1: No godmoding. Your character is not an elder demon. It's not an immortal spirit. Don't project, don't assume.
2. My word is law. Defy the works of the Tranquil and be punished.
3. Basic EverQuest races. I consider Iksar and Vah Shir to be more special - more rare. I don't want them running around freely. Also, if you want to be a pixie, orc, etc., ask first. I'll be expecting a well-written description.
4: Try to write in a legible way. Misspelling is not illegal, but it's part of how you come across, and it makes things smoother.
5: Try to make your character realistic! Not every ranger is a loner without parents, not every wizard has a dark side, and not every warrior is an unmatched master at all weapons.
6. Keep any out of comment context inside the [ooc] tags, for easy browsing.
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As the setting sun's last, dying light fades, you peer out over the glimmering waters of Lake Rathe, taking in the fiery dance of colors on it's surface. Tearing yourself away from the show, you set your backpack against a pine tree, preparing to set camp for the night. As you reach for your bedroll, a heavy raindrop falls on your face. The small otter that dared its way up the shore to raid your forgotten food bag swiftly piles away from your array of violent cursing. As you seek shelter under the pine tree, you see a small, square light up on the hill above you. Blinking, to ensure it's not just a creation of your tired mind, you stand up, peering towards it. A breeze blows up, bringing with it the scent of ale, food and the prospect of a warm hearth.
Feeling your mood swing up, but with a curious notion - you haven't seen any buildings here before - you grab your belongings, swiftly scaling the hill. As you crest the grassy slope, a looming three-story building, leaning against the mountain wall, comes into view. The wooden building rests on a stone ground, and smoke rises from the chimney. You think you can hear laughter from the inside.
Relief granting new strength to your muscles, you pick up the pace, reaching the wooden pavement on which stout oak tables are set. A newly painted sign of an ale keg hangs over a slightly opened door, from which inviting light pours out.
Opening the door, you enter the commons room of an inn. A bar disk takes up most of the far end of the room, seated next to a broad wooden stairway that runs alongside the mountain itself. A metal door is firmly placed in the rock wall, from the look of it securely locked and bolted.
Curiously making your way upstairs, you find three doors on your right, each leading into a comfortable room with bedding, a small table and a chest of drawers. On your left is another larger room, and next to it an open space in which is a huge glass window, overlooking the lake itself, and numerous comfortable chairs.
Opening the door to the right room, you are surprised at the sight of a fully equipped bathing facility, complete with ability to lock from the inside. You're already considering the prospects of warming up from the cold rain outside.
As you turn around, your gaze meets an Erudian man seemingly in his thirties. He casts one glance at you, and nods, fishing out a room key from his pocket and handing you it. Pointing towards the stairs that continue upwards, he walks past you, down to the commons room.
Bathed, dried and comfortable, you eat a quick dinner and lay down on your bed in one of the numerous top floor rooms, soothed to sleep by the gentle drumming of the rain against your window.
Note: This isn't specifically directed at your character. It's just to give you a taste of what the tavern is like. [ 06-13-2002: Message edited by: Quellious ]
Quickening his pace, he is suprised to see the door somewhat open. Taken the handle in a gloved hand, he slowly opens the door the rest of the way and peers in, a broad grin crossing his face as he realizes it's an Inn.
He steps lightly in and pulls back the hood of his cloak, letting his long white hair stream out. As you gaze at his face, it's fairly easy to tell he's a half elf despite his hair color. His clothing are still hidden at the moment under the durable fabric of his cloak, but there are some flashes of metallic blue every now and then.
Azymyth takes a deep breath, taking in the atmosphere of the room before slowly walking towards the bar, looking for a tender.
Green eyes peer out from a stern face, displaying little emotion.
Placing the glasses he'd been carrying on a nearby table, Vazeth steps over to the newcomer.
"Welcome to Rathe's Tankard. I am Vazeth, the keeper. Can I get you anything, sir ...?"
An Erudian woman trudged along the mud puddles, cursing underneath her breath about the untidiness of nature. Her sea blue eyes scanned the area, searching for a refreshing change from the all-so-common dirt pits that seemingly pounce her at a moment's notice..
"Perhaps the Gods are looking upon me, today..."
Those few words slipped out of the woman's lips as her eyes catch the shaping of residency. Changing her beat from a (not-so) steady walk to a jog, she hurries over to the building, praying for shelter from the hideous rain. [ 06-18-2002: Message edited by: Iani Menvra ]
He stretches out his arms and puts them behind his head, smiling a bit at the Erudite. "I am a travelling bard, Azymyth by name. I was wondering if I might be able to stay the night or two?"
"Question one... does this look like an inn?"
"Question two... does the inn look like it has vacant rooms?"
Vazeth nods at the emtpy commons room
"If the answers to both those questions is 'Yes', you can stay surely. The room is fee is three silver a night, breakfast included. Do you prefer a room near the baths?"
"Very good." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a gold piece, handing it to the man. "A room close to the bathes would be great if they're available..." he leans in to add with a wink, "and if there happen to be any attractive tenents nearby."
Chuckling softly, he peers around and gazes back at Vazeth with a quirked brow, "Is your inn always this quiet?"
"First room on the second floor. As for attractive tenets, not much of that right now. Wrong season for travellers to the Lake."
Handing the key to Azymyth, he turns around, as to signal an end of conversation, and walks over to the bardisk.
Shrugging, he puts the key in a pocket and heads up the stairs, peering around the hallway.
Stepping in the door and shaking water off his cloak, he sees another patron heading upstairs, a Erudite woman who had come in right before him, and a Erudite man at the bardisk, apparently the proprietor, as he was the only dry one here.
He swaggers over to the bar, and motions for the innkeeper. [ 06-20-2002: Message edited by: Grimguard ]
"Ale?", Vaz says with a quick smirk.
Raising his eyebrows in query, Grimguard grabs the knotted mass of his fiery red beard in both hands and begins to wring the rainwater out of it onto the floor.
He actually has the good taste to look a bit ashamed at himself as he realizes what he is doing.
"My apologies," he mumbles into his still damp beard as he lets go of it and stops wringing it.
As he asks this, he smears the water around on the floor in an effort to speed up the drying.
Edit:Ubb>me [ 06-25-2002: Message edited by: Dugall ]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
After a short while, the two arrive at the door of the tavern. The two humans are now clearly visible.
One is wearing dark grey tinted, plate armor. A long, two-handed sword is at his right hip, it is in a scabbard however so the blade is not visible. He has a single pouch at his hip, it's contents are impossible to determine.
The second human is wearing thick, leather armor. It appears to be studded leather, but the material used to make the armor stronger is different then most metals. A short sword is attached to either side on his belt. The second human is the only one of the pair that is wearing a cloak, and a slim backpack is barely visible beneath the black cloak.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The door to the Tavern was slammed open, a paladin leapt into the room, his left hand on the hilt of his sword. A ranger quickly followed his entrance, right hand on his left sword. He began to raise his left hand, but paused.
"What is it?" The paladin muttered.
"He's here...but I can't see him." The ranger whispered in reply...
[ 06-26-2002: Message edited by: Dugall ]
"Do you have any rooms available for the night?"
"Don't come rushing in as if you're planning to attack the place. There will no fighting in here, leaves grudges outside."
Surprised at the flow of guests, he quickly hands out the requested drinks, then turns to the high elf, nodding.
"Wasn't ready for this many guests at once, but we have plenty of room. The fare is one gold piece per night and stay for a room near the baths, eight silver otherwise."
ooc:
These are slightly more logical money costs than the ones you'd encounter in EQ. After all, a platinum would be something akin to a fortune for a common farmer.
Nodding to the innkeeper, he takes another sip, and then turns to the halfling beside him.
"Grimguard Dirtnappin, currently of Nowhere, at yer service. What did ye say yer name was again? What with all this hub-bub, its a bit hard for me ta hear."
As he said this last, he threw a shielded look over his shoulder at the humans who had only but recently burst in.
He goes over to an empty table and sits down, pulling out bandages and wrapping the small wounds from the days hunting.
When he is done tending to his wounds, he approaches the bar and requests a drink. "Surprise me" he tells the owner of the establishment. [ 07-08-2002: Message edited by: Dredije ]
As he pushes the mug back towards the innkeeper with a nod indicating he would like another, he looks over at the halfling.
"Well, Mister Widebottle, I've been many things since I left me home as a young lad. Most recently, I was bodyguard to a certain young halfling priestess o' Bristlebane named... Ah, 'scuse me, I forget meself. Perhaps the lady don't wish to be spoken of in mixed comp'ny."
To emphasise his point, Grimguard half nods in the direction of the great room behind them that seemed to be filling up rather quickly.
"Suffice it to say, what I am is capable of getting the job done, no matter what it is."
He turned back to the bar in anticipation of the next tankard of ale.
"I'd like a room near the baths please. I could use a good hot soak."
He turns and considers the room, then moves to a table by the fire, carefully noting any signs of interest and and mentally cataloguing them for later consideration. He pauses slightly as he sees the paladin, but continues to his chosen seat.