优先遵循ANK汉化
元神话
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2022-11-14更新
最新编辑:Lu_23333
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更新日期：2022-11-14
最新编辑：Lu_23333
元神话
元神话
“在凡间，文化差异和冲突常常导致变革的发生，而变革，恰恰是精灵势力所畏惧的——变革无法控制，且背离了本源”——欧格里瑟，塔赫里特，赛伊克教团
简单来说，造成人类与精灵的分裂的缘由要归于凡界众生和神明的关系。人类谦卑地认为他们是众神创造出来的，而精灵则宣称自己是这些不朽的力量的直接继承——这似乎并没有什么联系，但是这样的区别就造成了不同色彩的神话体系。
所有泰姆瑞尔的宗教都有着相同的起源。人类或者精灵，都源自于双生之原力——有人称它们为阿努和帕瑟姆；有的称他们为阿努里尔和西帝斯，又或者是阿克和艾尔抑或萨塔克和阿克尔，大抵如此。很难去形容它们——假设前者是永不熄灭的光芒，那么后者就是永远黯淡的虚无——两者错杂其中，便形成了混沌。
大多数的文化里，阿努里尔因为是参与了创立世界的力量而受到尊崇，然而人们对西帝斯的崇敬更甚，因为人们认为是它引发了反应。于是西帝斯就成了最初的造物——被认为是一个创造了一切的实体。甚至于希思特神树都认为这样一个实体的存在。
除此之外，阿努里尔被认为代表了秩序，因此西帝斯就是与其相反的混乱。或许对于芸芸众生来说，阿努里尔是作为神秘的西帝斯的背景的形式出现，这么来说更好理解一些。而在约库达人的神话中，很久以来萨塔克只在少数场合以“哈姆”的形式被提到，它的力量如此普遍，甚至于感觉不到它的真实存在。
不管怎么说，艾阿达，即“原始的灵魂”，被认为是在这两种原力的作用下产生的。对于人类来说，这些艾阿达要么是神明，要么是恶魔；对于精灵来说，这些艾阿达要么是“先祖”，要么就非“先祖”。在整个泰姆瑞尔的众神名册中，基本上是这些艾阿达的名字，尽管由于文化的差异造成了种种不同。如同阿努和帕瑟姆的概念一样，尽管有着文化上的差异，各个种族文化的众神之中都少不了“龙神”以及“遗忘的神”这样的原型。
“龙神”和“遗忘的神”
各个文化中的“龙神”往往与时间息息相关，且都是“第一个神明”——通常它被称作阿卡托什，被认为“在永恒的空间中开创出了时间”在赛瑞迪尔帝国中它被尊为主神。
“遗忘的神”常常被认为和凡界有着密切关系，是造成人类/精灵分裂的一个关键形象。“缺失”可能指的是它并不在众神名册之中，或是它已经被其它不朽的存在剥夺了神力。它常常被称为洛克汗，对于它的评价，（人类）对它十分地虔诚的同时（精灵）又认为它该死。
值得一提的是，当泰姆瑞尔以及凡间位面还不存在时，“原始的灵魂”们生活在混沌的世界中。一些更偏向于阿努的光明，另一些则偏好未知的虚空。两种原力的相互交织造就了更多的“原始的灵魂”，渐渐地这些灵魂塑造出了自己的个性。当阿卡托什形成时，时间就随之产生了，这使得更多的“原始的灵魂”开始对过去和将来有了一个明确的概念。其中一些最强大的个体开始涌现：梅法拉，阿尔凯，依弗里，玛格努斯，拉普特加等等等等；更多的则是作为“概念”、“思想”、“感情”之类的存在。其中一个最为强大的存在，被称作洛克汗的那位，开始计划着创造一个凡间位面。
人类——红卫人除外——将洛克汗的举动看作神明的一种怜悯，一种启蒙，使弱小的生物也能做到不朽。精灵们——暗精灵除外——视其为残酷的欺骗，是一种将他们和精神世界的联系割裂的诡计。
“奥比斯之秘”
“奥比斯之秘”的副标题是“赛伊克的补偿”，是阿塔尤姆的护教论者们试图向在尤瑞尔五世早期辉煌的统治下向其阐释精灵的宗教信仰所编撰的文献，其中尽量回避了对“洛克汗”这一概念的各种诘难——或者说偏见——毕竟在赛瑞迪尔的宗教“九圣灵”中“洛克汗”这个“遗忘的神”以“谢扎尔”的名义在其中享有很高的尊崇地位。除开这一点，赛伊克教团对精灵上古神话的总结堪称精辟，因此将作为本文的主旨。这个版本出自皇家学院档案馆一名未署名的法学家的手抄本。
“神秘的奥比斯”这个传说中的超自然的领域，在时间的概念还没有形成之前，就已经存在了。
“奥比斯”的潜在意思就是阿努和帕瑟姆交织而成的混沌区域。它还包含了众多的领域，包括众神领域以及湮灭虚空，还有一些没有像上述二者那么复杂结构的领域。
我们很难用正常叙述的言语来描绘生活在“神秘的奥比斯”中的存在，因此这样的模式让他们愈发神秘。
这些“原始的灵魂”是由不朽的两极原力一点一点构成的。其中最先形成的阿卡托什——又被叫做时间之龙——它的形成使得其它的“原始的灵魂”能够有所参照，无论是“神明”也好，“恶魔”也好，都纷纷将自己塑造、改造成型，开始了繁衍生育。
最后，这些奥比斯中的神奇的存在讲述了一个遥远的故事——关于他们的死。对于一些平凡的存在来说这是从精神形式到物质形式上的转变的一种体现。而对于有着神奇力量的等同存在，这是一场战争——而他们死后就演变成了宇宙中的一部分。它们的死亡对于那些平凡的存在来说意味着浪漫的婚姻和父母的转变——作为父辈他们给那些平凡的“子辈”们的生存创造出了空间。
主导了这么一场大事件的正是洛克汗，早期的神话传说都在极力地丑化它为招摇撞骗的欺诈者；而多少有点同情心的版本则称洛克汗是出现这个凡间位面的缘由。
奥比斯中的神奇的存在们以自己的形象创造出来凡间的物种。随后这片肥沃的土壤上，芸芸众生犹如雨后春笋一般茁壮成长了起来。
随后这些神奇的存在们就消亡了，成了艾阿达。这些艾阿达被凡界众生奉为神明。它们的死亡，割离了他们与其它神奇存在们的联系，永远被禁锢在了自然中再也回不到那超自然的领域去了。
与此同时，“恶魔”们也同时产生了，他们比起“神明”们更适合于居住在湮灭虚空——更为靠近帕瑟姆的虚无中。这就是神话纪元（精灵纪元）的开端。然而这样的一个神话在凡间界中最早的居民们眼中有着不同的理解，有的认为这是神明进行的“第二次创造”，也有的（尤其是精灵）认为这对于神明来说是经历了割裂般地惨痛。不管怎么说，始作俑者是洛克汗。
“洛克汗”
在泰姆瑞尔的传统神话中，这位造物主要么是狡诈的骗子，要么是无畏的试验者。洛克汗在精灵语的意思是是“末日之鼓”。它促使了——抑或是预谋了——那些“原始的灵魂”去创造凡界，犹如当初它们的“父”帕瑟姆在“最初之地”注入了不稳定的因素于是创造出了宇宙那样。而当这个凡间界的实体逐渐形成，洛克汗神圣力的核心被分离出来，不经意间就造就了艾阿达。然而不同的文化对此又有着不尽相同的理解。以下将阐述已知的几个最为熟知的版本。
约库达文化，“萨塔克尔，“世界之皮””
“萨塔克尔是“首蛇”，是最早出现在宇宙中的一条蛇，所有的世界都置身于它蛇身发光的鳞片上。由于它的体型过于庞大，再加上它自身盘绕了起来，所有的世界的空间就全都交错在了一起，因此这些世界连个呼吸的地方都没有。由于除了萨塔克尔以外就没有了别的存在，这些世界要像将自己从拥挤的状况中脱身出来，就得从萨塔克尔内部入手。阿克尔是萨塔克尔的“饥饿肠胃”，它促使萨塔克尔不断地吞噬着自己，于是就有了足够的空间，生命开始繁衍。然而这些新生的存在常常犯些错误，毕竟它们从来没有“存在”过。其中不少一部分放弃了演化，要么就是些“半成品”；有的正在努力，不巧却被萨塔克尔给吞噬掉了。这是一个非常蛮荒、混乱的时期”
“很快，萨塔克尔把自己的心脏给吞噬了，于是一切就此为止。即使是“死亡”的状态下，这种“饥饿”并没有因此停止，于是“首蛇”又产生出了新的个体。如此往复后，一些生命体渐渐熟知该如何演变，其中不少有了名字的如拉普特加、图瓦卡等，更进一步地找到起了他们的同类。介于萨塔克尔仍在不断地吞噬自己，重复着创造——灭亡的过程，这些最强大的生灵学会了如何躲到一些诡异的角落里回避这样的毁灭。它们称其为“回归之旅”，即在萨塔克尔的“世界之皮”上来回腾挪。当拉普特加的能力大到一定的程度是，已经能用星辰来标识、指引弱小的生灵如何找到这样一条路。有了这样的方法以及引路的星辰，对于众生来说无疑简单了很多，它们把这样一个“避难所”称为“彼岸”。
“拉普特加在这样的回圈中诞下了不少的孩子，因此他被称作“大老爹”。它仍在不断地设定着路标，然而需要指引的生灵越来越多，于是他创造了塞普来帮助它。塞普是从萨塔克尔脱落的鳞片创造的，意思是“次蛇”。然而塞普继承了萨塔克尔的饥饿特性，它是如此的饥饿以至于无法正常地思考。有时甚至吞噬了本应该去帮助的生灵。幸好“大老爹”及时发现并阻止了塞普。最终，厌烦了帮助“大老爹”的塞普，凑齐了足够多的脱落的蛇皮，将它们揉成了一团，哄使那些生灵们去帮它创造一个新的世界。不少的生灵喜欢这种生活方式——它们也厌倦了不停从一个地方腾挪到另一个地方的过程。越来越多的生灵加入其中，认为这是个非常好的主意。“大老爹”对此无可奈何地摇了摇头”
“很快，在这个新的世界中的生灵们开始逐渐死去，因为这个世界的构成并不是萨塔克尔真正的表皮，并且离“彼岸”的距离已经太遥远，无法抵达了。生灵们向“大老爹”请罪，祈求后者能将它们带回真正的世界中去。然而严肃的拉普特加没有同意。它告诉这些生灵们必须学会去“彼岸”的新方式，如果没有掌握到的话，就靠子孙来继续。塞普，毫无疑问要遭到惩罚，于是“大老爹”用根棍子把它拍扁了。“次蛇”唯一剩下的就是它从嘴里逃出的饥饿——当其它的生灵都在力争回到“彼岸”时，饥饿的塞普只能在没有了生机的表皮上徘徊，或是游向天空，嫉妒地看着吃不着的星辰”
赛瑞迪尔的“谢扎尔之歌”
“这个新的版本中谢扎尔作为父母神，肩负起了重任，付出了巨大的牺牲。在没有成功的绝对把握下，谢扎尔成功地说服了其它众神，促使他们在泪水和神秘中不断前行。最终神族用自己身体的一部分创造了世界和众生，这个过程无疑是痛苦的，并且消耗了巨大的神力，最后神族已经不再年轻、强壮，不复拥有它们原来那样巨大的力量了。
“不少神族对此感到失落、痛苦，对谢扎尔感到不满，认为它一开始就用华丽的辞藻欺骗了它们。这些大多是精灵的神，挑头的就是奥里-埃尔。他们对自我的削弱而产生的一切感到厌恶。“所有的一切都弄糟了。为了现在，为了将来，我们现在所能作的就是让精灵族学会在高贵、自尊中忍受这些来斥责自己的愚蠢，报复谢扎尔和他的同伙”因此精灵众神沉浸在了阴郁之中，而精灵们变得厌恶自己的平凡，在这个残酷哦和冷漠的世界中以高贵、克己的姿态生存着”
“也有不少的神族对这项创造感到非常地高兴。这些大多是人类以及兽人的神明，以阿卡托什为首，对这些它们所看护的凡界种族十分偏爱，倍加珍惜。“我们承受了痛苦，力量也一直在衰减，但是凡界的创造让我们感到光荣，让我们的心灵充满了希望。让我们告诫芸芸众生要好好地生存下去，珍惜美好与荣耀，要像我们喜爱他们一样彼此相亲相爱”于是人类以及兽人的众神总是那样耐心而又温和，人类和兽人们有着面对挫折依然保持着乐观的心态，充满了对于知识的追求和对创造更好的世界的渴望”
“而当魔族听到了谢扎尔的举动，纷纷嘲笑它和其它的神族“把你们自己的一部分切下来？然后还永远地失去了神力？这太愚蠢了！你们会后悔的！我们就比你们聪明得多，我们也会创造新的世界，但是绝对不会去搞笑地自残！我们创造的世界将永远在我们的掌控之下！”
“于是魔族的君王们创造了属于自己的魔族领域，以及大大小小的魔族子民。尤其令他们感到满意的是，它们的崇拜者和侍者们都在它们的掌控之中。但是，与此同时，他们中的一些常常会对凡界感到嫉妒——无论在它们眼里凡界的众生是多么粗鄙、软弱、卑微，但它们有着魔族的滑稽古怪的子民们所没有的热情和抱负，这让它们感到既惊奇又有趣。于是一些魔族君王们开始引诱凡间里一些它们认为有趣的物件，尤其是那些富有激情又强大的存在。它们对从谢扎尔和众神那里一点一点窃取着凡人的信仰感到乐此不疲。“你们这群愚蠢的家伙们不单玩自残”，魔王们幸灾乐祸道“你们甚至连自己看护的东西都护不住”。这些家伙们更热衷于追求权力与荣耀，因此来投靠魔族君王，反倒把你们这些脑袋进水的、已经没有多少力量的神明给抛到脑后啦！””
高精灵与“世界之心”
“阿努创造、组成了一切。为了要认识它自己，随后它又创造了阿努里尔，它的灵魂——一切的灵魂。阿努里尔，作为一切的灵魂，为了能进行自我反思，必须将它的自我形式、属性和智慧划分开来，于是西帝斯诞生了，作为一切的缺陷，来反思自己。一切的灵魂阿努里尔又形成了许多的维面，在两种力量的相互作用下，最终形成了奥比斯”
“一开始，阿努里尔的沉思没有任何的规划，因此奥比斯显得动荡而又混乱。于是奥比斯的维面们请求更有规律的秩序出现，这样能使得它们在不断完善知识外能过得更滋润一些，同时也会更方便阿努去了解自己。阿努又创造了奥瑞·艾尔，自己的灵魂（阿努里尔）的灵魂，而奥瑞·艾尔创造了一种遍布奥比斯的新的力量，叫做时间。有了时间以后，奥比斯的维面们就开始了解了它们的习性和缺陷。它们有了自己的名字，如玛格努斯，或者玛拉，又或者是森。其中有个叫做洛克汗的，缺陷更多一些，因此无论在何处它都不能停留长久”
“于是它就跑遍了所有阿努里尔的维面，逐渐心中有个想法开始浮现，来完全地弥补这个缺陷：创造出奥比斯的灵魂，作为一个维面的维面甚至都能自我反省。它取得了很多的支持，甚至奥瑞·艾尔都在内——洛克汗许诺它能成为这个新世界的主宰，于是它便欣然答应了。就这样，它们创造了凡间，使得它们自己的维面也能存在，这就是艾阿达”
“但这是一个诡计。洛克汗很明白：这个新的世界有着更多的缺陷，因为它根本就不是阿努的东西——凡间实际上是属于西帝斯，即“一切的缺陷”的。当越来越多的维面开始消亡时，不少的艾阿达也随之彻底死去。有一些逃过了这一劫，比如玛格努斯——因此这个世界上才没有魔法的缺陷。其余的，像依弗里，将自己转变为了艾尔诺菲，即“大地骨骼”，才使得整个世界没有就此消亡——它们必须不断繁衍着后代，维持着这个世界，然而它们的力量一代比一代弱，最后就成了傲尔特莫。随后黑暗降临了——洛克汗将其中最弱的生灵组成了一支军队，命名为人类，将西帝斯（一切的缺陷）带入了世界的每一个角落”
“奥瑞·艾尔像阿努请求将它们带回奥比斯，但是它们原先的位置已经被取代了。不过阿努慈悲的灵魂给了奥瑞·艾尔弓与盾，以此来拯救被成群结队的人们所屠杀的精灵。然而一些精灵堕落了，比如奇莫，转投了有污点的艾阿达；还有一些像波兹莫，甚至和人类通婚”
“奥瑞·艾尔最终还是没能守下阿特莫拉，“古木大陆”，输给了人类。他们被驱使向了东南边的古艾尔诺菲，洛克汗紧追不舍，将这块大陆碎成了好几片。最终，崔尼马克，这位奥瑞·艾尔最伟大的骑士，在阵前击倒了洛克汗，随后近身取下了洛克汗的心脏，彻底毁灭了它。人们带走了洛克汗的尸首，发下血誓要永远对奥瑞·艾尔的后裔们复仇”
“正当崔尼马克和奥瑞·艾尔试图摧毁洛克汗的心脏时，洛克汗笑了，它说，“这颗心脏就是世界的心脏，它们不可分离”于是奥瑞·艾尔将其绑在一根箭上射了出去，落在了遥远的海里，以为这个新世界上没有任何人能找到它”
The Monomyth
The Monomyth
"In Mundus, conflict and disparity are what bring change, and change is the most sacred of the Eleven Forces. Change is the force without focus or origin."-Oegnithr, Taheritae, Order of PSJJJJ
Simply put, the schism in the Human/Aldmeri worldview is the mortal's relationship to the divine. Humans take the humble path that they were created by the immortal forces, while the Aldmer claim descent from them. It doesn't seem like much, but it is a distinction that colors the rest of their diverging mythologies.
All Tamrielic religions begin the same. Man or mer, things begin with the dualism of Anu and His Other. These twin forces go by many names: Anu-Padomay, Anuiel-Sithis, Ak-El, Satak-Akel, Is-Is Not. Anuiel is the Everlasting Ineffable Light, Sithis is the Corrupting Inexpressible Action. In the middle is the Gray Maybe ('Nirn' in the Ehlnofex).
In most cultures, Anuiel is honored for his part of the interplay that creates the world, but Sithis is held in highest esteem because he's the one that causes the reaction. Sithis is thus the Original Creator, an entity who intrinsically causes change without design. Even the hist acknowledge this being.
Anuiel is also perceived of as Order, opposed to the Sithis-Chaos. Perhaps it is easier for mortals to envision change than perfect stasis, for often Anuiel is relegated to the mythic background of Sithis' fancies. In Yokudan folk-tales, which are among the most vivid in the world, Satak is only referred to a handful of times, as "the Hum"; he is a force so prevalent as to be not really there at all.
In any case, from these two beings spring the et'Ada, or Original Spirits. To humans these et'Ada are the Gods and Demons; to the Aldmer, the Aedra/Daedra, or the 'Ancestors'. All of the Tamrielic pantheons fill their rosters from these et'Ada, though divine membership often differs from culture to culture. Like Anu and Padomay, though, every one of these pantheons contains the archetypes of the Dragon God and the Missing God.
The Dragon God and the Missing God
The Dragon God is always related to Time, and is universally revered as the "First God." He is often called Akatosh, "whose perch from Eternity allowed the day." He is the central God of the Cyrodilic Empire.
The Missing God is always related to the Mortal Plane, and is a key figure in the Human/Aldmeri schism. The 'missing' refers to either his palpable absence from the pantheon (another mental distress that is interpreted a variety of ways), or the removal of his 'divine spark' by the other immortals. He is often called Lorkhan, and his epitaphs are many, equally damnable and devout.
Note that Tamriel and the Mortal Plane do not exist yet. The Gray Maybe is still the playground of the Original Spirits. Some are more bound to Anu's light, others to the unknowable void. Their constant flux and interplay increase their number, and their personalities take long to congeal. When Akatosh forms, Time begins, and it becomes easier for some spirits to realize themselves as beings with a past and a future. The strongest of the recognizable spirits crystallize: Mephala, Arkay, Y'ffre, Magnus, Rupgta, etc., etc. Others remain as concepts, ideas, or emotions. One of the strongest of these, a barely formed urge that the others call Lorkhan, details a plan to create Mundus, the Mortal Plane.
Humans, with the exception of the Redguards, see this act as a divine mercy, an enlightenment whereby lesser creatures can reach immortality. Aldmer, with the exception of the Dark Elves, see this act as a cruel deception, a trick that sundered their connection to the spirit plane.
The Myth of Aurbis
Subtitled "The Psijiic Compensation," "Mythic Aurbis" was an attempt by Artaeum apologists to explain the basics of Aldmeri religion to Uriel V in the early, glorious part of his reign. It quietly avoided any blame or bias against the Lorkhan-concept, which was still held in esteem by the Cyrodiils as "Shezarr", the missing sibling of the Divines. Despite this, the Psijiici still give a nice summary of the Elder view, and it will serve our purposes here. This version comes from the archives of the Imperial Seminary from the handwritten notes of an unknown scribe.
Mythic Aurbis exists, and has existed from time without measure, as a fanciful Unnatural Realm.
'Aurbis' is used to connote the imperceptible Penumbra, the Gray Center between the IS/IS NOT of Anu and Padomay. It contains the multitude realms of Aetherius and Oblivion, as well as other, less structured forms.
The magical beings of Mythic Aurbis live for a long time and have complex narrative lives, creating the patterns of myth.
These are spirits made from bits of the immortal polarity. The first of these was Akatosh the Time Dragon, whose formation made it easier for other spirits to structure themselves. Gods and demons form and reform and procreate.
Finally, the magical beings of Mythic Aurbis told the ultimate story -- that of their own death. For some this was an artistic transfiguration into the concrete, non-magical substance of the world. For others, this was a war in which all were slain, their bodies becoming the substance of the world. For yet others, this was a romantic marriage and parenthood, with the parent spirits naturally having to die and give way to the succeeding mortal races.
The agent of this communal decision was Lorkhan, whom most early myths vilify as a trickster or deceiver. More sympathetic versions of this story point out Lorkhan as being the reason the mortal plane exists at all.
The magical beings created the races of the mortal Aurbis in their own image, either consciously as artists and craftsmen, or as the fecund rotting matter out of which the mortals sprung forth, or in a variety of other analogical senses.
The magical beings, then, having died, became the et'Ada. The et'Ada are the things perceived and revered by the mortals as gods, spirits, or geniuses of Aurbis. Through their deaths, these magical beings separated themselves in nature from the other magical beings of the Unnatural realms.
The Daedra were created at this time also, being spirits and Gods more attuned to Oblivion, or that realm closer to the Void of Padomay. This act is the dawn of the Mythic (Merethic) Era. It has been perceived by the earliest mortals many different ways, either as a joyous 'second creation', or (especially by the Elves) as a painful fracturing from the divine. The originator of the event is always Lorkhan.
Lorkhan
This Creator-Trickster-Tester deity is in every Tamrielic mythic tradition. His most popular name is the Aldmeri "Lorkhan," or Doom Drum. He convinced or contrived the Original Spirits to bring about the creation of the Mortal Plane, upsetting the status quo much like his father Padomay had introduced instability into the universe in the Beginning Place. After the world is materialized, Lorkhan is separated from his divine center, sometimes involuntarily, and wanders the creation of the et'Ada. Interpretations of these events differ widely by culture. Below are some of the better known:
Yokudan, "Satakal the Worldskin"
"Satak was First Serpent, the Snake who came Before, and all the worlds to come rested in the glimmer of its scales. But it was so big there was nothing but, and thus it was coiled around and around itself, and the worlds to come slid across each other but none had room to breathe or even be. And so the worlds called to something to save them, to let them out, but of course there was nothing outside the First Serpent, so aid had to come from inside it; this was Akel, the Hungry Stomach. Akel made itself known, and Satak could only think about what it was, and it was the best hunger, so it ate and ate. Soon there was enough room to live in the worlds and things began. These things were new and they often made mistakes, for there was hardly time to practice being things before. So most things ended quickly or were not good or gave up on themselves. Some things were about to start, but they were eaten up as Satak got to that part of its body. This was a violent time.
"Pretty soon Akel caused Satak to bite its own heart and that was the end. The hunger, though, refused to stop, even in death, and so the First Serpent shed its skin to begin anew. As the old world died, Satakal began, and when things realized this pattern so did they realize what their part in it was. They began to take names, like Ruptga or Tuwhacca, and they strode about looking for their kin. As Satakal ate itself over and over, the strongest spirits learned to bypass the cycle by moving at strange angles. They called this process the Walkabout, a way of striding between the worldskins. Ruptga was so big that he was able to place the stars in the sky so that weaker spirits might find their way easier. This practice became so easy for the spirits that it became a place, called the Far Shores, a time of waiting until the next skin.
"Ruptga was able to sire many children through the cycles and so he became known as the Tall Papa. He continued to place stars to map out the void for others, but after so many cycles there were almost too many spirits to help out. He made himself a helper from the detritus of past skins and this was Sep, or Second Serpent. Sep had much of the Hungry Stomach still left in him, multiple hungers from multiple skins. He was so hungry he could not think straight. Sometimes he would just eat the spirits he was supposed to help, but Tall Papa would always reach in and take them back out. Finally, tired of helping Tall Papa, Sep went and gathered the rest of the old skins and balled them up, tricking spirits to help him, promising them this was how you reached the new world, by making one out of the old. These spirits loved this way of living, as it was easier. No more jumping from place to place. Many spirits joined in, believing this was good thinking. Tall Papa just shook his head.
"Pretty soon the spirits on the skin-ball started to die, because they were very far from the real world of Satakal. And they found that it was too far to jump into the Far Shores now. The spirits that were left pleaded with Tall Papa to take them back. But grim Ruptga would not, and he told the spirits that they must learn new ways to follow the stars to the Far Shores now. If they could not, then they must live on through their children, which was not the same as before. Sep, however, needed more punishment, and so Tall Papa squashed the Snake with a big stick. The hunger fell out of Sep's dead mouth and was the only thing left of the Second Serpent. While the rest of the new world was allowed to strive back to godhood, Sep could only slink around in a dead skin, or swim about in the sky, a hungry void that jealously tried to eat the stars."
Cyrodilic ""Shezarr's Song""
"This was a new thing that Shezarr described to the Gods, becoming mothers and fathers, being responsible, and making great sacrifices, with no guarantee of success, but Shezarr spoke beautifully to them, and moved them beyond mystery and tears. Thus the Aedra gave free birth to the world, the beasts, and the beings, making these things from parts of themselves. This free birth was very painful, and afterwards the Aedra were no longer young, and strong, and powerful, as they had been from the beginning of days.
"Some Aedra were disappointed and bitter in their loss, and angry with Shezarr, and with all creation, for they felt Shezarr had lied and tricked them. These Aedra, the Gods of the Aldmer, led by Auri-El, were disgusted by their enfeebled selves, and by what they had created. 'Everything is spoiled, for now, and for all time, and the most we can do is teach the Elven Races to suffer nobly, with dignity, and chastise ourselves for our folly, and avenge ourselves upon Shezarr and his allies.' Thus are the Gods of the Elves dark and brooding, and thus are the Elves ever dissatisfied with mortality, and always proud and stoic despite the harshness of this cruel and indifferent world.
"Other Aedra looked upon creation, and were well pleased. These Aedra, the Gods of Men and Beast Folk, led by Akatosh, praised and cherished their wards, the Mortal Races. 'We have suffered, and are diminished, for all time, but the mortal world we have made is glorious, filling our hearts and spirits with hope. Let us teach the Mortal Races to live well, to cherish beauty and honor, and to love one another as we love them.' Thus are the Gods of Men tender and patient, and thus are Men and Beast Folk great in heart for joy or suffering, and ambitious for greater wisdom and a better world.
"Now when the Daedra Lords heard Shezarr, they mocked him, and the other Aedra. 'Cut parts of ourselves off? And lose them? Forever? That's stupid! You'll be sorry! We are far smarter than you, for we will create a new world out of ourselves, but we will not cut it off, or let it mock us, but we will make this world within ourselves, forever ours, and under our complete control.'
"So the Daedra Lords created the Daedric Realms, and all the ranks of Lesser Daedra, great and small. And, for the most part, the Daedra Lords were well pleased with this arrangement, for they always had worshippers and servants and playthings close to hand. But, at the same time, they sometimes looked with envy upon the Mortal Realms, for though mortals were foul and feeble and contemptible, their passions and ambitions were also far more surprising and entertaining than the antics of the Lesser Daedra. Thus do the Daedra Lords court and seduce certain amusing specimens of the Mortal Races, especially the passionate and powerful. It gives the Daedra Lords special pleasure to steal away from Shezarr and the Aedra the greatest and most ambitious mortals. 'Not only are you fools to mutilate yourselves,' gloat the Daedra Lords, 'But you cannot even keep the best pieces, which prefer the glory and power of the Daedra Lords to the feeble vulgarity of the mush-minded Aedra.'"
Altmeri "The Heart of the World"
"Anu encompassed, and encompasses, all things. So that he might know himself he created Anuiel, his soul and the soul of all things. Anuiel, as all souls, was given to self-reflection, and for this he needed to differentiate between his forms, attributes, and intellects. Thus was born Sithis, who was the sum of all the limitations Anuiel would utilize to ponder himself. Anuiel, who was the soul of all things, therefore became many things, and this interplay was and is the Aurbis.
"At first the Aurbis was turbulent and confusing, as Anuiel's ruminations went on without design. Aspects of the Aurbis then asked for a schedule to follow or procedures whereby they might enjoy themselves a little longer outside of perfect knowledge. So that he might know himself this way, too, Anu created Auriel, the soul of his soul. Auriel bled through the Aurbis as a new force, called time. With time, various aspects of the Aurbis began to understand their natures and limitations. They took names, like Magnus or Mara or Xen. One of these, Lorkhan, was more of a limit than a nature, so he could never last long anywhere.
"As he entered every aspect of Anuiel, Lorkhan would plant an idea that was almost wholly based on limitation. He outlined a plan to create a soul for the Aurbis, a place where the aspects of aspects might even be allowed to self-reflect. He gained many followers; even Auriel, when told he would become the king of the new world, agreed to help Lorkhan. So they created the Mundus, where their own aspects might live, and became the et'Ada.
"But this was a trick. As Lorkhan knew, this world contained more limitations than not and was therefore hardly a thing of Anu at all. Mundus was the House of Sithis. As their aspects began to die off, many of the et'Ada vanished completely. Some escaped, like Magnus, and that is why there are no limitations to magic. Others, like Y'ffre, transformed themselves into the Ehlnofey, the Earthbones, so that the whole world might not die. Some had to marry and make children just to last. Each generation was weaker than the last, and soon there were Aldmer. Darkness caved in. Lorkhan made armies out of the weakest souls and named them Men, and they brought Sithis into every quarter.
"Auriel pleaded with Anu to take them back, but he had already filled their places with something else. But his soul was gentler and granted Auriel his Bow and Shield, so that he might save the Aldmer from the hordes of Men. Some had already fallen, like the Chimer, who listened to tainted et'Ada, and others, like the Bosmer, had soiled Time's line by taking Mannish wives.
"Auriel could not save Altmora, the Elder Wood, and it was lost to Men. They were chased south and east to Old Ehlnofey, and Lorkhan was close behind. He shattered that land into many. Finally Trinimac, Auriel's greatest knight, knocked Lorkhan down in front of his army and reached in with more than hands to take his Heart. He was undone. The Men dragged Lorkhan's body away and swore blood vengeance on the heirs of Auriel for all time.
"But when Trinimac and Auriel tried to destroy the Heart of Lorkhan it laughed at them. It said, "This Heart is the heart of the world, for one was made to satisfy the other." So Auriel fastened the thing to an arrow and let it fly long into the sea, where no aspect of the new world may ever find it."
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