Lore:Kynareth

Kynareth says: Use Nature's gifts wisely. Respect her power, and fear her fury.
—Ten Commands: Nine Divines

Kynareth (Tarot Card)

Kynareth is the goddess of the heavens, the winds, the sea, the elements, and the unseen spirits of the air. She is a member of the Eight/Nine Divines and Patron of sailors and travelers. Kynareth is often invoked for auspicious stars at birth and for good fortune in daily life. In some legends, she is the first to agree to Lorkhan's divine plan to create the mortal plane, and provides the space in the void for its creation. Furthermore, she is associated with rain, a phenomenon that is said not to have occurred before the removal of Lorkhan's divine spark. Some sources describe Spriggans as creations of Kynareth.

Mythology

The Throat of the World is described as being Kynareth's sacred mountain by the Greybeards, where she breathed life into mankind, and then taught them the thu'um. The Nords and Nedes say that Kyne was the wife of Shor and that upon his death her tears brought the first rain to the world.

Kynareth is the mother of the demigod Morihaus, she is also suspected to have communicated with Saint Alessia through visions of Pelinal's imminent arrival.

Worship

Nordic

A depiction of Kyne

According to followers of the Divines, the Sky Goddess Kyne, worshipped by the Nords as the strongest of the Sky spirits and the widow of Shor, is the Nordic aspect of Kynareth. In Shor's absence following his death, Kyne acts as the head of the Nordic Pantheon, and her role as a warrior Goddess remains the strongest out of the rest of the Nordic Pantheon following Imperial syncretization.

Kyne is credited with 'breathing life into the world' at the top of the Throat of the World, exhaling atop the mountain to create mankind. Rain is said to be Kyne's tears as she mourns the loss of her beloved Shor, since rain is believed not to have appeared until after his divine spark was forcibly removed. It is said Kyne gifted men with the thu'um, either through her daughters or in tandem with Paarthurnax, so they could harness the language of the dragons and use its power to save themselves from the wrath of Alduin and the dragons. Kynareth has a temple in the city of Whiterun; one of the duties of this temple is to tend the Gildergreen, which is considered sacred to Kynareth's followers.

Reachman

After imperialization and the loss of independence, some Reachmen embraced the worship of the Eight Divines, including Kynareth, believing that certain aspects of their traditional practices were best left in the past. In the Fourth Era, the Forsworn Reachmen, who strongly opposed their invader's traditions, were observed gathering at the shrine of Kynareth. It remains uncertain whether they were actively worshiping her, however. In the Second Era, a Reachfolk group - Dreadhorn Clan was known to use shamanistic Kyne-magic.

Khajiit

A depiction of Khenarthi

Khenarthi, God of Winds, the Gatherer of Waters, the Elder Spirit of the Heavens, and the Wind God, is the Khajiiti goddess of weather and the sky, the most powerful of the Sky Spirits, who is believed to have given the first sounds to the world, and is the Khajiiti interpretation of Kynareth. When a Khajiit dies, it is Khenarthi who guides their soul either to Azurah for judgment, or to Llesw'er, the Sands Behind the Stars. And it is her clarion call that will summon the "eternal united spirit of all Khajiit" to defend creation at the end of time. Khajiit credit Khenarthi with leading their ships to safe harbor and their heroes to glory.

Khenarthi, like Alkosh, is said to be able to see across all the Many Paths of Fate.

Imperial

A soldier pleading to Kynareth

St. Alessia syncretized elements of the Elven and Nordic Pantheons, forming the Imperial interpretation of Kynareth.

Kynareth is often associated with Zenithar. Craftsmen use natural materials to create, and so one cannot revere Zenithar without acknowledging the power of Kynareth. Canah feathers can be offered to Kynareth at her shrines; in return, the one making the offering will temporarily transform into a Canah.

In contrast to the other Nine Divines, Kynareth has no known Chapel in the great cities of Cyrodiil. Some of Kynareth's faithful have claimed that it is not right to build over nature, Kynareth's work, simply so one can worship her, and so have created altars to the goddess in the Cyrodiilic wilderness, instead.

Breton

A Bretonic statue of Kynareth (ESO)

The island of Betony is considered holy land of Kynareth. This was a factor for Daggerfall's involvement in the War of Betony. It was also the reason why the conflict escalated to the Battle of Cryngaine Field, which ended the war. Kynareth is the patron deity of Alcaire, Daggerfall and the Wrothgarian Mountains.

Saint Stental was a Breton saint who is best remembered for slaying the demon of Overlook Hill, rescuing the three Sisters of Kynareth from a terrible fate. A memorial, named "The Saint Slays the Leaper", was erected in Stormhaven to honor his courage in 2E 388, which depicts Stental armed with a sword facing the Leaper demon, depicted as a crouched gargoyle.

Redguard

A depiction of Tava

Tava (the Bird God, also known as the Lady of the Air) is the spirit of the air and goddess of weather in the Redguard pantheon, and has dominion over all elements of sun and storm, save only for the stars, which belong to Ruptga. Tava is most famous for leading the Yokudans to the isle of Herne after the destruction of their homeland. She has since become assimilated into the mythology of Kynareth. She is still very popular in Hammerfell among sailors, and her shrines can be found in most port cities. In the mid-Second Era, the city of Lainlyn was called "Tava's Blessing" before being renamed after the Lainlyn family.

Others

A fledgling gryphon of Kynareth

A quasigriff touched by Kynareth

The air spirits Amaro, Pina, and Tallatha, are acknowledged as the Fingers of Kynareth by the Skeffington Coven.

The Kothringi, the indigenous humans of Black Marsh, are known to have worshipped Kynareth, alongside Mara and Dibella as one of the "mothers in the Around-Us".

Some fledgling gryphons are said to have been sent to Nirn by Kynareth so they'd find companions that could help them value both land and sky equally. Some Quasigriffs are said to have been touched by Kynareth. It is said that, while astride, their rider will never feel the burn of the sun and will always have the wind at their back.

Artifacts

Boots of the Crusader

Boots of the Crusader

The Boots of the Crusader (also known as the Boots of Kynareth) were created by Kynareth. The wearer will not be attacked by creatures of the forest. Sir Juncan of the original Knights died while searching for the boots. The pilgrim visited the Shrine of Kynareth, and was told the location of the "Grove of Trials" by the high priestess (later to become Sir Avita Vesnia). Kynareth tested the pilgrim by sending the Forest Guardian, a giant bear, to attack them. When the pilgrim didn't fight back, having reverence for nature, Kynareth allowed them entrance to the grotto where the boots were hidden. The boots were needed to retrieve the Mace of the Crusader; with them, the wearer's faith is strengthened and they can cross the void of doubt.

Lord's Mail

Lord's Mail

The Lord's Mail (also called the Armor of Morihaus or the Gift of Kynareth) is an artifact given to mortals by Kynareth, one of the Eight Divines. It is an ancient plated adamantium or mithril cuirass of unsurpassable quality, considered to be heavy armor. It grants the wearer the power to absorb or regenerate health, resist the effects of spells, and resist or even cure poison. It is said that whenever Kynareth deigns the wearer unworthy, the Lord's Mail will be taken away and hidden for the next chosen one. The Mail was originally owned during the Merethic Era by the bull Morihaus, a demigod and early cultural hero of the Cyro-Nordics who was closely associated with Kynareth and the Lord. The cuirass was rumored to have later been taken from Morihaus by Kynareth herself due to his arrogance. The cuirass is considered an Imperial relic, and is accepted as a uniform in the Imperial Legion. Indeed, the armor has been known to bear the red dragon sigil of the Third Empire on its breastplate.

Ring of the Wind

Ring of the Wind

The Ring of the Wind is a legendary treasure of Elsweyr, sacred to Kynareth. It was owned by the nimble acrobat Kisimba Spring-Snow, who was said to always land on her feet, except when she chose to land on the feet of others.

Holy Sites

• Eldergleam Sanctuary - A cave containing the Eldergrleam, an ancient tree believed to be older than metal or Men and Elves, which can only be harmed through Old Magic. A pilgrimage site, and guarded by Spriggans.
• Temple of Kynareth in Whiterun - In the adjacent plaza is the Gildergreen, a cutting of the Eldergrleam, believed to be sacred to Kynareth and a destination for pilgrims.
• Kynesgrove - The woods above Kynesgrove are considered sacred, and thus are protected against woodcutting and forestry.
• Kynareth's Shrine in the Great Forest - Located in the Great Forest, as it is believed by those in Cyrodiil that a temple of stone would displease Kynareth.
• Isle of Betony - The island of Betony in the middle of the Iliac Bay is considered sacred to Kynareth, and her temple on the island also functioned as an insane asylum, where the former Emperor Pelagius the Third was interred. The sacred nature of the island was one of the contributing factors of the War of Betony.

Planet

The planet Kynareth, sometimes called KYNRT, is one of the Planets in the skies of Mundus, and according to the Warrior-Poet, Vivec, it is one of the eight worlds known to the Dwemer. There are no known satellites orbiting around it. As with all astral bodies seen in the skies above Nirn and their corresponding deities, the planet Kynareth is believed to be the plane of the goddess Kynareth as well as the goddess herself, as seen from the mortal plane. It is said to actually be a different plane of existence in its own right, infinite in size and mass, with its appearance as a sphere being only a visual phenomenon caused by mortal mental stress.

Gallery

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  An emblem representing Kynareth (ESO)

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  A statue of Kynareth (Daggerfall)

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  A symbol for the Temple of Kynareth (Daggerfall)

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  A shrine of Kynareth on Stros M'Kai (Redguard)

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  Statue of Kynareth (Oblivion Remastered)

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  Stained glass depiction (Oblivion Remastered)

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  A shrine of Kynareth in the Great Forest (Oblivion)

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  Temple of Kynareth in Whiterun (Skyrim)

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  A shrine of Kynareth (Skyrim)

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  Amulet of Kynareth (Skyrim)

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  A sigil of Kynareth (ESO)

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  Depiction of Kynareth (Oblivion)

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  Symbol representing Kynareth (ESO)

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  Imperial banner of Kynareth (ESO)

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  A Nibenese statue of Kynareth (ESO)

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  Statue of Kynareth (Blades)

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  A Spriggan, a nature spirit associated with Kynareth

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  The Forest Guardian, a great bear that stands guard over Kynareth's Grotto

Notes

• Kynareth was the only one of the Eight Divines to first appear in Arena (the rest debuting in Daggerfall). Initially, she was described as a "spirit" who gifted Morihaus the Lord's Mail and after death was buried within a crypt in Skyrim.

See Also

Books

• Wergital the Wolf-Boy Attributed to Edouard Longtemps — Poem of the wolf boy of Glenumbra

References

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.