The sign above the doorway read, in a less than skilled hand, "The Ha'penny Mermaid," and the mermaid was evocatively if crudely carved with a rather lewd smile, both hands cupping her not inconsiderable bosom. It was not an unusual sight near the harbor, and it seemed to fit well among the more rowdy and boisterous establishments that lined the Bower Market, only a few doors down from Hadvin's Oddities.
The tiny inn and tavern fairly stank with the mingled odors of food and sweat and the cheap, overpowering perfume of the over-rouged and under-dressed barmaids who sauntered about with overflowing tankards of ale. Old fodder was used to cover the floors instead of sawdust or wood, and that gave a slightly sour tinge to the air as the thrashed grass hadn't been changed or shifted in countless weeks. Over this modest floor were several tables, none of which were in great shape, and countless chairs, stools, and even discarded barrels were used for seats, the rings of the casks too rusted to be of any use at sea anymore.
The bar was strangely elegant compared the rest of the place, a carved slab of dark wood coated in wax and perhaps lovely once upon a time, though countless rings, nicks, scratches and stains covered it's surface now. It stood just beside the stairs leading up to the massive room in which pallets and hammocks were kept, a large, public room where the poor or the anonymous could sleep in perhaps not luxury or safety, but at least free from the elements.
A very wide, old man stood behind the bar, his beard little more than an uneven, imperfect splash of white-gray whiskers upon his face and all three of his wobbling chins. He wore a grimy shirt of off-white cotton under a brown vest of stained leather, and his massive, meaty hands carved a knife through a peg of wood that he whittled into a passably beautiful ship hull. Upon seeing the newcomers, he gives a quick nod. "Welcome to t'ha'penny. Have a seat anywheres...I bring ya beer..."
After passing the harbor gates without much trouble, Adriano decided the first order of business ought to be renting a room at one of the city's inns. Once that was taken care of, he could go wander about town and get to know the surroundings better. He had noticed a scuffle break out in a street, but quickly left the scene, figuring it was unwise to get involved in a conflict about which he knew absolutely nothing. Finding out who the man in black is was on his list, but it would have to wait. He wanted to avoid the upscale establishments located in the centre of town, partly because it was cheaper and partly because any information on the city's criminal underbelly would far more likely be found among its underclass. It took some time and asking around, but he finally found himself in front of some grungy tavern in the harbor district.
The Ha'Penny Mermaid looked cheap, if not particularly comfortable. He entered cautiously, clutching his belongings tightly and keeping one hand on his concealed dagger. Places like this were seldom safe, but he was not particularly nervous, having been to similarly disreputable dives many times in his life. If one can survive in the Seams, he can survive anywhere. The place stank of alcohol, various bodily fluids, cheap perfume, and the poorly lit interior looked like a scrapyard. It reminded him of home.
Tipping his hat to the burly bartender, he took a few leisurely steps forward, fully aware that his rather elegant clothes made him stand out among the sailors and cheap whores that littered this joint. He looked around, hoping to see if anyone interesting was present, or failing that to locate a free table.