(Still need Eetz, but need to move!)
(Probably going to give some extra actions to Bobs and Taahni after this.)
OOC:I was hoping for the Oblivion design.
"What manner of creature produces such a foul racket?"
Defend myself when the cliff racers swoop down.
You look up to see what looks like a big leathery snake-bird swooping down towards you. [2] You raise your shield and block the initial strike from its tail, but it flaps around you just barely too high for your sword to reach. After a few fruitless passes trying to hit each other, you see two more of the creatures appear from nooks up on the mountainside and dive straight for you. You are forced to take cover beneath an overhanging rock to avoid being struck at by all of them at once.
This was somehow NOT in my newbox I was wondering to its status Hugo!
Tyri waved at Fargoth, who she had met a long way back at a harbor miles away.
"Small world seeing you here? Hello! I'm still on the courier job. Asking people around."
If needed: tell as much as confidential, but get forward with the Fighters' Guild! Find that Hasphat Antabolis person and begin asking!
"Y-yeah! Um... so, do you come here- er, what brings you here?"
[5] You tell him that you've got some business at the Fighter's Guild, mostly to question the experienced worldly people there, and make no mention of Caius Cosades. He tells you that he's on an adventure, with that colorful Imperial from the boat who accompanied you to the Tradehouse, funnily enough. "He's over in the general store nearby dividing the spoils of war right now!"
[5] It's all very interesting, but you both seem to have business to get back to. The inside of the Fighter's guild looks much the same architecturally as Caius' house, though better maintained. A Redguard smith at work in an alcove on the ground floor tells you that Hasphat is downstairs, sparring in the basement. You follow a hallway past a large bunkroom until you reach a staircase, and enter into a square room. The floor is covered in padded mats, and the walls lined with weapon racks. It's lit warmly by beige paper lanterns in the corners. In the center you see an Imperial and an Orc sparring with quarterstaves. "Good swing," he says, blocking an overhead stike, "but mind your footwork!" He shoves forward with his staff and the orc loses balance and falls on his rear. "Keep em wide. You're not on a tightrope here."
After he helps the Orc up, you catch his attention and pull him aside after a brief introduction. "So you're with Caius, eh? And Caius wants information? Of course, there's a this-for-that involved. I require a favor first, and then I'll tell you what you want to know." You tell him you were expecting this, and he continues.
"There are Dwemer ruins nearby called Arkngthand. It's close to Fort Moonmoth, just take the trail up the mountain there and cross the bridge. I need you to find a little cube called a 'Dwemer Puzzle Box.' It's about the size of a fist, maybe a little bigger. It will be made of a coppery metal, with a circular design and symbols on one side and some lined marks on the other sides. That's all I want, that little cube. Bring me back the Dwemer puzzle box, and I'll tell you what you want to know."
((Oh no, how did I forget to post in this.))
Say hello to the nice Khajiit!
"This one is here to see Sharn gra-Muzgob."
Inquire.
(Don't worry, you're not nearly as guilty as I am
)
The Khajiit recognizes you as well, but seems to be preoccupied with an errand of some sort. [4] You don't know who this Sharn gra-Muzgob is, but Ranis helpfully chimes in. "Sharn will be the tall, dour looking Orc. She keeps a work station in the corner of the basement."
"This seems like the beginning of a beautiful friendship!" Marcius toasts. "Should I ever meet a man or woman with too much on their persons, I will recommend your shop to them first of all."
Take my leave and return to my fellow goons. The split I would go with here is 200 septims for me as both the brains and the essential component in the operation, and 75 septims for Fargoth and the three slaves each for their valuable assistance. They also get their pick of the shortswords, spear and club (I keep the tanto, naturally) as their weaponry for the foreseeable future, and a promise that there'll be more money to be made in not very long at all.
Have Fargoth rent a room in an inconspicuous place (like the Eight Plates, for example) and see to it that the others get some respectable clothes as I take in the rest of the town and familiarize myself with the locations of the local guildhalls and similar places of fine employment and then, unless I encounter something in the city, head over to the South Wall Cornerclub to inquire about Caius Cosades.
When you step out, handing some of your purchase to your associates to help carry, Fargoth informs you that he saw some of your former shipmates going into the Guildhalls next door. "The Bosmer lady, and, um, I think that Khajiit as well."
(You've got a choice here about going after Caius or changing direction, but I'll go ahead and resolve the other actions here. If you're buying things here, I'll roll to see the offer you get and leave it up to you to accept)
[6] Given everything you've done for them lately, Fargoth and the former slaves are quite grateful and see no reason to get off what's been a good ride so far. And with associates who are quite loyal for the time being, you are able to accomplish errands while pursuing other threads on your own. Banalz, the Argonian woman, seems rather street smart, and assists in scouting the town.
[5] The slaves are already wearing decent, though common clothes taken from the loot barrel, but you find a good deal on some respectable clothes from an outfitter on the northern side of the gate plaza: 35 septims for an outfit upgrade to the three of them. 45 to get some for Fargoth, too.
[1] Unfortunately, a city this big will take a few days at least to commit to memory. And you get the feeling you may have caught some unfriendly eyes while walking through backstreets between the plaza and docks. Hopefully nothing more than the general eyes of hungry Provincials towards a well-to-do Imperial, though.
[4] Fargoth reports that there's a good priced inn called the Eight Plates just north of the plaza, with a room for all of you at 10 drakes a night for the rest of the week. You might be able to negotiate a better price if you're staying longer than that. Though in that case it might be cheaper to look into bunkhouses near the waterfront, or an apartment on the East side of the river.