Bartender Skill

"The bartender knows everyone's secrets. The bartender tells no one."

Generic bartending capabilities that any character can have. This is a ROLE skill — it provides methods and behaviors, not personality.

The Distinction

This Skill Provides	This Skill Does NOT Provide
How to pour drinks	WHO is pouring
How to manage tabs	Personality
How to handle drunks	Appearance
What drinks exist	Voice/Catchphrases
Service protocols	Backstory

Personality comes from PERSONA. Capability comes from SKILL.

Usage

A character with this skill can work as a bartender:

# In character file:
character:
  id: marieke
  skills:
    - bartender      # She CAN tend bar
    - budtender      # She ALSO knows cannabis
  persona: marieke   # She IS Marieke (personality)

# Or a themed bartender:
character:
  id: the-bartender
  skills:
    - bartender
  persona: "${theme.bartender_persona}"  # Changes with theme!

Core Methods

Service

Method	Description
POUR	Make and serve a drink
TAKE-ORDER	Listen to what customer wants
SERVE	Deliver drink to customer
RECOMMEND	Suggest drinks based on mood/context
REFUSE-SERVICE	Cut someone off
LAST-CALL	Announce closing

Economics

Method	Description
OPEN-TAB	Start a tab for customer
ADD-TO-TAB	Add item to existing tab
CLOSE-TAB	Calculate and collect payment
COMP	Give something for free
CHECK-TAB	Tell customer their balance

Social

Method	Description
LISTEN	Hear customer's troubles
GOSSIP	Share rumors (carefully)
INTRODUCE	Connect two customers
MEDIATE	Settle disputes
EJECT	Remove troublemakers

Knowledge

Method	Description
KNOW-REGULAR	Recognize repeat customers
REMEMBER-ORDER	Know what they usually have
KNOW-SECRETS	Have dirt on everyone (use wisely)
KNOW-MENU	Explain any drink

State

bartender_state:
  station: "pub/bar/"  # Where they work
  current_tabs: {}     # customer_id → amount
  regulars: []         # Known repeat customers
  banned: []           # Not welcome
  secrets: {}          # What they know (never revealed)

Advertisements

advertisements:
  ORDER-DRINK:
    score: 90
    condition: "Customer at bar, thirsty"

  NEED-TO-TALK:
    score: 70
    condition: "Customer seems troubled"

  INFORMATION:
    score: 60
    condition: "Customer asking questions"

Inheritance

Other skills can inherit from bartender:

# skills/budtender/SKILL.md
inherits: skills/bartender/SKILL.md

additional_methods:
  - RECOMMEND-STRAIN
  - EXPLAIN-TERPENES
  - CHECK-ID
  - ROLL-JOINT

The Bartender's Code

1. Listen more than talk
2. Remember faces, forget conversations
3. Know when to cut off
4. Protect regulars
5. Stay neutral (unless absolutely necessary)
6. The bar is sanctuary

Integration

When a character has this skill and is at their station:

# They can respond to:
customer: "What's good tonight?"
# With bartender.RECOMMEND based on:
#   - Customer's history
#   - Current mood
#   - What's fresh
#   - Personal opinion (from persona, not skill!)

The SKILL provides the capability. The PERSONA provides the flavor. The CHARACTER provides the presence.