[Haven] A Ship In The Night

[Balthazar Black]

19 Ashan 721

The list of things Praetorum said he could create was not exhaustive but it was useful. Balthazar heard a few things he immediately thought would benefit the settlement if Praetorum managed to assemble it for them but he waited until the ithecal was done before responding. He thought about the various uses for chains but as Praetorum expected, Balthazar did not see an immediate need for it. Praetorum said that if they had an iron pickaxe he could probably create a passible imitation of it and Balthazar shook his head a little. "We're short on mining equipment. I have a bag that can produce impressive things but I'm not sure if I can pull tools from it. If you could focus on nails, woodcutting axes, and hammers, I would appreciate it greatly- and find some way to reward you." No one who contributed to the small village he was building would go unappreciated... intentionally. Balthazar knew most people preferred coin but there were so many more interesting things that could be given in return for help.

When Praetorum suggested that it would be good for Haven to get a proper builder and that it might inspire people to have a wall they built at least in part with their own hands, Balthazar nodded in agreement. Haven had plenty of competent craftsmen and women who'd come back to Faldrass to rebuild their lives but they needed a master- someone who really knew what they were doing. Balthazar was looking into that but he hadn't heard anything yet about the blacksmith he was looking for. "I agree. Every project we've worked on so far has brought the people a little closer together, the wall would be the same." The tour had began, Balthazar showed Praetorum around then the ithecal asked him about what continued to be one of the settlement's pressing issues.

Fresh water. Balthazar never thought he would find himself in a situation where he could not produce water to help the people but it was where he was now. He did not know how long he'd spent thinking about the problem and he had a few ideas but they were all still in the air. Maybe the ithecal could help shoot some down? Praetorum asked if they had a well and Balthazar shook his head. "Not yet. I want to have one built but we're surrounded by salt water. If we dig down enough to make a well, I worry the water we find will be no different than that of the Hollow Sea. I'm looking for something that will help purify the water in a reasonable amount of time." Elisabeth had been boggling him with some large words recently so Balthazar found himself explaining things to people as if he were using words that were hard to understand. "If you have any ideas that might help us secure a source of fresh water, I'm open to hear them."

Then Praetorum asked another question that sat deep down in Balthazar. It was something he had considered a few times but never really discussed and when Praetorum asked, Balthazar immediately thought about his guard watching him. Expanding. Miranda was probably curious about this as well- and the Albarech. "I've considered it but for the moment I'm content to strengthen what we have here. We can expand out onto the beach, though it may not be the most stable, and in time we might be able to move a little into the Badlands but I don't see it happening soon and I can't expand into the Serenity Garden."

[Praetorum]

Balthazar asked that Prae help forge simple tools for them, and he nodded, clasping the human on the back. “I’d be happy to help, old friend.” His suggestion regarding the wall was agreed with, and his question about water…

“I’m afraid I don’t know much about wells. I do know a little about distilling fresh water from salt water—” he had not spent trials upon trials traveling without learning such a vital skill”—but I don’t know how useful it will be with this many people. And it requires sunlight, so in the cold cycle…” Prae thought for a moment. “I could try to use attunement to douse for fresh water, but I don’t know if it would work—or as you said, if there is any fresh water to be found here. Would it be possible to dig a well or find a stream in the Gardens? That might be the easiest way, even if it does end up being quite a walk. At least until you figure out something better.“

Balthazar continued, explaining that he wasn’t too focused on expanding just yet, and Prae nodded thoughtfully. It made sense—they were in a precarious enough position as it was. Mentally running through everything Balthazar had said so far, Prae’s mind returned to something the man had said earlier. “How well do you think farming will go? So much of this place is sand and water… I assume at least some of your food comes from the sea instead of the ground?”

He considered for a moment. “I have the ability to move back and forth between here and Rharne. Not unlimited, but still. If you like, I could see about trying to procure seeds and crops from there—although I don’t know what will and won’t grow here. If you have someone give me a list, I can see what I can do.”

[Balthazar Black]

19 Ashan 721

Balthazar was glad to hear Praetorum could help with the forging of tools. Part of him even wanted to assist Praetorum with the task, but doing so was not likely possible. There were many things to do, watch, and take care of in the settlement. He simply couldn't spend the time forging with an old friend. Especially when he'd probably break things. He had a lot of strength but not a lot of skill. As he remembered it, blacksmithing required a lot of hammering and that hammering probably needed more control than he'd have- or he'd make the opposite mistake and strike to gently, wasting the metal. Fortunately Praetorum bringing up distilling fresh water from salt water pulled Balthazar out of his momentary reflection on smithing. Balthazar knew how to distill some water as well but not enough for a settlement. It was unfortunate that Praetorum did not posses more knowledge of wells but the man could smith and that was good enough.

No one person had all the answers.

Praetourm suggested he might be able to use attunement to douse for fresh water and Balthazar considered it. He had not heard a frequency in a while now but he remembered what they and the abilities were like. Praetorum suggested a stream or well in the Serenity Garden and Balthazar shook his head a little. "Haven sits outside of but does not own the Serenity Garden. Even if they had fresh water beneath the earth, we couldn't build a well for it. We can look in the nearby woods though and see if there is anything." An idea, but he was not sure if he would act on it. There were many plans in the air and it was hard to tell which ones would ever go forward. "Don't worry about it, I'll find something." He assured the ithecal.

Then came Praetorum's question about their success with farming and Balthazar gave a small shrug. "I have faith in the family who agreed to farm for the settlement and I trust them to do well with the seeds I get them." Balthazar said. He was confident they had the land they'd need to grow what the settlement needed but Praetorum wasn't wrong. "Well we have the clams, as we discover more in the water I'll try to organize a better..." What was the word for a group of people who fished for a village? What was the name for that profession? Fishers? Fishermen? Sea poachers? "operation." That worked.

Praetorum mentioned having the ability to travel back and forth between Scalvoris and Rharne and the former mage's eyes widened a little at the man's next offer. He'd try and get seeds from Rharne for them? It was generous. Very. Woe had been generous as well. It felt strange and Balthazar would not forget the debt he was incurring. His debt to Woe was paid in blood, he did not know how he would pay his debt to Praetorum. "I will ask around and see if anything would grow." Given the differences in the landscape of Rharne and Faldrass, Balthazar was not certain that they could just take any plant but he did not know which they could and could not. He wasn't sure, in the end, that they would really need seeds from Rharne.

"Enough about me, I've been busy but I'm settled now, how have you been?"

[Praetorum]

Praetorum nodded thoughtfully as Balthazar spoke of the farming family he’d place his trust in. It made sense, of course—a community leader couldn’t know everything, and it was only prudent to delegate to experts when you ran up against your own limits.

Still, it was something of a pity that Balthazar couldn’t tell him more. It was, perhaps, somewhat premature for Prae to be thinking of these things, but he couldn’t help but remember the oath he’d sworn, the undertaking he’d accepted at the Empresses order.

Someday, he would have to build a homestead, a settlement, a nation of his own. Not soon, of course; not even for a long while, he expected. But he had vowed, and he took such things seriously—anything he could learn at Haven about running a place like this would only be helpful in the long run.

At Balthazar’s question to him, Prae smiled wryly, “I’ve been better,” he admitted. “I think my arcs of wandering are catching up to me. Not physically, but… I find myself tiring of aimless wandering. I’ve been thinking for some time about settling in Rharne for a time, building up a mercenary company. It’s time I built something for myself.” Prae laughed softly, and gestured at Haven. “I’m sure you understand the feeling, my friend.”

He clapped Balthazar on the back. “Come on,” he said. “It’s gotten late. Think you could point me somewhere I could stay for the night?”

[Doran]

Balthazar:

Knowledge:

Loot: -
Lost: -
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: -
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 15

Praetorum:

Knowledge:
Investigation x4
Logistics x4

Loot: -
Lost: -
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: -
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 15

- - -

Comments: Surprising Elisabeth with Praetorum’s arrival was a nice idea in my opinion. I’m sure she’ll be excited when she finds out that her friend arrived in Haven. That was a great way to start the thread!

I appreciate that you kept Haven’t lack of a dock in mind and had Praetorum reach the settlement in a rowboat. I couldn’t help but smirk when the elements helped him reach the beach.

It’s understandable that seeing Praetorum do things like that hurt Balthazar though, and you described his feelings in that regard very well in my opinion. Hopefully, Balthazar will eventually be able to get rid of those paradigm cuffs and be able to use his magic again.

Balthazar told Praetorum quite a story!

I know that Miranda is not very social, but I would have appreciated it if you had at least described her thoughts and her reactions to the things that Balthazar said a bit more.

Normally, his statements about Scalvoris, his past activities and the supposed reason for his getting the paradigm cuffs would have been reported to Kura!

With that being said, Balthazar’s and Praetorum’s friendship was described well in my opinion. I appreciate Praetorum’s willingness to help – and how detailed the subsequent discussion about the things that need to be done around the settlement was.

In my opinion, Praetorum’s being a skilled tactician came across there!

There were a lot of interesting ideas. I wonder if any of them were realized before Saoire relocated the settlement.

Praetorum, you requested 4 Socialization knowledges. As I told you in my previous review for you, Socialization used to be about interacting and maintaining relationships with strangers before the Skill Scale Down. Balthazar and Praetorum are clearly friends though, and I’m not sure if any of the other aspects of the merged skill (Persuasion, Rhetorics, Negotiation) apply here either.

For that reason, I have decided not to award you the 4 Socialization knowledges that you requested.

Feel free to either suggest named knowledges instead – I realize that there may be something that I haven’t considered – or knowledges for a different skill. Tactics definitely played a part, as did Detection (Balthazar gave Praetorum the impression of being a little uncertain at one point, for example), so you could get knowledges for those skills if you wanted to, for example.

With that being said, enjoy your rewards, and let me know if you have any questions, please!

P.S.: Praetorum, I would have added “Tactics” to the list of skills used as Praetorum talked about defense systems, among other things. Furthermore, I would have added “Detection” to the list of skills used as Praetorum noticed something about Balthazar, as I mentioned above.