Oblivion:Maro Rufus

Maro Rufus (RefID: 0001D211)
Home City	Imperial City, Market District
Store	The Best Defense
Race	Imperial	Gender	Male
Level	6	Class	Smith
RefID	0001D211	BaseID	00015EAC
Services
Available	8am-8pm, 8am-10pm on Sundas
Other	Repairs
Merchant
Gold	800	Mercantile	Apprentice (40)
Sells	Light Armor
Buys	Armor Weapons Misc. Items
Other Information
Health	90	Magicka	107
Responsibility	100	Aggression	5
Faction(s)	IC Citizens; IC - Best Defense

Maro Rufus

Maro Rufus is an Imperial smith and joint owner of The Best Defense in the Market District of the Imperial City. He sells light armor and offers repair services.

He shares ownership of the store with heavy armor specialist Varnado, but that is the only thing they share. Both of them dislike the other's preferences in armor to such degree that even their resident master smith Gin-Wulm prefers to stay out of the store. Maro sleeps in the basement and gets out of bed every morning at 6am. He always starts the day eating a two-hour breakfast with Varnado before opening the shop at 8am. He spends the next twelve hours offering his services to customers, before finally closing up at 8pm.

At 8pm during the week (Morndas to Fredas), he spends the evening at the Merchants Inn, eating and drinking until midnight. On Loredas, he leaves the District and goes to the Temple of the One for four hours of praying. On Sundas, he adds two extra hours to his usual service time before closing up the shop at 10pm. On this particular day, he also extracts two hours from his usual sleeping time and heads to bed at 10pm.

He wears a chainmail cuirass (which he takes off when he sleeps), a pair of quilted shoes, and tan linens. He carries around the shop key and a large sum of gold.

Maro definitely believes that the best kind of defense is light armor, and he won't even mention his partner when greeted: "The Best Defense! That's me, Maro Rufus! Light Armor! The very best!" When asked about the city, he will reluctantly point you towards Varnado: "Well, if you MUST have Heavy Armor, see Varnado. So heavy, so ugly... but it's your choice."

Similarly, Varnado will be scathing about his colleague: "You want Light Armor? Pah! Why wear fluffy flutter, when you can wear real armor? But if you MUST have Light Armor, talk to Maro Rufus. Idiot." Caught in the middle, Gin-Wulm can only sigh: "Varnado and Maro Rufus? They don't get along. I don't understand it. I just make the armor, and keep it in good shape."

Despite it all, Maro has built a strong reputation among Imperial City denizens. Viator Accius will point you in the shop's direction: "While you're in the Market District, see Rohssan's weapons at A Fighting Chance, and see Varnado and Maro Rufus at The Best Defense for armor." While others will note:

"If you need light armor, talk to Maro Rufus at The Best Defense."

"There's some fine light armor at The Best Defense. Talk to Maro Rufus."

You may also witness citizens asking each other:

"Have you ever bought light armor at Best Defense?"

"Do you know Maro Rufus? He specializes in light armor at Best Defense."

And responding:

"It's the finest light armor selection in the city."

"If that's what you're looking for, there's no one better to talk to than Maro."

"I've heard it's the best light armor in the city."

"I haven't spent time there, but if you're looking for light armor, Best Defense is the place to go."

Bugs

• Maro was supposed to go to bed every night at 10pm, but his bedtime package only activates once he is done with his other evening activities, causing him to go to bed at midnight instead. He keeps the shop open on Sundas because there is no activity package for that particular evening, causing him to keep doing what he is doing; as a result, his bedtime package finally activates at 10pm like it was supposed to.
  • The Unofficial Oblivion Patch fixes this bug.
• Maro was also supposed to stroll around the Arboretum on Loredas. However, this package has the same conditions that oblige him to offer services. Since the package to offer services is before this on the list, he will never perform this action as the former will always take priority.
  • The Unofficial Oblivion Patch fixes this bug.