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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pdzoch" data-source="post: 6875848" data-attributes="member: 80982">Medusa’s MirrorName: Medusa’s Mirror (Tavern sign depicts the head of a medusa with glowing yellow eyes beside a similar portrait on a silver circle (a mirror))Description Exterior:  The stonework of this building is exquisite with seamless walls of smooth stones.  A white stone statue is carved into each of the corners – a minotaur, a scantily clad woman raising an amphora, an unknown noble or person of importance with flowing robes or vestments, and gladiator slaying a lion.  A grapevine full of fruit that stretches over the door is carved into the stone around the doorway.  Description Interior: Many more statues adorn the interior, standing like guards between the private booths along the walls and flanking the bar.  The statues, all carved in white rock, depict various ladies, nobles, warrior, monsters and beasts.  The tavern offers nine private booths against the walls, and five large round tables accompanied with high backed chairs are in the center.  Shuttered lanterns light the booths while candles illuminate the tables.  Sometime the flickering light of the candles cast an eerie shadow on the statues.  The patrons take no note of the statues and enjoy their simple meals and their mugs of mead.  A large mirror is mounted on the wall behind the bar, while a variety of clay mugs sit on the shelfs and hang on hooks about the bar area. A large archway lead to the kitchen where two large stone ovens are visible from the dining area.  Another door stands just off to the side of the bar.Note: A perception check will reveal that all the mugs look hand-made and no two are alike.Proprietor: Bogomil Manolev inherited this building years ago when the original owner died.  Unfortunately, it originally was not a tavern. Instead, it was a sculptor’s studio where statues were crafted for the noble and wealthy to decorate their homes and lawns.  Bogomil was a hapless apprentice to the master sculpture, but the only apprentice still working when the owner died and left the shop to Bogomil.  Bogomil personally made all the mugs in the tavern but was such a poor craftsman that he knew he could not succeed as a stonemason or sculptor.  So, he converted the shop into something he was good at: making mead.  Bogomil makes a wonderful mead he calls Medusa’s Mead, but he worries if he made the right decision, especially when he makes one of his often-made, though minor, mistakes. Bogomil always wonders if his former master would approve.Other details: All the statues were made by Bogomil’s former master, Martin Vanko.  Though not a famous sculptor, Vanko had many customers who appreciate his work and were disappointed when he died and the business folded. Bogomil has hired a cook to help prepare simple meals, but they are not using the ovens their full cooking potential.  The ovens were originally design for firing clay sculptures. Bogomil does not maintain rooms for rent, though the old apprentices room (down the hall from the one door in the tavern) has several simple beds in a common room that Bogomil will rent cheaply.  Bogomil used to live in that room with the rest of the young apprentices years ago. Story Hook: 1) A nobleman’s daughter disappeared after she posed for an artist’s portrait (or sculpture) of her.  The artist claims innocence, but the nobleman is calling for justice.  2) Snakes has unexpectedly been seen in the village/town/city and they seem to be protected by some members of the community leading to rumors of a cult.  The local lord wants to know if there really a cult and who is part of it?  3) The cave in the nearby mountain is rumored to be inhabited by a dragon. Some claim to have seen it flying around the mountain peak recently, and the countryside is starting to panic.  The local lord wants a band of courageous and capable adventurers to investigate the cave and slay the dragon if possible.</blockquote>

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