The Cloudy Dragon

Tucked away on a quiet street near Iliathor Arena, the Cloudy Dragon is a vision of indulgent serenity. The two-storey den is built from finely carved stone, its façade adorned with a relief of a sinuous dragon wreathed in swirling clouds.

At night, faint blue light seeps from between the carved scales, giving the building an eerie glow. Sweet incense smoke hangs thick in the air, curling from brass censers that line the entryway.

History

Two decades ago, the building the Cloudy Dragon now occupies was a tea house which had fallen into ruin after a fire which gutted the upper floor.

Erdhin, then a smuggler with a taste for the finer things, rebuilt the location as a dreamlotus den. He claims the name came to him during a lotus vision—a dream of a vast dragon sleeping among clouds of silvery smoke.

Since then, the den has become a favoured retreat for scholars, poets and disillusioned adventurers hoping to escape the weight of their own deeds.

Erdhin

In his former life, the half-elf Erdhin earned his fortune smuggling contraband and relics across the borders of Valo-Nymeria. After a disastrous expedition that cost him his crew, Erdhin vanished for over a decade. He resurfaced as the owner of The Cloudy Dragon, claiming to have “retired from the world’s uglier ambitions.”

Behind Erdhin’s languid charm lies a survivor with deep connections to Orthay’s underworld. Despite his shadowy past, he maintains strict order in his establishment—no violence, no coercion, no theft. Those who break these rules have a habit of disappearing like a cloud of smoke.

Erdhin’s most peculiar obsession is his collection of monster teeth. It’s rumoured that he’s seeking one particularly rare specimen: the tooth of a celestial creature, which he believes will grant him immortality if properly prepared and smoked with dreamlotus resin.

Entrance

Inside, visitors find a tiled floor padded with carpets imported from Zhongho and walls etched with swirling motifs of drifting mist. Motion-activated gemstones in the ceiling bloom with soft luminescence, creating the illusion of walking under a shifting aurora. The aroma of myrrh and incense hangs thick in the air.

First Floor – The Common Hall

Low divans and lacquered tables circle a central lotus brazier, where attendants prepare pipes and burners of dreamlotus resin. The resin glows faintly when ignited, filling the air with hypnotic ribbons of silvery smoke.

Bards play delicate melodies intended to lull the senses and servers offer cups of spiced tea to dull the smoke’s rasp on the throat. There are always at least a dozen patrons draped on the hall’s lounges, some on account of being unable to summon the strength to leave.

Second Floor – The Private Rooms

A spiral staircase leads to the upper level, where private chambers await those seeking solitude or secrecy. Each room is veiled by silk curtains and filled with cushions, mirrored walls and self-lighting lamps.

Patrons may choose to pay extra for attendants skilled in guiding dream journeys, trained to manipulate the flow of visions with scent and sound. The air hums faintly with arcane wards that keep outside noises and intrusive thoughts at bay.

The Cellar

Below the den lies a cool, locked cellar, presumably lined with jars and chests.