Chapter Text
The small, remote island of Rumblecusp was isolated and just far enough from Yasha’s old life that maybe she could finally leave her past behind and begin anew.
The island was so small that the docks weren’t even big enough to accommodate any larger ships, like the merchant vessel Yasha hitched a ride on. They cast out the anchor a little off the coast and she had to be ferried out in a rowboat. All her belongings were in a small satchel on her person. She didn’t have much to her name, but it was enough to secure passage out here and acquire a bit of land for herself. It seemed they were practically giving it away.
Yasha didn’t know much about Rumblecusp, just that it was far, far away. That was all she needed, really.
Yasha’s boat pulled up at the docks and she tipped the sailor who escorted her a few silver.
“Welcome, welcome!” said a chipper voice that drew Yasha from her thoughts. “You must be Yasha! I received word you would be arriving today.”
Yasha looked up to find the most ostentatious individual she had ever seen. A tiefling with lavender skin covered in tattoos, swirling around his arms and up his neck. He had lavish piercings, flashy jewelry, and the most eye-catching of all was a coat with an intricate embroidered design.
“Yes, hello. Yasha Nydoorin. Is me.”
The man grinned even brighter. “Well, aren’t you just charming? Mollymauk Tealeaf. I’m the mayor of this fine town here.”
He gave her a firm handshake and Yasha was surprised by the strong grip. She was also surprised to have the mayor welcoming her to town. She hadn’t expected much of a welcoming committee.
Mollymauk put an arm around her back and started walking her up the docks toward the beach. “Now, your property hasn’t been occupied in a long time. Longer than I’ve been around, I’m afraid. It’ll probably need a lot of work. But I’m sure you’ll find there’s some fine folk here that’ll make it worth it, and they’re all excited to have someone new in town! As you might have guessed, we don’t get fresh faces very often.”
Yasha wasn’t sure if Mollymauk was a personable guy or if he just liked the sound of his own voice. Regardless, she decided then that she liked him. Yasha herself wasn’t much of a talker, so having someone who could fill in those gaps and make her feel at ease in this new place was something she wouldn’t take for granted. Yasha cleared her throat, figuring she should say something so to not be rude.
“I don’t mind a bit of work.”
Mollymauk chuckled. “I can tell, arms like those.” He squeezed one of Yasha’s biceps, eyes wide. Yasha couldn’t help it, she chuckled. “Anyway, I’ll be showing you around a bit before I take you to your property to get settled. Hope you don’t mind a bit of a trek around town. First stop!”
He rapped at the door of a small shack just off the docks, then kicked it open without waiting for a response.
“FJORD! New guy’s here!”
The room itself was small and smelled strongly of fish and the salty sea air. There was a cooler on one end with various fresh fish for sale, netting decorating the walls, and the single light that hung from the ceiling flickered every few seconds. There was a door behind the counter indicating some back rooms to the shop.
Behind the counter stood a half orc. He was tall, though a bit shorter than Yasha herself, with a scar across his face and a single streak of white in his otherwise dark hair. He shot Mollymauk an annoyed look, his tusks poking out, a bit shorter than normal, but still prominent. He had kind eyes.
“I just fixed the door!” he grumbled, as if this was a common occurrence.
“Not in front of the guest,” Mollymauk audibly whispered to him.
Fjord glared, but then straightened up and forced a bright smile. “Welcome to Rumblecusp! I’m Fjord, here for all your bait and fish related needs.”
“Thank you,” Yasha said, then after a moment, remembering she should introduce herself, “Yasha.” She gestured to herself.
“Molly here says you’re taking that old property just outside town?”
“Yes, I think so. I haven’t seen it yet.”
“Best of luck,” Fjord said. “That land’s a piece of work.”
“So I’ve heard,” Yasha laughed.
“Well, if you need any extra coin for repairs, I could always use some help here at the docks. You know anything about fishing?”
Yasha shook her head. “No, not much.”
“It’s easy to pick up. If I could learn, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble,” Fjord smiled warmly, and Yasha decided she liked him too. “I won’t keep you too long. I’m sure you’re eager to get settled, and you’ve got the rest of town to see.” He gave a small wave. “Pleasure to meet you, Yasha. Molly.”
“Onward we go!” Mollymauk pronounced. “Places to go, people to see! You should stop by here on Grissen though, Fjord hosts a mean fish fry.”
It was a short walk to town, but Molly talked her ear off the whole time. Occasionally he would glance to Yasha to see if there was anything she wanted to add and when it became clear she was perfectly content just to listen, he continued to prattle on. Yasha found it rather endearing.
“Here we’ve got The Lighthouse,” Molly said as they entered the town square, gesturing to the building up ahead. “It’s the only bar and restaurant in town, run by two of our finest.”
They pushed open the double doors of the establishment that swung open like an old-timely saloon. A jukebox in the corner played a jaunty tune, and the interior was all dark rubicund wood giving it a rustic appearance, but the walls were covered in various bright paintings that almost seemed out of place. Yasha noticed a messy scrawl in the corner of one of the paintings, and squinted to find–
“Welcome to the Lighthouse!”
Yasha looked around. Due to the mid-morning hour the place was empty, except for the blue skinned tiefling behind the counter with the brightest smile on her face.
“I’m Jester, I kind of run this place. The Lighthouse is the hottest spot in town. Not to brag or anything.”
“It’s the only spot in town,” Mollymauk interjected with a sigh. “This is Yasha, she’s quite charming.”
Yasha smiled, thankful to Mollymauk for taking a lead on the introductions. It eased her anxieties a little.
“Can I make you a drink?”
“Uh, what do you recommend?” Yasha asked.
Jester made a face. “Ew. I don’t drink. We have a couple specials on the board.”
She pointed to a chalkboard above her head, also decorated with brightly colored chalks and, all the drinks had names like Pornstar and Naked Lady and Sex on the Beach, accompanied by incredibly detailed chalk drawings.
“I usually order milk or juice.”
“A bartender who doesn’t drink?” Yasha mused.
“I know, it sounds funny, but I don’t have to drink them to make them. Plus I’m great company and that’s like half the job anyway.”
“Is Caduceus here?” Molly asked.
“CADUCEUS!” Jester called out. She turned back to them with a bright smile on her face and waited a few moments, but after a while it was clear this Caduceus would not be joining them right now. “He’s in the back. Might be busy prepping for lunch. Whenever you want to come back, first meal is on the house! You can probably meet him then. And my mama is going to be singing tomorrow night!”
“Your mother?”
“The Ruby of the Sea! She’s retired but still likes to perform. Have you heard of her? She used to work in Nicodranas.”
“I’m afraid not. I’m not from anywhere near Nicodranas.”
“Where are you from?”
Yasha froze. She hadn’t prepared to talk about her past quite yet.
“Jester, don’t bombard the lady with questions on her first day,” Molly intervened at exactly the right moment. Yasha wondered if her discomfort was that obvious, or if Molly could already read her so easily. “We’ve got a few stops left and she’s got a long day ahead of her. She hasn’t even seen the state of her place yet!”
Molly shot her a wink as he ushered her out of the bar.
“Bye Yasha! See you soon! Your first round is on Caduceus!”
The doors closed behind them. She wanted to take a moment to thank Molly, but didn’t get the chance as he whisked her away to the next location.
“The general store is where you can go for whatever basic needs you have—food, supplies, tools, you name it. It’s owned by the loveliest little family. They also specialize in potions, so occasionally you’ll find something worthwhile in stock!”
The moment they stepped through the doors of the general store, Yasha heard a somewhat familiar click and whizz as a crossbow bolt shot toward her and embedded itself into the wall a couple feet away.
“Luc! How many times have I told you not to shoot the customers?” A frazzled looking halfling stood behind the counter, his hair a mess, his glasses askew.
“I dunno, like seven?” the child answered, hidden somewhere in the aisles.
The man behind the counter sighed and buried his face in his hands. “Sorry about that. Welcome, I’m Yeza and this is my son Luc.”
“It’s alright,” Yasha said with a light chuckle. “At least his aim was off.”
“Don’t worry, he’s just practicing,” a shrill voice chimed in. A dark skinned halfling woman with dark hair and a bright yellow dress led a young curly haired boy out of the aisle with her hands on his shoulders. “The hiding place was excellent, you just need to work on your aim. Maybe head down to the beach and practice on Mr. Fjord one of these days!”
“Thanks mom!”
Yeza buried his face in his hands and let out a frustrated sigh.
“This is Yasha, she’s new,” Molly explained, already used to this whole song and dance.
“Oh, we heard you were coming!” Yeza said brightly. “What do you think of Rumblecusp so far?”
“It’s…very different,” Yasha mused. “I’m sure it’ll take some getting used to.”
“I don’t think that’ll take long. It’s easy to get comfortable here.”
“Well, Yasha’s at the old farm just outside of town.”
“That place is a dump,” Veth muttered. Yeza elbowed his wife. “Ouch! What was that for?”
“She knows it’s a bit of a fixer-upper, but I’m sure Yasha doesn’t mind,” Molly said. “Anyway, we should get going. One last stop before the farm!”
Mollymauk marched Yasha back outside. It was like each new place was gone in the blink of an eye. She was going to have a bit of trouble remembering everyone’s names, but hoped it wouldn't take too long to get acclimated.
”I’d keep your wits about you at the shop,” Mollymauk advised under his breath. “The Brenatto’s are wonderful but you never know what hijinks they’re up to now.”
“Where to next?” Yasha asked, as they walked along a dirt path, trailing away from the town square.
“The library,” Molly said. “It’s right along the path to the farm.”
And sure enough, a building loomed in the distance. It looked a bit like a cottage but as they got closer she realized just how large it was. It had to be two, maybe three stories.
There was a soft chime when they stepped inside but Yasha couldn’t find a bell on the door. Perhaps it was some sort of enchantment that was added. They took a few steps inside, when suddenly Yasha felt something warm and soft rub up against her leg. She jumped away, startled.
“Caleb! Control your cat!” a gruff voice called out. Yasha followed the sound to the front desk, where a human woman sat, wearing comfortable robes with workout pants and a midriff tank top. Her abs were so defined, she had to just be showing off. Her hair was up in a bun, revealing her undercut. Her legs were kicked up on the counter and she had her eyes fixed on the book in her lap. Her lip was curled into an annoyed frown.
“He is not my cat and he can do what he wants,” the aforementioned Caleb muttered as he appeared from down an aisle of books. He had a thick Zemnian accent, bright orange hair, and his clothes were a bit worn and well-loved, but he looked rather comfortable, wrapped up in a scarf and coat. It was significantly colder inside the library than it was outside, so his bundled up attire made sense.
After a moment, the woman finally looked up from her book, marked her page and set it on the desk.
“Hey,” she said with a quick nod. “I’m Beau. The annoying one is Caleb. You must be the new guy.”
“You know, if you don’t enjoy the company you could easily get another job, Beauregard.”
Beau shrugged. “I stick around for Frumpkin.”
As if on cue, the cat at Yasha’s feet meowed.
Caleb looked at Frumpkin, then to Yasha. “He asked what your name is?”
Yasha started at him curiously for a moment but Caleb appeared to be completely serious, as though he were translating for the cat.
“Yasha,” she muttered. “Yasha Nydoorin.”
“Yasha’s at the farm down the road,” Molly interjected.
“That old dump?” Beau scoffed, but after a moment her eyes grew wide. “Uh, I mean, I’m sure it’s a nice place once you get rid of all the weeds and shit.”
Yasha chuckled. “I know, I know. It’s actually what drew me to the place. I was looking for a… project, I suppose.”
“And look at those arms,” Mollymauk chimed in. “She can handle it.”
“Yeah, I’m sure she can,” Beau muttered, giving Yasha a glance before she quickly averted her gaze and cleared her throat.
Yasha wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.
“Well, uh, good luck Yasha,” Beau said. She rubbed the back of her neck, a slight flush on her cheeks. “And welcome to Rumblecusp.”
“Feel free to stop by for any of your informational needs, we have many texts you can refer to,” Caleb interjected.
Beau picked up her book again, and without looking up muttered, “The company kinda sucks though. Except the cat.”
“That is correct, Frumpkin is the only good company you’ll find here.” Caleb looked pointedly at his coworker. “And he loves scritches.”
As if on cue, Frumpkin leapt onto a shelf right next to Yasha and stared at her. She smiled and reached out a hand to pet him, then looked to Caleb.
“May I?” she asked.
Caleb nodded, so Yasha tentatively reached out and ran her fingers through the cat’s thick, soft fur.
“He’s so soft,” she muttered, awed. Frumpkin purred and rubbed against her hand.
“Feel free to stop by anytime,” Beau said, turning a page in her book. “He loves the attention.”
“He’s not the only one,” Caleb muttered pointedly. Beau punched him in the arm. “Ow! Beauregard, we have guests.”
“As fun as this is to watch, we should get going,” Mollymauk said, suppressing a laugh. “I’m sure Yasha here is just dying to get settled.”
“It was wonderful to meet you, Ms. Nydoorin.” Caleb offered her a firm handshake before they left.
“Holler if you need anything.” Beau picked up her book again, but her eyes followed them out of the library.
Yasha and Molly continued down the road at the edge of town. The further they went, the more rocky and overgrown it became. Yasha watched her feet as she walked, making sure to step carefully to not trip.
“Are you sure we’re still on the path?” Yasha asked. “You’re not taking me out to the middle of the forest to like, kill me or something?” She gave a nervous chuckle.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Mollymauk laughed. “The size of those arms, I’m sure you’d crush me first. No, nobody’s really come this way since the farmhouse was abandoned. I’m sure it’ll get much more foot traffic now that you’re here.”
They had to push through some bushes that had started taking over the road, and then Mollymauk swept a branch out of the way and grinned.
“Ah, there we are.”
When Yasha saw her new home for the first time, it took her breath away.
Just beyond the perimeter fence, the ground was rocky and overgrown with trees and weeds and bushes. The dirt was dry and cracked; it hardly seemed healthy enough to grow anything. Past that, there was an old, decrepit looking cottage.
Yasha walked up to the building with a smile on her lips. As she stepped onto the porch, her foot broke through the rotting wood, leaving a hole on the first step. She just shook her head, still smiling, and carefully pulled her foot out. She made sure to tread a little more carefully as she ascended the last few steps.
Yasha took a good look at her new home. The windows were broken, the door was off its hinges, and there were shingles falling off the roof. It looked like a piece of shit.
“Wow,” Mollymauk whistled. “You really paid money for this place? Like, actual money?”
Yasha wasn’t listening as she turned around to look at all the land that was now hers. She owned it, and no one could ever take it from her. It would take a lot of work, but she never shied away from hard work. She could already see where she would love a vegetable patch out front, a grove of fruit trees beyond that, and she would absolutely need a flower garden she could see from her window.
For the first time in Yasha’s life, she could do anything she wanted.
“You’re sure you don’t want a refund?” Molly offered. “Maybe stay at the inn for a while and have a new house built? I mean really, this place is just–”
“It’s perfect.”
Mollymauk looked at her like she was crazy.
“What do you see?” Yasha asked. “When you look at this place, what do you see?”
“You want my honest opinion?”
“Yes.”
“A piece of shit that’ll be a pain in the ass to get in order.”
“I look at this place and see something that’s mine. And I see every endless possibility of what it could be.”
“Huh,” Mollymauk mused. “That’s rather beautiful, Yasha. You are full of surprises.”
“Thank you for showing me around, Mollymauk.”
“Oh, please just call me Molly. Mollymauk makes me sound old. The pleasure is all mine, Yasha Nydoorin. Welcome to Rumblecusp. We’ll have to grab a drink sometime, you are quite intriguing!”
Yasha smiled. “That sounds nice.”
“Come to the tavern tomorrow night, I’ll buy your first round. Or second, after Jester. Or was it Caduceus? The whole town usually comes out. We can chat, and you can get to know everyone.”
“Sure, yes. I’ll see you tomorrow, Molly.”
And Molly disappeared down the overgrown path back to town.
Inside the cottage wasn’t as bad as the outside. Yasha would have to board up the windows until she got around to fixing them, and she was able to shove the door back into the doorway as a temporary fix. The floorboards were creaky but firm under her feet, unlike the front step that crumpled under the slightest pressure. Yasha ran her finger along the counter to find a fine layer of dust along every surface. Cupboards were empty and there were cobwebs in every corner, but it would be easy enough to clean.
There was a roof over her head, and a dusty, old mattress to sleep on. She was happy.
Yasha didn’t have much to unpack. For as long as she could remember, Yasha never had more to her name than what she could carry on her back. She sat down at the edge of the bed and the mattress groaned under her weight. She set her backpack on the floor between her legs and began to empty it.
A change of clothes, an old book, basic rations and supplies, and all the coin she had leftover after her travels. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make a home.
Yasha picked up the book and opened it. The book fell to a page pressed with small blue flowers and tiny petals. Delphinium, forget-me-nots. Yasha sighed wistfully, remembering joyous smiles and flowers tucked behind ears and soft kisses. A single tear fell onto the page, and Yasha closed the book.
It was time for a new chapter, and she had a lot of work to do.