The “Blackstone” Tavern
The tavern by the name of the city is the favorite place of all adventurers and wealthy citizens on the central square of merchants quarter. The huge three-storeyed building can handle a couple of hundred people and provide a shelter to three dozen more. On the first floor of the tavern there is a large hall with a set of wooden tables and benches. Walls of the hall are decorated by the old carvings and various pictures made by Blackstone’s famous masters. The floor is covered by expensive parquet, and the chandelier lighting the whole room hangs down from a ceiling and is made of metal and magic stones. On the luxurious stage in the center of the hall you can always hear bards playing music and entertaining the public. The Tavern is especially full in the evenings when the talented musician Elora steps on the stage: every single visitor from a nobleman to a poor refugee adores her. The second floor is built in the form of a balcony, thus continuing the general hall: here you can also find some tables. Besides, on the second floor there are special small rooms closed by curtains where people can discuss their affairs in private. The third floor represents a guesthouse where different-sized rooms are located alongside with the swimming bath and an exit to a balcony from where you can enjoy the wonderful view of Blackstone.
The man by the name of Craig runs this tavern. Not many visitors can tell that he is already in his late 60-s, since even at such an age he is incredibly huge and strong. Being a veteran of many wars, he hides scars and bruises on his well-muscled body, so nobody will consider him as a weak, desperate old man. He proves his strength each time when the brawls happen in his tavern — he is the first to separate brawlers and give each of them some educational punches. There are also a couple of dozen waiters working in the hall — they carry food and take away dishes from tables. In the back of the hall you can find the large bulletin board where people put their requests and orders, whether it is the search for the lost cat or extraction of rare materials and selling some particular goods. Because of this board many adventurers love this place since here it is always possible to find the greedy contract and then spend the fair earned money after it is closed.
The history of “Blackstone” began shortly after the city was established. Here locals could find sincere conversations and entertainment after an unlucky day, and sometime after they also began to hang out orders and requests for exchange or sale on a wall of the tavern: at some point it became a tradition. Certainly, before “Blackstone” looked absolutely different than now and was located in another place — it was the ordinary simple room which you can find in all the villages, but over time the tavern has expanded and was reconstructed. At some point it became filled with various adventurers and other travelers, since the settlement was on a crossing of many trading routes. Before going to the next adventure, many heroes surely came here to have a glass or two and to discuss their plans and strategy. What is surprising, owners of tavern were quite often changed — it did not belong to one family more than forty-fifty years in a row. The current owner Craig inherited it from the companion who died in one of the wars and now continues business of many generations that owned “Blackstone” before him.
In this exact tavern the defender of the city of Vanessa promised to protect the city to the friend that established it. Here fractions and the underground organizations of the city were born. When the city was threatened by danger, all its protectors always gathered in Blackstone to discuss further actions. This place has truly become one of the most important in the city. Many holidays and other events start their celebration exactly from here and then capture all the Blackstone. When the Great War ended and crowds of refugees rushed to the city, the tavern even temporarily stopped to be a tavern actually, providing spaces for accomodating people. And when riots in the city began, the guards used it as one of temporary headquarters.
Most of the famous heroes came here at least once and some even have favourite places here. So, for example Laila, who is usually not really talkative, prefers to turn the affairs in the basement, but at the same time she has managed to get acquainted and become friends with Elora. Emilia with her teacher Corwin sometimes come here in the afternoon to discuss important questions. And even young Christopher sometimes drops in here to have a rest from work with mechanisms and to drink a glass of orange juice. Everyone finds in this tavern something for himself.
And if Blackstone, perhaps, will be wiped out from Listeria, then the tavern with the same name will forever remain in the hearts of all lucky adventurers who visited it.
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