[Nexus] Trog's Tavern CCXLIII

[Rotting Baron]

*Upon entering the tavern you find it to be rustic, dim, cramped, and smelling of spilled beer. Moving through the crowd, half of which seem to be deadtiming, you spot a fireplace with a banjowood carving on the mantle, you also make out through the haze the curving bar and private booths hidden behind ferns. A side door leading to a patio outside reveals a hungry looking dumpster mimic sneaking towards an unsuspecting customer.

Near the stairs to the second floor rooms is a small white stone platform with a blue tree-like symbol on it. Standing on this platform will teleport someone to the Sanctuary Fortress located Inside where healers are always standing by in case of bar-brawls.

Trog's can be found right around the corner from any place in the Nexus. Somehow. It's best not to question it.

Staff:
Owner and Proprietor: Trog
Manager: El Jaspero
Bartenders: The Watchers (they're nice deranged cultists, really!), Phoebe, Ashna, Ambrosia

Trog's Tavern hires only the finest NPC servers:
((Since all are NPCs they are up for communal control. Feel free to say what they do or say to you or any other patron. To a point.))

Bouncer: Baby (NPC, a dwarf who was raised by orcs and has the intellect of Thog.)

Servers:
Nina - A fiesty and vivacious tiefling. Mean, self-centered and completely unavailable. You may have seen her recently on the WotC 4E cartoon.
Paige - A sweet, wholesome, flirty elf working her way through PC school.
Cosmo - A quick-witted and oppressed gnome scoundrel. Truly a monster. RAWR!

DRINK MENU:
Wines:
Catoblepas Sauvingnon
Chimera Cabernet - A hearty red with a hits of oak and black cherry.
Chuul Lounge - Bacardi Limon, Aberration , creme de bananes and juices into a Chuul shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into a highball glass half-filled with ice cubes, and serve.
Constitution Crushing Wine - Fort. DC 35 or pass out!
Cormyrian Fireamber - Imported and very good.
Eladrin Carbernet - Official Feywine of the Wild Hunt
Feline's Fancy - A purplish, swirly mixture that any feline will adore.
Funky Llama - A rich fruity wine, available in white or red.
Iames Agonia - This tart, dark red wine will stun you and leave you feeling good for hours.
Kobold Chianti - Tart. Tangy. Shifty.
Merfolk Merlot - Full-bodied with a hint of rose.
Powerlust Pinot - For those corruptable humans
Shadar-Kai Shadowine - Served in a jagged, broken glass
Spoonake Chablis - Straight from the Underdark!
Warlock Wine - Best served cold
Xorn Zinfandel - Sweet and fruity!

Mixed Drinks:
A Drink - Generic booze with ice that can be shaken, stirred, or you know, whatever. Try to be more imaginative next time.
Aboleth Absinthe - Far Realmilicious!
Black Shadow - A strong concoction guaranteed to send a chill down your spine at any temperature.
Coffee Martini - Buzzzzz.
Djinn and Tonic - Whirling ice cubes, fizzy soda, and one drunk genie.
Dragon Liver Buster - Strongest drink in the house
Dwarf Spirits
Fire Archon Asylum Rum - "FAAR!!!"
Haley's Liquer - Named for the redheaded rogue, a sweet creme liquer, excellent over ice.
Hemo Colada - 100% less coconut, 100% more ichor
Ice Liquer - From the Plane of Ice: guaranteed to cool you down.
Ichor Liquor - Made from a fermented mix of various kinds of blood
Jasphattan - El J's Secret Recipie, vermouth & bitters
LEVEL UP LIQUER - Need a few extra XP? We gots XP in a bottle!
Long Island Iced Tea - Tastes better than it will make you feel in the morning
Murderita - Wasted away again...
Piña CoLlama - If you're not into yoga and have half a brain.
Rampaging Rail Mixer - Mad strong!
Rust Monster - Scotch, drambuie shaken in a wooden mixer.
Sneak on the Beach - Peach vodka, cran-pineapple juice, a cat hair
Swampwater - Phosphorescent lemon-lime
White Russian Wukei - for bounty hunters who dig dairy
Wizard Blizzard - Crushed ice and Bourbon. The effect depends on the spell stored in it.

Beers & Such:
Ales: Archon, Guilders, Balthor's Best
Grim Brewery Ginger Beer - Death-o-licious!
Mind Flayer Mead - Mmm... brains.

Other Fine Beverages:
Celestial Soda Pop - Soda specially brewed in Celestia. Tastes divine.
Darknight Coffee - cream has no effect
Dragon's Fire Breath (cherry Kool-Aid) - for the kids!
Fox Cola - the choice of the furry generation
Llamonade - That cool, refreshing drink for quadrupeds
Oni Tea - From the far east.
Red Minotaur Energy Drink - a-MAZE-ing energy!
Root Beer
Save vs. Slow Slurpees™ - C-c-c-cold
Hot Chocolate - Mmmmmmarshmallows

MUNCHIES MENU:
AbyssalNuts - damned and spicy
Baked Goods - Scones and Muffins and Brownies oh my! We have no cake - the cake is a lie!
Bamhacon - where the ham meets the bacon. Served with eggs.
Court of Stars Salad - Fresh fey greens
Hero Sandwiches - what else? Served with Villain vinegrette
Velvet Elfish - Trogtilla chips and hot meat and cheese dip
Yuan-ti Gyros - Lamb. Or halfling. We're not sure.
Trog's Floor Chili - Don't ask Trog where it came from and Trog won't tell you "the floor"
SMOKABLES:
Dwarven Cigars - From our axe-hewn humidor
Coffin Nail™ Cigarettes - Get Nailed!
Halfling Pipeweed - Bogart™ brand

((When this thread reaches page 50, anyone can make the next thread. However, if you want to make changes to the OP, please check in the OOC thread first to make sure everyone agrees.))

[Rotting Baron]

Originally Posted by Reinholdt

"Love of your life?"

Ashley chuckles at that. "I don't know about that yet."

[Reinholdt]

"Well. Make them get a cell phone and call you every day. As a precaution." Reinholdt suggests.

[Rotting Baron]

"That'd be nice, but I barely know how to use a cell phone. I don't think they'd be much better with them," Ashley says. "Thanks for the idea, though."

[Reinholdt]

"Doesn't matter. Learn. Pressing 10 buttons on a phone is surprisingly simple after the first two, three go arounds."

[Rotting Baron]

Ashley sighs again. "Yeah, you're right. Just looking for excuses, I suppose." Her shoulders drop a little.

[Reinholdt]

"So what do you do then?" Reinholdt asks.

[Rotting Baron]

Ashley looks thankful for the change in subject. "Not much, really. I practice enchanting at home, do whatever jobs I can for money."

[Reinholdt]

"Oh? What enchanting skills do you have?" Reinholdt asks. Maybe he could get something enchanted. Not that he has anything in particular in mind.

[Rotting Baron]

"Oh, not much, I'm only starting to learn bast the basics. I can do just about any elemental enchantment, though. I've always been good at elemental magic. Almost as good as with illusions."

[Reinholdt]

"Are you training under a sensai of some sort or another then?"
Perhaps Rein would talk to them instead and see what's available.

[Dark Elf Bard]

Originally Posted by LOTRfan

The cyan-colored visor again focuses on the elf, trying to gauge as many details about his face as possible. The electronic screeching continues as he speaks. "We're doing quite fine, thank you. We're actually pretty recent arrivals to this place. Not very hospitable for either of us, unfortunately. How long have you been here?"

Ever since- er- um, about 21 days ago. The elf's face is mostly normal, with a noticeable lack of sleep around his eyes. He does not smile.

[Rotting Baron]

"Sensai? Um, no. I'm trying to teach myself. I can't afford a lot of tomes about it though, so I'm pretty much going by trial-and-error." Ashley taps her fingers on the bar, a nervous habit she's picked up over the years.

[Reinholdt]

"What drove you to decide to teach yourself your own job?" Reinholdt asks. Not horribly common as far as he knows, unless it's their dream job or something along those lines.

[Rotting Baron]

"Where I'm from, there aren't really any people who can teach magic that haven't gone into hiding or been killed. I've had to make due on my own. Just something I didn't stop doing when I came to the Nexus."

[Reinholdt]

"I see."

Well Reinholdt's out of things to say.

[Rotting Baron]

Ashley isn't much for talking anymore either. After a moment or two of awkward, she says, "Well, I'm going to sulk in my own self-pity for a while. Thanks for talking with me, Reinholdt; it was nice to meet you."

[Reinholdt]

"Nice to meet you too. Good luck." He hopes whoever it is shows.

[Jivundus]

Originally Posted by Morty

Wouldn't hurt t' ask around, Michalson says as he takes a sip from the flask. Maybe you'll turn up trumps. I 'aven't met many planars during my stay 'ere but plenty of smart bloods around 'ere. He passes the flask back to Nahliir. So if you don't mind me askin' what planes have you been to?

"Aye, I guess that'd be so if this place is anything like the Cage." Nalhriir agrees.

As fer the planes I've been, where should I start?" He says as he leans back and drains the flask, "Cor, that's fine stuff. Anyways, I've been a planewalker fer a couple hundred years at least, so there's no-place in the Great Wheel that I ain't seen."

"Now I ain't seen much of the Abyss, cause I don't care much fer the idea of becomin' fiend-food, but other than that, I've spent a good deal of time in all of 'em, even the ones ye don't wanna be spendin' too long in."

"Fer one reason or another, the plane of Shadow seems t' draw me attention quite a bit, but trust me, cutter, it's not a plane whose attention ye'd wanna draw."

[Rotting Baron]

Ashley nods as she gets up from her barstool and moves to sit in a booth where she has an easy view of the door.

[Rebonack]

Quite out of the blue Zee wrinkles her nose at something that isn't really readily visible to, well, anyone.

At all.

"Aaww... Someone went and ripped a hole in reality again. I hate when that happens," that said she glances up into the rafters and in the sweetest of voices says, "Raven, would you be a dear and kill anything that tries to come seeping through that breach? I'm sure everyone would be grateful to have their sanity intact by the end of the day."

Uuhh...

"Of course, Mother," comes a rather flat, dark reply. Followed by silence.

"There's a good girl!" Zee beams as she nonchalantly returns to serving sammiches and drinks.

[Mahonri Violist]

The Cowboy's Table, near the doorway

What does being a cowboy have to do with concern? Everything! The Code of the West is filled with gentlemanly things in regards to woman and children. Men, cows, and horses, though, is a little bit different. Benjamin would be appalled if everyone confused him with those cattle-rustlers or outlaws or nosy sheriffs and deputies.

Speaking of the Code of the West, Benjamin notices that he's still at the dinner table, and he takes out all six unfired bullets from his guns, one by one, a whole lot slower than he took putting them in, and putting them back in his pockets.

Benjamin, as he unloads, stares right back at the fish, trying to stare it down in an ultimate staring contest. As he's trying to win, he confirms what Isla said. "Isla said that it'll go back to normal soon."

He seems rather oblivious to the significance of Isla calling him by his full first name.

"I reckon it'll take just a short while," he adds slowly, as he slowly finds himself being attracted to that large human-sized fish on the ground. "Well, now...that's just...plain weird." He shakes his head, to get an evil mental image out of his mind. We don't want any more mermaids going around.

[Morty]

Originally Posted by Jivundus

"Aye, I guess that'd be so if this place is anything like the Cage." Nalhriir agrees.

As fer the planes I've been, where should I start?" He says as he leans back and drains the flask, "Cor, that's fine stuff. Anyways, I've been a planewalker fer a couple hundred years at least, so there's no-place in the Great Wheel that I ain't seen."

"Now I ain't seen much of the Abyss, cause I don't care much fer the idea of becomin' fiend-food, but other than that, I've spent a good deal of time in all of 'em, even the ones ye don't wanna be spendin' too long in."

"Fer one reason or another, the plane of Shadow seems t' draw me attention quite a bit, but trust me, cutter, it's not a plane whose attention ye'd wanna draw."

Michalson chuckles. Too late for that, cutter. He flicks his wrists and a strand of shadow rises from under the bartop to wrap itself around his hand. I work with this dazzle every day. Never been there, though.

Meanwhile, Dipsnig leaves for NO, mounted on Viima and with Thecla presumably following.

[Jivundus]

Nalhriir smiles faintly, "All the more reason for ye not t' go there, cutter."

He looks down and away and shudders, as if remembering something distinctly unpleasant. "If ye works the Shadow weave, then the last plane ye be wantin' t' visit is that one. Once the Shadow has a taste of yer soul, it ain't gonna be happy til it gets all of it."

He breaks off suddenly and stares into the distance.

//for telepaths only//

Spoiler

Something stirs deep within Nalhriir's mind, an echo of a memory long forgotten. He is standing in a demi-plane, one that appears to be nothing but void, speaking to something unimaginable, "I am willing to pay the price."

"I am reborn."

Nalhriir snaps out of it and tries to force a smile, "I, er, I learned that the hard way..."

[Morty]

Michalson raises his eyebrows. So you dabbled in shadow magic yourself? I'm not going to pry if you don't feel like sharin'. I've done my share o' stupid planar trips.

[Jivundus]

"Dabbled may be a touch of understatement, me friend. S'long as I can remember I've had shadow magic runnin' in me veins alongside yer run-of-the-mill dazzle. When I said that the plane o' Shadow drew me attention, what I meant was that I 'ave t' fight to stay away from there."
Nalrhiir pauses and muses quietly, "Y'know, it's almost as if somthin' was callin' me t' it, but far as I know, there ain't nothin' in there sentient enough to do that."

[Morty]

There's a lot of dark "As far as I know" doesn't cover, cutter, Michalson points out. Show me a berk that claims 'e knows everything there is to know about the Planes and I'll show you a real knight of the post. Now it seems to me like it might be connected with the big blank where your memories ought to be, he says. He's pretty sure Nalhiir has made that connection himself, obviously.

[Jivundus]

"Ye've got a point there, 'specially when the dark concerns a plane even the hendest of bloods go outta their way t' avoid."

Nalhriir throws Michalson a sardonic glance, "Yer suspicion's old chant t' me, cutter. Though me apprehension that some leather-headed Ivory got himself messed up in it all still holds true, 'specially with all this ticklin' I feel whenever I get near it."

[Rebonack]

Doo bee doo, Zee's making her rounds!

The totally normal human female makes her stop at the table of the two Sigil natives, apparently? She never knew Michalson was from the crazy giant planar city. But then, he hasn't ever really talked to her all that much before either. "Hiya! Lots of catching up between old friends?" she inquires cheerfully, holding a tray of various odds and ends as she beams at the pair. "Can I get either of you anything this fine {insert relativistic time of day here}?"

That's one thing that makes the Nexus buggery when it comes to greetings.

The time of day (or night) is rarely consistent between two people's perceptions.

Silly Nexus.

[Jivundus]

Nalhriir turns to the newcomer.

"Lady's Grace to ye, ma'am. Me an' this cutter were jus' swappin the chant. I'm fine fer bub though; leastways not unless ye' be willin t' make a trip t' Baator fer some," he answers as he flashes her a grin.