Lethen's Apothecary

(This is location 1 on the map.)

Lethen's is a run down shop in the south central area of The Bard's Quarter. Lethen is a deformed elf who was abandoned by his tribe decades ago. He is short by elf standards, standing only 5'6" tall, and his face is quite wrinkled, giving the appearance of an ancient human man, though Lethen is only 125 years old. No one in the city knows his true elven nature, and the only outward hint of his race - his pointed ears - are always covered by a dirty tan hooded cloak that he wears whenever he could be seen by others.

The elf maintains connections with several elven tribes, but not the one that abandoned him. (These other elves do not know of his true nature either.) The wandering tribes are his main source of raw material - that is, herbs. Lethen makes his living as maker of potions and salves. And, for those in need, poisons. Lethen does not keep the latter on the shelves with his other wares, but instead keeps them in the rear storeroom. He does not want to risk scaring off his non-criminal customers by making his other business so blatant.

The outside of the building is a dirty off-white that has not been repainted in decades, and much of the original tan base color shows through. One window in front allows a dim light into the storefront, though is nearly impossible to get any details about the shop while looking inside because of the grime. Two narrow windows run along the side of Lethen's, and one in back. (The other wall is a shared wall to another shop, so there are no windows. Two doors allow entrance - one at the front, which is the entrance to the store, and one at the rear, which is to Lethen's home.

Building location 1: The Shop

The shop itself makes up the first room of the building, a cramped room approximately twenty five feet by twenty feet. Sagging wooden shelves line every available space on the walls, and those shelves are filled with all manner of bottle, jar, and beaker. Most are labeled, but not all, so browsing can be difficult for customers. A curtained entrance leads into area 2. A wide window allows ample lighting into the room, and a small effort has been made to clean it, though it is still streaked with dirt.

Building location 2: The Storeroom

This room has shelves like area 1, though most of them are empty. Dusty bottles and jars are scattered upon them, as well as a small amount of foodstuffs (mostly grains and dried fruits.) Barrels, crates, and burlap sacks clutter the floor. There is just enough room for a path to the locked door at the other end of the room that leads to the bedroom.

Building location 3: Bedroom

This room has three doors - one to the storeroom (area 2), one to the workshop (area 4), and one to the alley behind the building - and all are locked. This is where Lethen sleeps and eats. A short, thin bed with faded yellow bedding sits against one all. A plain wooden table, often with plates covered with bread crumbs from past meals, sits in the center of the room with a single chair beside it. A dresser with three drawers holds Lethen's meager selection of clothing. A nightstand sits with a battered brass lamp sits near the bed. Near the rear door, which leads outside, is a grimy windows that lets a dirty yellow light in, though it difficult to make out any details of objects on the other side of the glass.

Building location 4: Workshop

This murky room is where Lethen creates his wares. This room is little more than a long walk in closet converted to a workspace. A single window lets in light and, like the other windows in the building, is in desperate need of a cleaning. The only exit is the door that leads to the bedroom. A long table sits against a wall with all manner of tubes, beakers, glasses, and trays. Nearby, a short cabinet is brimming with jars and canisters of herbs and powders. The air has a dry, spicy scent and dust and powder particles float through the dim light. A stool sits next to the table. An excellent quality lantern sits well away from the work bench. A number of mirrors are angled around the lantern to magnify the beam, compensating for keeping the flame a good distance from the sometimes volatile powders.