Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-24.44.141.89-20131016215436/@comment-86.188.44.248-20170210021051

OK, an old thread but lets throw some logic out here.

Jyggalag wasn't feared because he was teh most powerful, he was feared because of the nature of his power. He was the daedric prince of order, a concept which is the very antithesis of what it means to be daedra, a deity of change, of chaos. He was cursed so that he would be weaker, he was cursed that his power would be inverted, essentially his power would become that of chaos and madness itself. Jyggalag's power never came from the library, it came from his ability to create the library, to make those predictions in the first place. This is a demonstration of his complete understanding of other beings of all ilk.

Now, as Sheogorath, he never lost this understanding, which is why Sheogorath is such a fantastic trickster, why he was able to best so many of the other daedric princes, he simply uses the same understanding in a different way. He was now the daedric prince (chaotic deific entity) of chaos and madness, let that sink in (probably the most powerful simply by the fact that all other daedra now fall within his sphere of influence). When the HoK became Sheogorath he took on all that Sheogorath ever was and ever will be, all the power and knowledge held by the former Sheogorath. So new Sheo was supposedly exactly as powerful as old Sheo or Jyggy. Or was he?

Here's where the wrench enters the works. At the time this transformation began, the HoK was in possession of several things that very clearly tip the scales in his favour. The skeleton key unlocks potential of a mortal and how much potential does a mortal transforming into a daedric prince of chaos and madness have? Unlimited. Also, the now cleansed grey cowl, the only daedric artifact that does not get reclaimed by its daedric prince creator but is instead handed down from thieves guild master to thieves guild master. Considering that Sheo in Skyrim specifically makes reference to this artifact, it's fairly safe to assume that it is now firmly and eternally in his possession. The ability to truly conceal his identity from all beings. An unknowable entity indeed.

As for the other potentials mentioned throughout this thread, well.....

Vaermina can plague everyone with nightmares thus either driving them mad (see Sheogorath) or utterly deprive them of sleep which results in them going mad (again see Sheogorath).

Nocturnal is the Ur-dra.... and? So she's the Ur (first, origin, source) has nothing to do with power, might gain her respect or whatever but it says nothing about how powerful she is. What would be a better argument would be that darkness permeates all of oblivion where the daedric princes' realms are located, so her power can touch all realms maybe? But given that all daedric realms are completely and utterly under the power of their ruler, she still holds no direct power over any of the other daedric princes, unlike theoretically, Sheo.

Herma Moraon the other hand has real potential. Hidden and forbidden knowledge, likely even that which would allow him to harm, coerce or manipulate other daedric princes with only the unknowable Sheo falling truly outside his sphere of influence.

In summary, Sheogorath is probably the most powerful of all the daedra by a long shot, he just isn't interested in taking over or usurping anyone. He just wants to have fun.