Noveuer say never - OTA November catch all

[prettyrocks]

Who: Tsutha Stoneblood and YOU
When: all over Noveuer/November
Where: in and around Aefenglom
What: quest stuff!
Warnings: n/a, will edit as needed. possible mentions of D&D-typical violence if you get her talking

i. a drinking problem

There's so much about Geardagas that is utterly foreign to Tsutha. Even beyond that, it's full of people from other planes of existence that are even more alien and strange. Places with constructs that run off of lightning power stored in metal batteries. Worlds with only one sentient race. Planets where magic either doesn't exist, or only exists in secret, hidden from the outside world, something to be hidden at all costs. She doesn't get these places. She thought Shartis was confusing, but now she longs to be able to return to her friends and zone out while Marzia and Walter debate the best ways to study for a college exam. (Or not study, in Marzia's case.)

One thing that is familiar here: The look and feel of the town. Tsutha may not be a very city-oriented person, but in her travels around Shartis, she's visited a few, and the Aefenglom architecture and cobbled streets remind her of places like Tarl and Meadowwilde back home. Even more familiar is the tavern in the Harbor District, The Sly Seadog. The seas may be one place that Tsutha has not ventured, but the familiar relaxed air of a tavern is intimately familiar to her. When she inquires with the tavern owner about renting a room in their inn, and hears that she can work in exchange for room and board, her eyes light up. She's never worked hospitality or food service before (she's never worked any sort of job before), but she has been a customer in many a tavern, and knows what kind of qualities are sought after in a bar wench.

She starts by busing tables, then works her way up to taking food and drink orders-- without writing them down, but by and large she makes very few mistakes. Her memorization skills outweigh her illiteracy. Come in on any given night and you'll be greeted by a friendly green face, showing you to an empty table and asking, "So, what'll you be having?"

ii. veggie tails

[ In trying to familiarize herself with the layout of the city, Tsutha stumbles upon the Community Gardens. She doesn't really need the vegetables for herself, staying as she is above the tavern, but once she hears the murmurs about veggies going walkabout, her interest is piqued. This sounds like a mission. Tsutha signs herself up to help right away! ]

Um, excuse me? [ She asks politely as she stops you in the street. ] I don't suppose you've seen a cabbage cat anywhere near here? A... catbbage? About yay big, leafy, green? Answers to "here, cabby cabby?"

[ Once she's rounded up the runaway vegetable animals, she returns to the Community Garden with her arms laden with the little critters. She sets about using her Mold Earth spell to clear out a little burrow for the creatures to call home. Somewhere for them to put down roots, should they choose to. After a hard day's work, she gets up to leave, only to find a little radish rabbit trying to follow her home. ]

Oh, no... Sweetie, I'm flattered but I'm really more of a meat eater.

iii. clean up & clear out

The room she's renting above the tavern is fine enough for now, but Tsutha knows if she's supposed to stay here for an undetermined amount of time, she ought to find somewhere more permanent to live. And when she does, she'll need furniture for her new home. Because that's the way that city people live. It's all well and good to sleep in a bedroll when you're out on the road, or to tuck yourself into a pile of furs when you're growing up in a cave. But in a city, people sleep in beds, and keep the multiple sets of clothing that they own in chests of drawers and wardrobes. They keep books on shelves, and sit at desks to write and study. Tsutha can't read books, or write anything but her name, really. But she's taking the Coven classes and wants to at least play the part of a studious witch.

So when she's walking home from the garden one afternoon, and comes across piles upon piles of furniture just sitting out on the street, she considers today her lucky day! The locals seem to be arguing about whether the bulky items belong there, clogging up the streets like that, but Tsutha strides up to the angry mob confidently, proposing a solution.

"Let me take it off your hands! That way you richie rich folks can get it out of your house, but it doesn't have to block traffic for everybody else! It's a win-win!"

There's only one problem with her plan. She's strong, but not strong enough to move this much furniture single handed. So, she'll stop any strapping looking Mirrorbound she sees and ask them to lend her a hand.

"I don't suppose you know anybody with a cart or anything, do you?"

iv. we're wildcarding it, lads!

[ don't see a prompt you like? feel free to hit me up @ millennialfalcon / Chris_#9103 to discuss other options! will match prose or brackets. ]

Comments

[prettyrocks]

Tsutha's never seen a dragonborn who looked exactly like that before, but then she has to remind herself that this guy probably isn't a dragonborn, but Mirrorbound monster, made into something he didn't start as.

It's weird, but she knows it's not anybody's fault, whatever they end up becoming. So she's not one to judge.

He does look really strong, though...

"Rent one...?" Right, that's a thing that people with money do. Sounds like the kind of plan Walter would come up with. "Who rents carts?"

Meanwhile, the arguing locals chime in that they don't have all day to sit around and wait for them to procure a cart from some merchant somewhere. Feeling a little put on the spot, Tsutha turns back to the dragon guy.

"Look, can you help me move this desk just... Somewhere off the street?"

[grandspark]

Rude didn't even get time to shrug at her rhetorical question before the locals interrupted their brief but still ongoing conversation. He frowned slightly at them, discontent with the interruption and a little more on the grumpy side due to the cold weather, but reined in his dragon temperament. Usually the frown wouldn't even had made it to his face he was typically so stoic about matters.

He turned his attention back to Tsutha. At least she was being polite and reasonable, even if Rude felt a little put upon for being asked to help. He shouldn't have gone through the slums. Still, he nodded at her, his inner thoughts not showing on his face.

"Sure," he replied simply. It would be an easy task for him.

As a human, he would have needed a partner to lift the entire thing but probably would have borne the brunt of the heavy lifting anyway. As a dragon? He didn't wait for her or someone else to help him. He was still getting used to the extra strength but damn if it wasn't useful to have.

He put the desk on one shoulder and steadied it with not only his arm but his wing as well. "Alley fine?" he asked as he nodded towards the nearest one he could see.

[prettyrocks]

Tsutha is entirely prepared to help left the desk when suddenly, before her eyes, it is hefted as though it weighs no more than a sack of flour and easily balanced on the dragon man's shoulder. Her eyes widen, impressed, but she quickly recovers.

"A-ah! Yeah, Alley should be fine. Come on." She'll just pick up a smaller end table and carry that over to the nearest alley. Might as well take more furniture, now that she has the desk taken care of.

"Thanks a lot. You're really strong, you know that?"

[grandspark]

He was a bit slower to move with the desk balanced on his shoulder but he didn't seem to be having any trouble. Rather, he simply was taking his time and letting her lead the way once she grabbed her other piece of furniture. He grunted as he went to set it back down on the ground without letting it fall too heavily. Didn't want to break it.

He rolled his shoulder afterward as he gazed at her. "...Yeah, I am."

It didn't really sound like a boast or anything. There was maybe a hint of pride but honestly it sounded more like he was simply agreeing like it wasn't that common knowledge. Except that it kind of was in terms of Monster type. But he was still clearly growing into his Monster changes so perhaps it was simply that he was still getting used to his strength as well. It was a good guess if she took it.

Rude was used to being strong but being a dragon was something else. He could get used to it though. No real complaints.

[prettyrocks]

Tsutha is still learning the different kinds of 'monsters' here. If dragon people are meant to be stronger than other kinds of monsters, then it's news to her. She's met her share of dragons, but only back home, and they were quite different than some people with dragon-y features.

She leads the way over to the alley, walking slow enough that her new dragon friend can keep up. Once they make it there, she sets down her end table and dusts off her hands, thinking. "Hm. I should probably see about renting that cart, now, huh?"

It's not exactly like she can ask this guy to carry the desk all the way back to where she's staying.

[grandspark]

She could ask but he probably wouldn't accommodate. That was a bit of a trek to be carrying such a heavy load even for him. Maybe if he had his full dragon form available but he hadn't transformed into that yet.

"...Probably. You could load it up with more stuff." She seemed to like this whole take what you want from the loaded streets. He'd feel more sorry for the people here but honestly it kind of reminded him of the slums back home, too. There was plenty of debris down there and it looked much worse than this. And...well, he never had much sympathy for others since he was a company man that lived on the plate.

[prettyrocks]

She could, but she wouldn't. She knows what's a fair thing to ask of someone and what's a bit too much. Asking him to move furniture would fall squarely in the second category. Especially for a guy she's just met and doesn't even know the name of.

Speaking of that...

"I'm Tsutha, by the way. What's your name?"

She's still so new in this place, she really wants to get to know more people.

[grandspark]

Despite his stoic demeanor, he doesn't seem to mind the small talk. He might be a bit interested in learning more about the fellow Mirrorbound. She was also unique. He had never met an orc (or half-orc) before.

"You can call me Rude," he said with the hint of a smirk. It was so faint it was easy to miss.

[prettyrocks]

Tsutha doesn't seem to pick up on the smirk, or the fact that 'Rude' is even a proper noun. She just looks down at him from where she stands at six foot four, head tilted and brows furrowed in the look of someone who didn't get the joke.

"I mean, I wouldn't? You were really nice to help me. You haven't been mean or rude at all."

[grandspark]

Not really that far down to look--Rude wasn't exactly short being over six feet tall himself. And a growing dragon to boot. The look wasn't missed though, and he was further amused by her reaction.

"That's what I'm called." She had asked, he had answered. He wasn't going to get more specific than that though--it never failed to amuse how it sounded when he introduced himself or someone else called out to him. He'd wait for the lightbulb to click on its own.

[prettyrocks]

Much like a toaster, Rude will have to wait a long moment or two (or three) before that lightbulb lights up. Tsutha just stares at him, not understanding, until it finally clicks and she smiles, laughing.

"Ohh, it's your name!" Yes, Tsutha, that's what he just said. "I get it. Okay. Rude it is, then. Mr. Rude-but-not-actually-rude."

[grandspark]

It was rare that his facade slipped enough to allow for a noticeable reaction--such a a soft chuckle in response to Tsutha's lightbulb moment and subsequent words.

"Hmph. It fits sometimes," he told her, and was that a warning or just a self-deprecating statement. His bland tone could have swung it in either direction so it was up to her to decide. "Just not without reason."

And, not that she knew, but not without a job to be the reason for it. Typically. Though his usually stoic demeanor and no-nonsense attitude sometimes made it seem otherwise.

[prettyrocks]

Tsutha, in turn, has as a much more expressive face, always smiling, laughing, showing her confusion or understanding. She laughs now, warm and bright, and smiles at him.

"I'd better try not to give you a reason, then!" She doesn't think she will, they seem to get along well enough so far.

"Well, Rude. Thanks a lot for your help. I guess I'd better get on calling that cart now."

[grandspark]

Her expressive nature, and in particular her happy nature at the moment, was quite endearing actually. She wasn't wrong in thinking they were already getting along well enough so far. Perhaps there was something to be said for opposites attracting one another. Rude didn't mind her at all.

He nodded. "Let me know if you need anymore help with these," he offered before he simply departed. "If not, maybe hire someone to help you with the cart loading and unloading. Don't hurt herself. I'll see you around."

Rude lingered a moment to see what she would say to that first, but ultimately he'd go back to his business if she was done with him. Maybe though they'd see each other again and make a new friend.