You'll need to be re-hired before we discuss this.

We can move on from that for now.

Very well. Thank you for the information; take these for your trouble. Now tell me about these counterfeiters Aetia sent you after.

Very well. Thank you for the information; take these for your trouble. Now tell me about these counterfeiters Aetia sent you after.

Very well. Thank you for the information; take these for your trouble. Now tell me about these counterfeiters Aetia sent you after.

Very well. Now tell me about these counterfeiters Aetia sent you after.

Smart. Not during your work hours. Was there anything else?

During your work hours? Okay. Was there anything else?

Of course. She sent you to ensure her connection wouldn't be held up in customs. And she has a drinking problem. But you didn't turn this smuggler into the authorities, so we can't interrogate him. So it's just your word against Aetia's. And Aetia earns enough that if I brought this to the board, they'd say you're just a jealous %PCRank angling for her job. We'll need a bit more. Was there anything else?

During her work hours? Did you accept?

I see. Anything else?

Fantastic. Perhaps he can testify as to his clients' identities before a magistrate. Anything else?

...I realize there's a Dwarven goblet on my desk right now, but it was a gift from the Emperor. I'm not the mystery client. I'm obviously inclined to say it's Aetia, but the Company employs a lot of women; it could really be anyone. If only your smuggler friend were in custody to give a more precise description in court. Anything else I should know about this assignment?

Disappointing, but as I do not want to make a policy of punishing your honesty, I will let it slide, and see if I can notify the guards about this... Navil Drolnor. If that is his real name. Anything else I should know about this assignment?

Fascinating! Scandalous! Did you report him to the authorities?

So Aetia wanted an excise agent to stop harassing an impoverished local merchant. Such concern for the underclass is certainly unusual for her. And I find it odd she requested you not mention the Company at the docks; that'd be the easiest way to get the assignment done. Was there anything else suspicious about this?

Forget about it.

Damn you and damn these eggs. Damn the excise agent too.

I'm just happy to unload these damn eggs. They're more trouble than they're worth.

Really? It's over, just like that? Thank you kindly, %PCName. You've done right by the little guy today. Take something for your efforts, and send the Company my love.

Three hundred gold? I thought we had a deal! I can't afford that. Thanks for nothing, %PCRace.

Three hundred gold? Are you serious? I can't afford that. I'm out of here! Let's see if they turn me away like this down in Narsis.

Fifty gold? I suppose I can pay that. Thank you, %PCName.

Fifteen gold? That's it? Of course I'll pay that. And fifty for you, my very special courier. You've done me a great service.

Look. For some reason, these s'wits trust you. Just tell them my eggs don't weigh much. No one's going to check.

These kwama eggs have unusually heavy, uh... shells. The queen must have some kind of condition. I got a bad deal, okay? I won't be able to survive if they tax me for their full weight. Help me out here.

I am just a humble egg merchant. Look in my barrels. You'll only find eggs! Please help me. Speak with someone, anyone, and get me out of this mess.

I'm not sure what it means, but it sounds bad.

I'll be getting a promotion for sure! Thank you, %PCName. I knew something wasn't quite right here.

Glad to see we could put this matter behind us.

Damn your eyes.

Just have Navil pay me and we'll get on with it.

Just see what Yngskar Pale-Trick needs.

Really? Okay. Tell the Dunmer the good news. Guess you can do my whole job for me, Company stooge.

I'm just waiting for Porcilla to stamp my documentation and those kwama eggs will be promptly confiscated.

Yes, I am. Ignatius Jureilius, at your service. You appear to have stopped me just moments before apprehending this Dunmer without proper documentation for his kwama eggs. According to Section 3, Subsection 55 of the Excise Handbook, "All animal products imported into an Imperial jurisdiction must have proper documentation with port of origin if requested by an official." If you have a problem, speak with my superior, Porcilla Dythos in the Harbor Offices. I'm sure she'll back me up on this.

Ignatius has his heart in the right place, but he tends to follow the letter of the law more than the spirit.

Get out of my sight.

And I'm an officer of Census and Excise, you ignorant dunce. I don't care if you're a knight and I don't care if you're a war hero: in here, you are Citizen %PCName. This is a matter of civilian government, and it will be handled by civilian authorities, and if you've understood that, I suggest you move along. Citizen.

You monopolists are a damned nuisance. Fine. I don't want any trouble with the Duke's men, so just tell Ignatius I said to wave your colleague through, no questions asked. That's how you all like it, right? Now get out of my sight.

Alright. Look, Ignatius is special. He's fresh out of training and doesn't get how the real world works yet. I'll talk with him later, but for now, we'll dispense with the paperwork and just take a flat tariff based on shipment weight. So long as we get the proper weight for those eggs, we won't need anything more from Navil. Talk to Yngskar Pale-Trick. He's a dockhand who should be able to give a reasonable tax estimate.

Slow down. Ignatius and a merchant? What business is all this of yours, anyway?

He's none of your concern.

I am an excise officer. If you want an excise agent, ask down at the docks.

Best of luck dealing with excise. I've got some crates to move.

I'll be here when you figure that out. Just go over to the Dunmer's boat and inspect the eggs yourself.

I'll be here when you are.

Wow. According to my calculations, he owes several hundred million drakes and a hair off Talos' beard. Let's get serious.

Hmm. That many barrels at that weight holding that many eggs... I'd say he owes about three hundred gold. [Yngskar makes a series of hand gestures to Ignatius indicating the number three hundred.] You're all set. Tell the merchant.

Hey, now! Six? Those are some seriously heavy eggs. You're sure about this?

Hmm. That many barrels at that weight holding that many eggs... I'd say he owes about fifty gold. [Yngskar makes a series of hand gestures to Ignatius indicating the number fifty.] You're all set. Tell the merchant.

Two sounds about right, but are you sure?

Hmm. That many barrels at that weight holding that many eggs... I'd say he owes about fifteen gold. [Yngskar makes a series of hand gestures to Ignatius indicating the number fifteen.] You're all set. Tell the merchant.

One? That sure is light for kwama eggs. His queen must be sick! You're sure you got that weight right?

Here about the weight estimate? I'm familiar with kwama egg size and the volume of a barrel, but how much do you think those eggs weigh?

I'm not even sure why Ignatius is here. We usually go by estimated weight of the shipment for these tiny boats. Saves a lot of ink. I can estimate the tax in my head. I'm familiar with kwama egg size and the volume of a barrel, so I can estimate how many eggs he's brought in, but how many units do you think each egg weighs? Go inspect the shipment if you haven't already.

I'm just a handyman. Ignatius Jureilius is the man you want. He's over in the wooden dock next to the harbor office, inspecting the small ships and boats that come there.

I am a Census and Excise agent, but you're looking for Ignatius Jureilius; he's the one who handles the merchants. He is currently in the wooden dock next to the harbor office, inspecting the small ships and boats that come there.

Ignatius Jureilius has been up and down the docks all day. Right now, he's inspecting a ship in the little wooden dock for small trading ships next to the harbor office.

I am skeptical. If overtaxation is a problem, it's hardly one you can solve in a single day. Is this merchant a subcontractor of ours? Just mention the East Empire Company and they'll wave him through.

By any chance, does this merchant have a boat full of kwama eggs? Just curious. According to one manual I found down here, it's a common smuggler's trick in Morrowind. Remember that kwama eggs, even the large ones, don't weigh much when they don't have any illicit goods stuffed in them.

If Aetia is giving you assignments, consider yourself lucky! Learn from her well, %PCName, and you'll go far in this business.

Excise officers all along the Inner Sea have been abusing their positions for personal profit for years. Nonetheless, I do not believe Ignatius Jureilius -- the excise agent in question -- is one of them. By his colleague Ahtimbar's accounts, he is simply a zealous follower of rules, of the kind one may find in the bureaucracies of Summerset Isle or House Indoril. One can sympathize.

Huh. Quilmaro and I have been talking about that for a while, but I'm surprised Aetia's listening. Yeah, the Company gets a lot of nice exemptions on taxes and excise, so corrupt excise agents aren't really OUR problem, but if everyone else decides it's no longer worth it to bring their goods into Old Ebonheart, we'll have no one to trade with. And then it's our problem.

I'm sure Ignatius is just doing his best.

It is good to see our beloved factor take up the cause of the common man. Someone must take a stand against the Empire, and who better than the East Empire Company?

Get yourself re-hired before we discuss this.

Yes.

Are you a bloodthirsty moron? Census and Excise just sent me a very nice letter describing exactly how you went down there and started murdering people. The Company's reputation is bad enough without us acting like common thugs! Cool off, then tell me when you're ready for your next assignment, %PCName. In theory, you can't mess this one up.

Are you a bloodthirsty moron? Census and Excise just sent me a very nice letter describing exactly how you went down there and murdered a mer. The Company's reputation is bad enough without us acting like common thugs! Cool off, then tell me when you're ready for your next assignment, %PCName. In theory, you can't mess this one up.

Don't remind me.

Well done, %PCRank. Are you ready for your next assignment?

So the merchant was a smuggler. And an excise agent is actually bothering to enforce the trade restrictions on Dwemer artifacts. Delightful. If you got a thrill out of busting that crook, you'll like this next assignment.

Are you a moron or something? Census and Excise just sent me a very nice letter describing exactly how you went down there and did the opposite of what I told you to do. The Company's reputation is bad enough without you ordering around senior state officials like they're our servants. Yes, thanks to our deals with the Duke, they are, but you only remind them of that when you HAVE TO. Just tell me when you're ready for your next assignment, %PCName. In theory, you can't mess this one up.

Well, that wasn't what we had in mind, was it? This "taxation by weight" system is insipid and archaic, and by indulging it, you've cost this city a valuable entrepreneur. I bet that Dunmer's taking his eggs to Bal Foyen as we speak. Sure, you told the truth, and I can't punish you for telling the truth. But I can't reward you either. Just tell me when you're ready for your next assignment. In theory, you can't mess this one up.

Very well. Your fee. Ready for your next assignment, %PCRank?

Here you are... %PCName, I confess I was expecting that merchant all along. Navil Drolnor brings his customers quality goods at quality rates. Take this flin. The old Duke didn't like luxury, but he loved luxury tax. Tariffs are only meant to go on native goods, but he put them on Western spirits too -- just because he could! Tyranny, I say. But what can we do? Well, we turn to men like Navil. He does us a service you can't praise in public. But you and I can praise it. Together. Here. Bottoms up, %PCName.

Well done, %PCName. Today marks a victory for free trade. And to that, I propose a toast. What do you say to a drink of flin?

Get the excise agent down at the docks to let his latest victim through customs. But be tactful -- don't mention you're with the East Empire Company. It'll harm more than help.

An excise agent has been harassing small-time merchants and holding up their ships. He says he's looking for contraband, but he's obviously just looking for bribes. Or maybe he's just an idiot. It doesn't really matter to us. But Quilmaro and Cano have been talking about the importance of small-time merchants all week, and it's getting annoying, so I want you get the excise agent to let his latest victim through. But be tactful -- don't mention you're with the Company. It'll harm more than help.

It's about time someone stood up to the taxman.