(5) - Exploring Town

Riverwood

Gwenneth stepped into the Sleeping Giant Inn. There weren't many people, just the owners, and a bard.
Gwenneth got updated on some of the local rumors, including the store recently being broken into, and she learned that rooms were only 10 gold a night. Looks like she had a nice place to spend the coming night at least. It wasn't even mid day yet, so Gwenneth had a bite to eat and a sip of wine and while drinking, she got reminded of her painful wrist. Time for a little potion of cure medicine. The taste was foul as usual, so it probably was the good stuff. It better be for 240 gold...


Next stop was the blacksmith, Alvor. Though the name sounded familiar, Gwenneth didn't recognize him from her childhood, and he seemed to return her the favor. Alvor had a particular good looking steel war axe for sale, but at 167 gold Gwenneth wasn't able to afford it. He did however have some charcoal for sale. Now charcoal from a regular campfire wasn't suitable for writing, but this piece was created in the oxygen starved part of a blazing hot forge, so it was hardened and definitely suited to do some writing with.  Gwenneth could write again!


But first things first. The blacksmith had a grind stone, and no problems with Gwenneth using it to sharpen her axe. A bit later Gwenneth said goodbye to the blacksmith, and sat down on a rock near the river. It was time to do some maintenance on her bow as well, so she cut a few strips off the leather she still had in her knapsack, and used it to make a new grip on the bow. The old one had been greasy and slippery, but the new fresh leather caused the bow to have a much firmer grip, surely benefiting the bows force and precision.




Gwenneth with her new helmet

 There were still plenty of hours of daylight left, and since no one seemed to recognize her, she switched her hood for her newly bought helmet. Then she had a close look at the treasure map she had found. Looked like X marked a spot just right across the river, so she crossed the bridge, looking for the fallen tree indicated on the drawing.

Hidden treasure

It didn't take her long to find it, and inside the fallen tree there indeed was a chest, unlocked and ready to be looted. The treasure map earned up to its name, as inside the chest she found a large amethyst, 42 gold, an iron ingot, an empty petty soul gem and a gold necklace. As Gwenneth put the loot in her bag, she decided on wearing the necklace. She hadn't wore one ever since she was forced to sell her Brinsingamen necklace in Bruma. Next to that she knew the advantage of wearing some spare savings around her neck.


Walking back to town she noticed an abundance of salmons jump in the river, so she put her belongings on the river bank, and went for a swim. As the fresh water invigorated her, she managed to catch six salmons with her bare hands.
With a rather smelly knapsack she returned to the shop in Riverwood, and cooked herself a bunch of salmon steaks.






A lovely room at the inn


Back in the Inn, she rented a room for the night, then, while the bard played some quite amusing songs, ate a couple of salmon steaks, with an apple as dessert while warming herself at the large central fire.
It was far from midnight yet, but Gwenneth was looking forward to having a good nights sleep in a proper bed again. Next to that, she had been sleeping in her armor for almost two weeks, so with a full belly, riches in her backpack, and sharpened axe ready for the following day she undressed for bed.
As she pondered her plans for the next day she fell asleep.

Bedtime