Bill Appledore

Bill Appledore (a.k.a. Cider)

Bill 'Cider' Appledore, fought in the war alongside or at least nearby (perhaps at armpit height) his good friend Robert Bobbins (Lasse).
He joined up to take advantage of the opportunity to earn an income, because he hoped to have enough money to start his own cider making business.
By hook and crook, he managed this and probably with a little successful looting on the side. After they left the military, Robert bought an old ship, that was at the time downed on Drifter's Rock. He soon realised it was a bit of a noose around his neck, and possibly cursed. Whether the curse is his imagination or real is unknown (by Bill at least - probably).
Robert wanted to earn money, to repair the ship enough that he could sell it. Bill wanted to start a business as a pub serving cider & food/cider maker. They teamed up, and Robert sacrificed some hold space, to let Bill build a bar. Since Robert is a first rate cook (short order cook?) he works in the kitchen, which may well be open to view of the people. The side of the ship has openable (but lockable, airtight) doors to create a hatch out into the open air from which they can serve sandwiches, bitter, cider, mana/health cider, and even water to the passing trade.
Since the ship was obviously in a corner of one of the docks, there's usually a fair bit of passing trade.
Bill employs staff to run the day to day of the business since his passion is the making of cider, not the pulling of pints.
He is a total food/booze snob and does not allow lager to be sold in his pub. The menu is eclectic, and as long as certain dishes are served/available as he dictates, he will, to an extent allow others to be served. He does not, for instance, acknowledge the existence of pizza with any form of fish, sourdough bread, or avocado except in guacamole. His selection of Tex-Mex might make a Ternus native grumble a bit despite the undoubtedly insanely good quality of the food. He prefers food that goes well with cider - but since it's cool, refreshing and can even be served with ice (if people *absolutely* must) that means pretty much everything. After two or three pints of Appledores, most customers are going to have a hangover.
He has a zero tolerance policy on violence, unless he and Robert are inflicting it on idiots. Above the bar hangs a Mighty Weapon which all assume is a trophy, like a singing piscean lifeform. It is, in fact, utterly real and Bill is a terror with it.
Very recently (depending on Lasses's background) the ship has been repaired to the point it can fly. The hatches in the side, have been upgraded to fully sealed bulkheads so they can still be opened if they dock somewhere but are completely safe. They're not extra airlocks though! If you tried to Dukes out of them in space, you'd lose a lot of furniture! Said furniture is properly secured with magnets etc so in combat it would not fly around. Ditto the cutlery, crockery and glasses - it's all properly stowed except what's in current use during a busy day.
The cider is made in the back rooms, in relatively small quantity (he buys in other beer, wine etc too) and he has a geoponic speciality cider orchard back there, with some magitech component to produce far more apples of great quality than it should. Another reason his business is still struggling to break through into the big time (but that he's well placed to do so). Right now, he needs lots more money to really 10 X the business, hence his willingness to go on adventures - and Robert also wants rid of the ship which requires further repairs (if Lasse hasn't changed his background).
Bill has a sideline as a Fence, selling on some of the items which his friend Roxy finds, which don't have provenance and trying to find them reputable homes - including obtaining excellent quality fake papers.
The roots of this sideline, which doesn't make him much/all the money goes back into his business, began during the war which is part of how he got enough money to open his bar and set up his cider making enterprise.
He is very firmly after the mould of the great Edrin Foundling in that he believes items belong in a museum, and our history is valuable. Thus he sells to museums by buying fake provenance for goods which would otherwise be lost to dodgy collectors. He'll also sell to private collectors if he must, but genuine people, not fuckwits.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Bill tends to wear loose fighting clothing, which people assume is fairly padded, and also rounded out by a fair helping of fat. In fact, he's absolutely cut under all that and far stronger than he has any right to be.

Body Features

He is not tall, as far as most people are concerned.

Facial Features

Bill does have facial features. He considers them unremarkable as do others. Those who do remark, are politely escorted to the door.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Bill could best be described as an affable landlord. While he doesn't front or manage the day to day business of his burgeoning cider making empire, he is sometimes found behind the bar.
He has a manager for the bar itself, since he couldn't be awake 24x7 anyway.

Likes & Dislikes

Dislikes

• People who think it's weird to eat more than one breakfast.
• People who use the word 'brunch' in his presence or try to order it.
• People who prefer their bacon hard (but he will allow this while muttering about savages)

Hygiene

Bill, as does everyone who wants to work at his bar, has excellent hygiene. He's pretty picky about customers too. They can get by serving people who wash, just fine thanks and you can't smell the cider or apple pie over bad odours. Like that of lager.

Bill 'Cider' Appledore, is a Drifter, former rank & file soldier who served with Robert Bobbins, bar owner, artisan cider maker, Scoundrel/Entrepreneur, and an antiquities agent (fence) with a heart of gold.

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Age

30-50?

Gender

Male

Eyes

Yes

Hair

Yes

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Yes

Height

Short

Weight

Looks plump, is actually cut

Quotes & Catchphrases

"Get the fuck out of my bar, before I gut you!" (in response to someone demanding lager) "It's supposed to have beans in it!" (in response to being critiqued about the chili con carne) "We don't serve that." (in response to being asked for something not on the menu by a customer not on the good regular list - which he and Lasse literally keep behind the bar, above headheight so they can see who is moving up and down the rankings - it's kind of a private joke for the staff)