Dolls and Toys are for Grown Men Too

by **Cryktos Ellios** on January 21st, 2013, 3:12 am

Winter, Day 13, 512

Cryktos walked the streets of Zeltiva, until arriving at a small-time carpenter's house, where he would be learning how to do woodwork. He knocked on the door, and upon the third knock it opened, greeting the woodworker with pleasure.

"Hello, sir. I hear you're teaching woodwork and carpentry to anyone willing to learn. I believe this is the place I have been searching for"

The young magician said to the Carpenter, with a kind smile on his youthful face. The carpenter allowed the student to come in, and from this, Cryktos saw many tables of wood, tools, and gadgets.

"If you would like, young student, I can also teach you some gadgeteering, just to make it easier to invent some new items."

The Carpenter said, noticing the gleam in the young wizard's eye. He led Cryktos to the small, simple tooled table, ready to teach him his first lesson. The wizard sat down, ready to learn. The Carpenter asked the student to cut a piece of wood with a simple saw, to which the wizard, after chanting a short incantation, animated the saw, having it cut the wood into small pieces. The Carpenter stared in surprise, as he had never seen such a thing before.

The Carpenter decided to see the extent of this animation, by first, showing the young student how to cut it by hand, then how to thread strings through the wood, without breaking the string. After all was said and done, a basic wooden doll was made, mostly by the carpenter, but some by the mage.

"Now, can you please show me how you moved the saw without touching it? Except, please use it on this doll we just made. I would love to see it again."

The Carpenter requested, having had his interest sparked in the last show of magic. Once again, the young mage chanted an incantation, and the doll sprang to life! It danced and hopped and ran, until the mage cut his magic off from the toy, letting it fall, devoid of all previous life.

"Now, if you don't mind, I would like to learn more on carpentry and gadgeteering. If we could please hurry, I must return to my home soon, or my ink wells will dry before I can write things down."

The magician asked, a little bit annoyed, but still keeping his calm. For another hour, Cryktos learned to cut, string, and combine different parts of wood to make simple tools and small items. Of all the things he made, with what experience he got from this, was dolls of wood, and small swords, splinters compared to a real one, but still enough to make a doll look like a soldier. He stood, realizing the time was late, and bid his teacher goodbye.

When he returned home, he wrote schematics, drew pictures, and made calculations of the dolls, so as to make his own someday. He studied every crevice, until all information had been extracted from them. He wisely kept them in a small, wooden chest, where they could be safe. He retired to his bedchamber, awaiting the next time he could learn more of woodwork, carpentry, and gadgeteering...

by **Cryktos Ellios** on January 22nd, 2013, 12:52 am

Winter, Day 14, 512

Cryktos made his way, once again, to learn the arts of woodworks and gadget using from the Carpenter. The path to the house was arduous, considering the rain had soaked through his coat. When he finally reached the workshop, the rain had stopped. He crossed the threshold, the heat from a burning fireplace warming his body. He removed his coat, wiped his feet on the entry carpet, and called out for the Carpenter. A few short moments later, he appeared, carrying some small tools and strings, along with a few pieces of wood. Although some were sticks, some were larger, hand sized pieces.

"Please, sit, I could use some activity to warm these bones after such a cold, wet noontime."

Cryktos sat down at one of the tables, examining the many pieces of wood and string. He took out one of his journals, and began drawing sketches, calculations, and writing paragraph after paragraph of information.Soon after he finished writing, the work began. First, he took a small handsaw and cut some larger pieces of wood down to size. Then, he used the threader tool to make small holes in the wood. After he had done this with about 20 pieces, he thread individual strings throughout each, creating a marionette. He then tied off the strings together, creating a collection of wood pieces with individual, moving joints. Although it had no hands, it was still a beautiful sight to behold. The Carpenter was making a more complex model, showing how to make individual characteristics in the wood, such as eyes, ears, a nose, and a mouth. The master's puppet looked like a wooden version of himself, whil the student's looked more like a child's puppet.

Again, for another hour or two, they worked, each benefiting one another. The student gained knowledge on carpentry, woodworking, and gadget using, all of which were required if he were to continure in his adventure of using powerful magic.

"Well, sir, it seems it's getting late,"Cryktos said, looking out a window,"I should go." It was probably just cloudy, but either way, it was later than he'd wished to stay. After short goodbyes, the young wizard returned to his home, and yet again he documented his learnings of the day.

by **Cryktos Ellios** on January 23rd, 2013, 4:12 am

Winter, Day 15, 512

It was the last day of Cryktos' training. It was, oddly enough, a very sunny day, as though the gods, even Dira, whom he worships, was wishing him luck. There was a faint breeze, which cooled the sweat on his back. It was still morning when he reached the house of the Carpenter. From behind the house, he heard sawing, chopping, and grunting. He walked to the front of the workshop, and the door swung open, revealing a room of larger pieces of wood, which detailed a shape similar to that of the human body.

He sat at a bench, and waited for the Carpenter, who came in only moments later.
"Oh, you're here. Well, shall we begin?"
They worked for an hour, when the woodworker said something that made Cryktos slightly disappointed.
"I will be leaving for Alvadas soon, and I won't be coming back. I have had a job opportunity, and I'm taking it."
Cryktos was too shocked too respond, so he worked his last lesson from this man with pride, and went into high detail with his work, making each detail as prominant as possible. When he finished, he asked the Carpenter to string the doll, which he did. It wasn't until night that the magician left. On his arrival at his home, he took out his life sized replica of a human. The face of the Carpenter was etched into the wood, and he knew it would not be the last time he saw his former teacher.

by **Jester** on February 7th, 2013, 11:11 pm

Thread Graded!!

(Character Name) :

Notes :

"The difference between a jester and a fool is that the jester knows he's a jester"

DISCLAIMER: If you think I have been foolish in grading your thread, don't hesitate to PM me. I am happy to take another look at anything you feel is in error, but keep in mind the other Storytellers and I have final say.

Solo Dolls and Toys are for Grown Men Too