Appearance:
a platinum watch of ice and snow
Dropped:
A gleaming platinum watch has been left here.
Examined:
The round platinum casing is polished to a liquid mirror shine. Slightly overlarge in a faeling's palm, the watch has a distinct heft to it. Strung through the large, iridescent pearl at the watch's stem, the gleaming chain of flattened links appears quite sturdy. The front inlay consists of diamond shards depicting a dendrite snowflake, its points stretching outward to edge of the case. Its six branches and side branches diverge in similar, yet not precisely identical, shapes and angles - as though it were fashioned to fit the natural shape of the stones, rather than the gems cut to create perfect uniformity. A luminous blue hue underlies the prismatic diamond, so that in the light it reflects a spectrum of cool colours from soft pink to lilac to true azure. A small hinge at the base allows the case to open, revealing the inside panel to be entirely comprised of pale sapphire inlay. The faint outline of the snowflake is visible beneath the thin cut gemstone, as though seen through the surface of a frozen pool. Opposite, a clear crystal lens is fixed over the watch face, crafted again from pearl. Thin lengths of platinum are set over the naturally swirling pattern of the nacre at the hour marks, with the exception of the two and four o'clock positions. There, tiny snowmen with two and four miniscule coal buttons down their fronts are depicted. A single hour hand rotates slowly around the face, a sapphire penguin poised on top, beak pointed upward to mark the time.

Appearance:
a wyrden nest throne
Dropped:
Fashioned of a tangled meshwork of twigs and branches, down and spidersilk, a massive nest-like throne rests here.
Examined:
Myriad twigs and larger branches have been meticulously woven to create a round, sprawling nest. Splaying all directions, the sticks jut haplessly outward, as if warding off anyone who might actually try to reach the centre. Woven among the mesh are strands of silvery spider silk, dried brambles, and even stalks of sporegrass. At the centre of the nest, a circular hollow resembling a cup is lined with downy feathers, soft and speckled grey and black, providing a comfortable perch. Glints of silver stand out in the dense thicket, baubles and trinkets interwoven in the dry mesh to act as a kind of decoration. By the standards of crows, such a nest would seem regal indeed.

Item: Sconce Type: Wallfeatures Org: Cirque
Commodities: gems 15 flower 25 iron 3 lightessence 2 cloudessence 2 onyx 5
silver 5 powerstone 5 sugar 3 aerial 1
Mortal Reviews: Allowed
Space: 10% Furniture Type: Wall Furnishings
Outdoors: No Container: No Can Have Lock: No
IMPORTANT: The main noun MUST use one of these: SCONCE
Appearance:
a crystal sconce engulfed by countless butterflies
Dropped:
Cool light radiating from its outstretched hand, an androgynous crystal bust
forms the centrepiece of this luminescent, butterfly-engulfed sconce.
Examined:
With one arm outstretched, palm tilted skywards and fingers frozen in
mid-curl as if clasping an unseen hand, an androgynous crystal bust
rises from a silver slate to create the centrepiece of this luminescent
sconce. The veins on its translucent forearm are illuminated by an
internal power source, growing brighter towards the wrist until the very
tips of its fingers glow like distant stars. Lustrous white feathers
plucked from cloudy aerials cascade from its head and drape over its
shoulders in a shimmering waterfall of snow, entwined with dangling onyx
shards to accentuate their brilliance. In a soundless explosion of
colour, a panoply of butterflies bursts forth from the slate to engulf
the figure in their frozen dance, each attached to invisibly thin wires
to create the illusion of flight. Their tiny bodies have all been hewn
from phosphorescent stone, fluttering brightly within an orchestra of
lights. Anthers becoming antennae, every butterfly is delicately
stitched together from disassembled flowers; golden monarchs woven from
tiger lilies dotted with black rose petals flit about, while sapphire
orchids dusted in glittering sugar transform into ethereal gossamer
wings, among countless others. Amidst this vibrant flurry, the crystal
sculpture stares ahead with pupil-less eyes, glass spheres infused with
a wintry essence gently trickling like thawing ice.

My non-winner!

Perhaps I should have listened to Xenthos and submitted this:

Unless you submitted it for someone else, you couldn't have won or even placed, so we won't know how well your design actually did.

One odd thing this year: Most (four out of six) designs had white/crystal as the primary color...

Might be coincidence, but white with (color) seems to describe most of the winners pretty well.

That being said, neither of my designs stood a chance in the current competition, although one of my cartels submitted a design for somebody else that I thought had a decent chance. (And no, it was not white nor crystal )

Also, no cooking love this year!

Ingredients: meat 6 fish 6 fruit 6 vegetables 6 spices 4 salt 4 colewort 2
Appearance:
a platter of the preserved autumn harvest
Dropped:
A horn-shaped platter bears a bevy of preserved remains of the bounty of the autumn harvest.
Examined:
Arrayed on a platter shaped like a curved horn, a variety of foods are presented, representing amongst them all the bounties of the autumn harvest after their preservation to last through the winter. Small samples from larger batches of preserved foods are arrayed in such a way as to present both a delectable feast, and a testament to the work of the harvest and the many techniques of preserving the bounty. Forming a triangle on the platter are three kinds of preserved meat, with fruit and vegetable dishes arranged between them. The tender filet of a river trout has been dried and smoked over a campfire of hard maple, imbuing the meat with a musky flavour that mutes it tough chewiness. Next to it, a wedge of crumbly cheese, mildly spiced and faintly tinged on its outer rind with a blue mold, provides a means of saving the nourishment of milk through the time of year when cows produce little. Brandied cherries sit in a small bowl, their stones removed before they were soaked in the flavourful spirit that preserves the fleshy fruit while adding a potent kick and taste. Next, a few slices of corned beef are arrayed, heavily saturated with a salty brine laden with pepper and other spices, keeping the meat tender and rich with a hot tang. Slices of apple, picked slightly before the peak of ripeness and arrayed in the sun until they dried to a crisp chewiness, provide a tartness that balances the saccharine sweetness of sugared strawberries, somewhat shriveled and puckered in their grainy particles of crystallized sugar. A cured haunch of venison, left unspiced and chewy to emphasize the meat's gamey quality, still shows signs of the salt with which it has been heavily rubbed. Next to this, a small jar contains pickled cabbage and cucumber, the flavor of the vinegar, dill, and other spices strongly infused into the flesh of the sliced and shredded vegetables. Rounding out the platter is another small jar filled with a preserved marmalade made from oranges, boiled down to their essence and thickened with animal pectins into a jam that is both sweet and tart. All told, the platter serves as a celebration of techniques, now little-used but once the cornerstone upon which survival through the harshest of times depended, to save the best of the harvest bounty for the bleakest and coldest of days.
Smell:
A diverse collection of aromas arise from the platter, ranging from sweet to spicy, though the strongest of scents are the salt, smoke, and pickling vinegar that have been used to preserve many of the victuals provided.
Taste:
Small samples of the various cured meats and preserved fruits and vegetables serve not only to convey the breadth of flavours offered, but also to remind you of the bounty of autumn's harvest, and the wonders inherent in how preservative methods retain the qualities of the food while imbuing them with new tastes and characters.
Consume:
Visiting the meats, fruits, and vegetables in turn, you take the opportunity to compare the effects that different methods of preparation have on the bounties of autumn that are arrayed on the platter. The flavour of salt is strong in some dishes, notably the salted fish and corned beef, while in others, the sweetness of sugar or brandy dominates; but you soon realize these are not as different as one might at first expect, since salt brings out the natural sweetness of foods, and sugar can also awaken tartness. Markedly different from either, however, are the character of smoke, which adds new layers of taste derived from the wood itself; and the potent combination of pickling vinegar and spices, which do not so much preserve vegetables as use them as a means of conveying their own flavours. What all these dishes share in common, however, is a pair of complementary wonders. In each, you are reminded of the joy of a successful harvest, and the memories of the times of plenty, whether experienced first-hand or only remembered from tales. And in each is the wonder of the everyday magic that allows those tokens of plenitude, given new character and new flavours, to be preserved to sustain us through the bleakest and leanest of times, a magic that is all too easily taken for granted.

Commodities: cloth 150 greentint 50 redtint 10 bluetint 10 yellowtint 10 purpletint 10 faeleaf 10
Appearance:
a tapestry of the shards of Bollikin
Dropped:
Myriad images knitted into a tapestry resolve into one larger image of Bollikin.
Examined:
Simple wool, dyed a variety of earthen and forestal colours, has been spun and knitted to make this homespun tapestry. While the techniques are simple and bereft of ostentatious or elaborate adornment, the complexity of the images suggests a sophistication in their application, as the weaver must have used considerable skill to plan the placement of every warp and weft to create the images depicted through nothing more than the placement of dots of colour at each crossing of wool strands. The first inspection of the image depicted suggests a disjointed sylvan scene, a cursorily sketched background of trees veritably overrun with a tremendous variety of furred creatures of countless species. Scattered around the tapestry are rabbits, squirrels, foxes, bears, cats, weasels, otters, and dozens of other creatures native to the forests, some depicting the animals and others looking more like the furrikin that closely resemble those animals. While the creatures themselves are depicted in lifelike poses and colouration, their positions are in many cases paradoxical when considered relative to one another and the forest vaguely seen behind them; some of them seem to be perched within trees despite being non-arboreal species, and others seem be hanging in mid-air with no visible support. The purpose for this becomes clear only when one steps back from the tapestry and takes in the entire image from a greater distance. From such a vantage, the individual creatures elude direct perception; instead, they seem like the individual brush-strokes of a grand painting, on the scale of the entire tapestry, which depicts Bollikin, the gentlest of the Elder Gods, standing in the forest He loved. The weaver has cunningly positioned the smaller creatures which Bollikin created, or those into which He shattered, so that the shape of each tilted tail or eagerly sniffing muzzle aligns as the contour of some part of Bollikin's body, though the observer needs to approach the tapestry to observe the sudden shift as the image coalesces from parts into whole, or retreat to see the image splinter from whole into shards.

Commodities: mistletoe 20 rope 3 flower 3 cloudessence 5 silveressence 3
Appearance:
a dress of woven vines and blossoms
Dropped:
The outline of a dress here encompasses nothing but blooming vines, faintly shimmering as if with life.
Examined:
In its shape this dress is conventional and modest, with a train that reaches to the ankles and sleeves that bell at the wrists. There is nothing else conventional about it, for it is formed entirely from a jumble of woven vines, twisting and wrapping around one another, occasionally adorned by a faint lilac-hued blossom amongst the vivid green leaves. The vines have been woven while they were growing, by simply twisting them around one another and allowing the natural process of growth to cause them to tighten their grips around one another. This process is imperfect enough to allow gaps between vines which are usually covered by leaves, but not always, allowing the occasional glimpse of skin or underlying layers of clothing that appear and shift with movement. Should an observer be so uncouth as to make a detailed examination of the vines in an attempt to trace them back seeking roots, it will be noted that the origin, inasmuch as the vines have one, is hidden on an inside surface of the dress, where the tendrils of vine emerge from a small cluster of essence-infused soil, perpetually moist with condensation and shimmering faintly, held together in a fine netted bag of slender cords.

Ingredients: grain 2 eggs 1 salt 1
Appearance:
a humble, complex loaf of multigrain bread
Dropped:
An unprepossessing loaf of coarse bread rests here.
Examined:
The thick crust of this loaf of bread is dark and crisp, almost entirely concealing its smell. A groove was cut along the top of the hefty, oval-shaped loaf before baking, causing a slightly asymmetrical canyon that gives the crust additional texture and a slightly softer section to facilitate breaking into the loaf with one's bare hands. And that is the best way to break this bread, for the grain is too coarse and sturdy to yield well to a knife. Tearing it open lets loose a hearty steam full of a rich, yet humble, mix of smells. The bread has not been stuffed with potent spices or special ingredients; it derives all of its humble charm from the most ancient of baking techniques and from a careful selection of different grains, balanced with one another to provide a strong, hearty meal. The heart of the loaf is coarse and bracing, lacking in subtlety, and sure to be a filling meal for a hard worker. Some of the flours and grains used to make it are finely ground, yet others are left roughly cut to give the bread a balance of textures and richness of flavour which puts to shame more intricate breads that try too hard with unusual ingredients and lose the charm of bread's native simplicity.
Smell:
The firm crust of this bread conceals almost everything about its smell, leaving only the faintest hint of grains and steam.
Taste:
A nibble at this loaf hints at the complexity of its grains, but the outer crust is too firm to afford more than the slightest hint.
Consume:
Tearing the loaf open with your hands, your nose is immediately filled with steam, titillating your senses with a surprisingly complex, yet still humble, aroma. The loaf's crust is firm and crunchy, while the heart of the bread is chewy, at times soft and at other times coarse, with a very simple and humble appeal. The loaf offers no distractions from the simple pleasure of bread, instead allowing you to savour the timeless heartiness that fortifies you for whatever labours await you. Indeed, the classics are classics for a reason: ultimately, the loaf's simplicity reveals all the subtleties of its different grains, providing an entirely satisfying meal.

Commodities: wood 252 cloth 252 redtint 126 yellowtint 125 bluetint 62 wax 20 iron 62 rope 188 platinum 163
Appearance:
a chandelier of danging paper lanterns
Dropped:
Festively-coloured paper globes provide diffuse light, hanging from a chandelier.
Examined:
Warm, diffuse light fills the area, coming from twenty separate lanterns hanging at different elevations all around the room. Each lantern is a globe made of paper, fashioned from hoops of iron wire covered in thin parchment which has been painted a pale orange. The iron hoops are held in shape by an internal skeleton of iron wires radiating from a central platform on which sits a small, broad-based candle. Calligraphic runes and abstract depictions of nature scenes are painted with light strokes on the sides of the globes in blue, lending a festive air without blocking much of the light. These globes hang on long strands of slender rope from a set of platinum chandelier braces at the ceiling, and are arrayed at varying elevations, some stacked below one another, the whole carefully positioned to fill the room with even light while appearing haphazard in their individual locations. Adding a decorative touch, tassels formed from bundled strings of shredded, dyed cloth hang from the bottoms of the lanterns, too slender to cast much of a shadow.

Commodities: silver 30 platinum 14 ruby 15 beryl 15 emerald 15 sapphire 15 diamond 15 powerstone 1
Appearance:
a dancer's ever-shifting bejewelled armband
Dropped:
Slowly shifting bands of gems glitter on an armband here.
Examined:
At a first glimpse this armband seems opulent, yet curiously unappealing, as it is far thicker than it needs to be to display a single band of glittering crystals of the same colour. However, only a few moments of observation will reveal the armband's open secret. The extra bulk hides several more bands, each studded with gemstones of a different type, along with a delicate mechanism of springs and gears. This concealed machinery is so similar to that within music boxes and watches that it is clear that this armband was most likely designed by a crafter skilled both in art of jewellery and the artisan's trade. In the presence of any kind of melodic sounds, the varying harmonic resonance frequencies of each of the crystal gemstones will spur the thin bands into motion, one band disappearing into the inner workings while another one rotates to visibility. The result is that, whenever in the presence of music, the armband itself seems to dance, revealing different colours of crystal in response to different notes and chords, in time with the rhythm of the song, making it the perfect adornment for a dancer who wishes to make a dazzling impression.

Commodities: silk 57 cloth 57 silver 15 redtint 14 yellowtint 14 greentint 14 bluetint 14 purpletint 14 powerstone 1
Appearance:
reversible rainbow-bedecked robes of the changeling
Dropped:
A neatly folded set of robes here catches the eye with its bright colours.
Examined:
Cunningly fashioned from several swathes of fabric held together with tiny silver buckles and snaps, these robes have the unusual capability of being reversible, so they can be worn in different configurations to suit a wearer whose body changes shape, size, and even gender. Each piece is dyed on both sides, and has all its seamwork hidden in internal folds, to ensure all configurations are equally presentable and fashionable. In any configuration, the robes are flamboyant and colourful, splashed with a vivid rainbow which shifts as the wearer moves, over a layer of twilight blues and forest greens. One configuration, better suited in cut and shape to a male form, puts more emphasis on the blues and greens. This arrangement fits mostly like conventional robe designs, bound with a colourful rainbow sash and fitting close around the upper torso, yet flaring around the legs to allow an acrobat's requisite freedom of motion. When reversed, the robes better fit a female form, with a more generous cut to highlight the curves of the feminine figure. In this configuration, the lower part of the robes flares like a skirt in forest green, joined to the upper part at the hips leaving the midriff bare, and the whole is sheathed in a free-moving rainbow-hued wrap that shifts somewhat like the outer layer of a sari. In either configuration, the robes sport a bright rainbow hood that wraps around the head in a manner somewhat reminiscent of a shawl or kerchief, though unlike those in being affixed to the rest of the robes at the shoulders with silver clips. The tiny silver clasps and buttons that hold the robes together can be affixed at different points to accommodate bodies of different shapes and sizes, and even provide gaps for tails, wings, and other features unique to certain races, while still holding together securely enough to provide the protective qualities and versatility of movement characteristic of greatrobes.

Commodities: iron 12 steel 10 diamond 4
Appearance:
an engineer's bracelet of tools
Dropped:
Jagged protrusions mar every surface of the bulky bracelet that lies here.
Examined:
Even when this bracelet is at its most attractive profile, it is still fairly ungainly, with knobs, handles, and other small protrusions of sturdy metal pointing in various directions from its bulky surface. Each of these is the key to releasing one of a dozen separate tools, all of which fold or slide out of the bracelet far enough to be used, while remaining attached. These tiny tools are in some cases makeshift surrogates for the full-size ones, intended more for the convenience of having them all on hand for emergency repairs or simpler jobs than to replace a proper toolkit. Most of the tools are designed to stay firmly in place when unfolded, so they can be used right where they are. Included amongst these are a small wood-tearing saw, a hole punch, a screwdriver, a file, a sharp-edged wood planer, a narrow-tipped chisel with a diamond-edged blade, an adjustable wrench, and a pair of sturdy pliers. In each case, the tool folds from the wrist to land in the palm of the wearer, positioned well, if not always ideally, for use. The remaining tools, which include a pair of delicate tweezers, a corkscrew, and a steel cord lined with diamond dust for cutting, extend out on short lengths of steel for more free movement, while remaining tethered so they can't be easily lost. The bracelet is almost entirely devoid of any artistic flourishes, though a quick glance might mistake some engravings along the sides for a decorative border; closer examination reveals even these to be a simple gauge for measuring distances and widths.

Commodities: iron 40 gold 40 silver 40 platinum 40 steel 40 ruby 10 opal 10 beryl 10 jade 10 turquoise 10 sapphire 10 diamond 10 emerald 10 onyx 10 bloodstone 10 amethyst 10 coral 10 powerstone 1
Appearance:
a twisted brooch of shifting astral spheres
Dropped:
Its convoluted shape seeming to defy geometry, a brooch rests here, tiny spheres perched on its surface.
Examined:
The body of this large brooch is formed from a variety of metals twisted into one another, the varying hues of each metal used to convey impressions of the play of light and shadow in such a way as to fool the eye into thinking it takes a geometrically impossible, twisted shape. This optical illusion, itself shifting as true light and shadow interact with false ones, forms the formless backdrop for twelve spheres cut from various gemstones. Each sphere of crystal has a tiny mote of light, culled from the heart of a powerstone, at its centre, creating an almost imperceptible flicker of energy. A flaw in each stone, interacting with this point source of light, conveys the vague impression of the denizen of one of the astral spheres. Within a ruby, a bloated shape in robes seems to heft a book; within a beryl of sandy gold, a slinky, curvaceous figure appears frozen in the middle of a seductive dance; and similar forms in other crystals evoke memories of acidic urns, menacing scorpions, and other grotesqueries of Kethuru's prison. Only when one watches the brooch for a while do the concealed inner workings, gears and springs akin to those within music boxes, tick, causing spheres to abruptly grind together or shudder apart, in mechanical mimicry of the tortured convolutions of the astral plane.

Commodities: silver 100 bluetint 20 sapphire 20 ruby 1 emerald 1 amethyst 1 diamond 1 opal 1 onyx 1 bloodstone 1 jade 1 moonstone 1 pearl 1 coral 1 turquoise 1
Appearance:
a crown of the master tradesman
Dropped:
Proudly proclaiming symbols of the crafts, a crown of shining silver sits here.
Examined:
From a distance, this crown takes the classical shape for ornaments of this type: a circlet ring from which a number of peaks rise, with the largest at front and centre, mounted with a large, deep blue sapphire. The peaks, however, seem uneven in shape, as if the crown is malformed. From a closer vantage point it becomes clear that each of the peaks depicts a different thing, a representation of one of the crafting trades, perhaps to indicate its proper wearer is a master of all of them, or just a recognised master merchant with interests in all the trades. Front and centre, the shining star sapphire that was at first visible as the crown's keystone turns out to be ringed in tiny samples of all the other gemstones of the jeweler's trade. Flanking this on one side is a crossed carving knife and fork, decorated with blue tint cunningly placed to give the impression of a blue glow from the sapphire casting shadows that give the cutlery a life-like three-dimensional shape. Opposite it stands a forging hammer rising from an anvil, the same technique used to make the hammer seem ready to strike. Farther back on the crown, a quill poises above the blue decorative scribblings on a silver scroll, while opposite this, a spool of silk stands as the backdrop for a collection of needles, pins, and other tools of the tailor's trade. At the rear of the crown, an upturned saw and hammer stand at the ready for the carpenter. Each shape is carved to give the crown's peaks a basic similarity of profile, yet still remains distinctive and vivid.

Commodities: silver 2 gold 2 platinum 2
Appearance:
a dangling autumn leaves earring
Dropped:
Resting here is an earring of autumn leaves on fine silver chains.
Examined:
A slender silver chain hangs from a simple hook, and halfway along its length, splits into four chains so fine the links are almost impossible to make out. At the end of each chain hangs a shining bauble in the shape of a leaf, cast with a distinctive curl as if the leaf were falling from a tree in autumn. The hues of silver, gold, and platinum are intermingled in each leaf to convey a metallic parallel to the colours of autumn leaves, catching the light with highlights of ambers and golds. The chains, of slightly varying lengths to slightly separate the leaves, allow them to sway and pirouette with the wearer's movements in an echo of the wind-blown dance of autumn.

Item: Sari Type: Dresses Org: Attire Designer: Syridean
Commodities: silk 30 silver 8 faeleaf 4
Mortal Reviews: Allowed
Layer: NORMAL Bodyparts: chest, gut, legs, waist
IMPORTANT: The main noun MUST use one of these: SARI
Appearance:
a silver sari of flowing inspirations
Dropped:
Folded carefully on the ground, a silver sari lies here.
Examined:
Cut from silk dyed a subtle shade of silver, this elegant sari is
designed in dedication to the Sidereal Prince. The main garment consists
of a long, flowing length of silvery silk that has been bordered on one
side by panels depicting artists in various stages of their work: here a
painter staring at a blank canvas, there a sculptor working at a block
of marble, and further on a musician plucking frustratedly at the
strings of a lyre. As the garment progresses, each of these scenes moves
closer and closer to completion, the painter begins his strokes, the
sculptor finds a model, the lyrist pens a few notes. By the time the
silver threadwork has reached the sash draped across the wearer's
shoulder, all is completed! Each artist's magnum opus is hidden from the
perspective of the garment, but each is very clearly being admired by an
audience of indistinct figures. In the final panel, there is a group of
nine women, each clad in a sari and each holding a different tool of
creation in one hand, and a scroll bearing a symbol in the other. Though
no two of these women share a race, they are all very graceful. The
woman in the centre appears to be a winged human, bearing a lyre in her
left hand, and a scroll with a heart in her right. Tiny silver bells
have been sewn along the hem, causing a gentle tinkling sound to emanate
from the sari each time the wearer moves and with every gentle ripple in
the breeze.
Comments:

Item: Robes Type: Splendor Org: Ensemble Designer: Pesukaru
Commodities: silk 110 redtint 10 goldtint 10 bluetint 10 yellowtint 10
purpletint 10 greentint 10 flax 30
Mortal Reviews: Allowed
Layer: NORMAL Bodyparts: chest, gut, arms, legs, waist
IMPORTANT: The main noun MUST use one of these: ROBES, ROBE
Appearance:
striking robes of the sacrosanct bard
Dropped:
Meticulously clean, a set of robes are on the ground here.
Examined:
Woven from the finest silk found in the Basin, these greatrobes have
been kept immaculately clean and pressed. Seemingly part of a dress
uniform for a high ranking Cantor, the robe is nacreous white with faint
interwoven threads of gold reflecting any available light and drawing
attention to the wearer. The sleeves are short enough to allow a full
range of motion, while long enough to be formal in appearance. The hood
itself comes to a slight point, shaped as a mitre and keeping shape from
the fresh starch embedded into the cloth. Thin stripes circle the
sleeves and bottom of the robe, one for each of the Supernals; topaz for
Japhiel, pink for Raziela, and so on. Emblazoned upon the back of the
robe is a finely stitched depiction of Princess Marilynth in her radiant
splendour, shielding the Pool of Stars with her body from an unseen foe.
Comments:

Commodities:
gems 30 silver 15 bluetint 10 diamond 5

Appearance:
a breathtaking circlet of ice flowers

Dropped:
An elegant circlet lies here in repose, delicate glimmers of light twinkling along the icy petals of its glass-wrought flowers.

Examined:
Woven bands of flat, polished silver wind gracefully from thin, curling sides to pointed front, their weaving pattern becoming subtly wider and looser as it approaches the middle forehead. From this latticed front a host of wintry flowers bloom as if bursting triumphantly through cracks in oppressive ice. Their crystal petals unfurl into gorgeous pellucid blossoms, perfectly transparent but for the whisper of deep blue which suffuses their very centres. Delicate glass leaves sparkle beneath like sun-kissed frost; dusted liberally with finely crushed diamonds, each leaf twinkles softly with a certain gelid radiance, a perfect backdrop to the sleek and cloudless shine of the petals above. There is a subtle quality of motion to the piece, an invisible wind which seems to stir between the many lucent leaves and petals. But in truth the glass-wrought flora are ever still, their windswept state but a scene forever frozen in the clutches of winter's frost.

Item: Throne Type: Thrones Org: Rosewood Designer: Pectus
Commodities: wood 1000 gems 200 cloth 100
Mortal Reviews: Allowed
Space: 70% Furniture Type: Normal Furnishings
Outdoors: No Container: No Can Have Lock: No
IMPORTANT: The main noun MUST use one of these: THRONE
Appearance:
a puzzle piece throne
Dropped:
A puzzle piece throne towers here, truly a marvel of design.
Examined:
Interlocking pieces of wood and glass have been meticulously crafted
into the form of this giant throne which resembles a large, misshapen
cube. In a feat of daring, the three feet of this throne are barely
balanced diamond-shaped hunks of wood, appearing to be ready to topple
at any moment. Sly designing has been used to hide the actual seat of
the throne from view, tricking the eye and mind with shadows. Dyed to
match the materials of the throne, the pillow laced upon the seat is
square and quite thin, offering very little comfort. The armrests have
several square pegs that jut up intermittently in different spots on
each from the actual base, spaced just far enough apart to provide solid
but uncomfortable support for one's arms. The back of the throne is just
as odd as the rest of this piece with blocks missing while others stick
uncomfortably into the seated person's back. The top of the backrest is
asymmetrical with one side having more blocks stacked than the other in
a haphazard and almost precarious arrangement.

Appearance: a radiant tapestry of a divine sunrise
Dropped: An elaborate tapestry hangs from a wall, depicting a scene of Isune and Trillillial painting a colourful sunrise together.
Examined: A vision of the unspoiled beauty of the still-nascent Basin of Life before the Elder Wars, this tapestry depicts a scene from the Book of Trillillial in all the warm, luminous hues of sunrise. Flourishing, verdant forests and towering, craggy mountains stretch across the base of the tapestry, woven in leafy greens and rugged greys interspersed with golden and coppery threads to evoke the glow of sunshine illuminating the landscape. In the centre, the youthful Spirit of Sun emerges above the gilt-edged horizon, a beaming smile dawning upon the merry, boyish features woven in darker goldenrod threads across his joyous yellow face. Like splashes of colour across a painter's canvas, streaks of fiery orange, rich amber, and brilliant crimson blaze across the skies around him. Along the top of the tapestry, feathery clouds scud across the firmament as though blown by a brisk wind, their fleecy raiment tinged with rosy magenta tones. On either side of the Sun, two glorious figures float aloft on beautiful feathered wings, both portrayed with the most lustrous, silken threads and purest, most delicate hues the weaver could contrive. To the right, Trillillial dances upon the winds in a swirl of pearl-white robes and silvery wings, Her graceful ivory hands radiating playful rays of pink light toward the Spirit of Sun. On the left, a laughing Isune spreads Her shimmering multi-coloured wings as She continues painting the sky in ever-deeper shades of ruby, topaz, and amethyst. Caught up in the sheer joy of creation, the two Elder Goddesses complete this image of harmony and happiness during the earliest days of Lusternia.

Appearance: a diamond-studded veil of the night sky
Dropped: A scintillating veil of dark-blue gauze lies here on the ground.
Examined: Descending in lustrous folds from a silver filigree circlet, this diaphanous veil has been fashioned from shimmering lengths of silk gauze falling to the wearer's waist. The fine gauze has been dyed the deep, ethereal blue of the sky at twilight when the first stars appear, shrouding and softening the wearer's face beneath to a shadowy outline of forehead, cheekbones, and jaw. Sewn with exquisite care upon the translucent fabric, a veritable wealth of tiny diamonds sparkles across the veil's expanse with clear, prismatic brilliance. Far from spangling the veil at random, the multitude of diamonds has been patterned in the shapes of the twelve constellations, whose endless dance forever illuminates the night sky. Glimmering prominently on the forehead, a scintillating array of diamonds recreates the Twin Crystals, the sign rather appropriately said to govern thought and intellect. The Dolphin is meticulously delineated against the wearer's left cheek amid wavelets of diamond dust. From there, the signs proceed one by one down the veil, the Lion yielding to the Crocodile followed by the Burning Censer, until they end with the looming shape of the Spider at the bottom. From there, the Dragon soars upward to meet the Skull, grinning up at the flying Bumblebee, the Glacier, and the fiery Volcano, finishing at the wearer's right cheek with the many-pointed Antlers. Lightly scattered between the constellations, swirling trails of diamond dust recreate the twinkle of more distant stars that populate the night. Behind the glittering tracery of diamonds, the wearer's countenance shines luminous and mysterious beneath this artistic recreation of the stars adorning the night sky.

Eleana's chandelier:
Appearance:
an ornate chandelier of crystal orbs
Dropped:
Casting faint silhouettes against the walls, an ornate chandelier of multicoloured orbs is gracefully suspended from the ceiling.
Examined:
Suspended from a silver platform by thick, silken threads are multitudes of crystal orbs, light pouring out steadily from their depths. These fall about from the platform in random arrangement but in the overall shape of a cone, with the shorter threads being closer to the edge, while the longer ones are nearer to the centre. Scattered among the crystalline globes are a select few whose surfaces have been treated with a variety of tints to lend them a hint of colour. In the background of globes that have retained their iridescent purity, the interposition of faint colours lends a distinct vibrancy and character to the piece. Closer inspection of the tinted orbs reveals masterful etchings within the crystal of small figurines representing the many races in the Basin. No race has been forgotten, and each major political power has been represented in some way through this depiction of the Basin's inhabitants. On a forest green orb, a high elfen clutching a small athame is portrayed riding a wiccan broom, while a nearby indigo orb depicts an imperial merian with both arms raised, holding a staff. An illuminated dracnari is displayed on a carmine orb, toying with a flame in an outstretched hand, adjacent to a dull grey orb where a cloud trill can be seen flying with wings fully extended, tiny gemstones floating above his head. A small faeling wielding a cudgel can be seen in mid-flutter, her features darkened by the purple tinge of the orb on which it is displayed, while on a darker orb, the outline of a master viscanti can be faintly made out, a malicious smile curving his lips. Among the remaining races, an equally admirable level of detail has been taken to portray the essence of the race, though in some instances a clear connection to an organisation isn't apparent, as with a small furrikin, curled slightly in a timid posture, on an amber orb. The effect of these etchings is such that faint silhouettes and shadows are cast upon the walls, creating a faintly-coloured conglomeration of the peoples of the Basin of Life.

Lilian's armour:
Appearance:
an ethereal suit of silver fullplate
Dropped:
Thick clumps of moss grow in abundance upon this fullplate, tiny, white blossoms shyly peeking from beneath the armour's gilded leaves.
Examined:
This suit of armour seems to be forged from a living forest, as though to clad its warrior in the very essence of the ethereal woods. The silver breastplate has been delicately worked into the ruggedness of bark, dark scorch marks detailing finer patterns of grain within the gleaming wood. The occasional knot and whorl denotes how the lumber has aged, with exceptionally gnarled sections displaying its antiquity. Overlapping this are thin pieces of platinum, their forms shaped into leaves that vaguely resemble antlers. The topside of the metallic leaves are inlaid with emerald and sealed with wax, silver enamel creating spidery veins. Some sandalwood has been mixed into the wax, adding an earthy fragrance to the armour. Interspersed throughout the verdure are three-leafed blossoms, their ivory petals emitting a gentle glow. The gorget snugly encases the neck, its entirety overgrown by a mass of soft, bluish-green moss. Little yellow flowers fleck the moss, their presence a bright contrast to the subdued greenery. This moss seems to grow over onto the breastplate, and sends insidious creepers onto the verdant pauldrons. The pauldrons round sleekly over the shoulders, the slim discs forged into clumps of overlapping foliage and bound to the warrior's arms by thick, leathery vines of a dark forest green. Fae cavort upon the glittering leaves, playful pixies performing all sorts of acrobatics whilst shy nymphs hide their silhouettes behind the leaves' cover, revealing only a flash of their golden complexion and vibrant hair. The lobstered gauntlets have been forged into emerald vines, the thick ropes entwining around the warrior's entire forearms and hands. Forged similarly like the breastplate, the steel leggings have been worked into ancient, gnarled bark, their ruggedness smoothing past the knee to adopt a root-like appearance. Snowy motes lightly fleck the entirety of the armour, basking it in a shimmering glow.

Lilija's katana:
APPEARANCE
a shimmering diamond-edged wood katana
DROPPED
Casting a faint rainbow from whatever light caresses it, a shimmering wood katana with a diamond edge rests here.
EXAMINED
Argent hued moonhart wood has been shaped into the blade and hilt of this sword, then treated with some substance that gives the wood a subtle shimmer as light plays off of its surface. Rather than merely sharpen wood, the creator of this weapon has managed to craft a pointed diamond cap that sheathes the blade's chisel tip. The cap of diamond continues down the entire edge of the blade, forming a trough that the wood has been carefully fitted into. The diamond edge has been painstakingly ground and polished to produce a thin, razor sharp edge that refracts the faintest touch of light into a faint rainbow. To secure the precious gem edge, five bronze rivets capped with intricately etched covers pierce the diamond and attach it to the wood. The first near the blade's tip shows a majestic eagle in full flight; another depicts a jaguar mid-leap with claws ready to rend. The third is a snarling wolverine, while the fourth shows a simple full moon. The final rivet near the base of the blade bears the profile of a stag in full charge, head lowered and antlers prepared to impale. Where the blade reaches its terminus and the hilt begins, a circular disc composed of layered and bronzed moonhart leaves serves as the guard for this weapon. Emerging a centimetre from where hilt meets blade, roughly formed inlays of bronze are embedded into the wood of the blade. The bronze forms a primally stylised depiction of the centaurs of the Serenwilde forest engaged in combat with druids being led by a female cloaked in shadow. The images continue down the length of the blade, showing the same shadow clothed female dead upon the forest floor, and finally culminates in the image of an elfen man kneeling as a large centaur is in the motion of placing a great helm adorned with antlers on his head.

Maeah's circlet:
APPEARANCE
A blackened circlet of a slumbering dragon
DROPPED
Onyx scales gleaming with a savage beauty, this circlet appears to be the careful rendition of a slumbering dragon.
EXAMINED
Cast from blackened silver, this circlet is carefully moulded to resemble a dragon seemingly deep in slumber. Small, thin layers of black onyx have been delicately embedded into the silver, the numerous tiny gems overlapping one another to form the dragon's scaly hide. Even smaller gems of emerald green line the belly and the inner flaps of the creature's wings, which are neatly folded against its back. Bits of gleaming pearl have been used to create the dragon's fangs and claws, as well as the tiny spines along its back and tail. The body wraps around the back of the wearer's head, the tip of its tail coming around to drape over the dragon's nose, meeting in the centre of the wearer's brow, like a cat curling up to sleep. A single chip of orange beryl winks from beneath a half-closed eye, the gem seeming to glow with an inner fire, portraying this creature as ever wary, even in such a relaxed pose. Despite the incredible detail of this circlet, every effort has been made to make it light and comfortable for the wearer, the design appearing very simple when viewed from a distance.

Cartel: Nightsoigne
Appearance:
a dapper Geomancer's slate grey suit
Dropped:
An impeccably tailored slate grey suit of stitched grubs lies here.
Examined:
Sharp and dapper, this two piece suit effortlessly blends rich cloth with the quiescent husks of tainted grubs in chthonic tones of slate grey and milky white quartz. The jacket's strongly padded shoulders create a sharp silhouette, lending an inexorable air of primeval authority to the wearer. Dyed a deep slate grey, the tint of this impeccably cut jacket is mirrored on the trousers, and darkens in tone as the fabric extends to the ankle. Hairline
threads of glittering gold and brilliant silver trace jagged fault lines below the knees on the trousers, a nod to the unplumbed depths of the master element. Running down the spine of the jacket, the black-grey corpse-skin of a grub appears to rear and almost fully emerge from the piece, artfully adding a layer of chitinous protection to the back. At the front, a peaked lapel adds a touch of class to the single-breasted jacket and draws attention to the row of perfectly square onyx buttons that line the front of the neatly pressed quartz white shirt. The jacket's arms present a dichotomy. Where the left sleeve is sewn from primly tailored cloth of grey, the right sleeve from the shoulder to the cuff is a roiling throng of the preserved corpses of feasting grubs. The maws of the grubs gape widely, unhinged as each gorges itself in cannibalistic frenzy upon the body of its brethren next in line, the entire carnivorous tableau of insatiable hunger fossilised in time by the master's touch of a skilled embalmer. The starched cuffs of the white shirt protrude from the jacket, just enough to display the flash of perfectly square onyx cufflinks embedded with a minute deposit of pure silver, which is twisted into the image of a screaming rat's skull.

Item: Tapestry Type: Tapestries Org: SRO
Commodities: silk 126 goldtint 32 gold 31 sapphire 12 silver 12 ruby 12 rope 25
Mortal Reviews: Allowed
Space: 25% Furniture Type: Wall Furnishings
Outdoors: No Container: No Can Have Lock: No
IMPORTANT: The main noun MUST use one of these: TAPESTRY
Appearance:
a tapestry featuring the Celestian Pantheon
Dropped:
Hanging on the wall here is a silken tapestry depicting the Celestial Pantheon, both past and
present.
Examined:
Centred in the scene is the Pool of Stars, radiating a golden glow out
into a starry night. Arrayed around the Pool are the towering forms of
Elder Gods who have at one time or another been part of Celest. First is
the Lady Terentia in full battle regalia, Her arms crossed casually over
Her chest as She stares out at the viewer with a cold, yet wryly amused
gaze. Nobility apparent in Her features, She seems ready to defend the
Pool of Stars at all costs. Kneeling next to Terentia's feet is a
softer, yet more hawk-like form: obviously Lady Isune as She examines a
small flower growing through the cracks in the pavement. Silvered wings
are drawn close to Isune as She contemplates the beauty within a single
bud, a soft glow surrounding Her hands. To the other side of the Pool of
Stars is the Sidereal Prince, His flowing platinum locks cascading down
His shoulders and ending in the middle of His bared chest. An impish yet
warm grin gives Lyreth a youthful appearance, though His deep cerulean
eyes betray His wisdom and almost brutal honesty and openness. Held
firmly yet lovingly in the arms of the Lord Exalted, a golden glow
surrounds the two of Them as though the two were one being in soul and
emotion. Lord Lyreth's assortment of golden and ruby jewellery contrasts
with Lord Eventru's immaculately white raiment and simple adornment. His
eyes bearing obvious warmth and compassion for not only Lord Lyreth but
those around Him, Lord Eventru smiles softly, His bearded chin resting
atop the Sidereal Lord's head. The two embrace face to face yet look out
upon the world with proud eyes. Astride a gleaming pegasus to one side
is Lord Hajamin, clad in golden mail and resting the Lance of Brilliance
butt-first into the ground. Almost missed amid the group of bright gods
is a blurry yet recognisable depiction of Lord Lacostian, clad in dark
robes and almost fading into the background. Each Elder here stands
around the Pool as if protecting it from the encroaching darkness.

Item: Tapestry Type: Tapestries Org: Anshienjiku
Commodities: silk 100 cloth 100 redtint 10 goldtint 10 bluetint 10 yellowtint 10 greentint 10
Mortal Reviews: Allowed
Space: 25% Furniture Type: Wall Furnishings
Outdoors: No Container: No Can Have Lock: No
IMPORTANT: The main noun MUST use one of these: TAPESTRY
Appearance:
a foreboding tapestry of alternate events
Dropped:
Hanging on the wall here is a darkly stitched tapestry, showing alternate events from the past.
Examined:
Finely woven silk and cloth create a majestic tapestry, stitched with
events from the past if they had gone differently. Central to the
tapestry is a scene of a meeting between Elder Gods, with Meridian,
Hajamin, and Terentia bound with crimson cords of power standing to one
side. To the other side is Morgfyre, His eyes glaring intently at the
bound Elders as He accuses them of some misdeed. Fain stands before the
bound traitors, His azure eyes lifted skyward as He ponders His
judgement of those who would betray their brethren. Another scene shows
Lisaera clutching a torn gown to Her body, Her outstretched finger
pointing accusingly at Charune as Fain advances towards the Hunter in
anger. A third scene exhibits Raezon and Gheasia hand in hand atop a
balcony overlooking a fantastic laboratory, inventions and devices
stretching as far as the eye can see. Each part of the tapestry is made
in a stunningly powerful colour scheme, all melding together to show
what should have been.

Appearance:
a megalithic katana riddled with veins of ore
Dropped:
A megalithic katana has been thrust hilt-deep into the ground nearby.
Examined:
Wrought of a deep, sable black metal, the masterful craftsmanship of a
fine metalsmith just manages to fashion this material into the rigid
confines of a katana. An identifiable characteristic to the weapon
curves the blade just so, if even a barely noticeable alteration slopes
the katana just millimetres to the right. Held powerfully aloft within a
leather-bound hilt, the tenebrous sword faintly thrums with just the
slightest addition of crushed powerstone dust to its make up. A sleek
splash of colour comes upon the blackened blade at the rich veins of
metal ore which riddle the weapon in polished striations of
scintillating blue. Completing their descending journey across the shaft
of the katana, the bright platinum strands converge upon the crossguard
of the piece, winding in rounded spheres of cobalt wire to protect the
wielder deftly and securely. The barest addition of fire essence warms
the megalithic blade as it just faintly pulses with flashes of heat down
the tumescent blade.