Create with the heart, build with the mind, and don't hammer your thumb! [Video/Action]

[so_dark_a_road]

[ On the south shore of North Island, Ignis Scientia and Curufin Fëanorion stand in front of a stack of boards. The construction of the North Island pier has commenced. It will be a low, narrow, and simple structure, but solidly built. Shovels, picks, hand-crank drills, and sledgehammers are leaned against the embankment, where it is obvious that some earth-moving is already taking place in order to accommodate the structure as it goes up. The logs that will stand upright to uphold the walkway are already cut and shaped and are ready to be driven into the muck at the bottom of the water. Saws, hammers, pliers, and other tools are stacked neatly in their bins near the lumber, and cans of nails and fasteners. Gleams of sunlight break through the clouds occasionally, although a faint mist lies on the water, and the breeze is slight. It's a great day to work, not too hot and not too cold. ]

Welcome to our humble construction site! We intend to make life easier for anybody who uses a boat. Now you won't have to moor offshore and wade to get to the beach, just tie up at the pier and stroll along the walkway. When we're finished here, we'll move on to the other islands and do the same, so that everybody has a place to dock. We have some highly skilled people lined up to work with us already, but everybody who can dig or wield a hammer is welcome. We'll find you something meaningful to do!

[ They also won't mind if you show up just to cheer them on or serve the food. There are some tables with sandwiches and drinks, but the workers won't object if you bring more. ]

[ OOC: Ignis or Curufin or both will respond, and of course feel free to mingle! ]

[ And the post title is a quote that I mangled, from Criss Jami's Killosophy. ]

Comments

[vocarrah]

Ah, curved!

[Alright, he's getting distracted now. He supposes he can afford it for himself, shifting to look at Curufin, resting his hammer on his knee.]

The one I use--ah, I didn't bring it here--it's called a shamshir. It's curved as well. It's not traditional for my country--ours was like this. [He uses the butt of the hammer to draw an approximation of a sword with a wide, straight, blade. To help, he also adds an approximation of his own sword, currently resting by his bed.] We had rapiers too, of course, but... Ah, what's a katana?

[so_dark_a_road]

[ They can both afford a moment of distraction. Moments of rest and conversation in between bouts of ferocious activity is Curufin's style whenever he is working on a project that doesn't have to be done yesterday. So he's certainly not going to object to Ianchus resting his hammer for a moment! ]

A shamshir, eh? [ Always, always curious about swords. His eyes follow the sweep of the hammer in order to visualize the straight swords of Ianchus' country as well as the shamshir. ]

A katana is a curved, single-edged blade with a long grip for two-handed wielding. It takes some special skills to forge, since it's effectiveness depends on the speed of a blow and the razor-sharpness of the blade, not on the power of the user's arm. It has to be a blade that will not break, so its back has a certain degree of flexibility whilst its cutting edge must be the hardest steel that can be made.

[vocarrah]

I see! [Ianchus, too, tries to imagine it, a light smile playing across his lips.]

I'd certainly love to see a duel between the two--so why not. Challenge accepted.

[Certainly it would be more interesting than the contrived fencing tournaments in his country. Fencing wasn't even a native Cephean sport. He gives Curufin a little nod, and then returns to the previous question.]

But why we sailed, ah...primarily exploration. We had many islands and landmasses that hadn't been thoroughly explored yet--it was a lucrative, if dangerous profession.

[so_dark_a_road]

Very well! We'll arrange for a practice. [ He's looking forward to it! ]

Exploration is definitely dangerous. Though certainly exciting. And did you map your world completely? What sorts of resources did you discover? Were there new peoples to trade with? New goods to transport?

[ And if it was "primarily" exploration, then what was it secondarily? ]