Wayside Inn

About

Names

The Wayside Inn, The Wandering Hearth, The Welcome Rest

The Wayside Inn is not a regular location like other inns or taverns found throughout Entorais. The place is a cryptic and supernatural location which seemingly appears and disappears at random while shifting its location throughout the world of Entorais; even visiting other worlds, if you believe the stories some visitors share. Given the random nature of the inn's appearances, most encounters seem like a tall tale or ghost story when recounted by visitors. It never seems to remain in one location for longer than a single day and night, and efforts to intentionally return to the inn universally end in failure. Those who claim to have visited the inn describe it as a chance encounter. They seem to come across the inn just when they were looking for a place to rest during a long journey. Some recall a sense of deja vu upon seeing the inn, and describe the relaxed and jovial atmosphere of the place as welcoming, like one was returning home after being away for months or years.

Location

The locations at which the Wayside Inn has been sighted vary, but have some common elements. It is always found along a travelled route, often at a crossing of more than one road or trail, but it never appears closer than a half-day's ride from any significant settlement. If one returns to the location where they believe the inn to have been, no evidence of the building will be found. Grass at the site may be trampled by mounts and footprints or other signs at the site may be found, but appear as one would expect from any typical roadside camp site.

Services Provided

Food and Drink

The Wayside Inn provides a variety of both hot and cold meals resembling both local and foreign recipes and ingredients. Drinks are also available ranging from local regional beers and wines to more exotic and foreign vintages and spirits. Prices for meals and drinks match the local economy.

Storytelling

The inn is a place for sharing stories with fellow travellers. Such activity is encouraged by the patrons present during any given encounter, and a seat by the fire is reserved specifically for such. Telling a story, however fantastical, can usually earn one a few free drinks from the audience.

Staff

Owner

No one can reliably say if they have met the owner. The persons working at the inn vary in description, being of mixed ethnic and racial groups. However, most visitors describe the staff as being from their local ethnicity and culture. They all communicate in the local language, although they lack regional accents.

History

The Wayside Inn, or some variant of it, has been reported by travellers in every civilized region of Entorais for more than a thousand years. Most consider it a dream had by the travel weary while they slept during a rest stop on long journey. However, groups of travellers have also reported stopping together at such a place from time to time, which discounts the dream as an explanation. Some folk believe the inn may be a haunted site, or the inn itself is a ghost, with all the occupants being lost souls.

Stories

Awake (fifty word fantasy)