WEEK NUMBER SEVEN!

Welcome to WEEK NUMBER SEVEN.

BALANCE:

6 GOLD

- 4 GOLD (Upkeep).

- 1 GOLD (Payed to barman at the tavern)

TOTAL: 1 GOLD.

Chiza Status Card Change:

Energy: -1

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.....aaaaaand we made it into week seven! One more week and it will be two month like our hero is trying make it to the top in a big city ;)

We would like to thank every one of you for your support.

And specially "bookfisherV" and "Dinker" for not for making a donation. You guys rock!

Also we would like to thank "SilentchiLL" for proofreading and editing this weeks texts.

And last but not least yet again "Dinker" for providing a new awesome story-line Diastra Side-quest.

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See you next week, (or earlier at the comments section and chat).

AKABUR and SMERSH.

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ARCHIVE:

Finally, Room#1 is ready to use, I decide, that the best way to make money out of it right now, would be to rent it out. I go to the local tavern, with that thought in my mind and see Diastra sitting at her usual table, loudly arguing with two men, which are unfamiliar to me. Well, I will have a chance to talk with her later, I need to talk to the barman first.

I decide to buy a drink, just to get his attention. We chat about unrelated stuff for a while, but then I start to talk about business, I let him know, that I have a house with an empty room in it and ask him if he, by any chance, knows somebody, who might be interested in renting it, to my surprise, the barman says that he could name at least two people, who might be interested.

-Who are they?- I ask curiously.

-The first guy is a monk... I think... he's been here yesterday and the day before, and I am pretty sure, that he will show up again. He says, that money is no object and, that he just needs is a roof over his head for a month or so...-

-Money is no object, you say...- I scratch my jaw. -...what are the chances, that he didn't find a room yet?-

-I'd say, pretty high.- The barman refills my pint, as I rise my brow. -He is err... how shall I put it? ...A sketchy looking fellow- He continues.

I look around the room and say: -Who isn't?-

-...I don't know how to describe it, but you'll understand what I mean, when you see him.-

-Em... OK, what about the other guy?-

-The other guy?-

-Yeah, you said, that you could name at least two people, so tell me about the other guy.-

-Oh...- He pauses, to give anbother guest a drink. -"He" is actually a "she".-

-A woman?-

-Yes, but I don't know much more about her. I've never even seen her, her maid was visiting the tavern for the last few days, asking for a room to rent for her mistress.-

-OK... so I assume, that you didn't let her in either, what's so odd about her?-

-Why would a noble want to live in my rathole? There's gotta be something fishy about her, and I have enough trouble already as it is.-

-I see... so how can I get in touch with them?-

-Don't worry about that, I will let them know, that you have an empty room, when they show up next time.-

-Thanks.- I toss a gold coin to the barman.

***

I finish my drink in one gulp and try to leave, when a barmaid appeares infront of me, seemingly out of thin air. She says in a low voice:

-I heard, that you have a room for rent.-

-You're well-informed, huh?-

-That's part of my job,- she smiled. -So, do you?-

-Yes.-

She takes me to the nearest empty table and we have a short conversation. She tells me, that she sometimes performs "special" services to customers, if they are generous with their tips. The owner of the tavern does not approve of that kind of behavior, and giving handjobs in the back alley behind the tavern is... inconvenient. She says that, if I would provide her with a room, to do her thing stress-free, she would share 30% of her profit....

I tell her, that I will think about it and leave the tavern. I need to talk with the other two candidates, before I can make up my mind.

***

Diastra's Quest.

The tavern was just like always, the smell of cheap rum and the noise of people having fun, was all over the place. I've never had a reason to come here, but I always return. For information, or perhaps for company, I can't find out what's going on in the city, if i just hide in an old house for the whole time.

***

Diastra invited me to join her, as soon as I had entered the tavern. She whispered quietly: "I need your help again, there's something, which needs to be done, but every criminal I know, is either too stupid, or too crooked to do it." She gave a murderous look to a barmaid, as the girl approached before continuing. "I need access to the house of the captain of the guard of this district. He's old, ugly, fat, corrupt, and generally worse than most of the guards by far, and he encourages his men to imitate him, I'm going

to take care of him."

I was glad, that my hands were under the table, because they were already clenched into fists, blood trickled, where my fingernails cut into my palms. My voice was deep and cold, when i said: "Killing a guard captain would be a treat, but they'd find us, and if they wouldn't, then they'd find many other people for the hangman, to keep the fear of the people alive." I forced a grim smile to jerk onto my lips. "And business would be much tougher in the future."

Diastra nodded understandingly and leaned forward to whisper again, which brought her ample cleavage even closer to my eyes. I concentrated on the little monkey-creature, which she kept as a pet, so I wouldn't stare. The little bastard cowered under my gaze and promptly climbed down onto her massive chest, burrowing between her breasts, like it would be a warm nest, that nearly mesmerized me, but Diastra's voice broke through. "I don't need him dead, I need to get into his house. He gets paid every week, and everytime he he gets his money, he goes out and enjoys whores and booze for days."

She smirked as she noticed, where my eyes were pointing at and her fingertips casually petted the little creature, nestled in her cleavage, as she continued. "His wife is basically his slave, she's young, pretty, stupid and nothing but a trophy, but she's too afraid to leave him. She manages to get some money from him every week, but shespends everything, either on food or in this tavern. She has no friends, because everyone is afraid of her husband. I want you to find her and convince her, that you're her friend, to get the key to their house, but don't harm her. A dead wife, would call his attention to my plans."

Those bastards killed my family, there was no real law in the city, not unless the guards wanted it to be there. They just killed everyone, they wanted to, and if they'd find out, that I am plotting against them, nothing would save me. Diastra seemed to read my mind, she continued to stroke her pet as she murmured. "I will make it worth your time, you'll get fifty gold, the first half of it now, the other half, when you deliver the key."

I looked at the little creature again, emboldened by her shameless display. "Fifty gold, and I'd get to take the place of your pet there?"

She casually took her chest in one hand and gave me a vicious smile. "You want these? You'd never be able to afford them." A cruel light burned in her good eye. "But for this favor, perhaps... one time only... if you only take 20 gold, but if you ask for a second chance, or shoot in my hair, I'll cut your balls off."

I sat back, considering my options:

-agree to help and get the key for 50 gold

-agree to help and get the key for 20 gold and a titjob from Diastra

-refuse to help, it's too risky

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Morning... somebody is knocking on the door confidently, definitely a man. Maybe a potential tenant?

A man wearing some kind of robe is standing on the doorstep of my house. His head is shaved, which symbolizes his dedication to whatever path he is following. He is considerably shorter than me, but his shoulders are almost as broad as mine.

-Live long and prosper. A humble follower of S'kean Huad greets you.- He says in low voice.

I invite him in. We have a short conversation, in which I am doing my best to figure out whether or not he could bring some extra trouble into my life. He says, that he is nothing but a peaceful pilgrim (I doubt that...), which is looking for a place to stay and that money is not a problem for him, because this world is

apparently full of people, who just love to share their money with the followers of a religion, which nobody ever heard of, like himself.

Everything about this guy is raising my suspicion, but he says, that he will pay upfront for four weeks, and he would like to move in right away. Four weeks... 7 gold coins per week... 28 coins... I need money, but I

decided to meet that mysterious lady before I make my decision.

***

Afternoon... another visitor, two visitors to be precise. A noble woman and her maid, I don't see any carriage outside. Did they walk here all the way, from the Imperial

District?

The noblewoman is good looking and relatively young, she is wearing a typical travel dress of a noble. Her maid is wearing a hooded cape, which covers her entire body and the upper part of her face. The woman doesn't say much about herself, nor about the reason, which makes her to want to rent a room in the Cheapside. I ask her a few questions, but she avoids direct answers skillfully.

She seems to be an ideal candidate at first, but a problem appears, when I ask her about the payment, apparently she doesn't have any money, and I mean she doesn't have any money AT ALL. It's obvious, that she is very embarrassed by the situation, but that really isn't my problem. If I don't start to make money soon, I will starve to death myself, she is tries to convince me, but I already lost interest in her and ask her to leave.

She comes up with a proposal in the last moment: She asks me to let her in for one week, she will pay me 3 gold coins right away and I can have her girl-servant for one night. I am hasitate... and

take a look at her servant-girl, she seems to be startled by her mistress' words. I decide to make a counter proposal, I will let her and her servant-girl stay in the room for one

week, if she gives me 3 gold coins right now and, if i can I spend a night with her servant AND her at the same time... the noblewoman seems to be outraged by my proposal,but she says nothing... she hesitates... I can see, that she is not the kind of woman, which would normally agree to something like that, but I can also see, that she is really desperate.

She agrees, just as i predicted. I wonder what possibly could've happened, to make a well educated noble lady like her, accept such a proposal, nevertheless I need to consider everything carefully.I lead the Lady and her servant-girl out.

I have the following options:

1. A bold bishop with crazy eyes, who wants to move-in for an entire month and is willing to pay upfront. (+28 GOLD)

2. A noblewoman, who could only pay 3 gold coins, because she lost nearly all of her money, but she is willing to get naughty and force her servant to do the same, to afford

the room for one week . (+3 GOLD)

3. That waitress from the tavern, whose payments might be somewhat irregular, because it depends on how much gold she will be able to make herself. (+?? GOLD).