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Isabella comes back after a while with four plates with food."One serving of pig ears and three servings of roast with dumplings." Isabella puts the plates on the table and moves on to move the next round of ales to the thirsty patrons. Spugnoir's plateis full of deep fried pig ears, and contrary to her earlier statement, they look not gnawed on at all.
"Yeah, that's what the dog said too. I'll see what I can do."
"I prefer roast, like most here. But if you insist I can offer the roast to the dog and ask him to part with the pig ear. I'll manage to deep fry that quickly."
At Abomentolor's temple/tavern the usual crowd enjoys lively chatter over an ale. Maybe two dozen patrons and Isabella that keeps their mugs from running dry. Music will be no issue, even though no one is playing right now, there are at least three bards present that have an instrument in reach. As the party enters, the patrons move chairs to make room for the new arrivals. "I'll be with you in a minute." Isabella tells as she passes with six mugs in her hands.
"On the way." Isabella replies and after a short trip to the kitchen, she grabs a full mug from the bar and brings it over to a nice corner table.
"It is still a few bottles. But it's not a big deal. It has a long shelf life." She puts another mug of ale in front of Faerveren.
Isabella slides over two mugs. "If you plan on becoming my best customer of the day, you're already behind more than two ales. You co8uld change to more expensive beverages to compensate for that. I have a very good wine if you'd like."
"Fresh and tasty like always." Isabella answers, before Persephone can say something that isn't praising the beverage.
"Well, even coughing up coins won't get you a meal here. Only cooking. I can suggest the Fat Goose, or if you want something more fancy, why not the Dolce Vita? I hear they have good wine." "Or you visit the Wild Boar. I hear the guards of the city watch are regulars there. You could meet some new people if you walk in with that crest."
Isabella is busy scrubbing the tavern again. "You are early. Are you looking for work?" Taking a second look at Persephone she inquires "You changed loyalties?"
As the guests start to arrive and the roasted goat smells like it's ready soon, Isabella puts it on the chalkboard as dish of the day for five silver a serving. To get rid of the expensive wine she puts it on the menu too for a gold a glass.
"Don't remind me. We had a demon fart in here and assault the guests. It was horrible. Half the patrons started vomiting. It lasted only seconds, until the demon fled, but it was very ugly until everything was cleaned up again." "Yesterday there were less patrons than usual."
Isabella throws her hands in the air. "I give up. Admit it, you conspired against me." "But no cash. Only a meal!"
Isabella bangs her head on the wall and starts fake crying. "Why am I punished with such people. You've been here long enough to know that I never have something like roasted goat on the menu. Only simple meals to put a ladle in and slop it into a bowl." Isabella complains.
"You're aware that some things spoil over time? Don't overdo it. The cart is behind the house in the yard. Isabella hands over 10 gold.
Isabella finished her meditation as all those interruptions are ruining it anyway. "Anyone who has no job to do and wants to go grocery shopping and cooking afterwards?"
Get lost, and if I ever see you again, I'll make stew of your stinking flesh." Isabella fumes. This is followed by the noise of shattered glass.
As it is still early in the day, around noon, there is not much going on in The Pig's Whistle. Isabella is lying on the counter, right foot on the counter knee n the air. As Menan and Arawyn enter she announces without opening her eyes "I'm meditating. No service, and stay quiet."
With the worst over Isabella blocks the exit door. "I know some of you can cast prestidigitation. No one leaves before this mess is cleaned up. Persephone get some buckets to pour in the worst of the mess."
Isabella calls on Cayden Cailean to heal the wounded.
A rapier of force appears and attacks.
"Sorry. I still got no reliable help for the kitchen." Isabella tells and puts an ale in front of Persephone. "I can offer you liquid supper though."
Isabella hands two of the platinum coins back. "Discount for buying in bulk." We have another one.
"Well. That went surprisingly nonviolent." Isabella comments as the thugs are out of earshot. "Let's see if some of them come back this evening."
"No." Isabella replies with a big smile, playing with the silver mug amulet hanging at her neck.
"No thanks. I still have more than ten bottles left from your last deliveries. Our patrons are not into that fancy s&*+. You can take that box with you and I need no further deliveries of that." Isabella replies with a smile.
Isabella fetches a cask from under the bar and heaves it on the counter. "One hundred gold please."
"There are your applicants." Isabella greets Persephone and Menan, pointing to a table where three men and a woman with a proper suntan sit over their ale. From the look of it, farmhands out for better pay.
The Pig's Whistle is bustling already. Isabella is busy handing out ale. The bards entertain the whole tavern. And surprisingly there is also food served. Tarte flambée, to go with the new wine, as announced on the chalkboard menu.
"Hi. You are Father Grimburrow I suppose?" Isabella inquires as she brings a preemptive ale. On confirmation she asks "Can I see the letter?" Reading what little text there is written and the two signatures she raises a brow. "Well, it's a try." She signs the document. "I expect you to be here on Wealday."
"Let me think about it." Isabella replies and returns to serving her patrons.
At the pigs whistle the usual entertainment is ongoing. Someone playing their newest songs on the piano. Another one with a fiddle joining in. Some singing along, some dancing. The dish of the day is tagliatelle carbonara. Isabella comes to the table where Persephone, Arawyn and Faerveren sit and brings their serving. Wine glasses are on the table like on all other tables too. "I commend a nice glass of wine to go with that. Anyone interested? Our special offer is this wonderful pinot bianco for only ten silver per serving." She holds out the bottle for all to see. The wine is really good, but she has it in abundance on the shelf. And almost none are willing to pay the 10 silver for a glass, much less the 15 silver it would take for her to make a 'profit'.
Isabella tries to get as much of the rubbernecks as possible into The Pig's Whistle. "Why not talk about what happened over an ale, or a meal? Come on in." Inside she draws mugs of ale and hands out the food, before it gets cold.
First Isabella arrives. The road caving in draws a lot of people to gawk curiously, but Isabella brings a rope and offers to pull her regulars out.
"A lot of people would disagree. And me too, not only for the obvious reasons. We make a lot more beer than we can sell. It would be a shame to have that become stale." "But I totally agree, that we should do that more often."
"I'm for sure be preaching about our god and shining example Cayden!" Isabella postulates with laugh all over her face. "But it's a natural fit if all your prayers end on a cheers and a big sip from your mug." "Yeah, street festival is good. Still I need some space to roast the oxen and hand out servings, where there is enough room for everyone to pass by this place without getting stuck in the crowd." She jumps up on the bar. And the whole tavern answers Then all get up and leave. She hops down again. "That is settled. Now I need to leave to the big brewery and get the people working on the delivery of the beer, order the meat, bread, coal, and whatever else we might need. At least we're sure there will be no rain."
At the tower clock bar Isabella is enthusiastic about the idea. !"Two oxen should be enough. That's about 100 gold. Add 20 gold for 1000 breads... are we going to include the cost of the beer? For another 100 gold we could serve beer at cost until no one can hold themselves upright. If we charge regular price, you'd have to make it 200 for 10000 mugs of beer." "I have no clue where to put the people, but if we simply make a long two sided bar on the central place between the new buildings and hand out food and beer with all hands we can gather of our team, it should work." "Some music would be nice, but I guess I can ask a few people I know."
"Indeed! Praise to the drunken hero!" Isabella calls over from the bar. The whole bar echoes "Praise to the drunken hero!" with raised mugs.
Indeed the tavern is full already in the morning and they start out sober. The service is led by Isabella. Songs are played, praising freedom, speeches are held, praising ale, wine and reckless deeds. It culminates into everyone drinking their first ale of the day in the name of Cayden and from there it deteriorates into the happy drinking and singing that is common here.
"Here you are." Isabella puts two mugs of ale on the counter for Arawyn and Menan.
"Work, or ale, or both?" Isabella greets the two elves.
"Not today, no." Isabella replies and offers a mug of ale.
"Wonderful. A hint: with your good looks you can make more money by smiling at the customers than with carrying the drinks."
At The Pig's Whistle the kitchen stays cold once again, while Isabella does the dishes, to have enough mugs for the evening. At the moment the tavern is still void of patrons. "It can't be that hard to find some help. Don't we have an orphanage in town? At least there I should find someone who can work for a silver and a meal." Isabella mutters. "Or am I the only one who isn't a rich snob already for whom such work is beneath them?"
"Hey, not only do you come and go without ordering anything, now you're even stealing my patrons!"
Isabella greets Persephone "Hello. I guess you're going to make progress on your way to get rich. There is a note for you."
"Sure. Once they took the tavern apart, I can call law enforcement. You see where that isn't any help?"
"MarinellI? That son of a donkey and a dead squirrel! If he died, half of the town would have him raised, just to kill him again. And the other half would piss on his grave! I have to pay 100 gold for ten bottles of wine every week, that I could buy for half the price elsewhere just as 'insurance' for my furniture." Isabella fumes. "It's a pity there are only so many torture methods you could apply before he dies..." Isabella keeps going on with the insults, but talking mostly to herself mumbling into her non-existent beard.
"I take that offer. But you have to do the groceries shopping first." Isabella replies.
"Then choose a table, I'll bring you some."
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