Earth, Water and Wind; Sun, Beast and Hist.

A report on the similar shamanic traditions of the Argonian people of Black Marsh, and the atmoran traditions of the Skaal tribe of Solstheim.

By Aesgar Skaal-Born of Solstheim, 2nd Era 578

The traditions of the Argonians of Black Marsh are truly peculiar compared to most other Tamrielic cultures; they have no pantheons, little in the way of a Creation mythos, maybe linked to their lack of a concept of Time, and seemingly no historical encounters with otherwordly or divine spirits of any kind, perhaps excepting the peculiar Hist trees, although whether they are "spirits" is certainly questionable. And all of their culture seems centered around nature worship.

I, Aesgar, the wandering Shaman-scholar of Solstheim, am of a people with a similar cultural heritage, that of the Skaal tribe, which I previously, perhaps arrogantly, thought to be unique on Tamriel. Only a month in Black Marsh convinced me of the opposite.

The Argonians revere the natural world with great passion, and for good reason. Black Marsh is an untamed wonderland of natural beauty. and an intricate web of different animals, fungi and plants that would make the accursed Mephala jealous. Everything from the docile guar to the ferocious dreugh and wamasu fill a certain role in the lifeweb of Argonia's thick jungle and marshland, and the Argonians take great care not to disturb this balance, all at the behest of their sentient tree overlords, the Hist.

The Skaal claim, similarly to the extremely magically proficient Heartland High elves, or Ayleids, that the world is made of four primordial elements: Earth, Wind, Water and (Sun-)Light. Where our opinions differ, is that the Skaal include two more: Beast and Tree. Argonians seem to share this worldview completely. Especially do they revere the Sun and Water (And of course, Trees) above the other three elements of Beast, Earth and Wind. The Sun gives warmth to their reptilian, cold-blooded bodies, and energy to the Hist trees. Argonians are amphibious and born swimmers, and the Hist, trees as they are, need Water to grow. The Argonians usually imagine the world as a great, metaphysical river, much like the Skaal think that all Life flows from the All-Maker like a river. Even argonian proverbs urge the "sun-blessed" traveler to "stay moist" on his journey.

Argonians scarcely recognize gods, other than Sithis, the Void, and even He is hardly worshipped much. The Skaal give praise to the All-Maker, but we do not spend endless days dancing for his favour. We work and toil and endure the trials of nature, from day to day.

Like us, the argonians care little for prayer, and more for actions; they live according to the laws of the Hist, and thus live in balance with nature, and the Hist take care of them. What more can one need?

Even lesser daedra is scarce found anywhere in Black Marsh. It seems the argonians care little for anything outside Mundus. The Skaal share this belief; that the Daedra, not being part of the Mundus, do not understand it, and thus take no heed to the consequences of their actions, only acting to disrupt the balance of Nature and enforce their own upon it.

But there is more than cultural similarities. Argonian magic itself is almost the same as that used by the Skaal. Argonian "tree-minders", or shamans, commune with the Hist trees, and seemingly not only them, but everything around them. Skaal shamans talk to the wind, listen to the earth, call the beasts to their aid and seek wisdom from the trees. The various argonian tree-minders, healers and mud-witches seem to be capable of much of the same. Why I heard an argonian shaman tell me she could hear the winds talking to me as well!

From all this, I can only conclude that Skaal and Argonian shamanism is largely (if not completely) the same. I have witnessed and partaken in Argonian rituals, and communed with the Marsh myself. Black Marsh differs from Solstheim in nearly every way possible, which also makes the different rituals and traditions different, but I would nonetheless argue that the magic used by Argonians is at least nine tenths the same as that of the Skaal.

Which begs the question: Do these two traditions have a similar history?

Skaal tradition traces its roots to the "Nords of old" who lived in Atmora; they worshipped animals and had shamans as well, who could call upon the wind and other elements for aid. Under the rule of Dragons, the shamanic atmoran society became more structured and "civilized", and the shamans turned to priests. But they were still shamans, and the gods were still animals, and after the decline of the Dragon Cult on Solstheim, the people reverted back to the atmoran ways of shamanism and nature worship.

Argonian tradition, on the other hand, has sprung up by itself. The Hist are possiby the cause, because they as trees know the workings of the natural world. I have not had a chance to commune with these wondrous beings, yet I certainly would relish the opportunity to do so.

So was it the Hist who taught the atmorans shamanism? Probably not. Perhaps the best explanation is, that magic rooted in the natural world is the same no matter where you go.