4. Boatman’s Tavern Basement

The Forgotten Depths Beneath the Ale

Beneath the worn timbers and riotous laughter of the Boatman’s Tavern lies something far darker than old kegs and salted meat. The basement complex, hidden behind a trapdoor cleverly concealed behind the bar, is a decaying warren of shadows—a haven for smuggling, detention, and torture. While most believe it to be a simple storeroom, it houses a chilling secret known only to Captain Tolub, Lodriss, Madame Selentis, and a trusted few.

Tolub’s Smuggler’s Chamber (Northern Basement)

This low-ceilinged, torch-lit chamber behind reinforced warehouse doors is Captain Tolub’s private landing zone for illicit river cargo. The flooring is stone-set, permanently damp, with moss creeping between the cracks. Stacked crates and unlabeled barrels are piled up like a maze, their contents hidden beneath tarps and old sailcloth.

• Contents: Spices from distant ports, crates of stolen textiles, black-market weapons, and barrels of Velunese wine—all looted during Tolub’s river raids.
• Dock Access: At low tide, a concealed ramp opens to the rear pier, hidden beneath a trapdoor disguised as a freight-loading dock. Slaves, weapons, or rare cargo can be quietly moved in and out.
• Security: Two of Tolub’s crew members always remain nearby, armed with cutlasses and orders to kill anyone snooping. Some crates are rigged with tripwire noisemakers.
• Relationship to the Temple: Tolub stores and delivers Temple-bound goods here, though he resents their control. He is tolerated by Selentis and Lodriss for the usefulness of his spoils.

Main Tavern Storage (Main Basement)

Located at the foot of the wharfside stone steps, this section is used for the Boatman Tavern’s day-to-day operations. Compared to the rest of the basement, it smells of grain and brewing yeast. A long row of dusty wine racks line the back wall, housing bottles of local red, fermented berry mash, and a few exotic imports taken from pirate loot. Smoky wall-mounted oil lanterns flicker and cast long shadows over crates and barrels, giving the room a dim glow. Moisture clings to the stone, and a faint mist creeps in from the pier with each tide, curling along the ground like a ghost. Stacked casks of ale and piles of salted meat are bound with thick rope and labeled with crude chalk tags.

• Contents: Ale barrels, smoked fish racks, sacks of barley, wheels of aged cheese, dried fruit, and tankards of spiced root mash.
• Staff: Typically managed by Skole or a pirate assistant. Skole ensures legitimate-looking inventory is maintained separately from Tolub’s goods.
• Signs of Overlap: Keen eyes may notice duplicate barrel marks or mismatched manifests—a clue that legitimate and smuggled goods occasionally blur.
• Lore: This chamber is occasionally used as a cover for quiet bribes or hiding Temple goods in the open.

The Flooded Prison Room (Southern Wall Chamber)

Hidden behind a stone wall panel with a barrel rack set before it, the dungeon is a dreadful place of old horrors and drowned secrets. River seepage constantly leaks through the foundation, collecting into slick pools beneath the cages. Mildew cakes the stone. Blood and rust streak the floor. The secret entrance to the smuggler’s tunnel is cleverly hidden behind a moldy ale cask pressed into a stone alcove. A DC 17 Investigation check or DC 18 Perception check reveals the uneven scrape marks and iron hinge concealed in the shadows.

• Conditions: The air is cold and fetid. Water laps against half-submerged cages. The stench of rot competes with that of mold and mildew. A layer of mist crawls the ground.
• Contents:
• Iron Torture Rack: Still functional, flanked by hooks and chains.
• Four Slave Cages: One contains the bloated corpse of a merchant, another is empty but damp with blood, the third has claw marks on the bars, and the last contains only torn cloth and gnawed bone.
• Two Interrogation Cells: Damp straw and rusted buckets remain, signs of recent use.
• Dead Bodies: Forgotten victims, slowly decomposing. Flies and pale fungi spread across their remains.
• Tunnel Access: A hidden panel behind the ale cask opens to a narrow, stone-lined tunnel. The passage is slick, braced with planks, and ends beneath a collapsed fishing shack east of the tavern. Used for secret transfers or escape.
• Trapdoor Ladder Access: A rotting wooden ladder in one corner leads up to a trapdoor that exits into the Boatman’s Tavern kitchen. The hatch is locked from above and covered with flour sacks.
• Lore and Use: Selentis uses the dungeon for high-value prisoners—traitors, spies, or “donations” bound for sacrificial rituals. Lodriss provides the muscle, and Tolub disposes of remains in the river when needed.

Adventuring Notes

• DC 14 Survival or Investigation check reveals dried blood smears, drag marks, and boot prints to the prison wall.
• DC 15 Perception identifies distant sobs, the faint clink of chains, or a moaning voice echoing through the stone.
• Clues Found: Temple papers, slave ledgers, ritual knives, and half-torn notes from terrified captives may all be recovered here.

Boatman's Tavern Basement by 3orcs

Conclusion: The Rot Beneath the Revelry

This basement is no mere cellar—it is a crucible of cruelty and control, where laughter above masks the pain below. Every barrel, every bloodstain tells a tale of corruption. And any who uncover its secrets face a decision: expose it… or become the next forgotten voice beneath the tavern.

d20 Captain Tolub Piracy Loot – Bulk Goods (Basement Storage)