First Steps In Seyda Neen

What a strange dream, huh? Jiub, your Dunmer companion and shipmate won't tell you much, and though the guards onboard the Imperial Prison Ship ask for your name, they won't tell you anything either. Don't panic and be calm. Soon enough you'll be herded off the boat and onto the docks where you'll be asked where you come from.

In the short term, this question is important (but not as important as the next few questions you'll be asked), and will effect the way in which you'll be playing the game. If you're not sure, take a look at our Race Overviews.

This is your first look at the small town of Seyda Neen, and some grief can be avoided by getting your bearings before proceeding. When ready, walk through the door at the end of the docks and you'll find yourself inside a place called the Census and Excise Office (a grand name, but not much of a place), where you'll see an elderly gentleman who goes by the name of Socucius Ergalla (again, a grand name, etc.). He'll ask you more questions in an effort to get your papers strait. You have three options here. You can fill out the papers yourself, give him a rough idea of who you are and let him fill it out, or let him try to psychoanalyse you. Take whichever option appeals to you, as you'll have another chance to change your stats if you're not happy with the way things turned out (once you confirm everything though, the only way to change your stats is through practice, training and experience). Again, if you're unsure of what does what and you'd like a bit more detail, read through out Skill Overviews.

After you're happy with your papers, a locked door opens allowing you to proceed into the next room. This room seems to be designed for you to get familiar with stealing and looting. Go ahead and take everything, there's nobody else here and nothing goes onto your record until you leave Sellus Gravius' office. There's a dagger here for you to practice killing imaginary friends with, and a lockpick to open a small chest on the bottom of the shelving in the room. These two tools are important for most adventurers and as you have no money yet, stealing them is the most economical way to get outfitted. There's some other stuff in the room too, but the dagger and the lockpick are the two most important items (you don't have to steal them if you don't want, you will get some money soon and you can buy them if you have to). When you're done, head through the door to Seyda Neen.

It may not look like much, but the barrel to the left of the door can set you on the track of a nice and convoluted chain of small quests. Inside the barrel is an Engraved Ring of Healing. It belongs to Fargoth, a fellow who you'll meet outside. Take the ring and continue on.

Talk to Sellus Gravius and he'll tell you (he doesn't bother with asking) to do some things, namely track down a fellow named Caius Cosades and hand on a parcel. He doesn't tell you where Caius can be found, but he does tell you the location of the South Wall Corner Club, a place owned by Bacola Closcius, an acquaintance of Caius'. He can tell you a little about Morrowind's current political climate, and he also gives you some money, so he's well worth the time it takes to listen to him if you're not interested.

Outside, before the smell of freedom can reach your nostrils, you'll see Fargoth, the owner of the Engraved Ring of Healing you found in a barrel earlier. Fargoth, whose patience, like his stature, is short soon changes his tune decides to be your friend if you return his ring. He also puts in a good word for you at Arrille's Tradehouse. In realistic terms, this means the staff will be give you better prices.

Now that we've done a good deed, we can move along and have a word with Vodunius Nuccius, n Imperial who's feeling a bit down. Give him some sympathy and he'll tell you that if you want to ride on the Siltstrider, mention that he sent you and you'll get a cheaper fare. There's more, but we'll deal with that later.

Arrille's Tradehouse is a good place to stock up (in Seyda Neen, it's the only place to stock up). Upstairs is a hairy Nord named Hrisskar Flat-Foot who will tell you that he's low on money. Aparently Fargoth owes him some money. This is probably not the most morally sound of quests, but early on in the game, it's a good source of income. At any rate, Hrisskar tells you that the Lighthouse is a good place to watch from, but you'll want to wait until dusk.

By now, if you've been talking to people, you'll no doubt have heard that the local tax collector is missing. If you cross the small bridge and look to your left across a small inlet, you will see two piles of boulders. Processus Vitellius, the tax collector is laying there. Take the gold from his body and go talk to your old friend Socucius Ergalla in the Census and Excise Office. Return the money and he will put you in charge of an investigation into his death (if you keep the money, you don't get the investigation). Ask around town and you'll find out that he was close to the girl who runs the lighthouse. Talk to her, and you'll hear about Foryn Gilnith. He's your man. Go down to his little hut on the waterfront and he'll confess.You can go back and dob on him, or you can spare his life. The choice is yours.

Night shouldn't be too far away, but we'll duck across the bridge, and up the hill to the right for a quick chat with the Siltstrider operator Darvame Hleran, and do some name dropping, and in return, not only to get get cheap travel, but we get a little bit more information on Vodunius Nuccius. Head back to the imperial and offer some more sympathy and he'll let you buy his cursed ring as a favour. Do so and people will think you're a bit of a nice chap.

Now if we've decided to chase down Fargoth, it's time to climb the lighthouse and play the waiting game. Perch yourself as high up as you can overlooking the village. If it's not night time yet, rest for a few hours until it gets dark. Eventually you should see Fargoth sneaking around. He'll wander around aimlessly for a while, but watch him for the entire time and you'll find that he hides his loot inside a hollow log in a muckpool. Jump down (climbing down is less likely to break your legs) and pick it all up. Go back to Hrisskar, and he'll take some of the gold and leave you to keep the rest.

And that's pretty much it for Seyda Neen. Talk to the Darvame and tell her you'd like to travel to Balmora. If you're feeling more adventurous, near the bottom of the hill is a smuggler's cave which is likely to offer a big challenge to you, or you could try to get to Balmora by foot.

When you reach Balmora, head for the South Wall Corner Club. If you're standing at the Siltstrider port, it's right most building across the river in the second row of houses.

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