Khenal
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Peek: Another Brick in the Wall
🕑 Added 2025-11-03 01:48:33 +0000 UTCKardul spends more time than he'd like to admit at the inn, sipping tea and chatting with Halae. She knows a lot of the places around the city, including an alchemy supplier he should check with: the Bounteous Cauldron. She hasn't been there herself, but she's overheard a few customers mention it. It's a fair ways across the city, but should be popular enough he can get better directions once close.
She also knows where the Mason's Guild is, though it's hard to miss. It's on Castle street, which is the main road to the castle, and a lot of the different major guilds and other important businesses have their headquarters along the road. Those closer to the castle are generally more important, and the masons are within view of the portcullis of the castle itself.
Kardul's not too surprised to hear that. Royals wouldn't allow their home to crumble around them. It'd look bad.
Still, he can't go visit either place tonight, and instead heads to his room to do a bit of reading, do a bit of praying, and head to bed early so he won't be keeping any bureaucrats past their due time. In the morning, se has more of the oatmeal at the inn, before he makes his way to the Mason's Guild HQ.
He's already decided he's not going to try to revolutionize anything unless they ask. A certification will usually have a session of answering questions to show his knowledge, then a few demonstrations of his skill with using whatever techniques they wish. If they happen to ask him if he has anything new for them, he could show off a few minor things, but Lord Thedeim's concrete would take too long to demonstrate for them.
Not that he expects they'll want to see anything new. The buildings here were certainly constructed with old methods, and many of his newer methods would require redesigning entire buildings to even make viable. He might be able to patch with concrete, but he hasn't tested that yet. If there's one place to not go testing, it's on the very expensive buildings in the capital.
Still, he may be able to redesign things in the new church, once he's recognized.
As he approaches the castle, he marvels at the stately buildings along the street. Over there is the Central Bank, that's the Dungeoneer's Head Office... oh, and tucked between the larger buildings is one that still manages to stand out: Order's Prime Church. While most followers give their worship in their daily duties, he's still a major enough deity that he needs a church, even if he doesn't seem to really want one.
It's an attitude that reminds him a lot of Lord Thedeim, and he chuckles at how much more grandiose His followers demanded to build His own proper church. He notices a foxkin standing just outside, seeming to be watching the people passing by. One she notices him, she glances at her clipboard and nods, before heading back inside. Some sort of foot traffic census, perhaps?
Either way, he doesn't have time to ask her and sate his curiosity. The Mason's Guild is not far off now. Despite how important the guild is, their HQ is rather plain looking, made of interlocked stone bricks with a minimum of mortar. The simplistic design is one of subtle skill instead of outlandish flair. He probably wouldn't be able to resist incorporating a few decorative pieces if he were in charge, but he also wouldn't be surprised if suggestions to add such get proposed and rejected daily.
Entrenched figures will argue if the rain is actually torrential rather than do something sensible like get inside and dry off. They probably all want to add their own touches to the building, but politics get in the way and keep it simple. At least it has it's own brand of elegance, he supposes.
Inside, a dwarf sits at the counter, looking bored out of his beard. The small clip in the beard shows him to be an apprentice, which explains the boredom and him being assigned here. Kardul smiles as he approaches the desk, and the dwarf belatedly tries to echo his cheer before the elf speaks.
"Hello! I need to take the master's accreditation. I assume I'll need to schedule it?"
The dwarf gives him a confused look. "Master's...? Oh, uh... yeah. Gimme a sec." Kardul patiently waits as the apprentice digs through the desk looking for whatever paperwork is needed, and even takes a few minutes to check over what looks like a schedule of the recognized masters.
"Let me see... Do you have your guild token?"
He nods and hands over his journeyman's chit, and the dwarf starts digging through more books. "I'm here from Fourdock, if that helps."
The dwarf gives him a relieved smile. "It does! I hadn't seen this mark before. Where even is Fourdock?" he asks as he pulls out a glossary to look up where he'll actually find the information he needs.
"To the north, along the coast. I think it'll be more well known in a few years, lots of things Changing there."
The dwarf nods along politely as he digs out the book he needs, and nods to himself as he confirms the legitimacy of the chit, before he hands it back. "It looks to be in order. I'll need you to sign here and here... oh, and probably read it, first. Just agreeing to submit to and accept the judgement of the masters that will be testing you, acknowledging you won't be getting the fee for the test back, as well as understanding you'll still need to pay your guild dues if you wish to operate here in the capital, and a brief summary of the responsibilities of being a recognized master."
Kardul nods at that and scans the documents, seeing they're what the dwarf indicated, and places his mark where needed.
"Alright, and once you pay the fee, you'll have your appointment set for tomorrow, just after lunch, if that works for you. If it doesn't..." he trails off as he looks over the schedule and starts turning pages. "Uh... it looks like it'll be a while until one of the masters will have the time to test you."
Kardul smiles. "Tomorrow after lunch sounds perfect. Any advice?" he asks as he hands over the coins for the fee.
The dwarf shrugs. "Master Yinglu's a stickler for accuracy and especially for keeping things level. I dunno if you have time to practice that now, but I'd brush up if you can." He finishes the paperwork and hands Kardul a slip with the guild insignia on it. "Just show that here tomorrow and you'll be let in. I'll probably be here, but you never know."
Kardul nods and pockets the paper with a smile. "My master's a stickler for levelness, too."
As he turns to leave, the dwarf speaks up again. "If you don't mind my asking... why the robe? You look more like a priest than a mason."
He laughs and turns back to face the dwarf. "That's because I am. Don't worry, though. I'll be in proper mason's attire tomorrow. This robe doesn't even have the pockets for my tools," he jokes, though the dwarf still looks confused.
"Priest of what? Not to be mean, but... I don't recognize who you follow."
Kardul nods at that. "Not a surprise. Lord Thedeim is still largely unknown. I'm here to help fix that, and it seems I might as well help fix a few buildings while I'm at it, too."
The dwarf still doesn't look convinced, but his curiosity is mostly sated, so he doesn't press. "Anyway, good luck with the test tomorrow."
The elf smiles wide at him. "Thank you! I'm looking forward to proving myself." With that, he makes his exit, letting the dwarf return to being bored. Outside, he looks up to gauge the time, and decides he should have just enough to go find that alchemy supply store. He heads off with a smile, noticing the Order priestess at the church's doorway again, watching the street.
He nods to himself as he passes her by, satisfied she must be surveying traffic. He hopes being counted twice won't mess up whatever she's doing.
Comments
Ben Bass
TYFTP! It is great seeing how Thedeim is expanding his influence without even realizing it!
William Anderson
TYFTP!!! Really enjoying this storyline
