Black Marsh



Black Marsh, also known as Argonia, is one of the nine Provinces of Tamriel. It is the home of the Argonians, reptilian rulers of this swampland rainforest. The province is filled with "great inland waterways and impenetrable swamps". The Dunmer of neighboring Morrowind used to raid the region for slaves, particularly House Telvanni. Some time after the Nerevarine left Morrowind, slavery was outlawed.

Government
There are several possibilities that could be the ruling body on Black Marsh. One of possibilities is The An-Xileel who seem to be in charge of Black Marsh after the oblivion crisis. A military or possibly a political faction in Black Marsh that was part of the invasion of Morrowind.

Another possibility is that the Hist are in control.

First Era
Little is known about what occurred in Argonia or Argonians in general during much of the First Era, as the few Argonians that left the province were very rare and they themselves didn't talk about their history and preferred to integrate themselves into the larger Tamrielic cultures. The region and, by extension Argonians themselves, stayed independent of the Tamrielic Empire until the twenty-ninth century of the First Era.

It is known that there was a very successful enterprise of bandits and thieves that had long been exploiting the swampland of southeastern Tamriel, which was lead by most infamous of the brigadiers, "Red" Bramman. The coastline along the east of Topal Bay had become notorious for acts of piracy because of these Bandits and thieves, and in 1E 1033, the Empress Hestra demanded the head of Bramman.

After many an unsuccessful battle in the Bay, the Imperial Navy discovered the pirate-king's means of escaping capture: a narrow, winding river which emptied into the Bay near Soulrest, its mouth was screened by dense thickets of mangroves. The Imperial Fleet followed the course deeper into the heart of Black Marsh than any non-Argonian had ever been before. They eventually caught Bramman in his bandit kingdom not far from what is know called Blackrose, and took his head for the Empress.

The Argonians were defeated by the Reman Empire in 2811 at the Battle of Argonia. Following this defeat, the Argonians retreated to Helstrom, where the Imperials would not follow them. Slave traders exploited the Argonians, and "entire tribes of Argonians were dragged in chains" to the Dunmer land. Warlord dynasties were formed by former Imperial officers, who "earned a reputation for tyranny even in those dark times".

The land that had once been a haven for Tamriel's criminals became its greatest prison state. Anyone considered too dangerous to hold in "civilized" dungeons in other Provinces was sent to Black Marsh.

Second Era
Even less is know about Argonian history in the Second Era. The only know recorded event occurred in 2E 560, when the Argonians responded against their tyrannical oppressors with the Knahaten Flu. Whether the terrible Khahaten Flu arose from natural causes, or was created by an Argonian shaman in retaliation for his people's oppression is still a matter of debate, but its result is clear. The plague began in Stormhold in 2E 560, and quickly spread to every corner of Black Marsh, killing all those not of reptilian stock. For over forty years, it held the Province in its grip, destroying entire cultures, (notably, the Kothringi), and driving outsiders from the land.

Even when the land became habitable again, fear of the disease kept most outsiders away. House Dres of Morrowind continued to send slavers into the north, but few others saw any reason to trouble themselves with the land. Even Tiber Septim, it was said, thought twice before conquering Black Marsh for his new Empire. The borders of the province fell easily to his forces, but he wisely decided to avoid strategically unimportant inner swamps, and thus met with little resistance.

Third Era
By the Third Era most of Argonia had been assimilated into the empire with the exception of Helstrom. Helstrom is in the center of "Murkwood", an area of marsh in the center of Argonia where it is almost impossible for non-Argonians to travel, so is the center of non-imperial Blackmarsh. This is also where the Arnesian War uprising, (which took place during the Imperial Simulacrum), saw the Argonians extract revenge for the slavery that they suffered from House Dres.

In approximately 3E 200th year, during the reign of Katariah, there was a massacre at the village of Armanias, due to a lack of sufficient armor.

In the 398th year, Decumus Scotti was a senior clerk at Lord Vanech's Building Commission. He was tasked with improving trade in the region of Black Marsh.

Fourth Era
After the Oblivion Crisis, Argonia seceded from the Empire, making the Marsh into an independent province. In the aftermath of the Red Year (4E 6) the Argonians invaded Morrowind to exact revenge on the Dunmer and put Morrowind in An-Xileel control. They appear to be neutral to the ongoing hostilities between the Empire and the Thalmor.

Geography
The "Black Marsh" was the name given to the portion of Argonia that was conquered by the Imperial Empire in the First Era (2812) (PGE3?) even though the original Argonian homeland consisted of reaches into Morrowind. Like Morrowind, it was "never successfully invaded, but instead, peacefully incorporated" The majority of this province is a swampy marshland. Little is known about the actual size of Argonia, except that Lilmolith is located fifteen miles from the Topal Bay.

Archon
Is a city located in the south east of Black Marsh. In 4E 187, the Listener Alisanne Dupre mentioned to Rasha, a Speaker, about reinstating training for Shadowscales in Archon. The proposal was dismissed due to a lack of resources.

Blackrose
A major Argonian city located in the southern reaches of Black Marsh. Notably Nienolas Ulwarth, known as the mighty, hailed from this city. Murkwood is near this city, which is a forest the Eternal Champion visits to get a part of the Staff of Chaos.

Lilmoth
Lilmoth is the most southern city in Black Marsh and has been described as the "festering jewel" of the Black Marsh

Gideon
A major city in Argonia, this city was first founded by the Ayleids, and is in the westernmost section of Argonia, close to the border of Elsweyr.

Helstrom
This city is in the center of Argonia. The city has never been reached by the Cyrodilic Empire and therefore is the capital of non-Imperial Black Marsh.

Soulrest
Soulrest is a large city located in the south of Black Marsh where many go for their burial.

Stormhold
One of the major cities in Argonia. It was originally founded by the Ayleids, and it is located in the northern part of Argonia.

Argonian
Argonians are a race of reptilian people native to the large and marshy province known as Black Marsh, a region of Tamriel. They can be found in smaller numbers throughout the continent, and have been featured in every one of the main games so far. Argonians are one of the few races completely unrelated to men and mer, being descended directly from the Hist. Enigmatic and intelligent, the Argonians are experts of guerrilla tactics, and their natural abilities suit their swampy homeland. They have developed immunities to the diseases that have doomed many would-be explorers in the region, and they are capable of easily exploring underwater locations due to their ability to breathe water.

Argonians have gills on their necks and are covered in scales. This gives Argonians them their ability to breathe underwater, which has proven to be an advantage in combat with other races, especially in the A variety of Argonians from Skyrim.swamps of Black Marsh. Argonians are trained in guerilla warfare and drown their enemies by dragging them to the water and holding them under. Soldiers walking alongside rivers, travelling on ships in the ocean or barges along the rivers have been attacked by Argonians that ambushed them from the water where they lay in wait. They then either kill them or they are forced to flee back into the water and vanish into the depths. Either way it is an effective strategy as they cannot be followed into the deeper oceans and rivers.

Religion
Not much specific information is known about the Black Marsh but more specifically, the Argonian religion. However some knowledge about these unique beliefs are known to non-Argonians. The most important thing to understand about their religion is the close bond between the odd Hist tree and the Argonians. The Hist is a unique type of tree that grows all around Black Marsh and is looked highly upon by the inhabitants. This tree, according to the Aronians, is intelligent and fully conscious. It produces a special sap that gives Argonians visions and enlightenment to their souls. In fact, Argonian hatchlings drink the sap of the Hist at birth and during their infancy. According to them, the sap of the hist tree, when drank, gives a hatchling its soul. When that Argonian dies, his soul travels back to its Hist tree and is stored until another hatchling drinks that hist. Thus, the Hist is giving it a soul, and so the cycle repeats. The Hist tree can telepathically talk to the Argonian that has drank the sap. The Hist and the Argonians acknowledge Sithis as their master. Along with worship of the Hist, the Argonians believe that Sithis is the original, the creator, and the father. The Hist, in their eyes, is much like the Night Mother is to the Dark Brotherhood. To show respect and full loyalty to Sithis, since they worship the Hist as their god, every Argonian born under the sign of The Shadow is given to the Dark Brotherhood at birth and trained in the art of stealth and assassination. Therefore, one day, that Argonian can earn the rank of Shadowscale who serve Argonia as spies and assassins.
 * Use information in "Varieties of Faith in the Empire "

Culture
A significant portion of Argonian history has to do with the Hist. (Use quotes, information from The Infernal City here). {C} ''In addition to the reptilian Argonians, who are today Black Marsh's most visible denizen, there were once tribes of men - Kothringi, Orma, Yespest, Horwalli - and tribes of mer - the Barsaebic Ayleids and the Cantemiric Velothi - and even a tribe who may have been related to the Khajiit of Elsweyr, the vulpine Lilmothiit. Some were sent to Black Marsh as refugees or prisoners, other settled along the coastal waterways and adapted to its strange and usually insalubrious environment.'' (PGE3:BM)

"In Black Marsh, for example, the Argonian King relies upon his Shadowscale Assassins to eliminate threats secretly, without the common knowledge of his people" - Skyrim's Rule.

"The Argonian people have, throughout Tamrielic history, been perhaps the most misunderstood, vilified, and reviled of all the sentient races. Yet, those who have taken the time to experience Argonian culture have gained a greater appreciation for this noble and beautiful people" - Brendan the Persistent

There are rumors of Argonians that have contracted a unique form of lycanthropy, and rather than becoming werewolves upon transformation, become creatures known as Werecrocodiles. They lurk in isolated swamps and spread the disease.

Other Provinces

 * Cyrodiil
 * Elsweyr
 * Hammerfell
 * High Rock
 * Morrowind
 * Skyrim
 * Summerset Isles
 * Valenwood

Appearances

 * The Elder Scrolls Travels: Stormhold
 * The Elder Scrolls Online 
 * The Elder Scrolls Online