Running a Tavern as a Former Witch!

Rain poured, accompanied by the hammering of anxious thunder. The sky seemed upset today, and I knew more patrons would soon rush in to seek refuge from the storm. As expected, adventurers of various classes began pouring in, their chatter filling the tavern. I listened carefully, catching snippets of conversations about recent quests, lost relics, and the growing unrest in the southern kingdoms.

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to focus on the task at hand, but my concentration was interrupted by the pulse of power that reverberated from the Heart of Ember. I had hidden it inside an antique chest given to me by Vernon, the exiled artificer and friend to the current Queen. More of a brother figure, he says.

The familiar sound of the door chime snapped me back to reality. I opened my eyes to see a single figure standing in the doorway, his mesmerizing violet eyes meeting mine. It was him again—the enigmatic stranger who had brought the Heart of Ember back into my life.

"What brings you back so soon?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual.

He approached the counter, his cloak dripping with rainwater. "I have a proposition for you," he said, his voice low and serious.

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And what might that be?"

He leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. "The Heart of Ember is just the beginning. There are other artifacts, equally powerful and equally dangerous. A dark force is gathering them, and if they succeed, it will spell doom for us all."

I felt a chill run down my spine. "And you think I can help?"

"You have the skills, the knowledge, and the connections," he replied. "But more importantly, you have the Heart of Ember. We need to find the other artifacts before they do."

I glanced around the tavern, making sure no one was listening. "Who are 'they'?"

He hesitated for a moment before answering. "A cult known as the Shadow Circle. They believe that by gathering these artifacts, they can summon an ancient entity of unimaginable power. They're ruthless and will stop at nothing to achieve their goal."

My mind raced as I considered his words. The Shadow Circle was a name I'd heard whispered in fear, a secret society that operated in the shadows, manipulating events from behind the scenes. If they were involved, the stakes were higher than I had imagined.

"What's your name?" I asked, realizing I didn't even know who I was dealing with.

"Call me Eamon," he said, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Alright, Eamon," I said, my resolve hardening. "What's our first move?"

Eamon pulled out a map from his cloak and spread it out on the counter. "There are three other artifacts we need to find: the Staff of Aether, the Shield of Ages, and the Crown of Shadows. Each one is hidden in a different location, protected by powerful magic and dangerous guardians."

I studied the map, noting the marked locations. "And where do we start?"

He pointed to a spot deep within the Eldenwood Forest. "The Staff of Aether. It's said to be hidden in an ancient temple, guarded by the spirits of the forest. It's the closest and, perhaps, the least dangerous of the three." How convenient that it's quite close to our location.