=Staff of the Spirit Within|itemid=167400|quality=Fine|summary=1|Staff of the Spirit Within}}}} Expressing gratitude to nature spirits, they make it a practice to thank them before felling trees and replace them by planting new ones.{{Ref|name=Malug}}

Y'ffre and the Earthbones play a central role in the beliefs of both [[Lore:Druids|Druids]] and [[Lore:Wyrd|Wyrd]].{{ref|name=Wyrd|{{Cite Book|Wyrd and Druid}}}}.The Druids commune with the voices of Y'ffre and the Earthbones for guidance and tap into their power through their magic.{{ref|name=Audrine|[[Online:Druid Audrine|Druid Audrine]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Legacy|{{Cite Book|Legacy of the Bretons}}}} The Wyresses believe that during Y'ffre's Naming, the act which gave all life on Nirn its shape,{{ref|name=ESOWHC|[[Online:Wild Hunt Crate|Wild Hunt Crown Crate]] season description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} the deity tasked the Earthbones to choose those who would become the guardians of nature,{{ref|name=Wyresses|{{Cite Book|Wyresses: The Name-Daughters}}}} a task ultimately given to the Wyresses, the Name-Daughters, who are descendants of the Ehlnofey themselves.{{Ref|name=WCoNHR|{{Cite Book|Witch Cults of Northern High Rock}}}} Like the Druids, the Wyresses draw upon the power of the Earthbones through their magic. {{ref|name=GalerionVeil|[[Online:Vanus Galerion | Vanus Galerion's ]] dialogue during [[Online:Through a Veil Darkly|Through a Veil Darkly]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

The "Old Ways" of the [[Lore:Psijic Order|Psijic Order]] are said to combine [[Lore:Mysticism|mysticism]], the Eleven Forces and the divine laws that define reality into a philosophy and way of life which boasts a deep understanding of the Ehlnofey, from whose lines the races of Man and Mer arose.{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}} Indeed, some sources claim that the Psijics were originally taught the "Old Ways" by the Ehlnofey themselves.{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview|[[General:Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion|Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion]]}}

According to the [[Lore:Cult of the Ancestor Moth|Order of the Ancestor Moth]], mortal [[Lore:Souls|souls]] are the Aedric essence at the core of every mortal's existence.{{Ref|name=TDS|{{Cite Book|The Distributed Soul}}}} Souls have also been described as the piece of every mortal which comes from Aetherius, the realm of pure light and magic, and a "tiny [[Lore:Stars|star"]] which flares into a [[Lore:Sun|"sun"]] when magic is invoked.{{Ref|name=LordSouls|pg. 52 {{Cite Book|Lord of Souls|}}}}

The existence and nature of the spirits involved in the creation of Mundus has been subject of commentary by some of the Daedra, though even among them various views exist. The [[Lore:Dremora|Dremora]] [[Lore:Lyranth|Lyranth]] described the Mundus as the "cemetery" of the Aedra, claiming that their original hopes for their mortal descendants, and their world, were ultimately not achieved due to the mortal's foolishness. Nonetheless, though the creators of Mundus are said to have "died in pursuit of an impossible goal", they are praised for their immense conviction and admired for having wrought order out of chaos, a "brutal coercion" which even Daedra must deem impressive. By contrast, Magnus and the Magna-Ge are viewed as cowards, no other spirits being as low, who fled when things turned dire, thus making it impossible to ever know what could've been achieved had they chosen to stay and keep helping to the end.{{ref|name=Lyranth2|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Mehrunes Dagon & Daedra in the Second Era}}}} Contrasting Lyranth's view, the [[Lore:Mazken|Mazken]] information broker Madam Whim, claimed that no living being existed which could explain the true relationship between the Aedra and the Daedric Princes, and that no information she'd ever come across in her long life indicated the Aedra were anything more than a story mortals told themselves to feel safer in their beds at night.{{Ref|name=Whim|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Malacath and Maelstrom}}}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:ON-npc-Goradir.jpg|The remains of Goradir, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Skeletons (Bone Orchard).jpg|Ehlnofey spirits possessing Bosmer skeletons (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Olphras.jpg|Olphras, leader of the "Old Bones", possessing a Bosmer skeleton (ESO)
File:ON-object-Spirit (Bone Orchard).jpg|One of the Bone Orchard spirits prior to possessing a body (ESO)
File:ON-place-Bone Orchard.jpg|The Bone Orchard (ESO)
File:ON-item-armor-Earthbone Ayleid (female).jpg|"Earthbone Ayleid" style armor (ESO)
File:ON-crown store-Earthbone Ayleid Style.jpg|"Earthbone Ayleid" style weapons (ESO)
File:LG-cardart-Earthbone Spinner.png|Earthbone Spinner (Legends)
File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Water.jpg|Guardian of the Water (pre-ESO patch)
</gallery>

==Notes==
* The war between the Ehlnofey described in ''[[Lore:The Annotated Anuad|The Annotated Anuad]]'' bears many striking parallels with the war between Lorkhan and [[Lore:Auriel|Auriel]] described in ''[[Lore:The Monomyth|The Monomyth]]'', and the texts are likely summarizing the same events from different historiographical perspectives.
*The Ehlnofex war has been described by some sources as being the same event as [[Lore:Convention|Convention]] told in a different manner.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}
*[[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] has been described as the ''"greatest knight of the Ehlnofey, champion of the Dragon of Time"'' in certain [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiilic]] folktales.{{Ref|name=LOS|{{Cite Book|Lord of Souls|}}}}.{{Ref|name=Whim|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Malacath and Maelstrom}}}}
*The common practice of Dunmer and Altmer to dress in a manner resembling that of the ancient Aldmer, or that of other cultures that resemble the Aldmeri style, such as the ancient Ayleids and Chimer, elves of the [[Lore:Merethic Era|Merethic Era]], which is often viewed by the Mer as their golden age, is called "draping Ehlnofic". Bosmer, who like [[Lore:Argonian|Argonians]] prefer to live in the "Aurbic Now", are said to generally not share the practice.{{ref|name=AncientElf}}

==See Also==
* {{GSI|Online:Ehlnofey}}
===Books===
* {{Book Link|The Annotated Anuad}}
* {{Book Link|Before the Ages of Man}}
* {{Book Link|The Monomyth}}

==References==
<references/>{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>
{{Lore Races}}{{Lore Altmer Religion}}{{Lore Bosmer Religion}}{{Lore Breton Religion}}{{Lore Reachman Religion}}
</noinclude>

Lore:Ehlnofey

2025-06-15T05:26:27Z

Minor Edits: tweaks regarding ehlnofey/earthbone dichotomy - IF I'm understanding Kirkbride,

<noinclude>{{Lore Gods Trail}}{{#addtotrail:Races|separator=' / '}}__NOTOC__[[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Water 02.jpg|The Guardian of the Water, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-creature-Nirenan.jpg|Remains of Nirenan, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]</noinclude>
The [[Lore:Ehlnofey|Ehlnofey]] (sometimes spelled '''Elhnofey'''){{ref|name=PGE1Sky|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Skyrim}}}} of the [[Lore:Dawn Era|Dawn Era]] are generally believed to be a group of [[Lore:Aedra|Aedric]] pre-[[Lore:Convention|Convention]] spirits who, along with the [[Lore:Hist|Hist]], are counted among the original inhabitants of [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]], and are widely considered to be the progenitors of the mortal races.{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}} The word "Ehlnofey" translates to '''Earthbones''' (or '''Earth Bone''') in [[Lore:Ehlnofex Languages|Ehlnofex]]. The terms "Earthbone" or "Ehlnofey" are used to denote more than one type of mythical entity. The term "Ehlnofey" is typically used to refer to the spirits that didn't sacrifice themselves, from whom the various mortal races would descend, whereas "Earthbone" typically connotes those Ehlnofey who, like [[Lore:Y'ffre|Y'ffre]], sacrificed themselves to form the rules of nature.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} The nature of the spirits the term pertains to can vary depending on account.

The concept of the Ehlnofey is of paramount importance within the beliefs of the [[Lore:Mer|elves]], particularly the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]] and [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmer]], where the term is used to represent their cultural understanding of the Aedra as ancestor spirits. According to elven myth, the Ehlnofey are considered to be the Aedric spirits who stayed in Nirn after [[Lore:Magnus|Magnus]] and the [[Lore:Magna Ge|Magna Ge]] departed in order to keep working on the new world so it'd remain viable. Among those spirits, some, typically referred to from that point on as "Earthbones", are thought to have followed the example of [[Lore:Y'ffre|Y'ffre]], giving themselves to the Mundus fully to stabilize it and form the foundation of its natural law as the "bones of the earth", eternal laws of nature. While others, typically referred to from that point on as "Ehlnofey", are thought to have chosen not to give themselves fully but to populate Nirn instead, thus becoming the progenitors to mortal life, which arose from their lines and took on its current form due to a phenomenon of gradual diminishment, of each consecutive generation becoming weaker and more removed than its progenitors in stature and might.{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}}{{ref|name=TAA|{{Cite Book|The Annotated Anuad}}}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}} This understanding forms the basis of the originally elvish term "Aedra" or "ancestor", denoting those spirits which they perceive as being part of their mythic genealogy, including figures such as [[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]], who most modern Altmer and Bosmer claim direct descent from, [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] the "greatest knight of the Ehlnofey", [[Lore:Syrabane|Syrabane]], and [[Lore:Phynaster|Phynaster]].{{ref|name=PGE3Sum|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Summerset}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} Thus elven religious iconography depicts the Ehlnofey as vaguely [[Lore:Mer|elven]] in shape, but featureless, reflecting the fading memory of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=EES|[[Online:Contraband/Statues#Elusive Ehlnofey Statuette|Elusive Ehlnofey Statuette]]}}

The Aedra or Ehlnofey are thought to have remained within the world until they vanished.{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}} They are thought to primarily reside in [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]],{{Ref|name=Serana|[[Skyrim:Serana|Serana]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} having been bound to the Earth Bones{{ref|name=AAD|{{Cite Book|Aedra and Daedra}}}}{{ref|name=TOA|{{Cite Book|Tower of Adamant}}}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} as the cornerstones of the Mundus.{{ref|name=PGE3Arena|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Arena Supermundus}}}} The terms "spokes", "eight components of [[Lore:Aurbis|chaos]]", "lent bones of the Aedra", "Bones of the Wheel", "et'Ada-gears" and [[Lore:Planets|"Eight gift-limbs"]] have also been used to refer to them in this capacity, after having transformed into the framework of reality.{{ref|name=LOV6|{{cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 6}}}}{{ref|name=LL|{{cite Book|The Lunar Lorkhan}}}}{{ref|name=TTIS|{{Cite Book|The Truth in Sequence}}}}{{ref|name=MDC3|{{Cite Book|Mythic Dawn Commentaries 3}}}} Some sources present a more negative view of the circumstances of these spirits and their residence in Aetherius, naming Mundus as their "cemetery", calling them "spent ghosts", or even alleging them to have died as part of the creation of the world, having "died in pursuit of an impossible goal".{{ref|name=Lyranth2|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Mehrunes Dagon & Daedra in the Second Era}}}}{{Ref|name=GU|{{Cite Book|Glorious Upheaval}}}}{{ref|name=TM}} Thus the Aedra are sometimes called the "dead gods" or the "mortal gods", sometimes disparagingly, owing to them having become bound to the laws of mortality.{{Ref|name=Vastarie|[[Online:Vastarie|Vastarie]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=Prophet|[[Oblivion:The Prophet|The Prophet]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}

A direct correlation between the concepts of Ehlnofey and Aedra is not universal among sources. In some accounts, the terms "Ehlnofey" and "Earth Bones" are both described as referring exclusively to the early offspring of the Aedra rather than to those spirits themselves, who were told to populate the world and live on through their children, leading to the gradual emergence of the various races of man and mer.{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}}{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL}} In others the Ehlnofey are described instead as a group of beings who predate the Aedra and Daedra as survivors of a prior world, fragment of which [[Lore:Anu|Anu]] used to create Nirn, whereas the Aedra and Daedra are formed of Anu and [[Lore:Padomay|Padomay]]'s blood after Nirn's formation and the establishment of the Ehlnofey there, with all groups distinct from the start.{{ref|name=TAA|{{Cite Book|The Annotated Anuad}}}} The concept of descent from the ancestor spirits is generally viewed as "elven conceit" by the religions of [[Lore:Men|Men]] who, with the exception of the [[Lore:Redguards|Redguards]], view themselves as creations of those spirits rather than their descendants.{{ref|name=TAA|{{Cite Book|The Annotated Anuad}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}{{ref|name=TAX|{{Cite Book|Tu'whacca, Arkay, Xarxes}}}}

Perhaps because of their association with the land itself, "Old Ehlnofey" became another name for [[Lore:Aldmeris|Aldmeris]], the mystical homeland of the elves.{{ref|name=PGE3Sum|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Summerset}}}}{{ref|name=PGE3All|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|All the Eras of Man}}}} The language or languages of the Ehlnofey became known as [[Lore:Ehlnofex Languages|Ehlnofex]].{{ref|name=TM}} It has been found that the "Earth Bones", the laws of nature, can be manipulated to some extent.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=MWBaladas|[[MW:Baladas Demnevanni (person)|Baladas Demnevanni]]'s dialogue in [[MW:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']].}}<noinclude>

For more information on the Aedra and their role in [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]]'s religions more broadly, see the entry on [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]].

==Origin==
The exact nature of the Ehlnofey is a matter shrouded in much ambiguity, indeed some sources describe them as great beings which once walked Nirn whose true origins none can truly say.{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}} There are two major origins that are presented: one that describes the Ehlnofey as survivors of a previous world that settled Nirn after its creation, and another claiming them to be [[Lore:Aedra|Aedric spirits]] who were party to Nirn's construction and chose to remain in the world they'd crafted to stabilize it after the departure of [[Lore:Magnus|Magnus]] and the [[Lore:Magna Ge|Magna-Ge]].

===Survivors of the Twelve Worlds===
According to the [[Lore:Anuad|Anuad]], when [[Lore:Anu|Anu]] formed Nirn following the shattering of the Twelve Worlds by [[Lore:Padomay|Padomay]], two surviving races originating from what Padomay had sundered were brought to the new world alongside the fragments of their realms which had been used to form it, the Ehlnofey and the Hist.

A group of Ehlnofey, those that would eventually become the progenitors of the [[Lore:Mer|Mer]], arrived in the new world together alongside a relatively intact fragment of their former home, and attempted to live on as they had before, in their land which would come to be known as Old Ehlnofey. Another group, those who would become the progenitors to [[Lore:Men|Men]], were scattered across the new world, and had to wander and find each other over time.

When the wandering Ehlnofey came across Old Ehlnofey, they were overjoyed to find their kin living among the splendor of ages past, but rather than welcoming them the inhabitants of Old Ehlnofey viewed them as degenerates, fallen and corrupted from their experiences in Nirn. In the end and for whatever reason, war broke out between those of Old Ehlnofey, mightier but fewer, and those that wandered, weaker but more numerous and hardened by survival. This destructive war would reshape the face of Nirn, sinking much of the land beneath new oceans, destroying much of the original realm of the Hist and creating the continents of [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]], [[Lore:Akavir|Akavir]], [[Lore:Atmora|Atmora]] and [[Lore:Yokuda|Yokuda.]]

The remains of Old Ehlnofey would become Tamriel while the wandering Ehlnofey would scatter to the newly formed continents. Eventually, over time and the passage of generations, the descendants of the two factions of Ehlnofey would gradually give rise to the various groups of Men and Mer. At some point prior to their disappearance, the Ehlnofey are said to have taken on "brilliant students". These students have been theorized to be the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]], who were thus given the sobriquet "Dwarves" by their titanic masters. The events of this tutelage under the Ehlnofey are described in more detail in the full text of the Anuad myth.{{ref|name=PGE1Ham|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Hammerfell}}}}

While this struggle occurred, the "gods and demons" of the world, the [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]], [[Lore:Daedra|Daedra]] and [[Lore:Magna Ge|Magna-Ge]] would form out of Anu and Padomay's spilled blood, as distinct groups from the Ehlnofey and from each other.{{ref|name=TAA|{{Cite Book|The Annotated Anuad}}}}

===Aedric Progenitors===
According to the Altmeri creation myth, when [[Lore:Magnus|Magnus]] departed the Mundus, the et'Ada that took part in its creation broke into groups, most would follow the flight of the God of Magic to become the Magna-Ge, but some of those present chose instead to stay after he departed and keep working on the new world in order to keep it viable.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}

Among those Et'Ada who stayed, some would follow the example of [[Lore:Y'ffre|Y'ffre]], giving themselves to the Mundus fully to stabilize it and form the foundation of its natural law, and would typically be referred to from that point on as "Earthbones" or "Earth Bones". Others, who would come to be known as Aedra, would choose not to give themselves fully but to populate Nirn instead, having to "make children just to last". This group of spirits would from that point typically be referred to as the "Ehlnofey".{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}} The offspring of the Aedra would exhibit a gradual change however, each consecutive generation was weaker than the one prior, more removed from their progenitors in stature and might.{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}

Through this generational phenomenon of diminishment the offspring of the Ehlnofey would also differentiate, the Ehlnofey too would eventually give away and the first [[Lore: Aldmer|Aldmer]] would arise, while the "weakest souls" that resulted from it would be formed by [[Lore: Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] into armies he named "Men".{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}

Altmeri myth holds that [[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]] and [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] and their respective followers would than war with one another, leading to the shattering of [[Lore:Atmora|Altmora]], the "Elder Wood" and one of the first kingdoms established by Auri-El alongside Old Ehlnofey, at Lorkhan's hands, and culminating in the removal of [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Lorkhan's Heart]] following his defeat. During this conflict and prior to Lorkhan's defeat, Auri-El begged Anu to take them back but Anu refused as he'd already created something to replace them. The more merciful [[Lore:Anui-El|Anui-El]] created [[Lore:Auriel's Bow|Auriel's Bow]] and [[Lore:Auriel's Shield|Auriel's Shield]] to be used by Auri-El against Lorkhan's hordes.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}

Following the defeat of Lorkhan the Aedra would convene at the [[Lore:Adamantine Tower|Adamantine Tower]] in order to decide the fate of the new world. Lorkhan's [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart]] would be removed and the laws and roles of all spirits in the new world would be determined. After this meeting, the [[Lore:Convention|Convention]], the Aedra would depart the world in their excess for its own sake, as their direct presence rendered both it and the timeless continuity of existence itself unstable.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}}{{ref|name=AU4TET|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}}

At some point following the events of the war that occurred, the [[Lore:Aldmer|Aldmer]], descendants of the Ehlnofey who are described as the strongest of the lesser spirits that remained in the world after Convention, are said to have left their doomed and ruined continent of [[Lore:Aldmeris|Aldmeris]] and colonized southwest Tamriel in the Middle [[Lore:Merethic Era|Merethic Era]],{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=PGE3All}} only to spend many centuries fruitlessly searching for their old homeland.{{ref|name=FOTN|{{Cite Book|Father Of The Niben}}}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}}

==Legacy==
{{Quote Box|''"We are the echoes of old voices, remnants of a time long ago. Still, a few of us remain. We were the Y'ffre. Then we became the Ehlnofey, the Earth Bones. … "''|Guardian of the Earth}}

The fracturing of the Aldmer along cultural and racial lines is called the Sundering of Aldmeris, an event during which the [[Lore:Aldmer|Aldmer]] splintered into the groups that would become the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] (Deep Ones), the [[Lore:Chimer|Chimer]] (Changed Ones), the [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmer]] (Green or Forest Ones), the [[Lore:Falmer|Falmer]] (Snow Ones), the [[Lore:Maormer|Maormer]] (Sea or Tropical Ones) of [[Lore:Pyandonea|Pyandonea]], the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]] (Elder or High Ones), and the [[Lore:Lefthanded Elves|Sinistral Mer]] (Left-handed Ones) of [[Lore:Yokuda|Yokuda]]. The progeny of the Wanderers (Wandering Ehlnofey) became the races of men, eventually splitting into many different racial groups, including the [[Lore:Nede|Nede]]s, the [[Lore:Nord|Atmoran]]s of [[Lore:Atmora|Atmora]], the [[Lore:Redguard|Yokudan]]s of [[Lore:Yokuda|Yokuda]], and possibly the [[Lore:Tsaesci (race)|Tsaesci]] of [[Lore:Akavir|Akavir]], and other aboriginal groups ([[Lore:Proto-Breton|Proto-Breton]]s).{{ref|name=TAA}}

Though the protean race is apparently gone, said by some sources to have faded and vanished after journeying to the lost corners of the world,{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}} the Ehlnofey are not entirely forgotten. They are thought to have taken on students before they disappeared, passing their knowledge on to emerging races such as the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]], or the [[Lore:Psijic Order|Psijic Order]], to whom they are said to have taught the Elder Way.{{ref|name=PGE1Ham|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Hammerfell}}}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview|[[General:Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion|Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion]]}} Knowledge of most individuals has been lost to time, but prominent members still appear in some form in the [[Lore:Gods|pantheons]] of the various races. The [[Lore:Ayleids|Ayleids]] of [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]] are said to have preserved the Ehlnofey's Dawn Era magics and language to a greater extent than other Mer.{{ref|name=BTAOM}} The theories of the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] High Craftlord [[Lore:Kagrenac|Kagrenac]] involved using sacred tones on the [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart of Lorkhan]] and bending the Earth Bones, commanding the "obedience" of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=MWBaladas}} According to legend, the [[Lore:Sun Birds of Alinor|Sun Birds of Alinor]], a mythical order of Aldmeri explorers from the Merethic Era, managed to pierce the veil between [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]] and [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]] and journey to the Immortal Plane by using the raw magic of the Ehlnofey.{{ref|name=FurnSunbird|[[Online:Prismatic Sunbird Feather|Prismatic Sunbird Feather]] antiquity codex entry in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

Nirn is said to be imbued with a wellspring of primordial energy which flows in a network via lines within the ground, described as the manner in which [[Lore:Druids|Druids]] visualize the Earthbones, the laws of nature, places where these "[[Lore:Bonelines|bonelines]]" intersect are said to possess great power and have an effect on both magic and prayer performed there.{{ref|name=ONSWC|[[Online:Stormweaver's Cavort|Stormweaver's Cavort]] codex entries in {{g|on|firesong}}}}{{ref|name=ONPE|[[Online:Pearls of Ehlnofey|Pearls of Ehlnofey]] codex entries in {{g|on|markarth}}}} {{ref|{{Cite Book|Visitor's Guide to Y'ffre's Cauldron}}}} According to some sources, the reason Nirn is filled with natural caverns is that in primordial times they formed a network that functioned like nodes or capillaries for the divine essence of the [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]] that created it. {{ref|name=Wind|[[Online:Weeping Wind Cave|Weeping Wind Cave]] loading screen in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

The laws that govern Nirn and Mundus and determine the role of all spirits within them, are believed to have been set in place at and through the [[Lore:Adamantine Tower|Adamantine Tower]] by its creators, defining the roles and nature of the Earthbones within the confines of the "[[Lore:Akatosh|Dragon's]] timebound tale" and thus the framework of the natural world. The Adamantine Tower itself is described as a "sleek silver vessel", which became attached to the changing earth at one of the joint-points where the Earthbones on which the physical flesh on Nirn was hung met, with each such point radiating a "palpable reality".{{ref|{{Cite Book|Subtropical Cyrodiil: A Speculation}}}}{{ref|name=AU4TET|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}}

According to some Daedric accounts, Mundus is defined by a degree of malleability which generally doesn't exist within the realms of Oblivion. Whereas Oblivion realms are fundamentally shaped and curated by the will of their creators, Mundus and it's constituent realms submit simultaneously to the ordered influence of the Earthbones and the stubborn caprice of Lorkhan. Thus Mundus is "doughy", things within it can be destroyed, but they never remain gone and instances of them inevitably spring up again.{{ref|name=Lyranth2|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Mehrunes Dagon & Daedra in the Second Era}}}}

The earliest martial discipline of Nirn was the "Prismatic Vector Dance of the Ehlnofey", which was recorded and studied by the Demiprince [[Lore:Fa-Nuit-Hen|Fa-Nuit-Hen]].{{ref|name=Maelstrom|{{Cite Book|Lord Fa-Nuit-Hen and Tutor Riparius Answer Your Questions 2}}}}

==Lingering Ehlnofey==
===The "Old Bones"===
[[File:ON-npc-Dringoth 02.jpg|Dringoth, a supposed Ehlnofey possessing the skeletal corpse of a Bosmer (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-npc-Goradir 02.jpg|Resting place of Goradir, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]
In the [[Lore:Second Era|Second Era]], what seemed to be lingering Ehlnofey spirits were still present in the Bone Orchard of southern [[Lore:Grahtwood|Grahtwood]].{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Originally a group of "Old Bones" that wandered the lands, the travels of these gigantic beings unintentionally caused untold suffering in the lands they'd travel through, making them decide to seek a true death by being completely forgotten since, as long as they were remembered by the world, they could not truly die and leave it.{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} The last of this group, Dringoth, would continue to wander by himself, and so became feared by the Bosmer as a terrible destroyer who would absentmindedly trample their cities and hills under his feet while wandering through, his approach felt through the ground quaking days in advance of his arrival, it is said homes burst and hills turned to slurry under his gait. The fearful Bosmer tricked and magically sealed Dringoth in slumber and, worried the restless remains of the other Old Bones might rise to wander again, brought them to the Bone Orchard, where the magic that ensnared Dringoth would imprison them as well.{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}}{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Research|{{Cite Book|Bone Orchard Research}}}} As the site became a graveyard and shrine to Y'ffre tended by the [[Lore:Spinners|Spinners]] , the Old Bones interred there could not be forgotten and so could not truly die. Some of the Orchard spirits would inhabit elven [[Lore:Skeleton|skeletons]] to move around, while others preferred to stay resting in their own massive and monstrous appearing bones. The Bone Orchard itself was constructed around the "hill" that was Dringoth's skull, and which the great Barrowbough tree that sealed him was planted on.This group would help foil an attempt by the [[Lore:Worm Cult|Worm Cult]] to reanimate them into an army of giants by possessing the bones of the Bosmer buried in the Orchard and fighting alongside the [[Lore:The Vestige|Vestige]], who used the power of a piece of Dringoth's rib to control or destroy the cult's undead, thus preventing the threat their reanimation would have posed to Tamriel. During these events the Orchard Ehlnofey decided on whether to allow Dringoth to keep residing within the Bosmer skeleton he was possessing, or to destroy his vessel and forcibly bind his soul to his own bones so, with his body still sealed by the Barrowbough, he'd never wander again.{{ref|name=ONKOB|Events of [[Online:Keeper of Bones|Keeper of Bones]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Rib|[[ON:Grahtwood Quest Items|Dringoth's Rib]] effect in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

===The Guardians===
[[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Earth.jpg|The Guardian of the Earth, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|left]][[File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Air 02.jpg|The Guardian of the Air, an imprisoned Ehlnofey (ESO)|thumb|right]]
The [[Lore:Beldama Wyrd|Beldama Wyrd]] are a witch coven attuned to nature. They venerate the Breton interpretation of Y'ffre, Jephre.{{Ref|name=WCoNHR|{{Cite Book|Witch Cults of Northern High Rock}}}} They are guided by [[Lore:Nature Spirit|elemental spirits]] known as the Guardians,{{Ref|name=ESOWI|[[Online:Wyress Ileana|Wyress Ileana]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} which are among the extinct Ehlnofey who claim they were once Y'ffre.{{Ref|name=ESOGE|[[Online:Guardian of the Earth|Guardian of the Earth]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The Guardians are said to have been present since the dawn of Tamriel{{Ref|name=ESOWI|[[Online:Wyress Ileana|Wyress Ileana]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}, nurturing and protecting the land and serving as guides to the Wyrd. They are linked to the [[Lore:Wyrd Tree|Wyrd Tree]], a [[Lore:Nature Spirit|nature spirit]] older than [[Lore:Men|Men]] and [[Lore:Mer|Mer]] that takes the form of a gargantuan oak tree that emits an unnatural glow, it gives life to the land and strength to the Wyrd, and conceals secrets from when time began, its roots stretching all across Nirn and touching everything, even the "bones of the world".{{ref|name=ESOWH|[[ON:Wyress Helene|Wyress Helene]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=TIEGTT|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/High Rock}}}}{{Ref|name=WCoNHR|{{Cite Book|Witch Cults of Northern High Rock}}}}{{ref|name=ESOWJ|[[ON:Wyress Jehanne|Wyress Jehanne]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ONWTV|{{Cite Book|Wyrd Tree verse}}}}{{ref|name=CBSABS|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 93: Ancestral Breton Style}}}} The Guardians aided the Vestige in cleansing the corruption of [[Lore:Angof|Angof the Gravesinger]] from the Wyrd Tree, using their power to provide protection from the power of the elemental [[Lore:Wraith|wraiths]] called forth by Angof, whose magic would have otherwise been fatal. They repudiated Angof and his [[Lore:Bloodthorn Cult|Bloodthorn Cult]] for their pacts with the Daedra, claiming that their deeds "mocked the Aedra, the Ehlnofey" and polluted the land with dark magic.{{Ref|name=ESOGE|[[Online:Guardian of the Earth|Guardian of the Earth]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=ESOGW|[[Online:Guardian of the Water|Guardian of the Water]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=ESOGA|[[Online:Guardian of the Air|Guardian of the Air]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=Corruption|[[Online:Corruption of the Tree|Corruption of the Tree]]'s encounter in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
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===Other===
Some sources speak of sea-dwelling Ehlnofey with hearts made of pearl residing in old places of primordial energy, rivers and reefs where the Earthbones never quieted down.{{ref|name=ONSWC|[[Online:Stormweaver's Cavort|Stormweaver's Cavort]] codex entries in {{g|on|firesong}}}}{{ref|name=ONPE|[[Online:Pearls of Ehlnofey|Pearls of Ehlnofey]] codex entries in {{g|on|markarth}}}}

The Ehlnofey are thought to have taken on students before they disappeared, passing their knowledge on to emerging races. Some theories propose that the use of the term "Dwarves" to refer to the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] originates from ancient times when they were the "brilliant students" of the Ehlnofey with the sobriquet having been given to them by their titanic masters. The events of the Dwemer's tutelage under the Ehlnofey are described in more detail in the full text of the Anuad myth.{{ref|name=PGE1Ham|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Hammerfell}}}}

Some sources claim that the Dwemer learned much from observing the Ehlnofey, learning how to defy natural laws, the Earthbones, by witnessing Ehlnofey control laws of nature such as that governing decay or the [[Lore:Portals|passage]] between [[Lore:Planes of Existence|realms]]. Those same sources claim that the tribe of Aldmer from which the Bosmer eventually originated likewise observed the passing of Y'ffre, who was the first of the Ehlnofey to give of themselves to [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]] fully and become an Earthbone, learning how to defy the Earthbone he established to govern the physical form of things through observing him. It is said that this is the knowledge modern Bosmer invoke to enact a [[Lore:Wild Hunt|Wild Hunt]], reverting to what life truly is beneath Y'ffre's imposed law. The reason for the seemingly undying nature of such Hunt creatures is said to be that in severing themselves from the control of one Earthbone, others also lose their power to impose their own laws on them, thus leading to the Earthbone governing lifespan also losing its power.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}} Some sources claim that the Psijics were not the original practicioners of the Elder Way, but instead learned it from the original inhabitants of Nirn, the Ehlnofey.{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview|[[General:Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion|Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion]]}}

==Characteristics==
[[File:ON-furnishing-Prismatic Sunbird Feather.jpg|thumb|left|A Prismatic Sunbird Feather, said to channel the raw magic of the Ehlnofey]][[File:ON-icon-armor-Pearls of Ehlnofey.png|thumb|right|Pearls of Ehlnofey, an Aldmer amulet incorporating materials of alleged Ehlnofey origin]]
According to descriptions by seeming Ehlnofey, beings like them can't die and depart from the world unless they are completely forgotten. Fearful that, because of this, the colossal "Old Bones"would rise to wander the lands again, and inflict untold suffering in their wake, the Bosmer used the magic of the Barrowbough to seal them into eternal slumber.{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}}

Bones originally belonging to or possessed by the Ehlnofey are said to glow with great [[Lore:Magic|Magicka]], despite appearances such remains have no traces of [[Lore:Necromancy|necromancy]] and even exhibit a degree of resistance to necromantic interference, making it impossible for necromancers to dispel Ehlnofey possession of bodies.{{ref|name=Research|{{Cite Book|Bone Orchard Research}}}} Legends surrounding the Bone Orchard describe the beings interred there as having had bodies "made entirely of bone", even while they still wandered the world prior to their confinement by the Bosmer. Indeed the "Old Bones" themselves describe their physical forms during their travels as composed of bone, or as having always been skeletal in nature as far back as they can remember. This might mean being comprised of bone is simply an aspect of their physical form as opposed to their bodies having changed to that state.{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}}{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Other sources describe aquatic Ehlnofey with hearts made of pearl residing in bodies of water filled with primordial energy.{{ref|name=ONPE|[[Online:Pearls of Ehlnofey|Pearls of Ehlnofey]] codex entries in {{g|on|markarth}}}}

Ehlnofey spirits have exhibited the ability to possess and reanimate other bodies, and to return and bind souls to their original vessels. Fragments of bone from their bodies possess a power to control or destroy the undead.{{ref|name=ONKOB|Events of [[Online:Keeper of Bones|Keeper of Bones]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Rib|[[ON:Grahtwood Quest Items|Dringoth's Rib]] effect in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} It is said that the Ehlnofey possess the power to control natural laws such as those governing decay or the passage between realms, and that the Dwemer learned how to defy the hold of such natural laws, the Earthbones, through observing the Ehlnofey.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}

The moods of the Ehlofey appear to have an effect on the earth around them. In the Bone Orchard, whenever an Ehlnofey residing within its own bones speaks in anger, the ground will quake in response, and the Old Bone Goradir claims that his mirth upon learning that the Bosmer body Dringoth was possessing had been taken apart shifted the earth of his barrow. The way into the Heart of the Barrowbough could only be opened by Nirenan, one of the Old Bones, who could be invoked through the use of a horn crafted from her own massive tooth.{{ref|name=ONKOB|Events of [[Online:Keeper of Bones|Keeper of Bones]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Goradir|[[ON:Goradir|Goradir]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Amariel|[[ON:Spinner Amariel|Spinner Amariel]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Amariel|[[ON:Spinner Amariel|Spinner Amariel]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Horn|[[ON:Grahtwood Quest Items|Nirenan's Horn]] description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

The ancient Aldmer incorporated magically potent coral, pearl, and all manner of watery stones in their arcane talismans. Such materials can only be found in places of wild and primordial magic where the Earthbones never quieted down and are collectively termed as "Pearls of the Ehlnofey". Pearls from the Nilumin River in particular are known as "Tears of the Ehlnofey" and were sought by Aldmer divers, who considered them valuable in both healing and enhancing physical and magical ability, incorporating them in both talismans and alchemy. Legend ties the origin of such materials to sea-dwelling Ehlnofey with hearts of pearl, it is theorized that they have a special connection to physical laws, granting them real Aurbic power, and that the Ehlnofey themselves favor them. Whatever the case, Aldmeri talismans incorporating these "Pearls of Ehlnofey" are said to be far more powerful than their modern successors crafted by modern Altmer.{{ref|name=ONPE|[[Online:Pearls of Ehlnofey|Pearls of Ehlnofey]] codex entries in {{g|on|markarth}}}} Myth claims that Aldmer explorers, the Sunbirds of Alinor, also used such raw Ehlnofic magic to pierce the veil between Mundus and Aetherius and journey to the Immortal Plane.{{ref|name=FurnSunbird|[[Online:Prismatic Sunbird Feather|Prismatic Sunbird Feather]] antiquity codex entry in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

While slumbering, Ehlnofey are said to be able to dream, the Spinners overseeing the Bone Orchard would tell the Old Bones stories of the Bosmer whose bodies were also buried there to give them something new to dream about.{{ref|name=Amariel|[[ON:Spinner Amariel|Spinner Amariel]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

Some sources describe the Altmer as having the "blood of Ehlnofey", also called the "Old Blood", which is believed to be valuable in [[Lore:Blood Magic|Blood Magic]].{{ref|name=Gharakul|[[ON:Gharakul's Journal|Gharakul's Journal]] in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

==Behavior and Culture==
[[File:ON-npc-Olphras 02.jpg|The remains of Olphras, who acted as leader of the supposed Ehlnofey at the Bone Orchard|thumb|left]][[File:ON-quest-Keeper of Bones.jpg|thumb|right|The "Old Bones", supposed Ehlnofey, possessing Bosmer skeletons to stand in judgment of Dringoth]]
The "Old Bones" consider each other distant "family" due to so few of them still remaining within the world.{{ref|name=Dringoth|[[ON:Dringoth|Dringoth]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} They refer to others as "mortals" and, of those encountered, most view their inability to die as long as they're remembered in a negative manner, describing it as "the doom of endlessness". All but one of these beings are said to have journeyed far to remote places of the world where they could be fully forgotten and so could die, prior to becoming trapped as a result of Dringoth's actions.{{ref|name=Olphras|[[ON:Olphras|Olphras]]' dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Indeed Bosmer myth claims that the Ehlnofey generally faded and vanished after journeying to the lost corners of the world,{{ref|name=Last|{{Cite Book|Last of the Old Bones}}}}

The language of the Ehlnofey, Ehlnofex, has been described as a dangerous "many-headed" language with characters that constantly distort as one looks at them.{{Ref|name=Thief|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|More on the Psijic Endeavor|ns_base=General}}}}{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}} The Ayleids are said to have preserved the Dawn Era magics and runes of the Ehlnofey to a greater extent than other elves, suggesting comparatively greater similarity in their magical tradition.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}
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==Cultural Significance==
[[File:LO-people-Jephre.jpg|thumb|left|Jephre, as depicted by the Altmer]]
Altmer view themselves as "true children of the Et'Ada", descendants of the Aldmer and the Ehlnofey, the Aedra or "Divines", that preceded them, in an "unbroken line" dating back to Nirn's creation. This belief was central to the ancestor worship of the Aldmer that eventually gave way to the Altmeri pantheon when the religion shifted from the worship of one's own ancestors to the worship of the ancestors of one's "betters", the most influential in their society. Most Altmer and Bosmer claim direct descent from Auri-El himself. Altmer also count deities like [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]], [[Lore:Syrabane|Syrabane]] and [[Lore:Phynaster|Phynaster]] among their ancestors. Due to this perceived origin, the Altmer believe that within each of them is housed the "divine spark" and thus they've an obligation to keep an Oghma, an "everscriven scroll" in which they memorialize the events of their lives in honor of their divine ancestors. {{ref|name=Oghma|{{Cite Book|The Onus of the Oghma}}}}{{ref|name=PGE3Sum|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Summerset}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=Rejection|{{Cite Book|A Rejection of Open Borders}}}}{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}}{{ref|name=Ayrenn|{{Cite Book|Ayrenn: The Unforeseen Queen}}}}{{ref|name=AncientElf|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 11: Ancient Elf Style}}}} The Altmer use the eagle both in association with Auri-El, from whom they claim direct descent, himself{{ref|name=ContDriftwood|[[ON:Contraband D|Driftwood Idol contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ContWingedAuriel|[[ON:Contraband W|Winged Auri-El contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}, and as a symbol representing the Aedra, their ancestors, who descended from Aetherius and became trapped in physical form by the creation of [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]], as a whole.{{Ref|name=ESOKB|{{Cite Book|Elder Scrolls Online - Knowledge Base|ns_base=GEN}}}}. This belief is also reflected in their stylistic motifs in which circles, arcs, and tendrils, abound, symbolizing the elven ancestors, the Aedra, being constrained by the creation of Mundus.{{ref|name=AncientElf}} Altmeri prayers reference Auri-El as the Fixed Center of existence who always envelops all people and invoke him to grant his followers stability.{{ref|name=COTF|{{Cite Book|Coils of the Father}}}} Their prayers often emphasize their believed ancestral connection with the Aedra, urging the faithful to give praise to the Divines and thus to their own ancestral lines, and describing the Altmer as always having the gods in their lives. It is said that the body of the divine wills the Altmer into being, and that they are one with the gods, their ancestors, and so should venerate them as one.{{ref|name=Praise|{{Cite Book|Praise Be (Ancestor Song)}}}}{{ref|name=Mirnor|[[Online:Mirnor of Auri-El|Mirnor of Auri-El]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Owing to their perceived divine lineage, the Altmer believe it is possible for them to achieve apotheosis under certain conditions, and so they hope to one day rejoin their divine ancestors in the stars.{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=ESOVairabrian|[[ON:Vairabrian|Vairabrian]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=TAX|{{Cite Book|Tu'whacca, Arkay, Xarxes}}}}

[[File:ON-misc-Wild Hunt Transform Cropped.jpg|A Wild Hunt transformation (ESO)|thumb|right]]
Bosmer are known to worship Y'ffre. A vital part of the Bosmeri pantheon, Y'ffre's Ehlnofey, or "Earthbones," were created from his corporeal form to establish safety and the laws of nature. These laws took the shape of stories, and there is great debate between tribes competing to interpret Y'ffre's ways and knowledge of the times of chaos, before Y'ffre arrived on the mortal plane.{{ref|name=GTEV|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/Valenwood}}}} Some legends claim that the Boiche Elves, originating from the [[Lore:Earthbones|Earthbones]] that followed Jephre, grew the first great [[Lore:Graht-oak|Graht-oak]] the out of the Perchance Acorn, which would become [[Lore:The_Towers#Green-Sap|Tower of Green-Sap]]. Due to the nature of the Acorn being, perchance, elsewhere, many different Green-Saps sprung in many different forms, forming the walking Graht-Oak forests of the Valenwood. Each one told its own stories of the Green, the forest home of the "Boiche-become-Bosmer".{{ref|name=AU4TET|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}} Some of the Bosmeri [[Lore:Spinners|Spinners]] are connected to the Earthbones, although the exact nature of this connection is unknown.{{ref|name=LES|[[Legends:Earthbone Spinner|Earthbone Spinner]] in ''[[Legends:Legends|Legends]]''}} Altmer and Bosmer myth describes how during the Dawn Era, both all life, and even the land itself, were formless and constantly shifted between shapes, until Y'ffre's Naming gave all things in Nirn an enduring form. This event, the establishment of shape, is considered a core element of the [[Lore:Green Pact|Green Pact]]. In certain circumstances such as the enactment of a [[Lore:Wild Hunt|Wild Hunt]], which is enacted in accordance with what the Pact allows, creatures can be made to "forget their Y'ffre taught shapes", causing the bonds of the Naming to unravel, and return to this original formless state.{{ref|name=TOAF|{{Cite Book|The Ooze: A Fable}}}}{{ref|name=Aldarch|[[ON:Brief Letter to an Aldarch|Brief Letter to an Aldarch]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ONWildHuntHorse|[[Online:Wild Hunt Horse|Wild Hunt Horse]] mount description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ONWildHuntCrate|[[Online:Wild Hunt Crate|Wild Hunt Crate]] descriptions in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=VoF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith in the Empire}}}} Within Bosmer belief Y'ffre is believed to have created day, night, and the places between through the manner in which he interpreted the laws of time established by [[Lore:Anui-El|Anui-El]] and applied them to Nirn, he is also believed to be responsible for the movements of the stars, as to this day the realms they're windows to sway and wink to his song.{{Ref|name=GESOD|[[Online:Girnalin#Dialogue|Girnalin]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} [[Lore:Dunmer|Dunmer]] faith also acknowledges Y'ffre in this capacity of being the deity responsible for the movements of the stars.{{Ref|name=Jephre|{{Cite Book|Of Jephre}}}}{{Ref|name=WCoNHR|{{Cite Book|Witch Cults of Northern High Rock}}}}

Ancient Aldmer were known to utilize magic associated with Ehlnofey in their arcane craftsmanship.{{ref|name=ONPE|[[Online:Pearls of Ehlnofey|Pearls of Ehlnofey]] codex entries in {{g|on|markarth}}}} According to the legend of the Viridian Sentinel, long ago the [[Lore:Direnni|Direnni]] forged a covenant with the Earth Bones to protect their settlements from the wild. The [[Lore:Breton|Bretons]], who displaced the Direnni, had no such arrangement, and as a result, their farms in Bangkorai were gradually overrun by the wilderness. The people were pushed to the brink of starvation, causing a young boy [[Lore:Greenward|Greenward]] to pray to [[Lore:Stendarr|Stendarr]] for salvation. Stendarr taught him to forge a new pact with the forest, giving him the power to restrain the natural creatures within. He thus became the first [[Lore:Viridian Sentinel|Viridian Sentinel]].{{ref|name=TVS|{{Cite Book|The Viridian Sentinel}}}}

[[Lore:Reachmen|Reachfolk]] honor a diverse array of [[Lore:Nature Spirits|nature spirits]], incarnations of nature birthed from [[Lore:The Green|the Green]], the lifeforce of Nirn's natural world, created in the Dawn Era by the sacrifice of Y'ffre and the Earthbones.{{ref|name=Frii|[[Online:Frii|Frii]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Ooze|{{Cite Book|The Ooze: A Fable}}}}{{ref|name=Gauntlets|[[Online:Psijic Style|Psijic Style]] description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Audrine|[[Online:Druid Audrine|Druid Audrine]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Laurel|[[Online:Druid Laurel|Druid Laurel]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The spirits honored by the Reachfolk can have distinct characteristics, such as the spirits associated with springs, trees or sacred animals.{{ref|name=GSOTER2|{{Cite Book|Great Spirits of the Reach: Volume 2}}}}{{Ref|name=Malug|[[ON:Malug|Malug]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]<nowiki>:</nowiki> ''[[Online:Markarth (DLC)|Markarth]]''}} Their [[Lore:Reachman Shamans|shamans]] occasionally utilize calming spirits that may inhabit their [[Lore:Staves|staves]].{{ref|name=SOTSW|{{Item Link|name=Staff of the Spirit Within|itemid=167400|quality=Fine|summary=1|Staff of the Spirit Within}}}} Expressing gratitude to nature spirits, they make it a practice to thank them before felling trees and replace them by planting new ones.{{Ref|name=Malug}}

Y'ffre and the Earthbones play a central role in the beliefs of both [[Lore:Druids|Druids]] and [[Lore:Wyrd|Wyrd]].{{ref|name=Wyrd|{{Cite Book|Wyrd and Druid}}}}.The Druids commune with the voices of Y'ffre and the Earthbones for guidance and tap into their power through their magic.{{ref|name=Audrine|[[Online:Druid Audrine|Druid Audrine]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=Legacy|{{Cite Book|Legacy of the Bretons}}}} The Wyresses believe that during Y'ffre's Naming, the act which gave all life on Nirn its shape,{{ref|name=ESOWHC|[[Online:Wild Hunt Crate|Wild Hunt Crown Crate]] season description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} the deity tasked the Earthbones to choose those who would become the guardians of nature,{{ref|name=Wyresses|{{Cite Book|Wyresses: The Name-Daughters}}}} a task ultimately given to the Wyresses, the Name-Daughters, who are descendants of the Ehlnofey themselves.{{Ref|name=WCoNHR|{{Cite Book|Witch Cults of Northern High Rock}}}} Like the Druids, the Wyresses draw upon the power of the Earthbones through their magic. {{ref|name=GalerionVeil|[[Online:Vanus Galerion | Vanus Galerion's ]] dialogue during [[Online:Through a Veil Darkly|Through a Veil Darkly]] in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

The "Old Ways" of the [[Lore:Psijic Order|Psijic Order]] are said to combine [[Lore:Mysticism|mysticism]], the Eleven Forces and the divine laws that define reality into a philosophy and way of life which boasts a deep understanding of the Ehlnofey, from whose lines the races of Man and Mer arose.{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}} Indeed, some sources claim that the Psijics were originally taught the "Old Ways" by the Ehlnofey themselves.{{ref|group=UOL|name=PetersonInterview|[[General:Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion|Ted Peterson on High Rock and Summerset - Religion]]}}

According to the [[Lore:Cult of the Ancestor Moth|Order of the Ancestor Moth]], mortal [[Lore:Souls|souls]] are the Aedric essence at the core of every mortal's existence.{{Ref|name=TDS|{{Cite Book|The Distributed Soul}}}} Souls have also been described as the piece of every mortal which comes from Aetherius, the realm of pure light and magic, and a "tiny [[Lore:Stars|star"]] which flares into a [[Lore:Sun|"sun"]] when magic is invoked.{{Ref|name=LordSouls|pg. 52 {{Cite Book|Lord of Souls|}}}}

The existence and nature of the spirits involved in the creation of Mundus has been subject of commentary by some of the Daedra, though even among them various views exist. The [[Lore:Dremora|Dremora]] [[Lore:Lyranth|Lyranth]] described the Mundus as the "cemetery" of the Aedra, claiming that their original hopes for their mortal descendants, and their world, were ultimately not achieved due to the mortal's foolishness. Nonetheless, though the creators of Mundus are said to have "died in pursuit of an impossible goal", they are praised for their immense conviction and admired for having wrought order out of chaos, a "brutal coercion" which even Daedra must deem impressive. By contrast, Magnus and the Magna-Ge are viewed as cowards, no other spirits being as low, who fled when things turned dire, thus making it impossible to ever know what could've been achieved had they chosen to stay and keep helping to the end.{{ref|name=Lyranth2|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Mehrunes Dagon & Daedra in the Second Era}}}} Contrasting Lyranth's view, the [[Lore:Mazken|Mazken]] information broker Madam Whim, claimed that no living being existed which could explain the true relationship between the Aedra and the Daedric Princes, and that no information she'd ever come across in her long life indicated the Aedra were anything more than a story mortals told themselves to feel safer in their beds at night.{{Ref|name=Whim|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Malacath and Maelstrom}}}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:ON-npc-Goradir.jpg|The remains of Goradir, a supposed Ehlnofey (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Skeletons (Bone Orchard).jpg|Ehlnofey spirits possessing Bosmer skeletons (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Olphras.jpg|Olphras, leader of the "Old Bones", possessing a Bosmer skeleton (ESO)
File:ON-object-Spirit (Bone Orchard).jpg|One of the Bone Orchard spirits prior to possessing a body (ESO)
File:ON-place-Bone Orchard.jpg|The Bone Orchard (ESO)
File:ON-item-armor-Earthbone Ayleid (female).jpg|"Earthbone Ayleid" style armor (ESO)
File:ON-crown store-Earthbone Ayleid Style.jpg|"Earthbone Ayleid" style weapons (ESO)
File:LG-cardart-Earthbone Spinner.png|Earthbone Spinner (Legends)
File:ON-npc-Guardian of the Water.jpg|Guardian of the Water (pre-ESO patch)
</gallery>

==Notes==
* The war between the Ehlnofey described in ''[[Lore:The Annotated Anuad|The Annotated Anuad]]'' bears many striking parallels with the war between Lorkhan and [[Lore:Auriel|Auriel]] described in ''[[Lore:The Monomyth|The Monomyth]]'', and the texts are likely summarizing the same events from different historiographical perspectives.
*The Ehlnofex war has been described by some sources as being the same event as [[Lore:Convention|Convention]] told in a different manner.{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}
*[[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] has been described as the ''"greatest knight of the Ehlnofey, champion of the Dragon of Time"'' in certain [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiilic]] folktales.{{Ref|name=LOS|{{Cite Book|Lord of Souls|}}}}.{{Ref|name=Whim|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Malacath and Maelstrom}}}}
*The common practice of Dunmer and Altmer to dress in a manner resembling that of the ancient Aldmer, or that of other cultures that resemble the Aldmeri style, such as the ancient Ayleids and Chimer, elves of the [[Lore:Merethic Era|Merethic Era]], which is often viewed by the Mer as their golden age, is called "draping Ehlnofic". Bosmer, who like [[Lore:Argonian|Argonians]] prefer to live in the "Aurbic Now", are said to generally not share the practice.{{ref|name=AncientElf}}

==See Also==
* {{GSI|Online:Ehlnofey}}
===Books===
* {{Book Link|The Annotated Anuad}}
* {{Book Link|Before the Ages of Man}}
* {{Book Link|The Monomyth}}

==References==
<references/>{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>
{{Lore Races}}{{Lore Altmer Religion}}{{Lore Bosmer Religion}}{{Lore Breton Religion}}{{Lore Reachman Religion}}
</noinclude>

Lore:Lorkhan

2025-06-15T02:12:53Z

Minor Edits: Tweaks. Reshuffled & added a bit. Removed the line about Quarvish - the source doesn't suggest it's an interchangeable name for Lorkhan, so they're likely separate entities despite a couple correlations. Not sure it's noteworthy here

<noinclude>{{Lore Gods Trail}}{{TOCleft|limit=2}}
<cleantable>{| class="wikitable infobox" style="width:20%;"
! colspan=4 | Lorkhan
|- style="text-align:center"
|colspan=4 style="text-align:center"|[[File:MW-creature-Heart of Lorkhan.jpg|250px|sub]] The Heart of Lorkhan
|-
!colspan=2|Type
|colspan=2|[[Lore:Gods|God]], [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]], or [[Lore:Daedric Prince|Daedric Prince]]
|-
!colspan=2|Realm
|colspan=2|[[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]], [[Lore:Sovngarde|Sovngarde]], [[Lore:Moons|Moons]], [[Lore:The Serpent|The Serpent]]
|-
!colspan=2|Pantheon
|colspan=2|[[Template:Lore Nord Religion|Nordic Pantheon]] [[Template:Lore Khajiit Religion|Khajiit Pantheon]] [[Template:Lore Altmer Religion|Aldmeri Pantheon]] [[Template:Lore Dunmer Religion|Dunmeri Pantheon]] [[Template:Lore Imperial Religion|Cyrodiilic Pantheon]] [[Template:Lore Redguard Religion|Yokudan Pantheon]] [[Template:Lore Argonian Religion|Argonian Pantheon]] [[Template:Lore Reachman Religion|Reachmen Pantheon]] [[Template:Lore Breton Religion|Breton Pantheon]] [[Template:Lore Ayleid Religion|Ayleid Pantheon]]
|-
!colspan=2|Sphere
|colspan=2|Space,{{ref|name=ETD|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Et'Ada, Eight Aedra, Eat the Dreamer|ns_base=GEN}}}} Mortals,{{ref|name=SONGOM|{{Cite Book|Spirit of Nirn, God of Mortals}}}} Change{{ref|name=OBMankar|[[Oblivion:Mankar Camoran|Mankar Camoran]]'s dialogue in ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}
|-

|-
|}</cleantable></noinclude>
[[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]], the '''Missing God''', is the '''Creator-Trickster-Tester''' deity present in every [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamrielic]] mythic tradition.{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}} He is known as the '''Spirit of Nirn''', the god of all mortals.{{ref|name=SONGOM|{{Cite Book|Spirit of Nirn, God of Mortals}}}} His most popular name is the [[Lore:Aldmer|elven]] variant Lorkhan, or '''Doom Drum''',{{ref|name=TM}} which sometimes appears as '''LKHAN'''{{ref|name=S|{{Cite Book|Sithis (book)}}}} or '''LHKAN'''.{{ref|name=36L|{{Cite Book|The 36 Lessons of Vivec}}}} Names for versions or aspects of Lorkhan include '''[[Lore:Lorkhaj|Lorkhaj]]''' (the Moon Beast) in [[Lore:Elsweyr|Elsweyr]],{{ref|name=WOCMA|{{Cite Book|Words of Clan Mother Ahnissi}}}} and '''[[Lore:Lorkh|Lorkh]]''', the '''Spirit of Man''', the '''Mortal Spirit''', or the '''Sower of Flesh''' among the [[Lore:Reachmen|Reachmen]].{{ref|name=GSR5|{{Cite Book|Great Spirits of the Reach: Volume 5}}}} He is recognized as '''[[Lore:Sep|Sep]]''' in [[Lore:Hammerfell|Hammerfell]], '''[[Lore:Sheor|Sheor]]''' in [[Lore:High Rock|High Rock]], '''[[Lore:Shor|Shor]]''' in [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]], and '''[[Lore:Shezarr|Shezarr]]''' in [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]].{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} To the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]], he is also called the '''Corpse-God'''.{{ref|name=FOM|{{Cite Book|Folly of Man}}}} He convinced or contrived the Original Spirits ([[Lore:Et'Ada|et'Ada]]) to bring about the creation of the [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]], upsetting the status quo—much like his (figurative) father [[Lore:Padomay|Padomay]] is usually credited for introducing instability, and hence possibility for creation, into the undivided universe (or the Beginning Place).{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}

After the world materialized, myths hold that Lorkhan was killed, mutilated, or at least separated from his divine center, the [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart of Lorkhan]] (known as Sep's "hunger" to the [[Lore:Redguard|Redguard]]s and Shor's Heart to the [[Lore:Nord|Nord]]s), in an event sometimes called the shattering of Lorkhan.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=SOTR7|{{Cite Book|Songs of the Return, Vol 7}}}} This separation, which purportedly took place in Tamriel,{{ref|name=MA|{{Cite Book|Mysterious Akavir}}}} is typically called a punishment, but stories often suggest Lorkhan submitted to it voluntarily.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=PTDDU|{{Cite Book|Plan to Defeat Dagoth Ur}}}} Whatever remained of Lorkhan afterward was exiled to wander through creation.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=AAD|{{Cite Book|Aedra and Daedra}}}} As the impetus for creating the Mundus, Lorkhan is at the center of the great ideological schism between the [[Lore:Mer|elven]] and [[Lore:Man|human]] perspectives on the event, which is known as the Sundering to the elves, and thus opinions of him vary dramatically in Tamriel.{{ref|name=TM}} Some wish to return to the spirit realm. To them Nirn is a prison, an illusion to escape, and Lorkhan is the demon that hinders their way. Others think Lorkhan created a testing ground for transcendence, with true escape now possible.{{ref|name=SONGOM}}<noinclude>

Lorkhan is sometimes associated with the number '''9''',{{Ref|name=V29|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 29}}}} and has been referred to as the '''Missing Sibling''' or '''Missing Ninth''' to the [[Lore:Gods_E#Eight_Divines|Eight Divines]].{{ref|name=SatD|{{Cite Book|Shezarr and the Divines}}}}{{ref|name=TEC|{{Cite Book|The Exclusionary Mandates}}}}{{ref|group=UOL|name=FPKirkbride|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=gen}}}}

==Worship and History==
[[File:Mfull Sfull.jpg|thumb|right|The corpse of Lorkhan?]]
Lorkhan lived and died in the [[Lore:Dawn Era|Dawn]].{{ref|name=BTAOM}} The War of Manifest Metaphors is believed to render this era mostly incapable of supporting a narrative,{{ref|name=TLL|{{Cite Book|The Lunar Lorkhan}}}} so constructing one is absurd.{{ref|name=ONDOL|[[Online:Den of Lorkhaj|Den of Lorkhaj]] loading screen text in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} This hasn't stopped people from eventually picking their favorite Lorkhan stories and assigning some motivation to him. However, the truth is as elusive as Lorkhan himself,{{ref|name=TLL}} and all associate Lorkhan with trickery.{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TAH|{{Cite Book|The Arcturian Heresy}}}}

The Theory of the Lunar Lorkhan holds the twin moons [[Lore:Masser|Masser]] and [[Lore:Secunda|Secunda]] are Lorkhan's "Flesh-Divinity"—his literal corpse. It says that, like the [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]], he was a planet (or plane) that participated in creation, but his planet split and his divine spark fell to [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]] "to impregnate it with the measure of its existence and a reasonable amount of selfishness". The moons thus represent the "Cloven Duality", or dichotomy of opposites, that is central to the Tamrielic dialogue on Lorkhan.{{ref|name=TLL}} Both modern and ancient [[Lore:Khajiit|Khajiiti]] religion places the two moons as separate entities that existed prior to Lorkhan's punishment at Convention,{{ref|name=WOCMA}} and only believe that the third moon, the [[Lore:Dark Moon|Dark Moon]], is his corpse.{{ref|name=MBHAYQ|{{Cite Book|Moon Bishop Hunal Answers Your Questions}}}}{{ref|name=TMCD|{{Cite Book|The Moon Cats and their Dance}}}}{{ref|name=ESOShazah|[[Online:Shazah|Shazah]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

In legends, Lorkhan is almost always an enemy of the ancient Aldmer and, therefore, a hero of early mankind.{{ref|name=VOF}} Some [[Lore:Nord|Nordic]] myths state he vowed the [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] would "die by [his] hand" shortly before their disappearance at the climax of the [[Lore:War of the First Council|War of the First Council]] circa {{Year|1E 700}}. One even claims that he was briefly reunited with his Heart and mortally wounded [[Lore:Nerevar|Nerevar]] before being defeated again.{{ref|name=FSOKW|{{Cite Book|Five Songs of King Wulfharth}}}}

To the [[Lore:Altmer|Altmer]], Lorkhan (who they view as more a limit than a nature) is the most unholy of all higher powers, as they believe he forever broke their connection to the [[Lore:Aetherius|spirit plane]].{{ref|name=SONGOM}}{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TAH}} After many battles, where much elven land was lost, [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] knocked Lorkhan down in front of his army and reached in "with more than hands" to remove his Heart.{{ref|name=TM}} [[Lore:Auriel|Auriel]] slew Lorkhan atop the [[Lore:Adamantine Tower|Adamantine Tower]] after the latter was judged, but his Heart proved indestructible.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=TOA|{{Cite Book|Tower of Adamant}}}} It merely laughed, saying, "This Heart is the heart of the world, for one was made to satisfy the other".{{ref|name=TM}}

In contrast, [[Lore:Dunmer|Dunmeri]] culture, especially under [[Lore:Tribunal|Tribunal]] rule, always had a close relationship with the Missing God. Their legends say [[Lore:Boethiah|Boethiah]]'s 'creation' of the [[Lore:Chimer|Chimer]] was done with Lorkhan in mind, as the Chimer were to pledge themselves to the 'Frame-Maker'.{{ref|name=SermTen|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 10}}}} Lorkhan's Heart would become the source of the Tribunal's divinity, with Lorkhan and his motivations becoming a pondered topic in the ''[[Lore:The 36 Lessons of Vivec|Lessons of Vivec]]''. The [[Lore:Scarab|scarab]], the Dunmeri symbol for Lorkhan,{{ref|name=SermTen}} is in the symbol of [[Lore:House Redoran|House Redoran]].{{ref|name=crests|The Crest of [[Lore:House Redoran|House Redoran]]}} While the Dunmer acknowledge Nirn is a cruel place full of mental anguish, they are among those who believe Lorkhan created a realm where [[Lore:CHIM|true escape]] is now finally possible.{{ref|name=SONGOM}}{{ref|name=VT|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Thief Goes to Cyrodiil|ns_base=GEN}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}{{ref|name=LOV33|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 33}}}}

Mankind's opinions on Lorkhan are also divided. Nords revere the heroic Shor, the trickster god who wielded his clever [[Lore:Magic|magic]] to create their afterlife of [[Lore:Sovngarde|Sovngarde]],{{ref|name=TRtS|{{Cite Book|The Road to Sovngarde}}}} and who died to bring about the current world.{{ref|name=DatN|{{Cite Book|Divines and the Nords}}}} He is known as the Fox in their totemic pantheon.{{ref|[[Online:Eastmarch Antiquities#Ebony Fox Totem|Ebony Fox Totem]] Antiquity codex entries in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Greymoor|Greymoor]]''}} His widow is the warrior goddess [[Lore:Kyne|Kyne]], the purported creator of mankind and leader of the gods after Shor's demise.{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=DatN}} Imperials have a similarly favorable view of their variation of Shor, also known in [[Lore:Nibenay|Nibenay]] as Shezarr.{{ref|name=SatD|{{Cite Book|Shezarr and the Divines}}}}

The [[Lore:Breton|Bretons]] of High Rock view Sheor with utter contempt. He is the Bad Man responsible for all strife. Most theologians agree Sheor was conceived following the fall of [[Lore:Saarthal|Saarthal]] as a demonized version of Shor in High Rock, though he seems to have started as simply a god of crop failure.{{ref|name=VOF}} Redguard legends also paint Lorkhan as adversarial. Their version, Sep, was driven mad by the Hunger of [[Lore:Satakal|Satakal]], and convinced the other gods to create a 'shortcut' for the Walkabout to the [[Lore:Far Shores|Far Shores]], but this shortcut—the mortal world—instead put the Far Shores beyond their reach. Though punished for his actions by [[Lore:Ruptga|Tall Papa]], Sep continues to exist as a shadow of his former self, attempting to prevent mortal souls from reaching the Far Shores after death.{{ref|name=TM}}

The Khajiit and Reachmen both credit [[Lore:Namira|Namira]] with having some influence in his actions in creating Nirn. Ancient Khajiit texts that predate the [[Lore:Riddle'Thar Epiphany|Riddle'Thar Epiphany]] speak of Lorkhaj surviving the event known as the Convention where his Heart was torn out, allowing him to flee to Azurah with the hole in his chest. Azurah saw Namiira was dwelling within his wound, keeping him alive and corrupting him by imitating his Heart. Azurah cleansed Lorkhaj of the corruption and flung his [[Lore:Dark Heart|Dark Heart]] into the [[Lore:Void|Void]], and Lorkhaj perished within Azurah's embrace.{{ref|name=ESOFDF|{{Cite Book|The Favored Daughter of Fadomai}}}} From the Dark Heart came the twisted shade of Lorkhaj known as the Moon Beast, first of the [[Lore:Dro-m'Athra|dro-m'Athra]]. And so Lorkhaj represents the duality of Khajiiti souls and their susceptibility towards the spiritual corruption of the Bent Dance.{{ref|name=TSS|{{Cite Book|The Sky Spirits}}}}{{Ref|name=TDS|{{Cite Book|The Dark Spirits}}}}
[[File:ON-item-Dark Heart.jpg|right|thumb|The Dark Heart]]
The Reachfolk creation story speaks of Lorkh having an epiphany when he visited the darkness: what is perceived as nothingness is ripe for possibility.{{ref|[[Online:The Dark Descent|The Dark Descent]]'s loading screen in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} And so, Lorkh approached Namira and convinced her to grant him a place in the infinite void to create a realm for wayward spirits, but it was not without a cost. Lorkh sacrificed himself to create a harsh realm, one that is unforgiving and intended to teach through suffering.{{ref|name=GSR5}} What happened after is shrouded in the allegory, though
following Nirn's creation, darkness was emitted from Lorkh's Heart as a result of his [[Lore:Dawn Era#Convention|sundering]].{{ref|[[Online:Nchuand-Zel|Nchuand-Zel]]'s loading screen in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} And so to the Reachmen, Lorkh serves as an example to fight against the darkness in their hearts.{{ref|name=ONArdanir|[[Online:Ardanir|Ardanir]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

===Legacy===
After Lorkhan was slain, Auri-El is said to have lashed his Heart to an arrow and launched it across the world from atop the Adamantine Tower.{{ref|name=TOA}} As it passed over the [[Lore:Heartlands|Heartlands]] of [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]], Lorkhan's crystallized blood fell to the ground, which the [[Lore:Ayleid|Ayleid]]s found and used to fashion the [[Lore:Chim-el Adabal|Chim-el Adabal]].{{ref|name=AE4TET|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}} The Heart fell to the ground in modern-day [[Lore:Morrowind|Morrowind]], forming a volcano,{{ref|name=TM}} [[Lore:Red Mountain|Red Mountain]]. The Dwemer eventually found and tried to exploit it, leading to the disappearance of their race from the face of Nirn.{{ref|name=TBORM|{{Cite Book|The Battle of Red Mountain}}}}

According to [[Lore:Orc|Orc]] and Chimer creation myths, Boethiah took exception to the lies being spread by the elven gods about Lorkhan, most especially those espoused by Trinimac. He defeated Trinimac and took on his form to spread "the truth of Lorkhan's test", the Tri-Angled Truth, and persuaded the followers of Boethiah and Trinimac to abandon Altmeri society.{{ref|name=TCO|{{Cite Book|The Changed Ones}}}}{{ref|name=TFOT|{{Cite book|The Fall of Trinimac}}}} Boethiah and [[Lore:Mephala|Mephala]] showed them the rules of [[Lore:Psijic Endeavor|Psijic Endeavor]], a process championed by [[Lore:Veloth|Saint Veloth]] and [[Lore:Vivec|Vivec]] by which mortals may equal or surpass the gods that created them (the stated purpose of the Mundus),{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=36L}}{{ref|name=WWYDB|{{Cite Book|Where Were You ... Dragon Broke}}}} which may be the "truth of Lorkhan's test" referred to in legend.{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TA|{{Cite Book|The Anticipations}}}} Lorkhan is still associated with the Psijic Endeavor in Morrowind.{{ref|name=VOF}}

Lorkhan has obscure relationships with other deities. He and [[Lore:Akatosh|Akatosh]] are the only deities who seem to be present in every tradition. Some legends say that [[Lore:Kynareth|Kynareth]] was the first to agree to his idea for a mortal realm. [[Lore:Mara|Mara]] is sometimes considered his wife or concubine, as is Kynareth (or Kyne). [[Lore:Sheogorath|Sheogorath]] is said to have been created when Lorkhan's divine spark was removed from the world. While Lorkhan is the god of all mortals, [[Lore:Arkay|Arkay]] is known as the Mortals' God, and did not come into being before the creation of the mortal world.{{ref|name=VOF}} Lorkhan is sometimes associated with [[Lore:Sithis|Sithis]],{{ref|name=S}} "the Void", who is worshipped by members of the [[Lore:Dark Brotherhood|Dark Brotherhood]]. It is thought that Lorkhan may still act in Mundus through the being called the [[Lore:Shezarrine|Shezarrine]].{{ref|name=TSOP|{{Cite Book|The Song of Pelinal}}}}

Cults devoted to Lorkhan (or his aspects) have long existed in Tamriel. One cult may have predicted the rise of [[Lore:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]].{{ref|name=PGE1M|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Morrowind}}}} These cults proliferated in the late [[Lore:Third Era|Third Era]], and they are associated with spreading the understanding of the [[Lore:Dragon Break|Dragon Break]] phenomenon (though their work is looked down upon in some scholarly circles).{{ref|name=TDBRE|{{Cite Book|The Dragon Break Re-Examined}}}}{{ref|name=PGE3S|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Skyrim}}}}{{ref|name=TS|{{Cite Book|The Seed}}}} [[Lore:Mankar Camoran|Mankar Camoran]] claimed that Lorkhan is a [[Lore:Daedra|Daedra]] whose Daedric plane is "Dawn's Beauty ... misnamed Tamriel by deluded mortals".{{ref|name=Oblivion|Events of ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]''}}

[[Lore:Ebony|Ebony]] is an extremely hard, durable, black glass-like substance said to be the crystallized blood of a god or gods,{{Ref|name=MWEBony|[[Morrowind:Raw Ebony|Raw Ebony dialogue]] in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}{{ref|name=HBNW|{{Cite Book|Hrorvild Blackrock, Nord weaponsmith}}}} Lorkhan in particular.{{Ref|name=CM22T|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 22: Trinimac Style}}}} [[Lore:Skyshard|Skyshard]]s and '''Sky Prisms''' are a rare type of [[Lore:Meteoric Glass|meteoric glass]]. Sometimes called "Shards of Aetherius", skyshards are shards of Aetherial magicka that carry the essence of Nirn. They are sometimes linked to Lorkhan.{{ref|name=SSIC|[[Online:Soul Shriven in Coldharbour|Soul Shriven in Coldharbour]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} It is believed among the [[Lore:Nord|Nords]] that [[Lore:Nirncrux|Nirncrux]] is another form of the blood of [[Lore:Shor|Shor]].{{ref|name=ONRH|[[Online:Rena Hammerhands|Rena Hammerhands]]' dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Orc followers of Trinimac their armors and weapons with polished ebony in token of Lorkhan's blood when Trinimac tore out his Heart.{{Ref|name=CM22T}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:OB-item-Amulet of Kings.jpg|Chim-el Adabal
File:BL-item-Ebony Ingot.jpg|An Ebony Ingot
File:LG-cardart-Skyshard.png|A Skyshard
File:ON-furnishing-Reach Bowl, Nirncrux.png|A bowl of Nirncrux
File:MW-misc-House Redoran.png|The Scarab, a symbol associated with Lorkhan
</gallery>

==See Also==
*[[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart of Lorkhan]]
*[[Lore:Underking|Underking]]
*[[Lore:Pelinal Whitestrake|Pelinal Whitestrake]]
*[[Lore:Wulfharth|Wulfharth]]

===Aspects===
* [[Lore:Lorkhaj|Lorkhaj]]
* [[Lore:Lorkh|Lorkh]]
* [[Lore:Sep|Sep]]
* [[Lore:Sheor|Sheor]]
* [[Lore:Shor|Shor]]
* [[Lore:Shezarr|Shezarr]]

===Books===
* {{Book Link|The Arcturian Heresy}}
* {{Book Link|Five Songs of King Wulfharth}}
* {{Book Link|The Lunar Lorkhan}}
* {{Book Link|The Monomyth}}
* {{Book Link|Sithis (book)}}
* {{Book Link|Spirit of Nirn, God of Mortals}}
* {{Book Link|Varieties of Faith...}}
* {{Book Link|Varieties of Faith in Tamriel}}

==Notes==
*In a discussion about the Six Walking Ways, developer Michael Kirkbride presented the following list. These are all various names or titles associated with Tiber Septim, Zurin Arctus, and Wulfharth.{{ref|group=UOL|name=FPKirkbride|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=gen}}}}

:''1. Wulfharth L 
:''2. Hjalti O 
:''3. Ysmir R 
:''4. Talos K 
:''5. Arctus H 
:''6. Septim A 
:''N''

==References==
<references/>
{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>{{Lore Altmer Religion}}
{{Lore Bosmer Religion}}
{{Lore Dunmer Religion}}
{{Lore Dwemer}}
</noinclude>

Morrowind:The Lady's Ring

2025-06-14T04:34:58Z

Minor Edits: fix

<noinclude>{{Cleanup-mwop-quest
|writtenBy=already written
|checkedBy=Yagutzal
|objectivesChecked=Yagutzal
|reward=already written
|rewardChecked=Yagutzal
|notes=
}}</noinclude>{{Quest Header
|type=West Gash/Miscellaneous
|Giver=[[Morrowind:Synette Jeline|Synette Jeline]] in a small pool southwest of [[Morrowind:Ald Velothi|Ald Velothi]]
|Loc=SW of [[Morrowind:Ald Velothi|Ald Velothi]]
|Reward=[[Morrowind:Amulet_of_Shadows|Amulet of Shadows]]
|ID=MV_LostRing
|image=MW-quest-The Lady's Ring.jpg
|imgdesc=Synette Jeline (left) and Tavynu Tedran (right, next to tree)
|description=Find this poor girl's ring which "fell" into the pool.
}}

==Quick Walkthrough==
#Meet [[Morrowind:Synette Jeline|Synette Jeline]] on the road southwest of [[Morrowind:Ald Velothi|Ald Velothi]].
#Retrieve her ring in the pond.
#Defeat Synette and her friend to gain the [[Morrowind:Amulet_of_Shadows|Amulet of Shadows]].

==Detailed Walkthrough==

===A Damsel in Distress?===
[[File:MW-quest-The Lady's Ring 02.jpg|thumb|The ring is hard to see]]
Southwest of [[Morrowind:Ald Velothi|Ald Velothi]], along the road, you will run into a lady named [[Morrowind:Synette Jeline|Synette Jeline]]. She complains that [[Morrowind:Expensive Ring (bill)|her ring]] has fallen into a nearby pond and wants you to get it. If you are playing a male character, her request is accompanied by some significant flirting as well.

===The Lady's Ring===
The ring is in a shallow pool of water just north of Jeline. Since the water is so murky and the ring is so tiny, you may have a great deal of trouble locating it. A [[Morrowind:Night Eye|Night Eye]] spell may be of use here. The ring can be found lying next to the second plant from the south edge of the pool. If you dip your head just below the water, you can see through the surface without causing your vision to become murky or starting the breath timer.

===It's a Trap!===
Unfortunately, once you grab the ring, Jeline and her [[Morrowind:Chameleon|near-invisible]] friend, [[Morrowind:Tavynu Tedran|Tavynu Tedran]] will attack you. Kill them and take their loot of gold and magic weapons as a reward (the ring itself is relatively worthless). Tavynu Tedran has the [[Morrowind:Amulet_of_Shadows|Amulet of Shadows]], a very nice item to have.

==Notes==
* Make sure you are hit by Synette's first attack for the quest to update properly. This will not always work, however.
* You will hear "No good deed goes unpunished, Outlander" as soon as you pick up the ring. While from the same voice actor as the female Bretons, it is not as distant as the battle dialogue the player will hear simultaneously. It has a similar ethereal effect as the dialogue of [[Morrowind:Azura|Azura]].
* The ring in question is in the pond even if you don't talk to Synette. She and Tavynu will attack if the ring is taken at any point before or during the quest.
* Attacking either Synette or Tavynu will turn the other hostile even outside the quest, regardless of taunt or frenzy use.
* If you agree to help with getting the ring, Tavynu will move closer to the pond from the tree.

==Bugs==
* {{Xbox22}} {{Bug|On the Xbox version there is a bug where the game freezes when you grab the ring.|nobullet=yes}}

==Quest Stages==
{{MW Quest Stages Notes}}
{{Journal Entries
|id=MV_LostRing
|10||I met a woman who has lost her ring in a pond. She would like me to retrieve it for her.
|20||I have agreed to retrieve Synette Jeline's ring from the pond.
|30|fin|I have decided not to get Synette Jeline's ring from the pond for her.
|40|fin|After retrieving the ring for Synette Jeline, she and an accomplice began to attack me. It seems this was all a ruse to lure unwary travelers to their doom.
}}

Skyrim:Lucky Lorenz

2025-06-14T04:15:05Z

Minor Edits: can't self-confirm

{{NPC Summary
|loc=Across the [[Skyrim:White River|White River]] from the [[Skyrim:Abandoned Prison|Abandoned Prison]] {{Map Link|Lucky Lorenz}}
|race=Nord
|gender=Male
|class=[[Skyrim:Bandit (class)|Bandit]]
|faction={{Faction|HunterFaction}}; {{Faction|JobMerchantFaction}}; {{Faction|WEServicesHunterFaction}}; {{Faction|WIGenericCrimeFaction}}
|refid=000ECF81
|baseid=000ECF85
|image=SR-npc-Lucky Lorenz.jpg
|imgdesc=Lucky Lorenz's corpse
|level=PC×0.5 (range=5-15)
|health=0
|magicka=25
|voicetype=MaleNord
}}
'''Lucky Lorenz''' is a dead [[Skyrim:Nord|Nord]] [[Skyrim:Bandit (class)|bandit]] who can be found inside his destroyed house, on the bank of the [[Skyrim:White River|White River]] directly across from the [[Skyrim:Abandoned Prison|Abandoned Prison]]. Contrary to his name, Lorenz was crushed by an ill-timed tree falling on him while he was sitting at the dinner table. His corpse contains a variety of loot, including [[Skyrim:Treasure Map IX|Treasure Map IX]], while a copy of ''[[Skyrim:The Lusty Argonian Maid, v1|The Lusty Argonian Maid, v1]]'' can be found near his body.

There is a [[Skyrim:Shrine of Dibella|shrine of Dibella]] in the western corner of his shack, while the riverbank outside is strewn with various food items and ingredients fallen from a half-buried shelf. There is also a copy of the [[Skyrim:Light Armor|Light Armor]] [[Skyrim:Skill Books|skill book]] ''[[Skyrim:Rislav The Righteous|Rislav The Righteous]]'' to be found lying inside the shelf, and two wooden barrels containing more ingredients nearby.

==Bugs==
{{Bug|Lucky Lorenz's corpse may fall through the floor of the hut and be found in the water below.|confirmed=0}}

Lore:The Brothers of Darkness

2025-06-14T03:58:18Z

Minor Edits: misclicked again

{{Lore Book
|MW=1
|OB=1
|SRName=Brothers of Darkness
|ONName=The Brothers of Darkness (1st ed.)
|author=[[Lore:Books by Author#Pellarne Assi|Pellarne Assi]]
|writer=Ted Peterson
|description=A brief history of the Dark Brotherhood
|lorenote=''Note: This page is for versions of this book appearing since ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''. There are numerous differences compared to the original ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]'' version, which can be found [[Lore:The Brothers of Darkness (Daggerfall)|here]].'' 
''The last paragraph ('The Dark Brotherhood has no shortage of business opportunities...') only appears in the ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]'', ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]'', and ''[[Online:Online|Online]]'' versions. The ''Online'' version, [[Online:The Brothers of Darkness (1st ed.)|The Brothers of Darkness (1st ed.)]], also corrects the description of the Akaviri Potentates (previous versions had labeled them Colovian, rather than Akaviri).''
}}
{{LetterPic|A}}s their name suggests, the {{Lore Link|Dark Brotherhood}} has a history shrouded in obfuscation. Their ways are secret to those who are not themselves Brothers of the Order ("Brother" is a generic term; some of their deadliest assassins are female, but they are often called Brothers as well). How they continue to exist in shadow, but be easily found by those desperate enough to pay for their services, is not the least of the mysteries surrounding them.

The Dark Brotherhood sprang from a religious order, the {{Lore Link|Morag Tong}}, during the {{Lore Link|Second Era}}. The Morag Tong were {{nst|worshippers|ON=worshipers}} of the {{Lore Link|Daedra}} spirit [[Lore:Mephala|Mephala]], who encouraged them to commit ritual murders. In their early years, they were as disorganized as only obscure cultists could be{{Nst|-|ON=—}}there was no one to lead the band, and as a group they dared not murder anybody of any importance. This changed with the rise of the {{Lore Link|Night Mother}}.

All leaders of the Morag Tong, and then afterward the Dark Brotherhood, have been called the Night Mother. Whether the same woman (if it is even a woman) has commanded the Dark Brotherhood since the Second Era is unknown. What is believed is that the original Night Mother developed an important doctrine of the Morag Tong{{Nst|-|ON=—}}the belief that, while Mephala does grow stronger with every murder committed in her name, certain murders were better than others. Murders that came from hate pleased Mephala more than murders committed because of greed. Murders of great men and women pleased Mephala more than murders of relative unknowns.

We can approximate the time this belief was adopted with the first known murder committed by the Morag Tong. In the year {{Year|2E 324|324}} of the Second Era, the Potentate {{Lore Link|Versidue-Shaie}} was murdered in his {{Lore Link|Senchal Palace|palace}} in what is today the {{Lore Link|Elsweyr|ONlink=Lore:Elsweyr}} kingdom of {{Lore Link|Senchal}}. In a brash move, the Night Mother announced the identity of the murderers by painting "MORAG TONG" on the walls in the Potentate's own blood.

Previous to that, the Morag Tong existed in relative peace, more or less like a witches' coven{{Nst|-|ON=—}}occasionally persecuted but usually ignored. In remarkable synchronicity at a time when [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]] the Arena was a fractured land, the Morag Tong was outlawed throughout the continent. Every sovereign gave the cult's elimination his highest priority. Nothing more was officially heard of them for a hundred years.

It is more difficult to date the {{Nst|E|ON=e}}ra when the Morag Tong re-emerged as the Dark Brotherhood, especially as other guilds of assassins have sporadically appeared throughout the history of Tamriel. The first mention of the Dark Brotherhood that I have found is from the journals of the Blood Queen {{Lore Link|Arlimahera}} of {{Lore Link|Hegathe}}. She spoke of slaying her enemies by her own hand, or if necessary "with the help of the Night Mother and her Dark Brotherhood, the secret arsenal my family has employed since my grandfather's time." Arlimahera wrote this in {{Nst|{{Year|2E 412|2E412}}|ON={{Year|2E 412}}}}, so one can surmise that the Dark Brotherhood had been in existence since at least {{Year|2E 360|360}} if her grandfather had truly made use of them.

The important distinction between the Dark Brotherhood and the Morag Tong was that the Brotherhood was a business as much as it was a cult. Rulers and wealthy merchants used the order as an assassin's guild. The Brotherhood gained the obvious rewards of a profitable enterprise, as well as the secondary benefit that rulers could no longer actively persecute them: They were needed. They were purveyors of an essential commodity. Even an extremely virtuous leader would be unwise to mistreat the Brotherhood.

Not long after Alimahera's journal entry came perhaps the most famous series of executions in the history of the Dark Brotherhood. The {{Nst|{{Lore Link|Tsaesci (race)|Akaviri}}|MW=[[Lore:Colovia|Colovian]]|OB=[[Lore:Colovia|Colovian]]|SR=[[Lore:Colovia|Colovian]]}} Emperor-Potentate {{Lore Link|Savirien-Chorak}} and every one of his heirs were murdered on one bloody night in Sun's Dawn in {{Year|2E 430|430}}. Within a fortnight, the {{Nst|Akaviri Potentate|MW=Colovian Dynasty|OB=Colovian Dynasty|SR=Colovian Dynasty}} crumbled, to the delight of its enemies. {{Nst|For over four hundred years, until the advent of the Warrior Emperor [[Lore:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]], chaos reigned over Tamriel. Though no comparably impressive executions have been recorded, the Brotherhood must have grown fat with gold during that [[Lore:Interregnum|interregnum]].|ON=}}

{{Nst|The Dark Brotherhood has no shortage of business opportunities—an "accounting," I have been informed, is the Brotherhood's favorite euphemism for an execution. While they are officially considered an unlawful organization in every corner of the Empire, like the {{Lore Link|Thieves Guild}}, they are almost as universally tolerated.|MW=|OB=|SR=}}
{{Book End}}

Lore:The Brothers of Darkness

2025-06-14T03:57:51Z

Minor Edits: Reverting: Simple vandalism

{{Lore Book
|MW=1
|OB=1
|SRName=Brothers of Darkness
|ONName=The Brothers of Darkness (1st ed.)
|author=[[Lore:Books by Author#Pellarne Assi|Pellarne Assi]]
|description=A brief history of the Dark Brotherhood
|lorenote=''Note: This page is for versions of this book appearing since ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''. There are numerous differences compared to the original ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]'' version, which can be found [[Lore:The Brothers of Darkness (Daggerfall)|here]].'' 
''The last paragraph ('The Dark Brotherhood has no shortage of business opportunities...') only appears in the ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]'', ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]'', and ''[[Online:Online|Online]]'' versions. The ''Online'' version, [[Online:The Brothers of Darkness (1st ed.)|The Brothers of Darkness (1st ed.)]], also corrects the description of the Akaviri Potentates (previous versions had labeled them Colovian, rather than Akaviri).''
}}
{{LetterPic|A}}s their name suggests, the {{Lore Link|Dark Brotherhood}} has a history shrouded in obfuscation. Their ways are secret to those who are not themselves Brothers of the Order ("Brother" is a generic term; some of their deadliest assassins are female, but they are often called Brothers as well). How they continue to exist in shadow, but be easily found by those desperate enough to pay for their services, is not the least of the mysteries surrounding them.

The Dark Brotherhood sprang from a religious order, the {{Lore Link|Morag Tong}}, during the {{Lore Link|Second Era}}. The Morag Tong were {{nst|worshippers|ON=worshipers}} of the {{Lore Link|Daedra}} spirit [[Lore:Mephala|Mephala]], who encouraged them to commit ritual murders. In their early years, they were as disorganized as only obscure cultists could be{{Nst|-|ON=—}}there was no one to lead the band, and as a group they dared not murder anybody of any importance. This changed with the rise of the {{Lore Link|Night Mother}}.

All leaders of the Morag Tong, and then afterward the Dark Brotherhood, have been called the Night Mother. Whether the same woman (if it is even a woman) has commanded the Dark Brotherhood since the Second Era is unknown. What is believed is that the original Night Mother developed an important doctrine of the Morag Tong{{Nst|-|ON=—}}the belief that, while Mephala does grow stronger with every murder committed in her name, certain murders were better than others. Murders that came from hate pleased Mephala more than murders committed because of greed. Murders of great men and women pleased Mephala more than murders of relative unknowns.

We can approximate the time this belief was adopted with the first known murder committed by the Morag Tong. In the year {{Year|2E 324|324}} of the Second Era, the Potentate {{Lore Link|Versidue-Shaie}} was murdered in his {{Lore Link|Senchal Palace|palace}} in what is today the {{Lore Link|Elsweyr|ONlink=Lore:Elsweyr}} kingdom of {{Lore Link|Senchal}}. In a brash move, the Night Mother announced the identity of the murderers by painting "MORAG TONG" on the walls in the Potentate's own blood.

Previous to that, the Morag Tong existed in relative peace, more or less like a witches' coven{{Nst|-|ON=—}}occasionally persecuted but usually ignored. In remarkable synchronicity at a time when [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]] the Arena was a fractured land, the Morag Tong was outlawed throughout the continent. Every sovereign gave the cult's elimination his highest priority. Nothing more was officially heard of them for a hundred years.

It is more difficult to date the {{Nst|E|ON=e}}ra when the Morag Tong re-emerged as the Dark Brotherhood, especially as other guilds of assassins have sporadically appeared throughout the history of Tamriel. The first mention of the Dark Brotherhood that I have found is from the journals of the Blood Queen {{Lore Link|Arlimahera}} of {{Lore Link|Hegathe}}. She spoke of slaying her enemies by her own hand, or if necessary "with the help of the Night Mother and her Dark Brotherhood, the secret arsenal my family has employed since my grandfather's time." Arlimahera wrote this in {{Nst|{{Year|2E 412|2E412}}|ON={{Year|2E 412}}}}, so one can surmise that the Dark Brotherhood had been in existence since at least {{Year|2E 360|360}} if her grandfather had truly made use of them.

The important distinction between the Dark Brotherhood and the Morag Tong was that the Brotherhood was a business as much as it was a cult. Rulers and wealthy merchants used the order as an assassin's guild. The Brotherhood gained the obvious rewards of a profitable enterprise, as well as the secondary benefit that rulers could no longer actively persecute them: They were needed. They were purveyors of an essential commodity. Even an extremely virtuous leader would be unwise to mistreat the Brotherhood.

Not long after Alimahera's journal entry came perhaps the most famous series of executions in the history of the Dark Brotherhood. The {{Nst|{{Lore Link|Tsaesci (race)|Akaviri}}|MW=[[Lore:Colovia|Colovian]]|OB=[[Lore:Colovia|Colovian]]|SR=[[Lore:Colovia|Colovian]]}} Emperor-Potentate {{Lore Link|Savirien-Chorak}} and every one of his heirs were murdered on one bloody night in Sun's Dawn in {{Year|2E 430|430}}. Within a fortnight, the {{Nst|Akaviri Potentate|MW=Colovian Dynasty|OB=Colovian Dynasty|SR=Colovian Dynasty}} crumbled, to the delight of its enemies. {{Nst|For over four hundred years, until the advent of the Warrior Emperor [[Lore:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]], chaos reigned over Tamriel. Though no comparably impressive executions have been recorded, the Brotherhood must have grown fat with gold during that [[Lore:Interregnum|interregnum]].|ON=}}

{{Nst|The Dark Brotherhood has no shortage of business opportunities—an "accounting," I have been informed, is the Brotherhood's favorite euphemism for an execution. While they are officially considered an unlawful organization in every corner of the Empire, like the {{Lore Link|Thieves Guild}}, they are almost as universally tolerated.|MW=|OB=|SR=}}
{{Book End}}

Online:Frost-Cursed Archer

2025-06-14T03:50:41Z

Minor Edits: space

{{Mod Header|Greymoor}}
{{Online NPC Summary
|image=ON-npc-Frost-Cursed Archer.jpg
|imgdesc=Frost-Cursed Archer
|loc=[[ON:Havil's Farmhouse|Havil's Farmhouse]], Northwest of [[ON:Morthal|Morthal]]
|race=Nord
|health={{ESO Health|ba}}
|class=Frost Archer
|gender=Varies
|generic=1
|condition=Undead
|reaction=Hostile
}}
'''Frost-Cursed Archers''' are undead [[ON:Nord|Nord]] frost archers found at [[ON:Havil's Farmhouse|Havil's Farmhouse]] and near [[ON:Morthal|Morthal]]. Cursed Flesh can be looted from them during the related quest.

{{NewLine}}
{{Online NPC Summary
|image=ON-npc-Frost-Cursed Archer(Vergalas Hollow).jpg
|imgdesc=Frost-Cursed Archer (Vergalas Hollow)
|generic=1
|loc=[[Online:Verglas Hollow|Verglas Hollow]]
|race=Redguard
|gender=Varies
|condition=Undead
|class=Frost Archer
|health={{ESO Health|a}}
|reaction=Hostile
}}
The '''Frost-Cursed Archers''' in [[ON:Verglas Hollow|Verglas Hollow]] are [[ON:Redguard|Redguards]].
{{NewLeft}}
==Related Quests==
*{{Quest Link|Long Journey Home}}

==Skills and Abilities==
;Quick Shot:A basic ranged attack that deals [[ON:Frost Damage|frost damage]].
;Ice Spray: The archer draws back their bow as a cone appears in front of them. After 1.5 seconds, they let their bow string loose, firing shards of ice in the designated conal radius.
;Freezing Ground: The archer shoots an arrow that explodes on contact with the ground, leaving a large zone covered with ice, indicated by a circular AoE, dealing constant damage and snaring you.
;Winter's Reach:The enemy unleashes an icy whirlwind in the direction it is facing. This whirlwind does moderate frost damage and [[ON:Immobilize|roots]] all players that it hits. The root effect passes through [[Online:Combat#Blocking|block]], but it can be escaped by [[Online:Combat#Roll_Dodging|roll dodging]].
;Ice Barrier: The enemy summons an [[ON:Ice Barrier|Ice Barrier]] that absorbs projectiles fired at it until destroyed. The caster cannot be pulled if the wall stands between them and the enemy. The player should move so that there is a clear line of sight between themselves and the enemy.


[[Category:Online-Frozen NPCs]]

Morrowind:Odral Helvi

2025-06-14T02:23:08Z

Minor Edits: per cslist

<noinclude>{{Cleanup-mwop-npc
|quests=
|questsChecked=
|inventory=
|inventoryChecked=
|house=
|houseChecked=
|services=
|servicesChecked=
|dialogue=
|dialogueChecked=
|spells=
|spellsChecked=
|image=
}}</noinclude>__NOTOC__{{NPC Summary
|id=odral helvi
|town=[[Morrowind:Caldera|Caldera]]
|house=[[Morrowind:Governor's Hall|Governor's Hall]]
|race=Dark Elf
|gender=Male
|level=17
|class=Monk Service
|train=[[Morrowind:Acrobatics|Acrobatics]] (59) [[Morrowind:Hand-to-hand|Hand-to-hand]] (59) [[Morrowind:Sneak|Sneak]] (59)
|health=126
|magicka=106
|alarm=100
|fight=30
|faction={{Faction|House Hlaalu|House Brother}}
|image=MW-npc-Odral Helvi.jpg
|imgdesc=Odral Helvi
}}

'''Odral Helvi''' is a [[Morrowind:Dark Elf|Dark Elf]] [[Morrowind:Monk Service|monk]] and House Brother of [[Morrowind:House Hlaalu|House Hlaalu]] who resides on the second floor in the [[Morrowind:Governor's Hall|Governor's Hall]] in [[Morrowind:Caldera|Caldera]]. Follow the northeastern spiral staircase up until you get to a wooden door. He offers medium [[Morrowind:Trainers|training]] in [[Morrowind:Acrobatics|Acrobatics]], [[Morrowind:Hand-to-hand|Hand-to-hand]], and [[Morrowind:Sneak|Sneak]] to members of his House. [[Morrowind:Erirvase Drinith|Erirvase Drinith]] says he wants to set up a [[Morrowind:netch|netch]] ranch of his own in the [[Morrowind:Ascadian Isles|Ascadian Isles]], but that none of the locals are willing to sell him any land. He is also disliked by [[Morrowind:Gadela Andus|Gadela Andus]].

He wears an [[Morrowind:Extravagant Shirt|extravagant shirt]] with matching [[Morrowind:Extravagant Pants|pants]], [[Morrowind:Extravagant Shoes|shoes]], and [[Morrowind:Extravagant Gloves|gloves]], and a [[Morrowind:Ring of Stormhand|Ring of Stormhand]]. He carries a [[Morrowind:Steel Staff of Peace|Steel Staff of Peace]], the [[Morrowind:Keys#Odral Helvi's Key|key]] to his chest, and up to 50 gold.
{{NewLeft}}
==Related Quests==
===[[Morrowind:House Hlaalu|House Hlaalu]]===
*{{Quest Link|Sealed Orders}}
*{{Quest Link|The Caldera Spy}}
*{{Quest Link|Erroneous Documents}}
*{{Quest Link|Rent and Taxes}}
*{{Quest Link|Shipment of Ebony}}

===[[Morrowind:House Redoran|House Redoran]]===
*{{Quest Link|Shut the Mines Down}}

===[[Morrowind:Thieves Guild|Thieves Guild]]===
*{{Quest Link|Books for Vala}}

==Dialogue==
*'''Greetings''':
**''"My name's Odral Helvi. I help keep the mines running and make sure business goes smoothly."''

==Quest-Related Events==
===Sealed Orders===
*'''business'''
**''"I need a courier to deliver a package of sealed orders."''
*'''sealed orders'''
**''"Take these sealed orders to the Hlaalu Treasury in Vivec. Deliver them to Tenisi Lladri, the assistant clerk. Whatever you do, do NOT deliver them to the head of the treasury, Baren Alen. Or to anyone else. This is a... trivial matter, and you don't have to trouble anyone but the assistant clerk."''
**''"I've already given you the orders. Take them to Tenisi Lladri at the Hlaalu Treasury in Vivec."''
*'''Hlaalu Treasury'''
**''"Go to the [[MW:Hlaalu Canton|Hlaalu Canton]] in [[MW:Vivec|Vivec]]. You should be able to get better directions there. Tenisi works in the vaults."''
After handing the orders to Tenisi Lladri or Crassius Curio:
*'''sealed orders'''
**''"You delivered the orders? Good. I have more business to discuss with you."''
After handing the orders to Baren Alen or Rovone Arvel:
*'''sealed orders'''
**''"You delivered them to the wrong person. You were supposed to deliver the sealed orders to Tenisi Lladri. I am not sure whether to trust you with any more business or not."''

*'''sealed orders'''
**''"I do not have any more sealed orders for you to deliver"''
===The Caldera Spy===
*'''business'''
**''"Important documents are missing from the offices here in Caldera. I need someone to catch whoever stole the Caldera mining contracts"''
*'''Caldera mining contracts'''
**{{huh}}

===Erroneous Documents===
{{huh}}

Upon returning to him with the real or copied deed from the Hlaalu Treasury:
*'''erroneous document'''
**''"Have you done as I asked? Do you have the old land deed? And is the new one in its place?"''
***'''Yes, I have.'''
****Regardless of whether or not the seal was broken: ''"I will take your word that you have put the deed in the right place. This is the erroneous deed, which I will dispose of personally. Take these scrolls for your trouble."''
***:{{MWInventoryChange|remove|1|Ascadian Isles Land Deed}}
***:{{MWInventoryChange|add|2|Scroll of Uth's Hand of Heaven}}
***:{{MWInventoryChange|add|2|Scroll of Tranasa's Spelltwist}}
***:{{MWInventoryChange|add|2|Scroll of The Black Storm}}
***'''No, not yet.'''
****''"Do I have to find someone more reliable to do my petty deliveries? Go replace this forg... that is, erroneous deed in the chest at the Hlaalu Treasury in Vivec. Make sure you bring me the original."''

Speaking to him after handing over the original/copied document:
*'''erroneous document'''
**''"You have done as I asked and corrected the errors in the land deed."''

===Rent and Taxes===
''"What brings you to Caldera, %PCName?"''
*'''business'''
**''"I am responsible for land in the Ascadian Isles and at this time of year, I need to collect the rent and taxes from the farmers."''
*'''rent and taxes'''
**''"The two farmers I want you to speak with are [[MW:Manat Varnan-Adda|Manat Varnan-Adda]] and [[MW:Llovyn Andus|Llovyn Andus]]. Get fifty drakes from each of them and return to me. If they refuse to pay, kill them to set an example for others."''
*'''Manat Varnan-Adda'''
**''"Yes, that's one of the farmers I want you to find. He lives just east of the [[MW:Arvel Plantation|Arvel Plantation]]."''
*'''Llovyn Andus'''
**''"Yes, he's one of the farmers I want you to get the rent and taxes from. His farm is just west of the [[MW:Dren Plantation|Dren Plantation]]."''

Returning to him:

''"Do you have the rent and taxes from the farmers? Or did they hold out on you?"''

You may give him any hundred drakes, regardless of their source.
*'''rent and taxes'''
**''"Do you have the hundred drakes from Manat Varnan-Adda and Llovyn Andus?"''
***'''Yes, here it is.'''
****''"Hm. I must admit I did not think you could actually get the rent, %PCName. Well then, shall we discuss other business?"''
***:{{MWInventoryChange|remove|100|Gold}}
***'''No, not yet.'''
****''"Then go get it. I'm tired of waiting."''

===Shipment of Ebony===
{{huh}}

===Shut the Mines Down===
{{huh}}

===Books for Vala===
{{huh}}

==Notes==
*Odral Helvi is depicted in the alternate card art of the [[Legends:Elusive Schemer|Elusive Schemer]] card from ''[[LG:Legends|Legends]]''.
*After completing the Shipment of Ebony quest for House Hlaalu and turning in the ebony to [[Morrowind:Segunivus Mantedius|Segunivus Mantedius]], Odral will no longer be found in the Governor Hall, having apparently been put on a prison ship.

Morrowind:Generic Dialogue H

2025-06-14T02:15:30Z

Minor Edits: fix

{{Morrowind Generic Dialogue Trail}}
==H==
:'''{{Anchor|Hackle-lo Leaf}}'''

::''"Hackle-lo leaf is a tasty edible succulent leaf of the Grazelands, prized both for its taste and its roborative powers."''

:'''{{Anchor|Haj-Ei}}'''

::''"Haj-Ei? Yes, I've heard of him. Couldn't tell you where to find him, though. Ask Dranas Sarathram in the Slave Market. He's gotten to be an expert on Argonians, their language, and their habits."''

::''"I've heard about that runaway slave Daric Bielle has been looking for. Not too much I can tell you, though. You might check with Dranas Sarthram, the slave trader. He'd probably have the latest news on that kind of thing."''

::''"Don't know anything about him. Sorry. Other folks might know more, though."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hall of Justice}}'''

::''"Grandmaster Berel Sala, chief Ordinator on Vvardenfell, has his offices there."''

::''"The Hall of Justice houses the four orders of the Temple Ordinators: the Order of the Watch, the Order of War, the Order of Doctrine and Ordination, and the Order of the Inquisition."''

::''"The Hall of Wisdom and Hall of Justice contain the executive, administrative, judicial, and martial operations of the Tribunal Temple."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hall of Wisdom}}'''

::''"The Hall of Wisdom houses scholars, monks, and priests who study and shape the doctrines of the Temple. The Hall of Wisdom is in the Temple Canton of Vivec."''

:'''{{Anchor|Halls of the Dead}}'''

::''"I don't know. Such might refer to any ruin or tomb. Perhaps you should consult with a Dunmer savant. Such learned men are better suited to puzzle out the riddle words of vision and prophecy."''

::''"That might be any Dunmer ancestral tomb. The ancient Dunmer word for ancestral tomb is 'cardruhn'. 'Ruhn' translates as 'home' or 'hearth-hall'. 'Card' means 'undeparted kin-wardens'. The sense is very close to your phrase 'Halls of the Dead'."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hammerfell}}'''

::''"Hammerfell is primarily an urban and maritime province, with most of its population confined to the great port and trade cities. The interior is sparsely populated with small poor farms and beastherds. The Redguard love of travel, adventure, and the high seas has dispersed them as sailors, mercenaries, and adventurers in ports of call throughout the Empire."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hand to Hand}}'''

::''"The hand-to-hand discipline is the martial art of unarmed combat. Inspired by the mystical martial arts disciplines of the Khajiit, this unarmed combat style has been adopted in the West by agents and thieves whose scruples forbid them to seriously injure or kill their opponents. Unlike weapon attacks, which only injure and kill, defeating an opponent in hand-to-hand combat renders him unconsciousness and helpless. However, once a target is unconscious, hand-to-hand attacks cause wounds and death."''

:'''{{Anchor|Heavy armor}}'''

::''"The heavy armor discipline is the study and mastery of iron, steel, silver, ebony, and Daedric armor styles. To use any style of armor effectively, the wearer must be trained, conditioned, and skilled in its use."''

:'''{{Anchor|Heavy armor styles}}'''

::''"In the West, cheap iron, steel, and silver heavy armor is made in quantity for the Legions, and many are trained in its use. In the East, the expense of the superb ebony and daedric heavy armors limits their use to aristocratic families. Suits of ebony and daedric armor are passed down from generation to generation, and represent a sizable portion of a Great House nobles' personal wealth."''

:'''{{Anchor|Helseth}}'''
:This topic appears for NPCs in Mournhold. [[TR:Tienius Delitian|Tienius Delitian]], [[TR:Effe-Tei|Effe-Tei]], [[TR:Plitinius Mero|Plitinius Mero]], [[TR:Fedris Hler|Fedris Hler]], [[TR:Gavas Drin|Gavas Drin]], [[TR:King Hlaalu Helseth|King Hlaalu Helseth]], [[TR:Barenziah|Barenziah]], and [[TR:Almalexia|Almalexia]] have unique dialogue on the subject.
::''"I heard the king has been killed! I don't believe he had any heirs."'' (if Helseth is dead)
::''"King Helseth is our new king, son of Queen Barenziah. I'd like to know what happened to King Athyn Llethan, and to his young protege, Talen Vandas. It all seems a bit suspicious to me."'' (Female NPCs, Disposition 60+)
::''"He is the King of Morrowind. He became our king not long after he and his mother, Barenziah, arrived in Mournhold."'' (Female NPCs, Disposition >60)
::''"He's our new king, I suppose. I would like to know what happened to King Athyn Llethan. Seems a bit odd that the old man died so soon after Helseth arrived in Mournhold. And what about Talen Vandas, Llethan's nephew? Everyone assumed he would be next in line for the throne. Until his accident, that is...."'' (Male NPCs, Disposition 60+)
::''"Helseth is our king. Long live the king."'' (Male NPCs, Disposition >60)
::''"The king? I imagine you'd find him in the Royal Palace. That's where kings usually are."'' (Guards in Mournhold)
::''"King Helseth was murdered! The killer must be found!"'' (Guards in Mournhold if Helseth is dead)
::''"Long live His Excellency King Hlaalu Helseth, Duke of Mournhold and Ruler of all Morrowind!"'' ([[TR:Royal Guard|Royal Guards]])
::''"The King has been murdered!"'' (Royal Guards if Helseth is dead)
::''"He's the new king. What of it?"'' (Guards at the Temple)
::''"I heard he had been killed. There'll be another soon."'' (Guards at the Temple if Helseth is dead)

:'''{{Anchor|Hetman Abelmawia}}'''

::''"The Velothi Dunmer Hetman Abelmawia is the village hetman, and village steward for Hlaren Ramoran, Redoran Master, Councilor, Lord of Gnisis."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hides His Eyes}}'''

::''"Yes, I know him. He's that Argonian that came into town a couple of weeks ago. I can't put my finger on it, but there's something not right about him. Just a feeling I have."''

::''"The Argonian? He came into town a few weeks back. Spends some time in the tradehouse. Seems like a nice enough fellow. Tried to help out that bounty hunter. No luck, though."''

::''"Don't know much about it. He must be new in town."''

:'''{{Anchor|High Fane}}'''

::''"The High Fane is the largest Tribunal temple on Vvardenfell. Archcanon Saryoni presides over the temple, along with a large staff of priests, healers, and monks. Pilgrims travel from all over Morrowind to view the High Fane and the Ministry of Truth, and to offer prayer and thanks before the Palace of Vivec."''

:'''{{Anchor|High Rock}}'''

::''"High Rock encompasses the many lands and clans of Greater {{sic|Betony|Bretony}}, the Dellese Isles, the Bjoulsae River tribes, and, by tradition, the Western Reach. The rugged highland strongholds and isolated valley settlements have encouraged the fierce independence of the various local Breton clans, and this contentious tribal nature has never been completely integrated into a provincial or Imperial identity. Nonetheless, their language, bardic traditions, and heroic legends are a unifying common legacy."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hla Oad}}'''

::''"This is just a little fishing village on the Bitter Coast. A rough track along the River Odai connects Hla Oad with the town of Balmora across the hills to the northeast. And you can get a ship to Gnaar Mok or Ebonheart. Otherwise, it's a very long and unpleasant walk along the coast south to Seyda Neen, or a much longer and more unpleasant walk north to nowhere."''

::''"Hla Oad is a tiny isolated fishing village on western Vvardenfell in the Bitter Coast region. A rough track along the River Odai connects Hla Oad with the town of Balmora."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hlaalu Compound}}'''

::''"Hlaalu Compound is the westmost canton. Councilor Crassius Curio has a splendid tier-top mansion here. The tiers below contain Hlaalu treasuries, records, holding cells, and various services. There are two public houses: the Elven Nations and the No Name Club. A variety of craftsmen and tradesmen also have shops at Hlaalu Compound. Some House Hlaalu nobles maintain residences in the less-formal St. Delyn and St. Olms cantons. Councilor Velanda Omani's manor is east of the city on Elmas Island."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hlaalu Councilors}}'''

::''"You should consult the recent edition of the Yellow Book of Great House Hlaalu. It lists the current Hlaalu councilors and their residences."''

::''"Here's a recent edition of the Yellow Book of Great House Hlaalu. It lists the current Hlaalu councilors and their residences."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hlaalu Horator}}'''

::''"You are the Hortator of House Hlaalu, %PCName."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hlaalu Treasury}}'''

::''"Yes, this is the House Hlaalu Treasury. The northeast door leads to the prisons. The southeast door leads to the Hlaalu Records. Go downstairs if you want to see Baren Alen or his assistant, Tenisi Lladri, in the Hlaalu Vaults."''

::''"You can enter the treasury from the Waistworks. The door is on the upper level on the north side."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hloggar the Bloody}}'''
:This topic is related to the Tribunal quest, [[TR:Evidence of Conspiracy|Evidence of Conspiracy]]. [[TR:Tienius Delitian|Tienius Delitian]] has unique dialogue pertaining to the subject. During the quest, you can ask the city's people about him:
::''"The Nord? The big, mean one? A Hlaalu retainer, I think. Isn't he the one who was living rough down in the West Sewers?"''
::''"Do I look like someone who knows the sewers? I don't know. There's a grate in Godsreach that leads to the sewers for the residential areas. I think that leads to the sewers under the palace. The West Sewers are west of that. I think."''
::''"You're welcome."''

:Mournhold's citizens will say one of the following if you inquire about him after the quest. What is said depends on whether you allowed [[TR:Hloggar the Bloody|Hloggar the Bloody]] to escape the city, or if you killed him:
::''"Someone said he'd left Mournhold."''
::'''Yes, I heard he's dead."''

:'''{{Anchor|Holamayan}}'''
::''"Holamayan is a secret monastery of the Dissident Priests. The monastery itself is beneath the surface of a remote island along Azura's Coast, with only a single entrance hidden from view by hills and vegetation. The monastery is further protected by a magical shield which opens only at dawn and dusk, the magical twilight hours sacred to Azura."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hortator's Duty}}'''

::''"A Hortator is a champion who leads by inspiration. He challenges opposing heroes in single combat. He goes on long, desperate quests. He goes alone into the citadels of the enemy. He confronts the dangers no one else in the House is strong enough... or courageous enough... to face."''

::''"Hortator is more a chief hero than a general. The councils plan and approve strategy. It's a terrible system. The Legions aren't like that. The generals ignore the politicians. And win the wars. But a Hortator leads by doing. The champion who wins every battle and inspires by example. The hero who challenges and defeats the opposing hero in single combat. Doesn't have to be polite or smart. Or even a nice person. Just has to win. And make others want to win."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hound Meat}}'''

::''"Hound meat is the flesh of the nix-hound. The meat is sweet and tender, and has modest magical properties."''

:'''{{Anchor|House Dres}}'''

::''"Of the five Dunmer Great Houses, [[Lore:House Dres|House Dres]] is one of two houses without holdings or interest in Vvardenfell. Dres District is in the south of Morrowind, bordering the swamps and marshes of Black Marsh. House Dres is an agrarian agricultural society, and its large saltrice plantations rely completely on slave labor for their economic viability. Always firm Temple supporters, House Dres is hostile to Imperial law and culture, and in particular opposed to any attempts to limit the institution of slavery."''

::''"Always firm Temple supporters, House Dres is hostile to Imperial law and culture, and in particular opposed to any attempts to limit the institution of slavery."''

::''"Dres District is in the south of Morrowind, bordering the swamps and marshes of Black Marsh. House Dres is an agrarian agricultural society, and its large saltrice plantations rely completely on slave labor for their economic viability."''

::''"Of the five Dunmer Great Houses, House Dres is one of two houses without holdings or interest in Vvardenfell."''

:'''{{Anchor|House Hlaalu}}'''

::''"Yes, we both belong to House Hlaalu. Are you here to discuss business?"''

::''"If you wish to join my House, speak with Nileno Dorvayn at the Hlaalu Council Manor."''

::''"House Hlaalu has always been loyal to the Emperor. We welcome Imperial law and the legions, and the trade they bring. We still respect the old Dunmer ways, the ancestors, the Temple, and the noble houses. But times change, and we change with the times. We can live in harmony with the other races. And share in the prosperity of the Empire."''

::''"House Hlaalu is the only Great House that knows how to do business with the Empire. They are more tolerant of foreigners like myself and more willing to do business. They're not paranoid and insular like the Telvanni, nor do they try and covert you to the Tribunal Temple like House Redoran."''

::''"House Hlaalu hopes to live in peace and harmony with the other races, and share in the growth and prosperity of the Empire."''

::''"House Hlaalu still respects the old Dunmer ways, the ancestors, the Temple, and the noble houses. But times change, and the Empire changes with the times."''

::''"House Hlaalu has always been loyal to the Emperor and the Empire. Hlaalu welcomes Imperial law and the Legions, and freedom of trade and religion."''

::''"House Hlaalu is one of the three Dunmer Great Houses with holdings on Vvardenfell."''

:'''{{Anchor|House Indoril}}'''

::''"House Indoril is one of the five Dunmer Great Houses, and one of the two houses without holdings or interest in Vvardenfell. The city of Almalexia is located in Indoril District, and the Indoril are orthodox and conservative supporters of the Temple and Temple authority. House Indoril is openly hostile to Imperial culture and religion, and preserves many traditional Dunmer customs and practices in defiance of Imperial law."''

::''"House Indoril is openly hostile to Imperial culture and religion, and preserves many traditional Dunmer customs and practices in defiance of Imperial law."''

::''"House Indoril is one of the five Dunmer Great Houses, and one of the two houses without holdings or interest in Vvardenfell."''

::''"The city of Almalexia is located in Indoril District, on the mainland, and the Indoril are orthodox and conservative supporters of the Temple and Temple authority."''

:'''{{Anchor|House Redoran}}'''

::''"If you want to join House Redoran, speak with Neminda in the Redoran Council Hall."''

::''"We of House Redoran have the honor of serving the greatest and most noble House, for we are the righteous warriors and hereditary defenders of Morrowind."''

::''"I belong to House Redoran and serve honorably."''

::''"They are the true warriors of the ancient Dunmer. Although House Hlaalu has adopted more of the Empire's ways, I have more respect for the warriors of House Redoran."''

::''"House Redoran is one of the three Great Houses on Vvardenfell. The Redorans talk and talk and talk about duty and honor and piety and their proper role in life. We Telvanni have a more pragmatic approach."''

::''"House Redoran is one of the three Great Houses on Vvardenfell. The Redorans are honorable and fair in their dealings with other houses, but they have no business sense. Those of us in House Hlaalu understand the power of wealth and do not ponder morality day after day."''

::''"House Redoran is one of the three Dunmer Great Houses with holdings on Vvardenfell. The Redoran prize the virtues of duty, gravity, and piety. Duty is to one's own honor, and to one's family and clan. Gravity is the essential seriousness of life. Life is hard, and events must be judged, endured, and reflected upon with due care and earnestness. Piety is respect for the gods, and the virtues they represent. A light, careless life is not worth living."''

::''"The Redoran Council Hall is here in Ald'ruhn under Skar. Go there if you want to know more about House Redoran."''

::''"Ald'ruhn is considered a Redoran city, even though only a few citizens actually belong to House Redoran."''

::''"Yes, this is the Redoran Canton of Vivec, but if you have business with House Redoran, you should travel to Ald'ruhn."''

:'''{{Anchor|House Telvanni}}'''

::''"House Telvanni is one of the Great Houses. We value talent, knowledge, and initiative. Perhaps you would like to join House Telvanni?"''

::''"We don't care about politics. We don't care what other think. We just want to be left alone. And our wizard-lords and their mercenaries make sure no one bothers us."''

::''"We live comfortably. Our wizard-lords keep us secure, and otherwise leave us alone. All we want is to be left in peace to do as we wish."''

::''"House Telvanni is one of the three Dunmer Great Houses with holdings on Vvardenfell. The Telvanni wizard-lords have traditionally isolated themselves, pursuing wisdom and mastery in solitude. But certain ambitious wizards-lords, their retainers, and clients have entered whole-heartily into the competition to control and exploit Vvardenfell's land and resources, building towers and bases all along the eastern coast. The Telvanni think that wisdom confers power, and power confers right."''

::''"Trebonius asked you to kill the Telvanni Council? I wouldn't even try to do that if I were you. Even if you were successful, there's no telling how the Telvanni would respond."''

:'''{{Anchor|House Wars}}'''

::''"The Great Houses have always fought among themselves. Long ago they banded together against one house, House Dagoth, and falsely denounced the house as traitors, and thought to destroy House Dagoth for all eternity. But they failed, for House Dagoth was but sleeping, and now has awakened. Now all the Great Houses must join House Dagoth to drive the foreigners and false gods from our soil."''

::''"Codes of behavior under House Wars of Honor are complex and subtle, and the Morag Tong specialize in the honorable and legal prosecution of these factional vendettas. House Wars are expensive, dangerous, and disruptive to all Houses involved, but on the island of Vvardenfell alone, a dozen or more Marked Challenges are being prosecuted at any time. By the immemorial custom of Dunmer society, a House may challenge the honor of another House in the person of one of the House's ranking nobles. The ranking noble of the impugned House is 'marked for death' -- in ancient times, actually formally marked with a black banner, but in modern times, served with a formal written public announcement. If within a year of the challenge, the marked noble still lives, the challenging House must publicly forego any further complaint or scandal on the matter. Only a ranking challenging noble or a Morag Tong may attack the marked noble; in modern times, Houses routinely engage Morag Tong. This custom permits Houses to war upon one another on a small scale without threatening public peace and rule of law. Such violent disputes among Great Houses are called 'House Wars.'"''

::''"The Great Houses have always fought private wars among themselves. Sometimes they fight about land, sometimes about wealth, sometimes about politics, sometimes about honor."''

::''"The Dunmer Great Houses long ago adopted certain customs and rules to avoid open warfare. House Wars are supervised by the Temple, and private feuds and writs of assassination are contracted through the Morag Tong."''

:'''{{Anchor|Humanoid Races}}'''

::''"Offspring of inter-racial matings have the racial appearance of the mother, but may occasionally share inherited characteristics and abilities of the father. Sloads, dragons, and other sentient races cannot mate with Men, Elves, or Beastmen, and are not considered 'human.' Exceptional accounts of matings between men and daedra do not fit smoothly into this scheme. Elves consider themselves the only 'truly human race,' being descended directly from the gods, and regard the Manish and Beast races as highly intelligent animals. On the other hand, Imperial scholars consider Men, Elves, and Beastmen as 'men,' on the basis that individuals of all three groups can mate with one another."''

:'''{{Anchor|Humans}}'''

::''"The human races are short-lived, socially aggressive humanoids, shorter than Elves and more technologically advanced than the Beastfolk. Warlike human cultures have subjugated their Elven and Beastfolk neighbors and synthesized their arts, literature, magick, technology, and theology into Tamriel's dominant culture -- the Empire. Obsessed with progress and destiny, human civilization constantly reinvents itself from materials plundered from conquered cultures and re-shaped by human myths and dreams."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hunger}}'''

::''"The hunger is one of the many voracious servants of the Daedra Lord Boethiah. Daedra hearts have modest magical properties."''

:'''{{Anchor|Hypha Facia}}'''

::''"Hypha Facia looks much like Bungler's Bane and grows like a shelf on trees and other things. Hypha Facia is safe to eat, but make sure it is not Bungler's Bane."''

::''"Hypha facia is a light brown shelf fungus collected from the trunks of trees in the Bitter Coast Region."''

File:ON-npc-Priest Lhazbura.jpg

2025-06-14T02:02:16Z

Minor Edits: Undo revision 3374245 by Minor Edits (talk) misclick, sorry

== Summary ==
{{cleanimage|other=Needs to be standing upright}}
Injured in Temple of Ire during Blood on a King's Hands

[[Category: Online-NPC Images]]
== Licensing ==
{{zenimage}}

File:ON-npc-Priest Lhazbura.jpg

2025-06-14T02:01:51Z

Minor Edits: Reverting: Simple vandalism

== Summary ==
{{cleanimage|color=too dark|other=Needs to be standing upright}}
Injured in Temple of Ire during Blood on a King's Hands

[[Category: Online-NPC Images]]
== Licensing ==
{{zenimage}}

Lore:Imperial University

2025-06-12T04:58:34Z

Minor Edits: noinclude

<noinclude>{{Lore Factions Trail}}</noinclude>
The '''Imperial University''' was an [[Lore:Imperial|Imperial]] academic institution based in the [[Lore:Imperial City|Imperial City]]. It was active during the [[Lore:Three Banners War|Three Banners War]] and later during the [[Lore:Third Era|Third Era]].{{Ref|name=ESOPO|Events of [[Online:Sacrament: Smuggler's Den|Sacrament: Smuggler's Den]] in [[Online:Dark Brotherhood (DLC)|''The Elder Scrolls Online: Dark Brotherhood]]''}}<noinclude>
==Known Publications==
*{{Book Link|A Scholar's Guide to Nymphs}}
*{{Book Link|Cherim's Heart of Anequina}}
*{{Book Link|Notes For Redguard History}}
*{{Book Link|Notes on Racial Phylogeny}}
*{{Book Link|Overview of Gods and Worship}}

==See Also==
*{{GSI|ON:Imperial University}}

==References==
<references/>
{{Lore Imperial Organizations}}</noinclude>

Lore:Auri-El

2025-06-12T04:40:16Z

Minor Edits: typo

<noinclude>{{Lore Gods Trail}}__NOTOC__ [[File:ON-statue-Auriel.jpg|thumb|right|A High Elf statue of Auri-El]]
:''"Anuiel, who was the soul [of Anu and] 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."'' — ''[[Lore:The Monomyth|The Monomyth]]'', "The Heart of the World"

</noinclude>[[Lore:Auri-El|Auri-El]] (or '''Auriel'''),{{ref|name=AR/DF}}{{ref|name=TA|{{Cite Book|The Anticipations}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}} also known as the '''King of the [[Lore:Aldmer|Aldmer]]'''{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} and the '''Fixed Center''',{{ref|name=COTF}} is the [[Lore:Mer|elven]] analogue to [[Lore:Akatosh|Akatosh]]{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TAAD|{{Cite Book|The Alduin/Akatosh Dichotomy}}}} and the chief deity of most Aldmeri pantheons.{{ref|name=VOF}} He is the soul of [[Lore:Anuiel|Anui-El]], who is the soul of [[Lore:Anu|Anu the Everything]], and it is said time began with his existence.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=VOF}}

Most [[Lore:Altmer|Altmeri]] and [[Lore:Bosmer|Bosmeri]] claim to be direct descendants of Auri-El. In [[Lore:Valenwood|Valenwood]], he is known as '''Auri-El Time Dragon''', king of the gods.{{ref|name=VOF}} [[Lore:Snow Elf|Snow Elves]] and [[Lore:Ayleids|Ayleids]] also worshipped Auri-El.{{Ref|name=SRGelebor|[[Skyrim:Knight-Paladin Gelebor|Knight-Paladin Gelebor]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}}{{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}} In the early days of Aldmeri society, which was highly stratified, Auri-El was regarded as an ancestor spirit of the upper castes. However, his worship gradually spread among the lower castes, who sought to emulate their social superiors. Over time, Auri-El came to be revered as the common progenitor of Aldmeri society as a whole.{{ref|name=PGE3Sum|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Summerset}}}} While generally represented as a [[Lore:Dragon|dragon]], most Altmeri societies also depict him as or alongside an [[Lore:Eagle|eagle]].{{ref|name=ContDriftwood|[[ON:Contraband D|Driftwood Idol contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ContWingedAuriel|[[ON:Contraband W|Winged Auri-El contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=COTF|{{Cite Book|Coils of the Father}}}} Other constrasting sources paint Auriel as the "great Elvish [[Lore:Demi-God|demi-god]]" and as the "quasi-mythical Elvish deity", downplaying his divinity;{{ref|name=AR/DF|[[Arena:Auriel's Bow|Auriel's]] [[Daggerfall:Auriel's Bow|Bow]] artifact descriptions in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]'' and ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}}{{Ref|name=ARShield|[[Arena:Artifacts#Auriel's Shield|Auriel's Shield]] description in [[Arena:Arena|''Arena'']]}} [[Lore:Breton|Bretic]] myth describes the new '''[[Lore:Altmer#Religion and Cosmology|Aurielian gods]]''' usurping Akatosh and the race of dragons in the earliest eras of Tamriel.{{ref|name=KE|{{Cite Book|King Edward}}}}

The [[Lore:Alessian Order|Alessian Order]] unsuccessfully attempted to sever the association between Auri-El and Akatosh, and in doing so, were held responsible for the sullied events of the [[Lore:Middle Dawn|Middle Dawn]].{{Ref|name=SOT|{{Cite Book|Staff of Towers (book)}}}}{{ref|name=Bladesongs|{{Cite Book|The Bladesongs of Boethra, Volume V}}}} All but the most dogmatic of theologians tend to agree that the Imperial Akatosh and the Elven Auri-El are one and the same.{{ref|name=AYQ|{{Cite Book|Artorius Ponticus Answers Your Questions}}}}<noinclude>
{{NewLeft}}

==Mythology==
[[File:ON-statue-Auri-El.jpg|thumb|left|An Ayleid statue of Auri-El]][[File:SR-place-Inner Sanctum (Vale).jpg|thumb|right|A Snow Elf statue of Auri-El]]

===Altmer-Heart of the World===

:''"[E]ven Auriel, when told he would become the king of the new world, agreed to help Lorkhan."'' — The Heart of the World

The Altmer believe that existence began with Anu the Everything, who encompassed and encompasses all things. Seeking to know himself Anu created his soul, Anui-El, who, also given to self-reflection, went on to create [[Lore:Sithis|Sithis]] as the sum of all limitation via which he'd differentiate between his myriad attributes and ponder himself. An interplay which is the [[Lore:Aurbis|Aurbis]].{{ref|name=TM}}

The primordial Aurbis was a place of chaos, as Anui-El ruminated without design. Seeking an escape, the [[Lore:Gods|Aspects of Aurbis]] asked Anu for a schedule they could follow to exist outside perfect knowledge. In response Anu created Auri-El, the soul of Anui-El, who spread through Aurbis as the force called Time, allowing the Aurbic aspects to understand themselves and take names.{{ref|name=TM}}

One of the aspects was [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]], more of a limit than a nature, he wandered Aurbis planting new ideas based on restriction and outlined a plan to create a new world where even the aspects of aspects would be allowed to self-reflect, the [[Lore:Mundus|Mundus]]. Many chose to follow, and even Auri-El was swayed by the promise of becoming king of this new world.{{ref|name=TM}} But Lorkhan had tricked the other spirits, as Mundus was a place composed almost wholly of limitation. Many of the [[Lore:Gods|et'Ada]] vanished completely, most of those left followed the flight of [[Lore:Magnus|Magnus]], becoming the [[Lore:Magna Ge|Magna-Ge]], but some of those present chose instead to stay after he departed keep working in the new world in order to keep it viable.{{ref|name=BtaoM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}} Among those Et'Ada who stayed, some would follow the example of [[Lore:Y'ffre|Y'ffre]], giving themselves to the Mundus fully to stabilize it and form the foundation of its natural law, and would typically be referred to from that point on as "Earthbones" or "Earth Bones". Others would choose not to give themselves fully but to populate Nirn instead, having to "make children just to last", these spirits would from that point typically be referred to as the [[Lore:Ehlnofey|"Ehlnofey"]].{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}} The offspring of the Aedra would exhibit a gradual change however, each consecutive generation was weaker than the one prior, more removed from their progenitors in stature and might.{{ref|name=Mystery|{{Cite Book|The Mystery of Artaeum}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}

Through this generational phenomenon of diminishment the offspring of the Ehlnofey would would eventually give away and the first [[Lore: Aldmer|Aldmer]] would arise, while the "weakest souls" that resulted from it would be formed by [[Lore: Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] into armies he named "Men".{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}}

This participation, an event the Altmer would name the Sundering,{{ref|name=Folly|{{Cite Book|Folly of Man}}}} would be considered Auri-El's only known moment of weakness, an act which forever sundered the elves from the spirit worlds of eternity.{{ref|name=VOF}} Auri-El and the other gods of the Aldmer were disgusted by their enfeebled selves and what they had created, and insisted that everything was permanently spoiled, and all they would be able to do would be to teach the elves to suffer with dignity.{{ref|name=TM}}

To make up for his error, Auri-El led the original Aldmer against the armies of [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] in mythic times, vanquishing him and establishing the first kingdoms of the Aldmer, [[Lore:Atmora|Atmora]] and [[Lore:Old Ehlnofey|Old Ehlnofey]].{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TM}} During this conflict Auri-El begged Anu to take them back but Anu refused as he'd already created something to replace them. The more merciful Anui-El created [[Lore:Auriel's Bow|Auriel's Bow]] and [[Lore:Auriel's Shield|Auriel's Shield]] to be used by Auri-El against Lorkhan's hordes. Though Atmora was retaken by men and Old Ehlnofey was sundered, Auri-El's greatest [[Lore:Knight|knight]], [[Lore:Trinimac|Trinimac]] (who, in some places, was even more popular than Auri-El{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TTNOO|{{Cite Book|The True Nature of Orcs}}}}), succeeded in defeating Lorkhan, and Auri-El hid his [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart]] by attaching it to an arrow and sending it far into the sea.{{ref|name=TM}}. After [[Lore:Convention|Convention]] was held by the victors and the laws which would govern the mortal world were decided on,{{ref|name=Enigma|{{Cite Book|Aurbic Enigma 4: The Elden Tree}}}}, the Aedra departed the world as their direct presence destabilized reality and time.{{ref|name=NMI|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|ns_base=General|Nu-Mantia Intercept}}, The Imperial Library}} Auri-El ascended to heaven in full observance of his followers so that they might learn the steps needed to escape the mortal plane.{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TM}}With this event the gods and magic in the mythic sense exited the world and history, finally linear, began.{{ref|name=TM}}{{ref|name=BtaoM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}

Auri-El is believed to currently reside in [[Lore:Aetherius|Aetherius]] alongside the other elven gods.{{Ref|name=SRSerana|[[Skyrim:Serana|Serana]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}}

===Dunmer===
According to [[Lore:Vivec|Vivec]], Stasis and Change, Anu and [[Lore:Padomay|Padomay]], are infinite forces and realms residing in the infinite [[Lore:Void|Void]], the latter infinity paradoxically enclosing the others in a manner akin to an encircling sphere. At the intersection of the two forces, where they touch, lies a "perfect circle of pattern and possibility", the Wheel, and inside that Wheel lies the Aurbis which is its foundation. Vivec claims that outside the Wheel exists the Void, which cannot truly be named and is bereft of anything. The Void is said to have more aspects than just Stasis and Change, but they cannot be named as they are outside of true language. Vivec claims Anu and Padomay "awakened" during the process of sub-creation caused by their intersection as "to see your antithesis is to finally awaken". It is said that in reaction to this "each gave birth to their souls", Auri-El and Sithis. Each of these souls regarded the Aurbis in their own part, and from that came the et'Ada, the "original patterns".{{ref|name=TTGtC|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|The Thief Goes to Cyrodiil|ns_base=GEN}}}} Some sources claim that, rather than being a single wheel, the Aurbis, the intersection of Anu and Padomay, is instead more akin to "a telescope that stretches all the way back to the eye of Anui-El, with Padomaics innumerable along its infinite walls".{{Ref|name=MKP|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Michael Kirkbride's Posts|ns_base=General}}}}

==Worship==
:''"Penitent, give thanks and praise to the soul of Anu the Everything, father to us all. The scales and fangs and flame of the creator envelop all of the people. Always.

:''"To complete your venerations here, intone: "By the Fixed Center and his hand in our lives, we are all made safe. Auri-El, grant me the stability of the Divine. Be always at my side."'' — Coils of the Father

Many Snow Elves had one great desire: to become one with Auri-El. They built the [[Lore:Chantry of Auri-El|Chantry of Auri-El]] in the western mountains of modern-day [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]] so that they could pursue a pilgrimage of spiritual discovery and ascend into the heavens.{{ref|name=TTS|{{Cite Book|Touching the Sky}}}} They would recite the mantras of Auri-El at several wayshrines, meditating on their lessons, before journeying to the Inner Sanctum to ostensibly become one with their god, purportedly vanishing with a look of bliss on their face upon their meeting with the Arch-Prelate.{{ref|name=Dawnguard|Events of ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]: [[Skyrim:Dawnguard|Dawnguard]]''}}

The Altmer use the eagle both in association with Auri-El himself,{{ref|name=ContDriftwood|[[ON:Contraband D|Driftwood Idol contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=ContWingedAuriel|[[ON:Contraband W|Winged Auri-El contraband]] in [[Online:Summerset (Chapter)|ESO]]}} and as a symbol representing the [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]], their ancestors, who descended from Aetherius and became trapped in physical form by the creation of [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]].{{Ref|name=ESOKB|{{Cite Book|Elder Scrolls Online - Knowledge Base|ns_base=GEN}}}}. Altmeri prayers reference Auri-El as the Fixed Center of existence who always envelops all people with his "scales and fangs and flame", and invoke him to grant his followers stability.{{ref|name=COTF|{{Cite Book|Coils of the Father}}}}

Bosmer perform acts of veneration, primarily at the beginning of each year, which involve charitable work overlooked in the previous months. However, they hold little affection for him.{{Ref|name=TIGTT|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/Valenwood}}}} There have been cases of Bosmer undertaking [[Lore:Knight|knighthood]] as a form of devotion to Auri-El.{{Ref|name=OBBrellin|[[Oblivion:Brellin|Brellin]]'s dialogue in [[Oblivion:Oblivion|''Oblivion'']]}}

The [[Lore:Khajiit|Khajiit]] acknowledge both Auri-El and Akatosh as aspects of [[Lore:Alkosh|Alkosh]].{{Ref|name=Natrada|[[Online:Natrada|Natrada]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]: ''[[Online:Elsweyr|Elsweyr]]''}}

==Artifacts==

===Auriel's Bow===
[[File:SR-item-Auriel's Bow.jpg|Auriel's Bow|right|thumb]]
{{Lore:Auriel's Bow}}
{{NewLine}}
===Auriel's Shield===
[[File:SR-item-Auriel's Shield.jpg|Auriel's Shield|right|thumb]]
{{Lore:Auriel's Shield}}
{{NewLine}}
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:OB-place-Silorn 02.jpg|A ruined Ayleid statue of Auri-El (''Oblivion'')
File:SR-icon-construction-Shrine of Auriel.png|Shrine of Auriel (''Skyrim'')
File:SR-interior-Darkfall Cave Auriel Shrine.jpg|Shrine to Auriel
File:LO-people-Auri-El.jpg|Altmeri depiction of Auri-El
File:ON-place-Shrine_to_Auriel.jpg|Shrine of Auriel (''Online'')
File:ON-creature-Aurielic Quasigriff.jpg|Aurielic Quasigriff (''Online'')
</gallery>

==Notes==
*{{LNote|nb1|^|Auri-El was evidently a prominent figure in the [[Lore:Ayleids#Religion|Ayleid religion]]. In the ''[[Oblivion:Oblivion|Oblivion]]'' quest [[Oblivion:Secrets of the Ayleids|Secrets of the Ayleids]], the Altmer [[Oblivion:Umbacano|Umbacano]] gains access to an Ayleid throne by reciting "Av Auri-El ye Tamri-El dellevoy an Arpen Aran tarnabye!", which means "By Auriel and Tamriel, grant [imperative] [the] Noble [i.e. True] King passage."}}
*In the [[Skyrim:Dawnguard|Dawnguard]] add-on for ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]'', [[Skyrim:Serana|Serana]] notes that the statue of Auri-El outside the [[Skyrim:Inner Sanctum (Vale)|Inner Sanctum]] of the Chantry of Auri-El incorporates the "older signs" of his power.
*To the Snow Elves, Auri-El was strongly associated with the sun, and the Chantry of Auri-El features sun-shaped decorations throughout. The sun is described by Snow Elves as how Auri-El influences the world{{Ref|name=SRVyrthur|[[Skyrim:Arch-Curate Vyrthur|Arch-Curate Vyrthur]]'s dialogue in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}} and the channel through which Auriel's Bow draws its power from Aetherius.{{ref|name=SRGelebor}}
*Legends say Auri-El despises [[Lore:Orc|Orc]]s,{{ref|name=TTNOO}} and that his scribe was [[Lore:Xarxes (god)|Xarxes]].{{ref|name=VOF}}
*Saint [[Lore:Alessia|Alessia]] is sometimes referred to as Auri-El's wife.{{ref|name=Remanada|{{Cite Book|Remanada}}}}
*[[Lore:Quasigriff|Aurielic Quasigriffs]] are considered sacred by some worshipers of Auri-El.{{ref|name=AQ|[[Online:Aurielic Quasigriff|Aurielic Quasigriff]] description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

==See Also==
* For related information, see entries for [[Lore:Akatosh|Akatosh]], [[Lore:Alkosh|Alkosh]], [[Lore:Alduin|Alduin]], and [[Lore:The One|the One]].

===Books===
* {{Book Link|The Monomyth}}
* {{Book Link|Touching the Sky}}
* {{Book Link|Varieties of Faith...}}

==References==
<references/>{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>
{{Lore Altmer Religion}}
{{Lore Ayleid Religion}}
{{Lore Bosmer Religion}}
{{Lore Snow Elf Religion}}
</noinclude>

Lore:Nord

2025-06-12T00:21:11Z

Minor Edits: tweak

<noinclude>{{Trail|Races}}[[Category:Lore-All Terms]]{{TOCright|limit=3}}{{{image|[[File:LO-race-Nord.png|thumb|left|Illustration of a typical Nord male]]}}}<noinclude></noinclude>
'''Nords''', also known as '''Northmen''',{{ref|name=Vaload|[[Online:Valthume|Valthume]] loading screen in [[ESO:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|{{Cite Book|Werewolves: Long-Suffering Guardians}}}} '''Bron''' in the [[Lore:Dragon Language|Language of Dragons]],{{ref|name=PRIMA|[[Books:The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Prima Official Game Guide#Legendary Edition|The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Prima Official Game Guide]]}}{{rp|1096}} or the '''Children of the Sky''',{{ref|name=COTS|{{Cite Book|Children of the Sky}}}} are a race of tall and fair-haired [[Lore:Man|humans]] from [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]] who are known for their incredible resistance to cold and magical frost. They are fierce, strong and enthusiastic warriors, and many become renowned warriors, soldiers and mercenaries all over [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]].{{ref|name=HOTFG|{{Cite Book|History of the Fighters Guild}}}}{{ref|name=TLSC|{{Cite Book|The Legendary Sancre Tor}}}} Eager to augment their martial skills beyond the traditional methods of Skyrim, they excel in all manner of warfare, and are known as a militant people by their neighbors.{{ref|name=PGE1S|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Skyrim}}}}{{ref|name=ASHOM|{{Cite Book|A Short History of Morrowind}}}} Nords were known for a time for their nautical prowess when they migrated from [[Lore:Atmora|Atmora]].{{ref|name=ASHOM}} Seafaring merchants or smugglers are not unheard of, as was the case with [[Redguard:Tobias|Tobias]].

When the descendants of the Atmorans transitioned into calling themselves Nords is blurred. The inhabitants of Skyrim during the Dragon War were variously labeled Nords{{ref|name=Paarthurnax|[[SR:Paarthurnax (dragon)|Paarthrunax]]'s dialogue in ''[[SR:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} and Atmorans.{{ref|name=FSL2|{{Cite Book|First Servant's Letter, Page 2|ns_base=ESO}}}} The truth may lie somewhere in-between; while the two are considered distinct races,{{ref|name=TOoC|{{Cite Book|The Origin of Cyrus!|ns_base=Books}}}} the men living in the transition period between the terms' respective usage have been considered 'proto-Nords'.{{ref|name=FC|{{Cite Book|Frontier, Conquest}}}}{{ref|name=EGTS|{{Cite Book|EGT|Skyrim}}}}{{ref|name=HighKingSunstone|[[ESO:Bleakrock Isle Antiquities#High King Sunstone|High King Sunstone]] antiquity codex entry in [[ESO:Online|ESO]]}} [[Lore:Harald|High King Harald]] started a trend when he relinquished all holdings in distant and lost Atmora and united the disparate Nordic people to formally create the Kingdom of Skyrim.{{ref|name=PGE1S}} What followed was the "first Nords" under Harald wished to distinguish themselves from their Atmoran ancestors, but they still felt pride for their ancient heritage.{{Ref|name=CM87AN|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 87: Ancestral Nord Style}}}} However, according to ''[[Lore:Great Harbingers|Great Harbingers]]'', these people didn't consider themselves Nords until sometime after the [[Lore:Redguard|Redguards]] arrived to Tamriel.{{ref|name=GH|{{Cite Book|Great Harbingers}}}}
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<noinclude>
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==History==
[[File:LO-map-Skyrim (Oblivion Codex).jpg|left|thumb|[[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]], the land of the Nords]]
Although Nords intermingled with other races over the years, it is primarily to [[Lore:Atmora|Atmora]], the northernmost known place on [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]], that they trace their lineage.{{ref|name=PGE1S}}{{ref|name=FC|{{Cite Book|Frontier, Conquest}}}} Atmora is likely a human corruption of "Altmora", a name found in old Elvish records which means "Elder Wood".{{ref|name=MA|{{Cite Book|Mysterious Akavir}}}} Legends say that Atmora was once very green and prosperous, until "the freezing" turned it into an inhospitable wasteland plagued by civil war, causing its people to migrate to Tamriel in waves throughout the [[Lore:Merethic Era|Merethic]] and [[Lore:First Era|First]] eras.{{ref|name=SOTR|{{Cite Book|Songs of the Return}}}} During this migration, the chieftain [[Lore:Ysgramor|Ysgramor]] rallied people from all sides who desired to live in peace and set sail south, eventually arriving at [[Lore:Hsaarik Head|Hsaarik Head]], at the extreme northern tip of Skyrim's [[Lore:Broken Cape|Broken Cape]].{{ref|name=PGE1S}} They named the new land "Mereth" in tribute to the [[Lore:Aldmer|Aldmeri]] Elves who had already settled most of the continent. Contrary to many stories, which apparently credit Ysgramor with being the leader of the first group of human settlers,{{ref|name=BTAOM|{{Cite Book|Before the Ages of Man}}}}{{ref|name=TAA|{{Cite Book|The Annotated Anuad}}}} he and his colonists were the latest in a long line of emigrants from Atmora to Skyrim, and many had already migrated to other places around Tamriel.{{ref|name=PGE3S|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Skyrim}}}}{{ref|name=FC}}

===The Return===
Elves and men lived in relative peace and prosperity for a great deal of time, but racial tensions grew along with the human population, and eventually violence erupted. It's unclear how it started, but the Elves razed the Nordic capital city of [[Lore:Saarthal|Saarthal]], killing the defenders and everyone unable to flee, in a slaughter now known as the [[Lore:Night of Tears|Night of Tears]].{{ref|name=PGE1S}}{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=IROS|{{Cite Book|Imperial Report on Saarthal}}}}{{ref|name=NOT|{{Cite Book|Night of Tears (book)}}}} According to legend, the only humans to survive were Ysgramor and his two sons, who fled back to Atmora, where they gathered the famous Five Hundred Companions and sailed back to expediently slaughter any Elves they came across, founding new cities as they went and clearing the way for new settlers.{{ref|name=BTAOM}}{{ref|name=PGE1S}}{{ref|name=GH}}{{ref|name=YATS|{{Cite Book|Yngol and the Sea-Ghosts}}}}{{ref|name=SOTR}} During this time, the Nords also frequently waged war with the various [[Lore:Giant|Giant]] clans of Skyrim and Ysgramor purportedly slaughtered hundreds of Giants himself.{{ref|name=SotR27|{{Cite Book|Songs of the Return, Volume 27}}}}{{ref|name=ONSvari|[[Online:Skald Svari|Skald Svari]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} Despite these early conflicts, the presence of Giants remained throughout the province in the eras that followed, although both races largely kept to themselves.

The Five Hundred's great achievements and acts of heroism cemented them and their leader Ysgramor as role models in Nordic culture.{{ref|name=SOTR}} Their legacy is purportedly carried on by the [[Lore:Companions|Companions]], a group of nonpartisan mercenaries who are renowned as impartial arbiters on matters of honor.{{ref|name=GH}}{{ref|name=SOTR}} Ysgramor's descendant High King Harald, who is credited with first uniting the province under its customary borders drove the last of the Elves out of the province in {{Year|1E 143}}.{{ref|name=PGE1S}} Despite heavy resistance, Elves were also driven from [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]], a small island northeast of Skyrim, which would be predominantly inhabited by Nords for thousands of years to come.{{ref|name=FOTSP|{{Cite Book|Fall of the Snow Prince}}}}

===The Dragon War===
[[Lore:Dragon|Dragons]] were revered as part of the [[#Religion|Nordic religion]].{{ref|name=TDW|{{Cite Book|The Dragon War}}}} Dragon priests, on par with kings in terms of the power they wielded, acted as intermediaries between the people and the serpentine "god-kings", whose name could not even be uttered by the common folk.{{ref|name=TDW}} Temples were built to honor and appease the dragons, many of which survive today as ancient ruins haunted by [[Lore:Draugr|Draugr]] and undead dragon priests.{{ref|name=TDW}}{{ref|name=ATD|{{Cite Book|Amongst the Draugr}}}} The dragon priests in Tamriel became more tyrannical and the populace eventually rebelled some time in the Merethic Era, leading to the legendary Dragon War.{{ref|name=TDW}} Some dragons turned against their own kind and taught the Nords powerful magic that allowed them to turn the tide of the war in their favor.{{ref|name=TDW}} After a long and bloody campaign, the rule of the dragons was ended, and the remaining wyrms fled to remote areas.{{ref|name=TDW}} The [[Lore:Dragon Cult|Dragon Cult]] survived for a time, but was marginalized and eventually died out.{{ref|name=TDW}} The last Dragon Cult Stronghold was found and besieged in {{Year|1E 140}}.{{ref|name=SSSJ|{{Cite Book|Skorm Snow-Strider's Journal}}}} Not long after, worship of animal gods was replaced by the then-[[Lore:Eight Divines|Eight Divines]] in mainstream Nord culture.{{ref|name=TIEGTTS|{{Cite Book|The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel/Skyrim}}}} Other traditional Nordic beliefs, known as the Old Ways, continued on, and remained prevalent among Nords even after the introduction of the Divines.{{ref|name=RCSO|[[ON:Bleakrock Isle Antiquities#Rune-carved Steering Oar|Rune-carved Steering Oar]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}{{ref|name=SRFroki|[[SR:Froki Whetted-Blade|Froki Whetted-Blade]]'s dialogue during [[SR:Kyne's Sacred Trials|Kyne's Sacred Trials]] in ''[[SR:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}
[[File:MW-quest-Ennbjof's Nord Burial.jpg|thumb|left|A traditional Nordic ship burial created during the Skyrim Conquests]]

===The Skyrim Conquests===
In {{Year|1E 241}}, [[Lore:Vrage|King Vrage the Gifted]] (Harald's son) began the aggressive expansion now known as the Skyrim Conquests, which would culminate in the [[Lore:First Empire of the Nords|First Empire of the Nords]].{{ref|name=PGE1S}}{{ref|name=FC}}{{ref|name=KEX|{{Cite Book|King Edward, Part X}}}} Within a span of fifty years, the descendants of Ysgramor ruled all of northern Tamriel, including most of present-day [[Lore:High Rock|High Rock]] and the whole of [[Lore:Morrowind|Morrowind]].{{ref|name=PGE1S}}{{ref|name=FC}} Some Nord leaders wanted to turn south to [[Lore:Cyrodiil|Cyrodiil]], but the [[Lore:Jerall Mountains|Jerall Mountains]] proved to be too big a barrier, and northern Cyrodiil too poor a prize.{{ref|name=TLSC}} However the Nordic Empire allied with Alessia's slave rebellion, and aided in overturning the Ayleid Empire, and in return were given territory in the Nibenay Valley.

Over the next few centuries, Skyrim expanded and contracted as battles were won and lost.{{ref|name=PGE3S}} The Conquests, and the Empire, came to an end in {{Year|1E 369}} with the death of King [[Lore:Borgas|Borgas]], the last of the Ysgramor line, during the [[Lore:Wild Hunt|Wild Hunt]].{{ref|name=PGE1S}}{{ref|name=TLSC}} When the ruling council or [[Lore:Moot|Moot]] was unable to choose [[Lore:Jarl Hanse|Jarl Hanse]] of [[Lore:Winterhold (city)|Winterhold]] (considered the obvious choice by [[Lore:Imperial|Imperial]] scholars), as the new High King, the ensuing civil war tore the Empire apart.{{ref|name=PGE1S}} The war concluded in {{Year|1E 420}} with the [[Lore:Pact of Chieftains|Pact of Chieftains]], but the Empire lost its holdings in High Rock and Morrowind, and Skyrim was divided into independent kingdoms.{{ref|name=PGE1S}} The Nords were overthrown by a combined alliance of Chimer and [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] who formed the First Council. The failure of the Nord Tongues in Morrowind prompted [[Lore:Jurgen Windcaller|Jurgen Windcaller]] to begin a seven-year meditation to understand the failure, leading to the foundation of the [[Lore:Way of the Voice|Way of the Voice]].{{ref|name=PGE1S}}{{ref|name=Hrothgar|[[Skyrim:High Hrothgar#Etched Tablets|The Etched Tablets of High Hrothgar.]]}}
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The Nords would make an alliance with Orcs to try to reconquer Morrowind around {{Year|1E 700}}, partaking in the War of the First Council, but it is unclear whether they allied with the Chimer, the Dwemer, or acted as a third party. Nevertheless the Nords failed to increase their territory, and the [[Lore:Tribunal|Tribunal]] would protect Morrowind from invasion for thousands of years to come.{{ref|name=36LS9|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 9}}}}{{ref|name=TWOTFC|{{Cite Book|The War of the First Council}}}}{{ref|name=ASHOM}}{{ref|name=NARM|{{Cite Book|Nerevar at Red Mountain}}}}{{ref|name=FSOKW|{{Cite Book|Five Songs of King Wulfharth}}}}

===The Second Empire and the Interregnum===
Late in the First Era, an invasion from [[Lore:Akavir|Akavir]] cut through Skyrim.{{ref|name=TRAFOTB|{{Cite Book|The Rise and Fall of the Blades}}}} Even though Nords "don't meet invasions with pitchers of mead", they were unable to stop the mighty Akaviri Dragonguard, and it took the united armies of Cyrodiil to stop their advance at the Battle of Pale Pass.{{ref|name=TRAFOTB}} The Nords were understandably impressed, and for the first time, the whole of Skyrim pledged allegiance to one man: [[Lore:Reman Cyrodiil|Reman Cyrodiil]], one of the first Dragonborn recorded in history and the founder of the Second Empire of Man.{{ref|name=TRAFOTB}} The Nords would generally support the Empire, even under the [[Lore:Akaviri Potentate|Potentates]], for hundreds of years to come.

Only a year after the assassination of the last Potentate in 430 and the official dissolution of the 2nd Empire, High King Logrolf was assassinated and Skyrim was partitioned between the east and west following a succession dispute. Western Skyrim would consist of Haafingar, Hjaalmarch, Falkreath, Whiterun and a portion of the Reach named Karthal, and Eastern Skryim was composed of Winterhold, Eastmarch, The Pale, and the Rift. Various factions vyed for control of Cyrodiil and its claim of Empire, most climactically in the Three Banners War. While Western Skyrim maintained neutrality, Eastern Skyrim would help form the Ebonheart Pact. Eastern Skyrim was ravaged by the second Akaviri invasion in 2E 572, with Windhelm sacked, but the Nords pursued the invading Akaviri into Morrowind, where they were joined by the defending Dunmer. The Akaviri forces were successfully wiped out thanks to the unexpected arrival of Argonian armies from Black Marsh's northern tribes. The victors of the battle formed the Ebonheart Pact (though House Telvannis abstained in protest with the precondition of ending the enslavement of Argonians) with the aim to maintain their mutual independence and defense, and would war against the Greater Daggerfall Covenant and 1st Aldmeri Dominion for control of Cyrodiil. However the Ebonheart Pact would ultimately dissolve at some point during the Second Era, as would their main competitors in the Alliance War.

The chaos of the [[Lore:Interregnum|Interregnum]] brought the Nords an opportunity for glorious battle against their neighbors. Together with the [[Lore:Breton|Breton]]s of High Rock, they once again looked south, to Cyrodiil, for room to expand.{{ref|name=BOST|{{Cite Book|Battle of Sancre Tor}}}} Despite some initial success, they did not count on [[Lore:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]]. According to Nordic Tradition, Tiber Septim was born in Atmora under the name Hjalti Early-Beard (though Bretons claim he was born instead on the island of Alcaire). He served as General to Cuhlecain, king of Falkreath and the Colovian Estates. Hjalti Early-Beard used the power of the Thu'um to shout down the walls at Old Hroldan, allowing Culhecain to conquer the Reach. This led the Greybeards to summon him to High Hrothgar where they named him Talos.

The Nords were suspicious of the rising power to the south, and allied with their Breton neighbors to subdue them, leading to the Battle of Sancre Tor. Despite being seemingly impregnable, a spy within the Nordic ranks allowed Tiber Septim to take the ancient city, and upon demonstrating his Thu'um the Nords reportedly bent their knee and pledged fealty to Tiber Septim (reportedly the Nords had already grown suspicious of their Breton allies). This marks the beginning of the integration of Skyrim in what would soon become the Third Empire.
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===Under the Third Empire===
[[File:BM-prerelease-Bear Nord.jpg|A Third Era Nord|thumb|right]]
Skyrim was absorbed comparatively peacefully into the empire of [[Lore:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]], the Battle of Sancre Tor around {{Year|2E 852}} and other clashes notwithstanding.{{ref|name=BOST}}{{ref|name=TMOTR|{{Cite Book|The "Madmen" of the Reach}}}} Many Nords found employment in the [[Lore:Imperial Legion|Imperial Legion]], as Talos generally nurtured relations with the north.{{ref|name=BOST}} In the centuries after the Empire's founding, Skyrim was drawn into several major conflicts. One of these was the [[Lore:War of the Red Diamond|War of the Red Diamond]] wherein Skyrim supported [[Lore:Potema|Queen Potema]] against the Empire.{{ref|name=BHOTE4|{{Cite Book|Brief History of the Empire, Part 2}}}} The civil war nearly tore the Empire apart and it would take seventeen long years before Potema was finally defeated and peace was restored.{{ref|name=BHOTE4}} However, a strong underground movement called the Hörme, believing that Potema and her deposed son were the last of Tiber Septim's true blood, continued to work against Imperial interests in Skyrim.{{ref|name=PGE3S}}

Close to the end of the [[Lore:Third Era|Third Era]], the kingdoms of Skyrim instigated several wars to expand their territory. [[Lore:War of the Bend'r-mahk|The War of the Bend'r-Mahk]] during the [[Lore:Imperial Simulacrum|Imperial Simulacrum]] increased Nordic holdings considerably, swallowing up many miles of territory traditionally belonging to eastern High Rock and [[Lore:Hammerfell|Hammerfell]], and they have their eyes on Morrowind, which is no longer protected by the Tribunal.{{ref|name=PGE3S}}

===The Fourth Era===
The [[Lore:Fourth Era|Fourth Era]] brought significant changes for Nords. Late in the Third Era and in the beginning years of the Fourth Era, Solstheim became overrun by Dunmer refugees from Morrowind, which had been devastated by natural disasters and then invaded by the [[Lore:Argonian|Argonian]]s of [[Lore:Black Marsh|Black Marsh]] who had already conquered much of Morrowind.{{ref|name=SOTGQ|{{Cite Book|Scourge of the Gray Quarter}}}} The Nords of Solstheim wanted to win independence from the Empire, and planned to destroy Fort Frostmoth.{{ref|name=Oblivion|Rumors heard during the [[Lore:Oblivion Crisis|Oblivion Crisis]].}} Many Dunmer also fled west on the mainland, establishing a strong presence in cities in eastern Skyrim.{{ref|name=DOS|{{Cite Book|Dunmer of Skyrim}}}} Following the sacking of [[Lore:Orsinium|Nova Orsinium]], many Orc refugees were escorted into Skyrim by the [[Lore:Imperial Legion|Imperial Legion]].{{ref|name=LOS|{{Cite Book|Lord of Souls|ns_base=Books}}}} Many Orcs choose to segregate their society and live in Orc Strongholds scattered throughout the wilderness, but some others have, like the Dunmer, chosen to live in the "civilized" settlements of Skyrim. Despite some trepidation at these newcomers, the Nords remained relatively peaceful and prosperous, with some exceptions,{{ref|name=OCD|{{Cite Book|Of Crossed Daggers}}}}{{ref|name=OTGC|{{Cite Book|On the Great Collapse}}}}{{ref|name=TBOM|{{Cite Book|The Bear of Markarth}}}} in the tumultuous aftermath of the [[Lore:Oblivion Crisis|Oblivion Crisis]].{{ref|name=SOTGQ}}{{ref|name=TGW|{{Cite Book|The Great War (book)}}}} However, their peace would not last.

Around {{Year|4E 200}}, a little over twenty years after the [[Lore:Great War|Great War]] ended, the High King of Skyrim was killed. Resentments created by the [[Lore:White-Gold Concordat|White-Gold Concordat]] which ended the Great War, launched Skyrim into the bloody [[Lore:Stormcloak Rebellion|Stormcloak Rebellion]], named after the leader of the rebels, Jarl [[Lore:Ulfric Stormcloak|Ulfric Stormcloak]].{{ref|name=TGW}}{{ref|name=Skyrim|Events of ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{ref|name=FFTT|{{Cite Book|Flight from the Thalmor}}}} Even more disturbing was the return of [[Lore:Alduin|Alduin]], the ancient enemy from the Dragon War who had led the massacres against them, which Nordic religion had long held would herald the end of the world.{{ref|name=Skyrim}}{{ref|name=SOSR|{{Cite Book|Songs of Skyrim: Revised}}}}
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==Society==
[[File:SR-concept-Ice Wraiths.jpg|left|thumb|A drawing of Ice Wraiths, which are hunted by young Nords as a rite of passage]][[File:SR-creature-Falmer.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Lore:Falmer|Falmer]], source of many Nord superstitions, and a very real and bitter race of elves]]
Nords value physical strength and skill very highly. They were also known to hold powerful mages to similar esteem, though this has fallen out of favor in recent history.{{ref|name=Tsun|[[Skyrim:Tsun|Tsun]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} There are two things most Nords love: music and [[Lore:Mead|mead]].{{ref|name=SOSR}} Most Nords wear animal skins or cotton clothing.{{ref|name=HGTS|{{Cite Book|Herbalist's Guide to Skyrim}}}} They are generally tolerant of outsiders to Skyrim, though often do not make them feel welcome.{{ref|name=GH}}{{ref|name=DOS}}{{ref|name=GITS|{{Cite Book|Ghosts in the Storm}}}} In particular, Nords often still hold a bitter resentment towards elves. [[Lore:The Reach|The Reach]], one of the nine [[Lore:Hold|Hold]]s of Skyrim, has only a slight Nord majority, and cities in the east have become heavily influenced by the Dunmer.{{ref|name=PGE1S}}{{ref|name=DOS}} The northern and eastern holds - [[Lore:Winterhold (region)|Winterhold]], [[Lore:Eastmarch|Eastmarch]], [[Lore:The Rift|The Rift]], and [[Lore:The Pale|The Pale]]—are known collectively as the Old Holds, where the influence of old Nordic traditions is still relatively strong and outsiders are rare.{{ref|name=PGE1S}} The young men there go out for weeks into the high peaks in the dead of winter, hunting the ice wraiths that give them claim to full status as citizens.{{ref|name=PGE1S}} The Reach and the Rift both have long histories of lawlessness, and are generally associated with criminal activity.{{ref|name=TCOS|{{Cite Book|The City of Stone}}}}{{ref|name=AEGTS|{{Cite Book|An Explorer's Guide to Skyrim}}}}{{ref|name=TMOTR}}{{ref|name=TBOM}}

Nords tend to be superstitious, and their folklore reflects this.{{ref|name=AEGTS}}{{ref|name=THOTR|{{Cite Book|The Hope of the Redoran}}}}{{ref|name=SOTAM|{{Cite Book|Song of the Askelde Men}}}}{{ref|name=LL|{{Cite Book|Lost Legends}}}} [[Lore:Nord Names|Nordic names]], often chosen based on omens, are given in a special ceremony when the child is young.{{ref|name=THOTR}} Any unexplained misfortune is often blamed on the [[Lore:Falmer|Falmer]], or Snow Elves.{{ref|name=PGE1S}} The Falmer, long believed to be extinct after the vengeful Nordic invasion into their lands, were actually driven deep underground, where they became feral and purportedly seek to kill all those who dwell above them,{{ref|name=TFAS|{{Cite Book|The Falmer: A Study}}}} so it's possible there's truth in some of these claims.

Nords practice wergild, a traditional rite of retribution. When a life is taken, a life must be accounted for. Items of high value can serve as fitting payment.{{Ref|name=Kolfina|[[Bloodmoon:Kolfinna|Kolfina]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}}{{ref|name=|[[Bloodmoon:Sigvatr the Strong|Sigvatr the Strong]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}}{{Ref|name=DDO6|{{Cite Book|ns_base=Oblivion|Dead Drop Orders 6}}}}
===Architecture===
[[File:SR-place-Falkreath.jpg|thumb|left|The typical Nord buildings of [[Lore:Falkreath|Falkreath]]]]
Nords are known as masters of wood and timber construction.{{ref|name=PGE1S}} Besides the cities of Skyrim, their architectural style is reflected in [[Lore:Bruma|Bruma]], situated in northern Cyrodiil.{{ref|name=GTB|{{Cite Book|Guide to Bruma}}}} Nord buildings are built partly underground to conserve heat, and are made with stones, with wood used only for support, and roofs of straw above the wood. These houses are essential to keep in heat in the freezing climate. Similar designs are also seen in Solstheim.

Nordic buildings are known for being able to withstand the harshest elements for thousands of years.{{ref|name=PGE1S}} Old Fort, one of the royal bastions constructed by the First Empire to guard its southern frontier, is a fine example: "towering walls of huge, irregular porphyry blocks fit together without seam or mortar" have stood since the First Era.{{ref|name=PGE1S}}
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===Fashion: Armaments, Cosmetics, etc.===
[[File:MW-race-Nord 02.png|thumb|right|Female Nord fashion during the [[Lore:Third Empire|Third Empire]]]]
Nordic armor is typically lined with fur for heat retention, with leather trim work and steel plating on top. Typically, the hides from [[Lore:Wolf|wolves]], [[Lore:Horker|horkers]], [[Lore:Sabre Cat|sabre cats]], or [[Lore:Mammoth|mammoths]] are used for undergarment protection. Nordic weapons are thick and practical, with strong oak utilized for the wood of various weapon types like axes, maces, and staves. Leather grips are not uncommon, with steel being the most common material used in weaponry like swords.{{Ref|name=ILAANC|{{TIL|Arms and Armor of the Nordic Champion, Skegglund Stormcloak|arms-and-armor-nordic-champion-skegglund-stormcloak}}}} However, Nordic steel is known for being a combination of iron, steel, and corundum which gives it an edge over many kinds of steel. A widespread superstition among Nord smiths is by adding a drop of wild [[Lore:Bee|bee]] honey into all their creations, believing it will give them more cutting power.{{ref|name=ONNAA|{{Cite Book|Nord Armorers and Armsmen}}}} Massive steel weaponry can be forged according to the secrets developed by Nord smiths, where runes are engraved on them like Skyrim's legendary witch-warriors.{{ref|name=MWGaro|[[Morrowind:Garothmuk gro-Muzgub|Garothmuk gro-Muzgub]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} The [[Lore:Skyforge|Skyforge]] is known for producing Skyforge Steel{{ref|name=Merenfire|[[ON:Merenfire|Merenfire]]'s dialogue in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} said to be the highest quality steel in all of Tamriel.{{ref|name=Eorlund|[[SR:Eorlund Gray-Mane|Eorlund Gray-Mane]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} It is said that a blade forged in its fires can cut through sinew as if it were parchment.{{ref|[[SR:Spectral Assassin|Lucien Lachance]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} Knotwork, animalistic symbolism, or patterns such as the cross of Ysgrammor can be found on Nordic equipment.{{Ref|name=ILAANC}}

Nords make use of trollbone and trollskin as materials for crafting armor.{{ref|[[MW:Nordic Trollbone Armor|Nordic Trollbone Armor]] in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}{{ref|[[Dawnstar:Trollbone Shield|Trollbone Shields]] in ''[[Dawnstar:Dawnstar|Dawnstar]]''}}{{ref|[[Dawnstar:Trollskin Leather|Trollskin Leather]] armor in ''[[Dawnstar:Dawnstar|Dawnstar]]''}} Troll teeth are sometimes used for arms or jewelry.{{ref|[[Dawnstar:Trolltooth Axe|Trolltooth Axe]] in ''[[Dawnstar:Dawnstar|Dawnstar]]''}}{{ref|{{Item Link|Troll-Tooth Necklace|id=33159|summary=1|quality=3}} item in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The Imperial scholar Reginus Buca once mentioned having heard unconfirmed reports that some Nords use troll spit to enhance their grip in battle, he suggested they might also use it to bind books.{{ref|[[ON:Ancestral Nord Style|Ancestral Nord Gloves]] antiquity codex entry in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

Ancient Nords used Dragonscale and Dragonbone arms and armor during the Merethic Era.{{ref|[[Blades:Gauntlets of the Companions|Gauntlets of the Companions]] item description in ''[[Blades:Blades|Blades]]''}} There is considerable evidence that orthodox Dragon Priests had their armor crafted from genuine remains of the great creatures.{{ref|name=CM59|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 59: Scalecaller Style}}}} Some Dragons have awarded pieces of themselves willingly as part of an alliance or bargain. The Dragon [[Lore:Numinex|Numinex]] provided Draconic armor in exchange for his life.{{ref|name=Dov-rha Sabatons|[[ON:Dov-rha Sabatons|Dov-rha Sabatons]]'s antiquity codex entries in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

[[Lore:Stalhrim|Stalhrim]] is a rare form of enchanted ice found only on the island on [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]]. Throughout history it has served various uses. Originally it was used in the burial rituals of ancient Nords,{{ref|name=FotSP|{{Cite Book|Fall of the Snow Prince}}}}{{ref|name=DBloading|Dragonborn [[Skyrim:Loading Screens#Solstheim|loading screen]]}} It has also served as a crafting material and, with the proper tools and techniques, can be used to create weapons, armor, clothing, and even jewelry.{{ref|name=BM|[[Bloodmoon:Raw Stalhrim|Raw Stalhrim]] usage in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}}{{ref|[[Skyrim:Skaal Amulet|Skaal Amulet]] in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]: [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}} The [[Lore:Skaal|Skaal]] believe the art of forging Stalhrim into weapons and armor is sacred, and certain members of the Skaal were charged as keepers of this ancient tradition.{{ref|name=Deor|[[Skyrim:Deor Woodcutter|Deor Woodcutter]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]: [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}} As such, knowledge of stalhrim smithing is very rare and typically known only to the Skaal.{{ref|name=DBloading}} However, local Nords and the warriors of [[Lore:Thirsk|Thirsk]] have also been known to possess such knowledge.{{ref|name=SRHIF|[[Skyrim:Halbarn Iron-Fur|Halbarn Iron-Fur]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]: [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}}

Jarls may wear crowns made from [[Lore:Horker|horker]] leather and reused metal from weapons.{{ref|[[ON:Jarl Crown|Jarl Crown]] description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Braided hair styles are popular among the Nords, so to protect these braids as they sleep, hair nets made from silver mesh are used.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband N#Nocturnal Nord Hair Net|Nocturnal Nord Hair Net]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} Oil sourced from springtime [[Lore:Spriggan|spriggans]] may be used in the upkeep of their beards.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband S#Spriggan Beard Oil|Spriggan Beard Oil]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}

Nords tend to favor rustic scents that bring to mind things like winter,{{ref|[[ON:Contraband E#Essence Of Bleakrock|Essence Of Bleakrock]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} or products made with ingredients harvested from flora and fauna native to [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]] like the musk of [[Lore:Spider|frostbite spiders]].{{ref|[[ON:Contraband F#Frostbite Spider Musk Oil|Frostbite Spider Musk Oil]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} The essence of [[Lore:Mammoth|mammoths]] is a fragrance created in [[Lore:Windhelm|Windhelm]] that is popular with both maiden and matron alike.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband E#Essence of Mammoth|Essence of Mammoth]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}} The [[Lore:Jazbay|jazbay]] grapes native to the province are used in a tangy scented cologne.{{ref|[[ON:Contraband J#Jazbay Cologne|Jazbay Cologne]] item description in [[ON:Online|ESO]]}}
<gallery style=hidden>
File:ON-concept-Nobles' Fashionable Attire 06.jpg|Male Nord Fashion in {{Year|2E 582}}
File:MW-item-Nordic Weapons.jpg|Nordic Weaponry (Morrowind)
File:MW-item-Nordic Light Armor.jpg|Nordic Light Armor (Morrowind)
File:MW-item-Nordic Heavy Armor.jpg|Nordic Iron and Trollbone Armor (Morrowind)
File:SR-item-Stalhrim Light Armor Male.jpg|Stalhrim Armor (Skyrim)
File:ON-concept-Solitude Gear.jpg|Solitude's Swordthane Equipment (ESO)
File:SR-item-Nordic Carved Armor Male.jpg|Nordic Carved Armor (Skyrim)
File:SR-concept-6877589295.jpg|Nordic Steel Armor (Skyrim)
</gallery>
{{clear}}
===Holidays===
;Feast of Dibella: It is common to display a silver, moth-shaped mirror for the annual Feast of Dibella celebration.{{ref|[[Online:Contraband F#Feast of Dibella Centerpiece|Feast of Dibella Centerpiece]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
;[[Lore:Feast of the Dead|Feast of the Dead]]: The Nords of Windhelm celebrate the Feast of the Dead on the 13th of Sun's Dawn to honor the Five Hundred Companions and their ancient accomplishments.{{Ref|name=TIEGTTS}} The names of each of the companions are recited every year.{{Ref|name=PGE1S}}
;[[Lore:Konunleikar|Konunleikar]]: It is traditionally the tenth anniversary of the High King's coronation. It consists of drinking and games, such as the Footrace of the Nine Holds.{{Ref|[[Online:The Konunleikar|The Konunleikar]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}{{Ref|name=ONMera|[[Online:Thane Mera Stormcloak|Thane Mera Stormcloak]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
;Fishing Day: Originally created by Bretons of High Rock, Fishing Day is holiday that is also popular among Nords of Skyrim as well as among other cultures with affinity for fishing. It is usually accompanied by feasting and meals such as Coastal Clam Chowder, Rye Crisps, Seared Nordic Barnacles and Horker's Loaf are commonly consumed. {{ref|name=TESTOC}}{{rp|16}}
;Festival of Lights: This holiday is a tradition in the Skyrim city of [[Lore:Dawnstar|Dawnstar]]. Little candies are given out to celebrate.{{Ref|[[Dawnstar:Alhavara|Alhavara]]'s dialogue in ''[[Dawnstar:Dawnstar|Dawnstar]]''}}
;The Burning of King Olaf: An effigy of [[Lore:Olaf One-Eye|Olaf One-Eye]] is ritually burned in [[Lore:Solitude|Solitude]] as part of an annual festival known as "The Burning of King Olaf".{{ref|name=WTW11|{{Cite Book|Walking the World, Vol XI}}}}
;Wintertide Festival: A holiday celebrated every year in the winter. Wealthy Nords have a serious tradition of saving snow during this time and preserving them in jars.{{Ref|name=ONContraJars|[[Online:Contraband N#Nord Gold-Plated Snow Jars|Nord Gold-Plated Snow Jars]] item description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
;[[Lore:Heart's Day|Heart's Day]]: This is a holiday celebrated all over Tamriel on the 16th of [[Lore:Sun's Dawn|Sun's Dawn]]. In almost every house, the [[Lore:Legend of the Lovers|Legend of the Lovers]] is being sung for the younger generation. In honor of these lovers, Polydor and Eloisa, the inns of various cities offer a free room for visitors. If such kindness had been given these Lovers, it is said, it would always be springtime in the world.{{ref|name=DF|Heart's Day [[Daggerfall:Holidays|description]] in ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}}
;[[Lore:Jester's Festival|Jester's Festival]]: The Jester's Festival is an annual holiday that falls on the 28th of [[Lore:Rain's Hand|Rain's Hand]].{{ref|name=WFDF|[[Daggerfall:Holidays#Rain's Hand|Jester's Day]] description in ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}} During the event, troupes of jesters and fools encourage the people of Tamriel of all walks of life to celebrate the foolish and absurd. Performers roam the streets and openly mock the powerful, towns celebrate with festive pranks, and silly games are held with joke prizes rewarded as an incentive.{{ref|name=CJF|[https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-gb/news/post/25979 Celebrate the Jester's Festival] on the official [[Online:Online|ESO]] website}} There is many origin stories for the Jester's Festival. Relevant to Nords is the one attributing it to Ysgramor teaching Mer humor.{{ref|name=JFJKJ|[[Online:Jester King Jorunn|Jester King Jorunn]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}
;[[Lore:Old Life Festival|Old Life Festival]]: Though it is primarily an [[Lore:Imperial|Imperial]] holiday{{ref|name=ESOPG|[[Online:Petronius Galenus|Petronius Galenus]]' dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} but it is also celebrated throughout [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]] by other cultures in their own unique ways due to the reach and influence of the [[Lore:Empire|Empire]].{{ref|name=DFOL|[[Daggerfall:Holidays#Old Life Festival|Old Life Festival]] description in ''[[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|Daggerfall]]''}}{{ref|name=TESTOC|{{Cite Book|The Elder Scrolls: The Official Cookbook|ns_base=BK}}}}{{rp|16}}
;[[Lore:New Life Festival|New Life Festival]]: Almost all major races in Tamriel celebrate the New Life Festival in their own culturally unique way, and the celebrations themselves have been known to change over time. Many of the celebrations are symbolic of a historical event or have some deeper meaning. Celebrations include races, feasts, games, and dancing.{{ref|name=ON|[[Online:The New Life Festival|The New Life Festival]] quest in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}} The Nords of {{Lore Link|Lower Yorgrim}}, who celebrate by traveling to remote places, stripping down, and leaping into freezing water, then drying off by a large fire among fellow participants. This is to show that they aren't afraid of what the cold brings, and that at the end of a winter's journey is a warm fire and good company.{{ref|name=ONBreda|[[Online:Breda|Breda]]'s dialogue in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

===Food===
[[File:ON-crown store-Deepsnow Prairie Dog.jpg|A Deepsnow Prairie Dog, considered a morsel to Nords|thumb|right]]
:''Main Article: [[Lore:Nord Cuisine|Nord Cuisine]]''
{{Lore:Nord Cuisine}}

===Language===
The modern Nordic language comes from the Ancient Nordic tongue, which in turn copies from the Dragon Language. The semblance comes from the alphabet, which looks like claw marks and scratches.{{Ref|name=DLMNM|{{Cite Book|Dragon Language: Myth no More}}}} Nords can still be found using phrases from the Dragons such as "Evgir Unslaad," which means "Season Unending,"{{Ref|name=SRBergritte|[[Skyrim:Bergritte Battle-Born|Bergritte Battle-Born]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} or "Thu'um," which means Shout.{{Ref|name=PGE1S}} The Nordic god, [[Lore:Jhunal|Jhunal]] is considered the father of languages.{{ref|name=VOF|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith...}}}}

{| width=80%
|- valign=top
|width=50%|
; Bare-sarks: "Berserkers"{{Ref|name=BMBerserkers|[[Bloodmoon:Berserker|Berserkers]] description in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Bloodmoon:Bloodmoon|Bloodmoon]]''}}
; Dalk: "Knife"{{Ref|name=TIC|{{Cite Book|The Infernal City|ns_base=Books}}}}
; Drah-gkon/Dov-rha: "Dragon" (Ancient Nordic){{Ref|name=TDW}}
; Hjerim: "Home of Frost"{{Ref|name=SRPrima|{{Cite Book|The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Prima Official Game Guide|ns_base=Books}}}}{{rp|552}}
|width=50%|
; Merethic: Literally "Era of the Elves"{{Ref|name=BTAOM}}
; Skald: "Bard"{{Ref|name=TIEGTTS}}
; Valunstrad: "Avenue of Valor" (Ancient Nordic){{Ref|name=SRPrima}}{{rp|552}}
; Ysmir: "Dragon of the North"{{Ref|name=PGE1ECY|{{Cite Book|Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition/Cyrodiil}}}}
|}

==Religion==
The Nords are considered to be a devout people with grim religious beliefs. Among other things, they have long believed that Alduin, the World-Eater, would eventually return and bring about the end of the world.{{ref|name=VOF}} As dark as their belief systems are viewed to be, all Nordic traditions extend one bright, shining hope for Nords: [[Lore:Sovngarde|Sovngarde]], the Hall of Valor, where Nords who have proven their mettle in battle or died valiantly are welcome to experience euphoric bliss and camaraderie, free from time and boredom.{{ref|name=SAR|{{Cite Book|Sovngarde, a Reexamination}}}}{{ref|name=ADOS|{{Cite Book|A Dream of Sovngarde}}}} Some stories claim the place was built by, and still inhabited by, the elusive [[Lore:Shor|Shor]].{{ref|name=SAR}} It is little surprise that cowardice is the worst trait a Nord can exhibit, for "a Nord is judged not by the manner in which he lived, but the manner in which he died".{{ref|name=ADOS}} Nords cross the whalebone bridge to reach Sovngarde, and flying whales are a cultural metaphor for the transition from Nirn to Aetherius.{{ref|name=CarvedWhale|[[Online:Eastmarch Antiquities#Carved Whale Totem|Carved Whale Totem]] [[Online:Antiquities|Antiquity]] Codex entry in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}

===The Old Ways===
Ysgramor and the Atmorans brought with them the worship of animal gods: the hawk, wolf, snake, moth, owl, whale, bear, fox, and most importantly the dragon.{{ref|name=TDW}} Over time, as Nord beliefs evolved, the traditional Nordic Pantheon of [[Lore:Gods|Divines]] emerged as personifications of natural forces and ideas.{{ref|name=VOF}} Many scholars believe that the Nordic Pantheon is the same as the orthodox pantheon, merely with different names (there are certainly many parallels), and many Nords who have adopted the Divines evidently have this understanding.

[[File:Solstheim map Bloodmoon.jpg|thumb|right|A map of Solstheim during the Third Era]]
The isolated Nordic tribe in [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]], the [[Lore:Skaal|Skaal]], carry on a tradition very similar to the old tradition of animal worship. The Skaal venerate all of nature, believing that certain parts of their environment, such as the winds, the trees and the sun, were given to them by the All-Maker, a benevolent, unknowable creator deity. Wolves and bears are especially sacred to the small tribe. All aspects of nature must constantly be in harmony, for this is what gives the Skaal their shamanic powers. The Skaal also tell tales of the Adversary, the enemy of mankind, and his lieutenant, the Greedy Man. In this regard, the faith of the Skaal is nearly the opposite of the pantheon of their kin in Skyrim.{{ref|name=TSOASS|{{Cite Book|The Story of Aevar Stone-Singer}}}} Although the Skaal do not worship them, they also acknowledge the existence of the Daedric Princes.{{ref|name=StornDB|[[SR:Storn Crag-Strider|Storn Crag-Strider]]'s dialogue during [[SR:The Gardener of Men|The Gardener of Men]] in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]: [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}}

===The Nordic Pantheon===
[[File:SR-place-Hall of Valor.jpg|right|thumb|The Hall of Valor in [[Lore:Sovngarde|Sovngarde]], the Nordic afterlife. It is a huge mead-hall which houses the souls of honorable heroes, by will of [[Lore:Shor|Shor]].]]
Like most modern Tamrielic races, Nordic religion is focused on the [[Lore:Aedra|Aedra]] and their old ally, [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]], which they call Shor.{{ref|name=SATD|{{Cite Book|Shezarr and the Divines}}}} However, the Nord's Sky Goddess [[Lore:Kyne|Kyne]] is notably more assertive and warlike than the nature-loving [[Lore:Kynareth|Kynareth]].{{ref|name=VOF}} Although [[Lore:Mara|Mara]] is present in her role as a mother goddess, she is thought of as a mere handmaiden to Kyne, the actual mother of the Nords and the widow to Shor.{{ref|name=COTS}}{{ref|name=VOF}} She is also credited with sending her son [[Lore:Morihaus|Morihaus]] (and perhaps [[Lore:Pelinal Whitestrake|Pelinal]]) to the aid of the [[Lore:Cyro-Nord|Cyro-Nordic]] slaves in their uprising against the [[Lore:Ayleids|Ayleids]] around {{Year|1E 242}}.{{ref|name=SATD}} Shortly after, the Nordic pantheon of gods would be fused with the Aldmeri pantheon by [[Lore:Alessia|Alessia]] into the [[Lore:Eight Divines|Eight Divines]] (although this new belief system would be bucked occasionally).{{ref|name=SATD}}{{ref|name=FSOKW}} Interestingly, certain [[Lore:Daedric Princes|Daedra]], notably [[Lore:Hermaeus Mora|Hermaeus Mora]], are present in Nordic mythos.

;Kyne, the Hawk: Goddess of the storm, widow of Shor, and head of the Nordic pantheon. She gave the men the power of the [[Lore:Thu'um|storm voice]].

;Mara, the She-Wolf (The Sacred Wolf){{ref|name=FWmount|[[Online:Frostbane Wolf|Frostbane Wolf]] mount description in [[Online:Online|ESO]]}}: Mother goddess and handmaiden of Kyne.

;Jhunal, the Owl: God of runes and hermetic orders.

;Shor, the Fox: Dead god and ruler over Sovngarde.

;Stuhn, the Whale: Stuhn is the god of ransom, fraternity and justice. He taught the Nords the benefit of taking prisoners of war, and is represented by the whale.

;Dibella, the Moth: Goddess of beauty and inspiration of artists.{{ref|[[Lore:The Song of Gods|"the artist's muse"]]}}

;Tsun, the Bear: God of trials against adversity. He died defending Shor and became the guardian of the bridge to the Hall of Valor.

;Orkey, the Snake: [[Lore:Orkey|Orkey]], [[Lore:Herma-Mora|Herma-Mora]] and [[Lore:Mauloch|Mauloch]] are the Testing Gods. They are not worshiped; rather, the Nords guard against them to protect the hearth.{{ref|name=DATN|{{Cite Book|Divines and the Nords}}}}

;Alduin, the Dragon: Dreadful World-Eater, and Twilight God that will usher in the next cycle.{{ref|[[Lore:The Song of Gods|The Song of Gods]]}}{{ref|name=DATN|{{Cite Book|Divines and the Nords}}}} It is unclear if at one point the Dragon Totem was held by Akatosh (potentially under a different name) as distinct from Alduin under the Dragon Cult, prior to Alduin. It is possible that the shift from Akatosh to Alduin as the Dragon Totem occurred during the Cult's lifetime due to Alduins hunger for Akatosh's crown {{ref|name=Paarthurnax|[[SR:Paarthurnax (dragon)|Paarthrunax]]'s dialogue in ''[[SR:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{Ref|name=TWaS|{{Cite Book|The Wandering Spirits}}}}, or later under the religious reforms of King Wulfharth.{{Ref|name=TWaS|}}{{ref|name=FSOKW|{{Cite Book|Five Songs of King Wulfharth}}}}

[[File:SR-concept-Alduin.jpg|right|thumb|Alduin, the World-Eater]]
The former chief of the Nordic pantheon of Skyrim is Shor. He was the king of the gods and a champion of men in their struggles against the Elves,{{ref|name=VOF}} until being treacherously slain by elven giants, and consigned to serve as god of the underworld. He may still have an impact on the mortal world in the form of the [[Lore:Shezarrine|Shezarrine]].{{Ref|name=TFS|{{Cite Book|ns_base=Online|The Footsteps of Shezarr}}}} Shor was left out of the Eight Divines, but is still represented in a way acceptable to some Nords as "the spirit behind all human undertaking" in the Cyrodilic pantheon.{{ref|name=SATD}}{{ref|name=FSOKW}} Common wisdom holds that Shor, [[Lore:Shezarr|Shezarr]], [[Lore:Lorkhaj|Lorkhaj]] and [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] are the same entity.{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=SATD}}{{ref|name=TTOD|{{Cite Book|The Tale of Dro'Zira}}}}{{Ref|name=TWaS}}

The traditional Nordic pantheon has had a very muddled history with [[Lore:Akatosh|Akatosh]], the Dragon God of Time, and misconceptions abound. The totem animals of the Old Ways included the dragon, whom scholars correlate with the worship of Akatosh, but the veneration of dragons understandably dwindled among Nords after the Dragon War.{{ref|name=TDW}} The Nords of the First Era thus only came to know Akatosh as Auri-El, the Elven deity, whom they demonized, and as a name for Alduin, in contrast to most others at the time who made the opposite claim.{{Ref|name=APQ|{{Cite Book|Artorius Ponticus Answers Your Questions}}}}{{ref|name=DC|{{Cite Book|Temples of the Dragon Cult}}}}.{{ref|name=SATD}} Although scholarly thought itself in Cyrodiil was not unanimous on the Alduin/Akatosh dichotomy, as some declared Alduin the Nordic Akatosh.{{ref|name=VOFIT|{{Cite Book|Varieties of Faith in Tamriel}}}} Nevertheless, Akatosh was reintroduced in Alessia's compromised pantheon. In contrast to the earlier eras of scholarly thought in Cyrodiil and Alinor, recognizing Akatosh and Alduin as distinct, by the Fourth Era common thought has aligned with the earlier Nordic view that they are one and the same.{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TAAD|{{Cite Book|The Alduin/Akatosh Dichotomy}}}}{{ref|name=AIR|{{Cite Book|Alduin is Real}}}} However the Nords themselves have seemingly switched in opinion in the meantime, now viewing them as distinct and citing ancient oral traditions, as well as the aid Akatosh gave Martin Septim, as evidence they are distinct. These new views on Alduin and Akatosh from the Nords however, are dismissed by modern scholars.{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=TAAD}}{{ref|name=AIR}}

===The Thu'um and the Dragonborn===
[[File:SR-place-Throat of the World.jpg|thumb|right|The Throat of the World]]
[[File:Lore-dragon-Poem.png|thumb|right|A poem in the Dragon Language]]
The spiritual relationship between the Nords and breath is crucial to understanding Nordic beliefs and motivations. They believe Kyne breathed life into them at the [[Lore:Throat of the World|Throat of the World]], the highest mountain in Skyrim.{{ref|name=COTS}}{{ref|name=PGE1S}} Other Nordic legends claim the race originated from Atmora.{{ref|name=PsijicBear|[[ESO:Psijic Bear Exemplar|Psijic Bear Exemplar]] mount description in [[ESO:ESO|ESO]]}} Another creation myth involves the [[Lore:Ehlnofey|Ehlnofey]], wandering progenitors of the [[Lore:Mythic Era|Mythic Era]], some of whom were displaced to Atmora during the Ehlnofey wars of the Dawn Era and became the Nords.{{ref|name=TAA}} The Nords themselves do not believe in any single creation myth, as they hate to waste time thinking over it, and for many Nords the closest allegory they have for one is simply the oldest story they know.{{ref|name=ONLCM|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|On the Nords' Lack of a Creation Myth|ns_base=General}}}} The two stories are not necessarily in conflict, as they both seem to suggest that Nordic ancestors emerged in Skyrim, flourished in Atmora, then returned. Regardless, the Nords believe that their breath and voice are their vital essence, and that by uttering shouts in the [[Lore:Dragon Language|tongue of the dragons]], they can channel their essence to perform incredible feats.

Nords have been able to use the [[Lore:Thu'um|thu'um]], a magical shout capable of extraordinary power, as a nearly unstoppable weapon against their adversaries as far back as the late Mythic Era.{{ref|name=TDW}}{{ref|name=TAOWM|{{Cite Book|The Art of War Magic}}}} They view it as a gift from Kyne, and those with the talent to wield it are called "Tongues".{{ref|name=VOF}}{{ref|name=COTS}} The ancient [[Lore:Greybeards|Greybeards]], masters of the thu'um, still sit atop the 7000 steps leading to the settlement of [[Lore:High Hrothgar|High Hrothgar]], near the summit of the Throat of the World, where they practice the [[Lore:Way of the Voice|Way of the Voice]].{{ref|name=PGE1S}} Their leader, [[Lore:Jurgen Windcaller|Jurgen Windcaller]], brought about a ban on the use of the thu'um outside of times of "True Need".{{ref|name=PGE1S}}{{ref|name=Hrothgar}} Tiber Septim established the Imperial College of the Voice in [[Lore:Markarth|Markarth]] in an attempt to turn the Way of the Voice to warfare.{{ref|name=PGE1S}} While some Tongues like Ulfric Stormcloak have proved willing to use the thu'um for violence, the use of the thu'um in warfare has remained extremely rare among Nords. It is false to assume, however, that the Way of the Voice demands pacifism: while the Greybeards don't take up arms directly, they occasionally speak, and thereby set titanic events in motion. They have spoken together on only two known occasions: to announce the destiny of Tiber Septim and, later, to do the same for the [[Lore:Hero|Last Dragonborn]].{{ref|name=PGE1S}}{{ref|name=Skyrim}}

Today, Ysmir is the name by which Nords recognize the divinity of Talos. However, there are many competing theories on who or what Ysmir really is.{{ref|name=TAH|{{Cite Book|The Arcturian Heresy}}}}{{ref|name=36LS9}} The title seemed to have originated with [[Lore:Wulfharth|Ysmir Wulfharth]], the Atmoran-born ruler of ancient Skyrim whose thu'um was so powerful that he could not speak without causing destruction.{{ref|name=COTS}}{{ref|name=PGE1S}}{{ref|name=FSOKW}} This is actually rather typical of the greatest masters (powerful Tongues are often gagged for safety).{{ref|name=COTS}}{{ref|name=PGE1S}}

In Nordic society, the Dragonborn is an archetype for what a Nord should be, and any Dragonborn is treated with a deep respect.{{ref|name=SOSR}} A Dragonborn can not only wield the power of the thu'um like other Tongues, but can also absorb the souls of dragons, as well as knowledge of the thu'um, thereby achieving in a short time what it takes others a lifetime to learn.{{ref|name=TBOTD|{{Cite Book|The Book of the Dragonborn}}}} The "Dragonborn Emperors" were able to rely on this cultural influence to cement the fealty of the Nords, while the Emperors of the Fourth Era were not.{{ref|name=TBOTD}}{{ref|name=TOC|{{Cite Book|The Oblivion Crisis}}}} It is likely because of this that so many Nords are unwilling to give up the worship of Talos, even in the face of a ban by the Empire.{{ref|name=FFTT}}
{{NewLeft}}

===Funerary Customs and Ancestor Worship===
[[File:SR-concept-NordicBarrowInteriorRuins.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Ancient nordic barrow]]
[[File:SR-interior-Hall of the Dead (Whiterun) 03.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Hall of the Dead]]

:''Main Article: [[Lore:Nord Death Beliefs|Nord Death Beliefs]]''

====Ancient====
The ancient Nords built great barrows and underground structures to bury their dead. Often these tombs were built for one person, a king, a priest or a great hero, but were further used for their followers or family.{{fact}}

The way corpses were entombed was varied. Sometimes small ossuaries were embedded in the pillars of the barrow, where bones and skulls were stacked on top of one each other.{{ref|name=SKBB|Entrance hall of [[Skyrim:Bleak Falls Barrow (place)|Bleak Falls Barrow]] in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{ref|name=SKCA|[[:File:SR-concept-NordicBarrowInteriorRuins.jpg|"Inside a Nordic barrow"]] [[Skyrim:Concept Art|Concept Art]]}} Some corpses were placed in sturdy and heavy sarcophagi, but most of them were placed to rest in open grave niches in the tunnels of the catacombs.{{fact}}

In some cases the funerary practices involved a ship burial. Olmgerd the Outlaw in Tukushapal was given such a burial.{{ref|name=Ennbjof|[[Morrowind:Ennbjof|Ennbjof]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}{{ref|name=MT|[[Morrowind:Tukushapal|Tukushapal]] in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}}.

Ancient burial practices on [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]] involved covering the deceased with [[Lore:Stalhrim|Stalhrim]], a magical and nearly unbreakable material, to protect the body.{{fact}}

====Modern====
Some Nords may still use their family's tombs, but nowadays it is common for them to fill an urn or a coffin in one of the [[Lore:Hall of the Dead|halls of the dead]], where a priest of Arkay watches over their remains.{{fact}}

====Ancestor Worship====
:''Main Article: [[Lore:Ancestor Worship#Other Traditions|Ancestor Worship]]''
The Nords honor their ancestors and place offerings in or at their graves. Apples, wine, gold coins or [[Skyrim:Snowberries|snowberries]] are often offered to the ancestors.{{ref|Offerings in [[Skyrim:Hillgrund's Tomb|Hillgrund's Tomb]] in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}

==Artifacts==
[[File:SR-interior-Bromjunaar Sanctuary.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Dragon Priest Masks]]
===={{Lore Link|Dragon Priest Masks}}====
{{Lore:Dragon Priest Masks}}
{{NewRight}}
[[File:SR-item-Fists of Randagulf.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Fists of Randagulf]]
===={{Lore Link|Fists of Randagulf}}====
{{Lore:Fists of Randagulf}}
{{NewRight}}
[[File:SR-icon-armor-Jagged Crown.png|thumb|right|150px|The Jagged Crown]]
===={{Lore Link|Jagged Crown}}====
{{Lore:Jagged Crown}}
{{NewRight}}
===={{Lore Link|Long-Launcher}}====
{{Lore:Long-Launcher}}
{{NewRight}}
[[File:SR-item-Wuuthrad.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Wuuthrad]]
===={{Lore Link|Wuuthrad}}====
{{Lore:Wuuthrad}}
{{NewRight}}

==Gallery==
===Appearances===
<gallery>
File:AR-race-Nord Males.gif|Male (Arena)
File:AR-race-Nord Females.gif|Female (Arena)
File:DF-pc-Nord (male).jpg|Male (Daggerfall)
File:DF-pc-Nord (female).jpg|Female (Daggerfall)
File:BS-race-Nord.jpg|Male and female (Battlespire)
File:RG-npc-Urik.jpg|Male (Redguard)
File:MW-npc-Frik.jpg|Male (Morrowind)
File:MW-npc-Hjotra the Peacock.jpg|Female (Morrowind)
File:SH-npc-Helga.png|Female (Stormhold)
File:SK-race-Nord.jpg|Male and female (Shadowkey)
File:OB-npc-Nels the Naughty.jpg|Male (Oblivion)
File:OB-npc-Kirsten.jpg|Female (Oblivion)
File:OBR-npc-Tolgan.jpg|Male (Oblivion Remastered)
File:OBR-npc-Agata 03.jpg|Female (Oblivion Remastered)
File:SR-npc-Sven.jpg|Male (Skyrim)
File:SR-npc-Sigrid.jpg|Female (Skyrim)
File:SR-npc-Haming.jpg|Male child (Skyrim)
File:SR-npc-Runa Fair-Shield.jpg|Female child (Skyrim)
File:ON-npc-Bandor.jpg|Male (ESO)
File:ON-npc-Svana.jpg|Female (ESO)
File:LG-avatar-Nord Male 1.png|Male (Legends)
File:LG-avatar-Nord Female 1.png|Female (Legends)
File:BL-npc-Wizard of the Tower.jpg|Male (Blades)
File:BL-npc-Staki.jpg|Female (Blades)
File:CT-npc-Ulfric Stormcloak.png|Male (Castles)
File:CT-npc-Lydia 02.jpg|Female (Castles)

File:BT-concept-Female Nord 1.webp|Female (Betrayal of the Second Era)
</gallery>

===Miscellaneous===
<gallery>
File:RG-comic-Page 5-Tobias.jpg|Tobias, a young Cyro-Nordic man (Origins of Cyrus)
File:LO-misc-Nord Barbarian.jpg|Nord barbarian with a scamp-hide shield concept art (Morrowind)
File:OBR-Race-Nord.png|Character Creation artwork (Oblivion Remastered)
File:SR-concept-6877541355.jpg|Male concept art (Skyrim)
File:SR-concept-6877541105.jpg|Female concept art (Skyrim)
File:BK-misc-Nord Warrior.png|Nord warrior (Gathering Force: Arms and Armor of Tamriel)
</gallery>

==Notes==
* Common Nord names, as well as certain aspects of Nord culture and tradition, are inspired by real-world [[wikipedia:Nordic countries|Nordic]] cultures and [[wikipedia:Norse mythology|Norse mythology]]. Their burial practices are based off [[wikipedia:Ancient Egypt|Ancient Egypt]], with the idea behind Nordic ruins being to have magnificent stone structures that would stand the test of time, like the pyramids of Egypt. [[General:Adam Adamowicz|Adam Adamowicz]] came up with having them shaped like ribcages, giving the developers the sense that they were made out of dead dragon skeletons, and were filled with iconography similar to egyptian heiroglyphs.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU9CcCscgRM Reliving the Opening of Skyrim with the Creators from BGS]</ref> Other inspirations in naming and culture periodically come from [[wikipedia:Germanic|Germanic]] and [[wikipedia:Slavic|Slavic]] motifs.

==See Also==
* [[Lore:Nord Names|Nord Names]]
* For a list of notable Nords, see [[:Category:Lore-People-Nord|here]].
* {{GSI|Arena:Nord|Daggerfall:Nord|Battlespire:Nord|Morrowind:Nord|Shadowkey:Nord|Oblivion:Nord|Skyrim:Nord|Online:Nord|Legends:Nord|Blades:Nord}} Also see the [[:Category:Redguard-Nord|''Redguard'' category]].

===Books===
* {{Book Link|The Bear of Markarth}}
* {{Book Link|Before the Ages of Man}}
* {{Book Link|Children of the Sky}}
* {{Book Link|Crafting Motif 4: Nord Style}}
* {{Book Link|Five Songs of King Wulfharth}}
* {{Book Link|Frontier, Conquest}}
* {{Book Link|The Legend of Red Eagle}}
* {{Book Link|Lost Legends}}
* {{Book Link|Lycanthropic Legends of Skyrim}}
* {{Book Link|The "Madmen" of the Reach}}
* {{Book Link|Nords of Skyrim}}
* {{Book Link|Of Crossed Daggers}}
* {{Book Link|Olaf and the Dragon}}
* '''{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Skyrim}}'''
* '''{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Skyrim}}'''
* {{Book Link|Skyrim's Rule}}
* {{Book Link|Songs of Skyrim: Revised}}
* {{Book Link|Songs of the Return}}
* {{Book Link|Sovngarde, a Reexamination}}

==References==
<references/>{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/>
{{Lore Races}}

[[fr:Lore:Nordique]]
</noinclude>

Lore:Paarthurnax

2025-06-11T05:00:43Z

Minor Edits: /* Merethic Era */ tweaks

<noinclude>{{Lore People Summary
|title=Grandmaster
|race=Dragon
|gender=Male
|birth=Dawn Era
|loc=Throat of the World
|appears=[[SR:Paarthurnax (dragon)|Skyrim]], {{Card|Paarthurnax|Legends}}
|image=SR-creature-Paarthurnax.jpg
}}
:''"What is better - to be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?"'' — Paarthurnax''</noinclude>
[[Lore:Paarthurnax|Paarthurnax]], a legendary [[Lore:Dragon|dragon]] whose name means "Ambition Overlord Cruelty" in the [[Lore:Dragon Language|Dragon Language]], is the leader of the [[Lore:Greybeards|Greybeards]] who resides at the top of the [[Lore:Throat of the World|Throat of the World]]. His younger dragon brothers refer to him as "the '''Old One'''".{{Ref|name=SROdahviing|Dialogue with [[Skyrim:Odahviing|Odahviing]]}} He was once the lieutenant of Alduin, but rebelled against him and with the help of [[Lore:Kyne|Kyne]] taught humanity how to use the Thu'um.{{Ref|name=ETgoHome|[[Skyrim:High Hrothgar#Etched Tablets|Etched Tablets]] of High Hrothgar}} He has since lived out a peaceful life, constantly struggling against the primal need to conquer and dominate, and teaching the Greybeards under [[Lore:Jurgen Windcaller|Jurgen Windcaller]]'s philosophy of the [[Lore:Way of the Voice|Way of the Voice]].{{Ref|name=SRPaarthurnax|Dialogue with [[Skyrim:Paarthurnax (dragon)|Paarthurnax]]}}{{ref|name=LeamonInterview|group=UOL|{{Cite Book|Leamon Tuttle Loremaster Interview|ns_base=General}}}} When Alduin reappeared in {{Year|4E 201}}, he aided the [[Lore:Last Dragonborn|Last Dragonborn]] in defeating him.{{Ref|name=Skyrim|Events of ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} In the aftermath, Paarthurnax sought to teach the dragons now scattered across [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]] the truth and rightness of the Way of the Voice.{{Ref|name=SRPaarthurnax}} Interestingly, Paarthurnax is missing the tip of his right horn.{{Ref|name=PaarthurnaxAppearance|Appearance of [[Skyrim:Paarthurnax (dragon)|Paarthurnax]]}}<noinclude>

==Biography==
[[File:MER-art-Skyrim Dragons.webp|thumb|right|Paarthurnax and his brother, Alduin]]
===Merethic Era===
Paarthurnax acted as the lieutenant of [[Lore:Alduin|Alduin]], his older brother, during the [[Lore:Dragon War|Dragon War]], purportedly committing many atrocities in the process.{{Ref|name=Esbern|[[Skyrim:Esbern|Esbern]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} During this time, he taught other dovah how to become masters of the [[Lore:Thu'um|thu'um]].{{ref|name=LGDragon|[[LG:Dragonclaw Rock|Dragonclaw Rock]] quest in ''[[Legends:Legends|Legends]]''}} Eventually, Paarthurnax rebelled against Alduin and instead taught mortals how to use the thu'um. Nords believe this was ordered by, or at least willed by, the goddess [[Lore:Kyne|Kyne]]. Paarthurnax implies that one of his motivations for rebellion was that Alduin claimed the lordship of [[Lore:Akatosh|Akatosh]].{{Ref|name=SRPaarthurnax}}{{Ref|name=TDW|{{Cite Book|The Dragon War}}}}{{Ref|name=ETgoHome}} When Alduin was defeated by being cast forward in time through use of an [[Lore:Elder Scrolls|Elder Scroll]], Paarthurnax used meditation to overcome his draconic instinct and lust for power.{{Ref|name=Skyrim}}

Paarthurnax took up an eternal vigil at the [[Lore:Throat of the World|Throat of the World]], where Alduin had been banished. There he would also teach mortals in the Way of the Voice, and took up practice of the [[Lore:Way of the Voice|Way of the Voice]], a philosophy discovered by [[Lore:Jurgen Windcaller|Jurgen Windcaller]] following his long meditation.{{Ref|name=Skyrim}}{{Ref|name=Arngeir|[[Skyrim:Arngeir|Arngeir]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} He served as the leader of the [[Lore:Greybeards|Greybeards]], a monastic order dedicated to the Way.{{Ref|name=Skyrim}} Paarthurnax lived under the protection provided by the Greybeards, and then by the [[Lore:Tamrielic Emperors|Emperors]], although he remained a high-priority target of the [[Lore:Blades|Blades]] for centuries.{{Ref|name=Esbern}}{{Ref|name=AoD|{{Cite Book|Atlas of Dragons}}}}

===First Era===
Throughout the eras, Paarthurnax spent most of his time meditating, rarely communicating even with the Greybeards and never with outsiders. Being allowed to see him is a great privilege, and only those whose Voice is strong can find and walk the perilous path to him.{{Ref|name=Arngeir}} He recalls visiting the captured dragon, [[Lore:Numinex|Numinex]], in Dragonsreach around the [[Lore:First Era|First Era]]. He attributes the decline of the dragon race to the [[Lore:Akaviri|Akaviri]], who slaughtered his brothers in the late First Era and dwindled their numbers drastically.{{Ref|name=SRPaarthurnax|Dialogue with [[Skyrim:Paarthurnax (dragon)|Paarthurnax]]}}

===Second Era===
By {{Year|2E 582}}, rumours of a dragon "monk" living alongside the Nordic monks at the Throat of the World were known.{{ref|name=LADITSE|{{Cite Book|Loremaster's Archive - Dragons in the Second Era}}}}

In the late Second Era, a young hero who would later become known as [[Lore:Tiber Septim|Emperor Tiber Septim I]] came to High Hrothgar to study under the Greybeards.{{ref|name=Arngeir|[[Skyrim:Arngeir|Arngeir]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{ref|name=EtchedTablets|[[Skyrim:High Hrothgar#Etched Tablets|Etched Tablets of High Hrothgar]] in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} Paarthurnax was then still the Master of the Greybeards, and it was said that the subsequent line of Dragonborn Emperors begun by Tiber Septim protected Paarthurnax from the [[Lore:Blades|Blades]] killing him (who sought to destroy all the dragons in the distant past when they first arrived to Tamriel in the First Era and became the [[Lore:Dragonguard|Akaviri Dragonguard]]).{{ref|[[Skyrim:Delphine|Delphine]]'s dialogue during the quest [[Skyrim:Paarthurnax|Paarthurnax]] in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}}

===Fourth Era===
In {{Year|4E 201}}, Alduin reappeared and the prophesied [[Lore:Hero|Last Dragonborn]] arrived in [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]]. The Dragonborn was soon summoned to [[Lore:High Hrothgar|High Hrothgar]] by the Greybeards, and eventually met with Paarthurnax, who had not trained another in over a hundred years{{Ref|name=SRPaarthurnax}} and aided the Dragonborn in defeating Alduin.{{Ref|name=Skyrim}} When confronting Paarthurnax at the Throat of the World, Alduin noted that his brother had weakened in power and offered him the chance to join him once more or perish, but Paarthurnax refused.{{Ref|name=SRPaarthurnax}} Paarthurnax then took it upon himself to teach the Way of the Voice to the remaining dragons who had been resurrected by Alduin, so that they too could control their lust for power.{{Ref|name=SROdahviing}}{{Ref|name=SRPaarthurnax}} However, the Blades discovered Paarthurnax's whereabouts, and appealed to the Dragonborn to kill Paarthurnax as punishment for the atrocities he was said to have committed. Paarthurnax's fate is currently unknown.{{Ref|[[SR:Paarthurnax (quest)|Possible events]] of ''[[SR:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}
{{NewLeft}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:LG-cardart-Paarthurnax 2.jpg|Paarthurnax in Legends
File:SR-creature-Paarthurnax 02.jpg|The Old One at the peak of the mountain
File:SR-quest-The Throat of the World.jpg|Paarthurnax, atop a word wall, greets the Last Dragonborn
File:SR-quest-Alduin's Bane 02.jpg|Paarthurnax battles his older brother atop the Throat of the World
File:MER-art-Paarthurnax Dragon.webp|Paarthurnax art
File:LG-cardart-Duel Atop the World 02.jpg|Alduin dueling Paarthurnax above the Throat of the World
</gallery>

==Notes==
* [[Lore:Durnehviir|Durnehviir]] and Paarthurnax had never met before his imprisonment in the Soul Cairn.{{Ref|group=UOL|[[General:Michael Kirkbride's Posts|Michael Kirkbride's posts - ''Does Paarthurnax have any knowledge of Durnehviir?'' Followup: ''how do you know?'' (03/27/15)]]}}

==See Also==
*{{GSI|Skyrim:Paarthurnax (dragon)|Legends:Paarthurnax}}

==References==
<references/>
{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/></noinclude>

Lore:Battle of Red Mountain

2025-06-11T04:43:38Z

Minor Edits: /* Aftermath */ tweaks

<noinclude>{{Trail|Appendices|Wars|nocat=1}}
[[Category:Lore-History-Wars-Battles]]
{{About|the event|the book|Lore:The Battle of Red Mountain}}{{TOCright}}
:''"With Dumac fallen, and threatened by Dagoth Ur and others, Kagrenac turned his tools upon the Heart, and Nerevar said he saw Kagrenac and all his Dwemer companions at once disappear from the world. In that instant, Dwemer everywhere disappeared without a trace."'' — [[Lore:Vivec|Vivec]], [[Lore:The Battle of Red Mountain|''The Battle of Red Mountain, and the Rise and Fall of the Tribunal'']]

</noinclude>The [[Lore:Battle of Red Mountain|Battle of Red Mountain]] was the climactic battle of the [[Lore:War of the First Council|War of the First Council]], and resulted in the sudden disappearance of the entire [[Lore:Dwemer|Dwemer]] race from [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]].{{ref|name=TBORM|{{Cite Book|The Battle of Red Mountain}}}}{{ref|name=NARM|{{Cite Book|Nerevar at Red Mountain}}}} The battle was fought at [[Lore:Red Mountain|Red Mountain]] in [[Lore:Resdayn|Resdayn]] (present-day [[Lore:Morrowind|Morrowind]]) around {{Year|1E 700}}{{ref|name=DI1|{{Cite Book|Dwemer Inquiries Vol I}}}} (or possibly earlier),{{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}} between the [[Lore:Chimer|Chimer]] (led by General [[Lore:Nerevar|Nerevar]], the Hortator) and the Dwemer (led by [[Lore:Dumac Dwarfking|Dumac Dwarfking]]),{{ref|name=NARM}}{{ref|name=PGE3All|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|All the Eras of Man}}}} along with armies of [[Lore:Nord|Nord]]s and [[Lore:Orc|Orc]]s.{{ref|name=TWOTFC|{{Cite Book|The War of the First Council}}}}{{ref|name=FSOKW|{{Cite Book|Five Songs of King Wulfharth}}}} The exact truth of what happened cannot be determined due to conflicting accounts,{{ref|name=POT|{{Cite Book|Progress of Truth}}}} but all agree that by the time the dust settled, much of that dust was all that remained of the Dwemer.{{ref|name=NARM}} Though Nerevar died, his people claimed victory, and four Chimer were positioned to become living gods.{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=NARM}}<noinclude>

==History==
[[File:ON-place-Red Mountain.jpg|thumb|left|Red Mountain]]
===Background===
The First Council was held together for hundreds of years thanks to the friendship between Dumac and Nerevar. However, through means lost to history, Lord [[Lore:Dagoth Ur|Voryn Dagoth]] of [[Lore:House Dagoth|House Dagoth]] learned of a Dwemer scheme: deep in the bowels of [[Lore:Red Mountain|Red Mountain]] on the island of [[Lore:Vvardenfell|Vvardenfell]], the Dwemer had found the [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart of Lorkhan]], and High Craftlord [[Lore:Kagrenac|Kagrenac]] planned to harness it and use it to power a giant [[Lore:Numidium|mechanical god]].{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=NARM}}{{ref|name=KT|{{Cite Book|Kagrenac's Tools (book)}}}} Lord Dagoth reported this to the Chimer leadership, and eventually, the Hortator Nerevar confirmed it with his patron [[Lore:Azura|Azura]]. Nerevar confronted his friend Dumac, and they quarreled bitterly (some sources assert Dumac did not know of Kagrenac's plan at the time and thus misunderstood Nerevar's concerns). As a result, Nerevar led the Chimer to war in order to stop this "profane" usurpation.{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=NARM}}

At the start of the war, Dwemeri forces were concentrated in the northwest of the province, and their campaign initially had great success throughout the north.{{ref|name=TWOTFC}}{{ref|name=TRN|{{Cite Book|The Real Nerevar}}}} There is speculation that many of the great metal automatons the Dwemer used as troops in the battle were built in the Great Workshops of Nchardak on the island of [[Lore:Solstheim|Solstheim]]. The coastal Dwemeri city was reputedly able to produce one automaton a day, an apparently impressive rate of production.{{ref|name=DBNeloth|[[Skyrim:Neloth|Neloth]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]: [[Skyrim:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]]''}} Many outlanders were at the battle, notably [[Lore:Orc|Orc]]s and [[Lore:Nord|Nord]]s, and sources often designate them as allies of the Dwemer.{{ref|name=TWOTFC}}

Nerevar, meanwhile, led his united people, the nomadic [[Lore:Ashlanders|Ashlanders]] as well as the [[Lore:Great Houses|Great Houses]] ([[Lore:House Redoran|House Redoran]], in particular, likes to trumpet its substantial contribution of warriors to the battle).{{ref|name=TWOTFC}}{{ref|name=TTNC|{{Cite Book|The True Noble's Code}}}}{{ref|name=NMAS|{{Cite Book|Nerevar Moon-and-Star}}}} Nerevar did not have full control of the Chimer forces until a series of defeats convinced the Great Houses to relinquish command.{{ref|name=TRN}} Once he had full command of the Chimer forces, Nerevar carefully orchestrated a confrontation at [[Lore:Dagoth-Ur (place)|Dumac's citadel]], a great Dwemer stronghold within Red Mountain where the Heart was being kept.{{ref|name=TWOTFC}}{{ref|name=PGE1M|{{Cite Book|PGE|1|Morrowind}}}}

The bulk of Nerevar's troops left Narsis and headed north at roughly the same time as a horde of westerners entered Morrowind from the west and began crossing the [[Lore:Inner Sea|Inner Sea]].{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=FSOKW}} Some sources claim that all who opposed Nerevar's forces in the battle were exterminated.{{ref|name=TWOTFC}}{{ref|name=TRN}} Others state that while all enemies of the Chimer forces were decisively defeated, only the Dwemer were wiped out completely.{{ref|name=SN|{{Cite Book|Saint Nerevar|ns_base=Morrowind}}}}

{{Quote Box|''"House Dagoth had discovered the source of the profane and secret power of the Dwemer: the legendary Heart of Lorkhan, which Dumac's people had used to make themselves immortal and beyond the measure of the gods."''|''[[Lore:Nerevar at Red Mountain|Nerevar at Red Mountain]]''}}

===Vivec's Account and the Heirographa===
[[File:MW-creature-Vivec.jpg|thumb|right|Lord Vivec the Poet]]
Vivec's account in ''[[Lore:The Battle of Red Mountain|The Battle of Red Mountain]]'' is the only one which is both firsthand and substantial, though it conspicuously fails to recount certain key elements, such as the death of Nerevar (other sources are used here to supplement Vivec's narrative).{{ref|name=TBORM}} According to Vivec, many of the Dwemeri forces were lured out of their secured stronghold at the start of the battle and pinned down by the Chimer thanks to Nerevar's contrivances (other sources mention the aid of Ashlander scouts and the efforts of [[Lore:Almalexia|Almalexia]], Nerevar's queen).{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=NARM}}{{ref|name=TWOTFC}} This is almost the only information available on the events outside of the mountain during the battle, even though it was where the bulk of the fighting took place.

Nerevar left others to command the assault outside while he took a small party, including Lord Dagoth, to the Heart Chamber, the center of Dumac's citadel.{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=NARM}}{{ref|name=TWOTFC}} While Vivec would only attribute their entry to "secret" means,{{ref|name=TBORM}} at least one source claimed an act of treason permitted them to enter.{{ref|name=TWOTFC}} Inside the Heart Chamber, they met and fought with Dumac and his guard. According to Vivec, Nerevar and Dumac fought each other directly, and both fell from terrible wounds.{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=NARM}}

Here, the stories diverge. Vivec's private remembrances were part of the Apographa, or hidden writings, of the [[Lore:Tribunal Temple|Tribunal Temple]], and they bear some discrepancies with the Heirographa (priestly writings; the public, orthodox doctrine of the Temple).{{ref|name=NARM}}{{ref|name=POT}} The Heirographa and some other sources claimed that Nerevar, with the aid of Azura, destroyed the Dwemer, while Vivec claimed it was Kagrenac's own folly which brought about their demise (though he was evidently not present at the time).{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=NARM}}{{ref|name=POT}} The Heirographa also did not recognize [[Lore:Kagrenac's Tools|Kagrenac's Tools]] or the Heart at all, instead claiming that the Tribunal "achieved divine substance through superhuman discipline and virtue and supernatural wisdom and insight".{{ref|name=POT}}{{ref|name=SN}}{{ref|name=FOTT|{{Cite Book|Fellowship of the Temple}}}}

According to Vivec, Kagrenac used his Tools on the Heart out of desperation in the heat of battle soon after Dumac fell, causing all known Dwemer then on [[Lore:Nirn|Nirn]] to disappear.{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=KT}}{{ref|name=Yagrum|[[Morrowind:Yagrum Bagarn|Yagrum Bagarn]]'s dialogue in [[MW:Morrowind|''Morrowind'']].}} However, the Tools remained.{{ref|name=KT}} Lord Dagoth recommended their immediate destruction, but Nerevar wished to consult with his other counselors, so he entrusted the tools to Lord Dagoth and had himself carried out to the [[Lore:Tribunal|Tribunal]] on the slopes of the mountain.{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=NARM}}{{ref|name=KT}} According to Vivec, they recommended to Nerevar that the Tools be preserved in case the Dwemer returned, but upon their return, Dagoth Ur refused to relinquish the Tools.{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=KT}} He seemed to be behaving irrationally (Temple intelligence would later conclude that Dagoth Ur inexplicably adopted the views and motivations of Kagrenac).{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=DUP|{{Cite Book|Dagoth Ur's Plans}}}} Nerevar and his guard resorted to force, and when the battle was over, Dagoth Ur was gone, presumed dead, Nerevar was dying, and the Tribunal had the Tools.{{ref|name=TBORM}}

One source of disagreement in the accounts of the battle is the role of Dagoth Ur. Vivec's account does not suggest Lord Dagoth was anything but loyal to Nerevar up until the former's treasonous refusal to relinquish Kagrenac's Tools in the Heart Chamber.{{ref|name=TBORM}} And, as discussed below, at least one version claims Lord Dagoth was Nerevar's ''most'' loyal companion. However, other sources treat House Dagoth as having openly aligned with the Dwemer at the time, asserting that House Dagoth was a more "secular" organization which apparently did not want to go to war with the Dwemer over Numidium,{{ref|name=TRN}}{{ref|name=TWOTFC}}{{ref|name=LOTS|{{Cite Book|Lives of the Saints}}}} which is difficult to reconcile with any of the more detailed records of what transpired.

{{Quote Box|''"Though many Dunmer, Tribesman and Houseman, died at Red Mountain, the Dwemer were defeated and their evil magicks destroyed, and the outlanders driven from the land. But after this great victory, the power-hungry khans of the Great Houses slew Nerevar in secret, and, setting themselves up as gods, neglected Nerevar's promises to the Tribes."''|''[[Lore:Nerevar Moon-and-Star|Nerevar Moon-and-Star]]''}}
===The Ashlander Accounts===
The stories of the Ashlanders, which were handed down within the tribes and mostly recorded in the Apographa, paint a very different picture of the battle. First of all, Ashlander tradition "does not place the Tribunal at Red Mountain",{{ref|name=POT}} which may be meant to refute false claims in the Heirographa that the Tribunal were present in the Heart Chamber at the height of the battle (writings in the Apographa based on Ashlander accounts specifically mention the Tribunal being outside the mountain when the Dwemer disappeared).{{ref|name=NARM}} Most Ashlander stories hold, as Vivec's does, that the Dwemer destroyed themselves and that Nerevar left Dagoth Ur to guard the mountain while he went to confer with the Tribunal (at least one Ashlander myth asserts Dagoth Ur killed Kagrenac and a dying Nerevar summoned Azura to help him destroy the Dwemer{{ref|name=NARM}}).{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=POT}} However, the Ashlander stories go on to accuse the Tribunal of poisoning Nerevar at the conference before confronting a defiant Dagoth Ur within Red Mountain, and when he would not yield, they drove him beneath the mountain and stole their divinity.{{ref|name=NARM}}{{ref|name=POT}}{{ref|name=NMAS}} Ashlanders attribute this story to [[Lore:Alandro Sul|Alandro Sul]], the shield-companion to Nerevar remembered as the immortal son of Azura, who went to live with the Ashlanders following the battle.{{ref|name=NARM}}

{{Quote Box|''"The Devil of Dagoth had tricked the Nords [...] As soon as Shor's army had got to Red Mountain, all the Devils and Dwarves fell upon them. Their sorcerers lifted the mountain and threw it onto Shor, trapping him underneath Red Mountain until the end of time."''|''[[Lore:Five Songs of King Wulfharth|Five Songs of King Wulfharth]]''}}
===The Outlander Accounts===
====Nordic Songs====
[[File:MW-book-Map Of Red Mountain.jpg|thumb|right|Red Mountain]]
[[File:LG-cardart-Dagoth Ur.png|thumb|right|Dagoth Ur, the Sharmat]]
Nords, Orcs, and even [[Lore:Khajiit|Khajiit]] have their own legends of what happened at the battle. While they raise as many questions as answers, they offer greater understanding of the events outside the mountain during the battle and the tactics that may have been employed. Many sources speak to the presence of the Dwemer's "Western allies" during the battle, though in practice it seems the outlander hordes battled Dwemer and Chimer alike.{{ref|name=FSOKW}}{{ref|name=NMAS}} Nordic legend recounts their ancestors' desire to intervene in the war and reclaim Morrowind from the "devils" (Chimer), but they were reticent to intervene without a strong leader- that is, until the "Devil of Dagoth" (Dagoth Ur) came to them under a flag of peace. He told them of the Heart of Lorkhan (or [[Lore:Shor|Shor]]) and its role in the ongoing war. They trusted that his betrayal of his countrymer was genuine, as treachery was common among the Chimer. Naturally, the Nords wanted to reclaim Shor's Heart, but lacked a strong leader which could rally them for such a campaign. Incredibly, High King [[Lore:Wulfharth|Wulfharth]], remade as the Ash King, returned from Sovngarde to lead the Nordic armies, and he forged an alliance with the Orcs to further bolster their ranks. According to legend, his return is attributed to Shor, who's spirit was summoned into the world by the Tongues. Together, they marched on Vvardenfell so that Shor could reclaim his heart and his power.{{ref|name=FSOKW}}

Wulfharth, along with Dagoth Ur, led the Nordic and Orc forces into Morrowind, although in accordance with the great Nordic oral tradition, accounts differ on what transpired. The "orthodox" tale declares that the whole thing was a ruse, that the Heart was a lie, and that the united Chimer-Dwemer forces lifted up the mountain, crushed Shor underneath it, and slaughtered the Nords. Wulfharth managed to kill Dumac and curse his people, but was "blasted [...] into Hell" by Vivec.{{ref|name=FSOKW}}

The other version of the story (dubbed the "Secret Song of Wulfharth Ash-King" by the Nords) confirms the presence of the Heart of Lorkhan(or 'Shor') and goes into greater detail regarding military maneuvers leading up to the battle: the Nordic forces traversed mainland Morrowind and began crossing the Inner Sea to reach Vvardenfell while the Chimer forces were still leaving [[Lore:Narsis|Narsis]], in the middle of the southern mainland of the province. Dagoth Ur purportedly confessed that he had been sent by the [[Lore:Tribunal|Tribunal]], who were betraying Nerevar's trust so that they might ensure the peace with the Dwemer would be broken, evidently believing that the peaceful coexistence with the Dwemer and pursuing the [[Lore:Veloth|Veloth]]i way of life were mutually exclusive proposals. Dagoth Ur proffered the Tribunal's subversive efforts as the reason for the Chimeri force's sluggish advance to Red Mountain.{{ref|name=FSOKW}}

The apocryphal song of Wulfharth further claims Nerevar, his shield companion Alandro Sul, and Dumac, each armed with a Tool of Kagrenac, fought together against Wulfharth and Shor, with Sul ''and'' Dumac acting as Nerevar's champions. While Wulfharth and Sul fought to a standstill, Dagoth Ur attacked and killed Dumac. Nerevar then slew Dagoth Ur for this betrayal, and Shor used the opportunity to briefly reclaim his heart and deliver a mortal wound to the Hortator. Nerevar managed to finish off Shor by striking his heart with Sunder, making it solid, and cutting it out once again with Keening before dying.{{ref|name=FSOKW}}

====Khajiit Stories====
According to an oral tradition told by a Khajiit to his cub after ingesting [[Lore:Moon Sugar|Moon Sugar]], a group of Khajiit warriors answered the roar of [[Lore:Alkosh|Alkosh]], and a jealous [[Lore:Lorkhaj|Lorkhaj]] instead gave his [[Lore:Thu'um|roar]] to "Ra'Wulfharth". Ra'Wulfharth used that roar to move the moons, transforming the warriors into [[Lore:Senche|Senche]] and robbing them of their reason, save one—Dro'Zira. When Ra'Wulfharth put out the call for warriors to fight at Red Mountain, Dro'Zira not only answered the call, but served as Ra'Wulfharth's ally and mount during his battle against "Dumalacath the Dwarf-Orc".{{ref|name=TTOD|{{Cite Book|The Tale of Dro'Zira}}}}

===Dagoth Ur's Account===
Dagoth Ur himself recalled, in a short letter addressed to Nerevar, that "beneath Red Mountain, you struck me down as I guarded the treasure you bound me by oath to defend. It was a cruel blow, a bitter betrayal, to be felled by your hand".{{ref|name=MFDU|{{Cite Book|Message from Dagoth Ur}}}} If taken to be true, it would contradict the Ashlander chain of events (if not the events themselves), but could partially corroborate both Vivec's story as well as one version of the Nordic narrative.

===Trueflame's fragment===
Nerevar's sword "[[Tribunal:Trueflame|Trueflame]]" is stated by Almalexia as having been broken during the Battle of Red Mountain, specifically during the fighting under the mountain. The [[Morrowind:Nerevarine|Nerevarine]] recovered the pieces of the sword, with one discovered as having broken off into a Dwemer Battle-Shield. This evidences that Nerevar was indeed fighting against the Dwemer, and not allied with them. Adding more credence to Vivec's and the Ashlander's accounts, while contradicting the Nordic ones.

{{Quote Box|''"We'll give you credit: you broke Alkosh something fierce, and that's not easy. Just don't think you solved what you accomplished by it, or can ever solve it. You did it again with Big Walker, not once, but twice! Once at Rimmen, which we'll never learn to live with. The second time it was in Daggerfall, or was it Sentinel, or was it Wayrest, or was it in all three places at once? Get me, Cyrodiil? When will you wake up and realize what really happened to the Dwarves?"''|R'leyt-harhr, Khajiit, Tender to the Mane, ''[[Lore:Where Were You ... Dragon Broke|Where Were You When the Dragon Broke?]]''}}

===Bamz-Amschend===
The ruins of Bamz-Amschend, an undisturbed Dwemer ruins underneath the city of Mournhold, are filled with ash piles seemingly where Dwemer once stood. One example is two ash piles, covering suits of armor and weapons, to either side of a door, implying these were once Dwemer door guards who were turned to ash instantly. Other ash piles around the ruin evidencing that the event happened before any Dwemer could react. These ash piles corroborate the part of the Ashlander tales (specifically the ones mentioned in Nerevar at Red Mountain) which say the Dwemer all turned to dust at the end of the Battle.

===Vivec's Sermons and the Red Moment===
Vivec also penned a controversial version of events in [[Lore:36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 36|''The Thirty-Six Lessons of Vivec, Sermon Thirty-Six'']]. In keeping with the rest of the ''Thirty-Six Lessons'' the Tribunal already ruled [[Lore:Resdayn|Resdayn]] when the Dwemer revolted and attacked with their clockwork machines, assisted by the Nords (led by Ysmir "again"). Nerevar, wielding the "Ethos Knife", killed King Dumac at Red Mountain, and discovered the "[[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|heart bone]]". Meanwhile, the [[Lore:Mournhold|Mourning Hold]] was attacked by [[Lore:Dwarven Centurion|Dwarven Centurion]]s and Dwemeri [[Lore:Tonal Architecture|tonal architects]], before being repelled by [[Lore:Almalexia|Almalexia]] and [[Lore:Sotha Sil|Sotha Sil]].{{ref|name=36L36|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 36}}}} Nerevar ventured deeper into Red Mountain in search of the [[Lore:Dagoth Ur|Sharmat]], but "went too far inside" and the mountain erupted. It was then that Dwemeri high priest Kagrenac "the Blighter" unveiled the ultimate Dwemer weapon: a "[[Lore:Numidium|walking star]]", which immolated the Chimer armies and blasted the land with such force that the [[Lore:Inner Sea|Inner Sea]] was created. It took the combined might of the Almsivi but they eventually destroyed the construct, as it died the Dwemer vanished.{{ref|name=36L36}}

While the account of the battle ends there, Sermon 37 contains the following: ''"And the red moment became a great howling unchecked [...] And Vivec became as glass, a lamp, for the dragon's mane had broke, and the red moon bade him come."''

It has been hypothesized that the many differing accounts of the Battle of Red Mountain, and indeed the ultimate disappearance of the Dwemer, were the result of a [[Lore:Dragon Break|Dragon Break]],{{ref|name=WWYDB|{{Cite Book|Where Were You ... Dragon Broke}}}} the aforementioned "Red Moment".{{ref|name=36L37|{{Cite Book|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 37}}}} ''[[Lore:Five Songs of King Wulfharth|Five Songs of King Wulfharth]]'' tells of Wulfharth addressing the reticent Nordic troops before the battle: ''"Then [he] said: 'Don't you see where you really are? Don't you know who Shor really is? Don't you know what this war is?' And they looked from the King to the God to the Devils and Orcs, and some knew, really knew, and they are the ones that stayed."'' Reportedly, what they knew was that they were inside the Red Moment.{{ref|name=FSOKW}}{{Ref|name=mkirc|group=UOL|{{TIL|Michael Kirkbride - IRC Q&A Sessions|michael-kirkbride-irc-quotes}}}}

The implication that a Dragon Break occurred was made in [[Lore:Where Were You ... Dragon Broke|''Where Were You When the Dragon Broke?'']], posited by R'leyt-harhr (see quotebox). After an account of the [[Lore:Middle Dawn|Middle Dawn]], the Khajiit goes on to speak of a Dragon Break that occurred at the end of [[Lore:Tiber Septim|Tiber Septim]]'s [[Lore:Tiber Wars#Surrender of Alinor|conquest of Tamriel]] and the [[Lore:Warp in the West|Warp in the West]] (both related to the activation of the [[Lore:Numidium|Numidium]]), then suggests something similar was responsible for the disappearance of the Dwemer.{{ref|name=WWYDB}} Aside from the allegorical Sermons, no accounts of the Battle of Red Mountain mention the Brass God being activated.{{ref|name=36L36}} However, many accounts do mention the Dwemer constructing Numidium with Kagrenac's tools beneath Red Mountain,{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=NARM}}{{ref|name=FSOKW}}{{ref|name=KT}} and some believe that the misuse of those tools was directly responsible for the Dwemer's disappearance.{{ref|name=Yagrum}}
{{NewLeft}}

===Aftermath===
Dagoth Ur was presumed to have died (except in Ashlander stories) until nearly the beginning of the [[Lore:Third Era|Third Era]].{{ref|name=KT}} Nerevar's lieutenants Vivec, Almalexia, and [[Lore:Sotha Sil|Sotha Sil]] rose to power among the Chimer. Within a few years, they would successfully use Kagrenac's Tools to become living gods, leading the Chimer to transform into the Dunmer.{{ref|name=TBORM}} They manipulated preexisting ancestral and Daedra worship into the [[Lore:Tribunal Temple|Tribunal Temple]] dedicated to their worship, and concealed the truth of how they gained their divinity.{{ref|name=POT}} House Dagoth was branded as a nest of traitors, and its members were killed or incorporated into other houses.{{ref|name=LOTS}}{{ref|name=HNFC|{{Cite Book|Hasphat's notes for Cosades|ns_base=Morrowind}}}} With the Dwemer gone, the Dunmer laid claim to all of modern-day Morrowind and their divine protectors kept them autonomous and relatively happy for millennia.{{ref|name=PGE3M|{{Cite Book|PGE|3|Morrowind}}}} Other cultures would move into some Dwemer cities, but many would be avoided due to their dangerous traps and constructs, with the Dwemer's technological advancement astounding scholars for millennia. The [[Lore:Snow Elf|Snow Elf]] slaves in Skyrim won the centuries-long [[Lore:War of the Crag|War of the Crag]] by default thanks to the disappearance of their foe. The Heart of Lorkhan remained in the mountain, and the [[Lore:Tribunal|Tribunal]] would return to it annually to refresh their energy.{{ref|name=DUP}} The Ashlanders, who refused to accept the Tribunal, returned to the ash wastes, where they passed down very different accounts of the battle and its villains.{{ref|name=NARM}} Red Mountain erupted around this time (the [[Lore:Sun's Death|Year of Sun's Death]], the first eruption of the mountain, occurred in {{Year|1E 668}}), though it is unclear if this was just before, during, or soon after the battle.{{ref|name=FSOKW}}
{{ref|name=PGE1M}}
{{NewLeft}}

==Notes==
*{{LNote|nb1|^|''[[Lore:Five Songs of King Wulfharth|Five Songs of King Wulfharth]]'' tells of the surviving Nords returning from the battle during the [[Lore:Sun's Death|Year of Sun's Death]]. This would place the date of the battle at {{Year|1E 668}}, three decades earlier than most other sources.}}

*In [[General:Douglas Goodall Interview|a 2005 interview]], Douglas Goodall stated that during the development of ''Morrowind'' there was no "official" account of what happened at the Battle of Red Mountain. "When I was at Bethesda, there was officially no answer. No one knew what really happened. They may have made up their minds now, but you'd have to ask a current employee."

==References==
<references/>
{{UOL}}
<references group=UOL/></noinclude>

Lore:Helath Stormbinder

2025-06-11T04:21:04Z

Minor Edits: tweaks

<noinclude>{{Lore People Summary
|race=Dunmer
|gender=Male
|name=Helath Stormbinder
|image=AR-misc-HelathStormbinder.jpg
|imgdesc={{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}}}}
</noinclude>[[Lore:Helath Stormbinder|Helath Stormbinder]] was a [[Lore:Dunmer|Dunmer]]{{intnote|nb1|[nb 1]}} warrior and champion of [[Lore:Boethiah|Boethiah]] who once owned the [[Lore:Ebony Mail|Ebony Mail]]. At some point long before the [[Lore:Imperial Simulacrum|Imperial Simulacrum]], he lost her favor and she took back the Mail, an event often compared to the tale of [[Lore:Kynareth|Kynareth]] taking the [[Lore:Lord's Mail|Lord's Mail]] from [[Lore:Morihaus|Morihaus]]. Boethiah then hid the Ebony Mail away somewhere in [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]], where it remained for many years. A map would eventually be discovered in a dungeon in [[Lore:Black Marsh|Black Marsh]] which led to another dungeon in another province, where the Mail would finally be recovered by the [[Lore:Eternal Champion|Eternal Champion]].{{ref|name=ARtifact|[[Arena:Artifact Quests#Ebony Mail|Artifact Quest]] dialogue in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]''}}<noinclude>
{{NewLine}}
==Notes==
*{{LNote|nb1|^|The example player character featured in a pre-release image on the back of the ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]'' box art is named Helath Stormbinder. He is a male [[Lore:Dark Elf|Dark Elf]] and his class is [[Arena:Assassin|Assassin]], though he notably bears equipment an Assassin cannot use in the final game.}}
*"Helath" is a possible male Dark Elf forename in the ''Arena'' name generator, while his surname "Stormbinder" is a possible [[Lore:High Elf|High Elf]] surname in the ''Arena'' name generator.{{ref|name=ARNames|[[Arena:Names|Dark Elf/High Elf]] names in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]''}}<noinclude>

==References==
<references/>

Lore:Ebony Mail

2025-06-11T04:11:36Z

Minor Edits: typo

<noinclude>{{Lore Artifacts Trail}}__NOTOC__[[File:SR-item-Ebony Mail.jpg|right|thumb|The Ebony Mail]]</noinclude>
The [[Lore:Ebony Mail|Ebony Mail]] is a Daedric [[Lore:Artifacts|artifact]] created by the [[Lore:Daedric Princes|Daedric Prince]] [[Lore:Boethiah|Boethiah]]. It may appear as an [[Lore:Ebony|ebony]] breastplate or occasionally a fuller suit of armor. It grants its wearer resistance to fire and [[Lore:Magic|magic]], as well as magical shielding from physical blows, though in some instances it provides for quieter movements and the ability to poison nearby enemies. According to legend, the artifact was created before recorded history by Boethiah, and it is Boethiah alone who determines who should possess the Mail and for how long a time.{{Ref|name=ARTIL|[[Arena:Artifact Quests#Ebony Mail|Artifact Quest Dialogue]] in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]''}}{{Ref|name=TL|{{Cite Book|Tamrielic Lore}}}}<noinclude>

==History==
Legend holds that after the defeat of [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] in the [[Lore:Dawn Era|Dawn Era]], [[Lore:Auriel|Auriel]] could not destroy his [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart]], and so lashed it to an arrow and shot it with his [[Lore:Auriel's Bow|bow]] across Tamriel and into the sea.{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}} The blood that poured from the Heart of Lorkhan became ebony,{{Ref|name=CM22T|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 22: Trinimac Style}}}} the substance the Ebony Mail is made from. [[Lore:Khajiit|Khajiiti]] lore predating the [[Lore:Riddle'Thar Epiphany|Riddle'Thar Epiphany]] refers to the "death-shroud of [[Lore:Lorkhaj|Lorkhaj]]", which [[Lore:Boethra|Boethra]] wears on nights of the [[Lore:Ghost Moon|Ghost Moon]] and "wages war beyond the [[Lore:Lunar Lattice|Lattice]]".{{ref|name=TWS|{{Cite Book|The Wandering Spirits}}}}

The last living [[Lore:Dwemer|dwarf]], [[Lore:Yagrum Bagarn|Yagrum Bagarn]], at one point befriended the sorcerer [[Lore:Divayth Fyr|Divayth Fyr]].{{Ref|name=MWYB|[[Morrowind:Yagrum Bagarn|Yagrum Bagarn]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} At Fyr's behest, Yagrum Bagarn wrote the book ''[[Lore:Tamrielic Lore|Tamrielic Lore]]'',{{ref|name=MWProphecies|{{Cite Book|The Morrowind Prophecies|ns_base=BK}}}}{{rp|241}} which listed the Ebony Mail among various items of "unimaginable significance" he had learned about over the years.{{ref|name=TL}} By the [[Lore:Interregnum|Interregnum]], copies of this book circulated throughout Tamriel, ensuring the legend of the Mail became commonplace.{{ref|name=TA|{{Cite Book|Tamrielic Artifacts}}}}{{ref|name=DFBoethiah|Events of [[Daggerfall:Boethiah's Quest|Boethiah's Quest]] in [[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|''Daggerfall'']]}} During the play [[Lore:A Hypothetical Treachery|''A Hypothetical Treachery'']], a group of adventurers (Malvasian, Inzoliah, Dolcettus and Schiavas) recover the Ebony Mail from the legendary [[Lore:Elden Grove|Elden Grove]] of [[Lore:Valenwood|Valenwood]]. In the end, Inzoliah alone is left alive and sells the artifact to the King of [[Lore:Silvenar|Silvenar]].{{ref|name=AHT|{{Cite Book|A Hypothetical Treachery}}}}

At an unspecified point in time prior to the events of the [[Lore:Imperial Simulacrum|Imperial Simulacrum]] in the [[Lore:Third Era|Third Era]], a warrior named [[Lore:Helath Stormbinder|Helath Stormbinder]] was Boethiah's champion and possessed the Ebony Mail. He eventually lost Boethiah's favor, however, and the Mail was taken from him by Boethiah. The Ebony Mail would remain hidden until its eventual recovery during the Imperial Simulacrum.{{ref|name=ARTIL}}

===Third Era===
During the Imperial Simulacrum from {{Year|3E 389}} to {{Year|3E 399}}, rumors circulated around [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]] of the return of the Ebony Mail—the "lost armor of the Drow"{{intnote|AR|[nb 1]}}—not seen since the days of Helath Stormbinder, whose loss of the Mail was compared to the legend of [[Lore:Morihaus|Morihaus]]' loss of the [[Lore:Lord's Mail|Lord's Mail]] due to his arrogance. The legends made the Ebony Mail highly sought after in these turbulent times by people believing it would make them not only "tougher than a troll", but stronger and faster as well. Following these rumors, the [[Lore:Hero|Eternal Champion]] bartered for information on an unpleasant dungeon in [[Lore:Black Marsh|Black Marsh]], which the Eternal Champion braved to find a map. The map led to another dungeon elsewhere on Tamriel, where the Mail was finally recovered and returned to the world of Tamriel.{{ref|name=ARTIL}}

Circa {{Year|3E 405}}-{{Year|3E 417}}, prior to the events of the [[Lore:Warp in the West|Warp in the West]], an [[Lore:The Agent|unknown agent]] of the [[Lore:Blades|Blades]] in search of power summoned Boethiah in the [[Lore:Iliac Bay|Iliac Bay]]. In return for killing an innocent spellsword who had displeased the Prince, the agent was gifted with the Ebony Mail from one of her worshippers.{{ref|name=DFBoethiah}}

In {{Year|3E 427}}, the [[Lore:Nerevarine|Nerevarine]] was sent by the [[Lore:Tribunal Temple|Tribunal Temple]] at the request of [[Lore:Books_by_Author#Tholer_Saryoni.2C_Archcanon|Archcanon Tholer Saryoni]] to make a pilgrimage to [[Lore:Mount Assarnibibi|Mount Assarnibibi]], where [[Lore:Molag Bal|Molag Bal]] oversaw the ninety-nine lovers of Boethiah, who gave birth to [[Lore:Almalexia|Almalexia]]. Upon completing the pilgrimage, the Nerevarine received the Ebony Mail and brought it to Tholer Saryoni. The archcanon refused to accept it, saying it would be put to better use by the Nerevarine.{{ref|name=MWB|[[Morrowind:Ebony Mail|Ebony Mail]] quest in ''[[MW:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} The Nerevarine later sold it to [[Lore:Torasa Aram|Torasa Aram]], who put it on display in the [[Lore:Mournhold|Mournhold]] Museum of Artifacts.{{ref|name=Tribunal|[[Tribunal:The Museum|The Museum]] quest in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Tribunal:Tribunal|Tribunal]]''}}

===Fourth Era===
Sometime after the end of the [[Lore:Great War|Great War]], circa {{Year|4E 180}}, the [[Lore:Hero|Warrior]] came across the Ebony Mail in their journey. The armor is thought to have been looted from an extravagant chest.{{ref|[[Blades:Artifacts|Artifact]] acquisition methods in ''[[Blades:Blades|Blades]]''}}

In {{Year|4E 201}}, Boethiah tasked the [[Lore:Last Dragonborn|Last Dragonborn]] with assassinating the Prince's previous champion and his group of bandits. The Dragonborn retrieved the Ebony Mail from the corpse of the ex-champion.{{ref|name=Skyrim|[[Skyrim:Boethiah's Calling|Boethiah's Calling]] in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}}

===Previous Owners:===
*[[Lore:Helath Stormbinder|Helath Stormbinder]]
*Anonymous Worshipper of Boethiah
*[[Lore:Torasa Aram|Torasa Aram]]
*Anonymous Champion of Boethiah

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:AR-item-Ebony Cuirass M.png|Arena (male version)
File:AR-item-Ebony_Cuirass_F.png|Arena (female version)
File:DF-item-Ebony Mail (male).png|Daggerfall (male version)
File:DF-item-Ebony Mail (Female).png|Daggerfall (female version)
File:MW-item-Ebony Mail.jpg|Morrowind
File:BL-artifact-Ebony Mail.jpg|Blades
</gallery>

==Notes==
*{{LNote|AR|^|Though contextually this is almost certainly referring to the [[Lore:Dunmer|Dark Elves]], originally referred to as "Drow" in early development of [[Arena:Arena|Arena]] and already specifically associated with Boethiah in the description of the Ebony Mail, this epithet appears in the final and released version of the game and is thus preserved here.}}

==See Also==
*For game-specific information see the [[Arena:Ebony Mail|Arena]], [[Daggerfall:Ebony Mail|Daggerfall]], [[Morrowind:Ebony Mail (artifact)|Morrowind]], [[Skyrim:Ebony Mail|Skyrim]], and [[Blades:Ebony Mail|Blades]] articles.

==References==
<references/></noinclude>

Lore:Ebony Mail

2025-06-11T04:09:59Z

Minor Edits: tweaks - simplified the Champion's story & omitted the weight thing, as it can be inferred from the size discrepancy.

<noinclude>{{Lore Artifacts Trail}}__NOTOC__[[File:SR-item-Ebony Mail.jpg|right|thumb|The Ebony Mail]]</noinclude>
The [[Lore:Ebony Mail|Ebony Mail]] is a Daedric [[Lore:Artifacts|artifact]] created by the [[Lore:Daedric Princes|Daedric Prince]] [[Lore:Boethiah|Boethiah]]. It may appear as an [[Lore:Ebony|ebony]] breastplate or occasionally a fuller suit of armor. It grants its wearer resistance to fire and [[Lore:Magic|magic]], as well as magical shielding from physical blows, though in some instances it provides for quieter movements and the ability to poison nearby enemies. According to legend, the artifact was created before recorded history by Boethiah, and it is Boethiah alone who determines who should possess the Mail and for how long a time.{{Ref|name=ARTIL|[[Arena:Artifact Quests#Ebony Mail|Artifact Quest Dialogue]] in ''[[Arena:Arena|Arena]]''}}{{Ref|name=TL|{{Cite Book|Tamrielic Lore}}}}<noinclude>

==History==
Legend holds that after the defeat of [[Lore:Lorkhan|Lorkhan]] in the [[Lore:Dawn Era|Dawn Era]], [[Lore:Auriel|Auriel]] could not destroy his [[Lore:Heart of Lorkhan|Heart]], and so lashed it to an arrow and shot it with his [[Lore:Auriel's Bow|bow]] across Tamriel and into the sea.{{ref|name=TM|{{Cite Book|The Monomyth}}}} The blood that poured from the Heart of Lorkhan became ebony,{{Ref|name=CM22T|{{Cite Book|Crafting Motif 22: Trinimac Style}}}} the substance the Ebony Mail is made from. [[Lore:Khajiit|Khajiiti]] lore predating the [[Lore:Riddle'Thar Epiphany|Riddle'Thar Epiphany]] refers to the "death-shroud of [[Lore:Lorkhaj|Lorkhaj]]", which [[Lore:Boethra|Boethra]] wears on nights of the [[Lore:Ghost Moon|Ghost Moon]] and "wages war beyond the [[Lore:Lunar Lattice|Lattice]]".{{ref|name=TWS|{{Cite Book|The Wandering Spirits}}}}

The last living [[Lore:Dwemer|dwarf]], [[Lore:Yagrum Bagarn|Yagrum Bagarn]], at one point befriended the sorcerer [[Lore:Divayth Fyr|Divayth Fyr]].{{Ref|name=MWYB|[[Morrowind:Yagrum Bagarn|Yagrum Bagarn]]'s dialogue in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} At Fyr's behest, Yagrum Bagarn wrote the book ''[[Lore:Tamrielic Lore|Tamrielic Lore]]'',{{ref|name=MWProphecies|{{Cite Book|The Morrowind Prophecies|ns_base=BK}}}}{{rp|241}} which listed the Ebony Mail among various items of "unimaginable significance" he had learned about over the years.{{ref|name=TL}} By the [[Lore:Interregnum|Interregnum]], copies of this book circulated throughout Tamriel, ensuring the legend of the Mail became commonplace.{{ref|name=TA|{{Cite Book|Tamrielic Artifacts}}}}{{ref|name=DFBoethiah|Events of [[Daggerfall:Boethiah's Quest|Boethiah's Quest]] in [[Daggerfall:Daggerfall|''Daggerfall'']]}} During the play [[Lore:A Hypothetical Treachery|''A Hypothetical Treachery'']], a group of adventurers (Malvasian, Inzoliah, Dolcettus and Schiavas) recover the Ebony Mail from the legendary [[Lore:Elden Grove|Elden Grove]] of [[Lore:Valenwood|Valenwood]]. In the end, Inzoliah alone is left alive and sells the artifact to the King of [[Lore:Silvenar|Silvenar]].{{ref|name=AHT|{{Cite Book|A Hypothetical Treachery}}}}

At an unspecified point in time prior to the events of the [[Lore:Imperial Simulacrum|Imperial Simulacrum]] in the [[Lore:Third Era|Third Era]], a warrior named [[Lore:Helath Stormbinder|Helath Stormbinder]] was Boethiah's champion and possessed the Ebony Mail. He eventually lost Boethiah's favor, however, and the Mail was taken from him by Boethiah. The Ebony Mail would remain hidden until its eventual recovery during the Imperial Simulacrum.{{ref|name=ARTIL}}

===Third Era===
During the Imperial Simulacrum from {{Year|3E 389}} to {{Year|3E 399}}, rumors circulated around [[Lore:Tamriel|Tamriel]] of the return of the Ebony Mail—the "lost armor of the Drow"{{intnote|AR|[nb 1]}}—not seen since the days of Helath Stormbinder, whose loss of the Mail was compared to the legend of [[Lore:Morihaus|Morihaus]]' loss of the [[Lore:Lord's Mail|Lord's Mail]] due to his arrogance. The legends made the Ebeony Mail highly sought after in these turbulent times by people believing it would make them not only "tougher than a troll", but stronger and faster as well. Following these rumors, the [[Lore:Hero|Eternal Champion]] bartered for information on an unpleasant dungeon in [[Lore:Black Marsh|Black Marsh]], which the Eternal Champion braved to find a map. The map led to another dungeon elsewhere on Tamriel, where the Mail was finally recovered and returned to the world of Tamriel.{{ref|name=ARTIL}}

Circa {{Year|3E 405}}-{{Year|3E 417}}, prior to the events of the [[Lore:Warp in the West|Warp in the West]], an [[Lore:The Agent|unknown agent]] of the [[Lore:Blades|Blades]] in search of power summoned Boethiah in the [[Lore:Iliac Bay|Iliac Bay]]. In return for killing an innocent spellsword who had displeased the Prince, the agent was gifted with the Ebony Mail from one of her worshippers.{{ref|name=DFBoethiah}}

In {{Year|3E 427}}, the [[Lore:Nerevarine|Nerevarine]] was sent by the [[Lore:Tribunal Temple|Tribunal Temple]] at the request of [[Lore:Books_by_Author#Tholer_Saryoni.2C_Archcanon|Archcanon Tholer Saryoni]] to make a pilgrimage to [[Lore:Mount Assarnibibi|Mount Assarnibibi]], where [[Lore:Molag Bal|Molag Bal]] oversaw the ninety-nine lovers of Boethiah, who gave birth to [[Lore:Almalexia|Almalexia]]. Upon completing the pilgrimage, the Nerevarine received the Ebony Mail and brought it to Tholer Saryoni. The archcanon refused to accept it, saying it would be put to better use by the Nerevarine.{{ref|name=MWB|[[Morrowind:Ebony Mail|Ebony Mail]] quest in ''[[MW:Morrowind|Morrowind]]''}} The Nerevarine later sold it to [[Lore:Torasa Aram|Torasa Aram]], who put it on display in the [[Lore:Mournhold|Mournhold]] Museum of Artifacts.{{ref|name=Tribunal|[[Tribunal:The Museum|The Museum]] quest in ''[[Morrowind:Morrowind|Morrowind]]: [[Tribunal:Tribunal|Tribunal]]''}}

===Fourth Era===
Sometime after the end of the [[Lore:Great War|Great War]], circa {{Year|4E 180}}, the [[Lore:Hero|Warrior]] came across the Ebony Mail in their journey. The armor is thought to have been looted from an extravagant chest.{{ref|[[Blades:Artifacts|Artifact]] acquisition methods in ''[[Blades:Blades|Blades]]''}}

In {{Year|4E 201}}, Boethiah tasked the [[Lore:Last Dragonborn|Last Dragonborn]] with assassinating the Prince's previous champion and his group of bandits. The Dragonborn retrieved the Ebony Mail from the corpse of the ex-champion.{{ref|name=Skyrim|[[Skyrim:Boethiah's Calling|Boethiah's Calling]] in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}}

===Previous Owners:===
*[[Lore:Helath Stormbinder|Helath Stormbinder]]
*Anonymous Worshipper of Boethiah
*[[Lore:Torasa Aram|Torasa Aram]]
*Anonymous Champion of Boethiah

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:AR-item-Ebony Cuirass M.png|Arena (male version)
File:AR-item-Ebony_Cuirass_F.png|Arena (female version)
File:DF-item-Ebony Mail (male).png|Daggerfall (male version)
File:DF-item-Ebony Mail (Female).png|Daggerfall (female version)
File:MW-item-Ebony Mail.jpg|Morrowind
File:BL-artifact-Ebony Mail.jpg|Blades
</gallery>

==Notes==
*{{LNote|AR|^|Though contextually this is almost certainly referring to the [[Lore:Dunmer|Dark Elves]], originally referred to as "Drow" in early development of [[Arena:Arena|Arena]] and already specifically associated with Boethiah in the description of the Ebony Mail, this epithet appears in the final and released version of the game and is thus preserved here.}}

==See Also==
*For game-specific information see the [[Arena:Ebony Mail|Arena]], [[Daggerfall:Ebony Mail|Daggerfall]], [[Morrowind:Ebony Mail (artifact)|Morrowind]], [[Skyrim:Ebony Mail|Skyrim]], and [[Blades:Ebony Mail|Blades]] articles.

==References==
<references/></noinclude>

Lore:White-Gold Concordat

2025-06-11T01:56:44Z

Minor Edits: tweaks

{{Trail|Appendices}}
The [[Lore:White-Gold Concordat|White-Gold Concordat]] was the treaty signed in {{Year|4E 175}} between the [[Lore:Empire|Empire]] and the [[Lore:Aldmeri Dominion|Aldmeri Dominion]] which ended the [[Lore:Great War|Great War]]. This peace treaty granted much the same Thalmor demands which prompted the war in the first place,{{Ref|name=TGW|{{Cite Book|The Great War (book)}}}} but a continuation of the war would have resulted in Imperial defeat.{{ref|[[Skyrim:Loading Screens|Loading Screen]] in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}}{{ref|[[Skyrim:Hadvar|Hadvar]]'s dialogue during [[Skyrim:Before the Storm|Before the Storm]] in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}}{{ref|[[Skyrim:Ondolemar|Ondolemar]]'s dialogue during [[Skyrim:Diplomatic Immunity|Diplomatic Immunity]] in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}}{{ref|[[Skyrim:Delphine|Delphine]]'s dialogue during [[Skyrim:A Blade in the Dark|A Blade in the Dark]] in [[Skyrim:Skyrim|''Skyrim'']]}}

The terms of the treaty outlawed the worship of [[Lore:Talos|Talos]] in the Empire, forced [[Lore:Blades|the Blades]] to disband, and delivered a large portion of southern [[Lore:Hammerfell|Hammerfell]] into the control of the Aldmeri Dominion. [[Lore:Emperor Titus Mede II|Emperor Titus Mede II]] made these concessions to the [[Lore:Thalmor|Thalmor]] hierarchy to give the [[Lore:Imperial Legion|Imperial Legion]] time to recover its strength, as it had been decimated in the [[Lore:Great War|Battle of the Red Ring]].{{Ref|name=TGW}} The Thalmor were also granted the authority to operate within the Empire to ensure the terms were enforced.{{ref|name=Elenwen|[[Skyrim:Elenwen|Elenwen]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}}{{ref|name=FFTT|{{Cite book|Flight from the Thalmor}}}}

The [[Lore:Redguard|Redguards]] of Hammerfell, however, refused to accept the terms of the White-Gold Concordat, and continued to resist the Thalmor. This forced Titus Mede to officially renounce Hammerfell as a province of the Empire to preserve the peace stipulated in the treaty. Viewing this as a betrayal, Hammerfell became an independent state, and managed to fight the Dominion to a standstill, culminating in the signing of the [[Lore:Second Treaty of Stros M'Kai|Second Treaty of Stros M'Kai]] five years later in {{Year|4E 180}}, which resulted in all Aldmeri forces withdrawing from Hammerfell. Hammerfell thus became an independent, if devastated, nation. Diplomatic relations between Hammerfell and the Empire remain strained, an outcome that Legate Justianus Quintius postulates was a long-term goal of the Thalmor.{{Ref|name=TGW}}

The Talos ban was initially not enforced in [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]],{{Ref|name=SKALvor|[[Skyrim:Alvor|Alvor]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} but when the Thalmor discovered that Jarl Hrolfdir of Markarth had formally granted [[Lore:Ulfric Stormcloak|Ulfric Stormcloak]] and his militia the freedom to worship Talos in return for their aid, the Emperor was forced to crack down.{{Ref|name=SKALvor}}{{Ref|name=SRIgmund|[[Skyrim:Igmund|Igmund]]'s dialogue in ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]]''}} Ulfric and his men were arrested, which became a seminal moment for the [[Lore:Stormcloaks|Stormcloaks]] and their [[Lore:Stormcloak Rebellion|rebellion]].{{Ref|name=SRIgmund}}

==References==
<references/>
{{Lore Appendices}}