Himmel drifts in to an uneasy sleep while the horde bickers and decides, in the end having the decision made for them. He is pulled from his nap by the sound of the Blacksmith's voice, groggily looking over to where they explain their enchanting, and half-listens thereafter, observing the goings-on.

A deep hum, taking note of the Blacksmith's statement about the crystal, and resolving to later go check out the ones outside and... well, see if he can figure out how they work, and if he can make his own. At the gesture to come closer, to watch and listen, Electrum does so, using his wings to prop himself on the wall and so that he can leave room for smaller Gembound in front of him and, if they're brave, to climb on him and use him like a chair.

"That's... really new, interesting.." Electrum hums, and he can just barely feel the new magic humming in the room, above the anvil, and in the pulse the Blacksmith had woven into the very being of the gem.

If I could learn this, I could make things for safety- ways to give others lightning, or the ability to calm themselves like I do with my magic... Or ways to make more lights.

The blacksmith said to watch, so Aran would listen. If he needed a recap, he would ask one of the gembound there - perhaps James or Tahi-shei. Their voices rang through his head in a familiar sense. He could get along with those two well enough. Though the barasingha felt he would not need help. Whoever this item went to was not something Aran cared about. They would not be using his own magic - and he was almost grateful for it. A song instead... What would it do?

So he stood in wait, to figure it out.

Comet was happy to see many agreed with her idea of a healing stone, which would be most helpful. Except for an animal who looked sort of like a flying weasel. But the blacksmith ended up deciding to use the song spell, not the one she preferred, but at least it was something. She settled down to watch.

Haven followed Electrum and snuggled up against Electrum, purring softly as she listened. She snuggled in under one of his wings and waited, kneading gently as she waited patiently for something to happen.

"Talk to me? I want to know what's happening," she whispered softly, putting her head against his chest, listening to his strong heart beat.

She may not see what was going on, but Electrum was the next best thing. She loved hearing him talk.

Hey, Ashtoreth said she didn't really have a stake in this race. She just thought her ideas were cool, and less likely to make a cursed, diseased stone that would make things worse rather than better. She squinted at Kaimana, ear flicking as she misjudged the tone as dismissing her ideas as bad.

Pssh.

She half-expected to be laughed out of there, actually. Her ideas weren't wholesome and good and useful, not a holy and lofty offering of perfection. She suggested jokes, literal party tricks, but to her she thought they would be more broadly useful. And she was surprised, when out of all of them, the Blacksmith looked down at her, and picked the suggestion of music above all else.

The noodle's pelt prickled. She wasn't one for stage fright, but she was put unexpectant on the spot. Okay, what songs did she know? What melodies could she play? The sudden pressure pushed her to go with something familiar. A song between her and a close friend, her niece, her baby sister, the only gembound who really understood her on any level other than the surface. (Aure came close, maybe, but she put him at a distance, too.)

She stepped forward, willing the magic through her body. A split second later, she realized that the stone wouldn't necessarily go to her-- and she realized she didn't want to share this song with anyone here. Her nose crinkled, and in that moment, she faltered with one paw held aloft.

For a long moment, as the others spoke, the Blacksmith remained wholly silent. His entire focus was on Ashtoreth, on the stone: and as she began to catch, his own magic snagged hers and drew it forth. It was as a slender gossamer string of web unfurling by his hand, drawn out to weave a pattern despite Ash's failing magic. For he was powerful, and he had been ready.

A moment later all present would feel it: the infusion, the imprint, of magic into the stone. Once viewed being formed, shaped, by one so powerful, it would be easier to understand: he had prepared it, and now he settled Ashtoreth's magic into its new, crystalline home.

After a moment, the stone began to sing: the melody now enchanted into its very being, its gentle tinkling notes echoing softly against the louder hiss and thud of volcanic activity beneath the Forge. "There," the Blacksmith told them, softly. "Do you understand? It must be-... primed, and then the magic--well. It is put into the thing, by our hand. I am... weakened by this, a little, as will you be--but not so greatly," he explained. "And now this gift... is shared with you. Please... use it wisely," the Blacksmith pleaded, softly.

Slender hands turned the singing stone, and he looked to the rest of them, his voice gentle. "Who will keep this, then?" he asked, and looked to Ashtoreth, as if expecting her to be the one.

The quest Lost Knowledge has now been completed! New characters may no longer join this thread, and all current participants may exit, or choose to speak further with the Blacksmith if desired.

The Enchantment system and associated Enchant spell have now been unlocked! See this thread for details. Enchant can be found in Non-Elemental spells in the Magicka shop.

Enchant
High-Intensity Manipulation. Imbue a suitable item with passive spell effects. Requires a successful cast of Enchant, and then a successful cast of the chosen spell on the item, used in succession within one thread. Limit one High and two Medium or Low enchants each 2 cycles. Enchantments fade if the enchanter dies.

Quest participants may post in Update Me to purchase the Enchant spell with a discounted cost of 500 Magicka.

@Tahi-shei @Aran @Comet @Oka @Himmel @James @Kaimana @Leviathan @Haven @Electrum

James reconsidered his decision upon seeing the enchanting. His jaw fell just a little bit as he witnessed the magic, his eyes widening. Nevermind, he wanted to learn to do that. He nudged Comet gently and huffed.

"Perhaps... perhaps I'll learn to do that," he said, already predicting that some of the Gembounds here would definitely have questions for the Blacksmith.

He nudged her gently, "Let's go home, I'll come back later when there are less people around. And once that's done, we can get to Enchanting."

His eyes were warm as he turned, nudging Tahi-shei on the way before exiting the cave. It was too stuffy in there for him.

Exit.

Tahi-shei was positively buzzing, his eyes wide and curious as he took cautious steps forward. "What about drawbacks?" he asked, glancing up at the Blacksmith. "Do some enchantments come inherently with them, or was the Collector lying? Or is it a side effect of more powerful magic?" He paused. "And is it possible to circumvent them?" Always looking for a way to weasel out of his deal.

Haven stared (or well, faced) at the crystal, slowly creeping forward. It sounded so... so pretty.

"Could... could I have it?", she asked timidly, "It's just so... pretty. If I could hang it outside of my nest with windchimes it could make music."

Her eggs, her children would fall asleep to the sounds, and she and Electrum could curl up listening to the music with the ocean waves or the rain in the background. It sounded so lovely that she was getting all emotional.

"Please?", she asked, looking from Ashtoreth to the Blacksmith, "Sorry if I'm too forward."

The idea was too good to resist.