Post by Lucien Lachance on Apr 20, 2009 0:30:43 GMT -5
Akatosh is the chief deity of the Nine Divines (the prescribed religious cults of Cyrodiil and its provinces), and one of two deities found in every Tamrielic religion (the other is Lorkhan), save only the Dunmeri religion of the Tribunal of self-made gods. His avatar is a dragon. He is generally considered to be the first of the Gods to form in the Beginning Place; after his establishment, other spirits found the process of being easier and the various pantheons of the world emerged. He is the ultimate God of the Cyrodiilic Empire, where he embodies the qualities of endurance, invincibility, and everlasting legitimacy. He is the patron of The Akatosh Chantry, the religious order devoted to the worship and glorification of Akatosh.
Most traces of Akatosh disappeared from ancient Chimer legends during their so-called 'exodus', primarily due to that god's association and esteem with the Altmeri. However, several aspects of Akatosh which seem so important to the mortal races, namely immortality, historicity, and genealogy, have conveniently resurfaced in Almalexia, the most popular of Morrowind's divine Tribunal: who, as a mother-figure, also embodies the idea of being a progenitor (albeit a female rather than male one). So one could say that, at least, the qualities of Akatosh are not entirely neglected among the Dunmer, even if his name is.
Akatosh was involved in the forging of the Covenant with the new Empire of humanity, and his blood was mystically joined with Alessia and her heirs. The Amulet of Kings was the primary token of this patronage, and it allowed the new Empire of Cyrodiil to benefit from the stabilizing influence of White Gold Tower, maintaining the barrier between Mundus and the Planes of Oblivion. When that barrier was threatened during the Oblivion Crisis, Martin Septim was able to summon Akatosh's spirit and transform himself into the avatar of Akatosh. This avatar dragon defeated Mehrunes Dagon, reestablishing order in Tamriel. The avatar transformed into a statue, now located inside the ruined Temple of the One.
Most traces of Akatosh disappeared from ancient Chimer legends during their so-called 'exodus', primarily due to that god's association and esteem with the Altmeri. However, several aspects of Akatosh which seem so important to the mortal races, namely immortality, historicity, and genealogy, have conveniently resurfaced in Almalexia, the most popular of Morrowind's divine Tribunal: who, as a mother-figure, also embodies the idea of being a progenitor (albeit a female rather than male one). So one could say that, at least, the qualities of Akatosh are not entirely neglected among the Dunmer, even if his name is.
Akatosh was involved in the forging of the Covenant with the new Empire of humanity, and his blood was mystically joined with Alessia and her heirs. The Amulet of Kings was the primary token of this patronage, and it allowed the new Empire of Cyrodiil to benefit from the stabilizing influence of White Gold Tower, maintaining the barrier between Mundus and the Planes of Oblivion. When that barrier was threatened during the Oblivion Crisis, Martin Septim was able to summon Akatosh's spirit and transform himself into the avatar of Akatosh. This avatar dragon defeated Mehrunes Dagon, reestablishing order in Tamriel. The avatar transformed into a statue, now located inside the ruined Temple of the One.