Accorded Neutral Ground. Those are the words etched into the top of the mirror behind the bar on the ground floor. Another sign says the same thing that rests on the fireplace mantle on the second floor.

Atwater’s (named for the alleyway you have to walk down to get to the door) is an unmarked two story tan building behind 4900 McKinney Avenue in Dallas. The “legit” business (and landmark) in front is called Cretia’s (a cajun restaurant and bakery with some of the worst customer service in the world… to mortals). If you’re supposed to be there… you’ve no worries.

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To get to Atwater’s, one walks down Atwater Alley behind Cretia’s. As you go, you quickly encounter a wrought iron gate blocking the way to a small utility alleyway between Cretia’s and the unmarked tan building. If you have a member’s key… it opens this gate. If you don’t have a key (or would rather not touch the cold iron gate) you knock at the first door on the tan building and introduce yourself to the guard. Invariably the bouncer is wearing a pinstripe suit and fedora. It’s part of the work “uniform.”

The theme for the decor is “1920s speakeasy” and what makes it interesting is… the furniture, wood, light fixtures, and brasswork are real. Everything came from a real 1920s speakeasy and was just transposed to this location.

• “Officially” Atwater’s has room for up to 80 people (across 2 floors) though it’s rarely ever been that crowded.
• There is only a single window (on the second floor facing East towards the North Central Expressway).
• The ground floor has four doors (1 behind the wrought iron gate), 1 that is guarded by the bouncer, and 2 “emergency” doors that only exist to pass fire inspections when necessary.

The Normals

Normals can “rent” Atwater’s for private (if expensive) themed parties. When normals have rented the establishment, the iron gate no longer opens and the guard at the door asks every guest “Are you here for the accounting firm party?” … that’s the code-phrase for “normals in the house.” However, Sundays through Wednesdays are always reserved for supernaturals, as well as Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. … also, Atwater’s is exclusive and expensive enough, it’s not rented out often.

Ground Floor

• The ground floor features elegant wood panels, antique light fixtures, 1920s decor, and plush furniture surrounding small tables.
  • Each table has the classic Italian “fiasco” wine bottle, the one with the straw basket at the bottom and a wax candle for lighting. The bottles are heavily caked in multicolored wax due to years of accumulation. If you “snuff” the candle, no member of the staff will bother whoever is seated at the table until the candle is re-lit (or the group leaves of course).
• The ceiling is also heavily paneled in wood. Thus no modern features are visible to break the “mood” of the old-time speakeasy (i.e. – you can’t see A/C ducts, etc. etc.).
• A modern and powerful sound and dance-house lighting system is cleverly hidden away in the walls and out of sight behind removable panels. Usually it’s playing mellow crooners (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Perry Como, Al Martino, Tony Bennett, etc. etc. you get the idea) but it can play anything necessary. If a known wizard arrives… it gets turned off.
• A large open area is set aside as a “dance floor” if needed.
• A large wood and brass bar fronts the kitchen.
• The kitchen is small.
  • They have a very small menu… it’s written on a slate board on the wall near the kitchen door.
    • There’s always an appetizer of some kind, sandwich of some kind, a pasta dish, and a dessert.
      • The house salad never changes.
    • That’s all that’s available. It’s delicious and it’s reasonably priced. If you don’t like it… eat somewhere else.

Second Floor

• The second floor features a fireplace (a modern “realflame” smokeless fireplace embedded into the original mantle), elegant paintings, light fixtures, decor, wood panels, and furniture to create a relaxing “lounge” or perhaps “smoke room” (for calm meetings and discussions). The ceiling is like on the ground floor.
• It is reached by a spiral staircase coming up from the first floor.
• There is also a manual pulley controlled dumb-elevator coming up from the kitchen below.
• There is also a single small conference room (6-8 people tops) and Frank’s cramped office.
  • The conference room and office are above the kitchen and on the side of the floor furthest from the window. They are accessed by a not-so-secret panel to the side of the fireplace.

Wards

There are some pretty hefty magical nullification wards embedded and concealed throughout all the wood paneling, engraving, tapestries, and brocade.

Face

The owner of the establishment is Frank Civello but he’s not a supernatural… so far as anyone can tell. For everyone else, the staff are packing guns and there are tommy guns readily accessible. But he’s not really the FACE…

…that honor belongs to Molly Malone, the bartender.