Many gamers are familiar with the alignment chart used by Dungeons and Dragons players to describe their characters' morality and values. The system first classifies characters as lawful, chaotic, or somewhere in between. Second, it splits them into good, evil, or neutral. Alignment underscores motivation and personality, influencing players' every move and action within a game.
The chart's utility goes far beyond the realm of D&D and can be a handy tool for describing characters in any setting. The universe of The Elder Scrolls is certainly no exception—even when it comes to those most enigmatic of figures, the Daedric Princes.
17 Azura: Neutral Good
Creator and patron deity of the Dunmer, Azura is perhaps the most benevolent Daedric Prince. Like her brethren, she may punish those who displease her, but her concern for her worshippers and willingness to forgive are marks of a Good alignment.
Azura is capable of causing harm, but directs any damage towards evil forces—like the power-hungry antagonists of Morrowind. Neither rigid nor lax, she falls easily under Neutral Good.
16 Boethiah: Chaotic Evil
Though revered by the Dumner as one of the Three Good Daedra, Boethiah's "goodness" is debatable. In the games and lore, Boethiah demands bloodshed to win her favor, turns on followers without warning and relishes violence and destruction.
Additionally, Boethiah is the Prince of conspiracy, sedition, and overthrow of authority. Her very sphere dictates the disruption of order, leaving only chaos.
15 Clavicus Vile:Â Chaotic Neutral
Master of wishes and bargains, Vile deals with mortals more often than other Princes, generally for his own amusement. Each bargain he strikes is kept—though more often than not, its fulfillment is to the detriment of the mortal who made it.
Usually, Clavicus Vile's aims aren't outright malicious, but his pursuit of mischief and trickery place him squarely under Chaotic Neutral.
14 Hermaeus Mora:Â Lawful Evil
Hermaeus Mora has little concern for mortals unless he can use them. He appears to harbor respect for mortals who, like him, strive for forbidden knowledge—however, he's not above driving them to madness.
Like many Lawful Evil characters, Hermaeus Mora isn't out for destruction. He doesn't take pleasure in suffering, but disposes of his champions when their usefulness runs out. His only interest is in his own goals, and he will strike the cruelest of bargains to advance them.
13 Hircine:Â True Neutral
The Father of Manbeasts, Hircine holds a certain respect for those who prove themselves in his trials. As his quest in Skyrim shows, it is possible to incur his wrath, but he can be assuaged by an exhilarating hunt.
Several Daedric princes fall under this alignment, protecting their worshippers while ignoring other mortals. Hircine has no affinity for destruction or deceit: he's after the thrill of the chase, rewarding his devotees and punishing those who betray him.
12 Jyggalag: Lawful Neutral
The rarely-seen Jyggalag (pictured in this image from DeviantArt's SPARTAN22294) is the Daedric Prince of order and deduction. His domain is defined by rigidity, while his his lack of concern for mortal affairs points towards neither a good nor evil nature.
As fans may know, Jyggalag and Sheogorath are the same entity, as Jyggalag was cursed to become the opposite of everything he stood for. Considering Sheogorath's nature, it's little wonder that his antithesis falls under Lawful Neutral.
11 Malacath: True Neutral
Like the Orcs who revere him, Malacath is sometimes described as ruthless and violent. Yet, though he rules with an iron hand, it's hard to mark him as evil: He is a protector of the ostracized and spurned, rewarding valor in his worshippers.
True Neutrals are often characterized as survivors. Malacath and his Orsimer children embody this spirit to the letter, refusing to let the world tear them down.
10 Mehrunes Dagon: Neutral Evil
The main antagonist of Oblivion, Dagon's attempts to invade Mundus and eradicate mortals leave no doubt as to his evil nature. Yet, though he revels in destruction, Dagon always has a plan—whereas Chaotic Evil violence is often arbitrary.
Also unlike chaotic characters, Dagon sees value in having underlings (in his case, the Mythic Dawn) assassinate and torture in his name. With consistent method to his madness, Mehrunes Dagon adheres to neither law nor chaos in his pursuit of power.
9 Mephala: Chaotic Evil
Lies, deceit, and betrayal are hallmarks of evil, and these are Mephala's domain. Like any Chaotic character, she acts with only her own amusement in mind, seducing and meddling with mortals at her own whims.
The patron of secret murder, Mephala is worshipped by the Morag Tong, an assassin's guild in Morrowind. Some speculate she may be the Night Mother, though others disagree. Regardless, her association with assassins reinforces her Evil alignment.
8 Meridia: Lawful Neutral
The Daedric prince of life and energies, Meridia bears a hatred for necromancers, undead, and anyone who uses her gifts to their own ends. This trait is central to her quests in both Oblivion and Skyrim, in which she recruits the protagonist to aid in her crusades.
Her adherence to her ideals marks her as one of the few Daedric princes in the Lawful column. Neither cruel nor benevolent towards her acolytes, she seems to view them as tools, placing her in the Neutral row.
7 Molag Bal:Â Chaotic Evil
There's no question as to Molag Bal's malevolence. Dedicated to the enslavement and domination of others, he relishes violence, torture, and sadism. He takes pleasure in killing, causing others to suffer, and sowing madness and fear.
Constantly pursuing his own pleasure at the expense of harming innocents (and delighting in doing so), Molag Bal is truly demonic—an adjective often used to describe the Chaotic Evil alignment.
6 Namira: True Neutral
The Lady of Decay, like others under this alignment, demonstrates care for her devotees and little for other mortals. Though her cult's practices seem grotesque, Namira guarantees her worshippers safety and security in their twisted little family.
Outside of her following, she doesn't meddle much in mortal concerns, and mostly keeps to herself with her spiders and slugs.
5 Nocturnal: Chaotic Neutral
There's no doubt that Nocturnal's essence is one of obscurity, making her alignment hard to pin down. At times, she appears motherly, guarding and demanding greatness from her acolytes; at others, she is cold and exacting in her punishments.
Capable of kindness and cruelty, Nocturnal falls under neither good nor evil. She is, however, a patron to thieves, dedicated to mystery and mischief. Like her Nightingale wards, she falls most comfortably under Chaotic Neutral…though her motives remain mysterious.
4 Peryite: Lawful Neutral
Despite his role as the Prince of Pestilence, Peryite's plagues aren't made to cause destruction; as his acolytes explain, they are used as a means of cleansing.
He displays an affinity for order, expressing disgust for followers who "have strayed from the path." Like many of his brethren, Peryite is exacting in his punishments and generous in his rewards—he is somewhat unremarkable, but never with evil intentions.
3 Sanguine: Chaotic Good
Everyone needs to cut loose now and again, and Sanguine has a knack for knowing exactly how to help. The Daedric prince of drinking and debauchery, Sanguine's goal is to show his devotees a good time.
Partiers might wake up with raging headaches, but ultimately, Sanguine is well-intentioned. At the very least, a night with him is never boring and ends with incredible stories.
2 Sheogorath: Chaotic Neutral
Sheogorath radiates chaotic energy. He doesn't concern himself with the welfare of others, nor does he harbor evil intentions. His only objective is to sow madness, confusion, and cheese wherever he goes.
Even Sheogorath's artifact in Skyrim embodies a Chaotic Neutral spirit: Each blast from the Wabbajack is random. The result could be a regular firebolt or an enemy's sudden transformation into a sweetroll.
1 Vaermina:Â Neutral Evil
Terror, torment, psychological trickery... Vaermina's sphere is characterized by Evil traits. She enjoys meddling in mortal affairs, playing mind games and seeing how far she can push victims.
Vaermina causes fear and suffering for its own sake; however, unlike Chaotic Evil characters, she sees benefit in working with others. As evidenced by her quest in Skyrim, Vaermina inspires a dedicated cult, whom she allows to do her dirty work for her.