[Tarsin's Boarding House] Phase Two [Clyde]

[Hadrian]

69th Summer, 511 A.V. The water boiled furiously in the coals of the hearth, and Hadrian used gloves to take the pot out of the fire. He nodded to Clyde to get the blade ready for setting the enchantment while he poured steaming water into a large bucket most likely used for the laundry that was filled with an assortment of herbs, his latest attempt at brewing the best philtre for the job. A lodestone rattled in the stream of water, then moved silently about in the contained tumult. A clean aroma rose from the steam, filled with pine and mint notes, as well as other, less easily identified things. He set the pot aside and pushed the hair out of his eyes with a hand turned hot despite the gloves. "You don't have to wait for it to steep to put the blade in," he said, then took up the pot again and put it in the coals. He didn't bother with the gesture, which was no longer needed for simpler things, and res began to coalesce before him, swirling and glimmering with blue until enough had accumulated that it followed the dictates of his will in a stream of magic and transmuting water into the empty pot to come to a boil. With his gloves, he pulled another bubbling pot out of the fire. With a quick flash of Fluxed djed down his limbs, he hefted it properly, this time without a grunt of effort. It was shameful how physically weak he was, but luckily he could magically augment his strength and speed, at least for a little while.

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde awoke to a new day. He was a bit stiff, but besides that he felt fine, and ready to work... After a few seconds his head cleared of its fogginess, and he got up to see the project. He watched as Hadrian did something with the water, and stood over the blade. He did a quick flash of looking at the blades aura, which seemed to have changed since last night. But if they wanted it to stick, and for there enchantment to be permanant, they would have to finally cool down the item. This would slow the deepening aura, and stop it from changing and being ruined. It was kind of like when working with metal. Once you got what you wanted, you cooled it down to set it in place. If you just left it in the fire, you would end up with a lump of metal. And they certainly did not want the magecrafting equivalent of a lump of metal. Carefully he lifted the blade, as if it was a snake that might bite him, and brought it over to the bucket of steaming water. Then he lowered it in, and watched as it sank to the bottom. He gave another flicker of a look at its aura, which did not really seem any different. Though he guessed that after it had cooled, the djed pathways would no longer be active and shifting like it was right then, but solid and permanently as it was. But cool down took time, they would just have to wait. He let out a sigh of relief, that they had finished the active work of the item. He turned to Hadrian, and gave him a smile. "Finished.... A part of me thought we would never be done... And another part was so excited by it all... I wished it never would be completed... But I suppose we are done now... Just have to wait for the cool down to take effect... What exactly was that you used for it, it did not seem like the normal mixture I have seen. Quite an interesting aroma...." Having said this, he would listen to Hadrians response, and then excuse himself for a moment. He desperately needed to empty his bladder... And a quick bite for a meal would not hurt.... Then he would be back to the room, to watch over the item as it slowly cooled, giving it an occasional look at its aura to see how it was going.... They were more or less done.... Just had to wait now... And then off to sell there new product....

[Hadrian]

Hadrian explained his recipe, an experimental riff off of previous potions, of course. "And the lodestone," he finished, "helps hold the alignment of the djed pathways as everything is settling in permanently. When I have time to figure out the mathematics of it, I will start putting charging water in a circle of lodestones for the most stable environment. I have to do some more studies into Summoning circles for that as well. Everything is related, you know..." That done, Clyde excused himself for a call of nature, and Hadrian began to clean things up. He picked up a glass that had been resting over an inactive glyph and pressed his hand to that trigger. The energy running through the glyphs and sigils began to race toward that little portal to the Void he had maintained with the help of his glyphs for all those days, and as the energy left, the spell ceasing, all their hard work became as dust, the remnants of the glyphs needing only to be swept into the hearth with the ashes. Waving his hand across the mouth of the portal, his little window into the Void disappeared. Tomorrow they would go looking for a buyer again, and then they would be moderately rich, at least until they decided to reinvest their earnings in their next projects.

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde rose that morning, feeling rather chipper. They had completed their product, and just had to go take it from the waters it had cooled down in. He quickly moved up the stairs, racing two at a time, only to have a leg spasm about half way up and nearly landing on his face. Luckily he got his hand up in time to stop that. He did not need anymore injuries to the face thank you... Finishing his ways up the stairs, this time at a more normal pace, he walked into the room, to check on the item. He gave a quick look at its aura, seeing that were its djed pathways had been still shifting slightly the day before, now that it had cooled they were permanently set. It appeared that everything had gone well, and the enchantment had permanently set on the item. For the rest of its existence it would be stronger and faster than a normal blade created through normal means. Though it was not as good as some of the legendary objects enchanted centeries ago, it was still a creation of their sweat and hard work. Clyde would pick it up, feeling how it seemed to move differently than the weapons he had held before... Much faster than something of its size should. Once Hadrian arrived, he would set the weapon down, and speak to him. "Finally complete Eh? Now we just have to find someone to buy it... Though obviously like last time it needs to be someone with a good bit of money... And should we name the blade? It is sometimes done with magecrafted weapons... Or perhaps leave that for the buyer to do once he has purchased it?" "Either way, congratulations to us both for completing it. Perhaps we can work together again some time? Who knows what time will bring to us... But first lets sell off this creation." Clyde would give a quick smile at Hadrian, happy looking at the work they had brought forth... magic always excited him so much, and doing something like this... Well it was just better than anything else he had experience in his life... "So should we try and sell it to a rich merchant like last time? Perhaps someone a bit higher up than before? Or we could even ask the person we sold the last to, maybe he could tell us someone who might want it..."

[Hadrian]

70th Summer, 511 A.V. When Hadrian arrived, Clyde had already withdrawn the blade, cleaned and dried it and, it seemed, had probably swung it around a few times to test their modest creation. This was not his most powerful creation, but Hadrian could sense the good work they had done, felt the elegance of the design and noted how certain improvements that Clyde had brought to the table had worked out well. There seemed little left to do but sell it. Such a thing should fetch them a hefty nine thousand golden mizas if the market remained as good as it had when they sold their last project to fund this one. Three thousand for Clyde, for Hadrian, and for Ethan, their investor. "If we go to the last merchant, I think we might not have to do much shopping around for a buyer. He knows the quality of our work and has recent experience selling a magecrafted blade. Perhaps we should wait and let him name it. After all, it's not the Zariath, just a better sword than most men can afford. Luckily there are plenty of rich men in Ravok." As they walked to meet that merchant again, Hadrian answered Clyde's other question. "I still intend to leave Ravok early in the autumn, but I imagine our paths will cross again, and then we can share some of what we have learned in the intervening period, me from my travels, you from your studies here in Ravok." Of course, it was always a good idea to have capable assistants. They sped up the process and allowed a man time for other pursuits while maintaining great works. "Ah, here we are." He held open the door to the merchant's shop since Clyde was carrying their creation.

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde agreed mostly with Hadrian. If things had gone well with the last product, then they would do well to return to the last merchant they had sold it to. But if it had not... Well he might just send his guards to kill them. But there was little way of knowing until they asked. Though Clyde did ponder a bit more on what he said... The Zariath? What was that? Obviously it had to do with magecrafting, and was a well known reference... But Clyde could not recall what it was, or who made it... Perhaps he should ask his teacher about it... Though he did not like directly questioning his teacher, who knew what he might do! He had seen the man blast a man across the room with magic once because he felt the man had insulted him somehow... Best to be careful around him.... The two talked for a bit as they walked along, idle chit chat, but they eventually arrived at the merchants house. It did not seem to worse for wear, so perhaps things had gone well with the last item? As the door was opened, he walked inside to see the merchant. His eyes lit up upon seeing them, with an odd mix of apprehension and excitement. He quickly hid one hand behind his back, though not quick enough to hide the clear bandages across one hand... Apparently he had been messing around with there last item, and burned himself, quite a nasty one at that. "So, you have made something else have you? Well let me see it, perhaps I might be able to take this one off your hands as well." The man looked curiously at the sword as Clyde handed it to him... Wondering what magics it held hidden in plain sight... "So what does it do?" Clyde stepped forward, ready to answer, holding his hands out to indicate the blade. "As you saw from our last product, the magic is strong and holds permanently. This time we went for a much stronger enchantment in the blade. We added a moderate enchantment to its sturdiness, to make it more durable and resistant to damage. Anyone using it in battle will notice this about it, and many people who witness it in a fight will realize this is not a normal blade." "But not only that, we also added a minor enhancement to its swinging speed, to make it go faster. That will be very useful in a battle! This one is not as strong, so wont be as obvious to outside observers, but when in use the wielder will be able to tell that it moves faster than a normal blade." The merchant held up the sword, swinging it around a bit, testing Clyde's words. A small smile would break across his face as he felt the blade move. Surely he was already picturing how he would sell this work of magic, picturing the great amount of gold that he would get for retailing it. The three of them haggled and talked for quite a bit, the merchant trying to lower the price, thus improving his margin on selling it. But Clyde and Hadrian were firm, and they finally settled on a price close to 9,000 GM. More or less what they were hoping for, and a good amount to take in for their work done. Though the merchant did end with a short spiel, how if he found out they had cheated him, or the item did not do all as they told, what would happen to them... Their loved ones... And anyone they cared for. Clyde withheld a snort at this, since no one really fitted into any of those things. He had no one he called close, and as for family... Well he could care less about them after all he had been through. No he was unfazed by his words, since he knew that they had made a good product, and happily waved him goodbye, before picking up a large chest of gold sitting as payment for the item. A good day all in all, ending with hhim a good 3,000 GM richer!

[Hadrian]

When the merchant wavered, Hadrian spoke up, having witnessed his father's mastery at negotiation first hand. Just because he wasn't a merchant himself didn't mean he could not sell a thing. "This is a larger blade, of course, and a product for a more discriminating customer. The dagger could create small balls of fire, which could certainly be useful in the right situation. But this is a blade with more utilitarian purposes. A strong man who is not quick will find this blade close to unbreakable for combative purposes, and the slowness that often comes with strength will be counteracted by the charm for speed. "A customer who is already quick will find him or herself even more agile in a fight, with a blade that needn't be folded a thousand times for durability, nor packed with more material to add weight." They worked the merchant over between the two of them, and they walked out of there with nine thousand golden mizas, three for each of them, giving Clyde and Hadrian seed money for future enchantments, and Ethan, their investor, enough money to retire comfortably should he decide to do so. END

[Verilian]

Hadrian +3 Glyphing +3 Shielding +3 Voiding +2 Flux +1 Reimancy +1 Meditation +3 Flute +2 Teaching +1 Negotiation +5 Magecrafting Lores: Planning a Project, Experimenting with Salt, How to Make a Res-Filter Loot: 6000 gold mizas Clyde Sullins +4 Glyphing +4 Auristics +1 Shielding +2 Reimancy +1 Negotiation +5 Magecrafting Lores: Planning a Project, The Concept if a Res-Filter, How to make a Res-Filter Loot: 3000 gold mizas You Question My Logic? : If you have any questions on the award, feel free to ask. Notes: Great job guys! Hadrian, you technically get 6000 gold mizas because you have to give them to Ethan. Please be sure to do so, or feel free to steal them if you want. That is between you, Clyde, and Ethan.