General:Jobasha Interview

This was an in-character interview held with Douglas Goodall (also known as Affa Mu) in July 2005, after he had left Bethesda Game Studios. Goodall portrayed the character Jobasha. This interview was originally archived by The Imperial Library.
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Sinder Velvin: Good evening, desertwalker. Forgive me for coming here at such a late hour, but I really wanted to get to meet you before I left Vvardenfell and returned to Cyrodiil. I've heard that you are a very knowledgeable person, so can I please ask you some questions about a few things that I find to be rather puzzling?

Jobasha: As you see, Jobasha is very busy. Many chests to pack, many books to sell, many plans to make. Jobasha is very loyal to the new King, as are all Khajiit. But Jobasha thinks this shop is old and sales are poor, so Jobasha is moving soon. Ask your questions, but know that Jobasha may speak too fast.

Sinder Velvin: Actually, first of all I'd like to give you this letter. It's from Adanorcil, a good friend of mine who has recently started researching  . He asked me to deliver it to you if I came to Vivec City. Both I and him would be grateful if you could please tell us if his assumptions are correct.

   

Jobasha: Jobasha does not have the time to answer this letter in full.

"Iit" is more like what men and mer call a job. Khaj is desert or sand, yes, and Khajiit is, as men would say, "one who sands" or "one who deserts." But men do not know what one does in a desert: walk. So we Khajiit say it means "desert walker." A budi is a kind of shirt often worn by Ohmes, so a budiit is a kind of tailor. "Iit" also shows where one lives. "Senchal'iitay" means "Jobasha lived in Senchal." So Khajiit also means one who lives in the desert.

"Va" is to be, yes. Var is used in several ways, but Jobasha does not know the right words. It has the scent of the inevitable.

"Rabi" shows ownership. As you see, Jobasha writes with a yellow quill, made from a cheaply dyed cliff racer plume. Telling this, Jobasha could say "zwinthodurrarr rabi," which means "Jobasha has a yellow writing stick."

Khajiit say "vabazeri" to show one thing changing into another thing. We use it to say how you would say "becoming," though this is not quite true.

Sinder Velvin: Would you mind telling me a bit about yourself? How and why did you come to Vvardenfell?

Jobasha: Jobasha wanted to travel and sell books. More Jobasha cannot say.

Sinder Velvin: Could you please tell me a bit about the Battle at Red Mountain that took place during the War of the First Council? What do you think happened during it? Who do you think killed Nerevar?

Jobasha: Jobasha thinks very highly of the Tribunal. Jobasha is no heretic, just a humble bookseller.

Sinder Velvin: Everyone knows that the Dwemer disappeared during the Battle at Red Mountain, but nobody knows exactly what happened to them. What is your opinion?

Jobasha: Jobasha hears many tales from those who explore the Dwemer ruins. From these tales Jobasha believes their bodies became ash. Some say the Dwemer souls escaped the Mundus, but there are ghosts of Dwemer... But perhaps the ghosts died before. Jobasha does not know.

Sinder Velvin: With the help of a friend, I've managed to obtain two Dwemer books: Divine Metaphysics and the Egg of Time. However, strangely enough, lines from one book appear in the other one as well. For example, the first line in Divine Metaphysics is the twenty-first in Egg of Time and the second line in Divine Metaphysics is the eleventh in Egg of Time. What do you think about this? Did the Dwemer authors feel like quoting each other... All the time? Or is this plagiarism?

Jobasha: Jobasha has seen many Dwemer books, but Jobasha cannot read them. Perhaps the words are the same, or perhaps they mean different things in each book. Jobasha has heard many scholars claim to have translated Dwemer writings, but Jobasha believes none of them.

Sinder Velvin: Do you, by any chance, know why there are several great heroes whose deeds are very well-known, yet whose names are not? For example, very few people know the name of the so-called Eternal Champion, the one who defeated the impostor Jagar Tharn.

Jobasha: The Eternal Champion has too many names. Was it Grachta the Redguard Knight? Dunastyr the Breton Sorcerer? Shathra, the Khajiti Assassin? Tyronicus, the Cyrodilic Battlemage? Jobasha does not know. It seems that every year, the hero earns a dozen names. Jobasha does not believe any of these names, though Jobasha once saw a tapestry of Shathra... It is a shame that Shathra is only legend, for the artist made her quite beautiful for an Ohmes.

Sinder Velvin: Do you believe that one day slavery in Morrowind will end?

Jobasha: Jobasha... No, Jobasha says the armistice is the law, and Jobasha is a loyal citizen of the Empire. Jobasha loves the Emperor, the new King, and the Tribunal very much. And now Jobasha must hurry and finish packing.

But before you go, Jobasha must ask... Do you know anyone who needs a potted plant?

Sinder Velvin: Well, I have a High Elf friend in the Imperial City who would certainly love it... Strange how so many of my friends are High Elves. Or maybe one of my Imperial friends would like it more...