Anu was a primordial Deity. Anu is always associated with Padomay, also known as Sithis, his counterpart and brother. The conflict between Anu and Padomay, also known as 'Aurbis'[1], eventually led to the creation of the et'Ada - the Aedra and Daedra[2]. The mingled blood of Anu and Padomay became the Aedra, who are capable of both good and evil. The deities that are on the side of Anu are also referred to as 'Anuic'. In most cultures, Anu is honored for his part of the interplay that creates the world, but Padomay is held in highest esteem because he's the one that caused the conflict. Because the blood of Anu is in every Aedra, they have great affinity for earthly affairs.
Names
Anu goes by many names; Anu, Anu the Everything, Aniel, Ak, Satak, Is. Anu is also perceived of as Order, Light, Perfect Stasis and the Everlasting Ineffable Light.[3]
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, but rather Lorkhan was killed by Trinimac, who became Malacath. Lorkhan was neither Aedra nor Daedra. Malacath was once Trinimac. It is also said that Meridia used to be Aedra. However, all Aedra come from the thoughts of Sithis which seek their own permanence, and all the Daedra come from the blood of Sithis. The very idea of Anu being creator and static and unchangeable is ridiculous.
The truth is that the only differences between Aedra and Daedra are 1) The distinction made by the Elves, which are not perfect beings, no matter what they tell you, and 2) that Aetherius was created to be like Anu, eternal and unchanging. Sithis calls this illusion, and rightfully so.
The only difference between Aetherius, Mundus and Oblivion are their principle: Immutability, Mortality, and Mutability, respectively. They are all planes of Oblivion, though they are separated by their principles. It is Sithis' desire that Mundus and Aetherius be absorbed into Oblivion as it should have originally been, and the world restored to the way he intended it, before the Et'Ada interfered.
Trivia
- Anu is the name of a Gaelic goddess of creation, and shares a name with the Sumerian god of the sky.
- In Old Norse, the word Anu is attested to mean "ancestor" or "forefather".
- Gods with an Anuic basis include almost all Aedra and most gods associated with the creation of the world. Jyggalag can also be considered Anuic in some ways.