Iyo/Crafting

Iyo Crafting

(From the notes of Eslada L'Rae, a researcher embedded with the tribe for several years, in early 5015)

While it is indisputable that most of the Iyo dabble in crafting, there are certainly clans who specialize in it. While there is widespread disdain for currency, there is an active and lively barter system in place, and certain clans take great pride in their crafting prowess.

Isolated as they are, the materials that can be used for Iyo craftsmanship are understandably limited, but a few of the clans have taken their limited resources and turned them into impressive artisanship. One clan in particular, for example, seems to have harnessed the secret of the firewheel trees, using the brightly colored lumber as the basis for most of their weaponry and decoration. Despite the specialization of various clans, however, there are a number of hallmarks that can be generally traced through all of Iyo craftsmanship.

First and foremost, the Iyo take pride in using materials that originate on the Isle of Four Winds. Over time, various clans have found ways to use these items to produce both leather and wooden armaments that serve them nearly as well as the chain mail and plate armors that outsiders might utilize. When possible, in place of metal blades and arrowheads, the Iyo prefer to utilize sharpened rocks or gemstones.

When producing musical instruments, which is the primary product created by a few of the Iyo families, darker woods are favored. Generally, an instrument will not be produced for trade or performance until the wood has been treated, which is a secretive process unique to each of the clans wherein the wood is seasoned and polished until it nearly glows. A similar seasoning process can be seen in their weaponry, wherein the bows and grips of their weapons are deeply polished and perfectly smooth to the touch.

With regards to leatherwork, the families who specialize in this craft are uniformly demanding when it comes to the quality of the hide used as a starting point. The slightest flaw in a prospective hide will cause it to be discarded and turned into clothing or blankets. The Iyo are particularly conscious of the grain of their leathers, matching up the inclination of the individual fibers in such a way that all the seams and joints can be hidden beneath the natural fall of the material.

The finished leather products go through a similar process, which is again highly dependent on the clan performing the work. Iyo-crafted leather is generally of the highest possible quality, without any visible stitching or needlework. As with their wood products, the Iyo prefer darker leathers, which have usually been stained at some point throughout the process of their creation. Still, once the finished product has been crafted, it is generally as soft as silk to the touch.

When the Iyo desire weapons of quality, they tend to pour all their efforts and craftsmanship into the hilts and hafts of the weapons, and then attach either blade or stone in an almost haphazard fashion. An Iyo-crafted sword will generally be breathtaking in the beauty of its hilt and wrapping, yet the blade itself will be unbalanced and dull, making its inferiority clear in the mind of the weaponsmith. The Iyo tend to focus on archery, which reduces this overall effect, as everything from the shaft to the fletchings will be of the highest quality, with only the arrow's head speaking to the disregard with which the fletcher utilized it.