"The Four Winds" is an odd building , even for extravagant Ishtavar;
Located on the juction of four main-streets , deviding as many Guild-sections of the city , it's the central locale of trade there.
Three stories high , this perfectly circular all-basalt building is topped with an "Onion"-shaped roof of sheet-brass. Its windows are round and made of cured&oiled hog's bladder as to let in the light of day , but not unwanted sight from the streets or nearby other buildings.(Lookig out suffers the same...)
The attick consists of store-rooms , nothing special.(No , really.....
)
The second floor is devided in guest-rooms and two "conference-rooms" that have the (deserved) reputation of being completely private. The Innkeeper has to keep up his reputation in this regard and is extremely vigilant about it.
The groundfloor is where it all happens :
The drinking , the brawling , gambling , tale-telling , singing , copping-a-feel-at-the-waitresses and so on.
The room covers the entire floor ; Four entrances , each one facing one of the four streets that come together at this point , divide the bars that completely encircle the room. Behind each bar , there's a stairway down to the kitchens and storage-rooms in the basement.
The centre of the room is dominated by a gargantuan open fireplace and its copper chimney that channels the smoke all the way through the roof. (The openings are cleverly hidden so it looks like the "onion" is steaming hot.)
The fireplace certainly reminescences the campfires , the numerous adventures that visit the place , know so well.
Harman Gratha , the innkeeper is a respectable man and safe from the regular gossip and local politics keeps far from any "shady" buissiness. The girls , tending to the guest's needs (sometimes , but not always , in more than the regular way...) may know a little more , but it's in the stables where the real deal is to be found :
Gunther and Lothar , the stable-hands run a wide-spread network of info-gathering , fencing and contraband-handling from between the mules , donkeys and horses.
So far ,they managed to keep Harman completely ignorant about it.(Or do they?....)
And then there's "Old Plum-chewer" ; An old coot , always sitting in the same chair at the same table. A part of the interior himself.
He's normally not very talkative , unless profoundly drunk.
And getting him drunk , is a feat in and of itself : Many a hardened "Bar-Hero" has been drunk under the table by this seemingly fragile and used-up human without him blinking so much as an eyelid.
IF however he's finally had too much , one could pry some
very interesting tales from his lips , for he's traveled far and wide in his younger days and has an iron pot for a memory.
All that's needed are the proper questions....