Diamonds Are A Gnome's Best Friend
The amber topaz gleamed as diligent digits placed the small gem neatly at the back of the silver mirror that was decorated with ornate inlay of oak leaves that wreathed around the edges of the mirror. Another touch was added to the mirror, a strip of thin silver wire so that the gem would take hold. A frown emerged as things didn't look quite as they should. More adjustments.
“Never was well suited towards affixing gems, but it is what it is. Master Murk wouldn't have me slacking at the final effort.”
The magic had already been worked upon the gem, difficult as it was to fulfil the client's request. A mirror that would show the user twenty years younger, a simple idea, but one that was fraught with arcane tamperings to the weave of reality. One had to imbue the item with a sense of what was younger than what it appeared so a facet of awareness had to be instilled into the gem before affixing it as he was. Bubkiss had done so with diligence, the gem worked perfectly. But to finish the item, he had to allow the metal and gem to take hold of one another.
“If only I had a workshop,” Bubkiss muttered to himself. He didn't even know where to begin with such a thing. He had numerous tools upon his person for his profession, but crafting intricate items from his tavern room within the city of Arethil was difficult. He has an illusionist at heart, an enchanter of light and whimsy, not the metalworker that he was now tasked with.
“Master Murk made this part look so easy!” Bubkiss said to himself as he readjusted the gem for the third time. He extended his tongue as if it might help his efforts of concentration. His gloved hands pressed the gem into surface and he could feel the topaz respond positively to his enchantments. Good, Bubkiss thought, they were maintaining, but this mirror refuses to hold the blasted thing!
Bubkiss set the mirror down along with the silver strip and gem sighed. The magic danced within the gem, revealing rippling light that bled out of the newly enchanted gem. He shrugged his shoulder and muttered to himself, “Good as time as any for a smoke break. Pinch of tobacco might ease my nerves about this entire enterprise. Just as well she didn't ask me to make a mirror. Master Murk never said his profession was easy, but here we are. On my road to greatness,” bubkiss said flatly.
Bubkiss fished in his jacket for his pipe and placed it within his lips. He loaded his pipe with with tobacco with a few short rams of his finger and headed downstairs from his tavern room. As he walked down the stairs he could smell the freshly fried breakfast that was awaiting for all the guests. But for all the smell of food Bubkiss could find no appetite for his mind was upon his failing task. Hungry patrons gave him no second glance, they were too occupied with filling their bellies and planning their days.
“Any food for you love? Got some lovely eggs and bacon today,” the tavern owner, a middle aged woman who wore a grease covered apron said to him as Bubkiss bumbled down the stairs.
“No no, thank you, I'm in the middle of something. Thank you for the offer though, although it does smell rather good I must admit,” Bubkiss said and ruffled his beard as if to try and dismiss the sense that he had just fumbled at something.
“Well, don't go hungry. No-one goes hungry in this tavern, not while Madeline is at the stove, not happening today or any other,” Madeline said and returned to the flame.
Bubkiss exited the tavern, closed the door behind him and perched on the stoop to smoke his pipe. His squat body was well suited towards finding comfort in uncomfortable places, and this thin stoop was no exception. He lit his pipe with a match and puffed a few times and made a short hum of satisfaction as he did so. The ruby affixed within the pipe glowed with the embers.
As he pursued his smoke the skies offered droplets of rain.
“Oh dash it all,” Bubkiss complained as water began to strike him and his pipe. He stood up so that his pipe would be sheltered from the spitting of water. The air was heavy and felt oppressive to senses and left Bubkiss wanting for better weather. The wind began to pick up and Bubkiss wrapped his jacket around himself tighter and affixed his tophat firmer upon his head as he felt a cold wind begin to lick at his feet.
As he did so a leaflet was carried by an updraft of wind and the leaflet planted itself upon the gnome's face with a loud smack. Spluttering for a moment the illusionist grabbed the leaflet angrily with his left hand while his right ensured his pipe wasn't unattended, and breathed a large plume of smoke with a sputtering cough. He was about to throw the leaflet back into the street but found his eye caught by some of what was said.
“Ah ha,” Bubkiss declared to himself, his disposition changing now he had scanned what he now found was a playbill. “A service for lapidary. That's just what I need. That's it, it's fate. I'll outsource this job and be done with it. The illusion is good, of course it's good it's my illusion, but the final touches from my own hands might not carry the day. Yes, this is the ticket,” Bubkiss said with a new sense of vigour and tapped out the burnt tobacco from his pipe. He pocketed the playbill and returned to his room to retrieve the mirror and a few components. Who knew, he thought, the fellow might be able to cut some of the gems into more malleable arcane components. One can but hope, Bubkiss thought to himself as he returned up the stairs to his room.
Within a few short minutes the gnome was upon the street again, his belt now adorned with satchels that held his tradecraft within hands reach and the gem sequestered inside of his jacket. The rain had started to come down harder now, but this didn't despirit the fellow's disposition towards his journey. He asked a few locals who were hurrying to shelter where to find the shop, and soon found himself outside of the place with little difficulty aside from the gathering puddles that threatened to flood his boots. He shivered for a moment as he looked at the signage.
Master Murk never outsourced, Bubkiss thought to himself sourly for a moment. He shook his head. No, that's no way to think. Master Murk had years of experience behind him, ages to perfect his craft. I've only just begun my journey without him. Can't be fretting about what Master Murk would do or I'll get nowhere at all. Besides, Master Murk made plenty of professional colleagues. Perhaps this is the start of a new business venture together. Yes, that could be so.
Satisfied with his internal answer, he spoke a cantrip to shake the water off of himself, and opened the door to the advertised gem worker. He hoped that he may find a solution to his problem. Otherwise both himself and his client would be most displeased.
The amber topaz gleamed as diligent digits placed the small gem neatly at the back of the silver mirror that was decorated with ornate inlay of oak leaves that wreathed around the edges of the mirror. Another touch was added to the mirror, a strip of thin silver wire so that the gem would take hold. A frown emerged as things didn't look quite as they should. More adjustments.
“Never was well suited towards affixing gems, but it is what it is. Master Murk wouldn't have me slacking at the final effort.”
The magic had already been worked upon the gem, difficult as it was to fulfil the client's request. A mirror that would show the user twenty years younger, a simple idea, but one that was fraught with arcane tamperings to the weave of reality. One had to imbue the item with a sense of what was younger than what it appeared so a facet of awareness had to be instilled into the gem before affixing it as he was. Bubkiss had done so with diligence, the gem worked perfectly. But to finish the item, he had to allow the metal and gem to take hold of one another.
“If only I had a workshop,” Bubkiss muttered to himself. He didn't even know where to begin with such a thing. He had numerous tools upon his person for his profession, but crafting intricate items from his tavern room within the city of Arethil was difficult. He has an illusionist at heart, an enchanter of light and whimsy, not the metalworker that he was now tasked with.
“Master Murk made this part look so easy!” Bubkiss said to himself as he readjusted the gem for the third time. He extended his tongue as if it might help his efforts of concentration. His gloved hands pressed the gem into surface and he could feel the topaz respond positively to his enchantments. Good, Bubkiss thought, they were maintaining, but this mirror refuses to hold the blasted thing!
Bubkiss set the mirror down along with the silver strip and gem sighed. The magic danced within the gem, revealing rippling light that bled out of the newly enchanted gem. He shrugged his shoulder and muttered to himself, “Good as time as any for a smoke break. Pinch of tobacco might ease my nerves about this entire enterprise. Just as well she didn't ask me to make a mirror. Master Murk never said his profession was easy, but here we are. On my road to greatness,” bubkiss said flatly.
Bubkiss fished in his jacket for his pipe and placed it within his lips. He loaded his pipe with with tobacco with a few short rams of his finger and headed downstairs from his tavern room. As he walked down the stairs he could smell the freshly fried breakfast that was awaiting for all the guests. But for all the smell of food Bubkiss could find no appetite for his mind was upon his failing task. Hungry patrons gave him no second glance, they were too occupied with filling their bellies and planning their days.
“Any food for you love? Got some lovely eggs and bacon today,” the tavern owner, a middle aged woman who wore a grease covered apron said to him as Bubkiss bumbled down the stairs.
“No no, thank you, I'm in the middle of something. Thank you for the offer though, although it does smell rather good I must admit,” Bubkiss said and ruffled his beard as if to try and dismiss the sense that he had just fumbled at something.
“Well, don't go hungry. No-one goes hungry in this tavern, not while Madeline is at the stove, not happening today or any other,” Madeline said and returned to the flame.
Bubkiss exited the tavern, closed the door behind him and perched on the stoop to smoke his pipe. His squat body was well suited towards finding comfort in uncomfortable places, and this thin stoop was no exception. He lit his pipe with a match and puffed a few times and made a short hum of satisfaction as he did so. The ruby affixed within the pipe glowed with the embers.
As he pursued his smoke the skies offered droplets of rain.
“Oh dash it all,” Bubkiss complained as water began to strike him and his pipe. He stood up so that his pipe would be sheltered from the spitting of water. The air was heavy and felt oppressive to senses and left Bubkiss wanting for better weather. The wind began to pick up and Bubkiss wrapped his jacket around himself tighter and affixed his tophat firmer upon his head as he felt a cold wind begin to lick at his feet.
As he did so a leaflet was carried by an updraft of wind and the leaflet planted itself upon the gnome's face with a loud smack. Spluttering for a moment the illusionist grabbed the leaflet angrily with his left hand while his right ensured his pipe wasn't unattended, and breathed a large plume of smoke with a sputtering cough. He was about to throw the leaflet back into the street but found his eye caught by some of what was said.
“Ah ha,” Bubkiss declared to himself, his disposition changing now he had scanned what he now found was a playbill. “A service for lapidary. That's just what I need. That's it, it's fate. I'll outsource this job and be done with it. The illusion is good, of course it's good it's my illusion, but the final touches from my own hands might not carry the day. Yes, this is the ticket,” Bubkiss said with a new sense of vigour and tapped out the burnt tobacco from his pipe. He pocketed the playbill and returned to his room to retrieve the mirror and a few components. Who knew, he thought, the fellow might be able to cut some of the gems into more malleable arcane components. One can but hope, Bubkiss thought to himself as he returned up the stairs to his room.
Within a few short minutes the gnome was upon the street again, his belt now adorned with satchels that held his tradecraft within hands reach and the gem sequestered inside of his jacket. The rain had started to come down harder now, but this didn't despirit the fellow's disposition towards his journey. He asked a few locals who were hurrying to shelter where to find the shop, and soon found himself outside of the place with little difficulty aside from the gathering puddles that threatened to flood his boots. He shivered for a moment as he looked at the signage.
Master Murk never outsourced, Bubkiss thought to himself sourly for a moment. He shook his head. No, that's no way to think. Master Murk had years of experience behind him, ages to perfect his craft. I've only just begun my journey without him. Can't be fretting about what Master Murk would do or I'll get nowhere at all. Besides, Master Murk made plenty of professional colleagues. Perhaps this is the start of a new business venture together. Yes, that could be so.
Satisfied with his internal answer, he spoke a cantrip to shake the water off of himself, and opened the door to the advertised gem worker. He hoped that he may find a solution to his problem. Otherwise both himself and his client would be most displeased.
