You stand at the gates of the mighty city of Barakzar, the jewel of the Kingdom of Drakonia. The tall, blue brick towers stand above you, casting a dark shadow and shielding you as well as the large crowd from the harsh summer sun. A heavy crowd of people moves throughout the market, carrying with them the smell of spices and fruits brought to Barakzar from lands controlled by the kingdom.  

There is nothing left for you here. Your family was overpowered by the Rosewood dynasty. It is a common occurrence, to see smaller families amalgamated into the great Rosewood conglomerate. The only way that they manage to keep in power with so many enemies is due to having an equal number of allies. Still, there is no doubt that they dominate the royal court. If you want to earn your place, you must play their game.

With your armor, you draw some attention to yourself, yet the people soon understand that you are nothing more than a minor noble. Undeterred, you approach the front gate only to be greeted by a group of common militia men inspecting a cart much to the displeasure of its owner. One of them turns his attention to you, gesturing for you to leave through the open gates. 

You do so, stepping onto the fresh green planes outside of Barakzar. The sound of the city gradually fades as you move north, passing through the golden fields of wheat which keep the citizens fed. Being outdoors fills you with an aura of dread, having rarely explored the outside in your youth. Kneeling down to take a sip from a weak spring, you continue onwards. 

The roads this close to the settlement are well maintained, but you can see their quality getting worse and worse the further away you venture. Soon, you find yourself traversing down a thin dirt road toward the Red Waste - a large cinnabar desert that separates the kingdom from the rest of the world. If you are to be successful in your quest, you must undertake the grueling task of navigating through it. Even the thought makes your feet sore.

Along, you encounter a few merchants and travelers - all heading for the jewel of the kingdom. But the roads become lonesome once you have ventured sufficiency away, with only the sound of your boots hitting against the road and the calls of nocturnal birds. 

Ahead, you see a small gathering of wooden houses - barely larger than a hamlet. The largest building appeared to be a tavern of some sort, with a flickering orange glow coming from within informing you that it is filled with patrons. In the center is a misshapen little stone well covered with moss. 

From what you know of the area, it appears to be a small settlement of Starfall. It acts as an outpost for traders but provides nothing really of value to the kingdom - a small blur on the maps. 

You could either press on towards the Red Waste through the darkness or stop in Starfall for the night. What will you do?