Halloween Pub: The Gate of the Seven Stars

[Arnyn]

The Gate of the Seven Stars
Pub Thread

In the Second Circle, right outside of the Marketplace, a pub suddenly catches your eye. But wait? Was there ever a pub here before? Nay!
A nex establishment, then! Which brings about great curiosity.

The name on the sign is as confusing as the pub's sudden appearance, given how it is so akin to the naming of the Tavern of the Seven Stars. Perhaps it is a new branch, from the same owners? But why call it the Gate? Because it is not that far from the gate to the Second Circle?

When you first enter, it seems not unlike most pubs. Cosy, with tables, chairs, and a fireplace, a bar - typical pub knick knacks and doodads.



But as you turn slightly and your eyes sweep across the place, a very unusual sight craves your attention.

A Stargate.



And then something - or rather someone - else catches your eye. The Pubmistress, or so it seems. She seems to be in a good mood, beautiful and smiling and holding a cup. However, her hair seems foreign, almost Elvish, while she is clearly distinctly human. And every so often she throws a glance outside of the windows, to the inner courtyard, and scary animalistics sounds make their way through the wall from outside.



Strange people and beings might yet come through the gate into the pub!
(Play your chosen Halloween character by entering the pub through the Stargate!)

And on a table near the gate, a large scroll lies, held open by two paper weights that look like dragon's eggs. A quil and inkpot await those brave enough to join a party to explore... whatever universes may lie in wait. Enter, write down your name... and soon you will be called upon to go on an adventure.



RULES
- No godmoding without permission, except GM
- First come first served on named characters, or duplicates by mutual agreement (Sorry, Dany is taken by your pubmistress - still looking for my Drogon though )
- All non-Middle Earth (Halloween) characters come in through the Stargate
- Middle Earth characters come in through the front door
- Both Halloween and Middle Earth characters can sign up on the scroll to embark on 'the adventure' (a mix would be entertaining)

[Arnyn]

- Beware of Game of Thrones spoilers -

Queen Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen,
the First of Her Name,
Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men,
Lady of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm,
Lady of Dragonstone,
Queen of Meereen,
Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea,
the Unburnt, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons

Earlier....

Daenerys stepped through the gate. Violet eyes surveyed the room. It was familiar. An inn of sorts. Slowly, she stepped forward. The emptiness of the place was a disappointment. She felt alone, until she heard a familiar sound behind her.

Someway, somehow, he also came through the swirling white-blue of the gate. The gate which had appeared on the cliffs of Dragonstone. She smiled, and held out her hand to carress the side of his face. He seemed as confused as she was, but whereas she also felt strong curiosity, her dragon seemed wary. Drogon gave her a look.

"I have no cause to worry when you are with me, Drogon," she spoke quietly. "I am glad to be here, wherever this is. Perhaps people will not look at me with immediate mistrust here, as they did in Winterfell." It did not seem to matter to the people of the North that she had devoted vast resources to battle against the Night King, in the form of dragonglass, warriors and dragons. She had lost Viserion, who'd always been the most docile of her dragon children. To see him corrupted so, suspended in some form of living death... And Jorah. Her dearest friend and most trusted advisor, despite his misstep. Daenerys dropped her hand from Drogon, and steeled herself in order to repress the pit of sadness in her stomach and the waves of grief that wanted to drown her mind. Part of her had wondered whether she might find them on the other side of that Gate. She had dreamed of meeting them again, in some other world. And did her dreams not come true?

Daenerys opened the front door to the establishment and looked out onto the white stone cobbles streets. Everywhere she looked, the streets and houses were white. People were busily walking up and down the wide street. Some of them gave her curious, but friendly looks. Curious, but aware that Drogon might cause a panic, Dany told him to wait for her.

She stepped out into the second circle of Minas Tirith, not knowing where she was or how the Gate had brought her here. She was in a city, that much was obvious. And it held a beauty in a way she was entirely unfamiliar with. This did not look like Westeros. Nor did it look like Essos. Had the Gate brought her to yet another part of the world?

Two laughing men drew her attention. "Best bring your matter to the King, Vergil!" one of them laughed, pushing the other, who was grinning. Daenerys slanted her head as she watched them.
"And hope for the mercy of the Queen, aye," the other responded.
Her violet eyes narrowed. Wherever she had ended up, the wheel spun just the same, even in worlds she had yet to explore. Turning on her heels, she returned to the pub.

There were large doors opening out into what looked like a large garden. She opened them for Drogon, and wordlessly he wormed his way out of the establishment without destroying it completely. Only one table and a few chairs suffered his passing. Dany smiled. He always knew what she wanted of him. A bit at a loss of what to do, she went to the bar and poured herself some wine. It was rich, and it was red.

For some reason, the surroundings made her feel free. People would not know her here. She was free of expectations. Free of judgment. A smile returned hesitantly to her face. Likely, it was all but a dream. Or she had finally gone mad, like her father, and she was seeing things. As she sipped her drink, the smile grew. Nay, of course not. Something peculiar was happening. And she felt she'd best enjoy it.

[Pele Alarion]

Samantha Carter

Sam stepped out of the gate, in full gear and her rifle at the ready to meet the unknowns of a new planet. She took a couple steps forward and looked at the somewhat strange setting she now found herself in: most gates were located either in some wooded areas, clearings, or in temples, but this was certainly no temple at all. The tables and chairs looked like the gate had been set up in a pub or similar establishment. She was about to comment on this, and turned around to find that the rest of the team had not arrived with her. Apparently something had malfunctioned, and she had been separated from the others.

She should not waste time to dial the coordinates of the location they were headed to, or at least head back to the base, but the captain was rather intrigued by the unusual place she had landed in, so she cautiously stepped further into the room and looked around, until her gaze settled on another woman who seemed to enjoy a drink.

"Hello," she said, lowering her weapon so as not to seem threatening. She could not see anyone else here, and the only other person was seemingly unarmed. She approached slowly, removing her helmet to let loose her short blonde hair and offered a friendly smile.

"What is this place?" she asked curiously, hoping to be understood. "And are there other people?"

The sound coming from behind the door that seemed to lead to some sort of a garden caught her attention then - it sounded like some sort of large beast was there, and she had to put in a lot of effort to keep her hands from going back to the rifle. Still cautious, she looked back to Daenerys hoping to find some answers.

[Arnyn]

Daenerys Targaryen

Someone else came through the gate. Daenerys tensed. Had someone from Westeros followed her? Would they be loyal to her? Would they distrust her? Would they want her dead? She took a step to the doors leading outside, then halted when she saw it was definitely not someone from Westeros. Nor from Essos. Nor from this place, wherever this place was. The woman who stepped into the pub was strangely garbed and held a foreign item in her hands. She fit in even less with the people outside than Daenerys did.

The simplicity of the woman's greeting made her big eyes even bigger. The woman took off her helmet. She seemed friendly enough. Daenerys offered a hesitant smile in return. "I am not sure," she responded to the stranger's first question. "I also arrived through the gate, and this does not look like any of the places I have been before. There are other people, outside." Daenerys gestured to the front door. "Many of them. We have come to a grand city, it seems. None have entered since I arrived. But that was just moments ago, really."

She noticed the woman's wary response to the sounds coming from Drogon in the garden, and Daenerys instantly felt protective. "There are no people in the garden," she said, and then realized that at least she hoped there weren't any. She hadn't actually checked before sending Drogon out there. "I think." She stepped from behind the bar. "Greetings. My name is Daenerys."

[Pele Alarion]

Samantha Carter

"Right," Sam ran her hand through her hair in thought. An unknown place - though she had lately visited many of these - and someone else who had ended up here, and seemed somewhat lost.

"Nice to meet you, Daenerys," she savoured the name, checking whether it fit any of those goa'uld were likely to take, and even though it seemed unlikely she still remained cautious. "I am Samantha, though you can call me Sam if you like," she returned the courtesy of introductions.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed that some sort of a brawl had happened in the pub, and Samantha set back up a couple of the toppled chairs as she moved closer to the bar. "I was travelling with my team, and it appears that something has gone wrong and I ended up here instead of the intended destination," she offered some sort of explanation to Daenerys and shrugged lightly. "The city sounds intriguing, though I wonder if they would be friendly to strangers."

Then her eyes were drawn to a scroll on one of the tables, and she changed her direction to head for it and investigate what sort of document it was wishing Daniel was here to figure out everything she might not be able to understand.

"Where did you come from, if I may ask?" she inquired of the other stranger to this place, turning away from the scroll and looking at the woman while maintaining the smile.

[Arnyn]

Daenerys Targaryen

"Samantha," she repeated. That was not so difficult to remember. "Sam?" she asked, and then hesitated for a second, but chose not to tell the stranger that her brother used to call her Dany.

Sam put some of the chairs back up that Drogon had knocked over. A few were broken, however - those could no longer function for much of anything except wood for the fire. "You were travelling with a team?" Daenerys asked, almost envious. While Grey Worm and Missandei were still very much a part of her own 'team', Jon was being difficult and Tyrion had been acting differently since their arrival in Westeros. And Jorah would never be a part of her team again, while he was the one who had been with her the longest. He'd been her fiercest advocate... Best not to dwell on such thoughts.

"I suppose their friendliness will depend on how we behave ourselves," she said graciously. "And on how they perceive us." A more realistic addition, which had been an unfortunate lesson for Dany.

When Sam asked where she'd come from, Daenerys sighed. How to even begin and explain such a thing? "From Westeros," she said. "And before then, from Essos. Although I should say that Essos and Westeros are only parted by the great salt sea. Not by a mystical gate." She nodded at the stargate. "Where did you come from, Sam? Correct me if I am wrong, but you seem more used to... travelling... in such a fashion?"

[Pele Alarion]

Samantha Carter

"Westeros, Essos..." Sam committed the unheard of location names to memory, wondering where it was - most likely some sort of an unexplored world. It also seemed that stargate was not something common for her new acquaintance.

Leaving the list be, she then curiously looked at the drinks and food items that seemed to be available. "I wonder what is the money used to pay for these," she noted, mostly to herself. "It cannot be that everything is free for use."

Turning her attention back to Dany with a small sigh Sam answered the rest of the questions. "I am from a place we simply call the Earth," she began, thinking that stating specific country names would be of no use either way. "No, the gate is not the common way of travel, but it was discovered by our military not that long ago. So... We set out to explore the various locations it would lead to and collect intelligence. We were a team of four; suppose the others are now wondering where I have disappeared."

Cadil

Roaming the familiar streets, the young man had come upon an establishment he had not noticed before. In fact, he was sure it had not been there before! Hoping that it was not one of them fancy places requiring special attire, Cadil opened the door and stepped inside.

"Whoa!" he could not help exclaiming at the sight which opened to him once his eyes got used to the dim interior. While the place itself seemed to be quite normal, he was taken aback by some strange contraption in the background. He stood with his mouth open for a good long while, before he looked around and spotted two women, each dressed differently and not quite Gondorian fassion.

"Ladies!" he said politely and bowed slightly in greeting as he still struggled to overcome the effect of surprise.

[Arnyn]

Daenerys Targaryen

"The Earth," Daenerys repeated after Sam, surprised at the simplicity of such a name. "Then what do people from other lands call their countries? Do they not find the name of yours a bit... presumptious? Or is there only one country? Only The Earth?" Despite of how her questions may have sounded, that idea appealed to Daenerys. If there was only one country, with one ruler, then everyone listened to the same law, the same justice. The same throne. No more war, no more fighting. And if this The Earth had a steady ruler, then in this world, the wheel turned no more.

Interesting.

"MIlitary? You work for a King or a Queen?" Perhaps it would be wise to learn more of how things worked in this The Earth.

Then the door opened, and a young man (Cadil) walked in and gaped at the Gate. He did greet them then, but he was clearly flabbergasted. Dany smiled, amused, and was about to reply when Drogon growled at something in the garden. While it was a quiet growl for him, it still resonated through the silence of the pub. Daenerys cleared her throat, her violet eyes flicking from Sam to Cadil, and back. "Please, there is no need for alarm. If you bear him or me no ill will, he will not harm you."

[Pele Alarion]

Sam Carter & Cadil

"Well..." Sam said, having realised that Daenerys was actually very smart, and she could go for a more detailed explanation, but then several things happened that distracted her. First a local lad, seemingly, came in and looked like he had never seen things like this, and then there was a mighty growl coming from the garden.

"I do not mean harm," she said, raising her hands slightly to show that she was not about to use her weapons. "It certainly does not sound like a very small pet... You all right?" The last part was meant for Cadil who had nearly stumbled backwards, strange people, some sort of contraption, and obviously some huge creature out there was a bit too much for him to handle all at once. Yet he nodded and steadied himself, trying to recover from a whole lot of surprises.

The captain then turned back to Daenerys and decided to expand on the question she had not managed to get to yet: "Well, the whole planet... world is called the Earth. And we have more than one hundred and fifty countries, in fact. Each with its own name. My country has no king or queen, just a government consisting of many people to handle various matters." Then she poured some wine and brought it over to Cadil with a smile. "By the way, I am Sam, and the other lady is Daenerys, but what is your name? And what is this place?"

Cadil gratefully accepted the wine and drank it in one long go, then wiped his lips on the sleeve before flashing a grin again. "Cadil. I am Cadil. And this is some sort of a pub, I guess. I've never noticed it before though I've walked this street almost every day, so I'm not exactly sure."

[Drifa]

Afird Splitax

It was the only job Afird could find on his second journey to Gondor. It wasn't a terrible job; it paid for room, board, and food, allowing him to leave his heavy pack without carrying it on his back. Mine, his fine leather boots, had not been suitable for the job, and when the first pay coins warmed his palm, he had found himself a good, sturdy pair of boots with thick soles. His beard was braided so as not to drag, and he wore a bright orange jerkin with a short purple cloak belted at the waist over it all.

As he makes his way to the Second Circle, pushing his barrow, he spies a familiar site—a pub. Now, the last time he was in the city, he had acted uncharacteristically mad for a solid-bred dwarf. He had been nervous and unsure; it was his first adventure here. And well, to be honest, he just loved ale. This was his last barrow full, and the day was almost done. A pint or two would not harm. And he would go home early and be ready for another work day. But business first.

He pushed open the door and called out in his deep voice. "Pumpkins for sale! Get your pumpkins here!

[Dungeon Delver]

One minute, the pup was having a grand time playing fetch with his favorite bat-shaped toy, the next he was somewhere else entirely. He had had the zoomies previously, darting back and forth with mad speed. He still had them, and quite before he realized that the place he was now it was not his home he ran through the doorway. He was a white blur, a speeding arrow, as fast as –

Wait… What?

Laurence, the young husky pup, suddenly realized he was not at home anymore. Dad was nowhere to be seen or smelt. This place did not smell like home, not in the slightest. He paused, utterly confused. He whimpered, unable to get his bearings. There were too many smells, too many sounds, too many sights for the little pup to process. There was nothing he recognized as home, the light, the sound, the layout of this giant room. It was all wrong. He shrank to the floor. Where was Mom? Where was Dad? He sniffed the air frantically. There was not a hint of them. Where had they gone? Had, had they taken him to the groomers again and he hadn’t noticed? This wasn’t Dad’s work, nor was it the vet clinic. This was, well this was all very concerning. He whimpered again and yipped.

Very suddenly, he was on guard, his blue eyes darting back and forth suspiciously.

It didn’t smell like the groomers, but they were tricky people. They acted friendly and gave him lots of pets and scritches only the then take him away and… and brush him! They did other things, unspeakable with combs and scissors and shampoo. He immediately sniffed the air for any sign of those cursed objects. Nothing.

How perplexing. The only thing he smelled that had an air of familiarity was his little stuffed bat toy. Laurence had had it in his mouth as he was on his zoomie run, his ears pinned back as he darted like a wild wolf on the hunt.

He darted under one of the tables present. It seemed a safe bet here to hide under a table until he knew what was going on. He picked up his bat in his teeth, it squeaked conspicuously as they hid.

There didn’t seem to be anyone present here. It smelled quite good in though. Was this where they made his food? Had he come the fabled Merrick kitchens?

Just as he was about to start his exploration (surely Mom and Dad were here somewhere, maybe they were hiding), someone opened the door to the establishment. The little white husky leaped back in surprise.

Pumpkins. Pumpkins. PUMPKINS!? That was the thing inside his new favorite treats! He was at the Merrick kitchens! Heedless, still with his squeaking bat toy in his mouth, he bounded toward the sound.

Wait… who was that?

[Drifa]

Afird Splitax

A small white fuzzy ball with legs came bouncing towards him, then stopped and stared at him with what appeared to be a black bat squeezed between its jaws. He saw the raised tail and realized it was a dog. A young one at that. But still. Like most dwarves, Afird had a dislike for animals in general. It was a well-known fact that most dwarves didn't harbour any pets. Horses especially frightened them because of their size, height and large square teeth. Afird was particularly unnerved by dogs, no matter what size. He had had a few bad experiences while delivering new axes to Hobbit customers who live in the Marish area. The thing was, he was scared of dogs, and dogs knew it. It was something he had no control over.

Now, this young one he could handle, but he did put his barrow between him and the pup. Mahal knew it would be just his luck that the young one would find a tender spot on him in a sudden attack. He picked up one of the more miniature pumpkins and quickly rolled it towards the dog, yet slightly off to one side. Afird hoped this would distract him enough to conceal himself in the pub crowd. He began to back up slowly, not making sudden moves lest he draw the dog's attention. Slowly, back, back, back.

He suddenly found the light much brighter, and there was a sound of bells ringing over the pub's noise. But he did not take his eyes off the white dog and kept moving back. Yes, it was overkill, for it was just a fluffy dog with pretty blue eyes. But his inherent fear could change its mood just like, "snap" that. His foot hit something. He gazed out of the corner of his eye and saw it was a step. He slowly made his way up it and then two other stairs. He felt a sudden vibration go through his body, strangely calming him, a refreshing sensation. He smiled at the pup, who stood staring, sorry that he was such a coward, then stepped back and was gone.

[Dungeon Delver]

An axe could be useful in a practical sense, Tarquinius knew, but he was not a hobbit given over to too much physical labor. He was a hobbit of mental prowess rather than physical. He took a hard look at the equipment he brought with him. Could any of it be of use to a dwarf? Better question, could any of them fight of a mewlip? He hadn't really thought about that. A studious hobbit by nature, Tarquinius didn't think much about the martial arts of bashing at each other with sticks or stones. He was more apt to negotiate his problems or, when that inevitable failed, run away and avoid the problem til it went away, like a normal person.

"Ah, he said slowly, considering his stock still.

He was standing stock still too when...

He found himself suddenly surrounded by blue and swirling colors. He was so flabbergasted and so flummoxed by such a random occurrence that one might forgive him if his sensory experience different from the canon of those that walked through "StarGates" or whatever this thing might have been called because the narrator has never actually seen an episode of such a show, being a loyal Star Trek fan and all.

"What in the blazes of..."

Tarquinius Fieldhopper, Ghost Hoonter was no longer on the outskirts of the village of Scary. He no longer even in the Shire. He could have explained some unconscious travel between the small towns and villages and hamlets of the Shire, but this? No, no this was not normal. Supernatural or even paranormal, maybe. Most definitely it was metatextual and unusual. Just where was he? Bree? He'd never been so it was a possibility. Perhaps, he could talk to a stranger into telling him exactly where he was, he had GOADED his fair share of spirits into telling him things, why not a Breelander? Was this the infamous Prancing Pony? Oh, there would certainly be spirits abounding here if that were the case. He began rummaging through his belongings in search of his spirit board and planchette when he heard the most horrible sound, the sound of an oncoming dog!
-----
Play the word goaded going down with the G on the pumpkin for a total of 13 points (8 for the word and 5 bonus for Tolkien quote).

"Horns were blown and trumpets were braying, and the mumakil were bellowing as they were goaded to war." -Return of the King, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields

P.S. @Drifa please excuse my tardiness, I have been run rather ragged at work this week and have only now had the chance to do any writing.