Homestead Survival

<03 September 2024, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER, A+>
[Theo and Julia]
After waking up, they all took a meal and ate in relative silence. Kreldar came rolling up to them and then picked up a meal, starting to talk. "So, I 'ave a plan."

Julia and Theo nodded, finishing their own bites before responding. Theo was quicker than Julia. "What's your plan, Kreldar?"

"Well, before we even get there, I need to know," Kreldar focused on Julia, "how many o' those permanent wards can ye' place?"

Julia checked her skill, "Well, with the rank-ups that I have used on it, I can now place one hundred and thirty of them, but the large wards take up forty-six of them, eight on the plinth, and the rest on the overlook. So I can place another eighty-four of them."

"I'd like to do eight more about a quarter as large as the big ones 'round the edge," Kreldar said, "I'd like to do them 'round the lantern so that if someone manages to recall to it with bad intentions, ye' can let the wards deal with it."

"That's not a bad idea," Julia said, "why don't we go look at it after we finish breakfast, then we can make a decision?"

Kreldar nodded, and everyone finished their meal before deciding to all go look together. Theo suggested it so that they could introduce them to Hestia. They made their way there quickly, and Kreldar activated his strange wireframe skill once more. What they saw was another plinth that was a similar size to the one that held Hestia's core.

The plinth was roughly ten feet by ten feet, but rather than being square, it was octagonal, and the rest of the building was shaped like a large lantern. Julia smiled. "Oh, I like that. A giant lantern."

Kreldar nodded. 'I thought you'd like it.' An' then a courtyard of sorts 'round the lantern with the Ward runes in it."

He waved a hand, and a rough outline of a brick courtyard with runes in it was presented. "I want to lay the runes in first using the Runestone Bricks, then edge them with regular stone and lay them in the courtyard with either stone or Runestone. Whatever you would prefer. This way the lantern is protected and ye're protected from anyone using the lantern illicitly."

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Theo nodded, and Julia agreed. "It is fantastic, how can we help?"

"Same as ye' did with the large ones. Place the last brick an' hand me bricks to shape." Kreldar said. With that, they set to work, everyone pitching in.

By the end of the day, four of the eight runes were laid in and edged with stone. They all went to sleep, even Kreldar.

<04 September 2024, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER, A+>
[Theo and Julia]
When they woke, they ate and continued where they had left off. Kreldar was cutting stones to fit together with almost laser-like precision. Sarah sat with Kreldar, learning to cut stone from the dwarf, and everyone else worked at moving bricks to and from the pair.

By dinner, they completed the remaining four runes and turned in. Kreldar continued working.

<05 September 2024, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER, A+>
[Theo and Julia]
By morning, Kreldar was able to announce that he had completed the courtyard. When they all saw it, Theo and Julia were glad that this was the person they had trusted with the construction of their home. Kreldar had taken one of the eight-foot blocks and managed to cut it into six-inch-thick slices, which he then shaped to fit the points and curves of the runes perfectly. The only thing that seemed visible was the edge between the Runestone Ward runes and the regular stone covering the rest of the area, designated as the courtyard.

"You work faster alone, I take it?" Theo asked.

Kreldar shrugged, "Not really, this is just easy. The runes were far more challengin'."

"Fair enough," Theo said. Then they set to making the foundation for the lantern-shaped building with Runestone bricks. They completed this by dinner, ate, and then went to sleep.

<06 September 2024, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER, A+>
[Theo and Julia]
When Theo and Julia woke up, they found Kreldar waiting for them. They all ate, and then Kreldar spoke. "I am hopin' that ye' have some metal."

"What do you mean by metal?" Theo asked.

"I mean I would like to forge some fittings an' a chain for hangin' the lantern," Kreldar said.

Theo looked at Julia, "Do you care?"

Julia shook her head, so Theo opened his dimensional storage and went in, returning with the Portable Forge. Then he opened his pouch as his Dimensional Storage vanished. Theo pulled out the Crystalized Iron. "I think the plan had been to fashion what we could of a permanent smithing setup with the Portable Forge, but go for it."

"I think ye' overestimate how difficult it is to properly forge somethin' like an anvil from raw metal. There is a reason that most forges are cast, or magically shaped." Kreldar said, shaking his head, "But for what I am hopin' to do, it should be perfect."

Kreldar took the equipment and got to work.