Malacath, Daedric Prince and patron god of the Orsimer, or Orcs, is one of the Daedric Princes in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim that has a quest that, when completed, earns a Daedric artifact from him and names the Dragonborn as his Champion.
Trinimac[]
Altmer Creationism[]
It is Altmer (High-Elf) belief that elves were once gods, that the gods were tricked and betrayed by the god Lorkhan to shackle themselves to the mortal world in an attempt to save it, that doing so extended the life-span of existence but did not actually avert it's fate to one day fade and had tied the gods themselves to fade along with it on that day. Some of the gods survived to this day as gods - what the human races call (The Divines). The Divines rationed their power and renewed it with prayer and so only the gods who had truly achieved greatness to the level others prayed to them kept a divine perch; But most of the gods, the lesser who had not achieved enough greatness to receive prayer, steadily started losing power and had to make more and more concessions of themselves to live in the world, taking on physical form, and properties, immortal unless killed but steadily all dying, and their children and children's children becoming more mortal still. According to Altmer belief, they are these descendants of divinity, and they may yet return to a divine station some-day with enough enlightenment or when the rest of creation fades and they are free from the shackles of creation. But in this apotheosis one of the original fallen gods had survived, avoiding being killed and thus living on as an ageless demi-god, Trinimac.
The Chimer Pilgrimage[]
Trinimac lived for years in the Summerset Isles. The Altmer became arrogant and proud - seeing themselves as gods, they treated the other races as pests at best. Trinimac became disgusted with them. The prophet Veloth founded a movement among the Altmer to shed their hubris, saying that the elves must make a pilgrimage to reclaim their humility and journey far from the Summerset Isles, far away enough where they could meditate in isolation; and also so the Altmer government would not be able to find them to persecute them. Veloth and his pilgrims wished to ascend passed the follies of their race and proclaimed themselves "Chimer" (Changed Folk). At first Trinimac was fond of the idea, and watched over the pilgrimage, but eventually he saw it as an affront on Altmer culture. He appeared before Veloth, (either to slay him, reason with him, or understand him is debated by source). But he was confronted by Veloth's patron - Boethiah - Daedric Prince of Betrayal, Rebellion and Slaughter.
Daedric Princes are the spirits who never cared about the world enough to be shackled to it. While they are lesser in power than gods, they are n,ot tied to the mortal world and thus have no investment in it other than to make sport of it. Daedric Princes are tied to an immortal hell-like plane called Oblivion and each is immortal as they are manifestations of their realms within Oblivion.
Boethiah confronted Trinimac (some myths say the Daedric Prince of Secrets and Murder - Mephala joined in the ambush). Eventually Trinimac returned - bloody but most apparently still alive. He wished to join Veloth and the Chimer, and did not simply follow along but led the pilgrimage himself. The Chimer journeyed long but eventually came to the land that would be called Morrowind. Morrowind was not what the Chimer had envisioned, it was a barren land, a land of harsh weather, active volcanos and fierce predators. "Trinimac" laughed at the Chimer, and revealed he was not-in-fact Trinimac - but Boethiah, who had devoured Trinimac's innards and inhabited the shell. That to blindly trust one's gods is a mistake, but Boethiah had worked a cruel gift upon the Chimer still, for Morrowind was a harsh environment that would mold the Chimer into a great people if they kept in mind the lessons taught to them through Trinimac - to never blindly trust anyone, to think for one's self and to do what one must to survive or be swept away by the harshness of a wasteland like Morrowind. Boethiah then bowed out by "expelling" Trinimac from his/her bowels and leaving Trinimac's husk, which collapsed into a pile of skin with the waste oozing from behind it in Boethiah's wake.
The Birth of the Orsimer and Rebirth of Trinimac[]
Many Chimer took to heart what Boethiah had taught through Trinimac, later the Chimer would become the Dark Elves, but some would not make it to that stage; For some Chimer refused to abandon Trinimac. Trinimac was the last living god of the Altmer, he had led them to Morrowind and some refused to believe he had been a guise for Boethiah the entire time. These Chimer refused to join the rest of the Pilgrimage and saw the society they were getting set to build as spiritually poisonous, they would make their own strong-holds outside of civilized society, and in tribute to Trinimac they bathed in his remains. Trinimac's remains changed the Chimer, their skin turned green, their teeth grew out, their frames became warped, these are the Orsimer (Pariah Folk) or "Orcs" for short. And anchored back to the world by their prayer and faith, Trinimac returned, but he too was warped from what Boethiah had done to his remains. Trinimac took on a new name "Malacath".
Malacath went to Oblivion to gain a rematch with Boethiah, but the sly Daedric Prince never gave him the pleasure, so instead, Malacath conquered a section of Oblivion and made it his own realm The Ash Pit. Tied to a realm of Oblivion Malacath became a Daedric Prince. It is said the Ash Pit is a dark foggy placed of hidden dangers just beyond sight. Deep within the Ash Pit, in it's center is said to be a clearing of light, green grass, and utter peace - this is the small part of Malacath that is still Trinimac. But Malacath rejects this place, he hides it from the world and catches himself whenever he begins to enjoy it - for it is his previous life as the decadent proud Trinimac that led to his down-fall. Malacath encourages his people not to make his mistakes, not to be soft and pretentious, to be strong warriors, for even gods may fall if they underestimate an opponent. Under Malacath, Orc culture became one of combat, ruthlessness and constant proving of oneself. Though he is a harsh, often cruel god, he is still an honorable one and is not without mercy, though when he does show blessings they are always cruel mercies. He views the Orcs as children who must receive a harsh upbringing to be enlightened souls once they die.
Game Encounters[]
Skyrim[]
Malacath's Daedric Quest is "The Cursed Tribe". Upon approaching the Orc Stronghold of Largashbur in The Rift, one finds it under attack by a giant. If the Dragonborn can kill the giant fast enough to save Ugor, a potential follower for the Dragonborn later, Atub, the stronghold's mage, asks the Dragonborn to help them by bringing her troll fat and a Daedra Heart so they can communicate with Malacath. Once the Dragonborn returns with the items, Atub encourages Chief Yamarz to come out to speak to Malacath. When Malacath responds, he is less than displeased with Yamarz for how weak his tribe has become, angrily saying that giants have taken over his shrine and demands that Yamarz deal with them before Malacath considers lifting the curse on them. With little other option, Yamarz asks the Dragonborn to accompany him to Fallowstone Cave, which leads to Giant's Grove and slay the giant defiling Malacath's shrine.
Once there, Yamarz pathetically asks the Dragonborn to deal with the giant instead of him. The Dragonborn can agree, or refuse, and watch as Yamarz tries to fight the giant, and gets brutally slaughtered. If they agree and kill the giant, Yamarz turns against them, not wanting word of his cowardice to get back to Largashbur, and the Dragonborn will be forced to fight and kill him. Malacath is not at all upset, seeing Yamarz was weak and pathetic anyway, and getting rid of him was a favor the Dragonborn took care of for Malacath. Pleased with the Dragonborn helping him out like that, Malacath allows the Dragonborn to take Shagrol's Warhammer from the giant's corpse back to Largashbur, where when Atub learns of what happened, Malacath assures her that Yamarz got what he deserved, he's putting Gularzob as the new Chief, and lifting the curse as well, before asking the Dragonborn to place the warhammer on the shrine, where it will be turned into Malacath's Daedric Artifact, the warhammer Volendrung, completing Malacath's quest, and dubbing the Dragonborn Malacath's Champion, thus making them Blood-Kin to the Orcs, and allowing unrestricted access to the Orc Strongholds around Skyrim.
Trivia[]
- Though many cultures' stories are ambiguous as tl how much truth there is to their creation stories and myths, Malacath's former status as Trinimmac is confirmed.
- According to Sheogorath, Malacath is not popular at parties.
External Link[]
Malacath on the Elder Scrolls Wiki.
