And a book with many facets!

This is the last of the available finesmithing books, I believe:

You get a closed gemcutting pattern book from a large wardrobe.

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look book

A linen-bound book featuring rough pictures of rubies, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds screen-printed on the front cover.

It appears to have something written on it.

It is closed.

> 

read book

You read the cover of the closed gemcutting pattern book:

Written in embossed silver letters:

     An Introduction to Gemcutting     

             By L. Peabody

Friendship ring

Deftly crafted from gold and decorated with a setting for a tiny gem side-by-side with a setting for a tiny gem, this ring symbolises friendship and affection.

Lapel pin

This lapel pin is elegant in its simplicity. It has been skilfully crafted from electrum and features a setting for a medium gem at one end.

Hipflask

A stylishly formed hipflask forged from black gold. It has been created such that it molds to the shape of the body when worn in a pocket. A setting for a large gem adds a decorative touch to the cap of the vessel.

Tiara

A setting for a huge gem sits centrally in this tiara, with two empty large gem settings displayed on either side of it. Held in elegantly sculpted swirls of electrum, the settings add to what is already a rather pretty piece of jewellery.

Bracelet

This bracelet has been formed by delicately sculpted leaves of electrum. Evenly spaced amongst the leaves are four stylised daisies, their centres formed by four empty small gem settings.

And another jewellery book!

You get an open gemmed jewellery pattern book from a large wardrobe.

>

look book

This hefty leather-bound tome has been tooled with images of rings, interlocking and bisecting, and is decorated with gold leaf.

It appears to have something written on it.

It is closed.

> 

read book

You read the cover of the closed gemmed jewellery pattern book:

Written in ornately flourished letters:

Making Jewellery with Gems

    L. B. N. Wiggletoes 

Flame ring

This lovely platinum ring bears a device depicting the Undying Flame, the fire famously stolen from the gods by the Disc's first thief, Mazda.  It is set with a single setting for a small gem.

Sword necklace

This beautiful sword-shaped pendant of gold is quite detailed, even down to the groove in the blade and the binding of the hilt.  There is a setting for a medium gem set into the hilt of the sword.  It hangs on a sturdy chain of the gold.

Cat earrings

A pair of platinum earrings, each fashioned into a likeness of a cat's head in profile featuring two empty tiny gem settings as eyes.

Cabbage earrings

Each intricately crafted earring is formed by a single piece of gold.  The earrings feature four empty tiny gem settings in place of eyes.  They gaze lovingly at their wearer.

Cat brooch

A delicately-made gold brooch, made to look like a cat's head.  Its ears are pricked, and instead of eyes it features two empty tiny gem settings.  It seems to gaze dreamily into space.

Cabbage brooch

This intricately crafted brooch is formed by a single piece of gold.  The brooch features two empty tiny gem settings in place of eyes.  They gaze lovingly at their wearer.

Wizard hat necklace

A tiny, beautifully made gold wizard hat dangles alluringly from a pretty chain of star-shaped links.  The hat is also etched delicately with stars.  The place of the central, most promiment star is occupied by a sparkling setting for a tiny gem.

Nipple rings

An elegantly simple red gold ring bears a gleaming bead in which is set a setting for a small gem.

Horse head necklace

The severed horse head pendant dangling from this gold necklace might be a match for the headless horse said to terrorise the village of Slippery Hollow.  Its setting for a medium gem eyes stare menacingly at the world as though contemplating its next victim.

Windmill necklace

The pendant on this gold necklace is an almost exact replica of the windmill at Slippery Hollow.  Lines are etched on the front to show where the door is, and the four blades rotate slowly around a setting for a small gem in the centre.

A ring to murder for

So I got myself yet another goldsmithing book, Jewelled Rings for All Occassions, by Bashful 'Bonecrusher' Bledrickson, and I've given a shot to each of its 10 rings (no jewel-setting yet, though). Although the author is evidently a dwarf, it seems to have been made mostly with assassins in mind, as besides 3 or 4 options, most look like 'house' rings.

look book

A linen-bound book displaying a single jewelled engagement ring, embossed in gold on the front cover.

Engagement ring

Deftly crafted from gold this solid band serves as the backdrop to a setting for a large gem; a symbol of love.

Hearts engagement ring

A slender band of gold has been sculpted with a delicate design of interlaced hearts and adorned with a setting for a medium gem to symbolise a promise of marriage.

Gaudy ring

A setting for a huge gem takes centre stage on this elaborately designed ring that features swirls of gold.

Cobra ring

A cobra crafted from gold coils around to form this ring.  The snake's hooded head is raised as if poised to strike.  Eyes take the form of two empty tiny gem settings

Viper ring

A gold representation of a deadly viper, this ring has been skilfully shaped to coil around a finger.  It has a distinctive zigzag pattern etched into its back and even the scales are painstakingly represented.  The head, with two empty tiny gem settings for eyes, is reared to strike.

Black Widow ring

A band of gold spiderweb stretches to encircle the finger, with a large gold spider sitting patiently on the front of the ring.  The spider's back holds an hourglass marking, accentuated by two empty tiny gem settings.

Raven ring

A row of sculpted gold eyeballs forms the band of this ring.  A large depiction of a sleek raven in profile decorates the front of the ring with a setting for a tiny gem for its eye and a setting for a medium gem clutched in its beak.

Bands ring

This ring has been carefully sculpted from gold to give the appearance of three distinct bands merging.  A setting for a large gem completes this study in simple elegance.

Scorpion ring

Obviously crafted by a craftsperson of some skill, this gold ring features a delicately sculpted scorpion.  Its fearsome tail is arched and poised for a lethal strike, the sting tipped with a drop of venom, represented by a setting for a tiny gem.

Tree Frog ring

Gold has been forged and sculpted into a tree branch form and coiled to create this ring.  Sitting on the front is a tree frog with two empty tiny gem settings for eyes

Not that I would ever be caught wearing one of these, nice as they are, but I guess I could be employed by some wearer of black to make them for him or her...

God-bothering AND dog-bothering!

 

In the fair city of Ephebe there is a temple devoted to Chefet, the God of Metalwork. Some basic information about it is as follows:

The dog-headed God of Metalwork is usually depicted carrying a hammer and wearing the rings and woven metal armour He is renowned for crafting. Chefet's followers include blacksmiths, armourers, jewellers, and a fair number of dog-lovers. He is often called upon for protection, especially in battle, and His priests are much admired for their steadfastness and reliability. 

This a a likeness of him, as taken from a local artist:

As you might image, a temple devoted to a forging god should have some nice tidbits for metalworkers, whatever their religious beliefs -or lack thereof- should be. In the temple's shop, one can purchase a well-chewed metalworking book with some interesting goldsmithing patterns:

This is a small, plainly bound book of papyrus pages. It looks rather as though several dogs have chewed on it.

There are seven pieces you can make from this, and almost all of them would further require an ability with gem-setting, so as to complete the pieces. They are:

Ceremonial Hammer

This ornate hammer has been forged from a single piece of gold.  The striking head is formed in the shape of a blunt-faced bulldog, teeth bared, and standing proudly on a fluted Ephebian column.

Kantharos

A noble hunting hound gazes patiently from this lovely gold drinking cup, each keenly pricked ear hollowed for a handle.  The stem is an Ephebian column, widening to a broad circular pediment incised with grape vines.  Six empty small gem settings take the place of grapes around the foot, carved tendrils twining around each one.

Earring

An elegantly simple gold bead with a setting for a tiny gem hangs on a curved hook.

Navel stud

A slim gold setting engraved with complex Ephebian key patterns frames a setting for a large gem.

Nipple ring

An elegantly simple red gold ring bears a gleaming bead in which is set a setting for a small gem.

Pendant

This pretty gold pendant forms an elegant setting for a setting for a large gem, highlighting its inherent beauty.

Hound brooch

This elegant gold brooch has been wrought in the shape of a finely detailed hunting hound with his nose held low and tail flagging.  A setting for a small gem forms his glittering eye.

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.

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.