Though it was a day’s travel from the mines, Kappa, Jessica, Silas & Buckles calculated that in terms of walking distance. With Asta and Drew’s horse Matilda, we were able to head north through the mountains and past the crimson fields towards Redmarsh in half the time it would’ve taken on foot. I hadn’t had a chance to sleep and while the prospect of resting my eyes was appealing, the chance at getting home was far too attractive to pass up. Though it was past midnight, Killian had rested his eyes for a number of hours and it showed in his bouncy and talkative demeanor. He ran on and on through the night as we moved through the foothills north of Verham. When there was a break in his rambling, Drew turned to me, “I’ve been thinking about it and I want to stay behind.” Killian shot an eye towards him realizing he was not privy to this conversation and tried his best to pretend not to listen in, “Someone needs to stay behind to leave the portal open for you all and really it can only be me.” I turned to him and shaking my head said,
“No Drew, we’ll find another way,”
He sighed a long deep sigh as an owl hooted off the path to the right of us. The lone dirt road we followed bordered a wide field bathed in moonlight. Above us, the stars filled the sky as far as the eye could see and after a long pause he said, “Do you think the stars are the same?”
I looked up and saw the same starlit sky that he did and for a moment I was taken aback, “I’m honestly not sure, I would think so…” I said, trying to answer the question asked rhetorically.
Drew continued the conversation as if he had never changed the subject, “I don’t think there is any other way but if there isn’t,” he turned towards me and in the blue glow of the evening I could see his eyes were serious, “I will stay behind.” I nodded for no other reason than to let him know I understood, even if I didn’t agree.
It was early Wednesday afternoon when we arrived in Redmarsh. We had travelled through that first night and only rested for a few short hours yesterday afternoon choosing instead to push on towards Redmarsh. The travels showed in our sleep deprived bodies as we rode into town. Through half-closed eyes and bodies like sacks of potatoes we, slowed to a stop out front of one of the Inns on the edge of town; The Lamplighter.
“We don’t need to meet the others until tomorrow morning,” I said blinking slowly at Drew who was equally nodding long and slowly in exhaustion, “Let’s get a room and take a fresh start tomorrow morning.”
Drew was already down off his horse and I nudged Killian awake. Over the past day he had mastered the ability to fall asleep on horseback and as I woke him he mumbled death threats and curses as he opened his weary eyes, “Redmarsh!” He said with an energy granted only to those who have been lucky enough to sleep. Drew store daggers at him, envious about his liveliness but far too tired to say anything. Killian hopped down and drew his axe from Asta’s saddle, returning it to the holster on his back, “I can already smell the rrrrrrroast chicken!” He shouted as I slumped down from my horse, grumpy and tired.
“You do that Killian, we’re sacking out for a few hours.” I looked at the sun and then back at Drew, “Let’s meet in bar below at what, dinner time?” I said and Drew waved a hand in dismissive understanding as he walked to the door that led inside. I turned to Killian and confirmed, “Okay? Inside here in 7 hours or so?”
Killian was excitedly watching the passersby, frantically looking between them. I hollered for him again and he spun around and gave a thumbs up, “Righto Laddie,” he said and then jogged off into a crowd. I rolled my eyes and headed inside The Lamplighter. The Lamplighter was one of my favourite places in all of Dunn and one of my most impressive creations. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been excited to arrive here and when I walked in I was awestruck with how perfectly the code had converted my Inn.
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The Lamplighter was primarily an Inn and Tavern, it offered food, drink and accommodations but beyond that, it also had a number of clever little features. First off was the sheer size of it, it was massive; a four story building but almost seven floors deep and ran right into the caves below. Secondly; the owner, a man by the name of Leland Grim, was a colourful character who had a rich adventuring history which includes travelling in, around and outside Dunn. He always works the bar and is a wealth of knowledge. My personal favourite flair was the fact that it was haunted by a ghost named Antoine who was part of a mission line that Leland offered the adventurer’s. If they finished the quest, the ghost became a regular and would become friendly to the players. Beyond all that, the architecture is half inspired by a haunted mansion, half inspired by a medieval tavern making it visually brilliant; high roof, cobweb covered corners and an air of mystery. For all these reasons and more it is, without a doubt, the liveliest and most popular tavern in all of Dunn and attracted a number of species and characters.
Walking in, the latter seemed particularly true. With the AI being essentially free there was no restriction on who and what came from across Dunn to visit The Lamplighter and so all manner of creature, beast and humanoid seemed to be flooding the floor of this bar. I tried to make my way to the front but was stuck behind a cat-person and dwarf who seemed to be butting heads over a coin game. I saw Drew at the bar and he waived me over, pointing me through a break in the crowd, “Jesus it’s busy in here,” I said as I made my way to the bar and stood beside him,
“You’re telling me, is this by design or…”
“The AI, I guess this place had become what I intended it to be; a landmark.” I said as I scanned the room for familiars. I wondered if Silas had accounted for this and that’s why he had suggested The Red Lantern Inn, a far less popular bar, to meet tomorrow morning. I continued watching the crowd and as I did I could feel my eyelids growing heavy, I turned to Drew who was asleep on his arm propped up against the bar and nudged him, “we need a room.”
“I can help with that,” said a voice and we turned to see an older man standing behind the bar. He had grey hair combed back and a sharp beard, his face was thin and clever and accented by a black eyepatch he wore over his left eye and I immediately recognized him as Leland Grim, the owner. I turned towards Drew and back to Leland, “Well, we’ll take a room then.”
“Done, need a wake up?”
I shrugged and said, “Sure, yes. Let’s say 7 hours from now?”
With a curt nod Leland reached below the bar and in a moment returned, slapping an iron key onto the wooden surface. He gestured to the stairwell in the center of the massive room and said, “That one will get you there quickest, room 23.”
Drew and I shared only a momentary look before once again fighting through the crowd towards the stairs. By the time we reached the second floor I could see both of us ready to collapse from exhaustion. Thankfully room 23 was right by the stair well and with a click I swung the door open wide. Inside were two small cots with hay pillows and straw bedding. Moments later I had stripped from my gear and collapsed on the hay bed in my underwear, eagerly waiting to embrace sleep. I could already hear Drew snoring as I began to drift and just before I fell asleep, the final thought that ran through my brain was man, I wish I made these beds more comfortable.