by Aleron Kong
Richter shrugged. If the creator of the armor didn’t know, then there was nothing to be done. He thanked the dwarf again and was starting to leave when Alma jumped onto the central anvil and hissed at the Smith.
“Har har,” Krom laughed. “Ay were just playing with ye, lil beastie! Ay would na forget yer special gift.”
Richter looked askance at him, but before the dwarf could speak again, the first ray of sunlight sneaked over the trees and struck the Forge of Heavens. In that same moment, the penumbra of Vidaal, the Life moon, fell upon the forge as well. A beam of white and gold light shot from the boundary of the Core building and struck the sun sapphire embedded in Richter’s armor. The thin scale coloring fell away and the yellow jewel flared with power! Richter’s muscles locked into place for one long moment of warmth and light. Then it passed and both Krom’s and his own vision were filled with prompts.
Know This! Now that you have researched the tech Predict Auspicious Times I you may also know the circumstances of random cosmic alignments that trigger. To trigger this particular Occurrence, forge an item using a Sun Sapphire, a gem that is equal parts Life and Light, and let the first light of day fall upon the Forge of Heavens while Vidal, the Life Moon, is at its perihelion.
The special ability of the Forge of Heavens has triggered! The truest nature of Light and Life is to strive for excellence and perfection. As such, the quality of the armor bonded to the sun sapphire has increased by +1. It is now a Masterwork!
Richter felt the chestplate he was wearing shift in small but detectable ways. It became a bit more comfortable, resting easier on his shoulders and seeming a touch lighter than before. He didn’t have time to check its new stats though, because one of the pillars that lined the Forge of Heavens began to glow. Richter and all the smiths walked over as, before their eyes, the smooth stone began to be inscribed though no one was touching it. The lines moved quickly over the pillar etching a shape. Seconds later, they could all see it was a carving of the breastplate Richter was wearing, including the gem embedded in the middle.
More prompts appeared.
Know This! The Forge of Heavens has just taken its first step towards becoming a Level 2 Core Building. A Masterwork item has been created! Continue to produce works of such fine dedication and skill to progress your Core building to its next iteration.
You have received a Joint Settlement Quest: Heavenly Forge I
You now know that Masterwork arms and armor must be created in order to upgrade the Forge of Heavens to Level 2. Continue to provide your smiths with what they require to craft such wonderful items.
This is a Joint Quest involving the Master of the Forge of Heavens and the smiths who work within it. Finishing this quest will benefit everyone who creates a Masterwork as well as yourself.
Success Conditions: Create 100 Masterwork items in the Forge of Heavens. Current Count: 1/100.
Reward: Unknown
Penalty for Failure or Refusal: This Quest cannot be refused.
Richter and Krom both looked at each other and smiled. The other smiths cheered.
“Ay guess ay have got me work cut out fer me then,” Krom said with an excited gleam in his eyes. Then his expression became thoughtful, “Ay knew sun sapphires were associated with Life, but ay only guessed that they would be part of Light. The ‘sun’ and all, ye understand. Do ye think there are more gems that are equal parts Light and some other Power? If ye found that out, ay might be able to predict when the other moons were in the right place for this kind of bonus. What do ye think, yer lordship?”
No sooner had the dwarf finished speaking than another quest prompt appeared in Richter’s vision.
You have received a Settlement Quest: Gems of Power
You have learned that certain gems embody the Powers of The Land. Sun sapphires embody the powers of Light and Life. If you found more of these dichotomous jewels, you might be able to trigger more bonuses from the Forge of Heavens. You have already discovered 1 of 7 gems which embody Light and another Basic Element, which leaves six more to be found.
Success Conditions: Discover the seven jewels whose nature is linked half to Light and half to another Basic Element.
Reward: Unknown, but graded to increase with each stone found
Penalty for Failure or Refusal: None
Do you accept? Yes or No?
Richter accepted it easily, as he’d already had the same thought. He wasn’t sure what a “perihelion” was, but there was no doubt in his mind that either the Scholars or Randy would be able to clue him in. Futen was floating close by as usual and took the note to pass quest information on to the three men.
Richter and the other smiths spent a few minutes clapping Krom on the back and praising him for making his first masterwork armor, even if he had gotten a little help. The mountain dwarf told Richter that doing so had actually earned him no less than three Profession Quests. Each quest should earn him more Talent Points when he finished them. That went on until Alma had apparently gotten her fill of men ignoring her and shot a bolt of lightning in consternation. The jagged electricity hit the central anvil that Richter, Krom and a few other dwarves happened to be touching. They all jumped back with curses and oaths.
Richter started to scold her, but Krom stopped him with a chuckle, “Naw, yer lordship. The little beastie be right. Ay did promise to show her the new toys, and it be my fault for forgetting. Besides, it no be wise to make a woman feel neglected.” Alma looked at Richter pointedly after Krom said that. “Ay learned that lesson from me ninth girlfriend, Helge. At least yer dragon used a wee bit of magic on me hand. Helge took a hammer to me head!”
Krom chortled over the errors of his youth and walked over to the heavy elementum chest. Opening the seamless block with a thought, he withdrew three items. Richter examined them, and his mouth dropped open in shock. The armor Krom had made for him had been wonderful. The sunstone gem had been an unexpected and wonderful gift. In Richter’s opinion, his boosted Luck was working overtime. What he was looking at now though, brought a literal tear to his eye. It was a set of Psi Dragonling armor!
“Krom,” Richter began, at a loss for words. “How?”
The dwarf was smiling broadly at Alma. He had set the shining items down on the anvil and the dragonling was walking around them in inspection. “There be one more Talent that ay dinna tell ye about, yer lordship. We have all come to love yer little beastie and I couldna keep thinking about how her wee body was na protected. So as soon as ay came back, ay bought a Talent called Barding. If ay can lay my hands on a creature, then ay can see what armor or weapons they might be able ta use.”
Richter hadn’t taken his eyes away from the shining silver items, but he had still been paying attention, “So you were able to come up with Schematics for this?”
“Ah, no,” Krom responded shaking his head. “Schematics would work for any and everybody that would try to make this here armor. Me Talent guides me ta do just what is needed to fit the creature ay touched. Even if ay tried to explain it and write it down, it wouldna work for anyone else.” He smiled again, “But, thanks to the big boost in Productivity ye got the whole village and, ay imagine, a bit of the Luck floating around, ay was able to almost finish these afore the sun set yesterday. Ay left the last bit til now so that ye could enchant them when ay were done.”
Krom’s smile slipped when he said the next part, “Ay must be honest with ye, milord. Ay know ye charged me with making truesilver weapons, but the true potential of the metal still be beyond me. It be an adept rank metal, so everything ay make will be one quality level less than if me smithing rank were higher than journeyman. That be why the claws only be well crafted and the armor be exceptional. Ay did me best, but the penalty showed itself.”
“You’ve done amazing, man,” Richter told him, laying a hand on his shoulder. The dwarf looked at him gratefully. “I wouldn’t have anyone else making my gear, and one day you will be a master smith.”
Krom took a deep breath, visibly
swelling with pride over his lord’s praise, “Ay need a few minutes before ay can finish her armor. Ten minutes or so. Ye have time ta decide what ye want to enspell yer beastie’s new armor with.”
True to his word, Krom finished all the armor in short order. There was a moment when Alma spoke aloud and then locked eyes with the smith. Krom shook his head and tried to object, but ultimately conceded. After that, Krom retrieved a vial of dark black powder and worked it into each piece. The metal lost its shine and became a dull silver that would not reflect light. Richter understood without even needing to be told. As powerful as the truesilver items were, if they stayed gleaming Alma would be a target on the battlefield. With them darkened she would still be able to hide, though the armor would probably still negate the chameleon enhancement he had purchased for her.
As each item was finished, Richter spent captured souls with abandon. It used the very last of his luminous souls and he had to spend several more common souls besides. Nothing was too good for his familiar. What made it even better was a that a beam shot out from the central anvil when Krom finished the chain mail, bathing the armor in white light.
The Forge of Heavens has automatically upgraded the quality of the Truesilver Mail Armor of the Psi Dragonling from Superb to Exquisite.
That boost to quality not only let him place stronger enchantments on the armor, but also increased its defense at the same time. There was normally a 10% chance for any forged item to jump up a level in quality, and Richter was more than happy that his luck had helped keep his familiar safe.
“Ye truly are a lucky bastard, yer lordship!” Krom said with a laugh.
“I think we both are,” Richter told him, equally excited.
“Ye must have been talking to one of me ex-wives! Har har.” Krom turned to look at Alma, “Now come here, ye beautiful beastie. Let me get on yer new clothes.”
Krom picked up the first item: a sheet of chainmail as light as a feather but powerful, and the bane of evil creatures. The links were so tiny Richter could barely make them out. Even with magic, it didn’t seem possible that the Smith could have made it. Krom helped Alma place a leg through each of the four prepared holes and then clasped the open end together. The fit was so perfect that it was snug like a second skin. Her dusky black body now looked to be made of dark silver.
Next, he picked up the claws, which looked like a pile of spikes, none longer than an inch. Krom’s Talent had even guided the smith to leave a hollow channel along the length of each claw so Alma could still make use of her psi poison. It took no time at all for him to slip them onto her feet. Last, he picked up the mail coif. It fit over her head and down the length of her neck. There, it attached to the chainmail covering her body and merged into a seamless piece.
Krom explained that the first rank of his Talent, Barding, “... only let me make what be considered light armor by whatever creature be wearing it. Every metal, even quicksilver, was too heavy, and ay thought ay might have to use leather for ye wee lass.” He looked at Richter with a broad grin, “Then ye gave me those wonderful truesilver rinds from the Quickening. Even though ay dinna have the skill yet to work it perfect, ay be sure ye will agree, it be well worth the two ingots ay used.”
When Alma was wearing her new raiment, he examined the final stats of her new armor.
You have found:
Truesilver Mail Armor of Slick Life
Defense: +20*
Durability: 302/302
Item Class: Rare
Armor Type: Body, Light
Quality: Exquisite
Weight: 0.3 kg
Traits:
+2% Death Resistance
+10 Life Defense**
+3-4% difficulty for enemies to hold the wearer
Requirements: Can only be worn by a Psi Dragonling
*+400% vs Abyssal, +200% vs Demonic and Hellish, +100% vs Evil (not cumulative)
**+100% vs Death
You have found:
Truesilver Attack Claws of Shattered Ice x 4
Attack: 18-19*
Durability: 297/297
Item Class: Rare
Armor Type: Claws, Light
Quality: Well Crafted
Weight: 0.03 kg
Traits:
+10% Damage to Spell Barriers
+6-7 Earth Damage**
5% chance to Disarm
3% chance to Shatter
+3-4 Water Damage***
3% Chance to Freeze
Requirements: Can only be worn by a Psi Dragonling
Charges: 810/810
*+400% vs Abyssal, +200% vs Demonic and Hellish, +100% vs Evil (not cumulative)
**+200% vs Air, +300% vs Crystalline
***+100% vs Fire
You have found:
Truesilver Mail Coif of Slick Life
Defense: +16*
Durability: 314/314
Item Class: Rare
Armor Type: Head, Light
Quality: Exceptional
Weight: 0.1 kg
Traits:
+2% Life Resistance
+8 Life Defense**
+2% difficulty for enemies to hold the wearer
Requirements: Can only be worn by a Psi Dragonling
*+400% vs Abyssal, +200% vs Demonic and Hellish, +100% vs Evil (not cumulative)
**+100% vs Death
He had decided to focus on defense. The Life Armor enchantment would protect Alma from any attack and would be twice as effective against Death attacks. For the claws, he had added his highest ranked attack enchantments, Freeze and Sonic Damage. Alma had always been able to hold her own in a fight, but Richter had never stopped worrying about her low health and fragile body. At last, she had a defense that would match her offensive capabilities. The stress on his heart eased just a bit.
Krom told him that he was sorry that he hadn’t been able to come up with anything to protect her wings or her tail. The Smith explained that the first rank of the Barding Talent only offered a few choices, but that further ranks would show him how to make additional weapons and armor for Alma and other creatures. He also revealed that there were more Talents branching off from Barding that would let him make her medium and even heavy armor. One day she might wear an entire suit of platemail. If she could meet the requirements of such items, of course.
Richter told him again how wonderfully he’d done, then asked another question, “Can you add one of these onto her armor with your Gem Forging Talent?” He opened the brown pouch holding the psi crystals from the chupacabras. Alma had been strutting around on top of the elementum anvil, entirely impressed with herself in her new armor and expecting everyone else to be so as well. As soon as the psychic light fell upon her though, she forgot all about her truesilver items and leaped into Richter’s arms so she could be closer to the blue-white gems. The dragonling crooned softly as she watched their inner radiance slowly spin.
Krom examined the psi crystal, but unfortunately it wouldn’t register with his Talent. Maybe because it was a crystal, maybe because it wasn’t naturally occurring in The Land. the dwarf didn’t know, but he said he could add another jewel. The problem was, he didn’t know which jewel did what until it was added to a piece of armor and that was an expensive game of trial and error. Luckily, they had a whole village worth of people to call on.
Randolphus didn’t know anything about it and the Jeweler, Daven, had never helped in magical smithing before. It was Hisako that came to the rescue. Richter had left the forge and found her in the catacombs, putting the finishing touches on the attack plan. She looked a bit annoyed at being distracted to talk about gems, but was able to help. In her library back at the Hearth Tree, she had a book that detailed the magical properties of gems. She hadn’t read it in quite some time, but she was able to jot down a few qualities that she remembered. She also told him that gems had multiple levels of attributes, but she only remembered a few of the first level properties.
Gem
Property
Diamond
Increases Perception
Aquamarine
Increases Water spell power and resistance
Amethyst
Increase Death spell power and resistance
Topaz
Increase Movement Speed
Amazonine
Decreases Stamina Consumption
Onyx
Increases Concealment
Ruby
Increases Fire spell power and resistance
Richter just had to copy her library. It was definitely going to be a priority after the battle. Forging with gems was more powerful than he had thought at first if it could increase secondary attributes like Concealment and Perception. What if he could find one that would increase his Creativity or his Intuition? For Alma though, there was only one choice. Richter already knew he had a large stone in the Treasury so he retrieved it and then ran back to the forge.
Only moments later, a large black gem was floating through the air and melding itself to Alma’s armor. This time, it didn’t just embed itself in the small links of her armor. Instead the onyx seemed to drain into the links of armor and each piece turned jet black. Richter asked if Krom had meant to do that, but the Smith was surprised as well. All he could guess was that the color change had something to do with the fact that all of Alma’s gear had been made out of truesilver.
Richter had chosen a large five-carat gem that was triangle cut and brilliant in clarity. It had been appraised by Hafiz in Law at seven gold crowns, three silver marks and five copper shills. The fact that it didn’t cost as much as the sun sapphire didn’t factor into Richter’s decision making at all, of course. Not at all. The important point was the prompt that appeared when it was added.
