Sign of the Shield The Sign of the Shield was an inn in Voonlar that catered to travelers looking for luxurious accommodations . Location . The grand inn was on the south side of Shind Road , facing the Shield Trading Company across the street . A short way towards the southwest was the intersection of Shind Road with Daerndrean Street . Structure . The Shield was the largest building in Voonlar , topping four stories with a hipped slate roof and an imposing stone facade that resembled a temple edifice . Four massive stone pillars framed the entrance and supported a large third - floor balcony that sheltered the entrance below and provided a venue with an impressive view . The rectangular building extended deeper than it was wide , except for the fourth floor which ended halfway back . The rest of the fourth floor was a rooftop herb garden and sunning area used by the staff . To the west , a large stable building provided shelter for animals and lockable sheds for storage of wagons and carriages . To the east was a well - tended lawn that was framed by a tall cedar hedge and a row of apple trees . The columns were covered with ivy and flowering vines that hid signs of aging . Surmounting the entrance was a large shield without blazon ; just a bare , ivory - colored escutcheon surrounded by flame - like garlands carved in wood . Interior . The first floor had a lobby and three meeting rooms , two of which were free for guests to use on an as - available basis . The third room rented by the hour , was heavily soundproofed , and contained a large table that sat eight comfortably and bedchamber separated by a privacy curtain . On the other side of the lobby was a hallway leading to luxury guest rooms . Behind the lobby were the kitchens . Plentiful closet space was one feature of the ground - floor rooms that also helped muffle the noise coming from the lobby and kitchens . The next two floors were guest rooms . At a minimum , all rooms and suites had a canopied bed that could comfortably accommodate three tall adults sleeping side by side ; a writing desk with quills , ink , and parchment ; a high - backed armchair and footstool ; a bedside table ; a wardrobe ; a bathtub ; a stepstool for guests of shorter stature ; extra seating with plenty of cushions ; and plants and flowers as seasonally available . Many rooms had extra amenities . The ground - floor rooms had baths set into the floor . On the other hand , the rooms on the south side of the third floor directly beneath the herb garden were prone to leaks when it rained . The top floor contained apartments for the servants . A dumbwaiter that was large enough to carry portable furniture items or food trays ran from the cellar to the fourth floor . It was large enough for one or two people to ride in if they stooped , but this required others to operate the ropes and was strictly forbidden . The cellar was used for cool storage and the cultivation of edible mushrooms for the kitchen . Atmosphere . The furnishings were sumptuous bordering on opulent . Even the stables were exceptionally clean and stylishly appointed . The rooms were kept as shady as possible in the hot season and warm and cozy when the weather was cold . The Shield had a huge staff and were able to provide service to their customers in a speedy and attentive fashion with thoughtful gestures , often anticipating their guests ' needs . The service was so attentive that those not used to it would sometimes complain that they felt they were being watched . Overseeing the staff were the majordomo , Mester Rauvaraudo , and his two chatelaines , Amratha Shuldeiroun and Maeragra Duskwinter . The ladies had quick wits and sharp tongues that they used to great effectiveness without resorting to vulgarities . Staff , guests , and potential guests were all treated with an iron hand wrapped in a velvet glove . Services . Small rooms typically cost 3 gp per person per night and meals were 1 gp each . The larger and often very quiet rooms on the third floor south were usually discounted to 2 gp because of past and potential leaks . Stabling a beast was an extra 5 sp per night . For this relatively high cost , guests could have skilled attendants give them a massage ; assist with a bath ; wash , comb , and coif their hair ; and assist with getting dressed to look their finest . The valets and maidservants were cheerful and efficient , but any attempt at intimacy beyond the call of duty was quickly dissuaded with firm instructions for the guest to look elsewhere in Voonlar for what they desired . The food at the Shield was good to exceptional . The menu varied with the seasons and was accented by herbs from the roof garden and mushrooms from the cellar . There were no set mealtimes ; food was available at any time of day or night and tended to emphasize soups and entrees that could be kept warm and served with a sauce without losing its savory appeal during the interval from oven to table . Meals were delivered to the meeting rooms or the guest rooms under shiny metal domes on wheeled carts . The dumbwaiter was used to port carts to the upper floors . As an example of the fare at the Sign of the Shield , a meal might start with a choice of either venison barley or apple bacon soup . The entree could be a choice of oven - roasted quail or horseradish - scented lamb cooked to juicy perfection and served over a buttery hash made from potatoes , diced leeks , and scrambled quail and duck eggs and complimented by smooth - as - silk buttercream biscuits . For drink , the Shield had a wide selection of beers , wines , ales , and sherries in their cellars . Beer or ale was 5 cp per large silver tankard and wine or sherry was 7 sp for an elegant , ornately fluted tallglass . Defenses . The inn was owned by the Shield Trading Company which was headquartered just across the street , and the stables and sheds of the Sign of the Shield were guarded at night by twelve veteran security guards . Additional defenders were just a shout away . The majordomo of the inn was Mester Rauvaraudo who , unbeknownst to all but the oldest residents of Voonlar , was a minor sorcerer . He only used his magic in utter emergencies , but he kept a " wand of hold person " and a " ring of the ram " handy to quell the rare brawl or rampaging guest . History . The Shield Trading Company had a reputation of being untainted by Zhent ish influences , and this was evidenced by a few incidents that were the talk of the town at some point in the history of the Sign of the Shield . One notable story described how petite , red - headed Maeragra , the inn ' s evening chatelaine , broke the jaw of one deputy and the arm of another when they tried to bluster and force their way past her on some business for the Bron ( sheriff ) of Voonlar ( a known toady for the Zhentarim ) . Thereafter , the deputies steered clear of the place whenever she was on duty unless they were forced to go there . Another anecdote related the shaming of a Zhent officer by the chief ostler of the stables , Lanther Maerown , a retired warrior known for his raspy voice as " Smokethroat " . Apparently , the brash officer , in full armor , drew his sword on Smokethroat during a disagreement and was bodily heaved out of the stables and into the mud in front of his soldiers ( much to their amusement ) by the redoubtable stable - master . Inhabitants . The indoor staff of the Sign of the Shield numbered just under forty and were led by Master Mester Rauvaraudo and the chatelaines Amratha Shuldeiroun , who took the day shift , and Maeragra Duskwinter who managed the night shift . The rest of the indoor staff consisted of chambermaids , cooks , and footmen . Outside , the stable - master was Lanther " Smokethroat " Maerown , who was in charge of nine other ostlers , and four groundskeepers that tended the lawn , garden , and small orchard .