The Tavern of Tan-Kha

The Tavern of Tan-Kha (#4/31; #63/365)

The following description of the Tavern assumes that it is currently open.

"A torch-lit corridor leads to a noisy, open, pillared hall full of creatures of all kinds carousing, drinking, gambling and laughing. A sign above the entrance reads 'The Tavern of Tan-Kha - No Fighting!' in several languages including Allansian. Below that is another sign that reads 'AS FEATURED IN URGUN'S GOOD RAT GUIDE!'. Several Man-Orcs are shuffling among the tables, dispensing gourds of beverages and platters of bizarre food. At the entrance is an enormous Ogre with a studded club, who looks you over and nods, allowing you to pass. As you do so, he barks 'Keep your weapons sheathed!' and resumes scratching his hirsute hide while drinking from a tankard of ale.

Contents: The Tavern of Tan-Kha is infamous in these parts as both a meeting point on the dusty trails of the western deserts, and a place of neutral ground, where all manner of people may meet but not fight. As a result its clientele comprises almost every sentient race from this region of Allansia.

The Tavern is run by the MAN-ORC Tan-Kha (wrinkled, sensible), his wife Len-Tor (stocky, cheerful), and his two daughters Har-Tan (beautiful, youthful) and Al-Tan (long-haired, happy). If the Heroes enter, they will be directed to an empty table and asked to order from the bill of fare. Keeping the peace are two OGRES, Khel and Khem, with one stationed at each entrance; at the first sign of trouble these Ogres will attempt to knock-out whoever is fighting (treat their clubs as Blackjacks (see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1, p. 45), strip them of possessions and valuables (which they split with Tan-Kha and his family), and sell the victim(s) to the Fighting Pit of Azgrul (see below).

"Delicacies" served by the Tavern of Tan-Kha include:

Drinks:

Orc Ale, 5SP per pint, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (pp. 57-58)

Grundel's Speshul Ree-Zerv, 1GP a shot, see Citadel of Chaos (p. 24)

Pellod's Pride Ale, 1GP per pint, After four pints, an imbiber will be drunk, with -1 to their SKILL rolls, until they sober up after 1-3 hours. Further pints do not have cumulative penalties.

Seaman's Grog, 1GP a shot, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (p. 59)

Holdgut's Special Blue, 6GP per pint, ("fell off the back of camel, didn't it?"), see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (p. 59)

Food:

Roast Aardwolf Joint, 2GP, restores 1-3 STAMINA

Rat Gizzard Soup, 1GP, -1-3 STAMINA to any Humans, Elves or Dwarves

Spiced Mushrooms, 4GP, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (p. 60)

Roast Grub in Redworm Lattice, 8GP, feeds four, restores 1-3 STAMINA

Lizard Eyeball Pate, 1GP, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (p. 56)

Pickled Dung Beetles, 1SP per beetle, see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1 (p. 58)

Gambling games being played by the creatures seated at various tables include Pinfinger, Ten-Ten, High-Low and Orc-Eye, as well as drinking and eating bets on how much or many food and drinks can be consumed. All bets are expected to be honoured; welshers will be dealt with as above by the Ogre bouncers.

The Tavern of Tan-Kha is legendary for being open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. However, the kitchen stops serving food after 10'o'clock at night. Occasionally the tavern may be closed for Orcish religious holidays, or when supplies are low and Tan-Kha needs to go to Dust Town to re-order more stock.

The Rumour Table: Gossip and scuttlebutt from Tan-Kha's Tavern. Spend 1GP on drinks per roll. Roll 1d6:

1. All Sand Stalker weapons are poisoned!

2. Be extra-careful or you will be bait for the Fighting Pit!

3. There's an entrance to level three of the Found Tombs in the Maze of Pnar.

4. Mummies from the tombs can be destroyed by fire.

5. There is a shrine to the Monkey God somewhere in the tombs, but beware the guardians!

6. The Caarth are here searching for something but no-one knows what.

Stats: 

Tan-Kha. MAN-ORC Tavernkeeper, (see Out of the Pit, p. 78).

SKILL: 9

STAMINA: 12

Attacks: 1

Weapon: Cleaver, Throwing Dagger

Armour: Leather Cuirass

Notes: Tan-Kha is carrying 3-18GP in change for tavern transactions. He also has a Bottle of Fog (see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1, p. 110) that he will use in the event of a brawl, to evacuate his family to their lockable personal chambers (and he has a ring of keys for all these rooms plus the tavern and the stable).

Tan-Kha's Family: Len-Tor (wife), Har-Tan (daughter), Al-Tan (daughter). All three are "Man"-Orcs: SKILL 8, STAMINA 6, Cleaver, No armour. All are carrying 3-18GP in change for tavern transactions, and have 1-3 Throwing Daggers.

Khem and Khel. 2 OGRE Bouncers: SKILL 8, STAMINA 10, Attacks 2, Spiked Club (treat their clubs as Blackjacks (see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1, p. 45)), Light Armour, +1 to Damage Roll. Both have 2-12GP in donations. Khem has a bag of teeth he has 'collected' from patrons (including 7 from Goblins); Khel has a pet DESERT SCORPION (see Return to the Pit, p. 195).

Patrons of the Tavern: Roll 3-9 times (1d3X3) on the table below to determine who is at the tavern.

First Roll: 1-3

Second Roll:

1. HAMAKEI, 1 lone sage, has a Hamakei Staff (see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1, p. 135) and knows a bunch of useful spells, including Command, Sleep, Restrain, and Force Bolt. Visiting the tavern for a few drinks and some company before venturing back to their lonely tower in the desert. Staff and robe, no armour.

2. RAT MEN, 2-7 scavenging exiles from the Lost City of Vatos, forced out of that city by the rise of new cults under the High Priestess Leesha. Shortswords, light armour (leather scraps).

3. ORCS, 2-7 mercenaries, off-duty from the Bronze Serpent Mercenary Company on level one of the Found Tombs of Arvakaten. Swords, light armour (leather scraps).

4. BLACK ELVES, 2-4 wayfarers, on their way north to visit the Dungeon of Justice, to witness the trial of a legendary adventurer. Scimitars, light armour (leather scraps).

5. HUMANS, 2-7 trappers, about to head into the wilderness to capture some monsters for resale in the Dust Town markets. Swords, whips or nets, leather cuirass.

6. CAARTH, 1-3 guards, off-duty from the Caarth colony on this level of the Found Tombs of Arvakaten. Scimitars, Medium Armour (lightweight metal and leather cuirass).

First Roll: 4-6

Second Roll:

1. SAND STALKERS, 1-3 guards, off-duty from the Sand Stalker herd on this level of the Found Tombs of Arvakaten. Poison-tipped swords, light armour (leather scraps).

2. DESERT NOMADS, 2-7 wanderers, having a quiet drink and doing some freelance gawping and rubber-necking at so-called 'civilized' folk, before heading back into the depths of the Desert to find their tribe and join the annual Giant Sandworm hunt. Scimitars, leather cuirass

3. GOBLINS, 2-7 prospectors, heading north into the coastal mountains, looking for gems and precious metals. Shortswords, light armour (leather scraps).

4. DWARFS, 1-6 prospectors, venturing south to the mining settlement of Sapphire City, to sell their findings. Warhammers, chainmail cuirass.

5. GNOLLS, 2-7 savages, having a quiet drink before returning to their tribe, the Tusk-Gnashers, on level one of the Found Tombs of Arvakaten. Clubs, light armour (leather scraps).

6. DESERT ELVES, 1-3 scouts, apparently having a quiet drink but actually on reconnaissance, trying to collect information about Caarth in the area. Swords, leather hauberk.