Shielded by verdant hedges, the spire's reflection garden adds a grace note of natural beauty to the building's austere architecture. A circular pool surrounded by smooth white benches provides a serene focal point for the setting, while artfully shaped topiaries create a private reserve of fanciful beasts along the tranquil garden's periphery. Flowering vines around a central statue add a note of welcome color. You also see a densely inked chart of glassworking techniques propped on a green ribbon-wrapped easel, a misty midnight black darkling, and a lor scaffold supporting a neatly organized collection of glassworking tools.
You see Bathcwyn Missoni Sabretache Faendryl the Member of the Order of the Swan.
She appears to be a Dark Elf.
She is shorter than average and has a fragile, slender frame. She appears to have come of age. She has long-lashed chimerical viridian eyes and richly toned, olive brown skin. She has long, glossy black hair gathered in spiraling braids around a duo of vaelfyren filaments. She has a pinched face, a sharp and severe nose and a prominent collarbone marked by a tiny mole. Her pointed chin and delicate bone structure contribute to the waifish appearance of her visage. A baleglass python earcap sheathed in overlapping milky celadon jade scales hugs the curve of her right ear, its gaping jaw engulfing the sharp tip.
She has an oval blood red eye tattoo on her neck, some inked whorls of mist on her arm, an eight-tined star tattooed in lapis ink on the top of her right hand, and a kneeling vathor tattoo on her thigh.
She is in good shape.
She is holding a tall flute of strawberry champagne in her left hand.
She is wearing a hammered copper torc set with a green-banded cabochon bloodstone, a tea-length corbeau suede dress backed by faviform baleglass tiles layered over some frothy taffeta petticoats layered in varied green hues, a lor signet ring, and a pair of open-toe jade silk slippers balanced on ivory tusk-carved heels.
Missoni says, "For those of you who missed last year's symposium--shame on you!" She wags a finger in mock scolding. "I gave an overview of a glass working technique known to the Faendryl as vaelfyren. In the Common tongue it is often called baleglass."
(Missoni paces to one side of the garden, the glass tiles covering the back of her gown flashing moonlight with each turn.)
Missoni says, "Firstly, this particular artistic process rose out of the need and scarcity our people experienced living in the caves of Maelshyve, and therefore at its core uses two materials readily available to House Faendryl at the time, desert glass and balefire."
Missoni continues, "Secondly, given the importance of sorcery, known as The Art in Faendryl society, it only follows that our artists have looked toward additional ways in which sorcery can advance glassworking practices and art more generally."
Missoni remarks, "With that out of the way, let us explore sorcery as it relates to art. I call this sub-discipline of our magic, for its concern with the aesthetic, 'Expressive Sorcery."
Missoni says, "As a combination of elemental and spiritual magic, sorcery is already inherently interdisciplinary, and thus many practitioners of sorcery work within the liminal spaces of magic, drawing inspiration from many spheres."
Missoni says, "So, too, does some work with vaelfyren depend on the intersection of extraplanar summoning, or demonology, and expressive sorcery."
Missoni explains, "Minor demons," she pauses to gesture at the darkling lingering on the garden's fringes, "have a particular skill for amplifying a sorcerer's balefire, and for that reason many glassworkers employ the skill of a demonic assistant for complex pieces."
Tendrils of midnight black mist form along the shroud of haze encasing the darkling. After combing the air for a moment, the tendrils are reabsorbed into the shroud.
Missoni nods slightly to the midnight black darkling.
Missoni thoughtfully says, "It may be helpful to provide a note on semantics here: minor demons are not the spine-ripping demons we all know and adore, but are of the relatively harmless variety in the hands of a decently skilled summoner. In truth, the sorcerer is probably more at risk from the balefire itself."
Missoni says, "Depending on the valence from which they originate, extraplanar beings cause particular effects when they come into contact with balefire that can be useful as part of the glassworking process."
(Missoni motions to the chart. A large canvas rests on the easel, the entirety of which has been divided into three distinct categories. Each category bears a detailed sketch of a demon. Missoni points to the first two categories, stating, "Demons from lore'tyr and shien'tyr, seen here, are most commonly worked with in the creation of vaelfyren. The effects--that of steam and of a void or vacuum, respectively--can be employed towards fascinating patterns or shapes of glass.")
Ordim whispers aloud, "I hope we get to see a verlok!"
Missoni notes, "For those interested in igaeshan reading, some elaborate foretellings have been accomplished by sealing the demon," she pauses to briskly tap a cloud-like sketch on the lorae'tyr section of the chart, "within the glasswork as the piece is being created."
Speaking to Ordim, Missoni murmurs, "Not tonight. I personally prefer shien'tyr."
Ordim nods understandingly at Missoni.
(Asylum glances over at the Lorae'tyr sketches, trying to keep an idle expression.)
Missoni continues, "These igaeshan readings can take years, even centuries, to accomplish as the demon disassembles itself one particle at a time to liberate itself from the vaelfyren, and the pieces are often treasured family heirlooms."
(Missoni turns her attention once again to the chart, indicating the third column and the two demons sketched within it.)
Ysharra says, "Such a long, strange journey, for them."
Missoni says, "Demons from the grik'tyr valence, such as the grik and imp, are a bit trickier to work with. They have a propensity for amplifying the flame in such a way as it crushes the glass, though there is a particular artist in Ta'Faendryl who is famous for her use of this effect."
Melikor says, "How interesting."
(Missoni removes the canvas from the easel, setting it on the ground behind the chart. Beneath it, a second canvas reveals a diagram of a piece of glasswork. Though perhaps once an orb, the baleglass has smashed inwards and outwards at the poles, but the piece appears to have captured the glass' splintering and suspended the process.)
The darkling's right arm dissolves into the shroud of midnight black haze surrounding it. After a moment, a new arm forms from the haze.
Missoni says, "This diagram can scarcely capture the depth and beauty of her work. The title of this piece would be loosely translated as 'Apocalypse,' but Mourinora Xendryth Faendryl manages some remarkable feats with her grik and its destructive proclivity."
Asylum says, "Amazing, considering they always look like something sour and dried up."
You say, "Silvean is quite taken with her work."
Speaking to you, Missoni says, "Ah, I am glad to hear that. I have read some of his on the matter of art."
Missoni says, "For tonight's demonstration, my helper will be a shien, a darkling in particular. The vaporous demons, being rather simple to control and of a malleable form, are often used in this capacity."
Perigourd glances warily at Missoni.
(Missoni directs the green energy to the scaffold, where it coalesces into a flame of bright vert laced with black. It ignites within a cauldron centered beneath the scaffold, bathing the surrounding garden in viridian.)
Missoni nods thoughtfully to an A-frame lor scaffold constructed around a cauldron of emerald-hued flame.
Missoni says, "In this basic example, as we have limited time, we will be working toward a fairly simple form for the demon to create: a cloud."
You also see an A-frame lor scaffold constructed around a cauldron of emerald-hued flame, a densely inked chart of glassworking techniques propped on a green ribbon-wrapped easel and a misty midnight black darkling.
(Missoni picks of a sheet of pellucid glass leaning against the scaffold and gestures to the darkling, calling it over. She places the glass into the demon's amorphous form and directs it toward the scaffold, where the creature positions itself above the still glowing flame.)
A misty midnight black darkling lifts its chin slightly and pauses in a listening pose.
Missoni nods approvingly to the midnight black darkling.
Speaking to a misty midnight black darkling, Missoni says, "Just so."
(Missoni steps toward the scaffold, her gaze focused in concentration on the balefire and the demon above it. The flames climb higher until the pane of glass is the only thing between the shien and the cauldron's flame. The glass begins to melt, drooping at the edges as it liquifies, but the darkling does not allow it to fall completely to the ground.)
Ferghal quietly whispers aloud, "No Oculoth.. no oculoth..."
Missoni distractedly reassures, "No oculoth."
(Missoni whispers a few words to the midnight black darkling, and it disperses itself around the edges of the glass, flowing its form beneath the molten material to coalesce into the shape of a cloud. The glass remains suspended within the midnight black darkling's hazy body as, with a click flick of her wrist, Missoni sends the virulent green flame flaring upward. It engulfs both glass and demon, then dies down completely, leaving a cloud-like mass of vaelfyren sitting in the scaffold.)
Layers of mist shift and drift slowly around a misty midnight black darkling.
Missoni nods approvingly to a small lor scaffold positioned to support an in-progress vaelfyren cloud.
(Missoni motions to the midnight black darkling, and it returns to her side.)
Ysharra says, "That is amazing."
Ordim whispers aloud, "I'd feel safer if Yardie was here... never thought I'd say that."
Missoni says, "As you can see, utilizing extraplanar beings for something as simple as a shape opens up myriad possibilities for glasswork."
A misty midnight black darkling lifts its chin slightly and pauses in a listening pose.
Missoni muses, "It occurs to me that some might frown upon or be wary of Faendryl summoning practices."
You firmly say, "Well, they can be wrong. We allow that."
Missoni says, "And with that in mind, I would like to leave you with this thought." She steps a slow circle around the scaffold, her shadow playing across the vaelfyren piece at its center. "In the aftermath of the Battle of Maelshyve, as the Faendryl were finding their way to our new home, summoning demons was as much a political statement as it was a necessity for survival."
Missoni concludes, "Through the use of demonology combined with expressive sorcery, we rail against the misconceptions that demons are evil and that sorcery is ugly. Quite on the contrary, we prove that sorcery can be a beautiful bridge between worlds."
Missoni appreciatively says, "Thank you."
(Raelee holds a hand out towards the scaffold, not quite making contact.)
Missoni curiously asks, "Are there any questions I could answer?"
Speaking quietly to Missoni, Ferghal asks, "Is there any preference to the sands used in such workings?"
Speaking to Ferghal, Missoni says, "It varies by artist. Some prefer coarse sand for a bit of extra texture. Personally, I am fond of re-melting the found sea glass on the beaches near Solhaven."
Missoni says, "A purist might insist upon sand from the Wastes, but... our people excel in experimentation."
Speaking quietly to Missoni, Ferghal says, "Thank you for your answer."
Speaking to Missoni, Arenglae asks, "How common are injuries or even death when learning the craft? This is, of course, not exclusive to the use of demons, however fire can be unforgiving... I assume balefire is the same. Do accidents simply happen?"
Speaking slowly to Arenglae, Missoni says, "Yes, accidents are quite common. Surprisingly, they are more common among experienced practicioners who tend to work on much larger pieces."
Speaking to Arenglae, Missoni says, "Often larger pieces are handled by a group of sorcerers for safety's sake."
Missoni adds, "An extraplanar assistant can limit the danger, as well."
Missoni says, "As the darkling showed, they are sometimes able to surround the piece, thus tempering any...explosions."
Speaking to Missoni, you say, "You mentioned the use of igaesha while crafting vaelfyren, and how such pieces may hold them for some time; I have seen a few such pieces, but I have always wondered how they intersect with the making of Igaeshian vials."
You say, "The vials are, of course, designed to be far more utilitarian, yet it has made me curious about the 'reading' of baleglass."
Speaking to you, Missoni says, "Igaeshan reading, as you well know and would be more suited to instruct upon, but others may not be familiar...."
Missoni removes a glass cylindrical vial encapsulating a sky blue brume Igaesha from in her silk neckpouch.
Missoni brushes her fingers lightly against her cylindrical vial.
Missoni says, "The glass encompassing the Igaesha is read for the patterns the smoke leaves when the demon escapes, as an Igaesha is mostly comprised of smoke and cannot be imprisoned forever."
Missoni says, "The vials often contain very exact measurements, and the reader's foretelling is based on where the smoke intersects with the markings."
You say, "Just so. My vials are calibrated to release them fairly quickly, with thin walls -- yes, precisely."
Speaking to you, Missoni says, "When a piece is made to withstand time, the markings are often incorporated into the glass itself."
Speaking to you, Missoni says, "Sometimes as striations of a contrasting color, and other times as a pattern of bubbles, for example."
You say, "I should ask my aunt about that green and gilded piece in her drawing room."
Missoni says, "That way, the glass does not outlast the markings."
Speaking to Alosaka, Missoni says, "The pieces created for a years-long reading are often created as heirlooms."
Speaking curiously to Raelee, Missoni asks, "You had an inquiry, Magister Raelee?"
Speaking to Missoni, Raelee says, "How long are you able to maintain the fire at that intensity? Tell me more of the methodology."
The darkling's head dissipates into the shroud of midnight black haze surrounding it. After a moment, a new head forms from the haze.
Speaking to Raelee, Missoni says, "Ah, I can maintain the fire for hours, though I vary the intensity to let the piece cool, remelt, and reshape."
Speaking to Missoni, Raelee asks, "How specific must the temperature be at the various phases?"
Speaking to Raelee, Missoni says, "As long as one remains focus and attention on the mana flows... and an assistant can be of use there, as well."
Speaking to Raelee, Missoni says, "Traditionally, the temperature is not taken by external measurement. Such tools were not always readily available."
The midnight black haze surrounding the darkling swirls suddenly to its left. A second later, the darkling turns in that direction in response to some small sound.
Missoni agrees, "The best glassworkers can guess to the degree, just by sense."
Speaking to Missoni, Raelee says, "A notable degree of elemental skill is necessary, then."
Speaking to Raelee, Missoni says, "It is considered an area of specialization in the Basilica after one has mastered general sorcery."
Missoni says, "To fluctuate the temperature too wildly.... can result in some of the accidents Lady Arenglae asked about."
Speaking to you, Raelee asks, "Does your library have any volumes on the Basillica's elemental methodologies?"
Speaking to Raelee, you say, "I believe so, yes, unless someone has taken them out."
Tairngaire cheerfully says, "Thank you for sharing your knowledge."