User blog comment:Madman97/The CHIM Theory: Why I don't think it exists/@comment-25136035-20150531141813/@comment-25136035-20150616191216

"I always tend to get a bit upset when people dismiss it so easily"

- Me

You dont dismiss it easily, now do you? Thus you are not meant, dont take it so offensively.

"Have you read the Whirling School of Vivec? The 18-1 concept? Yeah, maybe you're really not into philosophical thinking, [...]"

- Me

Again, these things interest you, so I didnt mean you at all, aight?

I see your points, but you should consider the following - CHIM is the most mystical and dangerous one of the Walking Ways, the mere knowledge of it can and will lead to the knowing one's end of existence. Two guys have attained it in probably a myriad of kalpas, what do you think how many guys actually talk about it in dialogue? This is pretty self-explanatory.

So yes, being mentioned means being mentioned. It is there. If you choose to ignore it, you are actively cutting the lore into shape. Thats your thing, though. And no matter how you think of it, "It is there"

- Me, three lines up.

Actually, even if it disappoints you, and I know you will see that as aninsult again, which it by the way is not, Elder Scrolls fans have "figured it out" long ago. The wiki has its beyond horrible reputation in lore discussions, up to the point where people get straight up laughed at or flamed for quoting it, for a reason too.

Look, I think you got the basic concept of what CHIM is, but in my opinion, you really misunderstood some things. This is, again, not meant offensively, just knowing at least something about it due to being the Loremaster on this wiki's german counterpart, Id just like to explain to you my, and probably many others' view of TES including CHIM:

If you accept CHIM, which is only one of the Walking Ways, so rather Lorkhans endeavor, the whole story of The Elder Scrolls makes sense - every part of it. Lorkhan did not propose to create Mundus just so - There was more behind it; the wish for parenthood, the search for your, for his own way, and the hope, the pursuing for and of freedom.

Think of the Aurbis as the universe. Thats just basic, right? Right. The Aurbis is a dream, God's (note the capital G) dream.

''This is the first point where people begin to argue. I think many actually see describing the Aurbis as a "Dream" is dismissing it as unimportant, not real. First off, we need to make something clear - The Aurbis is not real. It isnt, it is a video game. Thus the "dream-existence" means only that it's just that - a video game, as we all know. Thats neither something new, nor original, its normal and accepted.''

Now you may have problems with the "Dreamer"-concept. But think of it as the dream of God. What exactly is the difference between a world created by God, out of God, in God and in God's "head"? He's GOD afterall. That doesnt really hurt TES at all, not the lore, not the gods, not the mortals. Everyone is still as important as before. In this dream, Anu dreams up the Aurbis. Thus comes into existence his opposite Padomay, causing him to dissolve and mutate and form the universe. This is just what we know, really. From their subgradients Anui-El and Sithis the et'Ada begin to form, with Aka being the first and Lorkhan the last one. Aka is the king of spirits, just as Anu was the king of the Aurbis when it began to exist. Lorkhan though travels outside of the Aurbis and sees that the universe is a dream - a videogame, if you will - and wants to free himself and his friends from it. He is seeking the Amaranth.

''Basically, Lorkhan is just someone thinking outside the box. He is really bucking the trend ofhis fellow spirits, seeking his own way, even if all the other et'Ada obey to the Anuic laws of the universe - Thats why I find him so cool and a figure of identification for myself in the first place. ''

He, as an et'Ada, an infinite spirit, will never be able to go beyond his limits though, as he has no limits. This is why the et'Ada know of, but can never archieve CHIM - Because it means transcending, and those already at the top cant go any higher. He knows that, and makes a tough decision - although he may never be able to make it out, his children may, and he wants to give them the chance to do so. He proposes to the et'Ada his plans of a soul for the Aurbis, of them becoming parents, and tell the ultimate story -that of their own death, of them passing the torch to their children, the mortals, who may be weak and young compared to them, but what kids arent when theyre born? The point is, as limited as they may seem, their possibilities are far greater than those of the original ghosts.

''This is why I view mortals as higher beings than et'Ada - As powerful as they might be, theyre only limited to their sphere. They can only act according to their character, as they are their spheres. Think of them like angels: Powerful, yes, but not of free will- Whereas mortals may be small and limited, but they are not bound to any sphere; they are free to do whatever they want. They can be good, evil, powerful, weak, greedy, brave, ruthless etc. They can be whoever they want to be, they are free of determination, they have free will.'''

The et'Ada who stay become the Aedra and die, or set off with Magnus to become the Magna Ge. Those who stay weaken and degenerate, up to the point where they are no longer divine. In the war between Auriel and Lorkhan, Trinimac finally kills the latter, rendering him unable to act on its own - his heart laughes at Auriel and Trinimac, when they try to detroy it, though. Not an appropriate reaction from a heart that just got ripped out of his body, right? Wrong. Lorkhan knew he would have to die, in order to actually get the chance to Walk the Ways. He is taking the ultimate risk in order to archieve what he has so long sought for - He is risking losing his divinity and his very existence forever. Nonetheless, he does it, because he knows he'll be back.

Thats where the Shezzarines come in. Seeing as how you seem knowledgeable to me, I dont think I have to explain the concept to you. Shezzarines=Lorkhan in Mundus. This means Lorkhan can actually still walk the Mundus at times, lead his folk, men, and get a little closer to his goal: Amaranth.

This all comes together when Lorkhan has three avatars of himself at once down there, with the ash-king Wulfharth, Hjalti and Zurin wandering around, doing stuff and being interchangeable. When these three merge via the Enantiomorph / the Numidium to form Lorkhan 2.0 by mantling him while practically being him (seeing as how each of them was an avatar of him, you basically get almost Lorkhan), he has finally reached his goal. His children, the Shezzarines, have archieved what he could not, and are now him. This means he is also kind of up there, with Talos being him, but him not being Talos. CHIM is also the reason that Talos is Talos while being Lorkhan without converting to being Lorkhan, like the SI-mortal and Sheo.

Vivec is another case, as his ascendence was neither "planned", nor "destined". He was what Lorkhan wished for - that others might follow his path to freedom, even if he can not clearly lay it out for everyone, seeing how it could harm them. Vivec followed the path laid out by him, and did so very well. He was close to failing sometimes, and near death, near inexistence, but he never gave up, despite being "just a guy".

''Thats what makes him so interesting to me: You dont have to be the protagonist of The Elder Scrolls to have a chance at ascending, nor do you have to have been there from the beginning, planning it all - Vivec began as a mere prostitute, being violated and humiliated every day. It shows that even if youre just a guy, you can be the hero, you can reach your goals, if you work hard enough for it.''

CHIM doesnt mean "herp derp it's all an insignificant dream no one gives a damn about", because it is a videogame after all - the fact that there are actually persons in there knowing that they are inside a video game really makes them feel alive and infinitely more interesting. It is as if they were real, trapped in there, which is, the way it is written, way way more interesting to me than any fictional character ever, because they are so connected to our world. And also, it does not monotonize The Elder Scrolls. Rather, it's giving the series a real purpose, an underlying theme of pursuing freedom, while still retaining all of the magic it had before. The Elder Scrolls is a monumental story of sacrificing and risking everything for your goals, of death, undying passion, love and destiny. The story of a god seeking so escape into our friggin reality, having to go through all kind of sh*t the Aurbis has to offer, living through all the pain there is, also to ensure his friends would make it, too. It's so f***ing complex my text is inadequate to even grasp the mystery of it.

Its not your typical "gods above, mortals below" kind of thing, no, rather the et'Ada are the parents, while mortals are children. They start off being weak, yes, but they are free. Just as parents may have lots of income, the et'Ada have lots of power, and just as children can spend the little money they have on anything they want, mortals are free to follow the path they choose. As you grow up, or as you rise in the level of subgradience to speak in an ES-way, you gain power, but lose freedom and opportunities. You may have a house when youre adult, and money. And yet you are not as free as you were when you were young, you have to care for your family, being father first and then yourself individually.

Thats why C0DA is especially special to me - Jubal and Vivec archieving Amaranth together, with Jubal being the last Shezzarine, thus Lorkhan, is the ultimate end to a wonderful, brilliant story with so many secrets and hidden clues we may never run out of it. Again: If you accept CHIM, the whole story of The Elder Scrolls makes sense - every part of it. Lorkhan did not propose to create Mundus just so - There was more behind it; the wish for parenthood, the search for your, for his own way, and the hope, the pursuing for and of freedom.

I dont really see the point of dismissing all of this. Sure, it makes TES more understandable and easy, but more interesting? Not my cup of tea. I prefer having these two guys, who know they are fictional characters in a videogame, who have went through all kind of shit imaginable to reach their goals, going against all odds and all others, get their new world. They deserve it.