The carvings in Draugr Temples

[stars2heaven]

I suspect that it was customary to get blessed by priests of every animal god after death. The bodies they carry are most likely people bringing the recently dead to the priest to ask the priest to bless them in death.

 

lol, I'm being dumb I guess. These things are found in tombs after all...

[Inquart]

[Kyne (Kiss At the End): Nordic Goddess of the Storm. Widow of Shor and favored god of warriors. She is often called the Mother of Men. Her daughters taught the first Nords the use of the thu'um, or Storm Voice.

 

Wasn't it Paarthurnax (a Dragon and thus son of Akatosh) who taught the first Nords how to Shout, during the Dragon War? I mean, I know that he did it because of Kyne's divine intervention, at least according to some legends, but still - he's certainly not a daughter of Kyne, is he? Or am I missing something obvious here?

[sajuukkhar9000]

Wasn't it Paarthurnax (a Dragon and thus son of Akatosh) who taught the first Nords how to Shout, during the Dragon War? I mean, I know that he did it because of Kyne's divine intervention, at least according to some legends, but still - he's certainly not a daughter of Kyne, is he? Or am I missing something obvious here?

It was a combination of the actions of Kyne, and Parthhanux. Kyne was the one who asked Parth to switch sides, and Kyne gave men the ability to shout, while Parth taught them how to. Also, since Lorkhan is Akaotsh, and Kyne is the wife of Lorkhan, and thus wife of Akatosh, the Dragons are technically her children also.

 

However, that line about "her daughters" is probably historical revisionism. Variates of Faith was written before Skyrim came out, and thus doesn't have the new "dragons taught men to shout/Dragon war" stuff in it.\

 

As for the rest of the animals I would have to put

-Mara as the wolf

-Orkay as the fox

-and I would actually put Jhunal as the owl, and Dibella as the moth

All speculation mind you

 

Jhunal would be the owl, because owls are commonly associated with wisdom.

Orkay would be the fox, because Orkay is known as a trickster deity, and foxs are commonly treated as the "trickster" animal.

Mara is the goddess of love, and wolves are known to be fiercely protective of their young. Not to mention the story of the founding of Rome where Rome's founder drank from the teat of a female wolf on the banks of the Tiber river, and the fact that the chapel to Mara in Chorrol is near Santre Tor, where Tiber Septim rose to power.

Dieblla would be the moth because of silk, and how silk is often used in imagery of love making.

Edited December 15, 2012 by sajuukkhar9000

[Inquart]

It was a combination of the actions of Kyne, and Parthhanux. Kyne was the one who asked Parth to switch sides, and Kyne gave men the ability to shout, while Parth taught them how to. Also, since Lorkhan is Akaotsh, and Kyne is the wife of Lorkhan, and thus wife of Akatosh, the Dragons are technically her children also.

 

Ah, thanks for clearing that out :)

 

As for those Draugr carvings, I think they were put there by the ancient Nords to indicate that a Dragon Priest was buried or imprisoned there and possibly also to frighten away any adventurers wishing to loot the tomb. Something similar (at least to a certain extent) - that woman with moths around her - can also be found in Potema's catacombs, if I'm not mistaken, probably with the same purpose: both as an information and a warning.

[Dudeman325]

I think you're getting it. Sometimes the Elder Scrolls are incredibly vague, sometimes this creates depth that may or may not be there. Its all in how we interpret it. Sometimes a tomb carving is just a tomb carving, and other times it tells an entire story on its own...

[Lachdonin]

I know for a fact that the one with the woman and the wolf is actually Potema. I know this because it states so, expressly, in the art-book. I can't remember if the other walls are in there as well, but i will check it once i get home.

[stars2heaven]

I know for a fact that the one with the woman and the wolf is actually Potema. I know this because it states so, expressly, in the art-book. I can't remember if the other walls are in there as well, but i will check it once i get home.

 

Well even if it does say that in the art-book it can't be her from a lore perspective. These carvings predate Potema's birth by thousands of years, and she is not a reborn god or anything like that.

[Lachdonin]

Well, havgin actaully gone through said Artbook, i recind my earlier statement. In fact, i have no real idea where it came from, and it's a rather good lesson on checking my referances before opening my big mouth.

 

The 8 frescos are definately representations of the early Nord totems, however. All 8 are included (the Artbook has some very nice pictures). They also each have the images of two crowend individuals (likely a king and queen) born on planaquins before the humanoid bearing some regalia resempling the animal totem at the top.

 

Because of the two bodies, and the central image of what i can only assume is suppsed to be te high priest of that animal totem, i would have to agree with Sajuukkhar that each represents a funerary blessing. I won't go so far as to make judgements on which of the Divines each totem represents, though there are 8, for the 8 Divines (Lorkhan obviously being missing.)

[AnimeOtaku102]

I'd check in-game but I'm not on my gaming machine at the moment, but does figure in the carving with the moths have a scroll or blindfold? I'm wondering if it's not referring to the first moth priest.

[stars2heaven]

No, the figure with the moths is a female and looks very shaman like. Also, the moth priests have not been around as long as the carvings. I think the consensus at the moment is that the central figures are representations of priests that are devoted to the animal diety represented over the top of the carving. Given what sajuukkhar9000 posted I'm perfect satisfied with that, anyways.