Completed [Cliffside Grotto] A Flower of an Idea

[Kirsi Winterflame]

Timestamp: 14th of Summer, 513AV Kirsi nodded happily as Jorin expanded on what she had said. His grasp of the spoken word was better than hers, certainly, and she was relieved to know she had managed to get her basic point across. As he told her of more of his experience in the theater, Kirsi realized how similar the two occupations really were. It must be ingrained in an artist to feel that their craft changed lives; she supposed, for the best among them, it probably did. The thought strengthened her desire to become great. "Its just that way," she agreed. "I try to bring out the life inside the wood. Sometimes, I am not successful", she admitted wryly. "Sometimes I carve, and though the image is right, the magic is not there. The spark. Those are the pieces that disappoint me, more than simply mis-carving. I feel... Failure. Like a failure," Kirsi corrected herself immediately. "I feel like I have ruined the wood." "I've never seen someone carve before..." Jorin's request to watch her carve piqued her inner instructor. She hadn't planned on carving anything at the park, just collect sketches for future works, but she did have a small scrap of softwood in her pack and her new tools were razor sharp. Making a quick decision, she nodded and looked around for a bench. Spotting one not too far from where they stood, she strode over and sat down to rummage through her things. "I cannot carve the entire flower here - I haven't got the right woods, and the prep work, more of that boring behind the scenes work, does take time in its own right. I can show you some beginning work, if you're interested." With that, she pulled out a chisel and a thin slice of wood, not more than 2x3 inches long. "When you begin to carve, you start with a bigger sample of wood; the first thing to do is take off most of what will not be carving. To remove almost all of the extra wood, so that the basic shape is left behind. This is just a small piece; I will not need to remove any ," Kirsi looked at Jorin, to see if he was truly interested or if she had already given him more detail than he wanted.

[Jorin Ertihan]

Season of Summer, Day 14, 513 AV

"I try to bring out the life inside the wood. Sometimes, I am not successful. Sometimes I carve, and though the image is right, the magic is not there. The spark. Those are the pieces that disappoint me, more than simply mis-carving. I feel... Failure. Like a failure."

Jorin did not say it, but he noted her quick correction. He also noted that, oftentimes, when people correct themselves in that fashion, they are covering up their true feelings. He suspected Kirsi did feel failure when she was not able to achieve her goal of bringing forth life from the wood. Just as he felt searing disappointment when his acting failed to evoke emotion from the audience.

"I cannot carve the entire flower here - I haven't got the right woods, and the prep work, more of that boring behind the scenes work, does take time in its own right. I can show you some beginning work, if you're interested."

Jorin had followed Kirsi to the bench, eyes shining with interest. He'd even forgotten that he needed to at some point return to his stage master, so entranced was he in seeing what Kirsi was doing.

"Of course I'm interested!" he exclaimed, with a large grin. "And trust me, I know a thing or two about 'boring' behind-the-scenes work. I don't find it boring at all! After all, it's that work that makes the end result that much more beautiful."

As she sat down, she took out a block of wood and some sharp-looking instruments. Jorin admitted to himself he had no idea what any of them did.

"When you begin to carve, you start with a bigger sample of wood; the first thing to do is take off most of what will not be carving. To remove almost all of the extra wood, so that the basic shape is left behind. This is just a small piece; I will not need to remove any."

Jorin was nodding with understanding.

"I see. Rather reminds me of ... math problems from my past. If you did not have the right answer, you remove the parts you know are wrong. And whatever remains, however unlikely, must be the truth."

No matter how far he went, it seemed, Jorin could not escape his father's enormous shadow. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing.

"I imagine there's more mathematics in carving then meets the eye. Proper proportion must be maintained. Did you know," he explained excitedly, "the petals of this flower follows a specific formula? It's true! Mathematics ... it's possibly the only true fundamental language, the brush with which the whole world was painted. There's Common, and Tukant, and Pavi, and Vani, all with different words to describe different things. But this flower has eight petals. And eight will be eight, anywhere in the world." He smiled at Kirsi, but then with a start, turned back to her carving. "So what happens next?"

[Kirsi Winterflame]

Timestamp: 14th of Summer, 513AV "'However unlikely' - I like that. I have carved some unlikely things before," Kirsi chuckled. "I have never thought of mathematics in carving," she admitted, "but its a good point. Eight is, indeed, eight, no matter where you go." It was an interesting notion, and Kirsi wondered how often concepts she had no knowledge of intertwined with her work. "So what happens next?" "Next. Ah, well, next I will use this, a chisel," here Kirsi held up a small chisel, turning it in her hand. The sunlight glinted off the implement's sharpened edge; Kirsi gently touched her fingertip to the dangerous end. "Tools must be very sharp. Very. If you work with dull tools, you will damage the wood, no matter your mastery of it." She tried hard to stress this point; it was one she had taken too long to learn, trusting her strength of hand to push blunt tools through delicate wood. Many of her beginning projects had been irrevocably damaged that way. Looking critically at the wood, she shrugged. Such a small scrap would be nearly useless as a relief carving, and the tiny details would take longer than the end result was worth to her. Maybe jewelry? A hair comb? That was it. Simple enough to make, and useful at the end. She hoped Jorin would not mind watching her create such a simple piece. "I think I will make this a hair fork. It is so small already, not much detail will go in to it. The basics will be more clearly shown, though," she looked up and smiled slightly. "I have other tools in my pack, if you wish to look at them? More chisels, of different sizes. Mallets. Some specially shaped tools - gouges. Just take care, I did not bring a healer's kit," Kirsi cautioned the actor pragmatically. Positioning the wood in her left hand and grasping a stick of charcoal in her right, she turned toward Jorin and continued, "To begin, I will draw a basic outline of what the finished result should be." Carefully she swooped lines down the two long sides of the wood, giving it a graceful curve - this would help hold the fork in her hair. An arc across the top finished off the shape and Kirsi held it up for Jorin to see. "The charcoal will rub off, if I make a wrong line," she wiped a bit away with her thumb, "and will easily go right back on." Repairing the line she had drawn, she then set the charcoal down and picked up her chisel once more. "For this piece, so simple, that is all the preparation I will do. What happens next is to remove all the wood outside of my lines," she spoke a touch slowly, having never really instructed anyone in her craft before. It took concentration to stop and explain each step, without rushing through the things she already knew so well to do. Realizing that, she offered a smiling apology, lest Jorin think she considered him slow to understand. "I'm sorry; this is new to me - it is not often that I try to talk about the work as I do it. I am trying not to miss a step."

[Jorin Ertihan]

Season of Summer, Day 14, 513 AV

"I'm sorry; this is new to me - it is not often that I try to talk about the work as I do it. I am trying not to miss a step."

Jorin just smiled at Kirsi.

"No, no! That's perfectly all right. It's how I learn. Step by step. I find it difficult to make intuitive leaps of logic."

And it was what separated the good mathematicians from the great ones. Not intelligence. Imagination.

"Besides, you seem so happy, when you are carving. Like nothing else exists in the world. I think it's a wonderful thing, that you've found yourself an art that pleases your soul in that way. I've seen students, when I was back in Zeltiva, go through their entire stay and not find that one thing in their lives they were born to do. So did I, actually, until I found the Traveling Thespians. Not knowing what your passion is in life, it's just ... an awful feeling. But fortunately, we both found ours! And one of the greatest joys of creation is sharing it with someone who appreciates."

Jorin glanced down at the hair comb. "So how do you normally remove the wood outside the lines? Do you peel it away, like skin off an apple, or slice through, like a knife through butter?"

[Kirsi Winterflame]

Timestamp: 14th of Summer, 513AV "So how do you normally remove the wood outside the lines? Do you peel it away, like skin off an apple, or slice through, like a knife through butter?" Kirsi nodded, glad that Jorin was genuinely insterested in the subject, and she wasn't simply making herself sound like a know-it-all fool by explaining. Belying her nod, however, she said, "Neither." Giving him a quick smile, she clarified, "actually, what you do is use very small strokes to remove the wood. Since it is close to the finished shape, I want to remove it a little slowly - you cannot put wood back on once you take it it off." She set the wood down on the bench and dug a small mallet out of her pack. "Mallet," she named it, for Jorin's benefit. Angling the chisel against a corner of the wood, she quickly tapped it with a mallet, easily knocking a small corner of the soft wood off. "When the space you want to remove is a corner piece, this works very well. Just place the chisel at the edge of the wood and tap. This is a soft wood, so not much force is needed." She quickly flipped the wood and knocked off the other corner, leaving the piece with an angular half-circle on the top. "When you make a bigger piece, or one with more shape to it, the chisel and mallet are more useful. The end of this will still be basically a rectangle, so I am done with the these for now," Kirsi set down the tools and picked up a wooden-handled blade in their place. Though the blade was less than 2 inches long, it was finely honed and gleamed in the sunshine. "To remove the sides, I will use this knife. It is best to remove small amounts of wood at a time, always going in the same direction of the grain in the wood," Kirsi held the wood out for Jorin to see the lines running down the side, twisting slightly in their path from top to bottom of the wood. There were different rules for diagonal carving and curves, but for a simple lesson, Kirsi didn't want to ramble on. "Most times, you would want to carve on a surface, a table. It is not the best idea to carve in your lap, for accuracy or for safety," she warned as she began to do that very thing. Kirsi had carved small accessories before and felt very confident that she could manage it with little complication now. "And carve away from your fingers! That seems like common sense, but I wanted to mention it," she lifted one shoulder apologetically, as she delivered the warning. "From there, it is just a series of smallish strokes until you take off everything that is not the finished piece." Using the knife, she demonstrated the small slices needed to carve at the piece. Each stroke taking off no more than half an inch at a time, it seemed like perilously slow going at first. However, she soon lost herself in the shape taking place in her hands, and she picked up speed, wood chips falling to the ground in front of her as she stripped one side and began on the other. Not wanting to mislead Jorin, she paused to tell him, "This is a very soft wood, and a very simple carving. The work does not generally go this fast; you can see that the sides are not as smooth as they could be." And that was an understatement. While the cuts were clean, they were in no way artistic; it would require smoothing and finishing before she would feel comfortable calling it 'finished'. "But for this, the sides are nearly done," she said, gripping the wood a bit more firmly and sliced her knife through one last time. "Petch!" The oath left her lips automatically a split second after the carving knife sliced into her finger. Dropping the wood and knife, she brought the injured digit to her lips, mentally cursing her carelessness.

[Jorin Ertihan]

Season of Summer, Day 14, 513 AV

Jorin watched on with interest as Kirsi explained the process with which she intended to remove the wood. It was not like anything he'd ever thought. He always assumed carvers chipped off pieces with knives, sort of how he'd once seen a Waveguard back in Zeltiva create a crude spear by chipping off wood from the end of a stick until it became a sharp point.

The way Kirsi was doing it, it almost looked like she was chiseling marble. Softer, more malleable marble, but Jorin had seen a sculptor in action once, and her motions reminded him more of that man than of the Waveguard. Interesting! When she started to carve in her lap, Jorin eyed her sharp knife with concern. If she slipped ... still, Kirsi was clearly a skilled carver. Jorin shook his head and chided himself silently. Of course she knew what she was doing. Still, her hands moved slowly, gradually taking off small shavings at a time.

Jorin nodded quietly as he observed. He felt that the carving required his silence now, not his interruptions, so he merely watched as she finished, telling him that the wood was soft and that the sides were not smooth. Nonetheless, he could see the beginnings of the artistry to come. Jorin recalled what his mother told him.

An artist looks past the physical, Jorin. See the beauty within. It's the only then that you can bring it forth.

"Petch!" Jorin raised an eyebrow, his reverie shattered. He'd never heard Kirsi use foul language, so it was with amused surprise that he heard it. A split-second later amusement turned to concern as he noticed the red of blood on the ground, knife and carving dropped as Kirsi had clearly cut herself with her tools.

"Here, don't suck on it," Jorin said. He'd seen injuries like this before; for the most part they were relatively easy to treat if done quickly. The greatest threat was infection; he needed a way to sanitize the wound. Water or alcohol would be best, but he had neither on him. Thinking quickly, he decided that their best shot would be to get to a competent healer.

Jorin squinted at the sun, then looked about. "The Gilia Medical Center should be close by, I think," he said, completely forgetting that he still needed to get to his troupe on the other side of the city. "Try to keep the hand elevated. I'd wrap it in cloth, but I don't think my clothes are clean enough for strips from it to be sanitary. We should get that looked at before infection sets in."

Bending down, Jorin picked up the carving and the knife. He saw that the comb was now stained with Kirsi's blood. Would she see it as ruined now?

"I'm sorry ... this is my fault," he apologized as he put the tools back into Kirsi's bag. "I shouldn't have asked you to carve here ... here, let me help you up," he offered apologetically, as he extended his hand to assist Kirsi.

[Kirsi Winterflame]

Timestamp: 14th of Summer, 513AV Cheeks flaming at her own stupidity, Kirsi nodded curtly when Jorin suggested a trip to the medical center. Of course, she thought chidingly, I would leave that silly map in my room today of all days. Realizing she was being rude, she made a visible effort to regain her calm. "Thank you," she offered Jorin a smile that was half wince as he picked up her things, packing them away into her bag. "It was my fault. I know better. I have been taught better. Such a simple task; I was overconfident in my work." Noting the blood staining a portion of her carving, she added, "This will serve as a reminder, at least." Finger smarting, she lifted her hand to shoulder-level, as Jorin had suggested. As much as her pride pricked her, she had to admit the medical center was probably the best option. The cut wasn't deep, and she had hurt herself as badly before, but it was better to be safe than to be sorry. If she managed to catch an infection, she would be hampered at work, and Kirsi hadn't worked long enough at The Terra Cottage to know how Garob would react to even a small lull in productivity. "I'm afraid I neglected to bring my map today - oh! And you were late already!" Kirsi had just remembered their inital 'meeting' - it seemed accidents were going to mark this acquaintance. "I hate to delay you further, but if you could direct me to Gilia? At least now you can honestly tell your stage master you were helping a damsel in distress," she smiled weakly at the humor. Pain was no excuse for her poor joke, it was entirely owed to injured pride. At the moment, Kirsi was mentally kicking herself for getting so caught up in the 'instructing' that she forgot basic safety.

[Jorin Ertihan]

Season of Summer, Day 14, 513 AV

"I'm afraid I neglected to bring my map today - oh! And you were late already! I hate to delay you further, but if you could direct me to Gilia? At least now you can honestly tell your stage master you were helping a damsel in distress."

Jorin just shook his head as he offered his arm to Kirsi.

"I can't just let you walk there by yourself, what if you got lost? The longer the injury goes untreated, the greater the chance for infection. Like I said before, I'm already late." Jorin grinned. "At this point an extra few chimes isn't going to make any difference."

As he led Kirsi down the path toward the Gilia Medical Center he chuckled slightly. "This is more common in the troupe than you'd think," he explained, still smiling. "Dramatic flailing does occasionally result in minor injuries. Sometimes a competent healer isn't available so you learn to pick up a few basics."

Like that one time, when he nearly shattered his leg trying to land on it after throwing himself backward during a sword-fight scene. That was an ... interesting day.

Jorin carefully led Kirsi down the path, noting that they had passed the Crystal Rose. Taking his map out of his pack, Jorin glanced at it to see that GIlia was fairly close by. They just needed to turn left at the Velvet Curtain.

"We're almost there, Kirsi," he announced as he led her further. Tossing her a quick, confident grin, he added, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be just fine."

[Kirsi Winterflame]

Timestamp: 14th of Summer, 513AV "At this point an extra few chimes isn't going to make any difference." Inwardly sighing in relief at Jorin's words, Kirsi allowed herself to take his arm and let him lead her toward the healing center. She was passably good with directions, but they still took a focus she was currently lacking. The slice in her finger was a mild irritation compared to the mental berating she was trying - very hard - not to give herself. "You're sure? Thank you, then," she smiled at him. "Embarrassment is probably not treatable there, I don't suppose?" Her feeble attempt to match the actor's lighthearted mood was decidedly forced, and she was glad when he began telling tales about his experiences with his troupe. Jorin's good humor was a welcome distraction from her thoughts, and she allowed herself to focus on his words. As they rounded the corner at the Velvet Curtain, Kirsi couldn't help but sneak a glance at the establishment. There was nothing untoward about the exterior of the building - in fact, the door was framed in a spectacular display of deep woods, and Kirsi was impressed with the workmanship. Riverfall, it seemed, was possessed of more than just wonderful stonework. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be just fine.". Jorin's reassurance snapped Kirsi back to the present, and she nodded her agreement. Though cuts such as hers could become infected and cause problems, it was unlikely. The more common side effects, at least in Avanthal, were the good-natured jokes that would be told about whatever carver had been 'practicing on their finger'. A few more steps brought them to the gates of the Medical Center, and here Kirsi relinquished her hold on Jorin's arm. Turning to him with a grateful smile, she reached for her pack and apologized. "Thank you, Jorin, for helping me find the place. I'm sorry that our first meeting ended so abruptly. Still, it was a pleasure meeting you. Hopefully my carving instruction wasn't too misleading - its always best not to injure yourself," she chuckled slightly. Glancing at the Gilia, Kirsi tried to find the bright side. At least now she knew where it was, in case she managed to mangle herself again.

[Jorin Ertihan]

Season of Summer, Day 14, 513 AV

"Thank you, Jorin, for helping me find the place. I'm sorry that our first meeting ended so abruptly. Still, it was a pleasure meeting you. Hopefully my carving instruction wasn't too misleading - its always best not to injure yourself," Kirsi said, with a small chuckle. Jorin returned her smile.

"Oh I figured as much," he replied with a lopsided grin. "But at least we got to see some very beautiful sights today, and I got to meet a very interesting person! Thank you for taking the time to converse with me, it certainly makes my day all the brighter. Perhaps we'll meet again!"

Jorin glanced about the Medical Center, looking for a nurse or aide that could assist. Finding one young woman dressed in snowy white, he flagged her down. "Miss!" he called. "We need help here!" The young lady nodded and trotted off. Jorin smiled at Kirsi.

"You'll be fine in no time! Maybe someday you could show me how a full carving is done. I'm always fascinated to learn new things! In any case, best of luck to you, Kirsi Winterflame." Jorin gave her another totally unnecessarily theatrical bow. "I regret to inform I shall have to now leave you, and go face the music with my troupe." Jorin tossed a wave over his shoulder as he turned to leave.

"I'll let him know I was delayed helping a fair maiden in trouble! Perhaps he'll let me go with just a light tanning!" Jorin joked as he walked out the door.