by Matthew Kent
Guild: Lorcan: I’m in a starting village. I will need parchment and ink to make the patterns for those. I also need to find some new spells. Any one have suggestions on where to look?
Guild: Mini47: The auction house, but that's not the cheapest. Arabella, of course. It will depend on which starting village. It may be easiest to get to one of the larger towns, than see what they have.
Guild: Lorcan: I’m over in Medford. I think the closest place to me is going to be Dros Drin. It's a couple days travel.
Guild: Jammie: I’ll get parchment and ink and mail I,t then you send me the patterns back.
Guild: Lorcan: Sounds good. Is there a guild hall I can go to for crafting? I have a few things I want to try, but I don’t want prying eyes to watch me.
Guild: Jammie: Guild house is in Arabella.
From: Jammie: Send those patterns when you finish them.
From: Lorcan: Yes sir :)
From there, I went to check on Bruce and Ahohako. I found Ahohako at the front of the building - well, at least his head. I bent down and touched it and it gave me a loot window. Cool I thought as I took the offered items: a belt, a few Golds and some Silver.
Then, I got a notification that I had mail. I hurried over to the general store, and the mail box that was outside the building. Sure enough, there was a package of forty parchment and about the same in ink. I went back to the inn and went to my room and sat at the desk.
I set to writing out the patterns for the Hammer.
You create a pattern for Fine quality star-steel smithing hammer +100xp
I wrote out fourteen more, garnering an additional one-thousand four hundred experience points. After that, I wrote out patterns for the tongs, for fifteen hundred experience, and then the leather working knives, getting one-thousand experience for those. I would keep the star steel recipe to myself for now.
I sent those off to Jammie and once more retired to the Inn; I sat in the shadows well away from the door and searched the auction house for various woods. I had never favored the sword, although in-game I seemed to be able to use it well. My own chosen weapon, when I was training martial arts was a form of a Bo or Gun, which are a form of a Chinese staff. However, I knew I wouldn’t be able to do enough damage with a staff, then I remembered a book. There was a description of a sword staff, called an Ashendarai. It was about four feet long with a foot long blade at the tip. Most people would mistake it for a short spear. But if I could master it, I could effectively defend and attack at the same time. It would be perfect for my characters short stature.
I also intended to make a new short sword, or maybe a pair of butterfly swords. I looked on the auction house and found parchment and ink. Ten sheets of parchment was a gold, the ink was only fifty silver.
The,n I researched the wood for the haft of the weapon. Most people do not realize how important the type of wood is for a weapon. A fine grained wood can become slick with sweat or blood. A strong wood, like oak, may withstand more abuse than say poplar. Hickory is always good, but I was wanting something more exotic. On earth, the hardest wood is Snakewood, but there are others nearly as hard: Brazilian Ironwood, Huacapu, and then Lignum Vitae. Alas, I could not find those on the auction house, but I saw something called Buloke. It was three gold. I bought it immediately.
Once I had everything, I set to work making the patterns. I kept notes and discovered that the patterns didn’t change, but the metals or materials used could change. So for the hammers it didn’t matter what metal they used, they would still wind up with a hammer. But the better material the better the result would be. The same with my weapons. I had one ingot of the star-steel left and I had a few ingots of the crucible steel left. I would make my swords out of the crucible steel, then I would use the star steel for the blade of the Ashendarai. With that decision made, along with my designs, I cleared my work space, logged out, and went to bed. It had been a long day.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Chapter 14
I woke up the next morning eager to get started with my day. The clock showed that it was just barely four am. I had a lot to do, including research into cryogenic hardening. In the game there were cold and ice spells, so why not see if I could use those to improve my weapons crafting?
The Inn was still asleep when I logged in, the local time showing just after five am. I checked my notifications. There were a few threats from Bruce, big deal. All the gloves I had posted sold, and I cleared a nice three hundred twenty gold. There was a note from Jammie.
Jammie: Tongs and leather working tools too? Are you trying to take my job? Seriously, good job. I’m excited to see what else you can come up with. Head to the guild house in Arabella as soon as you can.
They loved me they really loved me, or at least what I could do to boost their guild, or I guess our guild.
Once more, I went onto the auction house looking for bronze, tin and carbornium crystals. I would need bronze for some of my crafting today. I got to thinking about cryogenic hardening. I looked at the spell scrolls, Fireball started at six hundred to bid. Dispel Evil fifty gold, so I bought it. Enchant weapon, it started at twenty-five gold. I read the description it could give a non-enchanted weapon a weak, temporary enchantment. Maybe I could use this to enchant them as I crafted them. I bought it too. Then, I saw what I was looking for Heat/Cool Metal, a spell I could use in crafting. That was one hundred gold. That still left me seventy gold from my sales. I saw a few others, but I purchased a couple that were both less than ten gold total. Protection from Normal Missiles, Sleep and Silence.
Once I had everything I, spent the time learning the spells from the scrolls, making sure I knew what they did. Then, I headed over to Dale’s, intending to begin crafting and experimenting.
I waved to the various towns people as I walked past, wishing them a good day. Most waved back, I think they were puzzled that a traveler would give them the time of day. Look, I know that they are code, but they were still sentient. They had thoughts and feelings.
When I arrived, Dale was hitching up his cart. “Ho, Dale..” I said on seeing him up early.
“Good morning Lorcan what brings you by?”
“I had hoped to test a few ideas and make blades to sell," I replied. “But it seems you are going…?” I lead with the unasked question.
“The wife's sister is in labor, and I need to go with her.” He mused. “Tell you what, finish the bits and braces for that plow, and you may use my forge for the day.”
“That's fair. Need help with the wagon?” He shook his head, qnd we parted ways. I headed to the smithy, and he to his house to load up his wife for the trek to who knew where? Quickly I had the forge fired and was hauling away at the bellows. I soon had the bits and braces as he called it for the plow forged, out, and cooling on the side. Only twenty minutes work.
I have to admit, the next part I cheated on. I let the game world mechanics work for me as I smelted copper and tin to make bronze. With that, I reached the level of an apprentice in mining. Then, I started on bronze and iron.
Once I had the iron made, I forged blades, The three designs I had focused on were a Kukri, a Bowie, and finally a seax. All were premier blades for their times, all of them legendary man killers.
You have crafted an iron Kukri: Quality B. +3 Strength. +3 Endurance. 50-65 Damage, Durability: 75. You gain 100 xp
You have crafted an iron Bowie: Quality B. +4 Strength. +2 Endurance. 50-70 Damage. Durability: 70. You gain 100 xp
Then, I crafted them again, and used chill metal in the quench process. The blades shattered on the first two: however the third was a success.
You have crafted a Frosted iron Seax: Quality B. +4 Strength. +3 Endurance. 50-55 Damage: Durability: 100. +5 Frost Damage. You gain 150 xp
You have learned the forging technique Cold Quench
You gain +2 Intelligence.
You gain +2 Endurance.
You gain +4 Wisdom.
You gain 1000xp.
I saw my notifications f
lashing. It looked like someone was trying to get my attention.
Morngrim: Ahohako and Bruce are gunning for you they threatened to do to you what they planned to do to me.
Lorcan: Ask Ahohako if that's before or after the angry crowd gets to him? Did he tell you he got killed after attacking me in the inns common room last night, by the patrons?
Morngrim: Nope, I didn’t know a face co… I had to wait a few minutes for him to finish his reply.
Morngrim: Damn it they killed me I think you made them mad.
Lorcan: I’ll watch my back, thanks.
Then I got back to crafting blades. I tried different spells. I found that if I cast enchant weapon on the form in the forge, then another spell as I quenched, the weapon would absorb the second spell. I had blades with cold damage, fire damage, Protection from Evil and one that would cast Sleep on the target when hit.
Then I started working on the butterfly swords. These I made using the crucible steel. They wouldn’t be my main weapon. They were mirrored swords that would fit in the same scabbard together. I used a Damascus technique of folding the steel on itself I did eight folds, forged tem out, then cast enchant weapon and frost quenched.
You have created crucible steel Butterfly swords: Quality A. +10 strength. +10 endurance. +5 luck. +10 cold damage.
You receive a patent.
You gain 4000xp.
I thought to myself, All in a days work. Then I started on the Ashendarai, I used the last of the star-steel. I used bronze to make a tsuba, the hand guard at the base of the blade. Once again I used a Damascus process. The steel glowed like a sun, so bright you could hardly look at it. For this I did nine folds three threes, a mystic number, then I let it cool. Once it was cool, I used clay with a powder I had made from the skull of the unsung hero to create a hamone line. It would keep the steel on the spine soft while the blade got hard. I fired it in the forge and cast Enchant Weapon then heat metal until the edge was white hot and Finally hit the blade with Chill Metal.
The blade was clean of the clay, the Damascus was like nothing I’d seen before. I fashioned the haft of the weapon out of the Buloke I had purchased. Then I assembled the weapon. I was in awe once I looked at its descrition.
You have created a Star-Steel Ashendarai: Quality AA. 120 Durability. +20 Strength.
+15 Endurance. +5 Luck.
+10 Fire Damage, Scalable. You receive a patent for Ashendarai
You gain 4000xp.
Please name your weapon.
Yes/No
I’ve never been asked to name a weapon before, so I called it Gwalchmai.
Do you wish to soulbind this weapon?
Yes/No
I hit yes.
System message: Rejoice and Trimble, a new legend is Born. Gwalchmai has entered the land!
Oh crap what had I done.
Guild: Romler: What's a Gwalchmai?
Guild: Broderick: Wow ,I wonder where they found that at?
For once, I shut up as the chatter in the guild chat hit a peak.
I decided to message Jammie as the blacksmith and crafting lead. Being new to the guild, I didn’t want to get on anyone's bad side. Pro tip, in case you didn’t know. The world is politics, from the smallest group to the largest corporation or country. Learning the ins and outs of the political system will save your life.
Lorcan: Hey Jammie I made a few weapons and was wondering - do I need to offer them to the guild first, or can I put them on the auction house?
Jammie: What kind of weapons are we talking about?
Lorcan: Frosted iron Seax: Quality B +4 Strength +3 Endurance 50-55 Dmg Durability 100 +5 Frost Dmg
Lorcan: Iron Bowie; Quality B +4 Strength +2 Endurance 50-70 Dmg Durability 70
Lorcan: Iron Kukri; Quality B +3 Strength +3 Endurance 50-65 Dmg durability 75
Jammie:… um… hold on. I need to speak to an officer.
Morner: Seriously any other weapons we should know about?
Lorcan: Ah only my own personal weapons I’ve made.
Morner: Hold on, I have the feeling this is going to be one of those discussions
Morner has invited you into a group
Yes/No
Of Course I hit yes.
Group: Morner: Ok, I invited Lorcan our guilds new wunderkind. Lorcan you’ve talked to Jammie. The other officers are Narrisa, and BarbieQ.
Group: Lorcan: Hi everyone. Uhm, well I was crafting and had a little success. I found a couple of new recipes this morning already.
Group: BarbieQ: Wait, you came up with the leather mages gloves?!?
Group: Narrisa: And the new tool patterns?
Group: Jammie: With I’m sure more shoes to drop.
Group: Lorcan: Feeling a bit sheepish but yeah everyone kind of already knows about one of them.
Group: Jammie: That was you???
Group: Morner: What was you I just logged in and I skipped my coffee.
Group: Narrissa: He has a legendary weapon.
Group: Morner: *Sigh* Lets see it. I swear, you’ve been in here less than 24 hours, and already turned things Topsy Turvy.
Group: Lorcan: Gwalchmai: Star-Steel Ashendarai; Quality AA. 120 Durability. +20 Strength. +15 Endurance. +5 Luck. +10 fire damage Scalable.
I waited a while for someone to speak. I wasn’t sure if I was creating a huge problem for them. I was getting a little nervous.
Group; Jammie: Wait a second star-steel? You found a meteorite in-game?
Group: Lorcan: Not exactly. I, uh, have the patent for it.
Group: Jammie: 0.o Say what?
Group: Lorcan: Uhm, yeah. I wanted to use it to get a few more patterns. It's incredible stuff.
Group: BarbieQ: How many patents do you have at this time?
Group: Lorcan: Only seven.
Group: BarbieQ: Where the hell did you find him Morner?
Group: Morner: He found us. I’m wondering if we should lock him in the guild vault for his own protection.
Group: Narrissa: Not that we would do that.
Group: Jammie: You really should get to the guild house though.
Group: Lorcan: I’m heading to Arabella via Dros Drin. I, um, may have gotten some players in more trouble than they could afford.
Group: BarbieQ: Do tell. I’m headed to Drin myself. I could get the Angels to escort him from there.
Group: Morner: Good idea. And how did you possibly get them in trouble?
Group: Lorcan: I met some people out of game at the facility in Atlanta. One of the group thought I had a world quest. Another group asked me the same thing. So I wanted them off my back.
Group: Jammie: I can understand that. So you gave them something but..?
Group: Lorcan: I told them to tell the elves and dwarfs of Dros Drin they were in service to the black king.
Group: Narrissa: There is always a black king in these games.
Group: Lorcan: Yeah but they have been locked in their gaming capsules since about the day I told them. The other group hasn’t gone to Drin yet. The other thing is, the company from what I’ve heard, can’t find their characters in-game.
Group: Morner: What?
Group: Lorcan: So I thought I’d go snoop around the Dros. I think, as a bard, I might be able to learn something.
Group: Morner: I’ll look into this, there has to be more to it. Lorcan, you go. Barbie, you get the Angels as escort. Lorcan, those weapons? The guild will buy them at a flat rate thirty Gold each, but until we get a handle on this and what you can make, I want it all to stay in house. Hell, that Ashendarai of yours is unbalancing enough.
You have been removed from the group
It seemed like I had been dismissed with my orders. I went and posted everything to Jammie, and set about getting everything I would need for the two day trip to Dros Drin.
I decided the first thing I needed to do was to take stock of my situation and my character. There was a flashing notification for me.
You have reached level 10 and are eligible to select an ad
vanced class. You currently qualify for: Spy, True Bard, and Skald.
Spies are a feared class with skills based on Agility and Charisma. They are master assassins and information gatherers, with increased skills in Stealth and Investigation.
True Bards have exhibited an aptitude for knowledge, information gathering, investigation, and crafting. They are willing to disseminate knowledge to any group, regardless of whom they are aligned with. Bonuses to Intelligence, Charisma and Wisdom.
The Skald is a Warrior Poet. They have legendary skills in weapons craft. Often the first on the field of battle and the last off, singing the praises of fallen friend and foe alike. Bonuses to Weapon skills, Strength and Charisma.