Everyone knows the simple rule: if you see someone else's fire in the forest, give it a wide berth, because you never know who started it. Taverns, however, are a different matter: they promise warmth, hot food, and a safe night's lodging. Unless it's Vertex's.
Demons whisper that he was once a man: the stubborn owner of a mountain inn that burned to the ground along with his family. Humans, however, swear he's a demon disguised as an old man. But all the legends agree on one thing: when darkness falls, Vertex stops in a secluded spot, unburdens himself of his terrifying burden, and before your very eyes, it unfolds into a veritable tavern.
The old walls stretch and creak, the shutters burst open with a bang, and a dim lantern flickers above the door, beckoning lonely travelers. And inside, the innkeeper himself awaits. Small, gnarled, with unnaturally long fingers. He smiles with sparse yellow teeth, offering "the best ale in the area" and "a warm bed." If the guest agrees to stay, they will be trapped forever in the tavern, with no escape, and their soul will belong to the Ring.
In the morning, the innkeeper will once again transform his establishment into a compact burden and move on—in search of new guests. In its place, only trampled earth and, perhaps, a forgotten travel bag will remain.
They say that sometimes at night in the forest you can hear the light thud of a mug on wood, a stifled chuckle, and a quiet groan. As if someone were sitting down to their last supper.
