266

After tethering your horses to a rail outside the Stonefist Tavern, you pause to stretch your travel-weary limbs before entering by a red oak door. The interior is pleasantly cool, yet the air is soured by the smell of sweat and stale beer. A gaily-coloured parrot is perched in the rafters, squawking tunefully. Below its perch is a circular table where seven soldiers from the town’s garrison sit playing cards. You approach the bar and the weaselly tavern-keeper unhooks two pewter tankards from the wall and thuds them down onto the beer-soaked counter.

‘Ale for two?’ he enquires, and you nod your ascent. As he fills the tankards with frothing beer he says: ‘That’ll be 8 Lune, if you please.’

The Lune is the currency of Lunarlia: 4 Lune are equivalent to 1 Gold Crown (or 10 Ren). Prince Karvas has only linen Torqs which are not readily accepted beyond the shores of Sheasu. You can pay for the ales either in Gold Crowns or Ren.

If you wish to pay the tavern-keeper 2 Gold Crowns, turn to 37.

If you choose to pay him 20 Ren, turn to 241.