Grimm’s Guide to Taverns, Trades, and Troublemakers

Being a practical companion for the discriminating adventurer, discerning drinker, and occasionally disoriented spellcaster

“I’ve faced ogres in the hills, cults in the catacombs, and one particularly argumentative goat on the Iron Marches—but nothing compares to the risk of ordering smoked eel with the wrong mead.”

— Grimm, retired adventurer, unretired tavern critic, finder of forgotten doorways and overpriced spell components

About the Author

Once a sellsword, now a self-appointed connoisseur of the finer and far stranger corners of civilization, Grimm of the Roving Tankard spent decades wandering the length and breadth of the Flanaess. Somewhere between brawling in back-alley inns and bartering with backwoods alchemists, Grimm realized that for all the battles he fought, the true tests of a hero lie in:

Finding a hot meal that doesn’t bite back,
Securing a pint worth lifting twice, and
Knowing which “wizard” shop isn’t just a con run by a gnome in a hat.

What This Guide Offers

This volume catalogs the most memorable, maddening, and mysteriously hidden places across the Duchy of Tenh (and beyond):

Taverns & Inns: Ranked by brew, brawl likelihood, and how likely you are to keep your coin purse
Crafters & Traders: From legendary smiths to that cobbler who may or may not be a were-rat
Shady Locales: Places Grimm definitely doesn’t recommend but provides maps to anyway
Magical Markets: Potioneers, scroll peddlers, and the occasional planar flea market

Grimm’s Motto

“When in doubt, ask what’s on tap. When in peril, ask what’s on the shelf. When in both… buy the bottle, and leave before nightfall.”

Grimm’s Guide to the North of Tenh

WOLFSWARD

Sparse, wild, practical — comfort means warmth and not dying of exposure.

The Grey Cup – Stonewatch Keep

Type: Tavern & Inn

Grimm’s Note:

“The hearth is warm, the ale’s brown, and the stew is always some kind of goat. Not bad goat, mind you.”

Don’t-Miss Dishes:

Item	Description	Effect
Goatbone Stew	Braised local goat with wild roots and marrow	Gain 3 temporary hit points and advantage on Constitution saves vs cold for 8 hours
Stonewatch Cider	Spiced apple-cider aged in dwarven oak	Once before your next long rest, regain 1 use of a class feature that recharges on a short rest (GM discretion)
Smoked Cheese Scone	Dry, dense, rich	Reduces exhaustion level by 1 (once per long rest), but causes mild flatulence (-1 CHA checks to impress for 1 hour)

COLDWELL REACH – Fork River

Trade, warmth, and ingenuity — you’ll find exotic dishes and well-aged ales here.

The Traveling Kettle – Mountain Pass Post

Type: Tavenr & Inn

Grimm’s Note:

“You’ll meet dwarves, smugglers, and one bard who only sings about cheese. Stay for the broth.”

Don’t-Miss Dishes:

Item	Description	Effect
Kettlebroth Surprise	Simmered mountain boar, bitter greens, mushrooms	Gain 1d6 temp HP and advantage on first saving throw vs poison in the next 8 hours
Melted Copper Ale	Malty, reddish-golden dwarven import	Regain one 3rd-level or lower spell slot (once, long rest required) but suffer -1 INT checks for 1 hour due to fuzziness
Pickled Root Plate	Tart mountain tubers and beet-touched eggs	Gain +2 to Insight and Survival checks for 4 hours, but -1 to Initiative due to sluggish digestion

GRIMWOLD MARCHES

Remote, strange, and haunted by old magic — food may nourish or… change you.

Brasker’s Waypoint – Edgewatch

Type: Rustic Wayhouse

Grimm’s Note:

“Brasker talks too much, but his trail bread doesn’t mold, and he knows all the ruins nearby.”

Don’t-Miss Dishes:

Item	Description	Effect
Trailbreaker’s Loaf	Hard-seeded travel bread soaked in marrow gravy	Gain +2 to Constitution checks (not saves) and can ignore the effects of difficult terrain once for 1 hour
Rivermint Tonic	Cold, bitter, invigorating	Regain 1d4+1 hit points immediately and become immune to sleep for 6 hours (magical or mundane)
Marcher’s Egg	Pickled in brine with wild herbs	Grants darkvision +30 ft for 1 hour or advantage on Perception checks made at night