So, you’re looking to host the Dead at the Dread Dragon Inn: A Fantasy Tavern Murder Mystery, and need some ideas for the party?
We’ve got you covered with a selection of food, drink, and décor recommendations that will have your guests happy to answer the call to adventure!
The Dread Dragon Inn is nothing without its Tavern to wet the whistles of its guests. Here are a few ideas for drinks both with and without alcohol.
The drink of heroes! A common sight in every tavern, clan hall, and renaissance fair, mead is a fermented drink made primarily of honey and water. The flagship refreshment of the Dread Dragon Inn, Dragonfire Mead adds a tangy pomegranate twist to tradition that’s perfect for a night of gaming, rolling d20s and definitely not dropping a fireball on your friends!
DIRECTIONS (PER DRINK)
STEP 1 – Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the pomegranate juice, gin, mead and Simple Syrup.
STEP 2 –Shake vigorously until well chilled and strain into a short cocktail glass.
STEP 3 –Garnish with an orange wheel and thyme sprig.
Ah! The staple of every adventurer’s pre-quest shopping list. You wouldn’t go out into the wilds without a Potion of Healing would you? And just the thing to turn the tides of a battle, a Luck Potion, saved just for such a day! These potion bottles can be customized with whatever flavor and color combination you wish to fit the needs of your party. Fill them with whatever you’d like! You can label them, or leave them mysteriously unidentified. Potion bottles can be found in various Arts & Crafts stores, as well as online.
You’re really not sure whether they were joking when naming this, or if someone was actually bold enough to attempt making something drinkable out of a beholder. Trust us though, our Beholder’s Brew is a sweet, creamy punch with no questionable bits, and only pays homage to these horrors of the Underdark. The (careful) use of dry ice adds an extra touch of otherworldliness, as do the unsettling floating eyes. Add whipped cream vodka for additional “enchantment” if desired.
DIRECTIONS (18 SERVINGS)
STEP 1 – Pour ginger ale, pineapple juice, food coloring (if using) and fresh lime juice together in a large punch bowl.
STEP 2 –Add sherbet and stir to mix.
STEP 3 – Garnish with spooky eyes (you can find these plastic eyeballs at Amazon, Target, Michaels, and most craft stores) and dry ice for a smoky, bubbly effect.
NOTES ON DRY ICE
What is it? Dry ice is EXTREMELY cold ice that creates a super cool bubbling, smoky effect when it comes in contact with liquid. You should be able to find it at your local large chain grocery store, but do not buy it until 1 to 2 hours before you need it. If it’s left out too long it will evaporate on it’s own.
How do I handle dry ice? Be sure to handle the dry ice with care because it is COLD. It is way too cold to touch with your bare hands, so be to sure to use heavy gloves or tongs when transferring the dry ice chips to the punch.
Is dry ice safe added to drinks? While it’s totally safe to drop the dry ice chips directly into the brew, it is NOT safe to actually eat the dry ice. I only recommend serving the dry ice directly in the punch if you can trust guests not to put dry ice in their drink. Otherwise, you can assemble it so that the dry ice never touches the punch. To do so, fit a punch bowl in a cauldron and pour enough water in the cauldron (on the outside of the punch bowl) to activate the dry ice.
Welcome your weary travelers with some delightful cuisines straight from the kitchens of the Dread Dragon Inn!
We’ve all been there. You’ve been days, weeks, months, out in the wilds, subsisting on rations and foraging. Then there’s sleeping on the hard ground and, if you’re lucky, a mostly giant toad-free river to bathe in. But you’ve finally made it to an outpost of civilization, the adventurer’s home-away-from-home, the roadside Inn! A bath, a bed to look forward to later, and of course, the tavern’s classic sausage rolls! Fresh from the oven, fragrant with herbs, this dish may be rustic, but it’s hearty and comforting all the same.
DIRECTIONS (YIELDS 12)
STEP 1 –Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
STEP 2 – In a large mixing bowl, combine the sausage meat, onion, garlic, parsley, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
STEP 3 –Unfold puff pastry sheets. Cut along the fold lines of each sheet to form 6 equal squares for a total of 12 squares. Brush each square with mustard.
STEP 4 – Divide sausage mixture into 12 equal portions and roll into small logs. Place one log onto each square. Roll dough around sausage and lightly brush dough with beaten egg to seal. Place rolls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Brush the tops with remaining beaten egg.
STEP 5 –Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the sausage is cooked through. Check the rolls at 10 minutes to be sure the edges aren’t burning. If they’re getting too dark, you can lightly cover with aluminum foil.
STEP 6 –Serve the sausage rolls hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Who among us has not been so caught up in the pursuit of some dragon’s hoard or some mad wizard’s secrets that they have nearly run face first into the most ubiquitous of dungeon-dwellers, the gelatinous cube! Thankfully, these particular cubes are less likely to corrode you down to the bone. Though, if you do want them with a little extra kick, you can change your liquid ratio to 1½ cups boiling water + 1 cup appropriately flavored vodka and chill for an extra half hour before serving.
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1 – Stir boiling water into the dry gelatin mix in a large bowl for at least 3 min. until completely dissolved.
STEP 2 – Lightly spray silicone mold with cooking spray, dabbing away any excess.
STEP 3 – Fill your greased mold with Jello and place in the fridge for 1 hour, or until Jello has just begun to set.
STEP 4 – Using a toothpick or kitchen skewer as needed, insert bone candies into the squares.
STEP 5 – Return to the fridge for another 2 hours, or until fully set.
STEP 6 – Remove the squares from the mold, plate, and enjoy!
In case you want to take your Murder Mystery experience to the next level, here are some cost-effective decoration ideas to help pull off that Fantasy Tavern vibe!
🔥 CANDLES OR LANTERNS 🔥
Adorning your playing space with some candles or lanterns is a great way to help set the mood of an evening in a tavern teemed with a mysterious murder. If you’re worried about open flames, you can always opt for the battery-operated versions.
⚔️ CARDBOARD WEAPONRY ⚔️
Swords, shields, and various weaponry often adorn the walls of taverns, and with enough cardboard you can help transform your space while giving guests some very interesting conversation pieces to discuss.
🎵 MUSIC 🎵
It’s your party, so you can play whatever music you’d like! However, since this is a Fantasy Tavern themed Murder Mystery, we recommend keeping it relevant. YouTube has plenty of “Fantasy Tavern Background Music” selections to help set the tone for your big event!
