Elder Scrolls Lore » Discussions

Mara and the Ritual Stone

• Tom

  

  Member
   

  April 15, 2015

  The Ritual is one of the Mage's Charges and its Season is Morning Star. Those born under this sign have a variety of abilities depending on the aspects of the moons and the Divines.

  Skyrim is not Cyrodiil. Skyrim's gods are not Cryodiil's gods. Nords serve darker and harsher gods than the Cyrodiils.

  The Ritual is one of the Mage's Charges and its Season is Morning Star. Those born under this sign have a variety of abilities depending on the aspects of the moons and the Divines.

  Skyrim is not Cyrodiil. Skyrim's gods are not Cryodiil's gods. Nords serve darker and harsher gods than the Cyrodiils.

• Vaaljørn

  

  Member
   

  April 15, 2015

  I really do like the corruption angle as well and it's something that has been on my mind for a while. We see so much undead-type corruption in Skyrim that it must be plausible. Heck, we can even corrupt Auriel's Bow, why not a stone? When I played Skyrim for the first time and encountered the ritual, I was surprised that the power had changed so dramatically. Needles to say, my cleric could not, in good conscience, select that stone. (He did enjoy killing the necromancer, though).

  I really do like the corruption angle as well and it's something that has been on my mind for a while. We see so much undead-type corruption in Skyrim that it must be plausible. Heck, we can even corrupt Auriel's Bow, why not a stone? When I played Skyrim for the first time and encountered the ritual, I was surprised that the power had changed so dramatically. Needles to say, my cleric could not, in good conscience, select that stone. (He did enjoy killing the necromancer, though).

• Vazgen

  

  Member
   

  April 15, 2015

  There are two versions of Arkay's origin. The first is him being a mortal man and getting charged to keep the balance between life and death by Mara. This is referenced in Ark'ay, the God of Birth and Death, Varieties of Faith in the Empire and Arkay the Enemy (author Mannimarco). The second version (the one I tend to favor more) notes him as one of the first spirits to crystallize at the dawn of times. This is referenced in the Monomyth, Opusculus Lamae Bal ta Mezzamortie and Tu'whacca, Arkay, Xarxes. Similarity to Tu'whacca may be the reason why Arkay's worship is the strongest in Hammerfell (Corpse Preparation, Volume One). In this case, they are connected as two Aedra, the spirits who willingly gave up their power to create Nirn.

  There are two versions of Arkay's origin. The first is him being a mortal man and getting charged to keep the balance between life and death by Mara. This is referenced in Ark'ay, the God of Birth and Death, Varieties of Faith in the Empire and Arkay the Enemy (author Mannimarco). The second version (the one I tend to favor more) notes him as one of the first spirits to crystallize at the dawn of times. This is referenced in the Monomyth, Opusculus Lamae Bal ta Mezzamortie and Tu'whacca, Arkay, Xarxes. Similarity to Tu'whacca may be the reason why Arkay's worship is the strongest in Hammerfell (Corpse Preparation, Volume One). In this case, they are connected as two Aedra, the spirits who willingly gave up their power to create Nirn.

• Vazgen

  

  Member
   

  April 15, 2015

  But is Nordic version of Mara that different from the Cyrodil version? I mean Ritual sign is anti-necromancer in Oblivion but the Ritual Stone is pro-necromancer in Skyrim.

  But is Nordic version of Mara that different from the Cyrodil version? I mean Ritual sign is anti-necromancer in Oblivion but the Ritual Stone is pro-necromancer in Skyrim.

• Vaaljørn

  

  Member
   

  April 15, 2015

  Plus, the ritual stone in ESO grants greater healing effectiveness, which is more in line with Oblivion's version. Weirdly, the ritual stone in ESO is located in the Eastmarch.

  Plus, the ritual stone in ESO grants greater healing effectiveness, which is more in line with Oblivion's version. Weirdly, the ritual stone in ESO is located in the Eastmarch.

• Vazgen

  

  Member
   

  April 15, 2015

  Does that mean that something happened in the time between ESO and Skyrim? Like Oblivion Crysis... 

  Does that mean that something happened in the time between ESO and Skyrim? Like Oblivion Crysis... 

• Vaaljørn

  

  Member
   

  April 15, 2015

  The evidence seems to point in that direction, doesn't it? The ESO and Oblivion versions match fairly well; however, Skyrim is a polar opposite. Very strange.

  The evidence seems to point in that direction, doesn't it? The ESO and Oblivion versions match fairly well; however, Skyrim is a polar opposite. Very strange.

• Tom

  

  Member
   

  April 15, 2015

  You're assuming the Ritual Stone is somehow intrinsically tied with Mara, which I contest outright.

  And they are, but Mara's is Shor's bedwhore in the tales and some minor love goddess of fertility.

  You're assuming the Ritual Stone is somehow intrinsically tied with Mara, which I contest outright.

  And they are, but Mara's is Shor's bedwhore in the tales and some minor love goddess of fertility.

• Vaaljørn

  

  Member
   

  April 15, 2015

  You might be right, but the assumption is based on pretty strong indicators, not only with the ritual stone but also with the ritual birth sign in Oblivion. Both implicate something about Mara.

  You might be right, but the assumption is based on pretty strong indicators, not only with the ritual stone but also with the ritual birth sign in Oblivion. Both implicate something about Mara.

• Vazgen

  

  Member
   

  April 15, 2015

  Stones are directly connected with constellations. And the very quote you brought mentions the connection of constellations and "aspects of the Divines". Add the name of a power that Ritual birthsign grants in Oblivion (Mara's Gift) and you get a connection. 

  Stones are directly connected with constellations. And the very quote you brought mentions the connection of constellations and "aspects of the Divines". Add the name of a power that Ritual birthsign grants in Oblivion (Mara's Gift) and you get a connection.