Lore:Kwama

Kwama are large insectoids native to Vvardenfell, which are usually kept for their eggs (or "mined"). They live in underground communal colonies, where each kwama has a specific role. They are considered distant relatives of nix-hounds, and as such may be considered to be nix creatures.

Hierarchy

At the top of the colony's hierarchy is the Queen. Kwama Queens are huge and bloated, and produce the nest's eggs. They are too fat and heavy to move, so all their needs are attended to by the Workers. Kwama Workers dig the colony's tunnels and chambers and tend the queen and the eggs. They are usually docile, but not completely helpless.

The workers also produce a pheromone unique to their colony. Different colonies compete over resources, making them natural enemies. Kwama Warriors defend the colony's tunnels. They are aggressive and dangerous, with poisonous or shock attacks. They don't attack the miners because they are used to their odor, but will assault outsiders without hesitation. Especially large warriors serve as the queen's consorts.

Kwama Foragers hunt for prey and scout the surface and natural underground passages, searching for suitable locations for new colonies. Foragers are aggressive, but not very dangerous.

Scribs (or squibs) are a late larval form of the kwama. They are not very aggressive but can paralyze adversaries. Scribs are known to have a pupal stage; these pupae are sometimes harvested and roasted over an open fire by Dunmer. The hive can easily replace scribs, but colonies don't always recover from the loss of a Queen.

• 

  Kwama Queen (Morrowind)

• 

  Kwama Warrior (Morrowind)

• 

  Kwama Worker (Morrowind)

• 

  Kwama Forager (Morrowind)

• 

  Scrib (Morrowind)

Uses and Culture

A Kwama Mine

Kwama are exploited by both the native Dunmer and the Empire. The flesh of scribs is crushed down into the soft Scrib Jelly, a nutritious but sour-tasting gelatin with an unpleasant texture that is popular with the natives. Scribs can also be cut into strips and dried in the sun to produce Scrib Jerky, a practical foodstuff for travelers as it doesn't spoil. Kwama Cuttle is a tough, waxy substance that comes from the beak of kwama beasts. Kwama Wax expands and hardens with heat, making it useful for plugging leaks or mending furniture. It is also sometimes used to dress armor. Kwama Eggs are a rich, nutritious foodstuff and a principal agricultural commodity of the Vvardenfell District. Eggmines are set up in kwama colonies, often in Morrowind, though there have been instances in Valenwood and Black Marsh. The miners protect the kwama from poachers, predators, and raiding kwama foragers from other colonies, and harvest the eggs judiciously, leaving enough eggs to sustain colony growth. Kwama Eggs can be eaten boiled, roasted, or raw, and remain fresh for weeks. They are popular throughout the Empire, and are a major export for Morrowind. The eggs come in two main sizes, large and small, with the large eggs having more alchemical properties than the small ones. The Blight is a major threat to eggmines, making it unsafe for miners and killing the Queen if she is not cured. Once the Queen is cured, the colony will recover. Kwama can also become infected with droops, a common disease.

In the Second Era, the Kwama Council of Morrowind was the professional body for egg mining. It was responsible for defining commercial subsections to run mines across the different regions of Morrowind. The Kwama Consortium of Necrom was one such subsection, and was responsible for running the mines on the Telvanni Peninsula.

The Seven Eggs of Gold are seven legendary golden kwama eggs, which were laid by the Kwama Queen of the forgotten Pudai Egg Mine. The Fighters Guild were contracted to find these eggs, and in 3E 427 the mine was found on the island of Sheogorad. The eggs were of solid gold and fetched a high price. Settlements such as Gnisis and Rethan Manor are dependent on eggmining, and House Hlaalu control a great many of the mines. The Shulk Egg Mine is the largest single source of Kwama Eggs on Vvardenfell. A symbol of a scrib is used to signify an inn or tavern in Morrowind, and one can usually be found hanging on a banner outside of the establishment. Scrib Cabbage, a domesticated plant found in southern Morrowind, is named after the larvae.

Gallery

• 

  A deceased Kwama Queen (ESO)

• 

  Kwama Warrior (ESO)

• 

  Kwama Worker (ESO)

• 

  Scrib (ESO)

• 

  Kwama Queen (Legends)

• 

  Kwama Warrior (Legends)

• 

  Kwama Worker (Legends)

• 

  Kwama Forager (Legends)

• 

  Scrib Symbol

• 

  Kwama Eggs (Morrowind)

• 

  Kwama eggs and newly hatched scribs (ESO)

• 

  A Dunmer holding a royal Kwama Queen egg (ESO)

• 

  The Golden Eggs of Pudai (Morrowind)

• 

  A Blighted Queen (Morrowind)

• 

  A well-dressed Kwama Warrior from the Shivering Isles (Legends)

• 

  Kwama Wallpaper

• 

  Kwama Forager and Kwama Worker concept art

• 

  Kwama Warrior concept art

• 

  Scrib concept art
  (Betrayal of the Second Era)

Notes

• Kwama nests are sometimes home to a rare mushroom called Kwama Caps, and kwama will become aggressive if these mushrooms are disturbed.
• According to their concept art notes and a later comment from their designer, the original concept for Kwama Warriors in Morrowind was that Foragers and Workers would "fuse" to become them, with the Foragers entering the tube that was present in the Workers. However there are no mentions of this concept in the final game, and later designs of the creatures would drop most of the visual aspects that imply this connection.

See Also

• For game-specific information, see the Morrowind, Elder Scrolls Online, and Legends articles.

Books

• The Art of Kwama Egg Cooking by Belami Llevarso — An Introduction
• Care of Kwama by Cirantille — A description of Kwama caring methods
• Kwama Mining for Fun and Profit by Dorayn Redas, House Hlaalu — An instructional guide to Kwama mining
• How the Kwama Lost His Shoes — A children's poem about a clumsy Kwama
• Brave Little Scrib — A traditional Dunmer children's tale
• Egg Mines and You! by Kylia Thando, Expert Kwama Wrangler — A treatise on the Kwama
• Kwama Breeding Research Notes (Flora) — Notes on the effects of various flora on kwama
• Mean Old Torchbug — A story about Brave Little Scrib and Mean Old Torchbug

References

Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.