The Burrow
The Goblet, Ward 26, Plot 10 (Balmung)
A small, unkempt tavern on the outskirts of the Goblet known among the back alleys for being a safe place for those down on their luck to hide out, meet up, get a cheap drink or meal, pick up a rumor or two, make connections, and even find work."Ask about our backroom specials."
The Burrow is designed to create a space to cultivate strong roleplay and draw together RP connections, potentially between different RP communities. While not explicitly invite-only, it is not a public venue.
See below for navigation.
The Vibes
A haze of cigarette smoke. Creaky chairs that don't match. Dim lighting barely hiding how badly the floorboards need to be mopped. Plantlife growing out of the cracks in the walls. Used dishes left out on tables long after their patrons pay and leave. A faint, constant squeak from the ceiling fan. A Rava behind the bar who appears to be the pub's singular manager, bartender, bouncer, cook and custodian, and who, despite all her swagger, muscle, scars and cussing, has a bigger heart than she lets on.The Burrow is a rough-around-the-edges establishment with gray-morality vibes and lax standards. It is a safe, neutral space, with the average patron just as willing to shelter someone in need as they are willing to personally chase down and punish those who wronged them, possibly even regardless of the law.Both Lawful Goods and Chaotic Evil types probably won't find much here. Average joes, antiheroes, backalley types, and people made of tougher stuff or harder circumstances than the average townsperson might find themselves in good company.There are no vibes that the establishment is a front for something else. It is more or less exactly what it looks like. It's just managed by someone who has no idea what they're doing.Who owns the place? That is a fantastic question.
Who is most welcome?
Adventurers, bounty hunters, mercenaries, thieves, people down on their luck, backalley types, "decent" folk regardless of their circumstances
People who need a neutral space to hide, meet up or make deals
People looking for information or connections, to spread the word about their services, or for local jobs including mercenary work
People down on their luck desperate for a safe haven to lie low and sleep for a day or two, or a free/cheap meal
Locals with low standards who just want a drink or meal on their way home
Who is less welcome?
People looking for fine cuisine, pristine atmosphere or a family outing -- the pub is too rough around the edges for that
Villainous and/or outright evil individuals
Malicious organized crime and criminals
People looking for hookups, inn quarters or non-emergency extended stay
People who potentially pose a threat to fellow patrons or to the tavern itself by their presence or associations, whether inherently or intentionally, i.e. most severely lore-breaking characters, super high-profile individuals, etc.
People who can't keep secrets, don't understand discretion, can't be trusted, are otherwise disruptive, etc.
The Building
Whoops, there are no hours.
The Burrow appears to be only open for a few hours at a time late at night (think 9pm to 2am), with those hours often fluctuating, as do the days of the week. There is no schedule. If the lights are on and the sign on the door is flipped to open, it's open. What a mess.
Seating & Public Access
Patrons should seat themselves inside. Outdoor seating includes a couple tables in the front, as well as a rooftop arrangement with a scenic view of a featureless gorge. Lovely!The side and back yards of the Burrow (everything beyond the grassy partition) is off-limits to patrons.The basement is a haphazard storage and living space and is also largely off-limits, although the building's only restroom is down there should someone get too drunk.
Connections Board
Covered in a disorganized mess of job offers, bounties, business cards, flyers, self-advertisements, and other contact details for people with unique skills or needs, the Burrow connection board's features are more dangerous, dark, skeevy, or otherwise questionable in nature than your average mercenary job or city levemete, though without putting up anything sadistic or evil. Think "local diner bulletin board but all the business cards and ads on it are lowkey questionable." The board is located inside the pub proper.OOCly the board is very informal, and there is no official listing anywhere as to what's on it. Feel free to make up things on-the-spot for your character to interact with, whether resources or jobs. It's intended to help generate sporadic ideas for people to RP together, potentially of a darker nature for extra ✨drama✨.
The Menu
Whoops, there is no menu.
No, really. Everything about this pub screams "she's winging it," and there seems to be a loose pay-what-you-can model. How does this place stay in business?
Drinks: Most alcoholic drinks and cocktails are doable across the board plus or minus a few ingredients. The pub has a reputation for strong but really tasty mixtures.
Food: On the flipside, the food menu varies by whatever happens to be in the kitchen at the time, and the dishes tend to be some combination of simple, poorly prepared, under- or overseasoned, and even slightly nauseating. Food poisoning, while rare, is not outside the realm of possibility.
Daily Specials
Updated daily as the Burrow opens, and written on the board outside (shown above). Reflects whatever more formalized "dish" the "cook" has scrounged together. It's very often the only thing there is to actually order to eat, and there is usually way too much of it, although specific special food requests are not unwelcome if they can be thrown together easily.