Agents and Reagents/Chitinous Plates
Real author : David S. J. Hodgson (Writter), Brynn Metheney (Artist) Original media : The Hero's Guides to The Elder Scrolls Online Comment : This book is the journal of a wizard's apprentice, focusing on alchemical studies.
By Gargrell Sorick, 2E 578
A lthough many of the more rudimentary armories across Tamriel favor the use of this raw material in their armor (befriend the Ashlander tribes of Vvardenfell, and they will love to instruct you on the benefit of these shells, compared to the leather armor favored by the western provinces), most folk haven't heard of the method of sealing parts of crab together with organic resins and wearing it for protection. Instead, most travelers carrying a burden of belongings, or poachers using the waterways of this realm as their hunting grounds, offer chitinous plates for sale, which we gladly accept.
Although ancient legends say that the now-extinct Snow Elves kept huge insects fattened in deep caves before harvesting their almost impenetrable plates, we must make do with the shells of mudcrabs, dreugh, and other vicious, pincer-wielding monsters that lurk in the mud of by the banks of a river. Of course, slaying such unpleasant (and occasionally delicious) beasts is only half the battle; the quality of the carapace is critical to the price we pay. I do not wish to be seen as a zealot, but I've never met and orc who hadn't ruined the carapace he was gruffly trying to sell by battering it first. Subtlety and forethought are needed when extracting the meat and organs from under the shell. Small daggers or specialized Argonian tools are recommended for keeping a carapace sturdy; otherwise those without the necessary finesse end up with cracked or peeling shells which we happily purchase, but at a price that can send the short tempered and ham fisted into conniptions.
The shell of a creature that has been damaged during combat or subsequent removal. Proven Benefits (in Enchanting):
During removal, the sinews binding the carapace ripped or the piece wasn't suitably wrapped during travels. Proven Benefits (in Enchanting):
A carefully pried series of plates, with only minor blemishes, removed with great skill. Proven Benefits (in Enchanting):
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