5.17 – cksmithing I


    Not everyone was so lucky to get a ss they loved, but Shara had. Her dad had been a [cksmith], and so had his dad, and his dad''s dad too—basically as far back as anyone could remember. It had been a given she''d follow in their footsteps. And sure, it could be grueling work—backbreaking sometimes—and the forge could be insufferably hot in the summer, but it was fulfilling. The thrill of creating. In making something new. Taking raw materials and shaping them into a purposeful creation. Something that might even save a person''s life.


    Shara specialized in weapons and armor. Delving equipment. There was no shame in more mundane sorts of cksmithing, in horseshoes, nails, and farming implements; that had been her father''s main source of ie. Most cksmiths. But Shara''s path was definitely the more lucrative—and the rarer. She considered herself blessed to have unlocked skills that had brought her here. To a forge in the heart of Aradon''s crafting district, apprenticed under a much more demanding, but also more skilled, master.


    Like most people, she had imagined what it would be like to receive a different ss, something that would lead her into the dungeon. But honestly, beyond entertaining the idea in daydreams, Shara didn''t want anything to do with delving. With violence in any capacity, honestly. A nce at her might suggest otherwise: her stature, build, and her arms like tree trunks, inherited from her father as much as they were earned on the anvil. People told her she had a serious demeanor too: that she was always frowning and intimidating people just by existing. She thought that was their imagination, but maybe there was some truth to it.


    Regardless, despite her size and stature, the only time a weapon belonged in her hands was when she was beating them into shape. Not only would she try almost anything before things came to violence, but she was downright awful at fighting, too. Even simple weapons—even a <em>hammer</em>, which she used every day—took a surprising amount of skill to utilize in a deadly way. Her embarrassing, secretive attempts at wielding her own creations had proven that.


    As much as Shara''s new work in Aradon fascinated her, in Master Lee''s forge and the infinite variety of orders, the new clientele interested her just as much. Delvers. The backbone of society. All people were that, in some way or another, but delvers especially. At first, Shara had been awkward around them, intimidated by their status, especially the T students—who would, as a general rule, each grow to be pirs of their respective houses andmunities. Or find an early grave. That <em>was </em>the associated risk.


    Thankfully, she''d gotten over the hero-awe rather fast. Especially after one too many princelings turned their nose up at her while putting in amission. She generally liked the first-timer delvers who didn''t belong to T, or even students of the non-sanctioned academies. Obviously, she didn''t make nearly as muchmission on each piece, but beyond being easier to work with, the armor and weapons she created did more to keep them safe. They needed solid gear far more than the T students did, and so, it felt like her hard work went to better use.


    Not <em>everyone</em> from the Academy was insufferable, though. Point in case: a familiar face walking up to Shara''s forge. She paused as the sh of red hair caught her eye, cksmith''s hammer hesitating at the apex of its arc. She nced in the woman''s direction to confirm that it was, indeed, that T student fromst week. Or had it been two weeks ago? Time blurred under Master Lee''s instruction. Shara''s life had gotten outrageously busy since her awakening. Not that she wasining; being here was an opportunity she could only have dreamed of.


    What was her name? Natalia? Or Natalie? The second one sounded right.


    Shara nodded in greeting, acknowledging that she''d seen her, then returned to her work. Hammer met metal with a loud ng. She could hardly drop everything as soon as she approached; she had to finish up.


    A short timeter, Shara found a stopping point. She peeled off her gloves and walked over to see what the woman wanted. With luck, anothermission. She doubted she was here just to chat, friendly as she''d beenst time. T students had just as outrageously busy lives as Shara herself—probably even more so.


    "Good to see you again," Shara said in a friendly greeting. "How''s the armor holding up? Doing you well?"


    "Oh," Natalie said. "Yeah. Uh. Actually found something better, now, so most of it''s on the Exchange, but … great while itsted." She shrugged awkwardly.


    Shara stared briefly at the woman, but not because she was offended. Obviously, if Natalie found an upgrade, then she should swap her armor out. Rather, Shara was shocked that she <em>had </em>found one—it hadn''t been more than two weeks.


    Though maybe she shouldn''t be surprised. T students were something else. Normal delvers might tackle the dungeon once or twice a month, and even that was terribly dangerous. Shara knew it was standard for T students to go several times a <em>week</em>, if not daily<em>. </em>And they would go much faster, and deeper, and also in smaller squads: the traditional five-stack, where less-experienced folk oftentimes went in teams of eight to ten, or even more, to take safety in numbers.


    Therefore, a piece of gear wouldst a normal delver months or years. But here Natalie was, having reworked most of her armor in just a week or two. Shara''s head briefly hurt at just how lucrative that must be. She made great money as a craftsman-type ss with a specialty in delving equipment, butmission fees couldn''t hold up whenpared to findingplete pieces of armor to sell on the Exchange. Instant, huge profit, every single piece, with no material costs.


    Sharaughed, making it clear she wasn''t bothered by how little time her painstakingly-created armor hadsted. "Well, I''m d you liked it while you had it." Someone else would im the gear off the market, eventually. She briefly wondered in whose hands it would end up. If it would save anyone''s life. "Here for something else, then?" That Natalie hade back was an honest endorsement: returning customers, much less a T student, meant she appreciated Shara''s craftsmanship. Or, more urately, her craftsmanship for the price. Shara was under no delusion she was the best [cksmith] in Aradon. But neither was she the cheapest, so there was <em>something </em>to say about her talent in the forge.


    "Yeah," Natalie said. "It''s actually, uh, something a bit nonstandard. And from scratch, again. I''ve got ore for you."


    "A custom weapon?" Shara guessed.


    "No."


    "Armor?"


    "Well—sort of. Can we talk?" She shifted awkwardly from one foot to another, then looked around. "Not out on the street? Somewhere private?"


    Shara blinked. Her forge—or, rather, Master Lee''s training forge—was indeed exposed to the busy Aradon streets. It was how she attracted customers.


    "Sure," Shara said carefully. "Over this way."


    Amission that needed <em>secrecy?</em> Why? Shara''s interest was instantly piqued.