Date: Early Reneca, 798 ------- Location: St Loomis, Silver Street Wagonyard, Wagonwright & Farrier
It is an early afternoon in Otty Smythe's farrier's shack. An odd calm fills the air, as though some important (at least to those fulfilling it) work were about to take place.
(Yasin): It is an unusually quiet early afternoon, a lull between the throngs of farmers and other locals needing work done. Signs of horses recently tended to abound the shack; the remnants of a portion of a winter coat spread amongst the hard packed floor. That shed horsehair flutters in the mild breeze that blows in from the entry gate, and Yasin is in the process of sweeping up that hair as well as the hoof trimmings that had until recently been causing discomfort to some poor working beast.
He pauses mid-sweep, glancing briefly at the gate, as though expecting someone. He rushes to complete his task, finishing the cleaning and then striding with purpose towards one of the many shelves-of-junk that he's accumulated during his time here. He reaches for something.
What he pulls from the shelf is a finely carved steel blade, curved, affixed to a steel hilt. About a foot long in total with the blade occupying most of that length. A jambiya. He moves to set it upon a workspace that he's made for himself amongst the poor farrier's things, a gentle clink disturbing the calm afternoon air.
An observer might note that this blade looks a little unusual. Close examination would reveal that it has been covered on both sides with a waxy looking substance.
Next to this, he sets out a sketch, and for anyone observing the sketch, it might be apparent that this is likely not the work of the smith's apprentice. Drawn extraordinarily in bluish-black ink, the sketch depicts a curved jambiya, with stylized designs upon it.
He gives a slow nod, and then shoots another eager look towards the gate, perhaps hopeful.
(Ighlaf): Perhaps during one of those glances Ighlaf may be spotted approaching the shack, eventually stepping through. Their gaze takes in the wagonyard and they call out a greeting once through the gate while smiling, "Good afternoon."
(Otty): The towering smith is likewise cleaning up, his own primary task being to organize and put away a rather large pile of forged components to a wagon's axle assembly. He's quite occupied for some time with this, counting bolts and bits and bobs, fitting them together in some cases to double-check, and setting them in piles carefully across his workbench, with the larger pieces on the ground nearby, where hopefully they won't be tripped over. It seems to take him quite some concentration and effort, and now and again he does a bit of finger-counting, lips moving behind his beard in some subvocalization as he reckons the totals. It's the sort of task one might imagine needing a list, but he's never used one. It's always like this.
He glances aside toward Yasin as the young man takes the blade from the shelf, but doesn't speak or attempt to interrupt, his eyes making note of the object briefly before returning to his work. It's only two or three minutes later, well after the apprentice has settled, that he gives a nod to himself as though satisfied with the final tally and turns away from the bench to step over across the shed. He doesn't loom right over Yasin's workspace, but he's definitely observing, unapologetic and not at all self-conscious about doing so - first Ighlaf, with a grunt and a nod in greeting, then the blade, and then the sketch for a moment or two.
(Yasin): Yasin sheepishly smiles to Otty at his observance, explaining quietly, "...the jambiya," without much in additional way of explanation. He keeps the metal-and-wax combination well away from the neatly stacked piles of metal parts that Otty had so dutifully organized, as though a stray movement might somehow threaten to disturb the balance.
At Ighlaf's arrival (which he notices in one of his eager glances), he exclaims (speaking in Ilexi, his accent typically thick), "Ah, Ighlaf!"
He swiftly approaches the arriving artist at the gate and ushers them through the shack with an emphatic gesticulation of his hands. Speaking brightly, he announces, "I was hoping you'd free up from work! I've got a free few moments here, and I've started to prepare the blade."
Gesturing towards the sketch and the wax, he says thoughtfully, "I almost considered having a go at scratching out a portion of the design, maybe the simpler lines of the stem, but..." He admits with a sigh, including Otty with a glance, "I didn't want to get it wrong."
(Ighlaf): Ighlaf is so ushered through through the gate, nodding back to Otty. Their gaze is drawn back to Yasin and then towards the wax and sketch. "I have been thankful to spend less worktime scribing of recent. Especially for helping finish this."
Shifting their gaze, it turns to amusement aimed at Yasin. "Likely for the best you left it as it is as I forgot to mention a step. I am hoping the method I want to use works, if it isn't trouble to apply more beeswax if it does not." rifling through the backpack they set down, they pull out vellum and hold the sheets up. The surfaces are very smooth, and translucent, "We will repeat the sketch on these...then hopefully rub it onto the wax for our drawing."
(Yasin): "Oh!" Yasin exclaims, amused and abashed. "Huh. Yes." He looks to the recently produced vellum, then to the wax-surfaced blade, then back. A broad wrinkle forms on his brow and he nods slowly. "Yes... and so that way, we'll know what lines to follow, to scratch out."
Yasin begins clearing some additional space on the workspace, disturbing a disorganized pile of tools, revealing a soot-covered table top. His eyes widen as though he was only now thinking about the dirty table-top in relation to the clean vellum, and begins to aggressively wipe at that surface with a cloth. "It is a good idea," he says, lending his voice to the sound of the shhhfft-shhhft-shhhft of his cloth. "And is smarter than either of us attempting to follow it just by eye."
The surface is cleared away, and he gives Ighlaf a smile, gesturing to the now-prepared space. He wonders aloud, "Will you use ink, or charcoal?"
(Ighlaf): Simply smiling, Ighlaf watches that space be cleared off. They step closer to the table as they reply, "Thank you. I will likely use charcoal, as I hope it will transfer over well enough." Ighlaf's gaze flits over to the jambiya, then to the sketch. "I am hoping with this being so thin, to trace the design."
Holding up the vellum, they overlay it over the sketch. The lines are visible through and Ighlaf hums a pleased sound. "Looks like I will be able trace it over." their gaze flits to the jambiya then to Yasin with a considering gaze. "Now my next question is, what side of the blade do we want to scratch out the wax? I sketched this so long ago..." their nose scrunches in thought, "I can't recall the wording for what you called the shape of the middle of the blade, but it influenced the designs shape."
Ighlaf hovers a finger over the sketch, then glances towards the jambiya. "I had a thought about the hilt, as well if it has no mark yet."
(Yasin): Yasin watches Ighlaf begin to work, nodding a few times at the stated plan. "Clever..." He says, somewhat under his breath.
"The fuller," Yasin says with a smile, gesturing with a callused forefinger towards the middle of the blade. A shallow groove exists there, running from hilt to about three-fourths of the blade's length, following the curvature. He flips the blade over, then gestures to the same groove on the opposite side. "I think you had intended the fuller to be the... stem." He lifts his forefinger to gesture towards the design, now. "This line, I think. Then the buds and flames along it, outward from it." He brings his finger back to the blade, following the groove until it fades as it gets closer to the end, about three quarters along. "Here, I think is where the flames support the budding jasmine."
He says, "I think we had decided on both sides, with scratching out the opposite on one, though... I also think we could do both sides the same, and it would be pleasing for the symmetry, no matter which way it is displayed or held."
With a curious look to Ighlaf, he asks, "What was your thought on the hilt? We'd thought of... this on the hilt, before." He gestures to something on the given design underneath the translucent vellum, a compact mark of an elegant quill drawing a tendril of stylized flames flowing outwards to encircle the feather.
(Ighlaf): Taking hold of a piece of charcoal, Ighlaf begins tracing the outline as they listen. A slight pause as they take in those words from Yasin with a quiet mumbled repeat of, "Fuller." to themselves. They resume tracing and then form a reply, "I agree on the symmetry, and a little faster and easier repeating it twice, as well. Ah, more like three times, tracing to mirror it." as their tracing resumes, they answer Yasin's curious look eventually.
Ighlaf points their free hand to the mark a moment, "The hilt is what everyone will see first. While I do want our mark on it, her jasmine and flame is what is sentimental." deftly continuing the tracing, their words continue. "Our mark on one side, and another facing outwards once it is in the sheath." they then look vaguely sheepish, "Although I...hadn't in mind what it would be in that space as this thought occurred only recently."
(GM): OOC: Ighlaf just rolled finesse and painting, coming up with 45.
(Yasin): Yasin gives a nod of agreement to Ighlaf on the value of avoiding repetition, and then his eyes flit down to examine a portion of the deft trace-work, following a curve of one of the lines representing a lick of flame, unblinking for that portion of the observation.
As their point about the hilt becomes clear to him, he gives another nod, firmer. "Ah... that's... an important point." Sheepish, almost, is the smile that follows. "I've been so focused on the blade-work, and didn't consider what we'd like to show when the blade is sheathed."
His jaw shifts at this point, as it often seems to do when he's thinking. To and fro, to and fro. "I... suppose... well." He blinks. "If we want something small but recognizable, why not jasmine flower?" He traces (with his forefinger, and not touching the vellum) a pattern of five thin petals on the portion where Ighlaf had gestured, representing the hilt. "The petals, like that. Unlike the buds of the blade, as I don't know if they would be as recognizable so small, on the hilt?"
(Ighlaf): Ighlaf pauses their current tracing to squint thoughtfully at that section Yasin hovered above. "Hm..." then their gaze is distracted in thought. "I know we were hoping to start this today, but I believe we ought to find Firouzeh to ask her thoughts."
They do take out a fresh page of parchment, one less fine than the vellum and begin to sketch overtop it, giving longer stares at the hilt of the blade in between. This sketch takes longer than the tracing does.
(GM): OOC: Ighlaf just rolled finesse and painting, coming up with 99.
(Yasin): Yasin gives a nod of his head to Ighlaf. He says, "We could, yes. And we have waited this long, so I don't think waiting some more time would be a great harm, if we wanted to confirm the hilt's design with Firouzeh."
Yasin quiets then as his eyes study Ighlaf's sketchwork, flitting between that and the blade itself, all covered in wax still. Another nod, slower this time, follows. "You have some ideas you want to sketch, and then show her?"
(Ighlaf): Continuing to draw for a time, clear lines of plant like looking sections are visible on Ighlaf's sketch. They draw their attention up eventually to answer Yasin with a little sheepishly, "Apologies, the thought lingered in my mind of perhaps symmetrical portions of the stems. I think I could manage the bud itself..." then they answer, "That may be the best, for her to choose one of them. And for the other side, our mark."
(Yasin): Yasin watches in silence as those plant lines become visible, honey-brown eyes tracking the movement of charcoal on vellum. A shake of his head given at the apology. "No-- that is fine work, there. I do like the idea of the stem, too. You could even lead the stems towards the blade, so that as it is unsheathed, it... completes the picture."
Yasin leans against the workbench, pressing his hand there and pushing and pulling slightly while he thinks. "I suppose... that's what we do, then. Complete the sketches including the hilt, and get Firouzeh to give her final, ah, 'okay'. And..." In an addendum and with a small smile, "...the mark on the other side."
He asks Ighlaf with his eyebrows arched in curiosity, "Are those the two options you like the best? A bud and petals, or the symmetrical stems?"
(Ighlaf): Ighlaf finishes their sketching of the stems then eventually answers Yasin with a pleased tone, "Those two, although your words on the stems going towards the blade do sound more interesting." their hand waves over their sketch, where a set of mirrored but winding stem like shapes wind over sketched hilt.
Adding after they agree, "And then see about trying to settle the pattern on the wax and scrape it free for the work." looking thoughtfully at the wax covered blade.
(Yasin): Yasin's right hand idly grabs a hold of a hoof pick that's nearby, and he fidgets with it while examining the sketch work. "I like the way that looks," he declares, with his other forefinger pointing at the winding stems. "The way they wind together." A pause follows, and he then says, "Growth."
With a glance to the blade he says, "I thought we'd do it just like we did some of our tests. I think we transferred the sketch to the wax, then scratched it out?"
He smiles, then shrugs his shoulders. "I suppose... we can collect these sketches, and then find Firouzeh to speak with her before uh... Finalizing." He eyes the wax covered blade. "Until then, this will be a rather... Pleasantly scented jambiya."
(Ighlaf): Ighlaf settles an amused look on the wax covered blade. "Yes, exactly the same as the tests." the sketches are gathered up and they echo in a murmur, "Growth, hmm."
Returning their gaze to Yasin they ask, "Did you ever imagine you would be buying so much beeswax for your work?"
(Yasin): Yasin seems caught off guard by the question, startled into laughter as he looks from Ighlaf to the wax-covered jambiya. The laughter recedes and he shakes his head. "No," he admits. "No, I most definitely did not imagine such." He looks back to Ighlaf.
"But," he points out alongside a shrug of his shoulders. "I also did almost nothing of etching in my past work. No... past experience, to power that imagination."
(Ighlaf): Looking very amused at that reaction, Ighlaf nods alongside Yasin's word. "With such experience we may manage some designs with chisels the future as well. Although the wax guiding if it works...will be entirely helpful."
Ighlaf gathers the parchment and the potential sketches together carefully, "Next, to show these to Firouzeh to choose?"
(Yasin): Yasin nods his head to Ighlaf, an amused expression of his own in the wake of his earlier laughter. "Yes," he says, leaving the sweet-smelling blade in position on the workbench. "Yes, we should go find her, and... see which she prefers, of the options." So, he begins to shift away from the workbench, giving a farewell nod to Otty as he does so. "We'll be back," he promises.
As he steps away he murmurs to Ighlaf, "Still need to make that new set of chisels..." Always a project on this one's mind, apparently.
(Otty): Otty, having drifted off fairly soon after Ighlaf's arrival to continue work on other things nearby, looks up and gives a nod in return to Yasin. "Take care, lads," he rumbles to the both of them. He'd seem about to say more, but just at that moment, a man arrives leading a horse, and Otty leaves it at that, turning to greet the customer and to cast an appraising eye over the beast, immediately absorbed in his work once more.
(Firouzeh): Any young smiths or artists looking for Firo this afternoon would find her alone at the clinic. The place, for what it's worth, is as neat as it can be. Shelves are lined with jars and folded cloth, a faint smell of something herbal lingers, and someone has clearly made an effort to sweep the floor.
And Firo? She's stretched out on a clean-ish cot near the back wall with hands folded neatly on her stomach. Eyes closed—face calm. Not so much resting as presenting a convincing imitation of a corpse laid out for viewing.
Then, without warning, a snore erupts from her like thunder. Firo doesn’t stir. The stillness returns just as quickly, as if the sound had never happened at all.
Only the twitch of a foot betrays her continued existence.
It's a slow day.
(Yasin): Yasin and Ighlaf wander into the clinic eventually, it ranking quite highly on the 'where to look for Firouzeh in Saint Loomis' list. The apprentice smith raises his brow as he shifts past the door, a very briefly concerned look to the corpse-Firouzeh ... which fades after a moment of realizing that she is, in fact, sleeping.
He sets an amused look Ighlaf's way, before turning his head towards Firouzeh and murmuring, "Uh... Firouzeh?"
(Firouzeh): Firo isn't quite moved to open her eyes at the sound of Yasin's murmur. She remains still, so still that one might think she hasn't heard him at all. A full breath passes. Only after the silence begins to stretch to an awkward 'should we shake her' place does she speak.
"Are you dying? You don't sound close enough to death that you'd interrupt my nap."
(Yasin): Yasin starts, surprised by Firouzeh's sudden speech. "No..." He walks forward with a slow gait. With faint amusement in his tone, he says, "No one is dying. Yasin then stops walking, a little ways away from the back cot, and he leans a shoulder against one of those nicely cleaned shelves. "Ighlaf and I wished to get your opinion on something. But... we can come back later, after your nap. If you'd like."
(Ighlaf): Sharing in both concern shifting to amusement, Ighlaf stares at not-Corpse Firouzeh for a time. They listen and add after Yasin, "Yes, it can wait until later, your nap willing the time. Your opinion on artwork."
(Firouzeh): “No, no,” Firo insists. She exhales slowly, a long, resigned breath, before finally opening her eyes and pushing herself upright. "You’ve already woken me… and now I’m interested."
She gives Ighlaf a once-over, eyes scanning his hands and arms in search of whatever he's brought.
"Artwork for the clinic?" she guesses.
(Ighlaf): Giving an apologetic look to Firouzeh, they hold out a set of parchment, "Artwork for your jambiyah." holding the sketches up to be easily seen.
Their finger taps one sketch, "For the hilt, both." showing off a sketch where a set of mirrored stems wind over a sketched hilt. "And this is the other idea." holding up a second parchment which is less robust in sketching, featuring a set of closed jasmine buds.
(Yasin): "We were getting close to cutting out the pattern, in the wax." Yasin adds on quietly in further explanation, his eyes flitting between Ighlaf, the artwork, and Firouzeh. "But Ighlaf realized that we'd never actually discussed the hilt, and that is what will be visible, when, uh, well, when we get you a sheath." Sheepishly, he adds on, "Eventually," in some indication that the sheath might... be a later addition.
(Firouzeh): Firo perks up at Ighlaf's clarification. "Ohh. Hmmmmm..." she hums, tapping her sagging chin and weighing both with overly dramatic care.
The gears turn slowly, maybe having not managed to fully shake off her nap, but at last she gives a decisive nod. "That one," she declares, tapping the parchment with mirrored stems.
(Yasin): Yasin smiles at the decision, and he turns that smile from Firouzeh to Ighlaf. "Well," he says in a rather chipper tone. "That was easy. And your idea, Ighlaf. The symmetrical stems."
Yasin then shifts his weight backward onto his heels, and gives a roll of his shoulders. He muses to no one in particular, "I suppose then we can begin transferring the design to the wax, and mark the other side."
(Ighlaf): Ighlaf shuffles the other parchment away while smiling at the choice, then to Yasin. "Yes, then sorting the rest." they dip their head to Firouzeh, "Thank you for allowing us to interrupt your nap for the design."
(Firouzeh): "Anytime," Firouzeh says, dismissing the pair with a wave of one of her sun-spotted hands. She lowers herself back down into prime napping position once more. "Well... not anytime. Only if it is important. Be Good, dears."
(Ighlaf): Inclines their head to Firouzeh's words and responds, "Sometimes. Rest is important alongside." with a flicker of a smile. "We will tend the rest of then, and hopefully see you with the finished work."
(Yasin): Yasin begins to take a few steps back from the cot, and as he does so, he says with a brief grin, "Oh, we will be sure to come back and interrupt you juuuust as you get comfortable."
He dips his head to Firouzeh, then gives a little nod Ighlaf's way, turns, and begins to head out towards the open door.
(Ighlaf): Snorting at Yasin's words they follow through the door, "Right into the good portion of the napping." before murmuring, "Although a bit of a long nap however long the vinegar takes."
(Yasin): "A weeks-long nap," Yasin murmurs to Ighlaf, now tromping back through the town, en route to Otty's. "Or more. It should take some time for the vinegar to set. I agree."
With a glance Ighlaf's way as he walks, he asks, "So, with that decision made... do you feel ready to make the designs in the wax? We... could begin today."
(Ighlaf): Ighlaf replies with a thoughtful look, "Longer than the iron did, yes?" then they immediate answer, "I am ready to attempt. And seeing the design on the blade," flicking a grin a moment.
"After all our planning of this, the wax work itself may take some tries scraping it correctly," a looking at the sketch then focusing on their walking again.
(Yasin): Yasin smiles brightly at the agreement from Ighlaf. "I'm excited to try, and whatever trouble it is scraping... we've waited this long, we need not be in a rush if it takes some number of tries."
As he walks along, he muses in idle thought, "The steel will take longer, but I'm not entirely sure how long. The steel sheet was double the time as the iron for a similar pattern, but I also haven't always been consistent with the amount of vinegar... seems like the kind of thing Ziyad would suggest measuring and experimenting with, doesn't it?" He trails off in thought as they eventually arrive back at Otty's wagonyard.
After they arrive and he makes his greetings to whoever might still be there, he returns to the beeswax-covered blade. "Alright," he says. "Put me to work, artist," he says with a flickered grin.
(Ighlaf): Ighlaf replies with initial amusement, "And we have some amount of wax if we do need to attempt again." then looks thoughtful as they walk along. "We could settle something else in the vinegar alongside it, so that our checking won't disturb the design of the other."
A snort of amusement follows at Yasin's grin, "Well...our hopes are the charcoal settles onto the wax well enough." taking the thin piece of parchment and hovering it over the hilt of the blade, "We need something...flat but not sharp for that."
(Yasin): "Yes, you're right," Yasin says with a slow nod of his head as his eyes train down onto the parchment. "Or we'll damage the sketch. Hmm..."
He's quiet a moment following, and he looks up to search around the workshop. Junk, junk, and more junk are taken in by his gaze -- at least, to the untrained observer. But to anyone familiar with Otty's workshop? Opportunity.
"I've an idea," he murmurs, as he reaches over to sort through a pile of odds and ends on one shelf at one end of the shack. A few items fall to the ground, causing him to murmur an apology to the air. He tends to those, then shouts, "Yes!" as he pulls free what looks to be a heavy wooden mallet with a long handle. "How's this?" He asks as he returns to the parchment and wax.
"We settle this on one section, and then just... shift it side to side, in small motions, to help the charcoal settle. Its weight should do the work for us, I think?"
(Ighlaf): Ighlaf observes that mallet with a thoughtful expression. "If it doesn't, we can at least reapply the wax in the learning. What I have in mind would likely need to be made, something knife thin but rounded edges." Ighlaf takes the sketch they are holding and begins to settle it over the hilt of the blade, smoothing it gently with their palm, then going a 'go ahead gesture' to Yasin with the mallet.
(Yasin): "Ah... so lighter than this." Yasin says with a working of his jaw. "You want precision, not... weight." Yasin shrugs his shoulders, and -- after all, he WAS given the go ahead gesture -- places the heavy mallet upon the parchment upon the wax, and presses down with a firm, even pressure. He then applies some gentle shifts, angling the mallet very, very slightly to one side, then the other, but maintaining pressure the whole while.
"Just thinking that we can... rely on the weight of it, maybe." He forms a thoughtful frown, then presses a little further. "Suppose we won't really know until its done." After a time of this, he eases up his pressure, shifts the mallet's position along the blade, moving to a new area, and begins again.
(GM): OOC: Yasin just rolled strength by itself, coming up with 48.
(Ighlaf): Ighlaf nods their agreement to Yasin's words, then observes curiously at the pressure of the mallet being applied. "I think as long as there is no terrible warping of our designs or the wax very uneven it will, but...yes not until it is done. If we figure it out before putting it in the vinegar, especially." their lips twitching a moment.
(Yasin): "I... think..." Yasin murmurs, working intently with the mallet, pressing it into the parchment and wax along the entirety of this side of the blade. "It might have at least a chance of..." His work continues, bit by bit until he nears the end of the curved steel. "...working."
He lifts the mallet from its position, then arches his eyebrows and gives Ighlaf an excited look. His hands hover near the parchment, and he whispers, "Now we... see."
With a whoosh as he lifts the parchment off the wax, he looks down, and his face alights with a grin. "There," he says, looking between the wax, which now has the charcoal design imprinted.
(Ighlaf): Ighlaf is watching the progress of that mallet intently, returning that grin. "We just need to press the other designs, and....scrape the wax."
Their gaze darts over the other pieces of parchment. "Were we aiming for a design both sides of the blade, or just the one?"
(Yasin): "I think... both sides." Yasin says, nodding his head as he searches through his possessions to find the other sketches amongst his scribing case. With the mallet set down, the sounds that now occupy the forge are the shifting and shuffling of papers amongst papers, until finally he nods his head as he pulls it out of a parcel. "I don't know how I could manage to misplace it only after just putting it away, but here it is," he says with a grin to Ighlaf.
"Now... the other designs," he says with a nod, and gets to work with that, too once he's got them sorted. "You don't suppose we'll need to darken this with fresh charcoal, do you?"
(Ighlaf): Ighlaf looks amused as they murmur, "I dunno, the endless pages we have may be part of it." as they evaluate those designs. "I think they are ready to go for the rest of without needing more." they consider for a time, "I can help hold it so the other side doesn't smudge." as they reach out to assist.
(Yasin): With Ighlaf's assistance, Yasin holds the mallet steady and presses down upon the other set of designs. It is a long process, and perhaps due to the care he's taking, it takes longer still -- far longer than simply the hilt-work.
An oddly easy-looking process, to someone watching without context, perhaps. All he's doing is pressing down onto the parchment, and it might indeed look (at least, from far away) that he's barely putting any effort into it. Someone watching up close, though, would no doubt see the effort involved in precisely pressing down, in applying steady pressure the whole way through, and of course in Ighlaf's grip of the material, keeping it from shifting and smudging as he presses.
He pauses to wipe some sweat from his brow part-way through, murmuring, "Suppose we'll find an easier way of this, if we continue to produce works like this in Omrazir, huh?" A sheepish grin flickers across his face. "And, we'll likely need to keep better track of the designs."
(Ighlaf): Ighlaf replies with a frown of concentration as they look over the parchment being pressed over, "A few more tools...and perhaps some amount of storage." sounding amused.
They gesture towards the parchment in a sort of nod with their chin, "And more tools to scrape the wax too. I suppose this one we were very ambitious doing both sides."
(Yasin): Yasin resumes his work as Ighlaf speaks, but laughs alongside, the laughter causing another momentary pause while he maintains a hold on the mallet. "Very ambitious indeed, and for our first major project." A small shrug of his shoulders. "But I still think..." And his laughter gets under control, the work resuming, one press and then another as he moves the mallet along the charcoal. "I still think this will come out quite well, even if it has some imperfections here and there."
As they approach completion of the pressing, Yasin says to Ighlaf with a smile, "Nearly there. Then ready with the scraping, and... into the vinegar. So close, after such a long time on the project, no?"
(Ighlaf): Ighlaf smiles back as they listen, a quiet sound of amusement following. "Yes, although it has taken many months to complete so for a major project, worthy of the time. And so very close." looking back down over their hold on parchment and blade. "It should have most the pattern, and the hilt is the least complicated of them all I'd say."
They consider for a time, "I would like to finish the scraping today, if possible so the sooner into the vinegar."
(Yasin): Yasin gives a nod of his head to Ighlaf as he listens, and it isn't long before the pressing is done. Again he lifts the mallet from the parchment, and after setting it aside carefully lifts the parchment up to reveal the design imprint underneath. It isn't perfect, and in some small cases there's a wavering of the lines that would have been otherwise sketched perfectly on the page, but otherwise, the design is intact.
"What do you think?" He asks, sounding pleased. "I think we can do exactly as you suggest, and begin scraping."
(Ighlaf): Pursing their lips in thought, Ighlaf looks over the lines of the charcoal and give an approving answer, "Yes, it looks good to start." then their gaze flickers around, "I forgot what we may have available in regards for doing so. Something thin but not likely to scratch the metal?"
(Yasin): "We have something perfect for this," Yasin says back to Ighlaf with a grin. "I think we used a combination of chisels. We've different sizes... ah... where are they..." He goes poking through what we shall affectionately call Otty-and-Yasin's-shared-pile-of-junk-and-mess. The sound of metal clinks against metal, and a few things are brushed to the side before, "Ah! Here!"
He grabs a few differently-sized chisels, just small and slender pieces of metal with a pointed edge, and a handle that can be gripped comfortably with one hand. He hands one of the smaller ones to Ighlaf, and pokes at one of the pieces of charcoal-inscribed wax with one of his own. "I can take some of the less detailed lines, if you work on the more precise ones?"
(Ighlaf): Watching Yasin curiously they don't exactly hide an amused sound at that rifling through the pile. They do look pleased at they look over those various chisels, "Those look useful for it." nodding approvingly.
Taking one of the chisels they agree, "Yes, then it shouldn't take us very long for it." they place a careful hold over the wax where they won't smudge any of the charcoal work and shifting along Yasin they begin following the lines of the charcoal with their chisel.
(GM): OOC: Ighlaf just rolled finesse and painting, coming up with 85.
(GM): OOC: The scene fades to black.