---Everyone---
![[Image: HfGeM19.png]](https://i.imgur.com/HfGeM19.png)
The Yawning Portal Taproom fills the first floor of the building. The 40-foot diameter well that provides access to Undermountain dominates the space. The "Well" is all that remains of Halaster's tower, though now, devoid of the stairways and floors that formed subterranean levels, it drops as an open shaft for 140 feet. Stirges, spiders, and worse have been known to invade the Yawning Portal from below. Oddly enough this doesn't dissuade the taproom's many patrons as luckily there are usually more than enough adventurers about to sort out the troubles that rise from below. Balconies on the tavern's second and third floors overlook the well, with those floors accessed by way of wooden stairs that rise up from the taproom. Guests sitting at the tables on the balconies have an excellent view of the well and the potential action below.
It's a typical weekend night at the Yawning Portal. It's loud and crowded. The balconies are overflowing with merchants and nobles, while the tables on the ground floor are filled with adventurers and their associates. Invariably, the combination of a few drinks and the crowds encouragement induce a few folk to pay for a brief trip down the well into the infamous dungeon Undermountain. Most folk pay in advance for a ride down and immediately back up, though a few ambitious souls might launch impromptu expeditions into the dungeon. Few ill-prepared parties ever return.
Experienced adventuring groups seeking to explore the dungeon usually show up at less busy hours. So on nights like tonight it's usually thrill-seekers and fools who descend into the well.
There are few regulars that all of you have come to recognize over the various times that you have visited the taproom.
![[Image: LiA6RZo.png]](https://i.imgur.com/LiA6RZo.png)
Of course there is the aloof proprietor Durnan who for all intensive proposes most people believe to be blessed, cursed or a little bit of both. Regardless he is polite enough, but not overly sociable. He is from what anyone can tell a human, but it is known that he is well over two hundred years old and seems to have completely stopped aging.
![[Image: 8BNK4be.png]](https://i.imgur.com/8BNK4be.png)
There is a young halfling girl named Melissa, who is a devote of Tymora. She generally will bless various adventurers or patrons who ask for it and almost always has news from the church of Tymora. Such news comes from all over the realms and many an adventurer or hero has often gone off on a quest of some sort or another on the the bits of news she provides.
![[Image: lA9h9ow.png]](https://i.imgur.com/lA9h9ow.png)
There is an old adventurer named Ben Gallows who claims to have explored most of the dungeons in Faerun, though most people who spend more than a few nights drinking with him get the idea that he is likely full of shit.
![[Image: KL6zAJm.png]](https://i.imgur.com/KL6zAJm.png)
There is also some guy named Hemp who likes to heckle everyone descending into the well and makes bets on wether or not they will return. He usually makes decent coin from it as lots of locals like a bit of gambling. He's a bit of an ass though and anyone who is around him for any amount of time realize this.
![[Image: zlmL0y6.png]](https://i.imgur.com/zlmL0y6.png)
There is a shady fellow named Rork who sells treasure maps above. None of you have tried purchasing anything from him as of yet, but he sells quite a few maps, mostly to the poor sods trying to explore undermountain on a drunken whim. Still, no one can really judge the authenticity of a treasure map, so his business remains thriving.
![[Image: bTYCK6R.png]](https://i.imgur.com/bTYCK6R.png)
There is also young girl who sits at a table and makes sketches of any odd objects that any adventurers bring back up from the Undermountain. She usually a fixture in the taproom and Her name is Julia. Most people think she is an apprentice of some wizard as sketching strange objects is an odd choice of hobbies.
One of the oddest patrons however, is a magically preserved corpse leaning in a coffin near the bar. None of you have inquired as to why the corpse is there and from what everyone says, he doesn't seem to be all that talkative.
There are several others who are recognizable on a busy night, but all in all, those are the most memorable. Of course, you all recognize each other from the weekends, but none of you have spoken to each other more than just in passing.
All of you for one reason or another, find yourselves wandering into the tavern on one of it's busiest nights.
The Yawning Portal Taproom fills the first floor of the building. The 40-foot diameter well that provides access to Undermountain dominates the space. The "Well" is all that remains of Halaster's tower, though now, devoid of the stairways and floors that formed subterranean levels, it drops as an open shaft for 140 feet. Stirges, spiders, and worse have been known to invade the Yawning Portal from below. Oddly enough this doesn't dissuade the taproom's many patrons as luckily there are usually more than enough adventurers about to sort out the troubles that rise from below. Balconies on the tavern's second and third floors overlook the well, with those floors accessed by way of wooden stairs that rise up from the taproom. Guests sitting at the tables on the balconies have an excellent view of the well and the potential action below.
It's a typical weekend night at the Yawning Portal. It's loud and crowded. The balconies are overflowing with merchants and nobles, while the tables on the ground floor are filled with adventurers and their associates. Invariably, the combination of a few drinks and the crowds encouragement induce a few folk to pay for a brief trip down the well into the infamous dungeon Undermountain. Most folk pay in advance for a ride down and immediately back up, though a few ambitious souls might launch impromptu expeditions into the dungeon. Few ill-prepared parties ever return.
Experienced adventuring groups seeking to explore the dungeon usually show up at less busy hours. So on nights like tonight it's usually thrill-seekers and fools who descend into the well.
There are few regulars that all of you have come to recognize over the various times that you have visited the taproom.
Of course there is the aloof proprietor Durnan who for all intensive proposes most people believe to be blessed, cursed or a little bit of both. Regardless he is polite enough, but not overly sociable. He is from what anyone can tell a human, but it is known that he is well over two hundred years old and seems to have completely stopped aging.
There is a young halfling girl named Melissa, who is a devote of Tymora. She generally will bless various adventurers or patrons who ask for it and almost always has news from the church of Tymora. Such news comes from all over the realms and many an adventurer or hero has often gone off on a quest of some sort or another on the the bits of news she provides.
There is an old adventurer named Ben Gallows who claims to have explored most of the dungeons in Faerun, though most people who spend more than a few nights drinking with him get the idea that he is likely full of shit.
There is also some guy named Hemp who likes to heckle everyone descending into the well and makes bets on wether or not they will return. He usually makes decent coin from it as lots of locals like a bit of gambling. He's a bit of an ass though and anyone who is around him for any amount of time realize this.
There is a shady fellow named Rork who sells treasure maps above. None of you have tried purchasing anything from him as of yet, but he sells quite a few maps, mostly to the poor sods trying to explore undermountain on a drunken whim. Still, no one can really judge the authenticity of a treasure map, so his business remains thriving.
There is also young girl who sits at a table and makes sketches of any odd objects that any adventurers bring back up from the Undermountain. She usually a fixture in the taproom and Her name is Julia. Most people think she is an apprentice of some wizard as sketching strange objects is an odd choice of hobbies.
One of the oddest patrons however, is a magically preserved corpse leaning in a coffin near the bar. None of you have inquired as to why the corpse is there and from what everyone says, he doesn't seem to be all that talkative.
There are several others who are recognizable on a busy night, but all in all, those are the most memorable. Of course, you all recognize each other from the weekends, but none of you have spoken to each other more than just in passing.
All of you for one reason or another, find yourselves wandering into the tavern on one of it's busiest nights.
