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mistressofduskanddawn · 6 months ago

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A Small Note Of Azura and Kynareth

[ID: Image of a snowy mountain with patches of evergreen trees at the base. The mountains peak about halfway of the image, with the rest being illuminated by the stars. The night sky transitions from pink from the bottom to a rich blue-green at the top].

THE IDEA THAT HAS BEEN OF NOTICE TO ME IS THE CONNECTION OF KYNARETH, beyond what Khajiit lore states. They are both of relevance to my personal practice, particularly so that my TES polytheism is mostly centred around Skyrim, with the legendary edition being my first elder scrolls game when I started playing eight years ago. Azura has always been one of my beloved deities of Skyrim, and I did not learn much of lore outside of what quests and youtube videos there were. Kynareth was hardly ever on my mind until I began to take this seriously, and began to invest myself in the lore—and soon enough, Azura led me to the wind, and I have found something of a companionship between the two goddesses. And with companionship comes gnosis and understanding, leading to a unique perspective—that of a commonality, a friendship, between the two goddesses.

AS CREATORS OF WARRIORS

One commonality I find between the two is their roles in influencing warriors and conflicts, despite not being war gods. Kynareth taught the Thu’um to mortals through Paarthurnax, which despite Greybeard’s insistence that it not be used for violence, is employed as such by people in Tamriel. Azura through her champion Nerevar united the people of Morrowind and her son Alandro Sul acted as his shield companion. Even if he and the other members of the Tribunal eventually went against Azura’s wishes and used the tools of Kagrenac for their own ends, she does continue to patron the Dunmeri people in Tamriel.

Truthfully, there is much more detail to go into on this topic, but by Azura that should be its own post—the simple edition is that both Azura and Kynareth take on motherly and patron roles for warriors for their people. And through the Dragonborn, Khajiit, and other Dunmeri champions do they both continue to protect their people.

A QUICK NOTE ON KHAJIIT LORE

The connection between my two goddesses shines in Khajiit lore, where their connection becomes permanent. Khenarthi is a psychopomp for Azurah, moving with her in the liminality of souls and death:

Khenarthi is Azurah’s messenger, and ferries the dead Khajiiti souls to her for judgment. Azurah tends the lanterns lit by Khenarthi in the eyes of Jone and Jode, their stillborn brothers, when they burn low.

Together, they mourn for their brothers, and they rule over the souls of Khajiit. Their shared power of liminality over souls with Azura over soul gems and Kynareth over transporting souls presses their uniqueness and their connections—perhaps Azura works over Oblivion and Kynareth on Nirn, and who is to say if they hand off souls to another for whichever purpose.

BETWEEN DEATH AND HEAVEN

Azura and Kynareth both rule over the sky: Azura mandates the transitions of day and night as the divine gatekeeper, and Kynareth as a goddess of the winds, storms. Kynareth may very well be the sky herself, as the Aedra gave up much of themselves to form Mundus—befitting that she as a goddess who communicates through wind would be the heavens. And Azura being a Daedra who did not, but precedes over the change of the sky, reminds me of Earth’s various mythologies: often, the heavens are made before the sun and moon.

The stars in Earth’s mythology also tend to come after the sun and moon, as with Hesiod’s Theogony with Eos mothering the stars; in Tamriel people pray to Kynareth for auspicious stars upon birth. And most of us who seek the worship of Aedra and Daedra know that Azura is the Queen of the Night sky and associated with her star. Divination is one of Azura’s powers of prophecy, aligning well with Kynareth’s blessings of good stars. Astrology may be a rather useful activity to pursue with the two.

PERSONAL WORSHIP

Azura is who led me to Kynareth, in hindsight with great wisdom on her behalf. In my essence of writing this blog, my heart has been dedicated mostly to the religion of Skyrim and the Dragons of Skyrim—including Akatosh. The hearth-mother is the one who provided the Way of the Voice, with a power that resonates even in our world. Speeches of dragon tongue are sharp for spells, and excellent for a dragonkin such as myself. And for a witch, Kynareth is more befitting than meets first impressions.

The Fryse Hags came to personal notice for magical practice. A group of witches claiming dedication to Kyne aligns well with Azura’s own power over magic and divination—which draws my notice as a witch myself. The cold and chill of Skyrim is what strikes my heart as home, and thus, the potentiality of ice-bound magic under Kyne and Azura is coming as the soft hoarfrost does. Though of course with far less violence, as the writers of Elder Scrolls tend to make the “Other” extreme—in a world of magic, are witches with a different philosophy really all that different? Sensationalism, I suppose, which continues to strain titles such as Daedric Lord as “evil” and not a more fitting concept as “change” is.

Azura’s willingness to do things most Daedra would not, I believe, attests to her liminality. Her connection to Kynareth—explicit in Khajiit lore, homologous in many other facets—in my eye is an extension of it. Azura acts in ways that push her more towards Aedric in some aspects, for she is loving and kind, but also her liminality gives her the power to expand beyond the title of Daedric lord. Her sharing similar realms to Kynareth gifts me this idea that Azura’s nature is of course similar in part to Kynareth as they both work in the heavens. If the Aedra are stasis, and the Daedra are change, then Kynareth is the heavens, cycles and winds, and Azura is the change that perpetuates those to change based on day and time. And if that distinction even matters, I still find that these two goddesses are closer than most would meet in their eye, unless it happens to be a hint more feline than most.

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References

Lore:Azura – The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP). (n.d.). https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Azura

Lore:Fryse Hags – The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP). (n.d.). https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Fryse_Hags

Lore:Kagrenac’s Tools – The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP). (n.d.). https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Kagrenac%27s_Tools

#skyrim polytheism #skyrim paganism #mistress of dawn and dusk #sunset.txt #tes polytheism #tes paganism #azura deity #pop culture magic #pop culture paganism #kynareth deity #kyne deity #witch #witchcraft #witch community #witchblr

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mistressofduskanddawn · 8 months ago

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Azurite Discovery; Scathecraw Of Aloe

[ID: A top down view of an aloe vera plant, a slender succulent-family plant with many triangle shaped leaves and spikes on its edges. This aloe vera has red and green colouring, with the red concentrated at the spiked edges. The plant branches out like a star, taking up the complete image with no background other than its leaves.]

ONE OF MY MAIN THINGS WITH TAMRIEL PCP IS ITS RELEVANCE TO EARTH, as that is the world we live and the one I adore. I enjoy finding the Aedra and Daedra in this world, and in many aspects, they fit right into our world—and in some ways, they do not. And this either requires the reality that Tamriel is not Earth, conversing with them, or more gnosis discovered about the world. One of these ways was the nugget of information that dearest Azura gave unto me: the Scathecraw found on her altars in Raven’s Rock in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim are the red aloe of our world, and can be used for practical in her domain of vanity.

SCATHECRAW OF ALOE

Scathecraw has limited lore, the wiki describing it simply as:

Scathecraw is a long, tough reddish grass growing in the thermal ash regions of the Ashlands, Molag Amur, and Red Mountain regions of Vvardenfell. The plant also spread to the ashlands of southern Solstheim after the Red Year. The rieklings of Solstheim call it redgrass and ritualistically burn it. The soft inner flesh of the plant can be used in alchemy.

[ID: A side by side comparison of scathecraw from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and aloe cameronii. To the left is the scathecraw depicted growing on a low-resolution soil in front of a rock wall and a wooden post held by rope. Then to the right a picture of an aloe cameronii garden with dozens of plants, most of which possessing a vibrant red colour.]

Conversely, aloe cameronii is a grass aloe. Scathecraw’s name also clues to it being aloe: scathe means “hurt, injure, to hurt or injure someone” and craw meaning “the crop of a bird or insect, the lower digestive system of an animal.” Just as scathecraw is devised of spikes, so does aloe, which clues to me that it is more than appearances that Azura spoke of scathecraw being a variety of aloe.

Aloe vera is also mentioned as a genuine part of Tamriel;

The Aloe Vera are tall and leafy plants that are found mainly in southern Hammerfell, but also in warmer climates like the Gold Coast in Cyrodiil, in pockets throughout the coastline and its hills. The Yokudans were well aware of the herb’s potential in medicine, often using it to staunch the flow of blood and to heal wounds. It can be mixed with other ingredients to create elixirs, like combining the aloe’s lacquer with a crushed leaf can lessen the effects of pox.[7] According to local legend, making a concoction with Ginkgo can boost one’s stamina.[8]

There is a variety of aloe that exists across Tamriel, among which include the Salloweed Aloe in the vicinity of Phaer on the island, Auridon. The alchemist, Hendil learned that it could be used as a powerful sedative against his vampiric son.[9] The aloe vera of Vakka-Bok have been harvested by the Root-Whisper Tribe, deep in the wilds of Murkmire. It was known for its unnaturally fast healing properties, such as keep wounds from festering and soothes burns. While many people do not know why it heals so well, it is theorized that the arcane magic of the sun had given the plant its abilities.

I do not see anything that contradicts scathecraw as a type of aloe, and besides, it is a gift from Azura to witness scathecraw as a variety of aloe. For the Elder Scrolls pagan, aloe as stated may be linked to the sun, and as such, even Meridia and Magnus. Azura’s own connection to magic—which arrives to the world from the light of Magnus’ sun—clues to me why she would reveal such a thing. Aloe vera can be used for burns, healing, potions, prayer, incense, and most fittingly for Azura: its power within vanity.

THE USE OF ALOE AND AZURA

I find Azura fond of most beauty products that truly work to provide beauty, a shine, and promote love of the self. Aloe is a wonderful tool as a powerhouse against wounds that is readily available with its nature of being largely accessible to grow as a succulent. It is commonly applied within healthcare and skincare products for its power over wounds. Most of all, I am particularly interested in its usage and interest to Azura, who guided my hands to the flora.

Devotion wise, I may witness growing scathecraw of aloe—the red aloe—in honour of her ways of self-love and self-care. Azura cares in earnest of us, with her actively promoting my own journey into sustainable beauty practices. Aloe is also lovely for those of us who are low income, as it is cheap to obtain and easy to grow. Scathecraw of aloe also comes with stunning red flowers, which may be gifted as offerings to the mistress of dawn and dusk. It may also be applied in her wonders of magic as a usage in potion and salve making—essentially, real world alchemy—under her guidance. There is likely far more to learn of aloe, but that is for us as Elder Scrolls pagans to journey together under fair Azura’s stars and twilight.

References

Growing Aloes in our Succulent Garden. (n.d.). https://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/sloan.html

Lore:Flora A – The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP). (n.d.). https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Flora_A

Lore:Flora S – The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP). (n.d.). https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Flora_S

Skyrim:Temple – The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP). (n.d.). https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Temple

#sunset.txt #skyrim polytheism #skyrim paganism #mistress of dawn and dusk #tes paganism #tes polytheism #azura deity #pop culture magic #pop culture paganism #pop culture witchcraft #pop culture pagan #paganism #pagan #witchblr #witch #green witch #witch community #witchcraft

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mistressofduskanddawn · 9 months ago

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Household Worship Of Azura

[IMG ID: A shrine of Azura from Raven Rock in the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Dragonborn DLC. The shrine is set upon stone, circular, with candles around an image dedicated to Azura. At the top of the image is a star, with a skull below it, then trailed streaks of black. Before the image are some offerings of gems, a coinpurse, fruits, and vegetation to Azura. It is simple, but beautiful.]

THE DAEDRA, IN SOME ASPECTS OF TESLORE, ARE SPOKEN OF BEING FOUND IN THE DANGEROUS WILDS OF NIRN. Daedra worship within itself is controversial in Tamriel, sometimes inconsistently so, for they are often considered more dangerous than the Aedra. In a way this is true, the Daedra are more present than the Aedra, but the Aedra still may cause harm. My dear Kyne, even if she is a kind mother, rules over the storms that destroy. Eventually, I will cover the cut content that shades the worship of the Aedra in favour of Daedra, instead of the usual anti-Daedric worship that the Aedra-loving lore often proclaims.

Household worship of the Daedra seems to depend on the culture: while there are shrines within some Dnemeri households, outside of the realm of traditional worship, many of the daedra appear to be kept from cities—especially in Skyrim, where nearly all the centres of worship for Daedra are outside the strong-walled holds. She out of all of the Daedra appears to be the closest to cities and the likes, but her temple still stands outside Winterhold in Skyrim.

On Earth, however, we can hopefully worship our deities within our own homes. Azura integrates herself well into the home, providing all her bounty, especially in liminal protection from the dangers of the beyond.

MODERN HERETICS ON AZURA

I was inspired by doing my scholarly research on Azura as usual, when I re-read a passage on Daedra worship in lore that provided a much more realistic perspective: that on Daedric cults and their actions, without the usual gore and harm that permeates the discussion of Daedra. A portion of the passage Modern Heretics inspired this post, with it focusing on Azura in the majority of the text:

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

First I read books. References like this one may provide a helpful general background concerning Daedric shrines. For example, my researches led me to understand that, in Cyrodiil, Daedric shrines are generally represented by statues of Daedra Lords, are generally situated in wilderness locations far from settlements, that each shrine generally has associated with it a community of worshippers, often referred to as a ‘coven’, that shrines have associated with them a particular time — often a day of the week — when a Daedra lord might be solicited, that Daedra Lord often will not deign to respond unless they regard a petitioner of sufficient prowess or strength of character, that they will only respond if given the proper offering [the secret of which offering often known only to the community of worshippers], and that, in return for the completion of some task or service, the Daedra Lords will often undertake to offer an artifact of power to a successful quester. Then I questioned locals with an intimate knowledge of the wilderness. Two classes of informants I found especially useful — well-traveled hunters and adventurers [who might come across shrines in their travels], and scholars of the Mages Guild. In the case of the Shrine of Azura, both sources were profitable. I discovered aCheydinhal hunter who had chanced across a strange epic statue in his travels. The statue was of a woman with outstretched arms; in one hand she held a star; in the other hand, she held a crescent moon. He had shunned the statue out of superstitious fear, but had marked the location in memory –far north of Cheydinhal, northwest ofLake Arrius, high in theJerall Mountains. Then, proceeding to the local Mages Guild with a description of the statue, I was able to confirm from its description the identity of the Daedra Lord worshipped. Having discovered the location of the shrine, I visited it, and discovered there the community of worshippers. Because of the strength of opinion against Daedra worship, the worshippers were, at first, reluctant to admit their identity. But once I had won their trust, they were willing to divulge to me the secrets of the times when Azura would hear petitions [from dusk to dawn], and that the offering required by Azura wasglow dust, a substance obtained from thewill-o-the-wisp. I am, of course, nothing more than a chapelman and scholar, so it did not lie within my power to find a will-o-the-wisp to obtain glow dust; nor am I certain that Azura would have found me worthy to make such an offering, even had I proffered it. But I was assured that if I had been able to make such an offering, and if it had been accepted, Azura would have given me some sort of quest, which, if completed, might have earned me the reward of Azura’s Star, a Daedric artifact of legendary magical powers.

—Modern Herctics, Haderus of Gottlesfont in Oblivion and ESO.

Undoubtedly the outlawing of Daedra worship is what drew these worshippers into hiding, with the daedra often being seen as dangerous and taboo. I cannot help, as others have noted, that this sounds very much so like paganism. Hiding in covens deep within secret locations, petitioning beings outlawed by common society—the Daedra seem to be coded in such a manner, even if the traditional religions of Tamriel are all polytheistic. The usage of coven also draws my eye—almost relating it to this world’s traditional witchcraft circles, in which a figure, often the Witchfather, is petitioned and met with those seeking something. Often power, as those in these covens seem to commonly pursue.

Living on Earth does afford the ability to not have to necessarily hide my Azura worship, even if it is something I naturally keep on the quieter side. Among other pagans it is acceptable, sometimes even adored, to be following a goddess from Nirn. While it would be fun to pursue a shrine in the woods to her, it is a comfort to invite the Lady of Dusk and Dawn into my home instead.

HOUSEHOLD WORSHIP OF AZURA

Household worship has become a norm for pagans, as we are often separated by space and time, and often alone. Praying alone in the home is the standard for most of us, even if we can visit the woods and go deep into dredges to find our gods. The Aedra have handmade shrines designated for home usage within Skyrim, but of course, none for the Daedra without mods. While Wintersun provides a way to express devotion to Azura, it does not fulfil every aspect there is to being a worshipper of a deity in Tamriel.

To worship Azura in the home, it is as easy as a prayer and some offerings. I do prefer to bring my offers outside before Dawn and Dusk, but prayer can be anywhere. Beyond the title however, once again drawing from my background in Mediterranean religion, I believe that there is more to Azura’s household power than simply placing her within the hearth shrine.

Prayer to Azura For Home Protection

Azura’s liminality lends well to a protective goddess. Liminal deities such as Hekate are often invoked to remove spirits as much as to bring them forth, and considering her star, Azura has some sway over souls. To keep spirits from the home, speak this prayer:

AZURA of the Crimson Gate, Rose-bound, she who wards away spirits amore, kismet in your designs. Let your silver starlight grace the doors of my home and let your dawn and dusk appraise the walls. Ward the dwellings I as your people call home, As once you did before, and shall do, Again into your liminal passages evermore.

Prayer to Azura To Banish A Malicious Being

As a goddess who loves her followers dearly, Azura is more than happy to exercise her power over lesser beings from her world and beyond. To ward off entities who would harm your home, place a statue of Azura by the door and or place an image of her symbol to warn. If a malicious being manages to sneak past the wards and locks, speak this prayer to tell Azura of the spirit that evaded every protection placed.

AZURA, she of OBLIVION beyond, There is a demon who haunts these halls, A trespasser, unwelcome, unfound, within This home of this worshipper yours. Roses bloom for your love and command, And here comes this foul being to destroy The buds containing your altar anew. So come, Azura, the warden of the home Who blesses with silver and beauty untold Banish them with binds of silver and red, Rim of all holes, to the halls beyond the dead.

Prayer to Azura To Ward Locks

As the rim of all holes and possibly enemy of Nocturnal, I see no reason why Azura could not ward a lock against thieves and trespassers who would seek to steal and harm the home. Speak this prayer to her to ward locks against such intrusions, less they face her deserved wrath.

The night invites holy Nocturnal’s surmise devotee Thieves speech under her blessings, to come And rid my locks of the silver we both endure. Transition the path of stars and light, Banish thieves and tricksters from my home goodnight Let fate be woven ever so, ward these locks untold So that Nocturnal may dance in another hearth tonight, And we rest under your lilac Twilight delight. Rim of all holds, master of keys and lock-holes, Azura, ward my locks, let no lockpick be turned, Azura, Azura, the mistress of liminality foretold!

I do wonder what those people in Tamriel would have thought, seeing as I can freely honour our goddess within my own home. She is a wonderful goddess, kind and caring with her love understanding. Foretold or not, she is a rose-hearted gift to any hearth who seeks her name. In order for our popculture religion to survive in this world, it must be met on the terms of our lives and heart, and household worship is the step before even considering the likes of temples or communal ritual.

References

Lore:Modern Heretics – The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP). (n.d.). https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Modern_Heretics

Parker, R. C. (2011). On Greek religion. Cornell University Press.

#mistress of dawn and dusk #skyrim polytheism #skyrim paganism #sunset.txt #tes paganism #tes polytheism #pop culture paganism #pop culture magic #azura deity #protection magic #witchcraft #witchblr #baby witch

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mistressofduskanddawn · 10 months ago

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THE PHYSICAL STAR OF AZURA

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[ID: A sky reaching sunset, with the colours shifting from a clouded darker blue sky to a warm red and pink sunset. To the left stands a bare woman, smiling, as she drapes robes round herself as if in a dance. The scene is peaceful and beautiful.]

AZURA’S STAR IS VERY DEAR TO ME, as a symbol of not only my mistress but also her power over magic, transitions, fate, and souls. My mistress has the capacity over the transition of souls through the star, for they are trapped for but a moment until released into either Aetherius or Oblivion, depending on the canon source. Azura’s inherent liminality certainly lends to this, with the state of ghosts often being viewed as here yet not.

Most of us are familiar with Azura’s star, especially her quest in skyrim—in which it is mentioned that the star stores unlimited souls until they can pass unto Oblivion—implying much about the Elder Scrolls afterlives. Yet also her star is a physical location, which with my own personal gnosis, comes into effect of honouring Azura on Earth especially.

THE PLANETARY STAR

The artifact of Azura, her star, is one of many powerful daedric artifacts that are sought out for their unique properties. Unlike the other daedric artifacts however, Azura’s star is also described as a physical location, briefly summarised by the The Elder Scrolls fan wiki as:

Azura’s Star (also known as the Twilight Star) is a star which appears briefly at dawn and dusk, low on the horizon below the constellation of the Steed.[1] It is not to be confused with the artifact named Azura’s Star, a powerful soul gem and symbol of Azura.[2][3]

And then, the star is further put into a physical location as described in the Anticipations:

Azura is the Anticipation of Sotha Sil, but female to his male. Azura was the ancestor who taught the Chimer how to be different from the Altmer. Her teachings are sometimes attributed to Boethiah. In the stories, Azura is often encountered more as a communal progenitor of the race as a whole rather than as an individual ancestor. She is associated with Dusk and Dawn, and is sometimes called the Mother Soul. Azura’s Star, also called the Twilight Star, appears briefly at dawn and dusk low on the horizon below the constellation of the Steed. Azura is associated with mystery and magic, fate and prophecy.

While not much lore is given on this topic, this does establish the name of Azura’s star as beyond the divine artifact. This naturally struck my mind as something of note, especially with the nature of planetary bodies and the divine of the other pagan religions I follow. In this world, planets such as Venus could be called Aster Aphrodites (“Star of Aphrodite”). Planets, which were seen as stars, have been long attributed to deities and archangels across history—which lead into my gnosis revolving Azura’s morning star.

VENUS, THE DAWNSTAR OF AZURA

In this world, and reflected within Nirn, is the dawnstar—the planet we call Venus, shining brilliantly at dawn and dusk. The planet Venus has been long linked to beauty, being the star of Aphrodite, Venus, Ishstar, etc—and it is no surprise that it would come within Azura’s grasp. I find myself seeing the Aedra and Daedra woven into this world everyday; I tread the path and this is but one part of recognising the power of earthly Azura.

For myself, I very much see an identification with the star and the planetary light. Just as stars hold souls in Hellenic and medieval belief, I do possess the lovely gnosis gifted from Azura that the planetary star of Azura holds the souls within her gem. As a liminal goddess, it only makes sense—she having a power over where souls go, the Crimson gates, fits within her natural realm. While some may connect souls to passing through the moon or elsewhere, I see the planet Venus as a spiritual realm on top of the physical planetary star. If her star were to be forged in this world, it would be deeply linked to her star within the heavens.

And for magic, the select window of dawn and dusk only grows stronger. I could see Azurite mages awaiting until her time to invoke the most of her magic—after all, magic in Nirn is about pulling magicka from Aetherius, so in this realm, we could look to the sun and stars for magic. As dawn and dusk arise, we can invoke Azura’s star of dawn and dusk, endearing the ever-pleasant magic and liminality that Azura brings every rising day. Planetary magic is a staple of the occult arts: perhaps there is something to be said about Azura’s hand in such a fated path.

References

ASTRA PLANETA – Greek Gods of the Planet-Stars. (n.d.). https://www.theoi.com/Titan/AstraPlaneta.html

Lore:Azura’s Star (astronomy) – The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP). (n.d.). https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Azura%27s_Star_(astronomy)

Lore:The Anticipations – The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP). (n.d.). https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:The_Anticipations

#mistress of dawn and dusk #sunset.txt #skyrim paganism #skyrim polytheism #tes paganism #tes polytheism #azura deity #pop culture magic #pop culture paganism #paganblr #deity work #paganism #polytheism #pagan community

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mistressofduskanddawn · 10 months ago

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to the mother of men and beasts

Kyne, Mother of Men, Goddess of the Storm, Blessed Warrior-Wife, whose veil is the storm, Kiss at the End, hail to you. May your winds be always at our backs, your hands aways guiding ours, and your wrath a safe haven.

#reblog #kyne deity #kyne worship #tes paganism

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mistressofduskanddawn · 10 months ago

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Daedra, Divine, and Undeath

by Palel Jorian, Necromancy Master of the College of Whispers and Fasti Silver-Tongue, Scholar of the College of Whispers

It is very much worth noting that being undead is generally frowned upon in wider Tamriellic society, regardless of whether you’re a shambling zombie, a flesh-less skeleton, or a suave vampire. There are a rare few post-expired persons who have been able to blend more seamlessly into society.

Having said that, most of the Eight Divines are very anti-undead – or, in some cases, more specific in their detestation. There are also many fascinating notes about the undead when compared to different Daedric Princes. This paper hopes to shine light on such a dark topic.

Molag Bal, as the originator of vampirism, is naturally noted as very pro-undead. Beyond being the Daedric Prince of Domination and Rape and the Father of Vampires, he is also the patron of the Order of the Black Worm, an order that wields necromancy in his name. This cult was once led by the Aldmer lich known as Mannimarco, who has also been worshiped as a god (though whether or not he was is a matter of great debate).

An unexpected entry is the Daedric Prince Sheogorath. Despite not being traditionally associated with necromancy, it has been documented that his Gatekeeper of the Fringe – a series of gigantic guardians that protect the Gates of Madness in Sheogorath’s realm of the Shivering Isles – is a powerful undead known as a Flesh Atronach.

The Daedric Prince Sanguine appears in this list of pro-undead Daedra, but only in the form of the Khajiiti god Sangiin. The Blood Cat, as he is known, was the one that gave vampirism to the Khajiit as a form of temptation. Khajiiti vampire clans worship Sanguine as the giver of their dark natures.

Namira, Daedric Prince of Ancient Darkness and the Lady of Decay, has been historically known to favor vampires. It’s unknown if she has any further connection to the undead of Nirn beyond that.

Clavicus Vile is the Daedric Prince of Trickery and Bargains. It is said that he fulfilled a deal with vampires to help them blend into society better. There is also a story of him turning a tribe of Kothringi into undead and has “cured” vampire worshipers (with death). It’s pretty ambiguous about whether or not he cares about the undead just because they’re undead – rather, the interest seems to be in the usual thing he worries about, that being how he can make a deal that he wins in the end.

Similarly, Hircine has been known to use undeath as a revenge curse. The Daedric Prince of the Hunt is believed to be connected to the Noxiphilic Sanguivora strain of vampirism, but this theory originates from a piece of fiction known as “Seventeen Tastes of Infamy” and was popularized by Cinna Scholasticus, who is infamous for his sensationalism.

Finally among the ambiguous Daedric Princes is Peryite, the Daedric Prince of Natural Order and Pestilence. A recipe for summoning incense includes vampire dust. It’s unknown if this is because he favors vampires as the spreaders of disease or dislikes them for another reason.

Continuing the theme of Daedric Princes but pivoting into the list of gods that detest the undead, we have Meridia, the Prince of Life and Lady of Light. She has a well-documented hatred of the undead and is known to give the Daedric Artifact Dawnbreaker to mortals to vanquish the undead in her name. She is also the patron of the Purified, immortals (or undead, it’s very unclear) who serve her unquestioningly to carry out her will.

Azura, Daedric Prince of Dusk and Dawn and the Goddess of Twilight, has historically had her vampirism-afflicted followers killed to bring them the peace of death.

Finally, Vaermina (the Prince of Dreams and Nightmares) has ordered liches killed and is rumored to have a cure for vampirism. Admittedly this report comes from barely-preserved records of the Nerevarine in 3E 427 and is severely lacking in detail.

None of the Eight Divines are known to favor the undead, and four specifically detest the undead: Arkay, Dibella, Stendarr, and Zenithar.

Arkay is the God of the Cycle of Brith and Death whose priests are staunch opponents of necromancy and the undead alike. The teachings of Dibella, Goddess of Love, Beauty, and Affection, agree with the teachings of Arkay that vampires have impure spirits, and discourages love between the living and the undead.

Stendarr’s faithful are known to hunt down four Abominations defined by Vinicius Imbrex, Archbishop of Chorrol between 1E 1051 and 1E 1087. These four Abominations are the Daedra, lycanthropes, the undead, and vampires (despite vampires already being covered by the category of “undead”). The history of Stendarr’s faithful and their battles with these four Abominations is as long and bloody as the rest of Tamriel’s history.

To a far lesser extent than the other Divines, the God of Work and Commerce, Zenithar, is also put in the position of being anti-undead. He is attributed the Mace of the Crusader (also known as the Mace of Zenithar). This Crusader’s Relic is known to turn the undead and make them flee battle for a short period of time. No further information about Zenithar’s teachings on the undead are available to the College of Whispers at this time.

While we here at the College of Whispers do not outlaw the study of necromancy or the act of being undead, it’s very important to choose a patron wisely, if you must deal with the Daedric Princes and the Eight Divines.

Sources

UESP Lore pages on the following Daedric Princes:

Azura

Clavicus Vile

Hircine

Meridia

Molag Bal

Namira

Peryite

Sanguine

Vaermina

UESP Lore pages on the following Divines:

Arkay

Dibella

Stendarr

Zenithar

Other UESP Lore pages:

Crusader's Relics

Gatekeeper of the Fringe

Mannimarco

Necromancy

Order of the Black Worm

The Four Abominations

#reblog #tes paganism #necromancy #divines #daedra #aedra

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mistressofduskanddawn · 10 months ago

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Meridia On Earth: the Sunlight, the Black Hole

[IMG ID: A scene of beams of light breaking through the heavens of a dark forest, with a distinct outline of a tree to the left. A single branch is to the right of the tree, barely illuminated in the light yet distinctive from the trees in the background. The dark forest contrasts the light yellow beams with a abyssal blue tinted forest.]

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A LARGE PART OF TES POLYTHEISM TODAY IS HOW IT OPERATES IN THIS WORLD, and how the divine fits within. Azura is rather easy to understand here—a gatekeeper of heaven, who opens up the night and day, and a queen of the night sky. Boethiah can be witness within revolutions and will to end oppressive empires, Akatosh in time, Mara in marriage, etc. However, I have begun to think of Meridia and her relationship to Mangus: and with some discussion with my fellow dear TES polytheists, I have found Meridia in the sunlight—and the dark star. This will mostly be a structured rambling of my beginning thoughts upon Meridia upon Earth, which should really be taken with a grain of salt, so let us begin:

SUNLIGHT, MERIDIA, AND THE GREED OF LIGHT

One particular aspect of Meridia I can understand as a kin of draconic nature is greed—but we take it in different forms. Meridia is known for her greed of people and her hatred of free will: rather preferring to have her will as all-consuming. Rather inspired by the darker interpretation of light, I have come to see Meridia in the sunlight—and light seeks to touch all, photons bursting forth to output energy. This is by no means a revolutionary take, she is depicted as the sun in the Skyrim tarot deck, but the possible mechanisms of how are what I am fascinated with.

Energy is the process of life, which for a goddess of light, is only natural.

The Red Star. Harbinger of Dawn. Second Daughter of … She is the Light of … who bore witness to the Crucible of Creation. … Refraction within reason … Goddess Who Holds […] Free will is to be surrendered to passion … destiny is fulfilled for the vessel … Radiant in times of … blinding the Dragon and bending his form … Mirror of the Lie … revealing purity in chaos with fervor … that false-life might be abolished … with the fire of new light may the Mundus be reforged.

The aspect of reforging Mundus could perhaps refer to her hatred of the undead. Meridia often seeks to conform things to her will and loathes the undead, which are contrary to her nature as life. Her father Magnus designed Mundus, yet ended up abandoning his plans. Meridia as his daughter—well, I would not be surprised if she wished for the father’s plans to be complete, and the impurity she sees arising from his light not being honoured.

Her nature of refracting light is further expanded upon by in-game commentary on the Exegenis of Merid-Nunda, similar to how the coloured rooms refract light:

A curious passage indeed. The “Dragon,” of course, traditionally refers to the Divine we know as Akatosh, the God of Time. This seems to suggest that by traveling the “rainbow road” (a reference to the prismatic refraction of light?), Meridia can in some sense alter the rate at which time flows forward. Altering the “speed” of time? Is this merely an absurd conceit of the late Ayleid sorcerer-priests, or a genuine insight into the nature of one of the least-understood Daedric Princes? Who can say?

Time for us humans—beyond the bounds of capitalistic senses of time and clock—is relative to the light of the sun, the moon, and the cycles they are bound within. When I think of her blinding Akatosh and creating dragon-breaks, I think of the way light defines our melatonin production, our idea of day, and the lunar cycle of which people of old defined their months by. Her time bending abilities obviously extend beyond this, but Sunlight is certainly an aspect of time. And her being called a Mirror of the lie: this is once again speculation, but if Magnus’ plans were abandoned and as such Mungus is flawed, then some could view Mundus as in need of reforging.

While silly to realise despite it being so obvious, Meridia is the prism of light. Through her light is filtered, and that is why she can stretch across a rainbow road. The coloured rooms were made through light being refracted within herself—and with this knowledge of her prismatic nature, she is the origin of the rainbow. A constant movement of light—the Daedra are change, afterall. She may not have originally been a daedric prince, yet she fits in rather well through that lens. Refraction also seeks to make light its own separated hue, which is a fun more UPG way to view her greed. She is the sunlight and refraction of light and light seeks to illuminate and refract all. And light spreads as much as it can, just as she tries to go as far as she might.

The Exegesis of Merid-Nunda also speaks of her being unfearing of the dark;

“… thus we call upon Cenedelin to bind the earth, as we speak to Merid-Nunda regarding the light, for she is the scintilla that fears not darkness, and swims the waves of pull and spin ….”

Cenedelin in particular references the Ayleid king of Delodiil defeating the Molag Baal worshipping city of Abagarlas. Scintilla means “a tiny trace or spark of a specified quality or feeling,” making her the courage against the dark. Light has no fear of darkness, for it conquers and illuminates all.

MERIDIA, THE BLACK HOLE

Another theory to Meridia is that she is, within essence, a black hole. Black holes bend light and time as they consume, which aligns with Meridia’s nature of being able to warp time and her greed—black holes consume everything, which poetically, is likened to that of ideal mortal greed. She is a star who fell when consorting with illicit spirits as the lore says, which could be seen as the collapse of a star that creates the black hole. This interpretation is not one I am quite familiar with, but certainly one to intrigue. The source given to me goes into it far better than I could, so I shall link it here.

THE DAY CYCLE

Something I have noticed is that Azura, unlike many dawn goddesses of other religions, is her stronger connection to night compared to day. While ESO does depict her star in more the shape of the sun, Azura’s star is meant to be analogous Nirn’s Venus[1]—and our own, on Earth, the star of dawn and dusk. For myself, being a multi-tradition pagan, when I was coming to understand Azura in this world, I thought of Thesan and Eos. Both are far more associated with Hemera, Helios, and Usil—and not quite as strongly with Nyx, Selene, Cilens, and Tiur.

While Azura is the one who releases Magnus into the sky, she is not nearly as associated with the day compared to night—and this is where I see Meridia shine. And in an obvious lore sense, she is called the Harbinger of Dawn.This puts her as a forerunner of the Dawn cycle, so when Azura opens the day, Meridia and Magnus’ light pours through. On a deeper aspect, Meridia reflecting the sun’s light through herself may be the way she is the daedra of life: by reflecting it, it shines upon the world, allowing for all manners of crops to grow. Her energy is infinite in this sense—as long as Magnus produces light, she can bend it into another will. The will for light to give energy to life, while Azura’s light rules magic and liminality.

Perhaps that is her idea that free will should be replaced with passion. Such passion begets energy, and free will often ends passions and seeks to replace it with one’s own design. As a daughter of Magnus, who seeks to reforge this world—wouldn’t Meridia loathe a mortal’s ability to completely alter fate, no matter how much time and light she bends?

— Piraakyuonliv, Dovah, Gazing Upon Dawnbreaker

References

[1] Venus is often called a star in ancient world lore, associated with dawn and dusk. Deities such as Hesperos and Eosphoros. The lore page I am referencing is here.

EOS – Greek Goddess of the Dawn (Roman Aurora). (n.d.). https://www.theoi.com/Titan/Eos.html

Lore:Exegesis of Merid-Nunda – The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP). (n.d.). https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Exegesis_of_Merid-Nunda

Lore:Meridia – The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP). (n.d.). https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Meridia

#meridia deity #meridia worship #daedra worship #skyrim paganism #skyrim polytheism #tes polytheism #sunset.txt #tes paganism #pop culture magic #pop culture witchcraft #pop culture paganism #witch #witchblr #baby witch #sun witch

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mistressofduskanddawn · 11 months ago

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BEGINNING ALTERATION: SPELLCAST OAKFLESH

[IMG ID: A close up view of an oak tree, looking up directly a the trunk as if standing right in front of the bark. The bark is greyed from the cloudy day, and above one can view a few empty branches of the tree.]

Alteration is one of the six schools of magic. Spells in this school change the world around the caster so normal physical truths no longer hold. It is sometimes confused with Illusion magic, as both schools seek to change normal truths. Illusion magic, however, is not bound by the laws of nature but Alteration magic is. The power of Alteration comes from the fact that the nature of its changes applies to all, whereas Illusion magic affects only the caster and the target

I HAVE BEGUN THE PATH OF TES MAGIC IN THIS REALM, under the guidance of Azura and Akatosh’s will. Translating the magic of Nirn unto Earth is both easier and more difficult than expected: destruction magic is very much so a video game mechanic, and other spells such as healing hands cannot be replicated to its in-world efficiency. And still, the daedra and aedra walk among this world, and Aetherius is still within reach. There a level to which it can be understood on this soulful earth—as you can probably tell from the title of the post, I have begun with oakflesh

OAKFLESH IN LORE

improves the caster's armor rating by <mag> points for 60 seconds.

The general idea of Oakflesh is well, to make one’s flesh have the strength of stone. In Nirn it is a novice level spell, with the higher tier versions increasing the toughness of the material. Beyond this, there generally isn’t much lore—it’s meant for mages and the likes to still have an armour rating while casting spells. Even though we all know that stealth archer is the best build in oakflesh’s main region Skyrim, it’s still useful.

USING OAKFLESH IN THIS WORLD

Oakflesh hopefully will not have to be cast before a good sword fight, so instead I have found a pleasant use in it for tasks that run the risk of small injury. Or just existing, my rotting multiple sclerosis makes me rather clumsy.

THE GUIDE TO USING OAKFLESH:

youtube

Feel the magic of Aetherius, the light of the sun, the mortal to all magic. Draw upon it, or your own magic—perhaps magicka?

Summon the shape of the spell, the two geometric symbols and its blue light

Invoke it, charge it, and then release the power over one’s flesh. This should be similar to what most call energy work.

Optionally, use two hands to strengthen it, just like in game. Follow the motions as shown within the video.

I wish there was more to say, but that is all you can really invoke from such a minor detail of Nirn. I have found it useful when gardening and daily life in order to avoid injury, especially with my dizzy spells and overall clumsiness from my disability. I find that Azura is pleased with such a small step—and I can feel my alteration levelling per say, so one day Stoneflesh will be a possibility for my own magic purposes.

— Piraakyuonliv

#sunset.txt #skyrim paganism #skyrim polytheism #tes polytheism #azura deity #tes paganism #pop culture witchcraft #pop culture paganism #pop culture magic #witchcraft #witch #witchblr #spellcraft #spellwork #baby witch

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mistressofduskanddawn · 11 months ago

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"The Star" - Azura

Art for The Elder Scrolls Tarot Deck

Art by Erika Hollice

#reblog #mistress of dawn and dusk #art #the elder scrolls

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mistressofduskanddawn · 11 months ago

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I break my long silence with a new artwork

Azurah, the Mother of all Khajiit

#reblog #mistress of dawn and dusk #art #how beautiful

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mistressofduskanddawn · 11 months ago

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AZURA OF THE WATERS

[IMG ID: A depiction of a mermaid from the game Elder Scrolls Online. She sits upon the rock, body turned at an angle towards the viewer with her eyes closed. She sits upon a rock, her tail descending towards the water filled with lilies. Her hands rest beside her as the sunlight shines upon the statue, creating an image of beauty.]

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AZURA HAS MANY CELESTIAL ASPECTS, befitting of a dawn and dusk goddess—from the beauty of its lightful vanity, to the liminality and magic, to the gates of heaven and homes—Azura at her core is liminality and celestial wonder, as the Sun and Moon pass through her Lorkan-hearted gates. In this manner, she could even be considered rather consistent in her appearances and behaviour—at least compared to the other Daedra across Tamriel’s myths.

One aspect that I have encountered, one the game teases itself, is that of an ocean-fairing Azura. And the more I interact with my mistress, it becomes more of a logical conclusion than merely a gnostic experience—branching into this world’s history of mermaids and the power of the liminal sea.

ESO AND THE MERMAID STATUE

A detail of the Lore that I enjoy thoroughly is that of the mermaid statue within [0], which in game is speculated to be Azura. Within canon there is arguments on whether or not this is actually Azura;

The Mermaid of Anvil is a statue of mysterious origin. The statue of a beautiful, half-fish half-woman seems to be older than the city of Anvil itself. Due to the impressive scale and grandeur of the statue, many theorize it depicts some sort of forgotten god or an unrecognized aspect of one of the Divines. Some scandalizing but notable rumors claim that the statue depicts Azura as she appeared to some ancient sea-dwelling civilization. However, what is known of extant aquatic races like the Sload and Dreugh casts doubt on this idea, as races such as them are not known for creating works of such beauty.

Of course, as this confirms my gnosis in part, I do think it is Azura—the feminine figure matches how she often appears in her more human depictions.

THE SEA, LIMINALITY, AND THE ASPECT OF SEA-BORN VANITY

The sea within itself is often a picture of liminality: deities such as Helios and Selene are depicted descending into the depths of Okeanos to arise again, Ran of Heathenry keeps to her dead there, and water is known for its ambiguity and flow. Death and the beyond lies head of the coast line—and even more mystery lies in its waters, even today as we do not know much of what dwells beneath. As a gatekeeper of not only the crimson gate but of holes and thresholds, I can easily see her on the water’s edges as she opens the heavens with her dawn and dusk. It helps that some lore ascribes Hermaeus Mora to controlling the tides—the sea is linked to memory in Nirn, after all.

Comparing Azura to the likes of Eos and Thesan of our world traditions, she can be seen as a “gatekeeper” of the heavens. Azura, as described with the version of her that opens the heart of Lorkan, allows Magnus and the Moons to rise into the sky. I do see Azura of the sea in this—wading on the edges to open the day and night. Something that surprises me yet is the lack of sea lore within The Elder Scrolls. Except of course the nature of water-side and depth-dwelling races, which have seldom been depicted within Nirn. And if the mermaid statue of ESO is Azura—her as a mermaid becomes only more solidified with their association with vanity, beauty, and mirrors:

A mermaid’s accessories also revealed deeper symbolism, with her mirror and comb representing vanity (not to mention the duality of one’s soul outside the body) and her flowing hair signifying fertility. Sometimes, mermaids would hold a fish instead of a comb, which probably further symbolized her link to the fish as an early symbol of Christianity. By the medieval period (the fifth to fifteenth centuries CE), churchgoers throughout Europe worshipped in spaces decorated with overtly sexualized mermaid imagery. Church leaders, meanwhile, cultivated an intimate knowledge of these strange creatures through myriad texts, art and sculpture. Such ubiquity helped to facilitate general accept- ance of, and belief in, mermaids. — Merpeople, A Human History, Vaughn Scribner

Azura as a mermaid comes naturally when I look at what a mermaid is—a picture of liminality between land and sea, a being associated with vanity and the alluring call. I can imagine her descending into the depths of memory and fate, then emerging once more as the pink rose-hair beautiful elven woman I often see her as.

— Piraakyuonliv, Dovah, Follower of Azura

References

Jeffrey M. Hurwit. (2017). Helios Rising: The Sun, the Moon, and the Sea in the Sculptures of the Parthenon. American Journal of Archaeology, 121(4), 527–558. https://doi.org/10.3764/aja.121.4.0527

Kingshill, S. (2021). Merpeople: A Human History. Folklore, 132(3), 329–330. https://doi.org/10.1080/0015587x.2021.1911091

Lore:Azura – The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP). (n.d.). https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Azura

#skyrim polytheism #sunset.txt #azura deity #tes paganism #tes polytheism #skyrim paganism #mistress of dawn and dusk #popculture paganism #pop culture paganism #pop culture magic #pop culture witchcraft #pagan #paganism #witch #witchcraft

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mistressofduskanddawn · 1 year ago

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hey everyone, I hate to make this kind of post, however I am in a very tough spot. I got into a car crash a few weeks ago and I’m trying to repair my car, and my other project car’s repair bill just came out to be 2,700 and I desperately need a car to drive for work and living expenses. It’s why I haven’t been posting much, I am really struggling to work more hours to get my cars back, bills paid, and struggling with my primary progressive ms. im having a time! my Fairlady Z needs a new suspension and that im covering, however my other car has three oil leaks and a coolant leak totally to 2700–and of course, it’s an urgent repair less I risk blowing up an engine.

if anyone could send spare change, that would be lovely. I’m currently going through all my savings to fix my beloved cars and pay for bills.

ko.fi: https://ko-fi.com/morganaanfay

PayPal: https://paypal.me/morganadraconis

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mistressofduskanddawn · 1 year ago

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Wines for the Daedric Princes

Azura: Light rose and sweetened whites, especially gewürztraminer, for its lovely rose scent and taste.

Boethiah: red light bodied wines that remind one of spilled blood; cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir.

Clavius Vile: wines of deeper nature and deception, a buttery chardonnay or meaty sweet port, complex blends and vintages unseen yet a deal for what they may be.

Hermaeus Mora: natural wines in which their secrets are hidden, you will never know how the wine went through its fermentation.

Hircine: natural wines, made from wild undomesticated grapes within the wilderness. The hunt for them alone is one of his pursuits.

Ithelia: obscure, indigenous wines that fathered the modern wine world yet remain locked and lost to time. Gouais blanc and other such forgotten yet vital varieties.

Jyggalag: traditional wines, bordeauxs and such, that invoke the order and tradition of old world wines.

Malacath: Table wines, those of the lower class, longstanding for their value. Wines enjoyed with food, considered weak yet have been a table of human culture for ages.

Mehrunes Dagon: Syrah and burnt wines, wines made from the regional smoke that lingers within the bottle and upon the tongue.

Mephala: Wines of controversy and disguise, such as a purple pinot noir or the market-changing jackson Chardonnay. Cold-hardy hybrid wines as well, such as Chambourcin, that seek to change the market itself.

Meridia: Bright wines, light and full of life, such as a cold region chardonnay or vigonier. Sparkling wines as well, brimming with light and air, such as prosecco,

Molag Baal: brutal, tannic wines, such as Cabernet Franc, the colour of blood and barely drinkable, begetting suffering for the drinker.

Namira: Old wines, sherries and noble rot wines, filled with age and decay.

Nocturnal: blueberry wines that invoke the night sky, full bodied reds made to invoke mystery such as petite syrah.

Peryite: noble rot wines, saturnes and such, made from the botrytis bunch rot in such a way that a wine become dried of water and therefore sweet.

Sanguine: All wines, truly, but especially those of higher ABV meant to draw in indulgence.

Sheogorath: wines of chaos. peeps wine and other such creatures.

Vaermina: Muscats and sweet wines, to lure one into a drink yet end up blacked out due to overindulgence, the slow draw into more until sleep.

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mistressofduskanddawn · 1 year ago

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I am so thinking about worshipping Boethiah. just something about that cut content quest that drives me mad…

#tes polytheism #tes paganism #skyrim polytheism #sunset.txt #boethiah deity

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mistressofduskanddawn · 1 year ago

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Alright so

Boethiah “the font of inspiration” who calls upon mortals to leave their mark upon the world no matter the form.

Hircine “who is half the conscience of men” meaning the half of mortal minds that follows instinct and the drive for survival.

Malacath “who speaks all languages sideways” meaning he is a universal entity whose name and purpose has become distorted over time. Alternatively, he twists words to inspire rage.

Mehrunes Dagon “whose mistress is the blazing sun” meaning he was created by and serves the will of the Magna Ge who brought him forth.

Sheogorath “the comforter of men” meaning he who facilitates dissociation or a break from reality; taking mortals away from the pains of the world via madness. It’s a comfort to be free of reality but the side effects vary.

Molag Bal “whose breath is most foul” meaning the commands he speaks upon the mortal realm are palpable yet undesirable; a domineering root of suffering.

Namira “whose works works endure forever” meaning her design for existence is inescapable and inevitable aka entropy and decay.

Mephala “who threads the needle with the hair of wives” meaning she manipulates the bonds of loyalty to her ends.

Clavicus Vile “who always answers” meaning he’ll make a deal with anyone but the terms won’t necessarily be fair.

Nocturnal “whose touch is mink” meaning her blessing is soft, concealing, and expensive to attain.

Peryite “who’s foundation is falling rock” meaning his power is based in the same forces that move erosion and the passage of time. Incremental but nonetheless potent.

Azura “the rim of all holes” meaning her power is what facilitates transformation and dramatic change on a singular level. The movement of an object or being to dramatically different circumstances. A goddess of exodus and transmutation.

Meridia “who contains the plenum” meaning her sphere is one of wholeness and abundance. Something she offers at a high price.

Hermaeus Mora “who holds the paper to the light” meaning he reveals the hidden truths beneath the surface.

Sanguine “who tastes the shaven fruit” meaning he consumes mortals at their most vulnerable; when they’re inebriated or at the height of their pleasure.

Vaermina “weaver of the panoply” meaning she designs mortal delusions; the fantastical fears we react upon in reality.

#reblog #daedra worship #skyrim paganism #mistress of dawn and dusk #oh this is so lovely…

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