I am not biased in any way and we should free those slaves.

Part 7: Off to Balmora



We decided to free the slaves. As they are slaves, they don't own anything and freeing them gives us nothing. Their disposition towards us jumps to 100 however. There were two other slaves in this cell with Baadargo: they all were freed.



All of the slaves were wearing these and this is what the key is for. That certainly is an enchantment that would hinder escaping.



Balmora was our next stop. As we asked a scout for directions, our map in the upper right corner already has our destination marked as well as some other landmarks she mentioned. The dark areas are the areas we have explored.



The directions we were given tell us to take the north bridge to leave Seyda Neen and head east past the Silt Strider port. This convenient sign seems to agree.





It's not the best day for walking, but big strong Nord men can handle the rain.



This is where the directions want us to go. The scenery already is looking a bit different. Seems like we are getting out of the swamp forest.





Hello, friend.



Goodbye, friend. This was a Kwama Forager. They are aggressive, but very weak. They aren't an issue.





This is the Ascadian Isles area. There are actual islands of course, but we're too far inland to see them. Instead we get to enjoy the grassy hills with some new flora and giant mushrooms.



Oh, what's this?



This Guar isn't aggressive. They're used as mounts and pack animals in Vvardenfell. Unfortunately we will never get to ride one... Or that is what I would say if we did not have mods. We do actually have a mod for Guar mounts, which we will most likely be seeing in use later. These untrained Guars can't be used as mounts.



Seems like there is another person around as well.







Oh. Well then. This woman was attacked by a bandit and had her jewels stolen, though she was not harmed. She doesn't want us to get the jewels back, however. Instead, she wants us to find the bandit as she seems to have fallen in love with him.


Shall we help Maurrie find the bandit for the sake of love or continue to Balmora?

Ain't nobody got time for that

All of these guests are left open as I never actually refuse them. We might be able to do them later if someone remembers and suggests that we do it. A new update is on the way though it is going to be a rather large one.

Part 8: Balmora Trail



We decided not to help the woman find the bandit of her dreams and instead continue to Balmora. We are about halfway there, having passed the town of Pelagiad like we were told.





This area has quite many flowers for us to pick. They're more alchemy ingredients, we can use them for potions or just sell them as is. Potions sell for more, however.



Not much else happens on the trip with this part being the most important. The area to the left clearly looks different than where the path to the right takes us. Left is where we should be going.



There's a rat. It wasn't there for long.



This gray, rocky area is known as a foyada. The lava from the volcano on this island apparently is very runny, so it tends to go for a long way and leave these foyadas behind. Foyada apparently stands for a 'fire river'.





We aren't going to have to follow one for long, as we need to take a left turn to reach the Moonmoth Legion Fort we were told about. Balmora should be close.



This is the fortress entrance. It's not Balmora.



The other side of the foyada looks very different to the Ascadian Isles. This is West Gash. It's rather bare and mostly has rocks, shrubs and twisted trees.





Oh, we're close. That's a Silt Strider up there.



Had we taken the Silt Strider to Balmora, we would have been dropped on that platform up there. It would have been fast, but it was fun to walk.





This is the area where there are shops. We finally get to see some Dunmer architecture. Most of the buildings here are rather small and they aren't very tall. The green glass apparently isn't glass but some kind of resin.



The best part about the containers in the outside areas of Balmora is how no one has been marked to own them. We can take all the items we find and it isn't even stealing. I make sure to loot every container.



Balmora is split into few distinct areas with this one having the shops as I said.



It also has guilds. The other sign is the Guild of Fighters, both factions we could join.



We also have different guards walking around compared to Seyda Neen's Imperials. Let's ask him some questions.



Balmora apparently is the second largest town and apparently something called the Great House Hlaalu is the one in power here. He didn't tell us anything about the House, but apparently we could join it. Apparently.



It's time to check the most important shop in town first, though.



Someone likes the Empire.



He says the same thing about Balmora as the guard we talked to, but he gives us a rumor. Some Larrius Varro person over at the Moonmoth Legion Fort is apparently trying to stop the corruption.



I bought us a new helmet and some boots, as this person sold heavy armors. Our left arm is still lacking heavy armor and I couldn't find any here.



The houses in Balmora tend to have very small rooms, but there's usually a basement or a second floor as well.



There's some weird book about some wizards called the Telvanni here. It apparently is another Great House like the Hlaalu. You can read the book here if you wish to learn more.



There was a guard upstairs, but he can't see in this room if you hide yourself. That means we are pretty free to take anything we want in here. If we sneak and the yellow icon show up in the bottom, it means we aren't being seen. If no one sees us, our crime isn't reported.



This chest was too much for us, though. Time to go back outside.




We can open our journal to read the things we have been told. This was back when we got the package to deliver, we were supposed to find some place called the South Wall Cornerclub.



It was easier than expected.



I wanted to see if there might be some book explaining the Great Houses in more detail here, but instead I found something much better.







Excellent.



The bookstore was one of those houses that had a second floor as well. A floor without guards.





Oh. Nothing.



It had already gotten dark when I came outside. These stairs lead to the area where the more wealthy live. These tall towers are just watchtowers for the guards.



The houses here are bigger, but they're still not very large. Let's see what the largest building is.



Alright. Let's not go there yet, though. We had a tavern to find.



Balmora has many stairs. These lead to the river and the houses for the common folk.



There are also the dark alleyways every town needs.



The market district and the noble district all were arranged in a circle around a large empty space. The houses by the river are instead built in straight rows.



This person mentions Larrius Varro again. His suggestion is that the man has to find someone to help him to stop this corruption. This is a hint.



This woman meanwhile suggests that we join a Guild to get started and used to Vvardenfell. It's not a bad idea as joining Guilds has many perks. When I asked her about the lore, she just said the Tribunal Temple is fighting some rebel faction called the Dissident Priests. Too bad we don't know what those are.



Ah, here we go.





Well, we have a lead to finding Caius Cosades... But let's ask her about other things.



She seems to be knowledgeable about many things. I'm sure that's to be expected, as she is a Nord just like us. She says the Dunmer resent the Imperials that have taken over and that there are people trying to drive them out if given the chance. What is worrying is that this Orvas Dren apparently controls the House Hlaalu and there is some syndicate called the Camonna Tong he runs and... This woman certainly knows things she probably shouldn't.



Many people have mentioned the Fighters Guild and the Mages Guild. She is the first one talking of the Thieves Guild. Camonna Tong and the Thieves Guild apparently have some kind of gang war going on, so perhaps her knowledge makes sense. Who is Sugar-Lips?



Oh.



Nice book.



"Join the Thieves Guild, Camonna Tong is bad."



Finally, the actual tavern. None of these people is the owner and we're told that he's somewhere. We actually were closer to him when we first entered.



To find Bacola Closcius, the owner, you need to take the stairs upstairs to your left when you enter the tavern.



We know where to find Caius Cosades. I hope you know what this means.






Going to another completely different direction to look at something else, of course. This is the temple. It's on the other side of the river close to the rich area, but to the side. It's strange for it to be so far away from everything else.



The temples have these small courtyards before the actual entrance. Sometimes there is a beggar outdoors.



They are actually rather roomy on the inside. The ceiling might be low, but there are multiple floors.



Dunmer worship their ancestors. I am only going to have to assume this is a pile of the remains of their ancestors.



Temples have shrines to certain holy people in their religion.



You can donate money to get temporary blessings. You can only have one active at a time, but it tends to be something like a stat boost.



Let's go downstairs first.



We learned a lot from this woman. We know of the Guild, temple, House Hlaalu and the Legion, but she also mentioned something called the Imperial cult as well. Sounds like something religious. There's also something called the Morag Tong but she doesn't tell us more about them.

I'll go upstairs next.





This man says that outlanders like us do best in Balmora, because House Hlaalu is the friendliest towards foreigners apparently. He also mentions the other two Great Houses that are represented well in Vvardenfell, Redoran and Telvanni. We know Telvanni are wizards and they apparently dislike outsiders. We know nothing of House Redoran.

This is the first time we hear of someone called Vivec as well. There's a city with the same name too, the largest city in Vvardenfell.



Vivec seems to be some figure in their religion. These sermons are some rather... Interesting and weird books. Here is this book, though you could read the entire series and still have no idea what is going on.



Ah. Vivec is a part of this ALMSIVI the Tribunal temple worships. The other two are called Almalexia and Sotha Sil. It might be obvious that this book is rather similar to the Telvanni book and the thief book we found. All of these are factions we could join and the books explain us what the factions expect of us. This one states rather clearly which attributes and skills the Tribunal temple favors. They are not a very big issue when you wish to join a faction. Here is the entire book.

Now let's take a look at some other things in this room.



I believe this is a picture of Veloth leading Chimer, the Dunmer ancestors to Morrowind.



I'm not entirely sure what I am looking at here.





The temple


Mages Guild


Fighters Guild


Thieves Guild



There is still the Imperial Legion and the Imperial cult, but as those are over at Moonmoth Legion Fort rather than Balmora, I will explore that later.


Now for our choices.

Shall we deliver the package to Caius Cosades?

Should we join a faction? The Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, Thieves Guild or Tribunal temple, or perhaps we will go and see what the Imperial Legion and Imperial cult are about? You can vote for as many or few as you like, even not wanting to join any right now is an option. We might end up seeing them all unless there is a certain faction most vote to not join ever.

Will we go to Moonmoth Legion Fort anyway to see what the rumors about Larrius Varro stopping the corruption are?