| Genn Wintord
UP: Pacific
Many citizens have noticed of late that everyone�s favorite bartender
has not been in his tavern in the last month or so. Ben posted on his
board early into his absence that he was taking a fast, some kind of silly
NuJel�mite male �coming of age� ritual, related to his engagement.
Finally I decided to investigate, and took the next ship to NuJel�m.
My investigations didn�t take long, though. Ben�s lovely mother Celyis
Kahns met me at the door of the Kahns estate, with a small smile, as if
she had been expecting me. After my inquiries as to Ben�s location, she
handed me piece of vellum parchment, an elegantly written letter from Ben.
Thus it follows:
�To whom it concerns,
Greetings! As you may have noticed, I�ve been absent from the bar of
late. Well, as it turns out, things didn�t happen quite as I planned.
While in my isolation, in a location that I will not name for
secrecy�s sake, I decided, after being in a rather nasty knotted pose
for several hours, contemplating my thumb, that the whole situation was
just bloody silly. In addition, the problems of running the bar and
being married were like a giant granite block in my head, which
wouldn�t go away, and was weighing me down. I realized about then that
the simplest answer to any problem is to not have the problem in the
first place. It became clear to me that I could not have both my dear
Lissa, and my tavern. So I decided, and set off.
A few days ago, Lissa and me were happily married in a discrete and
private ceremony, and after we have set off to live happily ever after.
I�m afraid, though, that this means that I will not be returning to
the Great Horns, Magincia, or anywhere else known for some time. I�ve
reached a point in my life where I need to seek new horizons and find
new places to explore. And with my dear Lissa with me, how grand the
adventure shall be!
Naturally I have informed my employer, the Lord Hobart of Magincia, of
my decision. He assured me in writing that he would seek out a new
bartender to replace me that would be worthy of my name, although he
admitted he�d be hard-pressed to do so. Myself, I am happy to leave my
customers in the capable hands of the Gathered Spirits Tavern, the city
of Paws, and the many other places that now have a chance to shine. I
wish luck to them all, and hope that they have as much fun and profit as
I did. And who knows? Perhaps one day I will come in and have a drink!
Virtue knows I�ve earned one�
Sincerely,
Erystalben �Ben� Kahns�
Well, I would say this letter about explains it all. I myself will be
sorry to see Ben go, but I can certainly understand why. I hope that all
of Britannia will drink a toast tonight to the memory of Ben, and the
legacy he leaves behind!
From the Town Cryer - The Journal of Ultima Online, Monday,
September 27th
1999
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