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Trouble With Transmutation [Torin]
Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 11:47 pm
by Sivan
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65 Searing 121
Jacun's Alchemical Goods
Transmutation was a thing, but it wasn't the thing that most people outside the realm of alchemy understood. The process for turning lead into gold, for example, was so energy-intensive and the return on one's energy investment was so small, that it was more cost-effective to just buy gold or go panning in a likely looking river. Master Jacun said there were some tricks one could pull—a mask for lead that made things react to it like it was platinum was one he mentioned. But now, Sivan had a task that was not easy, but should be possible even for a novice like him. He would turn iron into steel. This wasn't so wild an idea as his magic mirror, so he trotted around the supply bins to gather what he needed with at least a slim ray of hope that he might nail it on his first attempt. It would be nice to have an easy win for once, though that wasn't really his master's style.
So he put an iron ingot into the crucible and turned on the heat, muttering an incantation to enhance the phase change. Once it was liquid, he sprinkled soot over it. Frowning in concentration, he kept the sprinkle even so it would hopefully absorb equally, the carbon necessary for the transmutation. He wanted pure steel, not some monstrosity that was part iron and part steel and wholly unusable.
When he was satisfied that the ratio of iron to carbon was correct, he turned off the heat and unlocked the mechanism so he could turn the crucible and pour the iron-cum-steel out into the waiting mold. When he did, incanting the reverse to ease the transition back into a solid state, the liquid metal splashed and he yelped as some of it spattered on the floor, burning holes into the old wood. When it was safe to let go of the crucible, he hurried to the safety chest and pulled out four different powders to throw on the smoking spatter on the floor.
"Fuck," he said to himself.
Best wear gloves next time, Exael noted.
"Spirit of wisdom, no shit?"
The damage was done, though. Master Jacun wouldn't care. The workshop was warded against major damage, but he hadn't invested in fine parquet or anything. It was a workshop. So there would be scorch marks and metal on the floor around his workstation, but no real damage had been done. What had made it into the mold didn't look properly like steel, though.
He sighed and went through his calculations again, making several attempts. Nothing else tried to escape and burn the building down, but all he got were lumps of metal that didn't look like steel. Having hit a wall of frustration, he knew he had to set things aside and find a way to deal with his emotions or he would succumb to a black rage. It was just a Dratori thing he had inherited along with his ability to commune with spirits who existed on this plane.
After cleaning everything up, he locked up and left, seeking Torin's place of employment. He was a blacksmith. Perhaps he would have some light to shed on this particular bit of metallurgy meeting magic. It was late enough the forge was closed, so he went and knocked at the side door where he knew someone ought to answer. Perhaps Torin would come out for a drink.
Re: Trouble With Transmutation [Torin]
Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2021 7:31 pm
by Torin Kilvin
The eldest apprentice had offered to stay behind and clean up the mess one of the youngest had made of an attempt to properly melt down iron. The lad had had a terrible day, one mistake after another until he'd been close to tears, so Torin figured a quick clean-up was a way he could ease the burden of the first hard days of change that came with joining a profession so young.
He was washing his hands and face in the bucket set aside for the purpose when he heard a knock at the gate. A frown creased his mouth and brow as he stood, stretched his back, and made for the door. It had better not be that same young lord who kept racing his horses over cobbles and then complaining when they threw their shoes. This would be the fourth time in the season and as gentle of heart as Torin usually was he was just about ready to tell the man where he could put his complaints regardless of his title.
Stomping over to the large fence door he unlatched and pulled open the smaller, person-sized door inside it. He blinked and the frustrated expression fell from his face as he saw who was actually standing outside the door. Looking a bit defeated himself, the elf met his gaze with at least a friendly expression.
"Oh." It was obvious Torin had been expecting someone else but also that he was happy it was Sivan instead. "Hello." He fell into Mythrasi automatically,
"How is this evening to you?" He was getting better at simple connecting phrases but knew by how the words felt in his mouth that they weren't yet altogether correct. "Do you desire to enter?"
He took half a step back, still holding the door open in case Sivan did want to come in. They didn't spend time in the forge or other buildings attached very often but it did happen.
Re: Trouble With Transmutation [Torin]
Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2021 11:06 pm
by Sivan
The elf could tell that Torin could see through his attempt at a smile. He ran a hand through his hair and replied in Mythrasi since it appeared to be a Mythrasi day. It seemed now that whenever they saw each other, they decided together if it was going to be a Common or a Mythrasi day. Eventually, he figured Torin would want Rivach days, too. That would be fine, but not today.
"Hello, my friend,, he said. "I have run into a challenge with alchemy. I was hoping I could take you out for food or a drink and ask you questions about metallurgy...?"
From what he could tell, his calculations were correct. He was transmuting iron into steel, but perhaps there were things with the mundane processing of metals that would help him understand how to magically enact them. Of course, he didn't think he was going to just pour the transmutating metal into a mold and magically have a sword, but he hoped at least that he might find a way to fashion things out of steel that were too unwieldy for a forge. But perhaps he was going at it the wrong way. Torin was an expert about metal as far as Sivan was concerned, so he was the logical person to ask, as well as the person who would make him feel better.
Apprentices were always learning difficult lessons and Torin could commiserate.
And even if Torin wasn't his friend, it would be good for him to share what he knew so that Sivan might eventually be able to provide him with alchemically enhanced metal for his forge. There were things that runecrafting and alchemy could do separately, but when they knew their crafts better, he hoped to learn what they could do together, and don't even get him started on bringing artificing into the mix.
"If now is not a good time, perhaps tomorrow?"
Re: Trouble With Transmutation [Torin]
Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2021 10:50 pm
by Torin Kilvin
Torin's smile faded in its brightness a little as he saw the weariness evident on his friend. His conscious mind was distracted enough that his back brain translated the use of language without him having to try and sort through each word.
"Of course, please, come into the yard while I go change?" It was a semi-normal routine for them. He showed the elf into his forge, where he seemed to have been content in the past while he jogged to his room and changed into clothing he wouldn't be embarrassed to go out in. Thankfully he hadn't spent the day hot-forging so he didn't need a bath.
In a few moments, he had rejoined his friend and was leading him out into the city. Taking the lead felt natural in the situation, for he knew well how much energy it took to take initiative and make choices when he was feeling exhausted or defeated. Choosing a destination they walked, not too quickly, but quickly enough to imply hunger.
"I can't claim to understand alchemy at all, but if you explain to me what you did, or at least what the results were, I might be able to tell you what you ended up with at least." He listened attentively, not breaking their conversation when they arrived at a nearby inn he knew well and led to a table in a corner. The place wasn't full on a workday evening but there were enough other patrons that it wasn't uncomfortably silent either. The barman called over if he would have his usual and Torin nodded, holding up two fingers to let him know to bring enough for the elf as well.
Drinks arrived first, just mild ale, nothing that would muddle their minds, and then two clay bowls topped with a steaming, flakey crust. Inside the cover the bowl was filled with chicken meat, or perhaps pidgeon, vegetables, and a pale gravy. Torin loved the little pie, sometimes ordering more than one for just himself but they could start with this and see where they were after.
Re: Trouble With Transmutation [Torin]
Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2021 11:02 pm
by Sivan
The elf bided his time in the yard, then smiled when Torin returned, making small talk en route to the nearby inn's taproom. There was a little Mythrasi, a little Common. He complimented Torin on his pronunciation; while not effusive with praise normally, he thought it was important to encourage the man, who was making small strides. He realized it wasn't an easy language to learn; it had just been his first. But when the time came to explain his problem, he switched to Common, which wasn't easier for him, but his Common had improved much more quickly because he was immersed in it here in Kalzasi, whereas Torin probably only spoke the elven tongue with him and perhaps the odd elven customer.
A few sips into his ale and a few bites into his pasty, he finally laid it out.
"I was trying to transmute iron into steel," he explained. "I am working more with metals lately. I think I told you the basics of my magic mirror idea a while ago? Anyway, I'm not sure what exactly went wrong with the first pour but I think it might be to do with the silver. So I'm trying to learn a bit more about transmutation and metallurgy in general to help me figure out what went wrong... If it was the process with the silver, or if I need to swap that out with electrum or gold? Anyway... I know it isn't terribly difficult for a smith to make steel, but I was hoping that if I get skilled at transmutation, I might be able to alchemize it in ways that are difficult for a smith to forge it... In any case, 'tis a learning experience.
"I think my calculations were correct. Soot for carbon. Pure iron. Magic. Some of the magic is going into the phasing..." He paused, making sure he was using correct words in Common, checking in to be sure Torin was following. "Anyway, I think the end result is steel... but it's lumpy and not taking the forms I want it well and I..."
He held up his hands for a moment, then let them fall.
"I don't know." His face scrunched up with self-recrimination, and then he tucked into his food properly because food would make it better.
Re: Trouble With Transmutation [Torin]
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2021 12:18 am
by Torin Kilvin
The food was good; hot and filling, so it didn't survive long in front of the young runesmith. That said, he did listen, attentively and with care for any words that Sivan might be using mistakenly. His friend was kind enough to correct him when he slipped, the least he could do was the same.
The properties of metal were known to Torin with the sort of fondness other men might have reserved for childhood friends. He had gotten to know them at the same time others were forming friendships and had spent more time working through them, both in study and practice, than he had with any friend.
"Well," He thought aloud, trying to combine his very limited knowledge of alchemy with his extensive understanding of metallurgy. "Are you accounting for the amount of oxygen entering the metal? I don't know if that would matter, but it might. It matters in the making of steel the old-fashioned way. The other issue might be your carbon. Where are you getting the soot? Some things burned create too much, or not enough. Is it from wood? Are you using a liquid solvent or sprinkling it in as powder?"
He kept asking questions along this vein until he thought he had a good idea of what Sivan was using and how he was preparing his ingredients. Halfway through he gave in and waved for a second crock of the pie, if the tavernkeeper brought two and Sivan didn't want another it wouldn't go to waste.
When he arrived he gestured absently with his fork, a sure sign that he was comfortable in his current company.
"So, if you can get the carbon to fully incorporate using a solvent that won't otherwise interfere with the alchemical process you might have better results. As for the lumpiness," He went on, offering what information he had about his many attempts to produce steel, even weapon's grade steel now came easily to him so he could only hope something he said would be the key to unlocking the transmutation.
Re: Trouble With Transmutation [Torin]
Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2021 7:02 pm
by Sivan
The elf was slower to eat because when Torin started feeding him helpful knowledge, he couldn't chew on food and thoughts at the same time. But he would nod along and eventually remember another spoonful of food, so he was a bit behind when Torin ordered another round, but they were comfortable enough together that neither of them seemed to mind. Food didn't get wasted and everyone got enough food.
"I will have to experiment with solvents, then," he said thoughtfully after swallowing. "Or just forgo solvents and liquefy the soot magically. That would play with the heat, though, unless..." He made alchemical calculations in his head, numbers that were easier to figure in an elven tongue and not information that Torin was likely to find interesting. "Hm... Yes, all right."
He smiled weakly, glad to have a new tactic to bring the crucible. And he did manage to pick up the pace with his eating once Torin was talking about structural things. Phase shifting the soot would be a complication, but perhaps he ought to perfect that process before working on the structure. Good, pure steel would be easier to form, he thought, and since he wasn't using a blacksmith's tools, he was going to have to at least study up on things like folding steel so he could try to get that working, magically speaking.
"Thank you, Torin," he said, then something surprisingly simple in Mythrasi that would have been a mouthful in translation: "I appreciate the help you give that is perfect for the situation because of your unique perspective and expertise." But, of course, he said it slowly.
When he finally managed to get to his second helping, his eyes lit up, "I have just remembered! I met another fae'ethalan. This one you know, I think. Destynrael Dromlach’darach of Clann na Feithidí Uisce." But just as he finished saying that, his face and tone sobered. "Tragedy has befallen him. His clan was wiped out by the Zaichaeri and he is alone in Kalzasi, though he has been given shelter by a noble family. You should come over soon, have supper in my garden. I will invite him also. You can meet the bees."
Re: Trouble With Transmutation [Torin]
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2021 4:29 pm
by Goule
Your Review
It's always nice to have someone to go to for help with a problem! Glad to see that the problem was worked out.
Torin
Lore
Leadership:
Cleaning Up After
Easing Burdens
Recognizing Emotional Limits
Linguistics:
Basic Greeting Phrases
Basic Sentences Built From Known Words
Blacksmithing:
Composition of Steel
Processing Iron Into Steel
Oxygenation in Metal
Loot n/a
Injuries n/a
Points 8
Sivan
Lore
Alchemy:
Enacting a Phase Change
Metallic Incantations
Melting Down Iron
Even Ingredient Distribution
Calculating Ratios
Importance of Protective Gear
Combining Alchemy With Other Magic
Linguistics:
Switching Between Languages
Loot n/a
Injuries n/a
Points 8
