the Rift


Building the Wall [Crafters!]

Bazilisk Posts: N/A
Unregistered
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#1

B A Z I L I S K
I do not desire to hear your words, nor you mine.


It was early morning, the day after Kri's meeting. The sky was a pale shade of gray, the dregs remaining in a cup of tea, washed with palest pinks and yellows along the bottom, tentative color spilling over the horizon. A small yellow disk on the horizon remained the sun, rising over the sea lapping to my right. I liked the sea, the smell of it, the stubbornness of it to continuously attack the shore. Today the waves were steel gray, ribbed with brilliant blues, topped with frilly white hats. I had gone back to sleep during the day of the meeting, curled up in my tree, only slithering out of it to hunt last night, and catching a couple of hours to rest before coming out in the rising of the sun, to gather my young apprentices. I knew what I would teach them, the basic fundamentals. I would teach them writing as well, perhaps at a later date. I wouldn't want to teach a bunch of illiterate kids forever. My red tongue slipped out between my white fangs, tasting the salted air as I twisted through the dunes, my body leaving a curling ribbon of sand behind me.

I stopped at our northern border, where the air warmed and the earth turned darker from the fumes given off by Helovia's pumping lava heart. Here is where I called my crafter children, sought them out. As I waited patiently for them to arrive, I twisted into a bit of a knot, and when the first arrived, I was struggling to unloop my curls. Idiot, I thought to myself, dismayed, and finally managed to undo myself. My venomous green eyes watch them in some disappointment as few, very few arrive, although my numbers are not as good as they should be. Add that to my list of things to improve on. I coughed slightly, uncomfortable even at the presence of such small numbers.

"I am Bazilisk, who, I'm sure, you know as Artisan of the Throat. Today I've asked to come help me build the wall along the northern border as our leader Kri requested. I have a couple of rules for you. Please remain cautious with materials and do not get in my way. Accidents do happen when I'm extracting metal from the earth or surrounding areas and I wouldn't want to hurt any of my apprentices. If I ask you something, carry it out carefully and with diligence. I won't take any tomfoolery around me." I pause, resting my stern gaze on them, to make the words mean something to them. "I will need you horses to help find nearby metal and bring it back to me if you can. After we do this, I will teach you the basic fundamentals of building and we will proceed to the actual building of the wall and dimensions it will need." I smile at them, my eyes taking on a more bright note. "Move quickly and know you are helping your herd!" Now I only have to settle down and wait for them, although I do extend my consciousness to find the closest metal deposits and extract them from the earth. Only in my sight distance, of course- it would not do to accidently spear a foal.

When I complete this, my mind wanders to the actual wall. It needs to be a big, nice one too- I won't settle for some cobbled old thing. Hmm. Yes, it will have to be quite nice and square-edged. About twelve feet high maybe. Metal foundations will be food, but I would prefer to use stone if at all possible for the wall itself. Only one entrance- an arching thing in the middle, with doors. A walkway on top, three or four feet wide. It will be an architectural wonder in this land without a house!

It will be beautiful as well as strong.




Cera the Golden Prince Posts: 419
Outcast atk: 5.5 | def: 9.5 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.3hh :: 6 Years HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Ilaria :: Red Panda :: Heal Brit
#2





Sandy babe had found little sleep the night before. Excitement coursed through his veins like electricity, refusing to permit rest. Though sleepy the morning of Kri's summons, it had quickly fled upon the discovery that their local Artisan would be taking on a few young souls to teach his trade. Already a task had been set, to build a protective wall along their weaker borders. Cera, normally able to control himself, had succumbed to his natural energetic side upon this discovery. The art of building and shaping had captured his attention as long as he could remember. Looking up at the twisted branches of trees and imagining beautiful intwined archways. Of spotting caves and burrows and imagining huts and protective shelters. He simply couldn't help it, it was his calling.

That was why he was up much too early, settling the feathers of his wings to appear more presentable. It would be quite some time until he was required to meet Bazilisk, but already he was dying to set out. Finally he could last no longer and set out at a quick trot, thanking his long legs for carrying him so quickly over the desert. He was a little surprised to be one of the first there, with so few showing. Bright, determined emerald eyes focused on the one who would be their mentor during this time. Cera was sometimes too accepting and wasn't bothered by the fact he was a rather large snake. Finally he spoke and Cera was so intent on his words he practically carved them into his soul.

His gaze was hard and serious as he spoke, and Cera mentally told himself exactly what he had said. No tomfoolery, Cera. That wouldn't be a problem. Cera would work himself into the ground if it meant remaining in his presence. Bazilisk informed them of what they had to do, and he did not seem as serious, in fact he seemed rather friendly in that moment. There was no need for words, and Cera set out immediately to do as ordered, eyes scanning sharply over the desert ground and doing as Bazilisk had requested- staying out of his way. Only glancing towards him when he began his own extraction of the metal from the earth. Entranced. Forcing himself back to work, ready to prove himself.

This was merely the beginning of everything Cera had wanted.
Image by Alex
Please only tag starting posts, spars, and threads collecting dust!

Basya Posts: N/A
Unregistered
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#3

Basya began to look for metal as soon as Bazilisk ordered her away. She stabbed her hooves into the dirt and dug out a small chunk of metal. Her nose twitched before she turned to Cera. Basya nodded her head to the younger horse before continuing her search for metal. She spotted more chunks and grabbed them. She had begun to gather a small pile of the metal.

Basya spread her wings out and she glided just a few feet from the earth, looking down at it to spot metal. She landed gently and uncovered some metal. She looked at the small pile that she had gathered. Small chunks of metal were in her pile. She was pleased with her pile and thought about the size of this wall. Her pride sank. She sighed before continuing her work. This project would take forever.

Walk walk walk
"Talk, talk, talk."
Think Think Think

OOC:
Word Count:143




Bazilisk Posts: N/A
Unregistered
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#4

B A Z I L I S K
I do not desire to hear your words, nor you mine.


As I worked on my own mining, half-keeping an eye out for the bird-horses who had comes running to help, my mind began to wander to the uncivilized ways of Helovia. There were no bridges here over the streams, no roads, no real paths. There were no houses and no sculptures, no mines and no shrines as far as I was aware of. It was sad, in a way, bizarre, really. No writings, no drawings. Nothing. Strange, isn't it? I shook my head slowly as I gathered a sizable amount of metal, chunks of it, many ores. I half-heartedly flowed into in a sculpture of a flying bird, tail feathers extended and beak hooked, before dissembling it and pulling it apart. The tail feathers were too weak to hold it up easily. About an hour later, after the bay pegasus retrieved enough for several feet, and the little painted horse did too, I tilted my head towards them, and spoke.

"Take a break younglings, and listen to me teach for a bit before we continue our work." Flames flickered up around the collective metal, enough for about a half-foot of the wall, counting upwards and width-wise. "There are some basic principles to building and crafting I expect you to know and understand well if you are to train under me. The first is the Law of Stability. A structure must have a wide base, low center of gravity, and be symmetrical, or have the weight evenly distributed, for it to be a strong, stable item. For example, when I construct this bird, it would fall over. Why?" It was a rhetorical question, and I launched into an explanation before they could answer. The bird was a slender phoenix, on the tip of its tail-feathers, wings launched forward. "All the weight is on the front end of the bird, near the shoulders. The tail feathers are very thin and would snap under the weight of the bird. And the center of gravity is high, not low to the ground as it should be to make sure it holds up well." I let the metal melt away, the flames dying around it. Next, I construct a small arching bridge, the structure made of triangles. "The triangle is the strong shape, as the conflicting forces push against each other." I let it fall away again.

"Questions?" I ask, and as I glance at each of them, another part of my mind is creating a tree out of metal, enjoying the sensation of creation.




Cera the Golden Prince Posts: 419
Outcast atk: 5.5 | def: 9.5 | dam: 4.5
Stallion :: Pegasus :: 16.3hh :: 6 Years HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Ilaria :: Red Panda :: Heal Brit
#5





It wasn't as hard as Cera had been expecting. The sand was compact from the freezing temperatures of the desert, but with the sharp strike of a hoof it could easily be pushed aside and dug into. Soft tiny muzzle searched for the metals he had seen every day but had never had a reason to grab. As the sun climbed a little higher, a decent pile lay at the hooves of both foals. Basya, though he did not know her name, nodded to him pleasantly. She was twice his age and Cera was envious of this fact, as she was better equipped. Cera was so eager to grow older that he hardly took the time to be a child.

Bazilisk interrupted them after they both had a pile of medium size, a few hours had gone by and Cera was enjoying the slow toil of work. Trotting over eagerly as Bazilisk called them, toxic green eyes finding them and speaking out. Sandy ears perked and keeping serious and silent as he spoke, recording it once again. The bird he had shaped was beautiful, but Cera could see the flaws in it even as he spoke. Wondering how in the world he kept it there if it was so off balance. It was amazing how he could shape it so effortlessly, something Cera knew to be magical abilities. Again and again he changes it, asking if they have any questions. Cera ponders it for a moment, but decides that no, he doesn't have any questions. It's pretty easy to understand despite his young age. Balance is everywhere in nature, in everything you saw. Shaking his head a fraction to display it.
Image by Alex
Please only tag starting posts, spars, and threads collecting dust!

Basya Posts: N/A
Unregistered
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#6
Basya had gathered a nice pile of metal. This was it, this is what she loved. She loved crafting things. Creating things. When Bazilisk told her and Cera to take a break, she placed the last few pieces of metal into the pile before going to see what Bazilisk wanted. He formed this beautiful bird. She frowned though at the support and stability of the metal creature. She knew that Bazilisk was only teaching them, and she listened to every word he spoke. He asked if they had any questions, but Basya shook her head. She looked at the young foal that was half her age. He too had no questions, and Basya grinned. The child was smart for his age. Basya turned her attention to the large snake, waiting for his next instructions.

OOC:
WC: 134

Rapha Posts: N/A
Unregistered
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#7
Thread's pretty much done. Not much else to do.

-hands over one credit to Cera and Basya-

Just one more credit to go until skilled member!


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