Chapter 2 - Hammerfell and the Fang Lair

Chapter 2 - Hammerfell and the Fang Lair

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Once you sneak across the Hammerfell border, you and the bandits reach the border city of Rihad. The Bandit leader says that he will be in town for a few days and directs you to find _Ashby, an exper Dunmer smuggler. _Ashby built up a reputation in Morrowind raiding Dwemer ruins, but he wanted to go to Fang Lair and Stros M'Kai and see the ruins there. He will tell the location if you steal one of three collector's items from a 'rival' of his. However , once you steal one of the items, _Ashby turns up behind you and reveals that he was watching you all along, and that the item already belongs to him. He simply wanted to test you. He allows you to keep the item (adopting a similar philosophy to Divath Fyr) if you so choose or trade it for the location of Fang Lair.

Fang Lair has two levels to it. One is filled with basic monsters and bandits, and has been looted many times. The second level however, is secret and has not been accessed since the days of the Dwarves themselves. In the center, the second level houses a temple full of riches and relics, but also the Spectral Dragon killed the Dwarves and guards the staff piece.

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*side quest-Access to Stros M'Kai:
If you ask _Ashby about Stros M'Kai, he will tell you about the ruins, but will refuse to take you there. Politics are tight concerning Hammerfell Waters and _Ashby won't smuggle you there without more experience. In the Dwarven temple of Stros M'Kai, you will find religious tablet of the Dwarves. Give this to _Ashby and he will then prove transportation to Stros M'Kai.

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*History of Dwarves of Kragen:
Idea 1:The Dwarves of Kragen were once a part of Rourken Clan. However, once in Hammerfell, a small faction wished to return to Resdayn. But they never made it back. The Kragen Clan go stuck in a mountain pass in Northern Hammerfell. The clan was nearly wiped out by a Dragon, that they revered to be/sent by Akatosh. The Dwarves promised to worship Akatosh to save their lives, and lived there for a time mining and prospering in the mountains. Eventually though, the Dwarves started to return to their old 'blasphemous' worship of Anumidium, the Brass God.
Idea 2:The Dwarves of Kragen were actually seperate race (or perhaps Redguards) that mined the mountains. They (may have) learned of the technology from the Dwemer, but were not related to them. They also employed the help of Giants in their mines, and the Giants confused them for the Dwemer calling them 'their smalling Dwarven friends'