The Drunken Lizard Pub

Seems like a contradiction in terms, doesn't it? After all, if realism is what you're after, why spend your time pretending to be a dragon-slaying dwarf? But I think the concept of realism in games confuses what are usually two entirely different phenomena, one of which is, for me anyway, a nuisance ...

How about being able to reserve items from merchants by making a down payment ? I saved for what seemed like forever to buy some expensive stuff (e.g., assassin's ring) only to have it disappear from the merchant's inventory when I finally had the purchase price.