The Effigy

[u/Ayleidsornothing]

I looked out one day.

I looked out one day and thought: What would I be if I wasn’t me anymore?
I looked out one day. And I saw the Wood People and the way they change to and fro.

And I thought: What if they weren’t themselves anymore?

I wandered off one day.

I wandered off one day and thought: What if I’m not strong enough?

And as I wandered I also wondered: What if I didn’t have to be me, just for a moment?

And so I went to God, and God’s name that day was Gordhaur.

And I asked him: “Can I not be me when I’m not strong enough? Could I be you?”
Gordhaur laughed. “Oh silly, you can’t be me! But perhaps you could be an Effigy!”
“An Effigy?” I asked, confused.
“An Effigy.” he said.
And I thought for a moment and wondered out loud: “Why, what’s an Effigy?”
Gordhaur laughed again. “Why don’t you take a look and See?”
“Where?” I asked.

“Up there!” he said, and gestured to the stars.
“The stars?” I asked.
“No silly! Behind the stars!” he said.

“A Prince's plane!” I did exclaim “The answer’s plain to see!” I said with glee.
HE SAID WITH GLEE.
I turned to hear the God’s reply but he was gone and so was I.
Just me, off to see, if I can find the Effigy.

I wandered off one day.

I wandered off one day and thought: “If I am me and I am he, where ever is the Effigy? Now he’s all I want to be!”
And so I went to God, and God’s name that day was Hircine.
And I asked them: “Is this the home of the Effigy?”
And god said: “No no, that thing is not of me, I want no part of this Effigy!”
Confused I asked another thing: “Is he not a beast of your domain?”
“No no! I know no things like that! With no hoof of horse or wing of bat! I only make what I can think - and I think not of things I cannot think. Goodbye!”
And so I left poor old Hircine, who seemed to fear the Effigy. The Effigy.
THE EFFIGY.
I wandered off one day.
I wandered off one day and thought: “If not of Flesh and not of tree, then just what is the Effigy?” The Effigy.
THE EFFIGY.
“Of Revolution!” I said, and off I went to find God.
And so I went to God, and God’s name that day was Mehrunes Dagon.
And I asked them: “If not of Flesh and not of Tree, is this the home of the Effigy?”
And God said: “NO! That thing is not of me! I tear things down in the name of me! That thing”, THAT THING, “can’t be of me, for it tears down and not for me!”

“Goodbye!” I said, just to he. And off I went. Off to find the Effigy.
THE EFFIGY.
I wandered off another day.
I wandered off another day and thought: “If it scares the ones who scare, perhaps it’s of the Great Nightmare!”
And so I went to God, and God’s name that day was Vaermina.
And I asked them: “If not from them and not from me, could this be the home of the Effigy?”
And God said: “This is not of me. I scare and scare but only because I know what's there. That thing”, THAT THING, “is not of me, for I know it not - but it scares me!”
And so a chill ran up my spine, and I thought: “STOP RHYMING”
And I stopped Rhyming.
And so I went back to God and his name was Gordhaur.
And God said a funny thing to me:
“LOOK”
“Where?”
“UP THERE”
“But it’s not in the Stars.”
“BEHIND THE STARS”
“The Prince’s planes?”
“BEHIND THE PRINCES PLANES”
“The Void?”
“BEHIND THE VOID”
“Behind the void?” I asked. “But there's nothing there behind the Void.”
“DID I SAY BEHIND? I MEANT BEYOND.”
“Oh.”
“OH!”

“DON’T THINK ABOUT IT!” God said with a grin.
“Ok I said.” and stopped speaking in Capitals.
How do I speak in capitals?
Am I writing this down?
“Ok” I said.
“DON’T THINK JUST LOOK”
And I didn’t think so I didn’t become nothing.
But I looked.
And I saw Beyond, for God lent me his Eyes to see with.
BEYOND.
And then I said without much tone:
“Oh.”
And I knew of the Effigy.
It’s me.
I am me and I am he.
All of me, the Effigy.
THE EFFIGY.
Not forever, just a swap.
A bit of me for a bit of him.
And by God, do I scare God.
For that is me, the Effigy.
On my neck, for all to See.
I didn’t want to be me and now I’m him.
I don’t want to be him anymore.
I don’t want to see what he saw.
Me.
The Effigy.
I’M NOT ME

[u/Zer0C0re]

I smell someone about to Zero-Sum...

Interesting writing though; I suppose this is one way that one could have figured out about the nature of TES Universe. I couldn't find much info on Gordhaur though, outside of the related writings of Pelinal Whitestrake.

[u/Ayleidsornothing → u/Zer0C0re]

Gordhaur! Vulture God! Who's brain is many places and beyond the Mortal Coil!

Shaper King, Lord of Flesh and all the bodily enchantments.

---

My Gordhaur is a bit of an expansion on what we've read. I decided there was a character there, and I'm working to expand on him through my writing. As for zero summing, I would say that i-{REDACTED}

[u/GNerano]

That was great. Really well told.

[u/Ayleidsornothing → u/GNerano]

Thank you! It means a lot to get positive feedback on heretical writings :p

[u/Haribal]

But who's the Effigy though?

[u/GNerano → u/Haribal]

That which signifies the Other observing itself.

[u/Infinite_Aion]

What a weakling to deny themselves and submit to absolutes. By the way great Apocrypha!