[thearchitect] image/text

[emet_sulk]

[ The photograph attached to the post depicts the front of a small shop called Polydegmon's Lapidary and Brew. It's got that 'new store' look, where everything looks pristine and nothing has been touched by grime or dust settling in the corners yet. It's not the most terribly modern-looking place (look, the rent was cheap).

He wouldn't even be advertising it here if a certain someone didn't bug him to. Honestly, he could do without the publicity... ]

I am now accepting commissions as a goldsmith and alchemist. My hours are from midday to six, weekdays only. Or whatever it is you call them. No, my prices are not negotiable.

[ Attached beneath the above terse remark is the address to the store. ]

Additionally, I will NOT accept requests for items to use in warfare of any sort. At all. If I find that you have done so then I will make sure you regret it for the remainder of your days.


(ooc: Please respect that a character will suffer some kind of IC consequence if they try and use his products as IC war propaganda or in serious IC war efforts. Doubly so if they deceive him for it.

[CW: Discussions of warfare in certain threads. Please use discretion when reading.]

Comments

[emet_sulk]

As an alchemist? No. As long as you can clearly visualise the end result, you can create almost anything, it seems.

[ He takes a seat at the bench, gesturing for Izuku to pull up a second stool. The only reason there are two to begin with is because Hythlodaeus enjoys sitting by and watching him work. ]

I normally prefer working with my hands. For today, however, I shall use alchemy.

[ Unless the boy really wants to see him cut and refine an amethyst by hand...? ]

[fullgauntlet]

[Izuku is eager to sit on the stool and scoot over. Obviously with a little nervous energy but he wants to see how other alchemists work. He's an attentive student!]

I struggled with metal at first, I'm still trying to get used to visualizing what I want it to be in my head. But I'm getting better at that, too.

[He nods.]

[emet_sulk]

It may be difficult if you are already accustomed to more mundane ways of shaping metal such as smithing or forging. There are some fundamental differences between alchemy and smithing however: a smith has to fold and hammer the metal they shape and it is the process which gives each tool or weapon its unique properties. Alchemy takes the raw material and fashions it directly into the end result, but the final product lacks any of the folds in steel which go into forging a strong blade. 'Tis the difference between something decorative and something functional.

[ It is, of course, a bit more varied than that. His example only accounts for swords. For now, however, Emet-Selch takes a small piece of raw amethyst and some gold scrap, arranging them on top of a piece of paper with an alchemical circle he had prepared yesterday. ]

Nyx. [ At his call, the gwiber bounds up, landing on a perch made just for it. He closes his eyes and focuses on the paper, holding a hand above it. The circle begins to glow-- then flashes as he snaps his fingers. A small earring is left behind, set with a very rough and inelegant-looking jewel. It is still clearly raw. ]

You can see here that the amethyst yet retains its raw veneer. Alchemy will not remove the impurities from your ingredients on its own. Not like this at least. [ He taps the circle on the paper. ]

[fullgauntlet]

[Izuku watches and listens carefully. He doesn't flinch when the magic goes off as the spark of alchemy magic is something he's getting used to now.]

Right, we don't remove anything from the transformation we only reshape it into another shape or use. If we want to add or remove something we have to also add or remove something...

[The law of equivalent exchange, is it?]

[emet_sulk]

Indeed. That is my understanding of it. On a greater scale, you will find that creating walls out of the earth leaves an equivalent crater behind. So keep that in mind when landscaping.

[ Wouldn't want your new wall to topple over because of a poor foundation! ]

Any questions thus far?

[fullgauntlet]

I wouldn't want to ruin the gardening...

[Haha-

But he shakes his head so far.]

I think I understand. Emet-Selch-san, have you ever had anything backfire on you?

[emet_sulk]

'Emet-Selch' alone is fine. 'Tis a title on its own.

[ But more to the point-- ]

I have not yet had a design backfire on me. They simply do not work if I have drawn them improperly, you see. And for the rest...I was already a peerless creator in my time. Visualising what I wish to make is child's play.

[fullgauntlet]

Sorry...! Emet-Selch.

[He's not used to adjusting to not use Japanese honorifics most of the time!]

That's what I thought... That's amazing. Sometimes I am worried I'll have something backfire on me. But so far, I've been okay with most of it. [He nods.] Thank you for helping me.

[emet_sulk]

You may wish to practise meditation. Focus your mind on the visualisation of a single idea to the exclusion of all else. I know not whether erroneous thoughts can affect the end result, but 'twas often the case amongst my people that the slightest distraction could alter that which they made.

[ He nudges over one of the raw amethysts and some gold scrap with a gesture. ]

Try and make something out of this. Go on.

[fullgauntlet]

Meditation...? I've never tried anything like that before. I'm not sure...

[He's not too sure if he would be any good at something like meditation. He tends to overthink- He has so many things going on in his head all the time, thoughts, worries, ideas, that it would probably be something like...

But maybe he can keep that idea for later? Maybe that's the problem Izuku has sometimes! Too much thinking! ... He quickly nods and takes the raw amethysts.]

Alright.

[He focuses and tries to conjure the shape he wants to make in his mind. With a small tickle of green electric-looking magic... the amethyst and gold warp and form into a small charm. Almost like those phone charms girls hang off their phones.]

... This looks alright...?

[emet_sulk]

[ Being from a world which doesn't indulge in things like mobile phone charms, Emet-Selch gives the thing a puzzled look. But ultimately he can find nothing wrong with
it so he nods. ]

Quite. You have the correct idea. What is it?

[fullgauntlet]

[He nods at the confirmation. Alright, he thinks he can get the hang of this tricky business...]

Ahh... It's a phone charm. Back home girls like to hang these off their phones for decoration? Erm- Phones, like the devices they gave us here!

[emet_sulk]

How curious. I didn't know you could hang anything off of one.

[ He takes out his device to inspect it. He did have a phone in his prior world but he cannot recall a spot to attach any sort of charm - and these devices are even more inscrutable, not even being square. ]

Only girls? Why not boys?

[fullgauntlet]

[It might be tricky to add a charm to the device but with some fandangling it should be easy enough. Maybe he should add a longer chain to attach it or something.]

I mean- boys can do it too! I used to think about getting an All Might charm for my phone. I think a lot of girls like getting them, that's all. I haven't seen the trend happening here.

[emet_sulk]

[ Be honest, Izuku: can you see this old and serious man with something as tacky as a phone charm? ]

Ah, I see. Mayhap I could create something...

[ He gives his device one more look then puts it away. It's a problem to consider later in his own time. ]

And what is an 'almite'? Is that some form of vilekin?

[ GENUINE QUESTION HERE. ]

[fullgauntlet]

[If he's trying to be hip with the fellow kids. But from the way he uses his device to text it's going to be hard to get there.]

Eh- No, It's...

[Oh no. Don't get the poor kid started.]

It's actually All Might. He's my favourite Pro Hero back home. He was the strongest hero back in his prime days! The strongest one, always saving everyone with a bright smile and his catchphrase, "I am here!!" no matter what kind of danger comes his way! ...

[Izuku got started. But also, he looks a little strained by the end of it.]

He's my mentor now. I didn't realize I'd miss having a charm of him on my phone.

[emet_sulk]

Then make a new one. There is an abundance of clay here. Or mayhap you would prefer glass? I have some of both here, including coloured powders for the latter.

[ Well, it's refined sand for the glass of course. But what's the difference to an alchemist? ]

Since he matters so much to you, you can hold his image more clearly than anything else. Why not try it now?

[fullgauntlet]

[...! What a good idea- why didn't he think of it? Now this is going to be a pseudo-crafting class.]

That's- I'll do it! I'll try to make my own All Might charm! ... I think I'll take the clay, it'll be more durable than glass.

[Because heck knows he'd break a glass one eventually.]

[emet_sulk]

[ His lips curve and he glances up at his familiar. ]

Nyx, if you would?

[ The gwiber trills and swoops into the back room, returning a short time later with a neatly wrapped block of clay grasped in one of its feet. It drops the block into Emet-Selch's hand - bearing a faint imprint from being held - then retakes its perch.

The Ascian peels back the waxed, waterproof paper and carves off a small piece with some wire, which he then hands to Izuku. The rest will be wrapped up once more to go back into storage. ]

[fullgauntlet]

[The gwiber is such an interesting familiar to have. He thinks it's amazing and cool. Having a dragon-like creature must be a lot of work and he idly wonders what its diet is and such...

When the clay is presented to him he nods and takes it with a thank you. The clay is fresh and malleable and maybe in another world, he'd be able to just shape this clay into some sort of All Might blob. But here he can picture something he wants to be done in his mind and can let his alchemy magic help him create that image. It's useful and maybe a little bit like taking a short cut but he really does like alchemy.]

Alright.

[There's a small flash of magic with it. With some focus, he does shape something that appears to be a decent-looking charm! But gosh, it's still kind of odd-looking for a character, isn't it? It's kind of ugly, and you can say it.]

Ahh! I did it! This looks like his Golden Age outfit!

[emet_sulk]

[ He is expecting someone more...wise-looking. What in the heavens is this strange, buff man? ]

That is your teacher?

[ Nyx, having returned after putting away the clay, sticks her head down to examine the figure as well. She sniffs dismissively and straightens. ]

[fullgauntlet]

[Nope, this strange dark-eyed beefy man is his teacher.]

That's right, he is! He's the strongest hero of our age! I've been following him since I was small, he's the one who's dropped Japan's crime rate to the lowest it's ever been!

[Despite that tone given, Izuku is a total fanboy...]

[emet_sulk]

Ah... So he's a hero...

[ This muttered with some disgust that he does try and mostly suppress for Izuku's sake. Unfortunately he still looks put out. ]

And he took you on as his pupil? You do not seem the type to solve your problems with brawn.

[fullgauntlet]

[Wow, Emet-Selch- Even if he's right he doesn't have to say it.]

Ah- I ... Well. I guess I used to be like that, I wasn't really the strongest-looking kid in middle school.

[He looks a lot better now! He's getting there! Izuku looks down at the keychain, looking grateful.]

Actually, I was probably the last person who he should have picked. I wasn't anything special, I wasn't even strong. But for some reason, he did pick me to train. Now I'm learning more than ever and it's all thanks to him giving me a chance.

[emet_sulk]

[ For some reason, this renders Emet-Selch silent. He, too, stares at the keychain. If the figure is accurate and not exaggeration, this mentor - All Might - must have had the advantage of great physical strength. But he can see none of that in Izuku. Oh, he doesn't doubt that the boy is training, but pure strength cannot solve all the world's woes. He knows that better than most. ]

...Tell me: what makes a hero?

[ He picks up one of the raw stones as he asks, making cursory attempts to begin cutting it into a nicer shape. ]