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"Two accidents in under a month's time! I tell you the thing is cursed! 'Cut from the finest timber of Mepeles' they said. 'Iron straight from the steel forges of Nesha' they said. Those Dendac traders are cons! Cons I say!"
The elder named Olaff lead Lorigo back down the path to the village, mumbling on about his cart and the grief it caused him. Often referred to as 'Olly' from the children, the women of Psegora however, have different names for the traveling merchant - none of which are pleasant. A seamstress once told him that he was fouler than a rear end of a chocobo during mating season, while a barmaid once called him a tonberry that needed to castrate itself with his own knife. The men treated him like they would a jester, often encouraging Olaff's behavior for their own amusement. And when the tavern is lively and the ale is flowing, you are bound to hear a tale about one of his many lewd acts - more than likely from the very own mouth of Olaff himself! Lorigo was impartial about the old man. Yes, he was crude and obnoxious, but his work ethic was unquestionable. Out of the few traveling merchants from Psegora, Olaff was the oldest and most reliable of the bunch; He never skipped an expedition and always brought back fine, quality items and sold them at reasonable prices too. So long as he made his contributions to the village, Lorigo could care less about how Olaff conducted himself. Most of the time.
As they paced through the village, Lorigo noticed that most of the caravan was already up and about. He waved over to those in the corral and watched as Ganoe, the elephant-human hybrid, hauled a cart full of bright orange crystals.
"Those be the new ones they found?" Olaff asked.
Lorigo nodded. "Two days prior to their discovery and we're already peddling them out. We don't even know the extent of their capabilities."
"Aye, but we do know that they can sell for a pretty penny, no?" Olaff spoke, sensing Lorigo's disappointment. "In the end, that is all that really matters to a Psegoran."
"Even if what is sold might risk the lives of others?"
Olaff scoffed. "Hah! Even if what you say is true, then so be it. Those crystals will likely fall into the hands of some baron or royal fiefdom of the empire. Should they prove to be ill-tempered and blow up in their own royal faces, our world will be better for it."
The two walked the rest of the way in silence. When they reached near the entrance of the village, a bare, four-wheeled, cart stood parked off to the side. "There she is... the succubus." Olaff stabbed at it menacingly with his walking stick. "It started making this damn screeching sound on my way back from the provinces. Had a hefty load. Must have been too much for it."
Lorigo surveyed the cart. Nothing appeared out-of-place, but upon closer inspection, the bolts that held the rear axle of the right wheel had loosened. Some were even missing. He leaned down and immediately saw that the beam connecting the two back wheels was off kilter. "It's a good thing it didn't fly off on you."
"So?"
Lorigo rose from his crouched position, giving an assuring nod. "Definitely fixable." He unstrapped a metal rod from the many pouches of his utility belt and twisted the middle until its bottom end split into three separate rods like a tripod. A fourth rod also protruded, but bent upward, functioning as some kind of lever. "Believe it or not, this little device can hoist up to 3,000 pounds." Lorigo grabbed a circular cushion from another pouch and screwed it to the top of the device. Then, he crawled underneath the cart and placed it firmly on the ground near the center end. Pumping at the lever brought the device to life as it began extending at both ends; The three rods digging deep into the earth, as the cushioned top rose to lift the cart until the back wheels were off the ground. "You see? Way more easier than having to break it all down." He said proudly. Though it initially was his father's invention, Lorigo had redesigned it to be more compact and lightweight.
"That's great." Olaff said with little interest. "If you can just hurry and fix it I-"
"Need any help?"
Lorigo nearly bumped his head against the cart as he sprung up to greet the revealingly dressed berserker, Ravielle. Unfortunately, Olaff beat him to the punch. Oh, great.
"Why, you don't need to get your pretty self dirty for little Ol' Olaff!" The old man snickered, flashing a toothless smile as his beady eyes scanned her from head to toe. Though her face brought a certain warmth, her sinew, draped in cuts and bandaged cloths, spoke upon the brutal nature of her deadly craft. Seeing Ravielle in battle was a sight to behold. While Lorigo preferred to keep any fight at long range, Ravielle was up close and personal, cutting through the enemy with just daggers and bracers. Olaff had no idea what he was getting himself into.
"I don't believe we have met. What is your name, beautiful? I am Olaff and I would very much like to put...OW!!!"
Lorigo slapped the back of the old man's neck, waving a finger at him like a parent rebuking a child. "Mind your perversions, you flatulent wind bag! Go back home. I'll get you when it's done."
"I'd beat you with this walking stick if I weren't so kind!" Olaff glared at the young man, but as he rubbed the back of his neck, a sudden idea prompted a mischievous smile. "But in the end, your attack upon me has brought good fortune, for now I have a reason to go visit the lovely Sheeska. Hehe. She will surely tend to my wound, and more!" A devious laugh could be heard as Olaff sluggishly left the two alone.
"Sorry about that, Ravi." Lorigo sheepishly smiled. "But yeah, since you're here.... Can you help hold this wheel in place while I fix the axle? It won't take long." He motioned underneath the cart again and pulled out a series of smaller tools. "So, how is everything?" Lorigo asked as he began unscrewing the bolts. "I hope you slept better than I did. Ganoe's snoring and Kevril's sitar kept me up for most of the night."
