[center][b][h1]Bork[/h1][/b][/center]

Bork’s eyes lit up as the abbot explained what the stuff was for.  Finding a use for the hat was trivial.  Finding a use for all the other things?  Quite a few possibilities.  [b]”Once we have a couple days of good weather in a row, I can probably come up with something,”[/b] he said.  It was more than just a stall.  The rain made outings unpleasant, and also limited visibility.

The engineer turned his eyes next to regard Andrew’s mural scribblings, and thoughtfully scratched his short, grizzled beard.  [b]”How to scale up an operation is always tricky,”[/b] he mused, without taking his eyes off of the writing.  [b]”And a village even more so.  What Pigeon Spit needs first, in my view, is a *reason* to grow.  Give people a *reason* to move here, and they’ll build their own houses if you let ‘em.”[/b]

The dwarf peered up thoughtfully at the ceiling for a moment, then lowered his eyes to face the abbot.  [b]”If word got out that we had struck gold, or cleared a bunch of farmland that turned out to be fertile, or started bringing in a bunch of narwhal ivory from our fisheries, or found a big colony of martens in the forest to trap,  people would come.  They would figure out for you how to make that happen.”[/b]

He glanced back at the chalk-festooned wall.  [b]”So we need something that promises people wealth.  That’s why I’ve been thinking of trying to make the mines more profitable, by finding better stuff to mine, or figuring out how to make the current operation more efficient.  That’s why I think your idea of having the farmers plant flax is a good one.  And why I think we need a better handle on what kind of fauna we have out there.  Are there otter or beavers or martens to trap?  Seal or walrus or narwhals to harvest?  Mackerel and tuna we can press into oil?

“So that, Your Grace, is where I want to start.  As soon as weather permits, let’s get out there and figure what are the best reasons Pigeon Spit has to grow.  Then we can figure out the best way to build a town for it to grow into.  I have plenty of designs and brainstorms I can scribble into that book you gave me to fill.  But if you want a *plan* we need to go get those answers.”[/b]

He exhaled slowly and turned his regard back to the abbot.  [b]”Those are generalities.  To be more specific, we should start with a census.  With less than eight-score people, figuring out what we already have in terms of manpower shouldn’t be too hard.  We can do that now even before the weather breaks, since we’re basically just going from door to door.  Heck, set up at the inn and offer them free beer if they come to *you*.  For a bit of free beer you’d save yourself a lot of work.  And while they’re enjoying that beer we can ask other questions.  How is their trade going?  What’s holding them back?  What would make them more productive and profitable?”[/b]

Bork paused.  [b]”So, what does the abbot think?”[/b]