The Bronze Dragon
The Bronze Dragon is a two-story tavern located along the High Road in Waterdeep in the Southern Ward and owned by the Arrowheads. The tavern is named after the group's close friend Zelifarn, a young bronze dragon that lives in Deepwater Harbor. The Bronze Dragon has quickly gained a reputation as a place someone can go to buy or sell information, or have problems solved by the Arrowheads. The tavern is also notable for its all half-elven staff.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Purpose / Function
by SilkyNoire
The staff of The Bronze Dragon is, all female, half-elf, and conventionally attractive. Staff clothing is revealing or skimpy, all in service of allowing clients to let their guard down and speak freely, as well as drawing large numbers of customers to the tavern each night. In addition to typical tavern staff duties, The Bronze Dragon's staff also conducts nightly shows on the stage, such as dancing or plays. However, due to the lack of a second shift, the tavern is only open from five bells in the afternoon, to two bells in the morning.
Aside from eating and drinking, The Bronze Dragon has distinguished itself as a hub for buying and selling information. The Arrowheads quickly developed a reputation (aided by some broadsheet advertisements) of being able to find any information within Waterdeep. As such, merchants, suspicious spouses, gamblers, and sometimes guards or government officials find themselves talking to an Arrowhead in one of The Bronze Dragon's private booths. As well as selling information, The Bronze Dragon also buys choice information from those who have it. Thanks to its reputation as a trusted source for selling information (and cleverly placed rumours), many people trust that The Bronze Dragon will give them a fair price for their information.
As the headquarters of the Arrowheads, The Bronze Dragon is where they can be found for hire. Usually at least one of them is available, but the tavern's staff is more than capable of taking requests on behalf of them. As a group of experienced and skilled adventurers, the Arrowheads are far from the cheapest option in Waterdeep, but they are one of the quieter groups.
Staff
The Bronze Dragon employs six staff members - a barmaid, stable girl, chef, and three waitresses. Each of the staff members is a young half-elf woman interviewed and chosen by the Arrowheads for both their skill in their role and their ability to get information out of customers.The barmaid (and head of the tavern while the Arrowheads are away) is Faedi Thaviel. She's perpetually smiling and cheerful, happy to listen to problems and either sell or tell solutions. Faedi is a member of the Vintners', Distillers', & Brewers' Guild, and is exceptionally knowledgable in all things alcohol. She lives with her wealthy family in a large estate in the North Ward, and makes the commute to the Southern Ward early each morning. Having received an education in business, Faedi also manages The Bronze Dragon's finances and ensures it turns a profit.
Caelynn Siannodel is the tavern's stable girl, responsible for all the animals housed in the stable each night. While some may describe her as shy, this is because she typically prefers the company of horses to people. That said, she was hired by The Bronze Dragon for a reason, and can be very gregarious once she's had a few drinks - or she starts talking about horses. She lives with her parents in a modest house in the Southern Ward, fairly close to the tavern. On more than one occasion, Caelynn has quickly run home to get changed in the middle of a shift after cleaning up horse droppings.
As the only chef in The Bronze Dragon, Xilrie Rustrar is responsible for single-handedly cooking dozens of meals every night. She takes great pride in her cooking, as she learned travelling the roads of Faerûn with her merchant family. Given a description and the right ingredients, she can cook just about anything made within a thousand miles of Waterdeep. Xilrie lives by herself in the Southern Ward some distance from the tavern.
Caelynn Siannodel is the tavern's stable girl, responsible for all the animals housed in the stable each night. While some may describe her as shy, this is because she typically prefers the company of horses to people. That said, she was hired by The Bronze Dragon for a reason, and can be very gregarious once she's had a few drinks - or she starts talking about horses. She lives with her parents in a modest house in the Southern Ward, fairly close to the tavern. On more than one occasion, Caelynn has quickly run home to get changed in the middle of a shift after cleaning up horse droppings.
As the only chef in The Bronze Dragon, Xilrie Rustrar is responsible for single-handedly cooking dozens of meals every night. She takes great pride in her cooking, as she learned travelling the roads of Faerûn with her merchant family. Given a description and the right ingredients, she can cook just about anything made within a thousand miles of Waterdeep. Xilrie lives by herself in the Southern Ward some distance from the tavern.
Silaqui Aloro is one of the three waitresses employed at The Bronze Dragon. She's also the most popular, always wearing her blouse low and her skirt high. Silaqui spends as much time flirting with customers as she does serving them, and has been known to go home with them on occasion. This isn't just for fun though - Silaqui is very good at getting closely held secrets out of people without them even realising they said anything. While she lives by herself in the Sea Ward, she spends as much time sleeping in other peoples' homes as she does her own.
Daena Halphi is another one of the waitresses at The Bronze Dragon. Orphaned at a young age, she grew up on the streets, and now she's the youngest employee of The Bronze Dragon. She's glad to finally have a home and income, and makes sure that customers always feel as happy as she does. Her constant happiness can warm even the coldest hearts by the tavern's fire (the free ale she gives out helps too). Daena rents a small apartment close to the tavern in the Dock Ward.
The official bard of The Bronze Dragon, Nerileth Vadronno annoyed her parents by taking time away from her studies at New Olamn to work as a waitress. The melodic tunes of her voice can be heard throughout the night alongside the clanking of mugs or the sounds of one of the many instruments she plays. While Faedi might run the tavern, Nerileth runs its entertainment. Aside from serving drinks, Nerileth puts together the dance routines, music arrangements, and plays that she and the other two waitresses perform.
Daena Halphi is another one of the waitresses at The Bronze Dragon. Orphaned at a young age, she grew up on the streets, and now she's the youngest employee of The Bronze Dragon. She's glad to finally have a home and income, and makes sure that customers always feel as happy as she does. Her constant happiness can warm even the coldest hearts by the tavern's fire (the free ale she gives out helps too). Daena rents a small apartment close to the tavern in the Dock Ward.
The official bard of The Bronze Dragon, Nerileth Vadronno annoyed her parents by taking time away from her studies at New Olamn to work as a waitress. The melodic tunes of her voice can be heard throughout the night alongside the clanking of mugs or the sounds of one of the many instruments she plays. While Faedi might run the tavern, Nerileth runs its entertainment. Aside from serving drinks, Nerileth puts together the dance routines, music arrangements, and plays that she and the other two waitresses perform.
Architecture
The Bronze Dragon is a fairly typical Waterdeep building, constructed from wood, stone, clay, bricks, and other materials commonly found in the city's buildings. The building is two stories tall with a basement and attic. Both main floors are used by the Bronze Dragon tavern, with a large loft encircling the ground floor. Throughout the interior of the tavern on the walls are arrayed over a dozen busts of various slain monsters, including a blue dragon - Iymrith, who Sariel Liadon helped slay in 1492 DR. However, all of the busts are replicas, rather than taxidermied originals.
The ground floor is relatively cramped by tables and chairs, but has several private booths to the side that offer more space and quiet. Towards the back of the ground floor is the bar, and to the side is an elevated stage for performances. A large fireplace provides heat during cold nights, but is usually unlit during the summer. For light, the building is lit by a large chandelier as well as many candles and lanterns. While the sun is down, this provides a dimly lit but still seeable ambiance. Behind the bar is the kitchen, as well as a set of stairs down to the basement.
The upper floor is similar to the ground floor in furniture, but features a balcony that looks out over the High Road. There are a number of tables on the balcony, usually reserved well in advance. The middle of the upper floor has been cut out, converting it into a loft and creating a shared space with the main floor. The upper floor also has several staff rooms for various functions, such as a break room and cleaning closet. The attic has been converted into a living space with four beds and two windows, creating a cramped but entirely livable space.
The basement is usually only accessible to employees of The Bronze Dragon, as it acts as storage for the tavern's food and beverages. Alcohol is stored in a number of barrels like many taverns throughout the Sword Coast, and nonperishable food is packed into crates and barrels. However, the basement also contains a secret door that leads to a hidden passage, connecting the tavern to the city's sewer system. Only members of the Arrowheads know how to open and close the secret door.
The back of the tavern has three attached outhouses, as the building itself is too small for interior bathrooms. As well, a short distance behind The Bronze Dragon is its stable, which is detached from the main structure. Typically customers dismount their horses in front of the tavern, and the horses are then led to the stable to be cared for until the customer departs.
The ground floor is relatively cramped by tables and chairs, but has several private booths to the side that offer more space and quiet. Towards the back of the ground floor is the bar, and to the side is an elevated stage for performances. A large fireplace provides heat during cold nights, but is usually unlit during the summer. For light, the building is lit by a large chandelier as well as many candles and lanterns. While the sun is down, this provides a dimly lit but still seeable ambiance. Behind the bar is the kitchen, as well as a set of stairs down to the basement.
The upper floor is similar to the ground floor in furniture, but features a balcony that looks out over the High Road. There are a number of tables on the balcony, usually reserved well in advance. The middle of the upper floor has been cut out, converting it into a loft and creating a shared space with the main floor. The upper floor also has several staff rooms for various functions, such as a break room and cleaning closet. The attic has been converted into a living space with four beds and two windows, creating a cramped but entirely livable space.
The basement is usually only accessible to employees of The Bronze Dragon, as it acts as storage for the tavern's food and beverages. Alcohol is stored in a number of barrels like many taverns throughout the Sword Coast, and nonperishable food is packed into crates and barrels. However, the basement also contains a secret door that leads to a hidden passage, connecting the tavern to the city's sewer system. Only members of the Arrowheads know how to open and close the secret door.
The back of the tavern has three attached outhouses, as the building itself is too small for interior bathrooms. As well, a short distance behind The Bronze Dragon is its stable, which is detached from the main structure. Typically customers dismount their horses in front of the tavern, and the horses are then led to the stable to be cared for until the customer departs.
Founding Date
18 Mirtul 1494 DR (renovated)
Type
Pub / Tavern / Restaurant
Parent Location
Owning Organization
Menu
The menu of The Bronze Dragon changes nightly, but there's always a few constants. Alcoholic beverages like ale, mead, cider, and wine (both common and fine) are available all hours of the day, as well as bread, local cheeses, soups, stews, meat, and fish. Non-alcoholic beverages are also available, the two most popular being water and apple juice.Thanks to the tavern's position on the High Road and appealing to merchants, it also boasts a wide variety of imported foods. One of the more popular snacks in the tavern outside of winter is the humble banana, imported directly from Tashalar. The Bronze Dragon also caters to a variety of races, including such beverages as Elverquisst, Feywine, and Cocoa Broth. Dwarven alcohol is also kept on premesis, but is usually only opened for dwarves or special occasions, owing to its extreme strength.
Staff Welfare
While making money and gathering information is important, Sariel Liadon understands that working every day in a tavern can be exhausting, especially for a young woman. As such, the tavern closes every fourth day for two days to give its staff a break. During these breaks, Sariel often organises fun activities for everyone to go on, such as beach days, rock climbing, or archery. Allowances are also made for extended time off, such as when sick or for family emergencies.As The Bronze Dragon doesn't employ bouncers, it relies on close connections with the City Watch to deal with troublemakers. However, sometimes the staff need to deal with untoward advances or throw out drunkards. Each staff member is trained in self-defence and knife fighting by the Arrowheads, and thus far, they've been able to deal with every incident without much fuss.
Like the information broker/mercenary angle. I'm curious how this would work as a DnD location. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feel free to check out my Tavern Challenge article if you want to see what I am up to! The Black Hare Tavern
Thanks for liking the article! This tavern can be used in a D&D game as a place for a party to buy some information they need for a quest, or to sell rumours or treasure locations they've found. If you really wanted, you could also use it as a place to start quests.
Oh, that works. I was more trying to figure out how the DM could do the "cute waitresses grift info out of customers" without it feeling railroad-y. Just a general question I have with Charisma/Charm encounters like Succubi.
In my experience it's very easy to get players to slip up and say something they shouldn't, even without cute waitresses. If the players lie about information, you could have them make a contested Deception/Insight check (or equivalent for non-5e systems) to have their characters try to hide it.