Legends & Lattes

Viv has done research and decided on the city of Thune for her new life. With Blackblood strapped to her back and the Scalvert’s Stone tucked safely in her pocket, she enters the valley where Thune lies. She references a rhyme about the Stone bringing fortune and one’s desire when close to thaumic lines. Several thaumic ley lines—lines of magical energy—run through Thune. Viv uses a witching rod she purchased from a thaumic scholar to trace the lines through town. She’s skeptical at first, but begins to feel the rod tug her in different directions until she finally comes upon a perfect building for her new life: It is a former livery with a hole in its roof, a worn ladder leading to a loft area, and a sour smell. Still, Viv is satisfied with the location. Across the street, a woman named Laney sweeps her stoop. Viv asks Laney if she knows who owns the livery. Laney points her in the direction of a man named Ansom, who spends his days at taverns. Viv finds Ansom in the third tavern she checks.

When Viv enters the tavern, she draws attention because she’s an orc with a large sword strapped to her back. She reassures the tavernkeep that she’s there for business, not trouble. Ansom is initially wary of her, but softens when she orders him another round. Viv explains that she’s interested in purchasing Ansom’s property. Although he has no interest in the dilapidated property anymore, he negotiates, as she is prepared to pay with earnings from her 22 years of adventuring. She shows her money, indicating that he won’t get an offer as good as hers. Just as Viv is about to rescind her offer, Ansom breaks his façade and sells her the property. After she signs the deed, he asks if she’s reviving the livery. She responds that she’s opening a coffee shop, as things don’t have to stay as they were. Viv runs errands, buying a lockbox to store the deed and her money.

Back at the livery, Viv finds a loose flagstone in the flooring. She moves it, digs up some dirt, and plants the Scalvert’s Stone securely in the ground before replacing the flagstone. She realizes this building is her place now, her first. Viv tests the ladder to the loft area, and it breaks under her weight. She stores Blackblood in the loft and unfurls her bedroll in an old horse stall. She knows her shop will take work, but is excited for the future. However, it turns out most people in Thune never heard of coffee. It’s a new concept to Viv as well, but she’s certain this is an issue she can overcome.

The next morning, Viv is energetic, ready to start her new life. She nods to Laney as she leaves the livery and heads for the docks, looking to employ some aid. She watches the workers at the docks for a while before spotting a hob—a member of a goblin sub-race—working on a boat. Hobs are often discriminated against, so they tend to keep to themselves. As an orc, Viv has had similar experiences, but her stature makes her harder to intimidate. She is impressed by the hob’s woodworking, so she approaches him. The hob, Cal—short for Calamity—uses few words when speaking with her, but they quickly understand each other. Viv tells him that she has a work opportunity if he’s interested, but it won’t involve building boats. He is intrigued.

Viv brings Cal to the livery to explain her needs. He is taken aback by the state of the building. He has no experience with roofing, but Viv believes he’s capable of figuring it out. Cal is willing to challenge himself. Viv tells him about her dream of opening a coffee shop, explaining what coffee is. He already has ideas of where to start and what needs to be done. With Viv offering to pay for materials and labor, as well as contribute her own labor, Cal takes the job. He helps her make a list of things they’ll need to get started.

Cal leaves in the late afternoon, as his and Viv’s work will start in the morning. Viv feels lonely once he is gone, so she decides to visit the loudest restaurant she can find. She leaves her sword at the livery, hoping to appear peaceful. Upon entering the restaurant, the patrons’ chatter drops in volume, but they otherwise seem unphased. The half-elf owner tends the bar and serves Viv. They talk about the challenges of starting a new business. The half-elf jokes about Viv taking his customers, but she assures him that she won’t be competing with his restaurant. As she drifts to sleep that evening, she dreams of what the livery will someday be.

The next morning, Viv entrusts her purse to Cal, so he can buy the necessary supplies and tools to get started on the livery. He is surprised by this trust, but reckons not many would dare cross an orc. He suggests he won’t get the best prices because of his race, but Viv jokes it would be the same for her. She goes into town and rents a cart, so she can begin hauling debris out of the livery. While she works, a seemingly well-dressed stone-fey man appears in the doorway. Upon closer inspection, his clothes are worn and tattered. He asks about Viv’s business and extends a welcome to town, implying he’s part of an influential group. They have a tense conversation, and Viv makes no attempt to downplay her prominent lower fangs. The man is vaguely threatening, so she does not disclose her name or information about her business. He leaves.

Cal returns with materials, including a tarp to cover the hole in the roof. A storm approaches, and they secure the tarp just in time. Viv’s coffee delivery arrives, and she introduces Cal to the concept. She cannot make coffee yet, but tells him how it’s made and offers him a smell. She has fond memories of a gnome-run café in Azimuth. Cal suggests Viv make her back room into a kitchen in case her coffee doesn’t work out.

Once the storm has passed and Cal has left, Viv speaks to Laney about the stone-fey who stopped by. Laney says he works for the Madrigal, who holds a shadowy influence over the town through underlings. He collects money from local businesses to ensure nothing happens to them. Viv asks Laney if she’s ever had coffee, but she replies it’s rude to discuss one’s maladies. That night, as Viv drifts to sleep, she feels the need to have her sword nearby. She thinks she hears noises on the roof, but is too tired to do anything about it.

Building supplies begin arriving in deliveries over the next few days. Viv and Cal get to work restoring and renovating the building. Cal climbs up the fixed ladder to the loft and sees Viv’s sword, but doesn’t mention it. He instead suggests she get a bed. By the end of the second day, they’re satisfied with their work.

Viv and Cal convert the back office into a pantry for cold and dry goods. One day, as they work in the main area, Viv spots Cal staring at the loose flagstone where she stored the Scalvert’s Stone. She tries not to sound suspicious when she asks him what he’s looking at. He suggests she add more sand under the Stone, and she agrees to take care of it herself. Viv does so that night, after ensuring no one is lurking down the street.

Two weeks of hard labor pass quickly, and Viv’s sense of accomplishment grows. While admiring her shop from the outside, she encounters Laney, who compliments the restored livery. This reminds her to tear down the old livery sign. Later, Viv and Cal talk about getting a new sign, but she is uncertain what to call her shop. They discuss a few names, but remain undecided. Later that week, while Viv and Cal work on the interior, the stone-fey man stops by again, this time with extra lackeys. He informs Viv that his name is Lack, and that this street is under the watch of the Madrigal, whom he represents. She knows he’s going to ask for a “donation” for the Madrigal’s services, but isn’t interested in paying. Lack leaves, indicating he’ll expect her contribution later. Cal warns Viv not to mess with the Madrigal, suggesting she hang her sword on a wall to ward off troublemakers. He hangs up some nails so she can mount Blackblood.

The next day, Cal brings a stove to install in the kitchen. Viv is uncertain about it, but he explains she’ll need it to stay warm in the winter anyway. After they install the stove, Viv makes Cal a rudimentary cup of coffee, improvising the filter with an old stocking. He likes it. Viv tells him that coffee can be made with milk too—called a “latte” after the “barista” who invented them. Cal is confused by words like “latte” and “barista” and suggests she provide a list of terms for her patrons.

Viv posts a “Help Wanted” advertisement on the message board in Thune’s town square, detailing her need for an assistant for a food service venture. She doesn’t expect anyone to show on the first day, and gets worked up waiting and drinking coffee. She worries she misplaced her trust in the Scalvert’s Stone. However, in late afternoon, a succubus woman enters the café, inquiring about Viv’s advertisement. She introduces herself as Tandri. Viv is full of nervous, caffeinated energy and apologizes for not expecting anyone to show. She does her best to explain coffee to Tandri, who is eager to learn. Tandri asks if Viv herself has the food service experience she’s asking her assistant to have; Viv admits she doesn’t. Viv mentions Tandri being a succubus, to which Tandri replies that Viv is an orc running a café. Viv stresses she isn’t judging Tandri, but wonders if she needs accommodations as a female demon. Tandri is indignant at the suggestion and replies she won’t “vamp” the customers. Viv feels embarrassed about asking and apologizes. She gestures to her sword and says fighting is all she’s ever known. She wants to be something else now and knows what it’s like to be judged by race, so she feels guilty for doing the same to Tandri. They move past the awkwardness, and Viv agrees to hire Tandri.

After removing her advertisement from the town square and eating dinner, Viv settles into her bedroll in the loft. She’s filled with anticipation and hears footsteps on the roof again. She runs outside to look, but nothing is there.

Tandri arrives early the next morning. Viv is still waiting for her coffee machine to arrive, so Tandri takes her to the Thune market to buy furniture and decor. Viv likes that Tandri isn’t cautious around her like most are; she likes Cal for the same reason. She also wonders about the Scalvert’s Stone’s lore. Tandri proves an excellent bargainer, and Viv feels the shopkeepers are responding to something about her. Afterward, she takes Tandri to lunch, where they discuss her decision to move to Thune and run a coffee shop. Tandri suggests coffee is far from what Viv is used to doing, to which Viv implies that she is judging her by appearance. Tandri is embarrassed, but Viv was simply joking and explains her previous life as a brutish adventurer. She’d wanted to leave that life for a while. She believes Tandri is about to say something in response, but Tandri remains silent.

When Viv and Tandri return to the shop, Viv’s coffee machine has arrived, and the dwarf delivering it, Roon, is one of Viv’s former party members. He was visiting his brother who runs the post and saw Viv’s name on a crate. He decided to deliver it himself to find out what Viv is up to since she left their party abruptly. Viv feels guilty for leaving the way she did, but worried she’d change her mind if she had to say goodbye. She introduces Tandri to Roon before they set up the coffee machine. Roon is uncertain how Viv plans to make her new life work, but she is confident. She asks about party member Gallina. Roon explains she’s hurt by Viv’s departure. Viv promises to write her, and they settle on a place for letters to be delivered, as the party is still adventuring. Roon gives her a Blink Stone before he leaves, which can be used to signal for help. Viv sees him off, asking him to apologize to the party on her behalf—with the exception of Fennus, whom Roon promises to kick in the rear.

Viv demonstrates how to use the machine while Tandri watches with interest. When Tandri takes her first sip of coffee, she exclaims with pleasure. Viv feels even more optimistic about her shop now.