(OOC: you can pick up equipment on the way out of the city at normal book prices if you decide you want anything.)


You leave the smells and gaudy colors of Denethex behind.  The side of the road is lined with giant purple leaved euko-plums just now growing their spring leaves, you can see the fields of green grass growing beyond the roads, few travelers cross your path yet, and you make it to Mellus without incident a couple hours before nightfall.  Mellus is a good sized town featuring 3 inns & taverns, and has large antebellum architecture.

Prices and accouterments:

The Taproom - High End. 10gp single room, 50 gp suite, meals 30-100 gp - merchants and aristocrats, is a distillery just outside of town with large well groomed grounds.

The Off-Key Inn. - Average 5 gp single room, 15 gp suite, meals 1-10 gp  - features a semi-working player piano, has a burlesque show, gambling.

The Moktar’s Mug - Cheap 2 gp single room, 5 sp common room, meals 1-6 cp - accepts non-humans, sturdy & crude furnishings, small tavern, but large number of small rooms, and large common room hall.

Veryn strongly considers staying at The Taproom, but decides better of it and suggests to his new companions "Perhaps we share a suite or two at the Off-Key Inn? It'd certainly save us some dosh."

"Excellent idea! I do adore those burlesque shows!"

He strokes his goatee in thought.

"We'll tell the proprietors that Bob is my assistant and that I'll be personally responsible for his behavior. That should help us get him in, and make me look slightly important."

The Off-Key Inn has a hitching post outside for mounts, and a bouncer at the door.  After explaining that Bob is Dr. Mason's assistant, the bouncer, a rough black stubbled Brutus of a man, says with a scowl "Animals aren't allowed inside, hitch him up." pointing to the hitch.

He rubs his chin considering Dr. Mason and bob, the gears slowly grinding in his little mind.

He tips his hat to the bouncer.

"Bob, would you be so kind as to hitch my mount?"

He turns back to Brutus.

"Mr. Brutus! May I ask who's playing at the cabaret tonight? How early should I come down to find a good seat?"

Having traveled with the group and listened to the conversation, Atak watches silently as Dr. Mason works the door guard.

"Bob and I would be more comfortable at the Mug, I think," Atak mutters.

It had to be explained to Bob multiple times what an assistant meant, but he went along with the ruse if it works.

"I will hitch the mount."  Bob complies.

Veryn nods at Atak's suggestion. He doesn't speak up yet, awaiting Brutus' response. But he thinks it's a good idea, if forced into it.

Brutus says still rubbing his chin "I ain't never seen an animal tie up another animal.  Y'all must be froms the Den, I hear they got all kind o' weird." He shrugs and lets you pass but gives a menacing "Stay outa trouble" as you pass.

It doesn't look like there's much action yet, it's not quite dusk yet.

Behind the bar, a sweaty balding bartender with an impressively long waxed mustache wipes the bar with a rag, a green goblin looking fellow at the bar nursing a drink who gives you a sharp toothed grin then turns back to his drink, a couple dancers who are giving the goblin
room lean at the end of the bar.  A couple more lean on the railing of the second story.

There's a group of 5 playing poker dice at one table, three look to be brown leather clad herdsmen with impressive mustaches, another wearing an out of style pinstripe suit with an impressive mustache and a dancer standing with her hands on his shoulders behind him, and a male elf, in traditional red & green woolens who looks totally out of place.

There's a few other brown clad locals scattered about and the stage curtain is closed.

The player piano plays an out of tune "The Entertainer."

A chalk-board with a number of items written on it:

2 drink minimum per show.

Imbibements
5s Burnt Blind Bug Burial Bourbon
$1 Off-Key Brass Balls Whiskey
$2 Off-Key Silver Shrieker Whiskey
$5 Off-Key Platinum Pearl Whiskey
$20 Taproom Scallywag Scotch

All food comes Dragon Breath, Spicy or Sweet

Handy Snacks
$1 Varmint Variety Fingers
$3 Hand Meat Pie
$7 Fried Butter Bacon Cheese Strips

Vittles
Comes with Yeller Bread and Slaw
$2 Bowl of Chili
$5 Five Wing Chicken
$10 Baby Back Ribs

$5 Room
$15 Suite

The dancers get up slowly and saunter toward the party, starting flirting and flattering, and asking if anyone wants to buy them a private drink.  They also double as serving wenches, and will take orders from the menu.

(OOC: as we aren't doing adult, we'll just say $10 for a 'private drink' and you can subtract that from you money if you indulge them, and leave what happens up to your imagination.  Also $=gp.)

The Doctor grins at the prominent display of facial hair, he fits right in!

He tips his hat to the ladies.

"Well good evening, I'll pass on the erm--'private drinks' for now, thank you. But my friends and I would like to rent a suite for the night. And while we wait for the show, might I have a shot of the silver and a bowl of chili? And I'll be covering the tab for these gentlemen, thank you."

Veryn is already pulling a tenner from his wallet as the Doctor greets the ladies. "Suit yourself, lad. I, for one, need to rest and ready up before we go off." He'll push another $5 into Darien's pocket as he heads off with the ladies for his 'drink' "That's for the suite! Oh and get me some food!" he shouts as he rounds the corner and is gone.

"I need a room for myself, and make it a suite if Bob is going to stay with me. What do you have to say to that, Bob? You and I as suitemates for the evening?" Atak offers.

After hearing the reply Atak reminds the Innkeeper that the Doctor is covering the room cost and orders the scotch, the chicken, the meat pie and a pitcher of water to be delivered to his room. "Would you like to order anything, Bob?" he inquires.

Either alone to a single or with Bob to a suite, Atak retreats upstairs.

Night falls and the tavern fills up.  A good time is had by all (Bob might have a hard time restraining himself being pressed up against all the tasty grub flesh.) You get to sleep late, well worn out, and a late morning.  Unfortunately a little too good a time, The travel expense purse is empty by the end of night, and breakfast hasn't been paid for.

Bob still struggled with understanding the purpose and value of money, but was not too worried about missing breakfast, he was certain there would be something along the way to eat. "We go?" He asked.

Dr. Mason wakes up in his room with no memory of how he got there. He wonders why he's wearing a garter as a necklace as he pulls it off and tosses it across the room. As he goes to brush his teeth he notes the the lipstick signatures on the mirror. Several in fact.

He chuckles to himself and sings the punchline to that old folk song under his breath.

"I don't know where ya been, me boy, but I see you won first prize!"

After a hearty breakfast, Atak is ready to leave.

((ooc: should we all just plan on spending 10 gp each for breakfast?))

They don't have breakfast per se, but have hand meat pies ($3) which will make a hearty substitute for the road ahead, and can be eaten on the go.

You could instead stop at the general store which is well provisioned and buy some standard rations (hard boiled eggs, bread, sausages etc.) for the day at 2sp.

If you aren't going to get either of those, just indicate so, otherwise mark off which you did.

"I suggest we get our breakfast at the groceries with the rest of our supplies, boys."

He adds as he descends the stairs while rubbing some orange lipstick off his collar.

The Doctor is interrupted by the Innkeep as he starts to leave, "When can I expect the rest of you tab to be paid?"  After some back and forth, he finds the remaining tab is 49 gold.

"Ah, but of course."

He turns to a nearby table and counts the 49 gold out of the 100 in the sack.

"There we are, good Sir!"

Darien finds the traveling expenses sack empty.  He vaguely remembers handing it to a barmaid/dancer last night for their meals and drinks.  After some more back and forth the 49 gold was for rooms and 'services' after that.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:22, Tue 25 Feb 2020.

He slowly turns to his companions.

*ahem* "Gentlemen? I suppose I'm as much at fault as anyone else at this juncture."

He sadly stares at his zippo lighter before placing it on the table.

"That should cover half of it. I expect the rest of you to contribute as well, or this mission will be much shorter than anticipated."

"Doctor, keep your possession," Atak said, gently pushing it back toward the man. "I can deliver your share of the weight now, and later you can return it to me."

Atak reaches out from under his holocaust cloak and opens a pouch. "Here is thirty dollars, which should cover myself, Bob and the Doctor." He counts out the proper amount. His tunic is close-bound at the sleeves, but Atak's studded leather armor and odd round belt can be glimpsed during the transaction. Also sticking out is the handle of his long sword, carried on his left side.

He strokes his beard in thought.

"Ah! Goods for services! Do you have any devices or robotic staff in need of repair? I'm fully licensed!

The proprietor's eyes light up at the mention of repairing a device.  He says bashfully "Shucks, sir, the player piano just barely works, always needin' a swift kick or two to get started, an' it's way out of tune, I worry it might not make it much longer.  If you could look at it and fix her up a bit, that'd be worth a lot to us.  Um, if it were too well tuned we'd have to change the name of the inn!" He laughs.