Mingo's White Raven Inn

Discussion in 'The Library' started by Mingo, Sep 1, 2020.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Mingo

    Mingo Avatar

    Messages:
    686
    Likes Received:
    2,511
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Magencia Hotel
    (Cafe Istanbul-City of Meridian)--Bov, TimeLord, and Fire Angel took their coffee to the couch directly in front of one of the fireplaces. They reminisced about old times in Lord British' previous incarnation in a land fondly remembered by many Novia denizens, the predecessor to SOTA, Ultima Online.
    --Mingo shook his head as he remembered a 300 baud modem....house placing day, and RL friends who gathered on Friday nights as the Raiders of Valor on Chesapeake. He remembered with a fond smile how his compatriot, Mussop, had started out with insufficient strength....and died to a chicken. Somewhere in a trunk Mingo still kept a photo of his house on Moonglow Island. Three waterfalls fell in a cascade and from inside you could look out through the falling water.
    --Jason took charge of the four large salmon. "Lilith," he called. "Want to learn to prepare salmon?"
    --"you just bite into it...." Lilith started to say, then said, "yes, I think you do things to the fish..."
    --"On second thought," Jason said thinking twice, "Salmon should be frozen for 10 days to kill the parasites."
    --System Lord Elgarion came to the rescue of the story line. "Novia salmon has no parasites, not like Old Aerth whence you came. Also I think I would like some sashimi."
    --"Who else would like sashimi?" Jason called to the room.
    --"What's that?" Mingo asked.
    --"Raw fish," Gerta told him. "though there is a bit more to it than that."
    --Lilith, Emiko, Tomoko and Frida raised their hand choosing sashimi. "For the rest of you I shall have some fish grilled for lunch." Jason, Crescent and Lilith then moved to the food preparation room to prepare the fish.
    --"Emiko, Tomoko, pleaze go and take charge of preparing the rize," Frida directed to one of the handmaidens. "Don't let Jazon put zugar in it!"
    --Now Frida found herself alone at her table. She looked across at the other table where Mingo still sat with Elgarion, Gerta and Lilith. Frida glowered at her cousin, who fortunately sat with her back towards Frida. Mingo noticed.
    --Outside, the snow stopped. It lay deep and even in the still air, almost three feet thick.
     
    Lily Byrd, Elgarion and Time Lord like this.
  2. Bodhbh Dearg

    Bodhbh Dearg Avatar

    Messages:
    1,830
    Likes Received:
    3,548
    Trophy Points:
    125
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Netherlands
    "I'll pass on the fish, thank you!" I speak up "I enjoy fishing, I don't like fish... If you have a good steak, or a nice slow-smoked brisket, I'd be much obliged!"
     
    Lily Byrd, Mingo and Time Lord like this.
  3. Time Lord

    Time Lord Avatar

    Messages:
    8,336
    Likes Received:
    28,405
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    ~SOTA Monk~ ~Monastery~ ~Thailand~
    I too wish to fish, to catch such a fish, yet not a fishy dish wished into fish sticks, for it's swishing and swashing or cutting and washing never was fancy for ever my watching, unless you have catsup and then I will fess up while fetching up the sticks to meet the ketchup for their dress up to bear up with their fishiest fishiness in a frenzy of my favor for their flavor my favored neighbors :)!
     
    Lily Byrd, Mingo and Bodhbh Dearg like this.
  4. Mingo

    Mingo Avatar

    Messages:
    686
    Likes Received:
    2,511
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Magencia Hotel
    (Cafe Istanbul)--"Ok," said Jason, architect of the city of Meridian and Chef of Cafe Istanbul. "For some of you who don't want fish I'll prepare some juicy pork steaks."
    --Somewhere a Hound howled.
    --Mingo stood and got his cloak from the closet. "I should go back to the Inn and build up the fire. It isn't much but I think every little bit helps."
    --"I'll help," TimeLord volunteered. "I saw a shovel leaning against the wall outside."
    --Together the pair dug their way across to the White Raven Inn. Mingo briefly considered using the "gust" spell, but wisely refrained, pondering his clumsiness with magic spells in general.
    --The snow lay round about, deep and soft and even. "I need to add Christmas songs to my repertoire," Mingo said to himself. "Tis the season to be jolly, walla walla wash, and Kalamazoo!" he sang.
    --"I don't think that's how it goes....." TimeLord said with a shake of his head.
    --Back in Cafe Istanbul, Fire Angel complained to System Lord Elgarion, "I despair of the broken immersion in this story."
    --With a serious tone Elgarion replied, "maybe Jason has some duct tape..."
     
    Lily Byrd, Bodhbh Dearg and Time Lord like this.
  5. Bodhbh Dearg

    Bodhbh Dearg Avatar

    Messages:
    1,830
    Likes Received:
    3,548
    Trophy Points:
    125
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Netherlands
    "Ah duct tape... Just like the Force it has a dark side and a light side and holds the universe together..." I nod...
     
    Lily Byrd and Time Lord like this.
  6. Mingo

    Mingo Avatar

    Messages:
    686
    Likes Received:
    2,511
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Magencia Hotel
    (Between Cafe Istanbul and Mingo's White Raven Inn)--"That is an interesting colour there," TimeLord said with a smile observing the introductory line.
    --"Don't want to be predictable," puffed Mingo as he closed the door to the Inn and stepped down off the porch. "Perhaps I will introduce more characters, then have them die off. Maybe I will make villains of good guys and good guys of villains."
    --"You've been watching that Thrones thing again, haven't you?"
    --Ignoring his companion Mingo took a deep breath of the sharply cold air. The sun had risen to it's zenith on this cold cold day, hanging northhward above the shrines but not high in the sky at these latitudes. The NPC banker and Town Crier had hauled out the small boat that usually lay tied up to the small pier. It now lay ashore covered in snow.
    --Mid day in the winter, standing in the still cold air beneath the heatless sun, Mingo considered something he almost remembered. Many times something....a snatch of song, a poem, the small of a cookfire....would spark a memory; a memory as faint as the impression left on rock by the shadow of smoke, cast in moonlight a hundred years ago.
    --"Penny for your thoughts," offered TimeLord. Mingo ignored him as he looked at the snow upon the leafless Sakura trees and upon the tops of the buildings. It seemed to get colder all of a sudden.
    --"Back to the Inn," Mingo muttered trudging the short distance. "...before we freeze..."
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2022
    Lily Byrd and Bodhbh Dearg like this.
  7. Time Lord

    Time Lord Avatar

    Messages:
    8,336
    Likes Received:
    28,405
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    ~SOTA Monk~ ~Monastery~ ~Thailand~
    I remember a tale in such demeanor,
    and oh what a foul tale of a crumbling kingdom it was o_O...

     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2020
    Lily Byrd and Bodhbh Dearg like this.
  8. Mingo

    Mingo Avatar

    Messages:
    686
    Likes Received:
    2,511
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Magencia Hotel
    (comments on previous post)--....I lived in Fayette County, next to Coweta County. I remember this movie. good movie actually, with Andy Griffith and Johnny Cash.
     
    Lily Byrd, Bodhbh Dearg and Time Lord like this.
  9. Mingo

    Mingo Avatar

    Messages:
    686
    Likes Received:
    2,511
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Magencia Hotel
    (White Raven Inn)--Both Mingo and TimeLord took an armful of firewood into the Inn and stoked the fireplace. "You really need some kind of stove in each room," TimeLord suggested.
    --"Perhaps some day," Mingo said wishfully.
    --"Winter is coming," TimeLord intoned.
    --"Thank you, Lord Stark," Mingo replied cryptically.
     
    Lily Byrd, Bodhbh Dearg and Time Lord like this.
  10. Mingo

    Mingo Avatar

    Messages:
    686
    Likes Received:
    2,511
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Magencia Hotel
    (White Raven Inn)--Standing before the blazing fire in the White Raven Inn, Mingo and TimeLord held their hands out to the welcome warmth. "You asked about my thoughts a few posts back," Mingo spoke wistfully.
    --"I actually don't have a penny....."
    --"There was a time, in another part of the Metaverse, when a brave man fought with sword and spear and bow. This man gained a reputation of being invincible, and impossible to kill."
    --"...Arya Stark would disagree..."
    --Mingo continued, ignoring his companion's comment. "An ancient bard wrote the story, how this brave man became a fearless man...."
    --"Isn't that the same thing?"
    --".....no....no, to be brave requires fear...anyway, this bard, Alfred something, wrote the story down and I recall someone singing it....I don't sing it myself; I get all choked up, but a group, Annwn, recorded it. Here I will play it on the wooden phonograph here on the bar...."
    --TimeLord took a seat in the chair closest to the fireplace. Mingo started the music then returned to stand before the fire. The woman's song, accompanied by a sorrowful harp, filled the performance hall. Standing before the fire TimeLord observed Mingo TheBard shedding silent tears as he stared into the fire. Eventually the song ended.
    --As the sound of the song faded, Mingo drew a deep breath and emitted a long sorrowful sigh. "What became of this fearless man," TimeLord asked in a reverent hushed voice.
    --After a span of several moments, Mingo took a deep breath and ran his hand over his eyes. Still staring into the fire he answered. "He did not die, this man who did not fear death, but he became old and the day came when his arm was no longer strong enough to swing a sword....."
    --TimeLord waited a moment then prodded, "And then?"
    --"He became a Bard."

     
  11. Arkah EMPstrike

    Arkah EMPstrike Avatar

    Messages:
    4,542
    Likes Received:
    8,100
    Trophy Points:
    153
    A horse carries an unconscious man on the path in front of the White Raven in and stops for a moment, lowering its head to find a spot to graze. The man, clearly Arkah at this point, moans and rolls off the horse. The back of his neck seems blistered and his clothes were singed.

    “Uhnn...Mchorsntnyawait here” he muttered, almost incoherently as he rolled over on his back on the ground. McHorsington wandered off with his head to the ground looking for lush grass. Arkah kept his eyes closed and yelled “Imaneeda poshn! Red poshn ugn.” He was out of breath and reached into the pack that had fallen with him, felt around for a flask and passed out.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2020
  12. Arkah EMPstrike

    Arkah EMPstrike Avatar

    Messages:
    4,542
    Likes Received:
    8,100
    Trophy Points:
    153
    Arkah awoke in the same spot he had fainted in. Trots was grazing nearby. He finished retrieving the imbued regeneration potion from his pack, chugged it painfully, and smashed the bottle on the ground next to him as is custom. The burns on his neck and back began rapidly mending, but his clothing remained charred.

    He looked around the intersection and saw a few concerned villagers.

    "Excuse me!" Arkah raised his head pointing at a man beneath a nearby cherry tree.

    "Welcome to the bank, good sir." the man said in greeting.

    Arkah looked behind the man at the wagon sitting out in the open. "Hmm.."

    "I am Jason. If you need to make a deposit or withdrawl, we will take care of you." the man nodded twards the cart.

    "No thanks!" Arkah said, dismissing his mild security concerns. "I'm actually lost, where is this?"
    "Meridian." Jason replied, "A ways east and south of Tanglemire."

    Arkah thought for a moment. "Tanglemire?"

    Jason crossed his arms, "Yessir."

    [​IMG]

    Arkah looked at Trots with narrow eyes. Trots looked back at Arkah blankly chewing grass. "Who brought me here?" Arkah asked

    "I saw only you and your horse arrive, sir." Jason replied with a slight yawn.

    Arkah looked back at Trots. Trots continued to return the look blankly. "And we are....south of the main island. Correct? One would....have to have hired a ferryman to get here?"

    Jason was ignoring Arkah at this point and already well into a thorough flirting with the magic merchant across the street. Arkah shrugged and climbed atop Trots, heading along the road in some direction.
     
  13. Jason_M

    Jason_M Avatar

    Messages:
    770
    Likes Received:
    1,164
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Jason stands on the balcony of Cafe Istanbul, leaning heavily on the rails, and watching Jason and a stranger and a horse have an awkward conversation. He squints malevolently at the banker.

    I hope you enjoyed the snow, my nemesis. I hope that horse kicks you! And that minstrel spreads a hilarious limerick about it!

    [​IMG]

    Jason spits angrily and mumbles:

    Imposter....shaved-head-having bank-storage-loving.... Jason Statham wanttobe...

    He turns suddenly and returns indoors to resume his fate as this stories over-qualified dishwasher.
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2020
  14. Mingo

    Mingo Avatar

    Messages:
    686
    Likes Received:
    2,511
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Magencia Hotel
    (somewhere in the past, before the blizzard)--"Where is everyone?" Arkah asked the NPC banker named after Jason, proprietor of Cafe Istanbul.
    --"They are in the future," answered the NPC, somewhat to Arkah's surprise. "Winter has come, but you are too early."
    --"How do I get to them....in the future?" Arkah inquired.
    --"Just wait......"
     
  15. Mingo

    Mingo Avatar

    Messages:
    686
    Likes Received:
    2,511
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Magencia Hotel
    (Picking up where we left off....on a clear morning after a heavy snowfall)--TimeLord had given up on Mingo. The old bard sat before the fireplace vacantly staring into the flames, holding his pipe which had long gone out. With a sigh TimeLord loaded a few more logs onto the fire and went out the front door, there to meet Arkah.
    --"We don't' see many horses in these parts stranger," TimeLord said by way of greeting. "however there is a stable just around the corner, past Frida's small farm."
    --"Thankee kindly," Arkah said with a nod.
    --"When you are done at the stable," TimeLord said, gesturing across the way, "join us over at Cafe Istanbul."
    --"Is Mingo TheBard there?"
    --"in a while I think he will show up."
    --Arkah urged his horse through the snow to the aforementioned stable. TimeLord made his way back to Cafe Istanbul. Frida noted the absence of Mingo. "Mingo iz not with you?" she asked.
    --"Alas," TimeLord replied, "I fear he is entranced by some dream of RL."
    --"I hope it is a good dream," FireAngel commented.
    --"I think not," TimeLord said with a shake of his head. "I think it is a nightmare."
     
    Lily Byrd, Time Lord and Elgarion like this.
  16. Time Lord

    Time Lord Avatar

    Messages:
    8,336
    Likes Received:
    28,405
    Trophy Points:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    ~SOTA Monk~ ~Monastery~ ~Thailand~
    --"He will awaken when he's ready, the Sominex bottle is still full...
     
    Lily Byrd likes this.
  17. Mingo

    Mingo Avatar

    Messages:
    686
    Likes Received:
    2,511
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Magencia Hotel
    (A note to readers by Frida)--"Hail good peoplezez following the ztory," Frida said in quotes as she is actually speaking. "Long hourzez pazzed and lunch waz ready that day. I went acrozz through the deep znow to get my mazter, Mingo.
    --"he zat zadly in front of the dying emberzez of the fire, to which I added zome more logzez, but he zeemed deep in thought. I zlapped him upzide the head.....'WAKE UP!' I zcreamed gently."
    --"Huh wha?" Mingo mumbled rubbing the side of his jaw. "I was having the most terrible dream....."
    --"Dream later, eat lunch now," I said with arms akimbo, an emote recently learned.
    --With a stretch and a yawn Mingo put his pipe away and stood up turning away from the fireplace in the White Raven Inn (an actual place) . He noticed a large painting of a Bard holding a lute on the wall behind the performing stage. "Who's that?" he pondered as he looked at the portrait, wondering what kind of performance a stage could give.
    --"Iz a wandering bard, Arka zomething. Gave it to me as prezent." I replied pulling Mingo by the arm. "Lunch getting cold, come on."
    --"We waded through the znow," Frida continued in quote as she is actually speaking to you at this moment. "The zun waz out and the air zeemed warmer. At the Inn we ate the excellent lunch, I had the fish and Mingo had a pork zteak. Jazon makez really good beanzez and rice az a zide dish."
    --"Who are you talking to?" Mingo asked as he wolfed down his food.
    --"No one," Frida answered sadly. "Well maybe one or two folkziez. You have been gone too long. Audience left."
     
    Lily Byrd, Time Lord and Elgarion like this.
  18. Mingo

    Mingo Avatar

    Messages:
    686
    Likes Received:
    2,511
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Magencia Hotel
    (Cafe Istanbul)--Gerta came around collecting dishes after everyone finished lunch. Lilith helped her. Mingo sat at the table scribbling on a piece of paper, he looked up, "Where did Jason and Crescent go?" he asked Gerta.
    --"They have retired to their room. Since they get up early....actually Jason is awake most all night...it is their custom to take a long nap after lunch."

    --"Ah," Mingo observed in a distracted manner, returning to his scribbling.
    --"How do you write in different colorzez?" Frida asked as she stood slightly behind Mingo and observed the paper.
    --"Magic I learned from your father, actually."
    --"oh," Frida sighed with a loud hiss that sounded like a bull alligator. Mingo shivered. "He taught me many thingzez but not that."
    --"Maybe we will visit someday, somehow."
    --Frida shook her head, "you cannot go to Apsara. He would have to meet uz zomewhere, and I don't think he wantz to leave."
    --"Your father is a sentimental being, although he hides it well, like you."
    --Frida smiled a wan smile at what she took as faint praise and peered out the window at the rapidly melting snow.
     
    Lily Byrd, Elgarion and Time Lord like this.
  19. Mingo

    Mingo Avatar

    Messages:
    686
    Likes Received:
    2,511
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Magencia Hotel
    (Cafe Istanbul)--TimeLord walked over and stood behind Mingo, looking out the window. "There's a stream flowing down the cobblestone street now, from the hill whence sits Chiasma's castle."
    --"....from...whence...sits..." Mingo scribbled. "A fancy turn of phrase that."
    --"Time is a funny thing," TimeLord said. "It seems to speed up and slow down at its own volition."
    --"....own volition...." Mingo wrote
    --FireAngel took her hat and cloak from a peg on the wall, "Fare well all," she called cheerily. "I'm off to catch a boat."
    --"What kind of bait do you use?" Bov asked
    --"Minogame sometimes eats small wooden boats," Gerta commented as she continued collecting things from the tables. "He says they are crunchy and add fiber to his diet."
    --"Oh dear!" FireAngel said with a wide-eyed blink. "Well I'm not going all the way to the sea thank goodness."
    --"Are you taking that wide-eyed blink with you?" Frida asked.
    --"Indeed, sometimes he emphasizes my point."
     
    Lily Byrd, Elgarion and Time Lord like this.
  20. Mingo

    Mingo Avatar

    Messages:
    686
    Likes Received:
    2,511
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Magencia Hotel
    (Cafe Istanbul)--System Lord Elgarion also peered out the window. "Strange weather you have here in your city," he noted. "I think I will wander around a bit before I take off on my appointed rounds; the stream of water from the melting snow seems to have abated."
    --TimeLord silently wondered what you could catch with abated snow.
    --Frida got out her accordion and began to play a catchy, pirate themed song "The Black Pearl". Mingo looked up from his scribbling, "Ah it works!" he chuckled. "That's the first midi I converted to abc format."
    --Arkah Empstrike congratulated Mingo, "There is a lot of demand lately for songs, Hasselhoff Furrfoot is swamped I hear."
    --"I hope he can escape...the swamp," Lilith chimed in.
    --"Pretty chimes there, Lilith," maybe i should get a doorbell..." Mingo said absent mindedly.
    --"Don't forget about continuing the Red Hat Gnomes saga," Bov pleaded. "Shania and Jeb were at the demesnes of the Green Mole of the Guaca Desert, with the REAL gold acorns as i recall. What did they do with them?"
    --"Ah," Mingo said, lighting his great Titan meersham pipe. "The reign of Emperor Puppet in LaundryTown ended. He was unaware of the fraudulent replacement of the Gold Acorns with fakes by the Red Hat Gnomes, which he took credit for returning to the Dryads. His replacement Emperor Builder worked on fixing the mess Emperor Puppet had made and was blissfully unaware of the looming doom that would come when the Dryads figured out their acorns were fake. Emperor Builder was deposed and replaced by another Emperor Puppet, known as "The OLD Puppet" because of his age and decriptity. It was then that the Dryads learned they had been betrayed......"
    --"Sounds interesting," Bov said, happy that Mingo was thinking again of continuing the story of the Red Hat Gnomes.
     
    Lily Byrd and Time Lord like this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.