[Flashback][Ironworks] To Craft a Sword (Akari)

by **Marcus Braeden** on July 7th, 2011, 1:34 am

68th of Summer, 510AV

Marcus slowly walked through the streets of Syliras to his new found job at the Ironworks. Although he had been living in the city for several weeks now, he still gazed at the marvel that was Syliras. It was so much different from Ravok, where he grew up. Instead of using one of the many canals for transportation you would simply walk. Instead of constantly having the feeling of being watched, one felt free here. Marcus had never experienced anything like it, but any every day citizen may not notice anything, simply because this how they have always lived. They wouldn't last a day in Ravok. Marcus finally arrived at his destination, the Ironworks, the grand forge of Syliras, perhaps all of Sylira. He took one deep breath, and then entered through the door. Other smiths rarely paid him attention, as they were usually too caught up in their own projects. Perhaps crafting a mighty axe for some fortune hunter, or maybe an elaborate longsword for a Syliran Knight. But unfortunately Marcus would not be able to take part in these grand projects, at least not yet. He was still new, and for now he would most likely be working on something insignificant, at least compared to what more experienced smiths did. Something like creating spearheads or something small. But one day, Marcus would be among those smiths working on the sword or axe. Or a Syliran Knight, whichever came first.

Upon entrance to the massive forge, a large blast of heat hit Marcus right in the face, and Marcus loved it. He grabbed a leather apron from the rack as well as a few other tools: A chisel, a sledgehammer, tongs, and various others in addition to his fathers hammer which he kept with him. Marcus than began to seek an unoccupied anvil which were sometimes hard to come by. Eventually he found one and set out to seize it. After establishing himself at the anvil he had chosen, he went out and grabbed some wrought iron to begin making spearheads with. First he heated the metal to a high temperature and then brought it back to the anvil with his tongs. He began to strike the metal with his hammer. He also intervened with the chisel every now and again to help get a good shape. Suddenly Marcus stopped his work and started gazing at two smiths finishing up with a sword. Marcus determined it was a longsword, judging by its length and width. Marcus could make out a fairly elaborate engraving etched into the blade. The hilt was also fairly elaborate as well, with the crossguard wrapping around and almost hugging the base of the blade. The weapon looked as if it were for someone important. Marcus looked back down at his spearheads. One day... he thought to himself.

by **Akari** on July 30th, 2011, 9:43 pm

She had been meaning to find the forge for a long time.
Akari had been practicing her swordsmanship relentlessly over the past few weeks using her fathers old tanto. It was a beautiful weapon. A polished silver blade, 12 inches long with a sharpened side, tapering to a point. A shiny, black wooden hilt wrapped in deep-green fabric. She treasured it more than anything else she owned. Yet she wanted more.

Another sword. Another tanto would be a great benefit to the girl. They were very effective used in pairs, but she couldn't find a vendor selling them in the city. So she had come to the forge in the hope of finding someone to craft one. Or at the very least help her make one.

She stood in the entrance, unsure of what to do. Her fathers tanto was secured at her waist and hidden under her coat. The heat in the place was almost unbearable, and she squinted her eyes against it. Everyone seemed to be busy with work, and she was reluctant to approach anyone. Akari took another glance. A young man seemed to have stopped in his work, watching a fellow worker finishing a sword of some kind. She quickly made her way over, fearing someone might throw her out if she didn't look like she had a purpose.
"Uh, excuse me... You wouldn't happen to know anyone who can make these do you?"
She unhitched the scabbard from her hip and pulled the blade out a little for the man to see.

OOC :

by **Marcus Braeden** on August 11th, 2011, 5:40 pm

Marcus had just resumed the rather tedious task he had been assigned, when he was approached by a woman. She was younger than Marcus, that much Marcus could determine, but not by how many years. her entire form was a thing of beauty, her face, the way she walked, everything about her seemed flawless. This was the last type of person Marcus had suspected to find wandering around a forge. At first glance Marcus simply chalked her up for someone who was simply lost and needed directions. He simply did not think anyone like her could possibly have any business in a place like the Ironworks. She seemed too innocent to enter a place like this. That was until she showed a sword, seemingly out of no where. Marcus had not noticed any scabbard attached to her person, until she had revealed it to him. But Marcus was in Syliras now, and one thing he was learning rather quickly was that just about anything could happen.

"Well let's take a look at it" Marcus said.

The blade was unusual, not something one would commonly find in Syliras. You wee more likely to find longswords attached to just about every Syliran Knight's hip. But the type of blade he was looking at was not something foreign to Marcus. Although different then what he was used to, he had seen them before, although not in a while. Back in Ravok a few people had brought them in for either repair or to have a duplicate made. He never worked on them but he had seen his father work on them before. But what were they called again? Hmmm....oh yes, a tantō, that's what they were called. Marcus began his examination of the blade. It was a single-edged blade, which reflected the flames inside the forge brilliantly, giving it a unique glow. Roughly one foot separated the point of the blade from the hilt, which was wrapped in fabric, rather than leather which was much more common. Now, could he craft something like this? Maybe. Would the rest of the forge want Marcus working on something like this? Probably not. Did Marcus care? Not really, besides it would be a good opportunity to prove himself around here.

"Alright, I might be able to help you, but exactly how much do you know about this blade?" Marcus asked, not quite sure of how he was going to proceed in making the blade. He would need some help, no doubt.

by **Akari** on August 11th, 2011, 8:01 pm

Akari watched patiently as the man examined the sword she had presented. She could tell that he knew what it was , though she figured he wouldn't know a great deal about it. She had had to research herself, and the only information she could find had been in her father's journal. The Tantõ was not at all native to Syliras, she doubted you could even purchase one in the whole Sylira region.

She had been expecting his question, and she nodded her head.
"I don't know a huge amount about the sword, since I've had to research it myself. You probably gathered already that it isn't from around here." She paused. "But I know the basics I think."
"Obviously it's a single edged blade." She smiled to show that of course he would know that already. "And from what my father wrote about it, the sides have no ridge-line, they're pretty much flat." She gave a light shrug with that. She was not entirely sure of the importance of that fact, but she hoped it was useful.
"I think it's made in a similar way to most swords, though forgive me if I'm wrong - you can probably tell I am not a weapons crafter. My father mentioned folding and hammering in his notes."

"Is this the sort of information you are after? Or did you want it's uses?" She paused again. "It's mostly a stabbing weapon, though it's also perfectly capable of slashing." She glanced down at the sword for a moment before returning her attention to the man.
"Have I helped any?"

ooc :

by **Marcus Braeden** on August 11th, 2011, 9:23 pm

Marcus simply nodded at her explanation, "Yes, this does help." If crafting a tantō was similar to most other swords, as the girl had stated, then it would not be nearly as difficult to craft it as he had previously thought. But for some reason, Marcus was not convinced that it was the same as creating a much more common style of sword. Marcus recalled his father administering a different technique than one would use when creating, say, a longsword. Unfortunately Marcus could not remember the exact technique he used. The only option he really had was to try his best with what he knew and hope for the best. Or send her off saying he couldn't help, but he wasn't about to do that. On the bright side, he did have a reference sword, which would be extremely useful. Unfortunately Marcus sighted another problem, the hilt, it was made of wood. Marcus' skill when it came to carpentry was non existent. Marcus glanced back at the sword the girl held, and then back at his own anvil.

"Alright, I am going to try to make one of these with what I know, at least the blade. I see the hilt, and scabbard for that matter, is made of wood, and unfortunately I am no carpenter..." but wait, didn't one of the smiths here used to be one? Oh yeah, Mikel did! Marcus quickly glanced around looking for him. Finally he sighted him standing in a corner, smoking a pipe. Lazy piece of... "...But he used to be one" Marcus said, pointing at the man in the corner.

"Hey, Mikel, get over here!" Marcus yelled.

The man looked up, seeking out the source of the call. He acknowledged Marcus and began to trudge over to him, slowly but surely.

"Whatcha want Marcus?" He asked.

"You used to be a carpenter, and I need some carpentry done" Marcus hastily explained. Marcus pointed at the hilt and scabbard that girl held. "You think you can make those?"

"With what exactly? In case you haven't noticed, we're in a forge, not a carpentry mill."

"I don't know, firewood. Use that or something."

"You're insane" Mikel chuckled as we walked off toward the nearest firewood stash.

"Just make the damn hilt and scabbard while I worry about the blade!" Marcus yelled after him.

Marcus turned his attention back to the girl. "Ok, you should probably stick around, make sure everything fits your specifications" He said as he walked off to fetch some metal to begin the process.

by **Akari** on August 18th, 2011, 3:58 pm

Akari nodded.
“It doesn’t have to be perfect.” She smiled. “This was made by someone who knew these swords as if they were a pert of himself.”
She could tell that the man was a little unsure about it, and she didn’t want him to worry. If it turned out a little rough, then it did not matter to her. Akari could just use it for training, and locate a seller when she finally reached Lhavit.

Again her head bobbed in a nod. The hilt and scabbard were wood, yet another strange quirk of the Tantõ.
She glanced round as the man called out to another smith. She watched the exchange curiously.
“I uh…” She turned back to the man as the older smith left.
“I can pay for some wood if you don’t have any…”

She gave a light shrug as he left to fetch some metal. She could get the hilt and scabbard covered in something later. It wasn’t that big of a deal. When the man returned she smiled again.
“My name is Akari Ishida.” She smiled at him. “Thank you for offering to help me, it is most kind of you.”
She placed her sword on the bench where he would be able to see it if he needed to.
“Is there anything I can help with?”

by **Marcus Braeden** on August 22nd, 2011, 5:51 pm

Marcus nodded at her offer to buy wood. Using something like firewood to craft a hilt of that standard would have been a difficult challenge. Marcus turned toward Mikel, who was just getting started with Marcus' orders. Using hand gestures Marcus signaled the man to stop what he was doing and go back to whatever he was doing before, that is most likely smoking his pipe and being overall unproductive. Marcus would turn back to him once they got the appropriate type of wood. Marcus once again turned his attention back toward the girl, who had introduced herself as Akari.

Marcus nodded once more, "I'm Marcus, as you'd probably have guessed from that little exchange between me and Mikel over there" he said, pointing toward Mikel but not breaking eye contact with Akari. "All I need you to do is standby and make sure everything is as you want it. And please, feel free to speak up if you think something is off, I'll do what I can to fix it" Marcus instructed the girl.

Marcus then walked off toward one of the many fires burning within the Ironworks, carrying the metal he intended to use to craft the blade. He carefully placed it inside the flame and then simply waited, occasionally glancing around at various other smiths working on the various projects in the forge. Anything from simple nails and farming tools to weapons of war could be, and would be created there. After a few minutes, Marcus determined that the metal had reached an appropriate temperature to begin forging. He brought the metal back to the anvil, carrying the white steel using tongs. He placed the would-be blade onto the anvil and immediately went to work.

He started by first turning the hunk of metal that lay before him into something that at least sort of looked like a blade. He planned for it to be twelve inches long, to match the weapon that Akari already carried. With each hammer blow the metal looked slightly more blade-like, but it was a slow transition.

by **Akari** on August 24th, 2011, 8:04 pm

Akari checked her pockets to make sure she had coin on her. When the wood was needed for the hilt and scabbard she would hand over the appropriate amount for whoever was sent to purchase it. She didn’t trust herself to pick the correct wood – she knew nothing about carpentry. Knowing her luck, she would choose a pretty piece of wood that proved to be useless for modelling, and would end up wasting her money.

She smiled and nodded at the man.
“Pleasure to meet you Marcus. I will be sure to let you know.”
Truthfully, Akari was almost completely placing her trust in him. She hardly knew a thing about swords. Her interest in them was more on how to swing them. She had never even set foot in a forge before today.

Akari followed the man over to the fire, carefully picking her way across the forge floor. She figured that her clothing was not the most appropriate attire – a dress and long coat were a far cry from what the smiths around her wore. She was vaguely surprised when the metal Marcus pulled from the flames was white. Akari had no idea that it would change colour with the heat.

Again she followed behind him, and watched as he began to hammer the metal into shape. A smile formed at the corners of her mouth as it started to take on a more blade-like shape, growing thinner and longer with the passing chimes. She made sure to keep her distance, as she didn’t like the look of the sparks that flew with each hit.

She wondered how he would add the slight curve, and how he would form the end into a point, but she refrained from asking questions. She was not the one working here and she needed to be respectful of the man.

by **Marcus Braeden** on August 29th, 2011, 7:31 pm

Marcus continued pounding the metal using his fathers hammer that was given to him just before his father passed. It was not like any standard hammer one would find on the tools rack at the Ironworks. In appearance it looked rather plane, apart from an engraving that read the word Braeden, symbolizing whom the hammer belonged to. However the hammer was weighted differently then a standard hammer. Any novice smith attempting to use it would more than likely ruin whatever object they happened to be forging at the time. It was lighter but also delivered a harder punch, due to the arrangement of metals throughout the hammer.

The metal was placed back into the furnace multiple times before the metal had reached out to the desired twelve inches, not including the tang which would extend into the hilt, attaching the hilt and blade. However there was still work to be done. For now it was but a one foot long slab of metal. Marcus took note of the ever so slight curve that the original sword had. He would have to be extremely delicate if he was to match the curve perfectly. He also had yet to bring the sword to a point and add an edge to the appropriate side of the blade. Not to mention get the wood to try and create the hilt. After a careful examination of the sword that Akari had brought, Marcus wiped his brow, brought the blade back to the furnace to reheat it, and then started to work the blade into a point.

He struck the metal toward the end of the blade at an angle until it began to form a point. He also would hammer various other parts of the blade, to make sure that the transition to a point looked like a smooth and natural one. Once the point was finished, it was time to add an edge to the blade. Marcus gently picked up the blade, and walked it over to the grindstone, where he would sharpen the blade. Marcus sat down and placed the sword against the wheel. As it began to spin, the stone would grind up against the blade, causing sparks to begin to fly and then quickly disappear into the air. Every few minutes Marcus would stop, run his finger over the blade, and then continue, as if he was not satisfied with the edge yet. He repeated this process for another half an hour before he was finally pleased, three times longer than it normally took him to sharpen a double edged longsword. Maybe it was the shape of the blade, although the curve hadn't even been added yet, or perhaps it was just his nerves, as he was not in familiar territory after all. Sure it was a sword, but it was just different for some reason. Marcus ran his finger over the blade again, this time he jumped a little bit, as the sword had given him a small bite.

Marcus moved onto forging the curve that came with the sword. After heating the blade once again, he began to lightly strike the metal. If he hit it too hard, he would likely deform the sword, and if too lightly, well they would be there for a while. Marcus paused, wiping more sweat from his forehead. His nerved were starting to get worked up. So far the tantō was going as planned, although it may not have been of the work of someone who is an expert on the subject. But still, he had no intention of wasting this woman's time, or his own for that matter. Marcus concentrated on the blade, carefully striking the metal. But then, finally he set down his hammer and stepped back. The forging was complete, but hardening and tempering still remained.