The Anticipations (heretical version)

A profane reinterpretation of Daedra worship and the Tribunal, allegedly written by a Dissident Priest during the Third Era.

In the old times, the Chimer worshipped the Daedra as gods, following the teachings of Prophet Veloth. He inscribed the Velothi Prophecies, which explained how to properly revere the Three Good Daedra and how to propitiate and negotiate with the Four Corners of the House of Troubles.

The advent of the Four Pretenders (Damned Be Their Unholy Names) changed this happy state. By their Treason at Red Mountain, the Four Pretenders (Damned Be Their Unholy Names) became the Slavemasters of the Dunmer, and tried to use the Daedra for their own benefit. The Three Good Daedra rejected them and await the moment to reclaim what the Tribunal stole from them. The Four Corners recognized the Four Pretenders (Damned Be Their Unholy Names) as their true heirs and agreed to their terms.

Thus, the Four Corners are known as the Anticipations, because they are the early ancestral anticipations of the wretched tyranny of the Four Pretenders (Damned Be Their Unholy Names).

Sheogorath is the Anticipation of Almalexia, the Sanity-Disguised-As-Madness to her Madness-Disguised-As-Sanity. He betrays those who seek his help half of the time and always looks for signs of mental weakness, rewarding both followers and opponents alike with a madness of his own. He represents the enemies who might be allies and the allies who might be enemies.

Mehrunes Dagon is the Anticipation of Sotha Sil, the Destroyer-Who-Builds to his Builder-Who-Destroys. He is the god of destruction, from natural disasters like fire, earthquakes and floods to revolution, oath-breaking and betrayal. By testing the True Folk’s will to survive and persevere, he is the force that brings forth adaptation and change.

Molag Bal is the Anticipation of Vivec, the Lies-In-Truth to his Truth-In-Lies. The King of Rape is the patron of tyrants and schemers, and tries to taint the bloodline of the Dunmer with his corruption. He seduced Vivec and taught him many secrets. In exchange, the pretender agreed to sire his children, a race of monsters who are said to live in Molag Amur.

Malacath is the Anticipation of Dagoth Ur, the God-Turned-Pariah to his Pariah-Turned-God. Like Dagoth Ur, the reanimated dung that was Trinimac is not acknowledged by his peers and more often than not he blights them as he blights the faithful. Moved by resentment and vengeance, Malacath uses his house of outcasts to test the True Folk for physical weakness.

Officially, the worship of the four malevolent Daedra is against the law and practice of the Temple. Secretly, the pretenders use their battles against the House of Troubles and their cultists to justify their rule and increase their influence.