A Mentor's Gift: Exchanging Gifts

It was a tradition in Theodore's Garden for master and apprentice to exchange gifts on the first day of the apprenticeship. As such Danovan was at a carpenters to discuss his gift for Isodore. He thought that it would be best to get something decorative and wanted to see what he could afford to commission on his budget. A rolling pin seemed to be the most promising option, perhaps with some sort of carving. A brief discussion established that an oversized one with a scene of Isodore baking was something that they both felt would be appreciated.

The following day Isodore was consulting with a smith about her gift for Danovan. The smith recommended something from a higher technology world that they had always wanted to try making - a tool for cutting standardised shapes out of dough known as a cookie cutter. "Have you seen the badges people from other worlds earn when they come here? Can we use that as a basis for the shape?" Isodore inquires.

"A flower is apparently considered an intermediate design and I am looking to move up from the basics but maybe a full set of intermediate designs would be best." replies the smith. "That adds a five pointed star and a tree made from three triangles to the set."

"Yes, let's go with that, seems appropriate. Can you have it completed within the month?"

One month later, it is Danovan's first day actually learning under Isodore. He gets up at the equivalent of four in the morning to get ready for the day. Once he arrives, the lessons begin "So to make the bread, you begin by mixing flour and water. Then you knead it before putting it in this proving drawer. I'll monitor the air in it since I understand you have a different element that isn't as good for that."

Whilst they wait for the bread to rise, Isodore demonstrates a simple cake recipe. "This one can go directly into the oven now it is made. We will need to monitor it but now is a good time to give you the apprenticeship gift." She produces a carved wooden box, fairly simple compared to the one her gift is in, made of pine and practically unadorned beyond the brass hinges that enable the lid to open and close. Dan opens it and inside are the three cutters the smith promised Isodore.

"My gift is with the items I set aside when I came in. Do we have time for me to fetch it?" Dan asks.

"Certainly, it takes more than five minutes to bake a cake."

Dan swaps the box he has been given with the one he will be giving. It is much more ornate having been made by a carpenter for the purpose of storing one of their more artistic pieces rather than something semi-practical. It is made from walnut and brass, the top is engraved with Isodore's initials and there is significant bezelling on the sides that are supposed to be displayed. Inside is a large rolling pin, two feet in diameter, made of oak which has the scene of Isodore baking that Dan discussed going around its main body.

The cake is ready to serve and sliced ready for sale. The bread is taken out of the proving drawer and put into the still lit oven. By the time customers arrive it is done ready for them to buy and the first cake that Dan has made is put on.

When he leaves for the day, he takes the cake in question as well as his possessions. The box with the cutters starts to glow. He will have to check that later.

The following Sunday analogue after worship, since Dan doesn't have to work, he decides to take the box empty back to the place where it started glowing. There is no effect, so he tries again once he adds the cutters back in. It is glowing again and seems to be getting brighter. After a few minutes, a portal opens up and sucks him in. He seems to be stranded in darkness so he creates a magical light, which reveals he is stuck in the bottom of a sealed off well. He decides that it's best to just leave, he turns around. It looks like the box will have to build up energy again to open the portal from this side.

Once he returns back through the portal, he decides to report in with the adventurers guild, they will want to know about this. All Talismans need to be registered with them and his box is clearly one. They do so and open it. Rather than the traditional badges, when they open the box, two additional cutters representing that world and this one have manifested. The guild master asks to see him "I'm afraid I have some bad news, as one of the few people native to this world with a Talisman, we are conscripting you into the guild. We will make sure to compensate both you and Isodore appropriately for any time we pull you away from your duties as her apprentice however. We do not have anything mandatory at the moment but may be calling on you at all sorts of random times. Still feel free to come back next week and visit one of the permanent portals."