Whats a swordsman to do?

The sun was high in the sky bathing the cobblestone streets of Rasasanth in an uncomfortable heat. Hayate Amatsukami had spent the last few days in the capital of Corone meandering about trying to kill as much time as possible. He had been through an awful lot of hardship recently dealing with the loss of his arm among other things. But most importantly the young lord was trying to find a way to reconnect with the spirit in his sword.

He had tried almost everything and nothing had worked. By now he had healed enough from his wounds that he deduced they couldn’t be the problem. And Hayate had also gone over to the Bovov armory and had the blade tempered and restored to how it was before his exodus. Yet nothing changed and Hayate still couldn’t hear Yamato’s voice. He was starting to give up hope.

In a last ditch effort to solve his problem by himself before having to resort to seeking help for Lord Osiris Hayate wandered his was down to the marketplace. The young samurai passed a number of high end shops before he found the part of town he was looking for. Then he saw the Blackgate, another blacksmith he was Jacob recommended, and eagerly went inside.

Jacob of the Silver Cup had mentioned that this man was better than Mitch Bovov but didn’t offer the same kind of deals the brotherhood blacksmith did. Regardless Hayate had something much more interesting in mind. He had saved a number or valuables from his estate when he left and sold much of it off to make some quick cash while he was on the lamb. He wanted to purchase an upgrade to Yamato buy replacing the blade of his katana with a much more powerful material.

With excitement in his heart the samurai stepped into the establishment. It was basically empty but the forge was lit and some sounds came from the back room. Somebody had to be in here?

“Hello!” Hayate called out looking around for someone to peak their head out. “Is anyone there?”

Harrington Smythe was exahusted. He had been working all day, and had little rest, mostly due to the fact his son was still not yet home. Some years ago he had lost his wife, and then his eldest daughter, who at the time had been the most likely heir to the forge. Now all he had was his young girl, Persephone, who loved to climb trees more than anything and his unenthusiastic son who was at the age where the ladies were far more attractive than a hammer and anvil. As the bell to his shop rattled for the fourth time that day he looked tiredly up, cloth in hand, towards the front of the shop where his forge burned.

"Son?" he asked in a low voice.

"Is anyone there?" came an unfamiliar reply.

Harrington blinked before setting down the sword he was currently polishing and twisted around to start heading into the shop. A frown creased in his brow as he strode in to see not his son, but rather a warrior there - an Akashiman by the looks of him. He paused, pulling up the sword to heft it against one of his massive soldiers and asked in his growling tone.

"Aye. I am. Harrington Smyth. What you be looking for?"

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EDIT: I'd like to upgrade my katana to either Titanium or Prevalida. A Quote for both would be great!

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The young one armed man looked over the graying blacksmith as he revealed himself. He seemed like he had seen better days or something had been on his mind because he didn’t appear happy to see a customer in his shop. Regardless Hayate wasn’t here to be social, he was here for a reason. This could be his last chance to save Yamato.

“I’m here to hopefully solve a strange problem.” Hayate said as he used his right arm to unlatch his katana from his hip. It took a second to get done but Hayate placed it on the surface between the two men. It was terribly worn down and chipped in a number of places but still resonated with the ancient magics it was created with. Harrington admired the weapon for a moment picking it up and inspecting the notable damage to it.

“What’s the problem?”

“When I was born this sword was crafted to hope a powerful spirit inside of it. I’ve lost the ability to communicate with my partner.” Hayate was ashamed to admit it but if felt mildly relieving to finally explain if situation to someone. “Can you recraft the blade with the strongest material possible? I pray that this may restore my partner to full strength and revitalize our bond.”

Hayate stood still in front of the man expecting some kind of ludicrous response to his ludicrous request. He didn’t know if the man had worked on magical artifacts before or was even willing to do so now but this was the best chance he had.

Harrington extended his hand and touched the scabbard, forming a single finger around the curve of it. It was made of a strong leather that he found impressive, and bound with fine filigree that spoke of a history within the sword. It was also surprisingly large, which was not suiting the man before him, being quite larger than was suitable. Indeed, that might be because it was so old, and so the sword could have been an heirloom - but still, his ancestor who had it originally had it forged for him would have had to have been a giant.

At least a half giant. Nobody in Harrington's family certainly was that large, and he and his kin were famous for being big boned, well muscled and the stereotype of blacksmiths.

From what the warrior was saying, there was also some ancient magic in it. Not a common thing, but at least Harrington had some experience. He had a wizard friend who was very good when it came to these types.

He leaned and picked up the end of the sword in his hand, weighting it into his palm but leaving the end on the table. Slightly, also he drew the blade out of the scabbard, though was careful enough not to actually touch the blade. He looked at the silvery metal, nodding slightly as he saw a dulled edge at points, and he grunted.

"It will be possible, warrior. For the size of the sword, though you are looking for something quite expensive." He scratched his chin, "For instance, if you wanted to look at say titanium, you'd be looking at 2025 gold. Prevalida ... 2700 gold. What material is it currently?"

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Could you please link to where you got this sword currently, if you are wishing to trade it in. In that way you can get a discount from these prices.

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Original weapon was received here.

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Indeed the young lord’s sword was larger than what the common people called a Katana. It was in fact a nodachi, a long curved sword very similar in appearance to a katana, used by infantry to slay the horses of an oncoming army. Hayate thought back to the days he first started training to use his father’s sword and all the effort he put into it. But while he watched Harrington look down the length of his dulled blade the one-armed man feared that he might never again be able to use the weapon properly.

“It is an alloy composed mostly of Iron,” Hayate answered the smith as he recounted what he knew about Yamato. While the sword was filled with history it wasn’t something Hayate felt was necessary to tell the man, opting only to give up the most basic of information he needed to get started. “If it helps, you may repurpose any scrap material you salvage while re-forging my blade.”

“Iron…” Harrington said as he sheathed the blade.

“I know I might not look like much right now,” Hayate said knowing in his current condition that he looked like wounded dog. “But if you’ll allow me I’d like to lend a hand in the shop while you work on my sword.” The young lord knew if he wanted any kind of help from the man he would have to earn it. And the best way to do that was offer to lighten the smith’s load for a while and allow him to work freely.

Harrington looked over the warrior and smiled slightly. The man before him was strong, that was clear, but if one did not have experience in a forge, you were not guatanteed to walk out of there alive. YOu could as easily lose a limb as one might wink at a pretty woman, then get distracted and burn yourself with the smoldering hot poker you currently have. To forge was to breath fire, to go where the imagination took you in terms of pattern but to remain in the realms of possibilities and what science taught. Fumes were your air, fire was your soul, and you lived by the beat of the hammer that was also the thump of your heart.

Slowly the blacksmith put down the end of the sword and threw Hayate the cloth he had in his hand still. "Here," he grunted, "You want to help, then you could clean the worktop. My son has not come back yet."

And he eyed the sword up a little, taking a mental note of its measurements. Without touching it he moved back and went into the back of his shop, where the large fire burned - the source of his power. He began to stride over to shelves that lined directly against the stone wall. On there were tens of large blocks of raw metal; expensive, but useless in their current form. His eyes ran over the blocks until he found two imperfect chunks, that he grabbed, one in each hand and turned to walk back out.

"With the scrap iron in consideration ... I can give a small discount. Let us say 1825 gold for the titanium and 2500 gold for the prevalida. Of course if you were to go for something cheaper," he grinned as he came through and set one of the mighty blocks on the worktop - a huge silvery thing, "It would be cheaper. I am already knocking off a small price just for you."

Harrington put it bluntly. The cost of repairing and upgrading Yamato would simply be too much for Hayate to afford for the time being. The young lord felt a heavy weight in his chest. He had lost hope.

The one-armed man stood silently in front of the Smith as he continued to wipe the countertop. He did this for a few moment not answering Harrington even though the Smith waited for him to. A egg formed in the back of the Hayate's throat as he tried not to break down in front of the man.

"I... I... Thank you for your time but,... I can't afford to spend that much not knowing if this would even work." Hayate just managed to cough out without shedding a tear.

He paused for a moment, never seising his miscellaneous task of countertop cleaning. Regardless if the man would be able to help him Hayate would help him out for his time. As the counter began to shine like a freshly polished pearl Hayate stashed the rag away and brought his full attention to the Harrington.

"Is there any smaller weapon similar in craftsmanship to my Nodachi you might have on hand. I cannot use my blade in it's current condition but still need a quiality weapon to defend myself."

Was this the end of the road for Yamato?

Harrington looked at the man, there and almost weeping at the blade between them. The blacksmith's huge eyebrow arched as he studied Hayate, curious as to how connected the warrior felt. Clearly, it was something special - the way he had spoken about spirits at the beginning of the conversation certainly made this an interesting exchange. His eyes dropped down to the two heavy pieces of ore before them, set on the worktop like precious gems and he thought for a moment about his first hammer and anvil, how it had meant the world to him when his father had given them.

He huffed a little, rolling back his shoulders. Leaning forwards he leant on the worktop on a forearm, the other arm sweeping up and pressing at the air towards the massive katana.

"Seems you are fond of this fine blade. Tell you want. Options."

He picked up a finger. "I can give you any simple weapon, as you just asked for, in a variety of metals and at the same size of your current blade. A nice steel one would set you back, say, 225 gold. Damascus at 450 gold, and a nice fine dehlar at 675 gold. 900 for platinum, 1013 for titanium ... but, warrior, none of them would connect you to the spirit like you want. You need magic for that, hence my suggestions being higher. And no nice discount for your iron there, as its another weapon."

He leant back up and lifted two fingers into the air. "Second option, warrior. You go for a lesser material, and we replace the blade on your weapon like we discussed. A fine damascus blade replacement for the one you have would set you back ... well. 900 gold, 850 if you exchange me the iron, 700 gold on a good day. A tougher metal like dehlar ... I could do for 1150 gold, and delyn, you are looking at 1600. Bare in mind this option gets you your magic communication that you want."

Then he grinned. "Option three, is a smaller blade, that replaces the blade of your fine spirit weapon. A 'wakasashi' I think you warriors call them. Titanium ... well you're looking at a kindly 1150 gold, with the smaller blade, but still your enchantment, and given me the iron. And for your prevalida on the same conditions, that would be 1600 gold. Oh and a tidy perfect 1000 gold for the same, but steady delyn."

He folded his arms over his chest. "Too many options now, eh warrior?"

"Of course you can always just have a simple wakasashi blade. 675 for a titanium one. No special effects."

“Thank you for all you effort in trying to help me out.” Hayate said as he looked the smith in the face. Hayate knew that he was giving him the best deals he could and the young swordsman would just waist the man’s time. He contemplated his options and decided it would be for the best to just line up an auxiliary weapon in the meantime and search for another means to regain the connection he lost with his sword.

“I think a wakazashi made of titanium would serve me well. I’ll gladly pay what you are asking for.” The lone Amatsukami said as he started fiddling in his robe looking for a clutch of coins. Everything was harder with one hand so it took a minuet for him to find it and count out the proper amount of gold to give to the smith. After a few fumbling moments the deed was done and he stashed his coin purse back within the folds of his robes.

“Thanks for all your effort and I hope your son makes it into work soon. I know its early but I’m sure I won’t be your only customer today.”

Harrington eyed the man, nodding slightly as the warrior came to his decision. It was one of limitation, but he saw in the warrior's eyes that it was what he desired, truly, for now, despite the plethora of choices before him that Harrington could provide. Back straightening, the blacksmith took up the two blocks of material again and nodded once.

"Six hundred fifty then as a final offer for your titanium wakasashi. Come back though, if you wish your old sword there a second life. Though ... the day might be not as fair. Depends. Could be my son looking after the shop then."

He gave the warrior a smile and began to duck back into the forge. Taking in the warmth of the great coals and fumes for a moment he paused, and thought about his family, how he wished his son would inherit all this as the warrior out there had inherited the sword. Carefully he moved, and placed down the raw metal before looking and finding a simple, small curved blade for the man outside. He lifted it with reverence, then twisted and walked out, holding it up with its fine simple leather scabbard.

"Here's a weapon for you, for now, friend," he said. "As I say, come back when you feel you have the money for the grand old thing and we will forge that spirit back into your blade."

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650 gold taken from Hayate for a titanium wakasashi (small blade). This thread is closed for now but may be linked to for a second trip to Harrington Smyth later.

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Transaction complete

Hayate receives a titanium wakasashi.