Symbolism of Vivec Artifacts

This post is made as an attempt to explain the esoteric symbolism of the Artifact-Objects associate with the Lord of the Middle-Air, the Twice-Born Holy Hermaphrodite, Warrior-Poet Vivec. I think it’s pertinent to do so to guard against the simplification of their meanings from taking root, thus robbing them of deeper symbolic nuances. I’m going to explain 4 of his sacred objects, feel free to bring up any others that may exist in the comments below.

 

MUATRA

Vivec’s most known and likely most powerful weapon in his arsenal. The name meaning “Milk-taker” denotes not only a phallic thrusting weapon, but receiving sexual receptacle as well. Muatra is the representation of Vivec’s unique sexual identity, and both the destructive and creative forces his unique state of combined sexes, male and female, affords him. To better understand this concept look to the Hindu Lingam-yoni, the combined symbol of not only Shiva's and Shakti's sexual organs, but the power of their conjoining mystical spheres of influence. It’s description from Wikipedia >” In Sanskrit, Yoni means place of birth, source, origin. Lingam means symbol of Shiva. As Shiva is represented as an endless fire, Lingam-yoni denotes origin of an endless fire which created the universe. The yoni is the creative power of nature and represents the goddess Shakti. The lingam stone represents Shiva, and is usually placed on the yoni. The lingam is the transcendental source of all that exists. The lingam united with the yoni represents the nonduality of immanent reality and transcendental potentiality.”

Shiva is forever the embodiment of creation, perseverance, destruction, revelation, and concealment of all existance. Shakti regularly manifests creativity, fertility, liberation, and the totality of existence both born from and created. Vivec, the holy union of sexes, represents a union akin to theirs.

The secret bitten off from Molag Bal is the ability to use this power-symbol as an outward striking force of not only destruction, but rebirth as well. This power when wielded, has a long and extensive reach, so is represented by a spear. It is the weapon drawn against the greatest mythical forces brought against him, and it’s use is the direct application of his Will and Identity through brute force, as it pierces and transfixes it’s victims

 

The Sword Not Held

I recently described this weapon in a thread posted by u/Voryan-who-Dreams. This curved blade was first drawn to manipulate Moon-Axle to the point Muatra could pierce his child. Its blade being curved allows us to say that it is not a blade used to thrust a killing blow, but to cut, and then cause the target to bleed out, and maneuver them into position for the deathblow. Sermon 20 gives the reason why it had to be used when Moon-Axle described his protection against brute force, “Mine is a dual nature, and protean. I am in fact made of many straight lines, though none last too long. In this way I have learned to ignore all true segments.” How does one conquer something too fortified to be felled by direct application of brute force? With subterfuge of course. The Sword Not Held represents Vivec’s evasive nature, to approach and manipulate his enemies to strike at them sideways. “The Sword is estrangement from statesmanship” implies using unconventional (and perhaps dishonest/deplorable/dishonorable) means to bring your enemies down.

 

The Ethos Knife

In Sermon 30 the Ethos Knife first appeared to combat the Vehk-spawn City-Face. Ethos “is used to describe the guiding beliefs or ideals that characterize a community, nation, or ideology.” To use Ethos as a weapon is to arm yourself with the righteous moral high ground against those opposed to your social construct. It is represented as a knife, as it’s reach is short, but this blade’s sting strikes deep and personally. As it later used by Neravar at Red Mountain, this blade can also be a rallying cry to bring forth others to add their Ethosian blades towards your target as well.

 

Vivec’s Ash mask

From The Pilgrim’s Path >”Near the altar is Vivec's Ash Mask. In the Days of Fire when Dagoth Ur first crept back into Red Mountain and awakened it, Vivec led refugees here as they fled the ash and blight. Weary, they rested here a while. When Vivec awoke, he found himself and all his followers encased in casts of grey ash. Frozen like a sleeping statue and unable to free himself or help his people, Vivec was filled with despair. Vivec's tears weakened his ash cast. He tore the ash from his perished followers, breathed life into their lungs, and cured them of the blight. This is Vivec's heroism -- his tender heart provides strength when his might fails.”

This visage of Vivec himself is a representation of Vivec’s sympathetic stance towards the less fortunate and powerless of his followers. Ash is a symbol representing the mourning, mortality and penance. The mask being of his own image represents Vivec acknowledging that he to was once mortal, was drowned and encased in it, and even though he shed his mortality (his ash), he still remembers what the struggles of mortal life was like for him. It is because of this he uses his powers, to ease the suffering of his people. The mask is a reminder that even though he may risk or harm many of them, it is done for the purpose to free and save as many as he possibly can. The mask is Vivec's explaination to his people as to why he took part in the Red Moment, disobeying Azura, and using the Tools on the Heart of Lorkhan to become their more sympathetic diety.