A Blacksmith Comes to Town (Ricky Maze)

by **Ethan Ironhorse** on March 23rd, 2014, 1:21 pm

37th Spring 514AV
12th Bell
Streets of Zeltiva outside the Pass

The large university loomed overhead on the street as Ethan slowed his horse down by gently pulling on the reins. Ethan felt the cart began to slow as he looked up at the University in its great and might splendor. Yet as Ethan began to marvel at the architecture and artistry, he noticed fire and stone damage located in the walls and roof. It was almost as if someone had punched holes in the walls, while great statues looked twisted or melted by some great heat. It was then that Ethan noticed damage to the shops and houses nearby. Something had occurred that had been violent, and it must have happened recently as scaffolding and repairs were still under way.

Ethan pulled the reins slightly to the left as he saw a cart up head pulled off to the side. The busy streets seemed almost to make his cart crawl to a halt now and again. Ethan felt odd sitting in his leather armor, blood from the lone wolf he had managed to kill and from a reimancer’s burn victim had stained the left side of his leather breastplate. He caught looks from people now again, as they made their way around the streets. The sun was high and Ethan could finally start feeling the heat of spring.

Ethan saw a lady passing his cart and Ethan spoke, “Hello. Miss, can you point me… Miss? Miss?” The lady passed him in a hurry and Ethan realized that perhaps trying to talk to someone on a cart wasn’t the best approach. Ethan did his best to pull off to the side of the street, trying to think where to go. He didn’t want to get off his cart and abandon his belongings, especially his money, to whoever while he asked for directions, but he needed to do something.

by **Ricky Maze** on March 26th, 2014, 4:09 am

Today had been at least a little bit quieter compared to the wild ruckus that thrashed the inner reaches of their city, after much had happened in just a short amount of time Ricky could only wonder just how much one could take from all this… this chaos. Time and time again he would have to ask Priskil that hope remained strong in those caught amidst the fighting, yet no matter what danger still seemed to lurk around the city as everyone seemed to fear what once seemed impossible to them. Magic. Not that magic was impossible, but the idea that it’s use would prove a threat to them… well the University sought to take care of that little worry, only to find that it later on spat back in their face as their asylum failed to keep the dangers it held within.

So far though things were going all right today, no unexpected explosions, and no loud angry uproar to try and tame, the only thing noticeable was the fact everyone seemed to remain on edge today. For Ricky this proved to be no different. Even if he’d volunteered himself to do a quick thorough check he somehow instinctively felt threatened, likely because the worry of an insane mage still remained seeded within his mind just as every other citizen in the city. Only worse… for Ricky he had to be absolutely considerate about his own magic, for such a secret he’d worked hard to keep would sure enough pose threat to him now if exposed. He made sure that nothing like that would occur of course, because there was only a select few who did know his secret, enough to where he could count on one hand mostly. A few who did know he hadn’t heard from in a while, so he expected them gone or too busy to care really.

What remained important was that he focused on his task he had set for him and that was to just quickly and quietly do a rundown throughout the areas of Zeltiva near the pass, it was a quick and easy job he immediately felt obligated to do as a Wave Guard. Yet he wasn’t adorned in the azure uniform they all wore, didn’t really take the time to dress up properly. What with the chaos that unfolded here recently every tick counted, and so Ricky practically just carried around his sword, shield, and Wave Guard crest that symbolized his rank. As he felt the natural warmth of the sun beam on his skin he allowed himself the moment to enjoy it, a slight smile on his face as he walked about investigating the nooks and crannies of the streets.

However when he came to a rural spot amidst a street a wagon and horse seemed to come into view, and that immediately set off a flag for Ricky as he felt the need to immediately check it. The odds that this wagon held some goods or something for mages or rebels was unlikely but not something to just put aside, considering the past major events in Zeltiva’s history reason stood very high in regards to a quick search through the driver’s inventory. "Ahoy! Ye got quite a load dere mate." He called upon approach to the man, curious to see that he in fact wore leather armor. That was something important to note in the event he called this inventory check.

Upon looking down from his horse the man would find that Ricky stood pretty high with a sort of gentle confidence of his own, a worn down white vest acted as his shirt to reveal both his arms and a portion of his torso. Ricky decided to wear his old green linens as well, which were sort of faded from the span of time they’d remained intact. His tattoos were definitely noticeable at first glance too, while the more observant eye would take to notice two scars. The more openly revealed being on his left shoulder just above the Black Lady tattoo, while the other remained mostly covered saved for the center, and it was the thin scar that rested across his abdomen area. Ricky greeted the stranger with a warm smile and humble attitude of course, the shield of the Wave Guard comfortably rested on his left arm while the old longsword rested within its scabbard.

"Ye ain't from roun' 'ere are ya? Ye don't look like ya know where ya are, dat's f'r sure." He mused with a friendly chuckle, curious to hear what story this man might have to share.

by **Ethan Ironhorse** on April 1st, 2014, 12:34 pm

The horse that had been pulling Ethan’s cart neighed briefly as Ethan tried to ask passerby’s for information on the city he was in. Ethan had noted the one or two azure garbed people roaming the street, and for a moment Ethan thought they must be Zeltiva’s own version of the knighthood. Still they didn’t seem interested in helping him. So when a voice spoke out in the crowd, Ethan turned around to see a rather large looking man dress in common fashion, but with a shield and longsword. Ethan internally debated for a moment wondering if he should make a grab for his own sword that rested on the tarp of the cart. The spatha’s grip looked worn and the scabbards leather would need to be replaced as he used the majority of the oil to keep his armor from cracking under the sun. Little good it did him, as part of the armor on his right side had been stained darker from blood when he was helping a friend.

It was the man’s demeanor that stop him from trying to defend himself. He hadn’t realized just how much the journey had put him on edge. It was a long time to be out in the wilderness sometimes in chilling and wet weather trying to make to some fabled goal. Ethan waved to the man for a moment and then unbuckled his helmet. He had let his beard grow long and wild, so as the helmet lifted Ethan felt the hair pasted to the sides of his face where the face guard chin strap had been. Ethan placed the helmet down on the tarp as well, Ethan wore his normal look of introspection that usually confused people into thinking he was stupid. So after all that Ethan smiled as the man made his way to the cart’s side. “Aye, thought de hard part of travelin’ would be de wolves or bandits. Seems de worst is yet to come. I left Syliras supposin’ neigh thirty-some days ago, but thought when I got here, dat there be a guard post I needin’ to check in with. I was goin’ to ask about buyin’ a bit of property and if dere was a local blacksmith shop dat I could get a job at.” Ethan shrugged as if to say that all was lost and there was no hope. Yet a sly smile came about his face, the one thing Ethan had learned from Hadyn and Brody was that an offer of a drink sometimes opened up even more information and was often a good way to start a friendlier conversation.

“As for the load…” Ethan pulled back the tarp and showed off the small amount of possessions he had carted from Syliras to Zeltiva. In the back of the cart was a small sack of grain that would feed the horse for about one more day. Next to it a stack of a single potato and a few carrots, for the last few days Ethan had been forced to feed himself on the seed crop that he had brought with him. It had been his plan arrive at Zeltiva and plant a small garden at his house, for merchants often said there were food shortages here in the city. Though Ethan wasn’t sure if a food shortage would cause the damage around him. In the last of the food stuffs there were two small casks of hard apple cider that Ethan had bought with the intention of celebrating the purchase of his new house and possible entry into the university. A boar spear laid across the back of the wagon showed signs of usage as the shaft had broken bits of wood from a lone wolf that Ethan had come across. This the same wolf that had gnawed on his left leather arm brace leaving trails of cuts and weak puncture marks on the harden leather. An extra cart axle was next to the spear. Closer to the front of the cart, Ethan had wrapped up his personal belongs and bow with large bundle of arrows to make sure it didn’t break. He had wanted to practice archery for a while but the truth was he just never got around to it. Additionally, he had never really put a string on his one and only bow. Under the pile of his clothes Ethan had his lockbox of money, over to the front of the cart was his anvil, tongs, and hammer that Ethan had bought from the Ironworks.

There were a few other odds and ends in the cart as Ethan moved his helmet and spatha back up to the front seat. “Anyway, I was goin’ to offer the person who helped me with gettin’ about city, a mug or two of apple cider, I got in da casks. Don’t suppose ya know of someone? ‘Sides might make it easier doing patrol on a cart den on a foot.”

by **Ricky Maze** on April 4th, 2014, 1:59 am

When Ricky heard the man speak about looking for a guard or some sort to get help from he listened intently as the traveler’s purpose was soon revealed, he’d hoped to come here to buy some sort of establishment and settle within the city as a blacksmith. A blacksmith! How rare that seemed to be considering there wasn’t really any local blacksmiths in town, at least not ones that dealt with weaponry or armor since the city didn’t have absolute need for it. Truth be told the only blacksmith Ricky did know about was the one the Wave Guard had in the Head Quarters they resided in, and that was only reserved to those who joined the ranks considering it was the faction’s own smithy.

"Oh really? Well dat be interestin’ t’ ‘ear." He murmured to himself aloud, it was enough for the traveler to hear at least. "Well Oi canny say dat Oi know o’ any local blacksmiths ‘ere, ye’d be de first if ye’re serious bout settin’ up a place ‘ere. In any case dat’ll be more den welcome Oi’m sure, ye’d just ‘ave t’ settle de matter o’ property wit’ de Sailor’s Guild o’ course." He explained as the man pulled off the tarp to reveal what possessions he brought with him, Ricky was rather at ease to find it was just bare travel essentials and not some carriage full of weaponry. It interested him all the same to see that this man in armor traveled all this way, from Syliras even, and yet the reason behind it seemed to remain hidden. Of course it wasn’t any of Ricky’s business as it was bound to be personal information, the important part was the check up to make sure this man didn’t carry anything dangerous.

Once the inspection had passed and Ricky was satisfied he found himself rather intrigued with the hidden proposition before him, it was hidden because it wasn’t really proposed to him but still remained open opportunity for the lucky one to take it. Lucky for Ricky he was both a helpful citizen as well as a Wave Guard, two birds with one stone, and he found himself all the more curious about this apple cider and what it actually tasted like. "Well mate ye appear t’ be in luck den," Ricky confirmed with a smirk and nod to the man, "Oi ain’t dressed up as one roi now but Oi happen t’ be a Wave Guard. T’ose men in the azure uniforms? Oi’m a sergeant in de ranks an’ Oi can ‘elp ya out, de sword an’ shield’s only necessary cause we’ve ‘ad a bit o’ a stirrin’ in recent events." He glanced to the side when he mentioned this, a sort of downhearted tone in his voice hinted to yet again hard times within their fair city.

"Anyways Oi can ‘elp ya out wit’ gittin’ roun’ Zeltiva mate, Oi’m pretty sure ye’ll be interested in gittin’ settled so ya can visit the Sailor’s Guild bout dat establishment ye’d like t’ purchase." He quirked with a friendly smile as he extended his offer, he was happy to help a person new to the city either way. Though the chance to try this apple cider really interested him, so he more or less wanted to actually help rather than be a helpful sort.