Realistic or Modern Welcome To Shearport

[Grey]

Hood





Fucking. Lunatic.





Hood gives Sackcloth a flat stare, but his vines rustle with anger.


"Whether child abuse or animal cruelty, that ain't right."

 

[The Fuzz]

The Hunters





The figure goes down and starts whining and crying. It's a high pitched wail. I suppose it's encouraging that it's conscious and able to draw breath for such a surprisingly loud noise.


Melanie grabs around Red's waist, and Harte clings to Hood's legs. Both children are quivering. Melanie looks up at Red, and for a second, you can practically see her deciding whether it's safer to bolt, or freeze.

 

[Inari]

Red- Out in the Hedge


The last foundling bolted, and Red hesitated. Instinct said to chase, but he had two of the kids with him already, and the bond seemed tenuous enough even with his pledge. It gave Sackcloth time to act. He got to see the whole thing; the wind-up, the pitch, the connection, and the unmistakable thud of something hitting bone.


Sackcloth turned to find Red and Hood staring; Hood in anger, Red in disbelief. Then the anger came when he heard the blended whine and weeping, animal and child instincts warring over which sound to make. Red curled a hand into a fist and took a step toward Sackcloth, but before he could shred the puppet, he felt the small, furry arms close around his waist. There was Melanie, shaking, frightened.


He set a stare on Sackcloth and, with an effort of will, the fist became a pointing finger, back the way they had come. ”Go back to the boat,” he growled, the words carrying a bestial bass to them. The wolf turned, placing his other hand more gently on Melanie’s shoulder, and headed for the fallen child.

Spoiler

Was indecisive, since Red’s vice –is- Wrath and all, but…rolled Resolve+Composure to see if he could hold back, and succeeded. Inter-Motley fighting is momentarily suppressed!


On another note, if Red can without the little one bolting, he'll kneel down by him and try to comfort.

 

[Axelgear]

Sackcloth


At Hood's remark, the brownie gives a casual roll of his eyes; any disdain rolls off his back with it, at least from Hood. When it comes from Red, however, the intimation of disapproval comes with a rather notable step towards him and curled fist that makes the bogun flinch backwards noticeably. Strangely, he looks perhaps as much surprised as afraid. Then, the fist becomes a finger and an order comes with it, and Sackcloth looks doubly confused.


He uncurls his defensive posture, and his mouth hangs opens a little, but it's not to raise any point in his defense. Instead, he takes a deep breath, huffs a little, and moves to obey. Under his breath, he mutters some of his unhappy disagreement but doesn't dare do so at a volume where it might actually be understood by anyone present.


As he starts on his way back to the boat, Sackcloth gets a few steps before he turns his head to call over his shoulder:


"At least bring my hammer back!" He shouts towards Red, managing it with a certain sharpness and a frown. Then, that immediately vanishes and is followed by a significantly more deferential "Would you?" that cannot sustain that same sort of glower.

 

[risaphoeniix]

Lita the Magpie





Hmm...Lita squinted at the goblin, then at the shell, then back at the goblin. On one hand, the shell was very pretty and even useful, but goblins were sneaky types.

Spoiler

[dice]6364[/dice]

 

[PixelWitch]

Zach


Did I hear yelling?


Whether good or bad, it sounded like they were on their way back. Oh thank the stars.


Excusing himself he hops down from atop the Boat and onto the leaf strewn floor below to greet them. Or perhaps help in whatever is hunting them down.


Please don't be the latter. Please don't be the latter. Please don't be the latter.

 

[The Fuzz]

Red





Melanie is crying now, clinging to Red's waist. Apparently having an adult who appears to care about them is having some kind of impact.


She tags along as Red goes to check on the fallen wolf-child. It's a tangled, wretched mess, as much animal as human, but the blood flowing for its head is red all the same. Under other circumstances it might be vicious, but when you bend to examine it, it wails and reaches for you with the (twisted, clawed) hands of a child reaching for its parent.


The bloody hammer lies beside the child.


Hood





Harte is quiet. He seems content to let folks with adult voices take charge. Sackcloth shambles off along the trail back to the boat (said trail having just been carved by you guys barreling through the brush, mind), calling back to remind Red to bring his hammer back.


Red goes to check on the fallen child. There's no threat here. Children lost in the trees, gone feral and completed by the Hedge. If you were a softer man, or a drunker one, you'd feel a tear prickling at the edge of your eye.


Sackcloth





Wandering back to the boat, you see Zach coming, looking curious about proceedings.


Zach





Following the noises, you see Sackcloth. He looks a little perturbed.

 

[Axelgear]

Sackcloth


The first thing Zach sees of Sackcloth is the brownie's head hanging low between his shoulders. Not alarmed, not angry... Gloomy, perhaps. Confused. Maybe even upset or disappointed. Occasionally it turns into a scowl as he grinds his pebble teeth across one of his lips, clearly aggravated, but it comes in spurts rather than being the abiding tone of his mood. It shows that he's not sure how to carry himself by that the normal dextrous man is almost tripping over his own feet as he adjusts his posture.


Seeing Zach, Sackcloth shoots him a glance that conveys his confusion, still rubbing his bottom lip across his teeth.


"Problem's solved." Sackcloth tells the burning figure. "We found the kids. Let's go home."

 

[Grey]

Hood





Hood heads back to the boat with the others, keeping a firm hand on Harte.


"Yeah," he says, just behind Sackcloth and watching the Brownie like he's due for the cells. "Let's get the f=. Let's just go the hell home."

 

[Inari]

Red- Out in the Hedge


Red crouched down beside the fallen child, grimacing at the sight of the blood. He was a mess himself; drenched in rain-water, clothes and hair sprouting twigs and leaves accumulated from the run through the forest, but at least he was unhurt. Even this close, he couldn’t discern a gender to the last wolf-child; Melanie had said “him,” and that was Red’s best guess. Whatever it was, it was in pain, reaching out in need to a stranger.


A large, clawed hand closed over a smaller one, giving it a comforting squeeze. Red let go of Melanie to use his other hand, getting it carefully under the wounded foundling. He scooped up the little creature, wishing he knew any kind of healing magic, and straightened up. ”Come on,” he spoke up, content to let Melanie cling to him as long as she followed. ”Maybe we can get him some goblin fruit. Fix this up.”


A last glance at the hammer, then back to Hood. Red had his hands full. ”Mind grabbing it?” he requested of the sheriff. ”Keep him from having a fit.” Pissed as the puppet had made him, he didn’t need to leave any more rifts in the pack. If he wanted to punish Sackcloth for this, he’d do better than ditching a tool.


Whether Hood grabbed it or not, Red headed back the way they had come, in search of the shop ship.

 

[PixelWitch]

Zach


The fireling's brow knits. For someone who had just had a 'successful' hedge run, they certainly didn't seem too happy about it...


"Um...OK," he hazards, "Guess we'll... discuss it when we get outta here..?"


At Red's Goblin Fruit comment however, he perks, "Oh! Might be able to help with that..."


A rummage in his pockets and he fishes out the muttfruit that he had stowed earlier. The fuzzy fruit a pale gold in his already glowing fingers, "Not quite ripe, but better than nothing..."


Glancing at the kid his eyes widen however, "Maybe I should take a look at that.."

 

[The Fuzz]

Zach





If you look at the child, well, head injuries can bleed a lot without being very major. The....child is conscious enough to cling to Red and whimper and cry for a while. Peeling the fruit will elicit some interest from the furry bundle.


Red, Hood, Sackcloth





You guys emerge back into the clearing, Sackcloth a couple minutes ahead of the other two. (Zach presumably is also in tow.) By this stage, well. That was quick. The stalls are up, the rain is slackening off, and signposts are being laid out. The market's in town, properly now.


Sage, Lita, Liam





The hunters return....with what looks like some children. Two of them are walking, shambling along holding hands or clinging to jackets. One is being carried by Red, curled up in the big wolfman's arms. Well. Ain't this a thing.

 

[Inari]

Red- Out in the Hedge


Red was glad for Zach turning up. He was doing his best to keep from jostling the wounded little creature, but he was no medic. Didn’t even have any goblin fruit on-hand. When and if Zach offered his own, Red gave a grateful nod and urged the little creature to have a mouthful.


Still, he didn’t set it down until they got back to the ship. Market. Whatever. Red didn’t go past the edge, instead finding one of the numerous knocked-down trees and setting the wolf child down on it. Or if he couldn’t pry the little thing off, sitting himself down on it. ”Zach’s gonna have a look at your head,” he told it. ”Make sure you’re not hurt too bad. Hold still for him, alright?”


While keeping the child as still as he could for Zach’s examination, he turned to Melanie, probably still holding onto his jacket. ”Were there any more of you, or was it just you three?”

 

[PixelWitch]

Zach


"Let's have a looksee shall we?"


He liked kids. Kids understood the finer points of not looking or feeling quite human. Even when they perfectly were.


He peeled the fruit carefully, the soft fuzzy skin falling away to reveal the soft juicy peach-like fruit underneath.


"You have a nibble on that..." he hands it towards the scruff shaped kid-thing.


While they are occupied, he sweeps his glowing glittering hair out of his face and gently pads at the wound.

Spoiler

Hookay, haven't rolled in a while, forgive me if this is wrong.


Intelligence 3 + Medicine 2 Sp: First aid = 6


Also trying out this, seeing as it's the best opportunity:


Merit: Faerie Healing: - 2


Capable of using Goblin Fruits to restore health to others.


If that uses up glamour let me know, and I'll take it off too.


[dice]6619[/dice]


[dice]6620[/dice]

 

[The Fuzz]

Zach





The...kid. Maybe. Probably? Sort of....anyway, into a snuffly dark fuzzed muzzle goes the fruit. The sniffling stops.


Looking through the dark fur on the back of the little head, the wound looks a little less angry. The bleeding stops.


I think that's as good as one fruit's going to get him, and he's gone quiet now. Juice stains his teeth and dark eyes peer out at the world from Red's jacket.


Red





She shakes her head, dark hair waving back and forth in a ragged curtain.


"No, Mister. Nobody else."


As you emerge into the market, her hold on the edge of your jacket loosens a little.


"What's this?"

Spoiler

Nope, no Glamour cost for using the fruit to help him heal a bit.

 

[Alexandra]

Sage


The Darkling sighs heavily at the arrival of three children, and slowly climbs down the ship's ladder. She stops a little way away from the group; aware her appearance would be intensely strange to the kids.


"No-one too badly injured, I hope?"

 

[Axelgear]

Sackcloth


"Not if you ask me..." Sackcloth grumbles as he passes near Sage, moving to stop by the ladder, in the shadow of the ship's hull. Wrapping his cloak tight around himself, he retreats into it and slides down the side of the curved exterior wall until his butt rests in the corner it forms. Bit by bit, he makes himself as small as possible.

 

[Inari]

Red- The edge of the market


When the sniffling died down, Red took a look at the wound as well. He was no better a doctor than twelve seconds earlier, but it looked better, at least. He looked up to Zach and gave a nod. ”Thanks.”


Melanie’s question made Red take notice of the expanded market. Things were really getting underway, it seemed. ”Goblin market,” he replied. ”Their boat crashed here. Or…something. I really didn’t understand, but they’re setting up shop.” As an afterthought, he added under his breath ”Don’t buy anything.”


And then there was Sage, keeping a respectful distance. Red smiled at the sight of the grandmotherly Darkling; she’d probably be better with kids than him. ”I think we’ll be okay,” he answered. ”I’m gonna head back soon, if anyone wants to come with. I need to get these kids home.” He doubted the others would have much interest; Hood and Sackcloth were the only ones concerned enough to follow him into the Hedge. He couldn’t really blame Sage for not taking part in a foot chase, though.

 

[risaphoeniix]

Lita the Magpie





Glancing over at the others returning, Lita's face lit up. Momentarily forgetting about the negotiations she was entering, she bounded towards red and the children. For all that she looked in her mid teens, the expression on her face was very much that of a small child who just saw other kids show up at the playground.


"Hi!" she exclaimed to Melanie, "I'm Lita! What's your name?" Then, without waiting for a response, "want some Taffy?"

 

[The Fuzz]

Lita





While the arrival of the children is a little distracting, you do get the general sense that he's no more dishonest than you might expect.

 

[The Fuzz]

Sorry, sorry, that was inadequate. Madness setting back in. Back to work, sez the GM!

Lita


Regardless of how the deal was going, the children are....pretty quiet. There's a bundle of rough fur lying quivering in the big wolf-man's arms. Cute? Maybe?


The little girl looks up at you with eyes that are simultaneously a hundred years old, and completely innocent.


"I'm Melanie. Um, no thanks. Maybe later?"


She's speaking slowly, like she's remembering words like "thanks" and "maybe" and stringing them together like beads on a wire.


She smiles when she sees all your feathers.


"You're pretty."


She's holding onto Red's jacket with one hand, but with the other she reaches out to shake.


Red





Melanie greets Lita, then looks up at you.


"Mister, what way are we going?"

 

[Inari]

Red- The edge of the market


Red looked around when the question came up, realizing the arrival of the ship had gotten him disoriented. He made a considering noise, taking a few moments to try and remember which way they had come.

Spoiler

Figured a Wits+Survival roll was appropriate for orienteering.


[dice]6786[/dice]


Nope.

The wolf man frowned and scratched at his tangled mane of hair. Between the ship’s arrival and its full setup as a market, the landscape had notably changed from what he remembered. ”Honestly, I got a bit turned around here…Hey, Sage,” he called to the grandmotherly Darkling. He’d seen her making use of a thorn earlier; a contract they were both familiar with. ”You mind figuring out where the gate is?”

 

[PixelWitch]

Zach - Edge of the Market


Internally congratulating himself for not injuring the poor thing further, he stands, dusting himself off, little glittering embers drifting with the dust.


"The sooner we leave, the better I think. Time's funny in here afterall,"


Don't I know it.

 

[risaphoeniix]

Lita the Magpie





Lita grins widely "thanks!" she exclaims, shaking them a bit. She reaches out and shakes Melanie's hand. Looking around, she seems to remember something. "Oops!", she turns around and dashes back the way she came, heading for the merchant with the shell.

 

[Alexandra]

Sage


"Absolutely. It should be back this way....but just in case the Hedge wants to play tricks on us...."


She runs her hands over the bushes nearby, getting a feel for the location....looking for the path. It's time to go home.

Spoiler

I think my Pathfinder blood drop is still active; it was only a couple of hours ago game time. Let me know if that's changed, Fuzz.


Imma roll to get us back onto a path quicker than plain ol' looking around, and out again.


[dice]221[/dice]