Bear Riders' Tales
Heidi's Tale
"Would you believe it? I have a recruit!" exclaimed Gudrun. "Her name is Heidi, and she comes from just over the border in Skyrim. But why don't you let her tell you her story, and see if you think she'll make a good Rider for us. I'd like a second opinion."
Heidi was siiting on the bench near the corner. A Nord as tall and as blonde as Gudrun, a little less tanned, but conspicuously top-heavy to more than make up for it. She stood up and walked over.
"Hi! I'm Heidi. They all call me 'Hidy' Heidi, because everyone notices me, especially the men. I've always wanted to be a Bear Rider, and when I heard that they were recruiting, I came here to apply". She paused briefly before continuing. "I haven't done much riding. I feel wobbly when I'm up on a horse, but bears are wider, aren't they? And I'm really good with a claymore. My Blade teacher says I'm a natural swordswoman. It's just something I can do without thinking about it. Which is good, because I think slower than most."
He asked about the 'thinking slowly' part, and she did so, before replying "Yes, that's my only problem with joining. I don't have good academic qualifications, because I don't do well in exams. It's all because I don't have enough time. I don't get the answers wrong, but I don't finish enough to get good marks. It also means I can't do much magic, because I can't think of the right spell fast enough. Healing is my best, because I can take my time."
She brightened up a little as she added "And I have a good memory for what people say to me, even if I don't understand it at first. That lets me think it over until I do."
Gudrun seemed to think that she might not be right for patrol duties, as you needed to think quickly for that. "I can't see us squeezing her into the regulation cuirass either, although half the Legion would volunteer to help us try!" But it didn't matter, there were other jobs she could do.
It appeared that Gudrun had already decided, and a second opinion wasn't required.
Heidi wanted to know what she would be wearing, if the regular uniform wouldn't fit.
"With her Blade skill, she doesn't need armor so much as support and restraint." Gudrun reasoned "And nothing's better for that than good strong steel. Gin-Wulm in the Market District should be able to make her something like mine, ... only roomier.''
Gudrun gave Heidi a note to take to Gin-Wulm that would authorize him to make a custom uniform, and send the bill to the Legion. "He made mine, so he'll know what's needed".
Heidi headed off across town and went into the Best Defense to find Gin-Wulm. Despite offers of help from both his assistants, the Argonian Master Armorer took her measurements himself. He pulled a pair of boots from a rack and had her try them on.
"Good, that's one item we won't have to make specially for you."
The rest would have to be uniquely crafted, but only the cuirass would take any significant work. She should return in a day, and they would have something ready for her to try on.
Leaving the shop, she paused outside the door and looked around. She could either return to the Waterfront and spend another night at the Bloated Float, or she could look for an Inn here in the Market District. That would save her walking all the way across the city and back, but she didn't really know this area well. She'd have to ask the legion guard for directions to an inn.
Before she could reach the guard post at the gate, however, a well-dressed man came up to her.
"I haven't seen you around here before." he said. "Are you new in town?"
Heidi replied that she was, to this part at least, and she was looking for the nearest inn, so she could rent a bed for the night.
"I was just on my way there for a drink," he said "Let me buy you one, and I'll take you there."
Heidi smiled to herself. This wasn't the first time she'd been invited to the tavern for a drink, and it wouldn't be the last. She decided to make the most of the situation. "Lead on".
At the Market Inn, Velus Hosidius showed them to a table in the corner. "Since he's paying, I won't ask for Tamika's 399" she joked, "just an ale will do". The man ordered the same, and they sat down together and started to chat.
The table was full of empty bottles, and they were the only ones left in the bar. Heidi raised her mug, and drank the last of her ale. When she lowered it again, the man had disappeared. Standing up, she walked around the table to find him lying on the floor next to his chair.
"I'll be needing a room for the night" she announced to Velus "And I'll pay for that myself, since he won't be sharing." She passed across the 20 drakes for the room, and walked up the stairs, with only the slightest unsteadiness.
Velus watched her appreciatively and chuckled. It's not easy to out-drink a Nord, but the fool had tried it anyway.He'd spent a lot more than he'd expected in the process, without getting anything but tomorrow's hangover.
As she sat eating a sweetroll the next morning, Heidi was thinking about something strange the man had said. He was slurring his words a lot by then, and his small-talk wasn't really worth listening to, but she had heard "dawn is breaking". That made no sense to her, and she resolved to ask Gudrun about it when she got back to the office with her uniform.
It was nearly time to go over to the Best Defense and check on their progress. She needed to buy a sword as well, so her first stop was at "A Fighting Chance", just next door to the Inn. She told Rohssan that she needed a Silver weapon. "Legion standard?" she asked.
"Yes," replied Heidi, "but I need a claymore, not a longsword. It's for the Mountain Riders"
Rohssan showed her a selection, and she picked one that was slightly longer than the others. It felt well-balanced, and as she swung it a few times, Heidi knew that this was the right choice.
"Looks like you're handy with a blade" Rohssan remarked. "Not many are that quick with a two-hander."
Despite the flattery, Heidi haggled hard and got a good price. Then she set off across the street to the Best Defense.
Gin-Wulm had not only made her armor already, but it fit perfectly without needing any adjustment. The steel he'd used was thin and light, with a slight blue sheen. It had a comfortable lining built in, so she wouldn't need to wear anything underneath it. The lower half was somewhat minimal, but she wouldn't get arrested. Not that there was a lot to the top if you took off the pauldrons, but it provided all the support she needed.
It would need to be enchanted as well, or even a Nord like her would feel the cold, and that would provide further magical defense. She'd have to take it to the Chironasium at the Arcane University for that, but Gudrun hadn't provided the orders yet. Thanking Gin-Wulm again for his efforts, she headed back to the Waterfront.
Back at the office, Heidi told Gudrun and the Hero of Kvatch about the events of the previous evening. He recognized the phrase "Dawn is Breaking" and asked her to accompany him back to the Merchants Inn to look for the man. On the way he told her what he knew about the Mythic Dawn and their plot.
Velus Hosidius at the Merchants Inn remembered Heidi, but not the man she was with. He'd had his back to the bar, and Velus had been more intent on watching Heidi anyway. After Heidi had gone upstairs, the stranger had been carried out by two other men. Velus didn't recognize any of them. "At least they paid" he remarked.
No-one else remembered the man. Heidi had drawn everyone's attention, and he'd gone almost unnoticed. The only thing Velus recalled was a mention of the sewers. "There's an entrance in my basement, if you want to take a look."
There were a couple of bandits lurking in the section the grate led down to, but soon they came across a locked door, with no way to open it. The trail had gone cold.
"We'd better keep looking for him. Heidi can stay here and take over the recruiting duty as her cover." Gudrun had the beginnings of a plan. "It will leave her plenty of time to look around the city in case the agent re-appears. Besides, I've done all the shopping I need to for a while. It's her turn!"
So Heidi moved in to the Waterfront office, and Gudrun headed back to Bruma.