Talking Shop

Writers: Vix, Yvonne
Date Posted: 15th April 2007

Characters: Hartam, Larstad
Description: Hartam decides that he wants to make something new, and consults with the man who can help him.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 3, day 9 of Turn 4

The walk to the Hold had become almost too short for the Tavern Harper. He had just started to form a new poem in his head, possible lyrics for a new song, and here he was already. Still, he had a purpose in this visit, and it was best to get on with it. He asked directions of a few women who were lingering near the gardens of the Hold, turning on his charm and receiving glares and terse replies instead. Following what they had told him, he found his way to a workroom that looked to be appropriate.

He glanced around himself in curiosity as he called out. "Smith. . .
Lardstad?"

"_Lar_stad." A tall, scowling man wearing goggles against the slightly scorched skin of his cheeks looked up from the glowing project he was working on. The lights of the forge reflected off the glass and hid his eyes. "What do you want."

"Oh, Lar-stad, of course." The harper took a step closer. "Smith Larstad, I am Hartam, the new Tavern Harper. I was told that you could probably supply some tools that I need." He stopped uncertainly, feeling slightly unnerved by his inability to see the man's eyes and to gauge his expression.

The Smith peeled off his gloves and stepped away from the forge.
"Like what?"

"Awls. . . at least I think that's _all_ I need at the moment." Hartam chuckled slightly at his pun, then quickly went on as the Smith either didn't get it, or didn't like puns. "Normally we craft pipes from reeds, thin enough to use a knife to shape the holes. However, I wanted to experiment with some scraps of wood and thought that a sturdier tool - or even a set in different sizes - would work better. I need someone to both advise me and to make the tools."

"So... you want a wooden pipe..." Larstad sounded intrigued. He pulled the goggles away from his face and rested them on his forehead, revealing dark eyes ringed by clean, tanned skin. "I've never made a wind instrument before. I made a fiddle once, but it was sour." He made a face, then tucked his gloves into his leather apron.
The forge glowed red behind him. "It's hot in here. Follow me."

"In reality, I'd be making the pipe," the harper put in as he followed the other man. "We learn to make our own instruments, but _not_ to craft some of the tools that are required to shape them. For that we rely on those with your training."

The Smith led him into a small adjoining room that was piled high with scrap and polish, and various arcane projects in differing states of repair - or disrepair. Cogs and wheels littered the tabletop and dripped onto the floor, and the entire south wall was covered in a massive cupboard with glass-fronted drawers, making a lie of the seeming disorganization of the place. He gestured for the Harper to take one of the stools by the table while he claimed the other. "What sort of wood have you got?"

Sensing a kindred inquisitiveness in Larstad, Hartam straddled the stool. "I've several different types, gleaned here and there in my travels. I've a few sticks of skybroomwood, though I'd not want to start with those. I've also a few branches of fruit and nut trees of different diameters, seasoned over the Turns and waiting for the right time to experiment with them. At the moment I have no idea which will produce the best tone. I've made enough reed flutes during my lifetime, but now I want to make something different."

So he'd said before. "Most fruit or nut trees you'll want to watch for knots. You'll need an accurate borer. What length and diameter?"

"That's the question that could make the request unmanageable," admitted Hartam with a sigh. He pulled a flute from the pocket of his tunic. "I'll need small bits to bore the finger holes. Those are fairly standard in size and need not be very long. My problem is the body of the instrument. I'm visualizing a single piece of wood, about a forearm's length, hollowed to proper thinness. However, I might be better off to glue together two sections. Since the maximum diameter of the instrument is probably about an inch to inch and a half, the wood is likely to split before the entire tube has been hollowed."

"Either that, or you hollow out a length thicker than you want, and then sand down the outside to your specifications." The Smith shrugged. "It'll take longer, but I'm not sure how it would affect the sound as opposed to two pieces, glued. If you're any good at woodworking you should be able to get a nearly invisible seam with glue." He sounded a little skeptical.

The harper shrugged that off. "That wouldn't be a problem. I've been gluing seams for gitars for Turns and with the proper clamps, this project wouldn't be much different. However, I would like to try a solid piece and your suggestion of sanding down a larger one makes sense. Most of the wood I have saved I have been visualizing as finished size, but I'll need to look over what I have and try to picture the branches from that perspective instead."

"Try it with cheap wood first." The Smith rubbed his chin and his calluses made a rasping sound against his stubble. "All right. I can make those for you. Write down your diameter specifications and send them to me, and it'll take about a week to a week and a half to get them done. I'll even make you a deal - if the corer doesn't work properly, I'll only charge you for labour and not the material if you send it back. I'll melt it down and make you a new one."

"That sounds more than fair - and I hadn't expected the work to be done so quickly. Are you sure that this won't interfere with other work you should be doing?"

Larstad snorted. "I'm quite capable of managing my time without you, thanks. And if I need more time, I'll let you know."

Startled by the smith's remark, Hartam opened his mouth to protest his statement's real meaning, but quickly reassessed. Why bother arguing? Instead he inclined his head slightly. "My mistake to imply that you did not. I will send an apprentice with the specifications this afternoon. Will you need any other information or a down payment on the work?"

"I'll assess what I have and what needs to be done, and I'll send back an estimate and a request for a deposit with your apprentice."
He was abysmal with marks, so that gave him a little time to think without the Harper breathing down his neck. And a little time to think about how to make a drill long enough and steady enough for a musical instrument. This was the first project in a while to pique his interest, and for that the Smith felt grateful. Making nails made him want to gouge his eyes out.

"Then it's a deal." Hartam rose from the stool, wincing slightly at the twinge in his hip. "I'm pleased to have found someone able to do this work, since it's been on my mind for a while. I thank you for your time and the guidance you've give me on this."

"Don't thank me yet." Larstad grinned, his teeth looking very white next to the soot on his face. "You haven't got anything in your hands. But you will."

"And I am confident that the goods delivered to me will be suitable,"
remarked the harper. "But I'll save my thanks until then and instead bid you farewell."

"Until then," said the Smith, but he was already distracted. Borers, drills, and wood...

Last updated on the April 17th 2007

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