The Elder Scrolls: Other Deities / Characters

This is a page for listing tropes related to miscellaneous deities of the The Elder Scrolls. For other groups of Divine Beings, see here.

For other characters, see The Elder Scrolls Series Character Index.

Note: Elder Scrolls lore is generally not clear-cut. Reasons for this range from biased in-universe sources intentionally only giving you only one side of a story, to sources lacking critical information or working from false information, to the implication that All Myths Are True, despite the contradictions, or that at least all myths are Metaphorically True. Out-of-game developer supplemental texts (frequently referred to as "Obscure Texts" by the lore community) are more trustworthy, but are frequently left unofficial and sometimes later contradicted. Because of this, it is entirely possible for two contradictory statements in the below examples to both be true. (And due to frequent events in-universe that alter the timeline, both may literally be true in-universe.)

Other Deities

Aside from the Aedra and Daedra, other varieties of divine beings are present in the Elder Scrolls universe. Below is a list of the remaining "Gods" who do not fit neatly in with the Aedra or the Daedra.

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Alduin

Alduin the World-Eater

"And the Scrolls have foretold of black wings in the cold, that when brothers wage war come unfurled..."

Voiced by: Daniel Riordan (English)^note

Alduin's wings, they did darken the sky
His roar fury's fire, and his scales sharpened scythes
Men ran and they cowered, they fought and they died
They burned and they bled as they issued their cries

— The Tale of the Tongues

Alduin, the self-proclaimed "Firstborn" of Akatosh, is the Nordic God of Destruction, World-Eater, Devourer of Souls, and Harbinger of the Apocalypse. It is his divine duty to emerge at the end of every "kalpa", or cycle of time, to destroy the current world so that it can be reborn anew. Alduin takes the form of a colossal and massively powerful black dragon. His name, in Draconic, translates to "Destroyer Devour Master".

In a past age, Alduin was considered the greatest of Akatosh's creations and he was responsible for the creation of the draconic civilization. However, in the Merethic Era of the current kalpa, Alduin grew proud and forsook his role as World-Eater in favor of conquering Mundus and being worshiped as a god. Several other dragons, most notably his chief lieutenant Paarthurnax, rebelled against him and allied with the ancient Nords. Paarthurnax taught the ancient Nords to use the Thu'um, but this alone was not enough. Three Nord heroes faced Alduin at the top of the Throat of the World, and when all else had failed, used the power of an Elder Scroll to banish Alduin by casting him out of the stream of time. This defeat was only temporary, and those involved knew that Alduin would one day return.

Thousands of years later, in 4E 201, Alduin did return. He began resurrecting fallen dragons and absorbed the souls of the recently dead in Sovngarde to increase his power. (The ongoing Skyrim Civil War ensured that the flow of warrior spirits was plentiful.) However, Akatosh sent the Last Dragonborn to Skyrim in order to oppose Alduin. Under the guidance of the Greybeards, Paarthurnax, and the Blades, the Last Dragonborn was able to defeat Alduin. However, Alduin's spirit was not absorbed by the Last Dragonborn, implying that he will one day return to fulfill his duty as World-Eater.

Above Good and Evil: He downplays this... which, compared to playing it straight, is the problem. Many see his duty as World-Eater as a natural part of existence, and argue against fighting him in that context. He's only supposed to devour the world when its time comes to end, but he instead favors power and ruling over others, meaning he's causing trouble in Skyrim before his proper time comes to destroy Nirn.
Abstract Eater: In addition to his ability to eat entire worlds and consume souls, in some stories Alduin is able to eat more abstract concepts. One tale involved him eating the lifespans of the Nords so that they died at the age of six.
Abusive Precursors: He ruled as a God-Emperor over the ancient Nords during the Merethic Era, with the remnants of the Dragon Cult who served him still dwelling within the ruins of Skyrim.
Accidental Hero: The only reason the Dragonborn still has their head is thanks to Alduin dropping in at just the right moment to attack Helgen, unknowingly saving them from being executed
All There in the Manual: His nature, and how it relates to Akatosh, is a bit convoluted but it has been talked about in previous games and texts. There seems to be a disagreement among scholars as to whether or not Alduin is Akatosh, or at least an aspect of him (for the record, Alduin himself states that he isn't as part of one of his Badass Boasts, as he claims to be Akatosh's son). His role as the Greater-Scope Villain also counts, as you can only find it in really obscure texts.
Aloof Big Brother: Technically speaking. He's the firstborn of Akatosh's children, which includes all other dragons, Dragonborn, and even some of the Divines, but he's by no means a friend to any of them.
Ambition Is Evil: The reason why many dragons turned on him at Kyne's command, including Paarthurnax, and the reason why the Dragonborn is sent after him in Skyrim. According to Paarthurnax, Alduin attempted to usurp Akatosh's dominion as the god over Nirn, abandoning his purpose as the World Eater to try and control the planet. The Dragon War and the subsequent thrashing he gets from the Dragonborn is Akatosh forcing him to get back in line and do his divine duty.
Paarthurnax: Alduin wahlaan daanii^notecaused his (own) doom. His doom was written when he claimed for himself the lordship that properly belongs to Bormahu — our father Akatosh.
And There Was Much Rejoicing: After Alduin's defeat, the souls in Sovengarde cheer for his downfall.
Anthropomorphic Personification:
- As with the Daedric Princes and the Divines, who themselves are the personification of natural forces, some more obscure texts and threads on the Bethesda forums indicate that Alduin is the embodiment of the end of the world itself.
- Within the context of Skyrim, Alduin may be a personification of the Civil War itself, and with the cyclical nature of time on Nirn, Alduin himself could be embodied in any event that causes the world to return back to the Dawn Era, and that Dragon Breaks are events involving Alduin temporarily resetting time to the Dawn Era's chaos.
- Another theory is that Alduin is an aspect of Aka, the original oversoul of the dragon-god of time, which was split apart into different pieces. In this theory, the elven god Auri-El is the dawn, or beginning of time, Akatosh is the linear progression of time and causality, and Alduin is the termination of linear time and the return to the Dawn Era.
Arch-Enemy:
- To the Last Dragonborn. They are The Chosen One prophesised to defeat Alduin, and the two confront each other personally several times throughout the story. Since the Dragonborn is gifted with the soul and blood of a dragon by Alduin's father, Akatosh, the two are technically siblings. The Dragonborn manages to defeat Alduin at the Throat of the Word with the aid of Paarthurnax, which prompts Alduin to flee to Sovngarde. This undermines the credibility of Alduin's rule in the eyes of his fellow dragons, who consider him a Dirty Coward for fleeing. Eventually, the Dragonborn pursues Alduin to Sovngarde, and destroys Alduin's physical form with the aid of the spirits of Alduin's ancient foes, Gormlaith Golden-Hilt, Hakon One-Eye, and Felldir the Old, finally fulfilling the Prophecy of the Dragonborn. He is also connected in various ways to the Thalmor, Lord Harkon, and Miraak, each of whom are major adversaries to the Last Dragonborn in their own right.
- Also to Paarthunax, his younger brother and former lieutenant, who betrayed him and helped mortals rebel against his rule. He would then wait thousands of years for Alduin's return, and shortly after Alduin did so, Paarthunax began training the Last Dragonborn to prepare him to face Alduin. Paarthunax and Alduin would eventually face each other in combat at the Throat of the World, with the younger dragon managing to drive Alduin away with the assistance of the Last Dragonborn.
- To the first Tongues: Hakon One-Eye, Gormlaith Golden-Hilt, and Felldir the Old, a trio of Nordic heroes who learned the Thu'um from Paarthurnax and led the rebellion against Alduin. During the Dragon War, Alduin confronted them directly, killing Gormlaith before being Felldir banishes him into the future using an Elder Scroll. Thousands of years later, the spirits of Hakon, Gormlaith, and Felldir, now residing in Sovngarde, aid the Last Dragonborn in killing Alduin.
As Long as There Is Evil: Alduin, as the manifestation of the end of the world itself, can never be truly defeated and will return once the cycle is set to begin anew. To illustrate this, his soul isn’t absorbed upon his defeat.
Asskicking Leads to Leadership: He's the leader of the dragons because he's the strongest. Of course, because of this attitude, the other dragons turn on him after he flees from the Last Dragonborn.
Badass Boast: He is fond of these.
I am AL-DU-IN! First born son of Akatosh! Mulagi zuk lat^noteThe greatest and strongest! I cannot be slain here, by you or anyone else!
Beast of the Apocalypse: He is a massive black dragon and the purpose of his existence is to devour the world at the end of every kalpa, so that a new kalpa can begin and a new world can be born in its place.
Because Destiny Says So: It is repeatedly stated that Alduin is destined to destroy the world so that it can be reborn, and so there are some (like the Greybeards) who don't automatically accept that stopping him is a good thing. Paarthurnax also argues this, believing that Alduin is doing what he was created to do. The problem is that, while he's meant to cause the destruction of the world, he seems to want to rule it even more.
Paarthurnax: Paaz. A fair answer. Ro fus... maybe you only balance the forces that work to quicken the end of this world. Even we who ride the currents of Time cannot see past Time's end Wuldsetiid los tahrodiis. Those who try to hasten the end, may delay it. Those who work to delay the end, may bring it closer.
Big Bad: In the Skyrim main quest, Alduin serves as the primary antagonist and the one that the Last Dragonborn must defeat to save Mundus.
Big Eater: By his nature, as his purpose is to eat the entire world so it can be reset. Even as a mere dragon, his appetite for mortal souls is boundless and he can feed on mortal souls in Sovngarde to strengthen himself. That being said, even as the World-Eater, Alduin's appetite is not limitless, as he was unable to completely devour the world when the Leaper Demon King and the Greedy Man hid pieces from previous incarnations of the world and attack them to subsequent incartations.
Big Brother Bully: Technically speaking as the first born of Akatosh and as the main antagonist of the game he is this to the last Dragonborn.
Blue-and-Orange Morality: Alduin's purpose is to end the world, which most mortals understandably see as a bad thing. The Greybeards just see it as fulfilling his duty as the World-Eater. Interestingly, Alduin's chief failing is that he had too much of a conventional morality, desiring power and dominion over mortals, instead of sticking to his divine task of ending the world when its time comes.
Broken Pedestal: Late in the game, he becomes this his fellow dragons. After his defeat at the Throat of the World by the Dragonborn and Paarthurnax, the dragons under his rule begin questioning his worthiness to lead.
Odahviing: Alduin has proven himself unworthy to rule.
Brought Down to Badass: In a manner of speaking. As Alduin is embodiment of the end of the world itself, he can only manifest his full power when it is time to actually end the world, at which point he becomes a titanic monster with such divine power that he can even curse the Daedric Princes themselves into different forms. Anytime outside of that, however, he is "merely" an invincible dragon who needs a very specific realty-warping Shout (Dragonrend) to even render him into a state where he can be hurt.
Combat Compliment: After the Last Dragonborn beats him at the Throat of the World, he admits that the Dragonborn has become extremely powerful.
Complete Immortality: The Last Dragonborn "kills" him in Sovngarde, but his soul isn't absorbed. This strongly implies that he will return in the future to fulfill his duty and cannot truly be killed.
Contrasting Sequel Antagonist:
- To Dagoth Ur in Morrowind. While Dagoth Ur was a mortal who ascended to godhood, Alduin was never mortal in the first place. Dagoth Ur was once a servent of the Nerevarine's previous incarnation, Lord Indoril Nerevar. Alduin was the master of the cult which the Dragonborn's predecessor, Miraak, served as a priest in. While Dagoth Ur faces the Nerevarine inside of a volcano, Alduin faces the Dragonborn on top of a frozen mountain. While Dagoth Ur loses his immortality after the Heart of Lorkhan is destroyed. Alduin has Complete Immortality.
- To Mehrunes Dagon in Oblivion. While Dagon was a Daedric Prince who sought to destroy all of Mundus, Alduin is the spawn of the Aedra whose divine purpose is to do just that... but prefers to rule it instead. Hence his banishment at the end of the game - he will return one day to perform his duty when the time is right. While Dagon doesn't personally appear until the end of the game, Alduin is an active antagonist throughout the story.
- To Mankar Camoran, also in Oblivion. While Mankar is possibly a Dragonborn (as he can wear the Amulet of Kings), Alduin is definitely a full-blown dragon. Mankar is The Dragon to Mehrunes Dagon, while Alduin is a Big Bad. Mankar's final confrontation with the Hero of Kvatch takes place inside Paradise, plane of Oblivion ruled over by Mankar himself, which Mankar's folloers were falsely led to believe would be a paradise for them if they died for his cause. Alduin's final confrontation with the Last Dragonborn takes place in Sovngarde, a legitimate Warrior Heaven being attacked by Alduin. While Mankar fights the Hero of Kvatch as a Flunky Boss, Alduin fights the Last Dragonborn by himself.
The Corrupter: He turns a kindly demon known as the Demon Leaper King into a Destroyer Deity known as Mehrunes Dagon.
Damage-Sponge Boss: In the final battle in Skyrim, he has an obscene amount of health, which itself is effectively doubled with his 50% resistance to everything. It takes a lot to bring him down.
Dark Is Evil: He's the only known dragon to be completely black, and it is his duty to bring about the end of the world. He should fall under Dark Is Not Evil due to his role being a natural part of reality's cycle, but his ruthless ambition and desire for to rule Mundus instead of fulfilling his duty denies him this.
Defeat Equals Explosion: Unlike other dragons who just have their flesh burn off when they die, Alduin has a much more dramatic death ending with him detonating in a screen covering explosion.
Despotism Justifies the Means: He subjugates mortals because of his natural desire to dominate and his sense of entitlement, but is disinterested in the task of actually running his empire. Instead, he leaves this responsibility to a group of followers known as Dragons Priests. This had mixed results, as while some Dragons Priests rule benevolently, others (such as Rahgot) rule as tyrants, leading to the rebellion the ends Alduin's reign.
Destroyer Deity: Besides his role as World-Eater, he is actually revered as the ancient Nordic aspect of Akatosh. He also punished a demon who interfered in this role by transforming them into another Destroyer Deity: Mehrunes Dagon, the Daedric Prince of Destruction.
Dirty Coward: When he is defeated by the Last Dragonborn on the Throat of the World, he runs away rather than face his defeat with dignity. It is this moment that the other dragons realize he doesn't deserve to lead. A true dovah would fight to the end or submit to his better.
Divine Parentage: He claims to be the "firstborn" of Akatosh. Other sources claim that he may be a fragment of Akatosh's being, or even an aspect of Akatosh himself.
Do Not Taunt Cthulhu: He punished a demon who prevented him from devouring parts of reality by transforming him into Mehrunes Dagon, and giving him the Impossible Task of destroying the portions of reality he hid from Alduin.
Draconic Abomination: While his primary appearance is that of a conceivable black dragon — albeit an incredibly powerful and massive one, he is an inconceivably ancient and eternal entity who is arguably beyond human rationality and ethics. Alduin is said to predate the existence of Nirn/Mundus (the world of the Elder Scrolls series) and to have destroyed the previous incarnation of the world; to have fought the creator-god Lorkhan/Shor at the beginning of time and come out no worse for wear; to be able to eat literally anything, in one myth devouring the lifespan of the entire Nord population down to six years; and is prophesized to devour the world at the end of time. When he is defeated by the Last Dragonborn, his soul is not absorbed, indicating that it's possible that Alduin can never be truly killed. Furthermore, there are hints that, when it is time for him to properly end the world, he grows to titanic proportions and wields a power beyond even the Daedric Princes so that he can unmake the world.
The Dragon: Subverted in a twist of irony, despite Alduin being a literal dragon. Delphine suspects the Thalmor of being behind Alduin's actions upon being informed by the Dragonborn that he was the same dragon who attacked Helgen. Delphine's reasoning was that his attack on Helgen prevented the execuction of Ulfric Stormcloak, therefore prolonging the Skyrim Civil War that was working in the Thalmor's interests. However, the Dragonborn discovers that the Thalmor did not know who was responsible for the dragons' return either, and the game later establishes that Alduin is his own master.
Dragons Are Demonic: Crossing over with Dragons Are Divine. While technically a being Above Good and Evil (like most of the series' deities), he takes the form of a black dragon with the divine duty of ending the world, an act which, at least from the point of view of mortals, is about as "evil" as it gets.
The Dreaded: "Even the Daedra fear me!" Indeed, as shown in the Seven Fights of the Aldudagga, even the most malevolent of the Daedric Princes pale in comparison to Alduin when it is at full world-ending power. He is also this to his fellow dragons, as even when his defeeat at the hands of the Last Dragonborn atop the Throat of the World causes the dragons to question his leadership, the are still unwilling to challenge him openly.
Drunk with Power: Alduin's "proper role" is that of World-Eater and the harbinger of the end times. However, after he and his fellow dragons conquered Skyrim eons ago, Alduin came to rather like ruling the world he was supposed to be destroying, and became even more petty and cruel than a dragon deity should be. This is stated to be part of the reason Paarthurnax turned against him.
Dual Boss: Inverted. Each time you fight Alduin, you're the one with backup (Paarthurnax and any follower you may have at the Throat of the World, the ancient Nord heroes in Sovngarde).
The End of the World as We Know It: A very literal case of this trope, because it is repeatedly stated that Alduin, as the World-Eater, is not going to erase all of Creation from existence; he is "merely" going to destroy the current incarnation so that a new one can take its place. Consequently, some characters (like the Greybeards) question whether stopping him is actually the right thing to do. Since world-eating is as much metaphorical as it is physical, there are some suggestions that Alduin may very well be "the end of the world" personified.
Entitled Bastard: As the eldest son of Akatosh, Alduin considers it his birthright to rule over others.
Eternal Recurrence: Alduin was created to destroy the world, so the next can take its place. Then he'll destroy that one for the next. And again. And again... this is implied to be why his soul cannot be absorbed, as he is an intrinsic part of the world that can never be destroyed.
Ethnicity Monarch: He's the leader and ruler of all dragons, by virtue of age and power.
Et Tu, Brute?: He is displeased with Paarthurnax for betraying him.
Alduin: Tahrodiis Paarthurnax! (Treacherous Paarthurnax!) My teeth to his neck!
Even Evil Can Be Loved: After his death in Sovngarde, Alduin's younger brother Paarthunax, despite acknowledging that Alduin brought his fate upon himself, cannot bring himself to celebrate his older brother's demise.
Paarthurnax: So, it is done. Alduin dilon. The Eldest is no more, he who came before all others, and has always been.
The Last Dragonborn: You don't sound very happy about it.
Paarthurnax: Happy? No, I am not happy. Zeymahi lost ont du'ul Bormahu. Alduin was once the crown of our father Akatosh's creation. You did what was necessary. Alduin had flown far from the path of right action in his pahlok- the arrogance of his power. But I cannot celebrate his fall. Zu'u tiiraaz ahst ok mah. He was my brother once. This world will never be the same.
Evil Counterpart: To his younger brother Paarthurnax. While both are dragons with the natural instinct to dominate, Alduin embraces it while Paarthurnax suppresses it.
Evil Is Hammy: Even for a dragon, Alduin sure loves the sound of his own voice.
"My belly is full of the souls of your fellow mortals, Dovahkiin!"
Evil Overlord: Of dragons, and by extension the Dragon Priests. He wants to be one for all of Mundus, as he seems to enjoy ruling the world and being worshiped as a god more than he does destroying it.
Evil Sounds Deep: Like most of the dragons, he has a deep booming voice.
Evil Sounds Raspy: The rasp adds to the effect of his deep voice.
Evil Versus Oblivion: In an absolute tailspin on the trope, Alduin manages to be both; he is the oblivion destined to bring about the End Times, but he'd rather lord over the world than destroy it.
Fantastic Racism: Towards mortals in general, and those who are Dragonborn in particular because they're not true dragons.
Fantasy Counterpart Myth:
- He is essentially the Elder Scrolls version of Jormungandr, the world-eating serpent. In incarnations where he and Akatosh are one in the same, he can also be seen as a villainous Odin in his incarnation as a god of the dead and his deceptive role. In addition, one of Odin's names, Audoin/Aldwin - meaning Bringer of Wealth - is Alduin in French and English.
- Beyond Norse Mythology, Alduin can also be seen as the Elder Scrolls equivalent of Apophis, since they're both demonic and reptilian destroyer deities with Resurrective Immortality, associations with death and darkness, a taste for souls, and names that start with "A".
Final Boss: The is the final opponent to be defeated in the main quest of Skyrim.
Final Boss, New Dimension: His final fight with the Last Dragonborn takes place in Sovngarde, the Nordic afterlife.
Final Boss Preview: Prior to his Final Boss battle in Sovngarde, he is fought as a boss atop the Throat of the World His first boss battle concludes with him fleeing the battle upon his defeat.
Paarthurnax: Lot krongrah. You truly have the Voice of a dovah. Alduin's allies will think twice after this victory.
The Last Dragonborn: It wasn't really a victory, since Alduin escaped.
Paarthurnax: Ni liivrah hin mere. True, this is not the final krongah - victory. But not even the heroes of old were able to defeat Alduin in open battle. Alduin always was pahlok - arrogant in his power. Uznahgar paar. He took domination as his birthright. This should shake the loyalty of the dov who serve him.
Fog of Doom: He has the ability to create a supernatural fog, which he uses to ensare the souls in Sovngarde, making them easier for him to consume.
Foil: To the Last Dragonborn. Those who are Dragonborn are (eventually) immensely powerful mortals that can eat the souls of dragons. Alduin is an immensely powerful dragon that eats the souls of mortals. Alduin was the first dragon in existence, while the Last Dragonborn is said to be the last Dragonborn in existence. Both are said to have been created by (or are aspects of) Akatosh.
God-Emperor: He is a Physical God who rules over his fellow dragons, and he ruled over mortals during the Merethic Era, even relying on followers known as Dragon Priests to enforce his reign.
God Is Evil: In the old Nordic religious tradition, Alduin is an aspect of Akatosh in his role as both creator and destroyer of time. Paarthurnax and even Alduin himself state that he is the firstborn of Akatosh. Of course, being Akatosh's firstborn does not contradict him being an aspect; it's more like an outright confirmation of it.
Greater-Scope Villain:
- In Battlespire and Oblivion, according to the Seven Fights of the Aldudagga, which reveals that Alduin was responsible for the corruption of Mehrunes Dagon, Daedric Prince of Destruction. That's right, the Oblivion Crisis and most of the following fallout (the establishment by the Thalmor of the Third Aldmeri Dominion, the Great War, the White Gold-Concordat, and the Skyrim Civil War) was indirectly his doing; this means that he actually pushed along the fulfillment of the "Prophecy of the Dragonborn".
- Also in Arena, since that game's Big Bad, Jagar Tharn, was in league with Mehrunes Dagon.
The Grim Reaper: He's the Nordic version of it. He is impossible to overcome, but the misfortune he weaves comes not from his function, but the fact that he's now become a power-mad Satanic Archetype.
The Heavy: For Skyrim as a whole, as his actions both before and during the events of the game have a tremendous impact on the overall story. He is the Big Bad of the main quest, during which he attacks the Dragonborn directly at Helgen, the Throat of the World, and Sovngarde. He can also be seen resurrecting other dragons throughout Skyrim. His Divine Punishment of Mehrunes Dagon indirectly leads to the Oblivion Crisis, which in turn enables the rise to power of the Thalmor, who go on serve as an influencial antagonistic faction during the events of Skyrim (The Thalmor are the Greater-Scope Villains of the Civil War questline, and a Thalmor mage named Ancano serves as a the Big Bad of the College of Winterhold questline). His attack on Helgen is impactful on the Civil War questline, as it enables the Rebel Leader Ulfric Stormcloak to escape execution at the hands of the Imperials, prolonging the Skyrim Civil War. .The return of dragons caused by Alduin is also a part of the Tyranny of the Sun prophecy which Lord Harkon, the Big Bad of the Dawnguard questline, seeks to fulfil. During the Merethic Era, long before the events up the game, Alduin and his fellow dragons used a group of individuals known as Dragon Priests to enforce their reign over mortals. Several of those Dragon Priests are active threats within the ruins the Dragonborn can explore, and one of the Dragon Priests, Miraak, would rebel against Alduin and his brethren, and go on to become as the Big Bad of the Dragonborn questline. Alduin's revival of his fellow dragons also provides Miraak, who can absorb the souls of dragons, with a means to increase his power. By preventing the execution of the Last Dragonborn, Alduin affects the destinies of the countless people the Dragonborn interacts with, for better or for worse.
Hero Killer: During the Dragon War, he confronts Gormlaith, Hakon, and Felldir, who are considered by their mentor Paarthurnax to be greater than any Nordic hero who came after them, and proves too powerful for them to defeat. He outright kills Gormlaith, and Felldir resorts to Alduin forward through time.
Hoist by His Own Petard:
- By attacking Helgen at the beginning of the games, Alduin prevents the Imperials from executing the Last Dragonborn. The Dragonborn would go on to kill Alduin.
- Cursing the Leaper Demon King to become Mehrunes Dagon has the potental to backfire on Alduin, because the Last Dragonborn can kill him with Mehrunes' Razor if they obtain it before the Final Boss battle with Alduin.
Hypocrite: Calls the Last Dragonborn "arrogant" for assuming the title of "Dovah", when he himself is essentially the personification of draconic arrogance.
- Alduin's role as the World-Eater is defended by some as a necessary part of Creation, yet Alduin himself seems to care little about his position beyond it being a tool to validate his tremendous arrogance. He at one point punished a kindly spirit who refused to let him erase past Kalpas by turning him into Mehrunes Dagon, who's come close numerous times to destroying Mundus long before Alduin is supposed to.
I Am X, Son of Y: "I AM ALDUIN! FIRST BORN SON OF AKATOSH!"
Jerkass: Whether or not he's evil, whether or not he's in the right, it's hard to deny that Alduin is an asshole.
Join or Die: He gives his younger brother and former follower, Paarthurnax, the ultimatum to rejoin him or perish. Paarthunax refuses to serve Alduin again.
Alduin: Suleyki mulaag, Paarthurnax. My power has waxed, while yours has waned. Aav uv dir. Join me or perish with your mortal friends.
Paarthurnax: Unslaad hokoron! Never again!
Kaiju: When Alduin consumes the world at the end of a kalpa, he is large enough for farms to shoot out of his nose.
Know When to Fold 'Em: In The Seven Fights of The Aldudagga, he gives up on eating all of the world at the end of one kalpa because he is too full to finish eating it, as The Leaper Demon King attached pieces of previous kalpas to the current world, making it too big for Alduin to consume. Alduin instead settles for eating the world except for the portions of reality the Leaper Demon King stole, and orders the Leaper Demon King to destroy the stolen portions for him.
Kryptonite Factor: The Dragonrend shout. Unless under its effects, he is literally invincible.
Mad Libs Catchphrase: He seems to be rather fond of expressing his enmity with someone by saying "My teeth to [person who earned his ire]'s neck".
Meteor-Summoning Attack: Alduin has a unique Dragon Shout which only he can perform. When he uses it, the sky turns darker, a vortex of clouds appears in the sky, and meteors start raining down. This attack first gets unleashed in Helgen at the beginning of the game, contributing to the village's destruction at the dragon's hands; and it also gets unleashed during your battles with him toward the end of the game.
Mind Screw: Alduin and his connection to Akatosh, Auri-El, and the Aka oversoul is a complicated and muddy matter that is hotly debated both in- and out-of-universe precisely because of how mind screwey it gets. He is simultaneously both an aspect of Akatosh and separate from him, while at the same time being a part of the Aka oversoul while also being a creation of Akatosh. In other words, he's the same being as Akatosh and Auri-El, while also a separate being, and the creation/child of them, all simultaneously. To make it even screwier, Alduin backs up different parts of this in different accounts.
Monument of Humiliation and Defeat: Alduin's Wall, an Akaviri sculptural relief in the Sky Haven Temple which has Alduin's defeat at the end of the Dragon War as its centerpiece. It also depicts the Prophecy of the Dragonborn, in which the Last Dragonborn faces Alduin.
Names to Run Away from Really Fast: His name means "Destroyer Devour Master." He is also known as the "World-Eater".
Necromancer: He has the ability to turn the lifeless skeletons of other dragons into fully living flesh-and-blood dragons.
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: He shows up in Helgen just as the Dragonborn was about to be beheaded. If he had waited even a second longer, the world would have been screwed.
No True Scotsman:
- Berates the Last Dragonborn for having the sheer audacity to take for themselves the name of "Dovah", apparently seeing them as little more than an abomination or pale imitation. At one point, he mocks the Dragonborn in the draconic language, before getting even more offended when he realizes the Dragonborn can't even understand it.
- Alduin in turn gets this the other way when many other dragons consider him fleeing from the Dragonborn rather than submitting or dying makes him no true Dovah.
Not Worth Killing: Downplayed. When the Dragonborn and Delphine confront Alduin at Kynesgrove, Alduin belittles the Dragonborn's status before ordering Sahloknir to kill them and Delphine for him instead of doing the job himself.
Obviously Evil: He's a black and spiky dragon with glowing red eyes who desires to rule the world and be worshiped as a god. Subverted, however, in that his ultimate function of destroying the world is a necessary one and, as with most deities in the series, he (supposedly) operates on a level Above Good and Evil.
Odd Job Gods: His specific purpose as a deity is to devour the world at the end of every kalpa. The rest of the time, he's Brought Down to Badass, becoming merely a Nigh-Invulnerable dragon who spends his spare time trying to become an Evil Overlord.
Omnicidal Maniac: He's called "The World-Eater" for a reason. Though depending on your interpretation of the mythology behind him, he may or not fit the 'maniac' part of this trope as his destroying the world is actually a regulated process, although, as Mehrunes Dagon learned, he gets absolutely livid if you interfere with the process.
One-Man Army: During the Dragon War, his presence (and eventual absence) alone was enough to decide the battle between the dragons and the human/dragon alliance. When he returns, he is able to destroy the entire garrison at Helgen and raze much of the town to the ground by himself, without taking a scratch, despite the presence of elite Imperial soldiers and battlemages. When the Dragonborn finally battles him face to face, Alduin is virtually invincible unless they use Dragonrend on him, which briefly weakens him enough that the Dragonborn can hurt him. In terms of lore, he's easily able to destroy the entire world when the appropriate time comes along, although he prefers to rule it instead.
Opportunistic Bastard: He takes advantage of the Skyrim Civil War by feasting on the souls of warriors who go to Sovngarde after being killed in the conflict.
Orcus on His Throne: Defied. He's meant to be doing this, waiting until it's the appropriate time for him to destroy the world as he is foretold to do. Unfortunately, Alduin found that he preferred to rule the world and be worshiped as a god instead. Upon finding himself thrown forward through time to the 4th Era, he didn't let it deter him and got right back to it by destroying Helgen. After, he can be found resurrecting other dragons at burial mounds throughout Skryim.
Outside-Genre Foe: At the start of the game, Skyrim is in the middle of a Civil War between the Imperial Legion and the Stormcloak rebellion, which has been ongoing for some time. Soon, Alduin shows up in Helgen and begins attacking indiscriminately, a turn of events that leaves both sides shocked. Justified with the revelation that he arrived in the Fourth Era after having been banished into the future from the Merethic Era.
Physical God: As the strongest and firstborn of the dovah, he has access to powerful Shouts that no other dragon can use, and is literally invincible unless he gets hit by Dragonrend. When he is fulfilling his duty as World-Eater, he enters another level entirely, wielding greater power than even the Daedric Princes.
Pieces of God: Like the other dragons and Dragonborn, Alduin is believed to be a fragment of Akatosh's very being. In his case, he is the first and most powerful of them.
Planet Eater: He is the "World-Eater" for a reason. In The Seven Fights of the Aldudagga, he is described as exhaling entire farms out of his nose and dwarfing even the Throat of the World itself.
"Pop!" Goes the Human: The Leaper Demon King and the Greedy Man attempt to trick Alduin into killing himself in this manner. Unfortunately for them, Alduin catches on to what they are doing first.
The Leaper Demon King: Oh [expletive]. You have found us out, World-Eater! Yes, just after the two bells of the All-Maker's Goat sound the Greedy Man and I and our servants hoard bits and bobs of the world so you can't eat it all. And when the world comes back we sort of just stick these portions back on and so that's why it is all bigger and bigger for you to eat each time. But it wasn't my idea! The Greedy Man hates you so much and it was his idea to finally trap you one kalpa when it was all much too big and so you would explode out from your belly and die so that the world would never have to die again!
Pretender Diss: He's not at all impressed with you when he sees you again at Sahloknir's burial mound, seeing it as hubris for one who has an at best remedial understanding of the Dragon tongue and culture to call themselves a Dragonborn.
Alduin: You do not even know our tongue, do you? Such arrogance, to dare take for yourself the name of Dovah...
Pride: His dominant flaw is his arrogant security in his own power. For his first defeat, the ancient Nord heroes spoke his name with the Thu'um, which in dragon language is basically a challenge, and upon his arrival they hit him with Dragonrend. When he returns to linear time in the 4th Era, the Last Dragonborn does this again and once more hammers him with Dragonrend. After this confrontation, Alduin retreats to Sovngarde to recover strength - which makes the rest of the dragons question his leadership and leads directly to his second, and far more comprehensive defeat.
The Problem with Fighting Death:
- When the Leaper Demon King tries to trick Alduin into killing himself to prevent him from ending the kalpa, Alduin press-gangs him into destroying the portions of reality he hid from Alduin.
- If the Dragonborn tells Paarthurnax that he wishes to prevent the world from being destroyed by Alduin, Paarthurnax invokes this trope by telling them that the world may need to end so the next one can come into existence.
  The Last Dragonborn: I like this world. I Don't want it to end.
  Paarthurnax: Pruzah. As good a reason as any. There are many who feel as you do, although not all. Some would say that all things must end, so that the next can come to pass. Perhaps this world is simply the Egg of the next kalpa? Lein vokiin? Would you stop the next world from being born?
- Angier also invokes this trope to the Dragonborn, telling them that it is possible Alduin is meant to win and destroy the world so the next one can be created. Angier also brings up to the Dragonborn that the ancient mortals who stopped him only delayed this process.
  The Last Dragonborn: Is there another way to defeat Alduin?
  Angier: Perhaps not, but this shout was used once before, was it not? And here we are again. Have you considered that Alduin was not meant to be defeated? Those who overthrew him in ancient times only postponed the day of reckoning, they did not stop it. If the world is meant to end, so be it. Let it end and be reborn.
- When the Dragonborn defeats Alduin, they do not absorb his soul, implying that Alduin will return to destroy the world when the time is right.
Red and Black and Evil All Over: Well, he certainly looks the part, and he is the Big Bad of Skyrim, being a draconic, power-hungry Destroyer Deity with a black and red paint job.
Red Eyes, Take Warning: In fact, he's one of the few dragons to have them.
Reset Button: His divine duty in the cosmic order is to serve as one of these for Mundus. By eating the world, Alduin effectively resets time back to the chaotic and primordial Dawn Era, allowing the Aedra to once more establish Convention and redefine the rules and nature of the new kalpa. His discovery that the daedra that would become Mehrunes Dagon was defying this by hiding away parts of previous kalpas sent him into an immense fury, and Alduin cursed him into his current form.
Restart the World: He enables the world to reset by devouring it at the end of each kalpa.
Satanic Archetype: Dragons, as creations of Akatosh, are analogous to angels as a whole in this setting. Alduin is the first and most powerful among them, and sought to usurp Akatosh's hold over Mundus. This results in him being pitted against the Dragonborn and defeated.
Sealed Evil in a Can: He wasn't actually defeated in the Dragon War, merely banished from the stream of time. He reemerges during the 4th Era, during the events of Skyrim. It's also potentially what happened to him after being slain by the Dragonborn, he's lost the ability to manifest a physical form beyond the appointed time for Nirn's destruction.
Secret Art: SLEN TIID VO, the shout he uses to revive dead dragons, is exclusive to him. His Meteor Storm Shout is also one (though "Storm Call" is very similar in function and is obtainable). Another is "VEN MUL RIIK", "Wind Strong Gale", which shrouds an area in thick concealing mist.
Smug Super: He is a powerful dragon who enjoys boasting of himself and mocking his enemies, Paarthurnax outright states that "Alduin was always pahlok - arrogant in his power."
Sorcerous Overlord: He is a draconic Evil Overlord who can cast Dragon Shouts to perform feats of magic such as summoning meteor storms, resurrecting dead dragons, and creating a Fog of Doom.
Soul Eating: Alduin can devour the souls of mortals. He travels to Sovngarde near the end to do that.
Soul Power: A big fan of this as devouring mortal souls replenishes him.
Spanner in the Works: For General Tullius, who managed to capture Ulfric Stormcloak, the leader of the Nordic rebellion that had almost managed to rout the Empire completely from Skyrim before Tullius arrived to head the Legion forces there. Had Alduin not shown up when he had, it's likely the Empire would have won the Civil War not long after.
Spikes of Villainy: All the dragons are pretty spiky, but Alduin is especially so. "The Tale of the Tongues" even calls attention to this, describing his scales as "sharpened scythes".
Spoiled Brat: He flaunts his status as the son of Akatosh while neglecting his responsibilities as the World-Eater to rule over his father's property.
A Storm Is Coming: Invoked by Alduin himself. Among the many, many powers that Dragon Shouts have is the ability to summon storms, ominous clouds, and fog. Alduin does so several times in Skyrim.
Super-Scream: He possesses the Thu'um, like all dragons.
Swallowed Whole: He inflicts this on Mehrunes Dagon in The Seven Fights of The Aldudagga. Dagon doesn't even realize that Alduin has already eaten him until he sees "the churning dragon stop around him" everywhere he looks.
Take Over the World: Alduin eventually forsook his duties as the World-Eater and gave in to his draconic desire to dominate, which in this case, wanting to take over and rule over all of Nirn.
Trash Talk: When he's not making Badass Boasts, he's outright mocking his foes.
Villainous Breakdown: When the Last Dragonborn defeats him in Sovngarde. In fact his exact words (which he screams in his highest ever pitched voice) are:
"Zu'u unslaad! Zu'u nis oblaan!" (I am immortal! I cannot die!)
Villainous Rescue: Indirectly. In Helgen, the Imperial forces have captured the Last Dragonborn and Ulfric Stormcloak and are seconds away from executing them when Alduin arrives on the scene and promptly starts burning the village to the ground. The Last Dragonborn and Ulfric easily escape Imperial custody during the ensuing chaos (as the Imperial forces are a little preoccupied by Alduin attacking the village), kicking off the main quest of Skyrim.
We Can Rule Together: In Sovngarde, he compliments the Last Dragonborn and mentions that s/he would have been an excellent slave. For someone whose fundamental nature is to dominate, that is probably as close as he can come to this trope.
Worthy Opponent: When he realizes he can't make the Last Dragonborn a slave, he basically concedes that he sees the Last Dragonborn as the only real threat he's ever encountered.
You Fool!: He calls out the Leaper Demon King for trying to kill him to prevent the end of the kalpa.
Alduin: You stupid little [expletive], do you even know what would HAPPEN if that happened, my dying and being unable to eat and the kalpa left to run forever? Why do I even ask, you who are a little low spirit whose only real power is jumping around? It is the Greedy Man I should really be mad at!
Your Soul Is Mine!:
- As firstborn of Akatosh, Alduin has the "right" to consume the souls of the fallen warriors in Sovngarde to replenish his strength. When he is defeated the first time by Paarthurnax and the Last Dragonborn, he retreats to Sovngarde to feed on the fallen and regain strength. Of course, Shor is displeased with this, and while he doesn't directly intervene, he does dispatch the old heroes of Skyrim to assist the Last Dragonborn in putting a stop to it.
- Subverted with Alduin's own soul at the end of the main quest. Unlike most dragons, Alduin's soul is not absorbed by the Dragonborn upon being slain.

The All-Maker

"For the Skaal, the All-Maker is the source of all life and creation. When a creature dies, its spirit returns to the All-Maker, who shapes it into something new and returns it to Mundus. The concept of death as an ending to life is unknown to the Skaal. Rather, death is seen as simply the beginning of the next stage of an endless journey."

— Children of the All-Maker

The All-Maker is a deity that was revered widely by the ancient Atmorans and is still worshipped by the Skaal of Solstheim. Revered as the creator of all things, Skaal belief holds that all life flows from and back into the All-Maker, and that all of the natural world is a gift created by him to bless those who are strong, wise, and try to live in harmony with the world. Opposing the All-Maker is the Adversary, which the Skaal hold is all of the evils of the world, including the Daedra. In some Skaal stories the two are compared to Anu and Padomay, although one Skaal in Skyrim claims that the All-Maker is simply their culture's name for Akatosh.

Despite the differences with mainstream Tamriel religions, there is no doubting that there is a tangible power in the lands of the Skaal, particularly around the All-Maker Stones on Solstheim.

Crystal Dragon Jesus: The All-Maker is a rarity in that it is one of the only monotheistic religions on Tamriel. In the Skaal interpretation, the many beings that make up the polytheistic religions of Tamriel are all part of the All-Maker, and the Daedra are just different parts of the Adversary.
Distinction Without a Difference: The Altmeri concept of Anui-El is very similar to the Skaal concept of the All-Maker. A few parallels can be drawn between the two forces such as each of them being considered beings that encompass the souls of all living things. Anui-El and the All-Maker are also known to have equal yet opposite forces, in Anui-El's case being Sithis, and the All-Maker's case, The Adversary.
Fluffy Tamer: One of the blessings that the All-Maker Stones offer is the power to summon a werebear.
God Is Good: The All-Maker is generally held as a benevolent deity, although he has been known to curse those who commit crimes such as cannibalism with undeath as punishment, and to abandon those who are lazy or disrespectful of nature.
Our Gods Are Different: In a setting where this is already rife, the All-Maker stands out simply due to being a monotheistic deity.
Reincarnation: The All-Maker is believed to reincarnate those who die. Rather than making this a case of Death Is Cheap, however, the Skaal believe that every life is a gift and must be treasured.

Anui-El

The soul of Anu, created by the cosmic force as a soul to self-reflect on. Thus, he is considered the soul of all things. Anui-El is described as an equal but opposing force to Sithis, the personification of the void, being considered "Anuic" to Sithis's "Padomaic" basis. Anui-El is also frequently associated with Auri-El/Akatosh, with some tellings, especially those of the Aldmer, stating that Anui-El "begat" Auri-El to impose order of the Primordial Chaos. This order was considered an "imperfect stasis", which allowed Sithis and its soul, Lorkhan, to meddle with it. Anui-El is not considered to be Aedric or Daedric in nature, but rather something else entirely. That said, some divine entities are believed to have associations with Anui-El, including Akatosh and the Skaal's All-Maker.

Light Is Good: The representation of everlasting ineffable light as well as the soul of all living things.
Minor Major Character: For being the soul of Anu, the progenitor of Auri-El, and the opposite of Sithis, he is barely present in the plot and lore of the games

Baan Dar

Baan Dar (aka the Bandit God, the Man of a Thousand Faces, the Pariah)

"To many he is the Pariah, an outcast. But we Bosmeri and the Khajiit know him for what he is. The Legend, the Robber Baron, Master of Shadows—he who is called the Bandit God! Baan Dar!"

— Aniel

Worshiped as a trickster god of outlaws and beggars by the Bretons and Bosmer, Baan Dar is most popular amongst the Khajiit, who view Baan Dar as being just as much a way of life, or a force driving them to survive and fight for what is right, as he is a god.

Collective Identity: The First Scroll of Baan Dar posits that he isn't so much a singular entity as he is a long line of people who have all taken up the name and philosophy of Baan Dar, though that doesn't necessarily preclude him from also being a god.
God Was My Co-Pilot: Not him personally, but a quest in ESO has the player participate in a celebration of Baan Dar, aided by an elf named Aniel who later reveals herself to be a spirit and claims to be a daughter of Baan Dar.
The Hedonist: To an extent. The celebrants at Baan Dar's Boast say that a full belly and a cold drink are both excellent ways to worship Baan Dar, and his realm, the Five-Fingered Dance, is an eternal party where guests are invited to eat, drink, dance, and sing to their heart's content.
Impossible Thief: He's said to have stolen Vivec's thirty-seventh sermon before it had even been written.
Indy Ploy: The Khajiit believe that he often manifests as "the genius which lends itself to the creation of last-minute plans to foil the machinations of the Khajiit's foes".

Ebonarm

Ebonarm (aka Reymon Ebonarm, The Black Knight)

"He rides into the middle of the blood soaked field and dismounts. He is a very imposing figure. His very tall and heavily muscled body is encased in ebony armor. His ebony helmet does not hide the flowing reddish blonde hair and beard which appear almost as shimmering gold, nor does it shield the steel blue eyes that seem to pierce all they fall upon. In his left hand he carries a massive ebony tower shield on which is emblazoned a fiery red rose. As he raises his right arm, all see an arm and a magnificent ebony blade which are extensions of each other. The fused arm and sword are a result and symbol of the wounds suffered by this god during titanic battles in the youth of this world."

— The Ebon Arm

Ebonarm is a god of war worshiped in the Iliac Bay region as the companion and guardian of all warriors. His ebony sword is fused to his right arm and he is never seen without his ebony armor. Despite being a god of war, he usually appears to prevent bloodshed and reconcile the opposing sides. He is held in particularly special regard by the Redguards, who keep shrines to Ebonarm in their homes, and is a noted adversary to most Daedric Princes.

24-Hour Armor: He is "never seen" without his suit of ebony armor.
Arch-Enemy: To most Daedric Princes (save Sheogorath), the Temple of Stendarr, and The Cabal.
Black Knight: His preferred form, constantly outfitted in dark ebony armor.
Blade Below the Shoulder: Has an ebony sword fused to his right arm.
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: He hasn't been mentioned in any form since Daggerfall. Possibly even Unpersoned in Online, where a book that originally appeared in Daggerfall containing mentions of him appears again with those mentions removed.
Cool Horse: His golden stallion, War Master.
Deity of Human Origin: He supposedly is one and can create others, such as Sai, the God of Luck.
Fantasy Metals: He has an ebony sword fused to his right arm and is never seen without his suit of ebony armor.
Magpies as Portents: He is followed by two ravens who portend his appearance on the battlefield. However, the "portending calamity" aspect can be Downplayed once he appears, as he may deem the battle baseless and demand that it end.
Meaningful Name: He has an ebony sword fused to his right arm.
Significant Name Overlap: The similarly between his first name "Reymon" and that of Reman Cyrodiil have led to some Epileptic Trees relating the two. Evidence for any connection beyond their names is rather loose and circumstantial, however.
Something about a Rose: His symbol is a red rose, which is said to bloom on battlefields where he appears.
Technical Pacifist: He is a god of war, but he won't fight in any war that started for petty reasons. When he appears on the battlefield, it is usually to prevent bloodshed and reconcile the opposing sides.
War God: He is one in the Iliac Bay region, though one who tries to avoid bloodshed and reconcile the opposing sides.

The HoonDing

"The Hoon Ding guides us; all others can Make Way. That is, unless those others do not come from this world at all, and are instead spirits of the Far Shores or the In-Between — against these gods and demons and mad shapers, all men can be humbled."

— Lord Vivec's Sword-Meeting with Cyrus the Restless

The HoonDing is the Yokudan spirit of perseverance over infidels and the "Make Way" god. The HoonDing has historically manifested whenever it is needed to "make way" for the Yokudan/Redguard people. In Tamriellic history, this occurred twice in the 1st Era and once again during the 2nd Era Tiber Wars.

For details on the mortal avatars of the HoonDing, see their entries on the series' Historical Figures page.

Cool Versus Awesome: In the Obscure Text Lord Vivec's Sword-Meeting with Cyrus the Restless, the HoonDing, in its most famous form as Cyrus the Restless, has a battle with the Dunmeri Physical God Vivec. In it, after being badly defeated once, Cyrus returns and claims he can use the Pankratosword in order to get Vivec to hand over a valuable treasure. (It's a bluff, but it works.)
Empathic Weapon: In some tellings, the HoonDing does not manifest as a person, but as a weapon. Specifically, a sword.
God in Human Form: Manifests itself using mortal avatars. According to some interpretations, these avatars aren't necessarily the HoonDing itself, but the HoonDing taking over and/or working through the avatar. To note:
- Frandar Hunding was one form. Hunding led an army of "sword singers" to victory over Emperor Hira of Yokuda. He later led the Redguard people to Hammerfell and "cleansed" it of hostile threats in order to make it safe for Redguard habitation.
- Diagna, "God of the Sideways Blade," was another. Diagna defeated the Left Handed Elves of Yokuda and later, defeated the Orcs of Orsinium at the height of its ancient power.
- Cyrus the Restless, hero of the Redguard game, was the most recent. Through the events of that game, Cyrus forced the Septim Empire into a treaty with better terms for Hammerfell while freeing the island of Stros M'Kai from its corrupt Imperial governor and the threat of a Sload necromancer.
The Juggernaut: The HoonDing is said to be totally unstoppable once it gets going, and able to make its way "through anything."
Master Swordsman: Each of the mortals known to be its manifestations excelled in swordsmanship. Frandar Hunding in particular was quite possibly the greatest swordsman in the history of Nirn.
Odd Job Gods: Manifests whenever the Redguards need to "make way" for their people. Since they're the Redguards, "making way" generally involves kicking copious amounts of enemy ass.
Spell My Name with a "The": Usually referred to as "the HoonDing".

The Ideal Masters

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ideal_master.jpg

Gem Form of an Ideal Master

"The Ideal Masters who rule the Soul Cairn pocket realm were once mortals like yourself. If you get a chance to visit that, frankly, rather unattractive little reality, perhaps the Ideal Masters will tell you how they worked it. I wouldn't count on it, though: they're notoriously short on empathy, and at the first excuse will confine you inside a tight little crystal 'for all eternity,' whatever that means."

— Lord Fa-Nuit-Hen

The Ideal Masters are immortal beings who were once powerful mortal sorcerers during the Merethic Era. After finding their mortal forms to be too weak and limiting, they entered Oblivion as beings of pure energy and settled an area of "chaotic creatia", forming the Soul Cairn. The Ideal Masters do not usually manifest within the Soul Cairn, but have been known to take the form of giant soul gems through which individuals can communicate with them, and through which they can drain the souls of approaching mortals. Though immortal, the Ideal Masters are loathe to expend magicka, as doing so "diminishes their eternity".

The Ideal Masters are most infamous for their trafficking in souls, especially "Black" sapient souls. All souls trapped in soul gems end up in the Soul Cairn and are considered property of the Ideal Masters. Individuals seeking power have been known to contact the Ideal Masters, who have been known to grant it in exchange for more souls (often including the soul of the individual in question).

All of the Other Reindeer: Despite ruling over a plane of Oblivion, they are not Daedra. Actually, nobody is quite sure what they are anymore, though it is known that they were once mortal sorcerers.
Ascended to a Higher Plane of Existence: They are stated to have once been mortal sorcerers, but felt their physical bodies were too weak and limiting. Through an unknown means, the ascended into Oblivion as beings of pure energy; immortal and capable of creating the Soul Cairn.
Blue-and-Orange Morality: They believe that by dooming souls to eternal undeath, they are giving them eternal peace. Terrifyingly, there is some evidence to support this.^note
Convenient Weakness Placement: Soul Husks, a plant(? fungus? thing?) found throughout the Soul Cairn, can be ingested to protect a mortal's soul from absorption by the Ideal Masters in their soul gem forms.
Crystalline Creature: The Ideal Masters take the physical form of giant soul gems.
Deal with the Devil: The Ideal Masters specialize in these. Individuals seeking power, especially mortal necromancers, have long contacted the Ideal Masters. The Ideal Masters grant it in exchange for souls, which often includes the soul of the necromancer themselves.
Dracolich: They struck a deal with the dragon Durnehviir to guard Valerica until her death, not telling Durnehviir that she was a vampire and thus The Ageless. He spent so much time in the Soul Cairn that it corrupted his very being, making it so that he could no longer live outside of it.
Eldritch Abomination: They are immortal beings of pure energy who, in the rare instances they do take form, take the form of giant soul gems.
Eldritch Location: Their plane of Oblivion, the Soul Cairn, which competes with the Deadlands and Coldharbour for the most hellish realm of Oblivion. The Ideal Masters are up there with Mehrunes Dagon and Molag Bal in terms of malevolence.
Enemy Mine: Due to their displeasure with Mehrunes Dagon's forces using the Soul Cairn as a waystation while destroying their undead and plundering their treasure, they allied with the Hero of Battlespire who they helped to escape the Soul Cairn.
Energy Beings: They are now said to be beings of pure energy, having become so after finding their former mortal forms too weak and limiting.
Exact Words: They'll promise you great power, but they'll word it so as to get the maximum benefit for themselves while screwing the one who made the deal over as much as possible. Durnehviir learned that the hard way by promising to guard Valerica until she died... unaware she was a Vampire, and as such The Ageless.
Fate Worse than Death: While they consider the Soul Cairn to be a place of eternal peace for the souls they take, spending eternity in its desolate planes seems like anything but.
Horror Hunger: Implied. They are desperate to fill the Soul Cairn up with more souls, often making deals with mortals to give them more. In their giant soul gem forms, they can drain the souls from any mortals who get too close.
Jackass Genie: Their deals with mortals tend to invoke this. In Durnehviir's case, it was a case of You Didn't Ask and Exact Words; they ordered him to guard Valerica in the Soul Cairn until her death, while failing to mention the fact that, since she's a vampire, she'll never die, meaning he was doomed to their service forever.
Manipulative Bastards: Very much so. In addition to the Exact Words example above, they pulled something similar with Valerica. She wanted to stay in the Soul Cairn for safety, and struck a deal with the Masters: safety for souls. What they didn't tell her is that they wanted her soul.
Necromancy: They were powerful sorcerers as mortals, with a particularly specialty in necromancy. Now, they commune with necromancers who are seeking power and offer it in exchange for more souls.
Nonindicative Name: Malicious, malevolent, manipulative jerkasses who will double cross you the first chance they get in order to claim your soul. Nobody considers them "ideal masters".
Spirit World: They created the Soul Cairn to specifically be this as an eternal prison for souls trapped within soul gems.
The Unseen: The Ideal Masters are now said to be beings of pure energy, and thus have never been actually seen. They will use gem forms to communicate with mortals (as well as capture their souls).
Was Once a Man: The Ideal Masters were once mortal sorcerers who felt their mortal forms were took weak and limiting. Now they exist as beings of pure energy who, if they take form, do so as giant soul gems.
Year Inside, Hour Outside: Passage of time within the Soul Cairn is stated to be "strange", though the exact details are unclear. Valerica, a vampire, was able to live within for thousands of years without succumbing to the feral insanity that afflicts most vampires who go too long without feeding.
You Cannot Grasp the True Form: They never take a 'physical' form in the Soul Cairn. The closest thing they have for a physical form is taking the form of a giant soul gem that drains the souls of anyone who gets too close.
You Can't Go Home Again: Souls within the Soul Cairn are trapped there for eternity.
Your Soul Is Mine!: Every soul that gets soul trapped ends up in the Soul Cairn. They also tend to do this to those who make a Deal with the Devil with them. In their own giant soul gem forms, they can also drain the souls of any mortal who gets too close. Bartering in souls as mortals eventually granted them power enough to ascend into Oblivion as immortal beings of pure energy.

Magnus and the Magna-Ge

Magnus (aka Magrus)

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/magnus_692.jpg

The Eye of Magnus

"Penitent, the lives of all living are touched by Magnus, He Who Abstained. Lord Magnus drew up the schematics for our world, intricately sketching the diagrams of Creation. Magnus is with us always, in the magics of Mages and the warming breath of the sun."

— The Gifts of Magnus

Magnus is one of the et'Ada, often referred to as the "Architect" of Mundus. Though he participated in the creation of the Mundus, Magnus isn't normally counted among the standard Aedra; he rules the Magna-Ge, or "Star Orphans", that left midway through creation. While Lorkhan was the one who came up with the idea of Mundus, Magnus was the chief architect of Mundus. However, as the architect of Mundus, he eventually realized that in order to create it, the Aedra would have to make great sacrifices and would become forever bound to the world he was designing. Thus, he abandoned the project, and, along with the Magna-Ge, formed the sun and stars in the process.

Magnus is considered the God of Magic to the Altmer and Bretons, and was a major deity worshiped by the Ayleids. Many other religious traditions acknowledge him in some way, but do not worship him. Nirn's sun is named Magnus in honor of him.

The Archmage: As the God of Magic. He is sometimes called this specifically as part of his title.
Artifact of Doom:
- The Eye of Magnus. To note:
  - While it's unclear exactly what it does, it clearly possesses enough raw magical power to potentially destroy the entire world. One theory is that the Eye was originally intended to serve as Mundus' version of the sun, channeling magic into Mundus from Aetherius, before Magnus aborted his plans and abandoned the project, which ended up creating something that would have the same effect anyway. Another theory is that the Eye of Magnus is actually another time-traveling robot called "KINMUNE," and that the College of Winterhold's excavation and Ancano's meddling with it was part of a plan to escape from being imprisoned under Saarthal by Ysgramor.
  - Indirectly, the Eye of Magnus doomed the ancient Falmer civilization. Due to both the Ancient Nords and the Falmer vying for control of the Eye, it led to a war in which both the Nord capital Saarthal and the Eye were lost. The Ancient Nords drove the Falmer underground into the arms of the Dwemer, who betrayed, enslaved, and twisted them into the blind, bestial Morlock-like creatures they are today.
- Magnus may have also had a hand in the creation of the Elder Scrolls, as the Eye has similar patterns and glyphs in its surface. The Scrolls are also stated to be "fragments of creation", the process of which Magnus explicitly abandoned and potentially leaving the Scrolls behind as his half-finished work.
Disabled Deity: As Magrus, he was already blind in one eye thanks to Boethra ripping it out, before Azurah took the other.
Eye Scream: In Khajiit tradition, Magnus as Magrus had their sole working eye ripped out by Azurah (stories differ over whether it was punishment for being too fearful to rule a sphere after falling into Moonshadow while fleeing Boethra and Lorkhaj, or was a willing offering to Azurah and her children), and turned into the Aether Prism which reflects the Varliance Gate.
God in Human Form: Some legends tell that Magnus can inhabit the bodies of powerful mages and lend them his power.
Light The Way: Heavily associated with light and magic. When he fled to Aetherius, he punctured the hole that would become the sun, allowing both light and magic to flow into Mundus.
Magic Staff: The Staff of Magnus, which is capable of channeling, absorbing, and suppressing extreme amounts of magical energy. Magnus is said to have used it during the creation of Mundus as a "metaphysical battery". Some legends claim that it was abandoned when he fled during the creation of Mundus. Others claim that it was a gift to mortals. Still others claim that it was stolen from him by mortals. Whatever the case, it has been one of the preeminent magical staves on Nirn. It is also said to leave its wielder whenever that wielder becomes too powerful, so it doesn't upset the mystical balance of Mundus.
Magnus Means Mage: He is the God of Magic, after all.
The Power of the Sun: Indirectly. Magnus created the sun (which is named after him) when he fled Mundus, punching a hole through to Aetherius, the realm of magic. The magical energy flowing into Mundus through the sun is what allows for the use of magic among mortals.
Red Baron:
- The Arch-Mage. Also "The God of Sight, Light, and Insight" among the Ayleids.
- As Magrus he is known to the Khajiit as the Cat's Eye and the Third Eye of Azurah.
Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Left Mundus part way through creation when he realized that Lorkhan's plan was going to permanently bind the et'Ada to his creation. In the process, he and the Magna-Ge ended up puncturing holes into Aetherius through which magic and light flow into Mundus.

The Magna-Ge

"This pantheon is made up of the Filters, Chromes, Penumbras, and Capricious Glows that influence the day-by-may fortunes of the myriad creatures that play among the Magne-Ge’s many-and-shattered floating untimes. All of them are days that may."

— Magne-Ge Pantheon

The Magna-Ge (sometimes spelled Magne-Ge and singular Magna Get), also known as "Star Orphans" and the "Children of Magnus", are the lesser et'Ada who fled Mundus along with Magnus during the creation of Mundus. The stars are said to be the "holes" the Magna-Ge punctured into Aetherius while escaping and they are naturally associated with the constellations and birthsigns. Relatively little is known about the Magna-Ge, though they do seem to be divine entities associated with energy as well as all manner of light, color, patterns, and other sight-based phenomenon. Some sources say that the Magna-Ge are a subset of Aedra, while others say that they're their own separate category of Et'Ada, having arisen exclusively from the blood of Anu, as opposed to from the blood of Padomay as with the Daedra, or a mixture of Anu's and Padomay's blood as with the Aedra. Either way, they're all weird.

Meridia, the Daedric Prince associated with the energy of living things, is said to have originally been a Magna-Ge by the name of Merid-Nunda, but was cast out of their ranks for associating with "illicit spectra" (implied to be the Daedra). Tropes relating specifically to Meridia should go under her entry on the Daedric Princes sub-page.

All There in the Manual: While the Magna-Ge themselves are fully canon and mentioned in-game, many of the details about them come from the Magne-Ge Pantheon, a supplementary work written by former series writer/developer Michael Kirkbride. ESO would further expand upon them, confirming (or at least not conflicting with) many details given in Pantheon.
The Corruption: Threadwright is a malicious spirit of "fibering," which in practice means the "tainted magic" of mortals, and many things become "fibered" even trying to avoid him.
Destructive Savior: AgNil Bright serves as a protector of the Magna-Ge against anything that might threaten them, but he will occasionally burn the possessions of people he should be protecting. He's always sorry when this happens, at least.
Fertility God: One Magna-Ge, Bare Bone, is associated with agriculture. This one apparently left the surface to live underground.
Fictional Zodiac: They are heavily associated with the constellations and birthsigns of Nirn.
God of Fire: AgNil-Bright is said to "burn against all monsters and associated Powers that would threaten the Untime Folk," and occasionally burns things he should be protecting.
Gratuitous Greek: One of the Magna-Ge is named Leλ, spelled with the lambda.
Humans Are Flawed: The Magna-Ge seem to view mortals as such, calling them "M-Null", while believing they are "affected by tainted magic" and owe their growth and prosperity to greater beings.
Mad Scientist: Mnethm governs scientific inspiration. She also lives underground and has to have her work "scrutinized" to ensure it won't bring harm to the Magne-Ge's "frolicking".
The Magnificent: One of the Magna-Ge is known as "Mnender-Foil the Amazing".
Mood-Swinger: Clan Box, formerly the "jester" of Merid-Nunda, is essentially the god of mood swings, said to change his "mind and mood in erratic fashion".
Non-Action Guy: Phopec, despite being a Knight of Merid-Nunda, was apparently famous for everything but his skill at arms, said to be "the laziest knight in the land".
Odd Job Gods: Many of the Magna-Ge seem to govern over or are associated with unusual, often mind-bending concepts. The commonality between them seems to be that they are all fleeting things, perhaps associated with luck or chance. Examples include synesthesia, the catching of fish, burping, the doom of new ideas, ideas that too quickly come to fruition, divide-the-line wisdom... This makes sense, of course, as the Magne-Ge were those et'Ada who had interest in the idea of the world Lorkhan wanted to create but weren't committed enough to make the sacrifice needed to become a part of that world like the Aedra. The concepts they are associated with are thus fleeting or bizarre or otherwise things that only happen momentarily or in possibilities.
Pieces of God: Like the Aedra and Daedra, they arose from the spilled blood of Anu and Padomay. According to some creation myths, whereas the Daedra arose exclusively from the blood of Padomay, and the Aedra from the mixed blood of Padomay and Anu, the Magna-Ge fill the missing niche in the grid by having arose exclusively from the blood of Anu.
Satanic Archetype: The Magna-Ge Pantheon mentions one called the "Chrome Device" who opposed the Magna-Ge and seems to have caused at least one war. Interestingly enough, the Chrome Device is also credited with booting Merid out of Aetherius (along with erasing her true role from history) and is called her father, and so may be Magnus himself.
Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Left Mundus part way through creation following Magnus. The holes they punched through Oblivion on the way out are now known as the stars and, in the case of Magnus' specific hole, the Sun.
Signs of the End Times: Mnender-Foil the Amazing is most associated with pop cultural importance, tapestries, and wayposts, but is also said to be a harbinger of doom, who will be the "herald" of the "terrible and hopeful" "return of the Dawn".
Time Crash: The Magna-Ge are associated with various "untimes" and "untime folk". One of the most famous of the Magna-Ge is Mnemo-Li, aka Mnemoli the Blue Star and the "wayward daughter of Anu", who is visible even in the daytime sky during Dragon Breaks.
Trickster God:
- Thermal-Talk (also known by various other similar names) is a malicious version, said to be the enemy of progress. It's also what drove Bare Bone the agriculture spirit into hiding.
- This seems to be a downplayed trait among many other Magne-Ge as well. For example, Clan Box "habitually misdirects" those bringing ideas "too quickly to fruition", while Mnethm is a spirit of scientific inspiration, but has to have her work "scrutinized" to ensure it won't bring harm to the Magne-Ge's "frolicking".
What Happened to the Mouse?: They bailed on the world during the process of creation and have gone unaccounted for ever since. The Magna-Ge Pantheon seems to support that they've been doing things in Aetherius since leaving Nirn (there seems to have been a big war between different colors that ended in a "pigment truce," and Merid foresaw it and tried to stop it, but failed), but none of that has any impact on the games since they're still MIA from Nirn.

Numidium

Numidium (a.k.a. Anumidum, Walk-Brass, The Brass God, Brass Tower)

Dwemer Blueprints for Anumidum

"The most nefarious Tower, Walk-Brass, refuted even more, refuting unto dis-creation... Walk-Brass is appropriately ambulatory, and (most of the time) anthropomorphic."

— Nu-Mantia Intercept

"But most profane is this: the walking horror that bears the Name, NM. The Brass Tower of Vanity. The mindless guardian of the Nirn-Prior. The Antipodal-God-Thing that reigns on the darkest pole of the sacred Nirn-Sphere. Of all the threats to Tamriel Final, NM is the greatest."

— The Truth In Sequence

Race: Dwemer Automaton

Constructed: Sometime prior to 1E 700 (Red Mountain, Morrowind)

Destroyed: 3E 417 (Iliac Bay)

A gigantic Dwemer-crafted golem seized by the Dunmeri Tribunal following the Battle of Red Mountain. Engineered by Kagrenac to house the Heart of Lorkhan and become Anumidium, the Dwemer's new mechanical god. It sat inactive for thousands of years before Vivec gave it to Tiber Septim as part of the Armistice joining Morrowind to Septim's Empire in exchange for special privileges for the province. After finding a replacement to the Heart as a power source, Septim used it to almost single-handedly crush the forces of the Aldmeri Dominion, finalizing his empire. Due to the actions of an entity known as the "Underking", it was lost for centuries until the events of Daggerfall, and then lost again, presumably for good.

Anthropomorphic Personification: One theory, and commentary from Michael Kirkbride supports this, is that Numidium was the personification of the Dwemer's ideas of skepticism and refutation. In this theory, much of Numidium's effects stem from it embodying the concept of "is not" and using that to literally negate things like people or physical laws from existence.
Arbitrary Skepticism: Some of the obscure texts by Kirkbride posit that Numidium is the weaponization of this, and that its main tool is the ability to look at an object or person and reveal the "lie" of their existence as a mere construct of the Aedra, who are a construct of Anu and Padomay, themselves a creation of the dream of the Godhead. Apparently, the key to countering this weapon is the opposing concept of belief and love and the affirmation of your own existence. It's unclear if Numidium actually is revealing the "lie" or if it is simply enforcing the idea of something not existing so hard that it becomes the truth. Those with the will and self-determination to define themselves as being real in the face of Numidium's overwhelming, reality-enforcing skepticism can survive and, in the case of the Underking, even destroy Numidium.
Beat Still, My Heart: Was originally designed to be powered by the Heart of Lorkhan. (Dagoth Ur uses its blueprint to create Akulakhan, his own Heart-powered mecha, thousands of years later.)
Big Bad: In Michael Kirkbride's "Obscure Text" C0DA, in which it is refutation incarnated, or the "Fuck it" in a world in which love is the answer. It's that kind of story.
Cessation of Existence: Just about the only thing in the setting that can completely unexist something, simply by disbelieving in it hard enough.
Curb-Stomp Battle: Was used to great effect against the Altmeri forces of the Summerset Isles. Alinor, their capital city, fell in less than an hour of fighting and their army was decimated. It allowed Tiber to succeed where Reman failed: he conquered the Summerset Isles.
Deity of Human Origin: A twist in that's a machine built to be a god instead of a mortal directly transformed into one, though some sources posit that the reason the Dwemer disappeared is because they're all currently serving as one of its components.
The Dreaded: Everyone who knows about this thing is absolutely terrified of it. Being an artificial god, its very existence is pure blasphemy to the Aedra and Daedra worshipping denizens of Tamriel, and its ability to effectively break reality whenever it's turned on is another reason it's not looked upon favorably by history. The Altmer specifically have horrific memories of Tiber Septim using Anumidium to decimate the Summerset Isles during his final invasion of Alinor and forcibly bring the High Elves into his Empire.
The Ghost: Due to the limitations of the hardware at the time Daggerfall was released, the Numidium never appears onscreen and it's only mentioned during the story. However, a copy built from its blueprints (Akulakhan) is shown onscreen in Morrowind.
Humongous Mecha: Numidium stands at 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) tall, making it slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower. Here's a size comparison◊, with the specks being full-sized people.
Instant Awesome: Just Add Mecha!: A thousand-foot-tall reality warping mecha, at that.
Logical Weakness: As logical as C0DA can be, at least. At the end of the comic, it is defeated by being forced to make an assertation, to say "yes" for once. As an embodiment of refutation, the cosmic principle of "no", this weakens it to the point that Jubal is able to use its own trick against it and refute it. Said assertation? Admitting that what it wanted was simply to 'win'.
Mechanical Abomination: It's a giant mechanical golem that distorts reality around it merely by existing, intended to be powered by the heart and later soul of a dead god, and whose mere activation caused the Warp in the West at the end of Daggerfall. In said event, all the mutually exclusive endings took place at once, though none to the same extent they would have individually. Visually, while we never actually see what Numidium looks like, from all indications it's a pretty frightening sight. Imagine a 1,000 foot tall golden, transforming robot that warps reality just by being alive, now imagine it coming right at you.
Mind Screw: Its mere existence can cause these, especially once it starts moving around and warping reality. At one point Numidium apparently refuted itself out of existence, and then refuted that fact so hard that it came right back into reality.
Order Versus Chaos: Ironically, despite being constructed by the extremely orderly and logical Dwemer, Numidium was a personification of the idea of refutation, or "is not." In effect, this made it a Padomaic entity, as Padomay is the original entity of chaos, denial, and refutation. Its mere presence caused chaos due to how it altered time and space seemingly at random.
Organic Technology: It's powered by the heart of Lorkhan or rough equivalent thereof, and some blueprints/drawings depict it as having a ribcage and spine. (Akulakhan, built from Numidium's blueprints, also has these organic-looking components.) It's also theorized that its armour or another of its structural components are what all the Dwemer were transformed into.
Reality Warper: Simply being activated for a short time after the end of Daggerfall caused time to split into many streams, recombining violently. One theory is that, being a construct that embodied the Dwemer's skepticism and tendency to refute even divine beings, Numidium simply refutes things like causality and time. Its main weapon is refusing to accept that something exists, and enforcing that fact so hard that they stop existing.
Story-Breaker Power: There's a very good reason that no one has access to it in the modern day of Tamriel; being a godlike superweapon it can destroy the entire continent by itself. It's intended purpose was to compete with the gods themselves after all.
Superweapon: When active, absolutely nothing in the setting has been able to defeat it. It was notably used by Tiber Septim to crush the second Aldmeri Dominion and their armies of Magic Knights, a nation never previously conquered by force, in less than an hour of fighting.
The Tower: Considered one of the mythic Towers, which also include White-Gold Tower, the Throat of The World, Red Mountain, and others. In esoteric lore-speak, it's known as "Walk-Brass". Its "stone" was designed to be the Heart of Lorkhan, the stone of Red Mountain, but would later be replaced by the Mantella.
That Which Must Not Be Named: The Clockwork Apostles of Sotha Sil certainly seem to think so, overlapping with The Dreaded. In The Truth in Sequence they refer it only as the Walking Horror, NM.
Time Crash: Has caused several. One in Elsweyr, where Tiber Septim's mages were trying to figure out how to control it, and another known as the "Warp in the West". Allegedly, on some level the siege of Alinor is still going on 'till this day and will continue until the fifth era.
Transforming Mecha: Numidium was usually anthropomorphic, but could apparently change its shape from time to time. Considering its reality-warping abilities and how it was a walking exemplification of refutation, it makes sense that Numidium would not necessarily stick to one discrete shape.
Your Soul Is Mine!: The Mantella, an unimaginably powerful soul gem filled with the soul of a Shezarrine, eventually serves as the replacement power source for the Heart.

Ruptga

"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."

— The Monomyth

Ruptga, also known as the "Tall Papa", is the chief deity of the Yokudan pantheon. He was the first deity to discover a means to survive Satakal's cyclical devouring of the worlds, known as the "Walkabout", where he would reach the Far Shores which Satakal could not consume. He helped other spirits to accomplish this as well, but soon, there were too many spirits for he alone to save. He created a helper in Sep, the serpentine Yokudan version of Lorkhan, out of the "worldskins" that Satakal left behind. However, Sep convinced other spirits to help him build an easier alternative to the Walkabout, even though Ruptga did not participate or approve. When the plan proved to be a failure, leaving many spirits stranded on a dying patchwork worldskin, Ruptga punished Sep for trapping the spirits. However, he refused to save the stranded spirits who had allowed Sep to trick them, instead proclaiming that they would have to find new ways to jump to the Far Shores.

Some sources associate Ruptga with Akatosh. Other sources make a connection between them, but consider them different entities. The biggest difference seems to be that Akatosh participated in Lorkhan's plan to create Mundus, while Ruptga did not "participate or approve" of Sep's plan. Tropes relating specifically to Akatosh should go in his entry above.

Alien Sky: According to Yokudan myth, Ruptga placed the stars in the sky so weaker spirits could follow them to the Far Shores.
Carry a Big Stick: He "punished" Sep for creating Mundus by "squashing him with a big stick".
Divine Delegation:
- Ruptga gave purpose to Tu'whacca, another greater spirit who did not previously have one. Tu'whacca would be the caretaker of the Far Shores and help guide souls there.
- Ruptga created Sep to help him save the lesser spirits from Satakal's hunger. Sep immediately began consuming the souls instead, forcing Ruptga to save them. Sep then devised the idea of Mundus, which was supposed to be an easier alternative to the Walkabout, but instead it trapped the souls and made it harder for them to reach the Far Shores.
- Some of Ruptga's children (Leki, Zeht, HoonDing) and his wife (Morwha) are also deities in the Yokudan pantheon.
God Couple: With Morwha, the Yokudan aspect of Mara.
Hijacked by Jesus: One of the few deities to avert being absorbed by his counterpart from the Nine Divines. While sometime associated, Akatosh and Ruptga, the chief deities of their respective pantheons, are typically treated as separate entities. The biggest difference seems to be that Akatosh participated in Lorkhan's plan to create Mundus, while Ruptga did not "participate or approve" of Sep's plan.
Large and in Charge: He is a massive being, said to be large enough to place the stars in the sky by hand, and is also the chief deity of the Yokudan pantheon.
Offing the Offspring: Ruptga created Sep to help him save the lesser spirits from Satakal's hunger. However, Sep was driven by that same hunger (being created from the worldskins Satakal left behind) and would devise Mundus as an easier alternative to the Walkabout. After Sep convinced other spirits to help him create Mundus, which quickly proved a failure, Ruptga punished Sep by "squashing him with a big stick". Sep could then only slink around in a dead skin or swim about harmlessly in the sky.
Top God: Of the Yokudan pantheon, and still held in high regard by the Redguards.
Warrior Heaven: He guides spirits into reaching the Far Shores, where there is no hunger or thirst, and there are plenty of martial challenges to keep warrior spirits engaged and entertained.

Sai

"They lay down rules and if you obey them and pay homage to the god, why then he or she grants you favor. And the better you keep the rules and the more you worship the god, the higher you rise in his favor. Those rules aren't always easy to keep, and one god's rules may require you to violate another's but you know where you are. Well, Sai's not like that. He's not a daedra, but he's got a daedric side to him, for sure. One thing, if you worship him too much, he'll abandon you altogether."

— King Edward, Book IX

Sai is a God of Luck celebrated in the Iliac Bay region. He was originally a mortal man with the uncanny ability to spread good luck to others, but not to himself. After he died in battle (while all of this fellow soldiers survived), he was granted immortality by Ebonarm to use his gift of luck to help "balance" the world. After sticking to his task for a time, he met and settled down with a Nord woman named Josea. He lingered too long with her and brought all of Skyrim uncanny good luck. Sai was visited by a procession of other gods, including Ebonarm and Mara, who, as punishment, took away his physical body and demanded that he make things right.

Babies Ever After: Settled down with a Nord woman Josea with whom he had a daughter. After his physical form faded away entirely, his decedents are said to be able to "feel" his presence once a year.
Born Lucky: Even as a mortal, he had the uncanny ability to bring good luck to others, but not to himself.
Deity of Human Origin: Originally a mortal man with the uncanny ability to spread good luck to others, but not to himself. When he died in battle, Ebonarm granted him immortality so that he may continue to spread his luck and help "balance" the world.
The Gambler: "Sai's Disease" is essentially gambling addiction. Those afflicted are driven to incessant gambling, seeking proof of the god's favor.
Noble Wolf:
- Traveled with a gray wolf named Grellan after his resurrection.
- Some time after settling down, his physical body began to fade as punishment, leaving him as a spirit and unable to interact with his loved ones. He begged Mara for a body, and she allowed him to occasionally take the form of a wolf. To this day, many Nords are hesitant to kill a wolf except in self defense because it might be Sai.
Walking the Earth: What he did for a time after he was brought back, which is exactly what he was supposed to do, spreading his good luck all over. After he met Josea, he settled down in one place with her and unbalanced the world by bringing too much good luck to it.

Sithis

Shrine to Sithis

"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)."

— The Monomyth

Sithis, referred to as a "great void", is a force representing chaos, change, and limitation. Sithis is described as an equal but opposing force to Anui-El, the soul of all things, being considered "Padomaic" to Anui-El's "Anuic" basis. Sithis is also frequently associated with Lorkhan, with some tellings, especially those of the Aldmer, stating that Sithis "begat" Lorkhan to spread chaos into the "imperfect stasis" of Anui-El. Sithis is not considered to be Aedric or Daedric in nature, but rather something else entirely. That said, some Daedric Princes are believed to have associations with Sithis, including Sheogorath (who is said to be a "Sithis-shaped hole in the world") and Mephala.

Sithis is worshiped by the Dark Brotherhood as the "Dread Father", while his "wife", the Night Mother (believed by some to be an aspect of Mephala), serves to guide the Brotherhood. Sithis is also "acknowledged" by the Hist of Argonia as the "true" creator of the universe. Outside of these groups, Sithis is venerated by most cultures throughout Tamriel as a force of change, though outright worship is rare.

Sithis and Padomay are sometimes considered the same entity. Other sources make a connection between them, but consider them different entities. Tropes relating specifically to Padomay should go in his entry above.

Almighty Idiot: Much like Padomay, Sithis is believed to be more of a primordial force than something with a true "mind". That doesn't stop him from being anthropomorphized in various religions.
Alternative Character Interpretation: In-universe with the Argonians. While pretty much every other religious group on Nirn views Sithis as a figure of evil (or at least a primordial force fundamentally hostile to life), the Argonians view him as the personification of change, without whom no purposeful existence would be possible. His Argonian Shadowscale followers regard themselves as "agents of necessary change" who guide the flow of history by killing those who stand in its way. The Nisswo (Argonian priests of Sithis) all preach different things about Sithis, but view all of these teachings - even those that contradict one another - as being true, as they view Sithis as a primordial chaos with no single consistent truth.
Angels, Devils and Squid: Loosely, Sithis is the "squid" to the Aedric "angels" and Daedric "devils".
Anthropomorphic Personification: The Dark Brotherhood anthropomorphizes Sithis as a a male "Dread Father" figure.
The Anti-God: In some versions, Sithis is the spirit of Padomay or even is Padomay, the original Anti-God and dark twin of the progenitor God of Gods Anu. In any case, Sithis is described as an equal but opposing force to Anui-El, "the soul of all things", making Sithis the antithesis of all things.
Brotherhood of Evil: The Dark Brotherhood, an illegal assassins guild, worships and operates in service to Sithis.
Creation Myth: The Hist - a race of ancient, sentient, possibly omniscient trees native to Black Marsh - "acknowledge" Sithis as the true creator of the universe. It also helps to explain the Argonian Shadowscales who are sent to the Dark Brotherhood, as the Argonians revere the Hist.
Dark Is Evil: Sithis is associated with darkness and is described as a "great void", and those who worship him are almost universally seen as evil or at the very least extremely amoral.
Dark Is Not Evil: For Argonians, who view the change Sithis represents as an overall positive force.
Destroyer Deity: "Destroyer" is perhaps too strong of a word, but Sithis is at least an injector of chaos into creation. According to some tellings, he "begat" Lorkhan to do this for him.
Eldritch Abomination: Sithis "Is Not", and is referred to as a "great void". Unlike the many other personified deities in the series, Sithis is most commonly described as a "force" representing chaos and change. He is said to be an equal but opposing force to "the soul of all things".
Eviler than Thou: At least to its followers when comparing Sithis to the Daedra. From the perspective of his worshipers, the Daedric Princes are a bunch of pansies compared to Sithis. Given that Sithis is considered a primordial entity and if it is indeed that true personification of chaos and the void, there may be something to his followers' claims.
God Couple: With the Night Mother in the religion of the Dark Brotherhood. There is evidence that the Night Mother may be an aspect of the Daedric Prince Mephala, who has strong connections to Sithis in the religion of the Dunmer. (The Morag Tong, off of whom the Brotherhood originally split, has Mephala as a patron deity while also having special reverence for Sithis.)
God of Chaos: The Argonians consider Sithis to be an embodiment of all change, good and bad.
God of Evil: Loosely, at least to most of the denizens of Tamriel. While there is at least some moral ambiguity with the majority of the Daedric Princes, a worshiper of Sithis will typically be considered evil. The sole exception is among the Argonians, and even they once viewed him as a monstrous and destructive force prior to the Duskfall.
"It" Is Dehumanizing: The Nisswo (Argonian priests of Sithis) refer to Sithis as "it," viewing people like the Dark Brotherhood who anthropomorphise Sithis as fundamentally misunderstanding the nature of Sithis.
Literal Split Personality: Theorized to have "begat" Lorkhan to sow chaos into the universe. It's possible they have a relationship similar to Alduin and Akatosh's.
Mind Screw: Sithis is the primal "Is Not," and arguably might not technically exist in the most literal sense of the word.
The Nothing After Death: Those who have pledged their soul to Sithis enter "the Void" for all eternity. Apparently, according to the Dark Brotherhood, they serve him there in some capacity and can have their spirits summoned back to the world of the living to serve the Brotherhood.
Power of the Void: Sithis represents the primordial state of chaos and is referred to as the "great void."
Powers That Be: Affects the universe much more subtly than most of the other divine beings on this page. It is said that he "begat" Lorkhan to disrupt the imperfect stasis of Anui-El and the spirits that would later become the Aedra.
Red and Black and Evil All Over: Red and black are the colors most commonly associated with Sithis.
Red Baron: The Dread Father.
Religion of Evil: Anyone who outright worships Sithis is typically viewed as evil, or at least very amoral. This includes the Dark Brotherhood, especially given that their primary means of worshiping Sithis includes murder. The Ancient Argonian priest-kings saw him as a malevolent force that needed to be placated by mass blood sacrifice.
Unholy Matrimony: The Night Mother is said to be his "wife". She is said to have sacrificed her five children to him while she was still a mortal woman.
Void Between the Worlds: Or in this case, surrounding the "worlds". Sithis is the embodiment of that void.

Trinimac

"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."

— The Monomyth

Trinimac was a prominent deity among the early Aldmer and served as the champion of Auri-El. Trinimac was a warrior spirit, said to be the strongest of the et'Ada, and in some places was even more popular than Auri-El. According to Aldmeri religious tradition, it was Trinimac who led the Aldmeri armies against Lorkhan's supporters, the races of Men. Trinimac slew Lorkhan and removed Lorkhan's heart from his body.

However, Trinimac would later be "eaten" by the Daedric Prince Boethiah so that Boethiah could manipulate Trinimac's followers, who would become the Chimer. After being tortured in Boethiah's stomach, the remains of Trinimac were "excreted". These remains became the Daedric Prince Malacath and his remaining followers were transformed into the Orsimer (Orcs). Malacath somewhat confirms this story, but complains that it is "too literal minded".

Some Orcs believe that Trinimac still exists, separate from Malacath. Versions of quite how he managed this vary; in some, he managed to steal a portion of Boethiah's power and give it to his followers, thus making the Orsimer "improved" elves. Another version goes that Trinimac remains imprisoned, while Malacath is an ally/agent of Boethiah who lies to the Orcs to keep them as pariahs under his thumb. Gortwog gro-Nagorm preached the latter version and made this variant of Trinimac worship the state religion of Orsinium. Orcs outside the city (and some within it) consider this belief heretical, and following the Oblivion Crisis and the fall of Orsimer, traditional Malacath worship has again taken hold, though belief in Trinimac still isn't gone.

The below tropes are associated with Trinimac. For tropes relating to Malacath, see his entry on the Daedra page. (Some tropes may warrant placement on both, but please be judicious.)

Ancestor Veneration: Originally a mortal Aldmer, he was elevated to the status of a god through the collective adulation and worship of the Aldmeri people.
Black Knight: It is theorized that Boethiah's "black knight" appearance is the corrupted appearance of Trinimac, who Boethiah swallowed and briefly impersonated.
Bodyguarding a Badass: Trinimac was said to have been Auri-El's champion.
Deity of Human Origin: As Aldmeri society evolved, commoners stopped worshiping their own ancestors and began worshiping the ancestors of their social "betters", elevating them to the level of gods through collective adulation. Trinimac was one such ancestor. After being eaten and excreted by Boethiah, Trinimac would become the Daedric Prince Malacath.
Distracted by the Sexy: According to one Cyrodiilic tale, Trinimac was caught by Boethiah by the Daedric Prince first pretending to be two helpful but ugly old people who made bargains with him to help him find Boethiah (who Trinimac was seeking to chastise for his cruel deceptions) in return for him treating their noxious, boil-riddled bodies. Afterward, Boethiah took the form of a beautiful woman who offered to tell him where Boethiah was in exchange for a kiss. After having to deal with the ugly old people from before, Trinimac was happy to offer the disguised Boethiah a kiss, and when he leaned in close, Boethiah revealed herself and swallowed Trinimac whole.
Feeling Oppressed by Their Existence: Trinimac popularized and spread the Aldmeri version of the events surrounding Lorkhan and the creation of Mundus, preaching that it was a cruel trick and fomenting war against Lorkhan's followers, the races of Men.
Heroes Prefer Swords: Trinimac is associated with "the blade". The end of the Almderi veneration to Trinimac reads:
"By the blade of Trinimac I swear, and call for his aid."
Hijacking Cthulhu: Trinimac was "eaten" by Boethiah, who spoke with Trinimac's voice in order to convince the Chimer to migrate to Morrowind. Trinimac was "tortured" in Boethiah's stomach and later excreted, with these excreted remains becoming Malacath and Trinimac's remaining followers becoming the Orcs.
How the Mighty Have Fallen: Trinimac was once a powerful elven warrior-god, but as Malacath he is considered one of the weaker Princes and isn't accepted among either the Aedra or Daedra. Worship of Trinimac in his original form has faded to near nonexistence, only being occasionally revived by certain Orc leaders.
War God: Trinimac was said to be a "warrior spirit" and the strongest of the et'Ada. He led the Aldmeri armies in war.

Tsun

Tsun, as seen in Skyrim

Voiced by: Thor Edgell (English)^note

"I am Tsun, shield-thane to Shor. The Whalebone Bridge he bade me guard and winnow all those souls whose heroic end sent them here, to Shor's lofty hall where welcome, well earned, awaits those I judge fit to join that fellowship of honor."

— Tsun's dialogue in Skyrim

Tsun is the old Nordic God of "Trials Over Adversity" and shield-thane of Shor, along with his brother Stuhn. Tsun was killed defending Shor from "foreign gods" and now stands guard over the Hall of Valor in Sovngarde, testing warrior spirits in combat to ensure their worthiness to enter.

Tsun is sometimes associated with Zenithar of the Nine Divines pantheon, but most evidence is loose and circumstantial. As such, they are treated as separate entities here. Tropes relating to Zenithar specifically should be placed in his entry above.

Animal Motifs: He is associated with bears and is typically represented in Nordic barrows by a bear totem.
Antiquated Linguistics: In Skyrim, Tsun tends to speak using an old-fashioned, almost "sing-songy", word order, in addition to throwing out some rather archaic terms.
Berserk Button: In Skyrim, he is much more hostile towards you if you introduce yourself as either a Nightingale or the Listener. He has a good reason, of course, since you're admitting to being in the service of either a Daedric Prince or Sithis, in addition to neither profession being exactly compatible with honorable combat. In both cases, he ends his response with "your errand I will not hinder, if my wrath you can withstand."
Bodyguarding a Badass: Along with his brother Stuhn, he was a shield-thane to Shor. He fell in battle while defending Shor against "foreign gods".
Brutish Character, Brutish Weapon: One of the greatest gods of the Nords, and guardian of their equivalent of Valhalla. His weapon of choice is a beefed-up ancient Nord battleaxe. Skyrim game files reveal that it is actually the most powerful axe in the game, exceeding even Dragonbone weaponry in damage.
Combat Compliment: If you do well in fighting him, he'll give you several as the fight goes on.
"I have long awaited such a worthy adversary!"
Contractual Boss Immunity: In Skyrim, he is completely immune to any stagger, knockdown, paralysis, or disarm attacks. If he falls into the chasm beneath the Whalebone Bridge, he'll reappear and exit from the Hall of Valor to continue the fight.
Death Is Cheap: He died defending Shor from "foreign gods", and yet serves as what is essentially a bouncer of Sovngarde, by guarding the Whalebone Bridge into the Hall of Valor.
Duel Boss: He must be fought and defeated in one-on-one combat to prove one's worthiness to enter Shor's hall.
Klingon Scientists Get No Respect: Laments that the children of Skyrim have fallen into this regarding Nord mages. Should you declare yourself to be The Archmage of the College of Winterhold in Skyrim, he comments that the "Clever Craft" is still respected by those who reside in Shor's Hall.
Language of Magic: He knows and can use the Thu'um.
Large and in Charge: He towers over even the tallest mortals and serves as the gatekeeper of Shor's hall. In Skyrim, only the Ebony Warrior is taller.
Last Stand: Died defending Shor from angry "foreign gods".
Let Me at Him!: Tsun desired to battle Alduin when the latter began consuming the souls within Sovngarde. For unknown reasons, Shor held him back.
Pet the Dog: If you introduce yourself as the Archmage of the College of Winterhold in Skyrim, Tsun makes a remark about how badly mages have been treated as of late, and mentions how mages are honored in Shor's hall. A nice moment after enduring snarky remarks about magic during the rest of the game. You still have to fight him, but he sees you as an equal, same as if you introduced yourself as Dragonborn or the Harbinger of the Companions.
Physical God: He is a god who served as shield-thane to Shor, but died defending Shor from "foreign gods". He still has a physical form within Sovngarde, and now tests warrior spirits for their worthiness to enter Shor's hall.
Pre-Final Boss: In Skyrim, the Dragonborn must defeat him in a duel in order to enter Shor's hall as the penultimate boss of the main quest.
Reasonable Authority Figure:
- According to Kodlak Whitemane's journals, in his dreams he saw Tsun turn his back and refuse to let any Harbinger of the Companion enter Sovngarde after they chose to embrace Lycanthrophy, instead letting the Daedric Prince Hircine drag their souls off to his realm. However, when it came Kodlak's turn, Tsun came down from his post to watch the Dragonborn fight alongside Kodlak's spirit to cleanse it of the curse, before gladly accepting him into Sovngarde as a true Nord.
- Even if you earn his disgust and hatred by declaring yourself Nightingale or Listener, he'll still give you a chance to prove yourself in combat. After all, what matters to him isn't that you were a good person in life, but a valorous warrior in death.
Threshold Guardian: He guards the bridge to Shor's Hall, testing warrior spirits for their worthiness to enter.
Walking Shirtless Scene: He doesn't wear anything on his upper body.
Warrior Heaven: He resides in Sovngarde where he stands guard over the Whalebone Bridge to Shor's Hall of Valor, testing warrior spirits for their worthiness to enter.
What the Hell Is That Accent?: His accent in Skyrim doesn't directly match up with any real life source. Different listeners hear different accents, with the only agreement seeming to be that it sounds quite archaic.
Worthy Opponent: All those seeking entry to the Hall of Valor must prove their worthiness by besting him in a fight.

Y'ffre

Y'ffre (aka Jephre)

Depiction of Y'ffre from the book "Prayer to Y'ffre"

"Feel the solidity of the ground under your feet, and taste the wind. By his will is our world manifest, and the rocks, and the trees, and the birds in the sky. Y'ffre is with you at every turn, in every moment."

— Bones of the Forest

Y'ffre, the God of the Forest and the Spirit of the Now, is the most important god in the Bosmer religion and also present in the religions of the Altmer, Bretons, and Falmer. He (sometimes she) was one of the strongest pre-creation spirits and was the first to transform into the Ehlnofey, the "Earth Bones", which allowed for the laws of physics, nature, and life on Nirn. Y'ffre is also heavily associated with story telling, which is an integral part of Bosmeri culture.

The Beastmaster: As essentially the god of nature. This is a trait he passed on to his Bosmeri followers.
Gaia's Vengeance: Among the Bosmer, failure to adhere to the Green Pact is said to result in being "consigned back into the Ooze".
Nature Spirit: Essentially brought nature (referred to as "the Green") into existence in the early world.
Otherworldly and Sexually Ambiguous: Different stories refer to Y'ffre as variously male or female. Like the other et'Ada, Y'ffre is a technically genderless spirit.
Precursors: As one of the Ehlnofey (and in some tellings, the very first Ehlnofey), who are the ancestors to all of the mortal races on Nirn (save for possibly the Argonians).
Red Baron: The God of Song and Forest. The Spirit of the Now.
Veganopia: Inverted. Bound the Bosmer to the "Green Pact", which prevents them from harming plants and eating living plant matter in their homeland of Valenwood, which leaves them on a heavily carnivorous diet. The Green Pact is more relaxed for Bosmer outside of Valenwood, and even inside the forest the Bosmer can get away with following the exact wording of the rules. For example, fallen deadwood and fruit that falls off trees doesn't count as harming plants, and mushrooms aren't plants.
Wise Tree: Some depictions of Y'ffre have him taking the form of a large, bearded tree.

Characters / The Elder Scrolls: Other Deities

Other Deities

Alduin the World-Eater

The All-Maker

Baan Dar (aka the Bandit God, the Man of a Thousand Faces, the Pariah)

Ebonarm (aka Reymon Ebonarm, The Black Knight)

The HoonDing

The Ideal Masters

Magnus (aka Magrus)

The Magna-Ge

Numidium (a.k.a. Anumidum, Walk-Brass, The Brass God, Brass Tower)

Ruptga

Sai

Sithis

Trinimac

Tsun

Y'ffre (aka Jephre)

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Characters / The Elder Scrolls: Other Deities

Edit Locked

Other Deities

Alduin the World-Eater

The All-Maker

Baan Dar (aka the Bandit God, the Man of a Thousand Faces, the Pariah)

Ebonarm (aka Reymon Ebonarm, The Black Knight)

The HoonDing

The Ideal Masters

Magnus (aka Magrus)

The Magna-Ge

Numidium (a.k.a. Anumidum, Walk-Brass, The Brass God, Brass Tower)

Ruptga

Sai

Sithis

Trinimac

Tsun

Y'ffre (aka Jephre)

Previous

Index

Next