Journal Entry Eight

I awoke in the grey light of the early dawn. Perhaps no more then three hours from my little excursion in the early hours of the morning. The fighters guild being a paramilitary organization, arose at the early hours, despite lack of discipline and late drinking in this particular outfit. Eydis was insistent on at least this one rule. And she was notorious for her ability to rouse the heaviest of sleepers from their slumber.

As I broke fast that morning at the sound of clinking redware and iron tankards, I reveled in the feeling of no Hlaalu Guards rushing in to arrest a recently arrived outlander for theft of a valuable diamond. I still maintained my quiet resolve to not speak to much with my guildmates, but instead, I took mental notes on things Caius might ask me about, which hand they used, whose armor was worse then the other. What part of Hammerfell might Wayn's accent say he was from.

As said to me the prior evening by Wayn, I got the egg mining contract. Eydis was her usual
cold self as she gave me a rundown of the mission: Shulk Eggmine a short distance south of Balmora on the west bank of the River Odai was having troubles with egg poachers. My mission was to seek out the poachers and stop them from stealing valuable Kwama Eggs. Not that I knew what Kwama were, and the definition of 'stopping' them was left to my discretion.


A short while later, I left the southern wall of Balmora to the Shulk egg mine, making good time as I hiked through the West Gashes lusher region, the smell of the salty swamps of the Smugglers Coast thicker in the air as I descended.

The mine itself was not hard to find, as the operation was a large one, being the operation of Dram Bero, a wealthy Hlaalu Councilman, and their were a small group of Egg Miners taking a break outside. I started a conversation, identifying myself as Fighters Guild. The psychological effect it had on people seemed to be an immediate iota more of respect.

They had no idea who or where the poachers were, but the suspicion among the consensus was that it was a pair of miners that were let go a few months ago, and knew the ins and outs of the massive Shulk Cavern. They were probably somewhere inside the caverns themselves and while I was welcome to search for them, I needed to be wary of the kwama forager. Whatever that meant.



Plodding through the dimly lit cavern I passed through with a slack jaw as a creature that was about the size of a small horse breathed out in a sound that resembled a slight rumble. Nearly attacking it, it went about its way tending to egg sacks, a kwama worker.

Then a small, grey, spider-like creature creaked and clacked its way past me, stopping at my feet to look up at me with insect eyes before tapping the ground with its abdomen and also going on about its way. A scrib I would later learn they were called. It was almost cute.

Then I received my next lesson in native Vvardenfell zoology as I felt an acidic spray splatter on my shoulder, reacting in an instant, I unsheathed my sword, and sliced a wormlike creature that resembled the head section of the worker, the dangerous Forager.

I began to explore the deeper sections of the cave, often slicing the foragers, careful not to hurt the docile workers and scribs, then finally, I began to find evidence of molested egg clusters, not plucked by the careful hands of the experienced miners, but rather a slip-shodded indifference to the fragile ecology of the cavern.

I followed the trail to a pocket of the cavern seldom visited by either Kwama or Miner, viewing a small campfire from a distance, a man and woman, both Dunmer, sat around eating on scrib jerky and eggs, drinking mazte.


Crouching into the shadows, I slowly approached them, and after a few minutes of listening in, I confirmed that they were indeed the poachers. I picked up a small pebble and flicked it into a cross section where the tunnel met the pocket. The two of them perked up, the woman picked up a miners pick resting up against the rock wall, and slowly walked to the source of the sound.

I unslung my short bow, my leather gauntlet meeting the leather wrapped grip. I felt the tension rise in the shaft as I pulled the arrow back, the bow groaning in anticipation of its next shot.

The arrow flew, and granted her quick death.

The man was next on my list, and he had disappeared to the other tunnel in the pocket, I tracked him down, walking slowly, switching to a dagger for greater mobility in close quarters. Finding him, with his back to me, he met an equally quick end with throat slash from behind, falling to his knees, hands on his neck unable to scream, and then laying on his chest, blood pooling underneath him. How many people had I killed just like this? When I was a person far worse then he. Whatever this couples story was, it was over now.

I was often peoples last page.

Journal Entry Seven

Drarayne Thelas house was a brisk walk across the town over the Odai River, separating the business and residential districts of the town. My knock at the door was met with an ornery old Dunmer woman opening the door, squinting at me, leaning her face close in to mine, almost making me flinch.

"Eh? You Fighters Guild?" she said in a seething tone.

"Yes, Sera." I replied.

"Took them long enough!!" she yelled grabbing me by my forearm, and pulling me in with a strength one would normally not associate with a woman her age.

I was pulled into a house with stacks of pillows, and the smell of rotting vegetables. Typical smell of the elderly, atypical collection of anyone.

"The little bastards have been eating my pillows! You like pillows, don't you? No matter! I locked one in the bedroom! Kill it! Quick!" she said pointing to her quarters closed door.

I unsheathed my blade, and pushed open the door slowly, letting the dim candlelight of the den into the dark bedroom. At first I saw nothing, then I saw a jagged shadow with malevolent eyes reflecting the light with a reddish-orange tint scurry from underneath the bed with a surprising speed towards me.

Drarayne shreiked in fright, helping my own adrenaline rush, and within two beats of my pounding heart, I was clumsily swinging my longblade around, knocking over stacks of her pillows and books, chasing the critter around the house, as she chanted 'Kill it! Kill it!' from atop her dining table.

I finally had the diminutive beast cornered underneath a shelf, and I layed flat on my stomach as I shoved the tip of the blade into the flesh I felt. I repeated that a few times until I was able to drag the carcass out from underneath the shelf with it impaled on my blade.

She hurriedly jumped off the table, grabbing a pillow case and holding it out for me to put the corpse in.

"Well, you just made a perfect mess of things! Now hurry up to the attic and kill the others!" she prodded me.

I entered into the attic with a blade in one hand and a candle in the other. The jumping flames making the crates vibrate against the dingy walls. Again, the the little beasts ran around the room as I entered, and I made a perfect mess of things once again, stumbling over crates and pillows and burlap sacks.

I feared for my life nearly as one of the rats ran with its claws clicking on the wooden floor straight towards me as I landed face first on the floor, after tripping over a pillow.

To my relief it merely ran over my back and into another corner. I was now perfectly frustrated, and sheathed my longsword, and used my dagger for quicker slashes and made hunting down my prey a bit more personal.

A half hour later I descended into her den with three more dead rats, tossing them unceremoniously into the pillow case, my face covered in bites, scratches, and dried blood.

"Well. You did the job...even if you did make a mess of my things." she said counting out some drakes.

"You prefer the rats?" I said giving her a look accepting her payment.

"You got a mouth on you, don't you, outlander? That won't earn you any favors around here. But. Thank you for killing the rats. Now get out of my house."

I was all to happy to acquiesce to her request, and I reported to Eydis who looked over my wounds and sack of coins. She smirked at me as she looked over the coins and took her share.

"Not bad. For you...rest up, repair your equipment, tommorows another contract."

The smith in the guild, a salesman of a reguard, with a quick tongue, and a quicker draw, Wayn, looked over my equipment.

"Well, lets see here. Nothing wrong with your blades. I can sew up this leather boot though." He said wiggling a finger through a hole where a rat had bitten me.

"Hehehe! You got the grunt work, eh, greenskin? Don't worry, Ill have these boots ready for you by tommorow morning. Word is you go the egg mine contract."

"Egg mine?" I asked.

"You'll see. You go ahead and have dinner." he said shooing me away.

I took his suggestion and ate well. Keeping mostly to myself from the other guildmates, and I pretended to turn in early, which turned out to be a mistake, as the guild was as undisciplined and disorderly like Eydis had described.

They sounds of merry drinking and raucous laughter served to keep me awake til the early hours when I slipped out amongst the sounds of snores and smell of liquored breaths.

The town was asleep, with the exception of a few of the town guard making their rounds trailing smoke with their torches keeping a vigil against the shadows that threatened the safety and security of their keep.

A simple observation of their routes for a few minutes delivered me unseen past the buildings in the business district, and I jumped nimbly atop the roof from the clothing shop to Nalcarya's Alchemy Shop.

For an affluent shop in the Rich District, she did not have a high quality lock. Two pins, and fifteen seconds later I was inside her shop, rummaging through her jewelry, all of which made it into my small leather sack.

However a diamond of a particular cut was nowhere to be seen. Until I saw a locked jewelry box that was unconventionally placed on a small shelf just above her bed. Where she was asleep.

Altmer can look like arrogant magicians, even as they sleep. So it was of a personal satisfaction that I carefully took the jewelry box and made its contents mine, and placed it, locked, back where I had found it. She wouldn't know it was gone for some time.

I exited and stole away like a thief in the night...and when a list of suspects came up, I was the fighters guild greenskin whose guildmates knew that he was asleep with them that night.

Journal Entry Six

We spoke late into the evening over glasses of a delectable Breton Port. Caius listened more then he spoke, and when he did, he asked me very open ended questions to keep my answers longer and descriptive. He asked me of my twin sister, Setsuna. He asked of my first kill. How hunger and desperation had driven me to slit the throat of a traveling merchant.

He took in all my descriptions thoroughly, never judging me, never discounting my feelings. He neither gave any support for the decisions I had made, or made me feel like I was a victim of society. He simply got to know me. And he reached his conclusions.

"You're an accomplished executioner. That has it's place in our trade. I don't think you crave killing, any more then you feel guilt over it." He said looking at me with a very neutral expression.

"I also think you're a rough gem. Educated by monks, a bit of a dabbler in alchemy, whether you realize it or not, vinification is quite similar to producing poisons. A necessary aspect of our trade." He said with a pointed finger, and arched brow.

"You're smarter then you let on, but you let your emotions get the better of you. You need to learn to listen. And I don't mean to what people are saying to you, I mean, what people are really saying, and what they're not. The most important aspect of our trade."

"You will be trained in all these things, and more. But, while you might think you're good with that bow and blade, you wouldn't last five minutes in a fair fight."

"Am I being trained in combat as well?" I asked.

"No. It would cast suspicion on myself and my agents if the clamor of blades clanging from our houses. So we're going to kill two Racers with one arrow. I want you to join a guild, preferably Fighters Guild. Get some combat experience, learn the terrain, learn to work within the parameters of a military model. You meet once a week with me, you report every detail of your missions, what you've seen, what color a random plant is on you're way to a job, everything."

He paused and took a sip of his port. "When you're on your off time, train with the Blades Agents, also join the Thieves Guild if you like. I handle a few things through them, and you should be able to reap the benefits. They will of course ask a few things of you, but you'll learn how to perform subterfuge while maintaining a legitimate cover. Also report everything with the Guild to me."

I nodded. It wasn't a bad plan. But I still had a Sister to worry about.

"Spymaster--"

"Caius." he stopped me.

"Caius, do we receive a wage for our work? I hardly expect loyalty to the Empire feeds all of you."

He smirked at this. "You receive Two Hundred Drakes per month, plus expenses. That means tavern rooms, not manors. If you want a house, that's on you. I'd set you up, but again, we have to maintain a public image. I'm the local 'sugar tooth'. You're the local outlander mercenary with shadowy connections. Besides, the Fighters Guild will set you up with room and board."

"Now, I want you too make contact with 'Sugar-Lips Habasi', shes the local Ringleader for the Guild. Tell her I'm your sponsor, and that you want to join. She'll have a little test for you to perform. Do it. Don't get caught. She's not the only one testing you. Now, its very late, I want you to head over to Tyermaillin's House, three doors down, on the first floor. He's our alchemist, and has an extra bunk. The code word to identify yourself as a fellow agent, is the phrase: "The fish bite hard in the Bitter Coast."

Weary from my talk with Caius, and stumbling a bit from the moderately powerful spirits, I managed to make it to the house that the Spymaster had directed me to, answering my knocks was a Robed Altmer.

"The fish bite hard in the Bitter Coast." I slurred out.

"They do indeed. Come in." he said with an particular indifference.

"Caius said to ask you for your bunk."

"Thats generally why agents come through, I'm just support here. Help yourself." he said pointing the spare bed, behind some vanity walls, and sitting back down to his alchemy set, releasing the pleasant smell of boiling and burned herbs into the air.

Perhaps they were slightly narcotic in nature, or perhaps it was the strong drink, but I fell to a deep slumber in minutes.

I awoke to the sound of a snoring Altmer. His morning halitosis was strong enough to overwhelm the scents of the other ingredients in his humbly sized house. Taking my leave silently, I exited and made the short walk to the Cornerclub, where I had previously made contact unknowingly with the Thieves Guild, and ordered a hearty breakfast. It was one of the largest meals I had in some time. I felt like a king with a full stomach.

Sniffing around the joint, I followed Caius' orders and looked for a Sugar-Lips Habasi. She wasn't to hard to find with the total occupancy being two Khajiit in the place. The other being Chirranir, whom was as tight-lipped as every one else in the place.

The Khajiit was a colorful personality, speaking in a voice that rose and fell with the words she was trying to produce in her thick Ta'agra accent.


"So, Caius is your sponsor, and you wish to join the Guild. Very well, Habasi won't lie, she is a Thief. But anyone can walk in here and say: 'I want to join, I want to be good at stealing.' No. We don't take just anyone Muthsera. There is an object I want you to procure for Habasi. You deliver it, you're in. Nalcarya, the gold-skin alchemist in town has a stone of a particular cut. Find it."

That was it, my initiation, my test, find and steal a diamond that was cut in a unique way. It was a that object, which just so happened to be valuable, to determine my skill and independent capability as a thief. Well, I had been one for years, so making it official didn't seem like it could hurt to me.

Like any good thief, I intended to pull off my stunt at night. When people were asleep, and guards thought that any old creak was probably just a rat. How right they were. In the meantime, I had the daylight hours to pass. Time to see what the local fighters guild had to say.

The local steward was a Nord a full head taller then me, with a surly attitude that spoke volumes of her attitude to her subordinates. They were lesser people that got in her way constantly.

"Well, speak up Dunmer. What do you want? Are you here to hire a mercenary?"

"No, Sera. I'm here to join the Fighters Guild."

She looked at me like I had just told her that I drank the last of all the mead in the world. Then a smile broke out on her face.

"Hahaha! You're serious? All right. I could use a few new men. Problem with my outfit: Too many people don't know how to follow orders. I'm the local chapter steward. What I say goes. Don't do anything stupid, and you won't get killed. Its that simple."

"Are those the official rules?" I asked half smart-Aleck.

She took another look at me, the bonemold bracers on her arms making a scraping noise as they crossed across her torso.

"Obey the orders of all your superiors, in all things carry yourself with utmost professionalism, always maintain yourself, your equipment, and your armor. Never harm the innocent, and never fall for the craven tricks of the weak." she said with a disbelieving smile, like she was vomiting each syllable.

"But the Nine forbid anyone actually follow these rules." she sighed. "No one follows my orders, these 'soldiers' slouch everywhere, getting drunk in public half the time, walking around with dull weapons and rusty armor, and you could convince them to jump in the odai if you tossed a drake in it."

"So. Since your new. You get the grunt work. In the residential district across the river, you'll find a Drarayne Thelas. She has an infestation, and you're her exterminator." She said flicking her finger against the hilt of my blade.

Drarayne Thelas was a nice woman, if not a bit insane. But hey to each thier own, even if thier own was pillows. The complete and total adoration of pillows.

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."

Journal Entry Four

The open path of illusory freedom beckoned me to the north. Deviance from the path would be punished. The Emperor has his plans for me, what they are, I cannot say. I trudged forth in my new traveling boots. Of fine Imperial origin, the black leather is soft of sound to the step.

I followed the suns shadow to direct me north, not half a league from town, I heard a most strange sound of yelling coming from far above me. Drawing my blade, I expect an attack from above, instead I see the fluttering of blue robes as a person falls to the ground from great heights.

He lands not twenty paces from me, and I rush forward to investigate, and possibly offer assistance. It is to no avail, the mage is dead. Upon inspection of his personal effects, including a journal that documents his research that leads him to this point.

His name is Tarhiel, and he wanted to revolutionize travel with scrolls that he enchanted personally that would enable the user to leap at great heights and distance. What he failed to input into his calculations is the fact that the fall isn't what kills you, it's the landing.

Ever the opportunist, I take his scrolls for later inspection, and an enchanted longsword he carried imbued with the powers of the storm. Let the guards take care of his corpse. Thats what they're paid to do, and I have orders from the Emperor to fulfill. Pelagiad was north of here, and I wanted to arrive before the sun fell.


The journey was a travel through swamps meeting large mountain ranges that Elone's map called the Ascadian Isles, just south of the West Gash. The difference in environment was nearly breathtaking. I am not a naturalist, but even I could appreciate the difference between the oppressive nature of the Smugglers Coast, and the uplifting green scenery of the Isles.

Seeking to relieve myself of the fatigue of the last few hours of my trek, I rested at the bank of a small pond, inhabited by little more than mudcrabs. These ones seemed content to leave me be, as long as I returned the favor.



While I sat eating my bread and camlorn cheese, with my bare feet soaking in the water. I realized that in the rocks at the base of the rising hill, there was a door of crude construct not unlike that of Addamsartus. Another smugglers den. Realizing how profitable my last venture was, the corners of mouth went up slightly.




Entering the cavern after I had completed my rest, I was immediately set about by a Redguard woman. The independent spirit of the warrior race often led them to lives of excitement, not necessarily crime, but the Redguards had problems with rank-and-file militias. She was good with an axe, but I was better with a dagger, and the thick hide of the netch did not protect her torso from the point of my filched dagger.

Relying on my years of experience hunting merchants and unwary travelers on the roads between the Imperial Cities, I soon had four more marks for Hermaeus Mora to write in his book of unrecorded knowledge.

From the bandits, I claimed a silver dagger, much finer quality than the iron that was being eaten by the salty humid air of the Bitter coast, and a few new picks.



Also a new short bow, a composite that was made of actual wood and horn, with leather wrapped around shaft handle, much closer to the quality I was used to. I put it to good use as I sniped the final bandit in a makeshift headquarters from the darkness.




The haul was far better than I could have hoped for. These bandits and smugglers had stockpiled various native drinks, and imported Cyrodiilic Brandy, and Flin, a whiskey. Scrolls, soulgems, armor, weapons. The short trek to the north in Pelagiad yielded me nearly 1500 drakes from the local merchants.



But perhaps I get to far ahead of myself. Pelagiad was a pleasant surprise. While Seyda Neen had been little more than a poor fishing village, with a mixture of native and Imperial housing, Pelagiad was a prosperous fort town, taking its name from the fort.
The locals conversations were mostly about about how calm everything was around these parts. A nice little sleepy town. A place where an adventurer drinking at the tavern would get a second glance, the others hoping he would tell his tales of excitement.


After my dealings with a variety of local merchants, upgrading my arrows to silver ones, and leaving my weapons with the smith, an Altmer, who sharply promised that my weapons would be ready by midday tomorrow.





I took a bed at the local tavern for the evening, tomorrow I would collect my weapons and head towards Balmora. Tonight I would drink, and contemplate my situation and decide my next move.

Journal Entry Three

I awaited for Fargoth to exit his home in the dead
of night. The sounds of the Bitter Coast were my
serenade of solitude, the smells of rotting vegetation and salted winds coming in on the updraft, reminded me of the own decay that I felt in my soul.












Within three hours into my stakeout, a downpour began. Cleansing the land and my mind. I admit, I have a fondness for the rain that most don't seem to share. Especially thunderstorms.














The gods had put me into a favorable environment this evening then, as with the next few flashes of lightning, I saw a creeping figure emerging from Fargoth's house.



I watched from the shadows for a few moments as I traced the Bosmer shadow to his hiding hole. A dead tree stump in the middle of a bog pit, located in the center of a collection of shacks.





I leaped from a ledge on the side of the lighthouse to a tree branch. It shifted under my weight for a moment, bobbing up and down like a leaf in the autumn breeze. I took the final leap
and landed to the wet earth silently. Approaching the stump as swiftly and silently as he, I felt around in the wood for evidence of a stash.


I was rewarded with a leather sack filled with gold, a pick of average quality, and the ring I had returned to Fargoth.



"Ha ha ha." Hrisskar bellowed. "I do so love messing around with the little guy. I'll make sure that fetcher pays for lying to me. Here. One hundred, that's you're cut. You can keep anythin' else you found in there."


It was the next morning, and I had slept in the basement of the Census and Excise warehouse after my little assist for the local authorities. I knew that soon it would be time to make tracks to Balmora, or Cyrodiil. I hadn't even read my orders yet, though they could tell me more of the reason why I was here, I was more preoccupied with how I get back there. So far I had made some decent money out here in the boonies, although most of it would likely be spent just getting back home. I needed more. Traveling across hundreds of miles of wilderness with dead insects for weapons and armor didn't sound like the safest trip to me. I wanted to see my sister alive, not at my memorial.

A local woman by the name of Eldafire, was having a conversation with Arrille. Being Altmer, they had opinions on everything, especially on the local government and the way it should be run. For example, one of the things they would do, would be to dispatch the guard to the local smuggling hole, Addamasartus, and bring some needed order to this watering hole. Or hire some adventurer to do it, they had the rights of salvage as it were. Sure, they would go up against some rough odds, but what's life without risk?

My ears pricked up at the notion. Kill folks like me for their stash. And again, all legal. I questioned Hrisskar about it, he confirmed the conversation. Vvardenfell was still too wild for the legion to go sticking its nose into every nook and cranny, so Adventurers were given the right to, and were allowed to profit off of the smugglers, with the exception of dwarven artifacts. But. He'd never heard of anyone pinched for trying to sell off one.

So I decided to poke my nose into the hole. It wasn't far from the silt strider port. The guards really didn't care. I slowly slipped into the cavern. Immediately I was in a chamber with flickering torchlight, and gazed down to a dunmer woman standing guard over a campfire.














She never heard it coming. The whisper-wind of my bow ended her life in a heartbeat. Rummaging through her corpse I came up with a new pair of netch leather boots, some gold, and a key.






The next two bandits met a similar fate as the first, and the cave was cleared. I was able to fill out my armor from the loot, make a few extra coin. As well as a few valuable scrolls and potions, I also came up with some highly illegal, yet highly valuable moon sugar and skooma.

In the fields of Elsweyr, homeland of the Khajiit, grows a plant that produces the moon sugar, that the locals use as a narcotic, skooma is a more potent, and therefore more valuable, derivative produced from the sugar. Problem was, very few traders would even consider in dealing with it. But there isn't a khajiit in the world that would refuse it.



I sold what I could to Arrille, making a couple hundred more drakes, and began to plan out the next phase of my journey. As I wasn't in the immediate vicinity of a Khajiit trader, it was time to make tracks for Balmora, which Elone had described as a rich trading center situated on the Odai River.

I decided to take the scenic route and would end up in Pelagiad if everything went to plan. Before departing I finally opened the orders given to me by Captain Gravius.

Sethyas Velas,


You have been given these directions and a package of documents. Do not show them to anyone. Do not attempt to read the documents in the package. The package has been sealed, and your tampering will be discovered and punished.

Follow these directions.

Proceed to the town of Balmora in Vvardenfell District. Report to a man named Caius Cosades. He will be your superior and patron; you will follow his orders. His residence is not known, but ask at the cornerclub called "South Wall". People there will know where to find Caius Cosades. When you report to Caius Cosades, deliver the package of documents to him, and wait for further orders.

Remember. You owe your life and freedom to the Emperor. Serve him well, and you will be rewarded. Betray him, and you will suffer the fate of all traitors.


I have the Honor to prepare this at the direction of his Most Sovereign Majesty the Emperor Uriel Septim,

Glabrio Bellienus
Personal Secretary to the Emperor

Great. Now I'm on some secret mission for the Emperor, and I have a boss to boot. The hand of the Emperor is far-reaching and ruthless in its grasp, I would comply, for now.

Journal Entry Two

My evening sleeping on the straw bedroll was not a pleasant one. Inside the dank, dark cell I tossed and turned with horrible images plaguing my mind. Something was churning inside me, a restless, unsympathetic force, trying to make my mind its own. I saw a vision of men walking down a dark hallway coming for me. I heard the resolute footsteps, felt the fear in the pit of my stomach, and heard the click of the lock. The door creaked open, and I awoke.

There were three figures at the door and one was a dark hooded figure with two Imperial Guardsman behind him. For a moment, I thought the Dark Brotherhood had come for me again. The Guards unsheathed their blades as the robed figure approached me.

"Don't make any sudden movement’s prisoner! We won't hesitate to kill you!" came their command.

The robed figure removed his hood, and I saw his face clearly. He was an elder Imperial man clean shaven with a tonsure style haircut. A monk, much like the ones who had raised me and my sister. He came in close to my face and studied me for a moment before finally speaking.


"So....you are the Dark Elf called 'Sethyas Velas'. This facial tattoo of yours, do you know what it means?" he asked matter-of-factly.

He was referring too the tattoo that was on my face, it was mostly in the shape of a Hand and was colored black. I never knew my parents but I knew that they had given it to me upon my birth, along with my name before we were left in a Chapel orphanage.

"No....I always assumed it was a Tribal or Family markings, sir." I said groggily.

The man looked me over once more. "And you do not know your parents either?"

"No." I replied, glancing at the guards and then back at him. not knowing what to make of this situation.

He nodded to himself and walked away without giving me anymore explanation.

For two more days I would wonder what it was all about, than just as suddenly, without explanation, the same man came with some more guards and stood at the open door.

"Sethyas Velas, come with us, you are being transferred." he said

I hesitantly left with them under the cover of night to a Carriage bearing the Imperial Symbols. The door had a large lock on it, with iron bars on the window, clearly a prisoner transport.

As the guards prepared to open the door, I looked at the Robed Man and finally asked.

"Where are they taking me? Am I being executed without a trial?"

He looked me over for a second and replied.

"No. This has nothing to do with your crimes. But, I've already said too much. Go, and may the Nine be with you."

The carriage ride lasted for days, I spent the time in chains opposite an armed guard with a malevolent stare, and a taciturn expression. The constant bumping of the wheels against the dirt road, and the water and food the Guards gave me was minimal. I began to grow ill, and as we arrived somewhere I did not recognize except that it was a port and I saw as many Imperials as I did Dunmer.

I was then taken aboard an Imperial Navy Vessel, another prisoner transport. As I was moved around the ship the guards were deciding amonsgt themselves where to put me. "Put him in the cell with that other Dark Elf, give him some company with his own kind."

Being thrown into the cell, a shirtless Dunmer with a large scar down his right eye, sat in the corner. He gave no greeting, nor expression as I entered, and returned his head to resting between his knees. I sat down opposite to him, and mirrored his posture.

Fever began to break out, and the rocking of the ship did nothing to help me. The force that had been plaguing my dreams now found me an easy victim, as I had not the energy or reserves to fight it any longer. Blackness swallowed me, and I fell into sleep.

They have taken you from the Imperial City's Prison. First by Carriage, and now by boat. To the east,.....to Morrowind. Fear Not, for I am watchful. You..have been chosen....

That voice. These images. Alien creatures in a barren landscape. Daedric runes running through my mind so fast I can't recognize them...wait. 'many fall, but one remains.' I can recognize that. Setsuna? Where are you?
Wake up....are you all right? You're Shaking....Wake up....

I came too. It was dark.

"Stand up...there you go....you were dreaming....What’s your name?"

"S-Sethyas. Sethyas Velas."

"Well not even last nights storm could wake you. I heard them say we've reached Morrowind, I'm sure they'll let us go."

I hadn't the time to ask him why he was suddenly talking to me, or if he was a deportee.

"Quiet, here comes the Guard!" he whispered.

The guard came towards us and he looked at me sternly demanding that I follow him. He lead to the top deck, and the brightness of the sudden sun nearly blinded me. We had made port in a small village, shacks and buildings of mixed architecture left me in doubt as to where I was exactly. There was a giant insect contrasting with it all, tended to by a Dunmer woman like a rider tends to his horse.

Walking down to the dock planks I was approached by another guard, this one was amiable enough, perhaps he was far enough from home to not give a damn about another prisoner in his wake.

"Ah you're the one from Cyrodiil, follow me up to the Census Office, and we'll finish your release."

I was dumbstruck. I was being released? Why the hell did the Guards bring me hundreds of miles from home to do this? Was this a sick joke of some kind? A new way of dealing with Murderers and Bandits?

Following the guard to the office, and being followed by the Mariner guard, we entered and I was immediately unlocked from my chains. The second guard and handed them to the Mariner. I rubbed my wrists as he departed, and the new guard actually smiled and commented that that must feel better. I nodded, amidst my growing confusion.

Sitting across the room looking at me, an older Breton man sat at a table of parchments and candles. His room a collection of tapestries and coat of arms. He introduced himself as Socucius Ergalla.










"Ah yes, we've been expecting you, You'll have to be recorded before your officially released.." The man reeked of Bureaucrat, and was very good at pretending that he cared what was going on around him.

"Now, I need some background information to properly process you. I see that you were arrested for foul murder, no less. But, thats all in the past now,....Seth-ee-uhs?" he pronounced the name slowly. I nodded.

"I'm an Assassin, Breton. I kill people, it's what I'm good at...even If I don't like it. Put that down as my trade."

Showing no sign of intimidation, the Breton complied with my sarcasm. "Are you able to read? he continued.

"Yes."

"Place of birth?"

"I was raised in the Chapel of Stendarr, Our Father of Mercy orphanage. Cyrodiil Province, Cheydinhal county, the township of Eraf's Bend."

"Your Birthdate?"

"I'm uncertain as to the exact date. I was found on the 22nd of Second Seed 3E 399, born under the sign of the Serpent.

He nodded, scribbling the information down.

"Interesting....Now then, you've been properly processed. Take this to Sellus Gravius in the next building and he'll give your exit fee." He said blowing on the parchment to dry the Ink.



The guard posted to watch over the office took out a set of keys, and unlocked the thick oak door.
"Walk through this room, and take a right at the hallway, you'll see another door; take that through the courtyard, and you'll be in Captain Gravius' office. Get moving."

I nodded my understanding and as I walked through what was the village garrisons mess hall, I saw the hilt of an old rusty dagger rising from the table, pinning a note to the wood.

Hrisskar,

Remember our wager. I want this dagger as sharp as scamps claw by morning.

Ganciele

Well Hrisskar, looks like you dont have to worry about that little wager anymore. I thought to myself slipping the blade into my waistband.

Noticing a pick on the table as well , I took that and realized that i might be in a bit more luck than I had previously thought. I spotted a small chest on a shelf behind me and decided to give it a try. I had certainly made use of picks before and this chest yielded its small treasure to me easily. Rewarded for my philandering was 31 Drakes, to me a large amount of money. Thinking to myself, this would pay at least for my trip back to the mainland. I thought about taking the silver fineries, but it was too much to hide, and too much to risk in this situation.

Making my way into the next building, I noticed a small ring that glowed slightly of enchantment in a barrel and decided to add that to my coffers. Luckily for me it held healing magic, this situation was getting better and better.

"Your papers please." Was the greeting I received from Sellus Gravius. I handed him the parchment and without looking at me he read the information it contained, whilst speaking to me.

"My name is Sellus Gravius, my background is not important, but it is my duty to occasionally welcome visitors to the Vvardenfell District of Morrowind."

He paused for a moment and then looked up at me. His glance was official and intimidating.

"Your release was authorized by Emperor Uriel Septim Himself. I do not know why he has sent you here. But I received word of this by courier only yesterday."

He shrugged as he continued "But that's the way the Empire works, Secrecy, let not the right hand know what the left one is doing. Anyways. I have some duties for you." He pulled out two folded stacks of paper and a small sack that jingled as it hit the table.

"You are to go to the town of Balmora, and find Caius Cosades, ask for him at the South Wall Cornerclub. You will deliver the paper with the Imperial Seal on it. Do not view the contents, do not break the seal. The other paper has your instructions written down in greater detail. You are of course being compensated fro your work as courier. He said motioning to the bag of money, with his same indifferent expression.

"Any questions?" he said.

"Where is, Bal-mora?" I asked genuinely confused.

"North of here, speak with Elone at the the Tradehouse, she's a scout and could give you far more detailed instruction than I." he said motioning to the door.

As I exited he said reminding me, "Your a free Mer now, don't screw this up."

And there I was.

Free.







For whatever reason I was in this backwater land pardoned from my sins and separated from the only one I loved.

And with that a Bosmer approached me, identifying himself as Fargoth.

"Hey there! You're then one they dropped off aren’t you? Odd too see a boat that time of day, I hope the Guard treated you well. I swear they took my ring!"

I thought to myself of the ring and wondered what I should do. but I remembered my Couriers fee had made my journey's expense a great deal easier. And even I knew what the value of bribing a little goodwill could do, especially being a stranger in a strange land.


"THIS ring?" I asked, brandishing it between my finger and thumb.

"Yes!" He said snatching it out of my hand. "Yes! This IS my ring! Thank you,..um.."

"Sethyas Velas"

"Thanks Seth! You don't mind If I call you Seth do you? Of course you don't! Seth, you don’t know what this means to me! I can't pay you.,...which means,....I know! Come with me!" the excited Wood Elf grabbed by the wrist and led me to the Tradehouse, which I was head for anyways.


Busting in through the door, the Bosmer excitedly told what happened to Arrille, the High Elf Proprietor. Arrille was genuinely moved by my honesty it would seem and immediately took a liking to me.

"Well, I'm headed out to Balmora. I just need a few supplies." I said answering his question about what he could do for me.

After some perusing, I bought a fire kit, a skin for some water, and some dried scrib jerky. For weapons, a quiver of iron arrows, a short bow made of a local manufacture called chitin, as well as a cuirass of the same material. Chitin was interesting, it was a made of the carapaces of the silt strider, the giant insect I had seen when first arriving in Seyda Neen, and another insect they called a shalk. Which was basically a large beetle that was infamous for its bite that had a poison that burned.

After spending sixty of the 131 drakes I had, I spent ten more on a mazte, a local drink that was the equivalent of an ale back home, only a bit more potent. I needed time to think how I was going to get back home.

As I drank, a Nord legionnaire sat down at the bar next to me, after staring at me for a moment, I turned to meet his blue eyed visage.

"Can I help you, friend?"

"Aye! Rather, I can help you out friend. Seems that gimp of a Mer, Fargoth has taken a likin' to you. I can be a much better friend than he, Dunmer."

"And how can you do that?" I inquired suspiciously.




"Well. You see, I keep losing to nine-pins to that bastard Ganciele. So I shake down the locals to pay some of those debts. Thing is, I know that Fargoth has been holdin' out on me. He has the money to pay that deserter Processus Vitellus, he has money to spare for me."

"How is this my problem, Nord? I don't have anything to shake down. And I'm on official business for your Emperor. Lets see how your superiors take that."

"Hahahaha!" he bellowed out, his drunken Nord breath wafting across my face, to which I winced. "Aye,I know, I know. The garrison here ain't stupid, word gets around, 'specially when a prisoner gets released with an 'official' courier preceding him by a day or two. What I was thinkin' lad, was that since Fargoth suddenly thinks the world of you, he won't notice you followin' him around the town to find his hiding spot."

I thought it over. "So you want me to steal his gold and give it to you?"

"Aye. In exchange for a little finders fee."

"I'll do it."

"That's the spirit, lad. I know he won't try nothin' durin' the day when I'm around. Keep an eye on him at night after I pass out, if you want a good visage of Seyda Neen, I suggest you climb 'a top 'o the lighthouse, see the Smugglers Coast for miles in all directions." he said with a pat on my shoulder, taking his leave.

Well, I still had the rest of the day to kill. It wasn't even past midday. So I struck up a conversation with Elone, the scout who had taken residence here, at Gravius' suggestion.

"Where you headed, outlander?" she said with a smile.

"Outlander? We may both be dark of skin Ra Gada, but I fit in here a little more than you."





She laughed. "With that accent, you're as much an outlander as me. In fact the local Dunmer hate outland Dunmer even more than the colonists."

I raised my eyebrows. "Good to know. I was headed north to Balmora."

"Hmm. Well, if you're headed out on foot, let me write some directions down for you." she said taking a parchment and ink. "You can read, right?"

"Fine upstanding Imperial citizen like myself? Of course."

"You're also pretty educated, where in Cyrodiil are you from?"

"All over, really. I was raised by monks in the Stendarr orphanage. Copied manuscripts, farmed a bit, helped them make wine. Even had a couple of the monks teach me the art of Rain on Sand."

"Interesting. I'm sure you made good use of your skills to end up here."

I smirked. "Also, I have this old map of the island if you want. I've been from Dagon Fel, to Bal Fel, Balmora, to Sadrith Mora. It's all on there." She said making a cross pattern on the map.

"Appreciate it." I said accepting the written directions and the map.

"One last thing, out of curiosity, who's Processus Vitellus? What made him desert his post?"

"His post? Processus is the local tax man, not a guard. He went missing around two days ago. No big surprise really. No one likes a tax collector."

I took my leave of the tradehouse, and began to wander around town. Taking in the sights of this new land. Morrowind, my ancestral land that I had heard little more than vicious rumors in Chapels about. A land of terrible beasts, daedra worshiping heathen Dunmer.

The only terrible beast I saw so far was a local species of mubcrab resting on the sandbank opposite Arrille's. Taking the opportunity to examine the Vvardenfellian version of the creature, I was soon running away after the sharp pincers bit my ankle. They were quite aggressive, and although slower than me, it still backed off into a corner on a northern bank deeper into the swampland.

Backing up, I finally attacked the creature with a well placed shot into the face, killing the it instantly. Ripping my arrow from the carcass, I saw that the shaft had developed a hairline fracture from the impact with the mudcrabs hard shell. Disposing the arrow, I saw it land at the feet of a body laying on that bank.

I wasn't necessarily shocked to see a corpse, I had made a few of my own in this same fashion. The bruises around the neck indicated he was strangled to death. He was a middle aged Imperial, and he still had his pouch of gold on him. As well as a document with several names and amounts on them, with the seal and signature of Socucius Ergalla.

I surmised that this was the body of Processus Vitellus, and that he had died during a robbery attempt. What didnt make sense, was that the money was left behind. Even if the assailant were caught and ran off, someone would have reported this or taken the gold themselves. More likely that Processus was a victim of a murder. Better to report this and return the gold, than have the stigma of a local murder, being blamed on a released murderer.

"You found his body, and this list and the gold were still on it? How odd that he was killed and not robbed."

"My thoughts exactly."

"Ganciele, dispatch a guard to that location. Confirm Velas' story. If the corpse is fresh, you're taking the blame for this, Dunmer."

Twenty minutes later Ganciele returned confirming everything I had said. "The body's been dead at least two days, this one was still on his way in chains here."

Ergalla nodded, his face solemn. "I'm sorry I suspected you in the matter."

I didnt blame him at all actually, but I said nothing.

"I'll tell you what. You did more for that man than anyone else in this backwater dump would have, I'll give you the opportunity to collect on the bounty. You have a taste for blood, Dunmer? Hunt down his murderer, and execute him. The bounty is 500 drakes. I don't want these damned locals thinking we're going to let an injustice like this stand."

I didn't really care about avenging the death of a man I didn't know. But the sound of bounty did strike a chord. I was going to get paid to do what ended me up in here in the first place. And it would all be legal.

I turned to Fargoth as my local contact. I hadn't found his hiding hole, and there was no reason for him to suspect anything yet. He pointed me in the direction of Thavere Vedrano, the caretaker of the Lighthouse. The two of them were known to associate. A lovers quarrel perhaps?

She was genuinely taken aback at the news of Processus' death. She told me the last time she had seen him, he was arguing with Foryn Gilnith, a fisherman here in Seyda Neen. Apparently they had been arguing over the amount that Gilnith owed, and how much he had really been making off of his fishing. Indeed, consulting Vitellus tax list indicated that he did in fact owe the most amount of money.

She also had a special request of me. The ring that she gave him, it was an expensive bauble that she would like returned to her to remember him by. I remembered the rumor about town was something along the lines that no one like the tax man who flaunted the towns gold with expensive jewelery. Interesting twist. So Processus' reputation was all wrong. He wasn't a corrupt individual, he was enamored with the lighthouse keeper. She wasn't all that bad looking either, now that I think about it.

I knocked on the shack door of Gilnith's shack. His red eyes squinted when he opened the door, and than slanted into a gaze of hostility, I let myself in anyways.

"You know that Processus Vitellus' body was just discovered."

"Yeah. I know. He was murdered."

"How do you know that."

"I'm the one who did him in outlander. He was always showing off, wearing that damn ring of his! Trying to get with a good woman like Thavere. She's local stock! Off limits to you outlanders! So I strangled the life out of him, and left his body out there for the mubcrabs to eat!"

"You know what? I don't care." I said as unsheathed my dagger.

The strong arm of the fisherman connected with a solid blow to my chin. "I got no problem spilling more blood of the Emperor's Lackeys!" he screamed in rage.

Stepping back, we circled each other. Both with a murderous glint in our eye. He kept trying to connect another blow, I kept dodging and blocking. I guess those Monks did know something.

Finally he swung with a left, and I grabbed his wrist twisting my body to twist his arm. Putting pressure on the joint, I reached around with my dagger, and opened his throat. He fell to the dirt floor, blood pooling, and the final gasps of his life exhaling in disbelief.

"It's done." I said, telling Ergalla the whole story, leaving out the tidbit where I took Processus' Ring for myself. he nodded and dispatched Ganciele once more to investigate the scene. Upon his return, a bit paler then when he first left, he confirmed my story once more.

Ergalla slid a bag full of drakes to me. Easily 500 gold. A mans life was ended to make mine a little easier. I never really get over a kill, and I certainly don't enjoy it. In spite of what you think of me. Justice has always been the rich and powerful ruling over the poor and weak.

I returned to the lighthouse, and gave the ring to Thavere. She was overjoyed at its return, and equally as sad at her lovers departing. In gratitude she gave me a couple of healing potions.

"Hmm. Thavere, it's getting late, and I was wondering if I could watch the sunset on the Lighthouse roof?"

"Of course! Sometimes thats all there is to do around here. I'm sorry, I would join you, but I need to grieve for Processus."

"Thats fine. I think I need some time to myself after all thats just happened as well."