Submitted: 20 December 1999

Hard Times, an Average Day!

by Solrac Nabori

"Solrac, are you sure you should be here instead of in the care of Naresha, that Empath you say you love?"

"Nah... I am all right now!" Solrac says. "Just get me something to disenfect this... like a double shot of Spiced Rum!"

Baresh serves Solrac his libation and watches in disgust the clumsy attempts of the barbarian to tend his wound.

"Today I tried to have a normal, easy day. First I went to the Dwarven Meeting at Stone Clan and when it finished I decided to go and skin a few bears. Mind you, first you have to kill them! Can you belive the big brutes broke my Sun Blade! So I used a black steel sword and was able to make a good heavy bundle, althought I must confess they kept some of my skin as well."

The dwarf laughs and chokes with the spiced rum.

"Well... After selling the pelts I went to repair the sword, which the bears also dented, visited Naresha and toguether we went to Knife Clan to get a new Blade... Nice trip... and Naresha proposed we celebrated the new Year with 360 kisses... my beard still holds her sweet fragance!"

Baresh sniffs the air but only gets the wet leather and viper oil stench that insinuates itself from Solrac... of course he says nothing.

"After taking Naresha back to her Guild, my day started turning for the worse..."

"I went to hunt some cougars near wolf clan, made some 6 silvers, and felt good enough to try get a young ogre... the lucky monster!"

Solrac empties his rum and motions Baresh for another. While Baresh servs the drink Solrac eats some flowers and a root...

"Well Baresh... the Ogre I found took a swing at me and exploded my rib cage... just like that. My only consolation is that I think a splinter from my ribs cought him in the eye... I saw it cryin and moaning a little before loosing conciousness."

"I got a drag to Clerics and was resurrected... before calling off the day I decided to go to the bank, with such great timing I get there as Screammers, Commanders and Mages started to appear as if out of thin air! One bolt got me in the left leg, yes Baresh, the one making the mess out of your rat pelt immitating doeskin covered stools... nasty wound... I statted hopping out of the battle, I knew the empaths and cleric's guild where going to be full, I got away, tended my wound, although first I made it worse by pulling the bolt. I kept tending and eating Jadice flower and Yellith root."

"When I finally felt good enough to walk I started toward town as I could still hear some screaming and battle."

Solrac glances at Baresh with a sinister smile disernible thru his bushy mustache and long beard.

"Guess what I found? A town Guard that arrested me for having Roared at the invasors earlier. Thrown in jail, searched and stripped. I paid 218 kronars in fines."

"I hope I have some credit with you... I earn 978 kronars with the bear pelts... but had to pay 10 for repairs and 1450 for a new blade... then I made 600 kronars in cougar pelts... but use 100 to tip an Empath at clerics and 218 in fines..."

"Let me get this straight, Solrac, you earn 1478 coppers, had to expend 1778 in repairs, replacements, tips and fines. You are down 300 coppers, and still have the audacity of showing up here and tying me up with a long story so that I would not charge you for your three shots of Spiced Rum?"

With unexpected agility Baresh jumps over the counter, grabs Solrac by the neck guard and introduces him to a broom.

"I hope you are better with the broom than with the sword. Start cleaning up the stool, and that is real doeskin you knuckle head! Both floors need a thorough sweeping. But don't sweep the kitchen, Cook doesn't like dust being stirred up when there's food on. And don't go barging in on any closed rooms. 'Specially upstairs. When you're done, there's the stables..." and Baresh eyes him with a patient, but uncompromising look.