Lore:Yaghra

Yaghra
A Yaghra Strider
Type		Race (Artificial)
Range		Eltheric Ocean, Summerset Isles (invasive)
Appears in		ESO

"The best thing about yaghra? We have many, many more."
—K'Tora of the Abyssal Cabal

Yaghra are a race of deep-sea creatures, said to have been created from crustacean-like bottom feeders, that serve the Sea Sload. They live in Nirn's many seas and oceans, and are said to be followers of an unspoken social hierarchy. The Sea Sload address their yaghra servants through a combination of the guttural Sload language and mind magic. Their strange appearance often garners comparisons to Daedra, though they are unrelated.

Yaghra carapaces can be ground to make a dye that is used in lipsticks.

Social Hierarchy

Yaghra Monstrosity

Yaghra Spewer

There are several varieties of yaghra. Larval Yaghra are similar in appearance to spiders, and are about the size of Mudcrabs. They are, of course, the larval stage of the creature. They have (or had) a symbiotic relationship with other sea life. Larvae serve as workers, peons and minions, and are low in the Yaghra social hierarchy.

Monstrosities are large Yaghra that are similar in body structure and shape to the larvae, but have hard exoskeletons, crab-like claws, and carry large shells on their backs like hermit crabs. Monstrosities are steadfast commanders. They produce Larval Yaghra, and overwhelm the battlefield through rapid reproduction. They have an almost unnatural yet commanding bond with their lesser bretheren.

The Yaghra Strider has a spined exoskeleton and attacks with crab-like claws. Striders are extremely aggressive. They show an impressive amount of loyalty to the greater Monstrosities, whom they view as their leaders. They also appear to revere the Sea Sload as their gods. Striders act as soldiers, defending the Yaghra nests.

The last known variety is the Spewer, which have bioluminescent shells and possess poison sacks in their necks, which they use to spew a corrosive substance. It is this ability for which they are named. Spewers share a similar social standing with Striders, but exhibit a more conservative ranged combat style. They appear to call out targets for Striders to focus on, and are intent on creating dangerous areas on the battlefield for their enemies to avoid. They do this by spewing poison, which pools on the ground and is harmful to stand in.

History

Circa 2E 582, the Abyssal Cabal used the Yaghra as soldiers during their attack on Summerset Isle. They were brought to Summerset from deep beneath the waves with the aid of Abyssal Pearls. These objects were used in ritual sites known as Abyssal Geysers as part of the Cabal's attempts to sink the island. Attracted by the Abyssal Pearls, Yaghra were summoned and wreaked havoc on the shores of Summerset. One member of the Cabal, the Sea Sload K'Tora, oversaw these Geysers until he was killed by the Psijic Order. The Daedric Prince Nocturnal subsequently assumed control of the Geysers. During this time, Yaghra could be found on the shores of Summerset, particularly near the Abyssal Geysers, as they were drawn to the power of the Pearls that were located at the ritual sites.

Other members of the Cabal would utilize yaghra in unique ways. The alchemist B'Korgen, attempted to use alchemy to empower the other members of the Abyssal Cabal and transform the yaghra into even more fearsome creatures. The primary ingredient of his concoctions was a form of corrupted coral. His plans were thwarted when he was killed by the Vestige. During Z'Maja's incursion of Cloudrest, the Sea Sload used shadow magic to summon umbral Yaghra to defend herself.

Yaghra are among the creatures kept in Hermaeus Mora's Feral Gallery, a collection of creatures in Apocrypha maintained by the Daedric Prince.

Gallery

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  Yaghra larva

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  Red yaghra larva

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  Blue yaghra larva

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  A shadowy yaghra strider

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  Yaghra Monstrosity and Spewer concept art

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  Yaghra Strider concept art

See Also

• Yaghra Names
• For game-specific information, see the Elder Scrolls Online article.