Daedra (pronounced , more uncommonly , sing. Daedroth) are divine creatures from fictional The Elder Scrolls universe. In the Elder Scrolls video game series, they inhabit the plane of Oblivion (a dimension of Nirn), but are also well-known to the inhabitants of Tamriel, where they are feared and hated by some and worshiped as gods by others. Daedra are very physically diverse, ranging in form from humanoid, to distinctly beastlike, and even to having their souls bound in weapons or armor. Although they can be killed by the player, they are considered immortal, as their soul is inevitably resurrected back in Oblivion in the event that their physical body is destroyed.
Introduction
According to lore from the fictional Elder Scrolls universe, the term "Daedra" is of Altmeric (High Elven) origin, its literal translation being "not our ancestors" as opposed to Aedra - " ancestors". Although the singular form of the word is technically daedroth, it has become common practice to refer to these beings in both the singular and plural simply as daedra. Daedra are frequently thought to be demonic in form. This is untrue however, with most Daedric Princes and most of the creatures being non-demonic. Daedra do wield tremendous destructive power, however, and are frequently associated with death, ruin, and disarray.
In the video game series, a Daedroth's physical form can be destroyed, but they cannot be truly killed; the soul or animus of a slain Daedroth returns to the void of Oblivion until it is able to return to physical form. The torturous period in the void can last centuries, and is the closest sensation to death that a Daedroth can experience.
In the fictional Elder Scrolls universe, Daedra are not easily defined within the ordinary bounds of good or evil, however due to the destructive acts of some Daedric princes they have come to be regarded by most as evil beings. Amongst the majority of Tamriel's populace, the Daedra are seen as naturally evil, as many concepts of evil are directly relative to the mortal world (i.e. destruction is evil, and chaos is evil), though the Daedra are simply different in and of themselves, being entities of change. As such, their evilness is not borne out of malice, but out of genuinely conflicting natures (consider alien beings attempting to terraform the earth by burning off its atmosphere and raising the temperature thousands of degrees). Similarly, humans who evince Daedric behavior are commonly thought evil, as that sort of behavior often controverts the natural order.
An interesting fact that probably explains Mehrunes Dagon's ambitions to conquer Tamriel (aside from the fact that ambition itself is part of his sphere of government), is that, according to lore in the fictional universe, Daedra spirits never really die. Simply put, Dagon cannot perform the acts that are his namesake (The Prince of Destruction). No matter how much the Lord of Destruction destroys Oblivion, it always comes back, as described in "Spirits of the Daedra". But in Tamriel, if someone dies, they stay dead and rarely do they ever "come back." This is distinctly a problem for the main characters within the game.
Daedric forms, appearances and character
In the fictional game series, Daedra appear in many different forms. The most important are the Daedric Princes, powerful spirits. There are also "lesser Daedra" beings known to be in league with these greater powers. Whether all of these constitute actual Daedra or if some are simply equivalents of the mortal realm's tame animals is as yet unstated in the game series.
In the fictional series, Daedra generally seem to view mortals as little more than minor amusements, giving some applause whenever a mortal being exceeds certain expectations. They do however take interest in their worshippers, sometimes considering them foolish, but with some Daedra thinking of them as valued servants.
The Daedra see themselves as a superior form of life and feel generally no need for any alliance or truce with any of the mortal races of Tamriel. Some Daedra may be summoned however. There is a popular notion that the summoned Daedra will then give the summoner a quest or task to fulfill and that the quest's completion will see its participant richly rewarded. Mostly these tasks are merely for the entertainment of the Daedra. This is not always so, as Morian Zenas, author of On Oblivion, claims that he was able to successfully summon and speak with Daedra without ever being asked to complete a task or a quest.
Daedric princes
In the fictional Elder Scrolls series, Daedric Princes (not to be mistaken for daedra lords or powerful but ordinary enemies) are the most powerful of the Daedra, and thus most commonly worshipped as gods. Each has a particular sphere, which it is said to govern. Although Daedric Princes may assume the form of a female or male, they have no inherent gender, and are all referred to as princes. In all, there are sixteen princes. Each Daedric Prince has one plane of Oblivion, which total sixteen in all. The most commonly known princes are Azura and Mehrunes Dagon, while Hircine made an appearance in Bloodmoon, the expansion set for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and Sheogorath was prominent in Shivering Isles, the expansion pack for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
The Daedric Princes consist of Azura, Boethiah, Clavicus Vile, Hermaeus Mora, Hircine, Sheogorath,Jyggalag, Malacath, Mehrunes Dagon, Mephala, Meridia, Molag Bal, Namira,Nocturnal, Peryite, Sanguine and Vaermina.
Lesser Daedra
In the video game series, there are many types of lesser Daedra, creatures believed to be created by the Princes as warriors, servants, playthings and worshippers. It should be noted that the descriptions of appearances given here are not necessarily always accurate, as to many Daedra appearance is a matter of choice. Belonging to a particular grouping is however said to shape their bodies and minds, and thus common traits are established.
Humanoids
According to the fictional universe, many Daedra of greater mental capacity prefer a humanoid shape and appearance. The Daedric Princes and their servants are usually among them. Daedra who usually appear in humanoid form are:
*Dremora are generally servants of Mehrunes Dagon. Featured in Battlespire, Morrowind, and Oblivion.
*Golden Saints appear as golden-skinned Elves in golden armor, and serve Sheogorath. Featured in Morrowind and Shivering Isles.
*Dark Seducers come in several varieties, and generally have a mercenary nature. They often serve Mehrunes Dagon, and can more recently be seen to serve Sheogorath in Shivering Isles. Featured in Battlespire, Daggerfall, and Shivering Isles.
* Knights of Order serve Jyggalag; they are humanoid crystallite creatures that use swords and are deadly enemies, and they have crystal hearts which can be used to activate many Order objects. Featured in Shivering Isles.
*Aurorans generally serve the Daedric prince Meridia; they appear as humanoids clad in Ayleid battle armor. They have the same hearts as the Dremora, unlike the Knights of Order hearts.
*Xivilai semi-intelligent creatures who serve Mehrunes Dagon and are seen in the planes of Oblivion. Xivilai often appear as blue - skinned humans. One is featured in Battlespire (unkillable) and they are a common creature in Oblivion.
Reptilians
In the video game series, Daedra have amongst their ranks some reptilian creatures, most of which serve Mehrunes Dagon or Molag Bal. The Daedroth is somewhat humanoid in its appearance, it walks on two legs and possesses two arms, each with deadly claws in place of hands. Its skin is almost entirely scaled and its head is similar to that of a large crocodile's. The teeth of the Daedroth can also be used in potions, and are worth a fair amount to merchants. These Daedra breathe fire, and are capable of inflicting much damage in combat.
Another reptilian Daedra is the Clannfear, perhaps one of the smaller lizards in the Daedra realm, Clannfear resemble a cross between a Triceratops and a Velociraptor - representing the upper & lower body respectively, however it is smaller than the former, yet bigger than the latter. Clannfear have small arms, each with extremely sharp claws that it uses to attack in combat. Their skin is heavily scaled, with small spikes cresting their face and forehead. If slain, a Clannfear's claws can be sold for a fair price in stores. There is also a weaker version of the Clannfear; Clannfear Runts. They are visibly smaller, with a much lower attack strength than their larger brethren. Even though Clannfear are smaller, they can be more dangerous than Daedroth due to the innate ability to reflect damage, a high defence, and very quick attacks.
*Clannfear are featured in Battlespire, Morrowind, and Oblivion.
*Daedroth are featured in Daggerfall, Morrowind, and Oblivion.
Atronach
According to the fictional series, Atronach are Daedra attached to one particular magical element. There are several varieties of atronach, and they vary greatly in terms of strength and physical appearance. All atronach are humanoid in appearance. Flame atronach are roughly human in size, appear female, and are colored black, red and orange (in Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind they were male). Flame atronach use fire magic to attack their foes.
Frost Atronach are larger in build; in The Elder Scrolls IV they dwarf humans at around 8 feet in height - their bodies are light blue in hue, they are jaggedly shaped as if assembled from huge blocks of ice. They reflect sunlight very heavily. This in itself can be a deterrent during daylight hours, as a combatant dazzled by reflecting light can have difficulty fighting in combat. Storm Atronach appear to be nothing more than collections of rocks, loosely held together in a humanoid shape by surging arcs of electricity. Their tactics consist of hurling lightning bolts at their foes and crushing them with their rocky bodies when in close combat. Slaying any of these Atronach will allow one to gather elemental salts off of the atronach's remains, which can be used in alchemical mixtures or can be sold.
Atronach have no strong connection to any Prince, serving one or another at will.
Steel and Flesh Atronach are increasingly rare, and have not been seen on Tamriel since the events of the Warp in the West. However, in the Shivering Isles expansion to Oblivion, Flesh Atronach again make an appearance.
*Flame Atronach are featured in Daggerfall, Morrowind and Oblivion.
*Frost Atronach are featured in Daggerfall, Morrowind and Oblivion.
*Storm Atronach are featured in Morrowind, and Oblivion.
*Flesh Atronach are featured in Daggerfall and Shivering isles.
Others
* Winged Twilights are the only known Daedric creatures capable of flight, they bear some resemblance to Harpies, their skin is a blue color with their skulls being about the same size as a human's, and they also possess large tails. They share features with human females, feminine facial features and hair in a ponytail. They are servants of Azura. Featured in Morrowind.
* Spider Daedra appear as a kind of spider-centaur, a large spider with a human torso in place of a head. They have the ability to summon Spiderlings and use Shock magic. They are associated with Mephala, and are so unruly and irrational that not even Mephala's worshippers will often summon them, for fear that they will disobey their orders. Featured in Battlespire, Oblivion.
* Ogrim are enormous Daedra with very little intellect, but which are chiefly sent into the mortal world to menace living things for the amusement of Daedra Princes. Ogrim are associated with Malacath. Featured in Morrowind.
* Hungers are powerful and violent warriors with some magic ability, associated with Sheogorath in the Shivering Isles and Boethiah in Morrowind. Featured in Morrowind, Shivering Isles.
*Scamps are small goblin-like creatures, skittish in nature. They are often associated with Mehrunes Dagon. Featured in Battlespire, Morrowind, Oblivion.
*Vermai appear similar to scamps, but are fairly hardier. Featured in Battlespire, Redguard.
*Herne and Morphoid Daedra resemble horned scamps, associated with Mehrunes Dagon and Hircine. Featured in Battlespire.
Daedric alphabet
The Daedric alphabet is a typeface of symbols that replace the English alphabet used in The Elder Scrolls video game series. It is incorrect to call Daedric a language, as it is simply an alternate alphabet for the English language.
History and Origins
Fictionally, the Daedric alphabet is the written form used by the Daedra and Dunmer of Tamriel. The language is strongly affiliated with magicka (Daedric letters are often referred to as sigils), with various scrolls and tomes (Such as the Mysterium Xarxes in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion) written in the Daedric alphabet. The exact source of the alphabet is unknown, it is believed to be the creation of the Daedra themselves, then passed down to the mortal realm.
In actuality, the Daedric alphabet is the creation of Bethesda Softworks, a video game studio located in Rockville, Maryland with a strong emphasis on Role Playing Games. In fact, the PC versions of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion shipped with a Daedric True Type Font.
Character Set
The Daedra use their own calligraphy, but the underlying language is closely similar to the Modern Cyrodiilic language. The following is the best known Daedric character set.
Some letters, such as Doht, Hekhem, and Jeb, have alternate forms. This is due to inconsistencies of these letters throughout the video game series. A possible fictional explanation is cultural differences between the provinces of Morrowind and Cyrodiil, the two areas of Tamriel Daedric writings are seen most. The naming convention of the Daedric lettering strongly resembles that of the real-world Phoenician alphabet.
Xayah and Yahkem
The Daedric letters Xayah (X) and Yahkem (Y) are usually omitted from the Daedric alphabet in scrolls and books found in the games. However, the letter Yahkem makes an appearance in sign and banners in Morrowind, such as the sign outside of Tel Fyr. The letter Xayah has yet to be seen in any Elder Scrolls game. Therefore, its aesthetics are purely speculation at this point and it is unknown why these letters are omitted from the alphabet in the first place.
Writing Customs
In Morrowind, a region of the fictional series, the Dunmer peoples often write words in a cluster form, instead of the standard left to right.
It should be noted that in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, none of the Daedric writings seen in the game are written in cluster form. It would seem that the word cluster is a Dunmeri custom, thus being found prominently throughout Morrowind.
Daedra worship
In the fictional universe, Daedra are widely worshipped in the realms of Tamriel with many shrines located throughout the Empire. Those who worship Daedra see them as gods, their conceptions of their respective Daedric gods varying widely. Mainstream religious authorities such as the Church of the Nine Divines disapprove of the practice. Thus, worshippers are often driven away from various localities in processes resemblant of witchhunts, though during the process many participants are often surprised at the sane, down to earth nature many of the Daedric worshippers (save Mehrunes Dagon's and Sheogorath's) possess, which contrasts greatly with the common perception of blood-drinking baby-eaters reminiscent of real-world notions of Satanic Panic. Historically, orcs and dark elves were common Daedra worshipers, but that has changed recently; The Orcs who live in Orsinium mostly worship Trinimac, the former aedric incarnation of Malacath from before the Velothi exodus, while Imperial endeavors into Morrowind have won converts to the Church of the Nine Divines.
Towards the end of the Third Era Daedra worship became increasingly more prevalent across Tamriel, with several new shrines being established in Cyrodiil and beyond. The popularity of such worship has created some speculation and rumor amongst citizens of Cyrodiil, some expressing alarm and fear, others curiosity. It is possible for one curious of the practice of worship to visit several Daedra shrines in Cyrodiil (or any other province of Tamriel).
In the video game series, Daedra worshippers often relate that they felt "called" to worship the Daedra, and thus worship by choice. Most times a worshipper follows a Daedra that most closely parallels their own conscience. For example, a follower of Nocturnal, the Daedric Prince of night, might feel a kinship with the darkness, whereas a follower of Mehrunes Dagon may have a great hunger for power.
Conjuring Daedra
In the video game series, worshippers may bind other daedric servants to this plane through rituals and pacts. Such arrangements result in the daedric servant remaining on this plane indefinitely - or at least until their bodily manifestations on this plane are destroyed, precipitating their supernatural essences back to Oblivion. Whenever daedra are encountered at daedric ruins or in tombs, they are almost invariably long-term visitors to the mortal plane.
Most daedric servants can be summoned by sorcerers only for very brief periods, within relatively fragile frameworks of command and binding. Another way daedra are summoned is by pacts made, often the daedric artifacts are lesser daedra bound to our realm by such pacts.
Entering the realm of Oblivion
In the fictional Elder Scrolls universe, the worshippers of Daedra have also tried to use their conjuring skills to enter their master daedra's realms but this is extremely dangerous even for high level summoners and warlocks. In the fourth entry in the video game series, deep within the Cyrodillic wilderness worshippers of the Daedra Peryite tried to enter his realm of Oblivion only to have it backfire and almost trap them into an eternal purgatory. The worshippers had their souls trapped on Oblivion and their bodies bound to Nirn. This results in a quest given to the player by Peryite to retrieve their souls from Oblivion. The souls could be found wandering in an eternal void without thought spouting out philosophical quotes as they wandered Oblivion.
The only safe mode of travel for worshippers of Daedra and travelers otherwise to enter Oblivion is through the stable portal of an Oblivion gate. These portals were constantly seen at the end of the third age of Tamriel as the daedra prince Mehrunes Dagon and his followers planned an invasion of Tamriel. The portals ranged in size from small gates that would open in the wilderness, to the large Great Gates which allowed the daedra to attack two cities directly. The portals are held open by a Sigil Stone at the top of a large tower inside of the Oblivion world that they linked to. The stone works as an anchor for the gate between the two realms. If the Sigil Stone is taken, the portal collapses, and any beings not native to Oblivion are sent back to Tamriel. In the Shivering Isles expansion, a new gate is opened to Sheogorath's realm of the Shivering Isles. The gate differs in appearance from Mehrunes Dagon's and can remain open indefinitely as the gate poses no threat to Nirn's or Mundus' fabrics of space. A barrier had existed between Nirn and Oblivion, kept alive by the Dragonfires in the temple in the Imperial City. Part of a new emperor's coronation was to relight the fires, which are extinguished upon the death of the old emperor. When Emperor Uriel Septim VII died during the events of Oblivion, the Dragonfires were extinguished, allowing Mehrunes Dagon to open portals to Oblivion. The Dragonfires can only be lit by an heir to the throne wielding the Amulet of Kings (the Amulet was stolen by Mankar Camoran in his plot to keep the Dragonfires dim, and thus, the way to Nirn from Oblivion remained open).
In the video game series, there has been one known exception to the aforementioned rule. This was when the currently deceased heir to the Septim bloodline, Martin Septim, opened a portal to Camoran's Paradise (a small island in Mehrunes Dagon's plane of Oblivion dedicated to and controlled by Mankar Camoran) to get the Amulet of Kings. From accounts of the Blades, Martin spent days contemplating the Mysterium Xarxes, the only book to ever be written in Oblivion itself by Mehrunes Dagon in the deserts of suffering and despair. From this, Martin determined that the portal would require four items of almost unbelievable rarity: a Great Sigil Stone, a Great Welkynd Stone, the blood of a Daedra, and the blood of an Aedra. The Champion of Cyrodiil (the player) gathered these through perilous journeys to give to Martin. Martin then opened a portal to Camoran's Paradise where the Champion retrieved the Amulet of Kings from the powerful Daedric worshipper, Camoran himself.
Introduction
According to lore from the fictional Elder Scrolls universe, the term "Daedra" is of Altmeric (High Elven) origin, its literal translation being "not our ancestors" as opposed to Aedra - " ancestors". Although the singular form of the word is technically daedroth, it has become common practice to refer to these beings in both the singular and plural simply as daedra. Daedra are frequently thought to be demonic in form. This is untrue however, with most Daedric Princes and most of the creatures being non-demonic. Daedra do wield tremendous destructive power, however, and are frequently associated with death, ruin, and disarray.
In the video game series, a Daedroth's physical form can be destroyed, but they cannot be truly killed; the soul or animus of a slain Daedroth returns to the void of Oblivion until it is able to return to physical form. The torturous period in the void can last centuries, and is the closest sensation to death that a Daedroth can experience.
In the fictional Elder Scrolls universe, Daedra are not easily defined within the ordinary bounds of good or evil, however due to the destructive acts of some Daedric princes they have come to be regarded by most as evil beings. Amongst the majority of Tamriel's populace, the Daedra are seen as naturally evil, as many concepts of evil are directly relative to the mortal world (i.e. destruction is evil, and chaos is evil), though the Daedra are simply different in and of themselves, being entities of change. As such, their evilness is not borne out of malice, but out of genuinely conflicting natures (consider alien beings attempting to terraform the earth by burning off its atmosphere and raising the temperature thousands of degrees). Similarly, humans who evince Daedric behavior are commonly thought evil, as that sort of behavior often controverts the natural order.
An interesting fact that probably explains Mehrunes Dagon's ambitions to conquer Tamriel (aside from the fact that ambition itself is part of his sphere of government), is that, according to lore in the fictional universe, Daedra spirits never really die. Simply put, Dagon cannot perform the acts that are his namesake (The Prince of Destruction). No matter how much the Lord of Destruction destroys Oblivion, it always comes back, as described in "Spirits of the Daedra". But in Tamriel, if someone dies, they stay dead and rarely do they ever "come back." This is distinctly a problem for the main characters within the game.
Daedric forms, appearances and character
In the fictional game series, Daedra appear in many different forms. The most important are the Daedric Princes, powerful spirits. There are also "lesser Daedra" beings known to be in league with these greater powers. Whether all of these constitute actual Daedra or if some are simply equivalents of the mortal realm's tame animals is as yet unstated in the game series.
In the fictional series, Daedra generally seem to view mortals as little more than minor amusements, giving some applause whenever a mortal being exceeds certain expectations. They do however take interest in their worshippers, sometimes considering them foolish, but with some Daedra thinking of them as valued servants.
The Daedra see themselves as a superior form of life and feel generally no need for any alliance or truce with any of the mortal races of Tamriel. Some Daedra may be summoned however. There is a popular notion that the summoned Daedra will then give the summoner a quest or task to fulfill and that the quest's completion will see its participant richly rewarded. Mostly these tasks are merely for the entertainment of the Daedra. This is not always so, as Morian Zenas, author of On Oblivion, claims that he was able to successfully summon and speak with Daedra without ever being asked to complete a task or a quest.
Daedric princes
In the fictional Elder Scrolls series, Daedric Princes (not to be mistaken for daedra lords or powerful but ordinary enemies) are the most powerful of the Daedra, and thus most commonly worshipped as gods. Each has a particular sphere, which it is said to govern. Although Daedric Princes may assume the form of a female or male, they have no inherent gender, and are all referred to as princes. In all, there are sixteen princes. Each Daedric Prince has one plane of Oblivion, which total sixteen in all. The most commonly known princes are Azura and Mehrunes Dagon, while Hircine made an appearance in Bloodmoon, the expansion set for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and Sheogorath was prominent in Shivering Isles, the expansion pack for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
The Daedric Princes consist of Azura, Boethiah, Clavicus Vile, Hermaeus Mora, Hircine, Sheogorath,Jyggalag, Malacath, Mehrunes Dagon, Mephala, Meridia, Molag Bal, Namira,Nocturnal, Peryite, Sanguine and Vaermina.
Lesser Daedra
In the video game series, there are many types of lesser Daedra, creatures believed to be created by the Princes as warriors, servants, playthings and worshippers. It should be noted that the descriptions of appearances given here are not necessarily always accurate, as to many Daedra appearance is a matter of choice. Belonging to a particular grouping is however said to shape their bodies and minds, and thus common traits are established.
Humanoids
According to the fictional universe, many Daedra of greater mental capacity prefer a humanoid shape and appearance. The Daedric Princes and their servants are usually among them. Daedra who usually appear in humanoid form are:
*Dremora are generally servants of Mehrunes Dagon. Featured in Battlespire, Morrowind, and Oblivion.
*Golden Saints appear as golden-skinned Elves in golden armor, and serve Sheogorath. Featured in Morrowind and Shivering Isles.
*Dark Seducers come in several varieties, and generally have a mercenary nature. They often serve Mehrunes Dagon, and can more recently be seen to serve Sheogorath in Shivering Isles. Featured in Battlespire, Daggerfall, and Shivering Isles.
* Knights of Order serve Jyggalag; they are humanoid crystallite creatures that use swords and are deadly enemies, and they have crystal hearts which can be used to activate many Order objects. Featured in Shivering Isles.
*Aurorans generally serve the Daedric prince Meridia; they appear as humanoids clad in Ayleid battle armor. They have the same hearts as the Dremora, unlike the Knights of Order hearts.
*Xivilai semi-intelligent creatures who serve Mehrunes Dagon and are seen in the planes of Oblivion. Xivilai often appear as blue - skinned humans. One is featured in Battlespire (unkillable) and they are a common creature in Oblivion.
Reptilians
In the video game series, Daedra have amongst their ranks some reptilian creatures, most of which serve Mehrunes Dagon or Molag Bal. The Daedroth is somewhat humanoid in its appearance, it walks on two legs and possesses two arms, each with deadly claws in place of hands. Its skin is almost entirely scaled and its head is similar to that of a large crocodile's. The teeth of the Daedroth can also be used in potions, and are worth a fair amount to merchants. These Daedra breathe fire, and are capable of inflicting much damage in combat.
Another reptilian Daedra is the Clannfear, perhaps one of the smaller lizards in the Daedra realm, Clannfear resemble a cross between a Triceratops and a Velociraptor - representing the upper & lower body respectively, however it is smaller than the former, yet bigger than the latter. Clannfear have small arms, each with extremely sharp claws that it uses to attack in combat. Their skin is heavily scaled, with small spikes cresting their face and forehead. If slain, a Clannfear's claws can be sold for a fair price in stores. There is also a weaker version of the Clannfear; Clannfear Runts. They are visibly smaller, with a much lower attack strength than their larger brethren. Even though Clannfear are smaller, they can be more dangerous than Daedroth due to the innate ability to reflect damage, a high defence, and very quick attacks.
*Clannfear are featured in Battlespire, Morrowind, and Oblivion.
*Daedroth are featured in Daggerfall, Morrowind, and Oblivion.
Atronach
According to the fictional series, Atronach are Daedra attached to one particular magical element. There are several varieties of atronach, and they vary greatly in terms of strength and physical appearance. All atronach are humanoid in appearance. Flame atronach are roughly human in size, appear female, and are colored black, red and orange (in Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind they were male). Flame atronach use fire magic to attack their foes.
Frost Atronach are larger in build; in The Elder Scrolls IV they dwarf humans at around 8 feet in height - their bodies are light blue in hue, they are jaggedly shaped as if assembled from huge blocks of ice. They reflect sunlight very heavily. This in itself can be a deterrent during daylight hours, as a combatant dazzled by reflecting light can have difficulty fighting in combat. Storm Atronach appear to be nothing more than collections of rocks, loosely held together in a humanoid shape by surging arcs of electricity. Their tactics consist of hurling lightning bolts at their foes and crushing them with their rocky bodies when in close combat. Slaying any of these Atronach will allow one to gather elemental salts off of the atronach's remains, which can be used in alchemical mixtures or can be sold.
Atronach have no strong connection to any Prince, serving one or another at will.
Steel and Flesh Atronach are increasingly rare, and have not been seen on Tamriel since the events of the Warp in the West. However, in the Shivering Isles expansion to Oblivion, Flesh Atronach again make an appearance.
*Flame Atronach are featured in Daggerfall, Morrowind and Oblivion.
*Frost Atronach are featured in Daggerfall, Morrowind and Oblivion.
*Storm Atronach are featured in Morrowind, and Oblivion.
*Flesh Atronach are featured in Daggerfall and Shivering isles.
Others
* Winged Twilights are the only known Daedric creatures capable of flight, they bear some resemblance to Harpies, their skin is a blue color with their skulls being about the same size as a human's, and they also possess large tails. They share features with human females, feminine facial features and hair in a ponytail. They are servants of Azura. Featured in Morrowind.
* Spider Daedra appear as a kind of spider-centaur, a large spider with a human torso in place of a head. They have the ability to summon Spiderlings and use Shock magic. They are associated with Mephala, and are so unruly and irrational that not even Mephala's worshippers will often summon them, for fear that they will disobey their orders. Featured in Battlespire, Oblivion.
* Ogrim are enormous Daedra with very little intellect, but which are chiefly sent into the mortal world to menace living things for the amusement of Daedra Princes. Ogrim are associated with Malacath. Featured in Morrowind.
* Hungers are powerful and violent warriors with some magic ability, associated with Sheogorath in the Shivering Isles and Boethiah in Morrowind. Featured in Morrowind, Shivering Isles.
*Scamps are small goblin-like creatures, skittish in nature. They are often associated with Mehrunes Dagon. Featured in Battlespire, Morrowind, Oblivion.
*Vermai appear similar to scamps, but are fairly hardier. Featured in Battlespire, Redguard.
*Herne and Morphoid Daedra resemble horned scamps, associated with Mehrunes Dagon and Hircine. Featured in Battlespire.
Daedric alphabet
The Daedric alphabet is a typeface of symbols that replace the English alphabet used in The Elder Scrolls video game series. It is incorrect to call Daedric a language, as it is simply an alternate alphabet for the English language.
History and Origins
Fictionally, the Daedric alphabet is the written form used by the Daedra and Dunmer of Tamriel. The language is strongly affiliated with magicka (Daedric letters are often referred to as sigils), with various scrolls and tomes (Such as the Mysterium Xarxes in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion) written in the Daedric alphabet. The exact source of the alphabet is unknown, it is believed to be the creation of the Daedra themselves, then passed down to the mortal realm.
In actuality, the Daedric alphabet is the creation of Bethesda Softworks, a video game studio located in Rockville, Maryland with a strong emphasis on Role Playing Games. In fact, the PC versions of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion shipped with a Daedric True Type Font.
Character Set
The Daedra use their own calligraphy, but the underlying language is closely similar to the Modern Cyrodiilic language. The following is the best known Daedric character set.
Some letters, such as Doht, Hekhem, and Jeb, have alternate forms. This is due to inconsistencies of these letters throughout the video game series. A possible fictional explanation is cultural differences between the provinces of Morrowind and Cyrodiil, the two areas of Tamriel Daedric writings are seen most. The naming convention of the Daedric lettering strongly resembles that of the real-world Phoenician alphabet.
Xayah and Yahkem
The Daedric letters Xayah (X) and Yahkem (Y) are usually omitted from the Daedric alphabet in scrolls and books found in the games. However, the letter Yahkem makes an appearance in sign and banners in Morrowind, such as the sign outside of Tel Fyr. The letter Xayah has yet to be seen in any Elder Scrolls game. Therefore, its aesthetics are purely speculation at this point and it is unknown why these letters are omitted from the alphabet in the first place.
Writing Customs
In Morrowind, a region of the fictional series, the Dunmer peoples often write words in a cluster form, instead of the standard left to right.
It should be noted that in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, none of the Daedric writings seen in the game are written in cluster form. It would seem that the word cluster is a Dunmeri custom, thus being found prominently throughout Morrowind.
Daedra worship
In the fictional universe, Daedra are widely worshipped in the realms of Tamriel with many shrines located throughout the Empire. Those who worship Daedra see them as gods, their conceptions of their respective Daedric gods varying widely. Mainstream religious authorities such as the Church of the Nine Divines disapprove of the practice. Thus, worshippers are often driven away from various localities in processes resemblant of witchhunts, though during the process many participants are often surprised at the sane, down to earth nature many of the Daedric worshippers (save Mehrunes Dagon's and Sheogorath's) possess, which contrasts greatly with the common perception of blood-drinking baby-eaters reminiscent of real-world notions of Satanic Panic. Historically, orcs and dark elves were common Daedra worshipers, but that has changed recently; The Orcs who live in Orsinium mostly worship Trinimac, the former aedric incarnation of Malacath from before the Velothi exodus, while Imperial endeavors into Morrowind have won converts to the Church of the Nine Divines.
Towards the end of the Third Era Daedra worship became increasingly more prevalent across Tamriel, with several new shrines being established in Cyrodiil and beyond. The popularity of such worship has created some speculation and rumor amongst citizens of Cyrodiil, some expressing alarm and fear, others curiosity. It is possible for one curious of the practice of worship to visit several Daedra shrines in Cyrodiil (or any other province of Tamriel).
In the video game series, Daedra worshippers often relate that they felt "called" to worship the Daedra, and thus worship by choice. Most times a worshipper follows a Daedra that most closely parallels their own conscience. For example, a follower of Nocturnal, the Daedric Prince of night, might feel a kinship with the darkness, whereas a follower of Mehrunes Dagon may have a great hunger for power.
Conjuring Daedra
In the video game series, worshippers may bind other daedric servants to this plane through rituals and pacts. Such arrangements result in the daedric servant remaining on this plane indefinitely - or at least until their bodily manifestations on this plane are destroyed, precipitating their supernatural essences back to Oblivion. Whenever daedra are encountered at daedric ruins or in tombs, they are almost invariably long-term visitors to the mortal plane.
Most daedric servants can be summoned by sorcerers only for very brief periods, within relatively fragile frameworks of command and binding. Another way daedra are summoned is by pacts made, often the daedric artifacts are lesser daedra bound to our realm by such pacts.
Entering the realm of Oblivion
In the fictional Elder Scrolls universe, the worshippers of Daedra have also tried to use their conjuring skills to enter their master daedra's realms but this is extremely dangerous even for high level summoners and warlocks. In the fourth entry in the video game series, deep within the Cyrodillic wilderness worshippers of the Daedra Peryite tried to enter his realm of Oblivion only to have it backfire and almost trap them into an eternal purgatory. The worshippers had their souls trapped on Oblivion and their bodies bound to Nirn. This results in a quest given to the player by Peryite to retrieve their souls from Oblivion. The souls could be found wandering in an eternal void without thought spouting out philosophical quotes as they wandered Oblivion.
The only safe mode of travel for worshippers of Daedra and travelers otherwise to enter Oblivion is through the stable portal of an Oblivion gate. These portals were constantly seen at the end of the third age of Tamriel as the daedra prince Mehrunes Dagon and his followers planned an invasion of Tamriel. The portals ranged in size from small gates that would open in the wilderness, to the large Great Gates which allowed the daedra to attack two cities directly. The portals are held open by a Sigil Stone at the top of a large tower inside of the Oblivion world that they linked to. The stone works as an anchor for the gate between the two realms. If the Sigil Stone is taken, the portal collapses, and any beings not native to Oblivion are sent back to Tamriel. In the Shivering Isles expansion, a new gate is opened to Sheogorath's realm of the Shivering Isles. The gate differs in appearance from Mehrunes Dagon's and can remain open indefinitely as the gate poses no threat to Nirn's or Mundus' fabrics of space. A barrier had existed between Nirn and Oblivion, kept alive by the Dragonfires in the temple in the Imperial City. Part of a new emperor's coronation was to relight the fires, which are extinguished upon the death of the old emperor. When Emperor Uriel Septim VII died during the events of Oblivion, the Dragonfires were extinguished, allowing Mehrunes Dagon to open portals to Oblivion. The Dragonfires can only be lit by an heir to the throne wielding the Amulet of Kings (the Amulet was stolen by Mankar Camoran in his plot to keep the Dragonfires dim, and thus, the way to Nirn from Oblivion remained open).
In the video game series, there has been one known exception to the aforementioned rule. This was when the currently deceased heir to the Septim bloodline, Martin Septim, opened a portal to Camoran's Paradise (a small island in Mehrunes Dagon's plane of Oblivion dedicated to and controlled by Mankar Camoran) to get the Amulet of Kings. From accounts of the Blades, Martin spent days contemplating the Mysterium Xarxes, the only book to ever be written in Oblivion itself by Mehrunes Dagon in the deserts of suffering and despair. From this, Martin determined that the portal would require four items of almost unbelievable rarity: a Great Sigil Stone, a Great Welkynd Stone, the blood of a Daedra, and the blood of an Aedra. The Champion of Cyrodiil (the player) gathered these through perilous journeys to give to Martin. Martin then opened a portal to Camoran's Paradise where the Champion retrieved the Amulet of Kings from the powerful Daedric worshipper, Camoran himself.
Hammerfell is a fictional province in The Elder Scrolls series of games and is home to Redguards.
History
The Elder Scrolls series lore surrounding the earliest history of Hammerfell is not entirely consistent, or perfectly clear. ' Before the Ages of Man provides two possible answers to the question of Hammerfell's earliest history, though both are vague. A first passage gives the possibility of 'beastfolk' as Hammerfell's first settlers, though by no means denying possible alternatives. "During the early Merethic Era, the aboriginal beastpeoples of Tamriel -- the ancestors of the Khajiit, Argonian, Orcish, and other beastfolk -- lived in preliterate communities throughout Tamriel." A second passage provides Aldmer, ancestors of the Elder Scrolls series' playable race Altmer, as a second possible choice. "In the Middle Merethic Era, the Aldmeri...refugees left their doomed and now-lost continent of Aldmeris...and settled in southwestern Tamriel. The first colonies were distributed at wide intervals on islands along the entire coast of Tamriel." Frontier, Conquest, and Accommodation is more exact in its terminology, giving "Hammerfell, High Rock, and Cyrodiil" as definites, rather than "Tamriel", and a "ME800-1000" rather than "Middle Merethic" and "early Merethic". The Aldmeri settlement of the region was predominantly coastal, as the Aldmer's inland settlements were "founded primarily in fertile lowlands in southwest and central Tamriel". It was the Nedes who were the majority inhabitants of Hammerfell at the time of the Redguard conquest, as it was primarily "beastfolk and Nedic villagers" who were slaughtered.
The Pocket Guide to The Empire relates the story of early Hammerfell history as a Dwemer holding. According to the Guide, Hammerfell's original name was Volenfell, taken from the name of the Dwemeri Rourken Clan settlement in the region, the "City of the Hammer". The Rourken were opposed to the creation of the joint Dwemer-Chimer state of Resdayn, which prompted their move westward, sometime during the First Era. A myth arose surrounding their exodus, wherein their chieftan is said to have thrown his "mighty hammer, Volendrung, across Tamriel, promising to lead his clansmer to 'wherever it should fall.'" Another source, by former Bethesda employee Douglas Goodall, contains characters who doubt the authenticity of the myth and its relation to the name "Volenfell", which is called, in any case, a "bad translation". Regardless of what fictional characters may or may not believe, the hammer certainly seems to exist.
The fate of the Volenfell Dwemer, like that of all Dwemer, remains a mystery, as they all disappeared at some time during the First Era. However, Hammerfell did not stay uninhabited for very long. A great cataclysm sank the continent of Yokuda to the west, forcing the ancestors of modern Redguards eastward, toward Tamriel. They originally landed on the isle of Herne, and the Ra Gada warriors, eventually anglicized to Redguard, went on to Tamriel, paving a bloody trail through the native Men and Mer for the Yokudans to settle. Assimilation into the rest of Tamriel began relatively quickly, as the Yokudans, while displacing the Men, had adopted many of their customs and traditions.
Hammerfell was conquered by the Second Empire in the Second Age, during which time the Ra Gada warriors were finally granted semi-equal rights to the Na-Totambu ruling class. During the Interregnum (See; Cyrodiil), however, the Na-Totambu regained control, making the Ra Gada a subservient class again. The capital was moved from Old Hegathe to the merchant power of Sentinel, capital of the province to this day.
After the death of Thassad II, the Ra Gada took Sentinel by force, resulting in the bloodiest massacre in Hammerfell history, at the hands of Crown Prince A'tor. Tiber Septim and the Third Empire were called to help, defeating A'tor's forces at the Battle of Hunding Bay. Hammerfell then became a province of the Third Empire.
Afterwards, in the year 397 of the age of the Third Empire (three years prior to the end of the events surrounding Arena), roughly around the time of Jagar Tharn, a rival of the nefarious battlemage would later take up refuge within the city of Dragonstar (located near the Skyrim border) who went by the name of Shadowmage Skelos Undriel. The events of Shadowkey cover the battles between Undriel and Jagar Tharn's proxy, Shadowmaster Pergan Asuul, as Asuul attempts to resurrect the evil monster, Umbra’keth. It would eventually be resolved by an unknown hero (the player) who hailed from Azra's Crossing (located near the western most border of High Rock) and would join forces with Undriel to prevent Tharn from gaining a foothold into Hammerfell.
Geography
Hammerfell is a barren and rocky place, the vast Alik'r desert taking up most of it, fertile grassland exists only on the coasts. As such, the major population centers are on the coastline, while the majority of the country is inhabited only by shifting sands and nomadic tribes. In the north are the Dragontail Mountains, home of the misunderstood groups of Orcs reviled by many Bretons and Redguards.
Politics
Redguards are divided between the mostly Imperial cosmopolitan Redguards, and the wild desert Redguards (Some, at one time, took to biting the heels of the guards, like snakes, as part of their religious beliefs). Many of the Desert people dislike Imperial rule, and as such have been banished from the cities, for the safety of the people.
Notable Places
Sentinel
Judging by its location, Sentinel could be nothing other than a Merchant power- it is situated on rocky, infertile hills overlooking Iliac Bay. It was built in the time of the first Redguard Colonization of Hammerfell, to serve as a base for their battles against the Bretons, but has since been expanded. Its main street is a great market leading from the docks to the front gates. Sentinel is an exotic retreat for the nobility of Daggerfall and Wayrest, who delight in its exotic cooking, craftsmanship, and bizarre plays.
Stros M'kai
Once the home of Crown Prince A'tor, Stros M'kai is an important island near the Cape of the Blue Divide, renowned for its Dwemer ruins, including the marvelous observatory known as the Orrery.
History
The Elder Scrolls series lore surrounding the earliest history of Hammerfell is not entirely consistent, or perfectly clear. ' Before the Ages of Man provides two possible answers to the question of Hammerfell's earliest history, though both are vague. A first passage gives the possibility of 'beastfolk' as Hammerfell's first settlers, though by no means denying possible alternatives. "During the early Merethic Era, the aboriginal beastpeoples of Tamriel -- the ancestors of the Khajiit, Argonian, Orcish, and other beastfolk -- lived in preliterate communities throughout Tamriel." A second passage provides Aldmer, ancestors of the Elder Scrolls series' playable race Altmer, as a second possible choice. "In the Middle Merethic Era, the Aldmeri...refugees left their doomed and now-lost continent of Aldmeris...and settled in southwestern Tamriel. The first colonies were distributed at wide intervals on islands along the entire coast of Tamriel." Frontier, Conquest, and Accommodation is more exact in its terminology, giving "Hammerfell, High Rock, and Cyrodiil" as definites, rather than "Tamriel", and a "ME800-1000" rather than "Middle Merethic" and "early Merethic". The Aldmeri settlement of the region was predominantly coastal, as the Aldmer's inland settlements were "founded primarily in fertile lowlands in southwest and central Tamriel". It was the Nedes who were the majority inhabitants of Hammerfell at the time of the Redguard conquest, as it was primarily "beastfolk and Nedic villagers" who were slaughtered.
The Pocket Guide to The Empire relates the story of early Hammerfell history as a Dwemer holding. According to the Guide, Hammerfell's original name was Volenfell, taken from the name of the Dwemeri Rourken Clan settlement in the region, the "City of the Hammer". The Rourken were opposed to the creation of the joint Dwemer-Chimer state of Resdayn, which prompted their move westward, sometime during the First Era. A myth arose surrounding their exodus, wherein their chieftan is said to have thrown his "mighty hammer, Volendrung, across Tamriel, promising to lead his clansmer to 'wherever it should fall.'" Another source, by former Bethesda employee Douglas Goodall, contains characters who doubt the authenticity of the myth and its relation to the name "Volenfell", which is called, in any case, a "bad translation". Regardless of what fictional characters may or may not believe, the hammer certainly seems to exist.
The fate of the Volenfell Dwemer, like that of all Dwemer, remains a mystery, as they all disappeared at some time during the First Era. However, Hammerfell did not stay uninhabited for very long. A great cataclysm sank the continent of Yokuda to the west, forcing the ancestors of modern Redguards eastward, toward Tamriel. They originally landed on the isle of Herne, and the Ra Gada warriors, eventually anglicized to Redguard, went on to Tamriel, paving a bloody trail through the native Men and Mer for the Yokudans to settle. Assimilation into the rest of Tamriel began relatively quickly, as the Yokudans, while displacing the Men, had adopted many of their customs and traditions.
Hammerfell was conquered by the Second Empire in the Second Age, during which time the Ra Gada warriors were finally granted semi-equal rights to the Na-Totambu ruling class. During the Interregnum (See; Cyrodiil), however, the Na-Totambu regained control, making the Ra Gada a subservient class again. The capital was moved from Old Hegathe to the merchant power of Sentinel, capital of the province to this day.
After the death of Thassad II, the Ra Gada took Sentinel by force, resulting in the bloodiest massacre in Hammerfell history, at the hands of Crown Prince A'tor. Tiber Septim and the Third Empire were called to help, defeating A'tor's forces at the Battle of Hunding Bay. Hammerfell then became a province of the Third Empire.
Afterwards, in the year 397 of the age of the Third Empire (three years prior to the end of the events surrounding Arena), roughly around the time of Jagar Tharn, a rival of the nefarious battlemage would later take up refuge within the city of Dragonstar (located near the Skyrim border) who went by the name of Shadowmage Skelos Undriel. The events of Shadowkey cover the battles between Undriel and Jagar Tharn's proxy, Shadowmaster Pergan Asuul, as Asuul attempts to resurrect the evil monster, Umbra’keth. It would eventually be resolved by an unknown hero (the player) who hailed from Azra's Crossing (located near the western most border of High Rock) and would join forces with Undriel to prevent Tharn from gaining a foothold into Hammerfell.
Geography
Hammerfell is a barren and rocky place, the vast Alik'r desert taking up most of it, fertile grassland exists only on the coasts. As such, the major population centers are on the coastline, while the majority of the country is inhabited only by shifting sands and nomadic tribes. In the north are the Dragontail Mountains, home of the misunderstood groups of Orcs reviled by many Bretons and Redguards.
Politics
Redguards are divided between the mostly Imperial cosmopolitan Redguards, and the wild desert Redguards (Some, at one time, took to biting the heels of the guards, like snakes, as part of their religious beliefs). Many of the Desert people dislike Imperial rule, and as such have been banished from the cities, for the safety of the people.
Notable Places
Sentinel
Judging by its location, Sentinel could be nothing other than a Merchant power- it is situated on rocky, infertile hills overlooking Iliac Bay. It was built in the time of the first Redguard Colonization of Hammerfell, to serve as a base for their battles against the Bretons, but has since been expanded. Its main street is a great market leading from the docks to the front gates. Sentinel is an exotic retreat for the nobility of Daggerfall and Wayrest, who delight in its exotic cooking, craftsmanship, and bizarre plays.
Stros M'kai
Once the home of Crown Prince A'tor, Stros M'kai is an important island near the Cape of the Blue Divide, renowned for its Dwemer ruins, including the marvelous observatory known as the Orrery.
Cyrodiil is a fictional province in the Elder Scrolls series of games, homeland of the fictional race of Imperials in the Elder Scrolls series. It was most prominently featured in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, where it was the setting and backdrop of the game. Cyrodiil is the largest region of Tamriel, and seat of the Empire, united by Tiber Septim at the end of the Second Era.
Cyrodiil consists mostly an expanse of endless forest. Its heart, the Nibenay Valley, is a great grassland, enclosed by temperate rain forests. Many rivers flow through this area, and as one ventures further down the rivers, the land slowly becomes more tropical, eventually giving way to the swamps of the Black Marsh. The elevation rises gradually to the west and sharply to the north. The western part of the region is relatively dry, and the Velothi Mountains to the west have some roads, but mostly travel in Cyrodiil is dominated by rivers.
The Nibenay Valley is the most prominent area of the land, a great grassland with Lake Rumare in its heart. Several small islands and one large island dot the surface of this lake, and between them stand great bridges. It is on the large City Isle islands that Cyrodiil Imperial City stands. The rest of Cyrodiil also contains the cities of Anvil, Bravil, Bruma, Chorrol, Cheydinhal, Kvatch, Leyawiin and Skingrad. Beyond these major cities, small villages dot the individual counties around Cyrodiil.
Cyrodiil was featured in The Elder Scrolls: Arena, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
Anvil
Anvil is the political capital of County Anvil. It is the westernmost city in Cyrodiil, located along the Abecean Sea. The Great Chapel of Dibella, where followers of the Divines seek her blessing, dominates its skyline. Anvil has a local guildhall for both the Mages' Guild and the Fighters' Guild. In the northeast portion of Anvil lies the Statue of The Selkie of West Ferry, who is said to guide sailors along the Gold Coast. Castle Anvil, home of Countess Millona Umbranox, lies on a small island just to the south of the city. Another landmark in Anvil is the Benirus Manor, which is notable to be haunted but yet one of the largest houses that may be purchased after following a quest.
Anvil is a major port city in Cyrodiil.
Bravil
Bravil appears to be the most financially depressed city in Cyrodiil. Several of Bravil's citizens are skooma dealers on the side, and a large majority are addicts. It is a series of run-down slums where diseases and pollution run rampant. In addition to the poverty found in the city, the house, which may be purchased for a small amount of gold, is disappointing although it is neither as small nor as cheap as the shack available in the Imperial City's Waterfront district. In the center of the town, the statue of the Lucky Lady is a monument of good fortune in such a rundown place, though even it has a darker, more sinister side.
Bruma
Bruma is the northernmost city in Cyrodiil province. It is located in the Jerall Mountains near the Skyrim border. Its architecture is very Nordic in style as the population mostly consists of Nordic immigrants. The current ruler of County Bruma is Countess Narina Carvain. North of the town, the Cloud Ruler Temple is a base for the Blades. A Curiosity of Bruma architecture is that the sleeping area is often built in the basement of buildings allowing for insulation against the bitter cold of winter in the Jerall Mountains.
Cheydinhal
Cheydinhal is located in the Nibenay region of Cyrodiil. Due to its proximity to the province of Morrowind (the setting for the Elder Scrolls III) the population is comprised of quite a few Dunmer (Dark Elves) as well as other races of the Elder Scrolls universe. The count of the city is also a Dunmer, further emphasizing that a lot of immigration from Morrowind has occurred. Most of its residents come from the middle or upper classes. The city is split into an eastern and western section by a river (named the Corbolo in the in-game travel guide, but geographically consistent with the tributary Reed River indicated on the map). The local ruler is Count Andel Indarys.
On the eastern section of Cheydinhal lies a mysterious, boarded-up old house, which is a sanctuary for the secret organization known as the Dark Brotherhood.
Chorrol
Chorrol is located in the Great Forest, near the Hammerfell border. The city itself is heavily fortified as it serves as county seat for County Chorrol. Weynon Priory, a monastery of the Order of Talos, is located nearby. To the east is Castle Chorrol, home of Countess Arianna Valga, a widow. Countess Alessia Caro of Leyawiin is the daughter of Arianna Valga.
Imperial City
The Imperial City of Cyrodiil is the capital of the third Tamriel Empire and of its largest province, Cyrodiil, featured in the Elder Scrolls universe. For a very long time, the City was the place where the consequtive Empires were ruled from and by the end of the Third Era, it is where the Emperor Uriel Septim VII resides.
Districts
The Imperial City is divided into six main districts, arranged around the Imperial Palace like spokes on a wheel. These are the Market, Arena, Arboretum, Temple, Talos Plaza and Elven Gardens districts.
There are also three districts that are not directly connected to the Imperial City's Palace District - the Imperial Prison, Arcane University and Waterfront districts. They lie on the outer parts of the City Isle. There is also an extensive network of sewers located beneath the Imperial City, infested with rats, mudcrabs, goblins and other vile creatures. The sewers have also been used extensively by the Blades to maintain cover during critical missions. Entrances to the sewers can be found in every district, except for the Imperial Palace district and the Arcane University.
However, unlike any other locations in Cyrodiil, there are no official guilds anywhere, but instead, the Arcane University serves as a larger Mage guild, which can only be accessed by receiving recommendations from all Mage guild masters, along with a hidden , which may only be found in the Waterfront district during the evening.
The Imperial Palace itself centers around White Gold Tower, an Ayleid construction from when the Aldmer ruled over Tamriel. It houses the Elder Scrolls Library, a central barracks for the Palace Guard, the Elder Council Chambers, and, presumably, the chambers of the Emperor himself, although they are never seen in the game.
Kvatch
The game starts with Kvatch devastated and essentially leveled by a Daedric attack. When the player arrives at Kvatch, they find that an Oblivion gate has opened outside the city, and that the remnants of the City Guard are trying to shut it. The only buildings still standing are the Great Chapel of Akatosh and the distant Castle Kvatch. It is in Kvatch's ruined chapel that the player discovers Martin Septim, the illegitimate son of the late Emperor Uriel Septim VII. Count Ormellius Goldwine was Count before the city was destroyed, during which he was killed. Even though the Oblivion portals have been forever sealed, as well as Mehrunes Dagon, Kvatch, throughout the game, will still be in ruins. Before Kvatch was destroyed it was the only city in Cyrodiil, other than the Imperial City, which contained an Arena. Mods can be used to restore Kvatch to its former glory, although an official mod has not been released by Bethesda as of yet.
Leyawiin
Leyawiin is a coastal city located on the western bank of The Lower Niben river in Southern Cyrodiil and is the southernmost city in Cyrodiil. Because of its proximity to both the Black Marsh and Elsweyr borders, County Leyawiin has large Argonian and Khajiit populations. Castle Leyawiin is the home of Count Marius Caro and his wife, Countess Alessia Caro who is the daughter of the Countess of Chorrol. The Countess interests herself with making Leyawiin more cosmopolitan and refective of the culture of the Nibeny Valley as opposed to the city's more traditional Khajiit and Argonian infuences.
Skingrad
Skingrad is one of the more mysterious of Cyrodiil's cities. Its architecture is very distinctive and its people are very secretive. It is divided into two sections (north and south) by a trench that runs through the middle of it.
Janus Hassildor, the general count of Skingrad, resides in the Castle of Skingrad, but unlike and other counts or countesses, he is a vampire, which would explain why citizens "do not see him during the day or in the morning". He and his wife were accidentally infected with the disease and in the Vampirism Cure quest you will set out to find two potions to cure them and yourself.
Cyrodiil consists mostly an expanse of endless forest. Its heart, the Nibenay Valley, is a great grassland, enclosed by temperate rain forests. Many rivers flow through this area, and as one ventures further down the rivers, the land slowly becomes more tropical, eventually giving way to the swamps of the Black Marsh. The elevation rises gradually to the west and sharply to the north. The western part of the region is relatively dry, and the Velothi Mountains to the west have some roads, but mostly travel in Cyrodiil is dominated by rivers.
The Nibenay Valley is the most prominent area of the land, a great grassland with Lake Rumare in its heart. Several small islands and one large island dot the surface of this lake, and between them stand great bridges. It is on the large City Isle islands that Cyrodiil Imperial City stands. The rest of Cyrodiil also contains the cities of Anvil, Bravil, Bruma, Chorrol, Cheydinhal, Kvatch, Leyawiin and Skingrad. Beyond these major cities, small villages dot the individual counties around Cyrodiil.
Cyrodiil was featured in The Elder Scrolls: Arena, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
Anvil
Anvil is the political capital of County Anvil. It is the westernmost city in Cyrodiil, located along the Abecean Sea. The Great Chapel of Dibella, where followers of the Divines seek her blessing, dominates its skyline. Anvil has a local guildhall for both the Mages' Guild and the Fighters' Guild. In the northeast portion of Anvil lies the Statue of The Selkie of West Ferry, who is said to guide sailors along the Gold Coast. Castle Anvil, home of Countess Millona Umbranox, lies on a small island just to the south of the city. Another landmark in Anvil is the Benirus Manor, which is notable to be haunted but yet one of the largest houses that may be purchased after following a quest.
Anvil is a major port city in Cyrodiil.
Bravil
Bravil appears to be the most financially depressed city in Cyrodiil. Several of Bravil's citizens are skooma dealers on the side, and a large majority are addicts. It is a series of run-down slums where diseases and pollution run rampant. In addition to the poverty found in the city, the house, which may be purchased for a small amount of gold, is disappointing although it is neither as small nor as cheap as the shack available in the Imperial City's Waterfront district. In the center of the town, the statue of the Lucky Lady is a monument of good fortune in such a rundown place, though even it has a darker, more sinister side.
Bruma
Bruma is the northernmost city in Cyrodiil province. It is located in the Jerall Mountains near the Skyrim border. Its architecture is very Nordic in style as the population mostly consists of Nordic immigrants. The current ruler of County Bruma is Countess Narina Carvain. North of the town, the Cloud Ruler Temple is a base for the Blades. A Curiosity of Bruma architecture is that the sleeping area is often built in the basement of buildings allowing for insulation against the bitter cold of winter in the Jerall Mountains.
Cheydinhal
Cheydinhal is located in the Nibenay region of Cyrodiil. Due to its proximity to the province of Morrowind (the setting for the Elder Scrolls III) the population is comprised of quite a few Dunmer (Dark Elves) as well as other races of the Elder Scrolls universe. The count of the city is also a Dunmer, further emphasizing that a lot of immigration from Morrowind has occurred. Most of its residents come from the middle or upper classes. The city is split into an eastern and western section by a river (named the Corbolo in the in-game travel guide, but geographically consistent with the tributary Reed River indicated on the map). The local ruler is Count Andel Indarys.
On the eastern section of Cheydinhal lies a mysterious, boarded-up old house, which is a sanctuary for the secret organization known as the Dark Brotherhood.
Chorrol
Chorrol is located in the Great Forest, near the Hammerfell border. The city itself is heavily fortified as it serves as county seat for County Chorrol. Weynon Priory, a monastery of the Order of Talos, is located nearby. To the east is Castle Chorrol, home of Countess Arianna Valga, a widow. Countess Alessia Caro of Leyawiin is the daughter of Arianna Valga.
Imperial City
The Imperial City of Cyrodiil is the capital of the third Tamriel Empire and of its largest province, Cyrodiil, featured in the Elder Scrolls universe. For a very long time, the City was the place where the consequtive Empires were ruled from and by the end of the Third Era, it is where the Emperor Uriel Septim VII resides.
Districts
The Imperial City is divided into six main districts, arranged around the Imperial Palace like spokes on a wheel. These are the Market, Arena, Arboretum, Temple, Talos Plaza and Elven Gardens districts.
There are also three districts that are not directly connected to the Imperial City's Palace District - the Imperial Prison, Arcane University and Waterfront districts. They lie on the outer parts of the City Isle. There is also an extensive network of sewers located beneath the Imperial City, infested with rats, mudcrabs, goblins and other vile creatures. The sewers have also been used extensively by the Blades to maintain cover during critical missions. Entrances to the sewers can be found in every district, except for the Imperial Palace district and the Arcane University.
However, unlike any other locations in Cyrodiil, there are no official guilds anywhere, but instead, the Arcane University serves as a larger Mage guild, which can only be accessed by receiving recommendations from all Mage guild masters, along with a hidden , which may only be found in the Waterfront district during the evening.
The Imperial Palace itself centers around White Gold Tower, an Ayleid construction from when the Aldmer ruled over Tamriel. It houses the Elder Scrolls Library, a central barracks for the Palace Guard, the Elder Council Chambers, and, presumably, the chambers of the Emperor himself, although they are never seen in the game.
Kvatch
The game starts with Kvatch devastated and essentially leveled by a Daedric attack. When the player arrives at Kvatch, they find that an Oblivion gate has opened outside the city, and that the remnants of the City Guard are trying to shut it. The only buildings still standing are the Great Chapel of Akatosh and the distant Castle Kvatch. It is in Kvatch's ruined chapel that the player discovers Martin Septim, the illegitimate son of the late Emperor Uriel Septim VII. Count Ormellius Goldwine was Count before the city was destroyed, during which he was killed. Even though the Oblivion portals have been forever sealed, as well as Mehrunes Dagon, Kvatch, throughout the game, will still be in ruins. Before Kvatch was destroyed it was the only city in Cyrodiil, other than the Imperial City, which contained an Arena. Mods can be used to restore Kvatch to its former glory, although an official mod has not been released by Bethesda as of yet.
Leyawiin
Leyawiin is a coastal city located on the western bank of The Lower Niben river in Southern Cyrodiil and is the southernmost city in Cyrodiil. Because of its proximity to both the Black Marsh and Elsweyr borders, County Leyawiin has large Argonian and Khajiit populations. Castle Leyawiin is the home of Count Marius Caro and his wife, Countess Alessia Caro who is the daughter of the Countess of Chorrol. The Countess interests herself with making Leyawiin more cosmopolitan and refective of the culture of the Nibeny Valley as opposed to the city's more traditional Khajiit and Argonian infuences.
Skingrad
Skingrad is one of the more mysterious of Cyrodiil's cities. Its architecture is very distinctive and its people are very secretive. It is divided into two sections (north and south) by a trench that runs through the middle of it.
Janus Hassildor, the general count of Skingrad, resides in the Castle of Skingrad, but unlike and other counts or countesses, he is a vampire, which would explain why citizens "do not see him during the day or in the morning". He and his wife were accidentally infected with the disease and in the Vampirism Cure quest you will set out to find two potions to cure them and yourself.
These are several notable characters in the computer and video game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
Baurus
One of the youngest Blades ever to serve in the Emperor's personal guard. The player's character meets him early on in the prisons of the Imperial City, where he is the only bodyguard of Emperor Uriel Septim to survive his assassination. He appears later on in the game helping in the player track down the Mythic Dawn and search for the Amulet of Kings. During the final stages of the game, Baurus fights alongside the player and Martin Septim at the Battle of Bruma and the Relighting of the Dragonfires, provided he doesn't die while helping the player obtain the last of the four Mythic Dawn books or at the battle of Bruma.
Gray Fox
The Gray Fox is the hidden leader of the in Tamriel. The name the Gray Fox is attributed from the Daedric cowl (the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal) he wears, which was stolen from the Daedric Prince Nocturnal over three hundred years ago by the first Gray Fox, Emer Dareloth, and passed down to the successor Guild Masters.
The nature of the Gray Fox is inherently tied into the Gray Cowl. Unbeknownst to the original thief, the Gray Cowl was cursed. Anyone who wears the Cowl is erased completely from history, even if the Cowl is removed. The most recent Gray Fox proves this by stating his real name twice to the player during their first meeting. Because of the magics of the Cowl, however, the player forgets it.
During the events of the Thieves' Guild in Oblivion, the current Gray Fox seeks to remove this curse from the Cowl, in order to return to his previous pre-Fox life. He realizes that there is only one thing which would give him the information required to do so: an Elder Scroll. Planning the heist, the Fox uses an up-and-coming thief (the player character) to pull it off. The player meets the un-Cowled Fox during his missions, but cannot realize that this 'Stranger' is the Gray Fox due to the Cowl's magic.
Once the Scroll is in the Fox's possession, he uses its power, before taking off the Cowl. Thanks to the magics of the Elder Scroll, the Cowl cannot prevent people from remembering who the man used to be. He gives the Cowl to you, the player character.
Because of the Elder Scroll's modification of the Cowl, the player character has two identities. Instead of being known only as the Gray Fox, the player can remove the Cowl and be known only as the player character. For example, Bob can talk to a fellow thief, put on the Cowl, and be greeted as the Gray Fox. The fellow thief does not realize that Bob was standing before him moments ago, because Bob doesn't exist as long as the Cowl was on.
Players who are seen by guards when wearing the Cowl will still be attacked, even after removing it, unless the player character yields. In addition, any bounty acquired with the Cowl on won't stick to the playable character once it is removed, however, with the cowl on, the wearer automatically garners a 500 gold coin bounty including any other amount of fines you have accumulated under while wearing the cowl, as the Gray Fox is wanted by all law enforcement in Cyrodiil. This curse makes wearing the Cowl in public very difficult, but is extremely helpful when worn in dungeons or caves due to its enchantments (+100 infamy, +200 Feather, Life Detection of up to 120 feet, and Sneak Fortification of 25 points.)
The Gray Fox, although a master thief, has given protection to the beggars. In return, the beggars serve as his eyes and ears. He has also given protection to the Umbranox Family in Anvil for personal reasons.
Throughout the whole of the thieves guild quests, the Gray Fox always remains a mystery until the end, and several rumours are about such as "He is a daedric prince", and that "He is immortal". These will become clear as the player advances.
Hannibal Traven
The current Arch-Mage of the Mages' Guild in Cyrodiil. He has prohibited the practice of necromancy and placed restrictions on new members. This had resulted in the resignation of many prominent guild members, some joining Necromancy cults devoted to Mannimarco. At the conclusion of the Mages Guild quest series, he sacrifices himself to save the guild by placing his soul in the colossal black soul gem recovered at a necromancer hideout.
Haskill
Haskill is the Daedric Prince Sheogorath's majordomo in The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles. The player first meets this character when he/she enters the Daedric realm from the Niben bay, and serves as the player's advisor there. He can be summoned at will, and provides valuable advice as the game progresses within the Isles. When the player stops the Greymarch, and Sheogorath reverts to his true form of Jyggalag, Haskill becomes the majordomo and advisor of the player as he/she assumes the role of the new Sheogorath.
Should the player approach the shrine of Sheogorath, to do the prince's Daedric Shrine quest in Cyrodiil after stopping the Greymarch and gaining lordship, Haskill talks to the player (instead of Sheogorath) wondering why the new Daedric prince would "pray at his/her own shrine". He then assigns the task that the player's predecessor left unfinished.
Hieronymous Lex
An overzealous Imperial City guard captain who is bent on capturing the Gray Fox. Some citizens seem to be fed up with him, while others believe he is chasing a ghost. Depending on the affiliation of the player, Lex can be a nuisance or just a guardsman with a pipe dream of making the big sting. Due to his fierce loyalty to his orders, and with credit due to the player, Lex is sent to be the Countess of Anvil's personal bodyguard. The Gray Fox's goal was to subtly get the best protection for the Countess.
Janus Hassildor
Count Janus Hassildor is the Count of Skingrad. He is probably the strangest of all Cyrodiil's nobles. He does not hold public audience hours, and only appears to people who require his immediate attention. As the protagonist, you will most likely discover one way or another, that Count Hassildor is in fact a vampire. His wife, Rona Hassildor, is also affected by the same disease. The Count gave up his vampiric desires long ago to serve his people. He bears a very strong resemblance to famous Dracula actor Bela Lugosi.
Janus Hassildor factors into several Mages Guild quests as well as another, slightly more "bloody" quest. He plays a large part in helping cure vampirism.
Jauffre
Jauffre is Grandmaster of the Blades - the Emperor's personal bodyguards and spies.
In his younger years, while serving as captain of the Blades, Jauffre was called into Emperor Uriel Septim’s private chambers. A baby boy lay sleeping in a basket. He was told by Uriel to deliver the child somewhere safe. Jauffre took the child, Martin Septim, to the chapel of Akatosh in Kvatch where the priests there would take care of him.
Many years later, now Grandmaster of the Blades, Jauffre resides at Weynon Priory. It is here that the protagonist comes with the Amulet of Kings and news of the Emperor’s death. Upon hearing the players story Jauffre takes possession of the Amulet for safekeeping and sends you the player to the Chapel of Akatosh in Kvatch to find the illegitimate son of the deceased Emperor.
Moments before you return with Martin, Mythic Dawn agents ambush Weynon Priory in their attempt to steal the Amulet of Kings. Only by pinning Jauffre in the nearby chapel are the agents successful.
With the Amulet of Kings stolen and fearing more attacks from the Mythic Dawn, Jauffre and the player escort Martin to the ancient fortress of the Blades, Cloud Ruler Temple. It is here that Jauffre orders you to rendezvous with Baurus, a Blade, in the Imperial City to find the Shrine of Dagon, a Daedric cult lair that is believed to be the location where the Amulet was taken. It is during this quest that it is revealed that Mankar Camoran, the head of the Mythic Dawn, is behind everything and that he now has the Amulet of Kings.
After a failed attempt to reclaim the amulet, the player returns with a book called the Mysterium Xarxes. It is with this book that Martin discovers that to get the amulet back they need to enter Camoran's Paradise, a small island realm in Oblivion, which is only possible with the following objects; a Great Welkynd stone, an artifact of a Daedra god, the Blood of a divine and a Great Sigil Stone. After the player acquires the first three objects, Martin and Jauffre create a desperate plan that involves allowing Bruma to be attacked by the Daedra so that a Great Gate can be opened. The player then must venture into the gate and recover the Great Sigil Stone in a limited amount of time. Arriving on the battlefield of Bruma, Martin gives a moving speech before himself, Jauffre, the player and the combined forces of guardsmen from every city in Cyrodiil go charging into battle against the Daedra. Many men are lost, but a Great Gate is finally opened. The protagonist rushes in and the stone is recovered, closing the gates outside Bruma. Martin then tells the protagonist to meet him in Cloud Ruler Temple when he is ready to venture into Camoran's Paradise.
When the player defeats Mankar Camoran they are returned with the Amulet of Kings to Cloud Ruler Temple. It is from here that Jauffre and yourself escort Martin to the Imperial Palace where inside the Elder Council chamber, Chancellor Ocato can proclaim Martin Emperor. But before Ocato can do so an Imperial messenger charges in with news that Oblivion Gates have opened all over the Imperial City and it is now over run with Daedra.
Jauffre, Martin and the player must now fight their way to the Temple of the One where Martin can relight the Dragonfires to end the Oblivion invasion and stop any chance of Mehrunes Dagon from entering Tamriel. Unfortunately, they arrive too late, and Dagon has already arrived. Martin devises a plan to banish Dagon back to Oblivion. With Jauffre’s protection Martin and the player enter the Temple of the One. Moments later as Dagon smashes the dome roof of the temple to pieces, the Avatar of Akatosh appears. The two giants do battle with the Avatar triumphant. Jauffre enters the temple only to find the player standing beside a giant stone statue of the Avatar, the Avatar was Martin.
With the Oblivion crisis over, and no emperor to serve, Jauffre returns to Cloud Ruler Temple.
* It is possible for Jauffre to die after the battle of the Great Gate, as he is no longer a "necessary" character from this point onwards.
King of Worms
The King of Worms is a fictional character from the games Daggerfall and Oblivion in the Elder Scrolls series.
The King of Worms, Mannimarco, is a monstrously powerful necromancer and lich, and the leader of the organisation known within Tamriel known only as The Necromancers, and, as such, he is the traditional enemy of the Mages' Guild. He was originally an Altmer and a Psijic, and a contemporary of Vanus Galerion, also a Psijic. At some point Mannimarco broke away from the Psijic order (as well as Galerion, who went on to found the Mages' Guild) to further practice his necromancy, and this is the point at which he actually first styled himself "The King of Worms." From Scourge Barrow, a large, well-fortified centre of operations in the Dragontail Mountains, he has cleverly played all the political games and powers for millennia. His influences have even reached back to the Summerset Isles, homelands of the Altmer. The Sload, slug-like creatures among whom necromancy is common practice, and who's domain is the Thrassian Coral Reef, worship him as a "God of Worms."
Mannimarco's influence has led him to be responsible for several notable happenings in Elder Scrolls lore. He is one of seven people who have been in control of the Totem of Tiber Septim. According to ambiguous accounts, he used the Mantella which powers the Totem to ascend beyond the mortal realm and become a god. From the book "Arkay the Enemy", signed by a "KW" assumed to be the King of Worms, Mannimarco states "Once I was a lowly man such as yourselves. By my will I entered the ranks of the gods." However, Mannimarco's presence in Cyrodiil at the end of the Third Age argues circumstantially that things didn't happen quite that way. However, it is also hypothesized that time fluctuations, such as the Warp of the West, allow every eventuality of a choice to happen at the same time, which would explain the existence of two versions of Mannimarco, one the King of Worms which did not receive the Mantella from the player at the end of Daggerfall, and the other the Mannimarco that did receive the Mantella and became the deity that his "Order of the Black Worm" worships, the "Revenant Moon" or "God of Worms" mentioned in the book, "Necromancer's Moon."
The King of Worms is the creator of the Necromancer's Amulet and the Bloodworm Helm, two legendary magical items that of course aid in the practice of necromantic magic.
In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the player gets a chance to fight and defeat the King of Worms if following the Mages' Guild quest line. The King of Worms holds power over the large underground necromantic cults known as "The Order of the Black Worm," and "The Order of the Black Rose," which typically meet in Ayleid ruins or old Reman forts, to avoid the prying eyes of the Mages' Guild and other interlopers. When confronted by the player, Mannimarco reveals that not only is he responsible for the death of Galerion the Mystic, but he has also reanimated him as a worm thrall servant, and has also killed and reanimated several arch-mages throughout his existence. The player, however, is rendered immune to this by the possession of a black soul gem containing Hannibal Traven's soul. Thus, Mannimarco's attempt to enthrall the player fails, forcing him to try to kill the player through more conventional means. After his defeat, the player can wield his staff, the Staff of Worms, which enables temporary (30 seconds) reanimation of dead bodies, and appears as a collection of bones, with three hands gripping a skull at the top. Within the community of long-time Elder Scrolls fans, there was an amount of controversy regarding his appearance in Oblivion, specifically concerning the very fact that he is defeatable at all, and the fact that he is depicted within the game as being a living, breathing Altmer (albeit a very powerful arch-mage), rather than the immortal, shadow-palled lich he was depicted to be in Daggerfall, and described as in Arena.
Lucien Lachance
Lucien Lachance is a Speaker for the illegal, underground society known as the Dark Brotherhood, an assassin's guild. He is the first member of the guild to contact the player. He will play a large part in the Dark Brotherhood quests until his gruesome demise at the hands of four other guild members.
Maglir
A Bosmer (wood elf) who can't seem to complete a task. He is part of the Fighters Guild but ultimately leaves to join the Blackwood Company to make more money. When the player destroys the Blackwood Company's capability of operating in Cyrodiil, Maglir attacks the player due to the fact Maglir saw the Blackwood Company as his way of life and making a living.
Mankar Camoran
Mankar Camoran (Born ?? - 3E 433) is the leader of the Mythic Dawn cult.
:He is voiced by Terrence Stamp.
Martin Septim
Martin Septim (3E ?? - 3E 433) is the illegitimate child of Emperor Uriel Septim VII and eventually, due to circumstances, the last of the Septim Emperors.
:He is voiced by Sean Bean.
Modryn Oreyn
A Fighters Guild officer. As the player rises through the ranks, Modryn Oreyn and the player become confidants. After his expulsion from the fighters guild, it is up to the player to re-enstate him. He became second in command of the fighters guild managing the day to day affairs; while the player is free to continue his/her alternative affairs. If the player completes the fighters guild quest line, Oreyn gives them the Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw. This is a reference to Morrowind, in which the player could earn the same helm by killing one of Oreyn's relatives. Oreyn says that a stranger (the player character from Morrowind) returned the helm to him.
Ocato
Ocato is an Altmer politician who serves as High Chancellor and head of the Elder Council. Previously, he was the Chief Imperial Battlemage and one of Uriel Septim VII's most trusted advisers until the Emperor's death 3E 433.
In The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, he is seen briefly during the opening cinematic alongside Uriel Septim. In The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Ocato makes no personal appearance but is known to serve as a high-ranking Imperial Battlemage. He wields considerable influence within the Mages' Guild, as he sends a letter forcing Trebonius Artorius to step down as Arch-Mage of Vvardenfell.
In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, having ascended to High Chancellor and head of the Elder Council, Ocato is left to govern Tamriel in the wake of Emperor Uriel Septim VII's assassination. He gladly accepts Martin Septim as new Emperor but is left alone as interim head of state when Martin sacrifices himself during the final confrontation with Mehrunes Dagon in the Temple of the One. Technically, this leaves the Elder Council in complete control of Tamriel, and therefore Chancellor Ocato is the de facto emperor.
Owyn
Owyn is a Redguard that runs the Bloodworks section of the Imperial City Arena. He's quite cocky, at first disrespecting the player and his abilities. As the player wins more and more Arena matches, he soon comes to respect him or her as a strong and promising combatant, eventually becoming a good friend.
Rythe Lythandas
A famous artist known throughout Tamriel. Upon visiting Cheydinhal, the player learns that he has been missing for some time. Upon speaking with his wife and investigating his study, a portal is discovered inside of a painting that leads to the "Painted World". Inside, Rythe tells the player that he was knocked into the painting by a thief who was trying to steal his magic paintbrush called the Brush of True Paint. After fighting through painted trolls and recovering the brush, the player escapes with Rythe, who then rewards him with a magic apron.
Ulrich Leland
The corrupt captain of the Cheydinal Guard. Leland is behind the massive increase in taxes and levies placed on the city after Uriel Septim's death. If he fights at the battle of Bruma, he shows his tremendous skill with the claymore, felling many Daedra. However, his crimes eventually catch up with him and the player, as part of a side quest has the choice to lead him to his death or have him imprisoned.
Umaril the Unfeathered
Umaril the Unfeathered was an ancient Ayleid sorcerer-king, and is the main antagonist in The Knights of the Nine mini-expansion. Many years ago, Pelinal Whitestrake defeated Umaril using the armor and weapons of the crusader, which were crafted by the then Nine Divines themselves. While he destroyed Umaril's physical form, Umaril's spirit still escaped to Oblivion, where he regained his physical form and eventually returned to Cyrodiil and defiled the Chapel of Dibella in Anvil using Daedric minions known as "Aurorans". After the attack, a prophet appears and tells the main character that they must restore the Knights of the Nine and acquire all of the relics of the crusader if there is to be any hope of defeating Umaril. At the end of the quest, the main character along with many new Knights of the Nine assault Umaril's stronghold on the Gold Coast, fighting through hordes of Aurorans until the main character faces Umaril himself.
Umbacano
Umbacano is an extremely wealthy high elf who lives in the Talos Plaza district of the Imperial City. He has a number of servants and guards and will not see the player at the beginning of the game. However, Umbacano is a collector of Ayleid artifacts and will eagerly seek to buy Ayleid statues from the player if he or she sells one to a merchant. This leads to several quests in which the player must obtain artifacts for Umbacano, despite some fierce competition. Although the quest line features multiple endings, its conclusion will center around Umbacano's attempts to transform himself into an Ayleid king.
Uriel Septim VII
Uriel Septim VII (3E 346 - 3E 433) was the twentieth ruler of the Septim Empire.
:He is voiced by Patrick Stewart.
Ocheeva
One of the Argonian leaders of the Dark Brotherhood, a female assassin and quest-giver to the protagonist (should they choose to join the Brotherhood). She and her brother, Teineeva, are both Shadowscales, Argonians with The Shadow birthsign that are sent to the Dark Brotherhood to become assassins. Both have a grudge against Scar-Tail, an Argonian they, as well as the Black Marsh government, want dead for being a "traitor" for not going staying in the brotherhood. Ocheeva dies by the player's hand in "The Purification" quest along with the rest of the occupants of the sanctuary she rules over.
Vicente Valtieri
A vampire who is part of the Dark Brotherhood. He is an experienced assassin of considerable age due to his vampirism. Vicente tries to be a father-like figure to the player if the player considers accepting Vicente's offer to join him as a vampire. The protagonist may be bitten unwillingly, and then must embark on a quest to cure their vampirism (if it is not cured within the three days it takes to contract the disease).
But later on in the game Lucien makes an order to the character telling the protagonist to kill everyone in the Brotherhood Sanctuary including Vicente.
Baurus
One of the youngest Blades ever to serve in the Emperor's personal guard. The player's character meets him early on in the prisons of the Imperial City, where he is the only bodyguard of Emperor Uriel Septim to survive his assassination. He appears later on in the game helping in the player track down the Mythic Dawn and search for the Amulet of Kings. During the final stages of the game, Baurus fights alongside the player and Martin Septim at the Battle of Bruma and the Relighting of the Dragonfires, provided he doesn't die while helping the player obtain the last of the four Mythic Dawn books or at the battle of Bruma.
Gray Fox
The Gray Fox is the hidden leader of the in Tamriel. The name the Gray Fox is attributed from the Daedric cowl (the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal) he wears, which was stolen from the Daedric Prince Nocturnal over three hundred years ago by the first Gray Fox, Emer Dareloth, and passed down to the successor Guild Masters.
The nature of the Gray Fox is inherently tied into the Gray Cowl. Unbeknownst to the original thief, the Gray Cowl was cursed. Anyone who wears the Cowl is erased completely from history, even if the Cowl is removed. The most recent Gray Fox proves this by stating his real name twice to the player during their first meeting. Because of the magics of the Cowl, however, the player forgets it.
During the events of the Thieves' Guild in Oblivion, the current Gray Fox seeks to remove this curse from the Cowl, in order to return to his previous pre-Fox life. He realizes that there is only one thing which would give him the information required to do so: an Elder Scroll. Planning the heist, the Fox uses an up-and-coming thief (the player character) to pull it off. The player meets the un-Cowled Fox during his missions, but cannot realize that this 'Stranger' is the Gray Fox due to the Cowl's magic.
Once the Scroll is in the Fox's possession, he uses its power, before taking off the Cowl. Thanks to the magics of the Elder Scroll, the Cowl cannot prevent people from remembering who the man used to be. He gives the Cowl to you, the player character.
Because of the Elder Scroll's modification of the Cowl, the player character has two identities. Instead of being known only as the Gray Fox, the player can remove the Cowl and be known only as the player character. For example, Bob can talk to a fellow thief, put on the Cowl, and be greeted as the Gray Fox. The fellow thief does not realize that Bob was standing before him moments ago, because Bob doesn't exist as long as the Cowl was on.
Players who are seen by guards when wearing the Cowl will still be attacked, even after removing it, unless the player character yields. In addition, any bounty acquired with the Cowl on won't stick to the playable character once it is removed, however, with the cowl on, the wearer automatically garners a 500 gold coin bounty including any other amount of fines you have accumulated under while wearing the cowl, as the Gray Fox is wanted by all law enforcement in Cyrodiil. This curse makes wearing the Cowl in public very difficult, but is extremely helpful when worn in dungeons or caves due to its enchantments (+100 infamy, +200 Feather, Life Detection of up to 120 feet, and Sneak Fortification of 25 points.)
The Gray Fox, although a master thief, has given protection to the beggars. In return, the beggars serve as his eyes and ears. He has also given protection to the Umbranox Family in Anvil for personal reasons.
Throughout the whole of the thieves guild quests, the Gray Fox always remains a mystery until the end, and several rumours are about such as "He is a daedric prince", and that "He is immortal". These will become clear as the player advances.
Hannibal Traven
The current Arch-Mage of the Mages' Guild in Cyrodiil. He has prohibited the practice of necromancy and placed restrictions on new members. This had resulted in the resignation of many prominent guild members, some joining Necromancy cults devoted to Mannimarco. At the conclusion of the Mages Guild quest series, he sacrifices himself to save the guild by placing his soul in the colossal black soul gem recovered at a necromancer hideout.
Haskill
Haskill is the Daedric Prince Sheogorath's majordomo in The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles. The player first meets this character when he/she enters the Daedric realm from the Niben bay, and serves as the player's advisor there. He can be summoned at will, and provides valuable advice as the game progresses within the Isles. When the player stops the Greymarch, and Sheogorath reverts to his true form of Jyggalag, Haskill becomes the majordomo and advisor of the player as he/she assumes the role of the new Sheogorath.
Should the player approach the shrine of Sheogorath, to do the prince's Daedric Shrine quest in Cyrodiil after stopping the Greymarch and gaining lordship, Haskill talks to the player (instead of Sheogorath) wondering why the new Daedric prince would "pray at his/her own shrine". He then assigns the task that the player's predecessor left unfinished.
Hieronymous Lex
An overzealous Imperial City guard captain who is bent on capturing the Gray Fox. Some citizens seem to be fed up with him, while others believe he is chasing a ghost. Depending on the affiliation of the player, Lex can be a nuisance or just a guardsman with a pipe dream of making the big sting. Due to his fierce loyalty to his orders, and with credit due to the player, Lex is sent to be the Countess of Anvil's personal bodyguard. The Gray Fox's goal was to subtly get the best protection for the Countess.
Janus Hassildor
Count Janus Hassildor is the Count of Skingrad. He is probably the strangest of all Cyrodiil's nobles. He does not hold public audience hours, and only appears to people who require his immediate attention. As the protagonist, you will most likely discover one way or another, that Count Hassildor is in fact a vampire. His wife, Rona Hassildor, is also affected by the same disease. The Count gave up his vampiric desires long ago to serve his people. He bears a very strong resemblance to famous Dracula actor Bela Lugosi.
Janus Hassildor factors into several Mages Guild quests as well as another, slightly more "bloody" quest. He plays a large part in helping cure vampirism.
Jauffre
Jauffre is Grandmaster of the Blades - the Emperor's personal bodyguards and spies.
In his younger years, while serving as captain of the Blades, Jauffre was called into Emperor Uriel Septim’s private chambers. A baby boy lay sleeping in a basket. He was told by Uriel to deliver the child somewhere safe. Jauffre took the child, Martin Septim, to the chapel of Akatosh in Kvatch where the priests there would take care of him.
Many years later, now Grandmaster of the Blades, Jauffre resides at Weynon Priory. It is here that the protagonist comes with the Amulet of Kings and news of the Emperor’s death. Upon hearing the players story Jauffre takes possession of the Amulet for safekeeping and sends you the player to the Chapel of Akatosh in Kvatch to find the illegitimate son of the deceased Emperor.
Moments before you return with Martin, Mythic Dawn agents ambush Weynon Priory in their attempt to steal the Amulet of Kings. Only by pinning Jauffre in the nearby chapel are the agents successful.
With the Amulet of Kings stolen and fearing more attacks from the Mythic Dawn, Jauffre and the player escort Martin to the ancient fortress of the Blades, Cloud Ruler Temple. It is here that Jauffre orders you to rendezvous with Baurus, a Blade, in the Imperial City to find the Shrine of Dagon, a Daedric cult lair that is believed to be the location where the Amulet was taken. It is during this quest that it is revealed that Mankar Camoran, the head of the Mythic Dawn, is behind everything and that he now has the Amulet of Kings.
After a failed attempt to reclaim the amulet, the player returns with a book called the Mysterium Xarxes. It is with this book that Martin discovers that to get the amulet back they need to enter Camoran's Paradise, a small island realm in Oblivion, which is only possible with the following objects; a Great Welkynd stone, an artifact of a Daedra god, the Blood of a divine and a Great Sigil Stone. After the player acquires the first three objects, Martin and Jauffre create a desperate plan that involves allowing Bruma to be attacked by the Daedra so that a Great Gate can be opened. The player then must venture into the gate and recover the Great Sigil Stone in a limited amount of time. Arriving on the battlefield of Bruma, Martin gives a moving speech before himself, Jauffre, the player and the combined forces of guardsmen from every city in Cyrodiil go charging into battle against the Daedra. Many men are lost, but a Great Gate is finally opened. The protagonist rushes in and the stone is recovered, closing the gates outside Bruma. Martin then tells the protagonist to meet him in Cloud Ruler Temple when he is ready to venture into Camoran's Paradise.
When the player defeats Mankar Camoran they are returned with the Amulet of Kings to Cloud Ruler Temple. It is from here that Jauffre and yourself escort Martin to the Imperial Palace where inside the Elder Council chamber, Chancellor Ocato can proclaim Martin Emperor. But before Ocato can do so an Imperial messenger charges in with news that Oblivion Gates have opened all over the Imperial City and it is now over run with Daedra.
Jauffre, Martin and the player must now fight their way to the Temple of the One where Martin can relight the Dragonfires to end the Oblivion invasion and stop any chance of Mehrunes Dagon from entering Tamriel. Unfortunately, they arrive too late, and Dagon has already arrived. Martin devises a plan to banish Dagon back to Oblivion. With Jauffre’s protection Martin and the player enter the Temple of the One. Moments later as Dagon smashes the dome roof of the temple to pieces, the Avatar of Akatosh appears. The two giants do battle with the Avatar triumphant. Jauffre enters the temple only to find the player standing beside a giant stone statue of the Avatar, the Avatar was Martin.
With the Oblivion crisis over, and no emperor to serve, Jauffre returns to Cloud Ruler Temple.
* It is possible for Jauffre to die after the battle of the Great Gate, as he is no longer a "necessary" character from this point onwards.
King of Worms
The King of Worms is a fictional character from the games Daggerfall and Oblivion in the Elder Scrolls series.
The King of Worms, Mannimarco, is a monstrously powerful necromancer and lich, and the leader of the organisation known within Tamriel known only as The Necromancers, and, as such, he is the traditional enemy of the Mages' Guild. He was originally an Altmer and a Psijic, and a contemporary of Vanus Galerion, also a Psijic. At some point Mannimarco broke away from the Psijic order (as well as Galerion, who went on to found the Mages' Guild) to further practice his necromancy, and this is the point at which he actually first styled himself "The King of Worms." From Scourge Barrow, a large, well-fortified centre of operations in the Dragontail Mountains, he has cleverly played all the political games and powers for millennia. His influences have even reached back to the Summerset Isles, homelands of the Altmer. The Sload, slug-like creatures among whom necromancy is common practice, and who's domain is the Thrassian Coral Reef, worship him as a "God of Worms."
Mannimarco's influence has led him to be responsible for several notable happenings in Elder Scrolls lore. He is one of seven people who have been in control of the Totem of Tiber Septim. According to ambiguous accounts, he used the Mantella which powers the Totem to ascend beyond the mortal realm and become a god. From the book "Arkay the Enemy", signed by a "KW" assumed to be the King of Worms, Mannimarco states "Once I was a lowly man such as yourselves. By my will I entered the ranks of the gods." However, Mannimarco's presence in Cyrodiil at the end of the Third Age argues circumstantially that things didn't happen quite that way. However, it is also hypothesized that time fluctuations, such as the Warp of the West, allow every eventuality of a choice to happen at the same time, which would explain the existence of two versions of Mannimarco, one the King of Worms which did not receive the Mantella from the player at the end of Daggerfall, and the other the Mannimarco that did receive the Mantella and became the deity that his "Order of the Black Worm" worships, the "Revenant Moon" or "God of Worms" mentioned in the book, "Necromancer's Moon."
The King of Worms is the creator of the Necromancer's Amulet and the Bloodworm Helm, two legendary magical items that of course aid in the practice of necromantic magic.
In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the player gets a chance to fight and defeat the King of Worms if following the Mages' Guild quest line. The King of Worms holds power over the large underground necromantic cults known as "The Order of the Black Worm," and "The Order of the Black Rose," which typically meet in Ayleid ruins or old Reman forts, to avoid the prying eyes of the Mages' Guild and other interlopers. When confronted by the player, Mannimarco reveals that not only is he responsible for the death of Galerion the Mystic, but he has also reanimated him as a worm thrall servant, and has also killed and reanimated several arch-mages throughout his existence. The player, however, is rendered immune to this by the possession of a black soul gem containing Hannibal Traven's soul. Thus, Mannimarco's attempt to enthrall the player fails, forcing him to try to kill the player through more conventional means. After his defeat, the player can wield his staff, the Staff of Worms, which enables temporary (30 seconds) reanimation of dead bodies, and appears as a collection of bones, with three hands gripping a skull at the top. Within the community of long-time Elder Scrolls fans, there was an amount of controversy regarding his appearance in Oblivion, specifically concerning the very fact that he is defeatable at all, and the fact that he is depicted within the game as being a living, breathing Altmer (albeit a very powerful arch-mage), rather than the immortal, shadow-palled lich he was depicted to be in Daggerfall, and described as in Arena.
Lucien Lachance
Lucien Lachance is a Speaker for the illegal, underground society known as the Dark Brotherhood, an assassin's guild. He is the first member of the guild to contact the player. He will play a large part in the Dark Brotherhood quests until his gruesome demise at the hands of four other guild members.
Maglir
A Bosmer (wood elf) who can't seem to complete a task. He is part of the Fighters Guild but ultimately leaves to join the Blackwood Company to make more money. When the player destroys the Blackwood Company's capability of operating in Cyrodiil, Maglir attacks the player due to the fact Maglir saw the Blackwood Company as his way of life and making a living.
Mankar Camoran
Mankar Camoran (Born ?? - 3E 433) is the leader of the Mythic Dawn cult.
:He is voiced by Terrence Stamp.
Martin Septim
Martin Septim (3E ?? - 3E 433) is the illegitimate child of Emperor Uriel Septim VII and eventually, due to circumstances, the last of the Septim Emperors.
:He is voiced by Sean Bean.
Modryn Oreyn
A Fighters Guild officer. As the player rises through the ranks, Modryn Oreyn and the player become confidants. After his expulsion from the fighters guild, it is up to the player to re-enstate him. He became second in command of the fighters guild managing the day to day affairs; while the player is free to continue his/her alternative affairs. If the player completes the fighters guild quest line, Oreyn gives them the Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw. This is a reference to Morrowind, in which the player could earn the same helm by killing one of Oreyn's relatives. Oreyn says that a stranger (the player character from Morrowind) returned the helm to him.
Ocato
Ocato is an Altmer politician who serves as High Chancellor and head of the Elder Council. Previously, he was the Chief Imperial Battlemage and one of Uriel Septim VII's most trusted advisers until the Emperor's death 3E 433.
In The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, he is seen briefly during the opening cinematic alongside Uriel Septim. In The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Ocato makes no personal appearance but is known to serve as a high-ranking Imperial Battlemage. He wields considerable influence within the Mages' Guild, as he sends a letter forcing Trebonius Artorius to step down as Arch-Mage of Vvardenfell.
In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, having ascended to High Chancellor and head of the Elder Council, Ocato is left to govern Tamriel in the wake of Emperor Uriel Septim VII's assassination. He gladly accepts Martin Septim as new Emperor but is left alone as interim head of state when Martin sacrifices himself during the final confrontation with Mehrunes Dagon in the Temple of the One. Technically, this leaves the Elder Council in complete control of Tamriel, and therefore Chancellor Ocato is the de facto emperor.
Owyn
Owyn is a Redguard that runs the Bloodworks section of the Imperial City Arena. He's quite cocky, at first disrespecting the player and his abilities. As the player wins more and more Arena matches, he soon comes to respect him or her as a strong and promising combatant, eventually becoming a good friend.
Rythe Lythandas
A famous artist known throughout Tamriel. Upon visiting Cheydinhal, the player learns that he has been missing for some time. Upon speaking with his wife and investigating his study, a portal is discovered inside of a painting that leads to the "Painted World". Inside, Rythe tells the player that he was knocked into the painting by a thief who was trying to steal his magic paintbrush called the Brush of True Paint. After fighting through painted trolls and recovering the brush, the player escapes with Rythe, who then rewards him with a magic apron.
Ulrich Leland
The corrupt captain of the Cheydinal Guard. Leland is behind the massive increase in taxes and levies placed on the city after Uriel Septim's death. If he fights at the battle of Bruma, he shows his tremendous skill with the claymore, felling many Daedra. However, his crimes eventually catch up with him and the player, as part of a side quest has the choice to lead him to his death or have him imprisoned.
Umaril the Unfeathered
Umaril the Unfeathered was an ancient Ayleid sorcerer-king, and is the main antagonist in The Knights of the Nine mini-expansion. Many years ago, Pelinal Whitestrake defeated Umaril using the armor and weapons of the crusader, which were crafted by the then Nine Divines themselves. While he destroyed Umaril's physical form, Umaril's spirit still escaped to Oblivion, where he regained his physical form and eventually returned to Cyrodiil and defiled the Chapel of Dibella in Anvil using Daedric minions known as "Aurorans". After the attack, a prophet appears and tells the main character that they must restore the Knights of the Nine and acquire all of the relics of the crusader if there is to be any hope of defeating Umaril. At the end of the quest, the main character along with many new Knights of the Nine assault Umaril's stronghold on the Gold Coast, fighting through hordes of Aurorans until the main character faces Umaril himself.
Umbacano
Umbacano is an extremely wealthy high elf who lives in the Talos Plaza district of the Imperial City. He has a number of servants and guards and will not see the player at the beginning of the game. However, Umbacano is a collector of Ayleid artifacts and will eagerly seek to buy Ayleid statues from the player if he or she sells one to a merchant. This leads to several quests in which the player must obtain artifacts for Umbacano, despite some fierce competition. Although the quest line features multiple endings, its conclusion will center around Umbacano's attempts to transform himself into an Ayleid king.
Uriel Septim VII
Uriel Septim VII (3E 346 - 3E 433) was the twentieth ruler of the Septim Empire.
:He is voiced by Patrick Stewart.
Ocheeva
One of the Argonian leaders of the Dark Brotherhood, a female assassin and quest-giver to the protagonist (should they choose to join the Brotherhood). She and her brother, Teineeva, are both Shadowscales, Argonians with The Shadow birthsign that are sent to the Dark Brotherhood to become assassins. Both have a grudge against Scar-Tail, an Argonian they, as well as the Black Marsh government, want dead for being a "traitor" for not going staying in the brotherhood. Ocheeva dies by the player's hand in "The Purification" quest along with the rest of the occupants of the sanctuary she rules over.
Vicente Valtieri
A vampire who is part of the Dark Brotherhood. He is an experienced assassin of considerable age due to his vampirism. Vicente tries to be a father-like figure to the player if the player considers accepting Vicente's offer to join him as a vampire. The protagonist may be bitten unwillingly, and then must embark on a quest to cure their vampirism (if it is not cured within the three days it takes to contract the disease).
But later on in the game Lucien makes an order to the character telling the protagonist to kill everyone in the Brotherhood Sanctuary including Vicente.