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Exile's Rest - Ground Floor Bar

Unfortunately for Dorian, Valentia's specialization was in illusion magic, and she was all too familiar with the subtle twinge that she felt from the spell. Far from pleased, she lifted her good arm and held a smoldering flame in her hand, pointing it at Dorian. "First of all, don't call me love. Secondly, my temper's only quick if you force it. So why don't you calm down and answer my questions before I add roasted skirt-chaser to the inn's menu?"

Elethir silently gripped a mace under the bar he kept in case of emergencies, just in case things got heavy.

Candlehearth Hall

"It's... it's called the Morgiah. You know, like Barenziah's daughter. Has a Morrowind look to it, you can't miss it. Can't say they won't stab you once you get on board, but you can try talking to the guards..."

The dunmer looked quite pained and ashamed at giving up the information. He was likely to get in trouble for it.

Niralie - Exile's Rest downstairs

Niralie didn't catch what the man had said as she and Tia made her way down the stairs, but from her friend's initial reaction she gathered that he seemed to want to know something about them, and that he must have said it in a rude way. She did hear his response to Tia, however, and she pursed her lips as he listened, not liking his attitude. Tia seemed even more irritable than Niralie, so she decided to let the Breton handle it, eager to see him put in his place.

Her eyes widened in surprise as the spell was prepared. She hadn't expected that. Sleazy as the man was, surely that didn't warrant a fireball, just an eye-roll and a cutting remark, perhaps? She glanced around the room to see the other patrons' reactions, and spotted the old Bosmer bartender, who looked tense. She stepped closer to Tia. "I agree he deserves it," she said in an undertone, "But setting fire to the inn would be a poor thanks to them for saving our lives. And we don't need to start trouble when we've just barely arrived somewhere safe."

"Afraid I don't know any calm spells, my dear. But I'm not looking for trouble, the Divines know I've had enough of it all ready. Come, ask away, but you might want to put that fire out, you're these disturbing these fine rabble." Dorian laughed, but cast an eye around the room, just in case he needed to Frenzy someone for backup. "And 'skirt-chaser', really? Could have put some effort into it, at least called me a scoundrel."

Exile's Rest Ground Floor Bar

"Point taken, Niralie." Valentia muttered, snuffing out the flame in her hand and bringing up sparks of electricity instead. Didn't want to set fire to the place, now did they?

Dorian saw no one but the bartender and the two women on the stairs. The bar was empty.

"Scoundrel's a name they give to rascally heroes in books. I figured that would be a bit too generous for you." Tia hissed. "Now, let's put away the illusions and speak like civilized people, shall we? Or is that beyond you?"

"Ah! You wound me with your cruel, cruel words." Dorian laughed again, spurned on by the venom in her voice, "But I suppose proper introductions are in order. I am Dorian Laenecc, a name you might find familiar, no?"

He turned to Elethir, giving the Bosmer a reassuring smile, "Two mugs of mead, my man. I might need them to douse some more flames."

"And by Shor's taint you'r a loud one.." The mighty Maurzol said in direct response, agitated by the breath. He shifted place to no longer shield the lizard no matter how he hides away "Kin of this welp? He be aboard when we sailed, thought he ran with his tail tuck'd or took a swim.. what ya know that Maurzol does not?"

Niralie - Exile's Rest

Niralie shrugged dismissively; the name meant nothing to her. "Can't say I've heard it." How big IS his ego? she wondered. From what she'd seen of him so far, he probably was imagining himself with a bigger reputation than he actually had. "My name is Niralie."

Exile's Rest - Ground Floor

Grumbling, Valentia snuffed the cackling electricity in her palm. "Familiar? If you're some noble from High Rock then I've never heard from you. I'm not from there, I'm from the Imperial City. I'm Valentia Rumare... Is there something specific you want, mister Laenecc?"

Elethir huffed, quite peeved that Dorian had provoked someone in his bar and even angrier that someone threatened to start a fight. It was part of working a tavern, sure, but that didn't mean he had to be happy about it. Begrudgingly he released the grip on his mace and nodded. "Right, two more on your tab then." he agreed, taking he mugs and filling them up before sliding them to Dorian's spot at the bar.

"Hmm. Maybe that bit of intrigue was more confined than Victoria would have had me believe..." Dorian mused quietly for a moment, sliding a few coins disinterestedly towards the barkeeper. His previous swagger had been muted by melancholy. "Like I said, I wasn't looking for trouble, just curious was all. We saw that man drag you in here, and I figured I'd make sure nothing... shady was going on."

Dorian broke out of his dejection quickly, bravado returning once more, "But enough of that! Come! Have a drink, take in the sights. And please remember, there are no stupid questions."

Niralie - Exile's Rest

The sight of the mead reminded Niralie what she and Valentia had come downstairs for in the first place: food. She left Tia to talk to the annoying Breton man and walked over to the old Bosmer bartender. "Thank you for taking us in and healing us," she said solemnly, bowing her head slightly. "I am grateful for that. And I apologize for any trouble we may have caused." She lifted her head again and went on, a bit more cheerfully, "Do you have anything available to eat? I'm not sure when I last had a decent meal."

Candlehearth Hall

"The Morgiah. Gotcha."

Eolwyn felt like she had got all the information she was going to get out of the Dunmer. What to do with him next was another question. She wanted to take him to the prison and hand the criminal over, but she also wanted to get deeper into whatever shady affairs were going on in the city. It was clearly more that just a few petty muggings.
Having been in this situation before, the Bosmer knew that to catch the big fish -sometimes you have to let the little fish go.

"Alright. You helped me out -time for me to help you."
She rummaged in her satchel for the aforementioned invisibility potion, but only for show -she knew perfectly well that she didn't have one.

"Ah, crap. The bottle's cracked and the invisibility potion's leaked in me bag. I got a healing one though -though fat lot of good that's gonna be. This other one I got ain't much use either."

Eolwyn looked over at the broken window. "You might wanna go the same way as your friend did. I think he managed to not get beat up too bad. Or I could distract them Nords downstairs and you could try slippin' past."

She refrained from unbinding the man just yet, thinking of anything else she might want to ask him before she did so.

Exile's Rest - Ground Floor Bar

Elethir nodded at the Altmer, pleased by her pleasant attitude. "Yes, I've got a few things. I could have some beef stew and bread out for you in just a few minutes. Maybe cook a steak if you're willing to wait longer."

Valentia Rumare

The young breton lass couldn't figure this guy out. What was his angle?

"Well, next time don't try any charm spells. Never know when you might try that on someone who's spent the better part of her life studying illusion." Valentia muttered. She still didn't care for his presence. "Did you see this man after he brought us here? Did he leave the city, maybe?"

Candlehearth Hall

The dunmer realized he'd been had, but it was a bit too late to worry about that. She was offering him a way out, in any case. "I... think I'll just be leaping out. I don't think they'll notice me. Can I go now?"

Candlehearth Hall

"S'pose so."

Eolwyn leant down and cut the ropes that bound the elf's hands together. She didn't particularly like just letting him go free like that, but hopefully he might hurt himself leaping out of the window.

"Off with ye then."
She pulled her hood further forward over her face, keeping it in shadow.

Niralie - Exile's Rest bar

Niralie smiled at the thought of a tasty meal. "Oh, anything sounds good to me," she replied. "I'd even take that saltrice-and-rat meal we had back in Vivec, I'm that hungry, but anything you've got sounds fantastic."

She'd been keeping an ear on the two Bretons' conversation, and she turned around abruptly as she heard Valentia's comment about the Illusion magic. "A calm spell?" she interrupted, as it dawned on her what might have happened. "Did he try using one on you?" If it's true, no wonder she got mad so quickly, she thought. Niralie hadn't noticed anything; she wasn't even sure if she'd be able to recognize if an illusion spell was being used on her, due to her lack of training in the field. Illusion was the only field of magic that she hadn't really touched during her studies, although she at least wanted to try learning an invisibility spell sometime.

"It's a charm spell. Big difference." Dorian said exasperatedly, "Well not really, but believe me, it's not as bad as you think. I just push emotions a little, make people more favorably inclined towards me, you understand."

Niralie - Exile's Rest

Niralie gave an irritated huff and crossed her arms. "I misheard. Calm, charm, doesn't matter: you're still manipulating people, even if it's only a 'little'. And why do it? We're less inclined to trust you, now that we know of it, than we would be if you'd just been honest to begin with."

"You've never been to High Rock either have you, love? Manipulation is the national pastime, though I hear assassination is starting to pull ahead." Dorian quipped, "Look, princess. You'd have to be stupid to trust me, but if you can be stupid for two hours, at most, we can help each other."

Dorian frowned and downed the untouched mug he'd purchased for the Altmer, "Here's the thing: you're looking for your friend, yeah? And I'm looking for a ship, or wherever it's stored its cargo, yeah? Help me find the ship, and I'm yours... any time."

Niralie - Exile's Rest Bar

Niraliie's frown deepened at the man's dismissive reply, but she didn't dignify it with a response.

She watched him drink the mead (not realizing it had been meant for her), deciding that she should have a drink of her own once she got her food. She'd need it after dealing with him.

When he made the offer, she paused, considering it briefly. They did need to find Arellius, but would the Breton be able to actually help? What exactly did he need them for? Would it be worth having to spend so much time around the irksome man? "We're going to need some questions answered before we consider it," she warned as she approached, sitting down near him.

"A service I've offered several times already, but very well." Dorian agreed, "Don't get too upset if the answers aren't necessarily what you'd like."

Valentia Rumare - Exile's Rest Ground Floor Bar

Tia sipped at the mead she was given, listening to Dorian speak with a great deal of wariness. She didn't really think they needed

"Did you even see where Arellius went?" she asked the other breton, skeptical as always. "Er, Arellius was our... 'friend'. And I highly doubt he'd clue in a stranger about where he was headed off to. What would you know?"

"This 'Arellius', he's a big man, yeah? Black, curly hair and beard?" Dorian asked, "Yeah, he came in here and left the two of you to be tended to before leaving without another word. I don't know where he is right know, but I bet you I can find him."