"Vivec is a Warrior Poet, the ruthless and elegant soul of his people. He guides and protects all. Of sharp eye and tongue is he. Long is his reach. Longer is his spear." ―Servant of Vivec[src]

Muatra, meaning Milk-Taker, is either a metaphorical or literal spear wielded by the god-king Vivec. Texts such as the 36 Lessons of Vivec also use "spear" metaphorically to represent the genitals of Vivec and others.[1]

Vivec supposedly made the spear from his own love and turned it into a deadly weapon by utilizing a secret he "bit off" Molag Bal's spear while they were married. After attacking Molag Bal, Vivec used his new spear to kill all the thousands of offspring he had birthed with his then spouse, turning them into barren and withered bone-shapes.[1][UL 1] It was at this point that it was named Muatra.

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The Eight Monsters Edit

After killing the offspring Vivec had with Molag Bal he had learned that eight monsters had escaped Muatra. Though one of the monsters he had already defeated with his decision to create the "Book of Hours," Vivec needed to hunt down eight monsters with Muatra, who lived in the "middle world."[2] Vivec launched these attacks from his vantage point in the Provisional House he created in the non-spatial space.[3]

The fights themselves are of a legendary and symbolic manner, many of which probably did not truly happen in history as recorded in the 36 Lessons. They were said to represent the issues of Vivec and be imaginary allegories of unknown incidents.[4]

Moon Axle Edit

Moon Axle was the First monster to come from the Muatra, and was said to be born twice. Moon Axle was comprised of many straight lines which did not stay in a single place for extended periods of time, giving him an inherent dual nature. Avoiding all true segments, Moon Axle was therefore immune to spears. In order to kill him, Vivec struck him with a curved sword and wrapped him with the rounded souls of nix hounds he found in a canyon, solving its nature. The soul resin made Moon Axle unable to move and rendered his immunity to spears useless. Vivec then pierced Moon Axle with Muatra, which made him completely static and shattered him.[5]

The Treasure Wood Sword Edit

The Treasure Wood Sword was not as much of a monster as it was a sword. The antique existed before lines of martial arts had shown that straight lines could be bent into the sine waves necessary for Moon Axle's nature.[UL 2] Those who wielded the sword were said to become self-known. The sword was being safeguarded in an old ancestor tomb of House Mora, held by the Morag Tong who were obligated by a deal with the House's prince. However, the King of Assassins awarded the sword to Vivec after he proved his worth through a mass movement of sex and murder.[6] This possibly denoting the point in history when the Morag Tong began revering Vivec in place of his anticipation, Mephala.[7]

Horde Mountain Edit

Horde Mountain, the third monster to escape Muatra, was a large conical shaped being formed from modular patterns of warriors being stacked upon each other so high the upmost could cut the clouds. Before Vivec actually fought the monster, the armies of three lower houses had trapped the mountain in a net made of doubtful-doctrine. Vivec celebrated the three houses and had their leaders marry to form his Buoyant Armigers. Vivec then killed Horde Mountain by piercing it with Muatra, with its bones becoming the foundation stones for the city of Vivec.[8]

The Pocket Cabal Edit

The Pocket Cabal was the fourth monster to escape Muatra, and hid itself within the spell-list of the greatest Chimeri wizards of the East. Vivec disguised himself as a traveler and Muatra as a dwarf, but after a year or two of concealment and Muatra eating the Pocket Cabal's words, it discovered Vivec and hid within the mouths of penned slaves, making them erupt in a babble of arcane knowledge that pierced into the Adjacent Place. The greatest of the wizards confronted Vivec with the mess he caused, but was killed by Vivec for his arrogance. The wizard's large bug harness then fell on the slave pen, accidentally releasing them all. In order to contain the Pocket Cabal, Vivec created a dome headed demon and trapped all the slaves within it, stating that this land was now a land where sorcery was broken and maligned. Sotha Sil, who was very intrigued by the Cabal, was given permission to treasure the monster.[9]

Ruddy Man Edit

The fifth monster to escape Muatra was the Ruddy Man, who took the form of an old image of Molag Bal, worshiped back when the Dreughs ruled the world. Vivec considered him to be the least complicated monster to escape Muatra, as he was merely an armor who made whoever wore him into a killer. The Ruddy Man corrupted a child from Gnisis and his clash with Vivec was said to have created the West Gash,[10] with Vivec finally defeating him in Koal Cave.[11] Vivec awarded the Ruddy Man's shell to the queen of the Dreughs with the promise that they would safe guard it from the outside world. However, in ten years time, the Ruddy Man rose again near Tear, being worn by a priest of the House of Troubles. The Dreughs had modified the armor to allow for mythical inflexibility, allowing it to grow massive in scale. Vivec took on his giant form and once more slew the Ruddy Man, this time gifting its shell to the loyal mystics of the Number Room.[10]

City-Face was the sixth monster to escape Vivec's Muatra and was originally named Ha-Note. Vivec was vexed and frustrated by his inability to track the location of this monster, which was described as a bare urge or power and esoteric wind-nerve that was tuned to the frequency of huddled masses. Ha-Note became perplexed by the people's resonating culture, and so slid into the Adjacent Place where he began to absorb new immortal emotions and was captured by the Grabbers. The Grabbers, who had never built a city of their own, coveted Vivec's City, and so built their tower-hope upon Ha-Note's face. The monster, City-Face, now bared a likeness to Vivec and the image of Vivec being constructed by the Dwemer. City-Face, who's citizenry died from his obscure emotions, sought out his mother-father himself, hoping to either have Vivec correct his culture or take Vivec's by force. Vivec, who felt a growing sense of urgency with the Dwemer, and weary of killing his children, corrected City-Face's culture before slaying him with the Ethos Knife.[4]

Lie Rock Edit

Lie Rock was the seventh monster to escape Muatra, and was born through Vivec's Second Aperture. Lie Rock was a massive moonlet that flew to the Hidden Heaven and attempted to learn unmatched divinity from the being known as the "Void Ghost,"[12] the lost spirit of Lorkhan.[UL 3] Vivec eventually spotted the Rock, thinking him foolish, as the Void Ghost's deals were meant only for Ruling Kings. Vivec then sent Nerevar to kill Lie Rock, but he was distracted by the Void Ghost giving Lie Rock the opportunity to launch an attack on Vivec City. As it looked like Lie Rock was about to destroy the city, Vivec merely rose his hand freezing Lie Rock in the air and then proceeded to pierce him with Muatra. Vivec decided to keep the Rock above his city so that if his peoples love ever failed him, the rock would fall and destroy them all, henceforth becoming the Ministry of Truth.[12]

GULGA MOR JIL Edit

GULGA MOR JIL was the eighth and strongest of the monsters to escape Muatra but acted much less belligerent than the others. When Vivec went to kill him, GULGA MOR JIL only sadly asked why he must die. Vivec told him that it was his nature to return to oblivion, but this did not satisfy GULGA MOR JIL, so Vivec recited an old prayer for those doomed to die.[13]

"The fire is mine: let it consume thee, And make a secret door At the altar of Padhome, In the House of Boet-hi-Ah Where we become safe And looked after."

With these words, GULGA MOR JIL accepted his death and Vivec pierced him with Muatra. His bones became the foundation to the city of Necrom.[13]

The Trial of Vivec Edit

At the end of Vivec's Trial, which occurred shortly before the Oblivion Crisis, he revealed that his true reasoning behind his agreement to be put on trial was so that he could get revenge on Azura for all her actions since her cursing of the Chimer. After fully binding her to Mundus, Vivec thrust Muatra down her throat and banished her from the world.[UL 4][source?]

References Edit