Laughing Bard Tavern & Comedy House

At A Glance

The streets are quite busy this evening in Midtown. People are coming to and from their occupations, passing by a charming building with a cacophony of laughter erupting from within. Three stories in height, it was obvious to a passerby that this building was significantly taller than it was wide. A gray slate roof topped this brown brick building. Three windows on the second and third stories were accentuated with bright red shutters and suspended flowerbeds. A large, ebony-black sign thrust forth from the wall, reading "The Laughing Bard Tavern & Comedy House". At street level, the storefront was visible from the massive glass windows surrounded by light, khaki-colored brick. The front door was a bright red like the shutters. Surrounding the door were signs signifying tonight's acts, drinks, and an upstairs restaurant.

First Impressions

The Laughing Bard is far from a quiet place to drink. At the classily designed bar to the immediate right upon entering, two bartenders mix cocktails dressed in bright red vests as they banter and make jokes with the customers. Deceptively big, the tavern is quite long with a prominent stage set into the northernmost wall. The walls of this place are decorated with paintings of famous minstrels and comedians along with the costumes worn by jesters, bards, and more. From the front to back, each table is full of happy patrons enjoying some of the finest ale on this side of the Ward. An older gentleman makes his way about the place, asking the patrons if they have had a good experience thus far and if there is anything he could do to make it even better. He spots you and waves. "Hi-ho! Welcome to the Laughing Bard! Let's get you a seat - how's your day been?" As he approaches, you see that he is a man nearing his seventies, but he still maintains the aura of youth as he moves about. He dresses similarly to the barkeepers: red vest and puff tie with black pants and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. After finding you a seat, he flashes you a smile that causes his silver beard to move. He has a clean and short haircut that is the color of snow. "Now then, what can I get you, friend?"

Of course the acts they have there are funny. Old Derrick Dugard is always making sure that folks are having a great time.

- Horace Reeves, Bartender

The second story houses a humble restaurant where people are served the meals of the evening which usually consists of a meat dish served alongside seasonal vegetables and potatoes. Lottie Hughes, a halfling woman with a blonde bun and green eyes, makes her way about the place, seeing to it that customers get their orders in a timely manner. Hughes runs the upper part of the tavern with the same charisma and kindness as Dugard.

Clients

All walks of life come here to enjoy a pint and a few laughs in the Tavern. The ale is notably affordable and the meals are always filling and flavorful and the first folks that will inform you as such are the regulars.

Get yourself a bitter ale with the steak and potatoes. So bloody good you'll cry, I promise.

- Marcus Hargraves, Regular

Dugard prides himself on the idea that this is the only place in town that allows all classes to intermingle with one another. No matter how rich or how poor, you can always find what you're looking for here at the Laughing Bard.

Services

Delicious homecooked meals, fine ale, and entertainment are all served to the adoring patrons of the tavern. With a cycling schedule, comedians and entertainers alike bring laughter and joy to the customers whilst they enjoy their food and drink.

Who's Who & History

Derrick Dugard
A charming and kind old soul, Dugard has run the Laughing Bard Tavern for nearly two decades. Once a comedian himself, he thought it was silly that no one ever had the idea to combine dinner and a show together. In his youth, Dugard entertained all walks of life with his comedic routines. He'd often wear costumes and use props to accentuate his slap-stick style. Dugard will be the first to admit that not all of his routines went too well, however. He jokes with customers on how some of the routines that had him pretending to be injured ended up with him visiting a doctor. One of his most famous skits was the "falling house" routine. He'd have a fake home constructed in the middle of town only to have the front of it fall on him. Of course, it didn't actually fall atop of him. He always managed to be in one of the windows to an uproarious effect. The day that Dugard decided to retire was when this routine actually ended up injuring him.

I always said that I'd have the last laugh, but what sort of comedian would I be if that was the case?

- Derrick Dugard, Famous Entertainer

Lottie Hughes
Lottie is a young and swift halfling that needed to make money for her family whilst her husband was off in an adventuring party. Charming and wise beyond her years, she and Dugard have banter that causes laughter all on its own. Both know better than to heckle each other whilst a show is on. She often makes bets with Derrick regarding which comedian made the audience laugh harder. With little to no debate, Derrick always concedes that her choice was, without a doubt, funnier than his. In truth, Derrick intentionally convinces her that she was the winner of the bet so he can gift her more coins to pay for the sitters she must hire for the five children she has at home.

Rumors & Secrets

Contents

Type

Pub / Tavern / Restaurant

Parent Location

Midtown Ward

Owner

Derrick Dugard