Forge Master
Howdy! Ready to see the next place?
The neighborhood is kind of industrial, but don't let that stop you. C'mon in. The place is a modified live-work loft, with more total floorspace than usual, but there aren't as many takers as you might think, and I'm sure you can see why: the rooms are stacked one on top of the other, four floors' worth, so you'll definitely get a lot of exercise running up and down these stairs. We're on the bottom floor, and the architechs figured that most occupants would use it for parties and such; that's why the kitchen is down here, as well. There's a half-bathroom and the washer-dryer hookup one floor up, the master bathroom the floor above that, and a kind of miscellaneous rumpus room at the top with the "back" door opening out onto the top floor of the building. There's a little patio on the ground floor, so you'll have room for barbecues and the like if the weather permits. The owners won't let you do anything to the fence that's visible from the outside, but I can get you in touch with some good landscapers and contractors if you want to set up a garden or pave the space over completely or whatever.
Your most significant neighbor is a Forge Master, one of the Elemental Masters. The actual shop is fairly busy around the clock, but they've managed to put in some interesting sound baffles to keep the neighbors happy. I understand that installing the stuff is a pretty lucrative sideline, though I'm more than a bit disturbed by the rumors that the Guardians of the Veil are their biggest customers. Anyway, one of the most interesting things about the shop is that, as far as the Sleepers are concerned, they make most of their money disposing of hazardous industrial waste. I mean, it's a fairly basic exercise for any Moros out of their apprenticeship to break the usual nastiness down into simpler components; the real challenge is figuring out a way to do it that doesn't endanger the Veil. Calling it a "trade secret" doesn't cut a lot of ice with the EPA without a little extra finagling, after all.
As it turns out, a lot of modern industrial "waste" contains some pretty impressive amounts of the "Ancients' Metals" in one proportion or another. I'll freely admit that I was gobsmacked by how much gold and silver goes into making modern computers. And yeah, I've heard about people stealing copper from foreclosed houses and abandoned buildings, but the lead and mercury... Wow! Sorry, I'm just impressed. Anyway, the whole list is gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, lead and marcury. After separating out the ancient metals and foisting the "dross" off onto the next set of chemical processing companies, the shop takes the 'good stuff' and produces perfected stuff. It winds up being a tenth of the size and mass of the original material, but willworkers from all over the state will trade serious Mana, favors and other forms of payment for regular shipments of the stuff, and that's nothing compared to what the shop can design to specifications.
Anyway, the upsides to having a Forge Master and her shop as a neighbor are fairly straightforward. They're always looking for another pair of hands to help out, and the local recycling program is second to none. If you've got any sympathy for the labor union point of view, then you'll be welcome.
They've tried to deal with the logical downsides as much as they can; I already mentioned the soundproofing they've installed in the surrounding residences is about the best you can get without using actual magic. And, of course, if you demonstrate any kind of patrician attitude toward mages who do physical labor as part of their magic and to earn their mundane living, then you can expect a fairly cold shoulder.
But overall, they're good people.
What do you think of the place?
The neighborhood is kind of industrial, but don't let that stop you. C'mon in. The place is a modified live-work loft, with more total floorspace than usual, but there aren't as many takers as you might think, and I'm sure you can see why: the rooms are stacked one on top of the other, four floors' worth, so you'll definitely get a lot of exercise running up and down these stairs. We're on the bottom floor, and the architechs figured that most occupants would use it for parties and such; that's why the kitchen is down here, as well. There's a half-bathroom and the washer-dryer hookup one floor up, the master bathroom the floor above that, and a kind of miscellaneous rumpus room at the top with the "back" door opening out onto the top floor of the building. There's a little patio on the ground floor, so you'll have room for barbecues and the like if the weather permits. The owners won't let you do anything to the fence that's visible from the outside, but I can get you in touch with some good landscapers and contractors if you want to set up a garden or pave the space over completely or whatever.
Your most significant neighbor is a Forge Master, one of the Elemental Masters. The actual shop is fairly busy around the clock, but they've managed to put in some interesting sound baffles to keep the neighbors happy. I understand that installing the stuff is a pretty lucrative sideline, though I'm more than a bit disturbed by the rumors that the Guardians of the Veil are their biggest customers. Anyway, one of the most interesting things about the shop is that, as far as the Sleepers are concerned, they make most of their money disposing of hazardous industrial waste. I mean, it's a fairly basic exercise for any Moros out of their apprenticeship to break the usual nastiness down into simpler components; the real challenge is figuring out a way to do it that doesn't endanger the Veil. Calling it a "trade secret" doesn't cut a lot of ice with the EPA without a little extra finagling, after all.
As it turns out, a lot of modern industrial "waste" contains some pretty impressive amounts of the "Ancients' Metals" in one proportion or another. I'll freely admit that I was gobsmacked by how much gold and silver goes into making modern computers. And yeah, I've heard about people stealing copper from foreclosed houses and abandoned buildings, but the lead and mercury... Wow! Sorry, I'm just impressed. Anyway, the whole list is gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, lead and marcury. After separating out the ancient metals and foisting the "dross" off onto the next set of chemical processing companies, the shop takes the 'good stuff' and produces perfected stuff. It winds up being a tenth of the size and mass of the original material, but willworkers from all over the state will trade serious Mana, favors and other forms of payment for regular shipments of the stuff, and that's nothing compared to what the shop can design to specifications.
Anyway, the upsides to having a Forge Master and her shop as a neighbor are fairly straightforward. They're always looking for another pair of hands to help out, and the local recycling program is second to none. If you've got any sympathy for the labor union point of view, then you'll be welcome.
They've tried to deal with the logical downsides as much as they can; I already mentioned the soundproofing they've installed in the surrounding residences is about the best you can get without using actual magic. And, of course, if you demonstrate any kind of patrician attitude toward mages who do physical labor as part of their magic and to earn their mundane living, then you can expect a fairly cold shoulder.
But overall, they're good people.
What do you think of the place?