10: Redoran Canton

I have returned to Vivec. Even though Ald-ruhn is the Council seat of House Redoran, the Canton in the capital houses many of the critical functions of the house, including the treasury. I met with Faral Retheran concerning the finances for the Bal Isra project, and ended up dining with her at the Flowers of Gold Cornerclub. She is an excellent and dedicated member of the house, but I suspect the comforts and style of Vivec City suit her better than the frontiers of the Ashlands, even buffered by the manor district under Skar.

We feasted on a spectacular dinner, from a menu that would not have been presented to me had I not been in her company. As the Archmage I command a certain respect in the capital, but the Flowers of Gold is in the heart of the Redoran Canton. Like the foreign quarter canton the huge structure rising out of the bay is a city unto itself. The common laws of the capital apply, but the cantons operate by their own unwritten rules. Now that I have been introduced to the proprietor and staff as a respected member of the house I will enjoy the full services, but before that the reception at the Flowers would have been chilly at best. To solidify my position I opted to stay here tonight and enjoy the accommodations.

As expected, I will be bearing the brunt of the costs for Bal Isra myself. The benefits will far outstrip the costs however. Though I will not tolerate slaves or slavers, I will be holding a manor title that gives me rights over the surrounding area and its tenants. Since I am not concerned with profiting from the land I expect I will not find it difficult to be popular with those tenants, and they will provide a level of security for myself and Ahnassi. A Breton holding title is a huge step for the Dunmer. A Khajit as lady of the manor signals the completion of a revolution in their society. It is a great day.

Unfortunately it is a day that has not yet reached a safe sunset. Faral accepted it. Living here in Vivec, which has always been the most cosmopolitan city in Vvardenfell, smoothed the way. She did not soften her words in the slightest with her predictions though. "Bolvyn Venim will not live to see the day that an Outlander holds such a title," she said. I wondered if this was an almost treasonous comment, but she clarified it quickly. I will be depositing the full funds for Bal Isra with her in the morning, since she believes Venim will kill me before it is completed.

Naturally, with a charming dinner companion and a brain full of flin, the strong, smooth liquor of the Empire, I let dead whiskers get my tail in a crack, as Ahnassi would say. In the morning, after depositing the funds, I will be going on a 'little errand' for Faral Retheran. A little errand to claim three priceless artifacts from the tomb of a family that has shifted its loyalties away from House Redoran in recent generations. The expectation is that the ancestral ghosts of the Redas will relinquish the items to a Redoran. I find that doubtful. I suspect those who have been previously dispatched on this errand would agree. None of them have returned.