The sign over this inn depicts a large staff being snapped in half and releasing a brilliant firestorm (in fact, the illustrated flames glow brightly at night). The Broken Staff caters to wizards, sages, and academics. During certain times of the day, after classes break, the inn can suddenly become quite busy, and hence chronically understaffed. Some of the employees are students, and jokingly refer to themselves as the "broken staff of the Broken Staff." The tavern is well-maintained and service is good. There is an interesting tradition among regular patrons that serves as a most unique form of entertainment for others at the tavern: wizards sometimes enjoy duels of illusionary magic, trying to best each other with illusionary musicians, actors, kinetic art, beasts, gladiators, and other displays of arcane skill. The common room's very high ceiling allows not only large illusionary monsters, but also aerial displays.

The ground floor of the tavern has a large common room with a bar counter and several tables. In one corner there is a "performance area" that is normally kept clear for the illusionary entertainment, although periodically there is live entertainment. Sometimes the tavern hosts academic lectures on special occasions. Down a hallway lies the tavern's kitchen, pantry, ans several rooms that can be rented out for private functions. At the end of the hallway is the office of the tavern owner, Tel Dittle [N hm Com2]. Through the office is a door that leads to an adjoining building, Tel's personal residence (marked "res" on the location map).

Stairs down lead to a cellar beneath the western half of the tavern. Here is stored various bulk supplies for the tavern (barrels of ale, sacks of grain, etc.). Stairs up lead to the second floor.

Doors lining the second floor hallway all lead to rooms for rent. Three large rooms can accomodate small groups of people. Four smaller rooms are furnished as more luxurious accomodations for one or two people (often used by visiting sages). One large bunkroom usually has several people at any one time, often the apprentices of wizards, sages and other academics from other cities visiting Greyhawk's famous library or one of its many educational institutions. At the end of the hallway is a large balcony that overlooks the common room, a prime viewing area for lectures and performances.

    

DM's Notes: Although Tel Dittle is not an academic himself, he is highly respected by those who are as an honest businessman with a genuine interest in a wide range of academic topics. As such, he has a great many contacts among academic circles and could point PCs in search of specific types of information to appropriate individuals.

Hidden in the cellar is a secret door leading into a tunnel that intersects the city sewers. The tunnel eventually leads to the covert Greyhawk School of Psionics. Several of the tavern staff are actually students from that school. See my webpage about the School for more information on Talos (male halfling, 4th Thief/ 3rd Psionicist), Shardin (male human, 2nd Lvl Psionicist), and Autamma (female human, 1st Lvl Psionicist). 

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