Community Spotlight: Deities (Part 3 - Other Gods)
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.
Other Gods
In Tamriel, cultural pantheons of certain provinces have different gods that they worship, though some gods are worshipped in several areas.
Alduin
Alduin, or the World-Eater, as he is known to the residents of Skyrim, is an immensely powerful dragon. He is depicted as a malevolent force who destroys the world periodically, and the Nords believe that his reappearance heralds the end of time. He is the self-proclaimed First-Born of Akatosh and aspect of Akatosh. His name can be separated into "Al Du In", which means "Destroyer Devour Master".
Almalexia
Almalexia, also known as Almalexia the Lover, Almalexia the Warden, and Ayem, was one of the three God-Kings who constituted the Tribunal, or Almsivi, along with Vivec and Sotha Sil. She was very popular among the Dunmer, who called her "Healing Mother", "Lady of Mercy", and "Mother Morrowind". They knew her as the source of compassion, sympathy, and forgiveness, the protector of the poor and weak, and the patron of teachers and healers. She resided in the temple city of Mournhold within the city of Almalexia, the capital of Morrowind, and was closely associated with House Indoril. She was also the most personable of the Tribunal, and was well-known for walking among her people. As a mortal, she was the wife of Lord Indoril Nerevar, First Councilor of Resdayn. As a living god, she became the consort of Vivec, who associated her with the stars.
Originally the counselors to Nerevar, the Tribunal came to power among the Dunmer following her husband's death at the Battle of Red Mountain circa 1E 700. Before his death, they swore oaths to Nerevar upon Azura that they'd never use the Tools of Kagrenac on the Heart of Lorkhan in order to steal its divine essence for themselves. A few years later, Almalexia and her fellow Tribunes broke that oath to become living gods. This led to the transformation of the Chimer into the Dunmer, and the Tribunal became their immortal protectors, leaders, and gods. The truth of how they gained their divinity was covered up; according to the Heirographa, the orthodox public teachings of the Tribunal Temple, their divinity was a more spontaneous result of their supernatural virtue, discipline, wisdom, and insight. The power of Almalexia and the other Tribunes declined during their struggle with Dagoth Ur throughout the Third Era, and Almalexia eventually lost her mind along with her power. During the time of the Nerevarine Prophecies in 3E 427, she killed Sotha Sil and then died in a failed attempt to kill the Nerevarine.
Baan Dar
Baan Dar, the Bandit God, is an obscure deity worshipped by relatively few in Tamriel. Those that do recognize him are mainly found in Valenwood and Elsweyr. The main source of information is the Scroll of Baan Dar, which was discovered in the early Second Era near a lake in Elsweyr and described by Arkan, Scribe of Daggerfall, in early 2E 24. Some scholars believe that Baan Dar merely refers to a manner of living, rather than a true god.
In most regions, Baan Dar is a marginal deity, a trickster spirit of thieves and beggars. In Elsweyr he is more important, and is regarded as the Pariah. In this aspect, Baan Dar becomes the cleverness or desperate genius of the long-suffering Khajiiti, whose last minute plans always upset the machinations of their Mer (or Human) enemies. The Bosmer of Valenwood also worship their own aspect of Baan Dar, who is popular primarily due to his association with skill in archery.
Diagna Diagna is a Yokudan, who had a cult of Redguards later devoted to him. He originated in Yokuda during the Twenty Seven Snake Folk Slaughter. Diagna was an avatar of the HoonDing, another Redguard deity, that achieved permanence. He was instrumental in the defeat of the Lefthanded Elves, as he brought orichalc weapons to the Yokudans to win the fight.
In Tamriel, he had a number of followers, who called themselves the Order of Diagna. This order was responsible for defeating the Orcs during the Siege of Orsinium, and then fading into obscurity, with him now being little more than a local power spirit of the Dragontail Mountains.
HoonDing, the Yokudan Make Way God Yokudan spirit of 'perseverance over infidels'. The HoonDing has historically materialized whenever the Redguards needed to 'make way' for their people. In Tamrielic history this has only happened three times: twice in the First Era during the Ra Gada invasion in the form of Hunding and Diagna, and once more during the Tiber Wars. In this last incarnation, the HoonDing was said to have been "either a sword or a crown, or both", implying that HoonDing was either the young Redguard Crown Cyrus, or the sword enchanted with the soul of Prince A'tor, the last heir to the throne of Hammerfell, or, of course, both of them together.
Ja-Kha'jay Ja-Kha'jay is a god in the Elsweyr pantheon. He is also known as the Lunar Lattice. Two aspects of him are Jode (Big Moon God). Jode is also known as Masser or Mara's Tear. Another aspect of him is Jone (Little Moon God): Aldmeri god of the Little Moon. Jone is also called Secunda or Stendarr's Sorrow.
Leki, Saint of the Spirit Sword Goddess daughter of Tall Papa, Leki is the goddess of aberrant swordsmanship. The Na-Totambu of Yokuda warred to a standstill during the mythic era to decide who would lead the charge against the Lefthanded Elves. Their swordmasters, though, were so skilled in the Best Known Cuts as to be matched evenly. Leki introduced the Ephemeral Feint; afterwards, a victor emerged and the war with the Aldmer began. She is one of the most popular gods in Hammerfell. According to legend, one of Leki's miracles resulted in the founding of a settlement in the Alik'r. Leki's Blade was established after she dueled with Rada al-Saran, a great warrior who claimed to match the gods in the way of the sword.
Lorkhan
Lorkhan, the Missing God, is the Creator-Trickster-Tester deity present in every Tamrielic mythic tradition. He is known as the Spirit of Nirn, the god of all mortals. His most popular name is the Elven variant Lorkhan, or Doom Drum, which sometimes appears as LKHAN. Names for versions or aspects of Lorkhan include Lorkhaj (the Moon Beast) in Elsweyr, Sep in Hammerfell, Sheor in High Rock, Shor in Skyrim, and Shezarr in Cyrodiil. He convinced or contrived the Original Spirits (et'Ada) to bring about the creation of the Mundus, upsetting the status quo—much like his (figurative) father Padomay is usually credited for introducing instability, and hence possibility for creation, into the undivided universe (or the Beginning Place). After the world materialized, myths hold that Lorkhan was killed, mutilated, or at least separated from his divine center, the Heart of Lorkhan (known as Sep's "hunger" to the Redguards and Shor's Heart to the Nords), in an event sometimes called the shattering of Lorkhan. This separation, which purportedly took place in Tamriel, is typically called a punishment, but stories often suggest Lorkhan submitted to it voluntarily. Whatever remained of Lorkhan afterward was exiled to wander through creation. As the impetus for creating the Mundus, Lorkhan is at the center of the great ideological schism between the Elven and human perspectives on the event, which is known as the Sundering to Elves, and thus opinions of him vary dramatically in Tamriel.
The Theory of the Lunar Lorkhan states that the twin moons Masser and Secunda are Lorkhan's "Flesh-Divinity"—his literal corpse. It says that, like the Aedra, he was a planet (or plane) that participated in creation, but his planet split and his divine spark fell to 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.
Everyone eventually assigns a motivation to Lorkhan and picks a favorite story to believe, but the truth is as elusive as Lorkhan himself. He is associated with trickery regardless. In legends, he is almost always an enemy of the ancient Elves and, therefore, a hero of early Mankind. Some Nordic myths state he vowed the Dwemer would "die by [his] hand" shortly before their disappearance at the climax of the War of the First Council around 1E 700. One even claims that he was briefly reunited with his Heart and mortally wounded Nerevar before being defeated again.
To the 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 spirit plane. That their stories say Trinimac defeated Lorkhan and tore out his Heart is little consolation, and they still believe sadness is "the best response to the Sundering". Their wish is to return to the spirit realm, but Lorkhan is the demon that hinders their way; to them Nirn is a prison, an illusion to escape. Others, while accepting that Nirn is a cruel place full of mental anguish, think that Lorkhan created the world as the testing ground for transcendence; to them the spirit realm was already a prison, and true escape is now finally possible.
Magnus
Magnus, also known as the god of magic, was a prominent et'Ada, one of the Original Spirits. During the Dawn Era, Lorkhan persuaded Magnus and several other et'Ada to help create the mortal plane, Mundus. Magnus was said to have been the architect of Mundus, as he created the schematics and diagrams needed to construct it.
As Mundus began to form, it became evident that many of the et'Ada would be required to sacrifice much of their power in order to form the mortal plane. As their aspects began to die off, many of the et'Ada vanished completely. Magnus decided to terminate the project. He fled to Aetherius in the last of Mundus' birth-pains, and his departure tore a hole which became Nirn's sun, itself known as Magnus.
The et'Ada who chose to stay became the Ehlnofey. Many other et'Ada, who became known as the Magna Ge, followed Magnus, tearing smaller holes in the sky, which became the stars. After Magnus' departure, the et'Ada convened at the Adamantine Tower at an event known as Convention and decided to punish Lorkhan for his trickery. In the eras that followed, many Altmer and Bretons venerated Magnus as a god and he became a part of their respective pantheons. The Ayleids, masters of the arcane arts, worshiped him as the god of Sight, Light, and Insight and were known to dedicate temples in his name. Cyrodiilic legends say Magnus can inhabit the bodies of powerful mages and lend them his power. He is also associated with Zurin Arctus, the Underking and is sometimes represented by an astrolabe, a telescope, or, more commonly, a staff. The New Life Festival, which takes place across Tamriel, was originally in celebration of Magnus.
Malooc Malooc is an enemy god of the Ra Gada who led the goblins against the Redguards during the First Era. He fled east when the army of HoonDing overtook his goblin hordes.
Masser (Jode)
The greater of Nirn's two moons, Masser, or Jode, is acknowledged as one of the attendant spirits of the mortal plane, and, as such, is both temporal and subject to the bounds of mortality. Masser, which exists as a separate plane, has long since perished; it was Masser's death which led mortals to perceive it as having both texture and limited size, as well as a reddish hue, all of which are the results of its decay from its former investiture of pure white.
While regarded by various cultures as an attendant spirit of their god planet, minor god, or foreign god, Masser is not displayed within Dwemer orreries, neither does it hold a position within the pantheon of Imperial gods. In Khajiiti culture, walking the Path of Jode is a necessary step for a Lunar Champion seeking to become the Mane. Under the influence of moon sugar vapors, the Moon Hallowed guides the Lunar Champion through an aspect of Masser known as the Demi-Plane of Jode, which shapes itself to show visions of the future to those who walk along the path. Masser received its title from the Aldmer, who knew the plane as Jode ("Big Moon God" in Ehlnofex). Similarly, Masser finds itself invested with a position of authority and reverence among the Khajiiti pantheon, as its phase at the time of their birth — along with that of Secunda, the lesser of Nirn's moons — determines their form.
The Lunar Lorkhan suggests that Masser originated as one of the halves of Lorkhan's "flesh-divinity", cast within the bounds of Nirn at the time of his destruction, and thus, is a personification of the dichotomy that Lorkhan legends often rail against: ideas of good versus evil, being versus nothingness, and so on. It is believed that Masser was thus purposefully set in the night sky as Lorkhan's constant reminder to his mortal issue of their duty.
Morihaus
Morihaus, also known as Morihaus-Breath-of-Kyne or the "First Breath of Man", was a demigod and early cultural hero of the Cyro-Nordics. Legend portrays him as the taker of the "Citadel" (the White-Gold Tower), an act of mythic times that established human control over the Nibenay Valley. He is often associated with the thu'um, and therefore with Kyne (or Kynareth to Imperial scholars). He was the consort of Saint Alessia, and wore the Lord's Mail, which is also known as the Armor of Morihaus. He is accredited with fathering the first minotaur, Emperor Belharza.
Morihaus was, apparently, a winged man-bull. Several tales speak of the hoop ring he wore in his nose. That the "man-bull" Morihaus was the son of Kyne is called a "solid truth", though when Alessia sought guidance from the "Handmaiden" (believed to be Mara), the Slave-Queen intoned, "Morihaus, your son, mighty and snorting, gore-horned, winged, when next he flies down, let him bring us anger". Legend also holds that Alessia flew atop him. He is said to have greeted the arrival of Pelinal Whitestrake with excited stomping and bellowing. When Morihaus was injured by a "volley of bird beaks", Pelinal carried "the bull" to a Nedic healer.
Pelinal loved Morihaus greatly and treated him like family, calling him "nephew". While he was a great leader and fighter like Pelinal, Morihaus never fell to the madness which afflicted the elder warrior. In a rare piece of advice, Pelinal counseled Morihaus against pursuing his love for Alessia, saying, "We are ada, Mor, and change things through love. We must take care lest we beget more monsters on this earth. If you do not desist, she will take to you, and you will transform all Cyrod if you do this." Morihaus rejected the advice as "impossible" to follow. After Pelinal was killed in his battle with Umaril the Unfeathered, Morihaus found his dismembered head, still able to talk, and the two had a conversation largely lost to history.
The Adabal-a, one of the oldest written accounts from the First Era, is traditionally believed to be the memoirs of Morihaus. It includes all or part of Pelinal's final conversation with the "winged-bull". Morihaus chided his "uncle" for going beyond Alessia's counsel and getting himself killed, but predicted the "blood-made-glorious" warrior would come again. Pelinal warned Morihaus that Umaril still lived and would return. Morihaus out-lived his love Paravania, as he called Alessia, who died in 1E 266. When (or if) the demigod died is unknown.
Morwha
Morwha is a Yokudan fertility goddess. She is a fundamental deity in the Yokudan pantheon, and the favorite of Tall Papa's wives. She is still worshipped in various areas of Hammerfell, including Stros M'kai. Morwha is always portrayed as four-armed, so that she can "grab more husbands." The Imperial god Arkay is associated with Morwha in terms of being able to heal worshippers.
Nerevar
Lord Indoril Nerevar, also called Nerevar Moon-and-Star and Godkiller, was the Chimeri king of Resdayn (modern-day Morrowind). As the Hortator, or Great Ashkhan, of the united Chimer people, he forged an alliance with the Dwemer, and he was one of the founders of the First Council, uniting all the people of Resdayn for the first time in 1E 416. Nerevar then took on the title of "First Councilor". The alliance eventually broke down, leading to the War of the First Council. At the climactic Battle of Red Mountain circa 1E 700, Nerevar led the Chimer to victory, though he died shortly after the battle under disputed circumstances.
Under the Tribunal Temple, he was known as the Herald of the Triune Way. Ashlander prophecies of his "rebirth" as the Nerevarine and heroic return to Morrowind fueled the creation of the Nerevarine Cult. St. Nerevar the Captain, patron of Warriors and Statesmen, became one of the foremost saints of the Dunmeri faith, along with his wife, Almalexia the Warden, Lord Sotha Sil the Magus, Lord Vivec the Poet, and Saint Veloth the Pilgrim. Nerevar became the patron saint of House Redoran.
Onsi, Boneshaver Notable warrior god of the Yokudan Ra Gada, Onsi taught Mankind how to pull their knives into swords. He is mentioned several times in The Book of Circles by Frandar Hunding, who wrote that those forging a sword should recite the "Oblation of Onsi" upon completion. A tale of King Fahara'jad's youth claimed that Onsi personally saved him from a vengeful hagraven.
Orkey
A loan-god of the Nords, who seem to have taken up his worship during Aldmeri rule of Atmora. He combines aspects of Malacath and Arkay. According to Imperial scholars, the Nords believe they once lived as long as Elves until Orkey appeared; through heathen trickery, he fooled them into a bargain that "bound them to the count of winters", and the Nordic lifespan was reduced to six years due to Orkey's foul magic. Through unknown means, Shor showed up and removed the curse, throwing most of it onto the nearby Orcs.
Nordic legend goes into greater detail with the story of Orkey and clarifies some of the details. Their stories claim that Orkey had long plagued them, and had stolen their years away while they were still in Atmora in the Merethic Era. During the reign of High King Wulfharth in the First Era, Orkey summoned Alduin, and nearly every Nord was "eaten down" to six years old by the Time-Eater. King Wulfharth, who had become a boy, pleaded to Shor for help. Shor's own ghost then fought Alduin on the spirit plane, as he did at the beginning of time, and he won, and Orkey's folk, the Orcs, were ruined. It was by watching this battle in the sky that Wulfharth learned how to use the thu'um to save his people. His effort, while successful, cost him his life.
Phynaster Hero-god of the Summerset Isles, who taught the Altmer how to naturally live another hundred years by using a shorter walking stride. He is worshipped by both the Altmer and Bretons, as well as the Snow Elves. He also created the Ring of Phynaster to help him survive his adventurous life. He was one of the ancestor spirits of the upper castes of the Aldmer who would eventually become worshipped by their entire society.
Rajhin Rajhin is the Thief god of the Khajiiti and also known as "the Purring Liar". He was the most successful burglar in Elsweyr's history. Rajhin grew up in the Black Kiergo section of Senchal. Using the power of an ancient relic, known as the Ring of Khajiiti, Rajhin was able to make himself invisible and as quick as the wind. According to legend, the Ring rebelled against such constant use and disappeared, leaving Rajhin helpless before his enemies. During his lifetime, Rajhin is said to have stolen a tattoo from the neck of Empress Kintyra as she slept. The tales of Rajhin the Thief are spoken by the Khajiit to their people, as they find solace in their rich literary tradition.
Reman
Reman Cyrodiil, called the Worldly God, is a cultural god-hero of the Second Empire, founder of the Reman Dynasty, and the greatest hero of the Akaviri Trouble of 1E 2703. His name, Reman, means "Light of Man". Contrary to popular belief, the province of Cyrodiil was not named after him, rather he adopted the ancient Ayleid name for the province, Cyrod, as his surname. The Akaviri invasion is what allowed Reman, called a "son of the West", to first unite many disparate factions under his leadership. Many of the old forts and castles in Skyrim are remnants of the network of fortifications Reman had built to defend against Akavir. Reman not only stopped the foreign invaders, he convinced them to help him build his own empire, and conquered all of Tamriel (except for Morrowind). The Akaviri were the first to acknowledge him as Dragonborn. In fact, it was the Akaviri who did the most to promote his standing as Emperor (although Reman himself never took that title in his lifetime). They had apparently been searching for Dragonborn, and when they heard Reman's voice during the climactic battle at Pale Pass, they realized what he was, knelt, and swore fealty to him.
The formation of Cyrodiil as it is known today is credited to Reman, who incorporated aspects of High Rock, Colovia, the Nibenay region, and the sophisticated if strange culture of the defeated Akaviri into a common whole. He instituted the rites of becoming Emperor, which included the ritual geas to the Amulet of Kings, a soulgem of immense power. He died in 1E 2762, and was buried in Sancre Tor, which had enjoyed a resurgence of wealth and culture under his rule. After two hundred years of ruling, his dynasty ended with the assassination of his last heir, Reman III (purportedly at the hands of the Morag Tong), bringing about the end of the First Era.
Remanada describes Reman as the product of a union between King Hrol (who was killed in the union) and the spirit of St. Alessia (who was considered to be the land itself), and some other sources seem to corroborate this, though skeptics suspect that this heritage was a fabrication intended to legitimize his rule. The text goes on to say that Sancre Tor means "Golden Hill", and it is the place where Reman was conceived and born. He was found there by a shepherdess with the Amulet of Kings already in his hand. She carried the infant directly to the White-Gold Tower and placed him on the throne without contest.
Riddle'Thar, Two-Moons Dance The cosmic order deity of the Khajiiti, the Riddle'Thar was revealed to Elsweyr by the prophet Rid-Thar-ri'Datta, the Mane. The Riddle'Thar is more a set of guidelines by which to live than a single entity, but some of his avatars like to appear as humble messengers of the gods. Also known as the Sugar God. Those who reached the highest levels of the way of Riddle'Thar are nearly unbeatable in weaponless combat. The Riddle'Thar promised a paradise to the Khajiit known as Llesw'er.
Ruptga
Ruptga, more commonly Tall Papa, is the chief deity of the Yokudan pantheon. He was the first god to figure out how to survive the Hunger of Satakal. Following his lead, the other gods learned the "Walkabout", or a process by which they can persist beyond one lifetime. Tall Papa set the stars in the sky to show lesser spirits how to do this, too. It's said he was able to do this due to his enormous size. When he undertook this endeavor, he created a purpose for Tu'whacca, the Yokuda god of souls and caretaker of the "Far Shores", who helps Redguards find that place of waiting between worldskins after death. He sired many children, earning him his moniker of Tall Papa, and when there were too many spirits to keep track of, Ruptga created Sep out of the dead skin of past worlds. Sep was supposed to help him regulate the spirit trade, but Sep could not think straight in his hunger, and Ruptga sometimes had to reach into Sep to save spirits his helper had eaten. Sep convinced other spirits to help him build an easier alternative to the Walkabout, even though Ruptga did not participate or approve. When the plan proved to be a failure, leaving many spirits stranded on a dying patch-work worldskin, Tall Papa punished Sep for trapping the spirits. Legend says he squashed Sep with a big stick for leading so many into a place where they could not reach the Far Shores, and Sep's hunger fell out. However, he refused to save the stranded spirits who had allowed Sep to trick them, instead proclaiming that they would have to find new ways to jump to the Far Shores.
Redguard myth holds that Leki was Ruptga's goddess daughter, and Morwha was his favored wife. After the creation of the world, his son Zeht, an agricultural deity, renounced his father, which is why Tall Papa makes it so hard to grow food. One elven scholar wrote he was the most popular god of the Redguard tradition, along with his children Leki, Hunding, and Ansei.
Satakal
Satakal, the Worldskin, is the Yokudan god of everything, and a fusion of the concepts of Anu and Padomay (Satak and Akel), or the habitable universe resulting of their interaction, also called the Aurbis or 'The Gray Maybe'. Driven by hunger to eat one world to begin another, Satakal has much in common with the Nordic Alduin. In Yokudan mythology, Satakal has done (and still does) this many times over, a cycle which prompted the birth of spirits that could survive the transition, notably Ruptga, the first who learned how to do so. These spirits ultimately became the Yokudan pantheon. Satakal is a popular god of the Alik'r nomads. Redguard creation myth holds that they are doomed to mortality because they are very far away from the real world of Satakal, and the safe haven of the Far Shores is too far away for them to jump from the mortal world.
To the Yokudans, Satak is the Snake who came Before. All the worlds to come rested in the glimmering scales of Satak. There was nothing except Satak; nothing else had the space to exist. The worlds on Satak's skin put out a call to be saved, and they were heard by Akel, the Hungry Stomach of Satak. Akel made itself known, and Satak gave into hunger and began eating. Soon there was enough room to live in the worlds and things began in this violent time. Pretty soon Akel caused Satak to bite its own heart, and Satak died. The hunger, though, refused to stop, even in death, and so the First Serpent shed its skin to begin anew. As the old world died, Satakal began.
Secunda (Jone)
The lesser of Nirn's two moons, Secunda, or Jone, is acknowledged as one of the attendant spirits of the mortal plane, and, as such, is both temporal and subject to the bounds of mortality. Secunda, which exists as a separate plane, has long since perished; it was Secunda's death which led mortals to perceive it as having both texture and limited size, as well as imperfections of color, all of which are the results of its decay from its former investiture of pure white. While regarded by various cultures as an attendant spirit of their god planet, minor god, or foreign god, Secunda is not displayed within Dwemer orreries, neither does it hold a position within the pantheon of Imperial gods. In Khajiiti culture, walking the Path of Jone is a necessary step for a Lunar Champion seeking to become the Mane. Secunda received its title from the Aldmer, who knew the plane as Jone ("Little Moon God" in Ehlnofex). Similarly, Secunda finds itself invested with a position of authority and reverence among the Khajiiti pantheon, as its phase at the time of their birth - along with that of Masser, the greater of Nirn's moons - determines their form.
The Lunar Lorkhan suggests that Secunda originated as one of the halves of Lorkhan's "flesh-divinity", cast within the bounds of Nirn at the time of his destruction, and thus, is a personification of the dichotomy that Lorkhan legends often rail against: ideas of good versus evil, being versus nothingness, and so on. It is believed that Secunda was thus purposefully set in the night sky as Lorkhan's constant reminder to his mortal issue of their duty.
Sep, The Snake Yokudan version of Lorkhan. Tall Papa wanted help regulating the spirit trade, so he created Sep, also called the "Second Serpent", from the detritus of past skins. Sep could not think straight due to intense hunger, and Tall Papa sometimes had to reach down his throat and save spirits Sep had erroneously eaten. Sep eventually got tired of helping Tall Papa. Eventually driven crazy by the hunger of Satakal, Sep convinced some of the gods to help him make an easier alternative to the Walkabout, the process of sliding between worldskins to escape the hunger of Satakal which was pioneered by Tall Papa. Tall Papa, of course, knew better, and just shook his head as they formed a ball from past skins to live on. Sep's skin-ball became the mortal world, and the spirits who followed Sep became trapped there to live out their lives as mortals, and they had to resort to procreation to have any form of survival. Sep was punished by Tall Papa for his transgressions, but his hunger lives on as a void in the stars, a 'non-space' that tries to upset mortal entry into the Far Shores. Tall Papa is said to have squashed the Second Serpent with a big stick. While the rest of the new world was allowed to strive back to godhood, Sep could only slink around in a dead skin, or swim about in the sky, a hungry void that jealously tried to eat the stars.
Sotha Sil
Sotha Sil, or Seht, wizard-mystic god of the Dunmer, is the least known of the divine Tribunal. He is known as the Father of Mysteries, Magus, Magician, Sorcerer, Tinkerer, Clockwork God, the Light of Knowledge, and the Inspiration of Craft and Sorcery. Sil appears as 'si' in Almsivi. He is said to be reshaping the world from his hidden Clockwork City. Once the last survivor of a minor Dunmer House, Sotha Sil became a great wizard in life and later discovered how to use Kagrenac's Tools on the Heart of Lorkhan to steal its divine powers and become a god. He is an architect of time and a binder of Oblivion.
Stuhn, God of Ransom Nordic precursor to Stendarr, brother of Tsun. Shield-thane of Shor, Stuhn was a warrior god that fought against the Aldmeri pantheon. He showed Men how to take, and the benefits of taking, prisoners of war.
Syrabane, Warlock's God An Aldmeri god-ancestor of magic, Syrabane aided Bendu Olo in the Fall of the Sload. Through judicious use of his magical ring, Syrabane saved many from the scourge of the Thrassian Plague. It is said that the ring remains under the command of "Archmage" Syrabane. He is also called the Apprentices' God, for he was a favorite of the younger members of the Mages Guild. A grand statue of him is said to stand on a coastal cliff of Artaeum, which he allegedly posed for in-person. He eventually became revered as a god as Altmeri society developed. A Snow Elf temple was dedicated to his worship.
Tava, Yokudan Bird God Yokudan spirit of the air. Tava is most famous for leading the Yokudans to the isle of Herne after the destruction of their homeland. She has since become assimilated into the mythology of Kynareth. She is still very popular in Hammerfell among sailors, and her shrines can be found in most port cities.
Trinimac
Trinimac was a prominent god of the early Aldmer; in some places, he was even more popular than Auri-El. He was a warrior spirit of the original elven tribes that led armies against mankind, and was known as the strongest of all the et'Ada who wandered Nirn. Boethiah is said to have "eaten" Trinimac and assumed his shape so the Daedric Prince could convince a throng of Aldmer to listen to him, which led to the creation of the Orcs and Chimer. Afterwards, Trinimac vanished from the mythic stage, only to return as Malacath, nothing more than a weak and vengeful version of his former glory.
As Aldmeri society evolved, commoners stopped worshipping their own ancestors and began worshipping the ancestors of their social "betters", elevating them to the level of gods through collective adulation. Trinimac was one such ancestor. He is often referred to as the champion of Auri-El (even the champion of the entire pantheon). He's found in the pantheon of several races of elves, including that of the Snow Elves. Altmeri creation myth says Trinimac was on the front line during the et'Ada's conflict with Lorkhan, who they believe tricked their ancestors into creating Mundus. After Lorkhan's forces drove them from Atmora and sundered Old Ehlnofey, the legend says Trinimac knocked down Lorkhan in front of his army and ripped out his Heart "with more than hands", undoing the God of Mortals. But when Trinimac and Auri-El tried to destroy the Heart, the Heart just mocked them and said, "This Heart is the heart of the world, for one was made to satisfy the other", forcing them to hide it instead.
Trinimac became particularly well-known for spreading what is today the Altmeri understanding of the events surrounding Lorkhan. He preached that Lorkhan's idea for the mortal realm had been a trick all along and fomented war against Lorkhan and his followers, men. He believed that "tears were the best response to the Sundering", and encouraged hatred of Lorkhan.
Tsun, Nordic God of Trials against Adversity
Tsun is the Nordic god of trials against adversity. He died defending Shor from foreign gods. Tsun and his brother Stuhn were both Shield-thanes of Shor. He currently guards the Whalebone Bridge to the Hall of Valor of Sovngarde. At Shor's bidding, he has taken on the role of the master of trials, asking new arrivals to the utopia to prove their strength in combat against him before they can enter the Hall.
Tsun held great respect for magic, which he called the "Clever Craft", and wielded the power of the Voice. He and others desired to face Alduin when the Time-Eater set his soul-snare in Sovngarde, but for reasons unknown, Shor held them back, though Alduin's grip on Sovngarde eventually was broken by the Last Dragonborn.
Tu’whacca
Tu'whacca (or simply Tuwhacca), the Tricky God, is the Yokudan God of Souls, the God of the Far Shores. Before the creation of the world, he was the god of Nobody Really Cares. When Tall Papa undertook the creation of the Walkabout, Tu'whacca found a purpose: he became the caretaker of the Far Shores, and continues to help Redguards find their way into the afterlife. His cult is sometimes associated with Arkay in the more cosmopolitan, Forebear regions of Hammerfell, where the names Tu'whacca and Arkay are basically interchangeable. Crowns detest this Imperialization, considering it a betrayal of their heritage. Nevertheless, scholars can't help but note the clear similarities between them, as well as well the similarities they both share with Xarxes of the Altmer, in both the etymology of their names and the divine roles they fill.
Being an integral part of the Redguard belief system, they have developed many customs related to him. A sneeze may prompt a Redguard to say something like "Tu'whacca bless you", as ancient writings suggest a sneeze is a sign of the presence of an evil spirit. The dead or dying are often referred to with the adage "may Tu'whacca have mercy on [their] soul" or "may Tu'whacca escort [their] soul to the Far Shores". When mummifying a body, the first step Redguard priests perform is to consecrate the body with the Blessings of Tu'whacca.
Vivec
Vivec, or Vehk, Warrior-Poet deity of the Dunmer and "vi" in the Almsivi, was the Guardian God-King of the holy land of Vvardenfell, and ever-vigilant protector from the dark gods of the Red Mountain, the gate to hell. Though some aspects of his past are blurred by time and questions surround some of his more controversial choices, Vivec has always represented the spirit and duality of the Dunmer people, which is reflected in his half-Dunmer, half-Chimer appearance. For hundreds if not thousands of years, he mostly resided at the pinnacle of his Palace in Vivec, his capital, which was visited by hundreds of pilgrims and tourists daily. He honorably guided and protected the Dunmer for thousands of years until his loss of divinity and disappearance near the end of the Third Era, a sacrifice he not only accepted, but helped to bring about. Following his disappearance and the collapse of the Tribunal Temple, he was renamed Saint Vivec by the New Temple and declared a member of the False Tribunal.
Conventional teachings of the Tribunal Temple held that the Tribunal "achieved divine substance through superhuman discipline and virtue and supernatural wisdom and insight. Like loving ancestors, they guard and counsel their followers". Obviously, this account conflicts greatly with the truth, so the truth was suppressed within Morrowind and dissidents persecuted, at times with Vivec's direct involvement, though the knowledge was never fully extinguished. The Temple preached that each Tribune was "anticipated" by a "Good Daedra", one of the Daedra who acknowledged and accepted the Tribunal as the protectors of the Dunmer people (thereby satisfying theological concerns regarding the Tribunal's non-existence before their mortal lives), who became known as the Anticipations. In the case of Vivec, he was anticipated by Mephala.
The Dunmer in general did not envision Lord Vivec as a creature of murder, sex, and secrets. Rather, they conceived of Lord Vivec as benevolent king, guardian warrior, poet-artist. But unconsciously, they accepted the notion of darker, hidden currents beneath Vivec's benevolent aspects, as suggested by his association with the ruthless Mephala. Nevertheless, the teachings of the Temple and the teachings of Vivec himself can be summarized as follows: "Your fourfold duties are to: Faith, Family, Masters, and all that is good. Perform holy quests and bring luster to the Temple. Never transgress against your brothers or sisters, and never dishonor your house or your ancestors. Serve and protect the poor and weak, and honor your elders and clan".
Vivec sought to preserve Tribunal authority and legitimacy, especially his own. In Sermon Four of his Lessons (discussed more below), he is confronted by a group who believed in coincidence above all else, and he "knew that to retain his divinity that he must make a strong argument against luck", evidencing his need to advance his legitimacy as a deity at all times.
Xarxes, God of Ancestry and Secret Knowledge Xarxes, also known as the Ageless One, began as a scribe to Auri-El and has kept track of all Aldmeri accomplishments, large and small, since the beginning of time. He created his wife, Oghma, from his favorite moments in history. He is worshipped by Altmer and Bosmer. Hermaeus Mora claimed that the knowledge he gave to Xarxes was recorded in the Oghma Infinium. The scholar-priests of the divine scribe, secretive though they are, are said to preserve an ancient tongue long forgotten to any but their order.
Y’ffre
Y'ffre (or Jephre), the Singer, the Storyteller, God of Song and Forest, and Spirit of the Now, is the most important deity of the Bosmeri pantheon, also worshipped by the Altmer, Bretons, and Snow Elves. He (occasionally she) was one of the strongest of the recognizable spirits that crystallized shortly after the beginning of time, and played an important role in the coalescing of the physical world during the Dawn Era. He is said to have been the first to transform himself into the Ehlnofey, or Earth Bones, giving rise to the rules and principles of nature and life on Nirn. He thus formed the frame upon which Nature is woven, loomed through with his own song-echoes and sight-perception for mortals to interpret through study of the Sea's mystery, but seeing and hearing nothing himself. Day, night, and the places between are the manifestation of his interpretation of the time-law Anui-El is said to have established within Nirn.
Out of the primordial Ooze, he first brought forth the Green, consisting of all plant life in the forests of Valenwood, from mosses to the mighty graht-oaks, teaching the birds to sing and the waves to lap against the beach and gaining sight-perception of all that occurs within the sight of birds and the reflection of waters. Next to materialize were Y'ffre's people, the Bosmer. He instituted the Green Pact between the Bosmer and the Green, which forbade any harm to the plant life of Valenwood. In exchange, the elves could request the forest shape itself to their needs, providing food and shelter, and also were able to tap into certain atavistic forces of nature, reflecting their chaotic origins. Bosmeri legend holds that any who break the terms of the Pact will be consigned back into the Ooze, their song in the world replaced with silence. In modern times, the Pact is enforced by regional "treethanes", who are responsible for a certain jurisdiction and dedicated to the preservation of the natural resources therein.
An Argonian heresy relating to Y'ffre emerged among the refugees who fled to Valenwood from Black Marsh after the creation of the Ebonheart Pact. Having severed their ties to the 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 ended in 2E 582 when ex-Shadowscale refugees assassinated those responsible for abandoning the Hist. Y'ffre is strongly associated with songs and stories, as a mythical expression of his role in shaping the story of nature. His acts of creation are described as "tales", and he is said to have given the first name to every living creature, solidifying their place in the world. Y'ffre sang to Aetherius, weaving songs so beautiful that stars were compelled to dance and sway, continuing to wink and blink afterward in memory of that song. Y'ffre's priests, called Spinners, also experience life as one long story, as they not only keep the histories and laws of their people, but also narrate events that have yet to occur. As Y'ffre instructed the world and the first Bosmer through tales, so too do the Spinners elucidate and educate their kin through elaborate, sometimes befuddling, metaphors, that nonetheless always contain an essential truth. Spinners can use their "narrative magic" to profoundly alter the stories of others, even altering their memories of past events.
Zeht, Yokudan God of Farms Yokudan god of agriculture. Renounced his father after the world was created, which is why Tall Papa makes it so hard to grow food.
Z’en
Z'en is the Bosmeri God of Toil, agriculture, and payment in kind. Although he is the god of agriculture, he is rumoured to have a larger realm of influence than just crops and cattle. Studies indicates his mythology originates from both Akaviri and Argonian cultures, and scholars speculate that it was introduced into Valenwood by Kothringi sailors. Z'en is often compared to the Imperial god of commerce Zenithar, with Zenithar considered the more refined of the two. Today there are no known worshippers of Z'en, most of his followers having been wiped out by the Knahaten Flu.
Gods of the Pantheons
Varieties of Faith gives the following summary of the pantheons. The book's date is unknown, but first appears in Morrowind, suggesting it was written during the Third Era.
CYRODIIL: Akatosh, Dibella, Arkay, Zenithar, Mara, Stendarr, Kynareth, Julianos, Shezarr, Tiber Septim, Morihaus, Reman
SKYRIM: Alduin, Dibella, Orkey, Tsun, Mara, Stuhn, Kyne, Jhunal, Shor, Ysmir, Herma-Mora, Maloch
ALTMER: Auri-El, Trinimac, Magnus, Syrabane, Y'ffre, Xarxes, Mara, Stendarr, Lorkhan, Phynaster
BOSMER: Auri-El, Y'ffre, Arkay, Z'en, Xarxes, Baan Dar, Mara, Stendarr, Lorkhan, Herma-Mora, Jone, Jode
DUNMER: Almalexia, Vivec, Sotha Sil, Boethiah, Mephala, Azura, Lorkhan, Nerevar, Molag Bal, Malacath, Sheogorath, Mehrunes Dagon
YOKUDA: Satakal, Ruptga, Tu'whacca, Zeht, Morwha, Tava, Malooc, Diagna, Sep, HoonDing, Leki, Onsi,
BRETONY: Akatosh, Magnus, Y'ffre, Dibella, Arkay, Zenithar, Mara, Stendarr, Kynareth, Julianos, Sheor, Phynaster
ELSWEYR: Alkosh, Khenarthi, Riddle'Thar, ja-Kha'jay, Mara, S'rendarr, Lorkhaj, Rajhin, Baan Dar, Azurah, Sheggorath
Outline of the Pantheons All pantheons share some representation of the creator/trickster deity most commonly called Lorkhan, and the dragon god of time, most commonly called Akatosh. Others contain obvious references to certain other spirits, with different emphases.
Cyrodiilic Pantheon Variously the Eight or Nine Divines throughout its history, the Cyrodiilic Pantheon is a synthesis of merish and mannish gods, with the Eight Divines created initially by Alessia as a compromise between the Aldmeri-leaning slaves she had liberated, the Ayleids who submitted to her, and her Nordic allies.
Akatosh is the head of the pantheon. The pantheon contains several deified cultural heroes, Tiber Septim (or Talos), Reman and Morihaus. Shezarr is a less anti-mer version of Shor, designed to not alienate those who venerated the Aldmeri gods.[3] Apart from the creation of the world, the deeds attibuted to him would seem to equate him with Pelinal, who is not acknowledged as part of the Pantheon. Mother Mara, goddess of love. Present in nearly every Tamrielic religious tradition. The Cyrodiilic Pantheon are mostly considered to be quite distant, with most worship formalised and the gods distant. However, individual gods have their own cults, which emphasise a more charismatic style of worship.
The Daedra Princes are not formally worshiped in the Cyrodiilic Pantheon, but they are acknowledged as the 16 Acceptable Blasphemies.
Nordic Pantheon
The Nordic pantheon of Skyrim has many similar gods to that of Cyrodiil, with obvious name similarities between the two pantheons. However, the Nordic representations are almost always more warlike than their Cyrodiilic counterparts.
Unlike most pantheons, the Nordic gods are not led by the Dragon God of Time. Instead, Alduin is seen as the "wellspring" of the pantheon, rather than its leader. Some consider Kyne to be the head of the pantheon, who is one of the "hearth gods". This term is only seen in one in-game text, but is referenced in a design document published by Michael Kirkbride, which explains it more fully. Shor, the Nordic equivalent to Lorkhan, is seen less as a creator god and more as a champion of men and, following his death at the hands of mer, god of the underworld. Along with Tsun, he is considered to be one of 2 Nordic gods that are dead. The Nordic pantheon gives a totemic representation to each of its main deities, as follows:
Dragon as representation of Alduin. Hawk as representation of Kyne. Snake as representation of Orkey Fox as representation of Shor Whale as representation of Stuhn Bear as representation of Tsun Owl as representation of Jhunal Wolf as representation of Mara Moth as representation of Dibella.
The Nordic pantheon only gives particular significance to 2 of the Daedric Princes, and then not in their entirety. The pantheon contains Orkey, a version of Malacath heavily associated with death (and, as a result, Arkay). The other is Herma-Mora, the Woodland Man, who according to Nordic myth nearly tricked the Nords into becoming Aldmer. He is called the Demon of Knowledge, but otherwise does not bear any significant relation to Hermaeus Mora.
Altmeri Pantheon
Merish religion is more focused towards their ancestors than other pantheons, evidenced by the use of the term Aedra ("our ancestors") to describe them. These Aldmeri ancestor-heroes include Trinimac, Syrabane, Phynaster and Auri-El, the head of the pantheon. In the Altmeri tradition, Lorkhan is thought of as an evil figure who tricked the gods into creating the material world as a place of limitation and death.
Bosmeri Pantheon Although Bosmeri religion technically revere Auri-El as the head of their pantheon, it is Y'ffre who holds the most meaning for them. In Bosmeri cosmology, Y'ffre gifted the Bosmer with a fixed form, through the institution of the Green Pact, which informs much of Bosmeri culture. Bosmer also revere Jone, Jode and Baan Dar, which are most commonly associated with the Khajiit. This may give some truth to the Khajiits' assertion that they and the Bosmer share a common lineage.
Dunmer Pantheon
Almost uniquely of all the cultures on Tamriel, the Dunmer have never worshipped the Aedra. Their deities have either been the Daedra, or the Tribunal of Almalexia, Sotha Sil and Vivec. The original Chimer (or Velothi) worshipped Boethiah, Mephala and Azura as saving them from the decadence of their life in Summerset, and and traveled to Dwemereth, now Morrowind, under the guidance of the Prophet (and later Saint) Veloth. After the Battle of Red Mountain, the Tribunal replaced this faith with worship of themselves as god-kings of the Dunmer, banning the worship of the Daedra, although they were still held in reverence. The original Good Daedra became the Anticipations, reflections of the various aspects of the Tribunal. Molag Bal, Malacath, Mehrunes Dagon and Sheogorath are regarded as "Bad Daedra", the House of Troubles, a group of Daedra who did not accept this. These daedra are acknowledged sent to test the faith of the Velothi. In addition to these gods, the Tribunal faith had an array of saints, of which Nerevar was the first. Many of these saints exemplify ideal virtues for the Dunmer, and provide a model for them to live by. Following the events of Morrowind, the Tribunal were either dead or reduced in power. This and the events of the Red Year caused a crisis of faith for the Dunmer, who then returned to their original daedra worship, now styled as the Reclaimations, while the Tribunal were reduced to the status of saints within the new faith. Khajiiti Pantheon
The Khajiiti pantheon has some obvious stand-ins from other pantheons (Alkosh as Akatosh, for example). However, Khajiit still revere Jone and Jode, Aldmeri moon deities forgotten by most other cultures on Tamriel. These are considered to be Tamriel's two moons, who in Khajiit belief form part of the ja-Kha'jay, the Lunar Lattice. However, it also appears that the moons are referred to by some Khajiit as Masser and Secunda, their more common names.
The Khajiit follow the pattern of Aedra and Daedra, believing them to be distinct "litters" of Et'ada, birthed by Ahnurr and Fadomai. However, they also hold Nirni to be a child of these beings too, on an equal footing with the other two. Indeed, Nirni and Azurah have a rivalry. Azurah is credited with making the Khajiit as they currently are, in order that they may be "Nirni's secret defenders", and stabilising their form. Y'ffer also took some and made the Bosmer. To the Khajiit, Lorkhaj is a troublesome figure, distinct from both litters of Ahnurr and Fadomai. He is associated with the Dark, which to the Khajiit is Namiira, and his Heart corrupts Khajiit spirits, turning them to dro-m'Athra, a form of Khajiiti demon. Orcish Pantheon
Orcs typically worship Malacath, the changed remnant of Trinimac, and his code informs much of their law and practices. Malacath is occasionally also called Mauloch, in this context. In the Third Era the orc chief Gortwog established a separate priesthood for Trinimac directly in his Orsinium. This was viewed as heresy by most orcs outside Orsinium and a minority within it, and a bad omen for orcs as a whole.
Redguard Pantheon (Yokudan Pantheon) The Reguard pantheon is very different to most others, although again comparisons can be drawn between some gods, most notably Sep and Lorkhan. Where most cultures start with Anu and Padomay, Yokudan faith starts with one, Satakal, the World-Skin. They also believe their gods were tricked into becoming mortal, in the same way to most merish belief, and consider it their birthright to return to the Far Shores, the world beyond Mundus. Yokudan belief holds special reverence to the stars, believing them to be the way back to the Far Shores, although they do not acknowledge the Magna-Ge as distinct from the rest of their pantheon, and it is Tu'Wacca, their god of death, who helps them get there, not any kind of equivalent to Magnus.
Where Imperial culture has Shezarr as a god of human achievement, and the Nords have Shor, the Yokudans have the Hoon'Ding, the Make Way God, who comes at a time of crisis to make way for his people. He has historically materialised as a variety of things, such as a sword, a crown or both.
