Community Spotlight: Deities (Part 1 - The Aedra)
Kimberly Moore, a member of the D&D + Elder Scrolls community, has graciously compiled a ton of info regarding the deities of the Elder Scrolls universe. For your convenience, the information shown in this short series about deities has been collected from great lore sites and has been organized into a quick guide for newcomers to the series. It also works as a great refresh for those that are familiar with these gods.
Much of the information shown here comes from other great Elder Scrolls sites, such as UESP, and the Imperial Library. These are fantastic websites to use to get lore and ideas for your games. Another great community to find lore is TESLore on reddit. Please check them out if you want to delve deeper into what you see here.
The Deities
The Elder Scrolls universe began as a single, formless void called the Aurbis. Within this void, a number of powerful divine entities, or et'Ada, formed into self-aware, independent personalities. The strongest of these entities carved out their own space within the ether, forming the individual planes that make up the universe. Within the Elder Scrolls universe, a planet and a plane are one and the same. One group of these et'Ada, which the Mer revere as the Aedra, collaborated to form the mortal plane, Nirn, and populate it with mortal beings. Eight of these Aedra, which included those worshiped as the Eight Divines, gave up much of their divine energy to form the mortal planet. These eight were thus permanently bound to their own planes: Lorkhan's physical body became the two moons, and the other eight planes surrounded Nirn. To the mortal brain, these infinite and formless planes appear as spherical bodies floating across the sky, making up the planets.
The rest of the divine planes, which exist outside of the eight planets but still within Aurbis itself, are the planes of Oblivion. These planes have no real connection to the mortal world, and the normal rules of physics do not apply. Scholars assume that only a very few out of a nearly infinite number of such planes are known to mortals, and those that are known share only a few common features. Almost all known planes of Oblivion are ruled over by one of the Daedric Princes and the plane takes a form reflective of its prince's personality. The native inhabitants of these planes are collectively referred to as Daedra, and are not mortal in the traditional sense. If they are killed, especially on the mortal plane, their innate spark of life, what is sometimes called their "soul," returns to a new physical body. However, there is a portion of the universe, the true Void, which is outside of any of the planes of existence; when a sufficiently powerful being manages to kill a Daedra in their native plane, their "soul" is lost to the void for recycling in a similar process to the dreamsleeve.
Unlike the planes of the Aedra, mortals cannot see or detect the existence of the Oblivion planes. Instead, the mortal brain interprets Oblivion as the vast black nothingness of space, literally seeing it as an empty void. The only real indication that Oblivion exists are the sun and stars. These are actually holes of various sizes that were punched through Oblivion at the forming of Nirn, by Magnus (forming sun) and other et'Ada which managed to escape before their divinity was compromised. These holes reach all the way from Nirn, through Oblivion, to Aetherius, and permit the magic of that outer realm to reach Nirn.
As Aedric beings, the Divines gave greatly of themselves during the creation of Mundus, using their own energy to imbue the world with life and natural laws. This leaves them in a much reduced state, not able to interfere with mortal affairs as freely as the Daedra who maintain their full power in Oblivion. For this reason, the primary view of the Divines is as impersonal, generally benevolent spirits, worthy of propitiation but without any strong direct relationship. However, there are notable exceptions in the form of cults, which are particularly dedicated to the worship of a single Divine. The Imperial Cult reveres Talos, and is particularly influential among members of the military. An even more militant cult is the Vigil of Stendarr, paladins who fanatically hunt down Daedric creatures which threaten mankind. But Dibella claims the most widespread appeal, boasting dozens of cults dedicated to various aspects of beauty and aesthetics.
The mortal races naturally derive their conception of morality from the Aedra that created them, and as the Daedra had no part in the creation of the mortal plane, the Daedric Princes operate on a different plane of existence from mortals, and possess an incomprehensible concept of morality. For this reason scholars suggest that none of the Daedric Princes can be considered objectively "evil," and are simply acting as the concept they represent would demand. However, a number have been known to consistently inflict harm on the inhabitants of Nirn. Daedra viewed as mostly if not wholly malevolent include Mehrunes Dagon, Vaermina, and Peryite. Daedra viewed as mostly if not wholly benevolent include Meridia and Azura. Dealings of mortals with the Daedric Princes are not unheard of, but often end up harming the summoner as opposed to bending the will of the Prince. It should be noted that dealing with the Princes sometimes causes changes in appearance, such as black dots in the white of eyes or strange eye color. Each Daedric Prince holds some degree of "patronage" over a physical, philosophical, or metaphysical concept or state of being. The varied and wide range of these aspects has nurtured a devoted following amongst the mortals that hold them as figures of worship- either in spite of or in reaction to the teaching of the Divines. While some of the Princes are unconcerned for the well being of their followers, with some actively causing harm to them by some means, other Daedric Princes have been known to both reward and actively protect their followers.
Pantheon of the Divines
The Divines are the Aedric deities which make up the official pantheon of the Cyrodilic Empire, and thus have been worshiped all across Tamriel. Their membership was defined by Saint Alessia at the founding of the First Empire in the aftermath of the rebellion she led. Her now-emancipated people had long ago adopted the Aldmeri religion of their Ayleid captors, but the rebellion had only been won with the aid of armies from Skyrim, who adhered to the Nordic pantheon. Alessia could not force either group to adopt the religion of the other, for fear of starting another war which would tear apart the newborn Empire. Instead, she developed an elegant synthesis of both traditions, combining common archetypes (mother goddess, god of death, etc.) and avoiding drastic changes. This new pantheon was the Eight Divines, commonly called simply the Eight:
Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time - Chief among the gods, with mastery over the flow of time. Associated with dragons and the qualities of endurance and virtuous service. Arkay, the Mortals' God - God of cycles, particularly that of birth and death. Presides over funerals and burial rites, as well as ushering in the changes of the seasons. Dibella - Goddess of beauty and art, and one of the most popular of the Divines. Widespread cults are dedicated to both healing and sexual instruction. Julianos - God of logic, wisdom, and the arts of magic. His temples act as educational institutions in literature, history, and law. Kynareth - Goddess of the heavens, winds, and rain. Patron of sailors and travelers, and often propitiated for good fortune in life. Mara, the Mother-Goddess - Goddess of love, compassion, and the bounty of nature. Presides over marriage ceremonies, befitting her ancient origins as a fertility goddess. Stendarr, the Steadfast - God of mercy, justice, and righteousness. Patron of all those who wield righteous might to protect the weak, from emperors to holy warriors. Zenithar, the Trader God - God of work, commerce, and wealth, invoked for success in business ventures. Teaches prosperity through honest industry, rather than violence or deceit.
This pantheon would stand for thousands of years, until Tiber Septim's reunification of Tamriel and declaration of the Third Era. Upon his death, so great were his deeds that he achieved apotheosis and joined the ranks of the Divines. Known as Talos, the ascended emperor was accorded a lofty position among the gods, who now numbered the Nine Divines. He became the patron of the Empire and all its ideals of civilization, as well as those who go to war to defend it.
The Nine would watch over the Empire at its height under the Septim Dynasty, throughout the Third Era. But the Oblivion Crisis brought the Empire to its knees, and the reach and influence of the Imperial pantheon dwindled into the Fourth Era. It came to a head in 4E 171, when the Aldmeri Dominion demanded a stop to the worship of Talos in an ultimatum to Emperor Titus Mede II. He refused, sparking the Great War, which ended with the controversial White-Gold Concordat, banning Talos worship as one of its conditions. With this, Divines once again officially numbered Eight, and Thalmor agents were empowered throughout the Empire to stamp out worship of the deposed Talos. This proved to be a highly disruptive imposition on an already-fractured Empire, leading to widespread discontent and even a province-wide revolt.
Akatosh Akatosh, known as Auri-El to the Aldmer and Bormah (Father) to the dragons, is the chief deity of the Nine Divines (the prescribed religious cults of Cyrodiil and its provinces). He is present in every Tamrielic religion except that of the Dunmer. His avatar is a dragon, and he is often called the Dragon God of Time. He is generally considered to be the first of the Gods to form in the Beginning Place; after his establishment, other spirits found the process to be easier and the various pantheons of the world emerged. The Aedric spirit is the ultimate God of the Cyrodiilic Empire, where he embodies the qualities of endurance, invincibility, and everlasting legitimacy while promoting the virtues of duty, service, and obedience. Akatosh is thought to be the father of all dragons, and their leader Alduin was titled "First-Born of Akatosh". Akatosh is the patron of the Akatosh Chantry, the religious order devoted to the worship and glorification of him, who refer to him as the "Great Dragon". The Warp in the West and other Dragon Breaks are thought to result from Akatosh's temporary loss of control over the flow of time.
Most traces of Akatosh disappeared from ancient Chimer legends during their so-called 'exodus', primarily due to that god's association and esteem with the Altmeri. However, several aspects of Akatosh which seem important to the mortal races, namely immortality, historicity, and genealogy, have conveniently resurfaced in Almalexia, the most popular of Morrowind's divine Tribunal; as a mother-figure, she also embodies the idea of being a progenitor (albeit a female rather than male one). So one could say that, at least, the qualities of Akatosh are not entirely neglected among the Dunmer, even if his name is.
Akatosh was involved in the forging of the Covenant with the new Empire of humanity, and his blood was mystically joined with Alessia and her heirs. The Amulet of Kings was the primary token of this patronage, and it allowed the new Empire of Cyrodiil to benefit from the stabilizing influence of White Gold Tower, maintaining the barrier between Mundus and the Planes of Oblivion. When that barrier was threatened during the Oblivion Crisis, Martin Septim was able to summon Akatosh's spirit and transform himself into the avatar of Akatosh, which appeared in the shape of a giant dragon made of fire. This avatar dragon defeated Mehrunes Dagon, reestablishing the mystical barrier between Tamriel and the Daedric Realms. The avatar transformed into a statue, now located inside the ruined Temple of the One.
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. 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 existence or origins.
To the Khajiiti, he is known as Alkosh. He is depicted in ancient Khajiit legends as a fearsome dragon, but in the Third and Fourth Eras the Khajiit adapted the legends into claiming that he was really just a big cat. Alkosh is the most powerful of the Khajiit gods and was a pre-Ri'Datta Dynasty developed god. After the creation of the god Riddle'Thar, Alkosh lost many of his worshippers in the majority of Elsweyr, but he remained immensely popular in Elsweyr's wasteland regions.
Arkay
Arkay (or Ark'ay), Lord of the Wheel of Life, is a member of the Divines, and also a popular god in other cultures. Arkay is often more important in those cultures where his father, Akatosh, is either less related to time or where his time aspects are difficult to comprehend by the layman. He is the god of burials and funeral rites, and is generally associated with cyclical occasions, such as the seasons and life/death. His priests are staunch opponents of necromancy and all forms of the undead, and are empowered to bestow Arkay's blessings which prevent the forceful misuse of a mortal soul. Thus, any body properly buried by a priest observing the proper rituals is protected by Arkay's Law from being raised as undead. Therefore, necromancers view Arkay as their ultimate enemy, and make covert efforts to undermine his worship throughout Tamriel. Because of this association with, and protection of, mortality, he is sometimes called the Mortals' God.
There are two legends about Arkay's origin. The book Ark'ay the God of Birth and Death has it that Arkay was once a regular shopkeeper with a passion for knowledge. He found a book written in a strange language and spent years upon years attempting to decipher it, slowly ignoring everything and everyone else around him. Eventually Arkay realized the book explained life and death itself, but by this time was at death's door with an incurable plague. Praying to Mara as a last resort, Arkay asked for more time to interpret the book. Mara gave him a choice: die now or become a god for eternity, charged with keeping the balance of death and life in the universe. The alternative is contained in The Monomyth, which suggests that Arkay was one of the very first spirits to "crystallize" after the start of time.
Comparing Arkay to Tu'whacca, Yokudan God of Souls, shows this story is allegorical, framing the sequence of events by which an anonymous Aedra found new purpose in the constructs of the mortal plane and took up the mantle of life and death.
Dibella
Dibella, also known as the "Passion Dancer", "Our Blessed Lady", and simply, "the Lady", is the Goddess of Beauty, Love, and Affection. She is also acclaimed as the Lady of Love, Beauty, Art, and Music. Dibella is the Queen of Heaven.
According to the creation myth presented in the Anuad, Dibella and the aedra (gods) were born from the mingled blood of Anu and Padomay, the good and evil primal forces, respectively, and therefore have a capacity for both good and evil, in contrast to the daedra, who were born solely from the blood of Padomay. The formation of Akatosh, the God of Time, from the mingled blood of the brothers Anu and Padomay facilitated the formation of Dibella and the gods as they learnt to structure themselves. Shezarr's Song, a Cyrodiilic creation myth, acclaims the creation of Mundus to the sacrifice of Dibella and the gods whose sacrifices were embodied as eponymous planets. Dibella and the gods were subsequently bound to the Earth Bones as a result. Followers of the cult known as the Mythic Dawn deem Dibella and other gods as false gods and claim she and others betrayed Lorkhan.
Dibella, as Goddess of Beauty, is the embodiment of beauty and teaches mortals to seek truth through beauty and worship. Those who follow the teachings of Dibella, and propagate beauty and promote harmony, are granted charm and grace. The Goddess teaches that mortals should give themselves to love, and commands them to open their hearts to "the noble secrets of art and love. Treasure the gifts of friendship. Seek joy and inspiration in the mysteries of love". Dibella holds no limit on the number of lovers one may have, but demands focus on the quality of the essence of love, not the quantity. She teaches that, "No matter the seed, if the shoot is nurtured with love, will not the flower be beautiful?", and blesses the love of those which is pure and untainted.
Dibella discourages relations with undead, such as vampires, and concurs with the teachings of Arkay that vampires have impure spirits. The Goddess makes her will known to mortals through her sybil, who is revealed to her priesthood via the ceremony known as the Exalted Protocol of the Dibellan Sybil. The ceremony is known only to the priesthood of Dibella, and is kept secret from the general population, including acolytes of other Divines. Dibella is known as the Divine who "pays Men in Moans". Followers of Dibella are known to practice the Dibellan Arts and bestow a Mark of Dibella upon others.
Critics of Dibella have condemned the Divine as the "goddess of whores and lepers" and criticized the alleged practice among her worshippers of mocking the scarred and misshapen. Others consider her a lustful and passionate goddess.
Julianos
Julianos, Aedric God of Wisdom and Logic, is one of the Cyrodilic Divines, governing the realms of literature, law, history, and contradiction. He is usually associated with magic, and thus is often revered by wizards. Jhunal, the Nordic father of language and mathematics, fell out of favor in the Nordic pantheon, after which he became Julianos of the Divines. Monastic orders founded by Tiber Septim and dedicated to Julianos are the keepers of the Elder Scrolls. He is particularly venerated among many Imperials and Bretons. As a Divine, he represents the virtue of learning, scholarship, and justice. He is said to "incant the Damned Equation". His symbol is a triangle.
Julianos created the Shield of the Crusader for Pelinal Whitestrake, to help him defeat Umaril the Unfeathered. A chapel was dedicated to his worship in Skingrad. There was also a Chantry of Julianos in the Imperial City.
In the Iliac Bay, temples dedicated to him are known as Schools of Julianos. As their name implies, these temples are considered educational institutions,[8] and they are believed to have spread the term "magicka" to describe the "power associated with performing magic".
Also known as Jhunal, the Nordic god of hermetic orders. After falling out of favor with the rest of that pantheon, he became Julianos of the Nine Divines. He is absent in modern Skyrim mythology. Vivec mentioned "JHUNAL" as one of the eight known worlds.
Kynareth
Kynareth is the goddess of the heavens, the winds, the elements, and the unseen spirits of the air. She is a member of the Eight/Nine Divines and Patron of sailors and travelers. Kynareth is often invoked for auspicious stars at birth and for good fortune in daily life. In some legends, she is the first to agree to Lorkhan's divine plan to create the mortal plane, and provides the space in the void for its creation. Furthermore, she is associated with rain, a phenomenon that is said not to have occurred before the removal of Lorkhan's divine spark.
According to followers of the Divines, the Sky Goddess Kyne, worshipped by the Nords as the strongest of the Sky spirits and the widow of Shor, is the Nordic aspect of Kynareth. Rain is said to be Kyne's tears as she mourns the loss of her beloved Shor, since rain is believed not to have appeared until after his divine spark was forcibly removed. It is said Kyne gifted men with the thu'um so they could harness the language of the dragons and use its power to save themselves from the wrath of Alduin and the dragons. The Khajiiti aspect of Kynareth is the Goddess of the Winds, Khenarthi. Khenarthi acts as a psychopomp for faithful Khajiit.
Kyne, or Kaan in the dragon language, is the Nordic goddess of the Storm, widow of Shor, Warrior-Wife, and a favored god of warriors. As the goddess of the Storm, she is strongly associated with wind and rain, and is thought to control both forces, even when they bring misery. She is often called the Mother of Men, as Nords believe the sky exhaled onto the land at the Throat of the World to form them. She is also called the "Kiss at the End", because Nords generally believe that she leads their dead to Sovngarde. Nords still refer to themselves as "the Sons and Daughters of Kyne". Some consider her to be the leader of the Nordic pantheon of Divines. Kyne and Kynareth are considered by followers of the Nine Divines to be one and the same, though more ardent supporters of the Old Ways among the Nords dismiss Kynareth as a "pale shadow". While Nords also acknowledge Mara, the "Mother-Goddess" of the Empire, they view her only as Kyne's handmaiden. The trees near Kynesgrove (or Kyne's Grove) are thought to be sacred to her.
Mara
Mara, also known as "Mother Mara", "Mother Mild", and the "Divine Mother", is the Goddess of Love, Fertility, Agriculture, and Compassion. She is also acclaimed as the Mother-Goddess,[6] and is one of the Divines.
As Goddess of Love, Mara is the bearer of love, and shines the light of love on all mortals. Mara gave life to mortals so that they may love. The gift of love was bestowed upon mortals by the Divine so to honour Mara, and allow them to understand the true nature of the Divines. Mara teaches that love provides nourishment and life to all mortals. The Divine commands mortals to "live soberly and peacefully. Honour your parents, and preserve the peace and security of home and family". Mara's Benevolence is eternal and those who offer their love to the Divine will never be forsaken. The Warmth of Mara shapes the destiny of mortals and can be felt across Tamriel. Priests of Mara teach that the Divine is omnipresent and her love and affection can be found in the heart of all mortals, thus linking them to Mara. The holy truth declares that love creates life and therefore those who love create more life.
Mara is also the patron of marriage, and the act of union is carried out at her shrines and temples. The Divine teaches that the spark of union between two mortals comes from within and is not based on appearance. The oaths and vows of marriage create life from love and are respected in the name of Mara. The act of union is confirmed upon taking the Pledge of Mara and Mara does not place any restrictions on marriage, thus all may marry, irrespective of gender and race, and unite their souls in the holy union. Mara makes her will known to her priests through visions and commands them to aid those whose love needs guidance. The priesthood of Mara strive to unite all mortals and are intolerant of those who are intolerant of others. Worship of the Divine has been criticized by some for what they consider a "conditional interpretation of love" and her reverence of the institution of the family regardless of the moral condition of families.
Stendarr
Stendarr (or S’rendarr), also known as "Stendarr the Steadfast", is the God of Mercy, Charity, Well-Earned Luck, and Justice. He is also acclaimed as the God of Compassion, and Righteous Rule by Might and Merciful Forbearance. Stendarr is the Apologist of Men, patron of the Imperial Legion, magistrates, rulers, and knights errant, and one of the Divines.
Stendarr, through his priests, resolutes, and templars, makes his will known to the mortals of Tamriel, and commands them to "be kind and generous to the people of Tamriel. Protect the weak, heal the sick, and give to the needy". Stendarr offers mercy to all mortals and he welcomes heretics, the afflicted, the hopeless and the forgotten. The Divine cherishes and protects all mortals regardless of whether they acknowledge him or not and he does not distinguish between worshippers and heretics. The priests of Stendarr act as a conduit and he provides guidance and assistance to mortals through them. Mortals who open their heart and soul to Stendarr's mercy and seek his benevolence are healed and gain understanding of the love Stendarr holds for all mortals, particularly those less fortunate. He also offers help in the form of healing as Stendarr can mend any wound, stay any disease, and soothe any broken soul.
Stendarr bestowed upon mortals the gift of magic and the ability to employ it, with which mortals can seek Stendarr's wisdom through the use of restoration magic in his name. Invocation of Stendarr grants the wielder the ability to cloak themselves in a righteous aura of blessed light, which has been adapted by the priests and resolutes of Stendarr to form either, a piercing beam resembling a spear, a form of armor or shield, or for use as a tool for healing. However, the mercy of Stendarr does not extend to the enemies of mortals, who are referred to as Abominations, and the Divine considers them abhorrent and unnatural, and deserving of extermination without mercy. Vinicius Imbrex, Archbishop of Chorrol, defined four kinds of Abominations, daedra, lycanthropes, the undead and vampires in The Four Abominations. Stendarr is known as the Divine who "suffers Men to read". The veneration of Stendarr is criticized by some who argue the Divine offers kindness only to his followers and mercy to those who offer something in return.
Zenithar
Zenithar, the God of Work and Commerce, the Provider of our Ease, is one of the Divines. The Trader God is frequently seen as the same deity as the Bosmeri god Z'en. In the Empire, however, Zenithar is considered a more cultivated god of merchants and middle nobility, being the deity of wealth, labor, commerce and communication. He has strong ties to Cyrodiil and High Rock. The introduction of the worship of Zenithar was largely tolerated in Hammerfell due to his similarities to a Yokudan agricultural deity. His worshippers say that, despite his mysterious origins, Zenithar is the god 'that will always win'. His priests teach that the path to peace and prosperity is through earnest work and honest profit, not through war, bloodshed, or theft. Zenithar is seen as a warrior god, but one who is restrained and reserved in times of peace.
He is thought to be associated with Kynareth, as well as a large blue star sometimes seen in the skies of Tamriel. It's also said that he is most in touch with the mortal world, and that he created the Mace of the Crusader for Pelinal Whitestrake to help him defeat Umaril the Unfeathered. The Nerevarine purportedly received his gauntlets, Zenithar's Warning and Zenithar's Wiles. A blacksmith's anvil is his symbol, representing labor and production. Temples devoted to him are sometimes called Resolutions. Worship of Zenithar is typically more prevalent in some geographic areas, such as Leyawiin, Totambu, and Kambria.
Talos, Tiber Septim, the Dragonborn Heir to the Seat of Sundered Kings, Talos is the most important hero-god of Mankind. In his mortal form, known as Tiber Septim, he conquered all of Tamriel and ushered in the Third Era (and the Third Empire). After death, his spirit ascended to the heavens to become the ninth and youngest divine, under his birth name of Talos. Also called Ysmir, 'Dragon of the North'. One of the Nine Divines. Less prominent sects, such as the Talos Cult, have been inspired by his apotheosis. In the Fourth Era, worship of Talos was banned as a result of the White-Gold Concordat. However, many of the Nords of Skyrim continued to revere him despite these strict terms.
