29 Searing 1233
There was the good stuff and then there was the better stuff which Dakkur supplied the city. While it was mostly for the bare necessities the word of course would spread and more and more people would ask for him. While at first he had the belief that beggars could not be choosers and he had to take every job as they came, he soon came to the conclusion that beggars could not be choosers and as it was his services which was needed he had the freedom to choose and dictate the work he would end up doing. This was especially true when he provided something which used to be a necessity which was taken for granted by much of the city. Water. Actually, clean water. The importance of this resource was not something which even he underestimated by how could he turn down the chance to make something for the magical community of Zaichaer? No it was not like he wanted an in- he kind of already had his own links to it, but he had wanted to make something for them very, very very much.
Had he mentioned he wanted the opportunity to make something for them very, very, very much? Of course he did bit the reasons for which were not so benign as anyone would believe and not even as selfish as he would lead them to believe, that he wanted more access, more resources and more knowledge that they could give him.
In fact it was the latter which he wanted for himself although because he made something for them, it was something he could easily produce by himself. Such was the Doelish ways. And because he was working for the magical community, it made it easier for him to work within his quirks, as they too would be aware of the otherworldly powers which were at play. It was not like they could not make their own anymore, everyone had access to their magic again but for how long? What if it was temporary and they needed his services again? Prudence and practicality won out and they decided to let Dakkur continue to maintain the devices every cycle of the moon until they could be sure, for the most efficient of the devices he could make for them, despite his odd and somewhat opportunistic terms. That and whatever additional cost he would incur on behalf of them so they could have his clean water, and then some. it was simple. Prepare him the site. Prepare him the materials for both the ritual and the repairs. Prepare for him the bribes- not to be mistaken as bribes for him as rightfully, whatever he would be getting should be referred to as payment for services rendered.
As he had done every cycle, he got to the one and only device he was commissioned for and practically, the only one he could maintain for his own purposes. "Sup" he asked, as he had his and on a lever which was returned by the usually annoyed reply of "what do I think? I mean you know, I'm always watching, listening, but its good to know what my partner also thinks." Partner was of course a term used loosely but as their contract has been mutually beneficial, Dakkur liked to think they were somewhat in it together so "don't tell me you're bored. You've been listening to a lot which I think you can use. Also I'm pretty sure you found some new friends too. You would tell me right?" Actually no since the mages knowing how certain magics worked too made sure that Dakkur stipulated in the contract that his partner spirit would not tell him the more intricate runnings of their community- he was not a part of the community, "right?" as he was reminded. He did not need to know anything from the spirit anyway, as they both knew, although his commissioners would not know that either thanks to his own previous dealings. Such were the nature of these sort of dealings.
But their conversation was not just for fun as Dakkur still needed to know his own partners disposition. Just how much longer? "You're not in for a change of scenery are you? This still is probably the most cushiest task you've ever been given and all you have to do is sit down and get paid" which speaking of the payment, "I've gotten this month's" in a nice little bag he was jangling along. Aven? Hah. That was for boring people who could not perform magic. For the mages and spirits though it was all the rage "so if you don't want to renew this contract or want me to find something else for you to do, you better tell me now so I can get someone else to take a shift" or two, or three, funny that the spirits are so long lived that if Dakkur was talking to someone else at their job a shift would mean a few hours but for them, try thinking of it in seasons.
"Anyway I'll let you go back home for a bit while I check on the device to see it working," If only Dakkur could see the spirit's... face... as he knew it took a contract like this with him to stay away from its own home plane. That said it had its own reasons so "just relax, you know I appreciate your situation so I'll do the check quickly and you'll be back in no time" that was for sure. One thing he could be certain of, unlike him these mages had no interest in machinery so unlike the other devices he would have to check along Zaichaer, there were only a few things he had to go through. Structural integrity? Check. Pump? Works. Were the parts whole? Yes they were. Pump pump pump. The suction was still there although without the spirit the water would not be coming out just yet but the checks were satisfactory so he had no reason to delay bringing back his partner any further. Well he could just to... yeah it would be better not to too.