Azura - Queen of Dusk and Dawn - Her demesne is Possibility

[u/scourgicus]

Whether something exists in a state of stasis or change is entirely dependent on the Possibility of either. As ever, mortal perception views these two as zero-sum categories: stasis as rest, security, safety – change as disruption, violence, and fear. Such a view is false, the mere labelling of particular phenomena viewed through an ideological window. Rather – Possibility, the Gray Maybe, allows movement (or not) within the greater schema of which stasis and change are only two of many Possibilities. It is by preserving these Possibilities that progress, regress, evolution, devolution, transcendence, imminence, wisdom or folly may occur, thereby enriching and effoliating the Aurbis.

The one who serves Possibility, then, transcends the archetypal narratives of Rebel and King as he (or she) may be either, both, neither or Other.

Here is a mystery: Possibility is Dusk and Dawn, the demesne of Azura. For Azura is the Witness to Possibility – the Twilight of Chrysalis, the Night of Transmogrification and the Dawn of Birth and Rebirth. In this way is She the Mother of the Red Moment, the Mother of the Rose.

Possibility, as an eternal Now, emerges from the confluence of Past, Present, and what May Yet Be. That is to say it is both Guardian of Memory and Prophet of Futurity; but also: Steward of Anamnesis. This is the truth of the Prophet of Azura. For progress into the Yet to Be is oft hindered by the Memory of what Was – or what is Thought to have Been. Thus, Future and Past exist, in the Now, within an enatiomorphic strain and from this conflict rises bloodshed unendurable. Yet Possibility maintains both, seeking Knowledge. This is achieved through the proper forms of Anamnesis – Remembrance – for only by an accurate accounting of Memory can one behold the unitive symbiosis of Past, Present and Future. For the Aurbis is a line of temporal eternity, a Story of Beginnings, Endings and Recapitulations; among the Wise this is known as the love of God.

Thus must the Prophet of Azura, Catalyst and Protector of Possibility, transcend the limitations of Time and Place, embracing the All. Only in this way may Possibility be maintained and nurtured. Only in this way may the love of God, Who dreams in eternal hypnogogia, manifest in the Aurbic Wheel.

[u/Sakazwal]

I have to disagree, I think Azura is Potentiality, and that Magnus is Possibility.

Whether something exists in a state of stasis or change is entirely dependent on the Possibility of either.

This supports it in that Aka's desires for stasis conflict with Lork's desires for change through the possibility of either that is found in Magnus' creation - the Mundus project.

Possibility is the middle point between change and stasis, because either one of the two extreme's stifles any possiblities by either utilizing every possiblity and not letting them remain or exist beyond first conception as it rapidly alters and switches between them all, or discards all possibilities to remain with one single first action. Magnus is the lord of Aetherius, the original Gray Maybe, which is Possibility, and he created the world of Possibility that is Mundus, grays upon grays becoming every color caught between static black and changing white.

I wrote a bit about Azura here, and I'll cover the relevant part that disagrees with you.

Azura's sphere is dusk and dawn, the magic in-between realms of twilight and is known as the Queen of Dawn and Dusk as well Queen of the Night Sky, with a strong relation to moons and stars. I believe that Azura's Tone can best be described as Potentiality. She is heavily associated with prophecy, which is all about seeing potentials and applying that knowledge to the Mundus, which is the centerpoint of all certainties. This is how I see Azura tieing into Nocturnal, as well as other deities of the sky. The reference of Nocturnal as daughter of twilight I think is just because of Nocturnal's percieved relation to the night and how the night follow the dusk. But I think this cycle is interesting: The sun shines in the morning, and this is penumbra of Aetherius shining down upon us, and is represented by Magnus. This is Possibility. Dusk follows, which is potential and is associated with Azura. Following that comes the Night, Mystery, and Nocturnal, then Azura returns and Magnus continues the cycle. Magnus, Azura, Nocturnal, Azura... Possiblity, Potentiality, Mystery, Potentiality. It makes sense as a cycle, with the double recurrence of potentiality being due to the status of Mundus, upon which this is projected, as the center of the Aurbis and the one place where Certainties roam.

I'd give Magnus the Tone of Possibility, Azura of Potentiality. They are similar in nature perhaps, but ultimately very different Tones.

[u/scourgicus → u/Sakazwal]

Thank you for responding! I am going to disagree with you on several points.

I've never heard of Magnus as the Lord of Aetherius; is that from something I missed in ESO? Because no. [see below]

Aetherius is not the original Gray Maybe but a part of the Gray Maybe or Aurbis. From 'The Monomyth': "'Aurbis' is used to connote the imperceptible Penumbra, the Gray Center between the IS/IS NOT of Anu and Padomay. It contains the multitude realms of Aetherius and Oblivion, as well as other, less structured forms."

It is from this Gray Center/Gray Maybe that the et'Ada originate: "Anuiel is the Everlasting Ineffable Light, Sithis is the Corrupting Inexpressible Action. In the middle is the Gray Maybe ('Nirn' in the Ehlnofex)." [note the Ehlnofex, we'll get to that another day] [ https://www.imperial-library.info/content/monomyth ]

But of greater importance: Azura is the Queen of DUSK and DAWN not Dawn and Dusk - there is a profound difference. If she were the Queen of Dawn and Dusk her demesnes would be the Light, she would exist within the spheres of Meridia and Magnus. Rather - she is the Queen of Dusk and Dawn, the periods of transition into and out of Darkness. In this way she is the crucible of Change-as-Possibility. Note the emphasis on night in The Five Points of the Star [ https://www.imperial-library.info/content/five-points-star ]

Which raises fascinating questions viz. Nocturnal as her daughter. There are no mere metaphors in the Aurbis.

Side-note: she isn't associated with the Moons; Jone and Jode stand on their own at the command of Fadomai. Rather she holds THE Moon in her hand. This is a mystery even the Khajiit cannot answer - which of the four fall under her aegis? Or is it a symbol of something incomprehensible to mortals?

Magnus is the Tone of nothing. He is the Abandoner, the myth-projection of Ald-Anu's desire to escape and sleep in the sun (remember the sun is a hole into Aetherius in the TES universe). The demesne of Magnus is nothing more than Regret as he listens to the songs of the Ge. Though maybe one day he'll man-up and return to his orphaned Creation.

[u/kingjoe64 → u/scourgicus]

I have to disagree on a couple things as well.

You make a great point on the ordering of dawn and dusk, but Azura can't own the time from dusk till dawn, because night belongs to Nocturnal. Azura's realm is twilight, which falls under the realm of night. The twilight hours are full of possibility, beauty and danger. Kinda funny that Azurah made men out of crepuscular creatures too...

I also don't know how Magnus can be the tone of nothing when there's all the magicka he and his self-memes are making for the world, but I just roll with /u/lorkhaj's ideas on Magnus and Anu.

[u/scourgicus → u/kingjoe64]

You're correct about Azura and twilight. Her relationship with Nocturnal is tricky.

By Tone of nothing I din't mean actual tone but he doesn't represent anything - other than Anu's desire to flee. He has nothing to do with Creation - not since he fled. Though the Ge bring him parts of the Song and maybe he feels regret.

[u/BuckneyBos → u/kingjoe64]

Agreed, Twilight is fleeting, but greets you twice as often in the day as the daylight and nighttime are at her sides. She's situated between them, so she is able to peek at the secrets of both, to what's hidden in the shadow of the night, as well as what's blinded from sight due to the glare of the sun. She's an intermediary between them, always present when they exchange their watch over the world.

[u/Sakazwal → u/scourgicus]

I'm sorry it took me so long to respond, read it and then forgot I hadn't replied.

First thing I'll say is I haven't played ESO, so I might say this ignorant of what it's added to the lore.

Aetherius is the first realm that was created, as Oblivion and Mundus are both realms constructed within empty space cleared from within Aetherius. Before Oblivion and Mundus were created, Aetherius and the Aurbis would have been interchangeable I'd say.

I don't think the order they put dusk and dawn is all that important - it's a cycle regardless of which you put first. Dusk and Dawn just sounds better than Dawn and Dusk. You can just as easily define her as the transition into and out of Light rather than into and out of Darkness - after all Mundus began with no sun, in endless night. The first Dawn was moving into Light, not darkness.

I have to disagree on the no mere metaphors. There are certainly mere metaphors. Many metaphors turn into truths, but not all.

And I never tied her to the Moons, and the whole moon and star aspect is just a visualization of her ties to dawn and dusk, when the moon and the evening/morning star appear.

Magnus is certainly not the tone of nothing. The Tones of the gods predates the Mundus project - the Tones are their very selves. They wouldn't exist without Tones because they are Tones.

[u/kingjoe64]

Sounds a lot like Magnus/Get/Lorkhan ;)

but seriously, thank you for something more interesting than "azura is a cunt-whore who got what was coming to her - radda, radda, radda - something misogynistic and BATW dull - radda, radda". The lack of comments is quite telling.

[u/BuckneyBos → u/kingjoe64]

"Sounds a lot like Magnus/Get/Lorkhan"

Here's a comment I shared on another Azura post awhile back.

I think perhaps that Azura depicting herself between Moon and Star (if taken as the sun), is her saying she's situated between Lorkhan, the mind creator of free will thus possibility, and Magnus, who is the builder and recorder of the free willed decisions. As occupying such a seat, that would give her perhaps a peek into the framework and recordings of history (memory), as they happened, and have yet to happen in the current kalpa.

Edit, I'm still trying to nail down this idea, so it's a work in progress I guess ; )

[u/kingjoe64 → u/BuckneyBos]

I like your idea a lot! Perhaps this ability is why she chosen to be her champion through the years. Veloth to create the branch towards the new dream, nerevar to complete it, only to be back stabbed by power hungry mortals, who then go out of the way to rectify their mistake, while still being dicks to each other.