Thursday, July 16, 2020

The Fleshcrafters Guild and Anekang the Parts-Demon

The Noble Guild of Fleshcrafters, Barber-Surgeons, and Physicians
    Also known as the Cutters, Stich-Me-Ups, and Organleggers Guild

Principled students in the art of surgery and the meatier side of medicine. The Guild's repute is both honorable and vile. Many a life has been saved by their hand but they are still looked upon with suspicion and accusations of foul deeds done to the body. 

Aftermath: Marston Moor, 1644 1: Pikeman, Marquis of Newcastle's Regiment 2: Musketeer, Earl of Manchester's Regiment 3: Surgeon

Not all of these accusations are illegitimate. Many a guild member will gladly pay gravediggers, corpse thieves, and back alley muggers to supply them with fresh samples for study. And their experiments are far from ethical.

But the Guild's services are vital and they have a monopoly. Would be freelance surgeons tend to have deadly encounters in back alleys with folks with names like "Bad Steven" and "Toothbreaker John." The Guild ensures that if fixing up is what's needed only they can provide. And so their more illicit practices are tolerated or ignored.

A licensed guild fleshcrafter can provide such services as...
  • Shaves and haircuts
  • Bloodletting & tooth pulling
  • Stitching and closing wounds
  • Amputation (they will ask to keep the appendage)
  • Removal of cysts, organs, arrows, etc...
  • Surgery done on major organs
  • Other related services
Prices tend to resemble such (all are guild mandated)...
  • Shaves, haircuts, and bloodletting -- 1cp (5p to 10p)
  • Stitches and minor surgery -- 20cp (20p)
  • Amputation -- 5sp (50p)
  • Major surgery -- 2gp (200p)
  • Specialized surgery -- 5gp (500p or higher)
Those seeking remedies for headaches, bad stomachs, or other such ills would be better off seeking an apothecary, hedge-witch, or like.

Anekang the Parts-Demon
If you do not feel at home in your body or greatly desire to change your face, you may try to seek out a particularly little shrine at the end of a particular back alley. Or a particularly forest path. Or particularly mountain cave. 

There at a humble little candle lit shrine insulated and warm and disconnected from the outside world, you will meet a moving conglomerate of eyes, ears, faces, organs, countless appendages in a myriad of shapes, sizes, and colors. This is Anekang the Parts-Demon. 

It is always polite and will offer you hot tea and a seat and will make conversation asking you about your life and family and interests. Eventually it will ask what you wish to change. It is always kind and understanding no matter how rude you are.

When you answer (and you always will) it will smile with its too many faces and it will show you its selection. It will not have everything you could possibly desire, but it will have a reasonable assortment. 

When you make your choice (and you always will) it will present you with a hand. Shake it and the deal is made. The next thing you know you are different and Anekang is discreetly tucking your parts away in its collection for some other soul to use. It will offer you a mirror for your use.

And when all is done it will bid you a good day and you will leave. If you were particularly polite it might give you a parting gift of sweet smelling tea leaf that will always put your mind and body at ease.

The Fleshcrafters Guild has placed a bounty of 2000p to kill or capture the Parts-Demon in every place they ply their trade. They claim that the demon is disrupting and stealing business. Or perhaps they merely wish to study it. No one has yet claimed the bounty.

6 comments:

  1. I might give Anekang its own post. The Parts-Demon is very near and dear to my heart.

    (prices are given in Skerples coin stander and Electric Bastionland pounds)

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  2. When I saw "Fleshcrafter's Guild" and "Parts-Demon" in the same post, I honestly expected something Frankenstein-ish.

    This is way better. Does Anekang want anything for payment (other than the part being replaced)?

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    Replies
    1. Nope! It just wants your body part in return. Though it does value politeness and it would be absolutely overjoyed if you brought it a gift.

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  3. I just imagine Anekang being a lifeline to many a queer folk.

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  4. well this is an insta-follow from me, this post hits some wonderful imagery

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  5. The image in my head of the anekang is horrifying in all the best ways.

    ReplyDelete