Xanadu Weyr - Meadow
A large, slightly rolling meadow is set high enough above the riverbank on both sides to avoid suffering from flooding, healthy ground cover and grass spreading out from either side of the dividing river. Scattered amongst the meadow are a variety of weyrs, each with a narrow path leading up to it from a main, winding road. Some are set under a few trees, while others sit by themselves.
Runner stables with the paddock beyond are to the south beyond the meadow weyrs, a smithy and a woodcraft shop are settled closer in towards the path to the clearing, while trees border the western edge of the meadow, and a faint outline of a stone wall and low rolling hills can be seen to the north. Wagons laden with felled trees from the forests to the southwest or ore from the mountains to the southeast are hauled by burden beast up the road through the meadow, over the bridge spanning the river to be processed in the appropriate workshops.
There are several Woodcrafters, mostly Journeyman and a few Apprentices, including Datsun, digging into the gorund close by the riverbank. The plot of land has already been dug up and leveled out except for the final area that Datsun is working on along with a couple of others. The Journeyman's shovel hits the ground, kicking at it to push it deeper into the ground then pulling at the wooden shovel's handle, tossing the dirt off to the side.
Apprentice Hossen is here, loading loose dirt into a wheelbarrow and carrying it out of the way. Back and forth he goes, with what must be one of the most mind-numbing chores on the job site - which would be why an apprentice is doing it. At least with digging, there are things like rocks to encounter. Rocks, fibrous roots, all sorts of things to make the work more interesting… or was that more challenging? Either way.
Soon enough, there's a little bump that the metal part of Datsun's shovel encounters. "Huh. Didn't expect to find roots here." He comments to a nearby worker before shrugging and placing the nicely sharpened point of the shovel's blade right on top of the dirt-covered 'root'. The Woodcrafter leaps up into the air, still holding onto the shovel's wooden handle as his nice leather boots slam into the shovel, sending it right through the 'root' under his weight…
Hossen pauses to wipe his forehead. It's hot today. Then, he starts back, as the worker replies. "Huh," to Datsun, and shrugs as he pushes his shovel in for another scoop of the dirt. There's always something, it seems. Perhaps there was once a tree, tumbled down during one of the storms. Who knows? That's why the shovels are sharp, the better to cut through roots - or other things. As Datsun drives the shovel down, there's a crack, louder than any root snapping should possibly be, and a sudden flash of white light. The shovel blade itself glows as the lights in the windows of nearby cottages blink out. The sharp tang of ozone fills the air, along with the scent of burnt leather.
There's a loud yelp as Datsun's thrown back by the bright light and loud crack, falling over backwards into a sprawl on the ground. Trying to blink away the light and poking his ears as the Journeyman slowly sits up only to realize that his feet are on fire. "Hot, hot, hot, hot!" Quickly, his hands grab at his leather boots, trying to jerk them off several times before they're finally yanked off and thrown aside. "By the first Shell, what was that?"
Garait blinks and scratches his head as he wanders into the meadow, looking at the cottages without power. When he sees people, he raised an eyebrow, "What happened to the lights? Any idea?"
There are other shouts too, people running toward the hole and staring. There's a buzzing noise, and crackles as bluish sparks crawl back and forth at erratic intervals. Some of them seem to be reaching out, flickers of energy stretching towards Datsun, toward the other woodcrafters crowding around to see. A particularly large spark flicks across, and some of the lights flash on again for just a moment, followed by a tinkling sound as the bulb in a nearby overhead light shatters and falls to the ground. Whatever it is, it's not just here - there's people emerging from doorways and looking around, murmurs of confusion rising up. Some distance off, Jethaniel emerges from the crafter caverns, a few apprentices trailing behind him. He looks around, and his gaze falls on the cluster of woodcrafters, still with shovels. He looks at them. He looks at where they are. There's a moment. He snaps something to one of the apprentice, then breaks into a dead run heading toward the woodcrafter job site.
Still blinking, rubbing his poor feet and trying to clear out his ears all at once, poor Datsun's still seated on the ground as he watches people crowd around his hole… His brows furrow as he can't really hear anything but those sparks are obviously a warning that he had best get away. One particular spark lands right between his legs, too close for comfort, sending the Woodcrafter scrambling backwards across the ground until he's a safe distance away. slowly, he gets up, albeit gingerly, blinking up as the light bulb shatters, jumping away. Quietly, ever so quietly, he decides that it might be best he's not there, so he turns silently around on his heels, stepping slowly away… Walk away. Walk away. If you're not there, nothing happened!
Garait blinks as sparks fly and lights burst. This is why he works with animals. much safer. Most of the time anyway. "Oh this doesn't look good." He glances towards the stables and then towards where the herds are as if debating, "I hope evrything is okay….." Unsure of what to do, he keeps his distance somewhat.
Snap. Crackle. Pop. The sparks continue as Datsun moves away, like a tiny lightning storm. Hossen takes a step back, and hearing Garait, he shakes his head. "I dunno… don't seem good, though." Meanwhile, Jethaniel keeps running toward them, finally getting close enough to start pushing his way through the crowd. His journeyman's knot and the fact he's actually physically shoving those who don't move fast enough serve to clear his way. With this much ozone in the air, the techie is not bothering to be polite. With this much ozone… "Faranth." Ah, he's close enough now. He's seen it. The sparks, the thick bundle there that isn't actually roots at all. Something definitely happened. His gaze darts to Datsun. Sauntering away is not good enough. "Faster!" he orders, still not quite having his breath back and panting a bit. "Everyone stay back!"
Most people are off working having no idea what is about to happen. One of those is Idrissa and she is up in the hay loft of the stables busy getting hay bales ready for the evening feedings of the runners. She hums softly while she works and is just standing up tossing down another bunch of hay to the floor below where she has made a nice pile. It is a good thing there is a pile down bellow, as she is turning o grab another handful of hay this is when the lights go off. A sharp ack escapes her while she shifts, an during the process she manages to lose her footing. Down she falls onto that pile of hay which is the only thing that breaks her fall. For a few moments she is quiet peering upwards at the ceiling and unsure of what just happened. It takes her another few moments before she is slowly standing, hay sticking to her hair, clothing while she slowly makes her way out from the stables. "What in the shards is going on?" About this time she catches sight of the sparks off in the meadow and she blinks while keeping put, looking utterly confused.
Datsun notices the Techncrafter at the fateful work site, calling out, "Should I go get some water and put it out?" Poor Woodcrafter. He has no inkling of how to handle electricity. At Jethaniel's words, he does exactly that, setting off at a run, moving right past Garait, calling out, "Hey, you! Get away!" There is one place that seems far enough away from the pretty lights, and it's the Stables that Datsun heads to, reaching it within moments. Once there, the Journeyman turns around, watching the show from sparkles, "It's kind of pretty, though. From here."
Garait moves towards the stables a little and nods at Hossen, "Definitely doesn't look good." After hearing some commotio from the stables and takes a few steps more, a little concerned, "Everything okay in there? Need help?" Maybe this will keep him away from the sparks, which don't look good. When Datsn comes towards the Stables he asks, "What happened?"
Water? Jethaniel's eyes widen. "NO!" he shouts. He starts pushing some of the others back, encouraging those who aren't as swayed by words. Once the crowd has cleared off, he stares down at the hole. Oh, look, there's a shovel there. "…bridged the circuit…" he mutters, then glances back toward the Caverns as another spark crawls across the ground. "…need to get the message… who cleared this building site, anyway?" He frowns at it, looking back to where the woodcrafters and others have fled to. Indecision crosses his face, looking between hole, crowd, and caverns, until the wires give another crackle and then go silent. The electricity is now off. For the entire Weyr.
Idrissa rubs at the back of her head a few moments as she glances to Datsun curiously. "Datsun… You alright?" She feels the hay in her hair and works on pulling it out along with brushing more off of her clothing in the process. She hears the shout and blinks while peering upwards towards where Jethaniel is. "Oh dear." Is murmured out softly.
"What?" Datsun asks Idrissa and Garait as they both ask him what happened. It seems one ear can't hear very well yet but the other one can hear better, so he tilts his head to hear better. "What did you say? Oh, what happened?" There's a glance at the light show, considering his answer before responding with, "Technology happened." A helpless shrug, watching Jethaniel at the site. At his negative response to the offer of water, there's not much Datsun can do except stand and watch… as silence falls over the Weyr when the crackling stops. "This is why the old ways are better." A sigh.
Garait blinks a few times, looking into the Stables as best as he could, shaking his head, "This really isn't good." He glances towards Jethaniel's way. Yes, Right. Keep away from thos sparks and that area. "You okay Idrissa?" He shrugs at Datsun "Technology is…..convienient?" He scratches his head, "Should we be getting latern until the lights come back on?"
Jethaniel stares down into the hole. He appears slightly more pleased now that it's no longer crackling… well, he looks more pleased for a moment, at least. The immediate threat to life and limb has been averted. "…will need repairs, and…" He frowns again. "How did this happen?" Another glance at the shovel, and then he strides away from the hole in search of someone who knows what happened. Like, say, Datsun! The woodcrafter is recognizable, between the having been in the hole and the burnt boots. Jethaniel gives those another glance, and his frown deepens. He glances to the apprentices nearby, recognizing at least some of them, and points to Idrissa. "Watch the hole. Tell me if anyone's approaching it." Since, well, he's going to watch Datsun, facing the woodcrafter and speaking loudly. "You were responsible?"
Idrissa eyes Datsun a moment, wondering, a faint unsure glance is sent towards Garait and she looks back to the stables. "We have to be careful. With the hay an all of course. I was moving a bunch of it down from the hay loft so its all over the place at the moment." A latern in there in the wrong place could be a /very/ bad thing at the moment. Hearing Jethaniel she looks back to him, blinking she ohs and nods while she shifts forward a few steps and watches that hole from her place. "Alright." She'll watch it like no one else can!
"Uh…" Noticing Jethaniel glance at the burnt boots, Datsun glances down at his own feet. Yeah, there's no way he's getting out of this one. The evidence is too concrete, plus there were witnesses. Rubbing the back of his neck, Datsun gives the other Journeyman a guilty look, "Yeah, I did. Thought it was a root, though. I didn't see anything, all I felt was something stopping my shovel. Sorry, Journeyman Jethaniel…" There's a look around the Weyr, "I just gave you a lot of work to do, didn't I?" As for Garait and Idrissa, he just shrugs, "It's not that convenient for me."
Garait nods Idrissa and blushes. Stables, hay and lamps don't mix. Right. This is why he works with herdbeasts, not runners or in the stables. Seeing Jethaniel approach and taking control, he relaxes a little and raises an eyebrow as he talks to Datsun. "Is there anything I could do?" he offers tantively, even though he's not sure what that would be……
"That was not a root," says Jethaniel. "That was the main power line. You're lucky you aren't dead. Be more careful in the future," he tells Datsun calmly, then moves on in a brisk tone. "I want a fence around there as soon as possible. The circuit has been killed, but there may be a residual charge in the lines. Nobody is to go there without a techcraft journeyman." He glances to Garait. "Keep well away and safe," is what he tells the beastcraft apprentice. Another thought reaches him, and he frowns again, looking back to Datsun. "Who approved this work?"
Idrissa eyes that hole while she listens in on the conversation between Jethaniel and Datsun. She glances back towards them seeming rather curious to see who all approved the work.
"A fence?" Datsun echoes Jethaniel, raising an eyebrow, "Okay. I'm sure there's something portable somewhere. If not, I'll put together something quickly. It's my fault, anyway." The Crafter has at least that much sense to be responsible for his actions, even if it was a pure accident. There's a nod from him, "Yeah. Technology's dangerous." There's a light shake of his head, thumbing his thumb over at a Senior Journeyman milling close by with the other Woodcrafters, "He did. That project was his to manage. Name's Doritos."
Garait nods at the Journeyman, "Yes sir. Will do." Easy enough to do. He listens to the questions and would hate to be that prticular Journeyman right now. He then glances at Idrissa thoughtfully, "Idrissa, are all the runners in?"
Jethaniel nods, satisfied, as Datsun agrees to make the fence. "It can be," he agrees on the matter of technology's danger, then nods again and turns abruptly away to go talk to that Senior Journeyman and get some answers. Time to trace the chain of causation unto the third degree… or as many degrees as he should decide are necessary. Jethaniel's not going to leave the site until there's a fence in place, and he's not going to start repairs with just what he has on hand (himself, and a couple helpful beastcrafters), which means he's got a nice moment here with nothing else to do but get to the bottom of things. Other techies will start arriving before long, looking to Jethaniel as first responder and talking in quick, jargon-filled comments around the interrogation of Doritos.
"There's a few still out in the paddock." Idrissa answers the question dealing with the runners from Garait. Herg aze flicks towards Doritos at the talk of him being in charge of this little bit of crazyness. As more techies arrive she glances over one an then another to try and follow the conversation, which isn't working in the least.
Datsun watches Jethaniel go and have a little chat with with the Senior in charge, shrugging. Not his fault the site wasn't a good site. Looking over at Idrissa and Garait with a little grin, "Think of it like the whole Weyr's camping out. We should build a nice bonfire out here and have a barbeque while your technology's down." Notice he said 'your'. "Anyway, I'm gonna go find something for a fence. Be back in a bit." Then the Journeyman Woodcrafter heads off in search for said portable fence towards the Woodcraft Shop, disappearing inside.
Garait nods at Idrissa alowly, thinking and once the techies arrive speaking the jargon, he asks, "Do you want me to bring them in while you watch the hold?" Might as well be a little helpful and get away from the jargon talk and better than helping with a fence, which he'd probably mess up. "No bonfires right now I think."
There is plenty of conversation to be had, but in the end, Jethaniel finds out what he wants to know. He retires to a spot near the hole, having asked someone (whoever was handy) to bring him a chair. He thanks Idrissa absently, and then? Ah, then he'll just sit and wait until the fence is ready. The apprentices who were following him before come and gather around, and he turns the situation into an impromptu lesson. This moment is very teachable.
Idrissa peers after Datsun and then looks to Jethaniel, a nod seen while she waves after him. Well this has been a barrel of fun! No not really. She still has so much work to do back in the stables and now in the dark at that. "Ya, we can go get them back in. An work on figuring out something for light to." This offered as she turns and is moving back into the dark stables to do just that.
Several minutes pass, then a few more, then a couple more until Journeyman Datsun reappears, carrying four quickly put-together fence sections, two on each side of him. He's thoughtfully put together small wooden crosses at the base of each fence post so that it's made portable. No sticking into the ground required. Humming cheerily to himself as he saunters along back towards the Stables, which seems to be the meeting point for people now. Once he's arrived, the fence sections are set down, patting them. "Here you go, Journeyman Jethaniel. If you need more, just let me know."
Garait follows Idrissa, "Yes light would be good. Don't want anyone getting hurt in here. I'll do what I can." Keeping away from the teaching of a lesson in a different Craft sounds good about now. He glances back as Datsun comes back, but heads to do more work.
Jethaniel nods to Datsun, picking up one of the posts to consider it. "These should suffice," he acknowledges. "Journeyman Datsun, was it?" Look, he remembered someone's name! Or maybe Doritos mentioned it. Either way. "I may wish to speak to you later for a further report, but I believe I understand the situation adequately. If you find yourself short of breath, speak to a healer promptly. If you notice burns, they may be treated normally."
Garait is busy helping Idrissa figuring out what to do about lights in the stables and bringing the runners back in, so isn't paying too much attention to conversations at the moment.
"Aye, that's my name. We worked on the trusses for the Hatching Sands as well." answers Datsun, nodding once Jethaniel finds his work sufficient for what's needed. "Sure, that's okay. Whatever you need, just let me know." There's a look over at the worksite then at himself. His feet are now clad in boots again, obviously having found another pair while he was working on the fence sections. Raising an eyebrow, "Thanks for the information. I think I'll go get myself checked out in any case. Wouldn't do to fall over dead."
"There is a chance of that, yes," says Jethaniel in a matter of fact tone. "Death would likely have been instantaneous, though." Maybe that's meant to be comforting? He certainly smiles slightly as he says it, before going and getting those apprentices to help with setting up the fence. One of them is even sent off to get the 'Warning! Electrical Danger!' signs to hang onto it.
Datsun raises an eyebrow at that and his little smile. "That's
comforting." When in reality, it only further serves his distrust of technology, watching the apprentices and others get busy to work, "Well, I do think I'll let you get to work… Have fun." Nevermind the fact that he was the one to create the work in the first place. A nod is given to Jethaniel as he heads off towards the infirmary to get checked out.