What are wayshrines for?

SeaGtGruff · June 16

This is something I've wondered from time to time.

Our characters can use wayshrines to be resurrected at or to fast travel to and from, but non-player characters cannot use them for those purposes, correct?

So why are they there in the first place?

In TES4:Oblivion there are wayshrines for praying to and receiving blessings from the gods, so presumably that would be why non-player characters placed wayshrines all over Tamriel long before our characters showed up to use them for resurrection and fast travel.

But what about wayshrines in Daedric realms? Why were they placed there, and who put them there?

bmnoble · June 16

Rest stops for travellers, shelter from the rain warm yourself up by the magic blue fire, navigation landmarks etc...

As for the ones in Daedric realms, the princes have a habit of copying or outright stealing stuff from the mortal realm. Maybe we have it backwards and the Daedra scattered the wayshrine's across Nirn.

How do we know the non player characters are not using them to get revived? Many of the NPC mobs/bosses we kill magically come back to life to be killed/stolen from over and over again, only specific named quest bosses/NPC's stay dead.

Syldras · June 16

There's an interestesting article on UESP on this:
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Wayshrines

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

But what about wayshrines in Daedric realms? Why were they placed there, and who put them there?

Daedra love to imitate things. In fact, that's all they can do.

Danikat · June 16

As the name implies they're roadside shrines, although many of the ones we encounter are ancient and no longer close to current roads. They exist in real life too, but they're not found all over the place in every country like they are in Tamriel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayside_shrine

They either commemorate some locally significant event (or could even commemorate a universally significant event at the exact spot it happened, where a bigger shrine or temple would be impractical) or they're places for travellers to stop on their journey to pray for safety and success on the trip, or just to rest.

Syldras · June 16

Danikat wrote: »

As the name implies they're roadside shrines, although many of the ones we encounter are ancient and no longer close to current roads. They exist in real life too, but they're not as common: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayside_shrine

Depends on country and region. There's a region in Bavaria where you find one at each road crossing and sometimes even inbetween. Walk 500 meters and you've passed 10 of them, sometimes more. Styles reach from single statues or columns to small buildings, sometimes including seating.

Danikat · June 16

Syldras wrote: »

Danikat wrote: »

As the name implies they're roadside shrines, although many of the ones we encounter are ancient and no longer close to current roads. They exist in real life too, but they're not as common: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayside_shrine

Depends on country and region. There's a region in Bavaria where you find one at each road crossing and sometimes even inbetween. Walk 500 meters and you've passed 10 of them, sometimes more. Styles reach from single statues or columns to small buildings, sometimes including seating.

I should have remembered I need to be very specific online. When I said 'not as common' I meant they're not found all over every single country like they are in Tamriel. I've fixed it now.

Syldras · June 16

Danikat wrote: »

I should have remembered I need to be very specific online. When I said 'not as common' I meant they're not found all over every single country like they are in Tamriel. I've fixed it now.

Oh, don't worry. I just wanted to give an example for a region where building them was very, very common and where they are still well-maintained and used by people today.

Zodiarkslayer · June 16

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

This is something I've wondered from time to time.

I remember seeing some wayshrines in egypt on the road to the valley of the kings. And I am plenty sure the habit is thousands of years old. And only recently became obsolete.

Before the advent of the railroad, everyone had to use dirt roads. Without GPS or maps.
Wayshrines were trail markers and places to rest and orient.

For example, in medieval Japan, there were little shinto shrines on every road. The travelers would leave little tiles with blessings and sacrifices to pray for good fortune on the road.

Syldras · June 16

Zodiarkslayer wrote: »

Before the advent of the railroad, everyone had to use dirt roads. Without GPS or maps.

Well, actually already the Romans had paved roads. And horse-drawn vehicles. And maps

But on a more serious note: The main purpose was not serving as a landmark or orientation point, but they had a religious purpose. According to this lorebook in ESO...
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Wayshrines_of_Tamriel
...it's the same with Tamriel's wayshrines. Also the name gives it away, it's a shrine, not just a milestone or road marker.

.

This_0ne · June 16

Daedric gods also love veneration in prayers, even if it is done in their worlds)

I_killed_Vivec · June 16

Just about every town/village in the UK (usually more common in smaller places because they need to push their identity) will have a "shrine", a signpost giving the name of the place

Just nameplaces really... you'd have to delve deep into Vestige lore to see why we can use them to travel and resuscitate.

SeaGtGruff · June 16

I must say, this has turned out to be a fascinating and educational thread. Thank you, everyone who's contributed!

TX12001rwb17_ESO · June 16

Syldras wrote: »

Zodiarkslayer wrote: »

Before the advent of the railroad, everyone had to use dirt roads. Without GPS or maps.

Well, actually already the Romans had paved roads. And horse-drawn vehicles. And maps

But on a more serious note: The main purpose was not serving as a landmark or orientation point, but they had a religious purpose. According to this lorebook in ESO...
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Wayshrines_of_Tamriel
...it's the same with Tamriel's wayshrines. Also the name gives it away, it's a shrine, not just a milestone or road marker.

.

So why would there be greymoor style wayshrines in places like the Blackreach Greymoor and Arkthzand Caverns, pretty sure the Vampires there are not revering the Gods who probably hate them for being Vampires.

Nharimlur_Finor · June 16

I think the technical answer is that in TES3 Morrowind, the Tribunal Temple exists and allows Almsivi Intervention to recall to the closest temple.

As ESO is set in Tamriel's past, a technical alternative was required for the 'present', given that the Temple hasn't been implemented yet.

Syldras · June 16

TX12001rwb17_ESO wrote: »

So why would there be greymoor style wayshrines in places like the Blackreach Greymoor and Arkthzand Caverns, pretty sure the Vampires there are not revering the Gods who probably hate them for being Vampires.

You have realized that many of them are Dwemer style, have you? Others are made of raw stone and could be made by the human miners who live and work there.

The "vampire style" ones could be made to honor the daedra.

Syldras · June 16

LaintalAy wrote: »

I think the technical answer is that in TES3 Morrowind, the Tribunal Temple exists and allows Almsivi Intervention to recall to the closest temple.
As ESO is set in Tamriel's past, a technical alternative was required for the 'present', given that the Temple hasn't been implemented yet.

Uhm... Please visit Vvardenfell, especially Vivec City.

spartaxoxo · June 17

The Snow Elves could use way shrines for travel with portal magic. The Shrine of Auriel allowed for travel around the Forgotten Vale in Skyrim. The Font of Auriel in ESO resembles this wayshrine. This required a magic activation and a priest would be there. So, it's not outside of possibility that whatever religious group built the shrine could have also helped people travel around at some point.