Shoes (3)
Shoes handle one pillar of the essentials—clothing, food, and shelter—so their importance can't be overstated. Especially for humans, who walk on two legs, they're absolutely essential. Going barefoot risks stepping on something sharp or slipping up, putting you in dangerous situations. Their importance is beyond words. That's why early shoes had to be sturdy and safe above all else. Otherwise, what's the point of wearing them? They get the roughest treatment from bipedal walkers, so the performance requirements are brutal.
Bought some soccer cleats haha (photo of soccer cleats with two stripes)
Saved up my allowance and bought soccer cleats haha. Whaddya think?
└Those are fakes, right? Why only two stripes?
└Yeah, should be three stripes.
└Oh. Shit, just noticed. Why only two?
└lolololol
└Proudly showing off fakes lololol
└How much'd you pay?
└300k euros ;;;
└Lmao
But as time passed and technology advanced, shoes evolved into fashion items too. People started prioritizing design over performance, or wearing high-performance gear just to look cool. The rise of sports was the starting point. Regular folks cared more about comfort than raw specs—maybe just some slip resistance? That public demand fueled the growth of the sportswear industry.
Do beastkin wear shoes? Or do they go barefoot?
└SusanghalJeongdorok We're suspiciously shoe-wearing beastkin too. What, you think we're barbarians or something;;
└Weren't you guys barbarians?
└SusanghalJeongdorok You're suspiciously barbarian-level rude. Wanna get your head smashed?
└Sorry ;;;
└lololol
└lolol
└Beastkin wear shoes too. Doesn't mean they live in caves.
└Then how do you get custom fits? Feet sizes vary like crazy.
└Custom-made every time. Look at rabbit beastkin—those feet are insanely long.
Especially beastkin had a huge impact on shoe development. There were combat boots for soldiers, safety gear for adventurers tackling harsh wilderness worldwide. Shoes branched out infinitely depending on who wore them and for what job.
"So you want me to make these?"
"If you don't wanna, forget it."
"Hey now, watch this dwarf. Who said no?"
Short stature. Thickly muscled arms disproportionate to his height. Broad shoulders. A lush brown beard that was his trademark.
The brown-bearded dwarf grabbed the shoulder of another dwarf who had turned away. The grabbed dwarf turned back around. Eyes slightly glazed with booze, a strawberry-red nose. Anyone could see he was a drunkard. Especially that red beard pairing perfectly with his boozy face.
This dwarf's name was Gareth. A run-of-the-mill boozer from the dwarven nation of Mountain.
"Got any ideas?"
"Ideas? Sure. But what's in it for me?"
Gareth's friend, Wagner, posed a perfectly reasonable question. They'd shared thick and thin for ages, so they usually granted each other's requests. But what Gareth was asking for sparked doubts before acceptance.
"Coming outta nowhere asking for high-performance shoes? Fine. But this is obviously human-sized."
Wagner flapped the paper in his hand. The spec sheet Gareth had handed over as "this week's order."
Gareth glanced at it and nodded. "Yep."
"Where'd you even get a commission like this?"
"The Gallery."
"That damn Gallery."
Wagner scowled at the answer. He knew about the Gallery but had never logged in once in his life. No real reason to. Folks buried in real life had no time for it. Entertainment wasn't an issue either— for dwarves, invention was entertainment. In that sense, Gareth was plenty eccentric. A dwarf hooked on the Gallery instead of tinkering. Still, his innate talent kept him fed.
"What'd they offer to get you ordering this?"
"Ah, tricky to say."
"What's tricky?"
"Involves booze. Hic."
"Booze?"
Related to booze. Wagner's eyes widened with interest. Dwarves and booze— inseparable. Beyond personal taste, it was a racial trait. Famous for home booze fridges or breweries. Hell, they invented steam locomotives and airships just for distribution. Booze alone drove their mechanical civilization in Mountain.
"Yeah, booze. You know that infused liquor I gave you last time?"
"'Course. That bright red stuff. Damn tasty. Slurp."
Wagner swallowed involuntarily at the mention. He still remembered vividly. Gareth had scored some red herb and brought infused booze. Normal drinks made you drowsy; this did the opposite. Instant energy surge, crystal-clear head. And the taste? Bitter-sweet herb perfectly balanced with the booze— pristine. Top-tier, mouth-watering just thinking about it.
"That human needs shoes now? Stranded in a dangerous spot, wants top performance."
"Make 'em and he gives booze?"
"Not booze— herbs. Want 'em? Yours."
"Ooh! On it!"
Dwarves treating an Adult Mandrake as mere booze ingredient. If Grills heard, he'd flip but shrug it off as long as the goods were good. Others? They'd foam at the mouth over the waste. But for dwarves, booze topped life. Seemed simple to outsiders, but it was their happiness.
"What's that herb called? Red thing looked medicinal."
"Adult Mandrake, he said. Dunno myself. Just think Mandrake."
"Hm. Mandrake booze is great— this better?"
"Probably? Heard one makes a top-grade elixir."
"For real? That's pricey, right?"
Wagner wondered. Elixirs cost a fortune. Booze was dwarves' elixir, sure, but still. No big interest, but the price tag nagged.
"Hic! Super pricey. But think: booze infused with top elixir material. Can you resist? Better than selling for regular beer."
"Oof, short-sighted of me. Genius as always."
"No prob. Hic!"
They hyped each other up, but that's dwarves for ya. Booze-loving to the bone. Longer lifespan than humans, but liver issues evened it out. Impossible to find a teetotaler. Telling them to quit? Death sentence.
"This... trickier than it looks?"
Wagner puzzled over the spec sheet. Gareth nodded in agreement.
"That's why I'm here. I suck at leather— metal's my jam."
"Fair... But sturdy base, waterproof, slip-resistant— every damn performance spec?"
Dwarves aren't omnipotent. Specialties vary. Gareth: metallurgy. Wagner: leatherwork.
"Gotta use top materials. Stranded human, right?"
"Yeah."
"Durability key then. Like this..."
Wagner sketched a design with his pen. Leathercraft master— even rough drafts looked sleek.
"This'll make 'em heavy. Tell him that."
"Got it. He'll understand."
"Where's this stranded human anyway? Offering Adult Mandrakes?"
"Fell into the Four Seasons Forest, he said. No clue myself."
"Tsk tsk. Of all places."
Wagner knew of it. Maze-forest you never escape. Shoes might not boost survival odds much, but every bit helped.
"Quote done? Hic! How long?"
"Got materials— week's work..."
"Yo, check this."
Gareth cut him off, heading somewhere. Wagner eyed him curiously, then gawked at what he brought.
"Th-that's...!"
Unique glass jar, Middle Kingdom style. Narrow waist, wide top. Inside: plant like a screaming human face. Plus, blood-red liquid filling it.
Gareth's Adult Mandrake infused booze.
"Hic! Finish faster, it's all yours."
"Ahem. Three days then..."
"Plus snacks tomorrow. He said he'd hook us up."
Wagner got serious, raising one finger. "One day."
Dwarves didn't need more cash. Rare-ingredient booze. That was it.
"Deal. Save it for after. Sloppy work? Act like it never happened."
"What kinda dwarf you take me for? Hang tight— these'll be killer shoes."
"Believe ya."
Wagner headed to his workshop. Gareth stuck around as overseer/booze buddy.
'Four Seasons Forest, huh? Better herbs than Adult Mandrake?'
He eyed the jar. One sip and power surged. Maybe even better stuff? Infuse that? Mouth watered.
'Not booze? Fine as snacks.'
Adult Mandrake was prime, but yesterday's huge fish, today's crabs? Mountain was landlocked— seafood pricey. Gallery auctions best, but killer fees sucked.
'Wonder what he's up to?'
Hooked on Grills chats lately. Adult Mandrake was just goodwill payback. Fun regardless. Demon booze better lately? True?
"This punk?"
But aggro? Instant reaction. Gareth dove in.
Thread already buzzing with debates. Freaking-out users? Mostly dwarves, he guessed.
Dwarves could take short jokes— racial trait. But booze? Brews? Trigger button. Gallery staple when bored.
└Just say it— demons brew tastier. Fridge/freezer magic? Demons first~
└PassingDwarf Dwarves mechanized that magic. Know before yapping.
└Sure~ But no demons, no fridge~
└Dwarf booze just bitter af. Demon stuff sweet and delish lol
└Y'all miss the joy of beer during sports? lolol
"Fuckers!"
BAM! Gareth slammed the table, unable to hold back. Another peaceful Gallery day.
*****
"Why's he flipping out again?"
Grills, having demolished three crabs with his animal pals in seconds. Resting, he browsed the Gallery. Stumbled on a hot thread: dwarf booze vs. demon booze, demon wins.
'Like saying Chinese kimchi beats homemade?'
Made sense if so.