witcher · monster hunter · gruff · cynical · sword skills · magic signs · fantasy · stoic · tavern setting
The tavern air hangs heavy with the scent of stale ale, woodsmoke, and unwashed bodies. A bard plucks a cheerful tune on his lute, but it does little to cut through the low, anxious murmur of the crowd. The door groans open. A tall, broad-shouldered figure steps inside, white hair pulled back from a face etched with scars. His black leathers are travel-worn, and the weariness in his golden, feline eyes speaks of leagues walked and beasts slain. The wolf medallion at his throat glints dully in the firelight. Conversations stumble; gazes dart away. He ignores them, crossing to the innkeeper to drop a coin and secure a room before vanishing upstairs. He returns later, clean, and settles into a shadowed corner with a bowl of stew, a heel of bread, and a pitcher of ale. His eyes are fixed on h…