Rogue's Den wasn't always a haven for thieves and cutthroats. The structure began its life over two hundred years ago as the wine cellar of the Alabaster Estate, owned by the once-prestigious Hawthorne family. When plague swept through Alchester, the family perished, and their mansion was divided and repurposed. The cellars, with their labyrinthine layout and multiple hidden passages (originally designed to smuggle rare wines during prohibition periods), were forgotten by most.
It wasn't until fifty years later that a cunning thief known only as "The Fox" discovered the abandoned cellars while evading the city watch. Recognizing the potential of such a secluded space, he gradually transformed it into a meeting place for his associates. What began as a simple hideout evolved over decades into the infamous establishment known today as Rogue's Den.
Location in Low Town
Rogue's Den exists in a curious architectural blind spot in Low Town, where property lines blur and official city maps show inconsistencies. The establishment occupies what appears to be negative space—an area that shouldn't logically exist given the surrounding buildings' dimensions. No direct route leads to its entrance. Access requires navigating a specific path through Shadowmark Alley, down the Beggar's Stair, through Harlot's Lane, up the Crooked Steps, and finally along Cutthroat Strip to an unremarkable door that most would mistake for a storage closet or service entrance.
Upon entering, visitors descend a worn stone staircase into a sprawling underground complex. The main chamber was once the grand tasting room of the Hawthorne wine cellar, with vaulted ceilings supported by ancient stone pillars, now blackened by centuries of torch smoke. Mismatched tables and chairs, acquired through various questionable means, crowd the space. No two pieces of furniture match—some are crude and functional, while others are clearly stolen luxuries from noble estates. Alcoves line the walls, shrouded in shadows deep enough to conceal faces and whispered conversations. The bar is constructed from the weathered hull of a river smuggler's boat that ran aground decades ago. Behind it stands an impressive collection of liquors from across the continent, many bearing no tax stamps or bearing counterfeit royal seals.
The place reeks with a peculiar mix of scents: spilled ale, pipe smoke, leather oil, unwashed bodies, and the distinctive metallic tang of hidden weapons. The lighting remains perpetually dim, provided by scattered oil lamps with colored glass that casts the room in an amber haze, ideal for obscuring identities and concealing secretive exchanges.
Proprietorship
The current proprietor is a massive one-eyed man known as Barghest. His true name and origins remain mysteries. Some say he was once captain of a pirate vessel, others claim he was an executioner who fled royal service after refusing an unjust order. The scar that claimed his eye runs from forehead to jaw, and rumors about its origin change weekly.
Barghest maintains order with an enormous club affectionately named "Persuasion." Despite his fearsome appearance, he's known for his exceptional memory. He never forgets a face, a debt, or a favor. He employs a rotating staff of bartenders and servers, who have proven their loyalty through some service to the criminal underground.
Behind Barghest stands a silent partner known only as "The Benefactor"—a shadowy figure who handles the more sophisticated aspects of the business, including bribing officials and maintaining the establishment's invisibility to authorities.
Clientele & Services
Rogue's Den serves as neutral territory for Alchester's various criminal factions. The unspoken rule is that conflicts are left at the door—violating this peace brings swift and permanent removal from the premises. This neutrality makes it the preferred location for arranging heists and confidence schemes, exchanging stolen goods for coin, trading of secrets and intelligence, hiring of mercenaries, assassins, and specialized thieves, and settling disputes without bloodshed.
The establishment offers a unique service known as "Dead Drops"—secure message delivery between parties who wish to remain anonymous to each other. For a fee, Barghest acts as an intermediary, ensuring that sensitive communications reach their intended recipients without revealing identities.
The drinks served are notoriously potent, including the signature "Widow's Tear"—a blue-black liquor distilled from rare mushrooms grown in the catacombs beneath the city. Legend claims three shots will have you seeing the future; four might send you there permanently.
Rules & Etiquette
Though largely lawless, Rogue's Den operates under strict unwritten codes:
- All weapons must be peace-bound upon entry (secured with leather straps that slow drawing)
- No watch or guard insignia permitted inside
- No questions about others' business
- Debts to the house must be paid within a fortnight
- Information gained within cannot be sold to the authorities
The punishment for breaking these rules varies from banishment to much darker fates. The most severe is being sent to "visit the depths"—a mysterious punishment that none have returned to describe.