Shining Blade Tavern

The Shining Blade Tavern is by far the largest tavern on Bornheim's Warehouse district. Once a moderate warehouse it was partially burned down when constables broke in to break up a smuggling ring. Opened in Y449 AH by Gerald Müeller, one sword for hire in his youth. The tavern is so named by the large two-handed blade that hangs from the ceiling point down. Tradition calls for raising a toast below the blade when remember brothers-in-arms. Should their spirit find you toast wanting the blade will fall down and kill or wound you as the spirit wills.

The Shining Blade has a well-deserved reputation not just drunken brawls, but as one of the largest establishments where all manner of people meet for entertainment. Gerald never saw the reason in denying service to non-humans as elven silver spends just as well as dakarian eagles or dwarven strikes. When it comes to business the only thing that matters is the strength of one's metal. While their coin may be just as valuable the tavern has a lower reputation as a place inhospitable towards outsiders or those not yet bled in battle.

Gerald does not hold the right to rent rooms nor does he allow drunkards or the wounded to sleep in the common room. Gerald is known as a brewer of good reputation and his kitchen serves several common meals of average quality at fair prices.

The largest attraction is the fighting ring that Gerald maintains. Six (6) wooden posts are driven into the floor and rope is tied between then to keep the spectators from entering during a fight. The rules are simple: each fighter puts up a purse that is paid to the winner after the house takes its ten percent (10%) cut, no magic only contests of fists and steel, the house gets a twenty percent (20%) cut on any bets - anyone caught cheating the house is banned for life from The Shining Blade.

The tavern has two floors. The lower floor still shows the marks of a warehouse. Its large open floor is divided only by the construction of a small kitchen and large bar. Tables, chairs, and benches are scattered around the room at the whim of those using them, most partially broken or threatening to simply fall apart. At least once a week the staff sweep the contents of the floor through the trap door the smugglers used into the waters below the dockside, eventually the tides will carry the flotsam into the bay.

The upstairs only takes up a eastern third of the building, being built atop the kitchen. These rooms are only available to Gerald and those friends of his in town. Several soldiers and mercenaries from his youth have taken up semi-permanent residence in the tavern. The drinks and food are not free for his friends, except for a toast to the fallen, but the rooms are always free for those friends in need.

The fight ring is near the southern wall, opposite of the two stone hearths that Gerald had constructed shortly after establishing the tavern.

In Y462 Xarth started up a Fight Club that met at the tavern just after high sun. It was not a for the purposes of betting; although many people in the club went to the twice-nightly fights. It was instead a gathering of people wanting to improve their own skills in battle. The most well known member of the club, aside from Xarth himself, was Merrick Stonearm blood-cousin of Impirrick Farnath Carne Stonearm. The club did not last long as the demon and reavers invasion of 462 made the club unnecessary.

Later in that same year, War-Leader Aranion forcibly removed everyone from the tavern when the city was besieged by both a demon and Reaver army. He used the large tavern as the headquarters for the elven army he brought from Ellendar. Although Gerald complained to anyone that would listen his pleas yielded no results. Baron Donat Lange, Lord Marshall of Bornheim, needed the soldiers Aranion provided and Gerald's tavern paled in comparison.