A Modest Proposal (Marcus Braeden)

[Gunho Ma]

Winter 25, 511 AV The heat from the ironworks may have been oppressive during spring or summer but in winter such heat was comforting, even welcome to a few. Gunho looked around him, at the wealth of metal and at the solid stone structure that lent the entire place a feeling of impregnable security. Lhavit didn't have a forge like this though its proximity to Sultros had probably prevented its natives from taking up the noble art of smithing to a degree that would have been comparable to Isur-craft. There was such vast amount of work here that Gunho couldn't have found a better place to have his weapon forged anywhere in the city. Now all he had to do was find someone he could talk to, there were so many people transporting goods or haggling over raw ore that he was having some trouble finding a smith he could talk to. He looked confused and unsure, his appearance and manner of clothing didn't help to let him blend in with the people here. He wondered if there was a line or if you had to coordinate with someone before visiting the ironworks in the first place. Finally he found someone who looked like a smith, he approached the man cautiously then politely introduced himself. "Greetings sir, I am Gunho Ma... I am looking for a weaponsmith... someone who can forge me a Dao, a weapon I used to practice with in Lhavit... I am not sure if you call it by that name in these parts but... it resembles a sabre, though it has a blade that's larger, it's width must be similar to a broadsword and it has a bit of back-edge so it can thrust well unlike many single-edged swords I've seen in my time."

[Marcus Braeden]

Once again it was one of Marcus' least favorite types of days...a winter one. It was during the winter that Marcus was often found working longer hours working his craft, simply because the comfort offered by the fires was unparalleled anywhere else. The Ironworks didn't offer one simple fire to warm those who entered, but a multitude of them, all being worked by different smiths, who were working on a variety of different projects. That was the beauty of it, of the Ironworks. Creativity flowed from the forge like a river. Looking around one could spot a smith creating simple chisels and other tools. But with another glance towards a different smith, one could see a decorative sword being made, meant to be hung on the walls of some rich merchant, or maybe you would see an expert smith creating an axe meant for a great warrior, such as a Syliran Knight. Marcus was one of those found to be making battle ready weapons.

Marcus was hanging a spear he had made on the weapons rack, indicating that he had completed it and it was ready to be sold to whoever wished to buy it. Hopefully whomever ended up with such a piece was happy with Marcus' work. Marcus was about to grab another order when he was approached by a young man, most likely in his late teens. He did not have the looks of someone from Sylira, and it was all the more confirmed when he stated he was from Lhavit. He introduced himself as Gunho Ma, once again, not typical of someone from Sylira. The boy definitely looked lost, as it was unusual to find a customer wander into the area of the forge where the crafting was done. But it had happened in the past, and Marcus was usually happy to fill whatever request they might have, this time being a Dao. Marcus perfectly capable of getting the job and then some, he just needed some specifications on it.

" A Dao huh? Yeah I know what you mean. Your lucky I just finished up that spear over there" Marcus stated as he pointed back towards the weapon rack he had placed the spear upon. "I'm Marcus by the way, and I can make your Dao, but I am gonna need some specifications on exactly what you want. I know you want to a Doa, but I am talking materials, etchings, balance point and the like" He explained.

[Gunho Ma]

A wonderfully made piece. Even Gunho's untrained eyes could note the man's skill and the quality of his latest creation. Surely this Sir Marcus could forge him the weapon he desired. The monk found himself being asked for specifications and he mentally quizzed himself about everything he wanted before putting those thoughts to words. "I am not knowledgeable about metals, but I have heard some people talking about coldsteel... I like the durability it is said to possess but I will be satisfied with ordinary steel if the former is difficult to obtain." "I'm not one for etchings or flourishes, a simple effective weapon... But it would be nice if there were holes in the guard... even just a hook of some sort added after the forging is complete to keep the Dao's integrity from being compromised." Gunho was a simple man, his needs were just as simple and he could not afford a beautiful sword even if he desired such. "If there are hooks or holes I could secure a tassel unto the sword if the need arises." "My instructor told me that a Dao's length could be taken from the distance between the center of one's throat along the entire length of an extended arm. So we should be good with measurements." he mimed a measurement for himself and looked at the smith for his opinion. "Would this be fair?" "The balance and point... Since the Dao does seem to widen near the edge since it's made for cutting... well, I'll leave that up to you. It is similar to a sabre so... maybe it's balance would be like a sabre's? What I would like is a bit of back edge, its especially important to me so I can use the sword for thrusting in an emergency. I have a sketch here of a Dao from Lhavit. Its a simple drawing made by a friend, a little blurred but will it help?" "My most important question is how much would such a sword cost me?" Gunho wasn't a rich man. He didn't want to get into a business agreement without knowing how much the swords he wanted would cost him.

[Marcus Braeden]

Marcus took the drawing in his hand and examined it. The picture confirmed the image Marcus had in his hand, but it was always good to make sure. You don't wan't to make a longsword when the order asked for a claymore, although Marcus knew the difference between those two particular weapons, it was actually quite silly not to. The shape was similar to a saber yes, but the length was much more similar to that of a short sword. Marcus continued studying the drawing as his mind dictated how this weapon would be made.

When Gunho inquired about the metal, Marcus chuckled, 'cold steel shouldn't be a problem, considering it is the same as normal steel. The difference is how long I stick the metal into the fire for. When cold forging the metal is just cooler than usual. And punching the holes through the crossguard wont be a problem at all." Marcus handed the picture back to Gunho. "Now about the price, the workload is going to be more akin to that of a short sword. Since there isn't much decoration it's not gonna go up in price from that. So it all comes down to ten gold mizas. Now shall I begin?" He asked with a sly smile on his face.

[Gunho Ma]

Gunho nodded as he took in the short lesson. He had no idea that what gave cold metal it's special quality was a tempering method. It wasn't actually a special kind of ore that had qualities that surpassed those of steel alloy. He would take this lesson to mind so he could use it the next time he went out to buy another weapon... or armor if the time came. "That is an acceptable price Sir Marcus." that wasn't as expensive as he thought it would be... perhaps he needed to check on the Syliran market. Prices of certain goods were probably cheaper here since it was the cradle of civilization and there were many people who provided specialized services. He took a few coins from his pouch and counted them up to ten. He would thrust a cupped hand bearing those ten golden mizas to the smith. "Here is the amount you requested." "Do you want me to observe until you finish the weapon sir? Or should I give you privacy? I am not sure about the customs of this land."

[Marcus Braeden]

"It is up to you. You may browse our stock if you wish, you can watch me, or you can explore Syliras. It's all up to you my friend" Marcus laughed and walked off to fetch the steel he would need to craft the Dao. It would be an interesting project to say the least. It was nice to get away from the standard longsword variant and make something a little more unique. Also, it wasn't everyday that he got to cold forge. It was a nice change from the day to day stuff around the Ironworks.

Just as usual Marcus began by placing the steel in the fire. However the difference this time was that he was heating it up to a cooler temperature before shaping the metal. It was harder work, because the metal was harder and took longer to shape. However it would result in a much sturdier blade. However skilled smiths had no problem making resilient blades through either process. It was really up to the preference of the customer, as Marcus had no trouble making a decent blade with either process. When Marcus drew the metal from the forge, which only had a feint red glow to it, rather than the white hot glow that was standard, he placed it on his anvil and began the usual strikes. First he turned the bar of steel into a much flatter surface, which would also naturally draw out the length. However it was a slow process made even slower by the fact he was cold forging. The metal was tossed back into the fire before the metal had resembled a basic blade, and Marcus still had to add the curve that the Dao needed. Marcus began striking the sides of the metal to add the curve. While it did not take as long as it did to draw out the length, curving the blade still took time and precision. Marcus slowed down greatly in order to make sure each strike was both accurate and precise to maintain that perfect curvature that a Dao was known for.

Marcus finally finished the blade several hours after he had began. Any form of curve to a sword would take a while just because it was necessary to take the time to get it just right. Too much or too little curvature would render the blade awkward for its user. All the proportions needed to be spot on, for the wielders sake.

Marcus' next step was to take the blade to the grinder and get all of the ruggedness out of the blade. He wanted the blade to be smooth on all planes, but not sharp yet, that would come later. Marcus walked over and waited, blade in hand, as another smith put the finishing touches on a pair of daggers. Marcus looked at the daggers being sharpened and began to analyze them. He was beginning to develop that tendency, to analyze any weapon he sees. Looks like your standard steel blades, with a slight outwards curvature. They are sleek, very sleek. The hilts, wow, that's unusual...the hilts appear to me made of gold, with a few engraving adorned upon them. Wow, using gold in weapons, not something I had ever thought of...something I may have to experiment with one of these days the thoughts all raced through Marcus' mind.

As the man got up, there eyes met and Marcus smiled and nodded towards the man, "They look good, really good." The man simply smiled back, and Marcus took his seat at the grinder. The wheel began revolving and Marcus pressed the blade against the stone. Sparks scattered in warm air and Marcus remained focused on the task at hand, not intimidated by mere sparks. After a few minutes, he switches sides of the blade and repeated what he had done. Once both sides were determined to be smooth he prepared for the next step: Hardening and Tempering.

[Gunho Ma]

Since the man didn't seem to mind being watched Gunho decided to observe the entire forging process. He would definitely learn a thing or two about forging and swords if he took his time and watched carefully. The entire process was eye opening... he had entertained a thought before... that swords were made when one poured melted steel alloy into clay molds shaped like swords. The procedure Marcus used appeared to be far more complicated. He hammered away at a flat piece of red hot steel, battered it until the bar took on a shape closer to that of his sketch. The man's skill was evident, his strikes were centered, the force in his hand controlled and the rhythm of the hammer fall steady. So this was a weaponsmith at work. The entire forging process was strangely hypnotic. There was something about working with fire, about tempering hot steel and the slow precision required in the creation of a fine blade that was captivating. It reminded him a lot of his work, a masseuse couldn't rush, it took careful and slow progress to reach their goal. Marcus was doing something so very much like it. When he brought the sword to the grinder Gunho positioned himself away from the sparks but continued to watch the man at work. Sharpening a sword was a slow process, but seeing a dull edge become sharp and keen was its own reward. It was amazing how a bar of metal could become something entirely different in the hands of a skilled smith's hands and attention.

[Marcus Braeden]

Hardening and tempering was the next task on Marcus' to do list. Two similar processes that were very different. Marcus walked over to where the cooling tanks were. Well they called them tanks, they were really just wooden barrels filled with cool water, but they got the job done. To harden the steel that made up the blade, Marcus would heat the crafted blade to a high temperature and then give the metal a quick plunge in the icy bath. Eventually this would cause the blade to become brittle, but that's what tempering was for. Tempering revolved around heating the blade to a lower temperature and then soaking it, which would strengthen the blade. The trick was to pull the blade from the fire at the right time. A smith had to be weary of the reactions occurring within the metal to decide on the right moment to draw the blade from the flames. Tempering was a skill that took time to learn; a novice smith would often leave the blade in too long or not long enough, resulting in a weaker blade, but Marcus could identify the right moment. However the fact that the blade was cold forged would definitely have an effect on the tempering and hardening and Marcus needed to be aware of that fact.

Marcus suddenly remembered when he was teaching Hadrian a thing or two about smithing. While Marcus used the eyes he was born with to identify when to draw the weapon, Hadrian had been using magic, auristics. He had identified the metals aura and used it to identify the different properties. The memory simply returned to him for some reason. It definitely an intuitive approach to smithing.

Marcus first placed the blade in the flames and left it there for several minutes. The heat built up inside and outside of the blade and when Marcus drew it, it glowed orange. Marcus carefully gripped the metal with his smithing tongs and quickly plunged the blade into the water. A loud hiss, accompanied by a thick layer of steam encompassed the area. The quenching was repeated several times, before Marcus decided that the blade had had enough. It was time for tempering. Marcus placed the blade back into the fire once more and allowed it to sit. Marcus stood there, gazing into the furnace, watching the surface of the metal. He acknowledged bubbles and different colors, and quickly identified what each meant within his mind. And then he drew the blade and quenched it in the barrel. The steam and hiss once again engulfed him. Marcus repeated this six more time before deciding that the blade had reached its most durable state. Any more tempering past this point would counter the work he has done so far.

[Gunho Ma]

The hardening and tempering procedure looked very odd to the Lhavit borne. He had never witnessed such an activities before and he couldn't bring his mind around the logic of exposing anything to multiple extremes of temepratures. "So what does cooling and heating do to a sword and why must this be done?" he gazed at the dao and the steam rising from its surface. "I'm perplexed... I once had a very cold glass mug and poured hot tea into it and it cracked... How does this procedure help the metal become more resilient?" But metal was not glass. They had very different qualities. Maybe when metal was exposed to extremes of temperature a different effect occurred. It wasn't brittle like glass anyway. The re-heating of the sword was a strange thing to see. The blade looked great in the masseuse's eyes, but he felt that heating it would only risk deforming it. But he trusted Marcus, the man looked certain in his actions and he wouldn't doubt this smith's skills. He would trust this man's handiwork. "It sure looks like it takes a lot of time for you to forge a single weapon Marcus, one a good day, how many weapons can you make? Are swords one of the hardest things to forge or are they just as difficult and time consuming as spears are to make?"

[Marcus Braeden]

As Marcus was finishing up with the tempering, Gunho asked him of the difficulty of certain weapons. Marcus responded "Spears are simple. There isn't too much forging to be done and then you just gotta attach the shaft. Sword's are much more complicated since there is more material that is hand crafted. But I have taken up sort of a specialty for swords. I personally find making hammers more complicated just because of the complexity of the shapes you have to forge" he explained as he walked back towards the anvil. Once back at Marcus' workspace, Marcus set the blade aside and fetched more metal, which he would use to create the hilt of the weapon.

As he walked, thoughts of how the hilt would be made entered hi mind. Alright, time for the hilt. Let's see, normally I would add a pommel, but this particular piece does not really need one. Th hilt have to have a slight curve toward the base, just to coincide with the curve of the blade. Oh yeah, I gotta punch those holes in the crossguard as well. Okay, I will do two holes, one on each side of the blade, so he can secure his blade. Lets's see, oh yeah, binding. Either leather or cloth, depending on his preference.

Marcus returned with the metal and took it to the fire, where he would once again heat it up so it could be forged into a proper sword hilt. Once the metal had reached a high enough temperature, Marcus began to strike the metal with his hammer. This time he was trying to make the metal cylindrical so it could be gripped. It was a slow process again, but the metal slowly began to take shape. At the same time, Marcus also added the slight curve at the base. Both processes took place simultaneously and eventually Marcus had a nice Dao hilt that matched the blade. Marcus quickly tested the blade to make sure it's tang fit into the slot left in the hilt by Marcus. It was good fit, and was ready to be welded together. But first Marcus needed to punch the holes into the crossguard. It was also slow, but Marcus eventually had two nice round holes on opposite ends of the crossguard. Marcus stuck the blade into the hilt and then brought the sword to the fire once again. This time he used the heat to weld the two parts together. It only took a few minutes of Marcus' time and when Marcus was done, he was carrying a Dao in his hand.

"By the way, do you prefer leather or cloth to be wrapped around the hilt. And if cloth, what color?" Marcus asked Gunho.

All that was left was the touch up, such as a final sharpening and polishing.