Sermon on Mephala

ElleShaped

(( The following is a transcript of an in-game event held 9-30-2015 on the NA-AD server. For purposes of simplicity, anything not bolded was spoken or refers directly to Brielle Shadowlorn, the presenter of the sermon. Anything in a block quote is a prayer. ))

The Sermon

“Good evening to you all who have gathered here to expand your understanding of the powers of this world. The courage to come here is the first step on a journey toward a deeper connection to the fabric of the Web, the pattern that all life and all fates weave together and which only the Lady of Whispers can see clearly.

I am here tonight to tell you of the proper worship of Her, the Dark Lady whose strands reach far and wide, and whose influence extends into the dark corners of every country on Nirn. She is known as one of the Good Daedra to the Dunmer, and worshiped by those who call themselves Assassins or Courtesans or Conspirators in any place and in any time.

If you offer your devotion to Her, you will come to lose your fear of the eyes in the darkness - for they will be your eyes; and you will no longer tremble when you hear the whispers upon the night wind - because those whispers are Her voice. You will not fear the hidden blade, because you wield it, and should it claim your life, you will know you died as a sacrament to Her.”

“I will begin with a simple prayer."

Her soft voice echoes with the strange and jagged sounds of the Chimer language, almost certainly unfamiliar to most of those assembled. The words of the prayer sound rhythmic and reverent, a statement of devotion.

"In our common tongue, today, this is the prayer I have just spoken, a prayer of daily dedication:"

Lady of Whispers, I praise You to whom my life is dedicated.
Mistress of Secrets, I offer to you my lifeblood and my essence.
Mother of Spiders, that I may continue to serve you, take my thread in Your hands.
Let the course of the future be changed by Your will and my sacrifice.

"The Worship of the Lady of Whispers takes many forms, as many patterns in the Web as there are those dedicated to Her, but I have learned in my studies and in deep communion with Her that there are common themes, points of connection with Her which many traditions share. I call these themes the Pillars of Proper Worship, in honor of the Pillars of the Temple in the Spiral Skein. There are three Pillars taller and stronger than the others, upon which rests the Temple of Devotion to Her. I will explain each of the Pillars for your understanding, and when I am done, I will answer those questions which may come to your mind.

Each Pillar has an inner face, and an outer face, just as the walls of the Temple both face inward to the devout and outward to the rest of the world. The inner, the secret, represents that aspect of worship held within, concealed and personal to the believer and those they choose to touch directly. The outer face represents that which is overt, visible to the world at large as a public declaration of Her glory, a sacrament for all to see.

The first of the Pillars is that which is most commonly associated with Her in the world, even to those who do not know Her. It draws the greatest fear from those not initiated, and it has shed the most obvious blood in Her name. It is the most direct, the most active, the most... decisive of Her sacraments. This is the Pillar of Murder.

The inward, secret face of Murder is that of the Assassin - the hidden, poisoned blade, wielded in the shadows and in silence; the poison laced into the meal; the garotte from a dark alley that was never seen and which strangled life swiftly. It is this which was taught first to the Chimer after they were lead to Morrowind, that they may defend themselves and their faiths from those who would enslave or destroy them.

This face is that which inspired the formation of the Morag Tong, the ancient guild of Assassins which is a sanctified part of the lives of the Dunmer, today. Murder, any murder, is an act of devotion to Her, but those murders which are performed to change the pattern or which bear strong emotional vibrations are the most sacred.”

“I will share with you another prayer on the subject of Assassination, this a prayer to sanctify that most intimate of Murders, that of a member of one's own family:"

She turns to a new page in her book, her voice issuing again in the sharp sounds of Chimer. This time, each line oozes meance like a poisoned blade, and the last line ends in a hiss like the drawing of a knife.

“In our common tongue this prayer is said thus:"

Webspinner, Queen of Bindings,
Know that I take the blood of my blood in full knowledge and deadly purpose.
The split and vulnerable thread of my family I give to You,
To secure again in devotion.

She looks up from her book, her eyes glittering in the dim light.

"The outward face of Murder is that which terrifies entire peoples. This is the act of Genocide. Like the art of the Assassin, it can change the world - this time, with the silencing of an entire belief or culture, and in this way it can not only change the pattern of the Web of a government or of a family or of a gathering of lives, but that of the entire world. The severing of an entire segment of the Web is not a thing which is undertaken lightly, but when it is performed, the Rite of Genocide leaves a space which can be filled by a new pattern, making the Web stronger, and guiding the development of its shape in those ways which the Lady most desires.

These things, the sacraments of the Pillar of Murder, are important because as with any part of life, the old must be cleared to make way for the new. The vines which choke the trees must be cleansed lest the forest wither. The weeds which stymie the crops must be removed to make way for the burgeoning of new growth."

She chuckles darkly.

"And, from time to time, it is simpler than that - it is because one's heart calls out for death, for the destruction of a person or persons who we feel truly deserve it. Remember that to take what one wants is the heart of devotion to the Lady, no matter what that thing may be. So we see that Murder is clearly a path to power and an expression of our devotion to Her."

"The second Pillar is that which guides the whispers in the darkness. It is the means by which the few control the many. It is the method used to enrich one's self, to gain personal and political power, to defend oneself in times of strife and to strike at our enemies where they are weakest. This is the Pillar of Secrets. The hidden, inner face of this Pillar is that Secret held in one's heart, known to no others, or perhaps only the very few.

This may be the Secret of a power known only to you - this gives you power in addition to that which is intrinsic to it. Knowing a Secret gives you the ability to control a situation, because it gives to you the knowledge of what is to come. One can shape one's actions with this knowledge and emerge from any situation superior to all others.
It may be the Secret of illicit behavior of another. This could be used to approach them unseen, for Murder, or for purposes of influencing their behavior in a way beneficial to you.

It may be the Secret of where one keeps that which they hold dear. This could be used to seize their wealth or their largesse for oneself, or again, used as leverage, to reshape their part of the pattern more to your own desires.
The outward face of the Pillar of Secrets is that complex web, held concealed in full view of the many, by which they are controlled by the few. It is the Conspiracy. With the right joining of threads of political or public power, entire cultures or kingdoms can be shaped to grow in the way desired by the Conspirators.

The Secret here is the way in which things are connected - the events may be visible to all, but their relationship to each other is concealed. Perhaps it is a cabal in the government which uses subtle means such as seemingly petty crimes and assaults to devalue a region or a market, and then the business consortium which takes advantage of that opening to grow their power and influence. It may be the system of those enforcing the law to subjugate certain members of a culture, and then the agitators who move within that culture to spark a rebellion - the rebellion which enacts the true goal of the Conspiracy, and changes the Web of the whole.

The Conspiracy, we see, has much power and if used properly can alter whole swaths of the Web with the strategic manipulation of a few threads."

"I will close this section with another prayer:"

She turns to a new page of the book and then recites another verse in Chimer, this sounding like the slithering of things in the darkness, and the echoes in the cavernous Refuge are... disturbing.

Mistress of Secrets, We beseech You to bless this grouping,
Enacted in secret, drawing tight the hidden strings,
Changing without revealing, directing without touching,
And with the completion of our pattern, You guide Destiny as You see fit.

"There is a third Pillar, and it is this Pillar which is most often popularized in whispers, and it is that which has the greatest draw to the common people, and the disaffected, and the outcast who do not seek vengeance or blood.

This is the Pillar of Sex, the glories of physical pleasure and intimacy, the shared warmth and temporal closeness. The inward face of the Pillar of Sex is Seduction.

Through the arts of Seduction, one can, without seeming to do more than indulge oneself, assert control and influence over another. All living creatures, and some who have since ceased to live but still move among us, understand the pleasures of the body, and thus all are susceptible.

In intimacy, one leaves oneself bare and vulnerable, and one with the knowledge to do so can draw forth their secrets, leave them open to attack or assault, or subtly guide their attitudes and their desires.

It can be used as a temptation to the path the Seducer desires, as a reward to the loyal or those who serve us well, or as that fruit kept just out of reach, frustrating and distracting the target until their focus leaves that which they should be watching, making them vulnerable.

This connection can be addictive, leading to the craving for more, Binding the subject to the Seducer in ways which are insidious and difficult to break. It can be used to draw those of certain faiths away from their previous course, and because of the contempt or disgust with which Sexuality is looked upon by many faiths despite its prevalence.
The public face of the Pillar of Sex is the art of the Courtesan, that one who moves among the powerful and the nobility and upon whom all eyes focus.

The Courtesan can influence the fashion of an entire city with the simple flick of an eye or the touch of a blush to the cheek, creating opportunities for business or commerce. With the strategic use of scents and the careful painting of the features, the Courtesan can guide the attentions of those who harvest natural resources to certain places.
And, of course, by drawing all of the eyes in the Court to themselves, the Courtesan can leave many of those most powerful vulnerable to subterfuge - both by taking their attention from the physical, allowing stealth and infiltration, and by distracting the mind, allowing certain secrets to be extracted or passed in public without their noticing.”

"I will close this section with another prayer:"

This time, her tone begins soft and seductive, but as the words move on, they become filled with steel and meance.

Mistress of Secrets, Binder of Fates,
I have drawn this soul to me and made them mine.
Innocence replaced by experience and confusion replaced with devotion.
I claim their fate for You, their body for myself, and their life for my Family.
As I am Yours, they are mine.

“Now that you know all three Pillars - Murder, Secrets, and Sex - you should know what it is which binds them all together. There is a common thread amongst them, the foundation upon which they and the Temple are built. This thread is Control.

We all seek Control in our lives - control of our fates, of our environments, of our lives and of those around us we may despise or desire. Each of these means can be used to exact Control over another, or over many others, or over entire segments of the Web.

It is this Control which the Lady of Whispers ultimately uses for the benefit of all who are devout and loyal, and it is the tool which She uses to guide the pattern of the whole of the Web to that which She most desires. She does not know the future, but She sees more and farther than any mortal mind, and so She rightly has Control of the Web of all fates. She guides us to a place we do not know, but to which we surely must follow."

She closes the book on the podium, and then looks around the gathered crowd, meeting eyes here and there with a subtle nod.

"Now. I have heard your whispers and your comments and your questions as I spoke, and this is the time to ask them and be answered."

"Who will be the first to speak out, to have the courage to reveal themselves and their curiosity?"

Q&A Begins

[Uthrang] raises a hand in a rigid motion. "As I asked before. Mephala's realm is known to be inaccessible to men and mer. How do you know all this? And how much of it is true?"

"An excellent question. While it is true that the Spiral Skein is inaccessable to mortals, and the Webways untraverseable to us, this does not prevent the servants of the Mistress of Secrets from coming among us. Nor does it prevent Her from coming to us directly, in visions and in manifestations, unbidden or summoned."

She holds up the thick, leather-bound tome she had been reading from.

"The Chimer knew Her intimately. She chose them as Her children first amongst all of the peoples of Nirn, and I have the teachings of the last Hight Priestess of their race, before they fell from grace and the wrath of Azura changed them. I have studied at great length and, on occasion, had the glorious honor of being in the Lady of Whispers' presence. I can assure you that everything I have said tonight is true."

[Uthrang] drops his hand like a dead twig."So. You are saying one of her servants brought you this book?"

"No. I am saying that this contains the collected teachings of Her chosen people, and that I was guided to discover the place where it was left to rest after her departure from this world so that I might further my understanding of the Mother of Spiders and Her worship.

I have, of course, been visited by, and even entertained most closely, some of Her servants and emissaries, and learned from them as well.

It is a good question. It is the soul of wisdom to understand the sources of those teachings we are offered - for if we do not understand where the knowledge is drawn from or its veracity, we truly have learned nothing."

[Uthrang] shakes his head."Even more so, apparently survived. But if mere words is what you got taught by the daedra of lies. You will forgive me if I doubt you." and dips his head to Brielle.

She laughs brightly.

"I take no offense. Though I have come here, with Her blessing, to pierce the veil of mystery for only a moment that those curious might come to know more, it is of course your own choice to believe or disbelieve that which you hear tonight. Now. Is there another with an inquiry I might address? You will rarely have the opportunity for candid and plain discussion of these matters."

[Morriel the Serpent] raises her hand, speaking loud enough to be heard. Her voice was slightly distorted by an enchantment on her helm to be deeper than usual. "You say that Mephala controls the web of all fates but it is Hermaeus Mora who is calle the Prince of Fate. Where does their control overlap? Does Mephala control things that Hermaeus Mora does not?"

[Uthrang] raises slowly an eye brow at Morriels question, but didn't move, merely uttering, "An astute question." and eyed Brielle, waiting for an answer.

"Another excellent question. It is said that of all of the Princes, the two closest to each other, most like the siblings they truly are, are Mephala and Hermaeus Mora. Mephala has the foresight and the understanding of the nature of people and their actions to see how the facts of their lives as well as their intents connect together - though She may not know everything, or even close to all, She knows -people-, and thus their patterns and the largest part of the Web is revealed to Her. Hermaeus Mora collects all knowledge, those facts and events and occurences, without connecting or attempting to understand their greater interplay. He gathers knowledge for its sake - all knowledge – whereas Mephala takes only that which is needed for Control and understanding of the Web, but connects it together to see farther. When Mephala is done with a Secret because it has been revealed or used to its full potential, it is then entered into Mora's archives, and chronicled forevermore."

[Uthrang] says: "If I may. Is it safe to assume, old Herma-Mora is more on the.. calculating side, as where Mephala deals more in the ah... emotional matters?"

She nods.

"Precisely."

[Morriel the Serpent] rests her hands at her hips. "Ah so it is a difference in the flavor of influence. Hidden and not hidden as well as people verses events."

[Lu'Nara Darkes] raises a hand with a smile.

She nods to Lu'Nara.

[Lu'Nara Darkes] smiles, speaking so that all can hear her. "Is it safe to assume that the Spider Daedra were created by her as a symbol of the three pillars? Murder, Secrets, and Sex? If this is so, does she employ any of the more subtle daedra like dremora or seducers?"

[Uthrang] snorts."Dremora are hardly subtle."

[Sindrillion] can't help but laugh at that. "Clearly, you haven't met the Mazken that I've met, if you think they're subtle."

[Aurielle Night-Thorn] looks to the lady talking, and admires her, and listens closer.

[Salyyn Half-Senche] "Depending on Kyn..." she mutters, "Some are... some aren't."

[Uthrang] turns his head to Salyyn."Churls are a utter waste of space. They are brutish, anything notable beyond that is the Kynmarcher who knows discipline and structure, but I never heard of any... 'assassins' among their caste. Markynaz prefer direct combat as suits their station. And the Valkyn.. let's just say they do not need to sneak." and chuckles.

[Salyyn Half-Senche] she glances back to Uthrang, "You're talking of rank within Kyn, yes? Much like a captain or marshal in a military..."

[Uthrang] squints an eye at Salyyn, the rest of his face remains unmoving."I speak of the Dremora caste in general. You would know if you ever had read a book about them or busied yourself with conjuration. Any scamp could tell you, if you were able to understand daedric, that is."

[Morriel the Serpent] says: "And depending on the Prince they serve. Some are more steeped in brutality than others."

[Salyyn Half-Senche] "Aye. You speak of caste, not kyn. Different kyn have different traits, yes?"

[Uthrang] snorts amused."The Kyn are the caste. Kyn is just what they call themselves."

[Lu'Nara Darkes] says: “Well, they are still more akin to a man or mer over a lady with a spider for a lower body, yes?”

"The Spider Daedra are indeed her Chosen children amongst the denizens of Oblivion, unbending to the control of any and acting as they will, embodying the Pillars in their very existence. As for the other varieties of Daedra, She is served by any who choose to. There is no particular race upon which she holds claim, but instead, as is Her nature, She is served by individuals rather than by a collectives."

She smiles at Lu'Nara.

"Thank you for your question. I hope that my answer was enlightening."

[Kelissru] steps out from behind Uthrang and raises a hand with a question, waiting to be noticed.

She looks over at Kelissru and nods. "Yes, your question?"

[Kelissru] clears her throat in preparation to speak. She appears to have some difficulty doing so. "So, say I meet a racist Altmer...I seduce him - one pillar down. I secretly intend to kill him. Furthermore, I am also his superior. Second pillar. Lastly, I kill and then eat him. Now that I've eaten him, he's in my belly and therefore technically a Bosmer now. Therefore, I have seduced, secret'ed and murdered a racist Altmer into becoming a Bosmer. Lastly, I will go arm wrestle another racist Altmer and beat them, using the energy from his flesh to do the task. He - or she, whatever - is at that moment entirely reformed and has worked against his people. So, my question is thus - If I accidentally squish a spider during all that, what happens, and what portion of the deeds can be dedicated to Mephala, if any? Is there a limit to how many spiders I may squish and any portion of the deed can still be dedicated to the Prince?"

She raises her eyebrow at the somewhat rambling question.

"Well. All I will say is that any act which one intends to be a sacrament, and especially those acts sanctified by a prayer, are accepted as devotions by the Lady of Whispers. She does not hold animosity for those who kill Her children, if they do not do so to spite Her, though she may become... concerned if Her plots are disrupted by the result."

[Kelissru] nods and grins. "Alright, I'm done. Thank you."

"Are there any further questions?"

[Sindrillion] raises a hand, even if he's a member of House Arachne. "The question may have a rather obvious answer, but is there any overlap between worship of Mephala in the field of sexuality, and Dibella's sphere of intimacy?"

She nods to Sindrillion.

"Of course there is overlap. It lies mostly in the techniques used to engage in pleasure, and in the dance of seduction. Their focus is different. Dibella, or at least the followers of the husk that was once our ancestor, teaches of intimacy and closeness of individuals, of love and connection. Mephala teaches of the means of using the powers and pleasures of Sex as a means to assert power and control."

[Nimrelor] clears their throat, waving their fingers at Brielle.

"Yes, your question?"

[Nimrelor] says: “Surely as a sworn enemy of the Lord of Domination, Mephala has... a certain stance on all this Coldharbour business? Impending doom, and such.”

[Sindrillion] nodded at Nimrelor, even if he wasn't the one being addressed. He doesn't answer out loud, however.

"Indeed She does. She of course sees how destructive to the Web and its larger Pattern that Molag Bal's plots would be, and likewise Her power and control come from the free will and choice of those who serve Her, willingly or unwillingly. She prefers that his plot be stopped, by any means possible. Too, since the very early days, when She was one of the Chimer's Good Daedra and the King of *** a corner of the House of Troubles, they have been at odds with each other far more frequently than they have been allies. Molag Bal lacks subtlety or artistry. He is a blunt instrument, an inelegant tool who blunders where She dances."

"I hope this answers your question."

[Nimrelor] says: I suppose it has.

"Are there any other inquiries? I have yet time for a few more."

[Aurielle Night-Thorn] raises her hand, kind of shyly.

She looks over at Aurielle and smiles.

[Aurielle Night-Thorn] says: “If... one were to... join, and be apart of this... how would they do so?”

"One would speak with me privately after this gathering disperses, or one would leave word at any Mages Guild in my name - Brielle - and it would be passed along to me."

[Aurielle Night-Thorn] shrugs. "Just wanted to ask... seemed, interesting."

She nods.

[Endar the Mender] lifts a hand, along with his middle and index finger silently.

She looks over at Endar.

"Yes? Your question?"

[Endar the Mender] says: "As you said earlier, Mephala would be an advesary to Molag Bal as he was of the House of Troubles, among other reasons. However, from what I know, Mephala is allies of one of the corners, Malacath. Can you provide any reasoning for that?" he asks with his usual neutral tone.

[Grognak Toothgnasher] smiles at the mention of Malacath.

"It is true that Malacath is in the House of Troubles. However, his position there is more because of his disruptive effect upon the temporal power of the Chimer and later the Dunmer, than any idealogical differences with the Lady of Whispers. He is patron to those who are lost and disaffected - and it is from their ranks which Mephala draws many of her most devout followers.”

[Endar the Mender] nods silently "I see. Thank you."

[Kha'mesi] says: “This one has a question, although he wonders if it was addressed before his arrival.”

[Eliona Silveron] ears twitch when Kha'mesi speaks up. She glances over, not having realized that he was present.
She looks then to Kha'Mesi.

"Your question?"

[Kha'mesi] lifts his chin a bit, "This one would know of Mephala's realm, if you have knowledge of such a thing."

"Sadly, the Spiral Skein is inaccessible to mortals, and the Webways restricted as well. What little I do know is, of course, held as a close secret which I cannot comment upon any further."

[Kha'mesi] smiles.

She returns his smile, and then scans the crowd.

She nods to Grognak.

"Yes?"

[Grognak Toothgnasher] says: “You say Mephala and Malacath have no ideological differences, and yet the Code of Malacath teaches us not to kill. Not to steal. Isn't this in direct confrontation with Mephala's pillars of murder and secrets?”

[Endar the Mender] furrows his brow at the Orc as he mentioned "not killing" being part of their code.

[Sindrillion] couldn't help but furrow his own brow about that. He could think of a few Bosmer in Valenwood who would take issue with that claim.

"It is not true that Malacath frowns upon killing in all its respects. In fact, he is quite vocal in his love of vengeance, of righteous slaughter of our enemies and those who have wronged us. I have a prayer from Mephala on the same topic, to sanctify a murder of vengeance:"

She recites the prayer from memory, each phrase sharp and punctuated with silence, like the stabbing of a knife.

"In our modern tongue:"

Lady of Whispers, this life I take for myself.
To You I give the new shape of the Web,
The now-severed strands ripe for the taking,
The fate that was in motion now changed to one of my choosing.

"As for lies... well, we shall say that no two Princes wholly agree. It is in our differences that our truths are revealed."
"I hope that this answers your question."

[Grognak Toothgnasher] mutters, "Of course not all killing. Murder specifically, though. I've seen more than one Orsimer pay the blood price for murder, and I would be a liar if I said I'd never gutted someone who deserved it."

She nods.

"Truly spoken. This is why those who ply the trade of the Assassin far more often offer their devotion to my Lady, rather than the father of the Orcs."

"Are there more questions?"

She looks around the gathered crowd and nods with a smile as there is no further response.

"Well. I thank you all for your attention, and I hope that I have been able to illuminate what was once veiled, if only for a moment, and perhaps," her eyes falling upon Aurielle with a wider smile, "Enticed a few of you to learn yet more."