The Tavern at the Crossroads is a welcome place of respite in the untamed wilds of the Immergrummel woods. The Innkeeper is a kind and unassuming Michtim* woman, called Thekla Leckertopf. Michtim cooking is renowned for rich flavors and a particular aptitude in the baking of muffin-like pastries called Bočične. At two feet height, Thekla is too small to serve all the bigger guests, and so she’s always looking for Longlegs that might help out in her establishment.

The door swings open and the patrons look at the door as strangers come in…

Information / Rules / Guides

• Feel free to join the game, be kind to each other. (You don't need to ask for my permission to join the narrative, just read up a little, to understand what sort of situation currently is going on.)
• If no staff is available, feel free to narrate some helping hand NPCs (like Mira, a human kitchen aid).
• Try not to escalate into violence, and if you do, please give us enough time to respond. Due to timezones, I have different times of availability than most of you.
• I'm the DM here, so if you have questions, just send me a Private Message!
• Leave progression of time to me; however, you can move around the scene as much as you want.
• It's collaborative and open. Don't worry, have fun.
• Here's a thread you can ask questions in.

Scenery & Culture

• The area around the Tavern is called Immergrummel woods (ever-grumble woods), it is a place that is connected to the feywilds in a similar way to how the Mist in Ravenloft works. Travelers that are in need of respite are sometimes magically brought to the Tavern, without them even realizing. The woods can be accessed from any pristine wilderness region in the Multiverse. If there's an untouched wood in your world, you can theoretically stumble into the Immergrummel woods.
• The tavern is a wooden building that is built into a huge tree. It has several floors.
• The food is really tasty and the smell of it is easy to perceive even from a distance. This place is known for pastries (called "Bocicne"), stews, good ale and tea. Also there are exotic drinks like cocoa and coffee, as well as fruit juices (called "Nectars").
• The Tavern accepts payment besides coin. Trading resources, food and service is pretty common. 
• The general tavern area is in the ground floor. There is also a kitchen down here, and a bar.
• The staff of the tavern is mostly Michtims (see below), but we also have Half-Elf and Human staff members.
• Upstairs there is a huge common sleeping area that is free to use. 
• There are also luxury bed rooms with hot baths and offering privacy; these have to be "paid for" (but not necessarily with gold)
• Outside the Tavern is a second big tree where the Michtims live upstairs. There are no ladders, so you have to be a good climber to get up to the rooms. These are all fairly small, since Michtims are just 2ft tall. 
• There's also a stable and well outside the Tavern. Animals are cared for by the staff, and some volunteers.

Michtims

If you want to know how Michtims look, check out this page (or my Avatar, really).

https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/races/5774-michtim

Short OOC Notice: Playing a Michtim without a Subscription

You can play a Michtim in this Tavern thread. If you want to create the characters on DnDBeyond, send me a Private Message and I'll send you the Campaign link. You can create a Michtim for the Campaign then. Otherwise, if you create characters offline, you can also download the Michtim Race for D&D on DriveThruRPG for free, of course.

An unassuming door behind the taven bar makes way to a small kitchen, where a young half elf named Gyro is about halfway done with washing dishes left over from the morning rush. He hears the door open as new guests arrive and knows Thekla will probably be needing help with new folks making orders. He always tries to get the kitchen clean before the inevitable lunch brigade comes in. It is usually pretty calm at the Crossroads, being in the middle of the woods and all, but you never know what kind of characters will pop in through that door, or how many, or how many dirty dishes they will make, and thus how long Gyro has to spend at the sink.

"Still better off than going on adventures", the young man says to himself. He grew up with a few other street rats who spent time pick pocketing whatever they could get their grabby little hands on, and when they had come of age, the eldest of the group had the bright idea to become mercenaries. It's like what we do now, the friend had told Gyro one day, but legal! So they took off from town, and given a weeks time they were all starved, penniless, stabbed, or robbed. So when Gyro found the gig to just hang out in a tavern in the middle of the wilderness and wash dishes with a pleasant Michtim lady, he took it and never looked back. 

Finishing the dishes, Gyro grabs the driest of the bunch and restocks them on the shelves and goes over to the bar to take some orders from new patrons. He sees Thekla across the room, kind as always, and flashes her a smile. He generally always, always looks like he is having an anxiety attack, but likes this place and has enjoyed his time here.

Not everyone needs to have a great story.

"Gyro, is everything alright, honey?" Thekla's look was a bit concerned, but her motherly smile had a very comforting effect on others. "Have you had something to eat at all? Be sure to take some of my root meat stew, it will get you nice and warm inside."

"Oh I'm fine, don't worry about me. Your stew is amazing, so I wouldn't think otherwise" He smiles back to her as he walks over, "Also, I was going to make a trip into town tomorrow, would you like me to pick anything up? If you make a list I'd grab some things for you." 

“Oh! That’s so kind of you! I could really use some fresh fruit, if you could get something fresh or sweet? That would be so helpful! Are you seeing someone?” she winks and proceeds to climb one of the seats to get a good look at him.

"Oh, you know that nice family of hunters who rolled through yesterday? One of the kids left behind a backpack, thought I would run it out to them. They mentioned sticking around in the area for a bit to take care of some things, so I bet I can get it to them." Gyro watches as the patrons settle into their seats with food, a moment of calm as the Tavern becomes quiet, an almost magical seeming feature from the amount of compassion that must be put into Thekla's cooking. "Plus its always good to get a good long walk in now and then, don't you think?"

The tavern door cracks open and a large nose pokes in and takes a large whiff of air. Patrons glance over in curiosity and are about to return to their meals when the door opens and the light in the frame is eclipsed by a massive figure. A large, hulking Goliath removes his backpack and places it in his hand as he squeezes through the door, taking care to not thump his head or bump into the frame, possibly damaging the structural integrity of the building itself. Most patrons are now audibly quiet with a few whispers being exchanged. As he looks towards the patrons, he knows his presence can cause concern or wonder, so he holds up his empty hand in greeting and gives a slight nod with a small smile to show he's friendly and means no harm. Most patrons return to their meals, but still give him curious glances. No one is being rude, so he walks a little further inside the tavern.

He looks very tired, has a bandage on a small wound, and his backpack is slightly dirty and has a pristine, massive maul with geometric shapes on his back. He has various old scars on his body and has tattooed patterns on his face and arms, but they look nothing like traditional tribal patterns from Goliath lore. One dwarf patron sitting near the door, who looks slightly well-off, briefly looks to be studying them and the shapes on his maul. The dwarf appears to be perplexed and surprised, especially taking notice of the tattoos. He sees a small Michtim woman placing an order of pastries on a serving tray and also notices a smaller table made for Halfling customers eating the same pastries. "Those look delicious..." he thinks to himself.

He notices a half-elf behind the bar cleaning a mug and with a hunters backpack beside him. He notices a slight bit of anxiety in his body language and having been politely and rudely declined service at unsavory places before, he knows to ask to sit to avoid potential confrontation. He is not sure if he's nervous from dealing with patrons or if it's by his presence. However, his feeling is this place is quite friendly with a rustic charm, so he's not wary of any trouble. He walks over to an empty part of the bar and places his backpack on the floor next to his feet. He says to both the half-elf at the bar and the woman, who happens to be nearby, "My name is Ogoth. May I sit?" in a deep voice, hoping to not impose too much as both look fairly busy with their duties. Ogoth then says, "If so, do you prefer I sit anywhere in particular?" Not wanting to break yet another wobbly chair at a tavern that can't support his massive frame.

Ogoth takes another small sniff of the air by the bar, "If the food smells half as good as it tastes, then I know I've come to the right place. I could really use a hearty meal and a nice, large mug of ale. Perhaps an order of those pastries as well, if I may sit." Ogoth reaches into his pocket and briefly holds up a small pouch of coins to show he intends to fully pay for everything.

“Sure! We have sturdy chairs over there! No worries, you should be comfortable. I’ll get you something to eat! We have a fresh stew made of different roots, meat and kraut. Also the cherry choc Bočične are really tasty, I’ll get you one of those. I’m prepared for bigger guests, so we’ll get you well fed, no problem!”

Thekla looks at his bandage. “You want me to get Adalwulf, my nephew? He’s a capable healer. He can take care of this, for free too. It’s part of our services.”

The door swings open and two other Michtims enter (*see avatar). A light colored one with a green scarf and pilot goggles, and a brownish one with a grey cloak and colorful potions on his belt. They seem jovial and greet the patrons, aiming for a free table that is decorated with a smallish bonsai-like tree. Thekla looks over to them, waving at the two of them, and waves at one of her staff members to take care of the new guests.

"Very kind of you, whatever dishes and ale you recommend, I'll have. It's been several weeks since I've had a hot meal and anything decent to drink." Ogoth picks up his equipment and says, "This wound is just a scratch, but I suppose it should be properly healed by your nephew. I accept. Call me Og."

Og picks up his gear and sits in the sturdy chair at the bar, thankful that it doesn't give way. "This seems like a fine place, how do you stay supplied with so much variety out here? I ran into a family of hunters in the area who recommended that I visit this place after they bandaged my arm. I'm amazed how nice this place is out here, they weren't exaggerating. One the wee ones was without a pack," Og points to the backpack by the half-elf, "their packs looked similar to that one. I'm not sure if they were making their way back here, but they aren't too far away."

Og exhales from slight weariness and looks towards the half-elf behind the bar, "I'd also like whatever ale that you recommend when you have a moment, please."

With that Og settles into the chair to happily wait for whatever food and drink they recommend and to have his wound given proper attention, glad to be off his feet and out of the cold forest.

Thekla nods and signals over to the two other fluffy travelers. “Tym, can you climb upstairs and see if Adalwulf is done with his studies? Tell him someone needs his attention, oh and could you get some Firehoney for me too? Og here needs a proper drink to warm up a little”. 

Tym, the one with the green scarf gets up, smiles at the three of them and makes his way up the tree outside the Tavern, where the Michtims have their dens in the treetops.

After just a couple of minutes the small guy returns with a fellow friend in tow. Adalwulf is of a yellowish white coloration with amber eyes. He wears a smooth brown cloak with fine golden embroideries that depict owls and woodland animals. A tiny golden owl brooch is affixed to the cloak and fluffy white feathers dangle from it. The Michtim has a wild hairstyle, and smells of cinnamon.

”Servas, dear friend Og!” the punky looking Warlock announces. “Let me have a look at your scratch. Is it ok if I touch you with my paws?”

Gyro finished what he was doing and then turned towards Og, "Uhhhhh yeah! The Homebrew Adventure Ale is the best we have!" He gets out a mug and pulls out a barrel from under the bar to fill it a bit, and then looks to the mug, and then back to Og, and then back to the mug, and then back to Og. "Hold on a second, I can do better". Rushing to the back, he brings out one of the larger mugs, puts it on the table, empties the contents of the smaller mug into it, and then tops it off with the barrel. 

"The town nearby usually has a pretty good stock of ingredients, but also with travelers coming through all the time from all different directions: its amazing what they usually have for trade. I haven't been here that long, but even in the short time I have I have gotten to taste some interesting spices I'v never heard of before." Gyro looks down at the hunter's family bag down near the floor, "And yeah, the youngest of that lot was a bit excitable, I think they forgot their pack. I am heading to town in the morning to get some stuff done, so I figured I would track them down."

As Og's food and drink started appearing in front of him, and the other Michtim seemed to be taken care of, so Gyro leans back against the back of the bar a bit, watching Adalwulf work. he was always fascinated by spellcasters process, but obviously tried not to stare. "My name is Gyro," he says to Og and smiles, "thanks for coming in today!"

(OOG: I totally expected him to come from a room upstairs somewhere inside the tavern, but having little room in a tree outside is why I love these evolving stories. Caught me pleasantly by surprise)

Og watches as Tym scurries outside to get his friend. Og says, "Thank you very much Thekla, for your hospitality."  Through his years of hard travelling, he has developed a strong wonder for the creatures of the world, big and small, intelligent or in nature and these Michtim are no exception. Something about them renews his soul and he feels very much at home with their hospitality.

After relaxing a couple minutes in the cozy chair, he sees both Michtim return and admires the clothing detailing on Tym's friend. Og says something in a different language to Adalwulf in response, and touches a geometric looking tattoo on his forehead. It looks to be a greeting in a different language, individuals unfamiliar with the language and noticing the geometric tattoo designs on his forehead and arms, one can usually pick up that the greeting was possibly Dwarvish. Then in common, Og gives a different greeting,"Greetings Adalwulf, of course, by all means. It's just a small scratch (by Goliath's standards) by a small group of bandits on the way here. They won't be bothering anyone anymore, thankfully." 

Og then places his arm a little lower so it will be more accessible. There are very exquisite and highly detailed tattoo patterns on his injured left forearm, the same one the Dwarf at the table by the door briefly studied as Og entered the tavern. It appears to have not just geometric shapes, but also various runes and incantations written with great care and fine detailing, and also wraps around his forearm and upper arm like a constricting snake. At a close glace, one can see they aren't just from mere ink, but also from extremely tiny grains of various gems, precious stones, and tiny flakes of gold, silver, and other valuable metals. A beam of light coming through a window happens to touch a part of his upper arm and it appears to make that portion of the tattoo shimmer and twinkle. "If the wound needs stitching, please try your best to keep any potential damage to any tattoos to a minimum, they're very dear to me," Og says with a smile signifying his trust.

Just before he let's Adalwulf examine him, Og makes a little small talk, as it appears Og is slightly nervous when it comes to medical exams, not necessarily from personal experience, but more likely from things he's seen during his life as a soldier. Hoping to engage in some small talk while his wound is being examined to take his mind off remembering whatever trauma going on in his head, he notices the owl theme on his cloak and brooch. His curiosity is perked,"Your embroidery and brooch depicting owls is very interesting. In all my years travelling and...encounters...(he says with a hint of pain and anguish), I've never seen anything like that. What's its significance if I may ask?"  Og then awaits Adalwulf to treat him and will eat afterwards. "You and your friends are welcome to dine with me afterwards if you wish, my token of appreciation."

Adalwulf smiled motherly, while he intently examined the wound and also the intricate patterns of runes and geometric shapes. He looked into Og's eyes, as suddenly his own eyes started to glimmer in a faint gold, with wispy tendrils of smoke flowing forth from his gaze (Thaumaturgy). "She, who teaches kindness. It's her commandment that drives all that is good in this world. However small the deed may be." A faint cry of an owl seemed to ring in Og's ear (Druidcraft), as suddenly a wave of warmth and comfort washed over his body, enveloping his skin and reminding him of all his past accomplishments and reasons to be joyful.

"Don't worry. Your skin will be restored the way it was before you were harmed. No need for crude implements. She, who watches over us, will take care of it. I'm certain." (Cure Wounds, 14 HP healed). 

"The owl is but one form she may take, to be exact. You might not think that way, depending on your upbringing, but She, who loves compassionately also appears in the guise of a spider, sometimes."

A hooded figure is plucking the string of a lyre in the most open area of the tavern, a hauntingly beautiful male voice singing along with the lyre in a foreign language. A small bowl is set in front of him, clearly to gather coin.

A young tabaxi woman with silver fur drops a coin into the bowl and slips silently over to the bar. A slim, short cat woman with a long scar down her shoulder, Cloud is a regular here, taking some time off from adventuring in this village. She arrives at the bar, gives a quick smile to the unfamiliar goliath being tended by Adalwulf, and addresses Thekla and Gyro. A small mug of the Homebrew Adventure's Ale and a pastry please. She turns to the goliath. You're new. What's your name?

Gyro see Cloud come in, and rolls back into the kitchen to find that a series of pastries just came out of the oven. After making sure they are all accounted for and ready to go, he takes one that he knows she seems to like whenever she comes in, and pairs it together with the mug of ale. A beat after she asks for it, her order is on the counter.

"Always great to see you, Cloud!"

Not wanting to interrupt her budding conversation with Og, he gets some of the new pastries out to a few folks who were waiting for them. Gyro also generally prefers to not give himself the chance to be a fool, since he thinks Cloud is one of the more brilliant customers to come in from time to time. Plus, you know. His job. Gotta do it. Pastries. To customers. And all that. Probably some dishes to do too!

The door to the tavern opens and a small figure peeks their head in looking around, before coming in fully. A dark blue tiefling with long black hair and dressed in torn and dirty robes makes her way though the the tavern. A scimitar hangs off her hip and a quarterstaff shares space on her back with a small pack. She walks sort of curled in on herself, wincing as her hoofed feet clop loudly against the wooden floor. Her eyes darting around the tavern nervously as she makes her way over to the bar.  When she get to the bar, she quietly sits down and leans over and speaking softly to the the workers.

"Excuse me, could I have something to eat please? Meat is preferable, but I'd be fine with anything honestly. Not mushrooms though, please no mushrooms. I have enough of them already." As if to prove the point she brushes her hand through her hair and pulls out a small toadstool, setting it on the table in front of her. She gives the workers a sheepish smile.

"Um. You all wouldn't happen to have a brush I could use would ya?" She asks in an even quieter voice, face flushing into a deep purple, as she fiddles with the heavy blue scarf around her neck.

Og sits back and feels the soothing healing provided by Adalwulf. Hearing the faint sound of an owl in his ear, he feels at ease remembering the pleasant moments of being in the woods during the calm of night.

He watches as the wound on his arm closes and heals fully, never ceased to be amazed at the healing powers that certain individuals are gifted with exhibiting. "It always amazes me how restorative powers work," Og says with a deep voice, but with a certain serenity to it. "I feel much better, thank you. How did you happen to discover your gift for these arts? I've been healed before by others with similar gifts, but never with an added feeling of tranquility."

He also overhears the tabaxi woman addressing him, he believes he hears her name is Cloud, but still wishes to properly introduce himself. Placing a closed fist on his chest and giving a slight nod he says to both (Cloud & Gyro), "Ogoth Kinshield, at your service, but please call me Og."

He turns to speak to (Cloud). "I was passing through the area and was told to stop in by a family of hunters, if I wanted possibly the best cooked meal in my life. I couldn't pass that up. Are you a regular? What's your name?"

Og then turns to Gyro behind the bar and points to the backpack, "The child of one of those hunters I met on the road not too far from here was missing a pack. That one looks similar to the ones they were wearing. They're probably only an hour's walk South of here, at most. They might appreciate having it back after nearly being robbed, or worse, by a few bandits earlier." 

Og then holds his hand up to his mouth to whisper something to Gyro, noticing his slightly nervous behavior when speaking to Cloud, "If you want, I could deliver it to them, or show you on my map where they are, if you wanted to impress the tabaxi lady here," Og says with a wink, hoping to loosen Gyro up a bit.

Saying to both of them, as well as Adalwulf, and Thelka and Tym (if both are still nearby), "A pleasure to meet all of you." Og then takes a gulp of his Honeyfire ale and a bite of his sweet pastry. Slowly savoring both of them, while enjoying the music filling the tavern.

(Just to see if Og recognizes the musical language from his travelling, assuming it's not Dwarven. Insight: 8)

Thekla returns from the kitchen, dusting some flour off her apron. She walks up to the blue Tiefling girl and addresses her: "Oh, hey, honey! I have a brush I can get you, no problem. Just take a seat, and I will see to it. We also have a baked butter dove, if that is more to your liking. It's really delicious, although I guess you would have to eat two of those. They're a bit smallish." 

She also makes sure to say hi to Cloud "How are you today? Have you gone on adventures lately? I see Gyro already gotcha covered, but if you want to try something new, I have a Schwarzwälderkirsch (blackwood cherry) cake in the back that's just waiting to be tested by all of you. I'm going to get it! Oh, but I need help, it is quite large. Can someone help?"

Adalwulf nods at Og "Yes, there is a vast difference in restorative magics. I've had a philosophical discussion with Cornelius Funkenflug von Abendrot a while back. He is Turnaya's Archmage and he basically explained that some healing magics are nothing short of limited time travel. In my case it is not so fancy, I guess. Ever since I met her, She, who strives for friendship, has allowed me to tap right into a wellspring of pure love and compassion. This is also part of the reason, why I can offer my healing for free. I just need a short moment of respite, and I can offer my services again. So, I think my gift should be shared freely. For the benefit of the community, that is. Just as it is common understanding in Haus Turnaya. We value Charity above all else, hence Thekla here is not interested in riches. We trade foodstuff and stories, connect people and make sure everyone is happy. It brings peace and understanding to the world."

Tym walks over to the bard and showers him with applause once he finishes a song. "Oh, this is great. I love your music. Can I get you something to eat or drink?"

"Okay yes thank you, those butter doves sound delicious, I'll have two with an ale please." With that the tiefling settles into her seat and pulls out a small journal, flipping threw the pages. Once she gets to the one she wants she pulls out a pencil and begins writing, keeping an ear out on the conversations around her.