Wash Dishes
Pick Your Peril: The Hero of Mudtown
(This is part of a series of choose-your-own-adventure articles. If you want to start from the beginning, click here. If you want to revisit the previous chapter, click here.)
After the events of the day, a comfy bed for the night sounds incredibly enticing. It will be easier to resume the quest to find your family after a full night’s rest. You agree to wash dishes in exchange for a room.
The Innkeeper nods and points to the door leading to the kitchen.
“Let the cook know you’re here to help.” The Innkeeper prepares two more tankards of ale. “I’m sure she’ll be thrilled.”
You enter the kitchen and find a room full of delectable aromas and a towering pile of dirty dishes. A leathery old woman turns a massive hunk of skewered meat on a spit.
“Yeah?” She squints at you through the smoke hanging in the air. “What do you want?”
You identify yourself as the new dishwasher and gesture to the sink overflowing with cookware.
“Thank the Maker!” The woman sighs, relieved. Without leaving her post by the rotisserie, the woman points to where she wants you to put the clean dishes and tells you to get to work.
You spend the rest of the night scrubbing plates and cutlery. Every time you come close to eliminating the tower of dirty dishware, the Innkeeper enters the kitchen and places another prodigious armful of filthy dishes in the sink. Eventually, the evening crowd starts to thin and the Innkeeper hands you the key to a room with an approving nod.
“Thanks for help tonight.” He glances at the old cook resting in a corner of the kitchen, wiping sweat from her brow. “I’m certain Agatha appreciates it, even if she doesn’t say so.”
You go upstairs and find your room. The lodging appears practical and clean, but you don’t take too much time inspecting the room before you flop into bed and fall into a deep sleep.
You awaken in the morning rested and refreshed. On your arrival downstairs, the Innkeeper smiles and waves.
“Good morning!” He seems in a much better mood than he was last night. “Thanks for pulling your weight yesterday. You did so well, in fact… you can help out in the kitchen again if you’d like to stay another night.”
He smiles hopefully at you.
“Only if you want to, of course.”
Having a place to rest this close to the castle could be advantageous. The Innkeeper seems hospitable enough, but it’s probably best not to linger too long. Your family could be in danger and you still have no idea where they are.
You could complete your journey to the castle and see if they would let a peasant like yourself pass through the castle gate. Despite what people have said about the King, seeking an audience with him might be your best chance at getting some assistance.
Many of the same faces from last night are present in the tavern. Perhaps you could convince one of the patrons to accompany you on the search for the villagers of Mudtown. A companion would make your quest feel a lot less hopeless.
What will you do?