The Dancing Dragon

The owner and operator of the Dancing Dragon is the wealthy gem merchant Peraphon Thond.

• Tankard of Beer: 3 cp (in the common room), 6 cp (on the balcony)
• Tallglass of Wine: 4 cp (in the common room), 8 cp (on the balcony)
• Meal: 5 cp for stew of the day and hot bread.
• Message delivered in the Dragon: 1 gp
• Bed in the flophouse: 1 sp per person per night.
• Private Suite: 20 gp per night (suite sleeps 8 comfortably)

Exterior

The Dancing Dragon is a large, five story structure on Calantar's Way in the heart of Arabel. The presence of the Dancing Dragon is pronounced in no uncertain terms by the large placard of a dancing red dragon as well as by the blaze of lights shining forth from the interior at nearly all hours of the day and night (excepting the hour just before sun up to mid-morning during which night staff transitions to the day staff). The building has spread from its original lot, absorbing the row houses on either side of it, connecting them with multi-level bridges over the alleyways below (called the Dragonwalk). The inn and tavern surround a large stabling yard of its own, accessed through the Dragonwalk. Most patrons use the front double doors, usually flanked by one of the "Lovelies" to enter the main common room, however patrons in the know will often circle around back and climb the stairs to the second floor balcony, bypassing the crowds of the common room (but not the "lovelies").

Interior

The first floor interior of the Dancing Dragon consists of a large, multi-tiered drinking and dining area flanked by two enormous hearths. The main room is shaped roughly like an "L", with the bend in the "L" occupied by the kitchen entrances and the much used bar. There are doors on both sides of the common room leading to the other, more "private" dining rooms. The pillars of the common room are usually covered with fliers and personal notices offering employment to the adventurous of a more or less legal nature.

A balcony accessible from two staircases near the bar provides seating for those less interested in the chaos of the common room. Finally, several staircases lead upward from the balcony to the final two floors of flophouse style sleeping chambers and a collection of expensive suites and private rooms.

To put it simply, the Dancing Dragon caters to adventurers. It may be the only inn and tavern in the entire country of Cormyr that so exclusively caters to the independent treasure hunting set. On any given night, dozens of sellswords, magelings, and muscle for hire can be found looking for work, plying their trade, or getting into brawls over money, pride, or "rights of exploration".

The first floor common rooms are a riot of noise, foreign tongues, crashing cutlery, and drunken braggadocio. If the first floor is akin to the ground floor of a coliseum, then the balcony is the audience seating. Adventurers seeking a less rowdy drink or two, as well as those hoping to employ them, and those who just like to observe impressive displays of drunken bravura, tend to take seats on the balcony.

Aside from the rest of the remarkable staff, including a legion of errand runners, drink wenches, serving boys, and repair crews, the most iconic members of the employee pool of the Dancing Dragon are known only as "the Lovelies".

The exact number of these "men" are unknown (there are at least six), but they appear to be brothers, and each of them is capable of brushing their heads on the seven foot balcony ceilings. They are distinctly brutish in appearance and have never been known to speak. Speculation as to their true nature ranges from the mundane (A freakish family of mute bruisers), to the fanciful (A displaced tribe of ogres spell shifted into human form).