Spoiler Aetherium

[Haru17]

This mineral, added in the Dawnguard Lost to the Ages quest, was described as,

"a rare, blue luminescent crystal found in Dwarven ruins. It possesses magical qualities, though it is almost impossible to work with. The only known way of working with the material is by using The Aetherium Forge. The items produced from Aetherium are said to be powerful artifacts imbued with powerful enchantments. Very little is known about the properties of Aetherium other than its luminescent blue hue and its strong magical aura. Research suggests it was required to be stored outdoors as it was harmonically volatile." by the wiki.

It is implied in Katria's Journal that Blackreach was the primary mining site for aetherium. All around Blackreach are found unique ore veins called "geode veins", they mine for soul gems. I think that aetherium is something like the purest form of Soul gem and, when interacted with, it sends your soul to Aetherius (realm of the divines) instead of trapping it inside of the gem, like in Azura's quest. Supporting this is Arniel's Endeavor; in that quest he strikes a "warped soul gem" with Keening and is presumably sent to Aetherius, as you can summon him as a shade, like the hero of Sovengarde shout. In this quest you refine the soul gem by placing it in three Dwarven convectors and heating them with a flames-like spell. These convectors seem to have a bit of aetherium on them.



What do you guys think about this stuff

Sources
Dwemer Convector - The Elder Scrolls Wiki
Warped Soul Gem - The Elder Scrolls Wiki
Aetherium - The Elder Scrolls Wiki
Geode Vein - The Elder Scrolls Wiki
Katria's Journal - The Elder Scrolls Wiki
Arniel's Endeavor - The Elder Scrolls Wiki

 

[Haru17]

Bump: say something! It's fun!

 

[El Fonz0]

Wow. You just blew my mind.

Quick! Someone make a mod with a full set of Aetherium Armor!

 

[Haru17]

Wow. You just blew my mind.

Quick! Someone make a mod with a full set of Aetherium Armor!

So do you think the connections made here are reasonable? I'm worried that I may have jumped a conclusion or two.

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

This mineral, added in the Dawnguard Lost to the Ages quest, was described as,

"a rare, blue luminescent crystal found in Dwarven ruins. It possesses magical qualities, though it is almost impossible to work with. The only known way of working with the material is by using The Aetherium Forge. The items produced from Aetherium are said to be powerful artifacts imbued with powerful enchantments. Very little is known about the properties of Aetherium other than its luminescent blue hue and its strong magical aura. Research suggests it was required to be stored outdoors as it was harmonically volatile." by the wiki.

It is implied in Katria's Journal that Blackreach was the primary mining site for aetherium. All around Blackreach are found unique ore veins called "geode veins", they mine for soul gems. I think that aetherium is something like the purest form of Soul gem and, when interacted with, it sends your soul to Aetherius (realm of the divines) instead of trapping it inside of the gem, like in Azura's quest. Supporting this is Arniel's Endeavor; in that quest he strikes a "warped soul gem" with Keening and is presumably sent to Aetherius, as you can summon him as a shade, like the hero of Sovengarde shout. In this quest you refine the soul gem by placing it in three Dwarven convectors and heating them with a flames-like spell. These convectors seem to have a bit of aetherium on them.



What do you guys think about this stuff

Sources
Dwemer Convector - The Elder Scrolls Wiki
Warped Soul Gem - The Elder Scrolls Wiki
Aetherium - The Elder Scrolls Wiki
Geode Vein - The Elder Scrolls Wiki
Katria's Journal - The Elder Scrolls Wiki
Arniel's Endeavor - The Elder Scrolls Wiki

While I commend your research I do not believe Aetherium to be related as you say it is to Soul Gems. The disappearance of the Dwemer has been long connected to the Heart of Lorkhan, and the attempted use of it to make themselves an artificial god. Soul Gems are shown to be connected to the Soul Cairn, a plain of Oblivion, while Aetherius is the realm of the Aedra, and thus is polar opposite of Oblivion, which is the realm of the Daedra. Also Lore has shown that Aetherium research ceased during or after the Aetherium Wars, and long before the mysterious disappearance of the Dwemer. Arniel's research may have purely transported him to the Soul Cairn rather than to where ever the Dwemer may have went. We can only speculate on that.

And though the Dwemer reclaimed most of their lands a century later, there is no evidence that they ever resumed their research on Aetherium. Perhaps the costs had just been too great.

 

[Haru17]

While I commend your research I do not believe Aetherium to be related as you say it is to Soul Gems. The disappearance of the Dwemer has been long connected to the Heart of Lorkhan, and the attempted use of it to make themselves an artificial god. Soul Gems are shown to be connected to the Soul Cairn, a plain of Oblivion, while Aetherius is the realm of the Aedra, and thus is polar opposite of Oblivion, which is the realm of the Daedra. Also Lore has shown that Aetherium research ceased during or after the Aetherium Wars, and long before the mysterious disappearance of the Dwemer. Arniel's research may have purely transported him to the Soul Cairn rather than to where ever the Dwemer may have went. We can only speculate on that.

Thank you for your reply, I think that Aetherium could still be a compound, in some way similar to the soul gems. It could be like oil and oil sands; they're slightly different compounds because of the slight differences in the pressure and heat that "baked" them. The Dwemer could have excavated al of the Aetherium from Blackreach and left the soul gems, as they would've been less valuable to them.

In regards to the Dwemer lore, some of it could be incorrect. For instance, the Heart of Lorkhan was only ever said to be a tremendous power source. The Aetherium could have been the medium that conveyed their souls to Aetherius. The bit about the Aetherium research ceasing could have been a Dwemer cover up.

As far as Arniel goes, while his fate is a tremendous mystery, I believe the Soul Cairn can be ruled out. My reasoning for this is that in Dawnguard, when we went there, we didn't even see him. I just think that if Bethesda wanted him there they would have made it so. This would leave Aetherius, if his project succeeded, or that haunting soul gem left sitting on the pedestal, unmovable...

 

[Haru17]

oh, oh, oh, oh!!! I just found something PAINFULLY pertinent on the page for the Warped Soul Gem - The Elder Scrolls Wiki. It says that the gem was, "warped beyond the ability to capture a soul with". This could potentially prove that Arniel was sent to Aetherium by process of elimination. This would mean that the gem was acting as either the Heart of Lorkhan or the Aetherium (if that, indeed is involved).

 

[Tosh Raka]

Ah this is the stuff I love, a well thought out conversation about lore!
Well Haru and Squirrel-Killer, in many ways you're both right. The heart of Lorkhan (Also Known as Shor) was the centerpiece in the disappearance of the Dwarves and therefore meddling with Aetherium and the heart could have all contributed to their disappearance, however, Lorkhan is known as a fallen God to the Elves, and therefore could have a closer connection to the Daedra. Aetherium could very well be purified soul gem compounds, similar to how Coal, and Diamonds are both Carbon compounds.

Whats interesting is Elves for the most part don't consider Aedra and Daedra to be much different, as they are both Ancestor Gods to the Aldmer, and it was Lorkhan and his creation of the mortal plane that severed the connection to immortality. So it's not as black and white as Oblivion and Aetherius.

 

[Haru17]

Ah this is the stuff I love, a well thought out conversation about lore!
Well Haru and Squirrel-Killer, in many ways you're both right. The heart of Lorkhan (Also Known as Shor) was the centerpiece in the disappearance of the Dwarves and therefore meddling with Aetherium and the heart could have all contributed to their disappearance, however, Lorkhan is known as a fallen God to the Elves, and therefore could have a closer connection to the Daedra. Aetherium could very well be purified soul gem compounds, similar to how Coal, and Diamonds are both Carbon compounds.

Whats interesting is Elves for the most part don't consider Aedra and Daedra to be much different, as they are both Ancestor Gods to the Aldmer, and it was Lorkhan and his creation of the mortal plane that severed the connection to immortality. So it's not as black and white as Oblivion and Aetherius.

I agree with your post except for the part about Lorkhan being Daedric. He is an Aedra, there's just no way around this. Thanks for the part about Shor, until now I hadn't realized that he was the Nordic Lorkhan.

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

In regards to the Dwemer lore, some of it could be incorrect. For instance, the Heart of Lorkhan was only ever said to be a tremendous power source. The Aetherium could have been the medium that conveyed their souls to Aetherius. The bit about the Aetherium research ceasing could have been a Dwemer cover up.

The Heart of Lorkhan is confirmed to be part of the essence of Lorkhan, and does contain the power to make "living gods" as shown by the Tribunal. The Dwemer attempted to use the Heart for the same, since they invented the tools used by the Tribunal to become gods, and possibly tried it on a far greater scale than the Tribunal and tried to raise themselves as a race to Godly hood. The real difficulty is the the lack of information on Aetherium. We have never seen any connection between Aetherium and the planes of Aetherius. Beyond a similarity in names at least. I however have reread all the lore I can think of concerning this an believe Keening may be made of Aetherium. But even that is a long shot.

As far as Arniel goes, while his fate is a tremendous mystery, I believe the Soul Cairn can be ruled out. My reasoning for this is that in Dawnguard, when we went there, we didn't even see him. I just think that if Bethesda wanted him there they would have made it so. This would leave Aetherius, if his project succeeded, or that haunting soul gem left sitting on the pedestal, unmovable...

Don't forget the Soul Cairn is vast. And only a fraction of it accessible in game.

I agree with your post except for the part about Lorkhan being Daedric. He is an Aedra, there's just no way around this. Thanks for the part about Shor, until now I hadn't realized that he was the Nordic Lorkhan.

Both are wrong. Lorkhan is both and neither. He is something in between. This is explained in multiple points. He is described as a "duality" being, he has a Daedric side, and an Aedric side. I don't fully understand what he is exactly, but from what I read he is not a Daedra nor Aedra. He has both the power to create, and to change, while as Aedra can only create, and Daedra can only change. However Lorkhan was subject to his Aedric side and so suffered death.

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

oh, oh, oh, oh!!! I just found something PAINFULLY pertinent on the page for the Warped Soul Gem - The Elder Scrolls Wiki. It says that the gem was, "warped beyond the ability to capture a soul with". This could potentially prove that Arniel was sent to Aetherium by process of elimination. This would mean that the gem was acting as either the Heart of Lorkhan or the Aetherium (if that, indeed is involved).

A new possibility just occurred to me. His soul was torn from his body violently, destroying his physical form and scattering his soul. We are unsure how the spell allowing you to summon him actually works. Maybe you reconstruct his ghost before it destabilizes and scatters again.

 

[Tosh Raka]

A new possibility just occurred to me. His soul was torn from his body violently, destroying his physical form and scattering his soul. We are unsure how the spell allowing you to summon him actually works. Maybe you reconstruct his ghost before it destabilizes and scatters again.

Interesting point and also my original statement was in fact that lorkhan lies in between but Man races see him as the dead/fallen god to man, while elves see him as a demon who tore them from immortality.

Aside from this it might be true that wraithguard/keening and sunder are constructed from aetherium and true Dwarven metal (as all Dwarven metal we know in the game has been re fabricated except for automatons)

What's known about summoning shades is that u can summon from planes of aetherius (if sovngarde counts) oblivion, and the void... So where arniel went... Only he knows??

 

[Tosh Raka]

The brass god Numidiam was to be used as an actual new divine, in a way making a cyborg god... With lorkhans heart acting as the soul gemsdynamo cores do in automatons.

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

The brass god Numidiam was to be used as an actual new divine, in a way making a cyborg god... With lorkhans heart acting as the soul gemsdynamo cores do in automatons.

A rather impressive feat really.

 

[Tosh Raka]

Well it wasn't completed but even working at a seriously depleted state it helped Tiber septic to conquer tamriel... The power of the dwemer...

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

Well it wasn't completed but even working at a seriously depleted state it helped Tiber septic to conquer tamriel... The power of the dwemer...

I am interested if the Dwemer will ever return. It would be interesting to see them among the other races

 

[Tosh Raka]

Bringing back the snow elves worked well. And their character design in morrowind was sweet... Babylonian looking elves... Let's hope haha

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

Bringing back the snow elves worked well. And their character design in morrowind was sweet... Babylonian looking elves... Let's hope haha

Dwemer or Aedric contact. I want one or the other.

 

[Haru17]

I am interested if the Dwemer will ever return. It would be interesting to see them among the other races

I think they will because the existing 8 would never have let an entire race become gods; they'd outvote them! I imagine the Dwemer as more of "divine interns" than actual gods.

 

[Squirrel_killer-]

I think they will because the existing 8 would never have let an entire race become gods; they'd outvote them! I imagine the Dwemer as more of "divine interns" than actual gods.

There are more gods than the Eight Divines, many more. The Eight are representative of the possibly hundreds of Aedra who gave themselves partially, who have mostly seemed to leave, or completely, who are now known as the Earthbones, to create Mundus. The Elves were in fact once like Gods and were immortal. However, Lorkhan tricked them and stole from them their immortality. But examples of other gods would be Anu and Padomay. Who are not Aedra or Deadra. In fact Aedra does not mean god, but rather is a type or race of god. Daedra are also gods. We could spend hours discussing just the different types of gods alone.