Within the heat of the forge (Aello)

[Lorcan]

23 of winter, 510 AV To Lorcan this was just another day, the forge was burning red hot, the banging of hammers was all around. Sounding like an orchestra of pure perfection in Lorcan’s ears he enjoyed every second of being there and being part of it. He himself was working on a lock he’d been tinkering with for a few days now. Lately he felt like all he did was construct locks out of tiny pieces of metal. Trying to get the intricate pieces in shape let alone all fit together was a tedious job, so he could only really do the simplest designs. Right now he was busy punching a hole in a small plate of metal, this was going to be one of the three tumblers he was going to make for this one, it was going to be a very, very simplistic version, but it would keep the new owners belonging’s safe, from complete idiots… maybe. Once he felt the shape of the tumbler was fine he wiped the sweat from his brow and looked around to see how the others were doing. Isen was creating a masterpiece as usual, or well so it seemed to Lorcan, he pretty much adored anything Isen produced. Even though he didn’t like Isen himself all that much, because he was such a hard ass. As for the isur brothers running the place, they were imparting their latest work, a skill Lorcan wanted to learn so badly but because he was still a lowly apprentice the isur brother’s didn’t really bother with talking to him. A fact he didn’t like all that much.. He hated it actually. In any case, things in the smithy weren’t as busy as usual, people were just doing their thing in a slow kind of way, sure it was still rather hectic, but this was something Lorcan had gotten used to over the past few years. So to him the place seemed quiet, till the door of the smithy opened, letting a lot of light and fresh air into the place. Lorcan looked at the person in the door and squinted his eyes, unable to see who it was.

[Aello]

Aello was walking through the streets of Ravok, pushing past the massive amounts of people. She was keeping her eyes peeled for some sort of forge, or metalworker. She wanted to have the dagger looked at. It had become increasingly apparent to her that the dagger wasn't like other knives. She couldn't seem to clean it for one, and she couldn't seem to get rid of it either. Not only that, but she was convinced the knife was attracting ghosts. She had never seen so many of them before, and was steadily growing sick of it. All she wanted was a little piece and quiet, and she was starting to feel as though a blacksmith were the only one who may be able to tell her about the dagger, and hopefully, help her find a way to get rid of the constant ghostly encounters. After all, she couldn't be certain, not knowing anything about the craft of forging blades or anything else for that matter. Aello quickened her pace as the cool winter air began to swirl around her, whipping her hair wildly in all directions, causing her bowstring to tremble, emitting a low humming sound. Her right hand was growing white at the knuckles, from a mixture of the cold and the pressure she was exerting on the bow as she held it tightly. Her nose was red, and she could no longer feel her feet or her ears. "Stupid winter wind," Aello whispered into the wind, as she quickened her pace, and continued to scan up and down the street. "There has to be a blacksmith around her somewhere," she commented as she crossed the street and then turned the corner to her right. Aello walked a few more paces and then looked up. Hanging from a pair of chains that was attached to a small wooden pole was a sign made out of wood. Carved into the sign was a picture of an anvil. Perhaps that was it? Aello thought, as she walked over to it. When she reached the door, Aello extended her left hand and turned the knob clockwise. The lock clicked, as Aello pushed back on the door, and it swung open. A cold gust of air swept through the room, and would not stop until Aello had successfully closed the door behind her. When she had, she approached a small wooden table at the front of the shop, and rested her bow on top. She clasped her hands together and rested them on top of her bow. "Hello?" Aello called out, wondering if anyone would stop what they were doing to help her. She could see a few people working. All men it seemed, intent on their tasks- pounding strips of metal with a hammer, studying their work. "I was hoping someone could come help me. Someone who knows something about daggers," Aello said, as she pulled her cursed blade from concealment. She held it in her right hand, for an instant, before placing it on the table. The blade glinted in the light cast by the forge; rather ominously. The blood stains glimmered, seeming to blend into the wood at times, while at others, it seemed to pop out of it. "I um... got this blade a few days ago, not here, but um, it's a bit of a mess, and no matter what I do, I can't get the stains out," Aello called, "it makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong. Could any of you guys help, or should I go elsewhere?" Aello asked.

[Lorcan]

"Can't you see we're busy?" grunted one of the blacksmiths closest to Aello, after which he turned his attention back to his piece of metal again. Meanwhile in the back Lorcan put down his work and moved closer to see who this person was, he squinted his eyes and almost bumped into someone. “Hey watch where you’re goin!” “Oh sorry, didn’t see you there” After that awkward bump in he pulled at the leather apron he was wearing, it was getting too warm in here. Once he looked up again he could almost see who this person was, he was almost sure it was a she, because her long brown hair was dancing around in the wind. Her nose was reddish, probably because it was so cold out. But that’s all he could make out at the moment. ”"Aello?" Lorcan muttered, he went closer and moved faster once he fully recognized her. Once he got up to the table he looked at her to examine her... She seemed worried about something, he had heard she was saying something but hadn't been able to make out with because of all the noise of the forge. He waved at her shyly, "What're you doing here?” Then let his eyes wander over the blade she had put down on the table. It had a square cross-guard with a black handle and a regular pommel, it seemed like a regular blade, a few nicks here ‘n there but overall it didn’t look that damaged. It’s biggest issue however was that it blood stained, that much he could tell, but what kind of blood? He didn’t know. He also wondered why she hadn’t cleaned it. Or rather, what she had been killing with it! Still if she killed someone with it she would’ve cleaned it. Right? Then again… His mind started rambling on again. But on the outside he seemed calm. He simply looked up to Aello with a questioning look on his face.

[Aello]

"Oh hello again Lorcan," Aello called as soon as he came into view. A wide smile spread across her face, and her eyes seemed to glimmer happily. Thank goodness, a familiar face! She thought as he began to question her. Aello pressed her fingertips into the dagger's grip. She pushed it away from her and towards where Lorcan was standing behind the table. "See this blade," she said, taking a moment to look down at the blood-stained mess and then back up at him. "I was hoping someone around here would be able to take a look at it. I got it a few days ago and have been trying to wipe the blood clean, but never seem able to, no matter what I do, or how hard I try. The strange thing about it though, is that sometimes the blood seems fresh and sometimes, it seems to have dried into the blade. But even if it does appear fresh, it never does come off on your hands." Aello waited for a moment, allowing some time for Lorcan to inspect the blade if he wanted to. "It came like that... covered in blood. I... I don't know how it got there," Aello stammered as she shifted her weight uncomfortably from her right to her left foot and bit her bottom lip. Why was she getting so nervous? Aello wondered. Was she starting to regret coming? Was she worried Lorcan may think that she had put the blood there, and perhaps, killed somebody? She supposed it did look that way... But what if it wasn't the blade? What if it was Lorcan? Did she have feelings for him? Aello thought about the notion quickly, and realized that she didn't, however, perhaps, she realized, she feared Lorcan's knowledge of her possessing the blade. She wondered what he would think of her, they were acquaintances after all. Aello had been so deep in thought that she hadn't even realized how hard she was biting down on her lip. Her bottom lip was growing pale, and was beginning to hurt, so she let up on it. Small teeth marks appeared in the area she had been biting. She hoped the marks would fade soon and her lip would stop stinging. "Anyway," Aello began as she shifted her weight back from her left to her right foot. "Is there anything you can do to get the blood off? Perhaps I wasn't scrubbing hard enough, or was using the wrong material to do so?" OOCNo matter what you do, the blood won't come off.

[Verilian]

"Lorcan! What are you doing over there?" A large and rather surly looking man approached, walking up next to Lorcan. "Have you finished those locks yet," he asked the apprentice. "Didn't think so. Those orders are due tomorrow, get back to work! I won't have you pissing off another customer because you like to slack off." The smith, whose name was Isen though Aello wouldn't know hat, turned to the spiritist and glanced at the items on the table. "What's this all about then? What do you need?" His eyes stopped on the dagger and widened in what Aello knew to be recognition. Tentatively, the smith reached out to touch the dagger, but withdrew his hand at the last instant. His eyes snapped back to Aello and his surly expression returned. "I'm sorry ma'am, we can't help you. You need to go now." Any attempts to get more information from the man were useless and he only ushered her out more insistently. Aello was handed her things and sent on her way, still without the answers she had wanted. But the smith knew something, didn't he? He had recognized the dagger... Lorcan +1 Blacksmithing +1 Locksmithing +1 Observation Lores: Crafting Lock Tumblers (Poor) Aello +1 Observation Lores: The inside of a Smithy You Question My Logic? : Uh.. so yeah, I gave you observation for spotting the blacksmith. Notes: Perhaps one day we should do a thread involving the dagger..