I am speechless.

I cannot presume to speak for my father on matters of the Hlaalu or the Empire.

You are the first Westerner to talk to Indoril Ilvi like that. And certainly the first to face such success. I congratulate you. But let us see how long your company holds up its end of the bargain.

Hlaalu, we know about your deal with the Empire. Rest assured we will discern its true meaning without your input.

I didn't know the East Empire Company employed you, %PCRank, but we all have our secrets. If you have something to say in your defense, it is best that Indoril Ilvi hear it, not I. He grants audience in the Warrior's Hall.

So the East Empire Company hopes to explain itself, and it sends an Indoril to do the deed. It is best that Indoril Ilvi hears what you have to say, not I. He grants audience in the Warrior's Hall.

So the East Empire Company hopes to explain itself, and it sends a Temple devotee to do the deed. It is best that Indoril Ilvi hears what you have to say, not I. He grants audience in the Warrior's Hall.

So the East Empire Company hopes to explain itself. As you seem to possess good character, and being that I cannot help you myself, I believe Indoril Ilvi should hear what you have to say directly. He grants audience in the Warrior's Hall.

I have heard all the words I need from you, %PCClass. Do not spoil them by adding more.

I am aware of your treaty with the Empire, Hlaalu. I do not think you have anything useful to tell me about it. To my eyes, it is plainly a conspiracy between the Hlaalu and the Dragon to consolidate the West's hold on the Thirr River. If anyone were to convince me otherwise, it would be an emissary of the Dragon alone, not the Hlaalu.

Yes, Hlaalu, I am well aware of your deal with the Empire. Rest assured I will discern its true purpose in due time. WITHOUT your input.

I can wait a very long time. Collect your thoughts. Return when you are prepared.

I... see. And your masters sent you to ensure I would not discover this, but you thought honesty would prevail. And why not? You are trading with the Velothi in my care, but the Hlaalu have no part in it, and you do not want them to. So I will grant you this, %PCName. You may continue to trade with my Velothi. Do not take your business to my chapels. Do not bring the Hlaalu into my lands. Do not spread your culture here. Otherwise, I do not care what you do. Now leave me be.

Hmm. No. I do not believe you, %PCName. You volunteer this information too easily, and your careless manner of speech gives me no confidence in your words. I believe you are concealing something much worse. What exactly I do not know. The movements of Hlaalu spies, surely, or perhaps servants of Imperial Intelligence. I do not know. But what you say simply cannot be true.

I understand. You give them land, and they seek rent. You give them a river, and they take tolls on your ships. You give them market power, and they fix the prices of essential goods against you. But I am the alternative. And I have done all within my power to keep you and your kind out of the lands I oversee. If the Hlaalu were in my place, they would welcome you with open arms. They would take tolls, but they would let you do business here all the same. Why should you not rather them than I?

I find you unconvincing, but I admit I am predisposed to finding your kind unconvincing. If I thought I could trust you, perhaps I would entertain this conversation further.

Why should I believe you, outlander? The Empire has always favored the Hlaalu over the other Houses. I see no reason to believe you would love for anything more than all the Thirr to fly yellow banners.

I have every reason to believe that what you suggest will be the death of my people and our ways, but you are... preternaturally persuasive. You will not dispute my ownership of the land but validate it. Through your goods, our lands will prosper, while Hlaalu lands will be deprived. Yes, %PCClass, you have given me much to consider. I must now consult my advisors and ancestors. When I have made my decision, I will send word to your masters. You may leave me.

"The right to trade with all." Is our House now in the business of raising apes to %PCRank? Do you think you are still in Cyrodiil? Were you taught nothing of House Indoril's ways?

"The right to trade with all." Is this a joke, %PCRace? This is not one of your free markets. Do you think you are in Cyrodiil? No, do not answer that. As I am a man of great charity, I will assume the East Empire Company simply sent me an ignorant if charming mongrel, not an active aspirant to the ruination of my ways, and in my magnanimity, I will hear another request of it.

The eastern lords have afforded you this privilege for centuries. Now, knowing you are no friend of the Hlaalu, I have no reason to deny it, nor do any but the Hlaalu stand to gain from said denial. I accept your offer, %PCName. Return now to whence you came and tell your bannermen you were the first among them to make covenant with Indoril Ilvi. Your work here is done.

Where is the Cyrodilic shrewdness your company is known for, %PCName? If the East Empire Company wanted me to abandon my interests and make mongrels of my people, they should have sent a better haggler. What else can you ask of me?

Is that really all you want? Yes, %PCName, I accept your offer. You can go tell your masters you have made covenant with Indoril Ilvi. Your work here is done.

You have persisted long enough in proving this audience a mistake, %PCRace. Leave.

I have heard of how the Hlaalu abuse their position on Vvardenfell. They fix ebony prices against you and levy tolls on what little you can buy. Now the Empire recognizes too late the harm in prying open what best remains closed; that it has recognized this at all is progress. As it cannot be undone now, you seek to minimize the damage; this is in our interests as well. So, you propose that you will buy godsblood and glass from the isle and move it to Roa Dyr. At what cost to us?

So you would have me believe you are no kin of the Hlaalu? That after all this time, the Empire has turned on its own son? Or that son has turned on the father. Perhaps. But I would hear this from one worthier of my trust.

It is not my peers who concern me but my enemies. I am well aware that the eastern lords underestimate the Hlaalu threat. They do not have to deal with it as I do. You speak the truth, outlander: I stand alone. What else?

Bold words. Tell me, then: what cause should I have to divert from the ancient policy of embargo?

Bold words. Tell me, then: what cause should I have to divert from the ancient policy of embargo?

Bold words. Tell me, then: what cause should I have to divert from the ancient policy of embargo?

I do not believe you are authorized to speak for the East Empire Company in this way. You lack the personality of a true negotiator. I believe you have come to me without your superiors' approval, in service of your true orders, which were likely to sabotage or end my investigations. To spare you further embarrassment, I will end our audience here.

You do not befit our countenance. Does your company have no one I might find more bearable? Begone from here.

So the East Empire Company sent you. %PCRank, as you are well aware, the Thirr is Indoril territory by right. A deal like this makes me think your company is working with the Hlaalu to undermine our hold on the river, so it concerns me to hear of Company agents in these lands, as if you are Hlaalu allies, your agents are Hlaalu agents. Now, if you can explain how these concerns are unjustified, we may cease our investigations and we may part as friends.

How interesting. The East Empire Company sends me an Indoril. %PCRank, as you are well aware, the Thirr is Indoril territory by right. A deal like this makes us think your company is working with the Hlaalu to undermine our hold on the river, so it concerns me to hear of Company agents in these lands, as if you are Hlaalu allies, your agents are Hlaalu agents. Now, if you can explain how these concerns are unjustified, we may cease our investigations and we may part as friends.

It is fascinating to see the East Empire Company hire from the Temple. %PCClass, understand this: the Thirr is Indoril territory by right. A deal like this makes us think your company is working with the Hlaalu to undermine our hold on the river, so it concerns me to hear of Company agents in these lands, as if you are Hlaalu allies, your agents are Hlaalu agents. Now, if you can explain how these concerns are unjustified, we may cease our investigations and we may part as friends.

In the spirit of discourse, let me explain my concerns to you. The Thirr River is Indoril territory by right. A deal like this leads one to believe you are working with the Hlaalu to undermine our hold on the river. If you are Hlaalu allies, your agents are Hlaalu agents; thus, it concerns me and all Indoril to hear your agents are working in these lands. Now, if you can explain how our concerns are unjustified, we may cease our investigations and we may part as friends.

You want to know how I closed it, don't you? I'll tell. Though ebony and glass are among our specialties here at the East Empire Company, it's not really our job to dig them up. We're supposed to let other people run the mines and buy from them. But a previous factor had the bright idea of buying and running some mines directly to 'save costs'. And it didn't work. And we've been selling them off ever since. Lately, the Hlaalu wanted to buy, and I said, "Sure, just stop taxing our ships to hell." It worked.

It's a deal that allows East Empire Company ships to pass through Hlaalu toll posts at a significantly reduced cost. Hlaalu squeeze all they can out of non-Hlaalu ships passing through their toll posts, so the deal really helps us out. Thanks to you, it won't completely wreck our trade in Indoril territory. We're in great shape now, %PCName.

It's a deal that allows East Empire Company ships to pass through Hlaalu toll posts at a significantly reduced cost. Hlaalu squeeze all they can out of non-Hlaalu ships passing through their toll posts, so the deal really helps us out. If we manage to stop it from wrecking our trade in Indoril territory, we'll be in a nice position. That's where you come in. Hopefully.