Ash 5, 122
It was only a few days after the discussion Torin had had with Aurin concerning the work needing to be done for both of their businesses but already the young smith was beginning work on the new set of communication pendants that would allow for the owner of Portions for Foxes to more easily communicate with his workers. There were other things that would go into the pendants this time, not to mention that, with the knowledge he had gained over a year in business for himself, working near to constantly on projects both personal and professional he would be able to make the range on the magic significantly greater. He would have to test them once the magic was completed but he suspected he might be able to communicate with Aurin even from Starfall, which would be convenient should he decide to spend a season in the mountain city working with their grandmaster runesmith and exceptional equipment. Torin had all he needed for the work he did in his own little forge set up, but the facilities in Starfall were exceptional. Working in such an environment had already inspired him to new feats of creation in the short time he'd been able to spend there. There were plans for Kala to return later in the season and Torin was planning around going himself to spend a little more, with the approval of the runemistress, studying what schematics and techniques she would allow. It was not in the nature of the profession to allow someone who wasn't a direct apprentice access to all one's trade secrets.
It was a very understandable concept, one which Torin was beginning to see applied to most lucrative professions. Recently he had tried, successfully, to obtain some molds from a professional clock maker for his use in Artificing. It had taken a legally binding contract that stated he would never attempt to sell clocks himself, at least anywhere in Kalzasi's borders, to be granted the right to pay for the molds. The contract had been no hardship since Torin's current profession was more lucrative, not to mention he didn't imagine he would survive long without the way working with aether made him feel. Realizing that runesmithing was now a part of him as much as his emotions or his body had been a bit startling considering the pragmatic attitude towards the craft that his second master in the art had held towards it. Torin could now see that, despite the man's long working with aether that he would never be an artist of it, that it was just work to do for him. It was a little sad but, considering the man's casual cruelty, it was probably for the best.
There were still materials enough left of the stash of dragonshards he had discovered (to his peril) behind the hidden door inside his, also hidden, basement. It was now well protected by Aurin's Negation in addition to the repaired runeforged mechanisms for concealment. It would be ideal should war come, or natural, or supernatural disasters. Torin was not expressly knowledgeable on the movements of gods nor empires, but it was as if the feel of change and tumult was on the air. Everyone seemed to be building up little stores of money or other supplies without thinking too hard about why they were doing so, even among the poorest of people. Perhaps there was something to the idea of a group consciousness, or the connectivity of souls or something like that. Aurin was the person Torin typically asked about concepts that were outside his understanding but while the redhead would certainly try to answer him, it didn't seem as though he would know all that much about the subject. Perhaps Torin was wrong, Aurin had a surprising amount of knowledge on a seemingly endless number of topics stored away in his head, but it still felt like the smith might get more of the answers he was looking for on this topic if he spoke to Kala about it. The diminutive woman was religious, though, her new status likely complicated that. Did lesser gods still worship higher ones? Another question for when he next met with his patron.
The trip to Starfall might be a good opportunity for extended conversation. Not that Kala wouldn't tarry and speak to him if wanted to, but her visits to the forge were often work related and he knew how busy she was, particularly since her return for her most recent journey into the Warrens. Kaus was not busy as often but commonly accompanied his sister, which was right, to Torin's mind, but meant that Timon got to spend less time with his favorite teacher. Like Torin's own relationship with his apprentice, the boy's relationship with Kaus seemed to be developing more along the lines of a friendship or an older brother/younger brother connection than anything as simple as teacher and student. The two seemed to share a significant number of private jests, or else simply found a lot to laugh about when they trained or just spent time in each other's company while Timon was at the Pavilion. The lad was diligent about his work and was, frankly, already better than Torin at negotiating with merchants for the materials the forge required. The purpose was one of the reasons he had taken Timon with him, though in truth he would have taken him on as an apprentice had he shown no affinity for any skill that would aid the business. There was the minor issue of the fact that many merchants seeing rightly that Timon was a child either would refuse to create long term deals with him, or else try and take advantage of him. The savvy youth did not allow himself to be drawn into the bad deals simply because of his age but it was still annoying to them both that Torin often had to go himself to finalize deals. It was, at least, a problem that Timon would grow out of, even if it didn't seem as though he would ever grow to anywhere near Torin's own height. Anyone reaching Torin's size in other dimensions than height wasn't likely and no one expected it of Timon but it was becoming obvious that, with Kaus, Torin, Sivan and Aurin around to literally look up to, he was hoping to grow tall enough to match the men he spent his life with.
These were the thoughts that wove their way through the smith's mind as he prepared the vicerite that would be needed for the complex set of pendants. The pieces themselves he had worked out a mold for and would be casting them later that same day from ash steel for strength in addition to the magical fortification he intended to impart. The design was simple but attractive enough in his mind and without specifics that would imply the gender or anything else about the person wearing them. At Aurin's request he was not using blood or magic from the people who would wear them so that, should they need to be passed around, or passed down in time, they would work for anyone who was wearing them. The urge to set at least the master pendant to work only for Aurin was strong, but the idea that his fox had imparted to him that his creation would outlast any of them had stuck into him with at least a strong enough conviction that he didn't fight for the connection.
Once the aetherite was properly arranged in the kiln he moved into the forge to begin melting down the excellent quality ash steel Timon had gotten when he'd finally convinced the merchant that he had the gold to afford his wares on a regular basis. The growing reputation of the forge added to the smaller, but still growing reputation of Timon himself for having both the authority and coins to make large purchases and negotiation contracts for the long term. Torin was content in his trust of the younger man who, to be honest, he should offer a job as a full journeyman. They could discuss it over dinner after the work was done. Timon's growing ability to cook certainly added to the homey feel of their lives and the smith wondered if he should offer to pay for that skill as well, even if it would be rejected.
Watching the pellets of metal slowly grow molten in the crucible was its own kind of satisfying. Being able to spend as much time as he wanted in the work he loved because his master was handling the business' finances and his apprentice was handing the trade and procuring of what they needed to keep them fed, warm, and working was another kind of satisfaction; the sort that felt like weight being lifted from his shoulders. A smile lit his face as he carefully used the crucible tongs to pour the gleaming, silvery metal into the first mold. Each of the lesser pendants would be cast first, leaving him with the most practice when he set their master. Though he was well skilled in the casting of such things now it still felt best to leave the most complicated until he was familiar with this batch of metal. Different batches melted differently, set differently, though the changes were minor, they could matter. Knowledge like that was something that came only with practice, that it came so easily to Torin now was evidence that his skill as a blacksmith was finally catching up to his runeforging, and there was a pride in that.
The day progressed as expected, with hours bent over his workbench etching tiny Scrivener's runes into each pendant, and it wasn't until Torin looked up to realize that the duel forges had now replaced the sun as his main source of light that the passage of time became real to him. The pendants were all cast, all set into the aether forge, all beginning the lengthy transformation that would turn them from attractive mental into something that defied the natural laws. Torin's will caused that. He'd never been sure why he'd been given the gift to feel, understand, and manipulate aether as he did, but he was beginning to accept his place in the world. He was beginning to settle.
It was only a few days after the discussion Torin had had with Aurin concerning the work needing to be done for both of their businesses but already the young smith was beginning work on the new set of communication pendants that would allow for the owner of Portions for Foxes to more easily communicate with his workers. There were other things that would go into the pendants this time, not to mention that, with the knowledge he had gained over a year in business for himself, working near to constantly on projects both personal and professional he would be able to make the range on the magic significantly greater. He would have to test them once the magic was completed but he suspected he might be able to communicate with Aurin even from Starfall, which would be convenient should he decide to spend a season in the mountain city working with their grandmaster runesmith and exceptional equipment. Torin had all he needed for the work he did in his own little forge set up, but the facilities in Starfall were exceptional. Working in such an environment had already inspired him to new feats of creation in the short time he'd been able to spend there. There were plans for Kala to return later in the season and Torin was planning around going himself to spend a little more, with the approval of the runemistress, studying what schematics and techniques she would allow. It was not in the nature of the profession to allow someone who wasn't a direct apprentice access to all one's trade secrets.
It was a very understandable concept, one which Torin was beginning to see applied to most lucrative professions. Recently he had tried, successfully, to obtain some molds from a professional clock maker for his use in Artificing. It had taken a legally binding contract that stated he would never attempt to sell clocks himself, at least anywhere in Kalzasi's borders, to be granted the right to pay for the molds. The contract had been no hardship since Torin's current profession was more lucrative, not to mention he didn't imagine he would survive long without the way working with aether made him feel. Realizing that runesmithing was now a part of him as much as his emotions or his body had been a bit startling considering the pragmatic attitude towards the craft that his second master in the art had held towards it. Torin could now see that, despite the man's long working with aether that he would never be an artist of it, that it was just work to do for him. It was a little sad but, considering the man's casual cruelty, it was probably for the best.
There were still materials enough left of the stash of dragonshards he had discovered (to his peril) behind the hidden door inside his, also hidden, basement. It was now well protected by Aurin's Negation in addition to the repaired runeforged mechanisms for concealment. It would be ideal should war come, or natural, or supernatural disasters. Torin was not expressly knowledgeable on the movements of gods nor empires, but it was as if the feel of change and tumult was on the air. Everyone seemed to be building up little stores of money or other supplies without thinking too hard about why they were doing so, even among the poorest of people. Perhaps there was something to the idea of a group consciousness, or the connectivity of souls or something like that. Aurin was the person Torin typically asked about concepts that were outside his understanding but while the redhead would certainly try to answer him, it didn't seem as though he would know all that much about the subject. Perhaps Torin was wrong, Aurin had a surprising amount of knowledge on a seemingly endless number of topics stored away in his head, but it still felt like the smith might get more of the answers he was looking for on this topic if he spoke to Kala about it. The diminutive woman was religious, though, her new status likely complicated that. Did lesser gods still worship higher ones? Another question for when he next met with his patron.
The trip to Starfall might be a good opportunity for extended conversation. Not that Kala wouldn't tarry and speak to him if wanted to, but her visits to the forge were often work related and he knew how busy she was, particularly since her return for her most recent journey into the Warrens. Kaus was not busy as often but commonly accompanied his sister, which was right, to Torin's mind, but meant that Timon got to spend less time with his favorite teacher. Like Torin's own relationship with his apprentice, the boy's relationship with Kaus seemed to be developing more along the lines of a friendship or an older brother/younger brother connection than anything as simple as teacher and student. The two seemed to share a significant number of private jests, or else simply found a lot to laugh about when they trained or just spent time in each other's company while Timon was at the Pavilion. The lad was diligent about his work and was, frankly, already better than Torin at negotiating with merchants for the materials the forge required. The purpose was one of the reasons he had taken Timon with him, though in truth he would have taken him on as an apprentice had he shown no affinity for any skill that would aid the business. There was the minor issue of the fact that many merchants seeing rightly that Timon was a child either would refuse to create long term deals with him, or else try and take advantage of him. The savvy youth did not allow himself to be drawn into the bad deals simply because of his age but it was still annoying to them both that Torin often had to go himself to finalize deals. It was, at least, a problem that Timon would grow out of, even if it didn't seem as though he would ever grow to anywhere near Torin's own height. Anyone reaching Torin's size in other dimensions than height wasn't likely and no one expected it of Timon but it was becoming obvious that, with Kaus, Torin, Sivan and Aurin around to literally look up to, he was hoping to grow tall enough to match the men he spent his life with.
These were the thoughts that wove their way through the smith's mind as he prepared the vicerite that would be needed for the complex set of pendants. The pieces themselves he had worked out a mold for and would be casting them later that same day from ash steel for strength in addition to the magical fortification he intended to impart. The design was simple but attractive enough in his mind and without specifics that would imply the gender or anything else about the person wearing them. At Aurin's request he was not using blood or magic from the people who would wear them so that, should they need to be passed around, or passed down in time, they would work for anyone who was wearing them. The urge to set at least the master pendant to work only for Aurin was strong, but the idea that his fox had imparted to him that his creation would outlast any of them had stuck into him with at least a strong enough conviction that he didn't fight for the connection.
Once the aetherite was properly arranged in the kiln he moved into the forge to begin melting down the excellent quality ash steel Timon had gotten when he'd finally convinced the merchant that he had the gold to afford his wares on a regular basis. The growing reputation of the forge added to the smaller, but still growing reputation of Timon himself for having both the authority and coins to make large purchases and negotiation contracts for the long term. Torin was content in his trust of the younger man who, to be honest, he should offer a job as a full journeyman. They could discuss it over dinner after the work was done. Timon's growing ability to cook certainly added to the homey feel of their lives and the smith wondered if he should offer to pay for that skill as well, even if it would be rejected.
Watching the pellets of metal slowly grow molten in the crucible was its own kind of satisfying. Being able to spend as much time as he wanted in the work he loved because his master was handling the business' finances and his apprentice was handing the trade and procuring of what they needed to keep them fed, warm, and working was another kind of satisfaction; the sort that felt like weight being lifted from his shoulders. A smile lit his face as he carefully used the crucible tongs to pour the gleaming, silvery metal into the first mold. Each of the lesser pendants would be cast first, leaving him with the most practice when he set their master. Though he was well skilled in the casting of such things now it still felt best to leave the most complicated until he was familiar with this batch of metal. Different batches melted differently, set differently, though the changes were minor, they could matter. Knowledge like that was something that came only with practice, that it came so easily to Torin now was evidence that his skill as a blacksmith was finally catching up to his runeforging, and there was a pride in that.
The day progressed as expected, with hours bent over his workbench etching tiny Scrivener's runes into each pendant, and it wasn't until Torin looked up to realize that the duel forges had now replaced the sun as his main source of light that the passage of time became real to him. The pendants were all cast, all set into the aether forge, all beginning the lengthy transformation that would turn them from attractive mental into something that defied the natural laws. Torin's will caused that. He'd never been sure why he'd been given the gift to feel, understand, and manipulate aether as he did, but he was beginning to accept his place in the world. He was beginning to settle.
