Can the Hist emerge from the Shadows? : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Wed Aug 18, 2010 6:25 pm

An exchange in another thread http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1053148&st=20&start=20 centered on some interesting stuff about the Hist from the Eye of Argonia that gives some indication of the power that the Hist entail. I'm sorta hoping that someone has more to add to this as it seems a useful place to start developing an understanding of that mysterious race:

Hellmouth

There is this little tidbit from his sword meeting:

QUOTE
Vivec lifted his legs to float in the lotus position, his head to the side with the smile vanished and replaced by a dole of remorse without mocking. "I know how you die," he said, "and the trouble your soul will have reaching the far shores of your taken stars because of things you did to the discredit of the Hist, and how their long roots run even into the void tendril-feeling for your final entrance.

...snip...

This post has been edited by Hellmouth: Nov 2 2009, 04:17 PM

Vivec's mention of the Hist is as usual interesting though I do not know to what it refers. Ofc the more interesting Vivec becomes the warier I become but the concept of the reach of the Hist suggests as has been claimed before that either the Hist are not immobile or in ways mysterious their reach is awesome - and that is furhter evidence of the advanced nature of the Hist

Mehrunes Dagon
The Hist are more a metaphysical creature(s) than anything else. After all, the world operates on the mythic level. If these creatures have the power to give intelligence (among other things) to Lizards, in a world where if you do anything significant like that, you need significant amounts of mythical or symbolic clout, then I'm certain they can flex their muscles beyond the great divide.

» Wed Aug 18, 2010 7:07 pm

The Hist are giant trees. They are the only mortal beings not related to Y'ffre, as they are the only mortals not descended from the Enlofey. They can walk in some accounts, because Cities perched on them tend to move around... a lot. Argonians become more or less lizard like depending on how much hist sap they drink, more meaning more lizard like. This might mean hat they are born like any other type of mer, and when very younge told to lick the tree. Hist Sap causes Humans and other Mer to go crazy, and instills a Hercules-type see your friend as your enemy type thing in them. The other known powers of Hist sap include destroying bacteria and viruses, ans well as helping it's user develop gills. They make Argonians Argonias.
The Hist once ruled a continet streatching from where they are now to south of Akavir. This massive empire was desimated by floods, but this would, in theory, make the ocean thee very, very shallow.

Edit: This is the only http://www.uesp.net/wiki/File:Blackwood_Hist_Tree.jpg I could find. It is restrained from moving by varius metal and wooden bars.

» Wed Aug 18, 2010 7:00 pm

Argonians become more or less lizard like depending on how much hist sap they drink, more meaning less lizard like.

Corrected. Although, certain things that you said have made me wonder if Falinesti are a bunch of orphaned hist who adapted to a less swampy forest? Would make some sense given the Bosmer's continued intransience of form.

And the Humans and Elves went crazy because that's what the Hist wanted to happen.

... An interesting quote about Reeh Jah, an escaped Telvanni slave once escorted back to the Argonian mission, by one of the Twin Lamps there:

We will get him back to his people. Soon, by the Root, he will be back among his people, with the sweet smell of the Hist making fire in his veins.

I'll think about the more complicated stuff and give you my two cents a bit later.

» Wed Aug 18, 2010 1:23 pm

The Hist are giant trees. They are the only mortal beings not related to Y'ffre, as they are the only mortals not descended from the Enlofey. They can walk in some accounts, because Cities perched on them tend to move around... a lot. Argonians become more or less lizard like depending on how much hist sap they drink, more meaning more lizard like. This might mean hat they are born like any other type of mer, and when very younge told to lick the tree. Hist Sap causes Humans and other Mer to go crazy, and instills a Hercules-type see your friend as your enemy type thing in them. The other known powers of Hist sap include destroying bacteria and viruses, ans well as helping it's user develop gills. They make Argonians Argonias.
The Hist once ruled a continet streatching from where they are now to south of Akavir. This massive empire was desimated by floods, but this would, in theory, make the ocean thee very, very shallow.

Edit: This is the only http://www.uesp.net/wiki/File:Blackwood_Hist_Tree.jpg I could find. It is restrained from moving by varius metal and wooden bars.

I guess that's the one from the game - but what is a fir tree doing in a swamp? I would expect a Boabab maybe ... and there are loads of other tropical trees. If it were not for all the general agreement here that it's a genuine Hist I would have to conclude that the Blackwood Company were perpetrating a fraud. Plus it does not appear to be exactly a giant. I think I prefer 'the lore' side of it

but thanks for the pic - always useful for commentry that