9) Elf Song Tavern and Inn

The two-story building was large and elegantly built, albeit somewhat dilapidated. The ground floor was the taproom featuring the bar and a large number of tables and dark, anonymous booths. One of the more notable decorations was a ships steer mounted over the bar. The only lighting was provided by many blue drift globes, which floated about near the ceiling. The furniture was stout wood marked by any number of nicks and slashes from swords and knives. Individual tables were cordoned off with hanging tapestries that provided visual privacy. The upper floor was filled with private meeting rooms, which could be rented either by the candle—the time it took a short taper to burn down—or by the evening.

The name derived from an unusual haunting: a ghostly female Elven voice heard periodically throughout the establishment. The singing was quiet, but could be heard quite clearly. It was most often described as both beautiful and mournful. The identity of the singer was unknown, but it was clear that her song was a lament for a lover lost at sea. No other music was permitted inside the Elf Song.

The establishment served virtually every kind of alcohol known. It was also known for its melted cheese sandwiches (spicing optional), pickles, and fist-sized twists of dried herring. All food was heavily salted to make patrons drink more. The tavern was also famed for a thick stew beloved by many sick or cold sailors. This stew consisted of all leavings from the rest of the cooking, soured ale, wine dregs, etc. It was thrown into a huge cauldron that was constantly kept at a simmer. A number of folk in Baldur's Gate were quite fond of the stew, and some very reputable folk would come to the Elf Song for the sole purpose of eating it.

A half-elven woman known as "Lady" Elendara Alyth purchased the tavern from an elderly warrior who placed a single condition on the sale: that he be allowed to sit in the tavern at all hours in order to hear the song as often as he desired. Lady Alyth was also known to operate an unofficial bank, mostly used by those with large amounts of coin and no good reason to possess it. There was much speculation as to where she stored this money and how it was guarded, but only she knew for sure.

At a point, some decades later from purchase, ownership of the tavern passed from Lady Alyth to her son, Alan Alyth. Alan maintained all the traditions associated with the establishment's ghostly entertainer, and he also continued to offer his mother's informal banking service.


The Elf Song catered to persons on the wrong side of the law, but it was more popular with adventurers and independent operators than with the established organizations of the underworld. People came to the Elf Song to do business of all sorts, most of it illicit. Fences, smugglers, assassins-for-hire, and many adventurers with hard-earned coin and tall tales to tell would drink at the establishment. Pirates and miscellaneous outlaws from up and down the Eladrin Coast were often found within as well. Patrons were expected to go armed and were completely responsible for their own safety. Murders were not unheard of, especially upon the dim and winding staircases