I woke up in a sudden jolt. Last thing I remember was the Sleeping Tree camp. I looked at my hand at where the ring still sat. I didn't get any form of dreamscape, so maybe I didn't actually fall asleep? I paused, "No, Werewolves don't get restful sleep."
Before i could analyze more of my surrounds a voice echoed, "No shit! They turn into monster at the glimpse of the full moon. Unless its a new moon they don't get any rest."
I jumped started at the voice. however when I looked around I saw no one, but that didn't stop me from getting whiplash at what i saw. The sleeping tree was on the ground sideways. It's branches and roots both twisted against the flat ground.
What had happened last night. I couldn't help, but exclaim. "Wtf?"
The voice echoed in my head again, "That's what I said when i was woken up to some massive werebeast ripping me out of the ground and slinging it onto its back."
So the Sleeping Tree was taking to me. That was... So it was a Hist. "Wait, how are you talking to me?"
The sleeping tree remarked in a sarcastic tone. "I don't know. Maybe it was all the sap you drank in that freak of a form. You emptied out a chest full of bottles of the stuff. I would tell you what you said at the time. However it was so incoherent I honestly have no clue."
I looked around, I realized I had made it to Cold Rock Pass. I had apparently also killed and ate half of a troll. I blinked and a few different memories of last night came back to me. I held my mouth as I thought about vomiting. I had eaten more than just this troll. I ate that dead Orc, the giants, hell even a some elk on the way here.
I looked down at myself and realized I was naked. I blinked and quickly opened my inventory only to find what I thought would be my clothes. Instead I saw Torn cloth, destroyed Tunic and shredded hide. The remains of what I assume was my armor.
"Great, at least I don't feel cold." I would have to go to Morthal naked. I can just say I was robbed of my belongings. I'm sure the guards would spare something.
The tree laughed at me, "You certainly look cold! HAHAHA! Fucking dirty man-filth."
Was the tree seriously referring to... I shook off my confusion and started to leave the cave. The Tree however called out, "Hey! Hey! where are you going!"
I looked back, the tree didn't have eyes so it clearly saw in some other way. Perhaps through mana? I threw my hands up, "What you want the dirty man-filth to carry you with him?"
The Tree's voice was filled with annoyance. "You woke me up. You pulled me out of the ground. You are now planning to leave me in some bum fuck cave? Take me with you!"
I shook my head, "Why? Should. I?"
I paused and when i turned to leave again it spoke up. "Well, I can tell you about magic, some secrets only the Hist know, maybe teach you a bit about culture."
I shrugged, "I'm good."
The Tree called out, "What if I teach you A Hist Exclusive Magic! Magic only passed to the most trusted argonian?"
That did catch my attention, but not for the reason it wanted. "Why would you teach me that?"
The Hist seemed to sigh. "Look, Bud. Not many Hist travel. In fact the amount of Hist that have traveled more than a branches length. Could be counted on one hand. In fact only one has traveled more than that. That bastard lived on a pirate ship that sailed the akaviri sea. So I, a young and poorly grown Hist would be more than happy to sight see. Thus I am willing to trade any secret you want if you bring me along."
My eyes narrowed, I had to put googly eyes on this tree or something. Just staring at a tree while it talked into your head really made me feel crazy. Specially after using Hircine's ring last night. I traveled a great length and achieved a lot, but... Ugh.
I asked, "You said you are poorly grown?"
The tree huffed, "Indeed, why do you think i was asleep? I can't even read your mind only project my thoughts to you. That's how underdeveloped I am. The soil I first rooted in had enough nutrients to start my growth cycle. However only enough for me to grow this much. For my age I should be much bigger."
That made some sense, Skyrim was relatively cold and barren. however there was plenty of places where life can grow. I can't imagine anywhere in Skyrim really has the proper conditions for a Hist to grow well. My eyes narrowed though, "Aren't you a daedric Hist though? Grown from Umbriel?"
The sleep tree gave a sound I didn't understand. I however realized it spoke a different language. It then returned back to speaking to me as it was. "Sort of, its much more complicated than that. To give it context."
The tree paused for a moment in thought, "My seed was dropped from Umbriel ages ago. I didn't actually start growing until hundreds of years after that. I'm sure if you take me around Skyrim I could tell you places other Hist tree seeds have fallen. I am in sorts, incredibly lucky. I fell in a place with just the right conditions to begin growth. The catch to this is I sucked most of the nutrients I needed out of the ground. Meaning I couldn't grow further. Limiting my abilities to thought projection and inherited memory. I do have some Daedric energy in me..."
The Hist paused again, it switched to the other language again. However it quickly switched back. "It is hard to explain in this language. I suppose you can think of it as... You suing a daedric artifact. Using said artifact gives you some of the power of a daedra. Hist obviously can't use that power in the normal way. So instead it is absorbed."
I raised an eyebrow, "What like photosynthesis?"
The tree paused, "Explain that word."
I sighed, "the process by which plants use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water."
The tree laughed, "Yes! That is the word. Exactly want I couldn't explain. i didn't know men had such a word. You even understand what carbon dioxide is."
I felt the need to correct that, "Not really. Most, no literally anyone you speak to will likely not know what photosynthesis is."
The Tree answered back. "Understandable. It took centuries for necromancer's to truly understand the anatomy of man and beast. I can only image such words are niche to most. Anyway, to explain, the Hist trees that grow in a daedric realm instead of using sunlight in photosynthesis. They use daedric energies. As most daedra realms have poor light sources."
I paused, "Isn't the sun here on Nirn a hole in aetherius though?"
The hist gasp, "You understand that too?" It paused, "Wait! No you should know that if you are a mage. That's common knowledge amongst most of there kind. Bah! We have gotten off track. Take me with you!"
I rolled my eyes, honestly a Hist would be useful. This would be difficult. I grabbed the tree by its branches and it yelled, "By the roots! The Roots!"
I rolled my eyes and grabbed its roots and started to drag the tree. "Why can't you turn into that werebeast form and carry me again? Wait! No then you wouldn't listen to me. You didn't hear my screams when you ripped me out of the ground after all."
I trudged along responding as i pulled. "I also can't do that." I literally couldn't and also wouldn't. The Werewolf behemoth gave up to much control I suspect the other forms wouldn't be as bad. However that still had its own problems. Like going to Morthal as a werebeast of any kind would get me killed.
The Sleeping Tree paused, "Hey wait! You aren't just gonna you know."
I stared at the path downward. "Why not. Cowabunga!"
I kicked the tree down and as it started to slip down the mountain. I jumped on, and we were off.