Hargoth's Adventure - Day 16

1 Hearthfire (Hey, a new month!)

I woke early after another strange dream and decided to finish the job in Vivec. The third informant was supposed to be in the temple library, so I went there and met Mehra Milo. After going to the back of the library to avoid snooping, she told me some more about the Sixth House and told me I should get a copy of "Progress of Truth" for Caius. There was a copy under guard in the library, but I thought it would be easier to find a copy somewhere else. I tried first at Jobasha's shop, and sure enough, he had a copy. It wasn't cheap, but it was easier than trying to take on city guards. I took a Silt Strider back to Balmora and traded potions with Sharn before I brought all the new information back to Caius. After a promotion to Journeyman, he gave me another job to win over an Ashlander named Hassour in Ald'ruhn. Apparently he still didn't have enough information on the Nerevarine. I'm not even sure I understand the whole thing.

Okay, Almalexia, Sotha Sil, and Vivec (not the city) are the Tribunal, the traditional gods of Morrowind. The Sixth House worships Dagoth Ur, another god that betrayed the others. The Nerevarine cult, a group of Ashlanders, think the Tribunal are false gods, and revere Nerevar, a warrior who died long ago. They have a prophecy of the Nerevarine, who is the reincarnation of Nerevar, and will drive the foreign invaders out of Morrowind. The cult seems to think that all of the gods are partly responsible for Nerevar's death. I'm not sure who's really at fault here, but the Sixth House seems to think Dagoth is coming back, and I think he's the one in my dreams.

I took a Silt Strider back to Ald'ruhn and arrived in the middle of a large sandstorm. I found Hassour in a higher scale inn. I asked him a few questions about Ashlander tradition and gifts, and he mentioned an affinity for poetry. I went to the local book shop and bough a book of poems, which I bought and gave to Hassour, who accepted it graciously.

He told me some more about his people and the Nerevarine, and I thanked him and left to see Caius. I was promoted again to Finder, and he told me about the Emperor's plan. I was selected to come here in the first place because I'm a good candidate to pass for the Nerevarine himself, and the Emperor was interested in seeing more about this. Caius seems to think I might even be the real thing. They want me to see some cultists up north in the Urshilaku camp of Ashlanders about it, but first Caius told me to see a couple guys at Moonmoth named Somutis and Crulius about supplies.

They gave me some potions and scrolls to protect myself against diseases such as Blight, which seem to be a problem up north. I thanked them for the help, bought a few more health potions, and then went back to Balmora for the night. I found some fresh supplies in the shared Fighters Guild chest and then came down here to the barracks to rest.

Hargoth's Adventure - Day 15

30 Last Seed

I woke up and felt empowered, more alert.

I took a short walk back to the tomb and went inside. There were many undead foes inside, such as Ancestor Ghosts and Skeletons. I had no reason to fear though, as my axe made short work of the abominations.

The tomb was fortunately easier to explore than those Dwemer ruins, and before too long I found a chamber with the skull I was looking for as well as a nice little dagger to sell.

I returned to Pelagiad and sold off some excess equipment to the trader. Then I set off for Balmora to get what I needed from Sharn. I think my armor setup is a bit interesting. My legs, left arm, and right shoulder are still equipped with Dark Brotherhood gear, while my head, torso, left shoulder, and right arm are wearing Bonemold, the best medium armor I've found.

Shut up, I think it's kind of neat. Also, from now on the screen shots will be bigger because I increased the screen resolution. On the road to Balmora, I stopped at the fort again to tell Larrius that I had killed Fjol.

He thanked me and gave me a hundred drakes, although he still wanted the five Carmonna Tong dead. I went back to Sharn and gave her the skull. She gave me some notes about the Nerevarine, which I brought to Caius. He rewarded me with a promotion to Apprentice, and gave me a new task in Vivec. Members of the Morag Tong, which is a guild of legally sanctioned assassins, Tribunal Temple, the religion of Morrowind, and Thieves Guild had more information he required. Is this supposed to happen? I first saw Netches at that farm but now I see them all over the place.

I took a Strider there and went to find Huleeya, the Morag Tong in the foreign quarter. I tracked him down in a club, but he was being harassed by some Dark Elves for being Argonian. I used half of the money Caius gave me for expenses to get them to leave him alone, and then brought him to his friend Jobasha's book shop. Once there, Huleeya gave me the info I needed. The next step was Addhiranirr, a Khajiit thief in the St. Olms canton. I asked around for a while until I found someone in the Waistworks who seemed to know more than he was telling me. After a few coins opened his mouth, he told me to look for her in the Underworks. This would be a lot cheaper if I was better at talking to people. I explored the sewers for a while until I found my target, but she was unwilling to give me what I needed until I took care of a Census and Excise Agent that was looking for her.

Those were the guys who got me situated here, and the girl Lorbumol wants me to kill works for them. I found the Agent not far from my informant, and told him a lie that Addhiranirr had returned to the mainland. I returned to the thief, who told me about some smugglers who apparently had taken work from the Sixth House and was being strangely secretive about it. It was getting late, so I thanked her and returned to the Fighers Guild in the foreign quarter to get some sleep.

Hargoth's Adventure - Day 13-14

28 Last Seed

I arose feeling fresh, and left the Guild to see Caius. When I got to his house he was ready for me, and told me he needed information about the Nerevarine and Sixth House cults. He told me to see Hasphat in the Fighters Guild about it, and also gave me a book on Morrowind's history. I had met Hasphat before, although he still wanted me to do something for him in return for the information I needed. Coincidentally, he wanted me to enter the strange door I found yesterday and find a Dwemer Puzzle Box inside. I had never heard of them before, but they seemed to be an ancient race of considerable power. These are apparently the "Dwarves" of The Elder Scrolls series. Their gear usually seems pretty good. I guess they have the same role here that the Ayleids have in Oblivion. I accepted his request and walked back to the ruin.

The insides of the place, called Arkngthand, were very interesting, both ancient feeling and filled with incredible technologies. There was also a band of smugglers here, and I fought them many times as I searched for the box.

As I descended farther into the ruin, I found a lot of nice artifacts and more enemies, but not what I was looking for. I came upon a locked door and used one of my scrolls to open it. On the other side, I was attacked by some of the most amazing creatures I'd ever seen, Centurion Spheres and Spiders, built long ago by the Dwemer.

I was also assaulted by Spectres of the place's former inhabitants, and had no way to effectively fight them, my axe passing through them without a scratch. I looked around a bit but had to leave before I was killed. I went back over the rooms I had already covered, and found a path on some rocks that I hadn't followed before, I went through a door, and fought a Battlemage who ambushed me. After defeating him, I found what I was looking for, the Puzzle Box. I snatched it and left the place in a hurry. I went back to Balmora and found Hasphat, who thanked me for the box and gave me what I came for. As I left the guild to report to Caius, I was accosted by a Dunmer named Rararyn who seemed to be a Sixth House cultist. He didn't bother me too much though, so I left him and gave Caius the notes. He thanked me but still needed more information about the Nerevarine, and told me to see an orc named Sharn, this time in the Mages Guild. I agreed and went to sleep.

29 Last Seed

I had a strange dream last night. I don't remember it too clearly, but there was a man in a golden mask and lots of dead people. It was distressing, but I didn't have time to worry about it. I went and saw Sharn, who agreed to give me what I needed in exchange for getting a skull out of a tomb near Pelagiad. She also warned that the undead inside were not vulnerable to normal weapons, and gave me a magic dagger. Unfortunate, since I am still useless with a normal blade. I bartered with the various people inside the hall, and sold off a lot of trinkets and ingredients I wasn't using, enough to buy a special axe at about a third of the price. Even without the flame effect it was the most powerful one I had seen.

Confident with my new weapon, I decided to go on a detour before visiting the tomb, and rode a Silt Strider to Seyda Neen. Once there, I headed west towards Hla Oad. Along the way, I was attacked by several creatures, and the new axe worked out great. Eventually I reached Oad and just beyond found my target, Fjol. I thought I was finally ready for him, and I was. Midway through the fight my axe lost its flame ability, but I destroyed him all the same. I was all ready to complain about the use of echanted weapons being too strict, with only ten good whacks in the fully charged version before it runs out, and with soul gems being so expensive. But then on the way back to Seyda Neen I attacked a Cliff Racer and was surprised to see it get hit with a ball of fire. It turns out Morrowind's magic weapons recharge over time. That's definitely a change Oblivion made that completely does not improve the user experience. I retraced my steps and then followed the path to Pelagiad. I found the tomb, but by the time I got there it was dark, so I bought a room in the inn again and decided to pursue my quest tomorrow.

Hargoth's Adventure - Day 12

27 Last Seed

I woke up in the guild hall and headed out to find the Tomb. On the way to where I thought it was, I spotted a bridge going somewhere behind the Moonmoth fort and decided to check it out. The trail going north split off going up a hill towards the bridge, so I followed it and reached the structure. Walking across it, I noticed a man at the other end and some mysterious architecture behind him. As I got closer to him, he casted a spell that summoned a skeleton and started attacking me. Not understanding what was going on, I defended myself and ended up killing him.

Why Snowy? What drove you to this?

Looking around a bit more, I found a strange door leading into the mountain and a unique lever. Pulling on the device, the door opened for a few seconds before shutting again.

Not wanting to explore further without more information, I went back down the slope and looked for the Tomb. It wasn't long before I found it near Thoronor and Edras. On entering, it wasn't long before I was attacked by a Bonewalker.

After I slew it it wasn't long before I realized that the place was crawling with Undead, not just a Hunger. Some were trapped behind doors they couldn't seem to open, but there was also a skeleton patrolling the hallway that I had to take care of.

I explored the Tomb a bit, and found some trinkets and a silver staff in containers. I hoped the family wouldn't mind a bit of a reward in return for ridding their resting place of this evil. Eventually through a doorway I found a chamber with the Hunger inside, seemingly waited for me.

I gathered all of my strength and prepared for a mighty blow, but as I struck, nothing happened. Just like the Scamp, the steel had no effect. I'm not sure if all Daedra are like this, but I'll be sure to watch out for them. Thinking quickly, I pulled out the silver staff, and luckily it worked. Apparently the special properties of the fine metal aren't limited in usefulness to just lycanthropes. It took some doing, but I smashed the beast's brains in. It had an immensely valuable helm on it that I decided to keep for my efforts. I gathered myself and returned to Balmora for my reward. Eydis paid me and told me she had no more jobs for me to do. Not wanting to find another Guild steward or do more work for Lorbumol, I decided this was as good a time as any to return to Caius and see about doing what I came here for in the first place. I'll see him first thing in the morning.

Hargoth's Adventure - Day 9-11

24-26 Last Seed

It's been a strange and draining few days. I woke up a few mornings ago feeling physically empowered.

I sold off some goods, and continuing my circuit between Balmora and Vivec, I headed towards Pelagiad to hunt down the Verethi gang. Without much incident, I reached the town, and was directed to the gang's hideout in a nearby cave.

Inside I was quickly ambushed by a female warrior, and I was dismayed by how well she held her own. I was low on potions and knew I wouldn't last long if everyone in the gang fought as well as her, so after killing her I retreated to the town. I sold some more extraneous gear to the local trader. I find it humorous how merchants immediately start wearing any quality gear you give them upon finishing the trade.

I then bought a room in the nearby inn and then crashed on the bed until I woke up several hours later, feeling refreshed.

I must have had a lot of experience built up, because what follows is a shameful cycle of defeating one or two enemies, resting to level up and restore health, and repeating. I returned to my mission, and found another foe, more easily dispatched this time.

Don't bring a knife to an axe fight. Creeping forward in the cave, I spotted another woman with a huge blade, and decided to regroup again before taking her on.

I meditated in my room, and then came back to take her down with some difficulty. That sword was insane. Two solid whacks could kill me. Moving forward, I found the first male gang member, a weakling of a spellcaster who fell on my axe. Left on the cutting room floor: I first tried using that huge sword on the next guy, but I realized halfway through him killing me that I simply wasn't hitting him at all. The sword's great, but since my sword skill was so pitiful I just couldn't use it. I had even sold my axe without realizing my mistake. Not having a save recent save before doing so, I had to go and buy back the proper weapon at a loss. Morrowind's really less forgiving than Oblivion with stuff like this. I pushed on an encountered another magic user, although this one had a nice axe and knew how to use it. I barely slew him before he did me in.

That was close. I went back to town to rest my weary flesh once again.

I entered the cave for the last time, and tracked down Verethi. He was a worthy foe, but the task was paying off in supplies and equipment even before I collected the bounty on his head. I saw Lorbumol and paid him Lirielle's debt out of my own pocket, a total equal to what I was promised for Verethi's head. I don't like this guy too much. He promoted me to Warder, and gave me a contract for a woman called Adraria. I wandered around Vivec, getting a feel for the city, and then took a Silt Strider to Seyda Neen to track down my target. She was a tax collector, and the door into their warehouse was locked. I used a magic ring I found to unlock it, but a guard spotted me. I paid him the fine, and then he wandered away as I walked into the building anyway. I don't really understand these guys. Upstairs I found Adraria, but there was another guard right in the room, and while talking to her I couldn't figure out why Lorbumol had a contract for her. I really don't like that guy too much.

Ignoring the job for now, I took another Silt Strider to Balmora and talked to Eydis, who rewarded me for Verethi and gave me another job to kill a Hunter that was defiling a nearby tomb. I took the job, and decided to rest for the night before going after the creature. I think I'm tiring of these contracts and will probably see Caius again soon.

Hargoth's Adventure - Day 7-8

22 Last Seed

Waking up, I felt strong, quicker on my feet, and tougher.

In the morning, I left town and headed East to meet Alof. I found his cabin fairly easily along the road towards Suran. He told me about some Orcs in a nearby Daedric ruin to the north, and said killing their leader would probably make them leave. I went off the road to find the ruin, and came upon it fairly quickly. Inside, I found Burub gra-Bamog, my toughest single opponent yet. I killed her, and told Alof that I had gotten rid of them. I found a path heading south so I could return to Vivec. On the way I passed through a large plantation that was practically a small town.

I then tried crossing a low spot in the river, but was attacked by some Slaughterfish. Next time I'll be more careful about moving in open water. Soon I made it back to Lorbumol, who paid me for dealing with Tongue-Toad then told me of another bounty, on a Khajiit named Dro-Sakhar in one of the poor districts. After a little snooping, I tracked him down and dispatched him with ease. Lorbumol rewarded me and promoted me to Defender, and then told me about a debt that had to be paid by a woman in Ald'ruhn. I could keep half if I collected, so I agreed. I took a Silt Strider back to Balmora and told Eydis about Alof. She paid me and gave me a new job to kill Dovres Verethi, leader of a gang that hangs near Pelagiad. That was the end of my long day with lots of traveling, and tomorrow I return to Ald'ruhn.

23 Last Seed

I woke up feeling refreshed and headed north. When I reached Caldera, I remembered my promise to return Aeta's jewels, and went searching for the cave where the thieves had hid. It took some time and I was attacked by many beasts, including an Alit, but I found it and went inside. There were many dastardly characters inside, but I slogged through, bashing them all to pieces with my axe. I found a few magic scrolls useful for opening locks, and took them happily. Eventually I found the head thief with the jewels, and killed him the same as the rest. There's no soft spot in my heart for people as greedy as him. You have the option to let him live and give him half of Aeta's reward in return for the jewels, but that ain't me, yo. I recovered the heirlooms and returned them to Aeta, who rewarded me nicely.

I then continued to Ald'ruhn to find Lirielle, who owed the debt. I found her in the inn where I met Tongue-Toad earlier, but she informed me that the debt was actually her brothers, and she couldn't pay. He had been killed in Mallapi, a cave near Gnaar Mok. I decided to track down his body so I could hopefully recover some of the debt I now knew I would end up paying. Some people just aren't lucky. I found Mallapi, and inside was attacked by a Scamp, who seemed immune to the effects of my axe. I decided to try to maneuver past him, and also ran across a Clannfear which I avoided. I lost them, but was attacked by a Sorcerer, who I was forced to defeat. She had several scrolls nearby on a table with an interesting book (which improved my never-to-be-used Conjuration skill), which I took to use or sell. Following another path in the cave, I found the body of the brother, who had some money and other valuables on him, including an amulet that could magically open locks, although not as effectively as my scrolls. Just what he had on him might be enough to pay his debt.

I left the cave and walked back to Balmora. I decided to use one of the scrolls to unlock the door to Ralen Hlaalo's manor. Inside, I examined his body, and then found Uryne, the maid. She had witnessed the murder, and described the killer. Asking around town, it seemed the description matched Thanelen Velas, who happened to be one of the Carmonna Tong that Larrius wanted dead. Fairly sure I still wasn't ready to take on five thieves at once, I decided to return here to the Fighters Guild for the night.

Hargoth's Adventure - Day 5-6

20-21 Last Seed

Sleeping in someone else's house didn't seem to be a problem. I guess some merchants don't get much time for bed. I snuck out in the morning and took a Silt Strider back to Balmora, but not before a local told me about a strange man nearby. I might investigate if I return there again. Eydis rewarded me for my trouble in Suran, and told me about a bounty on an Orc in the city named Dura gra-Bol. I asked around to find her house, went it, and asked her if she was indeed my target. After she confirmed it, I slew her and collected my reward. No need to trifle about. Eydis said she didn't have any more work for me at my current rank, so I decided to head over to Vivec and see what was available there. On the way there, I came across a clearing filled with Netch.

Some herders lived there, and told me about their trade. It was quite a sight. Shortly after, I came upon the massive city of Vivec. It's constructed of several gargantuan temple-like buildings called cantons, placed upon the water and connected by bridges and tunnels. The first one I saw, and the one I was looking for, housed the foreign quarter.

After getting used to the layout a bit, I found the Fighters Guild and met Lorbumol gro-Aglakh, an Orc with some guild work. He asked me to retrieve a ring from another Orc named Nar, who had failed to deliver it properly. I found him in the Hlaalu Canton, and he was willing to give me the ring after I greased the hinges a bit. I returned it to Lorbumol, and was disappointed to find my reward was as much as I spent on the bribe. Money hasn't been a problem for me though, and doing this task was enough to make me a Protector, so I didn't mind. Lorbumol gave me another task, to silence Tongue-Toad, an Argonian currently in Ald'ruhn. It was night time when I left Vivec by Silt Strider and morning when I arrived in Balmora. I didn't get much sleep, and decided to keep going. I met back up with Eydis, who gave me a new job, to deal with some Orcs bothering a man named Alof who lived near Pelagiad. I trekked north towards Ald'ruhn. On the way, I was asked by a Redguard named Pemenie to escort her to Gnaar Mok. It wasn't too far off my current path, so I agreed. Eventually the path spit, and I went west, shortly coming upon Gnaar Mok, another coastal village.

Pemenie and thanked me with a pair of magic boots. They made me incredibly fast, but also completely blind while wearing them, unfortunately. Quite a cruel trick. They might be useful in some situations, though. I backtracked to the fork in the road and headed North. On the way, I met another person in need, an Argonian named Rasha who asked me to deliver some goods to Ald'ruhn, where I would be paid for the effort. I agreed since that's where I was headed, and soon came upon a town that looked unlike any I'd seen in this land before.

I decided to take care of the shipment first, and found a Clothier which turned out to be the wrong one. The owner Bevene told me about some work though; a local named Ienas had failed to fully pay for a purchase. I told her I would do what I could, and found Bivale's shop, which was the one I was looking for. To my surprise, she also told me about a debt that Ienas had failed to pay her. After delivering the supplies, I went around and asked other shop owners, and sure enough, three others were owed money by Ienas. I confronted him, but he did not respond to threats of violence, which are my specialty, and didn't seem receptive to a bribe either. I went back to one of the merchants, an Enchanter named Llether, and bought a magic scroll to charm Ienas. It seemed to do the trick, and a little more money convinced him to give me back the goods so I could return them to the shopkeepers. They paid me about as much as I spent on the scroll and bribe, but at least the town was a better place. I found Tongue-Toad at the pub, and he talked me into letting him leave instead of killing him. I wasn't looking forward to a fight anyway, since it appeared that several in the bar had his back. I took a Silt Strider back to Balmora, and am now in the Fighters Guild, about to go to sleep.

Hargoth's Adventure - Day 3-4

18 Last Seed

This is a short entry, as I spent most of the day traveling. Early this morning, I was again awoken by a Dark Brotherhood Assassin. I was able to defeat him, but this was becoming annoying, so I decided to put aside my duties and bring an end to the attacks. After I slept for a few more hours.

I walked back to Balmora and then sucked it up and rode a Silt Strider back to Seyda Neen. I sold some of the second assassin's gear to Arrille, and there met Elone, a Redguard Scout and another Blade, who gave me a guide to the island. From, there, I decided to walk to Ebonheart. Passing the enormous city of Vivec, I made it to my destination.

I found Apelles on the battlements, and told him what happened. He found it hard to believe I had encountered their agents and lived, but said he'd take care of it and gave me the name of someone to talk to if I wanted to confront the Brotherhood in Mournhold. Hoping this would solve my problem, I journeyed back north. It was getting late, so I stopped in Pelagiad to sleep.

I remembered this is where Maurrie said I might find the man who robbed her, so I tracked down Nelos Onmar, who seemed to return her feelings and asked me to give her a note. I then bought a room and am now going to bed, hoping my night troubles are over.

19 Last Seed

It was nice to awake without being assaulted. I left the town, heading back towards Caldera to complete my current task. On the way, I passed another tough ruffian, this time a Dunmer. These guys are everywhere. I saw Maurrie again on the road and gave her the good news. She seemed happy and told me about a friend of hers I should visit some time. Maybe I will. I got back to Caldera, and saw a woman who looked distressed. Her name was Aeta, and her jewels were stolen by thieves. When will women in this land learn to avoid traveling unaccompanied? I agreed to help her, although I don't know when I will. I continued North and went around to the mine, looking for interlopers. They weren't hard to find. An Archer was standing guard outside one of the entrances, and he attacked me immediately. I killed him with great difficulty, and was rewarded for my troubles with a new, heavy cuirass and a shield. I prepared myself for his friends inside.

That wasn't easy either. I used both of my Nordic powers, and drank several of my potions, but I defeated three foes at once. It was my greatest battle yet. I returned to Balmora to report my success, receive the rank of Swordsman, and get some rest. I woke up feeling stronger, smarter, and lighter on my feet. Level up!

Leveling up improves things like health and lets you choose three base attributes to improve. I went with strength and agility for gameplay reasons, and intelligence because in this game you need to meet skill requirements to advance in rank in your factions. I guess I don't need to rank up in the Blades to advance the main quest, so that might have been a waste, but it's not a big deal.

Eydis gave me another job, to acquire a special code book from local thief Sottilde. I'd done minor business with her before, but she didn't seem keen to give the book. I don't trust in my ability to smooth talk, so I tried improving her opinion of me by giving her some gold. It cost me, but I got the book out of her. Eydis paid me for the trouble, but less than I spent getting it, so I wasn't too happy about it. I have a feeling the Thieves Guild won't take kindly to me anymore. Completing the quest in this way prevents you from ever joining the guild. Oh well, I didn't plan on it.

Before I could stew too much Eydis gave me another job to collect some owed money from a shop owner in Suran. I went east, past the Fields of Kummu where I escorted Nevrasa. I ran into a Bosmer named Thoronor, who was worried about his missing friend, Edras. As soon as I agreed to help look, I was attacked by two Kagouti, especially vicious thanks to being in heat. I summoned a Skeleton to help using a scroll I had gotten, and was hurt to within an inch of my life before slaying them. Close by I found Edras, who had run off to study the Kagouti and was trapped by them. I brought him back to Thoronor, and I was thanked for my troubles and rewarded with a ring that should allow me to fall far without injury. Continuing on, I passed by some lone huts and a couple plantations being worked by Argonian and Khajiiti slaves. There was another quest here I couldn't complete in the way I wanted to. Past the farms, I found Suran.

Another smallish city, but I had a bit of difficulty finding board. Before that, I found Helviane Desele in her seedy club. I was distracted by the dancers, but used my charms and a bit of gold to convince her to pay what she owed. I couldn't find an inn, so as I'm writing this, I'm about to go to sleep in some stranger's bed. I hope I don't awake in trouble with him or the law.

Hargoth's Adventure - Day 2

17 Last Seed

I was interrupted in my sleep early this morning by a loud noise. It's lucky I was, because I was then attacked by a man wearing strange armor, and if I was still asleep he surely would have killed me. I defeated him, and found a note on his corpse with orders to dispatch me. He appeared to be with a group called the Dark Brotherhood. And this is how they introduce the first expansion, Tribunal. It's a cool idea, but this played out really awkwardly. I left the door open when I went to sleep, and he was stuck behind it on the stairs. It's also strange how nearby NPCs just stand and watch you get attacked after them always coming to my aid in Oblivion.

Although I've been trained in the use of heavier armor, his gear was quite a bit sturdier than anything I currently had, so I decided to take it and sell what remained. I then fell asleep for a few more hours before waking and setting out to find Caius using Bacola's directions. On the way, I asked a guard about the Dark Brotherhood, and he told me to tell Apelles Matius about the attack, who is currently in Ebonheart. I'll do that soon, but I have other things I'm concerned with. I made it to Caius' house and met the old man, who's still pretty fit, not surprising for a Monk. After seeing the package I delivered, he inducted me into the Blades, the Emperor's secret spy network. It was by the Emperor's own will that I was set free and I am bound by duty to serve him as best I can. Before giving me any orders, Caius gave me some gold and advised me to visit fellow Blades for training and get some more experience.

I used the directions he gave me to find some local members, and they gave me advice and some items to use or sell; armor, alchemical equipment and ingredients. The armor wasn't as good as the Brotherhood gear and I don't have the brains to make sense of potion-making, so I traded them for gold. It took some time to find someone willing to buy the Moon Sugar, as most alchemists won't even deal with people who have it for legal reasons. I ended up finding a Khajiit named Ajira in the local Mages Guild chapter who took it off my hands.

While walking around, I heard a rumor about someone named Ralen Hlaalo being killed, and asking about it, I was directed to the Balmora headquarters of House Hlaalu. The Great Houses rule Morrowind, and Hlaalu is one of three with a presence in Vvardenfell. Inside the hall, I met a Dunmer named Nileno who seemed keen on having me join the House, and gave me a book including details about Council Members who I will need to meet to do so. I'd like to learn more about the Houses before committing to one, since they are fierce rivals with each other, so for now I just asked about Ralen. She asked me to find the murderer, but couldn't help me more than that. I checked what she had for sale, and it was stuff Thieves would buy. Strange woman. I kept asking around, and heard a rumor Nine-Toes was the killer. He's the Argonian Blade who gave me the Moon Sugar, so I didn't believe it was him, but went to ask him about it. He confirmed that he didn't do it. I'm normally not that trusting, but I feel as though I might as well believe a fellow Blade, because if I can't do that, then who can I believe? I went and tried to talk to the maid in Ralen's house. The doors were locked, so I had reached a dead end. I decided to see what Larrius wanted. I walked the short distance to Moonmoth Legion Fort.

Inside, I found Larrius. He mentioned an outlaw attacking people near Hla Oad I should take care of. I suspect it's the same man I avoided earlier. It is. He then told me a story about a magistrate taking bribes from criminals to reduce their sentences, and in not so many words, asked me to get rid of them. I went back to town, and asking the Thieves Guild members, I was told that the criminals in question were Carmonna Tong members who liked to hang out nearby. I went to the club and got a look at the targets, but they were many and strong looking, so I thought it best to wait until I was more prepared.

Wanting a way to improve my abilities, I decided to join the Fighters Guild, as Caius told me they're good about giving new recruits tasks that suit their skill level. I found the local Guild Hall and got recruited by Eydis Fire-Eye. She allowed me access to a chest with potions and tools to repair equipment, which I'm good at, and instructed me to kill the rats that have infested a nearby house. I quickly did so, and itching for another fight, I asked for another job as soon as I reported the first's completion. Eydis had me set out to take care of some egg poachers that were raiding a Kwama mine a little to the south. Outside, I was ambushed by a Kagouti that I think I saw following me the previous day, but I was able to kill it. I entered the mine, and fought off foragers while looking for the bandits. I ran across them one at a time, and both of them attacked on sight, so I didn't feel bad about ending their lives. I returned to Balmora for my reward. Eydis promoted me to the rank of Journeyman, and gave me another task to stop some rogue members of House Telvanni and the Thieves Guild who were causing trouble in a mine to the north. On the way there, I was assaulted by a Nix-Hound, but smote it like all the other beasts. Since it was getting late, I passed the mine and went to the town of Caldera to get some sleep.

I found the house of Surane Leoriane, another Blade, who gave me some advice. Her quarters were cramped, so I went to the local inn and bought a room for the night. Like the other Blades, Surane offers her bed for free rest, but she doesn't actually have one in her house, at least not outside the locked door downstairs. Irritating. I will now get some rest before pursuing my quest further tomorrow.

Hargoth's Adventure - Day 1

16 Last Seed (August, essentially. The Elder Scrolls calendar is pretty much like ours, except every month is 30 days.)

I woke up this morning in the bowels of a ship, with a strange man looking at me. He asked my name, and I gave it to him. I am Hargoth. That I know, but I can't remember much else. He told me there was a big storm last night and I slept right through it.

A guard came over and ordered me to follow him. I complied, and he led me upstairs to a hatch. Oh my God, the walking animation is terrible. Especially from behind, it's just impossible to take seriously. I'll try to deal. I don't know why, but I was released from prison in Cyrodiil and ordered to be brought to Morrowind, homeland of the Dark Elves, and released. I opened the hatch, stepped onto the deck, and got my first look at my new home.

It was certainly different. Seyda Neen isn't a particularly wealthy town, but it has a certain charm to it. The presence of a gigantic, insect-like creature was a little starting. Apparently they're called Silt Striders, and are used to quickly travel from place to place here. Unlike Oblivion, Morrowind has no horses and you have to pay to fast-travel. This will probably be the biggest adjustment I'll have to make. While escorting me to the Census Office, a guard made note of my proud Nord heritage. Just like Oblivion, Morrowind integrates the race/class decisions into the game pretty naturally. I decided to be a Nord because they're good at heavy combat, and that's what I'm gonna mess with first.

Before my papers are put in order, a man asked me several questions to make sure everything was correct. He correctly surmised that I have training in the ways of the Barbarian. This is one of the ways to determine your class, others are to pick from a list or make your own.

Here's my different stats and skill levels. As you can see, I purposefully chose a race and class combination that maximized my prowess in the important areas.

As I continued through the office, I spotted a dagger stabbed through a note on the table. Following the voices I've recently been hearing in my head recently (Tutorial instructions), I decided to take it, and tested my feel for it.

While passing to the final checkpoint before I was allowed out into the open, the voices spoke again, and told me to look in the nearby barrel. I found a small ring that I realized would allow me to heal myself if I needed it. What a treasure! Here's the different menus available. In the lower left my inventory, in the upper left my stats, now including things like factions I belong to and how well people know me, a map in the upper right, and any magic I can use in the lower right.

In the next room, the Captain Sellus Gravius checked my papers and said I was fine to go. Before I left, I learned a few basic facts from him to get me reoriented and he gave me instructions to deliver a message to Caius Cosades in Balmora. He recommended I take a Silt Strider to stay out of trouble, but I wanted to do a bit of exploring. Morrowind has voices for random comments on the street, but actual conversations are silent, and much... longer than Oblivion's.

This is the journal, which is quite useful, showing not only information on quests but also letting you look up what others have told you about various topics. I would have said something in character about it, but that doesn't make sense since this is supposed to be my journal.

Outside, I ran into a Wood Elf with a name very similar to mine, Fargoth! That was weird. He told me about this ring of his that was confiscated by the guards, and I had a sinking feeling that it was the one I had just found. I showed it to him, and sure enough, it was his. I wanted that ring. He was very grateful though, and told me he'd put in a good word with Arrille, High Elf owner of the local shop. It once again proved my belief that good deeds bring good rewards. He also told me about Solstheim, an island to the north. Perhaps I'll explore it some time. This is how they introduce Bloodmoon, the second expansion. I can go there now, but it would be smart to get to a higher level first. A bit later, I decided to enter the shop, and Arrille indeed greeted me with open arms. Since I'm more comfortable with a blunt instrument than a blade, I decided to buy a mace with some of the money Sellus gave me to put me on my feet. Since Arrille's disposition towards me was 80/100 and most people seem to start at 40, I assume that's the reward for returning the ring, and I assume that it resulted in better prices. After talking with a few more citizens, I set off for Balmora.

Shortly after leaving, a strange thing happened. I heard a scream coming from above, and looked up to see a curious man in a robe fall and land with a sickening thud right in front of me. He had a note with him, which explained that he had finally found the recipe for a potion that would allow him to safely travel great distances. I guess it turned out it wasn't so safe, as he was dead. Having learned as a Barbarian to get everything I can out of the land, even if that land is made up of recently alive magicians, I decide to take his three remaining potions and clothing. I probably won't drink them for a while after what I saw happen to him, but his garments were fairly valuable. I decided to move on. Before long, I encountered my first battle in these new lands... and it was with a giant rat. It didn't put up much of a fight, and I quickly dispatched it.

Further up ahead, I met another strange creature that wanted me for lunch, a large, muddy crab. I also defeated it and moved on. The road took me through another town, known as Hla Oad. It was quaint, but I was able to sell the clothes and bought a couple healing potions with the profit. I was told this was Carmonna Tong territory, which I've heard is a criminal underground run by natives, but I didn't ask too many questions. There was someone with a boat willing to take passengers, and since I'm still wary of riding inside a huge bug, I might return there next time I need to get somewhere quickly. I continued on the road to Balmora, but not before taking another look at Hla Oad.

Not far along the road, I saw a tough looking guy and he seemed like trouble. I avoided him, as I must admit to not being fully confident with my fighting ability yet. Talking to this guy triggers a quest and makes him attack you, and after he killed me a few times, I decided I wasn't ready for it yet. I continued to head north, but at some point I must have went on the wrong road, because I got lost. Eventually I crossed a bridge and met a native Pilgrim named Nevrasa, who asked me to escort her to a place called the Fields of Kummu. She showed it to me on her map, and it wasn't far off from my intended goal, so I agreed. Immediately, we were attacked by a large, flying creature. Together we defeated it, and she told me it was called a Cliff Racer. There are many strange beasts to be wary of here. While guiding her along, I met another woman, a Breton, called Maurrie. A bandit had stolen something of hers, but she didn't want it back. She asked me to find him in Pelagiad and give her a memento in the hope he will realize her feelings. I don't know when I'll ever go there, but I agreed. Who am I to stand in the way of love? I brought Nevrasa to the fields, and after she paid me for the help, I went west towards Balmora. I passed an Imperial fort on the way, and then finally arrived in the large city.

I asked the locals some questions to learn more about the area, and then made my way to an inn called the South Wall as Captain Sellus told me. There was some strange activity here as the Thieves Guild appeared to be having a meeting downstairs, but I didn't intrude. Actually I did, but the game crashed. They're rivals with the Carmonna Tong, so I'd like to avoid association for now. I traded some items I found for a bit of money, and then found the owner, Bacola Cluscius. He gave me directions to Caius Cosades' house and also told me that Larrius Varro, an Imperial Warrior in charge of the fort I passed, which apparently houses both the Imperial Legion and the Imperial Cult in the region, wanted to see me about something. I then bought a room for the night, and decided to write this before going to sleep. I'll only rest for a few hours so I can get up early tomorrow.