Private Tales Diamonds Are A Gnome's Best Friend

[MrTophat]

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.

 

[Chaceledon]

The shop had a hastily drawn sign over the original paint, that said Lapidary. A painfully simplistic turn of phrase for the shop inside. Chaceledon had clearly made the most of the interior; being forbidden to leave the grounds gave him plenty of time. Finished pieces lay on small black silk pillows in glass cases along the wall. The left wall was awash in scintillating necklaces and cuffs, ranging from simple yet well made to disgustingly complex. Wreaths made to imitate stylized lillies in white gold and diamonds. A cabachon cut sapphire that looked like a drop of purest ocean water. Cuffs that spiraled open at a touch to reveal opals crusted in silver. Even humbler stones like amethysts had been given starbrite, trillion, and radiant style cuts to show off their brilliance and color.

The right hand wall was a myriad of rings, earrings, anklets, body jewelry, even a few face masks that snarled in the likenesses of tigers and demons. One mask hung on the wall appeared to be inspired by a shark, with ruby blood droplets trickling out from its exposed fangs.

The counter boasted gems, both cut and uncut, in trays by grade. Cut gems were given little beds of black wax to ensure they didn’t roll anywhere. There were all colors. Citrines, tourmalines, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, opals, everything from amethyst to zircon.

Chaceledon was holding a piece of emerald the size of a thumb on a wax dipstick, turning it in the light. A tiny kiss to a lapidary wheel, then back up to the light again. Satisfied, the dragon breathed in, and blew a small violet flame over the stone and stick. The wax melted away, and Chaceledon held the stone up. Perfect. It practically begged to be enchanted.

He eyed the man who came in the door from the rain. Chaceledon was dressed...well, not in workshop attire. He wore black robes, layers upon layers of black silk emblazoned with golden chrysanthemums. His long lashes and the skin around his eyes were shaded in black and tapered to a sharp point, with tiny pieces of golden citrine in each corner. His purple eyes gave Bubkiss a guarded look, and he set down the emerald with a sigh.

Long glass nails, roughly an inch and a half long and crusted with obsidian and gold leaf, rapped on the counter. His copper hair was drawn up and back by a pin depicting a lion tearing a man’s throat out...complete with a splash of red enamel.

“Yes?” he asked sharply.

MrTophat

 

[MrTophat]

The wealth of gems on display captivated Bubkiss as he slowly walked in, the perfect cuts that revealed the beauty of light, the dazzling display of ornate creations, the dedication towards presenting the fine works with complimentary stones and perfect presentation of each piece. This is so much better than the gems I've worked with, Bubkiss thought to himself as he rubbed his chin as each piece caught his eye in turn.

He marvelled at the masks, now there was a flair for the dramatic, Bubkiss thought to himself. He couldn't help but smile at the display. The gnome seemed quite happy for a moment just absorbing the fine collection of gems and admiring the craftsmanship. Perhaps it was his gnome nature revealing itself to Bubkiss for the first time. Perhaps it was the thought of what magic he could weave upon these fine cut gems. He reached into his pocket and felt the topaz he had with his fingers. It felt rough to him now in comparison to what he was being shown within this shop. This only filled Bubkiss with hope.

There were others who were interested in the same crafting as he!

Bubkiss walked closer to the forefront of the shop's industry, and was taken back as he watched Chaceledon breathe fire! Incredible! Bubkiss raised his eyebrows in surprise, he didn't know that was even possible! Perhaps this one was a mage who imbibed fire breathing potions, Bubkiss thought. The possibility that the fellow was a dragon never emerged from his imagination, vast as it was. He didn't know that dragons could take human forms, and so, walked closer to the owner of the shop with a gleeful smile upon his face as he was star struck at the wonders that were on offer and the manner in which they were created.

And that emerald was simply exquisite! The gnome's sharp eyes could see the value and potential. It almost sang to him, “Buy me, enchant me, use me!”

Bubkiss resisted immediately reaching into his pockets to fork over a large amount of cash for the emerald. He had wealth to spare, but he knew it had to last him a good amount of time. And there were many more commissioned works to be made in the future. If he just bought every gem he saw that could be enchanted he'd end up poor very quickly, Bubkiss thought to himself.

And then Bubkiss was addressed.

“Oh, why, yes, hello! I must say this is all dazzling, simply dazzling. I never knew such a place existed, it was only by luck that I saw an advertisement! And what luck indeed!” Bubkiss said and approached closer. He tried to remove the happy look on his face to resemble something more of a professional, but for all his intent he simply couldn't. The allure of the place was too strong, too exciting for his gnomish self to conceal. He continued.

“Why, I could spend a fortune in here, I just know it. These gems are some of the finest cut I've ever seen, you're simply a master at this. That emerald you were just holding, I just know it would be receptive to all manner of long lasting illusionary works, I just know it. Only handled one diamond for enchanting in the past and it wasn't so fine as such a piece. But, yes, anyway. I was hoping that I might be able to ask for some assistance with a project I'm working on. You see, this mirror,” Bubkiss said, and produced what now seemed to be a rather simple mirror in comparison to some of the works on display in the shop, “has been asked to be enchanted. I've already enchanted the gem, a topaz with an illusionary spell at the request of a client of mine. That's my forte you see.” Bubkiss said, resisting going on a self aggrandising speech about his own talents. Not appropriate when dealing with such an impressive body of work and when the artist was clearly well versed in handling objects of power. And besides, this wasn't the street corner, this was the fellow's shop.

Master Murk wouldn't brag when trying to secure a new business venture, Bubkiss thought to himself as he gathered himself to continue to speak. He ran his finger across his lapel, a nervous habit. He was struck at once by a sudden thought of politeness, and doffed his tophat.

“This topaz isn't up to your standard of cutting I know, but I just need it affixed to the base of the mirror,” Bubkiss said humbly. “Although, I'm sure if you were to cut it further, I could strength the illusionary magic that's lurking within it now. Might make for a more impressive item for my client. It presently makes the user twenty years younger, again, at the request of a client. Older lady, pleasant woman, honest hard working. Wanted to relive her better years through the mirror. Here,” Bubkiss said, and placed the topaz and mirror gently on the table in front of Chaceledon. It was as the gnome said, cut, but hardly to the standard that Chaceledon was producing.

“I can pay,” Bubkiss said sheepishly and felt like a fool for mentioning such a thing. Don't blow it, he reprimanded himself. “My customer, and I, would be awfully grateful if you could help affix the gem to the mirror. And recut the thing perhaps? Is that possible?” Bubkiss said, getting carried away with his interest in the subject.

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

The dragon raised an eyebrow. “Yes, luck.” he said, with no small hint of sneering. He sighed and set down the emerald. It seemed his calm morning in faceting work was about to be ruined by another one of Oor’s customers. His petty retaliation of putting items too expensive for the average man in the cases hadn’t deterred this one at all. Normally people would come in, encounter the hostile slave at the front counter, view the pieces, and leave with their heads hung low. As intended. The less gold that went into Oor’s pockets, the better.

The gnome immediately flooded him with compliments, which in any other circumstance would necessitate preening on Chaceledon’s behalf. Being kept here against his will while his master lured in fools with cheap playbills? It turned sour in his ears. The dragon looked at the emerald he cut and tossed it, unceremoniously, into his case as though he’d been cutting glass. It was hard not to hate his own work when currently it only stood to line the pockets of his rapist.

Dragons were as good at holding grudges as they were artistic endeavors.

The gnome produced a mirror, and a piece of topaz. Chaceledon looked at the gem, and used a pair of elegant silver tongs, shaped like birds claws and about as small, to grasp it. His lip curled, and he plunged the gem into a glass jar by his cutting station full of liquid. Dirt and filth rose up from the gem. Skin oils from handling it with bare fingers, dirt from dirty pockets, all streaming off the mineral. He plucked it out, wiped it with a cloth, and beheld the cleaned and glittering gemstone.

“Classic round cut. No inclusions but not uncommon for topaz...yellow, not imperial. I’d be upset if it was, your tables are embarrassingly uneven. It throws the light around as if it doesn’t know what to do with it.” Chaceledon frowned slightly, turning the gem in his tongs. He selected a steel dipstick, warmed it with his breath, and picked up a gob of wax from a little silver tin. He set the gem into it, and eyed it again, then began cutting. He was gentle with the wheel, only slightly touching the stone. He’d just barely kiss the stone to the grinding wheel, lift it up for inspection, then another gentle touch. Slowly, very slowly, the light corrected. When he was satisfied he polished it with grit paste, then another plume of violet flame cleaned the wax from it. Another trip to the cleaning solution, and he laid the gem on a cloth before the gnome.

He offered him tongs to touch it with, and picked up the mirror. “Not with your grubby fingers, not ever.” the dragon chastised. “Topaz turns brown when mammals like you smear their skin oils all over it.”

He cleaned the mirror in kind, with a cloth dipped in his cleaning solution, and a set of tiny brushes that scrubbed away fingerprints, dust, oil, and dirt. He worked on it as though uncovering an artifact from some natural disaster. He laid down a clean piece of linen, and turned the mirror over. Strangely, when Chaceledon touched it, no fingerprints were left behind. He examined the backing and pursed his lips.

“Topaz fractures perfectly. If you put it just on...this...” he held up the silver wire as though the gnome had attached his pubic hair to the piece. “It will damage itself and shatter. Do you have a setting for it?”

MrTophat

 

[MrTophat]

Bubkiss watched as Chaceledon worked with experience about the task. He felt a little wounded at the chastising, but then Bubkiss was used to the pride of his betters bringing a tone of nastiness about them as they instructing him on the better way of doing things. His former master had held a level of pride and perfection that Bubkiss found himself struggling to attain; for all his talent he lacked the grace and precision of others. A precision which Bubkiss admired in Chaceledon as he worked.

Once more the dragon produced flame from his mouth and Bubkiss silently marvelled at such an action. If this fellow's drunk a fire breathing potion, then that must get expensive, Bubkiss thought. But wait, he called me mammal. So, that makes him...?

Bubkiss eyed the lapidist with curious eyes, tentative for a moment to take up the tongs. He nodded at the instruction not to touch it with his own hands. Lesson learned, he supposed. He gripped it and admired the newly form cuts, and felt the presence of his magic still. He spoke a word of magic, elvish in this particular instance, to feel the resonation of the arcane will he had infused in the item. The gnome felt the pulse of magic, the life that was lurking within the gem still. Being cut hadn't dampened the contained energies whatsoever. Bubkiss smiled as he did so, and hummed gently to himself in concentration. He turned the gem in the light as he began to speak, his eyes captivated by the new cuts and the way the light refracted.

“I don't have a setting for it no...I might be a little over my head with these sorts of things. Little undercooked. Can you help? I don't have a workshop you see, no tools or resources of my own as I've been travelling. Been trying to find the right spot to ply my trade. Plenty of experience with magic, but this sort of fine work that you do so well, no, I'm not used to it. You see, I lost my master who I used to help with his work. He mostly worked on mirrors, performances and enchanting. Not that I saw a lot of it in action, I just helped here and there. And learned what I could. I'm glad I came here, it's a relief, honestly. I'm having to do my own thing now. It's not easy,” Bubkiss said, his words at first bubbling and then ebbing as he became slightly sad at the loss of his master. For all the hard work he had to endure to learn the art of illusions the prospect of trying to do all that his former master had done without instruction was daunting.

He put the tongs and gem back down gently and took a step away from the counter. He readjusted his belt, hoisting it higher on his squat person, as if to secure himself firmer somehow.

“Say, I hope you don't mind me asking, but I've never seen someone breathe fire before. And you called me mammal. Never heard someone call me that. It's awfully impressive your fire, the way you use it for your work. Did you drink a potion to do such a thing? Must get awful expensive if so. But then, with all this fine work, I suppose you could afford such a trick. I don't mean any offense,” Bubkiss said, shaking his hands in front of himself, and drew a little closer, almost conspiratorial, “but I'm awful curious. How do you breathe fire? I can only imitate such things, but actual flame! Boy, it sure is something...” Bubkiss asked sheepishly.

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon took the gem back with a deft pluck of the tongs. He was happy the gem worked as intended, and the gnome had his spells checked. He would have done the same. He wasn’t surprised to hear that the gnome didn’t have a setting. He took one look at the wire, wrapped it around a finger, and yanked it out sharply. “If only we should be so lucky to find our masters dead on the floor some evening. Fantasies of strangling mine with a slave collar have a bit of a poetic twist. Cheap leather as well; the bastard doesn’t deserve anything less. Cheap murder weapons for a cheap corpse.” he said sourly, and herded the silver wire into a crucible. “Be happy you’re free. Never mourn a slave owner. I won’t.”

With that, Chaceledon brought the crucible to his lips. Flame poured from his mouth, turning the wire into a sizzling bead. Black rose to the surface, and Chaceledon irritably burned it off. The flame was much hotter than a mere blacksmith’s flame; the entire room rose a few degrees. Chaceledon stopped, and the silver was pure. Dragonfire had burned away all the impurities. He poured it into a small mold, and set it aside. “Fire your silversmith, he’s been shorting you.” The dragon said lightly. “There’s just enough there for an immersion setting. Never use prongs on amethyst or topaz; they’ll chip.”

The dragon gave Bubkiss a decidedly hard look. “We’ve finally reached a time where the world’s forgotten true dragons...I suppose you expected one of those shambling lizards bristling with horns?” he made a dismissive, amused noise and turned to pop the setting out of the mold. It was still soft, but he handled it as though it were clay. He delicately set the gem in, molded the silver, and pulled it out again. When he was satisfied with the way the gem sat inside, he cooled the setting in water and pulled out inscribing tools.

He carved. Effortlessly, oak leaves like that on the mirror began to appear on the setting. Soft, delicate creatures of silver with loving scratches of a diamond-tipped file.

MrTophat

 

[MrTophat]

Be happy you're free? That was a real head scratcher, Bubkiss thought to himself, and did so. He absorbed the dragon's words as he worked and scratched away at his head. This guy sure has some issues with masters, huh. Using such language, wow. Maybe I got lucky with mine? Murk was good to me. Taught me how to weave magic, how to create fantastic things. Even gave me his possessions when he had to go away. Well, most of them anyway. Couldn't have asked for more in fact, I had nothing. And now I get the chance to make my own fate of things.

The little fellow gave a little, 'heh' at the prospect of him being shorted on his payments for silver and stopped scratching his head. Always trying to fool the little guy in these big cities. He'd encountered a few charlatans in his brief time in the city, but to know that he had been duped gave him a sense of odd respect for the hustle that was being performed. “Noted,” Bubkiss said in reply to such words. He watched and listened attentively as he might towards his former master.

And then the hard look. It reminded him of the seriousness of his teacher Murk. He could withstand it, for he knew there was instruction to be had. And shocking instruction he did receive.

“Forgotten true dragons? I didn't expect anything at all, no lizards no nothing, honest fair and plain, honest simple and faithfully! True dragons?” Bubkiss repeated and the cogs within his industrious brain did clank loudly until they shuddered at the conclusion.

“You're a dragon?” Bubkiss said, gobsmacked for a moment. “Boy, that sure is something!”

Bubkiss then began to speak quickly and hurriedly, as if each thought was rushing to meet him and be thrown out into the world. Bubkiss didn't know this about himself, but it was a quality of the gnomish people to speak in such a fashion when passionate about a new curiosity of interest. Bubkiss had never encountered any fellow gnomes beyond hazy memories of his parents. He chatted away with a somewhat star struck disposition. Bubkiss had never spoken to a dragon before.

“I thought I might see one of you in some years when I was more powerful, when I was exploring some castle or something with some friends I'd make maybe. This is something amazing alright, wow! You're a dragon? I've only heard about you, I've never seen...never expected to encounter one! Let alone be asking for help from one! I'm honoured, truly, I am! My Master told me that you folks are awful powerful. Sure, I make illusions of you folks all the time, all complimentary I assure you, people marvel at it when they see it. Think there's something about the majesty of it all. I learned from my lessons what you guys look like in your, uh, other form, with the wings and all? My master had some dealings with a few of your kind I think, but he wouldn't talk about it much. Didn't want me to get the wrong idea about his clients I think. And all the things you say about your master, wow. Mine never treated me badly, taught me everything I know, gave me roof, board, education, magic, gems, books, all a growing gnome could need. Never suffered like you sound you have, with all your talk of, um, fantasing about...um. Well, anyway. I'm sorry you have it so hard. But wait, something don't make sense to me,” Bubkiss said, “you have a master? Dragons are mighty things from what I heard, surely you don't need one, you've outgrown the need to learn from someone? You use your flame here so well, all of these wonderful items, and you've helped me out a bunch! What have you got left to learn from a master? I don't mean to be rude and all, I'm just shocked that I'm talking to an actual dragon, and he's still learning from a master. Must be some seriously powerful magic you're learning or something, huh.”

Bubkiss realised he had been talking for probably far too long. He looked at his boots for a moment, and then back up to the dragon. He gave a small quiet smile, like a schoolboy who had just given an elaborate answer to a question and wasn't quite sure if he had got it terribly right or terribly wrong.

Chaceledon​

 

[Chaceledon]

There was no carving with the amount of chattering. He set the setting down sharply, harder than he meant to, and flung the tool down next to it. “I do not learn anything from Oor. The man is a raping bully who managed to kidnap me and get me into this hideously cold and raining climate where I can’t shift. I can barely use magic. Do you honestly think someone of my species and caliber would be caught dead in a shop where the floors are pine?!” he snarled. He could feel rage boiling up in his chest. “I am a slave to a maniac whose idea of a relaxing evening is renting children from the latest backwater town and making them skin each other for pennies.”

The dragon sat back down. He took a moment to compose himself. Dragons didn’t lose their tempers like that, especially not on small folk. Gnomes chattered. He took a deep breath, let it out, and picked up the setting again. He fit the topaz to it, and swept the scrapings into the crucible. Another quick breath, and he was able to carve a hot ring of silver. The ring affixed to the back of the mirror, and he heated the setting to settle within it. Once it cooled, it would be strong, durable, and protect the gem from casual wear if someone smacked the mirror against a wall.

MrTophat

 

[MrTophat]

Bubkiss took a step back at the admonishment.

“Oh...I see. Well, I didn't give it much thought. First time encountering a dragon. Wasn't thinking. Sorry,” Bubkiss said quietly. His exuberance soon returned however.

“You're a slave? Goodness me, that's just awful. Just awful! Surely something can be done about that. Slavery is all kinds of wrong, and to enslave a dragon! That's just a new form of low!” Who could enslave a dragon of all things, Bubkiss thought to himself ponderously.

“Wish I could help, truly I do. But I don't think I'm quite powerful enough. I've only just started on my journeys. I would and all. Help you out that is. Freeing a dragon, that would be a noble thing I think. If my master was still around he'd probably help you. But, he's not. It's just me now. But there's got to be something that can be done to set things right huh? I'm sure,” Bubkiss said and swallowed. He didn't want to receive another outburst of anger, “I'm sure you've tried to get help with your master problem. I'm just sorry to hear that you're in such a predicament is all. And...” Bubkiss said, and hestitate for but a moment before continuing, “I like the pine. It's okay by me.”

He decided to change the subject but found himself circling back to it inadvertently.

“You can barely use magic? I find that hard to believe somehow. I don't mean to offend you, I'm just sure you'd be a natural at it. I hear dragons have magic in their blood! Unless your master somehow prevented you from using the stuff? He sounds like a nasty piece of work. Someone should set things right, they really should. You should be free to set up your shop as you want it. Without the pine flooring, seeing as you don't like it.” Bubkiss asked.

"You're doing a terrific job by the way. Not that you need me to tell you that. I'm awful grateful."

Chaceledon

 

[Chaceledon]

Chaceledon felt bad for shouting at the gnome. The poor creature hadn’t been cruel to him at all, only overly exhuberant. He reminded him of some of the Volkers he’d raised; he’d never had patience for that age where chattering and endless questions came naturally. He shook his head slightly.

“Dragons are only as warm as the air around them. When I’m this cold, I can’t do magic. I can’t even run very far. My head is foggy and my fire runs low. I can’t transform, I can’t fly. I haven’t flown in a very long time. When I leave this bitterly cold shop I go to a cold place underground where all I do is sleep and attempt to get warm.” Chaceledon explained. “Coats don’t help. What I need is the sun, and my owner keeps me far away from the sun drenched lands of Amol-Kalit where my kind live. My family has an estate there...or had.”

The dragon lifted the mirror and turned it over. Good. It sat perfectly without rubbing against the gem. He wrapped it in a length of silk, both to protect the mirror from rub marks and the gem from filth. He tied it off with a length of orange ribbon, ironically the fae color of good fortune, and nodded to it.

“I was once a master jeweler. Now I just make baubles. If you ever find an old piece of mine, let me know. I like seeing bits of myself when I wasn’t like this.”

MrTophat

 

[MrTophat]

Bubkiss nodded and hummed at the appropriate moments of interest. He turned over possibilities within his head, wild inventions to the more mundane solutions. Sunlight in a bottle, sunlight within a gem, some kind of specialised undead turning device turned hot water bottle? No no, much too simple, not quite within reach, too impractical. Bubkiss was at a loss for now. He resisted workshopping his ideas with the dragon for now, it might frustrate him further he thought to hear hope dangling in front of him Bubkiss reasoned, especially when he himself wasn't sure about it yet. Bubkiss decided to do some research in the future so that he might be able to warm this individual up. It would be the least I could do, Bubkiss thought. Not many of his tasks had such a charitable intent to it, so he decided to do his best and get back to Chaceledon on the subject. He didn't want to offer false hope, it would be too cruel to someone who had been handed such a foul hand.

He scrunched up his nose and looked around at the pieces of art that were around him, as if trying to find inspiration for the dragon's quandry. He mused as he looked around, lifting himself on his feet like a constable on duty walking the beat.

“Old piece of yours? What like? Master Murk had a great deal of things while I was learning under him. Powerful things, most he didn't allow me to touch for fear of breaking them I think. He let me use the various rings I still have to this day,” Bubkiss said and waved his ring covered hands to the gem worker, “But who knows, one of the items my Master had could have been from you, sure, why not? Stranger things have been known. You're so talented at what you do, with all these minor wonders kicking around here. My Master did have his pride and joy, a mirror that could constitute itself from pieces, a transmutational scrying mirror I think he called it sometimes. Originally meant for scrying I think judging from how it always wanted to communicate the arcane essence somewhere other than where it was, but Master Murk used it for painting illusionary designs upon it before he went out to cast them himself on his high paying jobs for higher ups I never saw. Well, rarely saw. I painted too, that's what we used to call it, painting, I painted within it to train. So I could perfect some of the more complicated light conjuration. Good thing he had it too, made the learning process so much easier as we could freeze an image to look at the arcane tendrils that constructed an illusion, it let my Master show me where I might be going wrong. And going right!”

Bubkiss took a breath and looked at another mask. It seemed to stare back at him with a powerful gaze that gave him ideas about fierce creatures that the mask might be imitating.

He continued. “He had it for as long as I can remember, it was a massive thing, much taller than either one of us, and it resonated with perfect power. Had three emeralds at the base that allowed the magic to work. But I don't see any mirrors in here. 'Side from the one I handed you. Unless there's more around here?” Bubkiss said conversationally, his words spilling like whiskey poured to the brim of a glass and swirled for the scent as he looked around as if he might see another mirror that he was referring to.

“Would sure be swell if it was you who worked on such a thing. Pretty unlikely though, right? What would the odds be, eh?" Bubkiss said with a smile.

Chaceledon