The Red Mullet Inn & Tavern

[Nimh]

Vers was an odd town; few in the Empire would dispute that. Versians were eccentric, loud, and boisterous, constantly trying to find new things to throw a bit of excitement and spice into their lives. The two-story wooden building standing in the central district of town took on the characteristics of its occupants, from its multi-colored spires to its oddly-shaped roof. It was one of a kind, full of a unique sort of characteristics that made it interesting to look at...and, perhaps, beautiful to behold. Then again, the Versian standard of beauty had a way of setting itself apart from the common as well.

The sign identifying the building was just as strange as its surroundings. A round, red fish had been painted toward the top of the slab of wood, its mouth wide open into the perfect circle shape. Uneven yellow script below the fish proclaimed the building as The Red Mullet Inn and Tavern, obviously named after the animal depicted. The intermingling smells of delicious food and repulsive sweat gave no indication whether the Red Mullet lived up to its name. It did, however, boast a loud rumble due to the crowd inside as the ripples of sound cascaded through the city streets. The warmth bundled inside overcame the unattractiveness of the outer, offering itself as a pleasant diversion from daily life and, perhaps, the promise of an even pleasanter evening.

The entrance cut itself prominently against the front edifice of the Tavern. It was oddly shaped, more eliptical than rectangular, with its most distinguishing feature being its extraordinary width. Three grown men could probably fit easily across without touching the edge of the doorframe. One could only wonder what the architects had in mind. Once through the door, one could see a bar with matching stools on the righthand corner, landscaped with shelves of glasses and bottles. Some stood upturned and half-full while others sat in neat little rows, waiting for their owner to find a use for them. There was another inconspicuous door behind the bar that, judging by the pungent smell, led into a kitchen. In the center of the room stood round wooden tables and accompanying chairs, and beyond even that stretched a staircase presumably leading to the private rooms. Flowery smells of pleasant perfumes intermingled with the stronger scents of warm bodies, all weaving in and out of the general cacophany of conversation and kitchenwork. Almost always, the building was packed to the gills with Versians doing what Versians had a penchant to do: singing, dancing, telling stories, and living life to the fullest with a wholly hedonistic attitude and no regrets. All the natives were dressed extravagantly, floridly, with the women in gowns, the men in effeminate tunics, everyone colorful with makeup and feathers.

There were some darkenings, though, that the crowds spent at home, despite the Tavern's historic popularity. Il'ych Bürmann, the owner as well as barkeep, had led his little business through the lowest point of his money-making career, what with robberies and monsters and the various other things that saw fit to haunt his indescript little Tavern. The gossip surrounding the circumstances had, however, settled down the passage of a few seasons, and, for now, the Red Mullet was experiencing a share of its once-so-accumstomed level of business. Perhaps with a little more time the place would fill up again like it used to on Kuras darkenings, just when the cycle was about to end and a new one begin. It just required a little patience and a bit of advertising. Still, being the only decent tavern and inn in town always funnelled some traffic into his place.

OOC: Originally written by Kenaz, edited and added to by Charybdis.
Please feel free to self-mod or peer-mod, but if you realllly need me to swoop on in, PM Tisiphone

NPCs: Il'ych Bürmann, heavyset Human owner and barkeeper.
Various waiters and waitresses of all races except Faery, Orc, and Vysstichi.
Crowd members and patrons of all races except Faery, Orc, and Vysstichi.