The Bloodoak Tavern

"The tavern was like a miniature version of Undertown itself, reflecting the incredible diversity of the place. There were flat-head and hammer-head goblins; oakelves, mobgnomes, black-dwarfs and red-dwarfs. There were leaguesmen and sky pirates, tinkers and totters, raggers and royners, merchants and mongers..."
—The diverse patronage of the tavern[1]

The Bloodoak Tavern[2] was a bloodoak-themed inn in Undertown, run by Mother Horsefeather. The tavern was established after its predecessor, the Tarry Vine, was destroyed in 17 ᴇ.ʏ.. It was a popular pub, filled with drinkers from all over Undertown. The building was crushed by rubble from New Sanctaphrax in 42 ᴇ.ʏ., along with the rest of the Western Quays.

Description

The tavern was located on the corner of a busy thoroughfare in the Western Quays of Undertown. There was a sign above the ironwood door showing a painted bloodoak, with the words The Bloodoak Tavern beneath.[2]

The Bloodoak Tavern's bar

The bottom floor was mostly filled by a single large bar-room. To the right of the entrance was a bar with a wall of sapwine barrels. In the back left corner was a large fireplace, and the remainder of the room was filled with tables and communal drinking troughs.[2] At the back there was an exit door, a set of stairs, and a small room for private meetings. In the cellar, there was an illegal woodale brewery, which was used to supply the tavern with drinks while cutting out the heavy costs imposed by the leagues.[1]

One of the tavern's signature bloodoak cups

The three upper storeys, supported by stout pillars, contained the inn's rented accommodation. On the first floor were hammocks, slung between the beams which formed the ceiling of the bar-room. There were private rooms for hire on the second and third floors, with the third containing six large attic rooms. The attic rooms were the most prestigious, containing ornate furniture and stoves[2]

The tavern's bloodoak theme was present throughout the tavern. Bloodoak designs appeared everywhere from the walls and doorframes to chairs, as well as the cups used by drinkers.

History

Early years

Mother Horsefeather helped run the Tarry Vine Tavern until it was burnt down by the leagues in 17 ᴇ.ʏ.. In the wake of its destruction, she decided to found a new pub, which she would call The Bloodoak.[3] Not long after being established, the inn was thriving, with masses of customers.

In 20 ᴇ.ʏ., Maris Verginix and Tweezel took up residence in one of the attic rooms. At night, Maris would go out into the city to find street children, who she would bring back to the cellars of the tavern for food and shelter. After living this way for two years, Maris, Tweezel and their group of children left the inn for the Deepwoods.

Twig and Slyvo Spleethe sitting at a table in the tavern

Cloud Wolf and Twig

In 35 ᴇ.ʏ., the Professor of Light approached Mother Horsefeather, asking her to persuade Cloud Wolf to go stormchasing. Cloud Wolf met with Horsefeather and the Professor in the tavern, where they planned the voyage. Throughout the discussions, Slyvo Spleethe was listening through the door, and he then sold the information on to the leagues.

After the Stormchaser set sail, with the Professor of Light aboard, Mother Horsefeather sent her tavern waif Forficule to Sanctaphrax, where he was to lie and say that the professor had died and been buried. After being tortured, Forficule revealed the truth and died in the backstreets of Undertown, never returning to the tavern.

Twig brought the agreed stormphrax to the tavern after the stormchasing voyage. He struck a deal with Mother Horsefeather that he would give her the secret to safe phraxdust production, in return for clearance of his father's debts, a sky ship, and a crew. She agreed, but Twig tricked her by not only telling Horsefeather the secret, but making it public so that she wouldn't have a monopoly.

Destruction and legacy

The Bloodoak Tavern was destroyed in 42 ᴇ.ʏ. along with the rest of the Western Quays. It was crushed under rubble falling from the New Sanctaphrax rock, and became part of Screetown.

The New Bloodoak Tavern of the Free Glades was named after the Bloodoak Tavern.

Staff

A group of drinkers

Known patrons

References

  1. 1 2 3 Stormchaser, Chapter 5: The Bloodoak Tavern
  2. 1 2 3 4 The Sky Chart, Chapter 1
  3. ↑ Clash of the Sky Galleons, Epilogue
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