Viveka "Viv" Stoneheart

Before she was known for her expert brewing techniques, Viveka Stoneheart was a formidable warrior in the mercenary company known as the Crimson Shields. Half-Orc, Viv never quite felt at home in either world, finding her place instead among the diverse ranks of adventurers who judge worth by steel and loyalty rather than lineage.

For twenty years, Viv carved out a reputation as the Shields' unflappable vanguard—the first into any fray and often the last standing. Her signature weapon, an enchanted battleaxe named "Last Call," claimed countless foes across the Sword Coast and beyond. Rumors persist that the axe now hangs behind the counter, though Viv neither confirms nor denies these tales.

The turning point came during an expedition into the Underdark. While escorting a merchant caravan, the Shields stumbled upon a hidden grove where a community of svirfneblin (deep gnomes) cultivated rare fungi and, most importantly, coffee beans unlike any seen on the surface. During the weeks spent helping the gnomes defend against a drow raiding party, Viv discovered a passion for the complex art of coffee brewing.

When a near-fatal encounter with a mind flayer left her with recurring nightmares and a tremor in her shield arm, Viv knew her adventuring days were numbered. Rather than fade into obscurity or drink herself into an early grave like many retired mercenaries, she cashed in her accumulated bounties and treasure shares to pursue a new dream.

With the help of Thimble Whittlestick, a halfling carpenter she had once rescued from goblin slavers, and Pendergast, a human mage with a talent for crafting ambient enchantments, Viv transformed the abandoned forge into a café. The grand opening three years ago attracted curious locals and skeptical dwarven elders—but the quality of her unique brews quickly won over even the most traditional critics.