I decided to make a simple wooden club. If no one wanted it, I could still use it for myself. I selected a piece of oak, for its strength and durability, which had recently fallen during a storm. As I stared down at the piece of wood, I realized I wasn’t really crafting as waking up a companion. I would need to warn people to be gentle with my club.

As I laid the wood before me, I closed my eyes and reached out with my senses, connecting to the life force still lingered within the oak. I whispered an ancient druidic chant, a call to the spirit of the tree, asking for its cooperation and blessing in the creation of the club.

Ok, I tell a lie, it wasn’t an ancient druidic chant. It was just some nonsense that I made up to help focus my mind.

“There once was a tree so grand,

Fell by storm, not by hand.

Lend me your might,

For a club to excite,

The best in the land, oh so grand.”

With each line, I infused my mana and the words seemed to dance around the piece of wood, wrapping it in a warm, green glow. The magic was different this time; it was infused with joy and a touch of whimsy, reflecting my approach to my druidic powers.

The wood responded in kind, its essence vibrating with laughter that only I could feel. As I guided the magic with my hands, the bark joyously split and peeled away, leaving behind the perfect piece of heartwood for the club. The sapwood separated easily, as if the tree itself was eager to be part of such a merry endeavor.

Manipulating the wood became an effortless dance, my my mana shaping the club to my desire. The handle formed, perfectly contoured to my grip, as if the spirit of the oak was personally ensuring the club would be a flawless extension of myself.

I smoothed the handle with a touch, my mana acting like an invisible carving knife, guided by the lighthearted spirit invoked by my words. The head of the club was left rugged, imbued not only with the strength of the oak but with the joy of our collaboration.

As I finished, I couldn’t help but feel a deep connection to the club, born from my mana and will. I realized I couldn’t sell this club. The club seemed to hum with a life of its own, ready to face any adventure that lay ahead of us.

“I shall call you ‘The Business.’ I told the club. I could almost hear the oak laughing in my head.

I received a prompt from the system at the successful completion of the item.

Weapon Name: The Business

Type: Wooden Club

Material: Enchanted Oak

Length: Approximately 1.5 feet

Diameter (Handle/Head): 1.5 inches (Handle), 3 inches (Head)

Weight: 3 lbs.

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Special Attributes:

- Enchanted Durability: Significantly more durable than standard wood, resistant to breakage and decay.

- Spirit's Joy: Infused with the joyous energy from its creation, it has a slight chance to disorient the opponent with unexpected light-heartedness during combat.

- Mana Conductivity: Enhances the wielder's ability to channel mana through the club, allowing for enhanced spell casting or mana-infused strikes.

Abilities:

- Whack of Whimsy: Each hit has a small chance to cause a minor laughter debuff on the opponent, reducing their attack speed and accuracy for a short period.

- **Druidic Resonance:** When used by a wielder with druidic powers, The Business can channel nature-based spells to increase their potency or add nature effects to physical attacks.

Description: "The Business" is not just a wooden club; it's a testament to the power of joy and creativity in the face of adversity. Crafted with a limerick and the spirit of an ancient oak, this club carries the essence of both battle-readiness and the light-heartedness of its creation. Perfect for those who believe that a good laugh can be as disarming as a fierce strike.

I wondered why this one was so personal when the mace I made for Derek wasn’t. I had no qualms about giving him that weapon. The answer came to me after a moment’s thought. I was thinking of Derek when I made it. Intent must be a huge part of magic. My will guides the mana and when I was crafting this club, I wasn’t thinking about anyone in particular. So in this case, the club was crafted directly for me.

I frowned. I would have to make the items made to order. If every time I tried to craft something without a recipient in mind, I created something for myself, that would get annoying fast. I wanted to make the people around me stronger.

I checked the position of the sun and realized the club didn’t take me to long to make. I decided to check on Scott and see how the quests were going and let him know he could take special orders for weapons. I’d probably at least need to speak to everyone I made gear for or have a fitting session before they picked up the gear.

My mind went to Maya. She never mentioned this issue when she was crafting that armor. But then again, I never asked and she was making custom armor so that probably explained it. I would have to see if magic crafting worked the same for all of us.

I found Scott in the midst of organizing a small group of villagers, each holding a piece of paper that outlined their quest for the day. The morning air was filled with a sense of purpose, as people eagerly discussed their assignments. I approached, curious about the progress and the reception to the new system.

“Morning, Scott,” I greeted, observing the scene. “How’s everything going out here?”

Scott looked up, a smile breaking across his face. “Gavrin, just the person I wanted to see. It’s going well, actually. People are excited about the quests. It gives them a sense of purpose, something to focus on besides just surviving.”

I nodded, happy with the news. “And the coins? Have they started circulating yet?”

“Yes, they have.” Scott replied. “People are using them for trading among themselves already. And a few have taken a ‘Fernando’ on their quests for good luck,” he added with a chuckle.

I smiled at the mention of Fernando. “I’m glad to hear that. It’s important we keep morale high and give people a sense of purpose in times like these.”

Scott leaned in closer, lowering his voice. “There’s something else. Your work with the weapons and tools has caught everyone’s attention. They’re impressed, to say the least. Do you think you could take special orders? People are willing to pay in the new currency or trade goods for custom work.”

I scratched my chin, thoughtful. “I was actually coming over here about that. I just finished crafting a wooden club this morning,” I gestured to “The Business,” hanging from a belt loop. “I realized crafting with intent makes a big difference. So yes, I’ll take special orders. But I’ll need to speak with each person or have a fitting session. It seems the magic makes these items quite…personalized.”

Scott’s eyes widened slightly at the mention of the personalized magic items. “That’s fascinating. It could really give us an edge. I’ll spread the word and start compiling orders. Do you have any preferences or limitations they should know about?”

“Just keep it simple for now,” I advised. “Weapons, tools, go easy on the metal. I don’t really know how to work metal. I can shape it pretty easily, but its something I’ve never done before. Maybe we could get someone who is able to do that? Jillian is an artificer, made she can help with that. I have metal ingots but that’s about it.”

“Understood,” Scott nodded, then hesitated for a moment before adding, “And Gavrin, thank you. For everything. You’re making a big difference here.”

I smiled, clapping Scott on the shoulder. “It’s good to hear that man. Let’s keep building something great here.”

As I walked away, I reflected on what was happening and what people were building. I was happy to be apart of something new.