The Sauna (Open)

[Franky]

Ash 74, 121

Steam hissed loudly as Franky ladled water out of the boiling cauldron in the hearth onto the bed of coals. The tavern was a sweltering sweatbox right now, even with the front door open for ventilation. The many hearths, all filled with the cauldrons of water, with their chimney's half closed, were keeping the space filled with steam. It was cold out in the darkened streets, and Franky's gave off a warm glow as the clouds of heat spilled out.

Franky was wearing nothing but a sly grin, just like most in the tavern were. He strode through the space of people lounging and talking, heading back through to the kitchen. He opened up the first of the iceboxes, several having been rented just for today, fetching several bottles of iced wine and some pails of chilled water. He lugged them back out into the main area, "Who needs a drink?"

Franky certainly showed no shyness in baring all of his glory to these patrons. His mama had called him handsome once and he'd never forgotten. His body told many tales of his time in the Imperium, for he was covered in a wide variety of scars, of varying degrees of severity and age. And while his body was clearly more softened with his age, the musculature of the soldier was still there.

He walked over to a table of Druskai, for this was also the happy hour night for them, "Enjoying the steam?" The elves smiled, "Of course. Maybe you should open a baths bar, you'd certainly find us comin' by more often."

Franky's face showed he was clearly giving it some thought, "Now there's an idea." He set a pail of cold water on the table and moved onward. He certainly missed the steam baths from his mountain village. It just wasn't a thing here in Zaichaer, it seemed. Still, a taste of it was pleasing. But his mind began working out the logistics of a baths addon to the bar. He'd have to talk to the Druskai and Moratallen that lived in the old mines below the Bulge, see if they knew of any steam vents down there. A bar for all types... One giant multifaceted tavern. That was something that could be profitable, something he could get behind for sure.

But he'd need to get more hires before that day could come.

He walked over to another table, a diverse crowd, "Iced wine? Might bust out some chilled bourbon next."

[Vanessa Quill]

Living on an airship for months on end had done well to remove any shame Vanessa had, and so she too had no issues sitting at one of the tables entirely nude while holding a cold flagon of beer up against her right eye. When she brought the flagon down to take a drink, she revealed one hell of a shiner. She was trying to keep it from swelling, and so far had done a good job of it. There were other bruises and scrapes adorning her chest and thighs, but the heat was already chasing the more minor pains away and soothing the rest to a more manageable throb.

Her scars were more openly on display now that she was nude. Most were standard ilk for anyone that had seen the wrong end of a sword or a firearm, but her back was a tattered tapestry of wounds, a truly grisly raking of wounds from shoulder to waist. If ever she caught someone staring, she merely glowered at them until they returned to their drinks. For once though, Vanessa was not interested in starting trouble. The Fight Pits had become a way for Vanessa to train, earn extra coin, and make a name for herself as a fearsome bodyguard. It had been there that she'd gotten this fresh smattering of injuries, but it also had drained her daily desire to watch heads roll.

Looking up a Franky when he arrived, Vanessa nodded. "Yeah, bring me some of that wine, so long as you've got some cheap bottles." Vanessa laughed. She finished off the beer in her flagon and then simply held the cool metal against her eye until the heat of the room caught up with the flagon. She set the flagon down and blinked a few times. There was still a tightness in her bruised eye, but far less noticeable than it had been before. "What about you, kid?" she asked Anton. "Wanna split a bottle?" Vanessa herself was already feeling a satisfying buzz from a few beers, but Vanessa had not gotten so far in life by stopping whenever she felt satisfied.

[Anton]

Anton had no particular scruples about nudity, the man's body having been poked and prodded and examined by hundreds of people in his short life. He, of course, could not see the bodies of anyone else present, neatly preventing any embarrassment from having to view others. The fact that most people weren't even paying attention to him went even further to quiet any concerns he might have, though he had made one concession to modesty. A towel was secured around his waist, far from universal for those enjoying the sauna but common enough to not draw suspicion to him. The foresight of his father had come in handy once more, the garment hiding something far more intimate than what lay between his legs, the mark of an illegal Cardinal Rune on the small of his back safely hidden away from sight.

Despite only being a towel away from discovery, and worse, he was having a surprisingly good time. The sauna was doing wonders for his lungs and body, relaxing him more than he could remember ever being before. His mother had sworn by the hot springs of her homeland, but he had assumed he would have to one day travel to the Imperium and the halls of his grandparents to ever actually experience them. The fact that similar had been built within Zaichaer had confused him at first until he heard the proprietor speak, his voice thick with a Gelerian accent, and he at once understood. Anton did not bother thinking about how Vanessa knew of this particular bar, she seemed to be an encyclopedia on the institutions, but a part of him did wonder if she knew of the connection between himself and it - however tenuous it was.

Vanessa's question knocked him out of his comfortable, half asleep, musing, the lordling cocking his head at the pirate. He had barely drunk before, all of it either at family functions or at his bodyguard's express urging. For some particular reason, Anton did not entirely believe he was really being given a choice here. "Sure, might as well. I don't think I'm going to be able to do much of anything today anyway." It was true. He was relaxed, and wasn't particularly inclined to end that anytime soon. What harm could a drink do?

[Franky]

Franky could only smirk at the suggestion of cheap bottles, "I've got wines for all types." He saw the black eye that Vanessa wore upon her visage, "Looks like its comin' down. Nasty elbows on that one." Franky turned to go fetch the wine. Vanessa was one of the new regulars at the fight pits and had been putting on several brutal showings. It was nice to see that there were some real fighters in Zaichaer. Several human soldiers, all privates, though a few first class, had put in against some of the nonhumans here, and all had had their asses handed to them. And not a single one of them raised a stink about it because they didn't want their peers finding out about them losing to a Goblin, a Fae, etc.

Weak human ego.

Franky was behind the bar, trying to stifle his laugh as Haroth was there, candle out and lit, entertaining quite a large gaggle of women at his corner of the bar. Franky grabbed several bottles of the chilled wine, and didn't bother with a tray. He held them between his large fingers, and then plucked the chilled bourbon from the bottom of the ice barrel. Stepping back out to the floor, he dropped off the bottles, as his barmaids came behind him to collect the coins and notes, and coax some tips out of them.

On this particular event, work was optional. Franky knew Zaichaeri people were a bit more conservative and ashamed of their bodies, so he paid all who would've normally been scheduled, and let any come in who wished. And they were raking in the tips. After delivering the rest of the bottles, he set the last of the wine before Vanessa, "One rung above bottom shelf. Any cheaper is vinegar I save for the soldiers." It was a blended blueberry and lingonberry wine, smooth and turned one's mouth purple.

Franky sat down at a chair at their table, looking over at Anton. He uncorked his bourbon, pouring into the glass he'd towed along, held it up before them, "Skol," and took a long, refreshing drink. He looked over at Anton, "Do I hear a bit of Imperial in your accent? Whereabouts you from, if you don't mind my asking?"

Franky smiled and cast his gaze over to Vanessa, "I think with the tear you've been on over there in the basement, perhaps its time to schedule a fight between you and another who has been having quite a bit of success as well." Franky had Florian in mind for this, and could see that being a profitable event. "If you're interested in such things."

A smug grin, and he leaned back in his chair, "The name's Franky, by the way. And welcome to my little slice of the Imperium."

[Vanessa Quill]

Vanessa made her appreciation for the Fight Pits known, and repaid that appreciation by always putting on a good show, as evidenced by her current situation. "Were those his elbows, felt more like hammers." Vanessa laughed, rubbing at her eye. "Usually I say 'if I look bad, you should've seen the other guy', but I didn't get much of a look at him myself after... y'know." she gestured to her eye again. "But they say I won, so I hope he's still breathin'." The man had been knocked out cold, but she had seen him hobbling his way up the rope ladder some time after the fights. Her taunting was merely another way for her to cultivate excitement for future bouts.

Taking the bottle, Vanessa rose it to her lips, quite nearly taking a swig before she remembered herself. A bit awkwardly, she moved the wine back to her flagon and poured it first for herself, and then for Anton. She set the mug down near to his right hand, and then piped up. "There you go, lad." so that he would have known to reach for it. With all of the bustle of the bar around them, Vanessa wanted to ensure he did not miss cues he otherwise picked up. The sound of wine pouring into a glass, the subtle clunk of metal on wood. Nearly a season with him had given her time to learn a few ways to best hide his ailment, and she found it was often easiest to make him appear a pampered noble that expected his guard to do the work for him.

Vanessa took a sip of the drink at first, and found it familiar. Had she plundered this vintage in years past? It was damned good in either case, and Vanessa quickly helped herself to a more suitable gulp. "Well, make sure you lie to 'em and say it doesn't sell so the price stays low, eh? This is quality stuff, and I'd hate for them to go getting any ideas." Vanessa said to Franky in a faux conspiratorial tone.

She often got nervous when people begun asking Anton questions, but not this time. The steam eased her muscles and her mind, and Anton himself seemed poised to fall out of his chair. Besides, of all the questions Franky might've asked, Anton's lineage was hardly private.

When the conversation turned back to her, Vanessa brought her first down on the table in agreement. "Send me the best you've got!" Vanessa put in, excited. "I ain't got no qualms fightin' anyone under the sun. So long as they're not afraid of a bloodbath, but they wouldn't be a winner if that had 'em shaking in their boots, aye?"

After his introduction, Vanessa raised her mug towards him. "Name's Vanessa, though I suppose you knew that from the fights. Pleasure's mine." And then she took another gulp from her wine.

[Anton]

"You do," Anton said, blinking back his surprise as he turns to regard Franky. At least as best he could, all considered. He probably shouldn't have been all that surprised, now that he thought about it. The bar was emulating an imperial bath, and celebrating an imperial holiday, of course its owner would be from the Imperium. Still, it was something of a surprise to be talking to the eponymous Franky directly. "My mother hails from the Imperium, she once lived and served in the lands of the Prinz von Osten before coming to Zaichaer." He was not, technically, lying, merely leaving out a great deal of context. He was still enjoying being viewed as a no one in particular hanging off of the arm of the inestimable Captain Quill rather than having to carry the weight of his lineage around.

But speaking of that Captain... "Do not," Anton said, the hints of a smile appearing on his face, "tempt her. Her ego is big enough as it is, and eventually she'll find someone able to pound her into the dirt. And then where would that leave me?" he joked, his attempt at making himself appear piteous completely undermined by the smile having grown into a full grin. With a shrug, he took hold of the mug of wine and took a slow drink. It was not the best he had ever had, not by far, but it was far from the worst thing Vanessa had ever handed him in the past season so it was not as if he could complain.

"You can call me Anton, by the by," he finally said, having spent a while wondering if he wanted to give the man his real name. Franky's had become downright respectable over the past months, the city's march towards progress having at least removed the prejudice against the newly wealthy even if it would never fully accept its hobgoblin owner as a social equal. In the end, he decided that if the man figured out his identity, that was perfectly fine, and if he didn't he would get to enjoy the fruits of anonymity even longer.

[Franky]

Tipping his goblet in Vanessa's direction, "A woman after my own heart, though a couple of decades too late by my crotchety standards. You'd enjoy Risea back home, I'm sure, they start us young on the fighting and encouraged us to fight as many outsiders as possible." Real young. Franky's fifth birthday is when he, like most from his region of the Imperium, began training to enter the military at eighteen.

"I'll see if I can make it happen. Horned lad by the name of Florian, one hell of a brawler for sure. Not much of a drinker, but tries hard when he does."

Franky turned his attention to Anton, hearing him speak of where he was from. Or rather, his mother. Not that it said much, the Imperium was a huge place, it was impossible to generalize much about anyone from any particular region. "Picking her up out of the dirt, I'd assume. If she'd let ya." He chuckled loudly at this, "A big ego can get plenty of things done, for the youthful. Got me through many a sticky situation. And some nice luck and listening to the fates."

Franky smiled at Anton, "It's my pleasure to meet you Anton. And you, as well, Vanessa, formally at least. It's nice to see some people enjoying my little bit of paradise here. Zaichaeri, I've noticed, have been occasionally hesitant to dip their toes into newer... cultural ideas." At this Franky grinned slyly, nodding at Anton's towel. Looking at Vanessa now, "Maybe if that body of yours can keep up with your ego, you'll find yourself fighting in the Cathena Games one day. You'll find no better competitors anywhere else. Maybe if I get around to buying me an airship, I'll go back and visit them again one day, in style this time."

It was an interesting thought. It was originally said in jest but his mind was already running the numbers in his mind, considering it. He could do that soon, if so desired. Sure, he intended to develop the business more, but he was retired now. He'd need something for him, just some leisure. An airship wouldn't be the worst idea. "Though I'm certainly no sky captain, a mere trenches soldier, down on the ground."

There was some coldness in that last comment. He was reminded of those airships his own country and had sent on his final campaign, the gas bombs they dropped on him and his men to ensure success. The screams, the smell, the burning of his flesh... No, he'd certainly not do an airship in the Imperial style, that much was certain. "Or maybe I'll just build a proper bathhouse. Certainly could use one around here."

[Vanessa Quill]

"Florian?" Vanessa replied, eyebrows raised. "Yeah, I'm familiar. Didn't strike me as much of a fighter, but the best ones never do." She thought back to the man she'd remembered from their brief meeting aboard the airship. It was difficult to imagine him putting anyone in the dirt, but he was in the military. The dishonorably discharged brats she'd had aboard her ship in years past had always been able to handle themselves in scraps. "He ever get someone with those horns? I'd pay good coin to see that." Vanessa said, barking a dry laugh at the mental image. "Come to think of it, haven't heard from him in a bit. Maybe he's run scared." She delivered the last sentence with enough levity that it was clear that however highly she thought of herself, she did not think she was the reason he'd made himself scarce. It did make her wonder where he'd gone off to though. After all, Anton needed all of the friends he could get.

Then she gave a side eye to Anton when he interjected, though she too could not keep from grinning. "Someone like me ought to have an ego. Works a bit like armor, right Franky?" She put in regarding the goblin again in the hopes of having an ally in this discussion. "Humility's a virtue, but no virtue has ever paid my bills." Another wheezing bark of a laugh as she took another drink, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand once she was finished.

At the mention of airships, Vanessa sat forward, and placed her hands on the table to more openly show off the tattoos across her knuckles. In bold, nautical script, the words 'HOLD FAST' were marked in her skin by an expert hand. Such tattoos were common among sailors of sea and sky, and stood as a commitment to the ship, her crew, and the craft. The tattoos, coupled with the defensive sword wounds scoring her forearms and the patchwork scars that composed her back were likely more than enough for certain conclusions to be drawn about her prior employment. "Y'know, I do have an airship. She's getting put through her paces just now, but she'll be skyworthy before long. If'n you need passage somewhere, we might be able to make arrangements. Saves you a bit of coin, at least, and I guarantee that beauty's got style in spades."

She had not told Anton she had another airship, though it had never truly been a secret. She had been a pirate, and had claimed many prizes while prowling the trade winds. Surely Anton would not have believed she would have made herself penniless before entering his family's employ. "Plus, the fresh air might be good for him, too. " she said, gesturing with her head towards Anton. "Can't be worse than the Greaseworks, anyway."

[Anton]

"Florian?" Anton said at the same time as Vanessa, the lordling equally surprised as his bodyguard, but for a different reason. It wasn't that he doubted the Lysanrin in a fight - his inability to actually see him might have contributed to that - but instead that he'd partake in fight pits at all. He had also noticed the man go missing, corresponding as it had to the sudden disappearance of it seemed every young Zaichaeri noble who could be trusted in a fight. He had intended to run down his fears with Eitan or perhaps Stefan, but time never seemed to permit such casual conversations, and he was loathe to share suspicions like this with the former pirate, and so kept his peace time and time again.

The change of topic did much to brighten his mood, Anton cracking a soft smile at the mention of Vanessa's ego. "If that's true, then I suppose she won't need me to pick her up. Which is good, I'll need to bulk up before I can," he added with laughter of his own, and then a much smaller sip of his own drink.

Though he was quite unable to notice the glance at his towel, he was able to notice a very politely worded jab and took it in stride. "Though my mother may be from the Imperium, I have only ever resided in Zaichaer. Some ideas are as new to me as anyone else in the city, I must confess," he said self-effacingly, hoping he had navigated that well enough. Nonverbal cues were always a worry for him.

He let the conversation drift around him for a bit, deciding that Franky and Vanessa were in many ways kindred spirits and there was little he could contribute regardless. And then the pirate went and revealed she had an entire airship to her name, and his sightless eyes bulged in their sockets. "You have a what? I suppose you must have gotten as much gold as the stories said..."

[Franky]

Franky laughed heartily at Vanessa's jokes, "No, I never saw him catch anyone with the horns, though everyone does seem to try and grab for them. Never works well though." Franky also hadn't heard from the lad in a while, but the boy had been a bit of a mess for much of the time they'd known one another. It would be impossible to predict where he'd gone, or if he even was gone, let alone as to why.

At the ego comment, "Maybe a bit yes, though certainly seems to invite more challenge. But that's half the fun." When Vanessa mentioned owning an airship though, Franky raised an eyebrow in obvious surprise. "Seems like you've done quite well for yourself. I may take you up on that offer. Maybe when I go shopping around for one, you might join me? Make sure this old ground hog doesn't get ripped off?" He said it while chuckling but it was certainly a sincere offer.

Franky was quite amused at Anton's reaction, for it seemed he also didn't know that she had an airship. Which was interesting to say the least because the pair were so joined at the hip, one might think them lovers, or that he was her seeing eye dog. "It might be nice riding on the backs of the ships for once, rather than seeing their bellies open up as they drop bombs."

But his mind would not be stopped from churning. If Vanessa had an airship and absolutely no association with the Zaichaeri military, at least officially, then perhaps... The only skydocks were those under extremely strict Zaichaeri control. But if Franky got his own airship... it might be good having a docks under his own control, perhaps renting out to other private owners as well. Building an airdocks... that would be quite a feat. Expensive for sure, but highly profitable and would bring many jobs to the Knob, new jobs beyond the Greaseworks, jobs that could help people advance their lives beyond wrench turners. That would buy a lot of good faith.

Fishing a bit, "How do you feel about Zaichaer's airdocks? I've only been when I initially arrived here. Those low rankers patted me down so much I felt I should be charging them. Probably didn't help I was the only green skin," he snorted at his jest since he wasn't green any longer, "in the terminal."