So you're all sitting in a tavern and ...

[Krieg]

Below is a transcript of a recruting poster for the United States Marine Corps from the Revolutionary War.

Make special note of the last paragraph and the location where it tells potential recruits to report to Captain Mullan for induction...

GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT

AMERICAN REVOLUTION

What a Brilliant Prospect does this Event Present to every Lad of Spirit who is inclined to try his Fortune in this highly renowned Corps.

The Continental Marines

When every thing that swims the Seas must be a

PRIZE!

Thousands are at this moment endeavoring to get on Board Privateers where they will serve without pay or reward of any kind whatsoever, so certain does their chance appear of enriching themselves by PRIZE MONEY! What an enviable Station then must the CONTINENTAL MARINE hold,--- who with far superior advantages to these, has the additional benefit of liberal Pay, and plenty of the best Provisions, with a good and well appointed Ship under him, the Pride and Glory of the Continental Navy; surely every Man of Spirit must blush to remain at Home in Inactivity and Indolence when his Country needs his Assistance.

Where then can he have such a fair opportunity, reaping Glory and Riches in the Continental Marines, a Corps daily acquiring new Honors, and here, once embarked in American Fleet, he finds himself in the midst of Honor and Glory, surrounded by a set of fine fellows, Strangers to Fear, and who strike Terror through the Hearts of their Enemies wherever they go!

He has likewise the inspiring idea to know, that while he sails the Ocean to protect the Liberty of these states, that the Thanks and good Wishes of the whole American people shall send him forth on his mission and participate in his Glory. Lose no Time, then, my Fine Fellows, in embracing the glorious Opportunity that awaits you: YOU WILL RECEIVE

Seventeen Dollars Bounty.

And on your Arrival at Head Quarters be comfortably and genteely CLOTHED. And spirited young BOYS, of a promissing Appearance, who are Five Feet Six Inches High, will receive TEN DOLLARS, and equal Advantage of PROVISIONS and CLOTHING with the Men. And those who wish only to enlist for a limited Service, shall receive a Bounty of SEVEN DOLLARS, and Boys FIVE. In fact, the Advantages which the MARINE receives are too numerous to mention here, but among the many, it may not be amiss to state --- that if he has a WIFE or aged PARENT, he can make them an Allotment of half his PAY which will be regularly paid without any Trouble to them, or to whomever he may direct, that being well Fed and Clothed on Board Ship, the remainder of his PAY and PRIZE MONEY will be placed in Reserve for the Relief of his Family or his own private Purposes. The Single Young Man, on his Return to Port, finds himself compelled to cut a Dash on Shore, with his GIRL and his GLASS, that might be envied by a Nobleman. Take Courage then, seize the Fortune that awaits you, repair to the MARINE RENDEVOUS, where on a FLOWING BOWL of PUNCH, on Three Times Three, you shall drink.

Long Live the United States and Success to the Marines


The Daily Allowance of a Marine when embarked is One Pound of BEEF or PORK. One Pound of BREAD. Flour, Raisins, Butter, Cheese, Oatmeal, Molasses, Tea, Sugar, &c. &c. And a Pint of the best WINE, or half a Pint of the Best RUM or BRANDY, together with a Pint of LEMONADE. They make Liberty in warm countries, a plentiful Allowance of the choicest FRUIT. And what can be more handsome than the Marines' Proportion of PRIZE MONEY, when a Sergeant shares equal with the Fleet Class of Petty Officers, such as Midshipmen, Petty Officers, &c. which is five shares each; a Corporal with the Second Class, which Is Three Shares each; and the Private with the Able Seaman, one Share and a Half each.

Desiring Greater Particulars, and a more full account of the many Advantages of this Invaluable Corps, apply to CAPTAIN MULLAN at TUN TAVERN, where the bringer of a Recruit will receive THREE DOLLARS.

January, 1776

​

 

[David Howery]

so, you're all sitting in a tavern....

and you realize that you have a deep seated urge to take things that don't belong to you... you must be an adventurer! Looking around, you see several other people of various professions also taking things that don't belong to them... they must be adventurers too! They look at you and each other and realize that you have all found yourselves a group to join and go out to plunder the world!

 

[taliesin15]

folks keep mentioning Canterbury Tales and Shakespeare--I'm thinking Rabelais is also a source, but an older one in middle english (gosh, I think its older than Chaucer) is Piers Plowman

and it seems like there's a tavern scene in Apuleius' The Golden Ass (ca. the time of the Caesars)

but it seems to me from Beowulf back to Homer, including Icelandic Saga, Celtic Myth, instead of the tavern, everyone's meeting up in some Lord's or Chieftain's Mead Hall

which, btw, is usually the "main church" in any town in my vikingish campaign...

the one that really makes a lot of sense that's not used much is a huge seasonal festival where people from different tribes have come to trade, maybe have contests of strength, etc.

however, from the DM's POV that potentially could be A LOT of work, might as well design a detailed (but permanent) city--a festival like that would be like a combination of the circus, state fair, and towns from several disparate cultures mashed together, and maybe the ancient Olympics, and some flavoring of Leiber's Bazaar of the Bizarre

 

[MonkeyDragon]

...and an old man with a hooded robe and a stooped gait approaches you and says "Hello. My name is Plah'took."

I figure that taverns and inn common rooms are all octagonal, with a single candle on an empty table in the middle of the room, to accommodate all the mysterious strangers who hang out in shadowy corners.

 

[Ry]

I'm actually using the tavern entrance as the mid-point of my campaign. Since the PCs are of such different social classes, I'm going to wait many games before they actually go to the tavern together. When they do, it will occur to them how strange it is. "A field-slave, a moneychanger, and a royal guard walk into a bar..."

 

[Evilhalfling]

...... A barbarian in facepaint, furs and antlered hat walks in and up to the band (three attractive women of different ages) and starts asking if they know where the mirror is. No wait that was a PC IMC.
....A Batwinged horned creature steps out of a broom closet, noone else seems to be looking at it.

 

[Rel]

I just had a chuckle when I realized that I started my last campaign "in a tavern". It wasn't where the main plot hook really originated but it was the place where a couple of the PC's met each other for the first time.

I have also used this old saw as the starting point for one of the best "one-off" games I've ever run. The PC's gathered in a tavern to celebrate their exploits on the previous adventure. Suddenly the door opened and a hooded figure stepped into the room. The party turned to regard him as he drew back his hood and the snakes on his head began to wiggle around agitatedly...*fade to black*.

The party was returned to flesh some dozen years later to find that the intervening years had seen this Medusa conquer the entire province. The Mayor of the town (an old friend of theirs) had spent the last 12 years trying to raise the money to have them brought back to flesh but had only been able to afford a temporary solution. They had one week of time before they reverted back to stone, unless they were able to mix the blood of the Medusa with the remainder of the potion the Mayor had brought them.

The final kicker was that the Medusa had left their statues sitting at the table in the tavern as a sign of what would happen to those that opposed his will. As soon as they went missing it would be noticed and word carried to the Medusa...

 

[jonesy]

There's this 14th century chinese adventure novel translated as "Outlaws of the Marsh" that has meetings in taverns.

We once had a whole campaign take place in a tavern. It was a devious horror time-travel murder mystery in a Ravenloftesque (isn't that a great word) ancient Inn. The DM began it at the "end". It had a 'condemned' sign at the front when we met there and looked ready to collapse. We got magically trapped there (go figure) and then we pretty much went through the entire lifespan of the place in random timehops. There were regular Inn seasons with plenty of regular customers, at times it was home to pirates, a warehouse for some murky firm (I forget), a once even a daycare center. All the while we kept collecting pieces of puzzle. In other words, it was a really crazy campaign.

 

[Stone Angel]

You realize that you are not in a tavern at all but rather a giant serving table for human eating giants!


Also notice how this transfers to modern day or D20 modern if you like. I.E half of the meetings in the Soprano's are in a resteraunt or bar.


The Seraph of Earth and Stone

 

[Romnipotent]

...Suddenly you're served, the food is nice and the wine full bodied. You leave for the mayors office to get your job.