B11 Bensar’s Wax Works

A Beacon of Craftsmanship in Verbobonc

Tucked along a busy side lane off the Trader’s Market, Bensar’s Wax Works is both shop and studio—a place where candles burn at all hours and the air always smells faintly of honey, tallow, and hot dye.

Locals know it as:

• The best place in Verbobonc for fine candles, from simple tapers to intricate altar pieces.
• A gallery of wax statues, some eerily lifelike, others fantastical beasts and heroes.
• The city’s primary supplier of specialty hardening wax used by leather-smiths and armorers across the Business Quarter.

Adventurers come here to purchase rugged travel candles, commission likenesses of comrades, or procure special waxes for traps, seals, disguises, and arcane experiments.

Exterior & First Impressions

The illustration on page 2 shows Bensar’s as a tall, narrow, many-windowed building with steep roofs, ornate brick and timberwork, and a big signboard curving over a short flight of steps. Warm orange light glows from the arched front windows, casting silhouettes of candles and statues onto the cobblestones.

Approaching Bensar’s Wax Works

The Shop and Its Offerings

Diverse Array of Wax Products

• Candles: From simple tapers to elaborate sculpted pieces, the candles of Bensar’s Wax Works illuminate the city’s homes with a warm, gentle light.
• Wax Statues: An assortment of wax statues ranging from lifelike figures to fantastical creatures captivates the imagination of patrons, serving as decor or collector's items.
• Specialty Wax: A crucial resource for leather smiths, the specialty wax sold here is sought after for its superior quality in the hardening process of leather armor.

Unique Services

• Custom Sculptures: Bensar’s offers custom wax sculpture services, allowing patrons to commission personalized pieces for special occasions or as unique gifts.
• Artisan Workshops: Occasionally, the shop hosts workshops for those interested in learning the craft of wax artistry, from candle making to statue sculpting.
• The Owner: Bensar's Background and Motivation

A Passion for Wax

The proprietor, whose name the shop bears, is an individual deeply fascinated by the versatility and beauty of wax. With a background in both the practical and artistic uses of the material, Bensar set out to create a place where both aspects could thrive.

Inside the Wax Works

Front Showroom – “The Candle Hall”

A long, low room lined with shelves and racks:

• Candles of every sort:
• Plain household tapers bundled in twine.
• Scented candles for wealthy homes and bathhouses.
• Colored “festival sticks” made in city and gnome colors.
• A central display table with elaborate sculpted pieces—spiraled towers, dragons wrapped around pillars, and sets of matched altar candles bearing holy symbols (never officially blessed unless bought through the appropriate temple).

Customers here are mostly merchants, innkeepers, priests’ assistants, and house servants sent on errands.

Gallery of Wonders – Wax Statues & Busts

A side room, kept slightly cooler, houses Bensar’s pride:

• Wax statues of animals and monstrous creatures: wolves, bears, griffons, and miniature dragons.
• Busts of notable gods and figures, from Pelor and Ehlonna to Boccob and even gaunt Nerull, for those with a taste for the dramatic.

A small placard lists sample prices for such pieces (dragon miniatures, griffon lifesize, god-busts, etc.), reminding DMs what these artworks might cost characters in-game.

Workshop & Vats

Behind a beaded curtain, heat presses close and the smell of wax grows strong. Here:

• Big copper vats bubble gently with tallow and beeswax.
• Racks hold cooling molds, wicks, and half-finished pieces with wooden armatures.
• Leatherworkers’ hardening wax blocks cool in molds along a wide counter—much sought by armorers and tanners in nearby streets.

Apprentices shuttle back and forth with ladles and molds, while Bensar himself moves through the steam and lamplight, checking quality with a craftsman’s eye.

Loft Classroom

On quiet days, Bensar sets up simple benches in an upstairs loft and hosts small artisan workshops: candle-making basics, wax sculpting, and the preparation of specialty waxes. These classes attract curious commoners, young nobles dabbling in “art,” and the odd wizard or alchemist interested in mold-making and seals.

Hooks & Uses in the Campaign

• False Faces & Decoys: PCs might commission wax masks or busts to fake their presence (or death), trick scrying, or bait assassins. Bensar is fascinated by the challenge.
• Temple Contracts: A temple (Pelor, Heironeous, St. Cuthbert) argues over a large candle order—someone is skimming wax, or sabotaging shipments. The party is asked to investigate whether the fault lies with Bensar, his suppliers, or a rival shop.
• A Melting Clue: A wax statue turns up partially melted at a crime scene, its original form linked to Bensar’s gallery list. Tracing who bought it could point straight at a murderer or cultist.
• Workshop Mishap: During one of Bensar’s artisan workshops, a magical experiment goes wrong—flammable oils, hot wax, and a small charm or scroll create chaos. The PCs must save apprentices and goods before the Wax Works becomes a towering candle.

Use B11 Bensar’s Wax Works as a flavorful little node for gear, art, and intrigue—a place where your party can stock up on candles and specialty wax, but also uncover clues, make social connections, or commission strange waxwork projects that support your larger plots.