At the end of the tunnel was a small study, clearly Mercer's inner sanctum. There were books (including a well-thumbed copy of the Lusty Argonian Maid which both Karliah and Sapphire refused to touch and frankly Brynjolf didn't blame them), a good portion of gold and jewels which they split between them, and a bust of the Grey Fox that Brynjolf decided might fetch some coin... if he could find someone to fence it of course. There was a locked display cabinet containing a sword and not just any sword. Only the legendary lost blade Chillrend. Brynjolf wasted no time breaking in and taking that, thank you very much.
Then there were the plans. Oh, the plans. Rather detailed plans, indicating Mercer was going after one of the last great heists.
“The Eyes of the Falmer??” Sapphire gasped. “Are those even real??”
“They're real,” Karliah confirmed. “Gallus was going after them before... but he never got the chance. He'd been planning and researching for years – I'd wager Mercer found his plans and has been building on them.”
The Eyes of the Falmer. Two large diamonds the size of a small baby. Said to have been the eyes of a great Snow Elf statue hidden somewhere in Skyrim. Worth a fortune, enough to both help the Blades out and maybe get the Guild back on its feet too.
Enough to make sure Mercer was set up for life if he got them first, and that made Brynjolf's blood boil.
“We have to find him,” Brynjolf said firmly. “Before he can get those gemstones and go to ground. It's our only lead – once he's got those, who knows where he'll disappear to. He's got a headstart, but he's injured, he'll likely need to hole up for a bit before he can get moving. We can catch him, we can do this...”
“Not as we are,” Karliah said quietly. “He's a Nightingale, he's used the Key to unlock more than just doors. He's powerful. If we need to bring him down, we'll need help. We'll need Nocturnal's assistance. We'll need to rebuild the Trinity.” She looked expectantly at them both.
Brynjolf looked at Sapphire to see if she was thinking the same thing he was. Had Karliah just offered to induct them both into the Nightingales?
“You mean... me and Brynjolf. Nightingales,” Sapphire gasped. Karliah nodded, actually smiling now.
“Inducting you both as Nightingales, yes,” Karliah said. “We won't have full access to Nocturnal's gifts until the Key's returned, but we can have the armour. I think you'll find it to your liking. What do you say?”
What was the catch, was what Brynjolf wanted to say – fortunately Sapphire wasn't born yesterday either.
“But there's a price, right?” Sapphire asked. “I mean, I wouldn't agree to a deal where I wasn't getting anything out of it – you're not telling me the goddess of thieving is going to.”
“You're smart,” Karliah said, nodding approvingly. “She's going to like you. Basically, it's a business deal like any other, a Guild contract in a way. We take the oath as Nightingales, and in return get given the armour and powers of Nocturnal. We can use these to do whatever we want. But we're sworn to protect the Twilight Sepulchre, Nocturnal's conduit to our realm, keeping it safe and open so her influence can protect us. In life... and in death. When we die, our spirits guard that temple, and eventually once Nocturnal's decided our time is up, we become one with the shadows, our influence and skills helping to guide and guard thieves still living.”
Enhanced thieving gifts at the expense of an afterlife. He knew it. Service to a Daedric Prince in the afterlife, what fun. At the same time... one with the shadows. Protecting his fellow thieves, along in spirit for every heist, ensuring things went their way when it mattered... there was something to that. He'd always liked mentoring the younger ones, spotting talent, helping them develop their skills, seeing his wide-eyed raw recruits go on to make something of themselves. He'd hated seeing them fail, seeing them get caught or shot by the guards, their luck running out. To be able to stop that from happening... and an edge against Mercer too.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
Re: The Wolf Queen Awakens 17.8
Date: 2013-12-10 07:48 pm (UTC)Then there were the plans. Oh, the plans. Rather detailed plans, indicating Mercer was going after one of the last great heists.
“The Eyes of the Falmer??” Sapphire gasped. “Are those even real??”
“They're real,” Karliah confirmed. “Gallus was going after them before... but he never got the chance. He'd been planning and researching for years – I'd wager Mercer found his plans and has been building on them.”
The Eyes of the Falmer. Two large diamonds the size of a small baby. Said to have been the eyes of a great Snow Elf statue hidden somewhere in Skyrim. Worth a fortune, enough to both help the Blades out and maybe get the Guild back on its feet too.
Enough to make sure Mercer was set up for life if he got them first, and that made Brynjolf's blood boil.
“We have to find him,” Brynjolf said firmly. “Before he can get those gemstones and go to ground. It's our only lead – once he's got those, who knows where he'll disappear to. He's got a headstart, but he's injured, he'll likely need to hole up for a bit before he can get moving. We can catch him, we can do this...”
“Not as we are,” Karliah said quietly. “He's a Nightingale, he's used the Key to unlock more than just doors. He's powerful. If we need to bring him down, we'll need help. We'll need Nocturnal's assistance. We'll need to rebuild the Trinity.” She looked expectantly at them both.
Brynjolf looked at Sapphire to see if she was thinking the same thing he was. Had Karliah just offered to induct them both into the Nightingales?
“You mean... me and Brynjolf. Nightingales,” Sapphire gasped. Karliah nodded, actually smiling now.
“Inducting you both as Nightingales, yes,” Karliah said. “We won't have full access to Nocturnal's gifts until the Key's returned, but we can have the armour. I think you'll find it to your liking. What do you say?”
What was the catch, was what Brynjolf wanted to say – fortunately Sapphire wasn't born yesterday either.
“But there's a price, right?” Sapphire asked. “I mean, I wouldn't agree to a deal where I wasn't getting anything out of it – you're not telling me the goddess of thieving is going to.”
“You're smart,” Karliah said, nodding approvingly. “She's going to like you. Basically, it's a business deal like any other, a Guild contract in a way. We take the oath as Nightingales, and in return get given the armour and powers of Nocturnal. We can use these to do whatever we want. But we're sworn to protect the Twilight Sepulchre, Nocturnal's conduit to our realm, keeping it safe and open so her influence can protect us. In life... and in death. When we die, our spirits guard that temple, and eventually once Nocturnal's decided our time is up, we become one with the shadows, our influence and skills helping to guide and guard thieves still living.”
Enhanced thieving gifts at the expense of an afterlife. He knew it. Service to a Daedric Prince in the afterlife, what fun. At the same time... one with the shadows. Protecting his fellow thieves, along in spirit for every heist, ensuring things went their way when it mattered... there was something to that. He'd always liked mentoring the younger ones, spotting talent, helping them develop their skills, seeing his wide-eyed raw recruits go on to make something of themselves. He'd hated seeing them fail, seeing them get caught or shot by the guards, their luck running out. To be able to stop that from happening... and an edge against Mercer too.