Yours For The Taking Thread A [D&D 3.5] (IC)

[Machuchang]

"I 'ave t' say, this is rather idyllic," Abaddon said with a grin as he took in his surroundings. "Must be nice t' live aroun' 'ere; smells bloody wonderful,"

He couldn't help but walk off the path a few times as they traveled, enjoying the crunch of the leaves and nettles far too much to leave them be. By the time they reached the house, his smile only expanded.

"Lovely. Jus' lovely. Y'r a lucky man, Erik," He said as he turned his larger companion.

[Heart]

After searching a bit, the group discovers Erik's mother is not at the home. A light breeze floods through the forest, rattling all of the mostly leafless branches and causing the dead leaves to come alive in a whirlwind, scattering about the land. Among the chirping and stamping of the woodland creatures, a chopping sound echoes throughout the woods. It seems to be a few hundred yards behind the house.

[Medic!]

Eric

Eric takes a deep breath, soaking in everything around him. "It's home, I'll tell ya that much!"

At the sound of the chopping, Eric begins jogging off into the woods, "Mom! I'm home Mom!"

[hoverfrog]

"Better go with him. I wouldn't want to miss the tearful reunion." Mink follows Eric.

[Heart]

OOC:

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Suppose I should've mentioned after the journey to the house, it is now morning.

As the group pushes through the woods, the echo of the chopping gets louder and louder. Eventually in the distance, you can see a clearing. The ground is bedded by thousands of dead leaves, causing a crisp crunch between footsteps. In the center of the clearing is a large tree stump. Several split logs sit in a stack to the side, and few unsplit logs at the other. Erik's mother stands in front of it, wielding an axe. She lifts it high over her head, and brings it down upon a log, splitting it cleanly in two and sends the two pieces scattering in opposite directions, leaving the axe stuck in the stump. The she turns her attention to the group, and her head is beaded with several strands of sweat.

"Erik!" She quickly rushes towards him, embracing him in a big hug when they meet. Without letting go, she says, "Where have you been? I've been worried to death!. Oh, you've brought friends. Well good! I've got too much extra bread anyway, it would go stale."

OOC:

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Because I'm lazy, her description is here, without the apron. See Medic!'s post about her.

[Medic!]

Erik

"I got a little tied up Ma, sorry!" He squeezes her with all his strength, lifting her off the ground and swinging her about in a circle. "These are some friends of mine, they were wondering if they could stay here for a bit. I can go hunt something up for dinner. Which reminds me..." Eric drops his pack on the ground and digs out an iron pot, holding it up with a smile. "I brought you a present!"

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Super sorry that took so long, got distracted by work/school...feel free to smack me!

[Heart]

She gives Erik a motherly smack on the head

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"Oh don't you ever be doing that again! Now of course your friends are welcome to stay here as long as they need. C'mon everyone, if you're not going with Eric, come with me, let me show you around."

[Medic!]

Eric

Eric rubs the spot on his head, obviously used to such treatment and favors his mother with a playfully sour look. "I'll stow my gear and see what I can scrape up by dinner time! Can I use your bow Mom?" Before he finishes asking, he's already sprinting off towards the house to drop off his pack. He changes clothes and grabs the sheathe off a rusty old sword, a momento from his father, so his mom says, and snatches her bow and a quiver with a handful of arrows off the mantle.

Eric sheathes his new sword and wraps the belt around his shoulder, then strap his mother's quiver around his thigh and sets off to find something with a face to eat.

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If that's too much for one post, I have no issues with breaking it down. In the eventuality that hunting gets to happen: Survival Check - (1d20+6)[13]

[Machuchang]

Abaddon grinned up at Eric's mother, taking her hand and kissing a knuckle.

"'ello, ma'am! Th' name's Abaddon Windrunner. It's a pleasure t' make your acquaintance. Eric's a darn good lad. Y' should be proud of him," He said, grinning cheekily. "'n let me say, thank y' so very much for your hospitality. Y've got quite a lovely home here!"

[hoverfrog]

Mink glides over to Eric's mother, "Enchanté, madam," she curtsies formally, "It is so good of your darling son to invite us to tea. I do hope that we don't put you to any inconvenience." She then backs away and waits to be invited in to the house.

[Heart]

OOC: If anyone wants to Aid Another with Eric, feel free to run off with him.

Erik dashes towards the woods, bow in hands.

"Oh my you're a friendly lot! Please come, let me show you around my humble l'il home!" She starts towards her house, twirling the pan in her hands.

[hoverfrog]

"Is there anywhere a lady could freshen up? We've been up most of the night. I'm Mink Orduno by the way and this is Gort," she indicates the raven on her shoulder and waits for 'Mom' to give her own name all the while trying to suppress a yawn.

[Heart]

"Of course of course! Well..." She looks around the area a bit. "I don't exactly have a bathhouse, but there is a small pond near here, it's clean I promise! Here, let me lead you. I'm Eranna"

[ElfiKay]

Wearied by the spurt of adventure behind her, Isidora drinks in the sight of the reunion by the home in the woods, feeling some sense of relief at the happy scene. She turns slowly in a full circle, taking in everything as Erik leaves to hunt, then mentally shakes herself a bit and skips forward slightly to Erik's mother. "I'm happy to meet you, Eranna. I'm Isidora Mikhail, and I must admit, I could use a bit of a clean-up myself, if I could also make use of this pond." She smiles cheerfully as she introduces herself, and drops a little curtsy.

[Heart]

Eranna begins to take you all through the maze of the woods. It's about a five minute walk before you arrive at a shallow pond. the water looks clean, save for a few leaves that have fallen on top. Several rocks also protrude into the surface. A large tree sits to the side of it, with a thick branch overhanging the pond.

Eric, away from the rest of the group, has quickly find luck with his hunt. Even with the short time he's been gone, he's found several tracks of a deer nearby.

[hoverfrog]

Mink strips off and eases into the pool of water, "Goodness, it's cold."

"I wish I'd picked up a bar of soap from..um..where we stayed last. My clothes are in need of a bit of a wash. I don't suppose you've got anything, Isidora?" not waiting for an answer she rinses out the worst of the dirt from the hem that they'd picked up traipsing through the woods. If there's no soap she then squeezes the water out and hangs the dress over a branch to dry off while she washes herself. "Eric won't come this way hunting will he? she asks, "And where did we leave Abaddon?"

[Machuchang]

Abaddon shook his head as the women went off to get washed. Who would want to remove the lovely dirt from the beautiful, clean-smelling outdoors, especially after spending so long a time in a cell? It was a mystery to him. Besides, it probably wouldn't have been in his best interest to go bathing would two members of the opposite sex anyhow.

Deciding not to be a burden on good, old Eranna, and also to avoid the inevitably awkwardness of a one-on-one interaction with a stranger who seemed way too smart for her own good, Abaddon disappeared into the forest, choosing to search for Eric instead.

[Heart]

(Insert former prisoner's name who has been traveling with you here) jumps into the pool, eager to clean himself. He quickly strips completely down, uncaring of any female eyes that may be viewing him.

"I'm going to go prepare some food for ye all, some bread and fruits I've gathered. Make sure you send Erik my way with his bounty, and we may yet get to share a feast!"

It doesn't take long for Abaddon to reach Erik, he travels for about ten minutes, passing small game and colorful bushels of berries all around, before he hears the cried snorting of a deer. Abaddon travels through the brush a few moments longer before spotting Erik close to a tree, bow in hand. A deer is slumped a few dozen yards away, an arrow protrudes from it's lungs.

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OOC: Medic!: I hope you don't feel like I took control of Erik or anything, I'm just trying to move this along a bit, apologies.

[Medic!]

Eric

Eric startles at the new arrival, but greets him warmly, "Just in time!" He hoists the deer up onto a shoulder with a grin.

"Whadaya say we get this critter cookin'?"


OOC:

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No apology necessary, that's pretty much what I was waiting on...I'm a reactionary quiet kinda guy

[hoverfrog]

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The former prisoner's name is now.....Bob..or Roberto

Mink dunks down under the water when the lout flings himself into the pool but recovers quickly and starts ranting at him, "Roberto, you vile pig. Have you no respect for the privacy of ladies? Go and wait over there until we're finished with our bathing. Disgusting and uncouth man that you are." She absolutely refuses to leave the water until he is out of sight and continues to berate him for his ill manners as long as he's close by.

[Heart]

"M- my apologies miss," he says sheepishly then begins to gather himself out of the pool, "I was only assumin', you know we did share a jail for weeks, I didn't think yourself would mind too much, I stink worse than any o' ya.

Abaddon and Erik emerge from the woods with the deer, a bit of blood has begun to stain Erik's clothing. The first site they see is a nude Bob climbing out of the water, heading for his clothes.

"Aye lads!" He waves, "Yer mother said somethin' about bringin' your hunt to her when you got it."

[hoverfrog]

Of course, being a lady, Mink certainly doesn't watch young Roberto clamber out of the pond in his birthday suit. Once the men are out of sight she climbs out herself. With a cantrip she dries herself and her clothes off and then puts them on, offering to do the same for Isidora.

She even adds a faint hint of lavender and rose petals to the clothes. Once they are both properly attired, she walks sedately into Erik's home. She doesn't mention the incident with the pool and uses her spell to clean up the spilt blood. in fact while the spell is active she offers to help, "Could I prepare the dining area, Mother Eranna? Bank up the fire or somesuch?" She would consider it rude in a noble house but these are simple people and assuredly won't take offence at an offer to help out.

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Cast Prestidigitation for cleaning and drying clothes and bodies, etc

[Heart]

"Yes yes dear, that would be wonderful! Come everyone, let me show you around the house." As you enter, you notice the house has very humble accommodations. The wood floor creaks at key spots, and has a very faded colour. In each of door ways of the home, an animal rug lay across. It has three rooms. There is the den, a large table sets in the middle surrounded by chairs, and a fireplace sits against the wall. A shelf with a numerous amount of books sit to one corner, and there is a rack with a rusted mace on it. "That's Erik's father's. One of the last things I have of him." The next room is a simple kitchen. It has several tables for prep work, a few cupboards, and a wood stove. She then shows you the bedroom, which has one wardrobe and too single sized beds.

A few hours passed and the meal is ready. After she gets everyone seated, you see there is plenty of venison from the deer, bread, and a mix of fruits and vegetables of the land, mostly berries. She serves a cheap wine and water to drink.

"Now Erik, why don't you tell me how you met these friends of yours?"

[hoverfrog]

"Yes Erik, I've love to hear your take on how we all met," Mink smiles sweetly and waits for the son to explain to his mother how he ended up in a cell.

[hoverfrog]

Noting Eric's reticence, the dear boy was blushing furiously and seemed unable to speak at all, Mink decided to tell the truth. "Mother Errana, we met in a prison cell and escaped together." Hopefully the revelation isn't too much for the old woman so she tried to reassure her, "For myself I am guilty of no more than trying to escape an unpleasant arranged marriage. Eric was poaching, I believe, Bob here was just trying to brew his own ale. That town just hates people who like their freedom. We had to escape."

[Heart]

"You escaped?! My goodness! Those awful guards locking you up like that!" She looks around at each of you then hangs her head, somewhat in shame. "I must admit, you lot must be more capable than your average fellow to have escaped, and Erik knows I hate to ask for help, but I'm afraid there's a pressing issue."

[hoverfrog]

Oh no, Mink thinks to herself, what now? but outwardly she puts on a politely interested face and sips her mug of tea. She waits patiently for the large woman to continue.

[Heart]

Eranna looks rather sheepish at first, looking down and not making eye contact with any one you, even Erik, she then frowns and furrows her brow, seeming to be put off by her own lack of confidence. "Erik, while you were gone, some men came around the house. They never actually came in the house, save once, but they caused me a bit of trouble. It started out with my garden being wrecked, and the things I left outside would go missing." She takes a long drink from a glass of water, and then clears her throat, "but then when I would be outside I could feel them watching me. Their laughter would bounce around the trees. One of the few times in my life is was frightened."

Eranna gets up and starts pacing around, stopping at a shattered window. "One morning, I was out, and I come home and there's a man sitting in that chair," she turns and points to a stiff chair by the fireplace, "and this window been broken. Man tells me there's a gang after me, and the only thing I can do is pay him for protection. Well," she raises her shoulders in a shrug and looks down for a moment, "so I started paying him, only the payments were increasin' every time. Didn' take me long to figure out this man was part a that gang, and they's just workin' me over.

[hoverfrog]

"One man?" Mink smiles, "I'd bet that these annoyances would stop if this man's head were found to have accidentally fallen from his shoulders one day. Eric, what do you think?" Noticing the shocked expressions to her callous disregard for human life she quickly adds, "Hypothetically speaking, of course. I'd prefer to charm them or send them running with a well placed illusion or two."

[Medic!]

Eric the Back-Again

Eric gives Mink an appreciative look. Not sure I could tell Mother what happened for real...Nice cover with the poaching, Pretty!

As the conversation turns towards his mom's woes, a furious rage boils up inside him, escaping in a snarled threat, "You point this man out, Mother, and I'll fold him in half and hook his nose into his belly-button to keep him that way!"