Red velvet curtains hide this room a bit from the tap room. A poker table sets to one side of the entrance, An unopened pack of cards sets atop the table, wax seal still intact. Against the far wall a table obviously set up for dice or bones games sets, complete with varying sticks, bones and dice sets in a cherry wood and glass case on the wall at the side. A pool table sets in the center of the room, complete with ivory cue ball, fresh felt, and 14 sticks of varying weights.
     Along the length of the room but separated by a low wall of intersecting pine sculpted to resemble a low hedge, a tossing run setup has been partitioned. Along the wall are various throwing targets, the red, black, and yellow of the common dart boards, a knife target, an axe taget, two shields for javelin or bow. All of which with corresponding throwing implements in racks on the entry end of the run.

Boone leads Gallus and Quintus to the billiards table, explaining the basics of eight-ball to Quintus while he sets up the rack. He picks out a cue stick, rolling it on the table to check for warping, and asks Gallus Bank shot for break?

"We could always just arm wrestle for it." He had a big smile on his face.

Given that billiards is a game of skill, not power, I think the bank-shot is more appropriate, Captain Gallus. While you choose a cue stick, I'll explain some of the basics to Quintus here. Turning to Quintus, Boone shows him the pool table As you can see, the table is about 82 inches long and 43 inches wide. Although the size varies slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer, they all have the six pockets situated at the four corners, and two pockets on the sides. He invites Quintus to feel the surface of the table. The table is covered in felt to allow smoother travel for the balls. You saw me rolling my chosen cue stick along the felt - that is one way of determining whether or not either the cue or the table has any warping or defects. As you saw, it rolled smoothly along, so it looks like everything is fine. He shows the triangular rack to Quintus and demonstrates how all 15 balls are arranged for the start of the game.

Now in basic eight-ball, our opponent and you choose some method of determining who takes the first shot. This is known as "breaking". This first shot, if it succeeds in putting one of the balls into any of the pockets, other that the pure-white cue ball or the pure-black eight-ball, then the type of ball sunk determines your targets for the game. Note that the balls marked '1' through '7' are solid colors. The balls marked '9' through '15' are white with a colored stripe. These two groups are called the solids and the stripes. If you succeed in sinking a solid on the break, the object is for you to knock the rest of the solids into the pockets before going after the eight-ball. Likewise, if you sink a striped ball on the break, your goal is to sink the rest of the striped balls before proceeding to the eight-ball. The way we take shots is to use the cue stick to strike the white cue ball is such a way that the cueball knocks either the solid or the striped balls into the pockets. You can also use the rubbery sides of the table to 'bank' your shots when needed. Looked at in a certain way, billiards is just an exercise in applied geometry.

      Quintus tried to follow the descriptions of the game and the concept, he really did. In the end, Quintus stood in front of the cue rack staring at them like a monkey doing a math problem. "Why couldn't it be javelins at 10 paces, or net and trident in the pit, noooooo, there have to be all of these rules, and turns." Looking back at the table Quintus wonders about the glyphs on the balls, and the wooden shooting staffs. Small circles around the glyph means it is part of the same group, wide circle around the number is part of the same group. If it doesn't drop on the "break" stay away from the black ball. Banking was still a bit out of his understanding, and Quintus had his questions about the grey balls, but for now he was willing to watch.
     Glancing around Quintus noticed the hexagonal table with the white and red package of cards, and the rack of multicolored circular clay-tablets. To the side there was the octagonal table with all the little posts on it, it also had several balls on it, all red with one white, there were no pockets. Over in the corner, a long table with markings and glyphs sat. It had a long stick with a wedge-shaped end, and two cubes with dots on each face of the ivory pieces.
     On the far side of the table was a low wall about waist high. Beyond this, was a long clear hallway with various round, and square plaques hanging on the wall. Some of corkboard, a few shields, and several others that Quintus didn't recognize. That would be a great pasttime, it will be the game that the pair enjoy after the dramatic loss at the billiards table. "Ok, so, let's go over this one more time. Small circles are a group and the large circles are a group. The stick only touches the white ball. When packing the balls in the triangle, no balls of the same group can be together. And... you want to sink the black ball with the first break, if you miss that, you have to sink all of the balls of your group before the black. Sorry, what about the grey balls, are they significant." Quintus is pointing to the 3,6,11, and 14.

Ah. Well the grey balls are not significant in themselves. These glyphs pointing out the numbers 1 through 7  belong to one set, distinguished by the fact that the balls are completely solid in color aside from the space for the glyphs. He points out the balls numbered 9 thru 15 and these belong to the other group, distinguished by the fact that these balls are white with a colored stripe around them. He then refers to the black 8-ball I should have made this more clear. If you sink the 8-ball on any shot except to finish the game, you lose the game. Even if you sink it on the first shot, or 'break', you lose. It is only when you have cleared the table of all the balls in your 'set' that you are permitted to sink the 8-ball. Boone walks over to the cue rack and selects a cue stick for Quintus. Why don't we go through an actual game, and I'll show you the rules and conventions as we progress. He then shows Quintus how the stick is held, whether for left-handers or right-handers, how to aim, and how to smoothly draw back the stick and push it forward in a 'stroke'. He shows Quintus the pool chalk and how to apply it. He then asks Shall I set up the rack and perform the break?

     Thinking he will need more clarification on the game as they play, Quintus nods for Boone to take the "break" and set the rack. Watching carefully, Quintus notices a possibility that had not been discussed. "You have mentioned what we do if the colored balls enter the holes, but is there something that keeps the white ball from falling in?" Quintus was truly trying to understand the game.
     "When this is over, I may just have to challenge you with javelins." Quintus said with a smile.

Agreed. Javelins might be fun to try. Something I failed to mention. If you succeed in sinking a ball belonging to your set, you may continue your turn. If you fail to sink a ball from your set, it become's the other player's turn. If you sink the white 'cue ball', it is called a 'scratch shot' and you are penalized. One of the balls that you have previously sunk gets put back onto the table and your opponent gets to place the cue ball wherever he likes within a certain area. But I will show you what I mean as we progress...
Boone sets up the rack, placing the point of the rack above the positioning dot and squaring the rack, then lifts the rack and leaves a perfect triangle of balls. He moves to the other side, places the cue ball down, opting for an angled break, draws back and forth a few times while adjusting his aim, then smoothly strikes the cueball, sending it into the midst of the colored balls. The balls break apart cleanly, and after a few rebounds, the 3-ball sinks into the near-corner.  He moves around to where the cueball resides. That means my turn continues. Wherever the cueball comes to rest, you must continue play from there. Since my set is solids, I am not allowed to make contact with your 'stripes' as an initial contact, although secondary contact is allowed. Seeing that the cue ball has a shot at the 6-ball for a corner shot, but only if he can bank the cueball correctly, he quickly calculates the angle he needs, and attempts the shot. While he does strike the six-ball initially, the ball fails to drop in the corner, stopping just short. Ah, I missed - your turn.

"Hmmm mmm mm" sounded from a small box that began rocking. Following that, a loud thud of a small body hitting the wood, but it did not budge. "wrrhnmmm" the box exclaimed before what looked like a business card, followed by a small piece of gum, flew out of the box, breaking the walls as it busted through.

A small, red headed girl climbed out of the box and brushed off her black and purple clothing. "Hmmf," she exclaimed, "that is the last time I do a job for them." She looked around, "so, um..." That was about all she could come up with at the moment, her head still throbbed from that bloody dart.

Boone pulls off his hat and says , Good Afternoon , Miss. Can we help you?

"Um," Brighid said again before shaking her head. "sorry. What happened? This isn't Seattle, is it?" It certainly didn't look right, and there was no AR to be found. She checked her comm, no connection. "Regardless, some espresso could be nice."

With a glance at Quintus, Boone sets his cue stick against a wall.

No ma'am, it isn't Seattle, nor is it Texas , nor any place on Earth. Welcome to the Wolf's Head Tavern, the third interdimensional, transtemporal inn and bar I've ever encountered.
Quintus, wanna rustle up an expresso for the Lady? She might need a shot of something strong in it too? I'll pay for it.

     With a large smile at the diminutive creature, the ex-roman soldier nods, "Of course Boone, anything specific you would like added to your Spresso winged lady?" The soldier seemd just aq bit out of sorts as he talked to the little woman, and even more so as he talked to her as a waiter would instead of a soldier. The brigandine skirting and the empty sheath on his hip throwing more interest into the hidden story here. "Perhaps when I get back the little lady would sit on my shoulder and advise me of a good shot on this table game."
     Quintus backs towards the door to the room, awaiting any special requests as he does so.

"No alcohol. I think I was drugged. I must have been since I thought you said transdimensional, or something like that." Definitely the very last time. She needed a clear head, though to figure this out when she noticed the darts. That always made her focus. "Anyone care for a game of darts." She had to get her head on right. Had to.

I can't say whether you've been drugged or not, but I definitely said Transtemporal as well as interdimensional. By the way , Quintus, I believe that Expresso is some sort of coffee drink. As for me, I'll take a shot of Wild Turkey Kentucky Bourbon if you'd be so kind. He focuses on the lovely little lady. And what brings a pretty lady like yourself among us today?

Oh, and I suppose I can play a game of darts with you after I'm done teaching Quintus about billiards. I'm quite good with darts.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:22, Wed 18 Mar 2009.

 Walks towards the game room and looks for table to sit down. the guards stood behind her and was watching everyone. She takes the hood of her cloak down and looks around at the different games that were happening

Brighid unfurled her wings, she had a solid 3 foot span, her wings fluttered, appearing much like a dragonfly's in color. "Yes, coffee, very strong. And I'm sure I was drugged."  She was also sure this was some sort of joke, but didn't say that. She flew over to the dart board and grabbed a set, they filled her arms, as she flew back to notice the newest member. "Darts?" she asked. She'd play along for now, figure out what actually happened.