Lore:Mantling

Mantling is a form of apotheosis. It is the fourth of the Six Walking Ways known as the Steps of the Dead. The philosophy behind mantling is to "walk like them until they must walk like you". In essence, mantling involves a mortal claiming the office and sphere of a deity making the two beings synonymous with one another. Because of this, mantling falls under the concept of the Psijic Endeavor.

Known Examples

• Sheogorath is a Daedric Prince with many associations with the concept of mantling. He himself speaks to the concept of different individuals encompassing his godhood. The Khajiit interpret these events as Sheogorath being a dead god who has been replaced by something Other.
  • His chamberlain Haskill claimed to be a Vestige of a Breton man who mantled Sheogorath in the past.
  • Arden-Sul was a Prophet who resided in the Shivering Isles. He was considered the personification of Sheogorath's mortality by some denizens of the Isles (particularly Zealots), seemingly attesting to Arden-Sul as one of his past mantlers.
  • The Hero of Kvatch entered the Shivering Isles and became the champion of Sheogorath at the end of the Third Era. Sheogorath prepared them to succeed him as the new Prince of Madness and despite a setback that saw Sheogorath unable to give the Hero his staff, the Hero was able to create a new staff with the assistance of Dyus and mantle the Madgod. The Hero of Kvatch also achieved something that other participants in the prior Greymarches had not, he defeated Jyggalag in combat ending the Greymarch cycle and fully separating Jyggalag and Sheogorath from one another.
• The Wilderking was a deity residing in Valenwood. Despite claims that there were many Wilderkings and Wilderqueens over the course of Valenwood's history, only two are known.
  • Ostion was an Altmer who had the power to shape the land ever since he was a young boy. Powerful individuals in his homeland of Summerset learned of his unique abilities and sent him to Valenwood. Ostion and Valenwood would become one and he was known henceforth as the Wilderking.
  • Aranias was an Altmer who, much like Ostion, displayed tremendous power over the land at a young age. Originally being part of a contingency that was to assassinate the Wilderking, Aranias eventually realized her true destiny and replaced the dying Ostion's station, becoming the Wilderqueen.

Ambiguous Examples

• Lorkhan, the Missing God and his various aspects have some association with mantling.
  • Pelinal Whitestrake was an Ada with heavy ties to Lorkhan and his various aspects. He was referred to as the Shezarrine, and likened to Shor while also sharing physical characteristics with these figures such as having a gaping chest with no heart. It is thus possible Pelinal mantled this figure.
  • Upon the mortal death of Tiber Septim, he was said to have ascended to Aetherius, transforming the face of the Divine, making the Eight become Nine. According to some sources, Tiber Septim achieved this apotheosis by way of the Steps of the Dead, having mantled Lorkhan.
• Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time has ties to mantling.
  • When Martin Septim shattered the Amulet of Kings and rose up as the avatar of Akatosh to banish Mehrunes Dagon he was said to have achieved apotheosis, namely by mantling the God of Time himself.
  • The Ka Po' Tun Emperor Tosh Raka managed to transform himself into a Dragon, supposedly the largest one in the world. Some sources suggest this process actually involved Tosh Raka mantling Akatosh and becoming a rival mirror brother of Akavir.

Notes

• Mannimarco attempted to use the Amulet of Kings to soul trap Molag Bal so he could mantle his station and take his place amongst the gods. Despite getting thwarted, he would later on achieve apotheosis of a different nature.

References

Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.