RP:The Tristram Man, Stitch, Fungus and the Law Enforcer Guard's Diamond
Grog Shop
This is the first RP that Nothrobalug has had and is a casual meeting of Tristram, the ruling authority of Gualon, and a woman known as "Stitch".
Nothrobalug complains with Grargh about the lack of drink 9 get the 10th bottle of fungus beer customer rewards card and slams his empty bottle down hard upon the large wooden bar top. The resulting action sends broken glass fragments flying about in various unsafe directions. Noth quickly grabs his next one and takes a large swig from the bottle as he looks around the Grogshop. Noth drank 1 fungus beer.
Tristram was already shucking his tie by the time he made into the grogshop, tugging it to hang loose around his collar. He approached the bar, pausing first to glance over a chart an orphan brought him. He indicated a column of numbers and the orphan departed, off to finish whatever monetary pursuit upon which he'd embarked. Tristram swept a bit of glass from the counter top in front of him as he slid onto a bar stool and worked on rolling up his sleeves. When Grargh had finished with his current transaction, the orc barkeep poured the Governor his usual glass of scotch.
Nothrobalug incoherently speaks a bit of nonsense in a somewhat orcish dialect mixed with broken human common speak and eyes the man who has seated himself at the bar not far from his own stool. Noth decides that the man must be important for he was wearing a tie around his neck. The large orc leans closer to the mans drink in attempts to determine what alcoholic treat the bartender has provided him. The smell is unfamiliar to Noth, but he knows it has a distinct lack of fungus aroma and that makes Noth rather sad. The massive orc gulps down another fungus beer in a single gulp and ponders on ways to start conversation with the man. The orphans had instructed him on his language skills, yet he was still not certain how to begin conversations properly. Noth grunts and makes a gurgle sound as he signals for yet another fungus beer. Noth drank 1 fungus beer.
Tristram gestured to Grargh, who only needed that small prompt to pour Nothrobalug a glass of scotch as well. "It's not as good as the beer," Tristram warned, turning to address the City Guard member. "But you'll allow a man his shortcomings." He addressed Grargh again, gesturing to the fungus beer. "Two more, Grargh." Two more glasses were supplied, one set in front of Tristram, and one in front of Noth, Grargh testily letting a bit slosh out of the glass for the earlier mishap. Tristram took a pull from his glass and made a face, which he tried to temper. "Wow. Yep. That is strong. Stronger than I remember. And excellent. But strong." He turned back to Nothrobalug and furrowed his eyebrows. "Hm ... Noth ... Nothro ... Nothrobalug, is it?" Admittedly, it was occasionally difficult to tell some of the orcs apart, but Tristram had grown more familiar with the ones patrolling his city, and the orphans proved invaluable in helping him learn names and faces ... and scars, which were really the most helpful identifier an orc bore.
Iintahquohae is fortunate enough to miss the majority of glass bits that go flying as she steps inside, but a few shards do graze her shoulder, leaving a few little tears in her blazer and arm as they fly past. With a grimace and a noticeably pained wince, she brushes away at invisible dust near the tears, but is quick to sit down (near Tristram conveniently enough) and start to fix her clothing up. One of the pre-threaded needles the seamstress kept tucked away for emergencies is pulled from a pocket, and she’s off to sewing. While snapping the thread after the first tear is sewn up, Iintahquohae considers greeting Tristram once she’s heard his voice and caught a glimpse of him in her peripheral. Noting that he’s speaking with somebody else halts her, however. She continues to sew and quietly eavesdrop.
Nothrobalug listens to the important neck tie wearing man speak as he explains the drink that the bartender pours for him. Noth raises a brow at Grargh as the drink is poured. The large orc picks up the glass and sniffs at it unsure of this strange liquid. he watches a lady sit next to the man and is intrigued at the intricate work she seems to be doing on her garments. Noth keeps one eyes positioned on the woman and the other on the neck tie man as he brings forth the odd drink to his lips. The glasses contents are consumed with a single gulp and the glass is turned upside down upon the bar. A horrid twisted face is contorted upon the orcish form as the scotch does not at all sit well with him. Noth yells obscenities at the bartender and instructs him never to pour him that again. "Urghaklyn.....That was dreadful!" Noth stares at Tristram and blurts out, "How can you drink that poison neck tie man?! Is that what the highly important people drink around here? I think me shall stick wit de fungus! I am Nothrobalug sir aye of the Gualortan." Noth states this fact proudly as he quickly consumes three bottles of beer to help mask the disgusting taste in his mouth. Nothrobalug drank 3 bottles of fungus beer.
Tristram 's head spun a bit as Nothrobalug drank so quickly. This fungus beer was barely consumable; maybe that made it an exceptionally good batch. He cleared his throat and had another sip from his glass, managed to keep his expression flat this time, minus one eye twitching momentarily. He glanced to his side and spotted Iintahquohae, who earned a broad smile in recognition. "Hey, Stitch. I haven't seen you around here in a while." He put his back to the bar, turning on his stool so he could more easily address both Nothrobalug while including the seamstress in the conversation. "Of the Guarlotan, eh. I have heard great tales about your tribe's strength and honor." Tristram was careful to speak respectfully, sincerely. "Tristram," he added, hastily, "--of course. And this is my friend Stitch, Nothrobalug. She makes clothes."
Iintahquohae :: It took Iintahquohae a bit to hold back the amused smile that wanted to show itself at Nothrobalug’s reaction to scotch. In the time for the smile to disappear, her head dipped a bit lower to focus on her sewing. With her repair work finished shortly afterward, she tucked the needle and thread away, then put the blazer back on. Tristram’s greeting is taken as an invitation to join him and the orc, so she heads over. She waves. “Hi there, Tristram,” she pauses, casts a glance at the orc, then waves a second time. “Nothrobalug.” After sitting at the bar, she busies herself with wiping away nonexistent dust on her glasses. “It has been a while, hasn’t it? I hope you’ve been well.”
Nothrobalug nods at Tristram with admiration, "Ohhh you are the Tristram man! I have always wanted to meet with you about getting me a shiny star badge for enforcing the lands laws. Other orcs not respect as much as they should and Noth have to get into many fights to prove them that I am law guard. Noth would point to shiny badge first before pounding them with clubs." The orc tries his best to sound as fluent and comprehensive as possible while speaking in the common tongue. His language skills have come a long way in a very short period, yet still lack the polished touch to come across as fully intelligent. Still for an orc of such brutish stature the words do come out quite well. Noth grabs his head as to steady himself. The effects of the fungus now making his brain float about slightly. "Mighty and proud are Gualortan. We serve Gualon with our lives and strengths. Our duty it is." The massive orc looks just past Tristram as he is introduced to the other and offers the woman the best smile he can muster. Nothrobalug is quite impressed that the woman pronounces his name perfectly for one not of orcish heritage. "Stitch....me likes that name. Clothes you make? That is like armor but soft like pelts from critters yes?"
Tristram nodded to Noth, lifting his glass to punctuate his confirmation. "I am the Tristram man." He took another sip from the fungus beer and managed to disguise his distaste more proficiently this time. "As for the shiny star badge ... I'm sure we can work something out. Maybe you can use this for now." He dug around in his pocket and produced a moderately good-sized diamond, which he set in front of the orc. He leaned back again, to allow Iintahquohae to answer the perceptive orc herself, silently considering Noth's apparent skill at deduction as well as observation.
Tristram gave Nothrobalug 1 diamond.
Iintahquohae adjusted her collar while Nothrobalug spoke to her, then pinched the corner of it and turned it a little to demonstrate the flexibility and weakness of the material in comparison to armor. She nods. “Kind of, yes. I’m sure your armor is far more useful than what I make. Uh..” With a pause, the seamstress balls her hand into a fist and pretends to pound her chest. “What you have is harder. Stronger.” The orc’s smile is met with one of her half-there smiles, but it’s quick to disappear. “Ours is more for being pretty and kind of protecting our weaker bodies, I guess.” She shrugged. Explaining the purposes of clothes for humans was more difficult than she thought it’d be.
Nothrobalug downs another entire bottle of the beer of fungus variety in a guzzle styled swig and lets loose a champion sized belch that produces an overtly aromatic stench to mingle with the bars current already half stagnant air. "Ohhh excuse Noth for his fungal outbursts! I do good by saying the excuse when me makes that sound!" Noth grins and is proud of himself for remembering what he was taught about manners just the previous night. He had learned this lesson the hard way from several people claiming to be 'proper ladies'. Noth's eyes light up and grow wide as he is presented with the diamond. "Gerveghasik! Noth is proud to be given the law guards diamond from the Tristram man! Me will have make necklace of it to show all who Noth be!" The orc is overflowing with pride and joy at the gesture. The large orc shows the diamond to Stitch and declares his possession of it. "Me have law guard diamond now! Other orcs have no choice but to respect Noth as guard enforcer of city. Now Noth no have to beat them all with clubs." The orc listens closely as she explains to him that the items she makes are for wearing and less for battle protection. Noth nods his head showing that he understands the concept. "Me like Stitch's pretty gear. Noth no can make things." The brute knocks his stool over as he takes a giant step closer to Stitch for better inspection of the 'clothes'. Noth gets his face as close as he can without offending the lady by entering her personal space, he had learned the boundaries also from the 'proper ladies'. "Noth would like pretty clothes, but thinks me would get them all ruined during the days wear. Armor better for Noth's kind."
Tristram flicked Noth a brief two-fingered salute by way of accepting the orc's gratitude. In truth, it was just a small gesture. He'd have to run down to the smithy and see what he could drum up there. A diamond would do in the interim. As Noth lurched toward Iintahquohae, Tristram had no other thought than to quietly reach down and right the toppled stool; he had little, no, zero, fear the orc would harm the seamstress. As for the seamstress, Iintahquohae had had her fair share of meetings with orcs in the past, and he knew she could hold her own in conversation. He finished his fungus beer with some relief and pushed the glass aside. "During the Frostmaw war, Nothrobalug, Stitch helped make the orcs furs to attach to their armor, since they were going to see snow. So in a way, she helped with the battle, as well, even with her human clothes."
Iintahquohae resists the urge to pinch her nose once she catches the stench of the orc’s belch, and manages to keep her composure well enough. The diamond that Tristram presented him is looked over with another smile. “It’s lovely.” Looking at the diamond seems to be enough to keep her mind off of somebody getting close to examine her clothes, so she pays little mind to Nothrobalug. At Tristram’s mention of the war, she flashes a grin and nods. “I did. I flew with the Eyrie too. Pin, my quetzal friend, and I had an interesting time.” she explains, then adds, “I’m not much of a fighter, unfortunately. I’ve kind of considered learning since what went on in Frostmaw. It might be useful. That and maybe picking up how to make armor might help me expand my business a bit.”
Nothrobalug steps back from Stitch after examining her fine clothing items and listens closely as the both of them explain to him a few stories and details of the war in Frostmaw. Noth shakes his head up and down as they speak signaling that he understands the conversation and is pleased to be included as an equal. The orc retakes his seated position upon the stool at the bar and grins at Grargh. The bartender did not need to even be asked and places yet another fungus beer in front of him. Noth eagerly chugs the beverage with delight before responding to Tristram and Stitch. "Noth would like to see Frostmaw one day, but no like the cold so much. Maybe if you Stitch lady make Noth furry armors, then me could go there." The hefty orc grips tightly upon the diamond given to him by Tristram and eyes it with a sense of great pride. The diamond is now his most prized possession. He looks at Tristram and declares his allegiance to him as well as to Gualon itself. "Noth pledge his life for you Tristram man. Me protect you like Gualon swamp. Noth tell all of his brothers that Gualortan serve the Tristram man like we do the city." The extra proud orc turns his head to Stitch once more and declares, "Noth would like teach Stitch to swing clubs and axe for battle her enemies. Maybe Stitch can make Noth furry armors like she did for war orcs who go Frostmaw lands? Noth would make trades like this."
Tristram signaled Grargh to put Noth's fungus beer on his tab for the evening, as well as anything Iintahquohae ordered. He'd probably send a barrel of the stuff home with Noth just to smooth over any ill will he might have fostered in offering the scotch in the first place. He glanced back at the orc, and when it was apparent Noth was in earnest, and making a vow, Tristram devoted his full attention to the orc. When Noth finished speaking, he put his hand on the orc's shoulder (and was relieved Noth was sitting again so he could do so). "The Tristram man appreciates your vow, Nothrobalug. He accepts your protection, and promises his, in return, as the great black lizard in the sky, that fought with your brothers in Frostmaw, and here in our city." He glanced Inks' way, and then back to Noth again. "If Stitch agrees to trade you furs for your armor for learning to fight, I'll take you to Frostmaw. We'll have a drink there. I'll show you where our brothers won the battle for our allies. We'll drink to our brothers who fell there, too." Basically, there was plenty of drinking to be done.
Iintahquohae was always game for making clothes for other people, so naturally Nothrobalug’s offer was given a very quick nod of approval after she listened to his pledge to Tristram. That and learning how to actually use a weapon sounded like a good idea. It’d be much better than trying to beat somebody with a chair or punching somebody. “I have a lot of that mammoth fur left over that would work. It’s the best fur to keep you warm way up there.” She reaches a hand out for the orc to shake. “You’ve got a deal, Nothrobalug.” She retracts her hand after it was shaken, if at all. Talk of visiting Frostmaw prompted the seamstress to add, “I haven’t been there since the battle. Have things been alright up there, Tristram?” She frowned. “I usually keep tabs on places I travel to frequently, but with being away I’ve sort of lost touch.”
Nothrobalug is pleased with meeting his fellow companions here tonight in the shop of grog. Nothrobalug notices Grarth flash a look of nervous concern as Tristram declares the fungus beer to be placed on his tab. Noth grins at the bar keep and motions for another! Noth smiles from ear to ear with his dingy pointed and half broken teeth as Tristram offers his own pledge unto him. The idea of taking a trip to the lands of Frostmaw sounded like a splendid journey to the orc, as he had never left Gualon before. The thought of sampling the different beers and beverages made him rather excited. Noth wondered what kind of meat he could dine upon in the land of frozen wonder. Even as he spit upon his hand and shook with Stitch sealing the trade, his mind drifted off into an epic daydream of magical snowy adventures. Hearing that so many had fallen turned on the switch of anger inside of him, yet he was able to control it for the time being. Noth was sure that his brothers had served Tristram well and had fought a good battle and died an honorable warriors death. Lost in the thoughts, Noth almost forgot where he was currently and had to shake his head to snap himself out of the dream world. "Me want to drink much with the Tristram man in lands of Frostmaw." Noth nodded as he gulped down another entire fungus beer. The large orc pointed at Stitch, "You let Noth know when Stitch is ready to learn battle fight. Me teach Stitch lady and be proud to have pretty warm furry armors from her." Nothrobalug drinks multiple fungus beers at a time, double fisting the beverage.
Tristram stood and clapped Nothrobalug on the shoulder once more. "I should be getting back home now, friend. We'll drink much in the lands of Frostmaw, on my word." He grinned as he turned to bid farewell to Iintahquohae. "It was good to see you, Stitch. Really good. I'm glad you're still getting work 'round these parts." Something seemed to trouble him, then, because his brow furrowed. "Listen, uh. Maybe don't tell Sal you saw me, huh?" He eyed Grargh across the bar top. "I'll settle up with you tomorrow."
Iintahquohae :: “Excellent.” She lightly claps her hands together to show her excitement. “I’ll be in the area, so anytime you’re available, Nothrobalug, please let me know and I’ll head your way.” She considers standing to depart for the night, but Tristram grabs her attention. She nods, but offers a reassuring look. “I’ll keep quiet, though it likely won’t be necessary now. She’s been…rehabilitated? Let’s go with that. You’d barely recognize her if she dropped by.” The seamstress shrugged, then added, “I know she tried sending something to you recently, but I have no idea if it got out.” With that she stands and prepares to leave. “It was really nice seeing you again, Tristram, and a pleasure meeting you, Nothrobalug. Have a good night.” She exits afterward.
Nothrobalug waves goodbye to his new friend Stitch and thanks the Tristram man for the fungus beers as he turns his attentions to Grargh, "Soooo brother.....how much fungus do ya have left behind dat counter?!"