Cormorant's Tea House

The second-largest tea house in Valor is in Albion's East End district. Though it can be a trek to get there from much of the city (especially the less affluent areas), it is convenient enough for those with other business to attend to either in the East End or in the southern portion of the Eastern Inland. It is also worth making a special trip just to visit this hive of culture, coziness, and conversation.

Purpose / Function

The building was first a residence, and changed hands several times before being snatched up by the Tea Hosts Guild. Initially intended simply as housing for a highly ranked member, the ever-enterprising Pacil Cormorant soon decided that it would make for an elegant tea house and commissioned extensive renovations.

Customers can now mingle in the parlor as they wait for table, lounge in a nice chair by the fireplace, or play Wing Cross on the back porch. There are tables in the side rooms and the garden where they can order one of the house's standard recipes from the waitstaff or request a turn with the Downstairs Host. Upstairs, a Host is available for each table, ensuring that they can discuss their clients' tastes and determine the perfect blend and additions for that day, and that they can play the full social role.

The third floor is suitable for banquets or private concerts; when not in use for these events, customers are welcome to gather around the tables there for open conversation. If someone is looking for a chance to chat with a higher-ranked member of their guild, talk their way into a different guild, or get the perspective of someone from another class, this is the place.

Sensory & Appearance

The tea house is warm year-round, kept cozy even in winter with its fireplaces, active kitchen, and many visitors. In the summer, it is kept tolerable (though never quite cool) by leaving doors and windows open to the breeze off the lake. The warm, complex scents of its wares permeate the air. There is plenty of warm, natural light as well as plenty of sconces and lanterns in what may have otherwise been shadowy corners.

Perhaps most noticeable, however, is the constant babble of conversation and laughter. Though the tea house frequently invites musicians, their policy is that music should never overpower their customers' conversations.

Denizens

People of all rank and status can be found here, though it is more of a special treat for the lower class. The most plentiful regulars tend to be middle class, those who work for or run the surrounding businesses or nearby guild halls. "The 'Rant," as the more pretentious regulars call it, offers not only a respite from their work, but also a neutral place to negotiate and a casual atmosphere where they can rub elbows and talk with people from other guilds or social class.

Contents & Furnishings

The interior of the Tea House is a mix of homely touches and the hallmarks of a cafe, perhaps epitomized in the dining room. Here, paneled walls and Cormorant family portraits surround a tall bookshelf, not stacked with tomes but with tea cakes and other small deserts, tins of various tea blends, jars of additives, and stacks of cups. Waitstaff serve tea with a beautifully carved buffet as their counter, pouring water from Raithar-era kettles into cheaply made ceramic cups. These cups are plain except for the cormorant stamp on the bottom and, while customers are encouraged to stay and chat (and perhaps purchase a refill and a snack), they can be carried out with no expectation of return.

Alterations

While the first floor was left generally intact, other than expanding the kitchen and pantry, the rest of the house was extensively remodeled. The second floor now features an array of private meeting rooms, and the third features an open entertaining area with large windows to take advantage of the excellent view. The attic has been divided to accommodate the manager's office and a small lounge set aside for the staff.

Architecture

The original house was built of albion stone and wood, with all the detail and grace expected of a high-class home. The roof has new slate shingles, and the original albion chimney, its white stone almost frosted with black at its apex. Where the third floor was adjusted to feature larger, more regular windows, the siding was updated as well; still wood, but laid in a smoother, more modern fashion. This section is now kept painted with naturalistic murals inspired by the surrounding countryside, the flora and fauna of the mountains, or the lake itself. Every time the paint begins to fade and crack, it's sanded out and a new artist is invited to share their vision.

Known To

Local Knowledge

Alternative Names

The 'Rant

Type

Cafe / Tearoom

Parent Location

Albion

Characters in Location

• Aleyu Cormorant