Into Skyrim, Elder Scrolls 8 Nirn's Beta

I had gotten myself into a pickle. A man I don't recognize held a knife to my throat. The man was most likely nameless to me and was simply Maven's bodyguard. "No need to, get touchy! besides I can cast spells without my hands. So I could easily kill your guard before he cuts my throat and heal myself in the process."

I stared at maven or glared at me silently. I couldn't kill him and heal me, but there was no need to tell complete truths. Maven Black-Briar lowered her hand and the guard took a step back. "I took note of you yesterday, however one can only be on guard when a heavily armored induvial approaches them."

I nodded, and casted a healing spell on myself. The small cut on my throat healed quickly and I responded. "Fair enough, though I can't imagine a woman with ties to the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood would be threatened by such small... details."

I held her gaze on my lingering words. She tapped the table of her office, one I only found out she had about 10 minutes ago. I smiled, "Besides I came to make some deals."

Maven raised an eyebrow as if that was an impossible notion. "I figured as much, it was hard to not guess telling that you went to the Jarl's court twice since you arrived. I even heard you threatened the stewardess for information."

I shrugged, "Hardly anything so unrefined! I promise!" I smirked, she either was tracking me or had made some good guesses. If it was just a good guess, I would need to be on guard. I didn't need her guessing the reason I wanted to buy a certain chunk of land from her.

Maven tilted her head, "So let's hear it, what deal do you think you can make?"

I took a deep breath, "I can make Ingun to take over the family business for you." Her expression shifted slightly, but she made no motion to cut me off. So I continued, "No one is immortal and you haven't made any strides for some elixir or ritual of immortality to live longer. So you plan on leaving things to an heir. It can't be your son, as you let him stroke his ego while he wags his tail like a dog. It certainly can't be Sibbi with his... affairs. Which leaves Ingun, she's smart, but she wants her own path."

Maven nodded slightly, "Yes, she was a lot like myself when I was young. However before you continue, give me a better explanation of why."

That wasn't a question and I felt pressure from her, a pressure stronger than some of the foes I have faced. I nodded, "Your son Hemming is a lap dog, loyal and obedient. However he lacks the drive and ability to achieve his ambition. This is obvious when he boasts his swordsmanship while carrying a pristine sword. Meaning he doesn't even train with it."

Maven nodded, "And Sibbi?"

She was trying to create a distance between our conversation. I hadn't realized it at first, but with the mention of Sibbi. It was obvious, no way in hell she would ever let Sibbi take over the family business. So I responded, "Simple, he has no redeeming qualities that would allow him to take over. He forces women into his bed so he has a high chance for illegitimate children. He tries to sell and steal from the family. Finally he has almost no ambition other than to spend money."

She gestured, "And how would you convince Ingun to take over the family business?"

I smiled, "Well, either you have thought about it or it was so simple that you hadn't. So before we talk about how I would convince her. I think it is more important to talk about the deal as a whole. After all that's not the only offer I have for you. As in the grand scheme Ingun would cave to follow the family name eventually or run away forever."

Maven closed her eyes and let out a sigh, "So what is this deal?"

She knew something about me or she knew something else that required addition help. I guessed it instantly, "Someone in the thieves guild approached you for a change in leadership hadn't they?" Her expression gave nothing away, but I knew I hit right on the mark. 

"That is something i wanted to discuss as a part of this deal. Before that though, I want to talk about some land you family owns. I want to buy it, as simple as that. The many offers I come with are to sweeten the deal and open up the future for better relations."

She shifted her posture, "Where would that land be?"

I pulled out a map and pointed to a circled area. "This area here, I want the mountain range specifically." I pointed to a different circle, "I bought this area as a bargaining chip for another deal. It holds a shrine of Malacath that Orcs travel to preform some worship and rituals at. Before you ask, no the land I want doesn't contain any part of that bargaining chip. However it does hold the rest of the mountain area."

She smiled and nodded, "You wish to tax the Orcs for travel. You have some method of Blood-kin for them and plan on building some sort of Orc town? I assume a part of your offer include me selling Black-Briar Mead to the Orcs through you as an intermediator."

I smirked, "Exactly, to truly capture the Orcs though I want the whole mountain range here so I can offer other services to them. Mining rights to the mountain for possible ore veins."

Maven looked at me, "Is there ore there?"

I shrugged, and lied through my teeth. "Fuck if I know!"

She frowned at my lanaguge however nodded, "I assume you have a method to convince them to mine there then?"

I smiled, "How much of that mountain has actually been explored? Orcs tend to believe dying in battle is important. What better battle is there than one fighting ancient monsters of the mountian? Have them visit the shrine of Malacath before traveling into the mountains and exploring to die in battle with the unknown?"

Maven gave me a smile, "That's a good sell, I've tried to sell to the Orc tribes before. So I understand some of their code. My question now is, what is the rest of your offer?"

"10k in gold for purchase of the land itself. Convincing Ingun to began the process of taking over the family business. The purchase and sell of Black-Briar products to the Orcs. A discount on all affiliated businesses, that includes the information guild. Finally the future security of the thieves guild, in the form of them either becoming a subsidiary of the information guild or them being wiped out."

She raised an eyebrow when I mentioned the thieves guild. "I have an investment in the thieves guild. So explain that part of your offer to me."

I nodded, "Fair, it is well known the black-briar family is not to be messed with thanks to their connections. However the Thieves Guild is a mess, in decline really and it will only get worse in time. To summarize half the guilds mistakes are caused by two people. They may recover thanks to a new player in the game."

Literally... I gestured a thinking about how to explain it. "This recover may however lead to a serious decline in business. I work directly with the Khajiit Caravan you see and they work with the thieves guild in turn. The one in Riften is just a branch office and it has severely gone off the rails. Other branches have completely cut them off. I'm sure you can guess at the reason this may become a bigger mess?"

Maven nodded, "I assume if I ask for information on those individuals you mentioned. You will tell me to pay for them."

I nodded, "I consider it low-risk information. I will tell it freely to the right person, but anyone outside that circle does have to pay. Unfortunately you are one of those people, this is not because you aren't precious client. It is because you have your own information network that may find that information."

She nodded, "That is understandable." She nodded to her body guard behind me and they placed 50 gold pieces on the table. She spoke simply, "I would like a confirmation. The individual that you referred to as a new player. Have I recent contacted them?"

I nodded, "Very much so, and they owe debts. Whether they know it or not."

Every player owed a debt, including myself. I stood silent as she thought about things. Eventually she spoke, "Do you have a pricelist?"

I pulled out a sheet of paper with several explanations. She read through it, "No-Risk, Low-Risk, Medium-Risk, High-Risk and Unknown-Risk? and each has their sub-categories that vary the price? You even include what requirements that allow someone to receive freebies and no-risk and unknown-risk. Why give unknown-risk for free?"

I gave a slight shrug, "Choice, people aren't very likely to react well with such a high unknown-risk. As more information I know changes, the riskier things get. If something becomes unknown, that means someone can sell that information. Sell prices are on the other side."

She flipped the paper over and looked over the sell prices. "You pay a conserved fee? What is a conserved fee?"

I gestured slightly, "Any information can get someone paid 5 gold if we don't know it. Though this price only happens once per payment. When we finally confirm that information or act upon it... We pay them the rest. Along with all this is a contract saying that if the information is wrong we take a special payment from them."

I had yet to confirm said special payments work. However I knew who I could test this on, I almost smirked at that, but I shook it off. "So are you willing to accept my overly favorable deal?"

Maven Black-Briar tapped her finger on the desk. Clearly she could tell something was wrong, but without any clue on how she sighed. "Alright! Since you are this prepared I assume you have a contract prepared?"

My smile grew, "Of course!" I placed the contract on the table. I had it in a binder with several pages. The contract as a whole was 5 pages long and had several small details. The contract itself was magic in nature and made with the speechcraft top-tier power. "I do suggest reading through it for anything you wish to change. Its magic so I can change it here and now without any problem."

Maven smirked at me, "I see now why you say the thieves guild may become a subsidiary." She paged through the contract and nodded slowly to herself. The contract stated everything I told her. Only the last page was truly different from the rest. It was phrased carefully and deliberate, not with any trickery though. If it was deceptive at all Maven would notice. She did look up at me though when reading the last page.

She read it aloud and looked up at me. "If Party B breaks the contract in anyway Party A may collect the new debt owed in any form?"

I smiled, "A debt owed can take many forms. Its just to prevent any trickery like stealing the deed to the mountain range back or selling me a fake one. If you read below it you can see a similar clause, "Party A breaking the contract applies the same penalty as Party B."

"I'd say it's all fair, even if you slipped in such clauses like you can sell Black-Briar Mead at any price to information guild clients or perhaps the one about punching my grandson Sibbi if he get into your way."

I shrugged, "Well, truth be told I expected you to want those edited out. Its just good business to include such items within a contract that way you can make the other party feel safer with the contract."

Maven nodded, "I figured as much, however after reading page four I see clearly why you made it so favorable to me."

Page four mentioned the details relating Ingun, I included a clause about her marriage. I wouldn't marry the girl. However I needed that clause to guarantee the control I wanted over the contract. Maven could always stall on Ingun's marriage until her death, but that was entirely on Maven to figure out.

She took out a pen and paused before signing, "What is going to happen to the contract?"

I shrugged, "It's magic so it stays with me. However if you want a non-magical contract version I can create a copy."

Maven gave a nod, "Very well, make a duplicate. I expect you to convince Ingun within the month."

I could do it within the day thanks to my speechcraft. I needed to let it simmer though, "Fair, I have some business outside the city first. When I come back I will convince her, the city needs to simmer before I do though. Need to be smart about the approach after all."

Finally Maven signed the contract and the contract returned to my inventory. Maven was surprised by its disappearance however when I produced a non-magical copy within an instant she motioned her body guard to remove me from her office.

I didn't mind though I left quickly to cover up my ever growing smiling. I felt if I didn't leave quickly I would look like a scarecrow.