OOM: Taking Sameth to Gotland again

[ostro_goth]

Teja is in the forge, gathering a few things he is meaning to take to Gotland and show to Aligern -- for Adalgoth had told him that he would come to see them, soon.

It would, of course, be cheating history -- but then, Teja would gladly give his people any reasonable help he may.

No fire-arms, of course.

And then, of course, in the end, all his aid might result in could just as well be the development of the famous Ulberht swords that Teja has read about...

Comments

[makesthings]

Sam sets down what he's carrying,

"Yes, thank you."

[ostro_goth]

Wachis pours mulled cider for both Teja and Sameth, and hands them over.

Teja draws a sword -- a Japanese katana -- and politely offers it to Aligern to look at.

Aligern runs his finger over the blade, and gives a grunt.

[makesthings]

He looks for a place to sit and ends up leaning against the wall while also looking over the katana.

[ostro_goth]

Adalgoth pours his own drink, and cranes his neck as well.

"Those are each another layer of metal?" Aligern is asking, admiring the fine moiré pattern on the blade.

Teja nods, and picks up the billet he has brought, and starts to explain to Aligern about folding the metal.

[makesthings]

As they talk, Sam looks around the forge to get a sense of the sort of projects that are worked on.

[ostro_goth]

There are scythes and sickles to be sharpened, as well as a pot with a burned bottom, a bucket with one ring broken and the staves rattling half-loose, and some arrow-heads in the process of being made.

[makesthings]

It reminds him of the forge at Belisaere just smaller and smiles as he considers the projects and how useful everything is.

[gotland_npc]

"Liuta keeps nagging about that bucket," Wachis says. "Swords are good and honourable, but buckets are much more useful at peace-time."

[makesthings]

"What happened to it?"

That seems like implicit permission so Sam examines the bucket to see if there's an easy fix.

[gotland_npc]

"My daughter happened to it," Wachis shrugs. "Got chicken innards on her favourite apron, soaked it over night, and it froze. But she wanted her apron, so went at it with a pickaxe rather than ask anybody. Said she didn't want us to poke fun at her. Silly girl!"

[makesthings]

Sam laughs, "Well, she did a good job at it. I wouldn't want to have to face her."

[gotland_npc]

Wachis chuckles.

"Scariest twelve-year-old ever," he declares. "Stubborn as Hel."

[makesthings]

"Did her apron end up in one piece?"

[gotland_npc]

"Did, at that," Wachis says. "She hacked off the bucket, then the ice, and then thawed out the apron in a bowl by the fire."

[makesthings]

"She sounds clever along with being stubborn."

[gotland_npc]

"If she'd been really clever, she wouldn't have broken the bucket," Wachis argues.

[makesthings]

"She'll know better next time."

[gotland_npc]

"I hope so," Wachis says. "In the meanwhile, broken bucket, nagging wife."

He picks the things up.

[makesthings]

"It shouldn't take long to fix. If I can help let me so you and Teja can talk more."

[gotland_npc]

"The king and his cousin will probably stop talking when it gets too dark to see," Wachis shrugs. "I'd be glad to have the help of Teja's apprentice, at that. Thing is, can we fix the ring, or need we make a new one?"

"I would heat the forge, in any case," Teja says, from where he is talking to Aligern.

"I shall get wood and charcoal," Adalgoth offers. He's been sitting with Count on his lap, quite content to be near Teja and say nothing for a while.

[makesthings]

Sam picks up the ring and gives it a good look,

"Its probably best to make a new one if it gets a lot of use."

[gotland_npc]

"It's one of a pair Liuta uses on a yoke for fetching water, so yes," Wachis says.

Teja and Aligern have started stoking the fire, to get it hot enough to work the steel Teja brought.

[makesthings]

Sam's glad that they chose to bring a few tools with them, he wouldn't feel comfortable using another man's.

He quickly sets up what he needs, picking up the bucket and preparing it as he can, doing a quick Charter spell to strengthen a place where another ring looks weak.

[gotland_npc]

Teja quietly hand them a strip of metal from a corner. "That should make a ring for a barrel or ewer," he says, not even looking at Wachis as he hands over the metal; he knows that the man will take it.

And he does.

A little girl slips into the door to watch, and Count hops off the bench by the forge-fire, and goes to greet her.

[makesthings]

This is comfortable and soon the bucket is being fixed and Sam traces Charter Marks into the metal to make it stronger as he works.