Guar (/ɡwɑːr/)[1] are large bipedal omnivorous reptilians native to Morrowind and Black Marsh.[2] They are the primary domesticated herd animal of these provinces, and are not usually aggressive. Characterized by their endurance and intelligence, guar are used mostly as pack animals and beasts of burden, although certain breeds are used as mounts. Although usually associated with the Dunmer, guar have a special relationship with Argonians and the Dunmer traditionally employ Saxhleel slaves as guar-herds and handlers. A young guar is called a calf or guarling.[3]
The guar is related to the alit, kagouti, and wormmouth, and some scholars argue that the guar is a distant cousin of the Argonian.[2] Argonian historians have speculated that guar were originally native to Black Marsh, and were introduced to Morrowind by Dunmer slavers.[4] However, other sources claim that Morrowind's unique fauna developed in geographic isolation from the rest of Tamriel.[5]
Despite the name, bantam guar are actually a member of the scuttler family, more closely related to cliff racers than guar. Domesticated guar are regularly seen outside their native lands, and have been imported into Cyrodiil as beasts of burden for hundreds of years.[6] Guar are often raised or hunted for their hide, eggs, and meat. Wild guar are usually docile, but may become aggressive and attack travelers. Domesticated guar that are used to carry cargo are known as pack guar.
Guars provide milk,[1][7][8] meat, leather, and transport for Vvardenfell's settled Velothi ranchers and Ashland nomads. In its natural state, the aggressive and territorial wild guar is hunted for meat and hides.[1]
Tiber Septim apparently developed a particular fondness for guar during one of his various tours of Morrowind. Septim struggled with the Dunmer language, and so instead took to calling them "tigers"—another animal he was fond of from the storybooks of his youth. Many Imperial Legionnaires and even Dres slavers still refer to their cattle guar as tigers in honor of this.[UOL 1]
BreedsEdit
Guar come in many different breeds, listed below:
Albino GuarEdit
Albino Guar, also called White Guar,[9] are a rare type of guar. They often feature in Ashlander prophecies, and bezoars taken from their stomachs can be used in rituals.[10]
Banded Guar ChargerEdit
The Banded Guar Charger is a breed of striped guar used as a war mount. They are related to the feral tiger guar.[2]
Common Vvardenfell GuarEdit
The Common Vvardenfell Guar is the most common breed of guar. Despite the name, the breed is not limited to the island of Vvardenfell.
Deadlands GuarEdit
The Deadlands Guar is a breed of Guar said to have been born and shaped in the Deadlands. They have a blazing orange hide that reflects their origin and temperament.[11]
Freckled GuarEdit
Freckled Guar are considered to be the most intelligent breed of guar. They can be taught to come when called, and some can even be house-trained. As such, they're regularly kept as pets in Deshaan.[12]
Frostbane GuarEdit
Frostbane Guar is a strange breed of guar found in Skyrim. It has a shaggy white coat, adorned with symbolic hair-knots and hide strips meant to protect it from the frigid climate. The practice of adorning mounts with these dangling "Frostbane talismans" is an Atmoran tradition dating back to Ysgramor's arrival in Skyrim. The ancient Nords worshipped totem animals as gods, and Frostbane talismans continue to be used into modern times. Since the guar is native to warmer climates, the existence of Frostbane Guar suggest that these wards do in fact protect against the cold.
The Frostbane Pony Guar is a smaller breed which has long been popular among the more traditional aristocracy of Riften, who enjoy dressing them in Frostbane garb and keeping them as pets.
Glowgill GuarEdit
The Glowgill Guar (also called the Lambent Guar)[13] is an exotic breed of guar that is distinguished by its glowing eyes and stripes. They trace their origins to a coastal Argonian tribe near Archon, where they have dark navy skin and bright blue eyes, and bioluminescent stripes. Rumors suggest that they can breathe underwater, but it's unknown if they can.[14] The glowgill guar from Gideon[15] and Murkmire[16] are distinguished by their golden colors, hence why they are called the Ambergill Guar and not just the Golden Glowgill Guar.[15] Locals that live in Black Marsh's swamps believe that nature's energy feeds the guar's light, but scholars believe that the light is only an alchemical reaction.[16] Tattoo artists in Murkmire siphon the guar's blood to create glowing yellow skin markings and say that the blessing of the land keeps them lit.[13]
Golden Eye GuarEdit
Golden Eye Guar (or "golden-eyes") are a breed of guar used as a mount. It is a cross between a Banded Guar Charger and a wild guar, known for its difficulty to control and its distinctive golden eyes. Despite the difficulty involved in training one, Golden Eyes are fearsome, loyal, and intelligent.[12]
Green Narsis GuarEdit
The Green Narsis Guar is a robust breed, used as the standard mount and dray-beast of central Morrowind.[17] It's named after the city of Narsis.
Hist GuarEdit
The Hist Guar, known in Black Marsh as Scales-Seem-Daubed-with-Hist-Sap, is a subspecies of guar which appears as if it has splotches of glowing Hist Sap splattered across its green skin. It is unknown if the breed actually has any connection to the Hist or to amber plasm. The Hist Guar is used as a mount, and is the only subspecies known to enjoy music.[12]
Hollowjack Rider GuarEdit
Hollowjack Rider Guar are a mysterious breed usually only sighted on the night of the Witches Festival. These sightings are the result of Jaque o' the Hollow, a malevolent Rivenspire spirit that curses riders all across Tamriel to ride headless through the night. Guar riders stricken by this curse can be sighted riding headless atop jet black guar mounts with red eyes. Hollowjack Rider Guar appear to be native to the realm of Detritus and can be summoned from that realm.[12]
Pale Velothi GuarEdit
The Pale Velothi Guar is a breed that hails from the ashlands downwind of the volcanic Velothi Mountains. They are used as mounts, and are renowned as hardy creatures capable of enduring especially harsh conditions.[12]
Pony GuarEdit
Pony Guar are a smaller species of guar that are rarely exported since they lack the physical strength of their larger cousins. Not well known outside of southern Morrowind, pony guar are usually bred as a curiosity, although some are raised for their meat and skins.[6] Most guar breeds or variants possess a "pony" equivalent.
Psijic Guar ExemplarEdit
Psijic Guar Exemplars are a breed of guar created by the Psijic Order. Like all Psijic Exemplars, this breed theoretically represents the ideal form a guar can assume, at which point the creature transcends the physical and incarnates the mystical. As such, Guar Exemplars take on a yellow ghostly form. They are used as mounts by Psijic monks when traversing the marshy terrain of Black Marsh or southern Morrowind, and are unequaled in this task. The first guar came to Artaeum when a Psijic advisor to the Tribunal returned from Mournhold with a Pony Guar in the middle of the First Era,[18], so the creation of Guar Exemplars presumably began sometime after this.
Psijic Mascot GuarEdit
Psijic Mascot Guar are a breed of guar created by the Psijic Order for use as pets. Like all Psijic Mascots, it is unknown if these guar are real animals with an enchanted appearance, or illusory constructs created from Magicka to be used as beast companions and portable storage batteries of Magicka. The Psijics refuse to clarify the true nature of these creatures, although they have dismissed the theory that Mascots are simply portable batteries. In appearance, the Psijic Mascot Guar is a black guar which glows with Magicka through the mystic blue runes that embellish its possibly-illusory epidermis. Guar have been favorites of the Psijics ever since the first one was brought to Artaeum in the middle of the First Era, and Mascot guar calves are very popular as pets.
Shadowghost GuarEdit
Shadowghost Guar are a mottled black and white breed of guar and are the only known nocturnal breed of the species. Due to their nocturnal habits and the fact that their patterned hides blend in with the shifting gray ash clouds on the slopes of Red Mountain, the breed is rarely seen even by the native Dunmer. Nevertheless, Shadowghost Guar are sometimes used as mounts.
Shadowghost Pony Guar are a smaller breed also native to the slopes of Red Mountain. They are sometimes kept as pets.
Skyfire GuarEdit
Skyfire Guar are often mistaken as being poisonous due to their colorful pattern. Patience is needed to bring this breed to heed.
Striated Pony GuarEdit
The Striated Pony Guar is a breed of pony guar kept as household pets in Morrowind.
Tessellated GuarEdit
The Tessellated Guar is a multi-purpose guar mount, at home anywhere from swamps to ashlands.
Tiger GuarEdit
Tiger Guar are a legendary breed of large wild guar, and are a highly prized game animal for noble huntsmen.[1] Found only on the Deshaan Plain, their stripes have been compared to those of a tiger.[2][UOL 1] The banded guar charger is a breed descended from the tiger guar.[2]
GalleryEdit
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A pack guar (Morrowind)
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A Wild Hunt guar from the Dawn Era (ESO)
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A Skeletal guar (ESO)
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A guar from Sovngarde (ESO)
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A guar (Betrayal of the Second Era)
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A banner with a pack guar, symbolizing a trader
NotesEdit
- A Guar was originally called a "Rotumbo" during the early development of Morrowind.[UOL 2]
- Some Dwarven vamidiums were constructed in the shape of a guar.
- Conjurers are able to compel Atronachs to adopt the form of a guar.
- The Hist have shaped the native lizards of Black Marsh to create Guar-Lizards for use as steeds by the Argonians.
See AlsoEdit
- For game-specific information, see the Morrowind and Elder Scrolls Online articles.
ReferencesEdit
- ^ a b c d Screenshot descriptions on the official Morrowind website
- ^ a b c d e Esqoo of Dhalmora Answers Your Questions — Esqoo of Dhalmora
- ^ Veru Serethran' dialogue in ESO
- ^ Loremaster's Archive: Murkmire Q&A — Jee-Lar
- ^ People of Morrowind — Various
- ^ a b Morrowind Fauna, Part One — Holia Asellio
- ^ Gavin Gavonne's correspondence in ESO
- ^ Beverages for the Bereaved
- ^ Dreams of a White Guar quest in Morrowind
- ^ Drothan's Journal — Frathen Drothan
- ^ Deadlands Guar mount description in ESO
- ^ a b c d e Elder Scrolls Online - Crown Store Showcase
- ^ a b Lambent Guar Body Markings body markings description in ESO
- ^ Glowgill Guar mount description in ESO
- ^ a b Ambergill Guar mount description in ESO
- ^ a b Tawny Lambent Guar pet description in ESO
- ^ Green Narsis Guar mount description in ESO
- ^ Psijic Mascot Guar Calf pet description in ESO
Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.