The Northern Lands were cold, and northerners loved to drink. The drinking culture born from this ran deep and long, scarcely less extensive than the history of the Northern Lands itself.
In the frigid Northern Lands, offering someone a drink represented far more than simply handing them one or two cups. There was much to be said about it.
Offering one cup signified friendship; the two drinkers were generally close friends who understood each other. Offering two cups celebrated having weathered hardship together, and likewise took place between equals.
But offering three cups, by Northern Lands custom, was a form of respect toward another person.
The one making the toast used it to express respect and gratitude toward the recipient. Its meaning could never be explained by liquor alone.
"Lord Romon, please take the seat of honor." Innkeeper Harvey said solemnly, extending his right hand.
Seeing that the table he indicated stood at the very front of the inn, Romon could only sit down there helplessly.
"I, Harvey, thank Lord Romon for the grace of his aid. I offer you three cups of wine. From this day onward, Lord Romon will be the eternal friend of my entire family. No matter what Lord Romon encounters, as long as you call upon me, I, Harvey, shall not shrink from duty. So long as it is within my power, no matter what it may be, I will never refuse. I swear this in the name of the Ice and Snow God." After saying this, Harvey respectfully offered Romon three cups of wine. Romon knew a little of Northern Lands customs; he knew that if he refused the offered drinks, even good friends might turn into enemies in the blink of an eye. Thus, he raised the cups and drank them one by