Ballant

Ballant was the proprietor of the Harridict Tavern in the prison fortress island of Second Maiden Fort.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 10, UK BCA edition p.273 He had a protruding belly, watery close-set eyes the whites of which were yellow, and he had only four front teeth left--one top, three below. His nose was vividly described as bulbous with burst veins, blackheads sprouting hair and swirling bristles growing from the nostrils which were long enough to entwine with his moustache.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 10, UK BCA edition p.274 
Ballant's late wife had died draining an ale casket when she accidentally knocked out her last two teeth on the brass spigot and choked on them.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 10, UK BCA edition p.274 He thought of her as having been a hard worker when she had been sober, and often still had imagined conversations with his dead wife in his head.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 10, UK BCA edition p.274/276 He and his wife had at least one son.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 13, US HC p.351
The biggest table in the tavern was reserved for games, such as Bale's Scoop, which earned Ballant a cut of the winner's earnings.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 10, US HC p.260
==In Reaper's Gale==
Ballant's tavern was taken over with the rest of the island by the fort's prisoners after they rebelled and eliminated the warden and his guards. It was frequented by the visiting Shurq Elalle and Skorgen Kaban and the lonely tavern keeper had taken to sitting with them, but on the whole not saying much. He was falling in love with Shurq, but knew it to be hopeless. At her request, he agreed to let the Captain and her First Mate deliver the next cask of Fent ale to Brullyg, the island's new ruler, which would give them a chance to spy on a group of newly arrived foreigners who were meeting with him. They reminded the pirate of some of the members of Iron Bars' squad of the Crimson Guard.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 10, UK BCA edition p.273-276
==Notes and references==
Category:Inns
Category:Males