You shake your head; you can't walk away from this. Your mom might be in serious trouble because this loan. Selling the inn might not even be enough to cover it and even if it is, she probably won't have enough to fall back on.



You aren't angry with her, but you do feel a little anger towards your dad for getting her in this position (and you indirectly). You realize he still had the best intentions for you, but those don't really help right now.



"Alright first things first, who is the name of this loanshark?" you ask your mother.

"Mr. Reynolds. He'll be coming next week to pick up a collection. He's not a member of the Crimson Talons, but he does have a couple of their goons working for him."

"The Crimson Talons? Oh geez, this just get better…okay how is this place doing for business?"

"It's doing about as well as it always has."

"That won't be enough, we'll need to get more people in here, or cut costs somehow."

"Well your father was going to have more work done on the rooms in the hopes that it would keep adventurers and maybe even merchants to come back whenever they travel through here. I'm not sure if it's worth it though. Adventures don't care where they sleep half the time and it's not always a sure thing that they're going to live long enough for repeat business. As for merchants, I think this place is a little too blue collar for them most of the time."

"You said something about getting a new liquor supplier?"

"Yeah, the one here raised their prices, it would actually be cheaper to get the stuff shipped in from Hessla. Your father was supposed to meet with the new potential distributor in a couple days, so I'm not sure how that's going to go through, if at all."

"How about the staff?"

"The staff is working on minimum wage as it is, we've got three barmaids, Rita, Eliza and Wendy and they're all disgruntled about their jobs, but they all still work well.. We can barely pay them though, and we might have to fire one of them.



Grim stuff, but you're determined to see this through. Since the liquor supplier from Hessla won't arrive in two days you're just going to focus on what you can do now.



Fixing the rooms is still a good idea to keep potential returning wandering adventurers happy. Spending a little money now could increase potential profits later. Who knows, maybe even a merchant will show up and spread the word that this place isn't just some place where miners get drunk.



Firing people sounds like it might save you money, but all it's really going to do is create more work for the rest of you, so you decide to hold off on firing anyone for now.



Your mother doesn't agree with your idea of fixing the rooms, but seems relieved that you're not firing anyone.



Things go as normal at the inn. Several of the miners still offer their condolences about your father and are surprised to see that you're taking up his mantle as it were, but other than that they don't say to much to you. They probably don't know what to say since while some of them might know you since you were little, but you're not really "one of them" in terms of education level. Not to say they're all a bunch of grunting idiots, but they probably figure you're used to talking about things of a more cerebral nature. You don't mind though, after all your main concern is getting your mom out of debt.



Two days pass and the supplier from Hessla arrives. He's a grungy shady looking individual, but considering he's from Hessla that's hardly surprising.



He immediately says his name is Calwin asks for your father at which point you tell him he died recently. Calwin shows no sympathy and merely complains that he's made a trip up here for no reason. You show a little restraint and call your mother to speak with him, but after five minutes with him she's ready to throw him out the door for hitting on her, and you're not exactly thrilled with him either at this point.



"Look folks, if you want good quality alcohol at a low price I'm willing to deal wit ya, but I'm gonna need some incentive for my troubles because y'all seem like a buncha uptight prigs. Now I was invited here by the man who ran this establishment, so you called me here, if my help ain't wanted, I'll be on my way…" Calwin says.



While you're tempted to just have him leave, you decide it would be best to at least see if his stuff is any good.



"Alright prove it. Surely you've brought some of your alcohol here so we can test to see if it's any good."

"Well I do have some with me, but I can't just be givin' this stuff away for free."

"Don't worry, you'll be compensated."



You call attention to the miners in the room and ask them if they'd like to try some new beer, naturally they're all for it. A few of the miners take their fill of Calwin's beer and they say that it's different from what they usually drink, but it's just as good.



Calwin looks a little put off that they claimed his alcohol is "just as good", but still maintains that it's better than what you already have. He states his price, and also mentions that he wants a free room whenever he comes here since he's apparently got a harpy of a wife at home and he likes to stay away for a couple days before having to go back to Hessla.



Your mother obviously isn't thrilled with having to deal with him, and in the short time he's been here; he's also hit on every one of the barmaids. Granted they're used to such behavior, he's particularly revolting. (Plus he's from Hessla)

You don't deal with him at all

This guy is a complete creep and going to be nothing but trouble. You'd rather continue paying the Klyton supplier. Calwin grumbles a lot about wasting his time, but leaves without too much trouble.



While your mother agrees with your decision, it doesn't really help you in the money department and by the end of the week you haven't saved any money. In fact you've barely broken even.



While you're sweeping up the inn early morning, a non-descript man of medium height enters with two bigger figures. One of them is unmistakably an ogre while the other guy is just a tall muscular human. Either one could break you in half.



"Are you are Mr. Reynolds?" you ask, knowing that it has to be him.

"That would be me. I take it you're the son of my late debtor? I do hope you realize that the debt doesn't end with him dying…" Mr. Reynolds says

"No, no of course not. I've got some of what my father owed."



You hand over the most you can under the circumstances, but Mr. Reynolds looks insulted.



"My boy do you take me for an asshole? Your father used to pay me much more than this pittance!"

"It was a rough week…"

"No, no, I don't give a shit about your excuses, you've chosen to take on your father's debt so you are expected to fucking pay up like he did! (Sigh) Look, since you're obviously new to this, I'll let you off with a warning. Olaf."



Suddenly the ogre steps forward with a smile and punches you the stomach. You temporarily lose the ability to breath and collapse on the floor. When you finally do catch your breath, you promptly vomit.



"That was my warning, let's hope I don't need to do it again. Be seeing you again in a few weeks kid. Let's get out of here."



As Mr. Reynolds leaves, your mother comes running up from the cellar wondering what's going on. She helps you up when she sees you.



"Oh no son I can't let this go on. We're selling the inn right now!"

"No, no mom, it's alright, you'll see. We're going to make this place profitable and payback the loan and after that we'll be able to take the next step."

"Son, I love you, but we're not getting any further ahead. I mean if this keeps up, I'm stepping in before this place goes to hell so I can actually make money selling it to the city."

"You won't get enough for it!"

"Well I'll get enough to pay off the debt, and if worst comes to worst, I'll leave Klyton and live with my sister in Teckleville"

"You can't live with aunt Enora, you always said she's crazy."

"She is, but that still doesn't mean she wouldn't help me out."

"Look, we've still got time, I know my ideas are going to help us out soon."

"Well, I hope all your fancy schooling you gained some sort of insight that I'm not privy to. Alright we'll give it until the next time Mr. Reynolds comes around for payment."



You agree and start wiping up the floor before customers come in.



The next few days are uneventful. The miners seem to be talking to you a little more, mainly to chew your ear, either telling you how rough their jobs are and how your dad was a good man. You aren't really listening to anything they say because you're more preoccupied with the future and trying to figure out how you're going to get out of debt and more importantly how to avoid getting beat up or worse.



"So what's you're problem, Mr. Barkeep?" a miner asks, which none of them has ever done before, so it breaks you out of your trance long enough for you to utter "Huh?"



"I asked what's troubling you? And don't tell me nothin' because for the past few days you've been staring off at the walls." Davin asks. He's a bit of a loner type, mostly drinks alone, which makes his questioning even stranger.

"Oh nothing."

"Heh, I told you not to tell me that. Seriously, what's wrong? Think of it this way, you have to hear most of these idiots tell their stories all the time, now you've got someone willing to hear yours."



True enough, and you don't see any harm so you tell him everything, your schooling, the inn, the debt, and how you're worrying about all of it. He nods and listens to all of it, and it isn't until you're finished that he finally speaks.



"Could you sell this place and get enough money to pay off the debt?" he asks.

"Well probably…yeah."

"Then do it."

"What? I can't do that!"

"Why not? You'll be safe and your mother will be safe, isn't that the main goal?"

"Well yeah, but…"

"But nothing. All your other troubles are secondary when it comes to the survival of your family and yourself, or at least they should be."

"I can't just worry about immediate survival Davin, there's my future to worry about as well."

"Heh, well you'd better or you won't have a future to worry about. Look son, I know you want the whole higher education thing. I remember you used to study all the time when you were little, but sometimes you have to be realistic. I mean I had big dreams too once, I thought about becoming an astronomer."

"Really?"

"Hell yeah, but as I got older I realized that it wasn't going to happen and I was gonna be a miner just like my dad…and that's okay."

"But the inn…"

"It's just an inn son. There's tons of them in the city, it's not like we can't find another place to drink. You've pretty much made it clear you don't like working here and your mother is more than willing to sell it. You have no real attachments to it, so why put yourself through the hassle? You might not get to be a doctor, but you've still got a lot more education than most people, I'm sure you'll be able to easily find something you'll like to do more running an inn."

"I don't know…"

"Trust me kid, you'll feel a lot better if you just let this one go."



And with those words Davin heads to a table to drink by himself, leaving you to ponder your situation.

You sell the inn

You haven't got off to a good start and you don't think it's really going to get any better. Davin's words ring true, you aren't happy running this place and trying to get to your goals by doing it, is either going to get you killed or burned out and miserable.



You immediately go to your mother and tell her how you feel, and she understands, she's actually a bit relieved that you've decided to let her sell it. She tells you to take the rest of the night off and you return to your room where you feel saddened that you won't get to go back to school, at least not anytime in the near future. Your goals of going into medicine will have to remain just dreams for now and you don't know what your future holds.



During the remaining week the inn stays open to make a last bit of change before closing for good and selling to the city. Some of the miners seem a little sad by it, but there were so many changes within such a short period of time that most seemed content on finding a new place since the old one wasn't like how it used to be anymore.

When the inn is sold off, you barely make enough to cover the debt, but at least you and your mother aren't in any immediate danger now.



Your mother initially was going to find work in the city, but when you express a random desire to leave Klyton altogether, she suggests that you both move in with your aunt Enora in Teckleville. which is to the east on the outskirts of the Delantium Kingdom. You agree eagerly, you've never been out of the city and maybe it's time for a brand new start. You and your mother pack and catch a coach heading west. It feels weird leaving Klyton.



Eventually after a couple days the coach stops in Teckleville. Which is just one of the many small villages on the borders of the Dalantium Kingdom. Probably in time it'll get absorbed like so many others do, but that's not really a concern of yours right now.



Your aunt Enora is happy to see you both, and while this whole living with her thing was sprung on her at the last moment it doesn't seem to bother her. She says there's plenty of room and you can stay as long as you like.



While the house is certainly nice and you're happy to live there rather than in the street, it's sort of on the small side. Teckleville isn't anything like you're used to, but it isn't unwelcome. You just aren't sure what you're going to do here.



In time, your mother works at the local tavern where she serves as a cook. It's not much, but it is something she's used to doing.



You manage to get a job working as an assistant to the old librarian that works here. Not many use it, so she's happy to get some company. You aren't unfond of the job since you get to read a lot of books, some of which you're a bit surprised to find in a small town like this. The librarian mentions that she tends to get a few of wandering adventurers once in awhile that give books to her that they've found in whatever dungeons they've been delving into.



"If it isn't a spell book, they usually sell it for a few coppers. I believe they'd probably just leave the books wherever they found them most of the time, but you know those adventuring types, they're all a bunch of closet kleptos that absolutely HAVE to take everything that isn't nailed down." She says.



For awhile you live at your aunt's house you manage to save what little money you do make and move out. You briefly think about going to the Delantium Kingdom, but you become attached to Teckleville and stay.



As time goes on you take over as the head librarian, get married and have a family. You live the remainder of your life in Teckleville never regretting your decision and die with sense of fulfillment despite never going back to pursue medicine.



There were times though; you always wondered what would've happened had you stayed to run the inn?



You'll never know.