You set the cell phone and go to sleep.
You awaken in daylight. Most of the men who were there when you went to bed seem to have left, but there are a few sleepers who may have been out all night. Your cell phone seems not to have sounded; you may have skipped a step in the setting process.
In any case, it's daytime and you are awake. Zeke is gone.
--M. J. Young
Nikolaj
Member
I tried to see how late it was on my cellphone. I got dressed and silently headed out, bible in hand. I planned on going to the house I had dinner in last night, thinking they could help me find my new boss. If it wasn't time yet, I would start on my devotions somewhere beneath a tree, unless my hayfever would start up, which wasn't likely, because since it's tropical here, it's probably moist enough to keep the pollen down.
You've slept about nine hours, and feel well rested despite the slight sense of jet lag caused by the time change.
Meesha (the orc housekeeper) answers the door when you knock and invites you inside. She says that the leatherwork is done in the tanning shed between the sheep barn and the smokehouse, and she can get one of the houseorcs to show you if necessary. If you need to see Master Kucher, she can find him for you.
She also asks if you're hungry; she can get something from the kitchen for you if you like.
--M. J. Young
Nikolaj
Member
Seeing Meesha again I smiled heartily, wished her a good morning (being sure to make eye-contact) and said that I'd be pleased with some bread and cheese or some oatmeal porridge or whatever was the usual way of breakfast here.
"Would you mind if I just eat it in the kitchen with you guys?", I asked. "I'd otherwise just be sitting alone, while there are such charming people around." I said, gesturing to Meesha.
After breakfast I asked Meesha for that guide to the tanning shed, so that I could introduce myself to Master Kucher. That sounded pretty German. I hoped that he wasn't some kind of militaristic disciplined boss, though it would be good for me to get more discipline.
Master Kucher is the owner of the ranch. The head leatherworker was called "Big Robert".
Meesha gives you an odd look, as if she doesn't know whether to take you seriously, but she gives you bread and goat's milk and honey in the kitchen. There are several orcs working there, some cleaning and others preparing food for dinner.
A young male orc is assigned to take you to the tanning shed.
The shed is fairly large--perhaps thirty by fifty feet inside, with fires going and skins stretched on racks. There are a couple of orcs working here, but one human, six and a half feet tall and between three and four hundred pounds from the look of him, who seems to be directing things. He turns toward you as you enter.
"You're the new kid?" he asks. "There's been talk that Kucher was bringing in someone."
--M. J. Young
The orc boy knows that Master Big Robert is a big man who can lift a sheep by himself, and skin a goat in a few minutes. He would not want to make Master Big Robert angry.
He puts his hand over his mouth, as if he thinks he might have said something he should not have said.
--M. J. Young
Nikolaj
Member
I smiled friendly and assured the orc that I won't say a thing about it. I kept in mind, and hoped, that Master Robert would probably only be physically hard with orcs. That is, I hoped that for my own safety, not for the discrimination.
As I met Master Robert I excused myself for my being late. I explained that I didn't know how late he expected me an hadn't known how to find him.
Then I told him that I had come here in this land without choice and looked for a place to work and make myself useful. After relating what I knew. "They thought I would be most useful here because I have experience with designing. But furthermore I don't know anything about this job. So I'll just have to learn the techniques from scratch."
He huffs gruffly. "So, you don't actually know anything about leatherwork, but you've done other kinds of art. Work for a chapel, did you? No matter. I'd usually start with skinning an animal, but we don't have one to skin at the moment so I guess we start with what we've got. Take a look around while I finish up this, and I'll be with you soon."
In addition to the aforementioned fires and racks, you see cutting tables with sharp knives with assorted blades, punches, precut leather strips of various widths from laces to maybe three inches wide, stacks of uncut leather of different types, hammers and tools that might be intended for making impressions, waxes and oils....
--M. J. Young
JohnA1nut
Member
Hey Nik, you sent me a Facebook invite a couple weeks ago. I don't have Facebook, so I don't know where you got that. I do have Myspace, and can be found http://www.Myspace.com/A1nut. Check it out.
Nikolaj
Member
"Well, I can do a back stitch, but that would be all I think.", I said as I smiled apologetically and tried to stay a bit out of the way. When I'm a bit nervous I tend to either very quiet or start babbling too much. The last thing seemed to be the case here. "I learned it from my grandmother. But that has been ... er ... sixteen years ago or something? But it's not something you forget easily."
I started looking around and my thoughts were wandering. "Worked in a chapel? What does he mean? Maybe he talked to Zeke.", I thought. I looked around curiously. "Skinning, that wouldn't involve alot of blood right? ... What have I gotten myself into... Come on Olaj, you can do it!" Those tools actually looked very interesting. And I started looking forward to learning it, despite, or maybe even because of the obstacles I had to take.
I notice that in your mental dialogue you've called yourself "Olaj" (which I'm guessing (a) is pronounced OH-lye, rhymes with Bowtie, and {b} is taken from the ending of your full name). I don't have this on your sheet as a nickname. Does anyone else call you this, and do you call yourself this ordinarily, or is this new?
Big Robert comes over and sees you admiring the tools. "Yes, that would be a good place to start. Let's teach you how to work with the leather. You've got a bit of stitching and a bit of artwork in you, so we'll show you the ropes and see what you can do. A belt is both easy and provides opportunities for some creativity, so let's start there."
He shows you the various grades of leather--some softer and more pliable, others heavier and more durable. You've got different grades of thickness, some tanned with fur or fleece still on it, some coming from wild animals but most from sheep and goats.
A belt requires a strong piece of leather, but one which is flexible enough to move a bit with the wearer. He shows you some that are above the average for toughness. These are, he notes, more difficult to work with because they don't cut or bend as easily; but when you're making a strap that has to resist tearing, you want this tougher grade. There is a bin of metal buckles. He explains the entire process. You must select a sheet of leather you think will be strong enough for the job, and a buckle for it. Buckles have two distinct designs--the tongue and ring type and the simple hook. (There are also loops, but these require a better understanding of how to secure a strap so he doesn't think you should start with them.) You have to use one of the concave blade knives (looks a bit like a linoleum knife, if you know what that is) to cut a strip of leather; you should use one of the wooden boards to keep the line straight. The width of the strip should be very close to that of the buckle--it is going to have to slide through the buckle on both ends. He also points out that if you're using a hook type, your leather must be thin enough that two layers will fit through the securing loop. Ladies' belts and dress belts are made from thinner leather and smaller buckles, while working belts are made heavier. If you use a tongue and ring buckle, you're going to have to cut the slot for the tongue. Use a piece of rope to measure how long you want the belt to be, and remember that no matter what kind of buckle you use, you're going to need a couple fingers of overfold to connect the buckle to the end, plus maybe a span on the far end. The end that connects to the buckle should be square or possibly slightly rounded; the other end will work better if it's pointed.
Once you've cut the leather strap, you will need to oil the buckle end sufficiently that it is supple enough to bend double on itself. It has to pass through the securing loop on the buckle (or if you're using the tongue and ring, it has to pass through the ring and you have to cut a center slot for the tongue--a somewhat more difficult design). Then you have to use a small punch and a needle with fine lacing to stitch the folded leather to itself, in at least two rows (one close to the buckle and the other close to the end) but not so close together that the holes are apt to tear. On the other end, you'll have to punch larger holes, suitable for the size of the hook or tongue of the buckle you've chosen.
However, the artistic part is usually done before the buckle is attached. There is a wide selection of tools with assorted blunt ends--some rounded, some square, geometric shapes, chisel-like, and others. By placing the end against the leather and tapping it with a small hammer, you imprint patterns into the leather itself, which will be retained. Since it is very difficult to fix a pattern once it has been imprinted, it is a good idea to etch your pattern with the tip of a small punch or awl before doing the imprints.
If you have questions, you're to ask him. You've now been instructed, and he will watch you do it.
--M. J. Young
Nikolaj
Member
"You are correct. It is a nickname me and my mother use for myself. It's a variation on Denolaj, which actually comes from Den Olaj, which means something of The Olaj, but it's hard to translate because it comes from use in how Belgians speak Dutch (Flemish). The Dutch people wouldn't get it either, unless they know our dialect.
I went for the tongue kind of buckle and kept the design simple at first. My etching experiences were smaller then my regular drawing experience. At the end I showed him my result and asked how fast I should become, if this was already good. I spent the day learning. I asked questions as I encountered things that I would have to choose not entirely design-orientated but rather practically orientated.
At the end of the workday, if nothing happened or if I didn't get invited somewhere, I went back to the Ranch, first asking when I was expected tomorrow. I asked master Kucher how things where supposed to go, if I was expected to eat here or if that wasn't custom and for how long the hospitality would last. I ensured him that I would be trying to set up a place of my own soon, as I would be able to make myself useful and stop being a burden.
Your work is adequate; you make a decent belt, and Big Robert is impressed that you used the tongue and ring buckle, as it is the harder to use. He seems to be grudging in his praise, but it's clear that he's impressed with your first effort.
"I guess things are different in--wherever it is they said you were from. It's half a day to town, on horseback. If you work on the ranch, you live on the ranch. Food and space are part of the deal, and you'll receive other things like clothes and such in exchange for your labor. We eat with the men and sleep in the men's barracks--you might be invited to the family table once in a while, but they eat mostly the same food so it's just the company and the service, unless you're partial to their desserts.
"I'm usually up early, but that doesn't mean you have to be here when I am. There's not that much to do here besides the work, and leatherwork is easier and more interesting than herding, at least to my way of thinking. As long as you're doing enough work to justify having you here, when you do it isn't a problem. Put in your time when you can do your best work. I've still got a lot to show you, but you've made a start."
I should mention that lunch is served not too long after you've started, and you're invited to join the men for that, and that dinner is served about the same time as it was the day before.
--M. J. Young
Nikolaj
Member
My smile must have been able to be seen from space, as much as it was beaming from my face. I wondered if I could have the belt as my first payment, so I asked it. As for the rest I followed orders. If I couldn't have the belt for my payment, I asked whether I could try making one for myself ant to see if I can find something interesting for him to trade it with. I ate with the men for lunch and dinner, and looked out for Zeke. Somewhere before last light I tried to note what I've learned with text and schematics. I think I probably had a little notebook in my luggage.
I also tried to get to the priest guy, one way or the other, by asking for him, bumping in to him or making an appointment.
Big Robert laughs. "One hundred percent compensation would be a bit much, now, wouldn't it? Tell you what: we'll set this aside, and in a week we'll see how much product you've managed to create and what you want to select from it all."
There is no priest here at the ranch. They do have a small chapel, and hold weekly services there, but only rarely are they visited by a professional cleric.
Your character equipment includes:
Laptop bag, used as luggage
2 Bibles, Dutch
Several Christian tracts, English
5 Gospel booklets, English
Loose papers, a pen a pencil a coloured pen (green or red)
Brightly colored blue boots (Like Docter Martin’s)
A notebook containing muses and sketches.
A lunchbox (before lunch it will be filled and afterwards it will be empty)
Keys
2 memorysticks (1 Gb and 128 Mb) Mac and Pc compatible
Wallet (ID, social security card, other membership and customercards (like Captain's Kebab) and used bustickets
Laptop (Microsoft)
Red short-sleeved T-shirt
Light blue long-sleeved T-shirt
Worn costume vest (black)
Light blue jeans
Brown belt
Black boxershorts
grey sportsocks
Sneakers patterned with blue and red versions of the all-star/converse logo made in different kinds of numberplate-like images. The laces are white (or they were at least)
Bank card in wallet
50 eurocents change
Keys of my appartment and my sister's apartement (including one key that doesn't work because it's from a changed lock, I've got the new one though) and a key from my fathers barbershop.
Some graphic design books
Concordance
Cell Phone
jeans jacket (dark blue) with a patch sewn on it (A black rectangular patch with the statement 'FIRST JESUS FIRST' embroided in white upon it)
black boxers
blue, short sleeved, wide shirt with grungy black print
longsleeved dark brown T-shirt
Darkgreen Shorts (jeans, with big pockets)
pair of white socks
Ukulele (Soprano) in bag with booklet for singing and plectrum and sheets with chords notifications.
Art trunk, small, contains charcoal, black ink, dried walnut powder (Bister), paper tape, goache, acrylics, ecoline, aquarelle and colouring pencils
Markers, several colors
Camera, still photography
Photographic developing gear with chemicals (black & white)
Tripod for camera
$70,000 B Monster Movie World money from the Architect
Book, Dante's Divine Comedy, paperback
First Aid Kit (bandages, salves, et cetera)
Flashlight, recharging by physical motion
Magnesium Flint & Steel fire starter block
6" blade sheath knife
Portable water filtration system with sealable bottle
Field Book survival manual, paperback
Tent, nylon two-man pup tent with staves, stakes, and lines
50' nylon 1/2" climbing rope
Folding camp shovel
Sleeping bag, arctic protection
10 pairs underwear
10 pairs socks
3 multi-colored Hawaiian shirts
Bright Purple knickers (mid-calf length pants)
Bright Yellow slacks
Dark red jeans
Navy pin-striped suit with vest
Pastel blue dress shirt
Black dress shoes, tie
Aluminum packing case, padded, 2.5' cube with side handles and wheels, to contain photographic equipment
Aluminum packing case, padded, 2.5' cube with side handles and wheels, to contain art supplies
Aluminum packing case, padded, 2.5' cube with side handles and wheels, for personal gear
Aluminum packing case, padded, 2.5'x1.5'x9" suitcase style, for clothing
Padlocks, combination style, 4, for packing cases
$1445 B Monster Movie value in gold and silver coins, rings, necklaces
I've bolded the items that might fit your needs for the notebook.
--M. J. Young
Nikolaj
Member
Yeah, I'll take my notebook, as it is a book. It has a bind.
I agreed with Master Robert. I meant as eventual payment. It would be an object with emotional value, as are most items that you make yourself. You put something of yourself in it.
I eat, work, eat, write down notes on belt making, to the amount that I remember. If I find Zeke I'll ask him if there's a place where I can sell a ring or a diamond, or whether he comes by such a place while herding the sheep. If there's such a place in this town, I'll change one gemstone into money and give a round in the local pub for being employed. Time for celebration.
Zeke does not understand what you mean by "money". He says you can probably trade your jewelry or gems for a lot of supplies, but unless you're planning a journey you're probably just as well off not doing so, since you've got food and shelter and clothing here. As far as buying a round of drinks, the Kuchers provide sufficient quantities of beer, mead, and wine for everyone to enjoy a moderate amount, and the foremen keep an eye out for men whose work is compromised by their indulgence.
--M. J. Young
Nikolaj
Member
Ok, moving on to the next day. I thanked God for the work and the day before I went to bed, asking for a blessing of the next day. the next day, when I wake up, I eat, read a chapter of scripture and go to work.
Do I see posters or anything other written there. Is it in the same alphabet as ours (roman), or is it different?
EDIT: I've just read the behind the screens. My character will just assume that it's more of a trading community and that gold is more for the rich, like the Kuchers. I'm sorry, if you want me to delve in deeper I might try, but I'm not this economical genius type of guy and will actually enjoy this system I think.
There is no need to apologize for the way you play your character. I would have expected the non-existence of money to have surprised you, but you seem to be rolling with the idea quite well. Among the humans, at least, it seems to be what we in English call a "barter economy", that everything is done by trading goods for good or goods for services.
You don't see signs other than one that indicates this as the "-K". However, among the tools used to imprint the leather there is a collection of letters and numbers in various sizes. These are in drawers below the table, as they come in sizes ranging from about three eights inches (about nine millimeters) to four inches (about a decimeter), with one of each character in each size, although there is no distinction between the "O" and the "0".
Today you are handed a heavy leather apron to wear over your clothes; Big Robert says you're going to get messy. You head to the slaughterhouse, where a sheep is killed and you are shown how to remove the hide intact. You then go through the process of cleaning and preparing it, and stretching it on a rack for drying and tanning. You've now been taught how to make leather from hide. Robert gives you a lot of information about recognizing what quality the hide is and what can be done in terms of getting the best leather possible from it, how to make tougher or more supple product, how to make the leather darker or lighter while retaining a consistent color, and other parts of the job. Since this is from a sheep that was not recently shorn, he hopes to make a leather with fur retained, good for warm coats and linings of boots.
The two of you are late for lunch, but food was kept for you; you have a shorter afternoon for it, and make it to dinner on time.
--M. J. Young
Big Robert grins when he sees you pale. He says, in what starts as a question but gets lost when he reaches your name, "You never slaughtered a sheep, Nick, Nico--I'm going to need a shorter version of your name, Nikolaj is too much of a mouthful."
Dinner is mutton. The cooks have had all day to turn the contents of that hide into food for everyone.
You continue learning the tanning process the next day, the hide with which you're working being more of a pelt to be used as fur. Big Robert says it could make several nice pairs of moccasins, but since that's a bigger project a jacket seems the better choice. It's going to take a few days to do it, but he'll walk you through it.
--M. J. Young
Nikolaj
Member
"Nick is good, unless you have another idea." I told him a bit softer then usual. "And yes, I've never done slaughtering before, this is the first time that I see this amount of blood. But I'm sure that I'll get sed to it. Maybe I should try it next time, to get over it, but I'm not sure if I could do it."
I will enjoy the mutton, I like that meat. I will complement the cook with a thumbs up again if I run up to him/her.
"A jacket sounds cool ... ehm good," I said, "I thought that would be too hard, but if you think I'm ready, I will be ready for it."
I make sure to get my book and balpoint with me next and ask Robert if I can take notes. I'm not sure how he will react to paper and ballpoint, but my charater me wouldn't have thought about the culture shock.
"It's all right. We let the knacker do the actual killing, but he wants us there to strip the hide quickly so the meat can be rushed for butchering. The quicker it gets cut up and cooked, the fresher it will be when it hits the table. So unless you're thinking about doing exotics--you know, hit the jungle, kill a cat or a wolf or bear or something, and skin it right there--you don't need to kill the animal yourself."
"Well, you did pretty good* with the belt, and although a vest is easier than a jacket, if you make the jacket you'll have made the vest first anyway, so you might as well learn it that way. Boots and shoes, they're the toughest to make. They require several different grades of leather and a lot of fancy cutting and stitching. Some guys get good at that and do nothing else, because if you can make really good shoes they're always in demand. But we make stuff for our own men. After all, we've got the leather, and it's cheaper to make it than to trade for it."
Big Robert doesn't pay much attention to your writing equipment. You're not from around here, so you're expected to have some "foreign" stuff. He's not much for tools. He does comment that the dwarfs have done quite a job on that stylus, and he'll have to keep an eye out for something like it when he's shopping.
The jacket does not require much in the way of new skills, just more complicated use of the old ones. You have to mark and cut the pieces for the vest and the arms, and then stitch it together. You're using leather that is fur lined. The more fundamental question is how big a jacket you're going to make. Robert explains that you can make one that can easily be tailored if you make the body in two pieces and seam it up the back--the seam can be pulled in to draw the sleeves back--but that it will be warmer and more comfortable if it is cut to fit off the rack. If you make it for an average sized man it will fit someone, or you can make it a bit large. He notes that you're taller than the average worker but not so broad, so you probably want to make it a bit larger in girth than would fit you comfortably but maybe not quite so long. He also points up that it's easier to make it smaller than to make it larger, so other than the placement of the arm holes, you want to cut it a bit oversized.
It takes most of the week to do this, but Robert is not rushing you, as he wants you to learn to do it right. Fast will come later, he says.
The sleeves are the most interesting part. You cut the piece to the length you want and the width for the circumference around the arm, which tapers slightly toward the wrist, plus an extra inch or so for seams. You fold it over so that the fur is on the outside, and stitch (or "lay") a seam where the ends meet. Then you stitch it, inside out, to the inside (fur side) of the sleeve hole. Once it is secure, you pull it through. The result is that the sleeve's seems are all inside and the sleeve is secured inside the jacket.
You are also given the opportunity to decorate the leather at each step. The jackets are held closed by laces. In this instance, Robert suggests stitching a strip atop one side of the opening, and punching holes, reinforced by surrounding stitches, in the strip and in the other side. This way, he notes, the two edges will overlap and you can lace up the top piece to the other side.
--M. J. Young
Forgot the footnote.
*This is grammatically incorrect. I did not want to confuse you, as I know that English is not your primary language. I do endeavor to use correct English when I am writing narration; but character dialogue will sometimes be in the vernacular, the way people (or in some cases, this person) would actually say it.
Technically, he should have said, "You did pretty well with the belt", but most American speakers would have said what he said.
--M. J. Young
Nikolaj
Member
Thanks for the grammar teaching, I need that!
This world kept making me curious. I had forgotten about dwarfs for a moment, as I had not seen them yet. I did see the occasional orc servant, but that was about all the fantasy races I saw. This was fascinating and thus I asked master Robert whether I could go with him when he goes trading (shopping seems out of place in a world without currency), as to see something of this land I stranded in.
During the week I kept working on the vest, focussing on skill rather then on speed, and took time to make notes between fases unless master Robert didn't like me interrupting for notes. I relied on his advice heavily, and asked him when needed, as I tried to get it good. For the design (eventually) I looked around the shop and on the streets what the trends were. Were there patterns or rather geometric forms or floral designs? Or where they kept to a minimal, focusing on form rather then design? Where there patterns or shapes that returned? I would ask master Robert how he usually did those, as I knew that there are often set ways to do such things, certain actions in a certain order. I would spend the rest of my week like this with the jacket.
Between and after working hours I would try to make contact with people. Since paying a round at the local tavern was out I looked for other ways to celebrate my arriving here and thank the people for accepting me. So I got out my ukulele and unfortunately I could only tune on an electrical tuner, which was in the bag, but I didn't know whether that would work. If it wouldn't I'd try to improvise.
I had a sheet with the notes of the strings and know that each fret is half a note, so maybe I could try tuning it that way. Anyway, I would see if I could play a song for them. But I only know some christian songs, so I'd start strumming the standard "give me oil in my lamp", to see if it sounds right and go through with it. Unfortunately my singing isn't as good as my playing, though I've heard that with effort I can get good result. But usually I need guidance to get the right notes out of my through. Rythm is no problem.
I would also try to make friends with at least one of the servants. Maybe one of the young ones or one of the elder ones. (I'd prefer a young boy to start bounding with, though an elder one could tellmemuch of the slavery I suppose) I'd do that with relying on the same servant for most things, and through gentle questions try to get to know him and let him know me, to the extend of normalness. (so, the versing, I'd try to avert that topic by saying that I'm from far away etc.)
There are trade trips maybe four or five times a year, but Robert doesn't go on most of them--but he's pretty sure he can arrange for you to go, if there are enough leather goods to trade. After all, part of the job is figuring out what the things you've made are worth. A good leather jacket is worth more than a wheel of cheese, unless it's really excellent cheese.
He also has no trouble with you taking notes, and thinks it's a clever way to help remember things.
There are many different patterns on the clothes worn by the men, but most are simple. Women's clothes are more ornate, but so are Mr. Kucher's. Of course, no one is wearing warm jackets at present, so there's not much in the same style.
The men are pretty accepting of new people, so you have little trouble fitting in. They don't talk much about where they're from, so they don't ask about such things.
The orcs are a bit more difficult. They seem to isolate themselves. You do determine that there are two or maybe three types. Some have been captured from the jungle and enslaved; these are usually the most unruly, trying to escape and needing constant supervision. Some were captured so long ago they have adapted to their enslavement. They usually recognize that there are benefits to being a cooperative slave, that they get good food, decent clothing, and respectable shelter (not as good as the humans, but better than orcs in the jungle). They are allowed to marry--monogamously, which they say is a bit confusing because it is so different from the lives of free orcs. This leads to the third group, orcs who were born slaves.
There is a degree to which this division is reflected in their assignments. Those in the house are nearly all born slaves, with a few elderly ones who have accepted their position. Among the herders, many who have accepted their positions are allowed to ride horses, and help keep watch on those who are more rebellious. Since the Kucher ranch is so near the jungle, they do not keep many orcs who do not accept their enslavement--the risk of escape is too high.
Most of the orcs are suspicious of your overtures. They do not seem to know what to make of your kindness. It is notable that you express any interest in them at all--sufficiently so that some of the other humans suggest you stop treating them as people. "I know they look a lot like people," Zeke says, "but you have to remember that they're not. Treating them like people only makes them think they might be, and that makes them more difficult to manage--particularly the newer ones."
Sometime in your second week, though, a young male orc who mostly sweeps up and assists in the leather shop is standing near your table watching you work. You ask what he wants, and he answers: "My father told me to figure out what it is you want, that you are always being nice to the orcs. So I'm watching you to figure out what you're thinking."
That's not exactly a friend, but it is apparently someone who is going to do his best to learn about you and find out what you're thinking, what motivates you in connection with his people.
If you're going to make a connection with this orc, we'll probably need to name him. I expect he has an orcish name, that would be difficult to pronounce, and also a slave name that is used by the humans in the shop. I don't have anything specific in mind, but am open to your suggestions.
--M. J. Young
Nikolaj
Member
Bingo, all the luck, and all the problems! This is going to get interresting, I'm in an ungratefull place here, the 'inbetween place'.
I thanked master Robert for going to arrange me to go on the trading route. (Is that even a correct sentence?)
As Zeke told me that they aren't like humans, I asked him how so. They seem capable of thought, reason, logic. They have desires, can be learned, can compare, can express their thoughts, have relationships ... (If I've seen or hear them sing or draw, then I also mention that they have culture and artistic expression) This was a genuine statement, and it sounded that way too. (unless dice decide otherwise)
That is the reaction I have with everyone of the humans.
(young male orc, as in 8 years or 12 or rather 15-16 ish?)
"Aha, so you think that you can figure out my thoughts by watching me?", I asked the boy orc with a smile. "Well, my dear boy, what am I thinking now", I asked him while I kept working the leather. After a minute (if he hasn't tried or didn't know), I told him that I'd make it easier for him, and I put down my tools and took a little stool on which I sat myself down and with an encouraging smile looked him in the eyes.
If he didn't guess that I was fishing for his name, I told him when he gave up.
After that I asked him for his favorite plant. Then I planned to use that in my next design.
I've taken your grammar question to a new thread, Grammar Questions, because it's more difficult than I want to address here.
"Well--I'm sure there are those as knows more about this than me, but really, they aren't like humans, or elves, or dwarfs. They have no moral sense. The, er, mate like animals, rather indiscriminately--it takes a great deal of effort to get them to understand the idea of one husband to one wife. Also, they fight with each other and kill each other, as if they were having territorial wars--but they have no concept of having territory, of owning property. We've tried to trade for land from them, but they claim they don't own the land; then when we claim it, they attack us for taking it. And they'll not only kill intelligent beings, they'll eat us. Also, I've never met one that understands the notion that one god created everything; they worship all different gods, and think that all those different gods are just as good as each other. I'll admit they're the most trainable animals around, but just because they can understand instructions doesn't mean they're smart like people. My horse understands instructions, and I don't even have to talk to her to get her to do what I want."As Zeke told me that they aren't like humans, I asked him how so.
I won't put a number of years on the boy, because you don't know how rapidly or slowly they age. He is comparable someone about thirteen--just coming into adolescence.
"Oh, no, I can't read minds. Can people do that? I just didn't know where to start, so I thought I'd start by watching you, and see whether that gave me any ideas."
He says his name is Qormlach--the Q that sort of clucking noise created by pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth and pulling it down abruptly, and the ch similar to German ending such as Bach. However, he says humans can't pronounce that, so he's usually just called "Click", which doesn't bother him because humans never call any orcs by their real names and most orcs just use the human names for each other when they're not with family.
He says that his favorite plant must be the orange tree. There aren't often oranges here--they come from the elves, usually--but he likes them a lot, and some of the elder orcs say that oranges grow on trees and that there are such trees in the jungles. He's never been in the jungles, and has always wondered what an orange tree looks like.
--M. J. Young
Nikolaj
Member
Double Dialogue! Not my strongest point, but I'll try to keep my focus. I'll be going from the assumption that the talk from the boy is before the talk with Zeke, so that I've got some reference. As far as I know that's possible, right?
Click
I've just tried to pronounced the name like you describe it. I can pull it off one out of three times.
Him being this old my approach had been a bit too childish, but going with the amount of faith in unexplainable things I've observed in these people it could have payed off. It was more of a lightharted joke to open up with, while still being mysterious. And, as player, I could see if the orcs would have been supernaturally gifted.
"No, generally speaking we can't," I told him, "but there are some who claim to be able, some through the Holy Spirit, others through evil spirits. Mostly the latter ones though."
"You know, I don't know how an orange tree looks, but I tell you what I'll do...", I told him, and I ripped a piece of paper from my notebook, and quickly sketched an round shape which I gave a few small dots, I drew a little stem on it and a leaf. (Normally sketching something like this should only take a minute (litteraly a minute if I can't find my shapes well enough).)
"I can give you the fruit of the orange tree, or at least a drawing of it. And you can tell your father that I just want to get to know the orcs. Make friends, and have fun. That and there is a secret that I want to tell you.". I winked at that last statement and pulled up my eyebrows a few times, as to make it lightharted but yet trying to make him curious. I glance over to master Robert once in a while to see how he's reacting to this whole performance. In essance I'm just treating him (Click, not Robert), as a kid.
Zeke
"But Zeke, can your horse make art? Or even appreciate it? You know, I've met this boy called Q... Ql... Click, and he acts just like a regular boy. Curious, interrested, follows his father's orders. He even has abstract thought. He knows about orange trees even before he has seen them and thus, because of the mystery of it, decided that it is his favorite. I don't see a horse do that. Regular animal instinct would normally make them stay away from things they don't know, wouldn't it?"
While I was explaining that, my expression turned to a smile, as I relived the entire scene. But then I turned back to the matter at hand.
"You see Zeke, where I come from we have had something similar. There were people there, humans, as black as coal. We, the white men, thought that they were just animals, if we were thinking kindly about them. Some thought they were demons."
"Yet we were wrong, and we had all the same reasons that you just gave me for opressing these orcs. Right now, where I come from, one of these dark people, well actually a son of mixed parents, is well on it's way to run the country that once opressed them, and he seems to have nothing but good will for it." (I joined the game again before the election of Obama I think)
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