by R. A. Mejia
Once I had access to a forge and permission from my teacher, I had a lot of opportunities to scan all the items we were making and several types of materials we used. But I needed to design something that didn’t exist yet. Something that would be inexpensive and that would not only gain me XP each night but also help me work through several of my class quests. I targeted two quests in particular.
Quality Assurance II: Fabricate 800 fine quality items
Practice makes perfect II: Fabricate 1,000 medium items
First, I had to figure out the minimum size to qualify as a medium item by crafting items of increasing size until something made an increase in the quest. The size turned out to be an item with an area of about one-hundred and thirteen square inches. So, I made a round plate with a diameter of a foot, which just barely fit the needed size to be of Medium size. Still, it took me several tries to make a Fine quality plate but once I did, I scanned it.
Fine Copper Plate. Components: 1 lb. copper
Even though the item met the size and quality requirements, it took fifteen minutes to fabricate each plate, and I only got 5 XP. At that rate, it meant that it would take two-hundred hours to make eight hundred. The time it took to fabricate something was entirely dependent on weight. That was the reason I could make a nail that weighed a tiny fraction of a pound in less than a minute. So, I had to make the plate thinner and lighter. Instead of trying to hammer the copper as thinly as possible, I turned to something from my old world: sheet metal. I’d already discovered it didn’t exist here, but I knew the basic principle: pour molten metal over a mold in a thin layer and let it cool. It wasn’t complicated, but it was very difficult to get an even thickness. It took me seven tries to get the sheet metal as thin as I could, and even then, it wasn’t quite thin enough, so I had to make a heavy iron roller to flatten it out even more. Eventually, it came out right at just under .008 inches in thickness, which was as thick as a good greeting card, and weighed one-third of a pound. It made the item pretty worthless for anything other than grinding out experience. At that weight, I could fabricate one copper sheet in four and a half minutes, which meant that I could finish the Quality Assurance II quest in eight hours and Practice Makes Perfect II in another eight hours after that. If I dedicated eight hours a night to the practice, I’d have both done in eleven days. Heck, when I thought about it, I could also knock out another quest.
Magic Hands I: Imbue 100 items
All I had to do was imbue ten sheets of copper every night while working on the same task. I didn’t even have to activate the spells since they’d only last for half an hour before dissipating. I did a mental cheer at stacking another class quest in the same time frame. I did love maximizing my time.
Playing with infusions I also learned an aspect about them I hadn’t known. Up till then, I’d just infused a spell into a non-organic material and then immediately called out the spell name to activate it. But one of the nights I was absent-mindedly infusing copper sheets, one of them slipped out of my hand as I finished and rolled across the room where it rolled right under the door. I scrambled to my feet and retrieved the item, worried a lab worker or guard would step on the it and accidently set off the acid spell I’d infused it with. As I opened the door and picked up the up the thin metal, I realized that the worst anyone who stepped on the copper object could do was damage it. Then it occurred to me that I needed to say the spell name to activate it and that I didn’t need to say the spell name immediately like I had been. I tested it by imbuing a copper sheet with the light spell and sliding it under the door of the lab and waiting nineteen minutes then calling out the name of the spell from my room. The sheet shone with an inner light as the spell activated, and I knew that I could remotely set off the imbued spells by calling out the spell name within the allotted thirty minutes the spell would remain active after imbuement. It was a one-off use, but I started to imagine some of the ambush and trap opportunities that I could create with these techniques.
It was exciting to figure out a new way to use one of my Artificer abilities but I knew that alone the new information wouldn’t help me get to level eight in the time I had left. Only continuing to grind for improved crafting skills and class points would help me.
I finished the three class quests and got three more class skill points to use. Between the work at the blacksmith and the nightly XP grinds, I also earned 6,780 XP, which shot me to level six and gave me another class skill point and an additional stat point, which I immediately applied to dexterity bringing the stat up to 13.
Name: Repair
Race: Metalman
Class: Artificer (Inventor) Level 6
XP to Next Level: 22,178
Weight: 140 lbs
Carrying Capacity: 147/165 lbs
Stat point Available: 0
Class point Available: 4
Money: 435 silver 63 copper
AC: 15 + 2 Shield
HP: 35/35
Mana: 40/40
Str: 11
Dex: 13
Con: 10
Int: 16
Wis: 10
Cha: 10
It was only ten days since I’d been given the challenge by the gnome council, and while I’d worked virtually non-stop to reach level 6, I only had twenty-three more days to reach level 8. I was on a tight schedule and knew I’d taken a risk focusing on my crafting instead of grinding away in the dungeon. Part of me worried that I’d wasted too much time but I’d done the math and knew I needed to radically increase the XP I gained daily. I hoped the foundation I was laying would pay massive dividends in the future.
Moreover, as I looked at my stats, I once again lamented that I could only raise them as I leveled or on the rare chance that a skill offered an ability that raised one as it reached a threshold. Still, the rapid increase in class skills meant that I’d be able to soon change that if I completed more class quests. It would not be easy and a voice in the back of my mind worried I would not be able to meet the challenges ahead.
Chapter 16 - A break
The next day, after working at the forge, I’d agreed to meet with Greebo to catch up and discuss how things were going. The area was crowded as adventurers left the dungeon and sold the loot they collected. I spotted Greebo near the fountain outside the dungeon. He looked tired and was covered with dust, and had a full pack on his back. He was talking to another goblin but spotted me as I came up the road from the Crafter’s District and waved. I waved back and as I approached the two, the other goblin quickly walked away from Greebo and disappeared into the crowd.
“Hey Bolts, it feels like forever since we’ve seen each other. How you doin?” Greebo asked as I walked up to him.
“I’m good, Greebo.” I turned my head to where the goblin he’d been talking to had disappeared to. “Everything ok with you?”
“I’m good too, buddy. I was just talking to someone from the Scavenger’s guild. They were telling me about some troubling rumors that have been flying around.”
“Oh? Why would they tell you? Aren’t you like the newest person there?”
“Yeah, some people think that I should know what’s happening in the guild since my pops died and it was turned over to Guild Master Dobliao.”
“And what are they telling you? Anything we need to worry about?”
“Nah. It's nothing that concerns us right now. Just rumors.” He paused and looked up at me while chewing his lower lip for a moment. Then, as if he decided something, he sighed and said, “But you should know I’m looking into some stuff, and if I find out what I’m being told is true, I may want to take some action.”
“Action?”
“Not sure what I mean myself. It all kinda depends on what I find out. It may just mean talking to the Guild Master, or it might mean knocking some heads together or something else.” He hesitated for a second but continued, “But if I have to do something, would you be willing to help me?”
There was a worried look in his eyes--one I’d only seen once
before, right after he learned he’d been cursed and that he might die. I didn’t know if he thought there was going to be real trouble with what he was looking into or if he just wasn’t sure if I’d be willing to help him. But Greebo was my friend. My best friend, really, and I answered, “Of course, Greebo. I’m always gonna have your back.”
The tension around his eyes lessened slightly but was still there as he smiled and hit me lightly in the thigh with his fist. “Thanks, Nuts and Bolts. Knew I could count on you.” He looked up at the darkening sky and continued, “You mind if we get something to eat? I know you don’t eat, but I’m famished after today.”
“Yeah, sure. Any place in particular?”
“Yeah, I heard about a new place on the east side that serves some spicy Salamander soup.”
“Hey, I’m all for any place you want to try out. Just don’t be offended if I stare at you jealously while you eat.”
He laughed and nodded. “Deal.”
We made our way through the crowded streets and traveled east towards the high-end part of town and toward the Institute. As the sunset and the sky grew dark, the magically powered street lamps came on as we traveled. The high-end shops along the main road were still open, window displays were lit with their own magic lights. One shop caught my eye in particular: the gun shop that drew my attention every day that I passed it by on my way to and from the dungeon. The Flintlock pistols, muskets, and blunderbusses were all masterfully crafted and with detailed reliefs etched into both wood and steel, they were also works of art.
A voice beside me caught my attention. “We going inside here, Bolts?”
I turned my head from the window display and looked down to see a grinning Greebo looking up at me expectantly. I realized I’d stopped and had been staring longingly at the weapons for who knows how long. I chuckled, embarrassed that I’d spaced out like that. “Uh, nope. The shop owner doesn’t really like me.”
The goblin’s eyebrows rose questioningly, and I admitted, “I may have been caught trying to scan one of the muskets for its schematic, and he threw me out.”
Greebo shook his head. “You ain’t good at sneaking those scan, Bolts. You stick to crafting and leave the sneaky stuff to other people, ‘kay?”
I shrugged, a little embarrassed, but said, “Stick to your strengths. It’s something I’m learning I need to do more of.”
“Oh, is that your plan now, Repair?” A feminine voice said behind me.
I turned to find Niala Applebrush looking up at me with a cute smile on her face. She was wearing a long-sleeved floor-length black dress with an alternating pattern of white and black ruffles along a wide skirt. Her hair was down, and though not as curly as the last time I’d seen her in casual attire, there was still a distinct wave to it.
“Uh, you gonna say something, Nuts? Or just stare at her all night?” Greebo’s jibed.
I realized I was caught staring for the second time in the span of a few minutes, and I wondered if my mind was tired or if I was just enchanted by the sight of Niala. Regardless, I nodded and said, “Sorry, Niala, it’s nice to see you. It’s been a bit.” I gestured to my goblin friend and continued, “This is my friend Greebo. Greebo this is Niala. She works at the Gnomish Research Institute.”
“Nice to meet you, Niala.”
“The pleasure is all mine. I’m glad to be able to put a face to the name, Greebo. It’s a name I’ve heard often enough talked about at the Institute.” She stepped forward and put a hand on my arm for a moment before smiling at Greebo. “I’m happy to know that you’re taking care of my friend Repair.”
“Is that what you two are? Friends?” Greebo said with a raised eyebrow and a crooked smile, pointedly looking at Niala’s hand, which still touched mine.
Niala pulled her hand back at the goblin’s comment, and I wanted to smack my friend. But when I looked at him, he just smiled wider, gave me a quick wink, and said, “Well, nice to meet you Niala. But I have to get going and deliver this pack of ore to your Institute. Repair was just heading to this restaurant that serves some spicy Salamander soup.” He pointed to a restaurant only five doors down. “You should join him.”
Then, before I could say anything, my friend walked away and left Niala and me alone. Well, as alone as you could get on a busy sidewalk. There was an awkward silence as I looked down at Niala. Her cheeks looked flush as she looked up at me expectantly and I said. “Yes, would you like to join me for some dinner?”
She nodded and we walked to the place Greebo had pointed out. The building was made from stone and gray brick, but the door to the restaurant was a dark mahogany with a large glass center and a brass door handle. I opened the door for her and then followed her inside, taking a little peek at the view. The restaurant was busy with just about all the tables occupied and waitstaff flittering from table to table. It was definitely a step up from the cheap eateries Greebo had taken me to before. The restaurant had floor-to-ceiling wooden panels made from the same dark wood as the door with beautiful arched mirrors that made the fifteen by forty-foot room seem even larger than it was. Behind a marble countertop stood a thin human wearing a white suit jacket, dress shirt, and black tie.
“Welcome to the Salamandrea. How many will be dining with us this evening?”
“Two,” I said, holding up two fingers.
The man’s eyes twitched slightly, but he smiled smoothly and addressed Niala, “Will your second guest be arriving soon, or should we wait?”
Niala turned red, put a hand on my arm, and said, “Everyone dining is already here.”
The human didn’t bat an eye this time. He simply nodded and kept his plastered grin on his face. “Of course, madame. Please follow me.”
He grabbed two menus, and we were led past the other diners to the back of the restaurant to a small rectangular table covered with a thick white tablecloth. The man pulled out a seat for Niala, and after she sat, pulled out a chair for me with only a slight hesitation.
I thanked the man, and he said, “Your waiter will be with you shortly.” Then he handed each of us a menu, bowed slightly, and walked away.
No sooner had the man left than Niala leaned over the table and whispered to me, “Are you sure you want to be here? I don’t like the way these people treat you. I bet that guy thought you were my servant or something.”
“He probably did. But if I refused to patronize every place that thought I was a golem servant, I’d never go anywhere. Besides, it's not his fault he’s never seen a Metalman before. I’m pretty unique.”
Niala tilted her head, considering what I’d said, then shrugged. “If you’re fine with it, then I am too.”
A heavyset but tall elf walked up to our table wearing the same uniform as the man that seated us. He held a small wooden pencil in one hand and a pad of paper in his other, and asked, “What can I get for you today?”
I hadn’t even looked at the menu since I neither ate nor drank. But Niala scanned the one-page menu and pointed to something on it. “I’ll have the salamander soup to start then the baked Metaleon pasta, and Alvorian brandy.”
The waiter wrote Niala’s order down then looked at me expectantly. I felt guilty taking a seat in the restaurant and not ordering anything. I said, “I’ll have something sweet to drink if you don’t mind.”
The waiter nodded, wrote down my requests, and headed back to the kitchen to put in our orders.
Niala giggled as the waiter left and asked, “Why are you ordering if you don’t drink?”
I tilted my head and shrugged. “I know restaurants run on pretty tight margins sometimes, and I felt bad that I was taking up a seat.”
She pursed her lips and nodded thoughtfully. “I guess I hadn’t thought about it that way.” Then she smiled and said, “Plus, I get to take your sweet drink, don’t I?”
I nodded and gave her two thumbs up.
“That one is your sign for smiling, right?”
“Yes, you remembered. I’m touched.”
“Well, I r
emember everything you told me during the tour I gave you at the Remembrance Day celebration.” Her happy expression faltered for a moment and she continued, “I’m really sorry I had to take you to the gnome council the way I did. But it would have been worse if you’d refused to go or kept them waiting. The gnome council is not known for its patience. I’d hoped that it hadn’t ruined our friendship.”
“Don’t think that it did. While I didn’t like the outcome of the council’s decision, I understood that you were only doing your job. Plus, I appreciated the way you stood up to Gnomerad after. It meant a lot to me to know you believed in me.”
Her cheeks reddened at the compliment. “Speaking of which, you never did answer my question.”
“Your question? Oh, the one you asked at the weapon’s shop, ‘Is that my plan?’”
She nodded and I continued. “Well, frankly, yes. It is my plan to stick to my strengths. I’ve realized that I hadn’t been taking advantage of all of the benefits my class and specialization had to offer and have been working hard to increase my class skills and abilities.”
