#tes creatures

[seeks-for-knowledge]

Hist

"When a Hist dies, it de-ages rapidly, and turns into a seed that carries all the memories of the Hist and the Argonians it protected in life. I wish this was not something anyone would ever have the opportunity of witnessing." - Seeks-For-Knowledge

The Hist are their own species of large trees native to the Black Marsh. Their roots reach deep into the heart of Nirn. Some claim the Hist to be an ancient and sentient race, hailing from a realm of their own, but which got destroyed by the war of the Ehlnofey. There are multiple Hist trees, and they communicate with each other through their roots, though it is possible for a Hist to become isolated and unable to communicate with other Hist.

Argonians Argonians, otherwise known as People of the Root, have a deep connection to the Hist. The Hist's sap is said to be the blood, essence and soul of an Argonian. At tthe end of their life, Argonian souls return to the Hist.

Those who live in the Black Marsh incubate their eggs in pools of Hist sap to assist in their hatching ritual. Breaking this early connection can be deadly to the eggs.

Argonians who feel the need for a change in their physical gender can undergo a ceremony that allows the Hist to transform their body to the one they feel connected to. Afterwards, a grand celebration is held for the newly transformed Argonian.

Argonians born outside of Black Marsh cannot hear the Hist, and if an Argonian with a connection to a Hist travels far enough from their Hist, their connection will grow weaker until they travel back to the Hist again.

Communication The Hist can communicate in varying ways, which seem to depend on the individual Hist. This includes ways such as receiving dreams and hearing messages in the wind. Some Argonian tribes of Black Marsh appoint Sap-Speakers, who specialise in communing with the Hist.

The Hist are capable of calling to Argonians en mass, as they once memorably did during the Third Era, when they called Argonians to come to Black Marsh to protect it from the incoming Oblivion Crisis. This defense proved to be exceedingly effective, as the Argonians attacked themselves, going through the Oblivion Gates and fighting with enough ferocity that the Dagon's liutnenants felt the need to close said gates.

Hist Sap Hist Sap is created from the very spirit of the Hist. It is licked by Argonians in religious rites. Licking it allows the Hist to send the Argonian visions and to increase their combat prowess. However, ingesting large amounts of Hist Sap is dangerous, and can lead to sap-poisoning.

If the sap is ingested by non-Argonians, it has powerful hallucinogenic properties that increase their levels of aggression to dangerous levels.

Hist-magic Hist-magic is available to Histmages, Argonians who draw from the power of the Hist to perform magic, which doesn't operate in the same way as commonly used magic, which makes it particularly unpopular among Telvanni mages.

Traveler's advice: If you ever encounter a Hist yourself, be respectful and avoid disturbing it if possible. The Argonians who likely live near the Hist might not appreciate attention towards their Hist, especially if there have been troublemkers on the move lately.

[scamp-on-a-lamp]

I just found out gremlins are a Canon creature in Elder Scrolls and I'm overcome with emotion

Look at them, what a friend

[seeks-for-knowledge]

Bantam Guar

"Out of fatigue, I collapsed near a village and lost my consciousness. When I came to, I was surrounded by Bantam Guars stepping around me, and one had even chosen my chest as a spot for a hearty nap. I decided to stay there for a while, my exhausted soul being healed by the small creatures around me." - Seeks-For-Knowledge

Bantam Guar are small, docile creatures hailing from Morrowind, though variations of Bantam Guar can be encountered in Oblivion as well. Despite being called Bantam Guar, they share no relation to Guar. Instead, they are closer to Cliff Racers and Cliff Darters. Despite this connection, Bantam Guar are unable to fly.

Uses Bantam Guar are kept as pets, having even been named "the cutest creature in all Tamriel" by the Cult of the Ancestor Moth. They are also raised for their eggs and meat, similarly to chicken, to which they are commonly compared to as "ugly chickens."

Variations There exists a myriad of variations between different types of Bantam Guar. The brown-coloured ones are the most common type, but the Bantam Guar from different realms of Oblivion seem to share traits with the planes they hail from: the Deadlands Bantam Guar having a burning inner flame, whereas the Bantam Guar from Coldharbour share the cold colouring of Coldharbour itself.

Traveler's advice: Despite their docile nature and tendency to leasurely step about, if they see the need to, Bantam Guar can run at quite the fast speed. This is one of the reasons why it is important not to test the limits of a Bantam Guar's patience, no matter how harmless and calm they seem.

[seeks-for-knowledge]

Mycoturgy

"My first visits to the Eastern parts of Vvardenfell, where mushroom cities are more common, filled me with awe at the creations, but also frustration, as it seems that mycoturges enjoy showing off just how labyrinthine their creations can be. I was near tempted to start marking my way as I got turned around again, but I suspected my hosts would ill have appreciated that." - Seeks-For-Knowledge

Mycoturgy is a branch of magic, used by mycoturges, fungimancers and shroomtenders, and it is used to control and shape fungi.

Morrowind Typically, only members of House Telvanni become mycoturges, but it is not unheard of for those outside of Telvanni to learn the arts of mycoturgy. The art is most common in Morrowind, but it has its rare few practicioners in other reaches of the world as well.

Creations Mycoturges create both houses and creatures out of mushrooms, and on rarer occasion, also weapons and accessories. Depending on the types of spores used, a mycoturge can change the properties of their creation, such as make them glow or give them a fierce temperament suited for a deadly mushroom.

They are often found practicing their art in Telvanni cities, as Telvanni typically set their residences in mushroom pods and towers created by mycoturges. The creation of a mushroom house takes several days, and the mycoturge is helped by various builders and foremen.

Animals created by mycoturges are called Gloomspore Creatures, and there is a wide variety of them, as the mycoturge in charge of creating them is the one to decide what kind of form they should take. Gloomspore Creatures vary from small pets to larger creations one could use as a mount. The creatures tend to mimic other, already existing animals in looks, as those are easier for the mycoturge to imagine and shape their creations after.

Practicioners Mycoturges often bear detailed mushroom-like markings drawn on both their head and body with ink created from mushrooms. Particularly venered practicioners can also wear mycoturge fascinators, a small cap worn lopsided, which the practicioner makes themselves. If the fascinator lasts for a full season of wear, the practicioner gains recognition as a master of their craft.

Traveler's advice: Mushroom houses tend to be quite durable, and you can treat them as such, but I would still advice caution against reckless use of fire indoors. I fear the Gateway Inn at Sadrith Mora may still bear marks of a misfired spell of mine...

[seeks-for-knowledge]

Netch

"I once came across a large Bull Netch with a fork stuck to its side, it looked painful. I couldn't help but take it out and treat the poor thing. Weirdly enough, the moment I touched the fork, I felt like my energy had been sapped away. Maybe it had a bit of Netch toxin on it?" - Seeks-For-Knowledge

The Netches are large aerial creatures hailing from Morrowind, and are typically docile unless their young are threatened. They stay airborne with the help of their internal sacks, which are filled with magical gases. Their tentacles have thread-like tubes that can deliver toxins to whoever they sting. Despite the danger posed by the venom, Netches are herbivores.

Aggression The male Netches are called bulls, and female ones are called betties. While Netches are docile by nature, if you see a youngling in distress, it is best not to approach if you know the adult ones are nearby. The younglings secrete a pheromone when they feel threatened, and that pheromone makes the bulls ready to attack whatever posed danger to their younglings. Despite having no venom, the smaller betty Netches are not to be underestimated either, as they tend to be more aggressive than the bulls, especially when they feel their territory is being threatened or it is the breeding season.

Typically in the wild a betty Netch has a harem of five bull Netches, but domesticated Netch are kept at a one-to-one ratio of betty to bull Netches to lessen their aggression and for faster breeding.

Uses Netches are commonly kept by netchimen for their powdery, velvety leather, from which the venom of a Netch can still be felt as it causes a tingling sensation if touched. Netch leather is used for armour, which is said to make the wearer feel exhilarated, despite the tingling sensation - or perhaps because of it. Netch leather armour is more flexible than many other candidates, but it requires oiling and treating it with dreugh wax weekly to stay in prime condition.

Netchimen do not collect Netch meat, as it is poisonous, and therefore not fit for consumption. However, the carcasses of Netches secrete jelly used as an alchemical ingredient for containing toxin that paralyses the nervous system.

Traveler's advice: I was overtaken by want to pet one of the Netches as I came upon a herd. The netchiman told me to go for it, but forgot to mention the need for gloves. My entire palm went numb for hours, and then started tingling like never before. Proper gear is necessary for handling the Netches, if one feels the need to.

[seeks-for-knowledge]

Nix-Hounds

"My hosts were as welcoming as they could have been, but when someone nicked their finger by accident, they had to confine their pet Nixie into the shed overnight for everyone's safety. Cute fellow otherwise." - Seeks-For-Knowledge

Nix-Hounds are insectoid quadrupedal creatures native to Morrowind. They're a common sight on the road, and are often kept as pets. Their distinctive trait is their long proboscis, which they use to drain their prey of bodily fluids. Their saliva is corrosive, and if it comes in contact with skin, it might from a permanent bond with it. Nix-Hounds travel in packs, and an attack from a pack of fully grown Nix-Hounds can be dangerous. As pets, they are known to be affectionate, attentive and faithful to their owners, and are employed as trackers, watch hounds and war dogs.

Eating habits When a Nix-Hound emerges from its chrysalis, they emerge hungry, and can drain at least four similarly sized creatures per day. They feed on creatures such as baby guars, goats, kwama pupae and ash hoppers, but they might also show interest in draining small children and pets as well, so if you do have a Nix-Hound pet, you should keep a close eye on them, especially when they're young and curious.

Grooming Nix-Hounds are very clean creatures, which is a relief for pet owners. A Nix-Hound tends to spend hours cleaning itself, scraping and polishing its facial chitin and antennae with its nimble pedipalps. However, they aren't flexible enough to easily clean their abdomen and thorax. For a pet owner, it is recommended to clean their nix-hound with an oiled rag once every two weeks. Before this procedure, it is in the owner's best interests to make sure they know where a nix-hound's sensory seta and abdominal glands are, as Nix-Hounds have been known to turn aggressive if touched in the wrong place. If this does happen, giving the nix-hound a few days and a dozen buckets of meat-fluid should calm it down again.

Current state They hail from the isle of Morrowind, but since the Red Year gave a strong incentive to migrate, they have become common in Solstheim.

Traveler's advice: If you travel in the wilderness of Morrowind and hear a noise similar to a frustrated grown man uttering "augh," it is a wounded Nix-Hound. I recommend staying away, as its possible pack is likely not far.

[seeks-for-knowledge]

Silt Striders

"Gorgeous creatures with beautiful voices that reverberate long into the night. If I could take one as a travel companion, I would." - Seeks-For-Knowledge

Silt Striders are giant arthropods somewhat resembling fleas. They reside on the island of Vvardenfell. They can be encountered in the wild by themselves, but more commonly they are seen in use as means of transport from city to city and by the Ashlanders, though the ones that travel between cities seem to be much larger in size. The ones favoured by the Ashlander tribes are named Silt Hoppers.

Silt Strider caravaners The Silt Strider caravaners saw that the tough carapace of Silt Striders was ill-suited for passengers, and so have taken to hollowing out a large compartment on their back, where the passengers will be seated, and where the caravaner gives the Silt Strider orders by manipulating its exposed organs and tissues.

Current state They are resilient souls, but many of them died during the Red Year, which destroyed their native habitats. Not all of them are gone, but they aren't as numerous as they used to be.

Traveler's advice: If you are in Morrowind and come upon a Silt Strider caravaner, make sure not to anger them, or you might notice your fare has risen significantly in price.

[seeks-for-knowledge]

Cliff Racers

"I once saw someone wearing the shiniest boots and running like the wind itself, chased down by a veritable swarm of Cliff Racers. They yelled something about not being able to see and for everyone to get out of the way. Not that anyone would have heard that over the screeching of the Cliff Racers." - Seeks-For-Knowledge

Cliff Racers are large flying creatures native to Morrowind, close relatives to the gliding Cliff Striders and the bird-like Cliff Darters. They have a large vertical sail along their spine, which helps them with flying. They tend to be aggressive, and have sharp vision, so travelers in Morrowind should keep an eye on the skies for these creatures.

History Cliff Racers are theorised to descend from Bat Lizards, the leathery winged creatures from Gorne - an island on Morrowind's eastern coast - who could grow up to the size of a ship. It is also possible that they share ancestry with the Hackwings, which are lizard-like flying creatures from Black March. Another theory suggests that Cliff Racers migrated to Vvardenfell, and with their large numbers drove out the dragons, though that feat some claim to belong to Skylamps - flying gas bag-like creatures with spears for feet - instead.

In the Second Era, Cliff Striders were bred by an enthusiast named Thetys Ramarys to enhance their wing strength in the hopes that they would one day be able to fly. Considering the flying ability and aggression of Cliff Racers of the later Eras, it would seem this breeding program was successful. In contrast, the Cliff Racers of the Second Era were smaller and quite docile.

Uses Cliff Racers plumes are used in various household goods, such as pillow stuffings. They are also used as decorations. This seems to be common in both Vvardenfell and the Empire.

Current state In the Third Era, Saint Jiub - who rose to sainthood for this very deed - eradicated the Cliff Racers from Vvardenfell, hunting for them from atop a Silt Strider.

Traveler's advice: Cliff Racers are persistent creatures. Hiding away inside a house or a convenient cave doesn't seem to be enough to discourage them from laying in ambush outside it, waiting for their prey to come back into view. If you come across a Cliff Racer, either be more persistent than it in running away, or use the opportunity to practice your markmanship.