[PRP] Unmask Me [Maximus / Eulalia]

[GunSniper]

After a long trek around the nations Maximus had decided to take a trip to his own kin's land. He didn't really consider himself part of the fire tribe, rather a wanderer with lots of work to do. The Dark Tribe had commissioned him for several projects in addition to water and even earth. Maximus loved the forge and every bit of his work. There were very little complaints to his lonely way of life. The quiet was a wonderful time to reflect on a variety of things.

The smell of ash and heat filled his nostrils. It was not quite as glorious as a forge's scent, but it was pleasant none the less. He could see the billowing smoke of the volcano rising up out of the earth like a thick puffy tree trunk. The land ahead glowed with the lava-flow that surrounded the great volcano. Steam rose up from and distorted the horizon ahead. It was still some distance before the true heat of the land could be felt, but winds were carrying the scent right to him.

He drew a deep breath before looking over his shoulders to his large sacks filled with various metals, ore, and smithing tools. There was still room for some supplies should he come across them in this territory, but the pack along with a stone hammer holstered at his side were proving to be quite the burden.

Hoshi Lockhart

 

[GunSniper]

Maximus blinked before he slowly looked away from his loot and tools. He was surprised to say the least at the company. Normally he didn't have many encounters on his travels. There had been very few in his in-between destinations that every time it was a surprise. Pleasant or not, it was a welcome change.

"Help you say?" Maximus responded with a deep gruff voice, almost as if the mountain behind them itself had spoken.

"hmn..." He rumbled while he sized up the B'alam before him. "Have you seen any odd rocks?"

With a flick of his head he gestured to his back-pack. Behind him his tail raised than formed a question mark. *He did take note of the familiar silver item by the female B'alam before him. Surely that was one of his recent works commissioned by the water tribe? A fun task that was. Maximus begun to recall the entire set he had made. Though, he did not get to see all who had obtained the masks, he remembered crafting each one quite vividly.

Hoshi Lockhart

*This plot was cleared by Thalion before posting. Maximus was responsible for crafting the Chronicler's Masks along with another blacksmith owned by Dreamer. Just so you guys know, it wasn't random. <:  

[GunSniper]

"hmn" Maximus hummed to the inquiry.

The answer always seemed obvious to him. Each rock was different to a point, but some were especially different.

"The ones that catch your eye." Maximus replied the only way he knew. "The ones worth stopping to look it."

Of course, he was unaware that another might view the same rock completely differently. There were signs to look for in a rock that it truly might be special. Some were on the outside, but some hid their beauty within.

As his mind thought on rocks he moved his attention away from the familiarity of the mask. At least for the moment. His posture remained perfectly statuesque while he thought more on how to classify the odd rocks he was looking for.

Hoshi Lockhart

 

[GunSniper]

Maximus watched the nantlil drift around for what might be considered an "odd" rock. Even from a distance he inspected the rocks she came across to see what she may gauge as strange. He couldn't explain why that was fascination, perhaps it was because he had never really had any one else look for him. It was interesting to see what others would consider odd.

Once she seemed to have found one he leaned his head closer before slowly moving closer. His tail curled up and formed a "c" as he drew closer and saw the rock a bit more clearly.

"hmn... yes." He squinted as he peered closer at the light markings lacing the outside of the rock. "This is an odd one, in the most fascinating way."

Hoshi Lockhart

 

[GunSniper]

"It comes with time if you continue to search for the right ones." Maximus added as he continued to inspect the rock she had found. It was really a good find. And on her first try. This must have been one fortunate B'alam.

"hmn... Well-" he looked away from the rock and gestured to her mask. "Some can be made into hard metal than crafted into such things, like your mask. Others, the rare ones, can be mixed with other rocks and made into other things."

He leaned forward and shook his thick fur bound in golden rings, just to draw attention to them for an example.

"Some B'alam like to wear these rocks as decorations... it all depends on what you find. Some cannot be crafted, however. They are still just as unique though."

Maximus wondered what it must have been like to be an Earth-tribe b'alam. Like the one he saw shifting rocks by mere thought. They must be really good at searching for odd rocks. They lacked the fire it took to mold them though... At least, that is what he had observed.

Hoshi Lockhart

 

[GunSniper]

Maximus looked over the rocks again than smiled warmly to her comment.

"Hmm, Looks can be deceiving." He noted with a nod. "It takes more than the rocks themselves. They need fire, care, and eventually a fine touch to make something beautiful."

It took a while to make good armor, jewelry, anything really, but the end result was always rewarding. Maximus thought back to his first work and how rough it was. That steel armor for a gray b'alam, "Sir. Robert". It was not as nice or smooth as the masks, but it was still rewarding.

"Hard work is rewarded with beautiful works. It is all the more rewarding if you can remember the rocks they came from. Your mask was once a pile of odd rocks. Each one found this land, but forged elsewhere."

Hoshi Lockhart

 

[GunSniper]

Even past Maximus' thick dreadlocks that appeared to be covering his eyes, he could see the amazement in the other nan's face. It was refreshing to catch someone as fascinated by rocks as he was. Or rather what the potential outcome of the rocks could be was remarkable.

As the mask was brought up, Maximus shifted his sight to the limp bulging in the leather sack at her side.

"Hmm-" He begun as he studied the 'mask' without even really looking at the actual object. "I made it along with my good friend."

He spoke the feat as simply as if it were like breathing. Each of the Chronicler's masks were of his and Forge's creation. Both had put in quite a bit of effort getting the stones and melting them into something of beauty that would be word by ones even more so. A small smile tugged at one corner of his mouth while he recalled the creation each mask.

"We used my most precious stones for each one to be sure they were all unique, yet unchanged from the others... hmm... no easy task, but it is one that I am quite proud of."

Hoshi Lockhart