Traveling to Eldergleam Sanctuary would take some time. So As we traveled I let my mind wander. With the possibility of a Falmer player I had some things to think about. I had realized I had limited my thinking. I made a mental note of every possible player.
We moved a little slow since Orchid was following us. However as we neared the grove Orchid became antsy. So I hoped off Philip, and looked the hidden entrance. I looked at Orchid, "Care to lead the way?"
The Spriggan whistled and began moving forward. The vines that covered the entrance shifted around the creature. Viree shrugged and followed it into the sanctuary. A short path filled with green flora lead down into the earth. At the very top of the grove I could see the sun shining down.
The grove was perhaps somewhere I would stay one day. Not a bad place to have your tombstone, that is if I die an early death. I had killed two players it wasn't a stretch that I may be killed in return. I stepped over some flowers and followed Orchid up the path.
Viree pointed, "Are those hunters?"
I looked at a man and woman, they were normally in the grove until you hurt the Eldergleam. However I frowned, "Don't speak to them..."
She raised an eyebrow at that, but I didn't elaborate. Orchid waited for us up ahead. So following behind, Orchid cleared the path for us. The Eldergleam roots shifted in front of us and the path to the Eldergleam opened.
Orchid sung as we got closer. Eventually though we arrived at the Eldergleams's base. Viree sucked in a breath as she saw the Matriarch. It opened its arms and Orchid ran into its arms. The two spriggans held each other briefly before turning to me. Orchid purred in joy and the Mariarch made a similar lower sound that vibrated my hair.
Viree looked at me, so I continued. "Are you asking for what we want as a reward for returning Orchid?"
The matriarch eyes glowed a little brighter at the mention of a name. It nodded along though and smiled. Viree asked, "What reward do we even receive?"
I saw my opportunity, "I have more than just Orchid to return to the grove. I am going to take out a knife, I don't want you to be alarmed."
The Matriarch paused and gestured forward holding its hand out. I took nettlebane out of my inventory and held it forward for the Matriarch. Orchid bristled slightly, and Viree was curious to what I was doing. The matriarch didn't waiver though and slipped nettlebane from my hands.
It's face creaked as it closed its eyes. It vibrated with life as the Eldergleam responded. It wasn't long until a second spriggan sprung to life and moved toward the Matriarch. It grabbed the nettlebane and snuck away. The matriarch looked back at me and rumbled. It held out its hands, I felt a little anxious as I let it grab my own hands.
Viree looked worried for my sanity. She stepped back a little in preparation to jump into action if needed. The spriggans were entirely unconcerned though. So I relaxed as the Matriarch vibrated with life. As it held my hands I could feel it's feelings conveyed. It was an unexpected feeling, but I had a guess at what it was doing.
A green glow stretched from its finger tips and into mine. A second later I felt the energy cut off, and I received some kind of buff. The matriarch smiled and took a step backwards. It looked to the Eldergleam and reached out.
Viree looked at me, "What happened?"
I whispered back, "I'll tell you later."
The Matriarch smiled and my eyes widened as a small sapling grew from the ground. It went from a tiny bud to a matured sapling. Orchid and the other spriggan stepped forward and began helping the Matriarch take the sapling from the ground. A silver thread spun from their hands and eventually the bottom of the sapling was wrapped.
The matriarch lifted it up and passed it to me. I hadn't actually expected to complete the quest the blessings of nature. Since I felt the gildergreen didn't matter and the reward for the quest minimal. I looked up at the Eldergleam, shrugged, "Can I also get some of those nuts?"
The Eldergleam at small copper like nuts that resembled Walnuts. The Matriarch looked up to the tree where I was looking and it smiled. It nodded and several small nuts fell from the tree. Orchid and the other Spriggan caught most of them. The rest fell to the ground freely though.
I realized I had no idea how to exist this situation so I bowed. "Thank you for your kindness and blessings." I looked at Viree to follow my gesture and she did. Though her bow wasn't as low and didn't have the same sincerity. Nonetheless the Spriggans bowed back and they all took steps back into the trees they inhabit. The Matriarch specifically formed back into the Eldergleam.
Orchid stayed around a little longer though, it waved, produced a small tweet and slipped back into a young tree. Viree looked at me, "What. The. Hell. Was that?"
She paused almost between each word and I rolled my eyes. I began walking back down the path. "I felt it was all very simple, they blessed me in thanks for saving Orchid. While giving me this sapling as a thanks for giving them nettlebane a dagger made to harm the Eldergleam."
Nettlebane also likely did extra damage to that Matriarch since it lived as a part of the Eldergleam. My eyes wandered the grove as Viree complained. "They didn't bless me? Why did they bless you and not me?"
I gave a shrug, "Likely the same reason as these two."
The man and woman who took residence within the grove stopped us. "We saw you, up at the Eldergleam. What was it like up there? You were lead by a spriggan, right?"
I stared at the two hunters and looked back at their silver weapons. I scoffed, "Let me ask you this, why is two silverhand bandits camped out here."
Viree perked up at the mention of silverhand. I'm sure while we were in Whiterun she was told about them when she was talking to the companions. The two hunters winced, "We are no longer with the silverhand."
I laughed, "And why? They tried to kill you because you contracted lycanthropy?"
They looked down in shame and I knew I hit it right on the mark. The man explained their story, unfortunately. "We were hunting a werewolf named Sinding. He got us while we slept, on the full moon our troop turned on each other. They all slaughtered each other as beasts while we ran eventually making our home here. The Spriggans ignore us mostly and the water here is clean."
Sinding eh? I smelled the quest from a mile away. One I wasn't going to take as Sinding was a friend. Viree interrupted, "What ever you want. We don't care!" She looked at me for us to get going.
I shook my head, "Exactly as she said, we won't say anything about you. Just don't cause trouble, as long as you don't have a bounty. We will never come after you."
The woman nodded and the man tried to reach out. However Viree was already walking off, and I caught up to her. "I told you so..."
She let out a grim laugh, "I didn't realize."
I nodded, "I saw the silver sword on his belt and put it together when we entered. I didn't expect them to ask us for help though."
Viree scoffed, "They had the audacity!"
I agreed simply, "They likely saw the situation with the spriggans. They likely believed we may have a cure. Remember how I told you their was a few methods?"
Viree nodded, "I do, I just... Worry a little."
I patted Viree's back, "Come on, let's ride Philip back to Riften."