Wardrobe

Villager: Cory

Life began to stabilize and become wlmost routine to Crimeonette, Flintlock, Katarina, and Sanguiana. One night, however, after the group of housemates had been out on the town, they returned to find a spotted deer asleep on the cheap wooden sofa Flintlock had built, as per Katarina's odd request for a place he could both work and sleep. Flintlock was unamused, and quickly shook the deer awake.

Sleepily, they explained their name was Cory, and that they had come all the way from Oceandome to meet their prospective mentor, Grizweld. Flintlock asked them where this "Grizweld" character lived, and they explained the locals had directed them to this cabin. They knocked on the door, but nobody seemed to answer, and there were no fires burning inside. It was late and frigid, so they assumed they would be welcome if they explained themselves. Flintlock wasn't sure he bought it, but he also couldn't exactly leave a traveller out at night. He put a pot of mammoth-marrow and ice lettuce stew on a newly-lit fire, and asked what had brought them to Tigerseye and who exactly Grizweld was.

Cory told the group they were from a familiy of deer that had immigrated to Oceandome many generations ago to move away from the crowds of villagers and dangerous wastes of Dragonsmaw Manor. Cory considered themself a complete Oceandomian, but had picked up interest in jewelrymaking, which, as their range of materials grew, grew itself into the smithing of all sorts of things- Particularly elegant sets of armor. However, in a society where clean air is a precious resource, their interest in fire-based craftsmanship was generally looked down upon. However, a traveling smith who was collecting resources for his new schemas remarked that the attention to detail on their pieces was wonderful. He reccomended them to his former mentor, Grizweld, a Tigerseye Peak inhabitant with extraordinary skill in forging weaponry. Cory jumped at the chance, spending all their pocket change on a submarine to the surface and a rented Uni mount/guide to Grisweld's mountain home.

Crimsonette suddenly burst into motion, the slow-rising heat of the fire giving her the extra energy she needed to put the pieces together. Rushing through her stack of notes, she found an older scroll that told of a meeting Flintlock had with a gruff bear to purchase their cabin. Everyone soon figured that Cory had arrived to the right place; however, they had arrived at much the wrong time.

Cory soon begged to stay with them, at least until they found Grizweld, saying they couldn't bear it if they had to go back and abandon their passion. Even if they were more of a hobbyist than a full-time worker, they promised they could improve enough to be useful. Crimsonette promised she'd find Cory somewhere to stay, since it was crowded as-is and Flintlock didn't like outsiders too much (even if she wanted them to stay, so she could learn about the depths of the ocean), and Katarina, easily moved by her sympathetic plight, quickly gave her some steel and rushed sketches of his elegant homeland (for inspiration).

Sanguiana, however, had other plans. Prehaps noticing the familiar tinge of fire and smoke's wear on Cory's fur, curled up in a blobby sitting position next to them and gave them a tiny twist of metal items she'd made. Crimsonette figured it was a gesture of affection, and was ever-so-slightly jealous her mobile heat-provider and friendly exploring pal was giving the stranger close attention. However, Crimsonette wondered if the little fire-goo creature would follow Cory away from their cabin if they left, and told Flintlock her suspicion. Flintlock could tell Crimsonette was attatched to her candle-like friend, and he suspected it was at least a little mutual; Sanguiana would follow her around on explorations, after all.

So, he devised a challenge for the deer; They could stay, but only if they tested their own equipment against the one force that they all had little experience in countering: Monsters. Katarina was too weak, and really, far too nice to fight them, Crimsonette was deathly terrified of them, Sanguiana seemed too calm and complacent to care, besides being extremely gentle, from what they had seen of her, and Flintlock was simply too busy with common chores and work to actively push their lines back. Cory wholeheartedly agreed, ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead in the name of their dreams.

Cory is agender, and prefers pronouns that reflect this; however, since "they/them" tend to be easiest all around, these are the most common. Cory and Katarina will occasionally collaborate in designing pieces, seeing as Katarina's home village's decorated aesthetics are preffered by Cory. Unforetunately, their anvil is inside, next to the fireplace, meaning that when they go to forge something, many of their companions leave due to the noise. Crimsonette and Sanguiana stay, however, since they have bad hearing, as a snake, and find the sparks and fire and odd vibrations interesting, respectively. Flintlock finds Cory's indoor habits a nuisance, while, despite having the most sensitive hearing, Katarina quickly forgives and forgets... Right after checking everyone's ears. Unforetunately, since the fireplace is inside and they don't know how to build anything more effective as a source of heat, Cory probably isn't moving outside anytime soon. The upside of this is that Cory can get their work done conveniently and in peace; the downside is that Flintlock's cooking tends to taste more metallic after they're done.