The Quay Rat
The pub began as a net-mender's shed beside a working quay. Generations of dockhands enlarged it with timber salvaged from retired boats, leaving its floor gently sloped toward a drain. It acquired its present name after dockside rats repeatedly stole bait from the curing racks. The owners gave up trying to drive them out and put up a sign instead.
The Quay Rat
Overview
History
The pub began as a net-mender's shed beside a working quay. Generations of dockhands enlarged it with timber salvaged from retired boats, leaving its floor gently sloped toward a drain. It acquired its present name after dockside rats repeatedly stole bait from the curing racks. The owners gave up trying to drive them out and put up a sign instead.
Quirks
The floor creaks like a boat under strain whenever the wind shifts. The bar's brass bell rings by itself at the turn of the tide, though the keeper insists it is only a loose fitting. Regulars leave a small bite of food on the windowsill for the rats, and anyone who upsets the custom is likely to find their boots gnawed overnight.
Rooms and services6
- Tide StepsDock accessA covered landing lets sailors step straight from their skiffs into the pub at high tide. At low tide, the last few steps descend through slick mud.
- Crew RoomsLodgingSix narrow rooms have shuttered windows, dry blankets, and hooks for oilskins. One room can be rented by the hour for discreet meetings.
- Mooring YardStableA fenced yard holds space for two carts and several pack animals. A stablehand will watch a mount overnight for an extra fee.
- The Wager TableGamblingA scarred table offers dice, cards, and a local shell-toss game. The house takes a modest cut, and disputes are settled by the keeper, not fists.
- Song BoardsEntertainmentA low platform hosts shanty singers and visiting storytellers on busy nights. Performers may earn supper and a few coins from the crowd.
- Parcel LockerStorage serviceA locked iron coffer behind the bar holds small parcels for guests who need a safe place to leave them until morning. The keeper records each deposit.
People
The keeper and 5 patronsKeeperHesta Human fighter, level 5
Experienced navigator and occasional guide, roughly equivalent to a 5th-level adventurerSethri A soft-spoken half-elf navigator who listens carefully and rarely gives a straight answer about where a ship has been.
Local craftworker, an ordinary noncombatantMarta Pell A blunt human net-mender with a dry sense of humor and no patience for boastful sailors.
Veteran sailor and capable fighter, roughly equivalent to a 3rd-level characterKett A watchful dwarf deckhand who keeps his back to the wall and counts every person who enters.
Runner and messenger, a quick but inexperienced localTashi A cheerful halfling courier who knows every quay shortcut and trades rumors for good stories.
Skilled diver and former adventurer, roughly equivalent to a 4th-level characterGarruk Vale A taciturn half-orc salvage diver, careful with his words and fiercely protective of his crew.
Keeper's Species
Human
Intrigue
What locals say
This is a practical harbor where tides, cargo schedules, and weather matter more than grand titles. The pub's regulars include fishers, sailors, chandlers, and the occasional adventurer looking for passage. Its customs are simple: do not block the gangway, do not draw steel over a wager, and never claim a storm is harmless while someone else is still at sea.
Plot hooks
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