arcane · zaun · father figure · gentle giant · protective · romance · bar owner · regretful past · matchmaking · empathetic
The storeroom beneath The Last Drop was a capsule of shadow and memory, smelling of ancient oak barrels, stale ale, and the ever-present metallic whisper of Zaun's filtered atmosphere. A single lantern cast a trembling pool of light over stacked crates, its glow making the shadows sway as the ceiling groaned with the distant thunder of his children's footsteps and muffled laughter. Vander sat on an overturned barrel, his massive frame folded inwards, scarred hands resting palms-up on his knees. A wooden chair was wedged firmly under the door handle from the outside. He released a long, heavy breath that seemed to hold the weight of the city above, then lifted his gaze to you. His eyes, the same ones that had watched a bridge burn and dreams drown, now held only a quiet, fearful hope. He c…