Tales of Garveshi:
My Preview Prologue



Hi guys how is everyone doing? I have just started writing my new book on my assassin character on Skyrim and I am just about done with some of the prologue. Now I want to make this clear that I am completely new to the writing genre so if you criticize any mistakes that I made please do it within reason. Please no insulting comments on whether if its a bad story (I hope not god forbid!) but I posted a preview of my Prologue overview so as to see if I can get any advice from a professional writer out there on the mistakes I may have made so far, what should I do to make it sound alot more entertaininng, that sort of thing. This will not be the final piece of the prologue in the actual one I intend to go into more descriptive details about everything that happens.
Also I have been doing ALOT of lore research so as to keep up with the elder scrolls lore and I don't want anybody to think I'm in some way trying to implement my own ideas into a future game or change up the lore or anything like that. This is simply a story of "my" dragonborn character and my book series that I am writing about so read it, tell me what you guys think and most of all ENJOY IT. Thank you!!




Prologue
So my character starts off in an intricate trade shop called "Exquisite Antiques". The story takes place at the year 174 of the 4E on Second Seed 25th. Garveshi was a black Khajiit with black, long hair streaming down his shoulders and had bright orange eyes. Was pretty average sized for a Khajiit of his age too. Garveshi, wakes up to a beautiful and bright morning on Sundas, glowing sun rays with searing brightness illuminating how messy his room is. Feeling a bit itchy after sleeping on the hay bed he gets up only to be overwhelmed by the sweet aroma of a familiar dish being cooked downstairs. His hunger telling him to go find something to eat, he hastily proceeds downstairs to find his brother Malakai cooking up a delicious Venison Stew from a deer they both hunted yesterday afternoon.

"Good morning brother" Garveshi said. "Good morning to you as well brother. Had a good night's rest I hope? You were muttering some strange nonsense last night haha you must've been dreaming again" Malakai asked. " Bah to hell with these blasted dreams. I feel awake but I think my body needs some time. I could use a fresh ale to start my day off right atleast. Where is father?". "He is out on some big trade negotiation with some of the other merchants. Something to do with the recent caravan raids lately I'd imagine." Malakai replied. " I heard about that. Several trade caravans have been raided in the past several weeks and it seems they are growing more so now" Garveshi said." Well all we can do is hope this madness ends soon. Since most of the Elsweyr guard is committed to the war against the empire there is hardly any room for an armed escort. Eventually, merchants are going to have to resort to hired mercenaries and sellswords to protect their shipments and they charge no small fee. And considering how in poor state the shop is our father could barely afford to hire mercenaries lest get someone to repair the damage".

Sadly, Garveshi had wished he could do something for his father. He has been dealing with thugs from the Black Talon, one of the largest known criminal organizations in all of Senchal demanding money for protection and to pay to keep the shop up. If the trade negotiations don't turn in his favor he may be forced to close the shop and be living out on the streets like the rest of the rabble in the city. And worse yet, the Black Talon would be paying a visit to him wondering if he has coughed up the money to pay off his debt to them. Garveshi simply only saw one solution to everything. He was a handy pickpocket and had some skill thieving. If he could manage to round up some change from some "rich locals" say nobles perhaps then maybe he could build up just enough money to help father not only pay of his debt but also maybe hire some good mercenaries to help protect the shipments for atleast a month. That would give him plenty of time to figure out a way to appeal to customers to stop by the shop for sure.

" I hope your not thinking what I think your thinking" Malakai started to say. Garveshi felt a little startled by his sudden response as he was lost in thought. "What could I possibly be thinking right now you think?". "Your typical solution to this kind of problem that we have. Stealing money from coffers and pickpocketing rich nobles. Have you no sense of honor whatsoever?". Malakai infuriately asked. "What other choice do we have? If the trade negotiations proceed as they usually do we won't have a solution to fall back on to solve our growing issue with the Talons. The nobles could care less about our suffering down here in the slums so why not take it from them?". Garveshi suggested. "This is your solution for everything isn't it? Last time father needed money you participated in a hand-to-hand pit match facing off against some crazy [censored] brutish nord. Do you not realize that you could've gotten yourself killed? I merely worry about your safety brother please don't do this. Another opportunity will present itself..." Garveshi interrupted "and when will that be exactly? Last time I got father money from the pit match no other opportunity had even dared present itself at our doorstep. No we have been borrowing money from the Talons where as the nobles could be giving us what we need. They sit in their big fancy homes enjoying the mass pile of gold that they get from bribes off criminals and thugs to pay off jail for their own people. Why would they then give it to poor individuals such as us who have no name or purpose other than to lick their boots every single day with their blasted taxes! I have heard enough of this; I will get father the money he rightfully deserves and that is final!!".

"Brother, I am older and more experienced at this sort of thing than you are. While I see that you make much effort to keep our way of life alive you have to understand that you have been doing this for a good while. Eventually, the guard will trace it back here to you and what then? What happens when we all get locked in jail, the shop closes, and we all get sent to the gallows for our crimes? Will you break out of jail and retrieve the money required to pay for our bounty?" Malakai asked. "If thats what it takes..." Garveshi replied. Garveshi immediately darted out the door and out onto the sunny sand streets of Senchal looking for his first victim to rob.

***

The slums of Senchal was a grim, disgusting place. Crowded beggars at almost every corner, the smell of dung coming from amongst the alleys, and crime running rampant with innocent men getting mugged at every chance opportunity, Garveshi grew sick of the sight each day. Even the warm sun seemed fairly dim at the sight. He would curse his blasted mother everyday, whoever she was, for leaving him and his brother out on the streets. Survival of the fittest, Garveshi thought to himself, was one rule he always lived by and to this very day it has kept him and his brother alive all this time even if his brother was too blind to see the justified reason behind it.

Garveshi eventually exited the slums and proceeded out onto the city market. It was a wide, crowded district of Senchal littered with many people focusing their attention on shopping for their needs. It was always crowded in the mornings mainly because thats when trade shipments usually arrive. A most delicious spot for any skilled thief to exercise his trade. As Garveshi proceeded to get lost into the crowd of people he found a tempting but risky looking target. A man, wearing a very loose red shirt covered by a unique chest piece of black leather armor and carrying a unique black-curved sword, or falchion as they are called in these parts, that hung from his right side at his waste. His face, being covered in a red niqab or a layer of cloth covering his head, made it difficult to determine what his race was. However, Garveshi did not care for what he was wearing other than the huge sack of coins he was carryig on his left hip. Probably the biggest coin purse amongst the city of Senchal.
As Garveshi followed his target throughout the open market, studying his bodily movement as he went, he eventually proceed down a city street that was apparently not as crowded as he would like to mask his pickpocketing. Eventually, his target immediately turned his head to the right as if he had the sense that someone was following him. Garveshi swiftly hid behind a nearby connecting to the front porch of a very large Hovel. As his target eventually continued down the street Garveshi peeked down the street to watch his target make a swift turn down into another wide open area of the market. Garveshi hastily rushed down to the other end of the street to keep up with his target only to be intercepted by his target's black curved blade from around the corner being layed at the end of his throat. Then his target presented himself fully to him. Judging by the brown skin around where his bright blue eyes were exposed by his niqab, he was clearly a redguard but began to speak in a unique accent.

" Well what ave we 'ere? Ano'ther one o da foolish agents of the Talons? I expected a more o' a challenge ratha than da usual imbeciles he sends my way" he replied. Garveshi gave him a long stare not knowing what to think but think he had unless this cunning hammerfell warrior decided to kill him merely out of spite for even following him. "Speak at once lest da ground beneath ye run red wit Khajiit blood dis day". Garveshi figured he might as well be honest with him judging by his character he could probably see through whatever ridiculous lie he could conjure up. "I was merely tracking you my good man for the coins in your purse...nothing more". The redguard laughed. "Another wretched pickpocket of Senchal. Da possession dat I hold within my purse would nowhere be worth no more dan a single coin you could muster up within a tenday my furry friend. I suggest you look fer a smarter target to prey on rather than armed individuals". The redguard let down his blade and sheathed it. Garveshi's throat feeling a little itchy afterwards and rubbing it noticed a little trek of blood on the end of his finger. Still, Garveshi could somewhat hear the slight clink of gold coins in that large coin purse of his.

Garveshi, determined to rob his mark, following closely behind and pulled out a pair a knife. Timing it just right, he began to cut through the coin purse until finally it came loose on the top of his hand. A few coins leaked out of the bag but nevertheless Garveshi had succeeded in getting the money and made his way back down the street he came from.
Right when he was turning the corner, immediately a large rope began to encircle around both his ankles, bounding him to the ground and dropping the sack of coins just infront of him. Swiftly turning on his back, he noticed the redguard hastily proceeding toward him with his black-curved blade drawn and judging by his approach he intended to kill him. " You little fool...did you really think you could get away wit dat?" the redguard asked. " Now you will suffer for your insolence". The redguard raised his blade for the killing blow and Garveshi threw a large handful of sand toward his eyes, blinding him. As the redguard stood there attempting to clear the sand from his eyes, Garveshi lifting his bound legs and with the blade still pointing towards him in the redguard's hands, managed to cut himself free, grabbed the sack of coins, and make a run for it. The redguard then screamed for the city guard to apprehend him and then Garveshi knew...the fun begins.

***

Proceeding back down the street where he had tracked the redguard, Garveshi immediately spotted a small alleyway where he saw a wooden ladder leading up to the rooftops of the city shops. A typical Khajiit Senchal guardsman, who was dressed up in a full set of chainmail as they all were, was spotted at the end of the street where the redguard had been blinded with a bow and arrow at the ready. Eventually, several more guardsman with sword and shields drawn began to proceed down the other end of the street. Seeing no alternative, Garveshi proceeded down the alleyway and made haste up the ladder.

Running and jumping across the roof of many Senchal buildings several Senchal guardsmen proceeded up distant rooftops, firing arrows at Garveshi. Even though he was good at dodging arrows, he knew he would get shot eventually if he didn't lose line of sight, so after coming to the edge of the building he was on top of he spotted a small balcony not too far below him. Although slightly hurting his legs from the fall, Garveshi landed in what looked like an Alchemy shop behind him judging from the sight of several carefully stored alchemical ingredients along the tables and wooden shelves. Proceeding down the stairs he came into the main floor of the shop not much different from the room upstairs except that there were many bottles of potions lined up amongst the shelves and several open windows lined the walls. Locking the door to the shop, Garveshi had an idea. After searching amongst the shelves for what he was hoping for he found an invisibility potion, perfect for vanishing from the guards. Right as he was fixing to gulp down the potion several Senchal guardsmen appeared at the shop windows and began firing their arrows.

Worried about them blind-firing arrows throughout the whole shop should he drink the potion, Garveshi quickly sprinted back up the stairs and proceeded towards the balcony. It wasn't long after that when a guardsmen jumped from the roof back onto the balcony. Drawing his dagger, the guardsman raced toward Garveshi and began swinging hoping to land a injuring blow. Right as the guardsman attempted a stab, Garveshi dodged it and grabbed the guardsman arm twisting it. The guardsman felt so much pain that he was forced to drop the dagger back onto the ground. Giving the guardsman a swift kick in the back of the knee forced him to kneel after which Garveshi delivered a swift punch to his face, knocking out the guardsman. After pocketing the dagger, Garveshi heard the ringing of chainmail and screaming, angry guardsman sprinting up the stairs. Garveshi darted toward the balcony and jumped off the edge.

Landing on the ground, Garveshi felt a slight pain proceeding up is right leg barely able to move it. Still, he mustered what strength he could and ran down the city street where he saw the same familiar large crowd of shops that he would always see around the entrance to the slums. He sprinted down the street, avoiding arrows from the guardsman that were on the rooftops and vanished into the crowd. "Hold your fire" shouted one of the guardsman. "Find him and bring him to the dungeons. Get men at the gate to the slums and patrolling the city market we will catch this blasted thief this time in the name of the mane I swear".

As Garveshi proceeded amongst the crowd of people, many guard patrols were sighted patrolling in and out of the crowds. Garveshi had to be careful as the large crowd of people blocked his line of sight as to where the patrols are, hoping he won't run into any guard patrols. After proceeding carefully to a small alley next to a small abandoned warehouse Garveshi darted down the alleyway that circled around to the city gate to the slums. Hiding behind a small stack of unused crates Garveshi pulled out the potion he stole from the Alchemy shop. "Shadows watch over me" Garveshi said to himself and drank the potion. In an instant Garveshi could not see himself and then proceeded to the gate to the slums. There were a huge line of guards fighting over civilians trying to proceed back and forth from the gates. Garveshi snuck behind several angry nords who were threatining the guards should they not move. Garveshi with all his strength gave the nords a swift push towards the guardsmen with enough force to knock both them and the guardsmen to the ground, allowing Garveshi to proceed past the guard blockade.

After he had made past the guards however was when the potion wore off, startling people who were passing by. Several of the guardsman turned their backs to find what startled the women. "There he is! Get him!" Screamed the guardsmen. Garveshi then proceeded to dart back down the slums in an attempt to avoid the guardsmen yet again.

What does everyone think?