Online:Eslion

Eslion is a Wood Elf accused of sabotaging Vinafwe's garden. You'll find him in the forest between Vinafwe's House and Sunhold.
 

Related Quests


Dialogue
Defeating the last strangler, he'll beccon you:
:Eslion :  ''"Oh, sorry! Sorry! It's safe over this way, follow me!"
:Eslion :  "I don't think anything untoward's taken root here. Let's—uh, have a chat, shall we?"''

Speaking to him, he'll explain himself:
:''"Hope those stranglers didn't hurt you! They're ornery buggers. Nearly ate my fool cousin one time, but he was so drunk—no, nevermind, not the time."
:"As you can see, there's a bit of an infestation. Real mess. Has me a bit at a loss."
:Are you Eslion?
:"Oh! Have we met? Sorry I don't remember. Never been good with names, or faces, or most details really. Mom used to say my head would drift straight into the clouds if not for the canopy."
:"Were you looking for me?"
:I'm told you were the one who's been planting these stranglers.
:"Me? No! Well—yes—but not intentionally! See, my brother's a bit of a prankster and strangler seeds look a lot like white acacia—the short of it is I did plant them, I just didn't know they were stranglers, and now I'm trying to get rid of them."
:If that's true, why haven't you killed off the stranglers?
:"Oh, killing them's not the hard part. I brewed a poison that'll choke their roots until they're brown in the fronds. Trouble is, can't think of a way to use it without breaking the Green Pact. It's a real moral quandary."
:I could spread the poison for you.
:"Oh, yeah, that'd do. Whew, that's a load off my shoulders."
:So what do you need me to do?
:"Dribble a bit of this in the water sources around here and the stranglers should die off in a few weeks. Just the stranglers though. Promise!"
:"I should go apologize to Vinafwe for this."
:Even if the stranglers were an accident, why were you vandalizing Vinafwe's work in the first place?
::"Vandalize? Me? I'm not the one herding plants into cramped little rows, or lashing vines to stakes, or amputating the branches of perfectly healthy trees to warp them to some unnatural ideal! I was just showing her what natural beauty looks like."
::And that's why you planted new seeds in Vinafwe's arrangements? To make them beautiful?
::"The moment I spoke to her, I could tell she'd never seen untamed wilds. Her entire concept of nature is … perverse, if I'm blunt. I thought if I could breathe some life into those sterile gardens she might finally see what she's missing."
::She thought you were trying to kill her.
::"Well, I'm sure this little misunderstanding with the stranglers didn't help my case, but that's a bit much …."
::"I should clear things up with Vinafwe before this situation gets any more out of control."
:What brought you to Summerset?
::"All the stories I've heard about Summerset described it as a paradise. Pristine, idyllic, beautiful. The moment I heard the High Elves were opening the isles to visitors, I knew I had to see them."
::"Now that I'm here it just feels … fake."
::Summerset feels fake?
::"You know … artificial. Like everything is an imitation. It's like nothing can be its true self. Everything, down to the last blade of grass, has to be manicured. Forced to be something its not."
::"It's not beautiful, it's tyranny."
::It's their land. This is how they want it.
::"But it's the wilderness! Birds make their nests, and Bosmer grow their homes, but beyond those borders it's Y'ffre's domain. "
::"I don't expect everyone to abide the Green Pact, but enslaving the land like this just feels wrong."
:What's the Green Pact you mentioned?
::"Sort of a vow. A promise to the Green, that we'd protect it from harm and in return it would be our home. Now I know we're not in Valenwood, but those seeds are of the Green, and the idea of harming them makes me sick to the core."
::It's that serious?
::"Better believe it. Any Bosmer who so much as plucks a petal from the Green is doomed to the Ooze, song left unsung forever after. Like you never were. Even if you don't think much of yourself, there's something to fear in that."
::But me poisoning the stranglers is fine?
::"For you, sure. It's not your pact. For me? I'm hoping so. I'm supposed to protect the Green, but we're a long ways from there. Y'ffre forgive me if I'm wrong."''

Returning to Vinafwe's House, you'll find Eslion in custody and trying to explain:
:Eslion :  "I told you this is all just a misunderstand—friend! A little help?"

:''"Hi again. In a bit of a bind, as you can see. I tried to apologize, I really did, but she's telling the Prosecution I've been terrorizing her."
:"I could use some good news. How'd you fair with those stranglers?"
:I poisoned them as you instructed.
:"Thank Y'ffre for that. It'll take some time for them to die off, but they'll be too sick to hurt anyone soon."
:"Could you explain that to the good officers of the law here? How this was all an unfortunate accident and I helped make it right?"
:You did intend to tamper with Vinafwe's botanical arrangements though.
:"I did meddle a bit, but I didn't mean any harm by it. Surely tossing me in jail's blowing the whole thing out of proportion, right? Promise I'll never do it again. I'll even transplant my additions someplace where they'll be appreciated!"

You can choose to let him go free…
:I'll testify on your behalf. [Eslion Goes Free]
:"Oh, you're a regular saint. I knew the minute I met you that we'd be peas in a pod. You can count on me to do right by Vinafwe. Still don't agree with her, but I'll think of a better way to make my point once this has all blown over."
:I'll hold you to that.
:"I'll be so glad to have this mess behind me. My brother's going to get a real kick out of it. Right in the backside, if I can help it."''
:Oradel turns to Eslion and you'll hear the following:
:Justiciar Oradel: "Free the prisoner."
:Eslion: ''"Sorry! Really, truly sorry, I am! Won't happen again, officer."
:Vinafwe: "You aren't seriously taking his side in this?"
:Eslion will run up the road and fade into the distance.

Or you can turn him in…
:You broke the law, Eslion. You have to face the consequences. [Eslion Goes to Jail]
:"Maybe High Elf prison isn't so bad? Gold bars and all that."
:Be more cautious in the future.
:"All I wanted was for the High Elves to show a little more respect to nature, but they're just so set in their ways."
:"When I get out of prison, I'm going to explore more of Summerset. I have to hope it's not all like this."
:Oradel turns to Eslion and leads him off to jail.
:Justiciar Oradel: "Eslion of Valenwood, you are under arrest for crimes against nature. You will be jailed until the court determines your punishment. Move along."
:Eslion: "Crimes against nature! Insult to injury if ever there was!"
:Vinafwe: "I cannot be rid of this weevil soon enough."''
:Oradel and Bailiff Lisagnor will lead Eslion off and disappear up the road.