As a Patron
As a Patron at The Grey Tavern, you can expect 8 things.
1. Focus on Younger Families
In these beginning stages of The Grey Tavern, its games and related content are focused primarily on younger families with children ages 4-12.
There is some content made of older age groups in the form of YA games. Games for other age groups and demographics are coming!
Although games focus on young families at this stage, they are fun for others to play, so feel free to give them a try!
2. A Tavern-themed Environment
The Grey Tavern is designed to fill the purpose of a classic tavern in a community: a hub that supports the community and its inhabitants through:
- Foods and goods
- Knowledge and discussion
- Connection with neighbors
- Community growth through fun and exciting games
The Grey Tavern:
- Looks and feels like a tavern
- Serves food and drinks (nonalcoholic)
- Is a family game company where games can be played, rented, or downloaded from our website (some of them)
- Where families can discuss and collaborate on family needs, issues, and celebrate successes
- Where community members can discuss and collaborate on community needs, issues, and celebrate successes
- Community members and families can come together and work together to discuss and improve their community, discuss and understand their family members and neighbors better, and strive to grow together
- Teaches educational and behavioral principles through fun, imaginative games for families to enjoy together
3. Games to Play at the Tavern location, or to Rent and Play at Home, or Download
The Grey Tavern wishes to teach true principles as well as bring families closer together. As such, base versions of a game are usually free or are rentable to take home for a small maintenance cost. Other versions can be used for a higher cost, or unlocked for your Order to be able to rent with the same parameters as a base version.
There are 3 ways to gain access to a game to play it:
- Reserve a time to learn the game at the Grey Tavern or simply to play it there
- Rent a copy of a game and take it home for a game night
- Download free versions that are on our website and print the physical pieces yourself. (This is only available for certain games)
4. Reserve Tavern Times
When making a reservation, you always have the option to request food and drink you'd like to have during your time at The Grey Tavern. The consumable items are only available via purchase. We can only guarantee requested consumables if a reservation occurs at least 24 hours in advance.
Relax
Reserve a time to study, rejuvenate, engage in a hobby, etc.
Socialize
Reserve a time to get together with your friends, enjoy a tavern environment, games, and Grey Tavern activities.
You can bring non-Grey Tavern games and activities to The Grey Tavern. This costs $30 to do for a group of 6. A group that exceeds 6 will pay an additional $5 for each individual exceeding 6. (example: An 8 person group = $40)
Discuss
The Grey Tavern is also a place for discussion and growth. Reserve a time to:
- Discuss family concerns such as how to address a child's question, how to help a child overcome a fear, how to aid an elderly parent, etc. with other parents and other community members.
- Discuss community concerns such as economic concerns, schools and the development of the next generation, current issues with other community members.
A Grey Tavern representative will generally oversee and may guide a discussion utilizing the educational principles in Grey Tavern games. This is done because the Grey Tavern is build on principles meant to help support and strengthen communities and families.
Games
And, of course, games! Reserve either a time to come play or learn a game at The Grey Tavern or reserve access to a specific game.
5. Names and Roleplay
The Grey Tavern utilizes fantastical names to help keep patrons immersed in the Grey Tavern's lore and also to help protect your identity, especially those of minors.
For families, these names are your Order names. When you create an Order, parents will name each other and their children. These Order names are what they should go by when engaging in The Grey Tavern activities. The Order is created upon your first visit to the Tavern.
For anyone 16 and older (excluding parents), you will go by Animus names which are decided upon in the Animus Quiz when you first come to the Tavern.
Here are some rules with names:
1. Wear a Grey Tavern Talisman. This indicates that you are in character. We encourage use of Grey Tavern Talisman when engaging in Grey Tavern activities at The Tavern, at home, in the community, etc. The Talisman, for now is a dragon scale. It should be worn in any respectful manner (for example, as a pendant or pin). Especially when outside of a Grey Tavern location, it is an easy way to signify to family and friends when you are roleplaying as your Grey Tavern character.
2. Grey Tavern Name and Character should be Based on You. The Grey Tavern is an immersive, imaginative experience. You can be who you wish, whether it be a character you have played before or a new one. However, we strongly encourage your Grey Tavern Character to be based on your personality as much of gameplay revolves around it. If you do not wish to play as yourself, that is your prerogative, but you may not find the experience as enjoyable. A possible solution is to play the you you wish you were with traits and skills you wish to develop and to roleplay as this ideal you.
3. Call In-Character Players by their Character Name. Calling other members of the Grey Tavern community by their Character Name while they are in character allows everyone to stay immersed in the Grey Tavern experience.
6. Tavern Spread
The Grey Tavern serves tavern-style food and drinks. All are made from donated food items, drink items, and ingredients donated to The Grey Tavern.
Tavern Spread vs Tavern Specials
Tavern Spread is the food and drink the Grey Tavern has prepared that day. You can purchase those when you come to the Tavern.
Tavern Specials are foods and drinks you order as part of making a reservation. These are prepared and ready for you upon your arrival. Tavern Specials are only offered if you make a reservation at least 24 hours in advance.
7. Stories
You can request a storyteller to depict the details of your completed board game, quest, volunteer service, projects you've completed, a family event, etc. in a story.
This story would be depicted with Grey Tavern lore, not another entities lore.
Reach out to The Grey Tavern to learn the details for stories and story requests.
8. Grey Tavern's Expectations of You
The Grey Tavern asks ten things of its patrons:
- We ask that you respect the religious and spiritual journeys of other members within the Tavern. You don't need to agree with other's journeys but we ask that the Tavern be a place of discovering commonalities over the shaming of personal beliefs.
- The Grey Tavern products are not to be used in any way nor any manner of worship. We invite others to see the Grey Tavern products as reminders of our best selves and who we want to be and nothing else.
- We will not tolerate the use of dark or light magic while within the Grey Tavern. The Grey Tavern explores a host of psychological and spiritual subjects. Use of religious ritual is prohibited in the Grey Tavern, but we do strongly encourage discussions surrounding spiritual and psychological growth and healing. We insist any who wishes to participate in religious ritual to do so away from the Grey Tavern.
- The Grey Tavern will be open on Sundays, but this is a day set aside where products will not be sold and spiritual contemplation is encouraged. We strongly encourage spiritual discussion and renewal on this day. Though there will be no formal quests, activities will usually be provided to help draw and create stronger bonds between families and friends through simple spiritual and psychological exploration. (None of the administration of the Grey Tavern has any formal spiritual training. These are simple activities based on our own spiritual and psychological journeys. We are not claiming to provide any form of formal medical or clergy practice. Simply a place where discussions surrounding the wellness of body, the growth of the psyche, the increase in physical and symbolic awareness, and the increase of consciousness can be discussed, debated & discovered through simple and fun fantasy adventure activities.)
- A fundamental aspect of the Grey Tavern is to help explore the past to help us better understand the present. This involves adventurous activities that strengthen the bonds between parents and children, whether that be an eight-year-old child or a forty-five-year-old child. We are the product of the past. In us there is hope for change, growth and development. However, this cannot take place without an understanding of the foundations that we stand upon. There are many themes explored in an organic manner to helps those who participate in the Grey Tavern adventures to see the need for a connection to our past in hopes for a brighter tomorrow.
- We do not allow character bleed or the taking out of frustrations in-character on out-of-character individuals. You will be immediately banned from the Grey Tavern should you ever take a physical action that purposely harms an individual out of character. All destructive actions must be done while within your in-character aspect and only within the bounds of the rules of the game.
- Erotic role play is not allowed within the Grey Tavern. This includes sexual harassment whether verbally or physically in or out-of-character while within the Grey Tavern or on a Grey Tavern Quest. Furthermore, role play at your own risk. The Grey Tavern will not be held responsible for actions made by players, Guides, or Storytellers while on Grey Tavern Quests or within the Grey Tavern itself.
- Stealing anything while within the Grey Tavern or on a Grey Tavern Quest will earn you a permanent ban from Grey Tavern activities. Furthermore, adventure at your own risk. The Grey Tavern will not be held responsible for items lost or stolen while within the Grey Tavern or on a Grey Tavern Quest. Be careful who you role play with.
- The golden and most important rule of the Grey Tavern is this: Be truthful and do not bear false witness, meaning do not report that which you did not see, do not claim that which you do not know. The only exception to this is in discussions on spiritual or faith based matters. Additionally, for the safety of yourself and other players, please report violating behaviors to a member of the Grey Tavern staff. The Grey Tavern is built on a merit system of honesty without it, it simply ceases to function. The Grey Tavern reserves the right to remove players who are caught intentionally lying. In-Character lies and deceptions could have grave consequences within the world of The Grey Tavern Adventures, but it is permitted.
- The Grey Tavern adventuring system is built on an organic "living" system to help simulate a truer, more realistic, high fantasy world. Every action that you take is not guaranteed a positive outcome. Some actions taken by players that might seem quite foolish may result in a very positive outcome for that player and actions that might seem very wise and well thought out might result in great catastrophe. The structure of the Grey Tavern system doesn't always reward the "good" or "kind" player. Furthermore, actions of great destruction and chaos will have a far higher yield of negative reactions.