Porters
Porters carry goods and messages through the silos; many are now searching for Elise at Juliette's direction.
Story so far
Porters handle heavy stairway loads, including increased demand after cleanings, and are permitted to carry more than non-porters. Tandem teams synchronize their steps to balance burdens; Mission says older porters take mail duty because their knees are bad. Merchants summon them with stamped kerchiefs tied to rails, choosing a rail to indicate the direction of delivery.
Their work also carries information and influence. Bernard says they relayed reports of mine expansion. Some deliveries are recorded by hand to keep information out of wires, and orders for certain materials or excessive rope put customers on a watching list. Porters carry knives for packages, food, and keeping peace. They have attacked farmers lowering a generator to avoid porter charges, while Mission knows of plans to move heavy objects between landings without porters. A porter's kerchief identifies Mission to witnesses after a blast.
Porters have a duty to help people in need on the stairs. Many are now looking for Elise at Juliette's direction.
Role
They transport goods and messages, regulate aspects of stairway commerce, and are mobilized to search for Elise.
Relationships
Sources — 15 recorded facts, by chapter
- Porters carry heavy loads up the stairs to meet increased post-cleaning demand.
- Bernard says porters passed along reports of plans to expand the mines.
- Porters can carry heavier loads than non-porters are allowed to carry.
- Tandem porters use synchronized steps to keep heavy loads balanced.
- Mission says older porters take mail duty because their knees are bad.
- Mission knows of recently discovered plans to move a heavy object between landings without porters.
- Porters keep handwritten records of selected deliveries to prevent the information from entering wires.
- Porters place people who order certain materials or excessive rope on a watching list.
- Porters carry knives to open deliveries, cut food and keep peace while traveling through the silo.
- Porters attack farmers who are lowering a generator themselves to avoid porter charges.
- Merchants summon porters by tying stamped kerchiefs to the stair rails.
- The rail chosen for a merchant’s signal indicates the requested direction of delivery.
- Porters have a duty to help people in need on the stairs.
- A porter’s kerchief identifies Mission to witnesses after the blast.
- Many porters search for Elise at Juliette’s direction.