Barb

First Appearance and Context

Barb is first seen arriving with his father as visitors gather outside the Day Gate at the Concent of Saunt Edhar. During the opening of the gates at Apert, he studies the stone‑arch bridge, the water‑driven wheel, and the driveshaft that couples to the hinges, and he is the first visitor to cross into the math over the bridge.

Roles/Actions and Affiliations

• An extramuros youth visiting with Artisan Quin, Barb focuses on the engineering of the bridge and gate mechanism.
• He recognizes the bridge’s catenary curve and infers that the long driveshaft is assembled from straight segments joined by concealed universal joints within the bases (plinths) of the statues along the span.
• He reasons that the shaft is made of old matter rather than newmatter, given the concent’s age and history as he understands it.

Relationships

• Father: Artisan Quin. Quin prompts him to exchange greetings with avout but Barb remains fixated on the mechanism.
• Interaction: A brief exchange with Fraa Erasmas, who confirms Barb’s deductions about the shaft and joints.

Descriptions/Characteristics

• Described as a shorter likeness of Quin, without the beard.
• Highly observant and mechanically minded; speaks with crisp, factual precision, naming features such as “catenary,” “universal joint,” and “plinth.”

Current Status/Location

Present within the concent grounds during Apert after crossing the bridge; no further information about his movements or activities is given.