Lore:Bright-Throat Tribe

The Bright-Throat Tribe (Wasseek-haleel in Jel) is a tribe of coastal Argonians native to Murkmire. The tribe is influential in the region, and brokers alliances with their neighbors through a complex system of bonding rituals.  They live in Bright-Throat Village, where their Hist tree is located.  The Tribe is mainly made out of artisans and its members are also known to have a preternatural talent for the arts of merchants, diplomats and woodcarvers. 

They are hospitable to all, even outsiders.  Their scales are brightly colored.  

History
A Bright-Throat root-herald by the name of Xukas was instrumental in recovering the Remnant of Argon, guiding a group of outsiders and the Rootmender through the dangers of the swamps and saving them several times.  With the aid of Cyrodilic Collections, a Naga-Kur kaal, and the aforementioned root-herald, the Rootmender awakened the dreaming Hist and restored the Root-Whisper Tribe. 

Society
thumb|right|The Bright-Throat Tribe celebrating after a bonding ritual
The Argonians of Murkmire, including the Bright-Throats, are known to treat each other as egg-brothers and egg-sisters in a fraternity of inter-tribal relations that can be considered bizarre by outsiders. The Bright-Throats are exceptionally forgiving; they still bond with the Root-House People, despite their village being burned down by the Root-House Tribe at one point.  They are known to work alongside other tribes, and they rely on their neighbors (such as the Black-Tongue Tribe) in order to put a stop to forces that would disrupt honest trade.  The Bright-Throats do not deal with the Veeskhleel.  The Bright-Throats are negotiators, not warriors.  They value hospitality, and serve nuts to visitors using painted, white clay bowls.  The tribe seals correspondence with non-Argonian allies using a specialized stamp. 

One of the most important and sacred traditions of the Bright-Throat Tribe are their bonding rituals, which are a beautiful and lively affair. The Bright-Throats invite suitors from neighboring tribes to participate in their bonding ceremony, welcoming them with feasts and phlegmwine. The Black-Tongues, the Moss-Skins, and the Root-House People commonly send suitors to bond with the Bright-Throats, being long-time allies of the tribe.  Participants are paired with a bonding partner, and a ceremony is held to celebrate the couples, the tribe's renewal, and the bonds of blood and kinship between the participating tribes. After the festivities, the couples retire to their nuptial huts and begin the process of bonding, wherein they procreate.  The Bright-Throat bonding ceremony is more than a mere display, it is a renewal of the tribe's vows with their neighbors. Canceling a bonding ceremony abruptly would give the other tribes cause to call the Bright-Throats' commitment to their allies into question. 

thumb|left|A Bright-Throat Fisherman
The Bright-Throats enjoy writing riddles, and are renowned for their xeech'kis, or seed dolls, which are highly sought after, both as protective talismans and works of native art. These trinkets vary in size: they can be as large as an Orc's fist, or as small as a grain of saltrice.  To create these cherished crafts, Bright-Throat artisans take a seed from a tree, nurture it to enormous size, and allow it to sprout its roots. With great care, the roots are pared repeatedly until a shape is formed.  Young Bright-Throats are provided budding seeds to practice the art of carving xeech'kis.  They sometimes carve tiny eggs and Argonian figures, but xeech'kis almost always depict local animals, such as the turtle. To the Bright-Throats, the turtle is a powerful, unruly totem;  the turtle observes both the very old and new with perfect clarity. 

One position members of the Bright-Throat Tribe can assume is that of the root-herald, who works to protect the tribe's interests. While some tribesmen hunt for wamasu, the root-herald hunts for information and fruitful relationships.  They foster relationships that benefit their tribe, such as negotiating trade agreements.  They also gather information from townsfolk and associates, such as stories and rumors from outside the tribe. Some outsiders may liken their behavior to that of a spy, but such a concept is foreign to the Saxhleel. A root-herald cannot serve their tribe without gathering stories and rumors. Their purpose lies not in subterfuge or espionage. Rather, the root-herald's purpose is closer to that of an ambassador, or someone who brings in news to the tribe from the outside world. 

The Bright-Throat Tribe is also fond of windchimes. They craft head chimes using small pieces of bone, stones and metal that are hung from an Argonian's head ridges, so the chimes can clink and jangle as they walk.  Their own Hist tree speaks through the wind: its words rustle through the boughs, and the chimes sing its counsel. They hang their chimes in a glade just north of the village.  When they want to hear the Hist's counsel on a specific matter, they hang a specific chime on the boughs of the Listening-Tree, clutch a prayer-stone, and focus. If their cause is just, the Hist will answer. The tribe has chime-makers, who do exactly what the name implies: they make wind chimes. When looking for a successor, chime-makers tend to look for individuals who know how to listen to the chimes. For instance, a hatchling who plants themselves beneath the Listening-Tree and stares up into its boughs for hours to listen to the chimes may grow to be a promising candidate. 

Gallery
 

See Also
For game-specific information, see the ESO article.

Notes
Some believe that the Bright-Throats evolved from the Lilmoth Ancestor Lizard, lizard whose scales bear striking scarlet hues. The tribe remains silent on these claims. 
The consumption of dried marshweed is popular among Bright-Throat elders. 
Their anglers wear special scarves which they hang fishing hooks upon for easier access. The practice has since spread beyond the village.  They also use waterproof worm caddies to carry their fishing bait. 

References