The Blushing Mermaid

This is where session 0 will begin.
Infamous up and down the Sword Coast, the Blushing Mermaid is known as the best tavern and inn in Baldur’s Gate for those looking to get their teeth kicked in, or to kick in someone else’s. Always one spilled drink away from a brawl, the bar is the sort of place most don’t visit unless they’re well-armed or with a lot of friends — preferably both. The place takes its name from the life-sized wooden mermaid hanging above the incongruous reception desk, a dozen blackened and withered hands nailed to its body — souvenirs left by those who refused to pay their bill.
Beyond the combination lobby and common room, the Blushing Mermaid is a confusing maze of wings and oddly interconnected floors, hiding dozens of small and shabby rooms and at least four levels of cellars. Few people bother to sleep at the Mermaid, due in part to its operators’ loud pronouncement that they aren’t responsible for any losses, including those of life and limb. Instead, its plethora of back rooms and antechambers act as de facto offices for the menagerie of shady characters who spend their days drinking here. Ostensibly retired sailors, the bar’s regulars are in fact contacts for a variety of unsavory organizations, from smugglers and bandits to fences, drug dealers, and panderers. Some work for the Guild, others for operations all along the Sword Coast. Those looking to do business with the Gate’s underworld find that a handful of silver in the Mermaid can open doors, but the wrong word can find you dumped unconscious in the alley out back. While the Mermaid’s criminal aspects are an open secret, the place is well connected enough that the Flaming Fist traditionally leaves it alone.

Structure

The tavern was long, low building which looked like it would collapse at any minute. It was surrounded on three sides by a tangle of stables, outbuildings, and enclosures. It was known to have at least four levels of cellars, and many more were said to exist

Interior

The lobby had a high of ceiling adorned with a crudely carved life-sized mermaid suspended over the reception desk. This nearly nude woman was adorned with more than a score of blackened and shriveled severed hands of patrons who did not pay their bills. There were rumors these hands could magically animate and aid the desk clerk in "handling" the city watch, intruders, or obnoxious guests. The tavern's other rooms had low ceilings and dim of lighting; they were furnished with mismatched and much-abused furniture. All rented rooms were heavily lockable with iron or wooden bars, but patrons were still advised not to sleep too soundly, which was difficult to do as the establishment was usually noisy at all hours.

Atmosphere

The Mermaid was renowned up and down the Sword Coast as a meeting place for those who wish to conduct illicit business. It was a noisy place frequently beset by brawls, and patrons either go in heavily armed groups or studiously avoid provoking other patrons. A representative of virtually any illegal group operating in Baldur's Gate can usually be found somewhere on the premises, and the Mermaid is the best place to engage the services of any of them. 1 sp is the usual fee to get a representative's attention, with an additional 1-5 gp (2 gp on average) fee to enter serious negotiations. Independent operators usually frequent the Elfsong Tavern rather than the Mermaid

Food

• Salted small-fish stew (rotting baitfish boiled with sea salt and seaweed)
• Bread with drippings (hard-crust nutbread rolls covered with a thick organ meat gravy)
• A variety of cheeses (sold by the handwheel)
• Pork, thyme, and mushroom platters
• Ale, bread, and fish (meal)
• Small pickled squid
• Whole roasted pigs
• Oysters, mussels, and other shellfish (sold by the heap, cooked or raw)
• Boiled flounder (house specialty)

Prices

• Rooms for 2 gp per night (included stabling; long-term rates or bathing facilities, and room costs did not include food)
• Food for mounts an extra 3 cp per night
• A platter of fish, bread, and drippings for 2 cp
• Meat dishes for 3 cp per platter
• Shellfish for 1 gp per heap (several bushels)
• Ale for 3 cp per tankard
• Whiskey for 1 sp per tallglass

Type

Inn

Parent Location

Baldur's Gate - Lower City