He extends his big, meaty hand, palm up, when you mention a room...<br/><strong><br/>"The storytellers would be 2 grains from each of you if you want it private, or a single one if you share it with everyone in the common room",</strong>he answers.<strong>"I happen to know a rather good one - studied at a temple school, he did! - who could tell you the stories of the hero Gilgamesh-batyr and Afrasiab-batyr; the stories about the First Times; stories about the, eh, exploits of Ishtar if you prefer - or if you want something newer, albeit less polished, stories about the quarrels between the gods of Godslanding, or the intrigues in the palace of Larsa. Or maybe the death of the female batyr Gauhar would be more to your liking? You could also negotiate other tales, I don't know his repertoire".<br/></strong>Clearly, there's little love lost between Sarganta and the bigger city that rules over it...as evidenced by the list of contemporary subjects.<br/><br/>He then looked the two of you over, visibly taken aback from this kind of calculation.<strong><br/>"And a slavegirl's use would be a shekel for the night, but a mere grain if you don't plan to have her uses",</strong>the man finally decided, furrowing his brow at the calculation.<strong><br/>"A bath, eh? That would be another grain, and a shekel for the scented oils",</strong>he nodded, understandingly, still smirking.<strong>"Major holiday of your religion approaching, eh?"</strong><br/>Of course, a bath is also used for ritual purification after breaking a lesser taboo (like shedding blood, albeit without killing). It seems he assumes exactly this reason for your request.<br/>Granted, there might be a number of reasons to shed blood while on the road. And hunters happen to need that more than most.<br/><strong><br/>"Heh! I'd pay your shekel for use if you let me watch how exactly you'd be using her!",</strong>the rich man shouts again.<br/><strong>"I'd give you another grain!", </strong>another man from his retinue exclaims.<strong>"Me too!", </strong>echoed both others.<br/><strong>"Just not in the common room",</strong>the owner warns, smirking.