Players:
Marlot
A witch with a warm heart, although she prefers people to think her cold
Jinx
A lazy cat, who would spend all of his days sleeping if it was up to him
Jack
The golem who’s recent love of fairy tales has unexpected consequences
Marlot sat up with a start, in the other room someone was screaming like she had never heard someone scream before. She hadn’t even gotten a chance to get up when someone forced himself through the door and Jack fell face first onto her bed. Jinx jumped up with fright and Marlot assumed hid under the bed.
“What’s wrong dear, what happened, did someone get inside…” He was crying, his face now in Marlot’s lap and he was shaking with fear. “Jack, please what happened?”
He didn’t speak, but continued to cry and she realized that there must not be any immediate danger or he would be trying to get away, or would have been followed. Marlot smoothed the green hair on his hansom head, eventually he cried himself out. “There were giants Marlot.”
“Where Jack?” She was trying to be kind and although she had spent most of her life trying to make people fear her, she found being kind surprisingly easy, as long as it was only to her golem.
“While I was asleep, it’s like all of those stories I read yesterday were true, but I wasn’t brave or strong, and then I ended up inside of a pumpkin and one of the giants tried to smash it…”
“You had a dream Jack, none of those things can hurt you.”
“What is a dream, is it normal?”
“Perfectly normal my dear, everyone dreams. It’s like moving pictures in your mind, sometimes you will actually be in them and other times you are just watching. Actually it sounds like you had a nightmare, they are bad dreams, still nothing to be frightened of but they do leave you terrified when you wake up.”
“Do nightmares happen often?”
“Usually not, maybe once or twice every few months or so, they might happen more often, I hear tell that people dream every night, they just don’t always remember them.”
“Marlot, I’m too scared to go to sleep.”
“I could read you a story, but I think all of those tales you read yesterday are what caused your nightmare.”
“But I liked them Marlot, please read another, a nice one.”
“Alright,” she got up and looked at Jack sitting on her bed, still wearing the robes she had given him the day he came out of the cauldron. “I think you need something to wear to bed, I know for a fact that robes are not comfortable to sleep in.” she dug around in a drawer until she found an old pair of breaches and a long shirt that she sometimes wore when working out in the garden. “Put these on, I will go fine a story.”
Marlot danced her fingers along the spines of her beautifully illustrated fairy tales. “Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White…no they all have wicked witches and fairies, I don’t want him to be scared of me too. Cinderella, perfect, a bad childhood and fairy god mothers, no bad magic there, or anything to scary.”
When Marlot walked back into her room Jinx was back on the bed, and Jack, who was wearing the long shirt she had given him, seemed to be having difficulties with the breaches. Marlot laughed at her poor clueless golem and she buttoned and tied them around his waist. “Now sit down, and I will read Cinderella.” Marlot lit a candle as Jack curled up under the blankets. “Once there was a gentleman who married, for his second wife, the proudest and most haughty woman that was ever seen…”
As she read, Jack appeared to grow more and more tired, until at last he was snoring gently and she whispered, “And they all lived happily ever after. Good night Jack.” She couldn’t bring herself to wake him up and make him go back into the storage room where she had made a small bed for him, so she left him where he was, blew out the candle, and fell asleep next to him.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Part 10 In which a golem falls in love with fairy tales
Players:
Marlot
A witch who is more than happy to teach her overly curious golem
Golem
A creature who wants a name, and loves fairy tales
The Golem sat at the table peeling potatoes for dinner.
“Marlot, what are all of those things on the shelf, I see you looking at them a lot.”
The witch looked over at the bookshelves, “They are books dear, I used one to make you.”
“What’s a deer?”
“It’s a nick name.”
He sighed then looked back at Marlot, “What is a nick name?”
“I’m sorry golem, I should really explain more to you. A nick name is something you call someone other than their given name. A name is what other people call someone, like my name is Marlot, the cat’s name is Jinx, and Lilly’s name is…well…Lilly.”
“Is my name golem?”
“No, that is just what you are, you don’t have a name.”
“Because I’m not a person.” He looked so sad, like a puppy lost out in the rain.
“You are a person, a very special person, I just haven’t given you a name yet.”
“Other people give you names?”
“Usually parents give their children names before they can talk, but I guess in your case you can choose your own name if you want.”
“How do parents choose names?”
“They are usually something they hear somewhere, like in a story, or a family member, or a friend. I know, I can read you some of my books, the characters often have names, maybe you will find one you like.”
“Can I learn to read?”
“Of course golem.” Marlot walked over to her bookshelf, looking for a story with a name, surprisingly many of them didn’t. Cinderella had a prince charming, as did Snow White. Thumbelina married the king of the fairies, no name there, and the youngest son in Puss in Boots only had a title. “Here’s one golem, Jack the Giant Killer, he has a name.” She told the story of a young man who killed many giants until, with the help of some magic tools he had acquired, he killed the giant who lived in a magnificent castle with a wizard who had bewitched many maidens and lords and a dukes daughter and upon killing the giant the castle vanished and Jack rescued all those imprisoned there, married the duke’s daughter and was given a large estate by her father.
“He sounds brave,” the golem said, his brown eyes were wide with delight and Marlot realized he was seated on the edge of his seat. “Is there more?”
“Not of this story, but there are other stories and a whole lot of nursery rhymes about boys named Jack.”
“Like what?”
“Jack and the beanstalk, it has giants in it too.” The golem didn’t even say a word, he just nodded and grinned, his eyes still alight with fascination.
“Please Marlot, read more, or teach me, then I can read more.”
Marlot was amazed at how quickly he learned to read. They read through Jack the Giant Killer three more times before she moved on to Jack and the Beanstalk. After reading that twice he was able to read most of the nursery rhymes by himself and she wasn’t surprised to see him fascinated by Little Jack Horner, Jack the Piper, The House That Jack Built, Jack Be Nimble, and Jack and Jill.
Marlot had started cooking while the golem read out loud so that she could correct or help him when he got stuck. He also often stopped while reading the rhymes and asked Marlot to explain what they meant, which she did happily. She almost dropped the entire bowl of mashed potatoes on the floor when he gasped. “I have heard this one before.”
“Which one dear?”
‘What are little boys made of?
Snips of snails, and puppy-dogs’ tails,
That’s what little boys are made of.
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice, and everything nice,
That’s what little girls are made of.’
Marlot looked up at him in shock, “You heard that, while you were in the cauldron, I sang it while I added the final ingredients.”
“You made me out of snails and tails?” he looked a little grossed out and then gave her his trademark lopsided smile.
“Eat up Jack, dinner is served.”
The golem's smile spread to a full on grin. “Jack…” he thought about the name for a second, “Yes, and I will be just as brave as the hero’s named before me.”
“I’m sure you will dear.” Marlot lay his dinner down in front of him and pulled the book out of his hands before he could start another rhyme, “now eat.”
Marlot
A witch who is more than happy to teach her overly curious golem
Golem
A creature who wants a name, and loves fairy tales
The Golem sat at the table peeling potatoes for dinner.
“Marlot, what are all of those things on the shelf, I see you looking at them a lot.”
The witch looked over at the bookshelves, “They are books dear, I used one to make you.”
“What’s a deer?”
“It’s a nick name.”
He sighed then looked back at Marlot, “What is a nick name?”
“I’m sorry golem, I should really explain more to you. A nick name is something you call someone other than their given name. A name is what other people call someone, like my name is Marlot, the cat’s name is Jinx, and Lilly’s name is…well…Lilly.”
“Is my name golem?”
“No, that is just what you are, you don’t have a name.”
“Because I’m not a person.” He looked so sad, like a puppy lost out in the rain.
“You are a person, a very special person, I just haven’t given you a name yet.”
“Other people give you names?”
“Usually parents give their children names before they can talk, but I guess in your case you can choose your own name if you want.”
“How do parents choose names?”
“They are usually something they hear somewhere, like in a story, or a family member, or a friend. I know, I can read you some of my books, the characters often have names, maybe you will find one you like.”
“Can I learn to read?”
“Of course golem.” Marlot walked over to her bookshelf, looking for a story with a name, surprisingly many of them didn’t. Cinderella had a prince charming, as did Snow White. Thumbelina married the king of the fairies, no name there, and the youngest son in Puss in Boots only had a title. “Here’s one golem, Jack the Giant Killer, he has a name.” She told the story of a young man who killed many giants until, with the help of some magic tools he had acquired, he killed the giant who lived in a magnificent castle with a wizard who had bewitched many maidens and lords and a dukes daughter and upon killing the giant the castle vanished and Jack rescued all those imprisoned there, married the duke’s daughter and was given a large estate by her father.
“He sounds brave,” the golem said, his brown eyes were wide with delight and Marlot realized he was seated on the edge of his seat. “Is there more?”
“Not of this story, but there are other stories and a whole lot of nursery rhymes about boys named Jack.”
“Like what?”
“Jack and the beanstalk, it has giants in it too.” The golem didn’t even say a word, he just nodded and grinned, his eyes still alight with fascination.
“Please Marlot, read more, or teach me, then I can read more.”
Marlot was amazed at how quickly he learned to read. They read through Jack the Giant Killer three more times before she moved on to Jack and the Beanstalk. After reading that twice he was able to read most of the nursery rhymes by himself and she wasn’t surprised to see him fascinated by Little Jack Horner, Jack the Piper, The House That Jack Built, Jack Be Nimble, and Jack and Jill.
Marlot had started cooking while the golem read out loud so that she could correct or help him when he got stuck. He also often stopped while reading the rhymes and asked Marlot to explain what they meant, which she did happily. She almost dropped the entire bowl of mashed potatoes on the floor when he gasped. “I have heard this one before.”
“Which one dear?”
‘What are little boys made of?
Snips of snails, and puppy-dogs’ tails,
That’s what little boys are made of.
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice, and everything nice,
That’s what little girls are made of.’
Marlot looked up at him in shock, “You heard that, while you were in the cauldron, I sang it while I added the final ingredients.”
“You made me out of snails and tails?” he looked a little grossed out and then gave her his trademark lopsided smile.
“Eat up Jack, dinner is served.”
The golem's smile spread to a full on grin. “Jack…” he thought about the name for a second, “Yes, and I will be just as brave as the hero’s named before me.”
“I’m sure you will dear.” Marlot lay his dinner down in front of him and pulled the book out of his hands before he could start another rhyme, “now eat.”
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Part 9 In which Lilly’s mouth gets her into trouble again
Players:
Marlot
A witch who is very proud of what she has done
Golem
A cheerful golem who is happy to learn
Lilly
A girl who needs to learn to watch her tongue
Knock, Knock, Knock
“Come in Lilly.”
Marlot looked up from her book and laughed at the golem who was the one who had invited Lilly in, and she was still laughing when Lilly came in looking confused.
“It worked!” she said when she saw the golem. “Hello, I’m Lilly.” She sounded almost seductive and held her hand out to him as though she wanted him to kiss it. He looked at her confused, his head once again tilted to the side.
“Hi Lilly.” He looked at her hand and then bent over and licked it.
“Golem!” Marlot yelled, still laughing, “What are you doing?”
“Jinx does that when I reach out for him.”
“That is because for some reason Jinx thinks you are delicious.”
“That’s because he is,” Marlot heard Lilly say under her breath; out loud she said “Oh my goodness Marlot, he is adorable.” She then took his hand and shook it.
“That is what you should have done,” Marlot told the golem.
“Thank you Marlot.”
“You’re welcome golem. You have to explain everything to him at this point,” she told Lilly. “He is still learning.”
“I like learning.” The golem said with his lopsided smile. Lilly almost seemed to melt on the spot and for some reason this aggravated Marlot.
“And you’re doing a fine job, conversation is the first step.” She ruffled the golem’s green hair as she walked past him and took the basket from Lilly.
“Why is his hair green?” Lilly whispered to her not letting go of the basket and pulling Marlot close.
“I think it is because I used branches from my enchanted apple tree to make him.”
“Interesting.” Lilly let go of the basket and Marlot laid out the lunch she had brought.
“Lunch,” the golem said happily, smiling at Marlot.
“Very good. Will you get some water for us? Use three cups from the cupboard over the sink.”
The golem got up and filled three cups with water and then just stood at the sink. “Golem, will you bring them over to the table and set them in front of our chairs.” Lilly was already sitting in her normal seat as was Marlot, an extra plate had been set up in front of the chair he had sat in the day before. Marlot was trying as hard as she could to make everything as easy on her golem as she could.
He walked over and looked at the table, his green eyebrows were knitted together in thought and finally he sat all three cups down in the middle of the table.
“What are you doing?” Lilly said patronizingly.
“Lilly, be nice. Golem, you should put one cup down in the top right corner of each of our plates.”
“Thank you Marlot.”
“I’m here to help.” The golem picked up the cups and placed them where Marlot had indicated.
The rest of the lunch went rather well, Marlot explained things to the golem when he asked or looked confused and Lilly spent the lunch speaking before she thought, more often than not insulting the golem now instead of Marlot.
“Lilly, can I talk to you outside. Golem, will you clean up please, like I showed you yesterday.”
“All of it Marlot?”
“Of course… ow.”
“Yes golem, all of them. Lilly, come with me.” Marlot grabbed Lilly’s arm where she had just pinched her.
Marlot could hear the golem pumping water into the sink and the sound of the dishes in the tub. “Lilly, I know you can’t help the way you are, and I know you are going to insult me on a fairly regular basis, but I would really appreciate you being nice to my golem. He can’t help it that he is kind of dull, he just came out of the cauldron yesterday and he is still learning. The last thing I want is for him to feel self conscious before he even knows what it means.”
“Marlot, I didn’t mean…”
“I know Lilly, but he means a lot to me, please just watch what you say.”
Marlot
A witch who is very proud of what she has done
Golem
A cheerful golem who is happy to learn
Lilly
A girl who needs to learn to watch her tongue
Knock, Knock, Knock
“Come in Lilly.”
Marlot looked up from her book and laughed at the golem who was the one who had invited Lilly in, and she was still laughing when Lilly came in looking confused.
“It worked!” she said when she saw the golem. “Hello, I’m Lilly.” She sounded almost seductive and held her hand out to him as though she wanted him to kiss it. He looked at her confused, his head once again tilted to the side.
“Hi Lilly.” He looked at her hand and then bent over and licked it.
“Golem!” Marlot yelled, still laughing, “What are you doing?”
“Jinx does that when I reach out for him.”
“That is because for some reason Jinx thinks you are delicious.”
“That’s because he is,” Marlot heard Lilly say under her breath; out loud she said “Oh my goodness Marlot, he is adorable.” She then took his hand and shook it.
“That is what you should have done,” Marlot told the golem.
“Thank you Marlot.”
“You’re welcome golem. You have to explain everything to him at this point,” she told Lilly. “He is still learning.”
“I like learning.” The golem said with his lopsided smile. Lilly almost seemed to melt on the spot and for some reason this aggravated Marlot.
“And you’re doing a fine job, conversation is the first step.” She ruffled the golem’s green hair as she walked past him and took the basket from Lilly.
“Why is his hair green?” Lilly whispered to her not letting go of the basket and pulling Marlot close.
“I think it is because I used branches from my enchanted apple tree to make him.”
“Interesting.” Lilly let go of the basket and Marlot laid out the lunch she had brought.
“Lunch,” the golem said happily, smiling at Marlot.
“Very good. Will you get some water for us? Use three cups from the cupboard over the sink.”
The golem got up and filled three cups with water and then just stood at the sink. “Golem, will you bring them over to the table and set them in front of our chairs.” Lilly was already sitting in her normal seat as was Marlot, an extra plate had been set up in front of the chair he had sat in the day before. Marlot was trying as hard as she could to make everything as easy on her golem as she could.
He walked over and looked at the table, his green eyebrows were knitted together in thought and finally he sat all three cups down in the middle of the table.
“What are you doing?” Lilly said patronizingly.
“Lilly, be nice. Golem, you should put one cup down in the top right corner of each of our plates.”
“Thank you Marlot.”
“I’m here to help.” The golem picked up the cups and placed them where Marlot had indicated.
The rest of the lunch went rather well, Marlot explained things to the golem when he asked or looked confused and Lilly spent the lunch speaking before she thought, more often than not insulting the golem now instead of Marlot.
“Lilly, can I talk to you outside. Golem, will you clean up please, like I showed you yesterday.”
“All of it Marlot?”
“Of course… ow.”
“Yes golem, all of them. Lilly, come with me.” Marlot grabbed Lilly’s arm where she had just pinched her.
Marlot could hear the golem pumping water into the sink and the sound of the dishes in the tub. “Lilly, I know you can’t help the way you are, and I know you are going to insult me on a fairly regular basis, but I would really appreciate you being nice to my golem. He can’t help it that he is kind of dull, he just came out of the cauldron yesterday and he is still learning. The last thing I want is for him to feel self conscious before he even knows what it means.”
“Marlot, I didn’t mean…”
“I know Lilly, but he means a lot to me, please just watch what you say.”
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Part 8 In which teaching is harder than it looks
Players:
Marlot
A witch who realizes that when making a friend you must first teach them to talk
Jinx
A cat with a fondness for a certain golem
Golem
The childlike creature now living in Marlot’s cabin
Interesting, thought Marlot, so that would explain why he picks up on certain words and seems to know what they mean. She looked over at her golem who was dressed in one of her black flowing robes and actually looked kind of cute with his green hair sticking up in all directions with Jinx in his lap.
“Are you hungry?” she asked, smiling at him.
He looked up, his head cocked to one side, “hungry?”
“Yes, um, does your stomach feel empty?”
He shook his head, “stomach?” he almost looked distressed, like he was trying to understand but just couldn’t.
Marlot stood up and walked over to him, “Yes stomach, it’s inside of you, here.” She put her hand over his stomach. “When you are hungry your stomach will feel empty and may even growl, then you know you need to eat.”
The golem put his hand over her’s and then looked into her eyes. Her breath caught in her throat, his eyes were so deep and thoughtful and his hand was very warm. “Eat?” His head cocked to one side again but one side of his mouth was higher than the other in, what Marlot realized, was his trademark lopsided smile.
“I’ll make lunch.” She said, pulling her hand out from under his and walked into the kitchen.
She used a simple spell to quickly cook up some chicken that Lilly had brought over the day before and some vegetables from her garden. She placed two plates on the table and looked over at her golem. “Eat up.”
He looked so confused, “Eat up?” he asked.
“Yes, um,” she got up and shooed Jinx off his lap and then took his hands to help him stand. He was so thin, probably from the lack of clay she had used to make him, “come here.” She led him over to the table and to a seat next to her’s, “Sit.”
He did as he was told but still looked confused. “You eat like this.” She picked some chicken up off her plate and put it in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed. He watched her every move, then reached over to her plate and picked up an identical piece of chicken and ate it. Marlot laughed. “No silly, you eat off your plate.” She reached over took some chicken off his plate and put it into his mouth, she felt his soft lips on her fingers and quickly pulled away. He shrugged and mirrored her movements, by putting chicken into her mouth; she almost choked on it she swallowed so fast. “No golem, you eat off your plate.” He sighed and as she ate off of her plate he ate off of his. Wow he does learn fast, she thought to herself.
As they ate Marlot explained what they were eating, about how the vegetables grew outside, where the chicken came from, and about Lilly. He listened intently and occasionally repeated a word or statement and she explained farther. When the finished eating she showed him how to clean up the dishes and explained why they needed to keep the kitchen clean, and that although bugs were useful in her potions they were not nice to have just wondering around the cabin.
“Potions?”
“You should actually say, ‘what are potions?’”
He smiled at Marlot, apparently thrilled to learn something new. “What are potions Marlot.”
“You know my name?” she asked surprised.
“Lilly says it when she talks.” His voice was sweet and hesitant, as though he had to think about every word before he said it.
“So you were listening while you were in the cauldron.”
He nodded cheerfully. “What are potions Marlot?” He asked again, his lopsided smile back in place.
Marlot
A witch who realizes that when making a friend you must first teach them to talk
Jinx
A cat with a fondness for a certain golem
Golem
The childlike creature now living in Marlot’s cabin
Golems learn by observation, much like children only much faster. Make sure you talk to your golem, as much as possible, and show them things, explain situations, and answer questions. The more you tell them the more they learn and the more they can do what they were made for. Eventually golems will develop a sense of self and will be able to make decisions on their own without your direction or input.
Golems can even learn while in incubation so be sure to talk to, or at least near your cauldron as much as possible, it will help the golem learn simple words and their meanings if nothing else. Always remember, golems are sentient beings, and are not animals that will have thoughts, feelings, and personalities unique to each one.
Interesting, thought Marlot, so that would explain why he picks up on certain words and seems to know what they mean. She looked over at her golem who was dressed in one of her black flowing robes and actually looked kind of cute with his green hair sticking up in all directions with Jinx in his lap.
“Are you hungry?” she asked, smiling at him.
He looked up, his head cocked to one side, “hungry?”
“Yes, um, does your stomach feel empty?”
He shook his head, “stomach?” he almost looked distressed, like he was trying to understand but just couldn’t.
Marlot stood up and walked over to him, “Yes stomach, it’s inside of you, here.” She put her hand over his stomach. “When you are hungry your stomach will feel empty and may even growl, then you know you need to eat.”
The golem put his hand over her’s and then looked into her eyes. Her breath caught in her throat, his eyes were so deep and thoughtful and his hand was very warm. “Eat?” His head cocked to one side again but one side of his mouth was higher than the other in, what Marlot realized, was his trademark lopsided smile.
“I’ll make lunch.” She said, pulling her hand out from under his and walked into the kitchen.
She used a simple spell to quickly cook up some chicken that Lilly had brought over the day before and some vegetables from her garden. She placed two plates on the table and looked over at her golem. “Eat up.”
He looked so confused, “Eat up?” he asked.
“Yes, um,” she got up and shooed Jinx off his lap and then took his hands to help him stand. He was so thin, probably from the lack of clay she had used to make him, “come here.” She led him over to the table and to a seat next to her’s, “Sit.”
He did as he was told but still looked confused. “You eat like this.” She picked some chicken up off her plate and put it in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed. He watched her every move, then reached over to her plate and picked up an identical piece of chicken and ate it. Marlot laughed. “No silly, you eat off your plate.” She reached over took some chicken off his plate and put it into his mouth, she felt his soft lips on her fingers and quickly pulled away. He shrugged and mirrored her movements, by putting chicken into her mouth; she almost choked on it she swallowed so fast. “No golem, you eat off your plate.” He sighed and as she ate off of her plate he ate off of his. Wow he does learn fast, she thought to herself.
As they ate Marlot explained what they were eating, about how the vegetables grew outside, where the chicken came from, and about Lilly. He listened intently and occasionally repeated a word or statement and she explained farther. When the finished eating she showed him how to clean up the dishes and explained why they needed to keep the kitchen clean, and that although bugs were useful in her potions they were not nice to have just wondering around the cabin.
“Potions?”
“You should actually say, ‘what are potions?’”
He smiled at Marlot, apparently thrilled to learn something new. “What are potions Marlot.”
“You know my name?” she asked surprised.
“Lilly says it when she talks.” His voice was sweet and hesitant, as though he had to think about every word before he said it.
“So you were listening while you were in the cauldron.”
He nodded cheerfully. “What are potions Marlot?” He asked again, his lopsided smile back in place.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Part 7 In which Marlot’s creation is born
Players:
Marlot
A lonely witch who decided to literally ‘make’ her own friend
Jinx
A lazy cat who is always hungry
Golem
Marlot’s creation
This was it; the smoke had been a brilliant shade of violet for three days. According to the spell book the golem would actually rise out of the potion when he was ready. Marlot was giddy with excitement. She had asked Lilly to stay home today; she wanted to meet her golem on her own and didn’t want to be embarrassed if she had failed.
“Jinx are you ready?” She said grinning at her cat, who for once actually looked interested in something other than food or a toy.
The potion started to boil, something it hadn’t done up to this point, the violet smoke danced playfully and seemed to mirror her excitement. The bubbles grew bigger and the smoke started pouring over the sides, the fire below the caldron went out with a hiss as the potion started to pour out onto the floor and Marlot could swear that she saw something move and then suddenly that something broke the surface and she jumped with delight.
Its hair was so wet that she couldn’t determine what color it was yet, followed by a forehead, and closed eyes, a long thin nose and neck. Thin shoulders were next and a bare chest. Anything below his stomach was still under the potion.
Marlot stared at her creation for a moment, his skin was dark, as though he had a suntan that would never go away, and his hair was about an inch long and was plastered to his head. She whooped with joy and jumped up and down on the spot, this seemed to awaken the creature and mud brown eyes flickered open and he stared blankly back at her.
“I can’t believe it, you’re alive.”
The golem cocked his head to one side and then looked down at himself, examining his fingers and then dipping them into the potion that rose to his waist, then he looked at Marlot questioningly.
“Do you need help out?”
“Out?” he asked, his head cocked to one side again.
“Actually, let me get you a towel first.” She ran to her bedroom and pulled a towel out of her cabinet and then ran back to the kitchen. She giggled as she watched her golem reach his fingers toward Jinx who seemed fascinated by the creature and was licking his fingers eagerly.
“It’s good to see that you two get along.” The golem looked back at her, a crooked smile on his apple red lips. Marlot felt almost embarrassed as she threw the towel over his head which was only about two inches higher than her own and she rubbed his hair dry, he kept smiling and she thought she heard him laughing. When she pulled back the blanked he smiled up at her, that same crooked smile.
“Do you like that?” she giggled, his eyes were such a dark muddy brown, the same color as the mud she had used to make him. She flipped out the towel and placed it around his shoulders wrapping him tight. She looked back up and smiled at him and then noticed his hair. It was the same bright green as the leaves on her apple tree, and the branch she had used to form his head. “Oh my.” His smile faded and he looked confused again, his head tilted as he reached up to his hair. “Don’t worry golem, your hair is just a little, unexpected.”
“Unexpected?” he asked, his head still tilted, his fingers buried in his hair.
“Yes, unexpected. People don’t usually have green hair, blond, brown, black, even red are normal, but green not so much. Come on, I will help you out.” She took his hands and helped him step out of the cauldron. She tried not to look at the fact that he was male and that the snails and puppy dog tails had done their work. “We need to find you some clothes my friend. You can’t walk around in a towel all the time.”
“Clothes?”
Marlot bit her lip, wondering how golems learned and if it would be just a word at a time, or if he understood anything she said at all but just picked out words to repeat like a parrot. “Yes clothes, like my robes…which I think will probably work for you for the time being. I really didn’t think any of this through.”
The witch left to find a clean robe as Jinx continued bathing the golem by licking his toes; she could hear her creation giggling.
Marlot
A lonely witch who decided to literally ‘make’ her own friend
Jinx
A lazy cat who is always hungry
Golem
Marlot’s creation
This was it; the smoke had been a brilliant shade of violet for three days. According to the spell book the golem would actually rise out of the potion when he was ready. Marlot was giddy with excitement. She had asked Lilly to stay home today; she wanted to meet her golem on her own and didn’t want to be embarrassed if she had failed.
“Jinx are you ready?” She said grinning at her cat, who for once actually looked interested in something other than food or a toy.
The potion started to boil, something it hadn’t done up to this point, the violet smoke danced playfully and seemed to mirror her excitement. The bubbles grew bigger and the smoke started pouring over the sides, the fire below the caldron went out with a hiss as the potion started to pour out onto the floor and Marlot could swear that she saw something move and then suddenly that something broke the surface and she jumped with delight.
Its hair was so wet that she couldn’t determine what color it was yet, followed by a forehead, and closed eyes, a long thin nose and neck. Thin shoulders were next and a bare chest. Anything below his stomach was still under the potion.
Marlot stared at her creation for a moment, his skin was dark, as though he had a suntan that would never go away, and his hair was about an inch long and was plastered to his head. She whooped with joy and jumped up and down on the spot, this seemed to awaken the creature and mud brown eyes flickered open and he stared blankly back at her.
“I can’t believe it, you’re alive.”
The golem cocked his head to one side and then looked down at himself, examining his fingers and then dipping them into the potion that rose to his waist, then he looked at Marlot questioningly.
“Do you need help out?”
“Out?” he asked, his head cocked to one side again.
“Actually, let me get you a towel first.” She ran to her bedroom and pulled a towel out of her cabinet and then ran back to the kitchen. She giggled as she watched her golem reach his fingers toward Jinx who seemed fascinated by the creature and was licking his fingers eagerly.
“It’s good to see that you two get along.” The golem looked back at her, a crooked smile on his apple red lips. Marlot felt almost embarrassed as she threw the towel over his head which was only about two inches higher than her own and she rubbed his hair dry, he kept smiling and she thought she heard him laughing. When she pulled back the blanked he smiled up at her, that same crooked smile.
“Do you like that?” she giggled, his eyes were such a dark muddy brown, the same color as the mud she had used to make him. She flipped out the towel and placed it around his shoulders wrapping him tight. She looked back up and smiled at him and then noticed his hair. It was the same bright green as the leaves on her apple tree, and the branch she had used to form his head. “Oh my.” His smile faded and he looked confused again, his head tilted as he reached up to his hair. “Don’t worry golem, your hair is just a little, unexpected.”
“Unexpected?” he asked, his head still tilted, his fingers buried in his hair.
“Yes, unexpected. People don’t usually have green hair, blond, brown, black, even red are normal, but green not so much. Come on, I will help you out.” She took his hands and helped him step out of the cauldron. She tried not to look at the fact that he was male and that the snails and puppy dog tails had done their work. “We need to find you some clothes my friend. You can’t walk around in a towel all the time.”
“Clothes?”
Marlot bit her lip, wondering how golems learned and if it would be just a word at a time, or if he understood anything she said at all but just picked out words to repeat like a parrot. “Yes clothes, like my robes…which I think will probably work for you for the time being. I really didn’t think any of this through.”
The witch left to find a clean robe as Jinx continued bathing the golem by licking his toes; she could hear her creation giggling.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Part 6 In which Lilly is starting to learn
Players:
Marlot
A witch in want of a friend
Lilly
A local farmer’s daughter who is trying to learn how to talk to people without insulting them
Marlot stared at the potion impatiently, there was only a week left and then she would know if it had worked or not.
Knock, Knock, Knock
“Come in.”
“Hi Marlot.”
“Good morning Lilly,” the farmer’s daughter walked in, a flash of color and cheerfulness in the rather dark and dust cottage and instantly set to work making tea.
“How much longer?”
“Another week, it has to be violet for four days, it just turned indigo yesterday.”
“So it goes through the colors of the rainbow.”
“Yep, it’s kind of neat to watch actually, each color has its own smoke patterns and density.”
“Teas ready.” Lilly handed Marlot a cup of the steaming liquid, “don’t worry so much, I’m sure you did it right.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Lilly had that look again, as though she know Marlot actually did appreciate her even though she pretended she didn’t care.
The witch drank her tea in silence. Lilly had been stopping by every day since she had asked for a love potion. Marlot enjoyed the company despite herself but she also knew she would never tell Lilly as much.
“I hope he is handsome.” Lilly looked wistful as she sat drinking her tea. “Even if he is going to be short.”
“What is wrong with being short?”
“Why would you make someone to help you around the house if he isn’t going to be able to reach the high places?”
“But he is just to keep me company, not to be a servant or anything.”
“Sure, okay.”
Marlot glared at her thoughtless friend, knowing Lilly was on the verge of saying something cruel.
“I mean…never mind.”
“Lilly,” Marlot sighed and looked into her tea, “I don’t want to fight with you, but please if you have something to say don’t be mean about it.” She stopped talking before she did exactly what she was asking Lilly not to.
“I’m sorry Marlot, I’m trying really.”
“I know.”
Marlot
A witch in want of a friend
Lilly
A local farmer’s daughter who is trying to learn how to talk to people without insulting them
Marlot stared at the potion impatiently, there was only a week left and then she would know if it had worked or not.
Knock, Knock, Knock
“Come in.”
“Hi Marlot.”
“Good morning Lilly,” the farmer’s daughter walked in, a flash of color and cheerfulness in the rather dark and dust cottage and instantly set to work making tea.
“How much longer?”
“Another week, it has to be violet for four days, it just turned indigo yesterday.”
“So it goes through the colors of the rainbow.”
“Yep, it’s kind of neat to watch actually, each color has its own smoke patterns and density.”
“Teas ready.” Lilly handed Marlot a cup of the steaming liquid, “don’t worry so much, I’m sure you did it right.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Lilly had that look again, as though she know Marlot actually did appreciate her even though she pretended she didn’t care.
The witch drank her tea in silence. Lilly had been stopping by every day since she had asked for a love potion. Marlot enjoyed the company despite herself but she also knew she would never tell Lilly as much.
“I hope he is handsome.” Lilly looked wistful as she sat drinking her tea. “Even if he is going to be short.”
“What is wrong with being short?”
“Why would you make someone to help you around the house if he isn’t going to be able to reach the high places?”
“But he is just to keep me company, not to be a servant or anything.”
“Sure, okay.”
Marlot glared at her thoughtless friend, knowing Lilly was on the verge of saying something cruel.
“I mean…never mind.”
“Lilly,” Marlot sighed and looked into her tea, “I don’t want to fight with you, but please if you have something to say don’t be mean about it.” She stopped talking before she did exactly what she was asking Lilly not to.
“I’m sorry Marlot, I’m trying really.”
“I know.”
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Part 5 In which Lilly knows something Marlot doesn’t
Players:
Marlot
A lonely witch who is learning that making friends doesn’t mean from scratch
Jinx
A lazy cat with nothing better to lay around and keep Marlot company
Lilly
A young woman who needs to learn to think before she speaks
Marlot sat at the kitchen table watching the bright green smoke dance across the surface of her potion. The tendrils spun and twirled in a merry dance and she had to keep an eye on Jinx to make sure he didn’t try to play with it.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
“Now who in the world.” She stood up and walked over to the door and pulled it open an inch. “What are you doing here?”
“Lunch,” Lilly said simply, holding out a picnic basket with the smells of fresh baked bread and herbs wafting out of it.
“Smells good, I guess you can come in.”
Lilly half skipped past Marlot and sat the basket on the table. She then pulled out a very large loaf of bread, a small cooked chicken, and an apple pie. “I used the apples you gave me the other day to make the pie,” she said, holding it out to Marlot so she could smell the cinnamon and baked apples.
“Why?”
“I like you, or at least you are nicer to me than most of the people back at the village.”
Marlot dug around in her drawers until she found the bread knife and some jam that she had been saving, but she wasn’t sure for what. “They must be really mean if you think I’m nice.”
“Well, actually they are sneakier about it, talking behind my back, smiling to my face. You are straight forward, and like I said before, interesting. I can tell that you are the kind of person that everyone knows where they stand with you because you will tell it as it is.”
“So you want to torture yourself by spending time with me. This chicken is really good by the way.”
“Thank you.” Lilly smiled at Marlot in a way that made the witch suspicious, but she wasn’t sure why.
“I’m still not making you a love potion.”
“I know, I don’t want it anymore. I think you were right about the man not being worth my love…I saw him with the baker’s daughter this morning and he seemed very happy. Word is that they are going to get married in the fall.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, I’ll find someone eventually right? So please, what is a golem? I realize that you are making something male but I don’t quite understand what it is.”
Marlot cut off another piece of the soft squishy bread and spread strawberry jam on it. “A golem is a creature that can move and think on its own but it is made out of clay and whatever else the creator chose to use.”
“Fascinating. How much longer?”
“Almost two weeks, yesterday was the halfway point, which is why I needed snails.”
“Will he be handsome?”
“I’m not even sure it is going to work. Do you want some tea?”
Lilly smiled at her again, that same knowing smile that Marlot couldn’t quite figure out what it meant. “Yes please. So why are you making a golem?”
“Because Jinx isn’t much of a conversationalist and I was bored. I really should have thought it through more, but it is too late now.”
“You made a golem so you would just have someone to talk to, that’s kind of selfish isn’t it?”
Marlot picked the tea pot up off the wood stove and glared at the young woman. “Didn’t I tell you it wasn’t a good idea to insult a witch?”
Lilly put her head in her hands, “I’m sorry Marlot, and I did it again. It’s just that you actually seem like a decent person and you could probably have all the friends you want, but instead you make your own instead of trying to go out and meet people who might need you as much as you need them.”
The witch sat down across from her house guest and watched her closely. Lilly did seam sorry, but Marlot wasn’t sure how many insults she could take before she kicked the woman out for good. “You know the stories right? How witches are bad, they cast evil spells and poison maidens with apples, the same apples that you made that pie out of. How do you know they aren’t poisonous? Witches are dangerous Lilly, unpredictable and wicked. You still want to be my friend.”
“Yes, because I don’t believe you are any of those things or you would have cursed me the moment I walked up to your garden wall. Your good Marlot, when will you accept that, I promise you will be much happier after you do? I’ll leave if you want.”
Marlot nodded, “please, I have work to do.”
Lilly picked up her basket and left. Marlot stared at the tea pot still in her hands rather than look at the only person she had had any kind of conversation with in years. The witch looked over at the table to see all of the food still spread out and she felt guilty.
Marlot
A lonely witch who is learning that making friends doesn’t mean from scratch
Jinx
A lazy cat with nothing better to lay around and keep Marlot company
Lilly
A young woman who needs to learn to think before she speaks
Marlot sat at the kitchen table watching the bright green smoke dance across the surface of her potion. The tendrils spun and twirled in a merry dance and she had to keep an eye on Jinx to make sure he didn’t try to play with it.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
“Now who in the world.” She stood up and walked over to the door and pulled it open an inch. “What are you doing here?”
“Lunch,” Lilly said simply, holding out a picnic basket with the smells of fresh baked bread and herbs wafting out of it.
“Smells good, I guess you can come in.”
Lilly half skipped past Marlot and sat the basket on the table. She then pulled out a very large loaf of bread, a small cooked chicken, and an apple pie. “I used the apples you gave me the other day to make the pie,” she said, holding it out to Marlot so she could smell the cinnamon and baked apples.
“Why?”
“I like you, or at least you are nicer to me than most of the people back at the village.”
Marlot dug around in her drawers until she found the bread knife and some jam that she had been saving, but she wasn’t sure for what. “They must be really mean if you think I’m nice.”
“Well, actually they are sneakier about it, talking behind my back, smiling to my face. You are straight forward, and like I said before, interesting. I can tell that you are the kind of person that everyone knows where they stand with you because you will tell it as it is.”
“So you want to torture yourself by spending time with me. This chicken is really good by the way.”
“Thank you.” Lilly smiled at Marlot in a way that made the witch suspicious, but she wasn’t sure why.
“I’m still not making you a love potion.”
“I know, I don’t want it anymore. I think you were right about the man not being worth my love…I saw him with the baker’s daughter this morning and he seemed very happy. Word is that they are going to get married in the fall.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, I’ll find someone eventually right? So please, what is a golem? I realize that you are making something male but I don’t quite understand what it is.”
Marlot cut off another piece of the soft squishy bread and spread strawberry jam on it. “A golem is a creature that can move and think on its own but it is made out of clay and whatever else the creator chose to use.”
“Fascinating. How much longer?”
“Almost two weeks, yesterday was the halfway point, which is why I needed snails.”
“Will he be handsome?”
“I’m not even sure it is going to work. Do you want some tea?”
Lilly smiled at her again, that same knowing smile that Marlot couldn’t quite figure out what it meant. “Yes please. So why are you making a golem?”
“Because Jinx isn’t much of a conversationalist and I was bored. I really should have thought it through more, but it is too late now.”
“You made a golem so you would just have someone to talk to, that’s kind of selfish isn’t it?”
Marlot picked the tea pot up off the wood stove and glared at the young woman. “Didn’t I tell you it wasn’t a good idea to insult a witch?”
Lilly put her head in her hands, “I’m sorry Marlot, and I did it again. It’s just that you actually seem like a decent person and you could probably have all the friends you want, but instead you make your own instead of trying to go out and meet people who might need you as much as you need them.”
The witch sat down across from her house guest and watched her closely. Lilly did seam sorry, but Marlot wasn’t sure how many insults she could take before she kicked the woman out for good. “You know the stories right? How witches are bad, they cast evil spells and poison maidens with apples, the same apples that you made that pie out of. How do you know they aren’t poisonous? Witches are dangerous Lilly, unpredictable and wicked. You still want to be my friend.”
“Yes, because I don’t believe you are any of those things or you would have cursed me the moment I walked up to your garden wall. Your good Marlot, when will you accept that, I promise you will be much happier after you do? I’ll leave if you want.”
Marlot nodded, “please, I have work to do.”
Lilly picked up her basket and left. Marlot stared at the tea pot still in her hands rather than look at the only person she had had any kind of conversation with in years. The witch looked over at the table to see all of the food still spread out and she felt guilty.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Part 4 In which Marlot makes a new friend
Players:
Marlot
A witch who doesn’t really like people that much, but is really lonely
Jinx
Her cat, the real master of the house
Young Woman
A farm girl who won’t leave Marlot alone
Marlot stood watching the young woman, who to the witch’s surprise smiled at her. “That is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me, do you know that.”
“But…what…who…alright lady, explain.”
The young woman motioned toward the garden gate, “may I come in?”
Sighing Marlot nodded, “only for as long as it takes you to tell me why you are still here and not yelling at me for telling you no.”
“I’m Lilly” the woman said as she walked through the gate and sat down on the wall near Marlot. “Usually when I tell people that I’m in love but the man doesn’t feel the same they…they say that I must not be worth it. Worth his time, his love, that I’m not good enough for him or his family. My father is just a local farmer and they are always the sons of bankers, or blacksmiths, or someone important.”
“I’m…sorry.” Marlot shook out her robes and then sat down next to Lilly. Jinx, seeing that his mistress was now sitting decided that her lap was where he wanted to be and Marlot absently scratched his ears. “I’m sure someday you will find someone.”
“Or I can be like you and make someone.”
“Well if you’re going to be like that.” The witch stood up again holding Jinx in her arms, and walked away, hoping that she had collected enough snails.
“Marlot!” She yelled after the witch, “I’m sorry.”
Marlot closed the door behind her and sat Jinx down on the table. “Now I remember why I don’t like humans.” She said to the cat who meowed and walked over to his food bowl. “Jinx, I love you but sometimes I feel like the pet and that you are my master.” She ran a hand down his back as she poured food into his bowl and his back arched under her fingers.
She was straightening up when there was a loud knocking at the door and Lilly was yelling “MARLOT, I know you are in there!”
Marlot ignored the woman and lined the new ingredients up on the table. There was the jar of snails she had found in the garden and the puppy dog tails which were wrapped in paper which she chose to ignore until she needed them. Marlot liked being a witch but there were some things about it that she wasn’t very fond of, and one of them were the tails she couldn’t look at, and the other was the fact that she still needed to snip the snails into the potion. She looked over at the boiling cauldron of dark liquid. The smoke coming off of it had changed colors every couple of days and out of curiosity she had opened the spell book again to make sure she had done everything right, which is when she had discovered that there were more ingredients that needed to be added at the halfway point. Two weeks into ‘incubation’ as the book called it, and on the third day after the smoke changed from yellow to green. According to the spell book the ingredients that she choose to add would determine the gender of the golem. “Who knew the poem was right,” she said to jinx before she scooped him up off the floor and spun him around singing:
‘What are little boys made of?
Snips of snails, and puppy-dogs’ tails,
That’s what little boys are made of.
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice, and everything nice,
That’s what little girls are made of.’
Marlot looked down at the cat in her arms and at the door where she could still hear Lilly walking around and occasionally yelling for the witch to come back, and that she hadn’t meant what she had said. “I guess it’s not what witches are made of though.” She sat Jinx back down on the floor and walked over to the door and opened it to see Lilly about to knock again.
“Oh, I didn’t think you were actually going to open up.”
“And you are still not going away.”
“No, I wanted to talk to you some more. Your… interesting.”
“And I’m busy, trust me, if you thought looking for snails was gross then you really don’t want to watch me snipping them up.”
“No, I guess not. May I come in anyway?”
“It’s never a good idea to insult a witch.”
“I already said I was sorry.”
Marlot stepped out of the way of the door to allow the young woman in.
Marlot
A witch who doesn’t really like people that much, but is really lonely
Jinx
Her cat, the real master of the house
Young Woman
A farm girl who won’t leave Marlot alone
Marlot stood watching the young woman, who to the witch’s surprise smiled at her. “That is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me, do you know that.”
“But…what…who…alright lady, explain.”
The young woman motioned toward the garden gate, “may I come in?”
Sighing Marlot nodded, “only for as long as it takes you to tell me why you are still here and not yelling at me for telling you no.”
“I’m Lilly” the woman said as she walked through the gate and sat down on the wall near Marlot. “Usually when I tell people that I’m in love but the man doesn’t feel the same they…they say that I must not be worth it. Worth his time, his love, that I’m not good enough for him or his family. My father is just a local farmer and they are always the sons of bankers, or blacksmiths, or someone important.”
“I’m…sorry.” Marlot shook out her robes and then sat down next to Lilly. Jinx, seeing that his mistress was now sitting decided that her lap was where he wanted to be and Marlot absently scratched his ears. “I’m sure someday you will find someone.”
“Or I can be like you and make someone.”
“Well if you’re going to be like that.” The witch stood up again holding Jinx in her arms, and walked away, hoping that she had collected enough snails.
“Marlot!” She yelled after the witch, “I’m sorry.”
Marlot closed the door behind her and sat Jinx down on the table. “Now I remember why I don’t like humans.” She said to the cat who meowed and walked over to his food bowl. “Jinx, I love you but sometimes I feel like the pet and that you are my master.” She ran a hand down his back as she poured food into his bowl and his back arched under her fingers.
She was straightening up when there was a loud knocking at the door and Lilly was yelling “MARLOT, I know you are in there!”
Marlot ignored the woman and lined the new ingredients up on the table. There was the jar of snails she had found in the garden and the puppy dog tails which were wrapped in paper which she chose to ignore until she needed them. Marlot liked being a witch but there were some things about it that she wasn’t very fond of, and one of them were the tails she couldn’t look at, and the other was the fact that she still needed to snip the snails into the potion. She looked over at the boiling cauldron of dark liquid. The smoke coming off of it had changed colors every couple of days and out of curiosity she had opened the spell book again to make sure she had done everything right, which is when she had discovered that there were more ingredients that needed to be added at the halfway point. Two weeks into ‘incubation’ as the book called it, and on the third day after the smoke changed from yellow to green. According to the spell book the ingredients that she choose to add would determine the gender of the golem. “Who knew the poem was right,” she said to jinx before she scooped him up off the floor and spun him around singing:
‘What are little boys made of?
Snips of snails, and puppy-dogs’ tails,
That’s what little boys are made of.
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice, and everything nice,
That’s what little girls are made of.’
Marlot looked down at the cat in her arms and at the door where she could still hear Lilly walking around and occasionally yelling for the witch to come back, and that she hadn’t meant what she had said. “I guess it’s not what witches are made of though.” She sat Jinx back down on the floor and walked over to the door and opened it to see Lilly about to knock again.
“Oh, I didn’t think you were actually going to open up.”
“And you are still not going away.”
“No, I wanted to talk to you some more. Your… interesting.”
“And I’m busy, trust me, if you thought looking for snails was gross then you really don’t want to watch me snipping them up.”
“No, I guess not. May I come in anyway?”
“It’s never a good idea to insult a witch.”
“I already said I was sorry.”
Marlot stepped out of the way of the door to allow the young woman in.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Part 3 In which Marlot looks for snails and meets someone new
Players:
Marlot
A lonely witch who is franticly working to make herself a companion, in the form of a golem
Jinx
Marlot’s lazy cat who seems to be rather fond of his mistress, just kind of useless
Young Woman
Someone from the nearby town who has a question for a witch
Two weeks later Marlot found herself on her hands and knees in the garden looking for snails.
“Excuse me, are you the witch?”
Marlot looked up for a moment to see a young dark haired woman standing on the other side of the garden wall looking nervous. Jinx stood up from where he had been sunning a few feet away from the woman and sniffed her, probably looking for food, or attention.
“Last time I checked I was one.”
“What are you doing?”
“Looking for snails. Why are you here?”
“Snails?” The young woman scoffed, “why do you want snails?”
“Because I already have the puppy dog tails. Now tell me, what do you want?”
“What are you making, a boy?” her look was of disgust, but there was still a hint of nervousness about her, despite how rude she was being.
“Something like that, now leave me alone.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. I was looking for Marlot the witch because I wanted to ask for a potion. I can pay you.”
“I’m not interested, goodbye.” Marlot lifted a tree branch to see if there were any snails under it.
“But…” the woman was silent for a moment, “But surely you need gold,” she argued, holding out a small bag that jingled slightly.
“Nope, I trade for most of what I need.”
“What about snails, you can buy some in town.”
“I try to avoid town if I can help it.”
“Then I could buy them for you, then it would be like a trade.” She seemed almost excited now.
“They sell snails in town?” Marlot thought about the offer for a moment, she still didn’t know exactly what the girl wanted and she didn’t like agreeing to anything until she knew exactly what she was getting into. “No, I don’t think so, wild snails are better anyway.”
“For making boys! What are you going to do, eat him.” The girl was angry now, almost desperate.
“I’m not going to eat him, and I’m not making boys, I’m making a golem. But it turns out that there were more ingredients on the second page that I didn’t see when I started it and at the halfway point you have to add in either sugar and spice and what not, or snails and puppy tails. Which is why I am looking for snails. Now will you please leave me alone!”
“A golem? What’s that?”
“You’re not going to go away are you?”
“Not until I get what I want.”
“And that is?”
“A love potion.”
Marlot froze, the girl sounded like she had been thinking about this for a while and that a love potion was what she wanted and, in her mind, a love potion is what she was going to get.
“I don’t make those.”
“Please.” She was pleading now. “I love him so much, but…”
Marlot stood up and looked the girl straight in the eye. “But he doesn’t love you, and your heart would break without him, and when he is around you feel like you can fly, yadda yadda yadda. If he doesn’t love you without the potion then trust me, he isn’t worth it.”
“How did you know?”
“Because that is what everyone says when they come asking for a love potion.”
Marlot was watching the woman carefully. Everyone responded differently to her saying no, some burst into tears, others got angry, but rarely did any of them respond like this annoying girl.
Marlot
A lonely witch who is franticly working to make herself a companion, in the form of a golem
Jinx
Marlot’s lazy cat who seems to be rather fond of his mistress, just kind of useless
Young Woman
Someone from the nearby town who has a question for a witch
Two weeks later Marlot found herself on her hands and knees in the garden looking for snails.
“Excuse me, are you the witch?”
Marlot looked up for a moment to see a young dark haired woman standing on the other side of the garden wall looking nervous. Jinx stood up from where he had been sunning a few feet away from the woman and sniffed her, probably looking for food, or attention.
“Last time I checked I was one.”
“What are you doing?”
“Looking for snails. Why are you here?”
“Snails?” The young woman scoffed, “why do you want snails?”
“Because I already have the puppy dog tails. Now tell me, what do you want?”
“What are you making, a boy?” her look was of disgust, but there was still a hint of nervousness about her, despite how rude she was being.
“Something like that, now leave me alone.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. I was looking for Marlot the witch because I wanted to ask for a potion. I can pay you.”
“I’m not interested, goodbye.” Marlot lifted a tree branch to see if there were any snails under it.
“But…” the woman was silent for a moment, “But surely you need gold,” she argued, holding out a small bag that jingled slightly.
“Nope, I trade for most of what I need.”
“What about snails, you can buy some in town.”
“I try to avoid town if I can help it.”
“Then I could buy them for you, then it would be like a trade.” She seemed almost excited now.
“They sell snails in town?” Marlot thought about the offer for a moment, she still didn’t know exactly what the girl wanted and she didn’t like agreeing to anything until she knew exactly what she was getting into. “No, I don’t think so, wild snails are better anyway.”
“For making boys! What are you going to do, eat him.” The girl was angry now, almost desperate.
“I’m not going to eat him, and I’m not making boys, I’m making a golem. But it turns out that there were more ingredients on the second page that I didn’t see when I started it and at the halfway point you have to add in either sugar and spice and what not, or snails and puppy tails. Which is why I am looking for snails. Now will you please leave me alone!”
“A golem? What’s that?”
“You’re not going to go away are you?”
“Not until I get what I want.”
“And that is?”
“A love potion.”
Marlot froze, the girl sounded like she had been thinking about this for a while and that a love potion was what she wanted and, in her mind, a love potion is what she was going to get.
“I don’t make those.”
“Please.” She was pleading now. “I love him so much, but…”
Marlot stood up and looked the girl straight in the eye. “But he doesn’t love you, and your heart would break without him, and when he is around you feel like you can fly, yadda yadda yadda. If he doesn’t love you without the potion then trust me, he isn’t worth it.”
“How did you know?”
“Because that is what everyone says when they come asking for a love potion.”
Marlot was watching the woman carefully. Everyone responded differently to her saying no, some burst into tears, others got angry, but rarely did any of them respond like this annoying girl.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Part 2 In which a witch starts building a golem
Players:
Marlot
A witch, bored out of her mind with loneliness and has decided the best way to relieve her boredom is to create a golem companion
Jinx
The most useless mostly black cat a witch has ever had
The story continues as Marlot looked through the list of ingredients with growing anticipation.
“I can probably pull this off,” she whispered, “the recipe doesn’t look too hard, the incantation is a bit complex but at least I can tell what it means.” The witch leaned back in her chair, “What to make him out of,” she wondered out loud, “of course clay would be necessary but it says that isn’t the only thing you can make them out of and I don’t have much.” She stood up and walked to her storage closet which was stuffed with any number of odds and ends she had collected over the years. “There it is,” she pulled out a pail of dry clay ‘add water and your good to go’ said the note tied to the handle. A fellow witch had traded the clay for a start off of Marlot’s apple tree, which grew apples perfect for adding spells and potions too. Marlot liked to pretend that it was for poisonous apples, but she herself had never actually used it for that purpose and she was fairly certain that the other witch hadn’t either because the apples also made truly amazing pies.
“There isn’t much here,” she said, looking over at Jinx who was pretending not to watch her every move. “But there is plenty of mud outside, and sticks. That is how I will make him, form the clay around some sticks, make him look like a man, and then coat it all in mud to make him a little bigger. It will be perfect.” She smiled at Jinx who yawned back and rolled over, still on top of the table his black and white feet on his chest.
Outside she went to the shed and found a wheelbarrow and a shovel, which she used to gather some of the mud caused by the rain the night before. The sticks she was able to find were from the foot of her apple tree and she wondered what kind of effect enchanted sticks would have on a golem, “I guess I will find out,” she said to Jinx who had followed her out. She held up a rather large branch, about the length of her torso with a mass of green leaves sticking out the top in random directions like a head of hair, the other end of the branch was still green, it must have been knocked down in the storm.
Back at her table Marlot arranged the other ingredients for her potion in a row and she was rather impressed that she actually had everything, even though most of it was tucked away in strange places, like the small attic and a bottle of dragons blood was under a floor board in the kitchen. She smiled at Jinx as he batted at one of the leaves on the branch and she scratched his ears.
She mixed the clay with water until it became easy to work with and then arranged the sticks and branches to resemble a person. The book said that it just needed to slightly resemble a human with a body, arms, legs, and a head, everything else would be formed by the potion over the next month. She then covered the branches with the clay until they resembled a rather skinny man and over it all she put the mud, which didn’t exactly have the desired effect and looked more like he was wearing very dirty clothes rather than being normal sized. Marlot giggled over her creation, not very witch like, but she was more giddy than malicious. Looking closely at the image in the book she turned his arm so that the inside of his wrist was facing up and into the clay she drew the tree of life, the symbol that would animate her creation.
After her golem was put together she hurried to make the potion, but realized that her largest cauldron wasn’t nearly as big as she had thought, it barely rose to her hip at its highest point but it would have to do and she wondered how short her golem would be if he was small enough for the potion to rise over his head but she didn’t mind, she wasn’t very tall herself. She gently sat her muddy man cross legged into the cauldron and began to poor her finished liquid over him until he disappeared under the dark liquid. Some of the leaves that had made up his hair floated on the surface and then vanished as though eaten by acid. “Jinx, don’t touch this, I’m not sure what it will do to you.” The cat opened one eye in acknowledgment and then went back to sleep. The fire she built under the cauldron would have to burn for the entire month or all her work would be in vain.
Marlot
A witch, bored out of her mind with loneliness and has decided the best way to relieve her boredom is to create a golem companion
Jinx
The most useless mostly black cat a witch has ever had
The story continues as Marlot looked through the list of ingredients with growing anticipation.
“I can probably pull this off,” she whispered, “the recipe doesn’t look too hard, the incantation is a bit complex but at least I can tell what it means.” The witch leaned back in her chair, “What to make him out of,” she wondered out loud, “of course clay would be necessary but it says that isn’t the only thing you can make them out of and I don’t have much.” She stood up and walked to her storage closet which was stuffed with any number of odds and ends she had collected over the years. “There it is,” she pulled out a pail of dry clay ‘add water and your good to go’ said the note tied to the handle. A fellow witch had traded the clay for a start off of Marlot’s apple tree, which grew apples perfect for adding spells and potions too. Marlot liked to pretend that it was for poisonous apples, but she herself had never actually used it for that purpose and she was fairly certain that the other witch hadn’t either because the apples also made truly amazing pies.
“There isn’t much here,” she said, looking over at Jinx who was pretending not to watch her every move. “But there is plenty of mud outside, and sticks. That is how I will make him, form the clay around some sticks, make him look like a man, and then coat it all in mud to make him a little bigger. It will be perfect.” She smiled at Jinx who yawned back and rolled over, still on top of the table his black and white feet on his chest.
Outside she went to the shed and found a wheelbarrow and a shovel, which she used to gather some of the mud caused by the rain the night before. The sticks she was able to find were from the foot of her apple tree and she wondered what kind of effect enchanted sticks would have on a golem, “I guess I will find out,” she said to Jinx who had followed her out. She held up a rather large branch, about the length of her torso with a mass of green leaves sticking out the top in random directions like a head of hair, the other end of the branch was still green, it must have been knocked down in the storm.
Back at her table Marlot arranged the other ingredients for her potion in a row and she was rather impressed that she actually had everything, even though most of it was tucked away in strange places, like the small attic and a bottle of dragons blood was under a floor board in the kitchen. She smiled at Jinx as he batted at one of the leaves on the branch and she scratched his ears.
She mixed the clay with water until it became easy to work with and then arranged the sticks and branches to resemble a person. The book said that it just needed to slightly resemble a human with a body, arms, legs, and a head, everything else would be formed by the potion over the next month. She then covered the branches with the clay until they resembled a rather skinny man and over it all she put the mud, which didn’t exactly have the desired effect and looked more like he was wearing very dirty clothes rather than being normal sized. Marlot giggled over her creation, not very witch like, but she was more giddy than malicious. Looking closely at the image in the book she turned his arm so that the inside of his wrist was facing up and into the clay she drew the tree of life, the symbol that would animate her creation.
After her golem was put together she hurried to make the potion, but realized that her largest cauldron wasn’t nearly as big as she had thought, it barely rose to her hip at its highest point but it would have to do and she wondered how short her golem would be if he was small enough for the potion to rise over his head but she didn’t mind, she wasn’t very tall herself. She gently sat her muddy man cross legged into the cauldron and began to poor her finished liquid over him until he disappeared under the dark liquid. Some of the leaves that had made up his hair floated on the surface and then vanished as though eaten by acid. “Jinx, don’t touch this, I’m not sure what it will do to you.” The cat opened one eye in acknowledgment and then went back to sleep. The fire she built under the cauldron would have to burn for the entire month or all her work would be in vain.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Part 1 In which Marlot and Jinx are introduced, and Marlot comes up with a plan
Players: Marlot
A witch, relatively young, old enough to be registered and accepted among other witches and feared by the locals, kind of a loner, and kind of lonely
Jinx
Marlot’s cat. Black, with of the exception of its right front paw and yellow eyes. Fat, lazy, and useless.
And so our story begins, on one not so typical, warm, sunny day after a light sprinkle the night before. Marlot, the lonely and rather bored witch sat at her ‘experiment’ table, covered in books, loose recipes for half written potions, a medium sized caldron with some kind of inky black smoke pouring out of it menacingly, and Jinx, laying on top of some of the papers and watching a spider walk across the table. Marlot watched it too and wondered what she could use it for but decided not to bother catching it, the spider was garden variety and easy to come by.
“So Jinx, what are you going to do today?” the cat’s only response was to twitch his tail and give her a ‘don’t talk to me’ look. “Right, lie there all day and when you get tired of that find some sunshine and lay there instead. Why do I ask?”
Marlot and Jinx stared at each other for a moment until Jinx rolled over and lay on his back instead, his black and white paws curled up on his chest and he closed his eyes. “You have to be the most pointless cat ever, you know that right?” Jinx opened his eyes slightly then closed them again. Marlot stood up and walked across the room to the bookshelf covering one wall of her small cabin. It was your typical witches cabin, minus the gingerbread and candy coating, she also didn’t each children contrary to popular belief and she believed that those fairy tales gave witches a bad reputation. Which is exactly why she kept many of them on hand in case of emergency, then she could just mimic the witches in the tales and make any intruders leave instantly. “Only problem is,” she said to herself as she ran her fingers over the spines of Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel, “I’m lonely and chasing everyone away kind of leaves me with no one but a lazy cat to talk to.” She paused when her fingers brushed against a spell book, or THE spell book, a dictionary of creatures, spells, magic, and potions every witch needs to know. She hesitated for only a moment then pulled down the heavy tomb and carried it over to the table, staggering slightly under its weight.
She sat looking at it for a moment and even Jinx rolled over and watched her with whatever interest he could muster. “I wonder…” she said to the book, or the cat, she wasn’t sure, then closed her eyes, ran a finger down the pages and then opened it in one big sweeping motion. There was the letter G written in the top corner of the page, but she had bypassed the beginning of the letter and instead found herself in the ‘Go’ section of the book, she looked down the page passing over tiny words followed by a short description and uses, if any. “Goblins, Golden eggs, Golems… Now there’s a thought.” Marlot held her finger over the word for a moment, reading the description, ‘a creature, usually made of clay and animated by a complex potion, and incantation. They are useful around the house but take orders very literally. Other natural fibers can be used to shape the Golem and a caldron large enough to hold the creature is necessary until it is fully complete which takes one moon cycle. The recommended ingredients include…
“That’s it!” Marlot yelled to the room at large, book, cat, and all, “I’ll make a golem, and it can keep me company.” She looked around the cabin, “not to mention, this place needs cleaned.”
A witch, relatively young, old enough to be registered and accepted among other witches and feared by the locals, kind of a loner, and kind of lonely
Jinx
Marlot’s cat. Black, with of the exception of its right front paw and yellow eyes. Fat, lazy, and useless.
And so our story begins, on one not so typical, warm, sunny day after a light sprinkle the night before. Marlot, the lonely and rather bored witch sat at her ‘experiment’ table, covered in books, loose recipes for half written potions, a medium sized caldron with some kind of inky black smoke pouring out of it menacingly, and Jinx, laying on top of some of the papers and watching a spider walk across the table. Marlot watched it too and wondered what she could use it for but decided not to bother catching it, the spider was garden variety and easy to come by.
“So Jinx, what are you going to do today?” the cat’s only response was to twitch his tail and give her a ‘don’t talk to me’ look. “Right, lie there all day and when you get tired of that find some sunshine and lay there instead. Why do I ask?”
Marlot and Jinx stared at each other for a moment until Jinx rolled over and lay on his back instead, his black and white paws curled up on his chest and he closed his eyes. “You have to be the most pointless cat ever, you know that right?” Jinx opened his eyes slightly then closed them again. Marlot stood up and walked across the room to the bookshelf covering one wall of her small cabin. It was your typical witches cabin, minus the gingerbread and candy coating, she also didn’t each children contrary to popular belief and she believed that those fairy tales gave witches a bad reputation. Which is exactly why she kept many of them on hand in case of emergency, then she could just mimic the witches in the tales and make any intruders leave instantly. “Only problem is,” she said to herself as she ran her fingers over the spines of Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel, “I’m lonely and chasing everyone away kind of leaves me with no one but a lazy cat to talk to.” She paused when her fingers brushed against a spell book, or THE spell book, a dictionary of creatures, spells, magic, and potions every witch needs to know. She hesitated for only a moment then pulled down the heavy tomb and carried it over to the table, staggering slightly under its weight.
She sat looking at it for a moment and even Jinx rolled over and watched her with whatever interest he could muster. “I wonder…” she said to the book, or the cat, she wasn’t sure, then closed her eyes, ran a finger down the pages and then opened it in one big sweeping motion. There was the letter G written in the top corner of the page, but she had bypassed the beginning of the letter and instead found herself in the ‘Go’ section of the book, she looked down the page passing over tiny words followed by a short description and uses, if any. “Goblins, Golden eggs, Golems… Now there’s a thought.” Marlot held her finger over the word for a moment, reading the description, ‘a creature, usually made of clay and animated by a complex potion, and incantation. They are useful around the house but take orders very literally. Other natural fibers can be used to shape the Golem and a caldron large enough to hold the creature is necessary until it is fully complete which takes one moon cycle. The recommended ingredients include…
“That’s it!” Marlot yelled to the room at large, book, cat, and all, “I’ll make a golem, and it can keep me company.” She looked around the cabin, “not to mention, this place needs cleaned.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
