(M) The Sliding Tavern

[brucedabold]

The strange moving cot heads off into the woods at a fast pace. Red and the others must jog to keep up. It's six limbs traverse the forest floor easily, climbing over root and stone with nary a pause.

Soon, the party arrives at the edge of the woods. A cold air hangs in a foggy night. Before them are rolling hills capped with stone circles and stone mounds.

The device quickly moves on, making as much of a straight path as it is able over hill and dale.

[EvilCopepod]

Rikerg didn't get up to follow them for several reasons: he wasn't specifically asked or invited, there wasn't any obvious or clear sign of danger, if Longboat stayed to rest as he seemed very much so to need, he and the Tavern would both need to be defended if something happened while they were away, but mostly it was because he had not been offered a place in the Tavern and was still feeling sour about it.

[Merlin]

Peter easily kept pace with the bot, only slowing to maneuver around roots and over rocks, showing his youthful strength and agility. He was hardly winded when they paused at the woods' edge, and he noted the barrows through the thickening fog.

"Thought so," he muttered, quickening his pace to follow the bot, so he wouldn't lose sight of it in the mist.

[cirdanslongboat]

"I definitely needed more excitement in my life, and I was falling into a catatonia in the last world I was trapped in, but this Tavern is pushing my limits by bringing me back here," Longboat sleepily said to Reikerg.

He stared off into the forest and wondered if he would come back to the Tavern if he went off into the woods again. The coast was a thousand miles away, but the gulls were calling him. One last magnificent sail to Valinor and all of his sadness would be gone forever. But he was different now. So much time among the objectivist humans of Earth. He knew it was an illusion. But the gulls...

"Let's take a slow walk around the perimeter of the Tavern grounds, Reikerg, and I will tell you about how different Humans can be. They are easily deceived, and easily incited to anger and violence. Some of my worst experiences were directly caused by Humans, but so are some of my  best. Humans are confused by things new and different, especially if they are large and strong as you are.

"I have known enough humans to have no doubt that your attitudes are justified by actual experience, but I hope you can consider the possibility that these humans might be different."

Longboat was up and walking and said, "after we finish our perimeter patrol, I am going to see if I can make myself a nice resting spot in the barn. Leonie's automobile brings back some strong memories that will help distract me from the sadness of my homeland."

[Aisling]

Aisling noted Rikerg and the Bard remained with the Tavern as she followed behind the others into the woods.  That was good.  Someone should stay behind, just in case.  And the unlikely pair were actually an interesting match, balancing each other out and making a potent combination.

[EvilCopepod]

"What sort of excitement? That of battle? I know of ennui myself, but I imagine your periods were far longer." He looked into the forest as well, "Are you tempted to remain?" He still had yet to understand that he was no longer in his world, but was sure if he wound up in his own familiar forest he would return to it.

He stretched when he said they should circle the grounds, listening to what he had to say about humans. Much of it made sense to him, and seemed to be quite insightful, but he was doubtful of him saying his best times were with humans.

"These humans still reek with fear and aggression." He grumbled, standing up and following at the other's side. He did think of how Leonie had told him what the hose was and how to work. "They are... different from humans I know." He agreed.

"I will join you." The idea of sleeping in the barn was not as distasteful if he would not be doing it alone. It took him a moment to figure out what he was talking about. "You know what that metal beast is?"

[cirdanslongboat]

"The excitement of action and danger," Longboat began responding. "But actual battle is the source of too much pain, sadness and suffering. It is something that I avoid to whatever extent I can, but seems endemic to many of the places I have been."

"I am tempted to remain, but it is not my path right now, and would not end well...  ...For reasons I have yet to fully understand."

"Leonie's world is a baffling place. It is crowded and mechanized to the point that only a few people out of every hundred are Farmers, yet they easily feed everybody. Or at least they grow enough food to feed everybody, yet for all their knowledge and power, they still have trouble getting the food to those who are hungry...   As I say, a baffling place. So farms and barns are seen as spacious and wholesome places where one can escape the noise, crowds and stress of the city. As a result, it is not uncommon to see the wealthy and powerful buy barns to convert into spacious homes, carefully remodeling them so it is still clear they are barns. So when it was suggested you sleep in the barn, the idea is that the barn is large and spacious enough to be comfortable for you."

"The irony, of course, is that you and I are the ones who likely have spent the most time in agrarian cultures where sleeping in the barn has a much different connotation. I like and admire this crew we have found ourselves with, but getting along with them will require a bit of adjustment to our attitudes and assumptions."

"Now, we can get this place," referring to the barn, "set up and comfortable. But first, let me introduce you to a mechanical steed that is very fast, but highly limited in its utility as it requires a hard, flat rolling surface to be functional. THIS, is a 1968 Mustang..."

[brucedabold]

The weather on the rolling hills was quite different from that of the forest. Here a cold wind blew over the ground, even while shrouded in fog. It had none of the insects or frogs or crickets.

The roving cot came to a particular hill and scaled up its rocky slope. At the top was another, smaller hill, covered in moss and made mostly of gathered stone. The bot circled the structure, looking for an entrance. Finally, it came upon a small square opening, but too small for it to traverse. It began folding itself.

[Tikkeni]

"Spooky," murmured Tikky, slouching a little and turning his head from side to side more.

[Merlin]

At first the cool air was a relief from the stuffy stale air of the Old Forest, but within moments the persistent chill had Peter rubbing his bare arms as he made his way up the rocky slope. Reggie scampered ahead, following the bot, and when he found the small square opening, he dashed in without hesitation.

[Aries Jordan]

"I still don't understand how Frodo could have gotten this far," Leonie said as she scrambled up alongside Peter.  "They literally just left." 

She scooped up Tikky whenever there was a wall too tall and steep for him to scale, but otherwise let him pick his own way along.

"Oh -- hey, careful, Reggie!" she warned the dog.  "There are probably barrow-wights in there."

She wondered what a barrow-wight actually looked like and what its combat stats were.  Tolkien hadn't provided enough of a description for gamers to properly quantify them. 

[Aisling]

If Aisling was affected by mild changes of temperature, she might have been tempted to shiver at the cool air of the misty downs.  Instead, she very slightly wrinkled her nose in distaste.  More undead.  It was almost like being back in the dark fae realms.

She was not much use against undead, but she could maybe still be of help.  For the moment, she kept an eye and ear out for other threats that might approach the demon, humans, and cat roaming among the earthworks.

[EvilCopepod]

"We could spar sometime if you would like. I enjoy a friendly fight." Rikerg offered. "If most of the places you have been contains humans, I understand why. They are fond of battle-- especially with one another."

If Longboat didn't understand why he couldn't stay, Rikerg was sure that he wouldn't be able to figure it out himself. So he didn't ask him more about it, instead listening to his description of Leonie's home.

"What is it that they spend their days doing?" He could understand there being less farmers, but asfar as he knew there were only so many lifestyles a human could have.

"Nobility sleep in barns instead of castles?" He couldn't think of any barn larger than even the shoddiest of castles, and this barn was no exception. "Is it solely upon us to adjust our attitudes and assumptions?" Rikerg sounded a bit irritated at this suggestion, "To not be offended by what they do and say rather than have them not offend us?"

Rikerg was still confused about what the car was, whether it was a strange metal beast or animated carriage. So when Longboat said they were to be introduced, he assumed that meant it truly was alive.

"Hello." He nodded to the car, "I am Rikerg."

[Tikkeni]

Tikky murmured his thanks for the lift over the rough spots but he balked several feet from the hole in the ground.  "I'm so not going in there!  Actually, not sure I'd fit...my fur is a bit...fluffy."

[cirdanslongboat]

"I was introducing you to the car in a metaphorical sense. It is not alive, but rather a very sophisticated machine. People who have them often treat them as alive," Longboat said as he examined the car more closely.

"It is not so much that it is incumbent just upon us to adjust our attitudes, it is more that our own attitudes are easier to adjust than the attitudes of others. I will, however put some effort into helping the others understand where you are coming from.

"When we were fighting the Wraiths, the power and sophistication of our coordinated attacks was quite unlike anything I have seen, and I would love to see us be more cohesive as a group. I do not know where this Tavern will be taking us, but I know I had to leave Leonie's World, and I know I can't stay here. So I will stay with this group for the time being, and I hope you will too.

"As for what the people of Leonie's world do..." Longboat shook his head. "I don't even know how to begin to explain that. They can be wonderful and thoughtful, but after so much time there, I find your clear, straightforward, and grounded approach to be very refreshing.

"And finally, yes, I would love to spar with you sometime, but my exhaustion may be catching up with me, so it might be better to wait until I have had some rest."