Tamriel Rebuilt:Stolen Cargo in Issarbaddon

Handle a ransom for a slave. Quest Giver: Armas Tyravel Location(s): Uvayn Manor, Arvud Reward: 100-630 gold Disposition: -25 to +10 (Armas Tyravel), -100 to +50 (His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay) ID: TR_m4_Arv_StolenCargo

Grifa Black-Tooth demands payment.

Quick Walkthrough

1. Talk to Armas Tyravel in Arvud's Uvayn Manor about stolen cargo.
2. Go to Issarbaddon and secure entry.
3. Speak to His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay in Issarbaddon: Lair.
4. Either:
   • Return to Armas and lie (req. 40+ Speechcraft) for 100 gold.
   • Return the Argonian to Armas for 130 gold (630 if you killed the bandits).

Detailed Walkthrough

Speak to Armas Tyravel in Uvayn Manor. It will transpire that he is having some issues with stolen cargo. He has already fired one person, the embittered Dunmer, Dravil, over the issue. Offer to help, and Armas will request that you retrieve the cargo. He'll explain that bandits lately raided a caravan, and seized a slave belonging to the Uvayns. They're demanding a ransom and Armas requests your help. You can refuse this quest, or agree to help (lying or not).

If you agree, Armas will give you the ransom note, and ask you to journey to the cave of Issarbaddon, northwest of Arvud. To reach this place, leave Arvud on the road going north, and after a very short distance, look for a gap in the rocks on the ridge to your left. Issarbaddon is atop that ridge. It's guarded by one of the bandits - a Dark Elf named Garvs Adram. You can kill him for the key he carries (the violent route), which will open the level 75 lock blocking your entrance to the cave. You can lie to gain entry (the peaceful route) - there's no test for this. You can even agree with the bandit to return to Armas Tyravel in Arvud and tell him that the slave is no longer in Issarbaddon. With 40+ Speechcraft, Armas will believe you, and reward you 100 gold.

The Violent Route

If you didn't get permission to enter from the guard, then all bandits inside Issarbaddon will be hostile to you. If you did, they will ignore you unless you attack or steal. Either way, you'll need to walk to the end of Issarbaddon: Lair, where His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay stands.

Talking to him about stolen cargo and picking the option to tell him that he is now free will have him exclaim that he was already free - the gold you were to bring was meant to fund his journey to Cyrodiil. He'll ask that you return to Armas and at least lie to him that the Argonian has already left. You can do this successfully with 40+ Speechcraft, for 100 gold.

You can also simply inform the Argonian that he should return with you back to Arvud. Escort him to Uvayn Manor, and Armas will reward you with 130 gold, and 500 extra for killing the bandit leader.

The Peaceful Route

If you did get permission to enter, you can also speak to the bandit leader, Grifa Black-Tooth, here. It transpires that her and her band acted to free the Argonian, and that the money demanded is not a ransom, but compensation for him. This obviously puts you in a tricky situation - paying the money will not allow you to bring His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay back to Arvud, and it will come out of your own purse. Grifa says that you should speak to His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay, and pay him. Talk to him about stolen cargo, and he will ruefully muse upon how twisted the way Dark Elves seem to see things is. You can optionally give him the 300 gold, or nothing at all. Either way, he will ask you to return to Armas and lie, saying that he could not be found. You'll need to speak to Armas to complete the quest. Lying with 40+ Speechcraft will convince him, and get you 100 gold. Otherwise, there will be no reward.

Quest Stages

The following Journal ID and Index codes can be used with the Journal console command to manually update the quest to a certain point.

Stolen Cargo in Issarbaddon (TR_m4_Arv_StolenCargo)
Index	Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
5	Finishes quest	Armas Tyravel wanted me to bring back a slave that was taken by some bandits, but I refused to help.
10		Armas Tyravel asked me to recover some stolen cargo, an Argonian slave named His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay, who is being kept in the bandit cave of Issarbaddon. The cave is just northwest of Arvud. I am to deal with the bandits as I see fit and bring the slave to Armas Tyravel.
20		I lied to a bandit at the entrance to Issarbaddon that I'm here to bring them the ransom they asked for. I'm now allowed to enter the cave. I should look for the slave in the bandit leader's chambers.
30		I promised that I would lie to Armas Tyravel that His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay was already gone.
40		Grifa Black-Tooth, the leader of the Issarbaddon bandits, revealed to me that they rescued His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay with the intention of smuggling him out of Morrowind so he could have freedom. They also demanded gold from the Hlaalu in order to pay the Argonian compensation for his time in captivity. I should speak with the Argonian himself.
50		His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay asked me to lie to Armas Tyravel that he was nowhere to be found.
60		His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay agreed to follow me. I should take him to Armas Tyravel.
65		I've brought His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay to Uvayn Manor. I should speak with Armas Tyravel.
100	Finishes quest	Armas Tyravel didn't believe my lie about His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay and angrily dismissed me.
110	Finishes quest	Armas Tyravel believed my lie about His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay. He paid me 100 drakes for my trouble.
120	Finishes quest	Armas Tyravel wasn't happy that I wasn't able to bring His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay to him alive.
130	Finishes quest	Armas Tyravel thanked me for bringing His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay to him. He paid me 100 drakes for the trouble.
140	Finishes quest	I told Armas Tyravel the truth about His-Heart-Another-Kind-Of-Clay. He dismissed me angrily.
200	Finishes quest	Armas Tyravel offered me 500 drakes to go back to Issarbaddon and kill the bandit leader Grifa Black-Tooth. I refused the offer.
210		Armas Tyravel offered me 500 drakes to go back to Issarbaddon and kill the bandit leader Grifa Black-Tooth. I accepted the offer.
220	Finishes quest	Armas Tyravel paid me 500 for killing Grifa Black-Tooth.