*Winterhold Town - Battle Hearth Casino*
This is my casino, the biggest gambling business in Winterhold and the origin of Gwent in this world. It was built in a secured location because it is one of the biggest money making businesses in this hold. A true Nordic Casino that the weak hearted people won't survive the deadly atmosphere inside it. Each employee in the casino is an experienced fighter and some of them are Aura Masters.
Why is that?
[Battle Hearth Casino] is not mainly about money, it is as its name gives off, a battle casino that even the best may not be safe in.
Not only [Gwent] but also the Arena of Winterhold is in the heart of this place. Strong Enchantments support the building and a ton of guards are ready to show up once they sniff trouble.
In this place, few people stand on top. Jon Dare the creator of Gwent in this world, Jullanar the crazy avid collector of rare cards, Captain Geldof the old Nord sailor, Grandma Tola the old Nord woman whose talent in Gwent went wild after the age of 80, Even Nurina comes to try her luck in disguise.
Right now, I am playing a game against one of the challengers who managed to make a lot of ruckus with the rare cards they collected.
He was playing with a Daedric Deck and his god card was Mehrunes Dagon. I was playing with the Skyrim Deck and my god card was Kyne.
The opponent name was Silus Vesuius, an Imperial who appeared in the game. The players may know him as the one from the annoying Daedric Quest of Mehrunes Dagon.
"I am really honored to face the famous Thane of Winterhold." He seemed respectful at first.
"Yeah, thanks."
"So, Mr. Jon, I heard that you have collected some important artifacts that I became interested in."
"I did?"
"Yes, I was tracking down some pieces of an important artifact to me and I found out that Mr. Jon has two of them."
"You mean [Mehrunes' Razor]."
"So Mr. Jon won't beat around the bush? Fine by me. I wish to acquire the two pieces of the razor." Silus said.
"Fine, but what are you putting in front of them?" I asked.
"Huh?"
"What 'Huh'? This is a gambling house, you wish to take something, you but something of the same value in front of it."
"Eh… but…"
"Oh! I see, you only made it this far so you can convince me to give you the pieces I acquired?"
"Ehem! I wasn't really planning to wager on the ones I have but… I was going to exchange them for a big amount of gold." He said.
"I see… so the purpose of this game was to meet me… Wait! Did you just say 'the ones you have'? I thought you only have one piece and the other should be…"
"In the Reach." He continued my words.
"Interesting! Did you acquire the Pommel too?"
"... Yes." Silus seemed to be cautious.
"I see… how did you know that I acquired the two pieces that I have?"
Not anyone should know that? The first piece I acquired it when the bandits of cracked tusk keep and another band of hunters fought each other. That time, I interfered with a large group of undead and obliterated the two parties while the second piece was collected by [Team 0].
"I… I followed some leads that ended with me in Winterhold. I heard that one person has two pieces so I figured that someone is trying to put the razor together before me. I had to go to the Reach and collect the last piece before he does and now I am here for the other two… Mr. Jon, please listen to me. This artifact is very important to me and my family, it is was once used by a group called the [Mythic Dawn] to…"
"I know the stories. Ending the [Septim Dynasty] and starting the [Oblivion Crisis] that almost ended the world. That's a cursed bloodline you hail from, friend Silus."
"Yes, I know. But it is the only legacy they left me and one that I wish to be associated with."
"You want to be associated with the group that almost ended the world and destroyed the bloodline of Talos? The Nords won't like it, you know that?"
Silus seemed desperate. He wanted to be part of something great. I could tell that he has an inferiority complex due to him hearing tales of his family and how fearsome they were. From the game, I know that his parents didn't want him to pursue that path but he found some journals of his grandparents who participated in the Oblivion Crisis and wanted to have some heritage to be proud of. I can understand him. I have grown in an orphanage and saw many kids whose fathers were warriors and after their death, these kids always wanted to relate to the glory of their parents and continue on it.
But Silus belittled himself too much.
For someone who can track down artifacts and sniff the locations of the rare treasures, even looking at the card he is playing with, they were new and powerful.
"You are talented."
"... Excuse me?"
"You have a talent for collecting stuff. The talent is different than the hobby. I have that hobby and you have that talent. Maybe you and I can reach a better agreement."
"..." He became silent but kept looking at me.
"Here is what I know, both you and I will go to the Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon to put together [Mehrunes' Razor] but before we do so, the Daedric Prince of Destruction, Revolution, Energy, Change and Ambition won't like it if two people acquired the razor to only put it on display. That artifact that can wreak havoc in Tamriel is not worthy of such fate… what do you think will happen?"
To my words, Silus frowned.
We are dealing with the Daedra here and not just any Daedra, it is the Devil himself, Mehrunes Dagon. The most violent and evil Daedric lord of the seventeen. His official enemy is all the Mortal races and he tried to conquer Nirn on many occasions. He even destroyed the Continent of [Lyg] from the past Kalpa.
[A/n: Kalpa is an epoch of time that happened before the Dawn Era. Each Kalpa marks the restart of the timeline starting from the Dawn Era (Creation Era) and each Kalpa is to be ended by the Dragon of the End of Time, Alduin.]
Silus couldn't reply.
"You may wish to have such glory for your family but it won't end well for you. In the End, the Razor will find itself in the hands of someone who can use it and those who wish to bind it will meet their demise. For someone with the talent of sniffing out artifacts like you? Your value is very important to me and it would break my heart to see such a talent go to waste. Tell you what! After we play this game, I will take you to my office and talk about a job I have for you, interested?"
