Legends & Lattes #0

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Disclaimer: I have read this book of my own volition.  Any and all opinions and interpretations contained herein are my own.

The Spoiler Report is a recounting of the major events of the novel mixed with my own interpretation of the meaning and symbolism of events, emotions, and actions. Reading this report is NOT a substitute for reading the actual novel and should not be taken as such. Not every single detail, feeling, and event is divulged within. It is essentially a lengthy outline of the story. Many details and all dialogue have not been included. This report is for those who appreciate knowing what happens or feels they may miss things when reading, or just want to have a detailed overview of a book before, or during, reading.

****THIS REPORT CONTAINS SPOILERS****  

This is not a book review. For the full review of this book please visit here.

Arrogantly, Viv obliterates the skeletal army ahead of her crew members, Rackman’s Ravens. It’s that arrogance that gets her injured enough that Viv finds herself preparing for a death blow.

Saved at the last moment, she watches the rest of the crew move against the enemy, together, before blacking out.

When she regains consciousness, Rackman has taken her to heal at a nearby sea town.  They’ll pick her up on the way back down after they finish their current mission.

Her own youth and naivete have cost her. Viv needs to lick her wounds and learn a lesson. At least she survived.

This time waking in a room, Viv’s leg has been immobilized and bandaged. Begrudgingly, she hobbles down the stairs relying heavily on a crutch. Cursing Rackman all the way down.

Reaching the main area of the inn, Viv is met with an unfamiliar feeling – humility. As an orc, she isn’t used to not being the most fearsome creature in the room.

Belly full of food, Viv decides to explore the sleepy town of Murk. With a serious case of FOMO topped with a tinge of self-pity, Viv tries to condition her body, refusing to accept the severity of her leg injury.

All the while only encountering a few others in the sleepy town. Pitts, an orc, and the Gatewarden who makes it very clear she abhors the idea of Viv and her youthful inconvenience being in her town.

Motivated by her run in with the Gatewarden, Viv stumbles into Thistleburr Booksellers. After toppling a good potion of the stacked books in the store, Fern, the shopkeeper, tells Viv if she buys a book all will be forgiven.

Making it back to the inn, Viv begins to read her new book as she sits for a meal. Allowing the story to take her away. She doesn’t stop reading until the story ushers her into dreamland.

Highlark, an elven doctor Viv strangled in her delirium when she first arrived, finds Viv as she is finishing her book. Profusely apologizing for the actions she doesn’t remember committing while he examines her leg.

He warns her of the consequences of the continued use of her injured leg. But lying around goes against Viv’s youthful constitution. Seemingly taking pity on her situation, Highlark suggests Callis oil. An agonizingly painful treatment to induce rapid healing.

Finally, pain subsiding from the Callis Oil treatment, Viv braves the town again. Passing Thistleburr and heading straight to the local bakery. Making her way through the long line, Viv is met with a flirtatious dwarf behind the counter, Maylee. Taking her newly acquired pastries to the bookshop as a peace offering to Fern and her pet gryphet, Potroast.

After discussing the book Viv bought, Fern gives her another to read, free of charge as long  she reads the entire thing.

Leaving the shop, Viv asks for some help from Pitts, the stoic orc, to fix the hole in the boardwalk in front of Fern’s shop.

Due to a newly docked frigate, the inn is packed when Viv returns. Her usual spot in the main area is occupied by an unaccommodating gnome. But once she discovers Viv is part of Rackman’s Ravens, the gnome wants in. Hoping to appeal to Viv since they are both young and relatively inexperienced. Not to mention women. Viv clearly doesn’t buy into the girls-have-to-stick-together rule.

Gallina, the gnome, only accomplishes to annoy Viv and storms out – pissed.

The next afternoon, Pitts is waiting for Viv with all the materials to repair the boardwalk. After some humbling attempts, Viv successfully repairs the hole.

Fern begrudgingly pays both Viv and Pitts with lunch. And a book for Pitts who promptly leaves.

Now that the pair are left alone, Fern breaks down over the state of things.  Viv is not quite sure what to do but tries to console her anyway.

Viv visits Highlark ahead of schedule hoping he can help speed recovery further. He takes notice of the book Viv has with her. It sparks a conversation over books and Fern. Someone Highlark has yet to acquaint himself with no matter the longevity of the shop and his residency.

Now armed with a staff instead of her crutch, and a new sandal, Viv makes her way through the town proper.  A cloaked figure catches her attention but vanishes before she can do a proper assessment of the stranger.

Passing the bakery on the way to the inn, Maylee stops her. Handing over a sack of muffins to fuel her second chance. Confused and a bit oblivious, Viv takes the scrumptious gift.

While Viv helps clean Fern’s rugs, they talk about the book the orc just read. Still trying to reconcile why she liked the slow-burn romance that had little bloodshed. After which Viv convinces Fern it’s time her bookshop goes through some changes. They reach another agreement.

The next morning, Gallina is there again. Clearly not giving up on the possibility of Rackman’s Ravens.

Finding Pitts on the beach reading the book of poetry he inadvertently took as payment from Fern, Viv asks for his help once more.

Bringing in two chairs and a small table Pitts helped Viv get, she can finally sit in the bookshop.

Sitting together, her and Fern truly get to know one another. At the end of their conversation Fern hands Viv the next book to read. From the looks of it, it’s a lengthy romance.

Needing a break, Viv heads back to the inn, rather, behind it, to practice her form. Saber in hand, Viv tests her mending body.

Returning to Thistleburr, the cloaked man is in the shop. A fact Potroast does not approve. The gryphet lunges at the stranger who easily slaps him away. Viv instinctively grips her cane defensively. The cloaked stranger takes note of the action before quickly leaving the shop.

Charging out, Viv catches up to the man. As soon as Viv admits she can smell something on him, he attacks. Tumbling to the sand, Viv sees he is carrying a magestone. Gallina arrives and helps disarm the stranger.

Among the spectators is Iridia, the Gatewarden.

Gallina and Viv share a cell across from the mysterious stranger. Still unable to place the smell, Viv concentrates on the topic of discussion – Rackman and his crew.

Highlark tends to Viv’s exacerbated wound. Before leaving, he turns his attention to the man. Viv observes the doctor’s reaction who might be as suspicious as Viv about the stranger.

Fern is also permitted to visit. Bringing food from Maylee and Sea of Passion for Viv to continue reading. Gallina convinces Viv to read a few chapters of the book aloud, putting them both to sleep.

Upon waking, the cloaked stranger is gone from his cell. Iridia blames Viv thinking that her presence in Murk is what is attracting trouble. But decides to give her a chance to make amends by helping with the situation.

Viv starts by telling the Gatewarden how the fight began, the guy’s smell, and its significance. After Iridia releases Viv and Gallina, they notice Murk is now on high alert as they make their way back toward the inn.

The two are much more companionable now.

After resting, Viv makes her way to Thistelburr to find Fern putting a fresh coat of paint on the front door. As she helps with the upper half, Viv fills the rattkin in on the events of her imprisonment.

Gallina visits the shop and Potroast takes an immediate liking to her which annoys the orc.

Viv presents Maylee with a thank-you gift. A particular recipe book that almost renders her speechless.

The shop now has a steady flow of customers. Even Pitts wanders back in looking for another book of poetry.

Maylee shows up at the inn and joins Viv for a meal. That’s when Maylee confesses her motives toward Viv. Even knowing Viv is destined to leave sometime in the near future, she wants to take the opportunity to get to know the orc. Viv humbly, if not cautiously, agrees to deepening the relationship.

First order of business, a date. Maylee takes Viv on a precariously tiny boat to a nearby cove. A cool, quiet place she likes to use as an escape. They feed the fish and drink some gin. It’s the gin that inspires Viv’s thoughts and eyes to wander.

Gallina joins Viv on a hike up to the top of a hill to train together. Before the training can begin, Gallina asks about her relationship with Maylee.

Taking lunch over to Fern, she is handed another book to read. This time Fern gives her a mystery. Upon receiving this new book, Viv worries she is not doing enough for Fern and the shop. To quell her concerns, Fern tries to get Viv to fully understand what the orc’s presence means to her. Their heartfelt talk is interrupted by Gallina. The gray cloaked man has been found.

Pitts discovered the body. Examining him before Iridia and the other Gatewardens can get there, they find that he wasn’t robbed of anything. He also belonged to Varine the Pale, the necromancer Rackman’s Ravens were pursuing when Viv got injured.  

Before anyone can disturb them, they find the satchel the man had. Looks like he hid it before whoever, or whatever, killed him. They stash it away before the approaching Gatewardens arrive.

Surprisingly, Iridia doesn’t think Viv or Gallina had anything to do with the man’s death. She even takes the implication of Varine seriously. Unsurprisingly, if a threat does land on her doorstep, she expects Viv and Gallina to steer clear.

When the coast is clear, they take the man’s satchel to Fern’s and open it. There is nothing in there but a pile of bones and a few bottles of bonedust. Those two things together spark a hidden piece of knowledge lodged in Fern’s brain. With the help of a very large tome, Fern teaches them about osseoscription. Tiny script on the bones plus bonedust equals the recipe for animating a homunculus.

Fern convinces everyone to try the incantation. It works. Once the skeleton has pulled itself together to animated fruition, it sees Viv, who performed the spell, as its master.

The skeletal servant, Satchel, belongs to Varine. Balthus, the cloaked stranger, stole him and other things, from the necromancer.

Sending the bones back to sleep to try and decide how to proceed now knowing what they have in their possession. Two things are clear: Satchel is essentially a slave who they have great empathy for, and they can’t fully trust him.

Walking with Maylee, Viv tells her everything. The dwarf wants to meet Satchel.

When Viv enters Thistleburr she finds Satchel sweeping out in the open. Fern, the most sympathetic toward his situation, couldn’t leave him bound in the bag. Once out, he insisted on being useful. He also seems to want to weigh in as Viv, Fern, and Gallina try to formultate a plan. But he is magically bound not to divulge any of Varnie’s secrets. If he were ever to disobey, he will cease to exist.

Having established a routine that includes Satchel, Viv and Fern devise a way to get books in more people’s hands.

While Viv engrosses herself with a book at the bar, Iridia perches next to her. She wants to know anything about Varine the orc can tell her.  Especially since they hit a wall where Balthus is concerned.

Arriving at Thistleburr, Viv finds the shop curiously closed. Once Fern lets her in, she is greeted by stacks of books and Satchel decked out as a gift-wrapping station.  In a few days Fern wants to have a mystery book sale out on the boardwalk. Selling books wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine, a few key words written about the book to entice buyers. Hoping to unload as many books as possible.

Grabbing more books for Satchel to wrap, Fern comes across a tome that she knows doesn’t belong there. It belonged to Balthus. That was what he was doing in the shop, hiding this book. A book that he stole from Varine.

Satchel warns them not to open the book. Viv does anyway, she can’t help herself. Upon testing the inky black pages, Viv discovers that each page is a portal for storage. Reaching inside different portals, feeling around to determine their contents, she finds a sword and withdraws it. The page shutters as it calls to Varine, letting her know something has been taken out. A magical alarm system.

With no real options left, Viv turns the book over to Iridia who is not overly thrilled when the orc explains what it is and who it is calling out to.

The mystery book sale goes swimmingly. Fern’s rejoicing is short lived now that she realizes her mistake, Murk has bought all the books it needs to fulfill their reading needs.

Taking some time away from the shop, Viv, Fern, and Maylee spend the day in Murk proper to get things to spruce up Thistleburr. The lighthearted feel of the day and laughter is enjoyed and needed.

The day after their shopping excursion, Viv, Fern, and Satchel give the shop a facelift. Surveying the finished product, Maylee and Gallina now with them, Satchel says he thinks he saw something outside. Viv smells it only for a moment before it’s gone.

Viv dreams Varine has come for her. Grabbing the greatsword she pulled from the portal book, Viv’s body hums. The sword, Blackblood, singing to her before Varine’s presence overwhelms her and she wakes.

Unable to sleep, Viv awakens Satchel. Discovering just how scared he is of Varine, Viv wants to see the skeletal slave safe and free.Fortunately, Satchel just might know a way to beat Varine the Pale.

The orc organizes a picnic with Fern, Maylee, Gallina, and Satchel in his satchel at Viv’s hip. Arriving at the secluded spot with a view, Viv releases Satchel who is appreciative for the change of scenery.

Languidly enjoying their full bellies and he sun, Satchel interrupts to lead Viv and Gallina to a burnt patch of grass in the nearby cemetery. It is Varine’s symbol.

While Fern, Viv, and Satchel unpack a large shipment of books, Gallina comes into the shop. She has a bounty that’s not too far from Murk. Thinking it’s something Viv might be interested in tagging along. Once spinebacks are mentioned, even Satchel is intrigued.

Before bounty hunting can begin, Viv helps Fern finish setting up the shop. The orc is struck with sadness and a small side of guilt. Spending her time in Murk, she’s been able to carve out a place for herself. Wiggled her way into people’s lives. Staying there would be harder than leaving, but that still doesn’t make it any easier.

Viv and Fern take a trip to a local author’s estate. With a gift basket in hand from Maylee’s bakery and Potroast in tow, Zelia Greatstrider agrees to a meet-n-greet during Thistleburr’s grand re-opening.

Having Zelia at the opening is a great success. Watching Berk, Zelia’s butler/guard/companion, Viv sees in his eyes what she feels for Maylee. Right person; wrong time. It motivates her to take act on the bounty Gallina brought.

Upon meeting Meg, the farmer who issued the bounty, Viv is not quite sure it’s spinebacks steeling the sheep. Finding their den Viv, Gallina, and Satchel flush them out. Satchel not needing any weapon other than bones, his and those belonging to others.

Looking over at the dead spinebacks it is clear from their emaciated bodies that they are not the ones that are responsible for the missing sheep. On the way back to Meg they find what remains of the sheep. Both Satchel and Meg confirm Viv’s suspicions – Varine.

As they approach Murk, bells are sounding out from the walls. After sending Gallina to check on Fern and make sure that the rattkin and her gryphet are safe, Viv heads to Maylee’s to do the same.

After, the orc rushes to find Iridia, Satchel in his bag at her hip. Wights are attacking the Gatewardens. From his bag, Satchel stops Viv from joining the fray. They need to retrieve the portal book first and foremost.

Finally encountering Iridia, Viv convinces her to give them the book. Her and a fully formed and animated Satchel put their plan into action.

Book in hand, skeleton returned to his bag, the fighting outside has stopped. The wights stay their attack as they watch Viv and the book emerge. Through them, Varine invites Viv to talk in person. The orc knows exactly where she is.

Entering Thistleburr, Fern and Gallina are suspended in cages fashioned from the bones of Varine’s wights. Viv hands over Satchel and then the book.

Immediately, Varine opens the book to a page that Viv dogeared. Satchel’s hand bursts from the portal page, grabs Varine, and begins to drag her into the book. With the help of Potroast, Varine is completely pulled into the portal.

Viv helps Satchel out of the grimoire before destroying the thing, Varine still inside.

Days later, Thistleburr is packed. Fern has arranged a book club meeting to discuss Zelia Greatstrider’s newest book. The author herself even attends. Before starting the meeting, Fern introduces everyone to Satchel.

Rackman and his crew arrive in Murk. Viv presents him with Varine who is still trapped in the destroyed book.

Maylee visits Viv as the orc is packing her things. Giving her the goodbye both of them have been dreading but need. After, Viv visits Thistleburr to give the last of her goodbyes to Fern, Satchel, and Potroast.

Many years later, Viv receives a letter at her coffee shop, Legends and Lattes. It is from Fern.

Viv’s mind begins to churn at all the possibilities of an old friend visiting. How she might finally be the right person. Thinking of all the journeys that began because she was once stabbed in the leg.