More nice stains

I keep on with the pottery making at the Sung family estate, which remains my favorite venue (although Sto Lat's tasteless choices actually earn me some decent cash in this regard). Some staining patterns are clearly beyond my current grasp - Apocralypse, Agatean Dragon, Landscape- and others I can succeed in but very plainly -geisha and samurai silhouette-. I have managed to achieve top results with others which I painted on gaiwans and incense burners. Here they are, for public enlightenment: 

Butterflies

An exquisite pattern of supremely delicate butterflies has been stained in gold upon it. 

Snarling Tiger

Stained by a master, the statue is decorated with a fierce and snarling tiger in gold and ivory. Its muscles rippling and its eyes following you. 

Water Buffalo

On its surface is a remarkably vivid gold water buffalo, gazing into the distance. 

Willow Tree

It has been decorated with an immaculate willow tree stained in midnight black and gold, resplendent in its intricate design. 

Pagoda 

It is decorated with a refined pattern of a sacred pagoda, worked out in painstaking detail and stained in gold and jade green

Crane

A proudly staring dark lavender and Hong red crane has been stained on the statue, showing a clear talent for lifelike portrayals. 

Panda

A most auspicious animal, the quietly munching form of a great panda has been skillfully stained upon its surface in cream and cyan.

I did get once a fluke with the geisha pattern, but cannot be 100% sure it is the top one. Anyway, it reads like this: 

Looking fragile and beautiful, the silhouette of a dainty geisha has been stained upon the tube in gold

Art of the Great Hall (1)

The Great Hall of Unseen University is literally bursting with lots and lots of paintings of former Archchancellors and statues of wizards of yore, great in the lore. In the following pages we will be making a short detour through some of the most interesting pieces (at least, to our appreciation). We shall start in the southwestern corner:

The Great Hall of the Unseen University is where the faculty wizards get down to business, namely eating and drinking.  The hall roof is held up with lots of pillars.  The walls are hung with paintings of former Archchancellors.  This is the southwestern corner of the hall.

There are three obvious exits: north, east and northeast.

A statue of BlackHeart is standing on the floor

l statue

This is an incredible six foot high statue of Senior Wizard BlackHeart, a well known fellow indeed.  It's a realistic life size piece carved out of marble with a divine touch from the gods.  He is a tall, noble looking wizard, holding a great sword in its right hand while the left is holding what appears to be a ball of flame.  You somehow get the impression that the only reason you are still alive is that the statue is unable to make up its mind what would be most fun: to cut your head off or to fry you alive.  Perhaps you should leave before it makes up its mind?  On its base is a golden plaque.

read plaque

You read the plaque:

Motto: "Hex them till they glow, then curse them in the dark".

l paintings

The portrait of 53rd Archchancellor Farn Muttle attracts your attention.  Muttle is famous for building an extensive, and very costly, college of weather magic which was the pride of the campus until it was unfortunately demolished by a thunderstorm, two tornadoes, a freak tsunami, which developed in the Circle Sea and was funnelled up the river by Ankh Bay, and a shower of squid.

These are the past Archchancellors of Unseen University.  Some are unfinished, probably due to the high mortality rate among high-ranking wizards.

People at Uni - Thalic

You see Flatulent Thalic of Mrs. Widgery's Lodgers, the Seventh Level Wizard. 
He is a strapping young human lad. 
He is not fat, but working on it. He is in good shape. 
He is standing. 
He has a long, flowing and, above all, convincing brown beard. 
He has a sapphire studded shield floating around him. 
Holding : a tachibo (left hand and right hand). 
Wearing : a pair of gold wire glasses, a pair of black soft-soled boots, a pair of black trousers, a Guild of Bandits' tabard, a black silk shirt, a leather carryall, a black backpack, a wizard's pointy hat, five club badges, an utility belt, a fake beard, a turquoise scarab ring, a gold medallion, a rambler's canteen, a chain of stars, a sapphire ring, a diamond ring, a blue crystal ring, two twisted black amulets, a star sapphire ring, a gold watch and a gold ring. 
Carrying: a cured human left eye, a piece of writing paper, a caged ironwood case, a bronze helm, a hessian sack and a large rosewood jewellery box.

Quasi-godbothering

No, dear readers, Winswand hasn't hung up the robes to take up priestly functions. but I have continued improving my goldsmithing techniques, and taken up a book with jewellery for the god-bothering kind of folks that roam around the Disc. The expert patterns required some non trivial effort,  but I have been able to master all the forms in the book - even if not to perfection. I've also been engraving, but that's a story for another post.

First, the new finesmithing pattern book. This was not obtainable at Master Weestone's, but rather, I had to fetch in in Sleepy Hollow, at a certain jeweller's (the same place where I obtained the tome on Hedge wizard patterns). It makes sense, as these gold pieces allow for the inclusion of sparkly gems, once they've been completed. 

The book is called Jewellery Patterns for the Pious, and it looked like this:

A linen-bound book featuring rough screen-printed pictures of religious-themed jewellery on the front cover.

It appears to have something written on it.

It is closed.

read book

You read the cover of the religious jewellery pattern book:

Written in embossed gold letters:

Jewellery Patterns for the Pious

       H. O. Lyworshipper 

Within we find an introduction, along with the crosshatching inscriptions for nine pieces that you use as a pattern when goldsmithing each item. The are the ones that appear, along with my own crafting result:

Raincloud necklace

Wispy curved red gold links form a chain supporting a cloud design, also of red gold.  Three raindrops, created by three empty tiny gem settings, hang from the cloud.  The pendant makes an ideal tribute to Pishe.

Corridor necklace

Sculpted from red gold, the pendant of this necklace is a corridor that disappears into the distance with a setting for a tiny gem set at the vanishing point.  Clearly a tribute to Sandelfon, the pendant hangs from a fine red gold chain.

Ball of fluff necklace

A little ball of fluff with two empty tiny gem settings for eyes has been skilfully wrought from red gold and hangs from a delicate chain.  It is a fitting tribute to Gufnork.

Fishing rod brooch

This brooch has been expertly crafted to depict a little fishing rod.  A fine red gold chain hangs from the very tip of the rod to represent the fishing line, with a perfect little fish, in the same metal, hooked on the end.  The intricately detailed reel of the rod has been further accented with a setting for a small gem.

Fish bracelet

This piscine bracelet of gold is formed by a chain of fish joined head to tail.  One more prominent fish features a setting for a large gem in place of its visible eye.

Dust devil necklace

An intricate spiral of gold spins slowly on a delicate chain.  A centrally placed dust mote is represented by a setting for a tiny gem, which catches the light attractively.

Vulture bracelet

This white gold bracelet embraces the wrist with the wings of a vulture.  The bird's head rises proudly in the centre and glares at the world with eyes of two empty medium gem settings.

Coat-hanger necklace

This highly fashionable star-shaped pendant is formed by two crossed coathangers studded with four empty tiny gem settings.  It catches the light dazzlingly as it dangles from a chain of white gold, attracting the well-pleased eye of Gapp.

Seven handed brooch

Seven hands have been deftly sculpted from solid black gold to form a decorative brooch.  Clasped securely within the hands are seven empty tiny gem settings.

Top pottery results!

I have finally managed to get just enough skill to make clay hollow tubes, which can then be turned into flutes! I also discovered some tricks to spice up my staining and glazing abilities, and the results are here to see, after some hour's work at the Sung family's pottery room. Each of these flutes has achieve its greatest staining and glazing message.

You get a light amber clay flute from a pocket in an ornate bone backpack.

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l flute

A number of evenly spaced holes runs along the length of this flute which has been lovingly made from clay.  Beautifully-rendered gold and McSweeney black hummingbirds dart around the flute, stained with a deft hand worthy of portraying the legendary hummingbirds of the Sun Emperor.  It is covered with a lustrous light amber glaze.

You get a jade green clay flute from a pocket in an ornate bone backpack.

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l flute

A number of evenly spaced holes runs along the length of this flute which has been lovingly made from clay.  A stunning pattern of gently lapping azure and snow white waves enhance the flute.  A vivid jade green glaze covers the flute.

You get a Sung blue clay flute from a pocket in an ornate bone backpack.

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l flute

A number of evenly spaced holes runs along the length of this flute which has been lovingly made from clay.  Symbol of longevity and Agatean heritage, a perfect gold and turquoise koi carp has been stained on the flute.  It has been coated with a lustrous Sung blue glaze.

You get an ivory clay flute from a pocket in an ornate bone backpack.

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l flute

A number of evenly spaced holes runs along the length of this flute which has been lovingly made from clay. A harmonious pattern of fine feathers in storm-cloud grey and thistle violet tastefully adorns the flute. A vivid ivory glaze covers the flute.

You get a silver clay flute from a pocket in an ornate bone backpack.

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l flute

A number of evenly spaced holes runs along the length of this flute which has been lovingly made from clay.  It is decorated with a breathtaking pattern of snowflakes, each one unique, stained in gold.  It is covered with a lustrous silver glaze.

You get a plum clay flute from a pocket in an ornate bone backpack.

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l flute

A number of evenly spaced holes runs along the length of this flute which has been lovingly made from clay.  An intricate and amazingly detailed pattern of down white and dark purple lotus blossoms has been stained on the flute.  A lustrous plum glaze covers the flute.

You get a lemon yellow clay flute from a pocket in an ornate bone backpack.

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l flute

A number of evenly spaced holes runs along the length of this flute which has been lovingly made from clay.  Designed to catch moments of grief and loss and the temporality of life, the flute has been stained with a breathtaking pattern of falling leaves in crimson and light brown.  It is covered with a vivid lemon yellow glaze.

You get a snow white clay flute from a pocket in an ornate bone backpack.

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l flute

A number of evenly spaced holes runs along the length of this flute which has been lovingly made from clay.  A beautiful and traditional pattern of Agatean cherry blossoms has been expertly stained upon the flute in cherry blossom pink and hot pink.  It has been coated with a vivid snow white glaze.

You get a scarlet clay flute from a pocket in an ornate bone backpack.

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l flute

A number of evenly spaced holes runs along the length of this flute which has been lovingly made from clay.  It is adorned with the beautiful and very traditional pattern of delicate light bamboo and moorland green bamboo branches.  A lustrous scarlet glaze covers the flute.

You get an ebony clay flute from a pocket in an ornate bone backpack.

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l flute

A number of evenly spaced holes runs along the length of this flute which has been lovingly made from clay.  It is decorated with an absorbing design of a lone graceful water lily in Tang green and buttercup yellow.  It is covered with a vivid ebony glaze.

Staves

The fourth and laft type of magical itemes be thofe that muft be held to unleafe their magical potency, ufually carved pieces of wood or forged metal ftickes of differing fizes. Of thefe, ftaves be the ones we moft readilie affociate with wyzards. In the days of olde, they were used as conduits and receptacles of much magical power, but alas, in our declining tymes, moft of thofe artes have been loft. A ftaffe ftill proveth useful for the drawing of a magical octogram, a prerrequifite of fundry complex magical fpelles. And one magical ftaffe hath furvived from the dayes of yore: Frottjor’s, which bringeth in its wake wave upon wave of fierie bunnies from hell when its power be invoked.

Gold Bug

Since my first foray into goldsmithing, I have been coming back again, eager to improve my skills. Much work needs to be done, but at the moment, I can manage from pretty standard pieces, up to a mediocre level of expertise.

Different skills are required for this noble art: the first one is crafts.smithing.gold (or crafts.smithing.silver if you will be forging stuff out of other noble metals: silver, bronze, copper...). The former should not be a problem for you if you are a caster of Wonker's Wicked Wobble; the second one is crafts.arts.sculpture. Finally, it seems that crafts.arts.design is also somehow relevant. For at least the first step -forging-, you need to be in a smithy that has a goldsmithing workbench. My place-to-go is the Sto Lat Artificer's Guild. You will also need some metal bars, a pattern book and some tools, which usually can be purchased in the same place. Let's start with the tools:

This soft canvas roll contains a dozen tiny, delicate files made from hardened Gebra steel and a sturdy oak handle for them.  Used in goldsmithing and similar work, the variety means that any surface or corner - even the most complex or arcane - can be smoothed or rounded to the smith's desire.  It also has a handy pocket for a polishing cloth.

It is in excellent condition.

The roll of jeweller's files is about half full with a jeweller's polishing cloth.

It is open.

get cloth from files

You get a jeweller's polishing cloth from a roll of jeweller's files.

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l cloth

This soft cloth can be used to polish jewellery and gemstones to a lustrous shine, removing every last vestige of roughness.

It is in excellent condition.

Bars come in many materials, shapes and sizes. Just an example:

This is a bar of red gold, about five inches long.  Stamped into the top surface, the staff and crossed hammers of the Sto Lat Academy of Artificers indicate its purity.

Finally, you need some pattern book from where you take inspiration and guidance. The basic one, which you can purchase from Master Weestone, is Finesmithing for Artificers, a goldsmith's pattern book whose description goes like this:

This hefty leather-bound tome has been tooled with images of forge and anvil, and decorated with gold leaf.

Now you are ready to get going! This book  contains six workpieces, which in order (from least to most difficult) are: a cabbage brooch, an oak leaf ring, a tankard, a chain of stars, a wise owl ink well and a fountain pen nib. I have tried my hand at all of those.

Your first step is forging the item, and for this you will need the workbench, as stated, the book and the bar. After working, you should get a rough version of the workpiece that then needs to be filed (depending on the difficulty level, quite a few times might be required). Finally, you polish the piece, first with your files, then with the cloth. As with the production of other works of art, your skills determine one of approximately eight different outcomes for each piece.

I have already shown you in yesterday's entry what the oak leaf ring looks like. Let's go through the others:

Cabbage brooch

An elegant circle of gold bears a pattern of cabbage fronds in low relief, recalling the tasty and loyal denizens of the Sto Plains.  From beneath a frond at the centre of the disc, a pair of eyes peek shyly out with an affectionate gaze. 

Tankard

This red gold tankard is quite tall and slender, with a neatly rounded rim and a solid base.

Chain of stars

A slim, delicate black gold necklace supports a dozen shimmering, twinkling stars, each the size of a child's fingernail.

Wise owl ink well

Simple and elegant, with a wise, affectionate look in her wide round eyes, this decorative gold owl statuette has a deep well in her head for ink.

Fountain pen nib

This is a very well-made gold italic nib.

 Results are a bit middling. I have also made a short trip to Slippery Hollow and got myself another pattern book to try out: 

l book

This slim little book has been bound in sturdy light green book-cloth, and stamped with a title in silver ink.

It appears to have something written on it.

It is closed.

> 

read book

You read the cover of the closed light green cloth-bound pattern book:

Written in silver letters:

Jewellery from the Hedge-Wizard's Life

This book only has 4 patterns, and I have managed to try them all as well:

Crescent moon ring

This slim, pretty ring consists of a delicate band of gold, wrought in the form of a dozen crescent moons overlapping around its length.  Lovingly detailed as they are, the moons could have fallen from an autumn sky.

Country cottage ink well

This prettily made white gold cottage has a deep well for ink where the chimney-pot would normally be, and every detail of the thatch has been lovingly engraved.

Sleeping cat pendant

This rose gold pendant has been lovingly shaped into a cute, whimsical cat, curled up as though fast asleep between the wearer's collarbones where it hangs from its ribbon.

Dinner plate

This gold plate, solid and sturdy, won't shame any dinner table.  The beading around the edge is elegantly simple, done with a deft hand.

There is nothing on the elegant gold plate.

Except for the plate, most results were middling too, so I definitely have to improve my sculpting skills. Besides, there is a whole world to explore in which you set jewels into metal pieces, and in which you engrave these pieces with writing and symbols. But let's go one step at a time.