RP:S1, E3 A Physician's Advice
Summary: Emi is concerned over what seems to be a nefarious not-so-warm-welcome left on her doorstep and asks Larz for his help.
Foundling Street
A small well, situated in alcove of this section of Foundling Street, provides clean, fresh water for the residential districts of eastern Gualon, the source a bed of water far below that babbles up through thin seams of porous rock to spill in font at various points within the city. As the main source of the vital liquid, used in so numerous an activity or procedure complimentary to city life, this spot is often filled with life by the locals, men, women and children of all the various races residing in Gualon making the walk here to fill their daily bucket or pail. At certain periods of day, and on occasion by night, the peoples flock in their masses, apparently attuned to the ritual and routine of gathering within this little cloister for gossip and rumour, departing in much the same fashion, a quaint tradition likely unnoticeable by their own. The competitive flair for design and decoration that seems apparent all along this street has its own little take on rivalry, as the same with the other sections. Where as north the contest is over flower and plant and south over paint and design of house, this stretch is that of ornament. A hotly contested subject with the inhabitants, the ornaments range from the unique, with miniature statuettes of great heroes, fearsome dragons and noble kings, to the ostentatious, with characterettes arranged in impossible poses, engaging in lewd encounter or making occasional obscene gesture, to the downright crass, garishly, and poorly, painted figurines in whimsical pose, making a poor attempt at appearing satirical. The bland pale into insignificance when compared to the stalwarts of these respective classifications, even the tasteless standing out due to their sheer arrogance. The road continues north, with door into small convenience store on western corner, and south, both further along Foundling Street.
Emilia had managed to change from a ragged torn dirty gown, that may have fit better into the scene, into a form fitting gown of midnight blue gown. White wild curls pulled up into a high pony in the back of her head keeping them from dragging in the dirt, overdue for a haircut. It was one of the guard that she ran into told her the directions to where Larz lived. It was with a tiny hand that she knocked upon the door. The sound itself did not sound like a tiny Genasi knocking, but a giant hand hitting the door. One knock. A pause. Three hard knocks after then she would wait.
Largakh was within his modest apartment and it sounded as if he were having a conversation with someone, but silence ensues when the knock is heard just before an array of locks were unlatched. Largakh opened the door and it wasn’t a second he had it open that a human woman swiftly made herself scarce; pushing through the doorway and fast walking down the hall while covering her face… She’s a no one - really and definitely wants to remain so to Largakh, with no one knowing she was there. This doesn’t seem to phase the rather relaxed dressed half orc, donning a grey wife beater fashioned tank top and loose fitting cotton slacks (like sweatpants). His short dark hair askew as tuscan eyes set down on Emilia and he was surprised to see her, but the fact that this dress wasn’t something she normally wears goes over his head. He let his door hang open and beyond him she could see a teeny tiny dining table and hollow’s version of a kitchen in the same room as a couch which is probably also fashioned in a bed, “Emi… Everything okay?” It was odd to him, he doesn’t get visitors, but he stands aside and motions to his small living space to invite her in if that is what she wanted to do.
Emilia stepped to the side to allow the little lady to depart out of the door when Larz had opened it. Now to the half orc the apartment was small, but to the tiny sized Genasi it was normal sized…at least compared to her giant house. For a moment the woman just stood there in silence, not even sure why she had come to find him of all people, but he was city guard after all. Folding her arms over her chest the Healer took the offer into his place of living. Those feet of hers still bare, no shoes. Walking in so far as being away from the entrance but close enough to be able to run if she needed, “I used to live in this city…I got married in this city…I left the city when he left me with the kids for safety from me… Anyways, uh, well some are welcoming me back and not so much others. I found an animal gutted on some symbol painted in blood on my porch…” She seemed nervous and could have gone to the first guard she met, but she trusted this one.
Largakh left the door wide open to leave it up to her if she wanted it opened or closed and he retreated to a small pile of clothes to slip his slacks over the sweatpants. A glance to her so she knew he was listening and he folded the bed back into a sofa, but just before he did that one might be able to tell there were two imprints on the futon. He felt uncomfortable offering her a seat there and put out the cigar sitting on a counter before slipping on his soft leather jacket with the tribe symbol displayed over the chest pocket. He’s thankful she doesn’t ask questions on who that was and he won't ask what happened there if she didn’t want to talk about it. “Hm…” was all he offered in the odd quiet, but background noise from the neighboring apartments mumbles through the thin walls. “Show me…” He motions for her to lead on while he grabbed his keys and shortsword.
Emilia studied the apartment as she stood there awkwardly. She had been through worse than a offering on her porch, nearly died a few many times and yet this she could not handle. Too soon after returning to an empty home, maybe. The details of another being here did not go unnoticed, but it was not her place to ask so she left it alone. Turning on heel, a frozen patch left where she was standing, and left his small home in the town apartments. The Genasi did not speak as she walked along the streets that lead the way to her home, surprisingly not all that far from his. Standing at the broken gate one could see the porch was covered in some strange marking within a circle. Inside the circle center a dead empty carcass. The insides had been laid out around the circle over other markings that all appeared done in the blood of the dead creature. Arms still over one another those nails of hers digging into the white flesh until little droplets of blood ran down her arms, “Maybe I should have just not come back here…” Em whispered.
Largakh didn’t have much to say on the way over either, being a man of few words - even if his company does know he’s better than dumb. Oddly enough that same woman was out on the streets they passed while she was working as a maid and furthering the odd; Largakh and the woman seemed to not even notice each other. That was the arrangement, though. Heavy boots step up to the porch and he crouched down low to further inspect. He smells fresh blood in the air and his attention guides over to Emi to see she was really upset by this. This is also awkward for him, but he does the best he can and stands back up to fearlessly rest his arm over her shoulders, “don’t…” Just as quickly as his comfort came it went when he noticed something and sighed exhaustedly while slipping himself from her, “come…” He motions for her to follow after picking up the carcass, but they pass through the city and make a dangerous left into the orc encampments.
Orc Encampment
Situated deep within the western tract of swamp land lies Gualon’s orc encampment. A scattering of huts in different shapes and sizes dot the sizable clearing, arranged in clusters that denote the various tribes of orcs within the settlement. These various tribes are designated by totems fashioned from the sprawling roots of the banyan trees nestled amongst the murky swamp waters. The centerpiece of the encampment is the largest, most decorated totem pole which presides over an immense fire pit. This carved monolith suggests the cluster of huts just beyond its boundaries belongs to the Orc Chieftain, his family, and other members of his tribe. The earth has been stamped down in this area, indicative of the councils convened here at behest of the Chieftain. Sometimes these conclaves result in war; more frequently, they are used to settle internal disputes within the orc community. But more often than not, the fire pit is used for numerous rousing and raucous festivities that celebrate victory in battle, an orc youth’s personal rites of passage, or perhaps just a day of good hunting.
Emilia in that moment that she shared contact with his arm had left traces of frost behind. She could control the cold that leaked from her pores, but she was not focused with those emotions of hers running wild. Careful or Gaulon could be the city hit by an unexpected snow storm. Watching him take the dead thing from her porch she raised a brow, but silently followed along behind him, trusting him. The Genasi had never visit the orcs before now as Larz brought her with him into their encampment. Needless to say the Genasi was a frozen midget compared to them all towering over her little figure. She was not a shy one normally yet she managed to hide herself behind Larz here. All these big people staring at her like she was an ice cube for a drink was a bit nerve wrecking even for the Genasi. “Are they going to eat me?” Em said in a very tiny whisper from behind the half orc.
Largakh wastes no time in finding one of the area’s captains and their exchange in orcish sounds harsh and argumentative, but that was just the way of their language. The short conversation is punctuated by Larz in saying, “get Krothu and guardian.” He was small compared to his fellow orcs and even they seem to look at him with curiosity and gawk as he let the carcass drop at his feet which are planted firmly on either side of it. He doesn’t care, there is a sternness glinting fire in those eyes and his lanky seeming arms cross over his chest. When he offers a glance down to Emilia his jaw tensed before he teased to her inquiry of being an orc meal, “no enough meat…” Keeping up the dumb act for the orcs. Soon an orc child of the age of around twelve is being drug over by the ear at the hand of who we can assume to be their mother, “Largakh!” The orc woman said his full name with a chuckle and he gave her a slight grin while asking, “Krothu do this?” The child orc is released and nudged to Larz, this must be Krothu… They have their own orcish exchange and the child looks embarrassed. Larz tries to step aside and motion to Emi while mentioning something, the child doesn’t seem frightened of Emi, but looks genuine when they figure out, “Krothu sorry.” The mother takes the child back by the ear and is surely giving him a punishment when they get back to their hut. Largakh barely notices he cold on his arm still due to the high pain threshold and slightly thicker skin than elves or humans, but he leads Emi back out of the encampment until they are more alone he can explain… “Krothu is learning necromancy and summoning spells. He thought that house was still abandoned and this isn’t the only time I’ve had to talk to him about it. Let me clean it up for you Emi.”
Emilia stood there standing out like a flower in the middle of a burnt field. Out of place in all respects, yet curious enough that she would once in awhile peak around Larz to see what was going on then return to using him as a personal shield to deflect the stares of all the orcs. Not enough meat? Okay, that was calming to know and she would guess biting down on her metal coated bones would be unpleasant at the same time. Standing there listening she had to put trust in the half orc that she was not about to be put into a stew pot and cooked for dinner. She had no idea what they were saying. It sure sounded mean to the ears of the Healer. Finally, time to depart. No time was wasted in keeping up the pace if not out walking the man with longer legs than hers. “I suppose one would think it still empty or him trying to raise me as a ghost to the living. So many mistake me for being some ghost that is drives me insane sometimes. Who knows. My daughter uses go have tea parties with the spirits at the place. Good practice grounds for a neceomancer in training,” Em rambled on in a too fast tone. Her nerves were calming the closer they got back toward her home area. “Thank you,” she finally said when they came to a stop.
Arena Avenue
You are at the end of Arena Avenue. A high wall prevents you from seeing what lies to the East. There's what looks to be a public fire going in a stone enclosure on the southeast corner. You see a few people go to it and drop items on a grate lying on the top. The smell of food quickly travels through the air to reach your nose. You don't understand why the people walk away after placing the food on the fire. Then children come from a large house to the South and start taking the food back with them. You could go west along Arena Avenue, north up Foundling Street, or south, where the children came from.
Largakh let the woman talk for it was nicer than the awkward silence they walked over to the place in, but when she mentioned people think she’s a ghost he wings a brow at her, “most people are too stupid to see spirits, but those who say that about you must have no sense.” He scratched his head with a shrug, “no problem Emi.” They’ve reached her home once more and he walked inside as if he owned it. He lit a fire at the stove and put on a large pot of water while he looked for ingredients to whip up a cleaning solution to mix in the water. He points to her, “careful…” he points to the water heating up. It was now he noticed the frost on his arm, but thought nothing of it for he still didn’t feel it. “Rags?” Once directed to where they are kept he would get a few and toss them over a wide shoulder after slipping his jacket off to place it over the back of a chair. Once the water starts boiling he removes it from the fire and puts the fire out -quickly, as if it bothered him. After mixing the ingredients in the water he makes for the porch to start sweeping the guts away before he scrubs and rinses the porch off. One of his fellow guards came up to him in the process, “Larz! Is this what you do with your days off?” Larz let out a chuckle at the joke and the guard quirks a brow, “unless… you did this?”
Emilia did not stop him from entering the home she had previously told him he could use the place if he wanted when she was gone. Careful steps brought her around the mess of guts and blood on her porch behind him. “I may be numb to pain and heat but I know fire makes things hot and that causes injuries. I have only burned flesh a few many times…” she admitted while going to fetch him rags. She would even follow him outside to watch his potion of cleaning supply take away the blood from her porch. The guard nodded her way after picking on Larz , “Miss Emi.” It was the guard then that spoke to Lar once more as if Emi was not able to hear him, “Careful with that one. Mighty talented healer and she used to be one of the best shots around put an arrow in between your eyes before you can blink all while blindfolded. She is cute but deadly.” A nod of his head and off he was to his patrolling. Em just folded those arms over her chest and leaned against the house, no words just icy eyes boring holes into the back of the guard as he left.
Largakh didn’t say anything to the guard as he walked on. He still has to work with the guy after all. He felt confused while he worked… ‘be careful’? What was that supposed to mean? A glance to Emi - he didn’t think about it because no one sees him that way, but sure she’s cute - what does that have to do with anything? He’s just cleaning her porch from a rebellious orc kid’s practice ritual, “do you still practice?” He meant the archery. His brow had knit together in his thoughtful concentration and when it came time to rinse away all the grime he placed his frosted hand on Emi’s shoulder in order to back her up. He poured the hot water over the stain and it washed away into the grass where nature can take care of the rest. Tossing the bloody rags in an outside receptacle after all is done and he took the bucket back inside to be cleaned.
Emilia glanced at Larz as he dumped hot water onto the porch, the rest of the blood washing away with it. It was not until the porch was cleaned that Em finally answered, “When I was human I was great with a bow. I used to practice at the beach with bouys in the water shooting at them blindfolded. Never missed…but that was so long ago. I cannot use a bow anymore. I cannot focus enough to control the ice and shoot the arrow. I tend to turn the bow to ice and snap the string or damage the wood. I am useless now.” It was all the answer he got. A moment her voice seemed happy to remember the old days before it went cold when she talked about the now. A subject change, “Thank you. The porch looks nice.”
Largakh pinched his tank top and pulled it free of his skin since a little bit of sweat was causing it to cling to his toned form. Sure he was narrow, but he is an orc after all. He slipped his jacket back on, “shame. I could use help to fine tune my bow skills.” He stared off into nothing for a moment, “what bout different metals? I’m sure there is a way to forge metals to make it resistant to the cold.” When she said she was useless now he shortly replied, “no.” As if it were fact - don’t argue with him on this. “No problem. I’ve had to clean up after that kid a bit.” Another awkward pause, “is there anything else I can assist you with?”
Emilia shrugged, “I gave up after twenty seven bows. Perhaps there is a bow out there that can handle the cold of me, but I have yet to find any. Sometimes in life there is more to focus on than chasing down the idea of a bow again.” Shifting back there was a steam that came from her bare feet when she stepped on the hot wet wood. “No, thank you though. I did not mean to bug you on your off day, but I was not sure where to go for this.”
Largakh grinned in that crooked way he does while trying to hide his underbite, “yeah, sometimes.” He guided her back to her door so she didn’t have to singe her feet anymore on the hot wood of her porch. Tuscan eyes look down at her in her sort of apology as his hands slip into his pockets to his slacks, “I wasn’t doing much of anything anyway.” That wasn’t entirely true, but they aren’t important. “I’m glad you fetched me… Most don’t care to get help from me and rarely they would rather go out of their way to ask someone else.” A shrug given.
Emilia would have red feet bottoms if she looked, but she did not feel it. The Genasi stared up ar him with a shrug, “I am a leader of a Guild and I have learned one cannot take all the burdens of the world on their shoulders, sometimes you have to ask for help. I do not like to ask a stranger for help, but I will offer a stranger help. Go figure. Yet, I know you in this city now so I went to you. I am not like all other monsters in the world. I should let you get back to enjoying time with the human lass.”
Largakh seemed to grimace at the last bit, “ah… probably not.” One of his hands slip from his pocket and rests on the back of his neck, “the human lass and I are not anything of significance. In the few times we do meet it’s in secret and she could not stress enough that she wishes to keep it that way.” He wasn’t even sure why he was telling the Genasi this, “and what we do is to solve one basic need. Can I count on you to pretend you never saw her coming out of my apartment?”
Emilia gave a soft chuckle that sounded like ice clinking against glass, “Well, I will not tell a soul and I have no one to tell anyway. I would then suggest if she is not your only hidden secret in your bed that you get checked. Never know what another could be sporting by taking care of a basic need with more than one person.” A pause as she lifted her hands in surrender, that healer of her coming out, “Sorry. Not my business. I really should let you go enjoy your off day without my oddness butting in.”
Largakh tried to hold it in, but started laughing and it was a booming hearty sound, “I’m sorry.” He calms himself, “yeah - okay. You want to give me a physical?” He laughs again and a hand goes over his abdomen, but he wasn’t laughing at her ability to check him, rather the awkward inducing event, “don’t worry. Orc blood has got me covered there.” His hands slip back into his pockets as he starts to back to the edge of her porch, “I’ll be seeing you, Emi… And definitely with my pants on - promise.” He chuckled a bit more when he turned to start his short walk home, saying over his shoulder, “I did enjoy it - the second half anyway.” Meaning, adventures with Emi > sleazy bed buddy.