Elder Scrolls: Arena - Tenyin Mariner

Chapter 7

                I could only give casual farewells to the Innkeeper that initially hesitantly housed me and has since with pleasure. Sader kept his neutral face but I was hoping he was feeling something with my leave. It was hard for me to keep my stature after the bitter goodbye with the Craftsman, but I managed it as I spoke for the Innkeeper for the last time.

"Got all of your stuff and ready to go, then? Having you around this long makes me feel like I'm going to miss you. Not to mention I won't have anybody to put in that room of yours except for drunks most of the time." It was the most heartfelt sendoff I will get from a man as business minded but I respected it none the less. I easily can take it as what it is meant to say underneath.

"Don't worry, you'll get someone with all the business that came in recently." The Innkeeper huffed and nodded. Sader kept quiet, looking but working as well. I knew he wasn't someone who got sentimental. Not unusual for a Redguard, possibly one from an original family from Yokuda before it was sunk into the ocean.

"Probably. Anyhow, stay safe." That would be the end of the conversation, but I still needed a direction, something to go on and I had at least a topic to ask about.

"I do have one thing. Have you heard anything about a place called Fang Lair? Maybe a rumor about someone who could know something?" A shrug dashed the possibilities of having an easy start but Sader spoke up finally.

"Start in the more populated area, specifically Rihad. It is a much larger place that can most likely get you started with what you have to find." I couldn't say I remembered the locations of every place but that did sound a bit familiar. Although the oddity of the sudden and partially specific answer did make me think there was more I wasn't being told.

"Okay but how would you know that?" The Innkeeper glanced over his shoulder and Sader looked down after the gazes of the two met. Weird behavior but I pulled out the scroll that was given to me by a stranger and unrolled it. I knew what I wanted, and it instantly filled the parchment with what it was. When I set it on the bar, both Sader and the Innkeeper looked extremely surprised. I didn't want to explain the magic the simple item held.

"Can you point out where Rihad is here?" The map didn't show just Belkarth Guard like it did before but instead showed the entirety of Hammerfell. It had on it three symbols and light brown lines connecting the symbols. The smaller homes most likely signified much smaller towns. An elongated home like the one that symbolized Belkarth Guard itself signified towns that were larger but haven't reached their largest size. Those largest cities were shown by a castle structure and unfortunately, Sader slowly pointed to a castle structure on the southern point of Hammerfell.

"There. Is this that thing I brought you all those months ago?" I just nodded and rolled the parchment back up and pushed it below the plate chest piece the Craftsman graciously gave me.

"Indeed, it is. It turns out it is much more magical than it looked to be. Well, at least I have something. I appreciate your generosity while I was in need, both of you." The two nodded back, the scroll no doubt plaguing their mind now.

The weather outside was getting warmer but the snow still fell. I was going to miss the easy life I could live if it wasn't for the mission I had to complete. I seriously doubted Ria could contact anyone else with her living, or the lack of living in her case, situation. I had a place to start, whether it be just leading somewhere else or not.

Although I wasn't too fond of owning animals or the care they required, I couldn't get to Rihad on foot without it taking months, assuming I even made it after the first night. It was inevitable that I would be in my current situation, using a horse to go from town to town. It was a long trip to Rihad and the time both in between towns in the wilds and the unfamiliar inns did not work well with my lifestyle. The quick change from falling snow to constant sun didn't help me either, getting hotter in my armor as I rode along. Eventually, I had removed my armor entirely and used the scroll to hold it in whatever void it did. During the nights housed in a safe location, I continued to experiment with the magical item, being able to hold items but not in a room of any sort. They disappeared rather completely out of sight, but I could bring them back in seconds and even equip them on and off instantly. That was all I could manage for now, though. The Afterdark Society apparently stalked everywhere when the sun went down and a couple nights I couldn't help but struggle to sleep. They were getting bolder and more seemed to answer the call, no doubt the effect of Tharn having his way around the entire continent of Tamriel.