Thalmor Census-Report On Argonia, Circa 4E 201

Hail to the Dominion, may our union last onwards and forever. I, Jairen, ever faithful to the glorious Queen, have compiled a long and illuminating report over the lizard-men of Argonia with the help of my Argonian liaison Runs-Like-Water during my safe passage here over the past six months. In this paper I hope to help inform our leadership of the province of Black Marsh of its inhabitants before we decide to act.

Government

An-Xileel: The An-Xileel are the political party that currently presides over the entirety of Black Marsh and are an direct extent of the Hist’s will. They form a council of sorts; the head of the group consists of the eight Archcanons of the eight regions of Black Marsh (Shadowfen, Velderfern, Stonemold, Daroon, Titenetca, Raincrawl, Ninen, and the Skirts) who are also the leaders of the most powerful Greater Clan of that region. Of these eight, one of them is the Underwarden, the absolute leader of the group. He or she is a Hist-Speaker, and able to correctly perceive the visions the Hist reveal.

All members of the group wear green robes lined with red, and are heavily dressed in necklaces, earrings, and rings. Runs-Like-Water explained to me that the jewelry is symbolic, and shows that the Argonian hails from a respectable and loyal clan.

Military

Warriors: The Argonians refer to their own troops as Rakteleel, or Fighters for the People. However, the rest of Tamriel (or the races that have interacted with their soldiers) call them Shellbacks. This term arose because the first Argonian troops that the Dunmer and Imperials encountered were wearing full heavy armor, which is fashioned from the scales of dead reptilian creatures in their home. These armors also come with hoods that hide their faces, and with their shields strapped to their backs, they appeared very much like turtles to the enemy soldiers. Hence the term Shellbacks.

Units: The Rakteleel consists of six main units. The Bosye perform the duties of scouts, and I have observed them wielding knives and exotic blowdarts. The Uxim are the main infantry, and wield maces and a special type of barbed sword into combat. The Saesc form a combination of defense and long range warriors by utilizing special oval shields and throwing spears. The Mie are the Argonian battlemages. And the Yotix are the most dangerous unit – you could say they are special forces of sorts. Those Argonians are trained to tame and ride on the back of domesticated wamasu, and wreak havoc in their wake. The Shadowscales make up the last unit of the Argonian army, as fast as ghosts on the wind until their blades find your neck. I don’t know much about them, and Runs-Like-Water refuses to elaborate.

Weapons: The Argonians use exotic weapons that I have enjoyed studying. They are able to craft weapons out of two different types of ores. The first is simply called “Argonian Silver”, and appears like a greenish-greyish metal that is as strong as mithril, and maybe even twice as deadly. The second appears to be some sort of enchanted black glass they call Obsidian. It is also apparently used for jewelry, but is also able to be formed into incredibly sharp (but easy to break) weapons. They use a projectile they called “blowdarts” and their main weapons of trade appears to be maces, multiple spears, and barbed swords.

Combat Magicka: It seems that the lizard-people of the swamps have invented their own form of destruction magic, one that I have been trying to learn without success. Basically, is powerful water magic. I have witnessed many Rakteleel in training conjuring water out of thin air and blasting holes through wood and stone, or making massive tidal waves out in the sea. Could you imagine the raw power that could be utilized if we could get the An-Xileel to teach our mages that type of magic?

Tactics: I have only observed one actual battle tactic, and that was in Thorn. It consisted of a group of thirty or so Saesc and Mie forming phalanx formations to blow stone practice spears. At first I dismissed these old battle plans – until the Rakteleel began to use maneuvers I’ve never seen before. The Argonians were actually able to, under dire surfaces, virtually create a moving five-sided wall with shields that housed eight or so Mie underneath the shields on the roof allowing them to attack without minimal injury? Is this how the An-Xileel were able to beat the Daedra so badly during the Oblivion Crisis?

Architecture

Overall Architecture: I say with completely and utter honesty, that the Argonians are the greatest workers of stone that I have ever seen. Their cities are crafted from some sort of enchanted stone that never dissolves or crumbles from outside forces, and only age. It amazes me that their buildings can be completely constructed by such stuff. The Argonians refrain from using windows, as they prefer to feel and smell the fresh air at all times. I would also like to take the time to warn my fellow Mer that when arriving in Argonia that most of the houses are at best partially submerged. The natives are overly fond of water, and will not dwell near any area that is not even wet at the best.

The Argonians are also brilliant at creating a special type of mud they call Pashou. It is created when mud and a special alchemic salve are mixed and dried out in the sun. The end result is a small hut that is resilient to almost all forces of nature, creature attacks, and is as strong as marble.

Major City Architecture: Originally, the major cities of Black Marsh (Stormhold, Thorn, Gideon, Soulrest, Archon, Blackrose, Lilmoth, and Helstrom) were built in differing art styles. Gideon, for example, was an ancient Ayleid ruined that too my knowledge was abandoned and later taken by the Argonians. Blackrose originally belonged to the long thought extinct Lilmothiit, and was constructed upon their ruins. These cities still contain elements of their former inhabitants influence (Blackrose, for example, houses what Runs-Like-Water tells me is a Lilmothiit shrine). During the Imperial occupation of Argonia, many of the cities was imperialized accordingly. However, shortly before and after the Oblivion Crisis, the Argonians pushed out the men and began to rebuild their own cities in their style.

Minor Settlement Architecture: The smaller settlements, like Alten Corimont, are constructed almost entirely out of Pashou buildings, with a few stone buildings here and there. They should not be much of a challenge, unlike the main towns.

Irrigation and Sewage Systems: Unsurprisingly, one would not think that the Argonians would have any form of irrigation or sewage management in their marshy home. However, this is another area that I was quickly taken aback from. Black Marsh does indeed have large canals built for directing the flow of water towards crops. They even have a unique form of sewage treatment, which Runs-Like-Water describes as this:

Things break down, so we build over and around it. The underground of the marsh is as much as a land as the world where fleshflies attack starving rats and strip them down to the bone. While many dry-backs view my home as “dirty” or “unclean”, it is actually not the case. My people prefer are water pure, and so we build many underground caverns beneath the muddy soil. Many of those caverns crisscross ancient, forgotten ruins that are best left forgotten…

Religion

Gods: The Argonian Pantheon, despite my long stay in these borders, is still almost completely unknown to me. I do, however, know that traditional Argonians do not worship the Nine Divines nor the Merish Pantheons. To my astonishment, Anu and Padomay are actually acknowledged by the Argonians, but are known by the names Anruk and Seth in their native tongue. Runs-Like-Water tells me that the two are not worshipped though, and are only given what they are due. What that means I do not know. Another discovery I have learned is that the Bosmer god Z’en is also acknowledged within Black Marsh as well, but not worshipped. My liaison’s smirk when I commented about him makes me believe that he has a totally different role in Argonian mythology than he does in the pantheon of the Boiche. Despite this, the fact that the Argonians know about Anu and Padomay makes me believe that they can be reasoned with eventually in due time, unlike the Nords or the Redguards.

While I have found zero evidence to support this, I highly believe that the Argonians do in fact acknowledge Auri-El, Magnus, and Lorkhan to some extent in their culture. Unfortunately, I have yet to confirm this.

Totems: While traveling around the area of Thorn – the main city I have been staying in – my liaison took me to a particularly putrid bog and showed me an extraordinary old piece of stonework, gigantic and half-submerged within the ground. It resembled a pillar, but was carved with weird shapes that gave me a great sense of unease. Runs-Like-Water told me this was one of many ancient totems scattered around Black Marsh, and that many of his people’s scholars believed that they were used to venerate immortal beings. On closer inspection I realized that the totem had the Thief constellation etched within its center, with the picture of a bizarre face drawn around it. I have drawn a quick sketch in my notebook of the totem and have sent a copy along with this report.

Society

Naming: Argonians, my liaison has informed me, usually possess three names. The First Name is their ‘Black Marsh’ Name, given to them on their Naming Day. It is usually only used by fellow Argonians. The Second Name is a somewhat translated form of their Black Marsh Name, and consists of three words that are hyphenated. It is used when traveling outside of their borders. The Third and Final name is their Clan Name, which denotes that they belong to a certain Small or Greater Clan in Black Marsh. It consists of two words, and is also hyphenated.

For example: My liaison’s Black Marsh Name is Yuthi, his Hyphenated Name is Runs-Like-Water, and his Clan Name is Trei-Pim. All of them are the same in context, but different when used for certain events. This was one of the things I found quite interesting about the scale-backs of the marsh. Do the Argonians think of everything?

Family: Every Argonian, in Black Marsh or not, belongs to a Clan. Clans are the family units of the lizard-men, and they are loyal to each other to the very death. Clans are brought into being when a well-honored Argonian is allowed to create one by the Hist, so that honor will be forever associated with his family. This Argonian becomes the Primogenitor of the Clan, which will bear his or her name forever. If a Clan gains enough honor and recognition, it can end up becoming a Greater Clan. Greater Clans very much resemble the Great Houses of Morrowind, having great sway over the politics and military practices of Argonia. The An-Xileel itself is headed by the leaders of the most powerful Greater Clans, which are eight in number, that also control the eight regions of the province.

Occupations: Most Argonians are assigned a specific task in their Clan shortly after their Naming Day, based off their already displayed skills and what I believe is a form of ‘evaluation’ from the Hist. Unfortunately, I have to see this process myself (I am strictly kept away from the City-Tree despite my requests), but Runs-Like-Water practically confirms these things for me. A list of jobs I have learned so far are “Hist-Minder”, “Moss-Weaver”, “Shellback”, “Stone-Carver”, “Hist-Speaker”, and “Vine-Catcher”.

Hist: The enigmatic Hist, the trees that the Argonians believe gave them not only life but a sense of purpose, are the forthright of their society.

“The Hist are everything to us,” said Runs-Like-Water to me one day while exploring the marketplace of Soulrest. “For what would we be without them? We care for them as they care for us. We fight for them as they fight for us. Ah, I see. I can tell by the look on your face. You believe my kind worships the Hist, don’t you? That is not true, not at all. They are the Great-Lifegivers of the Saxhleel, but they would never allow us to call them gods.”

Oh, how I wish I was able to have direct contact with the trees of Black Marsh, but the An-Xileel refrain me from ever approaching the City-Tree area of any of the cities we approach. Sometimes I very much feel like an prisoner among these shell-backs.

Traveling: Traveling in Black Marsh consists mainly of boat travel across the many inland rivers and canals, but there are some roads (but not much). There is also some sort of ‘riding the roots’ system that allows one to quickly travel to one point to the next, but I do not know much about it.

Customs and Practices

Loyalty: The Argonians view loyalty, but personal and open, as the greatest attribute a person can have. They are an extremely loyal to one another as a people, to others outside their race they view as friends, and above all, the Hist. It is despicable for an Argonian to take their word on something, regardless on the circumstances. If forced to do this, they will become extremely shamed and exile themselves within the jungles of Black Marsh for many days, until they believe they can make up for the horrible excuse of behavior. It is quite fascinating to watch, but not funny at all. Runs-Like-Water states:

For my people, your word is everything. If you give it, you WILL follow through on it. Breaking this promise is a great undoing, and you will be adequately punished. If it small, than you will exile yourself until you are no longer shamed. But if you commit a breaking that is too much to bear, then you will be banished permanently from the marsh and never allowed to return. You will be forever marked, and all of our kind will know that you are not to be trusted.

Jewelry: The Argonians are quite beautiful makers of jewelry, which I guess goes hand-in-hand with their amazing stoneworking abilities. I have seen many pretty pieces, ranging from solid gold earrings to beautiful obsidian necklaces.

Cuisine: The Argonians, must disgustingly, mostly eat their food raw and sometimes still alive! I’ve had to specifically tell the cook in the inn I’m staying at in Thorn to roast my meat, or I could suddenly have some sort of gilled monstrosity trying to escape from my plate in front of me. The only food I say that I rather like within Black Marsh are yillygeeds. Yillygeeds are small, blind green worms that help the Argonians grow their sugarcane crops. You all on the Isles may not agree, but they taste rather sweet, like sweetrolls. Argonian children eat them by the handful.

I hope this report finds its way back to you, your Majesty, even though I have no doubts nothing will halt its journey. Tamriel will soon be in our grip, once and for all.

Your humble servant,

Jairen