Arkay

Arkay or Ark'ay, colloquially known as the God Of the Cycle of Birth and Death, is major divinity in the Nine Divines, the official religion of the Cyrodilic Empires and represented the qualities of birth and death. He was a popular divinity across Tamriel and often more important than his father Akatosh in some pantheons in which Akatosh was less related with time or where his time aspects were difficult to comprehend by the layman. Some sources claim he started as a mortal who joined the ranks of the gods.

Worship
His priests were staunch opponents of Necromancy and any form of undead. Arkay, sometimes called The Mortals' God, brought every man and woman, Nede, Mer, Khajiit, and Argonian into the world and when he deemed the time right, he ended their cycle of life. His chapels did not offer blessings to pilgrims as giving either favor or curse as it would be to upset the eternal balance.

Chapels
His main chapel was located in Cyrodilic city of Cheydinhal and was one of the more prominent gods represented at the Temple of the One in Imperial City. At his chapels, Arkay saw fit to bless their parishioners with increased health. His priests, along with their temples, were protected by an order known as the Knight of the Circle. Arkay also had a various wayshrines scattered across Cyrodiil and, in Skyrim, every city has a Hall of the Dead dedicated to him.

Background
Arkay is the son of Akatosh. Mara might be his mother as some sources claim she was Akatosh's wife. However, it is not confirmed whether Mara was Akatosh's wife, Lorkhan's wife or concubine of both. One scholar wrote that Arkay was a mortal man whose apotheosis was granted by Mara, suggesting he might be a demi-god, born of Akatosh and mortal woman. Other source claim he was one of the original spirits that crystallized after time began, meaning he was always a deity. It is believed by some that Arkay did not exist during Nirn's creation under Lorkhan's supervision and, because of that, he's sometimes referred to as the Mortals' God.

Relation with other deities
Although Alduin and Paarthurnax are not always labeled as deities in Nordic pantheons, Akatosh is credited as being metaphorical father of all dragons. Because of this, Alduin stylizes himself as being "First-born of Akatosh". This does not need to mean that Arkay and dragons are siblings.