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 Varieties of Faith: Solstice |
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| ID | 8236 | ||
| Collection | Solstice Summations | ||
The island of Solstice harbors a unique religious tradition. The High Elves of Clan Corelanya are descended from Altmer who embraced the dissident teachings of the prophet Veloth. While most of the Elves who followed Veloth eventually came to venerate the living gods of the Tribunal, the Corelanyas (like the Ashlanders of Morrowind) continue to revere Daedric powers. To wander Solstice is to immerse oneself in a variety of faiths rarely if ever seen on the mainland.
The Three Queens
While the Corelanyas of old had dealings with a number of Daedric powers, during their long exile on Solstice their faith coalesced around three particular Daedra: Meridia, Azura, and Nocturnal. The Elves of Solstice refer to them as the Queen of Light, the Queen of Dusk, and the Queen of Darkness. These Three Queens reign over all aspects of life, both the good and the bad.
Meridia: The Queen of Light is a ruling goddess who grants each mortal potential and purpose. She is a goddess of light, life, and order, the arbiter of all things as they are meant to be. The Elves of Solstice strive to live up to Meridia's perfection, knowing they fall short but loving her nonetheless.
Azura: The Queen of Dusk comforts and guides mortals through the vicissitudes of life. A goddess of beauty, love, and fortune, she is seen as an intercessor for mortals with her sterner sisters.
Nocturnal: Finally, the Queen of Darkness gathers mortals into her embrace at the end of their days and judges them. Nocturnal presides over death and oversees final justice. The Elves of Solstice respect Nocturnal, but do not love her; she is a stern judge. However, those who live their lives well have nothing to fear when the Queen of Darkness comes for them.
The native Argonians, meanwhile, revere two distinct forces of nature, depending on the tribe they are born into.
The Stone
The Stone-Nest Argonians of eastern Solstice revere the stone, though our limited dealings with them make for an incomplete understanding of exactly what that means. While they appear to honor all stone, they seem to hold stone that has been worked and shaped into holy edifices—their xanmeers—in especially high regard. There are also many stone statues of unknown significance scattered throughout the eastern wilderness that hint at their impressive, stone-shaping past. Beyond that, the religious practices of the Stone-Nest remain a mystery to the Collegium Praxis, one that this docent hopes to study further in the future.
The Tide
The close proximity of the Tide-Born Argonians of the western side of the island gives us more insight into their culture and religious life. They revere flowing water, specifically rivers and what they refer to as the Tides. They believe that memories and past lives flow into rivers and are carried by the tides to the eggs they incubate in tidal pools. In this way, they are returned and born again on the shores of Solstice.
Note that the Argonians of Solstice do not have the same connection to the Hist trees of Black Marsh as their mainland counterparts. Indeed, as far as we are aware, only a single Hist tree grows on Solstice. It rises above a Stone-Nest village on the eastern side of the island.
A scattering of other faiths are present on the island, though this researcher would not consider the majority of Solstice dwellers to be overly devout. Here are some of the other faiths to be found around the island.
Shor and Kyne
The Nords, especially the settlers of Shor's Stand and the city-dwelling Sunporters, tend to revere Shor and Kyne primarily. As Shor is said to have been killed by Elven treachery in the distant past, some Corelanyas find his worship somewhat uncomfortable. Kyne, meanwhile, as the patron god of storms and the sea, has a particular place of reverence for most Nords, as they are either sailors themselves or the descendants of the sailors who originally came to our shores.
Zenithar
Brought to Sunport by Imperial traders from Leyawiin, the patron of commerce and crafting has found a strong following among the merchants and traders of Sunport.
Sanguine
Along with the Three Queens, another Daedric Prince appeals to certain members of Solstice's population—Sanguine, the Prince of Revelry. Because Sunporters tend to enjoy a good time and aren't overly judgmental, Revelers of the Rose have not only flourished, they've found acceptance as they allow anyone who wishes to attend their festivities. Some believe that this cult has begun to take excess to a new and unsettling level, but the regent considers that to be their own business—as long as it doesn't get too out of hand.