Taverna Generica 28

[happyturtle]

Taverna Generica

"Θα θέλατε ένα ποτό;"
TAVERNA: Teh Acronym's Victoriously Extraordinary Realm of Nice Alcohol Yes, The is not normally included. Hence, "teh"
or
PUB: Place of Uberous Bavardage Credit for that to Blue Umbrella for that particular Acronym

Please do not update this thread if it goes past 50 unless you have express permission to do so.

Description:
Reasoning for this thread: Townies complained that ACRONYM players and characters were intruding, destroying their plots, and generally making a nuisance of themselves. This thread (and perhaps others that may follow in its vain) are by no means trying to replace town, but are trying to offer ACRONYM players the chance to show their characters off in a non-ACRONYM base environment. In the same way, we are in no way saying that because this thread is here, it will stop ACRONYM players from using the Town. We also remind Townies that we are not saying you cannot post here. Yet, we dissuade you from doing so.

Before you stands a stout, heavy building, constructed from dark, grey stones, with crossbeams latticing neatly across the foundation, up to the heavy wooden, and thatched, roof above. An inn sign hangs outside, eroded by age, the image undecipherable, the name withered: TAVERNA GENERICA.
On the front door, someone, seeming recently, has inscribed the words Enjoy your time! Someone has also hung a sign, offering ACRONYMers work in the bar, permanently, though, in reality, you'll have to work your way up.
The tavern is in walking distance from any Acronym organisations, and other major Acronym landmarks, such as Freedom Glades (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100185) (where the portal to Town currently is), and Inside (note, it is not in Inside, merely nearish it). This, I stress most heavily, is not to be abused so you can run amok. It is so characters with no teleport capabilities can come to the inn. Yes, it makes no sense, considering that the organisations are miles apart, in some cases, even further, with environmental hazards, etc. It just is. Should I receive complaints that this is being abused, this shall be edited away.

Inside, there is a large bar area, capable of seating at least one hundred people, with tables, big and heavy, and dark red leather chairs, aged yet comfy, littered about in a disorganised style. Old, oil paintings, of landscapes and battles, are hung randomly about the place, and a roaring fire constantly blazes to one side, nicely illuminating the baby grand piano, and well-worn dartboard. Shuttered windows look out onto the streets outside. Behind the bar, an assortment of NPCs man the bar, all middle-aged, pot-bellied men, with bad body odour, and too much stubble and wart issues. The occasional good-time girl (legal), and, recently, boy (legal) (working as a bar wench/manwench) also serves as a bar(wo)man at times, many are rather too old or ugly to be of much use to the refined ACRONYMer, though. And, still further behind them, are the drinks, many hundreds of thousands of them, ranging from the mundane, to the mystic. From the bar, one can also buy typical bar foodstuffs, like pork scratchings, and dragon-flavoured nuts and kettle chips. One can also order proper food, in dizzying variety, from the kitchen, at rather high prices. By the bar, a sign reads "No Wanton Telepathy or Reality-Warping, Please.". The only regular barmaid/hostess/front-of-house is Yasmin Lewis (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5425975&postcount=75), who can be treated as a powerful NPC.
Behind the bar is a large kitchen area, designed to cater for large functions, staffed by unnamed NPC slaves and servants. The technology in the kitchen has been imported from another dimension, there are incinerators, ovens, microwaves, and fridges, unlike the typical level of technology in this dimensional quadrant.

Beneath the kitchen and bar area, accessible through a hidden staircase, lies the gigantic, mysterious wine cellar, filled with ancient drinks, and age-old graffiti, filled with dust, and the occasional pair (or more) making hot nookie beside the bottles, barrels, fine clarets, pure Chardonnays, vintage burgundies, and other fine wines...
There is no upstairs. There used to be, true, but it's now a one-floor building.
There's a small stables outside, where horses, ponies, and smaller mounts can be stored, and the NPC stableboys are perfectly capable of sending larger mounts and vehicles to other, larger, holding places off-site, when required to. A hire service working from the stables can send off for rentable mounts, but there is an NPC heavy warhorse stored there, by the name of Cookie, who can be rented for dramatic entrances, and the like, for a much more modest price.

The only spells on the inn are ones that prevent alcohol from being watered down, and another that stops the entire inn being destroyed. Portals, and teleports, are perfectly allowed within, though frowned upon if they appear in places where they're not wanted.

IC Rules are as follows:
1. No listening to unhappy songs during happy hour!
2. No killing the staff.
3. No vandalism.
4. No thieving!
5. Not so much a rule, but we'd like to remind customers that we retain the right to refuse and kill customers, and no responsibility can be taken on our part if you're evicted, injured, or killed, by Taverna employees.
6. No drug use.
7. No food and drink brought in from other establishments is to be consumed here without staff permission.
Breaking of the rules may earn ACRONYMers banning from the tavern, or a fine. Or, in certain cases, other ACRONYMers, or NPC policemen and bounty hunters, may be employed to hunt down the nasty, nasty people who broked the rules.

OOC Rules are as follows:
1. No controlling the NPCs to do anything that would be considered unlike them to do. You're permitted to make them serve your character(s) a drink, but no, let's say, make them get drunk and burn the place down. Of course, you could always make it clear your character is mind-controlling them into doing such as thing, for example, but you cannot make them do anything out of the ordinary, and make it seem as if they were doing it out of their own free will. I control the NPCs when I'm online and active here.
2. No destroying the place, or doing something to it that'll produce a similar effect (for example, no placing a massive time freeze on the entire area forever). You're allowed to damage it, but destroying it just takes the fun out of it for all the other players.
3. No godmoding/godmodding. Even if it's permitted in some ACRONYMs, it isn't in others, and therefore shall not be allowed in the taverna. The occasional mishap's OK, repeated offence isn't.
4. Players are allowed to make NPCs speak in whatever tone, colour, and font they so choose, though, in keeping with pre-established tradition, the female NPCs normally speak in orange, the males in gray. If I, the thread runner, am not online, NPCs can be played by anyone.
5. Please try and keep posts longer than one or two lines of speech. Description is appreciated. One-or-two-liners that don't do much are OK once in a while - but not regularly.
6. If you want random smashy hahaN00BlulzFun, here's not the place. Anything spammy, random, or just plain annoying, can go! Of course, if your silliness is in moderation and well-roleplayed, and considerate of other players, then welcome in.
Repeated rule violaters (in nearly all circumstances OOC, but perhaps IC), can be punished by being IC banned from the thread. And therefore OOC banned to, under threat of mod being called to remove you for breaking thread rules.

7. No smut, RP sexual activity, etc. Take it elsewhere, "this is a family thread".


==============================================


Taverna Generica no longer has an upstairs or any rooms for rent.


==============================================



This thread has no PC waitstaff. Please include the arrival of your food and drink when you post, or you might be waiting a long time.


==============================================


Credit for the Taverna Generica goes to Kaelaroth, who created it and wrote the OP text. We miss you, Kael!

[Rebonack]

Repost

Ts'ik watches the shenanigans with disinterest. She knows well enough that mammals are strange. But the ones around here seem unusually odd. Probably hasn't ever seen a drow before, given that she comes from a land of sun and sand rather than gloom and 'shrooms.

As Raril goes tumbling off the chair the fox goes with him, dropping face-first to the floor.

Fire Fox crash!

Would you like to restart?

The fox quickly regains baring, turning to scowl at the crawling hand(s). "Hey! Bugger off! Go be creepy at someone else!"

For good measure teeth are shown to the hand(s)!

Rawr!

[Morty]

Dipsnig watches what's going on with interest.

[happyturtle]

Brenda the shift manager makes her rounds and discovers a newly created room. She draws an emblem on the door, speaks a word of command, and the door becomes a wall again. The new room is teleported to another thread of Moofin or Beans's choice.

((Sorry guys, but Kaela's ooc rules definitely prohibit what you've done))

[Moofin Bard]

Elodie still doesn't look too sure.
But who else could have done it?

((Ah yes sorry. We'll move it somewhere else.))

[Viera Champion]

Lets see a man who seems to ripple like water is sitting at a table staring into an empty glass.

And Toguro, the muscled guy with the shades, has finished his mug of ale.

This happens.

[Earl of Purple]

Andy the necromantic construct stands on finger-tips and scuttles towards the metal box. Which may also be in the same direction as Ts'ik. The teeth have no effect due to the lack of eyes on Andy; it was probably the vibrations.

The box with the red cross remains on the table. As does the cloak.

((Repost))

[Artemis97]

With a pained groan Raril sits up. He watches the hand-thing scurry away with some relief. the drow then peers at the fox. There was something familiar about it.

"Avatar?" He asks. "Is that you?"

[Earl of Purple]

The stitched-together hands scurry under the table as I Deadtime.

[Rebonack]

The lizard folk lady eyes the hand.

Then eyes the box.

Then drops walks over to said table, grabs said box, and drops it on the ground with a thump. Let's see if that's what it was really after. If it isn't and the and decides to harass her instead she'll probably punt it or something.

Meanwhile!

At Avatar's question the fox grins a rather mischievous grin. "Who else would be this happy to see you? It's been weeks, Raril! Being away from one of your favorite persons for that long just isn't any fun at all!"

Another wide grin and the a POOF! of prismatic smoke and-!

Huh.

Weird.

She looks just like Zee. Different clothing. That jacket that Avatar tends to wear. And lacking in a reptilian tail. Instead a pair of fuzzy blue fox-ears peak out of her hair. Her face (and probably arms too) are imprinted with ribbon-like strings of golden orange sigils.

Avatar's also kneeling right on top of Raril, grinning cheerfully. She quickly hops to her feet and offers the Drow a hand up.

[Morty]

Dipsnig cackles quietly as the dark-skinned elf gets pinned on the floor.

[Artemis97]

Raril is horribly confused now. Is this Avatar or Zee? The drow settles on the former, judging by the strange too-realness that always has surrounded the far-critter. He accepts the hand up, smiling.

"How have you been doing?"

[Rebonack]

Avatar pulls Raril to his feet pretty easily. She certainly hasn't gotten any weaker since being split off from Zee. She also seems to recognize Raril's confusion and giggles slightly as a result.

"I've been doing alright. Meeting lots of interesting new people! Went on a couple quests. Most recently to this weird crypt. Fellow over at the market wanted a book from there."

A spoooooky book.

"Hee... I can tell you're a little baffled by my appearance. This," Avatar gestures at herself. "Is why Zee and I decided it might be best for me to use a male persona most of the time. Otherwise we would be confusing everyone. But I figured that if I used a male shape then this-"

A moment's pause.

Then Raril will find himself in Avatar's heart-felt embrace. Followed up by a kiss on the Drow's cheek.

"-would be really awkward. I've missed you and Zee so much..."

[Earl of Purple]

The box is now on the floor. Ts'ik may note the box is unlocked. The necromantic construct, which is two hands stitched together at the wrist where the hand meets the arm, taps its fingers next to the box.

[celtois]

*this seems like a really bad idea but here goes nothing I guess.*

A women in her mid twenties enters through the door. She has long black hair which mostly covers her face. She is wearing a long black travel cloak, and what looks to be a sort of armor made of leather and chain links with an odd crest on the front of it which resembles a griffin holding a gem. There is a sling bulge under the one side of her cloak which likely represent a weapon.

She walks towards the nearest table by the door.

[Rebonack]

Ts'ik eyes the hand.

And the box.

And the hand tapping on the box.

The lizard-person really isn't sure why she's bothering with this thing. Maybe just the hope that if she helps it'll go away and she won't have to smell it anymore.

Bleh.

She stoops down to open the metal container.

No doubt there will be something gross inside.

Ts'ik briefly glances at the newcomer, but otherwise doesn't react to her presence.

[Morty]

Dipsnig acknowledges the newcomer but then he deadtimes. The timing of those oozes is simply apalling.

[celtois]

The newcomer, henceforth known as Anitra.Sits down at the said table and glances at the contents of the Tavern. Nothing too unusual from the look of it, the occupants where more....varied and slightly more monstrous then at home. But perhaps that was for the best, as the people back home where monstrous is completely different way.

[McBish]

Patrick, a fairly average looking human breaks out of deadtime and orders himself another beer going and looking out the window to the streets wondering if they have calmed down at all.

[Artemis97]

It was awkward, unfortunately, though Raril does return the hug. "I've missed you too." He replies, still trying to work out what was proper here.

[Earl of Purple]

Inside, it is larger than it should be. There's three rolls of parchment? Maybe vellum? Thirteen jars, one of which peers back, another containing fingers and the rest with various fleshy flabby bits. At the very bottom, there's three arms, two left and one right, four legs, three right and one left, and some pots.

The necromantic construct scuttle off to investigate the new person. The thing consists of two right hands, stitched opposite each other so that one faces in the direction it moves in the other faces the other way. The lead hand has a patch of skin that was added at a later date; it is a different shade. The other hand has a tattoo of an anchor.

[Rebonack]

But at least it's less awkward this way!

Less awkward is a good thing, honestly.

Avatar scrunches her lips off to the side a bit, trying her best to judge Raril's reaction. She doesn't always get humanoid expressions. They're still weird to her. Especially without Zee around for backup and explanation.

She's...

Pretty sure Raril is uncomfortable.

Or maybe suffering from indigestion.

So the Far-Chimera reacts with an encouraging smile.

"You... you know that Zee and I are the same person, right? We just had to tear ourselves in half so our human part wouldn't die."

That would be bad.

Meanwhile!

The lizard-folk just looks kind of... disgusted at the contents of the box. She returns to the bar and tries her best to forget about what she just saw.

[celtois]

Anitra fails to notice the undead construct on first glance. That is of course until it gets closer to her. At which point she seems to have noticed it. Demonstrated but the scream that escapes her lips.

She quickly rises from her chair and starts to back away from the construct. Her hand makes it towards her weapon slowly.

"Seni Darku Anumi"

[Earl of Purple]

The necromantic construct scuttles back to the box, which has suddenly always been clearly labelled 'Androthelia Maxorium'.

Unfortunately, I must Deadtime.

[Artemis97]

"Really?" Raril raises an eyebrow. Up until now he'd thought of Avatar and Zee as two seperate personalities, that had happened to be sharing a body. Sort of how he and Lillith had shared his form until she had been able to get one of her own. It was a little different, of course, since the fiend hadn't had the same corrupting influence that Avatar. But, apparently, Zee and Avatar were the same person. In two bodies.

Nervously, Raril toys with the gold and sapphire bangle on his left wrist. "So... how does this work, then?"

[McBish]

Patrick turns and looks at the women who just screamed, and sees the odd hand thing scuttle away. He just shakes his head, figuring that the hand thing isn't too much of a threat, especially seeing it retreat to it's box. Though he keeps a eye on the women who has her hand on her weapon.

[celtois]

A threat no. Startling yes. She removes her hand from her weapon and slowly walks back towards her table. Muttering something in her native tongue.

Upon sitting down again she takes off the traveling cloak; Showing her blue and white leather and chain armor and once again that odd crest which also appears on her shoulder guards, now fully visible a morning star hangs at her waist.

She notices the man looking at her and blushes slightly probably ashamed at the outburst.

[Rebonack]

"Really!" Avatar confirms with a nod, shifting her position a bit to put an arm around Raril's shoulder. It's been a long time since she's seen her husband. Far too long. And right now just being close to him is what she wants more than anything in the world. "Well... Zee and I discovered that if we stay close to each other for very long we start to synchronize. Our minds and emotions meld back together again. And... well... it's really confusing. The same mind in two different bodies ended up making Zee really nauseous, so we've been trying to keep a bit of distance between each other."

She gives the drow another squeeze before heading over to a nearby table. "Though I've discovered that we can still fully meld. So long as we don't keep it up for weeks at a time we should be safe. Sooo..." a rather impish grin creeps onto her face. "We decided that since our anniversary is coming up soon that we would meld again. That way we can all spend the time together. Just like it should be."

And then comes the scream.

Which causes Avatar to start and turn her attention to the noisy source.

"Eerr... are you alright miss?"

Seems she didn't see the hand.

[McBish]

He just shrugs to her showing it's no big deal. He then takes a seat at the bar sipping his beer.

[The Bushranger]

((Celtois! *glomps*))

Eileen is here, snoozing on a table, having broken contiuity after her visit to the Fair.

[celtois]

She looks up from the table. To the personage who had just spoke to her. "Zamiche darku sanuti chimi na sethay abanis armu sanuti esiki sanuti. Sanu ne leithrim" Her cheeks are slightly flushed and it is quite likely that she is embarrassed at such an outburst. Though if Avatar surmises as much is unknown.

For any who can understand all tongues here is the translation
Greetings dark one, this one is well. The sacrilegious abomination that approached this one startled this one. This one is sorry.

OOC: Yes nice to see you bushy.

EDIT: Alexis is upstairs praying to her goddess.

[Artemis97]

Anniversary? Oh boy... those were supposed to be special, weren't they?

Poor Raril's left a bit bewildered as Avatar goes to investigate the screaming.

[The Bushranger]

((^^

...there isn't an upstairs anymore, unfortunatly...))

Eileen keeps snoozing, resting her head on her arms and looking...peaceful. If slightly uncomfortable.

[Rebonack]

Yes...

Yes, anniversaries are supposed to be special.

If they're not special then the wife is required to give the husband the look for several days.

Now, as for Avatar she doesn't so much speak any given language as she speaks utterly incomprehensible gibberish and people just seem to understand it for whatever reason. She doesn't so much speak with words as she speaks with thoughts and impressions and emotions.

Though by the time the brain of the listener interprets it words are often the end result. It also means she usually doesn't notice that other people are speaking different languages.

She wrinkles her nose a bit at the overly polite reply.

"Oh, eerr... Don't worry about it. I just wanted to make sure that gross thing hadn't hurt you at all. You might get use to weird stuff like that around here," the presently human-looking Far-Chimera explains. "So... let me be the first to welcome you to the Nexus! I'm Avatar and this-"

She reaches over to take Raril by the arm and pull him alongside herself.

"-is my husband Raril!"

[celtois]

(Right... note to self read the first post next time. >.<)

Alexis is sitting at the same table as Eileen. Across from her in fact she's being careful to to disturb her.

Polite I suppose is one word for it. There isn't really any slang or informal vocabulary where she's from.

The women stands and walks over towards avatar. (for the sake of my sanity I'm going to type the translated version to make posting quicker, it however is still a foreign tongue for those who can't understand it.) "Odd this one is used too. The walkers of flesh however this one is not used to. This on thanks you for welcoming this one here. It is a pleasure to meet you and your bonded partner. This one is called Anitra"

[The Bushranger]

Eileen wakes up!
And yawns, rubbing her eyes.
"Really shouldn't drift off like that..."

[Artemis97]

The drow waves when he's introduced, but realizes he can't understand half the conversation. Raril mumbles a spell so as to understand what's being said.

[celtois]

"Morning sleepy head." Alexis smiles at Eileen. "Much happen while I was gone?"

Anitra gives a curt nod to Raril.

[Rebonack]

Zee is, of course, oblivious to Raril's plight.

"Nice to meet you Anitra! Always nice getting to meet new people around here. Everyone is so unique and different. Everyone with an interesting story."

She giggles a bit.

"My story is probably a little too interesting for my own good."

Then quirks her head off to the side slightly.

"So... what brings you here? Where did you come from? Have you ever ridden on a camel before?"

Wait...

What?

[The Bushranger]

Eileen starts a bit, then grins at Alexis. "Hey! Not much. I think Mirari went on vacation or something. You missed the trip to the fair too."

[celtois]

"This ones story is much the same as yours. Too interesting for this ones own good. Yet, if you desire to hear it It would be this ones pleasure to tell, as for your last question I certainly have."

The pauses as if thinking of where to begin her tale or perhaps just giving Avatar a chance to reaffirm that she does wish to hear the tale.

"Vacation? You sure you didn't scare her away." Alexis winks at her. "The fair? That sounds like a lot of fun, I'm sorry that I missed it."

[McBish]

Patrick continues to sit at the bar sipping his drink and occasionally looking out the window.

[The Bushranger]

Eilleen chuckles. "Oh, I don't think so..." Shaking her head, she shrugs. "It's no problem. It's just...well, it was a little lonely, I guess..."

[celtois]

.... I guess I'll just post then.


"Yeah, still it would have been nice to have gone. So the nexus has been pretty quiet then?" This is accompanied by a slight tilt of the head and a smile.

[Rebonack]

"I wouldn't mind hearing it!" Avatar replies cheerfully. "Maybe I can tell you my story after you're done? It would proabbly take a while and I'm sure it would be confusing... But who knows, it might be fun!"

Yay for fun!

She glances about at the other people in the tavern at the moment, making mental notes of those she hasn't spoken to before.

Why?

Because speaking to new people is one of her favorite things to do!

That's why she hangs out at Taverna rather than just sitting around in that hole in a sandy hillside she calls home.

Nice home.

But a little boring.

[The Bushranger]

"...well, that's not exactly true. I've been hearing a lot of wars and rumours of wars kind of stuff, but haven't seen very much of it personally."

Eileen flags down a waiter and asks for two mugs of hot chocolate.

[celtois]

"This one would like that. As for myself, first this one thinks you should know where this one is from. Literion a small nation with a minimal impact on the world. Also a nation of fevered religion.

My story begins in a small noble household. On the northern district of the capital. Now this one was always a more adventurous youth so that is likely where this ones troubles started....."

(Story is long so it will be split up through multiple posts so questions can be asked.)

"Hot chocolate you must be going soft Eileen." Alexis smirks at her. "Wars, that's not good the people around here can't be doing so well then. Wars always have casualties that don't deserve it."

[McBish]

Patrick pulls out some pouches from his pocket and starts to work on putting together several different necklaces much like the one he is wearing, which seems like a medicine bag.

[The Bushranger]

"I've learned enough not to drink right when I wake up." Eileen laughs, then sobers. "It seems in some places it's pretty bad, yeah..."

((Alas, dinnertime. But welcome back! *hugs*))

[Rebonack]

((Feel free to post again if I don't reply right away. I'm postin' other places as well.))

Avatar settles down into a nearby stool and orders a hot chocolate as she listens to the story. Though... while she listens something's troubling her.

Raril is acting weird.

Really weird.

Almost like he's uncomfortable around her?

But... How could that be? They were married after all! He hasn't ever acted this way before, tip toeing around like he's walking on glass...

She glances at the drow out of the corner of her eye to see what his present expression looks like.

Relaxed?

Nervous?

Worried?

[celtois]

(Eh, I prefer to wait on people, I find things tend to flow better that way, and besides I have other stuff I can do between posts.)

"Well this one always was a little bit unusual never doing what she was told. So when this ones father told her to get bonded to this fat pig, things started to go down hill. See father wasn't happy when this one refused, very not happy. But this one was chosen to be a knight of the church shortly after so he couldn't do anything. Knights are above anything even their fathers you see...."


Hmm, maybe we should do something about that? Something for us to do? After all I need to find a place to stay and that isn't going to be easy unless I find something to do soon. Helping people always was my favorite thing to do anyways.

[Artemis97]

Conflicted might best describe the Drow's expression. He was married and quite in love with Zee, but now it seems to include Avatar as well. Which was alright, the drow supposed. He'd traveled in places where more than two people were engadged in marriage. Largely it involved a single man and multiple woman, so, by surface standards this wasn't too abnormal.

But what would Zee think? Did she agree with what Avatar was saying? Could they make this work or would he only end up hurting her again? Could the two women chare him?

Oh gods. Women can't share. Especially when a male is the object of desire. Nine times out of Ten, the poor fool caught in the middle ended up dead.

Alright, now he looked terrified.

[McBish]

Patrick continues to work on the necklaces filling the small medicine bags with different herbs and stuff, muttering something as he fills them and ties them shut.

[Rebonack]

Conflicted.

Concerned.

...terrified?

Avatar bites her lip, looking away quickly.

Is... Raril afraid of her? That couldn't be it, could it? He knows that the two of them are just two halves of the same person, right?

"I... eerr... Raril? Do you know where Zee is?"

She glances at the newcomer next up. "Oh! Umm, so you're a religious warrior then?" Avatar seems somewhat distracted. "I'm familiar with arranged marriages too. Sometime... they're good. Help people to realize that love is less of an emotion and more of a commitment."

[celtois]

"Was would be a more appropriate term to describe this one. Well things got bad for this one after this. Seems my father decided since this one had refused he was going to wreck this one, somehow he had this one charged with sacrilege. This one had to flee the nation, and that's how this one ended up here."

(1 more post)

[Rebonack]

At that point Avatar quirks her head off to the side slightly.

And then her foxy blue ears fold down as a pained expression crosses her face.

"Your father... exiled you? He got you exiled from your home just because you decided to serve your church rather than marrying someone you found reprehensible...?"

Her mouth is agape.

"That's... That's terrible."

Eyes down to the floor now.

"So... you were exiled... So you came here? What were you supposed to be doing as a knight before you were tried?"

[Artemis97]

"Err.... No. No I don't." Raril realizes with a bit of embarrassment. "But I could've been talking to her before I got here. I honestly don't know. My head's still screwed up." He shrugs apologetically.

The drow was also half-listening to the woman's story. "I had to run from home, too. It's not so bad, once you get settled, make some friends." He advises.

[Rebonack]

Avatar bites her lip, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly. "I... See..." followed by a deep sigh. A shake of the head. "I can't feel her... Normally we've got an inkling of each other at least. Flashes of thought. Emotion."

She offers Raril a soft smile. "I can always tell when she's happy. And with Zee happy is most of the time. But..."

The smile fades, wilting like a spring lily in the harsh summer sun.

"...I can't feel her at all now. I think she might be..."

Dead.

Deceased.

Croaked.

Passed on.

Bought the Farm.

[celtois]

Well he used his influence to get this one exiled. I suppose it is, I'm hardly happy about it, but this one has found that people are like that. Before I was tried? She pauses I'd rather not talk about it, this ones church isn't lead by the nicest people....

Deadtime.

[Artemis97]

Raril eyes go very wide.

"No." He shakes his head. "No no no. She... she can't be. She's not!"

The drow was terrified. Normally, it was Avatar's far-characteristics that had brought her back. But this time. This time they were seperated. Zee was just a human.

[The Bushranger]

Hmm, maybe we should do something about that? Something for us to do? After all I need to find a place to stay and that isn't going to be easy unless I find something to do soon. Helping people always was my favorite thing to do anyways.

"Probably a good idea. I need to do something with myself anyway." Eileen nods, sipping her drink.

[McBish]

Patrick pockets the new necklaces that he has made and orders some gyros to eat.

[Rebonack]

Avatar's eyes drop to the floor again.

Then back up to Raril. She reaches out one hand, trembling, to place it on his shoulder. Her grip will tighten, but only for a moment before she pulls the drow close. She wraps her arms around Raril, resting her head on him now. She does her best to fill the room with that same aura of peace and serenity that Zee possesses.

But sadly she's not nearly as proficient.

"Sssssh... It's alright. She'll... She'll be fine. She'll be back," Avatar promises. "When my kind dies we just slumber for a time. But Zee... She's light and love now. No one can kill the love that she... that we have. For you. And this place. She'll return to us, I promise."

[Artemis97]

Raril hugs Avatar tightly. She could probably feel that he was shaking. Scared and hurt by the loss. "How can you be certain?" The drow asks, his voice beginning to crack. "Do you know where she's gone, now?" He stesp back a little, in order to look Avatar in the eyes. There was hope in his own crimson orbs. Meybe there was a way to bring her back from wherever she's gone to. Or at least, maybe he could say goodbye.

[Rebonack]

Avatar's hands don't leave Raril's shoulders.

She doesn't falter.

Doesn't waver.

Because, right now, she needs to be that foundation for the drow to lean on.

Because right now, Zee isn't here.

A thought flits through her mind. briefly.

And it's an ugly one.

If it were her dead instead of Zee. Then... would Raril have been happy?

No that...

There's no place for the kind of thing.

She steels herself and gives an answer. "Because when we were killed before, all those times. When we died it wasn't me who brought us back. It was Zee that pulled me out of the sleep of death. Not the other way around."

[Artemis97]

Raril nods slowly. "You're right. She'll find a way back." He moves to hug Avatar again.

[McBish]

Patrick may or may not have been eavesdropping on Avatar and Raril and he looks a bit down. He downs what is left of his beer and orders another.

[Rebonack]

Avatar's more than happy to return the hug. Being close to Raril again, even for a fairly short amount of time, has been incredibly cathartic to her. Sitting in that hole in the ground got really lonely...

Suddenly!

There comes a flash of white flame above the pair.

A flash that quickly resolves into a human shape, color and texture filling in next.

It's Zee!

And she's in mid air!

Gravity quickly rectifies this problem.

By dropping her right on top of Avatar and Raril.

Anyone looking on might notice that Avatar and Zee look almost exactly the same apart from apparel. Though... Avatar has a rather odd quality about her. Hard to place a finger on.

[Artemis97]

Raril's head snaps up at the flash of light. "Zee!" He has time to shout before she starts to fall. He'll try to catch her, but it's likely they'll all end up in a heap anyways.

[Rebonack]

And thus there's a heap!

Big ol' pile of Zee and Avatar and Raril.

Both of the ladies, as soon as they realize what just happened, begin to giggle madly. Because apparently they find this hilarious for some reason.

Eventually they disintangle themselves and the two mirror images of one another begin chatting.

"I thought you were going to try being a guy?"

"I did! But then Raril came in and I figured he would think a guy hugging him is strange."

"Hmm... I guess that makes sense..."

"What killed you, anyway?"

"...Crow..."

Avatar doesn't reply. Her mouth is too busy hanging open.

[McBish]

Patrick gets up and heads for the door leaving some coins on the bar paying his tab.

[Chas the mage]

The man in the imperial soldier armour is here.

[Artemis97]

Raril's ended up flat on his back on the floor. He was happy, for a moment, but now he's confused. The drow sticks his hand up in the air, asking a question.

"My ears must be ringing, but, did you say Crow did this?"

[Rebonack]

Okay.

Now it's time for things to get confusing.

Remember what Avatar said about synchronizing?

Both women look at Raril and nod in unison.
"Yeah, it was Crow. She was acting just like she normally does and then BAM! She stabs me through the back and started mocking me about... being a horrible wife and pushing Avatar away..."
"Yeah, it was Crow. She was acting just like she normally does and then BAM! She stabs me through the back and started mocking me about... being a horrible wife and pushing Avatar away..."

They sound the same. The look the same, especially since Avatar's ears have gone on hiatus and Zee's missing her tail. Both look like normal human women. What's more, every breath. Every bit of inflection. They're echoing one another flawlessly.

And they pauses at the same time, too. And look at each other.
"I think we just synchronized..."
"I think we just synchronized..."

[Artemis97]

The drow props himself up on his elbows and nods. "Yeah, I'd say so." Raril had to laugh a bit at this. "This is a little strange." He admits.

[Rebonack]

Uh oh...

Zee is starting to look nauseous.

And Avatar is following suit.

"Oh geeze... I think I'm going to be sick..."
"Oh geeze... I think I'm going to be sick..."

Both of them grab their stomachs in unison. Hopefully there won't be any synchronized vomiting as well.

Both of them squeeze their eyes shut to try to block out some of the conflicting sensory information.

"Okay... umm... Now what...?"
"Okay... umm... Now what...?"

A slight pause. Then the faces of both light up at once.

"I know! We can try a meld test run for next- uurrrp!"
"I know! We can try a meld test run for next- uurrrp!"

Zee and Avatar's eyes go wide as they throw both hands over their mouths.

...and then run to the bathroom.

[Artemis97]

Raril watches both women run off. "Correction. This is very strange." He decides, pushing himself to his feet.

They were like twins... except, more so.

[Rebonack]

There comes from the bathrooms unpleasant hurling sounds.

Then some more chatter.

Then silence.

Then the door opens and Zee walks out, looking a little loopy with one hand on her stomach. She looks... different.

There's the reptilian tail with the cute bow.

And those odd orange ribbons of sigils.

And those funny blue fox ears poking out of her hair.

And those odd antlers where human ears should be.

And, of course, a realness so great that all else seems drab and hazy by contrast.

It's Zeeatar! And she's doing a test-run.

"Uuuhhgg... It's nice to be myself again after a couple months. But I think I could do without the nausea..."

[The Bushranger]

Eileen, meanwhile, is still sitting at her corner table with Alexis, yawning.

[Rebonack]

Shortly after the woman escapes from dead time she'll be accosted by Zee's general weirdness.

Because general weirdness is what pretty much anyone can expect when being around Zee. Especially after Zee has been put back together again, defying the lacking skills of all the king's horses and all the king's men.

"Could you tell the room to stop spinning?" she slurs as she goes wobbling past. "I would like to get off now..."

Not only is she dealing with the earlier experience, but Zee's human spirit is having to get used to Avatar's preternatural senses again as their two of them meld back together again.

Not mix, though. Meld.

Or perhaps more accurately, weld.

[Ashen Lilies]

A noticable chill seeps over the Taverna, followed by a wave of heat as the door opens and a Mysterious Figure walks in from outside. The Mysterious Figure is wearing full plate, spiked, demonic and pitch black, though only a little bit can be seen of it, and none but the shoulder pads can be seen at all when he stops moving, having taken up a place at the corner of the Taverna, thanks
to the blood red cape that extends to the floor, and goes all the way around to the front. Just your typical Tin Tyrant, really. *insert appropriate TVTropes link here*
Unlike most Tin Tyrants, however, the Mysterious Figure has eschewed a spiky helmet for a hood, and a face concealing mask, which is made of bone, and striped with red. He stands in the corner, muttering to himself quitely in some dark and totally not ripped off from Darth Nihilus tongue.
ish nay vo ka kari to. do sa kari to.
A nearby wizard, correctly recognizing the Quest Giver for what he is, attempts to be helpful, and casts a spell to make a question mark appear over the Mysterious Figure's head. Of course, this simply results in the Mysterious Figure getting pissed off, snatching the exclamation mark off his head, and calmly bearing the wizard to death with it, before returning to his corner.

[Morty]

Dipsnig watches the Mysterious Figure, pondering if he's not just some sort of performer.

[Boo]

"You must really hate being touched." A voice from above says to the chilly tyrant. "Nice mask by the way. Do you like mine?" If, or rather when you look up, you will see fingers pointed towards a mask (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7330290&postcount=359) that really... well, it's all rather ugly. The feet of this source are positioned on the ceiling, defying the known laws of gravity. It's none too impressive in this universe, but the reasons behind it are different than the rest. As the tinner looks (or just answers), the position of his attention will change as it walks down the walls, and finally onto the floor. Quite gracefully, I might add.

[Artemis97]

Raril moves to support his wife, afraid she might simply topple over. The drow was worried for her. Avatar had split off from Zee to keep from corruptiong here, but now they were back together again. They were even the same person.

Of all the strange changes his wife had gone through in the time he'd known her, this one troubled Raril the most. More than when she had become a Hydra or a werewolf. Even more than when she had been part spider for a time. And Raril really hated spiders.

"Are you alright, dear?" He asks her, clearly concerned.

The murderous Mysterious Figure that had just entered the Taverna did nothing to help the Drow's mood. Raril was afraid, now. Afraid his wife was seriously ill, afraid that the man in the corner might go on a rampage such that the lightly armored bard coulod have no hope of stopping.

[Rebonack]

"I feel wobbly," would be Zee's rather succinct reply to Raril inquiry. And truth be told she looks rather wobbly as well. Swaying back and forth as she teeters over to Raril and gladly uses his shoulder for support. "Getting use to the expanded senses again is... kinda touch and go."

Makes sense.

After getting nauseous and then gaining a number of preternatural perceptive abilities all at once can really throw someone for a loop.

"But... I think I'll be alright. The test run is working well!" Avatar adds with a rather wide, silly grin. "Spiritual erosion has repaired itself a bit since last time. Aaaaand..."

She pauses, taking the time to poke herself several repeatedly with her off hand.

"Everything seems to be holding. The meld is stable. Personality and memory and spirit are all fully merged..."

Zee blinks a few times.

Then rubs her eyes.

"Wow... I knew Deios had been working on metamorphosing my Far bits, but this is more extensive than I had realized..." Avatar mutters as she examines her hand, turning it back and forth a few times. ...then peers down her shirt. "Huh... that Heart thing Yaza made is internal now, I guess."

Ever so carefully she takes her hand off Raril's shoulder, steadying herself. And despite wobbling a bit she puts her fists on her hips and grins. "Ha! I'm finally back together again! And unless I'm mistaken my metamorphosis has corrected the problem that was causing the spiritual erosion in the first place!"

She leans forward now, thumping her forehead right up against Raril's and grinning like a maniac. When she speaks again her voice has taken on an eerie, alien beauty. A crystal clear sibilance that reverberates with joy and love and peace and wonder and whimsy and endless, boundless possibility. "Guess what that means?"

[Artemis97]

Raril blinks a bit when Zee gets so close to him. He looks up into her eyes, still a bit frightened and concerned. "Er... you're all one person now... again... or something?" The drow hazards a guess.

He was confused again. It was at hs point he realizes that he will never know exactly where he stood with Zee... Avatar... whoever they were now. They were in a constant stare of flux, it seemed to him. How ironic, that the one person he depended upon. His rock, so to speak, would be an ever changing being. Such was the drow's luck.

Raril didn't mind, so much, knowing his wife loved him. But there would always be that element of uncertainty. And that scared him. A woman he couldn't read, couldn't understand was a terrifying thing. Raril had no way of knowing what might happen next, which left open the possibility for something terrible to happen. One misstep would lead to disaster.

Internally he sighs, This was a tightrope he'd walked many many times, blancing his needs and desires against those of a wrathful woman. But, Zee wasn't wrathful. Well... unless you count that one time she'd gone after his brother. Gods, he really didn't know where he stood. He was performing without a net, and if he fell, it wouldn't be just him hitting the ground. He'd hurt her as well. How badly, Raril didn't know. The chasm was too deep to see the bottom of. He prayed he wouldn't fall.

[Rebonack]

"Or something!" the cheerful woman gushes. "Avatar and Zee have become even more distinct from each other during my dissolution. But... they've grown more united as well. It's... complicated."

Things with Avatar usually are. "I can last as long I can hold the meld together. Maaaaybe a week at a time? Two at most? After that I'll need some time to rest and you'll have two ladies to deal with."

She grins cheerfully. Though... the grin doesn't last long.

Zee leans back a bit, no longer intruding into Raril's personal bubble quite so much. She quirks her head off to the side a bit, trying to make sense of the emotions and conflicting mood she's picking up from her husband.

She...

Had thought this would make him happy.

Because this was as she was when they were wed nearly a year ago. Jezekiel, the bouncy young woman who dreamed of adventure blended with Avatar the former Aspect of Ragnnora. This is who she is, right? Who she's supposed to be? A gestalt being, more than the sum of her parts. Mingled together until something new arises, as copper and tin yield bronze. It hadn't ever bothered Raril before...

So...

Why is he so hesitant now?

Those fuzzy blue fox ears droop along with Avatar's mood.

That... that couldn't be it.

Could it?

"Raril...?" she reaches out to put a hand on his cheek, trying to meet his eyes with her own. "What's wrong?"

[Earl of Purple]

The metal box labeled 'Androthelia Maxorium' is here, on the floor by a table with a tattered brown cloak on it. The hands are nowhere to be seen, however.

[Artemis97]

Perhaps, because the drow was not the same man we was when they wed nearly a year ago. His mind was shattered, broken into four seperate parts. For different facets of the same drow, each one growing more distant from one another as time passed.

Presently, fear controlled his mind. The ever present paranoia that had gotten him through life in the underdark. The same fear that kept him from growing too close to anyone, not wanting to hurt them, but mostly to protect himself. You couldn't be hurt if you didn't let anyone near you. If they got too close, it was a sign that it was time to run. Find the next simple pleasure in life.

But he couldn't run from Zee. They were married. Bonded. He had never been closer to anyone in his life. He had never been more scared of anyone, or for anyone. He didn't want to hurt her. But how long could they hold it together? Could he really live with two women in his life? Wasn't that what had always gotten him in truble before? How long until jelousy tore them all apart?

Gently, he reached up to take her hand. Closing his eyes, trying to hide the fear, he leaned against it. "I'm just a little confused, dearest. This is a little overwhelming for me." He explains. It was the truth, but there was more to it, of course. but Raril was skilled at keeping his fear hidden in these situations.

[Rebonack]

That reply manages to get a bit of a frown out of Zee.

There's something more here... She can tell. As close as she is to Raril, as well as she has learned to read him over the past year. Something is really wro-

...

Oh.

Right.

Cal's curse.

The stupid thing must have flung him into one of the splinters again. The knowledge that they smashed the lich's phylactary makes her feel a little better, but that alone doesn't cure Raril. To do that she would...

Need...

Avatar takes a step back and face-palms. "Geeze... how could I be so stupid... All that fear getting stuffed down. Cauliflower's curse is acting up again. We need to get you to Iames so he can fix your mind! He's a powerful telepath and I'm sure he'll be able to do something about this!"

Her mood begins to brighten almost immediately.

Finally a way to fix this mess.

"We should go find him, right now. Then maybe we can actually enjoy our anniversary without anything crazy butting in."

[Ashen Lilies]

"Oh no, it's just wizards. Absolute gits. I shall have to be writing a letter of complaint to the local council later."
The Mysterious Figure turns to look at Dr. Molly's acrobatics.
"Oh! I say! What a startlingly excellent trick! Absolutely spiffing! And your mask is of a very fine construction too, I must say. I will admit, this outfit is not really mine. I, howshallwesay, borrowed it from an aquiantance of mine on a friend's advice. 'There's no faster way to solve a problem than to wear a long, concealing cloak and hood and hang around in bars' he said. He's a rather brainy sort of fellow. I have a hard time keeping up with him sometimes to be honest.
...
Oh! I say! You wouldn't mind helping me out with a spot of trouble, eh what?"

[Artemis97]

Iames? The psionic god? Well, Raril had never heard anything bad about the guy. And hadn't he been married to one of the police chiefs? And if anyone would know about the workings of a mind, it was him.

Of course, Raril never had much reason to trust deities. His life had been messed with one too many times by divine beings. And he had never been fond of the idea of someone digging around inside his head. It reminded him too much of Mind Flayers. The thought alone made him shudder.

But Zee seemed to trust in Iames. And Raril was 99% certain she wouldn't do anything to hurt him. Hopefully she wouldn't ask the god to mess with his head. No, she wouldn't change him. He'd always been a good husband to her, right?

. . .

Oh gods, he was in trouble.

"I don't know, Zee. What do we really know about Iames, anyways?"

[Rebonack]

Wow.

Mister Scardy Cat really is paranoid, isn't he? Actually considering the idea of Zee having his brain messed with in some Orwellian fashion to keep him in line?

Zee would never do such a thing!

She loves Raril, after all. Even with his imperfections. Even though villains seem to have a really disturbing habit of screwing with him. Even though he looks silly when his hat gets pulled down over his eyes!

No one's perfect.

Avatar knows that well enough.

And she made an oath to Raril. One she doesn't plan on breaking.

"Well... I know I've fought along side him to help keep the Nexus safe. I know he's been considered enough of an upstanding citizen to be on the council. I... know that he's a good person. Except when he's evil..."

She blinks a few times.

Then adds with a nervous giggle, "But you can tell because his eyes glow all spooky yellow! So long as that doesn't happen we'll know it's safe!"

[Artemis97]

Raril laughs a little at that. "Well, that's good, I guess. Unless he's figured that out and covered it with an illusion or something..."

Ah, so close. He was almost relaxed for a moment there.

[Rebonack]

"No, he wouldn't ever do something like that!" Zee responds in a tone that suggests Raril's statement is the silliest thing ever. "Besides, his text color changes to yellow, too. It's a dead giveaway every time his personality flops."

She takes the no doubt bewildered drow by the hand and starts heading toward the door. Raril may or may not be pulled along behind.

"C'mon! We should go find him right away! The sooner you're back to normal the better!"

Because dealing with Raril when he's thinking like a wolf is weird. Dealing with Raril when he's thinking all eeeevil is dangerous. And dealing with Raril when he's thinking like a coward is frustrating.

Time to get that dark elf's brains fixed!

Away!

[Artemis97]

So, Zee only likes the Dedicated Husband quarter of the drow's mind?

It's a good thing that the frightened personality wasn't aware of the other one, or he'd have even more reason to worry. Needlessly, of course, so it's all for the best.

Raril gets pulled along towards the door, again really really confused.

"Text colors...?" He mumbles, bewildered.

[Chas the mage]

the man in the imperial soldier armour undeadtimes. hes looking at some papers.

[celtois]

"Probably a good idea. I need to do something with myself anyway." Eileen nods, sipping her drink.

"Yeah, so where are you stay now anyways? Think you could put up with me till I can find somewhere to stay?" Alexis smiles. "I'll be good promise."

[Boo]

...
Oh! I say! You wouldn't mind helping me out with a spot of trouble, eh what?"

"If only because I like your method. Do tell, do tell!" The acrobat sits by the sitter, waiting to hear his story and problems, while thinking of how comfortable a lounge chair would be right now.

[Ashen Lilies]

"Well, my contemporaries and I have been having some trouble with some succubus trollop known as MORGANA. We've hatched quite a cunning plan to get back at her, but there's just one small problem. None among our number are rogues. In fact, under this terribly fetching and fabulous armor I'm afraid I'm one of the most unsubtle people you could imagine. A tragedy really. So we've decided to 'outsource', or, as one of my friends puts it, hire some flippin' advent'rers. So old chap, do you think you could possibly aid us? I should mention that there will be some fine and fabulous loot, and of course, by doing this, you'd be weakening the cause of Evil."
Yes. Evil. Trust the man in spikey armor who just beat someone to death with an exclamation mark, why don't you?

[Boo]

I'd want to kill someone too if they put a giant exclamation mark above my head. Of course, I wouldn't be as subtle as your guy.

"Beedo and being good is nice and all, but is there anything..." Trying to find the right words, gesticulating slightly "...interesting about all this? Like your name--." Stopping, thinking, then speaking: "Tell you what: make me laugh and I'll do it."

[Viera Champion]

An 18 year old girl enters the taverna she has a long pink braid and blue eyes. She wears a dark green tank top and a pair of jeans. Some may recognize her as Genkai. She's a psychic. She heads over to the bar and orders a large mug of ale and starts drinking heavily to get over the greif she been hiding from everybody at HALO. She doesn't even care whether it is legal to drink at her age in the nexus.

[Morty]

Dipsnig overhears the Mysterious Figure and approachs him. So you're hiring specialists?

[Ashen Lilies]

"Why verily, good sir!" Is what he says, as his accent continues its long and meandering tour of that strange and foreign land known as 'England.'
"The exact task at hand required is to steal an important artifact that MORGANA is keeping with one of her trusted lords. Unfortunately, the guards are most verily capable of kicking our collective arses, which is why we need those of a more sneaky disposition to aid us."
He looks at Dr. Molly, wondering how to make her laugh.
...
"Oh! I know a most excellent joke! Mayhaps you'd like to hear it? Ahem.
Two peanuts were walking down a country lane. In South America, of course, because that's where peanuts come from. So I suppose they would be walking down a jungle trail, rather than a country lane. Anyway.
One was assaulted. Peanut." :smallbiggrin:

[Morty]

Good. Normally, Dipsnig would laugh at the joke just to make his employer happy, but...

[Boo]

"If you'll excuse me..." Away from the table, out the door, and into the heat. Few moments pass before...
BWAHEEHEEHEEHEEHAHAHAHAHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHEEHEEHEEheeh eehee...
Reentering, the seat is taken again and a reply is finally given: "...that joke was so awful it made me vomit three days worth of food I've never eaten. When I saw my mess it looked like a smiley-face, so I laughed. Good work!" without the sarcasm, "I'll take you up on your offer!"

[Ashen Lilies]

"Good! Your first task is to go to an inn called 'The Siren's Call' in Port Torture, in the Bay of Pain, on the coast of the Emerald Sea. Should be about a day-and-a-half's journey, if you go by road. Talk to the innkeeper there, and he'll direct you to one of my companions there. Just tell him that 'Lord Lencos' sent you."

[Boo]

Looking over a shoulder, you can tell the eyes are glazed over. "I suppose you're coming?" to Dipsnig. It wasn't a rude tone, but you could feel the boredom. Back to the geeky knight, "A map would be nice. These vacation spots are often hard to find. Make sure the X is pretty too. Or simply point us in the right direction. Either works for me."

[Morty]

Yeah, I'm coming. But some more precise directions would indeed be nice.

[horngeek]

A woman is at the bar.

She has short hair, is dressed in monkish robes, a straw hat...

and she's drinking... quite a lot.

[Morty]

Dipsnig is around, waiting impatiently for his employer to undeadtime. He's going to wait for a while.

[McBish]

Patrick ducks into the taverna and sits down ordering some gyros and a beer.

[Rebonack]

Suddenly!

A white, bouncy, and rather energetic fox suddenly comes bounding into the tavern!

Though...

Not through the door.

Rather, he comes tumbling down the chimney covered and soot and goes rolling out into the middle of the floor with an "Uuf!"

...well I guess he isn't very white at the moment.

Since he's covered in soot and all.

He hops to his feet, shakes himself vigorously, and proclaims for all to hear, "I challenge anyone willing to take my offer to a pie eating contest!"

The gauntlet is thrown!

[Morty]

Dipsnig's plot clone, bored of waiting for his employer to undeadtime, decides to take the offer.
Oh, whatever. I'm in.

[Lord Magtok]

So as I was saying, this place has definitely quieted down a little since then, s'much safer for us NPC-folk. Doesn't have the quiet curse of Trog's, hardly a troublesome PC around doing anything unromancey, and nowhere near as many of those cliche crash landings through the windows or the roo-

The Inside merchant stops talking to his wizardly friend, and turns around towards the window. There's a faint purple figure out there, getting larger and larger, and louder and louder. It looks like it might be...oh dear, it is!

AAAAAAAAA-CRASH!

Glass flies all over the darned place, coating the floor in bright shiny jagged pieces, and more than a few people immediately stop whatever it was that they were doing to glare at the strange man who just made their day a little bit stranger.

Check, please.

As our wizard and merchant duo leave, Magtok shakes his head, picks some glass out of his chest and face, and tries to pretend his spectacular entrance never happened as he drags his broken legs along and quietly takes a seat.

Note to self: Anti-grav boots as a form of emergency parachute a terrible idea.

[Rebonack]

The fox puffs out his chest a bit, trying to look as big and impressive as he possibly can.

Given that he's fuzzy, adorable, and hardly any bigger than a small dog this effort fails spectacularly.

He readies himself for some amazing comeback challenge when Magtok makes his dynamic entry. Through a window. Results in the fox giving him a rather odd look, head quirked off to the side a bit. "Wow, it's been months since something has flung you through a window, Maggy."

Avatar speaks the truth!

"Hey! We're going to have a pie eating contest! You wanna join?"

Because nothing helps facial lacerations like gorging on cream pies.

[Earl of Purple]

There's a necromantic construct consisting of two right hands stitched together at the wrist scuttling around a metal box with the words 'Property of Androthelia Maxorium' on one side and a red cross on the other.

In the corner, is a bebilith! A small-car-sized spider of demonic origin, the bebilith appears to be asleep. Until Magtok enters via the window. Magtok may hear in his head the following: "Thank you. I was dreaming of chasing people." Luckily, the beast doesn't appear too aggressive.

[Lord Magtok]

Magtok shrugs, both to gesture that he isn't concerned with bebelith sleeping habits, and to confirm his interest in pie-eating, given that it won't require the use of his broken legs nor put him at risk for anything other than whatever poisons might be slipped into the pies when he's not looking.

I don't see why not.

[Rebonack]

"Alright!" the fox cheers as he begins bouncing around the tavern, pestering anyone who happens to look like they're awake regarding the inevitable pie eating contest in the near future.

...

Though...

There's just one problem.

Just a little problem.

Almost not even worth of any consideration.

That problem?

There aren't any pies.

[Morty]

So where are the pies? Dipsnig asks, looking around.

[Rebonack]

The fox suddenly pauses mid-bounce.

Quite literally.

He's just hanging there in mid-air. Avatar glances one way. Then the other. Then drifts down to the ground as his ears droop a bit. "Eerr... well... There was this weird guy who told me the other day to expect lots of pies here today. So... I just kinda assumed..."

Suddenly!

The front door of the tavern rumbles for a few moments before bursting inward with incredible force, the outside of the door now covered in a thick layer of chocolate cream. Chocolate cream in the general shape of a fist.

Uh oh...

Into the tavern stride a pair of hulking pie golems, decked in crusty armor and dripping with delicious pie filling. One a deadly chocolate cream, decked with a whipping cream head and covered in spiky sprinkles. The second a terrible banana cream pie, wielding a comically oversized fruit like a club.

Behind them strides a rather skinny, balding man in a bright orange robe. "Ha! Cower before the might of Zad the Golem Baker!"

"Hey!" the fox yips. "There's the pie!"

[Morty]

Dipsnig just stands there with his mouth wide open.

[Lord Magtok]

Magtok blinks, limps backwards on his unfunctioning legs, and hides behind Dippy as he reaches for a gun. Oh gods, this is just typical, isn't it? He volunteers for something silly and safe, compromises his srs business side just a little to take a small break while his legs heal, and then this happens.

There's still one way he might be able to turn this around into something fun, though. Making his voice as goblin-esque as possible, Magtok hides his head from the pie-man's sights, and replies.

There won't be any pernicious pie-bakers persecuting the public while I, Dipsnig the goblin guy right over here, am around!

[Je dit Viola]

Will, who was going to be coming here anyway, walks through the doorway just behind the Golem Pies. Ha. A golem baker? That's hilarious, he says.

Will doesn't have his wolf with him right now. His wolf is still back in the DFI.

However, he does have a fancy staff. It's silvery-metallic, with a glowing red orb, among other things. It's not finished, though.
He also still has his bloodred sword, and his bloodred axe. And he also still has long, dark red, heroic-looking hair.

[Rebonack]

Oh you terrible person, Magtok. Going and getting the goblin in trouble.

"Fool!" thunders Zad. "Don't think for a moment that you stand a chance against my delicious warriors!" he gestures at Dipsnig with his pie-on-a-stick staff. "Pie golems! Crush him beneath your warm flaky fists!"

And thus with a pair of gurgling battle cries the pie golems lumber toward the goblin to do exactly that. Best get ready for some STRIFE!

"Oh no!" the fox exclaims as the pie monsters prepare to cause some trouble. "Sorry guys, I thought the pies would be for eating, not for fighting! But take heart! We can devour them still!"

And with a terrifyingly adorable snarl the fox leaps atop the banana cream pie golem and begins gnawing at its crusty shoulder impotently!

The golem doesn't appear to notice.

[horngeek]

A figure looks up. What's going on?

She looks like this:

http://public5.tektek.org/img/av/1001/d28/1656/84fe491.png

She's got a bottle of sake in her hand.

Avatar might recognise her as the Immaculate from a bit ago, but I don't think anyone else will.

[Je dit Viola]

Will, who is behind the orange Pie Maker, walks up behind, You know, that's not very nice, he says.

Will, although his build is less of a knight's and more of a dancer's, is actually a ton stronger than he looks. He does one-handed pushups (not even his feet touching the ground - see The Emporer's New Groove) for fun.

[Morty]

Wha- are you trying to get me killed? That's a dumb question, of course you are you metal faced bastard... Dipsnig tries to make a dash between the golems' legs.

[Rebonack]

Hey!

Don't doubt the power of Zad the Golem Baker!

The wizard glares at Will for a few moments before shaking his staff at the man. "I do what must be done! The whole world will see my awesome power! The power of PIE!"

And with that he smites his staff upon the floor, a shower of burning pie filling erupting from the staff's tip. He levels the weapon at Will, the stream of boiling margarine cascading toward the knight.

Fear the pie powah!

The goblin manages to flee under the chocolate pie, though he risks being stomped on by the banana. The chocolate golem, meanwhile, had hefted its fist at Dipsnig. Who then moved. So now the fist is hefting at Magtok. Oops.

Avatar continues gnawing!

Gnar gnar gnar gnar!

[SinisterPenguin]

Sinister Penguin waddles into the Taverna. He's a penguin with glowing red eyes and wearing a coat and a very nice hat.

He looks around the Taverna, eventually seeing the...pie...golems...?

Huh.

"Well, this is rather...befuddling," he says to no one in particular.

[Morty]

Dipsnig unslings his pickaxe and strikes at the banana golem's leg.

[Je dit Viola]

Now, if you were an insane mathematician, I might take you seriously. But...you're just too hilarious as is. The prince raises his hand to his mouth, and blows outward, firing a streak of flame towards the margerine.

The fire-streak's dragon-shaped, by the way. The fire dragon noms and evaporates the margerine before it reaches Will. It seems to say "I can't believe it's not butter".

While he's safe from the bloiling fatty liquid, he puts the rod behind him, drawing out his sword and his axe from his back, one in each hand. Come on, you've got to do better than that, says the armorless knight. (He's only wearing black with silver trimming)

[Lord Magtok]

Oof!

Magtok takes the punch right to the solar plexus, and staggers backwards before falling flat on his back. With a vague mumble including words and phrases like "Castaras", "Pieomancy" and "I think he dislocated my spleen with that punch", Magtok feebly lifts up a laser pistol, intending to burn a few hole into the delicious dessert.

[Rebonack]

The pick-axe cleaves through the golem's leg, sending it teetering precariously foward. Look out little goblin! It's about to fall on you!

With a rather squishy sounding impact the banana golem crashed into the ground, its pie crust armor exploding and sending sweet gooey filling everywhere. The sudden motion also hurls Avatar headlong off the monster's back.

And on a direct collision course for Magtok's face. Might throw off his next series of shots.

The chocolate golem is blasted several times, its chocolaty flesh caramelizing due to the heat and giving off a decidedly unpleasant aroma. Though that doesn't stop it from hauling back to clobber Maggy in the face. Upon seeing the threat Avatar takes the only reasonable action by clinging all the more tenaciously to the cyborg (assuming he grabbed on in the first place) and yelling, "Not in the face!"

The golem doesn't listen.

"I knew I should have used real butter!" the wizard curses, grasping his staff firmly in both hands and hoisting it above his head. "You may have mitigated my margarine! But you will falter before my raspberry fluff!"

And with that said thick, bubbly berry foam begins to seep out of the floor around Will, seeking to smother him. A terrible and fruity fate!

[horngeek]

The Wizard may be blindsided. By a flying kick from behind. From the slightly drunk, female monk.

JUSTICE!

[Morty]

Dipsnig uses his pickaxe's magic to turn incorporeal as the golem falls on him. Of course, that's also when he deadtimes. Drat.

[Je dit Viola]

Oh, shoot. I just washed these boots, he says, looking down at the raspberry fillings seeking to seep up him.

Will decisively decides to jump out of the way. And, by out of the way, he means towards the raftors.

He jumps upwards, his axe hooked onto one of the raftor beams to get away from the fruity ending. Oh, yes. I did just jump that high, he says.

Of course, he was helped due to the fact that his axe turned to a material shadow and shot up to grab the rest of the way.

Unfortunately, this means his silvery and red (and so on) staff which was unsecurely on his back jiggles loose and falls back down to the floor, landing in the pie fillings with a gentle "Whumph!"

[Lord Magtok]

Gah!

Magtok quickly tries to pry Avatar off his face, before detecting the punch from the corner of one swollen, black-and-blue eye. Unfortunately, this just isn't enough for him to react in time, and the cyborg manages to lift his back up off the floor just in time to fly backwards and into a chair, unless Avatar has any fancy plans for getting the two of them out of the situation.

[Chas the mage]

A thin film of a black, inky looking substance covers the doorway. A man steps out of the odd liquid-y threshold and it dissipates shortly thereafter. He is quite tall and skinny. He wears a thick brown apron with stains of most every conceivable variety. Under that he has a white shirt, a tie, a vest, and pair of black slacks. He appears to be in his early 50's and his face & hair bear great resemblance to Roshan Seth. He pulls an old, ornate looking pocket watch like device, and checks it.

[Rebonack]

As soon as the greasy many steps through the greasy portal a Boston Cream Pie golem comes rushing through behind him, likely trampling the poor fellow in the process. No sooner does it inter the tavern does it block the drunkin flying kick with one massive arm, aiming to grab the monk by the ankles and wield her like a club against Will.

Yes.

It can reach that high.

As for Avatar, no. He doesn't seem to have any fancy plans.

He came off Magtok's face, though.

The fox is now stuck in the chocolate pie golem's fist, wriggling his legs frantically in a futile bid to escape. The golem yanks the fox free and hurls him into the closest convenient wall. There comes a dull thump before Avatar flops to the floor.

[horngeek]

Well. She wasn't expecting that, and is grabbed!

Only by one ankle. She tries to leverage herself out of the grapple.

[Chas the mage]

the man steps out of the way in time, without even noticing he did so. He makes his way to the bar.

[Je dit Viola]

Oh, no!

Fortunately, he has his handy-dandy arm muscles to do a pull-up, so he goes higher until he's high enough. Huh. I thought for sure that was going to work.

Since I have two characters who have control over fire, they might as well use it once in a while.

Like, now.

The (Princely Knight? Or is it Knightly Prince? No matter...) Shadow Knight glances down at his fallen magic rod that he took forever to make; he probably should get that. Now, please put the nice girl down, or you might have to be worrying about your pie golems burning.

Will swishes his sword, and it ignites. He points it at the Boston Cream Pie, and flame spurts from the sword to the golden, delicious back of the pie monster.

Also, as a side-note, he's feeling it kind-of ironic that the one time he decides to leave his wolf with a little girl, was the one time that a fight happens. Seriously, what are the odds?

[Viera Champion]

Genkai (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7566315&postcount=417) enters the Taverna. She walks over to the bar and orders a mug of ale. She then starts drinking heavily looking utterly depressed.

[Rebonack]

The horrible chocolate cream pie golem reaches down to grab Genkai and the oily-portal newcomer by the collars and bash their heads together. Since they're so busy not noticing the three pastry golems in the tavern chances are they won't know what hit them!

Avatar is out cold.

The Boston cream pie golem wails horribly as it bursts into flames.

And then begins hurling flaming pie filling at pretty much everyone in the tavern.

Zad the Golem Baker decides that now would be a good time to flee. He lays hold of his chef hat with one hand and hurries out the door.

[Viera Champion]

Genkai suddenly ducks and spins out of the reach of the golem. She throws her mug of ale at it.
Im not that drunk yet, you stupid beast.

[Je dit Viola]

Oh, shoot, Will murmurs. That didn't go as well as planned. If only he had his wolf, then they'd have this pie licked by now.

He jumps down, and lands in the raspberry filling, reaching down to grab the rod.

He holds it in both his hands, Now, pie, I command you to stop!

It really won't do anything because that's not what it's supposed to do. However, shadows course up from the ground, up his arms, and up the rod, to the crystalline top. Then, the emblazoned darkness shoots out from the tip of the rod, launching cold tendrils of darkness at the flaming pie, to wrap it up and stop it from hurling flaming stuff at the onlookers. :smallannoyed: That's Will's job. Not the pie's.

[horngeek]

Guardian curses as she manages to get free of the grapple, due to the grappler being on fire.

[Rebonack]

The Boston creme stops!

And slowly burns to a gross, sloppy mess.

Eeww...

The chocolate creme gets hit with a mug of ale!

It has no effect...

The golem hauls back and swings again, apparently intent on causing grave bodily harm to the woman that just threw booze all over it. Because everyone knows you don't put alcohol on a chocolate creme pie! That's unheard of! The Nexus might be crazy, but not that crazy!

Avatar, meanwhile, groans in the corner.

[Je dit Viola]

Eew...gross.

Will figures Genkai can take on the beast on her own.

So, he licks off the raspberry filling off of the (non-magic so far) rod, and runs over to the fox, Avatar. Are you alright? he asks, gently touching him.

[Lord Magtok]

Magtok huddles under a table, trying to shake some burning pie off of his robes and wait out what's left of the pasty problem, at least until he can catch his breath and thoughts and figure out who and how to strike.

[Viera Champion]

Genkai dodges again and shoots a blue blast of her psychic energy at the pie monster thingy.
Can I be #%&@ing depressed in peace?!

[Rebonack]

Upon being poked Avatar mumbles something about terrible pies and wanting no more without better whipping cream. Oh that silly fox!

The chocolate pie gets blasted with the psinic energy beams of doom, exploding in a rather messy shower of crust, filling, and cream. There's now bits of pie all over the place.

Victory!

Zad the Golem Baker and his vile minions have been vanquished!

The various people at the tavern receive the satisfaction of a job well done!

Really.

That's it.

No loot or XP or anything.

[Je dit Viola]

Oh, so you are alright? That's good, he says.

Will doesn't care about loot or XP. He's never gotten either of them in his life, I don't think. He does seem to accept the praise, though.

He also goes to a sink, takes off his boots, and starts cleaning the raspberry filling off of them. Man, the nerve of some bakers. He has to wear these, you know.

He sets the fancy staff next to him as he cleans his boots.

[Boo]

Above every participant of the fight appears numbers ranging from five-hundred to seven-hundred. Each is tagged as XP at their ends. This only occurs because one of the observers observed it as a video game. Specifically a role-playing game.

Meanwhile, another spectator, one who was forced to bend this way and that whilst standing in one spot simply to avoid the doom-ish pies, pulls out an old-fashioned pistol. BLAM! Nothing happens. Except to Genkai, whom should feel rather... joyful at this moment. It won't last long, but long enough to last.

As Genkai is happy, or wondering where that sudden burst of happiness came from (or even if they're happy at all), the shooter catches Guardian off-guard with a word. "Hermaphrodite!" The player has no comment at this time. Please move along.

Of course, the player, the character, their wife and her lover are all wondering when KK will undeadtime. Well no, that's a lie. Their wife and her lover are busy doing... stuff... in the pantry.... Yes.

[Je dit Viola]

William notices the numbers above his head, and swats at them with one hand, while he puts his boots back on with the other.

Also, he is momentarily confused by the sudden shouting of "Hermaphrodite". He turns around and looks over there, slowly putting his staff behind him along with his sword and axe.

[Chas the mage]

The new-comer from earlier undeadtimes. the description is on the previous page but I could re-post it if anyone feels I should...

[Rebonack]

At the hollering of the word 'hermaphrodite' the oddly colored fox suddenly sits bolt upright and hollers right back, "I am not! That's a dirty lie!"

...

No doubt that gets some looks for the critter just as odd as the looks destined for the original user of the term.

The fox blinks a few times, still looking rather out of it due to being flung headlong into a wall. Eventually the fuzzy critter realizes what just transpired and decides that now would be a great time to slink into a corner and be invisible.

The slinking part works great.

The invisibility part? Not so much.

[Boo]

A sales representative pops his head from under a table nearest the relative canine, only there to say "Hi, I'm Bill! I have a fantastic offer in store for you!" It's at this point where you should kill him. "I have this amazing product that can be yours for the low, low price of $19.95!" Someone? "It's a magically invisible pill!" Please? "And if you buy it now I can throw in this free booklight!" Oh god! Not that! "This offer will expire in the next five minutes, so decide now!" Killy! Killy! Where's Warbeak when you need her...

[Je dit Viola]

Will looks in confusion, over at the salesman.

The prince draws his sword, in case it's not really a salesman, but something worse.

[Rebonack]

Something worse.

Or something better?

The fox folds his ears down at the sales representative, not totally sure what to make of the guy. Maybe the deal really is a good one? And it expires in the next five minutes! He'll have to act fast whatever he does!

Though there's a pretty important point that needs to be resolved first and foremost.

"Eerr... Nineteen ninety five what?"

Because who knows what kind of money Avatar might have on him!

Dollars?

Euros?

Wompum?

Gold pieces?

Gummy worms?

Only time will tell.

[Je dit Viola]

No.

It's obviously Nineteen Ninety-Five years of your life in servitude to him.


Anyway, Will sits at the bar, deciding to ignore the salesman, as he waits for his wolf to figure out where he is.

[Chas the mage]

the new guy makes his way to the bar, and then orders himself a gin & tonic.

[Rebonack]

When the new guy gets his gen and tonic an enraged weasel leaps from the glass and attempts to fasten its needle-like teeth around his nose.

Rawr!

The oddly colored fox eyes the dead-timed sales guy uncertainly. He's pretty sure the fellow is probably some kind of gag and more than likely it will be safe to just ignore the guy. Or he might be some sort of horrible extra dimensional being planning on devouring their minds, bodies, and souls.

Or maybe not.

Well, regardless, the fox grins cheerfully at Will.

"Hiya! Thanks for helping out with the pie eating contest! You were a real help. Oooh! I'm Avatar. What's your name?"

[Je dit Viola]

That was a contest? 'Huh' is right. Strangest contest he's ever seen.

My name's Will, says the prince, finally resheathing his sword. And you are...?

[Rebonack]

The fox pauses.

And then begins scratching his ear with his hind foot.

D'aaww...

"I'm Avatar! And I'm also a fox!" he speaks the truth! He's got a bushy tail and everything! "The best fox in the whole Nexus! Because I've got the best hair!"

Sure enough, the hair on his head is extra fluffy, looking more like the head of hair you might expect to see on a human rather than on a vulpine varmint.

"And it was a contest! Well... that's what Zad told me, anyway. He said he wanted to host a pie eating contest so I told him to come here!"

Yay!

"But then the pies tried eating everyone instead of the other way around..."

[Je dit Viola]

Oh, he says. Well...that explains a lot. No, it doesn't. Not really.

He looks at the fox.

Finally, though, his large wolf trots through the door. It's through the door because she won't fit through the window

[Darkcomet]

"Technically he could've been telling the truth. Just not enough of it." Huhwhat? Since when was DC here, much less sitting at the bar looking toward Avatar?

He's not particularly perturbed by the talking fox, either. He's been around much too long for that.

[Rebonack]

Foxes are much smaller than wolves.

And often eaten by them.

Hopefully this particular wolf doesn't get any ideas.

Avatar's ears perk up as soon as none other than DC makes his presence known. "Dee See! You're a guy again! That's great!"

Yay for being the correct gender!

"I was starting to wonder what happened to you!"

...a pause...

"What happened to you, anyway?"

[Je dit Viola]

No, she won't eat him.
She's bigger than that.

Will looks over at his wolf as she pads over to him. He draws a dagger in one hand, and pats her, rubbing her fur, with the other. Now...this won't hurt too much... he says quietly to her.

He makes a cut in her flank; she winces and yelps a little bit; he puts the dagger back and grabs the staff.

Not-normal blood comes out. In fact, it's light-blood. Made of light. He scoops some onto the staff, rubbing it up and down, making it glow in a luminescence.

[Darkcomet]

"A lot." He sounds very much like he'd rather not talk about it. How very annoyingly vague.

[horngeek]

Avatar might notice the female Immaculate who, last he knew about, was planning to kill Zamira. She's got a bottle of sake again. Well, that was weird.

[Rebonack]

With a sudden POOF! of prismatic smoke Avatar's back to human again!

No funny ears or tattoos or anything. Just plain old human with a funny staff.

He plops down in a chair across from DC. "Oh is that so? Sounds exciting!" apparently he didn't get the hint about not wanting to speak of such things. "Was it as exciting as it sounds?"

Avatar is hoping it is.

Because Avatar likes interesting stories.

Helps him paint dreams after all.

Need good ideas for those.

The stranger the better.

[Darkcomet]

DC proves uncooperative once again. "I don't want to talk about it. Any of it." Prodding the psychic any further on the subject is probably a bad idea.

[Je dit Viola]

Will heals his wolf using darkness...it works, I guess.

He stashes the staff behind him again, pets and thanks his wolf.

[SinisterPenguin]

Sinister Penguin is here, sitting on a stool at the bar. He's a penguin with glowing red eyes, wearing a coat and a top hat.

[Earl of Purple]

The penguin may note the car-sized demon-spider in the corner. It is black, with red spots across its carapace, especially the abdomen. It is currently eating a particularly unlucky patron, who's being drained of juices.

Alternately, there's the unlocked box on the floor with the words 'Property of Androthelia Maxorium' and a red cross on it; nearby are two hands, both right ones, stitched together. One hand has a patch of skin sewn on of a different colour and the other has an anchor tattoo.

[SinisterPenguin]

Sinister's eyes brighten upon seeing the box. Treasure, perhaps?

He climbs off the stool and waddles over to the box, eyeing it curiously. He doesn't seem to notice the strange hand-thing.

[Earl of Purple]

He may notice the strange hand-thing as it scuttles off. Seems to be some kind of necromantic construct. The box appears unlocked, but there's the words 'Property of Androthelia Maxorium' on; perhaps opening it may aggravate the owner. It also seems unlikely treasure is inside; it's too plain.

[SinisterPenguin]

Sinister Penguin comes to a halt in front of the box. How interesting. He considers leaving it be, but he can't help but be curious about its contents. And besides, it was unlocked. Though he had no idea who this Androthelia Maxorium person was...probably someone foolish, if they were dense enough to leave an unlocked box lying around in a public tavern.

Eventually he resolves to poke it a few times with his flipper to see if anything happens.

[Earl of Purple]

Nope, poking it does nothing. Although the as-yet-unnoticed hand-thing scuttles around a bit more, accompanied by the sound of fingernails against foorboards.

[SinisterPenguin]

Siniguin finally notices the hand-thing. Momentarily losing interest in the box, he approaches it. He comes to a stop a fair distance away from it, slightly repulsed by the macabre fusion of two hands.

SP eyes the hand-thing warily.

[Earl of Purple]

The front, patched hand rears up and is supported by the fingers of the tattooed hand as the patched hand waves. It then drops down and scuttles off. Strange; it doesn't appear to have any eyes.

[SinisterPenguin]

With the hand-thing running off, Siniguin turns his attention back to the box. He studies it and eventually reaches a decision. He raises one of his flippers, from which a magical red flame springs up. Using his other flipper, he attempts to open the box.

[Earl of Purple]

Inside the box are three rolls of possibly parchment, maybe vellum, thirteen jars, one of which peers back and another is filled with fingers, the rest with various flabby, reddish things that could be any internal organ and at the bottom there's three legs, two right and one left, five arms, three of which are left and the other two are rights and several pots labelled things like 'knucklebones' and 'teeth'.

Now I must Deadtime.

[SinisterPenguin]

Well.

That certainly wasn't what he was expecting.

If SP had the facial features necessary to grimace, he would be doing so right now. But he doesn't, so he puts the box out of his mind and returns to his stool.

((Bye.))

[Falgorn]

((Oh, another ABRer?
:smallsigh:
:smalltongue::smallsmile:))

SP could notice someone sitting at the bar, sipping a drink. He has a mask that covers his entire face, with space only for his piercing, yellow eyes. He wears a suit, a white tuxedo, and glances over at him.

[SinisterPenguin]

((:smallsmile:))

Siniguin looks back at the masked man. After some consideration, he walks along the stools toward the man.

"Nice, ah...mask you got there, mate," he says.

[horngeek]

The half-drunk monk is here. That Avatar might recognise.

[Beans]

Coma (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6643834&postcount=285) (in the spoilerbox) and her semi-avian drowkind lover Vashal walk in.

[Quinsar]

Vashal holds a blue egg, she looks around nervously.

[Beans]

Coma pulls out a chair for Vashal at a table.

[Quinsar]

Vashal sits down, holding her egg.

[Beans]

Coma sits down right next to her, putting an arm around her.
We're out of the war, love. We're safe.

[McBish]

A tall lanky fellow comes inside, he wears a large trench coat and thin leather gloves, and a scarf wrapped around his face. He smells a bit of pine trees, or rather pine air fresheners, though underneath that is the smell of dead flesh. And if someone looks carefully they may see his skin is a pale greenish look.

He finds himself a quiet table and sits down.

[horngeek]

The half-drunk monk is here. That Avatar might recognise.

Reposted. As above, he might recognise her as the one who was a part of the four Dragon-Bloods going on about Anathema the other day. :smalltongue:

[Quinsar]

Coma sits down right next to her, putting an arm around her.
We're out of the war, love. We're safe.

Yeah... I know...

[Beans]

I... well, I heard about an organization that sounds rather nice.
It's called, a little unimaginatively, the Good League of Good.

[Quinsar]

Okay...'
We could try it...

[Beans]

She smiles.
Would you like to go there now?

[Quinsar]

She nods, standing.

[Beans]

Coma stands with her.
She'll lead Vashal out the door and to GLoG.

[Quinsar]

Vashal follows.

[Falgorn]

((:smallsmile:))

Siniguin looks back at the masked man. After some consideration, he walks along the stools toward the man.

"Nice, ah...mask you got there, mate," he says.

I'm back.
"Thanks. Nice, ah...scarf you got there, partner." he says, his Texan accent apparent.

[horngeek]

The monk walks over to Avatar. ...you were right.

[Rebonack]

((Sorry about not replying last night. My brains were kinda melty))

As the monk approaches the fox she'll find...

That the fox is fast asleep by the fire place, breathing peacefully. Every now and again he twitches a bit whilst making some funny yipping sounds.

Dreaming, maybe?

Well... Regardless it looks like he's going to have to be awakened before any interaction with him is possible. Unless the monk can jump into people's dreams. Which seems somewhat unlikely to be utterly honest.

So yeah.

Twitchy sleeping fox.

[horngeek]

The monk does wait! And talks to herself while she does. I mean, a demon wouldn't show mercy, would it?

Don't know what to do now.

[SinisterPenguin]

"Thank you. I stole it myself!" Sinister says. "I'm Sinister Penguin, by the by. Who might you be?"

[Rebonack]

There comes a twitch.

Then a snort.

Then a little kick of the feet before the fox suddenly sits bolt upright, blinking around blurrily. He looks somewhat bewildered. As if he weren't expecting to wake up here. But after a few moments he settles down, yawning and stretching and looking up at the monk looming over him.

He peeeeeers at her curiously.

And quite abruptly exclaims, "Hey! I remember you! You're that lady from the market place!"

A pause.

"You aren't going to try to smite me while yelling justice, are you?"

[horngeek]

No. Just wanted to say... you were right.

[Falgorn]

"Thank you. I stole it myself!" Sinister says. "I'm Sinister Penguin, by the by. Who might you be?"

"Some call me Fredrick. Others call me Al. You can call me Falgorn." he says, finishing a drink.

[SinisterPenguin]

"Falgorn, eh? Short for Frederick?" Sinister says. For a moment, he appears to be contemplating something.

"...Do you mind if I call you Fred instead?"

[Rebonack]

Avatar was right.

...

Right about what?

He had a conversation with this lady at the market place. He's pretty sure of that. But he was so woozy with blood loss at the time that he really can't place any of the details for the life of him.

So he decides to make do with looking rather sleepy and confused.

"Eerr... what was I right about?"

Honestly hasn't the faintest idea.

Could have been something about one of the local sports teams for all he knows.

[Falgorn]

"My full name's Frederick Al Gorn.
Shorten that to F. Al Gorn.
Shorten that to Falgorn." he says, looking at the penguin. "Sure, call me Fred."

[horngeek]

About what you told one of my subordinates, about Anathema.

...I don't even know what they call themselves.

[SinisterPenguin]

"Excellent. Nice to meet you, Fred," Sinister says.

"So...why are you wearing that mask, Fred? Just out of curiosity, y'know."

[Rebonack]

"Umm..." the fox replies uncertainly, wracking his mind to try and recall the details of the discussion.

What had he said about the Anathema?

...that there weren't any in the City?

That he was more a demon than they are?

Oh!

That's right!

"You mean that they're the champions of the sun moon and stars and not horrible evil spirits that take over the body of normal people and then twist their personality to do evil, nefarious things?"

[horngeek]

...well, they're not as bad as what the Order teaches... one of them showed me mercy, with no reason to do it.

She downs some more sake. Still haven't figured out why.

[Rebonack]

The fox quirks his head off to the side slightly, ears folding down in the process. Sometimes he wonders if these people are just intentionally dense. The amount of cognitive dissonance needed to decide that generally heroic and good people are in fact horrible demons is absolutely astounding.

"Of course they aren't as bad as your order says," the genre savvy fox replies. "Your faith was created by the Sidereal Exalted as a tool to keep the Lunars and Solars down. The Elemental Dragons are a bunch of decidant and apathetic bums who don't care enough about Creation to inform their worshipers that they all have their heads up their collective asses and have been duped for a few thousand years."

Ouch, burn.

Certainly isn't laying it on lightly, is he?

"Everything you believe is a lie. Everything."

[horngeek]

So, my powers are an illusion, then? Good to know.

Yes, sarcasm is how Guardian deals with the sort of shock she's going through now. Why do you ask? Who the hell are the Sidereal Exalted, anyway?

[Rebonack]

The fox snickers a bit, rolling over onto his back and peering up at the woman with a rather mischievous glint in his eye. "I dunno! I'm just rattling off what I read on the Exalted Wiki. For all I know it might be a complete fabrication! One can never fully trust open source encyclopedias, you know!"

The fourth wall grumbles in irritation nearby. Those dreadful abusive PCs!

"Or maybe I made up everything I said on the spot? Maybe the Anathema are just clever devils enough to throw off the simple assumptions of pious monks like you," the fox laughs as a sly grin spreads across his fuzzy face. "Why are you trusting what a demon is saying, anyway? You really think I'm doing anything other than messing with your mind in your present suggestible state?"

He hops to his feet now, peering right into the woman's eyes.

"Maybe everything I said is true and you and your order are nothing. Or maybe I'm lying and you should disregard every single word! Or maybe I'm putting just enough truth into my lies to make them believable? Oh, I wonder which it is?"

[horngeek]

The woman sighs. Can't you just take a 'you were right'? Without mocking me?

Also, deadtime. :smallsigh:

[Viera Champion]

A pool of water slips under the door. It moves across the inn heading to the bar. It's definitely looks alive.

[Rebonack]

"Nope, I sure can't!" the fox snickers as he hopes down from the mantle of the fireplace and begins bouncing about the tavern, slipping under tables and between feet and making a nuisance of himself.

Mostly by meddling with people's equipment.

Like causing that guy's great sword to turn into a rubber chicken for the next day or so. Suffice to say he's surprise when he reaches back to handle his hilt and finds lumpy rubber instead. "Who stole my sword!" Thadius Persarius thunders at the tavern in general.

He gets a rather odd set of looks in reply.

During the fox's exuberant bouncing reign of irritation he pauses as he comes upon a puddle that's apparently slinking across the floor of its own accord.

Which is rather strange.

...

Avatar paints a box of corn starch into existence and dumps it into the puddle to see what happens.

[Viera Champion]

The water slips out from below the fox's feet. It ripple and morphs into a man. The man is about 5'9" with short brown hair and pure blue eyes, as in the entire eye is blue with no whites or pupils whatsoever. He seems to ripple like water.
Its not very nice to step on people.

And I don't actually know what cornstarch does to water. Oh wait yes I do. But it doesn't seem to have effect on the puddle, I mean man.

[Rebonack]

Aaww...

But cornstarch in water is cool!

The fox looks suitably disappointed that his fun and games have been thwarted. Look! You made the fox sad! You terrible person, how can you live with yourself?

Avatar peers up at the watery guy. Way up. Considering that he really isn't any larger than your average fox in the least. The end of his tail is bouncing back and forth a bit, a rather sly grin splayed across his face.

"And if you weren't a puddle people wouldn't step in you, would they? At least that dog-faced guy over there didn't try lapping out up."

A hound archon gives Avatar a rather distasteful look.

"So what's with the watery look, anyway?"

[Viera Champion]

Oh. I'm a magical experiment gone wrong. Or right. I don't know which.
The water man ripples and shrinks down into the form of a fox.
This any better?

[Shadowcaller]

A woman with a blue-ish skin tone and long elf-like ears in a shining armor with a shield on her back and a finely decorated spear enters the inn. (Image. (http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg254/Seweron/eebc296.png))

Not waiting for anyone she goes right up to the bar "Demons. I'm looking for demons." She states in a firm commanding voice.

Silver should start to shine in a odd green light right before she enters the inn.

[Rebonack]

Avatar peers at the water fox for a good fifteen seconds or so in silence. He's probably considering some witty retort that has to do with popular internet browser software.

But sadly he's coming up with nothing.

Maybe another time, Avatar.

"Wizard experiment, huh? Well... I'm a fox. I guess that isn't quite as exciting is it?"

Foxes are a dime a dozen.

Especially if they can shape shift.

"And I look way more handsome than you," he adds, sticking his nose up in the air in a rather snooty fashion.

[Viera Champion]

The fox does the equivalent of raising an eyebrow. Cuz he's a fox, currently at least, and they don't have eyebrows.
Its not very hard to be better looking than a puddle of water.

[happyturtle]

A woman with a blue-ish skin tone and long elf-like ears in a shining armor with a shield on her back and a finely decorated spear enters the inn. (Image. (http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg254/Seweron/eebc296.png))

Not waiting for anyone she goes right up to the bar "Demons. I'm looking for demons." She states in a firm commanding voice.

Silver should start to shine in a odd green light right before she enters the inn.

"Ooh, neat!" plot cloned Charity says, looking at a silver ring on her right hand that just started glowing. "Demons, huh? I haven't met any yet. But I did meet a demon hunter here a few weeks ago."

[McBish]

Hearing the proclamation that she is hunting demons, the tall lanky man sitting in a corner pulls his knitted scarf higher up on his face. People like that always made him a bit nervous.

He fiddles with his full glass of water as he sits there, like he has been doing for the past couple of days without eating or sleeping at all. Just watching the people in the taverna.

If anyone gets close enough to him or have a really good sense of smell, they will pick up the scent of dead flesh, covered up by the stronger scent of pine tree air fresheners.

[Shadowcaller]

"A demon hunter? An Ithari or something else from this world?" The woman asks.

[happyturtle]

"Not from this world, so he could have been an Ithari. Whatever that is. His name is Wenomir. Cute guy with red eyes and a scar on his face. Way too serious though." Charity says. "I'm Charity Evans. You're new to the Nexxus then?"

[Shadowcaller]

"Nexxus? Yes, you could say I am. My name is Tyril Ward, servant of the burning light and I hunt a demon that goes by many names." Tyril looks around the tavern. "And can take any form."

[happyturtle]

"How will you find it then?" Charity asks. She waves down a waitress and orders a beer. "Can I get you a drink?"

[Shadowcaller]

Tyril turns away the offer. "I need perfect clarity for my mission, and I don't need to drink otherwise." She pauses, gripping her spear a bit harder. "And I can find him since silver shines wherever he goes. Do you know anything about that?"

[happyturtle]

"Like this?" Charity says, holding out her hand to show her glowing ring.

[McBish]

Tall lanky man with trench coat, hat, and scarf continues to sit in the corner watching and listening to the conversation that is going on. He seems interested in the conversation, though a bit on edge. He pushes away his cup of water.

[Shadowcaller]

"That might just be me..." Tryil admits looking at the ring. "Technically I'm a demon as well, just a different one... thats why I came to hear if anyone knew anything about it. I can't just look around as I make silver shine myself."

[happyturtle]

"Why are you hunting him?" Charity asks. She'd be a good ally for Tyril to have, with as many people as she talks to. But she'll need to be convinced that there's a good reason to hunt someone besides their species.

[Shadowcaller]

Tyril glances over at the Tall lanky man and gives him a glare, then her attention is turned back to Charity again. "He kills people and turns mortals into demons... corrupting them. Especially women, he is a thing without compassion or regret."

[happyturtle]

"Corrupting them...? How?" Charity asks. Her demeanour changes slightly and she sounds a lot more serious than she did at the start of the conversation.

[Shadowcaller]

"By giving them special necklaces made by demonic magic." Tyril's tone is still as firm as it was in the start of the conversation, giving place for no doubt.

[happyturtle]

"I don't mean how does it happen. I mean how does the corruption manifest itself?" Charity asks.

[Shadowcaller]

"They slowly start to turn into demons, both in mind and form..." She closes her eyes for a moment, looking a bit disturbed. "Thought the mind bit might not come, not always."

[happyturtle]

"I'm sorry if I sound kind of clueless, but why is being a demon bad? I mean, obviously changing someone against their will is evil, and this guy sounds like a real jerk. But does that mean that every demon is evil?" Charity asks. Silly liberal American with her ideas that all sentient species are equal. :smalltongue:

[Shadowcaller]

"I am a demon charity... so no, all demons aren't bad. But those amulets he gives people twists their minds, they turn out all wrong."
She pauses, spacing out a bit for a moment. "And... there is also a rumor that he adds them to his harem once they turned."

[happyturtle]

"I see." Now very serious. "I might be able to help you find him, if he's really around here."

But details will have to wait, as Charity's player must deadtime.

[McBish]

Tall lanky man gets up leaving coins on his table as he goes, paying for him taking up space, since he never ate anything, or had a drink. He goes to step outside.