Guar has a minion!

Guarling the Baby Icklesaurus

The guar is the dominant domesticated herd animal of Morrowind, useful as a pack animal and for its meat and hides.

The guar resembles a short, squat dinosaur, walking on two large hind legs. It has small, beady eyes and a large, broad mouth filled with sharp teeth. The guar plays an important role in Dunmeri culture, often showing up in tales and fables. Guar's treasure chest contains the other creatures that can be encountered in Morrowind: the Cliffracer; the Horker; the Kwama; the Netch; the Mudcrab; the Scuttler; the Skeever and the Slaughterfish.


In Morrowind, the Guar figures in many tales. Here are just a few fables:



Almalexia and the Mudcrab
A traditional Dunmer tale

There was once a mudcrab who suffered much. He had a limp and a hacking cough. His shell was misshapen, causing him pain. He was weary at all times, and told everyone he was surely dying.
He roamed the valley one day, complaining to any who would listen.
The shalk created a brace from part of his shell and offered it to the mudcrab. "Here, mudcrab, try bracing your leg," he advised.
"No, no, no," said the mudcrab, "I have tried that and it does not work."
"Mudcrab," said the alit, "let me bite on your shell and crack it just a bit to relieve the pressure."
The mudcrab said, "You are trying to trick me, alit! You just want an easy snack!"
Almalexia, who was roaming the land that day, heard these conversations and entered the valley, where she appeared as a humble guar.
"Mudcrab," she said, "take this draught I have made for your cough."
"Guar, you are not a healer. It is better to suffer than risk a poor remedy," replied the mudcrab.
And Almalexia revealed herself to the creatures, who gasped in surprise. "Mudcrab," she said, "all of these creatures have offered you help, but you refuse. You are in love with complaining, and you will never be healed."
And so Almalexia teaches us that you cannot aid the unwilling.



The Guar and the Mudcrabs

The Guar were so tormented by the other creatures they did not know where to go. As soon as they saw a single beast approach them, off they dashed in terror.
One day they saw a pack of Nix-hounds ranging about, and in a desperate panic all the Guar scuttled off towards the sea, determined to drown themselves rather than live in such a continual state of fear. But just as they got near the shoreline, a colony of Mudcrabs, frightened in their turn by the approach of the Guar, scuttled off, and threw themselves into the water.
'Truly,' said one of the Guar, “things are not so bad as they seem. For there is always someone worse off than you."



The tale of the Frozen Guar

A lonely guar struggled through the Ashlands on a cold, moonless night. The wind was frosty and bitter and chilled the animal to the bone. "Alas!" it cried, "I will die here, alone in the cold."
Just then, the guar caught sight of a faint orange glow in the distance. "A campfire?" it barked hopefully, "It must be! It must be!"
The guar raced toward the light, its feet growing warmer with every step. Soon, the cold gave way to a sweltering heat. The air grew thick and acrid, searing the guar's nostrils and lungs. But still, it hurried on, barking, "It must be a campfire! It must be! It must be!"
Finally, the guar reached the orange glow. Alas, it was not a campfire, but a great flow of lava. The guar, so seduced by the warmth, gave this truth no heed. It sprinted to the lava's edge and tripped on a loose stone. With one last joyful bark, the beast landed headfirst in the fiery liquid and died.
So you see, child, a fool's thirst for safety carries its own risks.



The Gifted Guar

One day a farmer decided to give his daughter a gift. She had started a family of her own, and he wished good fortune for her. He chose his finest guar and brought it to his daughter's new home.
His daughter was delighted at this gift, but her husband only glared.
"You didn't even let us choose?" the husband asked angrily. "What if this guar is sick, or old, or weak? I must at least inspect it before it's left in our care!"
The daughter tried to calm her husband, but the farmer simply nodded and said, "You may examine this guar as you see fit."
The husband inspected every inch of the guar, even forcing the beast to open its mighty jaws to look at the state of its teeth.
"Well, it will have to do," the husband conceded, though he knew it was a fine guar indeed.
The farmer stroked his chin. "You know, I think you're right. You should be able to pick whichever guar you wish. I know there's plenty for sale in the local market."
The husband simply gaped as his father-in-law walked back home, guar in hand.
His wife slapped her husband's arm and told him, "You fool! Never look a gift guar in the mouth!"



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