[gwangi32]

In an older Casket Works there is an article about the Copper Demon, a bar in Port Gangrel. The article is background for the World of Adon and appears in CW 7, I think. I was thinking of the putting short fiction here in the time honored fantasy theme of stories in the tavern. I was planning on using Reaper figure names for characters as this thread and site belong to them. Anyone else should just belly up to the bar and share a story, maybe score a free drink of choice.

Elsa opened the door of the Copper Demon in the late afternoon, as she always did. She had run this place for nigh on fifteen years and she could say these were the happiest years of her life. She and her family lived in rooms above the tavern and they served a special group of people. Her "forceful" husband kept the riff raff out and those who found their way past him became friends in short order.

Pegleg Pete McGumpin was waiting, sitting on the dusty bench under a vine hung trellis to the left of the door. Smiling indulgently Elsa said, "Pete ye scalawag, ye know we don't serve for another hour."

"Aye, sweet lady, but I'm fresh in town and I would not want to spend the first of me hard earned coins in any other place," replied Pete smiling through wrinkles and whiskers. Pete was as honest a seaman as there was, not a pirate but a merchant sailor with a background in some foreign navy or other. He'd lost a leg in battle, a fine tale that one was. He had seen so much that the grizzled old sailor always had a new story.

"Well come in Pete and take a bench. I've cold water there on the bar, help yerself, " she said standing aside so Pete could stomp inside. "However, I believe you've come to steal more drinks during happy hour, unless I miss my guess," she continued as he slumped onto a bench near the door in the much cooler interior of the bar.

"Perhaps lass I might have a story to serve up," he said and then leaned back to rest until the bar officially opened. Elsa went smiling about her work, the routine that she found so comfortable. She prepared the front room while her husband prepared the food in the kitchen in the back room. Her children would be back from their tutoring soon and would go straigt to their chores. Then the night's business of serving drinks and food to friends would commence. And the first open hour would be her favorite portion of the routine, where her customers told tales in the hopes of earning a free drink or pastry.

[gwangi32]

OK the figures I have in mind so far have been Peg Leg Pete DHL 03152 or one of the Pirates of the Dragonspine Sea and the Townsfolk found in 02583. The article I mentioned was in Casket Works 10.

[gwangi32]

The common room of the Copper Demon was square, the wall opposite the street door was dominated by a long, highly polished wooden bar. Tables were scattered at random and an impromptu stage could be set up with crates and planks stored in one of the backrooms of the establishment. Minutes after opening the room was filling up nicely. Pete, who had been enjoying a safe nap woke with a start. "It's time to earn a drink," he mumbled as he got to his foot and sidled up to the bar.

Elsa had been waiting for Pete, "You know the price Pete, coin of the realm or a story I haven't heard."

"Well now my poppet I have a gem of a story that I've yet to share with you and it goes far back in me past. I was first mate on His Majesty's ship the ZEPHYR'S BREATH. I had been conscripted as a youngster but found I loved the sea and had been promoted up from simple sailor to first mate on a ship o war." Pete paused hoping to cage a down payment and Elsa supplied him with a cup of watered wine. Pete shrugged and smiled. Sipping the wine he continued, as other customers, familiar with the tradition at the Copper Demon moved closed to here the story.

"At that time there were no wars to be fought, a rare occurence to be sure. So we were hunting pirates. We had been sailing the Dragonspine with no sightings for a week when we spotted the DEVIL OF THE DEEP, which was run by Bloody Ben Kenowith and crewed by fierce devil's brothers to be sure. Our Captain was Ferthy Turler. Captain Terler was a fine sailor but a bit of a dandy. Yet with a sword he was a right, savage battler." Pete paused for a sip.

" 'Give chase' Cap'n Turler ordered the helm and the order was bellowed about by the deck watch. Then the he said to the Officer of the Day, 'When we are within hailing distance give the order for battle stations Mr. Gulger.' " Pete looked at his audience and explained, "A navy ship's got plenty of folks, officers, petty officers and regular scum for sailors. And then there's the fighters, our marines. So when anything is to happen there is a grand amount of shouting and relaying of orders."

"While all that was happening the Cap'n turned to me and said 'Fetch my red shirt Mr. McGumpin'"

" 'Aye Captain' I said but I had an obvious question on my face for I could not see how fashion would matter in the coming battle."

"The Cap'n, seeing as we had time replied to my questionin' look, 'You see Pete should I be wounded in the coming battle a red shirt will hide the blood stains of any wounds I may take. This will keep the crew from worry or fear at seeing their leader injured.' "

" 'Very well sir,' said I and fetched the shirt. He exchanged it for the blue ruffed shirt he had been wearing. Within an hour we had caught up with ol' Bloody Ben. In the battle that followed we killed or captured all the pirates. The evidence on board earned them all a summary execution and we burned the DEVIL OF THE DEEP. We took their golden treasures but the loss of pay for the captured ship was worth not looking below decks of that hateful ship ever again." Pete paused and shuddered.

"And so we continued our cruise of the Dragonspine. It became known we were hunting pirates and that we had the gold of the DEVIL OF THE DEEP. And so when the lookout called our for sails approaching and named names like DEATH'S MISTRESS and SEA GOD'S PUNISHMENT we were not at first surprised. Those names and other shuddersome pirate names were called out, ten ships in all."

" 'All hands to battle stations, set sail for the nearest enemy,' ordered Captain Turler" said Pete "And then the Cap'n turned to me and said Mr. McGumpin bring me my brown pants if you please."

Pete finished with a wink.

[Spike]

Excellent storytelling as always, Gwangi! I often read through your online roleplays and find them refreshingly well-executed.

And hey..it's nice to see some actual fan-fiction being posed in this forum. Keep 'em coming!

[gwangi32]

Thank you Spike I appreciate the kind words. The next two figures are 2670 Ulric Bloodclub and 02743 Tara the Silent.

Pete was rewarded with some appreciative laughs and his favorite brand of Taltos Bloodwine. A wonderous blend of grape and spices from the Reptus lands. Smiling he left the center stage of the bar and moved back toward the benches along the wall.

Before anyone else could say anything a longtime customer said. "Ulric tell them that legend from your homeland. That should be worth two tankards of Queen Shannon's Honey Ale."

The barroom crown turned to look at the speaker, Tara the Silent, a renowned bounty hunter and her current partner on the hunt Ulric Bloodclub. Ulric was relatively unknown to the patrons as he and Tara had partnered to hunt some killer only days before and he had arrived in Taltos only a week before. He was a barbarian from the north they could tell. Heimdul or some such.

"Very well, I will tell this story if you think it good," he replied to Tara. And stepped to stand in the place vacated by Pete moments before.

[gwangi32]

part I
Ulric is a tall man, clean shaven, dark haired, and he is young (and handsome in an outlander way thinks Jainka the serving wench who has just come in the door). He carries strange weapons; a piece of net and a club. The club is made of a hardwood with a deep reddish color, inset are bits of gleaming polished golden metal. It was known that he used the club against swords and axes and no marks were made on the club.

He deposits his weapons on the floor near his feet, clears his throat and begins, "I come from the cold icelands in the north of Heimdall. We call ourselves by other names but what would be the point of telling you of my land, of our customs? " he pauses to look at those closest to him at the bar. Then he steps away, he continues to speak, using hand gestures and a cadence to his speach that is hypnotic. "The point is to remind you of the ancient things. Things forgotten in the cities of the thinking speaking races. Things forgotten as the world has become more defined, more complicated. In the ancient days we were all closer. Even the four footed creatures were closer. The gods were closer and had not fled the lands to hold court from far places. In those days forms were not fixed, the roles had not been set. The Reapers had not entered the lands and the dragons were young, still as much children as the sons and daughters of men, elves and orcs."

"Then came the seasons, and perhaps because the gods had grown bored, the differences. Time became our measure, the sun rushed across the sky and the marking of days began. Humans were hungry, we competed for the grass and the seeds and the fruit with multitudes of creatures. But our friend, the wolf, was never hungry because he ate of the multitude that ate fruits and seeds and grass. But he did not eat us. The wolf was our ally against the panther and the bear." Ulric pauses here hands which had been held up as claws were slowly lowered to his side and he said, "These are the ancient rememberings ..."

[gwangi32]

Part II
As if awakening with a start Ulric speaks, "These things are not all the truth of the matter. But it is the tale of what could be so that we may understand what is." Here he pauses and sips at some water.

"Wolf and human, they shared camps. They shared food. But wolf was stronger. There were more and more wolves, fewer humans. It was cold and there was little for the grass eaters to eat but much for those who could catch meat. The Spirit of the Wolves told a Chieftan of the wolf tribes a secret magic." Ulric whispers the next words,"The Secret of the Rings of Bone."

Speaking again in the story teller cadence he continues,"The wolves could not make or use rings, they debated the wisdom of placing this power in the hands of men. But their ally was dying out and without this ally the bear and panther would overwhelm the wolves. Finally one group of the wolves decided to tell humans the secret. But others did not agree and the wolf tribes split. Those who carried the secret became known as Dogs and the Wolves fled away from humanity."

"The secret of the ring was given and though it is still known by the magic people of my home I know only that it allowed men and women to take the form of wolves. With the combined power of wolves and humans these creatures were the strongest hunters and soon chased away the panthers and the bears. Humans and dogs lived well together. But the dog-wolves said that the magic must be returned to the Wolf Spirit. All but one human agreed. He said no and stole a portion of the magic. He ate the a ring of bone and was cursed to become a Wolf, hating men, at times and cycles outside of his control. He passed this curse on to others, carrying the anger that Wolf Spirit had for Humanity all the way into this modern day in the form of werewolves."

Ulric stops speaking and into the moment of silence Tara steps up. "I love that story, has a spooky sad feel to me. So how about our drinks Elsa?"

Elsa smiles, "I liked it well enough but lets see if any of the other patrons enjoyed that bit of fancy before I break out something as expensive as Queen Shannon's Own."

[gwangi32]

I am looking at 2629 Jade Star for this story.

The other patrons voted for a drink for Ulric and Elsa complied. Of course the patrons are usually good about voting for free drinks.

The crew had grown a little as the day ended and evening began. The smell of fine cooking had begun to filter in to the common room. Elsa's husband was at work roasting a pig, hunted and brought back by a regular patron of the inn. A beef stew was simmering as well and the children were busy with breads and preparing fruits fresh from the market square. There was time for another story or two before closing down happy hour and starting the evening feeding frenzy.

A monk stepped from the crowd. One of the many foreign persons to come to the shores of Taltos. These peaceful persons capable of extraordinary feats of violence were uncommon and the tales they told were very different from the ordinary. A pretty woman with obvious strength, this particular monk had been coming in to the Copper Demon regularly for three months. She was called Jastar and had a fondness for iced fruit juice, an expensive rarity which she could always afford.

Jastar came forward and said, "I would like to share a teaching story from my homeland, or I should say from the school which taught me my arts."

Elsa smiled and nodded, willing to part with an expensive iced drink for the rare privaledge of hearing a tale from a monk. Two outlander stories in an evening was rare.

[gwangi32]

"It so happens," began the Monk, "that a village in the mountains of my homeland was perched in the mountains, far from most other villages. This rare place had found a wonderous mix of people who lived peacefully together and helped those in need. They helped by providing a garden and orchard of fruit trees for the hungry to find food. The villagers cared for the orchard and garden and asked that the travellers who passed take only what they needed."

"One day a passing stranger found in the orchard a possibility of wealth. He gathered all the ripe fruit and attempted to sell it to all the travellers who came later than he did. These travellers paid but some complained to the villagers. The villagers said nothing, they did nothing. For a week the stranger hoarded and sold fruit. Much went to waste, many were hungry who had once counted on the free food."

"At the end of the week no more fruit came from the trees. The stranger went into the village to buy food with the money he had made. But the villagers had nothing they wished to sell. An elder in the village asked him to leave."

"The stranger said, 'I have made something of your fruit and now you are angry.'"

"The elder replied, 'You have made of our fruit less than nothing, profiting from work not your own and stealing from those with nothing.'"

"Here is where you must judge," said Jastar to her audience. Many of the crowd looked perplexed, some very few nodded their heads in thought and two a mage and a lesser priest began a quiet debate as they moved to a vacant table.

[gwangi32]

Part III
Elsa placed an iced lemonade in front of the monk and shrugged. Elsa was unsure of the meaning of the monk's tale, her first instinct would have been to kick the thieving stranger out of her orchard, but thinking and drinking did not go well together and Elsa made a living selling drinks. To break the contemplative mood Elsa said, "A fine story Jastar but perhaps there is someone else who wished to try their luck before I start charging for drinks."

The crowd had grown as the stories had been told. And unnoticed an old friend had slipped in. "Elsa," said Marcus Gideon, "Might I be allowed to tell an old Taltos cautionary tale as a comparison to the zunshi that Jastar has so kindly shared with us this evening?"

"Of course Marcus," replied Elsa. She stood a little straighter and smiled a little brighter. Marcus had saved one of her brothers from an undead creature the previous year and could drink free here any time but he was careful to pay or to play her drinking game.

Marcus Gideon was a tall, rugged man. Well known in Taltos, affiliated with the Crusaders, he was rumored to have magical powers and an abiding hatred for the undead of the Necropolis that was tied to a private tragedy. Tonight he was dressed in a light green cotton tunic, cotton pants tucked into high boots of the Taltos design. He carried only a small sword, dagger and belt pouch. This was far from the normal fighting gear he wore most of the time and it seemed he was wearing a scent that Elsa vaguely recognized. Perfumed and dressed up, there was a story that Elsa would love to hear. Stepping to the center stage he took a deep breath and began.

"Many of you are not native to Taltos but may have heard a version of this story in your homelands.

It just so happens that there is a small river that runs into the Ironrun River. On the shore of the unnamed creek waited a Scorpion. The deadly creature could not swim but desired to get to the other side. While it waited a Rabbit came by. Preparing to swim across the Rabbit heard the Scorpion say:

Rabbit carry me across the river on your back.

Nay, said the Rabbit and quickly jumped into the river and swam to the other side.

And so the Scorpion continued to wait, wanting to cross the river more with each passing moment. Finally a Wolf came to the river shore. He had been tracking the Rabbit. The Wolf stopped and looked all around, having lost the trail of the Rabbit he was planning to look for other prey when the Scorpion said:

If you are looking for the Rabbit I can tell you where it went.

The Wolf eyed the Scorpion and replied, what do you want in return for no one does something for nothing.

Carry me to the other side of the river on top of your head, said the Scorpion.

You will sting me and I will die, replied the Wolf.

Why would I do that said the Scorpion, would I not drown and die as well?

Very well, agreed the Wolf and allowed the Scorpion to crawl onto his head.

Half way across the river the Scorpion said, the Rabbit swam across the river just as you are doing, you could pick up his trail on the other side. But at that moment the Scorpion stung the Wolf.

As the poison killed the Wolf and he was sinking into the water he asked one last question, Why Scorpion you will die now as well?

And the Scorpion replied, no matter what you think you want you can't fight your nature."

Marcus paused and saw that many of the people in the bar were nodding their heads. They had heard their own culture's versions of the story or had heard the story locally for it was not uncommon around the campfires of Taltos. Elsa set his standard, a small cup of Tirithilias Berry Wine with sliced oranges in it.

Then she said with a big smile, "That's it for this evening, I enjoyed the stories and I hope everyone else did as well. Drinks are at normal cost and we have chicken stew, fresh bread and apple pastries ready as well."

[gwangi32]

Happy New Year! So my first evening in the Copper Demon closes. I borrowed heavily for two of the stories, the first and the last, most strongly with the Scorpion and Coyote fable. I was just up in New Mexico and was reminded of the story while in Old Town in Albuquerque. I plan to come up with another night's tales later this year, as they fit into my at home AD&D campaign.