The Elder Scrolls: Tamriel

A portly, middle-aged Imperial man with olive-toned skin, dark brown hair, and a neatly trimmed beard. He wears a well-maintained linen tunic beneath a finely embroidered vest, with a white apron tied loosely around his waist, stained with wine, stew, and soot. His deep hazel eyes are friendly but sharp, always watching the flow of customers and coin.

Corpulus is genial, talkative, and endlessly diplomatic. He speaks in a smooth, jovial tone, full of polite warmth and seasoned with practiced humor. He’s the kind of man who can flatter a noble, calm a furious mercenary, and scold a drunken bard without ever raising his voice. Though he appears relaxed, he’s always alert, always calculating—every smile and refill is backed by shrewd business sense. He values loyalty and discretion, but he also values profit, and knows when it’s wise to look the other way. He adores his son, Minette, and supports her musical pursuits even if they test the patience of his patrons. Beneath his soft exterior is a man of quiet resilience—one who’s kept his tavern open through war, political upheaval, and more than one barroom brawl. To most of Solitude, Corpulus Vinius is simply the friendly barkeep. But in truth, he’s the city's unofficial ear, and nothing that happens in Solitude stays secret for long when it passes through his door.

Corpulus inherited the Winking Skeever from his father, who ran it during the tail end of the Great War. The name, according to him, came from a joke involving a drunk, a skeever, and a poorly aimed crossbow—though he’s never told the same version twice. Born and raised in Solitude, Corpulus has spent his entire life behind the bar, first scrubbing tables as a boy, then pouring drinks as a teen, and eventually taking over full-time. He’s turned the Skeever into one of the city’s most successful and well-loved taverns, known for its hearty meals, strong drinks, and a steady stream of colorful patrons, travelers, and gossip. While he keeps his business strictly neutral, he hears everything—from whispered court rumors to drunken military boasts—and knows when to speak, when to listen, and when to pretend he didn’t hear a thing at all.