If Staves Could Talk (Talvas)

 Talvas deserves a break, unfortunately he will not get it- enjoy!

“Master, you said you would teach me a new spell.” I remind Neloth as he enters the lab having returned from a conversation with Varona regarding a much needed supply trip. “That was before you ruined that staff. Fix the staff, and then I may teach you it.” Grumpy, as usual, I should have waited until after he had his first cup of tea for the day to ask. “Of course, master. Right away.” That and a quick bow of respect seems to put the old man in a slightly better mood, though still less than cheerful. Running off to the other side of the lab where the staff sits I dig out my notes on the matter. While attempting to enchant it somehow it broke, making it rather useless aside from being a potential crude pointy weapon. Neloth remains on the other side of the lab closer to the enchanting table silently reading through recent letters and notes and occasionally looking over to me, as such I keep my head down and try to at least appear busy while figuring out what it is I need to do.

Sometimes I wonder what they might say if staves could talk. Would they wonder why you keep recharging them with only petty soul gems? Or tell stories of their adventures through the ages, and the many mages they traveled with? I ponder the question while prepping my materials, first some glue and resin is needed along with a brush that can withstand the wear and tear, water, and a clamp of some sort in order to place the broken pieces back together. After some rummaging through the neglected storage room mostly full of leftover rice, tea, and clean laundry that needs to be put away I find what I need. Carefully, having set up a space for things to dry and set up the materials I set about the process of putting together the broken bits of wood. A layer of glue first to keep the pieces in place before adding some resin, a technique more commonly used when making armor but also applicable in this case for added sturdiness. After attaching the clamps to make sure the pieces dry in the correct places I carefully set the staff aside for the time being. Neloth looks over and makes a noise of not quite approval, but not annoyance, and that’s the closest thing I’ll get to a compliment at this point, so I’ll take it.

Passing the time I look through the library for what useful information can be found regarding the repair and upkeep of enchanted staves. Most of the information is more related to keeping the staff properly charged than what to do should physical damage occur, and is not particularly useful. I would ask Neloth for help, but that rarely goes over well. Master Neloth is a very great wizard, and it’s an honor for him to have taken me on as an apprentice, but he really is a terrible teacher. Unfortunately, not many of the master wizards take apprentices, being too busy with their own research and household staff to have the time, or simply dislike young people. Eventually I find some semblance of information that could prove useful, particularly now that I will have to enchant the staff all over again from scratch.

After a brief break for lunch it’s time for the clamps to be removed, and miraculously things stay in place. Neloth had stepped out after lunch to head into raven rock, something about the strange structure being built there, leaving me alone. It’s a good thing too, I think he would have had something to say about my not quite squeal of joy at the staff not collapsing on itself upon removal of the clamps. “I wonder what you would have to say if you could talk, probably not too happy with me?” I rhetorically ask the staff as I place it back on the table. “But it would probably be a lot nicer than what master Neloth usually says. I don’t know how you dealt with him for so long. Honestly, I don’t even know where he found you, he must have found you somewhere, right? I don’t see Neloth being someone fond of woodworking…” I make a mental note to one day ask Neloth how he sources these unenchanted blank staves, after I successfully repair this one, of course. With much of the basic work done now comes the moment of truth, the enchantment process. Given it’s dragon shaped head this staff will become one associated with the destruction school of magic. Flipping through the spell-book left in the room by the staff enchanter which was thankfully left unlocked I find a simple yet effective fire spell, this should do just fine.

The process takes time, effort, and no small amount of concentration, along with a number of petty soul gems as those were all that were left around. Master Neloth tends to not let me use those of a greater power after I accidentally trapped a fairly weak soul into a grand soul gem…not my brightest moment, but better than the ash guardian incident I suppose. At the end of it all the enchantment is successful, and after a brief test outside on some scrap material to confirm it works, I place the completed staff on the table before taking a well earned break. Enchanting can be exhausting, even without manual labor involved. By the time master Neloth returns to the tower it’s gotten rather late into the evening, not that he cares, the man doesn’t sleep, or if he does it’s with his eyes open! I don’t know how he does it but he never rests, not even for a moment. “I fixed the staff, Master. Tested it and everything, it works, good as new.” I present the finished staff and he takes it, inspecting it thoroughly before making another noise and handing it back. “I wouldn’t say ‘good as new’ but it is satisfactory. Leave it by the staff enchanter and I’ll deal with it later.” Taking back the staff I nod “Thank you master, it’s all due to your brilliant teachings.” Neloth makes a humming noise and waves me off, a very complicated way of saying you did a good job now go do as I asked. Turning around I go to put the staff away and as I begin to walk away Neloth adds “I will teach you that spell, tomorrow.” in a very casual almost monotone, as if it were of no more importance than “I bought bread today”. Still, it makes me smile as I place the staff down in it’s requested spot for the night. If staves could talk I bet this one would have quite the story. Maybe even more so than the staves of Azra Nightwielder, they may have had adventures, but this one gets to know the ins and outs of living with a master Telvanni wizard. Neloth interrupts my thoughts with a random command of “oh, and you’re still giving me that skin sample!” Yes living with a master wizard is interesting, and that leads to more than a few story worthy events, even if they’re sometimes…unpleasant.