The 16 Acceptable Blasphemes : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Sun May 29, 2011 1:23 am

Kinda. I read it as if Herma Mora reminds mortals of the truths they've denied by defining their world.

No wonder he manifests as an eldritch abomination.

» Sun May 29, 2011 1:53 am

Just my random thoughts.

1) To Boethiah the Fount of Inspiration.

It was on behalf of Boethiah that the Chimer followed Veloth.

2) To Hircine who is Half the Conscience of Man.

Hircine, the Huntsman, to human instinct, which is to survive. Hunting is the basis of any basic (long-term) survival.

3) To Malacath who speaks all Languages Sideways.

To speak sideways is to lie. Perhaps this could be attributed to the fact that he proclaims himself a Daedric Prince although the other Princes don't recognize him as such.

4) To Mehrunes Dagon whose mistress is Blazing Sun.

Fire, destruction.

5) To Sheogorath the Comforter of Men.

A mad man is a happy man.

8) To Mephala who threads the Needle with the Hair of wives.

Apparently her spheres are "obscured to mortals". But to thread the needle pretty much means to find a solution to an impasse. From Vivec and Mephala: "Mephala is understood paradoxically to contain and integrate these contradictory themes". I couldn't begin to guess what the Hair of wives part means, but the above quote would fit in perfectly with threading the needle.

9) To Clavicus Vile who always answers.

His sphere is granting wishes. Duh.

12) To Azura the Rim of all Holes.

Azura's spheres are dusk and dawn, the "Holes" between daylight and darkness?

14) To Hermaeus Mora who holds the Paper to the Light.

This is an attribute to hidden knowledge. There are several applicable meanings, such as seeing through the paper to see something else, or to see something within the paper.

16) To Vaermina Weaver of the Panoply.

A panoply is a protective covering, so perhaps this could be a reference to some sort of metaphorical membrane between real life and dreams.

» Sat May 28, 2011 4:10 pm

My question is why are they called the Acceptable Blasphemes? Such a phrasing itself seems contradictory.

1) To Boethiah the Fount of Inspiration.

Boethiah, whose sphere is deceit and conspiracy, and the secret plots of murder, assasination, treason, and unlawful overthrow of authority. Boethiah, as stated earlier, taught his ways to the Chimer, inspiring them further to leave Altmeri society. Beyond this though, I can easily imagine Boethiah whispering into the ears of the oppressed or unsatisfied, inciting them to take up conspiracy and unlawful overthrows of authority. For better or worse.

2) To Hircine who is Half the Conscience of Man.

Many seek the thrill of the hunt, literally and metaphorically. What can often prompt a men to chase the person of their affection, seek new lands, or climb higher plateaus, is not always the destination. It's the journey, the thrill of overcoming a new challenge. This can be the progression for those who have the ability to conquer each 'hunt' or the downfall of those unready or ill-prepared.

3) To Malacath who speaks all Languages Sideways

I'm not sure if this has to do with lying as some people have implied. His sphere includes the sworn oath, not a broken one, so it seems to me it would have something to do with his sphere of curses. It again puzzles me how this could be an acceptable blasphemy, since a person who would be cursed would, in most circumstances, be someone who is ostracized and spurned. Which, in my mind, would put them in his sphere and under his jealous protection, more or less.

4) To Mehrunes Dagon whose mistress is Blazing Sun.

Destruction, yes, but the phrase of Blazing Sun makes me believe there is more to that. Nothing is created or destroyed, but merely changed. The sun melting the ice and cold, bringing life-giving water and warmth, or the destruction of an evil establishment, replaced by good intentions and people. I can see how this would be an 'acceptable blasphemy,' although it could be taken to an extreme as well, with no positive change whatsoever.

I'll present my thoughts on others later, as I'm rather tired, but there's what I have to say so far.

» Sat May 28, 2011 5:54 pm

Oxymoronic? Yes. Contradictory? No.

4) To Mehrunes Dagon whose mistress is Blazing Sun.

Destruction, yes, but the phrase of Blazing Sun makes me believe there is more to that. Nothing is created or destroyed, but merely changed.

I thought it was only Daedra that this applied to? Dagon's sphere, IS, after all, destruction. Given that the definition of destruction could be seen as a bit ambiguous in the TES universe, I don't think it's fair either way to say nothing is destroyed. Most certainly things are created in the TES universe, this is what the Aedra are.

The sun melting the ice and cold, bringing life-giving water and warmth, or the destruction of an evil establishment, replaced by good intentions and people. I can see how this would be an 'acceptable blasphemy,' although it could be taken to an extreme as well, with no positive change whatsoever.

But what relevence does this hold to Mehrunes Dagon?

» Sat May 28, 2011 11:58 am

Everything changes whether it's changed from an object to thin air, it's still there just in another form.

Mehrunes Dagon IS destruction. He changes good to bad and vice versa by destroying it?

Daily ramblings of an old Mer, sitting his chair on the shores of Artaeum.

» Sat May 28, 2011 1:21 pm

Acceptable because without them, 16 different (large) events in Tamriel's history would not have unfolded.