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Mephala! Webspinner! Teacher of the Secret Arts! Queen of the Eight Shadows of Murder! Though others may reign over us, deep in the night we still hear your whisper!
And we do not forget.
In Oblivion you keep your secrets, and the secrets of all those entangled in your webs of subterfuge and semblance. The Spiral Skein is your realm, and like Nirn, in its center is a Tower: the Pillar Palace of Mephala, whose true name is too awful to be uttered.
Spun 'round this pillar, like spokes, are the Eight Strands of the Skein. To each its own space, and to each space its sin.
First is a cavern of plinths and pedestals. Each is a lie, for they pretend to hold up the sky—and the sky is the greatest lie of all.
Second are the chambers of envy, for compared to the cavern above they are cramped and confined, and therefore they hate the cavern.
Third are grottoes alluring and seductive, for their walls and ceilings glow like a million stars that sing a song of love. But the glowing lights are maggots, and the song they sing is decay.
Fourth are the tunnels of fear, for they are eternally dark, and where there is darkness, there is dread.
Fifth are the halls where fair is foul and foul is fair, and every belief is a betrayal.
Sixth is the arena of murder, for ever shall betrayal be followed by murder.
Seventh are the arcades of avarice and appetite, for contained therein are all things mortals would kill or die for.
Eighth is the flaming skein of fury, for as death comes to all mortals, therefore all treasures are lies.
This is the Spiral Skein. The tower is One. The strands are Eight. The lessons are Forever.