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A Gentle Shroud - Abasi - 11-07-2019
Abasi had cleared out the building and made a space for bodies. He had planted a tree and cleaned the outside so it was more clearly occupied. He had tried to tell people in the market about his new service.
Yet....he had no bodies. He supposed given the nature of the business he was not always going to be busy; after all the Hollowed Grounds were not that big and only so many people could die in a day. Still a part of him worried that the people would not trust him as an Outlander to take care of their dead, which was really only fair. He would not trust them to bury him correctly.
He had to earn that trust somehow, but he did not know how. He had never been a sociable person and was certainly no salesman. He could not go out into the streets and bang a drum and ask for dead without looking crazy. With all those options tired out, he ended up sat on the steps of his mortuary, hoping to speak to anyone that stopped to investigate the new business. A good plan? Probably not. But the only way he had to start.
RE: A Gentle Shroud - Remi - 11-07-2019
The alchemist had recommitted himself to shedding the darkness that had nearly consumed him the weeks prior to and during LongNight. The blight, Ronin, Skyler, everything with Loren, everything that followed during LongNight, the guildhall...it had all nearly extinguished him. It very nearly had, though only Ronin knew just how close the alchemist's light had come to going out forever. As it was today though he strolled down the muddy streets whistling something from his childhood. He looked entirely the part of the mad alchemist he was at heart: disheveled hair, grease-covered shirt (white, always white shirts with him for some reason), and a cheerful sea-foam green stare.
Spying Abasi and the business both, neither of which were known to Remi, the alchemist paused his whistling. Pushing his hands boyishly into his pockets and strolling over, he offered the strange a bright smile. [say]"Hallo."[/say] He called out, thickly accented voice ringing easily. [say]"I do not believe we have met before, nor have I seen your shop. Is it new?"[/say]
RE: A Gentle Shroud - Abasi - 11-08-2019
The man that approached, at first glance, did not win Abasi's approval. He had always been a neat person and the sight of grease stains on Remi's shirt, the messy hair did not endear him to the Undertaker. Further still, the way he looked so damn cheerful in a way that was almost childish...Abasi took a breath and scolded himself, trying to remember he had made a personal promise to not judge people right away.
[say]"Yes, though it is more of a...service, than a shop. I do not intend to have people pay me."[/say] He clarified. With Loren providing his home and survival needs, he had little reason to trade at the market.
Standing, Abasi held out a hand to introduce himself, as he had been told was the custom of some people in Caido. [say]"Abasi. I am hoping to assist this town with it's dead and after the last week of win..ah..um...Deepfrost, I see there may be many to assist with."[/say]
RE: A Gentle Shroud - Remi - 11-08-2019
[say]"Well, there is little money to be had here."[/say] The alchemist said with an easy shrug. Bartering to be sure, but from what Remi had seen, most simply offered their services more or less for free.
Extending his own with a buoyant and sunny smile, Abasi would find Remi's hands were strong and calloused, but soft just the same (this had more to do with applying lotions to Aoife to keep her little body moisturized than any sort of ritual on his own).
[say]"Remi."[/say] The alchemist offered, before inclining his head in a decidedly birdlike fashion at the mention of assisting with the dead. [say]"Ahh."[/say] He hummed, clearly confused. [say]"I know the monsters tend to take the bodies that are left outside...sadly there seems to be not shortage of death here, so I am sure your services will be useful regardless."[/say] Ruffling a hand through his curls and offering Abasi a bashful green stare, Remi smiled uncertainly. [say]"Forgive me for...things were done differently where I come from. What is it you would help them with?"[/say]
RE: A Gentle Shroud - Abasi - 11-08-2019
[say]"Yes, I know. It was the same in my country. Some of the places to the north used currencies, but we civilised people know how to trade our goods."[/say] Abasi was of the opinion that money was only needed by societies that could not successfully barter for items and needed definite lines to work anything out.
Abasi's handshake was awkward due to inexperience (and his doubts about the purpose of the whole action to begin with). He did not pay much attention to the softness of Remi's hands, not knowing much about skincare or moisturising.
It seemed Remi wish to be kind about his work, but did not understand it. Eager to explain (knowing this would be a good chance to sell himself, if he knew how) he willingly filled the alchemist in. [say]"I would help them with funeral arrangements and body preparation for burial, cremation...or whatever else they would like to do with the bodies. I have experience with preparing bodies for the tomb."[/say]
They had to have done something with the dead in Remi's past world though, he thought. [say]"What was it you did in your world?"[/say]
RE: A Gentle Shroud - Remi - 11-08-2019
[say]"Mine as well."[/say] Remi agreed. Humble as he was and with little in the way of material goods, the alchemist had always favoured a barter system as well. If he noticed the awkwardness of the other man's fingers he gave no indication, merely pulling his hand back with a bright smile.
[say]"What is a tomb?"[/say] The alchemist asked, softly folding his arms across his chest and offering Abasi a thoughtful expression. [say]"Ahh..well. Normally they were burned if only to save space. Though many of the magical families would burn them to ensure that their powers were not somehow taken from them later."[/say] Or at least that's what the majority of the commoners had always believed, and Remi had never asked Loren about this point.
RE: A Gentle Shroud - Abasi - 11-09-2019
Abasi struggled to not stare open-mouthed at Remi as he asked the question 'what is a tomb?', but he just about managed to keep himself composed. It was hard to even come up with a way to explain something that had been such a key part of his life, always in the background even when he had not been working within them. [say]"A tomb...it is a room for the dead. We usually had them underground and the walls would be painted with the tale of the deceased's life and the room would be filled with their treasures, so they could take them beyond...for the rich, of course."[/say] The poor had a burial plot if they were lucky.
Remi's fact about magical burnings reminded him of something Loren had said, and he nodded eagerly, happy to have some knowledge in common between them. [say]"Ah, yes. My..ah..."[/say] He stumbled on the word. What was Loren to him? [say]"...Partner...spoke of that too. He has been instrumental in showing me a lot of this world. Perhaps you know of him, Loren Launceleyn?"[/say]
RE: A Gentle Shroud - Remi - 11-10-2019
Without any judgement the alchemist tried to take this information in but was finding it quite difficult. [say]"Is that something that happens, where you come from? That the dead take their possessions from life, with them when they go?"[/say] Inclining his head slightly to the side he offered Abasi a bashful sort of smile, feeling woefully ignorant.
At the mention of a partner, and that partner being Loren, Remi couldn't quite help (nor did he try to) the way a crooked grin broke out across his face. Immediately he thought of partner in the more business-like sense, because...well, why wouldn't he? [say]"I do know Loren."[/say] Remi agreed with a bit of a chuckle. It seemed a bit of an understatement to say he knew the man, as if he only merely knew him. Then again, with all that had transpired as of late, perhaps that was actually closer to the truth.
[say]"I am surprised to hear he is your partner in this. With his healing magic I would have thought him on the other end of the spectrum"[/say] Remi said with a light shrug. That, and how badly he seemed to react to death.
RE: A Gentle Shroud - Abasi - 11-10-2019
Remi's acceptance of his words, even if he had questions, was a refreshing change after his latest visitors to the mortuary, so he nodded and continued to explain: [say]"Yes. After all, the best result of death is rebirth, so if the soul returns to a tomb filled with worthy treasures, they are blessed to find such things again in their new life."[/say] There were other paths a soul could take, different answers depending on just who you asked, but given Remi hadn't known what a tomb was, Abasi thought it best to not overwhelm him right away.
Upon hearing Remi knew Loren he smiled, though he wondered if this man would agree with Phoebe's comments about his host. He did not know Remi well enough to inquire, but he hoped he may have a chance later - besides, it quickly became apparent he had some clarifying to do.
[say]"He helps me sometimes with the mortuary, but I did not mean that sort of partner. He is...I suppose you could call it my romantic partner, though we have not agreed on a term, so I would prefer if you did not tell anyone that."[/say] Abasi felt that was probably the best way to handle it. Hopefully he and Loren could decide what their relationship was soon.
RE: A Gentle Shroud - Remi - 11-10-2019
[say] “Rebirth?”[/say] The alchemist couldn’t help feeling like a bit of a parrot given how often he repeated what Abasi was saying. But the vocabulary was so new and strange there was hardly anything else he could. [say] “Honestly I suppose I never gave much thought to death before.”[/say] Philosophizing about such things were for men with educations and time on their hands, not commoners tasked with creating weapons. [say] “What is the new life like?”[/say]
My romantic partner.
Oh, how Loren brought out the worst in the alchemist. He was indeed selfish as the summoner had said, and now perhaps something akin to jealous as well. [say] “Oh I see.”[/say] He said, nodding at the clarification. No great master of his emotions or expressions, Remi’s smile grew slightly sour as the implications filtered into his mind. [say] “Ahh no, of course not.”[/say] The alchemist agreed with genuine ease, flashing Abasi a smile. This wasn’t surprising news to the alchemist. From what he knew and heard, Loren had never solidified any of his past relationships. [say] “How long have you two been...romantically linked?”[/say] For want of a better term, Remi merely shrugged at the awkward phrasing.
RE: A Gentle Shroud - Abasi - 11-11-2019
Remi reminded Abasi of children, the questions they would ask as they passed through the temple, dragged by parents and staring up at the paintings of the Gods. [say]"The new life will be appropriately measured to how the person lived. If they gave good respect to the Gods and served their city and Pharoah, they will find themselves well situated."[/say]
He noticed the subtle change in Remi's face and wondered why it was he had upset him already. Could it be this man had a negative opinion of Loren like Phoebe, after all? Or it did occur to him it was possible that he was speaking to an ex-lover of Loren's...but he had been told the Launceleyn only had experience with Frey and a handful of other times. It seemed unlikely he'd run right into one of those experiments so soon.
[say]"We first became intimate during Longnight, when we stayed at the temple."[/say] Abasi shrugged, trying to not think of the moment lest he get distracted. [say]"Before that, I was ill with the Blight, which hardly lent itself to a romantic atmosphere."[/say]
RE: A Gentle Shroud - Remi - 11-12-2019
[say]"And so...were one to find themselves in a poor situation, that would mean the live previously lived was not a good one?"[/say] Hearing about reincarnation for the first time, like this, was rather terrifying. To think that what he did in this life might somehow have negative repercussions in another life was hard to wrap his mind around.
During LongNight. The Temple.
Chuckling darkly, Remi looked down at the ground, shaking his head. His grin was wide, and as he returned his gaze to Abasi, it flickered with a mischievous sort of understanding. Remi had wondered how it was Loren had gone from so staunchly wanting to be at the Guild with he and Ronin and the others, to lend his invaluable aid that the summoner had wasted a good amount of breath outlining. And then all of a sudden, he'd decided without explanation that he was going to stay at the Temple.
But here was the explanation before him.
[say]"Ahh yes. My own husband had the blight. I can certainly see how that would make the beginning of a relationship difficult."[/say] Ruffling a hand through his hair, Remi felt something inside of him, a metaphorical muscle perhaps, finally let go. The release was exquisite, as was the weight that finally felt lifted. Loren had moved on with shocking speed, confirming what everyone had always said of the man. [say]"Still, seems like a rather nice way to spend LongNight."[/say] He added with a wink.
RE: A Gentle Shroud - Abasi - 11-12-2019
Abasi tilted his head side to side, considering Remi's question, which he seemed to struggle to answer right away. [say]"Well...perhaps. A man who had previously lived a poor life would certainly be more likely to have struggles and a lower station. But every man has his own unique challenges and it is possible to both rise and fall from your given life. Of course, not to anything like the Pharaoh-"[/say] He laughed, as if it were clear this was ridiculous. [say]"But my own grandfather worked his way up through the palace to be included in the Priesthood lineage."[/say]
Remi's reaction to his Longnight tryst with Loren was odd and Abasi was not certain if he was being mocked or not. He did not have a chance to ask though before Remi began to speak of The Blight, and the severity of the topic was too strong to break with questions of that nature.
[say]"Yes. Yet he was infinitely patient with me throughout the throes of madness. It did indeed make the rewards of Longnight that much sweeter."[/say] He glanced back into the mortuary, feeling eager now to get off the subject of his lover, for he felt Remi had some reason to be bitter about it. [say]"...Would you like to come inside? I have been asking people to anoint the walls with their personal beliefs or wishes surrounding death."[/say]
RE: A Gentle Shroud - Remi - 11-12-2019
Actually, that was something the alchemist more or less understood. In Northaven after all, one could simply not become the King. It was a position you were born into. Given Abasi's response, Remi thought perhaps the man's world was a little like that as well. [say]"That sounds most impressive."[/say] The alchemist said with a humble sort of smile. His ignorance was obvious, knowing nothing of what working ones way up through the palace or being included in the Priesthood lineage would actually entail. Still, his awe was genuine.
[say]"I am glad he was there for you."[/say] Remi conceded softly. [say]"No one should have to bear the effects of the blight on their own."[/say] And he did mean that, strange as it was to think that it was Loren who they were talking about.
[say]'Oh."[/say] With a soft and surprised smile, the alchemist shrugged his shoulders. [say]"I...know very little of death and am certainly no artist."[/say] He answered, growing rather bashful. [say]"But I would like to see inside?"[/say]