Closed Onyx vs. Steel (Terag)

[Alexander Faircroft]

The thought of the blade gaining a name was something that made him ponder. Did Greyheart’s blade have a name? Did the grand masters have one? Did his own father’s sword the massive hunk of steel he wielded have one? Alex mulled over these things as Terag motioned and moved about the forge. But Terag spoke again saying that blades that were unique or normally had done great deeds were those which were granted names. Perhaps that meant he’d have to prove his sword worthy of a name and not just gift it one because it had been forged anew.

“Perhaps that’s for the best then. Leave the blade nameless and allow it the chance to earn a title through the deeds I accomplish with it.” The moment Alex fully registered what he’d said eh almost seemed to recoil at his own words. Like he was almost being arrogant at his power his strength his ability to act. Alex exhaled slowly feeling the heat of the forge. The true blazing heat that was the Ironworks beneath the plates of his armour. He was sweltering, even more so as the forge nearby blazed into life. He could feel rivulets of sweat pouring down his forehead. Apparently Terag hoped the Process was not too boring for him. Alex just sighed lightly before speaking.

“It’s not too boring and I’m not against the work though I lack a lot of the skills you guys require to help. It’s just… Exceptionally hot in here.” Alex closed his eyes a moment and sat still. Trying his best to not aggravate the issue but keeping a close ear and eye on what Terag was doing, not out of malice but just trying to understand the processes. And then the next wave of heat hit him. His mouth felt heavily dry. He pulled up his water skin draining a good chunk of the content into him. Trying to replace the water he’d lost through sheer sweat. “I’m actually pretty astonished you guys work in this environment. I can barely breathe.”

[Terag]

Once the metal was heated Terag set to work, using a pair of tongs to hold the metal an his left hand to shape it he took the heated blade pieces and pressed them together with sand in between them. Once pressed he would take the pieces out and then hammer them together, focusing first at the center and then working his way out. With each hammer blow a little bit of flux would be pushed out from between the pieces of metal as they would be forced together and hold that binding. The flux was used to also pull out any sort of contaminants as well. This process was repeated until all of the swore pieces were fused together in an unattractive lump. The metal was going to be bent and folded over and over again with the cold iron and so its shape at this stage was irrelevant as long as the metal came together without impurities in between. Terag simply chuckled softly at Alex's response to how the blade would gain its name. It was a good way to name it for sure, but the accidental arrogance was still amusing. Still, it wasn't as bad as some customers who seem to think they could take on the world once they had a weapon in their hand. Their arrogance might actually be the death of them. Terag continued to work, this time each time he would heat up the mass of metal and then slowly begin to hammer it into a new shape. He was hammering it into the vague shape of an ingot, so that the process would go a bit easier when he brought in the cold iron as well. He had to constantly flip the blade, and occasionally fold it in half. When he folded it he would place some sand between the halves and then work it back out just as he had before with the two separate pieces earlier. Terag nodded in agreement to Alex's response about the heat, he had heard it time and time again after all. He couldn't help but laugh a bit when Alex mentioned that he could barely breath. "Sorry for the laugh, I remember that sensation when I was young. You get used to the heat, no? Just as you get used to wearing your heavy armor. If you like you can remove it and set it beside you or against the wall, it might help with the heat." With a smile Terag put the new iron ingot, made from Alex's sword, back into the flame one final time to heat with the cold iron. This would be the metal's last moments separate. Time almost seemed to slow for Terag as he waited for the metals, he could feel his heart begin to beat just a little faster as his excitement grew. He was familiar working metals together and folding them, but not these two different metals into one. The excitement of what was to come was beginning to take over. He took a deep breath as the metals were finally hot enough. On top of the cold iron Terag laid the flux once again, set the other ingot on top. Holding the metal with his left hand and his hammer in his right, he set to work once more to bring the pieces together.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

The simple matter of the fact was Alex was half watching terag work now and was in fact glancing about the smithy and watching other smiths work as well. The difference between watching a bar be forged from fresh versus what terag was doing was somewhat stark. Mostly as Terag was taking something which had been broken adding something else too it and then forging it into something bigger. It was strange just to sit and watch, however holding focus in this heat was almost impossible. Trying to breath in an oven, in what felt like a much smaller oven was, not doable.

“Sorry Terag I’ve gotta step outside…” Alex spoke with heavy words as he rose to step outside his first step out into the cold winter air the snow beneath his feet melting as his foot plunged into it. The cold air a sweet welcome relief. The initial sting of the air had left and now the cold breeze was both a gentle caress and a harsh smack in the face. The steam which came off of him melted the lightly falling snow to the point where he began to drip water off of his fingers and still felt hot. Still felt like he was baking a little, but the cold air was slowly alleviating the problem.

Now he had another thing clawing at the back of his mind. He didn’t want to leave his blade along just in case the sword came out flawed or weakened in some way. Then again he didn’t want to leave it alone as he never left any of the possessions he owned alone. At least not out in the open or with people he’d just met. Now he just had to wait and lurk about out in the cold air and hope for the best. If it worked out well then his main blade would be a little more special.

[Terag]

Terag simply nodded at Alexander's comment as he left for the outside. He understood, the heat could sometimes be too much. There were stories about young Isur who weren't accustomed to it coming out worse for ware from an over-enthusiastic session learning to smith after all. Terag simply figured many humans must be like this, as a whole they did not seem so inclined to shape metal - or at the very least did not hold the same enthusiasm as his own people. The two ingots slowly formed into one, being folded and pressed together time and time again as his hammer came down onto his work. The clangs would ring out, only to be lost to the myriad of other noises coming from throughout The Ironworks. Alone, he began to hum to himself to create a new rhythm to work to. His humming turned to singing as the metals finally became one and he set it back into the forge once again to heat up before taking it back out to begin to shape it. He chose something more light hearted today, a silly old tale that he swore he heard once from his parents to put him to sleep after he had broken his first tools. "Come together, forge something new, Let the old regain its purpose, Make it more than a simple rest for my shoe. The metal has its new form, The old shape but a memory, A new place for your work to adorn." It wasn't good, and he swore he missed a lyric or perhaps just forgot some words entirely. Now the heap of metal began to take a form again, although rather than something new the metal slowly began to take the old shape of Alexander's sword. A bastard sword, a good tool. Effective. With practiced movements Terag worked the metal into shape between short spurts of it in the forge. First the general shape of the blade and then refinement. Each swing came down with purpose, with every strike the weapon took on its form. Before long the blade was reborn into the world. The weight should be similar enough, Terag figured after he had hammered off a bit of the extra metal and tossed it into the scraps. The tang would have to be the smallest bit larger this time. One last time he placed the blade into the forge, before pulling the blade back out with his hand and quenching the blade to finalize it. A few more touches and it would be ready. First he placed the guard back on before he reheated the tang quickly, and pulled the remnants of the hilt and replaced first the handle - letting the tang reburn itself a hole to keep the handle steady, and the pommel was added on shortly after once the metal was cool enough. With a smile he looked the blade over in his hands, it was ready to be used once more - once it was cleaned and sharpened again. But it was a tool and whole again, as it had before their little sparring match. Terag took the blade with him to the grinder and took a seat. Years of practice meant Terag could hum to himself once again as he ran the edge of the blade up and down the spinning stone as he sharpened the edges. It was a long procedure, but Terag was determined to have the work done as quickly as possible. Several short tunes later Terag was satisfied enough with the edge, Alexander would have to hone it down the rest of the way to his liking. Now all that was left as the polish. Terag took the blade from the stone to the counter, resting it down gently onto the surface before retrieving sandpaper to use. With the sandpaper he worked down the flat of the blade, cleaning off bits of soot and other marking that had been left on the blade from the dirty forging process. Slowly but surely the metal began to shine, and Terag couldn't help but notice the metal seemed already too cool. He figured it was from the introduction of the new metal into the blade and let the idea flow from his head as he kept working, shining the blade until it was nearly sale-ready. Getting it all the way perfect would take too long, and so he left it enough that an experienced knight, or one training to be so, would be able to clean it the rest of the way. Terag called out to Alexander if he had not returned, and if he had then Terag simply spoke, "It is ready! I do apologize for the wait." With a smile Terag would gently hand the repaired blade back to its owner, "Your nameless blade is ready to be used once again. It may feel a bit different, but I am sure you will be back to peak fighting form in no time."

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

Ticks went by then chimes. A small wait all in all from scratch a blade often took a long time to forge however Alex was impatient. Not because he was separated from his blade. No, he was impatient because the heat from the forge had begun to subside and the cold had begun to set in once again. A dark chill that the soft white flakes carried with them. His breath trailed off as he counted the moments. Puffs of white, followed by small snaky trials. It wasn’t the longest wait but in weather this cold preceded by that level of extreme heat it was something to make most men rock on their feet.

After a few moments Terag emerged from the inferno. The blade in his hands pristine and with a soft pattern too it. The cold iron intermingling with the regular steel a darkened edge that seemed sharper than ever before. Alex took it lightly from Terag’s hands and gave it a few small practice swings. The heft largely unchanged however somehow it felt faster. It may have just been a trick of his mind but he knew the weight and the speed well. He couldn’t forget it.

“Thank you. I must say your craftsmanship is vastly impressive. I believe fifteen Mizas was the agreed amount.” Alex’s words were soft. Light as the still falling snow as he spoke handing over the golden mizas to Terag. The blade in his hands as he pushed the blade into his scabbard almost didn’t fit anymore. The blades edge biting lightly into the wood and leather. “As for the unnamed nature of the blade I’ll think of something eventually.” His words were always followed with a smile, but not one of any real emotion just one so well practiced, it seemed real.

“I Hope we meet again Terag. Though next time under slightly less… Arduous circumstance.” He smiled lightly as he stepped off into the syliran streets. The heavy fallen snow resting around his feet and as he walked he sank into it. Deeper than most. Not just due to his armour but almost as if he walked with a weight on his shoulders.

[Terag]

Terag simply nodded and smiled in response at first to Alexander, it was good to know his work was appreciated. The few extra Mizas in his pocket didn't hurt either. Terag registered the smile somewhat, he was not as used to a human's face making similar fake smiles as some of his own clan did on occasion. "Of course, better circumstances are always hopped for. May your new blade be the one to help get you to them, no?" Terag tried to return a happier smile for the man before he walked off back into the cold. His walk did seem to make it look like that was much more going on than he let on, but that was his own business. After all, smiths weren't nearly as good getting information out of their customers as the bar keeps were. With a shrug, Terag turned back into The Irownworks to retrieves his things and head back to his room for the time being - with a happily little jingle in his pocket.

[Samuel Longwell]

Grading Complete Please edit your grade request thread so that it's obvious that it's been graded. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions/problems with your grade. Name: Terag XP Award: Weapon: Warfork 4 Observation 1 Rhetoric 3 Philosophy 1 Socialisation 5 Singing 4 Unarmed combat 3 Teaching 1 Tactics 1 Endurance 3 Planning 2 Drawing 1 Weapon-smithing 3 Lore: Philosophy: Be like the stone Alexander: Has pent up rage Isur really can break weapons with their bare hands Combining two types of ingots Rewards: +14GM. You spent 1 on the cold iron and Alex gave you 15. He did not actually subtract it from his ledger before he retired but the amount of money is not too game-breaking so you can add it to your ledger. Notes: You got through a lot of stuff in this thread, I enjoyed reading it Enjoy your grades.