Timestamp: Spring 5th, of 512 A.V.
The sun was barely above the horizon when Kale began his work. As the morning light crept over the hills near Sunberth, a wood fire near the young man's tent was being built. The night had been fairly rough on him, but Kale had been through worse. Being just outside the city limits didn't give him much protection, although he believed being IN the city might be worse. As the flames licked the chunks of wood, a slight amount of heat made its way through the air to his battered hands. The warmth slithered into the skin on Kale's hands, and slowly crawled up his arms. Eyelids sagging, the blond-haired man wanted nothing more than to lay down and sleep again. This wasn't a time of rest, however. He needed to work today, for it was on this day that he would make his first attempt at the newest project he had.
A long time ago he was given a drawing of a device used to keep track of time. The man who had given it to him had only seen it for a moment, but drew a sketch as best he could from memory. Years had passed, and every day Kale studied this drawing. He made rough designs of his own, trying to imagine how it would work. Then fortune would find its way to him. A traveling merchant happened to have one of these devices as he passed the small tent of Kale. Stopping the cart, the young man sent a barrage of questions at the merchant. What was it called, how was it made, what was its true function, etc. The man called it a clock, and offered to sell him one for 100gm. Without a second thought, the purchase was made, and the transaction finalized. From that moment on, Kale studied the clock, taking it apart and putting back together again, each time becoming more efficient.
Today was the day he would try to make his own.
Putting a iron bar in the pot, the young man set to work on building the mold for the first gear. He had plenty of sand at his disposal, and the four boards he used as the edges for the molds at the ready. Filling the wood frame with sand, Kale pushed his wax-gear into the box of sand. As he studied the mold, he smiled to himself. If he were triumphant today, it would be a new dawn in his abilities. Turning around the lanky man checked on the status of his iron. It had almost melted down. Soon he would be able to pour the molten iron into the mold and have his first gear. That is, if there were no interruptions.
Climbing back into the tent, he looked fondly at the clock sitting in the corner. He wished he could hang it up like it was supposed to be, but the tent simply wouldn't allow it. It was a work of beauty, crafted from simple iron, yet completing an elegant task. To keep time required precision. A steady hand. Not to mention a stroke of genius to develop such an object. The idea must have come prior to the Valterrian. No present man or woman could possibly conceive of this. Even if they could, Kale doubted that it were possible that they could craft such an item anyways. He wasn't even sure if he could do it. Although, having the object in front of him was a lot of help. Being able to stare at something day in and day out made it tremendously easier to attempt to recreate.