The boards of this old merchant ship were soaked with rum and blood long before the Low Lantern permanently docked in Baldur's Gate. No longer seaworthy, the ship has become one of the most popular taverns and gambling houses in the city, especially beloved by sailors and smugglers who have adjusted to the 2 of a ship's interior and who find some comfort in the tavern's familiar décor of old barrels and knotted ropes.
The gaming tables are always hot here, and rum is the grog of choice, readily supplied and heartily enjoyed by passing traders who trust the discretion of the tavern's proprietor, Laraelra Thundreth, a fellow former seafarer now commonly known as "the Captain."
Scrimshaw
A merchant sailor named Hitoshi Jade often pays his bar tab at the Low Lantern with scrimshaw, an intricate carving on bone or ivory depicting ships at sea, mermaids, sea creatures, long-lost loves, or elegant abstract designs. The art form of scrimshaw has always been popular among sailors on long sea voyages, and Jade is an especially proficient scrimshaw artist, able to etch extraordinary intricate scenes for large amounts of coin. The Captain is an enthusiastic fan of Jade's work and has a cocktail on the menu with bone-white foam, served in an etched coupe glass in tribute to his scrimshaw. Unfortunately for Jade, he's an equally enthusiastic fan of booze, and his bar tab frequently exceeds his coin, so most of his work ends up behind the bar at the Low Lantern to cover his expenses rather than ever going on sale!
Celebration Brew
This frothy blend of rum, beer, and citrus came to Baldur's Gate with the dwarven diaspora moving from the mountains to the city. A traditional dwarven drink beloved for its golden hue, it feels like a bucket of sunshine in the dingy dark of the underground world, and its popularity has not waned in the new aboveground grayness of the city.
Celebration Brew is not tied to any specific event in dwarven culture. On the contrary, dwarves will order this drink to commemorate anything at all. Discovered a new gold deposit? That's cause for a celebration! Had a new baby? That's cause for a celebration! Lost a shoe? That's cause for a celebration!
The drink is also known as Liquid Courage because there are times when everything is grim and hope is hard to come by. On occasions when there is nothing to celebrate, well, that's when you need some liquid courage to get you through. Any other circumstances? Cause for a celebration!
Chultwater
The tropical wilderness of Chult is a place so rife with danger that any explorer or traveler returning from the islands is marked with high esteem. Aremag, the dragon turtle, devours ships in the bay; the froglike grungs poison unwary travelers with their darts; wanderers become forever lost in the cursed gardens of Nangalore; and too many fools are crushed, slashed, or devoured by dinosaurs. The treasures and wonders of Chult make it worth the risk, at least for some.
A merchant named Gannis Tath came to the Low Lantern with a wooden box full of rare stones that he hoped to sell to raise funds for an expedition. He met with possible investors at the Lantern and shared an elaborate bowl of rum and juices that he called "Chultwater." He claimed that anyone who shared this traditional drink with him was bound to an unbreakable trust. It was adventurer Artis Cimber who informed the Captain that no such cocktail or tradition exists in Chult and that the rare stones were colored glass. By that point, the con artist Gannis had already fled to Baldur's Gate with the specter of a kenku assassin's black wing at his back.
Captain's Fancy
Laraelra Thundreth is a widely respected wizard in Baldur's Gate; she's considerate of her staff, respectful of her patrons, and dedicated in her study of magic. She often leaves the care of the bar to her employees and retires to her quarters in the late evening to absorb herself in her books.
If there is no trouble to attend to, Laraelra will not emerge until morning, but she will sometimes send out her familiar, a robust scuttling crab, to bring her a sandwich, which the kenku bartenders will delicately balance on the creature's carapace.
When she's in a good mood, Laraelra will also order a hot buttered rum with whipped cream and cinnamon, an indulgent treat that does not match her serious reputation. The Captain pretends to have few vices, but this is among her greatest. The drink is not on the menu, but those in the know can order it by asking for Captain's Fancy.
Faerie Fire
Many old sea dogs will tell you that Faerie Fire is a preposterous drink, with all its froufrou juices and fancy adornments like popping candy and edible pearls, all of which serve to create a ridiculous sensory experience. But that won't stop them from moseying up to a table of strangers who have ordered a pitcher of Faerie Fire with an offer to exchange seafaring tales for a wee cup of grog. There is more than enough rum in Faerie Fire to overcome their objections!
This drink is named for a simple spell that creates radiant light around every person and object in a small space. Bar staff who can perform the spell will often do so to accompany the drink, usually in celebration of someone's birthday or their victorious return from an adventure. There is even a terrible song that goes with it: "Faerie fire for thee, faerie fire for thee, faerie fire for (name of recipient), faerie fire for thee." The Captain has absolutely forbidden the use of the spell and the singing of the song in her establishment.
Eldritch Storm
The bouncers at the Low Lantern are brawny former sailors of the Captain's acquaintance—tall, imposing, and able to tie troublemakers in knots. Their main function is to be silently intimidating to prevent any troublemaking before it happens. The people that guests really must be wary of are the bartenders. All the Captain's bartenders are kenku. These raven-black birdlike people seem more unsettling than threatening. Most patrons barely look at them twice. However, anyone who knows history knows that the first kenku came to Faerûn as assassins, and though most kenku pursue other professions, the Captain's kenku are certainly members of that sinister order, able to quietly and quickly remove any serious "problems" from the bar.
This strange, slightly savory cocktail is a favorite of the kenku; it's dark, elegant, and sinister. As long as the Low Lantern remains, this drink will be on the menu.
Rumtack
Tack, or cabin bread, is a food that's bitterly familiar to sailors; they're dense, hard, flavorless crackers made with just water and flour. It is miserable to eat and has very few nutrients, but it packs a lot of calories and can last for months, possibly even years. Tack is part of every sailor's rations. The lucky ones also have rum, and soaking a hard biscuit in rum can make it a lot more pleasant to eat and a lot easier to swallow.
Rumtack at the Low Lantern is a significant upgrade to a rum-soaked tack. Inspired by traditional black cake from the islands, this rich, boozy offering is one of the only food items available at the Lantern, and a good ship's captain will often order rumtack for the whole crew to help chase away the haunting memories of long months gumming at horrible crackers.