Forge post

[ostro_goth]

It's still early, but in the morning light, the sound of hammer on anvil is ringing out from the forge.

Teja, after all, is Teja; and in case of any trouble, he starts making blades. There is much trouble among those dear to him, now, and Teja is making a dagger -- fine and thin, of folded steel, pliable and deadly.

The cats are outside, chasing a snarling demonic rabbit between them.-


[[OOC: Forge post -- open to all and sundry, business or chat -- open until it falls off the front page!]]

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[the_dorian_gray]

He's never been inside a forge, and so Dorian enters with caution.

"I am looking for the master of the forge?" he calls again.

[ostro_goth]

The smith is standing with his back half-turned, beating his hammer on the glowing metal upon the anvil; he had dark hair tied together in the back, and is wearing leather breeches, and a large leather forge apron, covering only his front, and leaving the muscular, sweaty, grimy back bare, except for leather straps crossing over it.

"I am he!" he calls out, over the ring of his hammer. Clang, clang, clang, clang, CLONK -- with every fifth beat, he hits the anvil, adjusting the position of his loosely held hammer in his hand.

"Wait a moment, there; I must finish this, first."

[the_dorian_gray]

Dorian looks around, passing the time until the forge master had time to speak with him.

It is hot, humid, and terribly dirty.

It is, Dorian decides, not a place he wishes to remain long.

[ostro_goth]

It takes about three minutes of incessant hammering, while the glow of the metal dims from dark orange to light red, until the small blade in the making is returned into the forge.

The smith pulls on the bellows a few times, to get the fire glowing hotly; then, he picks up a clay jug of water, thirstily gulps down rather much, and then turns to face his visitor.

"Greetings. What may I do for you?" Teja asks.

[the_dorian_gray]

Dorian feels himself pale.

"Oh, bloody, fucking hell, you?"

[ostro_goth]

"Bloody fucking hell," Teja agrees, smiling. "Me."

Pause.

"What may I do for you?"

He refrains from asking about strange devices to inflict unspeakable things upon a man's private parts; not to spare Dorian from mockery, but simply wishing not to be taken by his word.

[the_dorian_gray]

Dorian pinches the bridge of his nose.

"I came to commission a collar."

[ostro_goth]

"Made of what metal, and in what style, and for what creature?" Teja simply asks.

A golden, jewelled cat-collar? A spiked collar for a fierce fighting dog, to protect its throat from the teeth of its attackers? A collar of thin woven wire, with pearls, to ornament the lovely neck of the man's newest sweetheart?

[the_dorian_gray]

"It needs to be solid platinum, slender but tight-fitting -- but comfortable -- to the throat. I wish for it to have the darkest, purest ruby that can be used at its front, just above a D-ring so that something may be chained to it," he explains. He produces a slip of paper. In elegant handwriting is a number. "That is the circumference of his throat. However, I need the clasp to be very specific."

He pulls out a second piece of paper, one he had received from bar. It shows the details of a very secure latch system for the collar.

"Like so. Can this be done?" he asks Teja.

It is quite an expensive piece, he knows, but Ganymede is well worth it.

[ostro_goth]

Teja looks at it a while. "Yes, of course it can," he says. "You'll want it seeming solid, built like a torque, so it can be twisted for putting on, without losing its shape; or made of links so it moves, and adjusts itself precisely to his neck?"

It is simply a craftsman's question; Teja does not question the costliness or the purpose of that ornament, or mock Dorian for thinking the sweet godling worth such metallic attention.

Manners of style in loving are different; but all want jewellery and gifts to their beloved. Teja thinks of the screw-like ornament with the dragon diamond, to fit into the hole in his Charlie's belly-button, that he is still carrying about in his belt-pouch much of the time, waiting for a good moment to surprise him, and briefly smiles to himself.

[the_dorian_gray]

"I do not wish for it move with him when he moves. It needs to be as solid a piece as you can make it while allowing it to be taken on and off as needed. I trust your eye for that," he says.

[ostro_goth]

"Torque, then," Teja says, "but not lying on his collarbones, but sitting tight around his neck and across his throat, like the ornament known as a choker? That would be unrelenting, like a solid ring around his neck, unless it is twisted by the ends for the purpose of removing it."

Pause.

"I would add some titanium inside, so it would not be seen," Teja says. "Platinum by itself is too soft, and not springy enough. We did not have these materials at my time, but I have since learned to work with them."

[the_dorian_gray]

"Like a choker, yes," he agrees. "And again, I trust your hand in this, as I am not a smith."

He was a pianist.

"I would also like an anklet to match it in some way. The design of it I leave to you, and the measurements are on that paper. The only thing I ask is that it also have a ruby upon it and be made with platinum."

[ostro_goth]

Teja nods.

"How broad?" he asks. "Several inches, like a prisoner's cuff, or slender like the collar? If it is small, it would come on and off by being twisted; if broad, it would be bent open, from O to C, and snap back. I can do either, using those two metals, but would need to think differently of construction and design, depending on how broad it is."

[the_dorian_gray]

The cuff idea sounded incredibly sexy, but Dorian doesn't think Ganymede would much care for the symbolism.

Better to stick with a jewelry feel.

"Slender like the collar, I think. He has lovely ankles. I would not wish to hide them beneath unforgiving metal."

[ostro_goth]

"Yes," Teja says. "That, I can do easily. Will it sit tight, like the collar, or somewhat looser?"

[the_dorian_gray]

"Somewhat looser. I wish it to be more like an ornament than a statement of possession," he says.

The collar was his symbol of loose ownership.

The anklet should be simply because he loves the immortal.

[ostro_goth]

"I shall bear that in mind, when I design it," Teja says.

The happy Ganymede that had flopped about the bar the other day, sporting the abrasions of rough pleasure, would surely relish a statement of possession?

[the_dorian_gray]

Dorian nods.

"What payment do you accept? And do you have an estimate of cost?"

[ostro_goth]

"I am a dead man; my afterlife is here," Teja says. "I would be paid directly into my tab, and I ask the same price you would pay for such a thing in your world."

Pause.

"I have never yet been short-changed. Do you wish me to use specific rubies, or do I just ask the bar for some, as I ask for all my materials?"

[the_dorian_gray]

He thinks for a moment.

"If Bar can provide suitable rubies, then I would not be averse to it."

[ostro_goth]

"It can provide any material," Teja says. "I shall simply ask for some of a suitable size; the anklet's proportionally smaller than the collar's."

[the_dorian_gray]

"I do wish them to be of the darkest, clearest quality."

This is quite important to him.

"You will let me know when the items are complete?"

[ostro_goth]

"Indeed," Teja says. "How great is your hurry?"

[the_dorian_gray]

"I would like them as soon as possible, but I am a patient man when I need to be," he replies.