The Blushing Mermaid

The Mermaid is one of the most luxurious establishments in Dock Ward, spanning three connected buildings, and is the oldest of its kind in Waterdeep. It has always catered to the wealthy by maintaining an atmosphere of quiet decadence, crafting a pleasant but firmly enforced atmosphere of serenity.

Inside, scents stream from amber hanging lamps, gauzy curtains, cushions, and sound-eating carpets are everywhere, and special enchantments prevent any sort of open flame from igniting. Everything is unhurried and sensual with the staff clad in face masks of black armor plate with attached black gauze veils to conceal their faces. Every guest has a plush, decadent private bedroom, a private bathroom, and an office/reception room in which to entertain. It is widely known that the Mermaid is honeycombed with secret passages, reached by sliding wall panels in every room but few guests manage to get those panels to work.

True to its name, the Mermaid does offer a singular dining experience: a heated, scented communal bath in which patrons soak as they eat and drink, served by mermaids, who swim in from the harbor via well-guarded secret tunnels.

It is also known for its Hour of Darkness, wherein the early hours of each morning, all the lights in the public areas are extinguished. Aside from the blue-silver glow of the staffs' masks, everyone has to feel their way through the building. The custom has led to a wealth of stories and pranks, though there are a few darker tales of guests vanishing in the Mermaid, never to be heard of again.