The Earthen Crafting Contest has come to its end. My thanks to all who participated! As you will see, the winning entries are most impressive and display the utility and beauty of the element. You can READNEWS PUBLIC 6401 to view the announcement of the contest. I also want to thank Lord Ivoln for the many blessings He has afforded me and to all of us. His element is truly wondrous to behold!

In lieu of a ceremony, I will make a few brief remarks here and announce the winners. Winners can expect to receive their credit awards shortly.

Earth is an element of versatility. Clay, rock, metal, stone, gems, sand, are but some of the many forms the Earth can take, but they are all Earth. Each is capable of being utilized to fashion both practical constructions and works of unmatched beauty.

No other element affords us the same stability yet versatility that the Earth does. Mortalkind would be lost without the bounty of gifts It offers us. All of the entries to this contest exhibit this and the winning crafters demonstrate just how marvelous of an element it is.



And the winners are:

The Gold Wyrm Award: Malcanthet
I was truly stunned by the glorious imagery of this bracelet. It looked like something from Azvosh itself! Well done!

a bone Earthcaller's bracelet beset with diamonds
Gleaming bone shards of abyssal hues, all slender and uniform in length, are caught within the black-gold chains that fashion a simple bracelet inspired by the endless dirge of the Earthcallers. Singers of ash, bone, and blood, these Earthen-kin's symbols can be found dangling along the darkly beautiful bauble; sanguine-hued diamonds, left rough cut as if just unearthed, roundels of glass painted with ashen hued sand to create tiny, umbral mosaics, and a single piece of pearlescent marrow carved in the likeness of a sinuous wyrm poised to strike. The clasp is no more than a curving hook meant to slide through one of the many chain links on the other side


The Silver Skull Award: Kaivalya
So beautiful! Sand is one of the most ephemral forms Earth takes and is difficult to work with. You managed to capture the beauty of Earth is a stunning yet practical way. Very nice!

a double-walled, obsidian-handled glass tea cup
This glass cup has been crafted using a double-walled technique, a smooth inner bowl set within a larger traditional tea cup shape. The inner chamber has been filled with swirled sand of finely ground quartz and basalt creating a mixture of white and black sand. The grains shift with each movement of the cup resulting in the appearance of an ever shifting sandstorm. A delicate obsidian handle has been attached to the side of the cup.

The Bronze Golem Award: Merek
Simple. So very simple. Yet glorious! Clay is easy to work with and readily abundant. This makes it perfect for everyday uses, such as this bottle. Excellent work!

a shaped clay bottle
Molded with clay alone, that has been untreated with any extra processes, this bottle withstands the test as being capable of holding liquid in it. Traced in creation along the outside are rudimentary lines that represent the faith of the Earthen Lord, and although it is not an elegant piece, it is practical in its simplicity. The top has been molded into a nozzle that can accept liquid, but can't be closed, with only a small clay piece used to cover it when needed.


The Lead Imp Award: Nebula
A true work of art that demonstrate the versatility of Earth to represent a wide range of symbols. Very good!

a nautilite tentacle and raven ring
Cut from dark, blue-black nautilite taken from the beaches near Riparium, the ring of this band has been expertly carved, ensnaring the wearer's finger with an intricate, sucker-laden tentacle. At the apex of the ring, the nautilite has been carved into a miniscule depiction of a raven, resting upon the top of the swirling tentacle as if it were a nest. Tiny, circular chips of skysilver have been set into the eyes of the raven, and similar pieces of mithril can be seen within the center of each sucker upon the tentacle. The latter provide settings for a number of translucent aquamarines, each ground with excessive care into a smooth torus to more accurately represent the fleshy suckers of an octopus' tentacles. Atop the raven's head are a pair of tiny imp-like horns which hold up a small, wide-brimmed hat of obsidian. This is itself inlaid with fine nautilite wire where a band would be, and a tiny, flat disc of yellow gold, intentionally battered and scraped by the jeweler's tools, is set into the volcanic glass as well, as if tucked within the band. The body of the raven has been painstakingly etched with life-like detailing to show the creature's feathers, and each miniscule feather has been carefully edged and tipped with mithril. Additional mithril wire works over the nape and back of the bird in an elaborate, spiraling inlay. Polished to a bright gleam, this ring shimmers with an iridescent blue-black hue where the light strikes it.


Penned by my hand on Kinsday, the 7th of Chakros, in the year 493 MA.