This inn, founded after the time of Chosen, rebuilt many times, and renamed just as many is a three story affair made of stout wood from the local forests. Originally meant to house the King's Men before they had a permanent station in Midway, the inn has become large enough to house many roving bands of merchants at one time. The downstairs is spacious, though the current owner, Broc, stuffs as many tables as he can to get the maximum amount of business. The kitchen runs twenty four hours a day and thus he has three cooks in his employ. The second floor has rooms with one or two beds and a common room with bunk beds (though it's not large since most people who move through Midway are merchants). The third floor is filled with suites with three bedrooms and a common room, all of which have fire places of their own. The fire places have magicks placed on them so they don't cause fire to the building after the last inn was burned to the ground just for that reason.
The current owner, Broc, recently lost his wife to the winter sickness. (Time line wise this about 9 years before the High King's Sword.) The longer he mourns the darker he becomes. He has eight children, three of which are of age and help in the inn, one of whom is a cook. The rest of his children are under the care of one of his servers named Jamilia, a runaway from Ariella and dark skinned beauty. She has a child of seven, named Kenna, who plays with Broc's children who Broc seems disinterested in now. His oldest, Grady, always seem to have a gambling debt, which cuts into Broc's profits. (Which are quite good.)
There isn't a permanent bard, but some nights Jamilia with dance the exotic dances of Ariella or her young daughter will sing ballads her father, Flynn Whiteswan, teaches her when he sometimes stops in from his travels. They don't bring in a lot, but Broc takes half of what ever they make and Jamilia saves the other half to get Kenna trained to read and write.
The fair here is good, though the dinner hour always has the best food since Broc uses his best cook then. Broc keeps stew on hand all the time, along with bread. Other food costs a lot more but can be made to order. Mead and ale are always available, but the type varies on what he is able to get in.
The price for a room is usually 3 silver eagles, with dinner an additional silver eagle. Stabling is 3 copper pennies per animal. Grain feed is 5 copper pennies.
This inn is the starting point of my romantic entanglement of my main character in the High King's Sword. Kenna, my server's daughter, is 16 when she leaves the inn under not so pleasant circumstances then heads for Bloodhelm where she meets the other characters in my book. This place is revisited many times and I love to add new things every time I come across it in my novels (which of course means more back writing for me...) This would be a good place to start adventuring, since inns are always a good place to begin with a new party. With all the merchants in here and King's Men there is likely to be all sorts of mischief to be had.
Monday: The Bazaar of Bloodhelm
Showing posts with label Inns of Martapa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inns of Martapa. Show all posts
Friday, September 24, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
The Traveling Tramp Inn
The Traveling Tramp is the major staging area for My High King's Sword Novels and the roleplaying campaign I ran for two years on my world. Found on the east side of the bazaar in Bloodhelm, this two story inn has been part of Bloodehlm since Bloodhelm came into being.
The current owner is Derk Tumblestone, an ex-adventurer and mercenary. He spent his youth traveling the countryside, fighting brigands and monsters, even finding himself in the Minotaur Wars. He would have continued except his band rescued a group of slaves from Black Wizards and he fell in love with one of the women named Mina. He proposed to her on the spot, took her back to Bloodhelm and bought the Traveling Tramp. He has quite the stash so he's never been big on making a large margin. He always helps down on their luck adventurers and ex-slaves, especially after his former band was wiped out by brigands not long after he bought the inn.
The tap room down stairs is large. Fifty people could easily fit inside the tavern around tables. The bar itself is directly across from the front door, manned by Derk himself, the kitchen behind. A small stage and fire place are to the right of the door, the stairs to the second floor to the right of the bar. Between the stairs and the kitchen is a small hall that leads to a bath house and privy. Under the stairs is one small room, another across the hall from the stairs. Derk uses these for bards when he has one.
Upstairs are private rooms, two suites and a common room with 10 bunk beds. Each private room has two single beds, a mirror and a chest. The suites have 3 bedrooms with two beds and a common room. The room under the stairs has one bed, the one across the hall has two beds.
Derk is assisted by his wife, three daughters and two of his sons. (His other son is serving in the home guard). His oldest, Celest, does most of the serving, though the other girls serve as well. Derk will not allow mistreatment of his girls, and neither will Crusher, Derk's bouncer and best friend, who just happens to be 1/4 ogre. (His father was a half ogre).
The most significant decorations of this fine inn are the shields hung on the wall behind the bar. Most are dented and blood smeared with hand painted standards. Each one of these shields belongs to a fallen adventurer. Derk respects all requests to hang one and only asks for the story behind each.
Stew, bread, and platters of meat are available. Fruit is available when Derk can get it and Mina makes delicious pies. Ale and mead are the mainstay, but Derk keeps dwarven ale along with wine for those nobles who play at being adventurers for the night.
Some of the regulars found here include Tres Silversword, a red haired firebrand and leader of the Flaming Shield mercenary band. She hates nobles and is a forward woman. She's not beautiful, but she can hold her own. Another is Hannon, Derk's bard of the moment. He's an old man and plays instruments well, but singing and story telling are another matter. He is slightly hunched and doesn't hear well, so Derk only uses him when he absolutely has to, but Derk doesn't have the heart to throw him out, either.
Tomorrow: The City of Stormvale
The current owner is Derk Tumblestone, an ex-adventurer and mercenary. He spent his youth traveling the countryside, fighting brigands and monsters, even finding himself in the Minotaur Wars. He would have continued except his band rescued a group of slaves from Black Wizards and he fell in love with one of the women named Mina. He proposed to her on the spot, took her back to Bloodhelm and bought the Traveling Tramp. He has quite the stash so he's never been big on making a large margin. He always helps down on their luck adventurers and ex-slaves, especially after his former band was wiped out by brigands not long after he bought the inn.
The tap room down stairs is large. Fifty people could easily fit inside the tavern around tables. The bar itself is directly across from the front door, manned by Derk himself, the kitchen behind. A small stage and fire place are to the right of the door, the stairs to the second floor to the right of the bar. Between the stairs and the kitchen is a small hall that leads to a bath house and privy. Under the stairs is one small room, another across the hall from the stairs. Derk uses these for bards when he has one.
Upstairs are private rooms, two suites and a common room with 10 bunk beds. Each private room has two single beds, a mirror and a chest. The suites have 3 bedrooms with two beds and a common room. The room under the stairs has one bed, the one across the hall has two beds.
Derk is assisted by his wife, three daughters and two of his sons. (His other son is serving in the home guard). His oldest, Celest, does most of the serving, though the other girls serve as well. Derk will not allow mistreatment of his girls, and neither will Crusher, Derk's bouncer and best friend, who just happens to be 1/4 ogre. (His father was a half ogre).
The most significant decorations of this fine inn are the shields hung on the wall behind the bar. Most are dented and blood smeared with hand painted standards. Each one of these shields belongs to a fallen adventurer. Derk respects all requests to hang one and only asks for the story behind each.
Stew, bread, and platters of meat are available. Fruit is available when Derk can get it and Mina makes delicious pies. Ale and mead are the mainstay, but Derk keeps dwarven ale along with wine for those nobles who play at being adventurers for the night.
Some of the regulars found here include Tres Silversword, a red haired firebrand and leader of the Flaming Shield mercenary band. She hates nobles and is a forward woman. She's not beautiful, but she can hold her own. Another is Hannon, Derk's bard of the moment. He's an old man and plays instruments well, but singing and story telling are another matter. He is slightly hunched and doesn't hear well, so Derk only uses him when he absolutely has to, but Derk doesn't have the heart to throw him out, either.
Tomorrow: The City of Stormvale
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