Part One: The Black Mask
Sitting on the stone steps outside the tavern Riazen leaned against the wooden railing smoking his pipe; searching through his jacket he pulled out the already opened envelope, removing the piece of parchment unfolding and reading it aloud once more. “Cyrodill, Charrol: Vayln Drell.” “Why the hell did I have to get this specific one?” Riazen sighed crumpling the contract in his hand and kicking the ground in front of him, drawing curious looks from several passersby. All the people they could’ve possibly asked me to kill and it just has to be someone who knows my father thought Riazen taking another long drag off of his pipe laughing hopelessly at his situation. “He’s going to kill me if he ever finds out about this…”
Vayln Drell had long been a advisor of Riazen’s father; serving as his main contact and business partner within Cyrodill, Riazen himself even spent several summers on holiday living with the Drell’s and had become very close with Vayln’s daughter. “I might as well march up to my father’s own castle and cut his throat in the middle of court; I have about the same chances getting recognized doing that as this pl***.” Riazen laughed to himself emptying out the dying embers of his pipe onto the steps next to him, extinguishing them with the bottom of the pipe as he pondered what to do. Eyes wondering across the street Riazen stopped on the sign for a blacksmith shop which featured the drawing of a helmet with a full facemask.
Getting to his feet Riazen smiled sticking his pipe and the envelope back into the pocket of his coat as he walked down the stairs and across the busy street, ducking into the hot cramped shop and browsing the many weapons and armor pieces lining the walls. Not finding the piece he desired Riazen followed the dull clang of hammer on metal echoing from the back of the building till he came upon a dark haired woman working a red hot blade on a anvil, looking up from her work and spotting Riazen she let out a sigh tossing the blade into a troth of water making it pop and crackle as the steel hardened in the ice cold water.
“Need something?” She barked stepping around the anvil and cleaning her hands on the front of her heavy apron. “Yes actually, I’m looking for something… Custom…” “Well spit it out then.” “I need a mask; nothing special quarter inch steel, eyes and nostril slits with leather buckles in the back to wear it.” Riazen snapped back at the obviously annoyed blacksmith who rolled her eyes at him; grabbing a piece of marked measuring string, walking up to Riazen and taking quick measurements of his head before head back to the work bench. “Come back in a couple hours and you better have gold…”
“Of course I have gold…” Riazen lied trying his best to sound insulted as he turned and marched back through the shop and out the door. pl*** I forgot about paying for it he sighed reaching into his bag and pulling out his coin pouch which was nearly empty, weighting the bag of gold in his hand before tossing it back into his bag and crossing the street to the general store. Walking up to the counter Riazen reluctantly took off the family crest he’d taken from his brother’s room, sitting it on the counter in front of the shopkeeper who eyed it carefully. “How much can I get for this?” He asked watching as the shopkeeper picked it up weighting it in his hands an examining it closely before looking Riazen up and down and laying it back on the counter.
“1000…” “It’s worth three times that…”“2000 my final offer.” “Done…” Riazen sighed pushing the ring across the table as the shopkeeper fished out several large bags of gold from a locked chest setting them down in front of Riazen before sliding the ring onto his own finger. Big mistake pal Riazen thought knowing he would be back for his ring. Loading the large pouches of gold into his bag Riazen headed back out onto the street again, working his way through the bustling streets Riazen fought the urge to have a drink as he passed the tavern pockets now full of gold. Journeying deeper into town Riazen headed to the apothecary shop to finish his shopping before returning to to the blacksmiths just as the sun was disappearing behind the cities stone walls.
“You actually came back…” “You doubted I would?” Riazen said slightly angry reaching into his bag and pulling out one of the bags of gold, tossing it on the worktable. “Stuck up little Brat…” She mumbled in a almost inaudible tone picking up the bag and quickly counting the coins before tossing him the shinny steel mask which Riazen turned over in his hands before undoing the buckles and holding it up to his face checking the fit. “Good craftsmanship, especially for a unsophisticated brute…” “Gee thanks; now don’t let the door hit your royal ass on the way out…” She said raising her voice as she started to lose her patience.
Leaving the blacksmith shop behind before things started flying; Riazen headed back to the tavern with his newly bought supplies, renting a room for three nights and ordering a dinner to be sent up to him. Settling into his room Riazen took off his sword belt and jacket, draping them over the back of his chair before taking a seat laying his bag on the desk in front of him and taking out the steel mask and a brown paper bundle package tied with twine. Getting up and walking over to the dresser Riazen rummaged through the drawers returning with two small wash bowls and hand towels. Sitting them both down on the desk he filled one with water from the bedside table before having a seat at the desk once more.
Reaching into the bag Riazen pulled out the opened bottle of whiskey, having a drink before pouring some into the warm water and setting the bottle aside. Opening the parcel from the apothecary he revealed two large bottles of strong paint; uncorking one and pouring the dark black paint into the empty wash bowl and dipping the edge of a wash cloth into it, using it as a brush to paint the shinny steel mask jet black before setting it down to dry. Taking another swig off the bottle as he watched the paint dry Riazen unfolded two more wash clothes stacking them together; uncorking the last bottle he poured the bright white paint onto the cloth, smearing it around with his finger before coating his palm and pressing the white handprint onto the black mask mimicking the symbol from the sanctuary.
Washing his hand clean in the mixture of alcohol water Riazen dried his hands getting up from the table and picking up the bottle of whiskey, taking another large gulp as he walked over to the window looking up at the now dark sky before surveying the empty streets below. “Good, it’s late now…” Riazen smiled having his last drink from the bottle and walking over to the desk and checking the paint making sure it was dry before slipping it on and checking out his handiwork in the dirty dresser mirror. “This should do the trick quite nicely.” He grinned devilishly beneath the mask, snuffing out the candle on the desk an locking the door before opening the window and slipping outside onto the roof. “Now to get back my ring; then maybe I'll pay a visit to Lilith before I have to deal with her father…” Riazen laughed into the cold steel of his mask as he perched himself on the edge of the roof, checking the street below for activity before jumping down an disappearing into the night.
To Be Continued