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16 Last Seed (Day 1)

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I wake up in a makeshift cell, deep in the bowels of an unknown ship. There's a dark elf (Dunmer, as they call themselves) called Jiub, my apparent cellmate, who informs me that he thinks I've been having a bad dream. I don't recall the dream but given his looks I can guess what it was about. Those evil red eyes send shudders through me every time I see a Dunmer, and his scarring doesn't help his looks either. I have to wonder where I am, the last thing I recall was going to sleep in my cell after a strange-tasting meal.

A guard soon comes along, and barks orders to follow. I wonder if my sentence is finally over? And more to the point, I wonder where on Tamriel I am. Going up on deck, I'm informed that I'm in Vvardenfell, and island province of the land called Morrowind. Just bloody great, the homeland of those evil looking elves is where the Empire sees fit to release me. Some bald-pated old crone of a magistrate finds his irony amusing, no doubt.

Well, best to put a brave face on it and find out what I'm doing on this godsforsaken stretch of nowhere. I have to admit, the scenery's nice, and no sightings of those Dunmer as yet. I seem to recall that the Cyrodils have recently completely overrun this area, so perhaps I can avoid the black-skinned, black-hearted elves after all. I'm told to get my release fee and identification papers from an Customs Officer by name of Socucius Ergalla. No doubt another stuffy old fool puffed up with his own self importance. Damn those Cyrodils.

Much to my surprise he seems a kindly old man, more interested in getting my identification out of the way with as little fuss as possible than impressing me with his power and influence. But no sign of this "release fee" as of yet. Instead I'm shuffled on down the line to the next beaurocrat. This time it's an officer of the Legion, and a more pompous, arrogant fool I've never met. He gives me a small amount of cash and some advice to stay out of trouble, along with an order to deliver a sealed document to a man called Caius Cosades. Red tape, red tape, and more red tape. But at least I'm a free man again.

On my way through the Customs and Excise building I pocketed a few choice items, including a ring that appears to be magical in some way, a dagger, a lockpick, and a key that was just lying around on a shelf. The tag on it says it's for the Customs and Excise warehouse, and where better to "borrow" some gear than the Imperial's own stash house? No doubt it's full of drugs, booze, and booty they've taken off the natives in the name of the law to enjoy in their own time.

Immediately upon leaving the building, I'm accosted by some stumpy little Bosmer (wood elf) harping on about a ring stolen from him during his monthly shakedown by the Imperials. Just as I thought, the age-old process of "redistribution of wealth" practiced by the Cyrodillians is alive and well even in this backwater. I give the ring back to the annoying little git just to shut him up, and he can't thank me enough, even promising to put in a good word for me at the local tradehouse.

Tradehouse, eh? Now there's a thought. It's been a long five years in prison without so much as a drop of mead or a sniff of whisky, so with a bit of gold burning a hole in my pocket I think I could do with a warm meal and a mug of something intoxicating, and tradehouses generally have a tavern, or at last a room with a small bar. But first I'll go for a wander around Seyda Neen, as this town is known, and see if there's anything interesting to be........borrowed. There's not a lot to this place, it's a typical run-down little port, it's only importance being that it's the one official entry and exit point for shipping. Given the size of the island and how corrupt the Dunmer are known to be, I expect there'll be more than a few places along the coast where people put in without the "benefit" of the Customs though. The slightly more prosperous side of the settlement is the Eastern shore, with the western banks taken up by a small shanty of wooden huts. A lighthouse to the south and some more huts to the north, and that's all there is to it. One tradehouse, a silt strider (some sort of giant bug the locals use for transporting heavy goods as well as getting from one place to another without the effort and inconvenience of walking), and a dragon transport make up all the local services other than the Customs dock. Whilst exploring I see that some careless fool has left an enchanted axe and some gold poorly concealed in a hollow tree stump. I think I'll just take those, who's to know after all. A quick exploration of the warehouse I took the key for shows I was correct - drugs, booze, weapons, and armour in crates, empty bottles littering the place, and only the one guard to look after it. Think I'll relieve him of the onerous duty by relieving the warehouse of the majority of it's contents. A few trips to the Tradehouse and not only do I have more gold in my purse, but also kitted out in steel armour. I think it's time to sink a few drinks and catch up on local gossip.

Turns out there's not much happening around here. A local taxman has disappeared, no real surprise there, if he's anything like the other beaurocrats I expect he's been skimming off the top and managed to upset someone along the way. A local racketeer named Hrisskar approaches me about Stumpy the Bosmer who's apparently not been paying enough protection money. perhaps I'll look in to it for him later, apparently there's a hiding place Stumpy stashes gear in and the mobster can't find it. No surprises really since he seems to spend all his time drinking up his takings in the bar. There're also a few wanderers, bards, and a local scout who's kind enough to tell me about a few of the local cities, and the tradehouse owner gives me some stern warnings about The Law. Seems pretty much the same as the rest of Tamriel, get caught stealing, assaulting, or killing someone, and you pay the price. But outlaws, bandits, smugglers, and the like can be knocked off at will. Local rumour has it there's a cave used by smugglers just a short way away, perhaps I'll look into that later. First I think I'll explore the land a little and reacquaint myself with my axe, I expect my skills are a little rusty after five years of incarceration.

During my wanderings I come across the "disappeared" taxman. Whoever decided to off him didn't even bother to hide the body. A sure sign of the incompetancy, or perhaps the idleness, of the local lawmen. I'm told to report it to the Customs agent who gave me my ID, strangely the guards don't seem even slightly interested in investigating the blatant murder. Perhaps it was one of them? After a quick chat with Socucius, he asks me to look into he murder myself, there'll be a reward of five hundred golden Septims should I locate the guilty party and "bring him to justice". I'm guessing that means find a stooge, kill him, and pretend he was the guilty party. But I'll at least make it look like I'm conducting the investigation thoroughly. After a false lead and a couple blank walls, I finally locate the true killer. Not so difficult, this investigation business, perhaps I could make a career out of this. Unfortunately for him, the murderer would rather attack me than go to jail. Skinny little Dunmer, attacking a six foot tall Viking in full armour with a two-handed axe? Not too bright, methinks. Two mighty blows fells the criminal, and since I doubt anyone will care I decide to help myself to all his possessions, I'm sure I can get a decent price for some of them at the tradehouse. After reporting the success of my investigation to Socucius, I'm given the full reward and then told to stop being so nosy and get myself away from his person. Not such a kindly man when you point out how lax his enforcers are, but I suppose that's to be expected, we all have our pride after all.

I decide to take a troll up to the top of the lighthouse, certainly the best vantage point in the area, and wait until nightfall to see if I can catch Stumpy in the act of stashing his money and possessions wherever it is that he hides them. Once night comes, I spot him easily, skulking around trying to look inconspicuous. His hiding place turns out to be yet another hollowed-out tree stump. Definitely a hit with the locals, these things. I collect his money, his ring (the very same one I'd given back to him that morning - hah), and another lockpick and go give Hrisskar the gold. In return I get a modest finders fee, and he invites me to have a drink. Just a quick one, then I shall catch that silt strider off to Balmora to see this Caius Cosades.