Who Is Sithis In The Elder Scrolls?

The Elder Scrolls is a rich and intriguing world filled with diverse races who follow various pantheons. From the Eight (or Nine, depending on one’s perspective) Divines to the Daedric Princes, the deities of Nirn are numerous.

Yet, there exists a deity scarcely recognized or respected by many cultures, possibly due to his ties with death and one infamous assassin order in Tamriel. Sithis, a power that precedes even the Daedric Princes, remains an enigmatic entity among the gods of Nirn.

The Birth Of Sithis

The possible source of Sithis, also known as Dread-Father, Psijii, or the Original Creator, can be traced back to the creation story of Aurbis, or the cosmos itself. Before there existed Mundus or Aetherius, only the primordial deities Anu and Padomay were present.

Anu is seen as the manifestation of all-encompassing essence, an unyielding force that resists transformation. In stark contrast, Padomay represents disorder, mutability, and emptiness.

The two powers had reached an impasse, neither able to surpass the other because they were equally matched. But eventually, Anu created a soul of his own, which became known as Anui-El. In response, Padomay also produced a soul, resulting in Sithis being born. Similar to before, Anui-El and Sithis remain opposing forces.

The emergence of Anui-El and Sithis subsequently led to the formation of the cosmos, Aurbis. Yet, Aurbis was in a disordered state itself, prompting Anui-El to take action. In response, he followed the precedent set by his predecessor, Anu, and brought forth his own spirit, which we now recognize as Auriel (also known as Akatosh) to restore order within Aurbis.

Auriel, who is the deity of time, initiated the idea of time throughout the cosmos, eventually leading to its balancing and stabilizing. It has been claimed that it was due to Auriel that the et’Ada, or the primordial spirits, emerged.

As legend tells it, Sithis responded to the emergence of Auriel by giving birth to Lorkhan, who is revered as the deceitful deity among the High Elves and known as Shor by the Nords.

Lorkhan And The Fate Of The World

It’s thought that, much like Padomay, Sitihis represents disorder and transformation. As such, it might be their aim to annihilate the entire universe, leaving nothing behind.

As a gamer, I’ve come to understand from the game’s narrative that Sithis brought forth Lorkhan with the intent to annihilate the world. Yet, contrary to expectations, Lorkhan appeared to have other plans. In the tales, Lorkhan approached the et’Ada with a novel concept – the creation of the mortal realm we know as Mundus.

Lorkhan tricked numerous et’Ada into participating in a task without revealing that they would lose a substantial amount of their power as a result. Once they uncovered the deception, it is said that they constructed the Adamantine Tower to debate Lorkhan’s punishment. Eventually, Lorkhan’s heart was cast into Mundus and lodged within the Red Mountain of Vvardenfell.

Worship Of Sithis

The Dark Brotherhood

The main followers of Sithis are known as the Dark Brotherhood, an elusive group of highly proficient killers whose influence had significantly waned when the Last Dragonborn crossed paths with them.

As a devotee of the lore, I’ve come to understand that the enigmatic Dark Brotherhood is said to have been birthed by none other than the Night Mother, a Dunmer woman who was believed to have been graced by Sithis. The tale whispers that she bore five children with him. It’s chilling to think that Sithis then commanded her to end their lives, sending them into the Void. Heartbreakingly, she carried out his command, but the tragic outcome didn’t stop her from earning the revered title of Sithis’ consort. Despite being brutally slain by her neighbours as retribution, she rose above the horror and ascended to lead the Dark Brotherhood.

According to the faith of the Dark Brotherhood, its members are considered as offspring not only of the Night Mother but also of Sithis, who is understood as an entity without any definite shape or gender. Rather, Sithis represents an infinite force that embodies nothingness.

The Crimson Scars

In the Third Era, the Crimson Scars were a splinter group originating from the Dark Brotherhood. This unique faction was exclusively composed of vampires and was founded by Greywyn Blenwyth. The inception of the Crimson Scars came about when Blenwyth started experiencing a sequence of visions from Sithis, which he initially believed were instructions to overthrow the Dark Brotherhood for the exclusive benefit of the vampire community.

Despite their intention to launch a coup, they were deceived and the Brotherhood executed many of them while they were asleep. Blenwyth escaped to his secret lair and continued eliminating members of the Brotherhood until he experienced another revelation from Sithis, which he believed signaled displeasure towards Blenwyth’s actions.

Consequently, Blenwyth and his comrades among the Scars embarked on a quest for a remedy to eradicate their affliction of vampirism, causing the Crimson Scars to dissolve.

The Argonian Religion

While most cultures steer clear of the deity Sithis because of his ties to death and disorder, it is worth noting that the Argonians recognize Sithis as a divine entity and pay homage to him.

Although their faith primarily revolves around The Hist, a wise and ancient tree indigenous to Black Marsh, the Argonians also acknowledge Sithis as a primordial creator with significant influence during the formation of the world.

It’s quite fascinating that the Argonians share ties with the Dark Brotherhood, a group devoted to the deity Sithis. Specifically, when an Argonian child is born under the sign of the Shadow, they are taken by the Dark Brotherhood for upbringing as Shadowscales.

As stated by the Dark Brotherhood member Veezara, the Shadowscales are believed to have ceased to exist by the era of Skyrim, which may imply that this practice had faded away alongside the diminishing influence of the Dark Brotherhood.

2025-03-03 14:08