The Seventh Star Inn

[Mithadan]

Word of the re-opening of The Seventh Star travelled quickly. By the evening of the day that the large, bearded barkeep arrived at the Inn, several of the former regulars had stopped by for a drink and a song. The fire burned bright in the hearth that night and passersby may have heard snippets of The Lay of Leithien or even the comic song Skinflint The Twisted Ent.

News travels as fast as tongues wag, or so say the goodwives, and the next morning some came by even for the break fast. Those who did pronounced the fare as good as ever, and the service as well. If there was any complaint at all, it was that despite being asked, the new Innkeeper would give no one his name.

Tiring of shouting "Barkeep!" one of the locals decided that a nickname would have to do and cheerfully dubbed him "Morien", which is "Blacky". The Innkeeper smiled at this, stroking his full beard, but shook his head, saying only, "Close!". But thereafter, the nickname stuck and he was known as Blacky, and several less flattering names as well, though the latter were used always behind his back.