Page 127

Your first sign of approaching the city is that the road becomes broader, flatter, and more defined. Then you begin walking past farmland, which stretches for miles and miles. As you get closer to the center of the city, buildings become larger and more numerous, with many people about. Finally, you've found a place that's slightly similar to the world you remember. Many people and carts pass you on the road, and the citizens are bustling to carry out the last of their day's business, before the sun goes down.

Antrejar is large enough to have several inns, and it's not at all hard to find one. You're very grateful for this, as your sore feet are killing you.

Delicious smells waft from the inn's tavern as you open the heavy wooden front door. In the entrance hall, a tiny man is sitting on a tall stool behind a high counter piled with records. Merlyn walks up to the counter and says, "We'd like a room for the night."

The man looks up and sniffs, as if surveying your party. "We've raised our rates," he informs you. "A room's going for a hundred shrin a night."

"A hundred shrin!" Merlyn protests. She looks at you, but you don't have to count your money to know you don't have enough. "Well," Merlyn continues, "Perhaps we'll just take our business to a different inn tonight."

The little man shrugs. "You'll find it the same everywhere in the city," he says. "I don't mean to stiff you, really I don't, but the demand for rooms is high lately. Seems everyone's afraid to stay out in the country for the night. I don't know what out there can be so scary...but whatever it is, it's made for a real heavy load on my kitchen and staff."

You turn to Merlyn as if to ask, "Now what?" Deke looks ponderous. Rial looks like he's wondering if a threat to burn the place down would help to lower the price. None of you have any ideas.

If Rochibal is in your party, turn to page 107.
If not, turn to page 142.