Ellie and Turik

Sneaking in Argania, one of the biggest orc cities across the kingdom, is already tough when you're a merchant with a poor risk assessment, believing the shortcut to the great markets of the west is worth dealing with the strange orcish society. Imagine doing it as a thief with the guards hot on your heels!

For this reason, the best trick is going as an adventurer - more specifically, as a fighter in the famous orc arenas. And as they fight monsters as they fight... Well, orcs, a lot of adventures come and go chasing glory. Or their ends.

Ellie was out of options on this one. The guards laughed at her when glazing at her size as they never seen gnomes striking giants before (even though gnomes didn't have a reason to go to Argania, but that's another story). She posed as a challenger in the arenas and picked the latest scheduled fight to borrow a few days while she laid low, planning her next move to cross the border before the actual event happened - she wasn't planning to ruin her clothes fighting a random otyugh.

The first signal of trouble was when she realized it was a tag team event. As her crescent anxiety became apparent, the organizers looked at her suspiciously. It seems it wasn't so uncommon that shady individuals pose as fighters to hide in the gladiatorial vilas and do exactly what she was planning to do. Right when the guards silently approched her, a hand land on Ellie's shoulder, proudly claiming.

"I'm her partner. Sorry for the delay" 

The muscular orc towered over her by his massive size. Carrying a giant tusk of some creature, now fashioned as a weapon, the organized sighed. Probably he wished something happened to make that boring afternoon a bit more chaotic.

"Thanks. I was almost thinking I would have to team up with a kobold if you took long enough". Ellie sighed as the organizers walked away, focused in other fighters.

"The name is Turik, if you're interested".

"Mine is Ellie. As you can see, I'm not from here".

"Me either. This place always struck me as soft. Wat's the glory in killing a caged beast when the real deal is just over the border?". Turik shrugged.

"Curious you saying that even though you're here, walking into an arena to slay caged beasts for money". She remarked while not hiding the sarcastic tone in her voice.

"Ah! The difference here, my dear, is that I have an audience while I do it" He winked at her.  "But something in you suggests you aren't here for the spetacle either. Perhaps you're just... Blending over the crowd? Before you cross the border?"

She looked at him with an expression that could mean anything. She was calculating his intentions, reading what that random stranger could gain helping her - even though he knew she was a fugitive.

However, before she could make the first move, he laughed at her.

"Don't worry, 'partner', I'm not planning meddling in your matters. As I said before, I'm not from this place and I'm not interested in starting a headhunter business. Actually, I die before getting in the way of a fellow thief".

"Thief?" she looked a bit surprised. The amount of shady individuals in Argania really raised in the last years. "I thought you were a monster hunter, carrying this giant thing around".

"That's part of the disguise. People like to see orcs as bruttish tough warriors and Argania exhales just that. If you want to blend with this crowd, you should think in something beyond the 'adventurer looking for adventuring' disguise. It doesn't work as it used".

A bit more relieved, Ellie looked at the crowd of fighters walking into the gladiatorial vilas - a whole district of buildings dedicated to the contenders looking for equipment, rest or entertainment while waiting for their fights. As reading her mind, Turik said:

"I think you can show your grattitude fetching a drink for me. Or two. I know a good place".

"How chilvarous making a woman pay for your drinks". She laughed.

"Ah! That's another assumption you're making. Don't expect chilvary from a thief". He laughed with her.

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Another short story, this time featuring Ellie and Turik.

I have to someday redraw the male characters I have to add them to the OC charts.

Well, this one was initially a sketch that grown itself to a whole self-contained series of drawings. Ellie showing her appreciation to a fellow thief. That's the thieves guild code ?

I hope you guys enjoy as I'm trying to bring a bit more of some OCs to expand their own stories and add more spicy scenes for them (not that Ellie really needed more, but we can't get enough of her! >_<)