Lore:Malacath

thumb|right|An emblem representing Malacaththumb|right|Malacath
:God of curses, hear my prayer! Lord of the betrayed, give me strength! Keeper of the grudge, harden my heart! Holder of the broken promises, ignite my anguish! Master of the sworn oath, grant me the ferocity to overcome my enemies! Malacath, the God of Curses,   Daedric Prince of the Bloody Oath,  Lord of Ash and Bone,  Lord of Monsters,  Oathbreaker,  Creator of Curses,   He Who Speaks Sideways,  the Furious One, the Keeper of the Bloody Curse, and the Defender of the Betrayed,  also known as Mauloch  (or Malauch)  to the Orcs,  Orkey in Nordic tradition,  Orkha to the Khajiit,  Malooc to the Redguards,   Malak to the Dunmer,  and Muluk the Blue God of the Goblins,     is a Daedric Prince whose sphere is "the patronage of the spurned and ostracized, the keeper of the Sworn Oath, and the Bloody Curse",  as well as conflict, battle, broken promises, and anguish.  Malacath has been described as a "weak but vengeful" Daedra by some,  and he fittingly (given his sphere) is allegedly not recognized as a Daedra Lord by his peers;  however, Azura considers him among the most powerful princes,  as he was one of the eight to sign the Coldharbour Compact.  The Prince rules over a realm of Oblivion known as the Ashpit,  and he counts the oversized but dull-witted Ogrim as his servants. 

Malacath was created when Boethiah ate the Altmeri ancestor spirit, Trinimac,     although Malacath himself says that this tale is far too "literal minded".  Additionally, Trinimac's most devout Elven followers were transformed into the Orsimer ("Pariah Folk" in Aldmeris), or Orcs.   However, some Orcs cling to the belief that Trinimac still exists and Malacath is a separate entity.  Goblinkind worships the "Blue God", whom they venerate with sacred idols of Malacath, painted blue. 

Malacath is considered the first of the Four Corners of the House of Troubles in Morrowind,   though other sources say he is an ally of Mephala, and an enemy of Ebonarm.  His summoning day is the 8  of Frost Fall.  Troll fat is a consistent element in rituals intended to summon Malacath.      
 

Mythology
The Terrible Transformation of Trinimac
According to legend, Malacath was once Trinimac, the most powerful of the Aedra, the Altmeri ancestor spirits.  During the Merethic Era, Boethiah began appearing in visions to the prophet Veloth, instructing him to create a new sect, who would eventually become the Chimer. This was blasphemous to the priests of Trinimac, who threatened to exile the dissidents. 

It is unclear exactly what transpired next.  In one Orcish telling, Trinimac confronted Boethiah for creating the dissident movement and challenged her to a battle. During the fight, Trinimac was about to strike down Boethiah when Mephala appeared; the Webspinner stabbed Trinimac in the back. As Trinimac kneeled helpless, Boethiah invoked a ritual to scar and twist Trinimac's appearance, then banished the Aedra to a place of ash. In a rage, Trinimac cut open his chest and "[tore] the shame from his spirit", being reborn as Mauloch. 

However, the far more popular version of the tale says that Boethiah ate Trinimac.    One version in particular says Boethiah appeared as a beautiful lass, and asked Trinimac for a kiss. When he obliged, Boethiah swallowed him whole.  As the priests prepared to pass judgment on the Velothi dissidents, Boethiah appeared before them in Trinimac's form.  "Trinimac" burped, farted, and spoke foolishly.  And when the crowd grew large enough, Boethiah told them what had been whispered to Veloth and demonstrated the "lies" of Trinimac's teachings, all in Trinimac's voice.   When the priests were sufficiently shamed and broken, Boethiah "squeezed out a great pile of dung" before the crowd, all that remained of the once proud knight, as proof that this was the truth.    Some accounts state the followers of both Boethiah and Trinimac are said to have rubbed the dung upon themselves and "changed their skins";  others claim that the dung pile "slunk away in shame". 

These tales say that after being swallowed by Boethiah, Trinimac was tortured within her bowels, twisting and transforming him.   After being released, Boethiah banished Trinimac to what would become his realm of Oblivion, the Ashpit. There, Trinimac faded away and Malacath, an enraged being bent on revenge, was born.  And with Trinimac's transformation, so changed his devoted followers; thus were born the Orsimer, the "Pariah Folk", who follow Malacath to this day.   

Accords of Madness
Many accounts paint Malacath as a Prince who is very protective of his followers, and who becomes vindictive when they are wronged. Among the tales of the Madgod Sheogorath found in the Sixteen Accords of Madness is a story about Malacath and his demiprince son, Emmeg Gro-Kayra. Sometime before the founding of Orsinium, Sheogorath (in disguise) had given Emmeg, a renowned Orcish warrior, the Neb-Crescen. When drawn, the sword set off a bloodlust within Emmeg, and he murdered a young Orc girl in his frenzied haze and ran away. Sheogorath then summoned Malacath to where the slaughtered Orc girl was and instigated his vengeance. Sheogorath persuaded Malacath to avenge the Orc girl's death using the weapon of Sheogorath's choice and banish the murderer to his plane of the Shivering Isles. Malacath manifested in the direction the killer was fleeing, and drew the blade, which further fueled his rage. The prince quickly crossed the distance, and cleanly lobbed Emmeg's head off his body, and what followed was a sudden silence. Seeing the severed head, Malacath realized what he had done; he had damned his biological son to the realm of the Mad God. To further exacerbate the pain, Sheogorath came to the scene of the infanticide to claim the still sentient head of Emmeg and the Neb-Cresen. Malacath stayed behind and mourned as he heard the pleas of his son being carried off into the distance. 
 

Worship
Orcs
thumb|left|A bust of Malacath in Wrothgar
While the Orsimer believe many gods exist, they only venerate one.  Malacath, whom they also call Mauloch, the Orc-Father  the Great Chief, the First Orc,  the Daedric Lord of the Orcs, the keeper and Lord of the Sworn Oath and the Bloody Curse,    and '''Ashpit's Lord'''.  Curiously, "Mauloch" is seen by some as an Aedra like Trinimac, whereas "Malacath" is a Daedra.   While some consider the Aedric Mauloch to be a different being altogether, others believe that Mauloch and Malacath are one and the same, a Pariah God who has been rejected by both the Aedra and Daedra.  Orcs that live in the strongholds choose to live by the Code of Mauloch (or Malacath), a set of unwritten rules which instructs them on how to deal with matters like honor and vengeance, but also covers daily life.  

However, there are some Orcs who continue to venerate Trinimac. Some Trinimac cultists believe the Aedra fooled Boethiah, and was not actually transformed by his ordeal, and instead absorbed a portion of Boethiah's power and gave it to his followers, thus making the Orsimer "improved Elves."  Others instead believe that Malacath is an agent of Boethiah who has somehow imprisoned Trinimac.  The latter cultists believe that Malacath and Trinimac are actually wholly separate entities, and that Malacath lies to keep them as pariahs under his thumb.  Trinimac worship was known to be prevalent in the Second Era when it was adopted by King Kurog of Orsinium,   and was also advocated by King Gortwog gro-Nagorm of Nova Orsinium following the Warp in the West in the late Third Era. Gortwog's policies on Malacath and Trinimac worship angered Orcs both within and outside of his territory, and some worried about the consequences of abandoning Malacath.  While Gortwog's city would soon fall in the early Fourth Era, the belief in Trinimac's imprisonment would endure, though now considered extremely heretical by most Orcs.  

The Code of Mauloch
thumb|right|A carving of Malacath at his shrine in Old Orsinium
The Code of Mauloch contains many simple precepts, which are mostly tacit  and include prohibitions on theft, murder, and assault, though ample exceptions are made to these rules.  More explicitly, the Code encourages respect for forging and blacksmithing, requiring vengeance for insulted honor, and recognizing that death in combat is pleasing to Mauloch.  Orcs believe if something is not worth fighting for, it is beneath the Code. 

The Code sets rules for how to select a stronghold's chief through challenge and combat, and the "traditional roles" of the chief and his wives.  The Chief is normally the strongest male, and it is he who makes decisions for the clan and decides when the Code of Mauloch has been satisfied. Nearly all the women of the stronghold are the Chief's wives or daughters; the exception being the stronghold's wise woman, who handles healing and spiritual matters. Disputes are settled through short, violent fights. Orcs who displease the Chief are normally banished from the stronghold, being forced to live amongst the other races.  

Orc strongholds have no jails.  If someone commits a crime, the penalty is the "Blood Price", to be paid to the victim or their surviving relatives.  This involves payment in goods as restitution, or bleeding "enough" to satisfy the victim that punishment has been met. 

Nords
The traditional Nordic belief system contains two deities that are seen as being connected to Malacath. The first is Mauloch, who is known by the Nords as the God of Orcs and the "Mountain Fart". He is clearly identified with Malacath, and tests the Nords through warfare. He is considered a testing god. 

The other is Orkey, also called Old Knocker, who is the god of mortality.   Orkey is a primal Atmoran death god,  a "loan-god" whose worship stems from the days when the Aldmeri ruled Atmora.  He is said to be a fusion of aspects of Mauloch and Arkay,  though others suggest that Arkay is a fusion of Orkey and the Aldmeri god Xarxes.  Whatever the case, Orkey is also the Nordic god of the dead.  His priests oversee the Halls of the Dead of Skyrim, and ensure that the remains of the departed are properly consecrated and cared for.  The earliest Atmoran beliefs involved the worship of totemic animals, which evolved into the Nordic pantheon.  Orkey's animal totem is the snake. 

Numerous Nordic myths involve the Old Knocker; it is said he has attempted to "ruin" the Nords since the days of Atmora,  and his battles with Ysmir Wulfharth are "legendary".  The Nords believe that Orkey "stole their years away".  It is said that the ancient Atmorans were once as long-lived as Elves, until Orkey, through "heathen trickery", fooled the Atmorans into a bargain that "bound them to the count of winters." 

Another tale says that during the reign of King Wulfharth, Orkey summoned the ghost of Alduin, and the Nords were "eaten down to six years old" (some interpretations say their lifespans were simply reduced to six years).   Wulfharth asked for Shor's help, and his ghost fought Alduin's ghost on the spirit plane.  Shor defeated the Time-Eater, then removed the curse from the Nords and "[threw] most of it onto the nearby Orcs", Orkey's folk, and they were "ruined".  

Nords keep small statues of testing gods in their households and try to keep them appeased. 

Dunmer
thumb|right|A shrine to Malacath in Morrowind
In Morrowind, Malacath is occasionally called Malak, the God-king of the Orcs.   With the advent of the Tribunal around  , four Daedric Princes (Malacath, Molag Bal, Mehrunes Dagon, and Sheogorath) refused to swear loyalty and their worshippers were banished. These "Rebel Daedra" became the Four Corners of the House of Troubles.   In this capacity, Malacath is said to test the Dunmer for physical weakness.  Malacath has a large statue located in the hills of Sheogorad, directly west of   and  . Since Malacath is the first corner of the House of Troubles, the shrine is the first stop on the Pilgrimage of the Four Corners. Diviners of the Tribunal Temple would donate four   and recite Vivec's poem, the  . 
 

Redguards
Malooc, the Horde King, is an enemy god of the Redguards. Some scholars believe Malooc is merely Malacath in disguise, as they appear "similarly boorish" and share many "graceless aspects".   These beliefs caused tensions within Hammerfell in the Second Era, as some clerics began to question their alliance with the Orcs as part of the Daggerfall Covenant. 

Malooc was first encountered by the Ra Gada in the First Era.  The Warrior Wave reportedly encountered an immense horde of goblins who revered Malooc as their deity.  It is said that Malooc retreated to the east when the army of the HoonDing routed the horde.  Hammerfell celebrates the Festival of Blades on the 26  of First Seed to commemorate this victory. 

Lending some credence to a connection between Malooc and Malacath, goblins in Fourth Era Skyrim have been observed to worship a "Blue God", thought to possibly be an aspect of Malacath.   Totems of this Blue God are simply statues of Malacath painted blue. 

Khajiit
The demon Orkha is known through ancient khajiiti texts that predate the Riddle'thar Epiphany, it is a demon sharing similarities to Malacath. It followed Boethra (the Khajiit interpretation of Boethiah) back through the Many Paths, and spoke in curses of affliction and knew no other words. Lorkhaj, Khenarthi, and Boethra battled the demon, but Orkha could only be banished and would not die. Khajiit understand that Orkha and others of his ilk serve as tests along the Path, and nothing more. 
Reachfolk
 , also known under the name of The Lord of Ash and Bone as one of many Spirits that are part of Reachfolk religion has a following among some of the clans in the Reach. Winterborn Clan of the Western Reach is one of the known clans that venerate Malacath. According to them Malacath's true chosen people is the Reachfolk. They believe that he is responsible for creation of Orcs, Ogres, and Trolls in order provide hardships and test the Reachfolk. 
 

History
First Era
During the First Era, Mauloch was long a thorn in the side of High King Harald's descendants in Skyrim. Mauloch reportedly fled east after being defeated at the Battle of Dragon Wall, believed to have been fought around  . It is said that Mauloch's rage "fill[ed] the sky with his sulphurous hatred". This event later came to be known as the Year of Winter in Summer,  a result of the eruption of Red Mountain in  . 

Second Era
In  , Malacath was summoned by an Orc, Lashgikh, who wanted vengeance for her dead husband, Esmaeel. Malacath then summoned Esmaeel's killer, who was slain by Lashgikh and the Vestige. 

Third Era
thumb|right|A shrine to Malacath in Cyrodiil
Around  , Malacath was summoned by an agent of the Blades. The Prince told of a Daedra Seducer, a "little panikosa" to whom Malacath had given the beauty she always wanted. The Seducer had then betrayed him and fled to a nearby dungeon. Malacath wanted her dead. The agent obliged, and once the deed was done discovered the Seducer's part in a local murder. This evidence was brought before the local ruler, thus solving the case and boosting the agent's fame. Malacath rewarded the hero with Volendrung. 

The Nerevarine also summoned Malacath, in Morrowind in  . Malacath asked the hero to seek revenge on behalf of an Orc adventurer, Kharag gro-Khar, who was denied his rightful fame and glory. After vanquishing a great threat, Kharag's Dunmer partner, Oreyn Bearclaw, took all the credit.  Though both the Kharag and Oreyn were long dead, Malacath's ire was so great that he requested the Nerevarine slay the Dunmer's last remaining descendant, Farvyn Oreyn.  When confronted, Farvyn admitted the whole story was a lie, and attacked. The Nerevarine prevailed, and received the Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw as a reward.  The Nerevarine later sold the Helm to the Museum of Artifacts in Mournhold. 

In  , Malacath commanded the Champion of Cyrodiil to free a group of ogres from enslavement in the mines of a noble on the Gold Coast of Cyrodiil. Once the Prince's "little brothers" were released from their bonds, the Champion was given Volendrung as a reward. 
 

Fourth Era
thumb|right|A slain orc at the base of a forgotten shrine
Around  , a gravely wounded Prince Attrebus Mede and his companion Sul found themselves in the Ashpit while on a quest to stop the floating city of Umbriel. Attrebus's wounds were tended to by an Altmer woman with pale skin, rosy gold hair, and green eyes named Silhansa, who soon revealed herself to be Malacath in disguise. Malacath agreed to help the pair after hearing their story, as Sul's motivation was revenge, which delighted the Prince. 

In  , the Last Dragonborn arrived at the Orc stronghold of Largashbur in Skyrim while it was under attack by giants. According to Atub, the wise woman, the tribe was cursed by Malacath. The Dragonborn helped Atub summon the Prince, who proceeded to berate the Chief, Yamarz, for being so weak that giants would openly attack Largashbur. Malacath demanded Yamarz kill the leader of the giants and return with his warhammer as an offering. 

Yamarz was perturbed by this development, and demanded the Dragonborn "assist" him in getting to the giants' lair. Once there, Yamarz asked the Dragonborn to kill the giant and let him take the credit. It is not clear what happened next, but the Dragonborn killed the giant and Yamarz was slain—either by the giant or at the hands of the Dragonborn. Regardless, the Dragonborn returned to the stronghold with the warhammer, and Malacath appeared once more. The Prince named a new chief and transformed the warhammer into Volendrung, which he gave to the Last Dragonborn as a reward. 

Around the same time, goblins from Cyrodiil began appearing near Riften, not far from Largashbur.  Troublingly, it was rumored they were being led by the Blue God himself.  The Last Dragonborn investigated the matter and found that the "Blue God" was a mere Orc, covered in blue mushroom paste, whom the goblins mistook for their deity.  
 

 
Artifacts
Brutal Bands
right|thumb|A Brutal Band
Brutal Bands, are heavy iron rings. When a Brutal Band is worn, the wearer's hands instinctively curl into fists and the sound of distant drums and crashing steel fills the ears of the wearer, imbuing them with all the bitterness of Orckind and all the strength of Malacath. The Orsinium codex states that the Brutal Bands are from Malacath himself and that they were forged in the Ashpit.

Ritual dust from the Ashpit was given to the most devout followers of Malacath in the Brutal Breed by Malacath himself, these followers would place their Brutal Bands in the dust whilst they slept, believing that it would charge the Band with energy from the Ashpit. Ritual oil was also carried in urns that bore the symbol of the Brutal Breed, with this oil being carried and used on the Brutal Bands by every cultist as a form of prayer and as a request for perseverance in the face of endless adversity. The Brutal Bands of the supplicants have portions of Malacath's true name on them. The upper hoops on the Bands represent the blessing of Scourge.

thumb|right|150px|Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw (Skyrim)
Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw
 
 
thumb|right|150px|The Savior's Hide (Skyrim)
Saviour's Hide
 
 
thumb|right|150px|Scourge (Skyrim)
Scourge
 
 
Vengeful Eye
 
 
thumb|right|150px|Volendrung (Legends)
Volendrung
 
 

The Ashpit
 

See Also
For game-specific information, see the Daggerfall, Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, and ESO articles.
Books







Notes

Sheogorath claims that Malacath is "not popular at parties". 
Gallery
 

References