Surcease (storyline)/Shelter from the storm (vignette)
Shelter from the storm
Originally posted on the official forums by GM Quilic on 12/29/2019 at 10:29 AM CST.
Greth stood in the doorway of his bar and watched the snow pelting down, his brow furrowed. It hadn't been this bad until now, and he was growing more and more concerned. The kitchen was fairly full of makeshift cots, each one holding a small child wrapped in a dirty blanket, but several had remarked on others who weren't present. Greth was worried, and his conversation with Socius the previous evening hadn't set his mind at ease as much as the man had clearly hoped.
The children. It always came back to the children in his experience. Greth heaved a sigh and shook his head. He looked over his shoulder at the bar, then back to the snow.
"I can only do what I can do... but I can at least do that much," he grumbled.
He trudged to the bar and pulled a tattered quill, cracked inkwell, and dirty parchment from underneath it. Placing the parchment on the bartop, he dipped the quill in the inkwell, missing the first time, and then began to scrawl slowly. After a moment, his tongue crept out of the corner of his mouth, and his eyes screwed up in concentration. He crossed out a word, then wrote it again, but shook his head and scratched out the new iteration as well. He hurriedly wrapped it up and threw the quill to the bartop with a muttered oath.
He held up the parchment and blew on it, his eyes sweeping back and forth over his penmanship. With a disgusted grunt, he muttered, "S'good enough," and stomped to the kitchen door. He peeked a head in carefully and caught the eye of an elderly man in the corner, holding a young child in his lap and rocking slowly. Greth beckoned, but indicated there was no rush. The elderly man nodded in time with his rocking and then carefully stood up, so as not to stir the young one in his arms. He carefully placed the sleeping child into a cot and tucked a blanket around her before quietly padding across the room to Greth.
Greth handed him the parchment with a rumbling murmur, "Take this to the Commons and post it somewheres that folks will see it. Then go tell Mistress Selbi what we're doin'. And bring in some more of that firewood that's been stockpiled when you get back. We're gonna have some more to take care of, Jastev willing."
Penre accepted the parchment and scanned it quickly, long since used to the oddities of Greth's writing. He glanced at the man, a brief sheen of wetness in his eyes that he quickly blinked away.
"I'd be happy to, Greth. This is a great thing you're doing."
Greth grunted, his expression growing stern.
"I can only do what I can do... but I can at least do that much," he muttered, turning away.
Penre bundled up quickly and wandered out into the snow, and Greth began to stoke up the fire in the bar. There were going to be some cold children who would need the warmth.
In the center of Gardenia Commons, a rough parchment is affixed to a stake driven through the snow and into the ground. Upon further inspection, the parchment reads:
Theres kids out there in the cold that don't got a warm place to sleep. I needs some help roundin em up. Pleez be on the lookow-... lewkou-... keep an eye open fer any of em. If you find one, bring em to my bar n I'll make sure they gots a warm bed an a meal.
~Greth
OOC: Greth needs some help rounding up children lost in the snow! If you find one, tell it to FOLLOW you, and lead it back to Greth's. Your help is greatly appreciated.
-GM Quilic