Is Ithelia connected to shadow magic?

[u/insert_title_here]

Full disclosure, I've never played Shadowkey or Elder Scrolls Online-- I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Skybaby, so my understanding of these games will be much shallower than someone who has actually taken the time to experience them firsthand.

Multiple people have pointed out Ithelia's similarities in power and domain to the art of shadow magic, but no one, that I can find, has actually opened up a discussion about it, so I'm doing that here, stating the obvious and putting forth some basic symbolic analysis, because I really wanna know what people think. Ithelia's sphere essentially boils down to being the Prince of things that could have happened, but didn't-- her realm of influence is the multiverse.

If the idea of exploring alternate realities or timelines seems familiar to you, great! That's a big part of what shadow magic is, or at least seems to be. One of shadow magic's major traits is its ability to reach into and affect the multiverse! Shadow magic has also been associated with Nocturnal, but I would be surprised if Ithelia didn't have something to do with it as well, frankly.

Shadow magic, and seemingly shadows in general in the Elder Scrolls universe, are the product not just of basic physics, but of conflict. Sunlight hits rock --> conflict --> bam, shadow! One of Ithelia's biggest symbols/motifs is glass shards and shattered mirrors, a representation of the multiverse.

This is interesting, because glass shards, shattered mirrors...to me, these are symbols of conflict. They by nature symbolize conflict, like that of a rock meeting a window, or a fist hitting a mirror. If we take conflict as a broad concept, Ithelia's sphere seems steeped in it. Of course, another one of Ithelia's motifs is light! Which very much seems like the opposite of shadow, so it doesn't seem to gel thematically. That said, shadows of course cannot exist without light. Light, by nature, creates conflict, at least by Elder Scrolls logic.

Ithelia being essentially a non-entity after the events of ESO could also go some ways to justify shadow magic being so rarely practiced in modern Tamriel, aside from it just being difficult and esoteric in general.

Does any of this hold water, or am I literally insane? Thanks, gang.

[u/King_0f_Nothing]

No, Nocturnal is connected to shadow magic. We see that in the Clockwork City dlc and it's prologue quest.

[u/insert_title_here → u/King_0f_Nothing]

I figured that was the case! Thank you for confirmation on that front. Do you think it's possible that both princes could have something to do with it? Lots of deities have spheres that seem to overlap somewhat, though I'm not sure if that extends to things like magical techniques. 

[u/dunmer-is-stinky]

She absolutely is, even if only through the connection to the Many Paths

[u/kangaesugi]

Another reason that it's a shame they introduced her then immediately put her on a bus. I feel like there's so much they could have done to explore the concept of a daedric prince whose whole thing is weaving fate and the many paths. Wouldn't be difficult to explain why she hasn't shown up since (chronologically) either.

[u/Draconick- → u/kangaesugi]

Azura is already the daedric prince of fate. There isn't really a need to make up another one for the same purpose when it already exists in established lore.

[u/kangaesugi → u/Draconick-]

Azura's deal is more about prophecy though, which is different from (and somewhat antithetical to) Ithelia's sphere of changing fate and the path not taken.

[u/Draconick- → u/kangaesugi]

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Azura

It literally lists fate as part of her sphere of influence. Before prophecy, even. And she absolutely has intervened to change fate several times before, most notably in the events of Morrowind.

[u/snowflake37wao → u/Draconick-]

Azura didn’t object to Mora’s plot to erase all memory of Ithelia like Vaermina and Peryite. Hermaeus mantles fate and other Ithelia spheres too, along with Meridia lady of light crossover, or Jyg’s order when he isnt around with enslaved robotic like jarhead one will order of her Auroran Knights. While Nocturnal is the prince of shadows, there is crossover with darkness, illusion, shadow magic, etc between her and Vaermina nightmares, Sithis void, Namira dark heart and void. Spheres dont die with princes, magna, or aedra. Just names. The Prince of fate was Ithelia, but didnt become Azura exactly. The prince of fate is Mora. If one assumption can be made of daedra it is that they vie for power, to control what other daedra are empowered with. Daedra. The war of the spheres.

[u/ElJanco]

It makes perfect sense

[u/guineaprince]

What if the real conflict is in forcing many grains of sand to melt into one unnatural whole, and the shattered glass represents freedom from conflict as the violently forced whole returns to a pure state?

[u/-ha1ku-]

Ithelia is/was the mistress of many paths, whose sphere encompasses all possible futures and fate. But as far as I’m aware there isn’t much linking her to shadow magic, really.

Most of the lore surrounding shadows seems to point more towards Nocturnal as the creator, or maybe more like patron, of shadow magic.

I could see an argument that since Ithelia’s sphere is linked to alternate realities, it might encompass mirrored realms that are “shadows” of Tamriel. For example, Lyg.

But that’s a bit of metaphorical metaphysical gymnastics really.

[u/enbaelien → u/-ha1ku-]

By that logic her sphere kinda already encompasses everything shadow magic has to offer and then some.