Let’s take a sneak peek at one of the many lorebooks you can discover during your adventures within the Telvanni Peninsula and Apocrypha.
Master of the Tides of Fate
By Leramil the Wise
Hermaeus Mora, the Daedric Prince of Fate, goes by many cognomens including the One Who Knows, the Lord of Secrets, and the Master of the Tides of Fate. This latter appellation always intrigued me, so I decided to dig deeper into the origins of that particular title for the Keeper of Forbidden Knowledge.
I suppose the question begins, what exactly is fate? That depends on the philosophy you follow, of course, but the predominant viewpoint describes fate as the development of events as determined by a higher power. While the nature and identity of that power remains in contention, it is clear that Hermaeus Mora has dominion over at least some aspect of fate. As the ever-seeing eyes, he constantly scrys the tides of fate to determine what is destined to happen next. Hence, he is called the Master of the Tides of Fate.
As far as I can tell, the One Who Knows does not alter or direct the way fate unfolds. He does, however, observe where the threads lead and follows them to their inevitable conclusion. Forgive me for mixing my metaphors, but describing fate can be challenging. Some see fate as a loom, constantly spinning out threads of destiny. Others construe it as a vast ocean, with currents and tides that ebb and flow forever into the future.
So, where does the name Master of the Tides of Fate originate? I believe it comes from those followers of Mora who see knowledge and fate as a vast and fathomless ocean. They imagine Mora as suspended above or within this ocean, constantly peering into its depths to track the currents of fate. He is the master, not because he controls destiny, but because he knows every possibility and outcome intimately.
Indeed, there are regions of Mora's realm of Apocrypha that resemble nothing short of an endless sea, holding secrets and forbidden knowledge beneath its surface. In the end, who can say which actually came first? The idea of Hermaeus Mora as a vast entity cataloging the tides of fate, or the image of the great Prince hovering above an ocean in Apocrypha and peering into its depths? Perhaps one is just a reflection of the other.
Written by one of Mora’s most valuable mortal agents, this book provides only a glimpse into the all-knowing Daedric Prince Hermaeus Mora. The One Who Knows plays a key role in shaping the destiny of both Oblivion and Nirn in the upcoming Necrom Chapter. Are you prepared to uncover more dark secrets locked away deep within the libraries of Apocrypha? Let us know via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom is part of the Shadow Over Morrowind adventure and arrives for PC/Mac on June 5, 2023, and for Xbox and PlayStation consoles on June 20, 2023. Pre-purchase Necrom now to receive unique bonus rewards at launch and immediate access to the Sadrith Mora Spore Steed mount.