The sun sets and the guards do not block my entrance, so I pass into Varetta. I have four options - Helin Way, Coachcourse, Flute Street and I can continue eat along the street I entered on. I decide to continue on my way. I see a Guild of the City Criers and decide to skip it. I can go north or south, and I choose south. I see a really nice Taxidermist shop. I have no desire to enter so instead I choose to continue on. Eventually I arrive at a tavern called the Inn of the Crossed Swords. I stable my horse and enter the tavern.
As I enter, I spy this weird game being played in the courtyard. There are soldiers with fruits on their head, and someone on a horse is galloping towards them with a lance. These are solider accused of cowardice in battle, and now their follow soldiers try to skewer the fruit. If they miss, dead solider. People are gambling on them. I can gamble, sit at a table, or go in to the bar.
I have no intention on betting on this. I choose to sit at a table. As I close to one, I feel the prick of a knife in my back. There are two people telling to give them my purse, or my life. Do I have Huntmastery? Nope, so I can give them my gold, or refuse and fight. I choose the later. I spin and draw a weapon and their dagger dealt me a damage. I fight both of these idiots as one:
Backstabbers - 18 CS, 25 EP
I roll a 4 and they take 12 and me 2. I roll an 8 and they die. I took 3 total. All dead. I earned 5 crowns off their corpses and the respect of various mercenary captains here. One offers me to buy a drink and I sense his offer is genuine, so I accept.