Day 107: Return to Arkngthand
I am actually surprised at myself. Edwinna has sent me to numerous Dwemer ruins. I've explored some that I just stumbled across. None of them compare to the magnificence of Arkngthand, but somehow I just never made the time to return until now.
I spent the morning listening and watching. There was a large expedition here, and they were cautious. From bits and pieces I put together that for many of them this was their second time in Arkngthand. They were here with Creto's team the first time. They had fled in the wake of his death.
Speculation seemed the favorite topic of conversation. Some contended that Creto was a victim of an Imperial Legion raid, citing the artifacts which had disappeared as evidence of a very human force. Others believed that the spirits of the Dwemer had reclaimed their relics. A great locked door deep in the labyrinth led to passages as yet unexplored, and could provide a home to any number of spirits and mechanisms. Some from the first expedition scoffed at that; asking how a line of clanking centurions could have gotten past them through the lower tunnels; a valid question.
There was a Cyrodiil woman in charge. She was one of the veterans from the former expedition. She expressed no opinion on the various theories, letting the speculation go as long as it didn't interfere with the work. Her only input came when one of the workers suggested that the Thieve's Guild could have been responsible. She paused to listen. The theorist continued, noting that the guild was in a gang war with the Cammona Tong, and the sponsor of the expedition, Orvas Dren, was connected with the Tong. That's where she cut in. "It would be wise not to speak of our patron's connections. If you are wrong and he takes offense you will be out of a job. If you are right and he takes offense that would likely be worse, wouldn't it?" Chastened, the worker went quietly about his work. He couldn't know that he was half right. Creto was indeed a casualty of a gang war; my private war with the Cammona Tong. I should have let him know before he died.
When I set out on this pilgrimage I opted to carry a spear. They are handy as a walking stick between battles. The spear I chose I call my Dwemer Icepick. I enchanted it with a frost spell to do extra damage to my foes. Strange that I should happen to return here with it. I found it here in the first place. Orvas Dren will have no veterans if he mounts a third expedition. This time I left no survivors. I don't know of anyone who can tell the make of the spear from the wounds it leaves, but if anyone can today will surely enhance the legend of Arkngthand. Another expedition to Arkngthand ended in disaster, with a litter of corpses done in by a Dwemer spear.
If Dren does send another group, they will find nothing of any great value. Once all the looters were slain I opened the door to the depths and explored every passage. I didn't find all that much, but what I found I took. Nothing from Arkngthand will contribute to the cause of the Cammona Tong.
I spent the morning listening and watching. There was a large expedition here, and they were cautious. From bits and pieces I put together that for many of them this was their second time in Arkngthand. They were here with Creto's team the first time. They had fled in the wake of his death.
Speculation seemed the favorite topic of conversation. Some contended that Creto was a victim of an Imperial Legion raid, citing the artifacts which had disappeared as evidence of a very human force. Others believed that the spirits of the Dwemer had reclaimed their relics. A great locked door deep in the labyrinth led to passages as yet unexplored, and could provide a home to any number of spirits and mechanisms. Some from the first expedition scoffed at that; asking how a line of clanking centurions could have gotten past them through the lower tunnels; a valid question.
There was a Cyrodiil woman in charge. She was one of the veterans from the former expedition. She expressed no opinion on the various theories, letting the speculation go as long as it didn't interfere with the work. Her only input came when one of the workers suggested that the Thieve's Guild could have been responsible. She paused to listen. The theorist continued, noting that the guild was in a gang war with the Cammona Tong, and the sponsor of the expedition, Orvas Dren, was connected with the Tong. That's where she cut in. "It would be wise not to speak of our patron's connections. If you are wrong and he takes offense you will be out of a job. If you are right and he takes offense that would likely be worse, wouldn't it?" Chastened, the worker went quietly about his work. He couldn't know that he was half right. Creto was indeed a casualty of a gang war; my private war with the Cammona Tong. I should have let him know before he died.
When I set out on this pilgrimage I opted to carry a spear. They are handy as a walking stick between battles. The spear I chose I call my Dwemer Icepick. I enchanted it with a frost spell to do extra damage to my foes. Strange that I should happen to return here with it. I found it here in the first place. Orvas Dren will have no veterans if he mounts a third expedition. This time I left no survivors. I don't know of anyone who can tell the make of the spear from the wounds it leaves, but if anyone can today will surely enhance the legend of Arkngthand. Another expedition to Arkngthand ended in disaster, with a litter of corpses done in by a Dwemer spear.
If Dren does send another group, they will find nothing of any great value. Once all the looters were slain I opened the door to the depths and explored every passage. I didn't find all that much, but what I found I took. Nothing from Arkngthand will contribute to the cause of the Cammona Tong.
posted by Tim | 9:10 PM
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