Ashes of the Fallen

By nightfall, I had finally arrived at the outskirts of the town and could see a large fire burning in the distance. The town square with its large bonfire was a bit unrealistic but it added to the aesthetics and served as a gathering spot for players. Much like the small bonfires in the Northern Triangle Villages, this one wasn't too different.

Heading straight into the inn, I made my way to the counter where I found a middle-aged male working the night shift.

"Ehm, can I help you?" he asked with a strange look on his face as he eyed the kittens across my chest. It was a little embarrassing, but I did my best to wear it with pride. They were my cute and lovely balls of money after all!

"I would like a room," I answered quickly while ignoring his strange gaze.

"Will you need… um, a pen for them?" he questioned, while pointing at my chest.

"No, that won't be necessary, they'll be asleep just like this," I replied with conviction, even though I was talking out of my ass. I had no clue if they would be rowdy or well-behaved. So far, they had slept peacefully the entire journey which left me somewhat astounded.

I would have to put my faith in them.

A short conversation followed and a room was reserved for the night, with some details on the state of the town. It seemed the town was primarily a pit-stop on the way to the Outcast Goblin Dungeon. As for the naming scheme, that's what all of the players called it, so the game had adapted. There wasn't a whole lot going on here, so once I concluded my business with the herder, I would be on my way.

Dropping the kittens off in the room, I decided to mingle with the crowd that had gathered in the tavern. All of them were NPCs, enjoying their evening drinking and eating in relative peace. Well, unfortunately I had business to take care of, so that peace would be temporarily disturbed.

There was an older man that looked to be in his mid-forties, with a sun-kissed face from all the time he had spent outdoors. He was hard to miss, and was the one that the inn's clerk informed me of. According to the intelligence I received, he was the one that managed the local farm and livestock.

"I'm told you're the man to see when it comes to acquiring cattle?" I asked as I calmly walked over to the bar where he was sitting. Settling into a chair with enough space between us, I relaxed as I ordered a drink for myself.

"That's right, what are you looking for stranger?" he replied casually as he sipped his ale. It may have been late in the evening, but that didn't mean we couldn't strike a deal, or at least gather some information for a future transaction. There was always time for business, especially if it walked right up to you.

"Well, I arrived in town not more than a moment ago," I started to explain. "So my knowledge is a bit lacking here, what all do you have available for sale or trade?"

"I have eighteen milk cows, twelve heifers, two breeding bulls, five bulls, and four oxen that I can part with," he stated with a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

He knew his business and didn't even break his sipping motion to explain it all to me. Half of what he listed was useless to me though, I had no use for an ox at the moment seeing as my farm was puny. As far as the cows were concerned, I didn't have the luxury of buying them for their meat, not yet at least so that ruled out the five bulls and the older milk cows that would be ready for slaughter.

I suppose in a way, it simplified things for me.

"I imagine you price them by age and condition, how much are you looking to get out of the milk cows?" I asked sincerely. My knowledge of livestock was limited, but I knew enough to get me by. All the free time to think while doing manual labor in-game, when I was building up Dragon's Breach, let me explore and learn a bit about farming and livestock. Even if I wasn't an expert, I had gathered enough information to start off on the right foot. The rest, would be up to my NPCs.

He took a moment to finish his glass before he turned slightly towards me, looking as if he had a lot to explain. "The conditions of the cows that I keep are all about the same and pricing is done by age. I ask for eight silver coins per heifer that is under thirteen months old; sixteen silver coins for milk cows over twenty-two months old but less than forty-eight months old."

Those prices seemed reasonable, but were still high considering how hard it was to earn money at this point in the game. Inflation was a real thing in The Dragon's Wrath, so in time these cattle would go for much larger sums… it was, essentially, in my best interest to spend now. While others spent their money on gear that would be replaced in weeks if not days, I'll invest every copper into infrastructure, ensuring a strong foundation.

"And what are you asking for the bulls that can breed?" I inquired.