It Began in a Tavern - Official Legacy Roleplay (Part 2)

[Luxuria]

Welcome to the Round Robin Roleplay game, It Began In A Tavern. UPDATE: 5/18/2025 - Given this roleplay is in act two and began on the old forum, it is no longer accepting new members. Old members who are vacation mode may return.

Accepted players, please remember each post is 1,500 words max and 300 words minimum. Lore can be added in a post, just make sure there is some forward movement to the plot. Know only people who have created characters may post- if you are still in the process of creation, please wait until your name is added to the list below.

NEW FORUM UPDATE: New players are welcome to join, but the RP information will take time for me to port over from the old site. So, please have patience as there is a lot.

Following the first post below, the order of writing is:

1. @ps102
2. @Louanne Learning
3. @Gravy/ @Luxuria
4. @SoulFire / @IgnitedxSoul
5. @EFMingo (In Vacation Mode 3/14/25) (Not on new forum, yet.)
6. (Open Seat)
7. (Open Seat)
All others will be added below in order of arrival. If you do not post for 7 days, your turn will be skipped, and you will wait until the next round! Have fun and remember this is casual writing.

 

[Luxuria]

@ps102 skips his turn.

 

[Louanne Learning]

Audiences with the Queen irritated Barnabas. Not only was Her Majesty a poor listener, she had strange ideas. “Controlling time is a worthwhile endeavor,” Melina said. “But more importantly, I must beat Gamma.”

Hemios was quick to jump in and support his idol. “The entire Alphabet Society is a scourge,” he averred.

“Come, now,” Barnabas put in, “let’s stay focused. We must recover the fragments.”

Melina continued with her own agenda. “I have dispatched Araspeth,” she said, with a roll of her eyes, “—but I do not put full confidence in her. I want you two on the case.”

“How so?” Barnabas asked.

“Go to Cliffcross. Bring me the head of the one who threatens me.”

“And the fragments?” Hemios asked.

“Those, too.”

Hemios and Barnabas exchanged glances. “I fear it must be,” Barnabas admitted, in a surrendering tone.

He and Hemios exited. Their footfalls echoed in the stone hallway, and then Hemios said, “The scriptures warn against such an expedition.”

Barnabas lightly laughed. “Better you should put your faith in logic and reason.”

“And be like you?” Hemios grumbled. “Have you no guiding principles? Nothing bigger than you?”

“Like what? Faith in an ancient text?”

“Sacrilege! But, being the open-minded person I am, I will not report you.”

Barnabas grinned. “The sooner you learn that it is all science, even your magic, the better off you will be.”

***

The woods were dense, but the bridle-path well-travelled. The horses of Hemios, Barnabas, and two stolid guards, trotted in the green, without much conversation, but some.

“I will do whatever it takes to gain the Queen’s favor,” Hemios said.

Barnabas rolled his eyes. “And what do you owe to yourself?”

“I am a gnat in her presence.”

“Well … even the gnat yearns to survive.”

Near sunset, ready to camp, they spied a fire’s smoke, and nodded in agreement that they should investigate. They came up to the small encampment. Two men in leathers and a middle-aged woman with hair severely pulled back looked up with curiosity as the four envoys of the Queen halted their horses.

The one man rose and announced, “I am Nalki, we want no trouble.”

“It’s not trouble we bring to you,” Hemios replied.

Barnabas squinted at the woman, unmistakable even in the firelight, and his breath caught in his throat. “Dusca,” he said, “is that you?”

***

Dusca stood, and effected a brave face. An anger such as she had never known seized her, but she would not give him the satisfaction of knowing her true feelings. “Hello, Barnabas,” she said. “Life has been good to you?”