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Nordic Pantheons

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The Old Ye Bard
Princess

Registration Date: 25.05.2006
Posts: 3,396

Nordic Pantheons

Skaal Pantheon

Thartaag the World-Devourer
Also known as the Adversary or "The Greedy Man". The Greedy Man is a devil-figure to the Skaal tribes in Solstheim. He is the antithesis of The All-Maker. Unlike the All-Maker, he is given a specific name, and a gender. It is said that the Adversary has taken many forms over the years. Perhaps he was once a man, before the Adversary entered into him, but he is credited for bringing ruin onto the Skaal, by stealing the gifts of The All-Maker.

The All-Maker
The Skaal tribes in Solstheim are somewhat unusual in Tamriel as they seem to be the only monotheistic people in the known world. They attribute the existence of all things to a being simply known as The All-Maker. Very little is known about the nature of this deity. No other name is given. No physical appearance is ever depicted. No gender is even specified. The All-Maker is simply that which created all things, and occasionally leads heroes on quests.

Nordic Pantheon

Alduin, Nordic World Eater
Alduin is the Nordic variation of Akatosh, and only superficially resembles his counterpart in the Eight Divines. For example, Alduin's sobriquet, 'the world eater', comes from myths that depict him as the horrible, ravaging firestorm that destroyed the last world to begin this one. Nords therefore see the god of time as both creator and harbinger of the apocalypse. He is not the chief of the Nordic pantheon (in fact, that pantheon has no chief; see Shor, below) but its wellspring, albeit a grim and frightening one.

Dibella
Popular god of the Eight Divines. In Cyrodiil, she has nearly a dozen different cults, some devoted to women, some to artists and aesthetics, and others to erotic instruction.

Orkey, Old Knocker
A loan-god of the Nords, who seem to have taken up his worship during Aldmeri rule of Atmora. Nords believe they once lived as long as Elves until Orkey appeared; through heathen trickery, he fooled them into a bargain that 'bound them to the count of winters'. At one time, legends say, Nords only had a lifespan of six years due to Orkey's foul magic. Shor showed up, though, and, through unknown means, removed the curse, throwing most of it onto the nearby Orcs.

Tsun
Extinct Nordic god of trials against adversity. Died defending Shor from foreign gods

Mara
Nearly universal goddess. Origins started in mythic times as a fertility goddess. In Skyrim, Mara is a handmaiden of Kyne. In the Empire, she is Mother-Goddess. She is sometimes associated with Nir of the 'Anuad', the female principle of the cosmos that gave birth to creation.

Stuhn
Nordic precursor to Stendarr, brother of Tsun. Shield-thane of Shor, Stuhn was a warrior god that fought against the Aldmeri pantheon. He showed Men how to take, and the benefits of taking, prisoners of war.

Kyne
Nordic Goddess of the Storm. Widow of Shor and favored god of warriors. She is often called the Mother of Men. Her daughters taught the first Nords the use of the thu'um, or Storm Voice.

Jhunal
The Nordic god of hermetic orders. After falling out of favor with the rest of that pantheon, he became Julianos of the Eight Divines. He is absent in modern Skyrim mythology.

Shor
Nordic version of Lorkhan, who takes sides with Men after the creation of the world. Foreign gods (i.e., Elven ones) conspire against him and bring about his defeat, dooming him to the underworld. Atmoran myths depict him as a bloodthirsty warrior king who leads the Nords to victory over their Aldmeri oppressors time and again. Before his doom, Shor was the chief of the gods. Sometimes also called Children's God (see Orkey, above).

Ysmir, Dragon of the North
The Nordic aspect of Talos. He withstood the power of the Greybeards' voices long enough to hear their prophecy. Later, many Nords could not look on him without seeing a dragon.

Herma-Mora, The Woodland Man
Ancient Atmoran demon who, at one time, nearly seduced the Nords into becoming Aldmer. Most Ysgramor myths are about escaping the wiles of old Herma-Mora. Also called the Demon of Knowledge, he is vaguely related to the cult origins of the Morag Tong ('Foresters Guild'), if only by association with his brother/sister, Mephala.

Mauloch, Mountain Fart
Orcish god of the Velothi Mountains, Mauloch troubled the heirs of King Harald for a long time. Fled east after his defeat at the Battle of Dragon Wall, ca. 1E660. His rage was said to fill the sky with his sulphurous hatred, later called the "Year of Winter in Summer".

11.10.2006 08:14

Arbiter
Archduke

Registration Date: 24.10.2005
Posts: 1,918
Location: Croatia the Nether-Bringer

All good, but "Shor" somehow sounds odd.... like a spin-off of Thor.

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11.10.2006 10:47

unholyalliance
First Knight

Registration Date: 21.07.2006
Posts: 178
Location: Kolding, Denmark

http://til.gamingsource.net/__gods/skyrim.shtml

TOYB hasn't made these up arbite, just take a quick look at the link Good job!

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11.10.2006 16:04

Alasdair
Jarl of Skyrim

Registration Date: 29.08.2006
Posts: 1,169
Location: Somerset, England

quote:

Shor Worshippers

The worship of Shor seems to be as old as mortality itself, and understandably so. Men in particular feel a connection to the god who made them, and have faithfully served him in their religious traditions for their entire existence. One modern example is the Skaal of Solstheim, a particularly pious group of Shor worshippers who indeed speak of their "All-Maker" quite lovingly. While the Temple of the One has always been a more formal establishment and is indeed watered down by the Alessian Reforms, overall it must be said that the worship of Lorkhan as a sort of Father is a very passionate affair.

Personally, I don't think this has any basis in lore but it's interesting none the less.

Taken from http://til.gamingsource.net/fsg/polycarparticle1.shtml

11.10.2006 16:48

Psychotic
Jarl of Skyrim

Registration Date: 30.07.2006
Posts: 3,420
Location: Sheogorath's Realm

It's nice to finally have an overview of the Nordic Pantheon(s). And that's a nice find Alasdair. Good job!

I just can't get over that "Mauloch - The Mountain Fart" thing.

I know why he's called that, but it sounds ridiculous. Tongue

11.10.2006 21:37

Karzan
First Knight

Registration Date: 29.12.2006
Posts: 124

I think a quest having to do with Shor would be pretty fun... Playing off of his closeness to the name Thor... The quest for the hammer of SHOR! Could be a pretty big quest...

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29.12.2006 17:25