Marigold LeFaye

Marigold LeFaye is the eldritch creature shaped like a Half-Elf Innkeeper that runs the Resting Rose Tavern in Akkabrim. She's a somewhat motherly figure and revealed to be a savage combatant, however will often use words over violence. The choice is made when she wakes up in the morning. Her specialties are stews infused with her botanical knowledge, creating a strange fusion between herbal remedy and hearty meals. She often deems herself the sole cook of Lethos and enjoys her job greatly.

Origins
Marigold entered Alathra along with the rest of the small group of Lethonians who left Phenos behind. Though much of her early life is still a mystery, what is known is that she owned a secluded inn on Aeternum even before the Lethonians arrived, with Rulf as her lone company through particularly slow business. Through those years she learned to be pretty self-sufficient, learning basic survival skills along with practical ones. She was very fond of curing meats and sewing, though once Rulf showed up, her hunting skills were used less.

She grew to love all the chaos that the Lethonians brought to her previously quiet life and was happy to follow Dessious and his merry band of drunkards through the portal, especially with Rulf joining them. Though leaving her original inn behind, she happily rushed to join the new adventures that awaits her.

Appearance
Marigold looks to be somewhere in her late 20's and has a somewhat odd appearance for a half-elf, with ears much longer than one would expect from the usual cross. Pointing this out won't change her answer for what she is, however she never specifies what the other half is. She prefers to wear dresses that she's sewn herself, however any long dress that suits her tastes will do. Her apron pocket is often filled with supplies she deems necessary for living in Lethos: mainly bandages and soothing salves. There are three things Marigold will almost never be seen without: a calm and everpresent smile, her favorite maroon ribbon around her neck, and a well-kept meat cleaver hanging from her hip.

Unlike most Lethonians, she looks as though she bathes regularly and values a well-kept appearance. In fact, despite living with them for over a decade and running around barefoot, she somehow has no scars, visible or otherwise.

War of the Tophetian Cycle
Under the influence of the Tophetian Cycle, Marigold's physical and mental state degraded far enough to reveal her true, most primal nature. During the Battle of Aranholme, she hid amongst the ranks of the Arnadi Paladins as a traitor and struck another down, the resulting the confusion causing an outburst of paranoia and distrust that had many turn on their fellow soldiers. Were it not for Duran's intervention, she would have struck down many more on her own. The resulting brawl between the two would give a brief glimpse into her inhumane nature: lost was the guise of a kind woman, instead an eldritch being akin to a rotting corpse, covered in open maws full of teeth and dripping with green bile. She disappeared into the woods shortly after the conflict, leaving an arm behind in the process.

Four years would pass before her presence was made known again. The once abandoned inn would begin to show some signs of life, restored to its former glory despite no one interacting with it in her absence. The woodlands around Akkabrim would carry a faint whisper in the wind.

The Resting Rose
The Resting Rose Inn and Tavern was opened shortly after her arrival as a homage to the home she left behind. She is the owner and sole employee, handling housekeeping, cooking, gardening, and bartending. While she's skilled with most dishes, she prides herself on her various stews and the exquisite alcohol selection provided by Moonclaw Brewery. It only ever closes when Marigold takes the rare hunting trip, with the front doors unlocked even in the late hours of the night.

The inn itself isn't anything special. She chose comfort as the top priority when designing and decorating each room herself, however both floors take that in different directions. The first floor holds the more spacious rooms, holding at max two occupants each. The largest and most expensive suite however is currently being taken up by Paco and Chino, two wolves that followed Kweeik home one day, and are currently her best paying customers.

The second floor chose numbers over space, functioning as a pseudo-barracks that can hold up to 8 occupants. Each room holds two beds and a large closet to store gear. Despite the lack of doors, each room still has a bit of privacy with how the floorplan is laid out.

The attic is her personal space, turned into a pseudo-apothecary where she grows and studies the flora of Alathra. Her findings usually end up in her dishes whether or flavor or effect, though she isn't too keen on sacrificing one for the other.

Trivia

 * Marigold refers to everyone as "Dear," even if she isn't acquainted with them.
 * She's aware of Kweeik sneaking in to steal food, but lets him go because it amuses her.
 * She has a pet bumblebee named Harriet.
 * She will sometimes steal clothing from other Lethonians to wash and repair them since not all Lethonians value hygiene.