The Red Rakda

The Highway of D'hald stretches across the kingdom of Stalimsoth, winding through forests, plains, and over the raging River To'dekan. Fourty miles west of the To'Dekan Bridge, there is a ramshackle, cone-shaped structure of rambling balconies, porches, roofs, plaster, wood and stone walls, surrounded by a low stone wall that is slowly crumbling beneath vines. The sign on the gate post reads "The Red Rakda", and is painted with it's namesake, a goat-like desert animal. The inn is constantly bustling with activity, and the grounds swarm with herds of sheep, pigs, rakdas, and people. The main room of the Red Rakda is a large circular room, with a bar and stage, roaring fireplace, and tables for twelve travelling parties. The bartender is also the innkeeper, an energetic, bright-eyed wood-elf named Duarotangu. The staff of the inn is jovial and even-tempered, and always punctual. The bar serves a wide variety of alcohols, including mazte, grog, mead, ale, and zulzt. The food is good, though not ground-breaking. The cheapest rooms in the inn are around the kitchen and central room, on the ground floor. The rooms rise in cost and comfort with the floors, and the third floor rooms are often used by travelling dignitaries and ambassadors.

Many think that Duarotangu must devote his entire existence to running the beloved establishment, however, this is untrue. Unbeknownst to most, the wood-elf is an active agent of the Blue Cloaks, a secret organization devoted to defeating evil, and his inn is a clandestine meeting spot for other Blue Cloak operatives. Certain rooms on the second floor have secret alcoves and doors in which Blue Cloaks may stow secret messages, dossiers, and items, and with which they may access the secret meeting room beneath the Red Rakda's storage basement. Every Third-day of the week, a human Blue Cloak operative named Tereshon deposits a pouch of gold pieces in a secret alcove behind a stone in the fireplace of the main room. Most of the staff think that Tereshon is merely a satisfied customer, but one of the waitress wenches, named Shawen, has figured out the Blue Cloaks' secret, and will sell what she knows to a wealthy bidder...