Okay, so I may be oversimplifying, but that's definitely the first step! She's convinced that the Thalmor are behind it, which makes no sense to me. The Thalmor may be religious fanatics that somehow ended up in charge of this province, but they certainly don't have the power to raise Dragons. Although if they did that would make it much easier to learn. As painfully superior as the Thalmor are, they're still easier to talk to than a great black dragon... The plan is for me to attend a party and then break into their offices and find out what I can.
Delphine sends to me Solitude, the capital (also on the otherside of the map!) to meet a contact, who will help me at the party. He informs me that I need to give him everything I want once I'm inside. Thanks for the warning! I didn't bring a change of clothes, and I'll need these robes. Awkwardly I strip down in Solitude's most popular tavern (aptly named, it turns out. There were a lot of Winking Skeevers when the robes came off) and hand them over along with a handful of potions in case things get tight.
I endure the walk (or run) of shame back through the main gates of the city and down to the stables, a short walk down the road. There are disapproving stares, but it's for the greater good so I do my best to ignore them. Hasn't anybody seen a woman in her underwear before? Perhaps they should pay a visit to Desele's House of Earthly Delights in Sudan, Morrowind.
Delphine is waiting for me at the stables and has some party clothes. Apparently I'd never get in 'wearing that'. I suppose she's right. Somebody might find nudity a little suspicious, up in the frozen hills above Solitude.
The party is really not that exciting. Somebody really should have slipped some moon sugar into the drinks. Perhaps they did, I didn't stay long enough to find out. Within minutes I'm out the back with the help of Malborn (the Bosmer who took my normal clothes) and pulling my gear out of a chest. A nearby dresser has a hooded Thalmor robe which may come in handy. Rather than putting on my normal clothes I wear this and it gets me past the majority of the guards.
Not all of them of course, but my new calming spell comes in handy. I do run into a bit of trouble finding keys. There's a few locks around and despite their totally tranquil state I can't find the keys on the guards. Left with little choice I turn them on each other and loot their corpses. The offices contain information on the dragons, Delphine, Ulfric Stormcloak and a man named Esbern, apparently another Blade survivor.
I find a wretched looking man in a cell who confirms that the Thalmor are looking for this Esbern. I already had that information, but there's no reason to leave him locked in the cell. He does helpfully suggest that we exit through a nearby trapdoor.
Not exactly a brilliant suggestion, it turns out when we run headlong into a Frost Troll in the cave the trapdoor leads to. Fortunately for us my calm spell now works on creatures that powerful, as I don't think my undead Thalmor buddy really had it in him to defend us for long.
As we escape out the back of the cave it occurs to me that this sort of mission is far more suited to my talents. No need for all that killing, no undead (except my own) and definitely no Dragons! Even the opportunity for disguise and subterfuge. Hopefully Delphine appreciates my success when I return to Riverwood.
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