Lore:Totem of Claw and Fang

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Totem of Claw and Fang (Bloodmoon)

The Totem of Claw and Fang is a religious artifact sacred to the Reachfolk and the Skaal, and is a necklace that is decorated with the claws and fang of a great bear.[1] The Reach clans believe it is the symbol of Hrokkibeg, Hircine's bear aspect.[2] It is one of the Symbols of the Five Aspects, the other four being the Spear of Bitter Mercy and the three Totems of Hircine.[3][2] The Skaal associate it with the Spirit Bear, which they summon by invoking powerful nature magic with the totem, which is then tracked down and killed by the Skaal to please the All-Maker during the Ristaag.[4]

History[edit]

Circa 2E 582, due to the Gray Host expanding into the Karth Valley, many Reach clans fled to the safety of Markarth's walls. The Shrine of the Hunt-Father was erected within the city, and five of Hircine's artifacts were requested to be placed in the shrine for safety by High Shaman Glynroch, the Totem of Claw and Fang among them. An adventurer discovered the totem on the corpse of a courier, and turned it in to the shrine in Markarth to complete their collection.[1]

The totem would later find its way into the island of Solstheim, where it would become a staple in the Ristaag. The Skaal having the totem displeased Hircine, resulting in a conflict over it.[5] The Totem was stolen from the Skaal at one point. Believing that it would not again be needed, the Skaal did nothing to recover it, and it eventually came to rest in the Tombs of Skaalara on Solstheim's northeastern coastline.

In 3E 427, the signs of the Bloodmoon Prophecy led the Skaal to once again require the Totem in their effort to counteract the coming of the Hunter's Game, and attempted to retrieve it from the tomb. Hircine wished to prevent its recovery, and sent his Hounds to guard the tomb. The werewolves were ultimately unsuccessful in their task, and the Skaal used the totem to initiate the Ristaag. Hircine subsequently sent his Hounds to disrupt the Ristaag, but accounts vary on whether the Skaal were successful in defeating the Hounds and offering the Spirit Bear as tribute for the All-Maker, or if the Skaal hunters were slain and the Spirit Bear was slain in the name of Hircine.[4] Regardless of the outcome, the Hunter's Game would once again occur within Tamriel.[6]

See Also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b The Symbol of Hrokkibeg quest in ESO
  2. ^ a b Aspects of Lord Hircine — Juno Procillus, Academy of Chorrol
  3. ^ High Shaman Glynroch's questline in ESO
  4. ^ a b Events of The Ristaag or Disrupt the Skaal Hunt in Morrowind: Bloodmoon
  5. ^ Events of The Totem of Claw and Fang or Dream of Hircine in Morrowind: Bloodmoon
  6. ^ Events of Morrowind: Bloodmoon
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