In Anvil Lena was investigating a scam by three seductive women picking up men at the Flowing Bowl and robbing them blind. When Lena approached one of the women, she immediately got invited to join the gang – was that a compliment to Lena’s beauty or an acknowledgement of relevant skills? She never found out.

Lena was to meet the other women at Gweden Farm – they were expecting another victim. Not a married man this time – that was the usual deal to ensure the men’s silence – but a dock hand without any friends or family. No one would pay any attention to him even if he did blab afterwards.

31 Evening Star, 11 p.m.

Coincidentally or not, Jowan – for he was the dock hand they were expecting – arrived at the farm at the same time with Lena and they entered together.

The lad was not about to strip though – he challenged the women and a fight broke out.

He was a mage, and he fought bravely, but he might have bitten off more than he could chew, for the women were as good at fighting as they were at hip swaying.

But with Lena turning on the women, the balance was restored.

“Who are you and what made you think you could take on three mean spellswords all by yourself?” – Lena was annoyed with Jowan for spoiling her investigation. She planned to talk to the women at length first, to find out everything there was to know about the operation, and if it meant robbing one more victim first, so be it. But Jowan was no victim.

“Something had to be done about those three! The last fellow they robbed – Gogan – wouldn’t even leave his house in shame, and people say his wife locked him up in the basement as punishment, with only rats for company. I don’t really believe that last bit, but that doesn’t change anything. And I didn’t know they could fight like this… Thanks for stepping in! I’m Jowan, by the way.”

At that point Gogan and Maelona appeared, thanking Lena for her help and revealing that they were in fact with the City Guard trying to infiltrate the gang and not succeeding until Lena showed up.

“We needed a fresh face – they’d seen us around already, so they wouldn’t even talk to me” – Maelona explained. “Thanks for your help! And you” – she turned to Jowan – “This was really dangerous what you did, but brave too. If you ever want to join the City Guard, you’ll have our recommendations.”

Jowan didn’t want to join the City Guard, but thanked her anyway. With pleasantries out of the way, it was time to leave.

“You look a bit pale after all this fighting” – Lena was saying to Jowan on the way back to Anvil. “Come, The Count’s Arms has good food.”

“I can’t afford The Count’s Arms. I’ll be all right, don’t worry.”

But Lena was not taking no for an answer – by Arkay, she could afford an extra meal! This was the first good meal Jowan had since… he couldn’t remember since when.

1 Morning Star – New Year 4E202

“Why don’t you come with us” – Hauk suggested. “We could use another mage, and your power to turn undead will prove invaluable in most ruins. We are not bandits, we’re explorers” – he hastened to add. But Jowan already spotted the difference.

“All right, it’s decided then. Soon you’ll be able to afford your own bed and board at The Count’s Arms.”

It seems Jowan’s new life in Cyrodiil was finally going somewhere. And it was his birthday – today Jowan turned 30.