Lore:Arcanists

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An arcanist with their tome

Arcanists are spellcasters wielding eldritch powers learned from a tome touched by the forces of Apocrypha, the Oblivion Realm of the Daedric Prince of Fate and Forbidden Knowledge, Hermaeus Mora. This enigmatic tome allows them to learn untold secrets and make use of forbidden knowledge to warp reality, influence and weave fate, call upon the Abyssal Sea and wound the mind among other eloquently impressive and highly disturbing things. A theory of the mortal world has the mystic tome of an arcanist be the cruft of Apocrypha itself. This theory is based on how creatures, spellwork, and even mortal beings transported to Oblivion realms will conform or change due to the influence of a Daedric Prince within their domain and vice versa on Mundus. In the case of the Endless Library of the Demon of Knowledge, a piece of the realm exiting would assume the shape of a tome, Oblivion substrate shaken loose and given home not only on Nirn but also in an arcanists mind. It is worth mentioning that just as the many eyes of Mora are unique, so too are the obscure tomes of the arcanists. Indeed, the knowledge in each tome is unique to the mind and soul of each arcanist, which results in the tomes being drivel and impossible to learn from to others. Just like the tomes themselves, the process of becoming an arcanist is equally unique- the discovery of a tome and the bond it forms with the caster are believed to be fully specific to each arcanist. According to an arcanist the tomes seemingly have a mind of their own. They communicate with their wielders, though not with audible words (atleast not for this specific spellcaster). But certainly, these tomes shift their content and context, showing arcanists things they should and shouldn't know respectively. They also move around, occasionally vanishing to different locations. Arcanist tomes are not to be confused with the Black Books, though Hermaeus Mora himself compared their two powers, with both being knowledge he supposedly allows into Nirn. The Prince is capable of communicating with arcanists through these tomes.

Runes and language seem to be paramount to their thaumaturgical underpinnings. The arcane spellforms learned from and driven by these tomes enable an arcanist to command runeforms, project beams that scar the world infront of them, conjure nigh impenetrable spell armor matrices and command restorative magics deemed to be inventive by mortal standards. These powers may be used in various and distinctive ways by each arcanist but it appears that the notion of etching a rune on reality to modify its form seems to be universal among them. Arcanists sometimes carved the runes of specific beings to manifest unique spells. The runework of an arcanist is believed to be a universal language between the spellcasters, but despite this remains fully unique to each arcanist. They don't have specific, exact meanings like enchantment runestones but instead are symbols for the metamagical subconscious of the arcanist. A sigil that to one arcanist might mean "fire", to another could mean something entirely different, despite using the same rune. Arcanists who specialize in runes are sometimes referred to as "rune-carvers".

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An arcanist summoning tentacles

Runes are not all an arcanist wields, as tentacles are just as much of a common sight in their arcane repertoire due to their connection with Mora's realm. These creations are summoned not just for self-defense but also to lash out at foes. They're considered both awe-inspiring and disturbing by some due to their eldritch appearance and memorable auditory and olfactory qualities. This kind of spellcasting is sometimes designated as the "tentacular school of thought". The Abyssal Sea of Mora's realm, with endless secrets drowned in its depths is a powerful source of the eldritch for arcanists, who channel and bend its waters to their will. The very concept of fate itself is a precise tool in an arcanist's spellbook, and some have reported to seeing them manipulate possibility around them in unique and creative ways, extending even to the fate-manipulation of an arcanist's very soul. This skill is considered a faint echo of the "fate sight" believed to be held by Mora themself.

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An arcanist's "crux" floating around them

It is said that the reason for arcanists favoring sweeping movements like hand-waving and runic symbology is due to the nature of Apocrypha itself, a place where arcane power flows unreservedly. The magic of an arcanist flows just as powerfully, making it so these spellcasters require unleashing it in additional forms, such as the all too common iconography, eldritch tentacles and visions of the Endless Library found in the arcanist's spellcraft. Various arcanist spells also generate an arcane recourse known as "crux", which these spellcasters can consume to empower and strengthen many of their other spells.

When compared with schools of magic, the arcanist's spellcraft was said to fall under Mysticism and Conjuration.

Being an Arcanist

"We use the power of forbidden knowledge ..."

"Searching for untold secrets."

"But there is a price to be paid when calling upon the unknown."

"Sometimes ... the unknown ... answers"

"Open your mind."

"The knowledge you seek ... is waiting."
—The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom - Wield the Power of the Arcanist

One becomes an arcanist when a tome somehow finds its way to Nirn, ultimately finding and binding itself with a mortal soul which perfectly matches its arcane resonance. At least one known arcanist has "accidentally" walked this path when an arcanist's tome "bit" the mage. Those who become arcanists are said to align with Apocrypha as easily as one learns to breathe or speak. Despite their innate connection with Hermaeus, not all arcanists are devout followers of the Prince, with some arcanists showing outright hatred and distrust towards him.

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Depiction of an arcanist's tome.

Similarly to magic itself, arcanists are diverse and unique people with different methods to their path. Some view it as a new way of life, others in a more methodical and scholarly manner and others go mad, craving knowledge and shutting themselves away forever. Many see this magic as a means to an end, a way of defending themselves or achieving unique goals, whilst others pledge themselves fully, body and soul to the One-Who-Knows resulting in blatant Daedric corruption.

Being an arcanist is described by some as rather perplexing, with complex runes, tentacles and abyssal waters rushing around the caster's head every now and again. It is customary for arcanists to establish sanctums to practice their craft.

History

Arcanists gained prominence around 2E 582, with more arcanists than ever before utilizing the craft, but are believed to have existed for much longer. Some theorized that some kind of change in the fabric of reality caused this inflow of new arcanists, with the Planemeld being noted as a possible reason for why so many tomes found themselves on Nirn. Morian Zenas became a powerful Apocryphal figure, and influenced arcanist spellcasting at some point, with his obscure magics making their way into a common arcanist's repertoire. Similarly, at some point in history the Rune Knights of the Purgatory Disquisition wielded and perfected a variety of runic spellcraft which now finds itself in the skill-set of the modern arcanist. During the Three Banners War of the Second Era, arcanists were employed by the alliances. Around the same time Vivec wished to understand potential threats to the Tribunal and the Dunmer people, and some arcanists fell under this category. Due to this, the city of Necrom hired adventurers to kill particularly dangerous arcanists. Mora's Mauve is a hue associated with arcanists. Some dice sets were modeled after arcanists and their arcane concepts, such as tentacles.

Notable Arcanists

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Renowned arcanist Azandar al-Cybiades

• Morian Zenas — A powerful mage who eventually found himself trapped in Apocrypha. His spellcasting influenced the common arcanist's skill-set.
• Azandar al-Cybiades — Considered a world-class talent by some and compared to Morian Zenas, he was known as an extraordinary arcanist.
• Runemaster Xiomara — A powerful arcanist from Apocrypha who caught the interest of Vivec, and subsequently killed by adventurers sent from Necrom.

Notes

• To at least one arcanist the preferred pronunciation of the trade is "arr-can-ist".

See Also

• For game-specific information see the ESO article.
• The Arcanist gameplay trailer.

Books

• What's an Arcanist? by Gabrielle Benele — A mage's speculation on Arcanists
• Loremaster's Archive - The Arcanists by Azandar al-Cybiades — Azandar al-Cybiades answers lore questions on Arcanists

Gallery

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  An arcanist fights a Dagonic Harvester

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  Runemaster Xiomara casting a spell

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  An arcanist casting an area spell

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  An arcanist casting a spell from their tome

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  An arcanist's short-range portal

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  An arcanist's tentacle "bubble" shield

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  An arcanist's energy beam

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  An arcanist's glyphic totem

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  An arcanist casting a rune

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  An arcanist's runic ward

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  An arcanist's magical aura

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  Arcanist beam concept art

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  Arcanist rune concept art

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  Arcanist rune concept art

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  Arcanist tentacle arm concept art

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  Arcanist energy siphon concept art

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  An arcanist's runic defenses

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  Concept art of an Arcanist's tome

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  Arcanist energy beam

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  Arcanist's tentacle arm spell

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  Arcanist spellcasting

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  Arcanist's tome

References

Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.