#Stormheight

[thescribesloft]

Jeweler’s Hands Excerpt: Stormheight

@ps-nippets, @shamelesslypoetic, @quilloftheclouds, @alinakerrin, @thelimeonade

Beryl raised her hand and for the first time, Obsidian noticed she was wearing gloves made of soft cloth beads. She reached her hand up and pressed her palm against a series of plates in the solid, black and red gate. She traced a line in the stone and Obsidian saw the outline of a circle light up up in the waning light, the electric charge used to deter unwanted visitors deactivated. Before it faded, he caught a glimpse of what the circle really was; A Dragon. 

Skeletal, the Dragon formed a circle with its own body, devouring its own bony tail. Each rib in the circle was perfectly symmetrical, the bones neatly tucked in among each other like ivory beads on a bracelet.

Obsidian watched as the gate swung open with a deep crumbling sound, the creak of rock grinding in his ears. The Dragon split directly down the center as the gate opened into separate doors.

Beryl swung back up into the saddle and quickly guided her mount through the gate. Obsidian, caught by surprise, clutched the animal's mane in his fingers as he was lurched forward.

Before his lay a barren valley surrounded on all sides by the sanguinite walls, caging in the cool lava fields in a deadly embrace.

In the center of it all, perched atop a huge chunk of rock amid a sea of ever-heated magma sat Stormbreach's capitol. The ultimate fortress, impenetrable within its nest of dragon flame. A grand, ironically wooden bridge interlaced with stone arced across the chasm, resolute and unwavering, the rails made of solid black and red iron. Dark green and blood red pennants embossed with the skeletal Dragon fluttered from tall posts at both ends of the bridge, ragged in the stale, overheated air.

The palace of Stormheight loomed up ahead, imposing and and dark, with its terraced roofs and terracotta shingling. There was something inexplicably ancient about the edifice, as if it had been pulled straight from a storybook by the hands of some forgotten giant and dropped in their midst without another thought. More of the megaliths of heliotrope were erected beside the palace, badly mimicking trees, the branches square and awkward, bits of mottled stone crumbling upward in an attempt to imitate the leaves of lifeforms that wouldn't dare grow there. More Dragon-lions crouched at every corner, in various stages of snarling and biting, teeth and claws perfectly carved to instill fear in the observer. They contrasted with the charred wood and singed paper of the palace walls. Scenes depicted Dragons in all their glory, fighting ancient battles and advising mankind decorated the porous paper walls in bright colors,despite their dark surroundings, as if the whole place didn't even belong in that lava-filled hole. Everything was rough and charred as if it had endured the rage of an angry Dragon, but maintained much of its precision and geometry, giving it severely dangerous look.

Huddled around the palace in a thick cluster like a clutch of young hatchlings was the village of Stormheight. Each small building easily more grand than Colorsfall or Silvercling; everything charred and burnt, but not rundown and fading. Even the smallest home was engraved and inlaid with precious metals. Rather than crystals and colorful gems and stones cascading down the roofs of Colorsfall in perfect strands of radiant, prismatic hues or drops of moonlight that grew from the ground into vines of pure silk like a soul poured out of a celestial vase in the gardens of Silvercling, the village of Stormheight was washed by the blood of the mountain and the coal-black bones of some ancient Dragon.

They picked their way across strange, glossy flat lands, hooves clopping the surface like glass. Obsidian found himself gazing at his own reflection mirrored back at him within his namesake. Entire fields of obsidian spanned the valley for miles, shimmering resplendently, just as mysterious as the boy named after it. Every so often they passed by small steaming pits that spewed forth boiling, foul-smelling water. The earth puckered and heaved, belching toxicity as if it was ill and badly needed care. Yellow clouds blanketed the ground, choking any life that had even attempted to show its face there.

They halted at the end of the bridge, the pennants flapping in a sudden breeze. The sentinel were here as well, sitting obediently, watching. Beryl once again dropped from the saddle and approached the bridge.

Almost immediately, the head of one of the sentinels turned toward her with a grinding, crunching sound, it's eyes darting. It watched Beryl with imitated life, animated by something unseen and, to Obsidian, unknown. It moved like an animal, but its movements were stiff and jolting, as if it was frozen in an everlasting shell. It jerked its stony eyes toward Obsidian and he saw no soul within its depths, only the emptiness of carved stone. It leaped fluidly from its pedestal and stalked toward him with sudden animistic hunger, as if his presence had brought it to life somehow and, though it was still clearly stone, it behaved like a real animal, muscles rippling as it zeroed in on the boy, completely ignoring the horse he sat astride. The veins in the suddenly alive stone crawling across its ugly face like ripples in a silent pond.

Beryl spoke to it then, stepping in the creature's path, the language foreign and yet familiar. She spoke with care, choosing words that seemed almost as if she were speaking backward. The Dragon-lion ceased its predatory movement and cocked its head, listening. Eventually, it gave the animal equivalent of a nod and retreated back to its position and Beryl returned to Obsidian. She slipped into the saddle once again and urged the horse forward yet again, this time toward Stormheight.

People stopped to stare as the pair clopped through Stormheight's village. The streets were squeaky clean, except for various clumps of coal cast aesthetically about in artful heaps. Soot lined the cracks of the perfectly spaced cobbles, making the road look like a two lane chessboard. Suddenly the earth rumbled and Obsidian instinctively glanced at the ground should he need to flee the back of his mount. He gasped as the cracks between the stones pulsed red hot. He stared at the road, baffled that the villagers simply kept walking as the road continued to flash and black as if nothing had happened.

The villagers themselves ambled about in leather, velvet and silk of varying dark shades, most notably cream, forest green, burgundy, and black. Not a single strip of cloth was frayed or torn, but the clothes had a distinct, fashionably charred look. Here, jewel-colored hair was also the norm, but piled in more elaborate designs; braids spun into towering spirals held firm by charred chopsticks, some still smoking, having been recently pulled from the flame. No one seemed to mind the heat or the ash-filled air, in fact it seemed to invigorate everyone. Pendents carved from chunks of hardened coal, obsidian, pumice, and other volcanic substances graced heaving breasts, contrasting pale collar bones.

Here the dress code was less restrictive for males but still attractive. Creme-colored silk shirts browned from fire around the edges seemed to be the favorite fashion of choice, usually unbuttoned with the buttons gleaming in the dim sun. Multitudes of volcanic glasses hung around their slender necks in sharp, jagged claws. In Colorsfall, the trend of jewels surgically installed within the skin was only just becoming popular. In Stormheight, it was top fashion. Stones of every size, color, and shape grew from translucent skin like bubbles in newly boiled water. Women preferred reasons to expose as much skin as possible, so stones embedded along the back, shoulders, hips, and thighs were routinely requested. For males, intricate designs clustered on the chest, brow, or along the arms were more pleasing. Some individuals went so far as to embed entire pieces of jewelry into their skin, working twine, leather and even wire within their bodies.

A young woman approached them, beautiful with strands of still-smoking coal turned white nestled within the tiers of her voluminous hair. She bowed as she came close, standing a respectful distance from the horse. Beryl nodded her consent, but kept a protective arm around the boy.

Obsidian watched the woman stare at him. She admired him unabashedly, her eyes roving his bare chest, messy ebony hair, and chalky pallor. She gasped as her eyes met his and she leaped forward, forgetting social boundaries.

“Wow! Those are some gorgeous slits!”, she gestured at his eyes. “What kind of plates do you use?” She reached toward them, but Beryl intercepted her, smacking the offending hand away with a  crack. The woman yelped and stepped back and Beryl kicked her mount. They left her in a cloud of soot.

[thescribesloft]

More Jeweler’s Hands Culture

There is no paper. History is told orally or through really, really long necklaces inspired from the South American Quipu. Each string represents a year and knots or beads represent events and general information about that year.

Time is recorded differently. The seasons are named after the four Seasonal Dragons: The Emerald Shoot (Spring), The Ruby Heart (Summer), The Sapphire Breaker (Fall), and The Diamond Sisters (Winter). 

The years are named after prominent queens of the era. Example: The Fourth Year of the Reign of Queen Tourmaline. They shorten it to Four to Tourmaline, similar to tally marks. The numbers go as high as long as the queen rules and start over from one when a new queen takes the throne.

When typically referring to age, boys are ‘Winter-born’ and girls are ‘Summer-born’ regardless of either being born in one of the other two seasons. When an individual is asked their age, a boy will refer to themselves as ‘blank number of Winters’ and a girl will refer to themselves as ‘blank number of Summers’. So ‘Summer’ and ‘Winter’ are just another word for ‘year’. This is because males are considered undesirable and winter is associated death and infertility while summer is the height of growth and health.

Jewelers wear any number of different kinds of jewelry. At birth, a child is given their namesake necklace containing the jewel that determines their name. It is considered the height of bad manners and embarrassment to not always wear their birth necklace. Giving it to anyone else is a sign of promise and respect. Similar to swearing allegiance or even slavery to another. It literally strips them of their identity.

Young males have seeding beads, which are tiny beads tied or braided into the end of the hair to signify purity. They are typically removed after their virginity is taken.

Marriage jewelry can take many forms and is usually given at the discretion of the female. Typically bracelets or armlets, they can also be earrings, anklets, or rings.

Seeding jewelry is basically an invitation by a woman for sex and that piece of jewelry usually becomes the marriage jewelry. Refusing seeding jewelry or to seed a woman is an insult and looked down upon.

In Jeweler religion, there is a place called the Prism. It is the alignment of certain villages with temples for all eight of the Dragon all in a row. Religious Jeweler’s travel to the center of the Prism and meditate, praying while facing one direction along the line and then the other. It’s a spiritual pilgrimage and young girls are taken on these trips before and after prominent events in their lives such as marriage, pregnancy, and entry into womanhood. The center of the Prism is supposed to be the country’s capitol, Stormheight.

In Jeweler religion, there are three guardians of sorts called the Priestesses. There are typically three and they go through rigorous training. They are basically warrior nuns. They are supposed to be celibate and can only become a Priestess if a previous Priestess selects and trains her. They are Keepers of the Divine Court and can select a particular Dragon as a patron. Each Priestess has a duty to perform and wears a necklace passed down to them by a previous Priestess. The necklace is a special key that can neutralize a dangerous stone and extract information from it and project it into the Priestess’s mind.

Jeweler language is very difficult to learn, but beautiful to hear and Jewelers often make up nonsense phrases to confuse and distract the enemy. The sound is guttural and almost keening with a slight lisp. Many of the syllables have be said with force and with bared teeth to be properly pronounced and the result is terrifying. Most Jewelers don’t even use words and simply communicate through grunts and growls.

[thescribesloft]

Jeweler’s Hands: The Races

The Jewelers

Pale skinned with jewel or stone-colored hair

Very artisanal. They work with their hands

Material wealth

Males have no rights. Females are aggressive and possessive

Polytheistic. They worship a pantheon of eight Dragons

Based on Asian cultures

Mainly mountainous terrain with many volcanoes, dark forests, and rocky shores with cliffs 

The capitol, Stormheight, is located over a lava lake (Yeah, cliché, I know)

Generally keeps to itself as a country, but is under duress due to the queen’s pride, so trade relations are few and far between

They are aggressive, but highly structured and value tact, organization, and precision above all else.

The Eolarians

Dark skinned with dark hair

Mostly agricultural with some artisanal. They grow grains, bake bread, and brew wine and beer

Agricultural wealth

Female orientated society, but males have some rights to an extent

Animistic. They have respect for the earth, but no clear religion

Based on African cultures

Some desert, some grassland further inland, very lush near the capitol

The capitol, The Haeve, is located at the mouth of a river, beside the sea

Keeps to itself, but is often attacked by other countries. Has a cautious trading relationship with the Pirates

They are mainly peaceful, but will defend if provoked and are considered savage in many of their methods. They are more free with their ideas and each other

The Pirates

A mix of the above, both genetically and socially. Comprised mostly of criminals and deserters.

Seafaring. They trade some in fish, and some in jewelry. They also participate in the buying and selling of human flesh.

Trading wealth as well as plundering

Mostly female orientated, but there are some male captains who have killed and raped their way to the top

A mix of religions, but they mostly like to tell scary stories and try to scare each other

Based on both Asian and African cultures

Sea, but often set up base on unpopulated islands

There isn’t really a capitol, but there is a flagship, The Swordhilt.

Have a decent trading relationship with Eolar and Stormbreach, but prefer to plunder and take what they want

They are aggressive, but will do anything for a price and within reason. They know where the money is

The Masculinists

A mix of the above

They prefer to pillage and steal as they have no established culture or source of income

Plundered wealth

Comprised of mainly males with some sympathetic females

No religion

Indian culture

They took over a small peninsula and integrated it’s existing culture. The peninsula is hot and rainy and sometimes dry

The capitol was razed and now the Masculinists live in small tribe-like villages

They have no trading relationship

They are unpredictable, brutal, and dangerous

[thescribesloft]

Jeweler’s Hands: The Sanguinite Statues

Obsidian followed Beryl's and Zircon's lead and urged his mount forward out and into the street. They made their way down the streets of Stomheight toward the great gates. He turned in the saddle to look back at his friends and saw the apprehension in Nickel when they approached the sanguinite gates. He remembered when he'd been talking with Nickel, the other boy had expressed a fear of leaving the safety of the city's walls.

They stopped in front of the sanguinite gates and Beryl leapt from her mount to open the gates. Obsidian heard the tell tale sound of stone grinding against stone and spotted the stone lion-like dragons that had been cameoflaged among the other stones. They approached Beryl peacefully as she whispered incantations to open the gates, mimicking an animal behavior by appearing to sniff at her.

Until it spotted Obsidian.

Old fear leapt into his throat and he froze at the memories of the creature stalking him when Beryl had first brought him to Stormbreach.

The creature's muscles rippled as it started to stalk Obsidian, eyes glowing hungrily. His horse sensed the predatory gaze, though the lion beast was not focused on him, and began to prance nervously.

Zircon drew a long, jagged-looking blade and maneuvered her horse to stand between Obsidian and the beast. She pointed the tip of the sword at the beast. “Beryl, hurry please.” Her voie was calm, but tinged with worry.

“What's going on?” Obsidian heard Nickel ask from the back of the group only to be silenced by one of the other warriors.

Beryl ignored Zircon, clearly too far into her trance to pay them much mind. She quietly mumured at the gates, whispering her incantations.

By now, the sanguinite dragon-lion was too close for comfort. Zircon called to the warriors behind her and they urged their mounts forward to surround the unnatual creature, swords drawn to fend it off. It ignored them, focused only on Obsidian, the first male it had spotted.

Zircon pushed Obsidian back with her own horse's body, trying to shield him. She kept her blade pointed unwaveringly at the beast, ready to jump from the saddle and battle it before it could reach Obsidian.

Briefly in his mind, Obsidian wondered why the woman was even trying protect him. Not that he was ungrateful, but he knew she didn't like him, so why all the effort?

The creature continued to approach, the rising sun glinting off it's carved black, red, and green fur, reminding them all that the creature was not alive.

Or was it?

The sanguinite beast stopped just infront of Zircon's horse, apparantly frustrated that it couldn't see Obsidian. It quickly solved that problem by leaping up onto Zircon's horse, bring it to the ground in a squealing heap. Zircon leapt free, striking the statue with her blade. It glanced off the beast's head, doing no harm at all. Obsidian cried out as his horse reared onto it's hind legs and kicked the air in fright as the Sanguinite dragon-lion's stone claws dug into the neck of Zircon’s horse’s neck. It's flesh turned to dust, leaving behind a gooey and sticky skeleton. Obsidian jolted, both at the sudden death of a frightened, squealing animal and at the difference in the way it killed from the statue in Stormheight's main square. He rocked backward in the saddle and pulled the reins back slightly, using his weight and hands to urge his mount back. The animal willingly complied and they back-peddled even as the statue followed them hungrily.

Zircon struck the beast with blow after glancing blow, growling when it did no good. She slipped between Obsidian and the statue, careful not to touch it. She knew what would happen if she did.

“Beryl!” She cried out, “What is the incantation? How do you quell it?” She swung at the creature, but it just kept coming, giant stone paws silent on the dirt path.

Obsidian saw movement out of the cornder of his eye and turned his head to the left. Onyx had appeared, nudging his horse to stand in front of Obsidian, his large body leaning forward in the saddle, trying to shield the younger boy. Nickel appeard on Obsidian's other side, trying to get his nervous horse under control. He was pale and very frightened, but had urged his mount closer to Obsidian. He reached out his hand and Obsidian took his arm, hauling himself into the other boy's mount. Nickel clicked his tongue and his horse side stepped until they were a safe distance away, giving the warriors more room to fend off the statue.

Zircon shouted orders, brandishing her sword experly. Suddenly, she looked around wildy, searching. She found Nickel and Obsidian a good distance away and looked relieved. Nickel adjusted himself in the saddle, ready to take off at the first signal.

While she wasn't looking, Zricon was knocked to the ground. The statue had broken through the ranks of warriors and was still pacing toward Obsidian and Nickel this time with a vengeance. Zircon rolled as soon as she hit the ground, the statue's paws having only glanced off her armor. She called out to Nickel and told him to head back to the city. The boy fumbled to obey, but he wan't quick enough. The statue had leapt the remaining distance between them and had now cut off their escape as if it had anticipated their intentions. Nickel's horse reared and deposited the two boys onto the ground even though they tried to grab a hold.

The statue was before them, ignoring the frightened horse. It was focused only on the two males. With gleaming eyes, it crouched, ready to launch. Nickel and Obsidian both stuggled backward on their hands and feet, still facing the threat. Nickel started to whimper.

A sudden blur drew it's attention and placed itself in the statue’s path, yet again blocking it's prize. Onyx had dismounted at some point and now stood between the statue and his friends, holding a large chunk of sanguinite wrapped in his cloak.

The dragon-lion seemed to understand the challange, and with a terrifying screech of stone against stone, rose onto it's hind legs. Onyx was dwarfed by the monolith, but he didn't back down. The chunk of rock he'd found was sharp like a sword and he used it like one, swinging at the statue.

The statue continued to approach, it's interest drawn from Obsidian and Nickel to the much larger Onyx. Any male flesh was all the same to please it's palate.

“Beryl!” Zircon shoved Onyx out of the way and took his place, casting a look at Nickel and Obsidian on the ground with a look of irritation, at whom the look was directed, they couldn't tell.

The statue ignored Zircon once more and stalked Onyx, who'd dropped his chunk of sanguinite and was now scrambling for it. It was on him before he could react and now stood over him, the boy's large body between it's gargantuan stone paws. Nickel cried out and Obsidian sat, frozen to the spot, unable to move as he waited for his friend to be devoured.

The grating sound of stone tearing into stone met their ears once more, but it was more like the screech of a rusty gate. The beast was chomping angrily on something, but it was not Onyx. It was a few inches above him. He'd managed to retrieve the chunk of sanguite and now the statue had found itself distracted with chomping on a piece of stone hewn from it's own kind. Onyx grunted as he struggled beneath the statue, trying to gain some sort of ground, but he was no match for the stone creature as it pushed him into the dirt.

“Beryl!” Zircon screamed again, “Do something!” She and the other warriors wrapped themselves in their cloaks and attampted to push the statue off of Onyx.

[thescribesloft]

Cultural notes of the Jewelers

The country where Jewelers live is called Stormbreach. The capitol is called Stormheight.

All Jewelers have pale skin, dark eyes and jewel-colored hair. Obsidian is the only one with different colored eyes. They are usually thin and lean with slanted eyes and graceful features.

Every person has a necklace that represents their personality usually given to them at birth by a parent. The necklace contains the gem or stone of their namesake.

Jewelers express everything in jewelry. Love. Happiness. Kindness. Stealing, changing, or destroying someone else’s jewelry is an irreversible insult.

Males are considered the lower form of life and are often treated as nothing more than slaves. They are seen as breeders and little else.

Every Jeweler has a signature. A type of jewelry they are good at making. Some are best at beading, some at braiding, others at silversmithing. Females have the higher class skills like braiding and beading. Males tend to be skilled in mining and blacksmithing. 

Jewelry is in everything. Woven into clothing, hair and even skin. Girls like to surgically insert gems and stones into the skin. Sort of like tattooing today. Walls are practically made of beads, animals’ fur is braided with it. Jewelry hangs from rooftops and eaves and curtains each room.

The Dragons are the deities of the Jewelers. They are worshipped like gods. Each Dragon represents something special in Jeweler life.

If you haven’t figured out why it’s called Jeweler’s Hands by now, I’m going to slap you.

[thescribesloft]

I'd love to know more about Jeweler's Hand! Could you tell me a bit about the protag and other main characters? (I love gemstones so!! I'm very intrigued)

Well, you already know a lot about Obsidian, so I’ll tell you more about my other characters.

Diamond is his little sister. He is closest to her because they share the same father, Ore. Diamond is a sweet little baby, but she is the world’s most tactless girl. She calls them how she sees them and isn’t afraid to insult someone. She loves hearing the stories Obsidian tells her about the Dragons. She is still young, so she isn’t really aware of the male and female boundaries of their culture yet. There is actually a really cute scene where she asks Obsidian what the bead in a young male’s hair is for and he is embarrassed to tell her even though they are siblings.

Emerald is another interesting character. Obsidian has a huge crush on her, but she ignores him, her interests elsewhere. She plays a big part in his life, though, and she soon starts to see him in a different light, but he loses interest. Diamond hates her, though. Emerald becomes the leader of Obsidian’s village, Colorsfall and makes a deal with Diamond to help her with a task.

Chrystal is Obsidian’s mother and the mother of all his other sisters. She is the village leader. She is wise and beautiful and is a Priestess of the Dragons. She and two other women wear a necklace to symbolize their power. It is a silver four-toed Dragon claw pendant with a jewel clutched within the talons. The gem is different for all three women; Chrystal’s is a white crystal. The pendant is worn down and has a pinkish tint to it. The necklace is plaited with light pink pearls and silver. She is the High Priestess, the leader and commander of the hearts of men and women. She is responsible for seeing to it that the Dragons’ bidding is carried out.

Ore is Obsidian and Diamond’s father and Chrystal’s favorite husband and lover. Chrystal married four men because Jeweler society is a polygamous society and having one husband would be strange and insulting. Ore is the perfect husband; strong, loyal, and loving. Like Obsidian, he trusts too much and gets burnt harshly. Out of anyone, he is the most faithful of the Dragons and becomes a key part in events to come in Obsidian and Rudy’s lives.

Ginger is Obsidian’s mentor and is a cross between Mama Odie from the Princess and the Frog and the Fates from Hercules. She is from Eolar, the neighboring country and has dark skin. She, too, is a Priestess and wears a necklace identical to Chrystal’s except it has a different stone in it. She is the soothsayer and shaman of Stormheight. She assists people in the realm of the spiritual. She is also a bit of a pervert.

Aquamarine is Colorsfall’s village healer and is also a little kooky. She is an older woman and was married to a man from Eolar. She is quieter than Ginger and more aggressive than Chrystal. She is the warrior of the three. She is responsible for caring for the Dragons’ temples and recruiting new Priestesses. She becomes Diamond’s mentor.

[thescribesloft]

Hello!! Would you be so kind as to give me a rundown of your current WIP, as well as tell me your favorite character? Thank you ever so much! Have a magnificent day!

One of my current works right now is Jeweler’s Hands.

It’s about a boy of twelve years called Obsidian who is born with a gift called Dragonfire. This gift allows him to see the future through the dreams of himself or anyone around him.

He lives in a post-apocalyptic world where women have turned the tables and are now the rulers. Men are, at best, second class. His country is called Stormbreach and there they worship Dragons. There are eight Dragons in all and they all have a different purpose.

Obsidian is also a Jeweler. That is his race. Jewelers make rocks, stones, metals, and jewels their life. Literally their life revolves around them. They believe these things have mystical powers and bring them closer to the Dragons.

Obsidian is known as a Gemeye. Gemeyes are only born every 2000 years and can be random, not genetic. Gemeyes are usually male and their powers manifest in different ways. Obsidian’s specific power manifestation is turning his prophecy dreams into jewelry. He specializes in knotting, which is unusual for men. Another sign of his power is that he has luminescent cobalt blue eyes. No one really knows what Gemeyes are for or what it is exactly that they do. They remain a mystery, yet a part of Jeweler beliefs.

One Prophecy that involves Obsidian personally is this:

When the Heart breaks, so shall the Earth suffer.

Everyone has spent lifetimes wondering how, why, and when it will happen, but it has yet to occur.

Obsidian is also hated by his very large family, mainly his half sisters. They conspire to do away with him and eventually sell him to the country’s capitol, Stormheight. There Obsidian realizes there is more to the Prophecy than everyone thought.

My favorite character is Rudy. He is a Dragon Obsidian befriends and later learns is part of the Prophecy. He is a little dense, but more loyal than any dog and loves unconditionally.

Thanks for the question! I hope this answers your questions!