Black Marsh

Background
Black Marsh, also known as "Argonia", is one of the nine Provinces of Tamriel. It is the home of the Argonians, reptilian creatures of this swampland rainforest. The province is filled with "great inland waterways and impenetrable swamps". The Dunmer of neighboring Morrowind have made a practice of raiding the region for slaves, particularly House Telvanni

First Era
Little is known about what occurred in Argonia during much of the First Era, as the few Argonians that left the province were very rare. . The region itself stayed independent of the Tamrielic Empire until the twenty ninth century of the First Era. 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".

In 2E 560, the Argonians Responded. The Knahaten Flu epidemic began, starting in Stormhold. Several cultures, such as the Kothringi, were wiped out by this plague.

Third Era

 * Assimilation into empire
 * Approx 3E 200: "during the reign of Katariah", there was a massacre "at the village of Armanias", due to a lack of sufficient armor. (The Armorer's Challenge).
 * 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.

Fourth Era

 * "Imperial rule had been lost in Black Marsh since the resolution of the Oblivion Crisis
 * An-Xileel attack the ruins of Morrowind

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?) 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"

Cities
Major cities of the Black Marsh include:

Archon
It appears on the Arena Map, and is mentioned in the game. In 4E 187, the Listener Alisanne Dupre mentioned to Rasha, a Speaker, about reinstating training for Shadowscale in Archon. The proposal was dismissed due to a lack of resources.

Blackrose

 * Main article: Blackrose

A major Argonian city. Notably Nienolas Ulwarth, known as the mighty, hailed from this city.

Lilmoth
Lilmoth 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 (PGE3), and resides in the westernmost section of Argonia.

Helstrom
This city is in the centere of Argonia. The city has never been reached by the Cyrodilic Empire (PGE3) and therefore seems to be the capital of non-Imperial Black Marsh. It 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.

Soulrest
a large city where many go to be buried.

Stormhold
One of the major cities in Argonia. It was originally founded by the Ayleids (PGE3), and is located in the northern part of Argonia.

Society
A significant portion of Argonian history has to do with the Hist. (Use quotes, information from The Infernal City here). {C}''In additional 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 Temrielic 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 Persistant Ref: PGE3: BM)

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

An-Xileel
A military or possibly a political faction in Black Marsh that was part of the conquering of Morrowind.

Religion

 * Use information in "Varieties of Faith in the Empire"

Text from PGE 1:
''These vast swamplands were once part of the Second Empire, which, in 1E2837, had seized a large portion of it to create the Imperial Province of Black Marsh. Many humans still refer to the region by that name, but the Elves call it Argonia, after some ancient battlefield where many of their ancestors fell |[1]. Thus, the native inhabitants of the swamplands, a collection of beastly tribes of "lizard-men," have become, in common parlance, the Argonians.''

''Argonians are rarely seen outside of their homeland, except for a relatively intelligent strain called the hist. Individuals of this strain are repulsive, but peaceful enough to be tolerated among the human kingdoms, and can be found as far from Black Marsh as western Hammerfell. The rest of the Argonians are primitive, reclusive, and practice heathen rituals of nature worship that necessitates a proximity to a certain type of spore-tree, which grows only in the interior of their native swamplands.''

''Black Marsh never regained its Provincial status after the dissolution of the Second Empire, though some parts of it are still considered Imperial territories. In CE560, the Knahaten Flu spread through greater Argonia, claiming the lives of the Kothringi tribesmen, the only humans to have persisted in the area for long. The hist proved immune to the effects of this plague, leading to wild rumors that they had, in fact, created it through a manipulation of their cherished spore-trees.''

Appearances

 * The Elder Scrolls: Arena
 * The Elder Scrolls Travels: Stormhold