H14 The Crossroads Inn

A Rustic Retreat Outside Verbobonc City

Nestled just beyond the North Gate of Ryemend and the heavily fortified West (Trade) Gate of Verbobonc, The Crossroads Inn offers a sanctuary for travelers seeking the comfort of a country inn. This charming establishment, situated on the north side of the Velverdyva River, is a testament to the simple pleasures of rural hospitality.

Overview

• Location: Just outside the North and West Gates of Verbobonc, by the Velverdyva River.
• Clientele: Primarily caters to farmers, merchants, and travelers from the north.
• Amenities: Focuses on basic comforts with a large fire hearth, simple bedding, and essential services.

Notable Patrons

Gregan Bistlebot: A gnome who has found a permanent residence at the inn. Gregan operates a ferry service, transporting goods directly to the docks of Verbobonc City, facilitating an essential link for local merchants.

Proprietor: Eldon Barleybrew

• Background: The owner of The Crossroads Inn hails from a lineage of farmers from the surrounding countryside. After years of working the land, they decided to convert a large barn into an inn, seeing the need for a resting place for fellow farmers and merchants traveling to and from Verbobonc City.
• Personality: Known for their warm hospitality and a no-nonsense approach to life, the owner greets every guest with a hearty welcome. Their pragmatic approach to running the inn ensures that every traveler receives care and attention, albeit with the simple comforts that define the establishment.
• Motivation: Driven by a desire to provide a haven for those who, like themselves, appreciate the value of hard work and the beauty of simplicity. The proprietor takes pride in maintaining a space that feels like home to every guest, away from the complexities and demands of city life.
• Physical Description: With a sturdy build, weathered by years of labor, the owner's appearance reflects their life's work. Their hands, though rough, are always open in welcome. A friendly face, framed by locks of hair that have begun to gray, matches the warm atmosphere of the inn.

Services and Amenities

• Accommodations: The inn offers modest rooms equipped with basic necessities. Each room, while small, is kept clean and comfortable, ensuring a restful night's sleep.
• Dining: A large communal fire hearth serves as the center of activity, where guests can warm themselves and share stories of their travels. The inn provides simple, hearty meals prepared with ingredients sourced from local farms.
• Additional Services: For those needing to reach Verbobonc City (waterfront district) but wish to avoid the more costly city accommodations, Gregan’s ferry service provides an invaluable resource, ensuring goods and messages are transported efficiently.

Conclusion

The Crossroads Inn stands as a beacon of simplicity and warmth on the outskirts of Verbobonc. It is a place where the weary traveler can find rest and respite, served with the genuine hospitality that only a country inn can offer. Whether stopping by for a night or making it a base for local explorations, guests at The Crossroads Inn are guaranteed a stay that harks back to simpler times, underscored by the unwavering dedication of its proprietor and the quiet charm of its surroundings.

Room in an Inn

Heavy oaken doors line the hallway, each emblazoned with a tarnished copper letter. Portraits hang between the doors, faded with age, depicting past owners of the inn or famous patrons. The door creaks open with a twist of the key, and inside you find spartan but comfortable accommodations: a feather bed with a creaky wooden frame, a small bedside table with a pair of beeswax candles, a small footlocker with a heavy iron padlock, and a wooden washing basin, above which hangs an oblong mirror. The room smells pleasantly of old wood and dried lavender.

The Crossroads Inn by 3orcs

Proprietor: Eldon Barleybrew

• The owner of The Crossroads Inn hails from a lineage of farmers from the surrounding countryside.

Gregan Bistlebot (Gnome Rogue-1)
Meal and Room Cost the inn rooms and meals are cheap (poor rooms). Stabling for animals is also available. Gregan’s ferry service will cost each passenger 1gp. This price goes up to 10gp/person if they wish to be transported to within the city walls (waterfront district).

Type

Inn

Parent Location

H5-18 Beyond the Walls

Common meals

Common Meals

The food and drink available at taverns is as varied as the establishments themselves. These two pages presents lists of suitable food and drink divided by the quality of the establishment.


The table immediately below also presents the average cost of food and drink for sale in taverns.

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DRINKS	Price
Ale (gallon)	2 sp
Ale (mug)	4 cp
Wine (common; pitcher)	2 sp
Wine (fine; bottle)	10 gp
MEALS (PER DAY)	price
Poor	1 sp
Common	3 sp
Good	2 gp
D20	COMMON MEALS
1	Omelette with toasted nuts
2	Ham with mixed greens
3	Fish and bacon stew
4	Rabbit in mushroom sauce
5	Fried rabbit with nut cakes
6	Poached fish with kale
7	Cheap sausage with fried onion and apple chunks
8	Black pudding and beans
9	Corned beef with carrots
10	Ham and vegetable stew
11	Cheese and ham omelette
12	Cheese and leek bake
13	Rabbit pie with beets
14	Black pudding with turnip and mushrooms
15	Cheap sausage with cheese and chickpeas
16	Cauliflower cheese with parsnip and kale
17	Leek and chestnut stew
18	Vine leaves stuffed with chickpeas and millet
19	Chicken with buttered parsnip
20	Fishcakes with cracked corn and red cabbage
D20	COMMON DRINKS
1	Beer
2	Ale
3	Watered white wine
4	Cider
5	Perry
6	Cherry barley water
7	Plum barley water
8	Watered red wine
9	Koumiss
10	Watered mead
11	Pear barley water
12	Elderflower cordial
13	Blackberry cordial
14	Elderberry cordial
15	Sloe wine
16	Sloe gin
17	Rosehip cordial
18	Gooseberry cordial
19	Plum cider
20	Blackcurrant cordial
D20	COMMON HOUSE SPECIALITIES
1	Chicken in plum sauce with rice
2	Honey‐fried fish
3	Sheep's head stew with barley and beans
4	Star‐gazy pie
5	Chicken and leek pie
6	Mushroom flan
7	Oxtail soup with cheese bread and onions
8	Pork liver with onions and potatoes
9	Bacon, eggs and fried Potatoes
10	Parsnip soup with cheap sausage and bread
11	Yoghurt soup with meatballs
12	Trout stuffed with oats and mushrooms
13	Lentil pancakes with cabbage and leeks
14	Shellfish chowder
15	Fishballs with mixed greens
16	Lamb heart stew
17	Brawn with spinach, turnips and carrots
18	Oxtongue with onion bread and hazelnuts
19	Fish cooked in ale with mashed swede and potato
20	Vine leaves stuffed with garlic cheese, served with millet balls