JESTER SAYS A NO NO [VERIFIED]

Inspired by his very last assassination for the Dark Brotherhood, Cicero now refers to himself as a jester, and accordingly wears a full set of unique jester's clothing, including boots, gloves, and a hat (the outfit providing slightly stronger enchantments compared to the standard set). In combat, he wields a leveled dagger. Due to his hysterical voice and constant dancing, he is considered eccentric by some and totally insane by many.

JESTER SAYS A NO NO

Before joining the Dark Brotherhood, pay a little visit to Loreius Farm north of Whiterun. There, you will find Cicero standing next to his wagon, obviously upset that his cargo is stuck due to a broken wagon wheel. When you get close, he will yell "Agh! Bother and befuddle! Stuck here! Stuck! My mother, my poor mother. Unmoving. At rest, but too still!" If you decide to ignore the fact that a jester is standing in the middle of nowhere and ask him if he's got problems, he will explain: "Poor Cicero is stuck. Can't you see? I was transporting my dear, sweet mother. Well, not her. Her corpse! She's quite dead. I'm taking mother to a new home. A new crypt. But... aggh! Wagon wheel! Damnedest wagon wheel! It broke! Don't you see?" When you offer him your help, he will immediately start to dance and give you a suggestion: "Oh. Oh yes! Yes, the kindly stranger can certainly help! Go to the farm - the Loreius Farm. Just over there, off the road. Talk to Loreius. He has tools! He can help me! But he won't! He refuses! Convince Loreius to fix my wheel! Do that, and poor Cicero will reward you. With coin! Gleamy, shiny coin!" Approach him again and he will repeat: "The farmer is at his farm! Where else would he be? Loreius is his name. Talk to him. Convince him to help poor Cicero."

Alternatively, you can ignore Cicero and speak with farm owner Vantus Loreius first. When asked about his bad mood, he will be quite upset about the jester down the road: "Is something wrong. 'Is something wrong?' he/she asks. Yes, something is bloody well wrong! Or maybe you missed the demented little man in the jester's garb, down by the road? Goes by the name of Cicero? Crazy fool's asked me to fix his broken wagon wheel five times. He won't take no for an answer. Why can't he just leave us alone?"

If you talked to Cicero first, Loreius will ask "That Cicero feller? Hmph. Tell me something I don't know. Crazy fool's already asked me about five times. Seems he's not satisfied with my answer. Why can't he just leave us alone?" If you try to convince him, telling him Cicero will pay him, the angry farmer will respond "Pay me? You think this is about money? Have you seen the man? He's completely out of his head. A jester? Here, in Skyrim? Ain't been a merryman in these parts for a hundred years. And he's transporting some giant box. Says it's a coffin, and he's going to bury his mother. Mother my eye. He could have anything in there. War contraband. Weapons. Skooma. Ain't no way I'm getting involved in any of that."

At this point you can choose to continue convincing Loreius or decide to help him get rid of the crazy jester. If you choose the former, he will say "What? And just who in Mara's name are you, anyway? Hmm? Come here, telling me my business. And for what? To help a... a... a fool!" If you persuade him to help Cicero, he will stutter "Look, I... I... You're right. You're right. Feller might be nutters, might not. But fact is, he needs help. I turn him away, what kind of man am I, hmm? Look, um... Thanks. And I'm sorry for my unneighborly reaction. If you talk to Cicero, you be sure and tell him I'll be down to help soon." Down at the wagon, Cicero will be more concerned than ever: "Poor mother... Her new home seems so very far..." When you tell him the good news, he will immediately start dancing and thank you: "Oh stranger! You have made Cicero so happy! So jubilant and ecstatic! But more! Even more! My mother thanks you! Here, here. For your troubles! Shiny, clinky gold! A few coins for a kind deed! And thank you! Thank you again." He will bid you farewell with "I will wait for Loreius! Oh yes, mother and I will wait right here, right here until he fixes our wheel."

However, if you choose to help Loreius get rid of Cicero, he will come up with a plan: "Well, there is something. There's a guard, patrols the road that crazy jester is on. He passes by pretty often. You could report the fool. You know, say he's done something against the law. That will at least get rid of him for me. What do you say?" If you reject, he will say "Hmph. Fine. Suit yourself. But you're wrong, anyway. Just look at the fool. I don't know what it is, but he's damn well guilty of something." If you accept, he will be happy: "Ha! Wonderful! Like I said, the guard is down by the road. You really can't miss him. You tell him that jester is up to no good, and he'll deal with it. Then come back here, and I'll toss a few coins your way, yeah?"

The guard will then turn around and leave Cicero, who will be enraged if you approach him: "Unfair! Unjust! Cicero has done nothing wrong! Loreius will pay for his treachery! Oh, how he will pay... And you! You were no help! Not at all!" At the farm, Loreius will be more than happy and hand you a gold reward: "Ha ha! Oh, I knew I had a good feeling about you! Here, my friend. A few septims, to show my thanks, hmm? And may that twisted little jester rot in a cell for a fortnight!"

When you have completed the job for Muiri in Markarth, you are told to return to Astrid in the Sanctuary. However, Astrid's paranoia is rising due to a certain jester with some odd behavioral traits: "It's Cicero. Ever since he arrived, his behavior's been... Well, erratic would be an understatement. I do believe he is truly mad. But it's worse than that. He's taken to locking himself in the Night Mother's chamber, and talking. To someone. In hushed, but frantic tones. Who is he speaking with? What are they planning? I fear treachery." Astrid, clearly afraid of Cicero endangering her leadership, says "As the Night Mother's Keeper, he believes he's entitled to the rule of this Sanctuary. Cicero will cite our independence as the need to revert to the Old Ways. He'll claim we're undisciplined, unruly. Heretical, even. Ironically, the Night Mother could prove to be just as much a victim. The queen in a fool's twisted game of chess." She then asks you to go spy on Cicero from inside the Night Mother's coffin. This starts the quest Whispers in the Dark and you will have no choice but to unlock the coffin and close it behind you.

Babette: "Cicero destroyed any sympathy I may have had for him when he wounded Veezara. Kill the fool and be done with it."Veezara: "Yes, do not underestimate Cicero. A man like that, small and foolish, is easy to mock. To underestimate. Don't make the same mistake I did."Gabriella: "I feel only pity for Cicero. He must die, of course, but can any of us truly blame him for his actions? We mocked him, disrespected the Old Ways. Our actions were shameful. Surely, the Night Mother weeps this day."Festus: "All right, so maybe I was wrong. Maybe Cicero coming here wasn't the best thing that could have happened. But even I didn't anticipate this. Well, you know the old saying. When life gives you lemons... go murder a clown."Nazir: "Going after Cicero now would be a fool's errand. That little jester is currently being digested in Arnbjorn's stomach, mark my words."

"He he he he he he he he he he.""He he he... Crazy? Cicero? He he he he... That's madness...""Oh yes, mistress. You're the "boss." For now.""Our sweet Lady is maiden, mother... and crone...""...ho ho ho, and hee hee hee, break that lute across my knee... and if the bard, should choose to fight, why then I'll set his clothes alight...""...and if I spy a singing bird, I'll snap its neck before it's heard...""...and I said to the baker, "You're not dead! You're a faker!" But if that's your wish, I'll oblige...""...oh if I chance to see a cat, I'll feed its corpse to my pet rat...""...and he says to the man, "That's not a horker! That's my wife!" Ha ha ha ha ha... Ah... I love that one...""...when I next meet, that fair maid Nelly, I'll plunge my knife into her belly...""...tra la la, tra la lee, da da dum dum, dee dee...""...madness is merry, and merriment's might, when the jester comes calling with his knife in the night...""...What? Mother? Is that your voice I hear? Hmm... No, no... Just my head playing tricks... Foolish Cicero...""...need to sharpen my blade... make it shiny, gleamy, and oh so deadly...""...dear Cicero will keep you from harm, sweet Mother. Forever and always...""...is there singing in the Void? Dancing...? Surely the Dread Lord will at least allow poor Cicero to caper...""...Cicero is hungry... ...need a sweetroll... or a carrot...""...need to get Mother some flowers... pretty, pretty flowers...""...must oil Mother soon... ...get all the hard to reach places..."

"Mention a court jester, and one pictures a whimsical creature in a belled hat or, perhaps, the ill-fated character in King Lear. Otto's lively, well-researched text proves that there are centuries of other examples and that the jester has a rich tradition worldwide. . . . Through anecdotes, historical details, analyses, and commentary, Otto brilliantly delineates the court jester, and quotations and illustrations do much to enhance this eminently readable text. . . . Well worth a look by avid readers with an eye for an informative yet uncommon title."—Library Journal

"[A] lively survey of the state-sponsored mischief maker and his irrepressible, life-giving spirit. . . . In her richly detailed chapters (and an appendix listing 334 named fools in the historical record), Otto makes a vigorous case for the jester's ubiquity—from the ancient Chinese court to the Elizabethan stage to the modern corporate suite—and for the consistency of his characteristics: attachment to a particular ruler; physical or mental deformity (real or pretended); concern for the general welfare of the people; and the freedom to alert isolated kings, emperors, sultans, even popes of their 'moral halitosis.'"—Jennifer Schuessler, Lingua Franca 041b061a72