Daedra

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Daedra is a name given to a group of semi-divine or magical creatures that inhabit the various planes of Oblivion. The word is an Aldmeri term that means the opposite of Aedra, and translates roughly into "not our ancestors". The term applies to any member of any race of beings other than the mortal races of Tamriel and the divine beings from which the mortal world was created. (Strictly speaking, in the old tongue, daedra is plural; however, the singular daedroth is rarely used except when referring to a specific species of daedric creature, the daedroth.)

Contents 1 Presence on Tamriel 2 Daedric races 3 Daedra as "evil" demons 4 See also

[edit] Presence on Tamriel

Since the daedra were, by definition, not part of the creation of Nirn, they are truly and completely alien to the world. The daedric races inhabit the various other planes of existence, which are collectively called Oblivion, and, with a few rare exceptions (see Oblivion Gate), cannot interact directly with the mortal plane. Instead, they normally appear only when summoned by a conjurer, and then only as long as the mage can sustain their presence. The daedra's projection onto the mortal world can be slain, though they are often more powerful than native fauna of Tamriel, but this merely sends the daedra's "essence" back to it's home plane of Oblivion. It is believed that killing a daedric creature while on its native plane will permanently destroy it, but this hypothesis is difficult to test, as mortals have as much trouble reaching Oblivion as daedra have reaching Nirn. The oral traditions of the mer races speak of the Daedric Princes as if they were physically present on Nirn and interacting with the ancient mer, though this may be literary license. There has been only one verifiable instance in recorded history where a Daedric Prince physically walked on Nirn, when Mehrunes Dagon attacked Tamriel at the end of the Third Age. While on Nirn, he was only vulnerable to (and defeated by) an avatar of the Aedra Akatosh. The effect this defeat had on Dagon is currently unknown.

[edit] Daedric races

Most daedra are roughly equivalent to beasts on Nirn, lacking any personal identity or sentience. Some of the more powerful of the daedra, such as the Dremora, are sentient and self aware, being the daedric equivalent of men and mer. The most powerful beings among the daedric are the Daedric Princes, beings so powerful they are worshiped as gods by both daedric and mortal races. Many of the lesser daedric races broadly associate themselves with a particular Daedric prince, for example:

• Mehrunes Dagon - Dremora, Clannfear, Scamp
• Sheogorath - Golden Saint, Dark Seducer
• Molag Bal - Daedroth
• Azura - Winged Twilight
• Meridia - Auroran

This association is by no means exclusive, however. For example, Spider Daedra are usually associated with Mephala but are found in large numbers in Mehrunes Dagon's plane of Oblivion, and scamps can be found almost anywhere.

The daedra do not appear to have a dual-gender biology, nor have any forms of mating, bonding, or reproduction been observed. It is not clear exactly how new daedra come into being, though as immortals it would potentially never be necessary for this to happen.

Some of the more powerful lesser daedra take on the appearance of one or the other gender, such as the male-looking Xivilai or the female-looking Spider Daedra. A very small number of daedra, specifically Dremora, Golden Saints, and Dark Seducers, are also sentient, and in addition to possessing the power of speech, may take on both male and female body forms. Even in such cases, however, there does not appear to be any concept of procreation, and the vast majority of the members of these races are of the same gender appearance. The Daedric Lords can change their form at will, though most have a preferred image that is used when dealing with mortals. However, even those whose chosen image seems female, such as Azura or Mephala, are titled "Princes" and generally referred to as male.

[edit] Daedra as "evil" demons

Since the act of creation that brought the mortal world into being, there has been a sharp divide among the immortals, into the Aedra and Daedra. Since most mortal races revere the powerful Aedra as gods, the Daedra are usually cast into the opposing role of demons. Indeed, in many provinces where the human population dominates (such as Cyrodiil), daedra are considered outright evil, and daedra worship is outlawed. This does not stop cults of daedra worship from popping up across Tamriel, and in some locations their worship is accepted, or at least tolerated. In particular, the Dunmer of Morrowind align themselves much more closely with the Daedra Princes, primarily Azura, than any of the Nine Divines.

Scholars are quick to point out that the characterization of Daedra as "evil" is a gross oversimplification. The daedric races in general don't possess the cognitive awareness required to make decisions of "good" and "evil", any more than a rampaging bear or troll. Even the sentient daedra are not evil in the conventional sense. Rather, they are fundamentally different from mortal races, and their existence is one of chaos, change, and dramatic extremes. Mortal concepts of good and evil cannot be easily applied to them, and to the extent that these concepts do apply, daedra exist at both ends of the spectrum.

Most of the Daedra Lords view the mortal races as little more than curiosities, and occasionally entertainment. Sheogorath and Sanguine, for example, can often be found tormenting mortals for their own amusement, but not with the express intent of causing harm. Azura's dealings with mortals, especially his "chosen" Chimer/Dunmer, are almost entirely for their benefit, making him the most "good" of the Daedric Princes. Of course, there are a few Princes, such as Mehrunes Dagon and Molag Bal, who do take true pleasure from causing harm to mortals, and as such, would fit the common definition of "evil". Even Daedric Lords who appear to represent something "good", such as the Daedric Prince of Order, Jyggalag, can cause severe harm to the mortal world when that aspect is taken to its utmost extreme.

The behavior of the lesser daedric races tend to gravitate towards that of their chosen Lord; Dremora have a deep-rooted hatred of men and mer, while Golden Saints interact with them as not-quite-equals. Any natural tendencies of a summoned daedric creature are supplanted by the will of the conjurer, as can be seen by the Tribunal's frequent use of Dremora as guards and protectors.

[edit] See also

• Aedra
• Oblivion
• The Book of Daedra
• On Oblivion
• Daedra Heart