The Diary of Shirishi

#16

Day 13:

I arrived in Pelagiad to find a bunch of stome houses, some with their own farmland, on a hill with the Imperial Legions towers overlooking it all. I was told by one of the local Argonians that this is similar in design to a western Imperial town.

I found Mebestien Ence in his shop after asking around, the Breton man claimed that he had no Dwemer artifacts and was insulted I had suggested it. Fortunately for me, the human had forgotten to move the one he had off the shelf. So I bought it, much to his disgust. As well as a nice Steel Shortsword, which I swapped for the long bladed Sparksword,
Then I went upstairs and robbed him, including a book of alchemy recipes he'd had on the shelf.

Then there was only one more thing to do for the Guild-blackmail the Orc legionnaire with the knowledge that she had been smuggling the pieces into letting the imprisoned member go. But, first, I went into the Halfway Tradehouse.

It seemed about the same as any other tavern I'd been in, except that it was huge. However, whilst I was looking around I came across the Elf mugger. Nelos Onmar was his name, and he seemed as surprised as I had been that the Dunmer woman wanted to give him her glove and see him again. He even asked me to tell her that he shared the same feelings and give her a note, if I ever saw her again.

Dark Elves are very strange.

After that oddness, I went into the Legions Fort to find the Orc.

It didn't take long, she was in the main room selling weapons and armour. Didn't take much to persuade her to do as we asked either, although she did try to call the guards on me first. Then I got a promise that she wouldn't forget this and would 'remember me'.

After shrugging that off I went to the dungeons to check on the guild member, a Bosmer called New-Shoes Bragor. He thanked me for helping him out and then gave me a pair of shoes that had brought him more trouble than they were worth. I'm sure I could sell them, as they're useless to us Khajiit, and they looked expensive.

I shortly left the Legions Fort, after I emptied their chests whilst dancing around the guards of course. Now I'm in a room of the local tavern. I haven't decided what I should do tomorrow yet though. Stay here and explore a bit more, go to Balmora, or see if there's a way I can do something about that slave in Hla Oad.

#17

((Borgs Fallout story made me remember this and want to do some more on it. So I did!

))

Day 14:

Well, today has certainly been busy if not necessarily very eventful. Before I head off to another city (I still haven't decided where to go yet) I decided to have a good look around this small town. A very good look, I've been in lots of different houses today having a rifle around, mostly picked up gold but there were a few other interesting things, it's amazing what you learn about people from the contents of their belongings. For example one of the more well renowned citizens is an alcoholic-the only time I ever saw so much of the stuff was when I went to get that brandy from the dead nobles manor!

Then I went back to the Halfway Tradehouse, rented a room and finally sold those suicidal scrolls, I was getting sick of looking at the useless scraps of paper.

Oh there was one, well, two more eventful things that did happen in the inn. I opened an unlocked door whilst having a look inside the place and was immediately told to get out and never talk to some woman, a Nord I think, ever again. All the other folk around here are pretty friendly, I wonder what her problem is? Even the Ashlander downstairs wasn't that rude to me.

Oh yes, there's an Ashlander downstairs. Turns out there are two types of Dark Elves that live here in Morrowind-the city elves and the Ashlanders who still live the way their ancestors did. They seem to get on with each other about as well as they get on with any outlander, that is, not very well. The guy treated me about as well as anyone else around here, he just couldn't speak the language everyone in the city speaks very good. Apparently Morrowind was called Resdayn before the Empire came along and changed it. Suddenly the hatred of the Imperials seems more understandable.

#18

Day 15:

I'm back in Balmora, and I walked all the way here from Pelagiad too. I didn't think they were so close to each other-my detour into the lake before must have skewed my sense of timing, I thought they were much further apart.

I followed the roads through grasslands until I met that strange woman again. Since she was on the way anyway and I don't think I'll be heading back to Pelagiad anytime soon I delivered the rogues note to Maurrie. She was very grateful for the letter and paid me for it, which is always appeciated. She also mentioned a friend she had in Tel Branora, wherever that is, that I should meet up with. That's... nice, I guess.

Whilst fending off diseased rats and scribs I got caught out in an awesome thunderstorm. I hate the rain but I could see no shelter from the downpour so I had little choice but to just keep going. The lightning was a sight to behold, though I could have done without the soggy fur.

Once the storm had passed the sun shone brightly and I could hear a Cliff Racer close to the path. I pulled out my shortbow, readied an arrow, scanned the skies around me for the creature and found nothing. I could hear it, but I couldn't see it. Eventually I gave up looking and just continued on my way. The calls followed me for a while but it never seemed to get any closer. If it wasn't for the threat of having your skin torn to shreds their voices would almost be pleasant.

Once in the city I went straight to see Habasi to tell her my mission had been a success and New-Shoes Bragor was free. I got my reward and immediately requested another job. What can I say? I like to keep busy. This one was more local than the last two-I have to find a master of security who moved in to Balmora and get them to help secure the South Wall Cornerclub. Only problem is the only thing Habasi could tell me was that this master is a High Elf. This one sounds like it could take a while.

After I sold my useless poisonous potions I started making enquiries around the town-only to find that most of the current gossip is centred around the murdered noble Ralen Hlaalo and who'd done the deed. Since I was going to be running around asking people questions anyway I figured trying to solve this one too should help stave off any boredom from setting in. That and I already knew the murderers description from my first visit to that disturbing manor.
So it was doubly interesting when some of the townsfolk said they'd heard a rumour that Nine-Toes the Argonian was the murderer.

I found this so intriguing that I went to visit Nine-Toes to ask him personally. He hadn't of course, the description was of a red haired Dark Elf after all, however I did get lucky with my enquiries on the way up as one person remembered that it sounded like Thanelen Velas, a Dark Elf who hung around the Council Club.

The Camonna Tong. I should have known.

I still hadn't found the Altmer I was after and with little idea of what to do next I spotted a guard and asked him for help. He told me if I had any business in Balmora I should go and see Nileno Dorvayn at the Hlaalu Manor. The sun had gone down by then and it was getting pretty dark by the time I reached the massive house, where Nileno told me if I knew who the murderer was I should come back and see her after he'd been 'put to justice'. I'm pretty sure that's polite Dunmer speak for 'kill him'. I also confronted a High Elf there about the South Wall, with no luck.

Now I just wanted to go back to South Wall, tinker with my potions and sleep. But the Council Club was on the way anyway so I popped in just to bug them. I met Thanelen right next to the door and confronted him about Ralen. He denied it of course, shrugged off his prerence there as mere coincidence and told me 'All of us in the Camonna Tong believe Nine-Toes the Argonian did it'. Like that's not suspicious.

Unfortunately a scuffle near the doors would have inevitably drawn the attention of the other five or so Camonna Tong members, which would surely seal my fate, I decided to leave them to it and come back later when I'm better prepared. I really wanted to run him through, oh yes. But Nilenos reward can wait I'm sure.

I even managed to make only useful potions today. I'm quite pleased with that.