Lore:Vivec (god)

The UESPWiki – Your source for The Elder Scrolls since 1995

"The Son is myself, Vehk, and I am unto three, six, nine, and the rest that come after, glorious and sympathetic, without borders, utmost in the perfections of this world and the others, sword and symbol, pale like gold." — Vivec, in Sermon Six

Vivec, or Vehk, warrior-poet god of the Dunmer and "vi" in the Almsivi, is the invisible keeper of the holy land, ever vigilant against the dark gods of Red Mountain. He has saved the Dunmeri people from certain death on numerous occasions, most notably when he taught them how to breathe water so that he could flood Morrowind and kill the Akaviri invaders, c. 2E 572.

After the death of Nerevar, the councilors of Nerevar and the Tribunal of Vivec, Almalexia, and Sotha Sil came to power among the Dunmer. They then went against Nerevar's dying wish by using the profane Tools of Kagrenac on the Heart of Lorkhan in order to steal its divine essence for themselves.

They exhibited great heroism with their divinity, and Vivec achieved great popularity among the people. He was one of the more active members of the Tribunal, prolific both in poetry and in the writing of his own versions of history and philosophy. As well as playing a role as a political leader, (to this end he created the Buoyant Armigers, a personal military order who exemplify his best traits) he was and is still considered a final authority on many esoteric and metaphysical concepts, such as the means of attaining divinity- the Walking Ways. Vivec performed several public acts of heroism, including rescuing his divine siblings from Dagoth Ur's ambush. Possessed of a matchless perspective on the course of history, Vivec was able to foresee the meteoric rise of General Talos to heavenly and earthly prominence, leading him to cease resistance and ally himself with Cyrodiil. In addition, while still persecuting the Dissident Priests, he wrote the 36 Lessons, which were in large part a guide for the Nerevarine, whose coming he realized was a necessity for the defeat of Dagoth Ur. In this, he helped engineer, or at least made peace with, the loss of his godhood. Vivec was the last to stand against the Sharmat and maintain the Ghostfence after Sotha Sil withdrew completely into his own clockwork world and Almalexia gave in to despair.

[edit] Vivec's Anticipation, Mephala

""You want to chide me... why did I murder Nerevar? Why did I break my oath to Azura not to use Kagrenac's tools?" — Vivec

The Dunmer do not envision Lord Vivec as a creature of murder, sex, and secrets. Rather, they conceive of Lord Vivec as benevolent king, guardian warrior, poet-artist. But, at the same time, unconsciously, they accept the notion of darker, hidden currents beneath Vivec's benevolent aspects.

For example, one of the most striking persistent myths associated with Vivec is the story that Vivec conspired with his co-rulers Almalexia and Sotha Sil in the murder of Lord Nerevar, the greatest of Dunmer heroes and generals. The story is derived from Ashlander oral tradition, and is flatly contradicted by all Temple traditions. Nonetheless, the tale is firmly established in the Dunmer imagination, as if to say, "Of course Vivec would never have conspired to murder Lord Nerevar, but it happened so long ago... who can know the truth?" ^[1]

[edit] The End of the Tribunal

The advent of the Nerevarine Champion was to bring an end to Vivec's divinity: when the Nerevarine regained Kagrenac's Tools from Dagoth Ur's Ash Vampires and destroyed the Heart of Lorkhan in Red Mountain, all those who had stolen power from the Heart lost their divinity. Dagoth Ur fell beneath the Nerevarine's blade and subsequent events saw the deaths of Sotha Sil and Almalexia. Vivec remained, alive but mortal. ^[2]

In Oblivion, it is rumored that Vivec has gone missing, with some even going so far as to claim that he has been "taken" by the Daedra.

[edit] References

1. ↑ Vivec and Mephala
2. ↑ PGE 3rd Edition