[Eureka] Firm Foundations

[Faith Augustin]

29th Ymiden, 721

"I was rather hoping, Mr Pendleton," Faith said quietly, "that we would be able to negotiate a discount." Mr Pendleton - of Snogdrass, Pendleton and Snoot - looked at her in surprise. Shock even. "Mrs Augustin, you know we are consummate professionals and our building work is worth every copper nell we charge. Why, oh why would be in the position to even consider a discount?" Faith looked at him and smiled, softly. "Mr Pendleton, please. I've owned two businesses, and we both know that such a large construction project brings with it a number of useful and economical opportunities for yourself. The ability to buy materials in large numbers, for example, will allow you to negotiate a deal with your suppliers. That is common practice, yes?" He looked at her and his eyes narrowed slightly. But, she was right. "Well, yes." Faith nodded. "So, why on Idalos would I accept that you should charge me full amount per building? That seems unrealistic, does it not?"

Faith gestured to the area they were. "This place is a gold mine for you, is it not? Regular income for quite a time, coming from well-known clients. It's a very useful and lucrative commission. Also, it will be a place seen by many. Isonomia, the Order of the Adunih, academics and scientists. If, for example, we were to display signs on buildings, crediting you with their construction, that might bring in more revenue, don't you think?" Pendleton looked at her and considered that she was a very short shark dressed as a kind and charitable woman. "But they're so very specialist, many of the things you're asking for," he said.

With a nod, Faith acknowledged that point. "Agreed. They are. But equally, that allows you to be the first person that people think of when they think of specialist buildings. The observatory will be the talk of the academic community. Our endorsement could mean a lot to you, don't you think?" Pendleton looked at her and sighed. "You are a difficult woman to argue with, Mrs Augustin." Faith beamed at him. "I know," she said, honestly. "It's like being bitten to death by a small but determined mouse, I believe?" He smiled at her. "Only if the mouse is well-known and renowned for her kindness and charity."

"That's some mouse," Faith chuckled and Pendleton smiled. "I tell you what, Mrs Augustin," he said. "Let me have another look at these numbers and I'll get back to you. I make no promises, mind you, but I'll get back to you. How does that sound?"

Faith smiled. "That sounds ideal," she said. "So, lets move on and talk about what we want, shall we?"

Did he look relieved? She thought so.

[Faith Augustin]

29th Ymiden, 721

"I'm going to put the discussion about our home on a separate pile, if that's alright," she said. Mr Pendleton nodded. "That's fine," he replied and smiled to himself. She was quite a literal thing, he thought - she actually had piles of paperwork there. He raised an eyebrow as she explained. "What I've got here is a piece of parchment for each building. I'm doing it that way so that we do not get confused between them," He nodded and considered that it was quite a large pile. "However this," she said, sliding a piece of parchment to him . "Is the overview. Each building has a corresponding code on it, and each page relating to that building will have that code and the page number on the top right. So we can easily access information." Mr Pendleton considered that she would have a marvellous future in office work and organising things if she wanted it, but he supposed that - all things considered - it wasn't worth suggesting that to her.


Instead, he looked at the list.

Library: Large main room - but we also need smaller reading rooms - storage - space. 2 floors? (L1)

Guard House/Security: Needs to be secure, barracks or rooms for security. Placement is important - also have a kitchen. (G1)

Inn: Communal eating area. Rooms upstairs. Cellar downstairs. Good kitchens. (I1)

Stables: Stables and animal care. (S1)

Apothecary/Healers Den: Gardens. Classrooms. Treatment Rooms. Greenhouses. (A1)

Farm & Garden: About 25 acres. Farm - farmland. (F1)

Observatory: Highest point, highest spec - lots of rooms. Large, domed glass roof? (O1)

Dormitories: Single and double rooms. Shared sitting room. Small shared kitchen. (D1)

"Well, this is well organised," Mr Pendleton said and Faith chuckled. "Guilty," she said. Then, she tapped two items. "The observatory is very much on our priority list and will be the building I think most people want. However, we also need to be realistic and have somewhere for people to live. Can we prioritise the Inn and the Observatory?" He nodded. "We can. Not the Dormitories?" Faith tapped her pencil slightly, considering if there was anything she had not thought of in making that call. "No," she said. "I want to focus on feeding people. Once the Inn is up, then the Dormitories next." He nodded.

"Can you be working on the Observatory and the Inn at the same time?" Mr Pendleton considered this and then made an affirmative sort of grunt noice. "We can, yes. There is a law of diminishing returns in terms of people building structures. There is an optimum number. We will have the optimum number working on the observatory, and the rest on the Inn" Faith was happy with that. She didn't want to let anyone down, but she also knew that a clear and well-planned use of resources would aid the logistics here.

And that could only be a good thing, as far as Faith was concerned. "Alright," she said. "Lets look at the house?"

[Faith Augustin]

29th Ymiden, 721

"Actually," Faith said, thinking to herself. "There is one other thing that I have on another pile. I want to set up a medical research facility for the Order of the Adunih. A place where people can come on sabbatical to undertake specific and focused medical research. That will be funded separately, by the Order itself and would be part of the deal the Order has with yourselves." Mr Pendleton nodded his head. "What are you looking for, there?" He looked at the piece of parchment Faith had which contained information. "I want a large lab, a library, and lots of storage. We might need to make sure that things are kept cold while being used, not just in storage, so a cool room for working on cadavers and other cold-requiring things." He raised an eyebrow and Faith gazed back at him with a placid expression on her face. Silver eyes maintained eye contact with him as she looked - and was - entirely unapologetic.

"Quite so," he said with a slight moue of distaste." Faith carried on, apparently oblivious. "Also," she said. "We have boats, which I'd like to use, we're right on the river and I think it will help. Is there anything we need to do with regards to them?" Mr Pendelton considered. "I don't believe so. We can have a look, though, see if you want to build a jetty?" Faith nodded.

"So, with the Adunih Research Hub there, we can move on to the house. It's beautiful, Mr Pendleton, and I want to make sure that we keep it as close to the original as we can. There's a lot of stained glass, it's just lovely," Half way up a mountain, more than half built into the mountain, Faith was delighted with it, as was Padraig. She smiled at Mr Pendleton. "Can you make the windows you have to replace in keeping with those you can restore? And, the same inside, really. The more that can be done in keeping with the existing structure and design, the better." He nodded, making notes as he did.

"I want to be able to get us going as quickly as we can," Faith said. "But if there is a choice to be made between efficiency and quality, quality always wins." That was important to her, important that he understood that. She was more than willing to go into as much detail as he needed - she could deal with that. "Also, I've seen the land, it's good. The soil is odd, but everything is here. However, I think we can get to the point of self-sufficiency when we utilise all our resources. I want to focus my own efforts there, at first." He raised an eyebrow. "When you say utilise all your resources, Mrs Augustin?"

"Well, we're next to the river, so I want to get fishing and crab pots and so on. Then, the farmland. Animals, and I'd like to get an orchard or vineyard maybe on the side of the mountain and inside the mountain I want to start a mushroom farm." He blinked at her in surprise. "A mushroom farm?" Faith nodded. "Yes. A very overlooked ingredient, the mushroom. The point of this is that I want to absolutely maximise what we are doing here, and that includes our foodstuff. " Mr Pendleton nodded. "An excellent idea, for sure. I think I have everything. I will draw up a schedule and revisit the pricing," he said. Faith nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?" It was a lot to do in one evening, but she had no time to waste and Mr Pendleton was eager to get started, she knew.


And so, once she'd seen him out of there, Faith carried on with getting things started. There was a lot to do and they just had to get on, one job at a time.

[Doran]

Faith:

Knowledge: -
Loot: A 25% discount on the building of the settlement buildings in exchange for a) bulk purchase and b) advertising the building.
Lost: -
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: 10. There will be a lot of opportunities for Pendleton, but this will also affect Faith and Eureka!
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 10

- - -

Comments: I’m quite impressed with Faith‘s skills at negotiation, I have to admit. She mentions that such a large construction project brings with it a number of useful and economical opportunities for Mr. Pendleton and that this place is a gold mine for him and will be seen by a lot of people, for example – and even mentions crediting him. She is quite thorough!

Mr. Pendleton’s thinking that Faith was a very short shark dressed as a kind and charitable woman amused me as did her comment that it was like being bitten to death by a small but determined mouse. That’s some mouse, indeed. I like the sense of humor in this thread!

And I agree with Pendleton, Faith would have a marvelous future in office work and organizing things if she wanted it. It is obvious that she is highly skilled in logistics. I appreciate that you included the actual list in this thread. I look forward to seeing all those buildings take shape!

Enjoy your rewards!