Lion Sleeps Inn

The Lion Sleeps Inn is a traveller's stop 35 miles north-east of the Taldan settlement of Zimar.

History

The Lion Sleeps is 300 years old, and as of 4711 AR somewhat past its heyday, when it openly served the local metal mining industry. Copper, iron, and silver were mined from the nearby hills until about 4682 AR. The inn was also covertly used to hide followers of Sarenrae during the Taldan Great Purge in 4528 AR, and more recently as a secret smugglers' hideout for taking wares both ways across the border between Taldor and its great enemy Qadira.

In 4707 AR an earthquake hit the area and set off a fire that destroyed the great lodge near the inn, as well as the secret tunnels and underground hiding areas. This event finally ended the inn's role as a smugglers' base, and combined with the drop in mining trade the inn now has to be subsidised to stay open.

Near the entrance, a bronze plaque bears witness to the visit of Micheaux the Magnificent and states:

“

Micheaux the Magnificent, Future Grand Prince of Taldor, Father of Stavian, Slept on these Premises on 5 Lamashan in the Year 4497. May Divine Providence Reward Him as He Deserves. 19 Lamashan 4497

”

Current establishment

As of 4711 AR Vadim Fraterni was the owner and proprietor of the Lion Sleeps Inn; his family have owned the inn for many generations. His staff includes his son, Oleppo Fraterni, and his nieces, Mag and Corrine. In busy times, their mother and Vadim's sister-in-law, Bella arrives to help.

Due to the large drop in income from the demise of mining and smuggling, the inn is subsidised by Hanoris Dellum, a Zimar merchant, who hopes to resurrect the inn's smuggling capability.

Customers of the inn tend to be local shepherds who graze their sheep in the local hills; Vadim's most notorious regulars are Besco Drummon and Fernus Alanders, famous for their tall tales and attempts to bamboozle newcomers to the inn.

Facilities

The inn provides food and drink in a large and welcoming common room area with an en-suite bar; hunters' trophies adorn the wall including a manticore head. The kitchen has the benefit of a rather luxurious pantry: it contains a refrigerated compartment cooled with a wall of ice spell. Guests can rent a private meeting area for 4 gp an evening.

Guests can rent from five private rooms upstairs, with prices ranging from 3 sp to 3 gp per night. A bed in the inn's eight-bed bunk room can be rented for 1 sp per night. Overnight guests have exclusive use of a balcony fireside area with entry onto the balcony that overlooks the building's northern side.

Horses and other mounts are catered for in a large outlying barn and paddock area.

A small wine cellar below the building also holds spare items for the inn.