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misbehavingmaiar:

Many of you were keen to see me take on a more feminine form, but I thought better than that, why don’t I introduce you to my sisters of the forge? They are all Maiar of Aulë, no less capable of wringing fine shapes from metal or swinging a hammer than I. Why don’t we meet them? 

From left to right, this is Dutiful-One, Meticulous-One, Magnificent-One, and in the back I see Brilliant-One and Patient-One. 

Dutiful-One oversees smelting in this division, but is a capable smith in her own right. If you see a 14 tonne crucible being poured by a single Maia holding its chain, it is likely to be Dutiful. She has a heart of gold and arms of tungsten. 

Meticulous-One, or as I like to call her, “I’ll-Break-For-Sabbath-After-All-These-Rivets-Are-Done-It-Should-Only-Take-Another-Century!” ……That’s…. That’s a wordplay that works much better in Valarin, I apologize.  Meticulous! Take your lunch hour already you madwoman! The extra hinge pins can wait!

Magnificent One is a force to be reckoned with, aren’t you madam? She is chief architect and designer in this sector. Her word is law, her tongue is sharp, and her standards are high. I have the distinction of being the only one to have ever beaten her at arm wrestling, but her title as undefeated champion at the ingot-toss still stands. We’ve been friends for eons, I miss her very much.
(She is an absolute surgeon with a whip– taught me everything I know. Ssh!) 

And behind them:
Brilliant-One is in charge of forge maintenance a temperature control– she can change the burn heat of your coal just by looking at it. No one has more accurate timing or gauge of melting points. Her combinations of fuel often mean the difference between our steel coming out just a hair too brittle or supple and unbreakable as the back of Tulkas. 

Patient-One I have not met personally; I hear she is quiet, thoughtful, and an excellent metallurgist. I believe she invented a new copper alloy? A fine worker! I am sure she will do well in this unit. 

Ah, there are more, so many countless more! I built mountains with this family, sunk the basins of seas with them… I would be heartless if I had no regrets about leaving them behind. You deserve to see the fine women of Aulë’s forges in flesh and spirit, not merely a costume worn by me– not that I have objections to said costume! But my sisters wear it much better, I think you’ll agree.

//high-resolution image available on my Patreon//