[SP-F1] Earning a Living (Bowan)

[Bowan 0]

Weaving through the crowded streets of the <<Town of Beginnings>>, Bowan kept an eye out for his elusive prey. He was about average height and lean like a wolf, with unusually large arm muscles denoting that he had more than his fair share of experience with a sword. Wearing a high collared sleeveless black haori belted over a matching beginner's quilted tunic and black pants, the longsword slung across his back whispered, leather against steel, as it was drawn from its sheath. A flash of motion catching his eye, Bowan activated a Sword Skill to blow the thief into the wall, trusting the system to prevent the orange player from taking damage in a city. Picking up the pouch of <<Col>> that the groaning player stole, he returned it to the NPC shopkeeper with a smile.

 

"Thanks!" Lusitania cheered. "To pay you back, I can teach you to <<Smith>>, if you like!" The pretty store owner said with a smile.

 

With that, a quest log popped up on Bowan's menu labeled <<Earning a Living>>. He accepted it gladly, remembering his time training under one of the premiere bladesmiths in Japan. The feeling of working hot metal into a piece of artwork was one of the best feelings in the world.

 

"Let's get started, then!" He replied, giving the fallen thief a final kick to the ribs before walking back to Lusitania's shop, the seemingly-19 year old NPC skipping along ahead. She acted almost...human, which was strange for a computer program. What was creepy, however, was the fact that she had immediately taken a liking to Bowan, which no one ever did until they got to know him. Definitely not human, he thought to himself as she started the forge and got out the materials needed to forge weapons.

[Bowan 0]

"The ore still has impurities, so we'll have to refine it." Lusitania explains as she drops a large chunk of iron in front of Bowan. Pulling out a bowl of powdered bone from a skeleton warrior, she set it on the table next to the bench, along with a pair of tongs and a hammer. "We need to put the ore in the fire and sprinkle this over it to add carbon. Once we do that, you'll hammer the ore into a bar, which we can use to make the sword. Does that make sense?" She asked with a pout as Bowan picked up the ore with the tongs and moved it into the heart of the flame.

 

"Yep." He replied, focused on adding the bowl of pulverized bone. Having a sudden idea, Bowan threw in an ounce of quicksilver. Lusitania stared at him, at first aghast, but then with a look of realization and approval. The ingredients turned red as soon as Bowan pressed accept on the Forge Menu. The two watched as the items melded together, changing into a hunk of metal, with a golden hue. Taking it up with the tongs, Bowan brought it over to the anvil, where Lusitania was motioning for him to make the bar.

 

Crafting Roll Attempt: Rolled 5 on Craft die. Item made successfully (sort of)

 

Hitting it with the hammer, the heavy metal chunk changed shape with the appearance of heat spreading. Examining it, Bowan noticed that the item he had crafted was an<<Elementium Bar>>. Lusitania whistled with surprise.

 

"Nice job! The extra ingredient really made a difference. Now, to make the weapon itself!" She exclaimed with glee.

[Bowan 0]

Pulling out a wolf hide, a young dragon's tooth, and a block of ebony, Lusitania set everything on the anvil along with a whetstone. "Now, you're going to craft the sword itself. Longsword, right?" She asked as Bowan organized the workspace to his liking.

 

"Yeah" He replied once everything was in order and neatly accessible. Drawing his own blade, he handed it to the smith, who threw it across the room in disgust.

 

"How do you use that thing?!" She shrieked, watching as the starter sword took durability damage just from the small jolt. "The balance is all off, and the steel is flawed!"

 

"I know." Bowan said as he took the tongs in his left hand, picking up the hammer in his right. "That's why I want to be a Smith. That way I can know every detail about my sword, and the others that I make. It is an extension of me, and I cannot bear to be a generic, unnamed person."

He attempted to cut the hide to cover the hilt of the sword, before he forged the blade itself.

 

Crafting Roll Attempt: Rolled a 1 on the Craft Die. Critical failure.

 

The hide exploded into dozens of multicolored fragments, to which Lusitania snorted with laughter. "You can't sound so cool, then goof up like that, idiot!" She laughed as she pulled out another and cut it into furry strips for him to lace up and down the hilt for grip. "I'LL handle this part." She giggled.

 

Holding the bar of Elementium in the tongs, he hit it squarely, causing the heat effect again. Pushing the other ingredients to it, he watched as the sword took shape and expanded on the anvil.

 

Crafting Attempt Roll: Rolled a 10 on the Craft Die. Uncommon Item forged.

 

"Okay, now that's impressive." She breathed as she held up the sword, in awe of the way the Elementium shimmered in the sun. "Now to name your new item."

 

Bowan saw an interface pop up in front of him, with a description of the weapon. He touch the name bar and typed in the name he felt the sword wanted. Stormbringer gleamed with light as he hit Accept Changes.

 

"Next," said Lusitania as she set his new weapon aside, "We have to make a sheath for it. Don't drool, dude. You're the one who made it!" She laughed as she saw the spellbound Bowan staring at the weapon.

[Bowan 0]

Using a sheet of steel, white leather, some gold filigree, and several buckles, Lusitania sat down and showed Bowen how to make a scabbard that slings across his back. By using some birch wood to line the inside, she explained how that kept the sword from scraping the metal that gives the scabbard its form. Once she finished explaining, she shattered the example she had made, earning an annoyed glare. She then passed the materials over to Bowan, who started to make it just the way she had taught him.

 

Crafting Roll Attempt: Rolled a 12 on the Craft Die. Item successfully created.

 

Putting the finishing touches on it and polishing the filigree to a shine, he wiped the sweat from his brow. The scabbard was finished, and was a work of art featuring a pack of wolves in gold racing down the snow-white leather coating the solid steel frame. Golden caps sat on either end of the scabbard decorated with ivy, and birch wood rested on the inside, comfortably fitting around Stormbringer as Bowan sheathed the blade and strapped it to his back.

 

Working the cramps from his muscles, he stood up and stretched, admiring the way the blade felt across his back. Lusitania sighed, and looked disappointed about something.

 

"What is it?" The young swordsman asked his mentor. She got up and shook her head, the blonde hair in her pixie cut flipping about her face.

 

"Well, now that you can do your own Smithing, you won't have any reason to stop by. It gets pretty lonely, even if I am an NPC." She said, a morose look on her face. "Unless...you wanted to share the shop with me?" She asked, a glimmer of hope spreading across her face.

 

"Sure!" Bowan replied, smiling at the store owner. "When I'm not adventuring, I'll be here." With that, Lusitania gave him a giant hug and started to jump for joy. DEFINITELY not human, Bowan thought to himself with a grin as she skipped off to greet customers.