[ The F ii r m ]
The firm resides in respectable little building nestled between two equally small, less respectable buildings. The area where corporate downtown Durem gradually gives way to the dirtier, industrial warehouse district is not a nice place. But then again, this particular business didn’t generally cater to nice people. The building is not large – in fact, it is quite narrow. The front is bland and whitewashed, with only a single black-on-white sign over the door proclaiming the name of the business, and only that they provide ‘Specialty Counsel and Private Investigations.’ The door is thin and dark, standing out starkly like a piano key against the flat white exterior. A single long pane of distorted glass along the left side of the door allows a skewed view of a small room with a reception desk, a potted plant, two chairs and a narrow hallway leading further back. Upon entering the building, you find that the desk is sparse and neat. It is unmanned, but a simple bell sits on the counter. The hallway is long and white with three plain black doors. One door has a plaque reading ‘Shayla Orien’, and the other reads ‘Accalia CALE Harshal’. The third is left piteously blank.
[ The A k u s h ii n T a v e r n ]
Smooth, quiet jazz music permeates the establishment to create a relaxing and peaceful environment, although the surrounding neighbourhood is anything but. The inside is all done in faded burgundy with ebony wood paneling to compliment it. Across from the door is the bar, obviously worn but well-cared for, the stained oak surface gleaming with a fresh layer of varnish. To the left sit a few round tables with chairs grouped around them. A soft, dark purple carpet covers the floor in this area.
To the right of the bar, the floor is polished hardwood, giving way to stones cobbled together to create a hearth in front of the fireplace. There are two big armchairs and a loveseat grouped around a low coffee table in front of the fire. The upholstery is all mismatched; one chair is faded brown, one purple, and the loveseat is dark green.
In one corner of the room are two sets of stairs, one leading up and the other leading downward. Upstairs there is merely a hallway with a few simple rooms along each side. The basement is unfinished with concrete floors and heavy doors. There is a single marked bathroom and a large locked door presumably leading to a pantry and other storage.
Back on the main floor, behind the bar, a single black metal door leads to another room with a sign affixed to it reading "Authorized Personnel Only."
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