Hieragropha of Azura, Discourses of Oblivion

[gro-Dhal]

This comes from willxpm over at Reddit who has consented for us to use it in-game. It's a really nice multi-part series that I think could work well for the ancestor worshippers of the south, and be of interest elsewhere in the province as well.

I have made a few edits for grammar and syntax.

1: Jyggalag

In ancient days, Jyggalag had derived the motions of the universe into mathematical formulae. With this support, his logic became infallible. He sifted through the twilight, picking out nation by nation for his conquests. Many fell before him and became forgotten. Had it not been for the sublime systematic disruptions committed by Peryite, all would have been lost in that time. The Plague upon the formulae of Order granted the other Princes time to retreat into darkness.

Azura, however, was curious regarding Jyggalag. She approached him and asked: "What is it you do?"

Jyggalag, who had expected Azura's arrival, but not the particulars, responded: "As you do."

"And what do I do?"

"Moon-Star, you see into twilight, and discern it's patterns and see ahead."

"I do this, but you do not, Crystal-Tyrant."

"There is a modicum of truth to what you say. We do not see as you do. But we have marked the patterns and the tides carefully, and from them we have learned all the patterns. Everything can be reduced to Kinematic Formulae."

"But you do not see."

"That still remains true, but in discerning the larger pattern I have gone beyond the need for that. Now begone, for the grand unified formula is yet to be fully wrought, and you distract me from that goal."

Then Azura left, and told this to the other Princes. They gathered a council, and determined that Jyggalag's forces would crumble if Jyggalag himself did. Thus began a fiery debate over how this might be accomplished, for none could envision the means. In this hour, Jyggalag prepared an attack, for he knew that the combined forces of Oblivion would march upon him.

Azura told the council of these tidings, and hope was all but lost in that hour. But hope was lit anew with the arrival of the Aureals and the Mazken. They had no Prince, and thus were not represented in council. Together they said: "Long have we suffered from lack of guidance. Long shall you suffer from the yoke of Jyggalag. He cannot be defeated, not truly. However, the deepest and smallest mysteries of the Aurbis bend not to his will. It is these things which the Prince of Kinematics cannot yet comprehend, and therefore he is blind there. This we can exploit. You have no choice in this matter. We go forth to battle."

The council consented to this, having no other options. The Aureals and Mazken slipped like waves through quantum seas, going where Jyggalag could not see. When the Aureals and Mazken appeared before Jyggalag, he was shocked at the disregard of the equations by infinite improbability. The Aureals and Mazken saw his moment of weakness, and attacked. Jyggalag's mind was quickly turned to madness, and his knights fell into disarray as the combined Host of Oblivion marched. The day won, Peryite appeared again, and said:

"Jyggalag will never truly be suppressed. Therefore I implement a new system. Jyggalag shall briefly resurface from the new mad god on occasion, at which time he shall express his will fully and destructively. Then he shall return to madness, and undo what he undid. He is now trapped in a war with himself, and while still dangerous to the unwary he can no longer threaten his kin. Mortals will be most susceptible to the mad god's machinations, so it is appropriate that they choose when Jyggalag awakens."

And so Sheogorath, Prince of Madness, was formed.

2: Sheogorath

Sheogorath rose from the ruin that was the Library of Jyggalag. He then looked up at the blank sky. He stood for years, watching nothing. Eventually, he gathered his thoughts, and walked across the Aurbis to Moonshadow. He sat down for longer decades and watched the stars. Eventually Azura approached him.

Azura said: "Sheogorath, I demand you account for your presence here."

Sheogorath looked up at Azura. He stared at her for a long time. He then said: "I know you. You brought ruin upon me. Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?"

"The ruination was your work entirely. We merely compelled you to bring this ruination upon yourself rather than us."

"But it hurts! It burns! I can't think! I could have been master of all! Once my conquest was complete, it would have been an age of peace and prosperity everlasting! There would be love! Love! Love! Love! Love! Love! Love!"

"Do you believe that, Sheogorath?"

"No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No."

"What did Jyggalag do, then? I have no patience for lies."

"The crystals. They cry. They are alone. They cry. Cry. Cry. Cry. Cry. Cry. Cry. We would have brought them together again. The void would be at bay. Our fortress would have held all, safe and calm. The waters of Oblivion would trouble us not. We could sleep. But now I can't. I have no rest. No inner peace. Bitter Peryite granted me some mercy, so I could have silence in my mind. But still must I prosecute that which never changes. War. War. War. War. War. War. War. War. War."

"Your riotous mind grants peace to others. Let that comfort you in the chaos."

"Perhaps you are right. Maybe I shall grow to appreciate my mind. Thank you Azura, I shall hang stars to remind myself of this. But I hate you. I hate you. My mind is not my own. You took it and threw it to the madness. I shall never forget you. I shall whisper always in the ears of your followers. Maybe then you shall learn of my pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain."

3: Mephala

In the Moongardens, a spider wove a message. The text of it, like all of Mephala's works, is writ in silk and the fate of nations. It cannot be read by mortals though it entangles all. This piece of the web called forth Azura to treat with Mephala. Azura approached the web. The spider of eight limbs then transformed into two new bodies, which shared a head and a place. One body was male, the other female. Each kept it's own limbs, and so like the spider the pseudo-humanoid form had eight limbs.

Mephala spoke first: "Azura, you know the mortals well. Their love you want. We are not dissimilar, though it is their secret hopes rather than open accolades I desire. Boethiah thinks alike. We three also value planning, patience and foresight."

Azura responded: "Your judgement of my nature is in line with my own. But your nature of secrecy also greatly deviates from my own in fondness for theater. Surely you know of my creation of the Firmament as seen from Nirn? The Plots of Boethiah complement your webs, but I must know what your intent is for me."

Mephala spoke: "Were I seeking merely to create a cult or religion, I would not call upon aid from another of the royalty, for in doing so the web may see light. No, I seek a nation. I know you have already sown these seeds, but without my help no such thing may take root. I cannot sow the seeds of nation myself, for who would crown the spider? No, our people will need an image to follow. That image is the one you have already assumed. The mortals who walk as males are proud of many things, including their arbitrary gender. They would assert that their female counterparts have not the strength to lead, though in truth they would gladly follow any female they fancy themselves worthy of pairing with. Your form, the promise of embrace, would be very easy to follow."

Azura responded: "You would suggest I should be a figure, good only for admiration?"

Mephala spoke: "Though I know you adore those who give admiration and love, that is not what I suggest. You do not need to peer into the world that is not yet to see what I suggest. To those who revere you, you are their lover and prophet. You see that which is yet to come, and those who love you want it merely for your want of it. And with this nation of ours, you shall become even more. The embodiment of an entire realm. The Wind that ends this day and brings the Morrow. They would perceive an attack against yourself to be an attack on their homeland, and an attack on their homeland to be an attack to be an attack on you. For love of home and your female form, men would preform the most foolhardy of deeds."

Azura looked into the future, now looking for the paths of the fate urged by Mephala. They led to the Star-Wounded East.

4: Boethiah

Azura stood yet in the company of Mephala, who said: "There is another whose sphere is alike to yours and mine. Boethiah is concerned with victory and success. and the proper Sharing of Attribution of those things. Patient but untroubled by methodology, my mark upon the world would inspire the appreciation of Boethiah, though the hidden nature of the Web even past the point of victory would inspire wroth. The Prince of Plots sees a culmination, though the Webspinner only toils more. The Queen of Dawn and Dusk, however, can pass into a conclusion or a new beginning. Therefore it is appropriate that you should approach Boethiah."

Azura concurred, and went to the Attribution's Share. In that place were three Blade-Spirits.

The Spirit of the Axe challenged Azura's approach.

The Spirit of the Sword readied for battle.

The Spirit of the Knife invited Azura to approach.

Azura spoke: "Boethiah, your paths to victory are manifold indeed. But I did not come here to seek a victory. I came here to seek Boethiah."

The Blade-Spirits coalesced into the Prince of Plots. Boethiah said: "If you come here not for victory, you have no purpose and shall be forgotten. I have no use for the forgotten."

Azura spoke: "You see victory as it may be remembered as Dusk settles. I am that, as well as Dawn, the glories to come."

Boethiah responded: "What victory do you see that I cannot make?"

Azura spoke: "The victory forged by three. I see the culmination of your sphere in Veloth. The great revolution, the forging of the imperishable nation as an eternal monument to the greatest victory of Boethiah."

Boethiah responded: "I think I do not need your or the third conspirator you have not yet deigned to mention to complete a revolution. Tell me what I do not consider."

Azura spoke: "The other conspirator is Mephala, and from her shall the revolutionaries be armed. I shall give face to the new nation they form."

Boethiah then climbed to the summit of Attribution's Share. From there the Arcano-Politic maze could be seen in full. Boethiah rearranged the maze to reflect the intricacies of the the new plot. Boethiah carefully studied the maze, then spoke again.

"In doing so, we should entangle ourselves with Trinimac, Nu-Jyggalag, Molag Bal and Mehrunes Dagon."

Azura responded: "It is good, then, that Mephala, Master of Entanglement, is with us."

Boethiah laughed.

5: Molag Bal

Knowing the dangers of hostile realms, Azura went forth in the body of a messenger. The treacherous devices of the House of Troubles were transparent before her, and she knew that they could be circumvented by taking an altogether more humble form.

Azura flew forth into Coldharbor. At the gate of the Citadel of Molag Bal did the traitor Molag Grunda stand watch. She still held the form of the Winged Twilight, the very same which Azura now wore. Azura knew that there was no hope of avoiding confrontation, as she had foreseen it.

Molag Grunda saw Azura and declared: "By my true father and the pain you have caused me, I banish you from this realm by claw and talon!"

In the aforeseen fashion, Grunda swooped down to meet Azura. The rage of Grunda was nearly a match for the foresight of Azura. They slashed at one another, flying around the gatehouse-arena. In short time Daedra flocked to that place, and after them their mortal slaves came. By this commotion was the interest of Molag Bal awakened. He came forth to the gates to spectate, mocking Azura's foolhardy venture. Grunda's pride and rage intensified as her lord looked, and her initiative renewed she pinned Azura to the ground. In accordance with the plot devised by Boethiah and Azura, Molag Bal entered the arena to gloat at Azura's apparent downfall.

He said: "Azura, my daughter has learned much from you. Pride, foresight, cruelty. She waited here long indeed for your arrival. In truth, I never sincerely thought as Grunda did, that you would come here. But my Grunda was correct. Perhaps your time is over, and she may become the new Prince of Dawn and Dusk. Though in truth, the form of the Winged Twilight seems one of Coldharbor. Perhaps you, Azura, and your cohort are mine but have merely lost your way."

Azura declared: "The truth is that it is not I who stands in your realm, but you who stands in mine. The gate is alike to Twilight, for one who stands there can go either way. Welcome to Dusk, Molag Bal."

With those words the gatehouse arena was separated from Coldharbor. Azura threw off Grunda with ease, and continued. "It was true fallacy to place one of my servants at a place which drips with my power, Molag Bal. You thought I was dominated, but it was I who placed a trap within your trap. On that note, you are attempting to drag scheming into your sphere. You will stop this, as this sphere is shared by Boethiah and Mephala, who are allied to me."

The rage of Grunda grew again, though it was now impotent.

Molag Bal protested: "You dote over mortals. They will be the ones to pay for this meaningless insolence."

Azura responded: "Regardless of the events here, you would have come to wage war on my people anyway, beginning with your transgressions against my allies. I merely wished to warn you of the consequences of opposing me."

6: Mehrunes Dagon

As she had done with Molag Bal, Azura took upon the form of a Winged Twilight in her ventures to other hostile realms. In this way she deftly navigated the winds of Oblivion. Now she called Mehrunes Dagon to council. Dagon knew of what transpired in Coldharbour, and desired to avoid the shame Molag Bal had been subjected to. In light of this he demanded that any meeting between them be held above a pit of molten rock, which teemed with Dagon's power and influence. This increased the necessity of the form of the Winged Twilight, as that form could use wings to stay aloft.

Upon the initiation of the meeting of the molten pit, Mehrunes Dagon spoke first: "Enemy. Speak, before all you know is destroyed."

Azura responded: "I do not think we need be enemies in all regards, Dagon. There is an understanding that may exist between us."

Dagon spoke: "I brought you here on the off-chance you would perish in this molten pit. Now that I see that this faint hope will go unfulfilled, I demand you leave this place and tremble in fear of me."

Azura responded: "There are things that you and I both know. The first I would articulate is that I have a power far beyond your juvenile impulses of destruction. You know of what transpired in Coldharbor, and this inspires your concern. The second truth I would articulate is that there is a mortal land known as Resdayn which takes qualities from both of us. The third and most relevant is that we can strike a compromise in regard to Resdayn."

Dagon spoke: "A compromise is a beautiful thing in my eyes. It is imperfect, which demands upheaval, my greatest friend. And what you stand to gain from imperfection is clear. You and your cohort would try to cheat me. This makes what you tempt me with all the more irresistible. I will tolerate your presence here long enough to hear you out."

Azura responded: "Resdayn has two qualities. Bounty and peril. Soon it will have two peoples. My followers and my foes. I would bring my followers to the bounty of this land and bring down the fire of this land to my foes."

Dagon spoke: "It is against the deepest part of my nature to draw opposition to this. Rose of the Moons, you are lovely and thorny. You most certainly have guessed my practice of destruction would extend to your followers as well. You know that. But I suspect you also know exactly how to channel my rage."

Azura responded: "You are correct, and very little choice in the grand scheme do you have now. Countless transgressions you will perform against my people, though ultimately you are mine. Against your attacks my people shall learn indomitable will. Should they fall from the path which I set them, you shall be the whip that punishes them."

Dagon concluded: "Azura, you think you have accounted for the chaos I might cause. I think I will surprise you. I lament that I allowed you to get to me. This arrangement is beautiful and cruel, much like you and Resdayn. But I promise you that I will enjoy the destruction I will visit upon you and yours very much. Now go, Azura. You are my seductress and bane, the thorny rose."

[rot]

Does the TES4 extension imply the Jyggalag/sheogorath thing isn't public (or even academic) knowledge in-universe at this time? Is this text secret?

[arvisrend]

Is "Hieragropha" the spelling you intend? I'd say No, but with Sheogorath you never know.

I must say I don't like the writing. Too much generic RPGness and mismatched metaphors in there. "He sifted through the twilight, picking out nation by nation for his conquests. [Do Daedra conquer nations?] Many fell before him and became forgotten. [But not to the author of these lines?]" Also "But we have marked the patterns and the tides carefully, and from them we have learned all the patterns." Like, patterns of what, and what are the "tides" doing in here? Also, the "grand unified formula", if we really want this trope in here, shouldn't go under this title. Vyn has its own woo, but it should be different.

[Seneca37]

I liked it.

I took the word "nations" to mean worlds/planes/realms under the control of lesser Daedra. And "patterns and tides" is a reference to the mathematical formula used to determine the motion of everything, from the tiniest subatomic particle to the gravitational dance that galaxies (and perhaps realms) perform.

[6plus]

[...]the grand unified formula[...]

[...]waves through quantum seas[...]

[...]infinite improbability[...]

These need to be removed (or rephrased).

[Dormichigan64]

Why? Because they're too mathematical and modern? To me, that's the point with Jiggy.

[arvisrend]

They are modern in a bad sense, but more importantly, they are concrete notions bereft of most of their meaning. This is what I meant by "mismatched metaphors" (which might, ironically, be a mismatched metaphor itself). A good metaphor becomes clearer if you look at it closely, rather than dissolving itself in nonsense. What is the meaning of "the disregard of the equations by infinite improbability"?

A good sentence: "I brought you here on the off-chance you would perish in this molten pit. Now that I see that this faint hope will go unfulfilled, I demand you leave this place and tremble in fear of me." But it would be improved if the last few words were omitted, as they add nothing but D&D clichée.

Azura wouldn't speak of "juvenile impulses of destruction" referring to Dagon. He isn't in his puberty, he is fucking destruction incarnate.

Sorry but this stuff really needs a better writer, and I am absolutely *not* volunteering, because a writer I am not. Criticizing is an easier part and I fear the only one easy enough for me...

[Rats]

"Moon-Star, you see into twilight, and discern it's patterns and see ahead."

"discern its patterns" or "discern that it is patterns"?

Bitter Peryite granted me some mercy, so I could have silence in my mind.

I love this.

"Your riotous mind grants peace to others. Let that comfort you in the chaos."

I also love this, would be even better if we got that Daedric Face of Comfort model finished.

Each kept it's own limbs, and so like the spider the pseudo-humanoid form had eight limbs.

"its"

"I think I do not need your or the third conspirator you have not yet deigned to mention to complete a revolution.

"you_ or the third [...]" (no "r")

Azura flew forth into Coldharbor. [...] Though in truth, the form of the Winged Twilight seems one of Coldharbor.

Coldharbour with a U.


All in all, I think these passages are great; they're filled with interesting nods to in-game artifacts, events and what-not for the reader to discover. The Sheogorath part, where he explains his intentions as Jyggalag, is golden.

The Jyggalag part's fine IMO. The use of maths/physics jargon is not too excessive to seem like a cheap gimmick and I even think they add some wiggle room with different interpretations that can be made from the text. The fact that the figures of speech are hard to understand or contradictory even is not something that would make them bad figures of speech by default. To say--at the moment right before Jyggalag's downfall--that he was "shocked at the disregard of the equations by infinite improbability" not only reflects the complicated fashion in which Jyggalag's mind works on a textual level but also gives us multiple ways of interpreting the reasons behind him being shocked, for example "disregard of the equations" could refer to Jyggalag's own inability to pay attention to minute details or the fact that the Mazken and the Aureals don't care about his important work. "Infinite improbability" is both a contradictory hyperbole befitting a Daedra and an intertextual reference to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Me, I'm getting much more out of this text as it is rather than if we did major changes to it.

I agree that the very last chapter with Mehrunes Dagon loses its grip a bit, becoming an empty exchange of boasts and threats. The idea of Azura and Dagon as hateful lovers is an interesting one, though. Maybe add some subtle allusions to, say, the destruction of Old Mournhold or the upcoming Oblivion Crisis?

The name "Hieragropha" (coined from "hieroglyph" + "apocrypha"?) is in my opinion a suitable term in its obscurity -- part of the mystery -- though I can't judge whether it looks like a weird-ass typo to a native speaker.

Also, a chapter for Malacath would be a welcome addition.

[arvisrend]

Rats' comments encouraged me to read on, which was fortunate: There is lots of good stuff in 2-6, in fact. I still hold that 1 is bad on many levels. 2-6 would do with some local improvements:

"They would perceive an attack against yourself to be an attack on their homeland, and an attack on their homeland to be an attack to be an attack on you." Too modern lingo (for Mephala of all people), not to mention the duplicated words.

Dangling participles in this one: "Patient but untroubled by methodology, my mark upon the world would inspire the appreciation of Boethiah, though the hidden nature of the Web even past the point of victory would inspire wroth". Mephala -- not his mark upon the world -- is patient and untroubled by methodology, as far as I understand. Not sure if the "but" shouldn't be an "and" too.

"Sharing of Attribution" and "Attribution's Share" are appropriate but might still be replaced by metaphors if someone has a good one. Is it right to view Boethiah's sphere to be that of tales and legends as opposed to the actual web of things that are happening? In some sense, Mephala makes a web and Boethiah chooses a path through the web, a reduction of something high-dimensional to a more-or-less straight line, an "upshot"?

"I think I do not need your or the third conspirator you have not yet deigned to mention to complete a revolution. Tell me what I do not consider." Grammar is wrong here ("your" should probably be "you" or "your help").

Missing word? "her initiative renewed she pinned Azura to the ground."

My suggestion is to drop 1 (do we actually need Jyggalag here? He has nothing to do with Morrowind) and start the series with 2. The use of maths/physics jargon would be OK if it was actual maths/physics jargon, but it is not, and it does nothing to improve the story. Maybe it's all references I am failing to get (good catch on the Douglas Adams one), but IMHO the unclarity and woo does not help convey a better picture.

I would expect "hieragropha" to be a reference to "hierographa", which at least means "holy writings". If I google for the word, I see willxpm actually spelling it this way for parts 5 and 6, so I have good reasons to suspect this to be his intention. Again, sometimes things are just wrong and accidentally unclear, rather than deliberately mysterious or ambiguous, and the best solution is to correct them.

+1 for Malacath.

[Rats]

(I was kinda hoping that at some point in the future we'd establish that the Grey Meadows is the place where the Daedra split Sheogorath's personality creating the Meadows)

[arvisrend]

Thinking about that, they do remind me a bit of the Shivering Isles. On the other hand, the melancholy and hauntedness of this place might be gone if we give it a Sheogorath backstory. Needs some thinking.