Lore:Phynaster

A shrine to Phynaster, symbolizing his walking stride

Phynaster the Guardian, the Preserver, the Wayfarer, is the hero-god of the Summerset Isles. While he is not part of the main Aldmeri Pantheon, his worship persists through significant cults throughout the province. He taught the Altmer to extend their lives a hundred more years, simply by shortening their stride. Phynaster is associated with the Ring of Phynaster, that comes and goes throughout time between different warriors. It is said to be the source of his longevity, but it may have also been his undoing. It was rumored that the Wharf Rats killed Phynaster for his ring and when he was buried at the Forest of Elborn, they took it for themselves.

In the early years of Aldmer colonization on the Summerset Isles, they shifted the focus of their religion from their ancestors to the ancestor spirits, the Aedra. Among the many spirits were Phynaster, as well as Auri-El and Trinimac. The elders that opposed this change went on to become the Psijic Order. Many of Phynaster's followers take a pilgrimage through dangerous areas across the province, such as the King's Haven Pass as tests of faith, but several perish in the attempt yearly. It is customary for the Divine Prosecution to be petitioned to recover objects from followers who died as part of the pilgrimage, so that the priests may "bless the fallen pilgrim's souls on their new journey.", as a way to bring "proper closure, for the departed and the survived."

In addition to ceremonies dedicated to the heavenly journey of the departed, Phynaster's likeness is also given to young children so that Phynaster may watch over them "during their adventures away from their parents", and replicas of his boots are kept by travelers to bring them luck. His name is also invoked by sailors wishing Phynaster to guide them on their journey at sea, by Marines asking Phynaster to guide the path of messengers sent on a mission, and by people about to start a new journey. An Altmer beggar of Elden Root believed that Phynaster would come to take her back home to Summerset.

While Phynaster is worshipped by the Altmer, he is also venerated by the Snow Elves and the Bretons, the latter of which is a carry-over from their days as retainers of Clan Direnni, who saw the hero-god as their teacher and patron deity. He is mainly worshipped by Breton mages that emphasize their elven heritage. The worship of Phynaster was considered heretical in Imperial society and the worship of the deity was prohibited to Imperials during the Second Empire.

Gallery

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  The Ring of Phynaster

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  Devotional article of faith to Phynaster

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  King's Haven Pass, a pilgrimage site of Phynaster

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  Shrine to Phynaster in the Monastery of Serene Harmony

Books

• Varieties of Faith: The Bretons by Brother Mikhael Karkuxor of the Imperial College — A summary of the Breton pantheon
• Varieties of Faith: The High Elves by Brother Mikhael Karkuxor of the Imperial College — A summary of the Altmeri pantheon

Notes

• Some symbols of Phynaster include copper boots fashioned in his canonical style and charms with "blessings of safe passage" carved into sharp Goblin teeth.
• Phynaster was said to be the same race as the Eternal Champion. However, some sources claim that this Phynaster was a mortal named after the god.
• Phynastic Scroll Cases used by Aiden Direnni were associated with teleportation.
• During the Second Era, there was an inn named "Phynaster's Stride" in the port-city of Haven in Valenwood.
• Ted Peterson, in response to the question whether Phen is related to Phynaster in any way, said that he is "Not sure, but it works well."

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.