[I/O] [Inn/Open] New Character - Vintner of Greenhaven
The Scythe
storytelling and roleplaying, the online pubs and taverns like the
Dragons Inn were also used as plain ole' meet-n-greets. So here is
another thread that will always be open. Unlike [Thief] this one will
have no particular story or point besides the simple one of being a
meetingplace for people to talk, chat, plan, enjoy themselves, or
maybe listen to a good song.
OOC posts are fine, if needed to plan adventures or whatnot.
[Vintner of Greenhaven]
One fine day, a lanky traveler strolled up the lane towards Montfort.
He would have called himself one of the People, but humans would call
him an elf. His outfit was a splendid green with silver piping, his
cap held a swooping eagle feather, and a lute, pipes, and a tom-tom
hung from his shoulders on embroidered straps. He stopped at the Inn
on the outskirts of town.
"Ah, the Red Dragon Inn," he said, reading the sign above the door.
"This must be the place."
Inside, he saw the staff busying themselves cleaning. Dust was
everywhere, and a man and several women were attacking it with a
vengeance.
"Good morrow, friends!" The newcomer called out. All the work
stopped. "Might you be Hugh, the proprietor of this fine
establishment?"
"I am sir," Hugh answered. "And I take it you'd be Vintner, the bard,
then?"
"With certainty," the elf replied with a slight bow and strum on the
lute. It's chord was sweet and light. "I would like to take you up
on your offer of employment, if you'll have me."
"Well, if you can play a decent tune, and if you're willing to work in
exchange for room and board alone for a few weeks, then you're hired,"
Hugh said. "We haven't had any customers of late, but we can pay a
little in the future if business picks up."
"My dear Hugh, I can calm the hiss of the jungle cat, and inspire love
in a goblin's shriveled heart. I will bring the melodies of my
homeland into your most eminent inn. That I promise you."
With that, the bard made himself at home, and played several light
tunes as Hugh and the others got the inn ready to receive guests once
again.
The Scythe
[Vintner of Greenhaven]
It was evening at the Red Dragon Inn. A warm fire crackled in the
hearth. Although few mysterious travelers had passed through of late,
Hugh and the others had plenty of the local townies to keep the place
open.
Sera happily took orders and passed out drinks. And collected a the
tips as well.
Vintner stood up from his seat by the fire.
"Good evening to all my neighbors!" he called and gave a sweeping
bow. "If you would be so kind as to lend me an ear, I'll share the
song of the Maiden's Tear."
"There stood a bonnie lass, in the meadow, in the morning.
And to woo with gift, the Montfort lads came calling.
But promised afore, her heart was gone.
To the bravest of knights The Great Merlon.
Now Merlon cared naught for love and maids.
His heart was called to the hunt and the fife and the drum.
Though great he was, his match he met, and fell in direst battle.
Ah the brave knight fell in battle.
*_Now_* who's to woo the maid you might ask?
Who would be up for so daunting a task?
Why the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, and yes, a certain
songmaker.
So to all young boys, this lesson be taught, when choosing your trade
to do as you ought.
Though war may be owed the fame and glory, it's those what stay home
as shall end well this story.
And give kisses to wash away tears
Yes, kisses that last through the years."
Vintner finished with a flourish on his lute to the applause of the
patrons and staff.
ShadoWolf
just inside the front door, the smoke from his long stem pipe floating
over his fiery red hair and beard as if that was where it issued
from. “Hurry up, son,” he said in a deep raspy voice.
Apparently, jumping from stone to stone a young boy hopped through the
doorway. That the boy was the dwarf’s son was evident in his strong
brow and steely eyes, yet the soft curve of his lips and pointed ears
bespoke of an elven mother.
“Good evening, Forge,” Hugh said wiping down the dwarf’s usual seat.
“Do you have more coming, or will it be just the two of you tonight?”
“A couple of the girls may come in a bit,” the dwarf said climbing
onto his stool while his dwelf son climbed up next to him. “The wife
wanted to stay to finish up on the armor we’re makin fer Master
Dormlin.”
“How is Sarakim the rest of your children?”
“Fat an sassy, Hugh, fat an sassy,” Forge replied tamping down his
burning tobac with a heavily calloused thumb, billowing clouds of blue
smoke. “Well good man, what ya serving for dinner?”
“Beef Roast and potatoes, I’ll get you and young Torr a couple plates
right away,” Hugh replied retrieving a couple mugs from under the
bar. “Want the usual?”
“Dark Dwarven Ale, there’s nothing better,” Forge said winking at his
son. “Half water for Torr.”
“Look Papa, a new bard like Mama,” the boy announced excitedly.
“Let’s go meet him, Son,” the dwarf said hopping of his stool. “Be
back in a moment, Hugh.”
“Well met, Master Bard,” he said sticking out a large right hand in
human fashion. “My name is Forge FireHammer, this is my son Torr, we
run the smithy up the street.”
The Scythe
[Admin] Always an open thread. Anyone, feel free to stop by for a
drink!
[Vintner]
The tall elf bowed, then reached down and took Forge's hand and shook
it. He could give anywhere near the strong grip that the smith had,
but it was firm, nontheless.
"Well met indeed, Master FireHammer. The quality of your work is
known widely. I would consider it an honor to share a meal with you
and your family, if you'll have me." He grinned. "I suspect you had
an adventurous youth. Perhaps you'll share some of your favorite
stories."
Vintner turned to Sera.
"Another cup of wine, if you would." he asked. "And a bowl of
whatever soup's on today. Thank you m'dear," he added.
ShadoWolf
drink!
[Forge]
“The honor is ours,” Forge graciously replied, and directed his son to
take a seat at an empty table. “Me wife and girls chose to finish
some work at the smithy, so it is just the two of us tonight.”
Sera set down their mugs of ale; the half bred lad wasted no time
procuring the darkest drink for himself. “Whoa, Torr, that ones
mine!”
“But Papa, when will I get to drink me ale without water?”
“When yer older, my boy, when yer chest hairs need curling,” Forge
said with a wink and a deliberate mug exchange and then returned his
attention to the bard. “Fraid there ain’t much adventurin’ in my
youth till an elven metal smith enchanted me dwarven heart.”
“Sorry, what did ya say yer name is?”
The Scythe
drink!
[Vintner]
"I go by Vintner, my good smith. Vintner of the Greenhaven. While
it's not the name I was born with, it serves me adequetely now."
"My time is mainly spent traveling. I visit here and there and spend
a week or two, singing for my supper. I collect stories as others
might collect coin or followers or power. You might say stories are
my treasure."
"Fortunately I've lived a life with little danger. And I certainly
don't seek it. The worst spot I've ever been in was when I once had
to ransom myself from bandits with a song. But I do enjoy hearing the
tales of other's adventures. It reminds me why I prefer to stay in a
warm inn and tell stories!"
He grinned widely.
At that point Sera returned with wine and a bowl of spicy bean soup
with crispy flatbread.
"We're trying out a new soup from the west," she explained with a
smile.
"My thanks Miss," the bard replied. He tried some and raised an
eyebrow. "Quite good!" he added.
"You should try scooping the beans with the flatbread," Sera said in
parting, and she went to serve others.
Vintner took a few more bites and a sip of wine, before speaking
again.
"Master Firehammer, if it's not impertinent to ask, you mentioned your
wife is elven. I'm curious how you met. I'm certain there's a story
there for the telling.
The Scythe
ShadoWolf
[Admin] This is an always open thread. Feel free to stop by for a
drink and talk.
[Forge]
“Well, me wife and me was made for each other, and our children.”
Forge said receiving two plates of beef roast and potatoes from Sera,
sliding one over to his son and tucking a napkin in his collar.
“Sarakim is a Smith Enchantress from a long line of enchanters. She
learned her skill from her mother, who learned it from her mother, who
learned it from her mother, an’ on an’ on. The FireHammer clans been
workers of metal since time began, or near enough.”
“Torr use yer fork,” he instructed his son as the boy ate off his
knife tip.
“As you know, our races haven’t always got on the best, but us
crafters do what we need ta do,” Forge continued between bites, often
pointing at Vintner with his fork. “Sarakim’s folk and mine have been
sharing skills fer a long time.”
“Normally we dwarves find you elves too stick-like to be interesting,
but my Sarakim’s sky blue eyes an’ the way her whole face lights up,
an’ the way she laughs … well, she caught me heart,” Forge said with a
silly grin. “Can’t say what she sees in me, but she wanted to be me
wife too.”
“Well, knowing our children would be both dwarf an’ elf, an’ welcomed
by neither. We made our home an’ shop in human lands where the dwelf
are accepted,” he continued. “So here we made six kids, so far, an’
craft mostly magical items like enchanted swords, armor an’ such.
Sarakim an’ the twins also make magic jewelry. Montfort with her
adventurers has been good to us.”
The Scythe
drink and talk.
[Vintner of Greenhaven]
"Well, that certainly is a triumph, my dear smith, I must say. It's
not everyone who can make such a life work out. And here you are
having such success. A toast to you."
He raised his cup of wine.
"May your forge fires never go out!" he said, and took a sip of wine.
"As for myself, my first love was an elven maid of high station. She
loved me in return, or so she said. But she wouldn't disobey her
parents and her nobility to leave with me. So believe me when I say
it's a very remarkable thing that you have. My hat's off to you."
"I've been following my feet ever since that day. I picked up a lute
one day and found I had a talent for it. So here I am. And other
than many ladies' broken hearts I've never had to go on those
adventures myself. I prefer to sing about them." He gave a wide
grin.
"Much safer!"
Robert
AKA The Scythe
The Scythe
ShadoWolf
[Admin] This is an always open thread. Feel free to stop by for a
drink and talk.
[Forge]
The dwarven smith shared the elven toast and hospitality. Immediately
after father and son finished their meals, Sera returned with a woven
basket full of food and covered with a clean white cloth. “I have
included a special bottle of wine and would love to get Sarakim’s
opinion on it.”
“Elves and their watery wines, there is nothing better than Dark
Dwarven Ale,’ Forge said with a wink to the elven bard. With a kiss
on his cheek, a peck on Torr’s forehead, a curtsy and a flurry of
skirts and she went back to business.
“Vintner of Greenhaven, I enjoyed our dinner and would like to hear
you play, but I must bring my family their supper while its hot,”
Forge said shaking the bard’s hand in parting and then thumped his
chest in a dwarven salute. “I will bring the family by in the morning
for breakfast, and maybe for a tune or a tale.” With the food basket
tucked under a massive arm the dwarf smith ushered his son out of his
chair and out the door with a “Goodbye Hugh”.