Armand Christophe

Armand Christophe is a Redguard home-owner on the Imperial City Waterfront. He spends a lot of time with the seedier elements of Tamriel. Supposedly, Armand humiliated guard captain Hieronymus Lex years ago, and Lex has always had a personal vendetta with him because of the incident.
==Interactions==
===Finding the Thieves Guild===
After bribing a beggar in the Imperial City, reading a wanted poster about the Gray Fox, or having received a note from the Gray Fox, the Hero will be told to seek out Armand Christophe for more information about the guild. He meets prospective Thieves Guild members at around midnight in the Garden of Dareloth, located in the waterfront right behind Dareloth's house.
===May the Best Thief Win===
Armand gives the Hero an assignment to test their suitability for membership – stealing a diary. Doing so successfully will result in entrance into the Thieves Guild.
===Untaxing the Poor===
The Imperial Watch normally doesn't collect taxes from the poor at the waterfront; however, guard captain Hieronymus Lex has actually collected them this time. It probably cost them more to collect the taxes than the total amount of taxes received. Armand Christophe wants the Hero to take them back, along with the tax records.
===The Elven Maiden===
The Thieves Guild has a need to "acquire" Llathasa's Bust from her tomb. While the job looks simple, it has more to it then a simple theft.
===Ahdarji's Heirloom===
S'Krivva sends the Hero to Leyawiin to help recover a ring back that belongs to Ahdarji. It was stolen by the Argonian named Amusei.
==Dialogue==
Show: Finding the Thieves Guild
At the Imperial City Waterfront:
"Do I know you?"
:Gray Fox "He's just a name on a wanted poster. I don't trust you enough to say more than that."
:Imperial City "A little tip. People who ask a lot of questions around here tend to be not very popular."
:Mysterious Note "Not here. Not now. Garden of Dareloth. Waterfront District. Midnight."
"Somehow I think we will meet again."
At Dareloth's Garden:
"Do I know you?"
:Gray Fox "He's the King of Thieves in Cyrodiil. You could think of him as our guildmaster, although he would deny that title."
::Join the Thieves Guild "Everyone is here. Let's begin. Each of you is seeking membership in the Thieves Guild."
:Mysterious Note "Ah, yes. Another scoundrel who served time in an imperial jail. The Gray Fox is offering you a chance to join the Thieves Guild."
Show: May the Best Thief Win
At the Imperial City Waterfront:
"Yes... you might do."
:Lockpicks, 5 gold each. "Here you go."
"Now get out of here."
Upon returning with the diary:
"Are you confused?"
:Thieves Guild Test "Congratulations! You have returned with the diary. You have earned the right to join the Thieves Guild. You now owe your loyalty to our guildmaster, the Gray Fox. He has three rules you must follow."
::Three rules "First, never steal from another member of the guild. Second, never kill anyone on the job. This is not the Dark Brotherhood. Animals and monsters can be slain if necessary. Third, don't steal from the poor. The peasants and beggars are under the personal protection of the Gray Fox, particularly here on the Waterfront."
:::About the Thieves Guild "What do you want to know?"
::::Three rules "First, never steal from another member of the guild. Second, never kill anyone on the job. This is not the Dark Brotherhood. Animals and monsters can be slain if necessary. Third, don't steal from the poor. The peasants and beggars are under the personal protection of the Gray Fox, particularly here on the Waterfront."
::::What if I do kill someone? "Breaking any of the three rules means expulsion from the Thieves Guild. If you commit murder, you must pay the blood price to rejoin the guild. Blood price is for each person slain. You can pay any of the guild Doyen."
::::If I do steal from a thief? "You are removed from the guild. You must pay a fine of the guild Doyen to get back in."
::::Where can I find a fence? "The best fences are only available to the higher rank Thieves Guild members. Here's a list of who you can use."
:::::Ongar the Fence "Ongar lives in Bruma. He doesn't have much money, but he's the only place you can sell hot property if you are new to the Thieves Guild."
::::Sources of Information "The best source of information are the beggars. Their eyes and ears seem to be everywhere. However, be prepared to spend a little coin. They won't tell you anything for free. At least not anything true."
::::What is a Doyen? "The Doyen are the hands and eyes of the guildmaster. You take your orders from them. You get your favors from them. I am one Doyen and S'krivva is the other."
::::Thieves Guild Jobs "Jobs? We're thieves, not masons or scribes. Look, you're on your own as a thief. Go find a likely looking house. Case the joint to see when the owner is gone. When he leaves, you break in and steal some stuff. You don't need special permission or orders to do that. However, you will find that you can only sell stolen property to one of our guild fences. Most other merchants won't take hot merchandise."
:::::So we all work alone? "Well, sometimes the guild gets a special commission. You know. Guaranteed pay to 'acquire' certain items for special clients. You should check in with your Doyen every once in a while to see if there are any commission jobs available."
::::Pay off my fines and bounty "You can pay your fines to the guards, serve your time, or you pay me half and I'll fix them all."
:::::I'll work out my problems on my own. "It's your prison sentence, not mine."
:::Gray Fox "He's been around forever. It must be 300 years or more since he took charge. I'm not sure he's even human."
:::Thieves Guild special jobs "You need more experience before I can use you on a commission job. Ongar tells me that you haven't turned in much loot yet. When you're contributed enough to the guild coffers by selling stolen items to Ongar, I might have something for you. Come back then."
"Shadow hide you."
Show: Untaxing the Poor
At the Imperial City Waterfront:
"Ah, our newest pickpocket."
:Thieves Guild special jobs "The Gray Fox has asked me to take care of a problem, and I'm putting you on it. Hieronymous Lex actually collected taxes from everyone living here on the Waterfront! Your job is to recover those taxes. Are you up for it?"
::This seems awfully noble for thieves. "The people of the waterfront are very poor. Traditionally the city has not collected taxes from them, even though by law they could. The money the city would collect would barely cover the cost of collecting. The Gray Fox has always guaranteed protection to the poor of the waterfront. He doesn't want to let this injustice stand. It's a matter of principle."
::Who is Hieronymus Lex? "He is a fool of a Captain in the Imperial Watch. He's a real law and order type. He has a grudge against the Thieves Guild and the Gray Fox in particular. Lex has made it his personal mission to capture him. The Gray Fox has led our guild for over 300 years now. He has always guaranteed protection to the poor of the waterfront."
::Why does the Gray Fox care? "The Gray Fox has led our guild for over 300 years now. He has always guaranteed protection to the poor of the waterfront."
::Sure. I'll do it. "Good. Find out where he's keeping the taxes and bring them to me. I'll also need the tax records of what each citizen paid so we can return it."
:::Hieronymus Lex "He's a Captain of the Imperial Watch. He is pursuing a personal vendetta against the Thieves Guild and the Gray Fox. Two years ago I made a fool out of him when he tried to arrest me. Lex has never forgotten it."
::Not right now. "I suppose it can wait for a while. Let me know if you change your mind."
"Shadow hide you."
If approached again:
"Have you recovered those taxes?"
:Not yet. "Let me know when you have the money and the tax records."
After recovering the taxes:
"Have you recovered those taxes?"
:Yes. Here they are. "Ah! The Gray Fox will be very pleased. We will make sure this gets back to the people. Can you believe that fool even bothered to collect this paltry sum? You can keep it. I merely wanted the Watch to know they went too far. I think its time to promote you to Footpad. Congratulations on your new guild rank."
::Gray Fox "He's been around for hundreds of years. I've heard tell that he is immortal. I don't know about that, but he sure ain't normal."
:::Thieves Guild special jobs "I do have need of a skilled operative. Perhaps if you were to get more experience I could use you. The fences report to me how much loot you have turned over to them. When you've added more to the guild coffers, come back and see me."
Show: The Elven Maiden
At the Imperial City Waterfront:
"Good to see you again!"
:Thieves Guild special jobs "The guild has received a 'request' to obtain a unique statuette. It is a bust of Llathasa Indarys, the recently slain Countess of Cheydinhal. You will be paid a modest sum. Do you want this job?"
::I'll take it. "Excellent. Bring it back to me once you have it."
::I don't have time right now. "That's unfortunate. Let me know if you change your mind."
"Shadow hide you."
After the search in the Waterfront District:
"With your help I uncovered the informant that had compromised the Thieves Guild. I know I used you in this matter with the Llathasa's bust, but I couldn't be certain that you weren't working with Myvryna. Here is the reward you were promised. Even though the bust is gone, you've earned it. I'm also promoting you to the guild rank of Bandit, which will let you use Dar Jee of Leyawiin as your fence. Good work!"
:Gray Fox "We don't talk about him in public. The Thieves Guild follows the Gray Fox. However, we make sure that most folks think he is just a myth."
:Thieves Guild special jobs "Sadly, I don't have anything for you. I only work with the less experienced guild members. You should go see S'krivva in Bravil from now on. You can find her at the Lonely Suitor Lodge. I wouldn't recommend bothering her at home, unless the door is unlocked."
::S'krivva "Are you deaf? Didn't I already tell you that she is in Bravil?"
If approached again:
"You've done well for yourself."
==Conversations==
;Finding the Thieves Guild
Armand Christophe: "The Thieves Guild is not a myth. We are followers of the Gray Fox, and I am his Doyen. Merely by finding me, you have passed the first test. It's unusual for us to have three potential recruits at the same time. Rather than the normal test of skill, I'm going to make this a contest."
Madesi: "That's not fair!"
Armand Christophe: "Methredhel, you know the rules. However, for Amusei and the newcomer, let me state them clearly. Whoever brings me the diary of Amantius Allectus, without killing him, will be invited into the guild."
Methredhel: "Hah! I'll have it before sunrise!"
Armand Christophe: "It's somewhere in the Imperial City. The beggars will help you locate it, for a price. I can sell you lockpicks if you need them. One more thing. You cannot kill each other during this trial. We may be thieves, but we're not murderers."
==Quotes==
*"I really don't have time for the likes of you."
==Trivia==
*Before joining the Thieves Guild, he may be repeatedly pickpocketed for lockpicks. This is a good way to level up sneak. No bounty will accrue and he won't report the crime. However, after joining, attempting to pickpocket him will result in suspension from the guild.
*He is no longer essential after "The Ultimate Heist" but still remains a Doyen.
*If a new Gray Fox takes over the guild, Armand no longer appears at midnight in the garden, but can easily be found in his home or the guild hall.
*Despite being a Redguard, he has a Breton name.
==Appearances==
*
de:Armand Christophe
es:Armand Christophe
pt:Armand Christophe
ru:Арманд Кристоф
Category:Oblivion: Thieves Guild Members
Category:Oblivion: Imperial City Characters
Category:Oblivion: Quest Givers