Our Harpist's Cup
From the outside this popular tavern is clean, well maintained, and modest. Wooden planks and pillars make up most of the building's exterior. The windows that face the street are thick panes of darkly tinted glass that make it nearly impossible to see the interior but the enjoyment from within can usually be heard outside. The front entrance is always watched by a large, threatening bouncer of some kind although most patrons know the real protection is infused into the building itself with both metaphysical and practical defenses.
As you enter the tavern through the light glass door tinted as darkly as the windows, you're welcomed by an amazing blend of scents and clapping hands. The main entrance is barely seperate from the main barroom and all the noise and bustle floods the space with a cacophony of sound that takes a few minutes for most folks to adjust to. There is a single main floor with broad mezanine that overlooks the barroom and dancefloor where patrons can sit for meal service if they'd rather be away from the often busy and crowded barroom.
The bartender is a busy, but still manages to welcome you with a friendly nod.
Square wooden beams support the upper floor and the warm glowing lanterns attached to them. The decor is subtle and more rustic than the simple exterior and dark glass would lead one to expect. The walls are covered in posters and playbills from previous performances but the original pale gray plaster is still visible in some spots. The furniture, chairs, tables, and the stools at the bar are made from a distinctive type of wood brought in from a nearby mill called Roland's Weald. The former owner had a good relationship with one of the lumberjacks and worked out a very lucrative trade one night after several bottles of Heblin moonshine.
The tavern itself is packed. Locals seem to be the primary clientele here, which is probably the best clientele for the owner. Several long tables are occupied by, what seems to be one large group of people. The other, smaller tables are also occupied by people who are playing games and, judging by their laughter, are either telling jokes or great, perhaps embarrassing, tales. Even most of the stools at the bar are occupied, though nobody seems to mind more company.
You did hear rumors about this tavern, supposedly it's famous for the music and judging by how many people are dancing, it must be the live band who just started playing. You manage to find a seat and prepare for what will undoubtedly be a great evening.
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