Whizbang Dustyboots
Gnometown Hero
It is early morning on the second day of Rain in the 721st year of the Imperial Age. It is drizzling outside 165 Vock Row, and Gallesini, the first of the three emperors of the dawn, has just begun his brief rule of the 24 Gods of the Hours this day when the Erac Kunstler's apprentices begin to wake.
His house staff has already been awake for more than an hour, preparing breakfast for the almost two dozen people that call Kunstlerhaus home, setting up the day's alchemy work, cleaning the library for the day's lessons and putting the topiaries Kunstler has been experimenting with into a secure greenhouse where they cannot escape and harm anyone during the day.
The apprentices ignore the sound of the ringing bell -- that's just the butler, Argus Blackmore, summoning the staff for some purpose -- but when head apprentice Cicero Brackenbury starts yelling a moment later, he gets their attention.
"Mairan, Thurst, Aeshen," Argus calls pleasantly, but with the urgency that tells the staff not to tarry, "Please report to the library."
Mairan brushes off the leaves from her hands and sucks at the cuts on her arms from battling the topiaries back into their cages. The gardener nods at her, and she turns to head back into the townhouse.
Thurst pulls his head out from beneath the boiler in the basement -- the master enjoys hot water baths, which are a luxury even in a city where running water is common -- and wipes the sweat from his eyes as he puts his tools away. The malice of the bound fire elemental in the boiler radiates through the great bronze vessel, and he'll be glad to get away from it for a bit.
Aeshen is in the kitchen, helping the kitchen staff with the first of the day's shopping he's brought back from the market. He works the water pump and runs his hands under the icy water and neatens his hair before responding.
"Mata! Ella! Valana!" Cicero's voice is anything but pleasant with the lower-ranking apprentices. "Get dressed and get to the library, chop-chop!"
The three female apprentices he's called all share a single room on the main floor. Mata has the usual death threat directed at her familiar from the mouse on her chest -- "get rid of leezard befor i keel hem" -- and crumples it up as all three apprentices hurry to get dressed before heading to the library.
It is the start of another day on Vock Row.
His house staff has already been awake for more than an hour, preparing breakfast for the almost two dozen people that call Kunstlerhaus home, setting up the day's alchemy work, cleaning the library for the day's lessons and putting the topiaries Kunstler has been experimenting with into a secure greenhouse where they cannot escape and harm anyone during the day.
The apprentices ignore the sound of the ringing bell -- that's just the butler, Argus Blackmore, summoning the staff for some purpose -- but when head apprentice Cicero Brackenbury starts yelling a moment later, he gets their attention.
"Mairan, Thurst, Aeshen," Argus calls pleasantly, but with the urgency that tells the staff not to tarry, "Please report to the library."
Mairan brushes off the leaves from her hands and sucks at the cuts on her arms from battling the topiaries back into their cages. The gardener nods at her, and she turns to head back into the townhouse.
Thurst pulls his head out from beneath the boiler in the basement -- the master enjoys hot water baths, which are a luxury even in a city where running water is common -- and wipes the sweat from his eyes as he puts his tools away. The malice of the bound fire elemental in the boiler radiates through the great bronze vessel, and he'll be glad to get away from it for a bit.
Aeshen is in the kitchen, helping the kitchen staff with the first of the day's shopping he's brought back from the market. He works the water pump and runs his hands under the icy water and neatens his hair before responding.
"Mata! Ella! Valana!" Cicero's voice is anything but pleasant with the lower-ranking apprentices. "Get dressed and get to the library, chop-chop!"
The three female apprentices he's called all share a single room on the main floor. Mata has the usual death threat directed at her familiar from the mouse on her chest -- "get rid of leezard befor i keel hem" -- and crumples it up as all three apprentices hurry to get dressed before heading to the library.
It is the start of another day on Vock Row.
Last edited: