Lore:Clever Men

Old Mjolen, a Clever Woman

Clever Men (also spelled Clever-Men, and Clevermen) and Clever Women are Nordic mages and practitioners of the old hedge magic, and totemic Old Ways, also known as clever craft, clever art, and clever magic. Those terms were also, more rarely, used by Nords to refer to all Nordic practitioners of magic and magic itself in general, though they made a distinction between the rare Nords who followed the old ways and those who practiced magic sanctioned by factions such as the Mages Guild. As of the Second Era, even though the term was considered archaic, it was still in use. They were considered to be a kind of witches.

History

Storm Atronach Bear, akin to the one conjured by Ysgramor's personal Clever Man

A Ternion high priest performs a healing ritual

Clever Craft is associated with the Nordic gods Shor, and Jhunal. According to the Nordic tales and traditions, Shor created the realm of Sovngarde with his clever magic in the ancient times, before he faded from their world. Clever Craft was originally practiced in Atmora, and a number of Clever Men arrived in Tamriel with Ysgramor. Clever Craft was used against the Snow Elves during the wars waged by Ysgramor following the Night of Tears. The Harbinger was known to ride a Storm Atronach shaped into the form of a bear conjured for him by his personal Clever Man.

In the ancient times, the clever craft and its practitioners were respected. Some clever men and women were known to became Draugrs.

During the reign of Harald in the First Era, clever men and women were already an uncommon sight in Skyrim's army. They served as battlemages and were distinguished by their great steel staves bearing the dragon masthead that Harald claimed as his sigil. Since then, their presence in the Nordic military has diminished. Scholars debated to what extent and how commonly the Nords employed magic in war. It was theorized that Clever Men and Women assumed advisory roles for rulers far more often than they were seen on the battlefield, but such situations were not unheard of.

The clever men and women were considered a "dying breed" by the Second Era. They were seen with both admiration and fear. Some of them, such as Old Mjolen, were considered regional legends. Ternion Monks were a monastic order dedicated to the following of the totemic Old Ways, active at that time.

Although the Nords have forgotten their forefathers' respect for clever craft, it was still considered honorable in the Halls of Valor in the Sovngarde and by the god of trials, Tsun, as of the Fourth Era.

Practices and Duties

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Shor's Fox Mural

Nord priestess transforming into an owl, with the help of Clever Magic

Runic Seabrume

Clever Men and Women are known to commune with spirits and understand the ways of ghosts. Their rituals and spells involve bones and blood, and revolve around primordial animal spirits. They also practiced Alchemy, and, on certain occasions, stole elixirs from Hagravens. They were adept at the art of Conjuration. They knew how to summon Atronachs and how to alter their shapes. Practitioners of the clever craft were the experts of the arcane, and they used their knowledge and powers to aid and heal members of Nordic communities. Clever magic can also be used to shapeshift into an animal form.

The practice of divination was not uncommon among the Clever Men and Women. They were able to discover truths by studying melting snowflakes and mammoth teeth. One of their divination rituals involved the bones of a wolf and an alive deathbell plant pulled up by its roots. With the usage of those ingredients and the invocation of the Mother Wolf they could locate the previous owners of various objects. They also practiced the magical craft of enchanting and could imbue items with a divination spell that inextricably linked them to their owners. Followers of the Old Ways used ancient runes in enchanting. It was theorized that this practice was linked to veneration and search of the blessings of their animal gods.

Some Clever Men and Women possessed a certain amount of knowledge related to Reachfolk witchcraft and magical practices and rituals, and knew how to brew cleansing mixtures used to purify the Hagraven necromantic corruption of nature.

Clever Women of Skyrim are keepers of an ancient ceremony of binding blood to the tides through the usage of the runes and turning one's skin into one that mirrors the sea's restless waters. They are the only group known to possess that knowledge and the secrets of the Runic Seabrume.

Inhabitants of the settlement of the Kyne's Perch on the Kyne's Aegis island entrusted their town's Clever Woman with disposal of the dangerous relics. One of such items was an Amulet of Bats, formerly owned by Lord Falgravn.

Practitioners of the clever craft are often distrustful of the Mages Guild, which they consider to be an institution of Elves. According to them, "they know nothing of the soul of the world" and attempt to measure and weigh magic. Unlike the mages of the Guild, Clever Men and Women put an emphasis on "feeling" magic rather than "knowing" it. Despite their distrust, they were willing to cooperate and even teach the members of such organizations when it was necessary for the safety of the people.

Known Individuals

"Clever Man" Wizard Hat

• Old Mjolen — Clever Woman active during the Interregnum, who partook in the defeat of the Gray Host.
• Clever Woman Moritra — Clever Woman active during the Interregnum, knowledgeable about the animal spirits of Sovngarde.
• Yrsild — Priestess of Kyne and wielder of clever magic, known for her shapeshifting abilities, active during the Interregnum.
• Fantasticus the Clever Man — A popular fictional "clever man", known for his signature wizard hat.
• Alabar the Oddly-Colored — A personal Clever Man of Ysgramor, known for his Storm Atronach conjuration feats.
• Ternion Monks — A monastic order dedicated to the worship of three animal totems known for their healing magic and ability to call forth aspects of the Three Old Gods.

Notes

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Jhunal's Owl Mural

• According to The Five Hundred Mighty Companions or Thereabouts of Ysgramor the Returned several Clever Men accompanied Ysgramor during the Return. Among them were his personal Clever Man by blood, Alabar the Oddly-Colored, the Clever-Man Hguelg the Mumbling and Ocne the Clever Man. Additionally, it named Jorel, Lynx-singer referred to as the "Clever Kid in turn" and Hguelg's student Frendlmegh the Kilt. Ysgramor's personal Clever Man Alabar is mentioned in official sources, but is not referenced by his name.
• Another Clever Man, Herkel the Fool, is mentioned in How Herkel the Fool Became a Clever Man. This source also states that one can receive the Clever Man training in the High Hrothgar, linking the arts and philosophy of Greybeards with clever craft.
• The Snow Whale and the Dirtbird mentions yet another Clever Man, Huggert the Wrinkled Unto Unreadable. This source also claims that Clever Men believed that there are many everchanging realms of the Oblivion, though some limit this number to sixteen.
• In The 911th Cow Mehrunes Dagon assumed the form of Clever-Man.
• Jhunal is referred to as a Clever Man in Shor Son of Shor by Tsun.
• According to The Nords' Totemic Religion the Dead Gods don’t need temples. They have the biggest one of all, Sovngarde. Nord heroes and clever men visit the Underworld all the time.
• The Song of Return: Skyrim, a Preamble attributes the saying, "The snows melt and then freeze again and in the end it is all still so much water. Legends are the same." to the Clever Men.

See Also

• Ternion Monks
• Dragon Priest
• Dragon Cult
• Greybeards
• College of Winerhold

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.