The Sap-Speaker
My first ever attempt at a Skyrim build! This is a full draft with nothing left intentionally blank, but I don't quite have the requisite hubris to take my first iteration of my first ever try at a build straight to SCB and this is far from polished. I thank you, my character building betters, for taking the time to read it and offer feedback if you do.
Lore and Character
Black Marsh is a dangerous place—it is full of flesh-eating insects and all sorts of terrible beasts and horrid diseases—and many of its natives band together in tribes for mutual protection against outside beligerents and the perils of the swamp. The Tribes of Murkmire, a book found in Elder Scrolls Online, elaborates on several of these tribes and their tendencies; among these is the Miredancer tribe whence I derive this character I've built. The designation 'Sap-Speaker' (rather not an arbitrary invention of mine) appears in that book directly alongside some detailed notes about Miredancers, which, unlike their several hostile and warlike tribal neighbors, are friendly, inviting, and especially noted for the wisdom of their elders and the profundity of their collective reverence for the Hist. They are said to be skilled craftsmen, proficient alchemists, and especially fond of games, sport, and gambling (and gracious sportsmen at that). The tribe appoints Sap-Speakers from among its population to commune with the Hist; in their meditations these apointees drink copious amounts of Hist sap and learn arcane secrets at times beyond even their own heightened comprehensions. The experience over many years leaves these chosen few with physical deformities including gold-hued mouths and thickened scales, as well as untold other maladies.
Finding ways to connect the lore above to the setting and mechanics of Skyrim proved an interesting undertaking. There were several moving parts to consider and a fair few assumptions to make and sometimes very little upon which to establish those assumptions. What I've come up with (and ultimately the technical basis of this build) follows in reference to some of the verbiage I chose to include in the opening paragraph:
"Warlike" - Argonian warriors are famed for their guerilla tactics and their quick and evasive fighting styles. The Sap-Speaker, having grown up surrounded by and immersed within the dominant warrior culture of Black Marsh, is attuned thereto. In combat, he is, above all else, a tough and quick-footed sword-and-board skirmisher capable of a potent sneak attack.
"Skilled Craftsmen" - One of this character's major skills is Smithing. The Sap-Speaker is a skilled weaver, and crafts the equipment himself that he wears. I chose to wear only armor made directly from organic materials, as I'd expect metalworking to be a bit beyond this character's specialization.
"Proficient Alchemists" - This much is straightforward. Alchemy is an important skill to the build which enables many of its core techniques and gameplay features.
"Fond of Games" - The Sap-Speaker, far removed from any who know the games and sports of Black Marsh, will acquire the Wabbajack and count it his favorite Skyrim pastime. He'll use it in the proper mood against wild animals or enemies of trivial difficulty to assuage the tedium of routine travel and dungeon crawling, but not under circumstances with higher stakes. It is written in Tribes of Murkmire that Miredancers care not whether they win or lose at the games they play; they simply enjoy the act of playing. Using Wabbajack under duress would give the character (read: the player) a stake in his game's outcome and surely a measure of satisfaction upon positive result and frustration upon negative. When the Wabbajack spawns piles of coins, the Sap-Speaker will not likely collect them; Miredancers are said, for reason aforementioned, to often forget to claim their winnings.
"Arcane Secrets" - I have chosen to represent the "arcane secrets" that Sap-Speakers learn during communion with the Hist by attempting a crude and incomplete recreation of the Mysticism school of magic present in previous Elder Scrolls games and choosing shouts to match. Mysticism, as a gross oversimplification the school of magic concerning the manipulation of magical energies, is highly nebulous and largely incomprehensible even to its most learnèd practitioners. These "secrets" a Sap-Speaker learns from the Hist are said to be similar in nature, so this seemed to me an easy connection to establish.
"Hist Sap" - There are precious few ways to synergize an Argonian character's attunement to the Hist with Skyrim's environment and gameplay. For the sake of character building, straws must in this regard be grasped wherever they appear; most tantalizing of these is the mythos surrounding the Sleeping Tree of Whiterun Hold. Ysolda alone in the game offers insight into the origin of the tree. She acknowledges two theories: that it grew from a crater carved out by the eruption of the Red Mountain, and that its spore fell off a floating city down from the sky. Those of you familiar with the Umbriel Crisis will have some idea of where this idea is headed. Umbriel, to render a long and complicated story undeservedly short, was a fragment of Clavicus Vile's realm of Oblivion populated with Hist trees and powered by the Ingenium that broke away from Oblivion and came to Tamriel, where it floated high above the lands below destroying cities and raising vast armies of undead in its wake. It should seem entirely reasonable and likely at this point that Ysolda's second story is clearly the correct one but for two twin confounds: that nothing could physically pass from Umbriel into Nirn while the Ingenium was active, and that Umbriel never actually flew above the province of Skyrim. Regardless, I have chosen to accept it as the correct theory for the purposes of this character and because it's still the best theory there is—the heroes of the Umbriel Crisis, Annaïg and Mere-Glim, destroyed the Ingenium while Umbriel passed over central Cyrodiil, so a spore could have fallen successfully after this time and found its way north somehow. Owing to all this (in concept), the Sap-Speaker will collect and drink Sleeping Tree Sap regularly; he, an agent of the Hist alone in a land in which the Hist have limited influence and who has a great deal of experience communing with the Hist, would surely pursue any means for such communion.
The Build
This Argonian hails from the remote swamps of Murkmire in Black Marsh, an area of old ransacked by Dunmer slavers and outlaws from Morrowind. He is one of the Gee-Rusleel and possessèd of a deep reverance for Saxhleel tradition and the Hist. His tribe named him Sap-Speaker, direct intermediary to the Hist, because of his extraordinary piety, and he spent years in seclusion learning from and communing with the mysterious sentient trees of his homeland. Once while he sat drinking sap among the roots of a Hist tree, he received a vision of a fearsome dragon soaring above an unfamiliar land, devouring the world as it passed. Soon, he would set out for the alien province of Skyrim, guided and empowered by the Hist.
Race: Argonian. Dark scales and a gold-hued mouth enhance the effect. Histskin used liberally.
Sex: Male. Argonian sexual dimorphism makes for strong and relatively dull males and smart and physically weaker females. This build makes heavy use of martial skills.
Stats: 1:1:2. Argonians are famously indefatigable in battle and quick on their feet.
Standing stone: Serpent Stone. Paralyze spells are expensive without perks this build lacks.
Shouts: Become Ethereal, Dragon Aspect, Drain Vitality, Marked for Death, Slow Time, Whirlwind Sprint, Disarm. Become Ethereal, Drain Vitality, and Marked for Death are included as very useful shouts that also mimic some magical effects present in the classic Mysticism school of magic. Slow Time I have chosen to represent the notion that Argonians have no natural standard conception of time and see it as illusory; perhaps the ability to manipulate it was one of the Hist's "arcane secrets," that is, a way of toying with the illusion, that the Sap-Speaker was unable to comprehend at first but that his newfound understanding of shouts and the dragon tongue helped elucidate. Whirlwind Sprint lends itself to the character's style of rapid fighting and archetypal Argonian tirelessness. Disarm is a fun shout and features in one of the build's special moves. Dragon Aspect is surely relevant to the build as the quintessential expression of the Dragonborn soul.
House: Windstad Manor. Though it's practically nothing like Black Marsh, Hjaalmarch is still a swamp; the Sap-Speaker will feel most at home here.
Skills, Perks, and Spells
Level 25 intermediate perkspread: https://skyrimcalculator.com/479685
Level 55 final perkspread: https://skyrimcalculator.com/487451
Alteration: Candlelight, Magelight, Telekinesis
Telekinesis, despite its high magicka cost per second, can be used effectively within the scope of this build as it can be continuously cast even at 0 magicka. I chose to use Candlelight and Magelight to simulate one of the character's special connections to the Hist and the realm of Oblivion many of them inhabit: the Realm of the Hist is populated by Wisperills, wisps that "do colorful dances" amongst the Hist, and the Sap-Speaker can summon them at will to help light his way amidst Skyrim's dark undergrounds to which he is unaccustomed. Maybe it's a bit of a stretch, but I thought it was a fun idea.
Restoration: healing spells, Poison Rune
Argonians are naturally resilient creatures and recover quickly from grevious wounds. Poison Rune adds a bit of flavor to the build and seems appropriate to the Sap-Speaker's origins.
Illusion: calm spells, fear spells, frenzy spells, Muffle, Clairvoyance
Argonians often make fine illusionists, and this one chooses to harness the school's powers to manipulate his foes' minds. Muffle is included to compensate for the build's lack of perks and enchanted items. When at a loss, the Sap-Speaker can, owing to his deep and profound connection to them strengthened by years of sap drinking and meditative communion, call upon the Hist to guide his path by way of telepathic powers well-documented in lore (recall, e.g., the An-Xileel during the Oblivion Crisis).
A few spells from the Alteration catalogue will be used despite that no perks are taken which empower them. No spells were chosen that the build will not be able to cast effectively in its finished state.
Yes, I know it's a lot of skills, but those included were all included for the sake of the build's concept and lore (without which I'd have no interest in making it at all), and any weaknesses inherent in the thin perk spread are buoyed by heavy investments into crafting skills. This has been playtested.
Important Powers
Tree All-Maker Stone - Besides its undeniable thematic relevance, this stone's associated power facilitates the build's largely unperked magic.
Force Without Effort - Argonians are afforded superior balance and stability in battle by their strong tails; this trait helps simulate that quality.
Sinderion's Serendipity - A useful effect for any alchemist build.
Bardic Knowledge - This build burns through stamina very quickly.
Secret of Protection - The Sap-Speaker's years of drinking sap have hardened his scales and made them much more durable against all types of attacks.
Seeker of Sorcery -The Hist have treated the Sap-Speaker to secrets about the arcane, rendering him more attuned to magical energies as a result.
Equipment
Dragonscale Helmet, Armor, Gauntlets, Boots - The crafting and tempering of armor made from dragons' scales represents the pinnacle of the Sap-Speaker's crafting prowess and development.
Locket of St. Jiub - This necklace from the Dawnguard DLC features a powerful stamina enchantment useful to this build and, uniquely among necklaces, a light armor rating.
Muiri's Ring - This ring offers the strongest Alchemy enchantment obtainable without use of the Enchanting skill.
Dwarven Black Bow of Fate - Absorb [attribute] falls under authority of the school of Mystisicm, and the Black Bow's peculiar enchantment lends itself to the Sap-Speaker's gamesmanship. A Dragonbone Bow could be used instead for perhaps a more authentic aesthetic.
Forsworn Sword - Traditional Argonian weaponry consists primarily of shortspears and wooden shields. There are no spears in Skyrim, but the Forsworn Sword is a close visual approximation and looks appropriate to the character. The Dragonbone Sword stands out as a reasonable alternative for those who should desire a more powerful weapon late in the playthrough.
Targe of the Blooded - Skyrim's only unpainted wooden shield has a nice effect to go along with it of which this build makes frequent use.
Wabbajack - Miredancers love games, and this staff is the Sap-Speaker's favorite game away from home.
Gameplay
This character's approach to combat can be pretty versatile: frenzy and calm spells from stealth can be used against groups of weaker enemies; dragons can be handled at range with a bow and arrows; sneak attacks with a sword can handle stronger foes. Mostly, though, the Sap-Speaker will simply charge into fights from ambush with shield raised and sword swinging. Typical combat is characterized by frequent power attacks, rapid evasive movement, and lots of shield work. Tougher and longer fights will warrant the use of potions and the application of poisons and occasionally techniques found below under "Special Moves." Stealth archery should generally be avoided; it is a mechanic so relatively overpowered that offers the player such an easy path through the game that any build which permits it, for better or worse, is inevitably consumed by it.
Below are some of the key gameplay features of the build.
Potions:
Healer's Salve - Blue Mountain Flower + Wheat: restore health, fortify health
A simple healing tonic the like of which an Argonian warrior might carry with him on the battlefield.
Serpent's Blood- Charred Skeever Hide + Mudcrab Chitin: cure disease, restore stamina, resist poison
Purges the blood of impurities, reinvigorating the imbiber.
Hist's Succour - Chaurus Eggs + Namira's Rot + Vampire Dust: invisibility, regenerate health, damage magicka
This foul narcotic induces a trance during which the Sap-Speaker beseeches the Hist for aid when a battle turns against him. The trees grant him salvation, but the ordeal addles his mind.
Mageguard - Bone Meal + Hawk Beak + Snowberries: resist fire, resist frost, resist shock
Grants the Sap-Speaker a resistance to all forms of elemental magic.
Poisons:
Magebane - Butterfly Wing + Glow Dust + Nightshade: fortify destruction, damage magicka, damage magicka regen, lingering damage stamina
This potent poison ravages a mage's spellcasting ability and contains a powerful enervating agent. Use caution though—any spells the mage still can cast will hurt more than usual.
Riverveins - Creep Cluster + Large Antlers + Salt Pile: slow, damage stamina regen, weakness to magic
Weakens enemies to the Targe of the Blooded's bleeding effect and renders escape from its charge unlikely.
Hackwing - Human Flesh + Imp Stool + Orange Dartwing: damage health, lingering damage health, paralysis
Named for the flesh-eating birds of Black Marsh. Incapacitates an enemy and slowly drains it of life.
Seth's Void - Blisterwort + Human Heart + Jarrin Root: damage health, damage magicka, damage magicka regen, damage stamina, frenzy
The most powerful poison the Sap-Speaker will ever brew and a feat he knows he will never repeat. He has named it in honor of Sithis and vowed to save it for the most powerful foe he ever encounters. This poison can deal upwards of 7000 poison damage.
Special Moves:
Broadside - bow + Riverveins + Marked for Death + Targe of the Blooded + Shield Charge
When the Sap-Speaker raises his spiked shield to charge, no enemy can escape his onslaught nor recover from the wounds he leaves.
Surgical Strike - Quiet Casting + Disarm + Serpent Stone + Telekinesis
Strip a powerful foe of his weapon and throw it far out of reach before he recovers.
Mastery - Power Shot + Whirlwind Sprint
Stagger your foe from range with a precise shot and close the gap while it's still reeling.
Transcendence - Sleeping Tree Sap + Slow Time
Imbibe the treasured sap of the Um-Hist to harden your scales and enhance your awareness. As other builders have discovered, Slow Time offsets the Sleeping Tree Sap's character slowing effect.
Ambuscade - Quiet Casting + Poison Rune + sneak attack + Hackwing
Fall upon a patrolling enemy with all the ferocity of a Black Marsh guerilla.
Roleplay
I know everybody roleplays differently (and also that some people on this site abhor roleplay sections entirely), so I'll try to limit this section to just a few key considerations; roleplay them as you see fit. Foremost is that Argonians (Lukiul excepted) see themselves as part of the Hist, i.e., deriving from it and eventually returning to it; this character certainly understands that connection and recognizes his duty to remain connected to the Hist and to enact its will. Lycanthropy, vampirism, and necromancy are anathema, as they sever their Argonian victims' connections to the Hist. Similarly, Argonians of Black Marsh don't recognize or worship any gods—they are not typically hostile to those who do, but they find traditions of god-worship to be strange.
Important Quests
(Inclusive but not limiting)
The Mind of Madness
The Sap-Speaker is caught off-guard by Dervenin's mad ramblings. Intrigued, he pursues them to find himself caught in a Daedric Lord's realm with but a singular prospect for escape. The Wabbajack is his worthy reward.
The Dark Brotherhood
Shadowscales are holy in Argonian tradition; the Sap-Speaker respects the traditional necessity of Sithis' Shadowscales and will restore the Brotherhood to relevance in the hope it will one day reestablish its foothold in Argonia.
A Return to Your Roots
A curious and unfamiliar magical plant piques the Sap-Speaker's fancy. He collects several samples and is a better alchemist for his effort.
Dragons Return to Skyrim
The Sap-Speaker came to Skyrim upon foresight of the Dragon Crisis. Killing Alduin in accordance with his destiny is his ultimate triumph.
Dawnguard
A vampire plot to blot out the sun poses a threat to Black Marsh's Argonians the same as it does to Skyrim's Nords. Isran and the Dawnguard make for worthy allies.
Dragonborn
Miraak seeks the death of the Last Dragonborn. Perhaps he will succeed if he is not handled.
The White Phial
The Sap-Speaker has only just heard of it, but the White Phial is a priceless artifact and a superlative treasure to alchemists. I chose "Deal more damage in battle" to represent the Phial's replenishing contents.
Ysolda's Shipment
Impossibly, the Sap-Speaker has encountered a strange Hist tree in the Empire's northernmost marches. Since the collective Hist hive-mind has the ability to cut off, suffocate, and destroy rogue trees, the motives of the Sleeping Tree and those of the other Hist must be aligned. The tree's sap will become his most tangible link to his home.
Tag, You're It! and Hide and Seek (game)
Skyrim's adults are grim and do not share the Sap-Speaker's mirthful personality; their children, at least, can appreciate the joy of play! Though he can't teach them Shells and Stones and they could never compete at hip and tail ball, the Sap-Speaker delights in their unfamiliar games whenever they offer him the chance.
That turned out to be a bit longer than I expected. Thanks very much for reading or skimming it through. I appreciate any feedback you may have, especially if that feedback is critical. This is my first build; I'm a novice and my expectations remain low. If it sucks, do me a favor and please let me know why.
The Sap-Speaker, in all his pious glory
X
The Sap-Speaker
My first ever attempt at a Skyrim build! This is a full draft with nothing left intentionally blank, but I don't quite have the requisite hubris to take my first iteration of my first ever try at a build straight to SCB and this is far from polished. I thank you, my character building betters, for taking the time to read it and offer feedback if you do.
Lore and Character
Black Marsh is a dangerous place—it is full of flesh-eating insects and all sorts of terrible beasts and horrid diseases—and many of its natives band together in tribes for mutual protection against outside beligerents and the perils of the swamp. The Tribes of Murkmire, a book found in Elder Scrolls Online, elaborates on several of these tribes and their tendencies; among these is the Miredancer tribe whence I derive this character I've built. The designation 'Sap-Speaker' (rather not an arbitrary invention of mine) appears in that book directly alongside some detailed notes about Miredancers, which, unlike their several hostile and warlike tribal neighbors, are friendly, inviting, and especially noted for the wisdom of their elders and the profundity of their collective reverence for the Hist. They are said to be skilled craftsmen, proficient alchemists, and especially fond of games, sport, and gambling (and gracious sportsmen at that). The tribe appoints Sap-Speakers from among its population to commune with the Hist; in their meditations these apointees drink copious amounts of Hist sap and learn arcane secrets at times beyond even their own heightened comprehensions. The experience over many years leaves these chosen few with physical deformities including gold-hued mouths and thickened scales, as well as untold other maladies.
Finding ways to connect the lore above to the setting and mechanics of Skyrim proved an interesting undertaking. There were several moving parts to consider and a fair few assumptions to make and sometimes very little upon which to establish those assumptions. What I've come up with (and ultimately the technical basis of this build) follows in reference to some of the verbiage I chose to include in the opening paragraph:
"Warlike" - Argonian warriors are famed for their guerilla tactics and their quick and evasive fighting styles. The Sap-Speaker, having grown up surrounded by and immersed within the dominant warrior culture of Black Marsh, is attuned thereto. In combat, he is, above all else, a tough and quick-footed sword-and-board skirmisher capable of a potent sneak attack.
"Skilled Craftsmen" - One of this character's major skills is Smithing. The Sap-Speaker is a skilled weaver, and crafts the equipment himself that he wears. I chose to wear only armor made directly from organic materials, as I'd expect metalworking to be a bit beyond this character's specialization.
"Proficient Alchemists" - This much is straightforward. Alchemy is an important skill to the build which enables many of its core techniques and gameplay features.
"Fond of Games" - The Sap-Speaker, far removed from any who know the games and sports of Black Marsh, will acquire the Wabbajack and count it his favorite Skyrim pastime. He'll use it in the proper mood against wild animals or enemies of trivial difficulty to assuage the tedium of routine travel and dungeon crawling, but not under circumstances with higher stakes. It is written in Tribes of Murkmire that Miredancers care not whether they win or lose at the games they play; they simply enjoy the act of playing. Using Wabbajack under duress would give the character (read: the player) a stake in his game's outcome and surely a measure of satisfaction upon positive result and frustration upon negative. When the Wabbajack spawns piles of coins, the Sap-Speaker will not likely collect them; Miredancers are said, for reason aforementioned, to often forget to claim their winnings.
"Arcane Secrets" - I have chosen to represent the "arcane secrets" that Sap-Speakers learn during communion with the Hist by attempting a crude and incomplete recreation of the Mysticism school of magic present in previous Elder Scrolls games and choosing shouts to match. Mysticism, as a gross oversimplification the school of magic concerning the manipulation of magical energies, is highly nebulous and largely incomprehensible even to its most learnèd practitioners. These "secrets" a Sap-Speaker learns from the Hist are said to be similar in nature, so this seemed to me an easy connection to establish.
"Hist Sap" - There are precious few ways to synergize an Argonian character's attunement to the Hist with Skyrim's environment and gameplay. For the sake of character building, straws must in this regard be grasped wherever they appear; most tantalizing of these is the mythos surrounding the Sleeping Tree of Whiterun Hold. Ysolda alone in the game offers insight into the origin of the tree. She acknowledges two theories: that it grew from a crater carved out by the eruption of the Red Mountain, and that its spore fell off a floating city down from the sky. Those of you familiar with the Umbriel Crisis will have some idea of where this idea is headed. Umbriel, to render a long and complicated story undeservedly short, was a fragment of Clavicus Vile's realm of Oblivion populated with Hist trees and powered by the Ingenium that broke away from Oblivion and came to Tamriel, where it floated high above the lands below destroying cities and raising vast armies of undead in its wake. It should seem entirely reasonable and likely at this point that Ysolda's second story is clearly the correct one but for two twin confounds: that nothing could physically pass from Umbriel into Nirn while the Ingenium was active, and that Umbriel never actually flew above the province of Skyrim. Regardless, I have chosen to accept it as the correct theory for the purposes of this character and because it's still the best theory there is—the heroes of the Umbriel Crisis, Annaïg and Mere-Glim, destroyed the Ingenium while Umbriel passed over central Cyrodiil, so a spore could have fallen successfully after this time and found its way north somehow. Owing to all this (in concept), the Sap-Speaker will collect and drink Sleeping Tree Sap regularly; he, an agent of the Hist alone in a land in which the Hist have limited influence and who has a great deal of experience communing with the Hist, would surely pursue any means for such communion.
The Build
This Argonian hails from the remote swamps of Murkmire in Black Marsh, an area of old ransacked by Dunmer slavers and outlaws from Morrowind. He is one of the Gee-Rusleel and possessèd of a deep reverance for Saxhleel tradition and the Hist. His tribe named him Sap-Speaker, direct intermediary to the Hist, because of his extraordinary piety, and he spent years in seclusion learning from and communing with the mysterious sentient trees of his homeland. Once while he sat drinking sap among the roots of a Hist tree, he received a vision of a fearsome dragon soaring above an unfamiliar land, devouring the world as it passed. Soon, he would set out for the alien province of Skyrim, guided and empowered by the Hist.
Race: Argonian. Dark scales and a gold-hued mouth enhance the effect. Histskin used liberally.
Sex: Male. Argonian sexual dimorphism makes for strong and relatively dull males and smart and physically weaker females. This build makes heavy use of martial skills.
Stats: 1:1:2. Argonians are famously indefatigable in battle and quick on their feet.
Standing stone: Serpent Stone. Paralyze spells are expensive without perks this build lacks.
Shouts: Become Ethereal, Dragon Aspect, Drain Vitality, Marked for Death, Slow Time, Whirlwind Sprint, Disarm. Become Ethereal, Drain Vitality, and Marked for Death are included as very useful shouts that also mimic some magical effects present in the classic Mysticism school of magic. Slow Time I have chosen to represent the notion that Argonians have no natural standard conception of time and see it as illusory; perhaps the ability to manipulate it was one of the Hist's "arcane secrets," that is, a way of toying with the illusion, that the Sap-Speaker was unable to comprehend at first but that his newfound understanding of shouts and the dragon tongue helped elucidate. Whirlwind Sprint lends itself to the character's style of rapid fighting and archetypal Argonian tirelessness. Disarm is a fun shout and features in one of the build's special moves. Dragon Aspect is surely relevant to the build as the quintessential expression of the Dragonborn soul.
House: Windstad Manor. Though it's practically nothing like Black Marsh, Hjaalmarch is still a swamp; the Sap-Speaker will feel most at home here.
Skills, Perks, and Spells
Level 25 intermediate perkspread: https://skyrimcalculator.com/479685
Level 55 final perkspread: https://skyrimcalculator.com/487451
Alteration: Candlelight, Magelight, Telekinesis
Telekinesis, despite its high magicka cost per second, can be used effectively within the scope of this build as it can be continuously cast even at 0 magicka. I chose to use Candlelight and Magelight to simulate one of the character's special connections to the Hist and the realm of Oblivion many of them inhabit: the Realm of the Hist is populated by Wisperills, wisps that "do colorful dances" amongst the Hist, and the Sap-Speaker can summon them at will to help light his way amidst Skyrim's dark undergrounds to which he is unaccustomed. Maybe it's a bit of a stretch, but I thought it was a fun idea.
Restoration: healing spells, Poison Rune
Argonians are naturally resilient creatures and recover quickly from grevious wounds. Poison Rune adds a bit of flavor to the build and seems appropriate to the Sap-Speaker's origins.
Illusion: calm spells, fear spells, frenzy spells, Muffle, Clairvoyance
Argonians often make fine illusionists, and this one chooses to harness the school's powers to manipulate his foes' minds. Muffle is included to compensate for the build's lack of perks and enchanted items. When at a loss, the Sap-Speaker can, owing to his deep and profound connection to them strengthened by years of sap drinking and meditative communion, call upon the Hist to guide his path by way of telepathic powers well-documented in lore (recall, e.g., the An-Xileel during the Oblivion Crisis).
A few spells from the Alteration catalogue will be used despite that no perks are taken which empower them. No spells were chosen that the build will not be able to cast effectively in its finished state.
Yes, I know it's a lot of skills, but those included were all included for the sake of the build's concept and lore (without which I'd have no interest in making it at all), and any weaknesses inherent in the thin perk spread are buoyed by heavy investments into crafting skills. This has been playtested.
Important Powers
Tree All-Maker Stone - Besides its undeniable thematic relevance, this stone's associated power facilitates the build's largely unperked magic.
Force Without Effort - Argonians are afforded superior balance and stability in battle by their strong tails; this trait helps simulate that quality.
Sinderion's Serendipity - A useful effect for any alchemist build.
Bardic Knowledge - This build burns through stamina very quickly.
Secret of Protection - The Sap-Speaker's years of drinking sap have hardened his scales and made them much more durable against all types of attacks.
Seeker of Sorcery -The Hist have treated the Sap-Speaker to secrets about the arcane, rendering him more attuned to magical energies as a result.
Equipment
Dragonscale Helmet, Armor, Gauntlets, Boots - The crafting and tempering of armor made from dragons' scales represents the pinnacle of the Sap-Speaker's crafting prowess and development.
Locket of St. Jiub - This necklace from the Dawnguard DLC features a powerful stamina enchantment useful to this build and, uniquely among necklaces, a light armor rating.
Muiri's Ring - This ring offers the strongest Alchemy enchantment obtainable without use of the Enchanting skill.
Dwarven Black Bow of Fate - Absorb [attribute] falls under authority of the school of Mystisicm, and the Black Bow's peculiar enchantment lends itself to the Sap-Speaker's gamesmanship. A Dragonbone Bow could be used instead for perhaps a more authentic aesthetic.
Forsworn Sword - Traditional Argonian weaponry consists primarily of shortspears and wooden shields. There are no spears in Skyrim, but the Forsworn Sword is a close visual approximation and looks appropriate to the character. The Dragonbone Sword stands out as a reasonable alternative for those who should desire a more powerful weapon late in the playthrough.
Targe of the Blooded - Skyrim's only unpainted wooden shield has a nice effect to go along with it of which this build makes frequent use.
Wabbajack - Miredancers love games, and this staff is the Sap-Speaker's favorite game away from home.
Gameplay
This character's approach to combat can be pretty versatile: frenzy and calm spells from stealth can be used against groups of weaker enemies; dragons can be handled at range with a bow and arrows; sneak attacks with a sword can handle stronger foes. Mostly, though, the Sap-Speaker will simply charge into fights from ambush with shield raised and sword swinging. Typical combat is characterized by frequent power attacks, rapid evasive movement, and lots of shield work. Tougher and longer fights will warrant the use of potions and the application of poisons and occasionally techniques found below under "Special Moves." Stealth archery should generally be avoided; it is a mechanic so relatively overpowered that offers the player such an easy path through the game that any build which permits it, for better or worse, is inevitably consumed by it.
Below are some of the key gameplay features of the build.
Potions:
Healer's Salve - Blue Mountain Flower + Wheat: restore health, fortify health
A simple healing tonic the like of which an Argonian warrior might carry with him on the battlefield.
Serpent's Blood- Charred Skeever Hide + Mudcrab Chitin: cure disease, restore stamina, resist poison
Purges the blood of impurities, reinvigorating the imbiber.
Hist's Succour - Chaurus Eggs + Namira's Rot + Vampire Dust: invisibility, regenerate health, damage magicka
This foul narcotic induces a trance during which the Sap-Speaker beseeches the Hist for aid when a battle turns against him. The trees grant him salvation, but the ordeal addles his mind.
Mageguard - Bone Meal + Hawk Beak + Snowberries: resist fire, resist frost, resist shock
Grants the Sap-Speaker a resistance to all forms of elemental magic.
Poisons:
Magebane - Butterfly Wing + Glow Dust + Nightshade: fortify destruction, damage magicka, damage magicka regen, lingering damage stamina
This potent poison ravages a mage's spellcasting ability and contains a powerful enervating agent. Use caution though—any spells the mage still can cast will hurt more than usual.
Riverveins - Creep Cluster + Large Antlers + Salt Pile: slow, damage stamina regen, weakness to magic
Weakens enemies to the Targe of the Blooded's bleeding effect and renders escape from its charge unlikely.
Hackwing - Human Flesh + Imp Stool + Orange Dartwing: damage health, lingering damage health, paralysis
Named for the flesh-eating birds of Black Marsh. Incapacitates an enemy and slowly drains it of life.
Seth's Void - Blisterwort + Human Heart + Jarrin Root: damage health, damage magicka, damage magicka regen, damage stamina, frenzy
The most powerful poison the Sap-Speaker will ever brew and a feat he knows he will never repeat. He has named it in honor of Sithis and vowed to save it for the most powerful foe he ever encounters. This poison can deal upwards of 7000 poison damage.
Special Moves:
Broadside - bow + Riverveins + Marked for Death + Targe of the Blooded + Shield Charge
When the Sap-Speaker raises his spiked shield to charge, no enemy can escape his onslaught nor recover from the wounds he leaves.
Surgical Strike - Quiet Casting + Disarm + Serpent Stone + Telekinesis
Strip a powerful foe of his weapon and throw it far out of reach before he recovers.
Mastery - Power Shot + Whirlwind Sprint
Stagger your foe from range with a precise shot and close the gap while it's still reeling.
Transcendence - Sleeping Tree Sap + Slow Time
Imbibe the treasured sap of the Um-Hist to harden your scales and enhance your awareness. As other builders have discovered, Slow Time offsets the Sleeping Tree Sap's character slowing effect.
Ambuscade - Quiet Casting + Poison Rune + sneak attack + Hackwing
Fall upon a patrolling enemy with all the ferocity of a Black Marsh guerilla.
Roleplay
I know everybody roleplays differently (and also that some people on this site abhor roleplay sections entirely), so I'll try to limit this section to just a few key considerations; roleplay them as you see fit. Foremost is that Argonians (Lukiul excepted) see themselves as part of the Hist, i.e., deriving from it and eventually returning to it; this character certainly understands that connection and recognizes his duty to remain connected to the Hist and to enact its will. Lycanthropy, vampirism, and necromancy are anathema, as they sever their Argonian victims' connections to the Hist. Similarly, Argonians of Black Marsh don't recognize or worship any gods—they are not typically hostile to those who do, but they find traditions of god-worship to be strange.
Important Quests
(Inclusive but not limiting)
The Mind of Madness
The Sap-Speaker is caught off-guard by Dervenin's mad ramblings. Intrigued, he pursues them to find himself caught in a Daedric Lord's realm with but a singular prospect for escape. The Wabbajack is his worthy reward.
The Dark Brotherhood
Shadowscales are holy in Argonian tradition; the Sap-Speaker respects the traditional necessity of Sithis' Shadowscales and will restore the Brotherhood to relevance in the hope it will one day reestablish its foothold in Argonia.
A Return to Your Roots
A curious and unfamiliar magical plant piques the Sap-Speaker's fancy. He collects several samples and is a better alchemist for his effort.
Dragons Return to Skyrim
The Sap-Speaker came to Skyrim upon foresight of the Dragon Crisis. Killing Alduin in accordance with his destiny is his ultimate triumph.
Dawnguard
A vampire plot to blot out the sun poses a threat to Black Marsh's Argonians the same as it does to Skyrim's Nords. Isran and the Dawnguard make for worthy allies.
Dragonborn
Miraak seeks the death of the Last Dragonborn. Perhaps he will succeed if he is not handled.
The White Phial
The Sap-Speaker has only just heard of it, but the White Phial is a priceless artifact and a superlative treasure to alchemists. I chose "Deal more damage in battle" to represent the Phial's replenishing contents.
Ysolda's Shipment
Impossibly, the Sap-Speaker has encountered a strange Hist tree in the Empire's northernmost marches. Since the collective Hist hive-mind has the ability to cut off, suffocate, and destroy rogue trees, the motives of the Sleeping Tree and those of the other Hist must be aligned. The tree's sap will become his most tangible link to his home.
Tag, You're It! and Hide and Seek (game)
Skyrim's adults are grim and do not share the Sap-Speaker's mirthful personality; their children, at least, can appreciate the joy of play! Though he can't teach them Shells and Stones and they could never compete at hip and tail ball, the Sap-Speaker delights in their unfamiliar games whenever they offer him the chance.
That turned out to be a bit longer than I expected. Thanks very much for reading or skimming it through. I appreciate any feedback you may have, especially if that feedback is critical. This is my first build; I'm a novice and my expectations remain low. If it sucks, do me a favor and please let me know why.
The Sap-Speaker, in all his pious glory
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