The Elder Scrolls III

Morrowind

Heaven and Hell

Chapter II

Rats, Eggs and Guards – oh my!

A/N: From this point, if a character is detonated with a after their name(eg, dulnea), they are entirely of my creation – they do not exist, except in personal MODs.

After I acquired my first orders, I decided to return to the Fighters Guild – just in time, everyone was going to bed. I noted there was a free bed and decided to use it, no doubt my contract was best to be carried out in the morning. I slept soundly, awaking at about nine o'clock in the morning. I asked the Redguard, whom had slept above me, where the best place to take breakfast was. He recommended The Eight Plates, a local bar – just down the road, by the small bridge between the two buildings.

It seemed that at some point in the night a storm had broken out – the sky was filled with dark clouds and rain pounded the floor mercilessly. Lightning flashed on the horizon, no doubt striking a high peak. The storms were not like those we had back in Argonia – they brought only coldness and no warmth. Swiftly, I bolted towards the bridge that connected the two local bars. Ducking under the right-most arch and opening a door, I stepped inside the Eight Plates. Following the corridor, I soon came to a spacious chamber. Tables and chairs littered the area, with a large bar at the top left-hand corner of the room. A middle aged Dunmer woman was behind the bar, polishing cups.

Moving across the room, I took a seat at one of the tables. The Dunmer woman glanced at me. She finished polishing a cup and moved over to the edge of the bar, opening the flap and moving over to my table.
"Good day."she said warmly."I'm Dulnea Ralaal, publican of the Eight Plates here in Balmora. We rent beds, and I have a limited selection of goods(including meals and drinks)to barter."
"May I sssseee a menu?"I asked, exaggerating my serpentish tongue. Dulnea frowned for a moment, before nodding and returning to the bar. Within a few minutes she had returned with a scroll. She handed it to me. Eager to eat, I rolled it open.

"Hmm...I'll have a slice of cooked rat meat with a small Kwama egg and...hmm, some Shein please."I said after a moments pause. Smiling, she took the menu from me and returned to the bar. As she returned with the meal laid out, I heard the door opening behind me. Several individuals walked in, including another Argonian.
"Excuse me sir, that will be 13 drakes."I glanced up – it was Dulnea, she had laid the meal out on the table for me. Reaching to my side, I gently loosened the rope that held my money bag in place. Withdrawing 13 coins, I placed them in her now extended hand. She thanked me and returned to polishing her cups.

As I picked up my knife and fork, I took a moment to examine my surroundings. Three Dunmer had entered with the Argonian – one was dressed in expensive clothes, clearly of Dunmer make. The second was dressed in common clothes, bearing mild resemblance to Imperial clothing. The third was dressed in armour of the same design of the local guards. The Argonian was dressed in a green robe. Returning my attention to my meal, I cut into the rat meat with my knife. Cutting off a thick slice and piercing it with the fork, I deposited it into my mouth. Tearing into it with an array of powerful teeth, I failed to notice the Argonian was approaching my table.

"May I?"
Almost choking on my food, I glanced up – her neatly cut claws were gripping the top of the chair. To all other races(except perhaps the Khajit), she appeared indifferent – to her fellow Argonians however, she was smiling warmly. Swallowing hard, I cleared my throat.
"Certainly."I replied. Pulling the chair back, she sat down.
"I am Jek-Ie."she told me.
"Ral-Jille."I responded, inclining my head.
"I'm sorry for interrupting, but it is rare to find another free Argonian in these parts."
I let out a hiss-styled sigh.
"Indeed."I replied."You are very well spoken for one of our kind."
"Well...I...I don't know how to speak Argonian."She was an ex-slave then. Taken as a child, as opposed to myself being taken shortly after coming of age.
"Ah."was all I could say.
"Anyway,"she continued on a happier note."I'm with the Guild of Mages...visit sometime, I usually work with Ajira – I'm an Alchemist see. I've got to go now mind."
"I will make a note to visit – I'm only next door, Fighters Guild."I smiled at her and bid her farewell. She rose and exited the building swiftly.

After finishing my breakfast and returning it to Dulnea, I exited the Eight Plates. The storm, whilst still pretty much in full force, seemed to of lightened a little. Asking a nearby local for directions, I quickly crossed the river and found Thelas' house. I gently rapped on the door. Almost instantly, an elderly Dunmer woman opened the door.
"Are you the one they sent to take care of the rats?"she asked coolly.
"Yes, ma'am."I replied. She eyed me for a moment, before stepping aside.
"Come in."she told me. Stepping into her small room, the first thing I observed was a large stack of pillows.
"This rats are such a nuisance!"she cried suddenly."I'm worried they'll eat all my pillows! You like pillows, don't you?"
Delightful...she's crazy... I thought.
"Anyway, I've gone one trapped in my bedroom and two in the storeroom upstairs...rats that is, not pillows. "Here's the key to the storeroom."Taking it from her, I place it within my money pouch. Reaching for me sword at it's sheath, I manoeuvred round the dining table to open the bedroom door. Grasping it with my free hand, I threw it open.

A large cave rat stood in the doorway, eyeing me for a moment. It squeaked suddenly and dived at me. Instantly, I swung my sword at the beast, slicing it across it's stomach. Instantly, the creature fell down to the floor, dead. After informing Thelas it was dead, I promptly exited the house. Climbing up the outside staircase, I stopped in front of the door that led to the storeroom. Placing the key in the keyhole and turning it, I swiftly opened the door. Instantly, two rats dived at me – one granting me a nasty bite on my unprotected leg. Swinging my sword downwards, I decapitated the first beast. The second bit me violently on the ankle as I brought my sword down, stabbing it clean through. I sheathed my sword and picked up the beasts. After collecting my payment(100 drakes), I disposed of the rats by throwing them in the river. Slowly but surely, their corpses drifted down stream. Promptly, I returned to the Fighters Guild.

"So you killed the cave rats? Not bad...for you."
Clearly, the guild steward(the Nord woman I now know to be Eydis)was not entirely impressed. "Ready for more orders?"I merely nodded in response.
"Well, first,"she began"I'm promoting you to apprentice. Enjoy. Second, the Shulk Egg Mine is having difficulty with Egg Poachers. Her owner has hired us to kill them both – that's your job. It may sound silly but those eggs are one of the few things worth exporting."I thanked her and returned to the Guild quarters for an hours rest. I would awake at about two o'clock in the afternoon.

I headed up the river Odai after asking for directions, past the Stilt Strider. I quickly found the Shulk egg mine – two of the miners were outside and cautioned me that the Kwama foragers had a habit of attacking strangers. As we finished talking, the rain suddenly died down until it stopped all together. Looking up, I could see the sun slowly but surely breaking through a thinning layer of cloud. Returning to my duties, I entered the mine.

The mine entrance itself was a small, cramped cave held up be rough wooden support beams. It was very dark within the mine, the only light source being the cracks in the doors and a torch of sorts up ahead. As I moved through the cave, I was surprised to discover the light actually came from glowing egg sacks. A large, four legged beast guarded the eggs – I assumed it was a Kwama worker, as the miners explained earlier. I was attacked by three worm creatures – Kwama foragers – as I journeyed through the mine. I was directed to the Mining Camp and eventually to the inner mine by the miners.

The second I entered the inner mine region, two Dunmer charged at me – a man and a woman. Both were wielding pick axes and were well conditioned by years of mining themselves. I raised my sword to block a blow from the woman and narrowly avoided a blow from the man. I was caught several times by their axes – I managed to dispatch the woman swiftly, followed quickly by the man. Between them, they had acquired ten Kwama eggs. Leaving their bodies to rot, I quickly made my way back out of the mine.

When I emerged at last, I winced for a moment. It was about 5 o'clock and the sky had cleared up entirely – white clouds were now the only remains of the storm. Quickly readjusting to the light, I made my way back to Balmora. I returned to Eydis and collected a reward of 100 septims and a promotion to Journeyman. She told me there were presently no jobs ready and to come back in a few days. I decided to rest up – I would deal with Hlaalu in the morning.

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I awoke at 7:00am. I ate breakfast at the Eight Plates again – this time just one piece of rat meat – before heading out to the Stilt Strider. For a fee of 42 coins I travelled to Vivec – I was outside the city's first canton for before noon. It took me a while to work out how to get inside, so I asked the Dunmer who organised boat trips to other cantons. He told me to go up the ramps and into the first door on the right. I did so, and found myself in the Foreign Quarter waterworks. Finding the alchemical shop I needed, I entered. The owner greeted me warmly – I requested to browse her wares. She happily obliged. I went to open a scroll on a table and she told me that it was off limits. I said nothing, I merely moved round the table, blocking it from view. I started asking about acquiring Vampire dusts and various types of Fire Salt. As we spoke, I quietly pocketed the scroll.
"GUARDS!"
Damn! She saw me!
Hastily, I opened the door. Fleeing into the corridor, I noticed an Ordinator(a Vivec guard)quickly moving towards me. By sheer luck, I managed to hide the scroll without him seeing. He gave me three options: pay 90 gold, go to jail or resist arrest. The first sounded the most inviting. Giving him 90 gold, I waited for him to leave before withdrawing the scroll. I ran for it just as the owner of the alchemy shop emerged.

For another 42 gold to Balmora, this trip was proving expensive. Upon arrival, storm clouds were once again threatening the city. I made my way back to the House Hlaalu council house and spoke immediately to their leader, Nileno, who took the formulas from me. To my dismay, she offered no payment for my loss of almost 200 gold! One good thing did come of it however – I was promoted to Retainer. I returned to the Fighters guild.

At the Fighters Guild, I spent the rest of the day conversing with my fellow guild members and practising my skills in the training room at the back. I did go out briefly to purchase a blank book from the local book store, which I intended to use as a personal journal. In the morning, I would begin my work for the Blades, now that I felt I had developed sufficient cover.

A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter – I myself do not think it a very good one. I've been planning out the parts of the story I control. Some side plots that are of my own make will start cropping up soon.