Mantling

Mantling is a process whereby an individual can achieve apotheosis. It is frequently considered one of the Six Walking Ways, the Fourth, and is sometimes called the Steps of the Dead.36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 32
The process of mantling appears to involve taking up of a role, which then grants the person the power and, to an extent, the identity, associated with that role. It can be used to reshape the nature of gods,Michael Kirkbride Forum Archives and in the examples that we have of the process all involve the manipulation of a deity in some form.
==Sheogorath==
===Haskill===
Haskill mentions that he mantled Sheogorath during a Greymarch that happened a long time ago, perhaps even in a previous Kalpa. He now is a vestige, his memories having become 'fragmentary,' and he claims to be 'hazy' about how mantling works as well as the exact chain of events that connect him, Sheogorath, and Jyggalag.Loremaster's Archive: An Interview with Haskill
===Champion of Cyrodiil===
During the Greymarch at the end of the Third Era, the Champion of Cyrodiil undertook a variety of tasks to defeat Jyggalag,The Elder Scrolls IV: The Shivering Isles as Sheogorath planned for the Hero to take his place.Dialogue with Sheogorath during "The Cold Flame of Agnon" At the end of this process, Jyggalag addresses the Champion as Sheogorath,Dialogue with Jyggalag as do the Golden Saints, Dark Seducers and Haskill.
===Arden-Sul===
The prophet Arden-Sul is seen by some as the true god of the Shivering Isles, who think Sheogorath is just a man whose meddling with the Daedra drove him mad.Heretical Thoughts Arden-Sul's supposed actions show resemblance to things that happened to Lorkhan, from which Sheogorath is said to originate.Varieties of Faith in the Empire According to the Demented he cut his own heart out to find himself his own traitor,The Prophet Arden-Sul mirroring the events of Convention and the duality of Akatosh and Lorkhan in a single person,The Monomyth which can be found as well in Jyggalag and Sheogorath. This or his heart bursting because of Greenmote, a legend of Mania, has to be done to the duke or duchess by the Champion of Cyrodiil during the Shivering Isles Main Quest of before they finish mantling Sheogorath.
==Wilderking==
===Ostion===
===Aranias===
==Akatosh==
===Vestige===
Amulet of Kings
===Martin Septim===
Martin Septim destroyed the Amulet of Kings and transformed into the avatar of Akatosh in a battle with Mehrunes Dagon over the fate of Tamriel.
The avatar won over Mehrunes Dagon, immediately ending the Oblivion Crisis, and turned to stone.Light the Dragonfires quest Though Martin is thought to have died, it is believed that he mantled Akatosh when he transformed into him. The Nords believe that it was Talos (Martin’s forefather) lending his aid, not Akatosh.The Nords' Totemic Religion
==Possible examples==
===Celestials===
They Celestials are divine beings of Aetherius who are theorized to have once been mortals given so much power that they mantled the constellations through the use of Aetherium. Given how powerful they are, it is difficult to tell if they are powerful mortals or gods.Dialogue with Mederic Vyger This theory is supported by the Celestials calling one another by mortal names, including Hara for the Thief, Malazar for the Serpent, Valla for the Mage, and possibly Warwyrd for the Warrior.
===The Tribunal===
One of Vivec's writings may imply that the Tribunal have mantled the Anticipations, in claiming that "Six are the guardians of Veloth, three before and they are born again," Vivec is implying that the Tribunal took on the roles of Azura, Boethiah and Mephala by mantling.36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 6 The Tribunal Temple implies that this may be their orthodox claim to divinity, stating that the Tribunal became "high ancestor spirits" where the Daedra are "ancestor spirits," with the strong implication that the Tribunal and the Daedra became one and the same kind of being, at least in respect to Dunmer theology.The Anticipations
The Trial of Vivec further implies that the Tribunal stole worship from the Anticipations, and Vivec states, "from [the Anticipations'] basis did we spring, called to heaven by violence, our people throwing our mantles to us across stars, and across time, and magic and dream, and here we remain."The Trial at Hogithium Hall However, the same source states that this was not the Tribunal's primary path to godhood.
==Notes==
*Most of the examples we have seem to indicate that the process is only possible when the entity being mantled is in some way absent from the world. However, the example of the Tribunal could either disprove this, or suggest that mantling has a wider application than generally thought (see note below).
*Nu-Hatta of the Sphinxmoth Enquiry Tree could potentially imply that mantling is not just the fourth Walking Way, but that there are different ways to mantle, and that Talos used the fourth way to do so. The notion of being given a mantle by others, as suggested in the case of the Tribunal, could also support this idea.
==Trivia==
*The etymology of the term is derived from the Old Testament, where Elisha both has Elijah's mantle (cloak) cast upon him, and when he takes it and his role as prophet up after Elijah ascends to Heaven (see External Links).
==References==
==External Links==
*1 Kings 19:19-21
*2 Kings 2:13-14
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Category:Lore: Concepts