"Of course, he'd spend more time mixing mortar and moving bricks than he does laying them.  Viglaf sounds like he has experience in underground work, but does anyone know if he's prone to blabbing in the tavern or such?"

In reply to Mario Crowfoot (msg # 286):

"I was told he had a reputation for reliability"

"Not quite the same as keeping quiet when quiet is needed, but it might have to do."

In reply to Mario Crowfoot (msg # 288):

"Do you want me to fetch him?"

"Yes, let's talk to him before we commit to anything."

About an hour later Charlene returns with a moderately intoxicated dwarf with a number of tools hanging from his belt.

"You'll be Viglaf, will you?  Charlene thinks you're reliable enough for a quiet job we need done, helping Pierre over there, carrying hod and the like.  I don't know as it requires you to be sober, as such, but it would surely help if you can walk steadily and more so if you can keep your mouth shut about anything you might see while the work is being done.  In fact, I'd call that last an absolute requirement."

In reply to Mario Crowfoot (msg # 292):

The dwarf cups one ear.

"Yer gonna have to talk LOUDER than that Lad, I can barely hear ya>"

Mario tries to hide an eye roll, and raises his voice.

"Can you be sober enough to work and keep your mouth shut about what you see, even when you drink?"

In reply to Mario Crowfoot (msg # 294):


The dwarf frowns as if being personally insulted.
"When I work, I work. When I drink, I drink, and not both at once. If the job is private, it stays private."

"No offense intended, but we don't know you.  We do know Charlene, and she says you're reliable.  Can you carry hod?"

In reply to Mario Crowfoot (msg # 296):
"I am a craftsman. Someone carries hod for me."

"Looks like you and Pierre will have to sort out between you who's in charge, then."

Turning away from Viglaf for a moment, he lowers his voice. "We might need to hire a couple hod carriers then.  I don't know anything about it other than what a hod looks like and I'm pretty sure a common laborer isn't going to be able to mix good mortar.  We'll also need to keep a guard down there while they're working, so folks like Charlene and Mellarill and me won't want to have our hands full with heavy stuff."

Turning back to Viglaf, "What's your working wage?  I'm not sure how long this job will take, but at least a couple days, possibly a week.  We'll show you what needs done so you can estimate the time and materials."

"I might do for $220 a week."


This is the going rate for a common craftsman, give or take $20

OOC: How much are we paying Pierre?

In reply to Mario Crowfoot (msg # 300):

Pierre would be good for $200 per week, as for a laborer's pay, and that would kinda be coming from Jareth's share as
Pierre the half-blind is going to be his sort of cultist rather than Nodwin's.

"Clarence, Jocelyn, Nodwin, Jareth, Mellarill?  Shall we show them the work to be done so we can verify how long it'll take and get the materials in?"

In reply to Mario Crowfoot (msg # 302):

Sure. Clarence is still looking for someone who can sell some of his items for a good price too. He will not have much cash...

"I have some francs to spend on this, but we may have to do this work in stages.  I can only pay one or two days of these guys' wages, maybe not that if brick and mortar aren't pretty cheap."

In reply to Mario Crowfoot (msg # 304):

"I can provide light and labour, but I need to upgrade to some lighter gear...do you want continual sunlight or continual light in the area?"

In reply to Mario Crowfoot (msg # 302):

Sure, let's bring Brodak too, in case we need his skills at knocking heads.

In reply to Jocelyn Lemru (msg # 306):


From Lowtech companion 3
Cost of materials to make a 6" thick wall accross a 9'x12' corridor: 108sq feetx6" thick
 for brick     3.34 per 1'x1'x1" - 20.04 for 1'x1'x6" - $2,203
     rubble    3.82 per 1'x1'x1" - 22.92 for 1'x1'x6" - $2,475
     form cast concrete $9.98 per 1'x1'x1" - $59.88 for 1'x1'x6" - $6467
     trimmed stone ashlars $11.72 per 1'x1'x1" - 73.32 per 1'x1'x6" - $7919

This would include all supplies

OOC: So we're looking at something like $2600 for one brick closure including labor, and that's if we haul the materials down to the site ourselves.  We'll be at this for months...

I can contribute $600, assuming we have something lined up to generate some more income.  That won't leave me anything to lend Clarence, though; I'll just have a week or two of daily expenses.

Is Jareth's map somewhere we can look at it, so as to decide what needs bricked up first?

OCC I have no idea where it is physically at this point.
I thought I had it in my google Drive, but apparently, after a search, I do not.

Jareth has some moneys also, his full share that can be put toward safeguarding the gate

My friends and i can put up $1500