Nikolaj Rising · Page 2 · The Gaming Outpost

470 surviving posts. Original order and wording are retained; deleted and spam-marked entries are excluded.

Nikolaj

February 3, 2009 · 06:57 #41

"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.

M. J. Young

February 4, 2009 · 02:52 #42

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

February 4, 2009 · 07:26 #43

"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.

M. J. Young

February 4, 2009 · 16:24 #44

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

February 4, 2009 · 23:48 #45

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.

M. J. Young

February 5, 2009 · 22:58 #46

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:

Loose papers, a pen a pencil a coloured pen (green or red)

A notebook containing muses and sketches.

--M. J. Young

Nikolaj

February 6, 2009 · 00:14 #47

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.

M. J. Young

February 7, 2009 · 21:29 #48

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

February 7, 2009 · 22:12 #49

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.

M. J. Young

February 8, 2009 · 22:44 #50

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

Nikolaj

February 9, 2009 · 23:32 #51

As the sheep got slaughtered, I turned very pale. I decided to take my little booklet and pen to work tomorrow, should I get such amount of information again.

M. J. Young

February 10, 2009 · 03:53 #52

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

February 10, 2009 · 08:55 #53

"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.

M. J. Young

February 11, 2009 · 03:04 #54

"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

M. J. Young

February 11, 2009 · 03:07 #55

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

February 11, 2009 · 08:00 #56

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.)

M. J. Young

February 11, 2009 · 22:06 #57

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

February 11, 2009 · 23:26 #58

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.

M. J. Young

February 12, 2009 · 21:41 #59

I've taken your grammar question to a new thread, Grammar Questions, because it's more difficult than I want to address here.

As Zeke told me that they aren't like humans, I asked him how so.

"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."

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

February 12, 2009 · 23:04 #60

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)

M. J. Young

February 15, 2009 · 23:14 #61

ClickHe laughs at your efforts to say his name, but says that it's very good, that most humans have much trouble with it.

When you say you want to make friends with orcs, he looks at you like you've got an extra head or something. But then he shrugs and thanks you for the picture.

When you mention the secret, his interest piques. "What secret? When will you tell me?"

Master Robert is otherwise occupied; if he's noticed your conversation he has not indicated so.

Click is there every day, so the next day he picks up the conversation.

"Father says that it is very strange for humans to want to be friends with orcs, and that orcs do not have 'fun'. He says I should be careful, because you must want something that you do not want to say."

ZekeSo, you're saying that because the orc is smarter than the horse, that makes the orc a person? But the horse is smarter than the sheep, and the dog is smarter than the horse, and all of them are smarter than the chicken, and probably the cat is smarter than all of them. So, what makes the orc a person, but not the cat, or the dog, or the horse, or the sheep--or the chicken, which is probably smarter than the fish?"

"I can see that your people made a mistake--humans can be all different colors, and still be humans. Elves can be different from each other, and still be elves, and dwarfs are dwarfs even when--well, I don't know whether dwarfs are different from each other. But then, dwarfs, elves, and men are all different from each other, and even though we think dwarfs and elves are, well, strange, that doesn't mean they're not people. The other free peoples all worship Gaia, creator of the world. They all recognize that there is one husband for each woman, one wife for each man. They don't eat us and we don't eat them. They understand the idea that someone can own land and that the things that are on the land belong to the person who owns it. In the past, we've fought over territory, and probably over other things--but at least it was obvious that we were fighting over things. We don't eat each other. We don't kill anyone in the name of Gaia or whatever gods it is the orcs worship. Orcs are not civilized, and they haven't learned how to be civilized from being around us. Orcs that escape and go back to the jungle seem to go back to their old uncivilized ways. It is very difficult to teach them, and they go wild again so easily. They're--well, they're just obviously so different from the rest of us. They're not like civilized people."

--M. J. Young

Nikolaj

February 16, 2009 · 23:04 #62

Click
"What do you mean, you don't have fun? We were having fun yesterday, when you were laughing as I tried to say your name. What was it again? It started with 'Q' and ended on 'ach', that's about all I know still.", I said with a smile. "Wasn't that fun?"

"But I think I understand what your father is saying, and how concerned he is", I said while working on the jacket. "Maybe you can ask him whether there is any way that I can prove my honesty to him." I said. I didn't want to use poor Click as someone to relay messages only. "Oh, and you know, about the secret. I want to tell you, but I'm not sure I can right now. And I'm not sure how to start it. But it is great news for you!", I said with a smile. "It's about my Master from home, not master Robert, but an other one. He is a very kind Master, yet also very strict. He loves His servants. He loves them so much that he made them His sons and daughters."

Zeke
"No, no, not intellect, but emotion, soul, spirit. Yes they have reason but they also have a sense of expression on another level.", I explained him. "And what someone believes does not make him any more or any less of a person then he is? The God I follow doesn't have the name Gaia, for example. Does that make me any less a person?"

M. J. Young

February 17, 2009 · 05:27 #63

Zeke
"You don't worship Gaia, creator of the earth and all things on it? I didn't know there were any civilized people who didn't worship Gaia. Or is it because you come from--" He sort of shrugs, and then nods up at the sky. "Somewhere up there. I never heard anyone say that Gaia didn't create the lights in the sky, but I never heard anyone say she did, and I never heard anyone say that anyone lived up there other than the lights themselves, but they say you think you might have come from up there."

Click
He laughs again at your efforts to say his name. "Qormlach," he says again. "Yes, maybe we do have--" and he breaks off. "Orcs live to serve, and to learn from our betters," he says, as if it were a code or rule he did not want to break.

--M. J. Young

Nikolaj

February 17, 2009 · 09:02 #64

Zeke
I worship the creator of earth and all things on it. Yet He is a person and a Father to the weak and opressed. He cares for the orphan and the widow. His people have been refugees for a long time, yet He gives them a home. He adopts them into His own family if they want to join Him.

Click
"You know what ... Qormlach? I'm not sure whether I'm your better, but one of the things you can learn from me is having fun. Smiling, laughing, making best of things. Would you like that?" I was making eyecontact again as I said that, and I was smiling too.

"Oh, and I could try to tell you little bits of the secret every day too. Would you like that?", I asked him. "And it's a very special secret, because it's meant to be told to other people. It's a secret, because the other people don't know it yet. It's like a big bag of candy that you can share with your friends.", I told him.

Funny, I had thought he would be at least a bit surprised when I told him that I was a servant of a Master at home, and was quite curious to the response

That evening, at the Barracks...
Inspired by the talk I had with Zeke, I picked the 'Father God' song in my booklet to play. It was my favorite song the first years after my conversion and still has a special place in my hart. I started playing and singing, yet I had somewhat secluded myself. Not that I was alone, but so that I wasn't playing to an audience. There could be people or orcs that heard it and got curious ofcourse.

"Father God I wonder how I managed
to exist without the knowledge
of Your parenthood and Your loving care
Now I am Your son, I am adopted in Your family
and I will never be alone
'cause Father God You're there beside me

I will sing Your praises
I will sing Your praises
I will sing Your praises
I will sing Your praises
for evermore

I will sing Your praises
I will sing Your praises
I will sing Your praises
I will sing Your praises
for evermore"

(at the bolded part I am always lost in worship, singing louder and more passionatly. I can't help myself :) I'll also flow over in the Dutch version of the song after this and possibly revert back to the English after that. The possibility exists that I lose track of my surrounding and start singing a refrain in tongues and letting the song change like that. I have no idea what I'm singing then, but generaly assume that the Spirit sings it in a better way then me.)

ooc: Some questions about things I might observe. Do I see physical punishment of the orcs, like whipping etc? Do I notice them having an own language? Does the week have a weekend in which there isn't worked, is there a day of rest (like our sunday)? I suppose that laundry is done by a washing woman slave, but it can also be that we do it ourselves. How do we do that?

I've had a very busy week, which is responsible for my shorter posts, just replying on what I got from you without much discribing of feelings and thoughts. My apologies for that. My life has become more busy, but I'll try to keep the quality up, even if only for myself :)

M. J. Young

February 18, 2009 · 02:21 #65

Zeke thinks you should probably talk to a priest of Gaia somewhere, because either you're confused or everyone he knows is, but maybe you know something he doesn't.

Qormlach nods affirmatively when you ask him whether he would like those things. He asks whether the secret has something to do with your master.

You have not seen any punishment of orcs, but there is a jail of sorts not far from the barracks. Of course, most of the orcs with whom you are working are rather sedate types, apparently given the better jobs (working in the leather shop or the house) because they are more cooperative. You do overhear some discussion one night, one of the ranch hands complaining about a particular orc who "tried to escape again", who was "punished" and put in the lock-up for the night. The hand thinks the orc should probably be sold to someone who is not so close to the jungle--"of course the difficult ones are going to run if they're close to the jungle, since they know if they can get well inside they'll probably never be caught."

There is a day of rest, every eighth day. Worship services are held, but there is no professional clergyman here.

The hired men do their own wash. There are servants who do the family wash, but that's really for the family. There are also some human servants working in the house, women mostly, some the wives of some of the men. There aren't a lot of children, though. They'll do wash for their husbands and sometimes for some of the other men. You're welcome to do your own, though. There are wooden troughs in the yard for that, with washboards, and you can get bricks of soap for this, and water from the pumps.

--M. J. Young

Nikolaj

February 18, 2009 · 10:00 #66

I smiled and told Zeke that I might do that. "Maybe I came from beyond the stars just to tell you people this wonderful message.", I told him.I looked rather pensive for a moment, and then smiled at him again. "Only time will tell, I guess." I planned to go to the next worship service.

"Oh yes, ... Qormlach, it has to do with my Master. He is very special. Tomorrow, after work here, I will tell you a bit about him." I told him. I planned to have every day consist in a joke for Qormlach and a bit of scripture or a story related to scripture, like the 'footprints in the sand' story. If appropriate, I would also tell him parts of my own life.

I have never washed my clothes that way, but I would ask someone how I needed to go about that and learn it as I went to wash it with others. My poor knuckles. I explain that I've never washed this way by myself before.

That night I prayed for guidance. "... especially in dealing with the humans. How to convince them of showing love. I don't know what you think about slavery Lord, because You seemed to accept it in scripture, though, bound to some certain rules. I don't know how that is here, but I don't see orcs running around with whipmarks, so that part seems to be rather good. And then there is this entire Gaia thing. What am I supposed to think of that? If they are worshipping you, they are missing the point."

I sighed as I heard about the lockup and my face went sour.
If they noticed that and asked about it, I'd ask them how they would feel, if they were taken from their home, wife, kids, friends, and put in a place that was not natural for them. Wouldn't they try to escape too? "Isn't it a harsh thing to do?"

"Oh, and Lord, how does salvation work here? This is another world, with more creatures then humans. If I think starting with Your love I'd say that you want to save them, but has there been a replacement like You have done for me and the entire human race back home? I know Your sacrifice is not bound to time, but is it bound to universes? This is all very confusing Lord. I know that You are stronger than everything and that You can work through different worlds and universes. You encompass them all. They all echoe Your Voice, which called them into being."

What did I sense at the worship service? Something amiss or a blessed environment or just nothing?
Was there any response at the song or was I just left alone?
Is there a reply on the prayer?

The next day I went out to the workshop again, if it wasn't Gaia-day. When I met Qormlach I greeted him. "Hey Qormlach, what's green and goes up very fast?", I asked him, already smiling. This one might give me a headache. When he didn't know it, I sniffed very hard as an answer.

This day I had taken my bible with me. After work I asked Qormlach if he was ready for a story. Then I realised that my bible is in Dutch. I explained that alot of the secret is in that book, but that it is written in my home language "en dat is geen Engels, maar Nederlands." I smiled, "but I will try to translate as we go."

"My Master is a very strange Master.", I told him. "And He is also a very powerfull Master. He made the heavens and the earth. He made everything.", I gestured around, "and He made everyone." I paused for effect. "But the people didn't listen to God ... ehm, the Master, and they couldn't be with Him anymore. He had given them only one rule, 'do not eat from those trees', and they couldn't keep to it."

"What happens when you don't listen to your masters?", I asked him. "You get some sort of punishment right? Well they were punished too. They had been living in a Paradise up untill now, but they weren't allowed to be there anymore. And they couldn't be with Him anymore. This has a dreadfull consequence. Because if you can't be with Him when your life ends, there is only a place called Hell left for you to go. It's a place without love, a place of eternal punishment."

"But fortunately, the Master didn't want that for us. So He provided a solution. Substitutes had to be made. So there were sacrifices. But the people just made the sacrifices to erase the mistakes they made and not to want to be able to be with Him. But He wanted their love, not them not wanting to burn in hell, and not be interested otherwise."

"So He wanted to make the ultimate sacrifice. He came down to earth, or a part of Him anyway. He was called the Son of God. He lived the way we should live. And then He died in our place, taking our punishment in our place. He went to that hellplace, but because He was pure and hadn't done anything wrong, and because He was God, they couldn't keep Him there, so He came back to life. Then, He went to be with His Father in Heaven, but He sent His Spirit to us to guide us. Through Him, we can become the sons and daughters of Him again, instead of just being the servants. But He keeps asking us to serve, because in His kingdom, the highest ones, are the servants."

"What do you think about that?", I asked Him.

M. J. Young

February 19, 2009 · 02:40 #67

You learn to wash your clothes. It's difficult and time consuming, and it's going to take a long while before you can do it as smoothly as the women who are there periodically, but you can manage it.

That night you awaken from a dream.

In the dream, there was a man sitting on a beautiful chair on a dais. He was too beautiful for you to draw your eyes away, yet shone too brightly for you to gaze at.

In the light of his face, you saw an elderly woman, dressed in peasant's clothes of subdued greens and browns, a shawl over her graying earth-brown hair. She kneels below the dais, eyes lowered. But she speaks.

Her voice is lovely and endearing, like that of an elderly mother filled with tenderness; it is at the same time respectful.

"Lord," she says, "why have you brought this stranger into my world? Have I not served you well enough? Have I not taught these mortal children your nature and your love?"

"Gaia," the other says--and the voice is at the same time thunderous and gentle, expressing great power and great love--"you have served well. I created you and gave you the opportunity to create, and you created something wonderful. Your creations are like my own creations, and I would receive them as I have my own. You have always known that you would one day wean them and present them to me.

"That day need not be today. You still have work to do. You have indeed created people who love each other and care for each other--but you have one race which has ignored you and which has been despised and rejected by the others. They cannot truly understand love until they can love even these. The outsider may be able to teach them this--teach them what you and I have both wanted them to learn. He will also plant the seeds of the knowledge of me, and perhaps he will plant them in the hearts that are farthest from me now, those who have even rejected you, their mother. I will be their father, and their brother; they will remember you as their mother, who birthed them and gave them to me."

Her head drops lower. "May you increase, even as I decrease, loving and merciful Lord."

The dream ends. The darkness of the barracks seems the deeper after the brilliance of the light from which you have just emerged.

No one said anything to you about the song, although some seemed to be listening and trying to whistle or hum along while they went about their business.

--M. J. Young

Nikolaj

February 19, 2009 · 07:25 #68

Wow, cool! This will take some time to digest though. I'm reposting the second part of what I typed again. Day two. But I add the reaction to the dream. Sorry that it was so long.

After the dream I woke up with a startle. "That was a confusing dream. What about not worshipping any other God then God?" Then I remembered the science fiction books of C.S. Lewis, which had ... guardians of some sort over each planet. I know that that was a bit funky and that I didn't agree. But maybe things worked differently in other universes. Though I'd think God would like to be praised all the time.

I wrote down my dream and I went out to the workshop again, if it wasn't Gaia-day. When I met Qormlach I greeted him. "Hey Qormlach, what's green and goes up very fast?", I asked him, already smiling. This one might give me a headache. When he didn't know it, I sniffed very hard as an answer. (which is a joke, as I would be referring to a bugger. An answer isn't needed, it usually just produces sounds of disgustment or frantical laughter ... or both)

I kept working on the jacket.

"What do you think about that?", I asked Him.

M. J. Young

February 19, 2009 · 23:06 #69

"Yours is a strange master, if he makes his slaves into his children. The master here, he has his own children. He needs his servants to help take care of his children, not his children to care for his slaves."

--M. J. Young

Nikolaj

February 19, 2009 · 23:39 #70

"They were his children to begin with," I say to him, smiling. "let me tell you another story from this book, to explain it to you. I search for the story of the prodigal son.

"There once was a man, who had two sons. The boys helped on the land and worked with the father. But one of the boys had gotten fed up with that life. He went to his father and asked for his share of the inheritance right that moment. He took the money ... ehm, he took his share, and took off. He decided to go and enjoy life."

"He spent his goods on rich foods and used it to get friends. But he got through his goods and the boy had nothing anymore. Now that his stuff were gone, his friends abandoned him and he had to beg for his food. He found a job, feeding the pigs, and not even being able to eat from their food."

"He decided something. He said to himself, 'If I would go back to my father, and be a slave with him, my life will be better than this. There will always be food, I will have a roof over my head and I will be treated well.' So he set out to his father."

"He didn't know however, that his father had been waiting for him every day, looking at the distance, trying to see if he was coming back. As he suddenly saw his son coming back, he dropped all he had and ran out to the boy with outspread arms. As he met the boy, he held him in his arms and wept from gladness. The son asked to be a slave, but the father said that he was still his son. He got him new clothes, new shoes, and a ring. He made a feast."

"And thus the son, became a bum, and then a slave and then a son again. And that is also how it is with my Master. He is the Father of everyone, just as Gaia seems to be the mother here, who gave birth to the people. But my Master wants you to be His children again. He longs to be reunited with you and your people, and with the humans here, and the dwarfs and the elves and everything he has created."

"The only difference is that you haven't seen Him yet. You never had a choice, but you have one now. Do you want to know more about Him? Do you want to get to know him?", I said while I looked him in the eyes.

Did he react at the joke in the previous post?
I think I have an idea as to how to fit Gaia into the picture. So I think I'm safe right now.

M. J. Young

February 22, 2009 · 01:14 #71

Yes, I'm sure that although I--well, my reaction to the joke is irrelevant, and I'm sure that by now the joke is being repeated among the orcs, but probably not among the humans.

"Your master sounds kind. What, though, would my father say if I were to turn to a human god?"

--M. J. Young

Nikolaj

February 22, 2009 · 15:54 #72

Lol, yeah, the joke is a bit like 'ewwww...' dirty, but it was the first one I could think of that I could translate to English

"My God is not a God of humans alone. He created all. And he wanted all and is above any other god. This night I dreamed about Him being the lord over Gaia. She made the creatures on this earth I assume, but she couldn't have done this if God had not given her the power to do so. He wanted this. And He wanted you."

"I do not know what gods your father believes in, but they are all less powerful and less worthy of praise. But he might not like it. As far as I know, nobody here, not even the humans, have heard of this God, except for those to who I've revealed a bit of it too. This is an unknown God, but He was always there and has loved His creation for ever and ever."

"If your father does not like you too, maybe I can talk with him? My father didn't like it that I followed this God too," I said, "but my God goes before my father."

I smiled at him, but with a bit of sadness in my eyes as I remembered my previous life. I sighed.
"I'll never say that it will be easy. It takes sacrifice, not of an animal but of yourself. Your time, relations, friendships. But what you gain from it is so much more. Eternal life, full of peace, joy and life! And in this life a taste of that too."

M. J. Young

February 23, 2009 · 00:34 #73

"I will talk with my father. Maybe he will want to talk with you; but it is not fitting for an orc to approach a human he does not work with, or to challenge the words of a human if he is not given a place to do so, so I do not know if he can come to you."

--M. J. Young

Nikolaj

February 23, 2009 · 08:01 #74

"Then I will approach him, should he want it. Only if he wants too.", I said to him and smiled. "Alright," I said and sniffed the air, "dinner seems to be ready. Will we keep it at this today? Tomorrow is another day, and then we can talk more. And then we'll know how your father thinks about it. Tell him that I'm not trying to get him into trouble."

When I am alone in the shop I kneel down and put my hand on the pressed floor (which I think is just pressed dirt, right?) and decided to assure Gaia that I'm not trying to hurt her.

"Hey Gaia, I'm not sure whether I can do this, but I just wanted to say that because I don't worship means that I don't respect you. The Lord gave us the earth to take care after. And I will try my best to do that. But the earth or nature wasn't meant to be worshiped. Please understand that. I mean you no harm."

I knew that all creation has life, so the earth and nature have life, and I supposed that Gaia was some of that life. Or was the earth itself.

Then I went to dinner and to the barracks. Before I went to bed I prayed for Qormlach and his father and mother and his entire family. But especially for Qormlach to have a deep conversion and for his father not to be hostile and wanting to talk if needed. I also took out my paint and painted some papers. One entirely gold, one entirely black, one entirely red, one I left white and one I painted entirely green. I let them dry till morning.

M. J. Young

February 24, 2009 · 04:00 #75

It seems reasonable that at least part of the tanning/leatherworking shop would have a dirt floor, although probably part of it is wood and part (near the fires) stone. The house and barracks would have wooden floors, the smokehouse stone, the barns and stables wood, and you've never been in the orc barracks. Since it would be simple enough for you to find a different place to touch the earth, we'll just assume you do that somewhere here.

You speak your words to Gaia. As you finish, a breeze comes from nowhere, the dirt blows around, and words appear etched in the ground: Welcome, fellow servant Nikolaj.

Concerning your prayer, it is my intention to take your prayers quite seriously. I'd like to know specifically what you pray and how long you spend praying about each specific item. (Time is not important, of course--but it is one of the few objective measures I have of how serious you are.) Also, when you pray like this, are you lying in bed, or kneeling beside it, or taking some specific posture (sitting, standing with hands raised, something else), or will that not matter?

Thanks.

--M. J. Young

Nikolaj

February 24, 2009 · 07:30 #76

Probably I'm kneeling besides the bed, but I could be just lying in the bed or sitting on it, probably with folded hands. The prayer would be something ranging from half an hour to an hour I think. It consists of thanksgiving and then supplication and ends in gratitude.

btw, in the talk with Gaia it should have been "I just wanted to say that because I don't worship doesn't mean that I don't respect you. Not that it will make the answer different. I think you got what I meant.

As Gaia wrote in the ground to me, I nodded in relief, yet I felt a bit uncomfortable, not sure if I should have done that. That was crazy supernatural. But I decided to go with it and asked God forgiveness if it had been wrong. (short prayer, a bit like Nehemiah before the King)

The next day I took the dried colored papers and headed to work. When I saw Qormlach, I greeted him with the joke of the day. "What's bent and yellow and very funny? A bahahahahanana!" I smiled. Then I continued working on the vest. During lunch break I took the opportunity to form the differently colored papers into a little booklet by sowing them, thus making the wordless book.

After work I met with Qormlach again and asked how his talk with his father went. I also showed him the little wordless book, and explained him the gospel entirely through it. About Jesus I explained that "where I come from (...) but what He did surpasses all boundaries and is for here too." I gave him the booklet.

I also told him that I wondered if there was something of an orc language. If there was one I asked him how the word friend was said.

M. J. Young

February 24, 2009 · 23:26 #77

For some reason, I cannot edit that post in such a way that the link http://berean.org/bibleteacher/wb.html connects to the text.

I'll try again.

--M. J. Young

M. J. Young

February 24, 2009 · 23:45 #78

There is an orc language. Qormlach does not speak it. Orcs taken from the jungle usually speak it, but they are not supposed to speak it here or teach it to others. His father was raised on a ranch like this one, and so does not speak Orcish.

"My father says I should be careful not to offend you, and should listen to what you say, but that human gods are for humans, not for orcs."

He finds your story interesting, and thanks you for the papers.

--M. J. Young

Nikolaj

February 25, 2009 · 07:53 #79

"Oh, it's hard to offend me, really. So, your father thinks that you shouldn't worship my God, but what do you think? Do you think he is a God for humans alone, or also for orcs and elves and dwarves? He created all of them.", I told him.

ooc: As I contacted Gaia before, did I have a specific feeling of discernment with it or not?

M. J. Young

February 26, 2009 · 08:43 #80

You had no feeling either way.

"That is confusing. The humans say that Gaia gave all things on the earth. Father says no one really knows who made everything. His father spoke of gods worshipped by the orcs, who made one tribe or another, who made one kind of animal or another. He doesn't think that anyone made everything. That is too big a job. And besides, why would the same one make the defenseless sheep to eat the grass and the ravenous wolf to eat the sheep?"

--M. J. Young