Ye Olde bAAR: Closed

[unmerged(4007)]

"wathombe, be sure to walk, I don't want to lose any loyal readers. Besides your AAR is quite fun to read as well."

"Well Craig, don't mind if I have another brewskie at all. Though one's enough for me. Glad you're enjoying the saga of the Low Countries. It's been a fun one. Your Prussia AAR is a fine read as well, if I say so myself.

As for how I'd do it. I don't know yet. I had discounted the idea of guest authors for this at first because I'm not sure the plot would be sustainable that way. It'd be like trying to do the FC, and LD already does that. No reason for competition. And even if I was the competitve type (which I'm not when it comes to artistry) I doubt I could attract anywhere near the talent he does. I suppose it could support the occasional guest spot here and there, but to have coherence as a sustainable story,I think it would have to be either rigidly controlled or solo.

As for endurance. Well part of the fun of this is each one would be a scenario AAR. That's a bit shorter than what I do right now. And I'd only have to play one campaign and could do it at my leisure. So really, I'd think during my schoolyear, this would be kind of ideal. I could stay active on the board while not taking up all my home time with games.

But who knows. This is still an idea. I don't even know if that's what I'll do yet."

 

[Norgesvenn]

"What did I miss, Rosie?"
"A lot. Did you sleep well?"
"Very well, thank you"

"A glass half-and-half of orange juice and mineral water, please..."
"No beer, no coffee?"
"No. Went to see the doctor the other day. Said I needed to cut down on the coffee. Or I'd have a full blown ulcer soon"
"Really? Sure you don't want just a small cup of espresso with your cigarettes?"
"Have to cut down on the smoking as well, the doctor said. I don't listen to him though"

The Midnight Rose re-capped the evening for Norgesvenn. He nodded in approval to the suggestions the bAARflies had come up with.

"Heck, I think I'll have a cup of coffee anyway. What do doctors know?"

 

[Bismarck]

Bismarck, still standing next to the jukebox, looks in the glass to fix his hair, and out of the corner of his eye, he swears he sees T standing outside the Baar....

M

 

[unmerged(6777)]

The doors to the bAAR flew open and a figure appeared, bathed in a brilliant light from behind so all that the assembled masses could immediately see was a short, knee-length robe and the tall, emaciated stick-of-bones upon which it was hung.

Stepping into the bar, the figure slowly, shufflingly, began to make its way towards the bartender. Those in front could see the gaunt cheeks and stretched skin of the shallow face and deep, pocked eyes – ringed almost in black with lack of sleep. Unshaven, largely unkempt, their first impression was one of horror. The bear, standing near Peter at the front door, made a half-lunge before suddenly recoiling with a little yelp as the searing eyes swung towards it.

“Come between me and my beer at you own peril,” the figure said – though whether this was directed towards the bear, or the clientele at large, was difficult to discern. The voice was cracked from disuse, though once it had, perhaps, been a fine timbre and used to commanding the attention of many.

All of a sudden, Peter chuckled from his perch near the door, eliciting the murmurs of “Peter the Brave”, “Peter the Conqueror”, “Peter the Incredibly Foolish” from the rest.

Secret, trying not altogether unsuccessfully, to blend into the chair he was sitting in nearby, was the second to try to suppress a guffaw.

The wave of mirth seemed to follow in a wake behind the figure as he moved to the bar. For the mystified patrons at the other end of the bar, the scene seemed almost surreal…almost as though some sort of mass hysteria-by-contagion had gripped the poor souls.

Finally, reaching the bar, the figure turned sharply and placed a foot up on the lower rail.

“Smithwicks,” said the soft voice. “Better make it a double.”

“Norgesvenn sprang into action, hoping that this foul demon would sate itself quickly and then depart back to whichever plane of hell had spawned it. He was suddenly very nervous that almost the entire bAAR was rolling in laughter.

Finally, LD got up from the table where he had been enjoying a beer of his own and crossed casually over to the figure. Putting an arm around its scrawny shoulders, the veteran offered, “don’t you know that hospital gowns a slit all the way down the back side? ALL the way down…? Perhaps you’d like to come over and sit at a table so your droopy ass won’t scare the children?”

The crowd roared into outright laugher, and Norgesvenn, finally “in” on the joke, hastily found a second apron for the bemused figure to wrap around his waist.

“Oh. Err. I suppose it is. Why do you think they do that?”

“Just to give me something funny to write about I imagine.”

“Ahh. That’s probably it. I just thought there was a particularly chilly breeze blowing from behind me all day.”

Beers in hand, the two returned to the scarred oaken table. Upon seating themselves, the hospital-gowned figure swore. “Splinter!” and began trying to dig one out of his posterior.

“I’ve missed you around here T. We all have.”

“I’ve missed being around. But it looks like I’m back…err…well, at least my backside is. Let’s see what we can do about the rest of me now.”

Slowly a huddle began to form around the table.

“How’re ya feelin’?”

“I’ve certainly had better days, but this one looks like it show the promise of many more to come. Let’s celebrate with a few beers why don’t we.”

“Yeah. Lets.”

“A round for the bAAR on me, then,” which was greeted by many cheers.

Norgesvenn quickly began slinging beverages of many assortments to the far reaches of the establishment.

“A toast,” said MrT. “It’s good to home where your friends are!”

“To friends” roared the bar.

T leaned in close to LD. “Damn, it’s good to be back.”

 

[Peter Ebbesen]

So, the bold pirate Campain MrT, rather the worse for wear, comes staggering into the bAAR wearing a costume straight out of a nurse's wet dream.

I restrain my pet grizzly from mauling him - damn, I'm getting soft - and chuckle but briefly at the sight of his cheeks. And I don't even throw him out for malicious lingering or infringing the dress code.

I guess I'll have to take it out on the next customer, or I'll lose my reputation.

 

[Norgesvenn]

"Say... that's MrT, innit?", Norgesvenn said quietly.
"Aye. He's looking... unfashionable", said Rictus.
"Still, it's superb that he's back"
"Oh, aye. Wouldn't miss it for the world!"
"That behind?"
"... I was thinking about the occasion, but now that you mention it..."
"Was that 'wouldn't' or 'couldn't?"
"...'couldn't'. I scored this week, I'm no bleeding poofter!"
"Never said you were. My English is what you English say 'inadequate'"
"That's a line from a movie!"
"Indeed. Don't remember which one, though. Say... Rictus... I'm off to Hamburg from Thursday until Monday. Would you by any chance be able to fill in for me?"
"Sure. Just give me the keys!"

And, thankfully, there was the Dane with the grizzly to keep things in order...


Welcome back MrT!!!!!

 

[unmerged(4007)]

"Norgs, stop yappin' and give the man his Smithwick's, would ya?"

"You better be careful Shawn, or I'll start talking about CM again."

"HAH! That won't phase me anymore, I'll have it tomorrow!" "Now give the man his beer, and a Grolsch Amber Ale for me."

 

[Rictus]

"Sure. Just give me the keys!" Rictus said, barely suppressing a smile as MrT struggled with the rogue splinter. The metallic double clink annouced that the heavy, rusty items had been depositied in the Englishmans capable - if slightly dirty - hands. Almost immediately, this was followed by a manic glint in his eyes and the spreading of a mischievious, full toothed smile (a rictus, if you will) reserved usually for skeletons and female models posing at game conventions.

Even Peter The Conqueror (but not his bear) raised a scarred eyebrow at the muted, low chuckling that bubbled forth. Then even MrT had to stop his struggling with the timber based attacker on his ass as Rictus burst out in full evil arch-villian-whos-just-formented-a-plan (tm) style laughter.

It ended with a coughing fit naturally enough in these sort of comedic situations, but nevertheless, Rictus made an effort to compose himself before speaking to Norgesvenn again.

"She's in good hands." Niether person flinched either. Well, not much anyway.

On the jukebox, in MrTs honour (whom had subsequently gone back on his hunt), some bright soul chose the title track from the Cheers album.

As the music started and people nodded appriecatively, it was so true.

"...Where everybody knows your na-ame...and everybody's glad you ca-ame..."

MrT, Chris, welcome back

 

[unmerged(10301)]

wathombe strolled in just in time to catch an exchange between Norgs and shawn:

"You better be careful Shawn, or I'll start talking about CM again."

"HAH! That won't phase me anymore, I'll have it tomorrow!"

"Hm," thought wathombe. "We won't see him for a few weeks."

wath turned to see a knot of people around LD's table, fussing over a gaunt fellow dressed somewhat absurdly in a hospital gown and a bar apron. He watched for a moment as everyone grinned and patted the man (gently) on the back before realizing with a start that he must be none other than Master T. The beloved LibrAARian had taken leave before wathombe really started hanging around much, so he hadn't recognized him at first. The young writer fished in his pocket, then slipped over to stand patiently at the edge of the group.

When an appropriate pause presented itself, wathombe thrust forward his hand and said, "Hi. I'm wathombe. Welcome back, and we're all glad you're okay."

Not sure how to take this young fellow, the regular shook the offered hand and nodded.

The youngster then offered something with his other hand. "I thought you might like this, for the LibrAARy, just to make it easier on your eyes, you know, for the time being...," he trailed off. From the outstretched hand, the weakened chronicler took a small brass turtle, about the size of his palm, with a magnifying glass where the shell should be, so that when placed on a table, one could more easily read the text beneath. He looked up, still not sure what to say.

"Anyway, welcome back," wathombe said as he slipped back to another corner of the bAAR.

 

[J. Passepartout]

"Everyone, look outside!" Fireworks began in the sky. They spelled out MrT every time.

OOC: So, Rictus, you laugh like that too?

 

[Secret Master]

The Secret Master sat listening to all the cheering for MrT. A cigar appeared in his hand from nowhere, and he decided to wander over to the table where MrT and LD sat. When he arrived, he handed MrT the cigar, grinned, and then adjusted his fake noise. With a pat on the back, he returned to his table. Peter could just barely make out what he was saying over the noise of the maddening crowd.

"Excellent. MrT has returned. Everything is going according to my plan."

Secret scribbled something on a piece of paper, and returned to his Shiner.

 

[unmerged(9422)]

Meiji-Tenno walks over to MrT and give him some of his 166 yen as a present. Some of it. Then, he returns to a dark corner of the room, counting what remained...

 

[Eochaid]

Eochaid was right behind Wathombe, waiting to get an autograph for MrT and have an opportunity to shake his hand. So he nervously. When he finally elbowed everybody aside, he opened the backpack (no Backpack, nobody's calling you. Just go back to drinking your pint) and with a broad smile, started to pull some stuff out of it.

"-Hey MrT, here's afew token of friendship. Here's an excellent french cheese: if hospital food smells and tastes like shit, this smells like dung but is the tastiest thing ever. And this is a jumbo bottle of the wine we make from our family vineyards."

The others guys around the table tried to grab the bottle, but stimulated by the sight of all this good alcohol, MrT managed to fend them off.

"- Guys! Don't put your filthy hands on that bottle, it's MrT's. I any of you ever has to go to the hospital (and not for an ethyl coma) I'll bring you some... Don't worry.

- Jee. Thanks. I think I'll mix it with some coke and make some Callimucho.

- Right! Do that and I'll send you back to the hospital!

- Just kidding.

- I hope so. BTW, I think that I'll have finished the french librAARy by next monday."

------

Glad to see you're back Chriss!

 

[Craig Ashley]

Craig waited for the crowd to thin. And waited. And waited. Damn it, he just elbowed his way to the front.

"Chris glad your back. Place hasn't been the same without you."

.

 

[kurtbrian]

Kurtbrian stood at the back of the bAAR watching how everyone was flocking around the newly arrived MrT. He quietly though to himself that had it not been for the 'Get Well MrT' foundation he probably would not have survived...

Pushing trough the crowd, he made his way to MrT and said

'Welcome home - Its truly great to have you back'

 

[Storey]

As Rictus moved behind the bar Storey reached over and shook his hand.

"Rictus let me be the first to congratulate you on your promotion to barkeep. I was just telling LD the other day that I couldn’t recall anyone who sat more often and for longer periods of time at the bar than Rictus. I took it as a sign from above that you had great things in store for you in the bar business. And as one of the first acts and since MrT is paying, I’d like you to turn your attention to the back of the bar where I know that Norg has a Magnum of Dom Perignon Rose Champagne hidden. Would you be so kind as to get it for me?"

Rictus roots around before rising with a bottle of Champagne.

"No, no not the 93 the grapes were rather sharp that year. I believe you’ll find an 88 if you look under that pile of junk over there. Norg has a somewhat quaint inventory system.

More rooting by Rictus that amazingly resembles a pig hunting truffles before he rises once again with the Magnum.



"Rictus I knew you were a natural at this business."

Holding the Magnum in both arms Storey was heard to mutter.

"My precious, my precious."

And with a tip of his hat to MrT he starts to lovingly remove the cork.

 

[Storey]

Still cradling the magnum in his left arm Storey winked and offered Rose a full glass as he confided.

"Having MrT back has inspired me. I think it’s about time I wrote another AAR but this time it will be a little different than what I’ve been doing. It will be rather dry but still full of details with enough humor to bring a smile to the readers face somewhat like this delightful champagne. I think I’ll call it ‘Lithuania, a study in game play.’ I’ll have to finish this bottle before I start so that should be early next week."

Rose and Storey gently touched their glasses together before drinking their champagne.

 

[Lord Durham]

LD heard Storey mumble 'My precious, my precious' and immediately checked the man's ring finger...

 

[unmerged(9422)]

Originally posted by Lord Durham
LD heard Storey mumble 'My precious, my precious' and immediately checked the man's ring finger...

Hahaha

And checks for furry soles.

 

[Lord Durham]

LD heard Meiji-Tenno's laugh and waved him over to sit at a table comprising MrT in his frock, SM in his ill-fitting secret disguise, shawng clutching a coveted copy of CM and Bismarck drawing storyboards for his latest multimedia idea.

"Meiji-Tenno, I hope you're feeling welcome here. Your AAR has certainly gathered some well deserved attention. Ah, wait a moment... Storey... Storey... HEY JOE!"

A figure shuffled over, clutching a bottle tight to his frame.

"Ah, Joe, you found the Dom Perignon Rose Champagne. Good. Glasses all around. Let's celebrate! Joe, Joe? Why the long face?"

"Nothin'"

Craig Ashley and wath wandered over. "Oh, is that an '88' Dom Perignon Rose Champagne? Gee, hope you don't mind..."

"What's the celebration, LD?"

"MrT's return, of course. Let's drink up, I'm going to be busy."

"Why's that?" Eochaid asked.

"Because I've got a hockey sock full of characters for my new Free Company adventure, and the list keeps growing. Cheers!"