The West City Barracks

You decide the Barracks are closer and easier to sell wine at. You happen to be quite near it since you entered the city at the Gate of the Gods. As you near you see patrols of gold-cloaks coming and going. One stops you and asks about a cask of wine, he ends up buying it. You decide to park your cart outside the western door, and tie up your horses. It's early morning, so you have all day to sell your goods.

Throughout the day you manage to get rid of most of your wine, and even a few spears for an interested passerby. One sale stands out though. At the break of dusk, a young woman approaches you and asks about a rather fancy dagger in your cart. It has a gold hilt with carvings of vipers, and a blade as black as night. She claims it is just what she needs, but when she offers you a few silver stags for it, you laugh in her face.

"Please lady, this is worth 50 stags. Come back with a real offer."

She begs you for a few minutes pleading that she needs this dagger very badly. You decide to give her a chance. "And what do you have to trade for it?"

She thinks for a minute and then smiles a devilish smile. You don't really care, so long as she has something valuable. The woman soon pulls a gold chain necklace with a ruby ornament on the end out of her pouch. The ruby is cut into the shape of a crescent moon. It's red shine in the setting sun tells you that it is real.

You snatch it out of her hand and hand her the dagger. "This will do just fine. Off with you."

The woman smiles once more, but before turning to leave says this to you, "Dare not wear that chain, you may not like the effect it has on men. Head my warning and sell it quickly."

You nod as she finally leaves. The exchange was odd, but you are sure you've come out ahead. The rest of the evening goes by uneventful, but by nightfall your pockets are full of coin, and your stomach is empty.