Open for Business

[Chey]

Chey wiped the sweat from his brow with a sweep of his muscled forearm, grumbling to himself,

"Bah, an' why must I be tha one ta be doin' all this heavy liftin'? It not be right, a war veteran, aged elder, workin' all day in tha sun."

Glaring up at the bright midday sun, Chey swung the hammer against the nail again, hanging a large wooden sign over the door to his small smithy shop. "Open for business!"

The final nail driven, his job done, Chey walked into his shop, laid his hammer next to the anvil, and proceeded to loosen up stiff tendons. First he rolled out each shoulder, feeling the grind of bone on bone. Next he cracked the stiff ligaments in his neck, releasing pressure and pain from his aching joints. Chey slowly lowered himself into a crouch, working the kinks out of his knees before rising and walking over to the forge to tend his fire.

A few pushes on the giant bellows, and the forge roared back to life, causing a fresh wave of sweat to roll down Chey's grizzled old face. Bringing the front of his leather apron up to wipe stinging salt from his eyes, Chey stumbled blindly towards his metal stores.

Chey let his fingers graze the various metal ores and pieces of lumber in front of him, needing not his sight to identify each element. The feel of the stone, the smell of the wood, that was all Chey needed to ply his trade.

With a content smile, Chey wandered over to his worn stool behind the counter. It wasn't anything special, just a 3 legged stool made of oak, but it was comfortable enough for this dwarf. Resting his arms on the counter in front of him, Chey let out a deep sigh,

"Everythin' seems ta be in order... Now all I be needin' is a customer."

[Admin]

Orik slowly walked town one of the back allies of Tamasha Village. The midday sun shone brightly into the dwarf's eyes, partially blinding him. Orik raised a muscled hand to shield his eyes from the ferocious glare.

As Orik approached one of Tamasha's main roads, he looked both directions to see the business the day had brought. There were many people of many races strolling about the town, each trying to find the next great bargain. Orik walked into the throng and was immediately pushed from side to side. Desiring to stay in no longer than necessary, Orik pushed himself out of the immense crowd.

Looking high, the dwarf saw a sign that read "Open for Business!" Intrigued, Orik stepped inside.

Orik was surprised to find that he had stumbled upon a small smithy shop. The dimly lit room revealed many things Orik remembered from his home in Telipa: The many wares of metals and other elements, the large stone forge filled with only the best flames, usually a dragon's, and the familiar anvil used to pound and shape the searing metal.

Orik looked over the counter and found the dwarven owner. Orik's face beamed at the thought of another dwarf, one outside of his clan. Orik rushed up to the counter, purely exited by the turn of events.

"How are ye, me good sir?" Orik questioned. He could not wait to exchange tales, and maybe even methods of forgery, with this shop owner.I've never really dealt with a blacksmith shop before, so if I stated anything wrong, let me know. -

[schlitz]

Schlitz leaned against the wall, looking at the note once more.

One solid gold orb, three inches in diameter.
A knife made of the finest silver, with two rubies on the handle.
Eight silver arrow-heads, strong enough to pierce the toughest armor.
A sword handle made of gold and silver mixed.

These will be picked up as soon as they are ready. I will know when they are ready. I shall send another to pick them up. You will know its them because they will ask for "the burnt iron." Inside the bag you shall find more than enough gold to pay for the costs. Hasten yourself. I hope we can continue to do business in the future.

-- A Shadow.

Schlitz smiled to himself as he grabbed the bag out of his pocket. It was quite heavy due to all the money this purchase would require. The bag was black, with a silver "S" on it.

Schlitz covered his face as he walked into the shop. He quickly brushed aside a dwarf, not even recognizing his existence, and laid the note and bag in front of the dwarf sitting at the table. He turned around and left just as quickly, not stopping once.

[Chey]

The creak of hinges alerted Chey to the presence of another in his shop. Putting down his hammer and quenching a sword blade in a trough of water, Chey turned around to find another dwarf's grinning face staring at him.

"How are ye, me good sir?"

Chey merely nodded in return, grumbling, "Hot, tired, in need of a bloody ale! An' how does this... pleasant... summer afternoon find ye, master dwarf?"

As Chey responded, a dark presence swept into the shop, deposited a bag and note, then left, paying neither of the dwarves any attention.

"'Ay! An who be you?" Chey shouted after the presence, but he was already gone.

"Chey turned his gaze towards the pouch on the counter, and read the note attached,

One solid gold orb, three inches in diameter.A knife made of the finest silver, with two rubies on the handle.
Eight silver arrow-heads, strong enough to pierce the toughest armor.
A sword handle made of gold and silver mixed.

These will be picked up as soon as they are ready. I will know when they are ready. I shall send another to pick them up. You will know its them because they will ask for "the burnt iron." Inside the bag you shall find more than enough gold to pay for the costs. Hasten yourself. I hope we can continue to do business in the future.


-A Shadow

---Huh, well, Shadow be a fittin' name for 'im. Will get ta work on this later.---

Chey turned towards his first customer, "What can I be doin' for ye Mister... I dinnae think I be havin' yer name."

((( OOC The dashes denote Chey's unspoken thoughts. )))

[Admin]

"The name's Orik," the dwarven general responded. "I be needin' a spare set o' armor, ye see, and I don't have the time an' the energy ter make some meself." Orik cast a glance at the dwarven smithy's finely crafted wares. "An' from the look o' things, I'd say ye be doin' a better job than I could hope fer."

Orik pulled out his worn battle ax and produced it to the shop owner. "This is me prized ax, the one I take inter battle every time." Orik paused and lamented, "but she's felt the wear o' battle and can't serve me fer too much longer." Orik cast a hopeful glance at the dwarven blacksmith. "Do ye think ye can forge an even better one? I'd be eternally grateful."

[Chey]

Chey nodded to the dwarf's words, making a mental note of his tasks for the day.

"What kind o' armor will ye be needin', Orik? I can make ye anythin' rangin' from chain mail to a breastplate to a full platemail suit, dependin' o' course on how much coin ye are willing to be partin' with. I will be basin' the size off myself, we look to be about the same build. What kind o' axe will ye be wantin'? One handed or two? If it be two, did ye want a single head or a double bladed axe? Any specific metal ye be needin' it made of, or any gems ye want inlaid in the handle or head? Specifics, Orik, they be the things I be needin'"

Chey turned from Orik and took the sword blade from the trough, shook it free of water, than set it back in the forge's flames with a hiss of steam. Giving the bellows another good push to bring the fire back to roaring, Chey turned back to the dwarf.

"Well? I dinnae have all day ta waste jawin' with ye."

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi strode through the worker district of Tamasha, looking at the different wares for sale and wary of those who might be the cheaters of the bunch. Inevitably, every group had one it seemed and he did not have time to waste with charlatans today.

As he passed through what the locals called the IRON DISTRICT, he saw the sign "Open for Business." Direct and to the point, Kerodi smiled and had to admire that. Why give the business a name when people only really needed to know that it was open?

He strode across the dirt path and walked inside. The interior was close and stuffy as most forge smithies were. He saw that the proprietor was engaged in a conversation with another dwarf. Kerodi nodded to the propietor to continue and perused a nearby stack of maces and axes that looked to have been forged recently.

This man had a unique flair for stability and artistic expression. Kerodi had not seen the like outside of the elven reaches of the Ularian, which was not a feat to be taken lightly. This dwarf might be the answer to his hopes!

But, it was best not to get his hopes too high. Kerodi perused some long knives next and continued to see that this was indeed quite the craftsman. He would do well for what Kerodi had in mind...IF he could convince him. Kerodi smiled grimly...that would be the easy part unfortunately.

[Chey]

((( OOC )))

Ok, I laughed aloud at your post mate, a horrible oversight on my part, not naming the shop. I'm not sure in what direction i can take this thread at the moment, seeing as I am still waiting on a dialogue to be finished with Orik before I can get to work on Shadow's kit, much les talk to other customers.

((( OOC )))

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi began to get impatient with the fellow that was taking up so much of the shop owner's time. You think he would not come here without a specific purpose, Kerodi thought. Disgruntled, Kerodi continued to browse and realized that he might have to come back later if this dwarf didn't leave or the shop owner didn't just kick him out. Some people had time to waste and nothing to live for. Kerodi was not one of those men...on either account.

Grumbling, Kerodi started to make his way towards the door. There could be other smithies here with the talent of this one, but he doubted it. He would just have to stop by later if he did not find what he was after somewhere else in town.

Kerodi stopped at the door and nodded to the blacksmith who looked disgruntled himself. Yes, this was the man...he was damn near certain of it. But, a hasty decision was not always good. He turned and left the shop and headed towards the next forge in town.

[Chey]

--Aw hell, I be losin' customers because o' this damned dwarf!--

"Scuse me, Orik, but if ye will na' be givin' me yer order, I will be workin' on somethin' else. Take yer time, think about it, an' get back to me when ye decide on what ye be needin'."

And with that, Chey got started on his order for the mysterious Shadow.

(((OOC Sorry all, been gone all weekend and off the grid in the boonies, MO )))

[Admin]

Orik looked incredulously at the other dwarf. "Well, 'scuse me, sir blacksmith!" he replied, but rather more angered than he intended. Orik reverted to his kind demeanor. "Sorry," he said. "I be needin' just a fine two-handed double-bladed ax is all, sir." He quickly added, "An' the armor, o' course."

Orik felt bad he had taken so much of everyone's time, but if anyone had more to say about it, he would waste no time to put his old ax to use one more time.

[Chey]

"Alrigh' good sir, dinnae mean ta' offend. I will be makin' ye a new axe an' a suit o' chainmail righ' directly. It be done in four days time, ye ca' drop by an' pick it up then."

Chey wiped his brow and walked to his forge, digging a flint and steel from his apron pocket. Setting spark to tinder, Chey caused the forge flame to spring to life. Chey gave a few big blows with he bellows, and the flame roared into an inferno, blasting the entire shop with a wave of heat.

Chey dug the list of items out and began to look at it.

-- The orb will be easy enough, might as well get that out of the way. 3 inches in diameter... hope that mold isn't in use... --

Chey melted down a chunk of gold ore in a large stone sthingy, and poured the white hot liquid into a funnel leading to his 3 inch sphere mold. Quickly yanking the funnel out of the small opening in the mold, Chey capped it in stone and dunked it in water to bring the temperature down fast, before the stone cracked. Leaving the orb in the water, Chey set about melting down silver ore for the arrowheads.

--Huh, 'e did not specify what type of arrows he needs. Will give him a regular field point than, multi-purpose.--

Chey brought down his field head mold, 10 wide, and poured the molten silver into the forms before dropping them in the water next to the orb. Chey quickly whispered a blessing over the trough, calling upon the God of the Underearth to harden the metals far beyond their normal strength.

"Now tha real work begins..."

----------------------------------------

Chey worked long through the night, completing the mysterious Shadow's order. Dawn found Chey sitting at his counter with a light breakfast of sausage and a hunk of bread, finished order resting behind him.

--Today I will work on Orik's order, an' hopefully find a new customer.--

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi rose from the soft bed in one of the local inns and washed his face and ate his morning meal of bread and cheese. He flushed it down with water and packed up his few belongings. Throwing his pack on his back, he went down to settle any accounts and walked out to the rising of Tamasha.

***********

He found himself again in the Iron District. He had searched all over the city yesterday and the day before and had found no good prospects. The only good one was the dwarf with the no-named business. He had been dealing with the other dwarf, probably long-lost friends or cousins. Kerodi decided his best bet lay there and headed towards the forge.

He looked inside and saw the dwarf alone and working. That would be much better than having to paw around uselessly, Kerodi knew. He stepped inside and over to the counter.

"You do good work, my fine sir," Kerodi said, waiting until he caught the eyes of the other before continuing. "I have searched a long time to find one as gifted as you in the instruments of war. Tell me, does this existence satisfy all of your desires?" Kerodi raised his eyebrow suggestively and waited with a small smile playing at the corner of his lip until the dwarf answered.

[Chey]

Chey brought his hammer down against the blade of the axe, sending a spray of sparks up into his face. He had long ago learned to ignore the small bites of pain the sparks produced, and could never keep a grand looking beard, having the ends of his hair singed off every time he worked. The axe was nearing completion, and a tunic of chainmail was propped up on a stand, missing an arm. Chey had worked fast, hoping to buy himself a bit of free time, perhaps find himself a sweet young sleeper and enjoy himself.

"You do good work, my fine sir,"

--Bloody 'ell, another customer? Well, tis my business...--

"Thank ye, sir... I been workin' 'ard for many years ta learn me trade."

"I have searched a long time to find one as gifted as you in the instruments of war. Tell me, does this existence satisfy all of your desires?"

--Whuh?--

"I be 'appy enough 'ere in me shop, thank ye kindly. I dinnae know what ye be meanin' with yer comments, but I suggest ye watch yer tongue afore ye criticize me trade an me livelihood."

Chey stood, a bit disgruntled that a complete stranger would come in and judge his life.

"Now, if ye not be needin' any work done fer ye, I suggest ye leave now, afore ye cause any trouble."

Chey turned from his customer and continued his work on the battleaxe, not paying him an ounce of respect until he was shown some.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi managed to mask the smile threatening to play across his face until the dwarf turned around and went back to work. He shook his head with mirth and chuckled silently that the fellow was so stubborn and suspicious...but he was the best that Kerodi had seen for many years.

"My good dwarf, I meant no offense. I am on an errand of massive importance and I have need of your services. You are the finest forger I have seen in the last decade and that skill will serve you well." Kerodi paused and waited until he had the dwarf's full attention.

"But that is not all. I also require your skill as a warrior for I can hear it in your voice, see it in your walk, and smell it on your soul. You will have to craft the finest weapons and be able to wield them with dexterity, which should not be hard for you. The odds will be next to insurmountable and the danger great." Kerodi paused again before giving his final statement.

"You may not come back alive, my good man. In fact, it is unlikely. That being said, I need your help. And I need it now."