Hissing Stones

The Hissing Stones bathhouse was an amenity and local landmark of Baldur's Gate, being one of the oldest buildings in the city as of the late 15 century DR. The establishment had a sterling reputation as the city's safest and most confidential meeting area among the various Baldurian power groups.

It was owned and operated by Merilyn Allaryr, a moon elf with enough experience and acumen to effectively manage the various personalities and political groups that patronized her establishment. She paid her staff well enough that they were largely insusceptible to bribery.

Description
The bathhouse featured a central cloister of cold lounging pools with steam rooms in the western wing and hot baths available in the eastern wing.

The bathhouse was decorated in the same architectural style as buildings from the Old Empire confederation of city-states of Chessenta, with hypocaust flooring and walls decorated by beautiful mosaics made of tile.

Services
Discretion and neutrality were the greatest services provided by the staff of the Hissing Stones. The bathhouse was often selected as a venue to engage in negotiation that, if engaged in at any other location, would likely prove to be hostile.

Often, the companions and courtesans of the Lower City used the bathhouse as a locale to find new clientele. In fact, the Revelers' Union crew used the Hissing Stones as a regular meeting place, as of the.

Prices
Costs of the bathhouse as of 1479 DR:
 * 5 sp for a day at the bathhouse,
 * 1 gp for a session with a "sinew soother", and
 * 2 gp for a curative salt bath.

Rules
The owner and attendees of the Hissing Stones maintained a strict set of rules:
 * Clients were not allowed to bare any weapons within,
 * Clients were only allowed to wear the house's own complementary silk robes, and
 * No violence of any kind was permitted inside.

Trivia
The Hissing Stones was a favored stop of the Grand Duke of the mid—15 century DR, Abdel Adrian.