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Post by Ancelas on Oct 6, 2023 9:34:50 GMT -5
 Book 2: Descent
Chapter 10: Stormfront After cleansing their newfound home of its unwanted previous tenant and securing the deed from its questionably helpful landlord, the Lucky Hand had not only secured a potential home for themselves and the Trollskull Urchins, but established a place from where they could continue to conduct their investigations into the bizarre goings on in Wachovia. The deed would need to be presented to the city's lord registrar in the High City to get their names formally added into the city records as the manor owner, but thanks to the language Lif had written into the deed, it was a task that could be accomplished at their leisure. The rain continued to fall, a sea wind howling up from the bay. Thick clouds roiled slowly over the city. The Lucky Hand had the remainder of the afternoon to attend to their tasks - the question was, what did they hope to accomplish next? |
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Post by redcoat on Oct 8, 2023 10:17:24 GMT -5
Cerys didn't know what to do, and when she didn't know what to do, there was only one thing to do.
Cook.
In her kitchen. Her kitchen? She couldn't think about that too much, but it had been her kitchen since the moment she'd stepped foot into it to feed the near dozen hungry children she'd acquired. That thought made her smile a little.
Propping open the kitchen door, she'd stick her head out.
"I promised to make you all dinner tonight, but I might need some help. Anyone up for some scrounging? Quickly, before the rain starts?"
She thought for a moment.
"There's a reward in it if you can kill me a couple of pigeons." She then looked to her 'older kids'.
"Jinn, you want to go tell Victor the ghost is dead and he's welcome to come over for dinner if he wants to donate something? That man needs a decent meal and good night's sleep, and gods know it."
She was being petty, asking Jinn to go. But she wasn't above being a little petty when he compared her food to something that could be found at any inn.
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Post by opius on Oct 8, 2023 13:40:30 GMT -5
Jinn could be found in one of the corners within earshot of the kitchen. Buffing the dents out of his shield, Cerys caught him while he was pausing to inspect the fading blisters on his fingers. Her voice pulled him out of his train of thought.
"Mnha? Huh. Yeah, you got it Cherry."
He stood up and cracked his back, and without protest or even a second thought made his way out the door.
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Kyt
Junior Member
Posts: 89 
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Post by Kyt on Oct 9, 2023 12:31:34 GMT -5
Rey still didn't quite trust the calm that had settled over the house. Spooks and hags and giant cauldrons....But it looked like they were going to stay there, for the time being at last. She scratched at her scales restlessly, other hand toying with a coin.
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Post by uberwulfx on Oct 9, 2023 18:12:11 GMT -5
Crystal could hear Cerys as well as anyone else, and didn't think anything about the matron sending him off on an errand. In fact, since she was but stretching and yawning and wondering what came next, she popped out of her chair.
"Hey hold up, I'll come with you." She still had enough energy to journey, but not enough to go pigeon-hunting, so this seemed perfect. "Rey, you can come if you're bored, otherwise go help Cerys or... I don't know, claim a room to sleep in. Because you can bet when I get back, I'm making sure I have a good one too."
A playful grin, and she hurried to follow Jinn out.
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Post by CautionCat on Oct 11, 2023 9:04:48 GMT -5
Vincent didn't sit still for long when everyone started to settle, and when Cerys started to prep food. He decided to head outside for some fresh air, and find that there were some logs that needed splitting.
Have a taste of home, he thought to himself. He would call out to the others that he would start cutting wood for the kitchen stove.
He had a lot on his mind. The smuggled folks, the killings... the Hellriders knowing what was going on... but doing simple work helped him focus, and try and sort out some ideas for what their next move would be.
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Post by Ancelas on Oct 11, 2023 19:28:07 GMT -5
"I kill pigeons all the time!" Ren crowed, the recent encounter in the manor nearly forgotten in the face of a new challenge. Before anyone could stop him, he was racing through the rain toward the abandoned building the urchins called home. Jenks cried out in alarm and dashed after them, with Squiddy looking annoyed. They shared a glance with Mouse and then both quickly followed the other two.
Nat sighed and looked at Cerys. After a moment, she nodded in acknowledgement and turned to follow after the others.
Jinn, meanwhile, led Crystal over to Victor's door while Vincent began chopping up the wet logs behind the manor and Rey malingered nearby, observing everything occurring in the alley. Victor's curtains were drawn and the lights out, and after some initial banging on the door and shouts for attention, it seemed like the doctor might be out.
But then light blossomed behind the curtains, and after the turning of several locks, the door opened. Victor Mordenheim, the Knick-Knack man, was slender with disheveled black hair, hastily brushed back. He was dressed in wrinkled trousers with suspenders hanging from them, and an untucked rumpled shirt - clothing he appeared to have been sleeping in.
He blinked and stifled a yawn as he raised a hand in greeting to his visitors. "Ah... good...morning? Or is it... no, it's afternoon, isn't it? Either way, hello. How can I help you?"
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Post by redcoat on Oct 12, 2023 19:15:46 GMT -5
Cerys chuckled, as the kids got to work- the adult ones and the child ones, all the same. So, she got to work as well- pumping water, grabbing the rag, and beginning to wipe down the counters she'd need to work at. With the storm coming in, they'd likely need to eat inside- but that shouldn't be too bad.
Almost unbidden, she started making a list. Furniture to find, scavenge, or craft. Chores to be done to truly clean out the house. Linens to find, beds to make, rugs to beat...
And she knew that she didn't want to adventure anymore.
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Post by opius on Oct 12, 2023 19:44:55 GMT -5
Jinn bumped fists when Crystal came to join, chuckling. "I ain't had pigeon pie in years. Hope that's what Cherry's got on the docket. You think Nick's into peasant food?" He then ran his hand through his hair a few times- first to rustle, then to scratch around the nape of his neck.
Following a few knocks on the door and the eventual arrival of the good doctor, Jinn proceeded to lean against the door frame while flanked by Crystal. "Aaaay Knick, good to see ya. We kill-victed the ghost next door so hard the fireplace shat out the deed, so that means we're neighbors now I guess. You like pigeon pie? Cherry's doin a potluck thing, you should come over and bring some grub yourself. Gonna feed some kids and ourselves, real cozy community shit."
He said with a cock-sure grin. One could swear they heard the ping of a sparkle just out of earshot.
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Kyt
Junior Member
Posts: 89
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Post by Kyt on Oct 13, 2023 12:51:22 GMT -5
Rey rolled her eyes, grumbling under her breath as Crystal and her cheeriness wandered out the door.
With just her and Cerys left, she watched the older woman with a side-glance, before getting up, still grumbling. "I'n help clean up, or help you find stuff, or something. What you need? Just....don't make me go with the others."
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Post by uberwulfx on Oct 13, 2023 13:49:37 GMT -5
Crystal blinked at Jinn's rather abrupt explanation of events. "Well, I guess that's one way to put things, but I think he might appreciate a few more words between the words. Let me try."
She stepped up and cleared her throat, nodding to Victor as she stood up straight. Y'know, not looking like some pompadour'd rough. "What my friend here means to say is that we-- the Lucky Hand-- have hereby vanquished the evil shadow that was inhabiting the manor, and have also given the restless spirits that were trapped there the chance to pass on peacefully. One of those restless spirits was the former owner of the place, who bequeathed to us the deed."
She paused to think, then shrugged. "Yeah, then eating pigeon was mentioned. But the place is actually... nice to look at, now that all the absolutely terrifying poltergeist nonsense has ended. We're sorry for waking you, but we'd love to have you over. Bonus, if you have some food to offer; being an abandoned haunted house means there weren't any good herbs or grains hidden away."
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Post by CautionCat on Oct 13, 2023 18:07:32 GMT -5
Vincent liked the rain. He didn't mind working in it, and he knew this wood needed to be chopped, and brought in to dry enough for Cerys to use it. Hell, he was sure someone could wiggle their fingers and just make himself and the wood dry enough to use.
The rain felt good, after being in that sweltering basement with that evil spirit. It was almost like the sky was weeping happily that the other spirits were finally free of that. To think positive, at least. He watched the kids run off, and Jinn and Crystal go over to Victor's residence for a moment, before he started up chopping.
"Cerys." He called in through the broken window, setting up the wood and pausing to try and find an axe. Was there an axe? That was a good question for himself to hopefully answer... "How much wood do you think you'll need? There's a bit of it out here, seasoned but it's going to be wet."
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Post by Ancelas on Oct 17, 2023 9:07:45 GMT -5
“Kill… victed….” Victor began, echoing the words like they were some kind of foreign language, before moving his gaze to Crystal. “You… exorcized the spirit…?”
Victor rubbed at his eyes and looked off toward Trollskull Manor. “So it was haunted…? Remarkable… and congratulations are in order as well, it appears.” He trailed off, his gaze distant and thoughtful. After a moment, he shook his head, as though finally waking up, and ran a hand through his tousled black hair.
“I apologize, it was a late night and I’m still waking up. You mentioned a meal of some sort - a celebration? I… thank you, of course, I would be happy to attend. I believe I may have something to contribute…” He looked over his shoulder into the narrow, darkened interior of his home. “I’m not much of a cook myself, but I believe I have some bread and some meat I could-”
He abruptly cut himself off and looked back at Jinn and Crystal. “I’m sorry, did you say pigeon?”
Vincent recalled that the manor had largely been stripped of anything useful, and what hadn’t been taken was packed away in crates in both the attic and the cellar. An axe might not be readily available, but it was a common tool that could be picked up in town.
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Post by redcoat on Oct 18, 2023 10:10:50 GMT -5
Cerys looked thoughtfully at Rey, grabbing a bucket and moving to a pump.
"Do you mind working on giving the dining area a bit of a wipe down so it's a bit less grimy? Doesn't need to be sparkling clean... but it's gonna be too rainy to eat outside again tonight."
Her attention then turned to Vincent.
"Oh, I think one or two thick logs should do it. The stove is old, but it's iron. It'll hold heat well enough that it shouldn't need much to get cooking."
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Post by opius on Oct 18, 2023 10:13:40 GMT -5
"The city provides, my man. Squab's easy eating if you're quick." He laughed and glanced at Crystal with a nod before looking back to the Nick Knack Man.
"You ah, need any help carrying? I know how much those all-nighters can wipe a guy out."
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