File 2: Family Feud and the Civil War
A few hours later in the lower floor of Jorrvaskr seven of the nine mercenaries had arrived to rest for the night. Scout, Pyro, Soldier, Engineer, Heavy, Demoman, and Medic. Spy still hadn't arrived yet. Scout sat down on a bed feeling the hide sheets. "Not the nicest bed I've slept in but worse." He commented to no one in particular.
"Ooooh I've reaaally hit rrock bottom." Demo slurred. "Heavy… you did limit him right?" Medic asked looking at Demo concerned.
"Da. Demoman did not drink whole stock." Heavy replied proudly.
"That's not what I meant when I said to limit how much he drank mein Freund." Medic sighed. "By zhe vay Scout. You came here with Sniper did you not. Where is he?" Medic asked curiously.
Scout shuddered a little. "He and that Aela lady got real cozy with each other real fast. I don't think we'll be seeing him tonight." The bostonian answered.
"Wonder where Spy is." Heavy said thoughtfully. Scout shrugged laying back on his bed resting his head on his hands against his pillow.
"Knowing him, he's probably off doing some shady shit. Probably sneaking around taking pictures of naked ladies." He guessed.
He heard an uncloaking noise and pushed himself into a sitting position with his arms. "Actually I was gathering information on the people in this city. See who is and isn't of interest, and maybe get some insight on the contract." Spy said pulling out a cigarette.
"Oh yeah… and did ya learn anything?" Scout asked.
Spy looked at him. "Naturally, I learned many things.
"So Spy, you said you were out getting intel, got anything you'd like to share with the rest of the group?" The texan asked looking at him.
"Indeed." Spy said. "And it's very important that you hear this right away. So listen up."
Shortly after everyone had scattered Spy walked out of Dragonsreach and looked out into the city. He looked a Whiterun guard who walked by. "Excuse me, I'm new here. Are there any important families I should know about?" He asked placing his hand against the guards shoulder to get his attention. The guard looked at him.
"You'll be wanting the Battle-borns or the Gray-manes. Oldest families in Whiterun. Be careful not to get in too deeply with either one though. The civil war's caused bad blood. Got them caught in a big family feud." The guard answered before walking off.
Spy watched the guard walk off before looking back at the city. He glanced around quickly making sure no one was around. Confirming that he was alone he pulled out the cigarette box and made a new disguise for himself. Activating it, he disguised himself as a Whiterun guard. It would be much easier to get around this way.
He walked down to the market where he saw Heavy, Soldier, and Demoman enter the inn, though none of them recognized him. He kept walking toward the blacksmith at the entrance. "I don't care how long it takes. But we must have more weapons for the Empire's fight against the stormcloaks." A man wearing with long blonde hair said to a smithing woman.
"I just can't fill out an order that big on my own. Why don't you swallow your pride and ask Eorlund Gray-mane?" She asked.
"I'd sooner join Ulfric's side. Besides, the Gray-manes would rather die than make weapons for the empire." The man said.
Spy stopped and looked at him thoughtfully. This man must have been a Battle-born. He walked up to the man. "Excuse me lord Battle-born." He said.
"What do you want?" The man asked irritably turning to face him. "I'm very busy with the war effort that your Jarl refuses to help with. As if he doesn't owe the Empire his absolute loyalty in this matter." He spat venomously.
"Forgive me. I was just wondering if you'd answer a question for me." Spy said. "Why support the Empire?"
"If you have to ask me that question than you shouldn't even be a guard. Skyrim's been part of the Empire for over a millennia. In all our greatest wars the Empire had our backs. Now a war comes up that we can't win and the Empire does what it has too to make peace." He ranted.
"And Ulfric reacts by killing the highking and starting a war. The Stormcloaks want us to roll over and let Ulfric step up to the throne. Well we won't." He said. "Well said." Spy said watching him leave.
When the man left Spy walked off as well toward the house Battle-born. Making sure no one was looking he disguised himself as the man he had disguised as and picked the lock. When he walked in he saw himself in a large entrance hall. No one was in the immediate vicinity. He walked around each of the rooms searching them.
As he searched he found that within one of the rooms was another locked room. He picked the lock and opened the door. Within was a desk that had a book on it. He picked it up and opened it.
"Strange." He said sounding like the Battle-born he had disguised himself as. "This is a letter not a book."
It was a missive about one of the Gray-manes. A man named Thorald, he was being held in a keep by an organization known as The Thalmor. It said to make sure no one asked too much about his whereabouts.
"Interesti-" He said but stopped when he heard footsteps approaching. He closed the book and placed it back on the desk. When he heard the door begin to open he cloaked to avoid being seen. An old man walked into the room. His expression, bored at first, became horrified when he saw the other door ajar.
Spy had to sidestep to avoid being bumped into when the man ran to the door. "Someone's been going through my belongings? The missive. It's been moved." The man said to himself. "Damn those Gray-manes. Always asking so many questions about where their kinsman is. One of them must have snuck in here. The guards will hear about this." He seethed walking out of the room.
"I bet the jarl would be interested to know why you know where this man is being locked up, and more so why you will not allow his family to know." Spy said mimicking the guard's voice from earlier.
The man stopped. "Who said that?" He asked drawing his sword. Spy however was already leaving the room escaping thanks to his invisibility. He uncloaked near the Bannered Mare where an old lady ran a stand selling jewels.
He walked into view and whispered into the woman's ear. "If you want to know where your son is be in your home at Nine P.M. tomorrow evening." He said before walking off.
The mercenaries thought on Spy's story. "WELL THEN SEEMS LIKE THESE EMPIRE SISSIES NEED THEIR ASSES KICKED!" Soldier announced loudly.
"Shhh!" Spy hushed him hurriedly. "It's not so cut and dry soldier. Besides our job might not even be related to the Civil War." He said.
"Looks to me like the Empire is more scared of these Thalmore folk than they are the stormcloaks." Engineer said. "Wonder why."
"Oh? That would be because of the Great War." Medic said matter-of-factly.
Everyone looked at him with keen eyes. Even Spy was unsure of a "Great War".
"I did some reading while we were all doing things. Zhe Court Vizard Fendal helped me out. Zhe Empire is recovering from a massive war with a nation known as The Aldmeri Dominion. They came to the Emperor demanding that they be given majority of a place called Hammerfell, have an organization known as The Blades disbanded, and The worship of a God called Talos was made illegal. This resulted in a large scale war that nearly destroyed The Empire." Medic explained.
Most of the mercenaries listened to his story. Soldier however had gone back picking his nose as he had not been able to follow along with the rest of the group. Scout also somewhat listened and somewhat didn't. Something about a war that was bad.
"Zhe war eventually ended when zhe White-Gold Concordat vas signed. It gave a great deal of Hammerfell to the Aldmeri, and outlawed the worship of Talos. Zhe nord's are devout Talos worshippers so I suspect that this man, Ulfric has been using is as a rally cry." Medic hypothesized. "But no, compared to the Great War zhis rebellion is small, and not to be prioritized over keeping the Thalmor happy, seeing as they instigated the war."
"Makes sense." Spy commented. "Yeah well, as much sense as it makes I'm pretty sure that this Ulfric dude just extended the problem." Scout said popping his neck.
"Oi. It's late lads. And I need to sleep. Do yeh mind shutting yer traps until the morning?" Demoman asked annoyed holding his pillow over his aching head.
"Demo's got a good point. We can discuss this all night long if we want-" Engineer said.
"That's the opposite of what I said you piece of shite!" Demo yelled.
"But, we have a job in the morning. It's best to get some sleep." Engineer finished, taking off his hard hat and putting it on one of the drawers.
"Oh… aye that'll do." Demo said apologetically.