Omen: 9, 20

‘I wonder if I should start working today,’ Adam thought. ‘I could enchant something. I need the money, especially after all the money I’ve been spending.’

Adam trained lightly in the morning, watching as Jurot trained Nobby. Adam was the one to pay Nobby’s family, and he would financially support the young man until he became an Expert, and Jurot would spend the time and effort in training him.

“Adam, are you feeling lucky today?” Shikan asked over breakfast, which was made by Kitool and Raool that day.

“Yes,” Adam replied. “What do you need?”

“I required some assistance, but I will ask Jurot instead,” Shikan said, looking to Jurot, who nodded in response without needing to ask more.

“What did you need help with?” Adam asked.

“Supplies need to be handed out to the various families.”

“Ah,” Adam said, nodding his head. “Sorry.”

“There is no need to apologise.”

“What a shame, though,” Adam said. “I wanted to play Warriors and Wanderers.”

“What is that?”

“It’s a game I created for the children, though adults can play it too,” Adam said, nodding his head to Turot. “It was fun, wasn’t it?”

“It was,” Turot said. “I will defeat the Orcs.”

The Iyrmen looked to the boy, their brows shooting down disapprovingly.

“The Orcs in the game, yes?” Sonarot asked.

“Yes,” Turot said. “I will roll well to defeat them.”

“Not the Orcs in real life, right?” Adam said, understanding where this could go.

Turot looked at Adam with a puzzled expression. “Real life?”

“You know, here, not in the imagination,” Adam stated.

“I will defeat the Orcs in my mind.” Turot reached up to his head, holding it with both hands. “We killed the Chimera together, but they betrayed me. I will not be merciful.”

Turot was saying something which both alarmed the Iyrmen, but also filled them with a great sense of pride.

Adam could feel Mirot’s glare, but he remained quiet. “Where’s Nirot?” Adam asked.

“She is currently training hard,” Sonarot replied.

“Okay,” Adam said. “Actually…” Adam looked to Shikan awkwardly. “Uncle Shikan, I need Jurot today. It’s not quite as important as helping out, but it’s… family stuff.”

Shikan nodded. “Okay.”

Adam wasn’t sure if he should be calling the man his Uncle, but since he didn’t complain, he left it at that.

He made his way to Elder Zijin after breakfast. The Elder was currently cross checking the inventory to his sheet of paper.

“Elder,” Adam said.

“Adam,” he replied, throwing him a look. “How may I help you?”

“I need some really nice metal,” Adam said. “Something that could make a nice axe for my Cousin’s birthday.”

“Enchanted?”

“It’s too late for that,” Adam said. “Just something nice. The metal doesn’t need to be nice, the handle can be made of some nice wood instead.”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“Nice wood is best,” Zijin said. “Jurot will know what to pick.”

“Alright.”

Smithing Check

D20 + 5 = 15 (10)

Omen: 9, 20 -> 9

The boy wrapped the blanket around himself, the gentle embers beside him keeping him warm. A small bird dropped down near the boy, and he quickly scooped it up. He stared down at it, wondering if he should cook it, but since the elderly couple were feeding him plenty, he wrapped it around his own blanket.

Adam stared at the axe head he had made. He had chosen an ore with a few flecks within it, similar to jagite, which he had managed to forge into a beautiful axe. He smiled, rubbing a hand along the top of it. “Nice.” The flecks were dispersed through it, and the wood Jurot had chosen matched it perfectly.

“It is a good gift,” Jurot said. “Much better than a platinum coin.”

Omen: 4, 19

Adam poked Lanarot’s red nose and she smiled up at him. She leaned in to hug him, keeping herself warm against his heavy furs. He was carrying her to the Rot family estate, and she kept herself pinned against him, though would look over his shoulder and around herself to the rest of the Iyr, covered in snow.

“So my grandson has finally come to me?” Jarot asked. “I have been waiting all this time.”

“Whose your grandson?” Adam asked. “Be careful of this old geezer, Lanarot. He’s no good.”

The other Rot families weren’t sure about how Adam was treating Jarot, but it was Jarot, so he probably deserved it.

“Anyway, today isn’t about us,” Adam said, keeping Lanarot to himself.

“So you have some common sense,” Jarot said.

“No.” Adam sat down beside the old man. “Morning, Churot. How are you?”

“Okay,” the boy replied, before shuffling up to his grandfather.

‘Oh, he replied,’ Adam thought, having not expected it. “That’s good.”

The rest of the family had gathered together, with the adults drinking with other adults, the children playing with the snow alongside other children. A large roast was spit roasted over the fire, which was tended to by some of the adults, who made sure none of the children wandered too close.

Nirot sat down beside her grandmother, smirking wide. She was at the centre of attention that day, as she had just turned sixteen. She wore thick furs of white, with a long scarf which had been knitted by her Aunt.

Children would come up to her to give her some fruit or cheese, or a small toy or pieces of cloth to her as her gifts.

Adam looked to Turot, who was sitting nearby, holding the small pouch of his. “Turot.” Adam nodded his head.

Turot inhaled deeply and gathered his courage. He hopped onto his feet, before marching up to his sister. He held up the pouch. “This is for you.”

Nirot smiled, reaching to take it. She pulled out the crudely made necklace, bringing it up to see that it was a white scale.

“It is Vandra’s scale,” Turot said. “I filled it with my love.”

Nirot had been smiling, but upon hearing Turot’s words, she held the necklace further away, her face quizzical.

“Don’t be weird,” Adam said. “He channelled his love for his older sister into making the necklace.”

Nirot held it up to Turot and leaned forward. Turot placed it over her neck, and the pair embraced tight, their thick furs dampening their affection slightly, enough so they weren’t hurting one another.

“Thank you for the gift,” Nirot said.

“I love you, sister.”

Adam’s eyes fluttered rapidly, and he rubbed them with his wrists. Hearing the sweet, innocent words of the boy reminded him of when he was younger, and when his own brother was young enough to say it without being embarrassed.

‘Fuck, man.’

Jurot gave Adam his moment, noting that the Half Elf was looking past to another time. “We should give our gift.”

Adam nodded, approaching the girl, carrying box wrapped in a blanket. “Hey, Cousin Nirot. Jurot and I have something for you.”

She opened up the box, revealing the axe. It was dark, with flecks of gem within the axe head, and the wood itself was near black too. “Darksteel,” she said, raising her brows.

“Fresh off the forge,” Adam said. “I rolled extremely well.”

Jurot and Sonarot threw Adam a look. ‘Is he applying the game to the world?’

“You made this?” Nirot asked.

“Yeah. I’ll enchant it for you another time.”

“I cannot afford that,” Nirot said.

“You hear that, Jurot? She thinks I’m going to charge her. Lanababy, do you hear that? How much did you pay me for your axe?” Adam asked the baby, who was reaching up to play with Jarot’s hair.

“You will not charge me?” Nirot asked, narrowing her eyes.

“You’re my Cousin, aren’t you?” Adam said.

“Are you trying to marry me?” Nirot asked. “Even if you are handsome and strong, I have to refuse.”

“Jurot, can I bully her for saying something so stupid?” Adam asked, rolling up his sleeve. “Obviously I’ll enchant your weapon.” Adam pulled down his sleeve when he felt the glare of a mother. “We’re family.”

“That is the only reason?”

“It’s the most important reason,” Adam said.

“You are not so bad after all, Adam,” Nirot said. She stood up and hugged Jurot, before half hugging Adam, before slipping away back to her seat.

“I know,” Adam said. “I am handsome and strong, whereas you’re…” Adam stopped. ‘Okay. Hold on. Let’s not play with fire.’ “You are pretty cool too.”

‘I do not like him,’ Mirot thought. ‘He is no good.’

Adam eventually retreated to Jarot, taking back his sister, before enjoying in the festivities. Adam expected a fight to break out, or a spar for the occasion, but the Iyrmen of the Rot family just drank and ate in peace.

Jarot eventually handed Nirot a shield of great make, one which had been kept in the Rot’s vaults for some time. “I expected you to give an axe to her, so I picked a shield.”

“Why did you expect that?”

“You’re always so focused on the axe, but you must remember,” he said, tapping the circle on his forehead. “We use an axe and shield.”

“Yeah,” Adam said.

Lanarot sneezed, letting out a toot, breaking the moment between them.

Spell: Tricks