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

Hello. EV Nova was released, and I was a little busy on the Nova boards, hence not being around at all. Sowee. Now, back to the character I'd just introduced. C'mon....feel free to interact with him a li'l bit...of course, if this zombie bit kicks in properly, he'll do some interactin', as well.

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A rustling in the darkest corner of the tavern made people realize that there was still someone there. The cloaked man who'd walked in quite a while ago had all but disappeared into his surroundings. In a low voice, he swore. His arm, covered in a black sleeve, slid across the table, clearing it of an unconscious patron who had fallen onto his table. With a soft "whump" the body fell to the floor, and the mysterious man signalled the bartender for a drink. Just as when he had entered, the collective attention of the tavern fell on the stranger, who casually ignored the stares, and sunk back into the darkness.

The bartender indicated the ale was ready, and the stranger stepped out of the shadows. The patrons of the tavern finally got a good look at the mysterious figure. Yes, the person was still cloaked. Odd, yes, but the tavern had seen a few other passers-by who had the same clothing preference. A particularly hawk-eyed drunk even noted that the cloak was a bit scruffy. It was simply not the black clothing - but everything about the stranger emanated darkness. It seemed that even when walking in the light, the shadows followed him. Although his face was still unseen, some details emerged – “his” gender was still unclear, though many assumed it was a man. He was of average height, and he wore a hooded cape – not a cloak, as people initially had thought. It was worn well – so well that it was impossible to tell precisely what kind of footwear he was wearing, though it seemed to black leather boots of some sort. Indeed, this only added to the aura of mystery surrounding the stranger, as he made absolutely no sound as he walked. None. Upon reaching the bar, he stretched out his arm for the wooden glass, again revealing the black sleeve. Curious patrons also noted a fingerless leather glove, and the absence of any rings on the fingers. Upon taking the drink, the cloaked figure retreated back to the dark corner of the tavern, whose shadows eagerly swallowed him.

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"Brevity is the soul of wit"...(yeah, right)

[This message has been edited by Light (edited 05-31-2002).]

I had an out-of-character question...How does one get involved in the team stories?

- Light.

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"Brevity is the soul of wit"...(yeah, right)

Well, basically, you just have to create a character (which you have already done) and join; since the current TSes are all beyond the point of recruitment, you'd have to find a plausible reason why your character is wherever the group is.
But I think the only current TS which can still be joined is "Bane"; "Kul'shar Legacy" is restricted, and the group in "Journey to Auracti" travels aboard a submarine, and there's no more space for additional crew members... somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

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Wer denken kann, ist klar im Vorteil.

[This message has been edited by Moonshadow (edited 06-01-2002).]

You're not wrong; but if anyone has any ideas, we could try to make a story out of the current Tavern events. It's a little difficult, though, since the initiator's dropped his original ideas without substituting any decent new ones.

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Kobayashi Maru!

Avatara stood back, eyeing his friend as he slipped to the floor. With a grunt, Avatara dragged Slayer up the stairs in the back, and dropped him on the unused bed. Talos would understand. He left a few oboloi on the furniture as he walked back downstairs, to pay for the room.

Surveying the tavern, he noticed that very few people were still awake, as it was well into the night. As a matter of fact, very few people were even still in the tavern.

"Explains the silence..."

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

Sya sleepily opened one eye. Her head had been lying on her front paws as she slept.

Mmm? Well, Avatara, of course it's silent. What else would you expect at this hour of the night?

She rolled over, paws in the air and black tail swishing, and tried to fall back asleep.

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We guarantee that if your great-uncle loses a leg by a pair of charging rhinos heading north on a Thursday, we will give you a full refund for the last pair of socks you purchased.

A blot of shimmering light appeared in the corner of the tavern, which swiftly swirled outward in each dirrection before dissipating into mist, leaving only a few motes of blue light and a rather disheveled old man leaning on a staff in front of him. Bliking a few times, he stared forward from the shadows into the bar.

Avatara, the only person still awake, stared back. After a few long moments of silence, he spoke. "Well, you've been gone long enough. How've you been, Theo?"

Theo threw back the hood from his faded sky-blue cloak, and walked over to sit next to Avatara.

"Well, when I returned home after I was last here, my house was infested by liches who didn't feel like giving the place up. After a few days of spell battle, I sent them back to death, but the backfire of magic put me into a stasis lock. When I broke free yesterday, my house had burned to the ground underneath me, half the trees on my land had been cut and stolen, and a raven had nearly bitten off my foot. A few hours ago, my cat was run over by the potato farmer's cart while I was telling the man to leave me in piece because I had no money to buy any potatoes. Other than that, I made two new spells. Too bad I lost the components for them in the fire. How have things been here?"

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If truth is a lie, who am I?
The One And Only:
~Theo Nean Donly~

"Would you mind telling me what posessed you to drag me all the way out here?" Theo jested lightly, as they sat on a cliff on one of the northern mountains, watching the ripples in the water under the reflection of the starlight and the wistful whispering of the wind.

"You remember the early days." Avatara replied simply. Theo didn't reply, utterly confused. Avatara faced him and sighed, "Its happening again."

"Err...what is?" Theo asked, breaking the silence.

"My life is falling apart again," he smiled for a moment, "At least this time nobody got killed." A moment of silence hung, and his smile faded.

"What do you plan to do?"

"I think I'll leave, start afresh. I've learned much from my mistakes and errors, what went wrong."

"Do you regret your time here?"

Avatara was a bit slow in replying, "No, all fifty years were worth it I think. I don't understand anymore of myself than I did, but at least I know my limits. I am somewhat reluctant to just go. There's something nagging at me, warning me about something that I've done that seems...unfinished. A danger just lurking over the horizon." Another moment passed, the silence stretching into what seemed like hours. "Well, it'll be dawn soon and the others will be waking. We've had some new faces, I'm sure you'd like to meet them. As for me...I think I could finally use some sleep."

Theo turned wordlessly and begun the journey back to Cademia.

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

As he walked, he didn't gaze at the sights as was his normal custom, but kept his grim expression firmly on the ground in front of him. A few patches of mint began to appear along the faint path, eeriliy glowing in the silver light of the moon.

A man stepped out of the shadows, bared sword in hand. "Stop, as protectors of this road from the dangers of the land, we demand payment for our loses." Six more men loomed closer from the tree trucks ahead.

Theo glanced up at him once. "Not now, you fools. I'm not in the mood," he hissed. Holding his staff up straight in his right hand, he opened his left toward the thieves. With the decension of the staff and one word, dark tongues of biting magic slithered out of his revealed palm. The lead man gasped once, before the crackling tendril decended into the opening in his mouth. The others fled, but Theo wasn't satisfied. He dropped his staff, and curled the fingers of his hand around and through quick motions. A second later, a half a dozen more corpses burning a brilliant blue joined their friend.

Theo didn't glance at his blistered palms or sorched sleeve cuffs, just snatched up his old staff and continued on his way. He just wasn't in the mood.

Half an hour later, he sat down in the ruins of his house, unaware of the scattered rain that fell on his matted whitened hair. He dug around in the rubble for a bit, loosing a sandle in the process, before sighting his goal. Sighing, he picked it up, and brushed the soot of the magically protecting cover, and placed it under his baggy robe.

He quickened his pace now, and any who would have been awake might have to look twice to see a man bent with age hustle through the outskirts of town. Through, and not stopping, not his damp robes threatened to give him a nasty cold for the next few weeks. The shuffled out, going to the one place where he knew Avatara whould have to visit again before leaving.

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If truth is a lie, who am I?
The One And Only:
~Theo Nean Donly~

***OOC***
Um... I'm sort of new here and i was wondering if anybody could explain the tavern to me.

thanx

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there are only two things you can be sure of: Death & Taxes, unless you die first

Quote

Unlike everyplace else, the tavern has no defined plotline. (save minor side-trips individual groups undertake) Feel free to walk in, have a drink, and talk to anyone currently there. At the moment, its about 4 in the morning so most people are alseep, yet once everyone wakes up you'll see it become lively. Many people visit the tavern, so its often one of the best places to gather recent news or hear of a new adventure being undertaken. Before you enter, however, make sure to design a character in the character info topic (if you haven't already). I can't get you a link right now, but its near the top of the list. (TIP: You don't have to read all the characters and descriptions, it takes a long time - just the ones for characters that are interacting with you or seem common/interesting)

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

Avatara remained sitting in the garden, ignoring the concealed chest he was sitting on for the moment, letting Theo approach him. He heard his footsteps echoing, slowly getting closer, until finally Theo rounded the last misty obstacle and came into full sight.

"Whew, good thing I cought you in time!" he sighed as he sat down.

Avatara looked slightly amused, "I've got quite a few things to finish up before I go anywhere."

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

"Hmmm...yes, I suppose you would have some things to do before you go. Not me. I don't have anything left on Cythera right now. Well, one or two things maybe," Theo winked, "but here, I wanted you to have this."

He reached into the inside pocket of his cloak, handed Avatara the semi-worn tome he pulled out, and said, "After forgetting much of my childhood, I have become a bit of historian." Avatara looked more amused than ever, but Theo ignored him. "This has a brief summary of the adventures and the like that occured in my recent time here. As you go on your travels, I guess I just want you to not forget that although Elenir is your true home, Cythera is too. Oh, and have fun."

As Avatara looked up, sobered, Theo nodded, and that motion set about his hanging teleportation spell. As he faded from veiw, he smiled and spoke one last word. "Really."

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If truth is a lie, who am I?
The One And Only:
~Theo Nean Donly~

Avatara waited for a few moments, scanning the pages of the tome Theo had given him, intending to read it more fully later. He stood up and headed off; he needed to get off a note to someone else. It would after all, be nice for some form of companionship, and he knew the recipent would kill him if he left without saying goodbye anyway.

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

The old man silently walked into the tavern. No one paid the cloaked traveler any mind it was if he was not there. The old man whose name was Sephiroth sat down at the bar and ordered the strongest drink that the bar tender had. He then swallowed it like goat milk. As he was sitting and watching the people he saw a large burly looking man about to attack a much smaller man. With a quick hand movement and a silent incantation he summoned a wall of wood between the men. The larger man let out a yelp of pain as he brought his fist down upon the wall. “Why did you attack that man,” asked Sephiroth.
“What’s it to you old man,” retorted the burly man, “I could crush your body this instan…”
Suddenly 5 thick vines broke through the floor and held the large man captive in mid air. Then as quietly as he came, Sephiroth left after paying the bar tender for the floor damage.


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there are only two things you can be sure of: Death & Taxes, unless you die first

Avatara breaks the long silence. "So, who's up for a game of dice?"

Late one night a young child was walking in the deep woods of Cythera. While the boy was walking a giant beast made of pure fire blocked the boys way. The child, unafraid of the fire spirit muttered an incantation "anamo se yamara." The fire spirit then melted away to reveal Sephiroth. "I did not know it was you Ariano," said Sephiroth
"Dont worry I knew it was you old friend," replied Ariano.
"Wear are you headed Ariano?" asked Sephiroth
"The tavern"
"Be carefull"

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there are only two things you can be sure of: Death & Taxes, unless you die first

As Sephiroth and Ariano both entered the bar they both asked around to see if anyone was interested in hiring a mercenary. With no direct answers they both sat at the bar and got some beers and waited.

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there are only two things you can be sure of: Death & Taxes, unless you die first

A smallish scratching noise is heard at the door. Unheeded at first, it continues. Finally, a patron, seated next to the door, opens it and looks outside. He sees no one, and so he closes it. A small dwarf hamster enters, unseen by most, and settles in the corner to listen.

He hears Sephiroth and Ariano asking if anyone needs mercenary service. The hamster's ears perk up, and he scurries over to the table that Sephiroth and Ariano are seated at.
"Excuse me."
"Who said that?" exclaimes Ariano.
"I did."
"Show yourself, stranger." murmurs Sephiroth.
"I am seated on the floor, seeing as how I no longer posses the height to sit on a chair."
Sephiroth and Ariano look down at the floor. Hamster looks up at them with beady, intelligent eyes.
"I need your service. I am a shapeshifter, recently confined to a single form. It all happened one night, as I was returning to my client after completing an asassin job. A flash of lightning revealed a tall mage, standing in my path with staff in hand.
'Excuse me, but I must be on my way.'
'You will not pass.'
My powers do not extend to the point of shifting into the form of a Balrog, so instead, I shifted into a hamster, and scurried between the mages legs. As soon as I passed, I heard a raucous laugh come from the mage.
'Now in one form shall you stay, I'll kill you by another way!'
Then the mage disappeared. And so I come to you now. I am convinced that if this mage is sought out, and destroyed, the evil enchantment that binds me will be broken, and I can go my ways. If you are wondering about payment, I can assure you, my finances are not to be scoffed at. What say you?"

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Brown, silently
stalking, the hamster
pounces, rips the
peanut into kibbles.

[This message has been edited by Hamster (edited 07-13-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Hamster (edited 07-13-2002).]

*OoC*

Hamster: If you want to do a full-blown team story, please start a new topic. The tavern has been, well, out of the tavern far too much. However, a lot of people are taking breaks from the stories, and three are already in progress, so I don't know how much success you'll have.

Also, I haven't posted in a long time, but I seem to remember founding the tavern, being the bartender, etc... do I still have any place in this story, or have I slow been washed out since I haven't posted since the Tavern III.

*BiC*



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Bronze: the other gold metal.   | |   And so the space toaster hardened the outer layers of the doughy, ooey-gooey ancient Earth...
Bacchus Publishing: [url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/show.pl?product=evo&category=guides&display=date&file=ChroniclesByJake101.sit.hqx"]Chronicles by Jake101: the unposted chapters[/url].

Well, you do still hold the land grants, we haven't found that concealed compartment just yet...

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"Next time you want a revelation, could you chose a method that is perhaps less uncomfortable?"

"Very well Hamster we will help you we charge 25 obloi a day plus expences. We are at your disposal"

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there are only two things you can be sure of: Death & Taxes, unless you die first

"I am sorry for leading this off topic, but I do not think that a small rodent would fit in at all with a bunch of boisterous patrons."

"I accept your offer Sephiroth, and wish you luck on the speedy extermination of my oppressor."
Saying this, Hamster pulls out a scatchel, previously hidden in his fur. He removes a small, glittering device from it, and starts muttering incantations over it.
"Just getting your down payment, hold on a moment..." Having said this, many shiny obloi appear on the table.
"Thank you."
Hamster looks into Sephiroth's eyes, seems to find something, smiles, and nods his head.

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Brown, silently
stalking, the hamster
pounces, rips the
peanut into kibbles.

Where should I begean looking for this mage?

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Mac is just perfect spelled wrong

On a new topic.

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"Next time you want a revelation, could you chose a method that is perhaps less uncomfortable?"