They had just graduated school and badly wanted to be a merchant. Seeing a traveling elf with the gnome friend riding on the back of a fluffy, happy, cat, they asked the three adventurers "You've traveled far and wide, adventurers, haven't you? What kind of shops are popular?" -- Anon Guest
[AN: Gnomes are small, but not that small. Something about Mundane-born species having real physical limits, shapeshifting into one means you have to look like one etc etc. TLDR: I'm not having a Gnome riding a housecat]
Ram Gourdin had yet to find where she belonged. School had prepared her with everything society said she needed to know. Skills important to become part of a business, part of a home, or otherwise a part of society. She had coin enough to do anything she wanted, but she needed to be certain it would be a success.
She had only one shot at this.
Men in this realm could easily take up a trade if their business failed. Women... were prevented from a great many trades, including Adventuring. Ram chafed at it, but lacked the power and influence to truly change anything. That was why she was patrolling the places where travelers, wanderers, and Adventurers were wont to frequent. Asking around to find out what they always looked for.
There was a very famous Elf at one of the tavern tables, breaking bread with a Gnome and a cat, of all creatures. The cat could not use utensils, but was politely clawing bites out of her bowl to nibble as if she were a well-mannered Barbarian.
Ram attempted to hold her panic down very firmly. Told herself that this was just another Adventurer. One who had been Adventuring and traveling the entire world since the Dragons reigned uncontested. If anyone knew what every customer could like, it was Wraithvine.
"My pardon, Great Mage?"
"I still have much to learn," said Wraithvine, thus proving ze wasn't a mummer or a fraudster. Only the real Wraithvine would be that casually humble. "Do you need help with something?"
"My one chance to make a business of my own," she admitted. "I need something that is going to work or end up beholden to anyone with enough power over me."
"Clothes or consumables," said the Gnome. "They're always good sellers. Potions, pottage or petticoats."
"Bet on food," advised Wraithvine. "Nobody ever went hungry by feeding people. Bread, booze, and a good bite are always preferred by Adventurers. And if it's tastier fare, they tip well. The only thing more popular is -er- houses of incredibly positive haptic feedback, to put it delicately."
Which was the exact kind of occupation Ram preferred to avoid. "Potions and pottage, I can manage. Same with bread and booze. Thank you." She paused to scritch the cat and wished them all safe travels.
That last act was enough for Wraithvine to gift her with a very thick book. The Monster Book of Culinary Arts.
Bread, brews, and a good bite. This town had plenty of places for all three or one each. The marketing term was 'oversaturated'. She would have to be very special to stand out here. The same held true for one day's travel outside of the town.
The common roads were taken. What she needed was the path less traveled, but not so less traveled that it might as well be a little farm in the middle of nowhere.
Ram plotted lines between town and the areas where Adventurers were wont to investigate. Dungeons, tunnels, caverns, and pits of interest. And found a place with a lot of cross-over and no other stopping-spots in decent travel range. The ideal place to put up a workshop, dining hall, and a little shop.
Some silver to buy the plot. Some gold to hire the tradefolk to build the place. Some more gold for an artificer to add hefty protection runes to the shop. Adventurers had a bad habit of theft when they didn't like the prices on offer. She would be miles from the Watch in this place, so she'd need her own protection and prevention plans.
A sound investment in a good hearth, a generous workshop, and brewery. Wild berries would make decent enough alcohol while she was waiting for the trees to grow. Wild herbs provided enough to start a herb garden. At least bread only required flour and water to begin.
The first Adventurers were grateful for a cleared campground and bread fresh from the oven. They traded relatively fresh monster meat from the pit they'd been exploring, and left a few interesting items in lieu of a tip. Ram found the book intensely useful, as it was not merely a large cookbook, but a book about how to cook various monsters.
Which made the Adventurers even more grateful. They would remember this, and tell their friends.
Next to the brews, potions, and bread, Ram may just get a reputation for being able to cook any meat they brought her.
Worth it to have independence.
[Photo by Marko Lengyel on Unsplash]
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