Open Chronicles And a Beggin’ I Will Go

[Ivy]

It was Ivy’s lucky day, or as lucky as she could get. Sleeping near the local tavern of the Shallows has proven itself to be useful. When Ivy woke up, the garbage pits were full of the food thrown out from last night. Looks like she had something to eat for breakfast, which was uncommon for her. She would usually only have water from the swamps to drink in the morning, and is out begging for food for the entire day, she might not eat for that day if she is unfortunate enough. She is used to the starvation though and survives well, but suffers dreadfully.

It’s strange. This is all that she has known, but she had a feeling that it was not always like this. In her dreams, she sees a loving mother and father, on an island of half-elves like her. There was no such thing as money, slums, or poverty. The people live off the land of plenty. In her dreams, she sees her family on one of the fishing boats to catch fish for their village, but their boat traveled into a bad storm which tore their boat apart and separates her from her parents. She always wakes up before she finds out what happened to her parents.

All that she remembers now is that she was washed ashore in the Shallows of Alliria, with nothing but the clothes on her back, which was a leaf top and her grass skirt. She didn’t even remember her name, only being named Ivy by a passer-by. She had to learn quickly that money is need to live in this strange land. She tried to get some food from the market stalls without paying and got beaten up by the merchants who tell her she has to pay. She now lives a hand-to-mouth existence, living off of people’s garbage. Everything she has, from the food to her current clothes, a filthy, tattered, beige short-sleeved tunic and a pair of filthy, tattered, grey braises, were scrounged from the garbage pits.

At least for today, Ivy was able to eat in peace. Some leftover meat and vegetables thrown out that have not rotted yet, and a little bit of moldy bread is the best she can get. She doesn’t get sick as often from these meals, and they provide her with some sustenance to continue living. She finishes her meager meal content, but is still hungry, but there is nothing edible left that has not rotted. She stands up and begins to wander around the Shallows to begin her day of begging. She wanted to have better clothes than the rags she wore. She doesn’t even have shoes on her feet, which have become callous and filthy like her rags. In fact, everything about her was filthy. She couldn’t find a good place to take a bath, with filth piling up on her skin. She was a potable creature indeed. Starving, homeless, filthy, orphaned.

Ivy fights what little dignity she has left and goes up to random strangers all around the Shallows. If things are too unfruitful, she can always try to make her way to the rest of Aliria. But she goes up to these strangers, rich or poor like her, tugging them on their tunics, her hands and arms stretched out with pity.

"Mister, spare some alms for a poor child like me?". She was fortunate that she grasped the language of this place, otherwise, she would be suffering even more. "Miss, may I please have some food. I haven't eaten good in days".

 

[Caits]

Ah The Shallows.
Where dreams died and hope turned to ash. Caits had been there a day or so and was once again down to his last three coins.
Grubby little bent coppers that he rattled in his palm as he walked.
One eye and no money was a fine way to die in The Shallows but he was smiling all the same. He'd seen too much of life to regret it now.
The busy street was full of folk. Some had money, most wished they had more.
He couldn't tell you what drew him to that particular kid. Why this one of all the beggars tugged at him so and drew him in.
So without much thinking or planning he found himself leaning on a wall next to the alley, not far from where this small girl-child begged for, well anything.

It broke his thieving heart so he figured he'd do a good deed.
"Oi, wee mucker." He called.
"How long ave ya been ah this?"
He gestured with his head to the uncaring crowd.

Ivy

 

[Ivy]

"Oi, wee mucker." He called.
"How long ave ya been ah this?"
He gestured with his head to the uncaring crowd.

Ivy

It's been a few hours since her meager meal and she was hungry again. Her hours of begging proved in vain, as several people ignored her, and some were pretty rude to the point of pushing her aside roughly. She didn't get any single coins to buy anything to eat. She didn't have enough strength to keep standing, so by the opening of an alleyway, she sat down, still stretching her hand out in a cup to receive alms. A voice calls out to her, a man with an eyepatch and a filthy cloak. She was hesitant to talk to him as she was hesitant to talk to anyone that wasn't her begging for anything. She has heard of stories of strangers kidnapping for organs, labor, and anything else unsavory she has heard of. But, she doesn't entirely know, but he doesn't seem like a bad person if he seems concerned for a poor orphaned urchin like her. Besides, what has she got to lose?

"I don't know. Pretty long" She replied softly to his question. "I haven't got no single coin today, and I'm very hungry. It's been hours since I ate food from the garbage".

Caits

 

[Caits]

Caits put his hands up.
"Ach nae. Be quieh ah cannae stan nae more."
This was without a doubt the most pathetically incapable urchin he had ever seen and the accent was clearly not from these parts. Not anywhere he knew of.
He flicked a coin towards her. Bent copper but legal tender all the same.
"Fer thah state o' ya."
Then he produced another one and rolled it over his knuckles.
"Where for ar ya from lass?"
He was beginning to feel like looking out for this one but he'd seen monsters in the skin of good folk before and wasn't about to risk a repeat of the werewolf incident.

Ivy

 

[Ivy]

Caits put his hands up.
"Ach nae. Be quieh ah cannae stan nae more."
This was without a doubt the most pathetically incapable urchin he had ever seen and the accent was clearly not from these parts. Not anywhere he knew of.
He flicked a coin towards her. Bent copper but legal tender all the same.
"Fer thah state o' ya."
Then he produced another one and rolled it over his knuckles.
"Where for ar ya from lass?"
He was beginning to feel like looking out for this one but he'd seen monsters in the skin of good folk before and wasn't about to risk a repeat of the werewolf incident.

Ivy

Did she say too much? She had the tendency to speak too much when she does speak to people. Perhaps she was too sympathetic. She just sat quietly, but we luck would have it, the stranger tossed her a copper coin. She picked it up from the ground. It was a little bent and probably won’t be worth enough to eat, but at least it was something and she was thankful.

“Thank you very much, mister”. she said softly, grateful to this stranger trying to help her out. She puts the coin in a small bowl she found in the garbage a few days ago, the only possession she has besides the clothes on her back. When asked of her place of origin, she looked down in shame. While others can tell where they came from, she can not.

“I don’t remember,” she said. “All I remember is being washed up by the swamp. I don’t know my parents, I don’t know where I lived before, all I knows is how to beg”

Caits

 

[Caits]

Washed up. So from abroad, seabound. Cannot be too far he thought.
"Hmm."
Caits tossed the second coin to the poor child but kept the third.
Last one and all.
"So ya just washed up haer wih nae a clue eh?"
He rubbed his remaining eye. Perhaps today was going to be the day his better nature got the better of him but it was not in his habits to regret.
"Well tha's a shite card ta bae dealt and tha's no wae ta live."
He slumped against the wall and thought about it. Opportunity to work for a girl child was, often grim but there were options. He himself knew some ways to earn coin, sly but legitimate in their own ways.
"Can ye run fast?"

Ivy

 

[Ivy]

Washed up. So from abroad, seabound. Cannot be too far he thought.
"Hmm."
Caits tossed the second coin to the poor child but kept the third.
Last one and all.
"So ya just washed up haer wih nae a clue eh?"
He rubbed his remaining eye. Perhaps today was going to be the day his better nature got the better of him but it was not in his habits to regret.
"Well tha's a shite card ta bae dealt and tha's no wae ta live."
He slumped against the wall and thought about it. Opportunity to work for a girl child was, often grim but there were options. He himself knew some ways to earn coin, sly but legitimate in their own ways.
"Can ye run fast?"

Ivy

Ivy just sat silently. She knows that life is rough for her, and it isn't going to get better with the life she is living right now. She honestly felt if she died today, it wouldn't really matter to her, as long as it is not here anymore. The man tossed another coin her way, she picked it up putting it in the bowl.

"Thank you, Mister" She replied meekly. She wanted to find somewhere to work, even if it was pittance, but there was not much options for her, especially since she was a young child, and a girl no less. The man then asks his question. She didn't consider herself a runner, but she has happened to run pretty fast if she has to.

"I can run. Not too fast, but I can".

Caits

 

[Caits]

"Well, can ye fight if ya need tae?"
He asked then scratching at his chin stubble.
Caits was beginning to think that maybe some begging lessons and two coins would be the only thing he could give this little one.
He could find work, always needed was a man who knew the streets and could keep a secret but a little one like this, it was a wonder she wasn't skirted away already to a dark hole somewhere never to be seen again.

Ivy

 

[Ivy]

"Well, can ye fight if ya need tae?"
He asked then scratching at his chin stubble.
Caits was beginning to think that maybe some begging lessons and two coins would be the only thing he could give this little one.
He could find work, always needed was a man who knew the streets and could keep a secret but a little one like this, it was a wonder she wasn't skirted away already to a dark hole somewhere never to be seen again.

Ivy

"I don't know if I can fight". She crawls to a pile of large rocks, and lifts up one of the more heavier-looking rocks, with a little bit of a struggle since she was starving. It was something she could do most of the time when she wasn't too weak, and it might be because she was from a distant island where it might have been normal to do so.

"But I can lift heavy things easy". She has been using this power to make money (which didn't make much) or when she is looking for a job (also didn't happen much).

Caits

 

[Caits]

Caits nearly dropped his last copper to the ground.
"Tha heck can ye do thah?"
He could scarce believe his eye. It wasn't a massive rock but he knew no normal child should be able to lift such a thing.
Some ideas were forming about how this little one managed to survive so long.
"Ah right naow puh er down lass."
Stroking his chin again he began to think.
Surely such a talent could be leveraged for a quick turn of coin. But how, can't be too flashy or it'll call the wrong attention. Nor too subtle or it won't be worth it.
"How come ya donnae make any coin from at er skill?"

Ivy

 

[Ivy]

Caits nearly dropped his last copper to the ground.
"Tha heck can ye do thah?"
He could scarce believe his eye. It wasn't a massive rock but he knew no normal child should be able to lift such a thing.
Some ideas were forming about how this little one managed to survive so long.
"Ah right naow puh er down lass."
Stroking his chin again he began to think.
Surely such a talent could be leveraged for a quick turn of coin. But how, can't be too flashy or it'll call the wrong attention. Nor too subtle or it won't be worth it.
"How come ya donnae make any coin from at er skill?"

Ivy

Ivy sets the rock down on the ground with a loud thud. She was losing her strength a bit due to her hunger. "I don't know mister. I don't remember how or why I can do it. I tries to find work, I tries to use this skill to beg, but no one pays attention to a poor orphaned girl like me. I'm just a nobody". In the garbage pit next to her, she sees an apple that both has been bitten into and thrown away and hasn't rotted yet. She snatches it and nibbles on it just for sustenance.

Caits

 

[Caits]

This was an oddly pathetic sight to Caits. Not that poverty shocked him. He'd seen death by hunger and sickness hunger causes.
But this kid was... for lack of a better term, special.
The God's didn't give such gifts to just anyone in Cait's experience.
So what was he to do now that he had stumbled upon this person?
"I'm Caits an if ye'll leh me, I'll help ya get home, or get work so mayhap ya can get home yaself. Arright?"

Ivy

 

[Ivy]

This was an oddly pathetic sight to Caits. Not that poverty shocked him. He'd seen death by hunger and sickness hunger causes.
But this kid was... for lack of a better term, special.
The God's didn't give such gifts to just anyone in Cait's experience.
So what was he to do now that he had stumbled upon this person?
"I'm Caits an if ye'll leh me, I'll help ya get home, or get work so mayhap ya can get home yaself. Arright?"

Ivy

Ivy was a little hesitant again, but over the past couple of minutes, she felt like she could trust this stranger. Perhaps it was something in her that could not let anyone she talked to go. With the promise of getting back home wherever that was, or at least some work to have a full belly and a warm place to sleep seemed ideal. Again, what does she have to lose (maybe besides a few organs or what have you).

"I-If that's okay with you, t-thank you". She rose up slowly from her spot, shuffling to her feet. She was still feeling a little weak but that apple at least gave her a little bit of strength for now.

"People call me Ivy. I don't think it's my real name. Someone gave it to me while I was beggin' when I first arrived here".

Caits

 

[Caits]

"Donnae be thankin me yet."
He didn't elaborate that he had lost every penny he had ever earned one way or another.
"Is nice ta meet ya Ivy. Righ let's get ya cleaned up."
Leading Ivy onward he looked for a particular type of shop, specifically a pawn shop.
With a heavy sigh he drew back the curtain of beads and soft cloth and entered the musty shopfront. The room was dominated by a central table positively stacked with all manner of objects and nothings. Caits looked about and spied the elderly Dwarf woman whom he took to be the owner.
"Good morrow Elder, ave ye any soap in yer wares?"
He was wary to keep his hands where they could be seen, though by no means above stealing he preferred to go about things as honestly as he could.

Ivy

 

[Ivy]

"Donnae be thankin me yet."
He didn't elaborate that he had lost every penny he had ever earned one way or another.
"Is nice ta meet ya Ivy. Righ let's get ya cleaned up."
Leading Ivy onward he looked for a particular type of shop, specifically a pawn shop.
With a heavy sigh he drew back the curtain of beads and soft cloth and entered the musty shopfront. The room was dominated by a central table positively stacked with all manner of objects and nothings. Caits looked about and spied the elderly Dwarf woman whom he took to be the owner.
"Good morrow Elder, ave ye any soap in yer wares?"
He was wary to keep his hands where they could be seen, though by no means above stealing he preferred to go about things as honestly as he could.

Ivy

"Okay, mister" Is all that she can muster up. She followed him through the alleys and streets of the Shallows. She understood that he wants to have her cleaned up. It's been a while since she was clean. All she had for to wash herself in was the swampy waters, but she rarely does it because it was out in the open, and she was too embarrassed to do so. And it wouldn't really matter, she was always getting filthy anyway.

They enter a shop full of all sorts of trinkets and and objects, some of which Ivy has never seen. They all looked so pretty, but she doesn't have any money to buy any of these things. She has no idea what they are for, and no place to put it, as it seems that she seems to sleep anywhere, not staying in one place at a time.

Caits

 

[Caits]

Caits spent some time speaking to the elderly woman.
After a minute he took out a dagger and offered it for trade making an open palm gesture splaying his five digits.
The elder shook his head and countered with four digits of her own and with a somewhat sour look Caits shook on it.
He returned to Ivy four silver pieces and one bar of soap richer.
"Here!"
From his hand he tosses the small green bar of soap wrapped in brown paper.
"Ah trust ye can do it yaself."
The dirty water from the marshland around wouldn't be the best for it but it was a warm enough day and it would have to do. She didn't need to look pretty, just presentable.
"Now away, meet me back here when yar dun an clean! A'll see about gettin ya some clothes."
He'd have to do a bit of creative shopping. Fortunately folk hung their clothes out on a day like today, he just needed to make an offer of someone.

Ivy

 

[Ivy]

Caits spent some time speaking to the elderly woman.
After a minute he took out a dagger and offered it for trade making an open palm gesture splaying his five digits.
The elder shook his head and countered with four digits of her own and with a somewhat sour look Caits shook on it.
He returned to Ivy four silver pieces and one bar of soap richer.
"Here!"
From his hand he tosses the small green bar of soap wrapped in brown paper.
"Ah trust ye can do it yaself."
The dirty water from the marshland around wouldn't be the best for it but it was a warm enough day and it would have to do. She didn't need to look pretty, just presentable.
"Now away, meet me back here when yar dun an clean! A'll see about gettin ya some clothes."
He'd have to do a bit of creative shopping. Fortunately folk hung their clothes out on a day like today, he just needed to make an offer of someone.

Ivy

Ivy caught the brown paper in her hands, when she opened it, it looked a bit weird, thought it was good for a bit until running her finger and then licking it proved otherwise, but it did smell nice. A lot better than the filth she was used to. As it looked like Caits was gesturing to ask if she can bathe herself, she nodded.

“Okay mister” she said as he gestured her to go take a bath. She left him for a bit and went to shoreline, underneath the rotting wood of someone’s shack as she began bathing in soap for the first time in years. She played in the swampy water for a bit, just to get wet (fully clothed, she has no choice), and then began to apply the soap on her body. It felt really nice, very silky smooth. She has a very faint vision, but she could have sworn she remembers something like this back from faraway, but more liquidated and milky. She got back into the water just to rinse herself out. After that she was done, and without anything to dry herself with, she squeezed the water out of her clothes as quick as she can. She felt very clean now, but probably won’t matter since she still wore her dirty and now wet clothes on her back, and still in bare feet as she walked her way back to that man, coming back the way she came, hopeful that the man would have some clothes for her.

Caits

 

[Caits]

Caits tried to find something. Children's clothes, or Dwarven, gnomish even. Something that would fit.
He worked through side streets and muddy alleys as he went. Folk were critical of his filth but most just gave him bad looks.
He tried not to concern himself with the child's origin or their remarkable strength. That was too much. Help the kid, get her something clean to wear.
After a while he came to a woman who was gathering clothes off a line. Small clothes, perfect, or good enough at least.
He approached and made an offer, one that hurt his already feeble wallet.
For a silver he got a shirt, short pants and a mismatched pair of shoes.
Walking away he grumbled about being cheated so but he had little time so he worked his way back to the pawnshop and got there just in time to see the soaked but much cleaner Ivy approach.
He dumped the clothes in her arms and pointed to the alleyway.
"Righ, in ya go. An pray ih fits."
The hard part was done at least.
He had enough for the next part if only just.

Ivy

 

[Ivy]

Caits tried to find something. Children's clothes, or Dwarven, gnomish even. Something that would fit.
He worked through side streets and muddy alleys as he went. Folk were critical of his filth but most just gave him bad looks.
He tried not to concern himself with the child's origin or their remarkable strength. That was too much. Help the kid, get her something clean to wear.
After a while he came to a woman who was gathering clothes off a line. Small clothes, perfect, or good enough at least.
He approached and made an offer, one that hurt his already feeble wallet.
For a silver he got a shirt, short pants and a mismatched pair of shoes.
Walking away he grumbled about being cheated so but he had little time so he worked his way back to the pawnshop and got there just in time to see the soaked but much cleaner Ivy approach.
He dumped the clothes in her arms and pointed to the alleyway.
"Righ, in ya go. An pray ih fits."
The hard part was done at least.
He had enough for the next part if only just.

Ivy

"T-Thank you" she replied as she scampered off into the alley. She began changing into the clothes that seemed to fit her skinny frame just about right. She was grateful to have a pair of shoes on her feet now, even if they were mismatched. She didn't need them where she was from, but having lived in the filth for months and seeing other well-to-do people with them, it was something of a necessity. She returns from the alley to Caits now. She did not know what he had planned for her, but it's got to be better than what she is doing now.

Caits

 

[Caits]

She looked like a different person now, which was good because she was going to need to be.
"Okay, nae we need ya fed."
It was the hard part now.
He led her to a public house, filthy and smoke filled. Ironically you could be dirtier leaving the place than entering.
It smelled of tobacco and sweat and wet wood.
Fishing nets hung from the roof.
Caits ushered Ivy to the bar and slapped down his last pieces of silver. It hurt him to part with it but he was doing good here, so he gritted his teeth and asked for soup and bread.
It arrived boiling hot and hard of crust.
"Dig in."
Caits said, dipping his crust into the green water of the soup. It looked like pea and carrot.