Welcome to Hart's Point

The inn was called Hart’s Point and squatted comfortably next to the major thoroughfare leading south out of the city of Laó Lamatiss. It was entirely stonework and perfectly square, lifted from the ground by at least five feet of wide, shallow steps on every side, and it boasted intricately-carved pillars on each corner of the foundation. Geometric designs wrapped each pillar and climbed the flawlessly symmetrical exterior of the building. Even the four-sided roof was covered in slate shingles of mixed shades, which formed a mosaic pattern above the carven and inlaid walls. Unlike many of the city’s buildings, Hart’s Point was built of very pale stone, a light ivory in color, and its sign was a large slab of dark grey slate, letters painted with shimmering white in elegant High Elvish. The light spilling from the inn’s many doorway-sized, glazed-glass windows was warm-tinted and welcoming.

Inside the Hart

The traveller climbed the broad steps and reached the wide, completely open entryway. He felt the surface tension of an arcane shield as he passed over the threshold, and the air was dry and noticeably warmer inside the inn. He took in the layout of the dining hall, starkly different from the common rooms of the taverns in his port city. Private sitting booths were arranged around a center pedestal, upon which a singer and two musicians were performing sweet but plaintive melodies. The polish of the marble flooring and the fine designs carved even into the stone backs of the benches gave the entire setting a luxurious atmosphere, and the plush cushions on each seat welcomed a weary traveller's body.

Ground Floor

The doorless entryway at the front of the Hart opens into the 20'x30' dining hall, which comprises a full third of the spacious ground floor. Directly opposite the open entrance is a large desk for overnight guests to register and receive room keys; to the right of the desk is a broad, lovely staircase that leads to the second floor with all its guest rooms.
Across from the staircase is the silken curtain that leads to the kitchen, which runs the length of the dining hall. In addition to bustling chefs and delicious smells, the kitchen contains both staircases leading to the cellar and to the top floor to the Sensbeshi family quarters.
The other half of the ground floor is divided evenly between the guest-only bathhouse and the guest-only common room and all-hours bar. They share a parallel, thinly-divided staircase up to the second floor so that overnight guests can reach either room easily.
The bathhouse features two large tubs that can fit four people each, a medium tub for two people, and a single person tub, all of which are at least 4' deep and include a stone bench ringing the interior of the larger tubs for comfortable seating in the water. Bathhouse attendants maintain the clarity and temperature of the water per guest specifications.
The common room has a few small tables for off-hours dining (or games that require a tabletop) but is elsewise filled with luxurious seating in the form of armchairs and small couches. There are two hearths in the common room, one backed to the shared bathhouse wall and the other backed to the shared kitchen wall. A small bar and a sole bartender provide drinks, baked goods, and other delicious snacks like fresh fruit and dried meats to hungry guests at any hour of the day or night.

Second Floor

A wide, beautifully ornate marble staircase leads from the check-in desk on the ground floor up to near the center of the second floor. At the top of the stairs, the hallways spider out towards the guest rooms and makes a diamond ring around the four individual water closets set into the exact middle of the floor plan. None of these water closets boast tubs; the bathhouse on the ground floor fulfills that need for any guests who wish to partake.
Other than the water closets, slender hallways, and staircase to the ground floor, the entirety of the second floor is devoted to the guest rooms, which are arranged in a radially symmetrical pattern. While the size and beds of each room varies, the style is consistent across: square proportions, solid and smooth stone floors, and large, heavy-glassed windows on the rooms with an outside wall. Colorations of the stone surfaces varies naturally from a warm burnt orange to a milky ivory, and even interior walls are layered with a block-like pattern of thin stone slates.
Appointments in the rooms and hallways tend towards a simpler design aesthetic than is typical of sun elves, which seems downright bare compared to elegant moon elf aesthetic. Wall art is everywhere, from small single stone paintings to window-sized mosaics of gemstone chips, and the sleek stone floors are covered in lush, colorful woven rugs. Furniture is almost exclusively carven stone, smooth to the touch and covered in deep velvetine cushions or light linen cloths. The one concession to moon elf design are the bedsheets and blankets on each bed--silk and satin and doe skins and rabbit furs in deep, gorgeous jewel tones.

Top Floor

On the third floor is the enormous family suite for the Sensbeshi family (both owners and staff) who live in the Hart. The third floor itself is only half the square footage of the guest floor below, but it provides plentiful space in its 45'x45' floor plan for the resident family members. It can only be reached via a discreet staircase behind a door in the kitchen and does not have direct access to the second floor.
The third floor is divided into four quarters, three of which are large family suites and the last of which is divided into smaller individual rooms. Each family suite is around 500 sq. ft. and consists of a room with a double bed, a small room with a sandwich bed, and a modest sharing room with comfortable seating and a dining table.
None of the suites or rooms on the third floor have in-suite water closets or kitchenettes; the family uses the large kitchen on the ground floor for their own meals. In the middle of the floor, as on the second floor, are the central plumbing outlets; these feed into two larger water-closets with tubs and two smaller water-closets without, all of which are shared by the entire family.

The Cellar

A wide door in the kitchen leads to the cellar, which runs the full length of the building but is only half as wide (approx. 60' long by 30' wide). The cellar is broken into three large spaces, each 20' by 30', connected to each other with a broad double door.
The initial space is used for food storage that the kitchen does not support, including canned, jarred, and pickled foods, as well as bulk ingredients, extra utensils, and rarely-used spices.
The middle room is a modestly-appointed sitting space with two large tables both ringed with many chairs. This room serves as the informal office for the staff supervisor and the location of staff meetings for scheduling and interpersonal moderations. When not actively hosting meetings, this room functions as a break room for on-duty staff.
The backmost room is used as storage for linens and other reuseable items used in the bathhouse and guest rooms. Most basic objects that will eventually need replacing are kept here, along with damaged items that need to be repaired before returning to service.

Friends of the Hart

The Owners

The Hart is owned by the Sensbeshi, a Sãitl sun elf family--one of the many minor noble families of the city. Nearly half of all the staff at Hart's Point are members of the family via blood or marriage, and each significant feature of the Point is overseen by a particular Sensbeshi.
Elora Sensbeshi manages the dining hall, which serves both the public and any guests who are staying at the Point. She is a soft-spoken, elegant kinvar who has a penchant for beautifully-embroidered, multi-layered dresses, which she makes herself. She is primarily responsible for the coordination of fresh food from local suppliers, both in the city and those on the coastline to the north. Elora is known for her extraordinary attention to detail; it is her steady hand that provides such lovely illustrations on the menu pamphlet, and it is her keen eye that designed and maintains athe well-spun arcane weave that enhances nearly every minor feature of the dining hall.
Grẽs Sensbeshi oversees the considerable pile of paperwork that is generated by the overnight guests and the ongoing maintenance of their rooms. Though he inherited the organizational system from his grandmother, he shows his diligence in ensuring all visits are accurately recorded and all amenities are fully refreshed between guests. As such, he is an almost invisible part of the Point's management; some patrons exchange rumors that he occasionally dresses as normal cleaning staff to inspect the rooms and ensure everything is to his standards.
Aulyen Sensbeshi is responsible for the in-building bathhouse. Unlike some of his family, he is the constant face of the bathhouse to its patrons; his warm welcomes and understated sense of humor have endeared him to regular guests. He does coordinate the inflow of supplies and the maintenance of the bathhouse area, but he loves interacting with patrons far more than such granular organization.
Brẽl Sensbeshi is the behind-the-scenes heart of the Hart. Though younger than her fellow managers, she oversees the scheduling and accommodations for all the staff, which makes her role probably the most vital of all. Brẽl is virtually unknown to any patrons, but she is a bright and warm presence for the family and the workers, and she never seems to grow tired or curt with the interpersonal chess she plays on a daily basis.
Lastly, Rjuzos Sensbeshi is the retired matriarch of the family. While no longer officially involved in the day-to-day management of the Point, she counsels those who are and acts as a staunch supporter when challenges arise.

The Staff

Despite being owned by a sun elf family, the non-familial staff who work in the Hart are a healthy mixture of sun elves and moon elves. Hart's Point runs on a nominally-diurnal schedule, but it is one of the few inns in Laó Lamatiss that has extended operating hours throughout the evening and night to cater to nocturnal moon elves. Though the dining hall and therefore kitchen don't run at all hours, the common room and bar--with a limited selection of breads and snacks--are always open to guests.
While the Sensbeshi family lives on the third floor, many of the other staff have long-term rooms on the second floor as part of their stipend. These rooms are treated to the same rigorous standard of cleanliness and refreshment as any other guest room, which many staff members cite as one of their favorite parts of working at the Hart.

The Patrons

The Hart attracts a regular clientele of traveling merchants who make loops through the interior of Mallenhall; Laó Lamatiss is the northernmost stop for the usual circuit, and as the southernmost inn of the city, the Hart is a natural resting place for these mercantile migrants. Most of these traders are familiar with the staff at the Hart and have preferred rooms, meals, and drinks; more than one merchant party in the common room at a time is guaranteed to generate a friendly, rowdy atmosphere.
Most non-trading patrons consist of visitors to Laó Lamatiss who are just entering or just about to leave the city. For these, the Hart may be merely an overnight stay and a good meal before continuing on their trek.

Hart's Point, Laó Lamatiss, Mallenhall

Location
Hart's Point is the southernmost inn of Laó Lamatiss, which is the largest city in the sun elf nation of Mallenhall, which is the northernmost nation of the isolated landmass now known as the Shattered Isles.
Size
Building: approx. 65'x65'
Ground/second floor: roughly 4,000 sq. ft.
Third floor/cellar: roughly 2,000 sq. ft.

Hours
Guest Check-In: Always Open
Room Service*: Sunrise to Midnight
Dining Hall: Sunrise to 3h After Sunset
Common Room* and Bar*: Always Open
Bathhouse*: Always Open
* Open to overnight guests only.
Maximum Occupancy
Dining: 64 seats
Common Room with Bar: 32 adults
Overnight Guests: 46 adults
Bathhouse: 8 adults

---

Rooms

Single Rooms: 6

10x10' room

1 single bed (6'x4')

Double Rooms: 6

10x15' room

2 single beds

Family Rooms: 4

15'x15' room

1 double bed (7'x6')

1 sandwich bed (6'x4')

1 private water closet

Suites: 2

two connected rooms

10'x15' room: 2 single beds

15'x20' room: 1 double bed,
1 sleeping couch (6'x3')

1 private water closet, incl. tub

(2' bed extenders available for moon elves.)

Type

Inn

Parent Location

Laó Lamatiss

---

Gossip

A local merchant just sold an incredibly rare treasure for next to nothing to an out-of-towner. Why? Does this merchant have any other unexpected finds he might part with for cheap?
Some nights ago, a fight broke out in Methada Circle, north of the Point, where a traveler claimed to have been attacked by someone wielding Eldritch magic. Is such dangerous, infectious magic truly present in our humble city? Who is responsible?
Everyone's favorite traveling merchant has returned with a new cartload of strange and intriguing animals and arcane creatures for sale. Some of them seem to be able to change form to whatever a kinvar would find most compelling, which has evoked an unexpected frenzy between potential patrons to acquire their desired beast. What's going on?
Some travelers have been asking exceedingly detailed questions about other travelers that may have been seen passing through the city or staying at the Hart. What's compelling such scrutiny?
The local arcane academy is opening some classes to the public, welcoming all ages and all levels of experience who might enjoy a tutoring session or classroom setting. Uncharacteristically, a guest lecturer is promising somewhat implausible results for anyone and everyone who takes her week-long class about magical familiars. Are such claims possibly true? And if not, why is the academy allowing such exaggeration?