Wonders of Tamriel – The Lorekeepers of Cyrodiil
by Tilmoov Aedorin
In all my years as a scribe I have borne witness to shifting scrolls of incomprehension, tomes of knowledge that write themselves and even a demonic quill with a silver tongue. Nothing perplexes me more than the Lorekeepers of the Cyrodiilic faith.
While their missionaries may give off the impression that the religion is a watered down compromise between Nord and Elven belief, I have found that those who delve deeper into their practices will find something wholly unique to any corner of Tamriel. The subject itself is a perpetual rabbit hole from the Moth Priests and their trials of the lamp, the mysterious Crone Wives of Sancre Tor, the now extinct blades and their Akaviri water rituals. The faith could fill whole volumes of text on their alien practices. I stand that the most unique of these worships is that of their Lorekeepers.
A scribe in most other cultures would record the legends and knowledge of their time on parchment or in tales to be passed down to the next generation for further study and rumination. Such practices are considered meaningless to the men of Cyrodiil. A Lorekeeper forgoes their name and their history to embody the stories they tell. In the days of their Elven masters writings on faith or even stories would have been next to impossible. Those undesirable by a tribe would have the choice between exile, death or to devote themselves to this holy craft.
A Lorekeeper wanders the countryside giving no name and leaving no trace. They search for those champions of Akatosh, Arkay, Mara, Dibella, Julianos, Stendarr, Kynareth, Zenithar, the missing god Shezarr and the holy Saint Alessia. When encountering such a figure the Lorekeeper shall follow their champion taking note of those deeds to be remembered in song. They are often remembered as scribes or bards if ever written down at all. The alleged champion of Stendarr who was said to follow Saint Alessia is believed by some to be a Lorekeeper though this is a point of heavy debate within the Imperial Cult.
When the time comes to relay their tales the strangest of rituals is performed. A large pire is set ablaze and a large bowl is placed atop the flames. Inside the bowl the blood of the Lorekeeper is drained into it until they are on the brink of consciousness. In this lucid state they begin to perform the dance of the dragon and the blood begins to boil and steam. In the smoke, steam and flames a perfect image is formed telling in vivid detail the legends of the greatest men and women in history. Each person bearing witness to such an event is told a different story pertaining to what the divines believe is most relevant to their lives. It is believed by the Imperials that this ritual is the one and only way for the untrained eye to experience the true beauty of the Elder Scrolls writing.
In the days of my father when the Dragon Fires were still lit in the temple of White Gold once every 100 years the Lorekeepers would congregate around Akatosh’s divine breath. For eight and one nights they would dance around the fires and performing the ritual for all Aedramalada. At this time a festival would be held and throughout the entire Niben the visions of all those lucky enough to attend are shared and celebrated as the songs of the era. Since the ascension of Saint Martin Septim and the extinguishing of the Dragon fires this practice has not resumed.
So should you come across a wandering Cyrodiil who gives no name always be courteous. They are perhaps the scribes of the Elder Scrolls themselves. And you never know what place you might play in the songs of your time.