Rainoga

Tucked just off the streets of Baldur’s Gate’s Lower City, the Blade and Stars Inn offers travelers a reprieve from the chaos beyond its threshold. Once operated by the half-orc bandit-turned-innkeeper Aurayaun, the inn earned its name from a magical sign: a blackened wooden shield depicting a silver saber gripped by a ghostly arm, its blade glittering with illusory stars. The enchantment, Aurayaun claimed, was mere showmanship—but her mysterious disappearance has cast a darker shadow over its origin. Her wife, Lupin, now manages the inn, torn between keeping up the comfort of the space and unraveling the mystery behind Aurayaun’s vanishing. Her theories range from a Thieves’ Guild hit to a curse tied to the shield, though she lacks the means to pursue them. Still, the inn remains a favored stop for curious adventurers, off-duty Flaming Fist, and superstitious sailors alike.

Approaching the Blade and Stars Inn, visitors first notice its oddly charming façade—a timeworn building of pale stone and oiled wood, its shutters painted deep navy to match the now-missing shield sign. A weathered iron bracket still juts over the entrance, empty and rusting. Inside, the glow of low lanterns casts soft golden light across smooth oak beams, cracked stone hearths, and a scattering of well-loved furniture. The scent of mulled wine, pipe smoke, and spiced stew mingles warmly in the air. A modest stage in the corner often hosts lone bards and melancholic tunes. Behind the counter, Lupin keeps vigil—disheveled but determined—with a short sword at her hip and eyes that constantly flick to the door. The mood here is cozy, but thick with unspoken tension, as if the inn itself is holding its breath.