Merriam's Pub

Merriam's Pub (t merriam) is a small pub on Tapestries owned by Harwich and Travi. Merriam's Pub caters to those who believe that the quality of one's text-based self-presentation (i.e. the overall quality of one's writing, including grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, vocabulary, etc) to be an integral part of their enjoyment of the text-based medium.

First-time visitors should read the rules and also type "commands" in the Main Room to show all the local commands available. Note: the lsay and lpose commands used with the seating areas code are currently BROKEN until WhiteWizard fixes part of the MPI engine. This is unlikely to happen since WhiteWizard does not consider MPI broken.

Rules

• Rule #1. This is a room dedicated to those who believe fundamentally that quality writing and readable typing are both important to a better experience in a text-based environment. However, no one is required to be Pulitzer Prize material. Hostility toward those who do not type or write well is forbidden. They wouldn't be in here if they weren't interested in improving. Help them, don't hurt them.

• Rule #1a. Corollary: Don't be an asshole.

• Rule #2. Harwich and Travi own and run this joint. Please defer to them for anything that requires decision-making. The main room of the pub is logged by Regulus, the pub mascot, to make settling disputes easier. No other rooms are logged.

• Rule #3. This area is an explicit mixture of OOC/chat and IC/roleplaying. Both types of social activity are to be tolerated. We expect you wouldn't have made it past the "entrance exam" if this wasn't okay with you. If you're looking for "pure" roleplaying of any kind, turn around. If you're looking for "pure" OOC/chat, go to IRC. kthx.

• Rule #4. Yes, sex. Sex. Sex, sex, sex. SEX. Sexity-sex-sex. Sexx0rz. Sexitude. Sex. Thank you.

IC Background

Over 30 years ago, Merriam ran the place as a sort of hip, Bohemian art-pub that attracted the intellectual crowd. They discussed art and politics, wrote poetry and painted, or at least pretended to, to get laid. The stories of what went on in the back rooms were legend in their time. But the times changed and Merriam moved on to other projects, though she remained somewhat the black sheep of her family.

Recently, she decided to reopen the old place, and let her nephew Harwich run the place- she must see something in him the rest of his family does not. She keeps out of the way, for the most part, not wanting to drag his scene down, as she may have said back in the 60's.

Besides cleaning out the cobwebs, Harwich has not changed the vintage decor. It's someone's early 70's nightmare in there still- a conversation pit, a rumpus room with shag carpeting, etc.

Fun fact- the bar cat Regulus is named after a cat who appeared in Les Jeux Sont Faits by Jean-Paul Sartre. Told you we were intellectuals, yo.

Areas

• Main Room: Usually the most populated room in the pub. The first one patrons come to when they come inside. It has the conversation pit, the uh... conjugation pit, the bar, the ferret hammock, the couch, and on and on. There is MPI for sitting in the various areas. Typing "seats" will show a list. Anyone is welcome to tend bar if they wish, it's a great way to meet people! It can get loud and sometimes weird in the Main Room. The management prefers that heated arguments (which sometimes happen when people talk politics) get taken to the Smoking Room, please. Scening is encouraged and appreciated in the Main Room!

• Back Yard: An enclosed urban courtyard, open to the sky. There's a porch out back for hanging out on, and a hot tub for lounging in. More MPI seating can be found here.

• Smoking Room: The aforementioned spot for heated debate or scenes that are a bit too bloody for the Main Room. It's tastefully appointed in leather and wood panelling, though, so try not to stain the upholstery.

• Rumpus Room: A classic 70's rec-room, with shag carpeting, horrible zebra-stripe-print velvet wallpaper, one of those sex swing contraptions... you get the idea. It's in the basement, naturally.

• Exhibition Room: A small soundstage, furnished with a comfortable, well-lit nest for... putting on shows! Plus a big two-way mirror. It's upstairs.

• Gallery: The counterpart of the Exhibition Room, this is where the audience for the shows sits on the other side of the two-way mirror. Carpeted risers, lots of pillows, a mini-bar, and a bell system to let you know when a show is starting.

• Reading Room: A popular private spot for reading, discusstion literature, or a quickie on the couch. Also upstairs.