Old Skinning
The Old Skinning began as a roadside alehouse attached to a tannery whose workers scraped hides for the nearby farms. The tannery closed generations ago, but the inn kept its name and adopted the snake as a sign of renewal: old skins discarded, new lives begun. The painted serpent over the door is said to have been the mark of the forgotten tanner who first served travelers here.
Old Skinning
Overview
History
The Old Skinning began as a roadside alehouse attached to a tannery whose workers scraped hides for the nearby farms. The tannery closed generations ago, but the inn kept its name and adopted the snake as a sign of renewal: old skins discarded, new lives begun. The painted serpent over the door is said to have been the mark of the forgotten tanner who first served travelers here.
Quirks
A small carved wooden snake hangs over the bar. Regulars turn it to face the door when they want a private conversation, a habit the keeper tolerates but refuses to explain. The inn's decor celebrates change through patched quilts, mended pottery, and old travel tokens, rather than any actual snake-handling or unusual magic.
Rooms and services6
- Upstairs RoomsLodgingSix small rooms with linen sheets, a shared hearth, and narrow windows overlooking the stable yard. The keeper keeps one room ready for travelers who need a quiet night after a difficult change in fortune.
- WashroomBathA snug, stone-floored room with a copper tub, heated water by request, and a screen painted with a snake shedding its skin. It is a practical washroom, not a magical service.
- Stable YardStableA covered lean-to with space for four horses and a locked tack cupboard. The stable hand offers basic care and can point out which local roads are muddy or unsafe.
- The Changing TableGamblingA corner table hosts cards, knucklebones, and a wooden board game about two rival serpents circling the same egg. Bets are small and the keeper stops play before tempers turn ugly.
- Mending BenchServiceA low bench beside the hearth is left clear for travelers to mend clothes, trade news, or sit alone. A basket of needles and spare thread is available for a copper.
- Skin ShelfDisplayA narrow shelf displays shed snake skins found in the nearby fields, each tagged with the season and weather. The innkeeper insists they are ordinary skins, though one has not seemed to dry in years.
People
The keeper and 6 patronsKeeperNura Human rogue, level 3
Local carter and occasional courierBrask A blunt, broad-shouldered carter who speaks in short sentences and knows the condition of every nearby road. He is sturdy but no seasoned combatant.
Traveling herbalistSeshara A soft-spoken herbalist with a sibilant laugh. She is observant, patient, and careful not to claim that ordinary plants can cure everything.
Peddler with a small pack of household waresTomi Afolu A cheerful young peddler who practices coin tricks and tells stories about places he has never visited. He is more nimble than brave.
Retired watchmanKest A retired village watchman who keeps his back to a wall and quietly watches the door. He has experience and good judgment, but no appetite for another fight.
Shepherd and livestock droverHilde Vaski A practical drover who laughs loudly, dislikes waste, and will argue over a copper before buying a round for the table.
Apprentice to a village clerkUme A shy apprentice scribe who carefully copies the markings on the skin shelf into a notebook. She is curious, not yet accustomed to danger, and knows a little local history.
Keeper's Species
Human
Intrigue
What locals say
The Old Skinning is a modest, welcoming stop for farmers, peddlers, and people in need of a fresh start. Its snake motif is a house tradition rather than a religious or magical affiliation. Locals sometimes leave a discarded glove, ribbon, or scrap of cloth beside the skin shelf as a private symbol of something they hope to put behind them. The custom is entirely optional, though regulars treat it with gentle respect.
Plot hooks
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