The Gutted Fish - A Waterfront Tavern

The Gutted Fish sits on the upper level of the pier in the center of the South Dock area. It's location makes it a center for activity in the area. The Gutted Fish is nortorious as hang-out for thieves, ruffians, pirates and smugglers.

The proprietor of the "Fish" is a ruffian who goes by the name of "Hazard" Hayes. He is a thug, a thief, and a smuggler. Hayes is known as a straight-ahead, break knee cpas first, askquestions latter sort of fellow, with a mean streak as wide as the Rast River and no sense of humor. He runs the protection rackets in the South Dock District, and is loyal to his boss, Zira the Tailor.

The Story, "Meet the New Boss," introduces Hayes to his new surroundings, and helps illustrate the atmosphere of the Gutted Fish.

Main Level

1. The Dock Entrance

This entrance is used as often as the city side entrance. There are usually a number of empty barrels and crates waiting to be picked up here. At anytime day or nights there are at least a half-dozen casual laborers looking for work here. Often times, these are the type that will do just about any odd job and not ask too many questions.

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2. Hallway

To the right is a door that obviously leads back to back areas of the Tavern. To the left, the hallway bends and leads to an open door. Sounds of merriment and drinking can be heard, a din that grows louder as you get closer.

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3. Bedroom

The entrance to this room is usually locked.

This is the main quarters for the proprietor, "Hazard" Hayes. Hayes is a short, broad, nasty looking man with a short fuse and a hard reputation. The room is divided into 3 areas. The main room contains a wardrobe, dresser, and washbasin as well as a comfortable looking over stuffed chair. There is little in the way of ornamentation in this room, but the furnishings have the air of quality.

Area 3A. is the bedchamber. It is dark and smells a little of perspiration and body odors. The bed is a modified stateroom from a ship, perhaps the last one that Larg sailed on. The bed is rarely made.

Area 3B. is the Water Closet.

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4. Storage

This room has a number of crates and barrels arranged neatly about the room. These crates form a wall in the right partially concealing the trap door in the floor, under the stairs, that leads down to B7. There is a small platform and a which next to the trap door that allows barrels to be lifted up and down to the storage area (B7.)

The doors that lead into this store room are usually locked. Larg and the bartender, Rusty, have the only set of keys. The foodstuffs for the bar are stored here. Liquor and meat are stored below in area B7.

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5. Office

This small office is made even smaller with clutter. There is a smallish desk in the middle of the room, covered with papers, receipts, and ledgers. The chair faces the door into the hallway (12.).

On the wall behind the chair is a peephole that affords a good view of the dock entrance. On the wall on the other side of the pit in area 12. is the lever that locks the mechanism.

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6. Cook's Quarters

This small room is the quarters for the cook. She is a permanent resident of The Gutted Fish.

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7. Kitchen

This smallish kitchen serves the whole establishment. The cook usually makes lunch and a big pot of something for dinner. Breakfast is hard biscuits and whatever is left over from the pot or roast the night before.

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8. Pantry

This is a normal enough pantry.

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9. Common Room

Smoke and stale beer assail the nostrils as you enter this room. It is a large room about 40-feet across and 20-feet deep. In the center of the room, between two pillars, there are two long narrow tables, full of patrons, most loudly clamoring for drinks. Some scattered round tables hold group of four or five, playing at dominoes, or knifey, and drinking and swearing. Immediately to the right of the city-side entrance, there is a staircase that heads up. In the niche that creates there is a bar. A large man is polishing ceramic mugs and eyes you suspiciously. No one else seems to have taken note of you. No one seems to be in a happy mood.

This is the main room for the tavern. It is crowded most nights, and the crowd is often not very pleasant. Some of the roughest dock hands, day laborers, and sailors make this their nightly hang-out. Many of the patrons are connected with crime elements that prey on the innocent citizens of the city.

On the dock side of the common room, there are two doors that lead into to the private dinning rooms of The Gutted Fish (10. and 11.)

The street side entrance is not used as often as the dock side entrance, and is usually locked by midnight to discourage the watch from wandering in.

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10. Private Room

There is seating for 10 in this long narrow room. The Long table has a large, throne like chair at one end. The lighting in here is dim, despite the two windows . Other furnishings include a large side board with a crystal decanter, and a few, crude-looking seascapes in cheap, cheesey frames.

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11. Private Room

This room has one long wooden dinner table that seats 6 comfortably. There is a side board under the window, and candles give this room adequate but ominous lighting. There is a door in the far corner of the room.

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12. Hallway

DM: The door that leads down to the quarters and store rooms below is locked

The trap door in the hallway is triggered by a lever in the office (5.). It is set most evenings. All of the staff, and many regulars know about the trap, and will avoid it. The trap falls 10 feet to Area B6. below.

Lower Level

B1. Quarters

This smallish room looks as though it was packed up in a hurry. Bedding is strewn about the room, and remains of several meals are piled on a barrel in a corner. There is very little in the way furnishings in the room. Several straw mats rolled up in one corner are probably sleeping palettes.

DM: This is area is used as a hiding room for smugglers.

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B2. Secret Door

There are several barrels lined up against the far wall here. This room is apparently a storage area. There are no visible exits.

DM:The secret door is found with normal chances. A careful examination of the floor will reveal that the barrels have been move several times recently. A character that searches will find the secret door by the smell of salt water and slight breeze.

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B3. Store Room

This room is not currently being used.

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B5. "Special" Storage

This room is used to unload goods from smuggler ships. The door into this area is locked. Only Larg has the key. There is nothing currently stored here. The mechanism for the Sea Doors (area B8.) is here. It takes a combined strength of 20 when the tide is on the way out, 27 when the tide is coming in.

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B6. Trap Area

This is the destination for the pit trap in area 12. The floor is covered wtih about an inch of water. There are shackles along the wall, now empty.

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B7. Cold Storage

The important items from the Tavern are kept here. Liqour, and meat mostly, in barrels that lined the walls. There is a trap door in the ceiling that can be lowered by the winch in area 4. There is no other way in or out of this room.

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B8. The Sea Doors

These doors open part of the sea wall under the pier (see cross section and area B5.)

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B9. The Hidden Cove

There is a wooden pier on one side of this cove, and a small stone platform on the other. At the far end, a sewer pipe, half-blocked with rubble, empties into the this cove.

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