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General Information on Dreugh

Author: 
Arynel "Dumbkid"

Many a sailor and fishermen will tell of a strange creature commonly found lurking off the coasts of the Ascadian Isles, the Dreugh. Little is known about this fascinating underwater creature, and much of the information we have is based on myth, and may or may not be reliable. Due to the large numbers of their population it is inevitable that travelers will encounter these strange, fascinating, and dangerous creatures. Although not enough information exists to create a definitive guide on dreugh, a source of general information would be most helpful to any travelers in the area.

Dreugh are an aquatic creature commonly found in the Abecean Sea, the Illiac Bay, the Inner Sea, as well as in many lakes and rivers. These scavengers are crablike in appearance, having a hard exoskeleton and claws. Depending on the variety, dreugh may have anywhere from four to eight upper limbs, and their color may vary from pale green to maroon, the cause of these variations is unknown. Dreugh swim through the use of heavily muscled rear tentacles, which may also vary in number and size.

Once during their lifetimes dreugh undergo a fascinating transformation known as karvinasim: For one year, dreugh are able to live on land. Once the term comes to completion they return to the water and meff, or consume the organs needed for terrestrial life. They vomit out this material in the form of little balls called grom. Sightings of Dreugh in inland water sources such as Koal cave and other grottoes are probably due to the creatures migrating there during their land dwelling state.

Explorers brave enough and strong enough to kill a dreugh will find that a waxy substance can be scrapped from the creatures shell. Dreugh wax is very valuable, and has the properties of fortifying strength, restoring strength, draining luck, and draining willpower. It is commonly mixed with ash yams to create a potion of fortify strength. Dreugh skin can also be used as armor.

Most other information on dreugh is subject to legend or speculation. Biologists have had a difficult time classifying this creature, and the nature of their relation to other creatures and races is unclear, if any relation exists at all. Some scholars believe they are a cursed race, others a simple, albeit dangerous, sea monster.

According to legend, dreugh are the remnants of a once proud civilization that flourished prior to the first era in the present day Illiac Bay. Temple propaganda claims that the dreugh were responsible for changing the sex of the Netchiman�s wife who bore Vivec so that she could give birth to him/her as an egg. The temple also claims that the dreugh were once led by a form of the daedric prince Molag Bal called the Ruddy Man. After mating with Molag Bal Vivec released a shell of Ruddy Man into the world, which caused great commotion when worn by a Velothi child. Vivec returned the shell of Ruddy Man to the dreugh, who vowed never to allow it to return to the surface world. In return for sparing Ruddy Man's life, Vivec forced the dreugh to give up their skin as armor. After ten years though, the Ruddy Man appeared again, this time worn by a shaman of the house of troubles. After slaying the monster Vivec gave the shell to the mystics of the number room, who used the shell to divine many things which are still being deciphered to this day.

Sources:
The Pilgrim's Path
The Alchemist's Formulary
Notes on Racial Phylogeny and Biology, Seventh Edition
Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
2920, The Last Year of the First Era
36 Lessons of Vivec