The Merchantman Pub
Owner: The Merchantman Pub is owned by a man named Jules Krazenbur a level 18 City Rat, who was originally a small time crime lord from Republican on the East Coast, before he and his band of thugs were caught in an all out war against the authorities. They were on dire straits after the war began, and members of his modestly sized gang were being killed left and right. Eventually he grew extremely frustrated at his gang's failures to end the war, with some major bloody nose given to the authorities, so he had a number of them killed for their failures. After this his second took the initiative, made a deal with the authorities to rat Jules out - in exchange for the war to be concluded. They agreed, but not before Jules caught wind of the plot, and ran far away from Republican - he lost everything, and became just one of thousands of refugees from one Kingdom or another, in North America. When he heard about Desert Star, he moved in there, and started trying to form up a new crime ring there. It was difficult however, because of the iron grip King Ripley kept over crime in the Kingdom. It was like he knew everything that was going on, a true master of the back alley treaty. He started talking to people, and eventually caught wind of the true crime lords taking root in the Allied Nations (Kingsdale, Desert Star, Kyatashiro, Wa-Daisho, & Lazlo.) Midnight Blue. They had heard of him, and although his style was good - he was unpredictable, savage, and ultimately untrustworthy if given a high seat of power. His talents, used on a limited basis, could be quite valuable - so they decided to set him as a pawn, in Wa-Daisho running The Merchantman Pub & Inn. Jules is a fairly heavy set fellow weighing 320 Lbs, and standing 5'11", has thinning dark colored hair, and has a pock marked, chubby looking face. He has grey eyes, and talks with almost an Italian American accent - classic crime boss style. Jules is seemingly always at the Merchantman, drinking, playing poker in one of the back rooms, or taking one of the many girls to a private room at the Merchantman Inn - despite the fact that he's married to an aging hooker named Theresa Krazenburg. He seldom treats anyone with any level of dignity, once they are in his place of business - once you start flashing around a Black Market Credit Card on the other hand, he starts treating people with a bit more respect - offers to purchase drinks, food, and then asks what sort of service are you there looking for. He's a shifty sort though, if someone threatens to rat him out, or anything of that nature, he won't hesitate this time, first he'll have that person killed - mob style, usually a drive by then he'll jump ship and run for the cover of Desert Star under an identity he already has put together. In reality Jules runs the place, but even then he answers to the higher authority of Midnight Blue.
Reputation: This place has a bad reputation among all walks of life - except for sailors, this place is a gas to sailors! In Wa-Daisho, if a man offers to take a woman out to The Merchantman Pub - usually there will be no such thing as a date with this woman, it's that bad to even suggest it. It's rough, it's loud, it's lewd, and it's impropper for almost anyone of taste to be in this sort of a place. A PERFECT atmosphere for the black market to take root. Among those in the know, regarding underworld functions this place is a warehouse for all manner of under the table services to be conducted.
Description of Establishment: A single story, wooden structure that measures 150'x100', painted all white, with fake wooden dinghys and portholes lining the walls. At the front of the place is a large plexiglass window (with 2-5 spares on hand in the back room at all times) with a sign over the top that shows a drunken sailor with a woman on his arm, and the name of the place lit in neon blue lights. It has a two door entrance at the front, and two exits at the back. The two at the front are manned by guards at all time, taking people in at a cover charge of 15 credits each, unless they're ladies of the night, or cautiously displays a Black Market Credit Card. Inside, the place is set to be lit, but dimly. there is a dance floor to one side, with a stage for entertainment - although this has a cage around it, and a box at the back, looks like a pen for mud wrestling. The walls are lined with booths, and tables and chairs fill the back of the large common room. The bar itself, is an island in the middle of the establishment, with a mega-damage bar, and plexiglass shields all around. At the back of the place, is a couple of door ways that are also guarded, that only can be accessed by someone with a Black Credit Card, or displaying a standard card with over 10,000 credits on it. In the back is a series of private, sound proofed rooms with poker tables, conference tables, and even beds. Most of the poker tables are occupied at all times, and have a minimum entry of 2,500 credits, many times much more so. (Never more than 100,000.)
Description of Services: The Merchantman Pub has a cover as a bar that primarily caters to the sailors that frequent Wa-Daisho. Non military types of course, but some military types are present. A lot of headhunters and mercenaries also frequent this place, as do Pirates, when not being hunted by the authorities, think of the place as heaven on land! A cover charge of 15 credits is required as mentioned, or display of a BMC card can get you in for free - if you are discrete about showing it. Once inside, the drinks are cheap, and of poor - though strong quality in most cases. 1-2 credits a drink, is about the highest you'll have to spend in the Merchantman. The place is loud, and lewd in many cases. You can see women dancing on tables, sexual favors being performed right out in the open, fights breaking out every fifteen minutes to a half hour, drugs are common place, ladies of the night, and shady figures dot the scenery. The entertainment is loud music, sometimes played live, other times not. When the music is not live, women will perform on stage doing any number of things, from just dancing, to stripping, mud wrestling - or even live shows, of a more vulgar nature. In the back rooms, poker is offered, but the majority of the back rooms are reserved for more shading dealings. There are always 2D4+1 Black Marketeers in the common room, watching for a call from the door men to point out who came in with a Black Market Credit Card. They offer all manner of services from information, to stolen goods, or even banned weapons such as explosives or Nauruni weapons. Services are also available but not offered to the tune of kidnapping, slave trade or sale, assassinations - low profile naturally, smuggling, etc. Discussions typically take place in the back conference rooms, seldom are deals conducted in the common room. If it is insisted upon, then the character is liable to end up dead - or will be scoffed at, and then later turn up dead. Midnight Blue is not as powerful as the organizations in the Chi-Town Burbs, but they are still more than powerful enough to take out a Full Conversion Cyborg if necessary.
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