Vaermina

From the OblivioWiki – your guide to everything Oblivion

Vaermina, sometimes spelled Vaernima, is one of the seventeen most powerful Daedra known as Daedric Princes. His primary sphere of influence appears to be nightmares and psychological terror.

[edit] Appearance

Vaermina's physical appearance is usually that of a female mage, complete with a flowing robe with deep arms, and a mages staff. He lords over the Oblivion plane of Quagmire, which is described as a constantly shifting nightmare realm. He is one of the Daedric Princes that seems to be consistantly depicted as evil or demonic, with a strong preference for psychological torture. At the same time, daedric believers will often pray to him just before bedtime, likely in hopes of warding off any potential meetings during their rest.

Vaermina is often said to be strongly connected with Magnus, the source of magic on Tamriel. Many scholars believe that, through their dreams, even otherwise magically untalented mortals can slip into Quagmire, and Vaermina's presence. Upon speaking to him, Vaermina will explain that mortals visit him constantly in their nightmares, speak to him in their sleep, and often wake in a cold sweat upon leaving his presence. Most mortals are unaware of this meeting, however, as they cannot remember anything that occurred during their dreams. After a true, remembered encounter with the Daedric Lord, his followers often claim that nothing on Nirn holds any fear for them, as nothing can possibly be as frightening as being in Vaermina's presence.

Vaermina does not appear much in the lore of Tamriel, with one notable exception. When seeking a cure for vampirism on Vvardenfell, in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Vaermina is named as the source of Molag Bal's information on how to cure the disease.

[edit] Quest

During Vaermina's quest, the player gets a first-hand look at his penchant for psychological terror. To even speak to the Daedra, you must present a black soul gem, a device whose purpose is to trap a human soul. You are then tasked with retrieving an artifact stolen from Vaermina by a wizard.

When you track down the wizard's hideout, you enter a nightmare world full of lesser daedra and bizarre, other-worldly scenery. Some portions of the wizards tower resemble the Deadlands, including the ever-present lava and claw-like bridges. Vaermina's final warning to you strongly implies that he, not the wizard, is responsible for the state of the tower. The wizard himself is found comatose, nearby Vaermina's precious Orb. Upon returning his property to him, the Daedra tells you that the wizard will be trapped in his nightmare forever, as punishment for his theft.

Vaermina rewards you with the Skull of Corruption, a staff capable of creating a nightmare double of any humanoid creature, which automatically attacks the original being with a vengeance.