THE

TAVERN
A COMPREHENSIVE MODULE
FOR ACQUIRING AND
MANAGING YOUR TAVERN

BY OSTOIA
 Developed by
OSTOIA
The Tavern is an independent production by Ostoia and is not affiliated with Nich
Angell, Colostle™ or Big Punch Studios.

It is published under the Colostle™ Third Party License.

Your cosy home away from home, or maybe it is your home. Either way, if you
want to keep your tavern afloat you’ll need to manage it. From acquiring your
modest tavern, furnishing its rooms, hiring your first staff and all in the name of
improving and raising the reputation of your beloved tavern.

Be sure to check in regularly, and keep your eye out for lucrative business
opportunities, or perhaps you are an ambitious bard just passing through, the
tavern will be sure to keep you busy, entertained and immersed in the beloved
world of Colostle!

This module is designed for a player to run a tavern in the system of

Colostle. The Tavern can be treated as your home and therefore it
provides Healing and Fast Travel features the same as a house.

Colostle™ written and illustrated by

Nich Angell
COLOSTLE™ Game System
All world, story, setting and characters copyright © Nich Angell
 Acquiring THE Tavern
There are various ways to acquire ownership of a tavern. Some of them are listed below. You can
either draw and create a story about it or you can pick the one that suits your story. Alternatively, you
can come up with your own story of how you became the owner of a tavern.

CARD
PROMPT
DRAWN

ACE/2 You have inherited a tavern from a relative. Gain the ownership of a Modest Tavern.

You came across a dead massive rook in one of the rooms and decided to use the
3/4
carcass to open your own tavern. Gain the ownership of an Unfurnished Tavern.
You found an abandoned building in a city and decided to open a tavern in it.
5/6
Gain the ownership of an Unfurnished tavern.
You bought a tavern from the previous owner.
7/8
Pay 35 treasures and gain the ownership of a Modest Tavern.
You killed the previous owner of the tavern and claimed it as your own.
9/10
Gain the ownership of a Modest Tavern.
You have won ownership of the tavern in a dice game.
J/Q
Gain the ownership of a Wealthy Tavern.
You completed a dangerous quest and saved the city. As a reward you have been
K
given a tavern. Gain the ownership of a Modest Tavern.

TAVERN VALUE
There are all sorts of taverns in the rooms, some are fancy and expensive and some are rundown and
ramshackle.

There are 4 tiers. Tier is decided based on the treasure value of the tavern. In addition, there are certain
prerequisites for the tavern to be considered for the higher tier. To reach the higher tier, you should fulfil
the requirements listed below and also increase the value of the tavern to cross the set threshold.

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 TAVERN
DESCRIPTION
VALUE
Unfurnished Tavern
30
An empty building that can be furnished into a proper tavern. It has walls, a roof, a
TREASURES
door and some windows, but everything else is missing.
Modest Tavern
35 - 49
A furnished tavern that requires one or two people to run it. Visitors of such a tavern
TREASURES
are usually common folk and adventurers
Wealthy Tavern
50 - 69
A respectable establishment that requires at least 5 people working full time to run it.
TREASURES
Visitors are wealthy merchants and successful experienced adventurers.
Luxurious Tavern
A tavern worthy of a king. You can find all kinds of food and drinks here. It can be as big or
70+
as small as the owner wants, however all luxurious taverns offer best of services that wealth can
TREASURES
provide. The visitors of such an establishment are the nobles and other upperclass people such
trade guild owners. Commoners are not permitted to enter such places at all.

TAVERN tier prerequisites

Unfurnished Tavern Modest Tavern
None. Modest Furnishings (5 Treasures)
Any empty building big enough can be considered
an unfurnished tavern.

Wealthy Tavern
Quality Furnishings: Skilled Chef:
10 treasures OR 5 treasure improvements from Can be acquired by looking for a Chef in a city, but
Modest Furnishings; rentable room furnishings must only after completing at least one Hunter’s Guild
also be improved if present. quest directly related to hiring the chef.

Luxurious Tavern:
Decorated furnishings: Skilled Bartender:
15 treasures OR 5 treasure improvements from Can be acquired by looking for a Bartender in a
Quality Furnishings; rentable room furnishings must city, but only after completing at least one Hunter’s
also be improved if present. Guild quest directly related to hiring the bartender.
Skilled Chef: Patron:
Can be acquired by looking for a Chef in a city, but Can be acquired by being acquittanced with a
only after completing at least one Hunter’s Guild noble or a very wealthy merchant after completing a
quest directly related to hiring the chef. difficult quest for them.
Cannot have Hunter's Guild representative.
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 TaveRN UPGRADES
There are various items and staff that can improve your tavern. Things that do not have treasure cost
do not add to Tavern Value however some of them are required to reach higher tiers, others might
have additional bonuses or provide additional narrative opportunities. Everything except furnishings
can be obtained more than once. You can also think of your own items to improve your tavern.

FURNISHINGS/UPGRADE COST / REQUIREMENT

Modest Furnishings 5 Treasures

Basic furniture required in the tavern. Tables, chairs, benches and other similar items.

Quality Furnishings 10 Treasures

Quality furniture for a tavern. Good quality tables and chairs, wall decorations.

Decorated Furnishings 15 Treasures

Decorated furnishings made by skilled craftsman from high quality materials. Comfortable chairs, paintings
and everything else you might expect to see in a luxurious building.
Skilled Chef Can only be acquired through narrative means
An employee that is willing to work at your tavern. Skilled chef is someone who has experience and skill
needed to prepare various meals that tavern visitors might request.
Skilled Bartender Can only be acquired through narrative means
An employee that is willing to work at your tavern. Skilled bartender is someone who has experience and
skill needed to tend to the visitors of the tavern, while almost anyone can work as a bartender, not
everyone can adapt to peculiarities of wealthier visitors.

Hunter’s Guild Representative Can only be acquired through narrative means

A Hunter’s Guild representative permanently stationed in your tavern. Allows your tavern to function as
Hunter’s Guild. In addition, attracts more hunters to stay in your tavern.

Patron Can only be acquired through narrative means

A wealthy or a powerful individual who endorses your tavern and at least formally supports it as an
establishment for the rich and powerful

A Well-Connected Merchant Luxurious Taven Only - Can only be acquired through narrative means

A merchant that frequents your tavern has many connections and suppliers. Once per week you can order
any non-unique item to be delivered to the tavern with a markup of 50%.

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 FURNISHING COST / REQUIREMENT

Rentable Room Furnishings Modest: 10 Treasures - Quality: 13 Treasures - Decorated: 16 Treasures

Beds, side tables, cupboards and other items for rooms that can be rented to weary travelers, merchants
and anyone else who is willing to pay.
Can only be acquired through narrative means.
A Bard
(Possible only if Rentable Room Furnishings have been obtained)
A bard the performs every evening in your tavern for a room and board. Perhaps he plays lute and sings
songs. Maybe he is even good enough to make simple songs looks difficult and difficult songs look
simple. Or perhaps he plays some other instrument and is not that good.
A Custom Signboard 1 Treasures

Any respectable tavern will have a signboard to attract visitors and indicate what kind of establishment it is.

Valuable Work of Art 3 Treasures

A painting, a statue, a tapestry or any other work of art that is of exceptional quality. Can be used to
decorate your tavern and potentially attract a noble that loves art.
An Unfinished Map 1 Treasure (+1 Treasure to value every time you update
in a Frame the map with an unusual or interesting room)
A map of explored rooms hanging on a wall, but it is partially empty and can be added to as many
rooms are yet to be discovered and explored. You can update it yourself as you discover new rooms or
you can obtain information from sources you trust in order to update it.
Expensive Alcohol Stock 4 Treasures

A stock of rare wine vintages as well as other various drinks for special occasions and special customers

Decorated Cutlery & Dishes 5 Treasures

A collection of decorated plates, knives, forks and other similar

Messenger Rookling 10 Treasures

A small flying Rookling capable of traversing through rooms and delivering messages between the owner
of the Rookling and one designated location. This Rookling allows you to manage your tavern while you
are away from the tavern as long as you left a person to oversee your establishment.

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 TaveRN EVENTS
As can be expected, a lot of things happen around a tavern. Your tavern is no exception. The table
below provides you with narrative events related to your ownership of the tavern. You can draw on
this table once per day.

You must be in the tavern owned by you to draw and encounter the events in this table. Some of them
are more open-ended to create potential story hooks. It is up to you to decide if you want to further
engage with the story based on it. If you draw a Black suit, nothing happens as not all days are
eventful, if you draw a Red suit, refer to the Tavern Events Table.

CARD
PROMPT
DRAWN
♥ Friendly ♥ Friendly
A hunter visits your tavern. A fresh newbie that just started his adventuring ways or even a
Ace grizzled veteran. He might be friendly and just looking for the nights rest. On the other hand,
he might be aggressive and is looking to pick a fight. If you fight the hunter, create a human
opponent in your COMBAT phase.
♥ Room Tax ♦ Room Pay Out
2 A tax collector visits your tavern. He is either there to collect the taxes or return some collected
taxes due to calculation error. Gain or lose 2 treasures. Unless an unfortunate accident
happens to the tax collector…
♥️ Setback ♦️ Progress
3 CALLING – Someone gives you information related to your calling or perhaps you overhear
visitors conversing about a topic you are interested in. It is either an additional peace of
information useful to you or something that contradicts the information you already had before.
♥️ Rook ♦️ Bandits
A person rushes into the tavern. He seems distressed, looking frantically around he runs up to
you and asks for help. A caravan nearby has been attacked. If you choose to help, the
4 persons leads you to the site of attack.
BLACK: You make it in time and must fight human or rook opponent. If you win, get 1
Treasure as a reward for saving the caravan.
RED: You do not make it in time and the caravan has been destroyed. You can choose to try
and track down the attacker or choose to not get involved.

♥️ Steak is burning ♦️ Tavern Is On Fire

5
You smell smoke! Act before it is too late.

7
 CARD
PROMPT
DRAWN

6
♥ Tavern Brawl ♥ Riot
A drunk customer starts complaining and shouting about a local ruler. Some visitors
♥ Hunters After A Tough ♦ Robbery
7 A group of dishevelled individuals enter the tavern. Perhaps they are here to rest after a long
journey or perhaps their goal here is more nefarious. If fight ensues, create a human opponent
in your COMBAT phase.
♥ Bad Performance ♦ Good Performance
8 Traveling bard starts an impromptu performance in the tavern, his performance is supported by
a peculiar rookling who is also playing an instrument. Is the performance good and attracts
more people, or is it so bad that people start leaving and throwing food at the bard?
♥️ Person is not here ♦️ Person is here
9 Soldiers enter the tavern. They walk around looking for someone. They have a piece of paper
with a drawing of a person. If the person is in the tavern, he asks for your help. If not, soldiers
leave you a wanted poster of the person they are looking for.
♥️ A Cult ♦️ A Mysterious Organisation
10 A hooded individual approaches you and hands you a mysterious coin. He also offers you a
task that needs to be accomplished discreetly. If you accept create a quest using hunters guild
quest tables.

♥️ A Rook ♦️ A Location
J/Q/K You overhear a rumour about an unusual rook or a location. Perhaps it is a ghost of a rook in
a hidden room beneath another room or a strange temple on top of unusually narrow
mountain.

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 TaveRN journal
CARD EVENT EVENT DETAILS / JOURNAL ENTRY

9
 TaveRN journal
CARD EVENT EVENT DETAILS / JOURNAL ENTRY

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 TaveRN INVENTORY/FURNISHINGS
VALUE FURNISHINGS/UPGRADES TAVERN JOURNAL DETAILS

current tavern value current tavern tier

11
 TaveRN INVENTORY/FURNISHINGS
VALUE FURNISHINGS/UPGRADES TAVERN JOURNAL DETAILS

current tavern value current tavern tier

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