It was mid-morning when they passed though the city gates and made their way up Trade Street to the Guild of Fighters. They entered and Durgaz said farewell to Lydia as she left to collect a fee on her last job. Durgaz went instead to see Eydis fire-eye, one of the trainers who had been guild steward for Balmora back when his father had led it.
"Ah Durgaz!" she said as he drew close. She was old now but still in shape and held herself tall and proud as she stood to greet him. "I see those guar poachers couldn't even manage to scratch you," she said, as she looked him up and down.
"It wasn't a difficult job," he said, "but I came to ask you about somebody. What do you know about the dunmer Lydia Boran?"
"Ah the ex-ashlander," replied Eydis, "She used to be wife of the chief of the largest ashlander camp on the eastern side of the island before he died and somebody else took over. She left the camp and came to Balmora to join the guild, trained in medium armor and with a variety of weapons, she tried axes at one point but couldn't get the hang of 'em and settled for swords. Why do you ask?"
"She mentioned traveling with my father before he was declared Nerevarine but didn't go into detail about why." Eydis looked at the orc stood before her as though calculating him.
"Well since it's you there's more to the story but keep it confidential mind! As part of his deal for that tribe to name him the incarnate your father was supposed to bring the chief the daughter of a high born Telvanni lord to be his wife, now the chief wasn't too bright but the wise woman of the camp told your father to go to the slave market at Tel Aruhn and buy a young dunmer slave, put her in a pretty dress and give her a bottle of perfume to fool the chief. He did and she did and they were married and the rest is common knowledge. Most of the camp was in on it and knew that it wouldn't be smart to point out the truth so everything was happy."
"Well that is interesting," said Durgaz "and also explains the brand on her back. Thank you Eydis."
"On another note I'm getting worried about the Cammona Tong activity lately," she said, "I think the higher-ups are making deals with them again and that's not good. We haven't had trouble like this since your father took over. He sorted it out then so I think maybe it's best for you to sort it now. Go ask around the thief's guild, they usually help anybody who wants to get at the Cammona Tong and lately the little gang wars have been escalating. And make sure no one else around here knows what you're doing, I don't know just whose been corrupted yet"
"Yes ma'am," he replied and turned to leave. "Take care!"
Durgaz left the fighter's guild and turned left, heading down the street and then taking a short alleyway to the river. Nodding to a guard he crossed the river and headed into the South Wall Corner Club. The Altmer who owned it gave him a polite nod.
"How may I help you serra?" he asked
"I'd like to speak to who ever is in charge of the Balmora thieves guild these days," replied Durgaz.
"Boroja ain't in at the moment but she'll be back shortly, can I get you a drink while you wait?"
"Sure I'll have a pint of matze."
Durgaz sat at a table with his drink; the heady local brew barely had an effect on his race unlike men and mer. Just as he was considering leaving a Nord woman entered the club and spoke briefly to the owner. Durgaz saw him nod in his direction and she looked over. He smiled back. The owner motioned for him to follow the woman upstairs to the private parlor and Durgaz did so without a word.
"So I was told you would like to speak with me," she said as he entered the room.
"Possibly. Am I to assume therefore that you are Boroja, current head of the thieves guild?"
"That I am, and you are?"
"My name is Durgaz gro Ozul. I would like information about the Cammona Tong."
"Uh-huh, and for what purpose would you like this information, why I would even give you it?"
"Well the thieves guild has always had problems with the Cammona Tong so I feel I may be honest with you. I am from the fighter's guild here in Balmora, although not in an official capacity. Some of us harbour worries that our leadership is making deals with the Cammona Tong. Neither of us wants that." He sat waiting for her reply.
"Very well, I know about you of course already but it's a good sign that you're honest. Lately the Cammona Tong have been a lot more active than anytime since your dear father, yes I know who he is, took over as head honcho of your guild all those years ago. He ended all the deals with the Cammona tong and then afterwards, although of course nothing is official, went on to kill all their leaders in the cities and slaughtered every member of the Cammona Tong at the Dren plantation, that was over in the Ascadian Isles near Suran, belongs to some Imperial chap now, either way it was their head quarters and he killed all the guards and set the slaves free single handedly." She paused. "Because he was also head of house Hlaau nobody bothered to investigate the affair even though most people thought he had done it."
"I'm afraid that hasn't actually answered my question although you have given me some new knowledge about my father's life and I than you"
"Yes quite but I'm afraid that even with the threat the Cammona Tong poses to the thieves guild, I am still reluctant to relinquish information for free." Durgaz sat working that last statement through his mind.
Finally he said, "Ok what do you want me to do, is it money you want?"
"No, we would like support in the fights that will surely occur in the near future. Most of our guild cannot possibly hope to survive in a full on combat with them; we are a group more accustomed to stealth and negotiation than combat to conduct our business. They on the other hand have always been brutal, using threats and violence to work deals to their favour. The Cammona Tong's influence in your guild is also much deeper than I guess you suspect. My sources indicate that the majority of your leadership are in on the deals with support from some of the lower ranks. Fighter's guild members have already participated on the side of the Cammona Tong in a few recent skirmishes in Vivec and Balmora. I can give you information in exchange for fighting aid."
"Very well I will consent to helping you," replied Durgaz. "If you need me I can be found at either the fighter's guild or my house on the Odai Plateau."
"Ah Durgaz!" she said as he drew close. She was old now but still in shape and held herself tall and proud as she stood to greet him. "I see those guar poachers couldn't even manage to scratch you," she said, as she looked him up and down.
"It wasn't a difficult job," he said, "but I came to ask you about somebody. What do you know about the dunmer Lydia Boran?"
"Ah the ex-ashlander," replied Eydis, "She used to be wife of the chief of the largest ashlander camp on the eastern side of the island before he died and somebody else took over. She left the camp and came to Balmora to join the guild, trained in medium armor and with a variety of weapons, she tried axes at one point but couldn't get the hang of 'em and settled for swords. Why do you ask?"
"She mentioned traveling with my father before he was declared Nerevarine but didn't go into detail about why." Eydis looked at the orc stood before her as though calculating him.
"Well since it's you there's more to the story but keep it confidential mind! As part of his deal for that tribe to name him the incarnate your father was supposed to bring the chief the daughter of a high born Telvanni lord to be his wife, now the chief wasn't too bright but the wise woman of the camp told your father to go to the slave market at Tel Aruhn and buy a young dunmer slave, put her in a pretty dress and give her a bottle of perfume to fool the chief. He did and she did and they were married and the rest is common knowledge. Most of the camp was in on it and knew that it wouldn't be smart to point out the truth so everything was happy."
"Well that is interesting," said Durgaz "and also explains the brand on her back. Thank you Eydis."
"On another note I'm getting worried about the Cammona Tong activity lately," she said, "I think the higher-ups are making deals with them again and that's not good. We haven't had trouble like this since your father took over. He sorted it out then so I think maybe it's best for you to sort it now. Go ask around the thief's guild, they usually help anybody who wants to get at the Cammona Tong and lately the little gang wars have been escalating. And make sure no one else around here knows what you're doing, I don't know just whose been corrupted yet"
"Yes ma'am," he replied and turned to leave. "Take care!"
Durgaz left the fighter's guild and turned left, heading down the street and then taking a short alleyway to the river. Nodding to a guard he crossed the river and headed into the South Wall Corner Club. The Altmer who owned it gave him a polite nod.
"How may I help you serra?" he asked
"I'd like to speak to who ever is in charge of the Balmora thieves guild these days," replied Durgaz.
"Boroja ain't in at the moment but she'll be back shortly, can I get you a drink while you wait?"
"Sure I'll have a pint of matze."
Durgaz sat at a table with his drink; the heady local brew barely had an effect on his race unlike men and mer. Just as he was considering leaving a Nord woman entered the club and spoke briefly to the owner. Durgaz saw him nod in his direction and she looked over. He smiled back. The owner motioned for him to follow the woman upstairs to the private parlor and Durgaz did so without a word.
"So I was told you would like to speak with me," she said as he entered the room.
"Possibly. Am I to assume therefore that you are Boroja, current head of the thieves guild?"
"That I am, and you are?"
"My name is Durgaz gro Ozul. I would like information about the Cammona Tong."
"Uh-huh, and for what purpose would you like this information, why I would even give you it?"
"Well the thieves guild has always had problems with the Cammona Tong so I feel I may be honest with you. I am from the fighter's guild here in Balmora, although not in an official capacity. Some of us harbour worries that our leadership is making deals with the Cammona Tong. Neither of us wants that." He sat waiting for her reply.
"Very well, I know about you of course already but it's a good sign that you're honest. Lately the Cammona Tong have been a lot more active than anytime since your dear father, yes I know who he is, took over as head honcho of your guild all those years ago. He ended all the deals with the Cammona tong and then afterwards, although of course nothing is official, went on to kill all their leaders in the cities and slaughtered every member of the Cammona Tong at the Dren plantation, that was over in the Ascadian Isles near Suran, belongs to some Imperial chap now, either way it was their head quarters and he killed all the guards and set the slaves free single handedly." She paused. "Because he was also head of house Hlaau nobody bothered to investigate the affair even though most people thought he had done it."
"I'm afraid that hasn't actually answered my question although you have given me some new knowledge about my father's life and I than you"
"Yes quite but I'm afraid that even with the threat the Cammona Tong poses to the thieves guild, I am still reluctant to relinquish information for free." Durgaz sat working that last statement through his mind.
Finally he said, "Ok what do you want me to do, is it money you want?"
"No, we would like support in the fights that will surely occur in the near future. Most of our guild cannot possibly hope to survive in a full on combat with them; we are a group more accustomed to stealth and negotiation than combat to conduct our business. They on the other hand have always been brutal, using threats and violence to work deals to their favour. The Cammona Tong's influence in your guild is also much deeper than I guess you suspect. My sources indicate that the majority of your leadership are in on the deals with support from some of the lower ranks. Fighter's guild members have already participated on the side of the Cammona Tong in a few recent skirmishes in Vivec and Balmora. I can give you information in exchange for fighting aid."
"Very well I will consent to helping you," replied Durgaz. "If you need me I can be found at either the fighter's guild or my house on the Odai Plateau."