[Riparia] Finding Friends (Ogrim)

[Rushnak Orog]

45th Brightening of Kalendryas, Winter, Era XIV (pf)


It was nice to actually be in a place where people accepted him. Though nobody was every genuinely friendly towards him, Rushnak was happy that he could move about undisturbed by the local people. The key to this situation was the fact that Riparia had few people who called it 'home.' Most were merchants or travelers who stopped by only temporarily or to trade and make a living. The city was almost a haven for orcs, but unfortunately a buildup of the race here would probably draw unwanted attention.

However, it was a buildup of orcs that Rushnak wanted. Maybe not here, but at least this place gave him a chance to meet others of his race. Knowing that his chances of getting his plans started were increased here, the orc kept an eye out for anybody who he could casually come up to without it being obvious he was only looking for others of his kind.

The key, Rushnak knew, would be to approach another orc without drawing attention, then gaining the attention of the orc away from what they were here for and onto his words, and finally, hoping the orc would be on the same page or at least interested in his plan. He needed an orc with guts. Somebody who didn't lose his heritage and give up on the way life should be. It was dangerous, but little orcs actually did was not dangerous in some way.

Rushnak kept his head up and tried to blend in with the others. He paid no mind to anybody more than he should, but his keen eyes kept a look out for the start of a new era.

[Ogrim]

It was on one of his frequent “patrols” of the city that the green cyclops had spotted the other orc. There was nothing especially note worthy about Rushnak’s manner aside form the fact he wasn’t raping, maiming or pillaging as one would expect, however this was Riparia and as a condition of free and unbiased entry into the city a civil standard of behaviour was required and as such the aforementioned popular past times of the orcish kind were frowned upon. What had garnered Ogrim’s attention was the curious dark hue each orc shared, far be it for the emerald barbarian to think that he was unique amongst countless numbers of his kind, he had not, however, witnessed another of his particular coloration outside the Arakmatian Province, and they were usually of similar size to the one eyed uruk and not of average stature. Had Ogrim known that his interest in Rushnak would likely be reciprocated, he would’ve approached him directly rather than through an intermediary.

As Rushnak walked through the crowded streets of Riparia’s mercantile district, he felt a brush and brief tug at his right, this was then followed by light, dry pressure being applied to the palm of his left hand. If he turned to his right he would see nothing but bustling shoppers and merchants selling their wares. In his hand was a small piece of parchment. In blocky letters a phrase was written;

Green Goblin. The height of night.

There was no signature except for a crudely drawn, unblinking eye.

[Rushnak Orog]

Rushnak passed through the weary crowds slowly. He knew that he had taken himself out of his natural, confident environment by entering this place, but he did not see a lot more choices available to him. He did not hide who he was under a cloak or make himself look anything other than what he truly was. His pride was too strong for that and his race was stubbornly keen of their pride. He kept his eyes moving from one side of the street to the other, eying each individual and each building for something out of the ordinary.

Search as hey may, nothing appeared. Most of the crowd kept their respectful distance. Even though he was accepted here under conditions of good behavior, Rushnak knew that the others around him understood exactly what he was capable of at a moments notice. Though this was a hint of the fear he felt all citizens of the Empire should have for orcs, he knew that the fear was nowhere near as strong as it once was. Things needed to change regarding this fact, but many steps had to be taken before that could be accomplished. Because of the distance most people kept, when he was touched on his side and felt the pressure on the opposite hand, the orc immediately kept his head up and looked around. He searched quickly and, unfortunately, not accurately. Seeing nothing, he looked down.

He read the parchment. Green goblin, he repeated in his head. That could mean him or perhaps another of his kind. Rushnak calmed himself and casually looked around again. The height of night he read again. This is the half he did not fully understand. He glanced above him at the tops of the buildings, running with the idea of height. But while he did so, he thought about night. It was dark and darkness was underground. The line confused him and he turned towards a building. He stood next to a glass window and looked along the street, more slowly but more casually than before. Regardless of what exactly the message meant, it meant something. And something was more progress than finding nothing at all.

[Ogrim]

Ogrim raised his hood and pulled his ragged cloak about himself tighter. Deep in the alley from where he watched the young greenskin, only his glowering red eye could be distinguished with clarity form the bottomless shadows.

”Use your eyes youngling.”, he thought to himself, encouraging Rushnak silently from a distance. ”Then use your mind.”

As the other orc slowly surveyed the cityscape surrounding him, he searched for a clue, anything to decipher the cryptic message that had almost magically materialized in his hand. Suddenly out of the corner of his eye a glimpse of green made him pause. There! A sign, literally. Rushnak could only vaguely make out a bipedal green form daubed crudely onto a wooden signboard that hung above a door as the suns of Telath were at their zenith and it hurt to look upward for too long. As he began to walk toward the sign in investigation, he saw something else move out of the corner of his eye, something big and silent though when he turned toward the alley in which he thought he saw movement, it was gone.

OOC: Sorry for making you wait mate.

[Rushnak Orog]

The orc saw the sign and started towards it. He knew he was on the right track. Had to be. Rushnak caught sight of the figure hidden by the shadows of the alley and started moving faster. He turned down the alley and stopped. The thing was gone. Knowing that he probably just missed it turn, he followed faster.

Rushnak was not about to give up. Regardless of what was in store for him, he ran through the darkness in pursuit. The possibility of something that could help him was too great of an opportunity to pass up. Even in the shadows, the orc had good eyesight, a property most pure orcs shared. Rushnak looked for any crack or alley which may have split off from the main path. He also kept his eyes up in case whatever had caught his attention jumped and held onto something above his head. It had to still be here... He just had to find it.

[Ogrim]

From an unseen vantage, Ogrim watched the smaller uruk stalk up the alley as he chased a shadow. Silently grunting, the larger orc chastised himself for not being able to curb his curiosity and therefore distract Rushnak from the task he had set him.

Rushnak soon found the end of the alley, aside form a rotting dog and scattering rats, there was nothing else of interest as his path was blocked by a sheer red brick wall which was utterly unscalable. Looking up for a possible sign that his shadow had passed this way, he could see the suns were at their zenith. It was nearly the height of brightening, exactly half way through the cycle.

The young greenskin had no choice but to return to where the alley met the road and continue his investigation. The green looking creature painted upon wood would be a good start Rushnak reckoned.

[Rushnak Orog]

A frustrated orc could not be trusted with anything. Unfortunately, that was the direction the young green skinned outlaw was heading. Rushnak let out a quite audible grunt and furrowed his brow before turning and half sulked half trotted back towards the main avenue.

He looked around yet again, this time with the intent of pursuing and catching anything that caught his eye. The rest of the population escaped his narrow vision as he was so determined to find something, anything that he was looking for.

Finally, upon a brown, worn wooden background, the symbol stood out like the high suns on a deep blue sky. The green was appealing and the thoughts of curiosity would either kill him or at least preoccupy him. Regardless of what waited, Rushnak decided to head that direction. He approached with a somewhat less cautious nature as he probably would have if he were not so frustrated, but he was an orc and his true nature could not help but shine through more often than not.