The Rocky Paths Café & Library

Brynhildr Empyreum Ward 27 Plot 7

One miqo's mental oasis in a city that never warms.

Opens Saturday and Sunday nights from 10PM-2AM EST, in addition to Pop-up openings.

With the opening of the Empyreum housing district, no small number of eateries, taverns and other venues cropped up alongside it, each an oasis of warmth from the harsh cold weather outside.Though, this café isn't quite the same. Only the owner on staff (well, maybe not anymore) and not an inch of clothing on her besides a trusty apron. Every bite and sip is to die for, whether you enjoy it dressed for the climes outside, or stripped down in similar fashion.Care for a better look at our patrons and staff? Check the Rules tab.

Tural Tamales -- A recipe recently brought back from the New World, with beef, peppers, three different cheeses and served in a corn husk.Dalmascan Carrot Cake -- A slice of traditional carrot cake, said to be the favorite of Veena. Rava tend to say otherwise.Abalathian Lava Cake -- The secret recipe of the Rocky Paths Café, taught to Patched by an old friend from the Spine. Chocolate lava cake, with an equally rich melted chocolate filling that drips out onto the plate.Ala Mhigan Jerky -- Strips of dried meat, salted with locally sourced, well, salt. The least "café" food you could get.Costa con Carne -- A bowl of Costa del Sol's famous chili, prepared almost exactly like it is there with 2 different kinds of beans, garlic and plenty of beef. Extra chili spices and extra EXTRA spicy Void Peppers added as requested!Fried Namazu -- Contains no fish. A dish once made by a fallen finned friend of the Café, its secret meat filling wrapped in fish-shaped dough has been lovingly passed down to our plates.Princess Pudding -- Vanilla pudding topped with a singular cherry and decorated in the shape of a small crown, to be given to one's princess. Or ordered by said princess, should she be venturing out on her lonesome.King's Sizzle -- King's Mantle octopus, fished straight from the famous Loch Seld, grilled in white wine, and spiced using a blend of Ala Mhigan and Thavnairian peppers and onions. Once a meal enjoyed exclusively by royalty, now yours to enjoy and feel like royalty.Recruit's Reason -- Though originally a recipe made for soldiers in the Garlean army, this beef stew has since been adapted by chefs of the wider nations to give to prisoners, a tasty reason to give up information.Alo Alo Bars -- Tasting of passion fruit and sugary enough to make a mother worry, you can't get any simpler than this when it comes to sweets.Nopalitender Salad -- Salad made of chopped nopal leaves, tomato, onions and cheese. All the fun of eating one of those infamous tenders, with none of the pain of a thousand needles in your mouth.Baroness' Buuz -- A recipe brought in by the Baroness of Buuz herself, cooked dzo meat heavily spiced with peppers locally known as "Nidhogg's Bane" and wrapped in a warm bun.Shisui Dango -- Baked dango, seasoned with soy sauce and wrapped in seaweed. It may not carry the colours of spring, but it will surely convey the same feeling as you munch on it.The Morning After -- From our breakfast offerings, now available around the clock! Breakfast sausage and sunny-side up eggs, displayed in a manner befitting the night before, so you can finally order our sausage day or night. Eggs can be prepared alternatively at request. No, it doesn't come with milk.

The Special Menu

Recipes and immitations that hold a special place in the owner's heart.

The Last Lunch -- It won't be your last, no matter if it's long past dinnertime or first meal of the day. Healthy serving of griffin meat 'n noodles, boasting some moderate spice. A close approximation of a meal the owner had moons ago at a certain bar in the Mist. Best enjoyed with a bottle of rum.Lemon Bars -- Simple lemon bars, topped with a dash of powdered sugar. Nothing more, nothing less.Axel Grease -- Rroneek smash burger, topped with Thavnairian onions, tomato, and La Noscean lettuce. All topped off with a proper coating of spicy mayo. Inspired by the workings of Star Burger.Numi'clairs -- Traditionally made Ishgardian éclairs, filled with cream and painted with a vanilla & rolanberry topping. Low or highborn, it's something all Ishgardians should try.Roxwell Road -- Chocolate ice cream with small marshmallows and locally (our front yard) grown almonds blended in. In honor of the woman who puts the "Rocky" in Rocky Paths.

Specialty Drinks, for a different taste:

Spiced Lady -- A surprisingly Gridanian drink popular right before the fall of Dalamud. Chocolate, milk and cinnamon, perfect for a warm night after a long day.Queimada -- Lit ablaze before serving, this mildly alcoholic coffee was once used before hunting voidsent as a sort of ritual to keep one safe. Please do not drink the fire before it is put out.Black Magic -- Not the kind from Mhach! Coffee with a hint of honey and mint, a favorite of the Thaumaturges Guild.Nald'Thal Blend -- An espresso blend said to be served in a cafe for both the living and the dead, similar to a caffè latte. Double espresso dominated by steamed milk, with an attempt at latte art made by our chefs.White Magic -- An original of the Rocky Paths, inspired by the mages of Amdapor. Warm milk, egg, honey and ginger combine to make a booster to cure what ails you.Red Magic -- A combination of both the Black and White magic, coffee with honey, mint, ginger and a helping of milk, made with a perfect balance of both drinks (minus the egg.)Slumbering Shroud -- Black tea served with lemon and honey, blended to just the right warmth to bring even a raging Hellsguard down to a deep slumber. Don't drink too much!Shin Genmaicha -- A Bismarck original, now, er, reflected at the Rocky Paths! Green tea brewed with cinnamon shavings, creating a unique blend of flavor.Zobo -- Deep red hibiscus tea with a hefty ginger kick, backed by some small helpings of pineapple and cloves. Surprisingly healthy, and with a taste to die for.Azure Tranquilitea -- Butterfly Pea leaves brewed just right to make this uniquely blue drink, meant to be as calming as the slow waves ashore in Hingashi.Yak Tel Mate -- Served out of a traditional gourd with a straw to enjoy the drink, this tea uses leaves from lower Yak Tel, bringing the oft misunderstood Mamool Ja's culture to Eorzea.Zojito -- An alcoholic equivalent to the Zobo on the menu, and using many of the same ingredients. Rum mixed with pineapple juice, ginger and mint, and coloured to match the tea in question.Burnin' Blue Ceruleum -- Brought across the salty waters to the west, this drink may not be too blue, but the bourbon in the glass may just threaten to burn you as bad as its namesake.The Calamity Moon -- All the horrible aftertaste and regret of the Zen Star, now in a much, much safer guise. This shot may not threaten to burn through the glass, shift in shape, or threaten your life like the resident Zen does, but you'll still feel like you've lived through such an experience.

The Simple Things:

Black Coffee -- The classic cup of joe, nothing added unless requested.Espresso -- A shot of caffeine to wake you up, or keep you up.Black Tea -- Locally sourced tea from Ul'dah, brewed to perfection.Green Tea -- Imported directly from Kugane, and brewed right in the Rocky Paths.Hibiscus Tea -- The base tea used in Zobo, with nothing else added to mask the taste.Hot Cocoa -- Nice, warming cocoa, with plenty of marshmellows to spare if need be.Tequila -- For when you want the drink, without all the extra madness of a Zen Star.Rum -- Lominsan rum, the finest we can afford without keeping the bottle to ourselves. Be prepared to share the bottle with the owner anyway.

The Zen Star:

For the truly mad. What begins as simple tequila is soon diluted by so many clashing, disgusting flavors and ingredients the very drink begins to lose form. Hailing from the Burn itself, and carrying a non-minimal amount of sand from the same place, this drink is just as likely to put you on your ass as it is to send you to the realms beyond our own. We do not recommend buying this drink. We recommend forgetting you saw this on the menu. We recommend ordering shots for the table. Due to growing safety concerns, we no longer offer it "On the Rocks."Known side effects from consumption include: Loss of sight, loss of smell, loss of any good sense, inebriation, rapid change in one's skin tone, loss of hair, loss of mind, nothing, everything, sobriety, the star itself revealing its secrets, pure Zen. We do not recommend finding more side effects. You still likely will. This drink won't kill again. Probably.((Although not necessary, we do recommend doing a /roll 20 after recieving this item from the menu to get an idea of how terrible your experience will be.))

The Library

Making up the "Rocky" part of the Café, the library situated up the stairs from the main bar and tables is run by the owner's own wife, her amassed collection of books opened to the public to peruse and borrow, so long as any food enjoyed at the establishment doesn't make its way between the pages. Books covering void-related topics may be found near the ahriman plush, while the rest of the library contains several volumes both on cooking and the various civilizations that do, or once did, call our star home.

Bath & Lounge

A recent addition to the Rocky Paths, the former living space of the owner has been converted into a comfortable relaxation space for guests, featuring plush couches, darts, a bath to warm away the chills of Coerthas, and a closed sleeping area, for those wishing for just a bit more privacy, or a spot more comfortable to spend the night.

Patched Paths

Hailing from the dunes of the Sagolii, Patched is the owner and (formerly) sole employee of the Rocky Paths, keeping her blends and recipes close to her chest. Decently well traveled and pulling from every corner of the realm she can, her quest for more drinks and meals to serve is never ending... besides the frequent breaks for rum.

Numia Buro

The youngest (and founding) member of House Buro, Numia works in the Paths as a greeter and waitress. While shyness permeates nearly every one of her interactions, she's always curious to hear about travelers and their tales to share - and quite the avid reader. Even should her face be obscured, you can usually tell her arrival by the giant hat she insists on wearing.

Silent Ocean

The resident drifting employee of the Rocky Paths. Though her skills in the kitchen are limited in comparison to those who usually work bar, she knows enough about the basic options - and the ever insidious Zen Star - to make do. Although she isn't a common face to see towering behind bar, the Paths wouldn't exist without her interference with the owner's life.

Lea Pipkin

The resident chef of Rocky Paths. Presently the only other person trusted with Patches' recipes, as well as the key to the liquor cabinet and the large shaped indent in the couch. A fixture behind the bar, especially when he's got hot breakfast for those who stayed the night.

General Rules

-18+, obviously. Does this even need to be explained?-Clothing is entirely optional within the cafe and library, although we highly recommend that you do not leave any behind before venturing back out into Ishgard. We don't need you as a frosty lawn ornament. Don't want to remove anything? Also up to you, enjoy your night as clothed as you like.-Wanting to get more intimate with a guest? Feel free, just don't ruin any books or meals people are having and it's all good.-If you're gonna start a fight, take it outside. We do not discriminate with our firepower if staff needs get involved in whatever squabbles arise.-Don't be a creep. Like, seriously. It ain't hard.Congrats, you read/skimmed past the rules.MSS-ZMHADDNJMAPY
Pass: RockyPathsSyncshell is cleaned once a week of those who haven't logged in 7+ days, typically on Monday or Tuesday.

Looking to Reserve?

If our fine establishment catches your eye just so, we are available to host your private events, clothed or not.Price is dependent on time and size. Contact the owner through tells or our Discord to discuss the finer details!