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The Elder Scrolls Feats and Discussion

Pete Hines told Greg Keyes that if he was going to write TES novels, they would need to fit into the lore and story of the world, with there being several people (Todd Howard, Kurt Kuhlmann & Bruce Nesmith) making sure that the lore wasn't interfered with.
 
Good news everyone! I have unearthed the Bethesda Podcasts, which include multiple relating to Skyrim. Starting off with the 5th one that's specifically about Skyrim (titled Dawnguard)...Bruce Nesmith says they used Auri-Els Bow as it's an artifact of a principle god they haven't used in a while (though he accidently refers to Auriel's Bow and Auriel as Daedric instead of Aedric).
4:34
Emil Pagliarulo originally came up with the idea that Auriel's Bow would outright destroy the Sun forever, which was a 'little further' than what the others on the creative team wanted. But they still really liked the idea for the most part, so they kept the idea of shooting out the Sun, but now it would be
5:35
 
As part of the Fingers of the Mountain questline in Oblivion, you will find the charred corpse of a halpess soul who tried to cast the spell.
You find the book on a charred corpse among the broken columns.
(Oblivion Prima, page 155)
 
Time for another masterpost! I have seen a common downplay be that magic in The Elder Scrolls is not done via conventional power, but instead via esoteric means; for instance, turning someone to ashes with a lightning spell isn't to do with the power of the electricity but the esoteric nature of magic. Let's dismantle this argument once and for all. Note, I will be mainly talking about fire and lightning magic here, as those are the main forms of Destruction Magic used to disintergrate their target.

Magicka, the power source of magic
Before we get into the effects of magic, we need to look into the source of magical spells, that being magicka. Though you can go into deep depths on what magic is, where it comes from and the different kinds of magic, all interesting topics, but to get to the core of it magicka is magical energy which is used to cast spells. Run out of magicka and you can no longer cast spells (as can be demonstrated via the magicka bar abstraction in just about any TES game).
Farengar: There's a tranquility in magic, don't you think? It is simply energy, to be harnessed by those with the will and knowledge to do so.
So the source of spells is energy, and when this energy is expended, they can no longer cast spells. Ergo, wielding magic very clearly requires power, and expending this power means you can no longer cast spells.
(Arena Manual, page 57)

Lawrence Schick says that magic is channeling magicka to change reality, and Mythic entities can change reality in big ways. While I often focus on the bigger stuff in this interview segment, it's also important to note the smaller stuff which the bigger stuff builds on; that magic is done by channeling magicka (energy) to alter reality, and being even more powerful means channeling even more magicka to have an even greater effect (for an example, casting Fireball takes much less magicka than casting Firestorm).
29:20
So, we have a few in-game sources (including at least one mage), third person omniscient (via the guides) and word of god all saying magic is done via power and channeling energy. Magicka is energy that can be used on any spell (even a mere lockpicking spell requires energy to perform)

Effects of lightning on a person
So this is the most obvious one, turning your foes to dust, which we can see in at least two of the games. The Disintergrate perk in Skyrim allows you to turn an enemy into ashes with a lightning spell.
DISINTEGRATE

Shock damage disintegrates targets if their health is below 15%.
(Skyrim Prima, page 34)
This is the case with just about any enemy you fight, including larger targets such as mammoths.

In the ESO cinematics, the Altmer Hero of Fates disintergrates an enemy soldier, armour and all (note you can see the armour glowing red as it dissolves away into sparks and smoke).

Now those are the feats, but what is there to prove that this is due to their power? Though there will be more evidence in the following sections, there is something we can post here; during the Oblivion quest Fingers of the Mountain (in which you can optionally learn a powerful lightning spell), we find a charred corpse clutching the Fingers of the Mountain book.
You find the book on a charred corpse among the broken columns.
(Oblivion Prima, page 155)
For more evidence though, we'll have to get into the effects of fire on flesh...

Effects of fire on a person
So, I've seen it be said that of the basic elemental attacks, only lightning can destroy someone and turn them to ashes, which casts this ability into a questionable light. This is outright untrue, as fire has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to disintergrate someone since Arena itself. The spell God's Fire when cast by a high level caster is capable of vaporizing almost any foe.
(Arena Manual, page 74)

In the third volume of Mystery of Talara, a fire attack causes a huge explosion that turns a person and the horse they're riding into less than vapor. Whatever this spell is, it's noted to be a ball of fire (ingame, this book also serves as a destruction spellbook).
Turning someone to dust and ashes may be a result of becoming a victim of a powerful fire spell, but fire spells can also char someone.
(Oblivion Prima, page 31)

As with lightning spells, fire spells can vaporise someone/turn them to ashes or reduce them to a charred corpse. This all adds up, but there's something I feel would hammer this home even more furiously. What would happen if someone got hit by a destruction spell and survived?

Injuries relating to fire and lightning
Sometimes, either because the spell is weaker of the person was lucky (or unlucky, depending on the situation) to just get grazed by it, a victim of a destruction spell can survive. These victims can experience burns (including deep burns), boils and charred skin. Very noticably, the effects of magical fire and the treatment of victims is treated as being the same as that of non-magical fire.
(The Official Survival Guide to Tamriel, page 245)
Protect from further harm. Move the burn victim away from the source of damage, whether it be a campfire or an angry mage.
(The Official Survival Guide to Tamriel, page 246)
Blisters. The skin my blister with even minor burns, but this does not mean that it is serious enough to need a healer’s attention.
(The Official Survival Guide to Tamriel, Page 248)
Leave blisters alone. Do not agitate or break any blisters that have formed. If they are broken, apply a healing salve.
(The Official Survival Guide to Tamriel, page 249)

This is also the case with lightning spells, which can also cause burns, blisters and even for the victim to go into shock.
Similar to fire magic, shock magic can cause burns (just like mundane electricity).
(The Official Survival Guide to Tamriel, Page 249)
Care for burns. Shock magic can produce burns just as fire magic can. This one has already covered this topic in detail in a previous section.
(The Official Survival Guide to Tamriel, pages 250 & 251)

In a desperate situation, fire magic can be used to cauterize wounds.
From all of the above, we can get a pretty clear image of what fire and lightning are capable of doing to living flesh; a decent spell can cause burns and boils, a more powerful spell can turn the victim into a charred corpse and a very powerful spell can outright turn them to dust.

All of this is impressive of course, but the final category should dispell any and all doubt; what are the effects of destruction magic on inanimate objects?

Effects of destruction magic on inanimate objects
I think all of the above should make painfully clear of the nature of destruction spells requiring power, and being able to damage someone more with more power, but just to destroy this misconception once and for all, what if these spells are cast on something that isn't alive? You cannot make the same excuses for a rock or the likes.

Water, for example, will boil if you hit it with Flames (something which can be done even at level 1; look closely and you can see steam rising from the boiling water, which is instantly brought to boil).

Similarly, casting Sparks on a rock will scar it (even causing the scared stone to glow; again, this can be done at level one).

In Skyrim: The Adventure Boardgame, if you side with the Volkihar vampires, you may get a quest that requires you to melt down a shipment of swords with destruction magic. If you succeed, the swords get melted down into a puddle (if not, you are ridiculed by the other vampires).

Disintergration is one aspect of destruction, but there's another aspect of destruction magic which is criminally overlooked; explosions. For example, Arch-Curate Vrythur destroys half the Chantry of Auri-El in a huge explosion (as I've seen it argued that this isn't an explosion, if the dustcloud that gets kicked up, the flash of light the ground shaking and the sound ringing out to slowly melt back in isn't enough, you can very clearly see that large several ton chunks of ice/stone have already started moving without any of the ice spikes hitting them [full video version]).

But this is, of course, a scripted event. What about a generic spell, like say a fireball ? Those can cause some pretty big explosions. Looking at the development blogs for Oblivion, we can infact confirm that explosive spells such as fireball are an explosive unleash of kinetic energy which will blow away characters, objects and the scenery itself. Lightning is also referred to being 'white-hot.'
This is something we can outright see in the games themselves; casting an explosion spell in Oblivion will send rock fragments (including fragments bigger and heavier than a person) flying.

(The quality is poor because I had to film it from my phone)

Conclusion
There are more examples (I am once again out of room to post more images and gifs), but I think from here we can make clear the argument, which I have covered from in-game visuals, in-game statements, third person omniscient statements and word of god from various games, guides and people...
  • Magic requires energy to use, with the more energy required for bigger spells, and when you run out of magicka (magical energy) you can no longer cast spells
  • Elemental Destruction Spells of fire and lightning will cause burns and boils on the victims at low levels, char their skin & flesh at higher levels and outright vaporize them at even more powerful levels.
  • The effects of wounds caused by lightning and fire are the same both from a source that was caused mundanely and magically
  • In line with the above, increasingly powerful Destruction Spells will cause various effects on inanimate objects, such as boiling water and metal, scaring the ground and causing explosions that can send even solid rock flying
 
Froki Whetted-Blade anoints you with the symbol of the wolf, the crab and the skeever, which compels the guardian spirits to appear.
Dovahkiin: What do I need to do?
Froki:
I'll anoint you with the symbol of the wolf, the crab and the skeever. This will compel the guardian to appear when you reach his lair. Return when you've defeated the guardian wolf, crab and skeever.
The Guardian Mudcrab Spirit is actually colossal, being bigger than a car.
You can see the remains of the mudcrabs body in life.
In front of the remains of the crab is a skeleton (the crabs last meal? The mortally wounded hero who had originally slain it?).
The Skyrim Prima confirms that these fossilized remains are the same crab as the Guardian Spirit; the giant mudcrab is refered to as 'the King of the Mudcrabs' (which is still miniscule next to an emperor like Skar); the guide finally confirms the nearby skeleton (along with spilled blood, likely from the hapless victim).
(Skyrim Prima, page 867)
 
A lycanthropes claws have the same properties as an enchanted blade, and can thus harm creatures that are usually immune to mundane weapons.
Lythanthropes include werewolves, werebears, wereboars, werebats, werelions, werevulture and weresharks.
 
Hand of Decay has a chance to disintegrate the target with a successful strike.
Hand of Decay
Destruction
Low to medium-level chance of disintegrating a target with a successful strike.
(Daggerfall Users Guide, page 65)

Sphere of Negation has a chance to disintegrate any sentient being trapped in its radius.
Sphere of Negation
Destruction
Creates a sphere around the caster which may disintegrate any sentient form trapped in its radius.
(Daggerfall User's Guide, page 68)
 
The other part of the cosmology masterpost I'm working on! This time, for all authorative statements on cosmology, from the size of realms, the number of realms, the nature of realms and the entities which rule over them and the destruction of realms.

Size
First and foremost, my main to-go to evidence for planes of Oblivion being infinite is the Skyrim Prima, which confirms both the seas and the library of Apocrypha are infinite via third person omniscient quite plainly.
Sithis is formless and infinite as the Void.
Skyrim said:
Mortals often represent Sithis as a skeletal being, to signify His relationship to death. In truth, the Dread Lord is formless, and infinite as the Void.
As stated in ESO Live by Lawrence Schick, Sotha Sils Clockwork City if ‘kind of’ endless, in that it extends far beyond what’s seen and visitable in the game, with there being many layers that only Sotha Sil knows the full extent of, and takes the concept of worlds within worlds and wheels within wheels and makes it manifest directly above your head. This is also a reference to a hierarchy of worlds in official TES media.
Word of god confirms that the realm of a Prince can be infinite in not only size, but also shape.
And one of the beauties of any Oblivion realm, any Daedric realm, is they can morph and shift and change based on the whims of that Prince. The other aspect of that too is they can be infinite in size and shape.
From the Skyrim Prima once again, Apocrypha is said to contain the infinite pages of countless books (via third person omniscient; Mora’s abstract nature is also confirmed, but we’ll get more into that later).
Apocrypha is once again referred to as infinite by third person omniscient, and within the laws of the mortal world have no power.
The Endless Archive, just one of the realms that make up the plane of Apocrypha, is infinite in extent.
DISCOVER ENDLESS ADVENTURE IN THE INFINITE ARCHIVE said:
DISCOVER INFINITE ADVENTURE IN THE ENDLESS ARCHIVE
The official Elder Scrolls novel The Infernal City refers to one of the planes visited by Attrebus and Sul to be an infinite palace of coloured glass via third person omniscient.
The official description of Necrom Online’s story describes Apocrypha as being endless.
ALL-NEW ZONES - Explore the Telvanni Peninsula, home of colossal mushrooms, arcane magic, rocky spires and the capital city of Necrom, additionally, behold the forbidden books of the endless library of Apocrypha.
The planes of Oblivion are a limitless space which the Daedric Princes can morph and change to their whims.
“It's this limitless space where each of the Daedric Princes can kind of morph it and change it at their whim, so there's lots and lots of opportunities to go to other places in the Oblivion Plains.”
The Ideal Masters can call upon endless legions of undead Soul Guards.
Skyrim Prima - Page 987 said:
The plane is ruled by mysterious beings known only as the ldeaI Masters and is protected by their endless legions of undead Soul Guards.
Even if a realm isn’t referred to as infinite, there are still plenty of references to different planes being astrologically vast. Clockwork City is stated by Lawrence Schick to contain an entire astronomical cosmos within it.
ESO Live - Love of the Clockwork City said:
Lawrence: Sotha Sil needed the entire astronomical cosmos for his memories, so that's why he's chosen the star fields.
According to Noah Berry, the Mundus contains distant stars and galaxies. These stars exist worlds away and are worlds away, spiraling deep within the cosmos, eventually burning out and giving rise to new stars via solar winds.
A part of Malacath's realm of the Ashpits is vast enough to contain a multitude of distant spheres, which are 'as distant and pale as moons.'
An unknown realm of Oblivion is big enough contain a jade moon.
The Infernal City said:
They were on a jagged island in a furious sea beneath a sky half-filled with a jade moon.
Multiplicity
Size is one aspect of scope, but what is the multiplicity of the realms? How many are there? Again we return to the Skyrim Prima, which refers to the existence of countless planes of Oblivion directly.
Skyrim Prima - Page 987 said:
Among the countless planes of Oblivion, the Soul Cairn has a particularly grim reputation.
In Q&As leading up to ESO’s release, the developers have stated there to be an infinite number of planes of Oblivion.
https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/361
Rich Lambert in an interview has also stated there are an infinite number of Oblivion worlds.
“Tamriel is the giant main continent. There are other continents [and] there are also the infinite worlds of Oblivion that you can go and explore as well”
The planes of Oblivion are infinite in variation, as are their vermin.
Apocrypha alone contains infinite libraries, of which some (such as the Endless Archive) are realms into themselves of infinite extent (see above).
During the time of the Imperial Simulacrum (the events of Arena), the Empire had many societal institutions suspended in pocket universes to achieve a state of ‘immaculate virtual reality.’
Battlespire Athenaeum - page 17 said:
During this time, a host of societal institutions were suspended in so-called “pocket universes,” to achieve a state of immaculate virtual reality. One such institution, deep in the ethereal plane of Aetherius, is the Battlespire.
Mehrunes Dagon has many provincial governmental centres across the pocket universes.
Battlespire Athenaeum - page 156 said:
This level is one Dagon’s many provincial governmental centers in the pocket universes, and the home of some of the legions of Mehrunes Dagons Daedra.
Your journeys in Battlespire leads you through the myriad pocket worlds of Oblivion.
This will lead you directly into the enemy's camps and routes of march -- into the myriad pocket worlds that float in the voids of Oblivion.
In terms of different major planes being sub-divided into different worlds, my go to source is the Oblivion Prima, which repeatedly refers to there being several different Oblivion worlds in the Deadlands.
Oblivion Prima - Page 113 said:
Embers of Hatred: Major Easter Egg. This world’s second Citadel is slowly becoming one with the lava around it.
Oblivion Prima - Page 144 said:
Of course torture is a despicable practice, in this world or any other, but in this situation it does happen to be the quickest way to make this fellow spill his guts.
Oblivion Prima - Page 63 said:
Oblivion Planes
There is a different Oblivion world for different major quests in the main storyline (and sidequests).
Oblivion Prima - Page 311 said:
As you venture into the Oblivion realms in the Main Quest and certain Miscellaneous quests ("The Wayward Knight” and “Attack on Fort Sutch”) or to close random gates in the wilderness, you’ll build up a library of Sigil Stones.
Oblivion Prima - page 82 said:
KVATCH OBLIVION WORLD
Oblivion Prima - page 112 said:
Chorrol Oblivion world
Oblivion Prima - page 114 said:
Leyawiin Oblivion World
Oblivion Prima - page 116 said:
Skingrad Oblivion world
Oblivion Prima - page 118 said:
Anvil Oblivion World
Oblivion Prima - page 120 said:
Bravil Oblivion World
Oblivion Prima - page 241 said:
Cheydinhal, Gate World
Likewise, each Black Book you read on Solstheim links to a different Apocrypha realm (of which there are at least seven.)
Skyrim Prima - page 1065 said:
You can reach the seven realms within Apocrypha by finding and reading a specific Black Book.
Skyrim Prima - page 95 said:
If you are on Solstheim (and not Skyrim), and you aren’t engaged in combat, reading a Black Book will transport you to the book's corresponding Apocrypha realm.
Skyrim Prima - page 96) said:
Each book takes you to a specific Apocrypha realm (a dungeon you can explore). While all seven of these dungeons are known as ''Apocrypha,'' they are all distinct areas.
It isn’t just in Oblivion where there are different worlds; this is the case within the Mundus too. There are different shards of the same world (which accounts for the different mega servers of Elder Scrolls Online). This would also imply there are alternate versions of the other planes visited in each shard (such as Coldharbour and Clockwork City).
This isn’t the only example of the many-worlds interpretation explaining certain gameplay aspects; parallel worlds are also used as the vessel for multiplayer in Shadowkey, with players being able to cross between worlds via shadow magic.
Shadowkey said:
Your death in the shadow realm severs your bond with the magic that allows you to share worlds. You are back on your own.
The Warp in the West was an event in which a Dragonbreak occured, causing multiple different timelines and events to overlap and occur at the same time as linear time broke down. This is confirmed by Kurt Kuhlmann.
Decrypting The Elder Scrolls said:
Impact? “The game ended with what became known as ‘The Warp in the West,’ with the six possible endings all happening or not happening simultaneously.”
In Necrom, you must walk between realities to uncover a vast conspiracy that threatens multiple worlds.
2023 GLOBAL REVEAL—INTRODUCING THE SHADOW OVER MORROWIND ADVENTURE said:
You must seek out lost knowledge deep within the heart of the City of the Dead and walk between realities to uncover a vast conspiracy powerful enough to endanger Nirn and Oblivion alike.
Eld Angvar is an Allied ruin located in a world between worlds.
FIGHT IN A WORLD BETWEEN WORLDS WITH UPDATE 21’S PVP ADDITIONS said:
FIGHT IN A WORLD BETWEEN WORLDS WITH UPDATE 21’S PVP ADDITIONS
FIGHT IN A WORLD BETWEEN WORLDS WITH UPDATE 21’S PVP ADDITIONS said:
In the new Battlegrounds map, Eld Angvar, you and your team face off against your fellow players in the Ayleid world between worlds.
Realms as universes
Now onto the nature of these worlds, how each is it's own universe, as well as the diversity of different natures in different worlds. I have several to go to quotes for these. The first of which is the Introduction to the Lore of The Elder Scrolls Online, which quite clearly uses the term multiverse to describe the cosmology.
From the Summerset Online Official Guide, the Crystal Tower is the pin that holds the fabric of all realities together, and is believed to exist in all realms and universes, and has been tied with many world-shaking events throughout history (from page 75 of the Summerset Online Official Guide).

Clockwork City is ‘kind of’ a parallel universe, in that it was deliberately designed to parallel Nirn and the Mundus (rather being formed via naturally occurring quantum mechanics).
Atronite is a substance from another universe, the plane of Oblivion.
Blades said:
A mysterious stone literally from another universe - the plane of Oblivion - Atronite is often left behind when an Atronach is defeated or dispelled. It is used in the tempering of high-end weapons and armor.
The timeless dimension Emperor Uriel Septim VII was imprisoned in is a pocket universe.
Likewise, the Battlespire is a megastructure located in its own pocket universe.
Battlespire Athenaeum - page 16 said:
Battlespire takes place during the time of Arena (roughly 3E 399) in a majestic tower, if you will, a medieval space needle, inhabiting its own pocket universe.
Battlespire Athenaeum - page 39 said:
Battlespire is conquered when the PC escapes from the top level, teleports from the pocket universe, and lands back in the warm glow of Tamriels sunshine.
In an interview with OGR.com, Bethesda once again states that the Battlespire is located within a stable pocket universe (an astral plane void), where the emperor’s elite guards could train. Only those who could master the Battlespire were chosen to become the Emperors guards.
This is also referenced on the old official Bethesda website.
Battlespire: Battlespire is a citadel for the training of battlemages. It is located in its own pocket universe and held there by magical anchors. Only the most elite warriors are sent there to train.
The Clockwork City exists outside of space and time in its own interdimensional space, and the miniature replica we see of it both is and is not the actual Clockwork City.
10:34
The Clockwork City isn't Daedric, and is it's own completely different interdimensional space (from the above video at 16:53).
Jagar Tharn imprisoned Emperor Uriel VII in another dimension, a time period known to historians as The Imperial Simulacrum.
Daedra are creatures summoned from another dimension.
Aetherius is referred as to being an alternate dimension, which Nulfaga can transport you to.
The realm in which Jagar Tharn traps Emperor Uriel Septim is refered to as an alternate dimension.
Jagar Tharn, imperial battlemage to the Uriel Septim, Emperor of Tamriel, betrays Uriel by using an artifact called the Staff of Chaos to imprison Uriel in an alternate dimension. Tharn then assumes the Emperor's identity and place on the throne.
The Redguard box says you travel to another dimension (twice).

Oblivion gates are dimensional gates.
Oblivion Prima said:
A flaming, rippling, dimensional gate stands in front of the city gates.
Nature of the realms
Now, to go over the variety of different realms, such as their natures and laws. To once again return to Apocrypha as described in the Skyrim Prima, Apocrypha is a plane in which the laws of the mortal world hold no power.
Apocrypha is incomprehensible to mortals.
Skyrim Prima said:
An infinite sea of black ooze and thrashing tentacles, the Oblivion plane known as Apocrypha is incomprehensible to mortals who have been lured into its unseen and unspeakable depths.
The story of Arena is to save the Emperor from his prison in another dimension where time flows much slower.
Arena Manual - page 5 said:
The quest outlined in the introduction is to rescue the Emperor from the dimension in which Jagar Tharn has imprisoned him, by recovering the eight pieces of the Staff of Chaos.
This timeless dimension is a pocket universe where time flows differently.
Arena Manual - page 6 said:
The eight pieces of the Staff are the only way to open the gate to the world in which the Emperor has been banished.
Similarly, the heroes of Blades spent centuries wandering Attribution's Share, the Realm of Boethiah, when in Skyrim the entirety of the story takes place over a time period of around 40 years (from page 14 of the booklet for the Dawnguard Expansion of Skyrim: The Adventure Boardgame).

Clockwork City is a Manifest Metaphor.
Hell Hounds and daemonsare entities summoned from the nether planes.
Arena Manual - Page 80 said:
Hell Hounds
These canines are actually from the nether planes, usually summoned by some powerful being to perform a service.
Ghosts
These were once human, but are now trapped between here and the ethereal plane. They exist as spirits only, but have a chilling effect upon those they attack.
(Arena Manual, page 80)
Arena Manual - page 81 said:
Daemons
These creatures are from the netherworld, often gating themselves into our plane of existence on some errand of their choosing.
The Deadlands is a savage parallel plane, which threatens Tamriel when the barriers are lowered.
Some worlds exist within the minds of others, such as the mind of Emperor Pelagius III. Travel to these worlds is possible via several methods.
Skyrim Prima - page 983 said:
After a brief exploration of the long-unused wing, you're soon whisked away to unfamiliar surroundings-the deceptively verdant mind of Emperor Pelagius lll!
Using special artifacts, it is possible to travel into someone elses dreamworld (this method involves falling asleep and sharing a dream).
If you kill the dreamer of a Dreamworld while you are in the Dreamworld, you will die as well.
Oblivion Prima - Page 232 said:
Killing Henantier in the Dreamworld will bring about your own demise as well.
Other methods however, are even stranger; to enter someones memories via the dreamstride, one physically vanishes in the present reality to physically enter someone elses memories.
Skyrim Prima - Page 407 said:
Ignore the battles entirely; you’re here in someone else’s past consciousness to turn
a dream into a wrinkle of a new reality.
Skyrim Prima - page 407 said:
You blink into present reality, where the magical barrier blocking the doorway still crackles.
The land of Skyrim brims with wondrous locales, yet some areas cannot easily be linked to any one Hold. In fact, certain areas can't even be said to exist within the confines of reality! From traveling caravans to the mind of a demented Emperor, all unusual and otherworldly locations are covered here, in “Other Realms."

(Skyrim Prima, page 979)
Expect moderate otherworldly incursions as you explore this water logged coastal temple to the Daedric Prince Molag Bal.

(Morrowind Online Prima, page 278)

Nature of godlike entities
Now for the nature of godlike beings. Even though I have posted this above, this quote from the Skyrim Prima is yet another to-go-to for me, in which Herma-Mora is confirmed to be abstract in nature, existing everywhere and nowhere, weaving through the past and future and is the void.
The Idea Masters are disembodied entities who exist within a distant Platonic Ideal as revenant spirits.
Sithis is formless and infinite as the Void.
Skyrim said:
Mortals often represent Sithis as a skeletal being, to signify His relationship to death. In truth, the Dread Lord is formless, and infinite as the Void.
Boethia is referred to as an invisible god.
Oblivion Prima - page 208 said:
You’ll complete a circuit of nine small, square arenas, linked by gates and arranged in a great circle about a statue of Boethia, with the invisible god himself cast as the announcer and commentator (and rather enjoying himself, we think).
Power of godlike beings - Control over reality
Beings who rule over a plane of Oblivion posses near-perfect control over their realm(s). For example, the Ideal Masters control every aspect of the Soul Cairn, from its fabric to its appeareance.
A Daedric Prince can control their realm to their whims, and these realms can be infinite in size and shape.
And one of the beauties of any Oblivion realm, any Daedric realm, is they can morph and shift and change based on the whims of that Prince. The other aspect of that too is they can be infinite in size and shape.
The realm of Clavicus Vile (the Fields of Regret) is not merely a place but a state of mind of Clavicus Vile, with everything here being exactly as Vile wishes it to be, with everything inside it from the trees and water and light and the sky all existing inside his mind, and his own appearance her being how he sees himself in his mind.
Realms of Oblivion are extensions of their masters.
Hermaeus Mora rules and controls the realm of Apocrypha.
Skyrim Prima said:
On the isle of Solstheim, you may come across one of seven Black Books-tomes of forbidden knowledge that transport you into the realm of Oblivion controlled by the Daedric Prince Hermaeus Mora. This realm is known as Apocrypha.
Skyrim Prima said:
Apocrypha is the plane of Oblivion ruled by Hermaeus Mora, lord of fate and keeper of forbidden knowledge.
The ruler of a plane can decide the very laws of reality for that plane. Apocrypha for example, has different laws to those of the mortal world.
Skyrim Prima said:
The laws of the mortal world hold no power here.
The Daedric Princes can morph and change the limitless space of the planes of Oblivion to their whim.
It's not just the realms of the Princes either (or even just the realms of Oblivion); everything within the Clockwork City is a direct manifestation of Sotha Sil’s will.
From this same source, Clockwork City in many respects is Sotha Sil, so he can control what magic people use within it and can prevent someone using magic he doesn’t like.
Infact, altering reality, even if just temporarily, requires channeling magical energy, and beings on a mythological level can channel power and change reality in big ways (such as a Dragon Break, a planesmeld or Alduin's return). This is because Nirn and the Mundus were created by the Aedra's sacrifice to create the natural laws (such as Akatosh causing time to happen). This is to say, all demonstrations of control over reality is due directly to the sheer power of the one altering reality (regardless if they made the plane(s) in which it's taking place on or not).
29:20
The Divines can alter the timeline for both the future and the past
ESO Live Episode 15 - Lore-time with Lawrence Schick said:
This is a world of myth. This is a world where reality is actually changeable, where the Divines can change not only what happens going forward, but what has happened in the past/.
The Gloam Night (the Champion of Nocturnal during her assault on the Crystal Tower) is capable of summoning singularities and commanding space and time to form dark matter (from the Summerset Online Official Guide, page 221).

The Psijic Order are masters of the manipulation of time and space, and are the guardians of all things arcane across all realms (from the Summerset Online Official Guide, page 58).

Power of godlike beings - Ability to destroy worlds
Jygalag is confirmed to be able to destroy his Realm, and has done this in the past.
Further confirmation that the Shivering Isles under threat of being destroyed during the Greymarch.
The Greymarch involves the total destruction of everything in Sheogorath’s realm, after which he has to start over every 1000 years.
The Eye of Magnus has the power to destroy the world, which is why the Psijic Order remove it from the world.
Killing Mankar Camoran will cause his realm of Oblivion to dissolve.
Ithelia’s return could unravel all of reality.
With the barriers that protect the mortal world lowered, the mortal plane stands at risk from the Lord of Destruction Mehrunes Dagon.
Barbas uncovering the Clockwork City is a threat to the entire world.
Morrowind Online Prima - Page 2 said:
You must heed the call of a hero and help Vivec - the legendary warrior-poet and Guardian of Vvardenfell - save the world from a deadly Daedric threat.
If Alduin succeeds in his goal, the world will be destroyed and everyone will die.
34:44
Jonah Lobe calls Alduin a ‘world-eating dragon.’
I was 27 when I created Skyrim’s world-eating dragon, which meant I was young and considered myself damn-near immortal (I still do, but we’ll leave my blood-of-the-innocents diet for another day).
The conspiracy (planned by Vaermina and Peryite against Hermaeus Mora) threatens both Nirn and Oblivion alike.
2023 GLOBAL REVEAL—INTRODUCING THE SHADOW OVER MORROWIND ADVENTURE said:
You must seek out lost knowledge deep within the heart of the City of the Dead and walk between realities to uncover a vast conspiracy powerful enough to endanger Nirn and Oblivion alike.
Once again, it is said that the scheme of Vaermina and Peryite threatens to unravel reality itself.
2023 GLOBAL REVEAL—INTRODUCING THE SHADOW OVER MORROWIND ADVENTURE said:
Discover the Dark Elves of the Telvanni Peninsula and investigate a scheme that threatens to unravel reality itself—Hermaeus Mora needs mortal assistance, but can the Prince of Knowledge truly be trusted?
Removing a Sigil Stone from a tower in the Deadlands will set a gate adrift in Oblivion, and cause it to collapse upon itself (whether this destroys just the tower or the entire world the tower is contained in, I'm not sure).
Scope of godlike beings
All this talk about what gods and godlike beings are capable of is cool and all, but what helps further is direct confirmation of intent. Clavicus Vile is immortal and omnipotent (more or less), and can ‘smash you like a bug.’
The Redguard Companion - Page 176 said:
He's omnipotent and immortal, more or less, and can smash you like a bug.
The Redguard Companion said:
Now, however, be grateful that omnipotent immortals suffer the common character flaw of underestimating the mortals they scorn.
Molag Bal is refered to as omnipotent by lead writer Wynne MacLaughlin.
Omnipotent though, can be somewhat vague and paradoxical (other than 'really really powerful), but thankfully, we have examples of a much more straightforward term being used; cosmic. According to Michael Zenke, Molag Bal keeps Naemon around for ‘cosmic chew-toy status.’
According to Ted Peterson (one of the three founders of The Elder Scrolls), the Aedra are less interested in mortal affairs and are ‘off doing cosmic stuff.’
Shadow Over Morrowind is described as “Elder Scrolls meets cosmic horror.’
Hermaeus Mora is described has having a cosmic horror aesthetic by Rich Lambert.
Rich Lambert says that Mora has a cosmic horror vibe.
It also talks about one of my favourite Daedric Princes in Hermaeus Mora in this cosmic horror vibe.
Rich Lambert again refers to Mora and Apocrypha as being cosmic horror.
That was a big goal, choosing something that was a little bit more alien, a little bit different. I love the cosmic horror vibe and feel. Everything is just a little bit strange and off. It's something different and unique in Elder Scrolls.”
Yet again Hermaeus and Apocrypha are described as being cosmic horror by Rich Lambert, as well as being Lovecraftian.
Once more, Rich Lambert refers to the story of Necrom as cosmic horror.
It’s that kind of cosmic horror vibe which seems to have gone off exceptionally well in the community.
Brian Wheeler says that as the Arcanists are connected with Hermaeus Mora, they have to also have a cosmic horror aspect to them.
That being said we also know that Hermaeus Mora can be a pretty scary entity, so there had to be some amount of Cosmic Horror there.
Mora’s realms of Apocrypha are described as being cosmic.
From the same source as above, the official description of Necrom Online’s story describes it as a cosmic story, and that Mora’s secret (Ithelia) could unravel all reality.
If Mannimarco gets his hands on the Numidium, he uses the power of the Mantella to make himself a god.
Daggerfall Chronicles - Page 188 said:
If the King of Worms wins, he will use the power of the Mantella to make himself a god.
These words are repeated verbatim on the old TES website.
If the king of Worms wins, he uses the power of the Mantella to make himself a god.
Cosmic hierarchy
Now, for cosmic hierarchy, such as levels of existence and and the structure of the cosmos. For the former, this is a concept that's mostly fleshed out in the deep lore, but there's some references to it from official sources. The most straightforward of these is how within the Clockwork City exists many layers which represent the concept of 'wheels within wheels and worlds within worlds' made manifest directly above your head.
The Daedra have many hierarchies, with there being Daedra Lords near the top, beings who are incredibly powerful, but not as much as the Princes. Some manage their own spheres and realms, while others serve a Prince and govern a sub-sphere. This includes the Lord of Fishing.
Sovngarde exists beyond time and space.
Skyrim said:
Call of Valor - The valiant of Sovngarde hear your Voice, and journey beyond space and time to lend aid.
Planes such as Oblivion are known also as the Outer Realms.
Morrowind manual - Page 30 said:
SCHOOL OF CONJURATION
Conjuration summons magical items and beings from the outer realms to serve you.
Morrowind Manual - Page 30 said:
SUMMON CREATURE
Summons a creature from the Outer Realms.
The Atronach Forge transforms mundane items into relics from beyond Oblivion.
Skyrim Prima - page 270 said:
This is the Atronach Forge, an arcane device capable of converting mundane items into various relics from beyond Oblivion.
Celestial bodies
Finally, there is the question of celestial bodies in the different planes of the Aurbis, and their natures. Here things will start to contradict each other the most, as there’s direct evidence of multiple different kinds of celestial bodies, even in the same plane of existence. During the final major quest of Elswyer Online, a quest directive tells you to leave the plane of Jode, which confirms that the moons of Nirn are actually planes of existence (backing up the out of game text Cosmology).
Elsweyr Online said:
Leave the Plane of Jode
However, the Mundus also houses distant stars and galaxies which exist deep within the cosmos; said stars exist worlds away, and when they eventually burn out their solar winds will eventually give rise to new stars.
We see there are myriad stars and nebulas located at non-equidistant locations within the Mundus, and then zoom in on one, which turns out to be Nirn (from the Legends: Heroes of Skyrim cinematic).

In relation to the stars within Clockwork City, Lawrence Schick says that Sotha Sil wasn’t inspired by the Celestials, but the concept of constellations themselves and the organisation of stars. He goes on to say that Sotha Sil needed the entire astronomical cosmos for his memories (this is in line with the in-game book The Memories of Sotha Sil saying that Seht has an entire galaxy in his memories).
Malachath’s Realm of the Ashlands contains a plane which contains a multitude of spheres as distant and pale as moons.
An unknown realm of Oblivion contains a jade moon.
The Infernal City said:
They were on a jagged island in a furious sea beneath a sky half-filled with a jade moon.
The constellation of the Serpent constantly moves around the heavens, and is invisible to most mortals.
The Warrior protects his Charges from the Serpent, and when he does so it means that it is his season.
From Artaeum, it’s possible to gaze at the Firmament (from the Summerset Online Official Guide, page 209).

Julian LeFay mapped the astronomical movements of all the bodies in the solar system which Nirn resides in for the skies of Arena.
Space travel
Last but not least, the various peoples of Tamriel have been known to travel and even settle other worlds in the Mundus and Oblivion and beyond. To start with, there is literally an entire game dedicated to this premise.
Battlespire Athenaeum - page 17 said:
During this time, a host of societal institutions were suspended in so-called “pocket universes,” to achieve a state of immaculate virtual reality. One such institution, deep in the ethereal plane of Aetherius, is the Battlespire.
The Battlespire is described as a ‘medieval space needle’ which is located in its own pocket universe (this is during the 3rd Era).
Battlespire Athenaeum - page 16 said:
Battlespire takes place during the time of Arena (roughly 3E 399) in a majestic tower, if you will, a medieval space needle, inhabiting its own pocket universe.
It was not just the Empire who traversed and settled other worlds; the Khajiit built lunar colonies on Massar and Secunda, which we can see with Jode's Embrace, and the temples seen within Jode's Core.
Elsweyr Online said:
Few adeptoriums can match the hallowed majesty of Jode's Embrace. Rumor has it that the temple's worthiest occupants can peer into the sacred realm of Jode itself. Just keep an eye out for Dragons overhead!
The Moon Gate of Anequina can be used during a lunar alignment that can be used to reach the core of Jode itself.
Elsweyr Online said:
Objective: Enter the Moon Gate
Elsweyr Online said:
Objective: Reach Jode's Core
The plane(t) of Baan Dar has also been settled by individuals of various races (mostly Bosmer and Khajiit).
Eld Angvar is an Aylied ruin located in a world between worlds.
FIGHT IN A WORLD BETWEEN WORLDS WITH UPDATE 21’S PVP ADDITIONS said:
In the new Battlegrounds map, Eld Angvar, you and your team face off against your fellow players in the Ayleid world between worlds.
In the 4th Era, a magical sattelite fell in a small village near Eastmarch, which contained scrolls talking about Boethiah (from Skyrim: The Adventure Boardgame, card 295).


Misc
To finish, a few more quotes that I found about that I'm not sure where to place but are still worth noting. Magic is a fundamental part of the world of Tamriel, which exists everywhere and in everyone.
The school of Mysticism can be used to unravel the mysteries of the Universe.
Oblivion Prima - Page 27 said:
The school of Mysticism can unravel the mysteries of the universe if properly applied. It can also tell you what is around the nextcorner, lying in wait for a hapless adventurer to wander by.
The Infinite Archive is a multi-dimensional dungeon.
Necrom Online said:
Found occasionally by exploring the multi-dimensional dungeon that is Infinite Archive.
The Prophecy of the Tyranny of the Sun involves blocking out the Sun, as confirmed by Matt Carofano.
Dagail is attuned to the mystic nature of the world.
Oblivion Prima - Page 227 said:
Dagail is attuned to the mystic nature of the world and needs you to help restore the balance.
 
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As part of your backstory, the hero of Daggerfall uses a staff to block a brigands sword, which results in both weapons shattering (this happens if you're a mage, spellsword, healer or battlemage).
 
Your background history if you are a sorceror in Daggerfall has you turning a brigand to ashes by deflecting their spell back at them (also, the flame spell is turned into a shock spell).
 
From Lord of Souls, using Umbra Sul impales Vuhon (a dunmer sorceror which the entity Umbra uses as a meatsuit), but the the second attack Umbra/Vuhon blocks after enhancing his durability. Attrebus then swings his sword at Vuhon's leg, but the sword just bounces off again. This is the second person in the novel who's been empowered by a Daedric Artifact or Daedric entity to the point of being swordproof (the first being Elhul).
Soon after, Attrebus swings his sword hard at Vuhon's neck, and this time is able to slice it just a bit (enough to reach an artery). Attrebus then notes that Vuhon is weaker and he was able to cut him just a little bit (this is because Annaig has poisoned the Umbra-Hist).
 
The Synod had attempted two more times to invade Umbriel by air, both of which failed.
(From Lord of Souls)
 
From Lord of Souls, Hierem does something to Colin to make it so that Colin is forced to remember the man he killed, giving him traumatic flashbacks whenever he attempts to attack him. When Letine attacks Hierem with her dagger, his protective wards shatters her blade.
Letine then summons a daedra (from the sounds of it a clannfear or a daedroth), and Hierem sends it flying with some kind of magic. Hierem fails to fully deflect the daedra second attack however, and it slices through his chainmail which he is wearing beneath his robe. Hierem then strikes the daedra with an encumbrance spell which causes it to weigh several more tons that usual.
 
From Lord of Souls, Annaig can make poisons of a 'more than physical nature,' and plans to use this to poison Umbriel/the Umbra-Hist.