Elturel in Forgotten Worlds - Black Gryphon Inn

Shadows Beneath the Golden Sun

“In Elturel, we don't fear the dark; we fear the silence that follows a broken law.”

Kaelen Thistlewood, proprietor of the Black Gryphon

• TavernThe Black Gryphon InnA stuffed gryphon head hangs over the bar and its eyes appear to track anyone who hasn't paid their tab.
• ShopElvinor's Cartography and Rare ScrollsElvinor will frequently pause a transaction to glare at the wall shared with the Black Gryphon Inn, muttering 'Barbarians' under his breath every time a muffled laugh or thud is heard. He insists that his maps are the only true depictions of Elturel and will get visibly upset if a customer mentions another cartographer.

district

Dock District

timeOfDay

Eternal Noon (Companion-light)

crowdLevel

Teeming

economicTier

Moderate

• NPCKaelen ThistlewoodKaelen is a man of dualities; he is fiercely protective of his staff but refuses to offer them words of praise, believing that a fair wage is the only 'thank you' a professional needs. He adheres strictly to the Creed Resolute and the laws of Elturel, yet he maintains a mental ledger of which city officials are susceptible to a well-placed cask of ale to ensure his imports bypass the heavy tariffs. He is hospitable to guests but possesses a cold, calculating gaze that can silence a tavern brawl faster than a city guard's whistle.
• NPCMaster Elvinor SunscribeElvinor is a man of extreme intellectual discipline who treats silence as a sacred commodity. He is profoundly generous toward those who demonstrate a genuine interest in the geographical history of the Heartlands, yet he is cuttingly elitist toward those he deems uncultured. He exists in a state of perpetual agitation, finding the mundane sounds of Elturel's commerce to be a personal affront. While he presents himself as a fragile academic, he possesses a stubbornness that could rival a dwarf, especially when his work is threatened by the 'cacophony' of the nearby Black Gryphon Inn.

• LootLoot

1. 1Resolve the 'Noise War' between the Black Gryphon and the neighboring scroll-shop, Master Elvinor’s Cartography.

   If they succeed

   The party earns free lodging at the Inn and a 10% discount on maps.

   If they fail

   The city watch intervenes, fining the party for public disturbance.

2. 2Retrieve a lost shipment of 'Sun-Blessed Ink' supposedly stolen and hidden somewhere in the Inn's sprawling cellar.

   If they succeed

   Master Elvinor rewards the party with a Potion of Clairvoyance.

   If they fail

   The ink is sold to a black-market contact, and Elvinor refuses to trade with the party.

The artificial sun overhead makes shadows deeper and legal presence more oppressive.