Today in Cyrodiil, spoilers version, TES: 4 Oblivion character accounts & stories Options

[Renee]

Hello people, and welcome to the Chorrol > Oblivion Spoilers > Today in Cyrodiil thread, a place where one can write all about their charcters in TES: 4 Oblivion, and include spoilers in the story. I realized that the other Today thread is in General section, and this new character of mine is going to have a lot of spoilers in her story, so here goes.

Let's meet my new one!

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Morndas, 2:12 AM, Last Seed 27, 3E433

"Pale skin.... snotty expression," says the putrid voice of a dark elf, somewhere nearby.

The captive woman awakes slowly.



"Yo're a Breton", continues the voice ..."the masters of magicka, am I right? Hmm?"

"What?" the captive calls out.

"Yo're nothing but a stuck-up haahlot, with cheap pahlor tricks. Go ahead! Try yo'r magicka in here! Let's see you make those baahs disappear!"

"You know of my magicka? And how?" the captive is now confused. She does know some 'magic tricks', but her knowledge is limited to just a couple of minor spells.

"Ohhh what's the mat-ta? Not so powerful now, are you Breton? Yo're not leaving this prison 'til they throw yo'r body in the lake! Ohhh that's right, yo're going to DIE in here, prisoner. ... Yo're going to die!

Joan of Arkay, the aforementioned 'captive', begins to remember what happened to her. The faire she had attended. The challenge of her faith by a non-believer. The subsequent argument which had turned ... nasty.

"A Redguard had then come to my assistance," she remembers. "A sweet-talker, that one. Guards made a showing, the fight did gather with persistence..."

Beyond this, Joan cannot remember the rest. How did she wind up here? In a jail cell? ...

As she tries her memory, she suddenly hears voices. Footsteps. A group apparently is approaching her cell. "...we don't know that sire," says a woman's voice; a fellow Breton. "...the messenger only said .... "

"Nooo they're dead. I know it," says a man. His voice sounds deep and familiar.

"Whot's this prisoner doing here? This cell is supposed to be off limits!"

"Usual mix-up at the watch.... I ah..."

"It doesn't matter, let's get this gate open. Prisoner! Stand over by the window," commands the female Breton.

"I .. but I ..." Joan stammers.

"We won't hesitate to kill you if you get in our way!"

"But it was not of my intentions!" protests Joan. "I was merely one bystander caught up in needless challenge!" her voice is strong. Resilient.

"Prisoner, stand over by the window now," says a male soldier. "Do as you say, and you won't get hurt."

At these words Joan concedes, and finally does as she is told.

"Stay put, prisoner."

Joan of Arkay is not prepared for what is to happen next, as the Emperor himself enters her cell. Emperor Septim, leader of all Tamriel. His bearing so regal, his clothing so colorful. His presence both overbearing and unexpected, fills Joan's cell. She can barely breathe. Uriel Septim VII is in my jail cell? Joan of Arkay thinks she might be in one of her bizarre dreams, only this one's much more real.

"Yooooou", says the Emperor "I've seen you. Let me see your face," he says, getting closer to Joan. "You are the one from my dreams...."

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3:20 am

"... as for what you have done, that is not what you will be remembered for..."

The Emperor rambles about how he's seen her before. He seems to know her, and obviously, this leaves Joan stunned. Surprised. Surprised at this interruption of her jail sentence. The Emperor has apparently been targeted, she learns, and all his sons have been assassinated. A secret escape route which starts in her cell is being utilized, and the entire group now leaves her cell, after one of its stone walls slides into the floor.

"Stay out of our way, and you won't get hurt," says one of the soldiers as they all slip by.

Joan of Arkay initially obeys this command, even as the secret wall does not rise back up, leaving a large hole in the wall. I must serve my sentence, she thinks I should not leave. To end one's jail sentence early would not only be considered dishonorable, it would be illegal. But did not the Emperor himself provide every reason to doubt my captors? ... Hadn't he said (in so many words) that my sentence would now be pardoned? These are not ordinary circumstances, then.

Joan can see her jail cell (the iron door itself) is still locked, and she initially thinks of calling the guards so they can move her to another cell. But after much time, and a bit of hollering, no guards come. Nobody shows up. During all of this, the dark elf still stands in his cell across the hallway, silently watching her.

"What do you make of that?" Joan calls to him. "The Emperor and his personal guards just traipsed through my cell! ... How can this be?"

But he does not answer. Perhaps he is just as surprised as she is.

"Well, it cannot hurt if I follow a bit down this passage," Joan rationalizes. "If I get caught, so be it. The door is opened, as the expression goes. And did not the Emperor himself admit he had seen me within his dream?"

Dreams. The dreams. Had the Emperor been having the same dreams as she? Joan of Arkay's curiosity is piqued at this. She now makes her way out of her former jail cell, and down a dark, sloping passage towards her destiny.

This post has been edited by Renee: Feb 3 2021, 07:27 PM

[Renee]

I haven't been posting Kahreem here lately, so here is where I left off: the Kahreem of Weet is now in Leyawiin, on a quest to find a stolen ring. He arrived into town, rented a room at the Five Claws Lodge, and then got into a brawl with an Argonian who simply walked into his room. Kahreem was quickly arrested, and now resides in ... one of his favorite places.

Kahreem of Weet

Level: 5

Class: Bandit
Faction: Thieves Guild
Rank: Bandit

Days Passed: 63

Bounty: 85
Fame: 0
Infamy: 7


Frost Fall 28, 5:06 am

"Back in jail, once again."

Kahreem's bounty this time is 85 gold, which means his stay should be short.

"One thing good about my stay this time is I'm clearing the air. I'M CLEARING THE AIR!" he shouts into a nearby hallway, getting a little stir-crazy. "Gonna settle up my debts here in Leyawiin, and start with a clean slate! No bounty upon my head! .... Then, it'll be 'back to work', back to collecting ingredients and grinding them into spices!"

Kahreem's newest ploy (as a newcomer in this town) is to play the part of a "spice merchant". It's an idea that occured to him on the journey south, as he noticed a blonde wood elf at one point picking mushrooms. She would no doubt sell some of these mushrooms, or mix them into potions, and then make a nice profit. Why couldn't a Redguard like him also have such a profession? ....

"I travel a lot; who's to say I can't be a spice merchant?" he says to himself. "How hard can it be?"

But Kahreem knows better. Being a "spice merchant" takes work. Lots of hard work. Riding or walking all over the place, collecting leaves, herbs, flowers, etc., evading enemies all the while. As a practicing thief, Kahreem of Weet tries to 'work' as little as possible.

"Come on..come on...what's for breakfast?" he moans as a guard walks by without a glance. His tummy grumbles, and so he lies down on the floor, waiting for his meal. As he thinks of breakfast, he remembers the Argonian he attacked the day before. The Argonian who just barged into his room without knocking.

"Fokke. Oatmeal. What kind of a name is that for an Argonian? Almost sounds like a breakfast food."

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Morndas, 5:23 am
Rain pours down in sheets as the Weet Bandit is released from jail the next day. It feels good, this warm rain, after hours in that crummy dungeon.

"It's you. Hi," greets a guard.

Kahreem of Weet does not greet back. He walks a few paces up a causeway, and starts dropping his itchy jail clothes along the way. Shoes and shirt are both discarded, right in the street.

"Lucky for me, they don't seem to have taken much stuff."

He studies his inventory. He still has his rusty sewer daggar. Still has his enchanted boots, his leather sewer breast plate, and a few other assorted items (foodstuffs and lockpicks). He was lucky to have not had too many stolen things on his person when he was arrested.

As the rain falls, he makes his way back to the Five Claws, hoping his stuff is still stored in the dresser in which he left it all. .... Unfortunately he is out of gold! ... He cannot even rent a room. So he must break into his former room at the Five Claws.

Once inside the inn, he does just this: he manages to sneak inside his former room, picking its 3-tumbler lock, while Witseidutsei (the lizard-woman who runs the place) is engaged in a conversation about goblins. All his things are still where he left them. Good.

"Gotta get out of this dump".

On his cursory tour around Leyawiin a day or two earlier, Kahreem had noticed a more upscale establishment, and he decides he'll stay here instead. Upscale places usually gave the buyer his own room, far away from the common areas. This room would not be invaded by any random tavern-goers.

"No Argonians named Oatmeal just breaking in, babbling nonsense while I'm just trying to sit down to a nice meal. For Nocturnal's sake!"

'Vincent the Spice Merchant' begins to skulk around Leyawiin, looking for things to pick and sell, like some humble wood elf, trying to fatten his man-purse as best he can. ... After several hours, he thinks he's got enough. He sells these 'spice ingredients' to Gundalas at Best Goods and Guarantees: sprigs of lavender, mushrooms, and aloe leaves. He thinks he has enough to rent a room, but is still not sure. So Kahreem/Vincent then sacrifices a couple of scrolls he bought up in the Imperial City, and winds up with a total of 32 gold.

"Take care, please ... come again," Gundalas says cheerfully.

"Yeah, well us spice merchants are always working hard to bring only the best ingredients to the citizens of Cyrodiil. Take care!"

Kahreem now heads to the Three Sisters Inn, hoping he's got enough gold to rent a room.

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"Have you ever placed any bets with J'bari?" asks a cat-lady as Karheem enters the inn.

"He pays his debts," replies a second cat-lady. "...but his love of dogs is just ... odd. I've heard he leaves meat in his backyard to attract them."

"Have you heard any..."

"Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt, I am Vincent the Spice Merchant. I am new here in Leyawiin. Pleased to meet you."

"Well you've found the Three Sisters Inn," greets the cat-lady on the left. "Beds and food. Nawwt cheap, but you get what you pay for. I'm Shuravi, the sister-that-works-and worries. Shamada is sweet and decorative. Shomara is dumb as a post. But she can cook, at least."

"What is it with all the cat-people and lizards down here?" Kahreem says, noticing that other than a few guards and the elves who run Best Goods, he has not seen a single other type of humanoid so far.

"Blackwood Company is putting the Fighter's Guild to shame," Shuvari answers. "They're a new mercenary company, competing with the guild. Beast people and other savages. Work cheap and fast. No job too tough.' Not fussy, either. Fighters Guild better watch out..."

"Well, have you got a bed? Gotta have somewhere to put all my spices, ya know."

"I have just the thing for you. A lovely suite on the second floor. It's a steal at only 40 gold a night. Interested?"

After all his "work", collecting ingredients around Leyawiin, Karheem/Vincent is dismayed to find he still hasn't got enough gold. It's settled then: work does not pay. He's tried it, and he's apparently not very good at it. To make a living at being a spice merchant, he would need to collect a lot of ingredients, apparently.

He makes a sacrifice, selling a bottle of poison for 11 gold. Now, he can finally afford his room.*

"I'll take it."

"Of course you will. You'd be silly not to. It's just up the stairs and down the hall on the East wing. All the comforts of home."

"Thank you!" Vincent/Karheem says, trying to be as pleasant as possible. He then heads upstairs to his rented room.

*

2:43 pm

"Ahh, now THIS is much better."

It's is a double room. A Cyrodiilic suite, in comparison to the smelly old Five Claws. He immediately scatters his things (armor and Sewer Club and whatnot) all over the room, then he sits down and has some food, and a bottle of Cheap Wine. It's been several days since he's had any wine, so now it's time to celebrate.

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Tirdas, 8:11 am

"Hey."
"Hi there."

"Did you hear about A'darji picking another fight with an Argonian?"

"She's ridiculous! I don't know what her problem is, always trying to start something."

"Hi there."

"Have you seen the Derrics recently? They're always bickering with one another."

"They argue a lot, but that's just their way. I don't think they're really ever angry at one another."

"Have you heard any word about the other provinces?...."


The next morning, as two of the three sisters are deep in conversation, Kahreem makes his way back outside, wearing his new (and stolen) set of clothes: a black and gold outfit. This is a little over-the-top, since his mission today is to see about finding a beggar to speak to.

"Beggars are the eyes and ears of the Thieves Guild," he mutters.

But he has chosen these clothes because (as a spice merchant) he wants people to see he is doing well. He is a businessman, after all. A buyer/seller. Right?

As he walks back towards the Five Claws, he spies somebody who might be a beggar. It's a white man wearing grungy clothes.

"Afternoon," he says.

Nope. Not a beggar. Real beggars always ask for coin, after all. The next person he sees is a Khajiit, standing just outside the Five Claws.

"I'm savin' up enough for some medicine," Rancid Ra'dirsha greets.

"You are? Well have some coin, beggar."

"Thank you kind sir!"

"Why save up for some medicine when you can just steal it from the Mage's Guild?" he wonders. "Anyways, listen, car-lady. I need to know anything you can tell me about a stolen ring? Ignore my fancy clothes, I am Thieves Guild. I have been sent here from Bravil. S'krivva sent me. I am supposed to find somebody named Ahdarji. Something like that."

At mention of S'krivva, Rancid Ra'dirsha's ears perk upwards. "I know of her. What's it worth, to you?"

"I've got some coin."

"She lives on the west side of town," Ra'dirsha informs. "She is fond of the Three Sisters Lodge in the eveining but takes her midday meal at the Five Claws."

"Good. Now go get yourself something to eat, you and your fur look awful."

"Blessings of Arkay upon you."

With this information, Kahreem wastes no time. It is just about midday, Ahdarji should be inside the Five Claws.


1:53 pm

"This scent is fowwwwl," greets Otumeel, the Argonian who Kahreem previously attacked two days prior. Fortunately for Otumeel, Kahreem of Weet doesn't know one Argonian from the next.

A Khajiit also stands by. "It looks thievy to this one," she says.

"Thievy?"

Kahreem follows this Khajiit outside, so they can speak freely, without their words being heard by the entire Five Claws.



"Hello. I am Vincent. I'm Thieves Guild."

"Why does the prey approach me?"

"You .... mentioned the Thieves Guild. Am I right? I've been sent here from S'krivva. Something about a missing ring. I'm dressed like spice merchant, but I'm actually a thief." Kahreem smirks.

"Yes. A filthy Argonian stole my precious ring. It was a gift from my mate. It has... sentimental value. I will pay well. The stupid lizard hunts with the name Amusei. Find him, find my ring. Make him suffer! Kill him and I will be pleased."

"Kill him? You don't say?"* Kahreem smiles.

"Stupid guild rules! He is only an Argonian. He is less than human, and much less than Khajiit. If you must spare him, at least make him suffer."

As Ahdarji says this, another citizen (a human) walks by, so she suddenly brightens up her voice, and changes the subject. .. "So many greenskins here .... they smell. Do they not? Ahdarji won't drink the water, no. The Argonians SWIM in it."

Kahreem tries, but gets no other information about the Argonian Ahdarji speaks of.

"Ahh drats. Well, guess I'll ask the Rancid beggar again," he says, already dreading it's gonna cost more gold.

*

This post has been edited by Renee: Dec 6 2022, 04:37 PM