middaeg | [open] how am i gonna be an optimist about this

[ As much as he does attempt to stay aware of things, there are times that a project just calls for full attention. Luckily he isn't actually working at the forge for the moment, but he is hunched over his worktable, very focused on bending an impressive amount of wire into detailed shapes.

It's only when he has to rise a little out of his position to stretch out his back that he notices a figure at the window and starts slightly. A blink and a re-shift of his glasses later and the figure materializes into a person who appears to be trying to get his attention. Ah.

He nods once in return and then vanishes from view, reappearing a moment later as the door opens. ]

Hello? [ He peers over, then further when he realizes the person is still over by the window. ] Ah. Jaskier, was it? Can I help you?

[Or the windows are very thick. However others may approach the problem, Jaskier is definitely not going to be quiet and let himself be ignored. Besides, it's different when he recognizes the face inside. Probably.]

Percy, my good friend! I didn't realize you were here. [He hops up the steps, keeping his bag carefully by his side so it doesn't bounce around. Didn't realize you were here was perfectly accurate, and vague enough to imply he, perhaps, had not forgotten anything from their conversation when he was, er, less than sober, whether he'd said it or not. Very clever.]

If you have some time, I do believe you could. You have some experience in blacksmithing, I imagine, being here. Do you know much about, ah... explosives?

[ One of Percy's eyebrows immediately shoots upward at the question, but his expression is more bemused than anything. He steps out of the doorway to let Jaskier inside and shuts the door behind him once he's in. This is not a conversation to be had in public. ]

I do, in point of fact.

[ His own world's foremost expert, probably, not that it means much here. But the fact that it's being brought up now, by this particular gentleman, is pulling a thread of amusement out of him, followed by just the slightest tinge of alarm. ]

[Ah. Right. He steps inside, shifting his bag. Not so much nervously as he is excited by the prospect of what a collaboration could bring him. If, of course, Percy is willing.

Jaskier brought plenty of coin, just in case.]

Wonderful! A big deal of good news, because I've been going by scrolls and, er, guesswork. I would like to say I have not blown up anything of consequence. [Wait, he feels like he recognizes the impending concern. Jaskier is, while not very caring of how he comes off, very aware of it.] Before you ask, it's not to hurt anyone. It's simply a sleeping spell -- like a smoke -- I've been attempting to seal inside a weapon. A, ah, bomb.

[He takes one of the spheres he's crafted with reinforced black glass, fashioned mostly from a potion bottle that he's enchanted to not shatter. The point, in his mind, was to make a spell that could be used by someone who was not a witch, which wouldn't cause any harm. And, most importantly, to contain no silver traces.] There's a pressure mechanism in the top that's supposed to have a three second timer, but they sort of... go off when they feel like it, and not quite as fantastically as I'd like. I don't suppose you could look it over? Witch or not, I'm terribly far from being a weaponsmith.

Edited 2020-08-25 06:50 (UTC)

[ His head cocks to the side as the sphere is produced, but as Percy listens he finds both of his eyebrows lifting this time. Jaskier managed all that on guesswork? It's impressve.

He pauses a second, then holds out a hand to see if the man will let him take a closer look. ]

As it happens, I was working on something similar myself not too long ago. [ Well that definitely had been a weapon, considering the amount of black powder he'd put into it. This sounds decidedly more interesting. ] What were you using for the timing mechanism?

[He hands it over without ceremony. Guesswork and picking a Witcher's brain and... more guesswork, filling in the blanks, because it's Geralt. For once in his life, he'd love to meet a mouthy Witcher. The stories he'd be able to get from that one --]

Oh, really? I believe that's what we call fortuitous, then.

[He tilts the sphere up, pushing down on a couple of pins that Geralt had already smashed a bit.] Here, I, er, think. Honestly I got a bit of help with this from another Coven witch, so I'm not entirely sure how it all works. I say spell, but I suppose it's a bit more like a potion? There's a reactive bit inside between some liquids, I think the pin mixes them... but perhaps it's not working as it should?

[This is all guesswork. Oh, gods. The terrible things he's probably going to create from guesswork.] What did you base yours off of?

[ Percy makes a thoughtful sort of sound, though something slightly wry flickers through his expression, gone a second later. Potions are very much not his area of expertise, so Jaskier may find his advice a bit lacking there. But he hesitates for just a second before handing the thing back over, and moves towards his worktable to pick up one of the prototypes he's so far managed not to explode. ]

Clockworks. [ He holds the little metal sphere up for Jaskier to see, then pulls it apart to show him the tiny, intricate gearwork inside. ] Once it's cranked, it slowly adds tension to a spring, which eventually sets of a flint to ignite the powder inside.

[ Which only really works with something flammable, but. Percy shrugs and sets both halves down again. ]

Two very different angles, but we may be able to meet somewhere in the middle.

Clockworks? [It takes him a moment to put together clock and, well, whatever that little thing Percy is holding is.] Oh, right, the ticking things.

[Excuse him, he is vastly outdated even by Victorian times. His brows raise as he stares at the sphere. Shit. And here he thought his potions were advanced.] It's so tiny.

[It is startling realizing how completely out of his depth he is here. Of course he is, considering he is far from a weaponsmaker, yet... oof. Well, no matter. He has to continue for Geralt's sake.]

Admittedly I don't understand exactly how that works, but I believe I get the gist. If I can form something ignitable with the same effects... [Oh, that sounded fascinating.] The important part, I would assume, is making sure the, er, machinations are not destroyed in the use of the weapon. I'm afraid I don't have that much coin.

Ah. [ That is a bit more of a conundrum. And not something Percy's considered much, given that he tends to work primarily in explosions. But he cocks his head, considering, then moves to find a mostly-clean sheet of paper and a pencil, drawing out a very vague image as he talks. ]

Perhaps something to hold your two liquids separate, until it ticks down and releases to let them mix together. As long as it's not incendiary or damaged, it conceivably should be possible to reset and fill it.

[ He twists the page towards Jaskier, a sketched sphere with a small wall dividing it into two halves and the suggestion of the machinery that might move it along the back. ] Something like that?

[As much as Jaskier's foray into weapon-making could be the result of his typical foolhardiness, the way he rubs his fingers together as Percy thinks it over belies that he is, in fact, quite invested. He doens't want Geralt getting hurt because he couldn't get the timing right.

A miracle the Witcher even trusted his weapons at all, honestly.]

Now that's an idea. [He peers over Percy's shoulder. The sketch looks as Percy described. Less a powder, more liquids. The closer to potions they were, the more help he could possibly find.] I have to bow to your expertise in the matter, but I think that will suit me fine. I'm leaning away from, ah... actual explosions, as it were.

[By gods, the man might actually be a professional. Who knew going to someone who has knowledge in the matter would help?] If you would construct me three or four of these, I would be indebted.

[ The idea of avoiding blowing anything up earns Jaskier a brief flicker of an amused look, but Percy lets it lie in favor of straightening back up. Well, he had wanted to do something other than weapons. This isn't quite there, but it is at least heading in that direction. ] I'll see what I can do. It will probably require a fair amount of testing before I can be certain it's viable.

[ Theoretically it's simple enough, but Percy's done this long enough that he knows just how many places a build can go wrong in. Just because there's no black powder in this one doesn't mean it isn't still potentially dangerous.

How exciting. ]

At some point I'll need to know what sort of potions you're using so I can test those too.

[Jaskier waves that concern off.] Luckily, I am not so much in a hurry. My companion actually using the things will just have to put up with my shite contraption for the time being. [Wasn't he just concerned about Geralt dying because the timing was off? Yep. But As long as he's got a warning about it not being precise, that should absolutely be enough for the witcher.

Jaskier's done his job.]

Oh, absolutely! [He puffs up, clearly thrilled to share his (limited) knowledge of potions and mixtures therein. He may as well have mastered the art in his mind.] I can be along later today with some example mixtures. Do you have an interest in potions at all? Or you a weapons-man only?

I can't say that I've ever worked with them before.

[ In any respect, aside from taking them. But let it not be said that Percy isn't happy to learn new things, so long as they don't actually require any magic being done. He's willing to take the offer at face value, for all that he flicks Jaskier a faintly amused look in the meantime. ]

Call it weapons-primarily. [ As much as he has been trying to branch out otherwise. But Percy's always known what's useful, and what he's good at. ] And armor, occasionally.

Ah, well. Me either. Before now.

[Weapons-man, then. Didn't they all seem to be in this day and age? Magic-men, too, as far as Aefenglom goes. It's not so bad. Jaskier has yet to be robbed by any of these weapon/magic/armor-wielding Mirrorbound. Everyone's been quite nice, actually.]

Ah. I have a friend who will love you. I'll send him over. [He considers.] If he hasn't hunted you down already.

[That's a bit of an idea, isn't it? Perhaps he could fashion some sort of armor down the line. When his studies have been more... thorough.] Well, Percy, my good man, I do appreciate all your help. I'll be back around with those potions. Perhaps teach you a thing myself. [Don't bet on it, Percy.] You'll be sure to receive much more of my coin down the line if this all goes swimmingly.

[open] how am i gonna be an optimist about this

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wrapping up if it works for you!