The Golden Horseshoe

The Golden Horseshoe is a charming inn located on the road from Old Wolde to Brightstream. Many merchants and caravans travel between these two main trading hubs; a strategic fact which the owners of this inn kept in mind when they chose this location for their business. Now the inn is where everyone stops while traveling between Old Wolde and Brightstream. Aware that most of their customers travel by wagons pulled by horses, the owners decided to also construct a barn next to the main building. Full care for a guest’s hard-working animals is included in the price of a night at the Golden Horseshoe.

You enter the main building to see a long table where a bunch of drunk adventurers sit and tell each other stories of their greatest victories. You walk towards the bar. Behind the counter is a smiling, plump, red-headed woman who serves a tankard of beer to a customer seated on a stool opposite her.

“Hello, adventurers!” The woman’s smile grows wide and bright at your approach. “I’m Nina Peddleton, and I’m one of the owners of the Golden Horseshoe. The other owner is my husband, Perry, who’s our cook. How can we help you today?”

You order a serving of today’s special – roasted boar with potatoes – and a pint of beer for each of you. Your party sits at a table in front of a small podium from which a bard sings a cheerful tune about a party that got rid of the bandits who used to attack caravans along the road. You glance at each other. You’re always happy to hear the achievements of fellow adventurers being praised.

After you’ve eaten, you make your way upstairs to the common room you purchased for the night from the kind lady. It’s the cheapest space available – all five of you will have to sleep next to each other. But it sure beats camping out in the woods. Finally you’ll have a comfy bed in which you can get a good night’s rest! You wonder how many rooms this inn has. The building is large but business seems to be booming – most of the beds appear booked for the night. With such good service including a tasty meal and a soft bed in a clean and private room, you wish the owners of the inn all the best. With luck, their business will prosper for many years to come.

However, in the middle of the night you are woken by the sound of someone screaming.

“We’re being attacked by orcs!” A man calls out.

How fortunate that you decided to stay at the inn for the night. You hope your skills will make getting rid of the attackers easy and that Nina and Perry Peddleton will remain in business despite the events of this night.

You quickly run down to the ground floor and draw your weapons. There are already some orcs inside – but not for long!