FAfter his outburst at the coffee shop, Bones couldn't shake off the feeling of being an oddity with his appearance. Or perhaps it was the table-flipping incident that earned him the bewildered stares from others; he couldn't quite discern. Leaving a generous tip behind, he gracefully stepped away from the chaos he caused and set off towards the distant mountain chain.
As he traversed the streets, Bones pondered the incongruity between the city's advanced technology and its ongoing struggles with monsters. It seemed puzzling that despite their technological advancements, there remained a reliance on traditional weapons and magic to combat threats.
Navigating the unfamiliar city, Bones found that swallowing his pride and seeking directions was the most practical approach. Upon inquiry, he was directed to a nearby station where a transport carriage would take him to his destination. The notion of using carriages for intra-city transport seemed foreign to Bones, challenging his preconceived notions of travel within urban environments.
Contemplating the simplicity of the drawn carriage on the sign, Bones wondered if it was indeed the indicator he sought. As he stood there, musing, a passerby offered a helpful remark and proceeded to a designated area beyond the sign. Following suit, Bones positioned himself nearby, awaiting further developments. Before long, a sizable carriage arrived, prompting the man to board, with Bones trailing behind.
After fifteen minutes of observing the passing scenery from the carriage window, Bones arrived at the base of a mountain. Stepping off the carriage, he noticed for the first time the city's distinctive half-oval shape, with its walls extending to the mountains at each end.
As Bones surveyed the area, the sight of numerous machines, devices, instruments, and tools greeted him. It was evident that this was a stone processing site, with machines crushing medium to large-sized stones into smaller pieces and shaping them into desired shapes. Once again, it was machines doing the work of men. The noise must have been deafening, Bones imagined, as he felt the vibrations of the machines traveling through the ground. To his right, a narrow passage and stairs led up the mountain. Looking up, he could barely make out the roofs of houses and buildings against the sky.
Bones ascended the stairs and reached the house, noticing what appeared to be a forge in the backyard. The forge bore similarities to the old forges Bones was familiar with, but it also seemed more advanced, perhaps incorporating newer technologies.
“Can I help ye?” The small, burly man with a bushy beard spoke up. Bones turned to the speaker and saw the same dwarf who had bumped into him the day before.
Small world," he said with a chuckle.
“Huh? Wut ye mean? World's the same size as before'!” the dwarf replied.
“Depends on perspective. Are you an armorsmith?” Bones asked.
“Ye, armorsmith and the blacksmith. Wut can I do for ye, o' mysterious stranger?”
“Mysterious? Ah, the cover up? Well, you see, when I was young…”
“Wooah laddie! I dun really care for yer life story, see? Am sure ye have yer reason fo' dressin' up! Now, armor or a weapon?”
“Both, maybe? Armor is what I came here for.”
“Arright, spell it out!”
In an instant, the dwarf and Bones were engrossed in a passionate discussion about crafting him a new set of armor. The commission for such a piece could be approached in two distinct ways: either Bones would supply his own materials alongside the fee for the smith's labor, or the entire endeavor would rely on the resources provided by the smith, significantly elevating the price. Bones felt a surge of satisfaction knowing he could finally put to use all the spider silk he had gathered through his endeavors. Yet, he acknowledged that the remaining materials would be sourced from the smith, inevitably driving up the cost of the final product.
Initially, Bones had his sights set on a simple leather armor, akin to his current attire, to complement his new chitin armor. Yet, his plans shifted upon witnessing the attire worn by many workers—a sight that piqued his curiosity. Seizing the opportunity, he inquired about it from the smith.
“Eh? Well, it is a regular work ensemble wit the medium self repair enchant, reinforced hard leather boots, 'nd the reinforced fire-resistant leather coat,” the smith explained.
Bones perked up after hearing about medium rank enchantments and the gears in his head started turning.
“Say…”
After expressing his desire for a custom-crafted work ensemble, Bones outlined several modifications he required to tailor it to his needs as an adventurer. He then inquired if such alterations could be implemented.
"Sure, it can be done! But it's going to cost ye a pretty sum of gold, though. Speaking of..." The dwarf grinned, flashing a golden tooth.
"Right, about that," Bones leaned closer and took out one of the neatly shaped, crest-free oval mana stones. "Will these do as payment?"
The dwarf narrowed his eyes, contemplating deeply. After a moment of hesitation, he voiced his concern, asking if anyone would be looking out for them. Bones, sensing no need for deception, remained transparent. With a surplus of mana stones still in his possession and the potential for a beneficial relationship with the stubborn dwarf, he chose honesty.
"The stone's previous owners are deceased, not by my hand, but it's possible someone might inquire about them. I'll offer you a favorable ratio of gold to mana stones for them though. What does…" Bones whispered in the dwarf's ear, noticing his eyes widen for a moment before he coughed and said he could live with that.
With the commission for his new equipment concluded, there wasn't much else Bones needed to address except to wait until the day after tomorrow. Then, a thought struck him: Professions! He suddenly remembered.
Right, there was that. Bones opted not to ride the public transport carriage back to the inn. He had learned that it wasn't exactly a free ride, excluding local workers and adventurers. Although he could pass as one, technically, he wasn't an adventurer. However, that wasn't the sole reason for him choosing to walk back. He simply didn't trust this new technology very much. "I rue the day I became dependent on machines to do my work!" he muttered before setting off on foot.
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Back at the inn, Bones approached the innkeeper and inquired about where he could learn a profession. As he suspected, there were plenty of establishments where he could acquire skills related to construction or crafting. However, to his disappointment, there wasn't a single mana engraver or runesmith willing to take on an apprentice. Enchanters, known for their seclusion, were also unlikely to agree to mentorship, but he was encouraged to try nonetheless.
Seemingly, all roads led to the capital. With nothing else to occupy his time, Bones decided to remain at the inn for the next two days, dedicating his time to meditation and steadfastly avoiding any form of machinery.
The day after tomorrow, Bones left the inn and made his way directly to the smithy to meet with the dwarf. Today would mark the acquisition of his new set of armor. After a thirty-minute walk, Bones arrived at the forge where the dwarf awaited his arrival.
"Ye 'ere! Come wit me," the dwarf named Hemdus, or Hem for short, beckoned Bones, leading him inside the house and into the back room, where another dwarf sat at the table.
"You haven't been outside waiting for me the whole time while having a guest?" Bones raised an eyebrow at Hem, questioning.
"No! 'course not. Me and he, we're drinking buddies!" Hem retorted unconvincingly, then gave Bones a nudge and said while taking a seat: "Show him the stones!"
Bones slowly, ungrudgingly, started to unzip his pants to the shock and bewilderment of the two dwarfs. Hem jumped up from the chair and yelled: "Stop stop stop! Wut do ye think yer doin'?"
"I'm showing him my stones?" Bones replied with a questioning tone.
clang
Darsumi, the other dwarf, stood with his mouth agape, dropping his mug before bursting into boisterous laughter. It took a whole minute for both dwarves to stop laughing and catch their breath. Bones, in the meantime, cautiously tried the mug of ale. In slow sips, he managed to actually drink the ale. Similar to coffee, with some workaround and empowering done, the liquid was absorbed the moment it came in contact with the mana coursing through him, which would be almost instant upon consumption.
"Arright, arright, we gonna do the business or wut?" Hem asked the two. Both Darsumi and Bones nodded in agreement. Bones then retrieved the agreed amount of mana stones equivalent to two hundred and fifty gold. Darsumi eyed the stones before selecting one for a closer examination. He retrieved his glasses from inside his coat, put them on, and meticulously inspected every aspect of the stone.
"Mmm, right, mhm, right... Alright, this should be enough. I've analyzed the stone, and it appears to be of decent quality and hard to trace," Darsumi concluded. Hem released a breath of relief and exchanged a knowing look with his friend. Darsumi nodded in agreement, prompting Hem to turn to Bones.
"Say, friend, ye don't happen to have more of 'em, would ye?" Hem's inquiry carried a subtle weight, hinting at deeper implications.
"Oh? I do happen to have more of them. Now, why would you ask me that, friend?" Bones responded, his voice devoid of emotion, yet unmistakably firm.
Hem, quick to discern the underlying tension, hastened to clarify his intentions, dispelling any notion of malice. Instead, what he meant was that they had a way to make the stones appear more legitimate.
“Ye could try in the capital o' course but look at me friend 'ere." Hem pointed at Darsumi before continuing.
"He is the one crunchin' numbers over at the crafters guild, keepin' track of all the gold flowin' in ‘nd out, makin' sure every last coin is where it oughta be," Hem elaborated, highlighting Darsumi's crucial role.
"He got a line on som’un who can help us swap our stones fer the real deal, stamped by the kingdom itself. Ye catch me drift?"
"Aye, I see what you're gettin' at," Bones responded, though the intricacies of the plan still eluded him. Nevertheless, he grasped the implications.
"I'd be keen on doing business with you gents," Bones added, using the term loosely. While they might not have comprehended the title, they understood his willingness to engage in business.
"On another note, what's the deal with these?" Bones produced a slate of raw mana stones and laid them on the table for the dwarves to inspect. The dwarves exchanged surprised glances before grinning widely, their golden teeth sparkling as they discussed potential future ventures.
It was well past midnight when Bones emerged from the forge clad in his new attire. He was fully shrouded, a necessity he couldn't afford to overlook, yet the ensemble exuded a certain air of intimidation, at least in his own eyes. Everything he wore was fresh off the anvil, except for the mask, a relic of his past. Despite the weight of his new gear, Bones found it surprisingly manageable, the reinforced materials ensuring resilience against physical assaults, complemented by a medium self-repair enchantment. As he strode through the darkness, thoughts of potential upgrades danced in his mind, should he find a capable enchanter willing to enhance his equipment further.
Unfortunately, Stonefalls lacked an enchanter capable of combining a second enchantment with the medium self-repair enchantment. The city's sole enchanter specialized in enchants related to crafting and construction, with the medium self-repair enchantment being the most sought after.
The fire resistance imbued in Bones' new coat was derived from the thick skin of the fire salamander used in its crafting. Colored in a dark shade of gray with an attached hood, the coat provided both protection and style. Similarly, his boots boasted the same quality.
Although Bones initially considered acquiring a combination suit, he ultimately decided against it, as his existing chitin armor served him well. However, the new pants were a welcome addition, featuring extra pockets that he couldn't resist, even if he didn't yet have a purpose for them.
As for the gloves, they were an additional purchase, customized to his liking. Milky white in contrast to the dark gray of the rest of his attire, the gloves offered a minor boost to mana regeneration, a useful enhancement for a skilled adventurer like Bones. While he may not have been short on gold, the cost of these items in comparison to those available in Westbrook was substantial.
After returning to the inn, Bones settled his bill and prepared to depart. Before leaving, he entrusted a box of raw mana stones to Darsumi, who assured him they would be taken care of by the end of the month. Once again, Darsumi mentioned knowing a dwarf who could assist with the transaction. Bones simply shrugged in response, expressing his indifference to the specifics, as long as he received his cut. Despite his usual inclination to negotiate, Bones didn't bother haggling over the price, instead accepting whatever terms they proposed. With the entire box of mana stones off his hands, he felt the burden he had grown accustomed to gradually lift from his shoulders. Finally, he could resume his journey and leave behind this city, which he viewed as a potential disaster waiting to unfold.
Back at the forge, two dwarves sat at the table, indulging in their ale. "Wut do ye think Dar?" Hem inquired.
"I reckon these are Guntar's bloody mana stones. Heard he fled Westbrook a few days back, seeking refuge deep underground," Dar replied, his tone tinged with suspicion.
"Do we care?" Hem posed the question, taking another swig of ale.
scoff "No, Hem, we don't particularly care where the stones originated," Dar responded dismissively.
"Great, 'cause that Jones guy is given me a right bad vibe," Hem remarked, his voice reflecting concern.
"Oh? Worse than Guntar and his assassin lackey?" Dar questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Dar, way worse," Hem affirmed, punctuating his statement with another gulp of ale before continuing.
chug chug haaah "There's a tinge of death in 'is aura. I dun reckon even he noticed," Dar observed, his demeanor growing serious.
"Easy on the drinks, Hem. So? It's nothing unusual for an adventurer or a mercenary to be surrounded by death," Dar remarked, attempting to rationalize.
"No, not the killin' kind of death, Dar, ‘nd why? It's Saturday!"
"You mean, the undead kind of vibe? And Hem…it's Friday, and you've got work in a few hours. I'm off," Dar reminded him, standing up to leave.
"Aww shite! Could've sworn it was Saturday!" Hem exclaimed, his confusion evident.