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This is a productive day and there is a lot of work done. The home made crossbow bolts that Reiley made works well, and my crossbow practise turned into a small competition. Reiley and Bokyli kick my ass in rate of fire even though I have that lever loading system, and against the new crossbow that Reiley made with the pulley reloading system, they're so much faster that it is ridiculous. Literally; 'my quiver is empty and you are still reloading'. But both crossbows are accurate and the heavier crossbows bolts hits harder than their arrows, especially the Star Fall crossbow. Either crossbow have vastly improved my range, accuracy and strike force, and the Star Fall one is very very nice, and I beat them in long range accuracy and power. Although Bokyli and her tribe is more 'shoot more or get closer', and they go for rain of arrows if they try to take out those large dangerous beasts that hunts them. It's quite likely that Reiley will try to make a new bowstring with a peep sight and temporary try a similar bow front sight on her bow, just to try it out. Reiley really takes it personal that I'm more accurate than her, and it doesn't help that Bokyli kick both our asses in shooting while moving. In the end, the Star Fall crossbow is really good and fit me well, and Reiley is pleased that I am 'deadlier'. It honestly feels good to get true experience with different weapons as we might have to fight against them, and we sort of compliment each other. They're faster and a bit quieter, while I got more power and long range accuracy. Reiley appreciate Bokyli's suggestion of string silencers on the bows, and the two fluffy fur pieces looks weird, but they actually work, and Reiley likes to be sneaky and quiet. Honestly I do too, and the Star Fall crossbow doesn't sound much, but their bows are quieter. Since we're four, and we all will have ranged weapons, Reiley will make even more arrows and bolts. That raider attack cemented that we might need it, and Reiley don't want us to run out if we're attacked.
The furnace will run until we run out of coal as the iron crucible shouldn't care, and I want to give the glass plate crucibles a chance to become as good as possible, and give it a slow cool down too until tomorrow. Then we will know for future glass use or making. The pile of wood ash lumps we have, have been fired in their own little improvised kiln feed with wood. Bokyli have formed plenty of clay bricks with the simple mold we've already fired, and the bricks are being dried in the shade under the larger leaf roofed storage structure we've built, and they will be turned over and maybe on the sides before the night. The charcoal mound is doing another burn so we will have more charcoal. The creek pots are being emptied of mud and refilled with orange slime water, that Bokyli helpfully have informed us taste weird, and will be done again before we leave. Beside building that improved storage shelter for bricks and other things, we even have had time to fell a few trees since we will need the logs sooner or later, and more branches for baskets or such is good.
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Xuela returns for her second long scouting trip, and she still haven't seen any trace of the other new persons, but we all understand hiding in forest or jungles is sensible. Unfortunately, that also makes them hard to detect from above. Bokyli would have been hard to detect too if she wasn't running in a bright red dress. We're mostly worried about the closest person to the north as that person is more likely to get here and detect us, and might be dangerous. Good news is that Xuela have found a white Star Fall with a pretty blanket and a green-brown camouflaged tarp, but a bloody scene close by tells the story of what happened to the intended recipient, and she found an iron knife and torn leather on the scene. Of course the stuff is Xuela's, but we will try to make a couple of waterskins of the leather and a larger pack to carry stuff in. We know that Xuela have found at least one more Star Fall on her journeys before meeting us, and I know she have a copper vessel she think is very pretty, but it is her stuff, and she doesn't have to share everything she finds. It's not like we will know if she finds something, and she can hide it, so better that she have that freedom. I might trade something for that copper vessel in the future, and I hope to use stuff I get through blue Star Falls to make Xuela share for the greater good.
All the clay bricks need to dry thoroughly before firing, so tomorrow we will probably make more bricks before trying to stay on the cliff and working on the improved roof access, cliff work area stairs and so on, while Xuela stay in the lookout and watch most of the day. The day after tomorrow Xuela will fly over to Reiley's old camp and take a look from afar. She will try to avoid being detected and not contact them, as we don't want to give away our alliance or that she is a flying person. Even with rest stops, Xuela should make it there and back again over a day without issue if the weather is okay, and she will add the location to her list which will help her fly there faster in the future. One of those black Boon spires should be 'not far' up in the mountains, so Xuela will try to locate and add that too before going back. The fact that 'direction' gives a direction means we can use that to get a compass heading from here once Xuela is back, and using more references will give several points of data to build a map from. That vision will be incredibly helpful to make a map accurate over long distances. Until planetary curvature becomes an issue. We still can't have Xuela do all the mapping since there might be nice visions or gifts.
But for now we have two fish caught and we grill and eat one with a bit of coconut and berries in the jungle working area. Of course Bokyli just eat and drink a bit of the coconut and berries, and since she likes the coconut I warn her to not eat too much as it will kill her, and those we too can eat and we need to share. We no longer use 'might kill' when it is about potential dangerous food and Bokyli, and we need to be careful with food resources. For being a vegetarian Bokyli sure don't mind us eating meat and her kind do kill animals and take their hides for leather and make stuff from sinew, fat and so on, and Bokyli seems to enjoy that we will eat Dinosaurs.
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I've managed to pull out the still very hot iron crucible before we add the final wood to keep the furnace from cooling down too quickly for the glass. I don't know if it's necessary, but I want to get a good result, and I also don't want to leave the iron crucible here over night as the fire or slight smell here might attract attention. There are people with very good smell like Reiley and Bokyli, or flying like Xuela. It has been a lot of work so far, and this is my iron. Sure, I have several good tools, and me and Reiley now have good large knives, but that doesn't matter. So we wrap it in dried mud pieces and make our way up to the hut with the rest of the important stuff.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
The blocking door is put in place as usual and we just make ourselves at home, but if feel so damn crowded, which is ironic since I was worried about living alone less than two weeks ago. And in less than two days we have gone from just me and Reiley to being four. On something like 26-28 square meters. Well, at least Reiley and Bokyli thinks we have plenty of space. Xuela is more used to great halls, palace scale and servants, but after two weeks alone and roughing it, she is very happy for this hut, the mattress and company. We've all had to adjust.
To Reiley's frustration, I just don't want to have sex while we have Xuela and Bokyli in the room below. I guess that is one way to be motivated to build stuff.
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The sky have turned dark and as the horizon is clear enough, I wait for stars I use as a fixed point to line up with my horizon markers, and I take another data point for my days per year calculation. I add up all the data points since I started at day 6, and it points to the year having about 512 days. I assumed it wouldn't be an exact value since reality isn't that neat, but I will also have a rounding error due to insufficient data and my maths being off. 512 days is more than exact enough and feels nice to know. It is also a valuable lesson for Reiley, Xuela and Bokyli. So we talk about length of day and general time measurement. We have shown Xuela and Bokyli the sundials, but Bokyli is used to some mechanical watches, although the most common way to tell time is the sun and a compass. Our talks move on to the heliocentric view of a solar system and gravity. We talk about my measurements to figure out the planetary axles tilt and how that makes a planet have seasons. Our view of the planetary rings and the moons lead the discussion there. None of their beliefs line up with all of that information, but only Xuela is reluctant to believe what I say. Bokyli seems to have the same thirst for knowledge about the sky and world, as she have for eating everything that grows here. Bokyli's eagerness to learn and those glowing irises really drags my attention, but her eyes really make Bokyli stand out in the dark, pretty much like Reiley's hot pink clothes. All three women love that pink, but for slightly different reasons. Xuela like striking sharp colours and high contrast. Bokyli like how pink stand out against green vegetation, and that is a very intense pink. There was also a tasty flower back home that was pink, but not that good pink. Reiley like how intense pink the clothes are, as she is used to more muted and nature based colours.
I think I have figured out a way to get data about planetary axis tilt and latitude, and that is to try and find a north star and use that as the reference point for vertical. I will also try to measure the angle between the sun and the big moons centre when there is a half moon, because if I can measure that very precisely, it should give me how many multiples of the distance to the moon there is to the sun. Yes, it's quite unnecessary, but it is something intellectual to do, and Reiley and Bokyli seems happy to help.
"Your deeds have earned you Calender; Say 'Mighty Spirits, show me Calender'. Your deeds have also earned you a gift, and a star is falling."
That ethereal voice just announcing it like that in the middle of a conversation is just weird, and seeing that orange light is even weirder. Did I really get a vision just like that?! I really really want to test that. Damn alien bastards!
"Incoming Star Fall."
We scramble outside and just look up at the sky. Soon we see a blue light falling through light clouds. YES! I hug Reiley before giving her a high five, and I give Bokyli another that's technically a high 4.5? The Star Fall lands over by the rocky knoll on the beach, and reluctantly Xuela offer to fetch it. She does not like flying in the dark, or rain. But it might contain something heavy that she can't carry, so she just isn't suitable to go, and it's not like Xuela insist on going. I'm gently convinced to stay as Reiley and Bokyli will fetch it, but I admit I'm slower than them.
It doesn't take long until they return and we unpack the stuff. There is an axe and a very nice saw, and also a leather roll with woodworking tools like chisels, drills, a couple of different special knives, a planer and so on. This feels almost insulting as I could have really used this a week or two ago, but I don't complain about having it now, and there is even a proper trowel for masonry work included. Actually why is the axe handle marked with dark red instead of blue like my other tools? Because several items can be used as weapons too?
The big white package contain four decorated blankets. Just four blankets, but very nice and pretty decorated blankets, and blankets are very appreciated. We will probably change around a bit amongst the blankets we have, but yeah, there is one decorated blanket for each of us. Xuela desire one of the blankets, and quickly offer to trade for it. But that means I couldn't just give one to Bokyli without annoying Xuela, so I have a quick talk about 'need before greed', and give them a blanket each. Xuela's smile as she stroke the blanket with her hand and chin, could mean she might come around to sharing stuff.
The last package is white, and it contain two more of those nice water bottles, but with camouflage pouches. Not the most awe inspiring stuff, but we sure won't complain. Sure, we will try to make leather waterskins, but these water bottles are very durable and good, and bringing water along is essential or just very useful. Me and Reiley already have one each, but Bokyli have her good one and I drink more water than the rest of them, so Xuela and me each get a water bottle, but Xuela sure don't complain that I exchange my old ones pouch in leather for a new in camouflage since Xuela thinks camouflage is ugly and don't want it. When Xuela lay the blanket on her bed and place the water bottle with her things, she just happen to decide she got too much stuff and it is messy, so she add the found knife and the green-brown tarp to the shared equipment shelf.
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As I lay in bed and hug Reiley I whisper to her about the extra vision I think I got. I haven't tried it because I am that stubborn, but just knowing that special visions can be given for achievements is a huge thing, and it was given outside of the normal weekly schedule. We both assume I got it and the blue Star Fall for actually figuring out the correct number of days in a year. Just because it is interesting to know, and it would be useful, Reiley and Bokyli will collect data by themselves and we will see if they can do a similar calculation, and they will also try to collect data to figure out the moons cycle. When I do, I can not tell them my results.