The war veteran had bided his time and resources with working days that nearly 60 hour work weeks for the past 2 weeks. Concept of such a place was not uncommon, but he had not seen such a place of the sort since his return to the Realms.
It was no mistake that Gunther had taken the deed of the building from its previous owner, who had used the site as a down trodden and dilapidated whorehouse. Not only was the pimp offered a mouth full of lead for his trouble, but a reasonably fair price for the transfer of ownership. Choice for the site was perfect in his mind, tucked away in the back alley of the Marketplace but still easily accessible to all. Equidistant from all directions and yet rallied no attention to itself outside from the common everyday busy-body traffic of the area. It was finally ready? preparation and renovation had come to fruition as the project could finally be considered complete.
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He had created a replica of a thermae" a public bath modeled in Roman style, a place to keep good hygiene and spread the latest news and dialogue through friendly socialization. And much like the descriptions he had painstaking read to verify the authentic details, this particular layout would honor its ancestors well.
The atrium was modest, and not overtly grandeur" you would have never suspected that a public bath had resided in the former belly of a house of ill repute. The interested bather would find a quaint promenade that spanned at least 20 feet in area used for all sorts of physical activity; outdoor activity that was "not related" to the acts public fornication. Edges of the promenade met with well trodden stone chosen both for their stability and texture to prevent travelers from a slip or mishap.
A robed man would stand, greeting the interested to exact a small fee (4 gold per head) for usage of the facility' if you were a former customer of the previous business that resided, you might recognize the man as a cleaned up and presentable version of the former pimp, now "balneator" of this therma.
To the left hall resided the Apodyterium' the "undressing room' so to speak for all visitors who wished to enter the baths in the proper way. Stone seats lined the walls as the room itself was halved by an 8 foot open wall, men and women would disrobe and stow away their belongings in the receptacles created for such, or simply hang their clothes on wooden pegs. Servants would wait accordingly to take charge of a customer's personal effects and present a choice of robe, toga, or towel to go along with wooden sandals; customers wealthy enough to furnish their own servants (whether slave or employed) were encouraged to bring them as well for their own private attention.
Under no condition was it allowed for a customer to carry weapons on their person into the further areas of the bath; this was a public bath, not a gladiatorial arena.
From the "locker room' a bather had several choices"
Tepidarium (Warm Room) " a 15 ft x 15 ft room painted in red and brownish natural colors, passively heated by warm air artificially created by special thermal generators acquired from his associate mechanoid sapien HX-909-A.
Frigidarium (Cold Room) " a 10 ft x 10 ft room that held a cold water plunge bath, it was not heated and could at most hold 5 people with enough personal space" 10 if you didn't mind sitting shoulder to shoulder and 15 if you decided to sit on another's lap.
Calidarium (Hot Room) " a 15 ft x 15 ft room filled with heated air that was diverted directly from special thermal generators. Here was the typical hot tub soak and hot air treatment.
Laconium (Dry Room) " dry rooms that bathers could complete the whole process of the public bath by resting and sweating
Massage Alcoves - several small rooms had been created with furnishings for massage for the customer who sought therapeutic treatment and private enough to satisfy the non-therapeutic behavior as well. Each room was stocked with select oils and plenty of towels.
—————————————————-
Hopefully with sane operation and fair environment for socialization' the bath would outlive Gunther's lifespan (which at the current time was only 345 days left).
But enough of that' today is the opening day of The "Nexus Thermae" Public Bath.
It was no mistake that Gunther had taken the deed of the building from its previous owner, who had used the site as a down trodden and dilapidated whorehouse. Not only was the pimp offered a mouth full of lead for his trouble, but a reasonably fair price for the transfer of ownership. Choice for the site was perfect in his mind, tucked away in the back alley of the Marketplace but still easily accessible to all. Equidistant from all directions and yet rallied no attention to itself outside from the common everyday busy-body traffic of the area. It was finally ready? preparation and renovation had come to fruition as the project could finally be considered complete.
—————————————————-
He had created a replica of a thermae" a public bath modeled in Roman style, a place to keep good hygiene and spread the latest news and dialogue through friendly socialization. And much like the descriptions he had painstaking read to verify the authentic details, this particular layout would honor its ancestors well.
The atrium was modest, and not overtly grandeur" you would have never suspected that a public bath had resided in the former belly of a house of ill repute. The interested bather would find a quaint promenade that spanned at least 20 feet in area used for all sorts of physical activity; outdoor activity that was "not related" to the acts public fornication. Edges of the promenade met with well trodden stone chosen both for their stability and texture to prevent travelers from a slip or mishap.
A robed man would stand, greeting the interested to exact a small fee (4 gold per head) for usage of the facility' if you were a former customer of the previous business that resided, you might recognize the man as a cleaned up and presentable version of the former pimp, now "balneator" of this therma.
To the left hall resided the Apodyterium' the "undressing room' so to speak for all visitors who wished to enter the baths in the proper way. Stone seats lined the walls as the room itself was halved by an 8 foot open wall, men and women would disrobe and stow away their belongings in the receptacles created for such, or simply hang their clothes on wooden pegs. Servants would wait accordingly to take charge of a customer's personal effects and present a choice of robe, toga, or towel to go along with wooden sandals; customers wealthy enough to furnish their own servants (whether slave or employed) were encouraged to bring them as well for their own private attention.
Under no condition was it allowed for a customer to carry weapons on their person into the further areas of the bath; this was a public bath, not a gladiatorial arena.
From the "locker room' a bather had several choices"
Tepidarium (Warm Room) " a 15 ft x 15 ft room painted in red and brownish natural colors, passively heated by warm air artificially created by special thermal generators acquired from his associate mechanoid sapien HX-909-A.
Frigidarium (Cold Room) " a 10 ft x 10 ft room that held a cold water plunge bath, it was not heated and could at most hold 5 people with enough personal space" 10 if you didn't mind sitting shoulder to shoulder and 15 if you decided to sit on another's lap.
Calidarium (Hot Room) " a 15 ft x 15 ft room filled with heated air that was diverted directly from special thermal generators. Here was the typical hot tub soak and hot air treatment.
Laconium (Dry Room) " dry rooms that bathers could complete the whole process of the public bath by resting and sweating
Massage Alcoves - several small rooms had been created with furnishings for massage for the customer who sought therapeutic treatment and private enough to satisfy the non-therapeutic behavior as well. Each room was stocked with select oils and plenty of towels.
—————————————————-
Hopefully with sane operation and fair environment for socialization' the bath would outlive Gunther's lifespan (which at the current time was only 345 days left).
But enough of that' today is the opening day of The "Nexus Thermae" Public Bath.