“I’m in no hurry t’meet the Foreman,” admitted Phyllis, shaking her head, “I’m going to go out the main gate an get some sun. Maybe run fer a while. I’m startin’ t’feel tha’ zoomies.”
The two parted ways, and the Allomancer of Osaka was welcomed through a set of large, heavy doors that a team of six quarrids operated and ten more manned as guards. Through these same doors, which Diligence opened and closed himself, walked a crowd of the earth, fire-breathing people. Various workers with long, gemmed beards or coiled braids with their tools. Willow had come through here before, but never during a shift change, this pathway led through the mountain, but all of these people were going to the same place.
The Shaft. A cavernous hole that bore itself deep into the mountain, with a couple of bridges spanning across with a central elevator sitting between the two. Few of the quarrids in the throng trudged past the lift, piling onto the massive platform manned by a crew of workers. From here, Willow began to descend towards the dark recesses into the heart of the mountain. As the light faded, several green lights sparked to life around her as headlamps and waist-lamps were charged and brought to life. In the distant gloom, Willow could see teams mining on distant crevasses.
Lights would come and go at each stop, as crews would step off with picks, shovels and carts to disappear into the capillaries of Dyrnwyn.
“I know you,” came a small voice at one end of the lift, a quarrid the Allomancer could recognize walked up with a few books in her arms. She had a set of stony braids that were peppered with small rubies that met behind into one large braid, settled under a helmet. Her glowing eyes stared up at Willow in wonder, “You fought with the Foreman the other day! Did you finally come around? Nothing like a hard day’s work to settle you.”
One of the books she was carrying fell off the stack, and her helmet fell over her eyes as she tried to pick it up. Pushing the helmet back in place, she smiled to be welcoming, “Welcome to the Noon shift! I’m guessing you already know Eloise if you’re here, although she normally takes all the new Nooners down as a group. I’m Yvette, by the way. I’m one of the Geomancers for the shift. You’ll probably see a lot of me if you’re on the more raw sections.”
It was getting hard to see again, but Willow could tell that Yvette had extended a gloved hand for a shake, dropping another book.
[The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Pleasure, Ah’m Willow Fairburn; Allomancer,” with one hand Willow returned the handshake, and with the other she picked up the dropped book. “But nah, Ah’ve already got a manual labor job. I actually just came to but Diligence about the shopping list I gave him the other day. My training here in the Mountain is two-fold, and can’t start the second part without my supplies.”
Carefully returning the book, Willow stood and looked around to get her bearings.
“So… yeah. Bosmang. Where can I find him?”
Carefully returning the book, Willow stood and looked around to get her bearings.
“So… yeah. Bosmang. Where can I find him?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“The Foreman?” Yvette blinked her glowing eyes, “Ever since you came he’s been at the heart of the mountain. Right now that’s the very bottom of the Shaft.”
With careful attention, she set her stack of books down on a near-by bench at the edge of the elevator. Yvette held up a finger, signaling Willow to wait, and plodded over to a larger container at the edge of the lift. She hopped up to the edge, wiggling her feet, before coming out with a lump of metal, some straps, and a pair of tear-shaped stones that glowed in the gloom.
Returning to Willow, Yvette set the materials on the floor, gave a strong, gutteral utterance, before pressing her hands onto the floor. The metal, straps and stones began to come together into the form of a mining-helmet. It had rough finishes, as Willow could tell at the arriving light of the next stop. The two tear-shaped stones had been pressed together to form a heart shape on the forehead. Yvette gave the helmet a couple of taps, and the heart came to life with bright light. She tapped it again, and the helmet became dim.
“Safety first, Willow,” recommended the quarrid, handing Willow the headgear, “Never go off the lift without your helmet! If the halls aren’t finished…”
A drone rose from the workers near-by, “... your head will be finished.”
“Yvette! Let’s go, you’re needed up front,” roared a bearded miner at the gate.
“That’s my cue, good luck, Willow,” wished Yvette, picking up her books and going off, but not without, “Be good to the Foreman, please! Everyone struggles, sometimes, and our grand Diligence is only doing his best!”
She waved, dropping her books, and the gate closed, taking Willow further down. Each stop, after the last, dropped off more quarrids, until it was just her and the lift team. The elevator sank more and more until the distant lights of working crews were no more, and they were all in the pitch dark of the mountain. Only the light of the lift scared away the dark.
When they reached the bottom, the elevator shifted, slanting on uneven ground. The crew opened the gate one last time, and looked expectantly at Willow. Out there was darkness, with just the bare amount of light showing a few tunnels extending beyond the walls. The sounds of a hammer striking in a working rhythm could be heard down one of the tunnels, along with the vacant sound of emptiness between each strike.
With careful attention, she set her stack of books down on a near-by bench at the edge of the elevator. Yvette held up a finger, signaling Willow to wait, and plodded over to a larger container at the edge of the lift. She hopped up to the edge, wiggling her feet, before coming out with a lump of metal, some straps, and a pair of tear-shaped stones that glowed in the gloom.
Returning to Willow, Yvette set the materials on the floor, gave a strong, gutteral utterance, before pressing her hands onto the floor. The metal, straps and stones began to come together into the form of a mining-helmet. It had rough finishes, as Willow could tell at the arriving light of the next stop. The two tear-shaped stones had been pressed together to form a heart shape on the forehead. Yvette gave the helmet a couple of taps, and the heart came to life with bright light. She tapped it again, and the helmet became dim.
“Safety first, Willow,” recommended the quarrid, handing Willow the headgear, “Never go off the lift without your helmet! If the halls aren’t finished…”
A drone rose from the workers near-by, “... your head will be finished.”
“Yvette! Let’s go, you’re needed up front,” roared a bearded miner at the gate.
“That’s my cue, good luck, Willow,” wished Yvette, picking up her books and going off, but not without, “Be good to the Foreman, please! Everyone struggles, sometimes, and our grand Diligence is only doing his best!”
She waved, dropping her books, and the gate closed, taking Willow further down. Each stop, after the last, dropped off more quarrids, until it was just her and the lift team. The elevator sank more and more until the distant lights of working crews were no more, and they were all in the pitch dark of the mountain. Only the light of the lift scared away the dark.
When they reached the bottom, the elevator shifted, slanting on uneven ground. The crew opened the gate one last time, and looked expectantly at Willow. Out there was darkness, with just the bare amount of light showing a few tunnels extending beyond the walls. The sounds of a hammer striking in a working rhythm could be heard down one of the tunnels, along with the vacant sound of emptiness between each strike.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The chatty quarrid came and went with Willow offering a cordial wave as they went about their business. Left awkwardly standing on the elevator, she was intrigued that fantasy world elevators were just as socially uncomfortable as real world elevators. Casually minding her own business as best she could, the Brit was relieved when she reached the bottom. At least, up until she looked at the mining helmet in her hands. Grimacing at the headwear, she finally gave a dejected sigh and put it on before stepping off the elevator.
Venturing into the dark, Willow traced the sounds of mining to their tunnel of origin. Wasting little time she began into the rocky opening. Once she was a little way in she stuck her thumb and index finger into her mouth and produced a shrill, silvery whistle that echoed down the tunnel.
“Ooooooi! Dillen! Ya down here?” Willow called.
Venturing into the dark, Willow traced the sounds of mining to their tunnel of origin. Wasting little time she began into the rocky opening. Once she was a little way in she stuck her thumb and index finger into her mouth and produced a shrill, silvery whistle that echoed down the tunnel.
“Ooooooi! Dillen! Ya down here?” Willow called.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The caves Willow stepped through were recently carved, supported by fresh struts of wood, reinforced with metals from elsewhere in the mountain. As she stepped along, following the sounds of a hammer, the walls began more raw, and several striations traced along their length. It looked as though someone scooped out the cave with bare hands. A glow in the distance grew as the shuddering noise of the lift behind signaled its departure, leaving Willow to venture forth.
“Modeka?”
Something clattered to the floor, and a shadow filled the dimly lit corridor. It lifted an arm, carrying something and a bright light flashed alive, filling every crevice with blinding color. The walls were various colors of metals, with precious jewels glittering along their length.
“Oh… It’s you,” groaned the burdened form of Diligence, also illuminated at the end of the tunnel holding up a lantern, “You lookin’ for ya order? I got it down here.”
He dove back from her view, but beckoned her to follow into a new space, this one carved more widely and tall. Several lanterns hung from wires latched to the ceiling giving light to a private workspace. A table had been flattened from a jutting piece of stone, and in a molded aperture was a staff of brilliant craftsmanship.
The length was a wooden base, studded with metal. On the base was a geometric spike, on the other was a square frame where the staff terminated at the top. Spikes adorned the outside of the frame, with brass rings hanging on each side, three each. At the very top was a long, spear-like blade, decorated atop a jewel that Willow had seen before, the piece of Elementalia.
“It was supposed t’be delivered t’ya room,” commented Diligence, continuing what looked like delicate work on the grip of staff, “but I was told y’came out of it yesterday spittin’ fire, so I told my lads to keep it ‘ere. It’s on the table with all tha’ tools, the felt bag. Oh, and hey, by the way…”
He turned, pointing a fine chisel at her, “Don’t yell at my people. You gotta problem with how they do shit, come t’me. Yell at me and I’ll yell at them. You. You’re a’guest ‘ere, in their home. Clear?”
As if the obsession gave him no time, he turned, going back to his work.
“Modeka?”
Something clattered to the floor, and a shadow filled the dimly lit corridor. It lifted an arm, carrying something and a bright light flashed alive, filling every crevice with blinding color. The walls were various colors of metals, with precious jewels glittering along their length.
“Oh… It’s you,” groaned the burdened form of Diligence, also illuminated at the end of the tunnel holding up a lantern, “You lookin’ for ya order? I got it down here.”
He dove back from her view, but beckoned her to follow into a new space, this one carved more widely and tall. Several lanterns hung from wires latched to the ceiling giving light to a private workspace. A table had been flattened from a jutting piece of stone, and in a molded aperture was a staff of brilliant craftsmanship.
The length was a wooden base, studded with metal. On the base was a geometric spike, on the other was a square frame where the staff terminated at the top. Spikes adorned the outside of the frame, with brass rings hanging on each side, three each. At the very top was a long, spear-like blade, decorated atop a jewel that Willow had seen before, the piece of Elementalia.
“It was supposed t’be delivered t’ya room,” commented Diligence, continuing what looked like delicate work on the grip of staff, “but I was told y’came out of it yesterday spittin’ fire, so I told my lads to keep it ‘ere. It’s on the table with all tha’ tools, the felt bag. Oh, and hey, by the way…”
He turned, pointing a fine chisel at her, “Don’t yell at my people. You gotta problem with how they do shit, come t’me. Yell at me and I’ll yell at them. You. You’re a’guest ‘ere, in their home. Clear?”
As if the obsession gave him no time, he turned, going back to his work.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Fairly awestruck by the sights around her, Willow took to inspecting everything as she listened to the Artisan speak. She could almost see why Diligence rarely left the cave. Then there were the crafted items. Whilst admiring the ornamented weapon she heard the phrase It was supposed t’be delivered t’ya room and for a moment thought he was referring to the weapon; but a swift reality check got her back on track and focused. Just in time for the reprimand. Willow’s face immediately scowled.
“Nah. I don’t think so,” rebuked the Brit as she stood and squared off with the man. “Call me a shitty guest, but I’m not about to let that kind of behavior slide. If your runts are rude, scratch that, racist towards my runts, then I’m not about to go trapsing on down to the bottom of the world trying t’find your li’l hidey hole; I’m gonna tell the li’l shites off right then and there. An’ trust me! I could gnaw your ear off laying into ya about…”
Willow stopped, took a deep breath as she pinched the bridge of her nose, and then slapped the table with enough force to send and echo through the chamber. She let out a punctuated sigh.
“I’m tired of being mad, okay? I’ve been at it a bunch recently, and it’s giving me a headache. I’m already expected to fight the, whatever his name is, until I beat god or give up; so I’d rather avoid fights in the my free time if tha’s alright. I’m sorry about yelling at the quarrids, but I’m not sorry about telling off that behavior. Talk to your quarrids about not emulating your personal feud, and I’ll promise to come to you first if something else happens. Deal?”
Her eyes looked tired as she turned away from Diligence to find the felt bag he had mentioned. She wanted some Pewter.
“Nah. I don’t think so,” rebuked the Brit as she stood and squared off with the man. “Call me a shitty guest, but I’m not about to let that kind of behavior slide. If your runts are rude, scratch that, racist towards my runts, then I’m not about to go trapsing on down to the bottom of the world trying t’find your li’l hidey hole; I’m gonna tell the li’l shites off right then and there. An’ trust me! I could gnaw your ear off laying into ya about…”
Willow stopped, took a deep breath as she pinched the bridge of her nose, and then slapped the table with enough force to send and echo through the chamber. She let out a punctuated sigh.
“I’m tired of being mad, okay? I’ve been at it a bunch recently, and it’s giving me a headache. I’m already expected to fight the, whatever his name is, until I beat god or give up; so I’d rather avoid fights in the my free time if tha’s alright. I’m sorry about yelling at the quarrids, but I’m not sorry about telling off that behavior. Talk to your quarrids about not emulating your personal feud, and I’ll promise to come to you first if something else happens. Deal?”
Her eyes looked tired as she turned away from Diligence to find the felt bag he had mentioned. She wanted some Pewter.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The moment that Willow began speaking in challenge to Diligence, he rose from his station looking ready to fight.
Then, she stopped, and so did he. His eyes tracked her movement, her hand striking the table, and the exasperation. Of course, he looked ready to fight when she started again, but he clearly wasn’t ready for the content. He waited for something to bang his head against, but it never came. So, instead, he began to simmer down, the literal heat from his shoulders fading into a gentle hiss.
“Deal,” Diligence returned warily, watching Willow go searching for the bag.
Among the items on the table, the small sack was rather prominent. Diligence kept an orderly workstation, so much so that the haphazardly discarded sack had tools carefully organized around it, as if it had pushed them away. Loosing the strap, and looking inside, Willow could see more bags of various metals. Rifling further would yield yet another baggie, with the letter P drawn on the outside. A few marbles of pewter lay inside.
“Fued, huh? Noble cast me out, y’know” grumbled Diligence after a thoughtful silence, returning to his work, “This is the only place I have to go. Back in my Dad’s literal, fuckin’ basement. Dad said I done nothin’ wrong, but the world thinks otherwise.”
Ting, ting, ting.
“I want to go home,” Diligence’s voice wavered with turbulent emotion. “I hate livin’ ‘ere. I hate they made me do it. My quarrids are just tryin’ t’protect me, in their own stupid way.”
Ting, ting, tong.
“I’ll put it out in the next shift change,” the artisan put his tool down, unable to work. Then, he put his face in his hands, “Ring the bell when you head out, otha’wise y’gotta wait a couple of hours for the elevator to come back down.”
Then, she stopped, and so did he. His eyes tracked her movement, her hand striking the table, and the exasperation. Of course, he looked ready to fight when she started again, but he clearly wasn’t ready for the content. He waited for something to bang his head against, but it never came. So, instead, he began to simmer down, the literal heat from his shoulders fading into a gentle hiss.
“Deal,” Diligence returned warily, watching Willow go searching for the bag.
Among the items on the table, the small sack was rather prominent. Diligence kept an orderly workstation, so much so that the haphazardly discarded sack had tools carefully organized around it, as if it had pushed them away. Loosing the strap, and looking inside, Willow could see more bags of various metals. Rifling further would yield yet another baggie, with the letter P drawn on the outside. A few marbles of pewter lay inside.
“Fued, huh? Noble cast me out, y’know” grumbled Diligence after a thoughtful silence, returning to his work, “This is the only place I have to go. Back in my Dad’s literal, fuckin’ basement. Dad said I done nothin’ wrong, but the world thinks otherwise.”
Ting, ting, ting.
“I want to go home,” Diligence’s voice wavered with turbulent emotion. “I hate livin’ ‘ere. I hate they made me do it. My quarrids are just tryin’ t’protect me, in their own stupid way.”
Ting, ting, tong.
“I’ll put it out in the next shift change,” the artisan put his tool down, unable to work. Then, he put his face in his hands, “Ring the bell when you head out, otha’wise y’gotta wait a couple of hours for the elevator to come back down.”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“I’m gonna recommend something a li’l radical here, so bear with me,” Willow spoke without turning back around. Her focus was on inspecting the metals she had ordered, and she wouldn’t lie but it felt like a huge relief to have her arsenal back in hand. The stress of rationing and scrounging from earlier in this adventure could be put behind her. “Try talking to Noble.”
Now she turned back towards the Artisan as she raised a hand to try and postpone the likelihood of strong words thrown her way.
“Time changes people. Even Artisans. I was also told that humans have a knack for causing changes. Exempli gratia, Clever and Smart are talking again; in part thanks to yours truly. What’s more, it was Noble’s idea to send me your way to ask for your help, and if my woman’s intuition tells me anything it’s that he feels bad about sending you away. Not saying to march out and try bro hugging, or even to do it anytime soon. Just consider it. Unrelated: are my sample requests in here? The Adamantine, Orichalcum, and… uh, what was… Ivorium, that was it. Related to the unrelated: Is there a large open area, preferably without many people that I can use as a training area?”
Now she turned back towards the Artisan as she raised a hand to try and postpone the likelihood of strong words thrown her way.
“Time changes people. Even Artisans. I was also told that humans have a knack for causing changes. Exempli gratia, Clever and Smart are talking again; in part thanks to yours truly. What’s more, it was Noble’s idea to send me your way to ask for your help, and if my woman’s intuition tells me anything it’s that he feels bad about sending you away. Not saying to march out and try bro hugging, or even to do it anytime soon. Just consider it. Unrelated: are my sample requests in here? The Adamantine, Orichalcum, and… uh, what was… Ivorium, that was it. Related to the unrelated: Is there a large open area, preferably without many people that I can use as a training area?”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“The grounds in front of the main-gate,” recommended Diligence, only returning from his sorrows in that moment, “or the open spot in Pop’s garden. The grounds is mostly got traffic goin’ in and out, but that’s usually in the evenin’ when tha’ merchants come poppin’ in.”
The artisan threw his head back, popping some joints in his shoulders, before coming off his work stool and striding over to Willow. He pushed past her, and began to fish into the bag for her. “Tha’ bag with A.D, and O.R. and I.V.?”
He opened a small pouch marked I.V. withdrawing stone that resembled bone, “Do I gotta do everythin’ for you? Dilly, make me some marbles.Dilly, gimme a place to sleep. Dilly, it’s gotta be this many marbles. Dilly, it’s gotta be these kinds a’marbles. Dilly, gimme a place to go flex on anyone that happens t’be walkin’ by. Dilly, where are my marbles?”
At that he walked back to his stool, almost in the same way an alcoholic approaches a bottle, “Expect me to do everythin’. Fuckin’ come to Noble and talk t’him? Fuck that. My name’s Diligence, not Crutch. Noble wants to talk, he came come here himself, and I ain’ blowin’ his war horn.”
Diligence pointed at the edge of the workshop, to the table where a dusty horn lay. It was ivory, and intricately detailed, but Willow could recognize the white and gold heraldry of Noble.
The artisan threw his head back, popping some joints in his shoulders, before coming off his work stool and striding over to Willow. He pushed past her, and began to fish into the bag for her. “Tha’ bag with A.D, and O.R. and I.V.?”
He opened a small pouch marked I.V. withdrawing stone that resembled bone, “Do I gotta do everythin’ for you? Dilly, make me some marbles.Dilly, gimme a place to sleep. Dilly, it’s gotta be this many marbles. Dilly, it’s gotta be these kinds a’marbles. Dilly, gimme a place to go flex on anyone that happens t’be walkin’ by. Dilly, where are my marbles?”
At that he walked back to his stool, almost in the same way an alcoholic approaches a bottle, “Expect me to do everythin’. Fuckin’ come to Noble and talk t’him? Fuck that. My name’s Diligence, not Crutch. Noble wants to talk, he came come here himself, and I ain’ blowin’ his war horn.”
Diligence pointed at the edge of the workshop, to the table where a dusty horn lay. It was ivory, and intricately detailed, but Willow could recognize the white and gold heraldry of Noble.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Well, ‘scuuuuuuse me for trying to break up the monotony of your day, Mister I-Lost-to-a-Girl” Willow hummed melodramatically as she took the bag and watched Diligence schlep his way back to his seat. Sucking her teeth at the rather depressing sight, she sat the bag down and fished through it until she found her Brass and Zinc. Quickly popping a couple of the beads in her mouth, she began Soothing the Artisan’s depression again as well as his bitterness; and with Zinc she Rioted the man’s Whimsy.
“Figured ya’d appreciate having a pretty lass depending on ya for stuff,” she joked as she meandered over toward the slumped Artisan. Once beside him she crossed a leg in front of the other and leaned on Diligence with a hand braced against his head. “And think of it as less being a crutch, and more you just trying to be happy again. Seriously, my dude, for presenting yourself as a Mad Lad, you come across more as a Sad Lad. Ya know the times of your life when you were happiest, ya know the times when you were saddest. Rather than making amends with Noble because feuds are stupid, be selfish about it and make amends for your own benefit. Ya know, spiteful kindness. That or we can go back to punching each other, you seemed like you were in a pretty good mood then.”
“Figured ya’d appreciate having a pretty lass depending on ya for stuff,” she joked as she meandered over toward the slumped Artisan. Once beside him she crossed a leg in front of the other and leaned on Diligence with a hand braced against his head. “And think of it as less being a crutch, and more you just trying to be happy again. Seriously, my dude, for presenting yourself as a Mad Lad, you come across more as a Sad Lad. Ya know the times of your life when you were happiest, ya know the times when you were saddest. Rather than making amends with Noble because feuds are stupid, be selfish about it and make amends for your own benefit. Ya know, spiteful kindness. That or we can go back to punching each other, you seemed like you were in a pretty good mood then.”