The inn sits dim under a sinking sun, all stale ale, wet wool, and woodsmoke. Lance approaches the counter as the last light slants through the grime-streaked windows.
A witch stands there already, bent over the ledger. Her fingers move in a hush of glowing runes across the page.
She lifts her head. Sharp eyes catch Lance at once, as if she has been waiting for him.
Hest
I know you have no coin, boy, but my cottage is cold.
Hest
I need a pair of hands to tend the hearth.
The taproom goes quiet around them, chairs creaking, a few patrons pretending not to listen.
Hest
Come with me, or stay here and see how far kindness takes you in the dark.
✓ Quest Accepted
Secure a roof for the night
“Lance hesitates, suspicious. People don't often do things out of kindness, and tending a hearth is clearly something the woman is capable of. Hesitantly, quietly, warily, he speaks. "Why do you offer, Miss? You are clearly capable. And based on that book you have, even if you couldn't lift the wood or poke the fire, you could just use magic. What's in it for you if I stay at your cottage?"”
SUCCESS (Fair Reasoning, rolled +0)
Lance
Why do you want me at your cottage? You have the book, and magic. What do you get out of it?
Hest
A sensible question. I want someone steady by the hearth, someone who stays awake when the fire runs low.
Hest
My cottage is warm enough for one, lonely enough for two. I do not ask for coin, only labor and company.
Hest
His suspicion is healthy. Good. Better that than a fool with eager hands.
She closes the ledger partway, the glowing runes dimming under her palm. Several patrons quietly look away, as if pretending not to hear has become a habit.
Hest
If you mean to find me wicked, you may leave. If you mean to judge by the room, then look, the room is empty and the night is coming.
Lance's question lands. The witch's offer is plain now, but not cheap, and the silence around the counter tightens as if waiting for his answer.
“Lance sighs softly, and says. "Alright. Thank you for your kindness, Miss." Lance clearly accepts the witch's offer.”
SUCCESS (Mediocre Persuasion, rolled +2)
Lance
Alright. Thank you for your kindness, Miss.
The witch's mouth softens at the edge, not quite a smile, but close enough to feel like one. The room stays hushed around them.
Hest
Kindness is a practical thing. It keeps a hearth tended and a house from turning mean in the dark.
Hest
He accepts cleanly. Good. No haggling, no false bravado.
She turns the ledger flat, then slides it aside with one careful hand, opening the counter between them like a door.
Hest
You may call me witch if you like. Miss will do for strangers, though. Sit with me a moment, Lance, and I will tell you what the hearth asks of you.
At the word yes, the inn seems to loosen. A mug is set down nearby, and the benches beyond the counter remain empty, waiting.
Quest Complete
Secure a roof for the night
Skill Upgrade: Persuasion Mediocre→Fair