The Hook & Anchor

Dockworkers’ Tavern
Stormreach Level, Docks District

Overview

The Hook & Anchor is a dockworkers’ tavern built to serve those who work Stormreach Harbour. It is a place for hot food, strong drink, and silence when it is needed. Dockhands, sailors, crane crews, and cargo runners pass through its doors daily, often still wearing their work gear and carrying the salt of the bay with them.

The tavern has no interest in spectacle or reputation beyond its own walls. It is known for reliability, discretion, and a steady hand in difficult moments. Those who work the docks know it as a place where a long shift can properly end.

Location & Exterior

The Hook & Anchor sits just above sea level where Stormreach begins to rise toward the mid-level quays. It is close enough to the piers that dockworkers can reach it without changing boots, yet high enough to avoid flooding during high tide.

The building is squat and solid, constructed of thick stone and reinforced timber.

• Salt-darkened walls
• Narrow shuttered windows
• A wide, heavy door built to endure crowds and weather
• A hanging iron sign showing a rusted hook crossed with an anchor

Lanterns burn at all hours. In fog, the tavern’s light is often the first landmark visible from the harbour.

Interior

Main Taproom

The taproom is low-ceilinged, warm, and loud during peak hours.

• Long communal tables and scarred benches
• Hooks along the walls for coats, belts, and tools
• Stone floors worn smooth and damp near the entrance
• Barrels stacked behind the counter, ready to be tapped

The air carries smoke, ale, and the smell of cooked fish and bread. Space is shared without ceremony.

The Bar

The bar itself is a thick slab of reinforced wood edged with iron. Drinks are poured quickly and without flourish. Spilled ale is common and ignored.

Back Alcove

A partially screened alcove at the rear of the room offers quieter seating. It is used for card games, private conversations, and moments of rest. There are no private rooms; privacy here depends on custom rather than walls.

Food & Drink

Drink

• Heavy dock ale
• Cheap rum
• Spiced spirits
• Watered wine

Everything served is strong, warming, and uncomplicated.

Food

• Thick fish stew
• Bread and salt
• Roasted root vegetables
• Cured meats
• Daily specials based on the morning’s catch

The meals are no-frills and filling.

Ownership & Staff

The Hook & Anchor is owned and run by Delyra Fenvale.

Delyra is a quiet, unassuming presence behind the bar. She speaks little during busy hours and never raises her voice. One look from her is often enough to halt an argument before it begins, and a small nod can settle matters more effectively than threats.

Regulars know better than to test her patience. Newcomers learn quickly.

She remembers faces, debts, and favours without writing anything down. Tabs are honoured because they are expected to be honoured. Those who fail that expectation do not return.

The rest of the staff follow her lead closely and defer to her without question.

Clientele

The Hook & Anchor serves:

• Dockhands and longshore crews
• Crane operators
• Sailors between voyages
• Cargo runners and tally clerks
• Occasional off-duty Peacekeepers

Visitors are tolerated so long as they respect the house and the people who rely on it.

House Rules

The tavern operates under a few simple, well-understood rules:

• No blades or tools drawn inside
• Settle disputes elsewhere or another day
• When someone says “not here,” the matter ends
• The staff hears everything and forgets nothing

Those who break these rules are not shouted at. They are simply not welcomed back.

Local Colour

• A table near the back that regulars do not use unless invited
• A bell behind the bar that has been rung only once in living memory
• A quiet regular who drinks water and leaves before closing every night
• A chalk mark behind the counter that no one remembers being placed