Merrygold's Table The Time of Troubles & Era of Upheaval Inspired By Ed Greenwood

A cosy restaurant specialising in rustic farmstead meals, run by a warm, cheerful halfling named Luth Merrygold. The restaurant has a reputation for hospitality, and Luth refuses to let anyone leave her establishment hungry— whether they can pay or not.

The diversity of the restaurant’s clientele is as varied as the restaurant’s repertoire. Weary travellers needing comfort, a local farmer celebrating a bountiful harvest, or an adventurer returning from danger will all be served a meal worth remembering.

While Luth enjoys a good story from passing adventurers, he doesn’t have much tolerance for troublemakers, often settling disputes with nothing more than a sharp look and an even sharper carving knife.

Merrygold's Table is a popular inn of Westbridge, frequented by Halflings from the surrounding area as well as the tall folk. While the precise date of the inn's construction is untold, during the early days of Westbridge it was already a popular location. The Inn's location in the region allowed it to import ales from across the region. Local wine brewers also sell wines and ales to the inn.

The owner, Luth Merrygold is a plump and cheerful halfling with curly auburn hair, laugh lines around her deep brown eyes, and an ever-present apron that smells of butter, herbs, and fresh-baked bread. She wears a simple tunic with rolled-up sleeves and well-worn boots. Her voice carries the warmth of a hearth fire on a cold evening.

Always warm and welcoming, treating everyone like family. She often calls her regulars “love” or “dearie” and frequently spends time sharing the latest gossip or stories that travellers of the Long Road have shared. She is focused on creating perfection in the kitchen and fiercely protective of her recipes and secret foraging spots.

Growing up in the eastern foothills, her siblings took to the fields, and Luth took to the kitchen. She learned early that a well-cooked meal could ease tension, mend friendships, and turn a house into a home. She settled in Westbridge and opened Merrygold’s Table, a cosy restaurant specialising in hearty, rustic farmstead meals.

The upstairs rooms are very well kept up, twelve in total, half hobbit sized and half human sized. Each room has a round window looking out, the beds are soft with multple feather quilts resting on them. Each room has multple rugs, a table and chair with a foot locker at the foot of the bed. This inn opens at the break of dawn and closes well after the sun has gone down. The food and drink are famously known far and wide around the lands.

BREAKFAST
Biscuits & Gravy: 3cp
Scone & Jelly: 9cp
Fluffy Scrambled Eggs: 8cp
Sausage With Tomato Relish: 8cp
Grilled Lamb Sausage: 1sp
Fried Bacon & Eggs: 8cp
Homemade Muffin: 3cp

AFTERNOON MEALS
Plowman’s Pie: 9cp
Roasted Beef & Brown Gravy: 2sp
Golden Sheaf Bread: 6cp
Herb Roasted Potatoes: 7cp
Maple Glazed Ham: 1sp
Roasted Beef Rump: 2sp
Marinated Chicken: 2sp
Cold Porks Pie: 6cp
Minted Lamb Caserole: 1sp
Farmer’s Feast Platter: 1sp
Herb Roasted Potatoes: 9cp
Beef Pie: 1sp
Ploughman's Sandwich: 5cp
Dragon’s Breath Pudding: 8cp

BEVERAGES
The Shepherd’s Mug: 5cp
Amber Ale Beer: 5cp
Traditional Ale: 2cp
Apple Cider: 3cp
Ginger Beer: 3cp
Grape Juice: 4cp
Red Wine: 9cp
Sparkling Wine: 9cp
White Wine: 2cp
Goat Milk: 2cp

ROOM NIGHTLY PRICES
(12) Standard Suite: 5sp

Tenements The Time of Troubles & Era of Upheaval Inspired By Ed Greenwood

Scattered throughout the village are six modest rental cottages collectively known by locals simply as the Westbridge Tenements. Unlike the crowded and often unsanitary tenements found in larger cities, these are small but respectable homes intended for laborers, seasonal workers, traveling craftsmen, and families who have not yet purchased property of their own. Each cottage is constructed from timber and local stone, featuring a simple common room, a small hearth, one or two sleeping chambers, and a tiny garden plot. While modest in appearance, they are clean, sturdy, and well maintained, reflecting the values of the community that surrounds them.

The tenements are owned by Speaker Ghaliver Longstocking, who purchased several aging cottages over the years and renovated them into affordable housing for residents and newcomers. Unlike many landlords in larger settlements, Ghaliver views the properties as a community service rather than a means of extracting every possible copper from his tenants.

Rent remains fair, and tenants who experience hardship are often granted additional time to pay. This generosity has earned him considerable goodwill among the villagers, though some merchants quietly insist he could be making far more money if he were less compassionate.

The cottages house a constantly changing mixture of residents. Farmhands hired during harvest season, merchants establishing new businesses, craftsmen seeking opportunities, and travelers staying for extended periods can often be found living within the tenements. Several of the mercantile families who arrived in Westbridge over the past year initially rented these cottages before purchasing homes of their own. As a result, the tenements have played an important role in the settlement's recent growth and prosperity. The small gardens surrounding the homes are frequently filled with vegetables, flowers, and children at play, giving the area a lively and welcoming atmosphere.

Recently, however, vacancies have become increasingly rare. The troubles affecting the surrounding region have driven a number of displaced farmers and laborers toward the relative safety of Westbridge. Several cottages now house families who fled isolated homesteads after raids by orcs, hobgoblins, or other creatures emerging from the Kryptgarden Forest. Ghaliver has quietly allowed some of these refugees to remain despite their inability to pay full rent, believing that maintaining the village's sense of community is more important than short-term profit. Consequently, the tenements have become more than simple rental properties; they have become a symbol of the village's determination to endure together during uncertain times.

Timberwheel Wainwright The Time of Troubles & Era of Upheaval Inspired By Ed Greenwood

Timberwheel Wainwright sits along the western side of Westbridge near the road leading toward the Stone Trail. The large workshop is impossible to miss, with wagon wheels of every size hanging from its exterior walls and stacks of seasoned lumber neatly piled beneath covered lean-tos. The constant sounds of saws, hammers, and wood being shaped fill the air from sunrise until dusk. The business is owned by Elias Timberwheel, a broad-shouldered human craftsman in his early sixties whose hands seem permanently stained with sawdust and wood oil. His thick gray beard and weathered face speak of decades spent working outdoors and in workshops.

Wagons, carts, wheelbarrows, and farm equipment are often lined up outside awaiting repairs, making the establishment one of the busiest businesses in the village. Farmers, merchants, and travelers all rely upon the workshop's services, ensuring a steady flow of customers throughout the year.

Despite his imposing appearance, Elias possesses a patient demeanor and an infectious laugh that can often be heard from across the yard. He has spent most of his life building and repairing wagons, carts, and wheels, earning a reputation as one of the finest wainwrights in the region. Many merchants claim a Timberwheel wagon can survive roads that would destroy lesser craftsmanship.

Inside the workshop, organized chaos reigns supreme. Workbenches are covered with tools, wooden spokes, iron fittings, and partially completed projects. The smell of fresh-cut oak, pine, and cedar mingles with the scent of tar, leather, and hot metal fittings supplied by Borin Hammerhand's smithy. Elias employs several apprentices and laborers, but he personally inspects every wagon and wheel that leaves the yard. In addition to building custom wagons, he repairs farm carts, constructs wheelbarrows, replaces broken axles, and occasionally creates finely crafted furniture when business slows during the winter months.

The recent troubles affecting the region have brought Elias more work than he can comfortably handle. Raids along the Stone Trail and attacks upon isolated farms have resulted in damaged wagons arriving almost weekly. Merchants increasingly request reinforced wagons, hidden compartments, and stronger wheel assemblies capable of surviving rough detours around dangerous territory. Though Elias publicly dismisses most rumors as exaggerations, he has quietly begun adding iron brackets and extra supports to many of his constructions. He worries that if conditions continue to worsen around Westbridge, reliable transportation may become every bit as valuable as swords and armor in the difficult days ahead.