Old Bargewright

Service here was fast, efficient, and straightforward, lacking embellishments but not without its charms in Volo's eyes.   For rooms, one could have a private room (bath included) at 1 gp per person, a double room at 5 sp per person, or a wardroom with six to eighteen bunks at 2 sp person, all per night. For 1 gp more, one could hire a chambermaid to assist with the bath, provide a back rub or foot rub on request, and even relate a short bedtime story or legend of the area.   As for food and drink, a talltankard of weak ale and a platter of biscuits and very salty pickles were included in the room price. The huge pewter talltankards were twice the volume of a regular tankard. For main meals, there was only roasted beef or pork with lots of parsnips, potatoes, radishes, and turnips; a tray with a fine selection of cheeses; and a vegetable and root sauce soup available in winter; these were plain yet hearty dishes. This meal was served any time from highsun to midnight for 5 cp per person, not including drinks.   Such drinks included a variety of beers for 1 cp per tankard and a dry clear wine for 4 cp per tallglass, as well as sherry and Mintarn green wine both for 7 cp per tallglass or 1 sp per bottle (Volo presumed Feston stocked green wine because he had acquired a taste for it). In the late 1400s DR, the inn sold its own wine, also known as "Old Bargewright", in black bottles.

Inside, the inn was adorned with fine wood paneling. Rooms were ordinary, furnished with bed, table, chair, window, and small fireplace.   By the 1490s DR, it was riddled with secret passages and private chambers, entered via sealed-off passages from nearby rooms. The two towers were not just used for defense: the southern tower held meeting rooms, while the northern had a strongroom at its base, used to store the Zhentarim's pay, riches, loot, and other items of importance.   At that time, there was a taproom that served as a tavern. Near the taproom, the innkeeper had an office, which housed keys to the inn's important rooms and the settlement's gates.   The Harpers made the Bargewright Inn a secret base at some point, placing a portal in a cave beneath the inn by the late 1400s DR. Appearing as a shimmering green pool, it linked to portals in Everlund, a root cellar in Noanar's Hold, and elsewhere. The later Feston Bargewright aided those Harper agents who made use of it; he could be contacted through an exchange of passphrases relating coded information and flashing a Harper symbol, and would grant the key to the room with a secret passage in its fireplace, wherein a ladder led down to the portal. In the cave, a portalkeeper operated and guarded it. In the 1480s DR, this was an old witch woman (secretly a Tiefling of night hag descent with potential Abyssal connections).  

Atmosphere

Naturally, the Bargewright Inn was the heart of the community for the people of the namesake settlement.

In addition to the two lookout towers, peace in the inn in the 1360s DR was maintained by four guards, all strong warriors. Furthermore, Aldon Bargewright, the stablemaster and Feston's brother, also led the local militia.

Once, this was but a simple wayside inn standing alone atop a hill beside the ford. However, after numerous attacks from bandits and brigands, Feston Bargewright, the innkeeper, elected to fortify the hill. This feat was accomplished with the help of several Waterdhavian merchants whom Feston had encouraged to join him to share the costs. Being weary of the politics and fees of the city's guilds, they came and established other businesses servicing the travelers and caravans passing through, giving rising to the community of the same name, which was well-established by 1358 DR.   Brin and Havilar visited the inn on Ches 21, the Year of the Nether Mountain Scrolls, 1486 DR. They went to the inn and negotiated with the later Feston Bargewright to use the Harper portal to reach Noanar's Hold.     In the Year of the Scarlet Witch, 1491 DR, the Ranger Melisande Calador visited the settlement and stayed at the Old Bargewright, as did the famed minstrel Harrowind of the Windwyrds. That year, the supply barge from Yartar was delayed and Nalaskur went to Waterdeep to acquire more supplies and speak with his superiors in the Zhentarim, leaving control of the Old Bargewright in the hands of trusted others. This triggered a struggle for power amongst the Zhent leadership, instigated by the Zhent spy Inglor Brathren, involving thefts of Senior Sword Chalaska Muruin's keys and gold from the Zhents' strongroom and false accusations. A tavern server, Grendo, and a guest, Kendrin Feldarr, were caught up in this, and an accidental release of exotic spiders. Nalaskur returned to find the settlement in conflict.