You've experienced the Elder Scrolls Series in your own way, but want to learn more about
its story. Well, to get to the heart of the story- you have to go back to the beginning...
In the days immediately following the Chimer's
exodus from the Summerset Isles, the elves were under constant threat from the elements,
bandits and rogue marauders. Azura had taught them to be shadowy and mysterious while Boethiah
had shown them the finer points of architecture, philosophy and politics. But there was one
who would teach the Chimer to evade their enemies, to conspire against them, and to
kill them silently. It was unknowable, enigmatic Mephala, she who is called Webspinner...the
Spider God. True to her namesake, the spheres of Mephala's
influence are hidden from the perceptions of mortals, but she has been called the Daedric
Prince of murder, sex and secrets. Considered to be among the three "good" Daedra, along
with Boethia and Azura, Mephala was seen as an aspect of Tribunal god Vivec, the beautiful,
blood stained warrior poet, who is considered to be at once male and female. Much like Vivec,
Mephala's nature is often contradictory, simultaneously subtle and excessive; a scream engulfed by
a whisper. The only constant characteristic of Mephala's
persona is an inclination to interfere in the affairs of mortals for her own amusement.
Mephala sees these human dramas as threads in a gigantic weave. Tug at the proper series
of threads, and the entire web unravels. This entertains the Daedric Lord to no end. Such
is the tale of the two unfortunate families of the settlement of Bleaker's Way, who literally
tore each other to pieces as a result of Mephala's manipulations.
It is believed that the assassins known as the Morag Tong came to be as a result of Mephala's
teaching the Chimer the art of secret murder. After Mephala helped Boethiah to establish
the clan system that would ultimately become the Great Houses of the Dunmer, the Morag
Tong became a natural extension of the principles the political system was based upon. Over
the years, the Morag Tong would develop into a legally recognized organization of killers
for hire. When no other course of action was suitable to resolve a conflict, the Chimer
would use the Morag Tong, offering money for an honorable execution. With strict laws of
governing, the Morag Tong's intent is to prevent bloodshed with calculated killings and is
considered a Guild much like the societies devoted to Fighters and Mages. There are many
who see no difference between the dutiful Morag Tong and the murderous and bloodthirsty
Dark Brotherhood. In fact, there are those who believe that the Dark Brotherhood's Night
Mother is really Mephala in disguise. Many scholars cite inferences to the Twenty-seven
Threads of the Webspinner, which were enchanted items created by the Daedric Lord Sanguine
for Mephala to bestow upon her Morag Tong followers. These accounts say that these tokens
were stolen by the Dark Brotherhood on the orders of the Night Mother. Mephala responded
by arranging to have the items retrieved and the entire Dark Brotherhood killed, including
the mysterious Night Mother. If true, this legend would confirm that the two groups of
assassins are not only vastly removed from one another, but also disproves the theory
that Lord Mephala and the Night Mother are one and the same.
Mephala's servants are known as Spider Daedra, and are fearsome even by Daedric standards.
These monstrous human-spider hybrids are notoriously erratic and difficult to control, making them
unsuitable for any magic user, even the very strongest of conjurers. Even great Mephala
herself has had difficulties commanding these vicious, nightmare creatures that are not
only strong and fast, but extremely violent as well. There are unconfirmed rumors that
the Spider Daedra were more easily bound and conjured before the Oblivion Crisis. Bound
Spider Daedra are particularly lethal due to their ability to create Spiderlings, or
small versions of themselves that are capable of causing paralysis in their targets.
Easily as terrible as the dread Spider Daedra is the artifact Mephala has unleashed upon
the world. The Ebony Blade has been called both "The Vampire" and "The Leech", and the
names are most appropriate. This evil weapon literally drains the life force of its target,
transferring that life energy to the wielder of the sword. The Ebony Blade has had several
incarnations over the years, appearing as a one or two handed katana with a variety
of enchantments in addition to its horrific life draining properties. It has been known
to enhance the wielder's skill with the weapon, or to silence any spell casters struck with
it. As with all artifacts of true evil, the Ebony Blade ultimately devours the soul of
its user, and consigns it Oblivion. One of the most recent, undocumented theories to
surface suggests the Ebony Blade deposits these souls directly into Mephala's realm,
but this is purest conjecture and because of the inpenetrable nature of the Webspinner's
sphere, it is impossible to confirm. So seductive is the pull of this weapon that
it can corrupt and pervert the motivations of even the most decent of people. The grim
blade is never more powerful than when used to murder those closest to the one who wields
it before damning their betrayed souls to Oblivion. It is said a powerful wizard once
cast a spell upon the Ebony Blade that caused it to change owners, sometimes of its own
accord. If the legend is true, this is a blessing, as the Ebony Blade will eventually drive the
one who wields it utterly insane. Mephala of course, revels in the downfall of anyone
foolish enough to raise the vile weapon as well as the destruction it brings to the lives
of those closest to the wielder of the Ebony Blade.
The other artifact associated with Mephala is the Ring of Khajiit. The Ring was stolen
from Mephala's person by Rahjin, a master thief of such skill the Khajiit would later
name him the "Thief God". Using the Ring of Khajiit, Rahjin was invisible, silent, and
could literally move like the wind. With the Ring's assistance, Rahjin was so stealthy
he is rumored to have stolen a tattoo from the neck of the Empress Kintyra Septim as
she slept. With his natural skills and the enchantments of the Ring of Khajiit, Rahjin
became the greatest thief Elsweyr had ever known. While his eventual fate is unknown,
some believe that after grossly overusing the Ring, it abandoned Rahjin when he most
needed it and left him helpless before his enemies. There is another Khajiit legend that
implies the ring was simply returned to Mephala by Rahjin. In either case, the Ring ultimately
found its way back to Mephala, as she has been known to reward those who do her bidding
with it.
Mephala rejoices in the seduction of mortals; their schemes, their lusts and their inevitable
downfall and ruin. Secreted away like a spider within its web, she plucks at threads from
the myriad strands of mortal weakness and folly, and laughs as the connections that
bind lives together fall away, until the entire web collapses and comes apart. She lurks wherever
conspiracy rears its head and whispers into the minds of those who scheme in secret and
kill when none are looking. If Mephala is the Daedric Prince of sex, secrets
and murder who orchestrates contention amongst mortals, weaving her influence like vine tendrils,
her sibling is he who records these events both great and small, writing them upon the
scrolls of Eternity, having known their outcome before the very first steps were conceived.
He is the Daedric Prince of Fate and Knowledge, and scribes the forbidden secrets of all existence
in the pages of his Black Books. Many have sought the knowledge this Daedric Prince holds,
their quests changing the course of history and bringing madness and death in their wake.
But that- is a story for another day...