Lore:Swims-In-Deep-Water

Swims-In-Deep-Water
Swims-In-Deep-Water
Race	Argonian	Gender	Male
Resided in		Riften
Appears in		Skyrim

"When I think about the scorpion fish, I am reminded of the old tale about the frog and the scorpion. The scorpion wanted to cross the water, and the frog said "Why don't we fish in the water instead?" So that's what they did, and they became the best of friends."
—Swims-In-Deep-Water

Riften Fishery, circa 4E 201

Swims-In-Deep-Water was a well-known Argonian master fisherman, and a wielder of the Fang of Haynekhtnamet, who worked in the Riften fishery circa 4E 201. He had an eccentric love of fish and did not like seeing them come to harm. He possessed intimate knowledge of the different species of fish native to Skyrim and how to catch them. His work at the Riften fishery involved tending to the fish there, and facilitating special fishing requests and bounties from across the province. These requests were often sent by local businesses, alchemists, and Jarls. He shared this responsibility with his fellow master fisherman Viriya up until her eventual retirement from the fishery, after which the duty of handling the distribution of fishing requests fell solely on him.

At some point he authored the Fishing Mastery series, a series of guidebooks dedicated to the fish of Skyrim and how to catch them.

Biography

The Fang of Haynekhtnamet

Swims-In-Deep-Water's past is unclear. He was known to experience strange dreams involving fish. In these dreams a fish would often speak to him, which he claims rarely lied to him. In light of these visions, Swims-In-Deep-Water took it upon himself to share his knowledge of fishing with others. The precise nature of these dreams, however, remains unknown. At some point the legendary dagger artifact known as the Fang of Haynekhtnamet came into his possession. The exact means by which he acquired this item remain unknown. Swims-In-Deep-Water also had his fishing hat blessed by a priestess of Kynareth to ensure good fortune. This "Lucky Fishing Hat" possessed a special magical property that caused rainfall whenever he engaged in fishing while wearing it. Other trinkets associated with the goddess Kynareth were known to hold similar effects. Unfortunately, during one of his fishing excursions just west of Sarethi Farm, an unexpected gust of wind caused the hat to be swept off his head and into the water. As of the year 4E 201, he resided in Riften, where he was well known for his knowledge of fishing.

Around 4E 201, the Last Dragonborn sought guidance from Swims-In-Deep-Water at Riften's Fishery. Swims-In-Deep-Water took them on as an apprentice, instructing them on how to find and catch Skyrim's many fish species. Throughout the training period, the Last Dragonborn engaged in numerous fishing challenges and honed their skills across Skyrim's diverse biomes – from its icy waters to its temperate streams. During that time Swims-In-Deep-Water also requested that the Dragonborn find his missing fishing hat. They were successful in this task, but it is unknown if they returned the blessed hat to its original owner. At a later point in the training period, Swims-In-Deep-Water stumbled upon a rock shaped like a fish. Interpreting this discovery as a message from the Divines and a sign of his student's success, he instructed them to venture to a location where rocks and fish coexist harmoniously – the depths of Skyrim's caverns. Ultimately, he dispatched his student on the ultimate task – to capture the rarest fish in all of Skyrim. Upon successful completion, he bestowed upon them the title of legendary fisherman and presented them with a legendary reward, the Fang of Haynekhtnamet.

Bibliography

"Think back to the tripod spiderfish. In many ways, it is a lot like you. A fisherman can feel the movements of a fish underwater as they swim curiously around their hook. They make their lure an invitation rather than a threat. And when they sense the subtle tug on their line, they know the moment they must strike. It is an unexplainable oneness with nature, the lure, and their prey."

Fishing Mastery

Name	Description
Fishing Mastery, v1	The first volume of a fish-loving Argonian's guide to fishing
Fishing Mastery, v2	The second volume of a fish-loving Argonian's guide to fishing
Fishing Mastery, v3	The third volume of a fish-loving Argonian's guide to fishing
Fishing Mastery, v4	The fourth volume of a fish-loving Argonian's guide to fishing
Fishing Mastery, v5	The fifth volume of a fish-loving Argonian's guide to fishing

Notes and Letters

Name	Description
Fish Out of Water	Swims-In-Deep-Water's concerns about his co-worker
List of Fair Weather Fish	Various fish to catch on a fair weather day
Fishing Work	An invitation to partake in more fishing challenges
List of Arctic Fish	Various fish to catch in frozen waters
List of Underground Fish	Various fish to catch in the dank, dark waters of underground caves
List of Rare Fish	Some of the rarest fish to catch in Skyrim, a true fishing legend's ultimate goal

Notes

• Bolli Trout-Purse, the contemporaneous owner of the Riften fishery, claimed that he, rather than Swims-In-Deep-Water, was the best fisherman in Riften. However, Bolli's disgruntled wife Nivenor claimed that Bolli would barely lift a finger at the fishery and would instead tell his employees to do most of his work for him.

See Also

• For game-specific information, see the Skyrim^CC article.