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| Meeting the Big Boss; [P] Lumi | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:34 pm (323 Views) | |
| Mist | Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:34 pm Post #1 |
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Gage leaned back from the anvil, drawing a gloved hand across his brow. Sweat stained the thick material, but the blacksmith did not even notice, his eyes locked on the finished weapon that he had labored on for almost a full day. He set the etching tools and hammer aside, scanning his handiwork as he brushed the curling strands of metal from its smooth surface. The weapon order had asked for a weapon made out of the strongest and most valuable material on Imythess: adamantine. It was the smith’s favorite metal to work with, despite the difficulties it posed. The metal took three times as long to heat to a malleable state as normal steel, but would retain the heat for almost half a day. However, that limited window was all the time the worker was given to craft the metal, for after cooling it was almost impossible to reheat. Gage had heard rumors that only the flames from a dragon’s gullet could easily heat adamantine after it had been worked once, and few forges had such a creature available to give them a second chance to craft the valuable substance. Although the master of the forges was also an accomplished smithy, he had given this task to Gage due to his experience working with adamantine. His own armor had been crafted of beautiful adamantine plate, its surface dyed as dark as obsidian. His expertise was evident in this weapon as well; a beautiful, double-headed battle axe laid on the smithy’s anvil, its surface still containing enough latent heat to burn a bare hand. The edges had been ground and filed to a razor-edge, the curved blade gleaming in the light of the forge. Adamantine was naturally a deep shade of blue-green, and ripples along the length of the axehead displayed where had folded and refolded the heated metal to reinforce its strength. The shaft of the weapon itself was crafted from adamantine as well, perfectly cylindrical and flawless. He had added elaborate designs across the entire axe head, the etchings glittering as he hefted the weapon with one hand. Although it would still require an hour or so of polishing and filling the inscriptions with molten gold, the brunt of the work was completed. He plunged the heated weapon into a nearby barrel of icy cold water, the liquid hissing and steaming as he tempered the metal. ”Well done, Schmied. I’m sure Lumi will approve.” Gage turned to stare upwards at the features of his supervisor, a giant of a man named Noyval. He was the head of production and master-smith at Kirsikka industries, with a bristly mane of black hair and a rumbling voice that was never softer than a dull roar. Noyval was a kind master, although relentless in his criticism for failure. He had never been forced to correct Gage’s own work, and the two had become fast friends. He clapped Gage on the shoulder with a hand the size of a frying pan, the force of the amiable blow shuddering through his bones like a thunderclap. ”But the Lady sent down word that she wants to see the order herself before we ship it… And she’d doubtlessly like to meet the man who forged it. Clean yourself up and get up to her offices.” Three hours later, Gage left the forge with the axe clasped in both hands, nervously looking up the staircase that to the offices of Lumi Kirsikka. He had bathed and dressed in unsoiled clothes while Noyval added the finishing touches to the axe, carefully filling the inscriptions on the axehead with gold and wrapping the shaft of the weapon in soft leather. The finished weapon gleamed as he ascended the staircase, light shimmering along the gold patterns and blue-green metal. The blacksmith himself was dressed in a simple long-sleeved black tunic, with drab leggings and boots. He raised one thick fist and rapped on the door to Lumi’s offices, speaking softly. His voice was deep and rough, a low grumble that ”Lady Kirsikka, I was told to present this weapon to you for approval…” His knuckles on the axe where white from how tightly he gripped the weapon. He had yet to meet the owner of the arms and armor manufacturing enterprise, and despite the workmanship of the axe nervousness still tangled his stomach into knots. If she did not approve of his work, the blacksmith would have nowhere to go. |
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| Quinn | Wed Jul 20, 2011 1:46 am Post #2 |
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Lumi piled through form after form, order after order. She had to check her books some days, make sure none of her accountants were squirreling away money. They had just made a colossal order from a newly-opened Taras forge. Normally new forges were rough to bid on, they were belligerent that they were quality but they haven't been in business long enough to prove their boasts. It caused tension, but Lumi had expertly bullied them into a bargain price. Eight hundred blades were being moved to a little conflict in Norwood, ready to be sold for a tidy profit. A weapon had been ordered special for the nobleman in charge, a pompous fool who wanted the weapon of his ancestors, which was supposedly a massive ax. Then he wouldn't settle for any less than adamantine, which seemed immensely silly. It would no doubt be a gorgeous weapon, but she hadn't let her best smith do it. He was needed for orders from actual masters of the art of combat, she wouldn't want one of those blades to fail. Her newest hire had been given the job instead. Noyval said he was good, and she trusted the man's judgement, he'd been in the business longer than her. Lumi neatly reordered all the papers, then planted them in the cabinet marked for this month. Such a tiring job, especially in the heat of the forges. For the past few days, the forges had been working day and night, but the worst bit was the adamantine. The processes behind adamantine demanded she kept the place as warm as possible, which meant all the doors were shut, the windows closed, and the ventilation shafts sealed. Her office had become damnably hot in the meantime. Lumi's groaning and ceaseless fanning did little, nor did her selective undressing, but she heard they'd be reopening the ventilation again soon. Noyval was almost done with his blade. The manager cleared off a section of the floor covered in papers for her kitten, curled up on it, and slept. Lumi woke to a knock on her door. Eyes snapping open she planted one hand on a kama, and the other to cover the kitten that had nestled into her stomach while she slept. No one pounded through, so she picked up the kitten and stood, holding the little black creature in front of her chest. The new smith grunted through the door and she opened it with a smile and a flash of a short skirt. Holding a kitten, drenched in sweat and shirt half-buttoned, she must have made quite the impression. "Ah, yes, the ax for the fool. It looks very, ah, ax-y." Lumi stumbled. The kitten mewled. Doors and windows in the forge began to snap open, and men walked across the massive wooden structural beams, opening the vents. Lumi visibly relaxed, shoulders falling slightlly. She gestured for him to enter the room, kicking papers out of the way as she did. She opened the door to the next room and dragged out a great, big comfy chair on wheels, kicking aside a small wooden one as she did so. "There, that'll fit you nicely. That other chair is for people I don't want to talk to, it makes them get to the point." Lumi walked around to her own chair and sat down in it, folding her legs and putting her kitten in her lap. She opened her topmost drawer, a concealed icebox, and fed the kitten scraps of raw fish. "Now is that blade battle ready and more than just gorgeous? I'm fairly certain the user won't enter combat, but if he does I don't want it to break on the off chance he survives." Lumi said. She took the weapon and spun it around, clearly spending more time checking the designs than the actual blade. She allowed him to answer, and then planted the weapon across her desk. "Any comments, concerns, or questions about your job here? I haven't had a chance to talk to you, which is a shame. I try to make a point of making all my employees feel at home." Lumi suggested. Her kitten meowed loudly, and she promptly petted the obsidian creature. |
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| Mist | Wed Jul 20, 2011 6:45 am Post #3 |
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Gage's eyes widened in shock as the door was pulled open, although he managed to keep his jaw from gaping open. The woman who stood framed by the doorway was barely shorter than him, although she wore significantly less clothing. Her shirt was unbuttoned to her sternum, and her skirt was so short it defied all known conventions of proper attire. Her gratuitous exposed skin was covered with a shining layer of sweat, her white-blonde hair tangled and matted. She blinked at the smith with sleepy eyes, beckoning him into the office. More important than the girl's immodest attire and unprofessional demeanor was one small fact: she was almost young enough to be his daughter. This is the respected and feared Lumi Kirsikka? This tiny stick of a girl is known across the entire realm of Imtyess for her ruthlessness? Gage mananged to keep from stammering incoherently as he entered the cramped room. More importantly, he managed to keep his gray gaze focused on her face instead of scanning her scantily clad body. ”Ah... Yes, well... Um, this is... Noyval sent me with the order... The ax... Your approval...” He clenched his mouth shut, resolving to not speak again until his voice could be trusted to not betray his surprise. Lumi turned away from the blacksmith, sweeping into her office with the ferocity and temper of a whirlwind. She flailed out wildly with both feet as she walked, kicking at the stacks of paper that threatened to overwhelm the entirety of the office floor. No mere parchment could stand the wrath of Lumi Kirsikka for long, and her assault left pieces of very official and important-looking documents flying through the air. She found a large, comfortable-looking armchair somewhere in an adjacent room and dragged it through the mess of paper until it was located directly in front of a piece of furniture that might have been a desk if not for the encroaching stacks of papers and ledgers. The smithy attempted to follow Lumi's path without stepping on any of the scattered pages and failed miserably. He winced at the crinkling that accompanied each heavy footfall, quickly crossing the room to sit in the offered chair. Lumi took her own seat behind the semi-buried desk, pulling a hunk of pale raw meat out of a drawer and feeding it to the kitten she was inexplicably clutching against her chest. Gage perched on the very edge of the chair nervously, the adamantine ax resting across his knees as he wondered what strange alternate reality he had been drawn into. When she held the hand out for the weapon he offered it eagerly, the confusion and embarrassment fading from his stout features for long enough to display a hint of pride. The weapon was a true masterpiece. He leaned forward as she spun the ax, its edge whistling as it cut through the air. ”Well... Every weapon I craft is designed to be used. Given the requested materials, it is well-balanced, and the edge will last forever with proper maintenance...” He shrugged helplessly, gesturing at the spinning ax with a dismissive gesture. ”However, adamantine is far too heavy for weapons. I doubt this noble will be able to swing this ax without tearing both arms from their sockets... But it is exactly how he ordered it, and nigh invulnerable.” Lumi set the blade down on her desk, seemingly content with his answer. The excessive weight of the ax flattened the scattered sheets of paper that caked the desk's surface, further crumpling the parchment. He shifted awkwardly as she continued to speak, his hands clutching the armrest of the chair. He had expected Lumi to simply approve of the weapon and dismiss him so he could return to work; he had not anticipated the famed Lumi Kirsikka wanting to exchange words with a simple blacksmith. Of course, none of his assumptions about the woman had been correct so far. ”Noyval has been very accepting. He apparently needed a new blacksmith to replace one of his workers who died recently. The Northern Reaches are too blasted cold for me, but at least Striberg and the forges are warm.” Gage lapsed into silence, wondering if his next words were a wise decision considering he had only just met the woman, but unable to stop himself. ”There is actually another employee I was curious about... Around a week ago a man calling himself 'Zenjirou the Red' burst into the forges and demanded I craft him a blade... He claimed to work directly under your supervision. Is... is he... Well, sane?” ((OOC; I apologize for the shoddy writing, Imy freaked out and deleted my post when I tried to throw it up, I'm much too tired to try and make this sound better tonight... ugh.)) Edited by Mist, Wed Jul 20, 2011 6:46 am.
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| Quinn | Fri Jul 22, 2011 8:35 pm Post #4 |
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Lumi giggled at her smith's nervousness. It was adorable in an odd way, seeing such a normally focused person so easily distracted. She'd have to keep this tidbit in mind for later. He explained the functionality of the ax, and highlighted the same major flaw she suspected. Her weapon of choice, a light and flicky rapier, was pretty much the opposite of the ax. Very useable. "Hmm, I suspected it might have been a little heavy for use, but that was the precise order. Maybe he's a half dragon? A really big half dragon." Lumi said with a chuckle. She listened quietly to his question. Lumi was certain she had told him to keep his head down! The woman leaned forwards, planting her elbows on the table and suspending her head with interlocked fingers. Her kitten roved around her lap before mounting the table, sticking its head into the still-open drawer. Her expression slowly drifted from a smile to one of mild discontent. "Zenjirou is a murderer who I contract out. He doesn't kill my men, and I get a murderer hidden deep in my pay roll. Arms dealing is a dirty business, Gage. If he wishes a blade, he'd need to order it through me. I run the forgeworks. People do not go around my authority on company time or company forges." Lumi growled. She glanced over to the kitten and slowly nudged the icebox closed. The kitten wizened up and returned to her lap. "If he gives you trouble, tell me. My other enforcers are not such a problem, I promise you." Lumi said. She glanced over her papers and then back to him as an idea flickered to life in her head. Her smile returned and she stood, collecting her kitten. "You and I are going to Walden's. The restaurant the mayor, archmages, and lovely weapons dealers eat. I take Noyval and a few of my other employees there every month, so this isn't unusual. Noyval even gets in with blackened hands and his big leather apron! You be a dear and stay here, I'll get something more appropriate on for a restaurant." Lumi said. She paused a moment to let him speak, and then hurried into her room. (OOC: You are free to transfer them however far to the restaurant you want to. Lumi is bringing the kitten.) |
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| Mist | Tue Jul 26, 2011 6:27 am Post #5 |
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Gage felt his nervousness rise as Lumi leaned forward, her face transforming from an expression of mirth to deadly seriousness in an instant. He mutely nodded in agreement with her assessment that arms dealing was a dangerous business. The blacksmith had learned that for himself in Taras; his client had been thieves and murderers and dishonored knights, men that Gage would usually attempt to avoid at all costs. Their gold had still spent, however, and so he had accepted all of them as clients. One or two of the less savory characters had attempted to cheat the blacksmith, but his hammer had quickly robbed them of that intention... as well as their lives. He was a practical man, after all; let one client get away without paying and everyone would try to take advantage of him. The burly man was relieved that Zenjirou was truly an employee of Kirsikka Enterprises. Although Noyval had confirmed that the wetboy was on the company payroll, Gage had still been consumed with doubt over his decision to forge a weapon for the clearly mad individual. "It was no trouble. Zenjirou seemed very pleased by the weapon, and the profits were placed back in the forge's vault. I had finished all of my current orders before he asked for the katana, so it was no trouble at all." He shrugged absentmindedly. Gage had not encountered the 'enforcer' since he had paid for the sword he had dubbed 'Sangre Lupe,' and the smithy was not really looking forward to their next meeting. His jaw dropped open when Lumi casually informed the blacksmith that she would be taking him out to dinner. "I... you... um, well... You see..." The woman ignored his stammered protests, rising from her desk and waltzing into an adjoining room to garb herself more appropriately. Gage found himself fighting to hide a smile at her spontaneous nature. Despite the rumors, Lumi Kirsikka seemed more like a vibrant and energetic young woman rather than a vengeful and ruthless devil. He spoke to the empty room, gray eyes reflecting the amusement he managed to hide from his face. "I would be honored, Lady Kirsikka." When she returned to the office Lumi was dressed much more appropriately, and she lifted the black kitten to her chest before leading the way out of the room. Gage trudged after her, acutely aware of how lumbering and oddly proportioned he seemed next to the slight, lithe woman. He was heavily muscled from years of working at the forge, with his right shoulder and arm noticeably more developed from the strenuous labor. They emerged into the bustling streets, and he found himself in awe of the city of magic for what felt like the thousandth time. A light drizzle was falling, although he could see the flakes of snow dancing in the air high above their heads. The magic that kept the city warm and comfortable in the midst of the Northern Reaches seemed like a fairy tale, yet even the breeze in his hair was warm and pleasant. Still unaccustomed to the city's layout, Gage followed Lumi to the restaurant, making sure not to lose the slight woman in the crowd. Although the silence had not yet grown lengthy enough to become awkward, he decided to fill it anyway, not wishing to appear shy or unsocial to his employer. ”I have to ask... how did you become such a titan in the arms dealing business, and so quickly? You can hear whispers about Kirsikkka Enterprises even in the Istan desert, and their own swordsmiths are renowned across Imythess for the wuality of their steel...” Gage had spent several years of his apprenticeship in Istan City, learning the techniques that allowed the desert people to craft such supple and strong blades. He personally felt his own work rivaled the methods of the Istani, but it would not do to sound too narcissistic around Lumi. ((OOC: There's nothing like some pleasant talking about arms dealing while walking through the city streets! Anyway, I couldn't come up with a clever enough way to post as the maître de reacting to Lumi's kitty... So it's up to you!)) |
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2:46 PM Jul 11

