The Monomyth Content . Simply put , the schism in the Men / Aldmer i worldview is the mortal ' s relationship to the divine . Men take the humble path that they were created by the immortal forces , while the Aldmer claim descent from them . It doesn ' t seem like much , but it is a distinction that colors the rest of their diverging mythologies . All Tamriel ic 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 , Aniel - Sithis , Ak - El , Satak - Akel , Is - Is Not . Anuiel is the Everlasting Ineffable Light , Sithis is the Corrupting Inexpressible Action . In the middle is the Gray Maybe ( ' Nirn ' in the Ehlnofex ) . In most cultures , Anuiel is honored for his part of the interplay that creates the world , but Sithis is held in highest esteem because he ' s the one that causes the reaction . Sithis is thus the Original Creator , an entity who intrinsically causes change without design . Even the hist acknowledge this being . Anuiel is also perceived of as Order , opposed to the Sithis - Chaos . Perhaps it is easier for mortals to envision change than perfect stasis , for often Anuiel is relegated to the mythic background of Sithis ' fancies . In Yokuda n folk - tales , which are among the most vivid in the world , Satak is only referred to a handful of times , as " the Hum " ; he is a force so prevalent as to be not really there at all . In any case , from these two beings spring the et ' Ada , or Original Spirits . To humans these et ' Ada are the Gods and Demons ; to the Aldmer , the Aedra / Daedra , or the ' Ancestors ' . All of the Tamriel ic pantheons fill their rosters from these et ' Ada , though divine membership often differs from culture to culture . Like Anu and Padomay , though , every one of these pantheons contains the archetypes of the Dragon God and the Missing God . The Dragon God and the Missing God The Dragon God is always related to Time , and is universally revered as the " First God . " He is often called Akatosh , " whose perch from Eternity allowed the day . " He is the central God of the Cyrodilic Empire . The Missing God is always related to the Mortal Plane , and is a key figure in the Human / Aldmeri schism . The ' missing ' refers to either his palpable absence from the pantheon ( another mental distress that is interpreted a variety of ways ) , or the removal of his ' divine spark ' by the other immortals . He is often called Lorkhan , and his epitaphs are many , equally damnable and devout . Note that Tamriel and the Mortal Plane do not exist yet . The Gray Maybe is still the playground of the Original Spirits . Some are more bound to Anu ' s light , others to the unknowable void . Their constant flux and interplay increase their number , and their personalities take long to congeal . When Akatosh forms , Time begins , and it becomes easier for some spirits to realize themselves as beings with a past and a future . The strongest of the recognizable spirits crystallize : Mephala , Arkay , Y ' ffre , Magnus , Rupgta , etc . , etc . Others remain as concepts , ideas , or emotions . One of the strongest of these , a barely formed urge that the others call Lorkhan , details a plan to create Mundus , the Mortal Plane . Humans , with the exception of the Redguard s , see this act as a divine mercy , an enlightenment whereby lesser creatures can reach immortality . Aldmer , with the exception of the Dark Elves , see this act as a cruel deception , a trick that sundered their connection to the spirit plane . The Myth of Aurbis Subtitled " The Psijiic Compensation , " " Mythic Aurbis " was an attempt by Artaeum apologists to explain the basics of Aldmer i religion to Uriel V in the early , glorious part of his reign . It quietly avoided any blame or bias against the Lorkhan - concept , which was still held in esteem by the Cyrodiils as " Shezarr " , the missing sibling of the Divines . Despite this , the Psijiici still give a nice summary of the Elder view , and it will serve our purposes here . This version comes from the archives of the Imperial Seminary from the handwritten notes of an unknown scribe . Mythic Aurbis exists , and has existed from time without measure , as a fanciful Unnatural Realm . ' Aurbis ' is used to connote the imperceptible Penumbra , the Gray Center between the IS / IS NOT of Anu and Padomay . It contains the multitude realms of Aetherius and Oblivion , as well as other , less structured forms . The magical beings of Mythic Aurbis live for a long time and have complex narrative lives , creating the patterns of myth . These are spirits made from bits of the immortal polarity . The first of these was Akatosh the Time Dragon , whose formation made it easier for other spirits to structure themselves . Gods and demons form and reform and procreate . Finally , the magical beings of Mythic Aurbis told the ultimate story — that of their own death . For some this was an artistic transfiguration into the concrete , non - magical substance of the world . For others , this was a war in which all were slain , their bodies becoming the substance of the world . For yet others , this was a romantic marriage and parenthood , with the parent spirits naturally having to die and give way to the succeeding mortal races . The agent of this communal decision was Lorkhan , whom most early myths vilify as a trickster or deceiver . More sympathetic versions of this story point out Lorkhan as being the reason the mortal plane exists at all . The magical beings created the races of the mortal Aurbis in their own image , either consciously as artists and craftsmen , or as the fecund rotting matter out of which the mortals sprung forth , or in a variety of other analogical senses . The magical beings , then , having died , became the et ' Ada . The et ' Ada are the things perceived and revered by the mortals as gods , spirits , or geniuses of Aurbis . Through their deaths , these magical beings separated themselves in nature from the other magical beings of the Unnatural realms . The Daedra were created at this time also , being spirits and Gods more attuned to Oblivion , or that realm closer to the Void of Padomay . This act is the dawn of the Mythic ( Merethic ) Era . It has been perceived by the earliest mortals many different ways , either as a joyous ' second creation ' , or ( especially by the Elves ) as a painful fracturing from the divine . The originator of the event is always Lorkhan . Lorkhan This Creator - Trickster - Tester deity is in every Tamrielic mythic tradition . His most popular name is the Aldmeri " Lorkhan , " or Doom Drum . He convinced or contrived the Original Spirits to bring about the creation of the Mortal Plane , upsetting the status quo much like his father Padomay had introduced instability into the universe in the Beginning Place . After the world is materialized , Lorkhan is separated from his divine center , sometimes involuntarily , and wanders the creation of the et ' Ada . Interpretations of these events differ widely by culture . Below are some of the better known : Yokuda n , " Satakal the Worldskin " " Satak was First Serpent , the Snake who came Before , and all the worlds to come rested in the glimmer of its scales . But it was so big there was nothing but , and thus it was coiled around and around itself , and the worlds to come slid across each other but none had room to breathe or even be . And so the worlds called to something to save them , to let them out , but of course there was nothing outside the First Serpent , so aid had to come from inside it ; this was Akel , the Hungry Stomach . Akel made itself known , and Satak could only think about what it was , and it was the best hunger , so it ate and ate . Soon there was enough room to live in the worlds and things began . These things were new and they often made mistakes , for there was hardly time to practice being things before . So most things ended quickly or were not good or gave up on themselves . Some things were about to start , but they were eaten up as Satak got to that part of its body . This was a violent time . " Pretty soon Akel caused Satak to bite its own heart and that was the end . The hunger , though , refused to stop , even in death , and so the First Serpent shed its skin to begin anew . As the old world died , Satakal began , and when things realized this pattern so did they realize what their part in it was . They began to take names , like Ruptga or , and they strode about looking for their kin . As Satakal ate itself over and over , the strongest spirits learned to bypass the cycle by moving at strange angles . They called this process the Walkabout , a way of striding between the worldskins . Ruptga was so big that he was able to place the stars in the sky so that weaker spirits might find their way easier . This practice became so easy for the spirits that it became a place , called the Far Shores , a time of waiting until the next skin . " Ruptga was able to sire many children through the cycles and so he became known as the Tall Papa . He continued to place stars to map out the void for others , but after so many cycles there were almost too many spirits to help out . He made himself a helper from the detritus of past skins and this was Sep , or Second Serpent . Sep had much of the Hungry Stomach still left in him , multiple hungers from multiple skins . He was so hungry he could not think straight . Sometimes he would just eat the spirits he was supposed to help , but Tall Papa would always reach in and take them back out . Finally , tired of helping Tall Papa , Sep went and gathered the rest of the old skins and balled them up , tricking spirits to help him , promising them this was how you reached the new world , by making one out of the old . These spirits loved this way of living , as it was easier . No more jumping from place to place . Many spirits joined in , believing this was good thinking . Tall Papa just shook his head . " Pretty soon the spirits on the skin - ball started to die , because they were very far from the real world of Satakal . And they found that it was too far to jump into the Far Shores now . The spirits that were left pleaded with Tall Papa to take them back . But grim Ruptga would not , and he told the spirits that they must learn new ways to follow the stars to the Far Shores now . If they could not , then they must live on through their children , which was not the same as before . Sep , however , needed more punishment , and so Tall Papa squashed the Snake with a big stick . The hunger fell out of Sep ' s dead mouth and was the only thing left of the Second Serpent . While the rest of the new world was allowed to strive back to godhood , Sep could only slink around in a dead skin , or swim about in the sky , a hungry void that jealously tried to eat the stars . " Cyrodiilic " Shezarr ' s Song " " This was a new thing that Shezarr described to the Gods , becoming mothers and fathers , being responsible , and making great sacrifices , with no guarantee of success , but Shezarr spoke beautifully to them , and moved them beyond mystery and tears . Thus the Aedra gave free birth to the world , the beasts , and the beings , making these things from parts of themselves . This free birth was very painful , and afterwards the Aedra were no longer young , and strong , and powerful , as they had been from the beginning of days . " Some Aedra were disappointed and bitter in their loss , and angry with Shezarr , and with all creation , for they felt Shezarr had lied and tricked them . These Aedra , the Gods of the Aldmer , led by Auri - El , were disgusted by their enfeebled selves , and by what they had created . ' Everything is spoiled , for now , and for all time , and the most we can do is teach the Elven Races to suffer nobly , with dignity , and chastise ourselves for our folly , and avenge ourselves upon Shezarr and his allies . ' Thus are the Gods of the Elves dark and brooding , and thus are the Elves ever dissatisfied with mortality , and always proud and stoic despite the harshness of this cruel and indifferent world . " Other Aedra looked upon creation , and were well pleased . These Aedra , the Gods of Men and Beast Folk , led by Akatosh , praised and cherished their wards , the Mortal Races . ' We have suffered , and are diminished , for all time , but the mortal world we have made is glorious , filling our hearts and spirits with hope . Let us teach the Mortal Races to live well , to cherish beauty and honor , and to love one another as we love them . ' Thus are the Gods of Men tender and patient , and thus are Men and Beast Folk great in heart for joy or suffering , and ambitious for greater wisdom and a better world . " Now when the Daedra Lords heard Shezarr , they mocked him , and the other Aedra . ' Cut parts of ourselves off ? And lose them ? Forever ? That ' s stupid ! You ' ll be sorry ! We are far smarter than you , for we will create a new world out of ourselves , but we will not cut it off , or let it mock us , but we will make this world within ourselves , forever ours , and under our complete control . ' " So the Daedra Lords created the Daedric Realms , and all the ranks of Lesser Daedra , great and small . And , for the most part , the Daedra Lords were well pleased with this arrangement , for they always had worshippers and servants and playthings close to hand . But , at the same time , they sometimes looked with envy upon the Mortal Realms , for though mortals were foul and feeble and contemptible , their passions and ambitions were also far more surprising and entertaining than the antics of the Lesser Daedra . Thus do the Daedra Lords court and seduce certain amusing specimens of the Mortal Races , especially the passionate and powerful . It gives the Daedra Lords special pleasure to steal away from Shezarr and the Aedra the greatest and most ambitious mortals . ' Not only are you fools to mutilate yourselves , ' gloat the Daedra Lords , ' But you cannot even keep the best pieces , which prefer the glory and power of the Daedra Lords to the feeble vulgarity of the mush - minded Aedra . ' " Altmer i " The Heart of the World " " Anu encompassed , and encompasses , all things . So that he might know himself he created Anuiel , his soul and the soul of all things . Anuiel , as all souls , was given to self - reflection , and for this he needed to differentiate between his forms , attributes , and intellects . Thus was born Sithis , who was the sum of all the limitations Anuiel would utilize to ponder himself . Anuiel , who was the soul of all things , therefore became many things , and this interplay was and is the Aurbis . " At first the Aurbis was turbulent and confusing , as Anuiel ' s ruminations went on without design . Aspects of the Aurbis then asked for a schedule to follow or procedures whereby they might enjoy themselves a little longer outside of perfect knowledge . So that he might know himself this way , too , Anu created Auriel , the soul of his soul . Auriel bled through the Aurbis as a new force , called time . With time , various aspects of the Aurbis began to understand their natures and limitations . They took names , like Magnus or Mara or Xen . One of these , Lorkhan , was more of a limit than a nature , so he could never last long anywhere . " As he entered every aspect of Anuiel , Lorkhan would plant an idea that was almost wholly based on limitation . He outlined a plan to create a soul for the Aurbis , a place where the aspects of aspects might even be allowed to self - reflect . He gained many followers ; even Auriel , when told he would become the king of the new world , agreed to help Lorkhan . So they created the Mundus , where their own aspects might live , and became the et ' Ada . " But this was a trick . As Lorkhan knew , this world contained more limitations than not and was therefore hardly a thing of Anu at all . Mundus was the House of Sithis . As their aspects began to die off , many of the et ' Ada vanished completely . Some escaped , like Magnus , and that is why there are no limitations to magic . Others , like Y ' ffre , transformed themselves into the Ehlnofey , the Earthbones , so that the whole world might not die . Some had to marry and make children just to last . Each generation was weaker than the last , and soon there were Aldmer . Darkness caved in . Lorkhan made armies out of the weakest souls and named them Men , and they brought Sithis into every quarter . " Auriel pleaded with Anu to take them back , but he had already filled their places with something else . But his soul was gentler and granted Auriel his Bow and Shield , so that he might save the Aldmer from the hordes of Men . Some had already fallen , like the Chimer , who listened to tainted et ' Ada , and others , like the Bosmer , had soiled Time ' s line by taking Mannish wives . " Auriel could not save Altmora , the Elder Wood , and it was lost to Men . They were chased south and east to Old Ehlnofey , and Lorkhan was close behind . He shattered that land into many . Finally Trinimac , Auriel ' s greatest knight , knocked Lorkhan down in front of his army and reached in with more than hands to take his Heart . He was undone . The Men dragged Lorkhan ' s body away and swore blood vengeance on the heirs of Auriel for all time . " But when Trinimac and Auriel tried to destroy the Heart of Lorkhan it laughed at them . It said , " This Heart is the heart of the world , for one was made to satisfy the other . " So Auriel fastened the thing to an arrow and let it fly long into the sea , where no aspect of the new world may ever find it . " Trivia . The term " " is a reference to one of the notable contributions of mythologist Joseph Campbell to his field of study , elaborated upon in his seminal work , " The Hero With A Thousand Faces " .