Even Newer(er) Tavern Thread: The Hanged Man

Antithetist · Aug 9, 2010

pacdidj said:
"Oh my, no dearie! You see, I'm a fey-touched seer. I can see clear into the future and beyond! I was granted my power by a great Eladrin lord, you know. Luran is his name, and he is ever so dashing and handsome. He's a friend of mine dearie, a very special friend if you catch my meaning," Auntie Mab confides to Kasha with a wink. "But alas, we can hardly ever be together these days, what with all his wars and intrigues against the Unseelie Court. He's promised to bring me back to Arcadia though one day, and make me his queen. That, and to help my poor nephew Yenros who's stuck in hospital. He told me to wait here for adventure, he did. That his plan would become clear in time..." the old woman's rambling trails off into reverie.

Snapping out of it, she says, "But I assure you dearie, my powers are real and formidable. So, mind your manners, or I might have to give you the evil eye!," while waggling her fingers at Kasha in what she hopes is a spooky and impressive gesture.

Then, in a more businesslike tone she asks, "So how about that tarot reading love? A full Allarian Cross spread will only run you 10 gold."

Kasha stares for a long moment and then bursts into a fit of laughter. "Come off it," she giggles eventually. "Oh boy... you almost had me going for a second there. You can keep your Allarian Cross spread for someone who was born yesterday, okay? But that's a spiel and a half you've got there. Let me buy you a glass of something," she grins, flicking a gold coin into the air with one thumb and snagging it again. "I've never drunk with a fairy queen before."

Cute-Hydra said:
Karma looks away from Mab, a look of quiet triumph in his twinkling eyes, he seems to have got the information he needed/wanted. He does however replace his thin smirk with a warm actual smile as he approaches Kasha having got up from the bar and walking over.

"Karma Palminetti," he says offering a hand.

Kasha looks the stranger up and down, shrugs and takes his hand with a half-smile. "Uh, sure. Name's Kasha," she offers, regarding him with guarded good humour as she waits to see where he's going with this.

Otakkun · Aug 9, 2010

From his tale, Shrakk raises his head and asks in a loud voice.

"Anyone got an interesting tale to share? I'm afraid that besides talking about half baked constructs on an island I've heard nothing of real interest lately."

Someone · Aug 11, 2010

The door opens, and as everyone turns to see who's it, what becomes apparent is that someone dediced to place a strange statue made entirely of dark red crystal at the tavern's entrance.

It's not a very good statue: it doesn't have recognizable facial features and the limbs are rather misshapen. Some rags cover it's slender frame on apparently random places, and a backpack rests on it's shoulder.

Then two points of light shine where the eyes should be, and the sculpture moves and enters the tavern. The bizarreness of the new patron is, in this place, less strange than the mistery of the placement of a statue at the door, so most people lose interest on the newcomer.

"My name's Shale" announces. His slightly metallic voice reverberates and overlaps with itself, like and echo repeated several times "However I may change it. I feel no special need to be named, and I suspect it's an inherently humorous appelation intended for fun. I accept suggestions."

DMDanW · Aug 11, 2010

Slowly raising his head off the bar, Xander looks the room over. Noting all the newcomers since he was last conscious he locates Karma whom he had been talking too before. He stands up, placing a hand on the bar to steady himself and then walks over to the table where Karma, Kasha, Krav and Auntie Mab are sitting.

He pulls up a chair beside Karma and leans over to him.
"I must say that I am not used to seeing such strange creatures such as that one walk openly amongst men." he says in a low tone motioning towards Shale. "To be honest it took some time to get used to the dragonmen, but allowing a savage gnoll or that crystalline creature in here, well that's beyond my comprehension."

He manages a slight smile and continues, speaking to no one in particular, "Back in my homeland it was man versus beast, kill or be killed, fight or be eaten......Ahh that feels like a lifetime ago..." his speech trailing off as he stares off at nothing.

Someone · Aug 12, 2010

DMDanW said:
"To be honest it took some time to get used to the dragonmen, but allowing a savage gnoll or that crystalline creature in here, well that's beyond my comprehension."

"It's hard for me to adjust too" replies shale with monotone, reverberating voice. "I find difficult to ignore so many delicious, delicious brains around me"

"That was a joke"

pacdidj · Aug 12, 2010

Antithetist said:
"Oh boy... you almost had me going for a second there. You can keep your Allarian Cross spread for someone who was born yesterday, okay? But that's a spiel and a half you've got there. Let me buy you a glass of something," she grins, flicking a gold coin into the air with one thumb and snagging it again. "I've never drunk with a fairy queen before."

"Oh, well... that's alright dearie," says Auntie Mab looking somewhat deflated for a moment and eying the gold coin enviously as Kasha flips it into the air. "It's a hard living for a poor old fortune teller."

The old woman then brightens at Kasha's offer of a conciliatory drink, favoring the young half-orc with a genuine smile. "Why, yes. Thank you dearie. I'll have a cuppa tea with lemon please." She then glances down to see her rat familiar tugging on the sleeve of her floral-print blouse. The little brown rat gives a hopeful *Squeak??*

"Oh, right. Could you throw in a whiskey too Kasha dearie? Tristram's thirsty again. He's particularly partial to bourbon."

Having apparently returned to her cheerful self almost instantly, Auntie Mab doesn't seem at all surprised or offended that Kasha saw through her ruse. She must get turned down regularly by prospective soothsaying clients.

As Kasha steps up to the bar to order the drinks, Auntie Mab makes her way back to Rysethynn's table, sits down, smiles at the dwarf and says, "Hello again dearie."

LadyLaw · Aug 12, 2010

Rysethynn smiles at Mab and Tristram.

"Hullo again!" she says enthusiastically. "How're things shapin' up fur ya then? Any luck with down't ta hospital? 'Fraid I haven't seen anyt'ing poppin' up 'round here by way of work."

Katana_Geldar · Aug 13, 2010

Just ahead of Yishim, Firete steps into the Hanged Man and notes with some distaste at the amount of adventurers milling around the bar. Coming back is harder than I thought it would be, she says to him. Perhaps after that drink we should split up, perhaps better luck that way.

Cute-Hydra · Aug 14, 2010

Karma's hand feels oddly smooth, the usual texture of a hand is gone, replaced by a strange alien feeling smooth. After the handshake, Karma takes a seat. "So, Kasha, you know Ram Tiger already?"

Antithetist · Aug 14, 2010

Kasha makes her trip to the bar and orders another ale for herself and the requested tea and bourbon for Auntie Mab. Upon her return she watches the rat Tristram with considerable interest to see how he tackles his drink. It does occur to her, briefly, that a glass of whiskey might reasonable be expected to kill a creature of his size, but she dismisses the reservation with a mental shrug - the old woman presumably knows her own rat.

"Sure I know him," Kasha replies with broad nonchalance to Karma's query. "He was one of my crew, dontcha know, when I was a sea captain." She takes a drink and regards him, sphynx-like, with big brown eyes as he digests this claim.

[sblock=Insight DC 22]Kasha seems to have enough confidence in this boast so that it can reasonable be assumed to be founded upon some kernel of truth - but she's definitely exaggerating.[/sblock]