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Pip Mystral
Administrator
Aftergate
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Posts: 105
Race: Merfolk
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Pip Mystral on Oct 23, 2022 23:28:02 GMT -5
The door to the shop opened to let in the large form of the smith. While all vampires were stronger than humans, at least on average, most were fairly slender - this man was an exception. He looked every inch the blacksmith, powerful whipcord arms and a broad chest, his physical strength showing in his size. He raised an eyebrow as he saw Pip there, then snorted, shaking his head and turning his attention to Cenric.
"Ho there, Cenric. See you have the shop nice and tidy for me this morning. Glad to see chatting with your little scamp of a friend hasn't kept you from your chores." The man's voice was slightly scolding, but it was obvious from the expression on his face - at least to anyone who knew him well - that he was teasing his young apprentice.
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Cenric Easton
Administrator
Aftergate
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Posts: 110
Race: Vampire
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Cenric Easton on Oct 24, 2022 12:40:22 GMT -5
Unsurprisingly, it was the smith who was usually the first person to arrive after Cenric finished setting unless someone was particularly keen on getting to the shop at such an early hour. Well, early for vampires anyway.
"No, sir," Cenric replied with a smile of his own at the man's teasing. As much as he might dislike that he was stuck with making such simple items it was his only real complaint. In the two years he'd been under the man's tutelage he had been treated well and with a friendly demeanour. It was not hard to find horror stories of some master craftsmen who worked their apprentices to the bone or provided them with the bare minimum. That was not the case here.
"I made up some more rushlights too, so we won't run out for a while." His mother hadn't exactly been pleased about the smell of cooking sheep fat in the house but she hadn't complained about the mutton that had come with it so he figured it evened out in the end.
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Pip Mystral
Administrator
Aftergate
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Posts: 105
Race: Merfolk
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Pip Mystral on Oct 24, 2022 19:18:24 GMT -5
"Good lad," the smith said with a nod of approval, moving over to the forge to get ready to settle down to work himself. He often made the larger pieces, fittings for carts and plough blades, leaving nails, rivets, and horseshoes to Cenric.
Pip cleared his throat as he approached the large man, an expression of pure innocence on his face.
"Yes?" asked the smith, and Pip cleared his throat again.
"Well... well, I was wondering sir.... I mean, if I'm quiet... could I sit 'ere an' watch Cenric please mister smith sir? Or maybe I can do some sweepin' for ya if ya please."
The smith's eyebrow raised further, but he sighed.
"Cenric gets the floor clean, but so long as we don't have customers, you can sit for a while. Just don't distract the boy, we have an important order you know."
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Cenric Easton
Administrator
Aftergate
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Posts: 110
Race: Vampire
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Cenric Easton on Oct 24, 2022 20:15:13 GMT -5
Now that the smith had arrived Cenric knew that he couldn't just sit around chatting with Pip and so he set about getting the iron he'd need to make the horseshoe for Abram's old nag. They had shod the horse before so he knew the general size he needed to attain, any further reshaping that needed could be done when the horseshoe was being reheated for application.
He had just started pumping the bellows to further fuel the flames in the forge when he hard the smith's comment about an important order which made him furrow his brow. Sure, a horseshoe was a bit more important than the nails they constantly produced but Abram's horse also seemed to throw shoes about every other week. Not exactly enough to be classified as important unless he was missing something.
"What order is that, sir?" he asked as he gripped a strip of iron with a pair of tongs and set about heating the metal. He could already feel the sweat on his brow from the intense heat of the fire.
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Pip Mystral
Administrator
Aftergate
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Posts: 105
Race: Merfolk
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Pip Mystral on Oct 24, 2022 20:59:06 GMT -5
"Old Man Abrams' horseshoe, of course," the smith said with a dead serious expression.... then grinned. "Had you going, didn't I, boy? No, a traveller came by the shop this morning after you'd gone home. He wanted some fittings made to repair his cart, shoes for his horse, and a few other things. He's some sort of tinker from Silvermont, and eh'll be by later tonight to check on our progress. So your scamp will have to clear out by then."
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Cenric Easton
Administrator
Aftergate
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Posts: 110
Race: Vampire
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Cenric Easton on Oct 24, 2022 21:31:17 GMT -5
The smith's initial answer caused Cenric to frown in confusion and look over his shoulder toward the man until the joke was revealed. That it was a traveller actually coming by was interesting all on its own since most of those who came to them were locals. They might get some humans every now and then but more often than not they were local too, just from outside of the quarter.
As the smith rattled off what the traveller would need he filed them away in his head to make note of which of those things he'd be making which would be the horseshoes at the very least.
"And this traveller," he began as he removed the strip of iron from the forge and took it over to where an anvil and hammer lay waiting, "he knows we're an 'all night' kind of place?" The question was a reference to both their nocturnal nature as well as what they were since not everyone was comfortable with the idea, hence their small pool of clientele. However, he also couldn't help but wonder why a tinkerer from Silvermont would pick them out of all places.
As the thoughts flitted through his head he picked up the hammer and started the process of shaping the shoe.
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Pip Mystral
Administrator
Aftergate
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Posts: 105
Race: Merfolk
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Pip Mystral on Oct 24, 2022 21:46:08 GMT -5
The smith nodded. "Indeed he does," he said, a frown on his face. "Truthfully, boy, I s a bit leery of accepting. But with the amount he was offering, I couldn't exactly say no. And he seems an honest sort, just a bit.... eccentric. Anyway, figured I'd show you how to make some of those fittings."
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Cenric Easton
Administrator
Aftergate
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Posts: 110
Race: Vampire
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Cenric Easton on Oct 24, 2022 21:57:38 GMT -5
Well, if the amount was truly that great then he couldn't really blame the man for taking the work nor would he expect the smith to turn down a paying customer just because they seemed a bit odd. After all, it was hardly the tinkerer's fault that most humans were hesitant to do business with them. When the offer was made to show him how to make some of the fittings he nodded in agreement, well aware he would need to learn how if he was going to make this his career. "Let me just finish shaping this and I'll be right over," he replied, aware that if he let the shoe cool too much at the wrong time then it would be nothing more than a useless lump of metal.
It took a little bit of time, faster than the last time he shaped a shoe, but eventually he got it done and the water in the bucket next to the anvil hissed and spit as he quenched the shoe in it. "You okay over there, Pip?" He asked as he set the shoe aside. Cenric felt a little bad for neglecting Pip while he was working but he was sure Pip would understand that he needed to focus on his work.
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Pip Mystral
Administrator
Aftergate
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Posts: 105
Race: Merfolk
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Pip Mystral on Oct 24, 2022 22:15:18 GMT -5
"Yep," Pip said with a grin, having found a place to sit and watch in rapt attention. "I like watchin' ya work. But if some fancypants is comin', I should prob'ly skedaddle. Dunno when he's gonna show up and I gotta be gone, master's orders." Pip nodded to the blacksmith.
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Cenric Easton
Administrator
Aftergate
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Posts: 110
Race: Vampire
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Cenric Easton on Oct 24, 2022 22:52:38 GMT -5
It was unfortunate that Pip had to leave but Cenric knew that there was not much to be done for it. Like he said, master's orders.
"Fair enough. I'll see you later then, okay Pip? I think Mom might have some extra mutton from yesterday that we can spare."
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Kama
New Member
Aftergate
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Posts: 28
Race: Silverling
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Kama on Oct 24, 2022 23:28:39 GMT -5
"It's a date!" Pip exclaimed, the word 'mutton' putting a big smile on the urchin's face. "I'll see yer ma'n' you fer breakfast!" Then he scampered out of the shop for parts unknown.
----
It was a few hours later when there was a knock on the smithy's doorway, and the door opened, the knocker apparently feeling comfortable letting themself in, likely at the smith's instruction (or simply aware that knocking on a door wasn't always going to be heard over the clanging and banging of smithing hammers). He waited patiently for oe of the two to be done with their tasks, his violet eyes appearing fascinated by the work being done. He was a small man, his hair a stark white color that matched the smattering of scales that covered his bare arms and dusted his cheeks, scales which, along with the long, barbed tail, marked him as a Silverling, one of the reptilian men from the mountains.
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Cenric Easton
Administrator
Aftergate
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Posts: 110
Race: Vampire
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Cenric Easton on Oct 24, 2022 23:51:09 GMT -5
Cenric had just finished practicing making one of the fittings that the smith had showed him how to make, not with the good metal of course, when he just vaguely heard the sound of a knock on their door over the sound of both him and the smith working. He looked up just in time to see their visitor step through the door and was surprised to see that they were a Silverling.
He was plenty used to other vampires, humans, the odd merfolk what with them being so close to the coast, even some goblins here and there but never before had he seen a Silverling in person. He could see now why some speculated that they and vampires were related.
"Hello," he greeted with a smile as he set the piece of practice metal aside, "can I help you?"
Cenric assumed this was the traveller the smith spoke of earlier but didn't want to assume.
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Kama
New Member
Aftergate
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Posts: 28
Race: Silverling
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Kama on Oct 25, 2022 13:47:49 GMT -5
"Ah!" exclaimed the visitor, smiling at the young vampire and his mentor. "Yes, good evening. I've come to check up on the progress of my order. Of course, I know it's likely not done, it was a large order, but I did want to see how things were going, and meet the smith's apprentice as well."
"Evening," said the smith, setting aside his own piece after carefully quenching it. "Cenric, this is Kama, the traveller I was telling you about." He put a hand on Cenric's shoulder. "This is my apprentice, Cenric," he said to the Silverling. "He's a good lad. He'll be making some of the pieces you asked for. Got a real talent for the work, honestly."
Kama - the traveller - beamed and nodded. "I can see that. Excellent technique on the hammer strikes, and the practice fitting looks almost good enough to do the job by itself. Inferior metal, of course, I'm sure, but still it stands. I can afford the wait, but the speed is appreciated of course. Need to pick up tht other order at the alchemist's...." He trailed off, his eyes going distant.
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Cenric Easton
Administrator
Aftergate
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Posts: 110
Race: Vampire
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Cenric Easton on Oct 25, 2022 14:18:53 GMT -5
The traveller was certainly a friendly sort and that the idea that he wanted to meet an apprentice of all people seemed to speak well of his character.
The smith had notice the man's arrival as well and a moment later Cenric felt the man's large hand on his shoulder as he was introduced, though he couldn't help but smile at the praise of both the master smith and their client. It felt good to know that he wasn't just wasting the apprenticeship fee his family had paid.
However, as the man started trailing off about the alchemist Cenric moved off to the side where he'd stored some of his work from earlier in the night. "Actually, I've got your horseshoes ready," he said as he brought the four shoes over for inspection by both the smith and Kama. "Just a standard shape right now. We'll be able to do any resizing when you're ready to have your horse shod."
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Kama
New Member
Aftergate
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Posts: 28
Race: Silverling
Character Type: Adventurer
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Post by Kama on Oct 25, 2022 14:34:23 GMT -5
"Oh, excellent!" Kama exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "I'm sure Betsy will enjoy having new shoes, the old ones were starting to get quite worn. I'm assuming there's a farrier around as well?"
"Yessir," the smith said, seeming somewhat bemused. "There's one here in the Quarter, though you'd probably want to see someone in the town..."
"Nonsense, nonsense. I'm certain your farrier will be more than good enough and if they're willing to work with you all, then all the better." He waved off the concerned expression on the smith's face. "Perhhaps my wys are a bit eccentric to you, but this suits my needs just fine. Unless your farrier is unskilled?"
"Gods, no," the blacksmith said, shaking his head. "Just we don't see much business from people outside of the Quarter, that's all."
"Mmph," Kama snorted dismissively. "Such shortsightedness."
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