Heroes of West Harbor

Harbormen never run from a fight. Private/Indie/Multi-muse OCs D&D/Forgotten Realms/NWN Mun and primary muses 20+ Crossover & M!A friendly Please read About and Rules before interacting! || sideblog to TroubledOnMain ||

[troubledtieflings]

Hey Fenny,

Idk if you'll look back at Tumblr and see this at any point, but it's the best option I have atm, so. This is what we're going with!

I hope you're okay, hun.

I'll admit, it took a little time for us to realize that you hadn't just left the Discord server, but had in fact shut down your Discord and Tumblr accounts, and then a little more time to realize that we collectively didn't have any other way to reach you, but the complete radio-silence has had us all (as in, the NeverwinterNighting sever, at the very least) more than a little concerned.

You're not obligated to rejoin anything or talk to anyone or anything, by any means!

I just wanted you to know that, despite all our collective flaws and distractions and issues, we're all thinking of you, and wishing you the best - wherever you are, and whatever you're up to.

Love you, hun <3

fenny58:

Scorto nods slowly, he’d thought that too. That if Bishop tries to escape he’d be put under more watch. He’s quiet before saying softly.  "When they caught me when I escaped from my cell, they’d beat me til I was unconscious and I’d wake up in my cell later.“  At least hopefully Bishop wouldn’t have that happen to him. Then Nadia said if Bishop got away and wasn’t found, he could possibly be safe but wouldn’t be safe in Neverwinter or the places around it.  Scorto swallows, remembering the fear of coming back to the surface, knowing Rabbit and the rest of the group was still there. Would Bishop feel like that? Afraid, never feeling safe?   "I don’t want him to be scared.” Scorto whispered quietly. He looks at Nadia and swallows several times, grabbing a handful of his shirt trying to comfort himself.  “Coming to the surface…..I know."He swallows looking down."I know Rabbit is still here on the surface…..I don’t want Bishop to live afraid, not feeling safe….I feel safe at the tavern….but Rabbit still showed up there…I don’t want Bishop if he got away to feel afraid like I do.” He does, he’s safe at the tavern but he still gets nervous around surface elves. He’s still afraid. He looks at Nadia and nods when she speaks again.  "I like Tyr, he sounds nice….but….I'm…" He stopped looking away. He’s still not sure about lord Nasher really…Nadia is right, Nasher did do good helping her. But he’s not entirely sure…maybe it’s growing up like he did. But he’s not so sure Nasher is really good. Finally after a few minutes trying to think how to explain what he’s thinking. Scorto moves, hugging Nadia.  "I’m not sure about Nasher…but the only leaders I know are my Mother Matron and Malice. I’m glad he helped you I know how cruel people can be to drow..but to other races too….but….“ He moved back looking at Nadia, frowning slightly, biting his bottom lip.  "Did he help so you’d do something for him?….not just so you’d get a fair trial, I’m really glad you did…but did he do it so you’d be indebted to him? So he could use you?…call it in later? …I…I’m sorry if it’s bad to ask..just things are very different in the underdark and I’m still not sure about everything on the surface….in the underdark if you did what Bishop did, you’d be killed by the Mother Matron.” Scorto stopped shivering and looked down again. His voice is soft, small. “But to ever talk about a mother matron like that …to ever question her motives would result in punishment if not losing your tongue…. My Mother Matron would have killed anyone who disrespected her…she’d have killed Bishop already for sure…but Mother Matron didn’t like the other races…so I’m not sure Bishop would have survived long if she’d known him, honestly.” Maybe if she knew a bit more…she’d understand his worries and doubt about Nasher being good.

Nadia took a long, slow breath.

"I understand the comparisons you're making here, Scorto. But I need you to understand also that what you went through, and what Bishop might go through, are still very different. Bishop isn't going to be attacked or beaten unless he puts other people in danger, and gives the Watch no other choice but to subdue him." Which, knowing Bishop... was a distinct possibility. She wouldn't put it past him to try to hide behind innocents - in a way, he was already doing that. Using Scorto as a shield against Casavir and Duncan.

"And if he escapes, odds are he won't be pursued to the edges of the world - he just won't be welcome in the city-state of Neverwinter without risking recapture and trial. He'd have all the rest of Faerun and beyond to do as he pleases." Until he pissed off some other authority figure, at any rate.

But then Scorto questioned Lord Nasher's motives-- and Nadia shook her head, firmly and immediately.

"Absolutely not. He has never held that choice over my head, has never asked or expected any sort of repayment-- Gods' sakes, he made me a knight, and the Captain of a keep, and a member of the Neverwinter Nine! This is a man who rode into battle himself, to buy us time while we prepared to fight the King of Shadows!"

Again, it seemed they were at an impasse, where his experience and hers were so vastly different that she wasn't sure how to cross the gap.

She sighed, and sat back once more. "Nasher is-- he's human, and he's fallible. He may not be an elf with centuries of experience and wisdom to draw on... But he's a good man. He cares for his people - including people like you and me. And he does his best to look after them. To look after us."

[troubledtieflings]

fenny58:

Scorto nods slowly, he’d thought that too. That if Bishop tries to escape he’d be put under more watch. He’s quiet before saying softly.  "When they caught me when I escaped from my cell, they’d beat me til I was unconscious and I’d wake up in my cell later.“  At least hopefully Bishop wouldn’t have that happen to him. Then Nadia said if Bishop got away and wasn’t found, he could possibly be safe but wouldn’t be safe in Neverwinter or the places around it.  Scorto swallows, remembering the fear of coming back to the surface, knowing Rabbit and the rest of the group was still there. Would Bishop feel like that? Afraid, never feeling safe?   "I don’t want him to be scared.” Scorto whispered quietly. He looks at Nadia and swallows several times, grabbing a handful of his shirt trying to comfort himself.  “Coming to the surface…..I know."He swallows looking down."I know Rabbit is still here on the surface…..I don’t want Bishop to live afraid, not feeling safe….I feel safe at the tavern….but Rabbit still showed up there…I don’t want Bishop if he got away to feel afraid like I do.” He does, he’s safe at the tavern but he still gets nervous around surface elves. He’s still afraid. He looks at Nadia and nods when she speaks again.  "I like Tyr, he sounds nice….but….I'm…" He stopped looking away. He’s still not sure about lord Nasher really…Nadia is right, Nasher did do good helping her. But he’s not entirely sure…maybe it’s growing up like he did. But he’s not so sure Nasher is really good. Finally after a few minutes trying to think how to explain what he’s thinking. Scorto moves, hugging Nadia.  "I’m not sure about Nasher…but the only leaders I know are my Mother Matron and Malice. I’m glad he helped you I know how cruel people can be to drow..but to other races too….but….“ He moved back looking at Nadia, frowning slightly, biting his bottom lip.  "Did he help so you’d do something for him?….not just so you’d get a fair trial, I’m really glad you did…but did he do it so you’d be indebted to him? So he could use you?…call it in later? …I…I’m sorry if it’s bad to ask..just things are very different in the underdark and I’m still not sure about everything on the surface….in the underdark if you did what Bishop did, you’d be killed by the Mother Matron.” Scorto stopped shivering and looked down again. His voice is soft, small. “But to ever talk about a mother matron like that …to ever question her motives would result in punishment if not losing your tongue…. My Mother Matron would have killed anyone who disrespected her…she’d have killed Bishop already for sure…but Mother Matron didn’t like the other races…so I’m not sure Bishop would have survived long if she’d known him, honestly.” Maybe if she knew a bit more…she’d understand his worries and doubt about Nasher being good.

Nadia took a long, slow breath.

"I understand the comparisons you're making here, Scorto. But I need you to understand also that what you went through, and what Bishop might go through, are still very different. Bishop isn't going to be attacked or beaten unless he puts other people in danger, and gives the Watch no other choice but to subdue him."

Which, knowing Bishop... was a distinct possibility. She wouldn't put it past him to try to hide behind innocents. In a way, he was already doing that - using Scorto as a shield against Casavir and Duncan.

"And if he escapes, odds are he won't be pursued to the edges of the world - he just won't be welcome in the city-state of Neverwinter without risking recapture and trial. He'd have all the rest of Faerun and beyond to do as he pleases." Until he pissed off some other authority figure, at any rate.

But then Scorto questioned Lord Nasher's motives-- and Nadia shook her head, firmly and immediately.

"Absolutely not. He has never held that choice over my head, has never asked or expected any sort of repayment-- Gods' sakes, he made me a knight, and the captain of a keep, and a member of the Neverwinter Nine! This is a man who rode into battle himself, to buy us time while we prepared to fight the King of Shadows!"

Again, it seemed they were at an impasse, where his experience and hers were so vastly different that she wasn't sure how to cross the gap.

She sighed, and sat back once more. "Nasher is-- he's human, and he's fallible. He may not be an elf with centuries of experience and wisdom to draw on... But he's a good man. He cares for his people - including people like you and me. And he does his best to look after them. To look after us."

[transarsonist]

Blocked parried smooched on cheeck

[troubledtieflings]

Visiting Hours

fenny58​:

Scorto watched and listened as Nadia spoke. It sounded like Bishop would be cared for. At least that was a comfort, she said the visit would be supervised by a guard that made sense. He looked at the cell studying it….before Nadia knelt down and spoke more about how Bishop would be safe here.

Scorto nods. It sounded to good honesty….he’s happy Bishop would be cared for but something doesn’t feel right. Nadia believes what she’s saying, he can see that.

He wants to believe her that everything would be alright, that Bishop would be safe here. That no one would hurt him.

Scorto is quiet before asking softly.

"What happens if Bishop tries to escape and is caught? What then?”

Honesty he thinks if that happens Bishop would probably be moved and put under tighter watch…then he’d probably never get to see Bishop again if that happens. But he’s not sure Bishop wouldn’t try to escape….he had after all…tired a lot before he finally made it out. But honestly he’s not sure Bishop would get as much time to try…

Scorto swallows looking away from Nadia, he bit his bottom lip hard.

“I….I know Casavir follows Tyr….and he sounds nice…but I thought Lolth was nice and…she’s not…how do you know everyone won’t say Tyr wouldn’t do something when behind closed doors it’s different?….for drow if Lolth took her favor from you, your whole house and everyone in it was destroyed. Everyone was killed….I…”

Scorto paused for a moment before going on.

“I know good people can follow not nice gods and bad people can follow nice gods…how do you know just because someone follows Tyr they won’t do something he might not agree with?….I know he’s the God of Justice….but who decides what is justice? Him or the lord of Neverwinter?”

Scorto bit his lip nervously, he’s not sure Nadia won’t be upset with him for asking questions he did, but he has to know. For a moment he thought of Illindriel…who is the best Mama ever but who follows a not exactly nice god…just like for years he’d thought Lolth was nice when she wasn’t.

“People can claim to follow a god but just be saying it, but really just doing what they want to.” He whispered quietly…..he wondered for a moment if just maybe Bishop was correct in not following anyone.

The question of Bishop’s hypothetical escape attempt was a fair one - especially given who they were talking about. An attempt, at the very least, was nearly inevitable.

“I suppose, if he tries to escape and is safely caught, then he’ll likely be put under heavier security. More Watch members to supervise, probably no visitors... and I’d imagine he’d face another charge against him for the attempt, when he sees trial.” Not that it would do much, on top of treason.

“If he escapes and isn’t caught, then he’ll be on the run.” She tilted her head a little, taking her time to think things over. “I don’t know if Lord Nasher would ask anyone to hunt him down, specifically... But it would be difficult - if not impossible - for him to return to Neverwinter or the surrounding lands without the risk of recapture.”

The next questions were more difficult - especially coming from the former follower of an especially cruel and capricious goddess. It made sense that he had doubts... but that made it harder to explain why Nadia didn’t.

She sat back on her heel, bringing one hand up to her mouth as she tried to puzzle out her answers.

“Well... Tyr decides what justice is, and-- to my understanding, as the follower of an entirely different god, mind you --guides his followers toward it. If someone truly follows Tyr, they’ll do their best to enact His justice. If they say they follow Tyr, but ignore all of his teachings, then that person will doubtless face His judgement themself, in the end. And that does happen from time to time, to be sure. But by and large, I believe that those who profess faith in a deity generally do have faith in that deity, and follow their tenets. That’s what I’ve seen in the temple of Lathander, in the Chaunteans I grew up with in West Harbor, and in all my dealings with Tyrrans so far.”

“As for Lord Nasher...” She hesitated for another long moment, but finally looked up, doing her best to meet Scorto’s eyes. “I have faith in him, because he had faith in me.”

“You know, better than most, the sort of prejudices people like you and I can face. But when the Luskan ambassador accused me of slaughtering a village full of people, Lord Nasher acted on my behalf. He didn’t know me. I wasn’t powerful, or rich, or famous - I was just some tiefling who’d wandered into the city and worked a bit with the City Watch. But he knew that if I were to face “justice” in Luskan, I’d have a sham trial, if that, and be put to death. So he fought to hold the trial here, under the eyes of Tyr and His clergy, so that they could see proper justice done for the people of Ember. And that’s exactly what they did.”

[myownprivatcidaho]

whatever souls are made of, yours and mine are the same (insult)

[keychainjar]

[gettingintoknives]

mirror traps by hera lindsay bird

[troubledtieflings]

So, it’s April Fool’s Day again.

Would anyone be around for/interested in another ask-a-thon?

[troubledtieflings]

So, it’s April Fool’s Day again.

Would anyone be around for/interested in another ask-a-thon?

[troubledtieflings]

Visiting Hours

fenny58​:

Scorto looks at her when she looked at him, and nods again. 

"I know I’m not responsible, but I still want to try and keep him safe as best I can. I’m not sure he’s got anyone else looking out for him, everyone needs someone to help them sometimes.” He’s grateful she’s holding his hand as they walk into the next room. He looked around looking at the cell, and moved to press himself as best he could into Nadia’s side. The cell looks a lot better than the one he’d been in. But….it’s still a cell. At least it’s warm and there’s a blanket in the cell.  Scorto looks at Nadia when she asks if he’d want her to relight the lamps. He nods quickly. And slowly let go of her hand.

“Yes please, they? They won’t leave Bishop in the dark right? He won’t be able to see I don’t think. And if it gets cold will he get another blanket? I don’t want him to be cold or can’t see….the cell I was in, it was always dark unless the surface elves showed up, they would bring lamps with them….plus I didn’t have a bed or a blanket. It was always cold too. Bishop will be warm right? And feed?” He looked around the room again, glancing at the desk. "He won’t be left alone will he? I don’t want him to be all alone..“

He glanced at the cell again and to the chamber pot. He hopes they will change it often. Hopefully. He looks at Nadia again.  "Can I visit him? Will they let me? I don’t want Bishop to think no one cares….that’s just horrible.” He knew he’s asked that question before but standing here looking at the cell, he can’t help but ask again. “Will he get to read books? Or something to do?” He hopes so.

Nadia nodded, and stepped away once Scorto released her hand. She listened closely to his questions, though, even as she pulled a slim taper from a drawer in the desk and lit it from the remains of the fire.

“Well, I don’t have all the answers,” she said slowly as she made her way to each lamp in turn. She had only been a proper member of the Watch for a few months, after all, and dealt more with ferreting out Moire’s gang - and the watchmen working for them - than with the keeping of prisoners...

“But let’s see... I imagine they’d turn the lights out at night so he could sleep - or at least turn them down.” She carefully gestured with the taper towards the other door. “Some of the guards live in the barracks here full-time, and even the room we’re standing in usually has someone working in it, so the Watch have every reason to keep the whole building comfortably warm. Neverwinter doesn’t seem to get properly cold, anyway, not like the rest of the North. Something about the river, I think Duncan said...”

She cast a glance at Scorto, and caught him eyeing the cell. “...No, he won’t be alone.” Mostly for security reasons, of course, not that Bishop would enjoy it much either way. “And I think I said yesterday, they might allow a visit here and there, but I’m sure they’d be under a guard’s supervision...”

She gave a sigh that guttered and nearly blew out the last lamp, before snuffing the taper and returning to kneel before Scorto once more - between him and the cell.

“You remember how we talked about Casavir’s patron god? Tyr, the God of Justice? Neverwinter is primarily a Tyrran city. Other temples exist, of course, and there are people who worship other gods, but His clergy run the courts, many of the Watch joined because of their faith in Him, and even Lord Nasher himself is a devout Tyrran. This is a city that believes in doing the right thing. Bishop won’t be mistreated.” She attempted a reassuring smile. “He may be angry, and very possibly bored, but he’ll be well looked after in the Watch’s hands.”

[troubledtieflings]

((closed starter for @fenny58​ ))

Nadia waited in the open walkway, leaning against the wall that surrounded the Watch headquarters. Opposite her, a human man in City Watch armor stood with his arms folded, his eyes sweeping the market stalls across the street, even as he shook his head with a rueful smile.

“Three weeks she had the damn thing hidden in her bedroom, feedin’ it table scraps, and Margaret and I hadn’t the faintest!”

Nadia could help but laugh. “Should I offer congratulations on your new kitten?”

The man heaved an overdramatic sigh. “Might as well. Can’t hardly get rid of the thing now. Not with Ellie so attached to it...”

She turned, intending to offer some advice, but her eyes caught on a small, dark figure approaching just down the street.

“Ah, there he is--” She pushed off from the wall a step and waved.

[troubledtieflings]

Visiting Hours

fenny58

Scorto nods but paused frowning.

“Ummmm….I’m unsure when would be best to talk to Bishop…should I wait till he’s eaten….he seems to be in a better mood after he’s full…if I wait til after sex he gose to sleep so…..that’s probably not a good idea….I’ll be careful, I’m not sure how the conversation will go but I want to give him a chance to explain himself…he’s got to have a reason for what he did….I’ll…I won’t make excuses for him.”

The last part he’s not exactly sure about really…was it excuses if he just wanted to try and protect Bishop from bring hurt? He listened to Nadia’s next words and nods, he knew it wouldn’t save Bishop completely but maybe it would protect him a little.

“I know it wouldn’t completely save him, but maybe it will protect him from being hurt because of me….even if he really doesn’t care for me I still care about him. He’s the first person to ever be kind with me in sex….at least a lot more then I’m used to…he in ways reminds me of a female drow, a much safer female drow.”

Scorto stopped looking at Nadia, before he reached out his hand.

“Can you hold my hand please?….I’m not sure how….I’m not sure how being near a cell will be like for me…the last time…I’d….please?”

“Ask him when you're ready to ask, Scorto - not when he's ready to be asked." From the sound of things, Scorto tailored enough of his life around Bishop already, and gods knew he needed all the confidence and he could get, if he was going to stand up for himself.

"And remember that, whatever happens, it was Bishop's actions and Bishop's choices that led him there." Nadia looked down at Scorto, trying to catch his gaze. "You aren't responsible for his choices, and none of this is your fault."

But in the end, she gave a slow nod, took Scorto's reaching hand in her large, calloused one, and finally opened the door.

The room beyond was dark and quiet at the moment, but the air was warm, the last embers of a fire flickered away in the fireplace on the far wall, and muffled chatter filtered in from somewhere out of sight. Before the fireplace was a desk, piled with scrolls and sheets of parchment. Along the left wall stood a neat row of mostly-empty weapon racks and armor-stands, leading to another door beside the fireplace. To the right were bookshelves, stacked crates and chests, and there in the back corner-- the cell.

It was a good ten feet square, separated from the rest of the room only by iron bars - no privacy for the occupant, but likewise, no privacy for anyone looking to harm them. In the back was a simple, sturdy cot, with a folded blanket resting at the foot and a brass chamber pot tucked away underneath.

"I can go relight the lamps, if you want," Nadia offered after a moment, though she kept hold of Scorto's hand until he said otherwise. They could both see, after all, though a lit room might be a bit more welcoming... "I'd guess Cormick doused them when he left, to save oil. No need to leave them lit if everyone’s out on duty or in the barracks.”

[troubledtieflings]

Visiting Hours

fenny58·:

Scorto blinks looking at Nadia, his shoulder slumped, he looks down.

“I'd….I understand…I…I want to talk to him…I just…I don’t want to stop hoping he gets better…that he could change…that maybe…I’ll try to get him to not be as mean to everyone if I can…but I know I can’t force him to do something…I don’t want to do that….I don’t want to hurt him….but I do want to talk to him about a few things…..I’ll…I’ll see how things go from their…”

Scorto glanced around the room then.

“Could?….could we go see the cell now?”

He asked softly, Scorto looked down.

“Nadia?….even if Bishop….even if he hates me if he learns I came here and didn’t tell him he could get locked up….I still want him to be safe….it would hurt…but I don’t want him hurt by anyone because he hurt or upset me, Casavir already gave him a blank eye…that’s enough…I don’t want my family and friends hurting Bishop because of me.”

He looks at Nadia waiting to see what she will say next.

She wanted to argue, to remind him of how many chances she'd given Bishop already, and how disastrously things had turned out, but her own words rang in her head. You can't always protect people from their own choices. She'd already told him everything she could about Bishop's past. Scorto had all that information for himself, and she couldn't force him to act on it in one way or another.

"Just... be careful," she said finally. "Remember that others have tried, and-- don't make excuses for him out of optimism, Scorto."

She nodded, though, and pushed herself upright to head inside-- until Scorto called her name again, making her pause.

As much as she'd have liked to eviscerate Bishop for his treatment of Scorto just minutes earlier... she could also understand why Scorto might not want such a thing. Still, even the small mercy of forgiving those particular trespasses wouldn't save Bishop.

"I... I understand. I'm not sure I agree, on a personal level, but I won't touch him for any of that. Unfortunately for Bishop, even if I ignore his recent behavior... He has a lot to answer for, Scorto. I haven't spoken to anyone yet about how we should proceed," she rushed to reassure him, "but-- Well, I've already told you all about the harm he did during the Shadow War..."

[rederiswrites]

Okay guys, for writing/general reference, a bit about what a ‘blacksmith’ is and isn’t:

A blacksmith is a generalist, a person who uses tools and fire to work iron.  Some blacksmiths work more specifically, so you get, say, an architectural blacksmith, who focuses more or less exclusively on things like gates, rails, fences, or an artist blacksmith, who makes wacky sculptures or what have you.  These days, though, that’s a pretty blurry line.  ‘Blacksmith’ is a pretty damn broad term, but it’s nowhere near broad enough to cover everything encompassed in ‘metalworker’, which is how I often see it used.  There are a LOT of different skills for working metal, and no one knows them all.  Some other terms:

A farrier shoes horses.  They may make the shoes, or they may buy them and then size them, but they actually do the shoeing.  Unless the blacksmith is also a farrier, they don’t know shit about horses’ hooves and are not qualified to deal with them and probably don’t want to.

A blacksmith works IRON, usually almost exclusively.  They might work with bronze or do a bit of brazing, but those are really separate skillsets.  If you work, say, tin and/or pewter, you are in fact a whitesmith.  You could also be a silversmith or a coppersmith, and so on.

Knifemakers and swordsmiths have their own highly specialized and fairly complex specialties, and usually a blacksmith wouldn’t mess with that unless they want to pick up a new skillset or if they’re really the only game going for a long way around.  By the same token, a swordsmith might never have learned the more general blacksmithing skills.  They’re not the same thing is what I’m trying to say here.  Likewise armorers.  There’s overlap but it’s not the same thing.

If you make metal items via molds and casting, you work at a foundry and are a foundryman.

Look, when metalworkers and individual shops and masters were the height of industry, this shit got REALLY specific.  There were people who spent their whole lives making pins.  Just pins.  Foundries specialized and made only bells, only cannon, only cauldrons, etc.  This is scratching the surface, I just wanted to make the point that ‘blacksmith’ is not the same thing as ‘magical muscly person who knows how to do everything related to metal’.

[cycas]

This sort of thing really illustrates the huge difference between writing fantasy and writing historical fiction, I think.   In real European medieval history, a smith might live, perhaps to the age of 50* - if he’s very lucky 60 or so.  And he (sometimes she, but mostly he) has to be earning money throughout his life,  so probably doesn’t have time to develop a whole set of skillsets, so if you write him being able to do loads of different things and having the right tools for all of them, it looks odd.  And if you write a woman, you probably do feel you need to give a bit of explanation about why she’s doing the job, since it’s a pretty sexist society on the whole, so she’s a little unusual. 

In fantasy, though, it’s all different.  Tolkien’s dwarves have an average lifespan of 250, so they have much longer to pick up skills (and live in an environment where probably it’s much easier and encouraged for them to do so: they live in cities that are concentrated on providing made items and skills to other species: they aren’t a generalist society, very unlike any human institution I can think of.)  They also ‘make mighty spells’ so very unlike real medieval blacksmiths, they are probably working metal with enchantment as well as tongs. 

We don’t know about their gender role situation, but I don’t think there’s anything in canon to say that the women aren’t making things (and even if there was, there are loads of dwarf cities that last for thousands of years, so no doubt there’s variation between them). 

Tolkien’s Elves of course live forever and also have more-or-less perfect memory, so there’s no reason for an Elven smith not to have all these skills and others, particularly if they are nobility (I don’t think in real-world history you get many noble smiths) and have other people helping to make sure they eat and have clothes and so on.  And it seems less of an issue being female, too: Galadriel and Arwen are notable makers of magical items.   *I’m assuming that if he’s a smith, he survived the terrifying childhood mortality rates, and we only have to think of adult lifespans. 

[ilsa-fireswan]

I love to talk about historic blacksmithing!  My husband and I run a blacksmithing shop (specialized in blade making) and we’ve done a LOT of educational demonstrations where we forge while lecturing on history, culture, techniques, etc.  (So feel free to ask me things!  I get all excited about it!)

Let’s talk first about the name!  Historically Smith would mean metal worker and the color would tell you what type of metal. Black is the designation for iron (because of the color it takes after being heated and cooled several times.)  Today Smith more generally means maker, but is still most commonly applied to metal workers.

And, as the OP said, if you need a tinker (tinsmith, also works pewter), silversmith (whitesmith), goldsmith (white- or yellow- smith), or coppersmith (red-, brown-, or green- smith), that’s a different discipline.  Not that a blacksmith has no idea how to work those metals, but his knowledge will likely be limited to how it applies to his general discipline.  For example, weapons and armor made for nobility might have precious metals used to decorate them.  (Aside: The techniques for iron vs copper are complete opposites and one of my favorite modern blacksmithing proverbs is about brass, an alloy made with copper and zinc.  It runs, “Brass, brass, what a pain in the… brain.” )

One of my choice historical bits is talking about medieval blacksmithing in England. This is something we actually have records of because of the guild structure. There were so many blacksmiths in urbanized areas that your permit to open a shop would permit you to make only a specific set of items. Pin drawers, chain makers, armorers, swordsmiths, farm tools, nails, wainwright (hoops for wagon wheels or barrels), farriers (horse shoeing)… all of those might be different shops.  And that isn’t even a complete list!  (Naturally there was a lot of overlap on high-demand items.) 

But even better, Yorkshire records that show us that women were regularly involved in the trade!  It was still male-dominated BUT several of the disciplines (nails, pins, chains) were almost exclusively women!  Women owned blacksmith shops, took apprentices, worked the forge - all of the things that mark them as “real” blacksmiths.  One of my favorite anecdotes is from William Hutton’s History of Birmingham; he encountered a nailer’s shop in which he noted “one or more females, stripped of their upper garments, and not overcharged with the lower, wielding the hammer with all the grace of the sex.”

Come yell at me about blacksmithing!  I want to learn what you know and I’d love to answer any of your questions!  I have a lot of prepared lecture snippets on a variety of smithing details:

Technological setbacks due to loss of historic metallurgical discoveries.

Why “damascus” swords are supposed to be the best.

Cultural and historical reasons for large, slow, strokes with a heavy hammer (like you see in video games) vs. small, quick strokes with a smaller hammer (like you see on YouTube).

Blacksmithing terms in modern English.  (”Keep your temper” being the most common.)

How settling America changed the Western picture to males-only generalized blacksmithing

Economic comparisons of the cost to hire a blacksmith

Apprentice vs. Journeyman vs. Master

More about female blacksmiths

What to wear in the forge (modern or historical reenactment)

How-to on a variety of subjects

Blacksmithing in movies

Why Forged in Fire doesn’t give you an accurate picture of blacksmithing or the skills of the contestants

Metallurgy (the science of metals)

Eastern vs. Western blacksmithing (Surprise!  Japan and Europe are wildly different!)

What kitchen knives do you need?  And how do you keep them sharp?

Did I mention I love to talk about it and get real excited?

[troubledtieflings]

Visiting Hours

fenny58·:

Scorto nods at he’d words about his Mother Matron….Nadia is right, she’s not even the only person to tell him that.  He looked at her as she spoke about how she and Casavir had faced worse than his Mother Matron in the past. Instead of arguing he simply nods…..after all that something that hopefully will never happen.  But then she went on, asking him to think about… “Think about everything that you would do to protect Bishop from what happened to you… and then think about what Bishop chose to do, when you actually were in that situation. Does that say anything to you?” Scorto paused, thinking he’d have fault done everything to protect Bishop….but Bishop had left him, left him to be hurt, Duncan had saved him….when Bishop just walked away, he didn’t even try…or go get Duncan…Scorto remembered then, when Bishop had thrown Rabbit out, he’d been afraid for Bishop that he’d be hurt by Rabbit, he’d been too afraid to even get his knives or poison….so he’d screamed for Duncan. He’d screamed for Duncan to help when he was too afraid to help himself…..so….did that mean that everyone was right? Bishop didn’t even get anyone to help, no one…even if he’d been afraid he could have… Scorto looked down, he bit his bottom lip. Finally he looked back up. “He just walked away….even…even if he was scared…he…he could have gotten someone to help…but he just left…when he was throwing Rabbit out, I was to afraid to get my knives or poison out so I screamed for Duncan….because I was scared and didn’t want Bishop hurt, so when I was to afraid to help myself I still called Duncan for help….Bishop….he could have….even if he….if he was to scared…he could have gotten someone else….” Scorto frowned, looking at Nadia.  “Why didn’t he?” He asked in a whisper. The tears came back, and started to fall. “Duncan said if he loved me as much as I convinced myself he does he’d have done something…..did I somehow make him mad is that why he didn’t help…..was it because I asked for a cuddle after sex?….or maybe I stayed in bed too long?…Maybe he didn’t want me wearing his shirt outside his room?..but….he never said he was angry with me..” Scorto blinks reached up to try and rub the tears away. He looks at Nadia, unsure what he did to make Bishop upset….or…why if Bishop really was afraid why he didn’t get anyone for help?…. “I really need to talk to him, alone.” He mumbled, he needs to know from Bishop what happened.  Scorto blinks looking at Nadia as she spoke about how Bishop would be safe. Scorto nods.  “That’s something else I worry a lot about…Bishop he seems to enjoy starting fights he started one with Rabbit that time…I’m afraid he’ll do it one time to many and he’ll be killed by someone, I’m just not sure how to protect him from that…I don’t want him to die…even if he really doesn’t care about me I don’t want him dead….I don’t want him to die.”

She'd expected an argument, or more excuses on Bishop's behalf, so seeing Scorto truly begin to question him was... surprising, to say the least. But at the sight of tears, Nadia squeezed Scorto's shoulder again.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Scorto. This isn't about you, or any mistake you think you might have made, it's-- it's about him. Bishop doesn't... he doesn't seem to care about other people, the way most folk do. He does things because they benefit him, and for no other reason. When he helped us to track down--" She faltered, and swallowed hard against the knot that rose at the memory, but forged on. "--a friend, who'd been kidnapped, it was to clear his debt to Duncan. When he kept travelling with us, it was for his own amusement."

She shook her head, refocusing. "My point is, it's nothing that you've done. It's not that you were too much, or that he was angry with you, he just..." Didn't care. It was on the tip of her tongue, but somehow it felt too harsh, too cruel to Scorto, to say it aloud...

Instead, she shook her head once more, and listened as Scorto went on about his concerns.

"That's... something I've had to learn the hard way," she said after a long moment of silence. Lorne Starling's face - angry, resentful, and so very tired - flashed across her mind, unbidden. "...You can't always protect people from their own choices. Not everyone is willing to accept that help, and it's not something you can force on them... Their decisions are their own."

She looked away, one hand picking at a rough spot on her trousers. "Sometimes, try as you might, there really isn't anything you can do."

[troubledtieflings]

Visiting Hours

fenny58·:

Scorto blinks at Nadia’s words.

“Your Mother Matron was wrong. Do you hear me? She was wrong. Whatever she said, whatever the priestesses said, whatever Lolth says– No person is worthless, least of all you, Scorto.”

He blinks more, after a moment Scorto gave a nob

“I…..Mama…I'm….I’m learning….I’m learning…That…that not everything was good are right….Casavir, Mama….everyone is showing and teaching me that..I’m learning…Mama is the best Mama ever and Casavir is the best little brother I could have and I’ve got wonderful friends, and Malice, she's….I know she hates Mother Matron for what she did to us…but….I can’t….she could have killed me…but she didn’t…she…she wasn’t nice but she let me live, she could have killed me…but she didn't….I can’t hate her…not for that.”

He said softly.

Scorto blinks a bit, is it because she doesn’t like Bishop as to why she didn’t say anything when he told her what Bishop said? Instead she went to Casavir. Scorto smiled.

“I hope so, even if he’s older than I first thought I still want to protect him, he’s my little brother, that’s my job.”

He waited for her to answer his question about Darian. He smiled.

“He’s lucky, not everyone gets a good family….or family that wants them back if they mess up….I happy he’s got you, and you’ve got him.”

He thought of Bishop again, did Bishop have siblings? Did he have a Mama somewhere? Or had his mother been cruel to him….just like Mother Matron had…..but no Nadia won’t know….or if she did he’d rather hear it from Bishop. Scorto came out of his thoughts to hear Nadia. He smiled as he reached up and gently pats her cheek.

“I think you’re right, but you’ve never met my Mother Matron……she was very smart and good at magic like Mal was….I’m afraid Casavir would be hurt….Nadia?”

He swallows hard.

“I couldn’t lose him, if…if she somehow came back to life….she’d be angry…she…she saw the races not drow as weak and disgusting….she’d be furious if she knew me and Mal have adopted Casavir, and Mama and everyone in our family….she’d say horrible things I couldn’t bare any of you hearing them…because…I’ve.”

Scorto swallows.

“I’ve probably heard them myself…..I couldn’t have you hear them.”

Scorto moves and hugs Nadia again.

“Nadia?” He said quietly.

“Is it wrong to want Bishop to have a family after all the not good things he’s done?….plus…”

Scorto looked up at her and smiled.

“I told him what I’d have done to those men if they had touched him like they did me, he said he wouldn’t have let them touch him, but if they’d have tried surface rules or not the tavern would have been red in blood and I’d have given Bishop their hearts as gifts. Bishop and Casavir said I was scary….I’m not…Malice is a lot scarier than me. Casavir said I can’t just kill people, I won’t!”

He looked pleadingly at Nadia.

“I won’t but if they had been hurting Bishop like they did me, someone would be dead…..or you sure if Bishop ends up in prison, he won’t be hurt like that? Please Nadia.”

His eyes feel with tears.

"Not as bad as she could have been is still bad, Scorto," Nadia told him carefully. "I won't tell you that you have to hate her, but... you deserved a great deal more than simply being allowed to live."

His words about Darian struck her, though likely not in the way Scorto had meant them to. Not everyone gets a family that wants them back... The thought made her stomach crawl. In all honesty, she was almost glad when the topic drifted back to Casavir and Scorto's Mother Matron.

As fierce as the woman sounded, Nadia couldn't help but measure her against the old days, travelling with Casavir and the others. Orcs and trolls, demons and devils, Shadow Reavers and undead armies and the King of Shadows himself... She smiled, albeit weakly, and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "However clever or dangerous or vicious she may have been, I'd wager that Casavir and I have faced worse in our time."

Scorto's next question gave her pause, however, and as he went on about what he'd have done to protect those he loved... Nadia sighed quietly, sat back on her heel, and resigned herself to one more try.

"Scorto, I want you to think about this a moment. Think about everything that you would do to protect Bishop from what happened to you... and then think about what Bishop chose to do, when you actually were in that situation. Does that say anything to you?" She shook her head.

"Regardless, I wouldn't worry too much. To my knowledge, there's only one person in all Faerun who's ever managed to do something to Bishop that he didn't want, and Duncan's certainly not about to go attacking him like that..."

Although, really, Bishop's hypothetical safety brought them back to the whole point of this little trip.

"Besides," she nodded towards the door into the Watch headquarters proper, beyond the little entry chamber they'd stopped in, "if Bishop were kept here or in the Merchant’s Quarter headquarters, like I expect, there'd be no opportunity for anyone to do anything to him."

[troubledtieflings]

Visiting Hours

fenny58·:

Scorto just listened as Nadia spoke, at her words about humans not having that kind of tradition… his shoulders slumped. He looks down at the floor, maybe he needs to ask Bishop? But….. then at her other words about how he deserves a partner that shows him respect… and doesn’t treat him like a cook or a maid….or a sexual servant…did Bishop do that? He said he liked his food…and he hadn’t tried to clean Bishop’s room…yet anyway….and he…he wanted to do what Bishop told him. He wanted to make Bishop happy….and….and Bishop said…

Scorto looks up to see Nadia drop to her knee and open her arms and, he really, really needs a hug. Scorto moved and hugged her, wrapping his arms around her neck and for a few seconds hiding his face on her shoulder just taking time to breathe,and remember he’s safe here….that those men are locked up and it’s ok. He pulled back enough to look Nadia in the face but not to completely break the hug. Scorto smiled feeling better and he smiled happy about what he was fixing to say.

“I’ll ask Bishop about that…maybe he meant to claim me? Maybe….but if not it’s ok too…”

He tried to not show how much that would hurt him if it wasn’t true…. Maybe Bishop ment it like that….just Maybe….. he could hope right?

Scorto continues, trying to smile.

Keep reading

Nadia released Scorto from the hug, only to place her large hands firmly on his shoulders. "Your Mother Matron was wrong. Do you hear me? She was wrong. Whatever she said, whatever the priestesses said, whatever Lolth says-- No person is worthless, least of all you, Scorto."

She held very still as Scorto renewed the hug, bouncing in happiness over what Bishop had told him. Despite his joy, her stomach churned, though - again - she did her best to keep her face neutral. That manipulative bastard-- She knew Bishop, and she knew, even without having been there, that he hadn't meant a word of it. He was setting himself up as the good guy, the peacemaker, so that if anyone called him out, they'd look like the aggressor. It was the same thing he'd tried to do when he'd chided Casavir for "not letting Nadia speak for herself"...

But how could she explain that to Scorto, without falling straight into the trap Bishop had laid?

Hells take the scheming, redblooding son of a--

Luckily (or unluckily, perhaps), before Nadia could even begin to piece together a response, Scorto had already moved on to Casavir, and to his own capability as an older brother.

"I'm sure he does, Scorto," she told him slowly, forcing her mind away from Bishop, at least for the moment. "And yes, of the humans in our party, Casavir was the eldest. ...Well, save for Ammon, I suppose."

But then he asked about Darian, and she had to pause again, picking through her own complicated feelings to find the right words. "Darian... he's... he's trying, I think. But I don't know how comparable that is, to tell the truth. He was never the same sort of caretaker to me that you were to Malice."

She'd told Scorto, during their first meeting, that over-protectiveness could feel stifling for the target, or leave them feeling like their protector had no faith in them... And that was especially true when the protector had been entirely absent for years prior. But really, now didn't seem the time to retread that old ground.

Scorto's declaration - that he would willingly stand against his Matron Mother, if it meant protecting Casavir - truly surprised Nadia, and she couldn't resist the small, soft smile that crossed her face at the thought. Given what she knew of Scorto's past, and his Matron Mother, that was quite the step forward.

"I'm sure it meant a lot to Casavir to hear that," she told him. "But... I'm also sure that, if that ever happened, he'd much prefer to stand and fight by your side, than to stand back and watch you be hurt. Don't you think?"

[troubledtieflings]

Visiting Hours

fenny58·:

Scorto blinks so if was best to not talk about sex up here with those you just met? Well it was just another thing to add to his list of things that are different on the surface than in the underdark. “Oh…ok..I think I understand it’s just another thing that’s different here. Thank you for explaining it to me.” He noticed the angry look on her face and took a step back. Had he done something? She’d just told him, he shouldn’t just talk about sex to people he just met was says angry about that? But no the look was gone and her next words made him more confused. “And what about what you like? Is he learning to make you happy?” He blinks more at the question, what made him happy? He uses to think about it for a few seconds before answering. “Ummm I’m not completely sure…no one cared if I was happy or not… Bishop lets me cum I like that….he doesn’t really give time for me to adjust to him inside me…but I don’t mind I asked for it so it’s ok…ummm Mother Matron trained me to where if I’m touched on certain parts of my body I get hard again really fast…. Bishop accidentally touched me there but he was nice..he let me sit in his lap and he put his hand on my penis….no one’s…no one’s ever touched me there….I got in trouble for touching there except to wash off….he…he was really nice I had to beg to cum but he let me…I…” Scorto stopped looking down. He spoke softly. “ After I came he cleaned himself up…but didn’t clean me up…that would have been nice but it’s ok…I’d have really loved a cuddle after but he was tired and he went to sleep and I left I didn’t want to bother him….I don’t think he wanted me to stay…oh…” Scorto looked up, giving a small smile and pulled his collar down to show the marks on his skin. “ He gave me those it was really nice….in the underdark when a female drow does this to a male it means she’s claiming him as hers…is that the same up here?” Scorto frowns at her words, he blinks at her suddenly being at his eye level. He wanted to step back but he stayed still. “But….but I wasn’t equal to the high priestess or the mother matrons….I wasn’t…they were a lot more important than I’d ever be…I know that…is it just because Bishop is a male? Maybe I should ask him…I’m not used to all the different things up here…it’s all really strange..and confusing to me…just when I think I’ve got it right I get told that’s not how things work here.” Scorto blinks more at her question. “…I’m sorry, I fear I missed something… Bishop did what?” “ He didn’t help when I asked him to… when those men..there was four of them…one of them kissed me… and.. and.. ”

Keep reading

If anyone had told her, a year ago (a month ago, a week ago), that she’d be standing in the City Watch headquarters in the Docks, listening to a drow describe his and Bishop’s sex life... Well, Nadia wasn’t sure how she’d have reacted, but she certainly wouldn’t have believed it could ever be true. And yet, listen she did, doing all she could to keep her reactions (pain at no one caring about Scorto’s happiness, disgust at Bishop’s selfishness, horror at Mother Matron Do’Urden’s abuse) to herself, right up until Scorto showed her the bite marks.

The hope and pride in his voice hurt.

“...No, Scorto,” she replied slowly. “I don’t know of any such tradition among humans. From Bishop, I... I’d imagine it was about stroking his own ego, showing how aggressive and wild he is, rather than... any sort of claim.”

She shook her head at his protests. “And no, it isn’t about gender. I told you yesterday, Scorto, you are not inherently lesser for being a man. Women are not worth more, or less, than you are. And regardless of how “important” you are - or aren’t - you deserve a partner who treats you as a partner. Not as a cook, or a maid, or a-- a sexual servant, to use however he wishes.” She bit back any further ranting against Bishop with another shake of her head. “You deserve someone who shows you the same respect that you show to them.”

And then Scorto went on to describe what had happened to him. What Bishop had witnessed, and then abandoned him to...

Nadia was going to kill him. She was going to hunt the bastard down, drag him to the nearest ship, and string him up by his--

Scorto’s voice, tiny as it was, cut straight through her towering rage, and without a word she dropped to her good knee, and opened her arms.

[troubledtieflings]

Visiting Hours

fenny58·:

Scorto looks up when Nadia speaks, he’s quiet as he listens to what she says. Scorto stayed quiet for several seconds before he spoke. It was probably best to explain right?

“I….I don’t completely understand…in the underdark it’s best to talk about sexual things…not that I talked to anyone but my mother matron…”

He stopped, wondering was this going to be another thing that was frowned on up here? Bishop and Nadia both had reacted badly towards his mother Matron when he’d told what she did…but they didn’t know her, that must be it right?

“When I was sixteen that’s when mother matron started training me…on how to please a high priestess…she taught me a lot of things….and she taught me what would happen if I didn’t do a good job….she…she…”

He stopped and looked at Nadia.

“ When I told Bishop what she did he didn’t seem to like her. Mama is a lot nicer though. I love Mama and Mama gives me hugs…but for Drow it can keep you alive if you know how to please a high priestess or Mother Matron. I know a lot of ways to please a female…but I wasn’t sure how to please Bishop..I make him happy though. He told me he likes when I choke on his penis.”

Scorto smiled happily.

“ I’m learning, and I remembered from last time what he likes.”

He stopped then and looked down.

“ Yes the little one punched Bishop, Casavir wants Bishop to respect me….I don’t completely understand why though…isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? Bishop is more a female drow than me….. and Casavir said Bishop was wrong for not giving me care after what we shared… I did give Bishop care though I’m supposed to. I’m happy to do that even if I don’t really like the taste…. And Casavir said Bishop was wrong for not helping me when I asked him to when those men were bothering me… but Duncan saved me and I’m ok…I was afraid for Bishop though… Duncan said Bishop deserved to get hurt for what he did, I think he might have just been scared..or maybe thought I should be able to get out on my own? But I didn’t have my knives. All I had on was his shirt…. Casavir and Duncan got really upset when I said Bishop must have been scared.”

Scorto blinks and looks at Nadia, he shifts from foot to foot.

“ Do you know if, Bishop is scared of getting kissed by men? I know he seems to like women fine. Was it because he was afraid of getting kissed that he didn’t help me? When that man was kissing me and his friends were holding me so I couldn’t get away from them”

Not for the first time, listening to the things Scorto had been through turned Nadia’s stomach. To have been trained for sex as a child-- and by his own mother, no less... The very idea was difficult to wrap her head around.

“Y-yes, well... sex here, good or bad, rarely carries that sort of... threat.” She shook her head. “And I don’t mean to say that it’s bad to talk about sex, just that most folk save those conversations for close friends, rather than those they’ve only just met.”

And then Scorto mentioned Bishop, and for a moment she was pleasantly surprised. At least the man had enough decency to reject the way Scorto’s Mother Matron had treated him-- But when Scorto went on to talk of choking, Nadia’s stomach twisted again, this time into an angry knot. That sick, manipulative son of a-- A flash of that anger slipped onto her face, for just a moment, before she shoved it down. Later.

Instead she asked, with a measure of honest concern, “And what about what you like? Is he learning to make you happy?”

At his description of Casavir’s concerns - and Scorto’s own confusion about them - she sighed, heavily, and crouched down a little to be on eye-level with him. “Scorto, relationships up here - healthy relationships - are between equals. People who respect each other. You deserve respect, just as anyone else does, and you are certainly not lesser than Bishop, of all people.”

So distracted was she, trying to think of how to explain equality to him, that it took a moment to catch what else Scorto had said about Bishop. About not helping him, in relation to questions about Bishop being afraid of being kissed-- in relation to a man kissing Scorto, while the man’s friends held him down--

But once she did, her blood boiled, and she had to clench her fists around the hem of her tunic to keep the anger from her face. Even so, her voice was tight as she asked, “...I’m sorry, I fear I missed something... Bishop did what?”

[doblehkiin]

sir thats my emotional support elf father figure