Beyond Skyrim:Cyrodiil/Crouches-In-Crevices

Crouches-In-Crevices (RefID: xx06786B)
Location	The Restful Watchman
Race	Argonian	Gender	Male
Level	PC×0.75 (range=10-25)	Class	Thief
RefID	xx06786B	BaseID	xx06786A
Merchant
Gold	750 (+ inventory gold (see bugs); +1000 Master Trader)
Sells	See Standard Merchandise
Buys	Fence (all)
Other Information
Health	50×?	Magicka	50×?
Stamina	50×?
Primary Skills	Light Armor, Sneak
Class Details	CombatThief
Morality	Any Crime	Aggression	Unaggressive
Faction(s)	CYRBrumaCrouchesInCrevicesFenceFaction; CYRBrumaMS04ThugsFaction; CYRCrimeFactionBruma; CYRJobFenceFaction; CYRJobMerchantFaction; CYRTownBrumaFaction

Crouches-In-Crevices

Crouches-In-Crevices is an Argonian thief who works as a fence out of the notorious Restful Watchman tavern.

Crouches can initially be found inside the Watchman at all times, eating one-hour meals at 7am and 7pm, and never sleeping. During the related quest, Renod Even-Toned will ask you to retrieve his lute from the thugs over at the tavern. After persuading or intimidating Crouches to admit he stole the lute and sold it off, he will cruelly suggest you set up Renod by sending him to visit a friend of his at Capstone Cave.

After this point, or earlier if Renod is dead, Crouches will crawl out of the Watchman every night at 10pm and head to a spot near the eastern gate, behind Galarynn's house.

Crouches wears farmer's clothes and matching gloves and boots, as well as a mage's hood. He is armed with two iron daggers and also carries a flawless jade and a random selection of gold, lockpicks, rings, food and drink.

Related QuestsEdit

• The Screeching Songman: Rid the good people of Bruma of a talentless singer's screechings.

Quest-Related DialogueEdit

The Screeching SongmanEdit

After Renod Even-Toned has tasked you with recovering his prized lute, head over to The Watchman to confront Crouches:

Do you know anything about Renod Even-Toned's lute?

"Even if I did, why would I tell you anything? So you could go, like the good little saint you are, and tell the guards? Heh, no."

Never mind.

"Probably a good choice on your part."

Alternatively, you can try to either intimidate or persuade him:

Answer	Success	Fail
It's to make him shut up. (Persuade)	"Oh, really? Well, in that case, I suppose I can make an exception."	"I'm sure. No, you're probably just one of Adius' little hound dogs. Run along, boy/girl. Run!"
Oh, believe me, I'm no saint. (Intimidate)	"Oh... is that so? Hmm... alright then. "	"You? Not a saint? Pfah! And I'm a Hist tree. Go away."

Whatever tactic you use, if you're successful (requires an Average speech check) he will continue by proposing a cruel solution to the issue of Renod's singing:

"We kicked that old horker out of here a little while back. Can still hear him from his house across the way. It'd be nice to get rid of that nuisance. Here's the truth. Yes, I took it. It was made out of a fine oak and encrusted with some rubies. Good gold, friend. So, I sold it. To some of my most prolific business partners."

Where are these business partners?

"Capstone Cave. It's not too far from Bruma. By all means, go take it up with them. Either they'll kill you or you'll kill them. Makes no difference to me. Our business has already concluded. However, I have a smarter proposal."

What do you suggest?

"We drove Renod out of the Watchman, and he's no doubt had the same happen at the Jerall View. He's out of work. I'm sure you've seen the hilarious 'bardic masterclass' posters he's putting up all around Bruma in the hope of keeping a roof over his head. Well, tell him he's got a new venue to play at. Tell him to go to Capstone and play."

Whichever choice you make next, he will simply say:

I'm going to Capstone Cave. / I'll go to Capstone Cave and find him a 'job'. / I'll go to Capstone Cave, but I'm getting the lute.

"As you should. Which option you decide to pursue is your concern. Negotiate him a job or retrieve the lute by force. Doesn't matter much to me. Just don't drag me into this again. My only interest in Renod is hearing him shut up. This is not my affair."

Convince Cerendil to drop the charges against BentiorEdit

After Cerendil has handed you the memory-gem, you can bring it to the guard captain and listen to its contents, which will reveal the role Crouches played in pranking the hapless mage:

Crouches: "What's that snot-brained Altmer doing here? This is no place for one of them."

Thug 1: "You don't think he's Thalmor, do you?"

Thug 2: "No. Doesn't seem the sort. But he's still not the right type for our little den. Might bring the wrong kind of attention."

Crouches: "So what do we do? Stabbing him would be... excessive, so...?"

Thug 1: "I know. Why don't we treat him to a little show from our favorite lusty Argonian maid?"

Crouches: "Perfect! Let's go fetch her."

Crouches: "Here. Take this coin. I'd like to buy a little show for my Altmer friend over there."

Argonian Woman: "Sure thing."

Crouches: "Oh, one other thing. He wanted you to roleplay as Lifts-Her-Tail. You know, from-"

Argonian Woman: "Heh. Altmer. Always the same fantasy. Sure thing. Hey, darling. I heard you wanted a date with Lifts-Her-Tail?"

Cerendil: "What is the meaning of this? Lifts-Her-Tail? What a ridiculous name for an even more ridiculous- Oh, my. Xarxes' breath! What in Oblivion are you doing? I demand that you put that back on! Auri-el, give me strength! Cease and desist! I demand that you cease and desist at once, you cretinous lizard woman! Stop jiggling about! I can't take this any more. I think I'm going to faint. I think... ohhh..."

Crouches: "Ha, it worked! Odus, you really are a genius."

Fence DialogueEdit

If you approach him at night while he is fencing, he will seethe:

"What in Oblivion are you doing back here?"

Should say nothing, he will then repeat:

"Since you seem to be a little hard of hearing, I'll ask again. What in Oblivion are you doing back here?"

Easy. I don't want any trouble.

"Nor do I, but if life has taught me anything it's that we don't always get what we want. Either way, we're talking in circles."

I could ask you the same question.

"And, just like you, I could avoid answering the question posed. See? Two can play at this game."

You don't remember me, Crouches?

"Oh. It's you. Couldn't make you out in this light. Not that your identity makes all that much difference."

Watch it, or I'm liable to shove something big down your throat until you choke.

"Believe me, violence is in neither of our best interests."

Whatever your reply, he will continue:

"Listen. It's not going to do me any good to kill you. Drawing more attention to myself - not a good business plan. In my line of work, anyway. So, I'll let you live, under the... let's call it a good faith assumption, that you're not a paladin of righteousness or a complete idiot. And perhaps your knowledge of my trade can prove... useful to both of us. See, I'm a... merchant without excessive scruples, you might say. Someone who'll buy what you're selling no matter where it came from, understand? A fence. Just in case you hadn't cottoned on by now. So, you just, uhh, come around here whenever you have some stolen goods to hawk. I hang around here late at night, around ten 'till about four."

At this point, you will be able to access his services as a fence:

I have need of your... services.

"Ah... what've you got for me?"

You will be able to trade with him up until 5am, when he heads back to the Watchman. Crouches will buy any item from you, legitimate or stolen. He was meant to sell a wide range of goods, but due to a bug will instead offer a more limited selection.

RumorsEdit

Crouches also appears to have something to do with the theft of Serulius the Stagnant's journal, as the beggar mutters:

"Serves me right for trusting that slimy Argonian in the tavern. Cowers-in-Corners, or whatever his name is."

BugsEdit

• Crouches will not offer the Standard Merchandise below, instead only selling whatever items are in his inventory. The amount of gold he has for trading is also randomly based on his inventory, with 750 being the minimum. ^?

Standard MerchandiseEdit

This is the merchandise found in Crouches's standard merchant chest, available when he is at his spot near the eastern gate. These items are only available if purchased from the merchant; they cannot be pickpocketed or stolen. They are restocked every two days.

Count	Item	Details
1	Potion of Cure Disease
~1	Leveled Gems	Max 2 (2@25%)
~1	Leveled Jewelry (unenchanted) or Amulet of the Divines	Max 2 (2@25%)
~3	Leveled Enchanted Jewelry	Max 4 (4@75%)
~4	Leveled Animal Parts	Max 5 (5@75%)
~4	Leveled Enchanted Robes	Max 5 (5@75%)
~1	Leveled Ingots	Best-quality; Max 5 (5@25%)
~3	Leveled Ores/Charcoal	Max 5 (5@50%)
~4	Leveled Soul Gems (empty and full)	Max 5 (5@75%)
~3	Random Novice Spell Tomes	Max 5 (5@50%)
~11	Leveled Armor (unenchanted)	Max 15 (15@75%)
~5	Leveled Weapons (unenchanted)	Max 7 (7@75%)
~8	Leveled Potions	Max 15 (15@50%)
~15	Leveled Arrows (batches of 10)	Max 20 (20@75%)
~5	Lockpicks	Max 8 (1@25% plus 7@6.25%)
~5	Torches	Best-quality; Max 10 (10@50%)
~4	Leveled Miscellaneous Items (clutter) and Clothing	Max 5 (5@75%)