Tunnelhome

Tunnelhome is a dwarven merchant, fence and information peddler who operates his business, called simply "Tunnelhome's," out of a five-story round tower that dominates an entire block in the middle-western portion of mainland Westcrown, near the western wall. His real name and history are obscure and (more rarely) subject to rumor, although most of Tunnelhome's clientele agree that the name "Tunnelhome" is likely more of some sort of a title or franchise name than an actual surname. It has been rumored that there is another Tunnelhome, conducting a similar sort of business, in a city far to the east across the Great Sea called "Stormhaven" or "Stormwyrm" but obviously this is not even remotely substantiated. Regardless, no other dwarves in Westcrown carry the surname Tunnelhome.

Tunnelhome prides himself on only doing business with those he refers to as "professionals": that is, professional adventurers of at least some stature and accomplishment. Those who seek Tunnelhome's typically do so with letters of recommendation from patrons or having heard about him from other professionals once one's bonafides has been satisfactorily established within the Westcrown adventuring community. Tunnelhome's has no sign and, from outside, the business of the proprietorship is undistinguishable from the outside of the tower.

The tower itself, despite no sign or indication of the sort of business contained within, nevertheless is extraordinarily well-guarded. There is one entrance to Tunnelhome's, at street level, with three guards: two swordsmen, one human in blacked field plate with a large broadword but no shield, the other elven with delicate looking chain mail, a long sword and an ornate longbow and large quiver of arrows. The third guard is a saturnine human in exquisitely crafted leather armor, a long thin dagger at his hip, and a rune-scribed staff bearing a reddish jewel at the top. None of the three seem overly interested in visitors or guardsmanship, and are often seen talking amiably when one approaches Tunnelhome's. Their once-over and preliminary questions ("What do you want?" "Who are you here to see?") seem perfunctory.

Inside the door of Tunnelhome is a large iron cage, 20 x 20 feet, which contains visistors until they are examined (typically by Tunnelhome himself, occasionally by a servitor) and released out the interior exit. The first floor of Tunnelhome's is filled to near capacity with shelf upon shelf of items of all sorts: weapons, armor, organic materials, vellum and papyruses, stack upon stack of books, chests and crates, oddments large and small. Near the steps going upward is an immense lectern, perhaps 10 feet wide (!) and five tall, with a platform upon which Tunnelhome may stand, covered with several equally immense (proportionally speaking) books plus a wide variety of quills and inkpots. These are Tunnelhome's account books, and no transaction is complete without Tunnelhome or one of his scribes (there are apparently several of these, who serve as both scribes, warehouse pickers, and general servants) inscribing the details into one of these books.

The second floor of Tunnelhome's contains more of the same - varius materials, chests, books, etc - except for at least one notable difference. In a smallish sitting room/parlor can be found a reasonably surly wizard named Zarxis, usually drinking wine and reading a book. He casts spells and inscribes scrolls on Tunnelhome's behalf, and is at least 6th level. Although the reltaionship between Zarxis and Tunnelhome is never described, one assumes that Zarxis has somehow managed to get into Tunnelhome's debt and is working off that obligation by performing services appropriate to his skills for Tunnelhome's clientele.

The adventuring party has never been to the 3rd, 4th or 5th floors of Tunnelhome's. One assumes they likely contain at least an scriptorium, an alchemy lab and an enchanting smithy (as these are services which Tunnelhome has stated to the party that he also provides) and Tunnelhome's living and servants quarters. Tunnelhome himself has not been seen outside his tower for several months (and really, more like in living memory), and does not seem to have any avocations other than the more or less continual administration of his business. Tunnelhome's does not, insofar as anyone is aware, have any specified operating hours or closing time.