The Dizzy Drake was a tavern in the Lower Trade Lanes of Skullport in the late 14th century DR.[1]
Structure[]
The Dizzy Drake was a modest one-story building with cellars beneath in fair yet fading condition.[1]
Description[]
Once a lively establishment, as of 1370 DR it suffered from a dwindling clientele, many patrons having been frightened off by unsettling rumors of disappearances around the tavern. The tavern’s proprietor, Choren Lendoren, a human male and former fighter, has become noticeably lax in his management. He has developed the habit of drinking alongside his patrons, often forgetting orders or even engaging in arguments, a far cry from his former professionalism. For the few patrons who continued to frequent the establishment, the offerings were satisfying, with reasonably priced drinks and bar snacks of average quality, recently marked down in an attempt to attract business.[1]
Choren’s declining behavior, however, was rooted in a grim and secret fear. Unbeknownst to most, the yuan-ti lich Nhyris D'Hothek has taken refuge in hidden tunnels beneath the Dizzy Drake’s cellars. A concealed door, cleverly disguised behind a row of casks, lead directly to these subterranean chambers. Choren, aware of this malevolent presence, was deeply afraid of the lich and has reluctantly complied with its demands. Under threat, he has begun leading unsuspecting patrons into the cellars to satisfy Nhyris's dark whims.[1]
Despite considering abandoning the tavern, Choren remained paralyzed by fear of the lich’s shadowraths. Haunted by the prospect of being transformed into a shadowwrath or facing some equally horrific punishment, Choren felt trapped, bound to his failing tavern and to the bidding of the creature lurking below.[1]