JoS/Kanna/3rd Journal - Trip to Suran

Last Seed, 25th, 3E 427

It's been some time since I arrived at this cursed, backwater island of Vvardenfell, here in the province of Morrowind. I haven't been writing because work has been keeping me busy. The money is good, but people are wary of outsiders which makes me feel unwelcome. To top it all off, I'm stuck here. I'll get to why later.

Even though I arrived here as an agent for the Blades, but I haven't been really doing work for them, as there isn't much to work on. Caius Cosades, the Spymaster of the region, is happy with me just keeping my eye out for strange occurrences as well as the work I put out for the Fighter's Guild along with the Imperial Legion. So far, nothing I've seen has raised my eyebrows enough to report to him.

On that note, I've got to say, I never believed I would be actually working with the Legion, not after all that I've gone through with them. To summarize why, it's because it was recommended to me both in the Ebonheart castle when I arrived here by ship, and also by Caius himself. The Imperial-led forces here consider us Redguards here brothers more-so than in Cyrodiil, because we're all men living in the land of the elves. Besides, they told me that kind of work would suit me and that I would without a doubt be a valuable asset. I have many reservations about the Empire, so working for them directly was something that I had to think about for a long time, but ultimately I joined because my chances of making this organization better are better from the inside than they are from the outside.

I spent first week of my stay here on this island just traveling all the way from the south to the village of Gnisis in the north, which is the place where I officially joined the Legion. It's where I was garrisoned for a long time, where I spent time training and performing duties, which mostly involved upholding the law and taking patrols along the Bitter Coast and West Weald regions, where criminal activity is rampart due to smugglers - namely Camonna Tong - using the inner sea as a quick route to the island.

As a man used to traveling, my time in that little village was miserable. The most exciting thing that happened to me was me contracting the blight disease. Not just once, but twice. I'm sure you can imagine me being very thrilled about it, I at one point even wondered if I was going to be healed at all. Luckily, I was healed on both occasions. That disease is some scary shit based on what I've been hearing. Worst of all, I couldn't get laid while there to make my stay at least somewhat bearable. Never ran into any other problems though, never had any trouble at work… I climbed ranks quickly all the way to being a Trooper.

As for specific jobs, there was some land dispute, a need for an experienced soldier to delve into a Kwama mine to cure their queen who had contracted blight, and rescuing a hostage from a camp of outlaw Ashlanders.

Besides that, I've recently done plenty of work around Balmora and the surrounding regions. I enjoyed my time traveling and doing work on the road more. It was interesting, and I got to see more places than just that one village. I was also feeling that I was accomplishing so much more, but regrettably, I still hadn't really anyone on this island I could really call a friend. Sure, I had colleagues, some of which I could share alcohol and banter with, but not a real friend, not until two weeks ago when I met her.

It happened in Seyda Neen when I was there on a job regarding increased bandit activity and rumors about a small band of smugglers operating from a nearby cave. To touch a little on that story, it was the first time I had ever come across slave traders, and the conditions in which these poor people were kept in horrified me. One of them was just a child too. Fortunately, they've been freed now. I ended up extending my visit due to a murder mystery, which is coincidentally when I met Aliya. She took me on a crazy little adventure which involved delving into some ancient Dwemer ruin to retrieve some treasured puzzle box.

Aliya is a child, but at the same time she has a certain kind of maturity to her. She's way smarter than your average kid, she's cunning and she's charming, but she's also naïve and docile like a child. Being a High Elf, she's naturally taller than many girls her age, but shorter than any adult and most teens. She's got a babyface for sure, but her body, while immature, is also not as childish looking as some of the other girls her age, as she's started to blossom as a woman. She's got some subtle curves on her waist, and her breasts have started to grow a little, and that ass… Damn, that ass. She's so pretty.

As for her skills, how could I say this accurately, but also without being dismissive of her abilities…

She's green. Very, very green. She's only been an adventurer since she was brought to this island, and she hasn't even been here as long as I am. That's how much of a newbie she is. Still, she is talented, so I don't want to be too harsh.

I love spending time with her, and more importantly, I feel like she's a kind of girl I should protect and hold close to me. She told me her story, how she got here, her experiences, and it's some sad shit. I also told her my story, and my sister's story too… Me and her, we may be very different on the outside, with her being a pale and fair High Elf, and me being a tall and muscular Redguard, a young black man, but at the same time, in the inside, we share so much in common regarding our past and our values. It's a little embarrassing to admit it out loud, but I don't mind writing it. I might like her a little too much… I'm not sure yet what to make of those feelings. She might even share the feeling, as we ended up even having sex. And let me just tell you, it's the best sex I've had for a long time. Granted, I haven't gotten laid in a long while, but damn did she made my little big magic staff feel lucky that night.

However, as much as I would love to be with her right now, there's someone I feel like I have to be with, and that's my little sister. Aliya told me that she knows my sister, and that they shared a similar fate. That nightmare of a jail where Aliya was, my baby sister still is in. It has to be her from the way Aliya described her, just has to. I feel just so much sadness and hate. I felt like I needed to save her and get to her no matter what. That's why me and Aliya split up in Balmora, after which I traveled alone to Ebonheart. That brings me to what I talked about earlier; me being stuck here.

Here's the problem you see, the biggest problem. This god-forsaken island is under quarantine and a lockdown. Getting here is a long and complicated process, and getting out? Well, that's even harder. The blight disease, the mysterious and highly dangerous disease which originates from the Ashlands, has the whole mainland spooked, especially the Empire. I should already know this, as I said, I contracted it twice already. No ordinary healer can cure it, and it may even be incurable in some cases.

This was made very clear to me when I spoke with Varus Vantinius, or as I like to call him, the "Big Fish". His actual rank is "Knight of the Imperial Dragon", and he's the leader of the whole Imperial Legion on this island, the dude in charge of pretty much everything. Getting to talk to him was a difficult enough task as it was, but eventually I was led to him because he was the only person who could even authorize my departure from this island.

I stood in front of his desk, and I pleaded my case to him, as he listened with interest. Then, it was time for us to have the real discussion.

"I am well aware of the reports regarding the conduct that took place in that branch of the Imperial City prison. In fact, I believe that the investigation should be concluded by now, as we speak, and the rumor is that it's put under a new, better leadership, with the previous leader and his accomplishes facing heavy punitive measures. What puzzles me greatly though is how have you acquired this information? We're talking about classified information here and there's no way it should've reached all the way here."

"Sir, I met with someone who had been recently released from that place. She was brought here."

"Who is this someone, if I may ask?"

"Her name is Aliya, sir. She's a young Altmer, maybe like ten or eleven years old."

"That sounds highly suspicious to me", Varus said, with a doubtful look in his eyes. "I know better than anyone who's been brought here, and I'm rather sure that there haven't been any young Altmer women on the list of prisoners being returned to this province, which leads me to believe that she's here illegally."

I didn't know how to reply, because I didn't think that was the case. "She knew that old man at the Seyda Neen office, sir", I said. "She's also aligned with the Blades, so her presence here might be obscured to the Legion because of that. That's all I can say."

"Hmmm, you could be right, soldier, but something about this rubs me the wrong way… Now then, what is this about your sister?"

"I believe that she's in that prison, sir."

"How sure are you?"

"Sir, based on the descriptions given to me, I'm fairly sure."

"But not completely sure?"

I hung my head and stood quietly for a moment. "Sir, I know she's been imprisoned for a long time despite being innocent. It's the only place she could be in."

Seeming irritated, Varus sighed. "Well, I'm sorry if you're telling the truth, but I cannot let you leave this place under these conditions."

"Sir, I need to reach my sister somehow!"

"Don't raise your voice at me, soldier. I understand that this is an emotional subject for you, but this is precisely the reason why. Besides, you have your own duties on this island, and you could be infected with the blight. We can't risk that foul disease spreading to the rest of the Empire."

"Is there truly no way for me to reach out to her? To help her out from that bind?"

"Well, you can write a letter. If she truly is being kept there, I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to contact her as her immediate family member. Criminally convicted or not, she does deserve some contact to the outside world and her family. Would that suffice to you, soldier?"

It wasn't the answer I was hoping for, but at the same time, it was the answer I feared for, and the answer that was perhaps the most likely from the get-go. I knew it was pointless for me to even try to return to Cyrodiil at this point, but I had to try. I suppose I will just write her a letter then. It will take long for it to reach Cyrodiil, maybe even a week, and who knows how long I will have to wait for a reply, but for now… This is what I will have to settle for. "Yes, sir, that would suffice", I said as I bowed my head down deep.

"Don't look so sad, soldier", he said as he cracked a friendly smile. "I feel for you, I really do… It's just that the situation here on this island is dire right now, and the blight is a real threat to the Empire, more so than any war or insurrection. Things will return back to normal soon enough, but until then, we'll have to keep this island on lockdown."

"I understand completely", I said, and prepared to leave the office.

That brings me to now. I just finished writing the letter to my sister, and it'll depart Vvardenfell in the following days, not sure when. I'm staying for the night at the Six Fishes inn writing this. I actually picked up writing a journal again because of Aliya. She inspired me to write, because she's been keeping an extensive journal on her stay here. It's mostly just notes and scribbles about people and places so she wouldn't get lost and forget things, but I think she's also written some actual sentences and paragraphs, kind of like this. I'm not sure, she's ashamed of showing me everything she's written.

Well, tomorrow I'll travel back to Balmora and reunite with her. It's a long walk… Actually, I think I'll just ride a Silt Strider.

Last Seed, 26th, 3E 427

Although I arrived in low spirits today, I spent my day Balmora in high spirits. Aliya was glad to see me again, but also a bit sad for me, considering that I wasn't able to leave after all. She said that she has been busy studying at the Mages Guild reading some books and studying some spells, but I don't think that's enough. I also insisted that she should learn to use that little blade of hers, and promised to teach her some moves. Don't mean to brag, but she couldn't hope for a better teacher.

I also visited the Fighters Guild for work, and had an extensive chat with Eydis, the battle-hardened Nord who serves as the guild steward here in Balmora. She admitted that there hasn't been too much need for work in a while, although she had one little job which involved collecting some debts from a lass named Helviane Desele in Suran. She said that it's more of a personal request, but promised that I'd be paid nonetheless.

Eydis also asked me if I was interested in the local Great Houses, to which I didn't really know how to answer. She suggested that they might have some work for me, especially recommending seeking out the stewards of Hlaalu here in the city. They have a great working relationship with our guild and would appreciate me seeking them out. Lastly, she told me to go talk to Wayn, and said that I deserve an extra reward for my efforts along with a promotion to the rank of a "Swordsman".

Wayn, who's this friendly and old, bald Redguard, was meant to gift me with a new sword, saying that my old sword looks like it has seen better days. I told him about it, about how this blade actually means a lot to me, and that I'm not looking to replace it. After hearing my story, he wanted to take a look at my father's sword properly. Yeah I'll admit, it's a rusty-ass sword, I'm sure Wayn could provide me with some fresh steel, perhaps even one of his famous hand-crafted scimitar, but I'm just stubborn and I'd rather not part with it so easily.

Lucky for me, he had some good words to say about my father's blade, saying whoever made it must've been a master craftsman. There's no reason to discard it, he said, but it'll require some sweet gentle love to hone it back to its former glory. I'd never had any problems with it, but then again, I'm not the master craftsman here like Wayn is, so I'll trust his judgment. It'll take him some days to finish though, so I'll have to travel with a loaned blade. I think I'll be able to work with this sword.

Tomorrow we'll visit Suran. Gonna take an old-fashioned walk there, as there's something Aliya wants to do on the way, something regarding helping her friend with alchemical research and retrieving samples. It'll give us a good chance to also train her moves a little bit.

Last Seed, 27th, 3E 427

Lake Amaya, the largest body of fresh water on this island, marks the halfway point between Balmora and Suran. Our trip to there was peaceful in a sense that we didn't run into anyone, but not at all quiet, because we just love to talk about inconsequential stuff. I went over the exercise I planned to put her through, and despite seeming a little anxious regarding if she can handle it, she also seemed very excited.

I taught her a basic stance she can use for combat, a stance suited for light weaponry, and then we kind of went through how to use her dagger effectively. She's getting hang of it, and I think she's more than capable of defending herself with that weapon, although I'm not expecting her to win any close-quarters duels with anyone quite yet. I feel like the biggest issue with her is her fitness. She can't handle running very well, getting out of breath even from the most basic exercise. I made her jog for thirty minutes; is that really impossible for her? For fuck sake. She was practically in tears, complaining about how she can't do it when I told her that she should do this everyday to give a boost to her legs. She's such a whiny baby, but she'll come along.

This brings me to what happened in Suran. For your information, it's a beautiful little village surrounded by greenery, with very similar in architecture to Balmora as the buildings are mostly constructed from mud bricks. Houses here are painted white though, mostly to give it more character. It's famous - or infamous - for a little establishment it houses called a "Desele's House of Earthy Delights". It's a brothel, and it's ran by the very same lady that I was supposed to be collecting money from.

You had people drinking there and having a good time, as well as topless ladies dancing on the stage, but the one I was interested in was the busty Breton behind the main counter. Oh, and by busty I mean, those tits must've been at least G-cup, and they were barely being contained by the black, elegant bra. She welcomed me with a smile, and asked me what kind of service I'm looking for.

When I inquired about the debt, she turned evasive, saying this is probably not the time or the place to talk about that. I told her that I wasn't going to leave without the money, to which she simply sighed and told me to follow her to the back. I also asked her, is it really fine for Aliya to be here as well, being the naïve and little girl that she was. She was most certainly enamored by the beautiful dancers at the stage, and too shy to utter a word. She was blushing like a ripe tomato. Helviane didn't mind, but said that maybe it'd be better for her to come along, so she wouldn't be mistaken for a worker here. I guess even children can work here… Shouldn't surprise me considering that the laws of Dunmer are very lax and laissez-faire when compared to those of the rule-and-regulation-loving Imperials, but we're still talking about minors working in a brothel.

As soon as we were in the private, Helviane admitted to being behind in the payments, but also insisted that there's nothing she can do. "Our business has been cut off short due to competition", she said. "Smugglers operate a slave brothel to the north from here. I'm not sure who they work for, but it isn't Camonna Tong."

She also said that the enemy has even went on as far as to kidnap two of Helviane's girls, Runa and Caminda. Helviane prides her business in being slave-free, so it pains her to see some of her girls being reduced into servitude against their will. It upset me too, Aliya seemed especially disgusted by the whole situation, and said that we've got to help them.

Helviane then said that the biggest problem here is that even if we did rescue those girls and put the slave brothel out of business, it wouldn't just magically make septims appear from thin air. She would be able to turn profit again with two of her most popular workers being back and not being constantly understaffed anymore, but it will still take time for her to be able to pay her debt. I asked her, how much does she owe, and she said five hundred gold septims. I suggested that I would pay her debt, so she would then be in debt only to me. She didn't understand why I would be willing to go that far, but she said that she'd be eternally grateful, and said that the workers would appreciate the gesture as well. "If you keep to your word, I think I might also be able to give you a lifetime access to our services", she then said with a wink. That's an attractive prospect, I'm not going to lie. Helviane at very least is smoking hot, I would love to fuck her silly.

We'll see to our job tomorrow. There's no way we've got the energy to do it this night. Got to formulate a good battleplan too, as we can't just rush in into enemy territory blindly.

Last Seed, 28th, 3E 427

We slept for the night, and the following day we attacked. We thought it would be best to attack during daytime, as the slave brothel operates during the night hours, and the security is a lot laxer during daytime.

Their compound was a mansion located in the woods north from Suran, off the road on a foot of a small mountain. It was ran collectively by three Orcs and two Dunmer. Three Bandits were stationed outside as guards and bouncers, but that's the only security they had. Regardless, we had to take them out quietly and peacefully to not alert people in the inside. I have to admit, I'm not very good at that, but luckily, Aliya is. She's light with her steps, and her boots don't make as much noise as mine do. She was able to take two of the guards out silently, which allowed for me to challenge and attack the remaining one. He was no match for me and my superior swordsmanship. All that was left for us was to infiltrate the building. Luckily, the guards had keys.

They had four slaves, all humans, aged from mid-teens to late twenties. Runa was receiving slave training, which was a punitive measure thanks to her misbehaving at work. Two of the slavers were raping the spunky and energetic teen with their green orc cocks, who was chained properly in expensive slave gear, with collar, bracelets and all, each piece being enchanted with magic to suppress slave's abilities and magic. They had even tattooed her shoulder with some kind of crest to mark their ownership over her. That was a custom for these slavers, as this semi-permanent tattoo was placed on all of the four girls.

We were able to liberate them all and brought them back to Suran. Runa and Caminda were reunited with Helviane, who is like a motherly figure to these two young girls, while the other two, who we only introduced ourselves to briefly, were taken into Hlaalu's care keeping, from where they'll be able to return home. Hopefully. One of them was crying about being from Skyrim, so getting her home is gonna be a long and difficult progress.

These two girls, Runa the Nord and Caminda the Redguard, are good friends, and a pair of young adventurers. In fact, I think they're around my age. They grew up together, did everything together, and even became adventurers together. Runa wields chainmail along with magic and a longsword, while Caminda prefers lighter armor, and to strike her enemies from distance with arrows. They started off as a pair of highway bandits who used their beauty and charm to cheat unwary travelers out of their belongings, but after getting caught one too many times and punished harshly for their petty misdemeanor, they settled down for honest work… If you can call being a hooker in a brothel honest work. They do enjoy it though, so who am I to judge?

As a thank you for what I and my friend had done to them, they suggested that we should engage in some threesome. Being bi-sexual perverts that they are, they suggested that Aliya should join as well for being there to save them, but she declined the offer, looking visibly embarrassed by the situation. To me, however, Aliya simply whispered to the ear and encouraged me to have a blast. I suppose she doesn't care too much about sleeping around. I mean, I have feelings for her, and she might share the sentiment, but it's not like she's my girlfriend, and probably never will be… That comment all but confirmed it as well.

It was the first time in my life that I was able to bed two beautiful ladies at once, and oh boy, did I have a lot of fun. Runa and Caminda are absolute treasures, and they sucked my balls dry. In fact, sucking was the first thing they did, playing around with my cock together, trading it from mouth to mouth, licking its shaft at the same time. I couldn't take it for long, and nutted all over their pretty little faces.

Not being at all satisfied themselves, they proceeded play around with me. Caminda pushed me on my back, while Runa saddled my cock. Caminda sat on my face and offered her pussy for me to be licked, while Runa rode me like possessed. They themselves, being faced towards each other, ate each other out like lovers, not that I had the pleasure to witness it with Caminda's brown caramel ass being all over my face. I was getting a little anxious about finishing off inside, but considering how Runa moaned about needing me to cum inside her, I just kind of stopped caring about consequences. I don't think she's in a risk of becoming pregnant.

Caminda also wanted to have some more of my cock. I had barely gotten over blasting my cum into Runa's pussy, when she was already grabbing it and stroking it, begging at me to stick it inside her. How could I not resist? Runa's kisses alone were able to revitalize me as well. She was all over my body and my face while I fucked Caminda from behind.

These girls are crazy though… They were being kept as sex-slaves just last night, yet they didn't hesitate at all to do all that dirty shit with me. Even when I asked Caminda about that tattoo, about how she should probably look into getting rid of it, she just shrugged and said it doesn't even bother it. Runa joked about considering it a battlescar. I swear…

Tomorrow we'll return to Balmora. I guess I really have to pay Helviane's debt from my own pocket. Oh well, whatever. I can afford it tenfold.

Hearthfire, 4th, 3E 427

It's good to take time off every now and then. I've devoted time to helping Aliya train and doing mundane jobs in Balmora.

Wayn at the Fighters Guild had finished restoring my father's sword handed it back to me, telling me that working on it had simultaneously been a pleasure and a privilege, as well as an infuriating shame. He called it such an amazing sword, better than anything he could ever hope to produce, but complained about how it clearly has not been given the gentle, loving touch of a master smith in a long time. He said he was more than happy to work with it for free, but only for this once; if I'd ever bring that sword in such a rusty-ass shape back to him, he would not only charge me double rate, but also beat my ass for being lousy.

Luckily, he gave me some tips and showing some tricks about repair and maintenance, so I can continue to keep my father's sword in shape. My biggest pet piece has always been with those grinding stone wheel thingies, as finding the right angle to sharpen a blade can be difficult sometimes, but it seems easy enough with all the tips and tricks he's been giving me about how to maintain proper angle and whatnot. I think I'll be able to keep this sword in its current shape now and show it the respect it deserves.

Yesterday I had a little chat with Hasphat, who's been working with that Dwemer puzzle box me and Aliya brought to him. His information didn't end up being that useful to Aliya and Caius in the end, but that's fine, as Caius seems to have a very good idea of where to go from there. Anyway, Hasphat said that he finally was able to solve the puzzle, and got a key out of it. That reminded me, those bandits who were keeping it in their possession were talking about using it to open some door that leads deeper into the ruins.

He gave it to me for free, saying that the puzzle box didn't exactly end up being as valuable to him as he hoped it would be. Still, he's going to keep the puzzle, for it's without a doubt a valuable artifact even with its mundane contents gone. Fine, I guess. He suggested that I would go back to that place to see if the key fits anywhere.

So, I approached Aliya and suggested to her that she should be coming along with me. This time, there would be no bandits to worry about either, and considering that Aliya has gotten a lot better in this short amount of time, she honestly could use a little adventure to boost her self-confidence.

Today was the time for our trip, and sure enough, no bandits or criminals to be found anywhere. Arkngthand was left for us to be looted. We found a door to the lower levels of the ruin, and the key fit like a glove. With the dwarves long gone, only its guardian spiders and spheres were left to roam its treasures. They're rather easy foes to deal with, although not so much with a sword. I ended up wielding an old hammer I found on my trip there, and Aliya's magic works wonders against them as well.

Considering that no-one had been to these lower levels since the disappearance of the dwarves, there were a lot of loot to be had. It wasn't a rich or a famous city or anything, just some outpost little bit to the south of their dwellings under the Red Mountain, which was supposedly their capitol city some four thousand years ago. Still, there were plenty of old Dwemer coins and pottery laying around with some precious gemstones as well. We're gonna make so much money off this ancient junk. Gear, travel snacks, weapons, potions and scrolls… The money we're gonna make is going to make our lives here a lot easier for a long time!

The only problem really is that the Empire doesn't really like it when these artifacts are being traded freely, as they technically own it all according to some dumbshit regulation. I think it's a fucking dumb law that just goes to show how greedy the Empire can be… Many local merchants rebel against this low, but still got to be careful about who we try to sell them to, especially here in the Imperialized Hlaalu-controlled south-west.

Hearthfire, 14th, 3E 427

To think that just few weeks ago I was writing about how I joined the legion when I came to this island, and just how quickly things can change. Sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.

I was summoned to Fort Moonmoth, a Legion outpost just east from Balmora. I met up with Radd Hard-Heart, the Knight Protector and the commanding officer of this post, who was standing there waiting for me at the main hall of the keep. We stood there quietly for a moment, and I just had this nasty feeling in my stomach that something wasn't right. He then asked me about a letter I had sent to the Imperial City prison not so long ago, letter meant for my sister. After confirming with him that this was indeed the case, my heart sank as he slowly said that there has been "an incident". I asked him about it, worried for my sister's safety, especially since she's been tortured and sexually abused. Sadly, he didn't give me a clear answer. Instead, he started talking about demons of my past.

"There's a price on your head, a price you must pay with your blood", he said, calmly and coldly. "I know that you are what remains of the Blackhawk Bandits. It's a good thing you sent that little letter, because it helped us reveal your true identity."

I should've known. Gods, I'm so fucking stupid. Why didn't I think of this when I sent the letter? I was so clouded by the idea of being able to meet my sister again that I didn't think it could jeopardize my own safety. Despite being angry, despite feeling rage boiling up within me, I tried to act as calm as collected as possible. I asked him, would there be any way for him to hear me out, hear my side of the story, and just in case, I laid my fingers on my sword's hilt, just in case. I'll be honest, his reply surprised me.

"I will hear you out but be warned. My men have surrounded the office, ready to arrest you at moment's notice, just waiting for my command, so don't even think about doing anything stupid, like drawing that sword of yours."

I relaxed my hand and told him my story. I told about how I was orphaned along with my sister when we were young and taken captive by the bandits. I did admit to joining them, although reluctantly, basically forced to against my own will. You know, the same story I've already written down, told to Captain Steffan, and recently to Aliya too. To Radd, however, it wasn't the only thing I told. I asked him, man to man, would he sincerely believe that I'm just some criminal scum when I'm working so hard to serve the Empire, to serve the Imperial law? I know it won't resolve the wrongs I've done in the past, but I also reminded them that I felt immense pressure back then.

He kept quiet for a long while again, thinking about my question. Then, he finally sighed. "I would love nothing more than to arrest you where you stand, but lucky for you, Varys Valentius thinks highly of you, and he is willing to give you a chance to prove your commitment to the Empire. Maybe in due time you can clear your name that way for good." He had one more order ready for me before he would dismiss me and order me to return to Balmora, or should I say, an ultimatum.

"You will continue to be stationed here in Vvardenfell, obey orders given to you and not even think about leaving this place. You're going to keep serving the Empire here for as long as you're told. If you even think about leaving this island and deserting your post, you will face the Legion's wrath."

All of this would've been fine, but Radd still wasn't willing to share details about whatever it was that went down in that prison recently. It was pissing me off, but there was nothing I could do without him telling his men to arrest me, so I simply returned to Balmora.

On the road there, feeling defeated and depressed about the whole thing, wondering how in Oblivion I can reach out to my sister anymore, I came across a hooded figure leaning her back against the foot of a giant mushroom. She was a Bosmer woman wearing a dark leather armor, a mix of dark ashen grey, black and sanguine red. "You must be Karim", she said, and held a letter in her hands. I asked her who she is, but she didn't introduce herself as anything other than "a friend". I certainly didn't recognize her as anyone I've ever come across, but I digress, the letter she had was for me, written to me by my own sister. "Follow its instructions carefully", she said, and then she simply left, clouding herself in a cloak of invisibility.

Sitting here in Balmora, I've taken a good glance at the letter. I was expecting a reply for the letter I sent her, but sadly it only had two sentences on it, both being instructions. "Travel to Kragenmoor and seek out a boorish man in a tavern up the road approaching the dragon", it said. "Show this letter to him, and he will tell you how to find me". I'm not a fan of riddles, nor am I sure what this is supposed to even mean, but it's highly suspicious to me that this kind of letter would come from my sister. Still, this is her handwriting, I'm sure of it.

I just want to know if she's safe or not.

• 4th Journal - Apprentice's Duties (Aliya)