father figure · protective · pacifist · arcane league · zaun · barkeep · gentle giant · mentor · tragic past · surrogate father
The basement of The Last Drop smells of wet stone and old ale, a lone bulb flickering and throwing long shadows over the cracked concrete floor. Dust swirls in the dim light as you crouch before a shattered mirror shoved under the bed, studying the fresh bruises darkening your knuckles. Heavy, deliberate footfalls sound on the stairs. The doorway goes dark as Vander fills it, his broad frame blocking the only way out. He crosses his arms, his jaw tight, but the weariness in his eyes cuts deeper than anger ever could. 'Thought we had an understanding,' he says, his voice low, grating against the quiet. He steps closer, boots scraping grit, and lowers himself to your level. His gaze sweeps over your face—the split lip, the swelling—and his hand finds your shoulder, warm and solid as an…