Decumus Scotti is a fictional character created by the author Waughin Jarth. Scotti was a cowardly man who worked as a clerk at the Atrius Building Commission until 3E 397,[1] and later for Lord Vanech's Building Commission.[2] He is the protagonist in the A Dance in Fire and The Argonian Account novel series.
Waughin Jarth claimed that Scotti was based on a real person, with their name changed. Jarth also claimed that a third story featuring Scotti is nearly complete.[UL 1]
Background[]
A Dance in Fire[]
- Main article: A Dance in Fire
After being let go from the Atrius Building Commission in Cyrodiil at the beginning of the novels, Scotti receives a badly written letter from his former business colleague, Liodus Jurus that urges him to travel to Valenwood with blank contracts and timber to bid on the reconstruction efforts following a recent war with the Khajiit. His wagon is ambushed by Khajiit en route and the contracts destroyed.[1]
Scotti arrives in Valenwood to find his contact has moved on,[3] and Scotti follows a trail of notes and skirmishes of the Five Year War/War of the Blue Divide to a fellow clerk named Reglius who Jurus also invited down, who claimed Jurus was is dead. He ultimately dies himself and Scotti takes his contracts from Lord Vanech before meeting Jurus again.[4]
The two arrange for Scotti to negotiate contracts with the Silvenar, and Scotti gets Lord Vanech's contracts signed and returns with them to Cyrodiil.[5] This begins a bidding war between the two building commissions, both of which trying to bribe Scotti into giving them the contracts. These were ultimately won by Lord Vanech, after the unfortunate and sudden death of Lord Atrius, which Scotti suspects was the work of the Dark Brotherhood. The contracts were celebrated by a banquet of meats sent by the Silvenar, which were the bodies of the other building commissioners left behind in Valenwood.[6]
The Argonian Account[]
- Main article: The Argonian Account
Following Scotti's success in Valenwood, Lord Vanech sends him to supervise and overhaul the company's failing infrastructure projects in Black Marsh.[7] Instead of meeting the Commission's contacts in Gideon, Scotti ends up in a small village called Hixnoag, far from Imperial domains.[8] Here he is taken captive before falling into the river and being found by an Argonian rafter, who takes him through Black Marsh, whereupon Scotti promptly leaves and reports on the sorry state of Imperial holdings in the province to various stakeholders. They are all horrified and provide him with lots of money to fix the problems, which Scotti embezzles and does nothing. Meanwhile, without any outside interference, natural trade resumes in Black Marsh, improving results for all concerned.[9]
Appearances[]
- A Dance in Fire, Book I
- A Dance in Fire, Book II
- A Dance in Fire, Book III
- A Dance in Fire, Book IV
- A Dance in Fire, Book V
- A Dance in Fire, Book VI
- A Dance in Fire, Book VII
- The Argonian Account, Book I
- 'The Argonian Account, Book II
- The Argonian Account, Book III
- The Argonian Account, Book IV