Completed Tent, Sweet Tent

[Jehu]

Jehu

15th of Summer, 519 AV

It had been three days since arriving in Syka. Jehu had spent his first night on Swing Beach, to exhausted from the journey and his initial tour of the settlement to erect his tent. The next day, The newcomer explored his new home further, noting the locations he would find most important to remember, then he began to look for a place to make his home. Mathias said he could have five acres as his own. The concept of owning land was new to Jehu. The people in the Burning Lands didn't claim ownership of any plot of land. They occupied land, claimed the use of it temporarily. But what you owned was what you could carry or haul with you. Also, Jehu had no idea how big an acre was, and had to ask Buraga to explain it. The salty figher helped the Chaktawe envision the size of his claim by using locations in Riverfall that Jehu knew.

With the a basic understanding, The Chaktawe had walked south until he reached a stream. He found Uta's Place, and learned her claim was bordered on the south side by the stream. Jehu figured the stream made a good boundary. He could at least cleary mark one edge of his claim, so he chose the land south of the stream, with the waterway as his northern boundary. The location was removed a ways from the Commons, offering a measure of isolation. Uta was nearby, but her place was further inland, and she seemed to keep to her plants. It was nice to know a long-time Syka resident was nearby. Jehu planned to solicit her knowledge to help him learn more about his new home.

Jehu had stayed out of the jungle. He had been on expeditions twice to Falyndar, and knew well the dangers, having always had a guide. Mathias had emphasized that fact. In time, he knew, he would know enough to venture into the jungle on his own. Jehu preferred to set up his home on the beach anyway.

The beach south of the stream was fairly narrow, leaving little room for a campsite between the high tide mark and the jungle's edge. But he did find a clearing that reached over the berm crest of the sand which pushed the tree line back in a sort of large alcove. The sandy ground sported patches of short beach grass. It reminded him of the ground around the Red Rocks. The space was large enough for his tent, with plenty of room around it. That is where he set up his animal hide structure.

Three days in, Jehu knew it was time to make the campsite more homey and permanent. On the first day of his arrival, Jehu had spoken with Randal, and then Lars, about constructing two wooden pallets to act as a floor for the tent. Randal would help him, and the project would be done in an afternoon. Lars had arrived early in the morning on the 15th with two ashtas laden with wooden boards. The creatures helped the woodman stack the lumber, and Jehu paid him the coin he had secured in a loan from the Founders.

Jehu had also seen some furnishings at the Mercantile that would help make his home more comfortable. He had brought next to nothing from Riverfall, and the contents of his tent consisted of a blanket and a bed roll and his supplies piled in a corner.

Words: 582

[Jehu]

Jehu

While he waited or Randal to squeeze an afternoon into his schedule to help Jehu build his flooring, the Chaktawe would get some additional supplies and articles for his home. A Chaktawe's tent and possessions had to be portable, carried on their backs, pulled on sand sleds or by the few animals they had. While he didn't desire much, luxuries such as a wooden table would be nice.

Walking along the path, Jehu made his way to the Mercantile. Juli appeared from behind a counter to welcome him. Like most, she stared, or tried not to stare, at the Chaktawe's black eyes. But she wasn't rude, offering to help him with a smile. Jehu had made a mental list of what he needed, and would browse the mercantile for the rest. When he first met Juli on his tour with Mathias, he was offered the loan of tools he may need for his project. He asked Juli for a saw, just in case the need came up as they built the floor pallets. Also, he wanted a table, and he would most likely have to shorten any table legs, since he would be sitting on the floor to use it.

Juli eyed Jehu strangely as he began pulling down a stack of blankets, nearly wiping out the stock. He did the same with the larger body pillows. Seeing her perplexed look, Jehu explained that he was living in a tent, like his people did in the desert. Their floor was covered in rugs, and they didn't have beds and chairs, the sat and slept on pillows and cushions. The young woman seemed satisfied with his answer and set them all aside for him.

He looked over the offering of furniture. He chose a table and two end tables that were very simple in construction and inexpensive. Finally, he browsed or some household items. A simple hammered copper wash basin, an iron kettle, a small oil lamps, a simple bronze brazier and a small chest were added to his growing list.

Juli added up the total for Jehu, who pulled out coins from the sack he had brought them in. When Jehu looked at all he had purchased, he was overwhelmed. He had no idea how he was going to get it back to his tent. "Don't worry, we will borrow one of Lar's ashtas to bring it to your place." She assured him.

Jehu thanked the girl profusely. He took up the borrowed saw and made his way back to his tent. On the way through the Commons, Randal passed by. he had a bamboo pole over his shoulder. "Jehu," The man called, "I will be by your place this afternoon." The Founder gave the Chaktawe a quick wave and went on his way.

Words: 464

Item	Total Coin
Blankets/rugs (10)	5GM total
Small Chest	1GM
Crate (4)	2SM Total
Iron Kettle	8SM
Brazier (simple)	5SM
Body Pillows (8)	4GM total
Wash Basin (poor)	8SM
Oil Lamp (2) (common)	2SM total
Oil - 1pt. (10)	1GM total
Table (low quality)	1GM
End Tables (2) (poor quality)	1GM, 6SM Total
Total	16GM , 1SM

[Jehu]

Jehu

At his tent site, Jehu moved his belongings out of the tent. Once the floor pallets were built, he would not be able to put them in place with the tent erected. He carefully pulled the stakes from the front and sides, collapsed the poles and neatly pushed them all to the back in a manner that would make it easier to set it back up.

Then Jehu cleared a space for he and Randal to build the flooring pallets. His box of nails and his hammer were laid out, with the saw, near the lumber Lars had delivered that morning. He had an idea of how to construct the flooring, but wanted Randal's expert opinion. While he waited, Jehu separated out the wooden boards by length. He had planned for two twelve by sixteen and a half foot pallets that would be about four inches from the ground. That would fit just inside the tent.

Then Jehu set about making the ground a little more level where the floor would go. Only then did he think how a rake would be useful, but it was a long way back to the mercantile to borrow one. A shovel would have to do. The ground was sandy but more solid than the beach, having been compacted and anchored by sparse grass. Using the side edge of the shovel, Jehu began to drag it over the ground, leveling out the loose sand and gathering up stray shells, twigs and stones. By the time he had done his best to clear the ground, Randal arrived with his tool belt.

"So, what's the plan?" Randal asked, eyeing the separated piles of lumber. Jehu explained his idea. Randal nodded. "Alright, lets roughly layout the first one." The men took up the boards that would frame the rectangle of the first pallet. Jehu carefully grabbed a fistful of nails and offered it to Randal, who dropped them in a pouch on his belt. But Randal didn't take out his hammer, he took out a flat piece of metal formed into a sharp angle.

The skilled builder started at one corner and set up the two boards on their long edge until they met at the corner. Jehu helped hold them. Randal set the metal, which he called a square, to the corner. "Ah..." Jehu nodded, catching on. He had seen something similar used in Ahnatep to form perfect corners. Once they had the angle set, Jehu held them in place until Randal nailed the corner together. The other three corners were likewise completed. Randal suggested they put a cross-piece across the middle to anchor the deck boards as they stretched between the ends of the frame.

Next came the decking. Four inch wide boards were laid over the rectangular frame. Randal started at one side, Jehu at the other. Randal nailed much more efficiently than the Chaktawe, who had only done so a couple times while working with Eypharians. It took him a bit of time to get the knack back, and he bent almost a dozen nails before watching Randal and seeing what he was doing wrong. If he swung the hammer slightly upward when striking the nail, it helped drive it into the wood straight.

It took a little over a bell to finish the first pallet. Jehu offered Randal a drink from his water skin. The Chaktawe didn't take a drink ,even though they had been working under the hot sun. Jehu earned a curious look from the Founder. But the desert man explained about his people and the organ that stored water in their body.

The next pallet went a bit quicker, and within two bells both floor pieces were complete. Randal helped Jehu set the flooring in place, helping get it settled in the loose ground. The older man suggested getting a couple scraps of wood from someone and nailing them between the two pallets to keep them from separating. Then the two men set the tent back up over the floor. In gratitude for his help, Jehu gave Randal a pound of salt. The men parted ways and Jehu began to move his few possessions back into the tent.

Words: 699

[Jehu]

Jehu

The next day, his supplies arrived from the mercantile. He laid the hodgepodge of blankets and rugs he bought over the wooden floor. Using a length of marked rope, Jehu measured an equal length on the legs of the table so that he could cut the legs to a height suitable for use while sitting on the floor. Using the saw, he lined up the notches he had made with a knife after measuring, and cut of each of the four legs. The cuts were not perfect, and when he set it inside the tent, there was a slight wobble to it. Finding a small, flat stone, he used it to shim the flaw, stabilizing the table.

The end tables were brought in, set out further on either end of the tent. The pillows were laid out around the table, though they could be moved to where ever was comfortable. A couple were laid at one end of the tent where Jehu would sleep. An oil lamp was set on either end table, while the lantern was hung from the center pole. The wash basin was set on an end table as well. The basin would be filled from his two buckets which he would in turn fill from the nearby stream.

The chest was set near where he would sleep, and would hold his clothing. The crates were set on the opposite end of the tent. One was set on its side where his dinnerware could be stacked , another held his kettle, pot and pan. The other two would hold his hunting and miscellaneous equipment.

Finally, Jehu went about to reset the carefully rehang the various feathers and polished bones that decorated a typical Chaktawe tent. He had kept them with him all the way from Eyktol. Jehu had even added a couple colorful feathers he had already found in Syka.

END

Words: 313

[Ambrosia Alar]

Grades!

Jehu

Skills

● Carpentry +2
● Cleaning +1
● Construction +1
● Organization +1
● Planning +2
● Socialization +1

Lores
● Syka: Jehu's land sits south of Uta's and a stream
● Lars: Lumberjack and sawmill operator of Syka
● Chaktawe: Sit and sleep on cushions, not furniture
● Lars' Ashta: Good for transporting large loads
● Planning: Preparing a workplace for a project
● Construction: Leveling ground
● Carpentry: The use of a square
● Carpentry: Framing and the use of cross-pieces
● Socialization: Gifts of gratitude for another's help
● Carpentry: Using a shim
● Decorating and organizing a home

Comments

Jehu, this was a short and simple thread, and you did it well without wasting words. Well done. I think I caught everything, but if you feel I've missed something or if you would like lore rephrased, just send me a PM. Thanks for the read. Don't forget to mark your request as graded.