Ultima Stones | Ultima VII Home | Library | Who's Who
NPC 046:
James, Proprietor of the Wayfarer�s Inn[+bye +job +name +Cynthia said]
You see a sour-faced innkeeper who looks at you as if all of his problems were your fault.
"What must I do for thee now, Avatar?" asks James.
name{
"My name is James."
}[-name]
job{
"I am the proprietor of the inn."
}[+inn +proprietor]
proprietor{
"It is just another way of saying that I am the man who is the desk clerk. Which thou mayest think is an easy job although it is not, I can assure thee."
}[-proprietor +not easy +desk clerk]
inn{
"This place is called the Wayfarer's Inn. It has a long and substantial history in Britain. If thy grandparents ever came to town this is probably where they stayed."
}[-inn]
desk clerk{
"Of course, being desk clerk is not all I do. I must spend all day listening to people talk about their problems as if I am supposed to solve them!"
}[-desk clerk +solve +listening]
listening{
"That is correct, Avatar. So if thou dost have a problem, allow me the courtesy of not having to hear all about it. Now what was it that I was saying again?"
}[-listening]
solve{
"Maybe solving people's problems is an easy task for other innkeepers, but, not only am I bad at it, I have mine own problems as well."
}[-solve +problems]
problems{
"I do not like my job! I never wanted to be an innkeeper, I just wanted to keep the place going after my father passed on. Now that I am married to Cynthia, I am more tied down than ever!"
}[-problems +Cynthia +innkeeper]
innkeeper{
"Instead of being an innkeeper I always secretly wanted to be a pirate! When I was not sailing the seas I would be living in Buccaneer's Den."
}[-innkeeper +Buccaneer's Den +pirate]
Buccaneer's Den{
"As I understand it they have an excellent House of Games there as well as opulent baths. Or at least so I have heard from Gordon, the man who sells fish and chips."
}[-Buccaneer's Den]
Cynthia{
"Do not mistake my words, Avatar. I love Cynthia with all mine heart. But there are I times I feel I am too young to be married. Besides, I know I cannot be a good husband for her."
}[-Cynthia +good husband]
pirate{
"Thou knowest for certain that few if any people would pour their troubles out to pirates. If I were a pirate I could get this bad foot replaced with a peg, too!"
}[-pirate]
good husband{
"How can I make Cynthia happy on the pittance an innkeeper makes when all day long she is counting all that money in the mint? I know I cannot."
}[-good husband +mint +happy]
mint{
"I know the nature of the heart, my good friend. After being exposed to such large sums of money she shall begin to covet it. As I cannot provide it, she shall leave me to give her heart to a wealthy man. Perhaps a merchant or a nobleman. The thought of it makes my blood boil."
}[-mint]
not easy{
"When one is an innkeeper one must run around all day long. If anyone wants anything thou art the one who must take care of it for them!"
}[-not easy +room +run around]
run around{
"I spend so much time running around that I have gotten a bad foot."
}[-run around]
happy{
"Already I can sense she is worried about our marriage. I know that there is something wrong between us."
}[-happy]
room{
"Oh, I suppose thou wouldst like a room now! There, that is just what I mean! It is ten gold pieces per person for a night. Thou dost want a room, dost thou not?"
yes{
"Thou art carrying too much to take the room key!"
"Here is thy room key. It is only good until thou leavest the inn."
"Thou dost not have enough gold to get a room here. Now I suppose thou shalt be telling me all about how such a sorry state befell thee. Well, I shall not listen to thee!"
}else{
James wipes his brow. "Phew! That was a close call!"
"Please, Avatar. Do allow me some time to myself! Presently I am not doing the business of the inn and I do wish to keep it that way. Thou must attend to the inn during business hours."
}
}[-room]
Cynthia said{
You repeat the words that Cynthia had said to you about him. A smile comes across his face. "Aww, who wants to be a pirate anyway? I would hate that!" With that he goes back to wiping the bar, but you notice that the smile is still there.
}[+Cynthia]
bye{
"Oh, thou shalt just come back again wanting something else from me! I just know it!"END
}