Carnath roadhouse
Carnath Roadhouse
This walled compound served as a hostelry on the High Road between Waterdeep and Neverwinter in the days when trade between the two cities flourished. It fell into disuse when that trade stopped after the eruption of Mount Hotenow (see the “Neverwinter” section). Now that Neverwinter has recovered and commerce has resumed, the road has been rebuilt and the roadhouse repaired and put to use as a supply depot and wagon park. It stands on the west side of the road, a stone’s throw from the edge of the Mere of Dead Men. Fog drifting off the mere engulfs the roadhouse at night and lingers well into the following afternoon. The sounds of the marsh, from croaking frogs to buzzing insects, are only somewhat dampened by the roadhouse’s walls and doors.
The superintendent of the Carnath Roadhouse is a brusque but well-educated half-orc named Bog Luck (N male half-orc veteran). Accustomed to doing business with shady traders and contraband, he doesn’t trouble his clients with too many questions. He simply takes their money while assuring them that the gates and walls of the roadhouse are strong enough to hold back any threat. Bog Luck employs four stable boys and a cook named Gristle Pete (N male Tethyrian human commoners), though he doesn’t pay them much.
1. Courtyard
Most of the time, this open courtyard is crowded with crates, barrels, and stacks of supplies. The damp climate means that the ground is muddy, except when the temperature is below freezing. Then the mud hardens into uneven, frost-covered ruts. A path is kept clear from the gate to the stables so animals can be moved, but during busy times, that path often runs under the balcony in front of the doors to the rooms.
2. Stables
In some ways, the stables are the most comfortable area of the compound. When the stables are crowded, the horses’ and mules’ body heat keeps the building warm. Four stable boys take care of the animals and sleep here. Only the youngest, a quick-witted boy called Wump, has any suspicion that something mysterious is going on. He knows nothing about the Cult of the Dragon, but he’s sharp enough to wonder why anything used by the road builders needs to be locked up.
3. Warehouse
The warehouse door is latched but unlocked. Supplies that shouldn’t be left exposed to the weather are stored here: food for the people and fodder for animals.
4. Strong Room
Unusually valuable cargoes and personal items are kept in the strong room under lock and key. None of the workers know or care what sorts of road-building supplies are considered so valuable they must be locked up for protection. They just follow Bog Luck’s instructions and stack things where they’re told to stack them.
Since the sleeping rooms can’t be locked, workers and teamsters often have Bog Luck lock their cash and other valuables into the strong room for safekeeping. He keeps a record in a ledger book of all the personal items stored there and has a reputation for being meticulous about making sure everyone gets their belongings back—all of their belongings and only their belongings.
The key for this room is always on Bog Luck’s belt, but the lock can be opened with a successful DC 10 Dexterity check and a set of thieves’ tools.
The trapdoor is located in the southeast corner of the room. An empty crate nailed onto the door covers it; when the door is opened, the whole crate tips toward the north. Being nailed to the floor, the crate feels solid and full to a casual bump or shove. Only when it’s tipped does the trick become obvious. It can be discovered with a thorough 20-minute search of the room or with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check.
5. Rooms
The wagon drivers, escorts, and laborers who stay at the compound share the rooms. None are private rooms; all have bunks for at least four people, and the larger rooms sleep six. They contain bunks, trunks for belongings, and wooden floors covered with rushes.
None of the rooms have locks on their doors except Bog Luck’s. If asked about locks, Bog Luck explains that they kept freezing in cold weather so people couldn’t get into or out of their rooms. This excuse is credible; the upper room doors, in particular, often are coated with ice in the morning. In fact, Bog Luck removed the locks to strengthen his excuse for locking the strong room.
6. Bog Luck’s Room
Bog Luck has this room to himself, so it’s more spacious and comfortable than the others. He’s seldom here except when sleeping, and he keeps the door locked. A successful DC 10 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools can open it. Despite his crude manner, Bog Luck is a somewhat educated man, as evidenced by the books of philosophy and natural history on his reading shelf.
7. Ardred Briferhew’s Room
The commander of the hired guards has this small room to himself. There is nothing remarkable about it.
8. Kitchen
This upper room is used for preparing food on a large stove. In the evenings, this doubles as a common room where people gather to smoke, drink, swap stories, and keep warm. Eventually the cook, a grumpy human called Gristle Pete, kicks everyone out so he can unroll his mattress and blankets and get some sleep.
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