The Orc's Head
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Cut from a chunk of local limestone and set above the inn’s front door, the luridly carved face of an orc identifies this place as the infamous Orc’s Head.
At the Orc’s Head, the drink is cheap, the music loud, and the customers (often) drunk. It is a raucous place; brawls are not uncommon. Notorious throughout the duchy as the haunt of adventurers preparing to dare Gloamhold’s depths, the Orc’s Head is a place of tall tales and hard drinking. Decent, respectable folk rarely venture inside. The Shadow Masks dare to operate—cautiously—here but, in the main, limit their activities to information gathering.
The tavern’s proprietor, Einar Salonen, was once an adventurer. A giant of a man standing almost six and a half feet tall, Einar was a mighty warrior in his prime. Now, inactivity and too much drinking have robbed him of his physique. He is still strong, though, and it is a brave—or spectacularly drunk—customer who risks his ire.
Einar Salonen (N middle-aged male human fighter 5) owns the Orc’s Head. He is gregarious, welcoming and relaxed about his customers’ “high spirits”; he doesn’t mind the occasional brawl as long as no one is seriously hurt and nothing valuable is broken. He is popular with his customers but not beloved of the city watch, who see the Orc’s Head as a perennial trouble spot.
Venla Salonen (N middle-aged female human fighter 3) possesses a ready wit and sardonic eyes. This capable woman is the love of Einar’s life; woe betide any who threaten or harass her as Einar—and several regulars—immediately step in—not that she normally needs help.
Urdeanna Karle (NG female gnome) runs the kitchen and is a good, but sadly sometimes too imaginative and experimental, cook. She loves the bustle of the Orc’s Head and often relaxes in the common room after work. With long, bright blue hair, she is hard to miss.
The Cellar: The inn’s taproom is in the cellar. The original inn burnt down mysteriously decades ago. The owner—short of coin—converted the cellar into a taproom and later rebuilt the rest of the inn. The taproom comprises four snug and shadowy chambers perfect for plotting and scheming.
Upper Floors: The inn’s ground floor is given over to guests’ lodgings while Einar, his family and several servants dwell on the top floor. A few rooms on the top floor are sometimes rented out to trusted guests.
Outbuildings: Einar stores victuals and other supplies in a low building behind the inn, where he brews beer. The inn also has stables for its customers’ mounts; Einar is willing to house atypical, well-behaved animals.
The Offering
The Orc’s Head offers food, drink and accommodation; normally, however, only adventurous types stay here.
Food & Drink: Meal (cold sausages, hard cheese and bread) 3 sp, ale 4 cp, wine (pitcher) 2 sp.
Accommodation: Two-bed chamber 10 sp/night, four-bed chamber 20 sp/night, taproom 2 sp/night.
Lifestyle: Characters staying at the Orc’s Head can enjoy a modest lifestyle (1 gp/day) by sleeping in the taproom or a comfortable lifestyle (2 gp/day) by sharing a room. A character taking a double room for themselves doubles the cost of their comfortable lifestyle.
Opportunities & Complications
Lucky adventurers find opportunities almost anywhere. Unlucky adventurers find complications almost anywhere.
Brawl: A brawl has just finished; chairs and tables lie scattered about, and several worse-for-wear patrons stagger out of the inn; a few lie unconscious on the floor. Einar is cheerfully tidying up.
Visiting Watch Patrol: A small patrol of the city watch has entered the inn, and its six (nervous) members are watching the taproom from the balcony. These warriors only intervene in trouble if absolutely necessary.
Talk to Einar: Einar was an adventurer until he retired to buy the Orc’s Head. He has many tales to tell and knows much for a “simple” ostler. Einar also knows many interesting people and, if he likes the characters, offers to help them find new friends and companions.
Pick Pocket: A perceptive character spots a sneak-thief (perhaps Aatso Miela [Interesting Folk #4]) picking the pocketing of a near-unconscious drinker.
Credit
This is a short system-neutral extract from the patron-exclusive Mini-Eventure Carousing at the Orc’s Head which comes with a full page map of the Orc’s Head.
Words Creighton Broadhurst Cartography and Illustration Tommi Salama.
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