History Main / YouAllMeetInAnInn

[[folder:Comic books]]

* In ''VideoGame/WizardryTaleOfTheForsakenLand'' You meet your first two party members in the last remaining inn in Duhan. Later when you gain more members, either those you create yourself or other npcs who you interact with in the game, you can pick them up or drop them off here.

* The ''WebVideo/DoorMonster'' sketch ''The Tavern'' subverts this for comedy. An adventuring party are offered a job in a tavern. While the adventuring party really just wants to rest and relax with a nice game of cards, the tavern wench, innkeeper and mysterious old man are [[{{Railroading}} very insistent]] that they go on the adventure. The ending reveals that [[spoiler:the adventurers were NPCs, whom players Kyle (the old man), Rachel (the tavern wench) and Jefferey (the innkeeper) tried to get to do their adventure for them, so they could kill them for their loot]].

* The two games in the ''BaldursGateDarkAlliance'' series both use this trope.

* The ''WebVideo/DoorMonster'' sketch ''The Tavern'' subverts this for comedy. An adventuring party are offered a job in a tavern. While the adventuring party really just wants to rest and relax with a nice game of cards, the tavern wench, innkeeper and mysterious old man are [[{{Rainroading}} very insistent]] that they go on the adventure. The ending reveals that [[spoiler:the adventurers were NPCs, whom players Kyle (the old man), Rachel (the tavern wench) and Jefferey (the innkeeper) tried to get to do their adventure for them, so they could kill them for their loot]].

The stereotypical opening to an adventure in tabletop [=RPGs=]: the protagonists are all [[JustForFun/HowToGatherCharacters gathered by prior intent]] or a [[ContrivedCoincidence "coincidence" of authorial fiat]] by the GameMaster in an inn, bar room, or other common public meeting spot. Once there, [[{{Messenger}} some mysterious stranger]] or {{NPC}} of varying dubiousness will approach them with some job offer or plea for assistance. These strangers tend to seat themselves in the darkest corner of the tavern [[Literature/LordOfTheRings for some reason]] (probably to make themselves seem even more mysterious). Thus do our heroes receive their [[CallToAdventure ticket to board the plot]].

** Though not at the beginning of the story, Frodo and friends meeting Aragorn in the Prancing Pony in ''TheLordOfTheRings'' likely influenced many later examples.

** ''Azure Bonds'' starts this way. After a fashion -- one character was found unconscious on the tavern's porch, another was a client who happened to be a wizard and got curious about her tattoo, third followed her to the tavern.

** In Episode VII, Han and company go to a similar establishment, a thousand-year old watering-hole run by his friend, Maz Kanata. Here, Finn, deserter from the New Order Stormtroopers, takes the opportunity to flee to the Outer Rim by getting himself hired with a couple of guys on a different ship.

* ''{{Film/Mythica}}'': The party meets in a tavern. It's somewhat justified as this was frequented by mercenaries, and Teela comes in hoping to hire some that will help rescue her sister and retrieve the Darkspore. Also the owner, Hammerhead, is a former mercenary who acts as a sort of broker for teams to pursue such missions.

* Despite DM Creator/MatthewMercer [[https://twitter.com/matthewmercer/status/953039504918568962 admitting to hating this standard beginning to D&D campaigns,]] the second generation of ''WebOriginal/CriticalRole'' heroes do meet in a tavern. A bit tricky for one character though -- Nott, a Goblin, has to disguise herself as a Halfling to avoid trouble.

** In Episode VII, Han and company go to a similar establishment, a thousand-year old watering-hole run by his friend, Maz Kanata. Here, Finn, deserter from the New Order Stormtroopers, takes the opportunity to flee to the Outer Rim with a couple of guys on a different ship.

[[folder:Fan Fics]]
* In ''FanFic/TheCommission'', the girls of Team RWBY weren't actually together in a team when they were in Beacon. Instead, they met in a bar at a particular low point in their lives, bond over cookies and work out their [[TheConspiracy conspiracy]] after.
* The opening of notorious OffTheRails TropeCodifier ''FanFic/ThatGuyDestroysPsionics'' gives one of the best descriptions of this trope;
--> '''That Guy''': ''We congeal off the walls of a high end tavern in some urban area.''
[[/folder]]

* Toyed with in WebOriginal/FalloutIsDragons. The party did all meet in an inn... which Powder Keg promptly blew up, causing the mayor to exile them all and forcing them to team up to survive the wasteland.

* UsefulNotes/GuyFawkes worked with twelve other people, one of whom was drafted for being the only person sitting at the next table in the pub. (Unfortunately for them, this was the man who wrecked their plan by writing a letter to his friend in parliament [[WhatAnIdiot telling him not to go because of the plot.]]

* Selune's Smile (shown as more of a bar than an inn, but definitely with the occasional paying guest as well) in the city of [[ForgottenRealms Waterdeep]] in DC's old ''[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]'' comic justified the trope by having one of the protagonists work there as a bouncer in her spare time and at least some of her friends adopt it as a favorite hangout spot as well...thus making it often more a case of "you all are at your usual inn when trouble shows up on the doorstep".

** Before the Spellplague, the TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms had a justified example - one of the bars in Waterdeep, one of Faerûn's great metropolis, was not only run by a retired adventurer, but also happened to have an entry-point to Undermountain (a very, very large dungeon) in it. That, of course, made it a convenient place for adventures looking to strike rich in Undermountain to gather.

* WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb: Played with in the episode Excaliferb. Phineas and Ferb-alot receive their quest and get their first ally in their own backyard. Then they go to the Inn of the Prancing Platypus to hire some muscle (and have a great taco salad). There they meet [[CanisLatinicus Bufarbalus and Baljeetalus]]. Only then does the adventure truly begin.

* GuyFawkes worked with twelve other people, one of whom was drafted for being the only person sitting at the next table in the pub. (Unfortunately for them, this was the man who wrecked their plan by writing a letter to his friend in parliament [[WhatAnIdiot telling him not to go because of the plot.]]

* The opening of notorious OffTheRails TropeCodifier ‘’FanFic/ThatGuyDestroysPsionics’’ gives on of the best descriptions of this trope;
--> ‘’’That Guy’’’: ‘’We congeal off the walls of a high end tavern in some urban area.’’

The stereotypical opening to an adventure in tabletop [=RPGs=]: the protagonists are all [[HowToGatherCharacters gathered by prior intent]] or a [[ContrivedCoincidence "coincidence" of authorial fiat]] by the GameMaster in an inn, bar room, or other common public meeting spot. Once there, [[{{Messenger}} some mysterious stranger]] or {{NPC}} of varying dubiousness will approach them with some job offer or plea for assistance. These strangers tend to seat themselves in the darkest corner of the tavern [[Literature/LordOfTheRings for some reason]] (probably to make themselves seem even more mysterious). Thus do our heroes receive their [[CallToAdventure ticket to board the plot]].

* ''Film/HeatLighting'': Many people find themselves meeting in Olga's gas station/mechanic shop/motel. The people among them are two criminals running from the law, two wealthy women and their chauffeur, and a local Mexican family.