Morag Tong vs Tribunal Temple : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Sat Jun 11, 2011 12:36 am

Any lore about what they think of each other? Specifically, wouldn't The Temple denounce the Tong as Daedra Worshippers? Mephala may be the anticipation for Vivec, but it does not seem like The Tong made that switch. I get the Tong is kept (and has been kept like that before the Tribunal, if that makes sense with crazy God logic) around for political benefits. Or being tolerated to the point of legalization I mean. But they don't seem to really follow the temple faith. Are the magnitude of their Mephala worship mostly secret? Or does the temple largely ignore "anticipation cults"?

I was mostly thinking about this wondering about a character being a member of both factions. Seems like there should be some contention there, but the Tong reputation is neutral towards everyone.

» Fri Jun 10, 2011 8:25 pm

They aren't really connected to each other in any way.
The Morag Tong do worship Mephala. But the Temple is going
to denounce anything that dosen't glorify them. (Nerevarine)

The Morrowind Temple, is what i believe to be, very much corrupt.
They seek power through religious means, and they have it to a certain degree.

Not that i LIKE the Morag Tong at all...they're a bunch of punks.

» Sat Jun 11, 2011 12:43 am

I have wondered about this a lot myself, but can't make much sense of this:

And then Vivec withdrew into the hidden places and found the darkest mothers of the Morag Tong, taking them all to wife and filling them with undusted loyalty that tasted of summer salt. They became as black queens, screaming live with a hundred murderous sons, a thousand murderous arms, and a hundred thousand murderous hands, one vast moving event of thrusting-kill-laughter in alleys, palaces, workshops, cities and secret halls. Their movements among the holdings of the Ra'athim were as rippled endings, heaving between times, with all fates leading to swallowed knives, murder as moaning, God's holy [censored]-erasure of wet death.

The King of Assassins presented to Vivec the Treasure Wood Sword.

'Milord,' the King of Assassins said. 'The prince of House Mora is now fond of you, as well. I placed him in the Corner of Dagon. His eyes I set into a fire prayer for the wicked. His mouth I stuffed with birds.' - http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:36_Lessons_of_Vivec,_Sermon_22

There seems to be some sort of connection between Vivec himself and Morag Tong at least, other than that Mephala is Vivec's anticipation. In the Morag Tong headquarter they are using a regular altar as a shrine to Mephala, so perhaps they need to lie low and at least give a show of worshiping Vivec. I've always felt that Morag Tong was underdeveloped in the game though. Can't point out exactly why I feel that, but it seems a bit rushed and the NPCs seem to lack personality. Eno Hlaalu's dialogue is both unique and extensive of course, but he repeats himself a lot with ceremonial phrases so it all comes out as copy&paste work. Yes, I get the point with an assassin's guild being secretive, but when you advance to become Thinker, Knower and so on to Grandmaster one might think you'd have to know at least a bit about the guild you're working yourself through.

» Fri Jun 10, 2011 8:40 pm

i would think that the temple would be fine with worship of Mephala as an anticipation of Vivec; after all, from a political perspective, the whole reason that the Good Daedra are considered anticipations of Almsivi is to reconcile existing Dunmer beliefs with the new religion.

And that passage in the Sermons does indicate that the Morag Tong has some degree of incorporation with the faith.

» Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:39 am

i would think that the temple would be fine with worship of Mephala as an anticipation of Vivec; after all, from a political perspective, the whole reason that the Good Daedra are considered anticipations of Almsivi is to reconcile existing Dunmer beliefs with the new religion.

And that passage in the Sermons does indicate that the Morag Tong has some degree of incorporation with the faith.

Yeah, that's my explanation too.

» Fri Jun 10, 2011 8:51 pm

Good Daedra worship is accepted, however unenlightened:

The Advent of the Tribunal (Blessed Be Their Holy Names) changed this unhappy state. By the Apotheosis, the Tribunal (Blessed Be Their Holy Names) became the Protectors and High Ancestor Spirits of the Dunmer, and bade the Daedra to give proper veneration and obedience. The Three Good Daedra, Boethiah, Azura, and Mephala, recognized the Divinity of the Triune Ancestors (Blessed Be Their Holy Names). The Rebel Daedra, Molag Bal, Malacath, Sheogorath, and Mehrunes Dagon, refused to swear fealty to the Tribunal (Blessed Be Their Holy Names), and their worshipers were cast out.