Azura
From the OblivioWiki – your guide to everything Oblivion
Azura is one of the seventeen powerful Daedra known as Daedric Princes. He plays a pivotal role in the early development of several of the races on Tamriel, and may be considered one of the most "popular" Daedric Lords.
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[edit] Appearance
Azura is the Daedric Prince of Dusk and Dawn, and also given titles such as Mother of the Rose and Queen of the Night Sky. His sphere is the period of transition and change, as seen in the constant twilight of his realm of Oblivion, Moonshadow.
Azura is one of the few Daedric Lords who is universally depicted as female. (Note, as described in the Daedra article, that Azura is still addressed as Lord and referred to as he.) His female form is usually depicted in a skimpy top (in Daggerfall, he appears fully topless) and sheer or flowing dress. His preferred daedric servants, Winged Twilights, take on a similar provocative, half-nude form. Frequently, he is seen holding a moon and star, two symbols commonly attributed to him. These symbols recur in many of Azura's enchanted items, including the infamous Azura's Star, a reusable grand soul gem and the 'ring of moon and star' used by the Nevarar reincarnate to boost his personality.
Azura, unlike most of his Daedric peers, is consistently described as a "good" Daedra. While Azura's actions frequently benefit his worshipers, or at least appear to be driven by just motives, applying the concept of "good" to a Daedric Prince is just as inappropriate as applying the term "evil". Attributing Azura's actions to an inherent sense of goodness could potentially be dangerous, especially as he has been shown to enact strict revenge when angered.
[edit] Azura and the Chimer
Azura was one of the three Daedric Lords, along with Boethiah and Mephala, who was responsible for the evolution of the Chimer from the early Aldmeri race. According to Dunmer legend, he was the source of many of the mysteries that allowed the Chimer to be different from the Altmer. The Chimer worshiped Azura as one of their three chief deities, and by most accounts, he took an active role in keeping his followers secure.
During the lifetime of Nerevar Indoril and Voryn Dagoth, Azura was critical in the Chimer's fight against the Dwemer. The Ashlanders, who generally rejected the Chimer political House system, were convinced to join Nerevar in his battle primarily due to Azura's backing. Azura also provided Nerevar an enchanted ring, earning him the name Nerevar Moon and Star, which made him a more persuasive individual, giving him the ability to join all six major houses together. Azura was able to confirm much of Nerevar's information regarding Kagrenac and the Heart of Lorkhan. He also described to Nerevar how to sever the connection between the Dwemer priests and the Heart, which ultimately made their defeat possible.
After the war ended, Azura was adamant that the Chimer not attempt to use the Heart's power. According to Azura himself, as relayed to the Nerevarine, Nerevar and his advisers, the future Tribunal, all swore an oath to Azura to destroy Kagrenac's tools and avoid the Heart. While Nerevar took his oath seriously, the others did not, and broke their oath to gain god-like powers. In his anger, Azura caused Red Mountain to erupt, covering Vvardenfell in ash and cursing the Chimer. He turned the Chimeri skin dark and their eyes red, and renamed them to Dunmer, Dark Elves, and prophesied that he would, eventually, send a reincarnated Nerevar to defeat the Tribunal.
[edit] Azura and the Dunmer
As the Dunmer worship drifted away from Azura to the Tribunal, his role in their mythology changed. The Tribunal, likely aware that eliminating him from their pantheon would be a political nightmare, instead named him the Anticipation of Sotha Sil. Official Tribunal dogma claimed that Azura swore fealty to the Tribunal, along with the other two "good" daedra of the Chimer (Boethiah and Mephala). Azura, who swore no such oath, would ultimately enact revenge on the three new "gods" of Morrowind.
The Dunmer living in the ash deserts, the Ashlanders, continued their more traditional ancestor worship. They named Azura as their chief deity, far more common that any other divine being. His shrine on Morrowind is one of the few Daedric shrines kept in good repair. Near the end of the Third Era, Azura made good on his vow to reincarnate Nerevar, in the form of an anonymous Imperial prisoner. Azura would ultimately take an active role in the Nerevarine's quest, including giving him the Moon and Star Ring to prove to the Ashlanders his identity. Azura also provided the Nerevarine much of the information he had been seeking about the Tribunal, Dagoth Ur, and the Heart of Lorkhan.
According to unconfirmed rumors, Azura made an appearance at the Trial of Vivec, held by the Daedra after the fall of the Tribunal. These rumors claim that Vivec was able to use his remaining power, and his knowledge of the Daedra, to invoke and banish Azura, causing Azura to explode and infuse his soul into a nearby observer.
[edit] Azura and the Khajiit
The Khajiit also worship Azura, spelled Azurah in Khajiit mythology. According to their legends, Azurah was one of the many children of Fadomai (Padomay), and the only of her children who did not abandon her as she neared death. Fadomai gave Azurah three secrets as reward for her loyalty, telling her to choose one of the children of Nirni, the mortal races, and change them and name them Khajiit. The Khajiit were given the three gifts: to be the most beautiful, clever, and fastest creatures in the world; to be the best climbers in the world; and to be the best deceivers in the world.
Azurah waitied as Nirni gave birth, and as Lorkhaj created a place for them to live. Nirni saw many of her children die and many fled to the stars, and of the rest, Nirni was most sad for the forest people (presumably, the Bosmer), whom she felt had not found her place. Azurah came forth and changed some of the Bosmer into the various forms of the Khajiit, and bound their birth and growth to the moons.
[edit] Azura's Quest
Azura has a shrine in Tamriel, located in the Jerall Mountains to the north of Cheydinhal. In her quest, she sends you to a nearby mine where some of her worshipers have locked themselves inside. The worshipers had been turned into vampires, and Azura requests that you put them out of their misery. As with most of Azura's quests, you receive Azura's Star as a reward.
[edit] Azura's Realm
Azura's Realm is called Moonshadow, where there is so much beauty everything is half blind. There are flowers, majestic trees and waterfalls. but, they are all blurs to everything living there. Sometimes, it rains but is still too beautiful to see the palaces of silver and perfume scented air.
