Xanadu Weyr - Woodcraft Shop
This cavernous building is where Xanadu's wood harvests are transformed into both raw lumber for building and wooden products for personal use. Upon stepping into the enormous place, the pungent tang of sap, fresh wood and sawdust permeates the air. Rarely quiet during peak hours, the whine of the giant buzzsaw with the banging of hammers and chisels makes carrying on a conversation in here difficult, if not impossible. Racks around the perimeter is where the different grades of planks, dried in the huge kiln out back, are stored for further curing.
In the back are work benches with neat racks overhead with an array of handtools for creating smaller items of fine craftsmanship. There, the acrid odor of oils and stains for finishing is quite strong.
When the weyrlings were released from morning lessons to lunch today, it was with instructions to report to the woodshop afterward for the afternoon portion of those lessons. Lunch now having been had, and the time being afternoon, this is the woodshop where they ought to be. Indeed, part of it has been set aside for their use, cordoned off from the rest by a row of sawhorses. It's quieter than usual in here today; many of the woodcrafters are out on other tasks, and the rest are on projects that only use the power tools infrequently. Those remaining woodcrafters will be quick to direct new arrivals where they're supposed to go and get them out from underfoot. There are some workbenches set up with assorted tools for the weyrlings; hammers, saws, drills, and planks of wood and nails to put them to use. They might seem simply left there by chance, save for the number of duplicates. There's also a small ladder set up with a fabric-draped lump atop it, but surely that was just left behind by someone changing out a light bulb or something. There's also a woodcraft journeyman and Jethaniel, off by the edge of the sawhorse cordon and speaking in quiet tones.
Mur'dah is one of those redirected Weyrlings, shuffling in and looking a bit, well…suspicious. Rolling up the sleeves of his tunic, he then tucks it into his pants, making those little corrections one should make to their attire before working (he assumes) with tools. Glancing around, he finds a spot to stand and to wait, wondering what they're doing.
To the woodshop! .. Er, why must they report to the woodshop? Certainly a portion of weyrlinghood doesn't require them to become proficient at random crafts…right? Or maybe they're going to make a…dragon shelter? Nah. That couldn't be it. So it's with a mind buzzing with questions that Ka'el arrives, looking around the cavernous space curiously. He grins at a few familiar faces of woodcrafters, though in truth there are just few of them that he knows a little more than just in passing, and he waves before being guided off to the little work area that seems to have been set up for something. Spying Mur'dah, he slightly nods, and does the same to other weyrlings that are here. Al'cas. Carolin. And others! "So….are we buildin' birdhouses?" he quips.
While the popular notion of weyrlinghood would not include an assortment of craft skills, an observer might note they've already had an introduction to tannercraft and certain aspects of beastcraft. Perhaps a certain flexibility in skillset is to be considered an asset? After an assortment of the weyrlings have arrived, Jethaniel leaves his conversation and strides toward the front of the group. "Good afternoon," he says. The woodcrafter takes advantage of this opportunity as well, but he heads off to the rest of the shop; it appears the weyrlings are to be left with Jethaniel today. "As you may be aware, you will be receiving weyrs of your own soon. When that happens, you may discover that there are aspects which do not entirely satisfy you, whether because of damage or merely a failure to meet your aesthetics." He glances to Ka'el, and smiles slightly. "Or, perhaps, a lack of birdhouses." His gaze sweeps over the group once again. "For that reason, we are here today to discuss a few basics of home repair and improvement." He glances over at the sound of a hammer from one of the woodcrafters, then back to the weyrlings. "The primary goal is for you to avoid injuring yourselves while conducting these repairs. So, to begin: can anyone tell me the most common source of injury during home improvement?"
Mur'dah snorts, grinning at Ka'el's quip. But he holds his tongue, shifting a bit so he can stand next to his friend(?). As Jethaniel begins to speak, Mur'dah's posture shifts slightly, tensing just a bit as he frowns, brows furrowing and forehead creasing. "Doing something your 'mate doesn't like and gets mad at you for?" he offers a bit flippantly.
Oh, weyr stuff. Weyr stuff interests Ka'el greatly because Ka'el is possibly one of the most excited about getting his own living space! With or without birdhouses. He smirks a bit at Jethaniel and gives his shoulders a gentle shrug. "Even avians need homes." Poor, homeless things! But … ah, let's focus, shall we? His eyes flit to Mur'dah, who he doesn't give any signs of being against him being near him, then looks back to the Steward to contemplate his question. "..Wait. Aren't you techcraft?" he asks with a faint head tilt and questioning look. "Wouldn't a… woodcrafter.." Be more qualified? Ha! He dare not ask that aloud. "Be the sort to teach us about repairing? Not that I think you haven't a clue," he adds, holding up his hands brancingly. He snerks at Mur'dah's answer.
"A lack of knowledge of handling tools," offers Carolin, her voice tiny and eyes on the floor. "Hammering fingers? Mmm … not asking for assistance. Maybe…" Foot shuffle.
Idrissa is late!.. Imagine that, no really she isn't know for being late, though anymore she is the last person around. Save for now. She pokes her way into the room, a soft oh escaping her as she moves along slowly and inches over to a spot near the back of the group. Her gaze flicks across the items here and she does her best to just try and blend in, she was totally here the whole time!
"Potentially hazardous," Jethaniel acknowledges to Mur'dah, "But not, I think, something which I am qualified to advise you in techniques for mitigating." There's a faint smile, and then he moves on to the next answer - or at least, to Ka'el and the next discussion of his qualifications. "I am a journeyman of the techcraft, yes. I am also the Steward of Xanadu, and as such, the maintenance of facilities," like weyrs, "falls within my purview. I do not intend to provide you with detailed instruction about how to conduct specific home repairs at this time, merely advise you as to general procedures." His lips quirk, and his tone is dry. "I believe you will find my clue sufficient to the purpose." Jethaniel glances to the small stir that marks Idrissa's arrival, but makes no comment on it, instead looking to Carolin. "All good answers, and certainly things to be careful of, but the most common cause of injuries in home repair is…" He pauses, and looks up to Idrissa again, indicating her with one hand. Well? Be late, get called on. That's how it works.
Mur'dah shifts a bit, looking behind him to notice Idrissa's arrival. He gives her a little wave before turning back towards the front to nod as Jethaniel speaks. Hands in his pockets, the brownling rocks a bit onto his heels and then his toes, fidgeting a bit where he stands.
Ka'el gives Jethaniel a salute in answer. Sir, yes sir! Now he understands why, and thus things can continue along without a random assortment of questions from Ka'el. Ka'el, who didn't give an answer to the question asked and won't now as Idrissa is singled out as she sneaks on in. Poor, late Idrissa! Well .. better her than him? He looks over at the greenrider with a smirk and lifted brows. And that gets him thinking. What kind of things would he need to repair in his weyr? What if he gets some rundown shack that's barely livable? .. Ah, Xanadu wouldn't do that to him. Thea wouldn't do that to him!….would she?
Carolin nods once then falls quiet again. Good answers, but not the answer. She looks up from the ground, peeking at the others for a while before her gaze returns to her spot on the floor. Such an interesting floor!
Idrissa pauses and ahs while peering back at Jethaniel and is quiet for a few moments wondering what to say it seems. Her gaze flicks around to the others and she chews on her lip as she ponders the answer. "Ah.. a hurt back? From.. moving stuffs…?" Sure, great answer!
Jethaniel nods to Ka'el's salute, more or less in passing. Now that comprehension is had, the class may continue unimpeded, at least once they're done waiting for Idrissa's answer, which is… "Also a possibility." It would appear that today is the day for greenriders to give good but imperfect answers. "However, the most common cause of injuries is… falling." He glances around the weyrlings, looking for their reactions. "I am sure you have all, at one time or another, fallen down. There are many causes for falling. One may slip on a wet surface, or trip over an unexpected object - both of which, while entirely possible under a variety of circumstances, become more likely during home repairs. It is important to keep your workspace clear and exercise caution. However, the more dangerous situation arises when you have elevated yourself." Jethaniel walks over to stand next to the ladder, indicating it with a hand. "Ladders are useful tools, but maintain a grip at all times, and have someone on the ground to brace the ladder. While they are constructed for stability, they may not always achieve this goal, especially on unstable ground, and should the ladder give way…" Jethaniel demonstrates what might happen in such a circumstance by means of artificially inducing it. He gives the ladder a push; it wobbles, and the lump atop it rolls off. It's a mid-sized melon, the cloth fluttering away as it tumbles through the air, and then… splat. Melon encounters ground and cracks open.
Mur'dah looks a bit surprised by the ultimate answer to that riddle, but as he considers it, he ends up nodding slightly. And he pales a bit at the demonstration of melon + ground = splat. He can only too easily imagine that as being his head. "Do we have to have a weyr," he mutters under his breath, still a grump about the whole thing it seems. But it's barely audible, and more of a rhetorical question to himself than anyone else.
Falling! Ah, Ka'el knew that! Granted, the answer on his tongue was more along the lines of slicing fingers, accidentally sawing a hand off, drilling into yourself … you know. The blood, guts, and gore answers. Falling? Well, he knew that! Though it might've ranked as number 2,342 on his list of ways to get injured in your weyr, right behind rabid feline intrusion and attack. He glances to Idrissa again and gives a shrug. That was a good answer! Remind him to line up a row of willing people to give him futur back massages, since apparently that is a real risk. Attention is brought back to Jethaniel now as he speaks and gives his demonstration. Ladder, meet unstable ground. Melon…meet ground. Splat! He wrinkles his nose briefly. "Not the grandest way to go…" he comments, looking back at the Steward now.
Carolin, who indeed looks up in time enough to see the melon splatter, cringes. "I don't like heights when not on dragon back." Laoshuth would never let her fall off! Ladders on the other hand? They're out to get her. Shudder! "Should we wear helmets when doing home repairs that require us to be…mmm…elevated? Is there safety gear?"
Idrissa ehs softly and shrugs, she shifts and settles down upon a stool or something. She peers at the melon that goes *splat* and makes a face at the idea. "I'll make sure to be careful of the ladder."
"…serious injuries may result." Jethaniel leaves the broken melon there, perhaps as a reminder. A few of the woodcrafters working elsewhere send looks in that direction, but the Steward seems to be ignoring them to focus on his students. To Carolin's dislike of heights, he smiles. "That brings us to a very good point. If you are not comfortable doing a repair, do not do it. Conduct further research into the situation or consult with an expert. By entering a situation in which you are not comfortable, you create the potential for a dangerous situation - one where you may not even recognize the danger until it is too late. Be alert, and educate yourselves." Step one, this class! "A helmet would provide some degree of protection, yes. In general, appropriate clothing for home repairs is that made of sturdy materials and form-fitting to the body. Close-toed shoes and gloves are also advisable, as well as goggles if you are working with particulate matter. Consider what would happen if you dropped an object or a piece went flying, and assess your willingness to accept that risk."
Mur'dah listens to Jethaniel's lecture with a little frown, shaking his head slowly. "But it's just…repair work. It's not /that/ dangerous to put up a board over a crack in the wall, or put up a hanging plant…"
"Meaning, pay someone else to do it for you?" says Ka'el, who is pretty sure he can handle basic stuff despite the fact that the only weyr repair experience he has has been … well, none. But he'll be able to figure it out! (He's an accident waiting to happen.) But at least Jethaniel will be able to say that he warned him the first time he breaks a leg trying to mend a roof or something. Needless to say, the helmet clause sounds totally uncool, and wearing one just because he's on a ladder would surely sour his reputation. No helmet for Ka'el. A concussion most assuredly is in his future.
Carolin, on the other hand, is taking rapt mental notes, making more eye contact than she ever has before. Already, she is planning out safety precautions. A helmet is a must. And more goggles. Her flight goggles won't be enough. Sturdy boots. Maybe a mask, just because. What if she drops something that has tiny particles than can be inhaled? "It could be. Maybe…," she says, voice still as small as ever as she speaks to Mur'dah without looking at him. "Remember…the technology class? Those objects were all … ordinary. Things that could…possibly be in our weyrs."
Idrissa doesn't think wearing a helmet would be such a grand idea to her, at least not /all/ the time, and really in the Weyr? "Can always ask for help.." A glance is sent over to Carolin and she nods a bit while shifting to wiggle in her seat a bit still pondering the thought of having to work to fix up a weyr, she is accident prone as it is already can one just imagen her having to fix a weyr? Hopfully she wouldn't burn it down. THOUGH this class is for a reason!
"Indeed," Jethaniel says to Mur'dah. "Those instances I would consider only trivially more dangerous than walking across the clearing to the caverns." He smiles slightly. "An endeavor not without its own risks. However, repair work also potentially includes replacing roof tiles and adding new electrical outlets, both of which can - if done improperly - present significant dangers. That is why I advise you to assess the situation. I am not advising you to avoid risks, merely to be aware of the risks. Know what you're getting into before it's too late." He looks to Carolin, and frowns slightly. "Your weyrs will be inspected for safety hazards before being assigned to you." So, no more hazardous than, say… walking across the clearing! Which is not without its risks. Dragon-squishings, tripping and falling, a loose runner on a rampage… poor Carolin. Jethaniel turns his gaze to Ka'el, and nods. He steps over to one of the benches, and picks up a piece of paper, displaying it. "This is a form for requesting repairs. The Weyr employs handymen and a variety of specialists for a reason; not all projects can be successfully or safely completed by an amateur. Should you require assistance, you have merely to file this form, and your request will be assessed and taken care of." And billed according to whatever the appropriate procedures are for the type of the repair and probable cause, which Jethaniel's not going to go into at the moment because that's a class or three all on its own. Oh, paperwork and procedures.
Technology class? Mur'dah turns a bit to blink at Carolin, a bit uncomprehending. "Well," he says then suddenly so haughty that it has to be a joke, "I'll just hire someone to do my work for me. Since I'm so privileged and all," he says, lips smirking and giving Ka'el a nudge. "Like you. Can I pay you to come to do repairs on whatever weyr I'm assigned? Though, knowing me, I'll get the /best/ weyr that Xanadu has to offer. One that's, like…made out of diamonds." Ow. He's clearly joking.
Oh, hooray! Paperwork! Ka'el peers at the request form and can't help but grin. It's good to know that if something breaks down, he really doesn't have to take care of it himself. Big things. Not little things. And that, my friends, is how all situations will be assessed. Let someone else do it! Like Jethaniel said, that's what they're there for, right? Nevermind the fact that these services aren't free! He'll cross that bridge when he comes to it. Mur'dah's quip earns a glance and gradual smirk, and he waves a hand dismissively. "As if you'll want me. You'll hire a Master, just because you can and have the marks to toss around like that," he says flippantly.
Carolin clearly doesn't get the joke, and she stares at Mur'dah with wide eyes. Diamonds? That's certainly an exaggeration, but..still! He's bound to get a pretty good deal, isn't he? Blink blink, goes the owl of a weyrling.
"So.. if we can't reach it we're have to fill out paperwork to get a light bulb changed?.." Idrissa questions while just peering at Jethaniel at the idea. Then that form will be looked over, pondered, sent back to find the right 'light bulb' form, and swnt to the right place, or perhaps the wrong place, and what happens if it gets the wrong STAMP? Oh so many things could go wrong for just wanting a light changed.
Ka'el and Mur'dah's discussion gets merely a raised eyebrow and no actual comment from Jethaniel - though one would suspect the Steward might be involved in weyr assignments. Maybe that's why he isn't commenting. He does comment to Idrissa, though. "Should you wish, yes. There are also ladders and other tools available for loan." The more trivial the repair, the more exactly those forms and stamps need to be filed! Actual fires get put out first and the paperwork filed later. Burnt out lightbulbs, well… paperwork is another tool to be used properly. Speaking of tools, Jethaniel proceeds with his lesson, walking over to a workbench. "The second most common source of injury is accidents involving tools." They can also be more dramatic, as evinced by how the weyrlings thought of them first. Spurting blood does tend to be memorable. Jethaniel lifts, in turn, a hammer, saw, and drill, displaying them to the weyrlings and providing brief demonstrations of their proper use. "You will, later this afternoon, have a chance to use these tools for yourself." He glances to Ka'el. "The construction of a birdhouse may provide a suitable project to test your skills." Jethaniel smiles slightly.
Mur'dah laughs. "Oh, right. How silly of me. I'll have Master craftsmen living with me, in my twelve bedroom weyrhold. And a cook. And a maid. And ladies to come visit me whenever I have need-" oh yeah, lesson. Did I mention he's clearly being sarcastic? Right now he doesn't even want to think about weyr assignments. Mur'dah goes quiet again to look across the tools.
"I can change your lightbulb for you, Idrissa," Ka'el offers. "An' with only a small fee. It'll be a steal compared to what the weyr will probably charge you." He leans over, and in a stage whisper.. "I hear the Steward overcharges in order to get weyrlings to do their own work." He has no idea whether or not Jethaniel is the joking type, though apparently he's in the mood to gamble. Grinning, he leans back and snerks at Mur'dah projections for his weyr. Twelve bedroom, huh? And servants to boot? He whistles. "Must be nice to be privileged," he says with a wistful sigh. Ha! But, back on topic now. Tools and the dangers they present. Saws. Drills. Yup … BLOOD and AGONY. He watches at Jethaniel shows the proper handling of such things, nodding to himself once or twice, then blinking at the mentioning of birdhouses. Uh oh. What has he gotten them into. He raises a hand. "Question. Would it be suitable for these alleged birdhouses to be made of metal?" Puh-lease?
There's not much from Carolin now, who only eyes those tools as if sure they're plotting to jump out at her and claim a finger. Gulp. Surely she'll have no use to go about sawing things!
Idrissa smirks as she hears Ka'el and shakes her head. "Oh I bet you would. What might you charge me then?" She questions with not to much of an amused tone at the thought really. Her gaze flicks over to Mur'dah and she is quiet for a moment while pondering. "Say.. Can I borrow one to put lightbulbs in maybe?" This questioned with an amused tone at the idea.
"There are, after all, a variety of individual techniques to be learned, and the woodcrafters will be happy to assist you." Or so Jethaniel blithely says; not all of them look entirely pleased about having their workshop invaded today. He glances to them briefly, then returns his attention to the weyrlings as they talk amongst themselves. "Pricing," he observes in an exceedingly dry tone, "is on a sliding scale. I shall prepare a lesson on the details of that scale and the factors that go into a bill sheet, for your further education." Is that a joke? He has a little bit of a smile, but… maybe he just appreciates paperwork and numbers as much as the rumors claim. As for metal birdhouses, well… "In theory, yes. However, as the ultimate motive is to obtain familiarity with woodworking, not shelter stray avians, I would suggest using wood this time. You may construct metal variants in your own time."
Mur'dah laughs, pushing hair out of his face. "It is," he answers without breaking a grin, before he's looking at Jethaniel and giving Ka'el a nudge. See what you did? "Birdhouses? Are there…directions anywhere? Or…" Can he just go get a tree? That's a bird's house, right? Turning his head to look at Idrissa, he grins and nods. "Any time."
"I…" may say something here that would land him in hot water! Ka'el hesitates, eyes on Idrissa, then grins, "will get back to ya with the details of my services and price. Buuut just know that it's open to negotiation." There. Ka'el smirks, brows lifted and expression smug. As for //real/ prices of things. Um.. no thanks, Jethaniel! "Uuh, I think…I'm pretty sure there are tomes on that already," he answers quickly, trying to save them a lesson that'd require more paper than anything else. "Right?" he glances to the others, giving them a meaningful look. Teamwork! Maybe he's just trying to apologize for giving them extra work. Aka birdhouse building. But at that nudge he's given by Mur'dah, he only grins. "Can't be so hard, right? Four pieces of wood blocks and a roof. Cake," he says confidently. "Hammering and drilling. It'll be fun. I'm going to build mine with two stories and a hot springs tub." His avian friends will be living the good life! "Is there a time limit before they're due?" he asks of the Steward.
Idrissa grins and nods to Mur'dah. "Great!" She offers with an amused tone. Her gaze flicks back to Jeth at the talk of them realling making a birdhouse. "What sorta bird can it be for.. A chicken, Hawk, song bird?" He needs to specify!
"I would think your birds might enjoy having a floor in addition to walls and a roof," Jethaniel notes to Ka'el, smiling slightly "However, the actual birdhouse is not essential." And yet it has been assigned. See what happens when you open your mouth? "Being able to hang a picture or replace a chair leg is a skill you will likely find useful at some point, and it uses many of the same techniques." Or so he says, but Jethaniel's just techcrafter and Steward, not woodcrafter. "I will leave the detailed instruction to the experts," he adds, and indicates a couple of woodcrafters who have come forward. Presumably they can give birdhouse construction advice? "However, I will say this. When working with tools - and, indeed, under most circumstances - accuracy is paramount. A lack of force may cause failure. A lack of accuracy may cause injury. One of these alternatives is vastly to be preferred." One of the woodcrafters, having figured out the new addition to the plans, sends an apprentice to get the needed wood supplies as Jethaniel answers questions. "You may choose whatever bird you like. I advise making the decision before you begin," he tells Idrissa, adding for Mur'dah, "Drafting detailed plans is optional." Ka'el's question gets considered for a moment before he answers. "I will assess your progress at the end of today." Which might mean he'll assign deadlines then, or might just mean he wants to see how they work and doesn't actually care about the birdhouses themselves.
Mur'dah laughs. "They'll just hover," he says, amused at Ka'el's mistake and Jethaniel's correction. Detailed plans? Drafting? Pfft. He's a cut first measure later kind of guy. At the moment, anyway. Looking around, he rolls his shoulders and then exhales. "Just so you know," he says to Ka'el, but loud enough for the others to hear, "this is not something I'm awesome at. This was not part of my holder training, nor my 'son of a goldrider' training."
A floor? Ka'el blinks. "They'll be living on the ground. Their floor's meant to be earth and grass." Because what bird wouldn't want to live on the ground instead of up in a tree where their nests (and themselves for that matter) could be safe? Totally boring. But, oh the birdhouse isn't important. .. Not really. At least, not until he brought it up! Ka'el's eyes stray to the woodcrafters, to whom he smirks. "Teach me, if you can," he challenges them before he looks back to Jethaniel to listen. Choose a bird type? … There are types of birds? "Ahh.. is 'small brown' a type?" He glances over to Idrissa at the question, brows lifted. She's the beastcrafter, after all! To Mur'dah, he cocks a brow. "You're sure? I've a hard time believing that the son of a goldrider, holder heir, wouldn't've been trained in the art of birdhouse making. It's ..sort've a crucial skill."
Carolin has no time for this nonsense. They have a task and she is going to complete it to the best of her ability. She already has her bird type in mind.
Idrissa shakes her head and chuckles as she hears Ka'el. "Naw, the floor is for them to build there nest and all." At the 'small brown' type Rissa blinks and then peers at Ka'el before smirking. "yeah sure go for that one Ka'el.." She is a beastcrafter that is for srue, but come on, birds? "I think it's a little song bird of some type." Sure that works.
'Small brown' is indeed a type of bird. In fact… "Several," Jethaniel says with a slight smile. "I would, however, characterize a quail or grouse as more of a medium brown, and they are the birds more likely to enjoy a ground-based house. I shall look forward to seeing it." So maybe it is important? "You may proceed," he says, gesturing to the benches. Have at it! The woodcrafters are willing to help, though mostly they seem to be there to correct hammer and saw technique and make sure nobody chops a finger off. Carolin finds someone who's willing to help her. Ka'el… well, he gets a look that isn't quite eyerolling and a great deal of supervision, but not much in the way of help. Once the weyrlings have occupied themselves, Jethaniel disappears for a moment, only to return with a bucket and begin cleaning up the poor unfortunate melon. Maybe he'll feed it to the birds.
"I was sick that day, talk to Marel," Mur'dah returns, grin coy. As their instructions are given, the boy looks a bit lost as he stares around at the materials given to them. "Well…I guess we start with getting wood?" he says to anyone who will listen.
Grouse. Quail. "Quail!" says Ka'el decisively, nodding at the word. "That's the one I'll build a home for. A quailhouse." He claps his palms together once and rubs them briskly. This is going to rock! Or not. But hey, it's something different than the usual, and it keeps his mind occupied and off of other things that are far more troublesome. Carolin is being led off. He's left standing there, looking cute and useless. Uuuh, a little help please, crafters? To Mur'dah, he nods. "Sounds logical." Someone .. give him wood and a saw! "Oh, hey," he says, following after one of the crafters. "Will you help me with my quailhouse? I'm thinkin'…somethin' tasteful, yet eye-catching. You know?" Ha, he may not be a skilled woodsman, but he'll at least make this entertaining for his helper.
Wood! Thick wood, thin wood, pine wood, oak wood… the woodcrafters have opened their scrap piles to the weyrlings, which means there's an assortment of pieces from hand-size to dragon-paw-size. They're mostly in fairly neat shapes, rectangles and other quadrilaterals that were left over from previous work, but some of them are weirder. Like that one with a series of triangular wedges cut into one side, or the one with neat circular holes like someone used a cookie-cutter on it. There are many choices. "Thicker will take a nail better," a woodcrafter suggests to Mur'dah as he offers a couple squareish pieces of pine scrap. "Less likely to split." Ka'el finds himself someone who seems at least vaguely amused by the prospect. It is something different to be doing. Something… tasteful? Well, that might be overstating the case, but at least something with four walls and a roof. Eye-catching is probably easier, so long as it doesn't have to be in a good way.
Idrissa looks over all the pieces, bits, nails and so forth while pondering. She has a general idea what a bird house looks like so picks up a bit of paper, and pen. It takes her a few moments to do a rough sketch while she gets her mind around the whole making something idea. This is not her area of expertise; give her a runner any day.
Mur'dah settles into the crafting with some enthusiasm at least, working hard and - with help - creating a birdhouse that at least wouldn't fall over before the occupants had a chance to move in and raise a family.
Jethanie: Spurting blood does tend to be memorable.
Best. Line. of. Log. XD