The Broken Shield

The war is over. The lunch rush has just begun.Rorek "The Mountain" Cleave-Helm has successfully transitioned from Warlord to Innkeeper. His knees are (mostly) healed, his Star-Fall Lager is the toast of the region, and he finally has a girlfriend who doesn't try to kill him. Life at The Empty Scabbard is good.It is also entirely too loud.Success has brought crowds, and crowds have brought a new enemy: Capitalism.Across the street, a flashy new tavern franchise called The Gilded Griffin has opened its doors. Run by a charismatic high-level Bard, it offers magical mood lighting, bottomless mead, and a distinct lack of soul. To save his business, Rorek decides to expand his humble inn.There is just one problem.When Rorek breaks ground on a new wine cellar, he discovers he isn't the only one living on the property. A tribe of Kobolds has been squatting in the foundation for centuries. They are noisy, obsessed with shiny spoons, and have immediately unionized against the renovations.Now, Rorek is fighting a war on three fronts:The Corporate Rival trying to buy him out.The Reptilian Staff living in his basement.The Incognito King upstairs, who just wants a quiet vacation and is terrible at hiding his identity.Rorek might have hung up his sword, but he'll need his shield more than ever-not to block arrows, but to serve the roast.