Need a drink?

Many great tales of adventure have started with a chance encounter, a gathering of the minds, or even just a friendly night out at a tavern. Suppose you wish to stumble upon like-minded individuals to join your party, discover a new quest from a local, or make your name drinking your gnomish weight in Luiren Rivengut. In that case, there is rarely a more ideal place to visit than the local watering hole.

Taverns can take many shapes, both in physicality as well as atmosphere. In a large city, you may find a well-constructed, two-story building alive with candlelight and the sounds of music and revelry. The raucous crowd inside may be celebrating a bountiful harvest, honoring the triumphs of a local hero, commemorating a recent wedding, or simply observing a recent holiday. This alehouse could allow an adventuring party to meet new people, steal a few secrets from the inebriated townsfolk, or perhaps avoid local authorities by hiding in plain sight.

Less affluent towns may have taverns that appear worn down and uninviting. These pubs could have a darkened interior thick with pipe smoke and the smell of stale acrid ale, with a dusty and sticky floor from years of grime and spilled spirits. Other than the bartender, there may only be a few people inside, most sitting alone or in pairs, eyeing new patrons but suspiciously keeping to themselves. The woman behind the bar may be brooding and grizzled with cold and unexpressive responses. This unassuming dive could be a great place to set up a secret meeting or start a localized revolution. Such an establishment may already exist as the headquarters for the local thieves guild or the front for other sinister endeavors.

What else do they serve?

Taverns can be incredible places to celebrate accomplishments and let loose after a hard-fought battle. Some may provide an excellent opportunity for your bard to spin a wild story or sing of your party's recent conquest. A game master might even present a bar-crawl atmosphere with a laundry list of potential brews, wines, and liquors. However, a tavern can be much more than an opportunity for a player to knock back a few drinks or dive into the local delicacies.

Barkeeps and waitstaff, for example, may sell just as much information as they do Baalor Ale. Unsurprisingly, all kinds of adventurers, soldiers, sellswords, and even politicians frequent the local taverns, and with good reason. Many secret dealings and private conversations happen in dark corners, and it's not unusual for less careful individuals to slip up while having too much to drink. A good roll and a heavy sack of gold could give players just what they need to break new ground in their quest. Still, a night on the town is not all deception and bar tabs.

Taverns can also provide opportunities to make money as well. Perhaps the most common way to earn a quick gold piece or two would be to inquire about local guilds or factions that may have requested specialized assistance. Although, you may just as easily make a good bit of coin playing a game of chance or a quick hand of cards, engaging in an eating or drinking contest, or even trying your luck arm wrestling or boxing the local strongman.

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