As he approached the Barrier portal, Timothy was quite unconsciously whistling the tune that he had first heard in the elven tower. This was to a quite unexpected greeting from the non corporeal watcher that guarded the gateway.
"Ah back again young dwarf friend? What brings you here with such strange music in your mind? Surely it must have been learnt from the elven List Keeper for the legend of that worthy duke lies far into a future which is only one of many such choices that mankind may take.
Pass then, young builder of useful devices and be sure to keep to the path."
"What path?" asked Timothy aloud but no reply was forthcoming to that puzzled enquiry. He would recall that advice later and wonder how it - the guardian - knew of his future endeavours but he just filed it away as magic and thus beyond his knowledge.
None of the elder folk, well neither elves nor dwarves, ever spoke about magic even thogh their lands were quite obviously replete with examples which could not be described in any other way that offered any sort of an acceptable explanation for various phenomena that Timothy had previously experienced.
There was no such discipline as science or its various practices such as physics or even chemistry because the Brythanic people were known for their down to earth pragmatism but grudgingly allowed as there might be some inexplicable goings on that a few wise ones seemed to have some knowledge of, such as the Hodsons, the witch and wizard couple that had educated Tim to his benefit.
Brthan had no time or place for the nonsense of religions that their continental neighbours seemed so prey to and indeed the Brythans were fond of punning such remarks as "Let us pray says he but whose preying on who? Just tell me that!" said loudly within earshot of the occasional would be proselytizer, who quickly learned that discretion was the better part of the tarring and feathering option.
Despite the Citadels being a nexus for traders and small craftsmen, with the occasional outpost such as Timothys toymaking in Hoddes Town, by and large Brythans wealth and prosperity relied upon the fishing, farming and shepherding which supplied the wool for which it was renowned. So much so that the Lord of the Exchequers seat was padded with a pillow stuffed with fleece as a reminder of where the money came from.
Brythans had a reputation for being hard working, amiable, ale loving, none too educated, bucolic agrarians best left alone except for the traders and merchants of the Citadel who were the exception to the rule. Even they knew better than to stir up the country folk and thus the Citadel acted like a magnet to all who were not disposed to wallow in the mire but knew better than to say so in those terms.
This is an entirely inaccurate and gross over simplification of the true state of affairs but it was a safe generalisation that the majority were quite happy to play along with as it suited them to be regarded as good natured simpletons which made their trading endeavours so much more profitable.
In point of fact the Citadel was in many ways, almost as happily ignorant of the true state of affairs in country as they believed the country folk to be. For example, in the West country there were the tin and lead miners, as close knitted and close mouthed a community as you could ever hope to steer clear of and their coastal seafarers were as hard bitten and ruthless a bunch of smugglers, pirates and wreckers as you could find - if you were right out of luck.
The fact is that such examples of occupational specific communities existed the length and breadth of Brythan but remained mostly unknown except to the occasional carter/drover or factor willing to brave the cart tracks and dense woodlands to discover them. The latter, factors, were a peculiarity in themselves. They specialised in knowing what crafts were practiced even in tiny hamlets, such as those that wove tweed a dense, strong fabric made from raw wool.
Many a boat or ship builder relied on finding a factor to supply them with nails or suitably shaped oak branches for the framing of the new carvel built carraques and of course cordage and ropes, blocks and tackle for the yard arms and main spars. No one supplier could produce enough for a single ship so the factors rode from village to village gathering up these items made to order.
In cases where the items were too bulky or the materials unavailable locally, the factors might organize the building of a suitably sized and equipped structure and these factories as they were known, provided a focal point for the men that made rope or sewed sails, though such factories were few and largely situated near the Citadel.
Tim plodded along, for the portal would not have allowed a pony to pass through, his thoughts in turmoil as he considered all these various aspects of Brythans commerce and trade arrangements, for he was by no means sure that the dwarfs could or would accomodate him in his endeavour to build this wind instrument that he was still in the throes of working out.
Message Thread
« Back to index