The Crowbar

How to get a free night at the inn

Not every innkeeper can afford letting every passing hero spend the night for free, and not every adventuring party has got to the point where they can consistently afford shelter. The compromise? Some fairly simple quests for adventurers who are tight on cash.

  1.  A guest of esteem was offered a discount on the best room in the inn, but has long overstayed their welcome. At this point, it would be more economical if the party slept for free for a night or two, and then they could go back to charging full price, but nobody who works at the inn is willing to tell the guest face-to-face.
  2.  A diplomatic meeting between a few local groups has been scheduled in the commons, but these meetings have been known to get rowdy. If there was any way to keep the peace...?
  3.   The innkeeper has fallen ill, and her wife is worried sick but too busy to figure out what's going on.
    1.  She's fine, but mildly overworked
    2.  She's mildly ill
    3.  She's majorly ill
    4.   She's suffering from a minor curse by...
      1.  A patron she wronged
      2.  Her wife, who has since forgotten
      3.  A spurned lover
      4.  A rival innkeeper
      5.  A capricious sorcerer
      6.  Herself, accidentally
    5.  She's faking ill to hide a secret
    6.  She's been reanimated. The last doctor got to her a little too late. There were, of course, some complications
  4.  They’re hosting an object of importance and need someone guarding the door to its room at all times
  5.  They insist that a party member marries someone working there (or one of their children)
  6.  The bartender needs help...
    1.  ...finding ingredients for a mild sleeping potion, which they slip to rowdy customers or anyone who looks on the road to a blackout
    2.  ...with a finicky and powerful customer who has been known to throw a tantrum if their drinks aren't made exactly as they like them. If the party can figure out what this person actually likes before their arrival, it would save a whole lot of trouble.
    3.  ...finding inspiration for something new.
    4.  ...with catching a thief. Each night, some of the finest ales and liquors vanish in small but noticable amounts. The criminal is found to be...
      1.  ...the bartender themself! They've been lying to keep management off their back
      2.  ...a moderately powerful fey patron, who has been taking the drink as offering, in exchange for boons that the bartender has yet to notice
      3.  ...an invisible gnome, who is rather upset about being mistaken for an underage human and denied alcohol, despite being well over a hundred years old
      4.  ...a mimic, who has disguised itself as one of the lesser-used bottles gathering dust behind the counter
  7.  They've just rebuilt a room, and could use a hand with furnishing, which might include tasks such as...
    1.  carrying some heavy and unweildy furniture from traders across the town
    2.  breaking into an exquisite vintage cabinet, which was both physically locked and magically sealed long before purchase. It would look just lovely in the room, if only someone could empty it out. Inside, there are 1D4 of the following:
      1.  3D12 + 14 gold pieces in a velvety red pouch. The innkeepers will be willing to split it 50/50...if they know you found it!
      2.  A dusty, mildly moth-eaten coat, which still makes the wearer look like they fit in with high society
      3.  A rat king in the back corner
      4.  A hidden drawer, stuffed with love letters from the previous owner's various paramours. A DC12 Investigation check reveals a spell written in the form of a poem
      5.  A cheap magic item
      6.  A cheap nonmagic item
    3.  The owner has competition with the inn across the town, and will pay your lodging there as long as you come back with a report on all the things they’re doing right and a few ways to sabotage
    4.  A horde of monsters has taken a liking to the woods in the back, and the weak and weary adventurers that cross through them on their way to lodging. For every few heads the party brings back, they can get a night’s rest for free.