Which Daedra/Aedra Would You Worship? Options

[Elisabeth Hollow]

If you had your pick of worshipping any Daedra or Aedra, no matter how large or small they were, which would it be? I also apologize if this thread has been made before.

Mine would be a tie between Meridia, Azura and Mara.

[Darkness Eternal]

Hmm. A second thought would be to worship Hircine. The important thing is one must think what happens when they crossover. Or if they crossover. Going for the Lord of the Hunt seems a better fit than being a victim of sodomy in Coldharbour for an eternity with Molag Bal as a cellmate. Doing some research, it would appear that Hircine is inspired by the pagan Horned god and also a bit of Native American beliefs.

First, about the afterlife. We hear about the Hunting Grounds in ES as a place where animals are hunted just as well as people. Where creatures are twice the size of what they appear in Nirn and there is a large abundance of lycanthropes. Doesn't sound too pleasant if the individual is not a devout worshiper of Hircine. But to those who serve him, or are lycanthropes, some may see it as paradise much like the tribes of American Natives.

"Upon death, werewolves are claimed by Hircine for his Hunting Grounds. For some, this is a paradise. They want nothing more than to chase prey with their master for eternity. And that is their choice."-Kodlak.

"The happy hunting ground was the name given to the concept of the afterlife by several of the great plains Native American tribes, including the Oglala Lakota. It is an afterlife conceived of as a paradise in which hunting is plentiful and game unlimited. The name Happy Hunting Ground indicates the characteristics of this particular Native American afterlife tradition: the Happy Hunting Ground resembled the living world, but with much better weather and animals such as rabbit, deer and buffalo that were both plentiful and easy to hunt."

It occurs to me that The Hunting Grounds different greatly from the other Daedric realms. There is certainly no civilization or man-made constructs. Coldharbour we see buildings, same as Dagon’s Deadlands, and the Shivering Isles which has cities and towns Hircine’s realm, from what we’ve seen in Infernal City, is just one big realm with a giant forest, a great savannah and plains and tributaries and canyons. A huge wilderness. A wilderness full of lycanthropes and beasts that is much alike our African savannah and the different geography of our world before a time where technology and civilization came to be. While Tamriel grows and somewhat evolves, the Hunting Grounds, by Hircine’s will, remains the same. Wild, free, untamed and savage.

I’ve always came to the conclusion that Bethesda borrowed Native American and Celtic lore and imbued it with Hircine who is like the pagan Horned god and Herne the Hunter. In common Wiccan belief, the Horned god is associated with nature, wilderness, sexuality, hunting and the life cycle. Hircine is associated with both the wilderness and the hunt, and some sexuality is also involved, too, as he is said to take the aspect of a Great Stag to transform women into hinds and mate with them.

From the Totems to Spirit of the Wolf and other elements that come into play. When ESO’s beta came out, my belief was further reinforced. I find Hircine’s religion particularly interesting as those who worship him seek to distance themselves from society and embrace nature as a whole. It is no coincidence that the Glenmoril Witches also see the same.

“Among those of us to whom Lord Hircine bestowed his most precious gift of Lycanthropy, there are legends that he also set into the world specific artifacts of his power. They date to a period when men could neither write, nor speak, nor barely think,While werewolves give up the powers of magic known to men, we can tap into a more direct natural energy at times, and through these totems, discover the abilities that first tamed the world before wrought civilization sullied it.”-Totems of Hircine

"It is the will of Hircine that the Bosmer become as we were in the Dawn Age. Before Y’ffre trapped us in a single shape, before he told us our story and took away our freedom. Rise up and reject the tyranny of shape and story!”-Blessings of Lord Hircine.

"The Glenmoril Wyrd . . . Their preference for life in the wilderness means their covens are usually located far from the agricultural or pastoral enclaves of "civilized" people, which contributes to the lack of understanding of their true natures. This has led to the Glenmoril covens nearly always being described in terms such as uncanny, reclusive, dangerous, inimical, and evil.

In fact, the Glenmoril Wyrd are all of these things—except, I would argue, evil. It is true that they are unswervingly committed to a rejection of civilization and civilized ways; it is true they admit no male members to their covens; it is true they regard themselves as enforcers of certain "laws of nature" which only they recognize. This does not make them evil, just strict adherents to moral codes that are different from our own."

As in Native American belief(though not limited to), animal totems are used as symbols in shamanistic rituals and customs and lifestyle. Much like them, werewolves in ES lore also revere the Totems of Hircine, which are five that also related to the five aspects of Hircine.

"You may meet the Hunter, who is invoked as Alrabeg. He bears the Spear of Bitter Mercy. He comes here from the Hunting Grounds to hunt new prey, or he brings prey native to the Hunting Grounds, like the Unicorn, to hunt in new forests. If he brings not prey, then woe betide you who meet him, for he may dub you the Hare. Then you must flee as best you can, though you will not escape.

“You may meet the Manbeast, who is invoked as Storihbeg. He wears the Wolf Skull Totem and his growl is like a landslide in the Karth Gorge. He comes here to hunt with his children the Skinshifters, or to adopt new children and turn them pelt-side-out. His howl will freeze your inwards like a pond in Evening Star at midnight—you will see your death approach, but be unable to flee.

“You may meet the Great Stag, who is invoked as Uricanbeg, and whose hooves drum the Blood Summons. He comes to mate with the hinds, and may transform a comely woman for that purpose, or to cull the herd of the weak. Those who hear his drumbeat are doomed to run with the herd, and may follow him back to the Hunting Grounds where they will be chased and unmade.”

“You may meet the Quick Fox, who is invoked as Gulibeg, and who wields the Wand of Bone. He comes here to confound mortal hunters, to run them in circles until they are so plexed and wildered that they follow him over a cliff or into a trackless mire. He may fill you with such fury you can do naught but pursue him, or he may note you as clever and teach you his tricks.

“You may meet the Mighty Bear, who is invoked as Hrokkibeg. He embodies the Totem of Claw and Fang, and comes here seeking solitude, peace from labors, and renewal of the Burning Spirit Within. Beware, for if you rouse him and disturb his serenity you will be torn asunder. But if you approach him with deference and an offering of honey-sweet mead, he may grant you the power of the Bear-Heart in your next fight."

Since my great great great grandparents were actually real life natives of an Amazonian tribe, and being in love with nature, hunting, and of course, werewolves . . . I can definitely say I wouldn't mind worshiping Hircine and spending an eternity running naked in the Hunting Grounds as a man or a man trapped in the form of a wolf and forget what civilization means by going back to the roots of mankind. As long as I'm not the one being hunted

This post has been edited by Darkness Eternal: Mar 5 2014, 03:51 AM