Kyne or Kaan (Dovahzul: ) is the Nordic Goddess of the Storm. She is deemed the warrior-wife of the god Shor by the Ancient Nordic Pantheon and is held in the highest esteem by Atmoran and Nord hunters. It is believed by Nord tradition that Kyne leads souls to the afterlife of Sovngarde, earning her the moniker of Kiss at the End.[1] She has most commonly been referred to as Kynareth since the end of the Merethic Era.
Ancient Lore
According to ancient Nordic legends, the "Elven Giants", harboring bitterness against the god Shor for having created the mortal plane of Nirn, conspired against Kyne's husband and brought about the god's demise at Red Mountain in the Dawn Era, dooming Shor to the underworld.[2][3] Rain and storms, natural phenomena associated with the goddess, are said to have first begun to occur after these legendary events.[2]
Kyne is considered the Mother of Men, as her breath upon the Throat of the World is said to have formed the races of Men from the remaining Wandering Ehlnofey at the end of the Dawn Era, and her daughters are believed to have bestowed upon them the gift of the Thu'um, or Storm Voice, giving the first Nords the ability to stand against the Dragons in ancient times.[2][4] She called upon Paarthurnax to instruct mortals in how to use the Thu'um, turning him against his master, Alduin, the World-Eater.[5]
In Skyrim
Kyne's Sacred Trials
Although she is uniformly known as Kynareth of the Eight Divines by the Fourth Era, the Dragonborn learns that the goddess is still revered by her ancient name of Kyne among traditional Nordic hunters, such as Froki Whetted-Blade. When questioned about his insistence on referring to his goddess as Kyne, the elderly woodsman states:
This dialogue will prompt Froki to offer the "Kyne's Sacred Trials" quest, an ancient Nord hunting ritual:
Completing the Trials will result in Froki bestowing Kyne's Token unto the Dragonborn.
The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller
At the conclusion of "The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller" quest, the Greybeards formally recognize the Dovahkiin as being of the Dragonblood. In the greeting ceremony, the Greybeards utter the following words in the Dragon Language:
Kyne's Peace
Kyne's Peace is one of the Dragon Shouts the Dragonborn can learn while journeying Skyrim and is notable for directly invoking the name of the goddess. The Dovahkiin articulates the full shout as "Kaan Drem Ov" (translating to "Kyne Peace Trust"). This Thu'um will cause nearby wildlife to neither attack nor flee from the Dragonborn.
Trivia
- Kyne's title, "Kiss at the End," refers to the ancient Nord belief that the goddess of storm is the one who leads souls to Sovngarde, the realm of her "deceased" husband, Shor.[1] This legend seems truthful, for when the Last Dragonborn first enters into the Nordic afterlife, they find themselves embraced by gale winds that guide them to the Hall of Valor.
- Kyne's motif as mother goddess of the Nords and the personification of Skyrim is expressed repeatedly in-game; from guards telling criminals they have "committed crimes against Skyrim and her people" to the Daedric Prince Boethiah calling Skyrim "a beautiful and harsh mistress", while lamenting that "her people cling to such a petty notion of honor."[6]
- "Kyne's Peace" is used as the name for both a shout and a track in the Skyrim soundtrack by Jeremy Soule.
- Kyne is Old English (Anglo-Saxon) for "kin."[7]