Black Marsh Black Marsh , also known as Argonia and the Garbage Heap of Tamriel , is one of the nine provinces of Tamriel . It is the home of the Argonian s , the reptilian natives of this swampland rainforest . The province is filled with " great inland waterways and impenetrable swamps . " The Dunmer of neighboring Morrowind used to enter the region for slaves , particularly House Telvanni . Some time after the Nerevarine left Morrowind , slavery was outlawed . Topal the Pilot is known to have referred to the land as the " fetid , evil swamp lands and their human lizards . " Government . There are several possibilities that could be the ruling body on Black Marsh . One of possibilities is the An - Xileel who seemed to be in charge of Black Marsh after the Oblivion Crisis . Possibly a political faction in Black Marsh that was part of the invasion of Morrowind . Since there are references to the Argonian King and an Argonian Royal Court , this might be the central governing body . Another possibility is that the Hist are in control of the government in some way , or at least have an influence in it . Otherwise , its role is unknown . Military . The An - Xileel may be a military faction in Black Marsh . Shadowscale s are Argonians , born under the sign of The Shadow in Black Marsh . They are trained from childhood in the art of stealth and combat . Shadowscales serve their country as assassins . They have historically been used by the King of Argonia as a means to end conflicts and wars without major bloodshed . While it was under Imperial rule , Black Marsh was under the protection of the Imperial Legion . The Legion works for the Imperial government , with support from the Emperor . In peacetime , the legionnaires serve as guards ; in war , they have been used as an invasion force . In battle , the Imperial Legion is a feared and unstoppable force . Their huge numbers and strict discipline cause even the most battle - hardened army to question their tactics . With wide ranks of hundreds of disciplined soldiers , the Imperial Legion is a force not to be trifled with . However , the thick forests and dangerous swamps of the province typically stave off any invasion attempt . In addition , the Argonians natural adaptiveness to their homeland has caused many invasion attempts to fail . History . First Era . Little is known about what occurred in Argonia , nor 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 unsuccessful battles 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 now called Blackrose , and took his head for the Empress . The Argonians were defeated by the Reman Empire in 1E 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 known about Argonian history in the Second Era . The only known recorded event occurred in 2E 560 , when the Argonians responded against their tyrannical oppressors with the Knahaten Flu . Whether the terrible Knahaten 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 Black Marsh . This is also where the Arnesian War uprising ( which took place during the Imperial Simulacrum ) , saw the Argonians exact 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 . Oblivion Crisis . In the Oblivion Crisis the Argonians were ready for the Daedra invaders thanks to the Hist . The An - Xileel led them and they successfully drove back the Daedra , following them back into the Oblivion Gates . Afterwards , Argonia seceded from the Empire , making Black Marsh into an independent province . Fourth Era . In the aftermath of the Red Year ( 4E 5 ) the Argonians invaded Morrowind and put much of the southern Morrowind in An - Xileel control . They were only driven back by House Redoran after devastating much of the South including the former capital of Morrowind , Mournhold . They appear to be neutral to the ongoing hostilities between the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion . Geography . The name " Black Marsh " was given to the portion of Argonia that was conquered by the Second Empire in the First Era , even though Argonia had included the southern lands of Morrowind . Like Morrowind , it was " " never successfully invaded , but instead , peacefully incorporated . " " The majority of this province is a swampy marshland , with the southern half resembling a network of small islands , broken up by intersecting rivers . Little is known about the actual size of Argonia , except that Lilmolith is located fifteen miles from the Topal Bay . The province of Black Marsh encompasses the south - easternmost lands of the continent . Black Marsh is also subjected to a unique type of rain sometimes referred to by the region ' s inhabitants as " Hist Piss . " Often accompanied by heavy thunder and fog , it has been described as " an inferno of foul - smelling , yellow - brown rain . " Major cities of Black Marsh . Archon . 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 Shadowscale s 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 . 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 Cyrodiil . 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 . Lilmoth . Lilmoth is the most southern city in Black Marsh and has been described as the " festering jewel " of 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 Ayleid s , and it is located in the northern part of Argonia . Thorn . Thorn is a city in Black Marsh close to the Border of Morrowind . It is the most north - easterly city in Black Marsh . Economy . Black Marsh continues to be a " backward " land economically by Imperial standards . Most of the agriculture is grown by subsistence farmers , though recently more has been shipped abroad . The trade however is not very successful as the produce normally arrives to the Cyrodiil markets rotten , for it takes a tremendously long time for the goods to get to the market . Enormous investments attempting to improve the trade routes of Black Marsh have yielded very little success . Lord Xellicles Pinos - Revina , a wealthy trader , was the first to invest . At that time , it took three weeks for the rice and root he was importing to arrive , half - rotten , in the Imperial Province . Now , decades later and despite millions of gold invested , the time to get to market has increased . It now takes two and a half months for goods , now thoroughly rotten , to arrive . Native inhabitants . Argonian s . The Argonians are a race of reptilian people and the most famous of Black Marshes natives . 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 them their ability to breathe underwater , which has proven to be an advantage in combat with other races , especially in the swamps of Black Marsh . Argonians are trained in guerilla warfare and are known to drown their enemies by dragging them to the water and holding them under . Soldiers walking alongside rivers or traveling by barge are targets for Argonians lurking below . Naga . A tall , black - scaled , puff adder - like sub - race of Argonian , the Naga are typically labelled violent thugs and drug smugglers , and they almost never leave Black Marsh , rarely coming into contact with non - Argonians . Hist . The Hist are thought to share a mind or have a hive mind ability . Though they share a mind , it is possible for one to " go rogue " and " escape itself . " In such instances , the Hist purge the rogue tree . This last happened to a tree in Lilmoth over 300 years ago . The current Lilmoth Hist grows from part of its root . The Hist possesses hallucinogenic properties when used by non - Argonian species , causing them to perceive civilians and actual enemies alike as hostile to them . Only Argonians may ingest the Hist sap to feel its full effects without negative reaction . The Hist also seem to have the ability to communicate telepathically with people who ingest their tree sap . Lilmothiit . The Limothiit are a mysterious , long - unseen beast race that are thought to be extinct . Their fate is unknown , and the only information on them is stated in the Pocket Guide to the Empire . Like the Khajiit and Argonian s , they are humanoid in form , and vulpine in appearance . Religion . Little information is known about 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 Argonians , 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 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 . It also should be noted that the Hist and Argonians acknowledge Sithis as their master . Along with worship of the Hist the Argonians , believe that the 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 under the art of stealth and assassination . Therefore , one day , that Argonian can earn the rank of Shadowscale who serve Argonia as spies and assassins . Culture . Very little is known about the Argonian culture as of the Fourth Era . The difficult terrain within the Black Marsh , coupled with the apparent isolationist policies of the Argonians , renders this largely a mystery . It is known that great emphasis is placed upon the Hist , the strange trees that are abundant in the Marsh . Even what little is known about the Hist is the subject of much rumor and speculation . It is believed that the Argonians are somehow co - dependent upon the trees , and that the Hist forms some sort of hive - mind . Marital customs among the Argonians is one of the few widely - known aspects of Argonian life . Unlike the citizens of Skyrim who prefer to marry using an Amulet of Mara , some Argonians adhere to their native marriage traditions . In Black Marsh , it is customary to present a lover with an Argonian Wedding Band , which is crafted by the courting member . Each ring is unique and has personal meaning to the creator and the recipient . The actual ceremony of marriage is very long and complex , and involves unique rituals , spoken in the native language of the Argonians . Argonian culture in Black Marsh is not fully understood . Some evidence suggests that , like the Khajiit , the Argonian lifestyle is tribal . However , considering references to the Royal court of Argonia and the existence of the Shadowscales , the presence of some form of organized Argonian government is indeed possible . In the Merethic Era , Argonians built stone stepped pyramids called Xanmeers . The artistic carvings adorned on the ancient xanmeers depict reptilian heads , stylized with right angles . Many present day Argonian settlements are built on the site of Xanmeers , utilising the structures as palaces and plazas . Demographics . In addition to the reptilian Argonians , who are today Black Marsh ' s most visible denizen , there were once tribes of men , the Kothringi , Orma , Yespest , Horwalli — and tribes of mer — the Barsaebic Ayleid s and the Cantemiric Velothi — and even a tribe who may have been related to the Khajiit of Elsweyr , the vulpine Lilmothiit , living in Black Marsh . Some were sent to the province as refugees or prisoners , other settled along the coastal waterways and adapted to its strange and usually insalubrious environment . These are thought to have died out due to the Knahaten Flu . There is also a breed of Argonian called the Naga . They generally lived in the inner swamps of Black Marsh and had very little contact with the Imperials and other races that were not native to Black Marsh .