As mentioned in the topic title, I would like some Lore-khanish help on Mephala's sphere. I know the laymans terms of Murder, six, and Secrets, and her association with the Morag tong, and mephala's entente from skeleton man's interview.

But these are the questions as simple as I could make them:

1.) How does Mephala differ from Azura, if her webspinning is indeed associated with the threads of fate and time?

2.) How does Mephala differ from Boethia, if she is indeed associated with assassination, in the sense of plotting and overthrow?

3.) Is Mephala caring of her followers? If no, then why worship her. If yes, in what sense or actions perhaps, would she show it?

4.) How would a worshipper, High Priestess in this case relate her/him to a beggining follower?

This is for a fan-fic, yes. So pretty much any and all info would be appreciated. Sometimes event he smallest bit can make or break a story.

It's like, having six with God.


/Use that your catchy slogon on your pamphlets.

......No.

Mephala's sphere encompasses six and murder. But in her case, "six" seems to refer to "gender" rather than sixual activity. Considering she's a hermaphrodite, it makes sense. Sort of.

The Morag Tong are the worshippers of Mephala. For the most part, they can have a hard time outside of Morrowind, as the Dark Brotherhood dominate the assassin scene outside of Morrowind.

Well, the Webspinner's sphere is indeed obscured to mortals; it's pretty hard to determine specifically what her sphere is.

A consistent theme in Black Hands Mephala's actions is the fact that she mainly enjoys meddling in mortal affairs. Some Morag Tong worship her and I'd assume she bestows them with some sort of gift; in Morrowind, she gives the Nerevarine the Ring of Khajiit if he completes an assassination for her.

I think it's easier to say that Boet-hi-ah's sphere is Plots in general rather than assassination, but thats just a person assessment; looking at it in other ways becomes confusing I feel. The fact that you, me, and more than likely others cannot determine specifically what her sphere is helps put forth the idea that Daedra and Aedra classifications are pretty arbitrary, considering the fact that many Daedra profess the same spheres as Aedra. Basically, I'm trying to say that Mephala's sphere is more ambiguous rather than obscured.

I bet Oblivion has some great info about her followers; I haven't gotten to play it enough, so I unfortunately couldn't say. I'm sure The Word Merchant will show up soon and put my post to shame, lol.

edit: oh yeah, it is six and murder. But perhaps SECRET murder, if not murder in the sense of a general killing and what provokes it.

Not as much info as was given in Morrowind. There is a shrine to Mephala with several worshippers and a quest, but not too much beyond that. But we do get to see her Spider Daedra and what they can do.

Perhaps your view on Mephala is a little bit gilded with fluff then.

A High Priestess of Mephala isn't going to be an exceptionally immaculate person, nor would she be your regular woman. The ambiguity of Mephala certainly gives her "followers" a great degree of poetic license, and I'm certain that a High Preistess is going to be your top dog, the fastest, quickest matriarch with a bad attitude. She is a woman who has has risen through the echelons of murderous, ecstatic cult through being devious, deceitful and treacherous. Not only that, but she's got a conscience that allows her to kill at will and the strength to do it.

Watch Basic Instinct to see what happens when murder and six go to bed together.

Aww, now thats a line of reasoning I can get behind.

And my view on Mephala is not fluffy by any means. Beleive me, its been a struggle to keep my fic PG-13,...murder, six, and secrets are,....serious subjects shall we say? As for my question of Mephala caring about her followers, I didn't mean in the sense of she pops out of oblivion for a spot of tea. I meant like is she a Dark matron who tells her underlings to do her bidding, or else? Or a Matron whom instills her followers with a sense of devoutness based on esoteric teachings that they are blessed to 'know' and 'understand', unlike the lesser mortals, whom do not.

I wish, I wish, Almalexia had attacked the Nerevarine with an ice pick.

And Velas, to hell with PG-13. Not all the TESFU mods are American prudes and the ones who are need some shocking.

Well, I'm based mostly out of Chorrol.com, the story has reached further there if you want to read further paws...

Doesn't chorrol.com have a nvde drawing of the Nerevarine kicking around somewhere?

That IS a pretty good ass description. Makes a great deal of sense, considering he/she is the Anticipation of someone like Vivec.

Pokey pokey.

Hopespick lol

Yes, and most of the moderators are European. I unfortunatly live in America, where Terminator 2 is considered less damaging to a child then a woman in a bikini.

I always found it was strange, how is people being killed and mangaled worse then human sixuality.

She wouldn't. If Mephala had truly blessed this new follower, then will find out on their own what Mephala is about.

I don't image it would be all "Oh hi and welcome to Mephala's service, here is a nice pamphlet to instruct you in your worship. Have a nice day." I think it would be more along the lines of someone who makes it to Mephala's shrine, and has the ear of the High Priestess would have a very good idea what Mephala is about and would have already proved them selves to be worthy of the webspinner.

Violence affects you from birth. sixuality only kicks in later in life; children don't understand it. But they can learn violence a lot sooner.

Someone never played doctor.

I never got the point of it at a young age. Humans must be instructed how to reproduce, but knowing how to injure others comes naturally.

Understand, first of all, that Mephala represents a subtle blend of contradictions. The most obvious of these contradictions, of course, is her androgeneity; she is simultaneously male and female. Many of the concepts she represents have nuances and related concepts that may not complement one another, as outlined in http://www.imperial-library.info/mwbooks/vivec_mephala.shtml. Anything within her spheres will have "subtle" and "violent" aspects.

I think that the title "The Webspinner" refers more to her penchant for "spinning" violent intrigues between mortals, rather than to anything to do with fate, per se. These webs intrigues don't necessarily have to be political in nature, as it would usually be with Boethiah. Conversely, Boethiah's plots aren't always lethal, whereas Mephala's almost invariably are. Think, for example, of her shrine quest in Oblivion, which involved setting up a murderous hatred between two families, in a decidedly sneaky and dastardly manner, culminating in killing en masse.

Mephala's primary aspects are those of Murder, Secrets and six (whatever connotation that latter may have - Crimson Paladin raises a good point). Therefore, in engaging in any of them, you empower her. She may or may not show gratitude when this happens. She may reward those who carry out her schemes, but it's usually in a fashion that ensures that the minion in question becomes even more adept at "serving" Mephala. The Ring of Khajiit and the Ebony Blade would both be invaluable in any attempts at assassination or conspiracy. I'm sure that her followers believe that she cares for them, but that might just be a psychological crutch. I think it's far more likely that the Prince of Enigma's motives would be as mysterious as she is.

As for how new initiates come into her service, that might happen in a couple of ways. Those of the "ruthless psychotic killer" persuasion would be in her service whether they know it or not. Some might seek out enclaves that worship her, whether legal or illegal. Examples of these might be the Morag Tong (legal in Morrowind) and the Dark Brotherhood (illegal throughout the Empire). However, Mephala's has influence over many aspects of life, and is bound to have several sub-cults, which do not necessarily have to be about murder. sixuality, secrets and fashion are also in her sphere. For example, her "cults" might include hidden, illicit bordellos, where the courtesans have a nasty habit of knifing their customers if someone gives them some incentive.

Is Azura associated with fate and time? I know she's involved herself in these things with the Nerevarine, but I don't think she's ever been directly associated with them. I'm more inclined to associate her with transitions, as dusk, dawn and twilight implies, and with a mysterious association with Nirn and the female principle that's yet to be fully explained.


Mephala is a meddling schemer, but that's not her sphere, even if it is in her nature. Her sphere is actually unknown; "http://www.imperial-library.info/mwbooks/book_of_daedra.shtml; known by the names Webspinner, Spinner, and Spider; whose only consistent theme seems to be interference in the affairs of mortals for her amusemant." (I'm aware the document "Vivec and Mephala" says differently, but I imagine the description of Mephala as the demon of murder, six, and secrets is more generalising of her nature, not her sphere.) Astion's point is a good one. Her actual nature is ambiguous, her actions shadowy, her motives unknown. Boethiah, however, seems quite solidly associated either with http://www.imperial-library.info/dfbooks/b080_azura.shtml or with http://www.imperial-library.info/obscure_text/census_daedra.shtml. Almalexia, who is associated with Boethiah is a warrior, though she plots and schemes to get you into her confidence. This is in contrast to Vivec, who is also a warrior, but who, like his Anticiation Mephala, is similarly shady to the point of being incomprehensible.

I'm aware this doesn't really answer your question, but it's the best I got, and Astion already said most of what I wanted to say on the topic. I might venture to say that while Boethiah is the Prince of Plots, Mephala is the Prince of Intrigues, but I'm not sure how accurate that would be.


I'm not sure that the only reason someone would worship a god would be if they expect to get something from it. Like any religion, the act of worship can be its own reward, as would the study of what that particular deity signifies to you.


I'd imagine she'd draw them in gradually, not necessarily by appealing directly, but by laying a series of scenarios or obstacles in their path that either convinces or scares them into embracing Mephala. It doesn't have to be as dramatic as that. It really depends on the character. Through fashion, through prostitution, through staged chance meetings that reaffirm faith. Maybe the high priestess knows secrets about the character known to no other. Play with the webspinner, secrets, six and murder attributes.


Transvestite killer prosttutes can cover all three, right?

Awesome guys, thank you so much! This is the type of info I was looking for.

Oh...hehe that was funny. And yep I'm swedish....and moderator at Chorrol.....Also I prefer my kids to watch "Top model" instead of Terminator... :shocking:

Azura is more of a zero to hero god, but this is only if it suits her. Mephala is more of a hidden purpose god.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/intrigue

I think this sums up Mephala beautifully, at least, part of him/her, enough for a mortal to understand.