The Argonian Native Language

[Deeza]

That's basically what the Eye is going to be.

The idea is, when you first get it, the thing is inactive. You have to do some pretty nasty quests in the deep marsh to turn it on. There are four Codices in it that come alive when you've met all the criteria, for each of the four Hist races. So for each mission you get to talk to Native Argonians, Paatru, Naga or Sarpa. (The Paatru croak, Naga hiss and the Sarpa make screeching noises).

Perhaps there will also be a fifth one that lets you communicate with the Hist, but that would probably only be involved in the main quest.

I was thinking of tying this in with an idea of mine I had a while back - there are 5 Stations of the Eye scattered around Black Marsh, which the Argonian Priest-Kings used to have to go on a pilgrimage to before they could be crowned. The only one in the beta region is that glowing geode that KP just finished.

(The others are going to be a deep well in a Lilmothlit crypt below Blackrose city, a mountain filled with a maze of tunnels called Shatterstone just outside Lilmoth city, the central shrine of a Dunmer monastery in Arnesia, and Helstrom itself).

The plan is, you take the Eye to each location, a portal opens up to the Hist dimension, where you have to perform a task. Completing each one gives you the ability to understand one Hist Race.

[jucklesjenk]

A little complex, but now that I understand it - I like it! It's very interesting, and the idea of the Eye of Argonia being the means to understand the natives and the Hist is quite original and a good quest idea.

[Xae]

This sounds like an introductory quest to the entire mod. A secretly contrived journey of showing the player some of the highlights of the mod.

[Koniption]

Originally posted by Deeza
That's basically what the Eye is going to be.

The idea is, when you first get it, the thing is inactive. You have to do some pretty nasty quests in the deep marsh to turn it on. There are four Codices in it that come alive when you've met all the criteria, for each of the four Hist races. So for each mission you get to talk to Native Argonians, Paatru, Naga or Sarpa. (The Paatru croak, Naga hiss and the Sarpa make screeching noises).

Perhaps there will also be a fifth one that lets you communicate with the Hist, but that would probably only be involved in the main quest.

I was thinking of tying this in with an idea of mine I had a while back - there are 5 Stations of the Eye scattered around Black Marsh, which the Argonian Priest-Kings used to have to go on a pilgrimage to before they could be crowned. The only one in the beta region is that glowing geode that KP just finished.

(The others are going to be a deep well in a Lilmothlit crypt below Blackrose city, a mountain filled with a maze of tunnels called Shatterstone just outside Lilmoth city, the central shrine of a Dunmer monastery in Arnesia, and Helstrom itself).

The plan is, you take the Eye to each location, a portal opens up to the Hist dimension, where you have to perform a task. Completing each one gives you the ability to understand one Hist Race.

Hey guys,

I just had a novel idea for what the Eye of Argonia should look like (mostly):

I took my inspiration from that evil eye in Lord of the Rings that is constantly trying to "search" for Frodo. It's that eye that blazes a top that tower (in Mordor, I think..). I also remembered a passage in the Christian Bible, where a group of people had a "flame" appear on the top of their head and they could then understand each other's different languages (the "Flame of Tongues", is what I think it was called).

My idea is that the Eye of Argonia looks something like this:

The main core of the Eye, that is present whether the 4 to 5 codices are gathered or not gathered, might look like two flame meshes of vanilla Oblivion's (that are animated flames), with one flame mesh turned upside down and aligned with bottom part of the topmost flame, so that it looks like a oval-ish flame - or sort of eye shaped, like the Argonian's slits. But then I could make a "jewelized" version of the Argonian race's lizardly eye, and place it in the center of those two flames. The two flames with the jewel eye could be inset into a hollow oval-ish rock of some sort, that is inventory sized. I may even be able to make it into an amulet, if wanted.

As for the 4 to 5 codices pieces, how should those be implemented into this idea of mine? Should they be 4 or 5 differently colored gems or jewels that are then placed into the rock of the Eye? Or should they be pieces that magically orbit around the Eye as each are gathered? Do you all have any ideas on this matter? If you don't like my idea, don't hesitate to tell me that , too.

Koniption

[jucklesjenk]

Whoa! That orbiting idea sounds cool! Me likey! :yes: :yes: :yes:

[Ibsen's Ghost]

I'm liking the "Flame of Tongues" idea a lot. For more info on codices, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_codices . There are other codices of South American and Mesopotamian origin but the idea of having a 'Codex Alexius', as detailed in the Constantinian Order might well be a way in towards learning about the grander scheme of things. Codices 'as eyes' or 'as magical objects' seems a fitting incarnation for something that originated as an exclusive, and perhaps sacred, publication. The idea might follow of it being 'forbidden knowledge' and thereby inherit a lot of interesting ideas along the way.

Of course, Deeza and I have already developed our ideas on the main quest, especially those regarding the Sarpa, and these might well form a kind of mid-section to that quest. With separate episodes concerning themselves with the main races, we might well open the door to some cool lore here...and it's not even a case of 'finding object x' but actually just exploring the lore which makes it less silly-gameplot-ish, even though I'm still sceptical of using a number as a means of counting down the main quest objectives. I loathe having to 'find the golden quagromoogle of Narthrok' and such guff.

[Deeza]

I'm sympathetic to the points you raise, Ibsen.

Rather than have an outbreak of "round the houses" syndrome over this item, I was thinking that maybe just the Argonian language would actually be essential for the main quest. The rest would be there if you looked for it, hinted at in the books and so on, but it would need a bit of extra thought and effort on the player's part to get to.

I love the idea of the little orbiting bits!

[Koniption]

Originally posted by Ibsen's Ghost
I'm liking the "Flame of Tongues" idea a lot. For more info on codices, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_codices . There are other codices of South American and Mesopotamian origin but the idea of having a 'Codex Alexius', as detailed in the Constantinian Order might well be a way in towards learning about the grander scheme of things. Codices 'as eyes' or 'as magical objects' seems a fitting incarnation for something that originated as an exclusive, and perhaps sacred, publication. The idea might follow of it being 'forbidden knowledge' and thereby inherit a lot of interesting ideas along the way.

Of course, Deeza and I have already developed our ideas on the main quest, especially those regarding the Sarpa, and these might well form a kind of mid-section to that quest. With separate episodes concerning themselves with the main races, we might well open the door to some cool lore here...and it's not even a case of 'finding object x' but actually just exploring the lore which makes it less silly-gameplot-ish, even though I'm still sceptical of using a number as a means of counting down the main quest objectives. I loathe having to 'find the golden quagromoogle of Narthrok' and such guff.

So do you want me to go ahead and try to make this Eye of Argonia, the way I envisioned it? What should the 4 to 5 codex pieces look like, though? I don't want them to look like eyes of the various Hist races, because we haven't exactly nailed down what the eyes of the different races would look like yet (like Paatru and some others). I still think the one eye in the middle of the flames should be made though. Can I make the codex pieces jewel spheres, each a different color for the different races? If so, what colors do you want to represent the 4 or 5 different races? I think what I'll do, is make 4 or 5 spherical hollows in the rock part of the Eye of Argonia, and as each codex is found, the Eye of Argonia model animates to show that codex piece nestled in its hollow. You can PM the details if you want, or specific instructions, especially if you and Deeza's quest ideas for this relic are to be kept secretive for now.

Koniption

[Deeza]

I say go for it, absolutely! Your idea is exactly what I was hoping for. We can discuss the quest and story elements of it later, what's important is getting it made.

The hollows in the central section sound fine. As for colours, I'm wondering....

Red = Argonians
Yellow = Paatru
Blue = Sarpa
Green = Naga
Black (should be a fair bit larger than the rest) = Hist

[Koniption]

Originally posted by Deeza
I say go for it, absolutely! Your idea is exactly what I was hoping for. We can discuss the quest and story elements of it later, what's important is getting it made.

The hollows in the central section sound fine. As for colours, I'm wondering....

Red = Argonians
Yellow = Paatru
Blue = Sarpa
Green = Naga
Black (should be a fair bit larger than the rest) = Hist

Sphere colors have been duly noted. I will start to make the Eye in about two days, though. I need a breather from modding work, tbh.

Koniption