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Watcher on the Walls

Author: 
Xui'al

The Vestige accepts a mission to scout the Arena District. A piece of paper is sitting on the ground near the flag.

Bloody scroll: Bored! The Rat is so very bored! No more fights in the arena - no, no. Just Daedra feeding people to their ugly pets. Day and night, it’s nothing but merchants, and tailors, and stable boys screaming and soiling their pants. What sport is that?

If you are a true warrior, go to the arena. Kill their gladiators. Slay their stupid beasts. Put on a show. Do this, and The Rat will tell you a secret about Molag Bal’s plots. It’s one you won’t want to miss.

The Rat is waiting! Start killing!

The Vestige goes to the Arena and slays various Daedra, including Dredaza the Ringmaster. They meet the Rat below the arena.

The Rat: The Rat was entertained! Oh, most entertained! The Daedra... not so much. No, they weren’t entertained at all.

Vestige: In your note, you claimed to have information about Molag Bal’s plan for Imperial City. What is it?

The Rat: Yes, yes. The Rat has ears to the ground. Ears to the walls. My little friends are everywhere and they hear secrets whispered by Daedra big and small. Tasty secrets. These Daedra plot and whisper, you see, and The Rat listens. He always listens.

Vestige: That’s great. So what has The Rat heard these Daedra say?

The Rat: They speak of the Dragonfires! The seek to snuff them out forever, oh yes. The Rat heard this quite clearly. No Dragonfires ever again. No more Dragon-God promises. No more Eight-blessed emperors in shiny hats. Just death and slavery, forever!

Vestige: But the Dragonfires have already been extinguished.

The Rat: For now. Only for now! Don’t you know the story? When Alessia’s heirs wear the Amulet of Kings, the fires will burn again! Even a mighty Daedric Prince must hide from such a light. Unless Molag Bal erases them, of course. Unless that happens.

Vestige: How could Molag Bal “erase” the Dragonfires?

The Rat: You beg The Rat to share all his crumbs? No, no. The Rat has said enough! You want more, greedy one? Find the Drake of Blades. She’s close, very close. Down in the sewers. She would like to nibble on this crumb, oh yes. Tell her the Prince’s plan!

Vestige: Fine. I’ll speak to the Drake of Blades in the Imperial sewers.

The Rat: No, no. You’ve had your fill. No more secrets. Off! Off with you!

Vestige: Why do you call yourself The Rat?

The Rat: Oh, The Rat doesn’t call himself The Rat. The people call him that. I call him that too, but that’s because I’m a person. People get us confused sometimes. The Rat doesn’t know why though... and frankly, neither do I.

Vestige: Where do you come from?

The Rat: The sewers, of course. That’s where most of the rats live. The Rat was tired of being down there though. A long, long time ago, before he was The Rat, he remembers being up here, in the city. He even had a friend. He was a trusted advisor.

Vestige: Advisor to whom?

The Rat: Oh, Emperor Leovic. He was a sharp one, such a good sense of humor... until he died, of course. That’s when his friend took him down to the sewers. The Emperor wasn’t very fun anymore, but then the friend met The Rat. That made things better.

Vestige: You took Emperor Leovic’s corpse into the sewers?

The Rat: No, no - that wasn’t me. That was someone else. I’m The Rat. I didn’t even know the emperor before he died. And now, well, The Rat and Emperor don’t really get along any more.

The Vestige returns to the Drake of Blades in the sewers.

Drake of Blades: I’ve been looking through some of the Dragonguard’s older texts. There are cryptic references to the Dragonfire Cathedral, but it will take some time to find. At least Molag Bal narrowed the search for us. That’s why he’ll lose in the end. He’s sloppy.

Vestige: The Rat told me that Molag Bal is trying to keep the Dragonfires from ever burning again.

Drake of Blades: The Rat? Yes, I met him once. He was wearing a mask made from someone’s small clothes and was covered in his own sick. He’s completely mad. Then again, he has a talent. He knows this city better than anyone - and he’s quiet. Very quiet.

Vestige: He seemed very certain.

Drake of Blades: Your face... You believe him, don’t you. Perfect. I admit, it makes sense. The Dragonfires are the key to ejecting the Daedra permanently. If Molag Bal could extinguish them forever, that would be very, very bad. We’ll have to keep digging.

Vestige: How would you suggest we do that?

Drake of Blades: At this point? We stay patient and watchful. Also quiet. If Molag Bal catches our scent, we may lose him completely. We have motive now, but the bones of a plot aren’t enough. We need plans, names, timetables... Keep watching. I’ll do the same.