Arman,
I think, for newcomers, the movement of the social hub from the church to the pub was a good idea. It helps to avoid interfering with players, greeting new ones with spam, and designates it as a place of quiet meditation. The pub is far more adequate for chatter and socialising, as in most roleplaying games there is often a tavern scene.
As it stands, however, the pub doesn't seem to catch on as a social hub, and while pondering on this I came upon a few thoughts and memories which may help of this place a more attractive meeting point.
Look at the description as it is now:
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You are in the local pub.
The atmosphere is thick with tobacco smoke and a murmur can be heard from the sailors at the bar.
An occasional witty joke causes them all to laugh and slam their jars on the counter. A sign hangs
on the wall behind the counter.
There is one obvious exit: east.
Examining the bar leads only to finding a bell we can ring
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It is comfortably high enough to rest your elbows on while drinking your beer. That is by human
standards of course. It is made out of good quality oak. At one corner, there is a bell standing on
the counter.
>
It is a bell. Made from brass. Probably made so one can ring it. Perhaps you should try to do so?
>
You ring the bell.
The human bartender glares stonily at you.
The human bartender says: What's the matter? I'm here, aren't I?
The human bartender snarls savagely at you.
The human bartender says: So whaddaya want?
Even though we can see the bar is comfortable, we can't fully immerse ourselves in it. There are no stools to sit on, buying a drink doesn't have any special interactions, and there is no place to sit down.
While I know that this isn't the reason the church was so famous, these are reasons for which the cafe in Palanthas is.
Some ideas:
1. Add some emotes to sit on a stool by the bar, rest your elbows, and such.
2. Add perhaps a table for two to four people to sit down. Maybe we can scribe down things on it if we had a knife to do so?
3. Add some description to the floor. It should be dirty, made of creaking wood, and newbies could search it for some coppers a day.
4. Add some items we could buy and emote around with, such as cigarettes, pipes, tobacco, etc.
5. Make a tattered menu hang from the wall behind the counter instead of a sign.
6. Maybe add a dart board to play darts on.
7. A peanut tray with some pamphlets giving hints on where each boat departs to, maybe even copied off the tower of realms.
The last idea would be something more extensive and perhaps nothing to consider for the time being, but it would be a dispenser from which to buy a sort of newspaper. Make a journalism club with a dedicated editor and journalists to write down stories, gossip, news, announcements, and classified ads. Interviews could be made, coverage of war stories, hiring notes for mercenaries, recruitment notes, and so on and so forth. Call it 'The Jingle Donut', and when someone asks when the next issue will be published, answer with "By Christmas!".
These would be all things to encourage a sense of community and embrace the interactive culture of newcomers who seem to enjoy traveling, dressing up, and interacting more than just growing fast.
Maybe some of these ideas aren't welcome, but if even one of them is, at least these are contributions and possible solutions rather than just complaints.
Some examples of smoking cigarettes in pubs can be:
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> buy cigarette
You buy a cheap cigarette.
> exa cigarette
This is a somewhat crumpled roll-up cigarette. It is currently unlit
and almost in mint condition.
> light cigarette
You light the cigarette.
> smoke cigarette
You draw on your cigarette, pause for a moment and then blow a large lazy smoke
ring into the air.
> exa cigarette
This is a somewhat crumpled roll-up cigarette. It is lit and almost
in mint condition.
> smoke cigarette
You take a long draw on your cigarette, tasting its fragrant smoke.
> smoke cigarette
You take a long draw on your cigarette, tasting its fragrant smoke.
> smoke cigarette
You draw on your cigarette, pause for a moment and then blow a large lazy smoke
ring into the air.
> exa cigarette
This is a somewhat crumpled roll-up cigarette. It is lit and almost
in mint condition.
> exa cigarette
This is a somewhat crumpled roll-up cigarette. It is lit and about
halfway gone.
> smoke cigarette
You draw on your cigarette, pause for a moment and then blow a large lazy smoke
ring into the air.
> smoke cigarette
You suck noisily on your cigarette.
> smoke cigarette
You suck noisily on your cigarette.
> smoke cigarette
You puff thoughtfully on your cigarette.
> exa cigarette
This is a somewhat crumpled roll-up cigarette. It is lit and about
halfway gone.
And if you do nothing for a while
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> Your smoking cigarette gives off a wisp of smoke as it threatens to burn out.
You see a mousetrap. I see free cheese and a challenge.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?