Beached Leviathan
The Beached Leviathan is a three-decked inn and tavern located in the Blacklake District of Neverwinter that caters to sailors, smugglers, slavers, merchants, and others arriving by sea. It was built in and around the refurbished wreckage of the pirate ship Leviathan.
Description
Because of the nature of his establishment and his past career as a pirate, Harrag used nautical terms to differentiate the various areas in his tavern. So, the first floor was named "the Hold", the second "the Quarters", and the third "the Deck". An open-sided spiral stair connects the three levels, winding around the central mast. In addition, a 5-foot-by-5-foot shaft connects all three levels, allowing a hoist platform to move supplies from one level to the other. The platform is operated from the deck by using a boom on the central mast. A series of bells affixed near each platform allows for coded communication between the levels.
"The Hold" contains the kitchen and the bar area, decorated with nautical equipment and some of the trophies Harrag accumulated during his pirate career. The trophies included sahuagin skulls and weapons, preserved shark fins, and a giant crab's carapace. A secret door in the bar area allowed entrance to the bilge, which houses Harrag's personal treasures.
"The Quarters" serves as the inn area, with nine small rooms, two larger suites, and a mid-sized room. The larger rooms contain stoves for tenants who wished to prepare their own meals. On the starboard side of the ship, a platform called "the Stardeck" provides an exterior seating area.
"The Deck" has a seating zone in its central area. For a hefty price, patrons can rent one of the pair of private parlors located here. The aft has storage rooms, atop of which are located Harrag's personal quarters.
Staff
Though the Leviathan no longer is a pirate ship, the staff members consider themselves her "crew". Harrag, the owner, acts as the "Captain" and bartender. The four human barmaids—Jyseria, Sandrine, Willow, and Andrella, who are considered "the Mate"—also act as housekeepers for the quarters. Grennel, an aging dwarf female, acts as the second bartender. Feng, an enormous half-orc male, is the bouncer, and an eccentric human male only known by his nickname, "Tabnab", is the cook. Puk, a human boy, is the messenger for staff members. Harrag also considers his regulars as informal members of the "crew". Those regulars use nautical terms to refer to themselves, as well. Among the known regulars of the Beached Leviathan are:
Len-jes, the "harbormaster" (she is actually the harbormaster of Neverwinter).
Umi, the "helmswoman".
Bobrik Highmantle, the "bosun".
Markul, the "lookout".
Ettain, the "caulker".
Korin the bard, the "chanteyman".
Various other patrons of the Beached Leviathan who amuse Harrag or expended a lot of coin, or adventurers who have helped Harrag or any members of the "crew" in a meaningful way, earn the title of "Hands".
Services
After its opening, the Beached Leviathan became the most popular place in Neverwinter for drinking and gambling. The tavern often hosts troupes of entertainers who perform in "the Hold" and on "the Deck". When these entertainers perform on "the Deck", those within the tavern can hear the music from any point within the ship.
In addition to providing a good time for her patrons, the Beached Leviathan also is home to many seedy goings-on, both legal and illegal. At any given time, people of Neverwinter converg here to arrange trade deals, broker in stolen goods, exchange information of all kinds, or to plot. The dealings that take place in the tavern rarely go unnoticed by Dagult Neverember's agents, who frequent the bar at all hours.
History
The Beached Leviathan was once the ship Leviathan, owned by a pirate named Harrag, that was pretty infamous around the Sword Coast in the late years of the 15th century DR.
At some point before 1479 DR, the Leviathan ran aground during a storm before the Docks of Neverwinter had been rebuilt, and hopelessly punctured its keel. Unable to use his ship to sail ever again, Harrag refurbished the Leviathan, transforming it into a tavern that soon became popular because of its shape. Harrag was able to open the Beached Leviathan thanks to the patronage of Dagult Neverember, making the tavern a popular spot among his sympathizers.