Et'Ada

, also called the "Original Spirits," are the things perceived and revered by the mortals as gods or spirits. To humans these et'Ada are the Gods and Demons. To the Aldmer, the Aedra (Aldmeri translation is "our ancestors") and Daedra (Aldmeri translation is "not our ancestors"). The et'Ada came to be once Lorkhan tricked the Original Spirits to create Mundus.

Origins
The origins of the et'Ada are subject of many, often conflicting, creation myths. But in most cases, there are many similarities.

Most myths start with one force; Anu (Satak, the First Serpent). Out of him came another force; Padomay / Sithis (Akel, the Hungry Stomach). Some myths start with both and call them twins. Their interplay created many other spirits, the Original Spirits. They had no identity and it was hard for them to create one. Then came Akatosh / Auriel (Ruptga, Tall Papa), and with him came time. With time, the Original Spirits began to understand their natures and limitations. The Redguard creation myth doesn't mention time, Ruptga just helped out the other spirits in finding their way.

One of the Original Spirits was Shezarr / Lorkhan (Sep, the Second Serpent). He tricked other spirits to help him create a new world; Mundus. Those spirits lost their youth and strength, and became the et'Ada.

Theories
According to the book Sithis, Anu isn't a deity of any kind, but is rather a static force without consciousness, personality, intent or will, being immutable static light. Something cannot be created without changing the creator, and Anu is static, and does not change.

It is Sithis, according to this book, that created all things. Sithis sundered the Eternal Anu to create new ideas. Unfortunately, some of these ideas became manifest and desired to be as eternal as Anu.

This created Aetherius and the Aedra. Sithis then created Lorkhan to destroy these false creations.