21st
The Neverwinter Inn
As I pushed open the twin doors to the tavern and entered, I stopped and took a good look around the place. The large room had a stone hearth, which wasn’t lit and the only light came from the sunlight coming in through the open windows and candles on every table. There was an old, tarnished brass chandelier hanging in the center of the room that had the stubs of a dozen candles resting in it. There were simple wooden tables and chairs scattered about in no particular order with a handful of patrons sitting among them. All of the patrons were dressed in similar styles of medieval like clothing and most looked as if they needed a shower.
Across from me was a long bar with some chairs along it’s length. Behind the bar was an middle-aged man wearing a skull cap and a long apron soiled with food and grime. He was staring at me as the others had.
The two soldiers I had seen entering were close by, sitting at a table speaking with a waitress, or “wench” as they say in all the movies. They slowly turned towards me when they noticed that the girl was staring at me now too.
“Can I help you stranger?” said the barkeep, squinting a bit now but he seemed genuine.
I started towards the bar. “I’m sorry to bother you, I’m looking for a phone. Is there one in the back I can use?”
“A phone? You mean one o’ those earpieces like ol’ Grainger uses? Sorry, I’m not that old yet.” A few of the patrons nearby gave a slight chuckle. I assumed that Grainger was the farmer I had just met outside, but I was really getting annoyed now.
“Look, I’m in a bit of trouble and I need to call my wife and make sure everything is allright. I know you’re all being paid to act like you don’t know what modern technology is, but please I need help!” I said to him, a hint of anger in my voice.
The bartender straightened a bit and put one of his hands under the bar. “Allright good sir. I meant no offense. I’m not knowin’ what kind of phone you desire, but if you’re in some kind of trouble, I suggest you speak to one of the guards.”
As if on cue one of the soldiers came up beside me. “What trouble do you speak of?” he said as he leaned one elbow on the bar and set his mug down.
The bartender moved off then, pulling his hand from under the bar and throwing a dirty rag over his shoulder. I took a seat on one of the chairs and turned to the guard. He looked to be in his twenties and physically fit with unkempt brown hair and a thick beard. His face bore a nasty scar across the left cheek. His armor was well kept with rings of metal chained together in tightly woven bands. It was chain mail armor. Something I knew well from computer games and RPG’s on Playstation. His sword was thankfully still in the sheath, with a thick hilt and worn leather bands for a grip. It had seen some use.
“I’m lost. I have no idea where I’m at and no one wants to help me or even knows what the hell I’m talking about. Do you know what a phone is, or a car for that matter?”
“Can’t say that I do.” he said, leaning on the bar as the barkeep filled his mug to the brim. He flipped a silver coin about the size of a half-dollar to the bartender. “What region do you hail from stranger?”
“What region do I hail from? Look man, cut the act already, this is really pissing me off.”
He looked at me strangely, then straightened up. “What is pissing off? I can assure you, no one here is acting. You’re the strange one here, wearing those odd clothes. It’s obvious you’re not from anywhere within a month’s ride of here.”
“I’m from Pennsylvania. You know… in the United States?” I said, trying hard to not sound so angry.
He shook his head, “Never heard of it. This is Orindale, part of the Freelands west of Galador.”
Now I looked at him strangely. “I’ve never heard of any of those places. Am I in Europe? I can’t believe this is happening. Are all of you crazy or something?”
I started to get up but the guard put a strong hand on my shoulder. “Maybe you should come with me friend.”
I shoved his hand off of me forcefully, “Don’t touch me!” I yelled. As I got up I noticed that the other guard was already coming over. Oh no, here we go.
