They opened an Inn with a restaurant less than a half-mile from the opening to tunnels that lead to underdark cities. The rules were simple. Don't be an arse, everyone was welcome, and if you were too poor to afford food and shelter, no problem, you'll still be fed. The staff consisted of both sunsiders and people from the underdark working together, with the shift changing as the sun set and rose so that the place was always open for those in need. -- Anon Guest
[AN: It's 'Everdark', which is legally distinct from Underdark (a wholly owned subsidiary of WotC) ]
You could call it a Halfway House, being that it was halfway between two worlds - the upper and lower. Perched at the cavern entrance to one of the main trade roads to the Everdark, it's literally half in shadow. Half of the Inn's gardens were in the shelter of the caverns. So too was half the livestock. It's one of the few Inns in the area with a Weapons Check at the doors. Which also have Wards of Peace inlaid in the lintels.
Mostly because half the clientele are natural enemies of the other half.
Those who ran the place were extremely careful with their precautions. They had to be. As far as they knew, the All Welcome Inn was the only one that welcomed those from below as well as those from above. Deepfolk and sunsiders alike staffed the place. They were misfits, all of them. Nowhere else took them in, so they stayed there.
Most of the staff of the All Welcome Inn were Halfbreds. Children of chance meetings, unlucky encounters, or ill-thought affairs. Cared for enough to see them capable to survive, and usually left with the rest of a lifetime of trauma. Until they found their way to the inn, and a place to belong.
Scrape had just found it, and though he didn't have any weapons, he feared everything and everyone inside. He could see that none inside had weapons. They still had loud voices. They could still use their fists. They could still throw things.
He flinched as a Halfbred Orc approached, but only felt the warmth of a fresh bread roll in his hands.
"You're new. You might like to hunker by the fireplace. There's some nice, soft cushions there. And before you ask, that's yours." They helped Scrape wrap his hands around it. "A fair share for all."
Scrape slunk to the cushions by the fireplace and curled around the roll. He bit it into fast bites, stuffing them into his cheeks lest anyone try to snatch it away.
Three tables away from Scrape, someone in gleaming armour was complaining about the cost. The Stone Elf serving him pointed to Scrape.
"We charge you that much so that folks like him can eat, too. You can afford it. He can't."
The armoured woman - a Paladin - made Scrape flinch with her stare. Then she handed over a heavy pouch. "That's full of gems," she said. "More than enough for your needs. And I shall try the illumina mushroom casserole. Thank you."
It was the first time in Scrape's life that a Paladin didn't go out of their way to spit on him.
This time, it was a Hellkin like him, holding a tankard. "This is fresh, warm, spiced milk. Drink it slowly, eh? You might make yourself sick if you gulp it down, and then I have to mop the floor."
Hellkin trusted Hellkin, because if they couldn't trust their own kind - what was the point?
Scrape warmed his hands on the tankard, and took a sip. Held it in his mouth to savour the taste in spite of his desire to swallow the lot at once. It was the most delicious drink he'd ever had. There were further offerings. Small servings of fruit. Cheese. Slices of meat that Scrape could eat with his fingers.
There was a hot bath and clean clothing and the rarest thing of all - respect. And Deepfolk who attempted to flirt with him.
He started mucking out the stables and animal enclosures in less than a week, out of unadulterated gratitude. By that time next year, he was waiting tables with the other waifs and strays who decided to stay. And making eyes at a Deep D'varuv who thought he was cute.
[Photo by Ani Adigyozalyan on Unsplash]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends! Or visit my hub site to see what else I'm up to.
Send me a prompt [14 remaining prompts!]