Oh very good question, Ma'am Diana. She reverently reached out an petted the rabbit's ear.  It was soft, and real.  Definitely real. She didn't know where she was, but this was real.

Then the cowboy started laughing.  Laughing.  She whirled on him, eyes ablaze.  A finger up to waggle in his direction.

Don't you talk to the Rabbit God Diana like that, young man.  I don't know who you are, but this is a special rabbit and deserves respect!  If you can't behave properly and respectfully, you should go play out side.

Her admonishment complete, she returned her attention to the talking rabbit. Well, Ma'am, my servers were up until this moment mostly for the humans who lost a animal friend.  However, I also tried to provide the best funeral and tending for those animals that departed.  Proper memorials, burials.  Not just for pets, but for wild, er... non-domestic? Um... I held a funeral for a squirrel.  She was getting a bit overwhelmed.

I didn't know animals... They can't speak... but the death of a keeper...Oh my, yes, I can see where that would be very awful. Her eyes were filling with tears at the thought. How could I not have thought of that.  When I get back... IF I get back... The whole business model is going to change.  There's so much that needs to be done....Can you tell me how I can communicate with the animals who've lost a loved one?
 How can I help them?

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.  Can you... can you send me back.  I'll do as you ask. She thought for a moment.  Are there others? Other animal Gods and Goddesses?  That ... talk? She asked, her mind clearly racing.

In reply to Jonathan Harmarth (msg # 18):

The Englishman nodded to the Wolfman's query and held out a glass of wine. "Yes! That would be my assumption you see. A glass of wine, perchance? A fine vintage, I assure you. As Jack has stated, the bar is open and its particular medicine is needed now more than ever."

Meri then turned and took in Isabella's conversation with Diana. One rarely had the opportunity to see one such as this. So the Gunman was quite intrigued to see how it progressed. Seeing the woman tear up set the gentleman in Meriwether in motion once more. He took a white handkerchief from his frock coat pocket and presented it to Isabella.

"Here you go, madam. For the tears, what? Otherwise, please do not let me interrupt. Do carry on. Quite interesting, I assure, quite!"

He shook his head at Jack.  "I just mean I can think clearly, honestly.  I'm not feral or anything."  Jon couldn't help but chuckle at the poor new girl calling Diana a "rabbit god".  In his experience, it took a lot more than simply talking for an animal to get called a god.

He called over, vaguely curious to see how she reacted to him.  "You know, those two are here together.  Probably just an inside joke."

With that, he accepted the wine glass.  Fancy wines usually struck him as a more Elven thing, but he knew it wasn't exclusive to them.  He gave the drink a precautionary sniff before taking a sip.  "Hm.  Not bad." he muttered appreciatively.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:19, Sun 03 Jan 2021.

As the Rabbit Goddess seemed to be composing herself, in that nose twitchy way rabbits think.  Isabella thanked Merry for the handkerchief and dabbed her eyes.

Thank you.  Thank you.  I'd never stopped to consider their perspective... How truly humancentric of me. How upsetting...for all of us. She murmured.

When the warrior man called over she looked to him. He seemed a little scary, but no worse then some she'd seen in New York.  Odd clothing, but advent guard was never her thing.  Paid well though... He was probably a designer.  She nodded to the man, glanced to the rabbit, then in a stage whisper replied, Even if you're friends with a Goddess, you should still show respect.  He doesn't know if I would give Her, <orange> there was a slight tip of the head, <orange>the proper respect.

  Jack took off his hat and exposed a somewhat receding hairline and a mix of silver and brown hair.  He waved the hat in front of his face and for some reason started to laugh harder.. While appearing to fight it to the point he started to hick-up.

He tried to say something to the Lady.. but the hick-ups interfered.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:52, Mon 04 Jan 2021.

The Little Rabbit, Looks over a Jack and Smiles.. "It is Good for him.. laughter has been hard to come by lately."

Turning Back Oh.. "Yes there are Many animal Gods, some talk, some don't.  The Monkey King is often considered a God.  To explain what I am is very hard if you don't know one of the Chinese languages.. And even then if you are speaking the wrong type and even the wrong era.. it can be very misleading."
Nodding at Jack she continues, "The Three Princes have Ruled that people like Jack over there are Angels, the Closest translation from Chinese for what I am is Demon.. but it doesn't help much since the word is often loaded with other meanings, in Anglish.."
Shrugging;  "The Term 'demon' is used by the Three Princes to designate The Fallen Angels among humankind, which has nothing to do with me." ..

Putting her hand/paw on the Lady's hand. "One of Jack's powers is that any Normal Rabbit that comes within a number of arshin, becomes sentient as long as they stay there.  I can do the same.. sort of.. but for me as long as the score stay in the warren they remain so which is why We can travel with the Great-one."
 Tilting her head she looks at the kind lady; "Many Rabbits become terrified when Cursed with.. sentient thought.. though it is in truth a spectrum. And they Runaway. The fact is the things that comfort them whether sentient or not are familiar smells, sounds, even the touch of things that comforted them before, these seem universal."

Turning to look at the Predator drinking the Rotten Grapes.. "Jack is a Good Human but becomes Quite Feral when Kittens, are threatened."

Looking Back to the Lady; "As to getting you home if you went home with us.. I fear.. It wouldn't be your home."

Jon listened to the little rabbit going on and on with mild curiosity, visibly struggling to keep up with her rambling.  "I uh, I recognized one name in there.  The Monkey King, we have him back home.  Not sure about 'god', but he's gotta at least be immortal."

No...no, I mean my home. Isabella tried to clarify.  Glancing around again realizing nothing was what her mind had being trying to put into place.  The big hairy man no longer seemed like a man.  The nice man who had offered her wine was wearing clothing perhaps out of a museum.  Even the cowboy was not looking like a normal cowboy.  The talking rabbit had said angel.  But she had called herself a demon.  Nothing made sense.

Her head began to swim and she swayed a moment.  I think I need to sit. She said to no one before dropping onto a near by chair.

Is this hell?  Am I dead? She asked weakly.

   Jack Seeing the Lady's response to Diane's exposition on animal theology.. and his society's take on superheroes.. headed over his shot glass in one hand, a small crystal decanter in the other, and a light-colored rather heavy-looking hook cane hanging from his elbow.

   Coming to her chair, he puts the drink down nearby and kneels rather heavily there. "Miss Bell You okay there.  This ain't Hev'n or Hell.. and you ain't dead, though I wouldn't be surprised to see dead folk walk in the door."

   A strange purple light flickers in The older man's eyes, he picks up his decanter and holds it out..
   At a matching flicker in the rabbit's eyes..
 She goes from looking worried to smiling and rolling she snags an empty shot glass from behind the bar, and springs with a three-legged leap to a nearby chair. The shot glass apparently now held in a hidden pocket of the grass skirt secured by a paw.. and stands up then holding it out to the nice lady.

Jack continues speaking; "If You Want something stronger, you could have a shot of my Mistress Bloody Mary.. taint got vodka its base is whisky, carrot juice, and tomato paste. You aren't dead.. as far as I know.. but you have tripped down Alice's rabbit hole, but are at The Wolf's Head Tavern instead of Wonderland."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:21, Fri 08 Jan 2021.

Jon's look went from confusion to concern as Isabella started to have an existential crisis.  She wasn't taking this well.

Jack and Diana beat him to the punch to try and comfort her, however.  So, he decided to sit back and observe, waiting to see if there was anything he could do to help, as he took another sip of the wine.  It was nice to try a new drink.

At the mention of the tavern's name, however, he couldn't help himself, as he piped up with a slight smirk.  "The name has nothing to do with me, I promise.  Pure coincidence."

Izzy. She said weakly, looking between them in the room.  My friends call me Izzy.  These people, these gods or demons or angels or animals or whatever they were, she was smart enough to know she was likely to need them.  Need them far more than they needed her.  They were being kind, she recognized that.  She could be their friend.

Nodding, she reached for the drink and downed it in one gulp without a flinch.

So... I'm in ... an alternate universe?  And you two, She gestured to Jack and her rabbit friend, You come from the same place and are connected.  And you, <orange> She looked at Jonathan, <orange>are a wolf in man's clothing?  But not the rest of the wolf from Wolf's Head Tavern, a different...wolf?  She took a longing glance at her glass, wondering who to ask for a refill.  Then gave a quick look at Merri, wondering if he was going to turn into some kind of animal in the near future.

Jon nodded.  "I've heard this place described as... a meeting place between worlds.  I think this is... my third time here?  Never intentionally, I just kind of... end up here occasionally."

He moved over to take a seat near her.  "My name's Jon.  As to -what- I am... I used to be human.  I was afflicted by the Worgen Curse.  It... hit me a bit harder than some.  I still have trouble shifting back to human form, even when I'm relaxed."  The smirk returned.  "I just couldn't help commenting when the name of the place came up."

Diana looks across at then turns as Jon starts talking.
  Nodding; She Listened as Jon explained his history here, then responded. "This is My first time here, the Great one".. Glancing at Jack; "has been here several times, but this is my first time.  Jazz came with him the other times and even found a girl-friend from 'the Woods' here who called herself called 'Little Violet', Einstien said he wanted to try sending Bunny here since he thought he noticed the anchor was stable.  But I thought Einstien would wait until Violet and Jazz got back from their honeymoon."

Turning to the nice lady who wanted to be called 'Izzy';  "Well you know you can call me Diana, and my Mastermind Jack prefers to be called Jack or Bunny depending."

Looking back at Jon; Bunny has no trouble turning back to Human.. but since Professor Buck had the agro-industrial research accident, that created Bunny.. His Human form has health issues.

Turning to the seemingly normal human gentleman Diana asked; "Do you have super-heroes in your dimension?"

Used to be human. She parroted in a quiet voice.  She raised a hand to reach to touch the wolf, thought better of it and put it back into her lap.  One thing to ask a rabbit about touching, another for wolf.  Was that speciets?   She gave a soft whimper.

She followed Diana's words, her eyes traveling to the cowboy and back.  Jack. Bunny. She glanced to Merri, was he human?

Why am I here? She asked the room, weakly.

Meri was quiet. The others seemed to be quite adequate at explaining the place. The beautiful woman was not unlike many who tread the hallways of this place for the first time. All these explanations... death... an alternate universe... were all unproven but possible. The Englishman could not himself say. That people from different times, places, and possibly other worlds have appeared here were quite true.

"I do not think you are dead Miss Izzy. However, I do feel that you, like many others, have stumbled upon the place as we all have done. Why? Now then, that is the question, what? I have never known the answer to that myself. Perhaps we are here to meet others that will, in some small way, assist us when we return to where one actually belongs. Perhaps we are to met those here to accomplish this or that matter of importance. I know of some who have traveled from this place to perform a mission. Though I have done so, I can not remember all the details you see." Meri refilled the lady's wine glass and held it forth so she could take it. "Here you go, Miss Izzy. Have another sip or three. The answer shall come, I think. When? Whom is to say? I would suggest just enjoy oneself while here. I assure you, no one here will harm you. The place is quite contrary to violence of any kind you see."

Layanna moved down the path, her heavy oil skin coat weighing her down. The above world was so different, weigh may not carry her to the depths but it did make her weary. She looked at the tavern ahead. The large building felt more welcoming than the last. It had been a week since she had found a warm bed or safe place to rest. The warm glow beaconed her to come in.

After little internal debate, she wandered up to the wolf's head tavern. She opened the door and looked around. As a weaver of legends she had heard of this place, but standing here now she saw it was beyond the tales of drunk warriors and adventurous sailors. It was more than she could describe. She touched her heart stone, a simple necklace she wore that kept her legs under her and her fins hidden. This is why she had traded for legs, to find this place. She pulled her hood down revealing her blue hair that seemed to shimmer in the light, like the sun hitting the ocean back in Trenal. Her eyes searched the room, spotting creatures unlike the stubborn dwarves or prideful elves. Yet a human sat among them- albeit a bit distressed. She smiled as she took a breath to steady her heart.

Izzy took the offered drink and forced herself to take a sip.  Again she looked around the room not sure what to do or to think.

Can I go home? She asked the room moments before another entered and her attention shifted to the new person, woman, female.  She wasn't exactly sure and her experience in this odd place thus far clearly indicated that not only should nothing be at face value, but that even what her brain was telling her she thought she saw and understood, was not necessarily the case.

Jack heard the door open, and his ears didn't quite twitch.
   Turning his head he looked at the door and nodded at the new arrival.. but spoke to Miss Izzy; "I know how I get here, a friend of mine who has chosen the name Einstien. sends me with a wormhole, but while I say he sends me when he feels like it.. Sometimes I think it has more to do with when he talks this place into giving me a vacation."
    Looking back at miss Izzy; "I have always been able to go home.  and would think that you should be able as well, though You should think on, WHY the Tavern thinks you Need to be here."

   Jack hands Miss Izzy the decanter of 'Mistress Bloody- the bartender had given him.. and turns again to the new arrival; "Morn'n Maam, well come to the Wolf's Head Tavern."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:00, Fri 15 Jan 2021.

Layanna nodded as she took in the scene around her. "I'm truly here?" She whispered to herself more than anything as she quietly soaked in the building around her. "This place," She looked at the man, "This is real? I am here?" She smiled in disbelief. If time could stop she wished it would to let her linger in this moment if not but a minute more. She held her bag closely, not quite ready to pull her journal out and begin writing of this place. She needed to calm herself- that much she knew. Her mind was racing through every legend, every tale, and every song of this place and now she stood here.

Jon shrugged.  "To be honest, I'm still not entirely certain how one gets home.  I don't remember how I did it the last few times I was here, I just know I ended up back home at some point."

He turned to observe the new arrival briefly, but she appeared to be more in awe of the place than lost and afraid.  Maybe she'd heard of it before?  Who knows.  He turned his attention back to Isabella.  "Maybe tell us a bit about where you're from?"

In reply to Isabella (msg # 37):

Meri cocked a brow. "Home? As Jack has already stated, correctly I might add, one should take the time to sort through things here first. Heavens knows when you might be returned here. I know things appear rather strange, but I assure you are far from Bedlam Izzy. Try some of that concoction... that tomato juice and see if it assists your nerves."

To the newcomer, Meri gave a half bow from the waist. "Yes! Quite real, in fact, quite! From your perspective, of course, you are here. Or, from my perspective, you are there. All the way, one perceives such things. Now then, if your world has such, would you like to sample Quint's vintage... wine, my dear. If so, I shall hail the barman at once."

Izzy took a sip of the tomato juice and winced.  She never much liked tomato juice and whatever was added to this one didn't help.  The thought that she some how was supposed to be there was not a comfort.  Nor could she imagine why she might be here or how to figure that out.

She blinked at Jonathan, fighting the urge to cry.

Well, I'm from earth. She thought given the circumstances that might be the broadest place to start. From the United States.  I... I've lived a few places there, but right now I was, I am, I used to be... She stumbled over the words. I was in Boston, Massachusetts.  Do you know these places? She asked, unable to keep the hope out of her voice.

Diana puts her paw on Miss Izzy's hand the actual paw unfolding into a furry hand, "my Brother Einstien says he thinks we all have a particular vibration that can allow you to match the traveller to their home."
Shrugging; "We have a Boston, Massachusetts, and a Branson, Missouri.. You may have even had a Jack Buck.. But if you have never heard of Bunny.. he is probably.. not."
Looking to the air sadly; "And you would not be from Our Home."

Isabella had been fine with the paw, but as it unfolded into a furry hand, she fought the urge to pull away and cringe.  She trusted rabbits.  Even talking rabbits.  Even talking rabbits that were not gods, but... what? Aliens.  Alien rabbits.  They will lock her up at home was her next thought, such that she almost missed what the rabbit was saying.

No Bunny. She whispered.  She paused a moment a thought crossing her mind.  So there is no Isabella's Pet Bereavement Services on your... place? She asked.  Do you have... vets?

Layanna smiled, revealing her sharp teeth, "That sounds perfect." She looked at the man and approached him. She looked at his attire closely, noting the style, the cut of his clothing much tighter than her own loose tunic top and trousers. "I apologize, if I seem out of place, but this thing you do, is it customary to do?" She bent in a similar manner then stood and smiled greatly. Layanna looked over at the others curiously.