The Bent Elm
The Bent Elm began as a roadside alehouse beside an elm whose trunk leaned sharply over the old track. Its first keeper added sleeping rooms after travelers began sheltering there through hard winters. The tree was lost to a storm decades ago, but its bent stump remains in the yard, polished smooth by passing hands.
The Bent Elm
Overview
History
The Bent Elm began as a roadside alehouse beside an elm whose trunk leaned sharply over the old track. Its first keeper added sleeping rooms after travelers began sheltering there through hard winters. The tree was lost to a storm decades ago, but its bent stump remains in the yard, polished smooth by passing hands.
Quirks
The keeper taps the old elm stump twice before opening the inn each morning. Every guest is offered a little dish of salt with supper, said to keep road dust from spoiling the taste. The hearth pops loudly whenever someone tells a lie, though regulars insist it is only damp firewood.
Rooms and services6
- Upstairs RoomsLodgingSix small rooms with clean linen, stout latches, and shutters that keep out the draft. A room costs 5 silver per night, breakfast included.
- Stable YardStableA sheltered yard with three stalls, a hayloft, and a watchful stablehand. Feed and basic care cost 2 silver per mount per night.
- Hearth BathBathA deep copper tub is heated by the kitchen hearth. A private bath costs 3 silver, or 5 silver with fresh towels and scented soap.
- Common TableGamblingA scarred oak table hosts friendly games of dice and cards. The house takes no cut, but disputes are settled by the keeper's word.
- Hearthside NookPerformanceA raised nook by the hearth is open to fiddlers, storytellers, and singers. Performers receive supper and a place by the fire.
- Curtained AlcovePrivate DiningA screened alcove seats up to six and can be reserved for private conversation or a quiet meal for 4 silver.
People
The keeper and 6 patronsKeeperHobb Human fighter, level 3
Local laborerHedd A miller's assistant with a quick grin and sore hands. Level 1 commoner, eager to hear road stories and slow to believe them.
Traveling cloth merchantAmina al-Saffar A measured, observant trader who remembers every face and every unpaid promise. Level 3 expert, practical rather than suspicious.
Caravan guardTovik A broad-shouldered caravan guard who laughs loudly but keeps watch on the doors. Level 4 warrior, courteous until someone threatens a companion.
Village healerUldra An older herbalist who speaks in blunt answers and notices small injuries at a glance. Level 2 druid, more interested in useful gossip than grand quests.
GamblerZorbek A restless cardsharp who makes a show of bad luck while quietly tracking every wager. Level 3 rogue, charming but not entirely trustworthy.
Road courierEadric Fen A tired courier with a careful manner and a locked dispatch case. Level 2 scout, determined to finish a delivery before resting.
Keeper's Species
Human
Intrigue
What locals say
The inn is a modest refuge on a well-traveled medieval road, where merchants, local laborers, and adventurers share space without much ceremony. Its customs are simple: blades stay sheathed indoors, debts are written in the keeper's ledger, and anyone who cannot pay may earn supper by helping with chores. The inn's strange, recurring room payment is a local mystery, not a known spell or established magical tradition.
Plot hooks
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