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SPOILER INFO
This fanfic novel is largely based on the events that occurred in an actual game of Skyrim I played. Therefore, it's inevitably a spoiler.
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previous day
4-202-03-14 08:23
Jerall View Inn, Bruma, Bruma County, Cyrodiil
I say hello to Alammu (does she live here?), and then strike up a conversation with Hjotra, the proprietor's wife. I ask her how come I'm seeing so many Imperial men with Nord women in Bruma. She explains that Imperial men value Nord women because of their light skin color. Skyrim is generally viewed as barbarous and backward in Cyrodiil, but the Nord women are much more than Nord men willing to have things like table manners taught to them, and they are outright ecstatic about the far greater choice of beautiful clothes available here. Another reason why the local men fancy wives from Skyrim, Hjotra whispers to me, is that they are reputed to not have such a high opinion of themselves as the women born and raised in Cyrodiil. Hjotra is convinced it's not actually true, it's just that striving for the higher living standard available in Cyrodiil, the women from poorer regions such as Skyrim are willing to overlook minor annoyances and make an effort to attract and please men who would be able to provide them with that higher living standard. That's why there used to be much travel between here and Skyrim before the current tight border controls were introduced.
Not to deny the vastly superior clothing and the quite amazing luxury in the palace, I have to point out that the average standard of living in Bruma doesn't look higher than in Skyrim to me. Many people walk around in shabby clothes, almost barefoot, and while the number of beggars may be only slightly higher than in Hviterun or Solitud, they look much more miserable.
Hjotra agrees that wealth is distributed a lot less evenly in Cyrodiil compared to Skyrim. But the women who have been flocking here from the north tend to see only the glamorous side, and the wealthy men who used to travel north looking for brides or concubines were offering them just that.
I finish my breakfast, wish Hjotra a good day and go out into the crisp winter morning to see what my followers might be up to.
In front of the inn, I end up in a conversation with the Dark Elf man Cerendil whom I mentioned briefly the other day. He seems obsessed with complaining about Bentior's inn. I can't make heads or tails of what he's saying. Only with significant effort do I succeed in interrupting Cerendil's litany and ask him to explain what it's all about.
He informs me that all kind of crooked business is going on in The Restful Watchman, and he has something called a "memory gem" on which he has somehow recorded a conversation that occurred there. He would like to give it to Adius, but he has somehow angered the captain in the past, which is why the latter refuses to listen to him. Cerendil wonders if I could give the gem to Adius. I agree. Between you and me, I'm not sure I'll actually give the thing to Adius, but I'm eager to check it out myself.
Well, I'm to be disappointed. Out of Cerendil's sight, I take out the gem only to discover that it's apparently tuned so that only Adius can hear what it has recorded. That's why Cerendil couldn't give it to just any guardsman. Why me then? Maybe he has learned about the conflict I had with that worm Bentior last night?
I run into Dar'taqto on the street and ask him if he knows a place called Frozen Grotto. He says there are many icy caves, but he knows of only one place that is called Frozen Grotto. It's in the mountains of eastern Bruma.
"Is it near Sedor?"
"Yes, in the mountains east or southeast of Sedor. I don't know where exactly, I've never been there myself."
I try to find out more about what may have been going on between him and his accuser Cedus, but he makes it sound like Cedus has just noticed that something has been stolen and since Dar'taqto is selling similar wares, he thought of accusing him.
Well, it may even be true. And since I won't be able to do anything else with Dar'taqto today and for a few days to come, I just head for the palace. Halfway there, I meet Adius and tell him about Bentior.
Adius is highly indignant – he finally has a lead to solving this case that means so much to him, and now some piece of shit innkeeper has the nerve to stall us with his so-called business ethics. Adius gives me a letter that warns Bentior in the strongest possible terms that if he doesn't tell me absolutely everything he knows about that suspect, Adius will make sure he'll be back in the prison where he belongs. I don't ask what Adius has got to hold him for. I've no doubt there's plenty.
I'm not giving Cerendil's memory gem to Adius just yet. I want to think it over first.
Now I go to the palace and look up Simund. I try to hint nicely first that I have some information that he might not like made public, but he keeps bluntly denying he has anything to tell me.
Finally I just open the journal and put it in front of his eyes. He says it's not his and he won't talk to me ever again, and turns away. Now I'm sure he's guilty. He's not acting like a man falsely accused. He's acting like a guilty man who has absolutely nothing to say in his defense.
Nevertheless, I go to the steward Rignar, just in case I've missed something. I ask him if he knows about any nobles who have hired mercenaries about a year ago. He says they keep records of all public expenses, so unless the said noble financed a raid himself, it'll be in the registry. However, they don't give such information to just everyone. I ask him if they have a private room where I could show something to him that is highly secret. Then we go into a room nearby, and I show him something highly secret and do something with my hand and beg him to help me because I'm investigating something extremely important. I say I'm very sorry, but I can't strip fully naked today.
Quite frankly, I'm not even sure what he would be capable of doing at his age, or how embarrassed he may be for his penis remaining soft. Neither am I sure how likely someone would be to walk in on us. I just act like everything's normal and continue to gently caress him. After a while, Rignar lets go of my breasts and says with a perfectly serious look and a neutral tone of voice that he sees honesty in my eyes and believes I really need the information for a good cause. He tells me to wait and goes to consult the records.
He leaves the door open while I tidy my clothing in great haste. Having returned to the hall, I notice a man in expensive clothes who introduces himself as Viscount Marcius Carvain. Viscount – that's like a vice count, which means the count's second-in-command. He has certain government duties delegated to him, and stands in for the count in the latter's absense.
He's a friendly man of wide knowledge. The count was more handsome, but this one might be really useful to get closer to. But now I'm seeing Rignar coming back, so I excuse myself politely.
Rignar informs me that the only such mercenary operation on record was organized by Afanna Eddici, however he remembers that Simund Gautierre hired a group of mercenaries at about the same time, and he wonders how come it's not in the books. I thank him affectionately and take my leave.
I go to talk to Afanna whom I find in her quarters. I don't want to make it look like I'm suspecting her. I just ask her general questions about her life in the palace.
Afanna gives nothing away. All I learn is that his father became friends with the ruling dynasty, she inherited his considerable fortune and is now basically idling her days away in luxury, helping out the count whenever needed (a job that doesn't seem to be too taxing) and, of course, attending the parties, keeping herself informed of what people in the palace are up to, as well as looking for a suitable husband. I must emphasize once again how that woman and I seem to be real soulmates. I've never met anyone with whom I so greatly enjoy just sitting and talking about everything and nothing.
You're taking the words right out of my mouth!
Nevertheless, I shall keep in mind that she might be (one of the people) behind the kidnapping of that Orc woman, and I'll be praying to the gods she isn't. (And, as I have to point out, if she is, I won't necessarily denounce her.)
I now walk towards The Restful Watchman inn by a roundabout route. I meet Razzada, apparently a rogue mage who is selling some ostensibly very special magical items.
I buy from him a Scepter of Frosty Entombment to try out. He attempts unsuccessfully to talk me into buying the other "unique" items of his as well, and then he asks me to help him collect debts from three people in this city who have bought things from him and failed to pay. I have no intention to do it, but I'm faking interest so that he would tell me all about it. Maybe I can use that knowledge to put pressure on those people whenever necessary. One is an apprentice mage I remember seeing at the Synod headquarters the other day, one is a woman named Ila I've never heard of, and the third one is the innkeeper Stantus whom I'm certainly not going to browbeat.
Razzada seems to have a lot more he wants to tell me about, but I finally succeed in walking away from him without having to be outright rude. I encounter Ruccia Jucani, Eddvias mother, on the street, but fail to make her talk about her daughter's upcoming marriage.
Approaching Bentior's inn, I run into Dumrag in the neighborhood doing some work. When I inform him that our evidence points strongly at Simund Gautierre, he does indeed look like about to jump up and rush to wring his neck. He utters horrible insults at him and at Bretons in general. Then he gets a hold of himself and asks me to go and check out Simund's country house. He knows where it is, but he won't be able to leave his job in the city and he doesn't think he can infiltrate the property either. Therefore he urges me to go there, sneak in and find conclusive evidence against Simund.
Well, after he has so blatantly expressed his disdain for Bretons, not even caring about his conversation partner being one, I shall most certainly never help him with anything. However, I'm going to find out what I can about his kidnapped wife. If I can find her and if she turns out to have a less despicable character, I'll still have every reason to liberate her. After all, it's not her fault her husband is a supremacist dirtbag.
But now I have the pleasure of paying a visit to Bentior and seeing his reaction to Adius's note.
The only guest at The Restful Watchman inn is a joyful and witty man Fadel, a meat vendor. We make a little general conversation and then I step up to the worm Bentior. The effect of Adius's note on him is just as I hoped. Trying to hide his trembling, he reveals the location of the hideout of the locally famous bandit gang Atienne seemed to be hanging out with.
The place is to the west-northwest, not far from the city. I also learn that Atienne has been very boastful about his lifestyle and ambitions. With such devil-may-care attitude, he can't be too difficult to find.
I walk out without bothering to thank Bentior. Regardless of his assistance, I'm still going to destroy him. There was no justification for him to talk to me like a thalmor the first time he saw me. And that obscene thing he said to me yesterday...
I try to put that affront out of my mind and think about Cerendil's memory gem. I come to the decision: after we've caught Atienne, I'm going to give it to Adius. Maybe this way I'll be able to get Bentior in trouble without making my own hands dirty.
I walk past the house of an old man Botram who stops me and tries to exhort money out of me by making himself pitiful. Some people have a way of making you feel guilty for their misfortunes in the past, as if their wellbeing was somehow your responsibility. I can't stand the type.
On the marketplace, I meet Albecius Jucani, and I can't bring him to discussing her daughter's future either. So the only thing I can do is find an opportunity to talk to that Hulgard dude and find out what's his take on all this.
I briefly visit my inn and have a chat with a couple of new faces. I think I'll do a round of crafting this evening (without enchanting, because I was warned that's strictly forbidden for those who aren't Synod members) and I think we'll go and attempt to arrest Atienne tomorrow.
So I spend the evening in the shop where Eddvia works. The smithing facilities are there. I also get to meet the proprietor Hulgard himself. He's a really great man. Not for me, but for Eddvia surely. He's strong, smart and friendly. I wouldn't want someone so big, but if Eddvia already fancies him, they would make an ideal couple. Considering, however, that her parents are eager to return their family to their past glory, her and Hulgard's prospects don't look good. The only remote chance I see is to make it clear to her parents that there may be big political troubles coming up (Hulgard told me Cyrodiil upper classes are like a hornets' nest and he's sure they have, if not a civil war, then at least a bloody coup coming up) and as a high-ranking Imperial official's wife, Heddvia might soon end up as a widow.
I have picked up nothing spectacular recently, so my followers and I end up merely with somewhat stronger weapons and armor, as well a full stock of potions.
When I return to our inn, the girls inform me that Stantus has a bounty letter from the count. It would appears there are some creatures called goblins making trouble in the eastern part of Bruma County, so the count wants to get rid of them. They are reputed to reside in a place called Silver Tooth Cave. Stantus points it out on my map.
The girls and I spend a little more time in the near-empty taproom chatting with Stantus and go to sleep at half past 1.
next awakening
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