“First there was Chaos and Fire, everything was formless and impermanent, and the Old Spirits floated over oceans of fire and acid, for there was still no water and no solid matter. Because making and unmaking were still the same, things were destroyed even while being created and nothing lasted longer than a whim. There was no time yet, because the Old Ones had not thought of hourglasses or clepsydras, so nobody really knows how long this state has lasted. We only know everything was always transforming but nothing really ever changed, and being somewhat short on imagination, that was good enough for them, for a while. Eventually, even they got bored of doing the same old things every day, though there were not days yet, and they begin to give some thought to their condition.
Thinking is always a dangerous thing, for it often results in action. The Spirits, having considered their situation, finally came to the conclusion that they were in fact Gods, and having no one to contest their decision, the matter was soon settled. Now, being Gods, they were entitled to have everything in their way, and they also would need some worshippers, for what’s the thrill of being a God if there’s no one to praise you? So they had taken a liking for some shapes and substances instead of others, and they devoted themselves to the task of molding all planes of existence according to their own ideas of which things must be and how they must look like. There was some disagreement at this point and things did not come out really to anybody’s taste, but that didn’t prevented the work from being done. Soon there were things like beauty and ugliness; life and death; measure and sensation; name and form; the list is too long and I’ll spare you from details.
And there were also people, and choices. Our noble people was then chosen by the Three Holy Ancestors’ and each one of them gave us a precious gift, to grant our precedence over all mortal beings and to take us apart from the barbarians, the beasts and the lesser races – the stern Mephala gave us our laws and government, the subtle Azura gave us our graceful shape and color, and the wrathful Boethian gave us the domain over fire. And then they all took shape - our shape - and they came to live among us, as the Holy Almsivi, and they were called then Vivec, Sotha Sil, and Almalexia. Those were the days of happiness for our people, for we were powerful, and feared by our enemies.
But nothing comes without night, not even the day, and they were betrayed by the evil agents of the Nine Impostors. Their mortal forms were unmade and their presence was taken from our midst and, since then, our people has dwindled in power and fallen in disagreement and anarchy. But our Gods can still be reached by prayers. From their planes in Oblivion, they still watch our steps and still care about us. Right now they’re gathering their strength to come back and rescue their chosen people, avenging with fire every insult, every wound we have suffered. So, our duty, even in exile, is the same as always has been: Keep our clans and families united; reverence the spirits of our ancestors; obey no other laws but our own; be faithful to our Gods and burn our enemies mercilessly.”
Faith and fire – this is the dunmer way, mother – This is the only way for our people to recover what has been lost. That’s what you’ve always said, that’s what you’ve always done, and though I had learned those words and deeds by heart, I have never seen their true meaning until now. Our Flames, our Gods - those will give us the weapons to prevail over our enemies. My mastery of the ways of fire and my obedience to the Gods commands will be the true test of my faith and commitment. I’ll follow the Dark Lady’s orders and in doing so, I’ll show the Gods the kind of fire which burns inside me.
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