Ephedrina stands at the pier, smelling the salt air and listening to the din of Windhelm. She has just disembarked and is about to start her new life in Skyrim. She savours the moment, the feeling of unlimited potential, of how little she knows, of adventure... and there's no one to order her around either.

 

 

"Hey you! Yeah you, the grey chick!"

 

Her reverie is rudely interrupted by a guard striding towards her.

 

"You need to be searched for contraband. Come with me."

 

"My good man, is that really necessary?" She summons every ounce of put-upon privilege she can muster. "I'm Lady Ephedrina and have just arrived to...."

 

"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever." He dismisses her words with a wave. "If you're so fancy, where are your servants?"

 

"They...."

 

"That was a rhetorical question Miss Fancytits. You're a Dunmer. You're new. I'm doing my job. End of discussion."

 

He brings her to the barracks for the search. He is clearly copping a feel. More than one feel. Ephedrina can feel the blood rushing to her face. She's not overly experienced with men, but this one is clearly taking some liberties. Still, she endures the best she can and tries to maintain her composure.

 

"Look at you," he laughs. "You're enjoying this almost as much as I am."

 

Bastard.

 

"Alright... take off your clothes. Put them on their chair over there. Can't be too careful, you know." He winks at her as he gives her a crude grin and whispers "I could barely feel anything through all that clothes."

 

 

"No!" Her eyes flash. She's seriously considering running the guard through right then and there. "The Jarl will hear of this!"

 

Her anger, or perhaps the threat of the Jarl, does the trick. The guard lets her go without further indignities.

 

 

"I'll take these two."

 

Ephedrina doesn't have a lot of money, but the court wizard has a number of spell books for sale. More than she can afford, so she selects carefully.

 

"Very well. Let me see your license."

 

"My... license?"

 

It turns out you need a license to practice magic in Skyrim... especially if you're Dunmer. And you need other licenses for wearing armour or carrying weapons or even being out after curfew. Ephedrina, of course, has no licenses (nor can she afford them).

 

"I'm surprised they didn't fit you with a collar at the city gates. Normally they're very good about this."

 

Apparently they put some sort of magic-draining collar on unlicensed spellcasters as a precaution. How degrading.

 

 

"Fuck you you grey-skinned piece of trash. Someone should put you in your place!"

 

"Speak to me like that again and I will cut your gut open. Imagine, your warm intestines spilling on to the ground pink and glistening." Ephedrina holds the man's gaze as she speaks, slowly, deliberately, savouring every word. "You try to grasp them with your hands, to stuff them back in, but it's not helping... you're dying... in agony...  just picture it." She means what she says.

 

He looks at Ephedrina's sword, then at her expression... then at the ground.

 

It's clear that there are some - many even - in Windhelm who do not like the Dunmer. Or anyone who's not a Nord.

 

"Good," she says before walking on.

 

 

Ephedrina spends some time walking the city, talking to people. She's getting the feel of its inhabitants and the swirling currents of schemes and actions and sentiment. There's the civil war, there's a murderer on the loose, there's racial tension, bandits beyond the walls, and there's a boy who wants the head of an orphanage killed... plenty of potential opportunity. Still, at this time she's just getting the measure of things.

 

 

"Aye, I'll serve you. Don't make no difference to me what colour your skin is - as long as you pay."

 

Most of the humans at the main inn - Candlehearth Hall - are straightforward and to the point. Of course, Ephedrina doesn't have the money to pay for any retainers at this point... and partnering at equals would be beneath her - or at least beneath the high noble she pretends to be. It's not that big a deal, though, she's confident she can make it on her own.

 

"Honey, I know you're posh and all... but if you're short of cash... with a body like that...." The prostitute gives Ephedrina a long appraising glance, head to toe. "You'll need a license from the Jarl's steward and then I can make a few introductions... if you... want...." The woman pauses under Ephedrina's withering glare. "You won't be the first girl with fancy airs - grey-skin or not - making a bit of coin on her back... but suit yourself."

 

It's not that Ephedrina has a deep philosophical opposition to prostitution. She's traded on her good looks in various ways before. But there are two things holding her back. One - it'd be completely at odds with the air of a great noble lady that she's affecting. Two - she's a virgin and has some notions about how she'd like that to change, notions which do not include prostitution.

 

 

"Milady should be fine as long as she avoids approaching any of the gates. That's where the license inspectors typically congregate."

 

Gascayn is another Dunmer exile. The two have a lot in common, with Gascayn being a former retainer to a great Dunmer noble house (much like Ephedrina was). It's clear he's a bit of a rake and a gambler, an adventurer now, but his manners are still impeccable. He's been in Windhelm for a while and is wise to its ways. Lady Ephedrina's noble status (however real it may or may not be) will not stop the license inspectors from subjecting her to their power.

 

"I..." he hesitates for a moment to indicate that he understands it's a delicate matter, "... milady, I would be honoured to assist you with the license fees if you would allow me."

 

Ephedrina would not. There is no such thing as a favour offered freely. If Gascayn offers money he'll expect something back. That's the way of the world. That's the way of the Dunmer. She ignores his words completely, using the awkward silence rather than words to tell him off for his impudence.

 

To his credit, Gascayn takes the rejection with grace.

 

 

In a certain part of the city, there's a hidden hatch and ladder that leads down into what appears an extensive tunnel system. Ephedrina ventures down, to see what she can see (and take what she can take, hopefully).

 

 

Turns out her instinct is correct, the tunnels are inhabited by hostile monsters of various kinds.

 

At first she's apprehensive about how she'll fare, but she's careful and methodical (and willing to cut her losses and run if things look bad). Ephedrina makes some real progress in the tunnels beneath the city. The pickings are not overly rich, though.

 

 

The tunnels seem to go on forever. There are even signs pointing to other parts of Skyrim. If the signs are correct (she has no way of knowing), it suggests the tunnel system is huge.

 

In fact, that's the main thing that causes her to turn back. Ephedrina does not have a map or compass, and the tunnel system is fairly complex. It would not do to get lost down here.

 

 

"How much do you reckon I'll have to pay for the licenses?"

 

Ephedrina is selling her loot from her tunnel adventure. It sounds like it'll cost her 2,000 septims to walk through the gate with her armour and weapons intact, and without having a collar put around her neck. It's more than double what she has right now, and most of the potential jobs she's come across require her to leave the city. Which of course she can't do.

 

 

Ephedrina even experiments at the Alchemy table. She manages to make a few potions and sell them for a profit. It's nowhere enough though.

 

 

In the end, Ephedrina takes a room (expensive) at Candlehearth Hall.

 

It seems clear that she can't pass through the gates without the appropriate licenses... and she definitely wants to avoid being fitted with a demeaning collar. What should she do?

 

The potential hirelings at Candlehearth Hall are no use to her until she can leave town unmolested... unless she can somehow swindle some money out of them. But she'd rather not compromise her reputation like that.

 

There's Gascayn, of course. Maybe she should relent and borrow money from him? She'd have to figure out what his scheme is - because surely there's a scheme - but she can probably outsmart him.

 

There's the prostitution option... but really, it's demeaning and disgusting. Ephedrina is never going to stoop so low and sell her body. Freed from the restraints of court, there's no one here to judge her if she takes a lover. What a pleasant thought... maybe she'll look for the right guy... or girl... and have some fun... there's no rush though...

 

... but the problem remains...

 

She could become a burglar and pick-pocket to raise the funds. She's pretty sure there's a fence at Candlehearth Hall, and Ephedrina has no compunctions about theft. But what are the consequences if she's caught?

 

Maybe she should just skip town, if it's even possible, and turn her back on Windhelm altogether? Then make some money in the countryside before moving to a different city. Maybe they won't have the obnoxious license system in every town?

 

Or maybe she should push further into the tunnels beneath the city, searching for treasure... but what if she can't find her way back?

 

Or maybe... maybe... she could sell some of her gear and use the money for the license? No, that's a terrible idea.

 

What if she left without her gear, made some money beyond the walls, and then got the licenses then? But that'd be risky... she'd need a weapon or her spells at the very least. And where would she leave them anyhow?

 

Ephedrina mulls over the options as she drifts off to sleep. Tomorrow she'll decide. Not tonight....