Why a carpenter

So Krastus, I hear you ask, why are you a windmage? Because those dark magics that the Kraken use gave me some natural talent and over the years I have refined that. That is a boring question. You should have asked 'Krastus! Why are you a carpenter?!'.

Oh, that is a good question. First of all let me congratulate you on such a wise choice of question.

When I was very young, many malts ago, I realised I did not feel quite at home in the water. Or on the land. It is a hard thing being a scurillion, we do not entirely belong anywhere. We were never meant to be, but made. While this makes us better, that only further serves to alienate us. Then - before all the waters rose - my father decided we should move and I did. And that first time on a boat? Scuttling on the prow? I realised I felt free - there was little natural about boats. It was people triumphing over nature, and it felt as though I was an equal as none of us in truth belonged where but we had forged an existance. I could feel the wind, and it was home.

I am sure everyone grew quite tired of my interest in boats. But I stayed at the docks often, watching the boats come by - blowing small model boats with my young powers. You see, a windmage can get on any boat they like - I was always told this. That I would have some guaranteed work. Except, if you know scurillions you know the prejudice we face from the inferior species. It isn't their fault I suppose, but they do. And I knew that I would go crazy if I was stuck on land for too long without any freedom.

So I watched, and I learnt, and I realised two things. The first is that carpenters are as desired as wind mages, the second is that boats were kept in bad conditions. To take so much from ships that gave us so much? It was not just wrong, it was a crime. So I spent my time helping the crews - I could help get barnacles off, go diving to check on seams under the waterline, use my pincers to hold planks or logs while I manipulated them with my hands. I used our advantages, those things that mark us as different, to my advantage. And I gave back to the ships. And over time I became a carpenter, a good one.

But, there is something else to it. Something...I do not know, deeper. As we were made by the krakens from simple crabs, advanced, made special, so I view the ships as the same. The others have made them as best they can - but surely scurillions can make them better? Can improve them? Then no-one would say a scurillion would not have a place, for we gave them better boats. Better ships. Better lives.