The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has special quests that can grant the player with Daedric artifacts. A majority of the Daedric Princes have shrines dedicated to them that can be found throughout Skyrim. Going to these shrines or exploring Skyrim gives the player the chance to meet these Daedric Princes and find out if they are good or evil.
The player is able to swear allegiance to all of the Daedra if they so wish, supporting all the good and bad the specific Prince might cause. However, the pay-off for this is being able to use Daedric artifacts to their advantage - a must for players interested in what the Daedric Princes can offer. And for players wondering just who among the Daedric Princes should they consider communicating with, which Daedric Princes are the most amicable?
Updated on July 13, 2023 by Rhenn Taguiam: With The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom exploring death and the afterlife in the world of Tamriel, fans of the Elder Scrolls franchise may be eager to dive deeper into the cosmology of the series’ setting. Now that Daedric Princes have proven to be active in trying to conquer Tamriel through various schemes, fans may want to learn more about them as they explore Necrom’s offerings.
As a heads up, it may help to learn some of the most notable feats of these Daedric Princes to understand just what makes them the more horrifying entities in the world of Tamriel.
10 Molag Bal
Being the Daedric Prince holding dominion over enslavement and domination, Molag Bal serves as the token "evil mastermind" in Elder Scrolls lore. Known to desire nothing else but complete domination of mortal relams, Molag Bal aspires to build a powerbase out of the souls of mortals, hence why Soul Gems are not just frowned upon but also considered an artifact of Molag Bal's powers.
Unlike other Daedric Princes, Molag Bal appreciates elaborate schemes and would be more than willing to take time just for his plans to bear fruition. Due to his specialization in Necromancy, Molag Bal can create undead minions or extend the lifespans of his victims for torture.
Feats Of Molag Bal
Molag Bal’s obsession with domination and conquest isn’t just reflected in his attempts to exert control over Nirn through sheer force. What perhaps makes Molag Bal terrifying is the extent through which he is willing to explore the dominions of power and control. For instance, Molag Bal is credited to have gifted the Sisters of Coldharbour with a unique and direct form of vampirism. And inside his Vile Laboratory, Molag Bal has engineered the creation of two deadly Daedric species - the Xivkyn and the Daedric Titan.
The Daedric Prince’s obsession with power also led to the creation of the first Soul Gems, artifacts that used housed souls to channel various forms of power. It’s said that Molag Bal also created biological weapons on occasion, spreading death and undeath in separate occasions. During the Oblivion Crisis, Molag Bal even lured the Hero of Kvatch to motivate a pacifist to murdering a crowd.
9 Mephala
Considered the master of secrets, Mephala also holds dominion over deception, murder, lies, and sex - everything that has to do with terror, intrigue, and keeping things behind the scenes. Compared to other Daedric Princes, Mephala relishes in the idea of keeping secrets. This penchant for knowledge-keeping doesn't bode well with her disregard for mortal safety, as she's more than willing to get knowledge being kept from her.
While Hermaeus Mora is associated with knowledge in general, Mephala's interests lie in the information people refuse to give. In turn, Mephala enjoys conflict from these secrets, such as the threat of treachery ruining alliances, the idea of an affair ruining a marriage. However, others say Mephala's true intentions can't ever be fathomed, as she's the only one who understands the weave of fate.
Feats Of Mephala
Spider God Mephala’s involvement in Nirn is mostly out of amusement, never revealing her true intentions despite mastering the weave of fate. One of her earliest interactions in Nirn involve the mere thief Rajhin, whose theft of both the Ring of Khajiiti and the powerful Ebony Blade after making love with Maphala made him into the Khajiit’s Thief God.
Meanwhile, when the High Elf ruler of Rivenspire Anurraame was blindsided by her bethroted, Mephala answered her pleas by weaponizing her tears, creating the Tears of Anuurraame that destroyed her husband’s invading armies in an instant. Much of Mephala’s other movements in Nirn also involved the Ebony Blade, a weapon she often used to corrupt its wielders into killing people who trusted them. It’s said that Mephala may be the voice behind the Night Mother, the deity the assassins of the Dark Brotherhood worship.
8 Hermaeus Mora
While Mephala enjoys her fair share of secrets, Hermaeus Mora and his dominion over fate and knowledge makes his appetite for "knowing" rather insatiable. Unlike other Daedric Princes, Mora doesn't' want to make changes to the Aubris but rather observe, getting as much knowledge as possible to know everything there is to know. Such is his desire to collect information that he rarely ever gives them for free, usually leaving a tough bargain or a "catch" to anyone who wants a fraction of what Mora knows.
Mora's knowledge makes him the wisest of all the Daedric Princes. Unlike his other siblings who have the visage of being completely evil, Mora simply wishes to rid the world of ignorance and mystery. In terms of activities in the mortal realm, Mora has more antics than schemes, preferring to enjoy tormenting mortals by sending them to Apocrypha, a realm that is an infinite library that can drive everyone mad.
Feats Of Hermaeus Mora
Hermaeuus Mora has been a fierce enemy of the distant Nords of Skaal, with Dragon Priest Miraak becoming the first Dragonborn after Mora taught him how to gain control over them. Since Miraak retreated to Apocrypha, Mora has been rather inactive in Tamriel. Much of his affairs involved knowledge transactions, with the immensely-powerful tome Oghma Infinium occasionally being lost and returned to the Prince.
Mora's most notable interaction with Tamriel would be in the Fourth Era when he gives the Last Dragon a mighty shout in exchange for knowledge of the Skaal’s traditions that have been kept from him for centuries. When the Last Dragonborn defeats Miraak, Mora expresses his disappointment in his disciple who seemingly forgot about him, and declares the Last Dragonborn as his new champion.
7 Vaermina
Whereas Molag Bal is the Elder Scrolls version of the "evil mastermind," Vaermina is the "deceiver figure." Symbolized by the coil of a venomous serpent (alongside Boethiah), Vaermina holds dominion over all things dreams and nightmares. Such is the danger she holds that everyone who sleeps comes in her way, and she enjoys torturing people for torture's sake.
Similar to Mora and Mephala, Vaermina also likes to "collect." This time, Vaermina loves taking memories from mortals and replacing them with nightmares instead. No one knows what Vaermina is doing to the memories she steals, however her interactions with mortals prove she wants nothing but to cause destruction.
Feats Of Vaermina
Such was Vaermina’s threat that when Azura foresaw Vaermina’s attempts to transform Stormhaven into a nightmarish hellscape, the former reated the Spirit Wardens and the Dream Shard to protect the area from Vaermina’s influence. Azura would once again intervene when the events of the Soulburst motivated Vaermina to control figures of the Daggerfall Covenant alliance through their dreams, which was only stopped after defeating Galthis the Night Terror.
Vaermina would also attempt to merge Skald’s Retreat with her own realm of Quagmire, though she would not be as active since then. Other affairs included Vaermina asking players to retrieve the Orb of Vaermina, who was stolen by the wizard Arkved. Upon its retrieval, Vaermina promised unending nightmares of the spellcaster.
6 Mehrunes Dagon
Holding dominion over destruction and ruin is Mehrunes Dagon, also called the Father of Cataclysm. Natural disasters such as typhoons, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions tend to be connected with Dagon, who unlike other Daedric Princes wants complete and utter destruction.
Dagon is also one of the more interesting Daedric Princes with the way people interact with his symbolism. Being the Prince associated with destruction, Dagon's influence over others seem to also be connected with strife, revolutions, and breaking anew to start again. Of the Daedric Princes, Dagon is perhaps one of the most dangerous due to his relentless pursuit of the destruction of the mortal realms.
Feats Of Mehrunes Dagon
Being the embodiment of betrayal and ruin, Mehrunes Dagon has spent centuries planning for his arrival at Nirn and its eventual destruction. One notable appearance was during the destruction of Mournhold, where Tribunal members Almalexia and Sotha Sil had to work together to banish him from Nirn. At some unknown point in time, Dagon created dimension-hopping portals that would become the Oblivion Gates.
Dagon’s more recognizable creations were his soul-stealing Mehrunes’ Razor, as well as the Four Ambitions who possessed uncontrollable power. When not actively moving, Dagon has various worshippers who do some of the vilest atrocities across Tamriel. One notable cult would be the Mythic Dawn, whose acquisition of the Mysterium Xarxes led to the assassination of Uriel Septim VII and Dagon’s attempt at invading Cyrodiil in the Oblivion Crisis.
5 Sanguine
Compared to other Daedric Princes, Sanguine is perhaps the most "pale" in terms of their activity. Known to many as the Lord of Revelry, Sanguine is the Daedric Prince most associated with hedonistic pleasures. In turn, much of the history of Elder Scrolls that involves debauchery, indulgence, and other excessive acts are often attributed to him.
Being a Daedric Prince of excess, Sanguine cares little about exerting control or dominion over the mortal realms. Instead, he enjoys giving mortals various ways of maximizing their pleasures and seeing how far they would go to fulfill their pleasures.
Feats Of Sanguine
Such was Sanguine’s rather “peaceful” nature that he’s spent time with Tamriel’s Emperors, most notably with Reman Cyrodiil in the creation of the Crendali Festivals, which had a rather hedonistic nature that hindered the Empire’s conquest. Other interactions Sanguine had in Nirn involved rather dangerously juvenile affairs.
Sanguine once trapped spies from the Aldmeri Dominion in a never-ending party in his Shadowfen lair, while he attended a Jester’s Festival as a Breton who summoned Daedra minstrels to perform - only for the event to end in bloodshed. He also commissioned the Hero of Kvatch to ruin a lavish party of Countess Alessia Caro, making the hero remove all their clothes and belongings to embarrass them publicly. Sanguine’s most recent appearance involved challenging the Last Dragonborn to a drinking contest, which then started a questline that ended with the player’s acquisition of the Sanguine Rose.
4 Hircine
The harsh ruler of the Hunt, Hircine holds dominion over beasts and the chase. Hunters all across Tamriel pay homage to Hircine for good game, with his dominion gaining popularity over many citizens. Unlike other Daedric Prince, Hircine doesn't actively pursue being worshiped by others. Rather, he wants hunters and others he deems worthy of challenge succeed in his Hunt - and his Hunts always give prey the opportunity to escape.
"Hares" who overcome his challenges earn rewards from Hircine, but Hircine doesn't shy away from demanding more from his active worshipers. Being the Daedric Prince who created lycantrophy, Hircine takes pride in those who willingly accept their new "gift" and loathe those who reject it.
Feats Of Hircine
Earliest interactions of Hircine involving Nirn go back to the Merethic Era, where Hircine bestowed the gift of lycanthrope to the first hunters of the land. These hunters are believed to have been the first werewolves and werebears, much like how Molag Bal “gifted” vampirism to the Daughters of Coldharbour. Meanwhile, the earliest instances of Hircine being spiteful involves Thane Icehammer, whom he cursed with madness with the Spear of Bitter Mercy before driving his clan to extinction.
Hircine’s fascination with the Green Lady, the representation of the Bosmer’s wild side and their best hunter, had him almost interrupt the handfast that united Bosmer’s civilized and wild side. Had he been interrupted, the disruption would’ve transformed Bosmer into their original beast-like appearances. Hircine would often bring adventurers to participate in his Hunts, where survival meant receiving a great boon.
3 Sheogorath
Of all the Daedric Princes, Sheogorath is the most frightening due to his unpredictability. Known as the Daedric Prince of Madness, Sheogorath barely makes his intentions known because no one knows if he has one. His realm is popularly known as the Shivering Isles that contain wonders that rid visitors of their sanity.
While other Daedric Princes are infamous for their evil reputations, Sheogorath is rather reputable for his disguise as a gentleman in a cane. Such is the fear (of madness) that the disguise instills upon others that people are advised to treat people dressed like this with a neutral but respectful greeting as to not experience his wrath.
Feats Of Sheogorath
Being a natural trickster, Sheogorath’s many dealings in Nirn often involved promises with a twist. The mage Shalidor once traded his arcane sanctuary island of Eyevea for a tome known as Folium Discognitum, only for the book to be unreadable. When the Alliance War expelled the Mages Guild from Cyrodiil, Shalidor attempted to claim the island from the Daedric Prince - which Sheogorath did (after a few tests), but the inhabitants had to rid of the Daedric guards Sheogorath conveniently forgot to remove.
At some point, a disgruntled mayor of Southpoint wanted power and respect, which Sheogorath granted in the form of mad ramblings that became a plague of madness. When the moon-bishop sought messages from the Twin Moons in Tenmar Temple, Sheogorath replaced moon sugar with the dangerous narcotic skooma and caused havoc. Moreover, when Clavicus Vile requested for a powerful sword, the witch Naenra Waerr (said to be Sheogorath) tricked Vile into giving a part of him to “stabilize” the weapon, which simply turned the weapon sentient and unwieldable, creating Umbra.
2 Azura
Holding dominion over the moment between dawn and dusk, Azura is one of the rarer Daedric Princes who has the reputation of being "good." Her desire to be loved by all mortals translates to a feeling of care and desire to protect her worshipers. However, being a Daedra detached from reality, some consider Azura's ways rather cruel by mortal standards.
Across Nirn's existence, activities of Daedric Princes that are considered catastrophic often receive interference from Azura in one form or another. Many Tamriel creation myths involve Azura, usually directly or indirectly leading to the creation of races.
Feats Of Azura
Azura’s more active endeavors involved the creation of the Khajiit, courtesy of the Three Secrets from her mother Fadomai. When Azura tricked her sibling Nirni into helping her create the Khajiit, she used the Secrets to create the Khajiit from the man-beast forest people as well as the first traces of Moon Sugar, the Khajiit’s most coveted substance.
When the entity Y’ffer told Nirni of Azura’s deception, the latter allowed him to mold some of the forest people into the Bosmer, making Azura indirectly responsible for the forest elves’ creation. Azura also possessed the dark elf Seryn to defeat the false Nerevarine that threatened the land of Vvardenfell, aiding Lord Vivec in regaining his powers and preventing the meteor Baar Dau from falling into Tamriel.
1 Nocturnal
Known as the Daedric Prince of darkness, Nocturnal holds dominion over darkness, shadow, and mystery. Her control over things that are "unknown" have made people associate Nocturnal with luck, as only Nocturnal can see unknown odds. Likewise, Nocturnal has become the Prince to worship for thieves and other doers of clandestine activities.
Moreover, the relative absence of Nocturnal's involvement in Nirn's affairs and her lack of active participation in the affairs of Daedric Princes make her motives remain a mystery. However, her status as "the eldest" Daedra and her reputation of having come from "a piece of primal Void" in the blood of the Dark Heart of Lorkhaj.
Feats Of Nocturnal
Despite her status as the “Ur-dra” or the oldest and the most powerful among the Daedric Princes, Nocturnal has barely made any direct moves in Nirn. When she did, however, Nocturnal does so in pursuit of her goal: conquer Nirn, acquire the Crystal Tower for herself, and use the Transparent Law inside it to manipulate the Aubris and reality to her own image.
When not making moves towards universal conquest, Nocturnal is responsible for some of the more obscure but incredibly powerful artifacts in Tamriel. These include invisibility-granting Gray Cowl and Bow of Shadows, the Skeleton Key that can unlock all locks, the Shade Sickle that transforms those it struck into thralls, and the Eye of Nocturnal that lets Nocturnal herself peer into the affairs of its wielder.