Background
This project is a collectible ritual set inspired by Dragon Age, recreating the Joining—a sacred ritual in which Grey Wardens bind themselves to the duty of fighting the darkspawn. The set was designed to make the fictional ritual feel tangible, bringing together several in-game elements, including the Joining Chalice, ritual letter, scroll case, and vial necklace. Each piece required careful attention to materials, printing, finishing, and small details to create a cohesive and immersive collectible experience.
Challenge
The chalice required a 304 stainless steel inner cup to be securely fixed inside the decorative outer body. The challenge was finding a practical way to lock the two parts together so the inner cup would not rotate, loosen, or make noise when the chalice was picked up and used.
The antique finish was another challenge. The griffon emblem and surrounding patterns contained many raised and recessed details. The amount of black left in the recessed areas had to be carefully controlled—too much would make the surface look dirty, while too little would make the details difficult to see.
What I did
I worked with the factory to test the assembly and fixing method between the stainless steel inner cup and the outer body, making sure the inner cup stayed firmly in position when the chalice was handled and used.
For the antique finish, I had the factory test different amounts of black remaining in the recessed areas. We finally kept more black inside the grooves while wiping and polishing the raised griffon and patterns back to a brighter silver. This created clearer separation between the raised and recessed details without making the overall surface too dark.
Outcome
The final product was designed to have practical use beyond its value as a collectible. The stainless steel inner cup allowed the chalice to actually be used for drinking, while the necklace, letter, and scroll case could be worn, handled, and used as props.
This was also reflected in the fan response. In the unboxing video, the collector specifically mentioned using the set for Dragon Age live-action role-playing, showing that the finished products worked not only as display pieces, but as functional objects fans could actually use as part of their Dragon Age experience.
