(Sand)castling

Lately I have been taking some sculpting classes in the hope that they would improve my abilities at goldsmithing. Alas, it seems I have been honing th wrong skills for the results I wanted, as getting the topmost quality results when making golden jewellery is fundamentally determined by gold smithing skills...

Still, my work hasn't been *totally* wasted I guess. In a brief holiday I had in the Brown Islands, I discovered my ability at building sandcastles has vastly improved. Here's an example:

This is bang in the middle of a long sandy beach, stretching to the east and west. To the north, a path leads away from the ocean into a small village, while to the south are just endless waves as far as the eye can see. Just to the east of here begins a long pier out to sea.

It is a hot summer prime's evening with almost no wind and a beautifully clear sky.

There are five obvious exits: north, south, east, west and southwest.

make a sandcastle

You pack some sand together to make a small and magnificent sandcastle.

l sandcastle

This is one of the most magnificent examples of sandcrafting one could ever hope to see. The towers have been carefully etched to give the impression of stonework, with the occasional window breaking the monotony. The walls are perfectly straight and the overall effect is stunning. This sandcastle is only quite small, being four towers connected by four walls. You could probably build on it to make a bigger one.

build on sandcastle

You build up another wall around the small and magnificent sandcastle, supporting it with towers at the corners and along the walls.

l sandcastle

This is one of the most magnificent examples of sandcrafting one could ever hope to see. The towers have been carefully etched to give the impression of stonework, with the occasional window breaking the monotony. The walls are perfectly straight and the overall effect is stunning. An inner keep of four towers and walls is surrounded by an outer wall supported by a number of towers.

A blissful native and a relaxed native arrive from the north.

The village to the north must be more interesting than here.

build on sandcastle

You build a stronghold on top of the inner keep of the large and magnificent sandcastle, packing sand over the original centre and building a new set of towers on top. You then surround the whole affair with yet another wall.

l sandcastle

This is one of the most magnificent examples of sandcrafting one could ever hope to see. The towers have been carefully etched to give the impression of stonework, with the occasional window breaking the monotony. The walls are perfectly straight and the overall effect is stunning. The castle is huge, a large raised fortress in the middle, surrounded by an outer wall supported by dozens of towers.

build on sandcastle

You dig a moat around the entirety of the outer wall of the huge and magnificent sandcastle and then a trench to the sea, filling the moat with water.

l sandcastle

This is one of the most magnificent examples of sandcrafting one could ever hope to see. The towers have been carefully etched to give the impression of stonework, with the occasional window breaking the monotony. The walls are perfectly straight and the overall effect is stunning. A goliath among sandcastles, its huge raised central stronghold stands proud and high within an outer wall, lined with turrets. Surrounding the whole castle is a moat, filled with water, with a drawbridge leading into the front gate of the castle.

build on sandcastle

The sandcastle is already huge, with a massive moat. Build a new one!

I tried to see if other sandy, artistic endeavors had improved as well, but no: my sand drawings are just as bad as ever. Perhaps I need to get some classes too in that regard before I can start making more than crooked and squiggly lines in the sand...

People at Uni - Vein

You see Vein Illusione of the Order of Midnight, the Seventh Level Wizard.

She is a strapping young human lass.

She is in good shape.

She is standing.

Her skin looks as hard as rock, although it seems weaker around the neck.

She has a giant turtle shell floating around her.

Holding : a Klatchian steel hatchet (left hand) and a Marzipan dinner knife (right hand).

Wearing : a pair of smuggler's seaboots, a dark grey four-ply cloak, a storm grey wizard's pointy hat, a pearl grey cashmere mask, three blue crystal rings, a gold and red coral ring, a pair of diamond stud earrings and a star sapphire ring.

Sights of the Big Wahoonie - The Patrician's Palace

 

Merchandizing

It is relatively easy, and not particularly glamorous, to earn money in the Disc, and there are only so many useful and expensive bits and bobs you can equip yourself with. Still, money has its uses. An area in which I find myself spending vast amounts of wealth is in the purchase of lives - I am only nine away from a hundred, which would also grant me a significant achievement. For the most part, though, I keep dying somewhat faster than I can raise money to reach the limit...

So if you're 'borrowing' items for selling them, one step up from the general stores would be the fences. The ones I most consistently use are the following three, depending on the type of good I want to convert to cash:

In the Ankh-Morpork Thieves Guild you have Sol and Jim. The first will give you the best bang for your buck for jewellery. The second, for clothing items. Until recently, my loot was mostly mirrored sunglasses and sundry rings, medallions and lockets mostly acquired from certain seedy establishments in Genua, so I could happily make do with both of them.

More recently, I acquired some skills in the mining, carving and polishing of gems, which meant I had to find a specialized fence for that. There are two I know of: one in the middle of the Klatchian desert, and another one in Sto Lat. I find the latter much more convenient given that he pays me in Morporkian currency, the one I employ (and spend!) the most.

Finally, since I've gotten into the habit of frequenting a certain den of iniquity in Ephebe, I also have to add a weapons fence to the list. There's a nice one in Mad Stoat, but again, for currency issues, I prefer Jak, in the Troll's Head Pub of Ankh-Morpork, just at the entrance of The Shades.

Although I don't have the soul of a merchant, I've been improving my haggling skills in different items. As as you have seen from previous entries, I've been systematically listing what can be found with the smugglers. Yesterday, I was fence a load of loot from them when I suddenly noticed an item I hadn't written about before, which I think makes the last (and twentieth) of the list, a fine silk robe:

This robe is made of the most expensive silks to be found. It feels soft and smooth to the touch and its deep blue colour is equally rich.

Here is a table with the twenty items:

Other items of value, also found in Ephebe, would be lambskin capes, peploi and himations. Looting is made more convenient when you have a huge alligator carrying a box on its back where you put stuff as you go along...

Unfortunately, I haven't found a fence for items made of metal that do not count as jewellery, even if they are results of finesmithing. But all fences will buy valuable items from you anyway, even if they won't pay as much if they aren't specialized in the goods.

Anyway, here's a snapshot of my latest mercantile dealings...

People at Uni - Coffeebreak

I am pretty sure I met Coffeebreak in another life (which reminds me... I had a silly death yesterday from a distraction; ouch!) in which he was a wizard, but of a different order. Anyway, tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis.

You see Master Coffeebreak, of the Last Order, the Seventh Level Wizard.

He is the very model of a modern wizard magicial. 

The annals of history speak of terrifying wizards, teeming with power and wealth, feared and despised in equal measure. This is not one of them. Coffeebreak seems to be much more at home at a beach-side bar, admiring the sunset while sipping a glass of wine. Or sitting at his desk, writing a book with a swaying quill while a cat slumbers on his lap. A man who leaves the comforts of civilisation only to help others and wears the scars of his adventures not with pride but with acceptance. 

Wearing: a pair of black soft-soled boots, a pair of climbing gloves, a star lined cloak and a crimson wizard's pointy hat. 

Holding: a couple of daggers

look dagger

This is a dagger, the blade of which is constructed entirely from steel. It is about a foot long, and very sharp. The blade has a thin bevelled edge on both sides, extending the full length of the dagger to the very tip. The dagger has a calfskin grip, and the hilt has a curved crossguard of black steel that tapers to two sharpened points on either side of the blade, like the fangs of some horrible creature swallowing the dagger. The pommel of the dagger has been formed from sapphire into the shape of a cat. The chappe of the blade is made of platinum with a motif of occult sigils etched upon it.

Big and Small and In Between

Yesterday I found one more bit of loot from the smuggler's den which I hadn't encountered before: the Klatchian steel tower shield:

This extremely weighty shield has been made from the finest Klatchian steel. Strong, durable, and weighty, it would be capable of protecting someone from even the most determined of attacks - at least if you were able to carry it. An ornate representation of a phoenix in flight has been inlaid upon the central boss of the shield in gold.

It is, indeed, rather hefty, at around 14.33 pounds. While my first thought was to immediately fence it, I think went and took a look about Quow's suggestions for floaters. Right now I am pretty comfortable with the ornate bone shield, as I am slightly above the 483 bonuses it demands. The Katchian steel piece is apparently good from 538 upwards (and the ultimate goal, a giant turtle shell, from 646 upwards). This, and the new hedgie spell that can make shields heavier, are making me think of a road map: when I go back to spending in magic.spells.defensive, as soon as I reach 500 bonuses I can cast Luquayle's Longevity-Enhancing Ballast once, or even twice, on the current shield. And when I reach 538, switch to this one. And then do the same thing, expanding weights as I get better bonuses. It's going to be a slow climb. I will need unimaginable amounts of xp to push defense up. Perhaps I should be considering sailing, so if any of you smugglers are reading this, let me know if you are willing to recruit me.

Anyway, moving from the very big to the very small, and as part of my attempts to reduce my burden, I have decided to give up on my deluded sapphire-hilted knife. The Hedgies in Skund have developed a really small, light and nifty kauri penknife that does all the requirements of body-part gathering and little-demon summoning, and sheathes along with my Fang inside my recently acquired filigreed sword belt. Knifey looks like this:

This is a sturdy, practical folding knife, suitable for all the little everyday things a hedge wizard might need to cut, like string or branches or eyeballs. It has a Wharncliffe blade designed to fold away into the polished kauri handle, and bears a steaming teacup as a maker's mark. The blade is closed.

And finally, something in between! I have Grimoire carry for me my filigreed rowan case, which I don't use for much, actually, expect for the hope of scraping some magical tm from listing the spells within it. It looks like this:

This is a small case made from rowan which has been completely enveloped in octiron filigree. The design is fanciful and intricate and the octiron has been polished to high reflective shine. In the centre of the cases lid is a small plaque which mirrors your gaze perfectly. At the bottom are four small claw-like feet which the case uses to keep hold of the surface. Any surface, really. Between the legs, in the centre of the bottom of the case is another small plaque which might give some information. 

It is in perfect condition. 

There is no ink in the well. It contains no paper. 

It radiates pure octarine brilliance. 

It has the hazy octarine sparkle of a magical talisman.

Sights of the Big Wahoonie - The Brass Bridge