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#Post#: 2483--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Story of Trey
By: Callidus Thorn Date: May 10, 2014, 5:43 pm
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I love the way you took one of the most widely hated characters
in the game and turned him into an object lesson, laying it all
out like we're a trusted friend that Trey's talking to. This
whole part is beautifully written.
Damn good stuff! :D
#Post#: 2487--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Story of Trey
By: McBadgere Date: May 10, 2014, 10:05 pm
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[quote]Fargoth told me about a place called 'Solstheim'
somewhere "up North" where the Legion was having
trouble.[/quote]
Ooooh, that bodes that does!...It Bodes!!!... :D ...
Fair dues, that was brilliant... ;D ...
I do loves me Bosmers...Though I hate that they can sneak up on
you with no warning and suddenly become part of the story in a
way that you had no clue about previously...Oh
wait...No...That's just me...But Bosmers always make me laugh in
Oblivion...
Fantastic stuff matey!!!...
Love it!!...
Nice one!!...
*Applauds heartily*...
#Post#: 2846--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Story of Trey
By: treydog Date: May 18, 2014, 10:50 am
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@Callidus Thorn- You caught me purposely going the opposite
direction from all the “Fargoth abuse” that was rampant at that
time… But then, that’s a fun thing to do to make a story your
own. Although, I don’t know if anyone could manage it with the
Adoring Fan. Except perhaps Rachel the Breton…. My thanks.
@McBadgere- Yes, Bosmers can do that… and Nordic smiths… and
redheads… and … where was I again?
And now- new words. Well- actually- old words... but in a new
place. Yes- that's it.
--------------------------------------------------------
Before going into Arrille's, I talked to a couple of other
people to see if I could confirm what Fargoth had told me. It
wasn't that I didn't trust him- I didn't trust anybody. But if
three or four people said the same thing, chances were it was
true. Nobody had much new information to add, some more talk of
that Solstheim place, mostly of the "you won't catch me going
there, but there's a boat from Khuul" sort. If I had been the
sensitive type, I would have thought they wanted me to get out
of town. There was also some buzz about the local tax collector
going missing- no surprise; no one seemed terribly broken up
about it. One fellow, an Imperial by the name of Vodunius
Nuccius, caught my interest. It wasn't so much what he said-
most of it the same patter I had heard from others- but the way
he said it. There was a look on his face when he recommended I
take the "silt strider" out of town that said he wished he was
going, too. He offered to put in a word for me with the Darvame
Hleran, the strider driver. I finally figured out that he was
talking about that 30-foot tall flea-looking thing standing just
outside of town. The idea of riding a huge bug like that gave me
a chill.
I decided to look up the driver later, anyway. Someone who dealt
with departures and arrivals would be a good source of
information about who was traveling and where to and how often.
It sometimes helps to know when someone is going to be out of
town for a few days. You know, check the windows and doors,
water the plants, clear away any clutter, that sort of thing.
Anyway, that was for later. Right now I wanted to find out if I
was going to be able to move my "merchandise" locally or whether
I would have to go farther afield.
In Arrille's Tradehouse I got good news and bad news. Good news-
he was my kind of trader- willing to buy without asking too many
questions, and Fargoth had given me a good word. Bad news- he
didn't have much of a selection of armor or weapons, mostly iron
and something he called “chitin”. He did have some useful
scrolls, plus a handful of spells he was willing to teach. I
opened up the sack and settled down to squeeze every gold piece
I could from the Empire's goods. Eventually, I was able to
unload the silverware, the alcohol, and the dagger for around
200 drakes. That was better than I had hoped; with the "release
fee" and the found money, I was over 300 to the good. Of course,
money by itself is about as useful as a pile of pebbles- you can
throw either one at a charging critter and get the same effect.
So I looked over the limited inventory and made the best I could
of it.
Back in High Rock, the regular guards and Imperial Legion were
supplemented by what was charitably called a “militia.” If you
were over fourteen years of age and had three out of your four
limbs, you were in it. We “drilled” in whatever bits and pieces
of armor hadn’t been melted down or turned into planters and
coal scuttles, using laths and sticks in place of swords or
spears. But even so, the occasional Legionnaire would take pity
on us (or get so disgusted by our clumsiness) as to offer some
real practice. And it turned out that I had some natural
ability with a sword.
All of that meant I had some specific ideas about what sort of
equipment I wanted. I chose chitin armor, for a start. It
weighs a lot less than iron and is also much quieter. If you
want to slip in somewhere unnoticed and slip back out with the
maximum amount of whatever, light armor is the way to go.
Weapons were more difficult- he had a nice silver claymore,
which would cause serious damage, and could hold a decent
enchantment if I got the chance.... But I also wanted a bow and
arrows. (I prefer to stay at least a bowshot away from
potential trouble if possible).
And there were a mortar & pestle gathering dust on an upper
shelf; a must-have if those ingredients I had “found” were going
to be of any use. So I selected an iron saber, instead. If I ran
into anything that couldn't be hurt by iron, I'd be better off
bravely running away. That also left me enough to pick up a
fireball spell. My destruction skill was pretty poor, but maybe
I could practice starting campfires or something. I passed over
around 250 septims and strapped everything on. For the first
time since leaving home, I started to feel optimistic about my
chances. It’s funny how a new outfit can improve your point of
view. Too, I figured that the locals might take me more
seriously now that I didn't look so much like I had just fallen
off the turnip wagon.
Speaking of wagons, the biggest disappointment was the news that
there were NO horses to be bought. Not just no horses in Seyda
Neen- no horses ANYWHERE. No wonder people were riding giant
bugs.
Arrille seemed like a friendly sort, so I asked if there were
any opportunities for a fellow who was willing to work. He
mentioned two or three things that might turn a profit- first,
someone named Hrisskar was having cash-flow problems- he was
upstairs in the bar. Next, anybody who was willing could turn
bounty-hunter; it was open season on smugglers, outlaws, and
criminals. There usually wasn't any reward, but you could keep
whatever you found with no questions asked. Finally, more as a
warning than a suggestion, he talked about the Daedric shrines
scattered around. With weird names and weirder architecture,
they were a magnet for nasty critters and equally nasty
Daedra-worshippers. Arrille's feeling was they were good places
to avoid. In spite of my new gear, I thought that was good
advice.
For now, with my expensive mortar & pestle begging to be used, I
decided to go on a gathering expedition. With the memory of what
had gotten me tossed into prison fresh in my mind, I decided to
take a little stroll out of town to the north. As swampy and
humid as this place was, I guessed there would be good prospects
for mushrooms and marsh plants. One of the few bits of formal
training I had gotten mentioned that "marginal zones" like
coasts, river banks, and swamps were good for medicinal plants.
Some animals could also provide ingredients. Of course, this
wasn't High Rock, so the plants and animals were likely to be
different from what I was used to. I hadn't gone twenty steps
when I found out how right that was. I was wandering around on
the shore when a rock in front of me moved! Then it grew legs
and claws and started toward me! That was no rock; it was a
giant crab. To top it off, one of the guards who had done
nothing up to that time but wander around yelled, "Huarrgh!" and
started running at me with his sword raised. I thought, "This is
just great- jumped by a crab and NOW they find out about the
missing goods."
I started to back away saying, "Easy there, General. I don't
know how it happened. Those plates and things must have just
sort of fallen into the bag while I was dusting."
But the guard ran right by me and started whacking the crab.
Mouth open in shock, I watched him dispatch the monster
crustacean with a couple of blows and then calmly walk away. He
hadn't been after me, at all. Seeing as the crab was no longer
inclined to argue, I examined it closely. Sure enough, there was
some useful meat. It might not taste too good, but it could help
keep me going. I pulled out my bow and resolved to be more
careful about where I put my feet.
Continuing north, I startled a huge rat. His teeth looked like
yellow knives and those beady red eyes were filled with hatred.
He was so close that the bow wasn't going to do me any good, so
I switched to the saber. My technique may not have been good,
but it got the job done. Looking back, my swordsmanship was
probably more suited to chopping wood than dueling, but I was
fighting for my life. Behind some rocks, I discovered what the
rat had been doing. There was a body and it was definitely dead.
Whatever this fellow had been carrying wasn't going to do him
any good anymore, so I searched the corpse. He was carrying a
tax list and 200 gold. Here then, was Processus the Tax
Collector. And whatever had killed him had used a dagger.
Somehow I didn't think it was giant crabs or rats.
#Post#: 2935--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Story of Trey
By: Elisabeth Hollow Date: May 20, 2014, 10:35 am
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I never played Morrowind, so this is cool for me :)
#Post#: 2994--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Story of Trey
By: McBadgere Date: May 22, 2014, 12:05 am
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Absolutely loved this!!...
From Trey's shock at the silt-strider...Well, I think most
people might worry about one...To the finding of the
taxman..."Whoa-ooaah I'm the taxman!!" (Age-check joke)...Loved
this whole thing...
Very much glad you're sharing this from the start...I may
actually get a damned sight further now we're doing it this
way... :D ...
Amazing stuff, even back then!... :P ...
Nice one!!...
*Applauds heartily*...
#Post#: 3128--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Story of Trey
By: treydog Date: May 24, 2014, 10:54 am
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@Miss Liz- Well, you are in luck then- because, except for that
little bit at the beginning, and some of the dialogue later on,
this story follows the game quite closely.
@McBadgere- That is just such a wonderful view from the start of
the game- the strider at Seyda Neen. Especially with a good
graphics card and maybe one of the enhancer mods. Another thing
I remember is having great difficulty with that first mudcrab…
Baby You Can Drive My… Silt-Strider? Hmmm, no- doesn’t quite
work.
And now- more words...
---------------------------
As I stood over the body of the missing tax collector, all I
could think of was that any minute now, a guard would come along
and "discover" the crime. Shortly thereafter, I would be taking
a short walk with a long drop at the end. Or maybe they would
execute me on the spot, claiming to have caught me "in the act
". Even though I was a little rattled, I relieved Processus of
his 200 gold and the tax list before clearing out of there. It
may sound cold to you, but the way I saw it was, you can't spend
gold in Oblivion and the Empire still owed me.
Rather than head straight back to town so soon after my rather
public exit, I decided to follow my original plan- gather some
ingredients. Soon enough, I found four kinds of mushrooms, as
well as some swamp plants. I was a bit uncertain about some of
the mushrooms- as far as I could tell, they would do more harm
than good, but maybe there was a market for that sort of thing.
If I didn't mix them myself, I could always swap for something
useful. The coda flower was particularly interesting- if my
analysis of the properties was right it could be part of a
levitation potion. The idea of being able to float above an
enemy appealed to me. If only I could find something to mix with
it that would have the desired effect. I decided I would move a
little further north into a sunny clearing along the trail to
dry and grind my materials and test the results of various
mixtures.
As I came out of the trees, I spotted something lying on the
ground. It appeared to be a book of some sort. Just as I started
to reach for the book, a blood-curdling scream came from ... up
in the sky? Visions of some huge bird of prey flashed through my
mind as I drew my bow and fearfully looked up. What I saw was a
robed figure, falling from an incredible height. He continued to
scream until he hit the ground, bounced once and lay still. What
kind of place was this? Giant bugs for transportation, people
falling out of the clear blue sky, killer crabs. I almost wished
for my musty pile of straw back at the stable. Still, this just
had to be investigated. First, I scanned the heavens to make
sure that nothing had dropped the guy. If something big enough
to carry off a full-grown man was still around, I wasn't going
to interfere.
The book lying on the ground told me everything I needed to
know. It seems that this Tarhiel, for that was his name, had
invented a spell that would allow him to go really high up into
the sky and cover vast distances in a single leap.
Unfortunately, he had not bothered to think about landing. Say
what you will about alchemists and their tendency to blow things
up, at least we test things. Looking at Tarhiel, I could tell he
spent all his time sitting in a wizard's tower, wearing his
silly fur hat and inventing. Not testing, you understand, just
inventing. Everybody ought to know that any human being can fly-
once, briefly, and straight down. In spite of his questionable
taste in headgear, Tarhiel did provide me with a handy enchanted
sword- a long blade with shock damage. I also took the remaining
scrolls he was carrying- they seemed to be called something like
“Icarian Flight.” Maybe with experimentation, there would be a
way to make them useful.
Let me tell you, this was starting to get more than a little
creepy. I hadn't been in town half a day and had already found
two dead guys. Well, found one dead and watched one die. Maybe
that would have been normal if I was some little old lady scribe
who said "Ayuh" and called people "dear." But I was a thief.
The only time a thief is around dead bodies is when he's robbing
a tomb or else something has gone wrong. I was perfectly willing
to defend myself, but there was a reason I wasn't a pickpocket.
You can usually explain why you are in the wrong house, but it's
a lot harder to come up with a good reason why your hand is in
the wrong pocket. With dead bodies showing up everywhere I went,
I decided to go back to town for a quiet session of potion
making. Also, I happened to have some spare clothing, only
slightly stained, that Arrille might be willing to purchase. Why
anybody would wear one of those Colavian "dunce caps" was beyond
me, but Tarhiel sure didn't need his anymore.
One of the things you should remember if you wish to succeed,
particularly outside the law, is that knowledge is power. When
you know something that others don't, it can be profitable. Why
the lesson in the economics of information? Because it was a
lesson I hadn't learned yet, but was about to. Put another way,
it usually doesn't hurt to keep your mouth shut.
Back in town, I made straight for the Tradehouse and sold off
the extra clothing. Without really thinking about where the
money was coming from, I purchased a couple of summon skeleton
scrolls, which took just about all my gold. What I was thinking
was... well, I probably wasn't thinking, I was just concerned
about all the animals and dead bodies and wanted to have an
edge. The idea was that I could let Uncle Boney take some of the
hits while I cast spells and plunked arrows at the enemy. So
then I walked out the door and talked myself right into trouble.
The first person I encountered was Vodunius, still looking lost
and unhappy. He greeted me politely and I should have done the
same and kept on walking, but instead I said,
"Hey, I found Processus outside of town and he's dead.
Murdered."
You know that voice you hear right AFTER you throw the rock at
the hornet's nest, the smug little voice that says, "Boy, are
you stupid"? Yeah, that one. The voice said to me, "You are a
thief. You don't like the Empire. You just told an Imperial that
you found the body of a murdered Imperial Tax Collector. Why
don't you just drown yourself?"
Vodunius must have been really pre-occupied with his own
troubles, though. He just said, "You should probably tell
Socucius Ergalla at the Census Office, if you are so inclined."
My relief was short-lived. With everyone talking about the
missing tax collector in a town this small, the story was going
to get out. I had to decide- would it be better to wait for the
guards to come see me or to go on and tell the story my way?
Fortunately, I had managed to shut up before blabbing about the
second dead body. Even the dumbest guard would have to start
wondering about why I left a trail of dead men wherever I went.
Even the truth probably wouldn't keep me from an appointment
with the executioner. The Empire had an innovative system for
dealing with suspected murderers- they killed them. The idea was
that anyone suspected of murder was surely guilty of something.
It wasn't easy walking back into the Census Office. The only
reason I ever want to return to the scene of the crime is
because there was too much stuff to carry out the first time. I
did my best "too busy to talk, got things to do" walk through
Gravius' office, ducked into the Census Office, and put on an
"I'm sorry to have to tell you" face.
As expected, Ergalla was upset about the murder, although I got
the feeling that he was more concerned about the idea that
someone was killing Imperial officials; maybe his name was on a
list, too. Then he asked about the tax money. Uh-oh. He gave
some song and dance about how the death was very sad, but the
business of the Empire must go on, but I barely heard it. When I
was buying those useful summoning scrolls, I forgot where most
of the money had come from. Most of it was from Processus’ body,
and I didn't have it anymore. Before I could think of a good
story about how the money was missing when I got there, Ergalla
must have read my face. He insisted that I was going to have to
get the Empire's 200 gold back- or else. I promised to do so,
and wandered out of the office, trying to think of a fast way to
get the cash together. I really didn't want to sell my stuff
back to Arrille; I would take a loss, and besides, I needed
everything I had. About that time, Fate, in the person of a
pinch-faced Altmer, stepped in.
Her name was Eldafire and I had seen her around town before. I
hadn't approached her, because she had a look that said my "lost
puppy" routine wouldn't work; don't even bother to try. She was
clearly angry about something; she stopped me and took in my
not-quite new armor, the unlamented Tarhiel's magic sword, and
the spare saber I had strapped to my back, and sniffed. Let me
tell you, a world of feeling can be conveyed with a sniff, and
this lady was an expert. She could give disdainful sniff lessons
to the Empress. Anyway, she fixed me with a stare and said,
"These guards are useless. So why don't you do something about
those smugglers in Addamasartus? It's a cave over near the silt
strider."
Smugglers...Arrille had mentioned something about smugglers,
too. Maybe they were looking for a little help. I needed to go
over and talk to Darvame Hleran at the silt strider anyway, so I
could take a look at the cave. Smuggling wasn't really my line;
I didn't care for boats that much, but the crew might be able to
use someone who could help sell or distribute the goods. The
more I thought about it, the better I liked the idea. Smugglers
tend to move high-value, low-weight items, just the sort of
thing I was looking to get in on. Never letting on what I was
really thinking, I bowed to the Altmer and said,
"Why, certainly, Eldafire. I would be pleased to investigate the
smuggling problem."
#Post#: 3130--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Story of Trey
By: Elisabeth Hollow Date: May 24, 2014, 12:13 pm
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Please tell me a guy really DOES fall out of the sky XD
#Post#: 3138--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Story of Trey
By: treydog Date: May 24, 2014, 4:58 pm
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Yep
HTML http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4N2Gdglde0
HTML http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4N2Gdglde0
#Post#: 3318--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Story of Trey
By: McBadgere Date: May 30, 2014, 6:59 am
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Well, that was funky!... ;D ...We had to play that one over and
over... ;D ...
A brilliant episode...Thoroughly loved it...
Will never go near Morrowind as it can never live up to the
sheer awesomesauce of this, I tell ya!...
Nice one!!...
*Applauds heartily*...
#Post#: 3488--------------------------------------------------
Re: The Story of Trey
By: treydog Date: May 31, 2014, 9:15 am
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@McBadgere- My first several characters missed actually seeing
Tarhiel falling (and his name is an easter egg btw- some of the
Bethesda folks went to Duke University and their greatest rivals
are the North Carolina Tarheels)- and also failed to find the
body of the tax-collector. Morrowind was the first "non-linear"
game I had ever played, and I just followed the MQ with the
first two or three characters. Anyhow- if you ever do decide to
crank it up, I would recommend getting it for the computer and
adding various graphics mods and a few others like Morrowind
Comes Alive...
And now- on to Trey, still trying to get out of the "starter
town" of Seyda Neen after having accidentally discovered and
then spent the Empire's tax money.
-------------------------------------------
Youth is a wonderful thing. What I mean is- it's a wonder we
survive it.
Growing up the way I had, money represented power. I watched how
the inn-keeper and his wife would fall all over themselves to
provide for the wealthy merchants who occasionally stopped at
the inn. And I knew firsthand how they treated the orphaned
bastard they had "taken to raise." It would be all "Oh, yes,
great wealthy traveler, we can provide care for your 20 horses,"
followed by, "Trey, you lazy idiot, see to Master Moneybags'
horses. When you finish you can have whatever is left in the
kitchen." And whatever was left was usually the sort of stuff
the cook wouldn't even give to the dogs. So money meant a full
stomach, a warm bed, respect. I wanted all those things and I
wanted the money to get them. The result was that I tended to
quickly spend whatever coin came my way. I didn't desire money
for itself, as a way of keeping score; I desired the things
money could provide.
So it was that I found myself heading out of Seyda Neen, trying
to figure out a way to replace the tax money I had found and
promptly spent. The Empire is as protective of its tax money as
a mother bear is of her cubs. As you are reading this, you might
wonder why I didn't just get out of town. Perhaps I could have
just left, hoping that the pursuit wouldn't find me. But
remember, I was a blonde Breton in a land filled with Dunmer; a
land that bristled with Imperial Legion forts and soldiers. And
I didn't know the country- not the terrain, not the factions,
not enough to hide successfully. So, for the moment, I was going
to have to be a good little thief and get the money back. A
citizen had tipped me to the fact that there was a smuggler's
hideout nearby, and I had the idea that I could join them and
replace the tax money while thumbing my nose at the Empire.
Lesson number 43 for being a successful thief- it's about the
profit; emotion is a luxury you can't afford. Don't steal for
vengeance or out of annoyance- steal because you can get away
with it.
As I made my way to Addamasartus (as the cave was called), I
decided to follow up on my idea of talking to Darvame Hleran,
the silt strider driver. When you may need to leave town in a
hurry, it helps to be on friendly terms with the transportation
professionals. I have to admit that I wasn't all that
enthusiastic about riding on a giant bug, particularly one that
resembled nothing so much as a 30-foot tall flea. But I could
always talk to the driver without going for a ride. Right away,
I mentioned Vodunius, figuring that a local reference might make
Darvame more inclined to talk. It seemed to work, as she
explained about the strider routes, some local rumors (which I
had heard before), and mentioned that she didn't think Vodunius
was happy on Morrowind. That last I filed away for later- people
looking for a change of scenery will often sell off their goods
below cost just to raise money.
And speaking of raising money, I needed to get in contact with
those smugglers pretty quick- Ergalla wasn't going to wait
forever. I scanned the area near the strider landing and soon
spotted a wooden doorway in the hillside just above a scummy
pond. There were some apparently random markings carved into the
door frame that told me this was the place. Those who operate on
the fringes have a variety of methods of communication that
don't mean anything to the average citizen or to the
authorities. Carvings, mud splashes, chalk marks, even piles of
stones can indicate places to avoid, people that are good for a
free meal, sanctuary, and so on. Most people don't even see them
or think they are just the work of children. But I could read
the signs well enough to see that this place was a drop-off for
contraband. So, full of plans to get into the local
organization, I stepped into the cave and almost more trouble
than I could handle.
As I entered the cave, I was greeted by the sight of a cheerful
campfire, a small boat pulled up against one wall, and a
red-haired Dunmer woman. I got as far as, "My name is Trey
and...,"
By way of reply she screamed, "You will die!" and ran at me with
a dagger in her hand!
This place was starting to get on my nerves. Here I was, just
trying to make a dishonest living, and every time I turned
around I was tripping over dead bodies or being attacked or
asked to do something I didn't want to do. I guess the smugglers
were an exclusive club, and I hadn't used the right password.
Meanwhile, she was getting closer, so I pulled out the late,
unlamented Tarhiel's sparksword and went to meet her. Believe
me, I will boldly run away if I have to, but in this case I
figured my long sword and armor were more than a match for her
dagger and regular clothes. And besides, I was getting tired of
all this and was really kind of glad to have an excuse to go a
few rounds with somebody.
My skills might have been poor, but hers were non-existent.
Using the superior length of my sword, I stabbed and backed
away, usually causing her wild swings to miss altogether. Most
of the few that got through skidded off my armor and did no
damage. Most. One vicious swipe got past my guard and nicked
the tip of my nose as I pulled my head back just in time. That
did it! I was through playing. Blood dripping from my injured
nose, I went into a flurry of chops and thrusts that quickly put
her down.
Chest heaving from the exertion, I stood there for a minute,
feeling the adrenaline drain away. So now I had taken that
irrevocable step. I had killed another person. Maybe it was
because she had been doing her best to murder me without
provocation, or maybe I was just past caring, but mostly what I
felt was tired. I cleaned my sword and cast a spell to cure my
wound and then set about seeing how much she could contribute to
“Trey's tax replacement fund.” The dagger looked to be worth a
bit; she had a few coins in her pockets, and an
interesting-looking key, marked with arcane symbols. Trouble
was, I was going to have to kill about 20 or 30 smugglers at
this rate to make up the missing money. Well, they were
smugglers; maybe they had some goods I could confiscate.
A quick search of the entry cavern revealed nothing of worth- a
few buckets and the boat, which wasn't going anywhere without
more help than I was likely to get. There was also a locked
gate, leading deeper into the cave. Before opening the gate, I
decided to improve my chances of survival. First, I pulled some
logs from the fire and extinguished them. After they cooled
sufficiently, I smeared charcoal on my armor and weapons to cut
down the reflection. Being quiet does no good if you are shining
like a lamp in the window. Next, I activated my Beggar's Nose
spell to try and get an idea of what else might be around. It
doesn't always show enemies- in fact, it doesn't show people at
all. However, the spell does pick out enchanted items and keys,
as well as animals. Sometimes a magic source is a scroll or
potion; other times it's the magic sword the guy just around the
next bend is planning to use to whack you.
At any rate, the spell showed me a cluster of three enchantments
to the west, a key to the south, and a single source further
away to the northwest. Mindful of the greeting I had received
upon entering, I decided to investigate the cluster of sources
first and carefully opened the gate. As quietly as possible, I
crept up a ladder to the left and came to a landing in front of
a locked gate. Now I was getting somewhere. I said to myself,
"These people probably keep their most valuable stuff in here."
And that turned out to be true, but not in the way I had
expected.
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