Spearhead

We went back to Port Hunding, to see what we might do about the house. From what the innkeeper had told us, some 'good deeds', like we did for the Undaunted, were the thing, but there wasn't an Enclave on Stros M'kai.

We did run into a Redguard sea captain who told us a bit more about Headman Bhosek. Kaleen's ship had its crew mutiny, and she suspected Bhosek was behind it. The King had ordered a stop to the harrassment of Breton shipping, as they were all part of the Covenant now, but Bhosek hadn't wanted to give up his main source of profit. A lot of her former crew had backed him against her, and although she had the ship back, she was short of a crew right now. All that remained were Lambur, the Orc Fisrt Mate, and Nicolene, the cabin 'boy'.

There were a number of likely recruits, but they all had matters to straighten out before they could join her. Jakarn was in jail, having got on the wrong side of Bhosek. Neramo was trying to get into Bthzark, to retrieve some Dwemer schematics his brother had located. Crafty Nerisa had lost her own ship to the pirates, but might have some of her own crew available, if they could join forces.

If we could get them all to join her, Kaleen thought she had a way to get back at Bhosek, and it would help us (and her) with our reputation with the King.

Bhosek's jail was a place known as the Grave. There was an entrance off the river not far from the docks, but a lot of traps between there and the cells, keeping the prisoners in, and visitors out. We probably would not encounter guards inside the Grave, but prisoners who'd got loose might be just as much of a problem. We walked down there, and found an Altmer woman waiting outside, telling everyone that her Jakarn was innocent.

Talking to her gave us a good idea what sort of person Jakarn really was. Kaleen had described him as a thief, and she wanted to recruit him for those skills, but con-man was closer to the mark. Irien believed that he was a Prince, from Westtry in Glenumbra. She was convinced he'd take her back there with him, if he could just get out of the Grave.

"Another Kiv Lindres, do you think?" I asked Isobel, as we made our way past the fire and spear traps in the entryway. She paused to let the spears fall before stepping over and giving me an answer.

"I'll tell you what I think, once I've met him. Some women hear what they want to hear, not what was actually said."

We ran into quite a few loose prisoners, who had found themselves some weapons, and were running around in the corridors. All hostile as soon as they saw us, presuming we were guards, I suppose. We fought our way through to some locked cells at the end, one of which contained Jakarn. He didn't think we looked like guards, and wanted out.

I asked if he had really stolen a gem from Bhosek. He admitted that, but said he was getting it back for the merchant Bhosek stole it from in the first place. Bhosek had tossed the merchant in here too, when they caught Jakarn, and he presumed he was dead.

"Why would Kaleen want a thief who gets caught?' I asked him.

"Because most times, I don't. And this time I think the merchant dropped me in it when they went back to him about the gem."

"Did you give it back to him?"

"Never got the chance. I had to drop it off somewhere safe while I waited for the right time, and it never came around."

"And tell me about Irien."

"The Altmer girl? I told her I'd get her off this rock if she was nice to me. And I still will, if I get the chance. Selling the gem should have bought us both passage out."

I told him that Captain Kaleen had sent me for him. That she had a job for him, that could provide that chance.

"Let me out, and I'll help however I can."

I decided to believe him, for now.

We didn't have a spare weapon for him, so we agreed to meet up at the entrance. He made himself invisible to sneak out, while Isobel and I walked back, cleaning up any murderous inmates we'd missed on the way in. At the entrance, we found him listening at the door.

"We can't go that way, Irien is out there. And guards, lots of guards. We'll have to use the side entrance.'

That was a ladder leading up to a trapdoor near the stables. When we were all outside, Jakarn told us what he'd done with the stolen gem.

"You gave it to goblins?" Isobel exploded.

"Safest thing to do,' Jarkarn explained. 'They won't sell it, and nobody else will take it from them. Bhosek's men will never consider the goblins might have it. Of course, it won't be easy for us to get it back, but I'm resourceful, and I've got you helping me. It will be easier than I'd originally thought.'

"We might get some credit for reducing the goblin population, on top of whatever comes from Kaleen's scheme," I reminded Izzie. "They may not be pirates, but I'm sure they count for something."

Jakarn had found himself a weapon by now, but he was still going to use stealth rather than the direct confrontation Isobel and I would be employing. I could tell that Izzie considered that un-knightly, but Jakarn wasn't claiming to be one, so I didn't care, even if it offended her a bit.

I found it telling that Jakarn trusted us to retrieve the gem, while he dealt with the goblin guards. Isobel didn't. Of course she could be trusted, she was a knight!

We met Irien outside the Screaming Mermaid when we went to meet up with Jakarn. She was livid with him, as she'd overheard him telling a Redguard girl that he was a ship's captain, and he could transport her off the island.

After returning the gem, I asked him about that. He'd actually said that he had a ship, meaning that he'd have access to Kaleen's once the caper was complete, and could ask her about taking another passenger. Irien had inflated that the same way she had when he'd told her his father was the mayor of the town when he was born. Because Summerset towns are the fiefdoms of Kinlords, not run by democratically elected, term-limited citizens, she'd made assumptions. She always did, and never questioned them.

I noted that he hadn't got around to correcting her, but said nothing.

Nicolene came in to ask if we were going for Neramo, or Larisa, next. She gave us directions for both, just in case, then went back to report progress to Kaleen.