Verick in Morrowind Options

[redsrock]

While writing The Connivers, I am also going to be writing this as well. I'm getting back into Morrowind once more, so I want to keep track of a story of what I do in-game, as well as throwing in some personal touches as well. Don't expect the chapters to be too long, and don't be surprised if I don't post a chapter every day.

The inspiration comes from the story, "Trey in Mournhold", written by Treydog. He is a wonderful author, and truly an inspiration to my writing. I've been reading his stories for some time now, but unfortunately have yet to give him the feedback that he deserves.

Chapter One

They shouldn’t have let me out. Despite the good that I’ve done, I’m really not sure if that justifies the evils I’ve accomplished along the way. I’m sure the historians will look back at me as a hero, but I’ll never see that. I am not a Dunmer, and I never wish to be a Dunmer. I dealt with them simply because I thought I had to. Thinking about it now, though, I’m not sure if I still agree with that. It doesn’t matter of course. What’s done is done, some thirty years later, and now I lie in a crypt of my own desire. Departed, but not quite dead…at least not in a physical standpoint. I apologize, though, for now I am rambling, and no one enjoys a rambler. So let me tell you my story and then perhaps you call tell me what I am. The angel or the monster.

********************


The day was still young when I woke up, and I knew this because there was no light shining through my cabin’s barred window, save for the moonlight of course, but to me that didn’t really count. The sun and moons are related, yes, but not quite the same. Resting next to my right on his own dirty bedroll was a Dunmer named Jiub. Over the years he’s gathered his own bit of fame, having driven out some pesky bird-like creature from Vvardenfell. The difference between he and I is that he’s actually been able to enjoy his prominence.

Rather than wake him from his slumber to ask him if he know how close we were to Vvardenfell, I instead grabbed a bucket to my left and checked for water. There was none at all, but I knew there had been before I had gone to bed. This meant Jiub had drunk the rest during the night, but ironically I was not even the least bit angry. I could not stand the Dunmer and their proud, arrogant ways back then and I can’t stand them to this day, but Jiub I was actually able to call my friend. There were others of course, but they’ve either passed on their mortal life and on to whatever else awaits them, or they forgot about me. The latter could probably be switched around as well, these days I couldn’t really tell you.

“It’s gone, my friend,” Jiub said. I jumped out of fright and looked at him, his crimson red eyes staring directly into my own pair of eyes, though mine are a pleasant blue. “Many apologies to you, but last night my cough was worse than usual. I’m surprised it did not stir you. It was rather loud, and violent.”

And another reason why I didn’t mind that he drank the water was that he definitely needed it. He had been sick for I don’t know how long. To this day I can’t fathom how I had not contracted whatever he had, even if it had simply been a lengthy cold. “There’s no need for an apology, Jiub. You need it more than I. Besides, the guards will be bring us a fresh bucket come sunrise.”

Jiub sat up cross-legged style and leaned against the wall of our cramped cabin. He stretched his back and I heard nasty pops, revolting sounds that I’ve never been able to forget. “I’m not so sure about that. Before I finally fell asleep last night I heard the guards outside talking; something about having passed the magical city of Vivec, home to the legendary Warrior-Poet himself. I doubt we’ll be on board this rickety ship much longer.”

“So you think we’ll be released?” I asked hopefully.

“It’s hard to tell. Releases seem to be more random than anything. I’ve been imprisoned for several years now, and I’ve seen other prisoners be released sporadically at random intervals. I’ve got a feeling I won’t be in luck, but perhaps you’ll fare better. I suppose we shall simply have to wait. As a matter of fact, I don’t even think this ship is moving.”

Minutes later, or maybe it was seconds, the door to our dark cabin opened, and a fat guard stood in the door way grasping tightly his silver Imperial-issued longsword in one hand. You would have thought he’d cut me some slack, being an Imperial as well, but that wasn’t how it was. I think he saw me lower than him because I was imprisoned. But if he knew that I knew most of his secrets he wouldn’t have thought that, that’s for sure.

“Stand up, scum!” he yelled my way, paying no attention to Jiub. “You’re getting off the ship now by the orders of his majesty himself! I do hope you realize how much an honor it is for the Emperor to even think your name. Get on deck, now!”

I looked at Jiub and simply nodded, not really knowing what else to do. Everything had happened so fast, it was surreal. I never would have thought they’d let me out so soon, if at all. Honestly, I probably deserved to be hanged myself. Lucky for me I come from a rich family with an even richer history. It’s too bad that richness isn’t alive today.

Jiub nodded back and I left the cabin, heading up a set of stairs to my right, and then out the hatch leading to the deck. Just as I had assumed, it was still nightfall. The hatch closed behind me, and a Redguard in Imperial uniform stood on the deck holding an iron spear and a gentle smile. Thankfully he was much nicer than the other guard. “You’re supposed to get off here, but why I don’t know. Just be lucky you’re even getting off. Not many other prisoners can say they have.”

“Where are we?” I asked him, rubbing the sleepiness out of my eyes.

“Seyda Neen, one of the few Imperial-owned ports in the entire Bitter Coast Region. Head on off the ship and speak with the next guard. He’ll take you to the Census offices where they’ll give you your release papers.”

After sixteen months, perhaps even more, I was getting off the boat. The thought was so wonderful, yet I was still having such a difficult time believing it was all true. It was like I was stuck in a dream. I sure wish that dream was still intact. Instead it’s been transformed into the eternal nightmare that is my life. But all of that will come later.

[redsrock]

Chapter Three

It didn’t take me long to realize the town of Seyda Neen was very small, especially so when compared to the cities I had traveled through in Cyrodiil. Though the streets were probably considered crowded by the locals, the fact that I had a clear view of ten yards ever which way told me it was not. Unlike the cities I had been accustomed to in Cyrodiil, Seyda Neen had a plentiful amount of Dunmer, the blue-skinned Dark Elves. Most of them watched me with anger filled in their eyes. It was obvious they didn’t like strangers. Or maybe they were mistaking me with an Imperial. Other than the Dunmer there were other races present as well. Being an Imperial port town, there was a fairly large number of Imperials, most of them guards or agents working for the Empire. Other than that, there wasn’t much else to speak of. The small town, like most of the other cities in Vvardenfell I would later learn, was comprised mainly of Dunmer.

I must have been standing at the door of the Census building for a long time, because a guard walked up and told me to move along. So I scurried from my spot, wondering what to do next. I spotted a bench close by to my right, and I walked over to it and sat down. The package, though not heavy by any means, was weighing on me mentally. I was a free man, yet I didn’t know what I wanted to do with that freedom. I had the package to deliver, but I didn’t want to do it. To me, it mattered not whether I had the Emperor to thank for my release, I wasn’t about to become the Empire’s puppet. But at the same time, I had the strangest feeling I would be…stirred back on the right path if I did not immediately take the pack to the Imperial man in Balmora. For some reason I had a strong feeling I’d be followed until the package was delivered. So, I figured I would deliver the package and be on my merry way. It’s too bad nothing ever ends up as easy as it begins.

As I walked though the street I noted the buildings to my sides. There weren’t many, and only had a sort of sign beside it reading “Arrille’s Tradehouse & Tavern.” Feeling the rumble in my stomach once more, I decided to get a bite to eat before heading out of town. I walked through the door and entered a small room, with a table on the left with various items on display, mostly weapons and apparel. Straight ahead about five yards away was a long, wooden counter, and standing behind that desk as a High elf, or more specifically an Altmer. They say the “High” in High Elf refers to the fact that their intelligence with magic is higher than any other race. I don’t agree with that, I think it refers to their height. The Altmer are easily the tallest race I’ve ever laid eyes upon.

“Is there something I can help you with?” The Altmer asked, a smile spread across his dull yellow-skinned face; a nice change from all of the angry stares I had received from the Dunmer outside. The Altmer had long, jet-black hair, and was dressed in expensive clothing I was used to seeing Imperial nobles wearing.

Looking around, I saw no food and I saw no drink. Needless to say, I was very confused, and wasn’t even sure I was in the right place to begin with. “Umm…do you sell food and drink?” I asked tentatively.

“Why yes, we do. Just head on up the stairs to your left and see Elone behind the counter. She’ll fix you up something good.”

“Oh, so this Elone owns the upper part?”

The Altmer laughed, as if I was supposed to have already known the answer. “No, I own the entire place, but I pay Elone to be my bartender.”

“Ah, I see. Well…what do you serve around here?”

“Lots of stuff, depending on what’s good and what’s not. Sometimes we get more fish from The Inner Sea, so we serve a lot of that at discounted prices. And sometimes the Kagouti and Alit are extra plentiful in the hills to the southeast, so we sell their meat at discounted prices. It simply varies. As for drink, you can find most of your usual alcoholic beverages, though I don’t sell any of that Imperial rubbish. The import taxes are too high and the stuff tastes watered down compared to what I already have. I can say that since you are not Imperial, for you’re a Breton. I like Bretons, you know. Unfortunately a lot of my people don’t share the same opinion, and that’s a shame. Bretons and Altmer are so much alike. But I digress. Is there anything else?”

“I hate to keep bothering you, but do you have any recommendations? I’ve just arrived in Morrowind you see, and I’m afraid I don’t really know the ins and outs of dining on this island.”

“Not a problem! You’re not a bother! Morndas mornings are so much of a bore anyway. Hmm…I would have to vouch for cooked Kagouti actually, but make sure you have yours sprinkled with herbs and spices. Elone does a tremendous job keeping up with our garden. For your drink, you can never go wrong with Flin. Cheap on a man’s pockets, but sweet on his tongue.”

“Thanks, I think I’ll have that. Have a nice day,” I replied, starting towards the stairs beside the counter.

“You two, friend! Come again if you need to buy supplies for the wilderness.”

Upstairs the room was fairly empty, except for a Dunmer couple sitting by a window in the upper right corner of the pub. They had been laughing with one another, but once they saw me enter their expressions changed to a snarl, just like the Dark Elves outside. It’s funny too, because even to this day I don’t downright hate them. I’ll admit I don’t care for them and their ways too much; but at the same time, my disliking towards them will never be as great as their passionate loathing towards foreigners.

“Hey there, stranger. Care for a bite to eat and somethin’ to wash it down?”

Ahead of me, behind the counter in the top left corner of the room, a Redguard woman was cleaning some wooden drinking-cups with a dirty cloth. She had a smile on her face and a scar over her right eye, perhaps received after breaking up a bar fight. The Redguard males had always been known for their sheer bravery in battle, so I assumed the females were quite the daring individuals as well.

“Umm, yes. How much is it for cooked Kagouti with herbs and a bottle of…Flin?”

“Well, I don’t have any herbs to spare for meat right now. I have to preserve what vegetables I have left for a stew I’m making tonight for dinner. I do have Kagouti though, along with Flin. A slab of meat and a glass of Flin will cost you…fifteen septims.”

“Okay, I’ll take that.”

“Alright, I’ll put the Kagouti in the stove. If you just seat yourself I’ll have a glass of Flin over to you in a few minutes, so you can drink it while you wait for the meat.”

“That’s alright. I’d rather have it for my meal.”

The Redguard laughed. “No, no, no. The glass while you wait is on me. I do that for everyone.”

“Oh. Well, thanks.”

She nodded and turned around to her stove, and I walked away to find a seat. Naturally I found a spot farthest away from the angry-looking Dunmer, with my back turned towards them as well. The rickety wooden chair wasn’t very comfortable, but who was I to complain? I had just gotten off of the most uncomfortable place I’ve ever been, that being the torn up bedroll of the prisoner ship. Anything was more comfortable than that.

Not too long after I had sat down, maybe twelve minutes at the most, the Redguard lady bought me my food. “Here you go. Watch it though, it’s a little hot. I promise I didn’t burn it. Be sure to tell me how you like, will you?”

“Yes, I sure will. Thanks.”

I ate the food…no, I gobbled down the food…and then stood up from the table. Arrille’s recommendation had been a smart one. The Kagouti had been extremely tender, and the Flin truly was better than anything I had ever drunk in Cyrodiil. Before leaving I told the Redguard how great the meal was, and then started downstairs. I would have given her a tip for such an excellent brunch, but I only had ten gold coins left, and I didn’t know much a trip to Balmora would cost me. Come to think of it, I didn’t even know how I’d be getting to Balmora in the first place. Captain Gravius had mentioned something about a…Silt Strider, but that meant nothing to me, for I had never been outside of Cyrodiil prior to being thrown onto the prison ship.

Outside, it looked as if it were about to rain, so I wanted to head towards Balmora as soon as possible. I was just about to ask a guard what exactly a Silt Strider was, but then something caught my eye that made me stop. Looming over the buildings at the opposite end of the town was a gigantic tan-ish brown creature that greatly resembled something of a flea. It had to have been at least ten stories high, with slender long legs and a fat body. It was somewhat difficult to tell where its head was, but I could tell just barely because of its two front claws that were roughly half the length of its legs.

That has to be a Silt Strider… I thought to myself. I was completely taken back in awe at the creature. Such an alien species was nowhere to be found in Cyrodiil. After seeing this beast, I had truly begun to feel how far away I was from my home in the Imperial City.

Beside the creature was a large hill, and on top of that hill was a wooden platform with a Dunmer standing on it. So I walked up the hill to ask the Dunmer whether or not the creature was a Silt Strider, and also whether or not he’d take me to Balmora.

“Excuse me, but is this a Silt Strider?”

The Dunmer laughed in my face, but it wasn’t a ‘making fun of me’ kind of laugh, but rather an innocent one. In fact, the Dark Elf never did give me any glares like the others had. “By your question I can see you’ve never been to Morrowind before,” he said a raspy voice. “Yes, this is a Silt Strider. I use it to transport people like you to the cities of Vivec, Balmora and Caldera.”

“Well, I’d like to go to Balmora. How much is it?”

“It’ll cost you ten septims. And I can’t take any less I’m afraid.”

“That’s fine. Here you are.”

I handed him the septims and he just looked at me.

“Well,” he said, “Aren’t you going to get on?”

“I..I really don’t know how.”

“Ah, my apologies, outlander! You see that open space on the Strider’s back? Just walk on up into it. It doesn’t hurt the beast, I promise you.”

Still unsure of what I was doing, I tentatively walked onto the Silt Strider’s back, and to my surprise it didn’t even make a hint of a stir. I sighed a sigh of relief and the Dunmer laughed once more. “Don’t worry, you outlanders act just the same in the beginning. But you’ll get used to it, I can assure you that. Traveling by Silt Strider is the most common way here in Morrowind. Now, take a seat if you will and I’ll get us going.”

The eerily cheerful Dunmer hopped aboard as well, patted the creature on a certain place where two antenna-like outgrowths were positioned, and the creature slowly started to move. Suddenly I was regretting the decision to eat, because I felt like throwing it all up. And that is exactly what I did.

The Dunmer looked back at me and yelled frantically, though politely, “Head over the side, please! I washed him off just yesterday!”