I wanted nothing to do with Thonar - so I rejected him. Having no stake in the Forsworn independence either, I decided to confront Nepos over the conspiracy.
Nepos is an established Reachman with influence in his community. He’s surprisingly welcoming despite knowing my intent. By the fire of his home, he admitted that he had been passing Madanach's messages from Cidhna Mine. He also personally chosen the Reachmen to be sent on these suicide runs - all to fulfil the instructions given to him by his king... and now that I know his secret, he cannot allow me to leave.
I fought off Nepos' servants, but Nepos was killed in the fight - a part of me wondered if he had wanted to go down this way... amongst his possessions, I found Nepos' journal that showed the slow disillusionment of a man that tried to stay loyal to his key while he sent his countrymen to their deaths.
There's enough evidence in Nepos' house to indict the Silver-Bloods. I head back to Eltrys at the shrine of Talos. Instead of Eltrys, I find Guardsmen waiting - Thonar had obviously planned to keep me silent by sending me straight to Cidhna Mine... They say nobody escapes Cidhna. But the Harbinger Archmage Nightingale is hardly a regular guy... still it does give me a chance to meet Madanach, face to face - so I gave up without a fight.
With familiar feel of prisoner cloth on my back, and a distinct lack of inventory, I enter Cidhna Mine.
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