Title: Fools' Ebony, Part the Fourth
Author: Frincheps
IsNaughty: True
Price: 317
IsUnique: False
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Content:


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[/center]Fools' Ebony

[/center]Part The

[/center]Fourth



[/font=4]



[/center] Dramatis Personae

 Prologue The Adventurer, A Dark Elf Rascal Komon, A Priest
of Akatosh Lheban, Another Priest of Akatosh Epilogue Stete, A
Priest of Julianos Raic, Another Priest of Julianos Shub, A
Mage Shub, A Different Mage of the Same Name Nephron, A
Somewhat Sleazy Merchant 5 Armorers Ortho Crunn, Husband of
Millie A Lusty Contessa Millie, Innkeep and Philosopher
Gurnsey, Bovine Wench Assorted Wenches and Cads of the
Taverns Soldiers Dwarves Giants



 Part The Fourth - Mercantile Dealings,                   The
Armorers Involve


  Themselves. After some


  general discussion and


  verbal dancing around,


  finally the topic of


  Fools' Ebony is


  explored ...                  Somewhere near the market, in
the back of a store called "Nephron's General Mercantile".

 The day after.

 (Enter Prologue, the Adventurer, and Nephron)

 Prologue:   Whilst the actors playing the Adventurer           
 and the merchant Nephron dramatically


    move their mouths to pantomime a


    conversation, it is on poor Prologue's


    shoulders to update the audience on the


    play's actions in its first three acts.


    The Adventurer, a rogue of a Dark Elf,


    has been hired two different groups --


    four inebriated priests and two greedy


    mages -- to delay the other group, and


    find the lost cache of Fools' Ebony in


    the Wrothgarian Mountains. Now, picture


    this clownishly decorated set as the


    back room at a prosperous merchant's


    shop. And before the Adventurer and


    Nephron develop lockjaw, Prologue will


    leave you thus.

 Adventurer: So you see, friend Nephron, just what an           
 opportunity we have here. We have this


    new commodity, for which you agree there


    will be a huge demand.

 Nephron:    Especially from the Royals -- once one             of
them has something new, they all want


    it, of course.

 Adventurer: And do not forget the Armorers for their            
forges, and the Alchemists for their


    retorts and whatnots...

 Nephron:    You seem to have the Mages lined up            
nicely, got their location, memorized


    the access map, and so on - you know,              we
merchants have had a suspicion for


    quite some time that those old twits


    had some deep dark secret of interest


    to us...             Now, the priests - the School of
Julianos


    we already work well with, hand and


    glove, you might say. But of course we


    shall cut them out of the major profits


    -- maybe let them distribute some to


    their flocks?  And their Temples make


    good, how can I say? -- storehouses?


    But the Akatosh Chantry is a problem,


    always running off and doing things on


    their own initiative, no cooperation,             just
crazy people ... we really need to


    do something about them, to ... er ...             ensure
their cooperation ...

 Adventurer: I have a suggestion that might help ...            
you recall how old Komon left and             apparently
dragged off some little blonde             lamppost girl ...
just suppose, that just             by chance, in his state of
...             befuddlement ... he dragged off someone


    important by mistake..? Might be a lot of


    trouble for the Chantry, if word got out?

 Nephron:    Hmmm. Indeed ... there's this silly            
little blonde Royal who's all excited by


    the 'real life' down in these parts of


    town. Disguises herself (or so she             thinks), comes
on down here and plays at             being poor.  Stupid
little twit ... Komon             is still in hiding with his
blonde, right?

 Adventurer: Yes, in that 'retreat' the Priests have,            
down near the waterfront.

 Nephron:    Oh yes, I know that place - often sell            
them some 'spiritual powders' and so on


    ... Good ... you see, just imagine what             would
happen if Komon, by mistake, had             grabbed this
slumming little Contessa             ... Akatosh Chantry would
have no end of             trouble from the palace if something 
           nasty happened to her ... and then we             could
move in, offer to 'help' the Chantry             during their
hard times ... Hmmm.             Yes! Leave it to me, I shall
contact a few             of my ... er ... business associates,
as             it were ... make some arrangements.

 Adventurer: And I'll keep up chatting with the            
priests, get them to support our little             business
venture?

 Nephron:    Right!  And I should introduce you to some           
 of the more senior members of our             Brotherhood ...
excuse me, Guild.  Let me             contact you in a few days,
when everything             is all set. You are here every
evening?

 Adventurer: Yes, not particularly safe outside after         
   dark these days.

 Nephron:    I see. We shall have to arrange some ...            
protection for you. Well, in a few days,


    then.

 (Exit Nephron, inconspicuously) (Enter Five Armorers)
(Armorers and the Adventurer fight) (The Adventurer falls)
(The Armorers tie the Adventurer up and then wake him up)

 Armorer 1:  OK, fellow. Lets not spriggen-foot around!      
      We know about this Fools' Ebony thing. And             about
the Mages who apparently discovered              the location.
And we have been watching you             dance around with the
Priests, the Mages,             the Merchants. Just about
everyone with two


    feet!

 Armorer 2:  And how you are really working with Nephron.

 Armorer 3:  And how you are double-crossing the Priests         
   and Mages ...

 Armorer 2:  You and Nephron are really doing a good job      
      on the Akatosh Chantry, we must admit.

 Armorer 1:  But now, we want that Fool's Ebony supply.       
     We need it to increase our production, our            
quality -- and our prices.  We can work             with Nephron
and his gang, we need             warehouses and distribution
anyway.

 Armorer 4:  We could torture it out of you ... 

 Armorer 3:  We could let the Priests know about your            
plans -- they would throw you to the


    Afterdark Society in a flash!

 Armorer 5:  We could let the Mages know -- they would            
send you to Oblivion for a very, very long


    time!

 Armorer 1:  But we would rather you 'joined' our            
Guild. We cannot afford to leave Daggerfall             for
some hairy wilderness trip. Too much             demand these
days, for our sevices.

 Armorer 2:  But we can send a group of our apprentices        
    along to keep you company.

 Armorer 4:  Our apprentices usually test all our            
products ... and will be just itching to             test out
there.

 Adventurer: Gentlemen, gentlemen! Please - I really was     
       going to give the whole deal to you, once I             had
gotten gold from everyone else.

 (Armorer 5 slaps the Adventurer with a hot poker)

             Ohhh ... well, I thought of it...

 Armorer 5:  Sure!  And I'm a Nymph!

 Adventurer: Yes, Yes, Yes, you are very persuasive.            
I would welcome an ... er ... escort and             guard of
such tough gentlemen. Be very             handy out there.

 Armorer 1:  Good. Thought you would see it our way!            
Some of our other members are presently             having a
little ... chat with Nephron. We             can handle him. And
from now on, two of             our bigger apprentices will
always be


    close at hand.  Protection, of course --             this
town can be quite dangerous at


    night ...

 Armorer 3:  So continue with your arrangements, work            
with Nephron. You can always leave word             about your
departure date with any weapons             shop.  And about
any problems you may


    have ...

 Adventurer: Certainly, gentlemen. Yes, you are indeed        
    very persuasive. I shall keep you up to             date. 
And, er...thanks for the protection.

 (Enter Ortho, the very large apprentice) (The Adventurer is
untied) (Exeunt Five Armorers)

 Adventurer: Hello, who are you?

 Ortho:      Me am Ortho!

 Adventurer: My ... protection?

 Ortho:      Me am Ortho!

 Adventurer: You look very familiar to me for some            
reason. Have you every been to Morrowind?

 Ortho:      Me am Ortho!

 Adventurer: Fine then.             (aside)


    My old man used to say the very worst


    thing that can happen to a fellow is


    an evening spent in the company of an


    earnest politician. This, I think, is


    a close second.

 (Exeunt the Adventurer and Ortho) (Enter Epilogue)

 Epilogue:   Our play has six parts, and we've just            
finished the fourth. It's interesting             I think that the
Lusty Contessa has


    not made an appearance yet. You don't


    suppose our playwrite forgot he put her


    in the Dramatis Personae, do you? Well,


    you'll only know if you come back for


    The Fools' Ebony, Part the Fiveth. And


    if your neighbor decides not to return,


    don't tell him what happened. We actors


    have to make a living too, you know.


    Don't forget to tip your wenches while


    we change the scene.

 (Exit Epilogue)     

                    So Endeth Part The Fourth 
