This is something that has bothered me ever since I joined these forums and learned that Argonians were so popular. Do you take your Argonian character seriously? And by that I mean, do you roleplay? Do you roleplay as an Argonian? Do you pay attention to the Argonian lore (and by Argonian lore, I don't mean the whole Red Year stuff. I mean things like the Hist, the things that will help you learn what it means to be a Saxhleel--speaking of which, do you know what a Saxhleel is?) Do you choose lore-appropriate Argonian names, or do you just go with something like Bob the Lizard? Or perhaps Fights-With-Dragons?

I ask this because, in a game series that has been so geared toward roleplaying in a realistic world, I find it highly unusual that the race that is most unlike every other race in the game, and by far the least relateable to humans such as ourselves, is somehow the most popular among the fans.

Why?

I know some of you play Argonians specifically because they're so unique and unusual. Some of you want the most fantastical thing you can play as. Some of you just think they look the coolest. But do you guys take your character seriously? Do you really care about roleplaying and lore when you pick an Argonian? Or are you just picking a cool race to play as in this video game series?

Woah there with the question marks! my dignified friend, give me a moment to answer.


Do you roleplay? yes

Do you roleplay as an argonian? yes

Do you pay attention to the argonian lore? yes, quite well in-fact. Any argonian lore intrigues me

Do you know what a saxheel is? 'a saxheel' would be a person of the root, which in other words is an argonian

Do you choose lore-appropriate argonian names? yes, I usually take a name from an argonian mentioned in books or past games, like Teinaava


Why? well I play as an argonian for their mystery, their natural bondships with those of their own race and yes I do take my character seriously.
He's honourable, deceiving for the betterment of his fellows and naturally alien to nord concepts. It's hard to manage but is much fun at times.

Now Velorien forgive me if I am wrong but it appears you show angst or bitterness to this old argonian following. If so, why?

Did I ruin it by naming my character Lee-Zard?

Yes. The fact that they are more like animals and less like humans doesn't mean anything in a fantasy game. I really enjoy roleplaying in this game, I don't do it with all my characters, but I already did with two of my first three characters, one Argonian and one Altmer. Argonians are not that difficult to impersonate because they are very distinct and their culture is so special compared to the others.

It just means he has a sense of humor as how the world percieves him. At least NPCs will refer to him by name!

I name my Argonian character from TES III-V, Clyde BLUESNAKE(Is this a good name?). However, wasn't thinking of doing that on TES I and II, I just name him Clyde. But hey, Clyde is a good name to use for a Argonian(well for me and its my middle name), I read at wiki that the Clyde name came from a river from Scotland called River Clyde.(May be wrong about this).

Anyway, enough of my name, I just end by saying that I kinda do take my Argonian character seriously, heck I played as a Argonian on all five Elder Scrolls.

Most of my TES characters are Argonians, I love this race since Morrowind for all the reasons available: lore, looks, racials. Playing as one feels right for someone who pretends living in the game. It's as weird as being Dunmer, Orc or whatever. It's satisfying.

It's not angst or bitterness, it's just a lack of understanding. Depending on how the majority of Argonian players feel about their characters, that gives me a good insight on how a huge portion of the community views the Elder Scrolls series.

I would put it in this way; after a few google searches a long time ago, Morrowind and Wizardry 8 is pretty much some of the few RPGs that I can play as a lizard folk that I can create a customized character with that isn't autoset on "evil" or just a human with scale skin. There is always the human/human-like/elves only choices that thrive in the RPG genre and something different like an Argonian or Khajiit is what attracted me to the TES Series in the first and its usually this that set themselves apart from other RPGs that I am aware of.

How interesting and increasing for realism, perhaps I as well shall make a comic argonian named "Lee-Zard."