Figuring Father and Black-Handed Mother: Peryite, Mephala, Tong, Brotherhood
Greetings, all. Good morning/noon/evening/night to all of you, regardless of where you are. Today I have arrived with a theory that is so strange even as I was writing it I was laughing/frowning at myself for opening up this can of crazy. But hey, school ends for me on the 23rd and before I leave for two months straight I want to post the stuff I think you all deserve to see first.
I usually don’t delve into the metaphysical and such, but have you ever read something that opens up connections in your mind that light off in bizarre ways that suddenly make sense in ways they’ve never made sense before? Well, that’s what happened to me. This theory itself might just be my mind ass-pulling and stretching the very bounds of lore. But I want to discuss it with you guys and gals first.
So here is my theory: When Vivec usurped Mephala as the leader of the Morag Tong, she created the splinter group known as the Dark Brotherhood as a response. However, Mephala (as the Night Mother) isn’t the only patron of the Dark Brotherhood; Peryite is as well.
Crazy right? Yeah, you can go on ahead and smack old IceFireWarden now; I’m fine with it. Just hear my insane self out after you do it. That sound good? Good. Now, everyone ready? Good. Go.
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ON MEPHALA AND PERYITE
Before we get started, let’s discuss the Daedric Princes Mephala and Peryite, their spheres, and their ‘preexisting’ relationship.
Imperial Census on Daedra Lords:
“Mephala’s domains in Oblivion are numerous and obscured, collected together by vast strands of magical ghostweb. All of them are devoted to her spheres of six and secret murder. Echoing this same structure are the various esoteric cults devoted to her across Tamriel, many of which are forbidden by Imperial law. Her aspect is shrouded and manifold, even when she appears in the crowds that gather within her temples during Frost Fall.”
Mephala is the Daedric Prince of Murder, six, and Secrets. Also known as the Webspinner, Spinner, and Spider, hir sphere is largely obscured to mortals and the true name of her realm is unknown. Unlike the rest of the Princes who take on a constant gender, Mephala chooses to appear as both and is in total essence a hermaphrodite. Hir is, was, and is again one of the Three Good Daedra of the Chimer/Dunmer people, along with Azura and Boethiah. When the Tribunal achieved their godhood, hir became the Anticipation of Vivec according to the doctrines of the Temple, but after the eruption of Red Mountain in the beginning of the Fourth Era that practice wane to give back to the original practices of Saint Veloth. Hir also founded the Morag Tong, and along with Boethiah created the clan guidelines which eventually gave way to the modern Great Houses of Morrowind.
Imperial Census on Daedra Lords:
“Peryite’s pits have always been inaccessible to mortals. Our only real knowledge of them comes from reports of the other diabolical Princes. It is said that Peryite guards the lowest orders of Oblivion and that his summoners are to regard his likeness to Akatosh as some primordial and curious jest.”
Peryite is the Daedric Prince of Natural Order, Tasks, and Pestilence. Also known as the Taskmaster, he is considered along with Mehrunes Dagon, Boethiah, and Vaermina to be one of the truly ‘demonic’ daedra of Oblivion, and has been said to ‘destroy for the mere sake of destruction’. Despite his appearance as a dragon, a common symbol of strength and power on Nirn, he is considered the weakest of the Princes. In fact, his preferred form is considered to be him ‘mocking’ the Time God. His realm, known as The Pits, have been inaccessible to living mortals since times immemorial. The Taskmaster has also been known to manifest as creatures of vermin (like skeevers) when he wishes to converse with mortals on Nirn.
Something of importance (as well as some scrutiny) is that in TES II: D Peryite and Mephala were listed as enemies of one another. While the earlier TES games have had most of their information retconned into nonexistence (poor Ebonarm), this is something that needs to be addressed to better understand this theory.
Mephala’s Sphere is Duality. Hir themes of six, murder, and secrets all have dual facets to them (courtship/orgy, assassination/genocide, tact/poetic). Hir encompasses both the subtle and violent sides of the things under hir domain at the same time, but leans on either side depending on the situation. This is enforced by the fact that she/he sees the affairs of mortals as a weave that can unraveled by the pulling of any of its threads, not one thread particularly. Peryite’s Sphere, on the other hand, is Balance. His themes of natural order and tasks stabilize and promote stability (which is why he is considered by most to be one of the most ‘Anuic’ of the Daedra), and everything he does benefits both sides of an equation. Pestilence for example reinforces balance between Life and Death & Mortality and Immortality; there are diseases that are both beneficial and deadly, and he chooses to spread them both to even things out.
These two Lords of Misrule are enemies because they mock and encroach on one another’s spheres. The Taskmaster hates how Mephala’s uncaring duality makes a fool of his strive for balance; likewise, the Webspinner frowns down on Peryite’s equilibrium when either side works well even if one is greater than the other. Ironically, duality needs balance to exist as balance needs duality to exist. In fact, Mephala chosen form as a hermaphrodite is a balance between male and female, and Peryite’s need for order results in him creating and needing a contrast. Despite the fact that these two hate each other, they are both intrinsically and uniquely linked in a way most of the other Daedric Princes aren’t.