The Dwarves spend perhaps as much time debating the Law of the Hammer as other species spend developing language, writing, agriculture, and religion. There is a simple reason for this, and it’s not considered very important by the Gods involved.Finn, Kai, and Sterling were, among other things, sculptors. In the town where they used to sculpt, there stands a pile of rubble, and there are many statues.They sculpted. Oftentimes they sculpted well enough that the community fed them to sculpt. In some communities, all take turns feeding the sculptors from what they have; but here, the community was wealthy and gave them livings in exchange for their work.Nevertheless, at one time near the Empty Harvest, an old and knowledgeable hag brewed a batch of Cobalt Absinthe.Now, there are artists who abstain therefrom, but these were none of those. Finn loved the madness, Kai loved the inspiration, and Sterling drank his so quickly that none ever found out why he craved it so; it would echo down his throat and he would fall in stages to the ground and towards Morpheus.She declared she’d grant the whole batch, a tall bottle indeed, to the artist who created the sculpture which most represented Aspiration.Finn’s sculpture was extraordinarily classic; even among an Underground people, that lifted head, those upraised hands, were unmistakable; here was someone reaching for the stars.Kai’s sculpture was an ancient response: a Dwarven figure with a hand reaching into what must have been the fresh breach of a wall, and pulling forth……something, from the figure’s eyes. Something very special indeed.Sterling’s sculpture was a handsome man taking a bow and smiling.The old woman looked at Sterling. Sterling smiled, took his hammer, and attacked his own figure, smashing it methodically, over the course of a few minutes, to bits.Finn turned towards him. “You didn’t like it? You aspire to do better? You have symbolized this for us all?”Sterling smiled. “I’m twenty-two years old. I aspire to learn the art of love as often and frequently as possible.”He turned towards the audience, which was, indeed, segmented into the horrified, the curious, and the very, very definitely admiring.“My thesis is that lovemaking is better for your art than technique alone. This is a competition and,” he paused, and gave what had definitely been the statue’s bow, “I am looking for assistance.”If you visit that town, which is famous even now for producing extraordinary sculptors, you are welcome to take some of the rubble as the souvenirs.You can be certain there will be more.___Find me on Twitter?
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