The Origin of the Argonians

Various myths, stories, and historical accounts have all given us thorough evidence as to the origins of many and most races of Tamriel. One race’s origin, though, while highly discussed and questioned, remains shrouded in mystery: The Saxhleel, more commonly known as the Argonians. We have no factual evidence pointing exactly to the origin of the Saxhleel, through using various pieces of evidence, both internal and external to the actual games and their content, I am able to explain a theory which I believe is the most likely origin of the Saxhleel.

The Theory

The Saxhleel were created by the Hist’s forced evolutionary altering of reptiles native to Black Marsh as a method for Hist protection.

This theory claims that it was the Hist’s altering of creatures native to Black Marsh that has in the first place allowed Argonians to become humanoid. This theory is in itself truly two separate theories, one claiming that the sentience and humanoid nature of the Saxhleel is caused solely by the Hist, and the other claiming the foundation of the Hist-Argonian symbiosis is founded upon the basis of the Argonians protecting the Hist. I am willing to debate both theories separately or the greater theory as a whole, though I will attempt to justify both.

Origin of the People of the Root

In order to explain how the Hist began the creation of the Argonian race one must first understand Hist Alteration. I have explained before the ways and proof of the Evolutionary Altering abilities of the Hist in this thread though I will reinstate it here.

• The books Infernal City and Lord of Souls as well as various other races have confirmed the Hist are (is) masters of an forced mutation ability I call Hist-Altering. Specifically quoted, the books claim that “The sap of the Hist can ‘alter things.’” In another chapter of Lord of Souls an Argonian character, Glim, explains the Hist altering the bodies of a massive amount of Argonians in preparation for war, saying “A few twelves of years ago, our country was invaded from Oblivion. The Hist knew it was going to happen, and called our people back to Black Marsh. Many of us were altered, made ready for the war that we had to fight. Made stronger, faster—able to endure terrible things. …” It is likely that the Histskin ability seen in TES V and the Resistance to Poison and Waterbreathing of the Argonians are also traits given to the Argonians through Hist-Altering.

• In addition, and quite importantly, it is explained in Infernal City and various other sources that the Hist control how humanoid an Argonian is during an Argonian’s first ingestion of sap during the Naming Ceremony. Glim explains in Infernal City, “Some say we were created by the Hist, to see for them the world where they cannot walk. They can call us or send us away. When we are named, we take of the sap of the Hist, and we are changed—sometimes a little, sometimes very much.” Notes on Racial Phylogeny also hints and emphasizes at a possible origin of un-altered Argonians, saying “…it is by no means clear whether the Argonians should be classified with dreugh, men, mer, or (in this author’s opinion), certain tree-dwelling lizards in Black Marsh.”

• in The Argonian Compendium several conversations with the main lore developer for Argonian lore record different hints dropped by BlueDev as to the Hist’s altering of the Argonians too. BlueDev answers one of the questions regarding Argonian Birth “Men and Mer assume much about Argonians, but who among them has ventured deep into Black Marsh and lived to tell about it? They assume that Argonians lay eggs because they resemble the tree-dwelling lizards that scurry about on four legs. Yet they assume Argonians have live births, because the females have breasts with which they might suckle their young. Perhaps it is both, as necessity demands. All live at the whim of the Great Root.” It is, in fact, not this quote that lead to my conclusions as to the origins of the Argonians, but another one from BlueDev:

  For now, let’s say that Argonian evolution didn’t follow your standard Darwinian model

• In addition this quote, one must remember the true name the Argonians call themselves, People of the Root, Saxhleel. I believe, adding up the evidence of Hist being able to easily and forcibly mutate beings that come in contact with it, as well as many hints of the Hist being the source of the Argonian’s evolution into humanoids and an intelligent race, that the Hist were fully the source of the creation of the Argonian Race. What the Argonians were before the influence of the Hist is unknown to me, one might agree with the author of Racial Phylogeny’s claim that they were certain Tree-Dwelling lizards, others might attribute the fact the Argonian Account mentions different Argonian tribes being radically different in appearance, with some Argonians looking for like snakes or frogs than lizards, to the Argonians truly being an assortment of different reptiles all changed into one race. Whatever the Argonians were before they came into the Hist’s influence, I believe it is the Hist that truly bestowed to them their abilities to be a sentient and humanoid race.

The Great Symbiosis

Now, one may ask, why? Why would the Hist use their power and multiply the numbers of a species, giving it intelligence and strength. It is my theory that the Symbiosis between Hist and Argonian is not commensalism but rather mutualism, whereas the benefit the Hist get is protection from external threats, namely the other races.

• It is mentioned in the Annotated_Anuad that "The Hist were bystanders in the Ehlnofey war, but most of their realm was destroyed as the war passed over it. A small corner of it survived to become Black Marsh in Tamriel, but most of their realm was sunk beneath the sea." In addition, it is stated in The Seed that the Hist were massacred and cut down for their Sap by the Dwemer. However, after being massacred by the other races, how could the Hist survive? However many times they may alter themselves, the Hist are connected at the root, and as such are immobile. I believe that the Hist have managed to protect themselves in Black Marsh using its native animals and spreading of diseases, though the true savior of the Hist are the Saxhleel.

• We know the Saxhleel are more than capable of defending the Hist and have done so with frenzy in Tamrielic History. Even The PGE acknowledges that Black Marsh was never truly conquered, not even by Tiber Septim’s army, and it is common knowledge that the Argonian army successfully decimated Mehrunes Dagon’s forces to the point where the Daedric Prince had to close the Black Marsh gates so that his realm would not be plundered. Some theories may also claim the only reason the Argonians retreated from Morrowind and stopped their invasions was that they saw no priority in fully conquering Morrowind as it was Black Marsh and the Hist that were truly important to them.

As such, it is clear that the Argonians are essential to the Hist’s protection. The Hist, being the hyper-intelligent, future-telling, 16^th dimensional artillery-launching that they are, I predict that the Hist engineered the protection device that is the Argonian Race.

Some Evidence Against the Theory and My Counter-Arguments

• Dialogue in Morrowind shows Argonian recalling events in a sentient manner and mentioning “running” while only having had ingested sap moments ago

Counter-Argument: Either Travelling-New-Woman has shifted the story to make sense for a sentient being to easily understand, or perhaps is using terms like “running” for lack of better words to use to describe whatever fast movement she made when returning to the line of kids, or perhaps she could run as the Hist already altered her as she ran after she already ingested hist sap, and the effect had already been done.

• Claims against sources:

  Many may claim the books used as sources for some of my point distort actual lore or are not factual.

Counter Argument: Firstly the Infernal City is canon and has had a great effect on lore seen in TES V. Secondly, regarding the PGE, Argonian Account, and Anuad, these may not be completely accurate but they are the best sources we have on the topic so if we do not trust them we can neither infer at all nor successfully study the Argonians, in any case I do not attempt to state the entire sources are correct, but do say that the specific bits of information they release that are fundamental are likely correct or at least create a truthful concept. As for the Seed, it is known that the author has twisted a preexisting tale likely to focus more on the Dwemer than anything else, but likely the story still has roots in Argonian lore and history, and even if the Dwemer did not act towards the Hist as the Seed claims they did, other races probably did, as the massacre of the Hist is one part of the story that likely is true for the original historical story as well.

• Comment your own. Let’s discuss.