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Nerulean's Guide to Phantoms Vol. II

Author: 
Nerulean

(frantic and angry scribbles cover the page)

The Bargain Man

Merchants are, by and large, the most superstitious members of Tamrielic society. Almost every peddler and moneylender I've spoken to has at least one or two ghost stories to tell. Most of them are common nonsense, but a few bear further study.

One entity that came up again and again was a specter known only as "The Bargain Man." Most merchants visibly paled at the mere mention of his name. Those who would talk about him did so only in whispers.

Apparently, the Bargain Man is a phantom that can be summoned to act as an intermediary between two remote business partners. When a contract is signed, the Bargain Man will conduct deliveries between the two parties, allowing goods to move great distances at a hare's pace. But as with all things, this service comes at a price. Should either party violate the terms of the contract, the Bargain Man metes out an "appropriate" punishment, then vanishes.

This is where the story begins to fray. No one knows what the punishment entails. It may be unique to each individual. Some say that the ghost simply steals goods from the delinquent party until the balance is paid. Others swear that it brutally murders any person who falls short on a deal. I'm in no hurry to find out which is true.