Empty Net - 1st Floor
The salty air is thick with the scent of spilled ale and sea-leaf pipe smoke. Lantern light flickers across the warped walls, casting restless shadows. Two bars flank a crackling fireplace, their counters sticky with salt and rum. Behind them, barrels of ale and Torvin rum line the walls, some still leaking into the grooves of the floorboards.
Rough tables crowd the center of the room, surrounded by sailors, dockhands, and drifters. The air hums with tension with low voices, laughter edged. A pair of men argue quietly over a mug of ale, while an old sailor in a tricorn hat sits at the corner of the bar, gazing into his rum and occasionally out the window toward the sea.
Toward the back, a narrow stair climbs to the upper floor. Every surface feels damp, and every eye that meets yours sizes you up, deciding if you’re friend, fool, or coin.
Empty Net Menu
Drinks
Net-Cutter Ale (4 cp) - A cloudy amber brew made from cheap grain and seawater.
Saltmarsh Stout (6 cp) - Thick, tar-black ale with a smoky finish. Brewed in secret under Sharkfin Bridge.
The Scarlet Kiss (8 cp) - A sweet crimson cordial that stains the lips blood-red.
Torvin Dark Rum (1 sp) - A heavy, spiced rum smuggled from Port Torvin (the Styes). Dark as ink.
Drownded Sailor (1 sp) - A murky mix of rum, seawater, and something blue.
Cape Rhon Gold Rum (3 sp) - A rare golden rum from Monmurg, capital of the Sea Princes. Smooth, sweet, and expensive.
Food
Fried Eel Bites (5 cp) - Stripes of river eel fried, dusted with salt.
Barnacle Bread (3 cp) - Sense rye backed with fish oil and clams.
Smuggler's Chowder (7 cp) - Briny stew of shellfish, potatoes, and whatever fish was caught that day.
Salted Rat on a Stick (2 cp) - Over-salted and chewy. A delicacy for the desperate.
Seaweed Crisps (3 cp) - Fried kelp chips with vinegar and sea salt.
Drowned Egg (4 cp) - Hard-boiled gull egg, soaked in rum and brine.
Captain's Platter (2 sp) - Smoked fish, dried fruit, hard cheese, with Barnacle Bread and Seaweed Crisps.
Tavern Patrons
Kreb stands behind the bar, polishing a mug and keeping a wary eye on the room. He takes notice of the players the moment they enter.
Cyrus moves quietly between tables, sweeping and collecting empty mugs. He never looks directly at the players, but they get the uneasy sense he’s tracking every word and movement. He knows who they are or will before long.
Long John sits near the bar, staring into his rum and occasionally out the window toward the sea. When the players arrive, he takes note. If they seem friendly, he will make his way over to strike up conversation.
Other NPCs: At any given time, there are 2d4 + 1 patrons inside the Empty Net. They are a rough mix of sailors, fishermen, smugglers, and drifters.
Drunk: Stoutbelly sometimes wanders in here, when he can't get a free drink at the Wicker Goat. Stoutbelly sometimes shares what's going on at the Wicker Goat among the dwarves and guards. Not realizing his information is valuable to Kreb, Cyrus, and Long John, who often buy him free drinks, only to cut him off when he runs out of information.
Access to the Upper Floor
The stairs to the second floor are off-limits to ordinary patrons. Anyone attempting to climb them draws immediate attention.
Kreb’s tone hardens, and his easy grin disappears. “Private up there,” he says, setting down his mug with a thud.
Cyrus steps in quietly, broom in hand, blocking the way with an unspoken warning.
Only those “in the know” trusted smugglers, messengers, or guests invited by Kreb, Cyrus, or Kedge are ever allowed upstairs.
Those who press their luck will find the tavern suddenly silent, with half the room watching to see if they’ll be tossed over the railing.
Random Encounter: The Empty Net Brawl
Trigger: A brawl can erupt at any time during the players’ stay often sparked by a bad hand of Liar’s Dice, spilled ale, or some personal grudge between rough patrons. Roll 1d6 each hour or at any tense moment; on a 6, the shouting turns to shoving, and fists start flying.
Other NPCs in the Tavern
At any given time, there are 2d4 + 1 patrons inside the Empty Net.
They are a rough mix of sailors, fishermen, smugglers, and drifters.
Use a combination of the following stat blocks (mix for variety):
Commoner (drunken locals or off-duty dockhands)
Bandit (smugglers, rowdy sailors, or thugs)
Tough (Monster Manual 2024, or use Veteran (CR 3) for higher stakes)
Most carry knives, clubs, or improvised weapons (1d4 bludgeoning) and are half-drunk, reckless, and loud.
The Brawl
Two groups of patrons start shouting across the room; accusations of cheating, insults, or an argument over a spilled drink. Tables overturn, chairs scrape, and someone throws the first punch.
Within seconds, the tavern erupts into chaos. Laughter turns to curses, mugs fly, and someone smashes a bottle against the wall.
Player Choices
Intervene Neutrally:
If the party tries to break up the fight without choosing a side, both groups assume they’re against them.
They quickly find themselves attacked by all sides (2–3 opponents per player).
Pick a Side:
If the players take a stand with one faction (the accused or the accuser), their chosen side cheers and fights alongside them, but the opposing side immediately focuses on the party.
Stay Out of It:
If the party does nothing, the brawl burns itself out in a few rounds. When it threatens to get truly bloody, Kreb and Cyrus step in to restore order.
Tavern Reactions
Kreb Shenker bellows from behind the bar:
“Enough! You’re done over the rail with the lot o’ you!”
He wades in swinging a club, breaking up the worst of it. Those he deems responsible are thrown into the water.
Cyrus moves through the chaos quietly, dragging the stunned and unconscious aside with unnerving precision. Observant players (DC 14 Insight) may note that his movements are far too disciplined for a tavern hand.
Environmental Details
Slick Floor: The boards are slick with ale (DC 11 Dexterity save or fall prone).
Improvised Weapons: Tables, mugs, and chairs deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage.
Loud Crowd: All Perception checks are made with disadvantage due to shouting and noise.
Drawn Weapons: If any character draws a blade, the entire tavern, including Kreb, turns against them.
Resolution
If the party sides with a group and wins: they gain the respect of that faction and a few new drinking buddies (future rumors or allies).
If they cause damage or trouble: Kreb bans them until they pay 2d10 gp in compensation or make amends.
If they end the brawl diplomatically: Kreb gives a rare nod of approval, granting advantage on social checks with him for future dealings.