This month I thought about a fun infernal-themed tavern that could be dropped in many areas in a world.

The Summoned Salamander Tavern

A large black tavern and inn at a crossroads with a fiery salamander painted on a sign out front and a bright red roof. Owned by the Ruby-eye tiefling family that has gone back generations. The current matron is Elifar Ruby-eye.

3 key features or aspects

1. A large tavern and inn that has multiple buildings that have been built over the years to add to the capacity. There are 3 main buildings at the moment:
   1. The main tavern room is a boisterous area where you can get a stiff drink and a meal. And above the tavern is some common sleeping quarters that can be had for the cheap. Mostly a giant room with some dividers between the beds.
   2. A smaller side-room building connected by a small covered walkway has three private rooms for meetings that can hold 6 people or opened up so multiple rooms can be used as one. Above these rooms holds the family’s main sleeping quarters.
   3. Expanded inn and kitchen is housed in the third building that is disconnected from the tavern completely. A small walkway connects the building to the tavern. There is a small receptionist on the first floor and a kitchen that does most of the meal preparation. The rest of the building is mostly single rooms with a few larger rooms with two beds.
2. The summoned salamander is known for its hot sauce they make.
3. Shady deals with devils can be found in the back rooms if you know when to look.

Historical layer

The summoned salamander tavern is built upon an old infernal portal. An order of wizards and priests closed the portal to the infernal realms long ago, but some magic has always escapes like a hissing kettle waiting to be pulled off the fire. It is said that a few devils thrown out of the hells came through this portal during a comet’s passing that weakened the portal and allowed devils to walk through from the infernal realms.

Notable NPCs

1. Elifar Ruby-eye: the matron of the Ruby-eye family and proprietor of the Summoned Salamander. Mainly runs the tavern room during the day. Cunning and sly, but treats people fairly. She has four children, Badonis (male, 17), Lelaia (female, 14), Kamazar (male, 9), and Seiria (female, 7).
2. Saspira Ruby-eye: wife of Elifar and the one who handles the books and manages the guests who are staying in rooms. Shy and quiet, but will look for a way to get an extra coin from you with any up-charges.
3. Isdiel, fallen angel seeking to atone for their mistakes. They have made this tavern their home base to help mask the infernal portal with their divine presence to throw off other malevolent forces from finding out.

Fantastic items or resources

• The portal still exists and is only one-way at the moment, allowing travel during the summer solstice from the mortal realm to the first layer of the hells.
• Infernal magic seeps into the flora in the area causing vegetables to be more spicy and herbs for brewing fire-based potions to be more powerful than normal.
• Inn itself, example pricing:
  • Common sleeping area bed: 5sp/night, 20 beds total and at any given time 2d6+3 are reserved.
  • Private rooms:
    • Single: 1gp/night, 10 total rooms, 1d6 occupied on any given day.
    • Doubles: 2gp/night, 6 total rooms, 1d4 occupied on any given day.
  • Food is modest, around 3-5sp per meal. Known for meals with some spice to them, but they will make mild versions for people “without taste.”
  • They cater to quick meals for travelers and adventures at 4sp for a meal of bread, cheese, infernal berry spice jam, and an ale filling of a waterskin for that is wrapped in some butcher paper. A popular breakfast for adventures leaving in the morning. Spoils after a day if not eaten.

Hooks

• Isdiel is a fallen angel of your god and is requesting help to purge an abyssal incursion to this area to prevent a larger battle between the demons and devils from breaking out in the moral realm.
• A weakened devil is looking for assistance to return home through the portal. But can’t open it themselves and needs help. In return for help they provide a future favor once they’ve healed.
• A powerful devil has opened the portal from the infernal side and is sending low level scouts through. Elifar and Saspira need these devils dealt with to keep the peace.

Secrets or clues

1. The Ruby-eye family is the generation of tieflings from an outcast succubus that passed to this realm over five centuries ago.
2. The portal’s activity is a well-kept secret by the Ruby-eye family. Stranded devils will sometimes seek it out to cross during the summer solstice back to their realm.
3. A more powerful devil has been testing the portal’s limitations and sent scouts through to find out what defenses lie on the mortal realm.

This work by Brandon Cole is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0