To Mardok's

[Deleted]

Floras 7, 200ATD

As promised, Ventus had left his guardian’s inn in Fordeth on the 4th of Floras. He was ready to leave the dirty city and, despite having propositioned for a companion, had left early the next day alone. He had left the opportunity open for Mordecai to join in his travels, but could not wait for the man to decide. Hopefully, his newfound acquaintance would not be far behind. He had entered the southern part of Mallon Forest only a day ago, stumbling into the wood and keeping west in hopes that he would be through the narrow part of the forest before the day’s end. He was becoming a bit distracted by the change in landscape and fascinated by the wide world beyond Fordeth.

For so long, the ruins and walls of the Sovereign had locked him within Fordeth that he had forgotten about the lands surrounding the Cruic capital. He had felt responsible for Élise and Cassius to the extent of ignoring his own heart. Now, he felt that change could only come by first freeing himself. If he could not at least do that, how could he expect to free the people living among ruin? Either way, this job was an opportunity that Ventus hoped to achieve.

Ventus could see the clearing of the plains just beyond the trees. He’d only been in the forest for a couple hours now, but was glad to be nearly out of it. He’d heard grumbles during his visit to Kable’s Caravan about the forest being eerily dangerous. He felt lucky to thus far have avoided such dangers. In several days time, he hoped he could also reach the Duchy with such luck.

---

Ventus El'lor

S: 12
Vit: 14
Agi: 13
Ch: 10
St: 10
T: 10
D: 11
P: 11
En: 11
K: 11

Hp: 280
Sm: 33/34
Mp: 121

Learning Direction I 

[Deleted]

By the end of Floras 7th, Ventus had made his way into the plains south east of Mardock Duchy. He had sloppily collected sticks and things that he’d seen the Caravan use in making their encircled campfires and, in his aloneness, tested something he’d always been afraid to try in Fordeth. Sure, he’d tampered with a candle here or there when alone in the darkness of his room – channeling the little flame around his fingertip, but he knew he was capable of so much more.

Out here, far from the road and the watchful eyes of some pesky Sovereign guard, Ventus wanted to put his abilities to the test. He dumped the pile of sticks into the center of a spot clear of grass. Standing over it, Ventus looked into the dark sky. It was a cloudy night, but the air was dry. Risk of rain wouldn’t soil his fun tonight. Not interested in the dull red that seeped through the clouds, Ventus let his eyes fall shut as he tried to focus. The only sounds that lulled him into a meditation were whistles on the gentle breeze and chirping of the bugs darting through the grass. Slowly, the rhythm of his heart drew his focus to find its center. He imaged the pulse of his being as a candle, a flickering flame growing stronger with each beat of his heart.

Ventus imaged the flame in his core extending beyond his body, picturing it atop his little pile of sticks. When he opened his eyes, the fire was there. It had appeared by an extension of Thaumaturgy. What he had seen in his mind had come to be. Ventus jumped around his fire at least three encirclements before actually setting down to enjoy it.

That night, he slept on dirt and stone. His fire, though he considered it a big accomplishment, was poorly constructed and therefore went out after a good thirty minutes and caused quite a bit of smoke. The boy would surely wake with a sore back and an ashy face.

---

Ventus El'lor

S: 12
Vit: 14
Agi: 13
Ch: 10
St: 10
T: 10
D: 11
P: 11
En: 11
K: 11

Hp: 280
Sm: 32/34
Mp: 121

Roll For Campfire to work.  - Success

Learning Direction I, Fire II, Thaumaturgy II, Camping I 

Solo 4/10 for the month. Though this is open to being a public thread. )))

[Deleted]

Floras 10, 200ATD

When Ventus woke on the 8th, he had gotten up with a low groan and a popping stretch. His back was, no doubt, sore and ash clouded around his face with each breath. He rubbed his tired eyes, as the rest not ideal, and made a right mess of himself. Sure, as the days went on, he tried to better himself to avoid waking up with smoke in his face or a crick in his back, but the boy was having too much fun out in the open messing with his fire taming to care about his sleeping conditions once he became exhausted enough to actually lay down.

On the 10th, and 7th day of his travels – a much slower journey than he’d initially hoped for – Ventus arrived on the outskirts of the Mardok Duchy. It wasn’t much to look at, but the atmosphere smelt of new beginnings – and dust. Lots of dust. Actually, it was better that he didn’t take a big whiff; else he’d start coughing. Everyone seemed to be busy. Despite the small rundown look of the town, people were bustling about with vigor. It was inspiring. The air was definitely different here.

Oh dear…

He’d taken in a rather big breath and choked on some dust being swat at him from across the way by a woman beating her rug. “Excuse me,” He really hated to bother a workingwoman, but he really had no idea where anything was in this town, “Can you tell me where the Craftsman’s shop is in this town?” He asked, relaying the exact term he’d heard muttered in a pack of travelers back at the Fordeth inn. Another bap to the face by a dirty rug. Was breathing dirt safe?

“Just keep going straight.” The woman grunted. Was that really a woman? Sounds like a toad. Ventus grabbed the rug and looked at her.

Woah mustache.

“Off with you now!” She (?) only flicked the rug with a simply twist of the wrists, but sent Ventus flying to the ground. More dirt. The half-elkagr scrambled to his feet and didn’t even bother dusting himself off. What was the point?

He pointed north, wondering which way was “straight” and got another bap of dust in response, “I’ll take that as a yes.” Ventus coughed as he marched onwards. Couldn’t blame a woman (?) for being focused on her work. Sure enough, he came across a finer looking establishment with smoke rising from its rooftops. Just to be sure, the runt peaked his head inside the front doors. He glanced around quickly, slipping inside and grabbing a nearby broom. Ventus busied himself with sweeping and whistling inconspicuously as he spun around the interior.

“Woah! What is that?” Ventus clutched the broom stared at the large forge. He’d never seen one before, never been allowed near one. He wondered how it worked.

---

Ventus El'lor
S: 12
Vit: 14
Agi: 13
Ch: 10
St: 10
T: 10
D: 11
P: 11
En: 11
K: 11

Hp: 280
Sm: 33/ 34
Mp: 121

[Tyr]

"It is a forge young master, and it is very hot." Tyr was standing next to the bellows staring into the flames, trying to judge just how hot it might be in there. Too hot and the iron could melt, not hot enough and it wouldn't heat all the way. Then again he'd been doing this for so long that he wasn't consciously thinking about it anymore. Eyeballing it worked well enough these days. It was the actual working of the iron that took more thought to it. He'd passed a glance when he heard the doors open, and in had popped a tall twig of a man. The face gave him away though, he just flat out looked young. Probably wasn't too much younger than Tyr, but still young.

"I see you've taken to sweeping out my Artificery for me though. Any particular reason as to why?" He wasn't going to complain about it, someone keeping the place tidy would be helpful. It just wasn't often you had a stranger abruptly enter your store and start doing chores. Tyr set some ingots into the shining coals and turned aside, setting his back against the shop wall. With a better look he picked out the kid's ears quickly, and just how scrawny he was for how tall he was.

"What's your name?"

---

(44/45 SM)

[Deleted]

And suddenly there was a voice. Holy shit is this place haunted? I swear to whoever that if it’s a freaking dust ghost, I’m gonna -- -

It, in fact, was not a dust ghost. Rather, the voice came from a man. Imagine that. The man, who Ventus had somehow completely overlooked in his examining of the shop, was standing right next to the forge. His words, though they had startled Ventus to nearly hitting the phantom with the broom, were welcomed. He didn’t want to go touching the forge like an idiot and burning his hand.

Broom raised, Ventus tried to hide his attack by sweeping the wall instead – because that looked normal.

“I see you’ve taken to sweeping out my Artificery for me though. Any particular reason as to why?” Ventus blinked at him.

Come on! Pull yourself together!!

“This is your shop?” Yes idiot. He JUST said it was, “Oh well um – I came here looking for a job and I figured that it wouldn’t be right to just barge in here,” Which I did anyways-“Without at least doing something in return.” He waved the broom a little, looking down bashfully and giving a few sweeps across the ground.

Well… Good thing I made this journey to screw up and bumble around worse than any newborn elkagr.

“What’s your name?” Oh no. He’s gonna tell everyone in the Duchy that I’m an idiot. Then it’ll travel on the dust and Élise will hear about it. I’ll never be allowed to leave the inn again.

“Ventus..” He finally said, dejected and looking like a guilty pup, “Ventus El’lor, Sir.”

---

S: 12
Vit: 14
Agi: 13
Ch: 10
St: 10
T: 10
D: 11
P: 11
En: 11
K: 11

Hp: 280
Sm: 32/34
Mp: 121

[Tyr]

It was comical to watch the youth try to maintain a casual air while apparently not knowing how to be casual in the slightest. That or it was just nerves. Tyr tended to opt for the latter explanation, it worked for so many people. This one though, there was a spark to him. Yes he seemed a bit nervous, but he also seemed a bit excited. Curious. That was good to see, maybe he could use it.

"Well sweeping is a good way to start, although I think the walls might be fine. That wouldn't be your only job though, so join me over here Ventus and let's see if you have what it takes." Tyr shoved his shoulders against the wall and tipped forward, taking a few steps towards the anvil. His mind raced as he thought of some way to properly test this one. It wasn't often he had an outsider walk up and ask to work for him, and he could definitely use help so why not at least try to take this seriously? There weren't too many tasks he could really have someone else do for him, but the few he could would be useful. Tyr stepped up to the bellows next to his forge and started rhythmically working them in a slow and steady fashion, causing the forge to blaze to life and heat some waiting iron ingots.

"These are the bellows. They push air into the forge to get the coals nice and hot. Too much air and the forge is too hot, and the iron melts. Too little air and the forge isn't hot enough, and the iron can't be worked. See the even glow of the coals now? Try your hand and match that, be smooth and steady." He normally had to superheat his coals, get the ingots hot, hammer them, and then reheat the coals all in a cycle. Having someone else to work the bellows for him would be a great help. While Ventus got to doing that Tyr would start smashing out another longsword attempt. The influx of outsiders to town was starting to become noticeable. Cogs were turning in the Duke's mind, a plan was starting to shape up.

---

(43/45 SM)
Iron Smithing I/Weapon Smithing I to craft a longsword from three iron ingots, aided by Ventus, in his next post, keeping the forge at a stable temperature so the iron is easier to work.

[Deleted]

Flipping from the feelings of rejection into the arms of hope, Ventus’ made a complete one-eighty turn in his emotions. When the other beckoned him to follow, Ventus did so. He tottered behind the man with a burst of energy in each step. The boy was far too excited to keep himself contained. Looking about the shop, back at the forge, to the anvil, at the tools, and whatever else, Ventus wondered what the man would have him do – besides the glorious task of cleaning.

When the man stopped walking and began doing something, Ventus peaked over his shoulder. He pumped the bellow – what Ventus thought looked like some fancy dust blower. As the owner told and showed Ventus how to use it, the boy made sure to pay close attention. He nodded after each sentence despite knowing that the other wasn’t looking at him. Ventus was making himself sure of what he was learning. He wanted to write in his memory how to do his job properly so it would become second nature in quick time.

After it seemed that the man was done telling him how to work the bellow, Ventus took a stab at it. He approached it with a serious – probably too focused – expression and pressed down on the top of the device, keeping his shoulders square. He was surprised by how much strength it took to deliver one full push. At first, he’d almost pressed too hard, bouncing back up in an instant and looking at the bellow as it slowly reflated. Oh. He put his hands on it steadily once more and lightly pressed down, as if he were squeezing the air out of a tightly folded pile of blankets back at the inn. With several more tries, Ventus could better feel how to press and ease up with the billow. It reminded him of meditating his core – the way he breathed in time with the world around him. It was relaxing, peaceful despite the awkward ache building between his shoulders. Ventus watched the flames with each pump, lulled by the swirls and laps of the fire. The way it broke off and dispersed at the tips and the bursts at the base each time Ventus reached the bottom of his cycle.

With time, the boy felt as though his body and the forge’s fire were connected – like he didn’t even have to move or work to control its heat. Focused and entrapped, it escaped him that he wasn’t actually moving- just standing next to the bellow and breathing with that same steady beat as when he had worked the machine.

---

Ventus El'lor
S: 12
Vit: 14
Agi: 13
Ch: 10
St: 10
T: 10
D: 11
P: 11
En: 11
K: 11

Hp: 280
Sm: 33/ 34
Mp: 121

Training Channeling I & Fire I.

[Azuloth]

Threshold: 65

88<65 -- Longsword failed.

[Tyr]

The sword came together nice and easy, the iron staying nice and hot the whole time with Ventus' aid. He was a fairly good assistant it would seem, took to the job quickly for not even knowing what a forge was the first time he saw it. While the shape got hammered out quickly though, Tyr became slightly distracted near the end of his hammering. The sounds of the bellow had stopped but the forge was still glowing hot. In fact Ventus was completely focused on the fire itself, which seemed to still be burning without air.

Tyr quenched it while watching the fire go and barely caught himself before the blade shattered in his hand. It had cooled too much however and wouldn't work for a sword. All it was good for at this point was scrap iron. While still semi-focused on the event unfolding in front of him Tyr bent the blade in half, dropped it in a ceramic container and set it in the fire to melt it down. And then he snapped his fingers.

"You alright there lad?"

---

(42/45 SM)
Recycling the failed longsword for 1 ingot.

[Deleted]

Startled by the sound of the blade shattering, Ventus turned to catch Tyr’s gaze on him. He did his best to look as though he’d never stopped pumping the bellow, but a nervous laugh escaped him and the tip of his ears turned red in embarrassment.

What had he just been thinking? Meditating his magic here in the forge during his first task of work in front of a near stranger!?

He kept working the machine despite the fact that Tyr was scrapping his project. The half-elk was just doing his best to cover up the fact that he had totally dazed off. When he heard the sound of snapping, Ventus paused mid push on the bellow and looked back with a terrible-I-didn’t-do anything-to-be-suspicious-about expression. He really needed to learn to be a better liar, especially with that give-away dumb face of his.

“Yes sir? Oh, I’m fine sir! I was just.. uh.. just really taken by this forge. I’ve never seen one before and it was just really warm and I guess I was just really impressed by being able to work one… I-It won’t happen again though sir!” By the time he finally got done explaining or apologizing or whatever the heck that was, Ventus had finally noticed that Tyr wasn’t really doing anything that required him to continue pumping the bellow – unless he was cold and needed to warm up by the giant fire – so he turned and kept his hands glued to his sides, “What was that loud sound from before? Were you making something, sir?” Ventus was finally settling down a bit, riding on the hopes that he still had a job and he hadn’t perhaps let on too much about his more unacceptable abilities.

---

Ventus El'lor
S: 12
Vit: 14
Agi: 13
Ch: 10
St: 10
T: 10
D: 11
P: 11
En: 11
K: 11

Hp: 280
Sm: 32/ 34
Mp: 121

Working on Lying I

[Tyr]

The boy's explanation didn't quite cover what had happened, but Tyr wasn't going to press it for the moment. If he was right then that was something best discussed later. If he was wrong, well, that could go very badly depending on just who this lad was. He was doing well with the bellows though so he had strength and a decent amount of endurance. Was he resourceful though?

"A sword, but it didn't come out quite right. Tell me Ventus, if I asked you to light up a room, how would you do it?" Tyr didn't have a right answer for this, he just wanted to see how Ventus would answer. Especially seeing as he hadn't given him any information on what was going on, just to 'light up a room'.

While the lad was thinking Tyr would start working on a different project. Weapons were one thing, but a good warrior needed armor too. He had some decent gauntlets and boots, but that still left the head and body unprotected, and lacking a belt to carry various things a warrior might need. The last of those was what he would tackle now, shaping an uncut leather into the form of a belt and smashing out some iron plates to coat it with.

---

Iron Smithing I/II, Armor Smith I, Tanner I to craft a light plate belt from one uncut leather and one iron ingot.
(41/45 SM)

[Deleted]

Ventus was about to ask if it was anything like the one he had sheathed in the belt at his side, but didn’t get much of a chance. The boy had thought that the man let his little explanation slide, but his easiness flew out the door when the man asked him how he'd light up a room. Unsure of what he meant by that besides the obvious literal meaning, Ventus tried to think. He looked about, imagining how the inn back home brought light into its main hall.

"Well, having the windows dusted and opened would bring in a lot of natural light," Which would be a daily job considering how much dust might be moved around in such a setting, "Where I'm from, my aunt would have these large candle holders on the walls here and there. She'd light them at night - you know, by taking a torch about to each one and sharing the flame with the wick - when the natural lighting went down," Ventus rubbed his naked chin. He hoped this sort of answer would suffice for the obvious methods of lighting a room.

"Bright smiles, wine, and fine women, and conversation bring a light mood to any room...." Ventus laughed a little.

He looked up for the boss-man, but found him to be working… again… Ventus hurried over to his side, “What’re you doing now?” Not that Ventus minded this guy’s workaholic nature, but he had a few questions for himself, “Sir, uh.. What’s your name?” He finally asked after all this time. He hadn’t wanted to squeeze it out of the guy, but couldn’t just wait around forever. Ventus was a bit giddy with impatience. Most of all, he was trying to avoid showing just exactly how it was that he lit a fire because most of what he just said was total bologna that would take forever for him to achieve without using a little magic.

---

Ventus El'lor
S: 12
Vit: 14
Agi: 13
Ch: 10
St: 10
T: 10
D: 11
P: 11
En: 11
K: 11

Hp: 280
Sm: 31/ 34
Mp: 121

Working on Lying I

[Azuloth]

Tyr Crafted:

Magnificent Belt
-Dr: 20
-Slot: 12

[Tyr]

You could learn a fair bit about what someone was used to based on how they answered an open question. For instance Ventus' answer hinged on there being windows, or candles. In reality it was a good answer, simple and easy. He was about to get more specific when he was forced to pause and smile. The rest of the lad's answer was a good one, broke past the literalness of the question and into the vague metaphorical parts. He hadn't said what kind of light either. At least the lad seemed to be a happy one.

With the belt done Tyr wiped it down and held it up to inspect. It was sturdy enough, had a decent amount of spots for stuff to be stuck to it. Good! He clipped it around his waist and got right back to what he was doing.

What was it he was doing?

"Well I was making a belt. I tend to just run with the ideas that come to mind and use the materials I have. You never know what you can make until you try, and there's no better way to discover something new." He set some ingots into the fire to heat, best to keep working while he was on a roll.

"My name is Tyr. I suppose it's really 'Duke Tyr Mardok'," he waved his hands around mocking the fanciness of the term, "But I prefer Tyr." One soot and ash stained hand thrust out for a quick shake, then went back to the tongs to get some iron movin' around into a shape other than 'useless block'.

---

Efficiency check!

Iron Smithing I/II and Armor Smithing I to create a basic helmet from two iron ingots (Minus one if efficiency works).
(35/45 SM)

[Azuloth]

Tyr Crafted:
Helm
-Dr: 10
-Reqs: 12S, 12A, 12K