Vestige (Essence)

For other uses, see Vestige.

Vestige, also called Morphotype, is the essence of any Daedra, analogous of the soul of mortals.

"It was fascinating to watch a vestige gradually absorbing Azure Plasm and converting it from the general to specific, so that over time it slowly took on the size and shape of a hulking, reptilian daedroth."

―Doctor Rythandius

When Daedra die, their Vestige returns to their home realm in Oblivion, where it gradually accretes Chaotic Creatia which slowly takes on the form of the Daedra, granting it a new physical form. The same process happens for Daedra who die in their home realm too. However, it is believed that certain realms of existence, specifically realms of Aetherius that are dominated by Aedric influence, are not tied to the Planes of Oblivion in a manner that allows a slain Vestige to return to its native realm, and thus a Vestige will remain trapped in such a realm should a Daedra be killed in it.

Soul Shriven

Each Soul Shriven is a mortal kidnapped from Mundus at the moment of death, his or her soul stolen by Molag Bal, and given in exchange the vestige that enables him or her to form a counterfeit body in Coldharbour. But they are not native to Oblivion, so a Soul Shriven's body is an imitation of the body worn in life, suffering rapid wear and decay until it dies, only for its vestige to form a body once again, over and over, like a Daedra. It is also believed that the lack of an Anuic soul makes the bodies of the Soul Shriven deformed. Like the Daedra, the Soul Shriven are bound to their home realm of Oblivion, namely Coldharbour. However, by absorbing the power of a Skyshard, the Vestige, who is a unique Soul Shriven who was not deformed, could bind themselves to Nirn and reform there upon death. However, it was still believed they were linked to Coldharbour in some manner and depended on it to reform since their soul resided there.

See also

• Chaotic Creatia

Appearances

• The Elder Scrolls Online