Loremaster's Archive: From Argonian to Saxhleel

Loremaster's Archive: From Argonian to Saxhleel is part of the Loremaster's Archive series written by Lawrence Schick, the Loremaster of. This entry was published on 11/07/2014.

Content
In today’s issue, we’re delving into the recent history of the Argonians, unlikely allies to the Dunmer and Nords in the Ebonheart Pact. Vicecanon Heita-Meen, the author, also agreed to answer some of your questions about the mysterious race from Black Marsh.

Next time, we’ll be taking a closer look at the Undaunted, those fearless few who journey into Tamriel’s most dangerous places—and sometimes even live to tell their tales!

From Argonian to Saxhleel By: Vicecanon Heita-Meen

Misunderstanding and oppression have poisoned Black Marsh for centuries. My egg-siblings have endured subjugation by the Empire and slavery at the hands of the Dunmer. Armored boots tread on our traditions and culture. We are fortunate to have the Marsh. Without its perils to deter hapless dryskins, our ways might have already crumbled to dust. Despite our troubles, the Hist guides us still. And for the first time in memory, we have the chance to break the cycle.

I spent my young life as a slave. An angry one. It cannot have been easy to become recognized for cruelty among the tyrants of House Dres, but Councilman Glathis Dres managed it. After I was beaten to unconsciousness for seating the guests at a banquet out of order, I could take no more. When I was able to work the saltrice fields again, I waited for an opening, overwhelmed the drunken guards, and escaped with my fellow slaves.

We fled into the Thornmarsh. When we crossed paths with a troop of Argonians, we realized too late they were traitors, Archein tribe scum in the employ of House Dres. Hungry and exhausted, we were easy to capture. The sun abandoned my sky. Looking back, though, I see the subtle work of the Hist’s will. In the Archein village, a vision came to me. Their Hist tree spoke, showing me blood and horror—the Akaviri invasion, Nords and Dunmer falling like dead leaves.

This was an opportunity. A turning point. But how could I take advantage? We were taken back to Thorn, now nearly empty as the Dunmer answered Almalexia’s call to battle. For my transgression, I was to be whipped by Glathis himself. In the courtyard, Glathis struck his first lash. I grabbed his whip and strangled him with it. I’ll never forget the look he gave me as the light drained from his eyes.

Wasting no time, I challenged the centurion of the Archein guards for her position by right-of-combat. She could not refuse and maintain any respect from her cohort. The duel was brief. I assumed command and advanced on Stormhold to do the same there. I am thankful that I did not need to shed any further Saxhleel blood. Walks-in-Ash, who met us as we approached, was able to convince Stormhold’s Shellbacks to join our command.

I revealed my plan. We would march to Morrowind, into Stonefalls, and engage in battle—with the Akaviri. We would defend the Dunmer and turn the tide. To say some disagreed with my strategy would be quite an understatement. I told of my vision from the Hist, and let any who wished to return to the Marsh do so. Still strong in numbers, we marched.

When we arrived in the chaos of battle, there was fear on the faces of the Dunmer, who saw armed slaves charging towards them. The fear turned to shock as we joined their ranks, our Shellbacks providing enough muscle to overpower the invaders and force them to flee.

And now, we are recognized. We have allies, not overlords, for the first time in memory. We are free under the law, and we are taking back our villages and strengthening our traditions. There is still bitter blood flowing between many Saxhleel and our new allies, and not every tribe has joined us—only those of Thornmarsh, Shadowfen, and Murkmire. This is not a surprise. I hope that they will, in time, and realize that this opportunity we have been given to cultivate the understanding will allow us to preserve our way of life.

HEITA-MEEN ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS: '''Vicecanon Heita-Meen! The last time I was in Shadowfen, I was forced to leave before you could tell me about the ancient stone ruins of our ancestors. While the dryskin races try to make it seem that the Saxhleel are unable to create such works, we are undeniably the builders. What happened that our people stopped building the xanmeers of old, the ones in our legends that now lay in ruin?''' – Eis Vuur, Warden, Wayward and Contract Scholar

Vicecanon Heita-Meen says, “Alas, egg-sibling, I myself am no scholar, having been raised as a house-slave by the Dres, and since the Liberation War I have been too busy with the affairs of today to pay attention to the affairs of ages gone by. However, I understand from the Vicecanon of Gideon that others are as curious as you, and Saxhleel researchers in Murkmire are delving into exactly this question. Perhaps when the roads to Murkmire open after the monsoons you will be able to journey there yourself and find out what they have learned. Until then, stay moist!”

'''I want to understand the connection between Argonians and Hist trees. Do you have rituals or pray to these trees? How do the Hist influence your lives? What does it feel like to stand before these conscious trees?''' – Sashlyr

Vicecanon Heita-Meen says, “This is a difficult question to answer in tongue-words, especially since, like most of our people, I do not ‘worship’ entities of a so-called divine nature, and don’t understand the feelings and behavior of those who do. Since neither of us comprehends the inner mind of the other, how are we to find a mutually meaningful analogy? But I will try. We have rituals, of course, for rituals are the mud that holds together the house of society, but we do not ‘pray to’ the Hist, because our thoughts and desires flow together. The Hist is the river, and we Saxhleel are the standing waves where the river flows over rocks. That is clear, is it not?”

'''I have always been fascinated by the Saxhleels' perception of time. It is said that you see your entire lives as a single moment. Can you explain how this works? Do you not look to the future and reminiscence on the past?''' – TheHumanFloyd

Vicecanon Heita-Meen says, “You humans often depict time as a series of events, as a story or narrative. This seems to us a strangely narrow way to look at it, skewing your thinking into curiously flawed patterns of repetition. We do not see time as a line from past to future, but rather like the broad wave that sweeps across the sand as the tide comes in, or like the line of storms that crosses the marsh during the monsoons. Cause and effect are not separate, they are a single event, regardless of the duration between the event’s denser nodes. How could it be otherwise?”

'''I’ve heard Argonians have amazing regenerative properties. If an Argonian limb is severed, will it grow back?''' – TheHumanFloyd

Vicecanon Heita-Meen says, “I erect the spine of baffled incredulity. Where DO you humans come by these notions? Waxhuthi!”