The Long Road - Game Thread

Quillary has fallen asleep in one of the comfy chairs in the sitting room with gramps, her knees pulled up to her chin. In rest, she looks quite adorable, despite being sort of disheveled.

Quillary is woken to someone saying, "Popsy?" loudly. You look around, but you're alone in the room.

She sniffles and rubs her nose, uncurling. "He is not in here," she calls out. "Though he was," she says to herself.

There's a pause. "Well," the voice calls, "can you go up and get Ula? She sounds like she's ready to come down."

You replay the question in your mind, wondering what the words mean when you suddenly recognize the sounds of fussing come from somewhere above you.

“Um...” Quillary quails a little, but still a little groggy from her nap, she acquiesces. “Yes, is there nobody... yes, of course.” She tries to find the stairs and then the source of the fussing.

Drusk will temporarily put Light on the 3rd stair step, to get Quillary going in the correct direction.

Quillary climbs the stairs to the second floor, following the sound of halfhearted yowls. The stairs open up to what could be a small sitting area, but seems to be used primarily for the entertainment of the young; it is littered with toys for various ages. Quillary carefully steps through the mini minefield, still zeroing in on the afore-named Ula. There are several doors to access from the sitting area — some are open, some are closed. The cries are coming from the door on the opposite side, which is closed.

There's another cheer from the table of card players. Pascal looks around, still confused by the new game. Goldy scoops the pile of peanuts toward her larger mound. Forte stands, declaring, "I'm going to get a snack."

"We've got peanuts right here," Gowin says, popping one of his into his mouth.

Goldy puts a hand on her husband's head and stands. "I'll come with you," she says to Forte.

"Hey, Dad," Hildi says, looking serious. "Can we talk?"

Hori puts down the pile of cards. "Sure. Outside?"

As Forte and Goldy head toward the kitchen, and Hildi and Hori head outside, Gowin pops another peanut into his mouth. "Pascal," he says as if trying out the name. "Is that a family name?"

Outside in the cul-de-sac, Jorin roars as he slams the ball down into the hoop, scoring another point for his team. His little teammate scream in delight, running over and dancing in a circle around the human's legs.

"It's not fair!" one of the other players complains.

"We need to go," another of the opposing team — an old female halfling — says, sounding upset.

One of Jorin's teammates stops dancing and looks at the one that just spoke. "Nu-uh! You're just a sore loser!"

The female walks over and grabs the complainer by the ear and starts dragging them away from the cul-de-sac. "Let me go! Let me go! I'm telling Mom!"

The others express that they should go as well, including Hildi's siblings, who head back the way Jorin came.

OOC: If I remember correctly, something specific needed to be done when Hildi approached his dad about his money. That's happening now.

Jorin chuckles at the older sister pulling the boy by the ear, "Careful son, I've seen Fenrisian Wildcats with duller claws!"

Jorin makes his way back to the Goodbody home. 

When the younger Goodbodys realize Jorin is following them, the boy stops. The girl notices this, but actually picks up her pace, hurrying toward the house. The boy starts walking again when Jorin catches up. "What's your name?" he asks comfortably. Jorin introduces himself, and the boy replies, "I'm Tamil. Why were you looking for Luci? Isn't she still at the house?"

"She is not, young one, she left after some heated words were exchanged.  I went outside to look for her, but instead, found you lot playing."

Quillary will open the door, hesitantly.

Tamil keeps walking, looking at the ground for a few seconds. "That happens a lot. She hardly comes over anymore. Was it Popsy?"

Quillary finds on the other side of the door a small nursery. Her eyes are immediately drawn to a single, bright window on the opposite side of the room that gives a view of a seemingly endless sea of rooftops with the gray sky above. The walls of the room are murals of a lovely landscape full of bright flowers and frisky animals. Another coo grabs Quillary's attention, and she looks at a pair of black eyes peering at her from over the edge of a tiny wooden box in the far corner. The hair above the eyes is the same brown as Hildi's. It rises from the head in a spiky mess. Fingers from each hand curl over the top of the enclosure beside the eyes.

OOC: Drusk, I don't mean to leave you out. What are you up to right now?

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

OOC: Drusk, I don't mean to leave you out. What are you up to right now?

(No worries. Drusk is enjoying being around a large, happy family.)

Growing up as an orphan, surrounded by elves who mostly resented the half-orc (especially when he was too dense to realize he was being picked on), Drusk is astounded at being in a nurturing environment like the Goodbody house. He is saying prayers for Lliira to continue bringing joy to this place, and doing any odds and ends to help out with errands.

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

 

As Forte and Goldy head toward the kitchen, and Hildi and Hori head outside, Gowin pops another peanut into his mouth. "Pascal," he says as if trying out the name. "Is that a family name?"

 

 Pascal laughs, “Oh no, my native tongue can’t quite be heard by you folks.” He gives a low alligator gurgle, followed by a hiss, “See? Total gibberish. But! I heard ‘bout a famous chef named Pascal once, and some villagers called me LaRoux when I started shufflin’ ‘round to start cooking. And voila, a name that everyone could say!”

"Oh," Quillary says, as if this wasn't what she was expecting to find, but of course it was. She will approach the little creature and tentatively pick it up, with the intent of taking it downstairs as quickly, and carefully, as she can.

"Cooking?" Gowin repeats, swallowing another peanut. "Really?" He clears his throat and shifts in his seat. "I don't mean any disrespect, but I guess I have these preconceived notions about adventurers, and being a chef is not one of them."

Ula's eyes widen as Quillary approaches, but she doesn't appear scared. She takes a step back as Quillary peers down into the box. One hand goes to her mouth while the other kind of hovers near her shoulder. The two scrutinize each other for a second, and as Quillary extends her arms and leans over to scoop up the child, the little one's arms extend up toward the half-elf. Quillary lifts her up, and Ula's eyes stare unblinking at her face as they descend the stairs.

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

"Cooking?" Gowin repeats, swallowing another peanut. "Really?" He clears his throat and shifts in his seat. "I don't mean any disrespect, but I guess I have these preconceived notions about adventurers, and being a chef is not one of them."

Ula's eyes widen as Quillary approaches, but she doesn't appear scared. She takes a step back as Quillary peers down into the box. One hand goes to her mouth while the other kind of hovers near her shoulder. The two scrutinize each other for a second, and as Quillary extends her arms and leans over to scoop up the child, the little one's arms extend up toward the half-elf. Quillary lifts her up, and Ula's eyes stare unblinking at her face as they descend the stairs.

 “Course! Them sweet rolls I brought were homemade! Frankly, I’ll be honest with ya, I’m a chef first, adventurer second. Just so happens that the best ingredients aren’t easy to come by.”

Gowin smiles at Pascal. "How about that." He looks over his shoulder at Drusk. "And what are you? His sous chef?"

Quillary totters down the stairs carefully, carrying little Ula under the arms and held out from her. She looks around a little wild-eyed for someone to take the baby, and heads to the kitchen.

Ula continues to stare wide-eyed at Quillary's face as the two descend the stairs. As the two enter the kitchen, their ears are greeted by friendly conversation between the elder Mrs. Goodbody, the younger Mrs. Goodbody, Mrs. Matingshire, and Fortegren. They smile at Quillary, and Mileen wipes her hands on a towel before approaching. "Well, hello there," she says to her youngest. "Thank you, dear," she says to Quillary as she takes Ula. She sits the toddler in the crook of her arm. "Did you have a good nap? Are you hungry?"

"Tato," Ula says, looking over her mother's shoulder at Quillary as the two move toward a counter.

"You want some potatoes?" Mileen asks.

Forte walks over to extend a plate of fruit toward Quillary. "Want some?" he asks, some fruit bobbing around in his mouth.