OOC: FYI Levi is a Breton
Levi, surprised, took a moment to inspect the blade he had been handed. "Thank you, I—" Levi's words were cut short by the loud thud of a tankard striking a table. He looked over to see the Orc eying the same barmaid that had been in Levi's room just a few short hours ago. "I guess that's how an Orc orders a drink" he thought. Once the tankard was full the Orc stood and marched toward the Khajiit, taking a seat next to him. "Can't they do anything quietly?"
He looked back at the Nord, trying to collect his thoughts and remember where he had left off. He took a breath to speak, but was interrupted again, this time by the sound of the tavern door being quickly opened, then slammed shut. The room fell quiet. Near the doorway stood a Redguard man, tall with silver hair and hands that had never been worked a day. His clothes were of the finest silk, his shoes impeccably clean. Levi recognized him; he had done few jobs for this Redguard before, back in Whiterun. He had been paid well, but the work never went as smoothly as Levi had hoped.
"Vilann Domas" Levi said.
"Barenjager, you're a hard man to find," the Redguard responded. He approached the table, and upon it he placed a small chest, no larger than a man's head. "I have a job for you. This chest must go to Faralda at the College of Winterhold. As I understand it you've made plans to go there anyway, so it shouldn't cause you much trouble." Levi leaned back in his chair and placed his hand on his beard. Working for Vilann almost always involved trouble, and he knew it. Still, Levi was in need of the coin. "Fine," he said, "I'll do it, you can pay me in the usual fashion."
"Not this time. You see, th—the payment will be much larger for this job than anything you've done before. You'd... uh... you'd be well-advised to, perhaps, bring some company with you. Dividing the payment will be up to you. You'll receive 10,000 now, and another 90,000 in Winterhold, once the chest arrives safely." Vilann tossed several large coin purses to the table, then turned abruptly toward the door, giving Levi little choice. As he was reaching for the handle he stopped, then looked back over his shoulder. "To be clear, you shouldn't have any need to open this chest, understood?" Before Levi could answer the Redguard was gone.
Levi looked over at the Kajiit and the Orc. Both appeared to know how to handle themselves, and Levi had no problem working with Kajiit, but his past made him more than leery of Orcs. Still, he knew Vilann had surely understated the dangers involved, and he knew what Orcs could do in a fight. Levi sighed, then took several scraps of paper and a quill from his pack, scribbling two quick notes. He called the barmaid over. "Give this to the Kajiit over there, and this one give to that Orc." As she walked away, Levi turned back to the two Nords at his table. "Would either of you fancy a hike to Winterhold?"
OOC: If we'd like to continue then you should all join me in the "To Winterhold" private thread. Stic has the first post already up, and it fits well with where this is going so far.
Fayne, you can assume the note that my character wrote to yours simply states: "Meet me at the Riften Stables."
Catweazle, the next post can be yours, since your character has yet to accept my character's invitation. We'll be starting in Riften Stables.
I don't know what happened to Scribe, but he/she is welcome to join too if she/he returns.
