“ ARCHIBALD!” A pimple-faced gnome looked up from the pan he was holding, ashen-faced as a kobold about the height of his shoulders barked at him.  “ PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR CAVE SQUID! IF IT’S OVERCOOKED, I’LL MAKE YOUR SKIN INTO CRACKLING, IS THAT CLEAR?“

“Y-yes, Lak Lok, sir!,”he stammered out. Lak Lok strutted through the bowels of the busy kitchen, acting as if he was three times taller than he actually was. These amateurs had the gall to call themselves chefs. He scoffed at the thought. There was no vigor, no passion, no drive in any of their movements. Gold was their dream. The kobold signed in disappointment. 3 months and still there were no signs of Garrakg’s blessings as the year’s end approached. 

 Fall had come in all its glory to the Continent, its dry gales roaring in and replacing the fleeting remains of summer’s end. It was said that every season brought new hopes and challenges. For Lak Lok, it was mostly the latter that concerned him. Such as the horde of starving, hungry adventurers knocking on the front door of every eatery, tavern, inn and amateur market stall in Nowyre. Nowyre Crossroads was both the best and worst place that you could decide to build your business in, especially an inn. Located in the central mountain ranges, it was one of the central hubs for trade, travel and traveling to trade. 

Right now, orders in the Burgundy Inn were piling up like a dragon’s horde. In the kitchen,  a hot fog suffused the very air, thick with scents of gingerflower, roasted cuts of meat and bubbling stew. Plates of food came out and empty ones came back in a monotonous cycle. Lak Lok walked over towards a cauldron where a half-elf was pouring in slime soup stock over the roaring fires. Producing a wooden spoon from his belt, his face morphed into disgust as he tasted a sample. 

“ Needs more mimic salt, Ollo. Stoke the fires too-”” The double doors to the busy kitchen swiveled open as a bony looking lizardfolk came into the room. A satchel swelling at the seams with letters was slung around his shoulders. 

“ Excuse me, is there a Mister Lak Lok. There’s a letter for - “ The kobold jumped up and snatched it from his hands before ushering the courier out in a hurry. Cutting it open with one single stroke of his knife, he began to read through it whilst commenting on the cooking of every chef in the kitchen. 

“ Let’s see what we have here….Is that smoke I smell from your hydra flanks, Donovan? “Hire someone of your abilities - too much honey on that candied apple, Vyx.....reward money to be split…..don’t add too much pickled bark on that salad…..upfront payment of 500 dollars…...” 


Lak Lok stopped walking and then read that part aloud again. 


“ 500 dollars?!”

[hr] 

The only positive thing that Lak Lok had to say about the Caraway inn was that he’d seen worse before. That was nothing to say about the food. He ordered the Sellsword’s Sunrise and received a platter of mediocrity. He was very nearly tempted to execute the chef for his heretical cooking. The raven eggs were sub-par, watery yolks combining with half-boiled whites to make a disaster. The cold cut owlbear was stringy and the stale mulberry gravy hadn’t complimented the harsh, gamey taste that the species was known for. The toast was better left unmentioned. 

At least the aardvark cheese was good. 

After eating what could possibly be called breakfast in Garrakg’s eye and washing it down with cold acorn coffee, he followed the instructions of the letter, walking down the hallways and aisles of the inn and checking every number. 

“ 287…..295…..300…Oof!”

In the midst of his searching, he hadn’t managed to notice the giant goliath blocking the doorway. He stood back up, patting off the dust, before shoving himself through the open space between the goliath’s legs. 

“ Garrakg save my strength today….” he grumbled. Looking around the room, the current occupants consisted of an otter, a Genasi and some hooded human. 

“ If any one of you is this….” He paused. “ ...A.G, make sure that you choose an establishment with better food next time. This piddle is not fit for a cleric of Garrakg.”