Arabel, once an independent stronghold and briefly the capital of Gondegal the Usurper’s short-lived realm, now thrives as a frontier city of Cormyr. Long a vital caravan stop linking the metal-rich mines of the Moonsea to the ports of the Forest Kingdom and the Sword Coast beyond, Arabel has always been both a commercial hub and a military bastion guarding against threats from the nearby Stonelands.

In the present day, Arabel is a booming center of expansion and wealth. Newcomers from beyond the realm and younger Cormyreans—particularly those without inheritance or noble titles—are settling the surrounding lands in increasing numbers. With few alternatives nearby, Arabel remains the primary source of services, goods, and opportunities in the region. Though it lacks the refinement of Suzail, it shares—and often exceeds—its appetite for imported luxury.

Known widely as the Caravan City or the Overland City of Cormyr, Arabel is shaped by land-based trade. It is a city of costers, caravan houses, warehouses, wagonwrights, horse and oxen traders, and sharp-minded merchant investors. Its affairs are managed ably by Lord Myrmeen Lhal, a former adventurer turned Crown-appointed ruler.  (Note to travelers: referring to Myrmeen as “lady” rather than “lord” is considered disrespectful, even insulting.)

Population

According to the most recent tax rolls:

• Winter population: 16,998 (mostly humans)
• Estimated total (with garrison, farmers, and unregistered residents): ~23,400–24,600
• Average summer peak: ~25,600 (reaching the limit of Arabel’s comfortable capacity)

Thanks to its central position on overland trade routes, Arabel hosts a large seasonal population of merchants, travelers, and teamsters. This influx keeps the city constantly active, if not overcrowded.

Culture and Diversity

Arabel’s trade-driven culture has made its people generally tolerant and cosmopolitan. Only orcs and half-orcs face open hostility on sight. Most other races—except goblinkin—can be found within the city, although half-elves are the most commonly seen among non-humans.

Defenders 

The rugged terrain surrounding Arabel—broken moors, steep ravines, and rocky tors—has long made it a haven for brigands and monsters, particularly those spilling out from the Stonelands. As a result, Arabel has always been more than just a trade city—it is a critical military stronghold, housing seasoned troops tasked with patrolling and protecting Cormyr’s volatile northern frontier.

Despite centuries of determined campaigns by successive Obarskyr kings, the Purple Dragons have yet to fully tame the Stonelands. Orc and mercenary raiders, often backed by the Zhentarim, still strike at caravans and settlements to distract Crown forces—allowing Zhent-led trade to pass northward unopposed.

In response, Arabel is defended by two distinct military forces:

• The Army of the East, commanded by Baron Thomdor, Warden of the Eastern Marches (LG human male, F17), a beloved royal cousin known to his troops as “Old Paunch.”
• The City Garrison, under the direct control of Lord Myrmeen Lhal, composed of veteran soldiers familiar with the city and loyal to both the Crown and its appointed ruler.

The two forces coordinate closely, rotating units regularly to avoid rivalry and ensure all soldiers receive field experience. At the center of this cooperation stands Oversword Dutharr (LG human male, F11), Thomdor’s trusted liaison and Arabel’s chief of watch and police. Known for his sharp instincts and intolerance for trouble, Dutharr is famed for detecting swindlers, inciters, and rogue adventurers before they strike.

Troop strength and watch

• City Garrison: ~1,000 troops, including the palace guard
• Army of the East: ~1,700 stationed in Arabel, with 300 deployed on patrols or posted to nearby strongpoints
• Militia: Standing strength of 220; maximum muster ~3,000
  
  • Militia are trained in arms and formation tactics but are not instructed in archery

These forces are supported by War Wizards, who maintain magical surveillance at all times. Their efforts—quiet and constant—have helped prevent the rise of criminal guilds and repel covert infiltration, though the Zhentarim never cease their attempts.

A city ready for battle

Unlike most cities in Cormyr, Arabel permits the open wearing of weapons. The sheer number of armed residents and mercenaries makes it impractical to enforce disarmament. This practice, though unusual, has become part of the city’s identity.

Arabel is also a hub for mercenaries and bodyguards, offering protection for coin. Rates vary widely—anywhere from 1 silver piece to 25 gold pieces per day—but, as ever, quality follows price.

Foremost among the city’s hireswords is the Red Raven Mercenary Company, currently under Crown contract to scour the Stonelands. Led by the charismatic Rayanna Rose (LN human female, F16), the Red Ravens occasionally allow chartered adventuring parties to accompany them on expeditions under a "keep what you win" arrangement. War Wizards monitor the company closely, wary of possible infiltration or Zhentarim influence—should the Ravens ever be turned, the consequences could be dire.

Rumors suggest several agents in the company report directly to the Crown, ensuring loyalty from within.

Magecraft

Arabel is home to a number of respected arcane practitioners, including the mages Jestra, Myschanta, and Theavos, as well as the famed sage Mellomir, considered by many to be the greatest living authority on prophecy and divination.

Though its gates are watched closely, Arabel is more lenient than Suzail or Marsember when it comes to magical registration. Many suspect this is due to the War Wizards employing quiet divination at the gates—peering into thoughts rather than asking formal questions.

Suspicious individuals, including known Zhentarim agents, are usually followed discreetly, not confronted. This allows the authorities to observe and unravel threats without disrupting the flow of trade or provoking spell duels in crowded streets. With wagons, livestock, and pack animals moving constantly, a frightened ox can cause more chaos than a careless fireball.

Worship

Arabel holds only one major temple, but it is a significant one: The Lady’s House, devoted to Tymora, goddess of luck. During the Time of Troubles, Lady Luck herself appeared on its very steps, shielding the city from chaos. Since then, her presence has never been forgotten.

The temple is ruled by Daramos Lauthyr, High Hand of the Lady (CG male human, Cleric 11). Once humble, Daramos now carries himself like a noble, insisting he be called “Baron of Arabel” and regularly petitioning the Crown to formalize the title. He has doubled the temple's fees for healing and training, believing that the city’s reverence for Tymora justifies the cost.

Daramos's ambition has put him at odds with Lord Myrmeen and Baron Thomdor, who have clashed with him over his attempts to extend authority over those of other faiths. He only backed down after Myrmeen publicly demanded a divine sign in her favor—and received one.

Despite this, Daramos has ordered his 24 priests and 300+ temple staff to address him as nobility and continues to campaign for recognition from Tymora’s church across Faerûn. So far, his demands have been met with cold silence.

Faith and friction

Opposition to Daramos is growing. The most likely successor, though not a contender himself, is Doust Sulwood (CG male human, Cleric 9), former Lord of Shadowdale and a Knight of Myth Drannor. Revered for his humility and wisdom, Sulwood is slowly gaining the hearts of Tymora’s faithful.

Outside the Lady’s House, Arabel also hosts shrines to Chauntea, Deneir, Helm (venerated locally as He Who Watches Over Travelers), Lliira, Milil, and Tempus. Of these, Chauntea’s Harvest Altar has become increasingly popular as more farmland is settled around the city. Efforts to construct a fortified abbey outside the walls are ongoing, though Vangerdahast opposes the idea—fearing it could be seized by brigands and turned into a threat.

 

Trade and Commerce

Though governed by the Crown’s appointed lord, Arabel’s true power lies in trade. The city is shaped not by royal edict but by the ambitions of powerful merchant costers and noble houses. Among the most dominant trading organizations are:

• Thousandheads Trading Coster (most powerful)
• Six Coffers Market Priakos
  
• Dragoneye Dealing
  
• Trueshield Trading Priakos
  
• The Iron Throne (infamous for its ruthless tactics)

These wide-reaching costers operate across the Sea of Fallen Stars and beyond, often clashing with old Arabellan houses like Misrim, Thond, Baerlear, Bhela, Gelzunduth, Hiloar, Kraliqh, and Nyaril. Of these, House Misrim holds social prestige, while House Thond influences quietly from behind closed doors.

Fortunately for both citizens and visitors, these competing powers share a common goal: keeping Arabel a stable, open, and thriving trade hub. Should the city grow dangerous or inward, commerce would shift south—taking Arabel’s prosperity with it.

Recent declines in Zhentarim influence, coupled with new settlements in the region, have sparked a trading boom. Demand for luxury goods is rising, and Arabellan markets are now rivaling those of Suzail and even Waterdeep. On any given day, as many as six caravans may arrive or depart the city.

Arabel’s merchants deal in:

• Coal from Gnoll Pass and reopened bell pits north of the city
• Locally bred horses
  
• Bitter Black (a dark, local stout)
• Arabellan Dry (a ruby-hued wine with berry notes)
• Arabellan Cheddar (a sharp, hearty cheese renowned across Faerûn)

These exports, once overlooked, are now highly sought-after and shipped across the Heartlands.

The city is also a popular place to hire mercenaries. While small independent bands are common, Arabel is most famous for the Red Raven Mercenary Company, which can field over 100 trained fighters under the command of Rayanna Rose. Rates vary, but quality does too—you get what you pay for.

Landmarks of Arabel

Though it lacks the grandeur of Suzail or the mystery of Myth Drannor, Arabel’s layout is practical and heavily fortified. Surrounded by dusty paddocks, crowded shopfronts, and looming warehouses, the city is encased in plain, defensible walls that give the appearance of one massive castle.

The most notable landmarks lie near the north wall:

• The Citadel: Stark, square, and militarily efficient, it houses the Army of the East and can be seen from anywhere in the city. It serves as the city’s anchor point.
• Arabellan Palace: Directly in front of the Citadel, this five-towered noble residence features sweeping turrets and showy rooftops, offering a dramatic contrast to its neighbor’s grim purpose.
• The Lady’s House: Arabel’s temple to Tymora, nestled between noble estates. It remains a place of both faith and controversy.
• Noble Houses: Grand, walled estates—small fortresses in their own right—flank the palace. Most notable is House Misrim, a gleaming white manor with multicolored shingles that catches the sun. In contrast, the Citadel beyond bristles with espringales, the latest and longest-ranged siege weapons in Cormyr’s arsenal.

Amid these estates stands the city’s only greenery—a scattering of trees around noble compounds and temple grounds.

Elsewhere, Arabel’s only true monument stands in a waymoot near the northwest wall: the Statue of King Dhalmass Obarskyr, carved in black granite. It depicts the Warrior King astride his rearing warhorse, sword raised in eternal command. Though now the favored perch of pigeons, the statue remains an impressive and stirring piece of sculpture.

Places of Interest

Shops

Arabel is crammed with crowded shops full of shouting, jostling people, all busily buying the last one of whatever it is you came in looking for. Someone, somewhere in Arabel is probably selling any unusual item you can think of—but there’s hardly a shop you’d remember afterward.

Except for one:

Elhazir’s Exotica

This pricey gift shop is a vision of elegance: all polished display cases, soft carpets, and smiling, well-dressed attendants. All the sales clerks are Elhazir’s daughters—poised, graceful, and uncannily perceptive. One of them, Chantra, is a powerful sorceress who keeps a time stop spell ready for any would-be thieves.

Elhazir’s is gaining renown across the Dragonreach for offering rare and exotic treasures, such as:

• Dragonscale shields
• Wyvernskull bathtubs
• Potions and enspelled daggers
• Genuine dragon eggs (to very select buyers)

Much of the shop’s stock comes from adventurers, while rich Sembian merchants make up the bulk of its buyers.

Elhazir (CN male human, M15) is urbane, dapper, and discreet. He protects himself with an earring of spell turning and a Netherese ring of spell storing, and is known to enchant the blades he sells. These are typically +1 daggers with minor powers—glow on command, grant feather fall, or cast faerie fire when held.

His six daughters manage the shop floor. Known names include Myrele, Chantra, and Illume. Chantra, the hidden sorceress (NG female human, M17), is said to wear a mind-shielding amulet and carry something magical at her girdle.

Restaurants

Arabel has few establishments dedicated solely to dining. Instead, broiler carts rattle along the streets selling:

• Spiced meat or fish buns
• Cups of stew
• Zzar and bitterroot tea
• Sugar, salt, sausages, dried fish, and biscuits

Most inns offer small dining rooms, while light food can be found in taverns, festhalls, and nightclubs. Yet there is one dedicated eatery known across the city:

The Hungry Man

Communal Dining Hall

A massive, barnlike structure converted from an old warehouse, The Hungry Man is a no-frills, no-nonsense eating hall that runs day and night. It caters to Purple Dragons, caravan crews, dockside workers, and anyone with an empty stomach and a couple of coins.

One doesn’t visit the Hungry for atmosphere, gentility, or decor—it’s loud, drafty, and filled with the clang of tankards and the scrape of benches. Rows of bare trestle tables and self-service crockery lines stretch wall to wall.

• Cost: 2 sp for all-you-can-eat, 1 cp per tankard of ale or wine (a weak house brew called “bullock juice”)
• Style: Pay-at-the-door, sit-where-you-like, eat-your-fill
• Clientele: Low-wage loaders, jobless laborers, off-duty mercenaries, and occasionally adventurers looking to hire or be hired

Eating here is often compared to watching pigs crowding each other at the feed trough, but it’s an excellent place to:

• Hear rumors
• See who’s in town
• Spot available muscle for a job or escort
• Catch wind of caravan arrivals and merchant movements

Elminster himself notes that barracks kitchens in Cormyr’s larger castles (such as High Horn) have similar fare, though they add venison and jellied eels when available.

Menu Highlights

A rotating selection, kept warm in large covered crocks and trays:

• Sliced roast beef
  
• Roast mutton
  
• Spitted fowl (grouse, quail, pheasant, poultry, duck, goose) — Hunters may sell birds at the kitchen door for 1 sp and earn a free meal
  
• Milk porridge
  
• Arabellan cheddar and goat’s milk cheese
  
• Hot bread and snowbread (sweet molasses loaf with hardened glaze)
• Oatcakes, spiced flour dumplings, and pan-fried turnips
  
• Boiled greens and mint carrots
  
• Sliced potatoes in cheese sauce
  
• Thick meat broth (includes any scrap meat, blood, battered carcasses, and even frogs, snakes, rats, and mice)
• Condiments: mustard, horseradish, garlic-and-parsley butter
• Brackleberry jam (a sweet preserve made from mixed wild berries, quinces, and overripe stone-fruit, imported in sugar from southern ports)

Fun Fact: High-ranking clergy visiting The Lady’s House have been known to send underpriests to the Hungry to hire pew-fillers—for 2 cp and a 2 sp bonus if they behave—for major ceremonies, giving the temple a more “devout” appearance during visits from important dignitaries.

The Dancing Dragon

Hiring Hall and Brawler’s Haven

Owned by the flamboyant gem merchant Peraphon of House Thond, the Dancing Dragon was established not for coin, but as a clever way to observe the temperaments of adventurers he might one day employ—or finance. Over time, the Dragon has become Arabel’s most notorious tavern, known across the Heartlands from Selgaunt to Mulmaster for its frequent, brutal brawls.

Fights break out here almost monthly, and it’s not uncommon for patrons to leave missing teeth—or carrying someone else’s sword by mistake.

But behind the chaos lies the Dragon’s true purpose: it serves as Arabel’s de facto hiring hall for:

• Mercenaries
• Adventuring bands
• Bodyguards
• Guides
• Bounty hunters

It’s the place where coin meets sword, and where those seeking muscle or dangerous work can connect.

Hiring Etiquette and Procedures

For those uncomfortable with beer-soaked bravado:

• A side entrance leads to a dimly lit upper balcony, where potential hirers may watch the action below in safety.
• Drinks on the balcony cost double (6 cp for beer, 8 cp for wine) to discourage rowdy drinkers from climbing up and causing trouble.
• Hiring runners (staff messengers) facilitate negotiations. If you're seeking talent:
  
  • Pay 1 gp to have your job called aloud or posted on chalkboards near the doors.
  • Runners locate the hiree and shuttle between the two parties to arrange terms.
  • The Dragon’s bouncers serve as witnesses to deals made.

Bouncers, known colloquially as "the lovelies", are in fact a crew of disguised ogre magi. They are swift, silent, and brutal when needed—particularly if fire breaks out or someone tries to destroy the tavern.

Atmosphere and Anecdotes

Those too drunk to fight are simply ignored, left where they fall until someone hauls them away or steps over them. Tankards and glasses are made of fired clay, ensuring they shatter rather than serve as weapons—though that rarely prevents injuries.

The Dragon is also a place of boasts, brags, and storytelling. As the ale flows, adventurers loudly recount tales of derring-do and treasure won in distant ruins. Most of it is bluster—but some tales carry kernels of truth, and more than a few expeditions have started here on a drunken dare.

According to one young sorceress, she and her friends regularly practice their invisibility spells just so they can spend the evening at the Dragon watching "gorgeous men swaggering" in full bravado mode.

Rooming Houses

Visitors planning a longer stay in Arabel—and wishing to avoid the cost of inns—can save substantial coin by choosing one of the city’s many rooming houses. Modest but functional, these lodgings are popular among adventurers, scribes, and those with more ambition than gold.

Shassra’s

Modest Boarding for the Working Class

Shassra’s is one of Arabel’s best-known and best-regarded boarding houses. It is clean, simply furnished, and consistently welcoming. Shassra herself is known for her easygoing tolerance, and she makes no fuss about housing adventurers, minstrels, itinerant mages, and other less-than-respectable folk, so long as they mind their manners indoors.

• Private room: 4 cp per night
• Shared room: 2 cp per night
• Bath: 1 sp per use
• Included: a ewer of drinking water, a basin of wash water, and a chamberpot
• Not included: food, laundry, or conversation unless offered

The house is quiet and restful, with narrow halls and plain furnishings, but it remains a favorite among those who need somewhere to lay their head between ventures—or vanish for a few days while healing potions do their work.

Inns

There are far too many inns in Arabel to list exhaustively. In this city of constant caravans and ceaseless travelers, nearly every street boasts at least one signboard swinging in the breeze. Given the stiff competition and Arabel’s deep reliance on trade, even the humblest wayhouses tend to be clean, reasonably priced, and welcoming to coin-heavy visitors.

Guests of the Crown, however, are rarely housed in the Arabellan Palace. Instead, they are quartered in the Dragon’s Rest, a secure guesthouse preferred due to the ring wards laid on certain palace floors—wards that have embarrassed more than one high-ranking guest by painfully reminding them not to wander where they shouldn’t.

Below are some of the city’s most noteworthy inns, renowned for their character, oddities, or clientele.

 

The Elfskull Inn

Arcane Lore & Unexplained Phenomena

This unique inn is named for the floating, glowing skull of an elf that occasionally appears in the entry foyer. The apparition only shows itself after dark, and never in any predictable pattern. Its presence has given rise to dozens of tales, most centered on the belief that it marks the entrance to a Sword Heralds’ refuge hidden beneath the inn.

According to local legend, the refuge once belonged to a noble house—likely House Dragonarl or Narboot, depending on which tale you believe. All versions agree on one point: to access the hidden chamber, one must present an acorn, at which point two helmed horrors will challenge the intruder. If defeated or bypassed, they guard a hoard of significant riches.

As an inn, the Elfskull is superb. Subtle enchantments—set by anonymous mages—maintain a comfortable climate in all rooms year-round. Many believe the spells were placed by War Wizards seeking decent accommodations for themselves.

• Owner: Asheyron the Learned, a sage who maintains quiet offices on the ground floor
• Staff: The formidable Shrewd Sisters, Orlyra and Mristeezra, who expertly foil theft, deception, or indecent behavior

The Elfskull is ideal for those who seek comfort, mystery, and perhaps a tale or two worth chasing.

Falcon’s Rest

Luxury Lodging with Monstrous Charm

If the Pride of Arabel had lived up to its name, it would have looked like Falcon’s Rest. This well-appointed inn is quiet, warm, and expertly enchanted—shielding guests from noise, chill, and unwanted drafts. The service is discreet and refined: guests are often greeted by name, offered warm cloaks, mugs of broth, and hot footbaths before they even register.

Patrons who prefer solitude are left in peace. Those desiring pampering receive it with efficiency. Call gongs in every room bring a staff member within moments—rarely more than three breaths.

The inn is famed for its eccentric taxidermy collection. The lobby centerpiece is a perfectly preserved falcon on a high pedestal, glaring down at all who enter. Elsewhere, one finds:

• A stuffed chimera (with missing heads replaced by brass lamps)
• A manscorpion tail turned into a coat rack
• Ankheg heads mounted to appear emerging from the walls
• Couatl, rearing griffons, and more—some magically aloft
• Owner: Elmdaerle, better known as the Herb Man, Cormyr’s foremost naturalist and founder of the Guild of Naturalists
  
  • Elmdaerle is a cheerful and scholarly man (NG human male, M2), known to prescribe and provide herbal remedies and antidotes
    

Though he rarely stays at the inn himself, Elmdaerle returns with his guild from time to time to install new “decorations.” For those curious about Faerûn’s monstrous fauna, there is no better place to sleep.

The Murdered Manticore

Discretion & Dens of Disrepute

If your business in Arabel leans toward the unsanctioned, unwise, or unwholesome, you’ll likely find yourself at the Murdered Manticore—a quiet inn with thick tapestries, heavy doors, and thicker secrets.

Its guests are a peculiar blend of procurers, forgers, fixers, and all manner of shadow-dealers who prefer privacy above all else. The Manticore offers just that—so much, in fact, that staff rarely answer call gongs, and even the owner prefers not to be named.

• Privacy Level: Extreme
• Ambience: Near silence; all doors are heavy and well-sealed
• Drink: Sold by the hand keg or wineskin only, over the front desk
• Food: None

Each room includes:

• Earthenware cups not worth stealing
• A thick wooden bar to secure the door from inside
• Secret servants' passages connecting to all rooms—unmarked, and rarely noticed by newcomers

Guests here don’t come to socialize—they come to hide, meet in secret, or wait until the right name is whispered through the door. Those who value discretion above comfort will find the Manticore a haven—so long as they never forget they’re being watched just as closely as they’re trying not to be seen.

The Nine Fires (a.k.a. The Niner)

Comfort, Hearths & Secrets

Tucked away on a quiet lane, The Nine Fires—affectionately called The Niner—is a warm, serene retreat in the midst of Arabel’s endless din. It offers real value and real hospitality, and it’s no wonder the city’s more thoughtful adventurers and traveling scholars choose it.

Named for the nine great hearths that warm its massive common rooms and halls, the inn is lavishly decorated, dimly lit, and known for its silent efficiency. Meals are delivered by dumbwaiter to guest rooms, and a dedicated firewatcher wizard—armed with a decanter of endless water, wand of frost, and a handful of spells—ensures safety against fire.

• Owner: Thurbrand of the Stonelands (CN human male, F8), a wealthy, eccentric adventurer-turned-landholder
• Staff: Discreet, attentive, and never intrusive
• Atmosphere: Book-lined, fire-warmed, quietly mysterious

The inn boasts a lending library of tattered, fanciful books—epic sagas and romantic pulp from across Faerûn. Titles like The Nymph Says No and The Moonlight Morningstar Murders are popular, though guests are warned: the books are magically traceable, and anyone who tries to walk off with one will be found.

Thurbrand, who began the Niner out of frustration with Arabel’s noisy inns, maintains a permanent suite here. Known once for his booming laugh and good cheer, he has grown distant and strange in recent years—seen muttering to himself, performing obscure rituals, and (allegedly) eating live toads by moonlight. Locals whisper that the phaerimm—ancient horrors of Netherese legend—have somehow touched his mind.

He’s often overheard mumbling: “Those eyes... the phaerimm see all.”

Whatever his affliction, the Niner remains a sanctuary. The fire is always lit. The meals arrive hot. And the watchers behind the bookshelves are… quiet.

The Pride of Arabel

Ostentation & Noble Nostalgia

The Pride is Arabel’s grandest—and most self-important—inn. Once a noble manor, it has been transformed into a house of fluted columns, vaulted ceilings, sculpted plaster murals, and towering mirrors, behind which preen the liveried staff more than they serve. Their manners are frosty, and their service is slower than a Tethyrian land grant.

One mirror near the grand stair is rumored to be a Sword Heralds’ gate, but no guest or staff member will confirm how—or if—it can be activated.

• Rooms: Opulent, but chilly. Gilded canopied beds with heavy curtains, no heat in the upper floors, and wash water that freezes unless set near a fire
• Food: Cooked fresh for each guest—meaning wait times often exceed a full day.
• Drink service: Excellent; the wine cellar is exceptional (though guarded by a very territorial mimic).
• Price: ~17 gp per day, depending on stabling and consumption

Despite the icy halls and aloof service, many wealthy merchants book rooms simply to be seen negotiating or celebrating within its walls.

Signature feature: The Falling Stair, a magically suspended corkscrew staircase at the west end of the inn. It rotates imperceptibly beneath the feet of those ascending it, giving first-timers the sensation that they’re about to fall with every step.

As Glindlar of Westgate once put it:  “The Pride is for those with money to throw, who want to make a show.”

The Red Stirge

Budget Survival & Cloak-and-Dagger Gathering Place

A favorite among thrifty travelers, watchful agents, and those who don't ask questions, the Red Stirge is the city’s best-known bare-bones inn. The rooms are clean and cold, there’s no food served, and the only drinks on offer are mintwater and weak broth.

Yet the inn is always full—mostly with:

• Down-on-their-luck caravaners
• Rough-edged mercenaries looking for easy marks
• Undercover agents of the Crown, the War Wizards, or rival factions keeping eyes on all of the above

The name comes from the faded banner hung over the bar: the last remnant of the now-defunct Red Stirge Company, a mercenary band annihilated after stumbling upon a secret war wizard armory hidden beneath their manor (now this very inn).

• Local rumor: The cellars once held magic cloaks, battlestar bracers, and enchanted brass hands that unclenched to release commander’s rings.
• Truth: The link to the armory has since been sealed. The current owners, the Belargrund family, are firm about guests not exploring underground.
  

Quiet, shadowy, and often dangerous, the Red Stirge is the place to sleep if you're low on coin—or being watched.

The Weary Knight

Honest Hospitality with a Touch of Myth

The Weary Knight is as close to a traditional roadhouse as Arabel gets: smoky kitchens, scratchy straw mattresses, and a mug of something warm handed to you with a grin. It has good stables, decent rooms, and a cheerful staff that rarely asks much beyond your coin.

Two features, however, set it apart:

1. The Knight’s Tomb – In the center of the common room lies a sealed stone coffin salvaged from a ruined church. The lid shows a knight in repose, one arm draped as if in sleep. Local legend says the knight wears golden armor beneath the lead seal, but none dare open it. Guests are expected to respect the tomb, though many eat or drink beside it anyway.
2. Alanaerle the Innkeep – A jolly, frightfully homely woman whose love of courtly romance and music has made the inn a haven for wandering minstrels. She offers half-price rooms to anyone who sings, recites, or tells tales of love, gallantry, or heartbreak.

Each night brings lively songs or tearful ballads in the low-ceilinged taproom. Those who prefer quieter company can take their drink to the parlor, a space kept hushed by long-standing custom.

The Wild Goose

Planar Nexus & Oddities Unbounded

From the outside, The Wild Goose looks like a rundown ruin—shabby, creaking, and tucked beneath the shadow of Arabel’s east wall. Most pass it by without a second glance. That’s a mistake.

Run by a kindly old man named Shult and his three robust, barrel-laughing daughters, the Goose is a hidden gem for those in the know—and a place of immense otherworldly significance for the truly daring.

The daughters—Marla, Bredda, and Sylth—are unstoppable whirlwinds of activity, tidying, cooking, hammering shutters, and wrestling beastly crates into place with cheer. They're often seen bustling around barefoot, skirts hiked, shouting greetings over the clatter of pan lids and snapping manticore cages.

• Rates: 7 gp per person per night
• Extras: 1 gp per beast stabled, 1 gp per meal
• Overflow: Shult has been known to rent attic corners, cellars, and closets at a reduced rate when the rooms fill up

But the true appeal of the Goose is its delivery service—and its dimensional back door.

 

The Inn That Gets You Anything

Through mysterious connections, Shult can have nearly any item—mundane or magical—delivered to your room within hours. These include:

• Custom weapons and alchemical concoctions
• Rare delicacies from across Toril, Oerth, or Kara-Tur
• Creatures in cages, cursed maps, sentient curios, and devices so illegal the War Wizards don’t even have names for them

He doesn’t charge for delivery—just the item’s price, and only what the vendor charges him. Adventurers have ordered:

• Crutches with hidden blades
• Beast cages with locks matched to obscure keys
• Plovers’ eggs from the Flanaess
• Omelets garnished with gold dust from Shou Lung palaces

All of this is possible because the Wild Goose shares a dimensional threshold with the legendary World Serpent Inn.

The Door to the World Serpent Inn

A portal lies just behind the Goose’s front door—hidden in plain sight.

To activate it:

1. Stand directly under the signboard of the Goose.
2. Knock in the air as if upon an invisible door.
3. Speak a divine invocation including a power’s true name and the words “I enter.” (e.g., “By the honor of Azuth, I enter.”)

If successful, the signboard morphs into an image of a green serpent devouring its own tail, and the front door no longer leads into Shult’s modest inn, but into the twisting mists of the World Serpent Inn—a planar nexus that connects to realms beyond imagination.

Inside the Serpent

Once passed, the Serpent greets you with a shadowed, smoke-laced corridor lined with shifting, unlabeled doors. At its center lies a mist-shrouded, cavernous room lit by glowing pillars. In this common hall, visitors from every plane gather—grell, neogi, illithids, modrons, archfey, and worse.

At the heart stands Mitchifer, the master of the Serpent, greeting all as old friends. A stout man with rosy cheeks, a booming laugh, and the power of a minor deity, he maintains order with little more than his presence. He has every drink imaginable, served via an army of nimble gnomes.

• Rooms: Available for stays of up to one tenday only
  
• Overstay penalty: Those who remain past this limit may awaken on random planes, alone, as the Serpent fades around them

Visitors are encouraged to check out before checking out, so to speak.

Warnings & Whispers

• Tales abound of quests begun by mistake, artifacts found in coatrooms, and deities overheard debating reincarnation ethics in the bathhouse
• The War Wizards know about the Goose but leave it be—fearing that meddling with Mitchifer might endanger far more than Cormyr
• Arabellans shun the Goose, fearing the strange beasts and stranger clientele that sometimes wander back into the city through it

Shult will happily explain the portal for 2 gp—but advises that non-adventurers stay well clear of the Serpent. That advice is very, very wise.

Festhalls

Where business and pleasure flirt over wine, and scandal is served with a smile.

Arabel, for all its caravans and coin-counting, does know how to unwind—though most of its festhalls are crude, frantic, and barely decorated affairs. Noise, haste, and sweaty frolic dominate, with little thought for elegance or subtlety. That said, a few notable exceptions shine through the murk: places with character, allure, and reputations that reach far beyond the city walls.

These are the haunts of merchants with time to kill, adventurers seeking distraction, and nobles with desires best explored in anonymity.

The Baths

Indulgence, Intrigue & Immodest Relaxation

Among the clatter and commerce of Arabel’s hard-trading streets lies an oasis of warmth, laughter, and scandal. Known simply as The Baths, this lavishly appointed establishment is equal parts bathhouse, wrestling gym, beauty parlor, and amorous playground. From Iriaebor to Tantras, it’s whispered of with a mix of amusement and awe.

The Baths are not technically a festhall, but everyone in Arabel knows better. The tapestries are thick, the fires many, and the rules few. Its true specialty? Letting you be whoever—or with whomever—you wish for an afternoon or evening of unhurried pleasure.

Prices & Services

• Entrance: 7 gp
• Private tub: +4 gp
• Attendant scrub & perfume: +2 gp
• Clothing wash: +3 gp
• Repairs: +2 gp
• Exercise area: free (no weapons allowed)
• Drink menu: Wine, zzar, sherries, liqueurs—and yes, you may bathe in drink if you pay enough to fill the tub

There is no regular food service, though patrons occasionally bring sugar tarts and sweets to share. If your cravings lean toward messy dishes with tomato sauces or melted cheese, many simply eat unclad in a private tub, washing off the splatter with a laugh and a sponge.

Reputation & Revelry

The Baths are infamous for their lively games and physical frolics. Popular pastimes include:

• Blindfolded tug-o’-war
• Strike-the-dragon-with-the-sponge
• Mask dances featuring rubber dragons or disturbingly accurate tentacled mind flayer masks
  

Some of these spectacles spill out into the street, leading to sudden scenes of naked or barely-clad chaos, much to the shock of passing Arabellans. These escapades have, on more than one occasion, doubled as cover for actual crimes, such as jewel thefts carried out by masked patrons.

Still, the inn’s reputation only grows stronger.

People of Note

• Shalara, a sharp-nailed, half-elven beauty known for her ambiguous skills as both masseuse and escort (and a tendency to draw blood—accidentally, one assumes)
• Maundygre, a round and jolly human man who scrubs backs and doles out gossip, directions, and contacts in equal measure—ask him anything, and he’s likely to know, or pretend to

The staff also includes:

• Acrobatic dancers (often found performing startling contortions mid-massage)
• Highly skilled hairdressers and masseurs
  
• A cadre of professionally friendly bath guides, who specialize in helping newcomers feel at ease with public bathing

Not All Whispered Words Are Safe

Despite the atmosphere of pleasure, be warned: marble walls and running water carry sound. Secrets whispered too close to a curtain might find their way into the ears of a rival—or worse, a noble with grudges and coin enough to act on them.

Dulbiir’s

Costumed Escapism & Voyeuristic Delight

At Dulbiir’s, fantasy is the house currency—and Urtos Dulbiir, the flamboyant proprietor, is the merchant-lord of masquerade. This unusual festhall specializes in costume roleplay, outfitting guests and their hired escorts in attire ranging from slave-rags and street-thief leathers to the gem-encrusted armor of long-dead Tethyrian dukes.

Once properly adorned, patrons may cavort through a number of themed venues:

• The Ballroom (for gallant dances and overly dramatic swoons)
• The Garden (a lush parlor of hedges, fountains, and silk canopies)
• The Dungeon (exactly what it sounds like)
• Or even… the street outside, with full license for costumed drama

Some guests are here for the pleasure of their escorts. Others come only for the theater—to playact, pretend, and live another life for an evening.

• Booth rental for viewers: 5 gp per hour (plus drinks)
• Booths are magically shadow-screened: visible from within, invisible from without—though sound still carries
  

No refunds if you leave early, and a two-breath warning chime will signal your time’s end. The booths are a favorite of nobles and off-duty officers looking to watch without being seen.

Whether you’re a mild-mannered draper who dreams of being a pirate, or a priest’s daughter curious to become a dominatrix of Loviatar, Dulbiir’s has a costume, a setting, and a stage for you.

The Lavender Lion

Masked Decadence & Secret Indulgences

Of all Arabel’s festhalls, none walks the line between riotous fun and discreet debauchery quite like The Lavender Lion.

The Downstairs Floor is a thumping, crowded tavern full of bawdy music, provocative dancing, and sweaty chaos. Here, drinks flow freely, and patrons pay only for their cups and the company they keep. Escorted companionship is arranged at-will, and negotiations are done discreetly.

But for those of refined or guarded appetites, there’s the Velvet Floor above.

• Velvet Room rental: 6 gp per hour
• Private access stair: hidden; used by nobles and officers wishing to enter or leave unseen
• Chiming water clocks: mark time precisely
• Staff: discreet and alert, many equipped with wands of paralyzation and stationed near hidden distress bells
  

The most infamous feature is the Spiderweb Room, a cellar venue where a captive giant spider spins webs across a vast high-ceilinged chamber. Couples pay 16 gp per hour to play cat-and-mouse on the silk strands. The spider is caged—though a vocal (and questionable) clientele segment has lobbied to share the room with it “for the thrill.”

Booking note: The Web is often reserved up to a tenday in advance.

The Lion is elegant, carnal, and theatrical, known for its memorable encounters and even more memorable exit stories.

The Moonlit Touch

Boisterous Revelry & Gossip-Drenched Merriment

Unlike the sultry elegance of the Lion or the performative fantasy of Dulbiir’s, The Moonlit Touch is a raucous, lantern-lit celebration of sweat, drink, and grease.

Resident minstrels keep the dance floor hopping with music that ranges from noble ballads to bawdy tavern jingles. Servants constantly circulate with platters of hand-held food, including:

• Turkey drumsticks
• Deep-fried, breaded, and beheaded quail
• Sweetbreads, puff pastry bombs, and oily roasted roots

Dancing guests frequently carry open flame candlelamps in hand, leading to inevitable spills, scorches, and laughter. Patrons range from boisterous mercenaries to high-society outcasts looking to let loose under cover of night and noise.

Though not suited for delicate negotiations, the Touch is a prime spot to people-watch, make introductions, or get swept into someone else’s misadventure.

In a quiet booth, you may find:

• A retired Purple Dragon officer, who trades tales of lost treasure, Zhentarim raids, and near-misses for a good drink
• New adventuring bands, looking to toast their first bounty—or find a patron
• Lonely old men, there just to talk and remember

Recommendation: If you only have one night to lose yourself in Arabel, lose it at the Touch.