Strife:Rug Merchant (Dark Brotherhood)

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Overview
Familiar face, different person...
 * Quest Giver: Lucien Lachance.
 * Location(s): Balmora, Ald'ruhn.
 * Prerequisite Quest:  The Hunt.
 * Next Quest: Not-So-Grand Larceny.
 * Reward: None.
 * Optional Bonus: None.

Quest start
From Lucien, the party learns of a possible backup plan of transportation the Dark Brotherhood may start using, with new contacts, new people to kill. Their task is to find Bondal Nornis, to see if he knows anything, then return.

Ra'Virr
Though Bondal is selling discreetly, from Doufliz the party learned he uses Ra'Virr as a front for selling. Merchants other than Ra'Virr will not know anything.

The players must persuade Ra’Virr to talk about his supplier; a 60 disposition persuade. Upon a successful persuasion (or other method) he reveals: "Ra'Virr knows no Bondal; perhaps one may be thinking of Condal Ornis..."

'Condal Ornis'
Upon arrival to Codus’ bookstore, if Codus is dead there is a wooden plank over the bookstore sign, which has just the word 'rugs' engraved into it. Once inside, ''the party recognises ‘Condal Ornis’ as Bondal Nornis, he looks extremely surprised and slightly terrified at the sight of the party. He says: "How did you find me?! What do you want?!”. Upon talking to 'Condal' it is clear he knows nothing, continuing on and saying: "Look, as much as I appreciate seeing you again, you terrify me. I'll tell you all I know. Fovval said in passing once he trades regularly with and trusts Asciene Rane; they apparently have a knack for 'thinking on the fly' whatever that means. I don't know why one would want to think 'on a fly', they're icky! But I have no IDEA who or where they actually are... Sorry."''

Finishing the quest
Returning to Lucien, the party can enter his shack to find ''Lucien, Sereyne, and Doufliz discussing something. They pause and turn to the party, awaiting a report.'' Once the party tells them the situation, Lucien speaks on Asciene Rane:

Lucien: ''Inquisitively “Asciene Rane? Sounds like a Breton name. They’re usually gifted with magic but don’t like this harsher territory too much, perhaps they are a mages guild lapdog?”''

Sereyne: ''Practically yelling “Lapdog? Lucien aren’t YOU a Breton?!”''

Lucien: ''Calmly but mimicking “Alfiq? Sereyne aren’t you an Argonian?!”''

Sereyne: Yelling “By the Rat-god, this one-!” Now calmer as a realisation washes over her face “Oh, you’re a Nord, I remember...”

Doufliz: Under his breath, about to laugh “Aren’t you an Imperial?”

Lucien: Neutral “We’re getting too far from the matters at hand, Doufliz, do you know anything about this 'Asciene Rane'?”

Doufliz: ''Proudly but still quiet, thinking “Alright, well certainly a female Breton name like yours Lucien.” Lucien stares, not amused. Doufliz continues “I think calling her mages guild straight away is a bit of an assumption, but nonetheless a good starting point, even if she’s not a mage, she may be of interest to them.”''

Sereyne: Loudly “Even if they did have files on her, they’d be in the Arcane University!”

Lucien: ''Calmly “That’s my concern.” Lucien turns to the party “Alright, let’s take a different approach, a more sure-fire but dangerous one. I need you all to hit the Census and Excise office for information. As long as Asciene Rane is a real name, there should be information of her in there. As soon as you find out information of the contact, Asciene or not, bring it to me, do not act on it.”''

The party now has completed this quest and has now moved onto quest Not-So-Grand Larceny.