awashrpg | #C7131D - winter preparation guide

[ color and with apologies for the length i'm so sorry about sebastian ]

All,

Before I get to the matter at hand, please allow me to introduce myself if I have not yet met your acquaintance. I am Sebastian Michaelis, the head butler of the Phantomhive household, though from my conversations thus far, I do expect that this may not mean anything.

Regardless, as the season seems to be autumn, I have some inquiries and matters to bring up with regards to winter. After speaking with Mr. Arisato, I was given the impression that this may not be being prepared for. So first, if you are making preparations for the upcoming season, please let me know. This brings us to the main reason that I am reaching out.

From my understanding, no residents have experienced the winters here, and so I would believe it to be of critical importance that we over-prepare with the idea that the winters may be quite harsh. It is better to assume the worst and have extra rather than the opposite, after all. As such, here is a list of the most important tasks that should be undertaken to ensure a survivable, if not comfortable winter:

Firewood - Wood should be collected and cut for firewood at a steadier rate than current. While it is not impossible to collect firewood during the winter, if there is a snowfall, it is much more difficult and could not be used immediately. I am used to preparations for a manor, so my estimation may be off, but I expect that for a particularly harsh winter, the houses here should expect to keep between nine and eleven cords of firewood. Storage for keeping the wood dry should also be built if you do not wish to or do not have room to keep your stockpile indoors.
Chimneys - Similarly, all chimneys (should your home have one) need to be cleaned in preparation for increased use. If you do not know how to clean a chimney, I offer my skills for this, since it is not a straightforward task.
Winter Clothing / Blankets - The clothing that can be found in the town may not be glamorous, but it is a good start for clothing more suited for the cold season. As you are running errands, pick up the clothing you find, since simply layering clothing is the best option to beat the chill. If you truly despise it, keep the fabric and begin making blankets, or donate it to someone who has the skill to do so. Similarly, for those of you hunting, please take care when skinning your animals to keep the fur as solid as possible. This fur can be used to line existing clothing, or larger pelts can be combined to make quite comfortable blankets once it has been treated.
Garden Preparation - While there are some crops that can be grown in the winter, they will not be as simple to undertake, especially in the case of snow. As the garden seems to be staffed by quite competent individuals, I will not delve into this topic too much unless requested, but I bring it up as a reminder, should it be needed.
Food Preparation - And most importantly, a portion of the food being currently harvested needs to be preserved. There are many methods with which to preserve both crops and meat alike, but the methods to best preserve each are dependent on the type of food it is. For example, some crops are best dried, while others should be pickled. If you would like my recommendations for a particular item, I will be happy to provide it.
General Maintenance - If your house is in a rather dilapidated state, now is the time to make any repairs you may need. The less sealed the house is, the more cold will seep in. It is especially important that you try and repair your roof if it is in poor shape, since it will help the most in keeping your home warm.

I personally have begun with these tasks, so if you would like instruction or simply company for them, either would be my pleasure.

And finally, as a general offer, if you are ever in need of assistance, do not hesitate to reach out. The nature of my profession has left me with a great many skills, and so I would imagine that I would be able to help with a great many tasks.

Thank you,
Sebastian Michaelis

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

how much is nine cords of firewood?

and how does cleaning a chimney work? i never thought it would be something complicated...

Quite a lot, I am afraid. One cord is a volume of four feet wide, four feet high, and eight feet long. A cord of firewood is approximate, since naturally you would never fill the space perfectly, but needless to say, it is no small amount. It depends on the trees, but a cord is usually a tree or two, so at least nine trees worth, but likely more.

As for the chimney, it is a rather manual process unless someone has the skill necessary to engineer the usual brushes... I am admittedly not very familiar with them since this is a service that we hire people for in the manor, but I may be able to experiment and come up with at least an approximation. Regardless, the general idea is to scrub the walls quite thoroughly to rid it of the soot buildup.

nine trees. that's not too bad! i think i can manage that by myself.

what would happen if we didn't clean it?

I am glad to hear it. Granted, I do not know the skills of all here, but simply considering some that I have met, I wondered if that amount may simply be too much... So if you can do so by yourself, I do recommend chopping extra if only to give to those who may not be able.

A fire, naturally. The soot is quite flammable, and the fire spreads especially quickly. I have not seen one myself, but I have read accounts in the papers of homes that were completely destroyed by something so simple.

that's true. some people's abilities are more suited for other things! and any extra i cut can be put in one of the supply depots.

oh. i didn't know soot can catch on fire! that's dangerous. do you think a strong gust of wind going up the chimney could get the soot out?

[Or maybe she'll go ahead and try on her own...]

Perhaps? I believe it would depend on just how caked on the soot was... If it is only on the surface, a large gust of wind may do the trick, but if it really must be scrubbed off, I doubt it.

Though do inspect the chimney a bit before doing so. Considering the state of the houses, I would not be surprised if there were bricks out of place... A strong enough gust of wind to blow off caked on soot could knock the structure down if it is not sturdy, I would guess.

luckily, my friend was once an apprentice to a chimney expert. i'll ask her to help me check it.

[And by Apprentice to A Chimney Expert she really means 'psychometer'.]

but you sure know a lot! i didn't even realize chimneys needed to be cleaned and i definitely wasn't thinking about winter at all. growing up in a city sure makes preparing to survive in this place hard! good thing we have people like you here!

I hope it is not rude to say so, but it was something of my impression that you were not necessarily alone in that... Which I do not say to hold any fault, mind you! If you are not used to preparing for the possibility of a harsh winter, then it is not something necessary to learn.

I suppose I can thank my master for being so demanding, lest I would not have quite the breadth of knowledge I do. Luckily, I can at least apply it more here than simply preparing for "what if"s.

i think a lot of us lived in cities. i know back in tokyo, if it got too cold we'd just go sit under the kotatsu or turn up the heat.

your master, huh. i know you said you were a butler but it's still a bit weird to see someone talking like that outside of some kind of butler or maid cafe. but i guess it's probably normal for you.

Is that so? Goodness, then cities must change quite a lot. Every time I go to London, it seems like quite a miserable place to live... [ industrial revolution time kind of sucks ] Though regardless, you must forgive me, since I know little of the East. What is a kotatsu? The fact that it is something you sit under makes it quite hard to visualize through context.

Quite. I take it is it sounds strange to you, my profession must fall out of fashion. Not that I am too surprised, mind you, but it is interesting all the same.

it's a low table with a heater under it! and then you drape a blanket over top so when you sit under it it's warm and cozy! Pretty much everyone has one and it's great to sit around it during winter and spend time with your family!

i guess some people still have butlers. at least they do on tv and in manga? usually they work for the characters who are ridiculously rich.

are there a lot of butlers where you're from?

It does sound quite comfortable, though it is still somewhat difficult to imagine... I take it that in years ahead, fire may not be as necessary? I have heard of some other implements to warm spaces, but they are all quite unwieldy so far.

I would not say a lot, necessarily. It is closer to your assessment that they are a luxury of the rich. My master is an earl, after all, and every noble house as far as I know has a butler. To not have one would be quite the sign of poverty, at least in this social class.

i don't think i've ever seen a fire used for heating except when we're camping. even fireplaces are usually just to create a special sort of atmosphere.

oh, i see. so it'd be like being the kid on the playground without the latest game system, right?

[It's not the same at all.]

All the better, I suppose. An open fire carries significant risks, so I am hardly that surprised to hear they are somewhat done away with.

However, I am afraid that your comparison escapes me.

they're kind of romantic though.

i guess you wouldn't know what video games are. put it another way, if a kid goes to school and everyone is talking about the newest fun thing everyone is doing and their parents didn't buy it for them they'd be bullied for being a loser.

is it like that?

Well, when put that way, precisely. Though I would say that it likely goes a bit beyond bullying... To be a noble house of little standing is almost worse than to be without nobility at all.

#C7131D - winter preparation guide

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