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The Three Old Kegs was a well-known inn found in the city of Baldur's Gate. It was widely regarded as one of the best inns in all of Faerûn, and was known for its comfortable furnishings and generally somnific atmosphere.[1][3][4]

The establishment was located in the Temples District of the Upper City,[5] along the east wall of the Ducal Palace.[1]

Patronage[]

The Kegs' clientele tended to be considerably tamer than that of most inns in Baldur's Gate. The inn catered towards relaxed, easygoing individuals who preferred to spend their days engaging in reading, napping and low-stakes gambling.[1][4]

Description[]

While not huge, the Kegs was a large building, with four floors above ground and two levels of cellars below. The basements and the two lower floors were built of fieldstone, while the upper two floors are timber, all topped with a heavy slate roof. The ground floor was given over to the foyer, with a large feasting room and a central common area,[4] while the uppermost cellar contained the gaming rooms. The upper three floors consisted almost entirely of bedrooms.[1]

In place of a signboard, guests were welcomed by three kegs hanging via chains from a roofpole above the door.[1][2]

All floors were connected to one corner via a rope-drawn elevator, whose shaft was sufficiently large to accommodate two persons pressed together. This system was mostly used by the staff for rapid transportation, though occasionally was used by guests for pranks or a hasty and discreet exit from their room.[1]

Decor[]

The inn was furnished with old, comfortable, and slightly shabby furniture culled from a dozen keeps and many homes of rich and poor. The walls are crowded with trophy heads of creatures, from local deer to monstrosities of the deep, old fading paintings of fanciful and imaginative scenes, and thick tapestries from several score of cultures. These decorations were complemented by large bookcases and shelves crowded with old diaries, travel logs, collections of ballads and legends, and colorful history books of dubious accuracy. The floors were covered in thick rugs made from a wide variety of beasts.[1]

Staff[]

During the mid—14th century DR, the Three Old Kegs was kept by Nantrin Bellowglyn, a retired nobleman's guard from Tethyr. The staff consists of Bellowglyn’s four daughters, a bag-boy, a hostler, and three serving wenches. The latter are former huntresses from Tethyr and one of them, Ithtyl Calantryn, is a sorceress adept in the fields of levitation and shielding spells. She has been known to singlehandedly defenestrate would-be thieves and unruly patrons.[6]

While quietly polite and uniformly thoughtful, the Kegs' staff, especially Bellowglyn, did not tolerate rowdiness or violence. Those who drank too much during an evening would often awake in the hay pile by the kitchen door. Patrons were expected to leave their weapons in their rooms, a rule of the inn that was firmly enforced. To the majority of patrons who behaved, the service was unfailingly excellent. The staff was even known to take the time to chat or play games with bored or lonely patrons, although they would never gamble for money.[6]

Three old kegs

Three Old Kegs as depicted in the game Baldur's Gate This Inn can be visited in the game Baldur's Gate, it can be found in the NE section of the city.

As of the late 15th century DR, the inn was run by the Wintersides brothers, collectively known as the "Three Toads". These bleeding-heart altruists regularly opened the Kegs' doors to the city's orphans and widows. Unfortunately, their generosity was sometimes met with fraud and exploitation.[4][2]

Services[]

The Kegs was neither a tavern nor a restaurant, and its minuscule menu reflected this fact. There was an expansive wine cellar. Ice water and a selection of hot broths were also available. The only food to be had was a dark, nutty malt bread. Most patrons went elsewhere for actual meals.[6]

Like most establishments in Baldur's Gate, the Kegs had a less-than-reputable side. The building was known to contain at least one secret passage, which connected to a dockside warehouse and to a sewer shaft near the city's Black Dragon Gate. Someplace along this passage was a lime pit, where bodies could be disposed of for a fee paid to Bellowglyn.[6]

Prices[]

Circa mid—14th century DR:

  • Rooms were 5 sp/person/night. Rooms range from single occupancy to quad, but there was no discount for sharing a room. Price includes stabling, a plate of bread, a mug of broth, bottomless ice water, cold baths and laundry service.[6]
  • Additional meals were 1 cp/plate.[6]
  • All wines were 6 cp/tallglass.[6]
  • A hot bath was 3 cp/person.[6]
  • Corpse disposal was 100 gp/body.[6]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

External Links[]

References[]

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