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After about five minutes of walking, she came to another fork in the road, but she was immediately beset by a powerful stench.
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Roll: 1d20 (Fortitude Save)
Result: 4
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Tae gagged and immediately reached up to grab her nose. The powerful stench of the tannery district was sudden and overwhelming, despite the rain. Rather, because of the rain, she hadn’t smelled it as she’d approached, and was instead suddenly hit full force once she was close enough. Not knowing which road lead further into the district, she looked left and right before making a firm guess.
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Roll: 1d2
Result: 2
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She made a disgusted sound and quickly turned to the right and continued walking, at a harried pace that matched the moving crowd in the streets. But even at her speed it took a whole minute to clear the tannery district following the path she’d chosen.
As she left that district, she came into an area which looked even more run down than anything she’d seen so far. On the left side of the road was an arrangement of tents and shanty homes built out of little more than scrap material, most of them just barely holding together – and missing entire walls at that, in some cases. There was a slight stench, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the previous area.
To her right was an array of stone buildings, poorly maintained, but in far better condition than the squalid “buildings” on the other side of the road and beyond. Red lanterns hung, their flames protected by colored glass and giving off light. Men and women of questionable profession skulked about, and some of them were engaged in seemingly illicit business trades of one kind or another.
She abruptly crashed into someone who stepped out into her path, and stumbled back, almost slipping on the wet cobblestone. She regained her footing and looked up, seeing three disgruntled looking soldiers.
“Stupid sub-human,” The man she crashed into snarled. “Are you blind or somethin’?”
She smiled awkwardly.
“My apologies, good sir,” She said. “I had trouble getting through the crowd. I will try to be more careful.”
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Roll: 1d20+5 (Charisma Check)
Result: 21
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The man snorted.
“Whatever. Get out of my sight, whore.”
Tae’s eye ticked, but she quickly moved to do just that, stepping around him and his two companions. A confrontation with the military of a city as blatantly prejudiced as this one was not what she needed right now.
After a few more minutes of walking, she cleared the block and was at another fork in the road. Almost directly before her, however, was a rather inviting building with glowing yellow windows and a few people standing outside and talking amongst themselves. She glanced about, before crossing the road - sure to watch out for any errant city guards this time – before making it to the door.
She looked up at noticed a wooden sign with a lantern hanging over it, which read, The Yellow Mug, Tavern and Inn. She could hear a boisterous crowd of people inside, laughing and talking, as well as the cheery tune of a young songstress.
Tae pushed open the door and walked in, glad to finally be out of the rain. Groups of men and women - the vast majority human, were seated at tables throughout the modest room, with a bar and a door leading to the kitchen across from her. There was a large lit fireplace in the center of the tavern, and she could feel its heat on her cold, wet body already. A staircase lead to the second floor, where she assumed the inn’s rooms were.
She noticed, oddly, a Vinean woman sitting at the bar and the singer she’d heard outside was rather strikingly beautiful elven maid. Most of the crowd were groups of adventurers sharing a meal; they wore their armor and arcane or holy vestments, rather than the garb of common folk.
She made her way to the bar, and sat down on a free stool. There were two women behind the bar engaged in conversation; a woman dressed in the garb of a commoner, and a heavily pregnant, bald woman who wore a brown leather vest over a white-longsleeved shirt, fitted black trousers, and black boots with heels. The bald woman broke off her conversation and approached Tae while the other woman went into the kitchen.
“Hello there,” The woman said with a smile. “What can I get for you?”
Tae blinked up at her. The woman seemed quite a bit more pleasant than anyone else she’d run into yet.
“Hm. How much for the ale?” she asked, reaching into a small pouch on her waist.
“Four copper pieces,” The woman said. “Spiced Ale for seven.”
Tae tilted her head.
“And the Mead?”
“One silver piece, or fourteen coppers for a spiced brew,” The woman said.
Tae considered it. After a moment she fished out a silver coin and four coppers, which she handed to the woman.
“Spiced Mead, if you would,” she said. “Do you have any open rooms tonight?”
The woman nodded as she accepted Tae’s payment.
“We do, at the moment. A private room is two gold pieces. You can have a spot next to the hearth and a blanket for five silvers if you need it,” she said. “You planning to stay?”
Tae nodded.
“I’ve been travelling all day,” She said, retrieving two gold coins and handing them to the woman. “I was beginning to think I wouldn’t find a place that would allow me to stay the night, actually. I’d have had to leave the city and camp out somewhere where it wasn’t raining.”
The woman sighed.
“Ah, yes… sub-human policy,” She grumbled, rolling her eyes. “Well, don’t worry about that here, honey. You won’t be getting any trouble from me,” She said with a grin.
Tae smiled back.
“I appreciate it,” She said.
“Did you want to eat as well, or shall I go get your drink?” The woman asked.
“Hm… I suppose I should eat,” The hybrid elf admitted. “What do you have?”
The woman shifted on her feet and let a hand rest on her distended belly as she considered it.
“We’ve got Ham, Jerked Buffalo, and Corned Beef for five silvers, Roast goose for seven, Squab stuffed Pheasant for eight. We also have Groul of the Beast for two silvers if you need something more affordable.”
Tae tilted her head.
“Do you have bread?”
The woman nodded.
“Dark Rye bread, eight coppers.”
Tae retrieved the necessary money.
“I’ll have some of that and ham,” she said, handing the money to the woman.
The woman nodded.
“Then, I’ll be right back,” She said.
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Lose: 2 GP, 7 SP, 2 CP
Current: 1 PP, 5 GP, 6 SP, 7 CP
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