First Look: The Silverleaf

A glimmering silver oak leaf the size of a man’s head serves as a sign hanging over the door of this two-storey inn.

The retired elven adventurer Baelvain Silverleaf (CG middle-aged male elf fighter 4/wizard 3) owns and runs the Silverleaf. The inn caters to adventurers, mercenaries and other types who chafe at boredom and safety, as well as the citadel’s garrison. At the Silverleaf, lights blaze late into the night, the wine is plentiful, and the host is ever-ready to serve his customers.

The Silverleaf has two taprooms, and while there is no formal divide the locals tend to congregate in one while guests end up in the nicer, larger taproom. The Silverleaf operates an informal dual-pricing policy; locals are charged less for a drink than visitors to the village.

The Offering

Food, drink and accommodation can all be had at the Silverleaf inn.

• Food & Drink: Meal (smoked fish and seaweed, fish pie, fish stew; 3 sp), mug of ale (4 cp), pitcher of good wine (2 sp).
• Accommodation: Guests can sleep in the common room (1 sp) or take a private room (5 sp or 1 gp) of varying quality. Rooms are large and well—if plainly—furnished. All rooms have locks on their doors and sturdy shutters on the windows.
• Lifestyle: Characters staying at the Silverleaf Inn can enjoy a poor (2 sp/day), modest (1 gp/day) or comfortable (2 gp/day) lifestyle.

Notable Folk

Certain folk are often encountered at the Silverleaf.

• Baelvain Silverleaf (CG middle-aged male elf fighter 4/wizard 3) owns the Silverleaf and has done for over 70 years. A gregarious, middle-aged elf, he enjoys running the Silverleaf. For more details on Baelvain Silverleaf, refer to Appendix 1.
• Reeta Ilma (NG old female human commoner) tends bar at the Silverleaf. A favourite with the regulars, she has worked here for four decades. She’s old now and is not as fast as she once was. For all that, her hearing remains excellent, and her powers of sarcasm are well-developed.
• Rauni Kultimo (NG female human commoner) works the taproom floor. She is friendly and popular with the regulars, many of whom are a little bit in love with her. Rauni laugh is best described as a “delightful cackle”.

What’s Going On?

While the characters are at the Silverleaf, one or more things from the list below may occur.

1. Quiet: The taproom is quiet, and the inn has few overnight guests; the characters can have their pick of the inn’s private rooms. With little else to do, Baelvain spends some time speaking with the characters. He even buys them their first drink.
2. Beer Delivery: A wagon from Bleakhaven delivers six large barrels of ale. Workers are busy unloading them and manoeuvring them into the inn’s cellar. The work is loud and seems to require much swearing and banter.
3. Argument: Several fisherfolk are engaged in a good-natured argument about the best fishing grounds, what the weather will be like in the future, who has the best boat or some other mundane matter.
4. Celebration: A local celebration is in full swing. Perhaps, someone has got married, celebrates the birth of a baby or a business success. The taproom is noisy and busy, as a result.
5. Dragon and the Thief: Several locals are playing Dragon and the Thief for coppers. Politely, they decline any requests from the characters to join the game.
6. Busy: The taproom is busy—even crammed—and there are no spare tables; it’s standing room only at the bar.

Opportunities & Complications

Lucky adventurers find opportunities almost anywhere. Unlucky adventurers find complications almost anywhere.

1. No Room at the Inn: All the Silverleaf’s rooms are taken. The characters can sleep in the common room or rent one of Baelvain’s cottages (location N9).
2. Chatty Baelvain: The innkeeper is in a chatty mood and starts a conversation with the characters. He is a good friend to make as he adventured in the Swerkwood decades ago. He might have stories that will aid the characters in their adventures.
3. Visiting Bard: A bard, Toivottu Mielikki (NG female half-elf wandering bard), is in residence at the inn and entertains the customers in return for board and lodgings. She knows many rumours and legends about the surrounding land, and she shares them with the characters if given a half-decent reason.
4. More Adventurers: Another adventuring band is staying at the Silverleaf. (Roll on Table X to determine the group’s composition.) They are initially friendly but guarded toward the party. This group could become friends, rivals or enemies as your campaign develops.
5. Merchant’s Representative: Niilo Kylli (LN male human veteran) represents a merchant from Languard in the Duchy of Ashlar. He has come to Solonor to gauge possible business opportunities. He is perceptive, talkative and asks many, many questions. He’s not above spending gold to loosen tongues.
6. Hubbub: Several rumours swirl about the taproom. These could be old stories that recently resurfaced or new pieces of gossip. Roll on Table X to determine which rumours the characters hear.

Design Commentary

Eagle-eyed readers will note that this entry is not 100% complete.

For example, the text notes references to a Rumours table and a Random Adventurers table. These tables will be designed to work with both Nemeton and Bleakwater and have not yet bubbled to the top of my "design pile".

Similarly, I have not yet decided on Baelvain Silverleaf's 5e statistics; his listed classes are presented here to remind me to get Andy Lewis to craft a bespoke 5e stat block for him along the lines of a classic elven fighter/wizard.

Got a Question?

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Creighton Broadhurst is the Publisher of Useful Items at Raging Swan Press. He lives on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity. He is not planning to voyage far.