The horrendous and the macabre are things The Elder Scrolls series does not shy away from. Things are not divided into good and evil, however, as sects and groups follow their individual needs rather than bow down before generic polarities. The people of Tamriel worship specific deities as well as other, less quantifiable, beings of similar power.
Some of these deities and powerful beings, like the Daedric Princes, inspire some sinister methods of proving devotion. At least, in the eyes of the player. These occult groups are simply following their otherwordly calling.
10 Cult Of The Ancestor Moth
This group consists of those who seek ancient knowledge, that of Nirn’s history and the very bones of reality. They do so by seeking and studying The Elder Scrolls, which are more nodes of existence than actual reading material. Men and mer can only truly understand them when basking beneath the wings of Ancestor Moths, who through magical means unlock a portion of the minds of mortals that permit them to understand greater concepts.
Since these moths only live in very few select locations, this forces followers of this cult to hold up in dank caves much of the time.
9 Forgotten Ones
The Forgotten Ones are followers of the Daedric Prince Namira, a grand patron of darkness. Appropriately, their worshippers spend their days and nights in pitch blackness. Many that the player meets in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion can be found in an Ayleid Ruin called Anga.
When the Hero enters, they usually light a torch or cast some sort of light-emitting spell. In doing so, however, the player will send the Forgotten Ones scurrying away like cockroaches. Players can take a quest that involves helping The Forgotten Ones slay a priest of Arkay who attempts to bring them light.
8 Peryite’s Worshippers
The Daedric Prince Peryite is the lord and originator of all diseases, illnesses, and plagues. Those that follow Peryite are usually surrounded by maladies, if not harboring some themselves.
Though this kind of worship is disgusting to behold, in concept Peryite’s purpose in the universe is far less so. He is known for upholding the order of the natural world. Death brought by disease is his method of doing so; a brutal yet efficient tactic that kills the weak.
7 Boethiah’s Calling
In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the Dragonborn can come across a book that will lead them on a quest of treachery and murder in the name of the Daedric Prince Boethiah. To prove their devotion, among other things, the player will be tasked with sacrificing a companion at the shrine of the mighty Daedra.
After that, they are tasked with hunting down the former Champion of Boethiah, their predecessor in the cult, and retrieving the Ebony Mail daedric artifact from them.
6 Morag Tong
This group of assassins owes their existence to Mephala, the Daedric Prince of murder. They consider their calling in life to deliver “noble executions” to those who they deem require such disposal.
The Morag Tong are often employed by politicians and other powerful individuals in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. As such, they are the only group of killers to be able to operate legally on all of Tamriel.
5 Vampire Covens
Vampires are bloodthirsty beings that were initially created long ago by the Daedric Prince Molag Bal, who is known for his domination and enslavement of mortals. Although vampires seek primarily to slake their own thirst, they do honor Molag Bal in the process, for this prince works through blood as well.
There is a quest in Skyrim that is found in an abandoned house upon an unsuspecting street in Markarth where the Dragonborn can speak to the prince themself. Though, this interaction leads to the player sacrificing an innocent person’s blood to the powerful Daedra, acting not unlike a vampire.
4 The Primeval Seekers
These seekers of knowledge serve Hermaeus Mora, the Daedric Prince of memory and information. They were formed during the first era and rose to power quickly.
The Primeval Seekers’ main presence was in the Ayleid city Bisnensel, where they seized control by overthrowing the king Dynar. Since their patron is one of the least understood of the strongest Daedra, it is uncertain why the Primeval Seekers took power in Bisnensel.
3 Dragon Cult
The original dragon cultists were some of the first settlers in Skyrim who came from Atmora. They worshipped many animals as divine, including dragons. The dragons of Skyrim subjugated many willing people and formed the dragon cult, which gave rise to the dragon priests that one can fight in the game for their masks and other high-tier loot.
Although they were all but wiped out during the Dragon War referenced through the main quests in the fifth installment of the Elder Scrolls games, this cult was revived by the return of Miraak, the first Dragonborn.
2 Mythic Dawn
The Mythic Dawn is a cult that serves the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon, a deific vehicle for destruction and change. The Mythic Dawn are the main antagonists in Oblivion and actively work towards bringing their lord into Cyrodiil.
They eventually succeeded, though Dagon was defeated by Martin Septim who was blessed by Akatosh. This cult has an appropriately sinister initiation that always ends with the initiate sacrificing a priest.
1 Order Of The Black Worm
This foul group of necromancers revels in raising the dead to do their bidding. In Oblivion and Skyrim, they go about all manner of horrible activities such as kidnapping travelers to kill and turn into undead slaves, raiding farmsteads for the weak to steal their souls, and opening up portals all over the place so that Daedra can enter the mortal plane.
NEXT: Skyrim: 10 Things You Never Knew About Dragon Priests
