The Crowing Cockatrice was an inn in the Lower Trade Lanes of Skullport in the late 14th century DR.[1]
Structure[]
The Crowing Cockatrice was a modest two-story building in squalid condition.[1]
Services[]
Rooms at the Crowing Cockatrice were perpetually available. Each room contains only a sea chest and a straw-filled mattress, and patrons could expect bedbugs as an unwelcome but freely provided amenity. Prices for a private room were negotiable, with the typical rate being four silver pieces per night.[1]
The inn's offerings were basic at best. With ingredients scavenged from the Fish Market, local Underdark fungi, and dubious tubers, patrons were served a barely palatable stew at minimal cost: one copper piece for a cup and two for a bowl. Despite the poor quality of the food, the inn’s selection of ale and beer was passable, with a tankard priced at approximately two silver pieces.[1]
History[]
The inn was owned by "Slop" Gallowshawk, a former scullery cook. The inn has a unique history shaped by both misfortune and unlikely survival. Circa 1350 DR, Slop survived a shipwreck and was swept through the treacherous channels and locks from the South Seacaves, ultimately arriving in Skullport with a chest containing his captain's private treasure. Transformed from a cook to a wealthy man, Slop aspired to establish the Crowing Cockatrice as one of the port’s premier inns. However, lacking any real business acumen, he squandered his newfound wealth within a decade, leaving the inn in its current dilapidated state.[1]
Inhabitants[]
The most remarkable feature of the inn was Setana, a watchghost who served as an efficient, if spectral, barmaid. Newcomers were often startled by trays floating through the air and empty tankards refilling on their own, all owing to Setana's silent service. Her origin remained a mystery; when asked, Slop simply remarked that she "came with the place." The inn also occasionally hosted Shaun Taunador, an illithid potion-seller, who used the Crowing Cockatrice for brief stays during his visits to Skullport.[1]