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EyeofMagnus

The Eye of Magnus.

Not to be confused with Magnus Septim.

Magnus, also known as the god of magic, is an et'Ada, one of the Original Spirits.

Creation of Mundus[]

During the Dawn Era, he and several other et'Ada were convinced by Lorkhan to create the mortal plane, Mundus. Magnus was said to have been the architect of Mundus, as he created the schematics and diagrams needed to construct it.[1][2][3]

As Mundus was forming, it became evident that many of the et'Ada would be required to sacrifice much of their power in order for the mortal plane to be created. Magnus realized his mistake and decided to terminate the project. The et'Ada convened at the Adamantine Tower at an event known as the Convention and decided to punish Lorkhan for his trickery.[3][UL 1]

Soon after, Magnus fled to Aetherius in the last of Mundus' birth-pains. In his departure, he tore a hole through Oblivion, which became Nirn's sun, itself now known as Magnus.[2][3][1][4] Soon after many other et'Ada followed him; they became known as the Magna Ge and left smaller holes in the sky, which became the stars.[UL 2] One of the many theories explaining the origins of magic is that magicka is what remains of Magnus on the world.[1]

Legacy[]

In the eras that followed, many Altmer and Bretons worshipped him as a god, and he became a part of their respective pantheons.[2] The Ayleids, masters of the arcane arts, worshipped him as the god of Sight, Light, and Insight and were known to dedicate temples in his name.[5] The Khajiit worship him as Magrus.

Cyrodiilic legends say he can inhabit the bodies of powerful mages, and lend them his power. He is also associated with Zurin Arctus, the Underking, and is sometimes represented by an astrolabe, a telescope, or, more commonly, a staff.[2]

Artifacts[]

Staffofmagnus

The Staff of Magnus, as it appears in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

He supposedly created and used the Staff of Magnus, one of the older artifacts of Tamriel. Legend tells that it is the only artifact capable of containing his immense power.[6] In time, the staff will abandon the mage who wields it before they become too powerful and upset the mystical balance it is sworn to protect.[7]

Another artifact attributed to him is the Eye of Magnus, an ancient relic of immense power that was found buried under the Nordic city of Saarthal in the Merethic Era.[8][9]

In Cyrodiil, there is a magical stone of unknown origin, located southeast of Bravil. It is known as the Magnus Stone by the populace and is said to grant a powerful blessing that bolsters the magical abilities of certain individuals.[10][11]

Representations[]

References[]

Notice: The following are unlicensed references. They are not copyrighted by a ZeniMax Media company, but can still be considered part of The Elder Scrolls lore and are included for completeness.
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