Paru's Bathhouse and Spa

[Whisper]

-=| Paru's Bathhouse and Spa |=-

The bathhouse plays an important role in the social lives of the Nairu people of Arakmat. Each brightening, men, women, and children will flock to the bathhouse to relax, bond, and bathe.

Paru's is a large stone structure just a short walk away from the bazaar. Long and tall with vaulted ceilings, the entire building is made from the same beautiful blue stone that makes up the city gates. Intricate white and gold detail work lines the wide entrance and borders the floor and ceiling all around the bathhouse. The smell of sweet herbs and perfumed soaps infuses the entire place. With warm hanging lanterns all around, Paru's has a warm and welcoming feel. Soft and colorful flower petals line the floors and are constantly being replaced by the spa's dutiful attendants.

The bathhouse is divided in half to separate males from females. In addition, small images of pawprints in each gender section denote spots for Katta and Dorin. Paru, the owner of the bathhouse, neither supports nor condemns the racial feud. She just doesn't want it to get in the way of business.

***

After entering through the main lobby and being handed their standard basket of equipment (as well as any additional things they purchase), the bather is directed to his or her respective side of the bathhouse. There is a changing area where bathers switch their day clothes for the bathhouse's standard attire of a towel and slippers or wooden shoes.

The first room, the 'warm room,' is heated by hot, dry air from vents along the ceiling. Bathers sit on wooden or tile benches and perspire freely.

They then move to the 'hot room' to perspire more before entering the third room. There, they splash themselves with cold water to cool down their body temperature.

Bathers spend the most time in the 'bathing room.' Here, there is a large bath of warm water that can fit up to fifty occupants. The bath is lined with a bench for sitting, and there is a slightly deeper area in the middle (about four feet deep) for near full-body submersion. The water is constantly being drained and replaced by an ingenious series of pipes and plumbing, ensuring that each bather enjoys the cleanest water possible while allowing many people to bathe at once. Bathers usually use the basic soap included in their standard kit, though luxury products are available for purchase in this room as well. This room has a lovely aroma from the variety of scattered fresh flowers, soaps, shampoos, incense, and scented candles that fill the area. Attendants of the same gender as the bathers roam the area, helping guests with whatever needs may arise.

After the bath, bathers may pay extra to enjoy a massage by one or more professional masseuses. In any case, they should spend some time in the 'cooling room' to readjust their bodies and relax. When bathers are finished with their final steps, including any other extra services they wish to enjoy from the spa, they return the complete bathing kit and change back into their day clothes, refreshed and clean.

Each bather receives the standard kit with their entrance fee. Additional equipment may be purchased upon request in the lobby. Paru would like to remind her customers that items purchased are for use in the bathhouse only, and must be returned upon the bather's departure. Entrance Fees: single brightening: 5c 1 cycle pass: 40c single brightening (children): 2c 1 cycle pass (children): 20c full-body massage: +20c Standard Kit: (comes in a woven basket for carrying convenience) large cotton towel to wear about the body in dry areas, color of your choice pair cotton slippers, color of your choice (for use in dry areas) pair wooden clogs OR 1 pair wooden sandals (for use in wet areas) tas (ornamental metal bowl for pouring water over body) soap in copper case 2 washcloths (one soft for lathering, one rough for scrubbing) 3 large cotton towels for drying, color of your choice (one each for hair, around shoulders, around waist small comb small mirror rose-scented perfume (females) OR spice-scented cologne (males) Additional Equipment For Purchase: silk and cotton towel: 3c silk dry-area towel: 5c silk slippers: 7c specialty scented soaps and fragrances: 2c (rose, mint, lavender)

At the turquoise-tiled counter, a lovely attendant sits on a stool in front of a set of shelves filled with ready-assembled bathing kits. Her dark brown hair hangs in a braid over one shoulder. As guests enter through the always-open marble doors, she greets them with a smile. "Welcome to Paru's. Have you come for a standard visit, or would you like to try some of our luxury items this brightening?"

[Julien Cervantes]

Continued from gates. Cycle 2. Immanis. Winter. Era 15. PF.

Jules arrived at the bath. He expected some kind of pool, or lake, or something that was free and open to the public. What he found, of course, was public enough -- save for the fact that a fee was required to enter. "Five crowns for a single bath?", he thought out loud, "gawds this is like bottling water and selling it!" He cursed, muttered, then finally approached the clerk who seemed overly approving of the establishment.

"Give me one cycle", he barked through the phlegm and dirt stuck in his throat, "please. Here." From his back, he found forty crowns and laid them on the counter, counting them off one by one first. "Thank you." With that, Julien recieved his 'standard kit' for his bathing escapades. He needed it, that was for sure.

[Whisper]

Alenna was busy assembling more of the standard bathing kits when Julien arrived. She was used to dirty, exhausted visitors arriving for a cleansing, but the sight of anything not fresh and spotless still made goosebumps ripple down her arms. She would have to sweep the floor after Julien left.

"It's worth it," she assured him with a smile, overhearing his complaint about the price. "This fee will cover you for ten brightenings of your choice. You may use them all this cycle, or visit throughout the month. We'll record your visits in the ledger to keep track. May I have your name please?"

When that was done, she handed Julien a standard basket and showed him the shelves stacked with fluffy, comfortable towels of every imaginable color. "And what color towels would you like?"

OOC: Would you like to just have this be a normal visit? If so, you can just follow the procedure outlined in the first post. Or I can make it an adventure if you like.

[Julien Cervantes]

OOC: showering can be an adventure? ^^ You are an awesome mod ^____^ !

Julien paid then noted the woman's moderately distressed demeanor about his arrival. He was pretty damn dirty, sure, but not that dirty that she would need to replace the tiles he walked on.

"Green towels are good", he repeated, "and my name is Julien. Julien Cervantes."

That was an easy enough query. Waiting idly, he regarded the items granted to him for his stay. Ten brightening of nice, refreshing spa time seemed nice enough especially since his skin dried faster than normal. That was what bothered Jules the most. It never occurred to him until he left Demios. Being near the ocean, he had free showers any time he damn pleased. Now, inland, and away from the ocean, he was forced to pay just to rehydrate himself.

Oh, the irony.

[Whisper]

Alenna was just a bit obsessive about cleanliness, that was all. If Julien glanced at the bathing kits, he would notice that they were all assembled to exactly resemble each other, then placed on the shelf exactly an inch apart. Maybe Alenna just had a lot of time on her hands.

After she wrote his name in the ledger, she handed him a stack of fresh green towels and his bathing kit. "Enjoy your stay!"

OOC: Everything can be an adventure! :3 Make your way to the 'bathing room' and I'll meet you there.

[Parreyon Syndicus]

T.S. Joining Julian's little adventure that was advertised in the OOC thread

Parreyon entered the bath house wanting to try the place out for the first time. He had been to massage places across the Empire but had never seen one with the combined ammenities that this one displayed. He knew nothing about costs but was ready to find out.

Looking around he was quite impressed by the looks of the place. The Nairu people and The Sultan had an eye for the pleasantries in life. The fahion of the building was typical of the desert people and was design he was beginning to like. It amazed him on the different cultural design concepts each race and province held. He did not find one to be more appealing than the other; they were all different and unique.

Parreyon walked up to the counter and smiled to the Nairu woman who politely greeted him. Parreyon had taken to a more desert look wearing a silken vest made of an imperial royal blue color with loose fitting silk pants which were marron. He wore black leather laces sandles on his feet. woven into the vest was the Imperial Crest of his position, Imperial Judicator of the Ministry of Justice. Most people recognized the seal as being of an imperial position, but only those who knew politics would identify with his actual position.

"Seraaa and thank you for the warm welcome. I am interested in gaining a membership to this establishment for all of my Pride. Currently there are five members, but we are growing. First, I would like to try the place for the brightening. What is your cost for a one time visit and what would the cost be for a seasonal or era long membership pass?"

[Whisper]

Alenna made a thoughtful face, looking into the ledger for reference. "The standard one-brightening free is 5 crowns.

"As for seasonal and era-long passes... We offer reasonable discounts for our frequent members. Since each season has a different amount of months, we offer three-month passes for 400 crowns. Era passes are 1000 crowns. Those are the per-person prices, though I'm sure that we could offer an additional discount for your pride. Let's say... 1900 crowns for three months, and 4500 crowns for an era."

This was certainly one of the pricier establishments in Arakmat, but Paru made sure that it was worth her customers' money.

[Parreyon Syndicus]

"Then by all means, show me the treatment that this place offers that I might consider such a gracious offer for my Pride Members."

Parreyon said happy to hear that the Nairu woman was a true haggler. it was the part he loved best about Arakmat. There was no place that one could haggle with enjoyment like there was in Arakmat. The Grand Argonox Bazzar of Paxia was close, but the environment was not the same as this place. Arakmat just whipsered of haggles, deals, and great business. Just one more reason to have his Pride established in the province.

[Whisper]

The receptionist smiled. "Certainly, sir. Please be sure to let me know what you think! I'll ask Miss Paru to come to talk to you, as well.

"That'll be 5 crowns. May I have your name? And what color towels would you like?"

After handing him a stack of his desired color, as well as the standard kit, Alenna pointed towards the male side of the bathhouse. A tiled hallway led to the first room. "It's just through there. Enjoy!"

OOC: You can self-mod your way through the first few rooms. I'll catch up with you and Julien once you get to the bathing room.

[Parreyon Syndicus]

Parreyon laid the 5 crowns on the table and was ready to begin his bathing and massage treatment. There was nothing better than having the muscles worked over especially after a good work out. His mind working the math regarding the per pseron aspects of an annual pass. There were 500 brightenings in an era, so if he was to come here on a brighteningly basis, it would have cost 2500 crowns for one person per era. Considering the average person would visit a massage specialist twice a cycle though, at 50 cycles an era, that averaged 500 crowns an era. For 4500 crowns over an era for five pride members, it was 900 crowns an era per member. So if the Pride did not use the facility four times a cycle, then it woul dbe cheaper to pay per visit. He'd save this information to give to Miss Paru and see if he could continue the haggling process.

Parreyon stepped into the first room called the warm room. He rested in here for a half a candlemark allowing the sweat to bring the dirt under his fur to the surface where it was loose. He knew the humans enjoyed this process much more than furred races. He spent about a quarter of a candlemark in the hot room to continue th same process. He assumed the warm room was to help the body adjust its internal temperature before entering the hot room, but was not really sure.

The next room had him doused with cold water which he found to be quite invigorating! if it's function was to wash away the dirt that had been brought forth from the sweating process, Parreyon did not know, but it made sense to him. But going from a cold splash of water into hot water took a bit of getting used to. He wondered what inginuity was required to think of this cleansing process.

Once in the pool, he went into the area was his body was mainly submurged. Then he looked around to see who else was in here.

[Whisper]

OOC: Continued here! Sorry about the wait, guys.