| Author: Nathan White Berronar's is a top-shelf establishment providing Sigil's noble elite with an elegant and sophisticated restaurant to dine at when their palates are in need of reviving after a sample of the fare that other restaurants within the Lady's Ward have the audacity to call food. If you feel that you should be dining at Sigil's restaurant of restaurants, you will find Berronar's nestled in the shadows of the City Courts on Dossy Street, across the road from the Twelve Factols and only a short ride in a sedan chair from Fortune's Wheel. From the street, with construction of Berronar's only having finished within the last cycle, it is one of the few buildings that can claim to include elements of the latest architectural styles in it's design. From the moment you step from your sedan chair onto the plush red carpet that leads to the vaulted entrance; the cares of the multiverse will slip from your shoulders, unless of course you have come to Berronar's for a lavish executive feast whilst you wine and dine prospective business associates. The entrance, concealed behind two huge sturdy wooden doors that are pieces of art unto themselves, being heavily decorated with intricate carvings and inlaid with gold filigree, are but a small sampling of what can be expected inside this extravagant restaurant. Upon approach, staff members, providing a clear view of the foyer and receiving area as they welcome their patrons swing the twin doors open. Stepping through the doorway, one is met by a melody of warm earthy aromas. The ambrosial spices of cinnamon and nutmeg are emboldened by the hint of lemon, refreshing the spirit and enlivening the psyche. The main foyer, where one can relax in comfort while waiting, is lavishly decorated with perfectly polished runners of deep, lustrous mahogany extending up the wall to waist height. There, the fine lemony-colored plaster takes over; continuing upward to the vaulted ceiling of exposed polished beams high above the patron's head. The walls are draped with vivid paintings and eloquent tapestries, all evenly spaced to soothe the senses. Furnishing include multiple plush velvet sofas, each capable of holding up to three occupants and arranged in facing pairs, separated only by glass topped coffee tables. Making regular rounds of the foyer are waiters carrying an assortment of savory hors d'oeuvres and a selection of the finest wines, spirits and brews from across the planes, all compliments of the house. Separating the receiving foyer and the main dining room is an arched opening veiled by light silk and heavy velvet drapery. Directly in front of this entrance is the maitre d', who greets all patrons before having them escorted to their assigned table within the restaurant itself. The main dining room is a wonder of modern open-plan architecture; there are absolutely no walls, and even the supporting columns are few and far between. Most of the support is provided by carefully designed lateral beams that run across the ceiling - looking just like a standard exposed-beam ceiling. To one side of the, roughly square, dining room is the first-rate bar, the so-called highlight of the whole experience. It is stocked with virtually every known alcohol from across the planes, from violent Abyssal red wines to the delicate and refined whites of Mount Celestia and everywhere in between including the brazen fortified spirits of the Dwarven Mountain. Sitting perfectly center in the dining room is a slightly raised platform, holding a sparkling white grand piano and an ornate harp with filigree inserts amidst numerous other instruments. This stage is where one may find Jade , who for the course of the evening is undoubtedly the center of attention as she sings the most beautiful songs of the planes in her seductive aquiline voice. Surrounding the stage are the regular tables, organized so as to allow each and every patron a prime view of the stage. The tables are capable of seating from two to six patrons. Larger parties may be interested in reserving one of the private dining suites which line the remaining three walls of the dining room and include their own light silk curtains to ensure privacy. An elaborate silk tablecloth covers each table and all the chairs are made of finely polished mahogany, their well-padded red leather cushions ensuring the comfort of their diners. Sitting in the middle of each table is a small ornate oil lamp, providing light to the immediate surrounds. Providing the vast amount of ambient light in the dining room however are the crystal chandeliers that are suspended across the ceiling. The dining room shimmers under their soft radiant glow. Through the double swing doors behind the bar is the first-rate kitchen; it is here that the exquisite cuisine is prepared utilizing the finest and freshest ingredients, under the discriminate gaze of the multiverse's premier chefs. It is also in the kitchen that one will find the parallel staircases that lead up to Nikolai 's residence and the manager's office and down to the basement wine cellar respectively. The basement is not only home of one of the most varied collections of planar alcohols; it is also the safe house for a cell of anarchist thugs. An exceptionally astute visitor (one with years of training in the art of thievery) may just be lucky enough to notice the secret door that has been concealed with in the top of a wine cask. This passage leads to the secret head quarters of Nikolai's Revolutionary League cell known as the "Crooked Dice Gang" - a group of thugs that is responsible for a high percentage of the breaking and entering across the Lady's Ward, but as yet unconnected with any of them. |
