The Mark of Hospitality

“Welcome, welcome! So good to see you again. Let me get your drink—blackroot tal with honey, yes? And then you have to listen to this story I’ve heard about the strange things going on in the Cogs. ” — Alara d’Ghallanda, halfling bartender

They may not always have gold, but a halfling with the Mark of Hospitality is sure to be rich in friends. The magic of the mark allows the bearer to keep a place clean, and to heat, chill, and season food. But it also helps the bearer connect with others, setting troubled minds at ease—a powerful tool, though it can cause anger if abused.

House Ghallanda

The majority of inns, taverns, and restaurants in the Five Nations are either directly owned by House Ghallanda or licensed by its Hosteler’s Guild. Most people give little thought to House Ghallanda; when compared to the soldiers of House Deneith and the factories of House Cannith, an alliance of innkeepers seems harmless and inconsequential. But Ghallanda's strength lies in charm and connections. A Ghallanda innkeeper hears many things—if you want to know what’s really going on in a community, talk to the halfling bartender.
The leaders of House Ghallanda don’t sell information; they prefer to build friendship and deal in favors. But should a Ghallanda baron every truly need something, they likely have a favor they can call in. Ghallanda has a number of “bound businesses”—franchises run directly by the house. The Gold Dragon Inn is such a business, and Gold Dragon Inns can be found in every major city, each serving a familiar menu and providing similar services. But many Ghallanda heirs take pride in creating their own unique businesses.
There are also many independent restaurants, inns, and taverns that are licensed by Ghallanda. The blink dog seal is an assurance that a locale meets Ghallanda standards of health and quality—but not every inn is run by a halfling.

Dragonmarked Characters

Here are some examples of characters who carry the Mark of Hospitality.

Noble Warlock (Archfey)

Your parents run a score of Gold Dragon Inns. You’ve never gotten your hands dirty with the family business; you’ve been too busy doing important things, like going to all the best parties. Just the other day you were dancing with some Greensinger druids, and they summoned some sort of Archfey from Thelanis. Honestly, you don’t remember all the details… it was one of those parties… but it seems like you made some sort of deal with this fey prince. You’re not sure exactly what you agreed to; you’d better gather a few friends and figure it out.

Guild Artisan Bard

You used to run the finest bar in Cyre... until the [/history] Mourning destroyed it. You know a group of adventurers—regulars from your lost tavern—and you’re tagging along with them until you figure out your next step. Perhaps you’ll earn enough gold to buy a new bar… or perhaps you’ll find a different path.

Mark of Hospitality Traits

The Mark of Hospitality manifests exclusively on halflings. If your character has the Mark of Hospitality, this is your halfling subrace.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Innkeeper’s Charms. You know the cantrips friends and prestidigitation. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for them. Ever Hospitable. When you make a Charisma (Persuasion) check or an ability check involving brewer’s supplies or cook’s utensils, you can roll one Intuition die (a d4) and add the number rolled to the ability check.