Journal Entry Five

The next morning I awoke to a small hangover. Nothing I couldn't handle. Frankly it was wonderful being able to suffer such a malady, as opposed to slowly deteriorating in a prison cell in the Imperial City. After a breakfast of some local fare, and a few cups of tea made from a local plant called 'Trama Root' I felt like my old self.

Picking up my equipment from the smith, everything was like new, I gave him a tip for his excellent work. He appreciated it enough to give me a bit of advice. It turned out to be some of the best advice I recieved on the Island.

"I see you prefer the subtle approach to adventuring. Chitin is definitely a superior light armor, however, there is a Tradehouse in Suran, known as the 'Archer's Tradehouse'. They recently got a dealer, a Breton Archer by the name of Gwen. She came through a few weeks ago showing me her specialty, a treated Leather armor that she calls 'Archer's Armor', frankly if this town wasn't so sleepy, I would have bought some off of her. But the tradehouse has a good locale. Hlaalu territory in a busy port, the Nobles prefer their mercenaries to be proficient in the bow, and they buy almost exclusively through them. The bows are top quality, outside even your price range, but that armor is."

I thought about it. The walk from Pelagiad to Suran was the same distance as to Balmora. I had no idea whether this new 'patron' of mine Caius Cosades was expecting me or not. And given the distance from Seyda Neen to Balmora, a few days wait was to be expected.

Rather than hoof it, I walked back to the fishing village that I had arrived in. It was another half day lost, but by making use of the giant insect called the Silt Strider, by that early evening I was in Suran, the speed that the giant strode was astonishing.


I found the Archer's Tradehouse with no trouble, as the sounds of busy patronage emanated from inside, I realized it was a hangout spot for local mercenaries and Hlaalu retainers. There was dealers of all kinds, anything archery, you would find it here. Looking around, I finally found the woman I was looking for, Gwen.



Sporting the light flexible armor herself, the woman was enticing. By which I mean she was as easy on the eyes, as her stories were on the ear. She had spent years as a ranger, mercenary and tanner, and had combined all three of her traits into an armor that was superior to common leather, and local chitin largely due to its flexibility. The color being darker than chitin also appealed to me. The price was not bad either, and I bought a complete set, not counting the hood or boots.

Giving it a try, the armor was everything she promised. It was like wearing a second skin that moved with me, rather than against. I even felt as though my accuracy was better.

The next item that caught my eye, was a finely crafted steel longsword.
Also within a reasonable price range, I traded in my Iron longsword, which further helped reduce the price. What was the main selling point on the blade was that it was inscribed with various abjurations that allowed it to strike at the undead without the help of silver or magical enchantment.


Having wasted enough time and money, and hearing that the fare back to Balmora would cost a mere 26 drakes, I took the easier path, and fell asleep on the five hour journey to my destination.

Awaking refreshed to the 'strider port, it was the break of dawn, and a thin haze of fog was slowly being burned away by the rising sun. I walked down the stairs and looked around with bleary eyes at the new town. It was...big.

An ambling Argonian woman who was out as this hour for gods-know-what reason, stopped a few feet from me, taking me in with black eyes that were calm. A major characteristic in the Argonian race that I noticed. It never felt like they were judging you, just...measuring.

"What is this one before me?" she said, to which I responded with a risen brow. I took it as a form of greeting.

"Sethyas Velas."

"Outlander." she quipped. How could she tell? My accent being Cyrodiilic perhaps.

"Sure."

"Hul." She responded, and then we began an exchange. She told me of the town, where the guilds and shops were, who the local government seat, the House of Hlaalu, were. All of which I listened to intently.

I now knew where the South Wall was, a cornerclub to the east of the Odai River, which ran through the center of town, dividing the city into two halves, the rich and the merchants resided on the west, and the middle class and the slums resided to the east. What a surprise that the South Wall cornerclub was in the slum of the city.

It wasn't open yet, and I took my time to familiarize myself with the town a bit, walking around I checked out the guilds and shops that Hul had spoken of, looking at the architecture of the Hlaalu and the Temple. Noting the Bonemold armor of the Hlaalu guardsmen. Then as the morning died into the early afternoon, I began my wandering on the east side. The locals were not as well dressed as the westerners, and I felt a bit more in my element.

Finally entering the club, a fetching Nordess gave me a quick once over, and then went back to her business. Walking downstairs, I ordered a drink from a well dressed Breton, and sat down at a table, glancing over the variety of races that comprised its patrons. Khajiits, Argonians, Redguards, Bosmer, and Imperials. A particular lack of Dunmer though. But no one seemed to mind one way or the other.

Handing me my drink, I motioned for the Breton Publican to come in a bit closer.

"I was told to look for a 'Caius Cosades' here. Does the name sound familiar?" I whispered.

The Breton looked at me for a moment, confused. As to say why anyone would want to find him. He pointed his finger upwards, and gave a slight nod. 'One minute'. Two minutes later, he came back down from the upstairs, with a Redguard in leather armor, and a dark hood.

The Redguard looked around for moment, than pointed at me, and motioned for me to follow. I took a last sip, and got up. I followed him up the stairs, to a door, and he knocked twice, then opening the door.

Inside a well-dressed Imperial Man stood in the corner waiting for me. I looked at the Redguard behind me, realizing that he was here as a guard.

"Caius Cosades?" I asked the man?

"Bacola Closcius." He replied simply.

"Um. Can you tell me where to find him?" I asked him.

"Depends. Whats it about?"

I handed him the documents with the official Imperial Seal on them. "I'm a courier, and this is for him." I said simply.

He took them, and his eyes scanned the parchment, feeling it between his fingers, and looking intently at the seal.

Suddenly he was all smiles and handed the document back to me. "A pleasure to help the Emperor. Exit the club, make a right up the stairs, and make a left at the top of them, his house is all the way at the end of the street."

Knowing the circumstances to be a bit suspicious, I took the documents nonetheless, and thanked him, and took my leave.

Following his instructions I arrived at a rundown section of town, and knocked on a filthy door. The door opened slowly, and a dull pair of blue eyes looked out.

"Yes?" came the feeble call.

"Caius Cosades?"

"Maybe, depends who's asking"

"Um...my name is Sethyas Velas. I was told to deliver some documents to you, sera."

He immediately opened the door, scanning the street and seeing no one else, he immediately scooped me inside, and quietly closed the door.

"Were you followed?"

"No."

"Who else knows that you're delivering these?"

"Bacola Closcius, and some other people at the South Wall Cornerclub, I was told to ask for you there..." I said handing him my instructions along with the package for him.

"Good. They can be trusted, you were right to follow these orders." he said looking over my instructions, reading incredibly fast, and nodding with contentment, and then broke the seal on his package.

I looked around the rundown squalor that he lived in, and the distinct aroma of BO and skooma in the air. And finally I took in the feeble form of the man who was supposed to be my 'patron'. Now I was really certain that this was the Emperors sick joke on me. In an instant, my opinion of the man changed.

Finishing the decoding in his head, he looked up at me, taking me in. Unlike Hul earlier, I did feel like I was being judged. He looked over every square inch of me, grabbed my hands, feeling the callouses of years of handling a bow. Examining my hair, and tattoo.

"Sera Cosades, what are you doing?" I asked.

"Determining your level of fitness for your new job." he responded.

"What job?"

"I am the Imperial Spymaster for Morrowind, he said plainly, looking into my eyes with newly sharpened ones. His physique was suddenly trim, he was old. But not that old. He was taking a cover as a low-life junkie.

"The Blades. Have you ever heard of us?"

"Yes. The Emporers personal guard."

"Yes, in public view. However, there are those of us that serve in a more discreet capacity. We are the Emperors eyes and ears in the provinces, informing of, and eliminating threats before they can do any damage to the Empire." he said

"And you, by order of the Emperor, are now a Novice in the Imperial Intelligence Service."

I blinked. Twice. He just stood there, staring at me.

"I take that I have no choice in the matter?" I asked.

"Well, you have one other choice. But you won't like it. I can't be compromised. Even if the Emperor orders me to take in some foul murderer."

My eyes narrowed. "Being compromised would be the least of my worries, were I you, Imperial." I said, not taking the insult well.

He smiled arrogantly at me. I swung. He caught my fist, and flipped me down to the ground in two moves. Putting pressure on my elbow, pushing my chin into his threadbare rug.

"All right. You're too easily shaken. We're going to have to work on that." he said getting up.

"You were testing me?"

"Always. I'm an expert in three forms of hand-to-hand, I like it when people underestimate me."

"Now. Put your butt in that chair, have a drink, and tell me everything there is to know about Sethyas Velas, notorious bandit, turned Emperors Agent."