Ambrosia Software Web Board: The Alraeican Tavern, Part IV - Ambrosia Software Web Board

Quote

After sleeping for thirty straight hours, Leandra finally awoke. She sat up on the edge of the bed, stretched, yawned, and looked over at Kwon. He seemed to be resting peacefully, so she left Ulf (who had been sitting in an armchair, watching over them both the whole time) in charge, and went to boil some water.

The kettle had just boiled, when there came a knock at the door. Leandra answered it, and found Katze waiting on the doorstep.

"Oh, Katze," she said, stifling another yawn. "Come in, have some tea."

------------------
There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

Katze followed Leandra inside. "How's Kwon?" she asked.
"Still sleeping..." Leandra replied, a worried frown crossing her face.
"Don't worry!" Katze tried to cheer her up. "It was all very exhausting... did you get any word from the others, by the way?"
Leandra shook her head. "No, nothing... Sit down, please." She motioned at the chair and went to get the tea. When she returned, carrying three cups and the kettle on a tablet, they returned to their conversation. "You know," she said, while pouring them tea, "I'm not as much worried about Trinias, Wolmark and the others, more about Flynn... do you want some, too, Ulf?"
The giant nodded and Leandra handed him the cup. Well, you probably wouldn't quite call it a cup, but for Ulf it was.
"Anyways, where was I?" She sleepily rubbed her eyes. "Oh, yeah... Flynn... he was not acting himself at all!"
Katze sipped some tea, thinking Leandra's words over. "It seems so... but I really wouldn't worry that much, Leandra. The others are with him, after all. Ferazel, Lindor, Rogan... the other Ronin, and the rest of the group... they're all experienced. If worse comes to worst, they'll surely keep Flynn away from trouble."
Leandra nodded, and the three of them silently drank their tea, once in a while glancing over at the sleeping Kwon.

------------------
As l lay in my bed staring at the sky I asked myself:
Where the hell did the roof go?

Eventually, Leandra broke the silence. "I really don't understand it. Flynn was fine, although a bit moody. Then he just went blank, like there was no-one there! It was just after he was alone with that - that moonwitch; I'm sure she or that Desert Jackal guy put some kind of spell on him!"

Katze eyed her in amusement, struggling not to laugh.

------------------
He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

Hse clasped her cup tighter and bit her lower lip, thinking it would not be all that good for her to start laughin now. From the way Leandra went on and on, she actually began to fear for DF's and Moonshadow's lives. Ulf had apparently given up listening to Leandra, and now put his cup back on the tablet. "Thank you." he muttered, before returning to Kwon's bedside.
Leandra nodded at him, and Katze took the opportunity. "Say..." She almost desperately looked for something to say. Eventually she just grabbed the next idea that came to her. It wasn't that good, but worth a shot. "Considering the recent events, don't you think you should learn another way of fighting besides magic?"
"But I can... I'm quite good with daggers..." Leandra replied, a little surprised by the question.
"Oh! Who taught you?" Bad idea. Bad, BAD idea.
"Flynn! He always used to practise with me back then... but ever since he met that accursed -"
Katze grimaced, closing her eyes. She did not care to listen to the other woman's ongoing tirade. Finally she cleared her throat, hoping to gain Leandra's attention. It failed. "Uhm... Leandra?"
The adressed woman paused. "Yeah?"
"We could practise, if you want... I'm quite good with daggers myself."
Leandra blinked a few times. "No, thank you. I don't need practise."
'Then what the hell are you complaining about?' Katze wondered, and rose to protest. "But -" Then another thought occured to her. If she protested now, Leandra would probably go on about this forever. "... would you like to come to the tavern with me, then?"
"No.... it's always so crowded."
"No... not nowadays, anyways. People seem to prefer other places of late..."
Leandra pondered her words for a moment...

------------------
As l lay in my bed staring at the sky I asked myself:
Where the hell did the roof go?

[This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 01-01-2002).]

Quote

"Well," Leandra said after a pause, "ordinarily, I'd say I'd have to stay and watch over Kwon; but he's resting comfortably, and there's nothing else I can really do for him. It might even do me some good, to get out for a bit. OK, let's go."

------------------
He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

[This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 01-01-2002).]

Theo contuned to stare around the tavern. He was getting old, and not always there in the head...

(After all, he is an archmage, and a couple hundred years old)

------------------
I am no one, and I am everyone. But most importantly, I am
The One And Only:
~Theo Nean Donly~

[This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 01-01-2002).]

Katze and Leandra walked in, seemingly in the middle of a heated discussion - except that Leandra was doing all the talking. Katze just looked resigned.

Looking around the tavern, Leandra scowled at the stranger in the corner who was occupying her favourite table, then the two women sat down at Theo's table. After a brief nod, they ignored him completely.

Eventually, Leandra wound down. "I'm sorry, Katze, I've been babbling. Please excuse me."

Katze, seeing an end to the tirade, breathed a sigh of relief. "That's OK." True or not, she was just glad it was over.

"Hey," said Leandra, "want to see my dagger? It's kind of special!"

------------------
He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

[This message has been edited by Leandra (edited 10-28-2001).]

Katze pondered her offer. After all she had gone through the past hours she was not quite sure she wanted to see this 'special' dagger, and it might just cause Leandra to start her tirade anew. But being who she was curiosity got the better of her in the end, so she nodded. "Sure!"

------------------
As l lay in my bed staring at the sky I asked myself:
Where the hell did the roof go?

From a hidden pocket in her skirt, Leandra pulled a dagger in a plain sheath and laid it on the table. Katze reached out to pick it up, then paused. "It's not like Flynn's sword, is it? You know, nobody but him can touch it?" Katze winced. She hadn't meant to mention Flynn, and was half afraid it would set Leandra off again.

Fortunately, Leandra didn't seem to notice. "I don't know," she said. "No-one else has ever tried to hold it."

Katze thought a moment, and decided not to risk it. "Will you draw it please?"

Leandra drew the dagger, and Katze saw that the blade appeared to be made of some kind of green stone, like Jade. It didn't exactly glow, but did seem a little luminous.

"Watch this," Leandra said, as she plunged the blade into Theo's beer, and quickly withdrew it. Theo, not noticing, picked up the stein; much to his surprise, the handle came off.

Katze picked up the handleless mug, and looked inside. The beer had turned to solid stone.

Leandra looked at Theo apologetically. "Sorry, Theo, let me get you another."

------------------
He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

[This message has been edited by Leandra (edited 10-28-2001).]

A strange looking man, with an undeterminable age, wanders into the tavern, and spying Theo sits down.

"I say chap, how about a game of Tarok? You do remember you're debted to me, don't you?" He said as Theo groaned unhappily at his recognition of this person.

"Tarok?" Leandra inserted, uninvited. "Is that anything like Poker?"

Katze groaned, and buried her head in her arms.

------------------
He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

Theo nodded. "Sort of, but with different strategies. But we need atleast three to play, I think. I haven't played in years..." Theo stared at the guest, "And you, if you need the money so bad as to cheat again, than I suppose I can spare some."

The stranger smiled and spread his hands, "I don't know what your talking about. When have I cheated?"

Theo just stared and frowned.

------------------
I am no one, and I am everyone. But most importantly, I am
The One And Only:
~Theo Nean Donly~

[Edit] I screwed up my tenses... [/Edit]

[This message has been edited by Theo Nean Donly (edited 10-29-2001).]

*The stranger grinned.*

"Well then, would you care to deal?" He asked Theo.

"Sure" Theo agreed as the stranger slid him the cards. Leandra frowned uncertainly, the deck looked a lot bigger than the 52 card deck she was used to. Theo quickly explained the basics as he began to deal the cards, keeping three on the table that he later exchanged three worthless cards in his hand for.

(Quick sidenote: From as far as I've been able to determine, tarok is a medival form of what we now call "Hearts" or "Spades" and is played rather similar.)
------------------
"I'm a controversial figure. My friends either dislike me or hate me."

[This message has been edited by Avatara (edited 10-29-2001).]

[From what I know, that's right, but on a strategy level above Bridge, if thats even possible I'll have to learn some time... So far I've glanced [url="http://"http://www.pagat.com/tarot/dantarok.html"]here[/url]. Also, I don't know if I want to keep playing a card game on the internet, where it is too easy for two players to have the same card, especialy when I don't know the game .]

They played out the deal, and the stranger won with a King Ultimo. "Don't you ever learn" he asked Theo as the stranger dealt out the next hand.

But when the hand was done, Leandra won with a Nolo. "Damn, your good," the stranger admitted.

"I learn fast," she replied, smiling.

------------------
I am no one, and I am everyone. But most importantly, I am
The One And Only:
~Theo Nean Donly~


[This message has been edited by Theo Nean Donly (edited 10-30-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Theo Nean Donly (edited 10-30-2001).]

Back in the Ronin's barracks, Ulf suddenly started awake. He hadn't meant to doze off, but he'd been awake for hours, and these armchairs were just so comfortable!

He looked over at Kwon who, at first glance, didn't appear to have moved. Then Ulf saw his eyes - they were open and staring, but seemingly unseeing; otherwise, there was no change. Ulf wasn't sure if that meant Kwon was awake, or not; after thinking for a long time, he decided that Leandra would want to know. He set out for the tavern.

------------------
I wanted to be somebody; I should have been more specific.

*The stranger smiled triumphantly as he placed down the Fool card, foiling Theo's attempt to force the pagat to be played. Theo frowned.*

"The Fool card has already been played, you cheater!" Theo remaked as he started sifting through his captured tricks, looking frantically for the Fool card.

"I say! Are you accusing me of cheating?" He asked Theo, but stopped when Theo held up a Fool card.

"Leandra sacrificed it to save her king." Theo replied grimly.

"There must be some mistake!" The stranger began as he stood up, but another Fool card fell from his sleeve. Seeing the trap, he quickly used a spell to incinerate both false Fools on the spot and grumpily played his pagat. "You sure you don't want me to tell your fortune?"

------------------
"I'm a controversial figure. My friends either dislike me or hate me."

Entering the tavern, Ulf looked around until he saw Leandra, who was playing cards. He walked over and whispered in her ear.

"Please excuse me," she said, rising to her feet, "my patient is awake." She quickly left the tavern, with Ulf on her heels.

Back at the barracks, Kwon was nowhere to be seen. After a brief search they discovered him on the roof, sitting in his standard meditation position; they could elicit no response.

A little bewildered, they went back downstairs. Unable to think of anything else to do, Leandra made some more tea.

------------------
There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

"Some other time." Theo muttered, his mind weary from trying to ensure they had played a fair game.

"Well then, I'll be back later. I've got the grandest ensemble in mind, fits in with recent events. I call it Mourning Gore, you like it?" Theo irritably glanced at the stranger, taking in his black clothes of mourning and the dark red socks, silk wrist bands, and bright red gloves, in a single glance. Theo knew that from experience, the stranger did decide to change his clothes to a bizarre impression of recent events, though what this hinted to he couldn't be certain.

"I see I've almost worn out my welcome. Well, I was leaving anyway," the stranger sniffed. "Troops! Assemble! Here's to folly!" The stranger exited the tavern with the grace of a drunken loon, a line of clinking glasses full of champagne bobbing merrily behind him. The tavern became eerily silent, and Theo used this opportunity to ease the pounding in his head.

------------------
"I'm a controversial figure. My friends either dislike me or hate me."

***OoC***
NOTE: Read the final posts in 'The Quest for the Unknown Power' first, or this won't make sense.
***BiC***

... and the Alraeican tavern faded into view.

Flynn looked around in bewilderment. He wasn't used to being dismissed so cavalierly. Still, he had to admit, he was glad to be alive - which was far more than he'd expected.

"Our Weapons!" Rogan exclaimed.

"Over there, against the wall," Sasha replied. "I guess the demon didn't want them."

"No, wait, don't touch - !" Verran started to call out - but was interrupted by a scream, as the patron he'd tried to warn touched Sasha's Sapphire sword, and went flying across the room. "I kind of figured that applied to all the Ronin's weapons," Verran muttered, "not just to Flynn's."

The adventurers collected their weapons, commandeered a table and ordered a round of drinks. "Well," Ferazel said gloomily, after a few minutes. "I guess that's that."

------------------
There are three kinds of computer users: those that use Macintoshes, those that wish they used Macintoshes, and those that don't know any better.

Lindor didn't stay for long. As soon as the protal was destroyed, he had felt the weight of his promise on him. Slipping out quiently, he proceded towards the small dock he had built just opposite the river from Pnyx.

[Don't worry (if you were), he'll be back, but he needs to finish what was begun long ago]

------------------
I am no one, and I am everyone. But most importantly, I am
The One And Only:
~Theo Nean Donly~

Seeing Ferazel finally back in the tavern, the dark stranger at the rear of the room tried to catch his attention This wasn't as easy as it sounds, since he preferred to remain unnoticed by the rest of the patrons; additionally, Hector was still in the tavern questioning people, and turning the odd suspicious glance in his direction.

Ferazel, noticing the stranger, goes over. They chat for a minute, then Ferazel calls out, "Hey, Flynn. Come over here. "

------------------
Quote ViaVoice, "Hal Cohen help build Satam sand scratch a flat surface scratches that some scratch that scratches that scratch facts scratcher wraked this scratched tax costs tax this. " Is this ViaVoiceian?

Flynn was sitting, musing darkly over recent events. There were still a few unresolved issues that concerned him, such as the disappearance of Talos and the People of Kosha; but at present, he could see no way to address these problems.

His reverie was interrupted by Ferazel's call. Looking up, he saw Ferazel waving to him from a dark table at the back of the room; he went over to see what they wanted.

------------------
Kobayashi Maru!

<edit> Whoops, this should have been a 'Flynn' post; oh well, never mind </edit>

[This message has been edited by cache22 (edited 11-02-2001).]

As Flynn sat down, Ferazel indicated the dark stranger. "This is Sideline."

"Sideline?" Flynn cocked an eyebrow, quizzically.

"I do a little bit of everything - as a sideline," Sideline explained.

"Sideline was telling me about something he's discovered," Ferazel continued. "I think you should hear what he has to say."

In a low voice, too quiet to be overheard, Sideline began to relate what he'd found; from the shocked expression that settled on Flynn's face, it wasn't good news.

------------------

"I say, what a lively chat they must be having over there!"

"You again?" Theo muttered bitterly, as if he didn't have enough problems already...

"Yes, I do recall you wanted me to tell you your fortune." The stranger, dressed in a shockingly inappropriate garb that stood out like an elephant in a haystack, smiled and starting shuffling his Tarok pack greedily.

"Oh fine." Theo replied exasperated, willing to do anything at this point to get rid of the 'stranger'. The stranger dealt out three cards, each face down. Theo glumly reached and turned over the first card.

"Ahh...Death. I see. That would be referring to the terror in your homeland long ago." The stranger replied calmly, then with a thoughtful gaze, continued, "Or perhaps it could be the death of your late friend Avatara, either one will do." Theo Nean Donly's jaw dropped, and Flynn in the corner suddenly stood up, knocking over his chair.

"What would you know about that?" he bellowed, recent events having worn down his patience. "You wouldn't have anything to do in that matter, and we haven't told anybody! How do you know about that!"

"I see we haven't been introduced. Hi Flynn, charmed to meet you. I'm...how about the next card?" The stranger suddenly asked Theo, ignoring the fuming Flynn. "Ahh...the King of Staves! This symbolizes the fact you are on a long journey. Perhaps your self-imposed exile? Or perhaps not..." the stranger noticed the tightening of Theo's jaw, and caught his brief frown. "How about that last card?"

Theo reached out, uncertain of what he hoped to find. He flipped the card over, revealing...Death, though this time it was reversed. "I knew it!" he shouted, jumping up. "You would have a rigged deck! This is just a scam!" Theo threw the cards angrily across the room, where they fluttered to the ground. The stranger didn't notice, and sat puzzling over the second card as Theo stormed out of the bar. The stranger walked out calmly, ignoring the expensive cards scattered mindlessly across the room, pondering what the 'death and destruction' of the future meant.

Theo Nean Donly later returned, after night had fallen. Ignoring the fact that the cards seemed to be undistrubed, he grumpily ordered another drink and resumed his spot at the table. No sign of the stranger returning could be seen, to Theo's satisfaction...

------------------
"I'm a controversial figure. My friends either dislike me or hate me."