Post by Fernleaf on Aug 16, 2024 7:47:30 GMT
Cowritten with Dr. Archie Haltuhr & Mendal
On the way back from Ft. Ettin, Fern pondered how to learn some additional skills. Carpentry was a useful skill to have, and it had helped pay for lodging, but there was so much more to learn! They still wanted to learn mapmaking, but that might not be as easy to trade? And they hadn't found anyone to teach it either, and needed to be careful with gold...
As they walked further Fern remembered the smithies in the Dwarven Quarter, and the steel dragon with sapphire eyes in the courtyard of Dr. Archie's home. Perhaps the artist, Mendal, would be willing to teach? Or at least know who could be asked for lessons? Fern didn't think they'd be able to do anything as grand as the statue, but there were many practical things that could be done with metal. It would be useful to be able to make their own nails, fix broken hinges or even forge new carpentry tools! Maybe they could even make armor or weapons for others to earn a bit of extra coin.
After returning to Daring Heights, Fern once again went to the house of Dr. Archie and his friends and knocked on the tall door.
—
An elderly human man answered the door.
"Fern! How lovely to see you. How may I help you? Would you like to come in?" It had been a week or so since Dr. Archie Haltuhr had seen the more junior wizard. Perhaps she had come to learn more spells, he thought to himself.
"Good Morning Dr. Archie! I was wondering if your friend Mendal might be in? I was hoping to ask more about his sculpture work, and see if he might be willing to teach me smithing, or could direct me to someone who I might be able to learn from."
"I see," Archie said, intrigued. "He went out a while ago, I'm afraid. I expect he'll be back soon though. You could wait in the courtyard, if you'd like and you could tell me all about why you want to take up smithing over a cup of tea." With a welcoming smile, Archie asked, "how does that sound?"
"Thank you for the invitation, I would like a chat."
—
Archie took Fern to the courtyard's table, and an unseen servant served them tea. Archie showed off his new talent on his new viol, a gift from his teacher and fellow adventurer, Zasper. Half an hour went by as the two wizards chatted and entertained each other.
—
"Home!" The courtyard pair could here from where they were, as Mendal announced, or better still, shouted his returning presence.
"I'm three for three, Archie old-boy!" Mendal shouted triumphantly as he entered the courtyard. "Oh good day, Fern!" Mendal said, greeting the younger wizard. "Hey Fern, you know I don't just do amazing craftswork like the metal dragon over there," Mendal pointed at the tribute to Valdira. "I dabble in miracles too - just come back from raising a couple of recently dead adventurers; Luxemforth and Artur - know them?"
"Well done Mendal," Archie said proudly to his friend.
"Cheers buddy," came the response.
"That is incredible! I know Luxemforth, but I haven't met Artur. Do adventuerer's die often?" Fern paused, "I'd actually come by today to see you Mendal, I was hoping to have the opportunity to learn more about metalwork"
"Oh right," Mendal responded smiling, and then sat down to join Fern and Archie. "Archie says you're not bad at wizard stuff."
"I said you were very good at spell learning," Archie corrected.
"Do you work much with your hands?" Mendal enquired.
“I've been doing carpentry work since I was a child, nothing fancy, just repairs and practical things like chairs and chicken coops. I can make healing potions too." Fern looked at Mendal's dragon again, and back to the dwarf. "I was hoping to learn smithing, at least the basics to make things like nails I use in carpentry, but I'd love to be able to do more complex things like tools and armor too! Would you, um, know who might be able to teach me?" Fern's voice trailed off a little at the end, suddenly not sure if it was acceptable to ask someone who regularly returned dead people to life to do something as mundane as teaching.
"Hmmmmmm," Mendal mused audibly. He had taught Zola how to work stone, and he had rather enjoyed getting back to teaching people to create. He wasn't expecting to produce a new Clan Crafter, but the joy of teaching, and also the potential for his reputation to grow further through students, was very motivating for Mendal.
"Well you've come to the right place to learn how to be great at working metal," Mendal said without a hint of recognition as to how self aggrandising what he said sounded. "I'll tell you what, Fern. If Archie here is willing to conjure up the Magnificent Mansion for me, and install my beautiful forge in it, I've got some tridents, bolts and crossbows I want to forge. You could join me, and as I work I'll talk about what I'm doing and why, and answer any questions. If you like what you see - I'll take you on. How's that sound?"
"That would be amazing! I'd love to join you, and as soon as I learn the tool names and such I can hand you things, or could maybe work the bellows for you if you teach me that!" Pausing, "um, what would I owe you for teaching me? I have some coin, but I could also fetch things for you or do some other tasks in payment too?" Pausing again, Fern looked to Dr. Archie "and what is a Magnificent Mansion? Is it a spell?"
"You're Archie's friend," Mendal said, deliberating a fee, "seems to be a standard teaching rate round these parts of 24gp a week if you can dedicate a few days to the work. If not, then just 12gp. Since you're Archie's friend, and you've got a good eye on you," Mendal nodded towards his stature of Valdira, "I'll give you a 20% friends' discount. So 20gp when you've got more time in the week, and 10gp when you don't."
"Thank you very much Mendal. I very much appreciate it!! You said I could join you in your crafting today? I have a little bit of time this week, and I'll have several days next week."
"Can you start right now?" Mendal asked.
"Yes, I can! By next week I can get a set of tools of my own, if you tell me what I need to get"
Fern fishes 10gp out of their bandolier and offers it to Mendal. "Thank you again for the discount!"
"Don't worry about your own tools just yet. You can use mine," Mendal reassured, whilst also taking the 10gp. "Erm, Archie?" Mendal looked over at Archie, as he stood up.
Archie also got up off of his seat, "Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion is a conjuration spell favourite in this household, Fern." With a wry smile, Archie added, "it's a spell along with spells like Teleportation that makes a wizard very popular amongst their house mates."
Archie continued talking as he led Fern and Mendal to the wall in the courtyard where he normally casts the spell. "The mansion conjuration requires vast amounts of magical reserve to cast and requires the following spell components," Archie pulled out the three items from his spell component pouch; a miniature portal carved from ivory, a small piece of polished marble, and a tiny silver spoon. The three items were tied together with cord. "Handy trick I advise; tie together unique components for spells - makes them easier to find."
"Forge time!" Mendal yelled enthusiastically, as he watched Archie begin the somatic components of the spell. "Let's only have the one servant in the forge; Fern's going to be doing some of the basic stuff."
"Very well," Archie acknowledged as he began the verbal part of ritual required to cast the Mansion spell.
"And double the tools and anvils inside, so Fern and I won't need to share!" Mendal hastily added.
Archie stopped casting and put his hands on his hips and looked at Mendal. "Do you want to make a list before you ruin the spell?"
"That's all!" Mendal put his hands up in protestation.
"I can carry on undisturbed with the casting?"
Mendal left his hands up in the air.
Archie turned to look at Fern and rolled his eyes. And then resumed casting the spell.
A minute later, a double door appeared on one of the courtyard walls, and opened by itself.
"Well done!" Mendal said, as Archie mock bowed.
"First door on the left, as usual," Archie said to Mendal. "I'll be nearby in the office I've created inside the Mansion if you need me, Fern. The office is on the right. And, even though you will be learning and working, please don't hesitate to ask one of the servants if you need anything."
Fern's mouth dropped open in astonishment. "A whole building? With rooms and servants? Just like that? How long does it last?"
"24 hours and the inside of the mansion is whatever you can conjure from your imagination."
"I had him visit several of the local forges," Mendal chimed in, "to make sure he could conjure me up a decent forge."
"That's incredible! To create space out of nothing!" Thoughts drifting to a hall of books read about in an adventure story, Fern added "I suppose it doesn't do books very well? Since you can't imagine the contents if you haven't read them?"
Archie nodded agreement, "quite right. Even books I have read aren't easy to reproduce in their entirety and accurately. But otherwise the approximation is quite good."
"Yes, yes!" Mendal shouted back, firmly already inside the Magnificent Mansion, "wizard stuff some other time, Fern - smith learning now. I want to finish some crossbow bolts today, and you might even be able to help me with them."
Fern grinned a bit guiltily at Dr. Archie, then quickly caught up with Mendal and asked their new teacher "What do you do first when you begin a project?"
On the way back from Ft. Ettin, Fern pondered how to learn some additional skills. Carpentry was a useful skill to have, and it had helped pay for lodging, but there was so much more to learn! They still wanted to learn mapmaking, but that might not be as easy to trade? And they hadn't found anyone to teach it either, and needed to be careful with gold...
As they walked further Fern remembered the smithies in the Dwarven Quarter, and the steel dragon with sapphire eyes in the courtyard of Dr. Archie's home. Perhaps the artist, Mendal, would be willing to teach? Or at least know who could be asked for lessons? Fern didn't think they'd be able to do anything as grand as the statue, but there were many practical things that could be done with metal. It would be useful to be able to make their own nails, fix broken hinges or even forge new carpentry tools! Maybe they could even make armor or weapons for others to earn a bit of extra coin.
After returning to Daring Heights, Fern once again went to the house of Dr. Archie and his friends and knocked on the tall door.
—
An elderly human man answered the door.
"Fern! How lovely to see you. How may I help you? Would you like to come in?" It had been a week or so since Dr. Archie Haltuhr had seen the more junior wizard. Perhaps she had come to learn more spells, he thought to himself.
"Good Morning Dr. Archie! I was wondering if your friend Mendal might be in? I was hoping to ask more about his sculpture work, and see if he might be willing to teach me smithing, or could direct me to someone who I might be able to learn from."
"I see," Archie said, intrigued. "He went out a while ago, I'm afraid. I expect he'll be back soon though. You could wait in the courtyard, if you'd like and you could tell me all about why you want to take up smithing over a cup of tea." With a welcoming smile, Archie asked, "how does that sound?"
"Thank you for the invitation, I would like a chat."
—
Archie took Fern to the courtyard's table, and an unseen servant served them tea. Archie showed off his new talent on his new viol, a gift from his teacher and fellow adventurer, Zasper. Half an hour went by as the two wizards chatted and entertained each other.
—
"Home!" The courtyard pair could here from where they were, as Mendal announced, or better still, shouted his returning presence.
"I'm three for three, Archie old-boy!" Mendal shouted triumphantly as he entered the courtyard. "Oh good day, Fern!" Mendal said, greeting the younger wizard. "Hey Fern, you know I don't just do amazing craftswork like the metal dragon over there," Mendal pointed at the tribute to Valdira. "I dabble in miracles too - just come back from raising a couple of recently dead adventurers; Luxemforth and Artur - know them?"
"Well done Mendal," Archie said proudly to his friend.
"Cheers buddy," came the response.
"That is incredible! I know Luxemforth, but I haven't met Artur. Do adventuerer's die often?" Fern paused, "I'd actually come by today to see you Mendal, I was hoping to have the opportunity to learn more about metalwork"
"Oh right," Mendal responded smiling, and then sat down to join Fern and Archie. "Archie says you're not bad at wizard stuff."
"I said you were very good at spell learning," Archie corrected.
"Do you work much with your hands?" Mendal enquired.
“I've been doing carpentry work since I was a child, nothing fancy, just repairs and practical things like chairs and chicken coops. I can make healing potions too." Fern looked at Mendal's dragon again, and back to the dwarf. "I was hoping to learn smithing, at least the basics to make things like nails I use in carpentry, but I'd love to be able to do more complex things like tools and armor too! Would you, um, know who might be able to teach me?" Fern's voice trailed off a little at the end, suddenly not sure if it was acceptable to ask someone who regularly returned dead people to life to do something as mundane as teaching.
"Hmmmmmm," Mendal mused audibly. He had taught Zola how to work stone, and he had rather enjoyed getting back to teaching people to create. He wasn't expecting to produce a new Clan Crafter, but the joy of teaching, and also the potential for his reputation to grow further through students, was very motivating for Mendal.
"Well you've come to the right place to learn how to be great at working metal," Mendal said without a hint of recognition as to how self aggrandising what he said sounded. "I'll tell you what, Fern. If Archie here is willing to conjure up the Magnificent Mansion for me, and install my beautiful forge in it, I've got some tridents, bolts and crossbows I want to forge. You could join me, and as I work I'll talk about what I'm doing and why, and answer any questions. If you like what you see - I'll take you on. How's that sound?"
"That would be amazing! I'd love to join you, and as soon as I learn the tool names and such I can hand you things, or could maybe work the bellows for you if you teach me that!" Pausing, "um, what would I owe you for teaching me? I have some coin, but I could also fetch things for you or do some other tasks in payment too?" Pausing again, Fern looked to Dr. Archie "and what is a Magnificent Mansion? Is it a spell?"
"You're Archie's friend," Mendal said, deliberating a fee, "seems to be a standard teaching rate round these parts of 24gp a week if you can dedicate a few days to the work. If not, then just 12gp. Since you're Archie's friend, and you've got a good eye on you," Mendal nodded towards his stature of Valdira, "I'll give you a 20% friends' discount. So 20gp when you've got more time in the week, and 10gp when you don't."
"Thank you very much Mendal. I very much appreciate it!! You said I could join you in your crafting today? I have a little bit of time this week, and I'll have several days next week."
"Can you start right now?" Mendal asked.
"Yes, I can! By next week I can get a set of tools of my own, if you tell me what I need to get"
Fern fishes 10gp out of their bandolier and offers it to Mendal. "Thank you again for the discount!"
"Don't worry about your own tools just yet. You can use mine," Mendal reassured, whilst also taking the 10gp. "Erm, Archie?" Mendal looked over at Archie, as he stood up.
Archie also got up off of his seat, "Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion is a conjuration spell favourite in this household, Fern." With a wry smile, Archie added, "it's a spell along with spells like Teleportation that makes a wizard very popular amongst their house mates."
Archie continued talking as he led Fern and Mendal to the wall in the courtyard where he normally casts the spell. "The mansion conjuration requires vast amounts of magical reserve to cast and requires the following spell components," Archie pulled out the three items from his spell component pouch; a miniature portal carved from ivory, a small piece of polished marble, and a tiny silver spoon. The three items were tied together with cord. "Handy trick I advise; tie together unique components for spells - makes them easier to find."
"Forge time!" Mendal yelled enthusiastically, as he watched Archie begin the somatic components of the spell. "Let's only have the one servant in the forge; Fern's going to be doing some of the basic stuff."
"Very well," Archie acknowledged as he began the verbal part of ritual required to cast the Mansion spell.
"And double the tools and anvils inside, so Fern and I won't need to share!" Mendal hastily added.
Archie stopped casting and put his hands on his hips and looked at Mendal. "Do you want to make a list before you ruin the spell?"
"That's all!" Mendal put his hands up in protestation.
"I can carry on undisturbed with the casting?"
Mendal left his hands up in the air.
Archie turned to look at Fern and rolled his eyes. And then resumed casting the spell.
A minute later, a double door appeared on one of the courtyard walls, and opened by itself.
"Well done!" Mendal said, as Archie mock bowed.
"First door on the left, as usual," Archie said to Mendal. "I'll be nearby in the office I've created inside the Mansion if you need me, Fern. The office is on the right. And, even though you will be learning and working, please don't hesitate to ask one of the servants if you need anything."
Fern's mouth dropped open in astonishment. "A whole building? With rooms and servants? Just like that? How long does it last?"
"24 hours and the inside of the mansion is whatever you can conjure from your imagination."
"I had him visit several of the local forges," Mendal chimed in, "to make sure he could conjure me up a decent forge."
"That's incredible! To create space out of nothing!" Thoughts drifting to a hall of books read about in an adventure story, Fern added "I suppose it doesn't do books very well? Since you can't imagine the contents if you haven't read them?"
Archie nodded agreement, "quite right. Even books I have read aren't easy to reproduce in their entirety and accurately. But otherwise the approximation is quite good."
"Yes, yes!" Mendal shouted back, firmly already inside the Magnificent Mansion, "wizard stuff some other time, Fern - smith learning now. I want to finish some crossbow bolts today, and you might even be able to help me with them."
Fern grinned a bit guiltily at Dr. Archie, then quickly caught up with Mendal and asked their new teacher "What do you do first when you begin a project?"