"Hey, Earth Shrine Lorella?" Caldesan asked, completely ruining her title.
There were various reactions from the listeners but Glossarai just shook her head with her face in her palm knowing Cald will never get her title right.
Lorella cleared her throat, not looking at Cald for a moment, then made eye contact, "Yes Caldesan?"
"What are the two mountains called? And the Range for that matter?"
"Ah, the northern peak is Orscht, the brother, and the southern peak is Torscht, the sister. They are twins from a Dwarven children's story that I would love to tell you some other time, but the mountain range itself is called the Walls of the Fey, but it is in Dwarven, and I will not utter those words as they are not friendly. So just call them the Idlefrost's if you want, many do around here." Lorella explained.
"Oh, thank you," Cald replied, and an awkward silence fell over the group for a moment until Lorella spoke again.
"So...before we start this meeting we were just wondering, you said the water is for everyone?" Earth Shrine Guardian Lorella asked the two Pioneers.
"Yup!" Caldesan and Glossarai replied at the same time.
"Well, I have been told that no one can grab it...or rather their hands are going through the bottles not being able to touch them."
"Oh yeah! I'll fly over real fast and put an item hopper on there and configure it to 1 jug of water per interaction, so they aren't phased." Caldesan said and took off with a fury of wind behind her flight, leaving people stumbling.
"So sorry again folks, they will just fly off like that sometimes, it is best to brace yourself if you feel they are likely to do so," Marchen said sheepishly while shrugging at Glossarai.
"Sorry...I didn't think about wind pressure since we are not affected by it when flying." She said quietly. That statement made people look at each other in question.
"It is fine Glossarai, do not be worried. We are just not used to such displays of power." Marchen continued.
"What is an item hopper?" Lorella asked.
"Well, it has to do with the phases of matter, no one can grab items while they are in their phased state except Cald and me. I can go into phases with you later, but just so you understand people couldn't grab a bottle because there were 50 bottles in one spot, all phased. An item hopper allows someone to grab up to a single stack of 50, but we can adjust it so it spits out 1 jug of water per person." Glossarai described.
"Well, let's just go see what it looks like...preferably much slower than your partner, Pioneer Glossarai." High Priestess Alana said.
"Yeah, we both get excited to make things and will try to go as fast as possible to put our best effort into any project we are working on. I supposed we should pay some more attention to our surroundings though, especially when moving at those speeds." Glossarai said sheepishly.
When they made it through the dirt remnants of the field to the edge of the city where the item bridge to the train station was, they found a large crowd that began cheering.
"I guess she didn't have any trouble with it then?" Nalah asked.
"Seems that way!" Glossarai said, with an excited response.
"Getting water in this town is usually a struggle, we get very little snow melt, and the nearest river is in the Fey Lands beyond that pretty gate you just made. How long will the water you brought last?" Lorella asked.
"Hmmm, we brought a full train car which has 32 spatial slots, and each slot holds 100, 20-quart (5-gallon water jugs) water containers. So we have 3200 20-quart jugs of water for the town, and we can just load a storage bin or something so everyone can grab it easily. And you are sure there are no water sources here, even if they just stay at a certain depth year round?"
"Well the lower mine is flooded, and it came up to the main chamber in the mountain, there is water there that we usually have people take care of before the snow melt can fill the mines. But this time we were focused on other things...as you can see." Earth Shrine Guardian Lorella said.
"And it won't drain out?"
"Unfortunately, because of how the lower mines were....mined, they will not drain and have to be cleared with the help of a water mage....which we don't have right now. It is at the bottom of the list. We have enough iron for basic building materials, but we have no smithy so that is a moot point." Lorella continued.
"Is there a large open area of water that is maybe 5 meters deep?" Gloss clarified.
"Oh yeah, the main cavern to the lower mines is pretty large, and there is a lot of open water, but you have to go into the water to get to the surface, and there is a large open cavern above the water line."
"Okay, hold on, can we go to the mines so Cald and I can inspect them before we have that planning meeting? I think a lot of the problems can be solved there." Glossarai asked.
Lorella raised a confused eyebrow and said, "Hmm, alright, but we have a lot of work to do today, and I need to get people directed soon."
"Honestly, you should realize by now Shrine Guardian Lorella, what work you would have gotten done, will become irrelevant by the end of the day at the hands of our Pioneers here," Marchen said with his standard smile.
The entrance to the mines was nearly perfectly rectangular, 12 meters tall by 18 meters wide, and it went at a downward slope for nearly 50 meters until the tunnel opens up into a large chamber that has branching tunnels there were a lot of open areas. There was evidence of a cart track on the left side of the tunnel with worn tracks from wheels.
The previous tunnel leading to the surface was smooth enough and wide enough for carts, but the next main chamber had much smaller hand cart tracks and there was one tunnel that seemed to be closed off with "flooded" signs by the entry.
"So is that the tunnel to the lower mines?" Cald asked, pointing at the flooded warnings.
"Mhm, be careful, it is dangerous to be in a tunnel that is flooded for many reasons," Lorella said, her tails remaining just above the ground to not collect dust.
"Cool, I'll go check it out, comin' Gloss?" Receiving a nod, they both ran down the tunnel while people shook their heads.
"Oh man, this is perfect. I bet we could fit 20 water extractors, and if we power shard them then that is 10, 600 lines of water that we can use for everything in the city and more, even start that hydroponics farm for them, Oooh! we could also put the farms on top of the apartment buildings!" Caldesan ranted.
"Yeah I think that is about right, but we will need to open the stairway and create a flat roof with at least glass walls so they won't fall off, great idea Cald!." Glossarai stated.
"Thanks! Well, let's dive in!" Cald said.
"Sounds good!"
The group of onlookers that walked the two pioneers to the flooded ramp down into the lower mines shook their heads.
"It's like they can never stop creating, to be such forces of creation, truly an amazing life for them," Marchen said he had a distant look on his face as he watched the waves the Pioneers left in the water.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
"They are grand-scale crafting experts who seem to live in their imaginations. I pray they can keep the uplifting outlook on the world, it is not a view shared by many these days." Nalah said, still wanting to care for the Pioneers as a mother would.
"They will save us from ourselves as much as from the ragged leftovers of the war. They are a healing gift to this world."
__________________________________________
In the large open area of the guild hall, which was now a conference room, the many representatives, pioneers, and townspeople met to discuss the future of the town.
"Alright, thank you all for gathering this evening, the Pioneers are offering to rebuild our city and they want to show you their plans." Lorella began and immediately raised her hand to stall the roar from the citizens.
"Please, they have abilities that we have all witnessed on the new Idlefrost Station and the roadways going as far as the eye can see to the North and South, not to mention the beautiful new entrance and roadway to our destroyed town. All I ask is that you let them show you their plans before you ask questions. Pioneers, are you ready for your presentation?" Lorella continued to the subjugated crowd.
Glossarai and Caldesan walked to the raised platform and waved at everyone, "Hello! I am Caldesan, and this is Gloss, allow us to show you our plans!"
The two pioneers turned and built a Glass Wall directly behind them and put some lights up to illuminate the surface. With a dry-erase style pen, they drew a crude version of the plateau Idlefrost sits on. To the west the gate to the Fey Wildlands, to the North West the Mountain of Orscht, and the twin to the Southwest Torscht. There was a marker for Idlefrost Station and the road down to it was drawn as well.
"So our plans are rather simple, but also complex, we will build a platform and put the city on it!" Caldesan exclaimed.
"There will be four areas that break the city up and create four different Districts, and these names have officially been approved by Earth Shrine Guardian Lorella. They will be split by the four Cardinal Directions and there will be a road that bisects the town from East to West, and one that meets going North to South. The Northwest District will be the Administration District, to the NorthEast will be the Market District. The Southwest will be the Industrial District, and the Southeast will be the Residential District."
Immediately hundreds of people were talking at once, and the pioneers' eyes widened as they looked at the crowd in surprise at the volume. Lorella saw them in need of some help and stood to join them on the stage. "Please folks, let them finish explaining, I have already gone over this with them and there is something for everyone, do not worry!"
"Yes, so we can easily make the platform for the city, and it will be higher than normal to account for the slope this plateau has, slight as it may be. Also, it will be nearly indestructible, and the pylons that hold the platform up will go 10s meters underground as anchor points. We also have plans to make housing for all of you, a place for your businesses, and a market for all to show their products." Glossarai explained.
"Also, you will have plumbing in your houses, and toilets, showers, kitchens, and more." Caldesan went on.
"Wuts plumbing got to do with houses?" A burly dwarf from the crowd of onlookers asked.
"Like running water? You can bathe, shower, and have clean water to do with whatever you will. Also, the toilet is amazing, don't overlook that." Glossarai replied.
Lorella then spoke to the Pioneers. "I don't think all of these terms are registering, you might have to give us an example of these things, like what is a shower? You mean a rain shower?"
"Oh, like you can bathe yourself fast while standing up and you don't have to wait to fill a bath. It just lets you get clean before or after working fast so you can feel clean, and still have time for other things before bed." Caldesan started to sound like an infomercial.
"Okay we are missing the point, let us go over every building or area in each district so everyone can know what it was." Glossarai then began writing on the side detailing what would be in each district.
ADMINISTRATION DISTRICT BUILDINGS
-Town Hall/Government Center
-Adventurers Guild (New Building)
-Health Clinic/Hospital/Healing Place
-Guard Barracks and Station
-Library
-Bank
-Post Office/Mail Center
-JailHouse and Courthouse
-City Maintenance, Cleaning, and Emergency Response
-Employment Office
MARKET DISTRICT BUILDINGS
-Many rows of stalls
-Large Cart Parking Area that is a covered building with many stalls for people who wish to store their carts or just unload to the stalls
-Buildings for all types of businesses: breweries, bakeries, restaurants, Inns, and more buildings for any business depending on what is wanted/needed.
-A large Community Recreation Center, for concerts, shows, theater, and festivals.
-Fitness Centers
-Bathhouse
INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT BUILDINGS
-Smithies and smelters
-Water Distribution
-Waste Management
-Indoor Farming
-Recycling Center
RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT BUILDINGS
-Vertical Housing for everyone depending on current wants.
-Enough housing to expand the city to up to 10 times its current population depending on what is wanted
-Grocery Store for locals
-Local Bathhouse and Fitness Center
-Park
-Education Building/School
-Viewing Deck that looks over the bowl to the East
Then the torrent of questions began. Most didn't know what half of the buildings were, and others were just surprised by the number of resources they wanted to give this town, but more questions came.
Then the most important question to many of them was asked, the same dwarf that had asked the question earlier, not one to easily trust, asked, "Well, what about you two? What's in it for you?"
The two powerful, beautiful, and nearly insanely creative Pioneers looked at each other with matching smiles, "Well, we get to build it!"
The dwarf laughed, "Alright then, well why would my Smithie be in the Industrial District, not the Market?"
Another set of smiles graced their lips, "Because that will be something special, we figure we can show you that in person once we see who the best smiths are, and which ones want to open a permanent business. You will have to trust us on that part when the time comes."
"Hmph, well, I guess we will see then." He still seemed skeptical, but he made his way through the crowd to lean against the back wall.
Lorella stood up finally after an hour of questions that the Pioneers were able to answer. "Alright, we still have a lot to go over, but we should move on to the next part if everyone thinks we should accept their generous offer."
"You doing this for free?" A half-elven woman in an apron asked skeptically.
"This is what we live for," Glossarai said with a small smile the half-elf shrugged and nodded in thanks.
"So the next part is the implementation of the building process. We will need to start by clearing everything off of the plateau. We can do that easily for the landslide, the ruined structures, and more, but Earth Shrine Guardian Lorella mentioned that everyone would want to manually remove the ruins of the town on their own. So we leave that to your discretion." Glossarai said.
"Once that is decided, we will lay the 'basement' floor of the city, which will mainly be a lot of pipes that carry water to different areas of the city as well as bring back waste and sewage to the Industrial District for destruction. That should be all that is down there, and there will be only one entrance which will be in the Maintenance building in the Administration District. After that is finished we will have the foundation of the city built, and all power and plumbing will be connected from underneath the city." Glossarai explained.
At this point, most of the crowd was following the description of the building plans in silence and was thoroughly overwhelmed.
"After the basement floor is finished and piped and such, we can build the foundation of the town itself. Then we can start with the Residential District, so everyone has a place to live, and from there we will just power through everything in a day or two. Then we can..." Caldesan said but was interrupted as she missed a step.
"That, is why we were asking for your preferences on housing, everyone is getting a place to stay, but it will all be coordinated through the Earth Shrine Guardian. We have already told her the different options and what to expect." Glossarai said.
Lorella nodded and stood up with the Pioneers, "It's true, I will be speaking with all of you today while we finish taking down the remains of the old town. I want everyone to have gathered everything that they want to save and move it onto the finished road. Our town will be closed for a few days." She said with a smile at the end.
"Oh, and we plan on meeting with everyone as we build so you can have a say in the process. We have planned this out so you all have space and so you can expand as a town, I just hope that you follow Earth Shrine Guardian Lorella's guidance through this." Glossarai said.
Lorella spoke up again, "Yes, and on that note, I will discuss with anyone who is opening, or reopening businesses, and what that will cost for the city.
So let's worry about that after we start building. If there are no questions, let's begin clearing all the wood and leftover remnants of the old city. The Pioneers will clear the landslide and we will be able to start construction tomorrow if we work fast enough for the rest of the day."
"Well, let's get to it then, eh?" A large Wolfkin man said.
And so the town began to work in earnest to clear out the remnants of the old town. Wooden boards and partially burnt walls of wood were all brought down and stacked up along the road up to the city while the Pioneers laid hundreds of explosives to clear the North part of the town from the landslide. Before they "snapped" to detonate the debris they built a wall around the few remaining buildings to help absorb the close blasts.
By the end of the day, there were wooden boards and other debris piled up along the road, and the collective town met to watch the Pioneers destroy the landslide once again.
"Alright, is every one..." BOOM "Ready? CALD WHAT THE HELL?" Glossarai yelled at Caldesan for not waiting to hit the detonations together.
Sighing, Gloss looked at the sheepishly smiling Caldesan, before shaking her head and also snapping.
BOOM
She just did the no-look explosion thing, "That was pretty cool Gloss I will give you that."
The town had themselves a meal before everyone slept in the few buildings or set up tents near them, Gloss and Cald built a house for themselves for the night with beds for any that wanted to stay there, including the diplomatic party.
Tomorrow, they build.