Mason Farson’s Crafting Downtime: The Armlets of Connection   ---   Day 1 The morning sun crept through the manor windows, illuminating Mason’s workshop with a golden glow. Mason sat at his well-used workbench; tools scattered across its surface in organized chaos. His hands traced the designs he’d sketched late into the night — two elegant armlets, carefully wrought to bridge the distance between two hearts.   Mason had always been good with his hands, whether mending a ship’s hull in the Astral Sea or tinkering with magical mechanisms. But this project was different. This was personal. He envisioned Amelia wearing the armlet, feeling his presence wherever she went. It was more than an item — it was a promise.   Before starting, Mason ventured to Frandyln’s bustling artificer district to purchase the raw materials. The glittering silver wire and delicately refined brass cost him 200 gold pieces — an investment he gladly made for his wife. Back at the workshop, he spent the afternoon forging the core framework, heating and shaping the metal with steady determination. Sparks danced like fireflies as hammer met silver.   ---   Day 2 The second day was one of precision. Mason etched faint magical runes into the bands with a jeweler's chisel, each symbol carved with painstaking care. The arcane geometry had to be flawless for the enchantment to hold. His fingers cramped more than once, but he ignored the discomfort. He whispered softly to himself as he worked, the methodical motions pulling him into a rhythm.   Occasionally, Mason would pause and smile as he thought of Amelia. He could almost hear her voice in the gentle hum of the forge. He imagined how she’d react when the armlets were complete — how they’d close the distance that often stretched between them. The thought kept him focused well into the evening.   ---   Day 3 Today was about infusing the magic. With delicate care, Mason set a small sapphire into the first armlet — a conduit for the *Sending* spell’s energy. The gem shimmered faintly under the workshop’s lantern light as he whispered an incantation to anchor the enchantment’s base. A flicker of arcane energy pulsed through the sapphire before subsiding. Mason exhaled, satisfied with his progress.   The second armlet would hold a matching gem, but Mason knew the enchantment’s duality was tricky. For now, he let the first rest under a glass dome for protection and began fashioning its twin.   ---   Day 4 The morning came with a realization — one armlet was slightly lighter than the other. Mason grumbled under his breath and adjusted his tools. He couldn’t afford for the pieces to be mismatched. Amelia deserved perfection.   For most of the day, Mason filed and measured, ensuring the bands mirrored each other perfectly. He paused only to grab food brought by the manor staff. It was a small meal of bread and cheese, eaten absentmindedly while his eyes scrutinized his work.   Late into the night, when most of Frandyln was asleep, Mason set the second sapphire into its band. He sat back, stretching his shoulders, and allowed himself a small, weary grin.   ---   Day 5 Mason focused on connecting the two armlets’ magical threads. He spread out a sheet of parchment, drawing precise diagrams of ley lines and power flows. For hours, he tested the armlets’ synchronization using temporary enchantments — tiny pulses of magic passed from one sapphire to the other.   By midday, the bands hummed faintly in harmony, though the magic was still unstable. A surge of energy caused the connection to flare too brightly, nearly cracking one of the sapphires. Mason winced and set his tools down, frustrated. He’d have to be more careful.   “Patience,” he muttered. “She’s worth it.”   ---   Day 6 The sixth day brought clarity. Mason reworked the flawed enchantment, adding a stabilizing rune to each band’s inner curve. The sapphires pulsed gently, a more controlled energy flowing between them now. Mason tested the magic again, this time with a whispered *Sending* invocation.   A faint echo of his own voice answered back, distorted but clear enough to show progress. Amelia wasn’t present to hear it, but Mason felt a sense of quiet pride. He’d poured more than magic into the armlets — he’d poured love.   ---   Day 7 By the seventh day, Mason’s fingers were calloused, and his workshop was littered with scraps of wire, parchment, and gemstone dust. He spent the final day refining the small engravings that decorated the armlets’ exterior. Amelia’s name intertwined with his own in delicate elvish script, subtle but intentional.   As he polished the nearly complete pieces, Mason leaned back in his chair, wiping sweat from his brow. The armlets were close — so close. He held one up to the light and imagined it circling Amelia’s wrist, the magic connecting them no matter how many miles stretched between them.   “They’re almost ready, love,” Mason whispered, a quiet promise to the empty room.   The armlets still required more time — three more days to finalize the enchantment — but Mason was no stranger to long journeys. He would finish them. When he did, Amelia would always hear his voice, no matter the distance.   And that was worth everything.  

The armlets rest side by side under the glass dome, gleaming with potential, a testament to Mason’s devotion.