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| Publication Date: | October 16, 2018 | ||
Meet the Character - Xukas
by Leonian & Crassus
Correspondence regarding an Argonian fraudster
- Taken from Green Tower Winery's business correspondence
- Crassus,
- Greetings, cousin! How's business in Hammerfell? Booming, I'm certain. Those Redguards drink like fish, and our wine is the best in Tamriel!
- Negotiations here in Murkmire remain fluid. That's a swamp joke!
- You're not going to like this, but I need more gold. Only a few hundred more. We're very close to making a final deal with these Argonians—trust me.
- I've been negotiating with one of the thick-headed lizard-men since I arrived. He goes by the name of Xukas. The locals say he speaks for some tribe or another, but I can't keep it all straight. Anyway, who cares? You won't find a less interesting race than the Argonians. All they do is weave baskets, roll around in the mud, and croak at each other.
- Xukas must be new to this sort of thing. He asks questions constantly! "How many people work for you?" "How much gold do you have in savings?" "What are your shipping schedules?" It got so tiresome that eventually I just let him look at our business ledger—as if he could even read something that complicated. In any event, he asks less questions now. Thank Zenithar for that!
- Now, for all his naiveté when it comes to business matters, he does have a fair eye for pottery. I know we agreed to purchase some of the cheaper Lilmoth-made stirrup jars to transport our wine, but Xukas introduced me to another lizard named Geem-something-or-other, who makes an even cheaper jar that's just as good. Needless to say, I jumped at the offer and purchased twelve dozen.
- Here's where things get complicated. The pottery that Geem-whatever-his-name-is makes contains trace amounts of washtongue powder—a local mineral that helps in the firing process. It's harmless for Argonians, but causes all sorts of intestinal issues for civilized people like us. Luckily, Xukas knew yet another Argonian named Neef, or Neep, or something, who makes a really remarkable ash-glaze. Applying it to Geem's pottery should make it perfectly safe for transporting our wine! I bought as much as I could, but supplies are extremely limited.
- Xukas explained that Neep's ash glaze comes from a very specific marsh plant that only grows on a peninsula north of Alten Meerhleel. He told me the property-owners would probably be willing to trade it to us for next to nothing—they'd just want some old Imperial deeds, or a favor of some variety. We'd have to sign a contract, I think. I still don't fully grasp all the particulars. Anyway, once we own the deed to the peninsula, we can make as much of the glaze as we want!
- In summary, I've negotiated circles around this Xukas character, and acquired an entire jar-making operation! Now, as I mentioned, I'll need something like six hundred gold, a number of old Imperial documents, and some burly laborers to clear brush and beasts from our new land parcel. Make sure they wear sturdy boots. It can get a little wet out there!
- Here's to a new and lucrative business venture!
- Your cousin and partner,
- Leonian
- ---
- Leonian,
- You want a king's ransom in gold for defective pottery, insufficient glaze, and a half-sunken peninsula in a man-eating swamp. Xukas is not the one getting fleeced. Come home immediately. And leave the jars.
- Crassus