Aedra The Aedra ( singular : Aedroth ) are one of the two groups of immortals which took part in the creation of Mundus . Their name is from the old Aldmer ic tongue , and translates roughly into " our ancestors , " referring to their role as the progenitors of mer and men . To the majority of cultures on Tamriel , the Aedra are revered as gods . As Oblivion is the night sky on Tamriel , so the Aedra are considered by some to be the planets . The largest eight planets are considered by Imperial society to be the Divines , while the stars are the Magna Ge . Origins . The origins of the Aedra are the subject of many , often conflicting , creation myths . This account will endeavour to create a single narrative while highlighting where such variances occur . The et ' ada were formed either through the interactions of two primal beings , Anu and Padomay , or their conflict . These were distinct types of being either from their creation , or at the moment of the creation of Mundus . The Aedra were those spirits who were persuaded or tricked by Lorkhan into sacrificing part of themselves to create the world . They are distinct from the Daedra , who created worlds within themselves , and from the Magna Ge , Magnus and his followers , who withdrew from the creation of the world before it was complete . The flight of these Aedra created the sun and the stars . After the creation of Mundus , some Aedra returned to Aetherius , while others were unable to do so either died , became the Earthbones , laws of nature , or bred with each other to sustain themselves . In this way the Aedra became the antecedents of all races on Nirn . However , alternative accounts exist which claim that the progenitors of mortal races are not descended from the Aedra , but instead come from another world or worlds altogether . Nature . In a similar way to Daedra , the Aedra have certain spheres . The precise names of the Aedra that oversee each sphere may vary depending on the cultural pantheon in question , although there are several commonalities between various cultures ' pantheons . However , the only constants are the dragon god of time , most commonly called Akatosh , and the missing god , most commonly called Lorkhan . There are accounts claiming that there were two groups of Aedra on Mundus , following the creation of Mundus . Some , led by Auriel , fought against Lorkhan and his followers , eventually becoming the Old Ehlnofey and from them the Aldmer . Others joined with Lorkhan , and became men . Unlike the Daedra , the Aedra are bound to Mundus , and can possibly be killed , as may have happened to Lorkhan after the meeting at the Adamantine Tower . However , another account suggests that Lorkhan was not killed , but instead condemned to exile and his heart torn out . Aedra Worship . The pantheon of gods worshiped by the various races is derived almost exclusively from the Aedra . ( A notable exception are the Dunmer , who generally reject the gods of both men and other mer , and worship either Daedra or the Tribunal . ) Each race has chosen to deify a different set of Aedra , often with their own beliefs on creation . Mannish Worship . Since the Alessian Empire , the Divines has been the most prominent set of Aedra worshiped by men and mer . The pantheon was created by Alessia upon creation of the empire , as a means to unify the allies who helped her win Cyrodiil and the merish cultural practices of the slaves she liberated . At the time , there were Eight Divines , but at the end of the Second Era , the Emperor Tiber Septim transcended mortality to become Talos , the Ninth Divine . The majority of the original Eight Divines can be described as Aedra , as for the most part they were present Most of the gods in this pantheon are shared between the Imperial s and Nord s , since Alessia chose to adopt most of her Nordic allies ' gods after overthrowing the Ayleid slavers . Many of these gods are worshipped by the Breton s and Bosmer as well . Merish Worship . Merish religion is more focused towards their ancestors than mannish pantheons , evidenced by the very use of the term Aedra to describe them . These Aldmeri ancestor - heroes include Trinimac , Syrabane , Phynaster and Auri - El , the head of the pantheon . The Altmer ' s pantheon includes a number of Aedra that are no longer considered " part of " Nirn . This includes Magnus , whose withdrawal from Nirn created magic , and Jode and Jone , whose death created the twin moons . The Altmer also worship those Aedra who withdrew from creation in time to maintain their divinity , and who cursed Lorkhan as a trickster . Chief among these is Trinimac , though both Altmer and Chimer legend state that Trinimac was transformed into the Daedra Malacath . The Khajiit religion is similar to that of the Altmer , though many of the names are different . Various Daedra , particularly Azura , play a key role in the Khajiiti creation story , and thus are worshipped as gods . The Khajiiti also revere the moons above all other deities , in forms similar to that of the ancient Aldmer .