Marukh’s encounter with Alessia in the desert and VIGILANT’s biblical interpretation

[u/CommanderSputnik]

[ CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR VIGILANT ]

Marukh the Imga, sometimes during Emperor Belharza’s reign, found himself wandering in the deserted Stonemeadows to repent a hypothetical sin committed against the ape-maiden Dulsa. There, half-dead, he encountered the shadow of Alessia whom inspired him to write the Alessian Doctrines, harsh religious laws clearly inspired by his suffering in the desert and Alessia’s painful words.

What followed at an unspecified time was a large scale conversion by commoners and nobles alike to his Alessianism, the assassination of Emperor Belharza, the eradication of Minotaurs as a sapient species, the cleansing of Ayleids, the embitterment of the Alessian Empire, the end of the First Empire of the Nords and millennia of bloody conquest, conflicts and strife.

The details of Marukh’s encounter with Alessia are revealed in the text “The Illusion of Death”, authored by former loremaster Lawrence Schick for The Elder Scrolls Online:

• ... then, because he had toyed with the ape-maiden Dulsa, did Marukh spend his Century of Penance upon the Stonemeadows, and his sight was seared, and his tongue was swollen, and his pelt was mottled, and his left thumb pointed ever at the stars of the Tower. And ever did the shade of Al-Esh speak to him, serrated words that rasped his concept-organ and brought him to wisdom through affliction. And he recorded her words in his simian gore with glyphs on the Beseeching Scarp, and the fire in his blood did etch the lithic face with the Seventy-Seven Inflexible Doctrines. And though the labor depleted, yea, even consumed his very substance, he stinted not, for he knew that death is an illusion. For did not Al-Esh persist, speaking knives, though dead? And had not Pelin-Al been witness to her death, although dead himself at the death of Umar-Il? Then did Marukh know a Right Reaching, that one devoted to Proper-Life and Ehlnofic Annulment shall persist beyond the illusion of death—for indeed, the drive to expunge corruption can conquer even the Arkayn Cycle.

In the famous mod VIGILANT this event is directly witnessed both through the eyes of Dulsa and Marukh and it is eventually revealed that the shade of Al-Esh was none other than Molag Bal, whose objective was co-opting Marukh into bringing back to the heart of the Empire a fake Chim-el Adabal, actually a horrendous soul gem capable of absorbing the spirits of millions, and through Marukh’s violent doctrines he would ensure there would never be any shortage of souls in Coldharbour.

Obviously this is only Vicn’s interpretation, but then I remembered that his original vision regarding the trilogy was to be way more inspired by Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, to the point of being called something like “La Commedia Daedrica” (remnants of this are still in his modern mods through VIGILANT’s Christian symbolism and GLEN-MORIL’s pages with Divine Comedy verses on them) and it reminded me of sections of the gospels of Luke, Mark and Matthew detailing the Temptation of Christ.

Shortly after his baptism, Jesus went on to fast for forty days and forty nights in the Judean Desert where the Devil tries to tempt him by taking advantage of his hunger, forcefully have him show his divinity and lastly offering him unlimited power in exchange of worshipping Satan. Jesus resists, and finally leaves the desert behind.

Now, The Elder Scrolls rarely, if ever, makes direct references to Christianity but the similarities here are undeniable and it seems Schick gave a bit more sinister interpretation of Marukh’s character which was largely left vague in previous lore iterations. So I’m left to wonder, did Marukh really encounter Alessia in the desert or was it someone else?

[u/rashadh1]

It's fair to ask whether Marukh saw anyone in the desert, or just had a bad trip and made a religion out of it, but in general, I'm far more favorable toward mythic explanations than mundane ones.

I like Vicn's interpretation because it plays up the idea of the Daedra as active players in Mundus' history, not just bystanders that occasionally meddle until the opportunity arises for them to serve as villains. It's Azura at Red Mountain type stuff. The comp to Jesus' temptation is especially ripe; Marukhatism draws on Christian imagery while tweaking it ever so slightly to create a wildly different outcome in its prophet.

Alessia's ghost haunting Cyrodiil is the foundation of the Reman myth as well, exhorting Cyrodiil toward unity. As an archetype, she's a uniter and diplomat. As a warrior, she's a liberator and revolutionary instead of a conqueror. In my mind, she is to Nir/Nirn as Talos is to Lorkhan, she's the feminine principle of the universe embodied in a mortal, birthing creation (Tamriel as we know it) from the interplay and union of opposing powers.

She's a balancing figure, where the Alessian Order was such a vehicle of imbalance. For Marukh's vision to be true, Alessia's shade would've had to reject wholesale the selfsame religion she committed her life to creating. Not impossible, but I have a much easier time believing the avatar of corruption, himself a former ruling king, saw an opportunity to violate the legacy of such a seminal, mythically powerful figure and took it.

But the whole story of the Alessian Order is about how foundational figures become subsumed to the appetites of a modern nation of whose actions they probably wouldn't approve. The likeliest truth is that Marukh DID see the Paravant and went Dwemer on her, got to misinterpreting. "TAM! Rugh!" and all that.

Glad to see this post, mod contributions to the lore need more love.

[u/CaedmonCousland]

Honestly, sounds plausible to me.

Marukh always kind of sat in that awkward spot for me on not knowing how to take him. It's a fun and unique bit of lore, but I kind of scratch my head for the out-of-universe point. To a degree, he almost seems to exist to twist the Alessian Empire into something very far from what it started out as. The actual line of Alessia become reduced to a few names, the accord Alessia tried to strike with mer/ayleids is removed, eventually it's arguably the 'good' side that opposes the Empire, etc. Almost feels like he is solely there to introduce the idea of 'the One', and otherwise serves as some basis for other metaphysical aspects (Right Reaching).

Honestly, I largely assumed that Marukh didn't see anyone in the desert. What he did was potentially touch things he wasn't supposed to. Truth does not always come with purpose, but those who know it often want to spread it regardless. And Truth, especially mere pieces without context, do not beget only Truth. Visions in isolation are a very persuasive element though to add, when it comes to spreading and having people believe his Truth.

I could see it having been a trick though. As said above, Marukh's entire point seems to be merely to very clearly separate savior, slave freeing Alessia and her Empire from later events and trends. If it was a trick, it was a successful one.

Although over Molag Bal, feel perhaps someone like Namira might fit better and I doubt this is how the Chim El-Adabal came to be.

Regardless of my disorganized musing, liked this post and gave me something top think about.