Im curious about the different types of daedra that there are. The dremora, the xivkyn, the xivilai, the golden saints and the mazken and so on.. Are they different types of subspecies? Or is it like a clan sort of thing? And if its the former, then what makes them different?
Daedra are told apart mostly by their physical attributes, dispositions, and who they serve. Those you have listed, along with most others, are not subspecies, so much as simply different races, much like the multiple races of Tamriel. Each Daedric Prince has created a race, or multiple races, of daedra to serve under them, which includes those you have mentioned in this inquiry. It would take far too long to go through every single daedric race, so allow me to give just a few details of the above 5.
First is the Dremora, servants of the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon, though they are not strictly bound to one Lord. These hierarchical daedra take pride in their ability to find order within the midst of chaos. Or, what they consider order, at the very least. They are known to form clans, wherein kyn are ranked, much like our own societies. Now and then, Dremora will seek professions outside of being simple warriors, both within the realms of Oblivion, and even on Nirn. In fact, the Mages Guild will sometimes use a summoned and magically bound Dremora in order to deliver messages to those outside of the Guild. They often have skin tones that range from ashen grey, blue, purple, or red, and vary rather wildly in height.
Next are the Xivilai, who are closely related to the Dremora, often serving the same Princes. These daedra are physically stronger, however, and protective of their personal respect. This makes Xivilai more difficult to utilize, and thus Dremora tend to be easier to bind. Xivilai are also less likely to form clans, and are more often seen wandering alone, or in pairs, choosing to make their own paths. The relationship between the Xivilai and the Dremora is a tense one, due to this difference in opinions. These daedra are usually of muscular builds, have a blue-grey skintone, and sharp yellow eyes.
Xivkyn are actually hybridizations of the Xivilai and the Dremora, created by Molag Bal in his Vile Laboratory. They serve Bal specifically, as his personal guard. The Xivkyn retain many personality traits from their forebears, though they are far more loyal than the Xivilai. They are militaristic, and skilled in both physical and magical combat. These towering daedra share a resemblance to their Prince, with blue-grey skin, black horns, and cold blue eyes.
Both the Aureal (also known as the Golden Saints), and the Mazken (also known as the Dark Seducers), serve the Daedric Prince of Madness, Sheogorath, though the two despise one another, both groups considering themselves the better followers.
The Aureal’s society is matriarchal, wherein men are considered lesser beings, even by the men themselves. They follow an eight-tier hierarchy, with special titles given to each rank. Their home within the Shivering Isles is Brellach, located in the northern part of Mania, which they are often greatly associated with. Golden Saints are known for their appropriately golden, avian-themed armor, golden skin, and cat-like eyes, similar to those of their Prince. Mortals are generally hated by these daedra, unlike their Seducer counterparts, who tend to be far more patient when encountering them.
The Mazken, on the other hand, tend to be disloyal to one another, and are known to serve many Princes besides Sheogorath. However, their society is also notably matriarchal, though this is based more on the fact that Mazken males tend to be far more frail than their female counterparts, branding them inferior. They also follow a similar hierarchy, though with only 7 tiers, and differing titles. These daedra hail from Pinnacle Rock, within the Shivering Isles, and are associated with Dementia. Mazken are known to be most often scantily-clad in serpentine armor, have blue, purple, grey, or even human-like skintones, and possess large bat-like wings.
If you wish to learn a little more, might I recommend “Varieties of Daedra” by Aranea Drethan?
