Joncis stocked up on food from the vendors and then checked with one of the booksellers. Near him was a bulletin board. According to it the Imperials were losing gains on all fronts (although it could have just been Dominion propoganda) and Arenthia was being rebuild, with many of its trees returning to the area. Joncis looked around and didn't find anyone else, so he headed over to Aremir ''Alright the other two handled most of the recruitment business earlier, this is just small-talk at this point. What other jobs have you taken before? You have a small platoon's worth of weaponry on you so I doubt they were mere deliveries.'' He asked, pulling out what appeared to be an apple before biting into it.
Elder Scrolls: Interregnum Chapter 4 (Started, Open)
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Arlo decided that talking to Enthir wasn't worth it, bullying people smaller than him was something Arlo didn't like. The old Altmer, on the other hand, seemed to be an alpha male, leader sort. Perhaps she was organizing this? He decided to find out.
Arlo wandered for awhile, looking for both her and an enchanter to recharge his sword. It seemed most mages were drafted into the Dominion forces, probably the same as many mercenary forces. It would explain the slim pickings that constituted their group. His wandering was interrupted by some vendor mook, with men in tattered clothing behind him. The men were in tattered clothing, and looked forlorn. The plump Bosmer was shouting, attempting to sell these men; POWs, deserters, and other unfortunate souls. Arlo looked at the men, and glanced down at his coin pouch. He only had enough to save one or two at the most. And he needed to recharge his sword. Arlo sighed in frustration, and approached the slave dealer.
"I'll take one, if it frees them from this life."
"Eh, free them, fuck them, it doesn't matter to me. Take your pick." He gave a dismissive wave to the crowd. Arlo glared at him, and looked. Most looked broken, except one. A Breton, in ragged robes with a certain fire in his eyes. Arlo smiled, and turned to the slaver.
"I wish to free this one, how much?"
"Him? That problem child is worth.... 500 drakes." Arlo nodded, throwing his coin pouch to the mer. A bit low of course, making him bend over quickly to pick it up. Arlo smirked, turning back to the Breton,
"And your name, sir?" The breton blinked hard, before speaking.
"My name is Galahad. I'm a mage, and if I may say so a damned good one." His smile was cocky, but it looked... right. It looked like he earned his arrogance.
"Tell me, do you have any experience enchanting?"
"... Yes, I suppose. Do you have soul gems, or an item? I'm not that good but-"
"Yes, I have these, I just need you to recharge it."
"Oh. Yeah, I can do that, sure. Just gimme the things and I can do it here." Arlo handed over his sword and a soul gem, and Galahad pressed it in his palm, and channeled the soul into the weapon.
"There, and I won't even ask how you got a black soul gem. Now, perhaps a demonstration is in order...." Galahad moved towards the slaves, and brought his weapon down on the chains that binded a burly khajiit to the others. The two nodded at eachother, and Galahad tossed the sword back to Arlo, as the khajiit ripped apart the slaver.
"My work is done, though I fear I have no place left to go. Care to let me travel with you?" Arlo smiled and nodded, remembering his original reason for even wandering.
"Yes, tell me if you see an old Altmer. I'm currently on a job, and you're welcome to join me."
Arlo wandered for awhile, looking for both her and an enchanter to recharge his sword. It seemed most mages were drafted into the Dominion forces, probably the same as many mercenary forces. It would explain the slim pickings that constituted their group. His wandering was interrupted by some vendor mook, with men in tattered clothing behind him. The men were in tattered clothing, and looked forlorn. The plump Bosmer was shouting, attempting to sell these men; POWs, deserters, and other unfortunate souls. Arlo looked at the men, and glanced down at his coin pouch. He only had enough to save one or two at the most. And he needed to recharge his sword. Arlo sighed in frustration, and approached the slave dealer.
"I'll take one, if it frees them from this life."
"Eh, free them, fuck them, it doesn't matter to me. Take your pick." He gave a dismissive wave to the crowd. Arlo glared at him, and looked. Most looked broken, except one. A Breton, in ragged robes with a certain fire in his eyes. Arlo smiled, and turned to the slaver.
"I wish to free this one, how much?"
"Him? That problem child is worth.... 500 drakes." Arlo nodded, throwing his coin pouch to the mer. A bit low of course, making him bend over quickly to pick it up. Arlo smirked, turning back to the Breton,
"And your name, sir?" The breton blinked hard, before speaking.
"My name is Galahad. I'm a mage, and if I may say so a damned good one." His smile was cocky, but it looked... right. It looked like he earned his arrogance.
"Tell me, do you have any experience enchanting?"
"... Yes, I suppose. Do you have soul gems, or an item? I'm not that good but-"
"Yes, I have these, I just need you to recharge it."
"Oh. Yeah, I can do that, sure. Just gimme the things and I can do it here." Arlo handed over his sword and a soul gem, and Galahad pressed it in his palm, and channeled the soul into the weapon.
"There, and I won't even ask how you got a black soul gem. Now, perhaps a demonstration is in order...." Galahad moved towards the slaves, and brought his weapon down on the chains that binded a burly khajiit to the others. The two nodded at eachother, and Galahad tossed the sword back to Arlo, as the khajiit ripped apart the slaver.
"My work is done, though I fear I have no place left to go. Care to let me travel with you?" Arlo smiled and nodded, remembering his original reason for even wandering.
"Yes, tell me if you see an old Altmer. I'm currently on a job, and you're welcome to join me."
Croaker went through the marketplace politely saying his goodbyes to the townspeople that he passed while he made his way to the tailor's shop, where he doubled his stock on yarn and stitches. Then he went to the apothecary to stock up on herbal painkillers and balms against diseases they were likely to encounter on their travels (at least for the next two or three towns). With nothing else to do... he snuck into the sewer and waited right underneath the grates that held the torture chambers to fill the last of his empty vials with blood. It was normally a fairly long process, but today, he had gotten lucky, as the local guard had conducted a spectacularly successful raid a few nights ago on some group of criminals.
Really hate to get it this way, but I don't have time for any more donations. Still... better than going straight for the jugular.
Really hate to get it this way, but I don't have time for any more donations. Still... better than going straight for the jugular.
Arivicon loitered about for a moment. He saw his newfound companions wander off, and shrugged. As it turned out, he had time to collect his debts.
He went to the guard barracks. The watchmen gave him a cool nod. Most of them didn't like freelancers, and he was often regarded with suspicion.
"The prey approaches. It wants something from this one?" the Kahjiit hissed.
"Your captain." Arivicon sighed.
"Hehehe... The captain is with some visitors in the basement. You know the way."
Arivicon did, indeed, know the way. He'd helped drag a few criminals down there himself.
He climbed down the steps, and looked around. Way more blood than usual. It would appear the captain was enjoying himself.
He was a fleshy bosmer, Akatosh only knew where they'd gotten him. A stone-cold man, but a decent one nevertheless. So long as you toed the line.
"Oi." the man grunted, cleaning off his tools for the next poor sod.
"You will, I hope, excuse me if I do not shake your hand." Arivicon said deadpan.
The man laughed. "Aye, that I will. What're you after then?"
"A pittance, really. But I'm owed fifty drakes, and I'm leaving town today."
The man started to rub his chin, then jerked his bloody hand away. A long smear of blood covered his chin. "Give me a moment, then." He ducked into a side room, what appeared to be the treasury. Why it was next to the torture chamber, he didn't know.
There was a lot of blood. It drained out of the room through vents on the floor, into the sewers he assumed. The man returned with a small pouch of gold.
"Here you are. Had it all tied up for you already." the man said, rubbing his hands clean on a rag, finally. The purse was smeared with blood, too.
Arivicon sighed, and eyed the purse with distaste. "Fair enough. Well, best of luck with your refugees. Keep 'em in line." he nodded cheerfully at the captain, then flashed a grin at the pen of cowed prisoners. Several of them Arivicon had caught himself, and leered back at him. Arivicon could only laugh.
He strolled back to the market square, and flopped down on a bench, waiting for his companions to get back.
He went to the guard barracks. The watchmen gave him a cool nod. Most of them didn't like freelancers, and he was often regarded with suspicion.
"The prey approaches. It wants something from this one?" the Kahjiit hissed.
"Your captain." Arivicon sighed.
"Hehehe... The captain is with some visitors in the basement. You know the way."
Arivicon did, indeed, know the way. He'd helped drag a few criminals down there himself.
He climbed down the steps, and looked around. Way more blood than usual. It would appear the captain was enjoying himself.
He was a fleshy bosmer, Akatosh only knew where they'd gotten him. A stone-cold man, but a decent one nevertheless. So long as you toed the line.
"Oi." the man grunted, cleaning off his tools for the next poor sod.
"You will, I hope, excuse me if I do not shake your hand." Arivicon said deadpan.
The man laughed. "Aye, that I will. What're you after then?"
"A pittance, really. But I'm owed fifty drakes, and I'm leaving town today."
The man started to rub his chin, then jerked his bloody hand away. A long smear of blood covered his chin. "Give me a moment, then." He ducked into a side room, what appeared to be the treasury. Why it was next to the torture chamber, he didn't know.
There was a lot of blood. It drained out of the room through vents on the floor, into the sewers he assumed. The man returned with a small pouch of gold.
"Here you are. Had it all tied up for you already." the man said, rubbing his hands clean on a rag, finally. The purse was smeared with blood, too.
Arivicon sighed, and eyed the purse with distaste. "Fair enough. Well, best of luck with your refugees. Keep 'em in line." he nodded cheerfully at the captain, then flashed a grin at the pen of cowed prisoners. Several of them Arivicon had caught himself, and leered back at him. Arivicon could only laugh.
He strolled back to the market square, and flopped down on a bench, waiting for his companions to get back.
.Josh12345 said:
Aremir was deciding between the more delicious larva and the spicy pickled bug eggs when he was approached by Joncis.
"Oh, this?". Aremir was surprised by the man's questions. He was carrying a bow and several arrows with him, and the rest were mostly for setting up camp in the wild. "The axe is for anything that gets too close. The knife is to get the skin off easily, and for gutting my supper. The shovel is rather useful when I set up camp in the wild".
"I'm not a mercenary for hire, I would need to join and stay in a band to do that. I have somewhere to be at, and coin is hard to come by nowadays. This job is just a step in the right direction".
Blood collected, all other supplies in check, new arrows purchased, Croaker made his way back to the town square. Along the way, he kept running into former patients of his who, some of whom offered to buy him the best of the local ale (which Croaker politely and wistfully refused), some wanted to give him food and supplies for his journey (he only accepted the yarn they offered, it wasn't as reliable as twine, but it'd do in a pinch)... but for every grateful patient, there seemed to be even more townspeople who were scowling at him.
Ehh... wouldn't have to leave such a fine town if people were more open-minded. Its not as though I'm forcing anyone to give me their blood, let alone sneaking into their homes and devouring them in their sleep.
On that cheerless thought, Croaker made it back to the town square and waited in the shade for the other members of the party to return.
Ehh... wouldn't have to leave such a fine town if people were more open-minded. Its not as though I'm forcing anyone to give me their blood, let alone sneaking into their homes and devouring them in their sleep.
On that cheerless thought, Croaker made it back to the town square and waited in the shade for the other members of the party to return.
''Alright then, as long as it doesn't interfere too badly with this job'' Joncis said, looking over Aremir's shoulder and spotting some ruckus going on by the *indentured servant* seller.TheIronRuler said:
''Well, not getting involved in THAT...'' he said to himself, heading to the northern gate.
After buying what she thought she needed, Endya headed over to what appeared to be a blacksmiths, ''Greetings madam.'' said a Suthay Khajiit, motioning his two small Dagi Khajiit to the backrooms. ''Anything here that would interest you today?'' he asked as his two smaller colleagues brought out a few boxes. Inside held gold earrings, a few rings and what seemed to be an anklet.
Endya shrugged, pulled the dark red robe she was wearing off, revealing two belts that ran from either shoulder down to her waist, each with about a dozen daggers each. She unfastened the two belts and threw them on the table along with a small pouch of gold. ''I'll be back in 20 minutes. Sharpen them.''
Enthir headed over to the gate, trudging past the various folk that dotted the square. When he reached the stables, there were several animals on offer: An elephant or two, a dozen camels and a few short-haired horses. ''What's your best breed?'' he asked a stout pahmer. The cat shrugged and motioned with his head towards a small stable. Endya caught up with him and saw what he was doing,''Enthir, you aren't seriously going to buy camels are you?'' she exclaimed. ''No no, just the one. They look cheap enough. 200 drakes is good I suppose...'' Endya stared at him blankly for a minute. ''Fine, but I want nothing to do with it, feed it and everything yourself'' she said. following him over to see which one he'll pick.
Croaker spied Endya coming out of one of the blacksmith's.Josh12345 said:
"Ah, glad I caught you..." Croaker called out to her, "Endya, wasn't it? Umm... you might want to go back in there..."
Endya whipped around and spotted Croaker, heading over to him ''why?'' she asked, looking over at the blacksmiths.TheDoctor455 said:
"Well," Croaker began, taking a few steps towards Endya, "If you lived in this village most of your life, you'd have nothing to fear from him. But, since you haven't, he's liable to steal your daggers and replace them with near-identical ones of a cheaper make. Come on, let's go get your real daggers back before he has a chance to make the switch, and then I'll show you to the more reputable blacksmith."Josh12345 said:
With that, Croaker trodded off towards the less-than-honest blacksmith, and waited at the door for Endya to catch up.
Dro'Araaj milled about the marketplace for a while, looking over wares, occasionally swiping one when no one was looking. Simple ingredients mostly, he wasn't running low yet but he did need a few select ones. Especially if he planned on making more invisibility ones anytime soon.
He took in the smells of the market, most were unpleasant but it was still part of his homeland. It would be a shame to leave again so soon after returning, at the same time he felt like he couldn't leave soon enough, they had tended to linger too long in cities.
He considered the new recruits, he had no strong feelings about any of them so far. He wound his way back to Enthir and those with him, quietly rejoining them.
He took in the smells of the market, most were unpleasant but it was still part of his homeland. It would be a shame to leave again so soon after returning, at the same time he felt like he couldn't leave soon enough, they had tended to linger too long in cities.
He considered the new recruits, he had no strong feelings about any of them so far. He wound his way back to Enthir and those with him, quietly rejoining them.
''Ugh, I never had this problem elswhere,'' she mumbled, meeting Croaker at the entrance of the Blacksmiths ''So how do we do this?''TheDoctor455 said:
Joncis sat by the city gates, keeping well into the shade. After a few minutes he made out Enthir's shape, dragging something behind him. ''So, are we ready t- what in Oblivion is that?'' he exclaimed, ''I bought a camel'' Enthir said happily, giving the camel an apple to nibble on.
Joncis got to his feet ''Enthir, we don't need a camel, we've been going the past few provinces fine without one.''he said, ''Correction, YOU don't need a camel, YOU've been going the past few provinces fine without one, I meanwhile have been dragging my heels since Torval.'' Enthir interrupted, leading his new pet through the gates.
"Really?" Croaker said, "You must be incredibly lucky then. I know this man, I've helped his children get over chicken pox and him the shingles a few times. He'll listen to me, but just in case... keep an eye out for your daggers, and make absolutely sure what he hands you is yours. He keeps pushing for a record time on this sort of thing."Josh12345 said:
With that, Croaker led Endya back into the blacksmith's and beamed a friendly smile at him.
"Tom," he exclaimed, waving at the man, "How's business going?"
The blacksmith had been admiring 'his' new daggers under the counter, and quickly tried to conceal that fact by nearly tripping on his apron, "It's booming. Never seen so many travelers in my entire life than in the past few years."
"Good, good," Croaker said, gesturing behind his back to Endya where he suspected her daggers might be.
"And the wife and kids?" now Croaker moved to lean on the counter, as if examining one of the blades.
"Good. Good." he said, a little nervously as he recognized Endya, "Say, uh, what can I do for you, Croaker?"
Croaker looked directly into the blacksmith's eyes and said, without any inflection or even the slightest hint of a tone, "You can give me new friend her daggers back now. The real ones. Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about."
Endya gave him a sharp glare for a few minutes, drawing a Khajiit dagger she hadn't used in the Sanctuary battle. ''If you don't hand them over I'll have to slit your neck and have my way with your store, thief.''TheDoctor455 said:
The blacksmith held up his hands in what he hoped was a calming gesture.Josh12345 said:
"Woah there!" he half-bellowed in panic, "No need for trouble! Lemme just get them for you..."
He trailed off to bend under the counter. Croaker dug a scalpel out of his satchel.
"Don't try anything," he said, in an oddly cheery tone with no obvious hint of malice in it, "We're both armed and watching you very closely. And... frankly, I'm disappointed in you, Adrian, very disappointed. After all I've done for your family, I'd have thought you'd at least treat my friends decently." Croaker clicked his tongue to show his irritation.
Without another word, the blacksmith emerged from the counter with what looked like Endya's daggers, and handed them to Croaker. Croaker showed them to Endya.
"Are these the real ones?" he asked.
Endya examined them closely before strapping them in, ''They're mine.'' she mumbled, before raising her dagger again, ''I'll take my gold back now for that trick, scum.'' she motioned to the merchant's side pocket. ''Here's hoping they aren't fake either.''TheDoctor455 said:
"I wouldn't worry about that," Croaker said levelly, twirling his scalpel slowly in his hand as he spoke, "Right?"Josh12345 said:
"No... no sir," the blacksmith was utterly dazed, he had known Croaker ever since he first arrived in town almost ten years ago... this... just wasn't like him at all. The blacksmith reached into his pocket and produced the gold Endya had paid him, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience m'am."
He handed the gold back to Endya.
"Right," said Croaker putting his scalpel away and heading for the door, which he held open for Endya, "Let me show you to the more reputable blacksmith in town."
Endya checked her daggers again, they weren't as sharp as she would have liked but they were still far from blunt. ''Don't bother. Let's just leave this city''.TheDoctor455 said:
Enthir gave his new companion a few oats and turned to Endya. ''Do you like it?'' he asked, loading a few of the bags onto its back. ''I doubt it'll have much use outside of the desert. Unless you plan on staying.'' Endya responded, taking a long look at the short haired camel.
''Where are the others?'' Enthir asked, disregarding her comment.
"Nice camel," Croaker said in his typical friendly-bedside-manner tone, "Hmm... still running their errands I guess. Odd. I'd thought I'd be the last one back."Josh12345 said:
Arivicon heaved himself up off the bench. He'd been napping, he guessed. The sun was a lot further across the sky than it had been last time he looked. He wandered around the square for a minute, before spotting the others. One of whom was astride a camel.
Into the desert, then. He sighed, and went over.
"Ho there. I seem to have lost track of the time. My apologies." he called to the strange collection.
Into the desert, then. He sighed, and went over.
"Ho there. I seem to have lost track of the time. My apologies." he called to the strange collection.