Completed [Sultros Blades] In Search of a Sword (Eanos)

[Aoren]

2nd of Autumn
10th Bell

Upon entering the shop the first thing that Aoren would be faced with was the overwhelming smell of smoked wood and charcoal. There was something about smithing that had always interested Aoren but his true interests lay elsewhere. Then again, with the path that he was tentatively getting ready to walk he wondered if perhaps skills at the forge might be of assistance in his pursuits. That was neither here nor there and when the time came that he would need to face the decision he would have a better idea of exactly where he was headed in life.

While there were no weapons on display he knew for certain that this was the premiere weaponsmith to be found in all of Syliras. At least that is what he’d been lead to believe. Whenever he’d inquired as to where warriors and mercenaries went to get their weapons forged or repaired they had referred him to Eanos of Sultros Blades. They had labeled the Isuran man a tad bit odd but overall a fine weaponsmith capable of crafting nearly anything the mind could concoct. Aoren certainly had no aspirations toward strange or obscure weaponry. His needs were much simpler than that. A finely crafted longsword was all that he needed. A finely crafted sword was what he needed period. He didn't have his heart set on the longsword but that was about the only blade that he had any knowledge of. Perhaps he could be convinced to use something else? There was no way of knowing until he tried.

Speaking of the weaponsmith he saw the Isuran pouring over what must have been the plans for something related to his craft. He was hunched over it frowning with eyes that scrutinized every detail. Already Aoren could tell that the man had the attitude of a perfectionist. It was detailed all around the shop. Every tool was neatly set in its place. Even though he knew next to nothing about smithing Aoren was able to follow a recognizable pattern of purpose behind the placement of each piece of equipment. From the forge, to the anvil, to the barrel of water placed nearby.

“Master Eanos?” He came to stand a respectful distance from the Isuran. Aoren had never met one in person. It was then that he caught sight of the fabled Isuran arm. The Drykas man couldn’t help himself, he stared. It was incredible. An arm of living stone that moved, felt and did everything an arm of flesh and bone did. The concept baffled Aoren but there it was. After a grunt from the weaponsmith Aoren realized he’d stared for too long. He quickly shook his surprise out of his head in embarrassment.

“Oh! Uh, sorry. I didn’t mean to stare. I’ve never met an Isuran before. You are Master Eanos, aren’t you?” Aoren was feeling more and more awkward by the second. He was definitely out of his element. Blades were not his forte but for everything that he was planning he would need to know how to use something other than a quarterstaff.
“Right. Of course you are. Right then, I am here to commission a blade from you. A longsword that is.” He cleared his throat and straightened his posture trying to look less out of place as he awaited the weaponsmith’s reply.

“He probably thinks I’m a bumbling idiot. What am I saying? I think I’m a bumbling idiot right now.”

Aoren sighed inwardly. One way or another he was going to get a sword fashioned for himself. Whether he looked intelligent while doing it was irrelevant. With time he would become more comfortable with the idea of handling a sword.

[Eanos]

The parchment rustled as Eanos wrestled with the concept that he was attempting to pin down. Deep down he was frustrated that his mastery of shielding was so barely begun. The little he was capable of was for now for show only and yet the plans that suggested themselves required little short of full mastery. To show or to hide? Yet if he hid then how was he ever to get better? He laid down the fine charcoal marker with controlled irritation at the limitation of personal djed working and became aware that he was no longer alone. There was a question posed, or at least it seemed to be yet the man was distracted and not likely to notice the reply. The distraction was obvious and he waited, for once having missed the opportunity to show off just what the arm was capable of. The reactions always amused the smith when he reached his left arm deep into the red hot forge but this one seemed to have already understood that much. He studied the man as closely as he was himself studied. Tall was his first impression, even for one of the humans, but beyond that he made no judgements. The smith smiled softly and nodded when the question was repeated, brushing away the apology. The smile was one he reserved purely for customers, having little use for the other races for any other purpose. But anyone who came here with an interest in weapons was someone of interest to Eanos. "A longsword," he nodded. "Of course." He waved the man to take a seat at the desk, which served to mean that Eanos had better eye level contact. At the same time he pulled a fresh sheet of parchment out and made ready to take notes. "Did you have something specific in mind?" It was something of a loaded question given that a basic sword could be bought more cheaply at the Ironworks, so there was normally a reason why something better was wanted. "We can alter a sword you have or make one from new." He waited patiently for a response so that he could guide the conversation.

[Aoren]

"That's just it, I've never worked with a blade before. This is to be my very first sword. I thought that you, as a weaponsmith, might be able to recommend how I go about choosing one." He rubbed the back of his neck obviously a little embarrassed about that fact. Clearing his throat he looked around the shop as if he might find inspiration for what he could possibly need hidden within the assorted tools. When nothing was forthcoming he figured he might as well explain to the Isuran weaponsmith why he was there.

"I am usually a man who prefers a more blunt method of combat. My hands. A quarterstaff. Things that cause minimal harm to a person. A wooden staff does not stand up well to a sword though. Nor do the flesh and bones of my hands." He moved his body into a defensive fighting stance most commonly assumed by hand-to-hand fighters in the local area. It was not perfect but it bespoke some familiarity with getting into a tussle. Aoren dropped his stance when he was certain that Eanos had gotten a good idea as to the type of fighter he normally was.

"When I do use a sword, I need it to be one that is unique to me. Something I will be familiar with in every detail. I intend to be spending a great deal of time committing myself to learning how to use it. It would be nice to be able to recognize my blade when compared against the run of the mill swords sold at the stands in the Bazaar or from another smith in the Ironworks." He realized how silly all of that must have sounded but there it was. Aoren could see himself mistakenly grabbing someone else blade and being clumsy with it to start out with. If it were specifically made for him he felt there would be an element of confidence there. A sense of belonging as if he were meant to have that particular weapon. If he were going to possess one that was capable of truly wounding someone he wanted there to be more to it than just a hunk of metal he bought from a random weaponsmith.

"I came here because I was told that you are the best in Syliras and that there were no blades that could compare to your work." He didn't inquire whether that was true or not. The detail in the weaponsmith's shop was evident enough. Aoren would trust steel forged by this man.

"So, can you help me?"

It was a loaded question but one that Aoren hoped that Eanos might be able to answer.

[Eanos]

With the answer the situation suddenly became clear and Eanos nodded understandingly adjusting his preconceptions accordingly. ”I understand, and yes I can help you” he replied once the explanations were forthcoming. ”Most of my customers already have training and a preference in what they want. It might be that their current sword is too long, it’s balance might not be quite where they wanted, it might be that they simply want the decoration altered, or it might be any one of hundreds of other reasons.” He appreciated the compliment and tried not to allow it to boost his ego. Well, not too much in any case. ”But, sometimes as you say people want something different.” He rubbed his chin and was silent for a moment in thought as he considered what he’d been told and shown. ”I could make you a quarterstaff that could resist any sword, but it would be heavier than you are used to, and weight reduces speed, which as I understand it is important with a quarterstaff.” He spoke his thoughts out loud, watching for responses in Aorens expressions. ”Then too, as with unarmed combat, I would regard the quarterstaff as a balanced weapon.” He hesitated, realising that he would need to explain what he meant. ”By that I mean it requires a harmony of your body, two arms working independently and yet in co-ordination. A sword, especially a two handed one has a different balance for the two arms work as one - the focus is different.” “If you have no training then you have no preferences, no understanding of the possibilities and limitations.” He smiled, ”but then too, you also do not have the baggage imparted by the the preferences of a potentially inferior teacher.” “It makes it more of a challenge, but challenges are there to overcome. Longswords I can make in various sizes and shapes, but something has drawn you to them rather than to other swords. I can make a standard longsword, made to your height and reach that will meet the approval of any instructor, but I’m not sure that is what you want.” “Tell me if you can, why a longsword? Why deviate away from the forms of fighting that you understand? Do you see yourself fighting one handed or two handed on the one sword? If one, what are you doing with the other hand? Does it hold a shield or a knife? Have you considered two blades? Do you want something heavy to smash with or light to dance with?” Already Eanos had some ideas in mind and he knew where his own natural preference in blades lay, but it was hardly fair to impose what he considered the best sword on someone, especially since that would not be cheap.

[Aoren]

"You are correct, Master Eanos. The quarterstaff is a weapon of balance. It requires an understanding of how to maneuver both your body and your hands independently of each other and yet weave a style of unity that produces a pattern of techniques geared more toward the defensive." He rubbed at the back of his neck as he thought.

"I am a peaceful man at heart, Sir. I move to violent action only when provoked and even then I do my best not to wound but rather to deter further onslaught." He sighed slightly as he thought about the times that he had needed to defend himself. Aoren never enjoyed the act of threatening anyone's life. He much preferred to persuade others from acts of violence but there was sometimes just no avoiding it. In those circumstances he used what skills he had in his quarterstaff or with his hands to convince potential attackers that assaulting him was a bad idea. There were times it worked. There were times it did not.

"When I fight, I move. Speed is my greatest ally. I am well accustomed to fighting with a mind focused on observing the movements of my opponent. I was told by a sparring partner in the Fighter's Pit once that with my movements I would be partial to using a two blades as opposed to one. I gave it some thought but I am certainly not skilled enough to wield even one blade." He remembered sparring with a certain Kelvic wolf. It had been an enjoyable experience and it had left Aoren tired and sore afterwards but it was a fond memory.

"Having fought with a quarterstaff most of my adult life I am used to techniques that are more akin to dancing you could say. Though, I certainly wouldn't consider myself a very good dance partner." Aoren chuckled slightly. Truthfully, he'd never danced with anyone but that was neither here nor there.

"So then Master Eanos, what would you recommend?

[Eanos]

Eanos kept a slight smile on his face as he listened carefully to the responses but only when Aoren had finished did he make notes on the parchment, and as ever his unthinking habit was to use the Isurian smithing runes. ”My recommendation? Well now, that is easy.” The reply had gone as he’d expected given how his questions had been carefully constructed. ”What may not so easy will be for you to choose how to get there.” Eanos could be wrong, but his reading of the man, what he wore, how he wore it, how he spoke and moved that this was not some idle merchants son who could spend his fathers coin and that placed limits on what was possible. ”You asked for a longsword, but I think that it will not suit your style.” He nodded slowly as he spoke, ”dual wield I think is where you will wish to be, but as you say that takes skill. But I would recommend that a style of sword that would enable you to choose that path, should you wish to do so when you reach that skill.” He made a further note. ”Swords suitable for dual wielding tend to be lighter, and lighter swords can suffer if used to block heavier weapons.” He wished to be clear about the option he was suggesting. ”My swords however do not break.” He smiled again, but his smile was serious. ”My recommendation is to offer you a choice. I would suggest either one of two swords, one could be classified as long the other as short, with the recommendation towards the longer.” He held up his hand. ”But,” he paused. ”It is not as simple as that, so I will explain further. For someone who wishes to dual wield, these swords should be matched. They are designed to be used as a pair and for that they are made from the same mix of steel and share the same blessing from Izurdin.” “Of course, there is a price to pay for such a set, and I would not recommend making such a set for you until you know exactly what you want.” He stood for a moment and walked over to a shelf which he could see clearly but likely enough was darkened for a human and came back with a knife, taking also a sheet of thin steel from the workbench at the back. ”This is a Tanto, which is also part of the set.” He laid the sheet of steel down and using the strength of his left arm drove the tanto point down through the steel and into the wooden boards below. He left it there for a moment and then wiggled it and pulled it back out, and checked the tip for damage, though of course there was none and it retained its edge without chipping. ”Here.” He laid it on the bench between them and gestured for Aoren to examine it, bringing the lantern in closer. ”The swords are the same in style, and you will note that the blades have a slight curve to them. You will note also that the blade carries a harmon in the steel.” He pointed at the bevel where the polished steel of the spine gave way to a slightly wavy line beyond which the steel was slightly milky in colour. ”Does this sound interesting to you?”

[Aoren]

"I don't think I've ever seen a blade such as this." Aoren reached out and touched the steel of the blade. It was impressive. The light glinted off the steel reflecting the surroundings like a polished mirror. Genuine awe over such a weapon lined the man's face. Given that he'd grown up in Syliras he did not see a great many of the Knights or warriors that passed through the city with more than one blade. The fighting style of the Knighthood demanded a sword and shield so that was what most of the warriors went into battle with. There were those who carried bow and arrow or mace or even warhammers. He did not often see anyone who carried two swords and wielded them with any measure of skill.

"I think you are right, Master Eanos. May I?" He nodded to the short sword. It wasn't that much longer than a dagger. When he was given permission to pick it up Aoren immediately felt at home with it. The handle fit in his hand comfortably. It was not perfect but such a thing could be forged to fit him. That was why he was in the shop to begin with. He stepped back and gave an experimental swipe with the blade. His obvious unfamiliarity with swords was apparent in the way he wielded it incorrectly. He slashed with the Tanto instead of stabbed as was its primary purpose. Other swords were forged for slashing. But there was room for improvement. Much improvement. Aoren could certainly see himself practicing with this blade.

"May I see the sword that is supposed to accompany this?" He was curious as to the blade that would act as the counterpart to the tanto. There wasn't a sword he could think of that would be able to compliment the sleek design. There was an obvious foreign nature to the blade. Aoren could tell that the style in which the tanto had been fashioned was not native to Syliras. Perhaps not even to any city that he knew of in the whole of Sylira region.

He admired the fine craftsmanship a little more before setting the blade back on the counter. He inclined his head respectfully to the dagger's maker. If there had been any doubt about coming to Sultros Blades before those doubts were permanently banished.

"I admit that the dual wielding style is what seems to appeal most to me at the moment. I cannot envision myself rooted to the ground carrying a clunky shield with a traditional knight's sword raised in defiance to my foes. Truth be told, I do not go seeking conflict. When it does come my way though I prefer to deter my opponents rather than smash them into submission." He rubbed at the back of his neck in slight embarrassment.

"Wielding a sword to me seems like it should be an art. I understand that in the heat of conflict much refinery can be lost but there is beauty to be found in the art of war." He shook his head as he philosophized on the horrors of violence. For violence was indeed horrible and in that horror there was a dark beauty that made the bards sings tales that spanned the ages and the poets write ballads that brought those who read them to tears. Aoren pondered this as he waited for Eanos to present the blade that accompanied the tanto, if he possessed it at all.

OOCSo sorry for the delay!

[Eanos]

Eanos watched closely as Aoren handled the blade, his interest rather one of a smith than of a swordsman, but still it was impossible to make swords without a rudimentary knowledge of how they were used.

”Of course,” he answered to the question regarding the sword, but made no immediate move to get such a thing.

”These sword sets are normally made with the blades in three lengths, the Tanto you have is around eight inches in length, the Wakizashi around twenty inches and the Katana around twenty eight. However, all of those sizes are variable depending on need and intended use. The longer the sword, the further away from your opponent you will tend to fight but at the same time the greater the space you need to use it.”

“Traditionally fighters who choose these will use only one at a time, and their choice will be driven by where they are at the time. When they are travelling through the fields they use the Katana, when in the city the Wakizashi and at home when they have put both of those in the rack they will carry the Tanto.”

“But even then each of those swords could be different to another mans in length and stiffness depending on need. So for example a lighter Katana might be chosen by a man who fights bandits, a heavier one for fighting steel armoured opponents.” He smiled, ”I remind you of this only to be sure that you understand that whatever I show you here will not be the same as you would walk out with.”

He became a little more serious, ”and this also is one reason why I would not make you a set at this point, and I will not until you can come back to me and explain how you will use them and show me where you have found problems with your current sword.”

Now he stood and reached into the dark recesses of another shelf and retrieved a cloth wrapped bundle. Placing it on the bench between them he unwrapped it to reveal a short sword in a wooden storage scabbard.

”This Wakizashi has an eighteen inch blade, so it is short for this style, but slightly broader than some so the weight is much the same as standard length one. You will note that the blade carries more of a curve than the Tanto and this is to make the draw easier and quicker. These blades are designed to be held tight into the belt and so close to the body. If you prefer a slung sword then I would reduce the curve.”

He dropped the latter into the conversation to highlight the need for a swordsman to know what he wanted when having a sword made that would be truly special. He eased the sword from the scabbard and laid it on the wrapping cloth and stepped back so that Aoren could examine it and pick it up.

He did not however wish to be seen as negative entirely so he added a final comment agreeing with the man. ”You are correct that using these swords is an art, it is not at all merely a question of hacking at your opponent. Indeed three are those who will spend a great deal of time in perfecting the art of just drawing the sword.”

[Aoren]

Questions passed through Aoren's mind. They were questions that could be answered only through the use of the sword. As he grew to understand he nuances of swordsmanship he would feel less tentative about handling one. He watched carefully as Eanos unraveled the blade with equal wonder as before. They truly were beautiful works.

"When I look at how finely crafted these blades are, Master Eanos I can hardly believe you didn't use magic in their forging." He gave the Isuran smith a half-smile. "You have to be what they call a magesmith."

Aoren knew a sparse amount about Magecrafting. He knew that it was a discipline of magic without equal and though it demanded great sacrifice, those that could master it were peerless in their art. He was not so knowledgable to be able to distinguish such fine blades from just a skilled weapon smith to that of a magesmith. To be so skilled was something magical in and of itself. However, the somewhat mysterious proprietor of Sultros Blades being in possession of magic would hardly be surprising to Aoren.

"Sorry. You don't have to answe that. I know of a few secretive wizards here in Syliras. Given the Knights view on magic I don't blame people for hiding it." He cleared his throat deciding to take the opportunity to study the katana Eanos brought out of the wrappings. The sword was definitely made for speed. It's sleek design was not something he could see the knights brandishing around during their training sessions.

"I suppose the question stands, how much will it cost to forge these blades?"

[Eanos]

Eanos was both pleased and amused by the comments about magesmithing since this was where he aimed. As with anyone who was on a passage, each mountain pass took effort to climb and yet each revealed yet another vista of mountains, taller and steeper than the ones behind. The efforts and knowledge gained were put into perspective by the challenge ahead, yet the skills gained formed the basis for undertaking the next challenge. Eanos was so focused on the challenges ahead that he often forgot how far he had already climbed. Still he could not resist hinting that perhaps Aoren was right.

”There is magic and then there is authorised magic,” he said with a slight wink. ”The Knights are perfectly comfortable with some people using magic, especially when they benefit from it. What they don’t like is when people are using in the street for no good purpose.”

The question of price was always one that could be difficult, yet Eanos was aware of the intrinsic value of what he sold. ”The price for the Wakizashi is one hundred gold, the Katana is one hundred and fifty and the Tanto is sixty gold.” As time went by and Eanos climbed new mountain passes, these prices would go up, but they were the pinnacle of his art and took considerable time and effort to forge.

”A matched set of Wakizashi and Katana is three hundred gold, the complete set including Tanto is four hundred.”

“As we discussed, I will not yet make you a set, but if you buy a Wakizashi now and later come back to me for a set then I will take back the first sword and reduce the price for the set.”