[ORP] Tale of a Cheesemonger

Moderator: Community Team

Hodierne

Re: [ORP] Tale of a Cheesemonger

Post by Hodierne »

Hod innocently walked by the milk man's farm on her way from the tavern. It was kind of late. Benjamin was sleeping in her arms. She was a little bit bored. Usually, Benjamin and her would play on their way home. She was pondering this, when she saw some cows in the field.

"Moo," Hod said to the cows in the field. She got no reply. "MOO," she tried louder, still no reply. She thought for a minute, looked around, then thought some more. She'd never been to cow school at night. So, she gently put Benjamin down on the tall grass, trying not to wake him. She then took Benjamin's rope leash and tied the end to the fence around the field.

Hod quietly walked through the tall grass, and weeds, to the non-talking cows. She said, "Moo," and again got no reply. "Are you asleep?" No reply. She looked around again.Hod quickly and firmly pushed on the side of the sleeping cow... "MOO!" It protested when it hit the ground. Hod started giggling while she was running back to where she'd left Benjamin. She wasn't worried about the milk man catching her. He hadn't been around for a while. Maybe he was off delivering cheese somewhere far away. She didn't have time to ponder such trivial things, when she was too busy laughing at how funny the cow was when it fell over and woke up. She stopped running and turned around towards the cow, "MOO," she yelled at the now awake cow. She walked quickly to Benjamin and untied his rope-leash. She picked up Benjamin, who was still asleep, and continued on her way home.
Orakio

Re: [ORP] Tale of a Cheesemonger

Post by Orakio »

Orakio woke startled by the sound of wailing and gnashing of teeth-- I mean, to quite a commotion anyway! One of his cows was having quite the panic, and he grumbled, pulling the sheet over his head in hopes that it would subside. It nearly was a success too, but the cow did moo again, so grudgingly, very grudgingly, he lit a torch and crept outside, walking toward the pasture.

Ye done fell over, you oaf!

By all accounts Orakio was strong for a human, but hoisting a cow was another thing altogether. Now, he had gotten out there far too late to see the culprit or even suspect anyone of such a deed, but still, what a pain. He planted the torch in the ground and knelt to try his luck, helping the cow roll just a bit so she could get back up.

Now that's a good girl.

Awake at this time of night, Orakio thought he might as well head to a tavern...
Orakio

Re: [ORP] Tale of a Cheesemonger

Post by Orakio »

It was his least favorite thing: the butchering of cows. He never kept them around long enough to become particularly fond of any, but there was still something off about it, so Orakio usually hired someone else to perform the slaughter. The butchering though, was something he had to do himself: he had the training, the practice, and the facility, and it was becoming a specialty of sorts. Carcass after carcass, becoming meat to feed the masses. He had learned a little about anatomy, and a bit of skill at the cleave as well -- he supposed it was a good precursor to his swordsman and combat training. But Orakio was not a fighter. Nor was he a lover: for to be a lover, one must have somebody to... love. He loved his town, sure. He took joy in his cheesemaking, yes. But though Orakio seemed content in his life, he oft wondered whether there were something missing.

Why had he become a butcher? Who knew anymore. He had previously lived as a merchant, so the future prospects in gemcutting were of course appealing. He wanted to ensure himself a supply of meat and strength, so that too may have had something to do with it. Why strength? As a merchant he had to be able to defend himself, and do it well. Perhaps it had just become a case of old habits dying hard. No matter the reasons, really. He drew a sigh as he watched the carcass hanging from a hook in the back of his workshop. It had become routine. Another day go by.
Orakio

Re: [ORP] Tale of a Cheesemonger

Post by Orakio »

Back on track. His home and shop had been recovered sure enough from his prior lapse, and his next great batch of cheese was finally at the ready. The wheels had been wrapped and stacked neatly, and would need only another day's watching to make sure naught had gone awry. He remembered the envelope where he'd kept Adonair's pre-payment. He might finally open it. A lesser cheese might do with but a week's aging, but this Bravian Gold had to be just so, and Orakio closed his eyes to imagine the flavour he would soon be once again tasting. It was worth the wait. Yet as of late, there were other things on Orakio's mind too.

Eggs had become increasingly difficult to supply. It was a good thing really - more of his fellow citizens were honing their dexterity skills, and doing whatever else required the use of eggs. Chickens had to be healthy to produce eggs, and to be healthy they had to eat. Feed had been scarce at times, so Orakio had recently begun to grow some corn of his own. Time would tell how that one went. There was also the bit about his studies. He had recently gained access to some of the University's more specialized books, and begun to read them. Some days he didn't do any butchering at all. He always made the time for his cheese, but that aside, there was plenty of reading and studying now. He had a goal in mind, and he would stick to it.
Orakio

Re: [ORP] Tale of a Cheesemonger

Post by Orakio »

"Once upon a midnight breezy
While I pondered, cold and wheezy
Having finished something cheesy..."

Orakio put down his quill, and figured he would write his verse another time. Nevertheless, the stillness of the night left him in a pondrance. He looked over at the wheels of newly-finished cheese, stacked neatly on the pantry ledge, and smiled. This was his life now, one he'd not only become accustomed to, but started to enjoy. Soon though... He looked over at the stack of books on his table with a sigh. He wasn't entirely opposed to the practice, but soon his routine would once again be broken. He was learning skills, important ones, and as he'd promised, would put them to use at Bravia's call. He wasn't the most social man, and it was no surprise -- was strange, being a simple human, in this land of rather varied inhabitants -- but still, he loved his home.

His eye caught a glint on the large hook on the other side of the hallway. It hung from the ceiling near the front of his workshop, and that's where he's hung the cattle carcasses while he butchered them up into marketable steaks. Another long-passed practice. Now and then, he'd still butcher a chicken, but those were hardly a challenge. It was a grim thing, but the cattle gave him perhaps a small sense of challenge and accomplishment. These studies? They were hardly a challenge, and more of a process. Sure enough, they'd come to pass. What they might do, though, is prepare him well for an entirely different kind of challenge -- one he halfway hoped would never lie ahead. The silver lining was more like a shade of gray.
Orakio

Re: [ORP] Tale of a Cheesemonger

Post by Orakio »

So it went. Ever the optimist, Orakio had taken to his studies in a positive light, knowing that he would stand in service to his home, and well happy to do so. Paz was a place he'd found peace for himself, and saw his practical outlook on life turn into a disposition more sunny -- but still, there was something missing. He was not the most social of creatures, so mayhap it was no great surprise, but he spent his evenings alone. It was true, he did keep busy, but his attempts to take more part in his community had typically fallen flat: He wasn't anybody important.

Quietly he sat, watching the evening stars from his bedroom window. Age after age, they had been and would be the same, stalwart in the sky unchanging. And before he laid himself to rest, Orakio prayed that he might muster within himself a similar resolve.
Orakio

Re: [ORP] Tale of a Cheesemonger

Post by Orakio »

Funny all the difference a brand new day could make. It was true, he had been feeling rather unsocial lately, and never could quite push himself to correct that, but this day he had! He had taken upon himself to start encouraging a little more socialization in the town, and got himself out and about a bit more too. Now that the Mass was being regularly held again, he made sure to leave enough time in his day to listen to it, and to see people coming together in this town made him feel good. Now, there was a time for everything and while all of that was good, for now Orakio sat in quiet repose, reading the pages of this latest book with care. Each skill had its own challenges and seemed to both include and build upon what he had discovered in the last, and this book was no exception. Though he did his best to be thorough and patient in his studies, sometimes he wondered whether he ought to be eating fish instead of bread: it was no easy task.

Funnier still, that a traveling merchant would wind up settled in such a community, and take to cheesemaking and then to studying military strategy. Perhaps the two went hand in hand? After all, one must know what he is doing to make a finely crafted cheese, and crafting the ingredients are endeavours unto themselves. In fact, many things and many months of planning go into a cheese, and even the slightest details must be done just right. Much like maintaining an army, he supposed: there was so much more to it than he could have thought, yet here he was -- he had studied some parts and now their bigger picture, which in itself was only a small part of the bigger picture yet. Not to mention the logistics of it all! Indeed Orakio had to chuckle aloud as he finally decided, that the General himself ought to have a more informal title: The Big Cheese.
Hodierne

Re: [ORP] Tale of a Cheesemonger

Post by Hodierne »

Hod had her hands full when walking home from the tavern. She had the snoth in his cage in one hand and a little baby newborn lamb in the other. She carried the baby lamb close to her, the snoth in his cage, not so much. G'gila, the snoth had been bad today. She had hoped he was getting better, but no, not the mean little snoth. He had bitten her dolly Betty. Bad snoth.

The snoth was not what was on her mind at that moment. Finding milk was. Milk for the hungry baby lamb in her arm. Luna was what Kel'a had said her name was, Betty had tried to convince her that the baby lamb's name was SavageFang- Destructivo! EATER OF WORLDS! Such a long name for such a little baby, and lambs don't have fangs, lady fox said so and lady fox knows lots, Hod thought as she stopped beside the fence of the milk man's cow field. "Benjamin, you watch G'gila. I go feed the baby lamb." She put the snoth cage down beside the fence, then carefully climbed over it while holding Luna close to her, but not too tightly to break her. Benjamin stood guard beside the cage, "Beee careful Hod"

Hod quietly made her way to one of the cows. She had a big, full udder, it looked like to Hod. She gently petted the cow. "Cow give milk to Luna?" She knelt beside it and held the baby lamb up to one of the cow's teats. Luna began suckling the milk from the cow. "I hope milk man not get mad," she said quietly to herself as the baby drank the milk from the cow. The lamb finally, after what seemed like forever to Hod, had enough. "You were thirsty, little baby lamb." Hod stood up carefully, while holding Luna close to her. She petted the milk giving cow, "Thank you cow."

Hod walked back to where she left the snoth and Benjamin. "You toook forever Hod. I was ready to come afteer you," Benjamin looked up at her worried as she climbed back over the fence. "I'm fine, baby lamb was very very hungry. Cow nice and give milk." Hod picked up the snoth's cage with her free hand and continued on home. Benjamin walked beside her, chatted with her about the new addition to their household.
Post Reply