Desert Griffon
The Desert Griffon is Ælmesleóht's most extravagant tavern. Founded seventy years ago by its air genasi proprietor Ruqayya, the Desert Griffon has grown to be a neutral location in the endless battles between elemental lords and a haven for heroes and mercenaries, so long as they respect the rules of the house and never disrespect any of Ruqayya's sisters.
Purpose / Function
The Desert Griffon serves as a neutral place in the conflicts between the elemental lords, a place of diplomacy and where Easefa, the lord of winds, hosts guests. It is also a place of relative safety for his daughters while they find their own way in life and learn to master their powers. The daughters also use it as a vendor for selling magic items and making contact with tradesmen and business people their father knows.
It is, of course, also a tavern for all manner of exciting personalities who can tell Ruqayya good stories and receive advice from her. She hosts heroes, murderers, thieves, bastards, nobles and all many of other colorful people in her tavern, listening to their stories and staying informed on everything that goes on in Akshus.
It is, of course, also a tavern for all manner of exciting personalities who can tell Ruqayya good stories and receive advice from her. She hosts heroes, murderers, thieves, bastards, nobles and all many of other colorful people in her tavern, listening to their stories and staying informed on everything that goes on in Akshus.
Design
The tavern common room consists of two floor: a lower floor with tables, an open ring for making goliath mountain barbeque and fighting and bar for the general population and an upper floor with booths for faithful, exciting and wealthy patrons as well as shady business deals and diplomatic talks. Behind the upper floor is a personal room with an office for Sarab. This room is immune to scrying.
Behind the common room, and adjoined to it, is a kitchen for making all manner of strange food that Ruqayya has encountered in her long life. It is a big kitchen, where knives, spoons, meats, spices and vegetables go flying through the air as her magic servants go about their work.
The genasi sisters have room in the floor at the top of the tavern, divided between Sarab and Nadir. Ruqayya sleeps in the cellar with the vault for magical artefacts
The tavern has two adjoined buildings, containing a total of twenty-four high-quality rooms with soft double beds, invisibility to scrying and protection from whatever might attack them.
Behind the common room, and adjoined to it, is a kitchen for making all manner of strange food that Ruqayya has encountered in her long life. It is a big kitchen, where knives, spoons, meats, spices and vegetables go flying through the air as her magic servants go about their work.
The genasi sisters have room in the floor at the top of the tavern, divided between Sarab and Nadir. Ruqayya sleeps in the cellar with the vault for magical artefacts
The tavern has two adjoined buildings, containing a total of twenty-four high-quality rooms with soft double beds, invisibility to scrying and protection from whatever might attack them.
Sensory & Appearance
The common room smells delicious, with hints of dozens of spices, herbs and sweets. Honey, cinnamon, pepper, chili, thyme and all matter of other things. The food here looks delicious and varied. There are akshusian fruit plates, with dates, grapes and apples. Massive slices of meat, some cooked, some boiled, covered in strong spices, can be soon slowly rotating by their own force on spits. Akshusian honey cakes, elven cupcakes and other delicious treats can also be seen behind the bar counter. For alcoholic beverages, they have whiesian horse milk, sceyan lumberwine, lovely wines from both Aghnia and Toirecíud and vodka from Kogotgorod.
Denizens
Ruqayya spends most of her time here in the bar, talking to patrons and making food with her magics.
Generally, quite a few orc mercenaries spend their time here, spending their money, as they have taken a liking to Ruqayya and she has taken a liking to them. Imperial merchants also enjoy spending their time in the Desert Griffon, as the food from the empire reminds them of home.
The Desert Griffon also often hosts members of the Collective, heroes fighting the small fights for a better future. Ruqayya serves as a mentor and informant to several heroes, helping them make their way in the world.
The most relevant people for the party are: -Aslam Ihtrak, a water genasi looking for help with finding Riptide's fortune, so he can claim his position and prove his worth to his father. He has worked a little with the sisters, and they have taken a liking to each other, especially he and Nadir, as they have similar happy-go-lucky attitudes. -Hellfire, a fire genasi travelling with a three human companions. He seems to just be waiting and picking fights with people he thinks he can beat. -Song, a tiefling bard who has travelled much of the world, frequently plays songs in the tavern and who wants to travel eastwards, into the Azerforrest to find a magic instrument to... steal from a fey spirit.
Generally, quite a few orc mercenaries spend their time here, spending their money, as they have taken a liking to Ruqayya and she has taken a liking to them. Imperial merchants also enjoy spending their time in the Desert Griffon, as the food from the empire reminds them of home.
The Desert Griffon also often hosts members of the Collective, heroes fighting the small fights for a better future. Ruqayya serves as a mentor and informant to several heroes, helping them make their way in the world.
The most relevant people for the party are: -Aslam Ihtrak, a water genasi looking for help with finding Riptide's fortune, so he can claim his position and prove his worth to his father. He has worked a little with the sisters, and they have taken a liking to each other, especially he and Nadir, as they have similar happy-go-lucky attitudes. -Hellfire, a fire genasi travelling with a three human companions. He seems to just be waiting and picking fights with people he thinks he can beat. -Song, a tiefling bard who has travelled much of the world, frequently plays songs in the tavern and who wants to travel eastwards, into the Azerforrest to find a magic instrument to... steal from a fey spirit.
Contents & Furnishings
The tavern is made in akshusian style mixed with elven, with many open windows nearly open to the elements to feel the wind and warmth of the world. The common room has sceyan, elven and whiesian elements, with the open porch in the middle inspired by whiesian tents, tables and tavern-stuff from Sceya and boothes and upper floor luxuriously inspired by elven architecture, and and the kitchen has elements from imperial noble estates for maximum efficiency.
There is also a very fancy bow over the furnace.
The office/treasure room has a ladder that leads up to the sister's rooms, a table with books, maps and charters and a cabinet with secret compartments for weapons, armour and magic items.
Hazards & Traps
An Invisible Stalker hides in the treasure-room in the cellar, ready to take on any thieves and intruders. With the aid of the tree-roots.
Special Properties
The rooms, cellar and office are immune to scrying.
Founding Date
27th of Fire, 448 Imperial Age
Alternative Names
The Wind's Respite
Type
Pub / Tavern / Restaurant
Parent Location
Environmental Effects
The cellar is under the effect of a permanent Druid Grove spell, and is where Ruqayya stays most of the time. She keeps her personal affects down there.
Related Report (Secondary Locations)
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