Winds of the Ashfall: An Elder Scrolls Tale

Greg J Miller

~O~

Chapter 12

Tirdas the 30th of Last Seed 4E71 Evening

Though it wasn't yet quite going on dark, it soon would be, as the sun was just setting behind the light cloud hovering above the mountains on the western horizon. Making his way down by the western docks of Old Ebonheart with Faryl and Dravyn, Suvaris soon learned that one of the larger structures he'd taken for a warehouse was actually the inn that they had been talking about.

Just like the warehouse right next to it, aside from the main stone supports, most of the building was of timber construction. Though it featured some decorative Dunmeri styling, it really did look more like something that Nords or Imperials might have built. If it had been much older, he would have probably assumed that it had been constructed by Imperials, like most everything that used to be down at the docks several decades past.

Since Suvaris couldn't see any clear signage, he wondered whether that warehouse was directly connected to the East Empire Trading Company or else some other operator. Of course before the fall of Baar Dau, the local main office of the East Empire Trading Company had been across the sea at the Castle Ebonheart fortress near Vivec City. Even so, back then there'd still been a smaller office at Old Ebonheart. Though trade interests hardly seemed at all actively booming at that moment in time, he couldn't imagine the East Empire Company leaving it for others to control the future of local trade, such as it was. He kept those passing thoughts to himself, rather than asking about it.

An odd sort of buzzing noise caught Suvaris' attention as they approached the dockside inn. He spotted a lesser-sized giant wasp hovering out over the waters of the river. It was of those yellow-winged varieties, but only about the size of a large crow. He'd seen much larger ones before, but he knew they could be a threat at any size. Since it was following the shoreline around toward the south, it didn't present any direct danger. He hoped that it wasn't going to intrude upon any populated part of the isle.

"Don't see them things about here so often." Faryl passed the comment.

Dravyn grunted. "Not often, but sometimes."

Suvaris was still keeping an eye on the potentially dangerous creature. "They used to be more common in the southern regions, as I recall."

Dravyn resumed. "We get just about all kinds about the homeland. Big flyin' insects, flyin' rodents, flyin' lizards an' plain birds. Just about everythin' but them ancient dragons of them old stories." He paused to grin at his own comments.

Without saying anything, Suvaris passed him a curious expression. He thought it seemed an odd turn of phrase to come from anyone other than a Nord. To best of his understanding, the last of the ancient dragons were long gone. Though he'd occasionally heard some Nord acquaintances claim otherwise.

Faryl indicated the door to the inn. "We best be gettin' inside."

Just outside the entrance, Suvaris briefly noted the name of the inn, signed only in Dunmeris script. It roughly translated to 'Old West Port' in the Imperial tongue. He supposed that it was fair to say that the west port of Old Ebonheart was certainly quite old, even if that inn wasn't really quite so old at all.

Stepping through the front doors of the Ald'draduh Oad, the place immediately looked almost as spacious inside as it seemed from the outside. The large tavern area seemed to occupy a significant proportion of the ground level. It was fair to assume that it generally saw a lot of traders and sailors and the like, during much busier times. However given recent events, things were not looking quite so busy.

As both Faryl and Dravyn had paused momentarily just inside the doors, seemingly looking about to see if they recognised anyone in there, Suvaris also took a moment to quickly look about the place.

At that particular moment, with no shipping activity to keep the docks busy, the tavern seemed only moderately attended. At the most, the other patrons in view numbered just ten individuals, spread out through a space that could comfortably accommodate at least four times that number.

With only a few obvious exceptions, most of the people in the place were native Dunmer. Of course, none of them appeared to be Ashlanders.

A dark haired man of Imperial appearance sitting on his own by the southern wall clearly stood out as an outlander. As did the two broad-shouldered Nords, sporting full reddish coloured beards. The only other person of foreign appearance was the slender Bosmer lass behind the service counter next to the wiry male Dunmer with a dark wispy beard.

With very few windows to the outside world, the candles and oil lamps struggled to properly illuminate much of the tavern area. Except for just near the entrance, most of the outside walls were obscured behind the ground level rooms of the inn. It was fair to assume that those rooms must have been rather rudimentary, if the short spacing between the doors stood as any indication. It appeared somewhat likely that the staircase led to other lodgings located upstairs, but there was no visible indication of what those rooms might be like.

As the other pair started moving off, Suvaris followed, again looking across the tavern toward the service counter.

Faryl seemed to have anticipated something that Suvaris might've been thinking about earlier. "Did ya ask around at the plaza fer that lad yer lookin' for?"

Suvaris looked to him with slightly raised eyebrows. "Yes, yes I did. Though it didn't really seem to provoke any useful responses."

Faryl shrugged. "Mentioned the name over at the trade warehouse, but didn't seemta mean anythin' there either." He pointed toward the tavern's main counter. "Dranas runs the place here. Except for maybe lately, he usually sees lotsa folks comin' and goin'. He might have some idea, or else know someone who does."

Suvaris returned a mild shrug of his own, then inclined his head. "I expect that it cannot hurt at all to ask."

Nearing the service counter, Faryl addressed the Dunmer barkeep. "Dranas, good ta see ya again."

"Ah, the Rurvyn brothers… yer back in town again." The wiry Dunmer with receding dark hair tied back affected a crooked grin above his wispy beard. He didn't seem to pay much attention to Suvaris, just yet.

Faryl responded with a little smile. "Yeah, back in town. Bringin' in more of them special dust masks. Just like we said."

"Just dropped 'em off over at the warehouse." Dravyn added that part.

Dranas bobbed his head side to side. "Been not too bad around here the last few days, except some early mornin's, when a fog might bring in just a touch of bad vapours… but not nearly enough to worry about. Not like before."

Dravyn countered. "Still might be call for them special masks, if things go takin' a turn for the worse." He made a show of holding up the mask that he'd kept for himself.

Dranas tilted his head. "So long as the wind don't go changin' the wrong way at the wrong time, or there ain't no new eruptions out in the bay, reckon we mighta just about seen the end of it, for now. A'course, that could change, like ya say."

"Hopefully not so much that you need to go gettin' outa the city again." Faryl's expression reflected his sympathetic tone.

Dranas nodded his agreement. "Yeah, don't wanna have that again real soon. Still waitin' for the shippin' to get back to regular. That ain't so good." Shaking his head, he paused with a frown. "Ya have any troubles on yer travels?"

Faryl frowned lightly. "Not too much up north. Not til we got down near here. Got ambushed by a sneaky bastard cliff racer earlier today, bit west of Balfalls."

Dravyn weighed in. "Luckily, we had this Fighters Guild fella with us."

"Fighters Guild?" Dranas looked to Suvaris with a touch of suspicion.

Faryl responded first. "Not from over Mournhold way. He's from the proper one, from over in Cheydinhal."

With pursed lips, the barkeep raised his eyebrows. "Well then, I expect that cliff racer musta come off second best from that ambush?"

Faryl nodded slightly. "Yeah well, it got away, but not before serious injury. Not any of us, but the cliff racer… it lost the end of its spike tail in the dealin'."

Dravyn added his opinion. "Won't be doin' so good without it. Be one less cliff racer out there, soon enough."

Dranas grinned mildly through his wispy beard. "Heh, reckon that oughta make Saint Jiub happy, wherever his soul is restin'. One less cliff racer."

At that moment, a drunken wailing arose from a heavily inebriated Dunmer nursing a tankard by the far end of the bar. "Flyyyin'… flyyyin' in the skyyy… cliff racer flies so hiiigh… flyinnn…"

"Shut it." An angry Dunmer with a dark beard called out from just nearby.

"Yeah, shut yer face." Another male Dunmer added his voice, calling out from several tables away.

"Flyyyin'… flyyyin' in the skyyy…" The woeful noise continued as the drunkard seemingly remained oblivious to the angered calls from the other tavern patrons.

"You're askin' for it, ya bastard." The red-bearded Nord with the balding head was already out of his chair, slamming his tankard back down on the table.

The other bearded Nord with slightly more hair was also getting up.

Neither Faryl nor Dravyn had shifted from where they were standing by the front of the counter. Moderating his sense of alarm, Suvaris also remained where he stood.

With his mouth held slightly open, Dranas wore a look of pained concern, but had yet to speak or act. The Bosmer lass behind him had taken a nervous step backward.

"Cliff racer flies so hiiigh…"

"Somebody do something." An older male Dunmer complained loudly.

"Just leave it alone." His younger female companion sounded calmer.

"Flyyyin'… flyyyin' in the skyyy."

The drunk's next words were abruptly cut off by an open backhander to the mouth and his almost empty tankard bounced across the floor. A coiled fist hovered midair as the bald Nord allowed the threat to hold momentarily. His other hand was gripping the drunk firmly by the shoulder. The second Nord was ready to deliver his own affirmation, if the message wasn't being clearly received.

"N'chow. Hoy, you two. Not in here." Dranas sounded firm.

The Nord with hair grumbled. "Ain't on us. He's askin' for it."

"Yeah, askin' real loud." The bald Nord was still holding back, but not yet letting go.

Suvaris wondered if things were about to escalate further.

Dranas remained firm. "Ya get 'im outa here… an' the next drinks are free."

"Free drinks, for both of us?" Wearing a surprisingly earnest expression, the Nord with the hair sought clear confirmation.

"Yeah, the both of ya." Dranas continued to glare at the pair of them.

The two Nords quickly grabbed hold of the drunk by either side, lifting his feet up off the floor and then started carrying him straight toward the front door. The drunkard was in no state to offer any measure of resistance.

A moment after the door swung closed behind them, it opened again and Bradyn stepped though. After pausing to look about, he headed directly for the service counter where the rest of his party was still standing and looking over in his direction.

Bradyn wore a slightly confused and concerned expression. "Some fella gettin' beat up, just outside. A coupla big Nords layin' into 'im."

Dravyn responded gruffly. "Was wailin' that s'witttin' cliff racer song."

With his mouth half-open, Bradyn nodded his understanding. Even though children running about the streets and playing the 'cliff racer game' might be tolerated, singing that song in a place like that was a good way to start a tavern brawl.

Suvaris looked back toward the door with an expression of apprehensive concern.

Dranas spoke up again. "They'll have the sense not to go killin' 'im, but Ervis is gonna be all bruised an' sore when he wakes up. Dunno if he'll learn anythin' from it."

Suvaris returned a tenuous nod of acceptance. Though he found it rather distasteful, he thought it better not to interfere in the matter.

Dranas resumed. "Now, where was we? Rurvyn's said you was one of them proper Fighters Guild, outa the Empire?"

Suvaris returned a respectful nod. "Yes, that's right. Alaron Suvaris of the Cheydinhal Fighters Guild."

"You from Cheydinhal?" Dranas narrowed his eyes.

"Not originally. I was born and raised not far from Kragenmoor. However, I have been away from the homeland for quite some time."

Dranas' vaguely distrustful expression might have been a response to hearing what sounded like an outlander's accent to his ear.

Suvaris felt prompted to elaborate. "I had been with the Kragenmoor Fighters Guild of old, back in the day. After helping many of our fellow Dunmer travel to Cheydinhal some years ago, I had ended up remaining there. As you might have heard, a great many of our people occupy that city… and through the Fighters Guild of Cheydinhal, I've had opportunity to serve their well-being."

Dranas appeared more tenuously swayed, than openly impressed. "Fair 'nuff." He paused for a moment, possibly taking note of Suvaris' expensive looking armour. "This lot paying ya? Like a guard or such?"

Suvaris maintained a reserved expression. "Not as such. A travelling arrangement."

Faryl nodded his head. "Safety in numbers an' all that."

Dranas nodded his agreement. "Seems like that's the case. So, then… I expect you'll all be lookin' to food an' lodging at this fine place?"

Faryl affected an agreeable grin. "Wouldn't be stayin' anywhere else. Only gonna be in town overnight. Headin' off for Mournhold with the dawn."

"You'll just be wantin' them real ordinary rooms, I take it? Like last time?" Dranas waved his hand in the direction of the row of doors along the north wall.

"Just fine fer our needs." Faryl maintained his agreeable expression.

Dranas looked to Suvaris with a curious frown, again possibly swayed by the appearance of his more expensive attire. "What kinda rooms do Fighters Guild types need?"

"Do you have any… more comfortable rooms on offer?"

"Got some good ones upstairs, if ya got the coin for it."

They briefly negotiated over quality and cost of accommodation. Suvaris wasn't at all concerned over paying more than the Rurvyn traders. He only preferred the possibility of the comfort offered by a room that wasn't just slightly wider than a narrow bunk, like those ones on the ground level seemed to be.

They were briefly interrupted by the return of the two brutish Nords. Dranas prompted the Wood-elf barmaid to provide them with their promised free drinks.

After Suvaris and the Rurvyns had organised meals and drink from what was on offer at the tavern, Faryl acted as intermediator with regard to Suvaris' search for a possible family member. Suvaris clarified with the detail of a trader who'd come from Mournhold, speaking of a younger Dunmer going by the name Travlon Suvaris.

Dranas made a show of giving it some serious thought. "Reckon we do get a few Travlons through here from time't'time. Name's common 'nuff. But Suvaris… that ain't common at all. Can think of a Selarys, Seralas… and a Sarvani… but I reckon yer the only Suvaris I've come across, s'far as I can think of. A'course if I do hear anythin'… well, I can pass word ta these fellas."

"Most kind." Suvaris inclined his head in gracious acceptance.

With a short wait to pass before meals were prepared, Suvaris went off and found one of the bathrooms to go attend to pressing matters and also clean up a bit after the long day's activities along the road. It seemed that each of the Rurvyn traders passed less time upon such matters. Two out of three had already returned by the time Suvaris was back. Young Bradyn just got back as the rest of them were carrying the meals to the table.

Any interest in conversation about the table immediately fell aside in preference to eating. That remained the case until each of them was done. Faryl had just started to mention the intentions for the next morning, when they were interrupted.

That relatively younger Dunmer woman who had previously been eating with an older Dunmer came over by their table. It seemed that her companion had departed the tavern. It became immediately obvious what she was after, or perhaps more the case, what she was willing to offer for what she was after.

Dravyn seemed to recognise her from previous encounters and appeared outwardly annoyed. Rather harshly, he told her that nothing had changed since the last time and that she wouldn't be seeing any coin from any of them.

With his more affluent appearance, it was actually Suvaris who seemed to draw her marked interest. Far more kindly than Dravyn, he politely declined her invitation.

Returning to point, Faryl again spoke of plans for the next morning. He advised that if Suvaris hadn't come downstairs by the time they were getting ready to head out, he would go knock on the door upstairs. Suvaris remained agreeable.

Leaving the Rurvyns in the tavern, Suvaris headed on upstairs to the room he'd rented for the evening. The directions were clear enough, so he had no trouble finding it. The key in the door's lock confirmed that.

An oil lamp inside had already been lit for him. He was pleasantly surprised to learn that the room was notably better than he'd been expecting. Of course, he'd previously stayed in establishments of the Imperial City that were easily more well-appointed, but that upstairs room at the Ald'draduh Oad was at least the equal of what he'd found in Blacklight, if not just a little better.

The room occupied the north-eastern corner on the upper level, allowing for paned windows facing in two directions. A layer of soot coated the outside of the windowpanes, but that was to be reasonably expected in that part of Stonefalls.

Though it remained superfluous at that time of year, there was a small iron brazier set close to the corner stonework and sitting upon thick slate tiling. A well-crafted copper hood was set over the brazier, with piped flue to draw smoke away through the upper northern wall.

A few serviceable floor mats lined the floors, including at either side of the medium to large sized bed set just to one side of the centre of the room.

A lockup chest was positioned to one side of other cupboards. A small table with two chairs was situated just by the northern window.

Some other amenities were a little unexpected. He was slightly surprised by the small washbasin and mirror set upon a side-table, and perhaps more so by how the chamber pot was set into an alcove to keep it more secluded.

After setting down his travelling pack, Suvaris pulled off his boots then removed the rest of his armour, stripping down to his underclothing.

Not yet intending to even consider trying to sleep so early in the evening, he took a moment to light the other oil lamps in the room, as well as the candles on the table by the northern window.

Rubbing the bristles starting to grow from the past few days since he'd last shaved, Suvaris decided to do something about it before it became more annoying. The convenient washbasin and mirror served to persuade him. After finding his razor in his travelling pack, he set to the task.

After cleaning his razor and packing it away again, he rummaged through his pack to find that book he'd started reading the other evening. Just as he was settling into the chair at the table, he'd noticed that both moons were visible through the east facing window. Masser was only just rising, looking a little bit less full than the previous evening. Secunda was already well above the horizon and appearing at first quarter.

Positioning the book to catch the best candlelight, he opened 'Pirates of the Abecean' to the page he'd marked and tried to find exactly where he'd read up to.

Though it seemed to Suvaris that the logic of what was unfolding in the story appeared elusive, he still found himself entertained by what he was reading. More than once, he realised he was chuckling to himself at the antics of the captain of The Black Drake and certain members of his crew. He still couldn't quite recall whether the story had previously explained the relevance of vaguely referenced events upon the islands of Stirk, Stros M'kai and Caspar. He assumed that it would all become clear, if he just kept reading. He also still wasn't quite sure of why they were going after a rival pirate vessel said to be lurking by the one of the smaller islands of The Chain. Again, he chose to just accept the odd flow of the story and read on.

It was still relatively early when he decided to set the book aside, perhaps no later than nine. He understood that he needed to be up before the dawn and he might easily become more entangled in reading that story and lose all track of the passage of time.

After making use of the chamber pot and putting out all the lights, Suvaris clambered into the bed, finding it somewhat more comfortable than he'd expected. Before closing his eyes, he took note of the relative position of the eastern facing window. He reminded himself of the intent to rise before the dawn, then fell asleep almost immediately.

~O~