The Sight,[1][2] sometimes referred to as divination and scrying,[3][4] is the ability possessed by some individuals that allows them to divine information through visions and prophecy. Such users may be called Oracles, Seers, Farseers, Soothsayers,[5][6] Prognosticators, or (parasynonymously) Prophets. The manner of visions attained by Sight vary. Such visions can include foretelling potential futures, seeing into other realms, revealing hidden things, finding lost places, and even communicating at a distance.[5][7]
A vision is not always simply a visual perception, conveying non-visual senses like sound, smell, touch, and temperature, as well as information decoupled from any of the senses.[6] However, visions are not absolute, and may provide an incomplete story, information that is subject to change, or wisdom that is often vague, abstract, and interpretive.[8][6] Using Sight can work better when the seer is feeling their best, and using their Sight can sap their energy for a time.[9] The clarity of such visions can imply an increase in its validity.[6] Visions can also occur in ones dreams.[10]
While some are born with the Sight or a natural affinity for it, devotion to the gods can grant the Sight.[11][12] It is also suggested that lineage plays some factor in one's predisposition to be born with the Sight.[2] Most Alfiq are blessed with sight.[13] Some seers claim that their Sight manifests through dialogue with inanimate objects.[14] Others may receive visions involuntarily, which can be troubling. Seer's Stones are amulets known to help stifle one's oracular senses.[15] Azura's associations with mystery, fate, and prophecy[16] make her more connected to the Sight (which her followers call the gift of Crystal Vision) and mortal seers than most gods.[17] Azura believes that prophecy must occur, and guides her seers that can't always endure "knowledge of the truth".[18]
The ability to predict the future through examination of animal entrails was not an uncommon ability among Reachfolk Shamans of Namira,[19] and Breton haruspices among the Druids of Firesong Circle.[20] A similar ability, an ancient scrying technique that required usage of human entrails instead, was known as Visceromancy. It was practiced by the denizens of the Shivering Isles.[21][22]
Some Dragonborn are known to possess the gift of Sight. It was said that the dragon blood possessed by members of the Septim Dynasty allowed them to see more than lesser men.[23] Emperor Uriel Septim VII was troubled all his life by dreams that showed him visions of the future, including his assassination and the start of the Oblivion Crisis that followed.[24]
A Neesak of Scrying is a crystal that is believed to possess divinatory properties and is used for fortune-telling or divination purposes.[25]
While the gods[26] and Elder Scrolls[27] are known to grant prophecies, this does not necessarily confer the power of Sight. However, such individuals are still referred to as Prophets.
Notable SeersEdit
- The Prophet Marukh — Also known as Marukh the Seer; a prophet of the First Era.[28]
- Velothi Wise Women[29] — Spiritual leaders whose prophetic visions help their tribe prepare for dark days.[30] They affirm that "the star is the key, and the dream is the door", meaning that dreams are the door to prophecy, and that Azura unlocks that path.[17]
- The Oracle — Foresaw Sentinel's defeat in The War of Betony, though her counsel was disregarded by King Camaron, arguably leading to his demise.[31]
- Eustacia — Assisted the Hero of Dawnstar in singling out Dawnstar's traitor by providing crucial oracular intelligence.[32]
- Oracle Marieve — A witch of the Beldama Wyrd who predicted the deaths of Kings Folbert and Tamlien and regularly communicated with the Ritemaster Iachesis of the Psijic Order.[5] In the year 2E 582, Mephala abducted her in an attempt to extract the location of Artaeum from her in an act by the Daedric Triad to further their influence on Summerset.[8] However, she did not know its location, as her Sight only allowed her simple communication. She escaped from The Spiral Skein with help from Vanus Galerion and The Vestige.
- Emperor Uriel Septim VII — Known for his prophetic dreams.[24]
- Imperial Cult Oracles — Are granted visions by the Divines. Some of these visions depict artifacts of divine make that have fallen into unworthy hands.[12]
- The Imperial Saints and the Drake of Blades — Said to have been blessed with precognitive powers by the Divines.[33]
- Sotha Sil — Known to have prophetic predictions and has constructed factotums like The Grand Prognosticator that are capable of some semblance of foresight. However, it is unclear if he or his machines possess the Sight, if the predictions are educated guesses founded on statistical data analysis, or something inbetween.[34]
- Almalexia — Was known for her various prophecies such as those related to the Four-Score War.[35] Despite prophetic tendencies from both Vivec and Sotha Sil, Ayem claimed that they were not seers and that only she was privy of what would come to pass.[36]
- Druid King Kasorayn — Most well known seer in druidic history.[37]
- Varen Aquilarios — Foresaw the events of the Planemeld.
- Oracles of Azurah — A faction of seers in service to Azura who operate in Pariah Abbey of High Rock. In 2E 582, the Shrike Dyzera began kidnapping the oracles in service to the Daedric Triad. With the help of seer Rhea Opacarius, the Vestige freed them from Dyzera's realm.[38]
- Ravencrone Family — Jarl Idgrod of Morthal and her children, although they don't recognize it, are manipulating Magicka subconsciously in order to achieve their visions. Idgrod the Younger is much more adept at separating the visions from reality.[39]:436
- Rynandor the Bold — A seer-mage from Summerset who met a violent fate, likely at the hands of the Thalmor.[40]
- Temples of the Divines — Known to have seers.[41]
- The art of scrying is prominently used in the Mages Guild. The Master of the Scrye is a high-ranking member of the Guild that serves as counsel to the Master of Incunabula.[42] The Order of the Eye is a sub-faction of the Mages Guild that uses scrying in their activities.[3]
- The Psijic Order practice the art of divination and have kept it to themselves for many years, away from the public and the Mages Guild.[43] That also use an artifact called the Obscuros, a scrying device that intensifies the user's perception and projects their visions outward. It was stored away on the remote island of Dranil Kir.[4]
- The Witchmother coven scry for disturbances in the Evergloam by peering into their cauldrons, looking for signs of approaching woe.[44]
- Dro'Jizad was a prophet from Elsweyr, whose prophesies have yet to be revealed to the public, even in the late Third Era.[43]
- Sibellec was a seer from The Reach who aided the Wyrd against Mother Murk in 2E 582.[45]
- The Fate-Bearers are a group of prophetic assassins based at their shrine of the changing fates on Vvardenfell. They use the rare gift of sight to see what the future holds, and to eliminate targets that have the potential to cause unmitigated disasters.
GalleryEdit
-
The Oracle (Daggerfall)
-
Eustacia (Dawnstar)
-
Uriel Septim VII (Oblivion)
-
Dagail (Oblivion)
-
Olava the Feeble (Skyrim)
-
The Prophet, Varen Aquilarios (ESO)
-
Oracles of Azurah performing divination (ESO)
-
A Velothi Farseer (ESO)
-
Oracle Marieve, Beldama Wyress (ESO)
-
The Grand Prognosticator (ESO)
-
The Drake of Blades, her eyes whitened by Akatosh's blessing of a second sight (ESO)
-
Sibellec the Old (ESO)
-
A Reachfolk Shaman Seer (ESO)
-
The Emerald Eye, a relic which grants visions at the cost of draining one's life force (ESO)
-
Firesong Haruspex (ESO)
-
A magic pool used to see the past, present, and future
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Kaye's dialogue in Morrowind
- ^ a b Eustacia's dialogue in Dawnstar
- ^ a b Order of the Eye Dispatch — Skaldir
- ^ a b Lilatha's dialogue in ESO
- ^ a b c Vanus Galerion's dialogue during Through a Veil Darkly in ESO
- ^ a b c d Rhea Opacarius' dialogue in ESO
- ^ Oracle's Vision
- ^ a b Oracle Marieve's dialogue during Through a Veil Darkly in ESO
- ^ Olava the Feeble's dialogue in Skyrim
- ^ Vandoril's dialogue in ESO
- ^ The Oracle's dialogue during Oracle in Daggerfall
- ^ a b Lalatia Varian's dialogue in Morrowind
- ^ Vastarie's dialogue during Path of the Hidden Moon in ESO: Elsweyr
- ^ Geilir the Mumbling's Dialogue during The Sad Seer in Morrowind: Bloodmoon
- ^ Dagail's dialogue in Oblivion
- ^ The Anticipations — Anonymous
- ^ a b Nibani Maesa's dialogue in Morrowind
- ^ The Five Points of the Star — Sigillah Parate
- ^ Witchman Baircallas' dialogue in ESO
- ^ Firesong Haruspex Tales of Tribute card in ESO
- ^ Arctus' dialogue in Oblivion
- ^ The Prophet Arden-Sul
- ^ Baurus' dialogue in Oblivion
- ^ a b Emperor Uriel Septim's dialogue in Oblivion
- ^ Neesak of Scrying item description in ESO: Murkmire
- ^ The Prophet in Oblivion: Knights of the Nine
- ^ Divining the Elder Scolls
- ^ Sacred Inkwell of Marukh the Seer
- ^ Zainsubani's Notes — Hassour Zainsubani
- ^ Ashlander Tribes and Customs — Ulran Releth of House Redoran
- ^ The War of Betony — Vulper Newgate, 3E 404
- ^ Events of Dawnstar
- ^ Father Egnatius' dialogue in ESO
- ^ The Grand Prognosticator's Dialogue during Cogs of Fate in ESO: Clockwork City
- ^ 2920, The Last Year of the First Era — Carlovac Townway
- ^ Almalexia's dialogue in Morrowind: Tribunal
- ^ Loremaster's Archive - The Druid Circles of Galen — Laurel of the Stonelore
- ^ Events of The Missing Prophecy in ESO
- ^ The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Prima Official Game Guide — David Hodgson
- ^ Rising Threat — Lathenil of Sunhold
- ^ Dialogue during Hunt for Undead in Daggerfall
- ^ Origin of the Mages Guild — The Archmage Salarth
- ^ a b The Hope of the Redoran — Turiul Nirith
- ^ Witchmother Taerma's dialogue in ESO
- ^ Events of Wyrd and Coven in ESO