| Temple of the One | |
|---|---|
| Type | Temple |
| Continent | Tamriel |
| Province | Cyrodiil |
| Region | Imperial Isle |
| Settlement | Imperial City |
| Appears in | Oblivion, ESO |
The Temple of the One[nb 1] is the premier religious institution of the Dragonborn Emperors and the overall Imperial Church of Cyrodiil, located in the Temple District of the Cyrodiil City.[1][2][3] The structure itself is dedicated to the ineffable deity of the old Alessian Order named "The One", also known as Akatosh[2][4] the "Supreme Spirit",[5] though other stories conflate or combine this patron deity with Shezarr.[6][UOL 1][UOL 2] Since the time of Empress Alessia, the Temple of the One has served as site of ceremony for the lighting of the Dragonfires ritual, which traditionally involves the covenantal bequeathment of the Amulet of Kings.[1]
The Temple's religion is honored throughout all of Tamriel and has a number of different missions throughout the continent, including: the Brotherhood of the One and the Conclave of the One.[7][8][nb 1] The Archbishopric of the One, sometimes referred to as a Primate, serves a powerful religious role throughout Cyrodiil City and over all of Tamriel.[8][9] The Temple houses Cyrodiil's Communion of Saints.[1] Additionally, the Tamrielic Empire's city-state Kings and Queens are expected to be active members of the Temple.[10]
HistoryEdit
OriginsEdit
The Temple of the One is said to have originated from an ancient Nordic cult,[10] but has been more heavily codified as Alessian in nature.[2]
First EraEdit
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Upon her death, it was said that Empress Alessia was buried on the site of the Temple of the One.[11]
Although the Remans were not known to follow Alessian teachings, they regularly used the temple as a site of worship. Every year for the South Wind's Prayer, Emperor Reman III always visited the Temple of the One for the yearly service. On the other hand, his son and heir Juilek visited different temples such as the Benevolence of Mara.[12]
Second EraEdit
The Soulburst occurred here in 2E 578, when Mannimarco purposefully corrupted the coronation ritual of Varen Aquilarios.[13] When the Imperial City was captured by the forces of Molag Bal during the Alliance War, the temple was converted to a torture chamber used by the Daedra to extract information from the city's residents before executing them. These Daedric forces were cleared out by Alliance War soldiers circa 2E 582.[14]
Third EraEdit
Tiber Septim is said to have revived the cult from its "ancient Nordic origins" when he took the Imperial Throne.[10]
In 3E 41, Tiber Septim's heir, Pelagius I, was murdered by the Dark Brotherhood while praying in the Temple of the One.[15]
Shortly after taking the Ruby Throne for himself by treacherous and magical means, Jagar Tharn quickly had Empress Caula Voria exiled from the palace at the beginning of the Imperial Simulacrum in the early 3E 390s. Empress Voria was given sanctuary at the Temple of the One.[16] Later in the reign of Emperor Uriel Septim VII after Jagar Tharn had been dispatched,[nb 2] the Archbishop of the One was Calaxes, the bastard son of Uriel Septim VII, who attempted to overthrow the Septims and install a theocratic administration. But one night during his revolution, Calaxes disappeared from the world and was never heard from again. It was speculated that the Imperial Guard's Allena Benoch was responsible for assassinating him, but these rumors were never confirmed or denied.[8]
The Temple was the scene of the fiery resolution of the Oblivion Crisis: Martin Septim's sacrifice of the Amulet of Kings, the banishment of Dagon from Mundus, and the creation of the Statue of Akatosh.[17] The Temple structure was heavily damaged during the bought, with the Statue of Akatosh's wings extending beyond the structure itself.[17]
Fourth EraEdit
During the Great War in 4E 175, the Imperial City was captured by the forces of the Aldmeri Dominion under the command of Lord Naarifin. It is said Naarifin was a worshipper of Boethiah and planned to bring about a prophecy known as "the Culling", which involved the mass summoning of Daedra. Naarifin took control of a building which appeared to be the Temple of the One for this purpose and opened a portal to Oblivion, but was confronted and defeated by a small group led by the Forgotten Hero.[18] Notably, the Temple's structure seemed to have been repaired since the time of the Oblivion Crisis.[18]
GalleryEdit
A vision of the Soulburst in 2E 578
(ESO)
The Temple in 2E 582
(ESO)
A Daedric torture rack at the Temple during the Planemeld
(ESO)
The Temple of the One in 3E 433
(Oblivion)
The Culling at the Temple in 4E 175
(Legends)
NotesEdit
See AlsoEdit
- For game-specific information, see the Oblivion and Elder Scrolls Online
articles. - Lore:Temple Zero Society
ReferencesEdit
- ^ a b c Guide to the Imperial City — Alessia Ottus
- ^ a b c Jauffre's dialogue in Oblivion
- ^ Temple of the One in Oblivion
- ^ The Amulet of Kings — Wenengrus Monhona
- ^ a b The Exclusionary Mandates
- ^ The Song of Pelinal
- ^ a b c Temples in the cities in Arena
- ^ a b c d Words and Philosophy
- ^ Nine Divines faction in Oblivion
- ^ a b c d The Real Barenziah, v 3 — Anonymous
- ^ The Legendary Sancre Tor — Matera Chapel
- ^ 2920, Morning Star — Carlovac Townway
- ^ Chronicles of the Five Companions
- ^ The Bleeding Temple quest in ESO
- ^ a b Brief History of the Empire — Stronach k'Thojj III
- ^ The Real Barenziah, v 5 — Anonymous
- ^ a b Light the Dragonfires quest in Oblivion
- ^ a b The Showdown quest in The Forgotten Hero
- ^ A Looter's Paradise — the Silver-Haired Shadow
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.