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

[Grits]

Darnand faced a terrible decision after the Pale Pass adventure. Keep the Draconian Madstone or hand it over as he had promised in the hope of keeping a (relatively) clear conscience with a lesser reward?

After an evening at the shops and Olav’s and then a night at the Mages Guild (spent mostly studying the Akaviri Orders tablet and fondling examining the Madstone) he trudged through more snow to the castle and gave the countess her prize artifact. It gave him some peace to know that he was welcome to visit the collection whenever he returned to Bruma. Countess Carvain seems to appreciate its importance as much as he does.

He was also delighted with his reward, the Ring of the Vipereye. Darnand was born under the Apprentice and values Resist Magic enchantments almost as highly as Fortify Magicka (aka Moar Fire). The Fortify Agility charm is not one he would choose, but as a mage he has utterly neglected that attribute. Perhaps the ring will keep him from tripping over roots and stairs.

Another happy result of the adventure was enough gold to buy Volanaro’s Summon Dremora Lord spell. He can’t cast it yet, but he’s beside himself with delight at the prospect. He’s heard that Borissean of the Arcane University teaches a Summon Xivilai spell. Frankly those guys terrify him. At this point he prefers to deal with Dremora.

[Renee]

Yes, sometimes it's good to find an object that'll help a skill which has been neglected, very true. The Draconian Madstone seems as if it's perfect for Kanet.

And now, a man of many skills... often the wrong ones... When I last saw Kahreem, he had just been in a fight with a troll. A guard had tried to help, but unfortunately for this guard, he had also been trying to arrest Karheem for horse theft at the time. The troll killed the guard, and Kahreem took the guard's outfit. It was ironic because just before leaving Bravil, he had been wanting to do a quick search of Castle Bravil just one more time, in search of a guard's armor suit.

Middas, 7:43 PM Evening Star 5, 3rd Era, 433



It is early in the evening when Kahreem the Redguard arrives just outside of Skingrad, wearing a Bravil guard's armor. Under Cyrodiilic law, the armor is legally his. There is no law against looting from dead bodies. Yet. So Kahreem smiles as he sees the fires of Skingrad, high above on a bridge. He feels confident. Last time he was here, he had been dressed in a typical fur bandit's apparel, and was wanted by the law. But times have changed. And now, he smiles.



But his smile doesn't last. As he approaches the town he likes to define as his old stomping grounds, a guard approaches. The Redguard knows he has a bounty for horse theft, yet as the mounted guard rides slowly toward him, all the guard asks of Kahreem is to "Speak." And the Redguard does not do so.

"Lucky for me."

Kahreem realizes that perhaps his newest disguise has fooled this Skingrad patrol. And smiles again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8:45 PM
Once inside city walls, Kahreem does not waste time. He begins the task of tracking down a beggar to speak to. He walks down Skingrad's middle section, where nobody is present. Comes to an intersection of causeways, and turns left. The wind picks up, threatening a possible storm moving in from the west, when a figure comes running toward Kahreem.

"Psst, over here! Yes, we need to talk!"

It's the voice of an elf, and as Kahreem has a look at the stature of this man, he sees it's (more specfically) a Bosmer. The Bosmer nears, and the Redguard can see that he is well-dressed. Too well-dressed to be a beggar.

"We can't talk here. Too public," says this Bosmer. "Meet me behind the Great Chapel at midnight. Don't let anyone follow you. I'll make it worth your while."

And then just like that, the Bosmer turns around and walks away.

"Well how about that."

Oddly, the Bosmer chose to tell this bit of information just a few yards away from a Skingrad guard on night-duty. Kahreem thinks of speaking directly to this guard (after all, Kahreem is now one of Bravil's finest visiting Skingrad), asking the guard's opinion on the elf who just showed up. But then he chooses not to. There's a chance, however small, that Kahreem will be recognized.

"And besides. I wonder what the fokke that crazy Bosmer was after."

He decides to continue his original task: find a beggar. But he also decides to keep track of any bell-tolls he hears. The Bosmer seemed a bit odd, but he had promised something.

"He'll make it worth my while, he said. I'd like to see what he meant."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

10:45 PM-12:03 AM
As the Redguard walks the town of Skingrad, he is greeted with respect by all the guards he passes.

"How are you?" .... "Evening!" ... It's you. Hi!"

He feels as though he'd like to chat with some of them, bragging about his exploits as Bravil's only Redguard guard, and surely he can come up with some pretty tall tales. But he chooses not to do this. As he circles around Skingrad, and a soft rain begins to fall he cannot find a beggar anywhere. He even manages to find a bedroll in a dead-end alley. No beggar. Eleven o'clock tolls, and before he knows it, so does twelve. He decides to find the chapel the Bosmer told him about.

"Ahh, you came. You're sure you weren't folowed?"

"No. I mean, yeah, I'm sure."

"Good. I thought I could trust you. Nobody else in town. They're all in on it, all watching me!"

"Oh yeah? Of what do you fokkinge speak, elf? ... My name's Kasmir by the way, I'm a guard from Bravil, and I have just rode here upon my horse. It's fokkinge raining out here, and I am getting soaked, when I should be resting up in some cozy inn. Gotta meet with the count tomorrow, important delivery from Count Hassildor," he says, not realizing that 'Count Hassildor' is the count of Skingrad. Not Bravil. But it doesn't matter. The elf before him doesn't notice this small error.

"Well. Yes. I need you to do something for me. I'll pay you -- gold. You like gold, don't you?"

"I'm listening."

"Lots of gold! Here's my problem. I'm being followed. Watched. Marukhati Selectives, maybe. Not sure. I'm a threat, you see?"

"Not really."

"To their plans. I know too much!"

"You do?"

"I need you to check out some people for me, the ones that are following me. Watch them, see where they go, who they report to. Will you help me?"

"Well, let me think about it," Kahreem answers, but it doesn't take long. The elf mentioned the word "gold", after all. "Okay, I've thought about it. I'm in. I will help you."

"Very good. You won't be sorry. I'll pay you well, did I say that already?"

"Yeh you did," Kahreem says, trying to be nonchalant. "Some gold or something." In reality, he cannot believe his luck. All I did was walk into Skingrad, a place where I'd get accosted within no time during my bandit days, and this crazy elf wants to pay me gold. Maybe it's the guard's outfit I'm wearing. "Well, what do you need me to do?"

"Let's start with Bernadette Peneles. Be outside my house at 6 am, you'll see her watching me. See where she goes and who she reports to. We'll meet here tomorrow night. Oh, and NEVER contact me in public. They're watching. They can't know you're helping me."

Despite the rain, despite his fatigue, Kahreem smiles. "A spy! You want me to spy on somebody? Well, I am rather busy, supposed to meet the Count of here in Skingrad tomorrow, and all that. But I'm sure I can fit you into my schedule. Now who the fokke is this 'Bernadette Penniless'?"

"Her house is almost directly across the street from mine," says the elf soberly, "southwest of the Great Chapel. Coincidence? I don't think so."

Kahreem can't believe his luck. All he's got to do is spy on somebody from a safe distance. No looting. No stealing precious busts from some damned chapel. No sneaking through secret torture chambers. And this crazed elf will give him some gold. 'Lots of it', he promised. Kahreem can tell this man means what he says, his scent is cultured; he practically oozes Septims with his upper-class (but rambling) delivery of speech.

"I'll watch for Miss Penniless tomorrow at 6. You can count on me," Kahreem says, already able to see, smell, taste, feel the gold this man is promising.

This post has been edited by Renee: Dec 23 2022, 04:46 PM

[Lopov]

Good to see the only Redguard soldier of Cyrodiil back in action. I really liked the conversation with Glarthir.

[mirocu]

Grits - It´s so strange to me reading about adventures in Bruma in June!

Renee - Once again a Kahreem story, and this time he seems to be doing really good for a change! I hope his luck continues...

[singing]
Whoa! He´s a Bravil guard! He´s a legal Bravil guard!
He´s a Bravil guard in Skingraaaaad!
[/singing]

This post has been edited by mirocu: Jun 28 2014, 04:06 PM

[Renee]

Thanks you two. I actually did a lot of gaming with Kahreem last night, and broke the story with Glarthir into two parts. It gets hilarious. I think I've done Paranoia before with some other character, but chances are it was Renee Gade II or somebody from my early days. I can't see Dyan or The Grey Wizard putting aside their questing just to help a paranoid elf, and I know for a fact Saga has blown Glarthir off.

In the meantime, I have a new character (sorta new) to introduce. I already brought her up in the Then and Now thread, and have written a bunch of tales up with her already. I was thinking maybe she'd wind up as a Fanfic, but the truth is there's too many gaps in her story already. I get lazy. So I'll just post her stuff here.

[Renee]

Last Seed 30, 4th Era 20

Renee Gade III
Level: 1
Days Passed: 4
Gold: 227

Entered Vilverin. In days before we circled the Imperial City. Found a fort full of really tough rats, and abandoned this. Several bandits and warlords occupied the road from Aleswell til now. After nearly being offed, I found a warlord wearing iron armor, and have taken this set for my own. Feel much more confident.

Slaughtered the outlaws and other such inhabitants of Sercen one by one, and left there by noon. A hill giant (or some sort of ogre) occupied a fort up on a hill near the Roxey Inn, and we did not bother to even try. Now we are in Vilverin, the place where Gabrielle has informed me all my stolen items have been hidden by an evil mage named Kranix. He shall die soon.

That is the first journal entry made by Renee Gade III. Her game includes a Xena mod, and this includes Gabrielle (Renee's best friend), and also the armor & a couple weapons Xena used on the show. All of these things (except Gabrielle) are found inside of Vilverin. A warlord named Kranix is the one who stole Renee's things, and this guy is mentioned above. Although she didn't write it, she eventually did kill Kranix, and got her things back.

That's the only journal entry she made so far, she's not really into keeping a journal.

She is (as we can see) living deep into the 4th Era, and is the daughter of Renee Gade II, who was one of my PS3 characters. RG2 was a bit of a rogue for a long time. She wasn't especially good or evil, but somewhere in between. She wound up as a Fighter's Guild member, and eventually took up the Pilgrim's Path, but was not very good at being a holy knight. RG2 eventually got killed by Umaril the Unfeathered.

I feel like Renee Gade III's backstory involves being orphaned to a charity up in Skyrim. Matter of fact, there is an orphanage in Riften in TESV, and so this is where Renee grew up. Unlike her mother, Renee Gade III is more committed to doing good causes, and is also more adept at magic. RG2 only used the default healing spell, an occasional scroll, but no other magic.

Eventually RG3 made her way down to Cyrodiil. She would have been born sometime before the year 433 (before the events in TES 4) and she's about 25 years old.

In the next story (below) Renee is now in the Imperial City. She wound up leaving Gabrielle behind in the King and Queen Tavern, which is her favorite place in Cyrodiil to stay, so far. After leaving Gabby behind, she met a guy named Winden. And hired him to help her do some quests I made up called Sewer Patrol. In Sewer Patrol, Renee is supposed to go down into the sewers (duh), rid these sewers of any nuisances she finds, and for every bit of proof she brings back to Vinicia Milissaiea, she and Winden earn 10 gold.

So this means, every time she brings up some bonemeal from a skeleton, an eye from a goblin, a finger from a bandit (etc.) she earns 10 gold from Vinicia.

This post has been edited by Renee: Dec 23 2022, 04:50 PM

[Renee]

ahem

This post has been edited by Renee Gade IV: Jul 9 2014, 01:06 AM

[Renee]

Turdas, 1:28 AM, Evening Star 6

Kahreem
Level: 6
Bounty: 250

After speaking to the Redguard wearing a Bravil guard's armor, Glarthir the Paranoid feels a lot safer than he had in days. Weeks! He cannot believe his luck! This stranger from out of town, a guard from another county altogether, has promised to help! A guard will help him! .. This is more than he can say for the blonde archer with the Bosmeri accent he had spoken to recently, or the red-haired Nord who was said to be on a crusade to find the Crusader's Relics (ha! Fat chance!). Both of these ladies had turned him down cold.

"It's a disgrace!"

And so had the middle-aged man who was the Mage's Guild hottest new recruit. This man, probably a Breton, had promised to meet Glarthir behind the Chapel at midnight, yet had never shown.

"Well, at least I can rest easier, knowing that this Redguard guard from Bravil is here to serve. I may have to pay him double, if he succeeds in his task."

Glarthir the crazy Bosmer settles down to a bottle of Surilie's, and the first night of true rest he's had in awhile.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

6:26 AM
The rain still falls as Kasmir the Guard from Bravil, also known as Kahreem of Weet, finds his way to the crazed elf's house. Sure enough, right next door is Bernadette Penniless's home, the elf was right about that.

"Now, all I have to do is wait."

So he decides he'll do the following: wait. He waits. And waits. Waiting for the chance view Miss Penniless in action. While waiting, he hopes he looks like he's keeping guard of the town of Skingrad; he is wearing a guard's armor suit, after all. But after hours of standing around in the rain, there's just nothing. Nothing to report. He never even witnesses a lady leaving the home he's spying on, nor does he witness anybody going in. He has no idea what the lady, this 'Bernadette Penniless', even looks like.

"A coin for an old beggar?"

"Hey, yeah, I got a coin for you beggar."

"I'm so hungry."

"Mmm hmm. Well so am I. Been standing out here for hours, keeping the town of Skingrad safe. Have a coin, beggar. Since I only earn a fokkinge Septim a day, this is actually my entire daily wage." *clink!*

"Thank you kind sir!"

"Listen, I'm not really a guard, I'm Thieves Guild. Kasper's my name," he says, already forgetting he's chosen 'Kasmir'. "Supposed to find some sort of book or something. And you look just like the sort of man who can help me."

Kahreem is surprised when the beggar begins to divulge information, or seems to at first, and without asking for any gold. "He is a skillful thief. I seem to remember something about him. Something recent. Something important. Something is missing in my hand..."

"Uh huh, let me guess. Some fokkinge gold," Kahreem answers. He then acts like it's a burden to pay the beggar off, but in reality he's got plenty of gold on his person. He is the cause (after all) of the great Silverwear Heist of Castle Bravil, Year 433.

"Theranis was drinking in the Two Sisters Lodge. He was bragging about stealing something from the castle."

"Go on".

"Unfortunately, Captain Dion was also in the Two Sisters Lodge. He arrested Theranis and hauled him off to the dungeons."

"Is that so?"

"Into the Skingrad dungeons? Not likely," the beggar answers, as if Kahreem had asked a different question. "Not unless you got yourself arrested. Of course you are a thief. Just break in."

"Well ... thank you, I guess. Guess I'll make my way to the Skingrad dungeons. Listen. There's something else I want to ask you. I've been standing out in the rain now for fokkinge hours. There's supposed to be some lady I'm suppose to watch by the name of Bernadette Penniless, but I don't see her, and do not even know what she looks like. Just between you and me, that Bosmer in the corner house set me up to it."

"I don't mean to gossip, but he is more than a bit strange. However, he's always been tolerated as the town eccentric."

"Oh yeah? Eccentric. Well as long as he's got the gold, I'm not worried," Kahreem says, beginning to worry.

"Blessings of Akatosh upon ye," 'Foul Fagus' says as he walks away, 20 gold richer.

"Yeah yeah. As you say."

As Kahreem (or 'Kasmir', or Kasper) stands watch outside of Bernadette's place just one more hour, he begins to wonder. He's glad he's got a bottle of Cheap Wine to keep him company in the rain.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

7:30 AM

"Morning!" says a Breton woman wearing working clothes.

"Huh?"

Kahreem is startled by this woman, who walks by and greets him just like any other guard. She seems pleasant and cheerful, thankfully unaware that a drunken, false guard was standing before her, and that this guard is supposed to be keeping watch on HER, and nobody else. The lady turns left, stands in front of Bernadette's door, and enters it. Is this the lady he's supposed to watch for?

"How should I fokkinge know? This is crappe!"

Getting impatient, Kahreem decides he'll try her door and find out. It's unlocked, so the Redguard enters freely. And greets her in the first room he finds.

"A thousand pardons, melady. I'm Kasmesh from Bravil, on route to speak to the Count of Skingrad. It is not my usual custom to enter the home of a townlady such as yourself, but the Count of Bravil, which is where I am from as you can see by my guard's armor, may need a bit of ... ah .... information about the grape-growing season. And you look like just the lady to speak to."

"I'm Bernadette Peneles, I work for Tamika. I grow grapes. For her wines."

"Perfect! .. As I said, you're just the lady! I know all about wines, believe me. Skingrad has some of the finest."

This is a lie, one of many. He hates any wine costing more than 3 or 4 gold per bottle.

"I've lived here all my life. Grown grapes. It's all I know. Fresh air, mountains, the grapes on the vine. It's just ... beautiful."

Kahreem is impressed by what sounds like Bernadette's summary of her entire life, even though it doesn't help him in the slightest. This woman? This simpleton who claims to know nothing about life, outside of growing grapes? Spying on the elf across the street? It just didn't seem right to him.

"Listen, Bernadette Peneles. I'm also a lover of exquisite grapes, as mentioned."

"Make it quick," Bernadeted answers, her face tightening. This man, guard or no guard, is standing in her home, after all. Uninvited.

"My particular favorite is the vintage of wine from the Year ... ahh.... 392," he says, hoping to impress Bernadette. He's pretty sure it's 392 is the year, one of the best of all.

"Don't talk such rot," she answers. Damn!

"Uhh.... the Year 401?"

"You're full of it!"

Kahreem kicks himself. "I know, it was the Year 399," he says, really feeling foolish now. Any relevant connosieur of wines would know the Year 399 is THE year everybody pines over.

"Yes, yes, whatever you say!" Bernadette answers. Suddenly she's hopeful this Redguard, who had brazenly walked into her own home without so much of as a knock, is as enthusiastic about wine as she is.

"Why.... I've got a bottle right over at the 3 Sisters Lodge. A bottle of 399, that is. When I'm done my watch for the day, and also have spoken to the Count in regards to his opinion on the best conditions for grape-growing in Bravil, I'll let you know and maybe you can join me for a bottle."

"Don't try to manipulate me," she finishes, dashing Karheem's hopes.

"Well, if you change your mind, you know where I'll be."

"Just go away!"

"I WILL!"

As Kahreem does so, he decides there's no fokkinge way that Bernadette could be any sort of spy. Something about her, a lack of intelligence, perhaps. And later on throughout the rest of this dismally rainy day, as Kahreem figures out he can return to the inn, walk outside a door, and stand upon a balcony overlooking the area where Bernadette Peneles and Glarthir live, not once does he see her standing in the street, spying on the Bosmer.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

11:13 PM, Turdas, Evening Star 6

"Break the law on MY watch, will ya?"

"Huh?"

Kahreem of Weet awakes late in the evening, and is casually strolling on his way to meet the Bosmer he met the night before, when a bald-headed Skingrad guard accosts him.

"I'll be confiscating your stolen goods, oh, and no gooolllld to pay your fine, hmm? It's off to the lockup, then."

"Are you joshing me? I'm just a man looking for work, sire. I heard there's gold to be made here, picking grapes and such. Fresh country air, mountains, and all that."

The Skingrad guard glares at the Redguard, the Redguard who he suddenly figures is the one wanted for horse theft in Bravil. The guard who gave chase on this Redguard had left his post, and had never returned. Although the Redguard was not wanted for murder, Dion can still take him in for horse theft.

Kahreem is glad he's not wearing his Bravil guard's suit at this moment. That would be bad, having that disguise blown.

"Ahh, fokke it. Let us go to jail, then."

"Hope you rot, criminal scum!"

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

1:07 AM, Evening Star 7
In a way it's not bad, being thrown in jail. Firstly, the only 'stolen goods' he had on him when getting caught were a couple of potatoes. Secondly, who even knows if the Bosmer would show up to pay Kahreem some gold? .. The man had seemed rather disturbed, and there was nothing to report to him, anyways. And thirdly: Upon Kahreem's inception, he finds he's incarcerated with another inmate. He assumes this inmate is the one the beggar had told him about earlier. The man is asleep.

"Hey, you. Wake up."



"Are you here to rescue me?" asks a Nord.

"Rescue you? Well, I can try my best."

"Just unlock the door. In a couple of hours it'll be quiet again, and I can sneak out."

"Um, okay. I only have one fokkinge lockpick, though. Chances are it'll break. But hey, I can sneak you out later."

"An excellent deal!"

"What knows you about a man named Theranis? I'm Kamir from Bravil, by the way. Thieves Guild. Shadow hide you, and all that. You tell me about Theranis, and I'll get you out of here for sure."

"You mean the thief? He was in the big cell with that Argonian. They were always whispering to each other. The Pale Lady took him a days ago." *

"Pale Lady?" Kahreem says, fearing some sort of ghost. Or invisible woman. He hates invisible people.

"Every few days, she comes for one of us. Some return, some don't. Those that are taken three times never return.. This was Theranis's third time."

"Fokke! Well then where do they go?" He asks this, realizing he's got two more foils to go, before this Pale Lady, whoever she is, comes for HIM.

"I don't know", says his inmate with a shrug. "She took the Argonian less than an hour ago, though. He put up quite a struggle. He was bleeding all over the place."

"Fokke."

"Don't let the guards catch you," the Nord warns, going back to sleep.

Kahreem tries to unlock the door, breaking the lockpick he had managed to sneak.

*

This post has been edited by Renee: Dec 23 2022, 05:05 PM

[Lopov]

It's because of Glarthir's quest that Dion approached - as soon as you start asking residents about him, he's scripted to approach you and ask why do you keep asking questions about him. But because Kahreem's got a bounty, this dialogue took over.

I had a similar experience with Raven, when he was kicked out of the MG just before the last quest but was still able to finish the questline nonetheless. So when he encountered Falcar, a former leader of Cheydinhal hall, he was supposed to give him some quest-related dialogue but instead Falcar told him to visit the Archmage to regain his status in the guild and wasn't even hostile.

A great story, it's a mix of two quests and Kahreem getting in jail, so it has the required elements to be funny. I like it how he doesn't memorize his fake name.

[mirocu]

Once again thrown in jail Oh, woe is Kahreem of Weet

Great story as usual, Renee

[Renee]

Thanks, I enjoyed writing it. Man, so I screwed up my Renee story up above, not that it matters or anything. I should have posted this one between the two stores above. Oh well.

Sundas, Heartfire 2, 4:50 PM 4th Era Year 20

Renee Gade III

Race: Imperial
Birthsign: The Lady
Class: Warrior Princess
Level: 2
Days Passed: 7

Bounty: 0
Fame: 0
Infamy: 0

"Vinicia Melissaeia, Office of Imperial Commerce. You got complaints? Of course you got complaints. Who doesn't?"

"Complaints? No I have not got anything to bother you on the subject of complaints. I have come about the job. The Sewer Patrol job. Name's Renee. Renee Gade the third, granddaughter of the famous Nord who defeated Jagar Tharn long ago. And my mother nearly defeated Umbacano back in the Third Era."

Although Vinicia is unsure to believe this incredible tale, she can see the lady calling herself 'Renee Gade the Third' certainly has the look of an adventurer. She offers this 'Renee' a job, and a bit of advice about the Imperial City itself. Vinicia had been working this job for many years now, seen the fall of the Elder Council after the conclusion of the 3rd Era, and also the death of High Council member Ocato. One thing for sure: many things may have changed, but from where she sat they had also stayed quite the same.

"You have complaints against merchants here? You file complaints with me. I fill out lots of forms, which go to a lot of people .. who ignore them. But what else did you expect? Justice? .... Go to the Chapel. Talk to Zenithar. He'll take care of everything."

Nevertheless, the Imperial known as Renee Gade III had been hired to do the job. Proof of each kill she accomplished would earn her 10 gold apiece, on top of whatever sort of loot she might find down there. The Imperial City's sewers had long been a problem, a menace beneath the very feet of the nobles and debutants who dwelled within the city. It was time something had been done about this.

"Be seeing you."

"Thank you. I shall do my best."



Morndas, Heartfire 3, 9:53 AM

The Nordic knight-for-adventuring known as Winden looks doubtfully to his brand-new boss, unsure of whether he should follow her. She wants to go down THERE?

In the years following the end of the 3rd Era, populations had swelled inside all of Cyrodiil's towns, and a new breed of adventurers had seemingly appeared from nowhere, eager for gold and a new life. Many of these adventurers were quite skilled at what they did (swordplay, magic-casting, etc.) but few of them had actually done any real lair-diving. Few of them had ever been underground, faced with traps and all sorts of monsters. The bulk of them merely stood around in bars, taverns, and inns, hoping to be hired by someone more experienced. Winden the Knight was one of this new breed. So eager, so talented with his blade. He had decided he'd join the lady in the purple gladiator's outfit who had hired him just an hour before; he hadn't even asked for any gold up front.

The 'lady who had hired him' carried a big sword, and her fancy armor was both unique and expensive-looking. She was obviously somewhat experienced at this, and exuded what seemed to be an almost daring essence, like she was fearless. But she wanted him to follow her in there? .. This was not what Winden had signed up for. He was thinking more on the lines of getting outside the city, going down in some holes, and killing some monsters. Maybe some imps or wolves. He hadn't thought she'd want him to follow her beneath the Imperial City itself.

"Hey listen, Winden. It will not be so bad. All you need to do is stand where I tell you. Stay in place. I shall be the one who goes steadily ahead. If I need your help, I will come running back to you. Okay?"

"If you say so," the Nord answers, trying his best to sound brave and potent.

The lady wearing purple armor then found a sewer grate located behind an Elven Gardens home, and entered it quietly, closing out the rainy day above.

----

Not long afterwards, and the lady (who finally identified herself as Renee from Riften) had left him at the top of a stone staircase. "Come back soon, I'll get bored," he had told her, but she ignored this early complaint and had gone on below to explore. That had been an hour ago. And Winden was starting to fidget. Bored indeed, and bathed in darkness, he lit his torch and began swinging his sword this way and that. He occasionally stopped swinging, hoping to hear from Renee, hoping she'd come back and want him to kill something, dammit. But so far, nothing.

Then all at once, some noise from below. Renee came running back into the chamber, her body lit by a spell to help her see in the dark.

"What can I do for you?" he asked in a serviceable Nord's voice.

"Come on Winden, I need your help with this one."

"Let's go."

She then crouched down and looked below, and at first Winden thought she might be finally showing fear. But then, if she is truly afraid, wouldn't she just want to leave this dreadful place? he thought. Renee's spell dwindled, so she raised her arm into the air, casting another.

"Okay, you come now. Prove your worth. Nothing but nuisances so far; rats and mudcrabs, and how in Oblivion am I going to get paid from this, I have not a clue. Where are the goblins, where are the bandits? .... But never mind. There is something up ahead. I am not sure what it is, some sort of dog-sized creature. That is why I need your help."

The pair then crept down the stairs, and slowly. Every so often Renee would cast a spell which Winden thought might be some sort of Life Detection, he wasn't sure. He did indeed notice several rats and crabs along the way which had met their doom. The two had passed through a couple of stone chambers, turned right down a curved hallway, and a few moments later his leader stopped and cast her mysterious spell again. She then grabbed a silvery circular object from her belt, which Winden had first thought was some sort of magical device. But it was not.

Renee threw this object, and it went ZIIIING! .... Winden was surprised to see it could move at lightning-speed. The circular silver object (whatever it is) flew fast ahead through the hallway before them, and just a moment later was back in her hand. But Renee was not satisfied. She threw the object again, this time showing a different reaction.

"Got it!"

Whatever it was she had injured it, so far as Winden could tell. Renee grabbed her giant blade.

"Here it comes, Winden. Get ready."

Pleased at his first task, Winden rushed ahead, found the creature (whatever it was) and slammed it with his sword. It died instantly, and Renee seemed pleased by this.

"Good work, and not bad," she said, retrieving a bone from the creature. "Hah, I will be able to take this back to Vinicia, hopefully she will pay me her promised 10 gold for this kill. Seems a bit more than your common nuisance, and you are my witness."

Winden stayed silent, hoping for more. But his hopes were dashed a moment later.

"Now, hey, I want you to stay here Winden. Just stay here and I am going to tunnel ahead. Won't be long."

Winden the knight-for-hire from Skyrim sighed. He had joined this crazy lady for no pay, and no gold? What had he been thinking?

----

4:19 PM
An unknown amount of time passed when Renee finally found a ladder to crawl up. Finally. Although Winden had survived with his new hiree, he was glad when she decided she'd had enough of "Sewer Patrol". Renee had managed to kill several goblins without his assistance, and was now looking forward to getting back to surface. Together they climbed an old iron ladder rung by rung, out of the dreadful sewers.

The ladder led through an unlocked grate, and into some sort of storage room full of crates and barrels. It didn't seem like an actual part of the sewer system (too neat and organized, plus it didn't have that sort of 'smell' they'd been dealing with), so neither he nor Renee touched a thing in here.

"Perhaps we are in some sort of warehouse basement, I have not a clue. Come along."

The pair came to a door which was locked with a 1-tumbler device. Winden had never picked a lock in his life, and Renee admitted she wasn't so good at it, but she got the thing on her first try. The door led into what obviously somebody's home.

"Drats. Where in Oblivion are we?"

A set of footsteps approached them, and within seconds a dark elf appeared from what looked to be a dining room.

"We .. we were just," Renee babbled. "Hey, you know your basement connects down to the sewers?"

But the elf ignored her, merely walked past and entered the door through which Renee and Winden had entered. Unsure of what just happened, Renee decided it best to get out of this place, this rather posh-looking home. She found a door leading out into one of the Imperial City's districts, and she and her partner left the home to get paid.

Note: CM Partners is where this knight named Winden comes from.

This post has been edited by Renee: Dec 26 2022, 08:42 PM

[Grits]

I love the pictures with RGIII’s story. Winden’s view of events was great fun to read!

[Renee]

Yaah! .. I love 'em too. I actually have a backlog of about 8 stories or journal entries, I'll have one of them up later. Pictures, too. Lord there are so many pics. Probably not as many as you take, but for me it's a lot!

11:04 AM, Tirdas, Heartfire 4, 4th Era Year 20

The rain falls hard the next day, as Renee Gade III and her knight companion Winden left the Office of Imperial Commerce. They managed to earn a total of 80 gold for her exploits in the sewers below the Elven Gardens District, after presenting several goblin eyes and a couple of fresh bones to Vinicia.

"Seems an awful small amount of gold for all that work," she had commented to her companion.

But no matter. The job was done, and Vinicia seemed pleased to know. Less goblins in the sewers beneath our sovereign feet? That's all she had asked for. She had then given a new task to Renee: clear out the sewers beneath the Arcane University. There was supposed to be a gate located just southeast of the University itself, its exit somewhere along the Niben's beach. Vinicia then provided Renee with a key, which would unlock the sewer's gate.

"Good, because I am not so good with lockpicking yet. This'll come in handy."

Renee and Winden had then chosen to leave the Market District by its south exit, meaning she was now passing through the Arena district. As they walked through the rain, they could hear the sound of the crowds cheering from inside. Even on this dreadfully rainy day, the fans were already here.

"You know. I have got some coin. There's no hurry to clear that sewer, Winden. Let us go have a look."

"Okay, if you say so."

It took a minute for her to find the Arena's entrance, where a stout and portly Bosmer stood next to a large wooden chest.

"Hello there! Welcome to the Arena! .. I don't think I've ever seen you around here before. I know all the regulars, believe me. If you're looking to join the Arena as a combatant, you need to head down to the Bloodworks and talk to Owyn, the Blademahhstah," said the blonde Bosmer.

"Well, I do not think today I will be fighting. Can't me and my partner just watch a match?" Renee suddenly realized her purple armor, and the gigantic sword upon her back, might confuse the Bosmer. She certainly looked like she was here to fight.

"If you're here to bet on a fight, on the other hand, you're talking to the right man! There are matches all day long, from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

"Really?" she asked. Many changes had occurred over the last 20 years, but the Arena was still here, and still in business. She knew her mother had fought in the Arena long ago, why not have a peek at it?

"That's a lot of chances to fill your purse with coin. So what do you say: you want to bet on a match?"

"Yes. Yeah, I do...Um and do you sell--"

"Ahhh, excellent!" the elf said, cutting her off. "I knew you were the gambling type! Well, you can bet on the Yellow Team or the Blue Team. The teams are evenly matched, so you've pretty much got a 50/50 chance of winning So, which team would you like to bet on?"

Renee looked to her purple armor, which was closest to being blue. "I will bet blue."

"Allll right then, the Blue Team it is. How much do you want to bet?"

"How about 50 gold?"

"All right my friend. You've got 50 gold on the Blue Team. Good luck and enjoy the match! Oh, and if you win, come see mee for your payout!"

12:53 PM
The rain continueed as the pair of fighters, who were expected by some to be on Sewer Patrol, now were standing high above the Arena's circular floor.

"WELCOME WELCOME TO THE ARENA!" boomed a loud voice from some unseen location. And before long, Renee and Winden were watching the spoils. "LOWERRRRRR THE GATES!"

The fight did not last long. The Blue Team gladiator carried a big battleaxe, and knew how to use it. It only took a few swings before her Yellow Team opponent, who was using a standard sword and shield, fell to the ground. Renee noticed there were several bottles of wine on a nearby table, but hadn't enough time to grab one before the match was over.

"Ha! ... She had it coming!" Still, it was exciting to be here, 30-second duel or not. There weren't as many people as Renee had expected in the Arena's stands, but all of them were enthusiastic, hooting and hollering. The folks up in Skyrim had made it sound as if a mob would be viewing. But as she looked around, she could count all of those present with just over one hand.

"Well, guess we won, Winden. Always a good thing."

Winden stayed quiet, like a good soldier.

She turned to go fetch her winnings: 100 gold in total! .. Easiest money she had ever earned. As she and Winden walked south again through the Arboretum, outside the Arcane University itself, and then down a large, steep hill, she couldn't help but continue to think about what she had witnessed. An hour went by, then two. Three hours later, and Renee and Winden finally stood before what they hoped would be the gate to the South Sewers. And all this time, Renee from Riften kept thinking in an almost repetitive fashion.

My mother had fought there. She had fought and become famous for it. .... She had traveled the land, and been killed by Umaril. .... But before this happened, she had fought in the Arena.



This post has been edited by Renee: Dec 26 2022, 08:54 PM

[Renee]

6:05 am, Sundas, Evening Star 9

Kahreem spends two days in jail for committing horsetheft in Bravil a few days earlier, and is released to a stormy morning.



Note: I happened to catch that pic exactly as a lightning bolt struck

He quickly removes his jail clothes and tosses them over the side of the bridge he is on. He then dresses in the clothes that he brought with him. He is glad these clothes are legitimately his, and not stolen, otherwise he'd be stuck with jail clothes on his return trip through Skingrad. He begins walking through town, but then remembers the story Larthjar the Nord told him.

"Something about a pale lady taking an Argonian away," he says, not liking the sound of where this is going.

So ironically, just as he is leaving jail he begins to head right back into it.

_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|

8:55 AM

"What seems to be the problem?"

Another thing which is ironic: once he finds himself back inside the guard's barracks, Kahreem tries to speak directly to a Skingrad guard for information about the pale lady, but the guard has nothing to say. Kahreem stands freely in the guard barracks and realizes the door to the dungeon (where he'll need to go to find more about the pale lady) is locked. As he waits for an opportune moment to try to unlock this door, the same bald-headed guard who had arrested him two days before is now in his face again.

"A little bird told me that you've been asking around town about Glarthir. Our resident 'eccentric'. I'd like to know why."

This catches the Weet Bandit off-guard. After spending two days in jail he had forgotten all about Glarthir, especially with the Nord's stories about the pale lady chasing him to sleep. Glarthir the elf probably had moved on from Kahreem and his neighbor, Bernadette Peneles, by now.

"I have nothing to say on the matter," he says to Dion.

"It is my business. Allow me to introduce myself: Captain Dion of the Count's Guard, at your service.. Now, you were telling me why you're interested in Glarthir..."

"No I wasn't. No offense, but you seem hard-of-hearing, Sir Dion. That's one thing I never told you." *

Dion glares at the Redguard. "Fine. Play it that way. Let me give you some friendly advice. Glarthir is crazy. Maybe harmless crazy, maybe not. Don't get involved with him. If he asks you to do anything.... strange... you come see me first, got it? Or any of the town guard. Let us handle it."

"Okay, I will do that," Kahreem lies. He has no intention of informing the guard at all. But now that Dion has told Kahreem all about Glarthir, Kahreem realizes something important. Glarthir had offered him gold. "You like gollllld, don't you?" he had said. And Kahreem had completed his task for Glarthir. He had spied on this 'Bernadette' woman. So Glarthir owed him something, at least.

He makes a mental note to see if the 'crazy elf' might show behind the chapel at midnight, and then begins carefully picking the lock into the Skingrad dungeons.

*

_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|

10:12 AM
He breaks just two lockpicks, but makes it inside the dungeon. Makes his way down a corridor and turns right, then follows the steps downward, where he meets Skingrad's Jailor. He tries to walk past the jailor instead opening the door that leads to the jail cells. But it is locked.

"Morning, sir."

"May I pass? It's raining outside, and I am already missing the comforts of my former jail cell."

"We'll see..."

After a stilted, off-balance conversation, the jailor refusing to let the Redguard by, the subject of money comes up, and Kahreem offers gold to the jailor. 50 gold to be exact.

"50 gold is a bit of a blow, I am a lowly grape-picker after all. Fresh mountain air and all that. But here. Take it."

"Naw, but it will earn ya two years in Skingrad's dungeon. Now get lost before I decide to report ya."

With no other option, Kahreem decides to try buttering up the guard with tales of his grape-picking exploits. Goblin attacks. The endless pursuit to produce the perfect grape....

"Such adventure. How I envy you...."

The man will not budge on the issue of the dungeons though. "You think that's funny?" he asks, when Karheem tries to make a joke about a Redguard guard from Bravil. Although he will not let Kahreem by, in the process of speaking to the jailor, the jailor softens up a bit. The migrant wine picker seems friendly enough, after all.

"Say, that man down there, the Nord I was staying with. He mentioned something about a pale lady. Scared me half to death!"

"Mina? You don't want to go asking about her. She ... um ... interviews prisoners. She isn't one to be crossed."

Mina Kahreem thinks. She has a name. She also sounds more like a person, and not a fokkinge ghost.

But this leads him nowhere. A dead end. And he has a job, a commitment, to the Thieves Guild. So before he knows it, he's got his lockpick kit out, and picks the 4-tumbler lock leading into the dungeons. It's an expert move, really some of his finest thievery, absolutely no lockpicks get broken. But ... there is a problem.

"STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM! Nobody breaks the law on MY watch. I'm confiscating your stolen goods, now pay your fine, or it's off to jail..."

The 'fine' is just 5 gold, easily affordable. After paying it, Kahreem is escorted back place he began his day: outside of Skingrad's castle, on the bridge.



But this is not a problem. The Weet Bandit already picked the lock into Skingrad's dungeons, after all. Maybe he can just walk inside. So he returns to the dungeons, walks by the same jailor as before, and is greeted by a 4-tumbler lock at the dungeon's door.

"FOKKE!"

"What seems to be the problem?"

Somehow, the answer seems to be inside the dungeon itself, Kahreem thinks. He must get back inside. But then just as he is about to pick the lock all over again, he remembers the beggars. The 'eyes and ears of the Thieves Guild', so to say. He leaves the dungeon, and returns to Skingrad, in search of yet another fokkinge beggar.

This post has been edited by Renee: Dec 26 2022, 09:33 PM

[Lopov]

It feels good drinking ice-cold Nuka Coca-Cola and reading about Kahreem. Nice story, love the 1st shot! On a side note, I think that the jailor is the only person in the entire game that mentions Pale Lady's name.

[Renee]

This quest feels like a huge mystery that's going to take some time to figure on my part. Can't get down into the dungeons. This cannot be done. Beggars don't mention anything about Mina or a pale lady (I tried just after finishing the story). So I'm kinda stumped. No spoilers though! I'm not jumping on UESP, I'm going to figure this.

[mirocu]

Why is it that whenever I read about Kahreem, the word "jail" is always present...

This post has been edited by mirocu: Jul 21 2014, 10:31 AM

[Renee]

Ha ha ha yeah you know? I don't know what it's like in Europe, but in America a lot of wayward teens have absolutely no fear of jail. They brag about going to jail. Kahreem's not this bad, but if he lived on Earth chances are he'd be one of these teens, minus all the humor.

[Renee]

Tirdas, 11:06 AM, Sun's Dawn 5, 4th Era 5

"Any friend of the Society is a friend of mine. What can I do for you?"

"Perchance, might I gaze upon your selection of herbs, roots, and flowers?"

Lady Saga spends the next seven hours inside of The Main Ingredient, Ogier Georick only too glad to assist. "You bought that for a song!" he says, pleased as all. He has seen this one before. This blond Bosmer with the Valenwood accent. She had been coming in his shop now for years, always buying a small hoarde of ingredients. Lots and lots of ingredients. That's why they called Ogier's shop 'The Main Ingredient', after all.

"Ahh, scamp's skin. Dried and ready for confluence."

"I let that go too cheaply".

"Oh, do not be of dalliance, Breton. My gold is as good as any, I am of supposing. Nor am I to make bickering, as so many others of no doubting can impose. Yes?"

Aerin from Valenwood can remember long ago, when she was new to Cyrodiil. Not the adventuring, not the exploring, but her everyday life in general. She had had constant feelings of lonliness back then; it seemed nobody but Erthor would dare to join her, nobody would leave their city's walls, and Erthor had only done so reluctantly. She had been especially disappointed by nearly every Bosmer she had met; it seemed as if all of them had lost their heritage.

All of them had become 'Cyrodiilized'. That is what she had called them. Cyrodiilized. Each and every one of them seemed to have lost their spirit and verve; that certain livliness which could be felt from a native of Valenwood was gone in these 'Cyrodiilized' wood elves. But times had changed. Times had changed, indeed. The Bosmer of Cyrodiil hadn't changed, but Aerin herself certainly had.

With over 4,000 gold in Cyrodiil's new bank, Aerin could comfortably hire somebody to follow her, and Maglir (a fellow wood elf from Skingrad) had fit this bill grandly. Trained in heavy armor, sword-play, and (best of all) various destruction magics, Maglir had become .... a rather good friend to Aerin. When the two of them had a third person with them by the name of Modryn Oren, they had been even stronger. But Modryn had demanded gold at a crucial time, when Aerin was unable to locate a bank to pay him. His contract had ended, and he had left. But when Maglir's contract ended, he had stayed. He was a true friend, then.

"How goes it?"

Lady Saga, aka Aerin from Valenwood, spends the next seven hours in Ogier's shop, crushing ingredients and brewing potions. She walks out then to a rainy day, ready for more traipses among the wilds of Cyrodiil. But her business here in the Imperial City is nowhere near to being done.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

6:54 PM

"Good to see you again? Shall I escort you upstairs to see my master?"

"You shall. I have a thing a viewing for him, indeed."

"Very well. Follow me."

Soft music plays in the lobby of Umbacano's manor. The lobby is sparsely, yet tastefully, decorated. Saga notices an orc stands guard at the lobby's front door, and walks past this orc with a grunt. She may have accepted the fact that Bosmer living here in Cyrodiil are as gentrified as can be, but orcs with citizenry? This is another matter altogether.

"Ahh, the treasure hunter. Please, have a sea-t."

As always, Umbacano the Altmer is nose-deep into a book. Doing research. The man seemed to do more research than anybody Saga had ever met, including those in the Arcane University.

"I have found something of interest, you might want to gaze upon. If you are not of remembrance?"

"Ahhh, my treasure-hunting friend. What can I do for you?"

"I did make seekings for this place you spoke of several weeks past. Of the name Malada. And indeed, I did make locating of the carving. This carving, as you can make viewing upon. Well, upon departing from the ruins known to us as Malada, and to others as the High Fane, I was .... ehmm.... 'greeted' by a man who attempted surprise upon my person, and when--"

But Umbacano gets impatient, and is not interested in hearing this. "Yes, you learned that it is the ruin now known as Malada," he butts her mid-sentence. "Were you able to recover the carving yet?"

"Well, as I was making mention toward, yes I do have it."

"Wonderful!" he says, making Saga feel a little elated inside. He had interrupted her sentence, but she still feels a certain elan as the elf praises: "You are indeed a treasure hunter of exceptional talents! Here is your reward as promised!"

"I ... I...."

"Normally I would give you a chance to celebrate your success, but I do have another task for you, if you are interested. A rather urgent one. "

"Of urgentcy? .. Of what do you speak?"

"This is not quite in your usual line of work, but I hope you can help me just the same."

"Yes. Please," she says, eager to see where this is going. Umbacano had just handed her 800 gold, though she was not so much in love with this precious metal as what she could do with it.

"A rival collector has an item whihc I very much want to add to my collection. But she stubbornly refuses to consider any of my offers."

"She?" Saga had expected the word 'he'. Not 'she'. Claude Maric, the man who had attacked her and her two companions. Of course, it might also be possible that this lady (whoever she is) might be of association with Claude.

"She and I have had our differences over the years, I admit. Now she is taking this opportunity to get her revenge. I believe that you may be able to persuade her to part with the item, where I cannot due to her prejudice against me. Are you interested?"

Saga nods approval. And more gold is passed her way from Umbacano. This time, a thousand gold; ten 100-pieces. The man means what he says.

"Very good. I hope you willl succeed where I have so far failed."

So am I of hoping, thinks Saga. So am I.

Umbacano then tells the Bosmer before him that a lady by the name of Herminia Cinna is also as interested in Ayleid antiquities as he himself is, however, she is not nearly as savvy and learned. The Altmer's words are laced with sarcasm, as he metions that Cinna is in possession of an artifact known as the Crown of the Ayleids. And that SHE (Lady Saga) is the one who must retrieve this item from her.

"And what of this 'Crown of the Ayleids? What of its historical factoring?"

"Reputedly the crown worn by the last king of the Ayleids. It deserves to be part of my collection."

Saga catches her tongue. And how can this stand of being? she almost asks. Umbacano has seemed to have changed before her eyes; going from the passionate, avid collector she knows to one who is a touch arrogant, and demanding. She thinks of mentioning the wrongfulness his tone of voice suddenly seems to bear, but ... she's already in too deep. Is she to actually make persuasion toward this lady named Cinna, whom she has never met?

As Umbacano rambles on about the last King of the Ayleids, Saga's mind wanders and confuses. And after listening to him for another half-hour more, she makes her way back to the Tiber Septim, where she pays for her room, has a meal of strawberries, bread, and a tomato, then makes her way to her bed, where she falls grandly into Cyrodiilic slumber.

This post has been edited by Renee: Nov 29 2022, 04:44 PM

[Acadian]

Glad to see Lady Saga getting on well with Maglir - Cyrodiil's a dangerous place when alone.

Umbacano. . . . sounds like trouble.