Clark in Skyrim, A continued report from across the border. Options

[Grits]

Woo, I am on my feet for Mjoll! I love how you handled starting that quest. Mjoll is the perfect candidate to kill the Dark Brotherhood. Yay!

Mjoll and Iona mud wrestling! Clark could sell a lot of tickets to that event. This was a fun update.

Too bad sexy-voiced Gunmar can’t work on Rayya’s scimitars. I loved it when Mikke lived at Fort Dawnguard because I got to hear him talk.

[ghastley]

Grits: Mjoll doesn't really want to talk about it. Grelod's the significant part, as far as she's concerned. The rest just happened.

Previously Mjoll found another Stone of Barenziah while she just happened to be destroying the Dark Brotherhood. Clark is still looking for a smith that can temper the scimitars.


--------------

Part 62 - Leet Daydrik Skillz

"Let me see those," Balimund said. "Nice pieces, but you're right about tempering them. Just a bit beyond my range. But I don't think Iona's going to need much more practice before she can do it for you. Did you notice how she's upgraded that sword of hers? She's done that every time she's been able, and Mjoll's too."

"I'd never really given that a thought," Iona replied. "I just wanted a set of ebony armour, and that's all I was aiming to achieve. But you're right, I ought to see if I can do anything more for Chillrend and Grimsever. Do you have any Malachite?"

Clark did, and Iona could, confirming that her skill was going up. Now both swords were even sharper and more durable than before. "So see if you can do anything with these," Clark asked.

"Are these ebony? They look more like steel."

"I'm not sure, but you'll need some ebony to improve them, so I kept a couple of ingots aside, just in case."

"I'll try, but no promises."

Balimund watched as Iona sat at the grindstone and started work. He'd taught her all he knew, and he hoped his star pupil could take the step beyond him. Clark had given her a potion to boost her skill, so maybe Daedric was achieveable.

"I think it's working," Iona said, as the sparks flew off the blades. "These are going to be amazing!"

"Balimund told me that when you work on a blade, you're not just adding metal to the edge, and then grinding it away again. That would just leave you back where you started. It's more like brushing your hair, or massaging a sore muscle, you're getting the metal aligned properly. If you can feel when that happens, then you'll make the blade better, and I'm starting to feel what this one needs."

"And you can feel a difference between ebony and Daedric?" Clark asked.

"Yes, it's subtle, but it's there. Even though I'm just changing the edge, the rest of the metal works through, and there is a difference."

---

Clark hadn't been back to Lakeview since he and Rayya put on the extra wings, and he'd left the furnishing to her. He was surprised to find child-sized beds in the bedroom wing, but "that was what the plans called for," as she explained.

"We have two double, and two single beds, for adults. And there's plenty of space in the cellar for more, if we need them. There's nothing down there but mead barrels, right now."

"I'd just imagined that the beds from the main hall would have been moved in here, but these are additional ones?"

"Yes, it's not like the one we moved from the entryway earlier. That would have been in the way after the remodelling. And we upgraded that one, as well as moving it."

She showed him around the other wings. There was an oven in the kitchen, something he didn't have in his other homes, and she'd been baking pies, to try it out. "And apple dumplings, and crostatas, and ... and if I don't stop, I'll be putting on weight."

"There's a lot of empty storage here in the tower for alchemy ingredients, but I left out the lab itself, as we already have the one in the main hall. That was what you wanted, wasn't it?"

"Yes, the main reason for building the tower was the view from the top. It's a good vantage point for an archer, too. We need at least one tower, in my opinion, just for that."

Rayya had to agree. She'd had problems with a giant that had wandered past and over-stayed his welcome. He'd been helpful at first, killing a pack of wolves for her, but then he'd threatened her, when she went out the door. Shooting him from the tower had avoided a toe-to-toe battle with someone over twice her size.

"You'd have managed it fine, if you'd had these," Clark told her, producing Soulrender and Bloodscythe from his pack.

"Wow! Where did you get these? They don't make scimitars in Skyrim, but these aren't Hammerfell ones, either."

Clark told her what he knew of the Haknir Death-Brand story. "So they're a bit of everything, then? Deadric, Stahlrim, ebony and who knows what else. Did Azura tell you anything more?"

"No, and she only gave me cryptic clues to finding them. I haven't been back to her shrine to ask why, but I suspect that the search was part of what she wanted for me."

"You don't need to visit my shrine," said a voice in Clark's head. "With your permission, I can come here."

Azura appeared as soon as she had Clark's agreeement, startling Rayya a little.

Clark was pleased at how calmly his housecarl seemed to accept a Daedric Princess appearing in his home. (Her home, too, of course.) That was partly because she didn't know it was Azura, and she'd seen mages dispel their invisibilty before. So the introductions startled her a little more.

"I don't know everything about them," Azura explained. "My sister, Nocturnal, is the one to ask about artifacts. These were most likely made specifically for Haknir, and they would come from somewhere on the High Rock coast. Haknir would have seen Hammerfell scimitars from his time raiding the Illiac bay, and he wanted some of his own. There aren't many smiths that know how to make Daedric items, so it took him some time to find someone who could do it."

"He took a pair of ordinary scimitars to the smith as a pattern, which is why they look that way. They have the same balance, even though the material is different. That's not easy to do, and may have required using Adamantium in the hilts to compensate for the heavier blades. Nocturnal believes Boethiah may have contributed the enchantment, after they were made."

"Boethiah? Why would he get involved?' Clark asked.

"I think Boethiah's 'she' at the moment," Azura replied, "But at the time Haknir petitioned his chosen Prince, you might have it right. And it was because Haknir asked, and it suited his purposes to grant it. It's a sneaky kind of enchantment, the way it weakens the opponent, and the whole idea of denying it, if you don't use both, confirms it."

"Oh, and you won't have to wait long to try them," she added. "There's a small band of bandits heading this way from the lake road. Have fun!"

And with that, she disappeared as abruptly as she'd arrived. Rayya and Clark ran out onto the balcony over the bedroom wing to see if they could spot the bandits.

"Shall I soften them up with a fireball?" Clark asked.

"No, let me see if I can persuade them to leave without a fight. Sometimes it's better if they pass on the word that this place isn't worth the risk of raiding. But if they're too stupid, I'd still like to see if I can handle them alone, with these swords."

"I've got your back if you need me," Clark replied, "but go ahead, and play it your way."

The bandit chief didn't think Rayya looked very frightening, unarmoured as she was. The two swords glowing in her hands didn't seem to register as a threat. He answered her polite request for him and his men to leave by taking a swing with his warhammer.

Rayya's first blow had him down on one knee, with his steel armour beginning to crumble away into dust. The second sent his head rolling down the hill. The other two bandits turned and fled, which was just what she wanted. Perhaps now they'd all leave this place alone.

"I like these swords!" Rayya's eyes gleamed. "They almost make up for you being away so long."

[Grits]

Part 62 - Leet Daydrik Skillz

Neat explanation of how an ingot can make a sword sharper. It’s fun to see a game mechanic given some life.

I had to look up Bloodscythe’s and Soulrender’s enchantments, since the only character of mine who has found them (Jensa) favors two-handed swords and so she chucked them into a drawer. No wonder Rayya is so pleased with the gift!

[ghastley]

Grits: Those swords are only of any use to a dedicated dual-wielder. The fact that their enchantment only works when they're used together makes them very inflexible. Maybe Rayya's the only one in the game who'd appreciate them?

-------------

Previously: Clark had delivered the twin scimitars, Bloodscythe and Soulrender, to Rayya, his Lakeview housecarl. She got the chance to try them, too.

-------------

Part 63 - Remembering Pinewatch

After Clark had made up for his extended absence, Rayya had a few more questions for him.

"What's a Daedric Princess doing, getting involved with my swords? And I know that she said that Boethiah helped create them, but what's Azura's angle?"

"Azura's not a big fan of Boethiah, so she's always happy to thwart his/her plans. Giving the swords to someone who won't just go slaughtering innocents is just an opportunity to grab when it arises. And that all came up because of Serana, and Azura's Star, each of which is a complicated story. And those complications are part of why I've been away so long."

"Start at the beginning. How did you come to her attention in the first place?"

"Well, that all starts with Nocturnal."

Rayya was starting to disbelieve all this. Azura had mentioned her name, but it didn't seem to have anything to do with Clark.

"The only other Daedric Prince that's part of this story is Molag Bal," Clark told her. "And I didn't have any contact with him. That was Serana's misfortune."

"But you did have contact with Nocturnal?"

"That would be a major understatement. But let's skip the early period and start with my being one of her Nightingales. The current triad are Gilda, Brynjolf and my daughter Karliah. All members of the Riften Thieves Guild. She encourages their redistribution of wealth, as it's generally good for society to prevent anyone getting too rich at everyone else's expense. I've been helping her in various ways ever since my days in Cyrodiil at the time of the Oblivion Crisis. And no, I didn't have anything to do with that, or you could add Mehrunes Dagon to the list."

"Most of what I did for Nocturnal involved collecting Daedric artifacts for return to their creators. Then Nocturnal introduced me to her sister, and she had me do a few things for her, too. Again, that was a long time ago, and not part of the current story."

"I met Serana through the Thieves Guild, and she's one of the few Daughters of Coldharbour, vampires who were created directly by Molag Bal, the King of Rape."

"You mean, she was ..."

"Exactly. And she's not really recovered from that experience, even now. But my Daedric connections and hers were what had us teaming up to recover Azura's Star. Azura wants to help Serana heal, again because she doesn't like Molag Bal any more than she does Boethiah. She thinks I can help Serana, and having us work together was part of her plan. So once I'd got Serana's mother back from the Soul Cairn, she sent us looking for the Star."

"Serana's mother? You didn't mention her before."

"Valerica's another Daughter of Coldharbour. She's a bit better adjusted to that than Serana, and we left her rebuilding Volkihar Castle, way up off the north coast. Unlike her late husband, Harkon, she never was a worshipper of Molag Bal, and her experience with him didn't change that."

Rayya wasn't surprised at that. "But she still wants to remain a vampire?"

"Both of them do. They're just about immortal, and have adapted to being weakened by sunlight. They're a bit different from the ones who got the disease, and don't find it so hard to mingle with normal people. There's more positive than negative for them in staying as vampires. And as Serana put it, after going through that to become one, she expects something in return."

"So what else does Azura want? I assume getting me these swords was just part of a bigger plan, so how do I fit in to it?"

"I have no idea," Clark admitted. "I'm not even sure that Azura's thinking that far ahead. As I told you, putting them in your hands keeps them away from others that Boethiah might favour. I know I have still have more to do to help Serana, but that may be all."

"So what's Serana's problem?"

Clark explained. Since a lot of the explanation involved showing her what he could, or couldn't do, without triggering her reflex reactions, they both got a bit distracted.

---

The following morning, after breakfast, they took a stroll around the property,

"That farmhouse down there," Clark pointed out Pinewatch. "Did you know there's a whole complex of caves beneath it? As big as a warehouse, and bandits used to use it as one. Gilda and I cleared them out, and killed all but one of them. We had a bit of fun with Rigel Strong-Arm before we left, and I've always wondered what became of her. Have you seen any bandits going in or out of there?"

"Well those ones yesterday weren't the first to come past, but I don't believe any of them had any connection to Pinewatch. As far as I know, the place is deserted now. What did you do to Rigel anyway? I'd have expected the bandit leader to fight along with her crew, and end up as dead as they were."

"Her quarters were further into the caves, and she slept through the whole battle without even knowing we were there. Gilda was able to sneak in on her and steal her weapons and armour without even waking her. We couldn't just kill a naked woman, so we improvised a suitable punishment that left her alive. For all I know, she might even have enjoyed it."

"And that gives me an idea," he continued. "If Gilda could do that, then there's something else she might be able to do."

---

"You want me to do what?" Gilda exploded. "Of course she'd notice me doing that!"

"Not if she's asleep, and thinks she's dreaming it," Clark replied. "I've good reason to believe I can distract her enough that you could. And this isn't a very large dildo, anyway."

"Well, you're right about distraction. That's the main part of picking a pocket. You make the mark think the contact is something completely different, and get their attention elsewhere. And that is similar to what I had to do with Rigel. But she was awake when we ..."

"Because we wanted her to be aware of that," Clark interrupted. "So it's not exactly the same."

"I still don't think it's possible. if you can do all that when she's asleep, why not just ...?"

"So I can try and convince her she did it herself. If she starts to believe 'only Clark can do it', she'll take up all my time. You want me to have something left for you, don't you?"

"Well, I'll take that as a promise, and collect my payment as soon as the job's done."

Gilda felt pleased with her negotiating skills after that, until she reflected for a moment. "Well done Gilda, you just agreed to attempt the impossible, and sleep with him afterwards. You should become a merchant with skills like those."

"But again, you were going to do it all anyway. So we all win, especially Serana, if this works."

This post has been edited by ghastley: Dec 8 2015, 02:46 AM

[Acadian]

Clark and company have been busy indeed! Adventuring in Solstheim, helping Serana & Valerica, helping Brylyna, earning Azura’s Star, noting Mjoll vs the DB....

Nice to catch up with Clark as he recounts some of his recent adventures to Rayya.

"Her quarters were further into the caves, and she slept through the whole battle without even knowing we were there. Gilda was able to sneak in on her and steal her weapons and armour without even waking her. We couldn't just kill a naked woman, so we improvised a suitable punishment that left her alive. For all I know, she might even have enjoyed it."


Nit- ‘As I told you, putting them in you hands keeps them away from others that Boethiah might favour.' You want ‘your hands’ of course.

[Grits]

"But you did have contact with Nocturnal?"

He sure did!

Oh, what a great idea to have light-fingered Gilda take on the Serana challenge. I’m not sure which skill will help her more in this situation, pickpocket or lockpicking. Probably both!

[ghastley]

Acadian: Clark's probably a lot busier than he'd really like. But since he's effectively telling the whole story of all the quest-lines, side-quests etc. he's got to at least talk to the ones doing them.

I was as surprised as he was that Mjoll didn't have more to say about the Dark Brotherhood. Maybe she'll have something different to talk about when she's dungeon-diving with Brelyna, and the Archmage won't get so many cut-purse anecdotes?

Grits: The "Perfect Touch" perk that she needed to remove Rigel Strong-Arm's armor was in the pickpocket tree. I'm conjecturing that it would be the relevant one here, but the UESP wiki isn't clear on the limits of that.

------------------

Previously: Gilda has agreed to help with Serana's problem.

------------------

Part 64 - Serana at Honeyside

Clark's excuse for bringing Serana to Honeyside was that he wanted to show her how to enchant a dagger. He'd had Iona make a nice ebony one that he knew would appeal to her, and he'd already planted the idea that enchanting one with Fiery Soul Trap would suit her needs well.

Since Fiery Soul Trap was a rare enchantment - it seemed that only Clark knew it - she didn't need much persuading. She'd seen what it did when Clark and Lydia had used their swords in Ilinalta's Deep. The frost on Chillrend was impressive, but vampires appreciate the fear that being set on fire brings more than most. And trapping a necromancer's soul was true justice. She wasn't sure why she hated necromancers so much. She just did.

And she liked being with Clark. All the women seemed to, even Sapphire liked him. It didn't hurt that he had excellent taste in wine, and Honeyside was always well-stocked. There was something about the Tamika's, maybe the deep blood-red colour, but more likely the incomparable flavour.

The sun was coming up already. Clark pulled the shades, and gestured towards the bed. "Sleep here," he told her. "It's getting bright out there."

And he joined her on the bed, and helped her undress, and she fell asleep in his arms.

Clark looked over to the basement stairs, where Gilda's head had appeared. He checked to see if Serana had started to dream, and gave a silent nod. A few gentle touches, not enough to awaken her, persuded Serana to turn the way he needed.

Gilda signed that she needed a bit more room to work. Serana responded the way Clark had hoped.

"Don't stand there," Clark whispered. "If she does react and it comes back out, it might be faster than an arrow. You don't want to get hit in the knee!"

Gilda almost burst out laughing, but that could have woken Serana up at the wrong time. She needed to get back downstairs before that happened.

---

"Clark, wake up!" Serana exclaimed. "There's something inside me!"

Clark wanted her to think he was still asleep. He murmered groggily "What do you mean by inside you?"

"I can feel something, down there"

"Down where?"

"Just take a look, and tell me if I'm imagining it."

"No, you do seem to have found one of my dildos," he answered. "Probably one from the side table by the bed. When did you pick that up?"

"Is it really where I think it is? How did it get there? Did you do it?"

"It's really there, and No, it wasn't me. Why would I use that when I'd prefer to use something else?"

Serana seemed to accept that, and reached one hand down to check for herself. "I'm still not sure I believe it," she told him.

"Did you dream about doing that? Sometime you do things in your dreams, and you wake up and find they really happened."

"Well yes, I dream about that all the time. But it's never happened before."

"First real opportunity?" he asked. "Or was last night's dream a bit more vivid than usual?"

Of course, he'd helped that as much as he could, and suspected that he'd had Azura's help. If she could guide Aranea's dreams, then why not Serana's too?

"But I can't do that," she protested. "I've tried before, and failed."

"Well, somebody did, and if it wasn't me, who else could it be? Besides, you wouldn't let me, remember? At least I'm not picking myself off the floor today."

"But if I did that, am I cured? Could I do it again while I 'm awake?"

"Why are you asking me?" Clark asked. "You're the only one who has the answers."

---

"I think I can pronounce you thoroughly cured." Clark finally conceded half an hour later. "There doesn't appear to be anything holding you back. Now can I get some rest, or are you determined to catch up for centuries of abstinence? You know, if we keep doing it, it might end up curing your vampirism as well."

Serana laughed. "I don't want to go quite that far. Just to the brink, maybe. I need my vampirism for the extra stamina, anyway."

---

When they woke up again, Clark had no idea what time it was. Serana was a night person, and he wasn't, but they'd both slept from exhaustion, rather than because it was the right time. He peeked out of the window, and it looked dark.

As Serana left, Gilda re-appeared. "I have another of those Stones of Barenziah," she announced. "So I'd like to celebrate, and you owe me, anyway."

"Where did you get this one?" he asked.

"Windhelm," she told him. "In the Shatter-Shield home. I came across it while retrieving the Golden Ship again. That's the same piece I was looking for when I found you and Jordis in Proudspire. Which got me thinking about you know what."

"So do we need to wait until Iona gets back? It wouldn't be the same without a housecarl, would it?"

"Exactly. I want your complete and undivided attention, for once. Or maybe twice."

---

"Where did Iona go?" Gilda asked. "I know you needed the place to yourself for Serana, but did you send her anywhere in particular?"

"I just suggested she go off with Mjoll and clean out a few local tombs and caves. They're both a bit restless, waiting for something to happen between the Guild and the Black-Briars, but not being able to do anything yet."

"Karliah still doesn't have all the pieces for that," Gilda admitted. "We can deal with her brood, but Maven's been really careful that nothing sticks to her. It all has to wait until we have something we can use against her." She mused for a moment or two. "So Iona and Mjoll could come back at any time?"

"I only told them I needed a day or so. And Serana's a night person, so they'd assume I meant at least two."

-------------------------

Note: I'm ignoring what the wiki says: "Perfect Touch does not work on NPCs who wear unobtainable clothing or who are marked as essential" because Gilda doesn't know about that.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Dec 16 2015, 02:56 PM

[Acadian]

Clark is such a kind-hearted healer. In this case, helping Serana with her ‘centuries of abstinence’.

So, Mjoll and Iona of off cracking skulls, and Gilda found another of Barenzia’s stones. She should be rewarded for that. . . oh, wait. . . .


Nit: "I think I can pronounce you thoroughly cured." Clark finally conceeded half an hour later.’ - - I think you want conceded.

[ghastley]

Acadian: There are still quite a few more Stones, and Clark will be busy enough without rewarding their collection.

--------------

Previously Clark (with a lot of skilled assistance from Gilda) has "cured" Serana of her Molag-Bal inspired problems.

--------------

Part 65 - Riften and Solitude

Fortunately for Clark, they didn't interrupt anything when they returned, or they'd have wanted to join in. Paticularly as they'd also found a Stone of Barenziah, in Ansilvund.

"We picked up this strange old sword there," Iona said, showing them the Ghostblade, "But it's nothing special when you compare it to the ones we already have. The Stone was much more of a reward."

"What does that make the count?" Clark asked Gilda.

"Seventeen," she replied. "Getting close, but there's still another seven to find, and they could be anywhere in Skyrim."

Mjoll and Iona had also brought back quite a haul of soul gems, books, and other treasures that needed sorting. Some of the soul gems went to recharging their swords, and they kept some more for future use.

"I'll take this spell book to Wylandriah and see what she'll give me for it," Mjoll announced. "It's one we all know, so it probably won't be worth much, but it will give me an excuse to check on how she's doing. She's so absorbed in her experiments, if I don't remind her, she'd forget to sleep for days."

Iona took the Ghostblade down to the enchanting lab in the basement, and hung it on one of the weapon racks on the wall. She noted that they had some ectoplasm, if she wanted to temper it. It might almost be worth doing that, as it did have an unusual enchantment, that made it pass through armour as if it wasn't there. "Later," she thought.

Mjoll had found a letter from Brelyna waiting for her when she got back to Aerin's house. She'd been asked by Arniel Gane to help with an experiment, and she'd already supplied him with some Dwemer cogs from her trips to Mzinchaleft and Mzulft. Now he wanted her to hunt down a staff so that he could trade it with Enthir and get his special soul gem back. And of course, it was a unique staff, not just one that could be replicated by Neloth.

"It looks like I'll be going with her," Mjoll said happily. "I like working with Brelyna."

"Does she have any clues where to find this staff?" asked Clark. "Or do you expect to search every cave and ruin in Skyrim?"

"She's narrowed it down to two," Mjoll replied. "It's either in Rannvieg's Fast, or Sunderstone Gorge. The last known owner was a necromancer, and those are the most likely of his haunts. If we're lucky, we'll get to visit both of them. I enjoy hunting necromancers!"

---

"Do you have any plans I should know about?" Iona asked Clark.

"I need to go visit Solitude again, soon. Jarl Elisif expects me to keep her informed about the rest of Skyrim, as she doesn't get out of Hjaalmarch. She'll be getting some intelligence from her other Thanes, but I think she trusts what I tell her a bit more."

"She might have other reasons for wanting to see you, you know."

"I'm sure she does. And Jordis, too. But I don't see either of them relying on me exclusively."

---

Elisif was aware that General Tullius would like nothing better than to marry her off to somebody weak and ineffective. He'd found out that she wasn't the dumb bimbo he'd been counting on, but only after she'd established her position too well for him to replace her. So there had been a steady stream of ambassadors from other provinces, come to pay respects at the court. All of them had been young men, roughly Torygg's age, and many resembled him to some extent.

"I could use some training," she told Clark. "You told me once about the Red Dragon Club, and how Taminwe operated. I need to able to do that. If I'm going to have access to representatives of the other provinces, I can find out a lot more about the wider picture."

Clark pondered that for a while. Tullius wasn't stupid, and if he found out that he was supplying Elisif with more than just entertainment, he might cut off the supply. She wouldn't want that to happen.

"That's exactly why I need to know how. I don't want them to feel they've told me anything I shouldn't know, or it will get back to the General. I'm sure I could persuade them to tell me anything already, and keep quiet about it, but I know there's more to it than that."

"It sounds to me like you're getting there without my help. Knowing the problem is half of solving it. However, I'll be happy to offer my services in refining your skill."

"I thought you might," she grinned. "And as it happens, there's someone in town that I'd like you to investigate, too."

"Female, I assume?"

"Very. They tell me she's from a ship that's anchored out beyond the ice, and she's shopping for supplies. However, that's not what she's after in the Winking Skeever in the evenings. That's all for her own benefit."

"I'll talk to Jordis first. She spends a lot of her time in the same tavern, and I suspect with the same intentions."

"Indeed. It was Jordis that told me about her. But there's more. The other business you'll need to attend to on this visit is Elenwen. She's having another of her parties at the Embassy, and I have an invitation to pass on to you. I get the impression that you're reason for the party, as she was most insistent that I get you to attend."

"I wonder what she wants from me now? She could have invited me any time since you made me a Thane, just to find out who I was. There must be something new that's tipping her hand."

---

Clark wasn't entirely surprised when he saw two of the local men leaving Proudspire just before he reached the front door. Jordis wasn't going to waste her time while he was away, and as his housecarl, she'd insist on taking them home with her. However, he wasn't expecting her to have brought a woman home, too.

The Breton with the long curly hair, and the loose, almost open, pirate blouse was Hélène, the sailor that Elisif had told him about. She was the First Mate from the Red Witch, a vessel from the port city of Farrun, in High Rock.

"First Mate means I manage the crew, while the Captain manages the ship. But I also interpret it as meaning that I get first go with any new men. Jordis has been helping me interview potential new crew while I'm here in Skyrim."

"Interview?" Clark queried.

"Well, any new sailor's got to fit in, hasn't he? I was hoping we could add a Nord to the ship's complement. Everyone's a Breton right now, except for Teraakus, the Argonian. Every ship needs an Argonian for the underwater work, like cleaning barnacles off the hull. He passed his interview, too."

"And what's your angle in this?" he asked Jordis.

"It was a case of competing, or joining forces. I'm giving Hélène a second opinion, when she's not sure. Of course, half the time, it's a first opinion, but you know what I mean."

"And if there is no second opinion, then they wouldn't last long on ship, would they?" Hélène added.

"So apart from that, what's going on with the Red Witch? The ships we see here are either transporting goods for the East Empire Company, or else they're pirates, preying on the trade. If you were doing the former, I'd know about you already."

"There is a third group, you know. The authorities in High Rock have chartered us as privateers, and we're permitted to hunt the pirates for the bounties."

"I've heard the term privateer before. Usually it means pirates that have the protection from one side in a conflict, with the understanding that they'll restrict their plundering to the other side."

"Well, there isn't any war on the northern coast right now, so bounty-hunting's a decent enough living. Eliminating a few rivals won't hurt, either. And if I'm honest, which is unusual, then I'd have to say I prefer attacking a ship that deserves it, rather than just one that has the wealth in its hold."

"But that would be the Captain's decision, not yours, wouldn't it? I'd like to know what his opinion is."

"Hers. The Captain's a woman. I could arrange for you to meet her, if I think she'd be interested. She puts a good deal of trust in my opinion, which is why I'm the First Mate."

"I have heard that the East Empire Company in Windhelm has a pirate problem, so did you come here to deal with that? They trade from there with Solstheim, whereas the branch here in Solitude trades more with High Rock."

"Not specifically, although if there's a bounty there, we might get interested. No, we've got a different job this time. I won't say what it was, without speaking to Captain Clarisse first. And if you ask me nicely, I might make the introductions, and you could find out for yourself."

Jordis was not unaware where this was leading. She decided to let Hélène find out what she was getting into for herself, and maybe she'd rescue her later. No, definitely. She wasn't going to be left out of the fun!

[Acadian]

Nice job capturing the nature of both the absentminded Wylandriah and the itching-for-a-fight Mjoll!

Back to Solitude for Clark then. Not surprising that the secretly clever Elisef turns Tullius’ suitors into intelligence sources.

Out to sea next? And will Clark be mating the first mate? I quite enjoy the East Empire related quests in the game, so I'm looking forward to what may be ahead.

[Grits]

Woo, the Red Witch is in port! I’m looking forward to Clark meeting Captain Clarisse.

[ghastley]

Acadian: Rise in the East is in the future, but will get hopelessly entangled with some other quests. As for Hélène, you just missed that, even if Clark didn't.

Grits: Soon, just not yet.

-----------

Previously: Clark has met Hélène, the First Mate of the Red Witch, a pirate privateer ship with a bounty-hunting charter from High Rock. Stones of Barenziah keep turning up.

-----------

Part 66 - Thalmor Embassy

"Well, at least I get you to myself tonight," Jordis remarked as they watched Hélène head down to the docks in the morning. She turned to look at Clark, who wasn't saying anything. "I do, don't I?"

"I have an invitation to the Thalmor Embassy this evening. I can expect that I won't get back until tomorrow, at the earliest." Clark was genuinely disappointed. He'd have liked to keep it simple, too.

---

"You're Clark, aren't you?" the girl with the flute asked. "Jordis told me about you, but I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Yes I am, and you are...?"

"I'm Illdi, from the Bard's College. You know, next door to Proudspire. I get invited to these parties of Elenwen's to play music for the guests, I'm not sure why they picked me; it's not like I'm the best musician. But I guess Inge would turn down the invitation, so I'm next in line if they want instrumentalists. And they just want music, rather than singing, so that nobody stops talking just to hear the words."

"So you play, even though most people aren't really listening? That doesn't seem very rewarding."

"Oh, it doesn't matter. I need to practice my flute and lute anyway, and this gig pays me to do that. And if I make mistakes, it's a good thing nobody's really listening, isn't it?"

Illdi paused for a moment, and then changed the subject. "Could I borrow Jordis from you? I have a couple of tasks I need to do for the College, and they're more suited to her skills than mine. She's a good friend of mine, and she's already agreed to help, if she has your permission."

"Why does it need my permission? As long as her housecarl duties are met, she can do what she likes."

"Well, she might have to be away from the Manor for a few days. She's supposed to look after the place while you're away, and you when you're there. That means being in Proudspire every day, doesn't it?"

"I don't need as much looking after as she's telling you, although I suspect she'd like some herself. Of course she can take a few days off to help you. What do you need her to do?"

"Well, both Pantea, the singing teacher, and Inge Six-Fingers, the instrumental teacher, have had things go missing from the College. And because it's a flute and a lute, the instruments I play, they thought I'd like to get them back."

"Except that they're in nasty caves and dungeons somewhere, with who knows what guarding them?" Clark surmised. "If not, I'm sure they'd just go fetch them themselves."

"You got it," Illdi agreed. "And the places are both about as far from here as you can get. The flute's supposed to be in a cave up on the north coast near Winterhold, and the lute in a cave in the Rift. They both told me it was the distance involved that meant they couldn't go. Teaching schedules wouldn't permit. That didn't fool me. I know I need a good fighter for backup."

"I'd better get back to playing," she continued. "I can see Ambassasdor Elenwen coming over to check on me."

Elenwen wasn't interested in what Illdi was doing, but she was looking for Clark. She took a glass of brandy from the serving girl's tray and brought it over.

"You're from Cyrodiil, aren't you?" she asked Clark. "Can you taste this, and tell me if it's genuine? That Erikur swears it's real Collovian Brandy, but I don't exactly trust him."

"Aren't you concerned that I'll just denounce it as fake, so I can take over the contract? After all, we're both in the import/export business."

"You might, but you'd have to come up with a product to better it, so I don't see how I'd lose out."

Clark acknowledged the logic in that. You didn't have to be much of an expert to know a good brandy from an inferior one. He took a small sip. "It's Collovian. Maybe not as good as you can get, but genuine enough. You could serve this to your guests, but there are better ones for your private reserve."

"That you could supply if I asked?"

"Perhaps. The better they are, the harder to obtain, of course. Like Tamika's wine. You won't find that in Skyrim, unless you brought it here yourself. You might get Surilie Brothers, if you're lucky, but again, not the best years."

"Then I'm lucky," Elenwen replied. "I did get hold of a few bottles of Surilie Brothers. Perhaps you'd let me know if I got a good year. They're over in my Solar, in my own cellar."

---

Clark couldn't fault Elenwen's research. She knew he was a wine buff, and he could be counted on to take the opportunity to sample some Skingrad wine when it was offered. He'd avoided commenting on Erikur, when he'd been offered the chance. It was clear to him that she'd relish the chance to play the two merchants against each other, but she expected him to know that. He'd have to be careful later, as that had just been the opening gambit.

If she knew his tastes in wine, she'd probably have some idea what else he liked. And a few drinks together in private would give her an excuse for that.

"Can you open the bottle while I go and change out of this uniform?"

"Of course," Clark replied, pulling a corkscrew from his pocket. He had a number of useful little tools in there, that a merchant might use to sample wares. One for cutting a plug from a cheese wheel, a small balance for weighing things, and so on. Elisif had told him that Elenwen was expecting that her Thane was a merchant.

He'd noted the subtleties of her remark. Elenwen had in one simple statement told him that her outfit wasn't her own choice of style, and promised him something "more comfortable" without actually saying so.

[Acadian]

"Oh, it doesn't matter. I need to practice my flute and lute anyway, and this gig pays me to do that. And if I make mistakes, it's a good thing nobody's really listening, isn't it?" - - Well, can’t fault Illdi’s logic. In fact she’s quite clever to recruit the aid of a Sword-Maiden for her Bard College fetch missions.

Clever of Clark to ensure his ‘merchant’ cover is deep enough and suitably prop-supported to stand up to reasonable scrutiny.

Something tells me that the likely frolics between Elenwen and Clark will be primarily about information gathering by both of them, and any passions that surface merely a pleasant by product.

[ghastley]

Acadian: Clark may gather information, Elenwen will gather something that isn't quite...

--------------

Previously: Clark has met Illdi at one of Elenwen's parties, and she's asked for Jordis's help with some fetch quests. Elenwen has set her sights on Clark.

--------------

Part 67 - Elenwen's Solar

The robe she re-appeared in wasn't anything dramatic, yet. It was tied simply with a cord around the waist, and was currently wrapped around her enough to conceal everything but a slender outline that wasn't lacking in curves. Her hair hung a little looser than it had before, making her look a bit more relaxed.

The robe was Taminwe's preferred garment for these situations, Clark recalled. It would naturally work itself loose, and could be allowed to do so, or re-adjusted, as needed. Fastened only at the waist, it could reveal whatever she wanted it to, and when she wanted it to.

It was inevitable that he'd compare the two Altmer, and equally inevitable that Elenwen couldn't quite match up. She certainly was everything another Altmer would dream of, but Taminwe had all the best of a mixed heritage. Not just the endless legs of the High Elves, but the breasts of a Nord, the rounded rear of a Redguard, and enough facial contributions from Breton and Imperial to be quite stunning. Add to those the insatiability of a Dunmer, and the inexhaustible stamina of an Orc, and you'd just be getting close.

Not only had Clark trained with the best in that game, he'd also learned to keep up with Nords and Orcs when it came to drinking. He knew that Elenwen needed to keep enough of her own faculties, so he just didn't need to drink any more than her, and he'd have no problems in that regard.

She, however, would want him to think she was just a little more inebriated than the reality. That was part of the whole charade of letting her robe reveal "more than intended". Which should be happening around now, he thought.

Except that the subject of their conversation had wandered to the Dragonborn, Diablita. She wouldn't want him making comparisons there. He'd admitted having met her in Whiterun, but not before. That much would be common knowledge, as his position as Thane would have made it inevitable. Clark was curious as to what, if anything, she'd worn when she came to the Embassy. He knew she rarely had anything on but her chains.

Elenwen decided that it was an opening she could use. "Just her chains," she replied. "It made me wonder whether some piercings would suit me. I was more than a little curious what it would feel like, too. So I had just one done, to find out. Do you prefer this one, or the other?"

---

Clark wasn't sure what made him think that Elenwen was trying to read his mind, but his earlier memories of Taminwe had made him conceal his thoughts. Both of them had had some telepathic ability, and Medora had helped them develop it as far as they could. Since it made it difficult to do anything that surprised her, he'd spent some time learning how to hide what he was thinking, even from Taminwe, or Medora. It just became a habit to do so in situations like this.

After a moment when he wondered if Elenwen was noticing the block, he let a few inconsequential thoughts escape. Ones that were relevant to what they were doing, so he could see if she was really 'listening'. It took a few attempts to determine the limits of her ability that way, and in the process he got a few helpful stray thoughts from her.

"I wonder if she'd like this," he thought in her direction, before actually doing it. When he picked up her mental enthusiasm for the idea, he put it into practice. Confirmation was clear.

As he played with Elenwen's pierced nipple, it reminded him how Diablita (of the many piercings) had unfortunately become trapped in Hermaeus Mora's realm of Apocrypha to replace Miraak. By this time, he could read her mind well enough to know that she was believing him. It was apparent that she'd trust anything she got this way, as she truly considered her telepathic abilities to be unusual, if not unique.

So the other side reminded him of Elisif. He wasn't sure if telling Elenwen that there was a relationship between them was a good idea, but it didn't seem to be news to her. More important was that she now believed that Elisif was a staunch supporter of the Imperial-Thalmor alliance, and its benefits for Skyrim. The sort of person that they needed to help maintain her position as Jarl, as a counterweight to Ulfric Stormcloak.

The mention of Ulfric revealed a whole raft of memories from the Altmer. He had been her greatest success before Clark, and her proof that this mind-reading really worked. She'd taken him over after the interrogator had finished with his more painful methods, and had acted sympathetic. She'd quite enjoyed the results, as well as the promotion it got her. Ulfric had turned out to be quite a talented lover, as well as a source of information.

Clark let her relive some of the best parts. No point in missing anything, was there? Especially as she thought she was having the same success again. That pleased her, and a happy woman is always better at what she's doing.

What she got from him was a well-crafted mixture of facts and lies. The facts could be checked, but weren't anything she could use. They would, of course, confirm that he was a reliable source. The untruths were more vague. Solstheim was essentially divided between the Dunmer in the south, now free of Miraak's influence, but in constant tension with the Rieklings in the north, who were a bit fiercer in Clark's account than in reality. Elenwen wondered if they were the reason that she hadn't heard from Ancarion, and Clark let her believe it was likely. At no time did he think about the Skaal, as Elenwen didn't seem to know about them.

The mention of Ancarion revealed her concern that she was losing agents. Ancano and Estormo at Winterhold, Lorcalin at the Whiterun hold shrine. The undercover ones, too: Valmir at Forelhost, Shavari in Riften, Gissur right here in the Embassy. She didn't have one in Whiterun, which is why Clark could be so useful. And he can do this, too. She'd better be more careful that Clark didn't find out what she was getting from him, or he'd turn against her, like Ulfric did.

---

Back at Proudspire the following day, Clark asked Jordis about helping Illdi. "Is she intending to go with you? She's not going to be much help unless you need inspiring music to keep you fighting."

"Don't underestimate her," the housecarl replied. "She's quite a competent mage, especially with her healing, and wards. Almost all Restoration school, but that's what I find the most help. I think that concentrating on the one area has helped her advance faster, too"

"Have you been out with her before? Remember how I took you out to see how you fought when I bought this place. You need to know how you'll work together. You were a bit too likely to jump in the way of my spells when we started."

"Yes, we went and fetched Noster's helmet together. He showed me a thing or two about sneaking, so it wasn't a waste of time, even though we were doing it mainly for the practice."

"So when do you want to go? I'll be around here for a while, as I have palace duties to catch up on, as well as some business deals to attend to."

"When you've caught up on the other business you've been neglecting," she replied, pulling him up the stairs towards the bedroom.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Jan 13 2016, 03:51 PM

[Acadian]

It was great fun listening to Clark’s thoughts about the sensual components of Taminwe’s mixed race. I guess ‘the short legs, small bewbs and big ears of a Bosmer’ didn’t make the list.

Wow, the telepathic aspect of his encounter with Elenwen added a whole new dimension to their ‘mind games’!

Good to hear that Illdi has some restoration skill. That should help keep the Sword Maiden in peak condition.

[Grits]

Goodness, what a brain-bending encounter with Elenwen! The Taminwe games served Clark well with this other telepathic Altmer.

I chuckled at the thought of Illdi singing Jordis to victory. Wards and healing spells sound like a better backup for Jordis’s skill set. Very enjoyable as always, ghastley!

[ghastley]

Acadian: That Bosmer's not trying to do Elenwen's job.

Grits: If Bethesda feel that combat needs musical accompaniment, who am I to disagree?

-----------

Previously: Clark has told Elenwen a convincing bunch of untruths, and let Jordis go with Illdi to retrieve instruments for the Bards' College.

-----------

Part 68 - Red Witch

Clark was looking forward to a few days of relaxation once Jordis left with Illdi. Unless, of course, Elisif needed him,or Gilda made another of her unannounced appearances. But the knock on his door was from someone else. First Mate Hélène had come ashore with an invitation for him to visit the Red Witch and meet Captain Clarisse.

The Redwave was docked in Solitude, and Clark had imagined from the names that the Red Witch would be a sister ship. He wasn't prepared to find a vessel more than twice the size looming out of the fog as the rowboat approached. Nor for it to be armed with catapults taken from Dwemer ruins, and mounted on the fore and after decks. Each of them looked capable of putting a hole in a ship's hull, and sending it to the bottom.

Clarisse was as impressive as her ship. Tall for a Breton, and dark-haired, with piercing blue eyes. Clark guessed that half her ancestry might be Nord, at least. She wore a blouse of fine silk and lace, that he couldn't quite see through, but it was apparent that she was wearing nothing beneath it. A short kilt hovered tantalisingly over tall leather boots, and a long red sleeveless tailcoat overall.

She took Clark to her large cabin aft, and dismissed the First Mate. "I can handle things from here," she told her.

"Erikur tells me you prefer wine to ale or mead," she continued, once the cabin door was closed. "I'd imagine an Imperial would favour Skingrad wines, but those are hard to find up here in the north. I hope you'll find the Illiac Bay wines a close second."

Clark tasted the clear golden liquid he was offered. Tamika's and the Surilie Brothers wineries generally made reds, and this was quite different. A little sweeter, and with a flowery overtone that brought a name from his memory. "Bretony, isn't it? I can't recall how long ago I tasted this, or even where I was at the time."

"Yes, but which side of the island?"

"They only grow the grapes on the south side, so it had better be from there."

"I thought that was Balfiera."

"It's both. And it's probably true for some of the other islands in the bay, not that the others produce much wine. You need a south-facing slope to grow decent grapes, and some protection from the wind helps, too. The mainland on the High Rock side of the bay produces more wine than the Hammerfell side, for the same reason. Once you go any further south, you're getting into the desert."

"We've only taken the Witch south to the Bay once. Most of the time we've sailed the northern coast of High Rock. But we did pick up some wine while we were there, direct from the islands."

"I presume your charter is from Farrun, as that was the pennant I saw you flying." Clark continued "Is that where the Red Witch comes from?"

"The ship's as much a mongrel as its crew," Clarisse responded. "She started life as a cargo vessel, and we think she used to work the West coast until the Aldmeri Dominion cut off the trade. Then she moved onto the northern routes, and we-refitted her with the current weapons, which came from the East Empire Company when they left Solstheim."

"That was some time ago," Clark noted. "They must have been used for another purpose in between."

"Farrun tried using them for shore protection, but they really needed more of them for that job. It made more sense to mount the few of them on a ship and make them mobile. But that takes a large ship, like the Red Witch. We made a deal with the port authorities, which included our charter."

"That was made possible by the re-opening of Raven Rock mine. Now there's trade with island again, the shipping routes are viable once more, and of course, there's a new crop of pirates. The East Empire Company used to handle all that, and of course the Morrowind routes, too, but the Red Mountain all but put their Windhelm operation out of business, so now there's nobody keeping those pirates in check."

"So why are you here, rather than Windhelm, if that's where the pirates are?"

"Because we're on more than the one commission. And we're open to more. We have the pirates to deal with where we find them, but we're also tracking some bounties, and even carrying some goods that need the extra protection. Erikur, here in Solitude, often has items he needs carried discreetly."

"I'm sure he wouldn't indulge in smuggling, so I'll assume you're just keeping things quiet from his competitors. Which would include me, so why are you telling me this?"

"To see if you make any counter-offer, of course. Whether it's for information, or similar services, it's all part of the game. And if you believe that Erikur wouldn't smuggle, then I've totally misjudged you."

"Erikur would never admit that the smuggling was his intent. There would be back-up documents to show that duties had been paid after all. Or it would be your fault, not his, that they hadn't."

"No, he wouldn't try to pin blame on me for anything," Clarisse replied confidently. "I know things that Erikur wouldn't like revealed."

"Are any of the bounties for Erikur?" Clark asked. "It would not surprise me if he's made himself unpopular in the other ports he trades with."

"Remarkably, no. But there are a few interesting ones among them. For example, we're hunting a pair of fugitives from Hammerfell, and one of them is hunting the other. Iman is a noble from one of the prominent families that live near the Alik'r Desert. She made the mistake of pointing out that the family feuds, which date back to the Crowns and Forebears of centuries past, are aiding the cause of the Aldmeri Dominion. Another family took that as an accusation that they were on the Thalmor's side, and promptly accused her of treason, in retaliation. When Kematu, (a sadistic bounty-hunter who likes to capture his female targets alive, so he can be nasty to them,) heard about it, he went looking for her. There's a bounty on him, too. We'll definitely want to collect that one if we can, but the one on Iman we might not. Especially if she offers anything for keeping quiet about her."

Clark had seen some of Kematu's men sniffing around Whiterun. One of them had got himself arrested, and was rotting in a Dragonreach dungeon. The rest of the Alik'r were now banned from entering the city. It was reasonable to assume that Iman would have taken advantage of that refuge, if she wasn't in Whiterun before the Alik'r arrived.

"She has quite a distinctive scar on her cheek that she got during her escape from Hammerfell. It won't be hard to recognise her when we find her," Clarisse added. "We know where Whiterun is, of course, but can you show me the best route to get there? I see from my map that there are forts on the roads, and I have no information which might prove hostile."

Clarisse took off her coat and tricorn hat and hung them on the back of a chair. She led Clark over to a map table in the corner of the cabin, and took a roll of parchment from the shelf. She unrolled it across the table, and revealed a map of the north-east of Skyrim, with Whiterun in one corner, and Solitude near the opposite one.

"The forts are usually in the hands of one side or other in the Civil war," Clark explained, "but sometimes the battle to take it leaves the victorious side too weak to defend it from bandits. Possession tends to be transient, but last time I passed, this one was held by the Empire, so travelling from Solitude, you'd have no problems." He pointed to a location on the chart, and she leaned over to look.

Sailors know their knots, so it probably wasn't an accident when her blouse fell untied, and Clark was presented with an impressive display of Clarisse's assets. She started to tie it back up, but "changed her mind".

"You've seen them now, so what's the point. And they might help me persuade you to come with us to Whiterun. Since you know the place, and the people, it will make it easier to ferret out Iman, if you're there."

Clark was always amenable to being persuaded, and he'd already decided he'd want to be there, so he let Clarisse have her fun. She quickly realised that he was playing her along, but by that time, she didn't care.

She wasn't wearing anything beneath her skirt, he found out. And the high heels on her boots lifted her to a comfortable height for all sorts of interesting positions. "When you start out on a small ship that only has hammocks for the crew, you learn to adapt," she told him. "Don't try making love in a hammock."

Negotiating just when they'd make the trip continued for some time, and concluded in her bed. Clark needed to wait until Jordis was back at Proudspire, although Clarisse was eager to start out for Whiterun as soon as she could. They'd be accompanied by the first mate, and some of the crew. It wasn't clear to Clark if they'd be coming to keep Hélène occupied, or to help deal with Kematu's men. Maybe both, he decided.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Jan 20 2016, 08:57 PM

[Acadian]

I love how Clark had to, once again, display his ‘wine merchant bonefides’ to the swashbuckling Captain Clarisse before things could proceed.

Wonderful job of tying lots of things together, ranging from Erikur’s operations, to bounties, to the ship’s history/armaments, and finally to the Alikr’s hunt for the scar-faced Redguard woman.


Nit: ”I see from my map that there are forts on the roads, and I have no information which mught prove hostile." - - Spelling of 'might'.

[Grits]

How fun to meet the captivating Captain Clarisse. Clark’s knowledge of wine confirms his identity better than a carriage driving license. I love how the Captain’s doings involve various game quests. Poor Clark thought he was getting a day off when Jordis left, but nope. Work, work, work!

[ghastley]

Acadian: More storyline entanglement coming up. Clark needs to keep up his merchant persona, in case it gets back to Elenwen.

Grits: Clark will be getting some help with all that work in this episode.

----------------

Previously: Clark met Captain Clarisse aboard the Red Witch. Jordis went instrument-hunting with Illdi.

----------------

Part 69 - Saadia

Jordis was looking unreasonably pleased with herself when she returned. "So your trip with Illdi was a success, and you recovered the instruments, I take it?" Clark inquired.

"That's not all we recovered," Jordis replied. "We brought back something for you, too."

She brought her hands from behind her back, and in each one was a small box with a Stone of Barenziah.

"There was one in each cave. Just how many of these things are there?"

"Twenty-four in all. And I've lost count of many that makes. Gilda will know, she's keeping them at the Guild in Riften. There can't be more than about four or five left to find, and then we'll find out what they all do."

---

There were five men from the Red Witch's crew with Clarisse and Hélène when they rowed into Solitude docks. "Kematu will have as many men with him, if reports are accurate. And two women to six men is the way we like it."

The two women rode on Clark's wagon, and the men followed behind. His horse was slow, so they needed to make a couple of overnight stops on the way. After the first night, he understood why the women got to ride, and it wasn't just pulling rank.

"Is it like that every night on the ship?" Clark asked Clarisse.

"No, there's almost a balance in the crew, so we only get the chance to indulge on trips like this. The cook, the smith and the quartermaster are all men, and they'll be making the most of our absence, I'm sure."

---

As they rode the wagon the following day, Clarisse explained how things worked on the Red Witch. She'd decided that it would be a bad idea for the captain to show any preference among her crew, and having a rule that officers only sleep with officers would not have been popular with the First Mate. That would be much too restrictive for her. So there were institutional measures to encourage the opposite.

Loredas evenings were an all-hands deal, where it was expected that everyone would have as many partners as possible. Sundas, there was a lottery, with all the men's names in one hat and the women's in another. The stated purpose was to ensure that all the men got an equal chance with the Captain, but it also served the same for the rest of the crew. When there was an imbalance in the numbers, the rules called for three names to be selected as many times as needed.

Shore parties like this disrupted those arrangements, so they'd be made up of female officers and male crew, or vice-versa.

"The crew are content with those rules?" Clark asked her. "Don't they have favourites that they'd prefer to stay with?"

"Most of the week, they can if they want to," she replied. "But you don't become a pirate, I mean privateer, if you're the settle-down-with-one-partner type. You'd probably become a farmer, or an inn-keeper, instead. No, my crew are all adventurers that work well as a team, and that carries over to a lot of other things."

---

By the time they reached Whiterun, Clark had a pretty good idea who Iman was.

Hulda owned the Bannered Mare, but she was getting on in years and ready to retire. So she'd started to let other people do the work around the tavern. Olfina Gray-Mane helped out with the bar duties, as the place could get pretty packed on some evenings, but couldn't do it all. Ysolda had hopes of taking the place over if she could raise the gold to buy it from Hulda, but she was spending all her time on trading, rather than learning the tavern business. So Hulda had hired a Redguard woman as cook and assistant barmaid some time back.

Saadia wore her hair short, unlike Rayya, and it was cut to cover the sides of her face, where Clark suspected it was hiding the scar that Clarisse had mentioned. He suggested that he'd investigate Saadia alone, so that the number of people suddenly looking for her didn't make her run off again. He was a regular patron of the Mare, although not a frequent one, so she wouldn't be alarmed if he spoke to her. He sent the others off to Dragonreach to see if they could get anything from the Alik'r prisoner.

---

Saadia was in her room, off-duty. Clark wasn't sure if he'd be welcome, but he knocked on her door, and she opened it. To his surprise, she wasn't wearing the bar-keeper dress she normally wore, but a traditional Alik'r outfit like Rayya sometimes wore. The same voluminous pants, fitted only at the waist and ankles, with a sash around her waist. A headscarf or hood was wrapped around her head. It covered her hair, and all of her face except the eyes.

Clark was unsure what this all meant, and he needed a reason for interrupting her off-duty time alone. He improvised, and asked for her advice on a suitable present for his housecarl. Something to remind her of her origins, for preference. That gave him an excuse to ask Saadia about her own.

He remarked on the headscarf, when he got the chance. Rayya had told him that it was to conceal her hair from strangers, but of course Saadia didn't wear it when she was working downstairs. And the housecarl didn't hide her face like that, either.

She admitted that she'd got a bit paranoid about hiding her scar, especially when the Alik'r mercenaries showed up. That confirmed that this was really Iman, and Clark managed to address her by that name a couple of times before she noticed.

"Would it help if you didn't have that scar?" Clark asked. "I think I could re-heal that for you. But I'd need to make a couple of Fortify Restoration or Magicka potions first, over at my lab in Breezehome."

Saadia wasn't prepared to leave the Mare, so he'd have to come back with the potions. It only took a couple of minutes, and she was waiting, with the headscarf removed, when he returned.

"I'd heard that there was a face-sculptor in Riften, who could do things like this. But I'd also heard that you needed to join the Thieves Guild first. And I don't want to change my whole face. I like the one I have."

"I can see why. Especially without a scar to spoil it. Now hold still while I work. I don't have enough magicka to use paralysis as well."

Clark had brought his hand-mirror over from Breezehome, as well as the potions. She wasn't unfamiliar with the device, like Gilda had been, but she'd come from a prominent family who could afford things like that. She was just as pleased with the result; and relieved, because now she could prove she wasn't the one the mercenaries were hunting.

He pointed out that although Kematu's men would only know about the scar, she still had other bounty-hunters looking for her, such as Clarisse. That would continue as long as the bounty remained uncollected. They'd need to come up with some story that would close that chapter.