Plans For The Hall

Writers: AmajoS, Heather
Date Posted: 17th May 2019

Characters: Kefnek, Zathris
Description: Hallmaster and Lord Holder discuss future plans for the Hall.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 10, day 28 of Turn 9

Zathris

Kefnek was just exiting the Hall, about to take a walk to examine how
the the early Spring vine work was going. Really, it was just an
excuse to get out of that infernal office for a little while as it was
still a little -too- early in Spring for much to be going on. He'd
never been one to enjoy sitting still for so long though, preferring
to be hands-on with his work. However, he was discovering that being a
Hallmaster seemed to be mostly desk work. When it wasn't dealing with
personnel issues, that is.

The Lord Holder arrived at the Vintner Hall on runnerback, enthused to
have the excuse to do some riding. His personal escort of guards
traveled around him, while his canine loped by his side, tongue
lolling from the trip. Zathris jumped down from the runner's back,
blue-green eyes blazing with invigoration, cheeks flushed with the
wind from the ride. Getting outdoors always boosted his spirit.
Zathris' eyes zeroed in on the unfamiliar man's shoulder knots, who
was exiting the Hall, immediately. "Hullo there," he said, striding to
meet the man with a hand outstretched. "I take it you are our new
Hallmaster."

"That would be me," Kefnek agreed. " I apologize for not having been
down to the hold, Lord Holder. The transition has kept me busy."

"No need to apologize," Zathris assured him. "I am grateful for the
excuse to get out of the Hold for a bit."

"Understandable." He certainly knew the need to get out and about.
"I'm about to head out to check on how the early work is going on the
vines, if you'd like to come along?"

"I would enjoy that," Zathris nodded to the guards behind him, one of
which swung off his runner and trailed behind the Lord Holder at a
suitable distance. "So tell me," he said as they walked, "what plans
do you have for the Hall?"

"Well, for one thing, I plan on expanding our production across the
board. Supply is not keeping up with demand as well as I would like."
He glanced over at the Lord Holder, "I want to increase the size of
our orchards in particular, fruit ciders and liquors are very popular
these days it seems. Also, I plan on sending some journeymen out to
the old site to see if they can retrieve any more cuttings of the
strains we had to abandon."

Zathris looked over the rows upon rows of vines as they walked. The
Vintner Hall gardens really were beautiful, he thought. "Increasing
the orchards, I like the sound of that. Do you have the farmers you
will need to go forward with the expansion?"

"We'll need a few more, for certain," Kefnek agreed. "The ones we have
already on staff won't be enough, and most of them don't specialize in
trees. I'll want a couple who do." He planned on asking the
Farmercreft Hall for at least two crafters to be sent along with the
saplings he planned to order.

"Not that the ones we already have won't be busy, I plan on expanding
the cereal fields as well."

Zathris nodded at the plans. "That sounds ambitious. I like it. The
Hall has needed a new direction."

"Change and growth are part of life," Kefnek replied. It wasn't just
that he wanted to expand for expansion's sake, despite his words. The
new Hall was well enough established now that business was increasing
at nearly the same rate they were producing. He had discovered that
they had little surplus at any given time. Which was a dangerous state
of affairs.

"That's true," Zathris agreed. "Where were you stationed before
accepting the position?" he asked.

"I've lived at the Hall my whole life. I considered looking for a
posting elsewhere when I got my Journeyman knots, but decided to stay
and work here instead. I married shortly after I got them and didn't
want to uproot my new wife."

"So you were at Amethyst Cliffs then?" Zathris asked.

"Before the earthquake, yes." He still lamented the vines lost in that
disaster. Some strains buried completely and lost forever, but he
hoped that after all this time, some might have survived and regrown
from the rubble.

"While I lament what happened at Amethyst Cliffs, I am very happy to
have the Hall here at Amber Hills." Zathris looked around the vineyard
at apprentices and journeymen who were out working in the vines "If
there is anything I can do to support you in your new vision for the
Hall, don't hesitate to ask."

"I appreciate it, Lord Holder. I may take you up on that offer for
laborers and the such, as things progress."

"Good, now," Zathris smiled, "what are the chances of getting a little
taste testing in while I'm here?"

The Hallmaster's lips twitched in amusement and he replied, "I think
something can be arranged, Lord Holder."

Last updated on the May 17th 2019

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Plans For The Hall