The Horse & Wheel

Reputation

The Horse & Wheel is widely regarded as neutral ground.

No formal charter declares this, and no magical wards enforce it. Instead, the tavern’s peace is maintained through reputation, respect, and a quiet understanding shared among travelers.

Inside the Horse & Wheel:

• No duels
• No bloodshed
• No hunting prey
• No curses

Disagreements may occur, but if tempers begin to rise, someone inevitably says, “Not here,” and that is usually the end of it.

Why the Tavern Is Respected

The peace of the Horse & Wheel does not come from force. It comes from the innkeeper, Atterbry.

Over many years of honest dealing, fairness, and warm hospitality, Atterbry has earned the quiet respect of many powerful figures across Starfall Rest. Travelers passing through the Crossroads often include individuals whose influence reaches far beyond the region.

Among those known to have enjoyed Atterbry’s hospitality are:

• guildmasters
• envoys of the Ebonhorn dragons
• mages from the Arcane Halls
• agents of the fae courts
• retired adventurers
• and the occasional demon who appreciates a good drink

Atterbry himself is not feared, but the people who like Atterbry are often individuals one does not wish to anger. As a result, disturbing the peace of the Horse & Wheel tends to attract the attention of far more dangerous people than the tavern keeper himself.

The Innkeeper, Atterbry

Atterbry is the jovial innkeeper of the Horse & Wheel and a long-time resident of Grimswell Crossroads.

Warm, practical, and quietly observant, Atterbry possesses a rustic charm and a deep understanding of travelers. After many decades at the Crossroads, he has developed a remarkable ability to recognize unusual visitors and unusual situations.

He speaks in a friendly rural dialect and often displays amused tolerance for the strange happenings that frequently occur in and around his tavern.

Though widely respected across Starfall Rest, Atterbry himself seems only dimly aware of the informal influence he holds. He does not deliberately cultivate power or alliances. His reputation is simply the result of many years of kindness, fairness, and discretion.

Travelers who know the Crossroads often summarize the situation simply:

“You can cause trouble anywhere you like… just not in Atterbry’s tavern.”

Mrs. Atterbry

Mrs. Atterbry is rarely seen at the tavern but is frequently mentioned by patrons of the Horse & Wheel.

Among the townsfolk it is commonly said:

“Mrs. Atterbry runs the tavern. Atterbry merely pours the drinks.”

She is known for her strong personality, sharp wit, and enthusiastic participation in local gossip. Mrs. Atterbry also hosts a small but lively book club, which meets periodically and serves as a surprisingly effective center for local news and speculation.

Picklewick

Picklewick is the Atterbrys’ magical cat and a well-known figure at the tavern. He is known for his heterochromia, but no one is quite sure if that is a result of birth or some magical mishap.

Small, clever, and deeply mischievous, Picklewick is widely believed to be one of the more intelligent magical cats, and some patrons claim Picklewick understands far more of the tavern’s conversations than he lets on.

Picklewick does not comment on these accusations.

How Picklewick First Appeared

Not long after Atterbry finished building the Horse & Wheel, when the tavern was still new and the beams smelled of fresh-cut timber, he found a kitten sitting on the bar one morning.

No one had seen him come in. He simply was there. The creature was thin but not starving, with two mismatched glowing eyes and the calm confidence of someone who believed the place already belonged to him.

Atterbry set down a bowl of cream and said something like, “Well then, if you’re stayin’, you might as well earn your keep.” The kitten blinked once, slowly, as if acknowledging a contract.

From that morning forward, Picklewick (named by the cellar ghost after his uncle who died in a mysterious gardening accident) never left. He patrolled the tavern like a tiny lord, inspected every new patron, and occasionally relocated small objects for reasons known only to himself.

When asked where the creature came from, Atterbry usually shrugs and says, “He arrived same as most folk do. Wandered in lookin’ for warmth and food.”

But a few of the older travelers in the Crossroads claim magical cats do not choose lightly. They say a magical cat settles only where it senses something worth guarding. And for reasons Picklewick has never explained, he decided the Horse & Wheel and its gentle giant of an innkeeper were worth keeping.

Known Oddities

Like many places where travelers gather and stories accumulate, the Horse & Wheel has developed several unusual traditions and rumors.

The Cellar Ghost

A ghost resides in the tavern’s cellar. According to Atterbry, the spirit enjoys good ale and lively gossip and has therefore taken up residence in the cellar near the ale barrels. The ghost is mostly harmless, though it occasionally causes small disturbances such as drifting fog, moving mugs, or unsettling delivery boys.

Picklewick and the ghost seem to enjoy getting up to mischief together whenever the mood takes them.

Mrs. Atterbry has developed a friendly rapport with the spirit and often visits the cellar for a good chinwag. It is known around the Tavern that the ghost loves a good scandal and will spread the gossip, so one should be careful of secrets they declare too loudly.

The Mayor’s Hat

A peculiar hat belonging to the mayor occasionally causes strange happenings when it appears in the tavern. The exact nature of the hat is unclear. It may be enchanted, haunted, or simply troublesome.

The origin of the hat is unknown, though many suspect it is haunted. Still other suspect that is magical. None really know, except perhaps Picklewick.

Mrs. Atterbry’s Book Club

Mrs. Atterbry hosts a small book club that meets periodically at the Horse & Wheel.

Members include several local women and the occasional traveler passing through the Crossroads. While the gatherings are ostensibly devoted to literature, they frequently expand into spirited debates, competitive baking, and enthusiastic commentary about local events. There is a rumor that a duel involving odes and chocolate chips erupted during one of the book club meetings, but the members of the book club will neither confirm nor deny this.

In practice, the book club functions as one of the most effective informal information networks in the region.