[Flashback] Of men, blood and flinders [Veldrys]

[Velarian Zantedeschia]

Velarian tilt his head to the side. "It is certainly easier to make business in Lhavit," the older man admit. "But I can not tell beyond that." During his travels he had not worked as an animator – considerable more important matters had concerned him.

Of course, he did not like to boast either. Not about money or wealth at least. Not that he had much of either, in that regard he had been completely honest. About his abilities did like to talk once in a while, with other animators mostly.

With an other rustling of fabric, he emerged from behind the curtains shielding his work place. In one hand he held what seemed to be a narrow wooden chest. Crafted from bleached birch wood and engraved with ornate flowers the piece seemed much to feminine to be one of the man's belongings.

Carefully the box was placed on the table before Veldrys. A single message was carved into the surface among the decorations. Moz seh krevas dav'ene obris zhevat. May this blood give greater life. The letters were elegant and convoluted, blending into each other to form a complicate pattern. "The work for an aunt of mine. Try to open it," Velarian suggested with a smirk, sitting down. The chest was missing a visible lock, yet the animator doubt the other man would be able to open it without force. He took seat again, thinking about what the healer had asked earlier.

He did not know much about glyphing. Or alchemy for that matter. "I am not sure how it works, but yes, that should be possible," he said thoughtfully, trying to summon up the few things he could still recall. "It would still not hold forever. And I am not certain the scroll could be used again."

Pouring himself another cup of wine, Velarian quietly watched his guest. "Not all golems, no," he answered the man's second question without much thinking. "Not even most and I never saw one myself. But in theory...," the animator shrugged, his words fading. Teaching an automaton magic was far beyond his abilities, his creations were still struggling to gasp complex emotions. Not that most his works had a need for emotion. They were not really alive, just toys. When he did not need an emotion to guide a automatons reaction he had no need for it. He created tools and playthings. Nothing more and nothing less.

On the man's comment about medicine and how it was safer than magic, he laughed quietly. "That it is. Although animation is not as risky as some other arts." Not when your only concern was damage done to the body and not to the mind at least. Long fingers played with the wine cup, before Velarian put it down on the table once more. Davariel had ended his play with shards, his attention on the two man. The sight seemed to remind the older Symenestra about something.

"I entirely forgot to ask... what do I own you for your work?"

[Veldrys]

As Velarian returned with the chest in his hands, Veldrys arched an eyebrow and looked at it questioningly. Was the chest what the animator wanted to show him – or was it something inside the chest? "I didn’t know that you worked with wood on top of being an animator", he remarked. "It is beautiful." It really was. Veldrys couldn’t imagine ever creating something like that himself. He was comparatively skilled as a healer, but unfortunately his skill with the scalpel didn’t translate into other things that required some kind of dexterity. When working with wood or stone, the healer tended to be rather clumsy. As Velarian told him that the chest had been made for an aunt, the healer nodded. He had assumed wrong then, but that didn’t change anything about the fact that it was well done. At the other man’s request he tried to open it. It should have been easy – he couldn’t see a lock anywhere – but no matter how hard he tried, it stayed closed. "I can’t open it", he said. He furrowed his brow and looked rather confused. "What kind of chest is this?" He tried again, but the result stayed the same, and he eventually handed it back to Velarian, hoping for an explanation. "Producing new scrolls shouldn’t be a particular problem", he decided as the conversation turned to Glyphing again. "It’s just a pity that none of the effects would be permanent. If only there were a way to do that or at least come up with a spell that lasts about a season, it would solve many problems." He didn’t make any further comments about golems. The topic made him fairly uncomfortable, besides Velarian had just asked another question, a question that was rather important. Veldrys had almost forgotten to demand payment for his services because he had been so caught up in the conversation with the animator. "Three gold mizas should be enough", he answered. "And I will not ask any additional money if I come to check on your son’s wounds in a couple of days." He hadn’t become a healer because he wanted to become rich, but because he wanted to help those that were in need, because he had the vague hope that he or somebody else would discover something that would help their race one day. His Web was comparatively well off, but Veldrys himself had never particularly cared about money.

[Velarian Zantedeschia]

"It is not my work," Velarian said, sudden amusement tinting his voice. He could weave and sew, neither as well as other member of his web, but still. Working with wood or even metal was nothing he ever had shown any particular talent in, much to his father's chagrin. The animator shook his head. "I bought it from a craftsman here in the city, only the writing he added for me, or better my customer."

Reaching out he took the offered chest, turning it in his hand once. "You can animate a lot of materials, as long as the object has joins or similar means of movement. Most Animators are quite skilled gadgeteerers or metalworkers." Carefully Velarian placed his creation on the table between himself and the other man. It was not one of his most impressive works, yet the man liked it for the simple elegance of it.

"That said, it is hard to excel in many crafts at once, so whenever possible I like to use works of men and women more skilled in such fields than myself." The older Symenersta leaned forward, bringing his face closer to the pale wooden box. Clearing his throat once he repeated the words witting on top of his creation, his voice loud and clear.

"Moz seh krevas dav'ene obris zhevat."

In the next moment a soft clicking sound echoes through the room and the chest swung open in one fluent movement. The opening itself happened in complete silence. No whining of the hinges you sometimes came to experience, no crackling of wood what so ever. It was an excellent piece of craftsmanship the animator had to admit, better than anything he could have produces. Now it was open Veldry's would also be able to see the lock, it lay hidden under a second wood paneling the carver had fit around the entire box to hide the keyhole. The container itself was empty, the walls lined with cushy red velvet. Only in the inside of the case top rested what seemed to be a small wooden drum, not larger than a small child's palm. The automaton's ear.

"My customer wanted a case for her Viratassa, from what she told an expensive copy with silver lettering." Leaning back Velarian left the device for the healer to examine. "You see, I make more toys for adults than for children." The thought seemed to amuse the animator who already had gotten to his feet to go on a hunt for some money.

"Maybe you could do it when you train really much?," Devariel suggested to Veldrys after his father had left the table. Apparently his little patience had worn out listening to the two men talk about magic, a topic he still knew very little about. "Father says you can manage everything given patience and training. Isn't it so?"

"Hmn." Velarian had found his moneybag in one of the many nooks. In silence he counted three coins. "Might be worth a try," he admit after a long moment of consideration.

"There you here it," his the boy smiled in triumph. "I think you would make a lot of people really happy with it no?"

Not further commenting on his son's suggestions, the older man placed three gold rimmed coins on the table before the medic. "Be assured my gratitude is far exceeding any money paid."

[Veldrys]

"The craftsman was talented then", Veldrys remarked. He found Velarian’s explanation about animation interesting to say the least. He had always thought that animators could only animate things that looked vaguely humanoid – or like an animal – but apparently this was not the case. From Velarian’s words he had the impression that he had somehow animated the chest, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t even come to guess how that had been possible. He knew more about magic than the average resident of Kalinor, but not much more. Most of the theory still escaped him. "It is", he agreed as Velarian stated that it was hard to excel in many crafts at once. It was most likely different for other races, but a Symenestra’s lifespan was limited. You could only learn so much in a century. He’d been about to say that to Velarian, when the other man began to speak. As the chest quietly opened, the healer’s eyes widened. "Amazing", he murmurred and took a closer look. "What’s this?" He extended a hand towards the small wooden drum, but instead of touching it, he drew his hand back agian, as if he were afraid to damage it. "This isn’t really a toy", he argued. "I wish I had something like that for my medical instruments." He turned away from Velarian as the boy spoke. He had been so occupied with the chest that he had forgotten Davariel. "Maybe", he agreed. Maybe it was possible that he achieved his goals if you worked hard enough, but it would likely take years. Years on top of those that he had already studied. He’d have to pick up glyphing, but he had no idea where to even find a teacher for that. "I think it would make quite a few people happy." He took the coins, inclined his head in a sign of gratitude and let them disappear in the folds of his robe.

[Velarian Zantedeschia]

"Animated objects need joints to move," Velarian nodded towards the drum-like, "they require substitutes for ears as well if there is the necessity for them to hear." Reaching over the table the man closed the box again. Once more the soft clicking could be heard as the lock closed itself. "The membranes tend to be a easy damageable. In this case however that does not prove a problem."

Within the chest few would ever come to touch the sensible organ. And if it needed mending, the artificial eardrum would be effortless to repair. Overall not a bad design, simple to maintain. Catching the curiosity in the other man's eyes, he watched him a long moment. "Do you know about projection? It lets one manipulate ones own astral body. A golem as an astral body too. As long as the weight is reasonable the astral body can animate an objects moveable parts."

Planing the layout for an astral body could be as important as creating an automaton's physical shell. Velarian did not want to bore the healer with the details and it would have been too much to describe for one evening anyway.
"I don't want to steal more of your time however, I am sure your studies are waiting for you." As his were waiting for him, he had to admit. It was rare to have much work, but this time around there were a few things demanding his attention and he hated to make the few customers he had wait. "Let me thank you again for your help, it was much appreciated. If I can ever help you out with an automaton – let me know. I am sure we can find something you will find interesting."

A second, two, the he looked over to his son. "What do we say?"

"Thank you, Veldrys," the boy smiled after a moment of consideration. "Wont touch the bandages, promised," he added almost belated, his grin growing. His father nodded before he gestured the healer to follow him.

The animator led the other man back to the entrance, up the wall and towards the door. Bidding the other man good bye, Velarian remained staying in the door for half a minute after the other man had already turned. Finally the older Symenestra stepped back to close the door behind him. He was actually looking forward to run into the young man again.

[Veldrys]

Substitutes for ears? Veldrys arched an eyebrow as he heard this. The look on his face was a mixture of fascination and utter confusion. How was it possible that this thing could hear if it was just an ear, with no body attached to it? His own magic suddenly seemed simple in comparison. Morphing didn’t require such complicated mechanisms. Some knowledge of how the body worked was usually enough to achieve one’s goal. But this here ... He shook his head. "No, I don’t know about projection", he admitted. "I had no idea that golems had an astral body as well." For a moment he was tempted to ask if the thing in the box had an astral body, but then he decided to let it be, worried that it would be a foolish question and that Velarian would laugh at him. He didn’t want to reveal how truly lacking his knowledge was in that regard. If you created a golem, did you have to create an astral body for it as well – or did it come with an astral body? And could you create astral bodies that weren’t attached to real bodies? He felt as if he was about to get a headache. As Velarian thanked him again, the healer inclined his head. "My pleasure. I will keep your offer in mind." He waved to Davariel, and then he turned around and followed Velarian to the entrance. While he was done with his work at the Purging for the day, there were things he had to prepare for the next morning, and of course there were his own magic studies. If he ever wanted to accomplish what he had mentioned to Velarian, he would have to practice regularly from now on. With that thought in mind, the healer walked home.

[Colombina]

The XP Wand Is Waved! A wonderfully nuanced thread. You two make me proud with your excellent portrayals of the Sym race. I wish I could give you more XP but it's a bit hard to pull it from a social thread. Veldrys's Loot 3 XP Medicine Lore of golems Lore of practical applications of animation Lore of Aconitum Velarian's Loot 3 XP Animation Lore of golems Lore of Aconitum Lore of Place of Purging Colombina is pleased.