Merid-Nunda: Spirit of Life, Light (In all non-magickal senses), and Energy, Merid-Nunda was the chief deity of the White-Gold pantheon, an interpretation of the Daedra known today as Meridia. According to the Ayleid, she was one of Nine Coruscations, ‘who followed the parabolas that led away from Magnus’. This passage identified her among the Magne-Ge, or ‘Star-Orphans’, entities that separated from Magnus when he fled the mortal realm. Some time after her fleeing, abandonment, or disorientation (Ayleid texts regarding the subject make this unclear), she bent the light of Magnus and carved a Daedric sphere of her own within Oblivion. Her place as chief deity likely stems from the Ayleids’ holding of Light as one of the four elements of creation, and the element many held paramount. Beyond these facts, little is known of the deity, aside from mention of her ‘stretching the dragon, at the other end compressing him’, a passage obviously alluding to the time god. What this means is uncertain, though may offer insight as to Auri-El’s displacement within the Edeis as well as lend reason to the tale of the Ayleid rejecting Phynaster’s gift for that of Merid-Nunda. Regardless, some link does exist between the two, as it can be no coincidence that her sphere of light often held a second, subtle allusion to time.
Yfferath: Spirit of Law, Song, and the Now, Yfferath is the Ayleid equivalent of Jephre, and ‘sings all that is true to be true’. Of second-most reverence in the pantheon of White-Gold, the deity stands to dictate the laws of nature as they exist in the present. It is said the god represents all living things, having given them identity as they identified the god. As such, Yfferath is regarded not as male or female, but as a many-faced amalgam, a reflection of all the god’s creations. Ayleid tales state that Yfferath was the first of the Ehlnofey, the very presence of the god giving rise to natural law suitable of it’s character. Looking upon that newly principled realm of possibility, Yfferath burst into a rhapsody of inspiring song. Resonating throughout the Aurbis, the chorus called upon others to lend their limbs and with they the god composed the foundations of the world. From the straining mountains, to the bountiful forests, to the mnemonic seas, all formed as that composition dictated. It was then the creatures of the world formed, and with them formed the ‘Boiche’ (Bosmer, the prefix ‘Boi’ implying animalistic nature) and the ‘Eshahi’ (Religious terminology seemingly regarding birds). While unknown, it is highly plausible that Kynareth of the Alessian pantheon maintained characteristics of Yfferath, merging them with the Nordic Kyne.
Manir: Spirit of Love, Fertility, and Tradition, Manir is the Ayleid equivalent of Mara; and as her name suggests, is strongly associated with the mother of creation, Nir. Through her nurturing embrace is found the sense and loyalty of kin and clan, and sewed into her robes the stages of their development. Upon her bosom was held the Rites of Naming, an important practice among the majority of city-states. While some aspects of her were maintained with the introduction of Mara, the early Alessian Temple faced ridicule for their provocative images of the deity, and many Ayleid simply discounted Mara as an offense.
"Two names are bestowed upon an Ayleid within their lifetimes. One when they are but fledglings, and another upon death. It was said that Xagea, with the wisdom of ancestors and skill of the Ayleid-tongue, held close to Manir; and through their copulation were born appellations of an exclusive breed."
Magnav: Spirit of Sight, Light (In a magickal sense), and Insight, Magnav is the Ayleid equivalent of Magnus, however, scholars debate the nature of this spirit, as it may have stood more as reverence to the great tear in the firmament or the tangible magicka flowing from it than it did to Magnus himself. While little evidence stands for this theory, the rough translation of the Ayleidoon ‘Magnav’ to ‘Of Magnus’ certainly leaves the matter open to assumption. Through Magnav, the Ayleid believed to have been bestowed the gift of magick, with more conceited Ayleid holding to the belief they were literally shards of Magnus themselves. These cults, while the minority, seemed quite vocal in their beliefs; with some scholars theorizing their egotistical worship of themselves as Magnus may have inspired certain aspects of the Alessian ‘One’.
Syraath: Spirit of Mastery, Apprenticeship, and Magic of a fleeting form, Syraath is the Ayleid equivalent of Syrabane. Her worship was held most dear to Ayleid scholars, who often made pilgrimage to Gyl Ge’loim (Believed to be the origins of Gwylim), the premiere pedagogy of magickal study within the Hegemony. Her protean origins are said to lie in the stars themselves, and as such, aetherial fragments such as Varla and Welkynd stones would often be directly associated with the goddess, some considering them fragments of her very sundered being. Unfortunately for modern scholars, worship of Syraath withered away in the years after the Alessian Rebellion, her image seemingly fading alongside the understanding of the aetherial arts. Attempts by modern scholars to propitiate the spirit have been met only with profane quietus.
"The last faithful of Syraath forsook their birthright and rejected impartation; choosing instead to swallow their unfledged apprentices and indulge in a stupor of reveriel insight, the same erudition that so aroused the Simian Usurper."
Xagea: Spirit of Ancestry, Knowledge, and Tongues, Xagea is the Ayleid equivalent to Xarxes, and was known as Xerxes in later ages. Similar to the god of their relatives, Xagea is said to have inscribed every moment of Ayleid history and every moment foreseen. Through him, the Ayleid recorded their ancestors and knew their origins. Their memory of Aldmeris and their inspiration for Ayleidoon was credited to Xagea, said to be the keeper of all words and their tongues. Xagea would ultimately be removed from the pantheon and replaced by Xerxes, as it was believed the spirit’s concept had been corrupted by Hyrma-Mora, the squalid Daedroth of forbidden knowledge. Thus, ‘that form was imprisoned within the shifting cogs of Yfferath, lending inspiration for Cyrodis-speak’. Tales surrounding the corruption of Xagea persist in the form of folklore and rumors surrounding the shadowed depths of Cyrodiil.
"Those of the Serceni were tasked with the preservation of their peoples ancestry. Bearing the light of Magnav, they wandered Cyrod, seeking to cleanse their clouding bloodlines and restore the Ayleid to their once-proud pedigree."
Syllden: Spirit of Benevolence, Mercy, and Experience, Syllden is the Ayleid equivalent of Stendarr, and stands as the ‘apologist of man’. Little is known of Syllden aside from one article impossibly surviving the Alessian Order’s destruction of Malada. This tale follows the story of the god, how he turned the Ayleid aside from their early slaughtering of Nedic tribes, teaching them instead that all life holds purpose and guiding them away from their bloodied past. Despite this seemingly peaceful visage, the god was most venerated as the ‘caster-of-chains’ and credited with the first act of slavery. Among his devoted were the vile Shapers and practitioners of Ayleid flesh-magicks, who utilized the teachings of Syllden as defense for their tortured vassals, long kept from the sweet escape of death. In spite of his worship by easily the worst of the Ayleid lords, Syllden was implemented into the Alessian pantheon as Stendarr, an amalgamation of his Nede-admired characteristics and that of Stuhn, the Nordic god of ransom.
Aur-En: Spirit of Sacrifice, Investment, and Resolution, Aur-En is the Ayleid equivalent of Xen, and is regarded as the god of effort, risk, and reward. Nearly every action in one’s life may be considered to be within the sphere of Aur-En, from the simple acts of purchasing food or waking each morning to complexities of historical reverence. His worship was prevalent throughout the Hegemony, although the many separate emphases of his worship throughout the castes of the Hegemony eventually led to his separation into multiple patrons, such as Xei, the popular patron of agriculture among the lower castes of the Niben.
Auri-El and Lorkhan - Note on the 'Missing Gods': The concept of a ‘missing god’ is no revolutionary idea to Tamriel, as even Alessia had incorporated Lorkhan as a ‘missing god’ in appeasement for Shor’s absence in her newfound Imperial religion. However, the idea that Auri-El, or any god of time for that matter, would go without official reverence is a concept odd to many, and blasphemous to many more. What led to this decision is unknown, as it is one of the few religious sects in history not to devote a time-god as chief of it’s pantheon, let alone remove it altogether. Many theories have arisen around the text ‘Exgesis of Merid-Nunda’ as to the Ayleids’ concept of time; however, the most popular theory on Auri-El’s disclusion lies in the interpretation that the time god is responsible for the elven imprisonment on Mundus, binding time and space so as to introduce law and linearity. This antagonistic view of the deity could very well have been the rationale behind the time god’s support in mankind’s rebellion against the Ayleid. Their attempts at escape could have proven disastrous for Mundus and the time god’s sphere.
Hyrma-Mora: Squalid Daedroth of forbidden knowledge, Hyrma-Mora stood as a great enemy to a number of Ayleid, and to their deity Xagea. It's worship was the only form strictly forbidden within the Hegemony, agreed upon as common law in the earliest recorded moots. However, eventually it would be claimed that Xagea was corrupted through dark knowledge-rituals and his libraries plundered by the Daedroth. In order to preserve their ancestry, the Ayleid abruptly threw Xagea from the pantheon and replaced him with Xerxes, a more traditional form of the elven Xarxes. Those city-states that reserved worship of Xagea were said to have drunk from the goblet of unknowable things, becoming insightful thralls of Hyrma-Mora, forever cursed to toil in the deep of Cyrod for lost understanding.
Mola-Gbal: Dark Daedroth of domination and greed, Mola-Gbal stood as the greatest foe of Meridian city-states within the Hegemony. Chief of his worshippers were the inhabitants of Lost Abagarlas, said to have been destroyed when they begged Merid-Nunda's wrath upon themselves. It's unknown as to what extent the Daedra was worshipped within the Hegemony, though multiple sites are known to have existed, such as Ninendava. Interestingly enough, his worship directly ties into known city-states of the Shapers, lending credence to the theory that Syllden's worship had been forsaken by a great many flesh-mages for the superior, yet dangerous, favor of Mola-Gbal came upon them.
Tor-Pol, the Lodestar: An Aldmeri explorer and famous poet said to have charted the entirety of Tamriel's seas, Tor-Pol was most revered among the Ayleid for his discovery and acquiring of the Eight Islands, inspiring the migration of the Ayleid people to what would become White-Gold. Regarded largely along the Niben and Topal Bay, his reverence largely came as a patron of city-states and the families of fishermen, though in rare cases he would be revered as an aspect, or replacement, of Aur-En.
Xei: Among the many late interpretations of Aur-En, Xei was one of the most prominent. Generally worshipeed along the fertile floodplains of the Niben and Lake Rumare, Xei was held to be a deity of agriculture and labor. He was said to provide ease for his faithful through appeals to Yfferath, begging short winters and long, fruitful seasons of harvest.
Qaith: Among the most mysterious of the Adais, with little more than worn stonework to remember the deity. Qaith is a matter of some debate among scholars, as it cannot be surmised whether the deity represents a physical being of ruling stature or a spirit among the likes of the Edeis. What can be known is that the Adai was recognized almost exclusivly in the Meritime states of the Topal Bay, states known to lack Sorcerer-Kings of their own. Though the origins of Qaith are obscured, it's said that 'worship was shared between Marmeldi, before washing ashore in the shed blood of Thras'. While lacking any evidence of appearance, it's said Qaith was as the waves, old and still at one moment, young and restless the next.
Dagon:
Namir:
Pyr-El: