Delsin stood awkwardly on the inside of his makeshift tent. He arched his back, waiting for a pop, to release his stresses from the previous day. All of his dreams were occupied by the viscous, four legged beasts that he had run in with yesterday. He did have some news however; he was getting closer to finding the beast he had set out for.
A sense of anticipation set into his mind as he pushed his way out of the tent. He still had a few more ingredients to collect in order to fill his stock, all before he returned to his Orsimer friend’s camp once more. “Xorguk,” Delsin mumbled, pushing through some bushes in order to access some berries he had seen, “I won’t be able to live this down when I tell him.”
He dropped to one knee, and started to pick the delectable red berries, often popping 2 or 3 into his mouth as he went. As he finished stuffing the berries into his pouch, he rose, and pulled his Alchemy Book back out, and flipped to the list of ingredients. He only needed one last item, at least among the ingredients that he could collect in the Reach. The trouble was trying to find it. The Amber leaf would only grow in the tallest of Aspen, and only at the very top. This would mean hours of climbing trees, risking not finding anything at all.
Delsin stood for a moment, rummaging through his thoughts. He had known about a location where a patch of tall Aspen rose. It was likely that he would find his ingredient there. I smirk developed on his face as remembered the location where the patch of trees laid. “Looks like I’ll be seeing Xorguk sooner than I had thought.” The elf took off into a light jog, headed South West, where the Orsimer’s camp was. It didn’t take him very long to see the slightly elevated canopy of thin, Aspen branches. He could hardly make out some small Amber leaves moving in the breeze. Beyond that he could see a line of grey smoke rising into the sky.
Delsindómien worked his way to one of the taller trees. He weaved his way through the ivory branches with the ease of a serpent. It wasn’t long before he reached the very top, where he could scan about a mile or so around him. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a single amber leaf at the top of the tree where he was perched, but rather the tree across from him. “Better give it a shot,” he called with a chuckle, and launched himself off of his branch, and onto the one across from him. He let out a self confident laugh, and started to pluck the few leaves that sat at the top of the tree. “Styracilua Riftica,” he said to himself, examining the couple leaves that he had harvested.
“Last of what I need for my poisons here,” he spoke once again, flipping through the pages of his book. Then he saw the name of an ingredient that he had only achieved once. “Jarrin root,” he felt some fear in his mind, as he thought about the ingredient. It could make the most potent of poisons, known to take out a Mammoth with less than a drop of it’s juice. “How I’d love to get my hands on that again,” his voice trailed off into thought, as he remembered the single bit of Jarrin poison that he had possessed. He had planned on saving it for the perfect game, but had lost it after taking a tumble down a steep path in the Pale.
Delsin’s thoughts were interrupted by a nearby growling that was all to familiar to him. It sounded like his friends companion. A small bear that was called Cripple. Delsin had never been fond of bears, but Cripple was a gentle beast if he wanted to be. “What is that beast roaring at this close to home?” He questioned to himself, as he started to weave his way down towards the earth. He landed on the ground with ease, and drew his bow, with an arrow ready.
He made his way slowly towards Xorguk’s camp, listening to the noises that started to echo from the camp. Some arguing and bickering, with some bit of worry and sorrow all mixed in. Not only could Delsin detect the voice of his friend, but that of another male, and of a woman. He couldn’t make out exactly what they were speaking about, due to his distance from the camp, but the closer he got, the clearer the conversation was. Just as he was about to break through the trees to where they all stood, a hooded man stomped down the pathway, not taking notice to Delsin’s presence.
He was more than close enough to eavesdrop on the remaining two voices. The only thing that was said after the man had left, came from the female voice. “Again, I am sorry,” is all it said. Then the sound of movement. She sounded like a Nord, but it was hard to be sure. Delsin started to release the grip on his bow, as he placed his arrow back within his quiver. “Better now than never,” he spoke quietly, taking a deep breath.
He stepped through the brush and trees to reveal Xorguk standing over a dim fire, near a woman with fiery red hair, with her head in her hands. “Xorguk my friend,” Delsin spoke loudly, raising a hand in greeting, “I was collecting some Amber Leaf nearby when I heard the-” his voice trailed off as he saw the body of Cripple laying on the ground nearby. A pool of crimson blood surrounding him. “By Kyne,” He spoke again, as he crouched and laid a hand on the bears cold body, starting to whisper an Elven prayer that he had learned, “Mae l’ovannen, le fael. Mara mesta, marienna mella heru.”
Delsin rose from the bear, and stared at Xorguk, his face covering up any sorrow and sadness that he may have felt. “I am sorry about your companion,” he spoke with a nod, “I heard the commotion while I was collecting ingredients nearby. May I ask who the aggravated man was?”
A sense of anticipation set into his mind as he pushed his way out of the tent. He still had a few more ingredients to collect in order to fill his stock, all before he returned to his Orsimer friend’s camp once more. “Xorguk,” Delsin mumbled, pushing through some bushes in order to access some berries he had seen, “I won’t be able to live this down when I tell him.”
He dropped to one knee, and started to pick the delectable red berries, often popping 2 or 3 into his mouth as he went. As he finished stuffing the berries into his pouch, he rose, and pulled his Alchemy Book back out, and flipped to the list of ingredients. He only needed one last item, at least among the ingredients that he could collect in the Reach. The trouble was trying to find it. The Amber leaf would only grow in the tallest of Aspen, and only at the very top. This would mean hours of climbing trees, risking not finding anything at all.
Delsin stood for a moment, rummaging through his thoughts. He had known about a location where a patch of tall Aspen rose. It was likely that he would find his ingredient there. I smirk developed on his face as remembered the location where the patch of trees laid. “Looks like I’ll be seeing Xorguk sooner than I had thought.” The elf took off into a light jog, headed South West, where the Orsimer’s camp was. It didn’t take him very long to see the slightly elevated canopy of thin, Aspen branches. He could hardly make out some small Amber leaves moving in the breeze. Beyond that he could see a line of grey smoke rising into the sky.
Delsindómien worked his way to one of the taller trees. He weaved his way through the ivory branches with the ease of a serpent. It wasn’t long before he reached the very top, where he could scan about a mile or so around him. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a single amber leaf at the top of the tree where he was perched, but rather the tree across from him. “Better give it a shot,” he called with a chuckle, and launched himself off of his branch, and onto the one across from him. He let out a self confident laugh, and started to pluck the few leaves that sat at the top of the tree. “Styracilua Riftica,” he said to himself, examining the couple leaves that he had harvested.
“Last of what I need for my poisons here,” he spoke once again, flipping through the pages of his book. Then he saw the name of an ingredient that he had only achieved once. “Jarrin root,” he felt some fear in his mind, as he thought about the ingredient. It could make the most potent of poisons, known to take out a Mammoth with less than a drop of it’s juice. “How I’d love to get my hands on that again,” his voice trailed off into thought, as he remembered the single bit of Jarrin poison that he had possessed. He had planned on saving it for the perfect game, but had lost it after taking a tumble down a steep path in the Pale.
Delsin’s thoughts were interrupted by a nearby growling that was all to familiar to him. It sounded like his friends companion. A small bear that was called Cripple. Delsin had never been fond of bears, but Cripple was a gentle beast if he wanted to be. “What is that beast roaring at this close to home?” He questioned to himself, as he started to weave his way down towards the earth. He landed on the ground with ease, and drew his bow, with an arrow ready.
He made his way slowly towards Xorguk’s camp, listening to the noises that started to echo from the camp. Some arguing and bickering, with some bit of worry and sorrow all mixed in. Not only could Delsin detect the voice of his friend, but that of another male, and of a woman. He couldn’t make out exactly what they were speaking about, due to his distance from the camp, but the closer he got, the clearer the conversation was. Just as he was about to break through the trees to where they all stood, a hooded man stomped down the pathway, not taking notice to Delsin’s presence.
He was more than close enough to eavesdrop on the remaining two voices. The only thing that was said after the man had left, came from the female voice. “Again, I am sorry,” is all it said. Then the sound of movement. She sounded like a Nord, but it was hard to be sure. Delsin started to release the grip on his bow, as he placed his arrow back within his quiver. “Better now than never,” he spoke quietly, taking a deep breath.
He stepped through the brush and trees to reveal Xorguk standing over a dim fire, near a woman with fiery red hair, with her head in her hands. “Xorguk my friend,” Delsin spoke loudly, raising a hand in greeting, “I was collecting some Amber Leaf nearby when I heard the-” his voice trailed off as he saw the body of Cripple laying on the ground nearby. A pool of crimson blood surrounding him. “By Kyne,” He spoke again, as he crouched and laid a hand on the bears cold body, starting to whisper an Elven prayer that he had learned, “Mae l’ovannen, le fael. Mara mesta, marienna mella heru.”
Delsin rose from the bear, and stared at Xorguk, his face covering up any sorrow and sadness that he may have felt. “I am sorry about your companion,” he spoke with a nod, “I heard the commotion while I was collecting ingredients nearby. May I ask who the aggravated man was?”