Chapter 9: The Three Daggers Inn

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The inn was lively and full of both players and NPCs. Some of them sat up along the stools at the bar which lined the back wall. Others were drinking, eating and chatting at one of the many tables scattered throughout the inn. There were even players sitting in a dark corner by a green fire, singing to the tune of a song that was being sung by an NPC bard. Nobody really paid him any attention as he walked through the door and approached the bar quietly.

The bartender, a bald man, was wiping down an empty glass as Aquila slid onto an empty stool in front of the bar. Not that glasses actually needed to be cleaned in the game. But it added a beautiful aesthetic to the life of the inn, as did the display of glasses that lined the shelves behind the bar, and the kegs that lay underneath them. The bartender quickly put down the glass and moved over to take Aquila's order.

'Can I help you?' the bartender asked.

'I'll be needing a room for the night, but first, a pint of mead. Oh and what food are you serving?'

'Why don't you take a look for yourself,' the bartender replied.

A window appeared in front of Aquila showing everything that the inn was offering.

Food

Bread – 1 gold

Blueberry pie – 4 gold

Rabbit Stew – 5 gold

Salad – 2 gold.

Tomato soup – 2 gold.

Steak and chips – 3 gold.

Chicken parmigiana – 6 gold.

Drinks

Water – 1 gold

Lemonade – 2 gold

Orange juice – 2 gold

A glass of wine – 4 gold

A pint of mead – 3 gold

Sweet tropical special – 3 gold.

Rooms

Basic room – 10 gold.

Comfortable suite – 25 gold.

Deluxe room – 50 gold.

The food that the inn was serving was new, but most of it was self-explanatory. However, the options for the rooms were what confused him most; as the inns he'd stayed at in Novus Town only ever offered the basic one. Aquila swiped the window away.

'What's the difference between the basic room, comfortable suite and the deluxe?' Aquila asked the bartender.

'The price for starters!' said the bartender laughing to himself. It seemed as though the NPCs at least tried to joke, though Aquila didn't really find it all that funny.

'You'll find that each room has different cosmetics,' the bartender continued, 'as well as perks. Your basic room for starter has a classic run-of-the-mill bed. Not great, but not too shabby either. A firm mattress, not soft, a medium sized quilt and large enough for most players. The walls and the décor, pretty basic, but you get what you pay for.'

The bartender continued explaining, but Aquila had really stopped listening. As he was trying to figure out how to reword the question, so as to simply draw out just the information he needed from the NPC, he felt someone nudge him in the side. Aquila looked over to see a small fae girl. Aquila hadn't noticed her before as she'd been talking to someone else, but now she was facing him with friendly eyes and a bright smile. Aquila recognised that smile – it reminded him of a smile he used to see every day. It was the kind of smile that was always there even when it wasn't.

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