The Dragon's Flagon was opened at the dawn of the Dragon Age by retired soldier George Burnham, a veteran of the rebellion against Orlais. Where he got the coin for the venture was a matter of much speculation; though he always maintained that it was the result of thirty years of carefully saved pay, the rumor was that he had been among a group of Ferelden regulars who had intercepted a coach bearing a load of gold and jewels intended to ransom captured Orlesian nobles. However he came by the coin, he poured every bit of it into the Flagon. It quickly became a favored watering hole for his former mates, many of whom took up lives as mercenaries or soldiers-of-fortune once the war had ended, and who began bringing him souvenirs from their travels, an eclectic assortment which lines the walls and shelves of the establishment to this day. The stuffed and mounted head of a (relatively) small dragon over one fireplace is the crown jewel of the collection.
It was purchased from George by Bernadette “Bernie” Il Rossa in 9:25; she has striven to maintain the atmosphere of the place and can generally be found behind the bar most nights.
The Flagon is a large, 3-story, Tudor-style building located in the center of Denerim’s Market District; the sign over the door is carved and painted wood depicting a dragon curled possessively around a foaming beer stein, along with the name. The first floor houses the kitchen, bar and large common room, along with two private dining areas available by reservation. A massive fireplace at each end of the common room keeps out the winter chill, while oil lamps hung from the rafters provide good illumination for the tables beyond the fire's reach. The massive bar runs nearly the full length of the room, and is made of polished mahogany accented with bronze. The food from the kitchen is basic tavern fare, well made and reasonably priced, but it is the booze that is the Flagon's true claim to fame. Ales, wines and spirits from throughout Thedas can be had, and Bernie’s ‘special stocks’ are the stuff of Denerim legend. Favored customers have ornate pewter flagons engraved with their names displayed on shelves behind the bar. Those of the Hero of Ferelden and the King (who first visited before he was crowned) have places of special prominence, and the first drink is always free for Grey Wardens.
A slightly elevated platform in a corner by the window is home to a regularly rotating roster of musicians and minstrels, and it is not unusual for the crowd to sing along with a talented performer. A generous portion of the floor before the stage is kept clear for dancing (and occasionally for impromptu wrestling matches). Two dartboards are on the back wall and cards and dice can be requested at the bar. Gambling is permitted, but anyone caught cheating is thrown out … literally.
The second floor houses ten comfortable guest rooms, each with a bed, desk, dresser and wash basin. The bathing chambers at either end of the hall are another piece of Denerim legend. A hot bath is one of the dreams of nearly every soldier in the field, and George paid a dwarven artisan well for a system of hand pumps that draw water from the cisterns through a series of coiled copper pipes in the wood fired ovens of the kitchen. The result is a nearly endless supply of hot water, and each bathing room has three copper-bound oaken tubs deep enough to soak in (canvas screens can be drawn between them for privacy or for an extra price, a smaller copper tub can be brought to a patron’s room and filled).
The third floor holds Bernie’s personal quarters; few people have been allowed inside, and the door at the top of the stairs is always kept locked.
The basement holds the wine cellar and storage for the kitchen. Hidden behind a rack of casks is the only addition that Bernie has made to the place: a corridor with four small but comfortable rooms used to hide apostates being aided by the Mages’ Collective.
Patrons of the Flagon run the full spectrum of Denerim society, but lean more heavily toward the working classes. Soldiers and mercenaries also make up a large proportion, and recruiters have learned this, making the Flagon a good place for freelancers to look for work. Nobles and wealthy merchants will come in, but only the less pretentious among them will return after they discover that they have to wait their turn for food and drink with everyone else.
Key NPC’s
Giovanni - Bouncer - Born 9:10 - A surface dwarf of Antivan descent, Gio is nearly as broad as he is tall, and very strong. He can hold a rowdy drunk aloft in each hand and pitch them a nearly equal distance into the street. He is notoriously shy around pretty ladies, his beardless face blushing deepest scarlet at the first hint of flirtation, but he will step in without hesitation if one of them is being harassed by an unwanted admirer. He has a fashion sense that would make all but the most color blind cringe: particolor, chequers, stripes and puff and slash in bright satins and silks. He wears them without a trace of self consciousness, and the last person to call him a pinata bounced off of the wall of the shop across the street from the Flagon. He has a surprisingly beautiful tenor singing voice, but can rarely be coaxed to display it. Dialog Color - 4d4dff
Beatrix - Head cook - Human female - Born 8:75 - Trixie, as she prefers to be called, is a plump, grandmotherly woman who rules the kitchen with the precision of a drill sergeant. Outside the kitchen, she frequently forgets why she came into a room, and whatever clothes she wears are generally covered by a flour-dusted apron. She is also an apostate, though her spells are so weak that she doesn’t use them for much more than heating or cooling dishes, though Bernie swears that her instinct for seasonings has to be magic. A carved oak spoon serves as both utensil and wand. Dialog Color - ff80aa
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