Fort Weyr - Galleries
The galleries are carved right out of the rock face, the rows and rows of benches rising high up into the air on a slight slant. Stone and wood benches that used to be known for offering little in the way of comfort, are now padded with cushions in Fort Weyr's colors. Placed along the railing at regular intervals are antique looking baskets filled with cheery fabric flowers. The curving walls sport tapestries in warm vibrant colors that seem to add a dash of color to the otherwise dreary stone. Where the galleries curve slightly at the ends, affording those attending hatchings or clutchings a decent view of the sands, shaded laterns offer warm lighting along the rows of benches.
Talmar is sitting up in the galleries, with just one clay egg, already fired, or 'cooked' as the young boy likes to say, and a few tubs of paints, in different colours. He keeps glancing at the sands, then carefully stroking the egg with a brush, then glancing back to the sands. He wants to get these absolutely right, he does.
Alisar arrives with a sketch pad and of course his guitar. Talmar is greeted warmly, "Hello there Talmar! Getting a good look at the eggs are you?"
Talmar grins at Alisar, and nods. "Yes, sir." he responds, cheerfully. "I've started painting my clay eggs." he adds, nodding. Making them was the easy part, since all eggs are pretty much the same shape. Painting them will take up much more time.
Alisar nods. "I have to make sketches for the records of course. My work is nearly done but since I was in the area for the Hatching anyway I thought I'd tackle it, rather than trusting it to someone else. How are you getting along?"
Talmar shrugs, and continues to paint the egg. He seems to be going with a pale cream for a base, like on the Ancient Homeland Egg. "I'm doing okay. Few more candidates now, which is good. The barracks seemed so empty to what I'm used to." the apprentice barracks, which are rather more busy.
| Ancient Homeland Egg |
|---|
| Against a backdrop of pale cream earthy hues blend with more vivid sunset tones. Speckles of dusty earth and dry grasses play across the egg's non-planar surface. Mingling about here and there are patches of oasis where brighter green wisps are set against small trickles of blue with white spray that spread across the surface, stretching into the regions where the sierra landscape yields to blurred bands of lavender and rose. |
Alisar laughs, "Yes, most crafts have a very busy barracks. Mine is a bit on the low side right now though." He says, half teasing, "You haven't met any good Harpers have you? We're recruiting. It's a fine education." The man can't resist promoting his Craft, even while he draws.
Talmar grins at Alisar, taking a short break from egg-painting. "Well, sure. My mum is a harper." he says, with a grin. Then he frowns and adds, "Amanthis was a harper, journeyman, I think. She was searched same time as me." he says, with a shrug.
Alisar nods, "Amanthis is indeed a Harper. She will remain one, naturally. These days without threat mean that riders are free to pursue a Craft. Although, the time involved makes it difficult to become a Master of that Craft."
Talmar nods, "Yeah. I know." He looks down at the egg in his hand then, and frowns. Well, he's painting it to the best of his ability as an apprentice, but it seems he's still not happy with it. "I'm hoping to make journeyman in pottery some day." he says. "Maybe even master, if I don't impress." he grins. "Master Jopier is so talented." he says then, enviously.
Alisar says quietly, "I'll tell you a secret. A lack of talent can be oftentimes compensated for by diligent practice."
Talmar nods slowly, glancing at the egg thoughtfully. "Hmm, yeah. I spose if I don't get it right, I can try again. The eggs themselves aren't hard to make, but painting them is." He could ask someone, like Master Jopier, to paint them, but this is his project, he wants to do it himself.
Alisar chuckles, "I admire your pluck, sir." "Keep at it you'll make it eventually"page Miacara=
Talmar nods, smiling. "Well thank you, sir." he says, then pauses. "But I don't think you should call me sir. I'm just a candidate, an apprentice, and a kid." he says modestly, with a slight frown. "My name is Talmar." he adds, in case he'd not introduced himself previously.
Alisar laughs pleasantly. The man tries to ignore rank as much as he can. "I called you sir because you're male and I respect you. It has nothing to do with rank lad."
Talmar blinks up at Alisar, then shakes his head. "Why? I'm just doing this for fun, really." he nods to the egg that he's painting. "I'm not even getting any marks for it, or anything."
Alisar thinks for a long time. "I admire you because you can stick to a task without thought of reward. Anyone who can craft, just to bring something beautiful into the world, for the sake of the craft alone is worthy of a Master's respect no matter what knot or background they may have. Creative people like you and I are responsible for adding richness to the world. It's an important job." He sits down for a moment, in thought. The sketchpad is set absently beside him.
Talmar blushes, and looks at the egg. "Oh. I just do it because I like doing it." he says, with a sheepish little shrug. "I didn't know that was all that special." Tal glances to the sands, then to Alisar. "Thank you, sir." he says, smiling.
Alisar nods, continuing, "… don't get me wrong. Dragons and their riders do have their place. But, it's always seemed to me that dragons fly, and do what they do, rather naturally. Creativity, that is, creating something brand new in the world that comes from your head, and your head alone, requires something else. I have always admired that." He takes a closer look at the boy's work.
Talmar blushes once more, but seems to be a little bit prouder than before. "Thank you sir." he responds, with a grin. He nods at the egg he's holding, then points to the Ancient Homeland egg. "I'm making that one first. I think it's my favourite." he says, with a grin.
Alisar looks out onto the sands and tries to catch a glimpse of the egg the boy is pointing to. "I wish I could get a closer look.", he says quietly. There's a pause as the Harper stares off towards the sands again. "… Ah, as it turns out I have a song or two about Crafters and why they're special. I haven't made one for your Craft yet but perhaps someday."
Talmar nods, looking at the egg in question. "Yeah, I'll probably have to remake these eggs if I get to see them closer. They might look different close up." he pauses, glancing up suddenly. "I have to go, I'm supposed to be helping in the laundry." he says, jumping up.
Alisar laughs, "Run lad, run…. walking looks lazy."
