Muckraking Journalist

Muckraking Journalist is one of the quests in the main questline of , after "Evidence of Conspiracy." The Nerevarine is ordered by Tienius Delitian to investigate the authorship of the anonymously printed leaflet The Common Tongue.
==Background==
During an earlier quest for Tienius Delitian, the Nerevarine has brought his attention to The Common Tongue, a leaflet spreading harmful news about King Helseth. Delitian, as an agent to the throne, sends the Nerevarine to find the anonymous writer of the leaflet, and make him stop his activities.
==Objectives==
#Talk to citizens about "anonymous writer"
#Talk to Ten-Tongues Weerhat about "anonymous writer"
#*Talk to Granny Varis and Gee-Pop Varis about their son (optional)
#Find Trels Varis in his Secret Office
#Persuade him to stop printing the leaflet OR kill him
#Return to Tienius Delitian
==Walkthrough==
Tienius Delitian suggests that the Nerevarine speaks to less-reputable citizens in order to obtain information. After talking to any citizen with a high disposition towards the Nerevarine, they are directed towards the pawnbroker Ten-Tongues Weerhat, that can be found in his shop in the Great Bazaar. With a high enough disposition, Weerhat tells the Nerevarine that he knows that Trels Varis is the anonymous writer of The Common Tongue. He does not know him, but has heard his name in the Craftsmen's Hall, and suggest beginning their search there.
:Optional: Knowing that Trels Varis is the anonymous writer, the Nerevarine now could speak to his parents. His father Gee-Pop Varis can be found in the Temple Courtyard, his mother Granny Varis inside the Mournhold Temple. Both of them will not give any reliable information about their sons whereabouts, however.
When arriving at the Craftsmen's Hall the Nerevarine may find a locked door labelled "Stay Out!" Behind that door a trapdoor leads into a Secret Office, where Trels Varis and three of his employees reside. There are multiple possibilities how he can be stopped from further printing his leaflet: The Nerevarine may pay him 3000 for the Orphans and Widows fund. Trels Varis is ready to give up his leaflet to do something good for those poor people. The gold will be covered by Tienius Delitian as expenses. Another possibility, if they have previously spoken to his parents, is to threaten to kill them. Trels Varis prefers to protect his elderly parents. A last option would be to simply kill him.
After the Nerevarine has stopped Trels Varis' activities, they should return to Tienius Delitian to collect their reward.
==Reward==
The reward depends on the way the quest was solved, and also in one case on Tienius Delitian's disposition towards the Nerevarine. They are given...
*...3000 to cover the expenses plus 5000 as reward, if Trels Varis was given 3000 and Delitian's disposition towards them is low.
*...3000 to cover the expenses plus the valuable blade "King's Oath," if Trels Varis was given 3000 and Delitian's disposition towards them is high.
*...5000 plus the valuable blade "King's Oath," if threatening Trels Varis parents.
*...5000 , if they killed Trels Varis.
As can be seen from the above list, threatening Trels Varis is the most lucrative option. If choosing it, Tienius Delitian is most impressed with their "fine judgement" and "light touch."
==Journal==
Muckraking Journalist – TR09_Journalist	Muckraking Journalist – TR09_Journalist
ID 	Journal Entry
1 	Tienius Delitian has asked me to find the anonymous writer of 'The Common Tongue' and persuade him to stop printing such lies about King Helseth. Delitian thinks I may have better luck if I approach less-reputable citizens -- persons who place profit above honor. Apparently Delitian doesn't care HOW I take care of it, as long as it is taken care of in private. When I'm sure this anonymous writer will never print lies about King Helseth again, I'm to report back to Delitian.
10 	Someone suggested, if I am looking for an anonymous writer, that I should talk to someone who deals in writing -- books and scrolls, for example. Perhaps a person with a shady reputation -- like a pawnbroker.
20 	Ten-Tongues' Weerhat says the guy who writes 'The Common Tongue' is named Trels Varis. He says he does not know Trels Varis personally, but he says the first place he heard about Trels Varis was in the Craftsmen's Hall.
30 	I'm told there's no one named Trels Varis in the Craftsmen's Hall. But the way it's being said, I am almost certain that Trels Varis is here somewhere, but that no one is going to admit it.
40 	I found Trels Varis. But now he is going to kill me to preserve the secret of his hidden office.
50 	I found Trels Varis. He wishes to keep his hidden office a secret, and threatened to kill me, but instead he decided to let me go. Since the location of his office is no longer a secret, he plans to relocate immediately. He warned me not to touch anything or interfere with him or his colleagues, or he will kill me.
60 	Trels Varis gave me his word that he would not discuss King Helseth in 'The Common Tongue'. In return, I gave him 3000 gold to contribute to the Widows and Orphans Fund. Now that the secret of the hidden office is spoiled, Trels Varis plans to relocate immediately. I should report to Tienius Delitian.
70 	After I threatened his aged parents, Trels Varis gave me his word that he would not discuss King Helseth in 'The Common Tongue'. Now that the secret of the hidden office is spoiled, Trels Varis plans to relocate immediately. I should report to Tienius Delitian.
80 	I have killed Trels Varis. That will certainly stop him from printing lies about King Helseth. I should report to Tienius Delitian.
90 	I have killed Trels Varis.
95 	Ten-Tongues' Weerhat says the guy who writes 'The Common Tongue' is named Trels Varis. And I have killed Trels Varis. That should certainly stop him from printing lies about King Helseth. I should report to Tienius Delitian.
100 	I reported to Tienius Delitian that Trels Varis had given me his word that he would not discuss King Helseth in 'The Common Tongue'. He gave me 3000 gold to cover my expenses, and an additional 5000 gold as a reward.
110 	I reported to Tienius Delitian that Trels Varis had given me his word that he would not discuss King Helseth in 'The Common Tongue'. Tienius Delitian was very pleased with my service. He gave me 3000 gold to cover my expenses and a 'King's Oath' blade -- exactly like those used by the Royal Guard. Only those sworn to the king's service and tested by great trials may use them. They bear deadly curses that kill thieves and traitors.
120 	I reported to Tienius Delitian that Trels Varis had given me his word that he would not discuss King Helseth in 'The Common Tongue'. Tienius Delitian was very pleased with my service. He gave me 5000 gold and a 'King's Oath' blade -- exactly like those used by the Royal Guard. Only those sworn to the king's service and tested by great trials may use them. They bear deadly curses that kill thieves and traitors.
130 	I reported to Tienius Delitian that Trels Varis was dead, and that he could no longer print lies about King Helseth. Tienius Delitian was pleased with my service, and gave me 5000 gold as a reward.
TR09_Gee-Pop 	TR09_Gee-Pop
10 	Gee-Pop Varis says his son, Trels Varis, is a scholar in a private Temple school in Kragenmoor, out west near Cyrodiil.
20 	Gee-Pop Varis says his son, Trels Varis, is a scholar in a private Temple school in Kragenmoor, but Granny Varis says she has no idea where Trels Varis is right now. It doesn't make sense that the father knows but the mother doesn't. I mentioned this peculiarity to Granny Varis, and she said Gee-Pop would forget his head if it weren't jammed tight on his neck. But I suspect they are not telling me the truth.
TR09_Granny 	TR09_Granny
10 	Granny Varis says she has a son named Trels Varis, but she hasn't seen him recently and has no idea where he is right now.
20 	Granny Varis says she has no idea where Trels Varis is right now, but Gee-Pop Varis says his son, Trels Varis, is a scholar in a private Temple school in Kragenmoor. It doesn't make sense that the father knows but the mother doesn't. I mentioned this peculiarity to Gee-Pop Varis, and he said Granny is getting old and forgetful. But I suspect they are not telling me the truth.
TR09_Varis 	TR09_Varis
30 	I suspect Granny and Gee-Pop Varis are not telling me the truth about their son, Trels Varis. But it gives me an idea. If I threaten to hurt Granny and Gee-Pop, it may persuade Trels Varis to stop printing lies about King Helseth in 'The Common Tongue'.
==Appearances==
*
ru:Журналист - разоблачитель
fr:Le journal à scandales