Why are blacksmiths so stigmatized in folklore? What about the profession gave them such a bad name and caused them to be closely associated with the Devil?
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/039219216801606202 Maybe because traditional smelting techniques involve, human sacrifice? Allegedly?? Or maybe “Molten metal that flows is associated with flowing blood because
of its color, heat and the danger that arises from it”
Those who are only slightly familiar with anthropology are aware
of the many explanations that have been proposed to account for the “blacksmith complex". He is impure because he is in contact
with iron (a loathsome and repulsive element), or with fire (from
which demons are born), or because he forges murderous weapons; or because he is endogamous, or is not independent, or because
blacksmiths are the dregs of conquered peoples, do not produce
their own food, do not go to war, and break some unknown divine
interdict. They are respected because they have dared to break
a divine interdict, because they make useful instruments, because
they are rich, because they are initiators, educators, religious chiefs,
peace-makers, sacrificers, civilising heroes, and even, according to
the embryological theory of M. Eliade, because they help the Earth
to give birth to minerals and in so doing are a substitute for Time etc. Their powers issue from their tools, from spirits hidden in
the bellows of their smithies, from fire, from the “numinous” force
of iron, from the ornaments they forge for shamans; or from the
celestial origins of their techniques, from their novelty, from the
fact that these secret techniques are hereditary, or simply because
they are in their possession; or again from the “ambivalent magic
of weapons made of stone,” which, by emitting sparks when
struck, are likened to lightning, a magic that is transmitted into
the metal; or from the fact that they forge flashes of lightning
for the gods, etc…
One can see that, even when they contain elements of truth,
all these explanations are one-sided and often in need to be
explained themselves. The only valid explanation is one that can
show the inner reason for the different manifestations of the
“blacksmith complex” and their coexistence, and attain to the
structure that determines their interconnection and renders them
interdependent.
An interpretation that coordinates the various elements of the
problem, on the basis of the blacksmith’s violation of taboo, should
satisfy these conditions. It would form part of a wider interpretation
of magical violations of taboo in general, based on an
analysis of the nature and function of taboos.
Let me paint you a word picture. (And feel free to join in)
It’s somewhere during those twelve long years of dying/reviving/forgetting/raging and Barry’s back in a fleshbody again. But he’s not alone, he’s in a good old fashioned adventuring party, playing fighter.
They’re exploring an old crypt and it’s turned out to be just plain lousy with illusory traps and tricks. So their caster puts on true seeing. Smart move, she’s getting the lay of the land now, which is great.
Things are less great when their caster turns back to their party to relay this information and instead of the older, nervous, very-human fighter she’s been traveling with for weeks now…there’s something else there entirely. Red ghost without a face, empty cowl turned towards her expectantly and the words die right in her throat.
The next time Barry gets distracted poking at a monster’s corpse (a habit that had once seemed harmlessly weird), the caster takes the rest of the party aside and whispers the news. Barry is by far the newest addition to this group, so they trust her over him any day, regardless of how kind he’s been during his time.
So they turn on him, and he isn’t hard to beat. He’s got good reflexes, sure (the sort of reflexes you get from combat practice, not instinct, so it’s weird when he claims he has no formal training), but his skills aren’t terribly advanced. So he’s defeated and tied up within a few minutes.
The caster questions him about what she saw–what she still sees, with the Truesight spell still in effect. Her voice wavers because it really is deeply terrifying. But Barry has no idea what she’s talking about, and it eventually takes a Zone of Truth to prove it. (But how the hell can he be some kind of monster and not know?)
Meanwhile, they’ve paused their progression in the dungeon, and their voices are increasingly loud during this interrogation. They’re all too distracted to notice that they’re slowly becoming surrounded by what monsters remain in the dungeon (and as everyone knows, the stronger ones are always the ones further in–the last ones you’d face).
He’s still tied up.
Barry’s tied up, and it’s all the others can do to defend themselves, let alone defend him. It’s horrible when he gets killed, right then on the spot, and then–
So the bad news is, he is in fact a lich.
And the other bad news is that he’s screaming, and he just seems stressed in general. Angry? Panicked? Nobody knows, but neither adventurer nor monster wants to be struck by any of those goddamn lightning bolts shooting out of him as his horrid ghostly figure sheds the mortal body.
Barry is furious but as soon as he gets himself under control he aims his fury at the attacking monsters. They are wiped out in one well cast and extremely high level spell.
He turns to his recent party and his voice is sad when he says, “I understand why you didn’t trust me. But I wasn’t lying. I couldn’t remember. I just… I’m just trying to find my family again.”
He summons his chest from the demiplane where he keeps it hidden and mage hands the important objects from his corpse. Glasses, for one, that saves him a lot of work later if he can save them. A note he spent a lot of time looking at but didn’t understand. He should probably stop letting his body carry that around before something happens to it. He just hates to let himself walk around with nothing tangible for what he’s lost.
His former friends watch in silence, still afraid. He’s disappointed but unsurprised. How can he blame them? He looks like the villain right now.
Leaving them, he scouts ahead through the cave and takes care of the remaining monsters for them. It was nice being part of a group again and he’ll miss it. But it wasn’t part of his goal so it’s probably for the best.
I started this sweater late last winter. It was my first time trying a top-down sweater, and my first time picking up stitches for the sleeves… which is where I stopped with it. After 3 attempts to get the correct # of stitches for the sleeves, I ripped it out again and set it aside for a bit and I haven’t come back to it since. It WILL get finished though! I have picked up sleeves since then a couple of times.
$60USD for the wheel and 3 bobbins. Bobbins will be open sourced, so you can print your own! I’ve never seen any wheels this inexpensive before. It looks like a wonderful, darling wheel and I want seven.
blackash26 