The Broken Shield

The war is over. The lunch rush has just begun. Rorek "The Mountain" Cleave-Helm has successfully transitioned from Warlord to Innkeeper. His knees are (mostly) healed, his Star-Fall Lager is the toast of the region, and he finally has a girlfriend who doesn't try to kill him. Life at The Empty Scabbard is good. It is also entirely too loud. Success has brought crowds, and crowds have brought a new enemy: Capitalism. Across the street, a flashy new tavern franchise called The Gilded Griffin has opened its doors. Run by a charismatic high-level Bard, it offers magical mood lighting, bottomless mead, and a distinct lack of soul. To save his business, Rorek decides to expand his humble inn. There is just one problem. When Rorek breaks ground on a new wine cellar, he discovers he isn't the only one living on the property. A tribe of Kobolds has been squatting in the foundation for centuries. They are noisy, obsessed with shiny spoons, and have immediately unionized against the renovations. Now, Rorek is fighting a war on three fronts: The Corporate Rival trying to buy him out. The Reptilian Staff living in his basement. The Incognito King upstairs, who just wants a quiet vacation and is terrible at hiding his identity. Rorek might have hung up his sword, but he'll need his shield more than ever—not to block arrows, but to serve the roast.