Orian and Captain Pokka hailed us with a wave as they came out of one of the guardsmen’s tents. They were headed to the administration building, so Harron, Onre, and I followed them. We stood outside it. Orian said that Asiel, Dad, Unbroken Stone, and the provisional chief architect for the campus should arrive momentarily.
I needed to go, and now was a good time. I knew where the three outhouses they had built for Trichyans were, but I hadn’t noticed a normal one. I asked, and Onre pointed me to the closest Trichyan one. “Aren’t those round ones for the Trichyans?” I asked.
Onre responded, “They are all for everyone. I think it was Arrjee’s idea. They were going to build two different types, but Arrjee asked Barrie why not build one type that anyone could use. The mayor spoke with a builder, they got some anatomical information from Evening Sun, and came up with the common design. Go check it out.”
The inside reminded me of well-designed handicapped stalls on Earth. It was roomy but efficient. I could only imagine Sun’s anatomy, and I was sure he would have no problem using this room. Neither did I.
Arrjee’s attitude toward people is not just individuals; he thinks of what might be best for everyone. When all the students are here, they will just naturally all share the same privies. These little buildings won’t become dividers. Double that wolf’s charisma.
It is beyond my power, but I agree with your sentiment. And -
Achievement: Boost Armor, E
“Great! Capability improves with rank, so what improved?”
You now have 5% resistance to toxic attacks on top of the physical resistance you had at F.
“And that will go up 1% per level also?”
Yes.
“Nice. But with Bless Blood, I didn’t really need that.”
You are the only ki healer martial artist on the planet. ‘Don’t bitch.’
“I was just – never mind, you’re right. The Navy taught Jacques that redundancy was good. Thank you.”
When I came out, I saw that Dad and company had arrived on campus. They were heading to the administration building, and I did as well. I remembered meeting the Covargh builder they had with them. A couple of Tuesday’s ago he had assisted me in becoming an apprentice of the Crafter’s Guild.
Ator Robins – male Covargh, age 51
Level 45 Carpenter, Architect
Builder
He was greeting everyone but he remembered our previous encounter, “Hail, apprentice guildsman Forrest Rhodes. We have not seen you at the guildhall.” Dad rescued me, saying that they had been keeping me busy, training my class skills. While true, I do want to practice my Drafting and Sketching skill, too.
I told him, “I’ll make some time in a few days.” Onre wasn’t sure if Atar knew of my Tuesday thing, and explained. I also let everyone know that I’ll spawn at 4 from now on, and on campus. That led Asiel to comment that I only had 23 minutes until this ‘Tuesday’ was over. He suggested we go inside and take seats. Everyone did except Elder Stone, who wasn’t comfortable using our chairs. He stood.
I guess if you are over seven feet tall and made of stone, you're conscious of your weight around squishies’ stuff.
A good lesson for an immortal.
“Forrest,” Asiel began, “we have all been impressed by your initial sketch of how the campus might be built. Ator Robins has been wanting to spend some time with you to get your input on a final plan. This morning we are focusing on building a permanent room for our Formless Abider. During your remaining few minutes today, do you have any further thoughts?”
I had thought a little about Unbroken Stone’s offer to build a large underground room today. “I don’t know very much about underground structures. I suspect Elder Stone is the expert on that. The exact location for the cavern probably is not that important; I just sort of imagine it centered beneath the campus.I have some general concerns which he may have already considered. Well, I know he thought of one in planning on at least three support pillars. This is obviously a major concern, structural stability. Like what would happen if there were an earthquake?”
The elder responded, “A very good question, young wolf. I can assure you that I will build the tunnel and cavern to have the same structural integrity we use in our mountain caves. A really huge earthquake might tear a mountain asunder and thus our homes, but what I propose here will withstand most major disruptions. Do you have other concerns?”
“Well, people down there will need to breathe. I don’t know if the Abider will. How will the cavern receive fresh air?” Harron interjected that the Abider doesn’t need air.
The elder noted that his people did not either, but was aware of the issue. He proposed establishing several chimneys from the cavern to the ground. Temperature differential between the surface and the cavern would drive air circulation. Everyone accepted that as a reasonable part of the plan, and they would decide chimney locations as Elder Stone built the cavern.
I turned to Captain Pokka, “I understand that Duchy’s Guard will be maintaining a permanent contingent of eight guardsmen here. Is that correct?”
“Yes, Forrest, it is. The guardsmen will be stationed here in two-week assignments.”
“Have you decided on quarters for them yet? Do you plan on having them live in town, or in barracks or apartments on campus?”
“I have not discussed this with anyone, but I have been thinking that barracks like you saw at our Fort might be most convenient.”
“If you remember, we stayed in an officer's quarters that housed four guardsmen. I know there were larger barracks, but I did not see those. The school students will be housed five to a room. Since you will have eight here at a time, could your barracks similarly house four per room? Consistency with the students might make your men feel more like they belong.”
“Yes, two four-man rooms would work well. I could rotate four men a week, one roomful at a time.”
Dad started laughing, “I’m impressed you are thinking about this, son, but what does it have to do with the elder making our cavern?”
“Oh, I got ahead of myself, sorry. We have discussed making the entrance to the cavern a cave off from this building’s basement. But is just one entrance a good idea? I was thinking if the guardsmen were to have a barracks on campus, it could have a basement as well. And that basement could also open to a cave leading to the cavern. If the captain doesn’t think a second entrance would pose too much of a security risk.”
Captain Pokka replied, “Heh, I keep not remembering that you bear the experience of a whole other life. Emotionally I should be put off by a 16-year old making these sorts of suggestions, but what are you? 57?” I acknowledged that was how long my first life was. “While a second entrance would add security concerns, it would also add a lot of convenience for my guardsmen in accessing the cavern. And in general, having only one entrance in itself could someday pose a safety risk. If Elder Stone is willing to make two entrances, I support the idea.”
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
“I am willing. Depending on how long the other cave is to be, it might not be more than another half hour of work. It could even improve air circulation.”
Ator stated, “I also support the idea of two entrances/exits. Is this issue settled?” Everyone agreed.
I interrupted, “I only have another minute. I’ll just remain here and listen until I enter the void. I look forward to seeing how the campus has changed in six days. I am glad I got the chance to meet you, Unbroken Stone.” They wished me well and continued the meeting.
“Okay,” Ator said, “then the issue of where the cavern goes is influenced by the other entrance. Ideally it would be constructed halfway between here and the guardsmen’s quarters. So, where do we want to put their quarters?”
As they were discussing that, I faded to elsewhere.
----------------------------------------
Your statuses have all been healed to 100%.
“Thank you, Interface. I feel like a lot happened, but I didn’t train all that much. Query Level.”
Level 5 + 2057 / 5954, 12 days for Level 6 to unlock
“Those points must mostly be from fighting the zebors. Do those days start at the end of this sixdays?”
No. This sixdays counts, so you’ll only have one other sixdays until you are eligible to level.
“Will I notice a difference here since I’ll be back four and a half hours early?”
This sixdays will be shortened by one sixtieth of that, or 3.75 minutes less.
“I probably will not notice that.”
No. The maximum delta is eight and one third minutes, which corresponds to a 10-hour real-world shift, plus or minus.
I reminded Interface that it was his turn to choose something to watch. He said that today he would prefer to spend time playing Chess or Think, my choice. We ended up playing Chess for over an hour. To allow more games, we used the Think rule of one minute per move. I won one game and lost two.
“Okay, thank you, Interface. I’ll be making my diary entry and then meditating in my remaining time. But first, query To-Do List.
1. Don’t die
2. Learn bo and bow
3. Bring plumbing to Cottages
4. Learn Make Water skill
5. Don’t bitch
“It almost seems quaint now, but all those items still matter to me. I appreciated the reminder about item 5 a little while ago. I think I need another ongoing reminder. Add item, ‘Plan your days.’
Item 6 added. Unexpected events have tended to hinder you living according to a schedule.
“I’ll live according to a loose plan, expecting the unexpected. But it should be very useful to have an idea of what I’ll be doing when nothing unexpected happens.”
Do you have a plan for Firstday?
“No, but let’s go for it. Assuming nothing unexpected: meditate for an hour and then meet the gang for breakfast. I have done nothing to start teaching First Aid, so I can go with most of the guys to school, and observe Dorra Marson teaching. During a recess we can discuss establishing regular First Aid lessons. When grades are done, take a look at how the campus is coming along, and explore Abbie’s cavern. Attend my apprenticeship, have dinner, and train with Abbie. If Asha is on watch, talk to him about Make Water. Spend time with family and/or the gang.”
“How is that?”
Adequate. Your Master can probably teach you Make Water as well.
“That’s true, but ever since I saw Asha use it, I have been expecting he would be the one to teach me. Master can teach me bo and bow.”
“Overall it helps a lot to be starting the day with everyone else. Normal. Late-morning was good for completely ignorant and alone Forrest, but I am neither of those any more. Anyway, writing my diary.”
----------------------------------------
Fourthday, 10 Fifthmonth 726 KE
I met quite a few people today. To start with, there is a disturbance in the zebor’s territory. (Giant Ogre? Troll? Forgot, doesn’t matter. It will probably be dead by the time this sixdays is over.) That has caused many of them to expand their hunting grounds. Onre and Lenyet met me at my spawn point in the glade, and we soon encountered two Earth Elementals fighting six zebors. We partied with them, and helped kill the beasts. I earned enough experience to reach Level 5.
Unbroken Stone was escorting Odd Earth to Cottages to investigate the possibility of Odd enrolling in the adventuring school. I’m sure Elder Stone at Level 34 could have wiped them all out in seconds, but he wanted Odd to gain some experience. Anyway, Odd did get enrolled. This made him part of our ‘gang’ – the pre-enrolled students – and he attended apprenticeship with us. Odd is Level 7, and is a six-month old unborn awakened. He had been a fairy in his first life and chose to be a big, rugged adventurer in this one.
After apprenticeship, the gang and Lenyet went to the cottage serving as our temporary barracks. Interface partied everyone, informing Odd that he was sapient. We discussed my build, and I chose Boost Armor as my granted skill.
At that point Carrie interrupted us and had us all hurry to the school. It turns out the Duchess had gifted the school a Formless Abider, which is a monster almost perfectly designed to help healer types train. It arrived in a caravan of guardsmen and Cottage’s previous cleric, Harron Ronvaldt. He is very young looking, like he is 15, but he is really a 28-year old Cleric of Honor and a Level 35 Cleric and Physician. He had thought himself just an unusual Human, but it turned out that he is a hybrid throwback of Human and Skolturi. Skawa verified this, but it was pretty obvious when comparing him to the two Skolturi Wraiths he was with. Odd’s first impression was that he was a half-elf.
As Harron was speaking to the crowd gathered at the school, a large troupe of bandits arrived at the gate on horseback. Asiel and Orian are both level 50, and they easily humiliated and terrified the 100+ bandits. Asiel gave them all the task of notifying their friends that the Abider, school, and town were all well protected.
As they rode off, Uncle Ralf realized that the gate guard had not sounded an alarm as the bandits approached. He, Dad, Harron, and I hurried to the top of the wall. One bandit was dead, the guard was unconscious and his lower arm had been cut off, and the other bandit was heavily wounded and barely conscious. His name is Corval Hirsut, a 16-year old Alchemist and Rogue. Harron and I healed them, and I even got to reattach Drahm’s (the guard’s) arm. I didn’t know I could do that, but Harron told me to do it, and I did, healing his arm and body back together.
What had happened is that Corval and the older bandit were waiting for the bandit horde to appear, then prevent the alarm from being sounded. They accomplished that, but the other bandit was a sadistic bastard, cut off the arm of a magically-drugged Drahm, and then was either going to further maim him or kill him. Corval threw some pepper dust in his face to prevent this, and as he turned on Corval, Drahm managed to trip him and Corval was able to kill him. Corval was tried that evening, admitting his guilt in the assault and attempted robbery. (A Formless Abider is an extremely rare and valuable treasure.) He received a light sentence due to him protecting Drahm. He’ll be working for the town and school for the next year, and for the time being he is living in the cottage with our gang.
At the cottage, Ferret and Lenyet helped Corval memorize the terms of his sentence, which in the morning he swore to as a Soul Oath with Dad. Before sleeping, though, Arrjee shared with us how to train our attributes. Basically, use for an hour or two daily what you want to train. In the morning, I met with the Skolturi, and they suggested I alter my spawning. So now I’ll be spawning in the basement of their appointment at 4. After that, Elder Stone offered to build a large cavern for the Abider, and he has probably finished that by now. Harron introduced Onre and I to the Abider, and we had some practice with it. Afterward there was a meeting about building the cavern, and my day was up before it finished.
----------------------------------------
When Interface realized I was done with the entry, he suggested I try something, to click the date at the top of the diary entry. I did so, and it added a new field:
Fourthday, 10 Fifthmonth 726 KE, 15.231
“Uh, cool. But what is that number at the end?”
It is the galactic year and date. There are 654 days per year.
“And there are seven Heere days per six galactic days, making a galactic year almost twice as long as a 374-day Heere year.
Correct.
“Why doesn’t the galactic data always show?”
It is a toggle; you can keep it visible if you want. For Forrest it does not really matter, but as Jacques experiences other lives on other planets with different year lengths, the common reference throughout the diary will become very meaningful.
“I understand, and I will keep it visible. It will help me get used to it.”
I spent the remaining portion of my sixdays in meditation.
----------------------------------------
[Mid-Continent Plains, Niscus Sholut’s Point of View]
We had secretly bought two horses and a wagon from Daddy Large’s old organization. We also paid them for a safe escort out of town. Beginning in the dead of night they began escorting Mon, Dad, and I to a waypoint used by the duchy’s guard on one of their scheduled routes. I sensed that we were being observed. It was a young 18-year old female Human, a Level 11 scrounger. She was probably being used as a lookout by The Grease. I was able to trap her in her own mind for several hours, and I think we made it out of town unobserved. At least I hope so, and I hope The Grease were not too hard on her. Who am I kidding? They were; tough world.
Most of the guard travel in accordance with the needs of the hour, but two patrols are maintained to escort travelers willing to follow their timetable. When the guard arrived, right on schedule, we thanked our escort and they headed back to Cycles.
Several days later, at the border with the Second Duchy, we met up with one of that duchy’s scheduled patrols. Having our own caravan would have been quicker and more direct, but very expensive. It would not be cheap to pay for mercenaries to travel with you across the continent. Thus we had decided to take the leisurely and much less expensive method. Mom even managed to sell some of her rugs to various guardsmen.
We expect to arrive near Cottages in the Fifth Duchy in five more days. Their roads are said to be relatively safe. I am very much looking forward to stop bouncing up and down in this stupid wagon.