Solo Steel for a Steal

[Crylon Stonecraft]

85 Fall 519 While the forge had not been finished long in the Demesne, Crylon already had plans to use it. Today he had also run into some passing Svefra on the docks who happened to have some metal onboard, and had been willing to part with the bar of steel that was ready to be worked in a smithy. A gold miza bought him the bar, enough to make a small item such as he intended. At least, with some help, as he had not yet actually used steel in forging. But he felt he had the skill, and was to try making something for Kelski. Namely a dagger, a weapon he had seen her use quite a few times. While the first attempt might not be too high quality, he still wanted to try, and felt gifting his first work of steel to Kelski would mean something to the Kelvic from her own understanding of Crylon making things like forging metal. Carrying the fresh bar of steel Crylon headed to the forge, to find someone was already there. A human man, young even on human terms by his looks, he took one look at Crylon the Isur and knew a fellow smith when he saw one. Tossing his head in a nod at the Isur, the man greeted him. "Names Jackson. You looking to make something? You must be that Isur, I've heard about you, but don't think we have had the chance to meet. I am a smith. Whats your name?" Crylon nodded, glad there was understanding between the two at least at some level. “Yes. Is Crylon. Am here, want make something of steel. Other metal, use fore, not yet use steel. So may need... Direction. But want make dagger, for Kelski. Also not make weapon fore, but is want try.” Jackson smiled at Crylon, motioning him over. "That is fine, just fine. I will show you the ropes so to speak. Though I assume you know, it being your first work, it probably wont be too good? Yes, you know that. Still, maybe she will like the thought. I was just finishing heating the forge, about to make some horseshoes. But I can put that off. Help me get the fire going, up to the proper heat for steel, and I will show you what to do." Crylon nodded, smiling at the man, at once finding familiarity with the similarly skilled human he did not often find with other humans he met. Crylon nodded and moved over to work the bellows, feeding air into the fire as he did. From the closeness of the flames he felt sweat begin to form on his bare chest, a bead rolling down his normal arm, a welcome feeling he had been experiencing for many years. Home was the forge, and to him a forge of any type was home. Even far into human lands, and away from other Isur he could find a place of worship for Izurdin and craft something of use all at the same time. WC: 507 OOC note : Was not clear on the price for the materials, 1 pound of iron costs 5 sm, same amount of cold steel costs 1 gm which is more expensive than normal steel, treated steel material costs as that 1 gm price. Dagger should weigh 1 pound or less, so appears reasonable if not high for cost.- to buy dagger costs 2 gm

[Crylon Stonecraft]

It took a good number of chimes of working the fire before Jackson indicated he could stop. By then a good glaze of sweat covered his upper body from the effort. All but his left arm, which was as unperturbed and strong as ever. But the rest of him was labored causing sweat from the effort and heat. "Thats a good stopping point, I'll add in some more wood and we will need to burn it hot to soften the steel, but it should be doable. Enough to work the steel, even if not much more. If we needed it much hotter, we would probably need a coal fire." Crylon nodded, taking the mans direction as he worked the smithy. "So why a dagger, and why for Kelski? Any particular occasion?" Crylon simply shrugged as he kept at his work, hauling wood to add to the fire to keep it fed and watered so to speak. Though, Crylon noted to himself, water was the opposite of what they wanted right now. But to a fire wood and air was food and water as it was to a person. “Is want do for her, to make. Is not work steel before, but first time here in Demesne, seems right to make for her. Is here, because her. She bring here, make place, if... Pioneer? Founder. Yes, is founder of place. Is bring people to. Is want to do same, to help her grow place as she works to. Is not easy, need many hands. But she has sight... Vision, to bring to place need go. So I show thanks, by pitch in. By make effort. And small gift, is seem right for this time, yes?” Jackson nodded at Crylons words on Kelski, clearly feeling similarly. "She is an amazing person, I have not seen another like her. This place, it does not seem to work the same as other places. Everyone pitching in, everyone working for a goal, a community, its not the same as what you would find in other cities. In Zeltiva. Maybe they all felt that way long ago, back when they were being founded, but they have since changed. Have grown into something else, something different. Not always worse, but certainly different. And in some ways bad. We do not have that bureaucracy. That loss of community by our size. We are still small, and have hope, a vision, to be something better. I see what you mean. And while she is not the only one now, she certainly started it, got it all going. I can see what you mean certainly." Crylon smiled, looking at the fore and the fire flickering within. "Should be hot enough now, why don't you put the metal in?" With a casual gesture Crylon moved the steel to his left arm, and placed it within the depth of the flames where it was hottest as casually as one might pick a flower from the ground. For a moment the human started to speak, to warn him off, but seeing his arm enter the flame and set the metal down, seeing him unharmed and not phased by the action his mouth clamped shut. Instead he eyed Crylons black arm, and shrugged. Accepting, to a degree, as many humans did when first seeing his special Isur arm. For Crylon such an act was normal, not even considered. He knew his arm would be fine, and so moved as he had practiced as a smith. Using his left arm as tongs and all manner of tools in the working of metal. So much quicker and with more finesse by his own fingers and power than many other tools could manage. Once the metal was in the flames at the deepest and hottest point, there was nothing to do but wait. To watch until the color was right, something he would need direction from Jackson for in using the new material. They in turns worked the forge, adding wood, working the bellows to increase the heat or hold it constant, slowly letting the temperature soak into the hunk of steal. Finally after what seemed an eternity the metal began to noticeably change hue and presence, and Jackson motioned for Crylon to pull out the steel. WC: 710

[Crylon Stonecraft]

As Crylon took out the metal, he placed it on the anvil nearby positioned just so as it should be in a proper smithy as compared to the forge. While the steel had some traits similar to iron, it was also its own beast. And it was, when fully worked, superior to raw iron for creating items. Particularly weapons. "Now first things first, I want you to flatten it out and lengthen it. Right now it is too solid, to thick and short. Get it to the right general shape, and we can get it working." Crylon took a large forge hammer, while Jackson took a much smaller lighter one, and the two began their work. Jackson would lightly tap the metal with the hammer, and Crylon would take his lead by striking a much stronger blow to that same spot. In such a way Crylon and Jackson worked together with Crylon doing the actual work and forging while Jackson led. As he worked Crylon watched the metal slowly shift into a form more usable for their end goals. And as they worked, Crylon focused on the end result, his goal within the material. It was something he almost always did in his work. Focusing on the raw resource, and seeing within it the potential. The end result he was striving for. Rarely did he achieve his true vision, the potential he saw at first. His skills were lacking, and could not achieve his vision. But some day, once he was better at so many things, he would be able to draw out the true nature and potential of all he crafted into a true vision of wonder and function. Not yet, but some day. He also pondered on what he might make in the future. He knew Kelski used daggers, but did not know much more than that. Surely though he could do more than just make a simple dagger. Something keener of edge, lighter of build, maybe something for throwing as he had seen her do before, could be make. Different from the more rough version of a weapon he would likely make now with so little skill beyond basic metal craft. For he knew well enough how to smith, but steel was new to him, and the ways and methods of making weapons was even more foreign to him. But he could see completed items, could see what they were, and for now he could strive for them. And later... Maybe more. Later, so much more as he would bring to life the many and varied ideas his mind saw so clearly but which he could not in truth bring into existence. Yet. This work was a labor, a labor of friendship and thanks. He did it for Kelski, for himself, for the Meraki, for the Gem which was bonded to Kelski. He made a labor to bring her needs to life, and strived for something greater. A vision, the same as he saw within Kelski who had a greater vision for the future. It was one of the things he most respected about Kelski, her vision as a leader and person. Her sight and promise. Tap, tap, ting. Hammer on metal. First they stretched the metal, making it longer. Then Crylon slowed, settling it so it did not get too wide. Thinner, more narrow, lighter. It was after all but a dagger. Working back and forth over the metal, Crylon slowly shaped it to its desired final layout. A longer narrower bit for the blade. A short stubby bit for the handle. Not a point yet, but the hope of one. It was the general rough shape of a blade, though quite clearly unfinished. WC: 618

[Crylon Stonecraft]

Ever closer, the steel turned into a weapon. For now it was but a blunt thing, not useful in fighting really, but soon he hoped it would be a lethal thing. Or at least the promise of more to come. He hoped that Kelski would see this, the promise of his work, even if for now he knew next to nothing of making blades and weapons. Now that they were entering the detail work, the main aspects finished and left only to make the tips and points and fine bits, Jackson stopped using the hammer and instructed Crylon in the steps. Turn the blade as such, hammer as such. Move the metal this way. Heat this part, out, hammer, back to the heat now on this part. They started with the handle, making a small point where the edges cave in and the handle was therefore thicker and wider than the blade. As was needed to form a grip. He heated the metal on the big end, and by use of the pritchel hole punch a hole into that end. And then a bit higher, a second hole. As Jackson explained, this was so that cross pieces, tangs, could be added in, and a hilt formed around the end of the dagger. That could be added later, added and replaced as a separate task from the blade itself. He tried to think how Kelski would use the weapon, but knew in all honesty it was quite poor and would not be a fine work of smithing. But then it was not meant to be. It was meant to be a sign, a explanation without words of how he felt and his thanks for everything he had and was. A sign to her of where he was, and that he would not be quitting on her and had an understanding of all she had done. Even if she threw the blade out, and did not care for it. Once the holes were punched a few more blows flattened it out and returned the hilt end to its former shape. With care Crylon made more blows, aimed at the blade to narrow it. To flatten, then narrow, and back and forth. Till eventually the tip was truly a tip, a pointed end. Next were the edges, heating one side, then the other, along the edges, and then in turn hammering each with a blow just so. Or like this rather than that as Jackson directed. He could see the shape of the metal slowly shifting, gaining a tilt which ended at one end with a jagged tip. All that was left was the finishing, smoothing the holes and making the edges sharp. WC: 450

[Crylon Stonecraft]

Now that the main work was done, it was the finishing that was left. Here the blade would come into its name, and become an actual blade. Before that it was simply a hunk of metal shaped roughly like a blade, but not an actual weapon. Using a file Crylon worked the two small holes, rasping the edges and smoothing them out. He did not after all want to cut the holders hand, though he knew it would be wrapped in something before use. Once those were done Jackson motioned Crylon over to the side, and took out a wetstone. Here Crylon watched as Jackson worked one side of the metal across the stone, using smooth even motions. He worked his way upward, starting at the tip and moving up to the hilt end, forming a blade slowly as he did. Crylon then took the blade and stone and worked it along the other side with a bit less success. His motion was not as smooth, as practiced, taking more time to get a good edge. As such his side ended up being a bit smaller, a bit flatter, rather than a truly even blade with symmetry. But there was nothing he could do now, not without reforging it again. Slowly he made a smoothing motion, rubbing the stone at the metal bit by bit. And then a bit lower again, and onward till he met the hilt end. The final product was a serviceable dagger, but not a good one. One side was a bit wider than the other, but it had a sharp tip and the sides were fairly sharp as well. It had a bare end on one side with a pair of holes spaced out equally, for use in adding a hilt to cover that end. Someone perhaps with more skill in wood or leather could perhaps do that. But for now Crylon would give Kelski his product as is. Thanking Jackson for his help, Crylon wrote a quick note to put with the blade, and then headed to Kelski's room to drop them both off. The letter was simple, reflecting his thoughts simply due to his lacking ability in common. Not horrible, but not quite fluent either. "Kelski, is gift for you, make for you. Find, is dagger made, first piece of steel, first weapon, crafted fore. Is give to you. Is needing cover for hilt, but think is serviceable as dagger. Once do more, is perhaps show you better. Is want Kelski have first, is show thanks for all do. Is thanks for build place, and bring together. Is want have first, to know promise of more and better as with all do. Is thanks, and show of faith for vision. Both see one thing, but now good to come later, even if rough now. Is hope see same when see dagger." With a smile Crylon left, dropping off the weapon he had crafted for Kelski. WC: 492

[Alric Lysane]

Your Grades Crylon Stonecraft Skills Blacksmithing – 4 Body Building – 3 Observation – 3 Socialization – 2 Weaponsmithing – 4 Lores Blacksmithing: Correct Steel Colouring Blacksmithing: Heating A Forge Jackson: Demesne Smith Weaponsmithing: Anatomy Of A Hilt Weaponsmithing: Differing Hammer Blow Strengths Weaponsmithing: Filing Techniques Weaponsmithing: Hammer Shaping Steel Weaponsmithing: Shaping A Dagger