Bar of the Damned ((Everlasting Open RP Thread))

[Big Game]

((One thing I miss about the original CoH is the interactive storytelling made possible through forum rp.  Whereas in-game rp is focused on fast paced ‘in the moment’ social interaction or IC adventuring the rp forum allows the crafting of more complex detail rich stories.

 

One such thread I always thought had such amazing potential (even if it was criminally underused at the time) was ‘the Bar of the Damned’ open rp thread set in what we lovingly referred to as the ‘Unionverse’.  Unfortunately despite my best efforts I am still unable to find anything of the original threads to give credit to it’s creator (really sorry, hopefully someone will remember) or to link to so others can get some enjoyment of that particular work.  Instead as a tribute to the original I want to start a new Everlasting based ‘Bar of the Damned’ open rp thread.

 

What follows is a self contained short story featuring my main, introducing the bar, some typical patrons and the area where the bar is situated.  So as I am not just ripping off the original I will be making a number of changes both to the owner and the bar itself.  It is my hope that after my original story others will use the thread as an interactive rp space to introduce characters, plots, or weave their own mini dramas. 

 

Something for posters to the thread to consider is that much like Pocket D the Bar of the Damned is considered neutral ground which is enforced by it’s owner Aurelie.  Within the confines of the bar Aurelie should be considered more than powerful enough to deal with any serious aggression or outbreaks of violence.  As I previously said the thread is a tool to introduce characters, plots, and social interaction not a fight venue.

 

Anyway fair warning to all my next post is lengthy and where I have not written anything since before the original game’s shutdown might be a little rough.  However I hope at least some you will enjoy the read and be inspired go engage in a little forum roleplay.))

 

[Big Game]

Deep in the oldest urban quarter of Cap Au Diable there is and at the same time is not an area of town known as the “Alleyways”; a strange place that is perpetually shrouded in an oppressively thick unnatural fog.  The Alleyways dimly lit streets made up of houses and shops seemingly stuck in the time of the town’s founding are not on any official map but may be stumbled on those touched by the supernatural or with the whiff of magic about them.  Making their home here is a motley collection of creatures Human, Demonic, Undead and Fae seemingly living cooperatively if not in actually in harmony.  Amongst all this wonder and mystery is an infamous little drinking hole known as ‘the Bar of the Damned’.

 

From the outside there is little to distinguish the establishment from any other building in the Alleyways.  The architecture is typical of every other building on it’s street and every window filthy enough to obscure what lies within.  Indeed if not for the oppressive gloom of the fog and a couple of hundred years of built up grime the building itself would still have much colonial charm. The only thing betraying the building’s purpose is In a heavily weathered and rotting wooden sign hung shaped like a tankard that hangs above the door.

 

Once one passes through the heavy wooden door they find themselves in a strange, sorrowful, yet comforting place.  Inside patrons are confronted with the fact there is wood everywhere.  The well maintained walls, floors, and ceilings likely constructed from local lumber centuries earlier.  However most wouldn’t really notice it’s colonial craftsmanship due to the grey tree trunk like pillars supporting the ceiling as well as the  lattice of grey woody vines creeping across the walls, pillars and ceilings they support.  Growing out of the twisting vines are small black petaled flowers each with a glowing central bud that provided the tavern with a spooky but soothing light.  Even the tables which appear to have been grown out of the floor had their own twisting vine with a single flower growing out of the centre like some sort of living candle.  The grey of the wood and dim light projecting a somewhat melancholy atmosphere that is somehow lifted by an unusual but wholesome woody smell.

 

Despite it’s exotic aesthetic the tavern’s most prominent feature is the long wooden bar itself.  Placed along the back wall the bar looks as if it had been carved from a single grey log.  The surface being perfectly smooth and finished but the front still keeping some of it’s rounded shape.  What is most striking however is not the wall of unusual, interestingly shaped bottles behind the bar but rather the dozens of howling faces seemingly carved into the front of it.  This relief of tortured looking souls no doubt being the reason for the tavern’s ominous sounding name.

 

Sat at a dozen different tables drinking from shiny metal tankards or fine crystal glasses was an assemblage of shifty looking humans, mischievous fairyfolk and creatures known to go ‘bump in the night’.  However nestled amongst all the weirdness was a man wearing a black t-shirt and orange and black tiger striped cargo pants who managed to look the most out of place of them all...

 

‘Geez!  I really gotta remember to get the damn client to sign the damage waiver when I take these jobs.’  The Brooklyn accented Italian American “Big Game” said to himself as he flicked through the heavily reduced payout from his last job. 

 

Big Game had once been something of a mercenary goon before setting himself up as a self proclaimed ‘professional monster hunter for hire’ after watching some bad, but entertaining horror flick on the TV.  Earlier that day he had taken a contract to remove a particularly pesky fairy from some Arachnos bureaucrat’s residence in Haven.  However, in his characteristic ‘wing it to win it’ and ‘all guns blazing’ approach Big Game had punched some pretty sizeable holes in the clients home with his heavily modified multi-function Vanguard assault rifle. 

 

With an audible sigh Big Game tossed his cash onto the table next to a pile of monster hunting paraphernalia including his rifle, hat, and the small children’s net on a bamboo cane he’d originally planned to capture the fairy with.  He then picked up and glanced at a clear ziplock bag containing a pair of glistening but almost transparent wings.  ‘Still, the money I’m gonna make on these should keep me in beer and Cheetos for a while.’ He thought to himself. As he contemplated the street value of authentic fairy wings and tossed the bag on top of his equipment.

 

‘Gawd knows I worked hard enough for ‘em.’ Big Game remarked as he stared into the reflective surface of his tankard to look at the various cuts, scrapes, and bruises he got during the encounter.  From the table across from him he heard a snigger from the particularly weasel-like Red Cap mercenary “Scrat” to which Big Game responded with a one fingered salute.

 

‘Another pest control job huh Mr. Fedele?’

 

Big Game turned on his seat to face the bulging eyed hunchback “Marty” who’d addressed him by his real last name.  Marty worked as a pot boy in the Bar of the Damned and despite looking kind of weird was always friendly.

 

‘Marty, how many times have I got to tell ya?  Call me Tony, youse probably the only freak in dis joint dat aint looking ta gut me or shish kebab my @ss.’ Big Game said almost prophetically just as a hulking dark grey werewolf wearing military fatigues and with a huge machine-gun strapped to his back started to stomp his way past the table. As the beast passed Big Game he let out a none too subtle growl.

 

‘Aww, don’t worry about “Wardog” Mr. Fe...  Tony.  You know no one can touch you while you are in the bar.  Besides looking at your face it’s the outside world that’s going to kill you.  Must of been a real nasty critter right?

 

Big Game turned his back on the werewolf before placing his tankard onto the table.  ‘Yeah fairy removal.  Them Disney movies really don’t prepare you for just how scrappy them b*tches can be.  Wasted a couple of hundred hollow points and a grenade on “Tinkerbell from hell” before finally winning that argument.’ Big Game then reached down to the side of his chair and picked up a wooden baseball bat emblazoned with the words “Monster Mash”.  ‘Sometimes you gotta go back to basics’ he joked as he wiped a bit of blood and hair off of the bat onto his cargo pants.

 

‘I am surprised you manage to figure out how to kill anything when all your research is done though low budget movies and Saturday morning cartoons’ a gravelly voice interrupted.  Big Game looked up again and standing before him was an archaically dressed Vampire sneering in his direction.  Despite being in no danger himself Marty became overcome with fear and quickly scampered off into one of the back rooms.  Ignoring this the Vampire put both hands on the table and started to snarl and eyeball Big Game.  ‘You don’t belong here.  I should rip your throa... urrk!’...

 

The Vampire stopped mid-threat, his body visibly tightening and his skin started to turn more grey than it already was.  From the floor a number of the same grey woody vines that already worked their way about the tavern began to wrap themselves around and start to burrow into the Vampire’s left leg.  All of the light buds in the immediate vicinity seemed glow more intense and a look of sheer panic flashed across the Vampire’s face.  With a smirk Big Game gestured towards the bar.

 

Behind the bar stood “Aurelie”, the owner of the Bar of the Damned, an elfin-like beauty with long golden hair, pale smooth skin, and milky white eyes known for having few words and a mostly melancholy demeanour.  As the Vampire met her gaze and the creeping vines buried deeper in to him he could see her skin began to grey and crack like dry wood. Her long straight hair started to blacken, curl and the ends began to split and mat itself together to almost look like leaves.  Her eyes hen started to fill with inky black swirls until they became solid orbs of obsidian. As if all that wasn’t disconcerting enough in front of her the faces carved on the front of the bar seemed to move and stretch outwards toward the Vampire.  All the while she said nothing but, it was obvious everything was happening at her behest and the Vampire knew what he must do if he wanted to survive.

 

‘M... m.. my apologies M... mr Fedele.  I... I.. sseem to overstepped my bbounds.  I.. I deeply regret m.. my actions this evening’ the Vampire struggled to say whilst looking furtively between Big Game and Aurelie.

 

Aurelie must of been convinced the Vampire had learned his lesson as her eyes began to whiten, and her hair and skin started to change back. Just as she reverted to her normal form the vines up the Vampire’s leg started to retract and crawl their way back into the tavern floor.  Without hesitation the Vampire turned and hobbled his way out of the bar while Big Game grinned to himself  before turning and blowing a kiss to his saviour.  Meanwhile Aurelie simply turned her nose up to Big Game before turning away and proceeding to stack some bottles behind the bar.

 

‘You really oughta be more careful M... er Tony.  That wasn’t just some drifter bloodsucker.  He is one of “HER” lackeys.’ Said Marty as he scampered back to the table.  For a moment Big Game seemed confused until he realised Marty wasn’t speaking about Aurelie, but rather the Vampire noblewoman, whose name he never bothered remembering, who had set up court in Cap Au Diable.

‘You keep antagonising her subjects and she might come after you herself.’

 

Big Game chuckled to himself. ‘Aw come on Marty, I doubt I’m even on her radar.  Besides if she comes after me I guess I’ll get my hands on a set of Vampire fangs I can sell at a premium.’ 

 

As soon as Big Game said it he had suddenly become inspired and glanced down to the floor.  Sure enough there was faint scuff marks where the Vampire had been dragging his leg.  He then hurriedly started to gather his equipment.

 

‘What’s up Tony?  You going?’

 

‘Yeah, sorry Marty someone has a dentist’s appointment.’  With that Big Game threw his hat on and marched purposely out of the Bar of the Damned...

[Excalliber]

(( Apologies if I've overstepped here, Big Game.  This is precisely the kind of thing one of my villains would visit due to his story.  If I should redact something or change it, please let me know. ))

 

You don't work deep cover and not learn a few things here and there.  One thing Biz Ness learned early on, find a good drinking hole.  Somewhere that was off the beaten track, most people are too busy trying not to be seen than to pay attention to your face, and the liquor is good but cheap.  He'd found the perfect place one day tracking a target.  What a day that was.

 

No one and nothing ever prepares you for when the storybook characters come to life.  Or the movie monsters are actually real.  Biz had been tracking a target for a couple days now.  The guy always seemed to lose him in one particular part of Cap.  Not today though.  The target had kicked a metal can, which Biz homed in on.  He saw the man turn into a building that had a rotting sign above it shaped like an ale mug.  He walked up, listened at the door for a moment, and reached for the handle.  The door opened up and a huge hulking zombie walked out.  Right out of his nightmares.  He went to draw his weapon, but his instincts kicked in over his skills and he remained calm.  The thing looked him over, then moved on on it's own.  Calming himself, he reached again for the door and opened it.  He walked into what would be best described as a scene from a fantasy novel.  Fairies, werewolves, various and sundry monster types and even human-like patrons sat at what would be described as tables made of wooden vines with a black flower for a center piece.  Not wanting to draw too much attention, he quickly moved to the bar.  Now, that was a piece of work.  Looked like a massive grey log with faces screaming or howling carved into it.  The bartender approached him as he sat.  He'd seen the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.  And this elfin woman could've been directly from the movies.  Her eyes were white though.  No pupils.  Her skin was pale and her hair a long, flowing golden color that spilled down her back to her waist.

 

"You can relax, stranger.  No trouble will come to you here provided you do not start any.  What can I get you?"  Even her voice was angelic.  But there was an ancient, melancholy sound to it.  As if she'd seen more years than everyone inside the place added together had.  "Just a water for now, if you don't mind.  Thank you."  She smiled wanly and nodded.  She returned a few moments later with a crystal goblet filled with a clear liquid.  "May I ask what the name of this fine establishment is?"  Her lips made a lopsided smile.  "You are in the 'Bar of the Damned', stranger.  Wandered in, hmmm?"  Biz nodded.  "Something along those lines. And everyone here...."  "Will leave you be if you do the same for them.  You and they are safe inside these walls.  Anything else will not be tolerated.  Do I make myself clear?"  The sudden steel in her voice told Biz all he needed to know.  "Yes, ma'am.  I'll just enjoy my water and take in the atmosphere."  She smiled again, then started to walk away.  "Miss, if I need you for anything else, how will I get your attention.  I mean, what's your name?"  "They call me 'Aurelie'."  He had a feeling that wasn't her true name, but didn't press further.  "Very well, Aurelie.  Thank you for the information."  She nodded to him and went to serve a small man that looked much like a leprechaun.  Biz sipped his water and amazement made his eyes grow quite wide.  It was some of the sweetest, most delicious water he'd ever tasted in his life.  There was a hint of mint, along with something else he couldn't quite place.

 

After an hour or so, and about six waters later, his target, which he'd spotted shortly after his conversation with Aurelie, had decided to leave.  He waved her over.  "How much do I owe you?"  "For first time patrons it is free.  Remember two things though, Biz Ness."  He'd given her his code name after she'd returned with his third water.  "One, we do not tell anyone about this place.  You either find it or you do not."  He nodded.  "And two?"  "Two is that the next time you come here leave your business outside.  I have watched you watching that one.  He is your target.  Do not make the mistake of following someone in here again.  That sort of business stays outside my walls."  Before he could pull his hand up, the log sprouted vines that wrapped themselves around his arm.  They began to dig into his flesh.  They burned something wicked.  The physical change that came over Aurelie shocked him as well.  Her skin changed to a very bark-like look similar to the log itself, and her hair and eyes blackened, her hair looking much like leaves.  "Do I make myself clear, sir?"  Biz swallowed hard and nodded.  The vines dislodged themselves, releasing his arm.  Her physical change reverted just as quickly.  "Please come back and see us again, Biz Ness.  We would love to keep having your patronage here."  Her smile did nothing to erase what had just happened to him.  He got up and moved toward the doorway.  His target was already ahead of him by several minutes.  He glanced back at Aurelie, but she was engaged with another patron at the time.  That didn't assuage his feeling that she was still watching him.  He opened the door and left.

[Big-Game]

(( Apologies if I've overstepped here, Big Game.  This is precisely the kind of thing one of my villains would visit due to his story.  If I should redact something or change it, please let me know. ))

 

((No apologies needed.  It is a totally open thread.  I set it up as an alternative rp venue to in-game.  Think of it as a freaky offline Pocket D.  Obviously any rp conducted here will be a lot slower than in-game, but it has the advantage of allowing participants to be more descriptive, measure their responses, add pictures if they want, and actually rp with people from other timezones.

 

Also although I wrote a short story to launch the thread nobody else has to.  Although if people want to post up short stories I don’t have a issue with that.  The only thing I would say is if there is any active rp here make sure your stories don’t conflict with what’s going on at that moment.  If need be wait until that rp plays out and post after.

 

One final point is that Aurelie and Marty are essentially free use npcs with the caveat that they remain as they written in my original piece.  They remain static, don’t give up any details of their backgrounds, and merely serve to run the bar and keep it a safezone for rp just like Pocket D.  Excallibur your use of Aurelie was just perfect.

 

Anyways, thank you Excallibur for biting first.  Fingers crossed others will start to dive in.))