Formerly known as ‘The Beaming Hearth’ (it’s a long story), The Bleeding Heart Tavern forms the social hub of Hengistbury. At any given moment during it’s open hours at least a half dozen local residents can be found enjoying the fine offerings as served by Meridith Jones. The Tavern has a somewhat unusual arrangement with the local populace. Lord and Lady Pemberton own the tavern, but regularly appoint individual members of the community to run the bar on a weekly, rotating basis. Typically this passes through more established members of the community, such as Stefan the Baker and Rorus Klain, the blacksmith. Those who run the tavern are allowed to keep a percentage of that week’s profits to offset their losses from their regular business during the week. Sometimes this duty is rotated through the less fortunate members of the area if they are in need. Lord and Lady Pemberton are not so foolish as to allow the more unsavoury members of the community to have this opportunity.

This means that more or less everyone in Hengistbury is invested in the The Bleeding Heart’s success as well as being far more appreciative of the labour involved in making it run when they are merely patrons. It is rare for a fight to break out here and the locals are quick to shuffle anyone who has enjoyed too much cheer safely home before trouble starts. The travelling bard, Three-Fingered Jake, spends most of his time here when he is in the area as the patrons are very happy to have him perform and tip him generously. If there is a rumour or bit of news to be had in Holdenshire, The Bleeding Heart is the place to find it.

Here are some alternate menus for Hengistbury’s primary gathering place!  While the below list is divided into seven weekdays, I don’t actually suggest you vary the tavern’s menu every day.  This should be regarded as seven ideas for inspiration.

Monday

Food Menu*
Curried grilled raspberries and spinach (7sp)
Saucy grilled snake and spinach (10sp)
Curried goat and tomatoes broth (6sp)
Tangy centaur and pork broth (7sp)
Glazed spinach soup (9sp)
Marinated jellyfish and greyhound broth (12sp)

Today’s Special
Tender spinach soup cooked in Burgundy Lord Bitter (15sp)

Drinks Menu
Dwarven Longheart Lager [7sp; orange, syrupy, smells like bonfires]
Gnomish Cogglebottom Grog [10sp; grey, syrupy, smells like fruit]
Saucy Claw Beer [5sp; tan, syrupy, smells like chocolate]
Fat Jake Bitter [10sp; ivory, fizzing, smells like cedar]
Dwarven Bronzeaxe Lager [9sp; yellow, fizzing, smells like cedar]
Indigo Bird Port [3sp; grey, fizzing, smells like coconut]

Tuesday

Food Menu*
Luscious fish and pegasus broth (12sp)
Aged charbroiled manticore and oyster (5sp)
Mouthwatering eggs soup (7sp)
Mouthwatering boiled fish (9sp)
Luscious dragon and pasta broth (12sp)

Today’s Special
Spicy boiled boar cooked in Saucy Prince Lager (21sp)

Drinks Menu
Loyal Sword Brandy [5sp; brown, fizzing, smells like honey]
Dwarven Slatehammer Lager [5sp; yellow, opaque, smells like pepper]
Easy John Beer [3sp; tan, translucent, smells like coconut]
Bachelor’s Dragon Wine [4sp; charcoal, glowing, smells like cedar]

Wednesday

Food Menu*
Imported fried lizard on a bed of pasta (11sp)
Bitter grilled boar and badger (9sp)
Tender boiled monster (8sp)
Bitter deep-fried oyster (9sp)
Honeyed baked bullfrog with a side of donkey (5sp)

Today’s Special
Cold fried racehorse on a bed of tomatoes cooked in Golden Jake Brandy (14sp)

Drinks Menu
Southdon Brandy [3sp; grey, sticky, smells like smoke]
Elven Celethor Lager [5sp; charcoal, sticky, smells like honey]
Little Bill Gin [3sp; red, translucent, smells like peat]
Dwarven Thundersmith Stout [1sp; charcoal, bubbly, smells like roses]

Thursday

Food Menu*
Our world-famous boiled falcon (5sp)
Seared grilled fish and banana (5sp)
Glazed warthog sausages and mashed lamb (11sp)
Aged deep-fried lamb (14sp)
Spicy boiled melon (11sp)
Tangy caremelized eagle stuffed with turkey (7sp)

Today’s Special
Bitter rice and mud casserole cooked in Moody Bird Rum (15sp)

Drinks Menu
Worton Brandy [2sp; lavender, opaque, smells like bread]
Dwarven Battlemine Port [10sp; burgundy, glowing, smells like honey]
Dwarven Battlebeard Beer [8sp; purple, bubbly, smells like vinegar]
Lazy Jake Ale [5sp; purple, sticky, smells like lemons]

Friday

Food Menu*
Saucy hog and pork casserole (8sp)
Honeyed devil and fish stew (7sp)
Mouthwatering boiled octopus (8sp)
Juicy roasted hare served with pasta (8sp)

Today’s Special
Aged baked eagle with a side of boar cooked in Flying John Gin (14sp)

Drinks Menu
Little Hawk Ale [8sp; charcoal, bubbly, smells like lemons]
Yellow Rover Wine [5sp; green, syrupy, smells like butterscotch]
Clever Dancer Stout [2sp; white, sticky, smells like pine]
Elven Amrod Lager [2sp; crimson, glowing, smells like treacle]
Loyal Hawk Mead [2sp; orange, translucent, smells like sewage]

Saturday

Food Menu*
Mouthwatering eggs and rice broth (8sp)
Mouthwatering oyster and rice casserole (10sp)
Seasoned baked beans with a side of fungus (8sp)
Marinated manticore cuts with lizard and boar (11sp)
Mouthwatering satyr and rhubarb pie (4sp)

Today’s Special
Aromatic grilled potatoes and roc cooked in Happy Bones Lager (17sp)

Drinks Menu
Happy Bird Port [9sp; violet, translucent, smells like caramel]
Bright Dragon Beer [5sp; burgundy, cloudy, smells like straw]
Dwarven Longshield Mead [9sp; charcoal, opaque, smells like garlic]

Sunday

Food Menu*
Sweet steamed vegetables (4sp)
Peppery miniature fungus pastries and tarts (12sp)
Delicious lizard, fawn, and mud pie (11sp)
Our world-famous deep-fried rice (10sp)
Pickled beef soup (13sp)

Today’s Special
Battered grilled horse and shark cooked in Sudden Dancer Port (17sp)

Drinks Menu
Charming John Beer [6sp; charcoal, sticky, smells like cedar]
Happy Corsair Wine [6sp; purple, syrupy, smells like apples]
Elven Curuairë Cider [2sp; grey, syrupy, smells like egg]

*Please note: the establishment does not vouch for the accuracy of these names.