The Farmhouse

AleBelly
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tkrexx
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Re: Whereabouts between inspection and ceremony (temporary)

#1 Post by tkrexx »

Hyde will be keeping busy by conducting whatever repairs the little cottage requires, including fortification and fencing. He'll talk to Hellebore about creating a secret underground passage out of the place, and of possible methods of camouflaging his newly acquired "hoody" after the reward ceremony. He'll scout the area for good spots to place booby-traps and consult Galan on Gnomish varieties of gimmicks.

What would the cost be for Hyde's poncho?

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AleBelly
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Re: Whereabouts between inspection and ceremony (temporary)

#2 Post by AleBelly »

One female applicant answers the job posting. She appears at the farmhouse the morning of the 10th. She is very well dressed - a fine woolen cloak overlays garments of leather and silk. She is in her early 40s, fit and with a weatherbeaten face. She only gives her name as Fiona.

She looks over the farm. "I don't need this job, but can't stand that stinkin' city. You put me up here, let me hire four hands and get me a well-trained guard dog for 75 gold and you'll make 5-10 gold a month off these crops."

"I see you got winter wheat here. That's good. You druid types can make things grow, but that doesn't change the seasons. Ground's still frozen. I can start in a few weeks - strawberries and potatoes. We'll rotate with other berries, more potatoes and plant some apple trees. How's that sound?"

For those spending time at the farmhouse, please let me know of any special preparations, and the spells you will have prepared. I'll give another update tomorrow night.

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Marullus
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Re: Whereabouts between inspection and ceremony (temporary)

#3 Post by Marullus »

Hellebore does not allow "just Fionna" to suffice. She fully interviews the applicant. Someone with her age, experience, and fineries has stories that need to be told. This cottage is primarily a place of confidential repose, and anyone who is tending it must be trustworthy.

As city folk confuse her a bit, Hellebore also ropes in Arnulf between baking his loaves. He has more savvy for cityfolk and she seeks his counsel on the new employee.

She also relays her plans for the property - when springtime arrives, she intends to convert the majority of the acreage to orchard grottoes with raspberry and blueberry thickets, particularly at the surround. She can grow these to maturity in a week or two, allowing them to flower this spring and bear fruit as the season passes accordingly. This provides a thick hedge for privacy purposes as well as a plenitude of fruit and honey for ciders, meads, pies, canning, and selling. She ensures that this employee will be satisfied tending trees, pathways, and apiaries rather than fields of potatoes. Also, that doing so should require less farmhands, but that seasonal help on the property is not out of the question when needed.

(What did the trainer say to my inquiry about guard dogs, anyway?)
Spells:
If it is too cold for plant growth yet, she will continue making her modifications with Stone Shape each day. She keeps Speak with Animal spells going to facilitate her animal training. She has Entangle, Heat Metal, Charm Person, and Cure Light Wounds spells available in case of trouble. She is using Locate Plants to find the varieties she needs at the perimeter and transplanting them back to the property for later Plant Growth.

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Re: Whereabouts between inspection and ceremony (temporary)

#4 Post by onlyme »

Dandelion would volunteer to help spruce up the farmhouse. Striped curtains are so yesterday. Maybe some apricot dyed linen, floor length panels with turquoise tassles?

She also mentions the recommendation to grow a patch of kale and a couple of pomegranate shub/trees for healthier post-aerobic workout beverages.
Dandelion - female half-orc beautyqueen in training (The Lone City in the Wildlands) OSRIC
Halfpint - female halfling badgirl wannabe (Lab Lord- The North Marches) LL
Mark'd - charismatic human fighter (Lab Lord- The North Marches) LL


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AleBelly
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Re: Whereabouts between inspection and ceremony (temporary)

#5 Post by AleBelly »

Marullus wrote:
(What did the trainer say to my inquiry about guard dogs, anyway?)
War dog prices are given in OSRIC, but a trained one requires work - they are 75 gp per dog.

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Re: Whereabouts between inspection and ceremony (temporary)

#6 Post by Marullus »

Hellebore is all-business as she interacts with Fionna. She first listens to her, exceptionally brief, tale and then shakes her head. "No, no. You do not come from the city as a mature person of good manners and attire without having a tale to tell. Someone capable as you would likely be welcome, but honest and trust are paramount to our need. We are a motley enough gathering, 'tis true, how do you come to answer our advertisement?"

As city folk confuse her a bit, Hellebore also ropes in Arnulf between baking his loaves. He has more savvy for cityfolk and she seeks his counsel on the new employee.

Hellebore She relays her plans for the property - "When springtime arrives, I intend to convert an acre or two around the cottage to orchard grottoes with raspberry and blueberry thickets, particularly at the surround. I can grow these to maturity in a week or two, allowing them to flower this spring and bear fruit as the season passes accordingly. This provides a thick hedge for privacy purposes as well as a plenitude of fruit and honey for ciders, meads, pies, canning, and selling. Privacy, you see, is dear to us."

"Can you, cider? Mead? Are you satisfied tending trees, pathways, and apiaries? Fields of potatoes are fine as well, we have little concern about what you do with the rest of the land, or farmhands from the profit. Farmhands have room to sleep in the loft of the barn."

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AleBelly
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Re: Whereabouts between inspection and ceremony (temporary)

#7 Post by AleBelly »

Marullus wrote:Hellebore is all-business as she interacts with Fionna. She first listens to her, exceptionally brief, tale and then shakes her head. "No, no. You do not come from the city as a mature person of good manners and attire without having a tale to tell. Someone capable as you would likely be welcome, but honest and trust are paramount to our need. We are a motley enough gathering, 'tis true, how do you come to answer our advertisement?"
"Your notice was posted alongside other bills. Not too many looking for farm managers in the middle of winter" replies Fiona, smiling. "Not much to tell about me. I grew up with means, yes, but find a life of living off the backs of others boring. I like to work with my hands. I took up gardening, and found I have a talent for it. I'd rather be out of doors cultivating than shuffling papers around in the dank sewer that is Alleborg."

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Re: Whereabouts between inspection and ceremony (temporary)

#8 Post by Marullus »

Hellebore tries to elicit a little more, giving Arnulf a look to appeal for help.

"Can you, cider? Mead? Are you satisfied tending trees, pathways, and apiaries? Fields of potatoes are fine as well, we have little concern about what you do with the rest of the land, or farmhands from the profit. Farmhands have room to sleep in the loft of the barn."

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Re: The Farmhouse

#9 Post by AleBelly »

"I do not ferment the fruits of my harvest" replies Fiona. "Nor do I find it wise. Alcohol dulls the senses. Not a good proposition in dangerous times such as these."

She blanches at the sleeping arrangements. "As long as you refrain from keeping livestock, I shall supply myself with a bed. Perhaps the hands will sleep in the loft."

Peasant houses such as these usually had livestock living in them in a certain area. We'll go with that here. I'm back home and can post a map of the house soon.

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Re: The Farmhouse

#10 Post by Marullus »

Hellebore looks blandly to the wolf, the raven, then back to Fiona. "I am afraid that animals are rather a feature, here. You are free, however, to make yourself a suitable space for your privacy either in the farmhouse or in the barn loft with the fieldhands as you desire." She nods over towards Hyde, indicating his mishappen grin as he naps. "As for mead and cider... if you do not make it, I do recommend you keep some on hand. Hyde the Heartless, just there, is fond of it and I wish him to be comfortable in his stays."

She regards Arnulf's backside as he bakes and whistles to himself by the oven, pursing her lips. Finally, she turns back to Fiona. "Well enough then, I suppose. If you haven't other questions, I'm content to leave the fruitful work of this farmland to your direction. Ask after a dog of your choosing from the trainer and we'll see to the payment. I will, however, have a talk with him when I return. The dog, that is." She nods, decided, then gets some rest before they set off.

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Re: The Farmhouse

#11 Post by enn.in.me »

He'll scout the area for good spots to place booby-traps and consult Galan on Gnomish varieties of gimmicks.
If any such are decided upon, Yenny will bring Veles' blessing upon them. (From What we know: Veles is often also seen as the god of trickery and deception. He is also seen as a patron deity of illusionists and other practitioners of mystical arts.) Yenny is a big fan of this sort of thing, although particularly skilled in creating them herself.

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