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RL (Arizona) time is Tue Dec 11 12:07:08 2001 (+time).
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IC time is about 8 AM on Wednesday Afteryule (January) 6, 1425 S.R.
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IC Weather Conditions
Bundle up! Snow blankets the ground, but the roads are clear enough for travel
on this Afteryule/Frery day.
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You enter the Lucky Tucky Inn looking for food and merriment.
Lucky-Tucky Inn
Behold the Lucky Tucky Inn: finest in ale and merriment in all of Tookland! The
inn has a cozy feel to it-- many paintings adorn the wooden walls as well as a
rather large map of the Westfarthing. Behind the rustic oak bar stands quite a
small hobbit, Brant Thudder, keeping busy cleaning glass and serving drinks and
such.
The inn holds many distinguishing features. In the center of the spacious room
is a spring wood dance floor, kept clean at all times. The bar is usually busy,
various hobbits chatting and drinking jovially. Round tables are spread
throughout the room with orange tablecloths and baskets of assorted crackers on
each table. A few barrels of Ol' Toby Pipeweed can be seen to the side of the
bar, and the tavern's patrons merrily fill the air with its sweet smoking aroma.
Towards the back wall of the establishment a small stage rises above the tavern
floor, a perfect place for small side acts and musical performances. Next to the
bar there is a small door that leads outside to the back yard.
Contents:
Ka'Lae
Panadrin
Clary
Ale Keg
Brant Thudder
Obvious exits:
Back Door and Out
A silver plaque is mounted on the wall behind the bar. "The winner of the
November Baking Contest is Panadrin Took!"
Panadrin pulls a watach from inside his waistcoat, "Oh look at the time, evr
since Crito repaired this watch I have had the hardest time remembering to check
it." KaLae I do not have such a bubble as you would suppose, my father used to
do business in Bree and I lost my mothr when i was born, and my father just five
years ago. My father used to take my brother and I to Bree and I have a bit more
worldly knowledge than the average Hobbit, but my knowledge is old now and I
would like to get some news. but that will have to wait. I have to put a few
pans in the oven, will you still be around in about 20 minutes?"
Rising and pulling his cloak tight around his shoulders and across his front, he
heads toward the door, "Ah the Thain, that is wonderfull, I think you will like
him. Good, then I will see you later." And Panadrin rushes out of the Inn
leaving a breeze behind him as he passes Ka"Lae
The door opens quickly and Omfast comes in. His hair is covered with snow. He
shakes his head and kicks mores snow from his boots. "Uh! Big folk again?" he
says in surprise as he looks up. "Hm, never mind. Good morning, mylady." His
voice trails off and he cautiously approaches the bar. "Gimme some early morning
tea, Brant, I have to wake. I think I'm still dreaming." From a safe distance,
he eyes the human.
The big folk looks over at the expression of surprise. Ka'lae sighs and shakes
her head as she does not say a word. But there is a very sweet herbal armoma
coming from her table. It must be from her tea. The raven-haired human cradles
her tea mug in her hand and sniffs the armoa appreciatevally and then sips it a
couple times.
Brant brings Omfast his tea. Omfast takes it and leans back, still looking at
the human. At last, he pushes away from the bar and approaches the sitting
woman. "I hope you are well, madam? I don't know wether you remember, I tended
your horse the other day when you arrived. Are you enjoying the tea? You should,
it's a fine tea, and it does you good early in the morning. May I sit at the
table?" He looks around for a chair.
Ka'Lae chuckles lightly. "Yes, it IS a fine tea for I brewed it myself.." She
motions to a small redd ball with some wet herbs and roots in it. "It is much
better than any tea I have encounters.." SHe pauses and looks to Omfast. "No
offence tot he tea that is made here." She looks to one of the remaining chairs
at her table. "You may join me, and yes, I do remember you."
Omfast hesitates, then pulls one of the chairs and sits. He eyes the the wet
stuff on the table and suddenly leans closer. "Hey, what's this? And this? I
don't know this stuff... May I?" He reaches over and rolls one of the stranger
twigs between his fingers, sniffs at it. "Strange. Where does it come from?"
A light chuckle comes from Ka'Lae as she plucks the reed ball from your hands.
She unties part of it and unteathes the ends that are lashed together. Then then
bals is opened and you can see the herbs a bit more clearly. "Some are common
herbs, that i think even grow here, but the snow has long made them dormant.
Others are from other lands i have traveled."
Omfast pulls is hands back quickly as Ka'Lae handles the herbs. He looks at the
leaves without reaching for them again, puts his fingers around the tea mug and
sips it, looking at the woman over the edge of the mug. Some time passes.
Finally he puts the mug down again and points at the wet leaves again. "Lands
you have travelled? Where have you travelled, then?" He looks around, looking at
the faces of other Lucky Tucky denizens.
A knowing smile coms across Ka'Lae face. "Where have i travelled. My friend, I
have tranveled far and abroad. Lately in Bree and through Arnor and beyond." She
cradles her mug in her hand and takes a sip and sighs with refreshment. "I take
it you have not ventured beyond the Shire?"
Omfast shakes his head and raises his hands, "No!! Of course not! Nobody in his
right mind... eh... we are no fighting people, you understand... I don't... We
don't travel much, you see. I've come down to Tookland from up in Bywater, if
you know what I mean."
Ka'Lae looks to you and smiles. She then shakes her head. "You are missing a
world of knowledge then, Omfast. The thrill of meeting new people and
experiencing thier cultures. Sure it can be dangerous, but that is part of the
thrill."
Omfast shakes his head vigorously. "Oh no, I am not missing a bit! I know about
herbs and bushes, trees and wheat, baking bread, milling, milking, hay carrying,
and the flight of birds. What would I need to travel for? Sleep in the mud,
flies and wolves and worse! The cold, the rain... No no, that's a life for a...
uh... lonely person? I enjoy my meals, and the warmth of a good fire in winter."
Ka'Lae frowns slightly at the insinuation that she is a lonely person. "So you
just look downa t the people that disire knowledge of the world and to learn?
You are a very close mineded person, Omfast. There is so much more than you
local world here...much more than mud, flies, and Wolves."
You paged Panadrin with 'You left, I came in, ordered tea, approached her,
investigated the tea she is drinking, and now she's making fun of me because I
never left the shire. It's still early in the morning.'.
Omfast looks left and right for some support; the other hobbits look away,
however, and none is close enough to pull into the conversation. He turns back
to the woman sitting on the floor and shakes his head, "Well... what can I say? I
don't know you, mylady. Perhaps you had best find a husband amongst your folks,
wherever they may be, and settle down? It seems to me that you are missing out
on all the comforts in life. Let me tell you that I don't want a life of danger
and "thrills". That's for looneys, as my father used to say." He looks around,
still nobody supporting him...
The Inn door flies open and in rushes Panadrin, "Brant, quick, I need an
ale....this batch i'm baking is coming out all wrong and I prommised them to
Talvo in time for..." Slowing as he notices the big person is still at the Inn,
he pivots away from the bar and waves hello, Hi, Ka'Lae, still here? Wonderful,
I have time to listen to a tale or two if you wouldn't mind, while I drink my
ale.
Brant Thudder calls, "okay, okay Panadrin, right away, sir, and he grabs a mug
from the rack and turns on the tap of a large barrel.
Ka'Lae 's eyes widen some as this rude little hobbit keep on insulting her. "Oh?
So I am a loney looney now?!" Her voice raises a little. "I am veyr happy the
way my life is not. I do not need it brought down witht he burden of a family of
my own." She looks to Panadrin and sighs. "When can I see this Thain of yours.
The hospitality of this area is none I have experienced before?"
Omfast starts, "Ah... well. I'm sorry I said all that. It's time to go, anyway.
Must check at the Smials... and, ah... perhaps we'll meet again... or so...
well... good day, anyway." He gets up, takes his mug and moves around the chair.
He slowly pushes it back under the table and mutters, "Terribly sorry, madam. I
truly am."
Panadrin moves closer to the odd couple and hears Omfast backing out of the
conversation. "Omfast, don't feel as though you need to leave on my account, I
was just coming over to join the two of you. And don't feel you insulted her,
she has been rather short for a tall person ever since I met her. and turning to
Ka'Lae, "If I may, begging your pardon, madame," and not waiting for an answer,
he continues to talk to Omfast as though she weren't there..."She fails to see
humouri n the lightest of jests, acting as thought they are insults, she also
behavess as though we of the Shire for our diminutive size are inconsequential
and therefore of little worth. She has remained closed and guarded ever since we
first met," adding to the woman "which by the way intrigues me," continuing to
Omfast "she has avoided several offers of hospitality by me and were she a
Hobbit Lass, she would have had a swift tanning by now for her rudeness to
strangers. But I have to excuse her, she is a big person and she does not
undrstand our ways."
Ka'Lae sighs and shakes her head. She then moves to stand up and knocks her head
against one of the low rafters. "Oohh!" She grimaces with pain as her hand goes
to rubs the back of her head as she stands there dazed slightly. She then rights
herself the best way she can as she looks to the two hobbit conversing. "No,
this man.." She gestures to omfast. "...is not jesting with me. I understabd
jokes and jests, but this man was seriously insulting me. Saying I was some
lonely lunatic that does not need to be out experiencing life." She shakes her
head. "I am sorry, but that is who I am. I treasure life nad it experiences, and
I do not think the Shire to be less than it is. You put word in my mouth and try
to make me appear worse than I am!"
Omfast winces and looks imploringly at Panadrin. "Ah, good sir, I really think I
should be going. The sun is up and I still have to run some errands for my uncle
who is not too happy for having to look after me. So there really is no way I
can stay longer. I am truly sorry." He turns to towering woman and mumbles once
again, while backing away, "I truly am very sorry for the words I said. I,
uh..., I don't think there's anything I can say right now..." He bumps into
another table, turns around and moves quickly towards the door.
Stepping back as the woman rises Panadrin is a bit startled but seeing she has
hurt herself he recovers and offers his hand to steady her. "please be careful
in here, we build them to fit our stature, but you must realize our stature does
not limit our hearts. We in the SHire believe in being outgoing and helpful but
with the stories of the outer world being what it is, that it is just that the
outer world, we become very wary of strangers. And we speak our heart. We have
no guile, you live in a world of guile, we tell you what is on our mind and you
take offense. I jested about your height earlier and you were offended. I asked
you to meet our Thain and Thainess, who are quite busy, and you are offended
when they do not meet your expectations, a smple gardener who has similar
interests to you notes his short sightedness by telling you in ture hobbit
fashion what he thinks of travel and you are offended. We offer you the
possibility that there may be work for you here and you become bored waiting for
the Thain." Looking the woman square in the eye, "Just because we are small and
seem simple minded does not mean we are not wise. We welcome you because you
have shown quality, but you seem to have trouble leaving you guard with the
armor you left on your horse.!"
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