I understand the fact that Padomay existed as a void, but where did Anu come into the picture? Or is Anu another name for Padomay? I've always heard "Anu and Padomay", so that's why I'm asking. Also, I'm confused. Is et'Ada just another name for the gods in general, or is it something more? I'm reading "Guide to the Daedra" at the Imperial Library, and it's kind of confusing for me, being a basic "student" of TES lore.

Anu and Padomay are the IS and IS NOT, respectively. They both came into existence at the same time. And yes, et'Ada is basically a term that applies to both Aedra and Daedra.

Et'ada is a word that refers to the spirits that lived in the Aetherius, the plane of magic. Some of the strongest of those spirits became the Aedra and Daedra (gods) at the creation of Mundus, the mortal world.

However, there are gods that weren't originally et'ada. Vivec, for example.

False. Magne Ge is the term for Aetherial spirits, and they are a sub-group of Et'ada.

Et'ada live in Aetherius, Oblivion, Mundus. The term basically means any subgradient of the Godhead that retains memory through the dreamseeve with the exception of the Lesser Daedra and Aedra.

I'm pretty certain that Magne Ge refers exclusively to those et'ada that took part in creation, but then followed Magnus' lead in escaping it by tearing holes in the sky.

exactly. also the only beings that live in Aetherius. As i said, "Magne Ge is the term for Aetherial spirits, and they are a sub-group of Et' ada."

Et' ada breaks into: Aedra, Daedra, and Magne Ge
they live in Mundus, Oblivion, and Aetherius

The way I understand it Anu and Padomay are concepts, not beings. Anu is the idea of IS, and Padomay is the idea of IS NOT. They are more like possibilities that came to be in the (less than) nothing that preceded creation. They were also necessary for the creation of the Elder Scrolls universe, as they make it clear that, for example, a dog is a dog and not a tree or a Daedroth or a sweetroll.

Ok, right, but they all originated in the Aetherius, didn't they?

No, it sounded like they left to the Aetherius when Mundus was about to be completed, which is why there are stars and the sun.

Anu and Sithis have me perplexed. If they're simply forces and not beings to be worshipped, then why are they worshipped? The Dark Brotherhood reveres Sithis and walking in his/its shadow, there's "Sithis-shaped holes", and so on... makes Sithis sound like a concept, just like the Aedra and Daedra (concept of time is Aka, concept of madness of Sheo, etc). Beggars will also occasionally say "Blessings of Anu.." after conversing with them. I'm not sure I buy the "DB is crazy, that's why they worship a non-existent being like Sithis" argument... it seems a bit more in-depth than that, and it doesn't explain beggars giving Anu's blessing. Especially in a world like TES, where belief shapes reality, a hand-wave like that just doesn't make sense to me.

Ever heard someone say "Good luck"? I think it's like that. They aren't invoking any entity when they wish you good luck, just as the beggars aren't invoking an entity when they wish you the graces of Anu.

I would say that Sithis is a concept: the concept of change. Sithis is a bit of IS (Anu) and IS NOT (Padomay). Change is dynamic. As such, Sithis encompasses every change possible, from freezing water into ice to moving from place to place (you are here, but you can go over there). This is likely the reason that the Dark Brotherhood reveres Sithis. Their actions change the state of the world. For example, if you kill a shopkeeper, that individual and her store and the relationships she had with the people in the community will be changed. Also, another merchant who may have never set up shop in that town will likely buy the property and expose the inhabitants to his personality and wares and methods of business. With that said, imagine what would happen if you assassinated a guild leader or even a count.

With that said, I am still not sure the members of the Dark Brotherhood have the right idea about Sithis.

As for the blessing of Anu, I decided that the beggers see my character as someone with good fortune, and they are expressing their desire for stability in my life.

^ that sounds like Magnus, who as the Et' ada of magic is that of potential energy.

Thanks for all the answers guys. I will just consider them ideas for now, I guess. I was just curious.