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In all fantasy worlds, there is one place that everyone in town goes to at one point or another during the week. While the weekend is typically its busiest, the tavern sees its fair share of customers during the weekdays. There’s always someone working the bar and sooner or later, the customers become familiar with the different fantasy bartenders.
Bartenders come in all shapes and sizes. Some have spent decades tending the bar, becoming experts in all things drinks, and some have just began their careers. There are many women and men who are bartenders.
The reason why people go to bars is because they want a drink and to interact with other people. Fantasy bartenders are expected to know how to make all types of drinks, many of which are inspired by the real world, and give them what they want. There is a certain finesse to making drinks.
Besides the convivial atmosphere of the tavern, it is a place awash in gossip. Thus, bartenders are privy to all kinds of rumors and innuendo, whether they be true or not. This makes them an excellent source to find out the local happenings which can prove quite advantageous for certain people.
At first glance, fantasy bartenders are known simply for preparing drinks and serving them to the patrons of the tavern. However, in the grand scheme of things, they are much more than that. They are invaluable members of the community and they have the inside track of pretty much everything that’s going on in town.
This is article number twenty-two in the fantasy occupations series. Interested in seeing what else we have to offer? You can find more on our blog page!
After a long day at work (or not!), people will stop by the drinking hole they frequent for an opportunity to unwind at least for a bit before heading home for the night. Chances are, they’ll run into someone they know and they’ll socialize with them while enjoying their favorite drink or trying a different one. To accommodate their requests, bartenders have to know how to make them.
Making a drink isn’t simply throwing all the ingredients into a mixer haphazardly and hoping for the best. There is a certain order to it and all the best fantasy bartenders know this. They put specific portions of ingredients into when they’re needed and they stir it just the right number of times before putting the next one in. They repeat the process until all of them are in and then they mix them all together before pouring the contents into a glass.
Bartenders cannot take too long when preparing drinks, otherwise they’ll soon be dealing with belligerent customers. Speediness is key when tending bar and the faster they can make drinks, the better they’ll be. However, they cannot sacrifice the quality of the drink just so that they can fulfill the order. Customers will be furious if what they ordered doesn’t meet their expectations.
From margaritas to lemon drops, the number of drinks that can be made are limitless. Many of them are derived from those of the real world, giving your audience something familiar as they navigate a world unknown to them. Some are unique to the fictional world, using ingredients found only in said world.
How do bartenders learn how to make all these different kinds of drinks? There aren’t any bartending schools so they receive on-the-job training. Though they’ll make mistakes, they’ll nevertheless learn from them and become better. It can be hard to memorialize all of the various drinks but they have no choice but to do so — unless they use a cheat sheet and hide it from the customers so that nobody will ever know!
Though the bar opens in the morning and closes late in the evening, it gets busy at certain points of the day, mostly after work has ended for the day. Different bartenders work shifts and part of their job is to socialize with everyone who comes in. Most of the time, the conversations are pleasant.
Fantasy bartenders engage in witty banter with many of the customers, especially those who they’ve come to know after serving them for quite a while. They joyfully tease them and everyone knows it’s all in good fun. As they interact with them, they receive all kinds of news, some of which they’re hearing for the first time.
When they’re not standing behind the bar, they’re in different areas of the establishment. As they move around, their ears pick up tidbits of various conversations going on around them. Since many customers don’t pay much attention to who’s listening to their conversations, they’re more likely to lower their guard and divulge info that not many people know about. Smart bartenders piece together the disparate parts of information to get the full picture.
Besides hearing all the news, bartenders also hear tons of rumors and gossip. This makes them a fantastic source to mine for information, as long as they get something in return. There’s plenty of people who will pay a generous coin to get that information from them though the validity of said information is unknown.
Many fantasy bartenders have a friendly disposition, which is a job requirement. Their ebullient personality makes it easy to talk to them, even if it’s just for a few moments. This can help cheer people up, especially if they had a bad day. The best bartenders use this to their advantage to lift up people’s moods, leading to better tips.
Some people might think bartenders are only good for preparing drinks and serving them to customers. Sure, that’s the gist of the job and they do it very well. Some even get tons of tips during the busy times but there’s a lot more to this occupation than people think.
Bartenders have to learn how to make many different drinks so that they’re ready when customers request them. It can be overwhelming at first but eventually they get the hang of it. Before long, they’re making a spectacle of making drinks in front of them and the customers wind up loving it!
With bars/taverns a popular destination both for the townsfolk and people on the road, fantasy bartenders encounter all kinds of people. They develop relationships with them; some become friends in the truest sense of the word and others become fierce enemies. These relationships have the potential to pay off down the road.
By meeting so many different people, bartenders learn a lot more about the world. They hear the latest fashion trends, places where a war’s broken out, or new inventions that could take the world by storm. They then use said knowledge in casual conversations with the local folk, passing along that information to those who want to know.
Besides interacting with travelers, fantasy bartenders spend the bulk of their time conversing with the locals. They discuss the big stories of the town, from scandals to juicy gossip. They are able to keep tabs of basically everything that’s going on which makes them the perfect people to talk to for those who want to know the details.
Every time fantasy bartenders report into their shifts, they don’t know how they’ll go. Some could go smoothly whereas others could find them dealing with belligerent drunks who refuse to leave the premises. Despite that, they converse with people through the course of their shifts, eventually becoming acquaintances or friends.
All bartenders have to learn the art of making drinks in order to become proficient in this field. There is a certain process to it and even veering off just a little bit will ruin it and customers will not be pleased. They cannot make the perfect drink at the expense of being speedy, a good mix of the two is essential for success!
If someone has any questions or want to know something about the town he’s in, speaking with fantasy bartenders is his best chance for answers. They have the inside track of everything that’s going on and can best answer whatever questions he might have or at least point him in the right direction.
Bartenders have a dual role in the world. Their primary one is to prepare and serve drinks to the patrons of the establishment and they do so with a cheery smile on their face. Their secondary one is to socialize with everyone who crosses their path. They learn things about the world and the town where they live in which they pass onto others.
Though this occupation might not be full of glamour, it nevertheless is important in that it is one that helps keep the world running as the plot progresses. Fantasy bartenders can prove instrumental at a pivotal point in the story due to the treasure trove of information they have in their head which is just one of many reasons why you ought to bring them into your world!
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Sunfire
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