From the mouths of many, came one story...

On September 23, 2020, Bullethawk created The Tales of Adventurers’ Tavern (ToAT), as a place to communally roleplay, a form of Dungeons and Dragons without the need for a DM. She was worried about how it would turn out; after all, her first attempt at this concept had fallen apart in a month. But Bullethawk ignored her trepidation, and pressed post. The thread had a slow start but grew quickly, fast becoming the largest thread on D&DBeyond. By September of next year, it had two-hundred and twenty thousand posts across more than eleven thousand pages. It began to crash mobile devices that attempted to view the thread, and the ToAT was locked on September seventeenth, 2021. It had 220,329 replies. In the three hundred and fifty nine days in between, tens of players roleplayed with hundreds of characters across thousands of interactions. People became friends, supporting each other through the pandemic, mental health struggles, and the mundane issues of daily life. Characters were created, then killed, then revived and killed again. Stories took shape, in what was truly a beautiful example of communal storytelling. The Tavern gained lore and legends of characters from previous eras, a sort of culture forming. And the structure and rules of the Tavern served as the basis for every single roleplaying thread in Adohands Kitchen for the past four years. 

So…why am I writing this? Well, on July 23, The Tales of Adventurers’ Tavern was deleted from D&DBeyond. It was apparently too large for the website and proved problematic to open. It was deleted with no warning and no time to save anything. This understandably frustrated many, including myself. There was no time to say goodbye while the Tavern was still around, but perhaps we can do it posthumously. I hope that other ‘taverners’ will post on this thread and talk about their experiences, their joy, and their stories. I’m not great at emotional essays, so I decided to do the thing I do best instead: quasi-rigorous math which I don’t understand!

I was curious about the possible word count of the ToAT, but obviously couldn’t count all of the posts and their words, both due to the volume of posts and the fact that all posts were deleted when the thread was removed. I determined that I could take a sample of posts in the sequel to the ToAT, The Tales of Adventurers Tavern II. The two threads are different, but have similar enough posts in them that a rough estimate of words in the ToAT II could be used to extrapolate outwards and create a rough estimate of words in the ToAT. D&DBeyond user Thauraen_The_Bold and I took a systematic random sample of 380 posts, recording words within quote chains and total words in posts. I am extraordinarily grateful for his work, as he saved me many hours of counting. He did some math and found:

We are 95% confident that the interval 104.510 to 126.222 words captures the true mean word count of all words in posts. 

We are 95% confident that the interval 11.516 to 14.187 words captures the true mean word count of words not in quote chains.

This means that the ToAT II likely has somewhere between 8.177*106 and 9.876*106 total words, with between 9.011*105 and 1.110*106 words not in quote chains.

While The Tales of Adventurers’ Tavern is not the same as its sequel, we can still find a very approximate word count. Using the same numbers, the original ToAT has between 2.302*107 and 2.781*107 total words, with between 2.537*106 and 3.126*106 words not in quote chains.  To put this into perspective, the entirety of the Christian Bible is under eight hundred thousand words, or under 8*105. The ToAT is more than thirty bibles in length. I’d end this on some touching emotional note, but my writing is far too inadequate to convey the emotional impact of the Tavern. I’ll leave that to my fellow denizens of these forums.  Ciao!

I have… so much to say about the tavern, but first I’d like to say thank you to my friends that worked so hard making this insane word count project possible. TTB and BTB, I am so grateful that you both could share this with us and put it into perspective the vastness of the stories we’ve all created. It’s insane to me that all of us, together, wrote more than THIRTY BIBLES worth of lore. The most beautiful part of it I think, is that this was the accumulation of so many peoples’ passions, love, and storytelling. It really does showcase the beauty and creativity of the DND community.

As for my personal experience with the tavern, it truly was a life changing moment when I discovered it all those years ago. I was going through an extremely hard time during the COVID year, suffering through an abusive household with my connections to the outside world cut off. DNDBEYOND was one of the few websites I still had access to. I never expected myself to be accepted so quickly, especially with my… not so great writing skills in the beginning. But I was welcomed with open arms, without hesitation, and thrown straight into the intricate webs of plots I knew next to nothing about. It was exhilarating. My first character and I have changed and grown with the tavern, and I’ve met some of my closest friends that have stayed with me for several years from that thread. I remember reading back on moments in the tavern as if it were a bedtime story, a nostalgic past that reminded me of the love we all held for our creations. It holds a special place in my heart and always will. Even with the original thread now gone, it has left an impression on all of us. The tavern will always live in our memories, as long as we are alive. Those stories will never be forgotten.

Knowing that the original thread is gone is… so painful. I’ll never get back the words and characters I’ve lost and forgotten there. But this is my goodbye to it, as all good things must come to an end. It is love that made the tavern and it is with love we must bid it farewell. 

Thank you all, again, my fellow storytellers. To Chris, my best friend and most amazing character creator. To Redpelt, the most talented writer I’ve ever met. To TTB, the framework of the story of the tavern and the one we all admired. To Half, the owner of the most mysterious characters that always had me on the edge of my seat wanting to know more. To BTB, with the most unique characters I’ve ever met that have always surprised me. To Steph, whose grasp of the english language I could never match. To Variks, with a contagious smile and your absolute mountains of text I would read all the way through every time. To Mandos, someone I’ve admired from day one for your intricate lore. To Alaric, someone that has always felt like a little sibling to me and that I care about to this day. To Nikoli, my fellow half yellow and the creator of the iconic Thieves Guild. To Bree, who was always filled with so much excitement for everything and everyone. To Pug, with your eccentric characters and amazing ship I was happy to be part of the crew for. To Samso, whose characters have left a lasting impression on me and the rest of us, characters that are some of the most iconic to the tavern. To RangerTwoBlades, who I never got to speak to often, but whose conflicts I‘ve read about in the beginning of it all, the first Battle of Lesta. And to everyone else I haven’t mentioned, you are all special to this story, as is the nature of the tavern. It has no main characters, no protagonist, because we’re all the heroes of our own story. This post is getting exceedingly long so I’ll end it here, but words will never be enough to describe the impact this thread has had on my life. So thank you, Bullethawk, and goodbye to the original thread. From your favorite alligator, Cyno. 🐊

Wow. Just… wow. You know, the whole tavern genre of these forums has played such a huge role in my life, and yet it’s such a tiny corner of the Internet that very few people will ever know about. And when a thread is deleted, that’s it. The only thing keeping these memories alive is us, and it’ll die with us. I find it both sad and awe-inspiring that this phenomenon ever occurred, and I hope we can always remember where it all began. From the mouths of many, came one story, and that story will never end. Even if the pages can’t be read, the fact that they were read, and written, will always remain.

It reminds me of a part of the Chronicles of Narnia, specifically in Voyage of the Dawn Treader. When Lucy reads the magician’s book, she finds a spell “for the refreshment of the spirit”, and, well, I’ll let Mr. Lewis speak for himself.

"The pictures were fewer here but very beautiful. And what Lucy found herself reading was more like a story then a spell. It went
on for three pages and before she had read to the bottom of the page she had forgotten that she was
reading at all. She was living in the story as if it were real, and all the pictures were real too. When she
had got to the third page and come to the end, she said, "That is the loveliest story I've ever read or ever
shall read in my whole life. Oh, I wish I could have gone on reading it for ten years. At least I'll read it
over again."
But here part of the magic of the Book came into play. You couldn't turn back. The right-hand pages, the ones ahead, could be turned; the left-hand pages could not.
"Oh, what a shame!" said Lucy. "I did so want to read it again. Well, at least I must remember it. Let’s see… it was about… about… oh dear, it’s all fading away again…””

The Tales of Adventurers’ Tavern can never be read again, but we will always treasure its memory, and know that it truly did refresh our spirits. The fact that it existed is a testament enough to the earth-shaking force of storytelling. That’s why we love D&D. It combines acting with writing with board games with socialization. It’s a beautiful game, and it’s created this beautiful community.

So today we bid farewell, but not goodbye. To the Tavern.

 I‘ll lay a white rose on the cold earth, knowing that it has not claimed your soul.

Requiescat in pace.

Well, there's not much I can say that hasn't already been expressed in words much more eloquent than my own. But nonetheless, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on what was truly a defining aspect of over a year of my life. When I first joined the tavern, it was just getting started at a paltry seventy pages long. To myself at the time, however, joining this thread which already had so many key interactions and vital characters was absolutely daunting. I'd only just gotten into D&D before the pandemic swept across the world, and I felt utterly intimidated by this group of experts who wrote so articulately and genuinely. Regardless of my trepidation, however, I was looking for something to scratch the roleplaying itch that quarantine had left unslaked, and I worked up the bravery to write a short introductory post and click send. Little did I know, that decision would come to indelibly shape both my love for the hobby and my own personality undoubtedly for the better.

Not only did the Tales of Adventurer's Tavern shake me from the terrible monotony of isolation that quarantine placed upon me, but it also led me to meet some of the most amazing people that I could every hope to know. To everyone who participated in the Tavern, whether for a day or for a year, I want to give you my unequivocal thanks. You are the thing that made the Tavern special, and though the words that you wrote may be lost, the memories of what used to be can never be washed away. I hope you feel proud of the monumental work of art that you contributed to.

Specifically, however, I would like to offer a few words to some people who had an especially profound impact on me. Firstly, to Bullethawk, who started it all. Though you had to navigate through numerous roadblocks, both real and digital, I can't thank you enough for everything that you've done. Even besides creating the Tavern, your contributions are plentiful- half of the encounters I ran wouldn't have been nearly so successful without your assistance. Secondly, to Chris, one of the most proficient D&D players I've ever known, and an amazing person in equal measure. Without you, the Tavern never would have reached the staggering heights that it did. Your characters and worlds are a joy to engage with, and you made your mark on the Tavern solidly for the better. Thirdly, I have to thank Cyno, one of the best DMs and worldbuilders unconditionally. I'm constantly enamored with every tidbit of information you slip out, and delving into your worlds is an unmatched pleasure. Fourthly, I'd like to extend my gratitude to Half, who never fails to bring a smile to my face with their dry, witty sense of humor. The days with Eris were some of the best, and her character, though by its nature erratic, nonetheless feels the most consistent of any I've read. Finally, I would like to commend BTB, not only for his prolific work in making my little statistics experiment even possible, but also for his incredible growth as a writer. You started with Bob and Koldaris, and quickly worked your way up to Zya, who is easily the best character ever, and definitely does not have one of his clones standing behind me threatening to turn me into a bowtie. In all seriousness, though, your writing has improved to a level that makes me somewhat envious, and I can't wait to see where you take it next.

There are a dozen other names whom I could thank profusely, and I want to make it clear that I extend my sincerest gratitude to all Tavern members, regardless of whether I happened to include them above or not. I remember all of you (I think), and I truly value your contributions immensely. But I think I'll end on this note: Though the Tavern may have passed, the changes that it spurred within each of us will remain forever. I'll miss the Tavern, but my appreciation is greater than my sorrow. Every thing must die. Yet few things are truly able to invariably change lives for the better. Though it is gone, it nurtured growth within so many of us.

Requiescat in pace.

First off I would like to say I am genuinely impressed with the effort that went into this word count, the effort and passion that went into this project is palpable and greatly appreciated.

Second, I am truly saddened to see the OG Toat go, I had tons of great memories from posting there and Toat 2 as well. When I started posting on Toat 1 I had just started getting into D&D, posting and creating characters for the tavern helped shape my now love of the game and improved my skills as a writer. I'd love to thank all those who I met and RP'ed with for a great time:Pallghost,Nikoli_Goodfellow,WendigoOfLore,Thauraeln_The_Bold,MandosMindos_KoR and many others. 

I created many amazing characters for the tavern, like my first ever, Carrion the tiefling blood hunter or my personal favorite, Keros, the hobgoblin Cleric and even Aedwolf the human bladesinger/warlock. I've moved away from RPing in taverns, but I still have fond memories of these characters and their respective times at the tavern.

I know I haven't written as much as others, as my time with the tavern was relatively brief,but I can assure you it's all genuine and heartfelt. 

Requiescat in pace.

I feel like I’m going to write a lot less than everyone else has already (Note from Future-Bree: Yeah, no, I wrote way more than I thought I would.), but I do think it is important that I say just how important the tavern was and still is to me. When I first posted in the tavern, I was in middle school and trying to deal with Covid and I originally just wanted to play around with some characters I had been daydreaming about and I thought a roleplay thread would be a good way to do that for a few weeks until I could join my school’s D&D club. But after much more than a few weeks, I was still there for the roleplaying, but also sometimes just to talk. I always felt so happy talking to all of you, whether it was in character or out of character.

There have been times in the past where I thought about how I would feel if The Tavern was taken off of D&D Beyond. I never actually thought it would happen, but I still thought about it and I can say that I feel so differently than I thought I would. I remember wishing that all of it was on a voice call or something else that wouldn’t leave a record of everything. (This had nothing to do with anyone else. This was all me and my anxiety about having Middle-School-Me’s characters and writing just out there in the world) I only just now found out that it was deleted and I was and am honestly just feeling really sad. I loved the tavern and I loved the conversations we’d all have and the insane (in a good way) stories we’d create and I wish I could still go back and read it. 

I know I haven’t talked to most of you in a pretty long time, but I want y’all to know that I genuinely love all of you so so much. I consider all of you my friends, and I know that Covid, middle school and just life in general would have been so much more difficult if I had never met any of you.

To every single person who was ever a part of the Tavern, thank you so so so much.

(I’m not going to do a super long Bye since I’ve already been writing a lot, so just imagine that this “BYE!!!!!!!!!!” has a bunch more exclamation points.)

Whilst I can't say I've had the pleasure of RPing on the ToAT,  it was an amazing feat. For that many words to be posted on one thread... I don't even know what to say.

Rest in Peace, Tales of Adventurers Tavern. Maybe, one day, we'll get something like you again.

I haven't been active on these forums in a few years, but this was sad news to hear. Rest in Peace, ToAT 🫡

I know I missed the golden days of the taverns, but I feel the lasting impact of them even now, in the new threads and posts, and in the old characters still used. I am glad to have been able to contribute to the legacy of this massive story in the small way I have, and look forward to see what new might happen on the forums. The people I've met and the stories I've read have changed me into a better person, forever.

Requiescat in pace.

If you are looking for a nice farewell, stop reading this. This post only serves to give myself closure. 

I do not mourn the passing of the tavern, but I am grateful for what rose out of the ashes. Memento Mori

First off, thank you BTB for making this thread. Scrolling this site for the first time in a while, it was a shock to see this news - which I would never have learnt if you hadn't created this tribute.

The Adventurers' Tavern was huge to me, in more ways than its sheer length. It was an honour to get to roleplay here, and meet the best storytellers and creatives I've ever known. While I've lost contact with all of you since, I haven't forgotten a thing; your talent, your knack for character and above all, how welcoming you all were ever since I first joined. I'll always think fondly of everyone I met here, bar none.

I'll always be grateful to have known Adventurers' Tavern. Thank you to BulletHawk in particular for creating the space, and to everybody for elevating it to what it became. Without her it never would've existed, without the community formed around it, the Tavern never would've lived.

Gosh, i don't even know where i can start really. On one hand, i'm super sad that the tavern's gone. It was my home for a long while, and i don't know who i'd be without it. But on the other, it's kinda nice to see all these folks who used to be there able to come here and mourn it, say goodbye, whatever you came for. Thanks for this BTB, i wouldn't like to see it go out with no words.

Just to start, it's so wild to think of how far we've come since when i first joined the tavern. It was... almost 5 years back now, and i was barely into middle school, infact i'd just graduated 6th to a proper one. Covid hit, and honestly it was a really rough time for me. I'd never really talked to people in the first place, and losing my small friend group during the school transfer was rough. I didn't have a phone back then, so i was basically shut off from the world during those months stuck inside. It sucked, i basically slept in till i had to hop onto zoom for school, fell back asleep through my first few classes, and then ate and fell back asleep after classes ended. I wasn't doing well and i was barely a sentient person lol. Then my mom took me to my first dnd session. I didn't know how to play, i barely understood the rules, and i was probably a burden on my party. But... that? that ability to be there, in a group of people that wasn't my family, driving to the house we went to, talking with people i didn't talk to? that was amazing. I think if that had never happened, i'd have never even made my way on here, it was the first little nudge towards how obsessed i am with the funny dice game now. It was about a week later that i properly started looking into dnd. And i found this place, a mystical Wikipedia of dnd knowledge. I didn't know about the forums yet, but i spent my days ignoring my classwork when i could and just reading through the free stuff. maybe a few months later and i realize 'hey, i can talk to people on here!' and i made my original account, Alaric_bloodhunter. More or less randomly generated, and entirely made with my school email which is why i have a new one now -^-. That's when i found the adventurer's tavern. At first i was a little scared, i mean who wouldn't be. These people who could play the hardest aspect of the game so easily, not to mention having been stuck in covid may have dulled my ability to talk to people. But... everyone was super kind to me. And honestly, i have to give my first thanks to everyone who was around back then. Thank you so so much for putting up with baby me. I was dreadfully annoying, i feel it in my own words, and I think a good number of my mistakes in characters was born from my own ignorance of the world. But you handled that, and i learned. I made my first character, Orion, who was SUCH an edgelord, and when he died, i improved with some nudging to continue from Bullethawk. And now here we are. Thousands of pages, over 30 BIBLES of text and almost 700 characters created on my part... it's so weird to think about it, and even weirder to think about how it's gone now. Sure, i'm sad. It's like losing a loved one or moving out of the home you've lived in all your life. 

But i'm also happy. It existed, i was there. I had the good fortune to be able to experience all of you amazing people and your characters, during what could have been some of the worst years of my life! Thank you all so much, everyone i've met there and since then have been such amazing people to me, i don't think any form of text could really express it properly, but i can still try.

BtB, to star, once again thank you for doing this. It's nice to have a place to fully put to rest my greifs, and express my happiness. You're a lovely friend, and i always enjoyed your more silly takes on characters. TTB, you were probably one of the first people to approach me when i made my character, some of my earliest memories of the tavern is rp-ing with you, chris, and cyno. Thank you for being there, I'll still miss the amazing way you told stories, and how fun your characters were. Chris, the alltime greatest storyteller ever, master of words and characters (no you don't get to argue against that label it is objective fact so say I >:D) you made so many amazing plots throughout the threads pages, and honestly i learned so much from you. I don't think i'd be able to properly create what i've managed to now without the small tricks i picked up from your marvelous characters and writing. Steph, i hope whatever you're up to that it's gone well, you made so many fun encounters, and i loved seeing things play out. Lawrence, you're an amazing friend, and i'm glad we've still been able to rp on other threads throughout the ages and i'm glad to have met you there in the first place. Cyno, you were like an older sibling, always there to talk to me if a day had been particularly rough, or to help me if i was having trouble with something. You're amazing, and i hope university has been treating you well, and that life is as amazing as you deserve:>

And Finally, to Bullethawk if you ever see this, the creator of those amazing places of rp and rest. Thank you, you've made a place that will stick with people for ages, and it's amazing to see how everything turned out. I hope you're doing well, i know it started to be a bit rough on you to handle it with irl stuff aswell, but i'm glad you could for a time, and i'm happy you decided to take the time to take care of yourself. Honestly without you i don't think i would've properly continued to do dnd in the way i'm able to now,

Thank you all. Each and every one of you, from the people who posted one time and then lost interest in it to the people who were veterans of the taverning adventure. I wouldn't be who i am without you, and i can't wait to see how the future turns out. Platonic love to you all, and i raise a glass to both the adventurer's tavern, and to the future of our DND adventures 🥂❤️

I just came back and was looking for it...