The Nedes and their Celestials

By Lafayah af-Divad, scholar the No'Raqqi Sisterhood of Ra-Yoku'Iquizzi.

For a race which once inhabited most of northwestern Tamriel (and beyond), suprisingly little is known about the Nedes. Many theorize that they were the descendants of early Atmorans who settled the northern coasts of Tamriel; others that they were aboriginal men of of the region, who unlike the rest of the Wandering Ones did not leave Dawn's Beauty in favour of Atmora and Yokuda in the Dawn Era. The Nedes of the Heartland and High Rock were taken as slaves by the Ayleids in the Merethic Era, and we therefore know next to nothing about their cultures. The only really successful branch of Nedes were those of Hammerfell's Deathlands – Craglorn. There they built a great kingdom; its capital was Skyreach, which is said to have been built from Nirn's deepest bowels and up into the sky. The towers of Skyreach can still be seen from almost anywhere in upper Craglorn, their height rivals that of even White-Gold. The Nedes of Craglorn venerated the stars of the sky above all else (likely having been influenced by neighbouring Magna Ge worshipping elves). A "Cult of the Stars" was founded, which at the height of Skyreach's power seems to have held power equal to that of kings.

The faith of the Craglorn Nedes was centered around the constellations, or "Celestials" as they have come to be called. The Celestials they primarily worshipped were the Warrior, Thief and Mage. The Serpent (known to them as Malazar) was also prominent in their faith, although seems to have been seen as an evil trickster to be placated, who would one day bring about the world's end (with many similiarities to Satakal in Yokudan myth). While the Guardian constellations were seen as forces of good and light which helped the Nedes, the Serpent was a force of darkness and evil, always trying to trick the other Constellations. In the Nedic creation myth, the Serpent tries to trick all the eternal stars of the sky to give up their light to create a new world (and, secretly, create darkness and suffering). The Serpent convinces many stars to extinguish themselves. The Warrior (who is sworn to forever protect the night sky), along with the Mage and Thief, tries to stop the Serpent; but are unable to do so before he creates the new world (Mundus) using half the stars of the night sky. Enraged by his failure, the Warrior cuts the Serpent in half, one half splitting once again and becoming the moons of the Mundus, the other half returning to the night sky. The Serpent, never having intended to be part of the Mundus himself, is said to since that day always be trying to bring about the end of Nirn and retrieve his lost half. The Guardians, however, began to grow fond of the creatures that emerged on the new world (especially the Nedes of Skyreach) and are therefore doing their best to foil the Serpent's plans. To prevent the Serpent, who hides in darkness, from being able to hide amongst and thrick the others, the Mage decided that for half of each turn of the Inner Wheel, all stars should come together to create a great light which burns away all evil. Most Stars agreed to this, and the Thief stole the lights of all those that did not. Thus, daytime and the sun was created. That is why the Warrior, Thief and Mage have a special place in Nedic faith compared to the other constellations, which only appear in a few other preserved Nedic myths.

To honour their Gods the Nedes built many standing stones (not to be confused with the Mundus Stones of the Ayleids and the Standing Stones of Skyrim, built by the Ancient Nords) in the region. The greatest of these were called Apex Stones, and each greater celestial had one. The Apex Stones were made of a large rock, on which aetherium gems were put, each corresponding to one of the constellation's stars. Aetherium is a rare luminescent blue gemstone otherwise mainly known to scholars of Dwarven history. Considering that the Dwemer also inhabited the region, it is likely that they were traded to the Nedes. It is unknown why the Nedes used aetherium when building these stones, as it has no known useful properties, magical or otherwise, and it is also very rare. It is a mystery why the Dwemer mined it to begin with. Did they both simply find it pretty? Alas, I fear we will never know the answer. The Apex Stones often had depictions of the Celestials carved into them, or painted with the material red brittle (also known as Nirncrux). The use of Nirncrux is also a mystery, as the material is poisonous, and mining of it is known to fill mine shafts with poisonous gas. However, according to the Nedes the Nirncrux had a special connection to the stars. The Nedes also thought that the Apex Stones could be used to call the Celestials down to Nirn in times of need.

That belief proved to be unfounded, however, when the Fourth Warrior Wave, led by Emperor Tarish-Zi, swept though the Deathlands. They killed High King Durac of Skyreach and wiped out the Nedes, and with them all but a few remnants of a great civilization, built around a unique faith, was lost. I fear that we will therefore never learn more about the Cult of the Stars and the kingdom of Skyreach; unless the Celestials were to fall down on their Apex Stones in our hour of need, that is.