Chapter – 10 – Chekhov’s punch-line
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-ÆRÞ..ÆRÞ, ÆRÞ, ÆRÞ...I'm gunna assume that we are on ÆRÞ and NOT, get us laughed at even more than we already have for a fairly straight forward answer.-

Staring down at the, apparently, invisible translucent map, I noticed something. I debated whether to actually notify the distracted guard, but decided against it. It's crazy how one can completely overlook a golden ring around one's wrist. Just sitting there somewhat tucked under my right glove, rested The Bull's Rush and all its golden glory. -It's not like I am smuggling half a man's weight in radioactive narcotics or anything.-

With a shrug, I continued my browsing of the [Menu] and opened the [Equipment] tab. What appeared was a 10x10 grid with some slots containing my: thieves' tools, a scroll case of notes, a winter blanket, an herbalism kit, and a set of common clothes. My meager wealth of: 5 gold, 35 silver, and 5 copper displayed at the bottom.

The only thing excluded from the inventory is the Things I currently have equipped, namely: a full set of leather armor, The Bull's Rush, my Longsword, 2 daggers; and my backpack, containing the burglar's supplies. Contents of which includes: 5 days of rations, 10 pitons, a lantern, 2 flasks of lamp oil, 5 candles, a bell, a bag containing 1000 ball bearings, 10ft of string, a hammer, a crowbar, and 50ft of rope... But no tent...

One would think that even though it's a burglar's pack; as an adventurer there would be some form of camping supplies that keeps the user out of the elements. But no, gotta have a bag of fucking 1000 ballbearrings.

On another note, how I found out about the contents of the pack on my back was not because I actually looked inside of it, but because there is a panel beside the inventory grid with all the items currently equipped. No slots to put things like head, hands, torso, etc. just slots that are currently filled with items on hand. When I hovered over the pack, it gave me a tool-tip of its contents.

-Neat-

It wasn't long before Santigo came back dressed in the standard? guard outfit of a red and yellow conquistador wearing half-plate armor and looking like he needed to take a protein-shake break to rest his gorilla arms. -Never skip Leg-Day my dude, or cardio for that matter-

Tah'Styr pulled a silver coin from her "Coin Purse”; one side a Snarling Gorgon, the other, an 'M' and 'L' diagonal from each other. She presented it to the out-of-breath Gorilla.

He took the proffered coin, studied it for a bit, then started to fish around inside a beige sack with the letters 'O' and 'C' embroidered on it.

 

"Oh... Kay... let's see..One Silvs minus three people at 6 Cops a piece... that's.. Carry the two... okay that should be... 32 Cops in change. Here you go ma'am."

 

-Well at least the math checks out...-

Tah'Styr pocketed the "Cops" and then asked both senior pencil-moustache-with goatee and Senior Gorilla.

 

"Do you gentlemen know of a reasonably affordable inn we could stay at?”

 

Santigo gave Mateo a look, and the slim man shrugged.

 

"Well you might want to head to the 'Egress and Inngress' They're about 5 minutes straight from the gate and have some decent bed and bread for a dozen Cops or so. Ain't cheap but you get what you pay for. You still have a few hours till sundown so getting an open room, or two, should be doable. Now, if you'll excuse me I gotta bring Miss Drug Trafficker to be processed."

 

With that, he walked off leaving the rest of us watching his back go into the guardhouse escorting a detained Motherly-Wolf.

Santigo waved us in and we started to follow the directions from Mateo.

Passing through the side entrance of the massive double doored gate we finally saw the city up close in person. Shadows stretched from the roofs of buildings to the base of the opposite with how tall the structures were. A smell akin to a Comic-Con permeated avenue. The hustle and bustle was still active despite how late things were getting. Tah'Styr entwined her arm into mine with the excuse of not wanting to get lost, while Fahkir just chuffed in amusement at the red-skinned lady's antics. For her part, the stout ironclad woman walked ahead of us so that we would not lose sight of her, though even if her royal red shield wasn't a giant flag, the circle of avoidance she created was enough to pinpoint her.

Almost 5 minutes in, we found our destination, shocking I know. The building took up at least three housing "slots" and had a hanging sign out front, with what appeared to be a lime-green arrow bent on itself. The words 'Inngress' at the tail of the arrow and 'Egress' at the head. The batwing doors let the raucous laughter and clattering dishes create a beachhead in the busy thoroughfare. The aroma of cheap spirits and a warm meal, battled the stench for control of the airspace.-It's like a high school locker room here, just with less Axe and more axe.-

Fahkir bulldozed in as if she owned the place, followed by Tah'Styr towing me in.

We somehow managed to swim our way through the crowd of patrons, without causing a cliché movie trope to happen, and wound up in front of a motherly looking human woman wiping down a mug.

 

"So, a dwarv, an elv, an'a tievling, Sorry deary but cha too obvious, walk inta ma' inn. Th'name's Margarida, How might I be ov service?"

 

Her customer-service smile never left her as she grabbed another mug to start wiping down. Our red seductress of a face-man started up the exchange.

 

"Well ma'am we'd like room and board for three, please."

 

"Well lil' miss I'mafraid I only gotta room with two beds... though from tha looksov things, I doubt that'll be a problem."

 

Tah'Styr hesitated a bit when the innkeeper pointed out the visible connection between us.

 

"Tha-That's fine. How much?"

 

"40 Cops."

 

Tah'Styr's eyebrows rose at the unflinching statement, I guess it triggered something in the horned woman as in the next moment she looked like she was going to pull a Dirty Harry.

 

"24 Cops."...

Persuasion - 13 -

..."No can do, 40."

 

"30 Cops, there are only 2 beds, and we have yet to see if they can even fit two people on one."...

Persuasion - 22 -

The shrewd woman squinted her eyes for a moment matching the Cleric in a standoff.

 

..."Deal."

She reached under the counter and pulled out a keychain, on it dangled an old timey key that was probably shiny brass at one point.

 

"Third floor last ona right. Should still have enough soaps levt in tha room vor you ta wash up wivv. Lemme know iv there isn't enough oils levt an' i'll get Elena ta get ya more!"

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