RolePlay onLine RPoL Logo

, welcome to (DnD3.5) - The Fourth Son

14:45, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Home Sweet Home.

Posted by Mr. DMFor group archive Z
Mr. DM
GM, 22 posts
Fri 1 May 2009
at 16:29
  • msg #1

Home Sweet Home

It's a disappointingly rainy day in a disappointingly long winter. Several of the local 'lings are complaining that their feet are itchy, and everyone knows what that means: something's brewing. Could be an unseasonable storm, could be snow, could be a big gale - everyone has an opinion, as usual.

Hannah has just sold her latest catch to the fishmonger. She's not sure he isn't ripping her off, but what can she do? He's human, and a friend of Lord Glaw's to boot.

Having reached home and got the fire going, she goes to pack her nets away from where they were left under the eaves to dry. As she opens the door to return to the warmth, she catches sight of a halfling woman hurrying down a nearby street - was that Mazzy? She hasn't seen her childhood friend in years.
Hannah Sonderil
player, 4 posts
Fri 1 May 2009
at 17:15
  • msg #2

Re: Home Sweet Home

For all the dreary rain and cold, Hannah actually looked forward to a rather comfortable evening at home.  She had already set the loaf of bread - only a little hard - and a thick wedge of cheese on her little table; accompanied by the lone fish she had not sold to the local fishmonger, it looked like a feast to her eyes.  All she had to do now was wait for the fire to warm enough that she could cook her catch and all would be well.

As she put her nets away and ventured back toward the relative comfort of her humble home, Hannah noticed someone moving rather quickly down another street.  Is that... she paused for only a moment before calling out rather loudly, "Mazzy!  It came out as nearly a bark: no one had ever accused Hannah of being very tactful or polite.
Mazzy
NPC, 1 post
Fri 1 May 2009
at 17:46
  • msg #3

Re: Home Sweet Home

Possibly-Mazzy turned her head at the sound, glancing in Hannah's direction before continuing her dash for cover. After a few steps she stopped short with a shake of her head. Brushing bedraggled hair from her eyes she took another look - and broke into a smile.

Swinging her bag in circles at her side with one hand and waving with the other, Mazzy approached her old friend, calling out "There you are! I had to ask so many folk where you were living these days, and no-one could tell me for sure! Get inside, get inside - look at me, I'm soaked!"
Hannah Sonderil
player, 5 posts
Fri 1 May 2009
at 18:51
  • msg #4

Re: Home Sweet Home

Stepping inside her little hut at Mazzy's insistence, Hannah gave her friend a bright, toothy grin.  "I'm hard to find," she admitted, though she didn't mention that it was because she didn't mingle much.  After a moment's pause, she continued "Come in, come in, get outta the rain!  I was just getting supper ready."

Waiting for her friend to come in and share a meal with her, Hannah began to prep and cook the fish.
Mazzy
NPC, 2 posts
Fri 1 May 2009
at 19:02
  • msg #5

Re: Home Sweet Home

"Supper, fantastic."

Mazzy paused outside the door. She turned her face up to the sky and let the rain fall onto her face for a few seconds, then stepped inside.

As she looked around the place her eyes showed a little amusement. With the faintest smile Mazzy made herself comfortable, sitting down up again the wall in a corner. She shuffled her bag onto her lap and paid some attention to sorting out the tangled mess of her hair.

"Bloody rain again! I wouldn't mind, I'd just like a change!"

Mazzy looked around again.

"I was going to ask what's new, but from the looks of it - not much."
Hannah Sonderil
player, 9 posts
Fri 1 May 2009
at 19:20
  • msg #6

Re: Home Sweet Home

Hannah decided to simply roast the fish above the licking flames in the hearth; despite her heritage, the halfling was not a particularly impressive cook.  When she noticed her friend sitting in the corner, she resisted the urge to simply shoo her closer to the warmth of the fire.  "Get close to the hearth and warm up!" she declared, wanting Mazzy to dry off before she caught her death of cold.

She started slicing off thick pieces of bread and cheese to pass to her friend.  When Mazzy mentioned that it didn't seem like much had changed, Hannah gave her another grin.  "Not much changes on my part, usually: fish and fowl, woods and water, the daily grind.  How have you been, aside from rained-on?"  She didn't often get news from outside, and might have welcomed Mazzy to satisfy her curiosity even if she weren't a friend.
Mazzy
NPC, 3 posts
Fri 1 May 2009
at 19:27
  • msg #7

Re: Home Sweet Home

Mazzy flapped a hand in dismissal, saying "I'm alright," but moved to join Hannah at the fire anyway.

"Aside from rained on? I've been so many things, Hannah, so many things. Mm. Good supper. I don't usually eat this well."

She fell silent whilst she ate, which she did as if her last meal had been days ago.
Hannah Sonderil
player, 11 posts
Fri 1 May 2009
at 21:22
  • msg #8

Re: Home Sweet Home

As her friend wolfed down the food, Hannah wondered if she had actually eaten in the past few days.  Deciding to eat less herself, she passed her friend more of the bread and cheese before going to pull the fish down and serve it on chipped crockery plates.

Once Mazzy's eating slowed, Hannah asked her for more information.  "What 'so many things' have you been up to?  Is everything all right?"  As usual, she simply cut to the matter at hand
Mazzy
NPC, 4 posts
Sat 2 May 2009
at 20:20
  • msg #9

Re: Home Sweet Home

If Mazzy noticed the generous gesture, she didn't indicate it. Faced with a more full plate, though, she slowed down her ravenous eating.

At Hannah's question she stopped with fish halfway to her mouth.

"What's that supposed to mean? Of course I'm alright! I can take care of myself you know!"

Mazzy's expression softened a little. "If I needed help, I'd ask for it. Thanks though, but not a lot. No, it's you we need to worry about."

Outburst over, she continued polishing off the fish.
Hannah Sonderil
player, 12 posts
Mon 4 May 2009
at 23:02
  • msg #10

Re: Home Sweet Home

Hannah bit back the comment she wanted to reply with; instead, she ate another mouthful of bread and cheese to keep herself nice and polite.  It wasn't as hard as she thought, once her friend hinted that she might have some unknown problems to deal with herself.  "Okay, so maybe you don't need help.  But why do we need to worry about me?"  She leaned forward slightly to listen; Mazzy had her undivided attention.

...mostly.  The halfling took another idle bite of bread and cheese as she listened.
Mazzy
NPC, 5 posts
Mon 4 May 2009
at 23:27
  • msg #11

Re: Home Sweet Home

Mazzy too leaned in, smiling. "Well, look." She gestured around Hannah's home. Look, Hannah. You're stagnating. Remember when we used to talk about what we'd be doing by now? I'm out there getting things done, seeing things, being part of things you can only imagine."

She leaned back. "And you're here stuck at home, catching fish."
Hannah Sonderil
player, 15 posts
Tue 5 May 2009
at 01:32
  • msg #12

Re: Home Sweet Home

Hannah should have known better; just like old times, she fell for it so easily...

"Hunting treasure is easy when you have to be home by supper," she began, wry smile curling her lips, "but we all end up stuck doing things we don't want to do."  She leaned forward a bit more, grin turning conspiratorial.  "But something tells me you have an idea for how I can unstagnate, so to speak."

Hearing Mazzy talking about "doing things you never imagined" piqued her interest, to be sure.  Hannah's curious streak wanted to know what she was talking about.
Mazzy
NPC, 6 posts
Tue 5 May 2009
at 13:45
  • msg #13

Re: Home Sweet Home

Mazzy laughed, high-pitched and unreserved.

"I'm not going to help you, if that's what you think! See - don't you remember how we used to be? Well, how I used to be. Just start poking your nose in places it shouldn't really be and you'll find something exciting. I'd bet you, but I can't afford to."

Mazzy's smile was genuine, but she turned serious for a moment.

"I know you're comfortable here, but out there..." she gestured vaguely to the miserable night outdoors, "...there are things going on. I can't tell you what I'm here for. I'm sorry, I just can't, but it wasn't to look you up."
Hannah Sonderil
player, 16 posts
Wed 6 May 2009
at 22:37
  • msg #14

Re: Home Sweet Home

Hannah managed to refrain from sticking her tongue out at her friend, but did mutter a good-natured "Well, foo" upon finding out that Mazzy had not come to draw her out of her shell.  It meant that she would have to find adventure herself, if she decided to want it.

Having said that, being told she couldn't be told something made her even more curious about what her old friend was doing there.  If she wasn't there simply for a visit... the halfling had to know.  "Well... if you can't tell me what you're doing here, can you at least say what's going on?  A hint?  Something?"
Mazzy
NPC, 7 posts
Thu 7 May 2009
at 12:13
  • msg #15

Re: Home Sweet Home

Abruptly, Mazzy leapt up, gathering her things.

"I've got to go," she said, expression carefully blank. "Thanks for the food, lovely stuff. I hope you find a way out of this shack, though."

Pausing at the door, she looked back at Hannah solemnly.

"Shadow Valley. That's your hint. Don't go there, for the love of Shumrie - it's seriously dangerous. I hope I'll see you again Hannah, I really do."

Mazzy lingered slightly, a tinge of sadness visible in her lively eyes, then dashed out into the rainy night.
Sign In