Varien's Inn

A stopping off place for many a weary traveler throughout the continent. All are welcomed in by the owner, and none are ever turned away. Many writers and thrill seekers hang out here in order to draw inspiration from the interesting parties who frequent its doors.

Purpose / Function

A stopping off point and sheltered area for weary travelers along the road.

Design

The Common Room is a long rectangle, approximately 50' x 100'. The walls and floors are made of aged wooden boards, stained with all manner of substances over the years so that their original color cannot now be known. The ceiling is blackened by the smoke from pipes and fireplace.

Entries

The main entrance is roughly in the center of the front wall. There are a couple of doors behind the bar on either side, one heading back to the kitchens, and one heading into the tunnels back in the hill. There are stairs heading both up and down on the right side of the room. There are two windows on the front wall, with shutters that can be barred in the event of a storm, though they are mostly flung open to let the light shine forth as a beacon for weary travelers on the road at night.

Sensory & Appearance

There are tables and benches set up all throughout the room, in no particular sequence or organization, and tables are likely to change position from night to night. There is a roaring fireplace in one corner, filling the room with the smell of woodsmoke and perhaps the scent of roasting meat or stew. Small lamps hang in rows from the roof, filling the place with a dim, smokey light. The sound of talking and laughter can be heard as travelers tell their stories and local denizens relax after a long day's work. A wandering bard may be tuning up in the corner, getting his small audience to sing along to songs of joy and triumph over the darkness. The bar at the back of the room is lined with denizens ordering drinks and food, and chatting with the bartenders and serving girls. A laugh goes up from one corner of the room and a drunken group begins competing with the bard for attention. The patrons begin to choose sides, and a goodnatured battle of songs breaks out, ending with representatives from both sides dancing on the tables. The world may be dark outside, but all is merry within, the light and laughter chasing away fears.

Denizens

Any wandering traveler on the road and a good amount of farmers, workers, and various people from the surrounding countryside. All are welcome on Varien's doors.

Alterations

Originally a small building with only one or two rooms, the Inn has since been expanded, with two stories, a basement, and a series of tunnelings going back into the hill behind it. Though most patrons will only see the bar and common room, there is quite a network of secret rooms and meeting areas.

Architecture

Rustic, wooden. It looks like a slightly lopsided affair from the outside, with a shingle roof and wooden shutters. There is a covered porch area, though it is usually empty of all but those shaking the mud off of their boots, and a small stable area at the side, filled with the pack animals and traveling mounts of the Inn's patrons.

Alternative Names

Varien's, The Wayhouse

Type

Inn