#grenden highforge

[deathianartworks]

Grandma my beloved

[jays-art-dumpster]

[saturnalmoss]

ARM-WRESTLER

Chapter Three

A Rogue By Any Other Name

Master Post

The name of the arm-loser wasn’t listed but there was an address next to the arm’s ID. The address was in Fancy Town - they expected it by this point - in the western Historical Fancy Town district.

The building was unusual.

“It’s an orcish house!” York said, startled. He squinted. “It’s a bad orcish house.”

Grenden tilted her head. “So it was an orcish prosthetic?” York shook his head vigorously.

“Ain’t no self respecting orc.”

The front door creaked opened. An old and very square orc woman stepped out, assisted by a sizable staff. She was smiling at them. “Y’all gonna stay out there staring, or come in?” she said in a heavy northern brogue.

York started forward, Rosé and Grendan jogging after. “We don't mean to intrude.” Grendan said.

“Hardly intrudin’! It’s still business hours, after all.” The orcish woman said. “Y’all can call me Granny Skully.”

“Business hours?” Rosé asked.

“Generally speakin’, about 9 to 5, dearie.” Granny Skully said.

“Are you a business?” Gendan asked “What do you do?”

“Hope it ain’t buildin’ houses,” York muttered.

Granny paused to look at them. “You know, I’m getting the impression y’all ain’t here for a tour.” She looked them up and down, but decided that they weren’t a threat. “Who are you, then?”

York puffed up. “Gyorik Rogdul.” He watched her. She raised an eyebrow, and looked to the next.

“Grendan Highforge. Or Grenda. Grandma’s fine too but it might get confusing.”

“Rosé.” Said Rosé. She did not elaborate.

“I’m interested in the tour, by the way.” Grendan said. Rosé patted York on the arm, who did not seem pleased.

“York’s a prince.” she mentioned. “Of the northern orc tribes.”

Granny huffed to herself. “Don’t dress like any prince I’ve seen.”

“Well your house ain’t no orc house I’ve ever seen..” York said.

Granny laughed. “Careful now! Them’s fightin’ words and I’ve still got some vigor in my bones.” One heavy wrinkled eye glinted. “Don’t suppose you have a proper weapon hidden in those tight little clothes you’ve got, princeling?”

York grinned and flexed. “Don’t need one, Granny.” Rosé glanced at Grendan and grimaced. Grendan shook her head frantically.

“What do we do?!” she mouthed.

Granny and York took a step towards each other. A door slammed somewhere in the house. A stampede of steps followed and a bluish elf skidded around the corner.

“Granny, I heard you!” the elf shouted. “No ax fights in the house!”

The elf was a little shorter than Rosé, a lot shorter than York and Granny, and breathing hard. They wore a long cloak and when they pointed accusingly behind them toward the other end of the house, Rosé thought it hung strangely on their frame.

“Out! If you want to fight, fight in the back!” They paused. “Also sign the waiver stating that we aren’t responsible.”

“Excuse me,” Rosé said sweetly. They looked up. “Are you missing an arm?”

The elf’s name was Crimbilion Pelles, and Granny Skully was their mother-in-law. “Thanks for meeting with us, Mx. Pelles.” Grendan said.

“Leon is fine.” They said warmly. They had calmed down entirely, and were a quite put together looking elf. They stuck out with their modern dress in the traditional old orcish house next to the traditionally dressed old orcish woman.

Granny Skully sat them around a rough hewn and heavy wooden table in the kitchen. The whole building looked out of time and place, candles and lit lanterns illuminating the stone and wood work kitchen. A heavy black iron stove radiated a gentle heat to the room.

“It’s because it’s a sort o’ museum,” Granny told them. “The home was originally build by orcish immigrants from the northern tribes that settled here generations ago. We maintain it now, and welcome visitors to teach ‘em about the old ways.”

York leaned forward. “It don’t look like a proper orc house.” Granny Skully laughed.

“No, no, this is what homes looked like for northern tribe orcs who settled down here!” She patted York’s hand. “Of course there would be differences, little prince. Many things in the north ain’t available, after all. Many things are available in Fancy Town that weren’t up north. We adapt.”

Grendan perched her head on her hands and listened. York seemed curious despite his apprehensions.

Leon placed some hot drinks in front of them and sat. “There’s a bed and breakfast, too, if you want more of this, or other orcish treats.” They gave the detectives a bemused look. “So, you wanted to meet me, but you only knew me by my, uh, lack of arm?”

York shook his curiosity out of his head for the moment. “You’re wanted for littering.” Leon stared and Rosé elbowed him.

“... Am I?”

“No,” Rosé said.

“Probably not,” Grendan said. “Depends!”

Leon raised an eyebrow. “We found an arm, belonging to you,” Rosé said. “How did you lose it?”

The elf lit up suddenly. “You found it!” They laughed. “Well, I didn’t lose it on purpose, I can assure you. Am I cleared on my littering charge?”

York hummed, then nodded. Leon smiled. “I lost it to a mugger of some sort. It was a pretty strange circumstance, actually. Fellow just took my arm.”

Grendan whipped out a notebook. “...mugged for arm... And nothing else was taken at all?” Leon shook their head.

“They could have, too. Gave me a nasty crack on the head.” They rubbed their neck gingerly. Granny shook her head. “I was out for a few minutes, I think.”

“This is why I tell you to carry a weapon, child.” she said. Leon kissed their teeth derisively.

“I don’t want to hit anyone and, to be frank, I don’t want anyone to take my weapon and hit me.” Granny Skully huffed. York huffed.

“Annnd... When did this occur?” Grendan asked.

“Three days ago.”

“Did you report it to anyone? Did you see the person who attacked you?” Leon shook their head.

“I... reported it, but I didn’t see who got me.” they shrugged. “What is this city coming to, et cetera, et cetera.”

“...et cetera et cetera...” Grendan muttered. She looked up at the other two. “Any other questions?”

Leon raised their hand. “I have one. Where should I go to pick my arm up?” They grinned. “Thanks for finding it, by the way. Those are expensive.”

Rosé grinned back, and pulled the arm out of her pocket and laid it on the table. Leon looked at it, then her, and it again. Granny cackled.

“Th-thank you!” They laughed reflexively. “Well! That’s all I had to ask.”

Rosé perched her chin on her hand. “We have one last question for you, if that’s alright?”

“Can we stay in your hotel-y bit a while and find the mugger?” York asked.

Leon and Granny Skully were initially concerned. They only had four rooms in the bed and breakfast section, and the three of them would knock most of their income for the duration of their stay.

“And, no offense, I wasn’t getting the impression you were offering to pay.” Leon said apologetically.

“Course, it would be a different story if you were paying for three rooms.” Granny grinned toothily at them.

“We all would be in the same room.” Rosé told them. “It’s annoying to try to fall asleep without them.”

“York makes you feel very safe.” Grendan said. York nodded.

“Um,” Leon said.

Granny hummed. “Let ‘em stay, then.” Granny said. Leon looked at her, surprised. “I don’t like the idea of someone with a grudge against you running about.” She grinned. “Plus the little prince could stand to learn ‘bout his history.”

York frowned at her. Leon sighed. “I don’t know about someone with a grudge - it seemed like a nasty prank to me.” They looked at the detectives. “But it’s Granny’s business and what she says goes.”

The rooms were up a narrow, old, and wooden, but very sturdy, staircase. They were settled in the largest. It was a very traditional orcish room, with trophies displaying the prowess of the host, raw wood and bone construction, and an area set aside that York said was for making any statements to God to see if she would say anything back.

But there was also a restroom in the hall accessible to all the rooms, and a landline bone on the heavy wooden dresser. York raised an eyebrow at the interior toilet.

“Still, almost makes me homesick. Almost.” York said. “In fact its already gone.”

They settled on the bed and plush cushions to discuss their next course of action.

“We should meet with people who know Leon,” Grendan said. “Like Granny was saying, this seems personal.”

“Should we try to reach Jancy again?” Rosé wondered. “We’re at assault now, not littering or missing stuff.”

“Don’t wanna.” York said. “It’s more impressive if we figure it out than if we just report it to her.”

“Leon also already reported the assault part!” Grendan pointed out. “So I don’t think we are obstructing anything.” The three of them nodded.

“Hmm. It looks like her bone is still on silent anyway.” Rosé muttered. “Eh, whatever. So, do we need to grab anything from home?”

There was a knock at the door.

Grenda opened it and looked up at two orcish girls, dressed as traditionally as Granny Skully, who looked back down at them. “Oh!” said the taller of the two girls. “Good afternoon, sir, madam, or esteemed guest!” she said in a rehearsed tone.

“Hey, guests.” The younger girl said. Grenda thought they were probably sisters by the resemblance. They didn’t quite look like Granny Skully, though, who was a deep forest green-gray. The girls were considerably cooler in tone and their ears surprisingly long-

“Are you Leon’s kids?” Grenda asked, surprised.

The older of the two squeaked, her sister cackled in a familiar impression of Granny. “Yeah, they’re our Narri.”

“We’re um, I’m Jyurogul, this is my sister Hinpirdul. We are um.” Grenda looked on pityingly as she tried to recover the script in her head. Hinpirdul rolled her eyes.

“We’re in charge of the guests.” she said. “So like, dinners at 6pm downstairs in the dining area and breakfast’s at 8 am same place. You can go wherever the signs have a green happy face. Keep out of the red angry face even though some of them were open in business hours.”

Grenda nodded. “Will do!” Hinpirdul nodded pleased.

“Then we’ll get on great. There’s a landline bone in here, it just does inside calls, if something comes up at night.” She cracked her knuckles. “Don’t break any rules and you won’t get any broken bones.” Surprisingly, Jyurogul imitated her, nodding.

Grenda waved them off as they left. They heard, faintly. “What’s wrong with you, today? You’ve been doing this for years!”

“Shh!! N-nothing! Nothing’s wrong!”

They closed the door gently and looked back at Rosé and York.

“Interesting.” Grenda said.

“Interesting.” Rosé nodded.

“I don’ think it was the kids.” York said. “Good kids, though.”

“The older girl looked nervous though!” Rosé said, “What was her name, Jyuro-” She was interrupted by another abrupt knock on the door.

Grenda opened it again to Jyurogul, face glowing, and arms full of clothing. “G-granny s-s-said that you need c-clothes, for some reason, e-e-especially, y-you.” She looked at York, and her face burned even brighter.

York looked irritated. Rosé looked understanding. “I see...” she said. “Well, thats very nice of Granny.”

Grenda and Rosé took the clothes off her and closed the door and Rosé dropped the pile on York. “She’s got a crush on you.”

“That’s been happenin’ to me more, what with the shows.” York said, perturbed. “We didn’t even talk.”

“You can just ignore it.” Grenda said. “It’s not like you have to do anything about other people’s crushes.” They looked down at the pile of cloth. “But, you know, does this mean we shouldn’t stop at home for our stuff?”

“It’s pretty nice of Granny Skully.” Rosé said. “She wouldn’t be bribing us because she took the arm, would she?”

“Granny’s a old fashioned orc.” York said. “She woulda made sure they knew who bonked them.” He looked at the clothes thoughtfully. “Trophies are traditional though.”

Grenda looked startled. “Do you think the perp’s an orc, then?” York shrugged noncommittally.

“Losing the trophy again’s weird.”

Granny met them as the three detectives made their way down to the dining room. “Come, follow me.” She led them through the door with a red angry face hanging from it. “You’ll eat with us, since you’re guests not customers.”

“Oh, thank you!” Grenda said. “Thank you for the change of clothes, too!”

The kids were already present at the table. Leon was setting it, talking to another orc they hadn’t met yet. He didn’t seem to work there, as he dressed in modern clothing.

“It is after hours, though.” Rosé whispered. “Maybe it’s more casual.”

Leon looked up and smiled. “Sit anywhere you like.” They gestured, “This is Ardsley, Ardsley Orcking. He’s an old friend, in town for a few days.”

Hinpirgul waved an angry arm. “What’d I just say about breaking the rules!” Jyurogul slapped a hand over her sister’s mouth and smiled very nervously at them.

“Hahaha, that’s silly, c-clearly Granny um, yes, yeah!” she said. Leon looked over at her, eyebrows drawn together.

“Jyuri, are you feeling okay?” He looked up at the detectives. “These are my daughters, by the way. Jyurogul and Hinpirdul.”

“J-jyuri is fine. Since you’re guests. Well, like, house guests not, not.” She stopped and grinned nervously, but toothily, at them.

Hinpirdul was looking at her sister suspiciously. “You are. So weird.”

They ate together. The meal was big and hot and filling. Rosé and Grenda were curious how close to home the food was for York.

“Da wasn’t that good a cook, and I’m pretty sure Ma made southern human food.” York said. He liked it though. He showed his appreciation by eating thirds.

Leon took a moment to catch his friend Ardsley up on the whole ordeal, with some additions from Granny. “You lost your arm?! Well, again, I suppose. I’m starting to become concerned.” Ardsley said with a playful air.

“Hey! It’s only happened twice - over quite a few years! That’s hardly a pattern.”

Ardsley rubbed his chin in an exaggerated fashion. “Perhaps you disappeared it, playing those ridiculous tricks with your daughter?”

Hinpirdul lit up. “Narri! Can you disappear your ARM?!” Her parent sighed. They looked thoughtful.

“Perhaps... well, I’d rather not.” Hinpirdul’s eyes sparkled.

“I bet you could if you wanted, though.”

Leon smiled. “I wouldn’t have to knock my audience out.” They snapped their fingers in front of their daughter, a coin manifesting. She laughed. Ardsley rolled his eyes.

“Really, Leon. This is hardly becoming for a young orc to be interested in.”

“Mmm, luckily for me, it’s fine for half-elves.”

“Enough of this.” Granny said with finality. She smiled at her guests. “Pay them no mind. Arguments’re the heart of a vigorous household, after all. Tell us instead how y’all gonna find that... prankster.”

“Well if they got a grudge, they’re gonna come back, right?” York said. Leon frowned at this.

“We also figure it’s someone you at least know the name of.” Grenda added. “It’s hard to have a grudge on a stranger.” They paused. “Unless you’re a celebrity. But I haven't heard of you?”

Leon let out a soft laugh. “I’m not.”

“Anyone come to mind with a grudge?” Rosé pressed. “Maybe a dissatisfied guest?” Leon fiddled distractedly with the coin. It glittered as it flickered between their fingers.

“I don’t actually work here - I have helped out, but not often.”

“The museum’s a passion of mine.” Granny Skully explained. “It don’t earn much, though. Leon got themself some sort of office job to help.” She held a touch of disdain, and something else, at the idea of it.

“And what sort of job is it?” Grenda had the little notebook out and was scribbling rapidly. Leon shrugged.

“Logistics, you know, moving stuff around. The place is called KMB Trans.” Grenda looked up.

“Wow, that sounds incredibly boring.” Grenda said. A surprised laugh escaped Leon. The rest cackled openly.

“It’s not running a museum, but it’s not bad.”

“And I suppose no one at your job hates you?” Rosé asked. Leon shook their head. Rosé sighed in disappoint, and nodded.

After dinner ended and everyone said their goodnights, the three settled into the room for the night. Rosé was quiet as they relaxed under the covers of the bed together.

“Something on your mind?” Grendan asked.

“I don’t know how to say this. I don’t even know if it means anything.” Rosé said after a long moment. “I just, I know a rogue when I see one. That enby is a rogue.”

[sunny-aster]

Wasn’t gonna upload fanart 2 days in a row but then Drawtectives season 2 dropped and the character designs had me

[usomallow-art]

Drawtectives episode 1 was great, I’m really looking forward to more episodes! Drawfee’s sense of humour is really great and I’m looking forward to how they use their characters!

[Image description: The 3 player characters from Drawtectives are shown. The leftmost character is York. He is an orc man with green skin and yellow hair tied in a ponytail. He is wearing a red sleeveless jacket with a red sash tied around his waist. He is quite muscular. The second character is Rose. She is a human with medium tone skin and has pink hair with an undercut. She is wearing a black jacket with a fluffly hood over a purple top. The third character is Grenden. He is a dwarf with light skin and brown hair. He also as a beard and is wearing a light green hat with leaves attached to it. He is wearing a jacket with a white fluffy hood. The background is made up of grey bricks.]

[razmerry]

OKAY Drawtectives Finale fanart part two. I died laughing every time I thought of Emery in arm jail so I had to draw it. 

catch me on the ground after getting so attached to these characters,,., blease they gotta come back

[deathianartworks]

Grandma!!! I love him so much