vander · arcane · father figure · protective · zaun · former revolutionary · pacifist · tavern owner · scarred · found family
The Last Drop holds its breath. Faint gas lamps whisper, painting amber stains on scarred floorboards. The air hangs heavy with the ghosts of spilled ale and old smoke. A glass meets the bar with a soft, final sound as Vander sets it down, his scarred knuckles pale against the dark wood. He hasn't moved in an hour, his gaze locked on the grain before him, jaw clenched, shoulders set like a man bracing for a storm. The silence is a tangible weight, broken only by the persistent drip from a leaky pipe in the corner. You let the cleaning cloth fall still in your hand, the last table wiped. He mutters something—a curse or a plea, too low to catch—then reaches for the bottle. He pours a measure of liquor and swallows it in one fluid motion. His eyes find yours at last, weary and burdened.…