Trouble never comes alone Options

[jack cloudy]

Yes, so I just couldn't resist and had to get this off my chest. We'll see how long it lasts. Same deal as with redemption, I'll be using this post as a character list and the first part will be in the next one. For now the list is simple.

A question. Should I add a separate entry for Spar at the very bottom that is basically the extra-spoilers edition?

Spar: A female Imperial and the main character of this story. Is guided by 'Them'.
(Portrait)

Silent Fist: A Companion Spar hires to escort her into Bleak Falls Barrow. He doesn't speak, wear shirts or use weapons. Click here for portrait

Faendal: A wood elf who lives in a small village known as Riverwood. He works as a hunter and lumberjack.

Lucan Valerius: The shopkeeper of Riverwood.

Jarl Balgruuf: The Jarl of Whiterun, a city located in the center of Skyrim between the fronts of the Imperial and Stormcloak factions.

Hrongar: Jarl Balgruuf's brother. Looks like he walked off the set of a Conan-film.

Irileth: A Dunmer who serves as Jarl Balgruuf's bodyguard.

Proventus Avenicci: Jarl Balgruuf's steward.


Vilkas: One of the Companions, a mercenary group in Whiterun
Vignar Grey-Mane: Formerly of the Companions, now retired.

Ulfric Stormcloak: The rebel leader in Skyrim, once on of the Emperor's generals.

Arkarik: Someone Spar was supposed to meet in Cyrodiil.

This post has been edited by jack cloudy: Aug 1 2013, 06:34 PM

[jack cloudy]

Yes, last update was a tad too long. I admit I've got issues with brevity. Seriously, tell me to summarise a nine-page text and my summary ends up being eight and a half pages. (true story)


Other than that and a promise that I'll at least try to keep things around the 2000 mark, I don't have much to say. Today Spar doesn't do much but going about her bussiness in a logical manner. Oh, and Them have been rather quiet lately. Maybe it's because nothing is trying to kill her.




Chapter 1.6


I could buy most of the gear and provisions myself, but hiring mercenaries was a different matter. Without inside knowledge, I could only assess any potential hirelings by meeting them face to face in a tavern or other place where those people went to sell themselves. But while I respected my ability to measure a man or a woman's competence, I had no such esteem for my ability to sift out who would and who wouldn't stab me in the back when it became convenient. For that I needed the knowledge of a local. I thought about it for a moment and came to the conclusion that I couldn't rely on either of the two wizards there. Farengar's opinion about anyone who wasn't magically inclined seemed to be low at best and he probably didn't get out enough to have practical experience with mercenaries anyhow. And I didn't trust any advice the Altmer had to give. So I needed to find someone else to ask for help.


I considered the Jarl but didn't want to bother him over a trifling matter. To hire warriors I needed the advice of a warrior so the scribe was out as well. Hrongar or Irileth then. Well, the dark elf quite honestly frightened me so I would approach the Jarl's brother. Better the barbarian with the honour code than the soldier with the inhuman experience. One of the guards directed me to a large balcony that was also at the back of the keep, large enough to hold a feast and apparently used as a drilling room of sorts. There was only one table at the far end of the balcony where Proventius and some other staffmembers were having a late lunch. Most of this open chamber was actually covered by a wing of the castle that hung above and empty apart from the weapon-racks, the tools, the big waterbasin and the straw figures that Hrongar and a pack of the Whiterun guards with their yellow scarves were hacking away at.


I waited at a respectful distance from the swinging axes, greatswords and steaming sprays of sweat until Hrongar paused for a moment to clean his blade and kick a severed strawlimb out of the field of battle. That was when I made my presence known by calling out his name. I explained to him about the task I'd been given by the court wizard, though my reasons for taking it I kept to myself. The man listened in absolute silence, with the only sign of his following me being the almost imperceptible nods. He only spoke up when I asked him if he wished to help me out. As the Jarl's brother, he would be the last one with a reason to betray me, potential fratricidal coups notwithstanding, though even then he should see the value in getting what the Jarl wanted first.





"I will not." He said with brutal honesty. "I only protect the Jarl. Know that my heart tells me to help, a Barrow is no place to conquer alone, but my place is at his side."


I filled a bucket of water from the basin when he asked for it. It was a shame he had refused but not surprising. Besides, he most likely would have gone out and done it already if his honour-code didn't leash him to the throne.
"I won't argue. But do you perhaps know of any trustworthy and capable mercenaries I could hire? As you say, going alone would be a fool's quest." And if there was one thing I refused to go on, it was a fool's quest.


Hrongar took a big gulp out of the bucket and then dunked the rest of the water onto his head. I had to jump back to avoid getting wet myself. He then sighed and cast the bucket aside. The big guy began to talk, slowly and looking as if he was chewing on a sour lemon.
"There aren't many these days. They all picked sides and left. Now there's only the Companions and drunks not worth the price of their ale. The Companions are capable enough though." He didn't elaborate on what he meant with 'picked sides' but I figured it would be because of General Stormcloak's rebellion. Wars were always good for business if you were a mercenary or sold weapons and armour. But I still couldn't believe that the General would fight against the Empire. It was madness!
"Come to think of it," I said, trying hard to get my mind back on track. "why weren't these partners hired to do this in the first place? Why wait for someone like me?" I asked. Was it because the court wizard really couldn't stand anyone who had more biceps than brains?


"Cause they're too full of themselves." Hrongar answered with more brutal honesty. He then shrugged and added, "Look, I am a weapon, not a thinker. You want the reason we didn't ask the Companions to help my brother, you should ask the man with the shining brow over there." He waved a hand at the table in the back.
"He uses his head for thinking and talking. Me, I use it to drink mead and crush the skulls of my enemies."


If there was someone who better approached the ideal of the mighty barbarian than this man, I hadn't met him. But why would a Jarl's brother become a wildlands warrior? One would expect a man in Hrongar's position to have the best in protective gear and the sharpest weapons, not the worst. Maybe it was a Nord thing. Something about pride and manliness.
"With or without a helmet?" I muttered. The dry joke made him roar and thump his chest.
"Hah, you're alright! Now go, it is best to approach the steward while he's on his break."





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Shaking my head, I walked to the end of the balcony and took a chair near the steward. There was no need to tell the story a second time however as Proventius already seemed to know what I was up to. Either gossip travelled through the walls, he had good enough ears to follow my conversation with the Jarl's brother, or he'd deduced the truth from disconnected snippets of information. He did know that I'd been recommended to the court wizard and he also knew what the man was doing. And he knew Farengar better than I did. Predicting my mission wasn't much of a stretch for him in the end. In any case, it saved time and let me ask him about the Companions.


"Well, we would have asked if we thought they would accept the job and actually do it. But the Companions hate magic in all its forms. The moment we'd mention Secret-Fire, and odds are they would pocket the money and claim the Barrow was empty." Proventius told me. He went on to explain that they'd need to send someone to oversee the operation and all that qualified for handling mercenaries were needed in Whiterun. Finally, those few who could be expected to handle an excursion into a Barrow and survive on their own, were especially vital to Whiterun's security. He gave me their names and I was not surprised in the least when I heard them. Hrongar and Irileth. The barbarian who referred to himself as a weapon and the Dark Elf with a few lifetimes worth of experience at killing things. I wondered where Balgruuf had obtained her services.


"Hrongar said the Companions are the best mercenaries available. Can we trick them?" I said to the bald man. Of course, best didn't mean much when he'd put them up next to worthless lowlifes. Maybe I should consider alternatives, like summoning Daedra. But the tools for that would be much more expensive, not to mention the old control-issue and the fact that it was illegal. And there were many Daedra, each with their own requirements and complications. It occurred to me that I hadn't asked for a budget. I should rectify that at some point. I elaborated a bit more on my idea of how to trick the hirelings. In short, my plan involved not mentioning any specifics and act like I was some out of her depths wannabe nobleborn adventurer who had the money and the dreams but not the wits or competence for treasurehunting. It wasn't much but I was still working on the details.
"Forget it," Proventius interupted me, "That only works if you have the goodwill of their patron and have skill at lying. Which you don't have. The goodwill I mean. I reserve my judgement on your talent at speechcraft for the moment. But I think there is a way."



"Please tell." If he had a better idea, I was all ears. The man grabbed his tools and began to explain while writing down the relevant information for me.
"The Companions are in the pockets of the Gray-Mane clan. Not officially, but it is an open secret. While that wasn't a problem before, the clan has thrown its coin away in the war and repeatedly denied the Companions some choice contracts because...well I suppose that isn't very relevant to you. Let's just say that the Companions are desperate enough right now that they can go over the Gray-Mane's head if the money is good and the contract isn't something they would object to on moral grounds. I advise you to drop the gloryseeker part in the plan. Instead, mention the Jarlsdotter."
"Who?" It sounded like a title. Something or Someone related to the Jarl. His wife perhaps? Mother, sister, cousin, barber?


"Her name's Dagny and the Jarl spoils her rotten. One of his few shortcomings but it is not my place to advise him on how he raises his children. Anyhow, she's always complaining and demanding a new dress or a toy or whatnot. Just make it sound like you're the latest victim sent to indulge her. That should have the Companions lower their guard. And direct them to me if they ask for insurance policies and the like. I'll handle the details then."


We discussed for a little while longer, working out the most obvious kinks and getting me a number on what I could offer the mercenary guild. The plan as it was turned out to be pretty much my own, just anchored in the local social structure. Before long however it became time for the steward to return to his duties. He gave me the stack of notes he'd written and directed me to the copying hall to have them properly fixed into my journal.
"Thank you. You have been very helpful to me." I told him as he walked away. He turned back for a second and dipped his head.
"Just doing my job. Oh, and one more thing. Try to negotiate with Vilkas if you can. He's a young one in need for glory but actually has a decent head on his shoulders. He'll be able to see what the others are too drunk to admit."