Sherry-By-The-Bend.
Dylan and Alban trudged back towards their "workshop". Which was still nothing more than their tools and crafts thrown into a semi-organized pile far enough away from the rest of the colony to be deemed "not a bother". Which didn't mean much when the halflings thought that Dylan, being a gnome, was already a bother.
He didn't think he was THAT much of a bother! Sure he MAY have taken one of those strange rulers that the humans used that he and Alban then proceeded to stretch to its limits to get an idea of the length of the "measuring tape". It was amazing! At least until the humans saw him playing with it, which startled Alban and caused the tape to zip back and lash his knuckles! But at least he had an idea from it! Using the same enchantment one would use for a bag of holding to instead hold an enchanted ruler that would extend from a small portable box even farther!
Of course they then ran into the same problem as... everything else. The enchantment just didn't, or couldn't, hold for long. They DID manage to get it to extend a total of twelve centimeters though! Which wasn't much compared to the measuring tape of the humans. But it was a start!
So Dylan and Alban filed it under "to be continued" and moved on to something he was most excited to experiment with! Electricity! More specifically how it was made in this world! So he started with the closest source available. The generator at the hothouse! He knew that the halflings wouldn't like him poking at it. But it was in the name of progress!
Though Alban wasn't too thrilled at the idea and sought to get Dylan to turn his mania elsewhere less likely to cause trouble. But Dylan was hellbent on seeing the wonders of this world with his own, spectacled-enlarged, eyes! Unfortunately, the inner workings of the generator was held by some thick metal that Dylan nor Alban could pry loose.
So Dylan and Alban returned to their open air workshop and retrieved some tools! Only to find that the generator was now COVERED in thick vines coming from the hothouse! Dylan and Alban weren't sure what to think of the rapid growth, especially as it seemed to ONLY be concentrated around the generator like it was protecting it.
Of course this was where Dylan and Alban ran into trouble with the constabulary as they caught them trying to pry away the thick, and rather stubborn, vines that shielded the generator from their curiosity. Dylan had tried to explain that they meant no harm to the generator and only wanted to take a look at what made it function!
But the constables weren't having it and told the two of them to return to their workshop else they'll be "escorted" there. With the way they waved their clubs Dylan didn't want to push his luck. But that still didn't stop him from experimenting! How could it when everywhere he looked that had humans there was something else wonderful and new!
If he could replicate even a hundredth of what he saw he would be considered a great inventor back in their world! Which wasn't really as exciting as it seemed when he realized that they were more than likely stuck in this world and he'd have to do SO much more if he wanted to even be considered in the same league as the humans were!
But! That wasn't going to stop him and his gnomish mania from pursuing it all the same! While work on the mana battery was on hold due to lack of advanced materials, he still wanted to invent and experiment! Though now came the question of, what next?
Unlike before where he struggled to come up with inspiration, now he was actually spoiled for choice when it came to what he wanted to work on next! Of course Alban reminded him that they were still limited when it came to materials, which put a needed damper on his ambitions. But that still wouldn't stop him from at least writing them down!
Golems outfitted with construction or mining equipment to avoid death or injury! Enchanted measuring tools to ensure complete accuracy within enchanted toolboxes for ease of transport and access! Entire cities running on nothing but electricity completely independent from other sources! Unlike back in their world, the gnomes might actually be able to form an independent body instead of autonomously varied enclaves!
Of course Alban was quick to point out that they still didn't know what laid outside of the town and colony they now lived in. But Dylan wasn't deterred. The town had no walls or towers, which meant either they weren't worried about attacks from enemies, or that those enemies didn't exist in the first place!
But Dylan was getting ahead of himself, and gnomekind. He doubt that even if the gnomes were given the chance at an independent state, they'd rather fuse themselves to already established states as clerks, bookkeepers, and other jobs that was more suited to them. There was a reason why the gnomes in dwarven territory were willing indentured servants. The dwarves protected them and the gnomes provided important, and tedious, bookwork that the dwarves didn't care for. There technically wasn't even a single unified Gnomish Language either as Gnomish borrowed from whatever host nation the gnomes found themselves in. For instance, gnomes that live and work among the dwarves spoke shorter and more to the point than typical Gnomish would entail as well as wrote in Dwarvish Runes. Gnomes that live among humans would speak and write in Common, with the eccentricities that came from the rather lengthy and wordy Gnomish making gnomes use long forms of words and proper grammar compared to others that speak Common, and so on and so forth with the language taking on the characteristics of the host nation's dominate language.
Were they indentured servants? Yes. But they were treated just slightly lesser than equals to the dwarves in how they assisted them compared to how typical indentured servants were treated. If it wasn't for his own gnomish mania forcing him to invent and experiment, he'd probably be a willing servant to the dwarves like many of his kin. Then again, he could seek service elsewhere among other races. But if he's worn the patience of the dwarves down to the point of sending him to a halfling colony, he doubt he'd fare much better elsewhere.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
What was he thinking about again? Oh yes, inventions! Of course as he muttered and scribbled his notes, Clive arrived with a tired and worn look on his face.
"Do I even want to know what you did while I was away?"
"Uhm... no?" Dylan said uncertain.
Clive sighed and rubbed his eyes.
"Have you at least stayed out of trouble since then?"
"Does being a gnome in a halfling colony count as trouble?" Dylan asked without a hint of sarcasm.
Clive sighed.
"Fine. But this whole thing needs to be worked with if this is going to be a permanent, or at least semi-permanent, situation."
"You still want us here?" Dylan asked with an agreeing grunt from Alban.
"Of course I do. Otherwise I'm no better than the dwarves in just passing you along like a hot potato!" Clive declared.
"Besides, alot of people can get along as long as there is at least a bit of a barrier between them. Take it from someone that lived in an apartment with fifty other people. Then again, they'd still argue and shout at one another through the walls." Clive muttered.
"What?" Dylan asked as Clive trailed off.
"Nothing. We just have to make you a proper workshop, with industrial grade sound proofing and things should sort themselves out! Damnit now I'm saying it."
"But I am a gnome." Dylan replied.
"And?"
"Halflings do not like gnomes. Gnomes do not like halflings. Even with a workshop with proper noise dilution we would still be subject to trouble from the halflings by virtue of my being a gnome." Dylan explained.
"Well believe me. If six hundred billion people can get along for almost three hundred years without shooting each other, most of the time, then the halflings can tolerate a single eccentric gnome."
"All gnomes are eccentric." Dylan pointed out.
"Are they?"
"Yes. We suffer from episodes of a manic obsession of sorts quite often. Most gnomes turn it into a method of excess work productivity. But some of us can not help how it affects us, which results in us getting into conflict with other races." Dylan explained.
"So all gnomes have ADHD? Well shit, maybe some Adderall would fix things." Clive muttered with a chuckle.
"What is aye dee aitch dee?"
"A type of mental quirk that makes focusing hard for some people. We invented a few different drugs that can help people focus and even calm down." Clive explained.
"Drugs?" Dylan asked.
"Medicine. Pharmaceuticals. Whatever you wanna call it we can easily get you some ADD meds if it might help." Clive stated.
"But then I would not be a gnome." Dylan stated in turn.
"I'm not saying you NEED it. Though we'll broach that if things get worse in the future." Clive muttered.
"But that manic drive is what makes us gnomes. Without it we would not be gnomes." Dylan pressed.
"Like I said, I'm not saying you need it, just something to consider in the future." Clive stated diplomatically when he saw just how much it was effecting the gnome to learn that a pill might cure him of being manic.
"Anyway. In an attempt to steer this away, what would your ideal workshop be?" Clive asked.
"Uhm, well, we have some schematics here somewhere." Dylan said as he and Alban began to sort through the piles of plans, parts, and what Clive was sure was just plain old junk.
Eventually Dylan pulled free a piece of paper covered in oil and what looked like scorch marks and handed it to Clive. He looked at the offered plans and had just a single thought. It was very gnomish in design. He pictured his own recently built home and compared it to this... thing.
Where his was built with comfort in mind, this was almost purely utilitarian. It reminded him of some homes being little more than boxes made of metal and glass. Minus the glass, Clive thought as he looked at the plans. Their ideal workshop was little more than a large shipping container!
Which he wasn't going to do, Clive thought. If he wanted a workshop he was getting a proper workshop!
"Is this really what you have planned?"
"Well, we only need space to work with and some space for Alban to sleep." Dylan suggested.
"What about you?"
"Oh I can sleep in some boxes. As long as we are out of the weather I am fine sleeping where I can."
Geez, where were the halflings when he needed them, Clive thought as he looked at Dylan with probably the same amount of pity that he got when the halflings heard he lived in an apartment.
"That isn't how someone should live."
"But the halflings said you used to live in a box?" Dylan asked.
"Yeah, but they were exaggerating. YOU actually DO live in a box! Which is not a good place to sleep." Clive explained.
"But... I am a gnome." Dylan stated plainly.
"What does being a gnome have to do with it?"
"Because I am small. I do not require large living quarters. Just some place of adequate size to sleep. The rest can be given to Alban or used as work space." Dylan explained.
"So you're telling me that you can sleep in a toolbox and be fine with it?" Clive asked.
"Yes."
Clive just blinked at Dylan for a long moment before turning and walking away. Dylan and Alban looked at one another, unsure where he was going, before shrugging their shoulders and returning to their work. They didn't make it far before Clive returned with some sort of bag.
"What is that?" Dylan asked.
"A tool bag." Clive stated and sat said tool bag down before Dylan.
Dylan opened the Velcro flap with a look of awe as he spent FAR too much time playing with the Velcro. It took Clive clearing his throat to get Dylan back on track enough for Dylan to continue to explore the tool bag that was just a little larger than the gnome was. He peered into the large center of it before stepping inside the, thanks to Clive, empty center.
He then sat down and shifted a little bit before turning towards Clive and Alban.
"This is nice."
"Really?" Clive asked in disbelief.
"Yes. There is enough room to sleep and these pockets can hold tools and supplies." Dylan explained while depositing some of his own tools into the side pockets of the bag before shifting a little bit more and relaxing.
"You sure?"
"Yes. This is quite nice. Better than the tent even. What is this?" Dylan asked before pulling on the zipper of the bag.
"Ohh? This can protect me from the elements?" Dylan asked as he proceeded to zip up the bag over himself.
"This is very nice." Dylan declared in a muffled voice from within the tool bag.
Clive looked up at Alban, who just shrugged his dwarven shoulders.
"Alright fine, you can sleep in the tool bag. But we're still building you a proper workshop! Someplace with plenty of room for several projects and at least the basic necessities."
"Very well." Dylan replied and fiddled with the inside of the zipper for a minute before getting it undid enough to free him from his new bed.
"So, how do we start?" Dylan asked.
"That's a good point. We can't make it out of wood, unless we want to keep rebuilding it. Steel would be best, but we don't really have the money to just import a bunch of it for building. And I doubt the National Guard and other workers are going to drop what they're already working on to build a workshop."
"So?"
"I guess I can talk to Morty? I think he mentioned that he was having his goblins mine."
"Goblins?" Dylan asked with a disgusted look on his face.
"It's either them or turn to the dwarves." Clive stated.
Dylan groaned and turned to Alban, who wasn't very sure himself, before turning back to Clive.
"Very well."
"Alright. Next time I head to town I'll chat with Morty about getting some metal. I'm sure he'll want something in return, but it'll be charitable compared to what the dwarves would demand." Clive declared.
As much as he wasn't keen on turning to the dwarves for resources he wasn't keen on entrusting goblins of all things, Dylan thought warily. Even if they managed to mine the stuff, they weren't know for quality. It'd be better to make a workshop out of wood than whatever the goblins threw together.
But if Clive seemed sure, he'll trust him. At least he's given Dylan and Alban a fair shot compared to others. In the meantime, with Clive leaving them to conduct other business, they can continue to experiment and invent! Especially now that he's discovered this strange sticky fabric that came with this tool bag!