Solo [Job Thread] the art of a Merchant

[Evana Joywave]

Time Stamp 1th,summer,516 av. Location outside the gates of Avanthal Evana look around her surprised at how quickly the traders she had traveled with that spring had crossed the tundra heading to the city of Avanthal city of winter. She now stood in the sunshine glinting of the snow no more than a few days travel from the city gates. Being so close made her aware of how long it had been since she had seen her baby brother and He would be too young to remember her. With her stomach turning with unanswered question she was glad that the caravan was halting for the day as it was the first day and each merchant no matter their stock need to do a stock take and balance there ledgers. This was a day that Evana always looked forward to as her skills as a craftsmen always gained her respect among the cavan merchants she traveled with. With the respect often came buisness as with the terrain being rough all manner of things got broken and for a fee she would fix or repurpose the goods especially glassware. Something always got broken in one storm or another and this time Sheila a Human trader in household goods had one of their blue pitchers smashed. The price this would likely fetch at the Market was 14 gold miaz and now was worthless. Sheila dilemma was well know as all the caravan had heard her cursing that morning when she found the broken pitcher and Evana hoped as sheila made her way over too strike a deal so she could use these shards to make some beads “”I should've packed it better in the box.” Sheila said to Evana as she sat down at the fire next to where Evana had a pan warming over the flames placing down the cloth that held the shards.. “”Easy mistake to make Perhaps i could take it of your hands.” she said taking of a bracelet she had made earlier that season with the help of a blacksmith out of silver with green and clear glass beads “”Perhaps you let me take the shares in exchange for this.” It was hard to estimate the bracelet worth because glass work was uncommon away for wind reach but the clear bead on the own would have sold for 1 gold and 5 silver miza so it seemed a fair trade. “”Only if you will fix these glasses that also got chipped.” Sheila stated with a smile placing down a box. Evana opened the lid and looked at the small cracks in the 2 drinking cup and sighed inwardly as she did not enjoy the more mundane act of glassblowing “”I can Fix these for you as well - are you happy with the trade of the remain of the pitcher for the Bracelet and these glasses fixed?” Sheila smiles and held out her hand “”Deal.” she said nodding and standing up leaving Evana alone at the fire

[Evana Joywave]

As sheila stood she left the shard of the pitcher beside Evana. Opening her glass making kit she took out a thick pair of leather work gloves as well as a pair of tongs. Donning the protective work gloves she flexed her fingers stretching the leather around her hand as on the fire in front of her a pan still sat hot to the touch from the embrace of the flames. wrapping her dominate hand around the tong she deftly pick up the first of the cups and pressed the cracked side down onto the hot pan warming only a small section of the cup. As the line of the crack faded Evana took the cup away from the heat and off to one side to cool. Like most thing glassblowing was the simple repetition of one actions and as Evana went though the motion once again with the second cup she began to sing to herself “”By the heat of the fire let us forge something new Smooth to the touch and pleasing to the eye A true work of art is the glass shining brand new A masterpiece i”ll make before the fires dies” Evana smiled brightly at the improvised words flowed across her tongue as she placed down the second cup as time always seemed to fly when she had a song on her lips. Now she began the sort through the broken glass enjoying the task as it reminded her of her home, Wind Reach, no matter how far she traveled from it..She found that there was no shape or form to the shards to give an indication of the pitcher it had been leaving evana to reshape the shard as she saw fit. While this meant more work it only made Evana even happier as she felt the freedom of an artisan working for the fun of the task not money. Stoking the fire till the coal where white hot once again Evana picked up two shard and placed them in the pre-heated pan. Knowing she wanted to make small beads she waited till the end melted together she took a length of clay piping and carefully poking and prodding at the melt glass stretching the melted glass into the form of a thin rod of glass. Watching carefully as the glass rod took shape she waiting patiently for the glass to be heated all the way through, She then added an attachment to the clay pipe with wound help mold the beads into circles with one inch in diameter. Next she carefully used the tongs that had held the cups steady she wrapped the still pliable glass around the clay pipe into the mold. As the bead took shape in the mold she moving the clay pipe with it attachment off of the fire Evana to let it cool slowly in the warm summer air. Over the next few bells Evana repeated this process numerous time and as she did she sung to pass the time “Oh a Master piece i want to make Before the fire dies The only problem is the time it takes Because boy the time just flies A hundred bead or more I”ll have All shiney and new Ready to take form as something to love A belt a pendant any shape will do “ She stop suddenly as she notice her words were true. She had over 100 beads, enough to embroider a pattern onto a belt or make several pedants, all store in a pouch for safekeeping till she gathered the materials she needed next

[Evana Joywave]

Finished at the fire Evana removed her protective gloves and packed the tongs into her Glass blowing kit and gathered the pouch of beads tying it to the belt she wore. As she stood up she brushed herself down thinking carefully about the next step. While she could wait till market and sell the beads as they were it would be more profitable to use them to create some jewelry or embroid some clothing. She decide in a moment that she embroider something with the beads first that way if she had some left over she could infact make jewelry to match. Evana looked around her golden brown eyes settling on the Vantha Minosa, a tailor traveling back to her homeland. She approached the dark haired women with warm hopeful smile on her face as it would be up to Minosa thoughts on the subject of embroidery for Evana lacked the tools and would need to borrow them from the tailor. “”Good day Minosa, I have a business proposition for you.” Evana said as she sat down next to the woman who was folding clothing neatly, apparently arranging them according to size. Some people would say that Evana lacked the tact of a merchant as with all Inarta she was blunt to the point of rudeness sometime. For those who knew her well though it was a welcome trait as she never wasted time beating around the bush or haggling for a pittance. Minosa had not traveled long with evana but the journey home was long enough for her to appreciate evana style of business. Her purple eyes light up with Laughter as she said “”Oh i wonder what that could be - some embroidery perhaps to increase the price of my merchandise.” Evana tried to feign shock at the proposal but the effect was ruined by the smiles she still wore as she took the pouch of her belt and fished some of the blue beads out for Minosa to see “You guess correctly, what I would like know is use of needle and thread, as well as access to some pre-made clothing. Also as it your home that we are visiting next some idea as to patterns would be greatly appreciated.” She said as minosa reached out and picking up one of the beads for inspection, when she spoke it was in a thoughtful tone of voice as it was the tailor turn to think of the best path to profit the purple diluting into a vibrant blue. “”I saw you working with the glass that Sheila managed to salvage, I would never guess that something so beautiful started of as trash. As for your request I will lend you my tools because i can see the profit in it. You ask me about design well the city of Avantha is the home of Morwen - i think a belt with a pattern of snowflakes would be well received and i have a cross stitch pattern you can follow.” As Minsoa spoke she open her tailor's kit retrieving needles, blue thread, chalk and a diamond cross stitch pattern of a stylized snowflake. “As for the price -” Minsoa said as she looked into eveana face her eyes streaked blue and green the color the turned when the tailor spoke of money “”A normal belt would cost 2 silver miza so i propose we split whatever i manage to sell the belt for at the markets.” Evana held out her hand to her friend. “Sounds like a deal.” she said as the tailor grasped her offered hand and shook it firmly before handing over the tools and a belt.