Knahaten Flu origins theory (slight spoiler I guess?)

Shadow_Akula · June 2019

Ok so there’s several theories to how the Knahaten Flu began some involving Aylieds, some involving angry argonians, etc. Truth is nobody knows how it began, we only know it began in Black Marsh yes?

So while I was exploring Orcrest in Elsweyr I came across one of the bosses in the sewer and this is when my theory came to me... You see the boss I came across was a Voriplasm, got me thinking maybe Voriplasm is connected to the Knahaten Flu somehow.

Why do I think there’s a connection?
- We know the flu originated in Black Marsh, the province where Voriplasm appears to be native to,
- We also know that Orcrest was hit hardest in the northern Elsweyr territories, where we find Voriplasm in the sewers with a book next to a dead adventurer which claims the Voriplasm broke out of captivity during the Orcrest outbreak.
- The flu decimated races native Black Marsh such as the Kothringi and Lilmothit, and essentially made Black Marsh a no-go zone for most non-argonians (ok maybe this one points to argonian creation)
- Nobody really knows how Voriplasm came to exist in the in game universe right?

These reasons make me think that there’s a connection, either in the origins of the flu or perhaps even as a result of the flu...

This is just my current theory on the subject, thought I’d share it with the community, maybe hear what your theories on the Knahaten Flu origins are.

S.A.96

Tensar · June 2019

Peryite

Shadow_Akula · June 2019

Tensar wrote: »

Peryite

Yes I suppose Peryite could be responsible, perhaps it could be both Peryite and the Voriplasm, maybe the Voriplasms were the tools Peryite used to unleash it...

RaddlemanNumber7 · June 2019

The Hist seems to have had the most to gain from that disease outbreak. That's where I'd point the finger of suspicion.

Bruccius · June 2019

RaddlemanNumber7 wrote: »

The Hist seems to have had the most to gain from that disease outbreak. That's where I'd point the finger of suspicion.

Why would the Hist care about anything that doesn't threaten them?

myskyrim26 · June 2019

Voriplasms are not the result of the flu, they were know before the Duskfall, long before the Knahaten Flu. I doubt they could be a reason, also. But maybe if we see a voriplasm somewhere, this means that this area is somehow twisted, affected by... something.

RaddlemanNumber7 · June 2019

Bruccius wrote: »

RaddlemanNumber7 wrote: »

The Hist seems to have had the most to gain from that disease outbreak. That's where I'd point the finger of suspicion.

Why would the Hist care about anything that doesn't threaten them?

There was certainly a threat to the Hist. Maybe the flu was a response to it. It may also have provided an opportunity for the Hist to clean house as well.

The flu starts in 2E 560, in Stormhold, a centre of Dunmeri slave trading. We also know from a couple of Argonians in Myrkmire that within their lifetime their own Hist was destroyed by raiders. So there's clearly evidence of a threat, including territory lost to the Hist.

There seems no doubt the flu created opportunities for the Hist and its Argonian servants. We know that following the Flu, in the years immediately preceding the second Akaviri invasion in 2E 572, the Argonians were able to go on the offensive with the Black Fin Legion attacking House Dres around Stormhold. This ended with the formation of the Pact, which we can see led to new Hist trees being planted in many Argonian-controlled settlements from Stormhold to Ebonheart.

As for cleaning house, getting rid of the competing sentient races in Black Marsh would help take pressure off the Argonians and also protect all the other creatures the Hist has created in Blackmarsh to tend to its needs. No Kothringi or Lilmothit to compete for resources. Slavers and other two-legged predators discouraged from visiting Blackmarsh. Gets rid of any remaining Imperial influence while the Empire is at a low ebb and unable to respond. We know that eventually there will be a Hist planted in Lilmoth too.

We also know that the Hist engineers other organisms to serve its own purposes. Mostly lizards, but why not a disease organism as well. And the Argonians were immune, of course.

All purely circumstantial, but I think it adds up to means, motive and opportunity for the Hist. If I was Inspector Vale I'd certainly haul them in for questioning

kylewwefan · June 2019

I was just doing this quest last night. I’m terrible with the names, but there was this healing springs oasis in Elsweyr that these Argonians were researching to find the cause of the healing.

There was a neried that lived there that was not so happy about the research party going on.

So what the argonian eventually perceived was the neried was actually the cause of the springs healing properties.

But they tainted the neried. And she brought forth plague disease and pestilence.

Of course, the argonians were immune to it. But the Khajit that came to the healing springs to be cleansed were now being infected with this plague.

I apologize, I’m a big fan of the Lore, but it’s all a giant jumbled mess in my head.

Shadow_Akula · June 2019

myskyrim26 wrote: »

Voriplasms are not the result of the flu, they were know before the Duskfall, long before the Knahaten Flu. I doubt they could be a reason, also. But maybe if we see a voriplasm somewhere, this means that this area is somehow twisted, affected by... something.

Interesting notes, I’d like to reply with an extended theory to this, you say the Voriplasm existed before the Duskfall, what’s to say that someone or something didn’t attempt to create a flu before the Duskfall and failed to create a potent enough flu? Perhaps your correct in that they have no relation bi-product wise.

On the possible cause front:
Perhaps the Voriplasm are smarter than what people think them to be and have been biding their time before unleashing the flu like a plague. Again perhaps not.

However I am convinced there must be some correlation and since the Voriplasms appears in Orcrest a city hit hardest in Elsweyr, and if there’s no correlation between cause or bi-product, then perhaps they are a means of carrying the flu?

kylewwefan wrote: »

I was just doing this quest last night. I’m terrible with the names, but there was this healing springs oasis in Elsweyr that these Argonians were researching to find the cause of the healing.

There was a neried that lived there that was not so happy about the research party going on.

So what the argonian eventually perceived was the neried was actually the cause of the springs healing properties.

But they tainted the neried. And she brought forth plague disease and pestilence.

Of course, the argonians were immune to it. But the Khajit that came to the healing springs to be cleansed were now being infected with this plague.

I apologize, I’m a big fan of the Lore, but it’s all a giant jumbled mess in my head.

The place your looking for is Cicatrice and sorry to say but I doubt the neried started the flu as the flu originated in stormhold in Black Marsh (though I suppose the neried could have travelled to Black Marsh, can they do that? I don’t know much about nerieds), this much is known.
However that’s not to say I don’t believe the neried contributed in some way, perhaps specifically allowed an infected creature into the cicatrice springs to taint the water supply? Perhaps one infected the neried and the neried in turn infected the local population?

S.A.96

myskyrim26 · June 2019

Interesting book:

https://www.imperial-library.info/content/noordigloop-clog

I had heard rumors of a specimen of amorphous green slime transported from distant Murkmire for the express goal of alchemical study in an Orcrest laboratory. It is said that the creature escaped captivity during the chaos and unrest at the height of the disease that ravaged the city. Supposedly, the blob of slime slithered down into the sewer, where it grew to an enormous size and more potent toxicity due to the disease-ridden detritus flowing down there for it to consume.

So, it could be a reason for the flu? Suppose it started in the lab... spread to the city... and than the voriplasm escaped. Argoinans never knew it could do such a harm to Khajiit. I wonder if we could visit Senchal and see if any voriplasms are there. Because Senchal is said to be the first place to have a flu...

Dark_Lord_Kuro · June 2019

They could very well be a vehicule for disease just look at the they look like a blob of flu